in our Humanity but Christ would have it for a Natural Right 4. By Canaan understand the holy Chrystalline World or Earth which shall be manifest 5. By the two fold Cave or Pit of Machpelah is signified Man hath a two fold Humanity one out of the Divine Ens and Heavenly Essence the other out of time this Worlds substance both which should be put into an Eternal Sepulchre and lye in its original Mother leaving the one will in Death so that God might alone live rule and will in the Soul and Mans Life be only his Instrument For the Soul hath turn'd itself aside from the only Eternal Word into self-hood This Distemper and unlikeness must be buried and put again into a two fold Cave and thence come into the Temperature the Essence whence the Body and Soul did arise CHAP. L. Of Abraham's sending his Servant for a Wife for Isaac 1. ABraham is herein the Figure of God the Father Isaac in that of Christ Abraham's Servant in that of Nature The Canaanites in that of the introduced Serpents Ens the Besâ—ial Man which shall not Inherit Here God makes his Servant Nature by whom he governeth Essentially bind itself that it will not introduce the Serpents Ens the dark Worlds Bestial Canaanitish Property for Gods Childrens Yoke-fellow but Nature must take substance out of Abraham's true Humane Essence in pure Love of the Heavenly Matrix that so the New Birth might be holy in its Virginity as to the inward Man 2. Nature saith How if c. viz. the right Humane Ens will not follow me And God said Beware c. viz. go not according to thy Reason but an Angel shall go before thee viz. the Divine Will for self-will and reason must not Lord it but Nature must be a Servant do as it is commanded and commit it to God to bring on the â—ternal Marriage But iâ— the Humane Will will not follow the Messenger hath discharged his Office The Rain ascends not up again without Fruit Nature must declare that God hath given Christ all his Goods and now desireth Man to be his Wife And the Servant sware c viz. When God put his Holy Word with the formed Wisdom into the Natural Ens of Mary then the Humane Nature sware Obedience 3. And the Servant took ten Camels and went to the City of Nahor in Mesopotamia viz. the ten Forms of the three Principles to the Natural and Supernatural Life viz. seven Forms of the Centre of Nature and three Forms of the three distinctions of the Principles which are they whereby God causeth all things and the Goods of the Lord are the formed Wisdom of the great Wonders and Powers 4. And the Servant caused the Camels to kneel by the Well near the City at Evening At or in the last time or days of the World The will of the Fathers Nature the Mystery of the Nature of the three Principles the Carriers of the formed Word hath laid it self down by the Well-spring of God the Divine Fountain 5. The Silver and Golden Jewels Bracelets and Ear-rings given to Rebekah signifie the Heavenly Humanity of Jesus Christ which is not given wholly into the power of the Fire-soul in this Life lest it become haughty as Lucifer and Adam but Virgin Sophia meant by Rebekah remaineth with her Bridegroom Christ in the second Principle 6. The Spices signifie the Holy Spirit Then they sate down to eat viz. the Marriage Feast the Joy whereof none but the Children of Christ know And when Rebekah saw Isaac c. When the disappear'd Humanity discovers Christ in it self it falleth into deepest Humility and is ashamed vailing its Face before Gods Holiness and Clarity that it hath lain so long Captive in the Bestial Man but Christ taketh it into his Arms and leadeth it into his Mothers Tent into the Heavenly Worlds Essence And then was Isaac comforted for his Mother for the disappeared Matrix which was lost in Adam now re-obtain'd in Virgin-like Chaâ—tity for his Spouse CHAP. LI. Of Abraham's taking Keturah to Wife and of his Six Sons and Death 1. ABraham was old when he had Isaac to shew Christ was to be in the old Age of the World and Sarah was old that so the Divine Ens might have the preheminence over the Humane and she must have but one for so is Christ and all are Branches in the one Tree viz. Christ in all 2. But Abraham by Keturah had six Sons signifying the six Properties of the formed Nature the operation of the six days Isaac viz. Christ is the seventh the Sabbath Of these six sprang six Nations to them he gave gifts of his Goods tho' not the In eritance yet had the free Gift of Grace So every Man hath Christ as the free Gift of Grace in him none predestinated to destruction for by those six are signified all Adam's Children 3. In the right Adamical Man out of which the Earth had its Original is the Covenant of the Free gift but the own-self-made-gross-earthy Adam who by Lust made himself a Beast is not capable of the Gift in the Covenant but the right Man as a Tincture in gross Lead mortifieth the Saturnine will and changeth it into Gold swalloweth up the gross Man viz. the dark Worlds Property 4. The Jews Christians and Heathens have all this Gift and Christ is the only available obedience all Men therefore who give up themselves in obedience to God are received in Christs obedience for Names are not accepted 5. My believing that Christ was Born Died and Rose for me makes me not a Christian but I must put on Christ enter into his Obedience and Sacrifice arise in him and Live in him 6. When Abraham had brought his Lifes Forms into right order he resigned up himself into Mortification tired with the Life of self reâ—â—ed in God CHAP. LII The History of Isaac Birth of Esau and Jacob. 1. AFter Abraham's Death God blessed Isaac and he lived by the Well Labairoi viz. the Well of Living and Seeing his Soul dwelt by the Fountain of Divine Love The desire of the Soul is the Fiat which takes the holy Love Tincture into it self and makes it Essential as the Metalline Ens gives its deâ—ire into the Suns Tincture that out of them both the fair and precious Gold is generated So doth the Deity inhabit in the Soul and co worketh but is not comprehended 2. The Souls Magical Fire by the Divine Love desire is inkindled into a shining Lustre so doth the Souls Magical Fire become the Bridegroom to the precious Sophia but the Mortal Soul from the Stars or four Elements attains it not in this Life but that Soul that cometh from the Centre of the Eternal Nature out of the Divine Lubet through the Word whereby the Divine longing formeth the Wisdom into Substance This Soul is that which is betrothed to Sophia 3. Ishmael had twelve Sons six of the Inward
or Prophesying c. Also He that prophesieth let him prophesie according to the proportion of Faith 2. But this Question intending chiefly things to come we must say There are two sorts of False and two sorts of true Prophets viz First to describe the false 1 They are such as do Lying Wonders and predict Events of Publick and Private Importance going no farther than into the imaged formed word the occult qualities of Nature and outward Causes and Consequents contracted to wonderful Good and Evil Uses into which Satan can easily insinuate himself 3. 2. Such as have a Spirit of Prophesie but not a Spirit of Holiness such was Balaam and such the Lord mentions who shall say Lord Lord we have prophesied in thy Name c. And these have their Water out of the Fountain but receive and keep it in foul Vessels God is so bountiful a House-keeper that his Wine is given running over so that some falls into such Mensold Bottles 4. 3. The Children of Wisdom the regenerated holy ones who live in God and have their Names written in the Book of Life having Divine senses opened These Prophesies according to their proportion of Faith for Love and Faith begot them They prophesie of their own Death which comes to pass for they die daily they are Priests and Prophets what they want in skill and Power they have in love to his Service These as Prophets and Priests shall have boldness in the day of the Lord which they wait for being Children of the day and are true Prophets yet without that Gift of Prophecy this Question levels at and yet of these it is said the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets 5. 4. Those of the Lord 's Holy ones who are gifted by the Spirit of Prophecy some more eminently familiarly frequently and as it were continually before whom the Doors of the spiritual World lye Night and Day wide open 6. They as Watchmen see the contest of the Properties and what weight of sin over-ballanceth the contra-ponderating Wrestlers for the Magical Power of their Souls uniteth with the Universal as the Tincture of Gold doth with the Sun's Tincture they as evidently see the Displeasure of the Almighty as by Man's face may his delight or dislike of any extream occurrence be discerned 7. This is so intimate that the Lord saith he doth nothing but what he tells or shews to his Servants the Prophets For as there is but one God and his Spirit is but one and that Man is a compleat Image of the whole Almighty God and having the Work of that one Spirit begetting in him the true Divine second Principle he can as clearly when gifted to this distinct office hear and see the Power whence himself and all things are as a Glass can reflect a Face for all lyes in himself though like Hagar we see not the Fountain till God's Angel shew it though it be as that in and before us For such a Man is as a well tun'd Musical Instrument the Sounds are all distinct ready when ever the Spirit of God shall play on it And the simile sutes well for Man's original Numbers and Measures answer exactly to the Number of the Notes in Musick which are 3 and 7 and not one more or less and this Harmony is signified in the Harp Organ c. used in the legal Administration 9. And as Men are affected with the elevating of the Airs to Delight and with the solemnity into seriousness with the harshness into regret and with the solid composure into excess of Melancholy so ought all to be with the Lord's Voice in his Prophets 10. To such it is shewn many times what time place manner and other circumstances may sitly hide the Lord 's redeemed ones if the Decree be not gone forth for they see where when and how the Destroyer comes by which such may escape who are not to witness by their Blood and be Crown'd with Martyrdom 11. Some have been Leaders as Moses Deliverers and Judges as Samuel c. And as a figure of the Heavenly Worlds concurrence and assistance to the Magical Vertue of the faithful Soul was the Oracle near the Mercy Seat the Urim and Thummim Ephod c. Some have been Prophets for more private and particular Occasions as Agabus c. 12. We are farther to know he that liveth the Life of Jesus Christ lives at the Fountain of Wisdom having all the Principles and Properties in due subordination to the Divine Life whereby he knows God the Creation Heavenly Hellish the Out-world and Himself 13. Yet all this in part he comprehends not that wherewith himself is comprehended he seeth a part of every thing but not the whole of any part As a Mathematician hath a true distinct knowledge of both Globes which he can describe and measure while yet he knoweth not fully that spot of Earth whereon his Feet tread 14. And though the Natural Philosopher penetrateth much farther and the Divine Philosopher deepest of all yet how little a part know we of him even of things existent how much less of Futurities 15. And if Daniel heard the Angel praying How long wilt thou not have Compassion on Jerusalem against whom thou hast had Indignation these threescore and ten years and if the Lord Jesus said of that day and hour knoweth no man no not the Son which I submissively understand to be meant thus viz. 16. Not the Son as he is the opened Treasure of Grace and Love of the second Principle but the Father that is as he is the secret Treasure of the Justice and Vengeance of the first Principle How very little and poor is the utmost faln Man's Race can attain 17. But hence we discern that the Knowledge and Spirit whence the Prophets in the Old Testament did Prophesie Good was by the Spirit in them opening those things out of the second Principle and the Spirit and Knowledge whence the Prophets either brought Evil Denunciations which should succeed was out of the first wrath Principle or by which they call'd down immediate Evil as Eliah the Fire was the same 18. But that it might not as a Coal burn the hand of the Bearer it was wrapt up in the Prophets holy Divine second Principle 19. For as it is hard for a Captain who hath Personal Enemies in the adverse Camp to carry on his Force vigorously and at the same time pursuing his Success wholly lay aside the Sentiments of all personal private Wrongs so is it hard for a Prophet to bring the Turba on others without his own entring into it either before in or after the stroak How needful is it therefore that sinful men should be inhibited to revenge themselves Q. 102. What is Christ of whom the Prophets Prophesied in the Old Testament The Seventh grand Distribution A. According to the constant design of avoiding Repetitions the Answer of this Question is referr'd to the review and perusal of
in the devouring fierceness of the Wrath kingdom and the second and third Principles subsist in and with and are tormented by the Anguishes of the Soul as are the Souls themselves by the contrarieties of their own four forms 9. Thus also are Devils and the Damned a Torment each to other tho' in one Principle and one with the Principle as the Holy Angels and Saints are a Crown of Joy and Transcendent Delight and Triumph one to and with the other being all in one Principle and one with the Principle in Nature viz. the new Nature and all the seven Properties making in them all one Property The same contrariwise do the Devil and Damned torment themselves and one the other laying one his Blood on the other and all at constant Enmity against the Principle which comprehends them Blaspheming the Infinite Omnipotence 10. Obj. But will some say here seemeth a contradiction that the Faln Angels and Damned Men are one in Nature and Property with the Principle of Gods Wrath wherein they are comprehended and yet at Enmity with and in the same A. It is truely so and easily made obvious for the Principle is that of stern Astringency and violent Attraction also Exaltation whence Covetousness and boundless Pride in the separate Properties originate now how ill do gripirâ—g covetous Men and other covetous Men each scraping from the other agree and proud Men with contrary proud Men But the resignation of the Spirit and emptying and divesting of the Soul thereby becoming as a little Child frees from those direful Extremities The Principle is that of Darkness and the dark Spirits only are suited to and fixt in it but those in whom the Divine Light is generated and inkindled cannot be detained thereby for that were a real contradiction The Principle is also an Eternal Desperation and Anguish above which they in whom the Faith of Gods Elect is begotten are exalted but the rest are therein plunged The Principle is Rage fierce Wrath and implacable Enmity from which the Humble Meek Dear pure Love translates and ennobles the Soul giving another Centre another Life so that he is dead to all these and to the prevailing Dominion of this whole Principle and lives a new Divine Life which this Principle cannot see apprehend or conceive the Idea of much less comprehend and fasten upon But the Vassals or Parts of the dark World sink as Lead into that Abyss and as poysonous venemous filthy and other cruel Peasts cannot but do or endeavour hurt for it is their Life and their Forms of Nature have no other will so are these dark fierce damned Souls one in Will one in Nature one in Act with the Inimicitious Principle and therefore must ever be at Enmity therein and therewith 11. And this thus enkindled is the Kingdom of Gods fierce Wrath Fury Vengeance Consuming Fire the Blackness of Darkness this is that Fuel which the Breath of the Lord like a River of Brimstone doth kindle The Principle of Wrath as it is in God is not only not Evil but very Good in it self in its Original as is the heat in the outward Sun or the Gall in living Creatures the former giving Essence to the Light the other strikes up Life in the Animal but as the one in Burning-glasses consumes so the other separated from the other Properties is a bitter raging tearing fierce Enemy to the Tranquillity of Life as hath in these Answers been remember'd Q 176. Where shall Hell and also the Eternal Habitation of the Holy or Saints be A. 1. When depraved Reason hears this Question it straightway imploys the Imagining Faculty to dig a Dungeon for the place of Hell either in the Bowels of the Earth or under the Poles where the Suns absence causeth a desolation and to find the Habitation of the Saints it soars up to an imaginary Zenith and if it be not so gross as the fiction of the Elizian Fields yet placoth them by local distance from the Circle of time and remote from the roarings and fumes of the smoaky Pit 2. It is true to say up to Heaven and down to Hell but let the same imagination remove this Ball of Earth and Water and the starry Heaven is without Zenith and Nadir no Star is above or below And the local Apprehensions are as near the Truth as those Americans who by an Inaccessible Ridge of Mountains are shut up do as 't is said promise themselves to be Translated by Death only to the other side of that Ridge It is not unlikely that Mahomet might have heard of the mention St. Paul makes of the third Heaven and thence form in his gross Imagination an Ignorant Idea of his Travels through the Silver into the Golden Region and giddily seign those Varieties to be fenced out one from the other as Beasts be fenced out one from the other in their Inclosures 3. The where in this Question must therefore have quite another there and solution than what local distance gives for Hell will be Everlastingly comprized in that Principle of fierceness wrath and blackness of darkness where the seven Properties are in a fixt Anguish Enmity and Radical or Original Discord wherein all and only Extreams are ever Existeat and so possess the Powers in the dark World whereof the fierce Properties in this are a Figure or Shadow for in the third Principle or Out birth hath the first or dark World as really as the second the holy pure World powerfully impressed its Image In that place therefore are the Evil Angels and Damned Reprobates and when their filthy Bestial Bodies shall have a Resurrection to Condemnation as they were the Figure and Tinctured by their averted wrathful Inward Man they shall possess the Dregs Fierceness Anguish and Odious Properties of the same third Principle as the Filthiness Bitterness Stink Venom Contrariety Poyson and Extremities of the Out-birth which shall be resumed after the dissolution by its Aether not annihilated but remain Monuments of the Power of the Infinite Creator and Figures of the Spiritual dark World or first Principle as the Caput Mortuum of the Chymists Nor is it any Impediment but Exciter of Life that the bitter poysonous Gall is in the Bodies of Animals non prejudice to the day when the Sun is in the Zenith of the Aequator that darkness is also in that instant on their Antipodes and both Poles yea on Caverns of Rocks and Ships holds if shut up and on the inside of every Mans Glove and under the Eye-lid as soon and as oft as it is shut thus as to Locality Hell is in Heaven 4. And concerning the Eternal Habitation of the Holy or Saints it must be said it is wheresoever the seven Properties are in Harmony and triumph for there the first four in Eternity generate the other three whereby calmness is transported into triumph and peace ascendeth into excess of highest delight joy and ravishment Hereby diminutives of Affection if sincere are exalted and
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
Miâ—d not enlightened by Divine Light reach them for like must be comprehended by like And tho' Heavenly Treasure be carried in an Earthy Vessel yet there must be a Heavenly Receptacle hid in the Earthy or the Heavenly cannot be comprised 13. Eternal Life is in a Twofold Source First That of the Originality viz. the fierceness according to which God calls himself a consuming Fire and this Principle we must have or else we should not be alive Yet if we stay in this without generating the Love and Humility our abode is in Pride Covetousness Envy and Anguish as the Devils 14. Let us look to it that seeing the Life in the Originality is both Inimicitious against it self and against the Regeneration and that the Life in the Love is Heavenly therefore we be content to be pierced wounded and to bear the Cross in Meekness and expect till at the day of Separation the Field of the first Principle in which groweth the Heavenly Fruit of the second Principle shall be taken away for then shall the Life springing up through Death be a Fruit to God in the new Man and thereunto dedicate our selves in our Meek Victorious Saviour THE THIRD BOOK OF Jacob Behmen CALLED THE Threefold Life in Man CHAP. I. Of the Root Beginning and Forms of Life 1. SEeing there is in us an incorruptible Life wherein is a Principle capable of the highest good yet by its Original is also in danger of Eternal Perdition and Misery and that here we are strangers posting away how necessary is it to search whence all these originate And this may be by going up the Stream to the Fountain 2. The outward Elementary Life is a Living Heat or Active Fire enlivening the Body and sustained by the Body the Body by the Food the Food by the Earth the Earth by the Water and the other Elements the Elements by the Fire of the Constellations their Fire inkindled by the Sun causing a Boiling in all So should that first outward cause cease the sude or seething and Generation of all also of Metals Fruits c. would cease as the Food failing the Body and its Life extinguisheth 3. Now this perishing Life hungering after a higher Life shews there is such and that is the Eternal Life of the Soul As is said in Moses God breathed into Man the Breath of Life and Man became a Living Soul The Soul is also an ever induring Fire and must have Food which it presseth after from its original which is the Eternal Band the Forms of the Eternal Nature the Property of the Father but that Band of those Forms is of it self as a dry Breast whence it is that the Soul would have the Food in its own power but that also is as impossible as for the Eternal Nature to have the Light in its own power which cannot be for the Love shining in it or into it remaineth Lord therein because the Eternal Nature doth not comprehend it but rejoiceth in the Light which is another Principle which when it is received into the Soul it is a new Birth ingenerated in the Soul and this is done as truely as the Soul like a Branch is come from the Tree of the immediate Parent 4. And because Adam fell into the Astral Kingdom and our Elementary Body is infected therewith as sometimes the Body is with the Pestilence it was out of the power of the Soul to enter into the Divine Principle therefore of meer Infinite Grace did the Love the Son of God take our Humane Soul and brought it into the holy Life that we might every one by or for our particular selves press with our Soul in the Life of Christ into the new Regeneration in the Spirit of Christ. No Meritorious Works on the one hand or lifeless feigned words of believing on the other avail at all but only a stedfast earnest resolution in the new Created Will bearing the Cross killing the old Will and arising in the Life of Christ bringeth the Glory Food and Paradise of the Soul else the Soul remains in the four Anguishes or Forms of the Eternal Band for ever wherein stands the Eternal Wrath and Hell Fire for ever And thus see we the Original in the first Principle and the Divine Light making the second Principle why then should not the Man to whom this Knowledge is graciously given speak of this as his Native Countrey not as of things afar off but that wherein he standeth and himself really is and not to be learnt of another Man as is barely an History unless himself enter into the new Birth in the Life of Christ that the Divine Light may shine in him 5. The Root whence is inkindled the Vital Fire consists of two Forms only the sour which is a strong shutting up and the bitter sting is an opener and those are what the Eternal Will in the desiring attracteth and is the wills something and darkness Then the sting of the bitterness would get loose which the sourness captivateth with strife tho' like a wâ—e is yet no pain for they are immaterial forms of Nature in the Eternal Will and this contrary commixture is as a confusion of Eternal Mobility and cause of the Multiplicity of Essences and are efficiently the Eternal Essences and Eternal Band. 6. The vast infinite space desireth narrowness or comprehension wherein to manifest it self as a Map doth in a few Inches a huge Territory a short Speech or Scene Abridge a large History a Minute Model Epitomize the Terrestrial and Celestial Orbs. And as all pourtraying Figures have shadows as foils to set off the rest so in the contraction of matter to manifest Infinity must be Darkness that one contrary may illustrate the other Nor is the vast infinite space a Creator but a Genitrix and the Word in with and of the Father the Generator as the Territory makes not of it self the Map also the words owe themselves to the speaker or speaking word 7. Nor is the word departed nor doth the Son depart from the Father but is inseparable as the Light of a Candle abideth with the Candle as saith the Son I am not alone but the Father is with me in the Father is a Centre in the Son is a Centre two Principles not divisible but inseparable Thus the second Will opening the Principle of Light is amiable pure and mild also Omnipotent to Create all things breaking and shining out of the Eternal Essences yet not comprehended by them but dwelling in it self CHAP. II. Of the Begun Life the Principles and Forms and Fall 1. THE stirring in every Life whether Sensitive or Vegetative must not be a strange or Heterogene Power for such would blow it out rather than help it but it must be the Creatures own Spirit proceeding in the Genitrix to be a Centre and Circle also of Life None should trust their Soulâ— with the Men whose Home is here for the Soul stands in the Original of the Essence of all
all things but hidden to the things not dwelling in the things for it self hath a substance in it self after the manner of Eternity 2. The first Eternal Principle is Magical and like a hidden Fire is Eternally known in its Colours in the figure in the Wisdom of God as in a Looking-glass The opening of which Mystery openeth the three Principles according to the Trinity 3. The Magical Centre of the first Principle is Fire which as also the second is as a Spirit without palpable substance therefore the longing is to generate the third where the Spirit of the Principles might manifest it self by Similitude In this desiring Powers Colours and Virtues come to be 4. And for as much as every desiring is attractive The first Principle impregnateth it self with Nature and the second with Light And this meek Fire of the Majesty of the second being set opposite to the Fire of the first quenching its wrath puts it into an Essential Substance thereby and the first giveth the second power strength and might being together an Eternal Band that without the one the other could not be 5. What the first Principle is wholly and alone in it self The first Will willeth to be free from the darkness and by desiring cannot attain it for the desiring is a stern attraction So that out of the thin rare liberty where nothing is a darkness comes And the greater the desiring the greater will be the attraction The drawing giveth sting and the attracted giveth hardness from the desiring comes the feeling thence also comes the third form viz. the Anguish which is as it were the Centre where Life and Will originate 6. Hence it is the Will would flee but is withheld by the harshness so that it becomes whirling as a Wheel and the greater the Anguish the greater the whirling and the greater the bitter sting of the Essences and Multiplicity But in the whirling the Essences become a mixed will where lye innumerable multiplicity of Existencies or Beings justly called the Eternal Mind 7. The first will which is called Father and is in it self the Liberty desireth Nature and Nature groaneth after the liberty from the Anguish The conception of which in the Imagination causeth a shriek of joy and when it attaineth the liberty the shriek becomes a flash in the meekness breaking the sting of Death and passeth into the Kingdom of Joy and so into the Love for the meekness draweth the Joy into it and that is the Water of Eternal Life 8. And when the Fire drinketh the Water of Eternal Life it giveth forth the Light of the Majesty where dwell the Father and the Son And the Holy Spirit is the Life of it opening the meek substantiality viz. Colours Wonders and Vertues That is called the Divine Wisdom the House of the Holy Trinity and in its Colours and Vertues the Spirit hath all the Angelical Quires 9. The second substance of the shriek is an Inimicitious Quality exciting a panting to be loosed from the quality of Anguish Whence in the Fathers Will ariseth pity compassion and mercifulness 10. Hence also cometh the Gall into Creatures which tho'it be a Poyson is the cause of Life viz. of Mobility for Death is the Root of Life as may be seen in Christs Death and also in our own 11. The Souls Fire uniteth with the Eternal Nature The right Souls Spirit is one Spirit with God The Images Corporeity is of the Substance wherein the Faithful shall live Eternally CHAP. II. What the Principle is or what they all three are Further of the First Point 1. WHen Life findeth it self where none is that is a Principle Fire is a Property so is Light for tho' it be caused by the Fire it is not the Fires Property and the wrathful Anguish is the cause of both 2. But the Will to the Anguish called Father a Man cannot search out We only fathom how the Anguish gains the highest Perfection in the Holy Trinity and manifesteth it self in the three Principles What Essence is and how it originateth because thence spring the Senses and Thoughts and the Wonder of all Beings 3. The third Principle of the Stars and Elements manifesteth the other two And that which in moving attained the fierce wrath became the Globe of the Earth Thence is it that out of it while the Centre of Nature is in it and it freed from Death the pure Child of the Eternal substance may be extracted as in Gold Tho' by defect of attaining the Eternal Fire Life is not so brought out of Death save only in Man and what is beyond Man belongs to God and we wait the Renovation in the end of time 4. of the Substance and Property of the three Principles The first Principle standing in the Fire of the Will The second in the Will to the Light the one giving its desire into the other yet are not mixt each retaineth its Property yet dwelleth in the other The third hath the Properties of both yet is neither It is an awakener manifester and similitude of the Eternal yet is not the Eternal but is become a substance in the Eternal desire 5. The Creation was an awakening of the Power and Form which was in the Eternal Will and because it was in the beginning comprized in the Eternal therefore must the substance in this World together with the figure go into the Eternal 6. But whatsoever became comprized in the desire out of the beginning recâ—des into its Ether becoming what it was when it was no substance So this Worlds substance being a coagulated Vapour returns into the Magia or Mystery whereof it served a while to be a manifester 7. For nothing attains the liberty of Eternity that subsisteth not in the Willfire of the Eternal in which the Light can bring its lustre and dwell and that it be as subtle as the Lights substantiality 8. Mans Soul may if it will become generated out of the fierce wrath into Renovation by forsaking the Earthy renew what he hath generated out of the Eternal which else remaineth in the quality of Torment For whatever is not like to the Love fire Light and Water cannot subsist in the liberty but remains in an opposite Will in the dark Torment it awakened in it self 9. The right Man out of the new Birth is three Worlds the Eternal Light World shineth through all whatsoever is thin rare or transparent and thereby capable of it which can no more be hinder'd than the Sun can be that it should not shine 10. The Properties of the first Principle sprout making Sulphur Mercurius and Sal. 11. The second Principle sprouteth in it self making Love a Friendly Vertuous Pioâ—s Humble Patient Will to stoop and bear with evil in others ever hidden to the old Man lashing it forward as a lazy Ass denies him the worldly Jollity it lusteth after and makes him a Servant it with standeth the evil Influences of the Stars and the fierce Devil and Malicious Men so
Faith and Opinions about Religion being really dumb Idols 4. Therefore as it was necessary that the Natural Magick should be discontinued where the Faith of Christ was manifest so is it now more necessary that the Natural Magick were again restored that Titular Christendoms Idols might through the formed Word in Nature also by new Regeneration be suppressed not to take up Heathen Idols again but to shew by the formed Word in Love and Anger with its re-expression the Essence of all Essences 5. The seven Fat Kine and good Ears of Corn denote the seven Properties of the Eternal Nature in the good and holy Ground the Lean Kine and Blasted Ears the seven Properties in the Wrath. The seven Fat and Well-favoured Kine and full Ears Figure what God made Man at first and the seven Lean and Blasted shew what Man made himself to be And Joseph Figureth Mans Restoration by his Deliverance and Advancement CHAP. LXIX How the Famine driveth Joseph's Brethren to him and how he shew'd himself to them 1. THE 42 of Gen. Figureth excellently the real Christian who by Persecution is in Christs process And how he not only forgiveth but is graciously bountiful to his Persecutors Also how Sin brings Anxiety on them And Gods severity against Sin that the Sinner may dread it and leave it 2. By Benjamin the youngest Brother is signified the Adamical Humanity viz. that Image of the Heavenly Worlds substance which faded in Adam 3. The particular parts of this 42. Chap are so manifest that the inlightened Soul tho' it runs may read its Tendency Figure or Language CHAP. LXX Jacob's Sons went into Egypt the second time and did eat at Joseph's Table yet knew him not 1. THIS 43. Chap. sheweth how the outward Nature bringeth all its Lifes Essences very timorously into Christs Death yet in the end is made willing to enter into the dying of self As Jacob having lost Joseph and Simeon is content to give up Benjamin also and this â—eath it willingly tasts on Divine confidence that it bringeth the will of God with it 2 This Chapter shews how the Forms of Life by reason of an evil Conscience tremble before God as Jacob's Sons before Joseph 3. It shews how God entertains the Soul by feeding him at his Table tho' in a strange Form then lets him go in Peace yet afterwards comes with a terrible Tryal as Joseph did them with his Cup in Benjamin's Sack which Cup signifieth the Lords Testament I reâ—train my Extracts to this brevity because the total of the Excellent Discourse oâ— this Chapter is so evident an Exposition as if written by the Sun-Beams CHAP. LXXI Of Joseph's Cup being put into Benjamin's Sack 1. JOseph's Brethren stand here in the Figure of the truly converted Christian. Joseph of the Wrath of God in Nature The Cup in that of Christ's Sufferings Thus Joseph's Brethren viz. The Christian is by the Wrath of God in the fleshly Evil Nature the Evil World and the Devil accused to have stoln the Silver Cup of Christ's Sufferings who though Innocent do give themselves up to suffer Bonds Servitude Shame and Death Christ saith He came not to send Peace on Earth but Strife c. 2. Those of our own Family in Flesh and Blood must be Enemies as a Tree groweth in heat and Cold and Storms so in Strife groweth the Tree of Pearl 3. The Cup 's being uppermost in the Sack denotes Gods Peoples Sufferings to be uppermost viz. on all viz. continually From the 10th Verse to the 37th is a most profound convincing Discourse of the use of Strife 4. Joseph's Brethren answered the Steward him with whom the Cup is found let him be put to Death and we will be my Lords Servants Shewing 1. How ready the Man who received some Grace is to justifie himself They would not be thought Thieves though they had stoln even Joseph himself 2. How confident they are in their justification He that did it should die and they all would be his Servants 5. The Christian presently thinks he should be exempt from Sufferings and all wrong him But his guilt standeth open before God's Righteousness who requireth Man to be in the imitation and process of Christ in his Sufferings and Death Therefore hath the Christian no Excuse when God causeth him to be laid hold on in Anger by his Steward the Children of this World as a Thief Novellist Enthusiast Heretick which though imputed to them wrongfully from the World yet is he guilty of all Adamical Sins and suffereth in Christ's Process justly what Christ suffered innocently 6. And they hasted and searched every Mans Sack beginning at the Eldest and the Cup was found in Benjamin's Sack and they rent their Cloaths and returned When Adam sinned the Law fetched him back into the City viz. The Earth out of which the Body proceeded there did Righteousness search all the Natural Properties beginning at the first Form of Nature but the Cup of Joseph viz. of Christ was found only in Benjamin's viz. in the youngest Brother's Sack viz. the Youngest the Word of the inspoken or inspired Grace 7. And Judah went with his Brethren and they fell down before Joseph c. The Law having brought Man back cannot answer but yields But God would not have future Israel to be his Servant the first Forms viz. in outward Worship only but Benjamin the inward heavenly Worlds Substance 8. Judah who was Surety for Benjamin his Pleading so hard that he durst not go home without him lest he bring his Fathers grey hairs c. Shews That if the Adamical Man should go into Paradice without Christ's Life and Substance the Life's Nature would not be manifest viz. would not live in the Kingdom of Heaven CHAP. LXXII How Joseph manifested himself before his Brethren 1. BEcause the Law could not bring Man back into Paradise the great Joseph of meer Compassion seeing Mans Misery could no longer withhold but cried Let every one go forth viz. When Jesus would manifest his highest Mercy the Law Ceremonies and Mans Ability and will must depart 2. Then Joseph wept aloud so that the Egyptians Pharaoh's People heard him viz. the Weeping and Compassion of Jesus sounded to the Heathen and Nations and he said I am Joseph your Brother Doth my Father yet live viz. I am Jesus in thee is the Father's Nature viz. a Breath of the Divine Life yet in the Soul And they could not answer him nor can the Soul for the Soul 's own will is terrified to Death there is a gnawing guilt making him Dumb. 3. Then saith Joseph Come near be not careful nor think that I am angry that you sold me for God sent me to preserve you alive viz. I am no more angry that I have been sold into thy Death for it was that I might nourish thee 4. There will yet be five years of Famine viz. the Divine hunger will yet remain in thy five Senses 5. Make
she can do all things And remaining in her self she maketh all things new And in all Ages entring into holy Souls she maketh them Friends of God and Prophets All good things together came to me with her and innumerable Riches in her hands And a greater than Solomon saith Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added to you This Certainly is not only our Duty but the great Affair most worthy our Enquiry and Industry That Work which Man alone is capacitated for by reason of his noble Extract and that which is alone a suitable reward to render him truely happy It is this Work and Wisdom that the Writings of Jacob Behmen and these following are conversant about laying the Foundation deep firm and solid and thereupon raising a regular and noble Building Here is described at large our Malady and Remedy both with respect to Time and Eternity for the Instruction and Teaching of those he calls his School-fellows and to the perusal of the said Writings we recommend the Candid Reader And shall conclude with a Testimony concerning the Writings of Jacob Behmen from an Ingenious and Learned Hand What soever the thrice great Hermes delivered as Oracles from his Prophetical Tripos or Pythagoras spake by Authority or Socrates debated or Aristotle affirmed yea whatever Divine Plato Prophesied or Plotinus proved this and all this or a far higher and profounder Philosophy is I think contained in the Teutonicks Writings And if there be any friendly Medium which can possibly reconcile those Ancient Differences between the Nobler Wisdom which hath fixt her Palace in Holy Writ and her stubborn Handmaid Natural Reason this happy Marriage of the Spirit and the Soul this wonderful consent of Discords in one Harmony we owe in great measure to Teutonicus his Skill Only let not the Non or Misunderstanding of the most rational Reader if not a little sublimed above the Sphere of common Reason be imputed as a fault to this Elevated Philosopher no more than 't was to the Divine Plotine whose highest Notions many even of his own School after much Study were not able to reach The way to profit in reading these Writings is to be possest with patience our Minds standing in singleness and simplicity and in this frame of Mind to seek diligently pray earnestly and to resign up our Wills intirely to the Guidance and Conduct of the Divine Love Importunity and Industry often prevails to the obtaining the desired End when Sloth and Negligence meets with Disappointments and Shame Let us humble our selves under the sense of our Misery and submit to the mortifying our corrupt Wills and proceed on to Experience a Separation or cleansing from all filthiness of the Flesh and more secret defilements of the Spirit through the Power and Energy of the Heavenly Fire the Divine Life the Breath or Word of God That knowing a Death unto Sin we may also know a Life unto Righteousness which in the true Heavenly Process being offered up to God as an acceptable Sacrifice a permanent fixed and immortal State may be manifest where there shall be no more going forth for ever If these following Sheets contribute in some measure towards the directing and assisting of any especially the honest Industrious Searcher it will greatly rejoice the Persons concerned it being their end and design in the present Publication Farewel Some Words used by Jacob Behmen explained near to his deep Sense AByss is an Infinity peculiar only to each of the Three Principles Amass is a Spirit or Will bringing it self into substance compaction or manifestation Anguish is the third Form of the seven Properties of the Eternal Nature made of the two first Forms and making the Sulphurous Spirit Centrum or Centre is the Flash standing in every Will to make an opening Three Principles Ch. 14. v. 67. Christ by the word Christ is meant the inward new Man in the Spirit of Christ understood inwardly Element call'd the one or holy Element is of or according to the second Principle generated Eternally out of the Eternal Nature or great Mystery which are according to the first but where-ever they generate the holy Element there is Paradise Ens the proper or peculiar Being or Essence Good or be it Evil of a thing Eternal Nature is of the first Principle and is that in which standeth two Kingdoms one the pure Virgin Wisdom of God the one holy Element the cause of the four Elements and Stars The other the severe fierce wrath According to which God calleth himself a consuming Fire It is therefore the great Mystery Expressed word comprizeth all Creatures Visible and Invisible Fiat the Eternal speaking Word or Creating Power proceeding from the Free-will of the Abyss Also the desire of the Soul taking the power of the holy Love Tincture and makes it Essential Flagrat or sudden fright terror shriek flash the severing the two Principles of Light and Darkness resembling that in Thunder and Lightning Gunpowder c. The pregnant Eccho of the sound of Eternity speaking by Magical Fire-breath Love or Anger Life in the Light Death in the Darkness Which is called the Salnitral Flagrat Idea is the Ens which with Man first is and then known But we wrong God unless we say it is because God seeth it 〈…〉 a Divine Sparkle captiv'd so as can only glimmer not shine forth Magia there are two Magia's one of the Unity the other of the Multiplicity or Astral Powers And two Magi in Man the Spirit of God and Reason into the latter the Devil easily insinuates Majesty the Light of the Glorious Son of God the second Principle according to which only God is called God for according to the first viz. the Fathers Property he is not called God but a consuming Fire Lubet a Longing Delight or Beneplacitum In God it is the free pregnant will to Manifestation in Nature and Creature without which all had been an Eternal stilness The Lubet in Man is the moving will to Good or Evil. Mysterium Magnum that out of which all Visible and Invisible Concreates proceeded it is of the first Principle Vide Eternal Nature Out-birth the visible palpable mortal part of this World call'd the Anger-fire Salniter is that which in the Sulphur is awakened by the heat arising into a Flagrat out of the Brimstony Watry and Earthy Properties whereby the Properties are Explicated Sathan is meant the Spirit of Error and not always a Creaturely Devil but the Property of such an Erroneous Spirit Salitter call'd Divine Salitter represented by the Earth but like the pure Heaven in it are moving springing Powers producing all manner of Divine Trees Plants c. with Heavenly Colours Smells Tasts whereof this Worlds Trees Gold Silver precious Stones c. are hard dead dark shadows But this Salitter and Mercurius i. e. Divine Mercurius is the Food of Angels and Holy Souls Sophia the true noble precious Image of Christ
power in every place as it did at his Transfiguration His Kingdom might have come on Earth as it is in Heaven where Paradice might have flourished 28 Demonstration is Natures labour after Perfection and the tincture in it shewing some faint impulses and producing precious Stones Gold and other Metals Medicinal Earths Spices excellent Fruits c. And in the Seas Pearl Amber c. all which are but shadows and reflected figures wherewith the third Principle representeth the Glories of the second 29. Therefore the enlightned Judgment guides the Will not to regard these things for themselves but for the infinite Excellency of that represented by them 30. If it be true that I love not the part I see or touch of my worthy honoured Friend but for that part of him which I see not nor touch outwardly for that is indeed the Excellency and the True Man much less then do I regard his meer shadow CHAP. XIII Of the Third Principle in four Demonstrations 1. IF the Greek Christians think the Holy Ghost proceeds only from the Father and not from the Son they must probably have some other meaning than is known to some of us for the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son 2. The four Anguishes of the first Principle generate the Light of the second and from the infinite Might and Strength of the first and the infinite Lustre of the second is generated the infinite Glory and Love of the third which third Principle is the Property of the Third Person in the Trinity 3. Hence is it that the third Principle is not only the growing Vertue of Paradice but also of the Out-birth the Astral Elementary and Visible Material World also Demonstration For as the Air is produced by Fire and Light yet being produced is not only a Self-subsisting body but the food of the Fire and consequently of the Light so is the third Person to the first and second 4. The Out-birth is not the first for it cannot be a Root but a Fruit not a Foundation but a Superstructure not a Creator but a Creation composed of Darkness or substantial matter like a Chaos arising from the first and the Light arising from the second 5. Neither is it the second as is apparent being a distinct Life in a sort inanimate without understanding an Image of the inward spiritual World in the various Figures and Properties thereof representing all as in a Mirrour As we see the outward glorious Sun figures the infinite inward second Principle but is not a seeing but a seen Light or Power 6. What then if it be neither the first nor second can it be but the third And tho' the third it only be yet it hath in every part of it the vigour of the first Principle and vertue of the second in some measure or other for if in any part were nothing of the first there could be no Being but a Nullity and if in any part were nothing of the second there were only Death and Hell manifest 7. Now forasmuch as in some places and things the first swalloweth up the second the Wrath and Curse seems only to be there and in other parts or things the second or sweet Property of the Life is prevalent there riseth a Life for his Light is the Life of Men. 8 Demonstration But in some also the Love in the Light swalloweth up the first Principle And there is a twofold Birth an Inward and an Outward The Inward is Divine Heavenly Holy man Eternal Excellency as in the new Birth or Regeneration but it extendeth not to Tincture the Outward Man because the Curse subjected it to Wrath and Corruption 9. The Lord Jesus Christ brake the Bands for it was not possible he should be holden of them though the weight of the whole World lay on him 10. Because his Heavenly Humanity did not only unite it self to the Mortal Flesh of the Virgin Mary which Heavenly Humanity was the Holy Thing begotten by the Holy Ghost the pure Virgin Image of Modesty Virgin Sophia the First-born of every Creature the Heir of all Things the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World the Word that was made Flesh. But the same Divine Man which both came from Heaven into or in the Virgins Womb but also then was and is in Heaven this very same Word united it self to the second Person the Almighty Son of the Almighty God Thus was it that this Saviour and Mediator our Immanuel is the Mighty One on whom Help was laid for in Him the Three Principles shew themselves in their several Incomprehensible Fountains 11 Demonstration The Love in the Light can also Tincture the Outward Man in the third Principle and the Outward Man may by the pressing of the Inward into and through it with Power put off its Old Garment of Sickness and Infirmity and be cloathed with the New Robe A glimpse whereof is seen in the Faces of Moses and Stephen and more fully in the Translation of Enoch and Eliah but above all in the Lord's Transfiguration and Converse after his Resurrection But it is a very hard great Work because the Third whole Principle in us is estranged and dead to it by the very heavy Fall 12 Demonstration It may also be observed that the Love in the Light hath its outward Figures and impresseth it self in this Third Principle to the outward Senses 1. As in the Astral Kingdom principally in the Sun Jupiter and Venus 2. In the Air in the Concord of the Elements giving delightful sweet Weather 3. In the Sensitive Creatures as Doves Lambs c. 4. In Harmony of Musical Sounds and Voices of Birds 5. In Vegetables by most Sanative odoriferous excellent Fruits Roots and Seeds 6. In curious Colours of Flowers in the shadows of degrees of Light in Clouds 7. In Minerals as in Gold Silver Copper and by the Tincture giving lustre and vertue to Pretious Stones and Gems 8. In the Seas in Pearl Amber Coral c. So if the outward Heaven shew the Glory of the Lord the Earth shews his Handy-work CHAP. XIV How the Sacrifices shew the Three Principles 1. THe three grand Sacrifices were 1. The Burnt-offering 2. The Peace-offering 3. The Trespass-offering or Sin-offering unfolding the Threefold Mystery 2. The first grand Order of Sacrifices was the Burnt Sacrifices which consisted of four Kinds Either 1. Of the Herd 2. Of the Flock 3. Of Fowls 4. Of the Meat-offering Even so doth the first Principle shew it self in four and but four forms But agen the Burnt-offering differed from the other two Sacrifices in three things 1. That these must be only a Male the other might as well be a Female 2. That it must be all cut in Pieces whereas the other must be only divided not cut in Pieces and the Fat of the Inwards offered to the Lord. 3. The Burnt-Offering was after only washing wholly offered no Part with-held shewing
or suffering what he willeth him to obey and suffer 8. Now we are to know that from Eternity is the first second and third Principles according to the Fathers Sons and Holy Ghosts Properties the One living in the Other having all One holy free Omnipotent Will And that the Infinite Abyss wherein Eternally dwell the seven Spirits and in every the least imaginable Circle whereof dwells the whole Holy Trinity Abyss or immeasurable heighth depth length and breadth which Men and Angels can reach no number of nor conceive its immensity is as the Holy Body of God who is its Soveraign Creator Owner and as a Soul and Spirit to it 9. But this pure Abyss is Holy and as one Holy Element the Seventh the Laboratory of the other Six hath in it all Powers and Vertues out of which Heaven Angels and all Inferior Productions come for in it is the Divine Salitter and all Qualities in indissoluble Amity and perfect Harmony due Equality most dearly embracing each other being the Mystery of all the various Powers 10. And from the two first Principles therein by the Exit of the Holy Ghost were Throne Angels created according to the several Properties of the seven Fountains Spirits with their Hosts respectively having the great Might of the first Principle Glorified with the Majestick light of the second the Son of God 11. But Lucifer and his Angels extinguish'd in themselves the glorious Sweetness of the second by giving up their Will into the first four Forms which without the second are at Eternal Enmity 12. Also out of the Holy Element were created the two active Elements of Fire after the Property of the Father and Air wherein is Light after the Property of the Son Out of which two after dividing of the Properties in the Dark Deep the effect of the Fall of the Angels came the Mortal Water and Dead Earth in both which by the prevalence of the Astringency came Rocks and Stones 13. To cease that immoderate Coagulation the Word commanded Light expelling Lucifer at which the Holy Angels rejoyced Where wast thou when the Morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy for then was the Out-birth or third Principle founded by the Exit of the Holy Ghost 14. Then also out of the Holy Element and the divided Properties which Lucifer had brought into a confused Chaos or Dark Deep the Word spake the Astral Heavens the Seven Planets after the Properties of the Seven Fountains and all the other Stars and the Terrestial Ball after the infinite variety of the Properties 15. Also out of the Holy Element and the Astral Birth came the four Elements and out of the Elements the Transitory Creatures Some bare the Figure of the first four Forms separated from the Light as venomous Creatures Toads Torpedo's c. from the Anguish Scorpions Spiders Basilisks c. from the Fire for every Property would be Creaturely Some also figur'd the second Principle in Innocency Meekness and Love as Lambs Doves c. 16. Then in the Throne of secluded Lucifer and his Angels the Word spake Man such an Image of God as might not only be the second Race of Intellectualâ— but a compleat Image of all the three Principles That is his Soul out of the first Principle or Dark-Power-World his Spirit out of the second the Holy-Light World his Body out of the one Holy Element the Root of the four Elements so that he might by his Divine Holy Principle of Love and Meekness illustrate and sweetly use his first as the fallen Angels should have done He was also furnished with the third Principle which the Angels were not and in that respect a more compleat Image of God than they over which third Principle he might also beaâ— Rule by the Power of the Divine second Principle 17. And by his third in subordination to the second might Rule over the Astral Birth and Elementary not only as He was the Natural Lord in that Principle but ennobled also with the Light or Angelical Principle and therefore able and adapted to Rule over the Creation knowing what they were whence they sprung and whither they tended for all Properties were open in him therefore Adam could name them knowing their Parentage and Use. Thus the manifold Wisdom of God appeareth in every thing and summarily to be observed in these following 18. First from the first Principle glorified with the second according to the seven Fountains were created the Throne Angels Arch-Angels and their Hosts 19. The Creatures that derive immediately from the One Holy Element as the Paradisical Body of Adam that was more pure than seven times refined Gold and to have remained eternally 20. The Astral Birth of the Visible Heavens and their Invisible Powers Of Alliance Dependance and Affinity with which is Man's Astral Spirit called his Prophetick Evester which ordinarily predicts by Dreams a kind of Intuitive Impulses of approaching Good or Evil small also important natural Events c. 21. Out of the Astral seem to be born Those Mortal yet to the outward Eye mostly invisible Creatures in all the four Elements called Aerial Spirits prodigious Predicters of Wars by Armies in the Clouds Others also of the Fire Some Aquastrish and Those of our Horoscope Terrestrial and Subterranean that are about Minerals of which This Discourse is not sollicitous 22. Out of the Holy Element proceeded the two Elements and consequently the four more Pure and Paradifical than after the Curse 23. Hence by the steddy Conduct of the Separator or Father of Nature substituted by the Great Creators word and by the Spirit of the Tincture have sprung the Animal Vegetative and Mineral Kingdoms to the composition of every of which Naturalists find the Principles of Sal Sulphur and Mercury more or less pure according to the Body which it composeth and the Tincture wherewith it is more or less sublimed and ennobled 24. But Lucifer by his renting from the total Unity thereby making the Properties separate prophane and unclean there proceeded out of the first four Forms hellish immortal fierce horrible poisonous Creatures to whom Death and Darkness the fierceness of the Properties is no woe or torment for it is their Life But Hell is therefore an intolerable Hell to Angels and Men because they were created to â—nother State in another Principle for another End 25. From all the three Principles with the Potence of the first Love fire of the second and moving Life of the third was Man created And as such with the Light of God which is not quite extinguished in him for when once awakened by Divine stirring and his hungry desire let none think it impossible he should see into the several Principles that are truly in him for the Child knoweth his Parents better and better as himself groweth to be a Man A breath of Air is like the whole Element a drop like the whole Ocean a
Darts and Poison used against some noxious Creatures and some hurtful Beasts against other hurtful Beasts also Fire many ways how wrathful soever it is of its own Nature And shall any thing render it self so Perverse Vain or Evil that the Infinite God cannot Extract his own Glorious Ends out of it Fire Thunder Haâ—l-stones c. are treasured against the day of Battel a Lion to kill the deceived Prophet a Bear them that repreached Elisha he calls for the Sword Pestilence Famine Caterpillars Barrenness and is there Evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it And as this World is the Image of the Eternal so the Evils here are the lively Figures of those and as many Mens Sins like so many filthy Exhalations generating Toads in the lower Region as over the Isle of Jersey is said to be done conspire into a General Contagion of Sweeping Plagues whereby the Transgressors excluding themselves the Kingdom of Purity and Love are Instruments of their own Misery so in that Abyss they act continually the Tragedy of their own desperate Horror and yet therein do the Will of the Almighty God who comprehends the dark Abyss and are one Will with his Wrath devouring Fire and fierce Indignation 14. Though there is nothing in God but what is God it must be understood of Powers as they are in God so his Principle of Infinite Potence and Wrath as it is in God generating the Glorious Love delight His Son and being Eternally undividable from His Goodness and Grace it is God but as God makes Himself Creaturely that is spoke forth the Creation out of Himself and as the Creature perverteth his own Way misimployeth his entrusted Talent then are the Properties which are only distinguishable as they are in God but separate Divided and Evil as they are in the Creatures yet those Evil Properties have one will bent hunger and fierce or rapid Inclination with the Principle of the Wrath Zeal and Jealousie of God which is most righteous and just in God but most cruel ferine inimicitious wicked and unclean in the Evil Angels and Reprobate Souls 15. That God cannot be divided from God for it were to be divided from Himself as impossible as to feign two Infinites which were brutish weak and vile to think and which nothing above spoken can be construed to imply yet that all Powers come from Him shews uncontroulably they are all distinctly in Him but not divisibly as they are in him for in the Infinite God all is infinitely Good The Evil is only as the Properties are separated in the Creatures who extinguish in themselves the Vital Spirit of them the pure Universal Life which kept sweet Order and Harmony by the Bonds of Love but once dissolved Antipathy and Death domineers in the Dark Wrath yet God according to the first Principle gives or is the Essence and Immortality thereof For as in Him we live move and have our Being viz. our Eternal Blessedness and Transitory Being of Good and Evil so by Him and in Him according to the Property of the first Principle hath the whole Dark World theirs as well their Being or Existence as their Tincture Immutability or Perpetuity 16. And this is plainly demonstrable in the Creatures both in the cruel fierce wild one's and in the gentle tame Beasts but especially in Man See we an impious injurious implacable malicious Man causelesly yet sollicitously hunting pursuing ensnaring and tormenting his Neighbour with how great Delight and Pleasure he sees his unrighteous Projects succeed Wherein hath a grinning kind of Satisfaction one Property being proud of the other which makes him insult like those that shall kill the Witnesses Rejoyce Feast and send Gifts one to another For their first Principle enthroned ruling over is at rest in their third but when their Designs prove Abortive an Evil Spirit from God troubles them and do as Saul want David's Harp to blunt the Point and Edge of their Forms of Life which now sharpen grow fierce grate rub and torture one the other turning as in Haman the confluence of all other good into Gaul and Wormwood because their first Principle cannot generate the second being Strangers to the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them on loosing the Charms of the third do like a Mill wanting Corn grind themselves and the Powers do all form themselves into Hostility immediately entring into an irreconcileable Conflict 17. See we also an upright perfect Man though he entirely wisheth the Good of all Men yet when he seeth a vile Person hatching and perpetrating his Outrages on the Lamb-like Innocents and that also he sees the Righteous God either by His own immediate propitious Hand or by spiriting the oppressed or any other to defend or avenge Him What kind of solace and thankful frame appears in this Pious Observer Exalting Him to a real Delight and Joy for there being the self-same Forms of Life composing the Holy Soul as the other though not the Holiness of the Soul for that is a Divine awakening as a Flame out of a dark Fire the sweetness such a one shareth by seeing the Peaceable delivered or Vengeance taken on the fixed Enemy whose desperate Resolutions pusht him on to destroy is much more than it can be of content to the Blood-thirsty when their Plots prosper as it is written Rejoyce over her my People and ye holy Apostles and Prophets 18. Thus see we Revenge to be so sweet that often it requires sowre Sauce our first Principle being so strong that it is obnoxious to catch as Tinder while it is as a burning Coal to the Hand of him that carries it and though we sadly Experiment it yet how propense are all Men as Men to rush on those Pikes to sat our Hunger after it which erroneously deem a real Felicity to be in it And thus to the penetrating Mind is God obscurely yet distinctly imaged in bad Men but evidently in good Men but Lucifer is obscurely yet distinctly shewn in good Men expresly character'd in bad Men. See the Answer of Jacob Behmen to the 8th of these Questions Here begins the Third Grand Distribution which compriseth the 23 next following Questions Q. 15. Hath the Foundation of Hell taken a Temporary Beginning or hath it been from Eternity or how may it subsist Eternally or not A. That part of Answer to this weighty Question which the God of Wisdom vouchsafed to make by his Eminent Servant the Author in the four Verses beginning the Answer is full and clear to such of his Children who are Proficients in the rest of his Precious Writings but for the sake of other sincere faithful Enquirers who are less conversant in them it may be requisite to add something more 5. Now It is granted That neither Men nor Angels should have known it had not their depravity awakened it thus it is a dear bought Knowledge and what Men buy dear it is fit they should have Yet though
wherein the three behold themselves in parcels 9. But in Man behold themselves in one entire Image yet not in fallen Man but in the man Christ Jesus by whom and for whom are all things 10. The Idea and perfect Image of God is only in Christ yet not as He is the Second Person of the Three for so He is the inaccessible Light and the Original which is Imaged but He is the perfect Image of God as He is the Divine Humanity or Heavenly Man the First-born of every Creature This Virgin-Image was in Adam before he lusted whereby he was in Christ God's exact Image having all the three Principles in due Harmony being the true Character Idea and Figure of the Glorious Trinity 11. This is also in an obscure and less conspicuous way in every one who is Begotten again by the Holy Ghost The mortified humble resigned Will entreth into the way of the Cross quietly patiently Love makes it sweet this is a putting on Christ for here the Lord is Born is Formed sways the Righteous Scepter Transforming that Soul into the Virgin Image in some degree but the glance of this stops my Hand extracts a Groan swallows me up I flame am almost devoured My Lord what is this Earthen House Q. 42. What was Paradise wherein God Created Man Is the same Alterable or Changeable and a Creature or doth it stand in the Eternal Ground A. It hath been reported that a Painter would have Drawn the Lineaments of the Lord when in Flesh which by reason of His Majestick Face he could not perform The like Fond attempt were it to Survey Paradise by Humane Art or Instruments which if it were a place cannot be found and if it prove a State or Principle cannot be comprehended 1. The Answer may first be Negatively that it is not a Place or Locality 1. Because then as the most worthy the Garden of Eden should not have been the place named for Adam's Seat whence proceeded the four Rivers but Paradise is not called the Garden nor is the Garden stiled Paradise 2. Nor is it changeable for though it disappeared as to the first Adam yet the second Adam granted it to the Thief 3. Positively Paradise is the one holy pure Element having its Eternal Fountain from the second Principle and every of the seven Properties are in it in great Purity and Splendor So that had any created Angel the Task perfectly to Epitomize it he could do it but according to his excellent measure yet not fully Nor to Human Apprehension for as Paradise is the heavenly Body of Christ so is it the Womb of Angelical Conception comprehending them but cannot be fully comprehended by them as neither can the Sun's lustre be by us comprehended 4. Heaven is Paradise and the Paradisical Principle is Heaven and when they are Contemplated their Glory swallows up all created Angels as well as Men. It is an Over-match to penetrate the Holiness Purity Immensity or rather Infinity Transparency Simplicity Variety Successive Formations with all Powers Colours Vertues Sounds Odours Substantials the Quintessence and Elixir of the outward Quintessence and Elixir the Harmony Peace Gravity and Eternity its ample Commensuration and Redundancy to the most noble expatiated sublime and exalted Capacities 5. So that proceed they never so far in this ravishing Traverse and Quest there is still a prospect of more and other they must say in our Father's House are many Mansions at whose right hand are Pleasures for evermore such as Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor hath entred into the Heart of Man to conceive 6. A faint Similitude may be a fresh springing flowry Meadow where stand Thousands of fragrant Flowers some more Beautiful than other all shewing their peculiar Beauties without grudging and how the Divine Vertue in the third Principle is become Material the tast whereof causeth the Creation to be in Anguish and Travel to be delivered from the Vanity and Groan after freedom from their Bondage 7. And though Paradise be not excluded this World yet a great Gulph interposeth betwixt it and the World the Mind when inflamed with Divine Love feels what the stammering Tongue cannot tell to others 8. The Corporeity of Paradise is not palpable that Salitter is Holy and Pure like that of the Angels viz a bright transparent visible Substance 9. It 's Birth or Productions are in all things and therefore immeasurable and innumerable which is thus to be discovered and understood Let the Divine Light and Vertue be likened to the Mind of Man The Paradisical Fruits to the Thoughts eacht Thought hath a Centre whence other Thoughts spring so also do those Heavenly Fruits proceed from and in unwavering Eternal Love 10. The Fire there is God the Father the Light God the Son the Air God the Holy Ghost It 's â—roâ—undity and Extent are not bounded 11. The Idea or Figure of the Creatures here are there but not their Spirit much less their Substance for for that End they were Created 12. All Holy Works stand there in their Figure and all Words spoken by the Human Tongue from a Divine Root as the wicked Works and Words do in Hell 13. I compare the Arabian Odours Oriental Gems Palms of Asia Wine of Pomegranates the American Pine-Apple and what else is most desirable in comparison of the Paradisical Productions to the obscure Vitality surviving in Mens Dead Bodies generating some as it were Fibres of Gold amongst the decaying Teeth and the Usnea on the Skulls of â—â—â—sons Strangled And all things of less Excellency in this World in comparison of Paradise to the Excrementitious growth of Hair and Nails in their Dormitories 14. I compare Man's outward Astral and Elementary Life to that in Paradise to idle deceitful Dreams some disquiet ones some wrathful some frightful some wicked and obscene many many ways Evil. And our Translation hence I compare to the Morning awakening time terrifying some as Slaves to their grievous Chains and hateful Drudgery and others as great Conquerors are usher'd in State to the Princely Triumphant Chariots 15. Say any say not all retaining the least degree above perfect Madness if Paradise be thus infinitely Good what shall I receive in exchange for it And how shall I search the Path leading to it What Key opens the Door of it 16. The Lord Himself tells us Except a Man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And by way of Explanation addeth that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit And again Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no life in you and by way of Explanation addeth It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing my Words are Spirit and they are Life 17. Where we see the New Birth and Eating Christ's Flesh are the same Also that to be spirited by the Spirit of Christ and to feed on the Word of Christ are the very same Whence it
is that true Spiritual Life is revived or stirred up in us 18. The New Man regenerated out of the Earthy Man being a Virgin may Sup with the Eternal Virgin and as the Lord while in our Flesh had the heavenly Flesh and Blood which swallowed up the other So we in His Meek pure Spirit carry it also in our Earthy Body and if we live in the New heavenly Flesh and Blood in the Body Power and Vertue of Jesus Christ that is in the Son by the Holy Ghost to the Father Then when the old one falls off we live in the New heavenly Flesh and Blood and our Works are no longer ours nor our Words ours but God doth all in us 19 To this Man every with-drawing Thought from an entire Subjection is his Cross for to him Honour and Contempt Sweet and Bitter Penury and Plenty Heavy and Light are no more any of these for he loves not the one nor flyes from the other but the Divine Will is his Joy and Content the thing sought and his full satisfaction Q. 43. Why did God Create in the Beginning but one Man and not forthwith a Man and a Woman together as He did the other Kinds of Creatures or other Species A. 1. God created the other Creatures to manifest his various divided Powers that in them he might severally Image every of them by those wrathful fierce ones in the dark World the loving Innocent ones of the Light World's Property and others of the meer Elementary World and that the seeming contrary and discording Properties might in distinct Forms and Creatures one excite the other to a general Harmony whereunto they still serve 2. But Man He created to a higher and more excellent Sphere for he was in one only Person to comprise as in an Epitomy the Image of the total God having his Root in the Eternal dark World or that of Fire His Life Glory Vertue and Fruit in the Eternal Light-world or second Principle of Love and Holiness and the third Principle being that of the purest Astral and Elementary World was but to Hang to him over which he was to bear rule 3. Nor could he have been God's compleat Image had not the Tincture of the Fire and also of the Light been incorporated in him that is both the Male and Female Properties 4. Therefore was it that he was but One Undivided to Image God who is distinguished into Three yet is One and Eternally the same Infinite and in Himself the Undividable One 5. And as the One God remaining but One diffuseth Himself into Multiplicity so should Adam had he remained an Undivided one Magically have propagated a Blessed Holy Numerous Progeny in perfect Modesty and Purity yet bearing in them all every Power of the Principles and every Property in great Harmony as are found in the Angelical World as well as in the Astral and Elementary 6. But when once Adam had his Eve rent from him we see what Misery Distraction Laceration and Wo soon follow'd by disappearing of the pure Virgin Modesty Q. 44. Was the first Man in such a habit of Condition created to Eternal Life or to Change and Alteration A. 1. When Men search the wretchedness of fallen Man's present Estate it may seem incredible that ever he was a glorious and compleat Image of God and of all Worlds 2. As one seeing the Ruins of a Royal City which Sword and Fire hath laid in Ashes heap'd into Rubbish Desolation plead Prescription and Years have cloathed the Hillocks in Green especially if some Earthquake had razed the Situation the Beholder of these Remains though credibly inform'd can scarce credit that ever it deserved half what perhaps Fame too sparingly reported it to be 3. Thus Men looking on their own feeble sickly filthy short liv'd Boâ—ies can see little more than a Bestial Image But farther penetrating the Deâ—â—rmities of the Soul at Hostility against even God Himself and torn by Civil War within it self and by means of God's withdrawing abused Grace it is invaded by gross Darkness Little more can be seen but what is devillish 4 But Glory be to God in the highest that Jesus took this fallen Image and led it through Death into Eternal Life The sad Prospect of what Man is joyned with the Ignorance of what he was raiseth the blind Conceit that he was created to Alteration 5. But to shew how Excellent Man was by Creation and that he was not subject to Alteration yet that I may shun Repetition do return my self to the Answers of the 38 39 40 and 41st Questions Only lot it be remembred that God denounceth as the Wages of Disobedience Alteration Death and Deprivation of the Paradisical Glory 6. And that the Alteration was Translation to a better Place must needs be an Error springing from our Ignorance of what Paradise is and what that staâ—e is I return my self to the Answer of the 42. Question Q. 45. What manner of Image was Adam before his Eve In what Form and Condition was he when he was neither Husband nor Wife but both A. 1. He was so made as to possess the Throne of expulsed Lucifer he was therefore an Image of God's Power as well as his Holiness which made him the Object of Lucifer's Malice 2. And forasmuch as Lucifer affected to lift up himself in that part of God's Image entrusted to him consisting of Potence and Mightiness to such excess as eclipsed his holy pure lustre Therefore to prevent it in Adam there was added to him the third Principle for it was Matter for some humble Contemplation But Lucifer not balanced therewith Imaged in himself a desire of Rule above the End or Limit of Creature Nature 3. Adam was also lower than Lucifer because the Subjects of this Monarchy were only potentially or virtually existent not actually produced And it is found that gradual access to exercise of Authority is less obnoxious to inordinate Practices than instantaneous Entrance upon Soveraignty His gracious Creator saw it safer for him to be raising of Fruit than at once to enjoy a reaped Crop 4. But he was Privileged above the Angelical Hierarchy that had left their Habitation being a more compleat Image of God than they having one Principle more intrusted to him 5. His Fall was into that third Principle which though the Holy World should be withdrawn from him yet was not that Principle sinfully Evil in it self but the first Principle excluding thence the Holy World is Evil in it self into which the Angels fell 6. The third Principle God annexed to Adam for knowing he would not remain faithful in the Virgin State that into it infinite Love and Goodness might enter to help him again which Jehovah Christ did by re-uniting the Eternal Divine Virginity to the Sick infected Humanity 7. And thus Tinctured the Humanity enkindling in it a true Heavenly spark of holy Fire which when our Humanity in Christ yields it self up into it is a Sacrifice turned into a Love
flame Like as the right Tincture transmuteth Metals and the Elixir Tinctures Mans sickly Body 8. Now to say what was the Image Likeness Form and Fashion of Adam when he was neither Husband nor Wife and yet Both. He was as to his first Principle or Eternal Soul Potent and Mighty resembling him to the Father and to the Angels who are Mighty in Power In his second Principle or Divine Spirit he was as a God in Holiness Love Purity and Brightness which illustrated his first Principle joyning the Dove and Lamb to the Lyon In his third Principle he was Prince over the Astral Heavens a remainder whereof was in Joshuah who stopt the Sun and Moon And under his God Soveraign over the Elementary Worlds a remainder whereof is seen in Moses over the Waters and Elias over it and the fire 9. His Body was as those in the Resurrection with this difference that having both Tinctures he could have been Magically fruitful whereas they and the Angels are in that respect Barren and was all this in great Modesty Simplicity Wisdom Unity dear Love Holiness and immaculate Purity Q. 46. Had Adam before his Eve Masculine Members and such Bones Stomach Guts Entrails Teeth and also such things as we now have A. 1. Adam's Holy Virgin state exempted him from those impure deformed bestial Members for Propagation which yet pitying our Wo and Necessity is bore with by Divine Patience but the Filthiness of it is signified by the Circumsicion and is that whereof Nature it self as depraved as it is blusheth and is ashamed 2. And Bones were Strengths for the Saturnine Compaction could not petrefie to that excess till his Body which was derived from the Astral Root or one Element whence they were also breathed out became subjected to those Astral Powers which were to have continued his Servants and Subjects 3. The Teeth Stomach Gutts evacuating Vessels c. which we now have could not befal him while he remained in his Holy State for his food was holy pure heavenly such as might stand in Eternity for such was he not as yet confined under the Horoscope of Time 4. He stuft not himself with the Elements nor to speak strictly doth he so yet no nor do the Animals for the Elements feed the Plants and the Animal Creatures feed on the Plants produced by the Elements but Man on the Animal Creatures like a Wolf and on the Plants like an Animal But Adam's Food was Holy Paradisical Angelical Eternal needing no evacuation eaten only in the mouth not tartarous which the Law commanding the Israelites to carry out a Paddle to cover theirs without the Camp signifieth And that other Law prohibiting and strictly nominating unclean and clean Creatures pointeth at Q 47. If Adam also had been thus as we are now how was it possible he should in such a condition have been able to stand without suffering and corruption If Paracelsus thought by feeding on that whereof the Stars subsisted to extend his Thread of Life to what length he would it was a thing might soon be purposed 1. 'T is true the Elixir if duly and naturally collected epitomising the Universe must be granted to do much in tincturing the Vital Natural and Animal Spirits whereby the Astral and Elementary Man may be strongly fortified the Natural Balsam restored radically dregs obstructing the quick interiours of the Powers separated highly conducing to health And the long Lives before the Flood as well as many since seem to be referred to their happy Knowledge of this almost Paradisical Secret as an immediate eminent Second Cause 2. Yet must it not be denied that besides the Supream Law for abridging Man's Race the Astral Revolutions summon us to a period and the Volatile Nature of the Elementary Fabrick loosen the connexions of our Outward Man from Affinity to the fixed Inward Man in so manifest a degree that we bring from the Womb the Seeds of our Mortality our Bones are sensless dead and as to themselves dry already our need of frequent sleep pourtrays death our food is corruptible those few that attain the Winter of Age then fall to Ashes by their Cold Fire others fall to Ashes by the Hot Fire as it is written Your Fathers where are they Also like as it is said If there had been a Law that could have given Life verily Righteousness had come by the Law so had there been an happy Eternity attainable out of the Reliques of Adam we had been thence raised to Immortality but not by dying 3. But seeing there was no such therefore the Second Adam breaks through death into Eternity because Adam having subjected himself and us to the Stars and Elements therefore that part of us under that Rule must change as they who by wrestling vary their Powers nor are the Stars nor Elements themselves on a surer Basis but that the one must one day fall the other melt Q. 48. Should Adam's eating and drinking have been after a Paradisical manner without care distress and sorrow if he had stood out the Trial or Proba A. 1. It is written The Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Yet the Lord saith I will drink no more of the fruit of the Vine till I drink it new in my Fathers Kingdom The Manna also by allusion is call'd Angels food 2. Adam's eating without care distress and sorrow was without distrust of want therefore without care without subtlety and disappointments therefore without distress without sorrow being ever a gainer having supply out of the Ocean needing only to abound in humble gratitude Adam's Paradisical food is sometimes signified by Bread of Life Water of Life a Tree of Life Manna New Wine c. 3. Those fruits are real and substantial more Divine than to be palpable of true Power and Vertue to nourish to Eternal Life therefore must be incorruptible having the forms of the fruits in this World for this is the representation of That tho' but as a dead dark shadow as the husk This hath the Curse in it but the fruits there have the purity realness or essence existing in and deriving from the Omnipotence and Lustre of the Second Principle 4. The dead fruits here which mold and perish figure those heavenly ones The faded stains of things here point at those living bright glorious colours the variety of these the infinity of those these Trees as it were pourtray those this very dead Earth in a sort figureth the Divine Salitter our Mortal Dead Water the Pure River of the Living Water our Air their Air which is of the Holy Ghost our musical Sounds hint at their ravishing living speaking Airs our plucking and eating our fruits figure their so doing the strength we receive and retain thereby figureth the same in them our seemingly delightful Objects figure their transcendent glorious Objects 5. But all in so vast disproportion as a dead Corps to a flourishing lively noble
is that I answer the Divine Flesh and Blood of Christ his heavenly Body the one holy Element the Quintessence in the Eternal World 6. Will you ask what is that I answer again What is it that feeds the Soul in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper What is it transforms the starving fallen Man into an Angelical Divine Will enables him till then a Stranger to live the Life of Christ in Love Meekness Resignation thankful Obedience cheerful Suffering having one Spirit one Will one Life with Christ Is not this the Old Wine whereof whoso drinketh desireth not the New for he saith the Old is better 7. This Flesh and Blood is Meat and Drink indeed Oh my Soul taste and see how good the Lord is 'T is so sweet that this World 's bitter Cup rellished with this Tincture is Acceptable and this World's sweetest Products to him that hath tasted this are unpleasant and in comparison of this is Vanity 8. But more particularly Adam's Eating must have been suitable to the several Desires he had and those Desires are according to the several Spirits and Capacities and those Spirits answer to and are modell'd by the several Principles whereof he was founded 9. Those Principles are Three as to avoid tediousness which I studiously shun do refer my self to the 8th Verse of the Answer of the 45th Question where the Principles are explicated and something in fallen Man may be produced to Demonstrate this great Truth 10. It is undeniable that in us Men are three Spirits The Animal or Soulish Spirit the Vital Spirit and the Nutritive Spirit these also are to be found in a very obscure Figure in the Beasts but in Man they grow from three Eternal Roots The Animal Spirits live in the first Principle whence also as a Figure were breathed the four Forms in the Astral Spirit The Vital Spirit is in the second Principle The Nutritive Spirit in the third 11. Adam's Soul did Eat of the Meek Heavenly Holy Flesh and Blood or Life and Love of the Almighty Son of God or second Principle it could not be fed by Spirit for it Self was Spirit In this Divine Light and Meekness dwelt Adam's Vital Spirit as a twig on a Vine and his Nutritive Spirit was fed by the Holy part of the third Principle 12. In this Principle of Holy Paradisical Excellency flourish all Eternal pure Fruits whose unexpressibly Exquisite and Incomprehensible Varieties real Entities or Substances are no more but shadowed and that darkly under the Curse by this World's Excellencies 13. Those Divine Productions are the Quintessence Eternally fixed in the Temperature consisting of all the seven Properties of the Eternal Nature in Triumphant Harmony and these were the Fruits on which Adam should and Blessed Men shall live Eternally Q. 53. What was the Earth with its Fruits before the Curse when it was call'd Paradise A. What Paradise is was shewn in the Answer of the 42 Question And the Trees in Paradice are will be met with in the 56 Question And that This Worlds fruits were not those of Paradice is plain in the Answer of the 4 Question 1. The thing here enquired is what the Earth and its fruits were before the Curse therefore that if the fruits of the Earth before the Curse were call'd Paradice it was not properly but figuratively as representing Paradice which it did tho' very imperfectly in many parts 2. For if we understand by the fruits the Plants it must be acknowledged that seeing the Fall of the Angels stirred up disorders in the great Mystery which introduced a Darkness in the Deep whereby the Properties being separate from the Harmony were unclean and every Property willed to be creaturely Thence came out Evil Plants whose extremities shewed them degenerated from the Temperature also evil Beasts c. 3. 'T is true the second Principle so influenced the whole Creation and blessed it that the Evil part was subjected under the Good the Evil was thus very good to shew the various Powers of the incomprehensible World the Earth also and all its fruits might then well be called good because the Divine part had the Dominion and from it the whole was denominated 4. For the Good Powers were so far exempted from the Evil that they could not be affected or impaired by them unless they first laid off their own Good Property voluntarily which Adam did introducing not only Pollution into himself and posterity but Enmity into all the contrary Qualities in the Creatures who tho' contrary in their Qualities and proper Constitutions were as harmless each to other before as the Wormwood is to the Liquorice Root which extracting the bitter Quality leave the other the more easie attraction of the sweet nourishment yet was the one as really bitter as the other was sweet 5. Yet all those contraries tho' not in the perfect Harmony and Temperature by the Divine Blessing were very good and thus was every thing before the Curse good Q. 54. Should the Propagation possibly haue been without Man and Wife seeing in the Resurrection of the dead they shall not be Man nor Wife but like the Angels of God in Heaven A. 1. That Propagation was to have been is clear because all mankind was not made at once But that it was not to have been by Husband and Wife distinct as are the Male and Female of other Creatures appears in that when the Man was made he was expresly said to be Male and Female after which the Creator said all was very good 2. 1. Then it followed that the Creation was blessed 2. The Creatures distinguished by sundry names 3. The scituation of Eden described 4. The Geographical courses of the four Rivers assigned to which point of Heaven they inclined 5. The Countries of their Travels and Peregrination particularized 6. The proper Treasures of Pison the first of them noted 3. All which we may not think but the Holy Ghost apparently to signifie a Mystery of intervening thus all orderly recorded The Jewish Rabbins can note intermission of time by an accent or little addition to an Hebrew Letter and a prolongation by protraction of the spirits of their characters and an abrupt cutting off by a small dash and shall we see nothing by interposing a Volume of six branches between Adam's Creation and that of Eve 4. So that much time why not forty years viz. a year for a day tho' he was not in time but in eternity may be proportioned in which was his probation and in which all these things are stated passing after the Creation of Adam the Male and Female Man before the extracting and building of the Woman out of and distinct from him 5. And tho' the time be not in plain words in Moses yet is signified year for year by the Israelites forty years Trial in the Wilderness in which they liv'd like Adam on Paradisical Manna and again like him who should have been confirmed but missed by unstedfastness so
which penetrated the outermost and swallowed it up as Light doth Darkness This Holy World is the Tree of Life it self which in its Original should have been unknown to Adam even as the Tree of Good and Evil should have been unknown to him 6. He should have kept a Child-like resigned Mind which is attained after the corrupt Man consisting of the fierceness of the first and vanity of the third Principle is cut off by the sharpness of that Sword or become Fuel to the flame of it Then the New Man entreth irresistibly by that Guard and Eateth freely and for ever of the Tree of Life till then his Food is of the Tree of Good and Evil and what that Tree is follows 7 The Tree of Good and Evil was the only Tree of that sort that grew in Eden This Tree was Good as partaking of the Vertue of the second Principle though it self grew in the third and it was Evil as partaking of the dark Impression of the first Principle whereby is Poison as the Gall is the Exciter of Life in living Creatures and so that Death and Corruption is in this Worlds Fruits 8 Therefore was it forbidden Adam as being a Production of the Stars and Elements over which he was to Rule for though Adam was in the third Principle he was above it as Eternity is in yet above time God willed Adam to have remained in the Happy State therefore commanded his not touching that which would be Contagious and Mortal as it proved to be by opening in him the Evil of the divided Properties 9. It was in the midst of the Garden that is in the midst between the first and third Principles partaking of both as doth also the Tree of Life but this of Good and Evil hath not the vertue but shadow of the second Principle Q. 58. Wherefore did God Create this Tree seeing be knew well that Man would offend or lay hold on them and hurt himself thereby A. 1. The considering God's foreknowledge unto whom nothing can be casual but all Events which Time divides into past present and future are one instant act should make it seem that God's infinite Goodness would have inclined his Omnipotence to forbear the Creating the Tree of Good and Evil or have restrained it that exquisite Garden that it might at least have been no tempting bait to Adam or Eve's Curiosities Had not the Creator willed such dire Effects as that it should be the Eternal Perdition of so great a part of Adam's Offspring such Reasonings Human frailty calls Wisdom 2. But Predestination and Reprobation may not be here discussed because it falls under the seventieth Question whoever shall live to answer it wherefore it would be here Digressive 3. The Answer of this must be restrained to the Cause of God's creating that Tree of Good and Evil whereby the Transgression was occasioned In Answer whereunto it must be understood that when the Almighty willed to become Creaturely or to behold Himself in Images of Himself He moved the fiat in every of the three Principles viz. according to the first and second in the Triumph of all the seven Properties in the Eternal Nature or Temperature the Holy Heavenly Thrones Powers Dominions Princes and Hosts of Angels 4. Also according to the Out-birth or third Principle out of the great Mystery with the seven Properties but much less sublime was produced the Astral World in so beautiful order yet with such adverse qualities as they were for their excellency adored by some Ancients as Deities and deemed for their Contrarieties Immortal Gods at Civil Wars 5. Who yet being but an Image of the third Principle must by the Wrestlingwheel of Nature be resolved into their Aether not being allied to any Soul which can invest it or it self in a Root of the Eternal Band as Adam's Body was 6. Next out of the Astral for Matter by the insinuation of the Astral Spirit were the four Elements produced and with them and the Astral Spirit the Transitory Creatures and as an other Out-birth the Mineral and Vegetative Common-wealths 7. Lastly According to the three Principles with the seven Properties in due Temper and Harmony with a Soul out of the Potence of the first a Spirit out of the Holiness and Glory of the second and out of the out-flowing vertue of the third Principle was Man made a complete Image of the total God in his first and second he was an Angel in his third lower yet Lord of that Principle also his glorious Body had this excellency above the outward Sun that it was Unīted to an Eternal Soul and so exempt from suffering any Recess but capable of Eternal Splendor 8. From what hath been said it is Evident That the same cause why the Almighty Imaged Himself in the first and second Principles moved Himself in the third also part of which was the Trees of Good and Evil as our outward Eyes witness to us And the like Motive which induced Lucifer to Image in his Will the potence and strength of the first Principle which was his Root and whereof by the Grace and Glory of the second He was Lord in His glorious Body the like Motive induced Adam to Imprint in his Will the Lust after the fructifying Vertue of the third Principle whereof by right of Creation he is part and by Donation hath right of Soveraignty over it 9. And if there yet rest so eminent a Vigor in the Reliques of Man as appears in Women with Child and common Sympathies and Antipathies what was out of Adam's reach especially in the third Principle over which he was Lord being himself subject to none but God Could not his Magical Desire raise that unhappy Plant which he should not have done nor known Then came the severe Inhibition That of the Tree of Good and Evil thou mayest not Eat for in the day thou Eatest thereof thou shalt surely Die. 10 God created Man compleat which he could not have been especially as His Divine Image without the freedom of his own Faculties which the very Brutes have but lest in that one Tree he should harm himself unwarily or by ill exercise of his freedom the dangerous Tree is named it 's Situation described he is warned he is threaten'd on pain of immediate Death What can be more 11. If his Will had been chain'd it had been to take it away or as to speak a Contradiction What had that been but to Uncreate Him What had that been but to inflict the utmost severity on Him who was never yet a Sinner 12. What could confine Adam's Magical Will to call up such a Tree for Moses dividing the Sea Joshuah's stopping the Sun Eliah's calling down Fire his and Elisha's dividing Jordan were but Fragments of Adam's perfect Piece Q. 59. Why did God forbid Man these Trees What was the Cause thereof A. In the 57th Answer appears what this Tree is and why said to be in the midst of the Garden In the
may come and that this Principle is derived from the Holy God May I yet believe that from the same Fountain issued reprobation of an indefinite number of Angels and Men compelling them to be really guilty black Criminals abandoned wholly to hardened sinful resolutions adverse blasphemous will and to be fuel for everlasting Burnings that the good of shewing his power and wrath might thence be extracted 16. The will of the Father is the reason of the Child And God commands me to forgive that I may be like him do good for evil And that I who am less than a drop to his Infinite Abyss and Ocean of Mercy should yet shew so much Mercy as to help the Beast of my Enemy fallen under his Burthen How can I then think that this God of Infinite Bowels did from Eternity reprobate any of his Intelligent or Rational Children and Creatures to be Back-broken or design snares and pits into which they must necessarily fall and be precipitated 17. It is written what if God willing to shew his wrath c. having endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted for destruction It saith not that God fitted them for destruction But it saith of God that he had endured them with long-suffering but in ver 23. It is written of the Vessels of Mercy that he viz. God had afore prepared them unto Glory which distinction is very weighty and significant 18. Again the Judge himself tells us the manner of the great irrevocable sentence viz. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom c. But in ver 41. He saith Depart from me ye cursed into Everlasting Fire c. But saith not ye cursed of my Father as before ye blessed of my Father signifying evidently that men make themselves accursed which deserves heedfully to be pondered See the answer of the fifteenth Question throughout particularly the ninth verse Quest. 71. How were the Eyes of Adam and Eve opened that they saw they were naked which before they knew not 1. It is manifest Adam and Eve were an Image of God in all the three Principles but they should have lived a reâ—igned life in the second contemplating the Greatness and Glory of God in the first Principle but not have entred into it as Lucifer had done also should have seen how the third did Image God and over that Adam was to rule but not subject himself to it by becoming an Image of it or receiving nourishment from it for his so doing as in the foregoing answers hath often been inculcated the transitory Food having in it the divided properties is Bestial Mortal and Putrefactive and Adam and all his Off-spring became thereby as the Beasts 2. Therefore entring into that unsuitable state their Eyes were opened to behold their Nakedness for they were appointed to a Paradiâ—ical Glorious state else they had been furnished with Hides Fleeces Furrs Feathers or Scales 3. But falling into the principle for which they were not provided they were as naked and unfit as we are to fly into the Air whereto Wings are requisite or to live in the deep whereto Fins and other peculiarities must adapt Creatures 4. But their Eyes were so open'd to the Out-birth as shut them to the Divine Birth My Hand is but a small part of me and given me for good uses as was the third Principle given them but with my Hand I can hide the whole Heaven from my Eyes and so did they for by shutting the Divine Eye they opened the outward dark one as on departure of the Sun we see the Houses Trees c. obscurely 5. Had I lived in the time before Adam's death and had spoken with him I might have found him groping by the strength of his memory after the things which I should have sued to him for the knowledge of all which he by the infallible Light saw distinctly and had exquisite knowledge of before he Fell Like one who hath a Candle in his Room and seeth every thing plainly but that once extinguished must by memory direct his Feet and Hands to grope out any thing he would find Q. 72. What was Adam's and Eve's Shame that they hid themselves behind or by the Trees of Paradise Whence came their fear and terrour A. 1. When they had imagined into the third Principle that is so far penetrated into it as to Lust after it then did the Eye affect the Heart for the strong Magical Will and Mind conforms the whole Man especially the Body which is as the shadow of the inner Man who is the Substance 2. This Lusting when it proceeded to actual Eating awakened the Properties of the first and third Principles that is the Hellish and Bestial in the innermost Man which was before irradiated with Divine Love and true Sublime Wisdom filled with the Spirit of Holiness Tranquillity and Angelical Excellencies this most inward Image of God according to the second Principle was invaded by the inletting of the four Forms of the first Principle which compose the Kingdom of Wrath. 3. Their outward Man given them out of the one Element whence proceeded also the Astral World receiv'd by the awakened Lust the Will of all the Evil Beasts in the divided Properties as of Goats Cocks Boars Bulls Foxes Dogs Wolves Bears Tygers Lions Crockodils Vultures Serpents Vipers Toads c. 4. Thus Man who was the Quintessence and exquisite Abridgement of the Creation as to the third Principle in having their total Energy in pure Heavenly Harmony without Admission into him of any of their divided Evils now by Lusting hath taken into him every of their hateful Properties and become a Beast of all Beasts 5. For their imperfect Evil Properties by Transplantation into his excellent Nature are sublimed into real Wrath and Obstinacy and Premeditated Rebellion against the Kingdom of Divine Love and Grace defiling him with bestial Lusts which in them is filthy but in him sinfully so 6. And Adam and Eves Body which was heavenly before hereby became dark opake sluggish bony deadish and fragil obnoxious to wounds sickness the Turba Mortality and Dissolution into Ashes 7. No wonder then their shame horror and fear should drive and pursue them to hide behind the Trees from that glorious Face whence they had withdrawn themselves and before whom they were no longer able to look up 8. For their Monstrous Image was notorious even such as made them contemned by the very brute Creatures who withdrew theawe fear and service from them which they were to have paid they were scorn'd by the Devils a shame to themselves how much more then were they sunk in the All-observing Eye of the Infinite God Q. 73. How did Adam and Eve really Die in the Fall to the Kingdom of Heaven and Paradise and yet live naturally to this World A. 1. To answer this it must be told what the Life of God was in Adam and Eve which Life consisted in an entire Union with the Universal
he feared they that found him should kill him for there was no Man besides him but Adam but it must be the Inward Man that might be kill'd for to That there were Enemies enough 2. The â—ark God set upon Cain must not therefore be understood to be on his skin or flesh but on his Inward Man to withstand the Spiritual Enemies That Mark therefore must be an Opposite Power to that of the Evil Spirits which must be confessed to be the Covenaâ—t of Grace Jesus Christ which was inspoken imprinted and set upon him 3. The Threatning He that slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold must be an Inward Vengeance for Outward it could not be on Inward Enemies but to be understood thus that if any Spirit slay Cain's Inward Life vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold that is Eternally in all his seven Forms of Life 4. Thus Grace was extended to Cain nor may we think Cain was the Only Cause of that Murther for his Propagation in the divided Properties was his first mover and as Cain had Grace extended to him he being the figure of the False Church So is Grace extended by Christ to such of That Church as shall come out of it into the Resignation 5. And Abel's sincere giving up of himself as well as the Offering enkindled the Love-fire in his Lifes Forms who by propagation was otherwise out of the divided Properties but therein he was the Figure of Christ's Humble Church Q. 84. Wherefore said Lamech Cain's Successor to his Wives Zilla and Ada Lamech shall be avenged seventy and seven fold what doth this mean and signifie A. This Mystery prophesied by Lamech calls for these Considerations 1. What he was from Cain viz. 1. The seventh 2. Why to his Wives spake he this viz. because by the Woman came the first Evil and Vengeance And to his two Wives pointing at the divided Properties 2. The next is the thing spoken I have slain or would have slain a man to my wounding or in my wound and a young man to or in my hurt 3. No one is named to have been slain actually but That and the other Reading would have slain signifies an Internal Slaughter And if Cain be avenged seven-fold truly Lamech seventy and seven-fold shews the Vengeance was not against the person of Lamech as it had not been against That of Cain 4. Whence we are to know that the Holy Ghost signifies by the Man or young Man slain or that he would have slain the Heavenly Man against whom Cain was the figure of Eâ—mity 5. And Lamech the seventh from him saw the holy Power World acted by the Mental Tongue or Language of Nature would withdraw and vengeance should be taken by the dividing of the High Tongue into seventy Languages which was done at Babel 6. And under This Hurt and Evil the World still groans But where the Divine Power Rules men speak one Language tho' imperfectly but they who are under subjection of the multiplicity speak Confusion and run into the Abyss of Disorder and Enmity Concerning which I here say the less because it will be met with if God will open in any one understanding to answer the 89th Question Q. 85. What was the greatest sin of the Old World or first Terreâ—tial Human World A. 1. Their greatest sin was their leaving the Divine Substance of the second Principle and going into the Out birth or third Principle which is only a shadow figure image or representer of the Substance whereby they mistook that for their chief food which is not so 2. It is written All that is in the World is the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life and they are charged with the Lust of the Eye and the Lust of the Flesh And after it follows God saw that their wickedness was great on the Earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts or desires and purposes were only evil continually 3. The Heart is the Parent the Thoughts the First-born And as Water is best known by tasting at the Fountain so is the Heart by the Thoughts Imaginations or makings for so signifies the word Imaginations shewing Man's Soul to have a kind of Creating Power 4. And if Man chuseth as they did the things of This World for their Chief Good that his Choice is his God and his Love makes him to be the Propriety of the thing chosen 5. Such men are therefore call'd the Children of This World for that Man rather lives where he loves than where he is And what Man chuseth for his Chief Good loves and lives in his desire unto puts confidence in here during all the Union of the Soul with the Body That is the Substance his Will feeds on and That is his and all he hath for ever 6. If it be God it is heightened and perfected if it be the World it is more wretchedly depraved which being a Substance fixt in his Will the same he shall for ever inâ—atiably desire but never reach and therefore be his Torment and Anguish in Eternity 7. Who hath bewitched men therefore that they chuse not and practise what their Reason cannot but dictate to them as depraved as it is to be best And That is That Divine Love and Eternal Life which Christ in God is more elegible than the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life 8. What cure is there when men depart from God's Goodness God is but one and hath but one Son eternally generated of his Substance and That Son can die but once our resistance of his Calls makes God by Ezekiel say I am broken with their whorish heart which had departed from me and with their Eyes which go a whoring after their Idols Like to what he said to the first World It repeâ—ted the Lord that he made Man and it grieved him at the heart c. Q. 86. What is the Henochian Life What is become of Henoch or where â—â—th Henoch reâ—â—tined so also of Moses and Eâ—â—as A. 1. Not without many haesitations come â— to this almost singular Question Many Recoils from my attempts to adventure speaking of so secret a Mystery My heart meditateth terror to see it self groveling But it must be said the Henochian Life is a Life of Faith for the Holy Ghost saith Henoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found c. And tho' the Administration of the Henochian Life be so rarely found as it is and hath been and that the Writing on it might seem to anticipate and forerun the discovery of it yet for the sake of the Sons of Wisdom to whom only it shall appertain it is answered and let such be directed 2. To consider Christ's Life in the Wilderness who after his abandoning the Food of the divided Properties in the third Principle forty days being in the temperature was then ministred unto by Angels Let it
so because the evil properties domineering in the Soul makes the Tincture false which in its self is true as also it is in the Devils 6. Thus we see the Air of its self sweet and wholesome in a City greatly infected with the Plague is by the Emanation of many Sick and Expiring Bodies by that contagion corrupt So the discord of the dark Soul invades the serenity of the Tincture and maims it of its Inclination and Ability to good and Invigorates it with the Rage of its own perverse Affections 7. Now to the humble obedient Child the Supper is a Feast giving nourishment suitable to his Hunger his Fire Soul and Principle of strength is meeken'd his drooping Spirit cheered his Astral Spirit composed into order some of the Properties restrained other properties stirred on and others sweetly encouraged and the disappeared Image of the Virgin by the Body and Blood of the second Adam restored 8. Come we now to the Doubt Whether the alter'd Ordinance retain power to do good It is answer'd That if the alter'd Administration fall short of shewing the End of its Institution or hath so great additions as so to cloud the thing signified as it cannot be rightly discerned or the change be such as doth race out the Ordinance its self the Essentials are departed and it is no more an Ordinance of Christ than a dead Corps is a Man the power disappears when the thing it self is not 9. It is true if the Soul remain so doth some measure of power as a Man may live yet have lost a Leg or Arm but dismembering is often Mortal to the Natural Body and not seldom so in lameing the Service of God carry such to the Ruler will he accept it But wo to such who innovate to them are the Curses of Gods Book added Also where Sacriledge is found it rends that Name out of Gods Book of Life and where the intire alteration is there Hell hath enlarg'd it self 10. Yet in every Age and Place where the Divine Love is or hath been begotten the Hunger is ever a receiver of such quantity of Manna as is according to every one's eating We see the outward Sun through Clouds Showers and ill Vapours in and under the Earth and Seas doth great good work and shall we streighten the unlimitable Divine Grace and Power Is the holy Child at any time driven into the Wilderness and goeth not God thither with him He that instructs us in Dreams in the Creation in evil Creatures and by many things evil as in themselves that brings good out of evil confirms us by our falls that brought Almonds out of Aaron's dry Rod shall not he also out of weakness create strength He doth out of the cruel Anguishes of the Lion-like first Principle bring the most sweet Honey of the holy second Principle Which is still a Riddle but the day of God dawneth and will proceed to a perfect day in all such in whom he of whom Samson was a shadow shall slay the enmity of the four dark forms by introducing Divine Light and the holy Power World Q. 159. What do the Learned when they reproach one the other about Christs Testaments and the precious Covenant of Grace And disgrace one another and give up one another to the Devil about it Whether do they also manage the Office of Christ whether is that right or wrong whether also is this done as a Minister of Christ Or whom do they serve thereby A. 1. Their reproaching each other usually proceeds either from outward prosperity or desire of Superiority whence come Wars come they not from your Lusts which War in your Members When Joseph had open'd to his Brethren a prospect of approaching prosperity he seasonably warn'd them not to fall out by the way As soon as Constantine had given the Christians a general Jubilee from the frequent Persecutions of more than two hundred years up riseth Arrius and other Hereticks Titular Christians persecuting the real Christians As saith the Apostle He that was after the Flesh Ishmael persecuted him that was after the Spirit for which there are many Reasons briefly thus 2. The counter Christian being shut up in the first four forms of Nature to stifle his intestine tumults sallies out into the third Principle which is the great figure of his proper radical disorders the World therefore being his only home he will be Master there especially over them who both are and own themselves to be strangers 3. But God keeps peace among his Children by his Rod which is so Moral an Argument of conserving peace that the penitent Thief urg'd it on the other viz. Dost thou not fear God seeing thou art under the same condemnation On the swelling of Severn by a great Flood Islands were made on some of them Lambs and Foxes saved themselves where the very Foxes tho' hungry were observed to keep a Civil Community with the Lambs being all under one Consternation 4. Mans departure from the Unity into the Multiplicity brings his Lifes forms into Enmity But Heavenly Peace the Sister of Sacred Love is Born at the reducing him from the Multiplicity into the Unity again 5. If therefore the love of the World and the things of the World viz. as it is figur'd and impressed by the evil dark Powers be the cause of strife introducing the contrariety and multiplicity Then the Love of the Heavenly Father whence we departed being regenerated in us by his only Son in the method of Self-abasing which is the Cross of the Christian as far as he is unmortified This love thus begotten makes peace and this appeased mind which also was in the Lord Jesus Christ divides the World into two parts only viz. the humble afflicted Children of Sacred Love those of the day and the proud unmortified Workers of evil in the Kingdom of Darkness Whereby it is that the renewed Image hath only Enmity for its Enemy Q. 160. Which is the very mark of a right Christian upon Earth whereby Men may distinguish him from a Titulary Christian Here begins the Ninth Grand Distribution A. In the 154 Answer is much to the opening of this 1. The Christian in Heart and Life is very precious and as secret as precious Thus precious Metals are the most secret being resembled by baser so precious Stones have their counterfeits and Nature is much of it imitated by Art even as the out-issued or out flown Nature of this World is but a Figure of the two Eternal Worlds all therefore-to be seen here are not the things themselves but Shadows Figures and Representations and those but as in a Glass darkly 2. What wonder then that the Christian is unknown to others and to himself also in great measure when Paul saith of himself lest while I Preach to others I my self be a Cast-away The new Man is not very apparent to him in whom he is when yet is at a good growth and sometimes wholly obscur'd for the Astral Man
of the Country a Self-murtherer their shame and indignation but the unknown number of wounded Souls and self-murthered Souls are not regarded tho' it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for such Gospel-Apostates and Haters of Christ. The malicious Enemy of Mankind who wounds himself that he may murther Souls so greatly he hates Man draws into the Anguishes of his Central Forms whole Harvests of Reprobates in whom he hath no true Right or Propriety by his offering Baits and Cheats for Food and Realities while woe to the World the most glorious gracious and adorable only Son of the only High God whose we are by Absolute Propriety and whose Love to Mankind was so immense and unsearchable as that He made Himself vile and a Sacrifice to whom He offereth Real Highest and Eternal Blessedness yet hath only the gleanings of the Harvest or Vintage while the World lieth in wickedness and their Posterities approve of their saying calling the proud happy and perpetuating the Black Art of Self-murther like Fish hasten greedily to catch the same Bait wherewith others had been hookt or Birds speed to be taken in an evil Net so throng Men to be ruined reject the only Hope precipitate into irreparable desperation Others seeming less obstinate are as fatal Foes to themselves telling and flattering of tomorrow while such futurities of safety expose them as Fools to perish to day while Wisdom saith To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts and that This is the accepted time This is the day of Salvation The time of the coming of John the Baptist was in the year of Jubilee yet then saith he The Axe is laid to the Root of the Tree 17. Our gracious God infinitely out-doth and out-bids all to make us his and restore his Image in us for in Man's Creation he did much more than for any or all the visible Creatures of the Out-birth or third Principle in his Redemption for restoring the Divine Image he did infinitely more for him than any or all the invisible Creatures of the first Principle the Apostate Angels for whom is given no Sacrifice nor Mediator Also in Man's Consummation Perfection Sealing and Glorification and Preparation thereunto is much more done for him than for the Holy glorious Angels the Sons and Inhabitants as morning Stars of the bright Heaven the Holy second Principle for the Spirits of just Men made perfect the general Assembly of the Church of the first-born are Fellow-Citizens with the Angelical Worlds and so share of the infinite Goodness of God as they and also have this more that they have had in the Lord their Head the Bowels of infinite Pardoning Mercy drawn out for them which is peculiarly extended them and treasur'd up only in the Emmanuel for them 18. This most dear boundless Goodness calls for the highest and deepest Contemplation 't is so profound so large so adorable so admirable that neither can the Earthen Vessel bear it the Syderial Man find any thing whereunto his Bounty may be likened the Immortal Soul be properly said to know it for it is what passeth Knowledge but the Soul is known by it as it is more or less enlighten'd therewith and Man's intellectual Spirit is so far from throughly penetrating it that it only shines and flows by Influence and Reflection of it for it self is as a drop of the Abyss enlighten'd by a beam of the Eternal Sun it burns and flames in the self-evidencing splendor of that incomparable inexhaustible Treasure and excellent Majesty This poor vile hand lyes prostrate at the Footstool of this Grace the Elementary and Astral Man the Eternal Soul and Spirit is herein swallow'd up once and for ever 19. How reasonable necessary and natural was what our Apostle saith I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God This is the Riches of his goodness forbearance and long suffering to lead man to Repentance There is a Promise that Men shall fear the Lord and his Goodness Man's contempt of Bowels of Infinite Mercy shews him less rational than the Bruits than the Insects who all shew the desire of Self-defence while he refuseth to be shielded from the greatest of horror by the free goodness of his God purchased by his own Blood with sorrows aggravated to unexpressible mysteriousness yet is Man offered all at the cheap Price of Acceptance and importunately besought to open his Hand Mouth and Heart to receive Pardon from day to day perhaps for many years still in vain whil'st he riseth early compasseth Sea and Land with his Life in his hand sweats freezeth bleeds frets wounds his Conscience and sells himself What therefore can the account of such Rejecters of the Invitation to the Marriage Supper be seeing to Ungratitude is added Stubbornness to that Despitefulness and consequently desperate Madness being one who having more done for him than for the Holy Angels and yet thus doth more against the glorious Grace of God in Christ by exalted Wickedness than the very Devils 20. Behold this and Blush ye Heavens ye Sun and Stars gather blackness let the Earth be moved let the Stones of the Streets and Walls be Witnesses let the Brutes and Animals stand amaz'd melt ye Rocks of Adamant relent and sigh ye Mountains of Ice let Marble and Pummice-stones weep come hither discover your inward Forms ye savage Bears cruel Tygers Vultures and unnatural Vipers The Heavens Sun and Stars were never Witness of the like Tragick Stupidity for had they seen the Angels that fell become Devils yet had they not known them refuse Mercy freely continually and importunately tendered the most brutish Animals reject not but greedily snatch what they want the Adamantine and Marble Rocks are all easily dissolvable by their proper Separators and Dissolvents the Mountains of Ice are as unwilling Captives Bears Tygers and Vultures are not only kind and friendly to themselves but compassionate to their Young the Viper though he destroys his Genitrix yet seems to do it of necessity to preserve its own Existence where therefore can be found so obdurate a thing as the Impenitent Heart of Man so great a Monster so ferine a Brute such a Prodigy of Ingratitude so implacable a Creature as the hardened obstinate Sinner No such Ingratitude and Cruelty can the Astral World demonstrate in the contrary Wills of the Martial Mercurial and other cross Constellations nor in the Elementary Offspring of them nor all whose Differences result to Harmony in the Earth or Deserts Air or Seas no not in Hell the dark Abyss or Devils no Sinners against so great Mercies and means for Recovery no Sinners against a Redeemer against the bleeding Love and Bowels of a Saviour there but Man the Devils are those for whom nothing of Mercy is prepared Oh therefore that Men were wise that they knew this and would hear that their Souls might live and not sink
some a Pageantry a Comedy a Feather in his Cap or as to others or to him at other times his Burthen Snare place of Tentation Care Sorrow occasion of Sin Shame and Punishment his place of Exile and at best more or less his Daliâ—aâ— and many a Groan it costs him whose Home and Treasure is elsewhere 3. But to the sinking Man it is his Harlot his Leaden Weight or Milstone his Idol his only Heaven and though he sees it disappearing and vanishing it being his sole Attractive he hugs it courts it lives for it dies for it and dies Eternally for it That which is the Quintessence of Tragedies is his only Comedy nor can it be otherwise for neither hath he any thing else sees loves knows nor longs for any thing beyond it but ever looks on all Futurities through the Glass made of Materials here He would have endless Stores obtain'd to satiate his insatiable Covetousness a boundless Dominion to gratifie his proud Lusts vast Power to execute his Revenge and Malice that all Creatures might be Instruments and if he could the Creator too might contribute to his Will of raging Fury 4. From which Root it is that the most abject People because they cannot â—end in pieces all they impotently hate will not fail to imprecate and causelesly Curse which extends mostly to Image in their own Souls only the Model of Hell though sometimes it toucheâ—â— the Tincture by the Magia exalted yet in the dark Impression of it and so reacheth both in the inward World and in the shadow of it the outward Principle unto such Persons and Things as are subject and stand as a Harmony with the Impression themselves are of that is within the reach of their Chain Hence dark Witchcraft springeth 5. Now when those fall short of the subject they level at every such falleth out with himself for his Eternity is a continual greedy desire of what can never be had accompanied with like constant despair of obtaining it producing consequently a perpetual Rotation of Rage and Fury all which like the parts of a Wheel shut him up at the Nave or Centre thereof immoveably unalterably A glimpse whereof is when Men in this World are arraigned by the Out-cries of guilty Consciences let loose upon them 6. Thus is it with dying of the Wicked who fall into the Central implacable Forms of the first Principle and the God of Life dwelling in the infinite Light and Glory of the all-comprehending second Principle being for ever withdrawn to the distance of a whole Principle from them because the Darkness comprehendeth him not that Life of theirs must needs be an Eternal Dying and they be kill'd in their own House as for a figure Isâ—â—â—sheth the Son of Saâ—â— was And as the sleep of the Holy Children is the Death of their Disease so the Dying of the other is the Life of their Disease and the total Privation extinguishing or extermination of the slender Remainders of their Health This Life is a Sickness to both only the one feels it to be so the other is insensible of it and the passing hence is to the one a forgetting of the sickness and sorrow here and to the othâ—â— an awakening to the sick frame whereof here he had no â—â—nce or right Apprehension Q. 169. Whither goeth the Soul when it partâ—â—â— from the Bâ—â—y be it Blessed to me A. So evident is this in the Answers of the 21. 23 24. and 26 of J. Behmen's Book of the Forty Questions and in other parts of his Divine Self-Evidencing Writings Also in the Answer of the 166 Question particularly in the 9th Verse and elsewhere in these Answers that it is here wholly forborn Q. 170. What are the Doings and Life of Souls till the last Judgment Day A. 1. The Answer of the 22th of Jacob Behmen's Forty Questions of the Soul is totally a Solution of this Question something also concerning it is in the Answer of the 166 of the present Questions which if accurately inspected might lead the Enquirer to the Summit of his Desires But this Question restraining to the time present as to the Doings of separate Souls in that state without the outward Body simply considered without either Retrospect to their passed state or Prospect to their Futurities although the Hebrew admit no Present Tense yet thus abstractedly divested of past and to come as far as is possible something may be told only by way of Representation in some low Similitudes pertinent hereunto for hardly otherwise can the dull Reason penetrate such a Secret or the enlightned Mind either 2. 1. The Reapers cut down Wheat not fully ripe and Tares green the keeping of both some time may prepare them one for good use the other to be scatter'd by the Fan but the solar Spirit in the unripe Wheat and Martial Spirit in the Tares sleep not but proceed to conquer the adverse Properties and mature the Mass or Territory whereof they are Regents 2. There are two Trees Fell'd the one for Timber for curious Uses the other a knotty unsound one for Fuel the lying of them both a while makes as well the one as the other more fit for their several contrary uses 3. If this Life be a Seed-time and Heaven the Harvest there interpasseth some time which is a patient waiting time 4. If this Life be the Transgressing time the Night of Violence and committing Facts and the Lake of Fire be the Execution there useth to pass some Occurrences requiring Deliberation between the Fact and Judgment as between the Fact and Execution or Recompence for the Fact 5. If this Life be a time of Sacrifice and the glorious Kingdom the returns of God to those Petitions which is the time of the restitution of all things the Sacrificers must allow some time of waiting at or under the Altar for the returns of those Sacrifices 3. But from all these it follows not but the state of the Perfect may be exceedingly Good and greatly Blessed though when they shall put on their new Garments it shall be best of all for that is the time of the restitution of all things nor doth it follow but in that very state there will be degrees of Happiness according to the degrees of their passing into the fifth Form where is the opening of the Divine Power-world as there are of Stars in Glory Neither also doth it follow that the state of the accursed is capable of mitigation for their estate is not so bad but that it is capable of being more wretched yet not of being more tolerable and yet 't is so Dark as admits not the least glance of Light as even in this Life they grow actually more and more Vile So in that state though it be the worst they ever knew yet still posteth it on without stop recoil or respite ever hurrying them on towards the Tempest of Eternal fierceness 4. Here is the Antipodes to the black Fiction of
Atheists and Sadduces who would make themselves believe that the whole inward Man is Mortal and annihilable such who not only judge themselves unworthy of Eternal Life but uncapable of Eternal Existence while they grant it to this Mass of Crumbling Earth and Mortal Water and are so extreamly degenerated from the Diviine Image Man was ennobled with that as their outward Life extends not to that length activity and occult Excellencies of many Brutes as Beasts little Animals and some Birds so the infatuated Atheists would that their Souls and Spirits might also run the same Fate and be as tranfient as the vilest of Insects Here is also Diametrical opposition to others who say the whole inward Man is fellow Prisoner with the bestial Flesh till the general Resurrection but the Answers of the two immediately preceding Questions shew what of the Blessed sleepeth and what of the Wicked is Arrested by the King of Terrors And for farther Answer hereunto see the Answer to the 22th of the 40 Questions of J. Behmen of the Soul 5. The Doings of Souls till the last Judgment may stand here in the very words of the Book of Extracts viz. They all meaning the Holy Souls abound with great inward Joy and wait to put on their bright fair new Body out of the old their Joy and Hope is different as Labourers Expectations are who at the End of the Week receive every one according to their degrees of Labour and Diligence Those who have put on Christ's Body here are as one who having overcome his Enemies in Fight represents the Victory before his King who receives him with great Joy and Honour The Expectation of the wicked Soul is as an imprison'd condemn'd Malefactor still listening when any thing stirs and the Executioner comes all their passed Wickedness stands before them in such different Aggravations as they had here Q. 171. What is the last Judgment how is it Effected A. 1. That there shall be such a great general final Day of Judgment grates on the Ears of Atheists but against them the very Devils will rise in Judgment but others there are who would be accounted more religious than many who shut up themselves from the acknowledgment of that Judgment Day and though they are not practically Atheists who put the Evil Day from them yet do these raze it out of their Intellect restraining the Judgment Day of God to his declaring for or against us and our actions here only during this our Pilgrimage all in their Judgment is the Judgment before Death or Resurrection To whom may be said that as they who said the Resurrection is past already did thereby overthrow the Faith of some so they that say the Great Day of Judgment is past already undermine the Faith of many overthrow the Faith of some and direct their force against Truth it self whereon is founded all true Faith which is well founded 2. It is true that Christ in the Light of our Life is from from Age to Age and for ever till Ages cease a Judge in the faln Humanity speaking by his living Word in the Consciences and written Testimony in the Intellect and Memory being the words of his Prophets and Holy ones and evidence of our rightly informed Brethren and Fellow-Members in our Ears by his being a swift Witness by severe Visitations before our Eyes also by Eminent gracious Providences and in the Creation the Earth Elements and Creatures to our other Senses wherein may be read frowns and smiles variously dispensed which are perpetuated in their Seasons as long as Sin is perpetrated unto all reclaimable Transgressors this God doth by his Stars who have a Voice which every Nation hears for with them the Psalmist saith he Preacheth by them and by them both judgeth and fighteth 3. Again the Lord teacheth us to judge our selves which is every ones part but not to judge others for Man's Judgment must be restrained to things not extended to Persons from which we are warn'd and caution'd yet are Men very propense aptand sharp to the latter but very averse partial and slack to the former Men judge Men which is to be noted both after the dark and light Worlds Impressions after the dark thus the four Anguishes composing the first Principle judge each other thence is it that from the Astringency the Covetous judgeth and is judged by the Prodigal again the Covetous as he is a Self-lover and so is timorous judgeth and is reproached by the rash fiery furious one again the Covetous as he is drawn shameless to base fawning ways for profit sake judgeth and is judged by the haughty Proud one Again the insatiable Thirst of heaping up taking from the covetous mind his rest renders him the trouble of his own Life House and Cohabiters yet prompts him to judge the contrary inclination for sloth and dronishness while that other judgeth him so wretchedly slavish that he distrusteth almost his own hands to hoard up his Idols And so of the rest of the Properties resembling the Builders of Babel 4. But God hath given all Judgment to his Son some glimmerings of His Infinite Glory are found in them whose four Forms generate the fifth for in the meek Resignation arising to the Divine Love-fire and Pure Breathings directed by Heavenly Light Judgment proceedeth toward Victâ—ry And it is represented by the fifth Letter in the Hebrew Alphabet which is only as an aspiration or breathing from within outwardly conforming exactly in that respect to the Language of Nature standing united to That of the New Nature for the fifth Form producing the second Birth and being produced by it leads the Creature to the giving up its all in a flame of Love in Jesus Christ to the Father which flame he feels blown up by the Holy Ghost 5. Thus we have seen what God's judging in This mixt World is also what Man 's judging here is according to the Dark World's accusing dividing Properties and also what Man 's judging is according to the little part of the Light World we share of here by which it is evident that all this is to That day of days as a blinking Candle is to the Sun it self Such was the report Paul gave of That day as made Felix tremble tho' an Infidel for as it hath been elsewhere noted tho' some have laught at the Doctrine of the Resurrection none have been so fool-hardy and mad as to slight the report of the General Judgment Enoch the seventh from Adam figuring the end of the six working days or Properties and by his Translation and Son Methusalah the entring on Eternity prophesied of This day all the Prophets Apostles and Holy ones confirm it Christ the Judge himself preacht it with the order manner and particularities of it The Devils knew it and therefore argued Art thou come to torment us before our time 6. He that would say what That great Judgment is can never do it but by parsels and then also cannot
Eternity their four Forms are attoned by his Light their Discord by his Unity is composed his Presence kills their lofty Thoughts it also makes them alive to him his Fire refineth them they are always prostrate at his Feet mortified and mortifying continually and makes them a Living Sacrifice day by day till Death become their intimate associate and safe retreat from the Storm Yet these things are so secretly done in the new Heart that the Heart it self can better conceive it than the Brain but how can the Idea thereof be comprehended by us who are comprehended by it When we would form it we cannot for we viz. our new Man is formed by it How can we express it seeing we are the Letters by which it expresseth it self It is far above the Languages got at Babel but when the Spirits of the Letters shall be restored the renewed Spirit shall find a Tongue to be a Herauld for the King of Kings put to silence all contrary discording sounds and Dethrone all other Rule Authority and Power in us Amen 3. 17. That then is or cometh the End the Judgment being ended the End hath found the Beginning When the Six Working Days of the Week are ended Masters use to Reckon with their Hirelings and give them their Wages then followeth the Day of Rest. When the six working Properties have wrought their designed end in any Creature they give up themselves into the seventh wherein to rest the doing whereof bringeth the End into the Beginning when the Wheat is in the Barn and the Tares cast away the Harvest is ended 18. A few words are offer'd to be consider'd concerning the End 1. Whether the Elements shall be dissolved at the instant of the Resurrection or not remain till the compleat End of the Judgment Day Answ. It may seem otherwise for they must as Conservatories be opened that is the Earth viz. Hell or the Grave must deliver up the Dead which shall be therein or how else shall the Mighty men call to the Rocks to cover them also the â—ea deliver the Dead conserved therein the Air the words it treasur'd in it 2. Whether the Elements may not remain and yet the Sun Moon and Stars be resolved into their Aether Answ. As there was Light the three first days of the Creation out-spoken by the Word which was as a dispersed Light before the collecting the same into the Sun Moon and Stars so may the collected Light pass back into the dispersed Light to form that one Great Day which is not to admit of Revolutions of Night and Day but only the Day and Night of the two Incomprehensible Principles which may be both in one place at one time without justling one the other and be the full End of Specifick and revolved Time may be at the Commencement or Morning of that Day and the full entring on Eternity not be till the End or Evening of that Day when the Judge shall give to each World the Inhabitants thereof as their Magick Wills have severally tinctured and formed them thereunto whether of the Day Love and Purity or of Blackness Wrath and Abominations And this is the absolute Period of the Genus and Thing which we call Time 19. The End of Time may be demonstrated in the regenerated Children thus When the Holy Fire of God on the Altar in the Soul hath separated the Earthy part from the new Man so that by resignation of the Will the Love flame is raised up the Spirit of that Man entreth into God and in a measure into such rest as ends the multiplicity and possesseth the Eternal Unity for his earthy salt corrupt Sulphur and Mortal Mercury is changeable into the Saline Property Paradisical Flesh or Sulphur and Spiritual Mercury by the Holy Tincture whereof in this Separation the renewed Image becomes capable And if the inward new Man be enabled to press forward it may in this very most secret Path attain the Resurrection from the Dead in the outward Man and be translated into the Life of Enoch Thus also we see that Antimony calcin'd by the solar Rays through Burning Glasses may both be augmented to almost half in weight and also changed from a strong rank great Poison to a vigorous Balsam and potent Fortifier of decaying Nature shewing us how the Mutations of time cease and how to enter into a fixt serene Eternity 20. The End of Time may be also demonstrated in the Sons of Perdition thus That after all Warnings Judgments and Convictions they have met with they finally fix in Enmity and are Imaged into a private perverse Will the Circumferential Applications are restrained by the Central Fire which also stops up the Fountain of pure meek Water and clouds the Divine solar Influences of Light and therefore receive no increase as was said of Antimony but are subjected to a perpetuated Vanity nor can such be renewed but are obdurated they are not like Antimony transmuted from Poison to a sublimated Cordial but recede more fiercely into the endless Anguishes as Evaporation by Heat makes cold Poison the more deadly here also the Times of successive Good and Evil strife of Flesh and Spirit Resolves and Doubts are ceased and these Men are become Sensual in the most outward part stubborn and obstinate in the Astral which should be the rational part and furious haughty false and filthy in the Will of the Eternal Man So in the most outward sensitive part are meer Animals in the rational part stubborn besotted Fools and in the Immortal Souls Devils and all fixt so that if the Divine Sun should graciously shine on him he would but as a filthy heap of Horse-dung or a stinking watry Ditch generate the greater and more dangerous venomous loathsome reptils continually 21. That then the Kingdom shall be delivered up to the Father and God shall be all in all The Lord's Prayer Establisheth all the parts of it with this word For ihine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever of him and from him are all things and therefore also all things are for him they are the Manifestation of his Power and of his Love Infinite Power were Defective without Infinite Wisdom also Infinite Wisdom were impotent without Infinite Power again Infinite Power and Infinite Wisdom were infinitely Dreadful without Infinite Goodness but all three United is infinitely sufficient to support the weakest of the Lord 's little ones and blow to atoms the highest vastest Puissance of the Princes of the dark World the God of this World and hold them shut up for ever 22. The Lord Jesus saith in his Prayer concerning his to his Father Thine they were and thou gavest them me but that Grand Administration must be such as if it were said by the Lord Mine they are and I give them back to thee where lies a Mystery not obvious to any but the enlightened Mind which shall be spoken in a simple familiar way
blown up into Angelical Flames of burning Love Thus dwell they in and are united to the Divine Powers of the Infinite glorious holy World of which World all the best innocentest most lovely excellent Creatures and Things here are a faint dead shadow And when the holy Souls shall have again and put on their bright pure Bodies being raised and conformed to the glorious Body of Jesus Christ then shall the Paradisical Substance which is the Essence or Quin tessence of the best Properties here be the Eternal living Food of those new Bodies Nor shall the Vertues of Concretes here be annihilated but resumed sublimed and spiritualized the holy World being their proper Aether where they shall remain in their Essence and Idea for the glory of the gracious Creator 5. Thus we see the distance of Heaven from Hell is as far as from Wrath to Love from Anguish to Triumph from Night and Darkness to the day not locally but a whole another Principle for it is not like or to be compared with the distance of those Stars which are lift up in our Zenith from those in our Nadir for they unite in their operation in one Individual Flower or Plant and by their Light continue to kiss each other but the distance here meant is an incomprehensible one Thus is it in the Creation as in Man the mixture of Spirits compelleth to Compassion and Compassion by assimilation of an Artificial Identity generateth Love but this distance consisteth in a Total and Eternal Separation of Spirits so alien and diametrically opposite one to the other as Life and Death are 6. It may be with this our Globe when the Elements dissolve as with an Herb whose Ligaments being loosed and the Properties thereof by the Artist segregated into Spirit Oyl and Salt for then the Creatures which now groan after Deliverance from their Subjection to Vanity and the good Properties here captiv'd may the Creatures in their Ideas and the Properties in their Energies by the Tincture of them all unite with the Spiritual World and shew forth the Infinite Wisdom of the Gracious Creator and Mighty Redeemer being part of the Spoils and Trophies of his powerful Redemption And here may in the place of this self-same Ball yet in another Principle be separated away all the filthy impure abominable Creatures and Properties as the Faeces Dregs and Ashes of an Alimbick which confused Mass of Reprobated Properties must dismally adhere and be ingulphed with the fierce Horrour and Anguish of the dark World the Image whereof they bear and that not fully as sickly Complexions by their ill Constitutions fall by the Plague when there comes a Pestilential contagious Air but they unite with that outer Darkness as they are a Plague-sore to themselves And now to avoid Repetition see concerning the Locality of Hell in the 19 20 21 22 23 and last Verses of the 17th of these Questions Also concerning the Locality of Heaven See the 2d 3d 4th 7th and last Verses of the 18th of these Questions Q. 177. What shall be the Eternal Joy of the Holy or Saints and the Eternal Pain or Torment of the Wicked Or also may there be any alteration effected A. 1. The three Parts of this Question require only a few words or rather Quotations severally as first what shall be the Eternal Joy of the Holy or Saints the knowledge whereof may be collected by the serious Mind from Meditation of the Discoveries of it Recorded in the Sacred Scriptures as amongst many these following Psal. 16. 11. In thy presence is fulness of Joy at thy Right Hand are pleasures for ever more Psal. 36. 8 9. Thou shalt make them drink of the River of thy pleasure for with thee is the Fountaiâ— of Life in thy Light we shall see Light Isai. 64. 4. For since the beginning of the World Men have not heard nor perceived by the Ear neither hath the Eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him which words are recited in 1 Cor. 2. 9. adding v. 10. but God hath revealed them c. Rom. 8. 18. The sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us 2 Cor. 4. 17. Our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory 1 John 3. 2. It doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he appeareth we shall be like him Jude 24. present you faultless before the presence of his Glory with exceeding Joy And the 21 and 22 Chapters of the Revelations 2. Much also may be found by pondering the Answer of the blessed J. Behmen to the last of the 40 Questions and 32 Question of the Soul Something also conducible and pertinent hereunto may be found by Review of the 18th and 19th Answers of the present Questions the last Verse of the 40th Answer the 45th Answer throughout the last Verse of the 49th Answer the 5th Verse of the 57th Answer 3. The Eternity of the Joy of the Holy ones shall be the alone Unity without Fraction ever new ever young one only constant spring and uninterrupted Autumn their City as pure and undefiled as is the inward Holy spiritual World their Kingdom incomprehensibly vast being one with the illimitable second Principle The precious Stone call'd Lapis Callidoneus is said to be unable for its warming cheering vertue unless set into Gold nor hath the Crystal any intrinsick Light till the influencing solar or other lustre hath access to it which then is multiplied by it and to pass by infinite instances producible the perfection of the seven Properties is attained by the United Conjunction of the six Actives in the seventh which is as their Passive Work house 4. Things and Persons here though partly good are partly otherwise and that either by an Evil commixture or want of some good thing or Property or by inequality of the Proportions of their Composition or the feebleness of the parts United or want of Time to perfect the Creature or thing or by a corruptible quality or by the insufficiency of its Origin or by its undefensibleness or if very good may yet be only so in and to it self but incommunicable or the participation interruptible and not always so alike or which is often a good Influence may exhaust over much as that Aromatick Herb Basil by standing long in the Sun may degenerate into Wild Thyme or some other Necessity the Creatures of the Out-birth are incident unto their whole Principle being but a Figure of the excellent World whence it was effluenced But all these and all other Exceptions the state of the Saints transcends and is for ever exempted perfectly and at once 5. To the second part of the Question what shall be the Eternal Pain and Torment of the Wicked Let the Records of Sacred Scriptures be pondered as amongst others these following Isaiah
the Infinite Original of all well pleasing and Wisdom the Process of both which is the Infinite Original of the All-holy Love and Goodness in these three is one Infinity yesterday to day and for ever by in and for whom are all the seven Spirits or Properties generating Harmoniously and Triumphantly at once and ever and in the United accord of their Powers subsisteth the Holy World Also in the separate Properties of six of the seven Spirits standeth immutably the Abyss of the Dark World which though in their Union is truly and really existent yet till the Separation is for ever unmanifested as in the preceding Answers is often most conspicuous as in many places of the Writings of the blessed Jacob Behmen and particularly in the 15th of the Answers v. 3. 4. 16. And here are the two Eternal Worlds or Principles of Love and Anger Darkness and Light known only in the Separation of the Properties in the Creatures so that either both or neither is Eternal they having the Self-same Eternal Root and Consistence and the effluenced Creation is Imaged either by all the seven Spirits in Harmony or by all of them in Discord where one or more potently tyrannizeth over the rest and thus stand the Heavenly and Hellish Powers with the Holy Glorious and contrary Impious black Inhabitants And when the Out-world viz. the Astral was formed the two Eternal Worlds impressed their Images therein over which Man as the second Race of Intellectuals was natural Lord substituted to hold the Dominion wherein while he stood was no more subject to Mutation having his habitation in the Holy World than Eternity is to time which it comprehendeth but is not measur'd by for Eternity and the Eternal Inhabitants are never old but as their Worlds are ever new so themselves ever young there being no to Morrow but all is to Day with and in them And this is firmly true in both Worlds 17. But his Fall subjected him to the various Alterations of Time his Out-birth becoming subject thereunto which how Evil soever is not the greatest Evil for as on the one hand it as it were cut him off from the firm Land of Holiness to be like a floating isle of Vanity and Vexation so on the other hand the tossed Turf is not so swallow'd up as immediately to sink nor is so far driven but there remains a possibility by the sweet gales of the Holy Spirit to be reunited to the firm Land whence it had broken it self whereas the Apostate Angels like a piece of a Rock sank into the Deep without hope of reverting and cementing for ever having deprived themselves of all but one Principle and are destitute of a Medium having no falt in themselves whereas in Man on this side fixt Enmity there is United to their first fierce dark Anguish an intrusted Talent of inspoken Grace like a Tincture of the meek humble Principle of Love both inward Worlds being Imaged in the outward transient floating Life 18. Thus was it that Infinite Goodness moved Infinite Pity and Compassion that the Son of God himself took our Humanity and made it a Sacrifice to attone in us the enraged Forms of our first Principle being the Father's Property according to which he is call'd a consuming Fire and reunite us in the Kingdom and second Principle of Love Peace Meekness Purity and true Wisdom for without the Out-birth which is the place of Mutation no change can be because in the Astral Powers are the Alterations effected for there are the Figures of both the hidden Worlds therefore the least thought of transmuting the state of the Holy to Prophaneness or the Wicked to relaxation of their Torment were to admit or suggest a Contradiction no less absurd than to assign Eternity to the Vanity of the present transient momentany Life or to impeach Eternal Omnipotent stability with a possibility of Annihilation See the part of Answer of the blessed Jacob Behmen to the 15th of these Questions in the four first Verses also the rest of that Answer to the End Meditations and brief Contemplations on some of the Preceding Questions Propounded by Jacob Behmen On the 14th Question and Answer What is Lucifer's Office in Hell with his Legions 1. MY Soul first ponder thou God's Immensity as it is written Whither shall I go from thy Presence This Globe of Earth and Sea is great but to the Deep from Stars to Stars is a Point to a vast Circumference and that vast Deep is a Pâ—iâ—t to another proportionably greater than this is to our Ball and all that and twenty or twenty Thousands of such Deeps compared with him is nothing for if spoken out by him it leaves him nothing the less for he is still Infinite as before Again Meditate thou his Omnipresence for no Point or least Centre of the least imaginable Circle exempts him but in every such part is the same Infinite undivided Jehovah entirely present his Omniscience is hence undeniable for he that made the Eye shall he not see Behold again his Omnipotency whereby he from Eternity and in Eternity generates his only Son and by him all Eternal Glories and in the Abyss of his Infinite Power is the Dark Abyss If I make my Bed in Hell thou art there 2. Concerning Man reflect thou my Soul with Grief and Astonishment What a God is he who the black Mouths of vile crawling Worms and proud Dust do desperately abuse by Prophane Swearing as if that Holy and fearful awful Name were a common thing wherewith they make Blasphemously bold with Hellish Execrations Again what a Hell doth the Lord's Redemption free all from whose discording Forms of Life in the first Principle are attoned by kindling the saving renewing Light of Life in them of the Holy second Principle being a fifth Form and Quintessence turning by the Supream Tincture Everlasting Dying into Eternal Life and Regenerating a Holy bright Child out of a Corrupt dark impure Mother Again what can the Summit of selfish Skill sharpest Speculation and Penetration into Divine Sacred Mysteries avail if thou arrive not iâ— to the Holy self-same Principle by Mortification and the first Resurrection what short of that can make thee better than the Devils what can the exactest Form of Godliness advantage thee more than it doth him who can transform himself into an Angel of Light 3. Then O my Soul proceed on to Meekness Integrity Faith and Love in Holy Fear till thou come to the Feet of thy Jesus Or move not at all but remain a Swine a Dog a Beast inwardly a Devil for if thou goest part of the way only thy Fall as of a Stone from a high place is the most heavy but to persevere will make thee more blessedly Happy than Hell is miserably Accursed On the 15th Question and Answer Hath Hell a Temporary Beginning or Eternal c. 1. Here opens a wide Prospect into the Abyss of Eternity for as the Dark World originates from the Abyss
a Dart thrust through the Liver the Fountain of Blood the Hair and Nails will after being cut grow a Tooth may supply a former Tooths place but the Tincture spoil'd is as the Heart and Brain pluck'd out Salt savours all things but if it hath lost its savour wherewith shall it be salted Of the Tincture comes the Growth and Lustre and so is as our Mother if any one reproach and prophane it he becomes mortally guilty He that curseth his Father or Mother shall surely be put to Death On the 33 Question and Answer Of the Original of the Creatures of the mortal Life 1. When I look towards the Circumference and see the winged Troops should not I find Coelestial Inclinations in all of them where yet I find many filthy many cruel many ravenous I look towards the Centre and are there in the Deep any but dark undigested uncleannesses yet there I observe almost all clean many fair more greatly nourishing some adorn'd with rare Pearls and in the dark cold Earth the Triumphs of Nature in precious Stones and Minerals And looking round me my Fellow-Commoners are so various as to figure all Principles all Worlds all Properties to Infinity No Star so noble but it's Energy is Imaged in some no Conjunction so malevolent but is figur'd on others 2. The dark World hath its Subjects and Idea's Saturn in that Impression owns the Wolf Horseleech c. Mercury the Fox and dangerous Reptils Mars the Tyger and Dog Sol the Lyon Venus the Ostrich and Vultures Jupiter deformed Apes Baboons and Monkeys Luna unweldy Bruits And among my Brethren of Adam's Apostate race Saturn sways the Meagre Griping Carking Raking Insatiable Mercury the sly circumventing Crew Mars the insociable outragious Rabble Sol the daring seeker of Self and Domination Venus the shameless obscene cruel Adulteress Jupiter the filthy Hermaphrodite and Semihomines Luna those who are a burthen to others and over-load to themselves Yet according to the Light World is a Book written with shining living Letters accurately Engraven according to all Properties in which our Old Man may meditate his derogating from the Copy viz. The simplicity of the Dove and Lamb and in which the New Man may as in a Glass behold his own Face may observe how the Heavens hear the Earth groaning for Drought and descend in sweet distilling Bottles the Earth hears the shriveling Seed and drying Roots and the Corn and Fruits hear hungry Men and starving Beasts and when all are filled by the overflowing of Infinite Goodness how do the Blossoms breathe and the laden Boughs shew their Satisfaction the Herds return with flowing Udders and in the Flocks the Ews pay their Lambs what bounty lent them how do the Subterranean Minerals extend their stretch'd out Arms towards the four Cardinal Points and the hidden Treasure excite Man's Diligence 3. But what part bearest thou my Soul in this Harmony Art thou Hoarse Is thy sound only like that when the Earth is knockt on Doth all flow to thee and for thee and art thou only as a Grave to bury them in run they all to thee as Jordan into the Dead Sea Must all these Voices of Divine Love be heard seen felt tasted smelled renewed increased and continued and thou as Barren as Arabia's Sands thy Heart as impenetrable and sensless as the Mountains of Ice and Rocks of Adamant Wo were me if every Pile of Grass must be a Witness against me Hath thy Redeemer not only given thee all these but open'd for thee to thee in thee Heaven it self and his own Heart which is the Heaven of Heavens and art thou on Earth and Cold Why burneth not thy Heart why flame not thy Affections why dyest thou not as a Burnt-offering and risest not in this sweet Fire of humble earnest endless Seraphick Love On the 34th Question and Answer On the Separator of every Species of every Property 1. This Meditation exalts my grovelling Thoughts towards him without whom was not any thing made that was made yet this Archeus is no more than the great Instrument of Omnipotence who when call'd the Father of Nature it 's only meant the Father in Nature bearing the Image of the Father who alone is God blessed forever Nor are the Astral Powers though various infinite and different also seeming opposite to be call'd many because not one is broken from the United Harmony but mutually embrace each other no perverseness among them that is left to the Prince and Legions of the Abyss of the dark World 2. All the Properties and Astral Powers are an Egress of the Fountain Spirits as they are of the one Will and by figuring and propagating their Energies are as a Body Politick whose many parts compose into a Republick Thus is the whole one only Separator Father and Mother in Nature for whole Nature is an Hermaphrodite in it the Tinctures being inviolably United potently proceed in Magical Masculine and Feminine Virgin Purity doing all as Adam should have done and with so equal a hand that the Excellency of one is ballanced by another kind of Excellency in another The Pith and Brain needs the Bark and Skull is Gold most valuable Iron is most useful the Powerful hand that lays the Contexture of the Whale and Elephant is altogether as admirable in the little Insects 3. Now as by a numerous well-accoutred Host is shewn the Puissance of their Prince by the greatness of a River the large Tract of Land whence it descends So by this steady unwearied skilful prosperous mighty Architect is demonstrated the Eternity Wisdom Infinity Omnipotency of the Glorious Creator who is represented by this his excellent Agent And as with Veneration Men receive the Decrees of the Wisdom of a State with submission the Commands of a Soveraign Authority and with Circumspection observe the Precepts of Physick wherein life is concern'd with how much greater reason are we obliged or rather by genuine sweetness charm'd to the Laws of Nature to be Loyal to the Government studious of the Institutions and faithful in holding the Secrets thereof if entrusted to us for as the Eternal Nature is in God so the Temporal Nature is of God in which also God and Heaven is as Eternity is in time Grant therefore O our God and Father which art in Heaven that I may hallow thy Name in Nature lest if I do not thy Will shewn on Earth in things seen I be not entrusted with the Knowledge of things in Heaven which are not seen On the 35th Question and Answer On the six days work of the Creation and the Sabbath 1. The six days Work demonstrate the six working Properties and they being distinct do yet every of them generate another and all six meet to generate the seventh yet when they concenter in the seventh do not there cease to Work which were as impossible as for them to cease to be but if they Work in the seventh their Operations are heavenly sweetly harmoniously triumphantly
Man's holy Paradisical Body in which that Word was If the Tabernacle and Temple being transient and of perishing Materials and were dead Figures had a Sanctity How holy was Adam's Divine Body which was taken out of the great Mystery or Heavenly Earth and had not the Fall been as a Worm at the Root might have so flourish'd Eternally If these dying Bodies are call'd the Temples of the Holy Ghost that therefore he that defiles the Temple of God him will God destroy Also if Barbarity perpetrated on the meer Skelleton was pursued with Divine Vengeance viz. the burning of the Bones of the King of Edom into Lime What account shall the Nimrods give who as common Enemies to Mankind empty Cities waste Countries make the World an Aceldama her Inhabitants a Sacrifice to their insatiable all-devouring Ambition What account the pretended Physitians Chirurgeons c. those legal Slaughter-men who arbitrate their unhappy Patient's Substance to their own mercenary Avarice for protracting and heightening the Distempers and finally killing the Sick less generous than avowed Enemies less just than common Robbers What accompt shall be required for Self-murther and that which is worse viz. enslaving it to unmortified Lusts either pampering it to gratifie Pride Filthiness c. or macerating and wearing it out by Envy Malice Revenge Covetousness Impatience and other Works of the Flesh the end whereof as is the process therein is Bitterness and Death 2. Why should we be so greatly ungrateful for the betrusted Talent as basely to derogate from the Noble Extraction of it To which we are Debtors not to live after its Lusts for they are on pain of Death to be resolutely and impartially mortified to make it serve by chearful doing and meek suffering the pleasure and designs of our great Soveraign to keep it for his sake with Care and Conscience nurse and nourish it for its gracious Father wean it at his order and at last resign our trust into the hands of our Faithful Creator in whose Book all its Members are written and who hath promised to raise it a Spiritual Body On the 39th Question and Answer Of the Imbreathing whence Man became a Living Soul 1. When the Paradisical Body was prepared as in the last Meditation is said it is written God breathed thereinto the Breath of Life and Man became a Living Soul What the Soul is can be no News to the serious Perusers of these Writings and what the Father is may be in part known by knowing the Child and the Apostle saith we are his Off-spring and if the Father be in our very small measure known and the Child why not the Working and Inspiration But the Father is unknowable by his Creatures otherwise than as he is pleas'd to unvail himself in his only Son whom he Eternally hath doth and shall generate for the Infinite Father generateth in himself the Infinite Son in Eternity and Man should even so have generated in the Soul a meek loving Spirit as the Father generateth the Son in whose Infinite Lustre and Majesty is all his delight Thus should Mans four forms of his Fire Soul have enkindled the Love Flame as the common Fire doth the common Flame and Light the defect whereof makes us ignorant of God and our selves for what is seen without Light this is it makes the vast distance of Heaven from Hell 2. If the Body be so great a Trust as in the preceding is noted what is the Soul As the Root is better than Bark so is the Soul than the Body and as both Root and Bark are unknown but by the Fruit so are the first and third Principles without the second The Soul as it is Immortal is Invaluable and not to preserve and improve a vast Trust and Treasure is a high contempt of the Trust. Not to enkindle the Flame of Love in the Soul and going out of self by resignation of the Will by Union of the Divine Will not to do this is to deal with that Trust as the Devils did who getting a covetous proud Will in their Spirit extinguisht the Majesty thereof and shut themselves up in Enmity and Rage of the dark forms of their Life 3. O may my Soul be noâ—e of mine for my Wisdom is Madness may my Will be the Will of an humble Child may the forms of my Life all be given out of my keeping for my Father Adam having lost the Divine Eye what folly were it to trust mine own Eye but let me die to my Seeing to my Reason to my Senses to mine own Conduct and know what the second Adam openeth in the Regeneration and no more nor otherwise On the 40th Question and Answer Of Mans Immortal Life his Soul Mans Spirit and his outward Life what all of them are 1. The last Question gave matter of Meditation on that part of Man sprung out of the first Principle The 41st will offer the like on the second or Spirit of Man this opens a Door to the third viz. his Mortal Life And of that first its beginning consisting of Sin Contemptibleness and Misery to the first David saith I was shapen in iniquity and in â—in did my Mother conceive me Next the poor contemptibleness of his beginning which the curious Observers tell us is for the first six days as Milk the next six as a thin Skin next the Shell of an Egg laid untimely certain days after it is as Blood and there riseth three little Bladders like Bowels floating in Water wherein are form'd the three most noble parts the Brain Heart and Liver Then gaining substance of choak'd Blood is nourisht by the Navel yet so frail as may perish by the Mothers smelling the stink of the snuff of a Candle Thus originateth the proud Beast and when with great hazard and pain he cometh abroad how wretched is he Like a poor Worm coming out of the Earth then growing up he is a commoner for Water Air and the product of the Earth with the Brute Creatures a Companion of Devilish Men and among Devils who is call'd the God of this World loaden with Sin Temptations Sorrow Care Pain and after a short Dream of the bitter sweets here becomes a prey for Worms Fishes or perhaps a more Tragical Exit 2. How Fantastick is Hope founded in the Dust How multiplied are our well grounded fears How fixt our Sorrows which are as long as time How Contagious our Disease that not one escapes it making also the whole Creation groan with us How fatal our Languishing which no weaker Physick than the King of Terrors can terminate Some he cures in the Womb others meets at the Door others overtakes on the way but at longest lodgeth all in the Evening When as we began contemptibly of weakness do end in rottenness as we sprung wretchedly consume disregarded and forgotten our place knows us no more and perhaps the Grand-child kicks the Skull of his careful Grandfather the Fruit of whose cares vexations pains and
innermost Geniture of God and presseth in through the Astral and Fleshly Geniture it is clearly in Heaven 3. But the Out-birth of this World was Lucifer's Kingdom to the Stars and so far is the Wrath of God between which outmost Birth of this and the outmost Birth of that is a great gulph and are one to the other as Death is to Life or a Stone to a Man So that as to the Out-birth we cannot see the Angels nor they dwell with us but in the innermost they dwell with us 4. The second Birth or Geniture viz. the Astral standeth in the seven Fountain Spirits of this World in which the Holy Ghost also ruleth and helpeth to generate the third Holy Birth 5. The which third Holy Birth is the clear Holy Heaven which uniteth with the Heart of God and holdeth the Devil Captive in the Out-birth in the Anger Fire 6. Out of this Heart Jesus Christ in the Womb of the Virgin went into all the three Births that he might with his innermost take the Devil Captive in the Out-birth overcome the Wrath of God as a Victorious Prince and in the Power of his Birth in the Flesh press through all Men whereby he is become Lord and King of our Heaven and Earth over Sin Devil Death and Hell in whom we also press through the sinful corrupted Out-dead-birth of the Flesh through Death and the wrath of God into our Heaven in which Heaven now sitteth our King Jesus Christ as an Almighty Son on the Right Hand of God being present in all the three Births in this World in all corners and places bearing up all ruling in the Throne of the once potent and now expelled Lucifer 7. When Stephen saw Heaven opened and the Lord Jesus at the Right Hand of God his Spirit did not swing it self up into the upper Heaven aloft but penetrated into the innermost Birth Concerning the Constitution and Form of the Earth 8. Every thing must have a Root The Earth is come from the corrupted Salitter of the outmost Birth for in Earth and Stones is Death and in it is also a Life else Gold Silver and Vegetables could not grow therein 9. Three Births are in it the outmost is Death the second is Life pressing through it being in the Wrath Fire and that of Love and the third is the Holy Life 10. In the outmost is Gods Wrath else why engendereth it poysonous venemous Worms and creeping Things 11. The Earth hath more than one kind of Life for Herbs and Wood are not Earth nor is Fruit Wood nor is the vertue of the Fruit God for the outmost Birth containeth him not but he containeth the Out-birth Q. Why is the Earth so Mountany c 12. A. Where the sweet Water was chief much earthy palpable Water came to be 13. The corrupted Salitter was more abounding in one place than another Also 14. Where the Astringent Quality was chief in the bitterness in Mercurius much Earth and Stones were compacted 15. Where the Heat in the Light much Silver and Gold and some clear Stones 16. Where the Love in the Light the most precious Stones and finest Gold 17. Where are great Lakes and Seas over that Zenith there being not much Salitter there came to be a Valley for which resting place the thin Water sought resembling the Spirit of meekness not elevating it self as in the Bitter Fires quality the Devils did On the words the Evening and Morning were the first day is said 18. Evening and Morning reacheth only up from the Earth to the Moon taking its Original from the Light of the Sun which maketh the outward day and the outward Night Not that there was then a twofold Creation of Evening and Morning Query Whether by it be not meant by once turning about of the Earth whereby the Evening and Morning came to be that is by one Revolution 19. A. Man having a Threefold Birth tho' with his inward he uniteth with the Light of God cannot bring it perfectly back to his Astral and less to his outward Birth which tho' Moses did in part when his Face shone but could not see God perfectly and live even as an Apple on a Tree cannot bring its Smell and Taste back into the Tree nor Earth CHAP. XX. On the Creation in the Second Day Let there be a Firmament in the midst of the Waters c. 1. THis Firmament divideth the impalpable inward pure Water from the outward palpable corrupted Water Wherein is Death which lyeth Captive below the Moon and is the House of the Devils Death and Hell where the fierce Wrath of God becometh kindled daily by the Devils through the great Sins of Men which mix with the Astral Birth in the Deep 2. But even those pure Waters have some of the Wrath in them and is that meant where 't is said The Heavens are not pure in his sight 3. The innermost holds the outward Water strongly Captive and the outward Earth also else with the Revolution of the Globe the Water would be divided or dissolved and the Earth crumble away Which Firmament is between the clear Deity and corrupt Nature 4. Yet the Deep above the Earth may be said to be a place where Gods Holiness dwelleth for the whole Holy Trinity dwelleth in the Centre under the Firmament of Heaven tho' that cannot comprehend him but dwelleth not there fully bodily and creaturely as the Angels and Souls of Men do 5. The Third Birth is the Almighty Holy Heart of God wherein Christs Natural Body sitteth for his Natural Body is not as John Calvin thought such as reacheth no farther than a little circumscribed place wherein it is 6. For if every Man in his Astral Spirit comprehendeth the whole Body of this World should not the Fountain Spirits in the Natural Body of Christ being out of the Fountain Spirits of Nature and his Heart out of the inward Birth viz. the Heart of God which comprehendeth all Angels and the Heaven of Heavens viz. the whole Father should not it comprehend the whole World and uphold it as the only Head Heart and King of it in his Hands are his Sheep whom none can pluck out CHAP. XXI 1. MAN is made out of the Seed viz. Matrix of the Earth wherein the Eye is Twofold one in God the other in this World out of the three Principles not out of the Wrath but out of the Birth of the Earth in the Astral Birth in the part of Love but Wrath hung to him which he should have put forth from himself as the Fruit putteth forth from it self the bitterness of the Tree but that he did not but reached back from the Love into the Wrath and lusted after his Dead or Mortal Mother to suck her Breasts and so brought his outermost Birth into Mortality and his Astral Birth or Life into the part of the Wrath. 2. Man's Soul or Spirit is generated out of the
for him for to give him more Divine Light were but as Water to increase his Fire And God willeth to have no fiery Spirit in Paradise his Brimstone Spirit is inkindled and remaineth unquenchable desiring to get above the Meekness of the Heart of God which shuts him up Eternally CHAP. XI Of all Circumstances of the Temptation 1. WHen God did set the Fiat in the Will to Create Angels he separated all the Properties as hard four bitter harsh fierce soft c. as we see are in the various properties of the Stars and created the Princely Throne Angels as so many Fountains Then in each Fountain came forth a Centre in many Thousand Thousands and every Host got a Will such as was the Fountain or Prince whence they proceeded giving their will to him as the Stars do to the Sun Tho' all thoroughly irradiated with Divine Splendor yet had every Host some one of the Properties of the first Principle most Eminent in them 2. Of the Princes one is fallen and his Host for standing in the fourth form his Fire Elevated him above the End of Nature 3. The Fiat in the Creation separated the Matrix also of the Out-birth created after the other according to the forms of the inward World and out of the Properties of the first Principle came Creatures of all sorts good and bad as Lambs Doves c. as also Wolves Toads also in the separation of Vegetables are good and hurtful Plants And that the evil is also profitable is seen for that in every Creature is a poysonous Gall being the cause of Life 4. Adam was created of all the three Principles but in perfect clarity an Image of his Creator and Epitomy of all Creatures 5. In the Garden of Eden were all Paradisical Trees pleasant to look on and good for Food wherein tho' they sprung out of the Earth yet in them was imprinted the Divine Vertue of the second Principle and yet were truely in the third Principle Death stuck only in that Tree of Good and Evil that was able to bring Man into another Image 6. God willed not Adam should eat of it for he not only barely warned him of the danger but forbad him with a severe Menace 7. Nor was he Created with a distinct Female as other Creatures that on his Fall he might the better be helped 8. Nor will'd he should need any other clothing than Glory else would have given him a Hide as other Creatures But as a Heavenly Man he should have eaten Heavenly Fruit. Now follows the Gate of the Temptation Adam had all the three Principles or Worlds in him and in all he looked on without him 9. The Heart of God would have him to abide in Paradise being his similitude The Kingdom of Wrath would have this great Lord because he proceeded out of the Eternal Mind of the Darkness that through him might be shew'd great power The Kingdom of this World would have him be his Housholder for that he lived in it and was part of it saying Eat and Drink not only Divine Food thou art not yet a meer Spirit eat not that which is incomprehensible Eat my sweet drink my strong which is comprehensible 10. Here Adam thought seeing I am on the Earth and that it is mine I will use it as I list 11. Then came the Inhibition on pain of Death not to eat the Earthy Food wherein was mixt the evil for the Tree was neither better nor worse than that we have But God saw his eager imagination so set on the Earthy Fruit that he could not generate a perfect Paradisical Man but an Infected one out of himself that would fall to be corruptible did let a sleep fall on him CHAP. XII Further of the Circumstances of the Temptation 1. MOses at the Bush was commanded to pull off his Shoes shewing his Earthy Birth God gave the Law at Sinai and establisht it in clarity but by Thunders c. in the Spirit of the great World for in Gods Heart is only Love and Kindness because after the Fall Men lived therein viz. in the Spirit of the great World 2. The Law demanding obedience and the false voluptuousness of Israel were in strife Forty days till they fell to their sinful Calf And Christs tryal Forty days c. shew the time of Adam's Temptation Of Adam's Sleep 1. Adam's sleep was his being Captivated by the â—triving Stars and Elements whose wrestling so far overcame him that his Tincture became enfeebled and he as dead who should as we in the Resurrection have Eternally with open Eyes beheld the Infinite Glories This God so greatly loathed that Adam could not long continue in Paradise The Highest Gate of the Life of the Tincture 2. The Tincture is that which separateth the pure from the impure and graduateth to the highest all sorts of Life in all Creatures Yet in some strong in others weak It s Birth is from the Vertue of the Deity and imprints it self in all things yet so secretly that none of the ungodly can know it It is Eternal but the Spirit given it by the Fiat is according to the kind of every Creature At first it was implanted in Jewels Gems Metals 3. It was generated in the fifth form that of Love out of the Heart of God And tho' its Spirit in the third Principle abide not for ever yet for the sake thereof the very figures of this World shall remain for ever But in the second Principle the Tincture standing in the Spirit and Substance in Angels and Men is Eternally fixt The Tinctures Essences 4. It is the flash of Life and Lustre whose Root is Fire causing the faculty of seeing in all Creatures It Chrystallizeth impure Water separateth the Light from Darkness imageth it self in what it hath made pure making it also sweet shining like Oyl and Fire Mixt with the Matrix of VVater by the mixture becomes fixt and thick and by the Property of the Fire is colour'd Red and is the Blood in which the Noble Life existeth Of the Death and Dying 5. In so great and hourly danger stands the Noble Life in the Tincture and hath so many potent Enemies that either on the Efflux of the Blood the Tincture flyeth away or on the over-prevalency of any one of the four Elements or ill Conjunction of the Constellations darting their Poisons the Band of Life breaketh and the flash goeth out in Meekness How the Heavenly Tincture was in Adam before the Fall and shall be in us after this Life 6. Adam's three Principles whereof he was were three Births the one not comprehended by the other viz. The Worm or Brimstone Spirit generated out of the Eternal Will of the Father The Virgin or Wisdom of God And the Spirit of this World The two latter were given to him to his right and left 7. The second was to illustrate the first in the power whereof he was to rule over the third It 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
Essences in the Centre of the Eternal Band so in the new Birth may be seen the dark and holy Worlds as that whereout the new Man is Born Even as the Word in the Father and the Spirit which goeth forth from the power is the life of the Deity The Eternal Will is the Creator and the Father is the Being of the Will and the Essences caused by the Will There are two Wills causing two Principles in one Being but the first is not called God but Nature or Essence the second Will is the beginning and end making Nature or Essence manifest 2. The first Will being an Eternal desire to Generate the Word can be called only the desiring in the Will which with a strong eagerness contracteth narrowness to be the manifester of wideness which attraction is thicker than the Will and as its darkness and in the Egress of the desiring are the Essences viz. a sting of sensibility which the desiring cannot endure therefore rageth so much the more into such Enmity as is betwixt Heat and Cold and this Impetuosity causeth Mobility Terror and Anguish moving upwards where being restrained it stirs Circular whence come Multiplicity and tho' without feeling being meer Spirit and Forms of Nature yet so terribly raving that it buildeth and destroyeth as Life and Death and here is the Sulphur Mercury and Salt of high-knowing ancient Philosophers 3. Two Forms sharp cold and bitter stinging make the Wheel of the Essences which two are in terrible Anguishes without the other Forms generated out of them for the sharp sourness is like hard Stones and the sting of the attracting breaketh them which is rightly called Phur which would hold the Will in the Darkness which cannot be captivated being incomprehensible and is the flash of the sting And the bitter sting dissipateth the darkness of the Astringency as the flash ariseth from a stroke on a sharp Flint the bitter sting extreamly sharpeneth it self consuming the darkness even so the Fathers sharpness is a consuming Fire being the liberty which is free from Nature as much as the Mind is above the Sences and when the sourness hath captivated the liberty the fourth form is generated and the crack of the flash is the third Form making the sour Anguish or Brimstone Spirit For if the sourness sharpeneth extremely it is the proper limit of Eternal Death the Brimstone Spirit is the Soul of the four Forms having the Fire in it and would enkindle Nature and fly above it in a horrible power as may be considered in the Devils 4. Sul in Sulphur is the Soul in an Herb it is the Oyl not originating in the Centre as Phur doth but is generated after the flash even as all the four Forms in this third Principle are by the Suns vertue in a great degree moderated and made amiable in like manner doth the second Principle enlighten the Centre of the four Forms in the Holy Angels making them lovely and pleasant Mercurius comprizeth all the four Forms and Sal is the greatest in corporeal things The four Forms are the cause of all things making the Wheel of the Essences and every Essence which are themselves innumerable is again a Centre so that the power of God is unsearchable 5. The Fall of the Devils was their extinguishing in themselves the Light of the Heart of God wherefore they are shut up in the anxious four Forms Man fell from that Light also into that of this World Who if he enters not again into the Light of God when this Body breaketh he is in the first Birth of Life with the Devils yet both would climb up above Heaven but cannot feel or see that Principle like as we Men with our outward Eyes cannot see God who is always present nor the Angels who are very often with us except we put our earnest Will into God then we see and feel him with the Mind So also if we go with our Will inâ—o wickedness we receive the Hellish Principle and the Devil takes fast hold of our Heart Whereof the Soul is so sensible that often in desperation they destroy themselves by the Sword Ropes or Water 6. Tho' the Hellish Creatures have but four Forms manifest to them yet can they turn themselves into all Forms as infinitely as Mens thoughts except the holy Forms The Fire is their right Life and the sour Astringency of the darkness their right Food 7. The first Eternal Will is the Father and Eternally generateth the Word his Son who is the Heart of the first Will having in him the vertue and power of the first Will and a several Centre in it self The Father expresseth all things by the Son and whatever is expressed by the Spirit and Power of the Father in the word is in a Spiritual manner for what is formed out of the Eternal is Spirit and Eternal as Angels and Souls of Men are And tho' the four Forms keep their own Centre yet out of them cometh the Light and in the Light the Love which shineth in the darkness but the darkness comprehendeth it not The Father is in himself the light clear bright Eternity yet without a Name for if the Eternal Liberty did not generate there would be no Father but seeing he doth generate the Band of Nature he manifesteth himself therewith with his fiery sharpness an angry Zealous or Jealous God and Consuming Fire out of which presseth forth the Meekness as a sprout out of Death turning Enmity into Love CHAP. III. Is concerning the Sixth and Seventh Forms 1. THE generating of the Love is in the sixth Form viz. Mercury the sound Tone or Song as also the five Senses The Son of God is rightly the Flame of Love who created the Angelical World out of himself whence goeth out the Virgin of the Eternal Wisdom of God by which God created this World out of the first Principle and that which goeth forth with or out of the Love is the Holy Spirit of the Word this together is the Trinity in Unity But as in the wrath there is a striving contrary Will here is an Embracing 2. The sourness retaineth its strength in the sharpness of Love but it is very soft and the sixth Form makes Voices Tunes and Sounds so that the Essences hear one another and in the Assimilation taste one another in the breaking through of their Power feel one another in the desirous Love smell one another and in the Light see one another The six Forms are the six Seals of God what in the dark Centre is a poysonous Woe and Anguish is in this the exalted Joy and Triumph a satiating of the first Will which is call'd Father for the Son is the Word the Brightness the Power the Love the Life the Wonder of God he is the Essence which manifesteth every Essence Concerning the seventh Form of the Eternal Nature The revealed Gate of the Essence of all Essences 3. The time of this World from the beginning to the end
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
and Sorrow Meekness and Fierceness thus it is in the Father's Nature This twofold desiring in one substance are two Centres that to Meekness not severed from the other is the second or Son and is therefore call'd the Son because generated out of the Father's Nature call'd the Word because he is the Glance or Majesty of the Eternal Liberty call'd a Person because he is a Self-subsisting Essence not the Birth of Nature but the Life and Understanding of Nature and call'd the Heart of the Father because he is the Vertue and Power of the Centre of Nature as the Heart is in the Body and call'd the Light of the Father because he takes his Lustre out of the sharpness of the Eternal Nature and call'd wonderful for by him out of the Father's Essences are all things brought to Light the Father and Son are as Fire and Light 7. The Holy Ghost is the third the Breath or Noise is that which makes the Will manifest and the Heart also The Noise is the awakener of Life framer of the Sences or Reason and bringer of one Essence into another Thus the third Person is a Self-subsisting Essence going in triumph with the Essences the Father and manager of the Sword of Omnipotence the destroyer of Malice and Evil the opener of the Genitrix in the Darkness All which is thus shewed in Man his Body tho' it hath the Essences were senceless without the Spirit Again the Spirit is not the Understanding and Light it self for the Light is the blossom and originateth in the Tincture of the Fire and the Spirit is the blower up of the Fire CHAP. V. Of the Virgin the Wisdom of God and of the Angelical World and of the Holy Trinity 1. GOD is only One every where present the Mind therefore asketh if the Spirit goeth out from God whither goeth he seeing he remaineth in the mouth of God as a Spirit in a Body to which it is answered he goeth forth revealing God as in the seven Lamps and opening gradually the seven Seals but the seven Thunders being in the dark Matrix of Fierceness he hideth and â—ealeth not to be known till they are past and the whole Mystery of God's Kingdom opened by the seventh Angel And the Glassy Sea is the Water Spirit whence the Fiat made not only the outward Element of Water but every thing for in this seventh Form in great Holiness is the Father revealed in this Angelical World 2. Thus the Father's Will maketh the cause of Nature which is a Darkness consisting of the four first Forms to become seven and thence infinitely the seventh being their Body in this Earth for the Fathers Nature in the Wrath makes this Corporeal in which the Devil as Prince in the Wrath is called Prince of this World And the same is also in the deep of the Astral Wheel Just so is it also in the inward Holy World which is not severed from this but this severed by a Principle from that for there is no Angle where the inward World is not 3. The Angelical World of Love and humble Joy is the Sons and at the flash two Kingdoms sever Love and Wrath there is made the Cross with the two Centres as Light hath another Centre than Fire tho' not separated and on this Cross Birth is the Heart or Son of God generated from Eternity in Eternity at this Cross lie the Holy Children of the Virgin Image and in the Wisdom of the Serpent are the Children of this World The Holy Ghost goeth forth from the Father through the Son as the Air from Fire and Light revealing in the Angelical substantiality and this is meant by Ternarius Sanctus The highly Precious Gate for Man to consider of 4. The Wisdom of God is an Eternal Virgin of Purity in whom the Holy Ghost hath discovered the Image of Angels and of Man also of the third Principle she is the great secret Mystery which unapprehended goeth in the Powers and Anger of the Father opening the Wonders in the Forms and Seals of Nature Through her hath the Holy Ghost not only made Corporeal Existences out of both Matrixes of the substantiality but a limit to them where the seven Forms shall go into their Ether as after the six days Work or six Creations they enter the seventh being their Eternal Rest and the time of the seventh Seal and Trumpet yet both Mothers shall stand before the Trinity in the Eternal Figure for the glory of God's works of wonder 5. Tho' this Virgin be incorporeal yet is the Spirits Corporeity and Visibility her heavenly similitude is the Beauty and Lustre of all Fruits the Vertue of all Jewels and Vegetables she may be as the Tincture of the Holy Element wherein the Paradisical growing consisteth and the seven Forms as the holy delight of the Angels wrestle being a fulfilling of the will of every Life she is not circumscribed every Divine Creature as the Angels and holy Souls of men hath this Virgin in the Light of their Life in this we see the Majesty of the Deity We comprehend not the Trinity the Spirit of the Soul standing in the Divine Centre seeth it but imperfectly for the Soul is but out of one Form of Nature as there are several sorts of Angels yet can the Soul introduce it self into all forms the Trinity only is perfect God is manifest in a creaturely form in Angels and whole Angelical World for they are not out of the substantiality which is without understanding but out of the Centre of the seven Forms of the Eternal Nature out of each Form a Throne Angel and out of each Throne his Angel so was it a whole Dominion fell with Lucifer And the Dominions among Men which yet are all but Stewards originate here tho' a sort of proud Clergy would rule over them The Distinction between the Substantiality and the Element also between Paradice and Heaven 6. The Substantiality is in Heaven the Corporeity of the seven Spirits is call'd God's Body also the Body of our Regenerate Soul it is Christ's Body given us to eat in his Testament comprehensible to the Spirit of the Soul tho' not palpable to our outward sences yet in it self without understanding And the one Element doth lead the Principle in the Substantiality as a movable Life it is not the Spirit of God himself but the Spirit hath this Element as a â—ody 7. Heaven is call'd in the Meekness the Water Spirit and is the outward inclosure or Firmament parting the Principle and Paradice is the springing up out of the Essences through all Forms through the one Element through the Substantiality and through Heaven as the flourishing of a rich springing Rosy Garden and therefore was Adam therein that is in that Principle and also in this World The Gates of this World also the Language of Nature 8. All our knowledge of God is his own Revelation of himself for the Spirit of God hath imaged the Wisdom of God
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
flaming Iron which emitteth two Spirits viz. a hot one able to awaken another Fire from its own Centre and another an airy one which though it hath all powers of the Fire yet not the Tincture of the Fire but only the Spirit of the Fire a faint Life for in the Eternity is no Death Hence is it that Life must proceed only from the Seed of the Male Tincture in the Matrix of the Female 9. Every Creature Inanimate Sensitive c. is formed according to the Tincture in the Spirit of the Species of them as may be found by the order of the several days of the Creation for on the first day God Created the Material Water which hath an impotent Life and is a Bar to the Devils Anger Fire And when God said let there be Light the Light of the Tincture opened it self which God separated from the darkness viz. shut up the fierce Fire Lucifer kindled which originateth in the darkness and let the Qintessence burn in the fat of the Water Spirit as doth the Fire of the Life in a Beast 10. The Tincture is in the Blood the Life burneth in the Tincture and God keeps the Centre of the Fire in the darkness and so every Life is in his own hand for if he let the Fire into the Tincture the Spirit is in the Hellish Fire The Tincture was divided into a Fire Life and Light Life the Fire Life was to be a Firmament between the Holy Meekness the Heart of God and the weak Air between both which God dwelleth The Fire Spirit of the Tincture hath Eternity for its Root the Air Spirit hath the awakened substantiality ruling the outward Life of Beasts Trees c. having a weak Tincture 11. Thus see we Life standeth in Fire and Air also the Original of Blood such Creatures that have it are more noble than those that have it not for such have a false Tincture proceeded from the will of the Devil as is seen in Vipers and other Venemous Reptils for such lothsom ugly Bodies are figur'd in Hell not from the divided Tincture but from the fierce dark Spiritual substance 12. When the Water covering the Created Earth was separated and the Earth dry the collected Water was call'd Sea signifying in the Language of Nature a covering in reproach to the Devil whose power was drown'd By the Water above the Firmament separated from that below is meant the Blood wherein is the Tincture of Living Creatures and that beneath is the Elementary Water in which two consist two Kingdoms 1. The Soul in the Blood in the Tincture and because the Tincture is from Eternity therefore must the figures remain in Eternity And 2. The Air Spirit in the Water which is corruptible for it had a beginning 13. After the Earth and Elements were formed the fiery Tincture was as a shining Light then God suffered the Centre of Nature to open with its proper will out of the Essences and the whole Principle became but one Body whereof the Sun was the Heart and the six other Planets the Spirits at the Centre of the Heart the other Stars are its Essences all just as the Deity hath been from Eternity whence came a true Life Reason Sences and Understanding yet a Bestial one and Spirit of the Air manifesting God in a figurative form which this world sheweth if we consider the Centre and thence go on in the Light of the Majesty to the number three The Discourse and Figure of the Planets and Signs from the 63d v. to the end of this Chapter being it self Summary is recommended to be perused entirely as the Author left it CHAP. X. Of the Creation of every Being and how Man may find himself and all Mysteries to and only to the ninth Number 1. TO seek the Mysteries of Nature in the Stars and Elements is vain neither Luna nor Mercury will lead you to Sol but if you take the Spirit of the Tincture following of which to Sol some have been laid hold on by the Spirit of the Heavenly Tincture and been brought into the liberty of the Majesty where they have known the noble Stone and stood amazed at Mans blindness 2. The number is but three stay at the Cross or ten but nine is only attainable then take Saturn as a Male and Fire-Tincture and Luna as the Female and Air Spirit go thus gradually in the Wheel to Sol go then on through the Suns Fire and being through it lay hold by means of the Tincture on the Eternity which is the ninth number bring that on the Cross which is the tenth the very end of nature here handle the Stone it is Fire-proof free from the Wrath and Out-birth its splendor is in the Majesty its Body out of the Eternal Substantiality 3. If now the seeker willeth the splendor of this world let him go from the inward into the outward Luna which break into a thousand parts giving it such proportion of Sol as its hunger desireth and it is made bright and perfect but we ought justly to rest satisfied in the tenth number for this world is but dross and dung therefore Christ saith Seek first the Kingdom of God and all other things shall be added All lyeth in the willing for the will maketh the desire the outward will must enter into the inward and deny it self as if it were dead to the outward because Adam turning his will to the outward caus'd him to die to the inward but if we turn back into the inward we see God and the Eternity and are the Similitude of what God is and are as we were Created 4. It is more easie to the inward Man in the Divine Will to see the ground of the Creation of this world than for the outward to know what the Sences inform To create is to comprehend what is first figur'd in the will as doth a Builder frame in his will a Model of what he is to Erect In the Creation the six Properties stand in every quadrat of the Circle of Time which divides the Day into Morning Noon Evening and Midnight 5. On the fifth day the Fiat opened the Matrixes of all Similitudes and the Wrath Kingdom pressed hard to be imaged with it when were produced all Fowls and Fishes then also all sorts of Spirits of the Fire Air Water and Earth went forth so that the whole deep even to the Constellations is nothing but a Life and stirring of Spirits The Devils place is in the darkest towards the Constellations and so poor a Creature is he as not to touch any of the seven Governments 6. The describing the order of Powers cannot be sufficiently seen by the orderly Wheel of the Magi nor can it be written for Reason to penetrate being more subtle going inwards towards the Sun that is upwards downwards and side-ways towards the meek substantiality but the Spirit of the Soul if it look with its own Eye into the inward and with the Eye of
prudent exemplars in Manners great Proficients in Philosophy profound Casuists in Theology with so good progress as if they were Pillars in God's House and all this adorned with a blameless Conversation to human observation 3. But all this destitute and exclusive of a changed Will but retaining unmortified affections and desires having an unregenerate Heart a Soul dead to any Life of Resignation and Sacrifice but is still immutably stubborn is therefore as concerning the Faith reprobate for the right Faith is the right Will which divested of its self-lusts enters into the living Word whereas the other is without God in the World tho' flattering himself all his life long with the merits of Jesus Christ his share in them his Predestination from Eternity his assurance never to fall away whereas he was never risen with Christ but lies drowned with and under the desires of the present Evil World and lives wholly a stranger to the dying of Christ to the emptying of the corrupt self-will for the Pearl is in That man's account too dear nor will he buy Oyl Of the Company and Assistance of the Holy Angels 4. As Men fearing God readily help each other in their misery so do the Holy Angels powerfully assist Men for they affect the company of vertuous humble chast men themselves being very pure chast modest humble friendly and know no deceit or iniquity they have also great delight among little Infants and sometimes manifest themselves to them and play with them if they be the Children of God for they do nothing but what is innate in them both the Angels and the Children They have also great joy for one poor Soul delivered from the Snares of the Devil and are at hand ready to deliver such in their greatest extremities having an over ballance of Power to that of the Evil Angels else what Ruins would the Devils make in the busie execution of their Office in the Turba magna of terrible Storms c. as far as the fierce Wrath is therein enkindled were they not curb'd and drove away by the ministration of the Heavenly Hosts of the holy and mighty Angels sent out by the Almighty gracious Jehovah 5. There is therefore no cause at all of despair tho' the whole World seem to be against us Nor are Prayers to be made to them for they accept not that honour but direct us to God Whatever befals us is to purifie us as Gold for God aims to have fair lovely Children and of understanding to discover the Deceits of the Old Serpent God sets Heaven and Hell before us therefore must the Soul have Understanding to chuse and Faith to fight for it must be a continual Warriour If we make our selves fierce false covetous proud Devils we are so but if we image in our Souls humble meek submissiveness with a love to follow the Lord we enter into the Holy Principle and are in the Paradiâ—ical and Angelical Regiment Let all therefore be warned according to what they form their Spirits which is commended to seasonable and most serious and continued consideration CHAP. XV. Of the mixed World its wicked exercise being a Glass wherein every one may try out of what Spirit themselves are 1. MOst just and necessary is it to reprehend practical Impieties Immoralities and Debauchery especially among such professing goodness the which unchristian Conversation is chargeable on high and low Priest and People old and young who all are yet apt to account this a Golden Time and bless themselves in it tho' it is a time of lamentation being the opening of the last Seal and of pouring out the Vial of God's Wrath bringing to light the Wonders of Hell particularly the Pride and Oppression derived from those sent to the University enslaving the People in their Understandings by Constitutions Orders Statutes c. and in their Bodies and Estates by wresting from them their sweat and the fruit of their labours wherewith these pamper themselves a practice not grounded in Nature but is hellish for there one Form vexeth and plagueth another so that among these the Dog is more happy than the poor of the people 2. And this hath another consequent Evil in that it induceth and in a sort inforceth the poor to imitate them and to live by deceit doing that also swinishly which the other do in pride and bravery All which is convinced of great madness considering the shortness and uncertainty of the present time the great strict solemn Judgment day and the Eternity of the Life to come on the brink whereof we stand ready to enter unconceivable happiness by the narrow way or intolerable misery and shame by the broad way Yet this Chapter concludes that a sincere Christian doth not here wholly know himself seeing comparatively nothing but his vices for his Sanctity Christ hideth under his Cross. CHAP. XVI Of praying and fasting what praying its power use benefit and preparation to God's Kingdom is 1. THE earnest restless hunger and thirst of Man's Spirit after the meek rest of Divine Love from the Property of the driver being so impetuous that the Morning calleth to the Evening the Night to the Day and one Day to another panting when will the refreshment come Sheweth whence Man came and how greatly he is strayed having no place of rest till he be driven back to his still Eternal Mother the Eternal Nature for here the driver taketh him by the very throat he lieth as one among the slain in a great Battle who dares not lift up his head for fear of the cruel overflowing Conquerors or as one surrounded with malicious Foes who all strike at him to murther him or as one fallen into a deep Pit hoping for help only from above or as one fallen into a deep Sea swimming yet seeing no shoar sigheth for help from Heaven 2. So is it with Man's Soul for if the Soul search its own flesh blood marrow and bones they are Enemies incompassing and captivating it the Spirit of this World suppresseth it and would like a Sea drown it by pampering the Bestial Life the Devil also as a cruel proud Enemy draweth it into the fierce aking Abyss striking at it with hellish anguish and despair 3. Then if it will be saved its Will must depart from the outward and from its own thoughts and mind into God's mercy for the Word that made Man's Soul became Man and his holy Humanity the flesh of the Eternal Word his food his blood also the Water of Eternal Life is as a puâ—e new Body and this Word was a meek pure desirous Love and then the Holy Ghost leads it out of Prison from the Battle of the driver cooling its flames and the Soul becomes an humble Child 4. When the whole man resolves into a Will of leaving every Evil and seeking God with the whole heart he is received as Daniel when he began to set himself to pray and chasten himself the command came forth But the Life is
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
Trinity was to have a total Similitude That longing awakened the Astringent Fiat That Desire hath drawn out of All into One a Similitude of Heaven this World and the Anger-World And as there is no Thing higher than the Soul so nothing can aâ—â—ihilate it being a Child of the Substance of all Substances Q. 4. What the Breathing in of the Soul is and when it is done A. 1. Every Spirit without a Body being unknown to it self desireth one for its Food and Habitation and the third Principle being created before the Soul as a Looking-glass of the Deity and generated materially out of the Eternal Wonders desired a material Similitude on the Soul and there did the outward Fiat Form an Image out of the Earth's Matrix a mixture consisting of Fire and Water 2. The Fiat of the Heavenly Matrix which did Create before the Earthy longed after the Soul and out of the Centre of the Word went forth the Fiat of the Word so was the third Principle created in the second The Virgin Wisdom clothed the Souls Spirit with Divine Flesh and the Heavenly Tincture made Heavenly Blood in the Water 3. Thus the inward Man stood in Heaven his glance in the Inward Eye was Majesty and understood the Language of God and the Angels viz. That of Nature And tho' he stood in the outward also yet knew not the outward by experience 4. Into this twofold Body Created on the sixth hour of the sixth day was the Royal Soul breathed in by the Holy Spirit into the Holy Man like an awakening of the Deity and the outward Spirit of the Stars and Elements breathed its Life through the Nostrils into the outward Heart also the quality of the fierce wrath pressed in with the original of the Soul so that the Soul could not continue to be Gods Image otherwise than in humble obedience Else could he not over-power two Principles the angry and outward which was generated out of the Anger And the Temptation was for Forty days signified by 1. Moses on the Mount Forty days when Israel stood not but made a Calf 2. The Spies Forty days searching the Land 3. Israel's being Forty years in the Wilderness 4. Elias Fasting Forty days 5. Christs being Forty days Tempted in the Wilderness 6. And being Forty hours in the Grave 7. Christs being Forty days on Earth before his Ascention 8. Israel's Forty Journeys in the Wilderness 9. Goliah's Forty days Challenge 10. Esau lived Forty years then took two Evil Wives which grieved Isaac and Rebekah all the days of their Lives Q. 5. How the Soul is peculiarly form'd and fashioned or framed A. 1. A Twig is like the Tree a Child like the Mother The Soul is like a round Globe ☉ ☉ ♓ the right Arm of the Cross signifieth the second Principle the Spirit The Left Arm signifieth the first Principle its Original Might and Power the upper part signifies its sproutinâ— through Anguish in the Fire The lower part its sinking the Water the Humility into Gods Majesty and be dead to its own will 2. The Soul in its first Principle hath the form of an Eye yet twofold wherein the Cross standeth unless it let the Devil into the Will viz. Pride and Covetousness if so it loseth the Cross. 3. In the second Principle it is a Spirit and a total intire Image such a one as the outward Man is 4. And in the third Principle it is a Looking-glass of the whole world the Potentiality of Heaven and Earth and all Properties of Creatures lye in it Q. 6. What the Ability or Potentiality of the Soul is A. The first power of the Soul is That if the will go strongly forward it is Faith And so can form another Image in the Spirit out of the Centre of Nature It can give the Body another form being Lord of the outward but that transmutation is not permanent because Adam did let in the Turba and this kind of power is call'd Nigromancy for the Body is Sulphur the Spirit of the Soul hath the Tincture But the Devil readily mixeth therein for it is the Abysses Wonder whereof he is Lord. 2. The second power of the Souls will is that the earnest will which otherwise is called faith can put the Spirit into another form If the Spirit were an Angel the will can make it a stubborn Devil Also if it be Devilish it can by sinking down in Humility under the Cross cast it self again into Gods Spirit 3. The third power of the Souls will or Spirit is that it hath power to enter into another Mans Marrow and Bones and if he be wicked can introduce the Turba into one who is not armed by Gods Spirit as do Sorcerers c. 4. The fourth power of the Souls will is that it hath power if it be Gods Child to lead Captive the Turba and pour it out on the House of the ungodly As Moses on Pharaoh and Elias did the Fire It can throw down Mountains break Rocks as far as the place is capable of the Turba having made the Anger stirring 5. The fifth power is that it can search out all wonders or works in Nature Arts Sciences c. So Moses commanded the Sea Joshua the Sun And if it be in God it can over-power the Devil Also can heal the Sick raise the Dead But not unless Gods Spirit stir it up having lost the exercise of its power by the Fall yet the Soul in its original is greatly powerful But only in that Principle into which it looketh or in which it standeth is its might Q. 7. Whether the Soul be Corporeal or not Corporeal A. The Soul is a Fire-Globe with a Fire-Eye and a Light-Eye The Tincture is a Spirit existing from the Fire and Light And is its Meekness out of which cometh Water which the Fire draweth to it self to allay its fierce quality turning that Water of Life into Sulphur according to the seven Spirits of Nature And that Mystery changeth it self into red from the Fire and into white from the Tincture the glance is from both so that the Life seeth it self out of which Reason and Thoughts exist The Blood is the House of the Soul The Tincture is its Body The pure Soul is not Corporeal but there groweth a Body in the Tincture not palpable or comprehensible to the outward but a Power Body Gods Body Christs Heavenly Flesh which he gives us in his Supper A Body the Turba cannot touch unfadeable comprized in nothing but in the noble precious Tincture Which being perished in Adam therefore God became Man and brought the Divine Image again into the Souls Tincture and we must now be Born again in Christ if we will see God Q. 8. In what manner the Soul cometh into Man or into the Body A. This Question is understood of propagation the Creation of the first Soul being shown before 'T is answered That Adam when fallen could not generate but in an
Earthy way slept and God took the Rib and half cross in Adam and fram'd a Woman also gave the Woman a Branch out of Adam's Souls Spirit that she might not generate Devils So the Man hath the Fires Tincture and the Woman the Lights Tincture and seeing it could not be otherwise they propagate after the manner of all Beasts the Man soweth Soul the Woman Spirit So then the Soul cometh not into the Body from without but the three Principles are each its own Work-master The one striketh Fire making the Centre of Nature the second Tincture and Fire and the third the great Earthy Mystery All done in the Mixture of the Seed as a Twig or Branch out of a Tree Q. 9. In what manner the Soul uniteth it self with the Body A. It is above explained that all the three Principles are one in another The Soul hath its seat in the Blood of the Heart The outward Water and Blood naturally captivateth the inward but not the Light of the Majesty nor Lights Tincture Save only by the imagination therefore often is a Child more blessed than one that is old Though many are not Born Holy yea though from good Seed because often some potent wrathful Constellation insinuateth it self But God knoweth who are his Q. 10. Whether the Soul be ex traduce by production or every time new breathed in by God It is propagated as a sprout cometh of a Grain set with this difference that the three Principles wrestle which may have it which often introduceth a wonderful Turba while it is yet a Seed And where the Parents are both captivated by the Devil it is rare that of a black Raven should come a white one But the Child can if it convert enter into the Word of the Lord for God casteth away no Soul But O Parents procure good Souls for your Children For where the Parents have Christs Flesh in their Souls of the good Tree cometh good Fruit But the Turba can by their acting according to selfish Reason get entrance into such Children also Q. 11. How and in what place the Souls seat in Man is A. It dwelleth in the three Principles but the Heart is its original it is the inward Fire in the inward Blood and in the Tincture is the Spirit which like a Brimstone light moveth on the concavity of the Heart and distributeth it self into every Member and carrieth its dominion into the Head And if the Soul sink it self down into God the outward must suffer it self to be subdued The outward Death reacheth not the Soul one Principle it seizeth on but not on the substance of that neither no Fire or Sword can touch or kill the Soul but the Imagination that is its Poyson thence it proceeded therein it ever dwelleth Q. 12. How the Souls Enlightning is A. The Soul hath two Eyes with the right it looketh forward into the Eternal Liberty into Gods Light With the other backward into the desiring into the Looking glass and if not restrained imagineth into the glance of the Looking glass into Pride Covetousness and Self This Eye must by the right Eye be drawn backwards let the left Eye draw Wonders to it but not Matter Let it seek Earthy Food but not go into it For from this the right Eye must ever in this Life time account it self and be really dead and then the Soul layeth hold on liberty and becometh enlightened The noble Image which is subtiler and purer than any thing standeth in Heavenly Flesh and Blood in the Fire of the Majesty and in the Heart of that Image sitteth the Holy Spirit who teacheth that my self am Gods Servant my Children my Estate my Work are all his and when he calleth me into my Native Countrey may give my labour to whom he will this is a conversing with God in Love and Humility a going out from self into the Majesty Power and Clarity a giving up of darkness a receiving of Eternal Light and Triumph Q. 13. How the Souls feeding on the World of God is A. The Soul hath a Mouth as well as the Body and groweth by eating It is not only Gods Similitude but Child and when it entreth into the Majestick Light it continually longeth panteth and draweth into its desire the Virtue and Power of God which is his Body Christs Heavenly Flesh the Bread of God John 6. 27. Christs Testaments are nothing else we eat not Spirit without Body for the Soul is Spirit before hand it would have Body And this inward is substance consisting in its own Principle in Power is Magical not as a thought but Essential and Substantial Q. 14. Whether such new Soul be without Sin A. 1. So great was Adam's heavy Fall as let in the Spirit of this World the Turba and a monstrous Image making the Soul a vehement hunger That had not the word instantly set it self in the middle Man had remain'd Eternally broken off from God and if the Soul do not convert its right Eye into the word again and so acquire a new Body Born of God its precious Image must remain hidden and lost However it is half Earthy having the Turba in it How then can a clean Soul be generated It cannot 2. It is sinful in the Mothers Womb thence came Circumcision Yet if the Child die in the Mothers Womb if the Parents be vertuous and in God it is Baptized with the Father and Mothers Spirit the Holy Spirit dwelling in them But the Child of wicked Parents dying in the Womb falleth home to the Turba remaining as a Brimstone Flame or Ignis Fatuus in the Mystery between Heaven and Hell till the Judgment of God gather in its Harvest and give every thing it s own repository but in Eternity it reacheth not to God 3. Babel saith Jews Turks c. not having Baptism are rejected of God But blessedness lyeth not in the outward word only but in the Power and Virtue They may vehemently press into Gods Love by their Teaching Life and Death for God and Christ are every where Q. 15. How Sin cometh into the Soul seeing it is Gods Work and Creature A. Sin maketh not it self but the will maketh it and because Children even of good Parents come not pure and clean as the Soul is drawn of the Word of the Lord so is it mightily of the Turba especially in Youth when the Earthy Tree sâ—icketh full of green sprouting driving Essences and Poyson That which standeth in equal Ballance by putting more weight into one end sinketh down be it to good or evil Q. 16. How the Soul both in the Adamical as also in the new or regenerate Body is held in such Union together A. 1. There is no full Union betwixt the inward and outward for the Turba is in the very Seeds which tho' the Spirit doth subdue the deeds of the Body Yet the Turba so causeth it to imagine that the sincere Soul is ashamed and offended at it
and groaneth to have it Banished for the outward devoureth the inward if the inward continue not in strife 2. Yet the three Principles are one in another The Soul is the Jewel the Spirit is the finder of the Jewel the Earthy Spirit is the â—eeker the Earthy Body is the Mystery so three seekers belong to the Soul 3. We undervalue not the outward Life it shews Gods Wonders but let Men go with the inward into the outward for tho' the outward be a Beast yet the Wonders which have discovered themselves in a comprehensible substance belong with their figures not their substance to the inward 4. The inward understanding Spirit is Lord of the outward But if it let the outward be Lord that Man is a Beast and if it let the Fire-spirit viz. the Turba be Lord that Man is a Devil But the outward Life is Water to that Fire else how would many a Man become a Devil if the outward Life did not hinder it as is to be seen in the Gall which is a Fire Poyson but mixed with Water it allays the fierce Pomp of the Fire from going aloft above the Meekness of God as Lucifer did Q. 17. Whence and wherefore is there a contrariety of the Flesh and Spirit A. Water is a death to Fire but the contrariety is not totally such in Man because the Light ever causeth the Fire but rather such as between God and Hell for the Anger Fire sharpeneth the Divine hiddenness of Gods Eternal Majesty for it generateth the high Light in the free Liberty and thus the other or second World cometh to be out of the first The Soul is the Centre of Nature The Spirit is the precious Image tho' not sever'd as Fire and Light are not sever'd the Fire is fierce yet the cause of the Meek Light and in the Light is the Life The contrariety is that the inward Spirit hath Gods Body out of the meek substantiality the outward Spirit hath the great Wonders which lye in the Arcanum of the Souls â—ternness therefore the Love spirit hindereth that the fierce wrath destroyeth not the Soul bâ— inflaming it The contrariety is that the inward Spirit would be Lord and subdue and the outward would be Lord saying it hath the Mystery of which it hath but a Looking-glass Seek not the Mystery in the outward Spirit for there is but a Glimpse but go into the Cross and from the Cross back into the fourth Form there is Sun and Moon one in another Bring it into Anguish into Death Drive on that Magick Body so far till it be again what it was before the Centre in the will and then it is Magical and hungry after Nature it is a seeking in the Eternal seeking and would fain have a Body therefore give him for a Body Sol viz. the Soul and then it will suddenly make it a Body according to the Soul for the will sprouteth in Paradise with very fair Heavenly Fruit without spot or blemish The inward Spirit would have God the outward would have Bread which is also good in its place But beware thou let not the outward Spirit be Lord. Q. 18. How the Soul departs from the Body in the death of a Man A. There is need of the Eyes of all the three Principles to take Death Captive to see this sharp question The beginning which is Magical having found the limit casteth away the seeking the Looking-glass the Earthy Life And lets the Body depart without complaint for there is no woe done to the Soul but the Turba or Fire life the Matter or Earthy Life â—â—â—seth The Soul dwelleth in the will which hath a glance or lustre burning in it and the Fire becometh impotent and a darkness unless the Spirit hath Heavenly Substantiality if so it is swallow'd up in the Magia hath the same meek Body for a Sulphur and Eternally burneth in the Love-fire Thus Sickness unto Death is that the Turba hath kindled it self and destroyeth the introduced Medium The Life's Fire being withdrawn the Body goeth into its Aether when if the Soul's Fire hath not in its Spirit God's Body viz nothing of the Power of Humility to sink down in it self through Death into Life it is a dark Fire in great horror in the first four Forms of Nature The stern Astringency Bitterness Anguish and Fire without flaming The Covetous one hath Frost the Envious one Bitterness the falâ—e Deceitful one Anguish the Wrathful one Fire Hence consider the last Judgment to be such as at which the Devils do tremble Q. 19. How the Soul is Mortal or who it is Immortal A. The Soul is from the Eternal and continueth Eternally it came out of God's Mouth and at Death goeth into God's Mouth again But the wicked Soul hath lost its Image yet Immortal for the Eternal Nature dieth not also if the Anger Fire should die God's Majesty would extinguish which can never be The wicked Soul hath introduced a Substance into the Will thence comes wo it is a Dying yet only a Will of Dying an Anguish ever thinking if I had not done this or that I might have attained God's Salvation which Evil things done make Eternal Despair No Soul Dieth be it in God or in Hell but its Substance or Doings stand Eternally to the Glory of God's Wonders Q. 20. How the Soul comes or returns to God again A. Answer'd in the foregoing Answer Q. 21. Whither the Soul goeth when it Departeth c. be it saved or not saved A. 1. It goeth not out at the Mouth for it came not in at the Mouth but the Turba having broken the Earthy Life goes as a Conqueror unapprehended by Wood or Stone through the Anger of God and Death and then is in God's Body in Christ's Flesh and Blood seeth God's Majesty and the Angels face to face in the unsearchable World without end or limit 't is swift as a Thought is magical its words and deeds done here are â—ts House 2. The Heavenly Body of the Soul is from the pure Element out of which the four are come that gives Flesh the Tincture blood It s external substantiality is Paradise where spring all bright heavenly Fruits which the Soul may eat they are as pure as a Thought yet substantial with colours Power and palpable to be handled by the Soul Juicy full of the Water of Life 3. Only those who are gone out of their own Will into God's in this Life have Christ's Flesh on them but most go so out as by Faith hang by a thread and are in the still rest waiting for the last Judgment Day sunk down in Humility through Death yet a Cliff or Gulph is betwixt them and the Holy Souls in Christ's Flesh and Blood but are in the same Principle yet under the Altar 4. The wicked are in the innermost which is also the outermost Darkness and can appear again in the starry Spirit seeking rest make terrors in Houses
by Eternal Generation standing in the Majesty of the Sacred Trinity and in the Body of Mary equally alike at Once Q. 37. What the Spirit of Christ is which was Obedient and which he commended into his Fathers Hands A. 1. This is that great Jewel that Pearl Matth. 13. 46. The Philosopher's Stone and shining Sun not so noble The Heavenly and Earthy Mystery is in it Nothing in this World is like it but the mean Simplicity which standeth still and awakeneth not the Turba in such a Spirit is this Jewel hid as the Gold in the Stone 2. The Soul is the Original of Life as a Fire of God which should be turned into God's Eternal Will in the Magick seeking of which Will the Soul is originated and wherein lyeth the Deity with all the three Principles 3. And out of the Soul's Fire the Light is generated by blowing it self up by which it is its own Life and in the Lights Meekness is the Noble Tincture with two Forms one red of the Fire the other thin of the Water which generate the Life And in the Exit or going forth of that Power and Vertue which is free from the Fire is the Light of Life or true Spirit wherein is the Virgin the Image of God In this Spirit lye the Thoughts and Understanding and if it casteth away its own Soul's Fire Pomp and Wit it attains God's Image God's Body For it is so subtil that it Uniteth it self with God for it can and may enter into God And because this Spirit originateth out of the Fire-life and the Fire-life in the Abyss standeth in the quality of the Anger of God therefore Christ commended not this his Spirit into the fiery Life but into his Father's hands viz. into his Love-desire wherewith he reacheth after our Spirits when we enter into God 4. Thus is shewed what Christ's Spirit is and what our Spirit is viz. not the Soul it self but its Life's Spirit In the Trinity the Son hath the Spirit proceeding out of his Heart and Mouth the Heart is the flame of Love which meekneth the Father's Anger so is it in Man and no otherwise in one Syllable Q. 38. What are to be done at the End of the World A. Future things are to be answered only in a Magical manner or by way of Similitude because the future Wonders are all seen in the Turba And concerning this Question there is enough spoken in the Answers of the former Questions Q. 39. What and where Paradise is with its Inhabitants A. It is explained in the Enochian Life that Paradise is not altered only withdrawn from our source or quality if our Eyes were opened we should see it Nay God is with us only we have lost the Quality and Fruit of Paradise as the Devil hath lost God For Adam would eat of the Earthy Fruit whereby he got an Earthy Life and secluded himself the Garden where heavenly Fruit groweth Q. 40. Whether Paradise is alterable and what shall de afterwards A. 1. As little as God is alterable so little is Paradise When the outward Dominion shall pass away then shall in the place of this World be pure Paradise an Earth of heavenly substantiality No Night Heat Frost Old-Age Sickness Fear Sorrow Death nor Superiour but Christ in one Communion with the Angels then will the Tabernacle of God be with Men. 2. This Earth will be a Christalline Sea where God's lustre will be the Light It will be a Holy Priestly Life all speaking of God's Wisdom and Infinite Wonders all Fruits will grow to us according to our wish it will be a Life of meer Love and Delight for to this end hath God manifested himself in the created Images of Angels and Men that he might rejoyce himself in his Life's Essences Eternally Hallelujah This was the Author's Fourth Book Written Anno 1620. THE FIFTH BOOK Of the AUTHOR Jacob Behmen Consisting of Three PARTS Viz. First The Incarnation or becoming Man of Jesus Christ. The second Part is Of Christs Suffering Dying Death and Resurrection The third Part is Of the Tree of Christian Faith 1. TO the right knowing Christs Incarnation the Knowledge how Adam was and whereof made much importeth 2. Adam was made out of all the three Principles God the Fathers Property compared to Fire The Sons Property compared to Light The Spirits Property to the Wind or Air the out-birth proceeding from both God according to the first Principle is not called God but a consuming Fire 3. The Father is the Eternal Will the son the Eternal Meekness and the Impregnator the Spirit the Eternal Life 4. The Trinity Created the one holy Element called Centre of Nature Divine substantiality the substantiality of the Light Paradise the Mother of a giving Power Meekness and Substance to all Forms 5. Out of this one holy Element were made Angels and Men. Only Man was made not only of the one holy Element but as to the out-birth of the four Elements also over which he was to rule both Stars Elements and Creatures by his Power given him out of that one holy Element 6. Adam's Body was Paradisical Holy and of Power to penetrate Stone or Earth Immortal yet real Flesh and Blood but Holy and Heavenly He was both a Masculine and Feminine Virgin and was to propagate Magically for both the Tinctures were in him and to eat only Paradisical Food which needed neither Guts not Bestial Draught c. 7. But Adam did not continue so for the four Elements gaining Power over the one holy potent Element by which they were to have been governed he slept for he was not able to continue in the state wherein he was created so God divided the Tinctures and form'd of the Feminine a Woman giving her the half Cross in the head and to them the Members of distinction and propagation yet still in Paradise 8. And Eve being tempted by the Serpent tho' the Law of God was explained to her by her Husband fell and drew him also 9. But God had incorporated the Virgin of Wisdom in them which viz. the Eternal Virginity in the Covenant of Promise hath lain shut up in the Virgin Mary and in all Adam's Children in every Man's Light of Life wanting only this that the Soul's Spirit give it self up thereinto and in that Soul-Spirit God becometh generated again CHAP. VIII 1. FOR Christ is not become Man in the Virgin Mary only so that the Divine Substantiality did sit bolted up therein no the Divine Substantiality in the Water of Eternal Life entred into and became flesh and blood It made Heavenly Tincture and Divine Magia 2. So that we may say when with our imagination we enter into God that we enter into God's flesh and blood for the Word became Man and God is the Word 3. This takes not away the Creature of Christ We liken the Creature of Christ which is indeed a Body to the Sun which enlighteneth the whole
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
then is the Mystery shew'd in various Figures 1. Seeing from the Eternal Nature all evil and good have proceeded by that it appears the one Property hath lusted and magically produced the other for Gods Spirit hath not predestinated the evil 2. And in the four Colours lye the great secresie viz. Blue Red Green and Yellow the White is Gods Colour which only subsisteth in the Fire The Black is only a Vail 3. So in Languages are first that of Nature then Hebrew Greek Latine and the fifth the Spirit of God the Opener of all Alphabets But the multiplicity of Speeches or Languages sprout and grow all against or contrary to the Tree 1. From what hath been written resulteth the Original of two Religions out of which Babel and Antichrist are generated In Heathens Jews and Christians The Heathen going forward out of themselves and their own seeking into the Magia of Multiplicity for outward Rule and Kingdoms tho' Gods free will rebuke them the Magus of the Multiplicity not comprehending the will of the Unity is an Idol and a Malignant Devourer for the will hath its Treasure in the Multiplicity because by Lucifer's Apostasie the Magia of Nature is eager after falshood 2. Hence spring Coveâ—ousness and Wars But those that went away from the seeking of Perdiâ—ion into the Light of Nature tho' they knew not God yet liv'd in puâ—ity the Spirit of the Liberty led those Children of the Free-will into the Mystery as may be seen by the Wisdom left behind them 3. Tâ—us also the Jews and Christians whose wills were poyson'd by their Covetous Magia while their Hands only are about the works of Gods Law do Crown the Whore Generate Antichrist and Build Babel 1. As there are two Magia's that of the Unity and that of the Multiplicity So there are two Magi in Man viz. The Spirit of God and that of Reason into which the Devil insinuates 2. Hereby may Man most clearly try himself to which of these is his longing But Man being Magical hath might by sincere earnestness to subdue his Starry Spirit by a temperate sober and quiet Life with continual giving up to the will of God and going out of the Influxes to evil Lusts and Passions which is effected not without great Toil fiery Tryals continual Sacrifice of the Fleshly Will and working in the Will of God To which the Lord help us Of the Divine Vision or Contemplation CHAP. I. Reason Because it seeth not God with the outward Eyes and observeth the Good and Vertuous go often afflicted to the Grave saith there is no God ANswer Reason is a Natural Life and hath a Natural Will yet proceedeth out of the Supernatural 1. It willeth evil and judgeth it self for it fearing a Judgment which it seeth not this is the reproof of the unseen and unapprehended God 2. When it suffereth wrong it hopeth for Rest in that which Created it 3. Thus God reproving the evil in the Conscience draweth the Sufferer by suffering to hate it self and the Natural Will and return that it may attain the Supernatural Life out of which it is gone forth Argument 2. 1. Seeing God is the beginning of all things why is opposition permitted and not the Good only to be in all Answer Contraries manifest contraries for were a thing only one without separability it would have no Motion Knowledge or Skill for one only thing hath nothing in it to make more than one only thing perceptible 2. And had not God who is one only substance and Will brought himself forth out of the Eternal Wisdom in the Temperature into Divisibility and that the same Life stood in strife how would his hidden Will be reveal'd to himself 3. The strife is in the departed sever'd wills going into infinite variety from one only Unity or Root The Mind as a Tree or Fountain is not broken but intire but the Exit of the Thoughts or Senses is it only that divides into evil or good as Twigs or drops Argument 3. What good ariseth from this that with the good there must be an evil Answer The evil opposite will causeth the good to press again after its Original 1. God so far as he is called God can Will nothing but himself and what he willeth floweth out from him as his Copy or Counterportraiture which is divided and compressed into substance 2. So also if Mans Mind did not flow forth it would have no Senses nor Thoughts nor know it self nor ought else 3. Now if in the Centres of the Thoughts representing the Mind there were only one will and no will contrary how would the Wonders of the Divine Wisdom be figur'd for the Mind is an Image of the Divine Revelation 4. From the strife of Contraries exist Substances thence also the will is caused to sink down from tormenting Anguish into the Eternal Rest its Original whence Exist Faith and Hope That Nature being unvoluntarily over-laden may be freed from Vanity into a clear Chrystalline Nature and then it will appear that Nature was subjected because the Eternal Power might introduce it self into Forms and Perception by Separation 5. Wisdom must be manifest through Folly and Eternal Stability be known in Mortality for the Mortal is only a Play Scene or Object of the right Life and the wise breaketh the folly dying to it and giveth its will to God tho' it be not deliver'd till it come to the Grave nor is the Mortal Body of the wise to be regarded for he that Buildeth on the Flesh shall of the Flesh Inherit Perdition CHAP. II. Argument I. Seeing the Mind and Senses or Thoughts is a beginning Natural Life subject to Corruption how may the Supersensual Divine Life be in this Life ANswer Tho' Mans Life is a Form of the Divine Will and it s Imaged Word yet by the Devil and Temporal Nature it is poysoned in its Earthy Image Now in three Principles The first according to its true Original in the Exit of Divine Knowledge which in the beginning was a Temperature or sensible working of the Divine Power a Paradise But the fierce wrath of the Devil drove it into Dissimilitude and Inequality wherein the Multiplicity strove against the Unity When this was done the Wisdom of God viz. his substantial Will or second Principle disappear'd 1. The Eternal Abyssal Will of the Life or cauâ—e of the Motion of the holy substance had perverted it self to Earthiness Gods Kingdom became as to it extinguished and the third Principle viz. that of the Constellations and four Eâ—ements took place making the Thoughts and Senses Earthy and the Body Gross and Bestial and the Life to seek rest in Mortality and to be its own God who by this domineering became foolish And when this fragil Kingdom breaketh as a Vapour the Life continueth as a Contrariety and becometh an unquenchable painful Fire in the dark Property 2. But the great Love of God instantly after the Apostacy came and still cometh to
Tincture of Love Mildness Softness Sweetness Yet in hard Bodies as of precious Stones Metals Trees c. is a high Tincture as we see the greatest sweetness in Marrow 8. God distinct from his moving manifestation is the greatest meekness but in his motion is called a God in Trinity for here the Divine will maketh it self an Object viz. the Wisdom through which the Original of all things descended 9. Now all things in the World that are soft meek rare or transparent as Air and Water is without pain and according to the unity of Eternity 10. And hard impressing Bodies as Wood Metals Stone Bone Fire Earth c. originate from the divine Inclusion from the Efflux introducing the Self-will of Nature as a noble Jewel and Sparkle of the Divine Motion of Divine Power caused by the Effluence of Divine Desire 11. Thus the Tincture hideth it self in the hardness but In transparency is alike equal to all things as in Water and Air. But the dry Water is the pearly Matter where centreth the subtile potent Unity 12. Therefore seek not the grand Secret in soft without the fiery Kind For as Rare and Transparent is next the Unity so the fiery Hardness is a dry Unity and Temperament and the noblest Concret of divine powerful Manifestation because where the Will is rent rests no great Might for there the Tincture is volatile whereby a Cure is attempted by the Salt or Soul only without the Spirit which unites not the Life's Enmity but kindles its Contrariety But unite the Properties in the Love so have ye the Pearl of the whole World CHAP. IV. Of the Will of God flowing OUT and in the perceptibility IN again into the ONE JOhn 1. 11 c. He came into or unto his own c. In which words lyeth the Divine Manifestation viz. the hidden Power or speaking Word of the Unity out-flown into his own the Creaturely Word or averted Will of Flesh and Blood which Self-power received not the Efflux of Divine Grace but would be its own Self-lord for it cannot inherit the Filiation But that Will which turneth it self about and coingenerateth with the Unity hath Power to become the Child of God For it is like or equal to all things which God willeth and worketh Hujus Argumenti hic scripsit Huc Autor Nil amplius A Brief Explanation of the Knowledge of God and of all things also of the true and false Light 1. THE hidden God out-breathing his distinguishable Power made his speaking Word substantial by creating the Body Soul and Spirit of Man who is an Abstract of all the three Principles and an Image of the speaking and spoken word 2. Whence so great knowledge of all things is in Him as to know the composition and dissolution of Nature for every Creature can see into its Mother those of the Elements into the out-spoken word 3. So Man after the manner as the out-breathing of the Eternal Will introduceth it self into the manifold Properties of Love and Anger Good and Evil and can frame it self into the multiplicity of Properties those into the desire and that into substance forming its Self-will out of the great Mystery 4. So if in this out-speaking there were no Divine Free Will the speaking would be under compulsion void of longing delight and be finite and inchoative which it is not But a breathing of the Abyss and Eternal Stilness a distributing it self into Powers and in them a several Self-will existeth whence originateth Nature and the creaturely Life with their various centers impressions magnetick desires perception and bodies according to the manner of the third Principle of Divine manifestation producing bodies evil and good manifold Earths Salts Stones Minerals in which the three Principles are mixt where every Centre breatheth it self yet all originate out of the Eternal One. 5. The first Centre is the out-breathing of the Abyss God bringing himself into Trinity The second Centre is called the Wisdom of God through which the Eternal Word breatheth it self into Infinity of multiplicity and that into longing delight the delight into desire the desire into Nature and Strife and Strife into Fire And through the dying of the Self hood through Fire into the Light The which Light is a second Principle and true great Mystery And the Fire is the first viz. the Eternal Nature 6. The first giveth Soul the second Spirit and this Lights Power through the Fire is the Mother of the Eternal Spirits Angels and Souls of Men. Also the hidden Spiritual Angelical Power-world the Mother of the outward World The third Centre is the Verbum fiat the natural Word of God the separator and maker of all Creatures in the inward and outward World The same speaker hath out of the Fire the Light and the Darkness made it self â—â—â—erial moving and perceptible out of which existed the third Principle the Visible World the life and substance whereof is come out of the Eternal Nature the Fire and out of the great Mystery the Light also out of the Darkness wâ—ich is the separation of Fire and Light Love and Enmity Good and Evil Joy and Pain 7. There are two sorts of Fire and two sorts of Light viz. according to the dark impression a cold Fire and a false Light originating in the stern might and imagination desiring a Self-will dominion The second Fire is a hot Fire and true Light originating in the Eternal One in the substance of Divine Geniture and that Light shineth in the Darkness and illustrateth it stanâ—ing in a perceptible Life The Life of Man is in it and he is the Light of the World 8. Therefore should Man lift up the Eyes of his understanding wherein God's Light desireth to shine into him and not be like a Beast which hath a temporary Light in a finite Separator in which Man 's palpable Body is 9. For his Spiritual Body is the true substantial word of Divine Property in which God speaketh and imageth himself into which if Man giveth not up his own will he is more hurtful to himself than the rude Earth which yieldeth to be made what its Separator will 10. But from the Devil False Will a false Light hath raised a false Separator in which the Stars and Elements have dominion 11. In this Man finding no quietness seeks his first Native Countrey for the true Man finds himself oppressed with a monstrous Separator environed with Enemies as a Rose in a bush of Thorns 12. Yet all his seeking brings not any true Life unless Grace become awakened to do which Man must sink down into a willing of nothing but Grace that it may overcome and mortifie him as the Sun doth the night 13. In that true Light the Man may see himself and the separation of every thing and work magically and divinely if he see the breathing in its inward ground according to the manner of speaking how out of one all proceed and one Centre out of another
potent Joy 19. In Mars's Salt it makes Pangs and Stiches and Woe In Saturn's Salt Swellings Anguish and Death if not oppos'd by Jupiter and Venus for they two oppose and temper Mars and Mercury yet by Mars and Mercury is the Life in Jupiter Venus and Sol where would else be a stilness thus is the worst as profitable as the best 20. And when the Physician hath reconciled Mars and Mercury with Venus and Jupiter that they all obtain one will the Sun of Life will revive and correct the nauseat of the Disease into a pleasant Jupiter This is only applicable to the Vegetative or Sensitive Soul of the Elementary Body 21. The rational Soul hath its Diseases springing from care and distress till it lead to heaviness and Death cured by removing the causes of that care c. 22. So Sin hath poyson'd the Mental Soul by Inflaming his Eternal Mercury which with the sting of his Mars burns in the horrible impression of his Saturn his Venus is Imprison'd his Intellectual Jupiter Infatuated his Sun quenched his Moon dark 23. To Cure this he must with Venus the Love of God and Jupiter the Divine Understanding quench and appease the flaming Mercury and raging Mars So is the Soul Tinctured with Love his Sun then shineth and Jupiter rejoiceth for Divine Love begetteth a Divine Will so Tiâ—ctured as able to die to self-will which Death doth attain the nothing wherein is no Turba to touch or hurt the Soul who now doth neither see know nor live but according to the resignation 24. Here doth Christ break the Serpents Head and God become all in all 25. It is possible to live without sickness but very difficult to bring the inward into the outward as the Sun illustrateth Water because the opposite will hath introduced wrath in the outward Body it must die and putâ—ifie and enter again into the nothing into the beginning of the Creation out of which it departed wâ—th Adam CHAP. X. Of the Inward and Outward Cure of Man 1. TO Cure Man God brought not a strange thing into him nor did cast away the Humanity but with the like of that which was corrupted introduced a Divine Prâ—perty into him In Man was the expressed Word or Eternal Mercury inspoken which was the Soul with the Properties of all the three Worlds Fire Light and Love 2. Adam should have put his desire into the humble meek light and love but he made in himself the hunger after evil and good and so could not Tincture his Fire-world and outward World with Love 3. To restore Mans right Image God introduced the holy Mercury in the fiery Love-starne with such a desire of Divine Essentiality as makes Divine Corporality which reinkindled the Light of the Eternal Sun in the Humane Property so that the Humane Jupiter of Divine Understanding might again appear 4. So is the outward Cure done Mans Mercury was inkindled a Mercury must Cuâ—e it but that must first it self be inkindled in Venus and Jupiter which also gives it the Suns Property Not with dark cold Saturn unless first sweetly appeas'd with Venus and Jupiter so will the Sun shine in Saturn and Death be chang'd into Life 5. The Knowledge how God restores the Universal is learnt by study of the process of Christ from his first Incarnation to his Ascention The Essence of Venus shut up in Death must be Baptiz'd in the Water of the Eternal Essence By which the Imprison'd Incentive as Fire falling into Tinder gloweth Then must the outward Food be withdrawn and the hungry Desire be tempted whether it will go into God and be fed with Manna let the Essence of time by resignation be subject to that of Eternity and so possess the Elected Throne whence Lucifer fell or desire the Earthy Kingdom of Good and Evil for outward Dominion If its will remain in Gods Love-fire the Water is turn'd to Wine so is the outward Cure also done 6. But before the Universal Restoration be manifest all the seven Properties must be Chrystalized each Form by a peculiar process forsaking their will in the wrath and come into the Loves Property wherein is no Turba all which Christ did in the Humanity before the Body was glorified 7. When therefore the Frozen Mouth in Saturn of all the Properties is opened and that Food given to their hunger wherein is no Turba the flagrat of Joy in Love dismayeth the wrath and is as a Transmutation but not fixt the Angelical Properâ—ies appear in view 8. In Christs Temptation the speaking Mercury in the Light was given to the expressed Mercury of the Fires Property because Adam's Fires Property had quenched the Lights Property Christ was tempted to depart out of the Resignation into a desire of selfish Propriety of worldly Avarice and Dominion to the Knowledge and Kingdom of Good and Evil where pain and wrath is manifest but in the Resignation is sacred Love and no Breath of Anger as in the Light of the Fire is no pain of Fire manifest 9. The Mother and Womb of all Beings is Sulphur Mercury is her Life Mars her Sense Venus her Love Jupiter her Understanding Luna her Corporeal Essence Saturn her Husband 10. In the Philosophick work the Artist raiseth in the first Kingdom the dead Apostate Child shut up in Saturn opening by degrees Paradise again by Gods permission In the second Kingdom Luna Corporally feeds where the outward Mercury hath not laboured So Christ fed the 5000. 12. In the third Kingdom Jupiter Christ made Babes wise so the Artist seeth the new Life rise up the four Elements appear with all Colours 13. In the fourth Kingdom of the Mercurial Orb Christ restor'd the Deaf Dumb and Lepers so the Artist sees how Heaven severs it self from the Earth and again sinks into it Coloureth and purifieth the Matter appearing in Antimony 14. In the fifth Kingdom Christ ejected the Devils so the Artist will see how Jupiter in Mercury drives up a black twinkling fiery Vapour out of the Matter sticking like Soot a hunger of the Poyson in Mercury the Devils Property 15. In the sixth Kingdom Christ in Venus loved his and humbly washed his Disciples Feet gave himself up to be mock'd beaten and crucified so the Artist will see as soon as the material Devil the dark fiery steam is gone the Virgin very Glorious which the Artist will be apt to think is the Philosophick Child but in the tryal finds it to be a Woman not the Virgin with the Tincture of Fire and Light for now Saturn Mars and Mercury oppose but Jupiter and Luna hold with Venus but when the Power of wrath cometh Luna changeth her will viz. Colour and cryeth with the common people signified by her Crucifige CHAP. XI The Process of Christs Suffering Death and Resurrection Symbolized in the Philosophick Work THIS whole Chapter consisting of eighty verses being a profound pursuit especially of the sixth Kingdom and the Essence
and alteration in the Symbolical Philosophick process to the Suffering c. of Christ even from the almost Triumphant Glory of the Philosophick Virgins Child to his seeming Non-existence and again a measure of restoration to Royalty is not thought fit to be Abridged but its entire Contexture left to farther Contemplation to which the Reader is referred CHAP. XII How the Seventh Kingdom viz. the Sun is reviv'd 1. WHEN Christ died the Natural Death it was for that Adam had brought his Humane and Sensitive Life the out-spoken Word into another Form and Sound than the speaking Word or Fiat had spoken it viz. into a Selfish will by which death of Christ the true Humane Life fell again into the place whence Adam brought it where Gods Ruling Spirit was the alone Life of it in all the three Principles not to be longer to the Astrum of the four Elements but in the pure Divine Element 2. Christ was the Death of Death bringing Life thence into Eternal Liberty And whatsoever Jesus hath done through Christ in his and my Humanity he yet now to day doth in me 3. The Process is the Curse being descended into the seven Forms of which the Life consisteth therefore as Christ was a Death to the Human Self-hood yet the Humanity was not destroyed So the seven must in the Philosophick Work be by Death brought to one Will and Desire in the Eternal Sol from Strife to Love yet remain in seven as heated Iron though shining as Light is yet Iron 4. Let the Artist consider how he may give Death to Death with the pure Life and how to awaken the disappear'd captivated Life which is Heavenly so that it may again receive the Fire-soul and it worketh of it self 5. And seeing it is not possible to bring the Earth to Heaven the Heaven must be brought into the Earth viz. The Soul must be overcome and eat of Heaven will she nil she till she entreth with her Desire into the Heavenly Essence for the dear Love life dismayeth the Murtherer and shineth in the Love-fire So the seven Forms become unanimous proceeding to the Universal the Fundamental Knowledge whereof is apprehended only by such as enter into the Resignation of Christ and to such the way is Facile and Childlike CHAP. XIII Of the Enmity of the Spirit and of the Body and of their Cure 1. THERE is a Vegetative Life consisting in the four Elements a sensitive in the seven Forms of Nature a ratiocinative in the Constellation but the understanding proceeds from God arising out of the Eternal Nature from the Oyl of the one Element the free Lubet in the speaking Mercury 2. The Enmity originateth in the Mercurial Life which consists in Sulphur hungring after Matter which austere hunger impresseth to Coldness or a cold Fire viz. hardness density and darkness wherein it strives for Life and in that Life is the heat inkindled devouring the cold of its Substance begetting Light when also the Fire-spirit dyeth for the Life of the one is the Death of the other So the cold fire continually without intermission by dying becomes Life to the hot fire and the hot fire by its strong hunger draweth devoureth and liveth by its Mother the cold out of the impression whereof it had its Ens which it setteth free into the Lubet of the Nothing Thus the Fire is in the Light of the Lubet a Joy and in the Darkness an akeing Wo yet without the one the other could not be as is demonstrated 3. Man's desire was in the Beginning in the Liberty of God in resignation to his Love-will but by Self-will awaken'd in Nature Heat Cold Astringency Bitterness Anguish Torture 4. The only Cure must be a full and free resigning the Self-will into the first will by dying to the erring will and thereby become that to which God at first created him Then will the pure Body of the Element in which the Love-life of God's Spirit inkindleth in the Soul the resign'd will make the disappear'd Body spring from the same pure Element become the Mansion of the Soul in a Paradisical budding or blooming Renovation 5. The most high gave every Property at first a fixt Perfection but the Curse brought the Turba And now seeing God hath given us Power to become his Children and rule over the World Why not then over the Curse in the Earth so as to open and set free the captivated Paradisical Powers CHAP. XIV How the three Principles interchange generating Good and Evil yet all remain as at first to manifest the Glory of God 1. THE first Eternal Creatures Angels and Man and unfixt Products of Time Vegetables and Animals are all one thing differing according as the Properties impressed on them 2. The Impression is call'd Nature and is the Mother and Manifestation of the Mystery what hath been in the Eternal Will in both Centres according â—o Fire and Light also according to Darkness and Essence in the Motion of the desire to a manifest Mystery out of Eternity into a time which consisted in Sulphur Mercury and Salt 3. These Powers introduce themselves into Evil and Good by the seven especial Properties when they are not in due Weight and Measure but by the prevalency of some the rest are captivated 4. Whatsoever exceeds or departs from the first order to which its Mother brought it â—orth cannot go back and re-enter with its depravity into the first Root and good state unless it die So and so only can stand again there whence first it proceeded before it became Corporeal 5. The lower Hemisphear is the first Principle * Kingdom of Darkness The upper part the Salniter The Cross above the Circle the Kingdom of Glory The Form of Separation between the Living and Dead Essentiality is the fifth Form the Love-desire or Love-flame 6. Sulphur is the Mother of the Creatures arising out of the Darkness Fire and Light on the dark part it is Astringent Bitter Anxious but on the part resembling the Deity 't is Fire Light and Water The Fire divides it self into Death viz. Water and into Life viz. Oyl wherein the true life of all Creatures in the external World consists 7. Mercury is the Wheel of Motion in the Sulphur on the dark part is a sting and seveâ—s in the Fire in its Mother Sulphur into a twofold Water in the Death of Fire into a Living-light Water producing Silver in Brimstone in the seventh Property of Nature but in the Fire its Water is quick-silver and in the dark Anguish 't is rust and smoak in it it is also Poison 8. Salniter is the Compriser of all Properties Mother of all Salts in the Creatures in those which grow in the Love desire 't is potent and pleasant in the Evil it's Eternal horror ever aspiring above the Humility of Love Whence is the Will of Pride and of all Devils It giveth weight in Austereâ—ess Earth Sand and Stones in the Water in Sulphur and Mercury Flesh in
Sins of the Parents and Ancestors come Thistle Children and there lieth the hardening CHAP. VIII v. 115. EVery Child is generated out of the Properties of the Seed of the Parents and like them tho' often the Constellations alter in the Configuration with Authority and Power It is objected How can the Child help it It is answered The Child and the Parents are one Tree When did the Sun alter a branch on a sour Crab-tree so that it became sweet and should God go quite contrary to the predestinate purpose of his out-spoken or expressed word for a Thiâ—tles sake v. 177. The Will to partition existeth in the Ens to the Creature and the Will to the Holy Life existeth out of God in Christ. See chap. 10. v. 110 129 to 135 145 151 153. also chap. 11 130. to the end And chap. 13. per tot especially the 15th v. to the 40th After all which followeth an excellent Appendix of Repentance And lastly the Clavis See more concerning Free Will c. in the Mysterium Magnum Chap. 26. This being the Author's 16th Book was written Anno 1623. BAPTISM AND THE Lord's Supper The first Part being of Baptism CHAP. I. First Book of Baptism 1. THAT Christ's communication of himself to the Soul by his Testaments is not in an Image-like way as the reason of one part of men judgeth nor are the Testaments only Signs and Symbols to keep what he hath done for us in lively remembrance as others dispute 2. But the Inward World being Paradise whence sprung the Outward World Christ filleth and ruleth visibly and the Outward invisibly and penetrateth the faithful Soul as Fire doth Iron or the Sun doth the Plant which it nourisheth and matureth till it becomes wholly solar and the Fruit ripe and tender yet is not the Sun rent or any part broken off but the power of the Sun dwelleth in the Plant. CHAP. II. 1. MAN's Fall was the breaking its desire from the Love and Meekness of God into its own which became a wrathful fiery Soul whence the Eternal Darkness existed so that it wanted for remedy the Spiritual Oyl and Water wherein Divine Love and Meekness might flow into it again and make all a Love-flame 2. To this flowing in again there must be a Medium Subject or Antitype whereby the Human Faith might receive Divine Vertue and kindle the Light which Medium was the Circumcision and Sacrifices Baptism and the Supper for God did set in the Human Heavenly Being perished in Adam his new Grace Covenant 3. So that the holy Sacrificers before the Floud did see the Soul sacrificed in the Fire of God's Wrath and through that in spoken Covenant changed into a Love-fire the false will being burnt and dying and a new-born Child of Meekness in the Light was apparent as Light severeth from Smoke and how the Soul through Christ's death would give up it self and be changed into an Angel But this was not common Fire 4. But when Mens vanity prevailed with the Souls false Fire over the holy Fire the Floud the Type of Baptism and God's Meekness overthrew them to shew what the holy Water of Eternal Life would do And then was renewed the Covenant with Abraham and Isaac by Circumcision on that same Member to shew the unclean bestial Birth should be cut off from the Virginity Adam had and should have stood in CHAP. III. 1. ALL the three Worlds Properties or three Principles in Man needed Baptism viz. The first which is the Eternal Nature whence sprung the true Eternal Soul Secondly The heavenly Ens which was vanished in Adam that holy Lights Power the true Eternal Spirit Thirdly The Outward Worlds substance the Astral Soul with its Body out of the Limus of the Earth standing in the four Elements and therefore the great holy Fire of Love manifested in the Humanity of Christ must baptize this our threefold Humanity that each Principle might be baptized with its like viz. 2. The Fathers holy Fire The Sons holy Light The holy Spirits Life 3. The first is the sound to continual Repentance a concussion and trembling with Fire wherein is seen the bitterness of sin and sufferings and death of Jesus Christ. And when the Self-will is shaken through Repentance then the holy Oyl of Love penetrateth and by the anointing of Love healeth those wounds 4. And the Holy Ghost manageth the Office baptizing with a new Life 5. But Man's third Principle the right Adamical Man out of the four Elements is baptized with the Outward Worlds substance the Water 6. By the aforesaid Adamical Man is meant the Spiritus Mundi viz. the right Astral Soul which at the last day shall come again and be tryed 7. Note Man hath an immortal Soul and a mortal Soul viz. the Astral but it was Christ's heavenly Blood that fell with the other which made the Earth tremble 8. He that is himself baptized with the holy Anointing hath Faith which may enable him to baptize else he effecteth nothing but is as the Font-stone but to the believing Parents Child the work is not wholly powerless for the sake of the unworthy hand for if Parents have put on the Anointing why not their Children whom they generate out of the Property of their Seed The Lord's Supper Part II. CHAP. II. 1. THE Soul is the Fathers Fire The holy Love-fire of the Divine Ens heavenly Flesh and Power in the Light being Christ's substance tinctureth he Soul with the Tincture of supernatural glance and life 2. As sweet Oyl put into common dark Fire ariseth into a Light so is Christ received by the mouth of Faith become the Light of the World by kindling again the vanished heavenly Ens of Adam and shining in the unlocked Paradisical ground which is the City of God where the Holy Ghost dwelleth in Man of which Christ saith Joh. 6. 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood continueth in me and I in him which is a real and substantial eating and drinking Christ's heavenly Flesh and Blood 3. The Holy Flesh and Blood is taken into the Soul which cometh freely as the Sun doth into Water which retaineth its heat and light or as Fire penetrateth Iron and gives it heat and light 4. Also 't is the whole Christ as they did eat the whole Paschal Lamb. 5. The Bread and Wine is the Medium in which the Heavenly Humanity of Christ meets the unlocked awakened Word of Promise and Grace Covenant which is hid in Man 6. By the Bread and Wine said here to be the Medium is not meant the gross Elements of Bread and Wine but the Tincture or Quintessence whence cometh or groweth Bread and Wine Chap. 3. ver 24. CHAP. III. How the Disciples of Christ did Eat and Drink Christs Flesh and Blood 1. NOT the palpable Fleshly Humanity but the Spiritual Humanity the Virtue and Power of his Body and Blood his own Mumia in which was the Divine and Humane Power
haste let my Father and all his Children and Cattle come to me c. viz. thy Nature thy whole Life Conversations all thy Thoughts thy Temporal Estate 6. Your Eyes as also the Eyes of my Brother Benjamin see that it is I that speak to you viz. your inward Eyes and the Eyes of the new Man for they see through the outward Sences as the Sun pierceth through Glass and yet it remaineth Glass still 7. And Joseph fell about Benjamin's Neck and wept and kissed them all viz. when Christ in the inward heavenly Substance which faded in Adam is manifested Jesus with his weeping love Gods great sweetness kisseth the creaturely Souls Essences whereby it re-obtaineth its life and speaketh with God in Christ Jesus 8. And when the report came to Pharaoh it pleas'd him well And he commanded Chariots should be sent to fetch Jacob and all his into Egypt viz. when Christ's Voice foundeth in the Soul the report thereof presseth into the Fathers Property of Fire which is therewith pleased and Chariots are sent viz. the Spirit in the Word which bring it to Paradise 9. And he sent a present for his Father viz. his Flesh and Blood wherewith the Soul feasteth 10. The five suits to Benjamin the five Wounds 11. The thirty Pieces of Silver given him the Gifts of Christ wherewith the Christian must Trade 12. The ten Asses loaden with the choice things of Egypt the ten Commandments in the Law of Nature 13. The ten Asses loaden with Corn the ten Forms of the soulish and natural Fire life 14. The Food to spend on the Way the Word of God which the poor old Adam must eat that he may live 15. He commands they fall not out by the Way but walk in love and peace to Paradise 16. And they came to their Father and told him of the great Glory of Joseph his Present and his Words but Jacob believed them not but when he saw the Chariots his Spirit revived viz. when Christs Apostles were loaden with his Presents which they carried to their Relations viz. those who were in the Kingdom of Nature they believed not those exceeding great things till the Chariots of the Holy Ghost came and then they revive and live and say it is enough I will go into repentance that I may see my Saviour before I die CHAP. LXXIII How Jacob and his Children and all his c. went into Egypt 1. JAcob is the Figure of the new Man having received the Present i. e. the earnest of Christs love and the Chariots of Josepâ— viz the Holy Ghost goeth to Eâ—ypt i. e. into Repentance with all his Children i. e. his Powers and coming to Beersheba the sounding Voice of his heart sacrificeth viz. his Soul 2. The Powers proceeding out of his own â—oins are 66 the mâ—stical number of the Beast and himself Joseph and Joseph's two Sons make 70 the Number of Babel 3. This going forth is an Image of the last Exit or true Christians departure out of Babel in the end of the Reign of the Beast and Whore The signal Star with the Chariot of Joseph are already appear'd 4. Israel sends Judah before him to Joseph viz. the incorporated Covenant of God in Man to Joseph and Gâ—shen the rest in Christ. 5. And when the heavenly Joseph meeteth Jacob the old Adamical Man he falleth about his Neck viz. his deâ—â—re and longing and filleth it with Tears shed in his Sufferings leading to Victory and Eternal Joy Then saith the Natural Man now would I willingly die viz give up all my right and willing of Vanity now that the new Man in Christ is manifest in me 6. Joseph saith I will go up and tell Pharaoh c. Christ viz. The word of Love and Grace which is come from the Father into our Humanity speaketh the word of the Natural Human Life into the Eterâ—al Word of the Father which is here called telling the King That is reconcileth the Rent made by the natural speaking of Self and Vanity in the Human Word of the Father's Anger with and again unto his Love and Kingdom of Joy 7. They were Herdsmen and such were an Abomination to Pharaoh and the Egyptians viz. to Gods Majesty and Holy Power The Animal Soul in the Spirit of this World hath awaked many hundred Beasts viz. Lusts which it must be conversant with and rule 8. They were placed apart in Goshen viz. in the outward Nature yet in the Blessing and should dwell near God but a Principle is the Distinction as time and Eternity 9. And Joseph willed them to say to Pharaoh Thy Servants are Herdsmen so must all say as well Potentates as Beggars Priests c. We cannot stand and subsist before thee O Holy God we are but Herdsmen even from our Youth viz. from Aâ—am till now we keep and manage our beâ—â—â—al Property Let thy Servants find Grace in thy sight to dwell before thee in this Goshen CHAP. LXXIV Jacob and five of Joseph's Brethren set before Pharaoh Egypt Sold for Corn. 1. PHaraoh standeth here in the Figure of the Eternal Father Jacob of old Adam Joseph's five youngest Brethren of the five Sences in the Properties of Life So should we humble our selves before God thy Servants are but Herdsmen c. Then saith the Eternal Father to Christ Is this thy Father Adam are these thy Brethren according to the Humanity The Kingdom of Heaven and of Nature standeth open If any of them be Expert set them over my Cattle viz. into the Apostolick Office to feed my Flock 2. Jacob blesseth viz. thanketh Pharaoh and acknowledgeth his own Evil and anxiety in the cares and disquietness of this Life 3. The Famine in Egypt and Canaan figureth the poor fallen Man in Body and Soul wither'd by Gods Anger Joseph's Corn the Divine Word of Grace The Money the creaturely word of the Human Life The Beasts given when the Money was spent the Image-like Property in Man's Life Thus the fallen Man bringeth the heavenly Joseph his imaginary fictitious formal and customary Prayers meant by the Money But when anguish of Conscience withereth up the Hope drawn from such cold Prayer the Famine prevaileth and forceth to bring the Beasts and Cattle viz. earthy Desires Self-wit and Subtlety 4. They gave themselves and their Land to Pharaoh c. This figureth the real earnest resignation of Body Soul and whole Interest to God to receive Food from Christ. 5. So whole Egypt became Pharaoh's but the Land of the Priests he bought not c. 6. In Adam all Men became untrusty but Christ hath bought the whole Nature and given us to God again but the Priests Fields were left to them for a Possession viz. the incorporated Word of Grace the Temple of Christ the City of God which no Man can Sell Pawn or Engage by Oaths for it belongeth to the Eternal one this inward Man God willeth Man should keep 7. Four parts shall be yours but the
craved he might go home to his House and settle his small Affairs there and take his Family with him or at least take leave of them but it could not be admitted he must according to the Sentence immediately depart To which he answered that seeing it would be no better he with all willing Submission obeyed their Decree and forthwith departed the Town But the Council meeting again the next Morning and reconciling their Difference repeal'd their Sentence and send to seek out their innocent Exile and at length found him and brought him back with Honour into the City yet still tir'd with the Preachers incessant Clamours they at length send for him again and intreat him that in love to the Cities quiet he would seek himself a Habitation elsewhere which if he would please to do they should hold themselves oblig'd to him for it as an acceptable Service In compliance with this Friendly Request of theirs he removed to Dresden I have observed that if any Member of the Church should have a Doctrine or Exhortation made known to him or have his Mind furnished with other Notions than what he learned from his Pastor it is Felony in Divinity and if they cannot find an old Heretick in their black Calendar that will challenge the Opinions an Indictment that they are Ignâ—â—i cujusdam will by them be esteemed good in Law whereon to bring him to Trial and Judgment What a Presumption is it to believe that the Wisdom and fulness of God can ever be pent up in a Synâ—dical Canon How overweening are we to limit the successive Manifestations to a present Rule and Light persecuting all that comes not forth in its length and breadth It would be exceeding unnatural for a Parent to desire the perpetual Infancy of his Child And yet how frequent is it that if any get the start of their Brethren in growing up towards the stature of a Perfect Man in Christ they become the Objects of Hatred Calumny and Persecution Concerning the Proceedings at Dresden we have the Relation thereof from Persons worthy of belief and without exception Jacob Behmen was cited to appear before his Highness the Prince Elector of Saxony where were Assembled Six Doctors of Divinity besides Mathematicians as Dr. Hâ—â—en Dr. Meysner Dr. Baldwin Dr. Gerhard Dr. Leysern and these in the presence of his Highness the Prince Elector examined him concerning his Writings and the high Mysteries therein as also of many profound Queries in Divinity Philosophy and the Mathematicks they propounded unto him to all which he answered and replied with such meekness of Spirit such depth of Knowledge and fulness of Matter that none of these Doctors and Professors returned one word of dislike or contradiction The Prince his Highness much admired him and required to know the result of their Judgments in what they had heard but the Doctors desired to be excused and intreated his Highness that he would have Patience till the Spirit of the Man should be more plainly cleared to them for in many particulars they did not understand him nevertheless they hoped that hereafter he would make it more clear unto them and then they would tender their Judgments but as yet they could not Then Jacob Behmen propounded some Questions to them to which they returned Answers with much Modesty and as it were amazed that they should so much beyond their Expectation hear from a Man of that mean Quality and Education such Mysterious Depths as were beyond the Fathom of their Comprehension Then he conferred with them touching most of the Errors of those times pointing as it were with the Finger at the Originals of them severally declaring unto them the naked Truth and the great difference betwixt it and some erroneous Supposals To the Astrologers also for there were two present having discours'd something of their Science he said Thus far is the knowledge of your Art right and good grounded in the Mystery of Nature but what is over and above instancing in several particulars are Heathenish Additions through their Ignorance and Blindness which we ought not to follow or imitate Then his Highness the Prince Elector being very much satisfied in his Answers took him apart from the Company and discoursed with him a good space concerning severa Points of Difficulty wherein being well satisfied he admitted him into his favour and courteously dismissed him his Attendance at that time After this Dr. Meisner and Dr. Gerhard meeting at Witteâ—berg began to discourse of Jacob Behmen expressing how greatly they admired at the continued Harmony of Scriptures produced by him at his Examination and that they would not for all the World have served his Enemies Malice in censuring him for says Dr. Meisner Who knows but God may have deâ—igned him for some extraordinary Work and how can we with Justice pass Judgment against that we understand not for surely he seems to be a Man of wonderful high Gifts of the Spirit though we cannot at present from any certain ground approve or disapprove many things he holds forth After this it pleased God the Hearts of many Learned Men and Preachers were turned to a Studying themselves and teaching of others those Doctrines of the Regeneration and the means of attaining it they had formerly in a blind Zeal exclaimed against as Heretical whereupon they ceased from Preaching up Disputes and Controversies in Religion many of those being no ways determinable but by a beam of Divine Light arising out of the Principle of the New Birth which though it clears up that Man's Judgment that is possessed with it yet can it not always make its way to the dispelling those Clouds of Ignorance that remain upon the Souls of others whence they Judged all Contests about those Difficulties being most Pregnant Mothers of Pride and Contention as â—aneful to Divine Charity and the Common Peace of Mankind But for resolution of all Doubts referr'd Men to an earnest Endeavour after the recovery of the Life of Christ the only Fountain of all true Light and right Understanding in Divine things Thus was that excellent Light shining in this heavenly Man's Soul by the cross Design of an Adversary lifted up into its Candlestick and brought upon a Publick Stage to give Light to many for by these Questionings the Man's worth came to be taken notice of and his Writings sought after and studied not only by mean People but many Great and Worthy Men and some who in their Hearts were Infidels to all Religion in catching only at the Bait of his mysterious Philosophy were drawn into the true Faith of God and Universal Charity His Superscription and Motto in most of his Epistles were these Ten words Our Salvation in the Life of Jesus Christ in us In his Seal he had Engraven a Hand out-stretch'd from Heaven with a Twig of Three blown Lillies It is a Custom in Germany and I have seen some Germans whom the War had compell'd for Relief to come into England to carry a
as 666 is to 1000. And as the Evil Angels having secluded themselves from the meek Majestick Order will yet be as Eminent in their Evil as they can so Man being become bestial willeth to be as extreamly and vigorously a Beast as he may He is conversant about the Dictates of the sensual Man seldom proceeding but so far as the depraved rational which yet were he they both would not only fall utterly short but indispose him to the true Light as a Man brought out of a dark Dungeon is surprized and sees not in the dazling Sun 3. Now how the Seven headed Beast is cast into the Abyss is thus done he is destroy'd by Intestine or as 't is call'd Civil Discord A Beast hath many things like to a Man so the Apocalyptical Beast hath the Notion of Grace making room in the Regenerate by Combat and Warfare to destroy the impure depraved Lusts and cleanse the House that the King of Glory may enter The Beast flatters himself finding a disposition in him to be rid of some Sins though it be as Men are of troublesome Tenants without design of receiving a Heavenly Guest as the Regenerate do for such a one the Beast desires not for he knows no such but doth it only to ease himself of such who are unprofitable Associates Nor is there in the bestial Man a Warfare betwixt Grace and Sin the pure Spirit and sinful Flesh the Holy Virgin Image and the unmortified or revivings of Lust Though in the Astral Man as it is more nearly the Instrument of the Eternal Soul there is something better than is in the bestial Man as in a more simple ingeny where the Tincture is less incurvated or the Mind by assed than in the sensual bestial Man So that unto that Man the Heavenly Applications have readier intercourse more familiarly to impart it self and diffuse its beams therefore was it and still is it that the Soul is often spoken to in Dreams the Visions of the Night finding her best at leisure and emptied in some sort of the bestial Man's Clamors and throngs of Impositions But the War in the unregenerate Man is between the adverse parts and properties wherewith his Soul is endowed or whereof rather it is composed and as resulting from them the strife is between that natural Intellect which distinguisheth him from the Transitory Brutes on the one hand and his impetuous Lusts on the other 4. This Intellect may be call'd his Natural Conscience whereof the Apostle speaks that in those things which they understand as viz. little differenced from natural Brute Beasts in those they corrupt themselves Now in this contest where the depraved Intellect sentenceth that or this to be evil or good the will resulting from the Rebel Affections which will is regent and by Prerogative deems himself unaccountable calls the evil good indulgeth it delights in it and assimilates becomes one with it This natural Intellect the Beast deceived by the Whore calls the new Creature and Regenerator and flatters himself to be fighting the Fight of the Faith of Gods Elect or precious Ones Whereas their dark Heads and inimicitious Hearts are only engaged in Intestine Broils from the disorder of their native contrary Parts or Faculties And this Light is that whereof the Lord speaks If the Light that is in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness viz. If the Eye be evil and not single the four forms all this while proceed not to enkindle the true fifth but are compassed by the sparks of Fire of their own private Spirits enkindling not Flames of Light blown up by the Spirit of Divine Love And other times the Affections enclined by their good Astral Man or Constellation or perhaps by some surprize of Sympathy have a warmth towards compassionate and righteous Actions but yet at the same time the Mind is abstractedly darkness for death and disorder reigneth there These may give some Light to the inquiring Observer by what ways the Beast deceives precipitates and destroys himself plunging himself into the Abyss of Confusion for all his seven Heads Forms or Properties being so many implacable Enemies to each other rend and ruine him Q. 165. How doth Christ take the Kingdom when this Beast becometh slain The Tenth Distribution A. 1. Here we are come to enquire how that is done which we are taught to pray for Thy Kingdom come out of that Kingdom we like the Prodigal wandered and became as he into a most wretched state desirous to eat of the Swines meat but no one gave even that shewing us he had no right or title to it but either must beg it or steal it having not to pay for it and yet must have it or perish for hunger In this very state and nothing better is every man till Christ introduceth his Kingdom into the Soul And Man 's going out of himself is in this Parable call'd a coming to himself 2. But Reason can neither speak what This Kingdom is nor understand the written or spoken â—anguage concerning it be it spoken with all possible plainness or written with ample demonstration for Reason hath but one Eye and that looks downward like the Eye of a Beast and the Lust of Property and incessant Thirst to gratifie the Flesh by self-pleasing it s own exaltation self-avenging c. like manifold Cloths of Pitch shuts it up from the Kingdom of Christ so that all it can by this reach to is but as a swiming in the brain the receptacle and working-shop of the Sensitive Astral and Depraved Rational Spirits But the Eternal Word is spoken in the Heart which in opposition to that of the Brain is only mentioned and it 's not without signification that the word Brain is scarce found in the whole Bible but always the Heart as that which the Lord regardeth to mention 3. The Knowledge how Christ takes the Kingdom will be much advanced by clearing how Adam lost it For as the Spiritual World breathed it self through the Outward which is its Image so the Divine World filled the Essences of Adam's Soul also swallowed up his Astral Man then capable of Eternity so that his first four Forms were sweetly united in the Image of Holiness and true Righteousness and thus themselves were as it were hidden The Astral Man also was only serviceable to its Illustration and thereby compleatly happy sharing according to its capacity the Glory together with his noble Soul replenisht with his Divine Spirit 4. And his departure from the Eternal Substantiality of the Divine Life was to live according to Astral Reason as to his Inward Man and no higher And according to the Sensual Bestiality in his Outward both which are but the Figure or Shadow of the true substantial Spiritual World thereupon he died to the Divine Life And the Magical Power of his Essences being Those Properties whereof his Soul is composed wanting Heavenly Food became a dark hungry fierce inimicitious Will spoiling his Tincture as is
seen in raging furious desperate men from thenceforth wanting a Mouth capable to eat Paradisical Food therefore God cursed the Earth that it also should no more be able to produce nor be intrusted with Living Holy Fruits of the Heavenly Power-World for the Heavenly Humanity once withdrawn Man was no longer a Subject Member Citizen or Child of God's Kingdom but a Beast and in the Bestial Astral and Elementary Kingdom at Enmity with the Holy Pure Sweet Eternal Order 5. Therefore Christ taketh the Kingdom by bringing again the holy disappeared Power-World or Heavenly Humanity into the captivated dark debilitated Humanity call'd an Ingrafted Word also a Seed growing to a Tree A Leven levening the whole A Refiner and is as a sparkle enkindling the whole and as in germination of a Seed the gross matter given it from the Elements dieth or as of the burnt Sacrifice the Elementary part is by the fire of the Altar separated into a Vapour and Salt Just so Christ entred the corrupted Man and leading it through Death became the true Separator He brought the holy Virgin Image the alone Heavenly Virginity which is signified by the Salt thrown by Elisha to heal the Fountain not only the Stream For This Divine Power healeth the Tincture and the Tincture being cured like the healed Spring by its new got Magical Might and Puissance is a Co-worker with God in regenerating the whole Man As the Subterranean Fire doth draw one way with the Solar Fire in propagating and advancing the Generation of Metals ejection of Fountains and sanative hot Baths 6. This Kingdom is not taken but purchased by the Blood of the King of it and what this Blood was see the 124 Answer 2 6 8 and 9 verses but this Kingdom is such that it is the scope of all the Writings of the holy Ones from Adam the first Man to the unknown day and hour of the end of this dying World Men who would fain be Atheists have said the great ingredient of their mortal fatal contagious Madness hath been the observing how little affected the Conversations of such shew them to be who profess the knowledge love and fear of an Infinite Powerful Omniscient and Omnipresent Glorious and Gracious Father Son and Holy Ghost thinking they could not so converse did they indeed believe what themselves say 7. But the reason thereof hath been the deceiving Spirit for there hath all along been such Sacrificers as Cain such as have the Faith of Simon Magus the Prophesyings of Balaam the Humility of Ahab the Repentance of Judas the Abstinence of the Foolish Virgins the priviledge of the Tares to be the Guest without a Wedding Garment the Branch yet wither'd and cut off the Wife but Divorced the Building without Foundation those who after cleansing take seven worse Spirits whose goodness is like the Morning Dew Stars but either fallen or wandering ones Teachers but yet at last Cast-aways All these professing themselves of Christs are really of the Devils Kingdom 8. For that which these attain is at highest but Faith as it is an act of the understanding which gives a false faint Light without Life and Heat while the Faithful Subjects are actuated and moved by a Faith that purifieth the Heart and subjecteth the Will proceeding from strength to strength for as purifying Faith worketh from Love so it increaseth Love Simplicity and Innocency and there is founded the Kingdom of Patience It is true Mahometans the dark Ethnicks and Barbarians call those things Vices and those Vertues which we call so and by that Rule They accuse or excuse themselves or others But the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God not only condemns our evil but tenders us Life Eternal it kills us to save us that is it sends us out of our selves by resignation of our separate perverse will that we may be regenerated unto the holy universal comprehensive will Whereby is obtain'd and convey'd not only self-abasing but purging and saving Mercy of Free Grace as only of meer Alms from God This Grace proceeding from pure pity and undeserved goodness is of all things in the World the most disagreeable to Mans unmortified proud Heart most cross to his own will therefore the most sublimely divinely true 9. Faln Mans dejecting himself may be call'd Humiliation Anguish and a Spirit of Bondage but the top of this is but uncloathing the Man who is thereby neither wash'd nor cleansed but the Conscience still polluted the proud Devils must yet see their own deformity with Anguish thus this Spirit in Man shuts him up in the first four Forms or Properties But it is the Spirit of God by the Faith of the Gospel which is generated in the fifth growing to a Flame of Love by the Holy Blood of the true second Adam only washeth the Soul and sprinkleth the Conscience from dead Works How miserable then must those Men be who are willingly ignorant of the power and infinite value of Christs Heavenly Blood and yet themselves undervaluing it are pretended Perfectists yet declare so great an aversion to this as if they would know nothing of that which the Apostle Paul desir'd only to know Contemning the inquiry into that Mystery which the Angels desire to look into But to help the sincere Mind towards the Understanding of the Heavenly condescention in the Lords Incarnation the reperusal of the 106 Answer is seriously recommended And what kind of Subjects Christ taketh into his Kingdom are Character'd in the 117 Answer from ver 3. to the 8th And what the inestimable Blood of this Lamb of God is see the 77th Answer ver 7 8 and 9. The Kingdom is taken by the Glorious King of it without hands As the Angel saith of the Stone to Daniel even as the outward Sun conveys not his Light and enlivening Heat by the violence of stormy Winds but is calmly and sweetly his own Vehicle under whose glorious dear Sway and Scepter may the Lord bring our whole Man and every part of it for ever that this which is the Kingdom of Gods patience may be that of his Power concerning things pertaining to this Kingdom the Lord discoursed with his Disciples in the forty days after his Resurrection But yet this Kingdom suffereth violence tho' it doth none and the violent take it by force for it requires that all diligence be used that Men work out their Salvation with fear and trembling that they ask seek knock search dig watch fight strive wrestle suffer wait comparatively hate Father Mother Wife Child and our own Life Pray without ceasing looking to Jesus c. for as the King entred by the Cross so must the Subjects Q. 166. What is the true new Regeneration in the Spirit of Christ Is it done in this time or after this time A. 1. Here is a question consisting of two parts 1. What the true new Regeneration is 2. What time is it wrought in Both of them are secrets the first done by