sour rank bitter fierceness to all Eternity when enkindled in the Heavenly power it is the Spirit of the jealous zealous unquenchable wrath of God as is in Lucifer and his Legions 7. Heat the true beginner of life and of the true spirit of life It kindleth all the qualities generating the Light in them whence exist the senses and thoughts For when the bitter spirit with the heat passeth thorow the astringent and the Sweet mildly yielding passage the two open gates the eyes are made 8. The Holy Gracious Love kindled by the heat in the Sweet Quality Here is all pleasant ravishing sweetness light and glorious the fountain of eternal free immense brightness of love Here all Tongues stammer Hands shake Pens blot and Hearts flame that Taste See Hear and Feel it even so Amen 9. The Tone or Sound of the Divine Word whence is speech and language also the singing of Angels and opening the Divine Kingdom of Joy Here all Colours Beauty and Ornament is seen This Tone or Mercurius originateth in the hard Astringency as the Father and the whole Salitter is the Mother for if the Astringency were both Father and Mother a Stone would sound 10. The Body generated out of the six other Spirits and in which they dwell as their Sabboth wherein all heavenly figures joy c subsist image and form the spirit of Nature wherein Heaven it self and Angels are formed the mansion or body in which the six do rest as the kingdom of divine Glory 11. Now we may see that all the Spirits together are God the Father 12. The life generated by them all and generating the life in them all in triumph is the true Son of God the second Person in the Holy Trinity 13. And the power of the seven Spirits proceeding continually in the splendor of the life forming all things in the seventh Nature-Spirit is the true Holy Ghost the third Person in the Deity CHAP. III. Demonstrations of One or the first Spirit HAving described the seven fountain Spirits now to prosecute the Method propounded in the last precedent Section here follow the Demonstrations of the seven in order Demonstrations of the first fountain Spirit The Astringency Viz. 1. It is not to be said This or That is First or Last being All from Eternity and One in Another but that the Astringency which is call'd the first is truly what it is above defined and described to be is what will be demonstrated 2. The outward Senses of us all inform themselves that there are cold crude tough impenetrable Bodies or a power tending to impenetrability and our Reason consenteth that there must be a Root and This Root cannot but be called the Binding or Astringency 1. As That which causeth Cold to condense Air to Water and Water to Ice 2. That pursues condensed seces of Matter with the help of the bitter quality to Earth or Sand and That agen onward to Stone 3. That also compacteth fluid parts to stalks stems of corn c. the Boles skin and bark of Trees 4. That also incloseth the tender Brains and Marrow in Skulls and concave Bones 5. That contracteth and obdurates the subtle parts of Metals to a continuity and restrains or confines their allected vertues even to Unity Identity by continuity By These and a thousand more doth the Astringent Spirit demonstrate it self to be One Fountain whose outward Agent is confest by Antient and Modern Philosophy to be Saturn CHAP. IV. Demonstrations of the second fountain Spirit the Attraction 1. WE find somthing Breaking the Bonds else would the Astringency hold all as in a dark dry hard Prison all would be stone bone or the like dead concrets no Production no Creation And the stronger this Attractive Power is the stronger the other bindeth also the more Tough and Ponderous the Astringency the more actively vigorous is This As the more you compress Air or Water the greater violence hath the so suppressed body to resist as Wind causing Earthquakes or Gunpowder Pent. 2. We find a contrariety of Sweetness and Bitterness which we cannot but see comes from the cold Astringency That Property being one and to every one the same But This it is That in the Good Part being its Native Original is a Sweetness but in the crude undigested part a Bitterness 3. We find inclinations put into things different from themselves for by This Man's eager harshness is by due ingredients interposing taught and composed to affable Mildness the New Temper becomes in time Connatural and a Habit like as a bitter Apple is matured to a sweet Temperature 4. We find This gives continual opposition and interruption to the piercing Astringency by its own bitter harshness and such fire as is in a Stone and by the penetrating violence is excited and so is a cause of life The outward instrument is Mercury in conjunction with Jupiter CHAP. V. Demonstrations of the third fountain Spirit the Anguish 1. THis is like and no more but like a dying Astringent Torment like that of dying Creatures which our Senses often tast some forerunings of So as the second is a cause of Life This is a cause of Sense feeling perceiving and consequently of the Mind and Senses in all subjects which the Separator hath fitted and exalted thereunto as Angels and Men and in some degree in inferior sensitive Creatures 2. We find there is something that lifteth up the mind to Great Joy even to the excess of gladness This cannot be the first for That depresseth nor the second for That only enliveneth it is therefore This for This is an Elevator to the highest joy and triumph helping on to excess of Laughter 3. We may find it not only in its mean as above but in its extream for in every body wherein it is too much enkindled it is a Raging Poison resulting as well from its own Nature as from the Extremities of the two first Fountains introducing desperation and hellish rage in the Creatures like to the Gall in the body very good in causing and exalting life also a very evil incendiary in disordering the whole frame of Nature The outward instrument of This fountain Spirit is Mars conjunct with Mercury CHAP. VI. Demonstrations of the Spirit producing Heat THe whole Creation is acted by this Spirit as the great Engine of Omnipotence 1. Hence is it that the Celestial fire emitteth its beams to the joy of the Universe so that every leaf and pile of grass hath a tongue to tell it us 2. The Subterranean fire which like the heart in the body of Animals doth officiate in the Work-house of This Ball is applied by the Separator the Father of Nature to generate Metals medicinal Earths efflux of Fountains hot and sanative Baths c. 3. Lastly It is demonstrated by every Man and other living Creature from Youth to giving up the Ghost as also by Vegetables Minerals c. from their dwelling in the
planted a seed or sperm whereon the Holy Ghost brooded and in six days hatcht the generation of the Heavens and Earth with their Hosts Thrones and Royalties Hence were founded the Ant and Elephant the Insects as well as Leviathan And but for this God would have been wholly an unsearchable God nor could any Creature Angel or other have been made 5. We say in things of our little Horoscope the end of Motion is Rest and shall the Originals whence all things exist want a Rest for themselves Must our six days toil end in one of rest and shall these supream Agents reach no Sabbath wherein to triumph in with and for the delight of the Lord of the Sabbath This seventh Spirit is therefore the quiet receptacle of them all 6. Out of which according to the harmony of the Divine Unity they never for one moment can possibly depart And over the Threshold of which according to the separate Property whereby they are rent from the glorious Unity they never put a foot or can for ever enter 7. Will therefore the Human Off-spring whose departure is as written by the Sun Beams reunite and do its first works those whereunto he was created and the pure works of the second Adam whereunto he was regenerated 8. Be it said forasmuch as by his departure he is so far degenerated that his Soul by a willing captivity is under the rage of the first four Spirits from whom the light is withdrawn His Spirit that was a meek divine Ruler hath lost its dominion to so great a degree of fierceness that the Astral rule all His Body which was formed out of the one pure Element out of which Element came also the four and to have been a perpetual figure of the holy third Principle as his Soul and Spirit were of the first and second And which body of his should have eaten Paradisical food is now a captive under the four Elements in so great rigour and vileness that Nature shames at its Beastiality till thus it travels thro' sorrow pain and shame to the dust But the Soul and Spirit may here be baptized and regenerated 9. And because the fruit cannot be brought back to the Tree but the Apple must first perish and the seed in it first die as doth the grain of Corn before it increase therefore the Soul and Spirit must also die the mystical death that is to its strange will to secure them against the second death or before they are capable of the first Resurrection 10. From the same ground is it that the Body also must die and lose its new gotten bestial Image before it can put on immortality and the Image of the heavenly whereunto Jesus came to conduct it 11. But we may know these things are not the work of faint wishes but call for striving watching praying fighting contending running working searching knocking that fruit may be produced by patience for Heaven may not be ascended by earthy wings therefore let the Earth beware of resisting when Heaven stoops descends and enters it 12. To subject mad Mankind to this its only good the gracious Jehovah on Adams departure left his Soul should be a Devil his Body a Beast and the Woman generate a Race of Monsters in the out-birth and of totally proud hellish spirits in the inward reimplanted the Word of Eternal Life as a seed or as a light shining in a dark place to which they only do well who take heed so as to obey such shall by the Divine Guide lose their All and be as a Fool or Child as to self-wisdom but proceeding that way under the Cross possess all things 13. For as there is no salvation in any other so is there no other way of entring there into The six names of the Tribes on Mount Gerizim to bless represent the six active Fountain Spirits according to the second principle and Gerizim the seventh or heavenly body where they rest And the other six on Mount Gebal to curse exhibit the same six Fountains according to the first principle or dark world The seven Pillars on which Wisdom built her house points out the seven Foundation Spirits The six Steps to Solomons Throne hath the same signification and the Throne it self the seventh whither they led and ascended was the Sabbath or Rest. So the seven Seals seven Trumpets and seven Vials signifie the same seven Fountains yet all hidden and according to the Darkness where neither can the Book be read till first the Seals be gradually opened the mind and voice of the Trumpets be distinguished till they be orderly sounded nor the things contained in the Vials discerned till severally effused by the Lamb and his successive Angels But the seven Golden Candlesticks are the seven according to the second Principle or Light-World seen all manifestly at once The same also are the seven Stars at once giving their splendor Again we read there were seven Lamps of fire burning before the Throne which the Text saith are the seven Spirits of God We find and 't is observable the Revelation gives the Vision treble to each viz. To the dark impression by Seals Trumpets and Vials To the Light impression by Candlesticks Stars and Lamps So the seven lean Kine and blasted Ears signifies what we have the seven Properties The seven fat and good what God made the seven Properties to be CHAP. X. Of the Three Principles of the Divine Essence 1. BY a Principle is meant a chief beginning power a self-subsisting Life an original root foundation or in some sense a mystery or genus whence other Spirits Bodies Species or things originate as from a Supream Power And thus is God the only one Principle 2. And this one Principle is also three Eternal Births or Principles ever without ceasing begetting being begotten and proceeding by in and from each other of which all Worlds are conjunctly or severally an Image but very different according to the inscription stamp figure and degrees they attain or are capable of 3. And tho' the three Principles are by an indissoluble band ever inseparably one in God yet are they distinguishable 4. But in the Creatures in the separate Properties are terribly manifest which tho' Adam was not to have known in himself yet is it what we ought to know 5. God said Let us make Man in our Image after our likeness but saith not so of the other Creatures Man in his first make being most perfectly his figure and off-spring 6. Yet every of the other Creatures the Astral Elementary Vegetative Sensitive and the Dark World do all in their various kinds more or less perfectly represent him for the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made his eternal Power and Godhead And as there are the united three bearing record in Heaven so are here an agreeing three bearing record on Earth viz. Spirit Water and Blood CHAP. XI
improperly may be called an Immortal Death being a Death to the Glorious second Holy light Principle 3. The Soul is taken sometimes for the two first Principles I saw the Souls of them who had been slain c. for here the third Principle was asleep Sometimes it 's taken for the whole Man If thou wilt make thy Soul an Offering for Sin c. The Lord Jesus offered up all the three Principles meant here by his Soul and as was shadow'd by the whole burnt Sacrifice But in this Question Soul is restrained only to the first Principle because other Questions particularly reach the other two The above brief Answer may here suffice because Jacob Behmen so largely resolveth it in the Answer of the first of the Forty Questions of the Soul Q. 40. What is the Immortal Life in Man viz. the Soul and what is the outward Life in him A. 1. The Principle of Man's Immortal Life is what the Answer of the last foregoing Question renders it that is a Life sprung from the wrestling of the first four Forms of the first Principle They generate a strong stern eager sting prickle poison Life or bitter Root which as doth the Gall in living Bodies strikes up or enkindles Life 2. This being rooted in the Eternal Beginning or from the Eternal Abyss of the Father's Property can never find End or limit of Race But Either is according to the Fountain and Essence of its own Nature dark raging and fierce for ever or in the Holy Principle of Love in the Light World happy for ever 3. It must now be told what the outward Life of this World in Man is and must be sadly acknowledged to be Earthy and Sensual here is the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and Pride of Life So that it may be said Shut the â—ive Windows that our House may be truly Light within 4. The Beasts live as Man doth having all the five Senses as he in some of them more sharp also some of them extend the Thread of their time to greater Measure are generally more exempt from Sickness wholly Privileged from careful Perturbations in good Measure without fear of future Events or Sorrow c. 5. So that Mans outward Life or third Principle as now it is from first to last renders him of all Creatures the most Miserable And his restless striving to satiate the Lusts of this Worlds Spirit by Wealth Greatness c. is an additional Sorrow and Vexation which some of the Ancients skilfully mitigated by wise Moderation and Contentation 6. Who sees not how much more grievous this Pilgrimage and Travel is to Man than to any other Creature Because his Creator made him for the Excellent Holy Sweet Paradisical Life Even as Hell is most intolerable to Evil Angels and lost Men who were created to be Inhabitants of Heaven whereas it is no Wo to those horrible Creatures that figure the fierceness of the Properties for that is their Life 7. Yet it is true the poor Brute Animals groan under the Curse Man subjected them to for they should have been harmless Figures of the Astral and Elementary Powers 8. To conclude the Answer of this Question let it be seriously considered That if Man will think to feed his Immortal Principle with Mortal Food viz. his Soul with this third Principle he doth as a cruel Murtheress who to still her unhappy Nurse-Child instead of Food amuses its Eyes with Objects and its Ears with Sounds and answers its hungry Laments with louder Noises till she hath forced it to sleep who so pines and destroys it 9. But the Love of God in Jesus Christ is the true real Food of the Soul it is true not like Shews and Sounds which are delusive also real and substantial not a Shadow which every thing here else is as to the Soul This Love as Food generateth its like in the Soul and strengthensit This Love as Physick Purgeth out all other Love and it reigneth and remaineth for ever Q. 41. What is the Idea or exact express reflex Image of God in Man wherein God worketh and dwelleth A. If a Volume were written to Answer this Question as well might be by reason of the Excellency and Importance of the Subject yet still it would be as under Locks and Seals from the fallen Adam until he enter into the Knowledge at the right Door of that he lost by his Fall 1. The Doctrine of the Resurrection was call'd Babling by the studious Athenians for Man is dead to the Holy Divine Image and in all who so abide the outward Astral Spirit and Elementary Body is the only Bridle of Suspension and Mitigation of the hellish Image or dark Principle 2. But had Man no more he were in no better state than the brute Beasts for in the Astral and Elementary they are in common with Man and in the dark Principle he is one with the Evil Angels 3. Yet so exceeding Great and Adorable was God's Grace Love and Pity that the same Grace was like a Seed inspoken into him at the Fall which in all by whom Obedience is yielded beareth Fruit to Eternal Life but it lyes as Dead in such who bury it under the Dominion of the Astral Spirit or that choak it under the Thorns of the Elementary Body 4. And all Impenitent Rejecters of God's regenerating Grace how subtle and studiously penetrating soever have no part nor lot in this Matter but are absolute Strangers guided by an unreasonable Model of Humane Reason resulting from the Information of the Sences twisted with the Maxims of Serpentine Wisdom 5. Nevertheless the Poor in Spirit that dyeth to its own Will and Lusts hath lively Characters of the Idea of the Divine Image and Birth for such a dying enters the Soul into the first Resurrection 6. God's Image is not in the Earthquakes of the first Principle nor in the Lightning and Thunders of the third Principle but most nearly in the small still voice of the Proclaiming his Gracious Merciful Long suffering Name for that is the second Holy Principle 7. And this speaking Almighty Word cannot be more than stammer'd by words no more than Omnipotence can be comprehended by Concrets With what Eye can a Sinner behold the unexpressible loveliness of That ravishing Face where dwells That Majesty which is the Express Image of the Father and before whom the Angels cover their Faces I must say when a drop of that Ocean of Love and Mercy blesseth my Soul I melt I stammer I am astonished Lord what is Man 8. God's exact Image consisteth of all the three Principles The first and third in perfect Order being thorowly illustrated by the second The mighty longing of the first like a Hunger produceth or begetteth the meek Will and glorious Majestick Principle of Light according to which God is called God And of the longing and will proceedeth the desiring which is a Love-spirit producing Millions and Miriads to Infinity of Variety
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
doing what it would is not from its Wisdom but the Heavens Contra conjunctions 4. But if it be restrain'd from Sin that is not by the Aâ—tral Aspects but by the Regeneration whose strife cannot yet swallow up the earthy but the fire is sometimes blown up again 5. So great is our Misery Let none be secure for sometimes the whole Man running to Evil loseth the Pearl 6. The Soul is bound with two Chains the one is the root of its original Poison and Anger remediable only by him who is Love it self the other that of the Flesh and Blood and Region of the Stars therefore God assumed a Human Soul from ours and a new heavenly Body like to our glorious Body before the Fall and not only to cloath the Soul with it but really Unite it in the Essences and so became a Creature in all the three Principles And by separating the third passed thence by Death as a flower out of the Earth captivating Death by treading on the Head of it in the new Body 7. So by kindling the Love in the Soul captivateth the Devil in the Eternal Prison of Anger for in the Light is the Holy Trinity which the Devil neither can nor dare behold so saith Paul O Death where is thy Sting O Hell where is thy Victory 8. The causes why Christ must not only die but in so many sorts suffer are as follow Man's Fall made all the Essences of the first four Forms predominant so that had not the Eternal Word given it self into the Centre of the fifth Form opening another Centre of Love the Soul in this Body had been captive in an Eternal Prison 9. And when in Jesus Christ the fourth Form came to be broken all the Forms stirred and environ'd him and in him us with Death which made the bloody Sweat and the outward Man cry Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me 10. And as Adam by going out of the fifth Form viz. the Angelical into the fourth became the scorn of the Devils so the Pharisees who lived in the Spirit of this World must have their pleasure on Christ for a terrible Example That what we fill our Souls with becomes a substance in the figure and must come under the Judgment of God 11. And as Adam would in his Pride be like God and wear this Worlds Crown Christ must in this World be crown'd with Thorns as a false King of or in it 12. And as after Adam's entring into the Spirit of this World he had a Rib broken from his Side for a Wife so did Blood by scourging flow from Christ's Body and his blessed Side pierced and opened 13. And as Adam departed out of the Eternal Day into the Eternal Night so was Christ bound in the dark Night and carried before the angry Murtherers 14. And as Adam chang'd his Angelical for this gross Body so was Christ loaden with the heavy wooden Cross. 15. And as upon Adam's Disobedience the fierce wrathful Essences pierced him so must Christ be pierced in his Hands Feet by sharp Nails fixing him to his Cross. 16. And as when Adam's Soul entred the fourth Form the Cross-birth was stirred so hath the Man on his Brain the one half of the Cross and the Woman the other 17. And as Adam then hung between the Kingdom of Hell and this World so did Christ between the two Malefactors the one whereof was forgiven entring with Christ into Paradise 18. The great Secret The Love of God or the second Principle became Man taking the Human Soul which was out of the first viz. the Anger and Body out of the third viz. the Our-birth so there hung on the Cross all the three Principles then commending his Spirit to his Father he bowed the head and departed 19. His Father is all the Kingdom Power and Glory So the Love is his Heart and Light His Anger is his strength and darkness the Father took the Soul into the Trinity and in the Soul the loâ—t Paradise sprung up 20. And by the rising of another â—un in Death viz. in the Father's Anger the outward Sun which was generated out of the pure Element the Body of Christ loâ—t its Light 21. And at the Holy Lifes going into Death the Rocks rent And those who had put their trust in the Messiah as Patriarchs Prophets c. when Christ's Mortal had put on Immortality got their new Bodies out of Christ's Holy Body and Vertue 22. Of Christs rest in the Grave That the Soul of Christ leaving his Body in the Grave descended into Hell a great way off and there chaineâ— the Devils is nothing so For all the three Principles hung on the cross why not also reâ—â—ed in the Grave with the Body forty Hours for the Heavenly Body was not Dead but the Earthy only His Soul came with the Light into the Anger causing 〈…〉 radise to revive which made the Devils tremble and captivated them for the Light is their terror and shame 23. Of Christ's Resurrection There was no need of rolling away the Stone save to strengthen the weak Faith of his Disciples for he comprehended all things 24. He appeared a Creature in our Human Dimensions yet the fulness of the Deity was in him and his Body is the whole Princely Throne of the whole Principle without end or limit 25. As our inward Body is unlimited in the Resurrection in the Body of Christ yet visible and palpable in Heavenly Flesh and Blood and so can in the Heavenly Figure be great or little without hurt or want there being no need of compressing the Parts of that Body 26. Vain is the Contention about the Sacrament for Christ's Heavenly Flesh and Blood is really received by the Faithful and it is as great as Heaven 27. The Forty days before his Ascension of the Proba or Tryal was such a life as Adam should have liv'd having all the Principles except the four Elementary ones He shew'd himself without outward Glory did eat yet all Heavenly and Paradisical in the Mouth not into the Body and entred the Doors being shut 28. So should Adam have liv'd in and above the World above the Stars and Elements in Meekness and Divine Love without Death and Frailty 29. To this state we make some approaches when in Obedience to Christ's Laws we do Good for Evil and overcome the World by being Dead to it 30. Of Christ's Ascension Christ ascended in sight of many to shew he is our Brother Will you ask whither ascended he Into his Throne the right Hand of God that is where Love quencheth Anger and generateth Paradise in the whole Father 31. But the place of this World according to the Heavenly Principle is the Throne and Body of Christ also all the third Principle is his 32. And the Devil who dwelleth in the place of this World in the first Principle is our Christ's Captive for the Father is the band of Eternity but his Love
its first sude boiling or vegetation CHAP. IV. The Birth of the Stars c. 1. THere are seven Forms in Nature which yet principally consist in three viz. Astringency Compunction and Anguish according to which there are seven Planets and no more and seven Metals fixt The Temporal Spirits hunger gaineth a Temporal Body and the Eternal Spirits hunger an Eternal Body both in each other but distinct as Time and Eternity 2. In Saturns Property the Lubet makes Lead and according to the Water Salt according to Saturns mortal Property Earth Stones c. according to the Liberty in Saturn Gold which he keeps shut up See verse the 27th to the 34th 3. There is in Man 1. The Divine Golden Man 2. The inward holy Body from Fire and Light like pure Silver if not corrupted 3. The Elemental Man like Jupiter 4. The Mercurial growing Paradisical Man 5. The Martial Soul-like Man 6. The Venerine according to the outward desire 7. The Solar a seer of the Wonders of God 4. Mercury in the internal was as the Word by which God created 5. Mars his impression is Anguish causing the Love-will to separate from him which is called God but the Anguish is God's Anger or Wrath of the Eternal Nature 6. Venus Metal is Copper receiving its toughness from Saturn its redness from Mars tho' Mars his Metal be Iron But Sol may tincture Mars and Venus into Gold for Venus longeth after Sol her Mother her Joy whence she hath a peculiar smiling twinkling Aspect 7. The Sun is a figure in the outward World of the heart of God each thing longeth after the Sun in Sulphur being the universal Tincture and what the first desire with Saturns impression makes evil the Sun restores to be good causing a pleasant temperature blooming and growing in all Creatures CHAP. V. Of the Sulphurian Death and how the Body is revived c. 1. MAN was created good according to and out of the three Worlds But the inward Lubet generated in the Centre viz. the fire wherein stands the Life by Lust enkindled the Divine Meekness wherein Joy consisteth turning from Eternal Liberty to Time from the one pure Element into the four Elements 2. Then did the Precious Gold of Heavenly Corporality which tinctur'd the outward Body disappear then also the dominion of Time destroyed its own contrived Spirit and so the Body passed away and died 3. The only Remedy is that Gods Love Desire Essentiality and Divine Water enter again into and quench the Souls Wrath-Fire For Mans Salvation consists in his full unfeigned desire after God so riseth the Meekness and Love tinctureth Death and Darkness in the four Elements and sever from the New Man who and the Heavenly Body remaineth only in it self So is it done in the transmutation of Metals See Verse the 12th and to the End of the Chapter De â—apide Philosophorum CHAP. VI. Of the generating Difference and Vegetation caus'd by Water and Oyl 1. ALL life and growth consist in the Lubet and the Desire The Lubet is out of the Liberty so God hath the free Lubet needeth nothing Himself as far as he is called God is all But the Desire is a hunger stirring up the Lubet to manifestation so the Lubet is the hungers Food and Essence 2. The free Lubet or Essence giveth an Oâ—â— and the Desire giveth a life to the Oyl The Oyl is a Light the Desire giveth the Fires Property so that it shineth In the Desire ariseth the Natural Spirit in the Lubet the Supernatural which yet is belonging to Nature not spontaneously but from its meek resignation to the Desires Property 3. But a twofold Property ariseth out of one Spirit thus a fiery according to the Property of the Desire and a joyful lucid according to the Liberty 4. The fiery giveth in its water Essence a sharpness or saltness and from the flery in its anguish Brimstorâ—e whence are Stones Earth and Meâ—als 5. The Oleous Property gives Meekness viz. Vegetation what the raging Mercury spoils the Lubet of the Love-oyl heals thus Good and Evil are in each Life the Evil comes when the Hunger Spirit too much impresseth its own Form To that it cannot receive the free Lubet to appeaâ—e its Hunger Whereas Nature's Property should be sincerely inclined to God's Love Eâ—s that it become not a dark raging poisonful Hunger but a Love desire which is called God's Nature for the hungry fiery desire is God's Anger in the outward 't is Fire but in the inward where it doth energize in the free Lubet it is the Divine Desire whence joyfulness proceedeth 6. All sharpness of taste is Salt all smell proceeds of Sulphur and Mercury distinguisheth all Motion in â—ast smell and power 7. In the strongest poisonful Mercury lyes the highest Tincture but not in its own Property but in an Oyl from the Light which is its Food If this be sever'd from him it is a mighty potent inkindler a lifter up of all sick â—ainting weak obscured lives for in this Oyl is the joyful Life a hunger after Life So in a Toad Viper Addeâ— â— lyes the highest Tincture if the oily Substance be reduced from the wrath of Mercury CHAP. VII How Adam and Lucifer were Corrupted through Imagination c. 1. VVHEN Adam was Created the Light of his Life shone in the pure Oyl of Divine Essentiality but by his Fall Mortal Water pene 〈…〉 so that his Mercury became a cold Poison which was before an Exaâ—â—aâ—ion 〈…〉 ss So came darkness into his Oyl and he died to the Divine Light 〈…〉 thereto by the Property of the Serpent for in the Serpent the wrath 〈…〉 and outward also was manifeâ—t whose subtilty Eve desired 2. Fo◠〈◊〉 much as the Serpent is not out of the Eternal Ground 〈◊〉 Angels and the Souls of Men but out of the Beginning where Fire and Light sever Eve should not have gone with her desire out of Eternity into time and be a Selfist but with a desire resign'd to God to the quiet still meek Liberty for each Hunger maketh it self an Essence according to the Property of the Hunger 3. The Devil went with his desire into himself into the Property of the Centre forsook the Eternal Lubet of Love and became a Poisonful Mercury or as an anxious Fire as Wood burnt to a Coal a dark glowing without Oyl or Water in it whence springeth a stinging Envy in his Lifes Forms where one Form hates the other in his aspiring Pride Out of the strife of which Properties when God said Let all sorts of Beasts come forth each according to his Kind or Property then came out of the divided Evil Properties Vipers Serpents Toads c. Not that the Devil made them but that there where God and the World sever the inward Wrath according to which God is called a Consuming Fire manifested it self in External figures of the inward wrath Kingdom 4. And because Adam died to God and lived
more or less such are sick of Sacred Love so more or less feel they this And the more we die to our immoderate Lusts after the Dominion of the whole third Principle the more doth this Principle evidence it self in us And in such proportion as we enlighten our first Principle or Souls Original standing in the first four forms of Nature proceeding by Divine Power to enâ—indle the true Light in them in the same measure is our Root transplanted to grow in this Paradisical Field or Principle 7 Demonstration But we are to know by way of Explanation This to be a passing into Death and thro Death into Life of which the Holy Scripture is plentiful Nor may even Plato's description of Love be counted discordant to this who defines Love â—o be one 's dying to his own Body and living to the Body beloved 8. For the living to the Divine Light and Love of the second Principle which is the property of the Son of God is a dying to us and ours that is to our whole depraved Image much like as the Day is the Death of the Night 9 Demonstration The second Principle is shewed by the Sacrifices which were consumed by the Holy Fire whereby they died to their first Form and lived to a new one that is were transmuted into the holy Flame 10. And as what part of the Sacrifice would not enkindle into the holy Flame figuring This Principle fell to Ashes as into the perishing third Principle Even so see we much of the Regenerate Man stay below and be uncapable of the New Image but be as Ashes 11. Now we see that Ashes may be heated but Flame not Such is the Earthy Man and Sensual part yet we see after the procedure of a second work Men do transmute common Ashes into a Lucid and Transparent Body 12. So may our vile Bodies by the procedure of the second work the Resurrection be translated into a clarified Christalline Temple for our immense glorified Souls and they both be the Hallowed Habitation of our resigned humble divinely irradiated Spirits 13. And our illustrated Ashes glorified Souls and meek human Spirits being first clothed with the Robe of Christ's Righteousness and heavenly Humanity the Virgin of God's Wisdom will be both suitable guests for the New Jerusalem as a Bride adorned for her Husband and also be Eternal Temples for the Holy Ghost 14. Thus hath been given a glimpse what the second Principle is in it self and what its Operations are in us as to our first Principle It now rests to search what it is in the third Principle in us and in the whole Creation 15. In us it is our Principle of Divine Understanding directing to know our Creator the End of our Creation and wherein â—ies our true good The Eye thus enlightned informs the Affections that from the Reason offered they should 16. On the Principles of Justice pay the Debt we owe for our Being and the Means wrought for our Restauration to Well-being and of ingenuity willingly and thankfully to adore him as the only Fountain of Good and to esteem every thing in that degree as they partake of that Fulness to figure and resemble him 17. And on the Principles of Self interest to prevent eternal loss or be eternal gainers as our choice or rejecting shall render us capable or otherwise 18. These Notions and Beams of Light when the Understanding receiveth from the second Principle it offereth to the Judgment to consider of 19. The Judgment hath the Senses to consult who are grown so dim-sighted having from their youth been habituated to the Good or Evil of the third Principle that they cannot see beyond it but judge as the Beasts do of Pleasure or Pain nor can they see the least cause to deny themselves of any one thing they lust after whereof if denied they allarm the Passions which have their Root in the first Principle 20. The Passions are as furious violent impetuous Storms which often obscure and impose on the Eye of the Mind and sometimes immerse the Ship of the whole Man setting on fire and extremity the whole frame of Nature so that the Judgment wants power to get the Will right 21. Here the New Man as Child of the holy second Principle hath need enough to pray always fervently to knock wait use much abstinence with highest diligence to watch to stand on its guard to use much violence and severity and that often to fight the faithful Combate till he kill the Murtherers to die from day to day thereby to be pluckt as a brand out of the fire He shall find great necessity of help from Heaven to bind the Strong Man 22. But most especially in some persons whose originals having been strongly rooted in the first four Forms of the first Principle conveyed by Generation and perhaps also reinforced by their Constellation so that they have much of the Serpent in them In such Souls the work of Resignation to the Divine Conduct goes very hardly slowly sadly on with many recoils notable resistance and reluctance that they resemble the Child possessed with that kind that goeth not out but by prayer and fasting 23. Others having so deep Root their Wills being lapsed and wedded to the third Principle either having so great possessions as seem rather to be possessed with them than to possess them or having long enjoyment their Evils plead Prescription and Custom Some by their Constitution incline to delicacy or by their Constellation and Complexion to airiness many such find the Cross too heavy do look back the Pearl in their Account is too dear 24. Others Good Intentions are covered with so much rubbish that they will not be at the pains of removing it for indulgence to their ease and perhaps ensnaring reputation with men foils and pinions them Many of the above strive to enter but are never able therefore withdraw from the Yoke their Goodness is only as the morning dew 25. But the Judgment rightly informed sees all things as they are things present as if past things to come as if present it sees the Out-birth brave with a borrowed Goodness only entrusted to it to shadow the Grace and Glory of the true Fountain of Goodness It sees the World on fire the Heavens rolled up the Lord sitting on his Judgment-Throne sees the triumphs of the humble and tremblings of the proud 26. As for things visible the Glory of the visible Heavens figuring that of the true Heavens the Earth that of the Divine Salitter 'T is true in this dead Earth the surviving relicks of Good strive to produce perfect Bodies of several kinds but the Curse hindereth It would have Paradice bud and bear fruit holy and pure productions every where but it cannot for Death is entred at the door opened by the first Adam 27. Had indeed Life been received as offered by the second Adam Paradice might well have blossomed in the Out-birth and his Kingdom have come with
Heathen have all of Them the Gospel more or less obscurely Preached in them For as they without the Written Law do the things contained in the Law so do they without the Written Gospel partake of the Mercy published by the Gospel 13. That is being conscious to themselves of their Faults yet find by the Smiles of the Heavens in the Fruitful Seasons and in the suitable Productions of the Earth that they receive Good for Evil which is the Vertue of the second Principle or Gospel written on the whole Creation Notwithstanding all which if they harden their Hearts they become Sinners against Law and Gospel the Law written in their Hearts and the Gospel shining in the Light of their Understandings so conspicuously that tho' some of Them Laughed at the news of the Resurrection we hear Them serious at the tâ—dings of the Judgment to come having every one of Them a Self-condemning Judge in his bosom 14. Love is strong as Death but This Love is much stronger only Sin and finally Impenitent Men Hell and Devils judge themselves unworthy of it But This hath knockt at the Door of every Sinners Heart and cryes How long ye simple Ones will ye Love Folly and Scorning and Hate your own Mercies 15. Abel and Seth had the Hearing Ear in that Line it most eminently descended by a continued Succession thro' all Generations yet sometimes thro' very dirty Channels for tho' all were such till This Seed took Root in some and bare Paradisical Fruit and made them fit for the Masters Table yet some were much more foul than others 2. He enters into Foul Hearts tho' himself be so High born and Purity it self that passing into Foul places cannot be defiled but as a Refiners Fire not comprehended by the Dross which yet it purgeth away A work only possible to Omnipotence A few Considerations of that which shall be the Wonder of Eternity follow CHAP. XXI Of the Incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. IT ought Attentively to be pondered that when the Fulness of Time or Limit of the Covenant was come Jesus took Man's whole Nature of the Virgin Mary but inasmuch as she was the Daughter of Joachim and Anna and of Eve she could not be totally a Virgin of Purity Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one 2. That Jesus Christ neither came into a Clean Vessel nor took a Pure Nature on Him but made the Vessel Clean and the Polluted Nature to become Pure The misunderstanding of which caused the Colliâ—idiani to render to the Virgin Mary Divine Worship 3. We must know that when our Redeemer took our Nature on him He took it out of all the Virgin Mary's Essences as well those of her Soul given her out of the first Principle and those of her Spirit given her out of the second as those of her Body out of the third Principle All which Soul Body and Spirit were propagated by her immediate Parents Joachim and Anna. 4. We are to know the Lord destroyed not Those Essences for He came not to destroy but took them as they were And by the Divine New Man which He brought with Him and which Himself was Refined and Sanctified them in them to work Their and Our Eternal Salvation 5. We cannot say there was no Evil in the Root of the Essences He took from the Virgin Mary as was mentioned above But his Divine Conception Exempting Him from any the least Impression Stain or Spot did illustrate and clarifie them As Fire doth Iron the Tincture doth Metals or the Sun Transmutes the Harsh Sour and Ill Properties of Fruits 6. We are not to doubt whether the Lord took a Human Soul from the Virgin or no about which many have erred for how else had the Essences of Our poor Captivated Souls been rescued had not the second Adam as truly assumed a Human Soul as that whereof the first Adam consisted It was Our Souls that had Sin and Death and were to be Redeemed so Our Gracious Lord made His Soul which was also a True Human Soul the Offering for Sin 7. Nor need we fear that the Lord took not Our Mortal Flesh and Blood on Him but brought Heavenly Flesh in His Conception and only Heavenly Flesh for He took also Our True Body of Flesh and Blood on Him from the Virgin Mary He took our Weak Infirm Body subjected to Passions of Hunger Sleep c. wherein lay Wrath and the Curse all which He bare with the Sufferings incident thereunto as Temptations Scourgings Reproaches Piercings Crucifying Anguish Death Burial And raised the Self-same Body which gives us assurance of our Resurrection and opens a Door for the Body though now Mortal to partake with the Soul Eternal Life 8. We are to know that our new Bodies will be the same very true real Bodies we now have and not other Bodies though not consisting of Accidents not palpable yet substantial as is manifest by what follows 9. The Mutations in Nature are no destruction of Bodies as a Grain of Wheat being sown passeth several Mutations yet is still the same For whereas at first it dies it is only by the Separator resolved into the divers Kinds of its own Composition that it may be capable of Commixture and Unite assimilated Bodies to it and so Collect encrease of Mâ—ter which it admits in no greater Proportion than to be the Father and Mother of all it self and augment and multiply it self by yet still is Wheat though hath the Increase of Quantity of many Grains of Wheat as an Oak is but an Accorn improved 10. Nature in orderly Motion goes forward and will not return into its Mystery by the Steps it went out till it hath compleated its Circulation You may as well return the Sun Eastward over us as make a Fruit become a Tree but in its orderly Motion first into a Fruit and Seed then is the new one the old renewed rather than another So is the new Body though Glorious not existent but by the dying of the old 11. As Adam's Fall made him not another Man but was still the Self-same in another a Monstrous Image as we also are deformed by that direful Fall So the Lord Jesus raising up his own Dead Body and cloathing it with Glory and Immortality and thereby giving us a Resurrection to be like him doth not make us to be other Men than now we are with loss of our Monstrosity and Access and recovery of the Glory we were created in and is by Him graciously purchased for us 12. We are to know That the Lord Jesus Christ when he assumed Flesh and Blood in the Virgins Womb was then not only there but then also sate and reigned in the whole infinite Abyss of the Father 13. We are also to know That after the Divine Nature or Infinite Godhead of Jesus Christ had assumed the Humane Nature He remained the self-same unmixed
Aâ—tral World 12. When Man makes these idolatrously the object of his Love Hope Delight and Confidence as the rich Man in the Gospel did which should be used only as a Picture or Glass through which to Contemplate by Divine Skill the Eternal Powers represented by them He catcheth at a Shadow worships the Ass on which he was to Ride 13. It is evident his thus Living to his third Principle was his and is our Dying to and Loss of the second Principle and 't is as clear the Dying to the Third that is only giving it leave to hang to us as an old loose Garment or looking through it as through a Cloud or Medium on the Sun or regarding it as a Letter much blotted for the Esteem we bear to the Hand whence it came or as a much faded imperfect Portraicture of an Absent Friend or as a Perspective-Glass Thus only to use it is rightly to Live to it which is really to Die to it and so to Die to it is really to Live to the second Principle and to reunite to the Eternal Chast Holy Modest pure Virgin which disappeared on Adam's disobedient Lusting for the Lusting awakeneth the Knowledge of Evil and Good which the Virgin abhorreth and left Man should be quite stranged 14. Therefore to Extricate us of this miserable Toil came the Son of the Virgin whose Doctrine teacheth us That it is a greater Blessedness to give than to receive for that the Holy Light World consisting in the Might and Vertue of the second Principle cannot be supported and receive Nourishment from the divided Properties of the third which consisteth of Transitory mutable Powers because what is of Good in those outflown Powers is the free Gift out of the Abyss of the true and greatest Blessedness the second Principle 15. All therefore who Die not to the Lesser cannot Live to the Greater Blessedness if we Die not to all things but Christ we are unworthy of Him Whatever is divided from Him is Dead for He only is Life and God is called God according to His infinite Abyss of Light Love Life Goodness and second Principle for according to the first is a consuming Fire 16. Man living to the Cheating Pleasure of the third Principle is Dead as the Widow is said to be who liveth in Pleasure We startle at being Adulterers Idolaters c. yet so we are while we Live that is till we Die with Christ. Till we pass through Death that is truly and really Die to the Wrath fierâ—eness and Dark Anguish of the first Principle the Root of the Soul as to the Father's Property And until we Die to the Deceitful Volatil Bewitching Pampering Lust of the third Principle whereinto Man's outward Body like those of the Beasts is fallen wherein also lodgeth the Curse till This be we are Dead as to God But being indeed mortified to both these we arâ— in the same degree raised again to live the Life of Jesus Christ a Life of Love Humility Patience chearful Submission and Obedience as our Progress to the Death of both these extends and ascends or amounts unto 17. For the Death to these two Principles as to their Prevalence is such an emptying us of our selves as enables without Reluctance to Pray the Lord to exercise his whole Will in us and on us regarding in nothing its Greatness or Contemptibleness its Sweetness or Bitterness its Gratefulness or grating Temper but only esteeming every thing without Reflection or Sticking ever equally acceptable that the Divine Will shall direct and allot us to do or submit to 18. And this Life of Sacrifice hath a thankful Reverence in it and is as whole as the Burnt ones were without the least reserve This Life is no longer ours for we are first Dead But is the Life of Christ the meek Child like Life taught us by the Cross of Christ the Footsteps of the Lord are plain and conspicuous in this good Path. 19. It is both in Word and in Power but neither is the Word or Power ours but 't is the Holy Word and Power whence Adam departed as the fallen Angels had done before and in which Word and Power the Blessed Angels converse and are Established In which Adam might have lived Gloriously without knowing the Cross as do the Angels 20. But the restored Image grows not but under the Cross Thus did Abel under the Hate of Cain Enoch and Noab under the Pressures of the highly wicked old World Lot under the filthy Sodomites And infinitely above all thus did our Almighty Saviour whom if we will follow it must be in Deepest Humility bearing his Cross which must be also ours divesting our selves of all Self-pleasing and whatsoever fallen Man calls and thinks to be his for this is the Holy Soul's weaning time when as Heirs of the Faith of Abraham they also keep a great Feast as he did at weaning Isaac 21. This Feast is a real feeding on the Heavenly Flesh and Blood of Christ a Drinking of the Water that becomes a Spring of Water in us to Eternal Life It is a Life hid with Christ in God a walking with God and a putting on the Lord Jesus Christ the Marriage Supper and Wedding Garment a Peace passing the understanding of all except the Children who are regenerated and to them only known in such measure ordinarily as they have made Progress in Mortification and so grow in the new pure Image of God restored us by Jesus Christ. 22. For a close let all be warn'd not to contemn if they understand not some things and so judge themselves unworthy of this Childrens Bread The Reason why so few understand the Holy Scriptures which yet many often read is because few give up their Wills to Obey and Regeneration is the Necessary Qualification to attain true Wisdom Hence is it that from a Corrupt Mind though refinedly Penetrating the Writings of the Blessed Jacob Behmen are Seal'd up and as if Dumb from such were the very Sermons of the Lord himself who so spake as never Man spake hidden And none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand Here endeth the Considerations c. The 177 Theosophick Questions of the blessed Jacob Behmen divide themselves into Ten grand Distributions or Kinds being of so many various Aspects viz. THE first four Questions are most immediately concerning God in his Infinite Abyss The ten following concern Angels good and bad from the fifth Inclusive to the fifteenth Exclusive The 23 next succeeding are of the Creation in general ranged into three distinct Eminencies deduced from the 3 Principles making in all 37. viz. 1. That out of the first Principle or dark Abyss in the 15th 16th and 17th Questions 2. That out of the second Principle the Angelical holy World in the 18th and 19th Questions 3. That out of the third Principle the Visible Creation and contrariety in it from the 20th Question inclusive to the 38 exclusive The one and forty
keepeth its Light to its self or as Fire blazeth through Iron yet is not Iron So clear must be the Will which God's Unity is to possess till the Will be thus the Dragon existeth in it 4. Thus may Love and Anger be so unsevered as to be One only thing as Fire and Light The Power of the Anger caus'd the Fire Kingdom to form it self into a Den of Dragons which God permitted that he might not further disturb the Creation Q. 12. How can Man possibly know the Deep Unity A. 1. Reason imagineth God consulted with Himself about the Predestination But the out-flowing Names of the Powers is the Councel of God The wonder-doing Word it self in the Figures or Reflections of the Holy Names which Figures are call'd the Idea 2. The Eternal Nature imageth it self according to the Forms to Fire as hard sharp fierce c. in the No or Anger yet illustrated by the Yea or Light and they wrestle as a Love sport which brings the Imaging into Triumph and overcometh the Dragon 3. In This Strife Jesus sunk himself into the Humanity Redeeming Man and Ruleth till his Enemies be his Footstool 4. To shew the possibility for the Spirit to search the Depth of the Deity Know Man is an Image of God according to Love and Anger First The Soul is of the Eternal Central Fire whence all Creatures come but not out of the Pure God Secondly The Spirit of the Soul out of the Central Fire and Idea of the Light sprung from the Power of God is the Temple of the Holy Ghost in which Christ seedeth the Soul with His Flesh and Blood with Divine and Human Balsam 5. The outward Body is out of the four Elements and Astrum which Rule the Outward Life after which Adam lusted and broke himself from the Unity of God and the Will was captivated the true Spirit disappeared and the Idea inoperative which Right Spirit Jesus in drew again and restor'd with the Balsam of Love in the Light In This Light may the Soul search out all things operatively in the Understanding as did the Prophets of Old tho' incomprehensible to Outward Reason Q. 13. How and whither was the Dragon c. thrust seeing God fills all things c. A. 1. His Thrusting out was Effected by the name of the Holy Powers of the Throne which Lucifer had is severed from God's Holiness dwelleth under the Firmament and in all Quarters of the Earth betwixt Time and Eternity Also in the out-flown fierce Wrath of the four Elements but cannot touch the Good Power of the Elements 2. Tho' there are some Good Powers in which is wholly the Fire of the Light yet in Man is Good and Evil the Evil being captivated by the Good unless by Man's Will or by Turba Magna the Evil exceedeth the Good 3. The Expulsed Dragon is not the Central Fire of the Eternal Nature but an Efflux from it resembling Smoke 〈…〉 Hellish Den presents it self sometimes in the Upper Region where from great Heat and great Cold break Thunderbolts Also in great Wildernesses and in great Clefts and Concaves in the Earth where the Highly Damned Spirits and Souls of Men are horribly terrified But the Sun and Water hold them hidden as yet 4. God is to Hell as a Nothing as Light to Night as Life to Death The great Sharne Reproach Anguish and Torment of the Devil is that he is so near God yet cannot possibly attain him Q. 15. Had Hell a Beginning and may it have an End A. 1. God's Anger hath been from Eternity but not as Anger but as Fire hidden in Wood or a Stone 2. The enkindling was in the Fall of Lucifer And having an Eternal Foundation it can never cease unless the Creation totally be annihilated and that the receptibility of the Eternal Nature should extinguish and the Kingdom of Joy and Triumph cease There must be two Eternal Beginnings one in another the one to manifest the other Thus far the Extracts of the Answers of Jacob Behmen given to the first Thirteenth and part of the Fifteenth Question Here follow orderly the Answers of all such of the 177 Questions of Jacob Behmen which were left as far as yet appears unresolved by the blessed Author himself beginning at the 14th of those Questions Q. 14. What is Lucifer's Office in Hell with his Legions A. 1. What God's working in Hell is will be shewn in the 17 of these Answers as also what and where Hell is What is the Dragon is resolved by the blessed Jacob Behmen in the 11th Answer What the Dominion of Good Angels is will fall under the 19th all which may contribute much to the present Inquiry 2. The Dark World existeth of six of the seven separate Properties because the seventh is the rest of the other therefore not properly to be understood of That World where no Rest shall be for ever for Lucifer and his Angels as they are Creatures tho' revolted and in rebellion against the God of Love and Goodness yet are Subjects in His Kingdom of Wrath and ready Servants to the Active Fierceness thereof For tho' the Principle wherein they are Instruments be without beginning and as it is in God for ever unmanifested yet as it is in the Creatures the Secluded Angels it is a Fire of their own kindling wherein as being their Life they are more or less extreamly active and skilful according as their Tincture rooted in their Forms of Life is more or less fortified and excelling that in others for Puissance and Exquisiteness 3. Consider we that God's working in Hell must needs be in all the seven Properties of the Dark Abyss in the first four whereof the Apostate Angels are like ready Actives having no other Will or have they fitted themselves for any other work or use but to Image the Abyss of the first Principle some of them most strongly bear the Astringent impressed Powers others the restless Constringent Attraction others the Cruel Self-gnawing Worm of Anguish others the Raging Hot Fire that is severally one sort under the prevailing Tyranny of the one others of the other Tho' the whole four unite in every one in the Eternal Band as in some horrid Creatures here the Anguish of Cold Venom is prevalent yet in this Elementary Fabrick there is an allay of some contrary Property in some weak proportion else were the Creatures here as the horrid ones there But thus the Office of the Black Spirits is in all their Forms wholly extream tho' in one only is the Extremity in the highest degree their Natures are capable of as is seen in Diseased Bodies that one of the Humours is predominant 4. From these things is discernable what Lucifer's Office is in Hell which is to be the most copious ample compleat Image of the Jealousie Zeal Indignation Fierce Wrath or Devouring Fire proceeding from the Breath of the Almighty Father And the Will and Life of This Prince the Master piece of
Spirit of the World dispenseth the general universal Sperm according to the Dark Light or Mixt Impressions 6. No otherwise are the Metals their kinds are seven Lead Quick-silver Tin Iron Copper Gold Silver The Tincture of Sol and Venus is yellow and rosie or redish and of the other five either earthy darkish pale or white Thus is the order in precious Stones of them are also seven distributions besides those of Coral and Amber which are Vegetatives and Christal a figure of the pure Water and besides those in Animals Shell-fish c. 7. And of the seven Orders of precious Stones two are of a bright burning Lustre as the two sorts of Metals one and the other of a yellow glory answering to Gold and Copper in Metals They are 1. Black as the Morion 2. Red or Purple as the Ruby and Granat for the Onyx is more pale 3. Green as the Emerald 4. Changeable as the Jasper and Chrisophras 5. Sky-colour as the Saphire and Amethist 6. Yellow as the Jacinth 7. Bright and burning as the Carbuncle Chrisolite and Calcedon 8. The Properties handed by the Astral Influences are so various that Herbs are much exalted others much debased by Evil Constellations But Metals are â—ess casual their Sperm being better fixt or coagulated precious Stones léast of all if at all being in good measure free from the Curse 9. Thus Vegetables are produced by their Sperm in their Properties thro' the Elements according to the several Principles sorted by the distinguishing Stars Metals are Vegetables transplanted passing a second fermentation and sublimation from the Internal as well as the External Fire whose Spirits have a new fixation 10. Precious Stones are Metals transplanted passing a third coagulation they attain the Love Principle in the Light as far as Visibles are capable and are the Triumphs of the Starry Powers in their exalted Perfection yet is of the same Original Sperm with the more inferior part of the Creation Q. 31. How is the Copulation and Conjunction of Female and Male Nature effected whence their Seed and Growth ariseth A. The six first Verses of the Answer of the 27th Question gives great Light to the first part of this for there is shewn the Cause why the desire of Male and Female is to each other And that not in Animals only but in Vegetatives and Minerals leaving only that here be signified how that is effected whence their seed and growth ariseth which may be understood by what follows 1. The Male-power consisteth in the Properties of harsh Astringency bitter Attraction and Fire The Female Power is of the Properties of the â—our part of the Harshness the anxious part of the Bitterness and the Light Spirit Both make up one Indissoluble Band and Immortal Worm having one and the same only Root therefore must incline to each other 2. As part of a growing Tree clave off from the rest yet fast in the same Root bent off inclines of its own Nature up again towards the Trunk whence it was rent and in the Root whereof it is a sharer and lives whereunto being reunited concurs to bear fruit 3. Also as the Fiery Property longs after That of the Liquid whereby Vegetation issueth so longs the Male for the Female Property And being united have One only Will in their various Properties contributing each the Powers by Natural Instinct which they earnestly thirst after to obtain such increase as suits their Magick seeking To which united desire the Astral and Elementary Spirits assist and in a sort intrude themselves wrestling for predominancy 4. In which strife the prevailing power denominates the Sex and the most genuine Ascendant Planets impress the Properties as Supream Agents of the Principles The Elements also entitle themselves to be Nurses and immediate Parents Thus thrives the Seed and in this order under these Laws and by these necessary consequences from real Causes is growth of all the Species in every genus where is Male and Female 5. And by consent of all Powers giving into one all their Wills the food is so concocted and digested that the tartarous part being separated it becomes an assimilating Vapour and That spirated Vapour is enriched with all the Properties in which are generated according to the four Elements the four Complexions as Blood Melancholy Flegm and Choler and of their and the other Properties Nerves Membranes Gristles Bones also Veins Flesh Fat Urine Spittle And from the fierce Earthy Vapour the Gravel and Stone In this sense also may it be said What is your Life it is but a Vapour And from a second force are all the Pores bored so numerous in the Skin thro' which the Hairs excresce and are vapoured Q. 32. What is the Tincture in the Spermatick kind or species whence the Growth and Lustre ariseth A. What the Sperm is not and what it is the Answer of the 29th Question telleth us This Answer only addeth what the Tincture in the Spermatick Nature is producing Growth and Lustre 1. The Tincture is a Potent Will the pleasant House and Propriety of the Soul very pure and subtle of its own Nature yet flexible and mutable for it is Divine in the Holy Principle dark in the fierce Principle and deceitful in the Out-birth As the Air suits it self to every Creature also to all sorts of Pipes yet very differently Thus the Tincture is insinuated into all Intellectual Rational Animal Vegetative Mineral and Infernal Existencies yet hath no Life of its own 2. The same is thus understood The Elementary Essences compose a Body the Astral Spirit adds Life to the Body the Tincture brings Light to the Living Body such Light as the Senses move by 3. Thus far are the meer Animals associates with Man Then to Man is not only all That but their Tincture exceedingly higher to which was also a Soul out of the first Principle and the Virgin of Divine Wisdom having Life in it self and giving Divine Understanding in which respect Man is an associate with the Angels 4. The Tincture is the sweet Odour Beauty and cheering Verture Tast and Vigour found in Vegetatives The Vertue and Lustre in Minerals as far as the Properties assist or at least impede not and transmuteth and sublimeth them It is also the sparkling glory and transparency in precious Stones with the eminent various Excellencies 5. Yet to shew it not to be holy in it self and to have Divine Understanding as is and hath the Virgin it is Evil in the Evil for the Evil Angels have a Tincture tho' a defiled one even as the Air of it self Pure may be made Pestilential and nauseous 6. And seeing the Tincture is so eminently Noble Excellent and Eternal therefore the prophanation and perverting it render Angels and Men obnoxious to the Eternal Vengeance of the Offended Majesty of the Almighty God Q. 33. Out of what are all the Creatures of the Mortal Life sprung forth and created A. 1. The Creatures of the Mortal Life are
the Scales c. They have also Craft Wrath Love every of the Five Senses Invention Providence Memory c. 2. To call them moving Plants is too low but only that it leadeth the Mind to view the Harmony of all the Creatures how they variously some more clearly others more obscurely Image and Shadow every of the three Principles and the seven Properties of the Eternal World 3. Whence they sprung appears by several Answers of the foregoing Questions particularly in that of the 33th 4. And now among the many Glorious Ends of their Creation the following brief hints are some They are at fourth Degree from the Principles and Properties created 1. To Figure the Dark Abyss 2. The Light World though very obscurely 3. The Out-birth or outward World of the Stars and Elements with the almost infinitely various Tendencies Inclinations and Impulses of them By every of which the Almighty Creator uncovereth his veiled Omnipotence infinite Grace and Wisdom 5. The Contemplation of them is both a pleasant and a perplexing Laboratory or serious Book for Man's Study and as it were a Play-Book for the Angels whose piercing understandings read the Effects by the Causes while declined Man gropeth by the Information of the Senses at a piece-meal guess of the Causes from Experience of the Effects 6. It must be confest that Adam being as to his Body or third Principle in his first and pure state Lord of the Mystery whence they proceeded could more sensibly discover and Epitomize them than the Angels as the Lord Jesus had a feeling of our Infirmities by His gracious humbling Himself to be as one of us But Adam's bright Eyes were darkened by the dismal lapse 7. Men may see themselves in the brute Creatures 1. All Unregenerate Men are figured either by the greedy ones 2. Or by the haughty proud Beasts 3. Or by the envious Reptils where by the way may be observed that Envy is found among the Poorer sort for the venomous Creatures are rather creeping than going 4 Or by the cruel wrathful ones And all these are of the first Principle without proceeding to enkindle the Light of the second Principle and are call'd by the Names of those Creatures in the Sacred Records 8. Other Creatures there are that figure the Light World or second Principle by their Innocence Love Usefulness and Loveliness in which they glorifie the Creator and like a dark Shadow pourtray the same 9. There are other Creatures more especially of the Out-world or World's Spirit as those that have Lunary Bodies produced improved and transacted by her Mutations which extends very far also to the whole Creation 10. My last Consideration restraining my self to brevity is somewhat abstracted which is That their Root is not so Ignoble and Vile but their Forms and Idea's for the sake of their Tincture have a prospect into Perpetuity each into their natural Aethers as is signified by the Apostle that the Creatures Travel in pain groaning under forced and as to them causless Vassalage shall be deliver'd into the glorious Liberty of the Children of God where the Drunkard's Horse shall like Balaam's Ass convince mens Madness and cruel Excess The abused toil of the Laborious Ox the innocent life of the Patient Lambs both employed to nourish filthy Lusts the cruel Delight of Hunting to the heart-breaking of the Deer and Hare c. shall at last be material Witnesses of Man's aggravated Guilt perpetuated Apostacy and lawless Irregularities Q 38. Whence was Man Created as to his Body The Fourth grand Distribution A. 1. Not of the Earth for the brute Animals are more nobly descended not of the four Elements which are the Matrix of the Earth for of that Matter are the Brutes form'd and the Elements are Transient and must melt or resolve into their first Principles Not of the Astral Out-birth for the Stars shall fall that is cease their present Order and pay the Debt of their various Properties to the Aether whence they were separated 2. But because Adam's Body was of Eternal Duration had he not â—inned it could not derive from a fading Root as Eternity is not founded on Mortality which forceth our search to ascend a step higher 3. It shall therefore be to the Divine Salitter which also hath the Water-spirit in it from both which the Stars were breathed And this Divine Salitter as it hath in it all the Powers of the Properties together with the Divine Sulphur and Mercury is call'd the great Mystery Eternal Nature or Quintessence 4. Out of this was Created Adam's Holy pure Paradisical Body capable of Eternal Life This Divine Saliter J. B. calls the Holy Ternary that is a Celestial Paradisical pure Earth whence grows Heavenly holy Fruits and near unto it no Curse ever can enter or approach for thereinto cometh nothing that defileth Of this Dust of this Ground Moses spake that God formed Man But they who suppose it to be our dead Dust wherein is the Wrath and Fierceness do not only err by means of the Veil before Moses's Face but also by reason of the Veil on their own Hearts and Eyes 5. The Apostle saith The first Man is of the Earth earthy The second is the Lord from Heaven 6. That it could not be this nor the Elements nor the Astral Birth is clear but therefore that it must be the Heavenly Earth is of forcible Consequence The Apostle saith not what Adam was or was extracted from but what he is or is come to be but if he had so said yet the Proportion betwixt the second and first admits no Comparison 7. Between a Mote in the Sun and the whole Glorious Sun is some Proportion for the least of Quantities taken from the greatest of Bodies below Infinity hath Proportion to that whence it was for it leaves the other really lessened but all created Worlds bear no Proportion with the Infinite Son of God for all breathed out from an Infinite leaves still an Infinite and the Infinite is not lessened by it 8. The Apostle therefore in this place either doth not speak of Adam's first state or doth not lessen his Extraction but adoreth the Glory of the second Adam as the Work-master excelleth the Work made for when of the Angels it is written And hath made them all ministring Spirits Of the Son it is said Let all the Angels of God worship him Also Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever c. Q. 39. What was the Inspiration or Breathing in whereby Man became a living Soul A. 1. The Inspiration of Man's Soul was out of the first Principle the Father's Property which consisteth of the first four Forms of Nature of this Living Root sprung his Immortal Living Soul 2. Yet so is it that wherever or in whomsoever the second Principle is shut out that Exclusion is truly call'd the Death of the Soul for the Living Soul by that Deprivation enters or remaineth in Death which though
beautiful exquisite person or as a contemptible soâ—tish natural Ideot to the most acute accomplisht profound contemplative experienced Philosopher or as a leprous deformed loathsom Body to the most rare perfect healthy one or as a maimed impotent treacherous Slave chained for term of Life in a stinking Dungeon to a prosperous renowned Captain at the Head of a mighty Victorious Army For how much a glorious pure blessed State exceeds a vile wretched perishing State so much doth the Food Adam had transcend ours That was the quintessence life and one holy Element this is the excrescence of the four Elements travelling and clogg'd by the Curse Q. 49. Should Adam in Paradise have eaten such fruit as the heavenly eating shall be after this time or where into should he have eaten where should the same have continued seeing all the Beings of this World are earthy and transitory and he only was an Eternal Heavenly Image and needed not the Vanity A. 1. Christ in His beginning of Miracles gave His best Wine at last which is applicable to us by way of allusion who are strayed when at last we return to our Native Paradifical Country 2. This Question leads me not to say what Adam's food was to have been for that falls under the 52 Question therefore restraining my self to the present enquiry which is whether his eating had been the same which shall be and where it should have been seeing he only needed not the Vanity and that this World hath nothing in it but what is transitory To which I answer 3. Paradice is the similitude manifestation and revealed Image of the incomprehensible God and is such a similitude as is in its infinite extent variety purity and eternity incomprehensible being in all such places and for ever more or less visible where God is more or less manifest in his Grace and Love for it is God's opened Book to Angels and the Blessed So that it cannot be said to have a Beginning End or Limit of Extent 4. In this blessed state or place was Adam's whole Man whose Third Principle as well as his First shone throughly and gloriously in the Lustre of the Divine Second Principle yet did his First and Third remain really such as they shall also continue to be in the Blessed after the Resurrection 5. Adam was in the Garden of Eden but was also in Paradice or the Heavenly State nor needed he nor should he have tasted the fruit of the Third Principle for that was poison to him Thus may be seen where his food lay and that tho he were in the Garden of Eden he was of a higher Principle as far above it Q. 50. Whether did the four Elements also Rule in Adam in his Innocency or but one only in the equality of likeness of the four Elements Did he also before he fell feel heat and cold A. 1. Adam's Body was not made of the four Elements if he had they had Ruled there 2. For first every Concrete is subject to the Powers whence it originateth but the very Beasts derive from a more noble Ruler viz. the Astral Spirit also 3. Because contrary Properties in Principles must produce contrary Qualities in Bodies compounded of them unless their contraries accord in a harmonious Cement now the divided Elements remain ever in irreconcileable equal distance 4. Because tho' Time is in Eternity comprehensibly and Eternity in Time incomprehensibly yet a transitory Root may not found an Eternal Tree thus from the transitory Elements come Vegetatives c. but such was not Adam's Body for it was capable of Eternity not measurable by Time 5. For these Reasons the four Elements were not Rulers in him but one in the likeness of the four but that one was holy consisting of all Powers in the perfection of Temperature whence were breathed the Astral Worlds and four Elements 6. But the Elements divided according to the four Anguishes of the Eternal dark Abyss or first Principle one into raging fierceness of Cold another in a clogging Body another into Evaporating and the other into scorching consuming Heat which it still is and over which and the Astral World was Adam put as over the rest of the Lords Handy-work far above the Extremities of the four Elements and precipitant driving of the Stars Q. 51. Should any thing have been able to Kill or Destroy Adam A. 1. That which hath a Temporary Root must from the Necessity of its own Structure suffer Mutation not that any Ens may properly be said to be annihilated but the Fabrick must separate and the Parts be resumed into their proper Aethers or first Principles 2. But so was not Adam therefore could not Perish from the Ruin of his own Foundation yet leaving the Place and Order where with his Gracious Creator had vested him he transform'd himself from the precious Image he had into such Deformity that for the Virgin to continue his Yoke-fellow longer was as impossible as it is for a Living Man to put off his Body and dwell in the Body of a Dead Man 3. This was Adam's being kill'd who as the Rebel Angels by imaging in themselves the Forms and Puissance of the first Principle withdrew them from the Meekness and Love of the second So Adam by imaging in his Will the Vanity of the Out birth or third Principle the Powers of the first became severally enraged his second Holy Principle obscured and his glorious Body otherwise Eternal became dark gross and bestial 4. For the Magical Soul and evil Spirit impressed on it the Image it had it self been infected with Thus the Immortal Man died that is Sin transmuted him into a degenerate deformed impure state Q. 52. What should have been Adam's Condition and Estate upon Earth What should he have done if he had continued in Paradise A. 1. When Good Angels humble themselves to become visible to the outward Eye they come as Strangers and when Evil ones intrude they borrow wherewith to hide their horrid Form but Adam was by his third Principle natural Proprietor and at Home 2. Yet as the Lord Jesus saith speaking of Children Their Angels always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven so at once they behold the Face of God and carefully Nurse the Children committed to them Thus also was Adam in the Garden of Eden as a Prince and Natural Lord by Donation of the Creation and then also walking with God in Paradise or Heaven and an Image of the Almighty Three beholding the Son of God who is as the Delight Heart or Face of the Father 3. As to what Adam's Food should have been 't is answered 1. Negatively Not the Earthy Meat or Mortal Water not that of the Elements nor Stars or Astral Spirit for all those have their Periods and are Transitory 4. But his Food was Bread and Water of Life Paradisical Food Immortal Fruits Angelical Pure and Eternally Substantial wherein no Vanity could insinuate 5. Will you say what
they who should have entred Canaan kindled Wrath against themselves by the Lust of the Midianitish Women But why it was that Man was only one and not two like other Beasts is referred to the review of the Answer of the 43 Question Q. 55. How could it have been possible that a Man and Wife should have continued eternally Would God change his Creature Man seeing in the Life Eternal they shall be like the Angels Was Adam also in the beginning created in the same Angelical Form or Imaging or in another then he shall arise again and live for ever A. 1. The Question intends an Eternal Well being or Blessedness which must concern those who bear the Divine Image What That is and how born in them is explained in the 41st Answer also in the 45th and 46th and that in the Form gotten by Man's Disobedience he could not continue without suffering and corruption is cleared in the 47th Answer so that the preceding Answers being heedfully digested will make repetitions needless for they are with great care to be avoided if real advantage be designed little therefore remains to be answered 2. Let it be considered that the Lord saith No man hath ascended into Heaven but he that came down from Heaven the Son of Man which is in Heaven the Son of Man or Heavenly Man or Divine Humanity 3. The Divine Virgin was ever in Heaven and cannot come from Heaven so far as to quit that Tenure But when Man had exchanged that Love for the Lust of a Woman it was the Almighty Son of God and Son of the Virgin restored the Virgin or Heavenly Man to Fallen Man 4 The Restoring of this Virginity is the Forming of Christ and as it grows the Man comes to be a Man in him thus puts he on Christ and the divided Tinctures of Man and Woman gotten as to the dividing of them by the inactivity of him who had the Virgin Energy put on him that division must cease and terminate and the distinct Properties unite in the Heavenly Man 5. And thus it may be said There is neither Male nor Female but Christ is all in all for neither Male nor Female is or can be such for the Virgin Energy comprehendeth both 6. And Christ alone hath ascended into Heaven As when men speak of a Tree they mean every twig and sprout so Christ consisteth of every ingrafted Branch and the flourishing of them is the flourishing of the Tree 7. Thus the Lord saith The works that I do shall ye do and more also for as the fruit shews it self by the Branches tho' their Vertue derive from the Tree or Vine so is it here Q. 56. What were the Trees in Paradice which were amiable or pleasant to behold and good to be eaten of A. 1. Tho' no Language of the Fallen Man can tell us men intelligibly what they are yet I shall branch my Answer into four parts 1. To say what they are not 2. What they resemble 3. Whereunto they serve 4. Whence they proceed 2. What they are not 1. They are not Figures for the production of the Astral and Elementary Worlds and Powers do figure or are figures of them 2. They are not only Spirit but are Substance for the Trees and Productions of the Out-birth tho' they are Accidents yet have an Astral and Elementary Vertue or Spirit 3. They are not subject to vanity but administer Eternal Food not pleasant to view only but of highest use 3. What they are like 1. They are like the almost Infinite variety of Trees Plants Flowers productions in the Out-birth for the outward World is the Image of the holy World 2. They are like and agreeable to all the desires of the most pure Spirits and Angels a glimpse whereof is in our most enlarged curiosities for they are made suitable to them to whom God gives them to them they are tangible and compleatly adequate to the Holy Men and Angels as the Mothers Nutriment is to the sucking Child 3. They are like the Holy Trinity as at large might be shewed 4. Whereunto do they serve 1. To be the Material Word of God this is that every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God by which Man lives alluded to by our Lord when he saith And not by bread alone for by This the unsearchable Abyss of God's Goodness is to the blessed partakers of it in a sort comprehensible 2. To be the Eternal Food of the Men made perfect and of the Angels who hereby eat the Paradisical Vertue in the mouth wanting no Bestial Stomach nor Guts 3. To shew the Creatures tho' most glorious to be but Creatures not Almighty but to have dependance on the Womb of Infinite Incomprehensible Bounty hinted by these words Of all the Trees c. thou maist freely eat And in the Canticles Eat O Friends yea drink abundantly c. for the Fountain is an Ocean The Trees of the Lord are full of fruit 5. Whence are they and wherein stand they 1. From and in the Properties of the seven Fountain-Spirits according to the holy Impression or second Principle 2. From and in the Ten Forms of Fire viz. Love-fire both the former and This are figured by the seven times Ten Palm Trees 3. From and in the Divine Living Almighty speaking Word or sweet Power-world or Divine third Principle 6. Thus if Man contemplate what these Trees are exempted from what they resemble what they serve to and whence they derive or where they stand He may find them to be the same with Adam's Body which was pure and to have existed in Eternity as are the new Bodies of those who are risen and ascended with Christ. Q. 57. What was the Tree of Life and also the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil each in its Power Essence and Property A. 1. We read of Cherubims with a Sword turning every way placed to keep the Way of the Tree of Life who then can describe it that hath not first passed the Sword of the Cherub And if all Mortality be as Fuel to that flaming Sword who in the Body by Human Wisdom can without danger of being burnt approach the Way to that Tree 2. The Tree of Life is said to stand in the midst of the Garden and also the Tree of Good and Evil. The Tree of Life is also said to be in the midst of the Street of the New Jerusalem and on either side of the pure River there bearing twelve Fruits one every Month. 3. How can it be more clearly shewn For the Tree of Life stands in the midst between two Kingdoms two Worlds or two Principles viz. Between the Fathers or first fierce wrathful mighty Principle and the outward or third Principle 4. The first as its Root the other as its Shadow and Figure dimly representing both the Root and Tree though more obscurely the latter since the Curse 5. And the Holy Power of God
tâ—e Humane Soul as it was deriv'd from Mary was finite yet as he was conceived by the seminal substance of the Holy Ghost it was Infinite being wholly so united to the Infinity 7. Behold and sink down and drown thy self Oh my Soul in the sweet Ocean of this free Master piece of Matchless love see the heighth depth length and breadth Know what passeth knowledge Conception Comprehension Make thy Heart the Footstool of it thy Soul a Sacrifice to it thy Spirit the amazed Witness of it thy Mind and Thoughts the Waiters on it thy Tongue and Pen the Trumpet of it Let Heaven and Earth adore it let Time and Eternity record it let Hell and the Children of Pride tremble at it but let the humble Man and broken Bones Inherit Inhabit and Rejoice in it for ever Q. 128. Why did some convert and turn again when they saw what was done at the dying of Christ And the High-Priests not Why must they be blind and hardened as to this Work A. 1. By the High-Priests are meant him that was such and those Rulers of most Eminence assisting and concurring with him This Question is double viz. Why some did convert And why such as the High Priests c. did not That some did as the Centurion c. Matth. 27. â—4 seeing that which was done feared greatly saying Truely this was the Son of God Luke 2â— 47. 4â— And Luke records That the Centurion and all the people seeing c. Glorified God and all the people smote their Breasts and departed 2. For their dark Centre was terrified the stirred by remorse and compassion with and unto so patient and innocent a Lamb and that stirring moving on by conviction to great grief sorrow and mourning begat love and the love enkindled the holy Light of the second Divine principle of which number it 's said Longinus was who with his Spear pierced the Lords blessed side 3. But in the High-Priests c. The dark Zeal had like Fire drunk up the meek Water of Tenderness and Compassion so that the Light could not enkindle but they remain'd a dark Fire For it is manifest they by their impetuous Lusting proud grasping for Grandeur and Rule and their griping after heaping up abundance of the outward principle had by Covetousness like greedy Dogs or Swine formed their very Souls according to the four Auguishes of the first dark Hellish Impression 4. As Antichrist also whose Forerunners and Antitype these were hath done and still doth Therefore to distinguish a resolv'd hardened Persecutor from the Creaturely Devils is thus to be done that the persecuting Man hath on him the Bestial part of the Out-birth for mitigation which is a Door through which it is possible Grace may enter unless the impardonable sin hath judicially wholly shut him up 5. But the mitigating third principle excepted viz. the worst part of it the Antichristian Spirited-Man having shut out the second principle the Evil Angels and he are in one and the self-same principle 6. It is also certain that the Antichrist sometimes call'd the Whore sometimes Babylon sometimes the Mystery of Iniquity and Man of Sin is as such incureable and irrecoverable for it is an Enmity against Love and Meekness The Art of Physick gives that Disease for Incureable which is grounded on the Constitution the Disease of Antichrist is such and therefore Incureable for he is compos'd of the Enmity of the four forms of the first principle and is Enmity in the Abstract against the Divine Kingdom of Humility Meekness Love Peace and Divine Light and Joy Q. 129. What was Christs going to Hell where he overcame Death and the Devil A. 1. Great is Mans Misery on Earth by reason of wilful blindness When we hear of Christs going to Hell or overcoming Death and the Devil there we blindly grope with our Conceits imagining in our Reason a local motion to a place far off But that it may be plainly told what Christs going to Hell was it must first be orderly said 1. What Hell is and where Which is referr'd to the 17th Answer the 19 20 21 22 23 verses 2. What the Conquering Captain Christ is that Vanquished all the Devils every where It is answered It was Christ as he had made himself a Creature for his Body as a Creature is the whole holy pure Element which comprizeth this whole World The holy Body hath Heavenly Flesh and Blood and Water of Eternal Life which feedeth the Faithful Soul at the Lords Table 2. Anâ— tho' it comprizeth this World Heaven Paradise and the Angelical World yet is a Creature but such a Creature as can be every where in the Deity for unto this Creature of Heavenly substantiality hath the Almighty Son of God espoused himself as a Body to remain in Eternity as in the time the Sun doth unto the Moon as in his own Body In every part of which Body the Trinity is always manifest Objection 3. But this crosseth the received Divinity which assigns ubiquity to be the peculiar distinction of the Creator from the Creature Also an imposing upon the Senses that one Creature is at London and at Quinsay at the same moment of time a thing denied to be in the Sphere of an Angel whose Wings are only illustrations of his almost instantaneous local motion implying he cannot be in two places at once Answer 4. The least divisible Body requires place and space and magnitude is the uniting of two or more divisibles 1. My Foot is not where my Head is but I am where either of them is 2. If my Head only is in the Air my Body only in the Water my Feet only in the Earth under Water yet I am in every of these at once 3. My Hand is at the Heâ—m my Eye on the Star my Heart with my God then am I at once in two Worlds 4. Again my Elementary and Sensual Man is in pain my Siderial Man in care the unmortified properties of my Eternal first Principle or old Man or Root of the Soul in much stubbornness anxiety and frowardness my regenerate new Man or humble meekened Spirit is rejoicing under the Cross in hope of Eternal Blessedness Yet am I but one little poor Creature tho' I am at once in one Visible and three Invisible Worlds 5. Now tho' what the new Man sees or feels hath or hopes for meets with resistance in the unmortified part of the first principle or earthy Vessel yet is it not so in Divine Bodies of Angels or perfected Spirits Who all by prevalence of their consonance and uninterrupted holy will have their Heterogeneous parts swallow'd up by their lustrous Harmony 6. All these things penetrated and pondered shall our straitned Souls confine the Immense Heavenly Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ For his becoming Man or Incarnation wherein he assumed our darkened Souls uniting them with the Divine Virgin of Wisdom as one Creature in himself did not straâ—ten lessen
naturally arising from the Eminence of his necessary Evangelical Work sharpen'd the Spirits of the Priests c. with Rage 5. We see with horror what the Effect of Judas knowing him was Objection But these are not significant to his state after the Resurrection Answ. Though the Objection be Digressive yet then consider 6. What use Antichrist makes of her Knowledge of this profound Humiliation Life Passion Resurrection viz. to be wholly sollicitous in the outside 1. Of Things 2. Times 3. Places viz. 4. 1. That the Things may be Figur'd Grav'd or Painted and those Products of Humane Fancy adored The â—iner Antichrist Talks Writes Preaches the Things as a History Believing which imaged History do flatter themselves to secure Eternal Blessedness though they live and die â—nmorâ—ified and in another Principle and propose to themselves to wit the third Principle and Self yet Pride themselves with woâ—â—â— â— Time they devise for Idleneâ—â— Licentiousness and Prophane Rioâ—ousness call'd Saints Days 3. Places they hallow of Assembling Consecrating stone Walls and Structures and one part of those must be more Sacred than the rest and name the Places by Saints Names c. 5. Whether any of the Disciples during that Forty days had not beheld him is not said therefore it may seem they all saw him and why not being seen of above Five hundred Brethren at once 6. But there is one thing still to be said which may be read and heard of but not known by Human Wit or Art or comprehended by Astral Reason viz. That Christ had nor hath more nor fewer Witnesses of his Resurrection than those who were risen with him risen in him and he risen in them these Children of the Day witness his Resurrection by his Voice to and in them they know his shape and most lovely form for his true Image is in them they Dine with him his heavenly Humanity is the Flesh and Blood their hungry Souls really truly and substantially do Eat and Drink their fiery Property is allayed by the meekness of his Living-water they as the Hem of Aaroâ—'s Vesture partake of some of the Holy Oil poured on his Head 7. Of these things Man's sharpest Penetration without Regeneration and Mortification discerneth as the blind sinful hardened Multitude would have done had they viewed the Lord after his Resurrection perhaps to gaze or adore the place they saw him at but persecure his Image never a jot the less Or be astonish'd as Saul's Company were seeing only the Light 8. This Resurrection is the subverting gaining upon and over the Disorders of the four Forms or Properties of the first Principle which without the vertue of the second would image the third Principle in them or Image themselves therein getting on meer Fig-leaves But in such where this Resurrection is beginning though in some it is like the uncovering of Fire for the Passions catch and burn the more being curb'd and put under a Law yet light is the natural consequent of that Combustion 9. In another Form Class or Degree of Christians who have made Progress this new life is more apparent who yet sometimes by their Drousiness their habitual Evils return and foil them for such are left a while as those Canaaâ—ices as Thorns and Goaâ—s to exercise their Faith Diligence and Circumspection c. 10. But in those excellent Souls the sealed ones where the Resurrection is moâ—â— conspicuous there as in Torches or Candles is little trouble intrinsically in emitting their flames of Light from any inward Defects but their burthen and disturbance is from blasts without either of the Sins of others which like many bordering Vapours conspire into a Fog to hinder the executing their Holy Purposes and bent of their Souls to enlighten the Spirits of those they converse with perhaps by Calumnies Or else their cross is from stormy Persecution to terminate their Course or torment them in it in all which they are with the sweet Spirit of the first-born from the Dead to encounter Oppoâ—ers and with unconquerable Patience to offer up themselves and abide by it content to pass through manâ— Deaths be Partakers of their Lord's Entertainment hold their Testimony and finish their Course for the day is breaking in such which may have Clouds but never shall Night invade it for it is the entrance on the holy pure Paradisical Life Q. 140. Why did Christ after his Resurrection converse Forty days on Earth before he went or was taken up to Heaven What doth that signifie A. 1. This Question Demands 1. Why Christ conversed 40 days c. Also 2. What iâ— signified To the first the Causes obâ—â—â—â—â— to commâ—â— understanding were 1. Tâ— confirm the Faith of the Disciples And 2 To found the Faith of successive Generations concerning the Resurrection 3. To Leave the obstinate Jews and others inexcusable 2. To the second what it signified 1. That as Adam in his time of tryal went out of the Eternal day into the two Principles of the dark Abyss and Out-birth so Christ now brought back the same two Principles harmoniously into the Eternal Day 2. To shew openly in his Body that was dead and is alive for ever the Victory over Death and Hell 3. To shew the Holy Paradisical Life which Adam should have continued in viz. The perfect Image of the Almighty Trinity in every of the three Principles That is how his first illustrated by the second was to be imaged and figured by the third over which he was to rule 1. By conserving his Pure Holy Virgin state as the second Adam did Also 2. To Eat and Drink as the Lord then did those 40 days in a Paradisical Heavenly manner in the Mouth only not with filthy Guts c. but as did the Angels with Abraham 3. To have comprehended and been able to pass through all the compressed or condensed Bodies irresistibly unapprehended not excluded but as light through Crystal penetrating all Astral and Elementary Existences as the Eye of Eternity doth time Q. 141. What is Christs going or Ascension to Heaven that he did visibly ascend Whither is he arrived and where is he now at present A. 1. This Deep is our World here was the Throne of Lucifer and in this World or Space is our Heaven yet not in this World but in the Heaven that comprehendeth this World but this World cannot comprehend it as Time cannot comprehend Eternity 2. The sharp Power and Omnipotence of the Father is the true Centre as of all Worlds so of Heaven and the gracious Omnipotence or true second Principle is the true Centre of Holiness and Purity in the whole Abyss of the Father and especially if it may be so spoken the Heaven of Heavens who as he is the Mediator the Christ the First-born of every Creature is on the Throne and is himself the Throne sitting on the right Hand of God that is at the place
Garden which he had often frequented The Judgment Hall where he had been reviled crown'd with Thorns mocked scourged and condemned Also Calvary where they mercilesly crucified Mercy it self remained all Monuments of the greatest Love and Patience and extream Malice and ferine Cruelty In this City which should have worn Sackcloth with these sad Objects and under these Rulers were they to dwell and be confined 4. 3. With respect to the time being that of the Bridegrooms being taken from them of their having Tribulation ten days the time when their Enemies were Flesht by having their Hands Embrewed in the Blood of the Lord Jesus As cruel wild Beasts tasting the Blood of their prey and the time before descending of power from on high to revive them 5 But they must wait on this service in this place at this time signifying to us that the time of the Christians Life is the exercise of Faith Obedience and Trial of the sincerity of Love a time of beholding sad Objects as was this of theirs of hearing sinful sounds the being harassed by Oppressive Rulers converse with or amongst malicious ensnaring dangerous Enemies inward Terrors and Tempests and outward Storms and Outrages from the powers of the dark World 6. So that the distressed Soul can find no succour or guidance from the Imaged Powers of the outward Astral World but must sink down from them and constantly wait the Breathings of the true speaking Light World left if the outward Magia be our level design and home the dark Magus do by it insinuate into us and we thereby form the will of the Spirit of this World into our Eternal Souls which neither can â—â—ed them cloth them nor guide them but if thus they proceed till the four Elements fall off they shall find themselves miserably cheated This waiting of the Apostles directs us therefore to wait for the Whispers of the Word behind us so call'd we having gone out from it and turn'd our Backs on it Q. 145. What is the Feast of Pentecost How was the shedding or pouring forth of the Holy Ghost effected And how did the Bands of the Tongues of the Lords Disciples become unloosed A. 1. Our Fall in Adam brought us from the Paradisical Feasting to the toilsom Life to a state affording no other Food for the four properties of our first Principle which was the Centre of the Soul but the third Principle Which is rightly a feeding on Ashes and a Shadow If Men can live by looking on their own Picture so might Adam's Soul by the third Principle It was worse with him than it is with an Elementary Body who can subsist a little while by feeding on it self 2. Now the Feast of Pentecost was bringing back through the Lords Incarnation the vertue of the holy World viz. the Paradisical Bread and Water of Life for the Soul to feast on The true Flesh and Blood of Christs Heavenly Humanity this pure Water of Meekness is in the Soul a Well of Living Water springing up to Eternal Life 3. The pouring forth of the Holy Ghost was thus effected The Darkness into which the Soul had cast it self caused a violent anguish that anguish of its own Nature generates a fierce hungry Fire And higher than this the Humane Soul of its own ability since its Captivity goeth not Now such Souls as can get no satiety in the Spirit of their will from God but go to the third Principle do as Sâ—ul who waited not for Samuel but considering his streights Offered a Burnt-offering himself and so lost the Kingdom But so did not the Lords Disciples for they waited till the Lord came Where is he that learneth the lesson this Mystery unfoldeth He shall hear and understand the things which none of the divided Languages can possibly express and sometimes may see and penetrate what it is not lawful to utter 4. Pluck out the Earthy guessing and pretended seeing stop the Ear against the delusive Charmer then shall not the outward Reason like the Sun dazle nor Thunder or the roaring of the Sea amuse the raging Waves shall be countermanded and thy Ark will be in inward Tranquillity 5. The pouring out of the Holy Ghost did enkindle the Souls Anguish and Fire into a Light and Divine serenity of meek Love Now as the blinking Lamp flaming from a small spark enlighteneth a little Boom and the greater Fire of a Torch yields a more eminent Lustre So the greater the Anguish the greater the Fire and the greater also is the Light when the Lord enkindles it to a Love flame that according to its exalted vivacity it be proportionably as it weâ—e Tinctured reaching hard after the Resurrection from the dead 6. Now were the Bands of their Tongues unloosed by their opening the power World in this World for by how much we are by wrath and death Captivated by so much are we impotent But where the Spirit of God unites with Mans Spirit it frees him from all restrictive Ligaments that with the Word there may be power But the following Question â—reating of this Suâ—â—â—ct â—oâ—â— is not â—eresaid to this third Branch Q. 146. How is the difference or distinction of Languages among them to be understood that they have all at one instant spoken all Languages at once in one sence so that people of all Nations understood them A. 1. Man's Fall cast him from the unity into the multiplicity Before which Fall he stood in the one holy power his Word being in God was by his Almightiness Mighty ruling in through and over the multiplicity his Words were as many Arrows in a Quiver penetrating all things As the Arrow out of a Bow of Steel doth the Air. But Mans Fall into the multiplicity disarm'd him render'd him impotent only some have a little power to see into one property some into another but were all Mens Abilities united it were but some pieces of the multiplicity far short of the Unity 2. Man is an Image of the whole Trinity and the Astral and Elementary Worlds Image Heavenly Things and Places while Man therefore kept his station he was in the Divine Centre but his departure thence dejected him into the circumference Wheel of Nature or Out-birth thenceforth was the Centre or Holy Fountain hid 3. The Lord Jesus Christ as he is the only Begotten Son of God is the Eternal speaking Word which may be understood to be Eternally generated out of the Eternal Father or first Principle as our four Forms or Anguishes generate naturally the Liberty or Light which is call'd the fifth This is the first Word the creating speaking holy Word from Eternity 1 John 1 2 3. 4. The next is the created Word the holy World wherein the Almighty Word doth through the Virgin of Divine Wisdom Image himself It may be compared to a holy Eternal Book whereof the Angels are Golden Letters sounded in Divine Harmony In which Book the Almighty with delight reads his own glorious ineffable tremendous
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
3. 11. Matth. 5. 22 29. 2 Pet. 2. 17. Isaiah 30. 33. Jude 6. 13. Luk. 10. 24. Rev. 20. 10 14. Rev. 14. 11. Isaiah 33. 14. Much also may be understood by considering the Answer of the blessed J. Behmen to the 34th of the 40 Questions concerning the Soul Something also apt and pertinent may be found by review of the 17 of these Answers from Verse 8th to 19th The 21st Answer throughout and the two first Verses of the 22th Answer 6. The Eternal Pain or Torment of the Wicked may be thus in part apprehended That as the Saints are invested with Eternal Joy by the Uniting of the Tinctures and Harmonizing of the Properties in them by the gracious Immanuel and so the sad Rent in the first Adam abundantly is made up united and restored by the second Adam by introducing and reviving in our Humanity the disappeared Virgin Image which had been as a Lamb slain by dividing of the Tinctures so that Man is again the compleat Image of the Holy Trinity with an intimate real indwelling of the Eternal Son in them 7. Thus the Eternal Torment of the Wicked consisteth in the irreconcileable implacable Enmity of the Properties in them at first divided and disordered by Adam It is observed old Friends once at variance are the more hardly appeased by how much the Bonds of mutual Amity and Endearments have been violated how much more is it here where the old Union is separated into Diametrical Opposition in its self to its own Structure and Existence and the Antipathy of the same Necessity of Nature as are the Properties themselves of Perpetuity 8. That Duel is most vigorous doubtful durable and fatal where the Combatants are of equal Force and Activity thus at the meeting of two steady contrary Currents is a continual Whirlpool and the Strife of contrary Elements is as impetuous as Life and Death the congress of opposite Properties bursteth out Thunder Claps and Air pent stirs up Earthquakes and Gunpowder dissipates by violent Expulsion the Opposition wherewith it stands charg'd 9. What outragious fierceness then like a Torrent must the Enmity of the damned Soul Burn in what Thunders must their Horror vent it self by whose Parts are not barely divided but Discordance it self not Enemies but Enmity For as those Souls had whilst with the Body no Food but that of the third Principle which was no more proportionable to their Hunger than painted Food to sustain the outward Life of Man or Beast or painted Fire to heat us So then the Soul 's extream Hunger incessantly yet necessarily as it were devours it self as Men Famishing to Death are said to gnaw their own Flesh and the damned Souls Flesh or Food is its own Faculties which are filled with the four Anguishes of the first or dark fierce Principle and in this respect is the Associate of all Devils and as the outward Body is encreased and as it were composed of the Vapour of the outward Elementary Food of the third Principle producing it So these Wicked Souls are as it were composed and consist of the Anguishes of the dark World 10. The Spirit of such Souls and their Tincture which is as the Eye or Treasure of the Soul looketh imageth and impresseth in it self the uncontrouled dark Powers viz. all impious blasphemous Lusts and impure proud wrathful Desires this is in the inward Centre of the Soul also in his Spirit and Tincture stands as a Memory or Record as to the out-birth the vile depressed Will of all cruel Bears and Tygers the insatiable desire of the Swine Wolf and Horseleech the Malice of Dogs and Toads the Wrath of Vipers and Dragons for they had imaged in themselves by the Magical degenerate Lusts of the separate private Self-will the Properties of all fierce cruel horrid griping poisonous filthy loathsom hateful Creatures 11. In the Spirit of the Soul remains a Will to Voluptuousness Superiority Revenge c. which may break out into Malediction Blasphemy and Monstrous Malicious Abominations but can proceed no farther than the Will and insatiable consuming Desire for the desire to Good or Evil and in Good and Evil is real and the Genuine Natural Issue of the Soul Actions may be dissembled Words gilded but Desires are entire solemn things thus their restless Desires and furious impetuous Wills are their real all and though the Magical Might and Power of the Will in the Spirit of a Zealous Soul is very puissant in all such who have all the Principles in some Harmony yet in these abandoned vile Wretches where all is depressed into Discord under blackness of darkness the Will is under Chains and Impotence only of Power most abundantly to torture it self 12. All the Horrors here are weak resemblances of the inexpressible Hell of the Damned and above all the Rebels against the Gospel that reject and defile that Garment which the God of Grace hath spun out of his own Bowels and dyed and washed in his own Blood For if all the Dreadful things here as the wasting Sword poisonous venomous Beasts insulting domineering Tyrants cruel voracious Wild Beasts devouring Fire astonishing Thunder and Earthquakes sudden Inundations wretched Famines desolating Contagions general Plagues and other noisom Messengers of Mortality if all these and such other are but Counterfeits Similes Figures or Shadows of the true real substantial everlasting dark Abyss what are the Originals and very Essences themselves which Form that fierce Principle where the Worm dieth not nor is the Fire quenched where Death flyes from them and Omnipotence establisheth a Life to subsist under the infinite Wrath of Omniporence call'd the wrath to come and shall after a Million of this World's Ages be still call'd the wrath to come 13. To the third and last part May there be any Alteration effected To resolve which we should first consult the Sacred Scriptures That the Joy of the Saints shall be Eternal who but the Lord himself must we hear in this thing Matth. 19. 29. John 10. 28. Chap. 3. v. 16. Chap. 4. v. 14. the like amongst many others is found Isaiah 61. 7. Rom. 6. 12. And that the Torment of the Wicked must be Everlasting also is told us by the Judge who is Truth it self Matth. 25. 41. and again v. 46. also it 's found 2 Thess. 1. 9. Isaiah 61. 7. Jude 6. v. 7. Rev. 22. 11. 14. This though it need no Confirmation yet it may be profitable by way of illustration to consider the Answer the last of the Forty Questions made by the blessed Jacob Behmen also somewhat pertinent thereunto in the 175th of these Answers from Verse 5. to the end Again in the 16th of these Answers from the 7th Verse to the 12th Exclusive 15. Now that Truth may appear what it really is how apt soever Man is to flatter himself Let it be considered that there is but one only Infinite Original of all Power Eternally generating his Delight the Son of God in whom is
as saith our Lord My Father worketh hitherto and I work 2. Hath not Man brought himself in a most wretched degree oâ— the Curse by the Fall of Toil and Labour and Confusion of Language it is on the Work and Word what hath and is man more A great aggravation of this Misery is either when we sit down under Bondage in Soul and Body feeding among Swine having a Beast's Heart as Nebuchadnezar and groan not after working in God and for God which would gradually deliver from the Curse Also when we mistake our present working-time and flatter our selves with undue and imaginary rest whereas we are here in the Seed time in a Journey in the six days of Work 2. But thou my Soul spare no pains spur thy lazy Assoâ—iate my Body subject it to the Cross to free you both from the Cross endure patiently die daily and having done all stand empty thy self lose thy self pour out thy self Let not thy Will be bought but pay it to the Owner give and resign it gladly and irrevocably As to thy Name be content it should wither as if blasted with the East Wind be willing to be nameless the Memory of it to be as written on the Sand and while here to be a Fool a Child an off-scouring any thing or nothing yet must not thy work stop let it proceed chearfully till thy Body like the Matter of a Taper be consumed if then thou art found so doing no sooner shall this Candle expire but the Sun will rise who shall never set and the Sabbath enter at the end of the Week On the 36th Question and Answer Of the difference of the Mortal Creatures their Chaos kind and how distinguish'd 1. Had we the Intellect of an Angel the distinct Properties would be as an Index by their Idea to the voluminous Book of the great Mystery and the Idea of the Creatures as it were pourtray the Potent Will and Properties of the Abyss Or had we Adam's bright Eye we might read their Names in the Language of Nature and in them the Names Power and Vigor of our own three Principles but falling so far below both as that many of the Bruits themselves may instruct us in several things How weak are our Enquiries how perplext our Aphorisms and Process The ancient Magi direct us to know the seven Properties by the seven regal Stars and Governors which are the Spirits of the seven Metals and impress the Vertues of the seven precious Stones while many of Modern Pretenders to Wisdom having lost the Spirit Life and Essence of Nature fill their Heads only with the Names Mood Figure and Grasp at Shadows of things 2. Behold how various are the Species how curious the Symmetry how agil the Composure even of many Insects how wonderful the Transmigration and Product of the Silk-worm the Confection of the Bee with her Feminine Monarchy how crafty the Nets of the Spiders how providently laborious the Ant wherewith our Lord upbraids our slothfulness and we gratifie our Pride with the Silk and our Palate with the Honey instead of searching out and adoring of the most High in these his little Creatures yet are these little ones great compar'd with those to the bare Eye invisible and only visible in good Glasses which sits spinning in Sage leaves and yet how many Atoms may that Creature be divided into Consider we their Sympathy and Society not only of Flocks and Herds but of Birds of Prey as Rooks Stares Storks also their Antipathy as the Thresher and Sword-fish against the Whale 3. But now how highly necessary is it that from this open Door all should impartially search themselves to see whether their Spirits are imaged according to the Evil Creatures and if they find the Powers of the dark World predominant that they learn to die to them else they die in them shall rise in them and live everlastingly in them and of what infinite concern endless Misery is all reasonable Creatures may judge Whereas if by the Spirit of Life we mortifie the Deeds that is the lusts of the Body of Sin we shall by the same Spirit be raised now in the first Resurrection which excludes the second Death and begets the Divine Life springing up through Death by self-emptying where no Creature nor all of them hath any room but the Lord and those only to Contemplate his Grace and Infinity in On the 37th Question and Answer To what end and wherefore were the mortal Creatures made 1. When the gracious Creator placed Man here it was in a Farm well stockt but that which meets my Meditation on the present Subject in the last Paragraph of the Answer which is the Eternity of them in their Idea how fading and transitory soever they are The glorious Work of the Creation is not a bare Pageantry it must cease as to its present Forms but not vanish into a non-entity for it shall bud forth for the sake of it's Tincture by the strife of the Properties to the Glory of the God of Glory and as Instances or Trophies of the Victory the weak Members of the Almighty Lord Jesus Christ have obtain'd by their Lord's strength fortifying them to trâ—ad his steps and follow him in the Regeneration 2. By the reverting of those Figures shall the blessed see how meekly the patient Lambs and other good Creatures pour'd out their lives how quick and punctually the Fowls contributed as did the Quails and Raven how readiâ—y the Inhabitants of the Water yield themselves as those to the Apostles Nets how liberally the Olive and other Fruit Trees pour'd forth their fatness and the Elements their several Stores And to the cursed Rejecters of God shall all Creatures be plain material Demonstrations of their Abuses by Man's Excess and Cruelty the toil of the laborious Oxe the sweat of the macerated Horse the life of a multitude of other Creatures profusely lavished away to pamper base sordid Lusts run as with one cry not as the Lambs against a devouring Wolf or the Turtle against the Vulture but that as those Devils in Humane shape should ransack the Indies and four Elements to humour their insatiable Lusts. 3. What Arguments my Soul may be drawn hence for Sobriety Moderation Humility Thankfulness Improvement of the Strength given us liberal breaking to the Poor and Mercy to the Dumb Creatures of doing all not only as before the Omniscient Eye who will be a swift Witness before the good Angels Devils our own Consciences but the whole Creation also who as they the Creatures partake of the Properties and Tincture are branches of the whole Astral and Elementary Creation shall in their Aethers be more than a meer History viz. an express material Representation and Wiâ—ness for or against thee in the other Country though the Fool and Atheist will not know it On the 38th Question and Answer Of that whence Man's Body was taken 1. If they to whom the Word of God came are called God's what was
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
which is the Light Holy Eternal Fountain of Joy but is infinite Nor must we conceive God not in the Body of the Stars and this World but is all and in all So Man his similitude whose inward hollowness signifieth the whole deep The whole Man Heaven and Earth The Flesh Earth the Blood Water the Breath Air the Windpipe and Arteries the deep from Stars to us wherein Fire Water and Air qualifie the Veins the Astral Influence the Guts the consuming power of the Stars the Heart the Element of Fire The Liver Water the Hands Gods Omnipotence the â—â—eet near and far off the whole Body to the Neck all within the Sphere of the Stars the Head Heaven with its Imperial Orâ—â—â—s and all the Sâ—â—â—â—s in a soft â—â—â—k power as the Brain is Heaven gives to the Stars they to all Creatures Life and Spirit 3. When we nominate the whole Creation Heaven Angels Men Visibles and all above Heaven is nominated the total God which hath made himself creaâ—â—â—ely tho' God in Prinity is unchangeable Obj. Will you say is not good and evil in nature and is evil come from God 4. â— There is a Gall in Mans Body without which he cannot live it making the Astral Spirits moveable and joyous but when it over-floweth and runneth to the Heart it kindleth the Element of Fire and the Fire kindleth the Astral Spirits which reign in the Blood in the Veins in the Element of Water and then the whole Body trembleth by the Wrath and Poyson of the Gall. The bitter quality is in God but not as in Man but is an Everlasting Power and Triumphing Joy wâ—â—â—h springing up maketh Heaven out of Heaven the Stars out of the Stars the Elements out of the Elements the Earth and Creatures moveable Whence also were Created Angels before the Creation of the Heavens CHAP. III. Of the Property of the FATHER c. 1. WHen Christ prayeth Matth. 6. to his Father which is in Heaven he doth not mean that Heaven can contain him but distinguisheth him thereby from the Father of Nature which the Stars and Elements is and because in â—eaâ—en the Fathers Luâ—â—â—e is very bright and pure God is the immediate Father of the Soul which thereforei hungereth after him The Father of Nature is the Father of our Bodies and â—henâ—e comes their nourishment All Powers and Properties in Heaven and Earth proceed from God the Father who if he may be likened to any thing it may be to the Globe of Heaven as by the Wheels in Eâ—eâ—ieâ— 1. for all the Powers are in the Father â—â—e in another as one Power in 〈◊〉 Clarity and Glory â—â—s 〈◊〉 and Iâ—finity no Creature nor Angel can search into â— Of God the Son he is not another and yet his Property is other than that of the â—â—â—her for he is the Heart and Cause of springing joy in all the Powers of the â—athâ—â— a fâ—â—ilitude whereof is the Sun which enlighteneth the whole deep Heaven Stars and Earth moving in the midâ—â—is the King and Heart of all the Stars 〈◊〉 the Son in the whole Father being a self subâ—â—â—ting Person The Father from 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 â—â—asâ—â—h not to generate the Son and the Son ceaseth â—ot to enlighten the Powers of the Father but the Son is not so mixt in the Father that his Person cannot be known nor seen if so it were but one Person but is another Person not another God 3. Of God the Holy Ghost He proceedeth from both is the holy Fountain of Joy a meek pleasunt Breath or still Voice which must be shewn by a fimilitude As the innumerable Stars and Sun created out of the Stars resemble the Father and the Son so the three Elements Fire Air and Water proceed from one Body viz. The Fire swells from the Sun and Stars the Air expands and 〈◊〉 alost from the Heat and the Water from the Air and in this motion is the Life of all Creatures that can be named and signifieth the Holy Ghost who câ—useth the living motion in all the Powers of the Father The Son and Holy 〈◊〉 nothing less or greater than the Father The Trinity 4. This Ternary is manifest in Man's Body and all Creatures also in Wood and Vegetables and in Stone and Minerals In Man's Heart Veins and Brain is a Spirit and all the Powers which move in the Heart Veins and Brain signifie the Father thence springeth up a Light of Understanding in the Power of which Knowledge the whole Body moveth signifying the Son which shineth back into the Heart Veins and Brain as the Son into the Father and from both Powers proceedeth forth Reason Skill and Wisdom to govern the whole Man and distinguish all that is extra corpus which is thy Spirit wherein thou excellest the Beast and wherein the Holy Spirit rules if thou be not a Child of Darkness v. 97. The Father is signified by the Power of thy whole Mind the Son by the Light in thy Mind the Holy Ghost by the Spirit of thy Mind The Soul containeth the first Principle the Spirit of the Soul the second the Astral or outward Spirit the third So in a Beast only Man is made by God himself out of the best Pith or Kernel of Nature to be his Angel and Similitude The Beast is made out of the wild Nature of this World through the Motion of the Stars and Elements In all Creatures are 1. The Power out of which the Body comes 2. The Sap or Heart 3. The flowing springing Spirit CHAP. IV. Of the Creation of Angels And first Of the Divine Quality 1. ALL the Powers are so in God as no Man can reach but by the Creation it may be clearly known Though all Powers are in the Father as the Astringent or harsh soft or gentle heat cold bitter sour sweet light sound or noise one in another as one Power yet not in the manner as in Nature for Lucifer's Elevation made the Powers impure separate and unclean but in God all are mild soft triumphing if he may be likened to any thing it must be to the Soul of Man enflamed by the Holy Ghost as a glimpse but in God all is Spirit The Light and Glory of the Son goeth into all the Powers of the Father and the Holy Ghost is a glimpse but in God all is Spirit 2. The Light and Glory of the Son goeth into all the Powers of the Father and the Holy Ghost moveth Eternally in all which in the Deep of the Father is like a Divine Salitter or Salnitrum to be likened to the Earth which before its Corruption was such not hard cold dark c. but like the clear pure Heaven in it all the Powers were fair and heavenly till Lucifer spoil'd it But the Fathers heavenly Salitter doth generate all manner of Divine Trees and Plants bearing Fruits of Life with heavenly colours smells tastes different every quality bearing his own Fruit as
Astral and is the third Birth in him As an Apple on a Tree is the third Birth which though it be United with the Word of God in its innermost Birth yet the Wrath being in the Mother of its Body it remains palpable must dye and rot but at the last Judgment Day the Power of the Principle out of which the Apple groweth shall spring anew in Paradice and be a Fruit for Men in the other Life 3. And Man's Body hath the same Hope for though the bestial Body must putrifie yet its vertue liveth in the four Elements in the Word and there grows out of it beautiful Roses and if thy Soul standeth in the Love thou canst while thy Body liveth here live and reign with God in Heaven according to the Spirit of the Soul which the Devil seeth not 4. But for that thy Astral Birth standeth one part in the Wrath the Devil seeth into that part viz. of the Wrath into thy Heart where if thou give him any room he teareth that part of the Astral Birth which standeth in the Love out from the Word and then thy Heart is a dark Valley and if thou labour not quickly to kindle the Light again he kindleth the Wrath-fire and then thou art a Devil and into what thou hast sowed thy Seed that is thy Soul and in that part shall thy Body arise The striving of the seven Spirits in the Earth the Depth in the Centre 5. In the strife of the Astringency bitterness and sweet water the Astringency is Predominant which is dry The sweet quality is extensive and yielding yet the bitterness and sweet quality struggle till the Astringency dry and harden them and thence from their unwilling Captivity Anguish riseth up just as in a Dying Man in this anxiety Heat riseth whereby a Sweat exhaleth as in one yielding to the Captivity of Death That Sweat the Astringent and bitter qualities lay hold on as their Son which they had begotten on the sweet quality which they had killed 6. However the Astringent being strong and the Bitter swift from their Joy in their Son do stuff it that it swells and grows full and great And when the Astringent striveth to captivate the Bitter and the Body begins to be too streight or narrow and that the strife there be too great the Bitter must yield but cannot be kill'd but leaps aside and breaks out of the Body into Strings or Threads taking the Son's sap with it And this is Vegetation and growing of a Root in the Earth Q. How can God be in this Vegetation 7. A. That is the Vegetation of Nature and if the wrath Fire were not in the three Qualities viz. Astringent Sweet and Bitter God might plainly be seen but the Wrath makes the Astringent a cold Fire and its Attraction to be too hard and maketh the Sweet too thick and dark and the Bitter too raging and swelling else they might kindle that Fire from whence the Light would exist and from the Light the Love and from the same Fire-flash the Tone and then would be a Heavenly Body wherein the Light of God would and doth shine and then would be a Heavenly Fruit as it springeth up in Heaven and the Light would generate it self in the sweet-water and there would be a bright shining Heavenly Body where God is 8. But being the first three Qualities are benummed in Death they remain a dark Eternal Prison God's Wrath. Death and Hell a source of Torment Not that the three Qualities are reprobated even to the innermost but only the outward palpable Body and therein the outward Hellish 9. Thus is seen how the Kingdom of God and of Hell hang one to another as one Body and yet the one comprehendeth not the other but the Heat Light Love and Souâ—d are a kind of second Birth making the outward moveable and in the inward standeth the sound of God's Word which seeing it riseth up through the Astringent bitter Death and generateth a Body in the half-dead Water that Body is therefore Evil and Good which may thus be demonstrated 10. One taking a Surfeit by any mortiferous Herb Water or unwholsom Flesh let the same kind of Water Herb or Flesh be distilled or burnt whereby the outward Poison which standeth in Death is gone the Astral Vigour remaineth that Dead Body being gone wherewith if good Treacle be mixed which holdeth Captive the Wrath in the Astral Birth and give it the Sick in warm Drink then operateth the innermost Birth which hath diseased the Person and Cureth Whereby is seen that the Power of the Eternal Life wrestleth in the Dead Earth in Anguish but cannot bud till the Death be severed which hangeth to it for the Wrath is the Life of Death and of the Devil wherein standeth their corporeal Bodies or Being for the Dead Birth or Geniture is their Eternal House CHAP. XXII AFter other things in this Chapter are the seven times Refining of Silver and especially Gold till it become Triumphing CHAP. XXIII 1. THE earnest and severe Birth or Geniture out of which the Wrath of God Hell and Death are come to be hath been from Eternity in God but not accensible nor elevable not kindled or domineering without which severe Birth would be neither God Life nor Heaven Angel nor Creature The Gate of the Holy Trinity 2. The whole Birth of the Heaven of all Heavens this World the place of the Earth and of all Creatures and whatever can be thought of all that together is God the Father And in every the least circle imaginable is the whole Birth of God perfectly perpetually and irresistably but if in a Creature or Place the Light be extinguish'd there is the Austere Birth which lyeth hid in the Light in the innermost Kernel 3. The second Person is the Light which is continually generated out of all the Powers and enlighteneth again all the Powers of the Father an instance whereof is in the kindled Fires in this World the innate Son is the meek Joy and Delight of the Father Now the Father and the Son are equally great the one could not be without the other If the Jews Turks and Heathen will convert the Light will rise up in them gloriously 4. The third Person is the moving Spirit of Life Thus there is One God and Three distinct Persons neither of them can comprehend with-hold or fathom the Original of the other 5. If any will be Saints and not Devils let them generate in the meek holy Law of God else they shall Eternally generate in the austere severe Geniture oâ— God's Wrath. But the Deity is a very simple pure meek loving quieâ— unanimous Being through which the sharpness of the innermost Birth can never elevate it self but remains hidden CHAP. XXIV Of the incorporating or Compaction of the Stars 1. GOD moved the whole Body of Nature contained in the Extent of this World on the 4th Day
which though it was benummed yet the Life was hid in it and generated the â—tars out of Nature so the Light rose up making its Seat in the House of Death which Death could comprehend as little as Wrath doth Meekness 2. As a Tree hath Life Vegetation and Sap producing Fruit which the dry Bark hath little of through which the living Power thrusteth forth Twiggs while the withered Rind harboureth Worms which at last destroy the Tree It is the Love which breaketh through the House of Death and is one Life with God 3. The Stars are come out of the Power of the seven Spirits of God for the Wrath of God was kindled by the Devil and the Out-birth as dross and scum was driven together whence came Earth and Stones for the Body of God as to this World could not remain in Death but the corrupted Nature with its palpability hath remained in Death and is the House of Devils therefore God created new Angels viz. Adam and would bar up Lucifer in the outer Darkness Q. Why had not this been done instantly and then he had not done so much Mischief 4. A. God purposed to make an excellent Angelical Army out of the Earth and all Vegetations after a Heavenly manner and then Extract the Heart or Kernel at last and separate it from Death and the Death of the Earth and Wrath therein should be Lucifer's who in the mean time should and now doth lye Captive in the Deep above the Earth 5. But that there are so many Stars of differing Operations shews God's Infiniteness and their continuance shews there shall be a constant Uniform Birth Q. When the Devil and his Angels fell why had not God instantly bolted him up in the place where he fell 6. A. What Sin hath the Salitter committed that it should stand totally in Eternal shame None therefore God willed to use iâ— as a Dwelling for the new Race of Angels Adam and his Children and leave only the kindled fierceness to the Devil which had it been all left to the Devil out of it could not a new Body have been built 7. The Stars are a sharp Birth and innermost Geniture which had theirfirst kindling from Heaven and God useth them as an Instrument to the wrestling fighting Birth and to anxiety for on the third Day the anxiety in the Birth of this World rub'd it self whence the Fire flash existed and the Light of the Stars kindled it self in the Water of Life till the third Day Nature was a dark Valley and then Life brake through Death and the new Birth began for so long Jesus Christ rested in Death The old Body which standeth in the austereness is a House to the Devil but the new to the Kingdom of Christ. CHAP. XXV 1. EVery Star hath a peculiar Property as may be perceived by the various curious Ornament of the blossoming Earth which variety should have kindled the old Body into so many Powers to break forth through the Wrath that the new Life might have all the Powers that eâ—er the old had before the times of the Wrath which new Body blossomed at the Creation but Nature being by Man more corrupted God Cursed the Ground for Man took hold of the Fruit of the old Body wherefore the Fruit of the new was hidden and the bestial Body had â—Eves Wrath Apples to Eat 2. Concerning the Sun As far as the middle Point or Centre hath kindled it self just so big is the Sun for that is the Sun The Light of the Meekness of the Sun uniteth with the pure Deity and were the great Heat taken away from the Sun it would be one Light with God but the Heat cannot comprehend the Light therefore the place of the Sun remaineth in the Body of God's Wrath. 3. The Sun hath its royal place to it self whence it moveth not but the Earth rouls about every 24 Hours and compasseth the place of the Sun once every Year as do the other Planets but Saturn Jupiter and Mars by reason of their great heighth cannot do it so soon 1. The Life of a Creature is in the Heat of the Heart so is the Sun to the whole Deep 2. The Gall is not existed from the Heart but yet is the Mobility or stirring of the Heart by a Vein that goeth from the one to the other so is Mars 3. The Brain is the Power of the Heart so is Jupiter The Astral Birth stands with one Root in the Holy Heaven and with the Corporeity is in the Wrath. CHAP. XXVI 1. SAturn is Cold and Astringent and takes not his Power from the Sun but as the Sun is the Heart of the Life so is Saturn the beginner of Corporeity and of all Formings and as Jupiter is of the Brain so is this of the Skull his place is in the midst between Jupiter and the general Sphere of the fixed Stars 2. Venus is a gracious kindler of Love in Nature for when the two Spirits of the Life and Mobility were risen up out of the place of the Sun viz. Mars and Jupiter then the Meekness as a Seed of the Water pressed downward with the Power of Light whence existed the Love of Life or Planet Venus mitigating the fierceness of Mars and humbling Jupiter else the Brains would break through the Brain Pan and transmute it self in high-mindedness in the manner of Proud Lucifer 3. Of Mercurius The seven Spirits of God are perfectly in every place but if in any one place they wrestle not triumphingly in that place is no Mobility but a deep Darkness such a House is the House of Flesh in Man such was the whole space of this World when the Deity in the 7 Spirits had withdrawn it self from the Devils and had so continued if the seven Planets and Stars had not risen from God's Spirits but the Heart of the Deity hideth it self in the Corporeity and Out-birth of this World which therefore is in great Anguish till the Heart of God will move it self again in the seven Spirits of God in this World and kindle them and then the Sun and Stars will pass away again to their first place and the Light of God shall fill all the Body of this World and when the anxiety tasteth the sweetness of the Light of God all is richly full of Joy and the whole Body triumpheth which now cannot be because the fierce captive Devil keeps House in the Out-brith of this World till the last Judgment Day and then the Heart of God with his Fan will cleanse his Flour and breaking through Proclaim bright Day 4. The Earth is the Fruit of the seventh Spirit of God but Man's Body is far more Noble being an Extracted Mass out of the Salitter out of the seventh Nature-Spirit 5. When the Seed is generated the Astringent Spirit draweth together a Mass out of the sweet Water that is out of the
Unctuosity of the Blood of the Heart which Oyl or Sap hath in it the Root of the whole Man as Tinder cast into Straw 6. But if the Light had kindled it self in the Birth of the Soul all the Fountain Spirits according to the right of the Deity had triumphantly United with the Deity and had been a living Angel but because the Wrath had already infected the Salitter that Danger was to be feared which befell Lucifer therefore the Extract whereof Man 's Body was made was not become Earth though it was of the Salitter of the Earth but was held by the Word till the Love-Spirit out of the Heart of God glanced on the Salitter of the Mass then did the Salitter become impregnated in the Centre of the Soul and the Light abode in the Centre of the Mass and the Word stood in the Mass in the Sound This Book was Written by J. B. in the Year 1612. Being his first Book It was taken from the Author and not finished but that Defect supplied in his other Writings Aurorae Finis THE Three Principles OF THE Divine Essence CHAP. I. Of the First Principle of the Divine Essence 1. THough God generateth the Essence of all Essences out of Himself for through Him and in Him are all things yet Evil is not God And though the first Principle be the earnest Fountain of Tartness and Cause of all Mobility yet if that be irradiated with Divine Light it is no more Wrath or Tartness but great Joy 2. Though also God hath no Beginning it is here set down as if he had to distinguish the first from the second Principle Although it cannot be said that Bitterness Sorrow or Hell Fire are in God for God made no Devil nor Death yet those things are in Nature and Nature originateth from God according to the first Principle of the Father whose is call'd Angry not in himself but in the Spirit of the Creature which hath enkindled it self and the Wrath of God burneth therein 3. God is the incomprehensible Infinite Spirit A Spirit doth ever nothing but ascend flow move and generate it self in a Threefold Form viz. Bitterness Harshness and Heat neither of which is the first or last for a Spirit is like a Will which rising up beholdeth perfecteth and generateth it self 4. Three things are in the Original whence all things came to be Sulphur Mercurius and Sal. In Sulphur is Soul or Spirit and Matter In Mercury is harshness Bitterness Fire and Water of which four Sal is the Child From harshness bitterness and fire in the first Principle come wo torment trembling and burning yet from those three is also generated Water But in the first Principle God is not called God but a devouring Fire CHAP. II. Of the first and second Principles what God and the Divine Nature is 1. THE Divine Essence cannot be expressed by the Tongue the Spiraculum vitae the Spirit of the Enlighten'd Soul seeth it for every Creature seeth no farther than to its own Mother whence it originated The Soul was breathed out of God's first Principle into the third Principle viz. into the Syderial and Elementary Birth it is not therefore marvellous that it should see the whole depth of the Father in the first Principle it so seeing only it self in its rising The Devils also see and know it they wish also they neither saw nor felt it but themselves shut themselves up from the second Principle 2. The Sydereal Spirit which cloatheth the Soul and the Elementary which ruleth the Foundation of the Blood see only into that whence themselves are But the Spirit of the Soul enlightned by the Holy Spirit of God seeth into the Holy Divine Birth the Heavenly Essence the second Principle This Door can be opened only by Prayer seeking and knocking 3. In the Syllable phur in Sulphur are signified the four Forms of harshness or astringency bitterness or attraction anguish and fire but in the Sul of Sulphur is the Soul or Spirit meant which when it attaineth the Light the fifth Form of Love springeth up the Bridegroom embraceth his sacred Bride 4. Hence by the Water Spirit in Mercurius ariseth the sixth Form or sound so are all in one Heavenly Harmony united in the Divine Nature yet every Form retains its own Property so that here existeth a cross Birth for the fire goeth upward the Water downward the Essences of the harshness sideways as it were East West North and South CHAP. III. Of the endless and innumerable Productions of the Eternal Nature 1. SUch as by reproach forbid a search what God is prosecute the Devil's deceit that it might not be known what the Anger of God is nor what the Devil is and what properly it is which God Abhors Ability is in Man to speak what God our Father is and what the Eternal working 2. Every of the six Forms generateth more for in every of the Fountain Spirits is but one Centre and each generateth more as out of one branch issue many springs and buds and out of one root many threads 3. Out of the harsh Spring proceed five Springs viz. Bitterness Fire Love Sound and Water and in their Co-operating through Anguish the Light and Life arise and the Anguish becomes in the sixfold Form a great Joy in a meer pleasing Tast delighting Sight reviving Smell ravishing Sound the softest Touch all unutterably Excellent So as if one were instantly snatcht out of the bitter Pangs of Death and Torments of Hell into the Triumphant Light of Divine Joy 4. For the Forms of harshness bitterness and fire being perfect in Love become totally Glorious and a Highest Joy and yet their various Properties remain all perfectly irradiated CHAP. IV. Of the Eternal Essence generating Infinity of Existencies 1. THE Eternal generating hath neither Beginning Number End Bottom nor is it Corrupted The Mind of the Sydereal and Elementary Spirit seeth only a glimpse of it which Mind is the Chariot of the Soul without which Mind the Soul were feeble and crâ—â—e in the first Principle but if the Soul be regenerated in the Light of God that Light is its lustre in the second Principle wherein it liveth Eternally 2. Man's Body was made out of the one Element the Quintessence whence also the four Elements Stars and Heaven of the third Principle were created But the Soul was breath'd by the Holy Ghost out of the Father's Light which Light being the Name of God is the Light of Life and enkindled out of the four Anguishes therefore is the Soul God's own Substance 3. If therefore the Soul elevate it self back into the Anguishes of the four Original Form into Priâ—e c. it become a Devil But if it elevate it self forward in the fifth Form of Light Meekâ—ess and lovely Humility it is fed by the Word the Heart of God and its own strong fierce Original becomes Paradisical a sweet Fountain of Eternal Songs of Praise â—t is an Angel a Child of
it all which the Fiat holdeth fast thereby Creating the Head c. And by the hard Terror is made the Skull and in the Contest and Terror of the departing Essences come the various Veins 11. The stifling in the Matrix is the first dying by which the Essences so sever from Heaven that the Virgin cannot be generated which Adam should have done without Woman or rending his Body 12. Further of the Incarnation The Fiat so holdeth in the Terror that the filling in of Elements hardeneth to be Bones So the Elementary Man riseth and the Heavenly falleth And the Stiches and Aches Women feel come from the Sympathy the Tincture of their Bodies have with the Tincture in the Matrix In this Anguish a sting enkindleth a Fire and in the Fire a Light of Joy which is the beginning of Life 13. In the fourth Month the Light of Life makes the harshness calm and meek here springeth a longing and vertue coming from the Light and this delight in the Love is the Noble Tincture which is the Child 's own And the Spirit generated out of the Anguish in the flash of the Fire is the true real Soul CHAP. XIV Of the Birth and Propagation of Man The very Secret Gate 1. MANS Paradisiâ—al Life sprung up in the Holy Ghost in the Divine Light in the place of the four Elements Whence when he departed into the Principle of the Spirit of this World that withdrew and this made him like other Beasts desiring only to fill it self and propagate By that Spirit is he figur'd in the Mothers Womb Life Birth Nourishment good or evil success is given and at last corruption 2. And were not Mans Essences out of Gods Eternity he like the Spirit of other Creatures had gone into its Ether and in this Life had worn the rough Hide but he is left with full Power to yield himself to which of the first or second Principle he will Hence is it that Regeneration is of absolute necessity to the blessed Restoration 3. Of the strong Gate of the indissoluble Band. The three Essences viz. Harshness or Sourness Bitterness and Fire make like the Trinity the indissoluble Band. The first is the Fiat and sting of the second and both the cause of the third and from all three in anxiety ariseth the twinkling flash out of which the Angels are Created who by their longing after the Heart of God were enlightened by the Divine Wisdom But Lucifer's Pride cast him back into the anxious Fire without Light 4. The Gate of the Sydereal or Starry Spirit By the great longing of the darkness after the light was this World Created which desire must continue else no good Creature could be 6. But the Starry Spirit would be King of the Essences of the Soul which ought not to be It longeth to find the Virgin in Man where once it was but the Virgin consisting in the vertue of the second Principle is out of reach 6. Every thing groaneth after the Divine Vertue to be freed from the Vanity of the Devil which panting should it cease the World would be a meer Hell 7. But that the Creatures may attain it they must wait till their dissolution when in their Figure and in their Ether they get a place in Paradise 8. The more the Spirit of the World wrestleth and that the Soul by approaching the Heart of God resisteth the more eager still is the Spirit of the World There the King the Vertue of the Sâ—n is so triumphant that it sublimeth all the Essences of the Stars to their highest Summit And here the Essences of the Soul can see in the Light of the Virgin it s own Original 9. The depth in the Centre That Fire we see with our Eyes is not the Element of Fire but the fiery Wrath come to be such by the inkindling when the Devils fell out of the one holy Element in which one Element is Meekness and Rest not Heat and Cold which have a contrary will 10 Because therefore the fierceness would rule over meekness God caused the Sun to come forth thereby opening four Centres 1. It made the harshness thin and pleasant as Water 2. By the Water the fierceness in the flash was extinguisht 3. The Motion and Egress whereof became Air. 4. And what the sour fierceness had attracted to it was thrust out as the Earth swimmeth in the Water these seek in anxiety to retreat again into the one Element which cannot be till the number to the praise of God be full according to the Eternal Mind 1. The most precious Gate in the Root of the Lilly 1. The longing or attracting willing and desiring are the three beginningless and indissoluble Band. Hence originateth the Eternal Mind in that the Will goeth out of the attracting Activity into Meekness Hence also originateth the Eternal Anguish Gods original fierceness Hence likewise originateth the Eternal mixture where the flash discovereth it self in many thousand thousands The going forth out of the darkness without intermission opening still a new Centre or Principle in infinitum 2. The Gate of God the Father The attracting of the Will impregnateth it self with meekness being deliver'd from darkness wherein standeth the pleasant joy for in the appearing of the sharpness breaking the darkness standeth the Omnipotence and is as when a Man is instantly come out of a scorching Fire to sit in a temperate refreshment herein is the perfection of the highest Joy and Meekness 3. The Will of God is that whatsoever inclineth it self to him he will create in meekness To which the Worm in the Spark inclineth whether to the sharp fierceness in the Fire or the sharp flash to the Regeneration in the second Principle of meekness in that it standeth in Eternity 4. The deep of the darkness and of the Light are alike great and are both without beginning and end the firm Bar of a whole Principle is between them And the will to Love Resignation Meekness and sharp Regeneration is the bound or limit of these two Principles 5. The Gate of the Son of God The will from Eternity impregnateth it self and hath an Eternal Desiring and bringeth forth Eternally the Eternal Son and Child of Meekness Vertue or Power expressing and speaking forth the depth of the Deity and the Eternal Wisdom of God 6. The Gate of Gods Wonders in the Rose of the Lilly The Holy Trinity dwelling in it self generating out of it self comprehended by nothing having no place of rest or limit but is the unsearchable Eternity and Infinity hath an Eternal Will going forth of the Mouth and Heart of God by the Holy Ghost In which going forth by the sharpness of the Fiat all Essences are and yet this is not God but a chast Virgin of the Wisdom of God This Virgin openeth Gods Wonders in the Eternal Essences These reveal'd Wonders become a substance And this substance is the one Element wherein all Essences are And the fair chast
Church 1. ADam having a Garment lent him by the great World is let go out of the Garden and a Cherubim with a flaming Sword is set to guard the Way to the Tree of Life which is the Kingdom of the fierceness in God's Anger which must cut away the Earthy Body from the Holy Element that the new Man may press into the second Principle the Way to the Tree of Life in Paradise Our gross Flesh is the Hedge before the Paradise Would you enter press through the Sword of Death Christ the great Champion will help you who though by his entering haâ—h shew'd and made the Way more easie yet the Sword is still before it 2. Christ took the Book of the first Principle out of the hand of the Ancient of Days and opened the seven Seals or Spirits of the Operation of God The seven Candlesticks are his Humanity the seven Stars the Deity See the four first Chapters of this Book 3. When Eve bare Cain she said I have a Man from the Lord meaning what the Apostles thought of Christ that he should erect a Worldly Kingdom and break the Serpent's Head by the Spirit of this World and its might And here lay the Foundation of the two sorts of Churches one as Cain's standing in the might of the Spirit of this World the other of Abel pressing on the Mercy of God in Faith and Resignation But from the Evil Tree of Adam and Eve's lust sprung the evil murtherous branch Cain 4. That Cain the First-born should be so wicked and a Murtherer is for that Eve was the Child which Adam should if he had not been overcome in great Modesty have generated but his Matrix being impregnated by the Spirit of the great World therefore first was framed out of it a fleshly Woman and her first Fruit became Evil as well as the Limbus of Adam After Abel's Death 70 Years passed before Seth. CHAP. XXI Of Cain's Kingdom and Antichristian Church and of Abel's Kingdom and true Christian Church 1. THE two Eternal Principles of Fierceness and Meekness do strive from Eternity to Eternity for without the fierceness the Meekness would be a still nothing without Mobility and without the Meekness the Fierceness would be a dark gnawing as in Hell Adam's first Principle was throughly illustrated with the second and his Body out of the one Element out of which Element came the four Elements 2. Adam was drawn of both and so is Man still but Man hath the ballance of both Scales The Mind is the Centre of the ballance the Senses or Thoughts are the Weights which the Mind passeth out of one Scale into the other The one is the Kingdom of the Fierceness the other of the Regeneration Thus hath Man the Kingdom of Heaven in the Word of the Divine Vertue given into his Power the Kingdom of Hell in the Root of it in a Bridle and the Kingdom of this World according to the Humanity from Adam Consider we well which we suffer the Mind to be charged with and over-ballanced by for of that we are the very Image 3. Man is a Field the Mind the Sower the three Kingdoms the Seed Look which thou sowest for that thou reapest and at the dissolving of the Body that thou art If thou give thy Field thy self up to this World thou standest only in two Principles that of this World and that of the fierce Wrath. 4. But he that is generated out of Darkness into the Light knoweth both the fierce Eternity and the Out-birth but cannot search out the Light for he is therewith environ'd and therewith ruleth like a Prince in Heaven over Hell and Earth and all are profitable to him for by the first his high exulting Paradisical Joy springeth up and in the third are God's variety of Wonders as in Glasses represented 5. Thus may be seen how Cain's Evil worldly Kingdom and hypocritical Antichristian Church is founded Also how Abel's meek Light righteous Kingdom and his regenerated and resigned spiritual Church is perfected The victorious Gate of the poor Soul In the three last Pages of this Chapter is a sweet and consolatory Incitement and Exhortation that the Soul advance by Perseverance with disregard of the Old Man compar'd to a Wild unruly Beast that it may attain the victorious Garland of Pearl to Crown the New Man with CHAP. XXII Of the new Regeneration in Christ out of the Old Adamical Man 1. THE Scripture saith Christ was conceived and born without Sin of a pure Virgin But since Adam's Fall no pure Virgin is generated of Man's Seed therefore the pure Eternal Virgin of God's Wisdom putting it self into Mary became not thereby Earthy but Mary by putting on the chast Virgin as a pure Garment of the Holy Element or as a new regenerated Man the Soul of Mary comprehended the same and in that same she conceived and did bear into the World the Saviour of all the World 2. And as Mary bare the Heavenly in the old Earthy Man which was her own yet comprehended not the new So the Word entred into the Eternal Virgin in the Heavenly Matrix in the Body of Mary and became a Heavenly Man out of the new regenerated Man in the Soul of Mary and hath brought the Soul of Mary again into the Holy Father so that the Souls of Men were new born again in the Soul of Christ. 3. The Soul of Christ was no strange Soul brought from Heaven but as all Souls are generated so was Christ's though in his Holy Body which was become Maries own And Christ with his entrance into Death sever'd his Holy Man from the fierceness of the Anger and from the Kingdom of this World 4. As the pure Element which is truly every where in which God dwelleth hath attracted to it this World as a Body and yet this Out-birth comprehendeth it no more than the Body doth the Soul So truly hath Christ in the Body of the Virgin Mary attracted to him our Human Essences and so is our Brother which Essences comprehend not his Deity nor can the new Man comprehend it otherwise than the Body doth the Soul 5. In our Human Essences Christ died and his Deity of his Holy Man in the pure Element bereaved Death of its Power and opened a Gate for us all to be separate from the Devil the World and the bestial Body of the four Elements whereof only the shadow is to remain Who then shall not have the Image of our Immanuel shall have the Image of that which his Heart hath been set upon here 6. To Demonstrate Highest things by a Similitude 1. The Almighty Father is as the Fire of the whole Holy Constellations 2. The Son as the Sun which is the Heart and Joy of the Deep 3. The Holy Ghost as the Air. 4. The Virgin of God's Wisdom as the Spirit of the great World 5. The Holy Ternary as the Earth 6. The Heavenly Aquaster as the Water call'd also the Holy
pure Element 7. In the holy Ternary and pure Element spring the Paradisical Fruits and the Virgin of Wisdom is the great Spirit in the whole Heavenly World and the Holy Element is her Body But the Deity is Incomprehensible yet as a Soul to a Body in the Holy Ternary The Virgin of God's Wisdom Christ brought with him to be a Bride to our Souls and the Holy Ternary which is his Body is the Food of our Souls Amen John 6. 56. 8. Baptism was not instituted in respect of the Earthly Man which belonged to Earth nor of the Heavenly Man which was pure already but for the poor Souls sake for though we may have a new Body we cannot have a new Soul that being out of the Eternity Therefore as the Holy Ghost over-shadowed and impregnated Mary so the Water out of the Heavenly Matrix coming out of the Holy Ternary in the Baptism over-shadoweth and filleth the Soul and so reneweth the Earthy Water of the Out-birth washing it clean that it is in resignation a pure Angel and may eat of the Heavenly Fruit which is the cause of Baptism Thenceforth if it incline it self forward into God this World is only bound or tyed to it till it enter into Death CHAP. XXIII Of the Testaments of Christ Baptism and the Supper 1. CHrist said he would be with us always and would give us his Body and Blood for Meat and Drink 2. The Deity is not divided and if the Father be every where so is the Son his Heart nor is the Son divided and a spark of the Deity in his Body and the rest every where When Christ sat with his Disciples he gave them his Flesh and Blood viz. His holy Heavenly Body in the second Principle and his holy Heavenly Blood in the pure Element wherein is the holy Tincture and Holy Life 3. The holy pure Element is every where and substantial generated of God therein is the Ternariâ—â— Sanctus and that is the heavenly Body of Christ with our here assumed Soul in it with the fulness of the Deity therein 4. Thus the regenerated Soul putteth on the Body of Christ viz. his Eternal Humanity which is out of the holy Element and which giveth the new Body Meat and Drink The Father every where from Eternity to Eternity doth generate the Son and from both doth the Holy Ghost every where proceed 5. The inward Element which compriseth this World became Christ's Eternal Body the Deity espoused it self thereunto and acteth the Heavenly new Humanity which is an Omnipresent Creature such as captivated all Devils Thus all Men who earnestly and stedfastly draw near to Christ are in their new Man in Heaven who acteth their new Humanity Christ hath taken this Pledge of us viz. our Souls in Mary 6. Christ began his Baptism by John his fore-runner who was born before Christ signifying that Water is the cause and beginning of the Life and in it by the Tincture cometh Sulphur wherein is vital Motion And in the Sulphur and Water the Tincture after causeth Blood 7. In the same order is the Regeneration that the Soul be Baptized in the Water of Eternal Life and then the grain of Mustard-seed of the Pearl be sown that it become a new Fruit in God 8. Children ought to be Baptized or the Covenant is contemned for though Children know not that which is done to them yet it is not in our fore-knowing but in God's that the Covenant stands and if thou as the tree be in the Covenant so may thy Child as the branch thy Faith is its Faith Art thou a true Christian Thy Child at the kindling of its Life passeth into the Covenant yet omit not to Baptize for when 't is born 't is sever'd from the tree and thou must with thy Faith and Prayer present it 9. And because the outward Body is in this World therefore the outward Water is requisite and with the inward Water of Eternal Life the Holy Ghost in the Covenant baptizeth the inward Man 10. Yet if after the Soul depart the Virgin passeth into the Centre of the Light of Life but if it again return is receiv'd And therefore was the other Testament of the Lord's Body and Blood left in which the outward Man hath the outward Elements of Bread and Wine The inward new Man feeds on Christ's heavenly Flesh and Blood and the Soul feeds on the pure Deity 11. The unworthy Receiver feeds outwardly on the four Elements and inwardly on the Wrath of God having departed as did the fallen Angels out of the Love CHAP. XXIV Of true Repentance 1. TO enter into true Repentance the Mind with all the Thoughts Purposes and Reason must be collected wholly into one will resolution and earnest desire to forsake all Abominations and fix the Soul in a stedfast Confidence in God's Mercy 2. That which terrifieth and with-holdeth arising from the greatness of Sin is of Sathan but every though but the least thought inclining the Will towards God and that it would fain enter into Repentance is not from self but the Love of God draweth his Spirit inviteth the noble Virgin calleth 3. Neglect not to give the Lord a meeting who will certainly give a hearty welcom Come Knock Pray he knows the Language of a hearty Sigh Depart not press from Sin so doth the Kingdom of God press into thee wait from day to day the greater the earnestness the greater will be the Jewel 4. But this Seed is not instantly a Tree The Devil would root it up many Storms rush on it every thing in this World is against it sometimes Sins cover it Conscience upbraids the Traveller even God's Children themselves rush on him he sometimes doth what he reproves in others even against his own Light and Purposes 5. When it is thus the Tree of Pearl is hidden for not being sowen in the outward Man which is not worthy of it but is Sathan's Seat that doth what the Soul opposeth It is sometimes done by the Spirit of the Stars in Man So that a Christian is not known to himself how much less to others and is often wounded in the strife for the Field in which the new Man grows is barren harsh cold sour and bitter but the new Man arm'd by the sharp Sword of Christ's Death is Conqueror growing as the Herb or Flower out of the Earth by the pleasant Sunshine CHAP. XXV Of the Dying Death Resurrection Ascension of Christ and his sitting on the right Hand of God his Father Also our Misery and the Divine Power of his Love 1. THE outward Man and its Actions Thoughts and Intents are Instruments of the Spirit of the great World which after Corrupt 2. None therefore should scorn another having our several Compositions Habits and Mutations according to our Constellations and Influences which are not wholly rooted out till Dissolution though Regeneration oppose the falshood of the outward corruptible Man 3. But the outward Man 's not
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
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
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
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
in the Wonders of this World so evidently that in the Wheel of the Stars and Planets also in our Orb and every Creature that they are an apparent similitude and figure of God according to Love or Anger generating Fire Air Water and Earth That is to say the extremity impurity mortality and gross death of them image the Wrath and the good property in every of them images Paradice where tho' there be but one Element yet in it are the four hidden and on their enkindling and severing become active and comprehensible or palpable to the Creatures which from Eternity was in God yet invisible and immaterial 9. The Language of Nature is treated of from 84th v. to the end of this Chapter which being also dispersed in several places of the blessed Authors excellent Writings it is to be wished were all contracted and paraphrased on in one distinct Treatise not only to shew us the Monuments of our Ruins by the Fall but also stir us up to press inward out of the shadow and figure into the substance which is the inward Power-Worlds CHAP. VI. Of the World and also of Paradise The two Gates of high Consideration 1. MAN is a Child of Eternity but this World is an Out-birth from the Eternal Nature as its Root and an Out-birth is corruptible its grosness originates in the Anger and the Stars are out of the Centre of Nature in all seven Forms and out of each a Centre so that by the wrestlings so very many have proceeded which are a certain number tho innumerable in our account and their being so set a number shews they must be resolved into their Ether for in every Eternal Centre is a springing up without number as is found in Man's Spirit and Soul by the Constellations of the Mind thoughts arise without number and out of one innumerable others which clearly prove our Eternity 2. The Birth of the Eternal Nature is Infinite and perpetually springing up every where in all places as if we imagine a Circle as little as an Attom the least of quantities and in that Circle is the whole Trinity whole Birth of the Eternal Nature so that Eternity is in every place yet maketh no place for it is the Out-birth that maketh place it also maketh Beginning and End for the Infinite Three is without Beginning and End yeâ— as before this Beginning there was nothing but God aâ—d that after the End of these things shall be nothing but God so God is the α and ω the Beginning and the End 3. And forasmuch as the Eternity generateth nothing but what is like it though it self be unchangeable therefore as man is so is Eternity all the three Principles are in him one in another as one â—et in the Creation are three From the Eternal Centre is made the Eternal Substantiality as a Body or weakness being a sinking down and the Spirit is a springing up whence comes Motion Penetration and Multiplication and when the Spirit did create the Substantiality into an Image breathing the Spirit of the Trinity into it the whole Essences even all Forms of Nature the Power to Light and Darkness and the whole Eternity it instantly blossom'd and became the Paradise or Angelical World 4. In the Darkness is the Genitrix in the Light is the Wisdom the first imaged by Devils the other by Angels as a Similitude of the whole Eternal Being to speak in a creatural manner of it And Lucifer imaging beyond the Meekness of the Trinity inkindled in himself the Matrix of Fire and that of Nature becoming Corporeal then was the second Form of the Matrix viz. the Meekness of the Substantiality inkindled whence Water originated out of which was made an Heaven to captivate the Fire and of that Fire and Water came the Stars 5. Then did Man who was God's Image form and imagine in himself the awakened Spirit of the Air four Elements and Constellations which though it were breathed into him Man's Divine Spirit should have over-ruled as the Holy Spirit of God ruleth over all but they became his Lord and instantly captivated him then the Stars Death Vanity and the Elementary Life wrought in him And now if he would enter into God again he must in himself be new-born in God or lost Eternally he is now in the midst between Heaven and Hell to which of these Spirits he yieldeth his he is if Man form in his Spirits the fierceness of Pride c. God loseth nothing for the Image of God in Man withdraweth untoucht into its Principle leaving Man to form himself into the Image of the Serpent and the Spirit forms the Body into its Deformity or otherwise as the Seal the Wax 6. The Eternal Nature doth generate it self Eternally which this World resembleth thus it is a high round Globe figuring Eternity and Infinity wherein by the seven Planets are shewn the seven Spirits of Nature by the great Deep the Eternal Liberty by the Sun in the midst of the seven as a Point or Centre in a Cross the Heart of God by the lustre God's Majesty by the Constellations the Effects or Products of the Fountain Spirits by the Earth the Eternal Death for as the Earth compared with the vigorous outward upper Dominion is as Death so the fierce Matrix is as a Death compared to God yet is not Death but Eternal Torment 7. Not that it is with the Heart of God as with the Sun to be only in one circumscriptive place but as the Centre of a Cross signifying the Trinity in a Globular Rainbow wherein the Red signifies the Father's Property in the glance of Fire Yellow the Son's Lustre and Majesty Blew the Substantiality the dusky Brown the Kingdom of Darkness and on such a Rainbow will Christ sit to Judge and thus is he undivided every where and in that Man who is Born of God is the whoâ—e undivided Heart of God the Son of Man Christ sitting in the circle of his Life upon the Rainbow at the right Hand of God for that Man is Christ's Member his Body his Brother his Flesh his Spirit Power Majesty Heaven Paradise Element Stars Earth and all is that Mans who in Christ is above Hell and Devils though his Earthy Life be under Heaven Stars Elements Hell and Devils 8. Man's Creation was the speaking of that into Substance which was in God in the Virgin of his Wisdom in Eternity not Male and Female which when divided was one Earthy the other Bestial but the new Birth restores that very Eternal Image the Eternal Virginity wherein Christ became Man uniting it to the fallen Man in the Mortal Virginity for Mary had all the three Principles being of the Seed of Joachim and Anna. The Soul of Christ was out of Maries Essences conceived in the Eternal Virgin which Eternal Virgin came into Substantiality uniting with the Human earthy Essences 9. The Eternal Virgin gave to Christ's Human Soul the Heavenly Body and Mary the Earthy the
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
hath a good Constellation at the time of the Spirits awakening it gives him a Friendly lovely outside whereby such a one can give good flattering words from a false heart for he dwelleth in two Kingdoms in this World is he a History Hypocrite and his Soul in the Anger Kingdom with the Devils 8. But the Grace of God appeared by Christ's becoming Man to bring our Human Souls out of Death and the Abyss of Anger into the Tenth Number the Eternal Tincture to be again the Similitude of God upon the Cross whence the Soul originated And then when the Soul is turned into the Will of God in great Humility having Christ's Body it passeth through Death or from Death to Life in the Death of Christ through the Anger of God into the Ninth Number before the Holy Trinity and is imbraced by the Majesty The great open Gate of Antichrist 9. Antichrist in Men professing Christ is a contrary will to the Divine Will yet a Counterfeit of it but as the Soul becomes born of God more or less in such proportion the renewed Will quits the Principles and Dictates of corrupt Reason and self Desires cover'd by Hypocrisie and by a sincere faithful Love rooted in the Life of Christ a holy Flame of self-evidencing Light ariseth giving a distinct discovery of Antichrist before which it falls and by which it is destroy'd for the going from Antichrist is the going from the Fire into the Light The highly Precious Gate also the Gate of Immanuel 10. Is it askt How can Christ's Body be ours How can we dwell in the Body of Christ It is Answer'd As we have Adam's Flesh Soul and Spirit which Christ becoming Man hath yet remaineth God but receiv'd in the fair Virgin of Wisdom the Eternal Flesh which Adam's was before dividing of the Properties and the Property of our earthy Flesh so Christ's Soul is ours and his Body ours and his Virgin ours whereby we live in Christ when we give up our selves to him wherein also he liveth in us and will at last present us wholly pure with the Heavenly Flesh Blood Tincture and Majesty of Christ. Thus also he liveth in us and we are his Members Temple and Body 11. Where one saith Here is Christ and another There it is because they have lost the Key for the Body and Blood of Christ is in the Eternity and not shut up by space or place but as the Sun shineth from East to West and whose Light fills the World how much more doth Christ fill every part of his Incarnation And when we desire his Flesh and Blood we receive it and are fed by it for as the Father gives Being and upholdeth all so the Son gives Vertue and Light The Congregation of Christ is in every Nation where Men turn from their Sins to God be they Greeks Turks Asians Africans c. God respects not Persons nor Opinions but seeks the Heart those who call on the only true God in plain Simplicity are in Christ but the Tyrannous Proud Covetous Malicious Blood-thirsty Antichrist with their endless Contentions and Disputations offend the Heathens whose Life and Customs are far more Innocent and Pious and when Antichrist's Lyes have stifled him broken his Murthering Sword and laid him in the Pit then shall Christ feed his Lambs and the Turk be of the Fold of the Lambs 12. The whole World is full of God the inward holy Life dwelleth in God and the inward dark Abyss standeth in God's Wrath the strife is which may Image us into it self in this outward Life here God sets Light and Darkness before us and all the teaching here is to warn of the severe Property of the Fire for every thing hath Free-will with an Inclination to its Property therefore we must either embrace the true Good or the certain Evil. Young Children are our School-masters with all our Cunning we are but Fools to them who first play with themselves and after one with another this the Devil grudg'd us and made us fall out at our Play and so we quarrel till we go to sleep and then others Act over again the same quarrels and all is about a defiled Garment which yet is not ours while we should obediently search for a new fair Garment when amongst the Roses Lillies and Flowers we shall in our own Country sing the Song How the Driver who did set us at variance is captivated CHAP. XII Of the true Christian Life and Conversation What Man is to do c. COnsidering well the 34 first Verses of this 12th Chapter it may be comprised mostly in these words He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to do justly to love Mercy and to walk humbly with thy God The Way we must walk through this World into the Kingdom of God We must if we will so walk Crucifie Self Repent Convert from Evil hourly pass out of Death into Life we must not take pleasure in our selves but so humble our selves before the clear Countenance of the Trinity before whom we always stand and look on Jesus who always sitteth on the Rainbow in us I say we are so to converse without Self-pleasing that our ways may please God the heavenly Hoasts and Man The rest of this sweet Chapter is of various and copious Rules and Monitions yet so conspicuous that the perusal is rather to be recommended than the particulars extracted Only this asserteth That a Self-defence against outward Force or War having only a desire of Self-defence is not against God for he whose House is on Fire may quench it CHAP. XIII Of Christ's Precious Testaments the Lord's Supper and Baptism 1. VVHEN Christ's Apostles and Disciples met together after fervent Exhortation of one another They took brake divided amongst them and did eat Bread in commemoration of Christ's giving his Body for us on the Cross as himself had commanded So also took they the Cup in their hand saying one to another Take this Cup and drink the Blood of our Lord which he shed on the Cross for Remission of our Sins to shew forth his Death till he come again to Judgment and bring us into himself This was the true great Paschal Lamb inâ—â—ituted by Christatier they had eaten the Passover 2. He gave them and they did eat and drink his Flesh and Blood not his earthy and mortal Flesh and Blood to be chewed with their earthy Teeth and swallow'd for that Body of his was not divided amongst them but he gave them his immortal holy Body and Blood new and unknown to the earthy Man yet which did hang in or was United to the outward on the Cross this holy Body became as a Body to their Souls making them his Members 3. As the Eternal Virginity Substantiality and Wisdom wherein was the promised Word gave it self into the perished Tincture became a new Man at the Incarnation in the Virgin Mary so the new Body of
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
time of the Body hath the Souls Will-ability to withdraw thence and turn into the Meekness and the Holy Will where with the Water of Eternal Life the Fire is quenched and the Soul hath Ability through Jesus Christ to draw by a renewed Will out from the Evil Lusts but those Souls who at deceasing of the Body even then enter into the Will of God having little of the Heavenly Substantiality do lye in rest in great Humility in the Delight of Paradise or the one Element but not in the Majesty in hope of farther increase of Heavenly Light at Christ's great appearing 5. But the Zealous Souls who here did put on the Body of God and were Obedient under the Cross in Righteousness and Truth their Works in their strong Will follow them so great is their Glory Power Might and Majesty as no Tongue can express they are God's Children his Wonder Power Strength Vertue Love Praise and Glory all whatsoever the Will desireth is there in full Perfection and Eternal Power God's Kingdom consists in Power to conceive of which must be brought a Heavenly Mind to such God's Spirit will shew the Heavenly Substance for it is much easier for the enlightened to see the Heavenly Substance than the Earthy 6. The Soul dwelleth not in the outward Spirit but is thereby hindred from exercise of its Natural Principle which is the Eternal so is it that Antichrist puts Holiness in that which comes in at Peoples Ears in Sermons which often coming from an Hypocritical Ground covereth the Soul that it enters not into it self and bring the outward into Obedience of the inward by forsaking Sin and Hypocrisie but rest in a conjectural Knowledge as of Matter without Spirit T is true if an Evil Man speaks God's Words he that is of God hearing hears God's Word but the wrathful or otherwise Evil Spirit in Man is not appeased or amended by its like for he is not thereby awakened Forty Questions OF THE SOUL Answered by Jacob Behmen Quest 1. VVHence the Soul existed from the Beginning of the World Answ. To understand the Substance of all Substances consider outward Fire which burneth out of a harsh astringent Matter The Fire is a sharp desiring which in great Anguish entreth into it self and graspeth after the Liberty and catcheth it and so flameth And though in the Eternal is no such Fire to be understood as shineth in the outward yet it is so in the inward in the harsh desiring The outward remaineth a Darkness and within it self in the Will of the Eternal Liberty it is a Light shining in the still Eternity In â—ire are ten Forms or distinct manner of Differences all generated in the Will being the Eternal Wills Propriety therefore it is Gods and the Liberty which hath the Will is God himself The first Form of Fire is the Eternal Liberty which hath the Will and is in it self the Will The second Form is That it is desirous The third Form is a sharp drawing where originateth the Eternal Enmity and Opposite Will The fourth Form is the Flash of Lightning caused by the Liberty and is the cause of the Anguish source The fifth Form is the Eternal Nature in which standeth two Kingdoms viz. One an Image of God the pure Virgin Wisdom the cause of the Firmament Elements and Stars and the other a Similitude of the severe fierce Wrath according to which God calleth himself a consuming Fire The sixth Form The two Principles one whereof is the cause of the other the Fire-life is the cause of the Light-life and the Light-life the Lord of the Fire-life one is Life the other is Food of the Life The seventh Form is one Magia going always out of the other and is the others Looking glass In Fire and Water Life consisteth The first cause of Life is Fire The second is Light The third is Spirit Every thing consisteth in an inward and â—â—â—ward Substance The eighth Form is the Turba which breaketh the comprized Life again and sheweth such things to the Beginning as were not from Eternity but came to be in the compriâ—ed time but the Turba must be understood in a twofold Form A fierce wrathful Fire in a corruptible Body the Spirit without a Body must be swallowed up in the Eternal Wrath-fire But the otherâ—s a Light and Love-fire and the Spirit which hath a Body viz. An incorruptible Body hiâ—den Man old or first Adamical Man Christ's Flesh remaineth Eternally in God's Body such a one is no more in it self but hath died to its own Will and the Love-will satiateth or filleth the Fire of the Original and then liveth Eternally The ninth Foâ—m is the Virâ—in Tincture the Loâ—e Meekness Humility an unsearchable incorruptible Life a Fire and yet no Fire it burneth but consumeth not it is the Life of Angels and Holy Souls The tenth Form is the entrance into the Holy Ternary in which Angels and Holy Souls become corporized in the Heavenly Substantiality Although their Number belongeth to the place between the 5th and 6th Numbers To Answer yet further to this first Question It is said That though the Child knoweth its Father and Mother well yet knoweth not the time and place of its Begetting If we say Angels and Souls have been from Eternity the Propagation of Souls will not admit it It is therefore summarily answered That the Soul originateth out of God from Eternity without Ground or Number and endureth in its Eternity but the beginning to the moving of the Creature which is done in God should not be mention'd only the Number Three hath delighted to have Children like it self and out of it self and so hath revealed it self in Angels and in the Soul of Adam and passed or transmigrated it self into an Image as a Tree doth into the Fruit for that is the right manner of Eternity Q. 2. What the Soul is in the Essence Substance Nature and Property A. 1. Its Essences are out of the Centre of Nature all the three Principles lye therein and is as a branch out of the Holy Trinity 2. It 's Substance is out of the heavenly Substantiality 3. It s Will is free â—o 〈◊〉 down and account it self nothing and sprout only as a branch out of God's Tree Or otherwise to climb up in its own Will into the Fire 4. It s Nature is the Centre it self with the seven Spirits to propagate with 5. It is a total Substance out of all Substances and Similitude of the Trinity if it be in God if not is a Similitude of all Devils It s Property was in the first Soul created of both Mothers on which followed the Command and Tryal it should not have lusted after Evil and Good but only have eaten Paradisical Fruit but all Properties lye in it it may awaken and let in what it will Q. 3. How the Soul is Created to the Image of God A. The pleasure of 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
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
Omnipotence of Eternity and the Spirit of God will then go forth in two Principles in the Anger viz. in the Fire as the severe Wrath of the Fire-life and in the Light of the Love as a flame of the Divine Majesty and in the Spirit of this World as a Wonder of Life then will the Dead and those who shall be then alive be call'd and those who have the Noble Image will shew it and those who have lost it will shew the Bestial Image they have got The Earth must deliver up the Phur or Body The Water the Essences The Air all the Words it hath received into it or served to make See the last Chapter of the three Principles Q. 31. What manner of New Glorified Bodies the Souls will have This is sufficiently declared before They will have fair bright Works of Faith as every one is indued with the Power of Love and Purity but very different for the Works of many will almost all remain in the Fire and themselves hardly escape for that as one Star excelleth another so they and every one will receive God's lustre as his vertue or power is capable of the Light for after this Life there will be no bettering but every one remains as he entred in Q. 32. What other Form State and Condition Joy and Glory will there be to Souls in that other Life A. 1. Paradice was in us but Adam's lusting after the outward Spirit drew him and us into it and lost the Substance whereof this Worlds Fruits Colours c. is a dead dark shadow but our restitution thereinto will be Eternal Joy in the spring of all Flowers Trees Herbs Fruits c. which shall be Angelical as our Heavenly Bodies no need of Teeth and Entrails we eat in the Mouth all is Power and Vertue 2. The Kingdom consisteth not in Eating and Drinking but there are Divine Songs of Praise as Children in a Ring on a Mount 3. We shall all know each other by our new Names which in the Language of Nature is understood but the Turba being left in the Fire none is concerned for his Relations as Parents Children Friends who are in Hell 4. We are all there but one Sex the first Image Heavenly Virgins full of Modesty and Purity And shall there speak the great Mysteries of the Divine Magia and the Song in Reproach and Scorn of the Driver Rev. 15. 3. Q. 33. What kind of Matter our Bodies shall have in the other Life A. 1. Christ saith None goeth to Heaven but the Son of Man which is in Heaven John 3. 13. He spake not only of his Deity but the Son of Man the Word that became Flesh in which Flesh and Blood we must â—ive Eternally if we will be in God Adam had the Virgin of God's Wisdom but when he fell was divided and the Woman framed and he had the bestial deformity whereof we are ashamed 2. But Christ is become Man in that Virgin Image of God's Wisdom is become Flesh in the Water of Eternal Life which Virgin and Water when Adam fell withdrew and stood in its own Principle Christ became Man in a pure Vessel i. e. in the first Image for the sake of the Soul he assum'd from Mary and the outward Man hung to him And when we are new born we put on Christ and are new born out of Christ's Flesh and Blood 3. The converting Sinner becomes God's Child in Christ and in that very Body consisting of heavenly Flesh and Blood which yet is real substantial and visible to be felt and handled by our heavenly Hands shall we have Heaven Thus shall we have Christ's and God's Body which filleth Heaven for our substantiality is out of the Eternal and must Eternally be in the same and not in gross bestial Flesh. Q. 34. What is the lamentable horrible miserable Estate of the Damned A. This is sufficiently answered above God's Anger is their Habitation their Blasphemy and Abominations are their boast their whole Life is one continual fear horrour anguish despair and a gnawing Worm Fruits grow to them out of their Principle outwardly fair but within is fierce wrath all their cursed Practises on Earth follow them thither and that would they do there Q. 35. What the Enochian Life is and how long it lasteth A. The Father of Enoch is Jared significant in the Language of Nature Enoch begat Methuselah who attained the greatest Age. After which Enoch was taken up with both Bodies The outward was swallowed up and is in the Mystery and the inward is a heavenly Mystery so he liveth in two Mysteries in Paradise but hath still the Turba in the Mystery and in the heavenly Mystery hath God's Body Paradise is still upon Earth at hand not vanished but as it were swallowed up by the Curse yet lyeth as a Mystery uncorrupted Enoch is not gone out of this World he is God's Preacher and after the Turba hath overcome the World he must be silent till the six Seals and Angels of the Turba have poured out their Vials then cometh Enoch again and reproveth the World after which the World becometh fat and their Turba also Methuselah dieth and the Deluge of Fire by Elias cometh O ye Elect desire not to live after Enoch's taking up but while he Preacheth is the Golden Time Q. 36. What the Soul of the Messiah or Christ is A. 1. Christ's Soul is Human conceived in Mary in a twofold Virgin The outward Mortal Life in Mary was no pure Virgin no Daughter of Eve is so nor was Eve more than half a Virgin Adam was the other half for Adam's Fall divided the Tinctures which were one total entire Virgin before in pure Love and Chastity both Tinctures of Fire and Light being in a mixture with Power to generate a Spirit out of the Fires Tincture but the Earthy life captivating him he imagined into Eve Where was then his Modesty His Imagination became bestial Of great love to the lost Image and that it might become One again did the Word which spake forth the Soul at first become incarnate 2. So to the Soul of Mary the Heavenly Virgin of God's Wisdom is put on but in the Soul's Principle not in the Earthy Flesh And in that very Virgin hath the word assumed the Seed of the Woman the Soul's Seed as also the first Images Seed which had stood so long time in the Mystery broken off which he made again one whole intire Image by remixing the Water of Eternal Life with the Soul's Spirit 's Water for the Word took hold of the Soul's Tincture and the Holy Spirit of the Spirit 's Tincture and both became one Soul 3. Yet did the Creature remain distinct from God's Spirit but God's Spirit cohabited therein And out of God's Tincture and Water and Maries Tincture and Water came one Flesh and Blood Thus was he Maries true Natural Son with Soul and Body and also God's true Son
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-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
Deep one Power and Lustre receiveth the other The Deep with its Lustre is hidden but yet hath the power of the Sun in it 4. So Christ's Substantiality filleth Heaven and Paradise and swalloweth up the Earthiness also where it is received and obeyed 5. Thus Christ brought back what Adam lost and much more for the Word is every where become Man See the Extracts of the latter part of the 18th Chapter of the Three Principles The 2d Part being of Christ's Suffering Dying Death and Resurrection CHAP. I. Q. IS it said Was it not sufficient that God became Man why must he also die Could God no other way save Man What pleasure takes he in Death and Dying If God had by his Sons Death paid a Ransom for us why must we also die CHAP. V. Ver. 54. to the end Ans. 1. MAN had lost the Divine Substantiality and Angelical Property and imagined into the Out-birth viz. into the Earthy part was departed from the Divine Light into the Light of this World and captivated in the fierce Wrath of God which the Devil had kindled viz. the four first Forms according to which God calleth himself a consuming fire 2. The corrupted Out birth also had put a Body on him which it destroyed and swallowed up again in its essential fire 3. But being the Soul was breathed into Man out of the Holy Spirit of God out of the Eternal and so is an Angel 4. Therefore hath the Power of the Holy Light World the Heart of God resumed the same entring into the Human Essence which lay in the Anguish Chamber surrounded with Death and took to himself a Soul out of our Essence and our Mortal Life and introduced the Soul through Death through the earnest severe Fire of God the Father into the holy meek Light-World and so destroyed Death by bringing in Divine Substanâ—iality into the fierce Wrath of the Father the Centre of the Anguish-Chamber the Fire World in the Soul Christ being the right Centre of the Holy Trinity is with the out gone Holy Spirit the flaming Majesty the Light-World 5. And whosoever will possess the Light-World and be an Angel must enter in through the same path bear old Adams Cross go forth through the harâ—â—â— astringent stern and malignant corrupted Adamical Man and slay him and be born anew out of the Anxious Wheel 6. But seeing we were not able to do this Christ gave himself into the Centre of the fierce Wrath in the Soul brake and extinguished it with his Love So that now when we go out of our selves to the death of sin we come into the death of Christ the path he hath prepared for us and leads to his Resurrection whereby we ascend into his Arms the unshut Light-World which is also Abraham's bosom the Paradise wherein we were created our true dear native Country 7. It consisteth not in this that we think it enough to pourtray and represent what Christ hath done and suffered for us and tell of a Faith in that but that we daily and hourly fight and slay the Evil Adam as to his will and doings with resigned and resolved earnestness and then we enter into Christ's Death in our living Bodies put on his Life in us become impregnated with the Kingdom of Heaven Get on us Christ's Thorny Crown and still be accounted one that is not worthy to live on the Earth through all which we must faithfully proceed on knowing we must either be Angels or Devils 8. In this Death nothing dieth to or in us but only the Earthy Evil dead Adam whose will and life we have here continually destroyed This Enemy departeth from us into the Essential Fire into the four Elements and into the Mystery and must at the end be tryed through the Fire of God and then our Bodies and Works must be given us again through that Fire whatever the Earthy Mystery had swallowed up But not such an Evil one for the Fire of God devoureth the Evil but such a one as we here in anxiety have sought a Divine Spiritual Substance like the Wonders and Wisdom of God 9. Hypocritical Reason saith Christ hath done all for us we cannot It is right Christ hath done what we cannot do he hath broken Death and restored a new Life and is in Heaven But 't is not knowing but doing the Devils know but what availeth that we know if we remain without and enter not into Christ in the way and passage he hath made for us doing good for evil in truth and simplicty CHAP. VII Ver. 75. 1. IT is not enough to cry Lord give me a strong Faith in the Merits of thy Son he hath satisfied for my sins But I must enter into Christ's suffering and dying and be born a second time out of his Death become a Member in and with him Constantly crucifie the old Adam Always hang on Christ's Cross Become an obedient Child Tho' I plainly walk this way yet I have so evil a ghest in me that I still work too much evil must therefore continually strive and fight till I vanquish 2. Christ indeed hath in and for us broken Death and made way but what doth that comfort me unless I enter in that very way and path as a Pilgrim or Stranger here CHAP. IX CHrist's Sufferings c. 1. Men content them to participate of in the Lord's Supper v. 29. But his Divine Flesh and Blood is that which the wicked cannot participate of that is Sacramentally 2. They receive the four Elements in the Anger of God because they discern not the Lord's Body which is every where present in Heaven and Earth and is fed upon by the Heavenly Soul not as a sign as others dream not Spirit without Substance but the Substance of the Spirit Christ's Flesh which filleth the Light-World which the Word that became Man brought with it into the Virgin Mary and there became opened in its Flesh and Blood the assumed Human Essence 3. Yet was it at that very time while Christ lay in the Virgins Womb in Heaven in the one Element in all places It came not into Mary from many miles off but the Centre which Adam in God's Anger had shut up in death the Word of the Deity did unlock and bring in the Divine Substantiality not entring in but unshutting ingenerating and in this World exgenerating God and Man one person heavenly Substantiality and Virginity one only Man in Heaven and in this World See the latter part of the 18th Chapter of the three Principles The third part being of the Tree of Christian Faith CHAP. I. WHat Faith is 1. It is not our forcing the mind to belief of Articles which are the work of our Reason 2. But true Faith is one Spirit with God working in and with God is the might of God dwells in the liberty in God's Will inclined to his Love and Mercy is free from the fierce Wrath and Torment in Nature is not comprehended subsisteth in
Eternity as a nothing and yet is all 3. But if it becometh apprehended then it is entred into Reason as into a Prison where it works the wonders in the Fire of Nature but in the Liberty the wonders of God and so is the Companionness or Play-fellow of Sophia the Wisdom of God CHAP. II. WHY Faith and Doubting dwell together 1. Tho' Faith is God's Image viz. the desiring seeing and mind an Eternal Figure yet in the time of the Body it may change it self into the Anguish Fountain 2. For Faith in its original is only a Will which Will is a Seed and that Seed must the Soul being a Fire-spirit sow into the Liberty of God and so will a Tree grow on which the Soul feedeth to allay and meeken its Fire and becometh powerful and giveth still its vertue to the Root of this Tree which groweth in the Spirit of God even into the wonders of the Majesty of God and springeth in the Paradise of God 3. There is a continual vehement strife in Man while he is in the Tabernacle of this Earthy Life unless he so earnestly sink down in himself that he introduce the Lifes-fire into the Liberty of God and then is dead as to reason and liveth to God which is an highly precious Life and rarely found for it is like the first Image that God created The mortal only hangeth to it but this right Life is in another Principle and World and is the first right Paradifical Human Life 4. That Earthy Human Life into which Adam fell originateth in the Mothers Womb moving chiefly in Fire Air Water and Earth or Flesh tinctur'd inform'd and made rational by the constellations to pleasure or displeasure being no more but a Bestial life reason looketh no higher 5. Yet Man's great panting after a higher and Eternal Life is a Magick seeking a Mystery implanted at his Creation it lieth in Reason but Reason nor the Spirit of this World comprehendeth it not It is a secret Spring opening in another Principle hidden in the Anguish held captive by the Spirit of this World which the outward Lifes Reason hath might to suppress so that it is flifled cometh not to the light generateth not abideth hidden and when the Body breaketh the Will hath not wherewith to open the Mystery which Mystery is God's Kingdom but the Fire or Souls Spirit abideth in Eternal Darkness 6. The Mystery being God's Kingdom giveth a longing desire standing hidden in the Soul incomprehensible to Nature and hath its Root in the Souls Fire This Will is no parting or renting from the Soul but becometh one Spirit with God and so is the Soul's Garment and the Soul in that Will and Spirit is become environ'd and hidden in God tho' it dwelleth in the Body 7. This is the right earnest Faith a Child of God and dwelleth in another World It is not an Historical Will Reason knoweth there is in it self a desire after God and yet holdeth that very desire captive from entring into the Life of God in the lusts of the flesh in the Sidereal Magia saying To morrow thou shalt go forth to God introducing Self-ability of finding and is surrounded with Opinion and Conjecture keeping from the Liberty of God 8. But the Will that sinketh it self out from Reason into Obedience and Love to God is an obedient humble Child and accepted for it is pure and God's similitude And seeing God is free in himself from the Evil so must the Will and then tho' God be no accepter of persons nor will let sin into himself yet he will accept the humble free obedient Will for whatcomes to him into his Liberty he will not cast off CHAP. III. Whence comes Good and Evil Joy and Sorrow Love and Anger Life and Death 1. THO' from the Eternal Substance all proceedeth Good and Evil c. yet we cannot say that Evil and Death come from God in God is no Evil nor Death nor in Eternity doth any Evil go into him The Eternity manifesteth it self by similitudes 2. In the Eternal Nature is the Magia of Life where one Form desireth and awakeneth the other whence the Essences of multiplicity exist and out of which the wonders the Created Beings are generated and out of the same Fire of Nature the fierce Wrath proceedeth 3. In God's Will is a desiring which causeth the Magia out of which existeth the multiplicity yet the multiplicity it self is not God's willing which is free from all substance but in the desiring or longing of the Will Nature generateth it self with all Forms viz out of the Eternal Magia 4. What Spirit soever imagineth with the Will into Nature is the Child of Nature and one Life with Nature but whosoever goeth forth from the Reason of Nature with its will and longing into the Free Will of God and therein abideth is one Spirit in and with God and is God's Child and the Nature Spirit is God's wonder or Creature CHAP. IV. How to attain the Liberty of God How God's Image is destroyed The State of the Wicked after the dying of the Body 1. WHere our will and heart is there is also our Treasure Is our will in God's Will then have we the great Mystery out of which this World as a similitude is generated and have both the eternal and corruptible yea we bring the wonders of our corruptible works into the eternal 2. But if we turn our desiring from the Eternal into the Earthy Mystery our will is captivated and hangeth only to the Looking-glass and attaineth not the Liberty of God 3. And when the Body dieth the Soul retaineth the Image of those things in its Will-Spirit wherewith it is become infected be it Pride Covetousness Malice or any other abominations for the wicked Will having captivated and destroyed the Noble Image and lost the Liberty is the Root of its own Image and draweth the Mystery to it self VVhere on the other part the right VVill is regenerated in Christ and entreth into the Liberty for in the VVill through Faith we attain the Noble Virgin Image that Adam lost CHAP. V. Why the Wicked convert not What the most smarting thing in Conversion is c. 1. THE wicked multitude have the Noble Jewel hidden in them in the Divine Principle and can very well go forth with their VVill-Spirit into the VVill of God but the self-honouring life-pleasing them so well that they obstinately let the fierce wrath hold them Gods Spirit desireth the Soul setting its Magia towards it the Soul needs only to open the Door and it goetâ— voluntarily in 2. But the most smarting bitter thing in Conversion is to break the Will-spirit from the Earthy substance and its Treasure the beloved Lusts and Self and from falshood by sincere earnest turning about of the Will into Gods Love which is the Divine Mystery that Gods Spirit may blow up the Divine sparkle And this must be or he is but a Bestial Man a Jugler and
far as they are holy and capable of it which their possessing the second Principle enables them to be 12. The third Principle hath its sprouting but it is in Warring the cold against the heat and every thing against its contrary The cold gives substance the heat Spirit the Light Meekness And then the Fire consumes all both Evil and Good 13. Seeing therefore Man hath the two inward Principles in strife let him beware which he makes Lord for that will be his Lord Eternally when Death hath broken the Ballance CHAP. III. The Second Point 1. IN the Light World which is Gods Kingdom is rightly known no more but one Principle into which the four Properties give up their Will being chang'd into a desire of Love in Meekness That which in the Light World is well doing triumphing Joy and Pleasant Songs is in the dark a stinging Enmity Horror and Trembling 2. Therefore is the anxious evil the Light worlds Original and all is Gods but the Light only call'd Gods Kingdom the other his fierce Wrath which Kingdom hath the Constellations of the greatest and most severe eager might 3. That which melodiously ringeth in the Light rumbleth and thumpeth in the dark The cause of the ringing in Metals is that in the moving of the Aâ—l subâ—â—antiaâ— God in the Creation the Metalline Tincture became shut up in the â—aâ—â—â—ess 4. In the dark World are many sorts of Spirits or Hellish Worms according to their Constelâ—ations and Properties without uâ—derstanding or woe for iâ— is their Life as in this are unreasonable and hurtful Beasts Toads Serpents c. for all Properties would be Creaturely 5. The Principles are not at strife but in a constant league But Death and Anguish is the cause of Fire and Fire is the cause of all Life To the Abyâ—s it gives sting and fierceness else there would be no Mobility To the Light-world Essence else there would be no production but an Eternal Arcanum To this World it gives Essence and springing so is it the cause of all things 6. The Anguish of the dark World caus'd by Fire panteth after the liberty and the liberty longeth after manifestation thus is the Harmony between the Principles but in the Essences is strife else all things would be nothing 7. God Created Creatures in each Principle therein should they continue but when they introduce into themselves another thaâ— makes he Enmity as did the Devil introduce Pride and the fierce Wrath of the first Principle And Man into this World where he hath necessity and strife to make him go out again which if he with Divine Might doth at any time the Spirit of this World will drive on the Children of this World to hate plague and kill them whereto the Devil helpeth to drive them from among his Slaves 8. Man therefore is highly concerned to know that being in this World as a Prisoner he should not enter into the Earthy Malady but constantly go hence into the Light-world But if he press not thereinto with earnestness he like an Ape only imitates or plays Jugling Tricks for which the Devil derides him for thereby he gives his Body to this World and his Soul to the dark Abyss 9. Thus is seen that the Creatures of each Principle desire not those of the other nor can they see each other there being a Gulph between them CHAP. IV. Of the Original of Contrariety in the springing of Life The Third Point 1. VVHere is one only will there is no strife but where many are is contrariety unless one rule over the rest there then doth multiplicity harmonize for the harsh Anguish and bitter Properties are at Civil Hostility and Fire is the Incendiary setting them all into great Anguish Exasperating the respective Enmities till Light be produced and crowned King There it ruleth lovingly and rewards them with Meekness which appeaseth and well-pleaseth them all Thus is multiplicity reduced to an united will called the mind which by Imagination can create evil and good 2. The Mind inkindling it self inkindleth the whole Body and Spirit be it in Wrath or Love As is the Matter such is the Flame be it Brimstone or sweet Oyl and such is the favour 3. In the Souls Fire stands the Light of Life and in the Light of Life the Noble Image When therefore the Souls Fire in the fierce quality introduceth Earthy Matter into it the Noble Image withdraws The consequence of our hard and heavy Fall bringing on us so great danger and misery 4. Therefore hath Christ taught us Patience Meekness and Love for we are captives in God's fierce Wrath between Anger and Love so that if the Will-Spirit before the dissolution of the Body hath attained God's Love as a sparkle somewhat may be done but not without such irksom tediousness to break the dark fierceness which would extinguish it and that is Purgatory and how great Enmity Terror and Anguish the Life is in before it can in the sparkle sink down into the Liberty of God he well findeth who so nakedly with as it were only a glimmering Twilight departeth this World 5. It is therefore of absolute necessity that we take the Cross by entring into Humility Patience and the Meek Life therewith to break the will of the Dark fierce Centre and this World's Voluptuousness nor by wrong to excite Rage in thy Brother for that hindereth the Kingdom of God but thy meek self denial will further it that by beholding that Spirit in thee thy Brother may be convinced and judge himself seeing thy valuing more God's Love than temporal goods knowing thy self to be only a stranger But if the Evil-doer will not convert his Evil in the Anger of God gnaweth him to cause him to return If yet he hardeneth himself in wickedness he becomes a total Evil Tree devouring his own abominations growing for his dark God Lucifer The above is the Contents of the latter part of the fourth Point but the first part of the fourth Point contains viz. CHAP. V. How the Holy Tree of Eternal Life sprouteth through All the three Principles yet not comprehended 1. THE Divine Power and Light dwelleth in it self every where in Nature yet not toucht by any thing that is not of its Property not comprehended but as the Sun shineth in all the Elements yet not laid hold on by any and what the Sun doth in the third Principle the Light of God doth in the Forms of the Eternal Nature attoneing the Schism and Enmity of them that Light shineth through the Darkness but not comprehended by it 2. The three Principles comprehend not one the other unless the Will by falling into Death give up its Essences into the Light 3. The Devil is the poorest of Creatures The Sun is not profitable to him he cannot stir a leaf nor pile of Grass unless the anger be in it his Will neither goeth no can go into the Lights Property He goeth not readily but hateth every thing that sprouteth in and
uniteth with the Sun's Power CHAP. VI. The outward manifestation of the inward three Worlds How God is in all things How all the World might be a meer Sun What Man is And wherein God beholdeth himself Further of the 4th Point 1. THE Earthy Tincture hath no communion with the Heavenly though the outward proceedeth out of the inward and yet the Tincture of the precious Metals hath communion with the Heavenly 2. The Dark World hath the first Centre the Light the second whence behold our danger for if we cast our selves into the Earthy seeking that captivateth us the Dark Abyss is our Lord and the Sun our Temporal God 3. The three Worlds are not sever'd for the Eternal Abyssal substance may not sever it self The outward is the place which comprehends not the inward but is comprehended by it what the inward giveth forth out of it self that it also possesseth and cometh not into a place but was there bâ—fore-hand 4. Thus God dwelleth in all things but no more comprehended than the face is by the Looking-glass or the Sun by the Water tho' the outward hungreth after the inward and can receive the inward into it but the inward cannot receive the outward for it dwelleth not in the outward but in it self nor is the inward remote from the outward as the Sun from the Water but as the Water hath the Suns Property in it else could not catch the Suns Lustre And this World would all be a meer Sun if God would kindle and manifest it for every thing animate and inanimate and all the four Elements receive the Suns glance 5. If Man who is all the three Worlds standeth in them in equal harmony without introducing the one World into the other saving that he by the Light-World rule the Dark and Outward Worlds then is he God's similitude and the Outward World must catch the Light as the Water doth the Suns glance But if the Water be mixt with Earth it receives not the Suns Light No more can the Human Spirit the Light of God unless it remain pure and then that Man's Life is such a Looking glass as wherein God beholds and finds himself as also in the Angels and Beauties of Heaven for in the Dark World is no Looking glass capable of the Light But if the Water be mixt with Earth it must sink down from the Earths dark fierceness wherein it was captive before it be capable of seeing the Light 6. So what Man imagineth after it receiveth if he hath filled himself with the Earthy hunger he must be new born that he may with Christ break the Earthy Darkness and with Authority introduce the clear pure Looking-glass of the Deity CHAP. VII How a Life passeth out of Joy into Misery The fifth Point 1. LIfe is like a terrible flash but when it receiveth the Light it passeth into meekness and joy but because it sprung from its Mother the Dark World it hath power either to retire thither or proceed forward by the Fires Anguish to kindle the Light Its perdition is therefore evident it inclineth to the multiplicity to be its own Lord but yieldeth not to the Liberty beyond Nature for if it did then would the Liberty kindle the Love-fire and become a light viz. a clear Looking-glass of God's Majesty In that manner as the second Principle hath kindled it self from Eternity for entring into the Liberty it arrives at that which was before Nature and was the cause of Nature 2. The Soul hath three Eyes or Looking glasses in the time of this World and seeth with that only to which it turneth it self tho' by right of Nature it hath but one viz. the fourth Form of the Dark VVorld viz. Fire and into which it goeth with its will of that it receiveth its spiritual substance 3. And if it go into the Dark World or Outward World the Light World is hidden and as dead as Fire is in Wood. Here should Man prove himself what World is Lord in him If wrath envy deceit pride avarice bestial unchastity c. be his desire he may make Register accompt and inventory that certainly he is not a Man but a Dog Goat Beast Serpent or Toad And when the four Elements forsake him his Souls Image is form'd by the Hellish Fiat into that Property of theirs that most strâ—â—gly drew his delight 4. Yet he that hourly striveth against the Evil Properties and though he be damped by the Evil his constant desire to repentance sheweth God's fire glimmereth in him and when the outward Body with its damp breaketh and can no more hinder the glimmering week then the Divine Fire kindleth and figureth him after the Image of the strongest Property he here introduced into his desire But if he continue not his serious desire he may desperately perish 5. But he whose desire is so potent that he can subdue his Evil Nature and pass into humble Patience contemn the glistering of the World do good for evil and can yield himself and all his to do and suffer misery for God's sake In that Man the Divine Power floweth up the Noble Image dwelleth and Jesus is born 6. The Devil knoweth him not only is inraged and irritateth incarnate Devils and Men Beasts to plague him This Man is the surest never dieth but the outward Kingdom that was a hinderance to him falleth from him and as he tasted what God is and bare the heavenly substance here so now much more and is eternally perfected CHAP. VIII Further of the 5th Point The True Human Essence or Substance is not Earthy nor out of the Dark World but out of the Substance of God 1. THE right substantial Man is of the Light World there is a Gulph of Death 'twixt that and the Dark World and Outward World yet is it shut up-in the Outward World Christ is come to save what is lost and will suffer it self to be helped unless it be a totally Devilish fruit of evil Parents But while there is any small Tinder of Divine stirring the Child is capable by Baptism to have the Light glimmering in that part given Adam out of the Angelical World not that Earthy part he introduced and so far as the Divine Power stirreth is the Child baptized after life in the womb by the Holy Ghost 2. Obj. What can the Child do to it that the Parents are wicked Answ. The Evil Man is shut up in Body and Soul why not in the Seed Must God turn the seed of Thistles into Wheat and throw Pearls to Swine The Sun maketh nor desireth any Weed but giveth to all Vegetables Life but the Soil produceth the Evil. Many times the wicked Parents cause Curses to stick to their wicked Consorts and should not their wills be done to them 3. And being both wicked what can an Evil Beast beget but an Evil Beast baptized in God's fierce Wrath So also it receiveth the Lord's Supper without distinguishing the Lord's Body and put it and its own
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
help breathing it self again into the disappear'd Divine Property and into all the three Properties of the Humane even to the Thoughts and Senses breaking the will of self and of the Devil and hath brought the holy Life through Death into a Paradisical sprouting making Death and the Devil a reproach and shewing how the Eternal one can rule mightily over the Multiplicity and give an open Grace Gate for us poor Men to enter the Life of Christ. 3. We are therefore to come with ouâ— captivated will out of the Prison of Earth and Self and solely sink down into this Incorporated Grace which pressed from one viz. the first Man upon all and with the resign'd will sink down into the Hyperbyssal Supersensual Unsearchable Eternal one into the ground out of whiâ—h Life first sprung and then it reacheth the Temperature and true Rest. Argument How can a Man do that viz. that last above written being the Scripture saith The first Man is made to a Natural Life to rule the Creatures therefore mâ—st the Life go into the Earthy Properties Answer 1. The Humane Life is set in a reflex Image of the Divine Will in and with which God willeth and the Earthy Creatures are set in a representation of the Humane 2. And though Mans Life was set in Nature yet it was in the Temperature Without Christ we can do nothing but if Man sink into the Incorporated Grace of God and in Divine Hope rest from self-will and work and resign its will to work only what God speaketh it is beyond Nature And the Abyss God himself speaketh through him and manifesteth himself in and with him thus new-born in Christ who now ruleth over the outward Reason Life 3. Till this be done Man is no Child of Heaven but his will an Apostate just as the Devil and his Body an evil Beast and gathereth not with Gods Incorporated Grace but scattereth 4. As an Herb without Sap is burnt by the Sun while the Herb that hath Sap is warn'd So if Mans Essence hath not Ens from Gods Love and Meekness it impresseth it self into a fierce wrathful fiery sharpness and the Mind is totally rough covetous envious and stinging 5. Yet if the fiery Life eat of the Divine Love it is no more receiving as the Fires Property is but giving and working good in all as the Property of the Light for having eaten of the Bread which cometh down from Heaven it is quickned by it The Sun in a hard Stone where the Water is coagulated cannot work as in Metals Herbs and Trees because his Light and Vertue penetrateth not so is it in this CHAP. III. How Nature representeth and maketh visible the Divine Eternal and Abyssal Knowledge 1. THE Word is the Efflux of the Divine Will and Knowledge as the Thoughts and Senses are of the Mind yet the Mind remaineth totally but one So the Word was is and ever will be the Eternal Beginning flowing out and revelation of the Eternal one 2. And the Wisdom is the Eternal out-flown Beginning and cause of all Powers Colours Vertues and Properties 3. Their Powers are again an Efflux into the various Self-properties whence come the Multiplicity of Wills thence the Creaturely Life of the Eternal springeth viz. Angels and Souls 4. Not that Nature and Creature is here but the Spirit of God sporteth himself in forming Similitudes of the Powers of the Wisdom as doth the Mind with reflex Images which are the Thoughts and every Property hath its own Separator as hath the Eternal Unity whereby the Efflux of the Unity becomes perceptible in Infinite Multiplicity 5. For the Efflux sharpeneth it self superlatively by the Magnetick longing of the receiving Powers in the fiery kind wherein the Eternal One becomes Majestick and Light And the inkindling through Fire makes it a Kingdom of Joy The visible World with its Hosts is the out-flown word of Fire Light and Darkness separated by the Officer of Nature who hath imprinted each Body according to its own Property Of the Twofold Life in the Representation of the Divine Will 1. An Eternal 2. A Temporal 1. The Eternal is the sensible Life in the Eternal Fire and Light a spark of the out-flown or out-breathed will of God bound to will nothing but the out-breathed will of God a Separator and Instrument of Gods Omnipotent Glory wherewith he will rule all things having therefore given it Divine Understanding 2. The Temporal and Mortal Existence is the Efflux of the Separator of all Powers call'd the Soul of the World making the visible Creatures such a Similitude as wherein the Spiritual World of Fire Light and Darkness beholdeth it self hidden in and working through the Elementary World But the Visible possesseth not the Invisible so as to be chang'd thereinto but is only an Instrument whereby the Inward Powers Image themselves as in Herbs Trees Metals c. Of the Threefold Spirit in the Growing Powers 1. The outward Spirit is the gross Brimstone Salt and Mercury which coagulating it self in the four Elements and by drawing the Spiritual Separator to it the Signature is instantly perform'd 2. The second Spirit or Quintessence hath a Centre of its own viz. a Root of the four Elements being the Meek Joy of the painful Brimstone and Salt Spirit nourished from within of the Light of Nature and from without of the subtle Power of the Spirit of the World which fifth Essence is the right cause of all Vegetation and such a Joy of Nature as the Sun to the Elements 3. The third 's the Tincture of which see Chap. 12. of the three Principles The Tincture is that wherein all Powers lye in equality a Spiritual Fire and Light in one substance a Paradise the Mansion of Divine Power and of the Eternal Soul known to the Creature only in the Regeneration and to no ungodly one for such drive on a false will 4. It is not Elementary but issueth through the gross Elementary Spirit even into Taste and Smell But the Elements are a cause of the motion of the Tincture the sharpness of the Smell is Elementary but the vertue in the Smell is the Tincture which in Medicines Cureth for it imprinteth it self in such Balsams 5. As the voice to the Fig-tree Be thou withered did not that Miracle but the Power whence the voice proceeded As neither is the Confession of a thing Faith but that Intellectual Power is Faith out of which the Confession proceedeth wherewith Gods Spirit Co-worketh 6. Thus all whatsoever whether evil or good represent in their several Properties the hidden Spirit of the Separator of all things and the Elementary is the Efflux of the Tincture and Spiritual World for the visible moveable material World is the substance of the invisible immoveable spiritual World 7. So the desire of the Efflux out of the darkness is become sharp stern and gross and hath coagulated it self into Matter even unto the drossy Earth So out of the Light cometh the Noble
to Death it was necessary God should regenerate him from the Essence of time the Mortal Oyl which God had Cursed viz. withdrawn from to the Essence of Eternity the Living Oyl which God's Love-desire penetrateth So doth the Womans Seed break the Serpent's Head deprive the Wrath of its might put it into Divine Joyfulness the dead Soul ariseth the Anger was Master but in the Light is become a Servant From the 24th Verse exclusive to the End of the Chapter is de Lapide Philosophorum CHAP. VIII Of the Seething and Growth in the Earth and the Separation of the several Kinds of Creatures 1. ALL things consist of a sulphurous Property The visible as the likeness of the Eternal proceed in Generation according to the right of Eternity in the Limit of Measure Weight and space of Time which is as a dead Instrument of Eternity Now for accomplishing all God hath substituted the Soul of the great World his Officer and over him the understanding wherewith he ruleth the Officer shewing him the Severation Degrees and Process for Sulphur contains all Mercury enliveneth and Salt impresseth and fixeth that it fall not to Ashes Mercury by boyling in Sulphur produceth two Forms viz. One Oleous from the Liberty of the Divine Power the other Mortal from the dissolution of the Salnitral flagrat Mercury is the Officers Faber which in the Oily Property doth pullulate willing always to fly from the Anguish as his Death not to be captivated thereby from which strife proceedeth Growth in the Mortal Property it is the Life of Death Hell and the Anger of God but in the oleous good Property is a Heavenly Light 3. And because the Essence of Eternity is hid in the anxious Mercury these and the other Writings of this Author teach how to bring the desire out of the poisonful Mercury into the inclosed Essence of Eternity and reassume that for a Body and therewith Tincture the Essence of time and reunite the inward and outward World to have only one Will viz. A Love Hunger so that no Will to Evil can arise any more And may be attained like as we see Eternity Travelling through time with longing to be free from Vanity which when the Hunger of Mercury obtains it becomes joyful is pregnant making the free Lubet Corporeal in him whence come good Herbs Metals Silver Gold Pearls c. all according to the prevalency of one of the seven Forms of Nature and the Boiling or Sude in each place CHAP. IX Of the Signature Shewing how the Internal doth sign the External 1. THE Kingdom of God consists in Power and the outward visible World is a Figure or Signature of the Spiritual and Eternal Powers both the inward and outward are especially in seven Properties or Forms each the cause of the other none is first or last of them 2. That of the seven which is Superior in any Creature or thing chiefly signeth that Body and the other Forms adhere to it But the Artist with the true Mercury by subjecting the Superior and exalting an Inferior Property may cause the Spirit to obtain another Will giving other tast odour colour sound and shape than before viz. Life and Good or Death and Evil prevailing 4. The Properties are Labourers in the Heavenly Earthy and dark impression also So the inward Mercury is the Eternal speaking Word both in the Holy Light World in the outward and in the opposite perverse World 5. That where Saturn is most potent is of colour greyish black or grey or whitish Buds in Vegetables of touch hard of tast sharp or salt the Eye of a dark blew a lean long Body or Stalk If it as usually it doth awaken Mars it curbs the heighth and is crooked knotty bushy as in Oak shrubs 6. Where Venus is next Saturn not hindred by Mars the Sude in that Saturnin Sulphur makes a tall great Man Beast Tree or Herb. 7. If Jupiter be stronger in Saturn than Venus and both than Mars it makes an excellent fair vertuous potent Body of good taste its Eyes whitish blue 8. But if Mercury be betwixt Venus and Jupiter and Mars weakest then is this Property in Saturn graduated in the highest Power and Vertue in word and work If it be in Vegetables they are long of middle-sized stalk of curious form fair white or blue Bloâ—â—oms which if the Sum influenceth incline to yellow and if Mars hinder not be it in Man or other Creature is Soveraign Universal Vertue exempted from false Influences but is rarely found being near to Paradise 9. But if Mars be next Saturn superiour to Venus and Jupiter and Mercury cast an opposite Aspect all is poyson'd and the Creature prone to evil which if the Moon also Influenceth Witchcraft is manifest 10. If a Blossom be reddish streak'd with white Venus is there but if only reddish with dark streaks a rough Skin on the Stalk or Leaf a loathsom taste it obscureth Life for there lodgeth the Basilisk It is Pestilential but if the Artist extracteth the Mercurial Poyson and feedeth Mars with Jupiter and Venus it becomes a Love-fire in Sol and an Antidote 11. This Property makes the Voice or Sound gross dull yet inclining to be shrill by reason of Mars false and flattering the Visage hath red Pimples or Streams in blinking rouling or unsteady Eyes 12. But if Mars be next Saturn and Jupiter under it Mercury weak Venus opposite it produceth good hot Herbs for hot Diseases rough and pricky yet the stalk is fine and thin the Flower brownish 13. Saturn alone hurteth in Mars-like Diseases for it awakeneth Mercury in the cold Property 14. Nor may the undigested hot Mars be used in which Mercury is inflamed but both be first sublimed into Joy 15. An Herb in the aforesaid Property grows not high is rough in such degree as Mars hath strength in it and to be used only externally but the fine subtle part is expulsive and near to Mans Life being then most potent 16. But if Mercury be next Saturn and next him the Moon and Venus and Jupiter beneath and weak then all is Earthy at best let Mars be where he will but if Mars be too near is also poysonous unless Venus opposeth by whose Power it hath a greenish Colour 17. If Venus be next Saturn and the Moon not oppos'd by Mars and Jupiter be powerful then in that Constellation all is pleasant the Herb slender single and soft the Blossoms white unless Mercury by Sol and Mars intermix yellow and red 18. There are three Salts in Vegetables chiefly Medicineable which the Spirit of the Sun makes operative 1. Salt of Jupiter of pleasant Smell and Taste inwardly from the liberty of the Divine Essence and Externally of the Sun and Venus 2. Salt of Mars is fiery bitter and austere 3. Salt of Mercury is anxious and raging inclined to heat and cold assimilating it self to each Property where it is in Jupiter's Salt it causeth
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-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
Nature playeth in the Properties as the four Elements do in the starry Powers into this Lucifer hath given up himself with his Root into Lust of Phantasie and hath left the Temperature introducing false evil Magick 10. Their Will is meer Pride also Covetousness from the Astringency and multitude of Properties a stinging Envy from the Fire a despairing from the Anguish 11. The Angels were created before the time of the third Principle The Devil lifting up himself was in the Power of the first Principle so came his mighty Kingdom of Phantasie which caused the Mother of Nature the Wrath of God in which Compression came Earth and Stones not that the Devil caused that but caused the cause of that in the lump whereof they would do juggling feats but that is also withdrawn so that he is the poorest of Creatures Obj. Though the Angels fell God might have re-infused his Love into them 12. Answ. The Devils whilst Angels Eternal Creatures stood in their free will in the Temperature to what they would incline themselves that they would be and so establish and confirm themselves If he had after sate in the Holy Power of Light he would attract only the source of Torment and Poison as if a â—oad were put on a heap of Sugar 13. But as the Sun for Days and Months shines on warms and pierceth a Thistle which yet the more strongly grows to be such so the Devil would be and no otherwise but is in God as Night is in the Day shut up in the Centre of Nature not manifested CHAP. V. Of the Original of Man THE Original of every Creature may be found by their Being and Food for every one represents its Root and will feed of its Mother there being in the express word 1. The Property of the dark wrathful Nature whence came venemous evil Beasts and Worms which would dwell in dark holes from the Sun 2. There are some from the Kingdom of Phantasie the Spiritus Mundi as Apes c. that play tricks and hunt vex and worry others 3. There are quiet good friendly tame Creatures the Model of the Angelical World yet evil Properties mix among the tame The Creatures of time are of the four Elements but the Body of Man is out of the Temperature whence came the four Elements Earth Stone c out of the quintessence wherein Heat Cold c. stood in equal ballance and weight So that being deeper that is greater than the Creatures was to rule in and over them Not that Man's Bestial Properties were then creaturely or manifest but the Ens of all Beings lay in the Human Ens. Adam did eat Paradisical Fruit in the Temperature not to be swallowed down into a Carkass for the Worms but the Centres of distinction and separation were in the mouth He was naked yet clothed with glorious Paradise and was totally a Christalline Image a Masculine Virgin yet with both Tinctures in the Temperature had he stood Man's propagation had been Magical As the Sun penetrateth Glass or Christal without breaking it But God well seeing Man would not stand ordained him a Saviour and Regenerator before the foundation of the World CHAP. VI. Of Man's Fall and of his Wife 1. GOD having made Man saith Gen. 1. 31. All was very good and yet Gen. 2. 18. saith It is not good for Man to be alone and therefore made the Woman out of him Q. Why was not the Woman made at first as the Female was of all other Creatures A. 2. Because perfect Love is not in one only Tincture Man could not stand eternally but in two and those the Fathers and Sons Properties he had both and so was the Image of the one only God undivided Fire and Light 3. But when the Lights and Waters Tincture his Paradisical Rose Garden wherein he loved himself was severed from him into a Wife he could not in the Image he afterwards came to be stand eternally Q. 4. Why did God divide him into two Images he foresaw what would be before the Creation and therefore it must be his predestinate purpose that he should be what he came to be by his Fall A. God's fore-knowledge and his fore-ordination are not the same thing God created no Devil had it been Divine predeterminate purpose that such should be he had been created so The only Will of God gave it self into an Angelical figure but the fiery Science or Root according to the Property of the Dark World pressed forth and begoâ— it self into a predestinate purpose So when the Light became creaturely the dark cold painful Fire pressed the Image of Phantasie into the Will which Will did generate contrary to the temperature and so was thrust out from God No one should dare to say a Will is given it ab extra but the Will to Evil and Good existeth within the Creature God generateth as far as he is called God nothing evil and opposite to himself but heat and cold come from one Root the Enmity riseth in the place of distinction The Science of the Soul which could frame it self to evil could also frame it self to good for God is no way the cause of Man's Fall or of the Devils but the division or variety of the manifested Word being drawn into Properties and the influence of the Dark World drew Man from the temperature Now this Divisibility of the manifested Word of God is not called God but God as far as he is called God willeth only good yet may be said to will evil and good in the good Angels he willeth good and in the evil Angels he willeth evil and whatsoever hath separated it self to evil willeth evil Vide from v. 70. to the end of the 6th Chapter The fiery Science of Eve's Soul imagined into the crafty subtilty of the Serpent and desired to know evil and good which first she gazed on and then admired then tryed did eat and finding she fell not presently down dead gave to Adam who had plunged himself in it when he stood in the Image of God but yet had not eaten it into the body till that very time CHAP. VII 1. v. 118. Q. ALL are dead in Adam therefore some are predestinated to Life others reprobated and how can the Child help it if God will not have it v. 132. Q. What can the Child help it that it becomes a Thistle Child v. 133. Q. And are not men at coming into the World excluded by Reprobation A. 2. That evil Parents introduce pride falshood malice covetousness cruel cursings laid on them by cause given and so the Ens of a Serpent Dog Wolf Goat Swine Toâ—d Fox Lion or other Beast is formed in the Child that is its Reprobation And how can the Love of God help it that Adam left the Temperature and turned his Free Will into the Tree of Evil and Good And now from the Fountain of the Actual
the true holy Tincture 5. The watry Spirit begotten by the devoration of the Fire viz. its death Which also it must have again for its Life else neither Firenor Light could subsift so there is an Eternal giving and receiving The 8th Chapter of the Creation and Dominion of Angels and the 9th Chapter of the Fall of Lucifer and the 10th of the Creation of Heaven and the outward World and the 11th of the Mystery of the Creation Are all clearly deeply and largely treated of in the Aurora viz. Aurora CHAP. XII Of the Six Days Work 1. THough there is no Night in the Deep above the Moon yet in the length of six Days and Nights was all Created which hath this subtle acute meaning viz. six of the Properties of Nature only belong to the active Dominion to good and evil The seventh is the Essence House Body or Rest wherein all the other work 2. The Planetick Orb which is the Figure of the six Properties of the Spiritual World belongeth to the punctum of Sol. But Saturn doth not proceed from the Sun 3. The First Day With the Word when God said let there be Light the holy Power which was amassed in the wrath viz. the confusion caused by Lucifer moved it self and became Light by which the Devils strength wholly withdrew and the Light viz. that of Nature was wholly useless to him and the Darkness being severed remained in the wraths Property both in the Earth and the whole Deep 4. Of the Second Day As the Moon ruleth the first Hour so is this the most External or Inferiour Heaven next the Earth and the Laboratory of the other six Properties See more of the Second Day in the 20th Chapter of the Aurora p. 254. 5. Of the Third Day of the Creation Mars rules the first Hour on Tuesday on this third Day God moved the third Property of Nature viz. the Sulphurous in which the Saltish and Mercurial were also mutually unfolded and severized by the Salnitral flagrat from the poysonful Mars for they felt the Light and became hungry till they were coagulated 6. In which Joy arose unto pullulation and growth or vegetation for when the Light springeth up in the water source Mars springeth up for great Joy in the Sulphur so came Grass and Trees The Inward Nature made it self External and yet remained also Internal Yet therewith did the Properties of the dark world press in also whence came poysonous Roots and Weeds CHAP. XIII Of the Creation of the Fourth Day 1. MErcurins hath the first Hour giving a sensitive feeling Life In the third is only an insensitive Life but now in the Fire is a painful and in the Oleous a meek joyful Life 2. This Light of Nature hath a Fiery Airy Oily and Watry Property yet no Intellective Life but only Properties to Life 3. The Intellectual Life is the spirated word from the free Lubet whence comes a Sulphur Salnitri that is a Magical Astrum in manner of Mans Mind which hath thence its real Original 4. The whole Astrum is a breathed Voice or Tone of the Powers An Eccho out of Gods Love and Anger the Dark and Light World Out of this have the four Elements their Original and they speak forth a Corporeal Essence and the Stars breathe a Spiritual both which rule in the visible World as Soul and Body 5. And from the four Astrums is procreated the Soul of the outward World as an enduring great Mind or Mystery 6. And in this Office hath God raised up a King or as a God of Nature the Sun with the other six Planets his Counsellors or Assistants First the Nature-God the Sun receiveth its Lustre from the Tincture of the inward Fire and Light-world Next Venus giveth Body to all the seven Metals CHAP. XIV Of the Creation of the Fifth Day 1. JUpiter rules the first Hour of that day The superior Astrum actuated the four Astrums in the four Elements all from the motion of the holy Eternal speaking Word into Forms according to the Properties of the Astrum in the Spiritual Body And thence were Creatures in the Astrum of every of the four Elements produced Birds in the Astrum of the Air Fishes in that of the Water Beasts in that of the Earth and Spirits in the Astrum of the Fire 2. The two Sexes the Male and its Female arise one from the Tincture of the Fire the other of the Water as of Fire and Light CHAP. XV. Of the Sixth Days Work of the Creation Vide Chapter 21. of the Aurora p. 254. CHAP. XVI Of the difference of the Heavenly and Earthy Man 1. THE Image of God Created unto Eternal Life in Paradise cannot be the gross Property of Earthy Bestial Flesh for the Properties of the inward holy Body and outward were in Adam compos'd in equal Harmony and gave up their desires to the Soul in which the Divine Light shone as in the holy Heaven The Properties were all Tinctur'd with the sweet Love delight For the inward holy Man of the pure Element penetrated and swallowed up the outward as Light doth Darkness which when extinguished the darkness is manifested 2. But the Earthy Bestial and Corruptible Body made so by the Lust of Adam is not the Man for what the Soul is in the Spirit the same is the true Humane Body in the Essence As the Souls Mansion and as Iron is made Lustrous when through heated in the Fire Neither Heat Cold Sickness c. could annoy him his Body was as Gold that endureth the Fire or as a Tincture penetrating all things and gives way to nothing So neither was Man subject to any thing but his God alone who dwelt in him 3. Nor are here two but one only Man in the Likeness of God See more of this in the 21. Chap. of the Aurora in the 10th Chap. of the Three Principles and that of the Incarnation and that of Predestination Chap. 5. 4. Of the Creation of the seventh Day God Created all things in six Days out of the seven Properties and brought them all into the seventh as into one Body which is a Mystery of all the other whence they came and in which they work as a Spiritin a Body The seventh Property standeth still as a sensless Life but the seventh and the first Properties mutually belong to one another as one Property CHAP. XVII Of Paradise 1. THE Garden of Eden was a place on Earth where Man was tempted but Paradise was the Seventh Days Property the Essentiality of the second Principle which penetrated the four Elements as Eternity doth Time as the Sun the Fruit as the Day â—wallows up the Night or as the Fire illustrateth the heated Iron Yet was no more apprehended by the outward Elements though then in their best Purity than the Terrestrial doth the Celestial The Internal was to rule over the External the Heaven was the Husband to the Earth before the
in the Spirit of Christ in all Gods Children is that whereby they bring to nought the works of the Devil 5. But Cain's Offering is the Type of Verbal Titular Christendom Who relye only on the Offering and teach that Christs Testaments absolve from Sin tho' themselves remain Impenitent Domineering Murtherers CHAP. XXVIII Of Cain's Murthering his Brother Abel 1. THE cause of that was as still it is a â—trife about Religion The Devil envied Man who was to succeed in the Throne whence he was become Apostate But the Death of Abel's outward Body is a Figure that the Bestial Man must be devour'd that out of Death may spring forth Eternal Life till then must be maintain'd a resolute Conflict And Abel as to the Heavenly part is a Figure of Christ. 2. And Cain in the Wrath is a Figure of the Enmity and Darkness in the Eternal Nature but outwardly a Figure of the Pharisees who Crucified the Lord And of all Persecutors to the end of the World CHAP. XXIX How the Adamical Tree hath put forth it self into Branches and Pullulation 1. THE seventeen first verses is a profound Tract how from Adam c. sprung evil and good ver 18. Cain in the Language of Nature signifieth a Source out of the Centre of the fiery Desire and Self-will out of the fiery might of the Soul viz. out of the first Principle 2. Habel in the Language of Nature signifieth an out-breathed Angel viz. from the second Principle and as a Type of Christ went out Childless for Christ was to generate a new Humane Tree 3. Therefore was it that Adam generated Seth which in the Language of Nature signifying a forth-running or leap where the Love-will riseth out of the Fire-will From him went the Line of the Covenant 4. Cain begat Hanock and Built a City which he called also Hanock signifying an outward selfish Dominion Hanock begat Irad signifying a Potentate or Tyrant Irad begat Mehujael signifying an assuming of the outward and inward Centre of Nature an Earthy God that would possess Riches and Domination out of this Name came Babel Mahujael begat Methusael signifying that mine is the Divine Might I am the Ordnance of God which indeed was true but only according to the first Principle Methusael begat Lamech signifying the sending of the Angel over the fleshly Life 5. Lamech took two Wives viz. a Twofold Effence and Will Ada signifying that â—ain would be honest and Zilla signifying fleshly Joy and Pleasure Ada bare Jubal a plain Man of him were such as kept Cattle but the other was Jubal signifying Temporal Joy viz. the Harp and Organ Zilla bare Tubal Cain it hath an excellent understanding shewing how the Sulphurous Mercurial Wheel opens it self in the Generation of Metals and his Sisters Name was Naemâ— here â—yeth the precious Pearl a Heavenly Property a Virgin of Purity by the dying of the outward Man Naemâ— becomes manifest And Lamech said I have sâ—ain a Man to my Wound and a young Man to my Hurt The Man was Abel the young Man was Christ. 6. Cain was to be Avenged sevenfold if any of the evil Spirits should kill him vengeance should be on such-Spirit by all the seven Properties of the dark World and the mark God set on him was the mark of the Covenant But Lamech was the seventh from Adam and spake Prophetically of what should befal his Posterity viz. should lose the unity and fall into the seventy Languages so that the ten Forms of Fire should open themselves in every of the seven Properties of Nature is seventy and thereto belong the seven unchangeable Forms of the Eternal Nature is seventy seven CHAP. XXX Of the Line of the Covenant 1. THE Covenant was to the Line of Seth as to the outward that they should be Preachers of it But it was as well to the Line of Cain in the Spirit even as Sin passed on the Line of Seth as on others for the Covenant was made to Adam and to the Virgin Image thereby to be restored 2. The evil Beast of the Godless Form God Predestinated to Condemnation but the Covenant is in the Life whose Free will soever resigneth to it in every such Christ riseth and the strange Beast dieth 3. Sâ—th signifieth in the Language of Nature a forth-breathing Spring out of the Life through the first Centre of the Soul Seth begat Enos which signifies a Divine Lâ—beâ— The fifth was Kenan signifying a forth-going re-conceived Lubet or desire of Divine Contemplation The sixth was Mahalaleel signifying an Angelical Form of an Angelical Kingdom 4. The seventh was Jared signifying a Priest or Prince of the Spiritual Kingdom as Irad was of the worldly Dominion The Office of Jared is Twofold outwardly 't is Moses and inwardly Christ as Lamech had two Wives And Jared begat Enoch signifying the out-breathed Breath of the Divine Good Pleasure The seven Generations have these Figures 5. 1. Adams purity before the Fall and Abel to whom the Fall hung and his being Murthered point out Christ who should bring us through Death into the pure Life 2. Seth's time continued to the Deluge 3. Enos time goes under Seth's and till Abraham 4. Canaan's time goes under Seth and Enos and until Christ in the Flesh. 5. Mahalaleel goes during Christ in the Flesh and the time of the Apostles of Christ. 6. Jared began after the death of the Apostles and ruled inwardly in Christs Children and outwardly the Cherub with the Sword bare rule This sixth time is known and yet hidden and passed under Antichrist as in a Mystery 6. True Christians wage no War for they having broken the Sword of the Cherub are dead and risen with Christ and live not to External Might his Kingdom not being of this World This sixth time continues till Translated Enoch appears in Spirit and Elias Sword comes then falls the outward Jared Babel 7. And God will restore the Spirits of the Letters CHAP. XXXI Of Enoch's Wonderful Line 1. ENoch begat Methusalah of the highest Age signifying a forth proceeding Voice Methusalah begat Lamech as the Lamech in Cain's Line had two Wives or Wills so this begat Noah signifying the end and the beginning 2. Noah had three Branches Sem signifying an out breathing Divine Lubet Ham signifying a strong breathing out of the Centre of Nature Japhet signifying an Appendix of Sem viz. a Natural Wonder Sem is a Type of the Light World Japhet of the Fire World Ham an Image of the Out-birth 3. The Sons of God looked on the Daughters of Men c. viz. those in whom Gods Spirit manifested it self looked according to the Lusts of the Flesh. And Giants viz. Tyrants were Born viz. Men whose Pride would receive no rebuke Therefore came the Deluge and after the three Families were sever'd It repented God that he had made Man and grieved him c. viz. according to the Creation of the formed Word not the Eternal speaking Word CHAP. XXXII Of the
Also we must know whoever will understand the Old Testament must set before him the two Types externally Adam the earthy Man and internally Christ and change both these into one and so he may apprehend Moses and the Prophets CHAP. XLVII Of the Covenant of Abimelech and Abraham and what it points at 1. BEershebah a bruising to Death is the same Fountain which the Angel shewed Hagar which Abraham viz. Christ digged and there afterwards preached the Eternal God The Covenant between Abimelech and Abraham is the Covenant of Christ with the Humanity where he sware not to destroy the Humanity as he said he was not come to condemn the World Abimelech viz. the Soul out of the Father's Property Picholl the outward Nature the third Principle Field-Captain or Officer of the Soul Abraham is Christ in the Humanity Now Abimelech's restoring Abraham's Wife saying he knew not c. signifieth That the Soul of Adam knew not Christ in the Tincture of Heavenly Venus therefore went into Self-lust but when God shewed it to the Soul the Soul said I knew not that God's Wife the Holy Tincture the Heavenly Matrix was in me 2. But now I restore whatever I have taken of the Divine Worlds Property it is thy Wife then all the Women of Abimelech and his Servants Eves Daughters were healed 3. Christ here sweareth not to shew any unkindness to the Human Property nor to the Children nor to the Grandchildren or Nephews viz those springing out of the wild Property where often a wicked Husband or Wife are joyned to a godly one and so those Children spring from the wild Property 'T is said Thou shalt do according to the kindness that I have done unto thee viz in restoring thy Wife thy Image shalt thou do to me and to the Land viz. the outward Man wherein thou viz. Christ sojournest art a Stranger Which Christ Sweareth As I live saith c. Then Abraham Christ reproved Abimelech the Soul that the Soul's Servants the Essences of Nature had taken away the Well the Essence from the Heavenly Corporality viz. Christ's Body in Adam for Christ's Holy Fountain sprung up in the fiery Essence of the Soul which being taken to Self-Power the Heavenly Image disappeared And Abimelech the Soul answered I knew not till this Day viz. that the Devil had deceived me 4. Then Abraham viz. Christ took Sheep his Children the Jews and Oxen the Gentiles and gave them to the Father of whose Property the Soul is by an everlasting Covenant And set seven Ewe Lambs apart viz. the seven Properties of the Natural Humanity of Christ manifested in us A part viz. a distinct Person 5. We poor Jews and Gentiles may not say we are Christ but his House he is a part with the Divine Property But in right resignation when Man's Will is Dead to Self Christ only liveth in it such Eternally witness that Christ digged the Well At Beersheba the place of Contrition Christ planted Trees Heavenly Branches Preached c. and remained there a long time viz. all the time of the Natural Life CHAP. XLVIII Of Abraham's Offering up Isaac 1. ABraham is represented in Adams stead Isaac in Christs Humanity The Voice is God the Fathers so is Christ Offered by Adam's Children the Jews to the Fathers Fire Thy Son whom thou lovest viz. thy will brought into Self-love in the devoration of which in Gods Wrath-fire the true Man Created in Adam must be form'd and preserv'd as Gold or Silver in the Crucible where Copper and all Impurities evaporate On Mount Moriah which God not we chuseth 2. Christ wholly resigns up our Humane Will of self to his Father in his Death for all and in all Men As when the stock of a Tree dyeth the Branches die also and as the Tree reneweth its Youth as the Râ—d of Aaron did it introduceth new Life into its â—ranches Abraham rose early teaching immediate obedience And girt his Ass the Bestial Man with power Took with him two young Men one the Soul from the first Principle the other the Spirit of the outward Life Clave the Wood as Adam clave Gods Love and Anger On the third day pointing at Adam's sleep to the Angelical World and the time of Christs Resurrection Afar off the Final Offering of Christ above two Thousand years The two young Men to tarry with the Ass till Christ is Offered and come again Abraham took the Knife and Fire Gods Anger and Death Isaac said Here is the Wood the Sins of all Men and the Fire Gods Wrath but where is the Lamb Abraham's Ens of Faith saw the Lamb. Abraham bound Isaac so was Christ and so must our self-wills be bound and resign'd to God in entire earnestness The Angel calleth hurt not Nature as he had done to Hagar at Beersheba He saw a Ram hung c. shews death kills not the true Man but the pushing Beast hung in the Devils Thickets of Thorny Cares and Vanity Next follows the Blessing increase and prevalency And Abraham return'd with his Son and two young Men to Beersheba into the toil and labour of this World so God exerciseth his people not always in operation of the Spiritual Figures but in weakness and infirmities in the Kingdom of Nature And sometimes again under the Cross and so they grow as in a Field sometimes Storms sometimes Sun-shine 3. Nahor Abraham's Brother had eight Sons by Milcah of whom came great Nations the Assyrians who tho' they sprung not from the Ens of Faith in the Line of Christ the Blessing of Abraham passed on them CHAP. XLIX Of Sarah's Death and Abraham's Hereditary Sepulchre 1. WHile Abraham lived he was a Stranger no continuing abode had he but when his Sarah died he would have a certain Possession of a peculiar and Hereditary Sepulchre for his Wife himself and Children which he would not have to be given him but bought it of the Sons of Heth and Ephron for four hundred Sheckles of Silver viz. the Cave of Machpelah The inward Figure of which is That 2. When Isaac viz. Christ is come the two fold Body returns back to its original Mother the Eternal and Temporal Nature When the Saints die to self the outward Life The resigned Life will no longer stand in a strange Serpentine one it cannot of due right take the first true Field but it must be purchased Thus Abraham in the Figure of Christ doth of the Sons of Heth who stand in the Fathers Figure And that Christs Ransom is signified by four hundred Sheckles hath this meaning The first is the true Magical Fire the second is the Light the third the holy sound of the Mental Tongue the fourth the conceived Ens of the other Properties forming the holy Life This is the pure Silver 3. And whereas the Children of Heth would freely have given it yet at last took Money for it So hath God the Father freely given the Kingdom of Grace to Christ
twofold Humanity viz. the Heavenly and Earthy that when these Warriours should smite the Earthy the other which came down from Heaven should escape 3. Jacob's Presents are Christs Prayers 4. His humbling himself saying I came over with my Staff only but am now two Bands so did Christ in the Garden whose two Bands were the Heavenly Humanity perish'd in Adam and that of the Limus of the Earth with both which Jacob viz. Christ was to return to his first Paradisical Countrey and Angelical Kindred 5. Sent five hundred and eighty Cattel viz. Christ sent out Lusts to the Anger of God 6. Jacob also sent his two Wives viz. Christ sent the twofold Spirit of Man viz. the Soul and the Spiritus Mundi viz. the inward Eternal Soul and the outward Soul 7. Two Handmaids viz. the twofold Humanity of the Body 8. The Eleven Children viz. the Eleven Apostles 9. And passed over the Brook Jabock viz. Kidron 10. Jacob's Twelfth Son lay yet unborn so now was Christs Twelfth Apostle not chosen in the room of Judas 11. Jacob staid alone and there wrestled a Man with him viz. the great love of God in the Name Jesus did wrestle with Gods Righteousness and Truth which was on Mount Sinai 12. All Night of the darkness of Gods Anger 13. The Ham of his Thigh was displaced viz. the Adamical Humanity was displaced but not broken to die Eternally He halted viz. being Lame to the Pride Vanity Malice Lasciviousness c. of this World 14. The Man said Let me go for the day viz. the Eternal day dawneth But Jacob viz. Christ said I will not let thee go until thou bless me viz. the Humanity 15. And the Man said What is thy Name He said Jacob. Then the Man said Thou shalt no more have a self name but Israel viz. a Tree of Life or Christian viz. a sprout on the Vine Christ. 16. And Jacob asked what is thy Name But Christ said why askest thou that is I am no stranger thy Name and mine shall be one But God without Nature and Creature is the Eternal one and Eternal good the Abyss and Profunâ—ity no place is found for him no Creature can Name him for all Names stand in the formed Word But God is the Beginningless Root of all Power the Vegetables know not how the Sun blesseth them 17. Man hath lamentably lost the five Vowels the Holy Ghosts Language for the whole New Testament is couched up in the Old 18. When God blessed Jacob he called the place Penuel that is where God is manifest in the Soul 19. And when he was departed thence the Sun viz. of Righteousness arose in him and he halted his self-will was lame in its ability 20. And the Children of Israel eat not of that Sinew to this day for they understood that Mystery and Instituted this Memorial viz. the displacing of their Bestial Wills which if the present Jews and Christians well understâ—od they would not hunt after Covetousness and Lust yet under Christs Purple Mantle CHAP. LXI Of Jacob and Esau meeting all Heart-burning turned to Joy c. 1. BLind Reason should learn the meaning of Gods Decree Rom. 9. 13. and Mal. 1. 2 3. for here was Esau the Type of the corrupted Adam and Jacob of Christ who came to help Adam and were of one Seed to shew Christ must become Flesh. And Jacob appeased Esau by his Humility as did Christ by his great Love in our Humanity in our Anger-soul appease the Anger of God when he gave up his Heavenly Blood with the Tincture of Love into the Anger of God for then was the Anger in the dark World turn'd into a Love-fire 2. Jacob seeing Esau coming with four hundred Men divided his Children to Leah and to Rachel and to both the Handmaids and passed before them and bowed seven times c. 3. When Christ in our Humanity entred his Sufferings Gods Anger in the four Elements met him Then Christ divided the Heavenly Worlds substance which he brought from God signified by Rachel from the Natural Humanity from Adam or Spiritus Mundi Typed by blear-ey'd Leah wherein yet the destroyer of the Serpent was Born as Judah of Leah while Rachel was Barren till Christs Spirit made her fruiâ—ful 4. And as Jacob set the Handmaids foremost so did Christ first cause the Earthy to pass through the sharpness of Death next Leah the Body out of the Limus of the Earth follow'd 5. And after her Rachel the Heavenly Limus with the Prince Joseph the Divine Worlds substance 6. Jacob bowed seven times in this Humility appeasing Esau so did Jesus through all the seven forms of Natures Life 7. As Jacob yielded up his Riches and Life to Esau to do what he would with him so did Christ to Gods Anger 8 Esau ran to meet him fell on his Neck wept and kissed him so when the Essence of Gods Anger in Man tasted the sweet Love in the Name and Blood of Jesus it was transmuted into Compassion 9. And Eâ—â—u beheld the Women and Children and said whose are these c. Man whiâ—e heâ—d in the Anger and Darkness was not known to the holy Image but Love made him known 10. Their order of coâ—ing to Esau shews how poor Eve's Children were brought through Christs Suffering and Death into the Countenance of God first the Body of Sin through Death then the Body out of the Limus of the Earth which in the Resurrection is esteemed strange therefore Typed by a Handmaid And lastly the fair Image Created in Adam 11. Jacob's Presents signifie the Children purchased bâ— Christ and given to the Father so shall Christ deliver up the Kingdom to the Father 12. Yet is Esau's Compassion and weeping on Jacob the Type of repenting Sinners sorrow 13. Esau said Let us go together Jacob saith The Children are tender c. I will follow softly c. When Christ in his Sufferings had appeas'd his Fathers Anger in the Kingdom of Nature the appeas'd Anger would instantly take the Journey viz. in the Life of Man But the Love said Man is too tender and may fall by Temptation in one day I will follow slowly with them to the end of the World 14. Esau would have left some of his Men with Jacob but Jacob said what needeth it viz. God the Father said Let me leave some Laws of my severe Righteousness but Christ saith Let me with my redeemed Children only find Grace in thy sight for they cannot fulfil thy Laws CHAP. LXII Of Dinah Deflour'd all the Males of Sichem slain by Simeon and Levi. 1. JAcob had Twelve Sons six of them were of Leah and Judah of whom came the Humanity of Christ was one of the â—ix 2. Then bare Leah Dinah which Daughter of Fleshly Love went after the Daughters of the Land a gadding lively prefiguring Christendom who instead of continuing in the humble simplicity of Jacob's Tents at Succoth and remaining a Stranger to the Customs and Behaviour
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
fifth shall be Pharaoh's viz. This Seed shall cherish the four Elements of the Body and four Properties of the Souls fire-Fire-life but the fifth viz. The Love-fire in the Light is the Lords herein is the Soul an Angel and Gods Kingdom of Divine Joy is in us 8. The Priests Field the heavenly Worlds Substance Christ buyeth not with his Blood as the averted Soul was bought for that never received the Turba in it but in the Fall disappeared and the Soul was blind concerning it into this was the Word inspoken again in Paradise and is filled with Christs Flesh and Blood It is in the Soul through the Soul and of the Soul but hath another Principle as Light hath than Fire from which Fire and Light proceeds Air and a dewy Water which again nourisheth the Fire 9. The History of the Five Books of Moses is this in the Figure The Exit out of Canaan and return into Canaan shews how Man went out of Paradise to be a Bondslave of Gods Anger and there be afflicted persecuted and tormented and how the right Adamical Man should with great Hosts and Armies and much purchased Goods got in the Divine Operation enter again into the Promised Land CHAP. LXXV How Jacob blesseth the two Sons of Joseph and preferreth the Youngest c. 1. JOseph brought Manasseh in his left Hand towards Jacob's right Hand and Ephraim his youngest in his right Hand towards Jacob's left Hand These two signifie the inward Man the Eldeâ—t the fiery Soul the Youngest the Spirit of the Soul the Power of the Light the second Principle That with its Love it might be set before God's left Hand viz. his Anger and break the Serpents Head The Soul he setteth before his right Hand to receive the Blessing but that could not be Israel stretched his right Hand and put upon Ephraim's Head God would not give the Government to the first Birth viz. to the fiery Soul seeâ—ng i◠〈◊〉 turâ—ed away its will from God but laid his Hand of Omnipotency on the Image of the Ligâ—t so was the second Birth uppermost in the Dominion 2. Jacob gave Joseph above his Brethren a piece of Ground which he got from the Amorites by his Sword and by his Bow which signifieth Christendom got by the Sword of the Spirit of Christ. CHAP. LXXVI THIS Chapter though excellent is with part of the 77th referr'd to the Abridgment the Author himself makes of all the Twelve in the close of the 77th Chapter CHAP. LXXVII 1. REuben beareth the Image or Figure of the first World who was fickle though in the greatest Dominion 2. Simeon beginneth with Noah and hath Levi viz. Sem with him but Simeon was the Sword of Ham and Japhet 3. Levi beginneth with Moses whose Sword cuts very sharply 4. Judah beginneth under the Prophets and is manifest in the Incarnation of Christ. 5. Zebulon cohabiteth in and with the Kingdom of Christ representing Christendom who sits pleaâ—antly for she is a new Love 6. Issachar was the time of Christendoms being settled in Rest and Dominion yet must bear the â—ross of Christ and was about 300 years after Christ. 7. Dan began the Potency of Christendom when they set up Kings Emperors Popes and Pompous consecrated Places The Aâ—der and Serpent sate in Judicature cloak'd under Christ's Name Then saith the Spirit of Christ I wait for thy Salvation O Lord now is Truth bitten in the heels 8. Gâ—d beâ—inneth the time of Universities and Schools when with might of Arms Mer sâ—t up Antichrist in Christ's Chair by baâ—ling Disputes so bring in Tradition and Canons making the Tail to be the Head 800 years since 9. Asher began the time of flattering Antichrist for fat Bread about 600 years ago and nearer 10. Naphtaly beginneth the searching deep Disputes about God's Council and Predestination that Men might cover themselves with a Mantle of plausible Maxims acute Logick this hath continued to this time 11. Joseph beginneth Christ's remanifestation he Ejecteth the Adder and Joseph's Brethren must now be ashamed of their Unfaithfulness and Selling him for now their subtiltâ— craft c. and Babylon is fallen and become the Habitation of Abominable Beasts but Joseph flourisheth 12. Benjamin â—eginneth with Josâ—ph's Evening to divide the Spoil of the first Christendom he is the first and last time he begiâ—â—â—th to devour Antichrist as a Wolf yet is but a Wolf So Jacob having finished all these Sayings drew up his Feet on the Bed and departed Shewing that when God will recall the unfolded Nature in the strife of time into himself strife shall cease and be drawn into the Temperature CHAP. LXXVIII Jacob's Burial in Canaan accompanied with all the Children of Israel and many of the Egyptians 1. SHEWS Christ's powerful Exit hence to Paradise and that when Christ will bring home his Bride he will have many of the Heathen with him also 2. Their Weeping and Mourning shew in the Magi Eternal Joy 3. Joseph's Brethrens fear and falling down before him and Joseph's weeping and gracious Answer not only of Pardon but to provide for them and theirs is a mighty comfort to Joseph's Brethren viz. to the Repenting Sinner under Anguish for his first committed Sins who saith they shall not only be Pardoned but turn'd into the best 4. Joseph's Desire of an Oath to carry his Bones out of Egypt to his Fathers signifies God's Oath in Paradise that Christ would come again to his Brethren and â—â—ay forever with them Amen This was the Author's Eighteenth Book FINIS Some Brief Remarks concerning the Life and Conversation of the Blessed Jacob Behmen Collected out of the Relations published concerning him JAcob Behmen was Born in the year 1575. at a Town in the upper Lusatia named Old Seidenburg distant from Gorlitâ—â— about a Mile and a half his Parents were of the poorer sort yet of sober and honest demeanour His Education and Breeding was suitable to their Wealth his first Imployment being the care of the common Cattel amongst the rest of the Youths of the Town But when grown Elder he was placed at School where he learned to read and write and was from â—heâ—ce put an Apprentice to a Shoemaker in Gorâ—iâ—â—s with whom having served his Time in the year 1594 he Married one Kaetherine the Daughter of John Hunshman a Citizen of Gorlitts by her he had four Sons living in the state of Matrimony thirty years His Sons he did in his Life time place to several honest Trades He fell sick in Silesia of a hot burning Ague but was at his desire brought to Gorlitts and there died the 18th of November 1624. being in the 50th year of his Age and was Buried in the Church-yard A Hieroglyphical Monument was Erected over his Grave by a Friend which had remained but a while but was razed and embezelled by the rude Hands of the envious As to his Personage I may truly say it was not such as was Amiable among the Children of Men
a Flaming Bush. Page 119 From what power he did his Works of Wonder Page 120 Why must he remain forty days on the Mount Page 122 The Great Mystery what it is Page 346. 357. N. HOW the outward Nature representeth the Divine Page 351 Why must there be a strife in Nature Page 223. 357 What doth Noah's Flood figure Page 115 What doth his being Drunk figure Page 115 O. THE Office of a Shepherd or Pastor in the Spirit of Christ what it is Page 165 The Office of the Keys Page 167 Of a Teacher of the Letter without the Spirit of Christ. Page 166 P. PAradise what it is and where Page 79. 264. 295. 327. 328. 383. 384. Of Pentecost or the shedding forth of the Holy Ghost Page 159. 160. 161. 284. Pharaoh's Dream what it figured Page 416 Of true Prayer what it is Page 311 Of Predestination Page 369. 397 Of the Three Principles of the Divine Essence Page 11. to 18. 260. 262. 338. Why the High-Priest c. persecuted Christ. Page 135. 139. 145. Of the Prophets and Prophesying Page 123 Of a Virgin Propagation Page 24. 88 Q. OF the Qualities Good and Bad what they are Page 241 R. REason what it is and whence proceeded Page 349 Regeneration what it is and how effected Page 186. 277. 286 Of true Repentance Page 282 Reprobation what it is Page 345 Resurrection of the Dead how effected Page 198. 325 S. OF the Sabbath Page 234 Of the Saviour Page 387 Of Cain and Abel's Sacrifices Page 108. 389 Why did Cain Murther his Brother for the Sacrifice sake Page 109 Of the Sacrifices under the Law Page 123 Of the Seed of the Woman and of its treading upon the Serpent Page 104. 275 Of Seed or Sperm what it is its various kinds growth and increase Page 69. 70. 71. 230. 231 The Serpent on the Tree of Knowledge c. what it was Page 98 The beginning of Sickness and Mortality Page 386 Sin what it is and whence proceeded Page 99. 100. 101. 102. 320. 345. 386. What was the Sin of the Old World Page 113 Signature what it is Page 356 Of the Eternal Signature Page 367 How the Internal doth impress the External Page 361 Of Sodom and Gomorrah their destruction and what it figures Page 117. 399 The Soul of Man whence existed Page 315 Its Essence Page 316 It s Imbreathing Page 76. 264. 310 Its Form and power Page 317. 318 Its Union with the Body Page 318. 320 Its Inlightning and Food Page 320 Its Life and Actions till the last Judgment Page 194. 322. 323. 324 Of the Eternal State of the Good and Bad. Page 210. 214. 277. 325. 326. 334 Of the Soul and Spirit of Christ. Page 326 A description of the seven Fountain Spirits Page 3. to 11. 247. 249. 370 Of the Spirit of this World its Principles and Office Page 68. 230. 286. 352. 357. 360. Of the Stars from whence proceeded Page 257. 358 Their Use and Benefit Page 63. 225. 257. 298. Their various Properties Page 258 Of the Noble Spiritual Stone of the Philosophers Page 298. 303. 321 Of the Lords Supper Page 376 T. OF Adam's Temptation what it was Page 266. 267 The Testaments of Christs what they are Page 168. 281. 307 How enjoyed Page 170. 281 Of the outward Institution Page 172 Of the Disputes about them Page 378 What the wicked partake of by unworthy Receiving Page 377 Of the Tincture what it is and its manifold degrees Page 72. 232 268. 273. 341. 345. 352. Of the Tree of Life Page 90 Of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Page 90. 91. 99. Why forbidden to Man Page 92 What the Trees in Paradise were Page 89. The Turba what it is Page 348 V. HOW Vegetation is caused Page 255. 359 Of the Divine Virgin the Wisdom of God Page 88. 89. 294 Of the Virgin Mary Page 126. 130 Why she must be Espoused to Joseph Page 127 Of the Understanding Page 273 W. WArs whence they arise Page 348. 396. Of the Water above the Firmament Page 66 And of the Water beneath the Firmament Page 228 Of the Will of God flowing out Page 353. 369 The Whore in the Apocalypse what she is Page 180 Of the Will of Man Page 353. 367 Of the Creating of the Woman Page 269. 384 Of the Literal and Living Word Page 164. Out of what this visible World is Created and what it is Page 60. 222. 296. To what end it was Created Page 336 Whence proceeded the Evil or Contrariety in the Essence of this World Page 61 How must it pass away and what shall remain thereof Page 199 Of the Wrath of God what it is why poured forth and its duration Page 52. 53. 220. FINIS Heb. 12. 29. Heb. 6. 18. Gen. 12. 3. Isa. ch 29. 13 14. Mat. ch 15. v. 29. 1 Cor. ch 3. v. 9. Deut. 30. 14. Rom. 10. 8. 1 Cor. 10. 4. Wisdom ch 7. Rev. 3. 12. Form 1. Form 2. Form 3. Form 4. Form 5. Form 6. Form 7. Form 8. Form 9. Form 10. * Which is the holy Earth or holy Flesh. Signified by Abram Principle 1. Principle 2. Principle 3. What the tâ—â— Principles unsevered arâ— An infinite perfect good Root of evil 1 Joh. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 6. 14. What the eternal darkness is not What is meant by eternal or original darkness a Isa. 27. 4. b Ch. 66. 15. c Ezek. 5. 15. d Micah 1. 3. 1. Astringent 2. Attraction 3. Anguish 4. Heat producing light 5. Light producing love 6. Sound or noise 7. What the three are in Trinity 2. 3. 4. John 3. 19. Jam. 4. 1. Psal. 49. 12. Rom. 2. 8. 5. Livit. 19. 23 24. Exod. 30. 35. Dan. 7. v. 4. v. 5. v. 6. v. 7. v. 13. v. 14. Chap. 2. 47. ch 7. 2. 6. Job 11. 17. Zech. 6. 2 3. v. 5. 2 Kings 13. 19. v. 17. Amos 1. 3 6 9 11 13. ch 2. 1 4 6. Exod. 30. 23 24 25. v. 34. Gen. 41. 34. 6. 7. 2. 3. 4. Deut. 27. 12. Prov. 9. 1. 1 King 10. 18 19. Rev. 5. ch 8. ch 15. Rev. 1. 13 16 20. ch 4. 1. Inanimate Creatures shew the first Principle 2. The Elements 3. The Astral World 2. 4. Evil Sensitive Creatures 5. Good Sensitive Creatures 3. 6. Angels 4. Deut. 32. 29. The Ubiquity and Abyss of the second Principle 1. 2. 3. 4. 1. 1. 2. 3. 2. What the Heavenly Humanity is and doth And how he doth it 3. 4. 1. Levit. 2. 14. Lev. 2. 1. 1. 2. 2. 3. Rom. 1. 20. Transforming Knowledge of God A Glance of the Contemplative and distinct knowledge of God Whence the two Active Elements sprung Some stop begun to the breach by Fall of the Angels by the Creation The Creation Man created Gods Image and what that was 1. Angels 2. Man's Body 3. Astral and Visible Heavens 4. 5 1. 2. 3. 4. Obj. Answ. Argument 1. Argum. 2. Argum. 3. Argum. 4. Argum. 5. * Viz. The Woman Argum. 6. Argum. 7.
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