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

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Names consists in this Now we cannot imagine but that those Names by which the Holy Spirit doth call any thing have all the excellence and truth which a Name is capable of and consequently must very properly and significantly express the Nature of the thing named the name of this third Place you have heard is the still Eternity and consequently have reason to conclude that the Essentiall difference of this Place is the Majestick silence and awful stillness with which it is continually filled This is such a stillness as surpasseth not only all expressions but likewise all thoughts and imaginations and because of this Majestick silence and unexpressibly awful stillness this most Holy Place is also called the Presence-Chamber of the Deity this supernatural silence and stillness being the ornament state and pompe of it to which all the Glory and magnificence of Monarchs here is but as a shadow or nothing 3. The third particular is the Wonders which are to be seen in this place in respect of which as was mentioned before it was called the Rock of wonders and these wonders are five in number viz. 1st The Spirit of Eternity or the Eternal Unity 2dly The Holy Trinity 3dly The Virgin Wisdome of God 4thly The Seren Spirits before the Throne 5thly and Lastly the Inhabitants of the Still E●●rnity 1. The first wonder which manifests its self in this Rock of wonders is the Spirit of Eternity or the Eternal Unity which doth fill the total deep Abysse with it self that is with all Power Here the Spirit of Eternity discovers its self to be the first and original Power the Power of all Powers yea All-power it self And this manifestation of the Spirit of Eternitie's being All-power is more full magnificent and glorious in the stil Eternity than in the inward or outward Court where the Deity doth also discover himself to be All-sufficient and Omnipotent but not in that Sovereignty and Majesty with which he appears to the Eye of the Mind in this his presence-Chamber Here the Glory of the All-power of the Deity is seen Nakedly openly and without a veile eye to eye and face to face the sight of which doth cause ravishing Extasies unexpressible Ioys and transporting admiration to fill the heart of the beholder it being a sight so glorious as no words can express nor no thoughts represent to the mind as being beyond all comprehension The second wonder in this Rock of wonders the still Eternity is the Holy and ever blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Spirit The Father is the Original power of all powers subsisting in by and from himself which Original power of the Father is most clearly and openly discovered in the still Eternity in the highest magnificence Majesty and Glory This supreme power of the Father is the beginning of all power and the fulness of all power filling the Heighths Depths and Bredth o● the still Eternity this Power of the Father is an Eternal Unity and simplicity that is it is free from all manner of contrariety divisibility composition or mixture as being an Uniform Universal diffusive power which is nothing else but pure Deity and further we cannot search into this Power of the Father to know what it is for none knows what pure Deity is but God himself It is this Paternal power which fills the still Eternity throughout in the appearance of the clearest transparency and brightness I have now given you an account how the Father manifests himself in the still Eternity to be All-power yet before I leave this particular for fu●ther explanation I shall shew you negatively what this Power of the Father is not First then say I that this Power of the Father is no personal power for nothing of personality is manifested in the still Eternity only a Uniform Universal diffusive Power in the appearance of the greatest brightness fills it throughout 2. Neither is this Power of the Fathers any Organical Image resembling that of Angels or men having distinction of parts and members for nothing of this kind can be found in the Eternal Unity of the Father's All-power And thus much shall suffice to have spoken concerning the Father who is the First in the Trinity We now proceed to the second viz. the Son of the Father The Son is an Essential power immediately generated by the Father out of his own divine Essence and therefore he is co-essential and co-equal with the Father For the Son's power dilateth and co-extendeth it self in with and through the Father's power to the utmost bounds and limits of the still Eternity and filleth the deep Abysse with his own Power 's in the Father's Power as being co-essentiall and co-equall with the Father Again this Power of the Son is also the co-eternal with the Father for though the Father may be said to be before the Son in order of Nature forasmuch as he is the generator of the Son yet we cannot say that the Father is before the Son as to priority of time for the Son exists from all Eternity at once and together with the Father and therefore is the Eternal Son of the Father If you would further know what this generated Power of the Son is I say it is an Eternal Vnity and pure Deity even as the Father's Power is But for the further opening of what the Son of God is you may take notice of these following particulars 1. In the first place the Son of God is the first begotten of the Father He is the first born of all Beings as being that Essentiall word Co-eternal with the Father by whom the Father made all things and without whom nothing was made By him were all things created whether they be in Heaven or on Earth whether visible or invisible whether Thrones or Dominions Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him and therefore he must needs be before them all and consequently be the first begotten of the Father Secondly this Son of God is the only begotten Son of the Father all other Sons whether Angels or men receive their filiation or sonship from this only begotten Son of the Father and are called Sons forasmuch as they part●ke of and are centred in this only begotten Son they are Sons in and because of this only begotten Son and beloved in the only beloved of the Father Thirdly this Son is the Co-essentiall Son of the Father of the same essence and nature with the Father now the Nature of the Father is Purity Holiness Righteousness Meekness Love Goodness and Perfection and such is the Son's nature also and therefore the Son is called the Brightness of his Father's Glory and the expresse Image of his subsistence But the Image of the Father is no organicall Image but consists in Light Life and Love The Father is all Light and in him is no darkness at all he is all Life and in him is no Death he is all Love and in him is no Wrath and the
Decrees and Purposes of God are unconditional and independent of any thing but their own wills but in Eternal Nature their decrees do not absolutely and solely depend on the soveraign will of the Trinity but upon conditions and qualifications found in things without them As for example in Angels and Men concerning whom God's decrees are limited and conditional according to the several dispositions of those Creature And thus I have finished the second head viz. What God is in his original Being in the Globe of Eternity before Eternal Nature was in Being And now shall proceed to the Third Part of this Treatise wherein the third Head is handled which is concerning Eternal Nature's Essence with her working Forms subsisting in her own Eternal Principle Soli Deo gloria A TREATISE OF Eternal Nature WITH Her Seven Essential Forms OR Original Working Properties Ezek. 1. 16. Their appearance and their Work was as it were a Wheel in the midst of a Wheel Ezek. 1. 21. For the Spirit of the living Creature was in the Wheels Rev. 5. 1. And I saw in the right Hand of him that sat on the Throne a book written within and on the back side sealed with Seven Seals Iames 3. 6. And setteth on Fire the Wheel of Nature IPMD LONDON Printed Anno Dom. 1681. The Author to the Reader Christian Reader I Here present you with a little Tract of Eternal Nature with her seven Original Essential forms ●●ere is multum in parvo for this Orb of Eternal Nature is the origi●al Ground of all Worlds both Visi●le and Invisible of Heaven and An●els of Hell and Devils of all Spi●●ts whether good or bad and indeed ●f all Created Essences Hence origi●●lly spring Light and Darkness Good ●nd Evil Life and Death Ioy and Sorrow Wrath and Love Blessing and Curse Happiness and Misery and ●nity and Contrariety It is indeed a ●rand Mystery and not made known to ●ormer Ages for in● this all Secrets and Mysteries belonging to our salvation do ●riginally subsist being the Ground or Womb from whence all Worlds have ●heir Birth In coming to know the Mysteries of this Eternal Nature w● shall come to know and comprehend th● deep Mysteries of God for the triu●● Deity has brought forth himself into E●ternal Nature as into a ground whereb● he might be the better manifested to h●● intellectual Creatures who without th● Eternal Nature would not be able 〈◊〉 know or understand any thing of his Ma●jesty Greatness Omnipotency Clarit●● Love Holiness Righteousness Purit● and Glory By it is also manifested th● true knowledge of Things which with●out this we do but grope after as in th● Dark In a word 't is the first origina● and true ground of all created being● and so of all true knowledge By th● right understanding of the Nature o● this we s●all come to know and under●stand the secret meaning of many my●stical Scriptures It is a Library an● Academy of it self and can teach u● the original ground of all Arts and Sci●ences It is worth our Labour and Stu●dy to read peruse and consider thi● ●●ttle little Book which will teach the ●ay of true Wisdom and Knowledge The ●umber seven is a number of perfection ●hich is here to be found with the num●er ten the number one hundred and ●●e number one thousand and so ad ●nfinitum for beyond this we cannot go ● may seem to write in the dark to many ●nd this perhaps will seem a new and ●●range paradox to others but it has ●een before revealed by the Holy Spirit ●o that inlightned Philosopher Iacob Behme he first indeed manifested this ●ystery to the World which was I say ● very great manifestation though re●eived by few who could understand the Writings of that deep Philosopher which had many Vails and Coverings but I have in this Tract endeavoured to shew you Eternal Nature as she is in her original Creation and to lay open to your view all her seven working forms or properties being the original ground of all things without any coverings and in as plain Words and Terms as I could invent that the meanest capaciy w●● is willing to Learn and who is n● thorow pride envy and high-minde●●ness prejudiced against the teaching of the Spirit may be taught and bene●●itted for the time of the Lily is 〈◊〉 hand and the Morning●star is alrea●● risen and the Sun of the Eternal Go●spel is about to rise its dawn or day●break already strikes our Eyes with 〈◊〉 glimmering of that glorious Light whose splendor rejoyces the Hearts of th● faithful who wait for this glorious da●● The Eternal Gospel shall then be preach●ed and all mysteries revealed I say the day is at hand even at the door● In the mean time I desire thee Reader to accept of this small Tract of Eterna● Nature as a preparative to the opening of other mysteries and that thou wil● consider it seriously● and without prei●dice Speak not against that thou doest not understand and judge not others that you be not judged I have many Years studied this little little ●ook not little for the value but that 〈◊〉 contains but seven leaves which are ●he seven properties of Nature locked ●p under seven Seals all which I have ●●und opened in my Soul's Essence and ●●d I have not repented me of my study ●or I have experimented the excellency ●hereof Have a care of vain Philoso●hy and the rudiments of Men it is St. Paul's advice who was acquainted ●ith the Teachings of the Spirit out●ard notions and academical knowledge have devoured the Spirit of God ●nd have served only to make Men high-●inded and proud and to despise their Brothers and to cry out all is fancy and delusion that agrees not with their Tenents I am not against humane learning I have known what it is but I would not have it set above the Spirit of God nor the teachings of the Spirit to truckle under it For God has said He will destroy the wisdom of the Wise and he will make ●imself known to babes and such who in a childlike Innocency wait for the teaching of th● most high and bring to nothing th● understanding of the prudent Th● wisdom of this World is indeed but foll● at the best I confess my self the lea●● of all Saints and not worthy of th● knowledge of those deep mysteries whic● God hath revealed to me and whic● hath been manifested to my Eterna● Spirit but God hath thought Good to use me as an Instrument in his Hand the effect of which I leave to God desiring to be serviceable to thee in my generation and remain Yours in the Love of IESUS IPMD THE ABYSSAL NOTHING The Explication of this Figure THIS Circle represents the Principle of Eternal Nature which is the Subject of this discourse The Black spot in the midst of the Circle represents God's Eternal Eye and type's out the Trinity in their Eternal Unity who have placed themselves in the midst of Eternal Nature's Principle for the
precious stone of Eternal Wisdom which is fast locked up in this Cabinet and lye's deep buried in this field and whosoever will find it must dig deep for it But you will say where shall I find this field I answer the field is thy self if thou canst find in thy self the Union of Fire and Light and these two qualifying together in one Essence then thou hast met with the place where this noble stone is hid and thou needest seek no further And thus much shall suffice to have spoken concerning the Principle of Eternal Nature I shall now proceed to the fourth general head or the last part of this discourse concerning God's introducing of himself into Eternal Nature The end of the Third Part. Soli sapienti Deo Gloria The Fourth Part. Concerning God in Eternal Nature THE Mystical Divines do make mention of two great Mysteries in the Divine Nature the first is the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity which respect's the Deity in their single solitary and abstracted Essence the second Mystery is the Deity in Humanity and Humanity in the Deity which concern's God as being introduced and subsisting in Eternal Nature I have in the former part of this discourse treated of the first of these and do now intend in this Chapter to speak of the later and that by opening this proposition that God hath introduced himself into the principle of Eternal Nature Which Proposition you will find explained in these following particulars 1. In the first place when I say that God hath introduced himself into Eternal Nature I understand that the Blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost have introduced themselves into Eternal Nature The Father with his intellectual all seeing Eye the Son with his all flaming Heart of Love and the Holy Ghost with his out-flowing acting Power 2. Secondly when I say that God introduced himself c. I do include the Eternal Wisdom which God introduced together with himself into the principle of Eternal Nature 3. In the third place God introduced himself into Eternal Nature together with his essential Love which is the holy Nature of the Trinity according to that of the Apostle Iohn God is Love Object But some may object That the Divine Nature doth not only consist in Love but also in Light and Life which are attributed to the Holy Trinity as well as Love Sol. To which I answer That Love in the sense I take it doth include both Light and Life for this essential Love is all Light and all Life so that neither death nor darkness can come near it Now we must know that this essential Love is the unchangeable Nature of the Trinity and therefore we must not think that the Divine Nature is changed by being brought into and clothed upon with Eternal Nature and from Love turned to Wrath or from Meekness to Severity No by no means for as God is all Love in himself so he is the same in Eternal Nature Quest. But you will say how can this be reconciled with Scripture which attributes Wrath Anger Severity and Iustice to God Ans. I answer that when the Scripture speaks of God's Anger Wrath and Severity it hath regard to God's manifesting of himself in and through Eternal Nat●re as it is infected and defiled by sin Whereas when I say that the manifestation of God in Nature is all Love I speak of Nature in its purity before it was infected by the fall of Lucifer and when all its forms and properties were harmonized to the most penfect concord and Vnity for in this state nothing but Love which is the unchangeable Nature of God was to be found in Eternal Nature's principle 4. In the last place I say God introduced the seven Spirits before the Throne together with himself into Eternal Nature else these seven Spirits could never have been seen or manifested in Eternal Nature's principle but the Scripture oft makes mention of them as introduced into Eternal Nature so they were represented to Iohn in the first Chap. of the Revelation as existing in Mount-Zion or the New Ierusalem-principle which was brought forth out of Eternal Nature And thus much shall suffice to have spoken of the first part or subject of this proposition which is God we now proceed to the praedicate which is Eternal Nature 2. Now by Eternal Nature into which it is said that God hath introduced himself we are to understand Eternal Nature in its puriey not as defiled with sin for the Holy Trinity would never of their own free-will have introduced themselves into any thing that was defiled or impure Again we are to understand that when Gnd introduced himself into Eternal Nature that she stood yet in her original Unity Simplicity and Harmony without any duality or contrariety for the Holy Trinity would never have entered with their Divine Nature of Love into that where division disagreement and contrariety had taken place No Eternal Nature was without strife or contest without any mixture of Good and Evil or Light and Darkness but was all perfectly harmonized or else the blessed Trinity could not have made it the habitation of their Divine Love-Essence And thus we see in what sence we are to take Eternal Nature when we speak of God's introducing himself into it 3. I come now to the third and last particular in the foregoing proposition which may need some explication which is the word introduced how it is to be understood and in what sense we are to take it in this place When we say that the Holy Trinity have introduced themselves into Eternal Nature we mean nothing else but the Vnion of the Blessed Trinity with Eternal Nature and Eternal Nature's Union with the Blessed Trinity which is the full meaning of God's introduction of himself into Eternal Nature's principle Here the Deity subsist's in its Eternal Humanity and Eternal Humanity subsist's in Union with the Deity God in Nature and Nature in God and thus God and Nature are in one another becaus God hath introduced his Divine Nature of Love into Eternal Nature's pure principle The Nature of which Vnion I shall explain and open to you in these following particulars 1. First then I say that this Vnion of God with Eternal Nature is a true real essential and most intimate Vnion In every Union these three things are to be found and meet together viz. the Uniter the thing United and the Union it self which joyns the Uniter and United together In this Union of God with Eternal Nature the Vniter is the blessed Trinity the thing Vnited is the principle of Eternal Nature and the Vnion of them both is the Divine Nature of Love now this Love which is the link and tye of both the Uniter and United is the essential Love of the Deity wherefore this Vnion must needs be an essential and most intimate Union It is a kind of incorporation the Vniter and Vnited penetrating and mixing with one another and therefore
in some Part of his Writings he giveth an hint of and so from what he in the still Eternitie saw and heard he wrote behold who can the Copy and then but not be●ore compare the Writings therewith and the Springs in him did daily sill Of this I was Witness being conversant then with him and making Remarks and taking Observations with all Exactness possible of those wonderful Transportations he had or rather they had him for the space of three Weeks together insomuch as I can do no less than bear my Testimony concerning his Spirit 's Height whilst his outward Bodie lay in passive Stillness in this visible Orb. Surely we may conclude he was as another Moses in som sort taken up into the Mount with God as a Friend and Favourite of the most High where he did see hear and learn these so deep and excellent things which are by great Care and no less Conscience brought forth to Light Therefore pious Reader be satisfied that here is a true and real Draught or Copie taken from the Original yea drawn by the blessed A●thor out of the Original of all Worlds where he saw what he saw in pure Abstraction of Spirit The Publication of which the Author intended before his Dissolution being incouraged thereunto by the above-named Doctor his true hearted and right worthy Friend who well understood his Worth Writings and Spirit as well if no● better than any Man living as also readily promoted by another Person who therefore is in the Prefatori Epistle very honourably mentioned and most worthily and nobly decyphered and described if not perfectly delineated Both of them jointly rejoicing that they had found out such an one so abundantly filled with God's blessed Spirit of Love Wisdom Holiness and Meekness and influenced so extraordinarily by the same sufficiently apparent in the Gifts and Graces he was endued and adorned with Whereupon they could not choose but freely offer both of them their Assistance the one his Head and Pen the other his Hand and Purse to go thorow with and carry on the Work for the easily-foreseen universal Benefit Nor can I doubt but both of them will receive no small Reward from the hands of Him who will not suffer only a little cold Liquid or as we reade in our English Bible a Cup of cold Water given to any of the little ones in the Name of a Disciple to drink to be unregarded nai not him whosoever he should be that gave to such an one thereof to go unrewarded for our Lord expresly declareth his Mind therein and that with this Asseveration Verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his Reward Yea I have good Ground moreover to believe that the same good Spirit of Grace and Glory that lived in and rested on the Author may multiply on them both also even so and Amen O Lord God And let the Residue of the Spirit to all the just and faithful ones come for the perfiting what this Author had so clear a Prospect of in his enlightned Eye Now give me leave good Reader to conclude with this holy Challenge to all that are Lovers of heavenly Truths mystical or plain if any be of that high Evangelical Order he was of come forth bear your living Witness and go on and forward valiantly to the furthering and strengthning and finishing the great Work which this Author was daily labouring in Let us speak and write love and work fast and pray for a continual flowing down of that pure and holy Unction for the consummating in and amongst us that which this holy and heavenly Man left to be fulfilled and accomplished which verily will be Ioy Praise and Glory even to him who according to the Flesh died but now liveth among the perfect in Spirit who also waiteth for the bringing up those that shall make up the Number of the Church of the First-born who are enrolled in Heaven of the Number of which let us strive press and pursue to be that the Love-Hallelujahs may in our Day be sung to him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb who is crown●d King in Love's Kingdome where only I would be known and found also truly Yours in that pure Fellowship Into which the Lord himself vouchsafe to lead you So heartily prays I. L. THE PRAEFATORI EPISTL By one Who is studiously ambitious and earnestly contentious as wel if not more to promote the common Salvation as these o● ani other uncommon Mysteries the most abstracted whereof is never without Moralitie moving upon the Affections Christian Reader FOR so in nature unfeignedly as in Name professedly I wold have you to be Miscalled you I hope I have not in this Compellation If I have then are you utterly incapacified as to the Concerns of these Mysteries and Sublimities So bold am I to tell you and such and Anointed one am I whatsoever Iudgment mai pass upon mee or if I be not yet do ●prai resolv endevour or purpose or at les●'st desire or wish to be No mo at all of this yet this beleev wee all of us that it is a most rare Thing in it self were there neither Rewards nor Punishments to be realy and truly Religious in the Old waie which is the Good waie out of which there is no Rest. But you mai sai who cometh here whence you what Religion are you of you are I beleev a pure one Wel for me if I be However to the Quaestion not asking you who made you an Examiner and in Meekness and Fear as I ought I answer and that in the Words of a Servant of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ viz. I am of that Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father which is to visit the Orphans and Widows in their Tribulation and to keep mi self unspotted of the World Of which Faith or Persuasion Iudgment or Mind was blessed Paul in whom alone were evn the Apostles All who further acquainteth you that Christ Iesus his Master and Lord was of the same as to the whol Church which Hee loved and gave himself for that He mought sanctifi it c. not having spot or wrinkl or aught of such but that it shold be holi and without blemish or rather Amomous so the Word is that is irrepre●ensibl safeguarded from the bitings of Momus one of the feined Gods among the Gentils who wold be ever carping such was the suarl of his goodli Godhood at everi thing and who is I fear worshipped evn among our own selvs So Idolatrous or superstitious are wee all almost becom But more particularly if that mai be more for your Satisfaction and to let you know by the waie that neither the insinuating Iesuit hath deceived mee nor perilous Books poisoned mee nor fantastic Teachers seduced mee nor corrupt Church-men carried mee away with everi Wind of Doctrine I here publicly to the Interrogatorie about mi Religion repli Sir I am of that
Son being the co-essential Son of the Father must also be all Light all Life and all Love Thus the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father Neither is the Nature of the Father and Son distinguishable in the still Eternity the Nature of the Father is not severe and wrathfull and that of the Son sweet milde and gentle for this is no way consistent with the one simple nature of the Deity The Father is all Light Life and Love in the Son's Nature and the Son is all Light Life and Love in the Father's Nature the Nature of the Father flows from himself ar the Fountain-head and spring into the Son and from the Son again into the Father and therefore the Son is called the Heart of the Father because he is the fixed Seat of the Father's Light Life and Love Thus we see that neither Angels nor Saints are in this degree codeisied and consubstantiated with the Father for he filleth the still Eternity with the Light Life and Love of his Essentiall Deity in co-equality with the Father Fourthly this Son is the well beloved Son of the Father the Son of his Loves in whom he is fully well pleased satisfied and delighted And indeed how can it be otherwise since he is one being and one nature with the Father the very Heart of the Father and his expresse Image when he is the Beauty Brightness and Excellence of his Father's Glory and exalted to an equality of honour and dominion with the Father as sitting in the same Throne with the Father and possessing the kingdome with him This is the Son whom the Father will have honoured and worshiped as himself and to whom the Father hath committed all Iudgment neither can the one be worshiped without the other they subsisting in each other This is the Son who is exalted by the Father to be Heir of all things In the fifth place this Son is the Essential Christ of God I would not have you stumble at this Expression I might indeed haue omitted it but for the matters sake for you must take notice that I speak here of the Holy Trinity as they exist without Nature and in this state the Son of God cannot properly be called the Christ that is the Anointed because thus considered he is not Anointed to any office for it is after his entring into the properties of Nature that he is Anointed to be the Mediator yet bear with me for using this word improperly because I do it only for this end to give you a more clear and distinct knowledge of what the Son of God is as he exists before Nature as well as what he is in the properties of Eternal Nature But you 'l ask of me why I speak of the Holy Trinity out of and before Nature and particularly why I speak of the Essential Christ of God as existing before Nature I answer that my speaking of the Holy Trinity and particularly of the second person who is the Christ of God as he exists before Nature is only in order to give you a more distinct knowledge of the Son and Christ of God in Nature and to enable you to distinguish between his being out of Nature and his exstence in the properties of Nature This Essentiall Christ is one with the Father it is who is the same yesterday to day and forever even before all time and before Eternal Nature and he is the Co-creation with the Father He is the Word Wisdome Power the Light Life Love the Heart Reighteousness Purity Brigtness Excellency and Glory of the Father in the Father for we must not conceive of him as a distinct Person from the Father because that would destroy the High Unity and Simplicity of Divine Nature which admits of no composition or division nor on the other side must we conceive the Son of God to be only a distinct denomination for we see that in the still Eternity there is a distinct repersentation of the Son from that of the Father and the Holy Ghost For the Son is represented in the Image of an Heart the Father of an Eye and the Holy Spirit in the stream or emanation which issueth from both But you will say is then this Christ the Son of God the Redeemer Saviour Iustifier and Reconciler of Mankind I answer that to speak properly the Son of God as he exists out of and before Eternal Nature is not a Redeemer Saviour c. and that because in this state he hath no relation to any Creature whatsoever and therefore as long as there was nothing for to be redeemed or saved he could not properly be called a Redeemer or Saviour But you 'l say this essentiall Christ the Eternal Son of the Father is not the Christian 's Christ in whom they trust for Redemption Salvation and Glorification 1. I grant that properly he is not first because the object of the ●aith of Christians is a God-man a Christ clothed with Humanity in whom two natures pure Deity and pure Humanity are hypostatically united so that according to his Deity he is true God and according to his Humanity pure man whereas● the Essentiall Christ is not made up of two Natures but is whole Deity Unity and Simplicity being co-essentiall and co-equall with the Father which he could not be if the Humane Nature was joyned with him for then he could not be one Eternall Unity and Simplicity with the Father 2. The Christ of the Christians is born in time even in the fulness of time of the blessed Virgin Mary but the Essential Christ is Co-eternall with the Father and exists from all Eternity with the Father before all time 3. The Christ of the Christians is a personal Christ found and brought forth in flesh in the figure of man being made like unto us in all things sin only excepted but the Essentiall Christ of the Father hath no human figure or organical personality and conseqneutly ●t was impossible for him as such to shed his blood ●pon the Cross for the Redemption of sinners which was the great work of the Christian Christ. 4. The Christ of the Christians arose from the Dead the third day and ascending on high is sat down on the ●ight hand of the Father being made the Head and King over all Angels on mount Sion and over all his Saints and members within the walls of the New Ierusalem but the Essential Christ of God reigns and rules on the same Throne with the Father in the Globe of Eternity over all World ●nd over the Person of Christ in his glorified Corporeity 6. The Christ of the Christian was before promised to be the seed of the Woman and the treader down of the Serpent and it was with reference to this Christ that the Covenant was made with Abraham that all Nations should be blessed in his seed Isack being a type of him and his Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascention and Glorification were shadowed out by the dark types and
the Laws of liberty for nothing acts more freely than Love because it always acts from it self and is moved by it self by which prerogatives Love shews himself allyed to the Divine Nature yea to be God himself 3. Thirdly Love is all strength and power Make a diligent search through Heaven and Earth and you 'l find nothing so powerful as Love What is stronge● than Hell and Death Yet Love is the triumphan● Conqueror of both What more formidable than the 〈◊〉 of God Yet Love overcomes it and dissolves ●nd changeth it into it self In a word nothing can ●ithstand the prevailing strength or Love it is the ●ery munition of Rocks and the strength of Mount ●io● which can never be moved 4. In the fourth place Love is of a transmuting and ●ransforming Nature The great effect of Love is to ●urn all things into its own Nature which is all good●ess sweetness and perfection This is that Divine Power which turns Water into Wine Sorrow and ●ellish Anguish into exulting and triumphing Ioy Curse into Blessings where it meets with a barren ●eathy Desart it transmutes it into a Paradise of de●●ghts yea it changeth evil to good and all imper●●ction into perfection It restores that which is fallen ●●d degenerated to its primary beauty excellence ●●d perfection It is the Divine Stone the White ●●one with a Name written on it which none knows 〈◊〉 he that hath it In a word it is the Divine Na●●re it is God himself whose essential property it is ●o assimilate all things with himself or if you will ●●ve it in the Scripture phrase to reconcile all things 〈◊〉 ●imself whether they be in Heaven or in Earth and ●ll by means of this Divine Elixir whose transform●ng power and efficacy nothing can withstand 5. In the fifth and last place Love is of a fruitful ●rolifick multiplying diffusive and communicating Nature It is Love makes all other things to be fruit●ul and multiply and to be diffusive and communica●ive of themselves therefore Love which gives to ●thers this property must needs possess it by way of ●minency it self Upon this account it is that Love ●aith Shall I cause others to bring forth and shall I not ●●ing forth my self I shall speak no more of this pro●erty of Love now becaus I shall have occasion to ●●ntion it again in the next paragraph It was out of this fruitful womb of Eternal Love th●● the acting power of the Holy Ghost in Vnion with Wis●dom brought forth these simplified Spirits as out of thei● first matter and consequently all these Spirits mus● needs be co-essential as being all brought forth out o● the Essence of Love which is the common matter to th●● all neither are they only co-essential with one another ● but also in some sort co-essential with the Deity being immediately produced out of the Divine Love-essence● yet with this difference that the Divine Love-essence is t●● Cause and the Spirit are Effects and so are subordinat● and inferior to him who is the Father of Spirits Thi● Love-essence as you have heard before is the Cente● and Heart of the Holy Trinity and is consequently th● first of all Essences as being before Eternal Nature● and all things else and will be the last and reign an● triumph over all to Eternity But here it may be objected That it doth not s●●● consistent with the Vnity and Simplicity of ●ternal L●●●-essence to be the producer of so many distinct Spirits ●ecause Vnity and Multiplicity are opposite to one ●●ther To which I answer That if these Spirits be conceived to be taken out of the Love-essence as so man● divided parts or parcels torn or separated from the whole this cannot consist with the Unity of Love● but it is not so for it is the fruitful womb of the Love-essence which hath brought forth all these innumerable Spirits without the least division or separation of its o●● simplified Essence But as we see here in this World● that one seed by reason of the blessing of the Love-essence hid in it brings fort● and varies it self i● many not by dividing it self into so many parts bu● by a Magical Multiplication even so must we conceiv● that this Eternal Love-essence did Magically Multiply i● self into this innumerable number of Spirits witho●● making the least rent or division in its own mo●● united and simple Essence These Spirits are first in the Eye of the Father as so many Ideas which Ideas afterwards are fruitful seeds in the womb of Love and are brought to actual manifestation by the all-effecting power of the Holy Ghost with the assistance of wisdom So that hence we see that these Spirits which were only Ideas in the Eye of the Father receive their essentiality and become fruitful seeds in the Love-essence which is the womb that cherisheth them Wherefore it does not appear impossible or unintelligible that the Unity of Love'● Essence should multiply and vary it self into an innumerable off-spring becaus we see both the Light and Fire of this outward Creation to multiply themselves without any division or loss of parts How many sparks do proceed from one fire And how many candles may be lighted by one But how much more than must we suppose that the Heart of God the Eternal Love-essence is able to multiply it self since all the multiplying virtue which is found in things here below are only the effects of the all-fruitfulness of Love which is communicated unto and diffused through all Creatures causing them to multiply and bring forth according to their several kinds So that it appears That this Love-essence is the Mother of all Essences but more immediately and peculiarly of these simplified Spirits which are the Inhabitants of the still Eternity as being her own immediate off-spring without the intervention of Eternal Nature wherefore they also partake of the Nature and Essence of Love being all meek and pleasant Essences beautified with all the graces powers and perfections of Love and exempt from all contrariety whatsoever I come now to speak of the formal Cause of the Inhabitants of the still Eternity which in the definition is laid down in these words in the Image and likeness of himself intimating to us that which makes these simplified Spirits to be what they are is the Image and likeness of the Holy Trinity which is their internal essential Form I now ●roceed to a more particular explication of the forma● 〈◊〉 of these pure Spirits and to this end shall give you an account of what was declared to the Spirit of my mind concerning them in the still Eternity First I was expresly charged to observe diligently wha● difference I could find between the Holy Trinity and t●ese Spirits and upon observation I could find no ot●er difference but that of greater and lesser whereupon it was further expresly told me that these Spirits were Spirits generated out of and to the Image and likeness of the Spirit of Eternity And again Th●t they