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Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95692	Theologia Germanica. Or, Mysticall divinitie : a little golden manuall briefly discovering the mysteries, sublimity, perfection and simplicity of Christianity, in belief and practise. Written above 250 years since in high Dutch, & for its worth translated into Latine, and printed at Antwarp, 1558. Whereto is added definitions theologicall and philosophicall. Also a treatise of the soul, and other additions not before printed.	Randall, Giles, translator.	1648 (1648)	Wing T858; Thomason E1162_2; ESTC R210095	77,165	196

Theologia Germanica Or Mysticall DIVINITIE A Little Golden MANUALL briefly Discovering the mysteries sublimity perfection and simplicity of Christianity in Belief and Practise Written above 250 years since in high Dutch for its worth translated into Latine and printed at Antwarp 1558. Whereto is added Definitions Theologicall and Philosophicall Also a Treatise of the Soul and other Additions not before Printed 1 Tim. 3.16 And without controversie great is the Mystery of godlinesse LONDON Printed for John Sweeting at the Angell in Popes head Alley 1648. To the Reader Courteous Reader WHosoever thou art that lovest and rejoycest in the sublimity and simplicity of truth I have here presented thee with a Manual entituled The German Divinitie a Book first written by a certain godly Priest of the Order of the Lords of Teutonici in high Dutch about two hundred and fifty years since and afterward for the incomparable value thereof it was translated out of the Dutch into the Latine tongue by John Theophilus and printed at Antwerpe 1558 in which tongue it did lye a long season veiled and obscured from the eye of the illiterate and unexpert in the same untill some years since through the desires and industries of some of our own Countrimen lovers of the Truth it was again translated and made to speak to thee in thine own Dialect and Language But the time of its Nativity being under the late wise and wary Hierarchie who had monopolized and engrossed the discovery of others into their own hands keeping the people wisely at a distance and dealing out to them what and so much only for quantity and quality as seemed best to their grave wisdoms and discretions lest they should grow as wise if not wiser then their Teachers and so the rude vulgar should become as one of us it walked up and down this City in Manuscripts at deer rates from hand to hand of some well-willets to truth in clandestine and private manner like Moses in his Arke or the little Child fled and hid from Herod never daring to croud into the Presse fearing the ruffe usage of those then in authoritie whose maxime it was That the Priests lips should preserve knowledge though misunderstood or applyed at least forgetting this Priest to be the high Priest Jesus Christ after the order of Melchisedeck But now it hath obtained such auspicious favour as to appear without blush in the most publique way it being ushered into the world under the safe conduct of an Imprimatur a worthy work of piety and charity the first to the truth it self that it might not be buried in silence through unknown tongues the other to our own Countrymen that they might not be buried in ignorance and that the famous lights or lamps kindled in other Regions might not be rendred uselesse or unprofitable to the meanest in literature The Author Translators and Licencer have done their parts what remaineth now but thine to be performed which is deliberately to read seriously to weigh spiritually to discern and piously to use and reduce into practice and life what thou shalt finde worthy herein proving all things and holding fast that which is good The Translator John Theophilus in his Preface hereunto affixed hath saved me the labour of informing thee touching the Authour Nature Matter Method and Style thereof and in the Table annexed and subjoyned in the end hereof wil direct thee to the several Chapters and their pages wich their distinct Contents There is nothing left behind for me do neither to it or thee but only to invite thee to taste and see how sweet how full of life and marrow this small Tracta●e is it is as the extract or quintessence of other more thick and darkly composed Treatises of Theology being much in little thou shalt finde some kernels herein with their shell ready broken to thine hand some Riddles in their plain sence unridled some mysteries of Histories revealed so that in many things the Scripture Parables are so explained that thou shalt say through the light of the truth herein now know we that thou speakest plainly and not in parables mysteries hidden from former ages being now in measure more brought to light The Authors minde in the Latine dresse was elegantly significantly and perspicuously expressed it may be the English style will not be so taking yet if matter rather than words be it thou seekest here thou hast it according to the best sufficiencie of the Translatour as I suppose though he be to me altogether unknown In fine it may well be called the German Divinitie the child is like the Father it sheweth it self one of that Imperiall Race which beareth the Spread Eagle for its devise For as the Eagle in flight is highest swiftest in sight cleerest in fight strongest so this Tractate soareth aloft buildeth on high even above the starry Heavens bearing her chickins the children of Truth upon wing to the face of the Sun speedeth unto the farthest end of truth pierceth into the inwards and bowels thereof and over-powreth the mind with her veritie chasing away deceitfull vanity Were it's worth but known there would neither want hand or heart to give it entertainment what more shall I say but as the Apostle in another case Vse hospitality for thereby some have entertained Angels so use thou hospitality to this German stranger who knows but that although he cometh to thee in the evening and twi-light of thy understanding so that at and sometime after it's first approach 't appear to thee as the Angels did but mean and in mans garbe yet at the Sun-rise before it depart from thee thou mayst see the Spirit and Angel of Gods Truth in it and if the Father of Lights and Spirits shal lead thee profitably into and through this it shal be an engagement to him to present thee with some other of the like nature who is a lover of thee and the truth in the Truth Giles Randall THE PREFACE OF JOHN THEOPHILUS Who translated it out of high Dutch into Latine THis little Book hath so much delighted me that I thought fit to translate it into Latine the stile is short and pithy which may be compared to a green grove although little yet so planted that therein is no Tree set only for pleasure and not for fruit but is every where full of fruit-bearing stocks Even so this little book doth not delight the Reader with any eloquence of phrase with no painting inticements or as it were flowers of speech but it doth deliver meer precepts and those most profitable and behoveful to the instruction of a Christian Indeed in regard of the shortness it is somewhat obscure and often to be read over and that with diligence Also I add further that if any man be desirous to read this Book to the end only to increase his knowledg and not to do the things contained therin he reads it in vain for he that intends to become a skilful husbandman must put his hand to

the plough As concerning my translation understand that I have neither added nor detracted any thing from the Author and I could no more avoyd obscurity in translating a book compiled with much affected brevity then the Author himself in writing of it yet I counsel the Reader that he would often and attentively read it which may ●●●ve in stead of a Comment I have used some words in it as these Egoity Selfness Meity Deified Disposence Personal●ity c. necessity compelling me thereunto because the Author useth that manner of speech wherein I ought to be thought no more blameable then Tidley who doubted not to be bold in using the words Appiety and Lentallity A Writer may make bold when necessity requireth it to command words and not to learn them The Inscription of this Book is Theologia Germanica the Author is not named only I find it written in a certain little Preface to the Book that he was one of those who are called Dun Teutonici or Dutch Lords the French call them Knights of the Rhodes and that he was a Priest and Governor in the house of Teutonici or high Dutch at Frankfort The Argument is of the new man or the new creature for he sheweth the manner how a man may be restored and return to God from whence he is faln by following his own will It is necessary that he bewilling to be restored because medicines are to be contrary to their diseases that he be deprived of his own will follow the will of God and no man can serve two masters but as a man may very well put out his own eyes or kill himself yet cannot restore himself to sight or life again even so man is in Adam prone to destroy himself and all his posterity by following his own will But neither he nor any who is guilty and overthrown by his sin can possibly save himself or repair the breach It was necessary again for the saving of the world that one should arise and exist who was holy harmless and undefiled separate from sinners to deliver others from sin and teach the way of life and this was Jesus Christ the Son of the living God to whom all power is given both in heaven and earth who doth not only teach man this way to salvation but also giveth them power by Faith to walk in it I would not hereby have you understand a dead Faith for that is no more Faith then a dead man is a man but a working and living Faith such a one as Saint Peter describeth together with the works and effects thereof saying Add to your faith vertue and to your vertue knowledg and to your knowledg temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity For if these things remain and abound in you they will make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledg of our Lord Jesus But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins Wherefore the rather brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure for if these things be in you you shall never fail S. Peter speaks of a true and lively faith which doth not only procure unto a man the forgiveness of his sins by the merit of Christ but also effecteth that as before be yeelded his members as weapons of unrighteousness unto sin so hereafter he may give them as instruments of righteousnes to do well And because S. Peter in this place doth describe a certain ladder to salvation I purpose to make it plain whereby we may more evidently perceive by which steps we may ascend to the top thereof lest that any man should be content to stand only upon the first step and yet think he had attained tosalvation from which he was distant many degrees Therefore according to S. Peter faith bringeth forth vertue that is strength and ability to perform those things which thou beleevest are to be done as so taught from God As for example Christ commands us to love our enemies and to do good to them which do evil to us Now there are some who beleeve that this cannot be done again they hate their enemies and do them all mischief others beleeve that it is to be done by the assistance of God and therefore do good to their enemies Consider all sects and kinds of men and you shall find that those who beleeve it is possible to be done do act the same and that Christ who hath given them power to beleeve hath given them power also to perform his Commandments for it is not said in vain that all things are possible to him that beleeveth And this I say generally of all other precepts of Christ As thou beleevest saith Christ so be it to thee this is generally to be taken look how much faith any one hath and so much strength of vertue he hath also And vertue begeteth knowledge for true knowledg consists in experience which comes to pass when a man is made able to perform something doth certainly know that that which before he did beleeve he did not certainly know might have been performed Examples hereof we have in Caleb and Joshua and the rest of the Israelites who did overcome the Canaanites for then did they certainly know that those might be overcome as they had before beleeved but the rest of the Israelites who did not beleeve that this could be done could not do it and again they knew it not So at this day such as do not beleeve that such a the power of Christ as that he is able to beat down the power of the Serpent under the feet of the faithful those men are not able to resist sin therefore they know not how it may be done and therefore deny it but those who beleeve can do it by faith and know certainly that it may be done and again affirm it to be true Knowledg bringeth forth temperance for a man confirmed with this knowledg goeth forward to the mark hoping for the same success in the rest and therefore with-holds himself from bodily lusts and pleasures which fight against the soul lest being hindred by them he be deprived of his Crown of victory Now as the Chaldeans did vex and persecute Jerusalem when it rebelled against them having before of its own accord served and obeyed them In like manner it falleth out in all rebellions of Subjects for the lusts and pleasures which before we voluntarily served when we rebel against them by temperance do vex us in renewing their desires and breed us grief as much as before they did delight which that we may bear manfully we stand in need of patience And because we know that this trouble which we must undergo in resisting these wicked lusts and affections in bearing of injuries doth far exceed our strength let us earnestly call upon God with