contradict Christ and would readily mock him and condemn him continually to Death Why must not the worldly Magistracy do it or the common People What doth that signifie A. 1. The worldly Magistracy expect Civil Duty and Obedience their grandeur is their Idol and having the outward Obeysance and worldly Advantage it sufficeth 2. The common People expect moral Justice and common Honesty and finding that are quiet especially if no bait of Profit by Treachery offer to accrue to them 3. Now Christ's Disciples in imitation of their Lord whose Kingdom was not of this World do submit to Magistracy in all civil Concerns grudge them not Civil Honour and all the Profits they can reasonably challenge and all this for Conscienâ—e sake 4 Aâ—so to the common people they give readily what commutative Justice guides to and have a propenseness to more viz. to be Good as well as Just to give and forgive wherewith the common people are not only satisfied but though in their tempers brutish and dogged are often obliged to Peace and Gratitude And as for Profit by abusing Christ's Followers there is usually little for the Cross and Poverty is their portion here as it was their Lord's and his first and eminent Followers 5. Therefore though Herod on the Wise-mens Enquiry was by mistake afraid of Christ left the new-born King should supplant him of his Regality the latter Herod and his Men of War set the Lord at nought and what the common people did in their Acclamations against Christ was by the inciâ—ement of the Priests c. 6. Now why the High Priests and Scribes or Scripture learned were Christ's cruel Persecutors was grounded on and proceeded from the following Maxims offer'd to Consideration The nearer one approacheth a much desired Object the more hot and sharp is the Desire He of two Rivals for one excellent thing that misseth it utterly his Desperation is Anguish at his own falling short and Envy at the succeâ—s of the other The contrariety of Darkness to Light moves the Workers Hate of being detected The Expulsion and final loss of the possession of an Inestimable Good is the highest provocation to Rage 7. These things duly weighed shew why the High Priests and Scripture-learned were the Lord s implacable Enemies sharpest hottest and most furious Persecutors even to Death 8. From Gain the first False cruel Worshipper till then Christ as Christ Truth and Integrity met no such Adversaries among Mankind as the Apostates pretending to the true Worship and from that day till now none so real haters of the humble Children of the day as the Blind Zealots making themselves believe they are doing God Service by destroying those who bear the most express Characters of His Divine Image They Kiâ—s and Betray and are muster'd by the Craft and Malice of the fallen Angels and make up the Antichrist concerning whom I may not here enlarge nor character him because whoever God shall use to answer the 162 Question will meet it as the only Enquiry there made Q. 117. Why must there be such a way and Process observed towards Christ with Mockings Reproaching Derision or Scorn and Scourging before his Passion Why did God suffer that to be so done A. In regard none of the Questions past nor behind lead to the opening the whole Process of Christ as doth this I may be permitted to digress by way of Retrospect from the present part of the Process this Question â—earcheth after yet not so far back as the Conception and Incarnation whereof Jacob Behmen's Book of the Incarnation discourseth as doth the 21st Chapter of the Considerations of c. But what is here intended is only the Mysteries of His Infancy Circumcision and Flight into Egypt 2. Of His Youth 3. Of His Thirty Years Privacy and then come to the present Disquisition 1 The Mistery of his Infancy Circumcision and Flight wherein we must see his Sufferings 1. Privatively 1. His divesting Self-emptying deep humbling and becoming only as an Object of Compassion Pity and Charity as are Infants figur'd by Isaac who went as his Father willed by Submission not by Choice 2. His proceeding into a state of Ignorance or Nescience to be guided and guarded by others who were to monish His Danger and prevent it from Herod Particularly he was 1. as wholly unknowing in the first Principle viz. The Jealousie Subtlety and Cruelty of Herod and to ward that stroke is fully resigned to the Father by the ministration of Angels 2. He was as wholly ignorant in the third Principle viz. Whither to fly and how to be furnished for the Charge incident to a Necessary Flight and constrained Exile unto which the Presents of the Eastern Magi seem to furnish Joseph and the Virgin 3. Positively His becoming Wretched 1. By taking on him our naked helpless shiftless state for Man's Fall renders his Offspring the Epitome of Misery and Nakedness more than the rest of the Creatures who all bring their Clothing with them 2. Wretched by Suffering as was the Circumcision requiring Patience and the Danger in the Flight requiring Resignation 4. Thus this Child-like state as it consists of Simplicity Humility Innocency and unspotted Purity is the absolute Universal Refuge and Retreat of all that enter the Kingdom of God as the Lord saith Except ye be converted and become as little Children ye shall not enter c. For the top of the Gate entring into Glory is so low that only the humble stoop so low kneel creep and enter and none else 5. We see a Child a stranger to the griping Covetousness Pride Envy and Rage of the first Principle So is the truely new-born Christian. It is also careless of heaping up the Infant wills no more than the wants of Nature abandoning superfluity A Child takes no hurtful Impressions into the Mind to enrage the Passions through the Doors of the Sences but when the Countenance of things smile or frown their Affections of liking or dislike are disengaged and dead to them as soon as removed 6. Thus are we taught to be to praise and dispraise to flattery and contempt for the one must be as a Song to a Child at once ended and forgotten the other as the snarling of Dogs in an outer Court which concern us not for neither the Wrath of the first fierce hellish Forms nor the lying Cheats of the third Principle are less dangerous where prevalent than Fire or Water getting mastery 7. Thus is the Infancy of this blessed Babe such a Mystery as teacheth Divine living Doctrine and is the impregnable Fort or Bulwark which Hell hath ever in vain besieged for while we keep faithful to this holy integrity our peace is perfect 8. The second Mystery is that of his younger Years or Youth wherein we behold and learn his Patience and Subjection or Obedience The true root of Patience is Humility the root of right Subjection is Reverence and of Obedience is Love
the Soul tho' one be in another CHAP. VIII Of the Creation Vegetation and Constellation and Original Substance of this World I Forbear Abridgment of this Chap. contenting my self with research of the Extracts of the 4th 5th 6th and 7th Chapters of this Book and of the 18th and 19th Chapters of Aurora CHAP. IX Of Paradise 1. ADam was in the Garden of Eden and in Paradise but Eden was not Paradise The Tree of Good and Evil in Eden grew as those whereof we eat which are Evil and good But Paradise is another Principle The Spirit of the World cannot much less can any Creature comprehend it 2. It consists in exact Perfection no Evil Creature or Thing can reach it Angels Knowledge and Tongues are requir'd to express it None can come therein but by the new Birth and true resignation The Holy Ghost hath and is the Key 3. Paradise is not corporeal and palpable but consisteth in the Vertue and Power of God its corporeity is like the Angels bright and transparent Substances its Birth immeasurable immutable a constant Spring in perfect Love 4. Fruits grow there in such Figure as here but not in such property its Root is the Heavenly Matrix The Eternal Father is instead of the activity of the Stars The Light of God instead of the Sun The Holy Ghost is the Air. No years nor time is there There is a figur'd substance of all this Worlds Creatures and the figur'd substance of all words that came from the Divine Root stand there also The Holy Gate 5. Nothing is nearer us than Heaven Paradise and Hell There is a Birth between them yet both Gates stand in us The Devil stands in one calling and beckening and in his hand is Power Honour and Pleasure the Root of which is Death and Hell Fire God calleth in the other Gate and in his hand are Crosses Persecutions Poverty Misery Ignominy and Sorrow and the Root of these is Fire also and in the Fire a Light and in the Light a Vertue and in the Vertue Paradise and in Paradise the Angels and among the Angels Joy Take which of the two thou wilt 6. The third Principle of us belongs not to Paradise and sees it not till it rot in the Earth and rise a new Vertue But the regenerated Soul sees it being a Child of Paradise 7. After the time of this World the Out-birth returns to its Aether but the Figures of all Creatures remain as also of all words and works in either Kingdoms in which they were sown and then Angels and Blessed Men will remain in the Birth of the Divine Light and the Devils and wicked Men in Eternal Darkness for being Created out of the harsh Matrix out of which the Light of God existed from Eternity they cannot go back into Transitoriness Therefore seek the Pearl of Divine Meekness and Patience and finding it you will be throughly taught and in it find Paradise and the Kingdom of Heaven CHAP. X. Of the Creation of Man of his Soul and of Gods Breathing in THough I have met with more of this Subject in the 21st Chap. of the Aurora and in the 5th Chap. of the Book of Election Also in the 3d 4th 5th to the 8th Chap. of the Book of the Incarnation and in the 16th Chap. of the Mysterium Magnum yet taking it also briefly here do observe and collect as follows 1. Adam was Created with the Vertue of all the three Principles in him the Heavenly Centre was fixt and was to have remained so and the Earthy not to have been awakened for though as the similitude of God he had the dark Fountain or first Principle and the Out birth viz. the Properties of all the Creatures in him yet was he to live and act in neither of those two but in the second Principle that of Light and Paradise only And in that Divine Light rule over the Stars Elements and all Creatures 2. For Adam's very Body being of that holy Element or Quintessence whence the Stars and Elements originated besides the Royal Soul he had he was to have been incorruptible tho' the Stars and Elements had returned into their Aether 3. He was without distinct Female to generate out of his will without reâ—ding or dividing his Body or Anguish or Misery an Angelical Host. 4. His Bones were Strengths or Powers no need of Guts and Entrails Teeth or Bestial Members no dark opake Body nor hardness no sleep sickness or any kind of evil which arose by the prevalency and inequality of the afterward divided â—leâ—entâ— 5. This God did for Adam and intended most mercifully towards him and gave his own Heart to redeem him He fell not by reason of Gods Decree as the Devil suggesteth Nor was the Tree of Good and Evil planted to try him but the Tree sprung up in the will of Adam and Eve and standeth yet in us not in God Nor cometh the punishment from his Hand but from spiritu majoris mundi the Macrocosm the third Principle 6. To attain this knowledge see in the mind of Man lyeth and thence proceedeth Joy and Sorrow Hope and Doubting Love and Hatred Meekness and Wrath. The Question is May not the Mind stand in one only Will and Essence A. If it did so then it would have but one quality an immoveable stilness no will to any thing a meer nothing no knowledge wisdom or joy 7. Therefore in God whose Image Man is is an Eternal Mind which generateth the Eternal Will and the Eternal Will generateth the Eternal Heart of God the Eternal Heart of God generateth the Eternal Light the Eternal Light generateth the Eternal Vertue the Vertue generateth the Spirit And again the Spirit generateth the Mind this is the Eternal Almighty Unchangeable God 8. So in Man the Mind standeth in Anguish and the Anguish maketh a longing and that longing is the Will the Fathers Property The Will conceiveth the Vertue and Light and is the Sons Property And in the Light out of the Vertue proceeds the Spirit and is the Property of the Holy Ghost which again generateth the Mind and Will so is made the indissoluble Band. 9. Thus Adam's Mind and longing Will should have abode in the Vertue of the Light which had illustrated his first Principle and by his Spirit should have ruled over the third Principle did by going into the third Principle and eating thereof subject himself thereunto and had not his noble Soul hindered had become a meer Beast 10. But the Gracious God inspoke his Word again into him and to redeem so fair a Creature sent his own Heart that the unchangeable purpose of God might stand to bring again the same Image in the Resurrection into Paradise which was at first created in it and for it 11. But Lucifer generated a fiery Will in the first Principle who should have generated a Loving Meek Angelical Will and extinguisht the Light which was the end of Nature No help was
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
which is a true Humane Substance of Flesh and Blood a Spiritual Flesh out of which the visible Image groweth not only by Faith in remembrance of his Sufferings Death c. as is ignorantly said but really Christs Paradisical Humanity presseth into their Souls as a sparkle of Fire falleth into Tinder and turneth the whole Tinder into Fire and Light 2. The Divine Flesh and Blood of Christ cannot be receiv'd but by a Mouth fit to receive it 3. The Mortal Flesh comprehendeth it no more than the gross Stone doth the Tincture of fine Gold that is in it 4. A Man cannot say I am Christ because Christ dwelleth and worketh in me no more than the Herb can say I am the Sun because the Sun worketh in it CHAP. IV. What the Wicked partake of and how a Man should prepare that he may be Worthy 1. HE that receives this without Repentance that is turning from Sin receiveth as Judas his own Judgment and Condemnation for his wicked Will desireth not to die in Christs Death but only to arise and live with his Sins in Christs Resurrection yet in the Spirit of Lucifer he treadeth on the Death of Christ and participateth indeed on Christs Anguish Death and going into Hell but in the Spirit of the Devil without rising to newness of Life Better it were he did not touch or meddle with it 2. They talk of Absolution and Pardon of Sin but leave it not and so Sathan as he did to Judas after the Sop entreth These Crucifie Christ. 3. But they that rightly prepare die to Sin resign themselves to God have the Spirit of Christ erecting his Kingly Office and Pallace in their Hearts a living Conqueror over Death and Hell these rightly receive Christs Flesh and Blood CHAP. V. Of the Disputes c. about Christs Testaments 1. ONE Party say the Bread and Wine is substantially changed into Christs Flesh and Blood and so will receive Christ into the Bestial and Mortal Man 2. Another Party say it is only a Sign that the Body of Christ was broken and died for us and deny the substantial participation 3. The third Party say Christ is participated with and under the Bread and Wine that is Christs Flesh and Blood is eaten and drunk with and under the Bread and Wine but yet know nothing of the right Adamical Humanity and deny the substantial Inhabiting of Christ. 4. For they will not know how the participation is wrought but rely barely on the dead Letter hence come such Contentions that are really Spiritual Murther and in the end come to outward Murther Every one for the Idol of his own Opinion but the Kingdom of God is inwardly within thee the outward imputed Grace without the Innate Filial Grace is false 5. Let the Sufferings and Death of Christ be fulfilled in us and we shall be the Children of Christ and not the Children of Images This was the Authors 22d Book Mysterium Magnum PART I. The First Part contains the nine first Chapters of Genesis and thirty fourth Chapter of the Book whence these Extracts are called the Great Mystery Exposition of Genesis CHAP. I. What God manifested is and of the Trinity 1. GOD is the One the Will of the Abyss the Will of the Wisdom The Wisdom is his Delight and Manifestation he begetteth himself from Eternity to Eternity in which Eternal Generation are 1. The Will 2. The Mind of the Will 3. The Egress from the Will and Mind 2. The Will is the Father the Mind is the Wills Heart and Seat the Egress is the Spirit and Power of the Will and Mind The Lubet Motion Life and Eye of the Deity A speaking Word 3. God is no where far from or near unto any thing Infinitely more deep than any thought can reach comprehended only by himself CHAP. II. Of the Word or Heart of God 1. THE Word is in the Will a nothing but with the Conception in the Lubet of the Will is an Eternal Generation This Eternal speaking Word maketh a Mystery call'd the Centre of the Eternal Nature out of the Powers Colours and Virtue whereof as out of a great Eternal Mystery was formed by Coagulation the Spiritual World Which two are as Soul and Body 2. And tho' the speaking Word rule through and over all yet cannot be comprehended by either but in the inward World conceiveth it self into a Spiritual Essence as one only Element wherein the four lye hidden but when the Word moved the one Element the hidden Properties did manifest themselves as there are four Elements CHAP. III. How out of the Eternal Good an Evil is come to be the Original of the Dark World VVE cannot say that Eternal Light or Eternal Darkness is Created for they are not comprehended in time but Concomitant in their Generation But not in the Word of the Deity but Originate in the desire of the speaking Word For the free Lubet wherein is the Wisdom could not have sensible perceivance of its own Vertue Smell Taste and Colours if it brought not it self into a desire like a hunger and so bring it self from Abyss into Byss by over-shadowing Attraction And remains a Property viz. a darkness For where a Property is there is a something yielding obscurity Unless something else viz. a Lustre fill it and then 't is Light yet remaineth a Darkness in the Property And this is the Eternal Original of the Darkness So that we are to understand 1. The free Lubet the wisdom which is no Property but is one with God 2. The desire of the free Lubet which in the hunger or coagulation comprehends the free Lubet and maketh it self out of the free Lubet For the desire is the Fathers Property And the free Lubet the wisdom is the Sons Property Tho' God here until the Manifestation through the Fire in the Light is not called Father or Son but set down thus to shew to what Person in the Deity Nature and to what the Power in Nature is to be ascribed The desire proceeding from the will of the Abyss is the first form and it is the Fiat The free Lubet is God who governeth the Fiat the Centre of Nature And both together are the Eternal Word and in the desire are the seven Properties of Nature The profound distinct Discourse of them taketh up the remainder of this Chapter and the fourth fifth and sixth CHAPTERS CHAP. VII Of the Holy Trinity and Divine Essence THE Eternal and Temporal Nature especially consists in the dark world in the four first Forms Astringent Bitter Anguish and Fire But the Powers in all are understood in the Light or Love-desire or Love-fire 1. For the first ground is the one 2. The free Lubet viz. the Wisdom 3. The Love desire wherein the free Lubet exacuateth it self through Nature into a Kingdom of Joy 4. The Oyly Spirit wherein the Lubet amaffeth it self in the Meekness and coamaffeth the Lustre the Power whereof is
they were both yet in the Garden of Eden and in Paradise Adam's desire had imprinted it self into the Magical Image as a Mother doth on a Child in her Womb therefore the Woman had Earthy Lust so soon As to this day most of that Sex coming to any years selfish Will or Lust is predominant appearing inglittering Pride contrary to Virgin Modesty Chastity and Humility 2. The Devil then in the Serpent laid himself on the Tree of Temptation for the Serpent was more subtle than all the Beasts of the Field because Lucifer falling from his Divine Hierarchy and infecting the Essence of the expressed word in the Fiat according to the dark Worlds Property his desire drew the thorny subtilty out of the Centre of Nature which as to one part was the Serpents Ens. 3. Tho also in the Serpent is found by the wise excellent Art and Vertue for the Devils Poyson being taken out there is Divine Power in a fiery hunger in him As is also in the Earth where may be found the Arcanum of the World 4. The Devil by the Serpent insinuated to Eve as if God had with-held some great thing from them and that if she would eat she should as God know good and evil which was true For the Essences of that Tree were Discordant but said not that Heat and Cold Sickness and Death would force into her But that by the Serpen's eating thereof he had attained so great prudence 5. Eve liked well to be a Goddess and so fell from the Divine Harmony from the resignation in God and united with the Devils Desire 6. Then the Holy Spirit departed and the Heavenly Limus in the Flesh disappeared or died As the extinguishing a Candle which enlightened a dark Room 7. VVhile Man stood resigned in God all the Properties were in Harmony equal weight and measure as time is in Eternity or in God But when Man 's own will began effectually to work the whole Magical Astrum wrought also contrariety and enmity in the outward Astrum and four Elements 8. The Properties of all good and evil Beasts did awake and become domineering in him yea of a Fox Bear Wolf Lion Dog Bull Cock Cat Horse Toad and Serpent Also that Astrum which is most predominant at the time of Conception hath its desire in the Seed and also Figures the outward Person and the poor Soul becomes Married to such a Beast unless a Man be Born anew forsake this Bestial Property and come as a Child into the Kingdom of God pointed at by Circumcision and Baptism 9. How great was that Horror and Anguish now in Man When in Astonishment they crept behind the Trees in the Garden from the dread of Gods awakened Anger making their Love fire tremble on Knowledge of their new-gotten Bestial Properties Even so did the Limus of the Earth whence Adam's outward Essence was extracted tremble and shake when the Lord Jesus on the Cross with his great Love in his Heavenly Blood did overcome Gods Anger which was effectually working in it CHAP. XXI Of the Impression and Original of the Bestial Man and beginning of Sickness and Mortality 1. THAT only which stands in the Temperature hath no Destroyer but subsisteth Eternally for opposite Essences weaken and destroy each other Yet if the captive Essence of the Heavenly Property may be redeemed from the curse and wrath of Nature it comes into the Temperature and awakens the Heavenly Worlds Essence in a living Body if such there be in that Body and expelleth evil 2. So great a sway the outward Beastly Man hath over the hidden inward heavenly Man that it holds it as Gold shut up in the gross Oar unable to shew itself but lyes as dead it must therefore be Born anew and fed with the second Principle or remain ever uncapable of the Kingdom of God It must re-obtain Divine Essence and die to the Beast and Regeneration to its first Estate is brought to pass in Christ. 3. The Scope of this Author is 1. To search out the Image of God 1. How it was Created 2. How Corrupted 3. How it shall be restored 2. What is the New birth out of Christ. 1. What is the Inward and Immortal Man 2. What the Outward and Mortal That being known how it was corrupted it may come again into its first Estate CHAP. XXII Of the Original of Actual Sin c. 1. EVery word of Man proceeds from an Eternal Ens either of Love or Anger A word conceived becometh substance when 't is sounded and then must have a place of Rest either in its like in another or it will return to its Mother the Fountain or Mind whence it is 2. Doth a wicked Man Curse Eccho a word of Love against him let not his Curse enter infect and take Root but will return and heap Coals of Fire on the Reviler for the enkindled Spirit layeth hold of the Inventers very outward Body 3. Sin at first and ever since is Born of a strange Ens when the will leaving the pure simplicity in which it was Created entreth into the Serpents Craft and Poison But tho' the will to good may have evil adhere to it yet if it hath not consented to the evil but rejects it that the sinful desire cannot come into Essence that good will hath not hereby wrought evil but the holy Word judgeth the false 4. The Serpents Ens was a Virgin of Heavenly Beauty but Lucifer introduced thereinto the dark Worlds Property yet hath the Serpent according to the right of Eternity both Tinctures The Pearl is in it but hidden because of the Worlds false Magick that the holy Virgin Ens might not be introduced into an ungodly Serpentine one It were good the Artist knew this 5. The Children of God are the Temple of the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in them without this there is no true knowing or will but strife by the Craft of the Serpent about confused verbal wranglings as did the Jews carry Moses words in their Mouths but mixed them with the crafty Serpents Ens and so it must be still that the word in Gods Children may be stirr'd and whetted and the Truth struggle to the Light Therefore must the Body die it cannot Inherit the Kingdom See more of the Original of Sin in this Book of Extracts of Aurora and in the sixth Chapter of the Book of Predestination And mentioned also in the 15th of the Forty Questions CHAP. XXIII How God recalled Adam and his Eve and ordained the Saviour 1. AFter Adam and Eve had eaten of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil seeing their gross bestial flesh hard bones and deformed Worms carkass shewed it self in their tender delicate body their shame drove them behind the Trees for God's rebuke awaked in them as it had done in Lucifer and they as revolted Rebels were in great shame before God and all the holy Angels and scorn'd by the Devils Into this shame and scorn did Christ enter which caus'd the
bloody sweat his being contemned crowned with Thorns his mixt draught of Gall and Vinegar this made the Earth tremble 2. They dreaded now the Lord's voice for the Turba of the Dark World awakened its sad knell In the cool of the day that is when Adam's Eternal day in the Temperature was awakened into cold and heat 3. But in the Lord's voice was the holy Light world Christ the second Principle who in deepest Love espoused it self again to the disappeared heavenly Ens And the holy Word re-entring into the vital Light did reincorporate it self in the Woman's seed which in time did move its self in Mary's seed quickening the disappear'd heavenly Virginity by introducing the holy living Ens. 4. This ingrafted Word was inspoken into Eves Matrix as a limit of a certain Covenant which was all along propagated in Eves seed from Man to Man in the heavenly part as a glimmering incentive of the Divine holy Lights fire until the awakening of it in Mary where the Covenant was fulfilled by the most holy name Jesus signified by the holy Fire in the Jewish Sacrifices kept from prophane strange Fire 5. This bruised or brake the Serpents head that is did infuse inspire recal in-hest the right Virgin Purity with the precious holy name Jesus who introduced the living heavenly Ens into the disappeared captiv'd Ens and mortified the Serpents desire in flesh and blood 6. For the Child of the Man and Woman is a Bastard nor shall inherit but the chaâ—t Virgins Child born out of the death of the brutal and bestial Man and Woman with both Tinctures of peculiar Love He is the Heir who dieth not and at the Resurrection shall take on it the pure Limus of the Earth viz. the third Principle as a Garment CHAP. XXIV The Cause of the Curse and of the Body of Sickness 1. THE Curse was that the holy Element Tincture or Ens which had budded and bare fruit through the Earth holding captive the Property of the four Elements hid withdrew kept it self secret and became a mystery to Man in his awakened vanity who remained with a half Serpentine desire of Earthy hunger half dead between Time and Eternity chain'd till he should return to Earth wâ—ence he was as to one part extracted and be sown into the Earth but as a fixt Metal is not destroyed but the Artist brings thence excellent Gold so the fixt part of the Human Body waits only for the Divine Artist to raise it which because it must be tryed by Fire such as the Ens is such shall be the enkindled Fire 2. All wicked Serpentine works shall as Quick-silver evaporate But if Man's Human Soul hath impressed into the mortal part of the Limus of the Earth by Divine Desire and Faith a Divine Ens it lieth as precious Gold shut up in Lead or Dross as a glimmering â—incentive waiting till the great Artist release it to burn and shine 3. Our gracious God not only gave his holy living Word for cure of all whose minds casting away abominations immerse themselves thereinto but knowing Man would not stand caus'd all Medicinal Herbs for hunger and health to grow for him Thus Man hath his Cure the Devil hath not 4. God created Man naked what ever is in the World is his but it is common but the hunger for Propriety Power and Domination is of the Serpent 5. Therefore must we become as little Children and so rule over the besâ—ial Man So great is the Enmity God hath put between the two seeds in Man who now is according to the outward Man a Beast according to the inward an Angel or Devil CHAP. XXV How God drove Adam out of Paradise and laid the Cherub before the Garden v. 18. 1. LUcifer's Fall tainted the Limus of the Earth before it was brought into compaction Adam's outward Body was taken out of the Limus of the Earth Him God set to be Judge by his Word having the Judicial Sword against the Devil's enkindled wickedness v. 17. 2. Also God seeing Adam's first Body should fall to ruine brought him and Eve into Paradise that afterward they and their Children might by Regeneration re-enter thither in the Spirit of Christ through the Fire-Sword 3. When Man dieth if the Soul be captivated in God's Anger and be not a Virgin Child it cannot pass the Sword v. 5. 4. This Sword is also in Man the Virgin-bud forceth through in the anxiety of true Repentance Then riseth the Morning Star in the occluse or shut up Gate of the true Womans seed v. 13. 5. Yet at death if the Soul hath taken in much of the Serpents craft or lust it stands under God's Anger till the Consumption of the introduced vanity which to many is Purgatory enough 6. For the Fire-Soul must be as pure as the clear refined Gold to be the Husband of the Noble Virgin Sophia the Lights Tincture to speak which needs an Angels Tongue 7. Before the Foundation of the World God chose this Limus out of which he would make Man in Christ Jesus For the Ens thereof had somewhat of false lust by reason of the Devils introduced desire therefore a time of the Judgment of Severation was then founded and a new Limus out of the tainted one CHAP. XXVI Of the Propagation of Man in this World and of Cain the Murtherer of his Brother THIS Chapter treating copiously of Free Will and Predestination the Extract of it is forborn and it 's referr'd to the Extracts of the Book of Election CHAP. XXVII Of Abel's and Cain's Sacrifices 1. THE Souls Free-will originating from the Abyss is thin or subtile and must amass or conceive it self into something wherein to work As Gods Free-will conceived or massed it self with the inward Spiritual World and works through it and that Worlds Free-will amassed the outward World and works through it 2. And because that which the Soul had amassed was distempered with Sin â—acrificing came In the inkindling whereof by Magical and Love-fire not ordinary Fire the Free-will of the Soul and of the Heavenly part of the Body did immass into a substance As a Figure of the New-birth in Christ and by consuming the Bestial Man did press in before the Holiness of God For here the Lubet of God did meet the Inspired Free-will of the Heavenly Humanity Here is the sinful Man consumed by Gods Anger-fire and cut off by the flaming Fire-Sword of the Cherub and the Serpents Head bruised 3. The Souls Free-will which was Inspired wholly pure into Man is in the Covenant in Jesus attoned and again Tinctured by Gods Love-fire as Brass or Iron is tinged and changed to Gold For the Earthy part wherein lay the Curse being consumed the Essence became Spiritual Even so the Soul by Sorrow and Repentance introduceth it self into a Divine desire which is called Faith 4. Also the words of the Prayer of Abel and Israel became amassed into an Incorruptible Essence And this desire of Faith or Essence