Mercurius Teutonicus OR A CHRISTIAN INFORMATION concerning the last Times BEING Divers Propheticall Passages of the Fall of Babel and the New Building in Zion Gathered out of the Mysticall Writings of that famous Germane Author JACOB BEHMEN aliàs Teutonicus Phylosophus Despise not Prophecyings Prove all things hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5.20 21. LONDON Printed by M. Simmons for H. Blunden at the Castle in Corn-hill 1649. To the Lover of Peace and Truth COURTEOUS READER THou hast here divers Predictions or Propheticall Passages taken out of the Letters and Writings of J. B. of high and worthy Consideration in these distractive and destructive times wherein Satan is let loose and rageth both in his children of hypocrisie and iniquity by these thou maist truly finde out the Fundamentall rise the effectuall Progresse and event of these Modern Cain-like Contentions and unnaturall Warres and rightly informe thy selfe of those eminent and imminent Calamities and Tribulations which are in the Christian world I cannot but suppose that the newes of an happy period to them would be acceptable and joyfull but what further effect they are still like to have without a Cordiall and speedy amendment and turning from our Cain-like hypocrisie and fury I leave for them to finde and feele by wofull experience that will not beleeve it What this Author was called by the Learned Teutonicus Phylosophus and what ground he had to write as well Prophetically as Philosophically and Theosophically his Writings do testifie Time it selfe the infallible Teller of Truth will demonstrate The Antichrist the Whore of Babylon the Beast the False Prophet in their Mystery of iniquitie and perverse practises are abundantly described in his Writings which the Sectarian Babel that sets up the Abomination of Desolation to her own ruine will not regard and he hath not onely discovered in a great measure the tricks and feats of Babel for he is none of Gods workmen that will pull downe unlesse he knows how to set up the Building in a better forme and frame but also hath shewne the way to come out of her and the true practice of Christianitie and faithfully set downe the assured way to divine wisdome and knowledge whereby a man shall come to know himselfe which is the most precious and necessary thing of all and so free his minde from those mentall Idolls of hypocrisie and opinion which doe perplex amaze and amuse the world in a giddy Labyrinth and Abysse of darknesse He doth not in his Writings make an heap of Complaints against this Sect and that Opinion accusing one party or excusing another to foment discord and dis-affection as many girding tart Pamphlets and Preachers have done and doe by attaching taunting and reviling others onely as firebrands of schisme heresie and division not considering that their own Cain-like fuming and raging blinde and unchristian imprecating have fomented enkindled and encreased the wrath of God both upon their selves and others but Christianly adviseth all to abandon all such filthy Contention and to seeke the good one of another in love forbearance and selfe-deniall without which it will be yet worse and worse in the world I need not write of the Authentick Realitie of what this Author hath foretold for it doth and will more and more shew it selfe Albeit many are and will be sottishly and pharisaically blinde choosing rather to goe quicke into the bottomlesse pit then to forsake the Whore Let the Reader seriously and diligently Consider what he saith and follow the practice of that which is the onely way to amend and reforme all privately and publiquely viz. Selfe-deniall in unfeigned love to all not as Babel the Whore of perdition and hypocrisie teacheth that Sophistically distinguisheth and thereby destroyeth the true love and simplicity of the Gospel and practice of Christianity and is become the well-falled Sodom fitted to destroy it selfe which no Secular Arme or wise Reason meerly humane and politick can hinder Let not some unusuall termes or phrases cause thee to distaste taunt or quip at them but what thou dost not understand leave uncensured for every man is best interpreter of his own words and meaning albeit when they are sent into this selvish opinion'd world they often meet with such Criticks as put a false and strange glosse upon them perverting them turning that which belongs properly to themselves upon others doe not count them whimsicall phantasticall enthusiasticall fopperies but seriously consider and marke whether his Predictions prove true or false and so judge and what thou hast here by peecemeals thou maist more at large and fully finde in his Writings some whereof are printed already in English viz. The 40 Questions of the soule wherein is a Catalogue of his Bookes the way to Christ and the Three Principles Also the Threefold Life which is now preparing for the Presse and his Mysterium Magnum a Commentary upon the first Book of Moses called Genesis are desired expected and intended next to be published Mercurius Teutonicus OR A Christian Information concerning the last Times In his Letter to Mr. Paul Keym concerning the last times he writeth thus of Babel and Zion as followeth 21. WHat concerneth Babel how it hath growne and how it shall againe be destroyed is sufficiently manifest the Destroyer is already on foot he hath begun a good while since however men will not see it 22. Men cry a Murther Confusion to their enemies Mordiò and yet there is no strange Enemy but it is the Turba onely which hath grown up in the midst of Babel in her wickednesses and unrighteousnesses that hath found the limit and destroyeth onely that which for a long Time hath been b Selfish uselesse naught which men at all times ought to have cast away whereas men should have honoured and loved God and their Neighbour as themselves there they have set up in Gods stead the Abominable Covetousnesse Deceit and wicked craft under an hypocriticall shew and loved falshood in the place of God and have made of the Mystery an abominable reproachfull c Blasphemous reviling Wherein men in a blinde Cain-like envy have cry'd downe one another for hereticks and Gods sworne enemies because they adore not their mentall and verball Idoll Babel where men with sweet speeches and blind folded eyes have led us captive even in very Deceit to the glory of the great Whore so that she hath fatted her Adulterous Brat and domineered over our body and soule goods and Estate 23. This Bastard is now at odds with himselfe about the great Prey and d Plunder spoyl and doth it selfe discover its own wickednesse and great shame so that we may plainly see what kinde of good ever was in her for the great wickednesse which she hath committed doth plague her and no strange e No forreign or outward enemy but her own wickednesse and hypocrisie which hath enkindled the wrath of God in her and given her over to a perverted mad
is no other marke or signe save the signe of Elias what doth the world gape at so much and suffers its eares in vaine to be filled with the Starres all is to no purpose 132. Whosoever will enter in with Zion and praise God in Jerusalem he hath now an acceptable time the Seventh Trumpet hath already sounded the Well-spring of Israel is open onely let no man thinke that the sound of the Trumpet shall come from this or that place for as the lightning ariseth and shineth to the East even so from rhe beginning to the end is the coming of the Son of man 133. Let no man expect onely the outward Prophet he appeareth inwardly in the Spirit the outward man will not know him for he standeth in the number of the Crowne and preacheth in the Mystery He is already knowne and found he that desireth to see him let him seeke him in himselfe and let Babel goe he shall finde him c. Aurora Page 204. LO I tell thee a Mystery It is already the time that the Bridegroom crowneth his Bride ghesse where lyeth the Crowne towards the North for amidst in the Sharpe-astringent quality the light becomes cleare and shining but whence comes the bridegroom out of the midst where the heat produceth the light and goeth towards the North in the Astringent quality where the light becomes cleare and shining what doe they towards the South they are fallen asleep in the heat but a Tempest shall rouse them up between thâ—â— many shall have a terrible death or end What doe they of the West their bitter quality will blend it selfe with the other but when they taste the sweet water their spirit becomes meeke What doe they of the East Thou hast ever been an haughty bride borne in the beginning thou thoughtest thy selfe to be formerly too faire thou livest with or like the rest Aurora Page 567. THe precious man Moses writeth That God made man of the dust k Ger. erdenklos of a lump of earth massa terrea of the earth as the learned have rendred it but he was not by when it was done but this I must say that Moses hath written very right but the true understanding what the Earth was made of remained hidden in the Letter to Moses and his successours even to this time also it was hidden to Adam while he was yet in Paradise But now l Viz. What ever hath been hidden under the vaile of Moses and the Parables of Christ it will be wholly manifest for the heart of God hath beset the chamber of death and will soone breake through therefore some dawnings of the day will now more and more breake through in some mens hearts and make knowne the day but when this Aurora shall shine from the East to the West then there will be no more time left but the Sunne of Gods heart ariseth and will Ra Ra Ra P. in this cold place and with him in R. P. These are hidden words and are to be understood onely in the language of Nature The Authors exposition of these places taken out of a Letter c. 6. COncerning the interpretation of some words and also of that which you desire of me which are specified in my Booke called Aurora which have very hidden meanings the knowledge whereof was given me of the most High I give you to understand that at present it is not convenient to write at large and expressely thereof in letters seeing the time is dangerous and the Enemy of Christ doth horribly rage and rave till a little time be past yet I will give you a short hint further to consider of it 7. As first there is a twofold meaning of the Northerne Crowne The first pointeth at the Crowne of life viz. the Spirit of Christ which shall be manifest in the midst of the great darknesse viz. in the Contrition or distresse of the sensible nature of the Conscience where a Peculiar Motion is present even then cometh the bridegroom viz. the power of Christ in the midst of such a Motion 8. The other overture is a Figure of the outward Kingdome where the great confusions entanglements and contentions shall be when as the Nations shall stand in Controversie There also is the Figure viz. the victory signified as it stands in the spirituall Figure how it shall goe and what People shall at last conquer and how in the meane while in such lamentable time of Tribulation Christ shall be made manifest and knowne and that after and in such lamentable time of Tribulation the great Mysteries shall be revealed that men shall be able to know even in Nature the hidden God in Trinity in which knowledge the strange Nations shall be converted and turne Christians also therein is signified how the Sectarian Contentions in Religion shall be destroyed in such manifestation for all gates will be set open and even then shall all unprofitable Praters which at present lie as so many bolts before the truth be done away and all shall acknowledge and know Christ which manifestation shall be the last then the Sun of life shall shine upon all Nations and even then the Beast of iniquitie with the Whore end their dayes which is signified under the Characters Ra Ra Ra P. in R. P. as is to be seen in the Revelation 9. Wee dare not at present make this large interpretation more cleare all will shew it selfe and then men shall see what it was for there is yet clean another time 13. A Letter at the end of the way to Christ KNow That a Lilly blossometh unto you yee Northern Countries if you destroy it not with the Sectarian Contention of the Learned then it will become a great Tree among you but if you shall rather choose to contend then to know the true God then the ray passeth by and hitteth onely some and then afterward you shall be forced to draw water for the thirst of your soules among strange Nations 14. If you will take it rightly into consideration then my writings shall give you great furtherance and direction thereto and the Signate-Star above your Pole shall helpe you for its time is come about or borne 15. I will freely give you what the Lord hath given me onely have a care and employ it aright it will be a witnesse for you against the mocker Let no man looke upon my person it is a meer gift of God bestowed not onely for my sake but also for your sake and all those that shall get to reade them 16. Let no man gape any longer after the time it is already come about whom it hitteth him it hitteth whosoever waketh he seeth it and he that sleepeth seeth it not the time is appeared and will soone appeare he that waketh seeth it many have already felt it but there must first a great Tribulation passe over before it be wholly manifest the cause is the Contention of the Learned who tread the Cup of Christ
the humanity of Christ where the true Mahalaleel and angelicall Image which did disappeare in Adam was againe manifest in the humanity of Christ 39. The Sixt Time begins with Jared that is the spirituall Priesthood under the outward when as Seth Enos Cainan Mahalaleel were in their Times in their outward Orders viz. the Ministry of Enos concerning God and his Beeing and Will so likewise the Preaching of Abraham concerning the Covenant and Circumcision also Moses with the Booke of the Law under all these the inward Priest Jared went along hiddenly Inwardly this spirituall Priesthood is Christ in the New Man and outwardly in the selfe-elected Priests it is Babel 40. This Sixt Time began in the Kingdome of Christ after the death of the Apostles when as men chose themselves Teachers out of Favour and outward respects that is it did even then first open it selfe out of the hiddennesse of the shadow and put it selfe forth in the Churches of stone where the Church stood in stead of the holy Temple of Christ then indeed internally the holy Jared viz. Christs voice ruled in the children of Christ but outwardly the Cherubim with the sword for the outward authority which these Elected Priests manage is the sword of the Cherubim which in the Name Jared forceth it selfe along in the Word in the Nature-speech 41. This Sixt Time in its figure is hidden and manifest it is knowne and also not knowne for Christ said My Kingdome is not of this world Thus this time must passe away secretly under Antichrist where inwardly in the children of God Christs Kingdome hath been manifest but in the Rest who have lived under this Time and also have been termed Christians onely Babel and the Antichrist hath been manifest both in the Priests and their hearers for they which were borne of God they heard the true Jared in them viz. the voice of Christ but the other heard onely the outward voice in Babel viz. to dispute and contend about Christs Kingdome 42. For all warre which the Christians manage is the sword of the Cherubim from Babel Right Christians wage no warre for they have broken the sword of the Cherubim in the death of Christ and are dead with Christ and risen againe in him and they live no longer to the externall Might and Dominion for their Kingdome is manifest in Christ and is not of this world 43. This Sixt Kingdome beginneth after the death of the Apostles and continueth with its Outward Government even to Mount Zâ—on till translated Enoch doth againe appeare in spirit and power for Enoch is the Propheticall Roote and holdeth in his Dominion Noah Moses and the sword of Elias at the end of the first a Or sixt Seale about which time we lâ—ve time the outward b The outward Priâ—sthood in Babel Jared falleth and with him that same outward Building viz. the Citie Babel 45. The Seventh time begins with * Reade the 35 Quest of the 40 Quest Concerning the Enochian life Enoch viz. with the Propheticall Mouth who declareth and layeth open under all the six times the secret Wonders of God what should be done and goeth along under Noahs Abrahams and Moses his vaile even into the Kingdome of Christ where this same propheticall Spirit is translated in the Spirit of Christ till the end of the Sixt time then he manifests himselfe in the Number of the Triple Crosse when the threefold Crosse manifests it selfe then stands the right Triple Crowne upon the Crosse even then the Enochiaâ—â— Prophets mouth doth expresse the great Wonders of the Triple Crosse that is he speaketh no more Magically in types and parables but sheweth the holy Trinity in the Figure viz. the Formed Word of God in all visible things and revealeth all Mysteries within and without 46. And even then is the Time when Enoch and the children under his voice lead a divine life of which the first life of Enoch was a Type and even then there is a blessed and golden yeare till Enochs last translation comes and then the Turba is borne which when as it shall enkindle its fire shall purge the Floare for it is the End of all time 47. Enoch begat Methusalah who was the man of the longest age and was translated three hundred yeares after this sheweth that the Spirit which in Enoch did put forth a twigg viz. Methusalah who attained the highest Age shall rule in the last and highest Age of the world and in the meane while hide it selfe before that time and remaine as it were translated as Enoch was translated and was no more seene 48. His translation was not a dying or a putting off of Nature and creature but he went into the Mystery betwixt the spirituall and outward Word viz. into Paradise and is the Propheticall Roote springing from the Stem of Adam in the line of the Covenant from which Spirit afterward the Propheticall mouth spake 49. This Spirit was translated in the Living voice of Christ when it spake in the flesh and must be silent till the voice of Jared is finished then he proceedeth forth againe from his first roote through all voices viz. through the voice of Noah which denounceth the Deluge of Anger to come upon Babel and through the Stem of Noah and the whole propagation of his Tree through all the Lines viz. through the heathenish Japheticall and Sems Line and through Abrahams and Nimrods children in Babel through Moses and the Prophets and lastly through the voice of the manifested Word in the Spirit of Christ and revealeth the whole Mystery of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill 50. For through his Voice all the fore-mentioned voices of the lines of the Wonders whence the Kingdomes of this world have had their rise shall be changed into one voice and knowledge and transplanted into one Kingdome viz. into the first Tree of Adam which is no longer called Adam but Christ in Adam All Nâ—tions Tongues and Languages heare this voice for it is the first word whence the life of Man proceeded for all the Wonders doe againe in the Word come together into one Body and this same Body is the formed divine Word which at first with Adam did introduce it selfe into one onely Stem and through him into one Tree of manifold boughes branches and fruits to the Contemplation of the divine Wisdome in the Wonders of the Powers Colours and â—ertues according to good and evill 51. This high Tree doth disclose and clearely open it selfe what it hath been in time and what it shall be eternally and in its disclosure Moses puts away his vaile and Christ his Parables in his Doctrine and then the Propheticall Mouth of this Tree of Wonders doth expresse in Divine Power all the voices of the powers of the Tree whereby Babel taketh her End and this is a Wonder and in this same Wonder all Numbers and Names are manifest and this no man can hinder 52. For that which is lost in