signification of the Signs or Marks of All Things 10. A Consolatory Book of the four Complexions 11. An Apology to Balthasar Tilken concerning the Aurora and another to him concerning Predestination and the Person of Christ and of Mary 12. Considerations upon Esaias Stiefells Book 13. Anno. 1622. A Book of True Repentance 14. A Book of True Resignation 15. A Book of Regeneration or the New Birth 16. Anno. 1623. A Book of the Predestination and Election of God 17. An Appendix to the Predestination being A Compendium of Repentance 18. The Mysterium Magnum or the Great Mystery being an Exposition upon Genesis 19. Anno. 1624. A Table of the Three Principles or a Key to his Writings written to Godfried Frewdenhammern and John Hausern 20. A little Book of the Supersensual Life 21. A little Book of Divine Vision 22. A Book of the Two Testaments of Christ viz. Baptism and the Lord's Supper 23. A Dialogue or Conference between the Enlightned and unenlightned Soul 24. An Apologie for the Book of True Repentance upon a Pamphlet of the Primate of Gerlitz Gregory Richter 25. A Book of 177. Theosophick Questions 13 and part of the 15th Answered 26. An Extract out of the Mysterium Magnum 27. A Prayer Book called the Holy Week 28. A Table of the Divine Manifestation or an Exposition of the Three-fold World to John Sigismund of Sigismund and to Abraham van Frankenberg being at the End of an Epistle concerning the True and false Light 29. A Book of the Errours of the Sects of Ezekiel Meths to A. P. A. or an Apology to Esaias Stiefel 30. A Book of the Last Judgment 31. A Book of several Letters written at several times 32. A Clavis or Key of his Writings being the Exposition of some words The Books which the Author finished nor are marked thus In these he hath left so Noble and Pretious a Talent and Treasure for the setting forth God's Honour and Glory and for the promoting Man's Salvation both for the present and for the future times that since the times of the Apostles higher and deeper grounded Mysteries concerning the Deity have scarce been revealed his acquaintance for the most part was with Godly Learned People and such as were experienced in the knowledge of Nature with whom he conversed as also with some of the Noble men of Lusatia and Silesia in all fear of God though some of the Common Preachers have not forborn as their usual manner is to cast forth their venom against his Writings and to stir up the Rude and foolish People with all manner of Reproach and Scandal yet the Truth liveth still and hath prevailed and will at length Tryumph in secret But he the blessed Jacob Behme the Teutonick at Gerlitz in his House near the Water-side of the River Neisse Anno. 1624. the 18. Day of the Month of November new-stile about the sixth hour in the Morning being the 24. Sundy after Trinity after he had heard most exceeding lovely sweet Musick without his Chamber and being refreshed with the Holy Use of the Testament of Christ at his Supper his Sons and some Good Friends praying and weeping about him with these his last and Comfortable Words Now go I hence into Paradise Meekly and gently sighing blessedly departed in the fiftieth year of his Age. After the Preaching of the Funeral Sermon he was buried in the Church-yard at Gerlitz upon the Grave a Wooden Cross was set with this Mystical three-fold Figure graven upon it viz. An Eagle with a Lilly-Twig A Lyon with a Sword A Lamb with a Mitre The Superscription over the Cross was this V. H. I. L. I. C. I. V. That is Vnser Heil Im Leben Jesu Christi In Vns. In English thus Our Salvation is In the Life of Jesus Christ In Vs. Which was J. B. Motto or usual speech and Superscription in his Letters Also these words were the Inscription of the Cross Born of God Dead in Jesu Sealed with the Holy Spirit Resteth here Jacob Behme of Old Seidenburg Note 1. The Southern Eagle stood upon a high Rock and with one foot trod on the Head of a Serpent and with the other held a Palm and with its Beak received a Lilly-Twig reached forth-out of the Sun 2. The Northern Lyon was Crowned and signed with a Cross and held in the Right foot before a fire-flaming-Sword and in the Left a fiery Heart and rested with the hough or hinder part of the Right Foot behind upon a Cube and with the Left upon a Globe 3. The Lamb with a Mitre walked meekly and quietly between them both in the Meadows and by the Brooks and Rivers of Grace His Seal or Stamp was a Hand out of Heaven with a Lilly-Twig In the Memorial Books of good friends he used to write these Verses Text. Weme Zeit i st wie Ewigkeit Und Ewigkeit wie die Zeit Der i st befreyt von allem streit Englished To whom Time is as Eternity And Eternity as Time He is freed from all strife The outward Form of his Body was almost of no Personage he was lean and little of Stature with a Fore-head very much inbowed high Temples somewhat Hawk-nosed his Eyes were Grey and very Azure otherwise as the Windows of Solomons Temple he had a short thin Beard a small shril Voice an amiable pleasing Speech He was modest in his Behaviour humble in his Conversation and meek in Heart his highly enlightned Spirit is to be discerned by his Writings in the Divine Light The following Relation was taken out of a Memorial of Michael Curtz concerning what happened at the Departure of the Blessed Jacob Behme ON Sunday November 18. early in the Morning he called his Son Tobias and asked him If he heard the Excellent Musick he said No then he spake that the Door should be opened that the singing might be the better heard afterward he asked what the Clock had stuck and was told it had struck Two he said It is not yet my time three hours hence is my time In the mean while he spake these words once O thou strong God of Hosts deliver me according to thy Will O thou Crucified Lord Jesus Christ have Mercy upon me and receive me into thy Kingdom When it was near about six he took leave of his Wife and Sons blessed them and said Now go I hence into Paradise He did bid his Son to turn him about sighed deeply and so very meekly and quietly departed from this World PREFACE Then followeth in the former Preface Printed 1647. Thus. IF it were not for the great Fruit that I conceive may grow to every one that studieth it I should be sorry that I am the Instrument to make such things known in my Native Language and much more unwilling it should be published to the view of so many various Minds as are now sprung up But my hope is Goodness will get the upper Hand and that the Fruits of the Spirit will prevail to the subduing of the Lusts
Forty Questions of the Soul concerning its Original Essence Substance Nature or Quality and Property what it is from Eternity to Eternity Framed by a Lover of the Great Mysteries DOCTOR BALTHASAR WALTER and Answered in the Year 1620. by Jacob Behme called Teutonicus Philosophus Englished by John Sparrow â—â—…ed for L. Lloyd at the Castle in Cornhil 1663. To the Earnest Lovers of Wisdom THE whole World would not contain the Books that should be written of Christ if all that he did and spake should be Written of him flowing from that Fountain of Wisdom which dwelt in him What then can be expected in a little Preface but some few Observations of the foot-steps and Paths of Wisdom and they are set down here as they occasionally presented themselves to the Thoughts of him who desireth to be made fit for the acquaintance with the Lowest Scholar in her School Many have been her Scholars in their own way which Nature hath inclined them to or God in them that have kindled the Divine Nature and so have been made partakers of it in their Souls We may perceive the Excellency of every one of them by that which hath been left for a Record behind them and their fitnesse to be followed in Order till we shall attain the highest Pitch we are capable of Since the true Grounds of the antient Wisdom have been hidden in the Dark Writings of the wise Men of former Ages some in this latter Age have endeavoured to reform the Errors that have risen from the want of knowing those grounds from which they wrote The Writings of that Learned SELDEN are eminent in this kinde among others by which means the true Fame and Glory of Learning hath been in some good part restored again as also by contriving means to direct the way to raise the several kinds of knowledge from the is own true Basis and Foundation The Renowned Sir Francia Bacon Lord Verulam Vicount St. Albans laid his foundation sure and raised his building high by his Instauratio Magna he taught men first to free themselves from the Idola Mentis humanae and then laid down the whole process of the Mind from a Natural and Experimental History to raise a Natural Philosophy which doth shew the way to compose a Divine experimental History to the building of a Divine Philosophy or Mystical Divinity Comenius also by his Pansophia designeth the best way to educate all from their Childhood so that in the shortest time they may get the highest Learning their Natures can attain to Pellius in his Platform concerning the Mathematicks doth design to raise the Principles or whole Structure of that Art out of every ones self without the help of Books or Instruments by a Treatise he calleth Mathematicus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may well be transferred to a Philosophus Medicus Legislator Jurisperitus Politicus Theologus Theosophus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also that strict inquirer into Truth Comes Castri Insulae in his Book De Veritate teacheth the true progresse of the Mind in finding the certain infallible truth in all things Des Chartes doth lay the foundation of his Philosophy in such Grounds and Principles as are undeniable to him that doth but consider what is in his own Thoughts These and some others in their kind have gone as far as the Natural faculty of Mans outward reason can reach This Author Jacob Behme esteemeth not his own outward Reason but acknowledgeth to have received a higher Gift from God freely bestowed upon him and left in Writing for the good of those that should live after him And in his Writings he hath discovered such a Ground and such Principles as do reach into the Deepest Mysteries of Nature and lead to the attaining of the highest Powerful Natural Wisdom such as was amongst the Ancient Philosophers Hermes Trismegistus Zoroaster Pythagoras Plato and other deep Men conversant in the Operative Mysteries of Nature and the Modern Trevisanus Raymundus Lullius Paracelsus Sendivogius and others by which men will be satisfied that not only they have gotten but that we also may get that Lapis Philosophorum the Philosophers Stone indeed Those Principles do also lead to the attaining such wisdom as was taught in Egypt in all which Learning Moses had skill to the Wisdom also which was taught in Babylon among the Caldeans Astrologians and wisemen or Magi with whom Daniel was brought up Also to that Wisdom of the East from whence came the Three Magi Mat. 2. 1. who saw the Star that led them to Jerusalem and to Bethlem where they saw the Child Jesus and Worshipped and so returned with whom God himself vouchsafed to speak and direct them what to do The Ground and Principles in his Writings lead to the attaining the wisdom which excelled the wisdom of the East 1 Kings 4. 30 31. which Solomon had and wrote in the Proverbs and in a Book which hath not yet been extant with us in Europe but is reported to be found in the East Countrey some few years since wherein he wrote of all Plants from the Cedar to the Moss that groweth upon the Wall and of all Living Creatures 1 Kings 4. 33. His Ground discovereth the way to attain not only the deepest Mysteries of Nature but Divine Wisdom also Theosophie the Wisdom of Faith which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen with the outward Eys this Wisdom bringeth our inward Eyes to see such things as Moses saw in the Mount when his Face shone like the Sun that it could not be beheld such things as Gehazi saw when his Master Elisha had prayed that his Eyes might be opened his inward Eyes for his outward were as open before if not more then any of Ours being he was Servant to so great a Prophet so they were opened and he saw Angels fighting for Israel such things as Steven who saw Jesus sitting at the Right Hand of God when his Face shone like the Face of an Angel at his stoning And Paul who saw things inutterable in Paradise when his outward Eyes were struck blind such Wisdom as this seeth and knoweth all Mysteries speaketh all Tongues of Men Angels that Tongue which Adam named all the Creatures by in Paradise also it can do all Miracles for the enjoying whereof men would give all their goods unto the Poor nay give their Bodies to be burned so desirable a thing it is to enjoy it in this Life but while corruption sticketh to the Soul it must have Charity or else this Seed of Faith will not bear the Fruit of Eternal Life in Paradise for ever where there is Nothing but an Eternal Miracle of which all Miracles on Earth are but in Part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is imperfect shall be done away This is the Wisdom by which Moses wrought his Wonders above Nature and all the Prophets from the First along to Christ and it is that which
can desire to do well and be sorry when he hath been drawn away to do evil by the Lusts of his own Heart by which the Devil tempteth us to do Evil but if we will resist the Devil he will flie from us if we will leave off to do evil and desire trie and learn to do well without doubt we shall be able through God that dwelleth in us and then he will teach us all things and lead us into all Truth by his Spirit All this we shall fully understand and all Mysteries when God shall manifest himself in us if we earnestly desire it with all Humility self-denyal losing of Our Souls and being Nothing in our selves for then God will be All in All and nothing is impossible with God All this and much more hath the Author of this Answer to these Questions concerning the Soul found true and hath out of his inward Mystery manifested many things in this and other Writings of his the knowing whereof will be exceeding useful to the furtherance of the Salvation of every Soul which when I had read I was very much satisfied in my own Soul and do desire that others may be made partakers of them so far as lyeth in me I have therefore taken in hand to put this Treatise into English which I chose to do rather out of the Original then out of any Translations because they many times come short of the Authors own meaning and because I found many Errours in some of them and he is so deep in his Writings that we have need to desire that our Souls may be put into such a condition as his was in else they cannot be fully understood But the same God that satisfied his desires will satisfie ours if we cast our selves upon him in Our Souls and let him do with us what he pleaseth Concerning the Author I have now published the Brief Translation of his Life written in High-Dutch by Abraham Van Frankenberg who was long his acquaintance and continued so till his death The Relation is as followeth A brief Account of the Life and Conversation of Jacob Behme afterwards by Learned Men in Germany called Teutonicus Written in High-Dutch by Abraham van Franckenberg one very much acquainted with him JAcob Behme was born in the year 1575. at Old Seidenburg distant about two Miles from Gerlitz a City in Upper Lusatia highly Esteemed by Learned Men His Parents were Jacob his Father Vrsula his Mother both Countrey people In his youth he kept Cattel and at length by advice of Friends was sent to School where he learned to Read and Write together with the Fear of God afterwards was put to the Handicraft Trade of a Shoomaker when he became Master of his Trade in the year 1594. he marryed a Maid one Catharine the Daughter of John Kunshman a Butcher of Gerlitz with whom he lived quietly and well for thirty years together and had four Sons that learned Handicraft Trades Being from his youth inclined to the fear of God and very diligent in frequenting to hear the Preaching of Sermons he was at length stirred up by that saying and promise of our Saviours Lube 11. 13. Your Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him for it and because of the very many Controversies in Religion about which he could not satisfie himself he was moved in simplicity of Heart or Spirit inwardly earnestly and uncessantly to pray or ask seek and knock that he might know or apprehend the truth whereby then according to the Divine Drawing and will in the Spirit or Heart he was rapt into the Holy Sabbath wherein he continued seven whole dayes by his own Confession in highest Joy Afterwards when he was come to himself and having put off the folly of Youth he was driven by Divine Zeal vehemently to reprove all scandalous reproachful and blasphemous Speeches and withdrew from all unseemly matters and actings with earnestness for Love to Vertue By which way and Life being contrary to the course of the world he became but their scorn and derision During which time he mentained himself with the labour of his hands in the sweat of his Brows till the beginning of the sixth Seculum or Age viz. Anno 1600. when he was a second time touched by the Divine Light and by a sudden Glimps of a Pewter Vessel he was introduced into the Inward Ground or Center of the Hidden Nature He not being yet sufficiently satisfied with this went forth into the open fields and there perceived the wonderful or wonder-works of the Creator in the Signatures Shapes Figures and Qualities or Properties of all created things very clearly and plainly laid open whereupon being filled with exceeding Joy kept silence praising God and so contentedly satisfied himself therewith for a while But according to God's Holy Counsel and Determination who manageth his works in secret about Ten years after viz. in the year 1610. by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit he was a third time stirred up and renewed by God whereupon being so enlightned with such great Grace bestowed upon him he could not put it out of his mind nor strive against his God therefore did by small means and without the help of any Books but only the Holy Scriptures write secretly for himself these Books following viz. 1. Anno 1612. the first Book called Aurora the Morning Redness or Rising of the Sun and being complained of to the Magistrates of Gerlitz for being the Author thereof the Book was taken and laid up in the Councel House with command to him that he being an Ideot or Layick should from thence-forth forbear such writing of Books which did not belong to his condition and employment upon which he abstained for seven years but after that being in like manner stirred up again by the moving of the Holy Spirit and being exhorted to it by the entreaty and desire of some people that feared God he took Pen in hand again and went on to write and perfected with good leasure and deliberation these that follow 2. Anno. 1619. The second Book concerning the Three Principles with an Appendix concerning the Three-fold Life-of Man 3. Anno. 1620. A Book of the Threefold Life of Man 4. The Answer to the Forty Questions of the Soul proposed by Dr. Balthazer Walter in the first Chapter whereof is contained a Treatise of the Reversed Eye or Philosophick Globe with an Appendix concerning the Soul the Image of the Soul and the Turba or destroyer of the Image 5. Three Books First 1. of the becoming Man or Incarnation of Jesus Christ Second 2. Of the Suffering Dying and Resurrection of Christ Third 3. Of the Tree of Faith 6. A Book of the small six Points and a Book of the Great Six Points 7. A Book of the Heavenly and Earthly Mystery 8. A Book of the Last Times or of the 1000. years Sabbath being two Epistles to Paul Keym. 9. Anno. 1621. De Signature Rerum of the
Although yet there is Fire in the Center from whence the Majesty Originateth but that will not be afforded the Devils they will be thrust out into the darkness where will be howlnâ—g and gnashing of Teeeth where there is more Frost then Heat The Three and Thirtieth Question What kind of Matter our Bodies shall have in the other Life 1. MY Beloved Friend this is a hard Question which the outward Man should do well to let alone and not meddle with it for it is not worthy of it 2. Ye know very well that God is become Man and hath taken upon him our Flesh Blood and Soul But now saith Christ I am from above none goeth to Heaven but the Son of Man which is come from Heaven and who is in Heaven 3. Understand ye that which he saith that he was then in Heaven he spake not only of his Deity viz. of the Word but of the Sonne of Man of the Word that became Flesh that is now to be considered by us for in that Flesh and Blood we shall live Eternally and must have Christs Body if we will subsist in God 4. Yet we know of no other Body that we shall have but our Own out of the Old Body as the Blade groweth out of the Grain and such a Body also Adam had in the Creation but he became captivated by the Kingdom of this World so that he became Earthly and that was his Fall and that caused God that he divided Adam and framed a Woman out of him as is written very largely in our Third Book 5. Now we know very well that Adam was a Chast Virgin before his Eve was before his sleep and afterwards became a Man like a Beast with deformity which we at this day are ashamed of in the presence of God that we have beastial Members for propagation 6. Yet now Adam had the Virgin of the Wisdom of God in him but when he fell then it remained standing in its Principle and Adam went out from it 7. And know that Christ is in that very Virgin in the Earthly Mary Incarnate or become Man for the Word of the Lord brought that with it in Maries Body or Womb. 8. And understand us thus that Christ is become Flesh in the Water of the Eternal Life which the whole Deity filleth and even in the Essences of the Earthly Mary 9. But Mary was blessed with the Heavenly-Virgin so that Christ became Man in a pure Vessel and so the outward Man hung to him 10. For it was for the sake of the Soul which he assumed from Mary that he must take Maries Flesh but in the Blessing of the Heavenly Virgin 11. The Tincture of the Blood in the Heavenly Virgin was Heavenly for an Earthly had not been able to go through the Anger of God and Through Death also it had not had might or ability to have arisen out of the Grave 12. The Word that became Flesh had the Water of Eternal Life it was out of God's Majesty and yet also in Maries Blood here we refer you further to our Third Book viz. of the threefold Life there it is written of at Large 13. Thus we intimate to you that we shall have a Body in flesh and Blood a Body as CHRIST had for Christ is with his Incarnation or becoming Man also born in US Men. 14. When we become New-born out of the Spirit and Water then are we in Christs Spirit new born out of Christs Flesh and Blood 15. We put on Christ Christ is born in the Converting Sinner and he in Christ becometh God's Child and that very Body shall we have in Heaven 16. Not gross Beastial flesh as we have in the Old Adam but subtil Flesh and Blood such Flesh as can go through Wood and Stone unhurt by the Stone as Christ entred in to his Disciples through the shut-Door that is a Body in which no Turba or fragility is for Hell cannot lay hold of it it is like and conformable to the Eternity and yet is very true Flesh and Blood that our Heavenly hands do handle feel and take hold of a visible Body as here in this World 17. We offer to your Consideration how such a Body as we here carry about us would be capable of God's Majesty It must needs therefore be such a Body as is like the Majesty so that the Majesty can give light and shine out of the Body out of the Tincture and Water of Eternal Life 18. We shall here indeed be silent to Reason but to our Brethren Intelligible enough it belongeth to the Children a Wolf would have his Mouth filled with a piece of Flesh that he may devour into his Guts of such a One we speak not but of such a one as Christ hath given us in his Testament and left us at Last which is that he will remain with us Eternally we in him and he in us 19. Thus we say that we shall have Christ's and God's Body which filleth the Heaven not that we shall stick in his Creature but be one with another as members Brethren and Children It is all ONE Life in US not Mortal all out of the Eternal nothing that beginneth but only the Wonders our Substantiality is come to be out of the Eternal we are as Gods God's right and true Children out of his Essences in Body and Soul The Four and Thirtieth Question Of the Lamentable Horrible Miserable Condition of the Damned 1. THis is also sufficiently mentioned above for God's Anger is their Habitation in the Darkness their Light shineth out of their Fiery Eyes that glimmer out of the Fire-flash else they have no Light for they dwell in the outermost and fly out of Highmindedness above the Thrones as Potent Commanders and yet one otherwise then the other all according as his Spirit is 2. For a Dog acts in a Dogish manner a Wolf in a Wolfish also a Horse a Fowl Todes Serpents after their Manner but they are all flying and swift as a Thought 3. They have yet their Joy in their Abominations and that is their best Joy that they reproach God and say that they are Fire-Spirits and God a Light-Spirit 4. Their boast is alwayes of their strong fires Might as a Dragon that spitteth Fire so also they they seek Perdition and find Abomination 5. Also Fruit groweth to them out of their Principle all according to the Abominations of their Will 6. They have a sport like that of Fools that spit fire out of Rockets Jugling and Fooling is their pastime though indeed there is no Time and also after the Last Judgment Day no fear more of any other Source or Quality or Torment then they have but their whole Life is a continual fear a Horrour and Lamentation every one hath his Works in the Figure what he hath here done and then it awakeneth the Turba and rideth in the Fire 7. The Soul hath no feeling for it is without
Noah what should a scorner do with the Mystery he seeketh only for plenty to Eat and to Drink and looketh how he may satisfie his Pomp wherewith he might Ride on in Babel 42. Thus my Beloved Friend we have given you a short hint of the Enochian Life also what his Office and Condition is as also of Moses and Elias you should further consider of them as a discerning Man for we dare not speak otherwise of it also our Understanding and Will is turned into such a way of Speech and in this place at this time I am not allowed to write more fundamentally with a simple understanding 43. If God permit and that it be given to Us to write somewhat upon the first and also the second Book of Moses more may be opened for the Names that are set down of the Fathers before the Deluge or Flood belong all to the Mystery and there are Great Wonders therein when it will be Day then you shall by them apprehend the whole Course of the World The Six and Thirtieth Question What the Soul of the Messiah or Christ is 1. THis we have explained in our Third Book concerning the Three-fold Life of Man yet seeing every one that readeth this hath not that at hand also because of the Question more must be answered therefore it also shall be set down for you ask in the following Question concerning Christ's Spirit which was obedient and which Christ Commended to his Father 2. Here shall be given to the Old sick Adam a Good reviving Cordial a Medicine for Death that he may be awakened for his Mother will bear or bring forth a young Son who shall live in her Bosom and shall rejoyce at it 3. And now if we will consider of Christ's Soul we must our selves seek it and find it for Christ's Soul is a Hamane Soul conceived in Mary in the twofold Virgin 4. Though we acknowledge the outward Mortal Life in Mary for no Pure Virgin for that which is Mortal hath the Anger and the Turba which breaketh or corrupteth all purity so that no pure Virgin is born of Eve but all are her Daughters 5. And Eve her self was but half a Virgin for Adam was the other half according to the Two Tinctures wherein man appeared in a total entire Virgin and pure Love and God through him as the Original through the Creature which he made out of himself 6. And thus also in one whole or entire person there is a pure Love and Chastity for it seeketh no other Mixture it is it self the Mixture of both the Tinctures viz. of the Souls Tincture and of the Spirits Tincture and therein is power and ability that it can generate a Spirit out of the Fires Tincture which is called Soul and Spirit 7. Which Adam squandred away when he let the Earthly Life captivate him and therefore he must be broken and a Woman be made out of him which must set her Love Delight Longing and Imagination into Adams Tincture if she would be impregnate with a Soul 8. And None can say that Eve before the Touching of Adam was a pure Chast Virgin for as soon as Adam awaked out of sleep he saw her standing by him and imagined suddenly after or into her and took her to him and said This is Flesh of my Flesh and Bone of my Bone she shall be called a she-Man or Woman because she is taken out of Man 9. And she Eve also suddenly Imagined into Adam and one kindled the other in the seeking 10. And where is now the pure Chastity and Modesty It is not Beastial is not the outward Image become a Beast As is sufficiently to be seen in the Will and Substance or Doings that Man doth as a Beast and more foolishly for he hath Reason and rideth on in Reason so senslesly 11. But that it might be remedied and the Image come into One again therefore is the Word which spake the Soul forth out of God's Mouth and by the Holy Spirit breathed it into the Image become Man and is entred into the Earthly Image viz. into the Turba of Destruction 12. And you know very well that the Word hath the Water of the Eternal Life and the Fire of the Deity and out of the Fire the Tincture of the Deity and in the Tincture the Spirit of God which goeth forth out of God's Mouth and in the going forth is the Glance of the Majesty in the working of the Spirit Manifested 13. That very word is in the Virgin of the Wisdom of God and surrounded with the Eternal Wonders and that now out of the Great Love and Humility towards our Image which was destroyed to us in Adam is entered into us again and is in Mary understand in the Earthly Mary but with the Blessing become Man or Incarnate 14. The Blessing is this that to the Soul of Mary the Heavenly Virgin the Wisdom of God was put on which Adam had lost and therefore the Angel called her the Blessed a-among Women 15. No Woman from Adam to this Day had the Heavenly Virgin put on to her but only this Mary and therefore with the Blessing she became Chast and full of Modesty for the Spirit goeth not into the Earthly it Mixeth it self not with the Looking-Glass for that cannot be that the Looking-Glass should be as the Life it self 16. Thus understand us dearly according to its precious Depth Mans Soul is out of God and out of the Eternal but Mans Body is a Looking-Glass of the Eternal Thus hath God put on to the Virgin Mary God's Virgin but in the Souls Principle not in the Earthly Flesh as if she were Deified no she must die as all mankind doth 17. And in that very Virgin hath Gods Word out of God the Fathers Heart assumed the Seed of the Woman viz. the Souls Seed and the first Images Seed which now stood so long time in the Mystery broken 18. And now God's Life came thereinto made again a whole or Entire Image for the Water of the Eternal Life out of God's Heart mixed it self with the Souls Spirit 's Water for the Spirit existeth out of the Water and the Soul is Fire 19. Thus the Word took hold of the Souls Tincture and the Holy Spirit of the Spirits Tincture viz. of the Waters Tincture and out of Both became one Soul and yet the Creature remained distinct from God's Spirit but God's Spirit dwelleth therein and so out of God's Water and Tincture and out of the Seed of Mary out of her Tincture and Water in the high Blessing came one Flesh and Blood so that a Heavenly Man Equally at once in the Earthly became Man or was Incarnate 20. So that a Man might say this is the Womans Son viz. Maries right true bodily natural Sonne with Soul and Body with Flesh and Blood and all whatsoever a Man hath and also God's true Sonne which was generated out of God's Eternal Substance from
Lord but only Christ who will dwell with us and we shall be in one Communion with the Angels Our Fruits will Spring and grow to us there according to our Desire and Wish 7. There will be no old Age there but a Man of a Hundred Years will be as a Child newly Born and live in meer delight of Love 8. All whatsoever is Joy will be sought after and which way soever one can procure Joy to another to that is his will enclined 9. We shall lead a Holy Priestly Life and all speak of God's Wisdom and Eternal Wonders for the Divine Magia hath Wonders without Number the more is sought the more is therein and that is the Multiplication and increase or procreation of the VVill of God 10. And to this End hath God manifested himself in Images Created as in Angels and Men that so he might have Joy in himself and rejoyce himself with his Lifes-Essences Eternally Hallelujah Conclusion 11. THus my beloved Friend is set down a round Answer to your Questions according to our Gifts and we exhort you Brotherly not to despise us in respect of our simple Speech and Incongruity 12. For we are not born of Art but of simplicity and speak great things with simple Words take it as a Bounty of God you will find so much therein and more then in the High Art of the Best Eloquence unless they also be born or Generated from this School whom we will not undervalue but acknowledge them for our Beloved Brethren in Christ with whom we expect Eternally to rejoyce in the Heavenly School of which we here have attained a little foretaste 13. And here Our knowledge is only in part but when we shall attain the whole perfection then will we say what God IS and CAN DO AMEN ANNO 1620. Jacob Behme A Short Summary Appendix concerning the Soul and its Image and of the Turba which destroyeth the Image Written in High-Dutch Anno. 1620 by Jacob Behme called Teutonicus Philosophus Printed in the Year 1665. Of the Soul and of its Image and of the Turba which destroyeth the Image A short Summary Appendix which in the other Books is written of more at Large and Fundamentally 1. THe Soul is an Eye in the Eternal Abysse a similitude of the Eternity a Total Figure and Image according to the first Principle and is like God the Father according to his Person according to the Eternal Nature 2. It s Essence and Substantiality as to what it is purely of it self is first the VVheel of Nature with the first four Forms 3. For the Word of the Lord with the Eternal Fiat comprised the Soul in the Eternal Will of the Father in the Center of the Eternal Nature and opened it by the Holy Spirit or blew it up as a Fire which hath lien in the Eternity wherein from Eternity stood all the Forms of the 〈…〉 and were only apprehend ed in the Wisdom in the Divine Magia as a Figure or Image without Substance from Eternity 4. Yet that thing was not Substantial but Essential and was apprehended in the Principle in the Flash of Lightning where the Fire originateth but the Shadow of it hath fashioned it self into a Figured Image in the Desirous VVill of God and hath stood before the Number Three of God in the Magia in the VVisdom of God as a similitude of the Holy Trinity in which as in a Looking-Glass God hath manifested or revealed himself 5. The Substance and Image of the Soul is to be considered in a fair Flower that springeth out of the Earth and in the Fire and Light as men see that the Earth is a Center and yet No Life but it is Essential and out of it groweth a fair flower which is not like the Earth also it hath not the Smell and Tast thereof much less its Figure and yet the Earth is the Mother of the Flowers 6. Thus is the Soul also discovered out of the Center of Nature out of the Eternal Essence with the VVord Fiat in the VVill of God and held or preserved in the Fiat so that is a Fire-Eye and a 〈…〉 of the First Principle discovered in a Creaturely Form and Substance 7. And our of this Eye is gone forth the Glance of its Fire as a Lightout of the Fire and in that Glance of its own Fire was the Eternal Image seen which is in the VVisdom of God and comprised by the VVill of the Heart of God in the second Principle understand by the VVord Fiat of the Second Principle in the Love and Power or Vertue of the Holy Trinity in which the Holy Spirit goeth forth 8. Thus is the Soul become a Total similitude and Image of the Holy Trinity where a Man is to understand the Soul to be the Center of Nature and its Fire-Life to be the first Principle but the Sprout or the Image of the Soul which is a Similitude of God groweth forth out of the Soul as a Flower out of the Earth and is comprised by the Holy Spirit for it is his Habitation 9. If the Soul putteth forth its Image understand out of the Fire Source or Quality into the Light of God then it receiveth the Light as the Moon doth the Glance of the Sun and thus its Image standeth in the Majesty of God and it self viz. the Soul in the Light of God and its Fire-source becometh changed into Meekness and desirous Love wherein it is acknowledged for God's Child 10. But being the Soul is Essential and its own Substance a Desiring therefore it is apprehensible that it standeth in two Fiats the one is its Corporeal Propriety and the other is the second Principle out of the Will of God which standeth in the Soul in which God desireth IT for his Image and Similitude 11. Besides God's Desiring is like a Fiat in the Center of the Soul and it continually frameth or inclineth the Will of the Soul towards the Heart of God for the delight or longing of God willeth to have the Soul on the Contrary the Center in the Fires-Might willeth also to have it 12. For the Life of the Soul Originateth in the Fire therefore now there is strife about the Image of the Soul and that form or quality that overcometh whether it be the Fire or the Meekness of the Love according to that is the Soul qualified or conditioned and out of the Soul such an Image appeareth as the Will of the Soul is qualified 13. And we are to know that if the Will of the Soul Altereth then its Form becometh altered also for if the quality or source of the Soul be fiery then also appeareth such a fiery Image out of it 14. But if the Soul in the Center Imagineth into the stern harshness and bitterness then its fair Image becometh captivated with the Dark harshness and infected with the harsh fierce wrath 15. And then is that fierce wrath become a Turba which possesseth the Image and destroyeth the