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

Eternal something viz. to be essential Fire not only by and from God's Will but also through his Will yet I do not find it necessary ●o explain it any further at this time XIV In the next place let us consider what is the Nature of Eternal Fire This Eternal Element is created by God to be a fierce mighty penetrating consuming Essence as appears from its essential and inseparable properties it is created with all which do manifest the nature of this created Fire-essence The first of these properties is Darkness which consists in astringent harshness from which dark harshness doth arise Bitterness with its prickliness and out of this bitter prickliness doth arise the Eternal woe and tormenting Anguish called the sting of the bitter Anguish and from this bitter sting is born the fierce Fire-essence Thus Behme sets it forth to whom I subscribe thus he makes the Fire-Essence the fourth form of Eternal Nature The Dark astringent harshness is the first form to the bringing forth of the fire the Bitter sting the second the Anguish the third and the fire-flash out of the Anguish the fourth form which compleats this Eternal fire-essence But to make the Nature of this Fire-essence more plain I will add to the former these following properties To the Fire-essence do belong Fierceness Fieriness Wrathfulness Sternness Sulphureousness Salnitrousness Consuming Devouring Flying up and Elevating it self these are the essential properties of the Eternal Anguishing Fire-spirit becaus it cannot subsist without them nor be separated from them Now it is easie by these properties to give a Description of the Nature of this Fire-essence viz. that it is a Dark Harsh Bitter Anguishing Fierce Fie●y Wrathful Stern Brimstony Salnitrous Consuming Elevating Fire-Spirit and the strength and force of this Essence consists in the forementioned properties and more particularly in its Fierceness Consumingness and self-elevation for ●ithout these it would be weak and feeble Quest. If you ask me wherein the Goodness of this ●ire-essence doth consist Answ. I answer in all its essential properties for ●hey are all good and serviceable to the end for which ●●ey were created and the Eternal Fire-essence by ●eans of them becomes a fit instrument for God to ●ork with Therefore there is no evil property to be ●und in this Fire-essence for if there were God must be the Author of it he being the Sole Creator of the ●●re But indeed God created it to be a good Servant ●o serve his Eternal Will not that it might Lord it ●nd reign over the Deity for this would not have s●ited with his Eternal Wisdom by which all things were brought forth since therefore it was created by God it must needs be good for no evil can proceed from God by way of efficiency XV. We will now proceed to the Element of Eternal Water This Element is the next matter of Eternal Nature's Essence and consequently to be handled next to the Fire It s efficient Cause is the same with that of the Fire-essence viz. the Eternal Will of God the Center from whence it is produced is the same viz. the Eternal Nothing or Abyssal Essence and the manner how is also the same viz. by the Divine Power and Wisdom wherefore we refer you to what hath been said before concerning the Eternal Element of Fire But our present work is to consider What the Nature of this Eternal Element of Water is The Eternal Element of Water is a Meek Mild Soft Gentle Essence for as the Fire-essence is the ground of Fierceness so the Water is the ground of Meekness and this will appear if we consider the essential Properties of it The first of which is Meekness the next Sweetness then Softness Mildness Gentleness Coldness Refreshingness Sincking down Heaviness so that we see from these properties that the Water must needs be a Meek and Mild Essence and this Meek Essence is the Ground of Eternal Light it is the Womb of the Meek Light from whence springs Pleasantness Delightfulness Ioyfulness and Gladness All which properties are in one another inseparably and make up but one Meek Essence as the several properties of the Fire make up one fierce Essence which Meek Essence we may call the Meek Water-Essence the Meek Light-Essence or the Meek Love-fire-Essence This Essence Divine Behme makes to be the fifth form of Eternal Nature and so it is But I would have you further to consider the end of its production which is to mitigate and allay the fierceness of the Fire-Essence and to be its Antagonist So to the fierce fiery harsh darkness the Water opposeth its meek soft gentle and pleasant Light to the bitterness and prickliness of the Fire it opposeth its sweetness and pleasantness to the anguish wrathfulness and devouring property of the Fire it opposeth the joyfulness of its Love-fire-Essence and to the Mounting elevation of the Fire it opposeth its ponderosity and sinking down Here you see that the Beauty Excellence and Strength of the Water consists in its Meekness Mildn●ss Softness Gentleness Sweetness Its riches are the Meek Light and the trium●hing joy of the Love-fire's-Essence which stop 's the fury of the devouring anguishing Fire It s goodness consists in this that it is a serviceable instrument in the Hand of its Creator to stop the pride and flying up of the Fire by its ponderosity And thus it appears that both these Essences are good in their kind as proceeding both from God's Will and fro● one ground viz. the Divine Chaos or Abyssal Essence And thus much concerning the Ele●ent of Water XVI We now proceed to the third Element of which Eternal Nature doth consist viz. the Element of Air. It s efficient Cause its ground from whence and manner of production are the same with those of the two former Elements But if you would know the Nature of this Eternal Air I say it is a Brisk Cooling Refreshing Reviving Quickening Pleasant Essence Breath or Wind. It is very useful and serviceable in Eternal Nature's Essence to blow up the Fire lest it should be suffocated and therefore it is appointed by God to blow up the Fire to give motion to the Water and to drive away the dark clouds from the Light-Essence when need requires It is a necessary Instrument to blow up the Love-Fire-Essence that so it may penetrate through all Properties when it is too weak and passive it maketh it blossom and break forth it is the food of all the Properties it is also the Chariot of the Spirit of God who rides upon the wings of this wind and is a good separator in his hand to separate between the precious and the vile between the wheat and the chaff It s essential properties are Clarity Transparency Volatility Levity Celerity and Penetrability Behme refers this Air-Essence to the sixth Property to which we assent XVII We now proceed to the last Element viz. Eternal Earth To know what this Element is we may consider the efficient of

perfect Unity without all duality diversity or contrariety becaus God's Essence from which they immediately proceeded was such But we find that all created Essences are ●ot a perfect unity but that diversity and duality is found in them which is not in the Divine Essence therefore we must necessarily conclude that they did not immediately proceed from God's Essence Secondly If all crea●●d Essences do immediately proceed from God it ●●ll follow that God's Di●ine Essence is not unintelligible and incomprehensible but may be easily known from the nature of those Essences which immediately proceed from him for such as their Essence is such must God's be if we allow this immediate procession becaus whatsoever doth immediately proceed from any Essence is of the same Essence with that from whence it proceeds We conclud● therefore that Light Fire Darkness c. are not i● God nor do they immediately proceed from him fo● if they did we might then know what God's Na●ture and Essence is viz. that it is Light Fire Dark●ness c. Answ. 4. Eternal Nature is a distinct Essence from th● Divine Chaos out of which it was created by God which appears First Becaus that which is brought forth differs an● is distinct from that which is brought forth as the frui● is distinct from the tree the Son from his Father wherefore Eternal Nature being created out of the Di●vine Chaos must needs be distinct from it Secondly Eternal Nature is distinct from the Divin● Chaos becaus in Eternal Nature the Elements an● the working powers of Nature are essentially an● actually whereas in the Divine Chaos they are only potentially and remotely Thirdly In Eternal Nature there is order and distinction there we find the four Eternal Elements● and seven working forms of Nature whereas in the Divine Chaos all things lye hid without any order o● distinction and therefore this Principle is called 〈◊〉 Chaos or confused mixture Gen. 1. 2. becaus in this Principle there is no Essences to be found but all things are in it in a hidden dark confused manner Answ. 5. Eternal Nature is a middle Essence becaus it is placed by God between the Eternal World and the Angelical and this vis●ble Creation and is the original ground ●rom wh●nce all middle Worlds and Creations do proceed Were not Eternal Nature a middle Essence there would be no middle Worlds no middle States nothing but the still Eternity But the Scripture tells us of Worlds in the plural number Heb. 1.2 which must be these middle Worlds of which here ● have spoken Answ. 6. Eternal Nature is in it self an invisible Essence for it is the ground from whence all invisible Worlds and Creations do proceed and we are taught that even this outward visible World was made of an in●isible matter viz. Eternal Nature's Essence Heb. 11. 3. The things which are seen were not made of the things ●hat do appear Answ. 7. Eternal Nature's Essence is a mixed and compounded Essence it is mixed and compounded of the four Eternal ●lements and their essential forms and thus it is an Essence compounded of multiplicity va●iety and contrariety and therefore must needs be distinct from the Divine Essence which is an Eternal Vnity and Simplicity which cannot admit of any mixture or composition whatsoever Now we must further know that this mixture and composition of the Eternal Elements in Eternal Nature is wrought by the Art of Divine Wisdom in such a manner that all their contrarieties are reduced to the greatest harmony and agreement insomuch that they qualifie in and through another with the greatest concord and amity as brethren and members of the same body This harmonious mixture and composition of the Elements in Eternal Nature is the beauty and perfection of Eternal Nature and that whereby it is fitted to become the fruitful Mother of all things If we consider Eternal Nature only as made up of fighting contrarieties we shall find nothing but deformity and disorder in her but if we regard her as she is mixed and compounded by the hand of Eternal Wisdom to a perfect temperature harmony and concord so she appears and is ina●●●d all beautiful and lovely Answ. 8. Eternal Nature is a Good Essence there is no evil in it notwithstanding it is made up of Contrarieties for God who is Eternal Goodness could not make that evil which he designed to be the original matter of all created Essences for so he would have entailed evil upon all his Creatures which were to proceed out of its womb Neither was it partly good and partly evil for this is a mixture that God declares against and therefore would never be a cause of it himself Neither can we say that evil is in Eternal Nature's Essence but that it is swallowed up of the good becaus nothing can proceed from God but what is wholly good The Darkness in Eternal Nature is as good as the Light and the Fire as the Water All the ●orms of Eternal Nature must needs be alike good for these following reasons First Becaus they have one efficient cause one Creator even God Secondly Becaus they all have but one Mother viz. the Abyssal Chaos out of whose womb they proceed Thirdly Becaus God hath implanted in them all an hunger and desire to answer the end of their Creation Now whatsoever answers the end for which it is made that we may truly say is good Fourthly All the forms of Eternal Nature are equally good becaus they all obey the Will of their Creator Fifthly Becaus they are all serviceable and helpful to one another as appears by their qualifying together and union in the sixth form where the Darkness is serviceable to the Light and the Light to the Darkness the Fire to the Water and the Water to the Fire But here is to be observed That when I say that all the forms of Eternal Nature are good I do not mean that they are the chiefest ●●od for that is only to be found in the Divine Essence but that they are endowed by God with a Natural Goodness suitable to their kind and such as they are capable of and free from Evil. Object You 'l say evil is not in God therefore it must be in Eternal Nature Sol. Yet the inconsequence of this argument doth appear in that it may be so easily retorted for say I becaus evil is not in God therefore neither can it be in Eternal Nature which was created by him for such as the cause is such must the effect be no evil is in the Cause of Eternal Nature therefore neither can there be any evil in Eternal Nature which is the effect Quest. But you 'l question further if evil be not in God nor in Eternal Nature where then will you place it What will you make the ground and source of evil Answ. I answer that the mutability of the Creature is the Cause of evil For though all things be created good by God yet they are not immutably so

but may become evil But we will speak no further of this matter becaus this is not the proper place to speak of the original of evil and sin for we are here only a treating of Eternal Nature as it came out of God's hand and before any Creatures were created or brought forth out of it Object It may be you 'l object that Iacob Behme makes Eternal Nature the ground of Good and Evil. Sol. To which I answer that what Iacob Behme writes concerning Eternal Nature is very true for he does not make it the ground of evil● in its state of purity as it came out of God's hand but the cause of this mistake is that Behme is not well understood becaus sometimes he speaks of Eternal Nature in its state of original purity and presently after speaks of it with reference to its fallen state and this being not sufficiently distinguished by unwary readers makes them conclude that Iacob Behme makes Eternal Nature in its original purity to be the ground of evil which indeed is contrary to the whole scope of his writings Behme was very sensible that many would be apt thus to mistake his writings which made him say that there was a vail upon his writings which would hinder all those who were not born again from having a right understanding of them Iacob Behme whensoever he attributes evil to Eternal Nature considers it in its fall●n state as it became infected by the fall of Lucifer in this second or hellish Principle and so I do fully agree with him but I am a speaking of Eternal Nature in its pure undefiled state as it came out of the hands of God Object But you will say that Darkness is an evil Essence but say I how can that be evil which is the cause of the Light Sol. For Darkness is the root of the Fire and from the Fire proceeds the Light so that if there were no Darkness there would be no Light wherefore Darkness is no evil Essence Neither is the bitterness and sting of the Anguish evil in it self becaus they are the cause of the triumphing joy Nor the Fire though it be a fierce and devouring Essence becaus its ●ierceness and wrathfulness is the strength of Eternal Nature and when these qualities of the Fire come to be penetrated by the Water they are changed and become the cause of pleasure and triumphing joy Therefore you see that Fire as it was originally in Eternal Nature is no evil Essence Neither can it be said that the contrariety which is found in the forms and properties of Eternal Nature makes them to be evil becaus all the six forms of Nature are united and harmonized in the seventh where no strife contrariety or opposition is to be found nor any thing from whence they might with truth be denominated evil In this harmony and agreement of all the essential forms of Eternal Nature doth the essential and intrinsecal goodness of Eternal Nature consist This was the beautiful garment wherewith she was arayed when first she came out of the hand of her great and wise Creator for the Darkness was not at odds with the Light nor the Light with the Fire nor the Fire with the Water but all the forms in the greatest harmony qualified in and through one another this I say was the state and condition of Eternal Nature as she came out of the hand of God she was all pleasing and beautiful for all her appearing contrarieties were swallowed up of Harmony and Unity Answ. 9. Eternal Natures Essence is a perfect and compleat Essence She is perfect in the perfect number of her seven forms and properties nothing can be added to her neither can any thing be taken from her becaus in the forementioned seven forms she contains whatsoever is required to her compleating and perfection And these forms are in one another and through one another they generate one another and are generated from one another so that none can be without the other but all make up one Essence in the seventh form and in this unity and inseparability of the forms of Eternal Nature doth her perfection consist All the forms of Eternal Nature are co-essential and co-eternal with her self and with one another none is before the other becaus all are one and make up but one Essence which is Eternal Nature her self Object But you will object that this seems to contradict your former discourse wherein you have spoken of the 1 2 3 c. forms of Nature distinct from one another Sol. I answer that when I spoke of the forms of Eternal Nature under a distinction of order and number I considered them is they were a making and forming under God's hand a●● not as already made into an ever circling wheel and fix'd in an indissoluble band in the seventh form for so they are but one Essence and have neither beginning nor end nor can they be said to be one before the other in number and order In this full and perfect Vnion of the sixt forms in the seventh consists the perfection of Eternal Nature for if we consider the six forms a part and distinct from one another w● shall find them all wanting and imperfect and plainly discern that Eternal Nature's perfection consists not in any one of the forms as distinct from the others but only in the Union and fixation of them all in the seventh which is as the common body and receptacle of them The truth of this will appe●● by taking a view of all Eternal N●ture's forms in which prospect we shall clearly discern that the perfection of Eternal Nature doth not consist in any one or more of her forms apart but in the joynt Union and fixation of them all in the seventh form First Wee 'l begin with the Darkness and the Essences which pertain to it viz. harshness bitterness and the sting of Anguish which make the three first properties of Eternal Nature and are the beginning and root of it if these were not there would be no Fire if no Fire no Light and if no Light no Love-fire-essence But we cannot say that God intended to place perfection in this root of Darkness as being only the foundation of that compleat structure which God hath rais'd upon it This Eternal Darkness was extracted by God out of the Abyssal Chaos the hidden root of all things and is the beginning and ground of Eternal Nature and her forms and is made up of Harshness Bitterness and Anguish and therefore this darkness of which we treat here is not a meer privation or non-entity for if it were so God could not be said to create the Darkness as the Scripture expresly tells us therefore we lay this as a ground that this darkness is essential as being the root and ground of ●ternal Nature's Essence but perfection not being found here God proceeds and In the second place God out of the forementioned Darkness brings forth the Fire being the fourth form of

of them equal in Fun●●ion Charge and Dignity all being obedient Chil●●en and Servants of the Deity they are all alike in ●●eir external form and figure appearing all like bright ●●ints Sparks or Eyes In the fifth and last place The Figure shews us that ●●ey all resemble and are like the central Eye of the Dei●● from which they do not differ but as a less from a ●●●ater for as the Spirit of Eternity represents him●●lf by the sight or black of an Eye so these simplified ●●irits the Inhabitants of the still Eternity appear ●●ke so many bright Points Sparks or Eyes all multi●●ied and derived from the Eye of Eternity So that these ●pirits are true resemblances of the Spirit of Eternity ●eing of the same nature only with the abovesaid dif●rence of greater and lesser and of original and copy 〈◊〉 they are Lights from Light and nothing else but the 〈◊〉 of Eternity multiplying it self through the unmeasu●●ble extent of the still Eternity Having thus opened the figure I proceed now to ●ive you a definition of simplified pure Spirits and it 〈◊〉 this Simplified Spirits are Spirits generated ●y God immediately out of himself 〈◊〉 the likeness and similitude of himself ●nd for himself This definition is made up of a genus and diffe●ence the genus or general comprehensive notion is Spirits which is common to these simplified Spirits with all others the difference or that whereby these ●ure Spirits are distinguished from all others is laid ●own in the causes viz. the efficient material formal ●nd final causes of simplified Spirits We shall begin with the first of these viz. the ●●●ficient Cause which is expressed in these words 〈◊〉 the Definition generated by God which intimates t● us that God is the efficient Cause and sole generat●● of those pure Spirits which are the Inhabitants of th● still Eternity I have told you before that these S●●●rits are simple pure Powers and no wonder since her● you see that they are the off-spring of the Deity who 〈◊〉 all pure Power they partake of his Nature and E●●sence as Children partake of the Nature and Essence 〈◊〉 their Parents and therefore it is that God is called the F●●ther of Spirits in reference to these pure simplified Spi●●●● who resemble him in the Vnity Simplicity and Purity 〈◊〉 his Divine Nature But you will say How and af●●● what manner were these pure Spirits generated by God● This I confess is a great Mystery yet for the satisfaction of the inquiring mind we shall speak somethin● of it We are to know that these simplified Spirits● did from all Eternity exist ideally in the Eye of Eternity and the said I●eas were actually and essentiall● manifested by production before all Worlds The m●ner of their generation we may thus conceive of their Id●●● being conceived in t●● Divine mind rais'd a desire fo● their manifestation and this desire awakned the omnipotent will of God to their actual production for in the will of God stands the Omnipotence which effecteth all things This all-effecting power is the power of the Holy Ghost who is the producer and actual manifester of whatsoever lie's hid in the Eye of the Father Ideally Neither could the Spirit of Pow●● ever have brought forth these pure Spirits had not thei● Ideas pre-existed in the Eye of the Father as their first ground and original pattern according to which they were brought forth actually by the Holy Ghost I next proceed to speak of the material Cause of thes● simple Spirits the Inhabitants of the still Eternity● which is expressed in these words of the definition immediately generated out of himself Though these pure Spirits be immaterial that is free from all gross materiality and corporeity yet are they not without a material cause from whence they derive their substance and Essence so that materiality in this s●nce is taken for essentiality Now this material cause is expressed to be God himself for there was nothing in the still Eternity but the blessed Trinity and the seven Spirits immediately proceeding from them therefore they must needs be generated out of God himself for there was no other subject matter no Eternal Nature out of which they might b● taken The Word immediately is added in the Definition to distinguish these pure simplified Spirits from the Angels who were brought forth out of Eternal Nature as their material cause and not immediately out of the Divine Essence as these are Now this Divine Nature out of which these Spirits are generated is no other than the Heart of God which as I told you is the Central Heart of the Deity and this Heart of God is the Eternal flaming Heart of God's Love it is Love it self and the fulness and perfection of Love and accordingly St. Iohn gives us this account of God that He is Love and that he that dwells in Love dwells in God and God in him Though this Scripture has relation to man litterally yet we may here apply it for illustration that God is Love which Love is the Generator of these simplified Spirits And it is out of this Love 's Eternal Substantiality that the numberless number of the Inhabitants of the still Eternity were actually manifested for the Glory of the supreme Majesty Now because I have told you that Love 's Eternal Essentiality is that out of which all pure simplified Spirits were brought forth I think it not amiss to open to you the nature and properties of this Divine Love to the end you may have a clearer understanding concerning the Nature and quali●ic●tions of thos● pure Spirits which did proceed from it for by opening unto you the Nature of this Divine Love which is the Cause I must needs at the same time lead you to the knowledge of these Spirits which are the effect or product of it 1. In the fi●st place then I find the Nature of Divine Love to be a perfect Unity and Simplicity There is nothing more one undivided simple pure unmixed and uncompounded than Love You will say how do I prove this Very well for this Love is God himself now it is well known that there is nothing more essential to God than Unity and Simplicity nothing more contrary to the Divine Nature than duality division or composition Besides it is this Love which gives Unity and Harmony to all things There is no Unity in Heaven nor on Earth but what derive● from Love and must acknowledge him the Author● and do you think Love can want that Unity which it gives to all others No certainly rather conclude that that which makes all things one which harmonizeth and agrees the most different and discordant Natures must needs be Unity it self 2. In the second place I find Love to be a most perfect and absolute Liberty Nothing can move Love but Love nothing touch Love but Love nor nothing constrain Love but Love It is free from all things it self only gives Laws to it self and those Laws are

ordering and governing of it And also the Holy Trinity's introducing of themselves into Eternal Nature The wide space within the Circle type's forth the Chaos or the Abyssal nothing the ground of all Essences and yet no Essence to be seen in it Now because I have in the foregoing discourse oft made mention of the word Principle without having any where declar'd what I meant by it I think it proper in this place to give you the signification of it according to the sense in which I take it And in the first place I shall tell you negatively in what sense it is not in this place taken by me By the word Principle I do not understand the first constitutive beginnings of things whereof they consist and from whence they take their Being in the same sense in which the four Elements by some and Salt Sulphur and Mercury by others are called the Principles of all things But by a Principle I mean an Original Source and Fountain-Essence formed by an Agent into a Sphaerical Circumference by which it is distinguished from all others 1. To explain this definition a little I say in the first place that a Principle is an Original and Fountain-Essence for it is not every Essence doth make a Principle but such an one only as is th● fruitful Mother of all the Essences conteined within its own Circumference and Kingdom and affords them being and sustenance from its own Bowels 2. In the second place it is said to be formed by an Agent becaus a Principle of it self is Passive considered without the Active Spirit in the Center which is the Mover of it 3. In the third place you have the form and figure of a Principle a Sphaerical Circumference which is the common form of all Principles 4. In the last place you have the end why a Principle is formed into a Sphaerical enclosure viz. that thereby it might be distinguished from all other Principles Worlds and Centers for all these are the same with me in this place and therefore many times one of these is put for the other Having thus given you the Definition of a Principle in general I shall now subjoyn the particular definition of Eternal Nature in these words Eternal Nature is a Principle created by God out of the Abyssal Chaos containing the seven operative powers for the production of all things The Genus or general Notion of this definition is the word Principle which but just now we have explained to you The difference of this definition contains the four Causes of Eternal Nature viz. the efficient material formal and final The efficient Cause which is God is expressed in these words of the definition created by God The material which is the Abyssal Chaos is expressed in these words out of the Abyssal Chaos The formal Cause are the seven operative Powers which the definition tells you that Eternal Nature doth contain The final Cause of Eternal Nature is that it might be the fruitful Mother of all things which the definition expresseth in these words for the production of all things What Eternal Nature is The Third Head Which makes the third Part of this Discourse What Eternal Nature is I. THE subject of this Part is concerning Eternal Nature's Essence it is a most noble Subject to look into I acknowledge that none could lay a deeper ground as to this Subject than divine Behme hath done yet I find withal that he hath brought it forth something obscurely so that he is understood by few and misunderstood by most This hath moved me to search into the Nature of this Subject for my own private satisfaction according to the innate light of my own intellect and the inward discoveries of the Triune Deity to the Spirit of my Soul In this Third Part I shall confine my discourse to these two general Heads The First What Eternal Nature is in its first original purity The Second What kind of Essence or Principle pure Eternal Nature is I begin with the first of these II. Quest. What is Eternal Nature's Essence in its first original birth and being as it came out of Wisdom's hand Answ. Eternal Nature was a pure Essence and then called pure Nature being free from sin and evil and all mixture of imperfection she was then all fair clear spotless faultless and sinless Now for the manifestation of this great mystery of Eternal Nature what it is I will open it in the original Causes of it viz. the efficient material formal and final III. Concerning the efficient Cause of Eternal Nature Who can be the Author and Creator of Eternal Nature but the Triune Deity The Father Son and Spirit must be the Creator of Eternal Nature not the Father without the Son and Spirit nor the Son without the Father and Spirit nor the Spirit without the Father and Son but the Triune Deity in joynt Co-operation Therefore the Triune Deity in the Globe of Eternity subsisting in their own pure Deity must be before Eternal Nature by way of efficiency as the Cause is before the Effect and are distinct as the Cause and Effect God therefore is not Eternal Nature nor Eternal Nature God because Eternal Nature is formed by God as the efficient And thus we see that God can subsist without nature but Eternal Nature's Essence cannot subsist without the Triune Deity God comprehends Eternal Nature but Eternal Nature cannot comprehend him who as being the efficient cause of Eternal Nature is higher essenced in his own Eternal Vnity and Simplicity Now that God is the Creator of Eternal Nature Scripture teacheth us when it tells us That by the Word all things were created and that without him nothing was made that was made Now if the Triune Deity was the Creator of Eternal Nature he must needs in order of Nat●re be before it and distinct from it and subsist in a far higher graduated Essence than Eternal Natu●●'s Essence is For if any should ask me what is above before and beyond Eternal Nature's Essence I can only reply the Triune Deity in the Globe of Eternity who is the efficient Cause of Eternal Nature and here we must st●p for we cannot go beyond the first Cause of all things IV. We proceed to sp●●k of the efficient Cause of Eternal Nature which is God and will briefly declare how God doth not only create Eternal Nature by way of efficiency but also that he creates it out of and from himself by way of Essentiality Thus the Divine Philosophy instructs us Rom. 8. 36. Of him and from him and to him are all things That is all things proceed essentially from him and if all then Eternal Nature must proceed materially and essentially out of God's Essence 1 Cor. 8. 6. To us there is but one God by whom are all things efficiently and of whom are all things essentially Neither can it be otherwise for when God was to create Eternal Nature there was nothing besides Himself out of or from

Will of the Trinity hath been pleased to generate it self into a Beginning which is the Abyssal Essence the b●ginning of all Essences whatsoever and particularly of Eternal Nature as well as of the high and lofty Globe of Eternity We are to observe here that his Eternal World where the Majestick Soveraig●ty of the Deity is manifested called the still Eternity is far different from the Eternal nothing and Abyssal Essence of which we have been speaking Quest. If you now ask me what is above and before this Abyssal Essence Answ. I answer the All-seeing Eye the Eternal Free-will of the Deity in the still Eternity in the original Globe of the High and Lofty Eternity where the Triune Deity manifests the bright flaming glances of his Majesty and the Glory of his Sovereignty with his Perfections called Attributes viz. his Infinity All-sufficiency Omnipotency which are not manifested in this Abyssal still Essence Wherefore it appears that the Original Globe of Eternity is above it and distinct from it this Divine Chaos being set by the Eternal Will of the Deity as a middle Gulf between the Eternal World where stands the still Eternity in all its Essential Goodness viz. in its Eternal Unity Simplicity and Pure Deity and between Eternal Nature's Essence and her working Powers You are likewise to distinguish the Globe of Eternity from the Light World or Light Eternity in which Paradise the Angelical World the Glassy Sea Mount Zion and the New Ierusalem are placed and though these be called by us the Heavenly World as in truth they are yet they differ from the still Eternity in the Globe of the High and Lofty Eternity All those World 's forementioned Paradise the Angelical World c. spring out of the Light Eternity and the Light Eternity is born out of Eternal Nature's Essence and therefore they are distinct for the still Eterni●y in the Eternal World stands before above and without Eternal Nature's Essence These things being premised we come to speak of Eternal Nature's Essence which is generated out of the Abyss●l Ess●nce IX Quest. If you ask me what is Eternal Nature's Essence Answ. I answer it is an Eternal Essence genera●ed out of the Divine Chaos or Abyssal Essence and ●educed into matter and form for the good pleasure of ●is Will. Here you see the efficient Cause of Eternal Nature God's Eternal Free-will willing and desiring it Secondly You see out of what or from whence Eternal Nature is produced viz. out of God's Divine Chaos not out of the still Eternity nor out of the Eternal Unity of the Triune Deity Thirdly It is brought forth by God's Will out of this Eternal ground into matter and form which I am now to speak of Fourthly The final Cause is also signified in these words for the good pleasure of his Will Now the Will ●f God was to bring forth Eternal Nature with all her working Essences to be the original Essence and ground of all created Essences whatsoever nothing being created without it but from it essentially and originally Quest. But you will say what is the difference between the Abyssal Essence which is the original Essence of all Essences and Eternal Nature which is the ground of all Essences Answ. There is a very great difference the Triune Deity doth see that all things lye hid in his Divine Chaos but without Essence but in Eternal Nature's Ground he sees all things essentially and that he hath actually all sufficiency of materials and instruments to bring forth all things from Eternal Nature's Ground So that Eternal Nature is God's work-house wherein he hath whatsoever materially are required to Creation In the Eternal Nothing is no actual Essence but in Eternal Nature all Essences for creation are actually brought forth by God's Wisdom and Power Again In the Divine Chaos there is nothing but an Eternal stilness no life no motion no moving power ● but in Eternal Nature God sees an actual working Source Power Life and motion to create from and with in the Abyssal Essence he sees indeed that all these lye hid all life all power but only potentially not actually X. Now I proceed to the third Particular to shew the manner how God by his Eternal Will brought forth Eternal Nature out of the Abyssal Essence into matter and form Here I must open two Particulars First What is the Matter Eternal Nature is created of And secondly The manner how performed by God and then pass to the formal Cause First Particular Concerning the Material Cause of Eternal Nature If you ask me What the Original matter of Eternal Nature is I answer It is made up of Fire and Light with their essential properties belonging unto them and the four Eternal Eleme●●s of Fire Water Air and Earth are the materials of Eternal Nature's Essence for if these were taken away Eternal Nature would cease to be Concerning the Eternal Element of Fire XI This Element is the first matter and ground of Eternal Nature's Essence and therefore we will speak of it in the first place If we would understand the nature of this Element we must know the birth of it and how it was brought forth by God When it pleased the Eternal Will of God to move on the face of the deep Abyssa-Essence he from thence brought forth the four Eter●al Elements to be the first Principles of Eternal Na●●re and the Element of Fire in the first place together with its intrinsecal and essential properties to be the ●riginal beginning of Eternal Nature's Essence Here you see the Creator of it is the Eternal Will of the Triune Deity Father Son and Spirit for they have but one will among them XII In the second place you see the ground whence the Will of God brought forth ●●is Element of Fire viz. ●●t of the Divine Chaos or Abyssal nothing I do not say it came immediately from the Deity in its Eternal Unity and Simplicity for in the pure Deity there are no Eternal Elements no duality no contrariety becaus the pure Deity is an Eternal Unity in it self XIII In the third place it is necessary to speak a word how the Eternal Will brought forth this Element 〈◊〉 Fire out of the Divine Chaos The Eternal Ele●●nt of Fire was brought forth from the Abyssal Es●●nce by the Wisdom and Omnipotence of God neither need we to enquire further into the manner of its production becaus a multitude of words will but darken the manner of its birth The highly illuminated Behme hath set it forth from its deep ground how this Eternal Element was brought into existency by through and from the Eternal will of God but there are but few that can understand him and those that do comprehend a great Mystery for reason with all its Academical knowledge cannot comprehend it it being only to be discerned by an intellectual sight And though in the glass of Divine Wisdom I have seen how this Ele●ent out of Eternal nothing was brought into an

as hath been but even now declared at large Neither indeed could it be otherwise except we will make God to be the Author of contrariety Misery Pain and Death which is directly contrary to his Nature and to what the Holy Scriptures testifie concerning him No Eternal Nature as she came out of the Hand of her great Creator was all Beautiful all Spotless all Happy no Strife Misery or Death to be found in any borders of her Dominion Neither do I in this Assertion contradict Iacob Behme becaus he speaks of Eternal Nature in her divided properties as she was after the fall of Angels but I speak of her as she came out of God's Hand all Good Harmonious Perfect and Blessed Now since it hath been declared before that the Perfection Happiness and triumphant joyfulness of Eternal Nature is chiefly placed in her sixth and last active form the seventh being only as the body or hou●e wherein they operate viz. in the Love-essence the Question may be put Quest. Why God placed the happiness of Eternal Nature neither in the beginning nor middle but in the end of it Ans. To which I answer That the Holy Trinity created Eternal Nature to be a Palace for them to dwell in now as in a Royal Palace we must pass through many rooms and apartments before we come to the Presence-chamber of the Prince so in Eternal Nature the forms of darkness must be pass'd through and after these the Fire and Water before we can come to the Love-fire which the Holy Trinity hath chosen for his Presence-chamber out of all the forms of Eternal Nature God will not have his Creatures to rush in of a suddain into his all-glorious presence and therefore hath so ordered it that many doors must be passed by them and many locks opened before they can come to His Presence whom to see and know is Eternal bliss and happiness Wherefore thrice happy is the man who by walking this path of pure Nature hath pass'd the Gates of Darkness Bitterness and Anguish and after them the Gate of the Fierce-fire and at length through Water Light and Air hath made his way to the Love-fire-essence where he meets with Eternal Rest Liberty and triumphant Ioy as being come to that point where the end hath found the beginning and where the beginning and the end are joyned together never to be parted again for ever Ans. 11. The Principle of Eternal Nature is a Passive Principle the Active power of it being derived from the Holy Trinity who have introduced themselves to act and work in the same and to bring forth Creatures out of it She is indeed the Mother of all beings but as a Woman cannot bring forth without a Man so Eternal Nature would have continued barren for ever without the Active power of the Deity had impregnated her to the end she might be the fruitful Mother of all things Ans. 12. The Principle of Eternal Nature is a subjected and subordinated Principle as appears becaus she is created by God and therefore cannot be co-equal with the Deity no more than the Creature can be with the Creator she is placed below the Globe of Eternity is influenced from the same and doth depend upon it therefore must needs be a subjected and subordinated Principle We may hence gather the absurdity of that Athiehical Principle which makes All-mighty Matter to be the Cause of all things for we see here clearly that Eternal ●ature the matter of all things is wholly Passive and subordinate to the will and power of her Great Creator in whose Hand she is as clay in the Hand of the Potter Ans. 13. In the last place if it be asked what kind of Principle Eternal Nature is I answer that it is an useful and serviceable Principle and that becaus it fully answer's to all those ends for which it was created by God but more especially the usefulness thereof appears in these following particulars First Becaus the Principle of Eternal Nature is as it were the body of the Holy Trinity wherein they live act and move as the Soul doth in our Bodies and is therefore called the Eternal Humanity and Eternal pure substantiality for without this Principle of pure Nature the Holy Trinity is all pure Deity without any covering whatsoever whereas in this Principle the Deity is cloathed upon with Eternal Humanity which conjunction of the Deity with Humanity is the greatest mystery n●xt to that of the Holy Trinity by means of which the Holy Trinity convey their pure Deity which is all Life Power and Virtue through the Principle of Eternal Nature Secondly The usefulness of E●ernal Nature's Principle appears in that it is become the Palace and Habitation of the Holy Trinity God's first and most glorious Palace is the still Eternity or the Eternal World which he generated out of himself that it might be the first and most proper habitation for himself but his second Palace or dwelling place is the Principle of Eternal Nature Thirdly In the third place the usefulness of Eternal Nature's Principle appears in that it is God's work-house wherein the great and wonderful Potter hath laid up not only a sufficiency of Materials but also of Tools and Instruments for all Creations Here is the great and Vniversal treasury of that Clay of which all things are made and here is the Eternal turning wheel with which they are framed and fashioned Fourthly Eternal Nature's Principle is the Wardrobe of the Deity where all the variety of vestures and cloathing wherewith the Holy Trinity are pleased at any time to cover themselves are laid up All the forms of Eternal Nature Darkness Fire Light Water c. are but so many vehicles or rather vestures of the Deity wherewith he vaileth his pure-naked essential Glory Wherefore he is also termed a God that hideth himself even his pure Deity with and under the forms of Eternal Nature Fifthly In the fifth place the usefulness of Eternal Nature's Principle appears in that it is the Conduit-pipe through which the golden oil and water of Life together with the Divine Virtue of the Heavenly Tincture is conveied to the Creature Pure Nature's Principle is the silver-pipe through which the Golden oil of the Holy Tincture which flows from the Union of Fire and Light is conveied and is the mean by which the Holy Trinity with the wonders of Eternity come to be manifested felt tasted and enjoyed and therefore must needs be a very useful and necessary Principle Sixthly In the sixth and last place Eternal Nature's Principle is the field wher●in is hid the inestimable Pearl of the Holy Trinity it is the Cabinet wherein is contained the Iewel of wonder viz. the Deity in pure Humanity whosoever it is that finds this Pearl doth together with it find all the wonders of the Holy Trinity The ●earl indeed is one thing and the field or rich Cabinet another yet is both field and Cabinet very useful to keep and conceal the