owne gaine and profit but they attaine not this ground where the Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God as it is written 7. It must be a totally resigned and yeilded will in which God himselfe searcheth and worketh and which continually pierceth into God in yeilding and resigned Humility seeking nothing but his Eternall Native Country and to doe his neighbour service with it and then it may be attained and he must begin with effectuall Repentance and amendment and with prayer that his understanding might be opened from within for then the inward will bring it selfe into the outward 8. But when he readeth such writings and yet cannot understand them he must not presently throw them away and thinke it is impossible to understand them no but he must turne his minde to God beseeching him for Grace and understanding and reade againe and then he shall see more and more in them till at length he be drawne by the Power of God into the very depth it selfe and so come into the supernaturall and super-sensuall ground viz. into the Eternall unity of God where hee shall heare unspeakable and effectuall words of God which shall bring him back and outward againe by the Divine Effluence to the very grossest and meanest matter of the Earth and then back and inwards to God againe then the Spirit of God searcheth all things with him and by him and so he is rightly taught and driven by God 9. But since the Lovers desire a Clavis or Key of my writings I am ready and willing to pleasure them in it and will set downe a short Description of the Ground of those strange words some of which are taken from Nature and e Ex sensu sense and some are the words of strange f Artists or Mysticall Authors Misters which I have tried according to sense and found them good and fit 10. Reason will stumble when it seeth Heathenish termes and wordes used in the Explanation of Naturall things supposing we should use none but Scripture phrase or words borrowed from the Bible but such words will not alwayes ply and square themselves to the fundamentall exposition of the Properties of Nature neither can a man expresse the ground with them Also the wise Heathen and Jewes have hidden the deep ground of Nature under such words as having well understood that the knowledge of Nature is not for every one but it belongeth to those onely whom God g Naturally inclined to it by Nature hath chosen for it 11. But none need stumble at it for when God revealeth his Mysteries to any man he then also bringeth him into a Mind and faculty how to expresse them as God knoweth to be most necessary and profitable in every h Or Seculum Age for the setting of the confused Tongues and Opinions upon the true ground againe Men must not thinke that it commeth by chance and is done by humane Reason 12. The i Or manifestations Revelations of Divine things are opened by the Inward ground of the Spirituall world and brought into visible formes just as the Creator will manifest them 13. I will write but a short description of the Divine k Or Revelation Manifestation yet as much as I can comprehend in briefe and expound the strange words for the better understanding of our Bookes and set downe here the summe of those writings or a Moddell or Epitome of them for the consideration and help of Beginners The further Exposition of l The Divine Manifestation or Revelation it is to be found in the other Bookes JACOB BEHMEN THE CLAVIS OR KEY OR An Exposition of some principall Words and Matters How God is to be considered without Nature and Creature 14. MOSES saith the Lord our God is but one onely God In another place is said of him through him and in him are all things in another am not I he that filleth all things And in another through his Word are all things made that are made therefore we may say that he is the Originall of all things He is the Eternall unmeasurable unity 15. For example when I thinke what would be in the place of this world if the foure Elements and the starry Firmament and also Nature it selfe should perish and cease to be so that no Nature or Creature were to be found any more I finde there would remaine this Eternall Unity from which Nature and Creature have received their Originall 16. So likewise when I think with my self what is many hundred thousand miles above the starry Firmament Or what is in that place where no Creature is I finde the Eternall unchangeable unity is there which is that onely good which hath nothing either before or after it that can adde any thing to it or take any thing away from it or from which this unity could have its Originall The is neither ground time nor place but there is the onely Eternall God or that onely Good which a man cannot expresse A further Consideration How this one God is Three-fold 17. The Holy Scripture sheweth us that this only God is a Or Triune Threfold viz. one onely threefold Essence having three manner of workings and yet is but one onely Essence as may be seen in the outflowne Power and vertue which is in all things if any doe but observe it but it is especially represented to us in Fire Light and Aire which are three severall b subsistent Formes sorts of workings and yet but in one onely ground and substance 18. And as we see that Fire Light and Aire arise from a Candle though the Candle be none of the three but a cause of them so likewise the Eternall unity is the cause and ground of the Eternall Trinity 1. Father 2. Sonne 3. Holy Ghost which manifesteth it selfe from the unity and bringeth forth it selfe in first Desire or will Secondly pleasure or Delight Thirdly proceeding or outgoing 19. The Desire or will is the Father that is the stirring or manifestation of the unity whereby the unity willeth or desireth it selfe 20. The Pleasure or Delight is the Sonne and is that which the will willeth and desireth viz. his Love and pleasure as may be seen at the Baptisme of our Lord Jesus Christ when the Father witnessed saying This is my c Or Love beloved Sonne in whom I d Have pleasure am well pleased heare yee him 21. The Delight is the e Or imprâ—ssure of the will compressure in the will whereby the will in the unity bringeth it selfe into a place and working wherewith the will willeth and worketh and it is the f Or perception feelingnesse and vertue of the will 22. The will is the Father that is the stirring desire and the Delight is the Sonne that is the vertue and the working in the will with which the will worketh and the Holy Ghost is the proceeding will through the Delight of the vertue that is a
Corporeity and the Spirits and indeed the Spirits are creaturely and substantiall though incomprehensible to us therefore wee will further shew you the Kingdome of Heaven with its Spirits and formes and after that the humane Kingdome whereby the Great Wonders of God shall he brought to Light Let none be wilfully blinde it may be demonstrated in every thing in whatsoever you look upon especially in Man for he is the Image and similitude of every thing and therefore is called the Similitude of God 58. There is no Creature either in Heaven or in this world wherein all the Three Principles stand open as in Man and if his soule be borne in God he excelleth the Angels in the Wonders as I will shew you hereafter 59. But if this Text or Matter happen to be difficult for the Reader to understand wee would have him admonished too reade it patiently and diligently and though he be not able to comprehend it presently yet it will be very usefull to him hereafter when the Theefold Life of Man shall be written of and then first rightly come into his understanding so that he himselfe will then esteeme it for a Great Jewell 60. For the Minde doth not leave of searching till it come to the Innermost Ground which is heere shewen But if it reach not the Ground it sinketh downe in the Ground and cannot apprehend it and then cometh doubting unbeliefe and contempt into the Minde as if this writing were not worth the troubling ones head about it therefore wee would have the Reader admonished not to jest with the high hidden Mysteries for thereby the Spirit of God is blasphemed 61. And it is with the Minde as with Lucifer when he saw the greatest hidden Mysteries of the Deity stand in such humility he took offence at it and entered into the fierce Might of the Fire and would domineere with his own selfe wit and reason over the Heart of God he would that God should be in subjection under him he would be the framer and Creator in Nature and therefore he became a Devill 62. For in the meeknesse and lowlinesse consisteth the Kingdome of Heaven with the Angelicall world and the vertue of the Heart of God 63. For the Light consisteth in meeknesse and though it hath its Originall out of the Centre of the Fire viz. out of the sharpnesse of God yet it placeth its Centre in very great Meeknesse for the Liberty without Nature is the End of Nature and the Light dwelleth in the Liberty as a Glance or brightnesse of a still c Habitation Joy and the Word proceeding out of the powers of Nature is the Fire of the Light out of which the shining goeth forth and enlighteneth the whole Deepe of the Father so that it is one Essence together but with three Distinctions where every Distinction hath a Centre and may be called a Person 64. For the Father generateth the Nature out of the Eternall still Liberty which is himselfe and yet in the stillnesse is not called Father but in that he is desiring or Generating and d Conceiveth frameth or purposeth comprehendeth a Will in himselfe to have the Genetrix of Nature to be there he is knowne to be a Father from whom all things proceede as out of his first Will through all Wills 65. Even as the Minde of Man is but one onely will which is desiring and yet conceiveth in it out of the Eternall Will innumerable Wills and one alwayes goeth forth out of the other Whereby wee see and finde that the first Will is Master and the other recomprehended Wills leade to Light and Darknesse to joy and sorrow according as they conceive any thing good or evill in them as Reason can discerne So it is also in the Father in Nature but not in the Liberty for there there is nothing in himselfe but the Light Eternity 66. Beeing then a twofold comprehension thus proceedeth out of one will as to joy and sorrow love and hate therefore each hath its birth to e Or to a contrary will out of one and the same point will againe out of one into many Nature hath its will to the sharpnesse of its sterne Generating and the first will of the Father which ariseth out of the Light Eternity to the still meeknesse even as the still Eternity is in it selfe a still soft joy without substance 67. Thus there is a twofold driving in one onely substance and therefore also two Centres are generated the one tendeth to meeknesse and the other to fiercenesse and yet are not severed for the fiercenesse in Nature is the first and out of the fiercenesse is the meeknesse generated which is the other and one without the other would be onely a still Eternity 68. Therefore now the Meeknesse is the Sonne of God which dwelleth in the still Eternity and f Satiateth quencheth or alayeth mitigateth the Wrath and is therefore called the Sonne because he is Generated out of the Fathers Nature and is called the Word of the Father because he is with the Glance of the Eternall Liberty proceeding out of the Eternall Liberty out of the Wheele of the Essences out of the Formes of Nature as the life of Nature expressed in the Liberty of the Father and is called a Person because he is a selfe subsisting g Substance beeing or thing Essence which doth not belong to the Birth of Nature but is the life and understanding of Nature and is called the Heart of the Father because he is the vertue and power in the Centre of Nature and he is in Nature as the Heart in the Body which giveth strength and understanding to its Members and is called the Light of God because the Light is kindled in him and taketh its originall in him and is called the Glance or brightnesse because in the Eternall still Liberty he maketh a Glance or Lustre which taketh its originall out of the sharpnesse of the Eternall Nature as is mentioned before And he is called the Love of the Father because the first Will of the Father to the Genetrix of Nature desireth only this his most beloved Heart and this in the Will of the Father is the best beloved above Nature and yet is his Essence And is called Wonder because he is the Creator of all things by whom all things out of the Centre of the Essences of the Father are brought to light and beeing so that the Nature of the Father standeth in Great Wonders 69. And this is the diversity and the cause that the Father and the Sonne are called two Persons and yet are but one God in one onely Essence that is the Father is the Generator of Nature because it is Generated by his Will out of the desire and because his Heart severeth it selfe from Nature and is not comprehended by Nature and exerciseth a severall Centre viz. the Love and the Father exerciseth the Centre of Wrath in the sharpnesse of the Father is the
being it cannot get away upwards it runneth round like a wheele and breaketh asunder the contraction from whence the Essences of multiplicity doe arise 15. And this is the right Centre for in the wheele doth exist the nature of Mobility and of the Essences and it is a Band of the Spirit though without f Or perception feeling or understanding but in this Forme it is onely called the Centre for it is the Circle of life which the desiring hath shut up out of the still widenesse into narrownesse although it is not comprehensible but every where meerly spirit and forme of Nature 16. Seeing then that the Raver maketh such a stinging bitter wheele in the sharp cold therefore the Centre is so terrible like a great Anguish where the life is continually broken or destroyed and by the Essences is also built againe in such a manner and is like to Life and Death 17. The Phylosophers and high g Naturalists knowers of Nature write that Nature consisteth in three things viz. in h 🜠☿ 🜔 Sulphur Mercurie and Salt which is very right but the simple will understand nothing therein and although the apprehension of it was open to the wise so that they understood it yet at this present time very few understand the Centre but they have it in the Historie as also they have the Divinity or Theologie from the mouth of the Apostles which at present is also no other then a Historie without the power and the living Spirit which was among the Apostles as is cleerly testified by their contentious disputations lip-labour and dead Letter in their Teachings 18. Now seeing wee have through the Divine Grace attained the Light and are able to know the Centre which is the Birth of our life wee have power to demonstrate it and shew what is comprized and understood in the three words Sulphur Mercurie and Salt not that we thereby despise the ignorant blindnesse but as a Christian wee would willingly afford and shew them the Light And although our speech seemeth simple yet out knowledge meaning and apprehension is very Deepe none should be offended at the simple speech as if wee had not the deepe apprehension Let him but reade it with a true earnestnesse and consider seriously of it in the feare of God and he shall finde well enough what Spirits childe wee are in this writing but wee would have him faithfully warned concerning the scorners and hypocrites 19. As is mentioned concerning the Sulphur the Centre is and may very well be called PHVR but if the Light be generated the light that shineth out of the PHVR is called SVL for it is the soule thereof And as I say of the dark Centre wherein the Divine Light is generated the same I say also of Nature though indeed they are one but wee must so speake that wee might bring it into the thoughts of the Reader that he might incline his minde to the Light and so attaine it 20. For the two Formes viz. sharp cold and bitter stinging which are generated by the longing in the Eternall Will they hold the Centre and make the wheele of the Essences whence the i Or Thoughts senses as also perception and mobility continually arise Eternally 21. Now these two formes are in very great and terrible angu sh in themselves without the other formes that are generated out of them For the attracting sharp sourenesse is like to hard stones and the sting of the attracting is the breaker of the astringency and so it is like a wheele and may well be called PHVR the Language of Nature in that syllable doth declare 22. Therefore though the two formes enter so terribly in themselves into the Will and hold the Will in the darknesse yet the will cannot be captivated for its own propriety is to be meeke and quiet and that propriety it cannot loose in the two Formes for it is incomprehensible and yet it must be in the two Formes and dwelleth in the sting and is the flash thereof for the two Formes are darke in themselves but the Will is not so for it is free in it selfe but the two Formes take it into their property for it is their Father and it sharpeneth it selfe in their properties so that it shineth as a flash of lightning 23. For the soure astringency maketh dark and the bitter sting in the wheele dissipateth the Darknesse and so the liberty of the still will shineth in the wheele in the whirring as a flash of lightening for the will so sharpeneth it selfe from the soure astringency that it becometh very strong for it is as when steele and a stone are knocked one against another to strike fire 24. For there is understood to be in the Fire two things viz. the liberty k Extra naturam without Nature and the soure strongnesse of Nature as you have an Example in a stone out of which you strike Fire For when you strike upon the sharp of the stone the bitter sting of Nature sharpeneth it selfe and is l Vexed or angred stirred in the highest Degree For Nature is dissipated or m Shivered to pieces broken asunder in the sharpnesse so that the liberty shineth as a flash of lightning and that you may heere see to be true for as soone as the liberty shineth it consumeth the Darknesse and thence it cometh that the sharpnesse of God the Father is a consuming Fire For as soone as the flash in the sharpnesse seizeth on any thing that is essentiall it consumeth it instantly so that there is no nature more left 25. And the cause of the flash going out so suddenly is that the sharpnesse cannot retaine it for the flash is free from Nature and is onely seene in the breaking 26. And wee give you to understand that this liberty without the Nature is God the Father and the Nature is thus generated in him so that he is Omnipotent over Nature even as the minde of Man is above the senses for it hath all one Originall as wee will shew you hereafter following 27. Further concerning the Birth of Nature wee give you to understand this by way of similitude When the flash shineth thus in the soure anguish then there is a very great crack which the sourenesse captivateth and terrifieth much more for its dark propriety in the soure Death is killed in a moment so that it looseth its soure propriety and sinketh back and can no more attract so strongly and then the flash goeth directly through the sting of the raging of the whirring wheele where the sting must spread forth on each side and the flash goeth through the midst and so the wheele cometh to be a Crosse and can no more whirle about but standeth shivering in the sharp Might of the Will of the Eternall Liberty which is God the Father 28. And now when the strong sourenesse hath captivated the flash of the Liberty that it looseth its propriety then the fourth forme
the seates of the twenty-foure Elders with the Lambe which was slaine and liveth Eternally and the Auncient of Dayes sitting upon the Throne hath the Booke with seaven seales which the Lamb that was slaine tooke out of his hand and brake open the seales 11. There you see the seaventh Spirit of the Divine Nature which is the joy of the Majesty of God wherein the Trinity manifesteth it selfe and you see the true Angelicall world For the Sea is the Water-Spirit which in the Originall of Nature is the fierce sourenesse but it getteth a skreeke or aspect from the light of God where this forme departeth and the skreek in the darknesse turneth to be a sinking downe into Death where yet the captivated skreeke in the light which is now called joy is also a sinking downe and is turned into Meeknesse wherein the light shineâ—h And it is like unto a Glassie Sea 12. But it is the q Body or substance Corporeity of the Divine Nature and herein the seaven Spirits of God viz. the seaven burning Torches are revealed which the Angel in the Revelation biddeth to be written but the seaven Thunders in the dark Matrix in the fierce Nature he biddeth to be sealed and not written for they would be opened one after another and powre forth their wonders which none should know till they are past till the seaventh seale in Ternario sancto is opened and then shall the hidden Mystery of the Kingdome of God be finished when the seaveth Angel soundeth his Trumpet 13. And heere wee give you to understand what Moses saith God created the Heaven out of the midst of the Waters Behold thou seeking Minde this Glassie Sea which is the Water-Spirit in the presence of God is the Matrix out of which the word Fiat created the Element of Water for the Element of water in this world is an Out-birth out of the Matrix of the Heaven 14. For they use to say God dwelleth in Heaven and it is true and that Heaven is the Comprehension of God wherein God hath manifested himselfe through the Creatures viz. the Angels and the soules of Men for in this seaventh Forme viz. in the Glassie Sea the Nature of the Father standeth revealed in great Holinesse not hi the Fire but the word is the Fire of this source or property and the Holy Spirit here goeth forth through the Word in the Angelicall world and formeth every thing that groweth and liveth for he is the Spirit of life in this source or property 15. Behold thou seeking Minde I shew it to you yet more deeply and cleerely thus Nature is generated out of the Fathers first will which is in it selfe onely a Spirit and a Darknesse and yet is driven so far by the will as into seaven Formes and out of seaven infinitly But the cause of Nature consisteth in the first foure Formes viz. in soure or harsh desiring in the bitter sting in the flash of Fire where the life taketh its originall and the fourth in the skreeke of the Matrix before the Fire where the sinking of the heavy Death downwards and the going of the Fire-life upwards is generated where the Centre then standeth in the midst as a heart in the body out of which the Tincture as the fift Forme of fire ariseth which is the Love-desire and that desire is a penetrating noise or sound in the sixt Forme and the life of the Tincture penetrateth through the sinking downe of Death where then wee understand the Meeknesse of the Tincture which maketh the sinking down corporeall which is the seaventh Forme out of which corporeity in the beginning of this world the Earth Stones Metalls and the whole Centre of the Globe of the Earth were generated and in the six formes of Nature standeth the Globe of the Earth with its Regiment and the seaventh Forme is the Comprehensibility or palpability as is in Earth and Stones and it is the body of the six Formes wherein they performe their work as a spirit in the body And the upper Globe in the Deepe above the Earth hath just such a Regiment in seaven Formes where then the foure Elements keepe the upper Centre and the Constellations keepe the wheele of the Essences of the Will and the Sun the Tincture of Fire wherein every life in this outward world doth consist 16. And just so also is the inward Regiment in Ternario sancto not severed from this world but this world is severed only by a Principle for there is no corner or place in this world where the inward Regiment is not 17. For this world is become corporeall out of the Fathers Nature out of the Wrath out of the seaventh Forme where the Tincture of the Sun maketh it lovely and pleasant againe 18. And therefore the Devill is called a Prince of this world for he is the Prince in the Wrath of the Fathers Nature and the Angelicall world is the Sonnes Nature in great love joy pleasantnesse and Humility for the Word or the Heart of God is the Centre therein 19. And the Flash where Light and Darknesse sever maketh the Principle and severeth it into two Kingdomes where one Centre burneth in the Fire or Anger and the other in Love out of which the cleere Light shineth And you must know that the fierce Flash is the mark or limit of seperation for that is the skreek to Life and to Death where Wrath and Love part which I will explaine to you hereafter 20. Thus wee give you to understand concerning the Angelicall world The Fathers property is no darknesse but the darknesse is generated in the sterne desire and the Fathers property is the Light cleere free Eternity which hath a will to Nature and that light will in the Nature is the flash of the Essences and sharpeneth it selfe in the sterne hard wrath and driveth it selfe on to the fourth forme where the flash of the liberty in the sharpnesse shineth like Fire and there the flash of the liberty divideth it selfe into two Principles one forward from it with the strong might of the Fire the other in it selfe in the free light Eternity and it giveth the r Or Brightnesse Glance to the light Liberty 21. And in this seperation the flash maketh the Å¿ ✚ Crosse where it presseth so terribly through the dark Wrath. And so the fiercenesse with its Centre flieth upwards for the fire driveth upwards and the Matrix of the sourenesse sinketh as a thing that is kild by the skreeke downe into Death and the flash upon the Crosse standeth still Essentially for it hath discovered the Matrix and the Matrix hath infected it and holdeth it captive and the fierce flash in the Matrix turneth to meeknesse for the flash in the terrified and overcome Matrix getteth a terrour of crack also as when water is cast upon fire where yet there is no water but spirit to be understood 22. Thus the fiercenesse of the fire is quenched upon the Crosse
of the World from our u Aliter Eternall own Light which wee have from Grace wee will speake from that and not from a x Or Opinion supposition as doubting whether it be true or no. 55. They say that which the Eyes see the Heart beleeveth it is good to see with our own Eyes but he that seeth with the eyes of another or he that depends upon anothers words is alwayes in doubt whether the Spirit be true or false 56. Therefore it is good to have the Noble Stone which Abraham Moses the Prophets and Apostles had that giveth assurance and pointeth at the false y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magus Magos such as are Magi in the History onely which they strut about withall in state like a whore that would be accounted a Maide and yet is big with childe 57. And so they are big with Darknesse and wrath and yet they alwayes cry out Here is the true Church heere is Christ flock all hither yes indeede run after the whore of Babell who is big with stately Pride give something towards her childe-bed that shee may fatten her whorish stomack and satisfie her z Seeming holy Glistering Hypocriticall stincking Pride 58. They are like whores who when they are said to be whores will not endure it but curse and rayle and so also when the Spirit of Truth layeth them open then they cry O Heretick Heretick fire and fagot O run away be gone all of you the Devill is in him thus they miscall the Spirit of God because they do not know a The Spirit of God it 59. Wee doe not write this out of a desire to contemne them for wee know the great misery of our captivity but wee write it to the end that the simple who cleave so very fast to their words and beleeve all that the Devill powreth forth in wrath might every one of them enter into themselves and try whether it be Truth or no and that men might not be so zealous in blindnesse with anger and envy without knowledge whether it have any Ground of Truth 60. Wee have too much experience of this that many times the Holy Ghost is called a Devill and the Devill called a good Spirit which happeneth out of Ignorance for the flattering Hypocrites doe so fill the Eares of the Layety with their Eloquence in their Sermons and drawing the Scriptures to their desire and meaning 61. O what horrible b O◠wickednesse Blasphemy it is that the Spirit of God must be thus slandered by the Image of God though wee doe not say that the Image it selfe doth it but the Serpent in the Image so soone as the Winde is turned away from God the Serpent taketh hold of it and then ruleth it and powreth forth Blasphemies against God and his Children Therefore observe this following Text. Heere the Author againe sheweth the Eternall Beeing 62. As God the Father himselfe is All he is the Number-Three of the Deity he is the Majesty he is the still Eternity he is the Nature and in it he is the Love and the Anger the Anger is a cause of his Strength and Might as also a cause of Life and of all Mobility as the Poyson or Gall in Man is and the Love is a cause of the Heart of his Majesty and a cause of the Number-Three and of the Three Principles 63. And as wee know and have mentioned before that the Fire is a cause of the Light for without fire there would be no Light so there would be no Love without Light the Light is Love or pleasantnesse for it is kinde and amiable and wee see that the Light and the fire have two severall properties or sources the fire is biting wrathfull devouring and consuming and the Light is pleasant sweet and desirous of a Body the Love desireth a Body and the fire also desireth the Body for its nourishment but devoureth it quite and the Light c Vivifieth it raiseth it up and desireth to fill it it taketh nothing away from the Body but c Vivifieth it quickeneth it up and maketh it friendly 64. So you must understand us concerning the Eternall Beeing The Eternall Beeing is so and if it were not so all would be as nothing but an Eternall Stillnesse without Beeing and that wee finde to be so in every thing 65. Thus wee may consider with our selves whence it ariseth that there is a wrathfull and a good will For you see the Fire hath two Spirits one is that which proceedeth from the heate and the other that which proceedeth from the Light Now the Heate is Nature and the Light is the Eternall Liberty without or beyond Nature for Nature comprehendeth not the Light 66. And so you must understand as concerning the two sorts of wills in God the one is Nature and is not called God and yet is Gods for he is angry severe sharp as a sting consuming attracting all things to himselfe and devouring them alwayes striving to flie up above the Light which is the other will and yet cannot as the fire doth which the higher it flyeth the higher goeth the Light and so they may well be called two Principles 67. For the Light desireth substantiality and preserveth the substantiality and doth not consume it but the fire desireth to devoure all things and turne them to nothing and when it hath turned all to nothing it becometh a darknesse 68. And therefore hath God moved himselfe in the Light of Meeknesse and attracted the Meeknesse so that the Light hath a substantiality and that is Water or in Ternario sancto the Water Spirit which holdeth the fire captive so that the fire is a darknesse and is not knowne except it be kindled and it standeth in it selfe in the hunger in the Eternall Darknesse and so is a continuall Desire 69. Out of such an Originall come the Devills for it is the fierce wrath of God and whatsoever is false and evill hath its originall thus out of this d Or womb Matrix as also all the Creatures of this world let it be Heaven the Starres the Earth or what it will they have all a twofold source viz. the fire and the water in those two consist all bodyes Heavenly and Earthly the heavenly consist in the Matrix of the Water and they have the fire hidden in them 70. For the watery Matrix which is onely a Spirit of a soft property holdeth the fire captive and so the Majesty shineth in the Meeknesse e Through and through transparently 71. And the Earthly Bodyes consist in the palpable substance for the water becometh materiall in the kindling which matter is drawn together by the wrath in the Fiat part to stones and part to Earth all according as Nature is in its seaven formes and the water hath quenched the Fire so that the wrath is in the Darknesse like a hidden Fire 72. And where the Matrix continued and was not so quenched by the
Body and Congregation and so our spirit and vertue or power will rest upon him as is to be seene by the Apostles of Christ 66. And when we receive him into the Congregation of Christ then he is become our Brother when wee say thy sinnes are forgiven thee then they are drowned in the Bloud and Death of Christ and he is a Member of us wee take not away his sinnes from him but Christ in us drowneth them in his bloud through our and his x Earnest desire Faith When wee lay our hands upon him and pray over him then wee with our will which is given up into God penetrate into his Will and bring him into our will as into one and the same Body in Christ to the Father his will becometh our will for he giveth up himselfe through Christ into the Bride as into our Will which is also Gods will and wee receive him with good cause into our Love into our Will and sinck our selves downe in him through Christ into God thus wee forgive him his sinnes for wee are the Congregation and Bride of Christ whom he loveth and what we doe that doth Christ in us and God in Christ it is all one Christ is ours and God is Christs and the converted sinner is ours and Christs and also Gods wee live in one body and have one Spirit and are one flesh and as wee enter into the Will of God so wee also take our Brother along with us wee cast the sinnes away behinde us into the Fire of Anger but wee live and flourish in God wee have the Key of Heaven and of Hell when wee make knowne to a sinner his sinnes and he will not be converted then wee binde him up in the Abysse for wee passe through and shut it up and then he must swelter in his sinnes and then the Devill buffetteth him when wee draw him no longer with our word which hath power then the Devill draweth him but if he turne at length then wee have power to take him away from the Devill againe and through our Spirit in Christ to bring him into God 67. Behold such a power Christs Bride onely hath and none else and if it were so if a Man were in a Wildernesse where he never could meete or see any Man and did turne himselfe away from sinne into Christ and did desire and long after our society when he cam â—t possibly come to us and though wee did never know of him yet neverthelesse since he casteth himselfe into our society by his desire wee take him along with us through Christ to the Father and thrust his sinnes quite away behinde him and spring up with him out of one and the same y Field or soyle ground for Christs body is the Ground of our soules wherein he groweth and beareth faire fruit in Ternarium Sanctum The Highly Precious Gate 68. Now saith Reason How can Christs Body be our Body Is he a Creature How can wee dwell in the Body of Christ 69. Behold O Man Adam was our Father and also our Mother Now wee have all of us Adams flesh soule and spirit for wee are all begotten out of one and the same flesh soule and spirit and are all of us Members of him as the branches are Members of the Tree and he brought us into Death 70. Hee had the faire Virgin of the Wisdome of God in him which is every where and is the fullnesse of all things as God himselfe is which the lost he should have left it us as an Inheritance yet he went out from it but the second Adam Christ came forth from God and was the Heart of God and had the faire Virgin in him he tooke our flesh and soule into his Virgin and that became flesh soule and spirit flesh of our flesh and soule of our soule and yet remained God our flesh stood in Christ in Ternario Sancto he received from us z Or into in the Virgin of God the Eternall and also the Earthly Flesh though indeed it was onely the Earthly source and property for nothing that is corruptible entereth into God 71. When the Word a Became or was made came into the Flesh it then became Heavenly as in Adam it was become Earthly for the flesh of Christ was in the Eternall Will brought into the Word so that the flesh and the Word was one undivided Person Now b Or the matter is about the Eternall Will the businesse is done in the Eternall Will out of which Adam was gone away and God brought us in the soule of Christ into that will againe 72. Now Christs soule is our soule for it is Adams soule and Christs flesh is our flesh for he tooke it on him from our Humanity and the faire Virgin of God in Christ is our Virgin for Christ hath put the same into our soules and so now if wee give up our selves wholly into Christ then Christ liveth in us and wee in him though the outward mortall Body hang to us yet Christ liveth in us and will at the End of the world present us wholly pure without blemish in his flesh 73. Thus wee are one body in him for he is our body in God and Adam is our body in this world there is no such grosse untoward body in God but a body in power with heavenly flesh and bloud where our will is there is our heart also God is in us and when wee enter into his Will then wee put his wisdome on to us and in the Wisdome Christ is a Man thus wee enter into his humanity and are a New Man in the life of Christ in the soule of Christ in Christs flesh in the Tincture of Christ in the Majesty of Christ and Christ is in his Father and his Father is the Eternity and the End of Nature 74. And whither wilt thou goe further thou poore Man let not the Devill and Antichrist befoole thee No Man hath any power in God unlesse he be in the Will of God in Gods Love in Christ and then he hath the soule and flesh of Christ but if he have that then he is not a covetous wretch nor a flattering hypocrite and one that selleth the Kingdome of Heaven for money as Simon Magus offered to give Money to Saint Peter that he would give him the power that on whomsoever he laid hands they should receive the Holy Ghost then saith Peter Be thou accursed with thy Money Dost thou suppose that the Gifts of God will be sold for Money 75. And where then have you your Power and Authority yee Sophisters to sell the Kingdome of Heaven and usurp it into your power yee are not Christs disciples but the disciples of Antichrist the whore of Babell No Priest is capable of the office unlesse he be in the will of God his Absolution is no Absolution but the Congregation of Christ to whom he giveth up himselfe Absolveth him the Sophister is as usefull to the
the Centre of the Sonne Verse 53 Chap. 5. What the Corporeity of the Divine Nature is also how the seaven Thunders shall be opened one after another Verse 12 Time Chap. 4. How the wheele of the Eternall Essences moved before the Time of the Fiat also of the Beginning of Time Verse 32 Chap. 15. The Mother of Nature complaineth or her children and the Time shall be shortned Verse 2 Chap. 15. Admonition that the Present Day is the Time of bettering Verse 25 Tincture Tinctures Chap. 4. That there is another Will borne that attaineth the Liberty in the Fire and is called the Tincture Verse 17 Chap. 4. The second Will or the Tincture is the Lustre in the Darknesse and the Ornament of the Essences and blossome of Life Verse 18 Chap. 4. Why the Power of the Tincture is hidden from the Alchimists Verse 23 Chap. 4. The Tincture is the Light of the Earth The Sunne is the Life of the whole wheele Verse 27 Chap. 4. The Tincture of the kinde Joy shone also out of the fallen Angells Verse 39 Chap. 4. The Tincture in the Will of the Devill is become false they would domineere over the Sonne of God Verse 43 Chap. 8. How the Tincture is a Creature and wrestleth with the Fire Verse 56 Chap. 8. How the Lustre is still and the Tincture moveable and living and the deepest Ground of Heaven Verse 57 Chap. 9. Wherein the Noble Tincture consisteth how every Life standeth in the hand of God How the Spirâ—t were in Hell fire Verse 52 Chap. 9. Of the separation of the two Tinctures of the Fire-Life and the Aire-Life Verse 53 Chap. 13. How without the Verbum Domini both the Tinctures had remained captivated by the Devill in the Anger of God and in the Spirit of this World Verse 35 Tongue Chap. 5. What the Tongue signifieth or denoteth Verse 107 Trade Chap. 17. Every Trade and buisinesse is in the Ordinance of God Verse 12 Treasure Chap. 17. What Treasure the vertuous gather and what Treasure the covetous gather Verse 27 Tree Trees Chap. 7. Out of what the Tree of Good and Evill in Paradise grew Verse 47 Chap. 13. A speech to the Great and wide Tree the Generation of Adam Verse 52 Chap. 14. How the small Graine of Mustard seede becometh a Great Tree Verse 44 Chap. 17. Why God did forbid Man to eate of the Tree also of his state before and after the Fall Verse 10 Chap. 9. How the Paradisicall formes were knowne on the Trees All our fruits are Good and Evill Verse 14 Chap. 9. Our fruits upon the Trees grow not of themselves Verse 15 Triall Chap. 14. The Authour cannot write nor expresse what Joy the soule hath after it hath passed through the Triall Verse 54 Trinity Chap. 3. What the Number Three or Trinity is Verse 12 Chap. 5. How that which is spoken forth is an Image of the Holy Trinity Verse 41 Chap. 5. Where the Number Three or Trinity dwelleth Verse 57 Chap. 5. The Spirit of the soule but not the Light of the Eyes comprehendeth the Trinity Verse 58 Chap. 5. There is nothing Perfect but the Number-Three or Trinity Verse 59 Chap. 16. What the Trinity is from Eternity to Eternity Verse 104 Turba Chap. 13. How the Turba destroyeth the Multiplicity from whence it is that envy and falshood proceedeth Verse 49 Chap. 13. How the Turba exerciseth it selfe in the Anger also of the springing up of the blossome of Life Verse 60 Turk Turks Chap. 6. How a Turk attaineth God together with the children that are without understanding Verse 21 Chap. 6. The Turks say no. He that honoureth the Father honoureth the Sonne Verse 28 Chap. 11. The cause of the Turks Potency also how long their blindnesse shall continue Verse 92 Chap. 11. The Antichrist shall not devoure the Tree of the Turks with his Dragons Mouth or Tyrannous Policy also what it is the Antichrist shall be destroyed by Verse 93 Chap. 11. How the Turks are became a wilde Tree Verse 95 Vanity Chap. 15. Vanity and wantonnesse is the first lesson youths learne Verse 7 Vialls Chap. 5. In the Courts of Princes the Vialls of Anger are powred forth through the Instigation of the Hypocrites Verse 66 Virgin Chap. 6. How the Eternall Virgin came into substance Verse 80 Chap. 6. The Word is the understanding in the Eternall Virgin Verse 82 Chap. 6. Neither the Virgin nor the Flesh doe operate but the Spirit Verse 83 Chap. 11. Of the Eternall Virgin out of which the Matrix of the Earth became an Image Verse 12 Chap. 13. How our corrupted substance became Earthly and how God in the heavenly Virgin and also in the Earthly Virgin became Man Verse 19 Understand Chap. 3. They that are borne of God shall understand this Verse 37 Chap. 4. Advice to them that are able to understand this Text. Verse 59 Chap. 18. If an Asse should speake the word of God that soule which feareth God would understand it Verse 46 Universities Chap. 15. What our children learne at the Universities Verse 9 Chap. 15. How Students in the Universities are advanced to governe in Church and State and how they Rule then Verse 10 Chap. 16. The Person of Christ is a Mystery hidden from the Pride of the High Schooles or Universities Verse 29 Uppermost Chap. 9. How the uppermost desireth the nethermost and the nethermost the uppermost Verse 109 Warning Chap. 5. A Warning not to account these things Fictions Verse 147 Chap. 5. A Warning to goe out from Contention a reproofe to Babell Verse 149 Chap. 7. A Warning to him that is fallen to rise againe Verse 13 Chap. 8. Of Gods care in Warning of his children Verse 48 Chap. 11. A Warning to the children of God to goe out from the whore of seeming Holinesse Verse 51 Chap. 11. A warning not to run after disputation and contention Verse 86 Chap. 12. A warning to those that are heere advanced to Honour Verse 5 Chap. 12. A warning to the Rich to be Meeke and Gentle Verse 6 Chap. 12. A warning against the Devill who soweth weedes what the Doctrine of Moses and of Christ was Verse 15 Chap. 12. A warning to wrestle in Patience Verse 47 Chap. 13. The Authours warning will not be in vaine Verse 41 Chap. 13. A warning to those that say If our Teachers teach us not right let them looke to it also of the mis-use of the Baptisme and Supper Verse 42 Chap. 14. A warning concerning the way of appearing holinesse Verse 8 Chap. 14. How God warneth Man of his wrath Verse 69 Chap. 15. A warning concerning the Punishment that shall be over the face of the Earth Verse 16 Chap. 16. A fore warning of the Antichristian Wolfe borne of an Academy Verse 26 Chap. 16. A warning not to trust in the skill of the Letter but in the Spirit of God Verse 33 Chap. 18. A warning to Europe Asia and Africa concerning thg strong Bow that is bent advice to
your heart it is given me to answer you 4. And you should not so anxiously seeke after these things they are in no outward reason But to the Spirit of God nothing is impossible seeing we are the children of God and in Christ new borne of God the sonne seeth very well what the father doth in his house and also learneth his Art and worke 5. Seeing also we are the mystery of God we ought not to suppose that we must not meddle with such mysteries as Antichrist teacheth for none taketh unto himselfe any thing of Gods Mysteries unlesse it be given him and St. James saith b Iames 1.17 Every good and perfect gift commeth downe from above from the father of lights with whom there is no change nor alteration 6. And seeing you seeke so eagerly after such things you become thereby even the cause of finding them for God giveth his mysteries both by meanes and also without meanes but that no man might boast he often maketh use of very mean people about them that it might be acknowledged that they come from his hand 7. You shall be answered with a very sound and deepe answer yet briefely comprised not according to outward reason but according to the spirit of knowledge 8. And although I could sufficiently shew and demonstrate these things in a larger description yet seeing they are all described and explained at large in my other Writings at present I set them downe but briefely for the ease and delight of the Reader and that it may serve for a short memoriall of the great mysteries 9. But he that desireth to know these things fully fundamentally let him seeke them in my former Writings especially in the c The threefold life third part and there he hath the whole ground of the * Note that by the words divine essence substance or essentialitie in the writings of this Author he meaneth not that essence which is God himselfe but whatsoever is besides God and which taketh its orginall from God as the eternall Idea's in the wisedome of God doe And that which is essentiall according to the forme or figure of the Idea and that wherein all Idea's lie he calleth Mysterium magnum Coeleste Arcanum Diving Essence and also of the creation of all things of that which is eternall and of that which is corruptible and how every thing was made and is come to be as it is and act as it doth and what it shall be in the end 10. And therein also lieth the Key of the Mysterium magnum so farre forth as a creature is able to comprehend or beare and thither we referre you for further explanation and so I commend me to you into the brotherly love in Christ Anno 1620. Jacob Boehmen The first Question Answered QVESTION the First Whence proceeded the Soule Originally at the beginning of the World 1. WEe have both in our second and third Booke suffâ—ciently laid open the mysteries of the Soule according to the three Principles of the Divine Essence where also we have set downe by many Circumstances the eternall Centre of the eternall Nature and also the Ternary of the Divine Essence and moreover what Eternity hath ever beene and how the beginning of the Creation a Or came to be was brought forth and what an Angel and what a Soule is Also we have laid open the heavy fall of Lucifer and moreover both the Mothers which have so brought it forth the one * Engendring procreating the heavenly Essentiality and the other the Hellish where also we have written of Light and Darkenesse 2. Therefore we shall not be very well understood by the Reader in this Treatise unlesse he hath read over and well b Or understood comprehended c Or booke the third part of our Writings 3. Although that apprehending is not in humane power yet the way thereto is very faithfully showne him so that if he doe long to attaine it he shall obtaine a d Leader or the holy Ghost Guide and directer if he follow our counsell who will shew him the key of the Mysterium magnum leading to that precious Philosophers stone and to all Mysteries let none thinke this impossible for with God all things are possible He that findeth God findeth all things with and in Him 4 Now you know e In or by according to Reason that all things are originally sprung and derived from Eternity This also the holy Scripture tells you in God are all things Act. 17.28 In him we live and move and have our being and we are his off-spring 5. And although men cannot say of God that the pure Deity is Nature but that it is the Majesty in the Ternary yet we must say that God is in Nature although Nature can as little reach or comprehend him as the Aire can comprehend the Sunshine However we must say that Nature is borne in his will and that it is a SEEKING produced out of Eternity for where there is no Will there is also no Desire 6. But in God there is an eternall Will which is himselfe to beget his f Glance or Lustre or brightnesse of his Glory Heart or Sonne and this Will maketh the g Or rousing stirring or proceeding out of the will of the Heart which is a Spirit so that the Eternity consisteth in h 1 Will Father 2 Heart Sonne 3 Proceeding or Efflux holy Ghost three Eternall Formes which are commonly called Persons as we have very accurately i Declared or Expounded explained it in our third Booke 7. Then if we discerne and know that there is not onely Light and Majesty but also Darkenesse as is plaine it behoves us to know whence Darkenesse ariseth 8. For in the Eternity beyond Nature there can be no Darkenesse for there is nothing to bring it forth we must onely looke into the Will and the Desiring for a desiring is attracting 9. And whereas in the Eternity it hath nothing but onely it selfe it draweth it selfe into the Will and maketh the Will full and that is its darkenesse whereas otherwise if it were not desiring it were a Nothing k Or viz. but an eternall stillnesse without l Or Being Essence 10. Thus the Attraction maketh m Moveablenesse Mobility and Essences which otherwise could not be in the stillnesse and so also this maketh n Astringency or bitingnesse harshnesse hardnesse and drouth together with o Acidnesse sharpnesse 11. Neither can we say for all that that the Darkenesse swalloweth up the Light as the Eternall Liberty for that which is Eternall cannot be altered nor changed but yet we must say that Light and Darknesse are in one another 12. Now the Light is good and hath p Or power vertue but the Darkenesse hath the harshnesse hardnesse and coldnesse and the desire of the Will maketh Essences and attracting which is a q Riggling stirring in the hardnesse and if