Selected quad for the lemma: child_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
child_n	breast_n	mother_n	suck_v	2,417	5	10.4894	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28521	The epistles of Jacob Behmen, aliter, Teutonicus philosophus very usefull and necessary for those that read his vvritings, and are very full of excellent and plaine instructions how to attaine to the life of Christ / translated out of the German language.; Correspondence. English. Selections	Böhme, Jakob, 1575-1624.; Ellistone, John, d. 1652.	1649 (1649)	Wing B3404; ESTC R2334	183,592	232

signature whereby the different secret qualities and vertues that are hid in all visible and corporeall things as Mettals Minerals Plants and Hearbes c. may be drawne forth and applyed to their right naturall use for the curing and healing of corrupt and decayed nature and by the powerfull effects and operation that will hence arise all false Sophisticate Artists that soare aloft in their owne contrived Imaginations and tottering experiences may be convinced of their unsound sicke and sandy foundation and moreover this signall fundamentall Centrall knowledge will quicken and revive the life of Divinity so deeply buryed in the painted Sepulchers of Pharisaicall Hypocrisie and Verball formality and settle all Sects and Controversies in Religion on the true ground that so we may come to serve God aright in the true unity of the Spirit and each other in all Christian Love and Righteousnesse In these Epistles there is much seasonable and wholesome Doctrine Instruction and Counsell for a Christian resigned Soule much Consolation for the afflicted under Christs Crosse and also direction how a man shall behave himselfe as a Christian amidst the various Sects and their harsh censures Exhortation to Truth Love and righteousnesse Dehortation from all evill pride envy covetousnesse wrath malice falshood and Cain-like Hypocrisie likewise many Propheticall Passages and Predictions concerning the punishment and severe judgements that are and shall be upon Babel and the Antichrist and all false and wicked Oppressours the most whereof are Printed in a Treatise by themselves called Mercurius Teutonicus In a word Courteous and Christian Reader these Epistles will serve as an Introduction and right information to shew thee what this Author was and whence hee had his great knowledge and upon what ground and centre it is founded and likewise how thou mayst come really to understand the drift and meaning of his Writings and effectually finde the excellent use thereof for art thou learned or unlearned rich or poore Master or Servant Parent or Childe be thou of what Calling Profession Complexion Constellation and Disposition thou wilt Thou mayst finde such knowledge herein as may better and improove thee aright in Christianity Therefore be like to the laborious Bee that seeketh Honey at every Flower and where shee findes it not there shee doth not leave her sharpe Sting so likewise if thou findest that which doth not like thee let it alone and leave not a taunting scoffe and stinging venome of scorne and rash censure behinde thee but rather pray that God would give thee his Holy Spirit to leade thee into all truth and so thou shalt know God in thy Selfe according to that Divine promise they shall all be taught of God and know the Lord John 6. 4 5. Heb. 8. 11. But let the end of all be Love for if thou couldst speake with the tongue of Men and Angells and couldst Prophesse and understand all Mysteries and hadst all Faith yet without Love thou wert but as tinckling Brasse and a sounding Cymball 1 Corinthians 13. It is even this Love that distinguisheth betweene the knowledge of the Devills in Hell for they know beleeve and tremble and the Angels in Heaven and as true Love is a deadly poyson and paine to the Devillish nature of evill Spirits even so is all Selfe-denying Love as a Plague and Pestilence to all sophisticall Pharisaicall Hypocrites who pervert the Gospell of Peace and Love by vaine Distinctions and Heathenish practices Therefore beloved Reader let thy Divine light lead thee unto a Divine life and so enter into the Divine Love the bond of perfection and so thou shalt be made partaker of the Divine nature for God is Love Now therefore let us be mercifull loving and perfect as our Father which is in Heaven is mercifull loving and perfect that so it may be knowne that wee are the Children of the most High who is kinde unto the unthankfull and to the evill And the God of Love so enkindle the fire of his Love in our hearts that it may breake forth in our practice and conversation to the destroying the Thornes and tearing Bryars of vaine contentions that so wee may enjoy the happy fruits of Peace Truth Love and Righteousnesse in all Christian Society one among another Yours in all Service of Christian Love J. E. Toe Scorner seeketh wisedome and findeth it not but knowledge is easie to him that understandeth Prov. 14. 6. A Scorner loveth not one that reproveth him neither will hee goe unto the wise Prov. 15. 12. Knowledge puffeth up but Love Edifieth 1 COR. 8. 1. A Theosophicall LETTER WHEREIN The life of a true CHRISTIAN is described Shewing what a Christian is and how he commeth to be a Christian and likewise what a Titular Nominall or Hystoricall Christian is and how the Faith and Life of each differ The Fountaine of Jesus Christs heart be our quickning consolation renovation and eternall life 1. BELOVED and much respected friend in Christ From a member-like obligation as one branch on the Tree is bound to doe to the other and a fellow-working desire I wish unto you the open well-spring of grace which God in Christ Jesus hath manifested in our humanity so that it may richly spring up in you and the Divine Sun may thereby cast the influence of its Love-beams into the soule and also therewith stirre up and open the great Magnetick hunger of the soule being the true Divine mouth after Christs flesh and blood together with bodily wellfare 2. Being I have often understood by your deare friend D. K. and also observed in my presence with you that you in the drawing of the Father do bear a peculiar thirst and an earnest sincere longing after his life which he out of his highest Love hath manifested in Christ Jesus therefore I would not upon the desire of Mr. D. and also of your selfe omit from a member-like and mutuall obligation to visit and salute you with a short Epistle and so to recreate quicken and refresh my selfe somewhat with you in the same fountaine of the life of Jesus Christ for it is meer joy unto me to perceive that our Paradisicall Corall flourisheth and bringeth forth fruit in my fellow-members to our eternall recreation and delight 3. And hereupon Sir I will declare unto you out of my small gifts and knowledge What a Christian is and wherefore hee is called a Christian Namely that he onely is a Christian who is become capable of this high Title in himselfe and hath resigned himselfe with his inward ground minde and will to the Free grace in Christ Jesus and is in the will of his soule become as a young child that only longeth after the Breasts of the Mother that sincerely panteth after the Mother and sucketh the breasts of the Mother whereof it liveth 4. Even thus also that man is onely a Christian whose soule and minde entereth againe into the first Mother whence the life of man hath its rise Viz. into the

that I also might recrea●e and refresh my selfe a little with you as a fellow●member though absent and yet present in desire and co-operating in the Divine gifts and this upon your desire as formerly is sayd 76. And if my good will should finde place and God would open the doore of his mystery then had I yet haply some other more precious Jewels in my little Treasury in which Time and Eternity may be knowne being ready and willing to tender you my service therein And so I commend you and yours to the sweet and pleasant Love Grace and Will of Jesus Christ A Letter to CASPAR LINDERN Customer at BEVTEN WHEREIN Is described the plaine and simple way which the Author took for the attainment of his high Knowledge ALSO His Censure Judgement and answer concerning diverse Authors of different opinions tending to lead Christians into the excellent and desired way of Love and Union 1. THE open Fountaine in the heart of Jesus Christ refresh us and lead us to himselfe that we may live in his power and rejoyce in him that so wee may Love and understand one another and enter into one onely Will 2. Much respected and discreet Sir my most worthy Friend in the Love and humanity of Jesus Christ my hearty desires from God in Our Immanuel for prosperity upon soule and body premised I give you Sir to understand that I have received your Letter and therein perceive that you are a Seeker and great Lover of the Mystery or of the knowledge of God and doe diligently take care every where to pick up some Divine crums bearing likewise a great desire and hunger after them 3. Which on my part doth highly rejoyce me that God doth thus draw and lead his children as t is written Those who are driven by the spirit of God be the Children of God and as one branch on the Tree doth rejoyce in the other and mutually minister Sap and assistance one to another so likewise doe the children of God in their Tree Jesus Christ And at this my simple person doth exceedingly rejoyce that God in the Fountaine of his heart doth draw us as simple children of our Mother to himselfe even to the right breast and bosome of our Mother that so we should long after him as children after their Mother 4. And whereas my beloved Sir and brother in the love of Christ I see and perceive that you doe thirst after the open Well-spring of Christ and likewise doe enjoy the same according to the will of God yet you doe enquire after the enjoyment of your brethren and desire as a branch on the Tree mutually to recreate refresh and satiate your selfe in them and it is also acceptable to me to impart my Sap and my spirit in my knowledge which God hath given me unto my brethren and members being my fellow-branches in the Tree Jesus Christ and so to rejoyce in them namely in their sap power and spirit● for it is the pleasant food of my soule to perceive that my fellow-branches and members doe flourish in the Paradise of God 5. But I will not conceale from you the simple child-like way which I walke in Christ Jesus for I can write nothing of my selfe but as of a childe which neither knoweth or understandeth any thing neither hath ever been learned but onely that which the Lord vouchsafeth to know in me according to the measure as hee manifests himselfe in me 6. For I never desired to know any thing of the Divine Mystery much lesse understood I the way how to seeke or finde it I knew nothing of it as t is the condition of poore Lay men in their simplicity I sought onely after the heart of Jesus Christ that I might hide my selfe therein from the wrathfull anger of God and the violent assaults of the Devill and I besought the Lord earnestly for his holy spirit and his grace that he would be pleased to blesse and guide me in him and take that away from me which did turne me away from him and I resigned my selfe wholy to him that I might not live to my owne will but to his and that hee onely might lead and direct me to the end that I might be his Child in his Son Jesus Christ 7. In this my earnest Christian seeking and desire wherein I suffered many a shrewd repulse but at last being resolved rather to put my life to utmost hazard then to give over and leave off the Gate was opened unto me that in one quarter of an houre I saw and knew more then if I had been many yeares together at an University at which I did exceedingly admire and I knew not how it happened to me and thereupon I turned my heart to praise God for it 8. For I saw and knew the Being of all Beings the Bysse and Abysse also the birth or eternall Generation of the holy Trinity the descent and originall of this World and of all creatures through the Divine Wisedome I knew and saw in my selfe all the three Worlds Namely the Divine Angelicall and Paradisicall World and then the darke World being the originall of Nature to the Fire And then thirdly the eternall and visible World being a procreation or extern birth or as a substance expressed or spoken forth from both the internall and spirituall Worlds and I saw and knew the whole Being or working Essence in the Evill and in the Good and the mutuall originall and existence of each of them and likewise how the Pregnant Mother brought forth so that I did not onely greatly wonder at it but did also exceedingly rejoyce 9. And presently it came powerfully into my minde to set the same downe in writing for a Memoriall to my selfe albeit I could very hardly apprehend the same in my externall Man and expresse it with the Pen yet however I must begin to labour in these great Mysteryes as a Childe that goeth to Schoole I saw it as in a great Deep in the internall for I had a thorow view of the Universe as in a CHAOS wherein all things are couched and wrapt up but it was impossible for mee to explicate and unfold the same 10. Yet it opened it selfe in me from time to time as in a young Plant albeit the same was with me for the space of twelve yeares and I was as it were Pregnant withall and found a powerfull driving and instigation within me before I could bring it forth into an externall forme of writing which afterward fell upon me as a sudden showre which hitteth whatsoever it lighteth upon just so it hapned to me whatsoever I could apprehend and bring into the externall principle of my mind the same I wrote downe 11. However afterward the Sun did shine on me a good while but not in a continuall constant manner for when the same did hide it selfe I scarce knew or well understood my owne labour or Writings so that man must acknowledge that his knowledge

Reason or to bee moved at the proud censure and judgement of the same so as thereby to condemne or despise the gifts of any Man for hee that doth so contemneth the spirit of God 34. These Authors which you mention and others besides concerning which you desire my judgement whom I have not read all but in part I desire not to judge or despise them God forbid let that be farre from me albeit they have not all written in one style and forme of expression For the knowledge is diverse and manifold yet it behoveth me to try according to my gifts their hear● and will but seeing I finde that their heart and spirit doth flow and spring from one and the same Centre namely from the spirit of Christ therefore I rest my selfe contented on the Centre and commend the expression to the Highest Tongue Viz. To the spirit of Gods wisedome which through the wisedome doth open and reveale to every one according to the measure and manner as hee pleaseth 35. I judge none and to condemne any is a false and Idle arrogancy and vaine prating the spirit of God himselfe judgeth all things if that be in us what need we care for prating I much rather rejoyce at the gifts of my brethren if they have had other manner of gifts to hold forth then I should I therefore judge them 36. Doth any hearb flower or tree say unto the other thou art sowre and darke I will not stand by thee Have they not all one Mother whence they grow Even so all soules proceed from One and all men from one why then doe we boast and glory to be the children of God notwithstanding that we are more unwise then the Flowers and Hearbs of the field is it not so with us Doth not God impart and reveale his wisedome to us diversly As he bringeth forth and manifesteth the Tincture of the Mystery in the Earth through the Earth with faire plants even so in us Men we should rather congratulate and heartily love one another that God revealeth his wisedome so variously in Vs but he that judgeth condemneth and contemneth in a wicked way he onely runneth on in pride to shew himselfe and to be seen and is the Oppressou● in Babel a perverse stickler that stirreth up contention and strife 37. The true Tryall of Gods Children is this which we may securely and safely follow namely an humble heart that neither seeketh nor honoureth it selfe but continually seeketh the good of his brother in Love that seekes not after its owne profit pleasure and applause but after righteousnesse and the feare of God The plaine and single way to come unto God is this so farre as is made knowne to me Viz. That man depart from his sinfull courses and make with himselfe an earnest constant purpose never to goe on any more in those sinnes which he hath committed and in his forsaking and turning away from them not to despaire and doubt of Gods grace 38. And albeit that reason suggesteth doubts whereby a sinner is terrified and stands amazed and astonished at the Anger of God yet let the will onely in all simplicity and unfeigned sincerity directly cast it selfe into the mercy of God and wholly lye downe and shrowd it self in the suffering and death of Christ and surrender it self to God through Christ as a child that betakes it selfe unto the lapp● of the Mother which willeth to doe onely that which is the will of the Mother it doth onely cry and call unto the Mother it alwayes hopes to receive its refreshment from the Mother and it only longs after the breasts of the Mother even so must our desire be wholly and onely turned and directed to our first Mother from whom we in Adam departed and went into Selfe-Will 39. Therefore Christ saith Vnlesse you be converted and become as Children you cannot see the Kingdome of God Also you must be borne againe that is we must wholly disclaime and depart from our own Reason and come againe into resignation and selfe-denyall into the bosome of our Mother and give over all Disputings and as it were stupifie or mortifie our Reason that the spirit of the Mother Viz. of the Eternall Word of God may get a forme in us and blow up or enkindle the Divine life in us that so we may find our selves in the spirit of the Mother in the Cradle if we desire to be taught and driven by God 40. And if we will be taught and driven of God then we must arise againe from the Cradle and wholly submit and give up our selves unto him that so Gods spirit may be in us wholly both the will and the Deed that we may acknowledge the knowledge to be his and not ours that he only may be our Knowing 41. We must take no thought or sollicitous care what we are to know and how we will know but we must meerly enter into the Incarnation and birth of Jesus Christ and into his suffering and death and continually with all willingnesse tread in his footsteps and follow him and think that we are here onely upon our Pilgrams path where we must walke through a dangerous way and enter againe in Christ on the narrow way into our native Countrey whence Adam hath led us astray in this way onely lyeth the Pearle of the Mysterium magnum or the Jewell of the great Mystery all studying Book-reading seeking searching and grounding on our Received Principles or Orthodox apprehensions besides and without this way are but dead meanes and obtaine not the Virgins Crowne or the Pearle of Sophia but gather together heaps of thistles and thornes which sting and gall the Children of God 42. Therefore deare Sir seeing you have desired my knowledge and judgement I have no better counsell and advice to impart unto you then to shew you the way which I my selfe walke in and upon which way the Gate was opened to me so that I am learned without learning aforehand for all Arts and Sciences come from God he findeth all things in and for man 43. I have no controversie with the Children of God by reason of the variety and diversity of their gifts I can reconcile them all in my selfe I can make a good construction and understanding of them to my selfe I onely bring them to the Centre and there I have the proofe and touchstone of all things Now then if you will imitate and follow me then you shall find it so by experience and afterward perhaps better understand what I have written 44. A reall true Christian hath no controversie or contention with any body for in the resignation in Christ he dyeth from all controversie and strife he asketh no more after the way to God but wholly surrenders himselfe to the Mother namely unto the spirit of Christ and whatsoever it doth with him it is all one to him be it prosperity or adversity in this World life or death it is all