improperly may be called an Immortal Death being a Death to the Glorious second Holy light Principle 3. The Soul is taken sometimes for the two first Principles I saw the Souls of them who had been slain c. for here the third Principle was asleep Sometimes it 's taken for the whole Man If thou wilt make thy Soul an Offering for Sin c. The Lord Jesus offered up all the three Principles meant here by his Soul and as was shadow'd by the whole burnt Sacrifice But in this Question Soul is restrained only to the first Principle because other Questions particularly reach the other two The above brief Answer may here suffice because Jacob Behmen so largely resolveth it in the Answer of the first of the Forty Questions of the Soul Q. 40. What is the Immortal Life in Man viz. the Soul and what is the outward Life in him A. 1. The Principle of Man's Immortal Life is what the Answer of the last foregoing Question renders it that is a Life sprung from the wrestling of the first four Forms of the first Principle They generate a strong stern eager sting prickle poison Life or bitter Root which as doth the Gall in living Bodies strikes up or enkindles Life 2. This being rooted in the Eternal Beginning or from the Eternal Abyss of the Father's Property can never find End or limit of Race But Either is according to the Fountain and Essence of its own Nature dark raging and fierce for ever or in the Holy Principle of Love in the Light World happy for ever 3. It must now be told what the outward Life of this World in Man is and must be sadly acknowledged to be Earthy and Sensual here is the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and Pride of Life So that it may be said Shut the â—ive Windows that our House may be truly Light within 4. The Beasts live as Man doth having all the five Senses as he in some of them more sharp also some of them extend the Thread of their time to greater Measure are generally more exempt from Sickness wholly Privileged from careful Perturbations in good Measure without fear of future Events or Sorrow c. 5. So that Mans outward Life or third Principle as now it is from first to last renders him of all Creatures the most Miserable And his restless striving to satiate the Lusts of this Worlds Spirit by Wealth Greatness c. is an additional Sorrow and Vexation which some of the Ancients skilfully mitigated by wise Moderation and Contentation 6. Who sees not how much more grievous this Pilgrimage and Travel is to Man than to any other Creature Because his Creator made him for the Excellent Holy Sweet Paradisical Life Even as Hell is most intolerable to Evil Angels and lost Men who were created to be Inhabitants of Heaven whereas it is no Wo to those horrible Creatures that figure the fierceness of the Properties for that is their Life 7. Yet it is true the poor Brute Animals groan under the Curse Man subjected them to for they should have been harmless Figures of the Astral and Elementary Powers 8. To conclude the Answer of this Question let it be seriously considered That if Man will think to feed his Immortal Principle with Mortal Food viz. his Soul with this third Principle he doth as a cruel Murtheress who to still her unhappy Nurse-Child instead of Food amuses its Eyes with Objects and its Ears with Sounds and answers its hungry Laments with louder Noises till she hath forced it to sleep who so pines and destroys it 9. But the Love of God in Jesus Christ is the true real Food of the Soul it is true not like Shews and Sounds which are delusive also real and substantial not a Shadow which every thing here else is as to the Soul This Love as Food generateth its like in the Soul and strengthensit This Love as Physick Purgeth out all other Love and it reigneth and remaineth for ever Q. 41. What is the Idea or exact express reflex Image of God in Man wherein God worketh and dwelleth A. If a Volume were written to Answer this Question as well might be by reason of the Excellency and Importance of the Subject yet still it would be as under Locks and Seals from the fallen Adam until he enter into the Knowledge at the right Door of that he lost by his Fall 1. The Doctrine of the Resurrection was call'd Babling by the studious Athenians for Man is dead to the Holy Divine Image and in all who so abide the outward Astral Spirit and Elementary Body is the only Bridle of Suspension and Mitigation of the hellish Image or dark Principle 2. But had Man no more he were in no better state than the brute Beasts for in the Astral and Elementary they are in common with Man and in the dark Principle he is one with the Evil Angels 3. Yet so exceeding Great and Adorable was God's Grace Love and Pity that the same Grace was like a Seed inspoken into him at the Fall which in all by whom Obedience is yielded beareth Fruit to Eternal Life but it lyes as Dead in such who bury it under the Dominion of the Astral Spirit or that choak it under the Thorns of the Elementary Body 4. And all Impenitent Rejecters of God's regenerating Grace how subtle and studiously penetrating soever have no part nor lot in this Matter but are absolute Strangers guided by an unreasonable Model of Humane Reason resulting from the Information of the Sences twisted with the Maxims of Serpentine Wisdom 5. Nevertheless the Poor in Spirit that dyeth to its own Will and Lusts hath lively Characters of the Idea of the Divine Image and Birth for such a dying enters the Soul into the first Resurrection 6. God's Image is not in the Earthquakes of the first Principle nor in the Lightning and Thunders of the third Principle but most nearly in the small still voice of the Proclaiming his Gracious Merciful Long suffering Name for that is the second Holy Principle 7. And this speaking Almighty Word cannot be more than stammer'd by words no more than Omnipotence can be comprehended by Concrets With what Eye can a Sinner behold the unexpressible loveliness of That ravishing Face where dwells That Majesty which is the Express Image of the Father and before whom the Angels cover their Faces I must say when a drop of that Ocean of Love and Mercy blesseth my Soul I melt I stammer I am astonished Lord what is Man 8. God's exact Image consisteth of all the three Principles The first and third in perfect Order being thorowly illustrated by the second The mighty longing of the first like a Hunger produceth or begetteth the meek Will and glorious Majestick Principle of Light according to which God is called God And of the longing and will proceedeth the desiring which is a Love-spirit producing Millions and Miriads to Infinity of Variety
he was then as tho' two dead Bodies come not of their own accord one to the other they may be brought together but they embrace not each other and being parted again grieve not 2. Man is what he wills for the Magical power of the Will especially if it be strengthened by the Astral Spirit is by far an over-match to the Elementary as is the Eternal Soul to the Astral now and especially after dying of the Body Therefore when Adam and Eve's will were gone into the Out-birth of the third principle the Lord tells him Dust thou art 3. Lot's Wife looking back was a captivating her self again so directly against Gods goodness and Mercy that it is said Remember Lot's Wife And is a figure of all Apostates like those Israelites after the Babylonish Captivity who returned to Egypt to their own destruction 4. Thus those who in their simplicity are come a little way out of the Antcihristian Yoak and Cheats yet suffering themselves to be drawn back by the advantages of this World are near Lot's Wife's condition So the Israelites long'd for the Flesh-pots And Demas and Judas drew back to perdition Q. 93. Wherefore did the Daughters of Lot lye with their Father and first made him Drunk that they might be with Child by their Father whence arose two Potent Nations what doth this Figure signifie A. Such as can see no more in Noah's Drunkenness than what the Letter recorded nor in this of Lot but the Incest c. would make the Holy Scripture to be only a bare Narrative like other common Histories 1. But the figure of Lot shews how Adam and in him we all went out of the Paradisical order into the Bestiality of the Out-birth whereby we were overwhelmed and as one drunk and hath made his and our propagation so far estranged from the Divine purity in which Adam before the dividing of the Tinctures should have propagated his holy Race as may be best figur'd by inordinate incestious Bestial Lust. 2. And wheteas this came in his sleep shews the sleep of Adam and our death neither of which should have been had the Divine order been observed 3. Again as of this came two potent Nations Moab and Ammon we see how near of Kin the faln impure incestuous bastard brood of faln Mankind are to the holy Seed the Lord Incarnate for Lot was Abram's Brother Ha ran's Son so they were of Consanguinity as betwixt Abraham the Man of the Covenant and Lot the Figure of the Lords sacred ones and redeemed of whom came these Incestuous productions 4. For Ammon and Moab were not so forreign to Israel but that God commended to them the care of his people to be their covert from the spoiler in requital of Abraham's rescuing Lot from the four Kings 5. This openeth a Door of hope to all the faln Mankind tho' in Adam sinfully conceived as David confesseth yet the Covenant placeth it self in and near unto us viz. in our Souls and the Lord himself humbled himself to become our Brother 6. And lastly Whereas the two Daughters of Lot did this to preserve a holy Seed of their Father which was but an impure Bastard Seed thereby they figured Eve who thought her first-born had been the holy promised Seed saying I have got a Man the Lord which was Cain the accursed Seed Q. 94 What doth the figure of Moses signifie that he must be drawn out of the River or Lake of Water and be preserved to such a great Office The Sixth Grand Distribution A. 1. What can figure the wretchedness misery and helpless state of all faln Adams woful Offspring more to the Life than Moses lying in an Ark of Bulrushes amongst the Flags in the River Nilus Where neither his Father or Mother after they had hidden him three Months could better provide for him 2. To an Infant cast out in the Green Field was even Jerusalem compared but this figure was something more for the Field will support the Body but not the Water without an Ark. The Earth also hath besides Men several Creatures that may shew kindness to an out-cast Infant but the Water hath none also that River wanteth not devouring Creatures He was sentenc'd to die as soon as he was born his very Existence was a Capital Crime 3. The figure thus considered hath these express significations viz. 1. Moses his so forlorn Estate is the true circumstance of every Child of Adam 2. Amram and Jochebed are Adam and Eve 3. Pharaoh Gods severe Justice 4. Pharaoh's Daughter the Divine Virgin Sophia 5. Her Maid Servant the Inspoken Grace in us and outwardly the Prophets Apostles and Preachers of Righteousness 6. The Ark of Bulrushes all the conveniences our first Parents could leave us 7. The Sister of Moses our dearly affectionate Guardian Angel 8. The River the dissolution and mortality of our Astral and Elementary Man 9. The devouring Crocodiles the Evil Angels 10. His being drawn out saved nursed and honoured the Regeneration 4. The figure tells us that all Persons and Nations Jerusalem as others are by the heavy Fall as wretchedly helpless in as absolute peril and of themselves as ignorant of the same as was that out cast Infant With this grand addition that as they grow in the wisdom of the World they wade deeper into the miry Flags are more hazarded and sinfully hardned till in a moment they go down into the Grave as a prey to the Destroyer 5 Virgin Sophia stirs up the Inspoken Grace by the Ministry ordinarily of the outward publishers of the Glad-tydings whereby Man is carefully nursed and safely preserved notwithstanding the Decree gone forth against him by the severe Justice from perishing by the River or evil Monsters the mortality of our Astral and Elementary Man from the Devils 6. And the sweet loving blessed Angels figur'd by the Sister of Moses are concerned Spectators of our calamitous state and willingly ready by their Ministry to help save and retrieve us But all such dark obstinate Men and Women who will not quit their Ark of Bulrushes but load themselves with the slime and be defiled with the pitch wherewith it is covered do grow unactive and unweldy as to Divine Works and stick faster and sink deeper into the filth becoming an unavoidable prey to the Destroyers Out of which perswade us O Lord to suffer our selves to be drawn Q. 95. Why did the Lord appear to Moses in a fiery flaming Bush when he chose him A. 1. It hath been often shew'd that Man's Fall was his going into the third Principle or Out birth therefore did God doom him to the toiling about Earth which was by the Curse made Barren for the first Principle meekned and glorified by the Properties of the second doth where it entreth into the third Principle triumphantly make it a Paradise 2. But the afflicted Sons of Abraham groan'd under the toil of the third Principle which they inherited from Adam
Name 5. But Lucifer making an harsh jarring Tone and changing his Golden Letters into black of poysonous composition raced himself and his whole Hierarchy out of that fair Record Then did the creating Word speak or incert and interline Man into that part of the Book out of which Lucifer and his Angels had been raced which with the additional skill of Interliners had the Out-principle as an adjunct to him this was the second race of Intellectuals 6. And tho' the skill of the speaking Word were perfect yet as usually it is in Interlinings the obliterated Letters had left some flaws or scratches tho' not in the holy Book yet in the adjunct shadower or cover viz. the Out-birth which being new bound and the lacerated pieces cemented in the cover rested such stains and rents that thereof came the perillous poysonous stinging Animals and Vegetables and Beasts of prey bearing the impressions of the clauses of the dark World 7. Whereinto when Man fell their contagion so affected him that he could not sound a due consonance to the Harmonious Dialect of the Holy Book which as to him became so closed and sealed that he could not read open nor so much as look thereon But as Men Illiterate cannot Spell nor Read so the Language of Nature of the Heavenly Holy World our true Mother Tongue was lost he had no Ears to hear the Angelical Ravishing Voices nor Tongue to utter it till the Fiery Cloven Tongues descended 8. Now come we to the Holy Language it self which if any could speak would not some say this Man is full of new Wine But we may mournfully tell of our Losses easierthan regain them we must say that Language was one and but one For its Nature it is pure for its extent it is comprehensive of all and therefore no wonder all understood it for its power it hath Authoritatively Omnipotence in it actually or executively it hath the Keys of Life and Instruments of Death this Word slew Ananias and Sappâ—ira and freed Tabitha from the Bonds of Death 9. Now as in Mens ordinary Affairs the Reason and Understanding prevail to move the Mind so that after Debate a Will is formed this Will is the Result of all consideration and is the Man the Soul the Spirit the Body the Passions Affections all make one Intire Will and the Magical driving power of all this becomes the Word this Word is the Executive Instrument and not barely the Herauld of the Soul or whole Man It is the Energy and expressed Vigor of all the Powers wherefore it is said By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned for the word is the work and the worker 10. Thus and no otherwise is the Divine Language which the Holy Ghost opened in the Apostles viz. the Result and Law or Abridgment of all the Powers of the hidden Holy World it was the Opener of all Doors the Epitomy of all Openings the understanding of which is offered by this simile 11. The Intricacies of the perverted perplexed confused Tongues in the multiplicity is compared to the Night season when a Man can only see the House or Room that contains him and that not without the aid of Fire or Candle Light where is much shadow many uncertainties some colours not distinguishable And the explicating opening and voice of the holy one Language is compared to the Noon-day which shews every thing at once without Door and within 12. Thus the Divine Word or Language comprehends all opens all Doors therefore was it that all Nations understood them for the unity contains the multiplicity as every Genus doth every of its own Species or as the Element of Fire doth every Spark of Fire This hath the Life of all openings as the Vowels are the Spirit of the whole Alphabet All the sounds Musical or otherwise are contained in three and in seven both Concords and Discords All Voices or Tones expressing the Passions and Affections in the two Extreams of Joy and Sorrow and the Mean of Equiponderating Solemnity of Humane Creatures or others are comprised in the sixth Fountain Spirit or property of the Eternal Nature and must have its efficacy in every formation Q. 147. What doth this shedding forth of the Holy Ghost out of Christs Resurrection and Ascention to Heaven profit or benefit us How may that be also effected in us A. 1. When the Epâ—esians who had been Baptized by John were ask'd Have ye received the Holy Ghost since you be ieved Answer'd We have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost they may not be thought wholly ignorant of the Eternal Existence of the Holy Ghost for all the Holy Men from the Creation were guided by him But that these knew not of this glorious and plentiful Effasion of the Holy Ghost on the whole Assembly 2. And now how the pouring forth of the Holy Ghost profits us is not only that records deliver this to us as once done in them but that the same is vouchsafed more or less Eminently as those sacred Visits are more or less welcom'd by joyful Obedience or grieved by stubborn Resistance For as the precious Ointment going down to the Hem of Aaron's Vesture is not said to be spilt on the Rocks or sterile Earth so neither doth the Holy Spirit always strive with Gaâ—sayeâ—s 3. Again the coming of the Holy Ghost out of Christs Death and Resurrection profits us also that whereas it finds us in as many pieces as there are Properties in Nature and drawn by as many contradictory wills as there are subordinate Species in those Properties figâ—â—'d by the confused Languages at Babel this Holy Spirit unites us as Fire unites all sorts of Fuel into a like Flame 4. Thus it found some of them in one form and extream some in another some Busied with Curiosities others Brutishly Ignorant and Remiss some seeking by fraud or otherwise to establish their particular propriety some making Ambitious Designs their Idol c. The sacred Spirit putting out their several false Fires and Gloworm fictitious Light brought them and willeth to bring us into one Kingdom by one Spirit to mind the same things leads us by one will to be imploy'd in one work for our scatter'd Interests extravagant Desires and private selfish Contrivances must as Rubbish be removed before the Lords House be Erected or as Weeds be eradicated before the good Seeds flourish 5. 'T is true our Humane Powers and the Spirit of the great World in us and the Tincture convey'd us thereby may be used by the Almighty Architect as unhew'd Timber rough stone and other Materials whereof to frame a Building like as the Principles and Properties were extracted out of the first Chaos So may our confusions be consecrated and made conducible to the work of the new Creation which is effected in us by dying of our first wilful desires For by giving up the might of our first principle into the Intellectual
stretch beyond the sphere of his own activity and what if it be said an Angel can do but so were he to speak it for all Eternal Creatures live either in the holy or prophane Worlds or in both They that live in the Light-World as far as they see the Centre of the Dark-World in themselves may speak and no farther viz not what That Darkness is in others or what the perplexed Hellish Charms Cheats and Intricacies are for the Holy ones live far above them and the Battle managed by Michael and his Angels against the Dragon and his is not with the Dragons Weapons but with the quite contrary As bright Torches â—ight with black Vapours or the starry Region with opposing Exhalations 7. We must come then to consider them who live in both Dark and Light making a third Principle by their mixed production and in them may be found the figure of an Umpire or Interpreter As he who reads two Languages can tell him who knows neither what is written in both if he hath the Tongue also That third person is of Thus was it the first Adam could give names to all Creatures for he had the Properties of them all in himself either according to the Forms of his first Principle or according to the Astral Powers of his third wherein he was infallible having the splendor of the second for his Guide but his departure from his Pure State degraded him of the Judicatory as a man is deprived in the night of the view of what the Sun priviledged him with or as one immured in a dark Cavern sees not what a lofty Mountain gave him prospect of or as Nebuchadnezzar ceased as to Royalty when he had only a Beasts heart 8. And in this State all Adams posterity find themselves as of themselves ignorant of the Creator and therefore also strangers to themselves and rightly knowing nothing Therefore the Son of the Virgin that he might be the Light of the World brought again the Virgin Image into the Humanity openeth the pure Eye and gives such a proportion of discriminating Wisdom as our hunger adapts and capacitates us for in the Regeneration hence it 's written the Spiritual Man judgeth all things but he himself is judged of no man But to which of the Angels hath God said at any time Be thou a Judge Those glorious and mighty Agents are Princes in one only Principle viz. the Holy Divine One not in the first nor third tho some of them are enthroned according to the Holy Impression of Potence in the first and others have the Dominion according to the Infinite Variety of the third Principle but all breath only the Air of the second yet are neither the one Hierarchy or the other Judges of Men or Devils While yet the Lord saith of his Twelve they should sit on twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes and our Apostle saith Know you not that we shall judge Angels viz. Evil Angels 9. Now to say how this Judgment is effected It 's answered 1. The Principles and Properties are all wide open unto the second Adam for out of them He created every World as without Him was not any thing made that was made and this as He is the Son of God before whom all Worlds and Individuals drawing Air and living of in or from either Principle or Property shall stand at That day and ever did as open as a City on a Hill 2. The Principle and Properties are all really in Him as He is the Son of Man and His throughly penetrating them is a consequence of His perfect knowing Himself His own Heavenly Humanity 3. The Principles and Properties will be at That day known to each other as well as each to its self Now is the Dark World much hidden from the Light World and the Light wholly incomprehensible to the Dark Now also the Hellish and Heavenly Principles are under a disguise so that men catch at the Bait of the Dark World and eschew and flie the cross leading to the Holy World The Treasures of Egypt weigh down the Reproach of Christ. But then shall the Principles and the Good and Evil of the Properties be so open to the Holy Children that they may penetrate and contemplate the Wrath Kingdom without being impressed incited or imposed upon by it and they shall view contemn scorn and judge the fixt Enmity of those burning in the Wrath of the Dark Central Fire Then also the Love flame of the Holy Virgin Souls united to their raised glorified Bodies shall be so evident to the Vassals of the inimicitious World as may fully convince them to their eternal anguish and shame what kind of Birth-right Glory Felicity and Blessedness which must endure to perpetuity they profanely desperately and madly sold and exchanged for a Mess of Pottage and Death in the Pot for faded painted imaginary Toys Trifles and Cheats 10. But what need more to convince of the Truth that there must be such a day or to shew the order how it is effected seeing the Holy Scriptures abound with Accounts of This Judgment which is spoken of where it is call'd a fearful looking for of Judgment Again the Judgment was set c. may have boldness in the day of Judgment Heb. 10. 27. Dan. 7. 10. c. 1 Joh. 4. 17. Mat. 11. 22. 2 Pet. 2. 9. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Pet. 2. 3. Also see the Answer of J. B. to the 30th of the 40 Questions concerning the Soul and the 27th Chapter of the three Principles Q. 172. How is the Resurrection of the dead effected What riseth again A. 1. It may justly be complained that reading is opprest with excess of enlarged Writings being therein as unsuccessfully transgressive as the hopes of the Hypocrite to be heard for his much speaking It therefore seems more suitable to the shortness of Mans Life straitness of his leisure discomposure of his Spirits feebleness of his penetrating faculty and weakness of his retention to avoid all vain repetitions and commend the reperusal of things once read as the most ready rather than to new shape many ways that which is but one thing and once done already In order therefore to the clearing of this Answer let it be considered what Adam was before his Fall which is discoursed in the 45 Answer Next what dire Effects that Fall of his had treated of in the 69 Aeswer Again what Man 's Death and Resurrection is as in the 6th verse of the 121 Answer And what Man 's faln State Death Christs Resurrection and raising of Man and what of him riseth are which is the substance of the whole 16 verses of the 134 Answer So that the Answer is made before this Question comes in its Order here to be considered 2. Yet because I dare not dismiss this important Doctrine being so much opposed even at this very day not only by many Hellish Atheists transforming themselves into Brutish Animals but not understood by some pretending
in our Humanity but Christ would have it for a Natural Right 4. By Canaan understand the holy Chrystalline World or Earth which shall be manifest 5. By the two fold Cave or Pit of Machpelah is signified Man hath a two fold Humanity one out of the Divine Ens and Heavenly Essence the other out of time this Worlds substance both which should be put into an Eternal Sepulchre and lye in its original Mother leaving the one will in Death so that God might alone live rule and will in the Soul and Mans Life be only his Instrument For the Soul hath turn'd itself aside from the only Eternal Word into self-hood This Distemper and unlikeness must be buried and put again into a two fold Cave and thence come into the Temperature the Essence whence the Body and Soul did arise CHAP. L. Of Abraham's sending his Servant for a Wife for Isaac 1. ABraham is herein the Figure of God the Father Isaac in that of Christ Abraham's Servant in that of Nature The Canaanites in that of the introduced Serpents Ens the Besâ—ial Man which shall not Inherit Here God makes his Servant Nature by whom he governeth Essentially bind itself that it will not introduce the Serpents Ens the dark Worlds Bestial Canaanitish Property for Gods Childrens Yoke-fellow but Nature must take substance out of Abraham's true Humane Essence in pure Love of the Heavenly Matrix that so the New Birth might be holy in its Virginity as to the inward Man 2. Nature saith How if c. viz. the right Humane Ens will not follow me And God said Beware c. viz. go not according to thy Reason but an Angel shall go before thee viz. the Divine Will for self-will and reason must not Lord it but Nature must be a Servant do as it is commanded and commit it to God to bring on the â—ternal Marriage But iâ— the Humane Will will not follow the Messenger hath discharged his Office The Rain ascends not up again without Fruit Nature must declare that God hath given Christ all his Goods and now desireth Man to be his Wife And the Servant sware c viz. When God put his Holy Word with the formed Wisdom into the Natural Ens of Mary then the Humane Nature sware Obedience 3. And the Servant took ten Camels and went to the City of Nahor in Mesopotamia viz. the ten Forms of the three Principles to the Natural and Supernatural Life viz. seven Forms of the Centre of Nature and three Forms of the three distinctions of the Principles which are they whereby God causeth all things and the Goods of the Lord are the formed Wisdom of the great Wonders and Powers 4. And the Servant caused the Camels to kneel by the Well near the City at Evening At or in the last time or days of the World The will of the Fathers Nature the Mystery of the Nature of the three Principles the Carriers of the formed Word hath laid it self down by the Well-spring of God the Divine Fountain 5. The Silver and Golden Jewels Bracelets and Ear-rings given to Rebekah signifie the Heavenly Humanity of Jesus Christ which is not given wholly into the power of the Fire-soul in this Life lest it become haughty as Lucifer and Adam but Virgin Sophia meant by Rebekah remaineth with her Bridegroom Christ in the second Principle 6. The Spices signifie the Holy Spirit Then they sate down to eat viz. the Marriage Feast the Joy whereof none but the Children of Christ know And when Rebekah saw Isaac c. When the disappear'd Humanity discovers Christ in it self it falleth into deepest Humility and is ashamed vailing its Face before Gods Holiness and Clarity that it hath lain so long Captive in the Bestial Man but Christ taketh it into his Arms and leadeth it into his Mothers Tent into the Heavenly Worlds Essence And then was Isaac comforted for his Mother for the disappeared Matrix which was lost in Adam now re-obtain'd in Virgin-like Chaâ—tity for his Spouse CHAP. LI. Of Abraham's taking Keturah to Wife and of his Six Sons and Death 1. ABraham was old when he had Isaac to shew Christ was to be in the old Age of the World and Sarah was old that so the Divine Ens might have the preheminence over the Humane and she must have but one for so is Christ and all are Branches in the one Tree viz. Christ in all 2. But Abraham by Keturah had six Sons signifying the six Properties of the formed Nature the operation of the six days Isaac viz. Christ is the seventh the Sabbath Of these six sprang six Nations to them he gave gifts of his Goods tho' not the In eritance yet had the free Gift of Grace So every Man hath Christ as the free Gift of Grace in him none predestinated to destruction for by those six are signified all Adam's Children 3. In the right Adamical Man out of which the Earth had its Original is the Covenant of the Free gift but the own-self-made-gross-earthy Adam who by Lust made himself a Beast is not capable of the Gift in the Covenant but the right Man as a Tincture in gross Lead mortifieth the Saturnine will and changeth it into Gold swalloweth up the gross Man viz. the dark Worlds Property 4. The Jews Christians and Heathens have all this Gift and Christ is the only available obedience all Men therefore who give up themselves in obedience to God are received in Christs obedience for Names are not accepted 5. My believing that Christ was Born Died and Rose for me makes me not a Christian but I must put on Christ enter into his Obedience and Sacrifice arise in him and Live in him 6. When Abraham had brought his Lifes Forms into right order he resigned up himself into Mortification tired with the Life of self reâ—â—ed in God CHAP. LII The History of Isaac Birth of Esau and Jacob. 1. AFter Abraham's Death God blessed Isaac and he lived by the Well Labairoi viz. the Well of Living and Seeing his Soul dwelt by the Fountain of Divine Love The desire of the Soul is the Fiat which takes the holy Love Tincture into it self and makes it Essential as the Metalline Ens gives its deâ—ire into the Suns Tincture that out of them both the fair and precious Gold is generated So doth the Deity inhabit in the Soul and co worketh but is not comprehended 2. The Souls Magical Fire by the Divine Love desire is inkindled into a shining Lustre so doth the Souls Magical Fire become the Bridegroom to the precious Sophia but the Mortal Soul from the Stars or four Elements attains it not in this Life but that Soul that cometh from the Centre of the Eternal Nature out of the Divine Lubet through the Word whereby the Divine longing formeth the Wisdom into Substance This Soul is that which is betrothed to Sophia 3. Ishmael had twelve Sons six of the Inward
is also written God sware by two Immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye And because he could Swear by no greater he Sware by himself That Blessing he would Bless Abraham And Curse him that Cursed Abraham Here are two Principles clearly express'd and both called Immutable The one Wrath and Fury and a consuming Fire The other Love Meekness and Light ineffable Had Man stood in his Primitive State totally resigned to the Divine Love he had not known the Principle of Wrath but it had remained more hidden than the bitterness of the Root is in the most pleasant Fruit. But when Man was fallen into the state of Evil and Good the Infinite Love of God descends in order to restore him and then sets before him Blessings on the one hand and Cursings on the other These great Truths are at large treated of and explained and by them we are Taught what Use and Improvement to make thereof How can we tell what God's Mercy is till we come to know him that is Merciful And what Christ's Merits are till we know Christ in us and him Crucified For if we content our selves with an Historical Knowledge it is to be feared it will be attended with an Hypocritical Obedience The Law that all true Christians ought to square their Actions by is the New Commandment else they are not known to be Christ's Disciples All those worthy Instruments that have Taught or Writ from the Holy Aointing directed their Hearers or Readers to him that is the true Teacher that they might receive their Knowledge from the same Root with themselves And then unto such they wanted no Epistle of Recommendation they being their Epistle written with the Spirit of the Living God not in Tables of Stone but in the fleshly Tables of the Heart known and read of all Men. To such the Language of the Scriptures comes to be more clear and can discern the Correction Instruction and Comfort held forth in them and how they are able to furnish the Man of God to every good Work Also why there is no Ability in them to furnish any man else but as they Convert and become new Men. The great Affair of Man's Happiness depending upon the Conversion of his Will for as the first Man by turning his Will from God into this World from the Unity and Harmony he at first was placed in and so was truly Honourable into Multiplicity Selfhood Lust and Enmity thereby became an abominate to God's Holiness attracting a Bestial Body and a Mind darkned Ignorant and Estranged from God It is real Resignation that brings a Death upon Self-hood and that must continually be performed that the Enmity being mortified the resigned Will may become an Instrument in God's Hand to be agitated thereby for his Servants we are whom we yield Obedience unto Here ariseth the strife and warfare in Man The Corrupt Will in Self-hood accounts it folly and madness to submit to Death when the Pleasures and Voluptuousness of this VVorld might be lived in and injoyed But the resigned sees that as at first it precipitated Man from that Happy state in which he was placed so the tendency and end thereof is to fill us with Eternal sorrow and misery Thus it is to become Fools that we may be made VVise and Poor that we may be made Rich as having Nothing yet possessing all things This is the State which Reason's splendid Schools Do nominate the Paradise of Fools Whatever specious Pretences to Religion may be made by any though very fair and beautiful to shew where this corrupt Will in Self-hood is unmortified and the Path of Resignation not trod that Religion is vain deceitful and destructive As the Prophet Isaiah declared in the Name of the Lord For as much as this people draw near me with their Mouth and with their Lips do honour me but have removed their Heart far from me and their fear towards me is taught by the Precepts of Men Therefore the Wisdom of their Wisemen shall perish and the Understanding of their Prudent Men shall be hid Our Saviour reciting this place of the Prophet saith But in vain do they Worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men. The Wisdom of this World which is Foolishness with God existing in the perverted Will of Man which hath broken it self off from God and stands upon its own bottom by this Wisdom the World neither can know or worship God The Wisdom of God in his Servants stands in an humble Resignation of themselves to the Divine Love in order to a Regeneration of their Wills which is not effected but by slaying this opposite Will in which stands the Enmity in order to know a new Life generated and as long as Truth and Error Light and Darkness are in this World so long must and will this Warfare be continued happy is he that goes off a Conqueror for his Garland or Crown is sure to him And as the World by Wisdom knew not God so hath it fared likewise in respect to the inquiries made concerning Nature From hence it is the Apostle Paul gives a caution To beware lest any Man should spoil them through Philosophy and vain Deceit after the Tradition of Men after the Rudiments of this World and not after Christ. An empty and vain Philosophy hath been introduced and kept up in the World by Men of corrupt minds estranged from God and therefore ignorant of Nature For it is as impossible truely to know Nature separate and removed from God as it is to know God in the Wisdom of this World or truely to worship him with a Heart removed far from him What hopes was left after the miserable Fall of Man when God cursed the Earth for Mans sake but only the Descent of God or the Incarnation of Jesus Christ that inspoken Word of Life in order to a happy Restoration and Renovation For as all things were made by this Eternal Word so all things are upheld by it This is the Healer of our Wounds and Repairer of our Breaches This Word is declared by Moses and by the Apostle Paul to be near us even in our Hearts and in our Mouths that we need not say Who shall ascend into Heaven or descend into the Deep to fetch it This was the Rock in the Wilderness This is the Stone of Fire in Ezekiel The Stone with seven Eyes upon it in Zechariah The White Stone with the New Name in the Revelation This is the Salt which we ought to have in our selves This is the Water and Spirit whereof we must be Born again King Solomon was indued with great Wisdom and may properly be said to have been an Eminent Philosopher take his Description of Wisdom and where it is to be found She is the Breath of the Power of God and a pure influence flowing from the Glory of the Almighty Therefore can no defiled thing fall into her And being but one
she can do all things And remaining in her self she maketh all things new And in all Ages entring into holy Souls she maketh them Friends of God and Prophets All good things together came to me with her and innumerable Riches in her hands And a greater than Solomon saith Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added to you This Certainly is not only our Duty but the great Affair most worthy our Enquiry and Industry That Work which Man alone is capacitated for by reason of his noble Extract and that which is alone a suitable reward to render him truely happy It is this Work and Wisdom that the Writings of Jacob Behmen and these following are conversant about laying the Foundation deep firm and solid and thereupon raising a regular and noble Building Here is described at large our Malady and Remedy both with respect to Time and Eternity for the Instruction and Teaching of those he calls his School-fellows and to the perusal of the said Writings we recommend the Candid Reader And shall conclude with a Testimony concerning the Writings of Jacob Behmen from an Ingenious and Learned Hand What soever the thrice great Hermes delivered as Oracles from his Prophetical Tripos or Pythagoras spake by Authority or Socrates debated or Aristotle affirmed yea whatever Divine Plato Prophesied or Plotinus proved this and all this or a far higher and profounder Philosophy is I think contained in the Teutonicks Writings And if there be any friendly Medium which can possibly reconcile those Ancient Differences between the Nobler Wisdom which hath fixt her Palace in Holy Writ and her stubborn Handmaid Natural Reason this happy Marriage of the Spirit and the Soul this wonderful consent of Discords in one Harmony we owe in great measure to Teutonicus his Skill Only let not the Non or Misunderstanding of the most rational Reader if not a little sublimed above the Sphere of common Reason be imputed as a fault to this Elevated Philosopher no more than 't was to the Divine Plotine whose highest Notions many even of his own School after much Study were not able to reach The way to profit in reading these Writings is to be possest with patience our Minds standing in singleness and simplicity and in this frame of Mind to seek diligently pray earnestly and to resign up our Wills intirely to the Guidance and Conduct of the Divine Love Importunity and Industry often prevails to the obtaining the desired End when Sloth and Negligence meets with Disappointments and Shame Let us humble our selves under the sense of our Misery and submit to the mortifying our corrupt Wills and proceed on to Experience a Separation or cleansing from all filthiness of the Flesh and more secret defilements of the Spirit through the Power and Energy of the Heavenly Fire the Divine Life the Breath or Word of God That knowing a Death unto Sin we may also know a Life unto Righteousness which in the true Heavenly Process being offered up to God as an acceptable Sacrifice a permanent fixed and immortal State may be manifest where there shall be no more going forth for ever If these following Sheets contribute in some measure towards the directing and assisting of any especially the honest Industrious Searcher it will greatly rejoice the Persons concerned it being their end and design in the present Publication Farewel Some Words used by Jacob Behmen explained near to his deep Sense AByss is an Infinity peculiar only to each of the Three Principles Amass is a Spirit or Will bringing it self into substance compaction or manifestation Anguish is the third Form of the seven Properties of the Eternal Nature made of the two first Forms and making the Sulphurous Spirit Centrum or Centre is the Flash standing in every Will to make an opening Three Principles Ch. 14. v. 67. Christ by the word Christ is meant the inward new Man in the Spirit of Christ understood inwardly Element call'd the one or holy Element is of or according to the second Principle generated Eternally out of the Eternal Nature or great Mystery which are according to the first but where-ever they generate the holy Element there is Paradise Ens the proper or peculiar Being or Essence Good or be it Evil of a thing Eternal Nature is of the first Principle and is that in which standeth two Kingdoms one the pure Virgin Wisdom of God the one holy Element the cause of the four Elements and Stars The other the severe fierce wrath According to which God calleth himself a consuming Fire It is therefore the great Mystery Expressed word comprizeth all Creatures Visible and Invisible Fiat the Eternal speaking Word or Creating Power proceeding from the Free-will of the Abyss Also the desire of the Soul taking the power of the holy Love Tincture and makes it Essential Flagrat or sudden fright terror shriek flash the severing the two Principles of Light and Darkness resembling that in Thunder and Lightning Gunpowder c. The pregnant Eccho of the sound of Eternity speaking by Magical Fire-breath Love or Anger Life in the Light Death in the Darkness Which is called the Salnitral Flagrat Idea is the Ens which with Man first is and then known But we wrong God unless we say it is because God seeth it 〈…〉 a Divine Sparkle captiv'd so as can only glimmer not shine forth Magia there are two Magia's one of the Unity the other of the Multiplicity or Astral Powers And two Magi in Man the Spirit of God and Reason into the latter the Devil easily insinuates Majesty the Light of the Glorious Son of God the second Principle according to which only God is called God for according to the first viz. the Fathers Property he is not called God but a consuming Fire Lubet a Longing Delight or Beneplacitum In God it is the free pregnant will to Manifestation in Nature and Creature without which all had been an Eternal stilness The Lubet in Man is the moving will to Good or Evil. Mysterium Magnum that out of which all Visible and Invisible Concreates proceeded it is of the first Principle Vide Eternal Nature Out-birth the visible palpable mortal part of this World call'd the Anger-fire Salniter is that which in the Sulphur is awakened by the heat arising into a Flagrat out of the Brimstony Watry and Earthy Properties whereby the Properties are Explicated Sathan is meant the Spirit of Error and not always a Creaturely Devil but the Property of such an Erroneous Spirit Salitter call'd Divine Salitter represented by the Earth but like the pure Heaven in it are moving springing Powers producing all manner of Divine Trees Plants c. with Heavenly Colours Smells Tasts whereof this Worlds Trees Gold Silver precious Stones c. are hard dead dark shadows But this Salitter and Mercurius i. e. Divine Mercurius is the Food of Angels and Holy Souls Sophia the true noble precious Image of Christ
eat and drink unworthily they eat and drink what is common to those that have not Eternal Life and but eat and drink the Elements only or what more is at most but Imagination grounded on and extended no farther than on the History Never the more enabled to enter into the Sufferings Dying and New Life of Christ. CHAP. XXIII Man's mistaken way towards a supposed Happiness 1. THE State of the Children of Adam is the same with Those Bebold I will hedge up thy ways with Thorns and wall a Wall that she shall not find her paths and she shall follow after her Lovers but she shall not overtake them and she shall seek them but shall not find them Then shall she say I will go and return to my first Husband for then it was better with me than now And God proceeds against the Apostate Adulteress to the end of v. 13. but in v. 14. and to the end of the Chapter returns her to him c. 2. Wise men in every Generation have sought in the Treasures of the Creation for Real Happiness and Rest And after they have div'd into the deep ransackt the many Mysteries obvious to Artists collected the scattered parcels of Felicity dispersed in the Earth pierced the Bowels of Nature as well Astral as Elementary Anatomised the Creatures and sum'd up their Totals Yet still could not overtake their Lovers but their way was wall'd up and some of them found theirs heâ—â—ed up perhaps with Thorns Many have sought the Living among the Dead every Creature eath told them it is not in Me. So their quest resulted in Dissatisfaction 3. Wise mens increase of Wisdom hath been the increase of Sorrow in which they lay down in the Grave forgetting and being forgotten their Thoughts perishing they left sad Memento's of the Vanity of every thing Those of them only have been truly Wise whom God hath led beyond their own into his School of the Love of Purity and Holiness as Job's three Friends Hermes and others such seem to be 4. For since the World by Wisdom knew not God those only were Truly Wise and still are who ceasing from things Visible are guided to things Eternal 5. Our Lesson is as to the Wisdom of This World to become Fools and as such to crucifie our Wills to the Lusts of the Eye Lusts of the Flesh and Pride of Life and as little Children who Will nothing but the supply of Necessities and do without Contract Bargain or Regret what the Father bids His Will is their Principle And as a reward of their Resigned Obedience they know no perplexing Cares forecasting Fears crafty Excuses Dissimulation Malice c. but have a calm Serene Face a Peaceable contented Mind a câ—earful Innocent Behaviour while awake and when they lie down fall sweetly aslâ—ep CHAP. XXIV The Lord's way home for Man to follow 1. BUT Man hath travelled with the Prodigal from This White State To him straying will he suffer one that heartily wisheth the good of Souls to say Stand still and consider if a Good End be better than a Bad a Good Way must be better than an Evil for the Evil Way tends to a Bad End 2. And to shew whether his way be not bad let him look narrowly heedfully and impartially into his own Heart and Inclination where he shall find a Body of Self-Love coveting to get All which comes from the first Form the Aâ—tringency 3. Next He shall find an eager Desire to be Exalted and Great above others which Pride cometh from the second Form of Nature the Attraction or Constringency 4. Next He shall perceive a contemning despising and envying of others That he thinks he exceeds in Worth and they him in Fortune or the like which he fretteth at This proceeds from the third Form of Nature the Anguish 5. And then he shall find violent Anger Rage and Fury when crost or curb'd by any one which cometh of the fourth Form of Nature the Fire 6. And under these four Heads Troops of Sins Appendixes to these which well consider'd may make him much rather than blessed Paul cry out Oâ— wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death He may now see how Evil in themselves these Disorders and hellish Principles are and how Evil to him how Dangerous to erect a Government in his private particular Soul opposite to the One entire gracious universal omnipotent Will and Government 7. When thus the Light of Jesus Christ ariseth it both sheweth the Malady and the Cure And this Light is not under a Bushel but as universal yet not seen by the wilfully Blind as the outward Sun to all Mens outward Senses The voice of Wisdom calls at every Mans Heart and where they listen it teacheth 7. To dye to the tyranny of their own Wills and so be like Children for Mens own Wills compass them about with sparks of their own kindling viz. Common Fire not that of the Altar which leads them in the Dark to lye down in Sorrow for as far as Adam did and we still do introduce our Wills into the third Principle we are like sad Eclipses in Hostility against the Heavenly out-goings 8. The true Divine Light of Jesus Christ where it is followed generateth a warm chearing dear â—ove to the New Man growing out of the Old as in a balance the New is lift up in that degree of Swiftness as the Old sinketh down It springeth out of the Old as a fair Flower out of the dark Earth as it were out of the Grave of the Old 9. This Light of Jesus Christ also so winneth on the Soul that it is resigned to the Guidance of true Wisdom being that of the Universal Holy Will For finding their own to be deceiving and deceived they become to it as Fools for Christ's sake not only content but habitually longing to know nor do nor be any thing but what their crucifyed Lord willeth in them 10. This Light having kill'd the perverted Will wrought Divine Love and Resignation doth betroth the Soul to the Virgin of Modesty and Purity again from whom Adam departed whom the Lord from Heaven the second Adam brought with him by him she was re-espoused to the Humane Nature no more to be Divorced For Man having Travelled by Art into Nature by his own Wisdom like a dark Head steered his own Will to the Designs of a Corrupt Heart and laboured all Night catching nothing wherewith being weary learns to Obey and be as a little Child and then finds rest yet in such degree and proportion as his continuance in Child-like Obedience is more or less Universal and Stedfast 11. Adam lost and we lose the Heavenly Virgin of Purity and Modesty by finding and living to the Lust of the third Principle viz. The seeming Wisdom guiding to obtain the mistaken satiety of Pleasure Profit and Honour by the Elementary palpable Transitory and
may come and that this Principle is derived from the Holy God May I yet believe that from the same Fountain issued reprobation of an indefinite number of Angels and Men compelling them to be really guilty black Criminals abandoned wholly to hardened sinful resolutions adverse blasphemous will and to be fuel for everlasting Burnings that the good of shewing his power and wrath might thence be extracted 16. The will of the Father is the reason of the Child And God commands me to forgive that I may be like him do good for evil And that I who am less than a drop to his Infinite Abyss and Ocean of Mercy should yet shew so much Mercy as to help the Beast of my Enemy fallen under his Burthen How can I then think that this God of Infinite Bowels did from Eternity reprobate any of his Intelligent or Rational Children and Creatures to be Back-broken or design snares and pits into which they must necessarily fall and be precipitated 17. It is written what if God willing to shew his wrath c. having endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted for destruction It saith not that God fitted them for destruction But it saith of God that he had endured them with long-suffering but in ver 23. It is written of the Vessels of Mercy that he viz. God had afore prepared them unto Glory which distinction is very weighty and significant 18. Again the Judge himself tells us the manner of the great irrevocable sentence viz. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom c. But in ver 41. He saith Depart from me ye cursed into Everlasting Fire c. But saith not ye cursed of my Father as before ye blessed of my Father signifying evidently that men make themselves accursed which deserves heedfully to be pondered See the answer of the fifteenth Question throughout particularly the ninth verse Quest. 71. How were the Eyes of Adam and Eve opened that they saw they were naked which before they knew not 1. It is manifest Adam and Eve were an Image of God in all the three Principles but they should have lived a reâ—igned life in the second contemplating the Greatness and Glory of God in the first Principle but not have entred into it as Lucifer had done also should have seen how the third did Image God and over that Adam was to rule but not subject himself to it by becoming an Image of it or receiving nourishment from it for his so doing as in the foregoing answers hath often been inculcated the transitory Food having in it the divided properties is Bestial Mortal and Putrefactive and Adam and all his Off-spring became thereby as the Beasts 2. Therefore entring into that unsuitable state their Eyes were opened to behold their Nakedness for they were appointed to a Paradiâ—ical Glorious state else they had been furnished with Hides Fleeces Furrs Feathers or Scales 3. But falling into the principle for which they were not provided they were as naked and unfit as we are to fly into the Air whereto Wings are requisite or to live in the deep whereto Fins and other peculiarities must adapt Creatures 4. But their Eyes were so open'd to the Out-birth as shut them to the Divine Birth My Hand is but a small part of me and given me for good uses as was the third Principle given them but with my Hand I can hide the whole Heaven from my Eyes and so did they for by shutting the Divine Eye they opened the outward dark one as on departure of the Sun we see the Houses Trees c. obscurely 5. Had I lived in the time before Adam's death and had spoken with him I might have found him groping by the strength of his memory after the things which I should have sued to him for the knowledge of all which he by the infallible Light saw distinctly and had exquisite knowledge of before he Fell Like one who hath a Candle in his Room and seeth every thing plainly but that once extinguished must by memory direct his Feet and Hands to grope out any thing he would find Q. 72. What was Adam's and Eve's Shame that they hid themselves behind or by the Trees of Paradise Whence came their fear and terrour A. 1. When they had imagined into the third Principle that is so far penetrated into it as to Lust after it then did the Eye affect the Heart for the strong Magical Will and Mind conforms the whole Man especially the Body which is as the shadow of the inner Man who is the Substance 2. This Lusting when it proceeded to actual Eating awakened the Properties of the first and third Principles that is the Hellish and Bestial in the innermost Man which was before irradiated with Divine Love and true Sublime Wisdom filled with the Spirit of Holiness Tranquillity and Angelical Excellencies this most inward Image of God according to the second Principle was invaded by the inletting of the four Forms of the first Principle which compose the Kingdom of Wrath. 3. Their outward Man given them out of the one Element whence proceeded also the Astral World receiv'd by the awakened Lust the Will of all the Evil Beasts in the divided Properties as of Goats Cocks Boars Bulls Foxes Dogs Wolves Bears Tygers Lions Crockodils Vultures Serpents Vipers Toads c. 4. Thus Man who was the Quintessence and exquisite Abridgement of the Creation as to the third Principle in having their total Energy in pure Heavenly Harmony without Admission into him of any of their divided Evils now by Lusting hath taken into him every of their hateful Properties and become a Beast of all Beasts 5. For their imperfect Evil Properties by Transplantation into his excellent Nature are sublimed into real Wrath and Obstinacy and Premeditated Rebellion against the Kingdom of Divine Love and Grace defiling him with bestial Lusts which in them is filthy but in him sinfully so 6. And Adam and Eves Body which was heavenly before hereby became dark opake sluggish bony deadish and fragil obnoxious to wounds sickness the Turba Mortality and Dissolution into Ashes 7. No wonder then their shame horror and fear should drive and pursue them to hide behind the Trees from that glorious Face whence they had withdrawn themselves and before whom they were no longer able to look up 8. For their Monstrous Image was notorious even such as made them contemned by the very brute Creatures who withdrew theawe fear and service from them which they were to have paid they were scorn'd by the Devils a shame to themselves how much more then were they sunk in the All-observing Eye of the Infinite God Q. 73. How did Adam and Eve really Die in the Fall to the Kingdom of Heaven and Paradise and yet live naturally to this World A. 1. To answer this it must be told what the Life of God was in Adam and Eve which Life consisted in an entire Union with the Universal
Will which Union is so absolute compleat and perfect thaâ— the Holy Angels and Blessed Men may be said to have no Will at all and their Unchangeable Happiness is their resigned Life wherein they lose themselves and find all for ever 2. As a Family is wholly at the guidance of the Lord of it so are they but on setting up an adverse Will the makers of the breach dye to the Will and Conduct of the Father of that Family and those making themselves their own Lords cut themselves off from the Family 3. Or as a Twig while it continues in the Fruit-tree hath one Will with the Tree but when once it is rent off and grafted into another Stock it gets another Will and another Life to bear other be it bitter sour or otherwise Evil Fruit. 4. Thus Adam and Eve impregnated themselves with the third Principle receiving a bestial Life from it and putrefying Nourishment their Divine Will Appetite and Knowledge did thenceforth immediately Die and was Extinguish'd Thus a well Educated Child apostatizing from his first Principles degenerating into contrary Practices dyeth to them and loseth his first Love Q. 74. What was the Voice of God in the Word when the Day grew cool How did God recall Adam How is this to be understood A. 1. By the cool of the Day is understood the time when Adam's Eternal Day was grown cool that is his Temperature was faln to Extremities of heat and cold also alluding to the End of a Natural Day which though hot closeth coldly 2. By the Voice of God is understood God's Anger in their Essences for they had awakened the Turba or Wrath in themselves Heaven they were at Enmity with 'twixt it and them was a firm inclosure of a whole Principle they might see Devils deriding them and Fear the Fate of Lucifer the Holy Angels had quit all intercourse with them nor could they help them 3. While this sad Knell was rung them their Fear of God's Voice was not only at that of his Wrath in them but that of his Love and Pity to which they were estranged such as the Earth trembled at when the Blood of the Lord descended on it from the Cross. 4. The Voice of the Lord moved and walked in the Gates of the Deep in Fire and Light in the first and second Principles and recalled them But concerning the recalling them the following Questions will require to Discourse of Q. 75. What is the Seed of the Wife or Woman and bruising and Treading upon of the Serpent What did God speak or breath again into them Was the same nothing else but an ouâ—â—ard Promise or an Incorporation of the effectual working Grace A. 1. The Womans Seed is not the Fire Soul which standeth in the first Eternal Principle It is not the Astral nor Elementary Principle or Power arising thence It is not the Eternal Son of God the second Person or Divine second Principle though the Lord in humbling Himself to take our Nature often calls Himself the Son of Man It is neither of these for the first is too hot the second too cold the third infinitely too high 2. But that which is properly the Seed of the Woman here intended is the Heavenly Humanity or true Virgin Image of God the pure Sophia consisting of Divine Wisdom and Modesty which was Married to Adam till his Transgression made a Divorce 3. This is that Grace which was here again inspoken into Adam and Eve and this is the Pearl which is to be searched after with all diligence which was not only barely promised but brought in the Word and ingrafted into the Light of their Life 4. This is the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the fallen World not only intentionally but actually for being in every of Adam's Offspring witnessing for God was resisted and slain in its strivings with the old World and downward 5. But where-ever the bent of the Will inclines to obey and subject it self to the Divine Councils in such was restored the joy of their Salvation ever pointing at the Lord who being the true Son of the Virgin in the fulness of time bringing this Virgin by taking Maries Essences consisting of all the principles and properties and making of two one by that power which is able to subdue all things unto himself 6. But so heavenly and pure is this that one that hath it cannot shew it to one that hath it not much less give it to such but he that hath it can stammer and speak by parcels and darkly by Parables for such what he saith will seem tho' it be not far from every one of us 7. He can give the other some directions where to dig for it also what it is like and what it is not like But Men are exceedingly perverted from it by the many Images their Astral Spirit imposeth on their Understandings So that the Invitations of pure simple and self-emptying Truth can hardly get audience more hardly obtain to be considered and penetrated but with highest difficulty get obedience from us and due Soveraignty over us 8. Men use their outward Senses so much and are so full of Objects occurring to them that they are strangers to the very existence of the Inward Sences forgetting what the Apostle saith That which we have seen with our Eyes heard with our Ears and our Hands have handled of the Word of Truth c. 9. The Men guided chiefly by the outward Sences are Sensual and Brutish and yet too much of that sticks to us all Such Maxims will not believe a Rock to be a shadow and Faith a substance they consider not that Visibles are transient and that which is not seen is Eternal whereof Faith is the evidence 10. Thus is the Lord from Heaven call'd the Son of God Son of Man and Seed of the Woman and is so at once perfectly and unchangeably 11. And fallen Man when once reunited to God by the death of the monstrous Image and restored to this new first pure Virgin Image are by this Seed of the Woman made the Sons of God See more to this purpose in the 81st and 90th Answers Q. 76. What is the Curse of the Earth what is thereby brought to pass A. 1. This Earthy Globe is very much unlike to what it was as our Bodies are also to that Adam's was for as Adam's Body was the Epitome of the whole Out-birth So this Globe was an Image of the Astral World and all the Properties and the Divine Principle did penetrate it as the Sun doth the Fruits so that the Earth was as much paradisical as it was capable to be but it had these bounds 2. That it could not be purer than the Root whence it proceeded viz. the Astral and Elementary and of those Heavens it may be said they are not pure in his â—ight 3. That it could not be more permanent than its Root and none doubts but of these it may be said they
debilitate or commit a Rape upon that Virginity which is the Tincture of the holy World according to which he was Begotten by the Holy Ghost but it exalted to the highest the assumed Soul 7. Nor was his uniting our frail Astral and Elementary and Sensual Man unto the holy pure Element any Impeachment to the holy Element which in the instant of the Virgin Maries Conception was like a Tincture blessedly put into our Body in him but it was as the first Resurrection to our impair'd divided sleepy impure mortal Man 8. For thus the Soul in the Virgin was taken into the Trinity and the Body in the holy Element which is every where present and evermore pure before God was made Lord in the Heavenly World 9. Yet is thâ—s whole Heavenly Man a Creature tho' the First-born of every Creature and is the Food of our Souls neither is this a confounding the Deity with the Humanity of Christ no more than the Apple is the Tree Or the living Vertue of the Sun in the whole deep is the Sun it self 10. This Virgin of Wisdom is the Image of God the Delight of God the Spouse of Jesus Christ and of so high descent as to be possessed by God in the beginning of his way c. Read Prov. 8. from the 1. to the 31. verse but yet is not God or the Infinite Almighty Deity Thus see we how Christ was on Earth and in Heaven as Son of Man or in his Heavenly Humanity at once and is so still and it is his Office to expel bind vanquish and chain all Devils every where and reign in the Throne of expulsed Lucifer to kill Death and take away the Sting for Hell cannot withstand him 11. This is demonstrated by the Operative Astrum particularly by the seven Regal Stars See we not how Saturn tho' most remote is equally potent in coagulating petrifving giving weight c. as in Lead Stones c. as if he were at the nearest distance Also how Mercury in Jupiter causeth Sensitives and Plants to sprout up tall c. And how Mars Influenceth Men and confines Plants checks Oaks to he crooked knotty dwarfy Shrubs And how calmly and sâ—renely Venus Influenceth every where how the Moon acts Bodies the Circulations and Fluxes of Blood and the Tides which some call the Pulse of that Element How also the Sun chearfully bears witness to himself All these do variousâ— work through all the Creatures within their principle or as 't is term'd the Sphere of their activity all at once in all places of all kinds 12. And shall we straiten the sacred power of the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ in the holy principle to narrower bounds than we can do the outward Sun which is his outside Image which at once dwells in all the Stars and whole deep in every Creature on and many under the Earth and in every piâ—e of Graâ—s 13. It is demonstrative in the four Elements the same Air fills all Cranies and with degrees of purity so doth it the deep as also the other three Elements in the Out-birth Only within or above the Firmament is another principle understood to be a holy Birth of which it were digressive to speak here 14. And shall we think the one holy pure Element the vertuous Eternal Mother of the more Impure Prophane and Mortal four Elements to have less vigor to operate in the holy principle as the Eternal living Body of Christ than they in the drowsy Travels of Mortality for Productions and Dissolutions 15. The like might be demonstrated by the outward principles of Sal Sulphur and Mercury And how they operate in degrees of Purity according to their several Subjects And in a word it may be demonstrated in whole Nature and every Travel it hath But it 's better to be contemplated than exposed into many words Thus the Lords descending to Hell to overcome Death and all Devils is evident not to have been a going a great way off c. but what and how it was and is effected Q. 130. How did Christ 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. preach to the Spirits which in the time of Noah believed not A. 1. Truth hath found worse Entertainment than the Lords seamless Coat for some pretenders to it have rejected what other pretenders have wrested Thus as Maâ—s wickedness makes him unworthy so makes it him unable to hear the truth But tho' we are justly offended at the fictitious Purgatory which Covetousness prompts to tell of yet we must submit to God in his Word all which magnifieth his Mercy and Goodness 2. The Spirits mentioned by Peter were of those overthrown in the Deluge which tho' * one Interprets expresly against the Text to be the preaching before the Flood The Error and Vanity thereof will appear by the following Particulars 3. 1. This Preaching was to Spirits not to Men in the Flesh and certainly they that perished in that Flood were Men living and dying in the Flesh. 2. The Text takes notice there were of that World but few to wit eight Souls saved which hath a serious consideration like that of God to Jonah concerning Popuâ—ous Nineâ—eâ— 3 It is said Christ was put to death in the Flesh but quickened by the Spirit By which also he went and Preached It is not said that Spirit by which Christ was quickened went and preached but he that was put to death and quickened went and preached 4. The first World Imaged the first Principle and Reuben Jacob's First-born figured the first World And yet Reuben tho' otherwise sinful in a high degree was the only innocent of all Joseph's Brethren of the severity used against him which might open a Door to them viz. the first World figured for the second principle graciously inclineth to inlighten the first Reuben is also readiest to reflect on their sin against Joseph in their distress in Egypt for he was the first Worlds figure as Joseph was the Figure of Jesus Christ. 5. It was to Spirits in Prison not to Men at large Christ when quickened from the dead did Preach which the same Apostle explaining according to this meaning saith 1 Pet. 4. 6. For this cause was the Gospel preached to them that are dead not living 6. The Apostle saith he preached to Spirits which were but sometimes disobedient also telling us when viz. in the days of Noah while the Ark was preparing implying they were not disobedient at this time of preaching To this sence are referr'd the words of the Prophesie of Zechary Q. 131. What doth Christs rest in the Grave signifie that he must lye Forty Hours in the Grave In the 98th Answer concerning Moses being Forty days on the Mount is what may be the compleat Answer hereunto to which this is referr'd Q. 132. Why must Christs Grave be guarded with Watchers What doth that signifie that the High-Priests should resist or oppose Gods Power and Might and would keep Christ in
to be risen with Christ and guided by his Light within them Let it be observed by such who wilfully oppose or not regarded at their Peril And for satisfaction of such who are willing to know the truth viz. That Christ had a true Natural Humane Body of Flesh and Blood from Mary Heb. 2. 24. For asmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death which is the Devil Q. 3. But is it askt how is this Body and Humane Soul the same of ours It 's answer'd 1. By way of Concession that it was so far other than ours as it had the Holy Ghost instead of Mans Masculine Seed 2. Yet took he as the above Text with many others plainly tell us part of our Flesh and Blood and so was our Brother that is such as the Children had part of were of or are partakers of and this is also ours of what Nation soever we are for it is written Acts â—7 16. God hath made of one Blood all Nations of Men to dwell on the Face of the Earth Q. 4. Is it ask'd what of this was raised again It 's Answer'd all of it for the Women and after that the Disciple whom Jesus loved and Peter saw there was nothing left in the Sepulchre after the Resurrection but the Linnen Cloaths wherein he had been wrapped Q. 5. May it be fully so with other Bodies Answer Matth. 27. 52 53. And the Graves were opened and many Bodies of Saints which slept arose and came out of their Graves after his Resurrection and went into the Holy City and appeared unto many And it must be remembred that it shall be so with ours at the last day it was the Faith of Martha who saith unto him John 11. 24. I know that my Brother shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day Q. 6. May it not be otherwise with us our Bodies must putrifie and the Incorruptible only rise Answer our Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15. 53. Our Mortal shall put on Immortality and our Corruptible shall put on Incorruption and all this as a consequence of Christs Death and Burial according to the Scriptures also of his rising again and after his rising again was seen of Cephas then of the Twelve after that of above five hundred Brethren at once 1 Cor. 15. 3 4 5 6. Q. 7. Shall it be a Resurrection of all Answer The Lord saith Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the Graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation Let it therefore no longer be charged justly on us as formerly on the Jewish Rabbies That we err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God 1 Thes. 4. 14 15. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep c. Q. 8. How is it effected Answer As Lazarus was raised That voice which gave Being to all call'd him up and that voice shall call all up every one in his own Order May it never be said of us as of the Jews Because they knew not him nor yet the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath day they have fulfilled them in condemning him So may it not be said now Because they consult not frequently nor heedfully regard nor will understand the holy Words and Writings of the Lord his Apostles c. which they may daily read they yet sit down with a confused Notion of this great Doctrine and bury their drowsie Intellect some with dark Heathenish Maxims begetting Atheism in Judgment and Practice a degree worse than Devils 9. Other some there are having a glimpse of a true Light wherewith they think themselves rich and to have need of nothing and there shut it and themselves up without proving it by searching like the Bereans and without improving it by trimming their Lamps But not imploying themselves in the Lords methods do obscure or bury their Talent and so by degrees let their foolish Heart be darkened not only in this but in many other of the plain and precious Truths of the Kingdom of God which great evil and defection is as ever heretofore in all other forms accompanied with sharp Censures of others and peremptory unwarranted Injunctions of their own Reason Whereas the more we approach the Divine Life the more comprehensive is that Soul the more ready to bear and forbear to do and suffer to become all or any thing to all that it may beget of that meek Spirit in others to be swift to hear to have an open naked Breast whereon it begs the Lord Jesus to write his whole Pleasure is so vile in his own absurd Judgment that is easily induced to think highly of others Q. 173. How doth this World pass away or vanish And what doth remain thereof afterward A. 1. To some this Question may seem only curious and to others so occult as if incogniscible to a third sort such as if possible to be resolv'd were needless because it fruitlesly anticipates say they the thing which in its season shall demonstrate it self But on serious mature inspection it is found possible important and greatly necessary to be known and believed 2. It is said that when Cortis with a Brigade of Spanish Horse and Infantry Invaded the West Indies and had charged them of the Republick of Tlaxcallan upon the Fall of any Spaniard either Man or Horse care was taken so to bury them that the Americans might not know it which made them despair of withstanding such whom they thence concluded to be Immortal Thus not to discover the end of this present World which the dark World and the Prince of it would conceal were to insinuate as if it were indissoluble and consequently uncreated and so Brutishly to introduce Atheism and Atheism is that fatal Evil which may be justly accounted the worst of Errors of the worst of Men. 3. But this World had a beginning and shall have an end as it is written Psal. 102. 25 26. Of old thou hast laid the foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thy hand They shall perish c. They all shall wax old as doth a Garment c. Heb. 1. 10 11 12. And tho' no History scarcely records any who mock'd at the coming of the Lord yet is it Prophesied 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. That in the last days Scoffers shall come even at that which will then be at the Door saying Where is the promise of his coming c. For such Mens Lusts Biass them to abuse Gods long-suffering ver 9. Who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance Ezek. 18. 31. 32. 2 Pet. 3. 10. And it is told
Wisdom hath swallow'd them all up and that Love is soveraign for ever over them And though this be most conspicuous in the mortified and daily dying Child of God who hath made good Progress in the Regeneration yet is it in some degree and measure in the Child of a Day old or a Span long for these have pure though much interrupted Breathings their Love may be very Ardent as the Love of Espousals though often and variously perverted these are begun to enter into the new World by the new Way in the new Nature and have thence by Intervals a fair Prospect into what cometh after this World all such are in a measure my Witnesses for what is above spoken in Answer to the Question 10. Now more particularly come we to the latter part of the Question viz. When God shall be all in all when the Dominions shall cease What therefore may most undeniably be said on this shall be drawn from the Words of the Holy Ghost by our Apostle wherein are taught us 1. That Christ having raised himself as the first Fruits raiseth also them that are his at his coming 2. That he shall put down all Rule Authority and Power 3. That then is or cometh the End 4. That then the Kingdom shall be deliver'd up to the Father and God shall be all in all To every of which a few words in their order 1. That our risen Christ shall raise all his and after all others at his second coming For 11. We ought assuredly to acknowledge that the great Work shall once be Universally accomplish'd by Jehovah's Almightiness in Raising Judging and Determining the state of all Adam's offspring and the actual delivering up the Kingdom to the Father and God shall be all in all and that all this is openly literally really and universally a Foundation Truth to be confessed before all men and next shall be spoken according to the same Method as Demonstrations thereof the work particularly done and doing viz. in the Divine meek Spirits and regenerated Souls of all God's new born Children from the first Holy Man to the last that shall be 12. Now that Christ having raised himself as the first Fruits shall also raise them that are his at his coming is such an immoveable Foundation Truth as neither Atheists or Apostate Christians those fallen Stars nor any fallen Angels nor all of them United can ever reâ—st but it is an Eternal Truth to the Glory of God the joy of all his in their Pilgrimage and matter of Divine Contemplation and Adoration for ever Read and Meditate among many others 1 Tâ—â—ss 4. 14 15 c. 1 Cor. 15. 23. Rev. 20 4 5 6. 1 Cor. 15. 3 4. and Review the 134 and 172 Answers 13. This great general second Resurrection is also done and demonstrated by the first Resurrection when God awakens the Sinner by unlocking the inspoken Grace and makes the Word a Refiner's Fire and as a Tincture transmuteth the Mass and leaveneth the Lumâ— then the Soul dies to the old and lives to the renewed Image by the Visits of the Virgin becomes a Virgin by looking on Christ comes to look like him the Bottle is made new into which the new Wine may now be intrusted and the King of Glory comes into his Temple his new made Vineyard and Garden and imparts himself his Heart his Whispers and Counsels when the Ear is opened For the sake of the Virgin Image thus Begotten shall the whole Man be crystalliz'd and tinctured with solar Power at the Resurrection mean time no Tongue or Pen can more than smatter at the recital of the loveinspired Words formed at every of the Masters sweet Visits when he comes to feed this Infant-birth and Sup with it 14. The Reason why we cannot tell it when we come out from the Holy Place is because our Astral Man knows not of what Dignity the Guest is that comes to the inward Man for he enters farther and our Astral Man or outward Reason is as a Porter whose office being at the Door hears not the Holy Treaty held within in the Closet and were it he could he understands not the Language but if a loud word be spoken which he hears then only when the sensual Man sleepeth then doth he either tremble as if he feared to be dismist his office for our Reason is like Gallio no Judge of these Matters or else he frames Images of what he as it were over-hears And if a Letter to the Virgin be intrusted with the Astral Man the Porter he only reads the Superscription but sees not what the inside is he thinks it all as the outside with ordinary Ink but within 't is all golden Letters mixt with Blood and legible in the dark Night for the Characters all shine and flame and none can read them but those who share in the first Resurrection for the old Eyes are dim these are convinced and somewhat more or less see how the second Resurrection will be having a sensible lively feeling of the first and passed the Danger and Power of the second Death See the 8th and 10th Verses of the 173 Answer 15. That our Lord shall put down all Rule Authority and Power this is meant to be after the Resurrection when he as the Sun in his strength obscures not only Gloworms but the Candle and Torch light Men shall then no longer abuse lawful Power nor acquire lawless Authority nor violently or subtilly Usurp undue Rule the Hunter and his Dogs shall no longer chase Lambs as if they were Foxes but the tyrannous Monarchs and the wronged Captives stand on the same level each in his own Principle and the Principles are as different as a dark Sulphurous Fire is from a sweet Radiant Lustre then also shall the Evil Angels whether they shall be Seducers of Men or other spiritual Wickednesses in High Places or Rulers of the Darkness as God of this World be all thrust out for he is come whose right it is both by Original and Purchas'd Propriety 16. This great general Manifestation of Jehovah Christ's Natural Soveraignty is also done and demonstrated in the whole Creation by his sitting among the Gods turning the Heart of the Mighty as Water stopping all Mouths bowing all Knees being above the Proud rescuing the Prey from the Teeth of the fiercest feeding the Hungry and Helpless the young Lions and young Ravens showering on the parched Wilderness stilling the raging Deep opening his Bottles in their Season treasuring his Snow and Wind and marshalling his Host of Stars But above all it is demonstrable in his Family who not only have ceased Hostility against him but taken up Arms for and under him out of weakness are strengthened to do suffer live die for him and in him their Health is to be Love-sick their Life to die daily he is their Fear Love Hope Repose Strength Wisdom Song their Springs and Treasures are in him for Time and
a Dart thrust through the Liver the Fountain of Blood the Hair and Nails will after being cut grow a Tooth may supply a former Tooths place but the Tincture spoil'd is as the Heart and Brain pluck'd out Salt savours all things but if it hath lost its savour wherewith shall it be salted Of the Tincture comes the Growth and Lustre and so is as our Mother if any one reproach and prophane it he becomes mortally guilty He that curseth his Father or Mother shall surely be put to Death On the 33 Question and Answer Of the Original of the Creatures of the mortal Life 1. When I look towards the Circumference and see the winged Troops should not I find Coelestial Inclinations in all of them where yet I find many filthy many cruel many ravenous I look towards the Centre and are there in the Deep any but dark undigested uncleannesses yet there I observe almost all clean many fair more greatly nourishing some adorn'd with rare Pearls and in the dark cold Earth the Triumphs of Nature in precious Stones and Minerals And looking round me my Fellow-Commoners are so various as to figure all Principles all Worlds all Properties to Infinity No Star so noble but it's Energy is Imaged in some no Conjunction so malevolent but is figur'd on others 2. The dark World hath its Subjects and Idea's Saturn in that Impression owns the Wolf Horseleech c. Mercury the Fox and dangerous Reptils Mars the Tyger and Dog Sol the Lyon Venus the Ostrich and Vultures Jupiter deformed Apes Baboons and Monkeys Luna unweldy Bruits And among my Brethren of Adam's Apostate race Saturn sways the Meagre Griping Carking Raking Insatiable Mercury the sly circumventing Crew Mars the insociable outragious Rabble Sol the daring seeker of Self and Domination Venus the shameless obscene cruel Adulteress Jupiter the filthy Hermaphrodite and Semihomines Luna those who are a burthen to others and over-load to themselves Yet according to the Light World is a Book written with shining living Letters accurately Engraven according to all Properties in which our Old Man may meditate his derogating from the Copy viz. The simplicity of the Dove and Lamb and in which the New Man may as in a Glass behold his own Face may observe how the Heavens hear the Earth groaning for Drought and descend in sweet distilling Bottles the Earth hears the shriveling Seed and drying Roots and the Corn and Fruits hear hungry Men and starving Beasts and when all are filled by the overflowing of Infinite Goodness how do the Blossoms breathe and the laden Boughs shew their Satisfaction the Herds return with flowing Udders and in the Flocks the Ews pay their Lambs what bounty lent them how do the Subterranean Minerals extend their stretch'd out Arms towards the four Cardinal Points and the hidden Treasure excite Man's Diligence 3. But what part bearest thou my Soul in this Harmony Art thou Hoarse Is thy sound only like that when the Earth is knockt on Doth all flow to thee and for thee and art thou only as a Grave to bury them in run they all to thee as Jordan into the Dead Sea Must all these Voices of Divine Love be heard seen felt tasted smelled renewed increased and continued and thou as Barren as Arabia's Sands thy Heart as impenetrable and sensless as the Mountains of Ice and Rocks of Adamant Wo were me if every Pile of Grass must be a Witness against me Hath thy Redeemer not only given thee all these but open'd for thee to thee in thee Heaven it self and his own Heart which is the Heaven of Heavens and art thou on Earth and Cold Why burneth not thy Heart why flame not thy Affections why dyest thou not as a Burnt-offering and risest not in this sweet Fire of humble earnest endless Seraphick Love On the 34th Question and Answer On the Separator of every Species of every Property 1. This Meditation exalts my grovelling Thoughts towards him without whom was not any thing made that was made yet this Archeus is no more than the great Instrument of Omnipotence who when call'd the Father of Nature it 's only meant the Father in Nature bearing the Image of the Father who alone is God blessed forever Nor are the Astral Powers though various infinite and different also seeming opposite to be call'd many because not one is broken from the United Harmony but mutually embrace each other no perverseness among them that is left to the Prince and Legions of the Abyss of the dark World 2. All the Properties and Astral Powers are an Egress of the Fountain Spirits as they are of the one Will and by figuring and propagating their Energies are as a Body Politick whose many parts compose into a Republick Thus is the whole one only Separator Father and Mother in Nature for whole Nature is an Hermaphrodite in it the Tinctures being inviolably United potently proceed in Magical Masculine and Feminine Virgin Purity doing all as Adam should have done and with so equal a hand that the Excellency of one is ballanced by another kind of Excellency in another The Pith and Brain needs the Bark and Skull is Gold most valuable Iron is most useful the Powerful hand that lays the Contexture of the Whale and Elephant is altogether as admirable in the little Insects 3. Now as by a numerous well-accoutred Host is shewn the Puissance of their Prince by the greatness of a River the large Tract of Land whence it descends So by this steady unwearied skilful prosperous mighty Architect is demonstrated the Eternity Wisdom Infinity Omnipotency of the Glorious Creator who is represented by this his excellent Agent And as with Veneration Men receive the Decrees of the Wisdom of a State with submission the Commands of a Soveraign Authority and with Circumspection observe the Precepts of Physick wherein life is concern'd with how much greater reason are we obliged or rather by genuine sweetness charm'd to the Laws of Nature to be Loyal to the Government studious of the Institutions and faithful in holding the Secrets thereof if entrusted to us for as the Eternal Nature is in God so the Temporal Nature is of God in which also God and Heaven is as Eternity is in time Grant therefore O our God and Father which art in Heaven that I may hallow thy Name in Nature lest if I do not thy Will shewn on Earth in things seen I be not entrusted with the Knowledge of things in Heaven which are not seen On the 35th Question and Answer On the six days work of the Creation and the Sabbath 1. The six days Work demonstrate the six working Properties and they being distinct do yet every of them generate another and all six meet to generate the seventh yet when they concenter in the seventh do not there cease to Work which were as impossible as for them to cease to be but if they Work in the seventh their Operations are heavenly sweetly harmoniously triumphantly
innermost Geniture of God and presseth in through the Astral and Fleshly Geniture it is clearly in Heaven 3. But the Out-birth of this World was Lucifer's Kingdom to the Stars and so far is the Wrath of God between which outmost Birth of this and the outmost Birth of that is a great gulph and are one to the other as Death is to Life or a Stone to a Man So that as to the Out-birth we cannot see the Angels nor they dwell with us but in the innermost they dwell with us 4. The second Birth or Geniture viz. the Astral standeth in the seven Fountain Spirits of this World in which the Holy Ghost also ruleth and helpeth to generate the third Holy Birth 5. The which third Holy Birth is the clear Holy Heaven which uniteth with the Heart of God and holdeth the Devil Captive in the Out-birth in the Anger Fire 6. Out of this Heart Jesus Christ in the Womb of the Virgin went into all the three Births that he might with his innermost take the Devil Captive in the Out-birth overcome the Wrath of God as a Victorious Prince and in the Power of his Birth in the Flesh press through all Men whereby he is become Lord and King of our Heaven and Earth over Sin Devil Death and Hell in whom we also press through the sinful corrupted Out-dead-birth of the Flesh through Death and the wrath of God into our Heaven in which Heaven now sitteth our King Jesus Christ as an Almighty Son on the Right Hand of God being present in all the three Births in this World in all corners and places bearing up all ruling in the Throne of the once potent and now expelled Lucifer 7. When Stephen saw Heaven opened and the Lord Jesus at the Right Hand of God his Spirit did not swing it self up into the upper Heaven aloft but penetrated into the innermost Birth Concerning the Constitution and Form of the Earth 8. Every thing must have a Root The Earth is come from the corrupted Salitter of the outmost Birth for in Earth and Stones is Death and in it is also a Life else Gold Silver and Vegetables could not grow therein 9. Three Births are in it the outmost is Death the second is Life pressing through it being in the Wrath Fire and that of Love and the third is the Holy Life 10. In the outmost is Gods Wrath else why engendereth it poysonous venemous Worms and creeping Things 11. The Earth hath more than one kind of Life for Herbs and Wood are not Earth nor is Fruit Wood nor is the vertue of the Fruit God for the outmost Birth containeth him not but he containeth the Out-birth Q. Why is the Earth so Mountany c 12. A. Where the sweet Water was chief much earthy palpable Water came to be 13. The corrupted Salitter was more abounding in one place than another Also 14. Where the Astringent Quality was chief in the bitterness in Mercurius much Earth and Stones were compacted 15. Where the Heat in the Light much Silver and Gold and some clear Stones 16. Where the Love in the Light the most precious Stones and finest Gold 17. Where are great Lakes and Seas over that Zenith there being not much Salitter there came to be a Valley for which resting place the thin Water sought resembling the Spirit of meekness not elevating it self as in the Bitter Fires quality the Devils did On the words the Evening and Morning were the first day is said 18. Evening and Morning reacheth only up from the Earth to the Moon taking its Original from the Light of the Sun which maketh the outward day and the outward Night Not that there was then a twofold Creation of Evening and Morning Query Whether by it be not meant by once turning about of the Earth whereby the Evening and Morning came to be that is by one Revolution 19. A. Man having a Threefold Birth tho' with his inward he uniteth with the Light of God cannot bring it perfectly back to his Astral and less to his outward Birth which tho' Moses did in part when his Face shone but could not see God perfectly and live even as an Apple on a Tree cannot bring its Smell and Taste back into the Tree nor Earth CHAP. XX. On the Creation in the Second Day Let there be a Firmament in the midst of the Waters c. 1. THis Firmament divideth the impalpable inward pure Water from the outward palpable corrupted Water Wherein is Death which lyeth Captive below the Moon and is the House of the Devils Death and Hell where the fierce Wrath of God becometh kindled daily by the Devils through the great Sins of Men which mix with the Astral Birth in the Deep 2. But even those pure Waters have some of the Wrath in them and is that meant where 't is said The Heavens are not pure in his sight 3. The innermost holds the outward Water strongly Captive and the outward Earth also else with the Revolution of the Globe the Water would be divided or dissolved and the Earth crumble away Which Firmament is between the clear Deity and corrupt Nature 4. Yet the Deep above the Earth may be said to be a place where Gods Holiness dwelleth for the whole Holy Trinity dwelleth in the Centre under the Firmament of Heaven tho' that cannot comprehend him but dwelleth not there fully bodily and creaturely as the Angels and Souls of Men do 5. The Third Birth is the Almighty Holy Heart of God wherein Christs Natural Body sitteth for his Natural Body is not as John Calvin thought such as reacheth no farther than a little circumscribed place wherein it is 6. For if every Man in his Astral Spirit comprehendeth the whole Body of this World should not the Fountain Spirits in the Natural Body of Christ being out of the Fountain Spirits of Nature and his Heart out of the inward Birth viz. the Heart of God which comprehendeth all Angels and the Heaven of Heavens viz. the whole Father should not it comprehend the whole World and uphold it as the only Head Heart and King of it in his Hands are his Sheep whom none can pluck out CHAP. XXI 1. MAN is made out of the Seed viz. Matrix of the Earth wherein the Eye is Twofold one in God the other in this World out of the three Principles not out of the Wrath but out of the Birth of the Earth in the Astral Birth in the part of Love but Wrath hung to him which he should have put forth from himself as the Fruit putteth forth from it self the bitterness of the Tree but that he did not but reached back from the Love into the Wrath and lusted after his Dead or Mortal Mother to suck her Breasts and so brought his outermost Birth into Mortality and his Astral Birth or Life into the part of the Wrath. 2. Man's Soul or Spirit is generated out of the
Astral and is the third Birth in him As an Apple on a Tree is the third Birth which though it be United with the Word of God in its innermost Birth yet the Wrath being in the Mother of its Body it remains palpable must dye and rot but at the last Judgment Day the Power of the Principle out of which the Apple groweth shall spring anew in Paradice and be a Fruit for Men in the other Life 3. And Man's Body hath the same Hope for though the bestial Body must putrifie yet its vertue liveth in the four Elements in the Word and there grows out of it beautiful Roses and if thy Soul standeth in the Love thou canst while thy Body liveth here live and reign with God in Heaven according to the Spirit of the Soul which the Devil seeth not 4. But for that thy Astral Birth standeth one part in the Wrath the Devil seeth into that part viz. of the Wrath into thy Heart where if thou give him any room he teareth that part of the Astral Birth which standeth in the Love out from the Word and then thy Heart is a dark Valley and if thou labour not quickly to kindle the Light again he kindleth the Wrath-fire and then thou art a Devil and into what thou hast sowed thy Seed that is thy Soul and in that part shall thy Body arise The striving of the seven Spirits in the Earth the Depth in the Centre 5. In the strife of the Astringency bitterness and sweet water the Astringency is Predominant which is dry The sweet quality is extensive and yielding yet the bitterness and sweet quality struggle till the Astringency dry and harden them and thence from their unwilling Captivity Anguish riseth up just as in a Dying Man in this anxiety Heat riseth whereby a Sweat exhaleth as in one yielding to the Captivity of Death That Sweat the Astringent and bitter qualities lay hold on as their Son which they had begotten on the sweet quality which they had killed 6. However the Astringent being strong and the Bitter swift from their Joy in their Son do stuff it that it swells and grows full and great And when the Astringent striveth to captivate the Bitter and the Body begins to be too streight or narrow and that the strife there be too great the Bitter must yield but cannot be kill'd but leaps aside and breaks out of the Body into Strings or Threads taking the Son's sap with it And this is Vegetation and growing of a Root in the Earth Q. How can God be in this Vegetation 7. A. That is the Vegetation of Nature and if the wrath Fire were not in the three Qualities viz. Astringent Sweet and Bitter God might plainly be seen but the Wrath makes the Astringent a cold Fire and its Attraction to be too hard and maketh the Sweet too thick and dark and the Bitter too raging and swelling else they might kindle that Fire from whence the Light would exist and from the Light the Love and from the same Fire-flash the Tone and then would be a Heavenly Body wherein the Light of God would and doth shine and then would be a Heavenly Fruit as it springeth up in Heaven and the Light would generate it self in the sweet-water and there would be a bright shining Heavenly Body where God is 8. But being the first three Qualities are benummed in Death they remain a dark Eternal Prison God's Wrath. Death and Hell a source of Torment Not that the three Qualities are reprobated even to the innermost but only the outward palpable Body and therein the outward Hellish 9. Thus is seen how the Kingdom of God and of Hell hang one to another as one Body and yet the one comprehendeth not the other but the Heat Light Love and Souâ—d are a kind of second Birth making the outward moveable and in the inward standeth the sound of God's Word which seeing it riseth up through the Astringent bitter Death and generateth a Body in the half-dead Water that Body is therefore Evil and Good which may thus be demonstrated 10. One taking a Surfeit by any mortiferous Herb Water or unwholsom Flesh let the same kind of Water Herb or Flesh be distilled or burnt whereby the outward Poison which standeth in Death is gone the Astral Vigour remaineth that Dead Body being gone wherewith if good Treacle be mixed which holdeth Captive the Wrath in the Astral Birth and give it the Sick in warm Drink then operateth the innermost Birth which hath diseased the Person and Cureth Whereby is seen that the Power of the Eternal Life wrestleth in the Dead Earth in Anguish but cannot bud till the Death be severed which hangeth to it for the Wrath is the Life of Death and of the Devil wherein standeth their corporeal Bodies or Being for the Dead Birth or Geniture is their Eternal House CHAP. XXII AFter other things in this Chapter are the seven times Refining of Silver and especially Gold till it become Triumphing CHAP. XXIII 1. THE earnest and severe Birth or Geniture out of which the Wrath of God Hell and Death are come to be hath been from Eternity in God but not accensible nor elevable not kindled or domineering without which severe Birth would be neither God Life nor Heaven Angel nor Creature The Gate of the Holy Trinity 2. The whole Birth of the Heaven of all Heavens this World the place of the Earth and of all Creatures and whatever can be thought of all that together is God the Father And in every the least circle imaginable is the whole Birth of God perfectly perpetually and irresistably but if in a Creature or Place the Light be extinguish'd there is the Austere Birth which lyeth hid in the Light in the innermost Kernel 3. The second Person is the Light which is continually generated out of all the Powers and enlighteneth again all the Powers of the Father an instance whereof is in the kindled Fires in this World the innate Son is the meek Joy and Delight of the Father Now the Father and the Son are equally great the one could not be without the other If the Jews Turks and Heathen will convert the Light will rise up in them gloriously 4. The third Person is the moving Spirit of Life Thus there is One God and Three distinct Persons neither of them can comprehend with-hold or fathom the Original of the other 5. If any will be Saints and not Devils let them generate in the meek holy Law of God else they shall Eternally generate in the austere severe Geniture oâ— God's Wrath. But the Deity is a very simple pure meek loving quieâ— unanimous Being through which the sharpness of the innermost Birth can never elevate it self but remains hidden CHAP. XXIV Of the incorporating or Compaction of the Stars 1. GOD moved the whole Body of Nature contained in the Extent of this World on the 4th Day
for him for to give him more Divine Light were but as Water to increase his Fire And God willeth to have no fiery Spirit in Paradise his Brimstone Spirit is inkindled and remaineth unquenchable desiring to get above the Meekness of the Heart of God which shuts him up Eternally CHAP. XI Of all Circumstances of the Temptation 1. WHen God did set the Fiat in the Will to Create Angels he separated all the Properties as hard four bitter harsh fierce soft c. as we see are in the various properties of the Stars and created the Princely Throne Angels as so many Fountains Then in each Fountain came forth a Centre in many Thousand Thousands and every Host got a Will such as was the Fountain or Prince whence they proceeded giving their will to him as the Stars do to the Sun Tho' all thoroughly irradiated with Divine Splendor yet had every Host some one of the Properties of the first Principle most Eminent in them 2. Of the Princes one is fallen and his Host for standing in the fourth form his Fire Elevated him above the End of Nature 3. The Fiat in the Creation separated the Matrix also of the Out-birth created after the other according to the forms of the inward World and out of the Properties of the first Principle came Creatures of all sorts good and bad as Lambs Doves c. as also Wolves Toads also in the separation of Vegetables are good and hurtful Plants And that the evil is also profitable is seen for that in every Creature is a poysonous Gall being the cause of Life 4. Adam was created of all the three Principles but in perfect clarity an Image of his Creator and Epitomy of all Creatures 5. In the Garden of Eden were all Paradisical Trees pleasant to look on and good for Food wherein tho' they sprung out of the Earth yet in them was imprinted the Divine Vertue of the second Principle and yet were truely in the third Principle Death stuck only in that Tree of Good and Evil that was able to bring Man into another Image 6. God willed not Adam should eat of it for he not only barely warned him of the danger but forbad him with a severe Menace 7. Nor was he Created with a distinct Female as other Creatures that on his Fall he might the better be helped 8. Nor will'd he should need any other clothing than Glory else would have given him a Hide as other Creatures But as a Heavenly Man he should have eaten Heavenly Fruit. Now follows the Gate of the Temptation Adam had all the three Principles or Worlds in him and in all he looked on without him 9. The Heart of God would have him to abide in Paradise being his similitude The Kingdom of Wrath would have this great Lord because he proceeded out of the Eternal Mind of the Darkness that through him might be shew'd great power The Kingdom of this World would have him be his Housholder for that he lived in it and was part of it saying Eat and Drink not only Divine Food thou art not yet a meer Spirit eat not that which is incomprehensible Eat my sweet drink my strong which is comprehensible 10. Here Adam thought seeing I am on the Earth and that it is mine I will use it as I list 11. Then came the Inhibition on pain of Death not to eat the Earthy Food wherein was mixt the evil for the Tree was neither better nor worse than that we have But God saw his eager imagination so set on the Earthy Fruit that he could not generate a perfect Paradisical Man but an Infected one out of himself that would fall to be corruptible did let a sleep fall on him CHAP. XII Further of the Circumstances of the Temptation 1. MOses at the Bush was commanded to pull off his Shoes shewing his Earthy Birth God gave the Law at Sinai and establisht it in clarity but by Thunders c. in the Spirit of the great World for in Gods Heart is only Love and Kindness because after the Fall Men lived therein viz. in the Spirit of the great World 2. The Law demanding obedience and the false voluptuousness of Israel were in strife Forty days till they fell to their sinful Calf And Christs tryal Forty days c. shew the time of Adam's Temptation Of Adam's Sleep 1. Adam's sleep was his being Captivated by the â—triving Stars and Elements whose wrestling so far overcame him that his Tincture became enfeebled and he as dead who should as we in the Resurrection have Eternally with open Eyes beheld the Infinite Glories This God so greatly loathed that Adam could not long continue in Paradise The Highest Gate of the Life of the Tincture 2. The Tincture is that which separateth the pure from the impure and graduateth to the highest all sorts of Life in all Creatures Yet in some strong in others weak It s Birth is from the Vertue of the Deity and imprints it self in all things yet so secretly that none of the ungodly can know it It is Eternal but the Spirit given it by the Fiat is according to the kind of every Creature At first it was implanted in Jewels Gems Metals 3. It was generated in the fifth form that of Love out of the Heart of God And tho' its Spirit in the third Principle abide not for ever yet for the sake thereof the very figures of this World shall remain for ever But in the second Principle the Tincture standing in the Spirit and Substance in Angels and Men is Eternally fixt The Tinctures Essences 4. It is the flash of Life and Lustre whose Root is Fire causing the faculty of seeing in all Creatures It Chrystallizeth impure Water separateth the Light from Darkness imageth it self in what it hath made pure making it also sweet shining like Oyl and Fire Mixt with the Matrix of VVater by the mixture becomes fixt and thick and by the Property of the Fire is colour'd Red and is the Blood in which the Noble Life existeth Of the Death and Dying 5. In so great and hourly danger stands the Noble Life in the Tincture and hath so many potent Enemies that either on the Efflux of the Blood the Tincture flyeth away or on the over-prevalency of any one of the four Elements or ill Conjunction of the Constellations darting their Poisons the Band of Life breaketh and the flash goeth out in Meekness How the Heavenly Tincture was in Adam before the Fall and shall be in us after this Life 6. Adam's three Principles whereof he was were three Births the one not comprehended by the other viz. The Worm or Brimstone Spirit generated out of the Eternal Will of the Father The Virgin or Wisdom of God And the Spirit of this World The two latter were given to him to his right and left 7. The second was to illustrate the first in the power whereof he was to rule over the third It is
possible for a Soul by reaching back into the might of the Fire or first four forms and becoming false to the Virgin the Wisdom of God to shut the Door of the Virgin and lose the good of the third Principle which cannot be obtained again but by a new Birth wrought by the Holy Ghost Such a Regeneration restores true Honour and Joy but without it at the Death of the Body the Soul remains a Serpent or Worm that never dies and the figures only of the other two principles remain to compleat its horrour that he may see what an Angelical Form he hath irrecoverably lost Thus Adam lost the Virgin by his Lust and got the Woman in his Lust. 8. By the above appears what Adam was viz. having the Tincture of the perfect Male and Female Properties 9. The Temptation was the Spirit of the VVorld being the third Principle like a young Man of good Complexion Vertuous and Beautiful having forty days and nights sweet Converse and Embraces of a perfectly Fair curiously Featur'd modest Virgin of Gods Wisdom in meer Joy with command that their Will be most stedfast so as not in the least thought to desire one another but as chastly as if they were each unknown or unseen to the other and so to remain in the Proba forty days and nights 10. The Spirit which God had breathed into Adam was the chast Virgin which Adam's worldly Spirit should have loved with a pure Mind but he desired her with Terrene Lust which was his Fall 11. But by being Born again of Water which is in the Centre and of the Holy Spirit the Soul is cleansed from impure Affections and inflam'd with Divine and Sacred Love CHAP. XIII Of Creating the Woman 1. Adam's Tincture being wearied in the strife of the three Principles his Lust Spirit prevailing he sunk into sleep his Heavenly Body became Flesh and Blood his strength Bones the Virgin withdrew into her Heavenly Ether where she waiteth to see if any will by the new Birth receive her for their Bride 2. Adam's Angelical Kingdom was gone he now must generate a worldly Kingdom by a Female as other Beasts Which that God abominated appears by his making Man at first without a Female and said all was very good also that the first Child was a Murtherer and that God cursed the Earth c. 3. But God that he might help vanquisht Adam of one of his Ribs built a Woman That is The Fiat stood in the Centre and sever'd the Matrix from the Limbus took part of Adam's substance viz. of his Spirit Flesh and Bones which then were not so hard till Eve did bite the Apple So they were two yet undivided in Nature and both must generate one Man which before one should have done 4. A pleasant Gate As little as the Spirit of the Soul could be helped except the Virgin by entring into the Abyss of the Spirit of the Soul which is near the Hell of Gods fierce anger had regenerated by Jesus Christ so little could the rent in Adam's hollow side whence the Rib was taken be made perfect except the second Adam had suffered the Wound in the same place to pour out his precious Blood and so repair the first Adam's breach made in the same place 5. Further of the Woman Eve was not made of the Rib only but of all Adam's Essences yet of no more Members than the Rib which causeth her feebleness and is by Gods command in subjection to the Man and to be friendly to him Also the Man must help her and love her as his own Essences And they being but one Flesh Bone and Heart must have but one will And their Children are neither of the one nor of the other but of both As if only of one which causeth the severe command that they honour and be in subjection to Father and Mother on pain of Temporary and Eternal Punishment 6. The Noble propagation of the Soul The Tincture is generated from all the three Principles yet hath neither for its own but is a bright Habitation in which the Spirit dwelleth It reneweth the Spirit that it becometh clear and visible It s Name is Wonderful known only to them that have it It giveth Vertue to and is the Life and Heart of all things It is the fragrancy of Herbs and Flowers and causeth them as also Silver and Gold to grow though of all the Children of Nature it be a Virgin and generateth nothing out of it self It is the Friend and Play-fellow of God The way to it is very near Whosoever findeth it dare not reveal it nor can he for no Language can express it yet it is not God It may be over-powered and used in Metals if it be pure it can make pure Gold of Iron and Copper and make a little grow to be a great deal It s way is as subtle as the thoughts of a Man for thence rise the thoughts 7. The propagation in the Flesh So great is the subtilty and might of the Tincture as to penetrate the Marrow in the Bones of another which Witches know and practise for their Master Lucifer thought to exalt his false Tincture above Gods 8. The Male and Female Tinctures tho' different yet both long after the Virgin the Tincture of the Male goeth out of the Limbus that of the Female out of the Matrix And in the delicate Complexions where the Tincture is most noble and clear the ardent vigour of each thinketh to find the Virgin in the other tho' it be in neither And from the mixed desire groweth the Body and in the wrestling the Conqueror giveth the marks of distinction The Spirit of the great World thinketh it hath the Virgin which it hath not 9. The secret Gate of Women The Seed is sown in the Lust of the Tinctures and the harsh sour Fiat supposing it to be the Virgin attracteth the Seed to it with great joy desiring the Limbus of God in Paradise but the Spirit of the great World insinuateth and filleth the Tincture with the Elements whence comes a loathing against the fulness for the Virgin Tincture relisheth not such grossness but retires into its Ether Then the Spirit of the Sun Stars and Elements doth by the Fiat attract and foster the Child 10. In the first Month the harsh Fiat in which ruleth the Spirit of the Stars perceiving the Blood of the Mother wherein is the Tincture to be sweeter than its own Essence it longeth to image it self therein and Create Adam In the second Month the Matter is sever'd into Members according to the predominance of such Stars as are then most potent In the third Month the joy the Fiat got in the Tincture of the Blood withdraweth and the harsh Essences in Terror would fain like a flash depart but are withheld and made hard making the Skin inclosing the Child then the Tincture flasheth upward in the Terror taking the power of all the Essences with
in the Body of Christ holdeth the Anger together with all Devils Eternal Prisoners as Darkness stands shut up before the Eternal Day CHAP. XXVI Pentecost The sending of the Holy Ghost 1. ON the seventh Day after Moses ascended the Mount was he call'd and the Lord spake with him And Christ when he was ascended into his Throne was on the ninth Day glorify'd and the Holy Ghost went forth from the Centre of the Trinity into the whole Holy Element also opened the Doors of the great Wonders 2. So that the Apostles spake with the Languages of all Nations for the Holy Ghost went out of all Essences and filled the Essences of all Men who had but an earnest desire to it 3. And the hard palpable Body of Christ was received into the Holy Ternary only the source of this World was destroy'd in Death And though he be swallow'd up as to our sight and apprehension yet shall he come again at the last Judgment Day and manifest himself in that same very Body to good and bad CHAP. XXVII Of the Last Judgment 1. AT the time before the Fire of Nature causeth every thing to dissolve melt and pass into its Aether cometh the Judge of the Living and Dead and with him the Angelical World Then all not comprehended in the Body of Christ shall howl tremble yell roar blaspheme gnaw their Tongues and would hide themselves in Holes and Caves from the Terror of the Lord. They Curse the Heavens Constellations and Stars that inclined and drew them to Evil they Curse the Earth that bare them and buried them not sooner They Curse their Parents that brought them up and had not strangled them They Curse their Priests that flattered and misled them They Curse their Superiors whose Cruelty and Evil Example influenced them They Curse their ungodly Associates that accompanied them The Tears of those they had oppressed like fiery Serpents sting them Their abused Authority Wealth and Might stand in the Tincture in the Substance of Eternity 2. The Devils also stand trembling they see how every Fire burneth in its own life in themselves they feel the Hellish Fire in the fierce Wrath. 3. The Angelical World in the Light Lustre and Brightness is as the Sun in Triumphant Hallelujahs 4. The Angelical Quire of Holy Men stand there before the Eyes of them that Murther'd Opprest and Reproacht them for the Truths sake whose Guilt like Mountains of Lead holds them down and Speechless 5. And then the King calls and enthrones all his Members And pronounceth that formidable and irrevocable Sentence on the Wicked that they depart from him c. 6. At the Moment of Departing pass away the Heavens Sun Moon Stars Earth and Elements and time shall be no more 7. Nor can the Holy Principle touch the other any more to Eternity nor conceive a Thought of the other The Parents of their wicked Offspring or Children of their wicked Parents or Relations but Eternal Joy fills surrounds and Crowns them See more in the Answer of the 30th of the 40 Questions AN APPENDIX OR THE Threefold Life in Man I. The Life of the Spirit of this World II. Of the Life of the Originality of all Essences III. Of the Regeneration and Paradisical Life 1. BY the Ternarius Sanctus in the Aurora and the three Principles is not meant Holy Earth but the Holy Body out of the Vertue of the Trinity and properly of the Gate of God the Father whence all things proceed as of one only substance 2. For in the Creation proceeds from one only Fountain good and evil life and death joy and sorrow love and hate appearing in all things especially in Man 3. So find we the Threefold Life in Man in the Gate of God the Father See we also how joy is turn'd into sorrow and again joy return'd and by the prevalence of either a substance is made according to which the Mind commanding the Thoughts and collecting them sets the Hands Mouth Feet c. to obey what the Mind willeth and though all the forms of Nature are in Man yet that which is predominant causeth all other to lye as if dead and become as a nothing 4. There are especially three forms in the Mind all superior to the outward for the Mind is anxiously desirous and can see feel smell taste and hear what the outward Senses know not 5 And if the Divine form be Paramount it is in God and the other two are as half dead 6. But the Mind can raise the Spirit of this World of Covetousness Pride c. which instantly openeth the first form out of the Eternal Indissoluble Band in falshood envy malice c. To whom therefore you yield your selves Servants his you are whether of Sin or Righteousness 7. This Life is the sowing and growing time and in the time of this Elementary Life the mind may open which of the three Principles it will but at the dissolution of the Body the Mind standeth in one only Principle having lost the Key of the other two for when the stalk is cut it is no longer a Plant but a Fruit and can stand no longer nor open no other Principle but be Eternally in that which he here kindled 8. But if God hath regenerated us to enter through the Death of Christ into his Life then hath our Immanuel who abâ—sed himself to enter into our Humanity exalted us to enter into the Holy Flesh and Image Adam lost which is out of the pure Element And then the Trinity worketh really in us and we stand in the Life Body and Property of Christ and our new Man standeth in that out of which Heaven and Paradise is generated and the Earthy Man doth but hang to it 9. Put on therefore a true earnest purpose desire and resolution which is Repentance and the Regenerator is ready deep in the Mind in the Light of Life to help the earnest Wrestler and so soweth himself as a Grain of Mustard-seed or as a Root to a new Creature and if the Souls earnestness be great the earnestness in the Regenerator is also great 10. But this is known by them only that feel and experiment how the Regenerator changeth the proud fierceness into humble Love for the new Man is not of this World but hidden in the old For the true knowledge of God is in no Man till he be Regenerate 11. Christ gave not the Flesh and Blood of his Creatures to his Disciples but the Body of the pure Element wherein God dwelleth and is present every where in all Creatures but comprized in another Principle to eat and drink under Earthy Bread and Wine And as the outward Man is Baptized of the Elemenâ—ary Water so is the new Man with the pure Element which appeareth only in the second Principle 12. No Reader understandeth this Author rightly unless he be Born of God it is not folded up in an Historical Art But as Earthy Eyes cannot see God so neither can a
Miâ—d not enlightened by Divine Light reach them for like must be comprehended by like And tho' Heavenly Treasure be carried in an Earthy Vessel yet there must be a Heavenly Receptacle hid in the Earthy or the Heavenly cannot be comprised 13. Eternal Life is in a Twofold Source First That of the Originality viz. the fierceness according to which God calls himself a consuming Fire and this Principle we must have or else we should not be alive Yet if we stay in this without generating the Love and Humility our abode is in Pride Covetousness Envy and Anguish as the Devils 14. Let us look to it that seeing the Life in the Originality is both Inimicitious against it self and against the Regeneration and that the Life in the Love is Heavenly therefore we be content to be pierced wounded and to bear the Cross in Meekness and expect till at the day of Separation the Field of the first Principle in which groweth the Heavenly Fruit of the second Principle shall be taken away for then shall the Life springing up through Death be a Fruit to God in the new Man and thereunto dedicate our selves in our Meek Victorious Saviour THE THIRD BOOK OF Jacob Behmen CALLED THE Threefold Life in Man CHAP. I. Of the Root Beginning and Forms of Life 1. SEeing there is in us an incorruptible Life wherein is a Principle capable of the highest good yet by its Original is also in danger of Eternal Perdition and Misery and that here we are strangers posting away how necessary is it to search whence all these originate And this may be by going up the Stream to the Fountain 2. The outward Elementary Life is a Living Heat or Active Fire enlivening the Body and sustained by the Body the Body by the Food the Food by the Earth the Earth by the Water and the other Elements the Elements by the Fire of the Constellations their Fire inkindled by the Sun causing a Boiling in all So should that first outward cause cease the sude or seething and Generation of all also of Metals Fruits c. would cease as the Food failing the Body and its Life extinguisheth 3. Now this perishing Life hungering after a higher Life shews there is such and that is the Eternal Life of the Soul As is said in Moses God breathed into Man the Breath of Life and Man became a Living Soul The Soul is also an ever induring Fire and must have Food which it presseth after from its original which is the Eternal Band the Forms of the Eternal Nature the Property of the Father but that Band of those Forms is of it self as a dry Breast whence it is that the Soul would have the Food in its own power but that also is as impossible as for the Eternal Nature to have the Light in its own power which cannot be for the Love shining in it or into it remaineth Lord therein because the Eternal Nature doth not comprehend it but rejoiceth in the Light which is another Principle which when it is received into the Soul it is a new Birth ingenerated in the Soul and this is done as truely as the Soul like a Branch is come from the Tree of the immediate Parent 4. And because Adam fell into the Astral Kingdom and our Elementary Body is infected therewith as sometimes the Body is with the Pestilence it was out of the power of the Soul to enter into the Divine Principle therefore of meer Infinite Grace did the Love the Son of God take our Humane Soul and brought it into the holy Life that we might every one by or for our particular selves press with our Soul in the Life of Christ into the new Regeneration in the Spirit of Christ. No Meritorious Works on the one hand or lifeless feigned words of believing on the other avail at all but only a stedfast earnest resolution in the new Created Will bearing the Cross killing the old Will and arising in the Life of Christ bringeth the Glory Food and Paradise of the Soul else the Soul remains in the four Anguishes or Forms of the Eternal Band for ever wherein stands the Eternal Wrath and Hell Fire for ever And thus see we the Original in the first Principle and the Divine Light making the second Principle why then should not the Man to whom this Knowledge is graciously given speak of this as his Native Countrey not as of things afar off but that wherein he standeth and himself really is and not to be learnt of another Man as is barely an History unless himself enter into the new Birth in the Life of Christ that the Divine Light may shine in him 5. The Root whence is inkindled the Vital Fire consists of two Forms only the sour which is a strong shutting up and the bitter sting is an opener and those are what the Eternal Will in the desiring attracteth and is the wills something and darkness Then the sting of the bitterness would get loose which the sourness captivateth with strife tho' like a wâ—e is yet no pain for they are immaterial forms of Nature in the Eternal Will and this contrary commixture is as a confusion of Eternal Mobility and cause of the Multiplicity of Essences and are efficiently the Eternal Essences and Eternal Band. 6. The vast infinite space desireth narrowness or comprehension wherein to manifest it self as a Map doth in a few Inches a huge Territory a short Speech or Scene Abridge a large History a Minute Model Epitomize the Terrestrial and Celestial Orbs. And as all pourtraying Figures have shadows as foils to set off the rest so in the contraction of matter to manifest Infinity must be Darkness that one contrary may illustrate the other Nor is the vast infinite space a Creator but a Genitrix and the Word in with and of the Father the Generator as the Territory makes not of it self the Map also the words owe themselves to the speaker or speaking word 7. Nor is the word departed nor doth the Son depart from the Father but is inseparable as the Light of a Candle abideth with the Candle as saith the Son I am not alone but the Father is with me in the Father is a Centre in the Son is a Centre two Principles not divisible but inseparable Thus the second Will opening the Principle of Light is amiable pure and mild also Omnipotent to Create all things breaking and shining out of the Eternal Essences yet not comprehended by them but dwelling in it self CHAP. II. Of the Begun Life the Principles and Forms and Fall 1. THE stirring in every Life whether Sensitive or Vegetative must not be a strange or Heterogene Power for such would blow it out rather than help it but it must be the Creatures own Spirit proceeding in the Genitrix to be a Centre and Circle also of Life None should trust their Soulâ— with the Men whose Home is here for the Soul stands in the Original of the Essence of all
is the seventh Form or Seal of the Eternal Nature wherein the six Seals disclose themselves And natural Wisdom instead of finding the Heart of God by humble resignation hath found the Wonders of this World by Thunders Voices and Strife for when after the Apostles times Men left Love and Meekness and fell to Pomp and Pride the Golden Candlesticks and seven Stars withdrew and were hid and all became seven Seals The Glassy Sea is the Angelical World The Voices of the seven Thunders would be hid proceeding out of the stern Essences did we not put our Imagination into them and open them in us So that only the Lamb excepted none in Heaven nor Earth were worthy to open the Seals nor look thereon we were shut up by them under Death Darkness which only the Light in the Heart of God could open for Man was become an abominable Beast a Dragon with seven Heads and ten Horns and ten Crowns on the ten Horns this Beast the hypocritical Woman rideth on is this the Ass Christ humbly rode on 4. It is hellish Pride and worldly Pomp on which the Woman of seeming Holiness rideth she pretendeth to the Keys of Heaven and makes Laws Decrees and Canons yet knoweth not the New Birth He only that is born of God in his inclined heart the Seals are opened But when and wheresoever the Lamb openeth the seventh Seal then and there the Whore the Beast and Dragon are cast into the Lake of Fire then doth the good Shepherd lead his Flock into green Pastures then they that mark hearken incline the heart mind and thoughts coming humbly with broken hearts are met and embraced in them Christ is born they have him in the Baptism Supper and hearing of the Divine Word in all places for the Holy Ghost satisfieth the longing of the contrite spirit CHAP. V. Of the Seventh Form of Nature the Corporeity 1. COrporeity subsisteth in the 7th Form of Nature and as all the other six Forms are a hunger and longing desire to each other so are all their desires to the seventh to have a Body or Rest and the desire of the Essences is to preserve and sustain the Body The whole Essence of all Essences is a continued hunger of propagating from its fulness so that when one Form attaineth the other a third riseth yet the two former vanish not but all keep one in the other their own respective Powers and so of the rest And tho' the still Eternity is the only true Rest yet is the seventh Form a substantial Body of Rest whereinto the six diffuse their vertues and the same seventh Form standeth and is the comprehensible Body of Darkness and Light 2. The sharp Fire in the Liberty holdeth its right and the anguish whence the Fire ariseth sinking as a death affordeth matter and weight as in my self I see the Fire the cause of feeling in the dead Corporeity which else in the anguish sinketh into weight and is burthensom as a stifling Now what as Fire ascendeth not or as weight sinketh not in death doth as anguish remain neither uppermost nor lowermost which as the begun anguish is the Centre of both and not getting up nor down presseth side-ways like the lower Branches of a growing Tree 3. The Deity longed to see the Wonders in the Eternal Nature and Innumerable Essences yet created all for the Light not for the Darkness for the Tincture is awakened in the Centre in the death of the Earth which is the life of all Gems Minerals Vegetatives and Animals And in the deep the Sun having the Tincture of the Fire is the Father and Life of all the Stars who in the beginning proceeded from its Centre not that they all sprang from them for as the Sun is the Centre of the uppermost in the Liberty so is Saturn or the Earth of the lowermost in death yet is there no dying but a transmutation for neither doth this World die but the Essences change to be what they were not and remain as figures for ever to the glory of God's works And if the gross Visibles were not created to the Darkness how much less the Spirits which are out of the Eternal Mind and therefore Eternal like as our Mind hath diversity of innumerable thoughts and those thoughts essentially potent when exalted as in that of a Woman with Child whose thoughts can magically impress foreign preternatural substances as well as heterogene incongruous figures on the fruit of her womb 4. When God willed the Fiat viz. the creating the Eternal Essences or Powers which flowed into substance which Eternal Essences before went forth without substance then time hads its beginning But the Holy Will still proceeded with the Powers into the love and delight in meekness contrariwise Lucifer's direful Fall was his delight of turning back his will to domineer in the Tincture of the Fire root his motion to which was the forms of the Genitrix before enkindling of the Light as sour bitter dark tart stinging envious for in the fourth form stands Love and Anger in opposition being the middle form of the seven having three drawing one way and the other three drawing the other Lucifer therefore was drawn of both but that the Root forms prevailed was because he saw the Divine or Second Birth proceed out of the Centre and himself standing in the Essences of the Nature of Eternity the great Fountain he therefore despised the Humility whereof Love and Light are the Off-spring and would rule over it and so was cast out of the uppermost Life into the nethermost Death and Darkness for he was offended to see the greatest Mysteries to stand in the greatest lowliness 5. The attaining the Divine Light consisteth in a fixt resolution wrought in us of Humility wherein the Love is generated But all Laws and Devices to attain it are fabulous and as the making costly works wherein the Artificer pleaseth only himself with things wholly unprofitable reaching no higher than imitation of useful things like also as there are many Spirits Aerial Aquastrish Terrestrial and in the Anguish which are not out of the Eternal Well-spring but from the beginning Will generated by the Tincture of Heaven in Nature which mutable at their time leaving only their shadow to manifest the wonders of God And from Eternity there hath been such a Government where the knowledge was only in God but at the coming out of the Angelical World an Intellect was also in the Creatures The Gate into the Holy Trinity 6. In no Creature in Heaven or this World stand the three Principles open as in Man The first Principle or Father tho' he standeth in the Liberty Eternal Stilness is not call'd Father as such but as he is the desiring Thus the Mind of a Man being one only Will is desiring yet therein out of the Eternal Will are innumerable Wills the first Will is Master and the other are recomprehended leading to Light and Darkness to Joy
living Word attracted Maries Essences or Faculties into the Eternal Virginity and so in Nine Months there was a compleat Man in Soul Spirit and Flesh but the Virgin of Eternity never till then did put on Flesh except in Adam before the Fall but â—ow the Word united to the Soul is not though united one and the same with the Soul but the Soul being out of the Centre of Nature remained intirely the same Creature and the Word being out of the Majesty penetrated it like as a dark black piece of â—ron is flaming and shining by the Fire penetrating it but the Iron comprehendeth not but is comprehended by the Light of the Fire So the Deitâ— dwelleth in the Soul yet the Soul remaineth a Soul still but if the flaming Iron fall into Water it is soon as other Iron again as it was with Adam 10. Adam departed and Christ became Man to return us into the Angelical World wherein Man attains the Eternal incomprehensible Flesh of Eternal Substantiality which is hidden in the old earthy Flesh as Gold in the Stone This true most precious Stone of Philosophers tinctureth the old for this is as a Son yet a Thousand times greater than the Father this bright Crown of Pear s is most manifâ—st yet most secret who so finds it hath such Joy as no earthy Tongue or Pen can describe CHAP. VII The Hypocritical and real Christian the Gates of the Firmamental Heaven with Stars c. The Threefold Life of Man and right noble Spiritual Stone 1. MAN's greatest Concern is to seek that which is lost not hypocritically without our selves for all the hearing of Heaven and the new Birth Preached Singing Repetitions Reading all Books having the Bible without Book Talking and Despising the Simple requiring they be guided by Man's Art and Eloquence and resting there is a continuing of Men as in a dark Dungeon and no more than casting a Stone into Water which is taken out again as hard as before And Mens deepest Reason Opinions of the Pope Luther Calvin or Schwenkfield and all Contention Disputation and that accounted high University Study though the Soul fill it self therewith only leaves the Soul in doubt on the shaking Foundation of vain flattering Hopes if still there be an unholy unchang'd Heart 2. But simply with the Publican God be merciful unto me a sinner gather all thy captivating Sins and in great earnestness knock seek consult not thy Earthy Reason sensual Love and self Will and then that Soul entreth into the Temple of Christ instead of Disputing bring earnest Resignation let thy Contention be such only as was Jacob's Wrestling God's Invitation and inviolable Promises are the Ground of that Faith which makes Hell tremble produceth the new Birth giveth the noble Stone and then the little grain of Mustard-seed growing in the Storms of Reproach and Temptation becoming a Tree attaineth the Angelical Garland of Pearl for then may the Soul say Though this World hath my outward Body Captive yet I have the Regenerator in my Soul that will make me free which is as putting a Stone into Fire which makes an effectual change on 't though Water do not as is above mentioned 3. Saith any one seeing the Devil is gone into Enmity Why doth not God annihilate him A. That which is Eternal breaketh or dissolveth not like that which hath a Beginning but though the Devils were not in the Form of a Spirit from Eternity yet their Essences were from Eternity but the putting their Will into the stern Matrix of the Centre of Nature captivated them therein but in their Essences remain as a Looking-glass for Angels and Souls of Men. Say also any If the World be so dangerous for Man Why hath God set and continued him in it A. Should God reduce the third Principle into its Aether before effecting what wonders were foreseen in the Wisdom from Eternity it cannot be but also in time must the Forms of Nature be substantial 4. The Infinite God being Threefold in Persons willed to move himself according to the Property and Nature of each Person As 1. The Father's Property moved to create Angels c. to bear his Image and behold his glorious Power 2. The Son's Property moved once and never more in Eternity to become Man by whom the glorious Majesty of the Trinity is shewn unto Angels and Men in an express Character and living Image 3. The Holy Ghost's Nature will move it self at the Resurrection at returning this World into its Aether and will set the Wonders passed in time into Eternal substantiality He is the Joy and Mover of the Creatures and of Paradise through whom will be seen the Power and Vertue of every thing 5. This World with Stars and Elements shew the Eternal Centre and Being of all Forms whereon Adam who was the Image of the Trinity doated and was capâ—iv'd as Lucifer was by the fierce Matrix He was one not two the Light shone in him and he should have propagated an Angelical Kingdom was Lord over Fire Air Water and Earth could remove Mountains no Death was in him Paradisical Fruit grew for him he was a Virgin after the Form of Eternal Sophia he was pure and was to place his Will on himself for God was in him and he in God But seeing two Divine Forms in himself one Paradisical within himself the other without him he thought to Eat of both viz. the Paradisical and the mixed of Good and Evil till he sunk into a sleep which signifieth Death where the Spirit of this World formed him into such a Man as we now are and Eve into a Woman and when they had eaten the Spirit of this World captivated their Souls their Essences were Earthy their Flesh and Blood Bestial so that they begat Children in two Kingdoms viz. of Wrath and Love the first a Murtherer the second Holy for the word of Grace and Covenant had on their Fall set it self in the Light of their Life 6. This Word was and for ever is the only noble spiritual Philosopher's Stone Christ. This Stone was in all the Holy Men from Adam downward whereby they both were Good and did Good but the Men of lower outside Principles or Rationists have a counterfeit scholastick glistering pleasant Stone which they think is right and they hotly persecute the true precious Stone to advance their own which outside Stone of theirs is only a Stone of the great Building of this World for it initiateth Childhood in wantonness and bravery requiring Covetousness and crafty Guile to support it so they set the Paradisical Garland of Blossoming Youth on the Serpents Head learn to contemn them as simple who have the true Stone because they live as not of the World but Childlike and go through and out of the World weeping yet bearing precious seed 7. From v. 62. to the end is as it were a recital of the often treated of the Eternal Being compar'd to Fire and Light as Anger and Love
how to help no Prince or Throne Angel could contrive a Remedy Then said Jehovah Christ Lo I come to do thy Will O God and his own Arm wrought Salvation by becoming Man entring Death with his Humane Soul brake the seven Seals of the Centre of Nature hung the old Adam as a Curse on the Cross kindled again the Divine Fire in the Soul cast away the Earthiness and powerfully through Death introduced Life The highly precious Gate Thus the Regenerate may see that as Christ did cast away from him by Death only the Spirit of this VVorld and raised himself so shall they in his VVord and Heart which is every where present and in his Flesh and Blood not in the corrupt Body be raised for the inward Body Adam had in Paradise is only capable of being clothed upon with the Flesh of Christ In this new Body fixeth the new Regenerate Soul but the old corrupt Flesh only hangeth to the new Body yet comprehends it not The which old Body conceived from the Spirit of this VVorld being at the last day raised therewith only in a figure in which figure all Mans works follow him passeth into its Ether yet remaineth in its figure So likewise the corrupt Bodies of the wicked at the last Judgment shall be presented with their Mother the Spirit of this world and the Souls shall hear the sentence then shall the Bodies pass with their Mother and stand as a Figure and their works in the figure shall follow them into the Abyss CHAP. IX Concerning the Threefold Life Also the Inclination and whole Government of Man in this Life 1. MAN's whole Race is a strife 'twixt the Devil and the Soul and the Spirit of this worâ—d and the Soul for this worlds Spirit hath apprehension tho not Divine planted in its Matrix and this world stood in the Eternal wisdom as an invisible figure before the Creation and by Creation became a proper Principle to the end it might bring all its wonders and works into Existence and appear Eternally in their figure 2. Man only being capable to exhibit this worlds wonders of Arts and the Spirit and Life of Metals precious Stones Earths Celestial Influences c. therefore hath the Spirit of this world longed to draw Man into it That precious Stone of Philosophers may be found in Metals by him who understandeth this Author in the Centre of Natures progress to the Cross of the Trinity and Glance of the Majesty which this worlds Spirit hath a Natural longing to reveal 3. The first Birth of things are not pleasant as in Trees but the Fruit is a second Birth and what is desir'd by Man which points us to our Noble Birth and high Descent which was Divine for when the Kingdom of the Anger did press into the Fruits the Paradisical Principle did almost wholly withdraw Yet though Toads Serpents poysonous Herbs bitter Properties Thistles c. originate in the wrathful Matrix yet as the evil Properties explicate the inward worlds they are as good and concur to the same end with the best but the evil and good eaten by Adam being such as we now eat was his eating of Death because thereby the Spirit of this world captivated him as doth both it and the Devils Kingdom rule in Man still Of the great strife about Man 4. Hell saith my Anger is his Root he is therefore by Nature mine This world pleads possession of Man in its Body and his Community of Nutrition from it God saith I â—ave set my Heart upon Man and Regenerated him he proceeded out of me I have sought and found him again he is mine to reveal my wonders Pursuant to this one of three things winneth him either 1. His desire of Honour Glory and Power which is the Devils Will. 2. His desire of Riches Opulence and Fulness in which he is a Beast of this World 3. He the somewhat sensible Sinner but not the Swine greatly feareth Hell and the Devil and weakly panteth after Heaven but the other two draw so violently that many through desperation engulph themselves into the Abyss Of the Devil changing himself into an Angel of Light 5. When the Sinner begins to be sensible of his evil and danger the Devil willingly permits him to go to the Stone Churches then flatters him that his diligent so doing makes him godly and devout Where often thoughts are sowen in him of Pride Lust c. also of contempt of others especially if the Preacher be a Reviler If the Soul be yet afraid and would repent and pray the Devil clouds the understanding introduceth doubts and promiseth amendment to Morrow he rehearseth words but prayeth not for the Soul cannot reach the Centre of Nature where the Fire should be struck but his words in this Worlds Spirit vanish into Air or Gods Name is taken in vain 6. But Prayer is a great or at least a true going of the Soul to be spoken to of God and brought out of the House of Sin into the House of God Which when the Devil opposeth we are to oppose the more for we have in Christ far greater power than he But if the Devil covers the Heart by heaps of Sin we are not to dispute or despair but to lay them on the Devils Back and lay up in our Hearts Gods most merciful Calls and earnest Will towards us shewn by the Sufferings Wounds Death and dear Love and Pity of Christ to Sinners for there is no other Will in God but to do as the Father to the Prodigal Son therefore to doubt of Gods gracious Intents is to sin greatly The Gates of the deep Ground concerning Man 7. The knowing what Man is in the variety of form feature and different driving Will hath been controverted since the beginning because the Gates thereof were sunk with Adam's Fall but the Spirit of the Soul of the Regenerated Man knoweth himself in all the three Principles to have but one only Rule though in three Principles the prevalence of either denominates the Man We are as a Seed sowen in a Field by the Lust of Man and Woman the Mover whereunto is that the Tincture now divided to the Male giving Life and Soul and the substantiality now peculiar to the Female giving Spirit and Existence were in Eternity one wherein this world stood as a Figure and the Tincture over-shadowed by the Wisdom was received thereinto as the Body doth the Spirit yet could not be brought into substance visible to Angels who are in a substance unless God had moved the Eternity 8. In the moving of the Trinity was moved the Centre of Nature whereby the Tincture became substantial and the substantiality became material yet not divided wherein when the Fiat was awakened forth came all sorts of Beasts c. The Tincture took substance and the Spirit of the substance took on it a Body the first had the Centre of Life the other only an impotent Life which may be demonstrated by a
from within as when Christ raised Lazarus by a power from within from the Centre of the Soul as so also shall we be raised at last for the Word with the three Principles dwells in us And all Souls are as it were one Soul being all propagated of one Soul therefore will they all hear the Voice of the Human Soul of Christ and arise with their Bodies 5. So when we pray it is not to a God afar off for God heareth in the Centre of the Soul of the repenting sinner pressing out of the anguish of the first Principle and out of the Spirit of this World into the holy second Principle which is also in the Soul for when we pray aright the Word which became Man having the Holy Ghost in it goeth from the Father and meeteth the pouring out Soul for the Body is not worthy but the new Body of the flesh of Christ when the Soul attains it is the Temple of the Holy Ghost Then comes the Soul to God as the Prodigal Son with an humble submissive obedient Will from the Swine He knocks at his evil heart and breaks open the doors and the Father saith This my Son was lost and is found was dead and is alive The latter part of this Chapter is not extracted being a brief Exposition of the Lord's Prayer according to the Language of Nature which is little known CHAP. XVII Concerning God's Blessing in this World 1. THE Soul finds it self in such an Earthy Garment causing shame and is so choaked by the Devils smoky Pit which represents God a cruel severe Judge that stands at a catch to damn it or decreed its eternal perdition before the present World was that the Soul must needs be under total despair or great doubt at least of falling short of the Light of God for such is the Effect of shame and guilt Therefore the Soul by this misunderstanding starts back seeking some satisfaction from the Spirit of this World and support for the outward Life only or chiefly to be had by its own distrustfâ—â—â—arking and toiling in his own contrivances and subtle reason a consequent of the Curse whence so many potent delusions spring for he thus falls home to the Earthy Life for meat clothing and habitation 2. And this is contrary to the Life Man should have led for as God dwelleth in the Earth yet the Earth apprehendeth him not so Man should with the Soul have eaten the Divine Word of God's Love tho' the Body had been of the Matrix of the Earth yet not captivated in it but eating of the Blessing of God The Body was taken out of the Centre of the Fire and Waters Tincture the Soul out of the second Principle why then should the Body captivate the Soul 3. The Outward Life consists in three parts one in the dominion of the Stars another in the one Element divided into four and the other the dominion of God So that the Man who trusteth in God and not in his Reason the Spirit of God is with him blessing what he is hath and doth For seeing the Soul hath the Body of God how can God's Spirit forsake the outward Body which must open its Wonders God wants none and all are alike profitable to him the politick and the weak for with the outwardly wise he ruleth and with the outwardly simple he tilleth buildeth c. and this Worlds outward Spirit gives degrees to men here so according as the Soul is indued with Divine Power such are the degrees in Heaven yet all in one Love but God's Children are in this and that World as Good Herbs and sweet Flowers which yield their several Vertues in harmony to the Apothecary and the wicked are as poisonous Weeds Thorns and Thistles who separate themselves and their Off-spring into an evil Self-will and Property 4. Covetousness is madness driving Man Devil like to Torment others about a handful of Earth or a Stone of which the World hath enough and plague himself to get the Good of that he must speedily leave and the gnawing guilt which will never leave him This Man still runneth after that Care and Sorrow which runneth after him whereas every one if content hath a sufficient Portion from the Spirit of this World and of Care and Sorrow also as saith the Lord Sufficient for the day is the Evil thereof But Man's mad Will is all to advance Pride whereas the Kingdom of God is Love and Humility and if Man suffers not himself to be captivated Heaven and Earth is his by God's free Donation so not only Heaven but the Sun Stars Elements Earth Sea and all is Man's by Natural Propriety To trust therefore in God is to build sure in Heaven and Earth CHAP. XVIII Of Death and Dying How Man is when he Dieth and how it is with him in Death 1. THE Life consisteth in three Parts 1. The Inward which is God's Eternal hidden Mystery in the Fire whence Life existeth 2. The Middle or Eternal Image of God wherein God seeth himself as a Man doth himself in a Glass 3. The Spirit of the great World which this Eternal Image got in the Creation as a Glass to see it self in so the out-principle figures the inward and the inward Image hath so gazed on the outward as that it hath received the outward which must break off again which because it is bound to the Eternal Centre of Nature therefore is the breaking in Death so very painful 2. The outward consisteth in the Sun's Tincture and its Dominion are the Planets and Stars each of which still drive on to its Limits and when it comes again to its place where it stood in the Creation all whereof it was Lord ceaseth for there it commenceth a new Age whence many a young Child in the Womb dieth for its Lord is at its Period And to hit the Point of our limited End it is required to know exactly the Number and Period of the Sign which is our Leader 3. How hardly can the Living Man express how it is with one that is Dead which himself hath not experimented A Dead Man's sence is ceased with extinguishing his Fire his Elementary Spirit evaporateth his Blood and Water pass into Water and Earth also therewith his Essences thus his Beginning finds End But because the corruptible hath an Eternal Root therefore the Eternal worketh in the Fragile and because the outward Imageth the Eternal it should bring its Wonders and Similitudes into the Eternal whence it is originated 4. The Souls Will worketh in the Centre or Eternal Root the Astral Spirit works in the Body adhering so to the Soul that the Soul often lusteth to do what the Starry Spirit doth and such Souls who get no higher fall into Covetousness Pride Envy and Anger whence if they convert not in those very works must the Soul Eternally dwell doing the Devils Will hating God loving Folly which was here and is there their only Treasure but only in the
Earthy way slept and God took the Rib and half cross in Adam and fram'd a Woman also gave the Woman a Branch out of Adam's Souls Spirit that she might not generate Devils So the Man hath the Fires Tincture and the Woman the Lights Tincture and seeing it could not be otherwise they propagate after the manner of all Beasts the Man soweth Soul the Woman Spirit So then the Soul cometh not into the Body from without but the three Principles are each its own Work-master The one striketh Fire making the Centre of Nature the second Tincture and Fire and the third the great Earthy Mystery All done in the Mixture of the Seed as a Twig or Branch out of a Tree Q. 9. In what manner the Soul uniteth it self with the Body A. It is above explained that all the three Principles are one in another The Soul hath its seat in the Blood of the Heart The outward Water and Blood naturally captivateth the inward but not the Light of the Majesty nor Lights Tincture Save only by the imagination therefore often is a Child more blessed than one that is old Though many are not Born Holy yea though from good Seed because often some potent wrathful Constellation insinuateth it self But God knoweth who are his Q. 10. Whether the Soul be ex traduce by production or every time new breathed in by God It is propagated as a sprout cometh of a Grain set with this difference that the three Principles wrestle which may have it which often introduceth a wonderful Turba while it is yet a Seed And where the Parents are both captivated by the Devil it is rare that of a black Raven should come a white one But the Child can if it convert enter into the Word of the Lord for God casteth away no Soul But O Parents procure good Souls for your Children For where the Parents have Christs Flesh in their Souls of the good Tree cometh good Fruit But the Turba can by their acting according to selfish Reason get entrance into such Children also Q. 11. How and in what place the Souls seat in Man is A. It dwelleth in the three Principles but the Heart is its original it is the inward Fire in the inward Blood and in the Tincture is the Spirit which like a Brimstone light moveth on the concavity of the Heart and distributeth it self into every Member and carrieth its dominion into the Head And if the Soul sink it self down into God the outward must suffer it self to be subdued The outward Death reacheth not the Soul one Principle it seizeth on but not on the substance of that neither no Fire or Sword can touch or kill the Soul but the Imagination that is its Poyson thence it proceeded therein it ever dwelleth Q. 12. How the Souls Enlightning is A. The Soul hath two Eyes with the right it looketh forward into the Eternal Liberty into Gods Light With the other backward into the desiring into the Looking glass and if not restrained imagineth into the glance of the Looking glass into Pride Covetousness and Self This Eye must by the right Eye be drawn backwards let the left Eye draw Wonders to it but not Matter Let it seek Earthy Food but not go into it For from this the right Eye must ever in this Life time account it self and be really dead and then the Soul layeth hold on liberty and becometh enlightened The noble Image which is subtiler and purer than any thing standeth in Heavenly Flesh and Blood in the Fire of the Majesty and in the Heart of that Image sitteth the Holy Spirit who teacheth that my self am Gods Servant my Children my Estate my Work are all his and when he calleth me into my Native Countrey may give my labour to whom he will this is a conversing with God in Love and Humility a going out from self into the Majesty Power and Clarity a giving up of darkness a receiving of Eternal Light and Triumph Q. 13. How the Souls feeding on the World of God is A. The Soul hath a Mouth as well as the Body and groweth by eating It is not only Gods Similitude but Child and when it entreth into the Majestick Light it continually longeth panteth and draweth into its desire the Virtue and Power of God which is his Body Christs Heavenly Flesh the Bread of God John 6. 27. Christs Testaments are nothing else we eat not Spirit without Body for the Soul is Spirit before hand it would have Body And this inward is substance consisting in its own Principle in Power is Magical not as a thought but Essential and Substantial Q. 14. Whether such new Soul be without Sin A. 1. So great was Adam's heavy Fall as let in the Spirit of this World the Turba and a monstrous Image making the Soul a vehement hunger That had not the word instantly set it self in the middle Man had remain'd Eternally broken off from God and if the Soul do not convert its right Eye into the word again and so acquire a new Body Born of God its precious Image must remain hidden and lost However it is half Earthy having the Turba in it How then can a clean Soul be generated It cannot 2. It is sinful in the Mothers Womb thence came Circumcision Yet if the Child die in the Mothers Womb if the Parents be vertuous and in God it is Baptized with the Father and Mothers Spirit the Holy Spirit dwelling in them But the Child of wicked Parents dying in the Womb falleth home to the Turba remaining as a Brimstone Flame or Ignis Fatuus in the Mystery between Heaven and Hell till the Judgment of God gather in its Harvest and give every thing it s own repository but in Eternity it reacheth not to God 3. Babel saith Jews Turks c. not having Baptism are rejected of God But blessedness lyeth not in the outward word only but in the Power and Virtue They may vehemently press into Gods Love by their Teaching Life and Death for God and Christ are every where Q. 15. How Sin cometh into the Soul seeing it is Gods Work and Creature A. Sin maketh not it self but the will maketh it and because Children even of good Parents come not pure and clean as the Soul is drawn of the Word of the Lord so is it mightily of the Turba especially in Youth when the Earthy Tree sâ—icketh full of green sprouting driving Essences and Poyson That which standeth in equal Ballance by putting more weight into one end sinketh down be it to good or evil Q. 16. How the Soul both in the Adamical as also in the new or regenerate Body is held in such Union together A. 1. There is no full Union betwixt the inward and outward for the Turba is in the very Seeds which tho' the Spirit doth subdue the deeds of the Body Yet the Turba so causeth it to imagine that the sincere Soul is ashamed and offended at it
and groaneth to have it Banished for the outward devoureth the inward if the inward continue not in strife 2. Yet the three Principles are one in another The Soul is the Jewel the Spirit is the finder of the Jewel the Earthy Spirit is the â—eeker the Earthy Body is the Mystery so three seekers belong to the Soul 3. We undervalue not the outward Life it shews Gods Wonders but let Men go with the inward into the outward for tho' the outward be a Beast yet the Wonders which have discovered themselves in a comprehensible substance belong with their figures not their substance to the inward 4. The inward understanding Spirit is Lord of the outward But if it let the outward be Lord that Man is a Beast and if it let the Fire-spirit viz. the Turba be Lord that Man is a Devil But the outward Life is Water to that Fire else how would many a Man become a Devil if the outward Life did not hinder it as is to be seen in the Gall which is a Fire Poyson but mixed with Water it allays the fierce Pomp of the Fire from going aloft above the Meekness of God as Lucifer did Q. 17. Whence and wherefore is there a contrariety of the Flesh and Spirit A. Water is a death to Fire but the contrariety is not totally such in Man because the Light ever causeth the Fire but rather such as between God and Hell for the Anger Fire sharpeneth the Divine hiddenness of Gods Eternal Majesty for it generateth the high Light in the free Liberty and thus the other or second World cometh to be out of the first The Soul is the Centre of Nature The Spirit is the precious Image tho' not sever'd as Fire and Light are not sever'd the Fire is fierce yet the cause of the Meek Light and in the Light is the Life The contrariety is that the inward Spirit hath Gods Body out of the meek substantiality the outward Spirit hath the great Wonders which lye in the Arcanum of the Souls â—ternness therefore the Love spirit hindereth that the fierce wrath destroyeth not the Soul bâ— inflaming it The contrariety is that the inward Spirit would be Lord and subdue and the outward would be Lord saying it hath the Mystery of which it hath but a Looking-glass Seek not the Mystery in the outward Spirit for there is but a Glimpse but go into the Cross and from the Cross back into the fourth Form there is Sun and Moon one in another Bring it into Anguish into Death Drive on that Magick Body so far till it be again what it was before the Centre in the will and then it is Magical and hungry after Nature it is a seeking in the Eternal seeking and would fain have a Body therefore give him for a Body Sol viz. the Soul and then it will suddenly make it a Body according to the Soul for the will sprouteth in Paradise with very fair Heavenly Fruit without spot or blemish The inward Spirit would have God the outward would have Bread which is also good in its place But beware thou let not the outward Spirit be Lord. Q. 18. How the Soul departs from the Body in the death of a Man A. There is need of the Eyes of all the three Principles to take Death Captive to see this sharp question The beginning which is Magical having found the limit casteth away the seeking the Looking-glass the Earthy Life And lets the Body depart without complaint for there is no woe done to the Soul but the Turba or Fire life the Matter or Earthy Life â—â—â—seth The Soul dwelleth in the will which hath a glance or lustre burning in it and the Fire becometh impotent and a darkness unless the Spirit hath Heavenly Substantiality if so it is swallow'd up in the Magia hath the same meek Body for a Sulphur and Eternally burneth in the Love-fire Thus Sickness unto Death is that the Turba hath kindled it self and destroyeth the introduced Medium The Life's Fire being withdrawn the Body goeth into its Aether when if the Soul's Fire hath not in its Spirit God's Body viz nothing of the Power of Humility to sink down in it self through Death into Life it is a dark Fire in great horror in the first four Forms of Nature The stern Astringency Bitterness Anguish and Fire without flaming The Covetous one hath Frost the Envious one Bitterness the falâ—e Deceitful one Anguish the Wrathful one Fire Hence consider the last Judgment to be such as at which the Devils do tremble Q. 19. How the Soul is Mortal or who it is Immortal A. The Soul is from the Eternal and continueth Eternally it came out of God's Mouth and at Death goeth into God's Mouth again But the wicked Soul hath lost its Image yet Immortal for the Eternal Nature dieth not also if the Anger Fire should die God's Majesty would extinguish which can never be The wicked Soul hath introduced a Substance into the Will thence comes wo it is a Dying yet only a Will of Dying an Anguish ever thinking if I had not done this or that I might have attained God's Salvation which Evil things done make Eternal Despair No Soul Dieth be it in God or in Hell but its Substance or Doings stand Eternally to the Glory of God's Wonders Q. 20. How the Soul comes or returns to God again A. Answer'd in the foregoing Answer Q. 21. Whither the Soul goeth when it Departeth c. be it saved or not saved A. 1. It goeth not out at the Mouth for it came not in at the Mouth but the Turba having broken the Earthy Life goes as a Conqueror unapprehended by Wood or Stone through the Anger of God and Death and then is in God's Body in Christ's Flesh and Blood seeth God's Majesty and the Angels face to face in the unsearchable World without end or limit 't is swift as a Thought is magical its words and deeds done here are â—ts House 2. The Heavenly Body of the Soul is from the pure Element out of which the four are come that gives Flesh the Tincture blood It s external substantiality is Paradise where spring all bright heavenly Fruits which the Soul may eat they are as pure as a Thought yet substantial with colours Power and palpable to be handled by the Soul Juicy full of the Water of Life 3. Only those who are gone out of their own Will into God's in this Life have Christ's Flesh on them but most go so out as by Faith hang by a thread and are in the still rest waiting for the last Judgment Day sunk down in Humility through Death yet a Cliff or Gulph is betwixt them and the Holy Souls in Christ's Flesh and Blood but are in the same Principle yet under the Altar 4. The wicked are in the innermost which is also the outermost Darkness and can appear again in the starry Spirit seeking rest make terrors in Houses
Deep one Power and Lustre receiveth the other The Deep with its Lustre is hidden but yet hath the power of the Sun in it 4. So Christ's Substantiality filleth Heaven and Paradise and swalloweth up the Earthiness also where it is received and obeyed 5. Thus Christ brought back what Adam lost and much more for the Word is every where become Man See the Extracts of the latter part of the 18th Chapter of the Three Principles The 2d Part being of Christ's Suffering Dying Death and Resurrection CHAP. I. Q. IS it said Was it not sufficient that God became Man why must he also die Could God no other way save Man What pleasure takes he in Death and Dying If God had by his Sons Death paid a Ransom for us why must we also die CHAP. V. Ver. 54. to the end Ans. 1. MAN had lost the Divine Substantiality and Angelical Property and imagined into the Out-birth viz. into the Earthy part was departed from the Divine Light into the Light of this World and captivated in the fierce Wrath of God which the Devil had kindled viz. the four first Forms according to which God calleth himself a consuming fire 2. The corrupted Out birth also had put a Body on him which it destroyed and swallowed up again in its essential fire 3. But being the Soul was breathed into Man out of the Holy Spirit of God out of the Eternal and so is an Angel 4. Therefore hath the Power of the Holy Light World the Heart of God resumed the same entring into the Human Essence which lay in the Anguish Chamber surrounded with Death and took to himself a Soul out of our Essence and our Mortal Life and introduced the Soul through Death through the earnest severe Fire of God the Father into the holy meek Light-World and so destroyed Death by bringing in Divine Substanâ—iality into the fierce Wrath of the Father the Centre of the Anguish-Chamber the Fire World in the Soul Christ being the right Centre of the Holy Trinity is with the out gone Holy Spirit the flaming Majesty the Light-World 5. And whosoever will possess the Light-World and be an Angel must enter in through the same path bear old Adams Cross go forth through the harâ—â—â— astringent stern and malignant corrupted Adamical Man and slay him and be born anew out of the Anxious Wheel 6. But seeing we were not able to do this Christ gave himself into the Centre of the fierce Wrath in the Soul brake and extinguished it with his Love So that now when we go out of our selves to the death of sin we come into the death of Christ the path he hath prepared for us and leads to his Resurrection whereby we ascend into his Arms the unshut Light-World which is also Abraham's bosom the Paradise wherein we were created our true dear native Country 7. It consisteth not in this that we think it enough to pourtray and represent what Christ hath done and suffered for us and tell of a Faith in that but that we daily and hourly fight and slay the Evil Adam as to his will and doings with resigned and resolved earnestness and then we enter into Christ's Death in our living Bodies put on his Life in us become impregnated with the Kingdom of Heaven Get on us Christ's Thorny Crown and still be accounted one that is not worthy to live on the Earth through all which we must faithfully proceed on knowing we must either be Angels or Devils 8. In this Death nothing dieth to or in us but only the Earthy Evil dead Adam whose will and life we have here continually destroyed This Enemy departeth from us into the Essential Fire into the four Elements and into the Mystery and must at the end be tryed through the Fire of God and then our Bodies and Works must be given us again through that Fire whatever the Earthy Mystery had swallowed up But not such an Evil one for the Fire of God devoureth the Evil but such a one as we here in anxiety have sought a Divine Spiritual Substance like the Wonders and Wisdom of God 9. Hypocritical Reason saith Christ hath done all for us we cannot It is right Christ hath done what we cannot do he hath broken Death and restored a new Life and is in Heaven But 't is not knowing but doing the Devils know but what availeth that we know if we remain without and enter not into Christ in the way and passage he hath made for us doing good for evil in truth and simplicty CHAP. VII Ver. 75. 1. IT is not enough to cry Lord give me a strong Faith in the Merits of thy Son he hath satisfied for my sins But I must enter into Christ's suffering and dying and be born a second time out of his Death become a Member in and with him Constantly crucifie the old Adam Always hang on Christ's Cross Become an obedient Child Tho' I plainly walk this way yet I have so evil a ghest in me that I still work too much evil must therefore continually strive and fight till I vanquish 2. Christ indeed hath in and for us broken Death and made way but what doth that comfort me unless I enter in that very way and path as a Pilgrim or Stranger here CHAP. IX CHrist's Sufferings c. 1. Men content them to participate of in the Lord's Supper v. 29. But his Divine Flesh and Blood is that which the wicked cannot participate of that is Sacramentally 2. They receive the four Elements in the Anger of God because they discern not the Lord's Body which is every where present in Heaven and Earth and is fed upon by the Heavenly Soul not as a sign as others dream not Spirit without Substance but the Substance of the Spirit Christ's Flesh which filleth the Light-World which the Word that became Man brought with it into the Virgin Mary and there became opened in its Flesh and Blood the assumed Human Essence 3. Yet was it at that very time while Christ lay in the Virgins Womb in Heaven in the one Element in all places It came not into Mary from many miles off but the Centre which Adam in God's Anger had shut up in death the Word of the Deity did unlock and bring in the Divine Substantiality not entring in but unshutting ingenerating and in this World exgenerating God and Man one person heavenly Substantiality and Virginity one only Man in Heaven and in this World See the latter part of the 18th Chapter of the three Principles The third part being of the Tree of Christian Faith CHAP. I. WHat Faith is 1. It is not our forcing the mind to belief of Articles which are the work of our Reason 2. But true Faith is one Spirit with God working in and with God is the might of God dwells in the liberty in God's Will inclined to his Love and Mercy is free from the fierce Wrath and Torment in Nature is not comprehended subsisteth in
all things but hidden to the things not dwelling in the things for it self hath a substance in it self after the manner of Eternity 2. The first Eternal Principle is Magical and like a hidden Fire is Eternally known in its Colours in the figure in the Wisdom of God as in a Looking-glass The opening of which Mystery openeth the three Principles according to the Trinity 3. The Magical Centre of the first Principle is Fire which as also the second is as a Spirit without palpable substance therefore the longing is to generate the third where the Spirit of the Principles might manifest it self by Similitude In this desiring Powers Colours and Virtues come to be 4. And for as much as every desiring is attractive The first Principle impregnateth it self with Nature and the second with Light And this meek Fire of the Majesty of the second being set opposite to the Fire of the first quenching its wrath puts it into an Essential Substance thereby and the first giveth the second power strength and might being together an Eternal Band that without the one the other could not be 5. What the first Principle is wholly and alone in it self The first Will willeth to be free from the darkness and by desiring cannot attain it for the desiring is a stern attraction So that out of the thin rare liberty where nothing is a darkness comes And the greater the desiring the greater will be the attraction The drawing giveth sting and the attracted giveth hardness from the desiring comes the feeling thence also comes the third form viz. the Anguish which is as it were the Centre where Life and Will originate 6. Hence it is the Will would flee but is withheld by the harshness so that it becomes whirling as a Wheel and the greater the Anguish the greater the whirling and the greater the bitter sting of the Essences and Multiplicity But in the whirling the Essences become a mixed will where lye innumerable multiplicity of Existencies or Beings justly called the Eternal Mind 7. The first will which is called Father and is in it self the Liberty desireth Nature and Nature groaneth after the liberty from the Anguish The conception of which in the Imagination causeth a shriek of joy and when it attaineth the liberty the shriek becomes a flash in the meekness breaking the sting of Death and passeth into the Kingdom of Joy and so into the Love for the meekness draweth the Joy into it and that is the Water of Eternal Life 8. And when the Fire drinketh the Water of Eternal Life it giveth forth the Light of the Majesty where dwell the Father and the Son And the Holy Spirit is the Life of it opening the meek substantiality viz. Colours Wonders and Vertues That is called the Divine Wisdom the House of the Holy Trinity and in its Colours and Vertues the Spirit hath all the Angelical Quires 9. The second substance of the shriek is an Inimicitious Quality exciting a panting to be loosed from the quality of Anguish Whence in the Fathers Will ariseth pity compassion and mercifulness 10. Hence also cometh the Gall into Creatures which tho'it be a Poyson is the cause of Life viz. of Mobility for Death is the Root of Life as may be seen in Christs Death and also in our own 11. The Souls Fire uniteth with the Eternal Nature The right Souls Spirit is one Spirit with God The Images Corporeity is of the Substance wherein the Faithful shall live Eternally CHAP. II. What the Principle is or what they all three are Further of the First Point 1. WHen Life findeth it self where none is that is a Principle Fire is a Property so is Light for tho' it be caused by the Fire it is not the Fires Property and the wrathful Anguish is the cause of both 2. But the Will to the Anguish called Father a Man cannot search out We only fathom how the Anguish gains the highest Perfection in the Holy Trinity and manifesteth it self in the three Principles What Essence is and how it originateth because thence spring the Senses and Thoughts and the Wonder of all Beings 3. The third Principle of the Stars and Elements manifesteth the other two And that which in moving attained the fierce wrath became the Globe of the Earth Thence is it that out of it while the Centre of Nature is in it and it freed from Death the pure Child of the Eternal substance may be extracted as in Gold Tho' by defect of attaining the Eternal Fire Life is not so brought out of Death save only in Man and what is beyond Man belongs to God and we wait the Renovation in the end of time 4. of the Substance and Property of the three Principles The first Principle standing in the Fire of the Will The second in the Will to the Light the one giving its desire into the other yet are not mixt each retaineth its Property yet dwelleth in the other The third hath the Properties of both yet is neither It is an awakener manifester and similitude of the Eternal yet is not the Eternal but is become a substance in the Eternal desire 5. The Creation was an awakening of the Power and Form which was in the Eternal Will and because it was in the beginning comprized in the Eternal therefore must the substance in this World together with the figure go into the Eternal 6. But whatsoever became comprized in the desire out of the beginning recâ—des into its Ether becoming what it was when it was no substance So this Worlds substance being a coagulated Vapour returns into the Magia or Mystery whereof it served a while to be a manifester 7. For nothing attains the liberty of Eternity that subsisteth not in the Willfire of the Eternal in which the Light can bring its lustre and dwell and that it be as subtle as the Lights substantiality 8. Mans Soul may if it will become generated out of the fierce wrath into Renovation by forsaking the Earthy renew what he hath generated out of the Eternal which else remaineth in the quality of Torment For whatever is not like to the Love fire Light and Water cannot subsist in the liberty but remains in an opposite Will in the dark Torment it awakened in it self 9. The right Man out of the new Birth is three Worlds the Eternal Light World shineth through all whatsoever is thin rare or transparent and thereby capable of it which can no more be hinder'd than the Sun can be that it should not shine 10. The Properties of the first Principle sprout making Sulphur Mercurius and Sal. 11. The second Principle sprouteth in it self making Love a Friendly Vertuous Pioâ—s Humble Patient Will to stoop and bear with evil in others ever hidden to the old Man lashing it forward as a lazy Ass denies him the worldly Jollity it lusteth after and makes him a Servant it with standeth the evil Influences of the Stars and the fierce Devil and Malicious Men so
its first sude boiling or vegetation CHAP. IV. The Birth of the Stars c. 1. THere are seven Forms in Nature which yet principally consist in three viz. Astringency Compunction and Anguish according to which there are seven Planets and no more and seven Metals fixt The Temporal Spirits hunger gaineth a Temporal Body and the Eternal Spirits hunger an Eternal Body both in each other but distinct as Time and Eternity 2. In Saturns Property the Lubet makes Lead and according to the Water Salt according to Saturns mortal Property Earth Stones c. according to the Liberty in Saturn Gold which he keeps shut up See verse the 27th to the 34th 3. There is in Man 1. The Divine Golden Man 2. The inward holy Body from Fire and Light like pure Silver if not corrupted 3. The Elemental Man like Jupiter 4. The Mercurial growing Paradisical Man 5. The Martial Soul-like Man 6. The Venerine according to the outward desire 7. The Solar a seer of the Wonders of God 4. Mercury in the internal was as the Word by which God created 5. Mars his impression is Anguish causing the Love-will to separate from him which is called God but the Anguish is God's Anger or Wrath of the Eternal Nature 6. Venus Metal is Copper receiving its toughness from Saturn its redness from Mars tho' Mars his Metal be Iron But Sol may tincture Mars and Venus into Gold for Venus longeth after Sol her Mother her Joy whence she hath a peculiar smiling twinkling Aspect 7. The Sun is a figure in the outward World of the heart of God each thing longeth after the Sun in Sulphur being the universal Tincture and what the first desire with Saturns impression makes evil the Sun restores to be good causing a pleasant temperature blooming and growing in all Creatures CHAP. V. Of the Sulphurian Death and how the Body is revived c. 1. MAN was created good according to and out of the three Worlds But the inward Lubet generated in the Centre viz. the fire wherein stands the Life by Lust enkindled the Divine Meekness wherein Joy consisteth turning from Eternal Liberty to Time from the one pure Element into the four Elements 2. Then did the Precious Gold of Heavenly Corporality which tinctur'd the outward Body disappear then also the dominion of Time destroyed its own contrived Spirit and so the Body passed away and died 3. The only Remedy is that Gods Love Desire Essentiality and Divine Water enter again into and quench the Souls Wrath-Fire For Mans Salvation consists in his full unfeigned desire after God so riseth the Meekness and Love tinctureth Death and Darkness in the four Elements and sever from the New Man who and the Heavenly Body remaineth only in it self So is it done in the transmutation of Metals See Verse the 12th and to the End of the Chapter De â—apide Philosophorum CHAP. VI. Of the generating Difference and Vegetation caus'd by Water and Oyl 1. ALL life and growth consist in the Lubet and the Desire The Lubet is out of the Liberty so God hath the free Lubet needeth nothing Himself as far as he is called God is all But the Desire is a hunger stirring up the Lubet to manifestation so the Lubet is the hungers Food and Essence 2. The free Lubet or Essence giveth an Oâ—â— and the Desire giveth a life to the Oyl The Oyl is a Light the Desire giveth the Fires Property so that it shineth In the Desire ariseth the Natural Spirit in the Lubet the Supernatural which yet is belonging to Nature not spontaneously but from its meek resignation to the Desires Property 3. But a twofold Property ariseth out of one Spirit thus a fiery according to the Property of the Desire and a joyful lucid according to the Liberty 4. The fiery giveth in its water Essence a sharpness or saltness and from the flery in its anguish Brimstorâ—e whence are Stones Earth and Meâ—als 5. The Oleous Property gives Meekness viz. Vegetation what the raging Mercury spoils the Lubet of the Love-oyl heals thus Good and Evil are in each Life the Evil comes when the Hunger Spirit too much impresseth its own Form To that it cannot receive the free Lubet to appeaâ—e its Hunger Whereas Nature's Property should be sincerely inclined to God's Love Eâ—s that it become not a dark raging poisonful Hunger but a Love desire which is called God's Nature for the hungry fiery desire is God's Anger in the outward 't is Fire but in the inward where it doth energize in the free Lubet it is the Divine Desire whence joyfulness proceedeth 6. All sharpness of taste is Salt all smell proceeds of Sulphur and Mercury distinguisheth all Motion in â—ast smell and power 7. In the strongest poisonful Mercury lyes the highest Tincture but not in its own Property but in an Oyl from the Light which is its Food If this be sever'd from him it is a mighty potent inkindler a lifter up of all sick â—ainting weak obscured lives for in this Oyl is the joyful Life a hunger after Life So in a Toad Viper Addeâ— â— lyes the highest Tincture if the oily Substance be reduced from the wrath of Mercury CHAP. VII How Adam and Lucifer were Corrupted through Imagination c. 1. VVHEN Adam was Created the Light of his Life shone in the pure Oyl of Divine Essentiality but by his Fall Mortal Water pene 〈…〉 so that his Mercury became a cold Poison which was before an Exaâ—â—aâ—ion 〈…〉 ss So came darkness into his Oyl and he died to the Divine Light 〈…〉 thereto by the Property of the Serpent for in the Serpent the wrath 〈…〉 and outward also was manifeâ—t whose subtilty Eve desired 2. Fo◠〈◊〉 much as the Serpent is not out of the Eternal Ground 〈◊〉 Angels and the Souls of Men but out of the Beginning where Fire and Light sever Eve should not have gone with her desire out of Eternity into time and be a Selfist but with a desire resign'd to God to the quiet still meek Liberty for each Hunger maketh it self an Essence according to the Property of the Hunger 3. The Devil went with his desire into himself into the Property of the Centre forsook the Eternal Lubet of Love and became a Poisonful Mercury or as an anxious Fire as Wood burnt to a Coal a dark glowing without Oyl or Water in it whence springeth a stinging Envy in his Lifes Forms where one Form hates the other in his aspiring Pride Out of the strife of which Properties when God said Let all sorts of Beasts come forth each according to his Kind or Property then came out of the divided Evil Properties Vipers Serpents Toads c. Not that the Devil made them but that there where God and the World sever the inward Wrath according to which God is called a Consuming Fire manifested it self in External figures of the inward wrath Kingdom 4. And because Adam died to God and lived
potent Joy 19. In Mars's Salt it makes Pangs and Stiches and Woe In Saturn's Salt Swellings Anguish and Death if not oppos'd by Jupiter and Venus for they two oppose and temper Mars and Mercury yet by Mars and Mercury is the Life in Jupiter Venus and Sol where would else be a stilness thus is the worst as profitable as the best 20. And when the Physician hath reconciled Mars and Mercury with Venus and Jupiter that they all obtain one will the Sun of Life will revive and correct the nauseat of the Disease into a pleasant Jupiter This is only applicable to the Vegetative or Sensitive Soul of the Elementary Body 21. The rational Soul hath its Diseases springing from care and distress till it lead to heaviness and Death cured by removing the causes of that care c. 22. So Sin hath poyson'd the Mental Soul by Inflaming his Eternal Mercury which with the sting of his Mars burns in the horrible impression of his Saturn his Venus is Imprison'd his Intellectual Jupiter Infatuated his Sun quenched his Moon dark 23. To Cure this he must with Venus the Love of God and Jupiter the Divine Understanding quench and appease the flaming Mercury and raging Mars So is the Soul Tinctured with Love his Sun then shineth and Jupiter rejoiceth for Divine Love begetteth a Divine Will so Tiâ—ctured as able to die to self-will which Death doth attain the nothing wherein is no Turba to touch or hurt the Soul who now doth neither see know nor live but according to the resignation 24. Here doth Christ break the Serpents Head and God become all in all 25. It is possible to live without sickness but very difficult to bring the inward into the outward as the Sun illustrateth Water because the opposite will hath introduced wrath in the outward Body it must die and putâ—ifie and enter again into the nothing into the beginning of the Creation out of which it departed wâ—th Adam CHAP. X. Of the Inward and Outward Cure of Man 1. TO Cure Man God brought not a strange thing into him nor did cast away the Humanity but with the like of that which was corrupted introduced a Divine Prâ—perty into him In Man was the expressed Word or Eternal Mercury inspoken which was the Soul with the Properties of all the three Worlds Fire Light and Love 2. Adam should have put his desire into the humble meek light and love but he made in himself the hunger after evil and good and so could not Tincture his Fire-world and outward World with Love 3. To restore Mans right Image God introduced the holy Mercury in the fiery Love-starne with such a desire of Divine Essentiality as makes Divine Corporality which reinkindled the Light of the Eternal Sun in the Humane Property so that the Humane Jupiter of Divine Understanding might again appear 4. So is the outward Cure done Mans Mercury was inkindled a Mercury must Cuâ—e it but that must first it self be inkindled in Venus and Jupiter which also gives it the Suns Property Not with dark cold Saturn unless first sweetly appeas'd with Venus and Jupiter so will the Sun shine in Saturn and Death be chang'd into Life 5. The Knowledge how God restores the Universal is learnt by study of the process of Christ from his first Incarnation to his Ascention The Essence of Venus shut up in Death must be Baptiz'd in the Water of the Eternal Essence By which the Imprison'd Incentive as Fire falling into Tinder gloweth Then must the outward Food be withdrawn and the hungry Desire be tempted whether it will go into God and be fed with Manna let the Essence of time by resignation be subject to that of Eternity and so possess the Elected Throne whence Lucifer fell or desire the Earthy Kingdom of Good and Evil for outward Dominion If its will remain in Gods Love-fire the Water is turn'd to Wine so is the outward Cure also done 6. But before the Universal Restoration be manifest all the seven Properties must be Chrystalized each Form by a peculiar process forsaking their will in the wrath and come into the Loves Property wherein is no Turba all which Christ did in the Humanity before the Body was glorified 7. When therefore the Frozen Mouth in Saturn of all the Properties is opened and that Food given to their hunger wherein is no Turba the flagrat of Joy in Love dismayeth the wrath and is as a Transmutation but not fixt the Angelical Properâ—ies appear in view 8. In Christs Temptation the speaking Mercury in the Light was given to the expressed Mercury of the Fires Property because Adam's Fires Property had quenched the Lights Property Christ was tempted to depart out of the Resignation into a desire of selfish Propriety of worldly Avarice and Dominion to the Knowledge and Kingdom of Good and Evil where pain and wrath is manifest but in the Resignation is sacred Love and no Breath of Anger as in the Light of the Fire is no pain of Fire manifest 9. The Mother and Womb of all Beings is Sulphur Mercury is her Life Mars her Sense Venus her Love Jupiter her Understanding Luna her Corporeal Essence Saturn her Husband 10. In the Philosophick work the Artist raiseth in the first Kingdom the dead Apostate Child shut up in Saturn opening by degrees Paradise again by Gods permission In the second Kingdom Luna Corporally feeds where the outward Mercury hath not laboured So Christ fed the 5000. 12. In the third Kingdom Jupiter Christ made Babes wise so the Artist seeth the new Life rise up the four Elements appear with all Colours 13. In the fourth Kingdom of the Mercurial Orb Christ restor'd the Deaf Dumb and Lepers so the Artist sees how Heaven severs it self from the Earth and again sinks into it Coloureth and purifieth the Matter appearing in Antimony 14. In the fifth Kingdom Christ ejected the Devils so the Artist will see how Jupiter in Mercury drives up a black twinkling fiery Vapour out of the Matter sticking like Soot a hunger of the Poyson in Mercury the Devils Property 15. In the sixth Kingdom Christ in Venus loved his and humbly washed his Disciples Feet gave himself up to be mock'd beaten and crucified so the Artist will see as soon as the material Devil the dark fiery steam is gone the Virgin very Glorious which the Artist will be apt to think is the Philosophick Child but in the tryal finds it to be a Woman not the Virgin with the Tincture of Fire and Light for now Saturn Mars and Mercury oppose but Jupiter and Luna hold with Venus but when the Power of wrath cometh Luna changeth her will viz. Colour and cryeth with the common people signified by her Crucifige CHAP. XI The Process of Christs Suffering Death and Resurrection Symbolized in the Philosophick Work THIS whole Chapter consisting of eighty verses being a profound pursuit especially of the sixth Kingdom and the Essence
and alteration in the Symbolical Philosophick process to the Suffering c. of Christ even from the almost Triumphant Glory of the Philosophick Virgins Child to his seeming Non-existence and again a measure of restoration to Royalty is not thought fit to be Abridged but its entire Contexture left to farther Contemplation to which the Reader is referred CHAP. XII How the Seventh Kingdom viz. the Sun is reviv'd 1. WHEN Christ died the Natural Death it was for that Adam had brought his Humane and Sensitive Life the out-spoken Word into another Form and Sound than the speaking Word or Fiat had spoken it viz. into a Selfish will by which death of Christ the true Humane Life fell again into the place whence Adam brought it where Gods Ruling Spirit was the alone Life of it in all the three Principles not to be longer to the Astrum of the four Elements but in the pure Divine Element 2. Christ was the Death of Death bringing Life thence into Eternal Liberty And whatsoever Jesus hath done through Christ in his and my Humanity he yet now to day doth in me 3. The Process is the Curse being descended into the seven Forms of which the Life consisteth therefore as Christ was a Death to the Human Self-hood yet the Humanity was not destroyed So the seven must in the Philosophick Work be by Death brought to one Will and Desire in the Eternal Sol from Strife to Love yet remain in seven as heated Iron though shining as Light is yet Iron 4. Let the Artist consider how he may give Death to Death with the pure Life and how to awaken the disappear'd captivated Life which is Heavenly so that it may again receive the Fire-soul and it worketh of it self 5. And seeing it is not possible to bring the Earth to Heaven the Heaven must be brought into the Earth viz. The Soul must be overcome and eat of Heaven will she nil she till she entreth with her Desire into the Heavenly Essence for the dear Love life dismayeth the Murtherer and shineth in the Love-fire So the seven Forms become unanimous proceeding to the Universal the Fundamental Knowledge whereof is apprehended only by such as enter into the Resignation of Christ and to such the way is Facile and Childlike CHAP. XIII Of the Enmity of the Spirit and of the Body and of their Cure 1. THERE is a Vegetative Life consisting in the four Elements a sensitive in the seven Forms of Nature a ratiocinative in the Constellation but the understanding proceeds from God arising out of the Eternal Nature from the Oyl of the one Element the free Lubet in the speaking Mercury 2. The Enmity originateth in the Mercurial Life which consists in Sulphur hungring after Matter which austere hunger impresseth to Coldness or a cold Fire viz. hardness density and darkness wherein it strives for Life and in that Life is the heat inkindled devouring the cold of its Substance begetting Light when also the Fire-spirit dyeth for the Life of the one is the Death of the other So the cold fire continually without intermission by dying becomes Life to the hot fire and the hot fire by its strong hunger draweth devoureth and liveth by its Mother the cold out of the impression whereof it had its Ens which it setteth free into the Lubet of the Nothing Thus the Fire is in the Light of the Lubet a Joy and in the Darkness an akeing Wo yet without the one the other could not be as is demonstrated 3. Man's desire was in the Beginning in the Liberty of God in resignation to his Love-will but by Self-will awaken'd in Nature Heat Cold Astringency Bitterness Anguish Torture 4. The only Cure must be a full and free resigning the Self-will into the first will by dying to the erring will and thereby become that to which God at first created him Then will the pure Body of the Element in which the Love-life of God's Spirit inkindleth in the Soul the resign'd will make the disappear'd Body spring from the same pure Element become the Mansion of the Soul in a Paradisical budding or blooming Renovation 5. The most high gave every Property at first a fixt Perfection but the Curse brought the Turba And now seeing God hath given us Power to become his Children and rule over the World Why not then over the Curse in the Earth so as to open and set free the captivated Paradisical Powers CHAP. XIV How the three Principles interchange generating Good and Evil yet all remain as at first to manifest the Glory of God 1. THE first Eternal Creatures Angels and Man and unfixt Products of Time Vegetables and Animals are all one thing differing according as the Properties impressed on them 2. The Impression is call'd Nature and is the Mother and Manifestation of the Mystery what hath been in the Eternal Will in both Centres according â—o Fire and Light also according to Darkness and Essence in the Motion of the desire to a manifest Mystery out of Eternity into a time which consisted in Sulphur Mercury and Salt 3. These Powers introduce themselves into Evil and Good by the seven especial Properties when they are not in due Weight and Measure but by the prevalency of some the rest are captivated 4. Whatsoever exceeds or departs from the first order to which its Mother brought it â—orth cannot go back and re-enter with its depravity into the first Root and good state unless it die So and so only can stand again there whence first it proceeded before it became Corporeal 5. The lower Hemisphear is the first Principle * Kingdom of Darkness The upper part the Salniter The Cross above the Circle the Kingdom of Glory The Form of Separation between the Living and Dead Essentiality is the fifth Form the Love-desire or Love-flame 6. Sulphur is the Mother of the Creatures arising out of the Darkness Fire and Light on the dark part it is Astringent Bitter Anxious but on the part resembling the Deity 't is Fire Light and Water The Fire divides it self into Death viz. Water and into Life viz. Oyl wherein the true life of all Creatures in the external World consists 7. Mercury is the Wheel of Motion in the Sulphur on the dark part is a sting and seveâ—s in the Fire in its Mother Sulphur into a twofold Water in the Death of Fire into a Living-light Water producing Silver in Brimstone in the seventh Property of Nature but in the Fire its Water is quick-silver and in the dark Anguish 't is rust and smoak in it it is also Poison 8. Salniter is the Compriser of all Properties Mother of all Salts in the Creatures in those which grow in the Love desire 't is potent and pleasant in the Evil it's Eternal horror ever aspiring above the Humility of Love Whence is the Will of Pride and of all Devils It giveth weight in Austereâ—ess Earth Sand and Stones in the Water in Sulphur and Mercury Flesh in
Also we must know whoever will understand the Old Testament must set before him the two Types externally Adam the earthy Man and internally Christ and change both these into one and so he may apprehend Moses and the Prophets CHAP. XLVII Of the Covenant of Abimelech and Abraham and what it points at 1. BEershebah a bruising to Death is the same Fountain which the Angel shewed Hagar which Abraham viz. Christ digged and there afterwards preached the Eternal God The Covenant between Abimelech and Abraham is the Covenant of Christ with the Humanity where he sware not to destroy the Humanity as he said he was not come to condemn the World Abimelech viz. the Soul out of the Father's Property Picholl the outward Nature the third Principle Field-Captain or Officer of the Soul Abraham is Christ in the Humanity Now Abimelech's restoring Abraham's Wife saying he knew not c. signifieth That the Soul of Adam knew not Christ in the Tincture of Heavenly Venus therefore went into Self-lust but when God shewed it to the Soul the Soul said I knew not that God's Wife the Holy Tincture the Heavenly Matrix was in me 2. But now I restore whatever I have taken of the Divine Worlds Property it is thy Wife then all the Women of Abimelech and his Servants Eves Daughters were healed 3. Christ here sweareth not to shew any unkindness to the Human Property nor to the Children nor to the Grandchildren or Nephews viz those springing out of the wild Property where often a wicked Husband or Wife are joyned to a godly one and so those Children spring from the wild Property 'T is said Thou shalt do according to the kindness that I have done unto thee viz in restoring thy Wife thy Image shalt thou do to me and to the Land viz. the outward Man wherein thou viz. Christ sojournest art a Stranger Which Christ Sweareth As I live saith c. Then Abraham Christ reproved Abimelech the Soul that the Soul's Servants the Essences of Nature had taken away the Well the Essence from the Heavenly Corporality viz. Christ's Body in Adam for Christ's Holy Fountain sprung up in the fiery Essence of the Soul which being taken to Self-Power the Heavenly Image disappeared And Abimelech the Soul answered I knew not till this Day viz. that the Devil had deceived me 4. Then Abraham viz. Christ took Sheep his Children the Jews and Oxen the Gentiles and gave them to the Father of whose Property the Soul is by an everlasting Covenant And set seven Ewe Lambs apart viz. the seven Properties of the Natural Humanity of Christ manifested in us A part viz. a distinct Person 5. We poor Jews and Gentiles may not say we are Christ but his House he is a part with the Divine Property But in right resignation when Man's Will is Dead to Self Christ only liveth in it such Eternally witness that Christ digged the Well At Beersheba the place of Contrition Christ planted Trees Heavenly Branches Preached c. and remained there a long time viz. all the time of the Natural Life CHAP. XLVIII Of Abraham's Offering up Isaac 1. ABraham is represented in Adams stead Isaac in Christs Humanity The Voice is God the Fathers so is Christ Offered by Adam's Children the Jews to the Fathers Fire Thy Son whom thou lovest viz. thy will brought into Self-love in the devoration of which in Gods Wrath-fire the true Man Created in Adam must be form'd and preserv'd as Gold or Silver in the Crucible where Copper and all Impurities evaporate On Mount Moriah which God not we chuseth 2. Christ wholly resigns up our Humane Will of self to his Father in his Death for all and in all Men As when the stock of a Tree dyeth the Branches die also and as the Tree reneweth its Youth as the Râ—d of Aaron did it introduceth new Life into its â—ranches Abraham rose early teaching immediate obedience And girt his Ass the Bestial Man with power Took with him two young Men one the Soul from the first Principle the other the Spirit of the outward Life Clave the Wood as Adam clave Gods Love and Anger On the third day pointing at Adam's sleep to the Angelical World and the time of Christs Resurrection Afar off the Final Offering of Christ above two Thousand years The two young Men to tarry with the Ass till Christ is Offered and come again Abraham took the Knife and Fire Gods Anger and Death Isaac said Here is the Wood the Sins of all Men and the Fire Gods Wrath but where is the Lamb Abraham's Ens of Faith saw the Lamb. Abraham bound Isaac so was Christ and so must our self-wills be bound and resign'd to God in entire earnestness The Angel calleth hurt not Nature as he had done to Hagar at Beersheba He saw a Ram hung c. shews death kills not the true Man but the pushing Beast hung in the Devils Thickets of Thorny Cares and Vanity Next follows the Blessing increase and prevalency And Abraham return'd with his Son and two young Men to Beersheba into the toil and labour of this World so God exerciseth his people not always in operation of the Spiritual Figures but in weakness and infirmities in the Kingdom of Nature And sometimes again under the Cross and so they grow as in a Field sometimes Storms sometimes Sun-shine 3. Nahor Abraham's Brother had eight Sons by Milcah of whom came great Nations the Assyrians who tho' they sprung not from the Ens of Faith in the Line of Christ the Blessing of Abraham passed on them CHAP. XLIX Of Sarah's Death and Abraham's Hereditary Sepulchre 1. WHile Abraham lived he was a Stranger no continuing abode had he but when his Sarah died he would have a certain Possession of a peculiar and Hereditary Sepulchre for his Wife himself and Children which he would not have to be given him but bought it of the Sons of Heth and Ephron for four hundred Sheckles of Silver viz. the Cave of Machpelah The inward Figure of which is That 2. When Isaac viz. Christ is come the two fold Body returns back to its original Mother the Eternal and Temporal Nature When the Saints die to self the outward Life The resigned Life will no longer stand in a strange Serpentine one it cannot of due right take the first true Field but it must be purchased Thus Abraham in the Figure of Christ doth of the Sons of Heth who stand in the Fathers Figure And that Christs Ransom is signified by four hundred Sheckles hath this meaning The first is the true Magical Fire the second is the Light the third the holy sound of the Mental Tongue the fourth the conceived Ens of the other Properties forming the holy Life This is the pure Silver 3. And whereas the Children of Heth would freely have given it yet at last took Money for it So hath God the Father freely given the Kingdom of Grace to Christ
the Scales c. They have also Craft Wrath Love every of the Five Senses Invention Providence Memory c. 2. To call them moving Plants is too low but only that it leadeth the Mind to view the Harmony of all the Creatures how they variously some more clearly others more obscurely Image and Shadow every of the three Principles and the seven Properties of the Eternal World 3. Whence they sprung appears by several Answers of the foregoing Questions particularly in that of the 33th 4. And now among the many Glorious Ends of their Creation the following brief hints are some They are at fourth Degree from the Principles and Properties created 1. To Figure the Dark Abyss 2. The Light World though very obscurely 3. The Out-birth or outward World of the Stars and Elements with the almost infinitely various Tendencies Inclinations and Impulses of them By every of which the Almighty Creator uncovereth his veiled Omnipotence infinite Grace and Wisdom 5. The Contemplation of them is both a pleasant and a perplexing Laboratory or serious Book for Man's Study and as it were a Play-Book for the Angels whose piercing understandings read the Effects by the Causes while declined Man gropeth by the Information of the Senses at a piece-meal guess of the Causes from Experience of the Effects 6. It must be confest that Adam being as to his Body or third Principle in his first and pure state Lord of the Mystery whence they proceeded could more sensibly discover and Epitomize them than the Angels as the Lord Jesus had a feeling of our Infirmities by His gracious humbling Himself to be as one of us But Adam's bright Eyes were darkened by the dismal lapse 7. Men may see themselves in the brute Creatures 1. All Unregenerate Men are figured either by the greedy ones 2. Or by the haughty proud Beasts 3. Or by the envious Reptils where by the way may be observed that Envy is found among the Poorer sort for the venomous Creatures are rather creeping than going 4 Or by the cruel wrathful ones And all these are of the first Principle without proceeding to enkindle the Light of the second Principle and are call'd by the Names of those Creatures in the Sacred Records 8. Other Creatures there are that figure the Light World or second Principle by their Innocence Love Usefulness and Loveliness in which they glorifie the Creator and like a dark Shadow pourtray the same 9. There are other Creatures more especially of the Out-world or World's Spirit as those that have Lunary Bodies produced improved and transacted by her Mutations which extends very far also to the whole Creation 10. My last Consideration restraining my self to brevity is somewhat abstracted which is That their Root is not so Ignoble and Vile but their Forms and Idea's for the sake of their Tincture have a prospect into Perpetuity each into their natural Aethers as is signified by the Apostle that the Creatures Travel in pain groaning under forced and as to them causless Vassalage shall be deliver'd into the glorious Liberty of the Children of God where the Drunkard's Horse shall like Balaam's Ass convince mens Madness and cruel Excess The abused toil of the Laborious Ox the innocent life of the Patient Lambs both employed to nourish filthy Lusts the cruel Delight of Hunting to the heart-breaking of the Deer and Hare c. shall at last be material Witnesses of Man's aggravated Guilt perpetuated Apostacy and lawless Irregularities Q 38. Whence was Man Created as to his Body The Fourth grand Distribution A. 1. Not of the Earth for the brute Animals are more nobly descended not of the four Elements which are the Matrix of the Earth for of that Matter are the Brutes form'd and the Elements are Transient and must melt or resolve into their first Principles Not of the Astral Out-birth for the Stars shall fall that is cease their present Order and pay the Debt of their various Properties to the Aether whence they were separated 2. But because Adam's Body was of Eternal Duration had he not â—inned it could not derive from a fading Root as Eternity is not founded on Mortality which forceth our search to ascend a step higher 3. It shall therefore be to the Divine Salitter which also hath the Water-spirit in it from both which the Stars were breathed And this Divine Salitter as it hath in it all the Powers of the Properties together with the Divine Sulphur and Mercury is call'd the great Mystery Eternal Nature or Quintessence 4. Out of this was Created Adam's Holy pure Paradisical Body capable of Eternal Life This Divine Saliter J. B. calls the Holy Ternary that is a Celestial Paradisical pure Earth whence grows Heavenly holy Fruits and near unto it no Curse ever can enter or approach for thereinto cometh nothing that defileth Of this Dust of this Ground Moses spake that God formed Man But they who suppose it to be our dead Dust wherein is the Wrath and Fierceness do not only err by means of the Veil before Moses's Face but also by reason of the Veil on their own Hearts and Eyes 5. The Apostle saith The first Man is of the Earth earthy The second is the Lord from Heaven 6. That it could not be this nor the Elements nor the Astral Birth is clear but therefore that it must be the Heavenly Earth is of forcible Consequence The Apostle saith not what Adam was or was extracted from but what he is or is come to be but if he had so said yet the Proportion betwixt the second and first admits no Comparison 7. Between a Mote in the Sun and the whole Glorious Sun is some Proportion for the least of Quantities taken from the greatest of Bodies below Infinity hath Proportion to that whence it was for it leaves the other really lessened but all created Worlds bear no Proportion with the Infinite Son of God for all breathed out from an Infinite leaves still an Infinite and the Infinite is not lessened by it 8. The Apostle therefore in this place either doth not speak of Adam's first state or doth not lessen his Extraction but adoreth the Glory of the second Adam as the Work-master excelleth the Work made for when of the Angels it is written And hath made them all ministring Spirits Of the Son it is said Let all the Angels of God worship him Also Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever c. Q. 39. What was the Inspiration or Breathing in whereby Man became a living Soul A. 1. The Inspiration of Man's Soul was out of the first Principle the Father's Property which consisteth of the first four Forms of Nature of this Living Root sprung his Immortal Living Soul 2. Yet so is it that wherever or in whomsoever the second Principle is shut out that Exclusion is truly call'd the Death of the Soul for the Living Soul by that Deprivation enters or remaineth in Death which though