outward flesh and blood that it is Christs flesh and moreover perfectly holy and without fault Only I can with Truth say of the Inward Man born of God that he is conceived in Gods Essence as in the Word of Life which was again promised Adam in Paradise which opened it self in the Bound in the most blessed Virginlike Mirror as in the Divine Virginity in our Substantiality that was shut up in the Death 54. For in this Conception is the Kingdom of Heaven or the Heart of God the Man to the seed which is sown and the seed of the Woman understand the seed of the Soul and of the noble Image inclosed in the Death is the Matrix which receiveth into it the seed of God after an Essential manner so that God and Man becometh One Person according to the form or manner of the three Worlds as they stand one in another and yet the one is not the other for they possess not one the other but every one dwelleth in it self so that although God in Christ be born in Us yet we can by no means say when we speak of the whole Man I am Christ for the Outward is not Christ But thus we can and may say upon good ground I am in Christ and Christ is become Man in me 55. But his humane Kingdom is not of this World and I with my new Man in Christ am not of this World For S t Paul saith also that our Conversation is in Heaven whence We understand the Outward Mysterium wait for our Saviour Jesus Christ For the Outward Mysterium on Man shall put on Jesus Christ first in the Last Day when the Turba shall afore be taken from the Mysterium in which the Sin-mirror standeth which belongeth to the Anger of God therefore a Judgments-day is ordained when all shall be restored which we have lost in Adam 56. But if we with this outward visible and palpable Flesh were wholly perfect then must the Outward Man have put on Paradise again and then the Outward Man were Immortal and Unperishable and could go through Earth and Stones the four Elements also were as it were swallowed up in One as we shall be in the Last Day then must and should the Outward Man also eat no more of the forbidden Tree the Magical Impregnating would also begin and we not be born after a bestial or animal manner 57. But if the Author hath as he saith put on Paradise then he is taken up I as yet can say no such thing of my self I have also sought the Pearl with Earnestness and have also thereby obtained a Jewel It is also given me to know the First Man in Paradise how he was before the Fall and after the Fall and have also seen the Property of Paradise but not in the outward Man 58. I say also that the Inward Man hath put on the Kingdom of God and liveth in Heaven in God But there is yet a great Difference between the Outward and the Inward Man as also between Us and the World of Paradise Paradise greeneth no more through the Earth the Lord hath Cursed the Earth and the Outward Man dwelleth on the Cursed Earth and eateth the Cursed fruit he swalloweth down the Curse into himself and therefore here in this World there is no whole or absolute Perfection 59. But so far indeed it comes with Man if he entereth into the New Birth that he can tame the Outward Man so that he must do what he would not Willingly for the Inward depriveth him of the Power and throughthrongeth him as the Gold doth in a gross Stone But as the grossness in the Stone becometh not Gold so also the outward Man becometh not God otherwise it should follow that also the Outward World should be changed into the pure Deity 60. The Outward Man is the Outward World of the Stars and Elements and the Inward Man in Christ is the Inward Divine World and the Soul is the Fire-world for she hath the Eternal Center to Nature in her self that Center is the Dark World Therefore when she loseth Gods Light she standeth in her self in the Pit in the Dark World viz. in Gods Anger 61. That also the Author saith He is through Christ so transmuted in the Death that he cannot sin any more and thereupon leaveth the outward name of the outward Worlds Substance that needeth another far plainer Declaration and will hardly be taken or granted unless it cometh to a clearer Understanding For the most holy men have acknowledged themselves sinners not that they desire it or would do it but they complain of it before God that the outward Man is become Living in the Anger of God and that the Anger ruleth in them as that high Apostle Paul saith Now if I sin I do it not but the sin that dwelleth in my Flesh Rom. 7. 62. Now where sin dwelleth in the Flesh there is yet no Perfection therefore lie saith further Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death And saith I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord So then with my Mind I my self serve the Law of God but with the Flesh the Law of Sin The Scripture saith Before thee is none living Righteous Item The Heavens are also not pure before God Why should then also an Angels name be given to the outward fleshly Man that lieth inclosed in the Anger of God He is but evil and striveth continually against Gods Law and belongeth to the Earth and his Mysterium to the Judgment of God He shall purge the floor 63. But that it is said We are dead to sin in the Death of Christ is very true that is once done for us all but we must yet always die unto Sin in the Death of Christ we must always kill the Man of Sin that the New may live But we cannot wholly kill him but take him captive and always pour Water on him out of Gods Meekness into his Fire-burning 64. For the Soul is a Fire-eye and is the greatest Life it will have Substance in which its Fire may burn But since it is in Adams fall turned and bent into this World therefore the Kingdom of the Stars and Elements is entered into it to lodg there which often bring-in a strange Turba Now if the Heavens be not clean before God how will then that be clean that is governed by the Outward Heaven namely the Outward Life that is only driven by the Outward Heavens Regiment 65. The Incorruptible as the new Man cannot put on the Corruptible as the outward Flesh for Turba is therein this shall first come to pass in the Judgment of God when the Turba shall be taken away from the Outward Mysterium 66. But that the Author saith It is not possible that a Regenerate man can sin by that we know he understandeth not sufficiently the Mysterium of the Soul We see it was possible in Adam when his outward Man was pure
save only in the Blood and Death of Christ Him alone God hath made and fore-ordained to be unto him a Throne of Grace or Propitiation in his own Love which he hath brought into him in the sweet Name JESUS out of JEHOVAH He is that only Offering which God receiveth that can reconcile Gods Anger 22. Now if that same Offering shall do me good then must it also come to pass in me the Father must beget and give his Son into the Desire of my Faith so that the Hunger of my Faith may lay hold of him and if the Hunger of my Souls Faith comprehendeth him as in his promised Word then I put on him in his whole process of Justification in mine Inward Ground and immediately the killing of the Wrath Devil Death and Hell beginneth and goes on out of Christs Death in me 23. For I can do nothing I am dead to my self but Christ doth it in Me when He ariseth in Me then I am dead in my self in respect of the true Man and he is my Life and what I live I live to Him and not to Minehood For Grace killeth my Will and setteth it self for a Lord in the place of mine I-hood that I may be a Work of God who doth therewith what He Will. 24. And then I live in Two Kingdoms to wit with the Outward Mortal Man in the vanity of Time wherein the Yoke of Sin yet liveth it Christ taketh in the Inward Kingdom of the divine World upon Himself and helpeth my Soul to bear it 25. For the Yoke of this World is Christs Burden which he must bear until he shall again deliver up the Kingdom to his Father which He hath given him for He said All Power in Heaven and Earth is given to Me of my Father So is also this Burden given to him that He should bear Gods Anger Hell Death and all evil in us as Esaias saith He took on him our Diseases and carried our griefs but we did count him stricken smitten of God and afflicted 26. Whence it is that a Christian must be a Cross-bearer For so soon as Christ is born in him the assaulting of Hell and the Anger of God in the Eternal Nature goeth on then the Hell in Man is destroyed and the Serpent is trampled upon whence great Unquietness Persecution and Reproach from the Devil and the corrupt World ariseth over the outward sinful Man then the outward sinful Man must suffer himself to be condemned and judged to Damnation of Gods severe Justice in the Anger by the Children of the Anger seeing that another Man liveth in him which is not like to the Outward Mortal therefore Gods Justice executeth its Judgment in Anger upon the Sin-house as also all the Ministers of Gods Anger 27. Then Christ helpeth to bear the Yoke and Man is sacrificed in Christs process contempt and scorn in his Suffering and Death unto the Justice of God in the Wrath and he becomes like unto Christs Image 28. The Holy Scripture witnesseth in all places that we are Justified from sins by Faith in Christ not by the Works of our Merit but by the Blood and Death of Christ which indeed is so taught of many but rightly understood of few that teach us 29. Men indeed teach us the Imputed grace but what Faith is how it is begotten what it is in its Essence and Substance and how it layeth hold on the Merit of Christ with the Grace in that the most part are dumb and blind and rest by an Historical Faith Jam. 2. which is but a bare knowledg the Man of Sin tickling and comforting himself therewith and through such Imagination flattering himself and naming himself a Christian though he is not become capable of this so high a Title but is only a Titular Christian covered from Without with Christs Purpur-mantle of whom the Prophet saith They draw neer unto me with their lips but their Heart is far from me And Christ said Not all that say Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but they that do the Will of my Father in Heaven 30. Now Christ alone is the Will of the Father wherein the Receiving of Grace and the Childship is and no man can do the Fathers Love-Will but only that only Grace-Throne Christ himself as the Scripture saith No man can call God LORD without the Holy Spirit In Him 31. For we know not what we pray before God as we ought but He even the Holy Spirit maketh Intercession for us with inexpressible Sighings before God in our selves as it pleaseth God We cannot attain unto any thing by our Willing and Knowing He is too deeply hidden to us For it lieth not in any Mans Knowing Willing or Running but in Gods Mercy 32. Now there is no Mercy but only in Christ and if I shall reach that Mercy I must reach Christ in Me If my sins shall be blotted in Me Christ must perform it in Me with his Blood and Death and with his Victory If I shall beleeve then must the Spirit the Desire and the Will of Christ beleeve in my Desire and Will for I cannot Beleeve 33. But he receiveth my Will being resigned to Him and encloseth it in his Will bringeth it through his Victory into God there He intercedeth for the Will of my Soul in his Will before God and thus I am received as a Grace-child in his Love-Will 34. For the Father hath manifested his Love in Christ and Christ manifesteth the same Love in my Will being resigned to him Christ draweth my Will into himself and cloateth it with his Blood and Death and tinctureth it with the highest Tincture of the Divine Power Thus it is changed into an Angelical Image and getteth a Divine Life 35. Whereupon that same Life beginneth to hunger after its Body which Body is the corrupt fiery Soul whereout the Will is entered into Christ thus the New Life in Christ doth now also tincture the Soul so that the Soul in this Will-spirit getteth a right divine Hunger and becometh desirous of the Divine Grace and begineth to behold her self in this Divine Will-spirit in Christ what she is how she in her Properties is separated from God and how she lieth captive in Gods Wrath and acknowledgeth her abominations as also her Deformity in the presence of Gods Angels there she hath nothing wherewith she may protect her self for she seeth that she standeth in the Jaws of Death and Hell environed with evil Spirits which bring their Desires always into her to destroy her 36. Then she sinketh down into that same New-born Spirit of the Will and ingulfeth her self into the meerest Humility then the Spirit of Christ taketh hold of her and bringeth her into this New-will-spirit that the Soul essentially feeleth it Whereupon the Divine Joyful Look ariseth in the Soul as a New Eye wherein the fiery Soul conceiveth the Ens and Substance of the Divine Light in her self whereupon she hungereth and thirsteth
one Body 159. For I do very well know the Authors Spirit and I love to speak to him seeing he for Christs Name sake as you mention hath suffered much and willingly hath brought his Life into Christs footsteps therefore I acknowledg him for a right true Christian 160. But he need not to be ashamed to learn to know himself better and to learn more in the Spirit in the Spouse of Christ For Christ saith Seek and ye shall find The Wisdom hath neither number nor end 161. I say of my self nothing else but that I first am become an A. B. C. Scholer and will heartily seek in the Spouse of Christ of the Spirit of Christ in my Brethren and Members Me in them and them in Me. 162. I do not arrogate to me yet any perfect knowledg for that which is perfect is not of mine understanding but revealed in the Spirit of Christ in my Brethren I am in my self as a Nothing that I might be found and known to be somewhat in the knowledg of my Brother in his Spirit and that God in Christ may be All in us both the Understanding Willing and Doing 163. Therefore I exhort you not to take this otherwise then Christianly and Brotherly for I am not a Master of your Spirit and Knowledg but your help in the Lord that the Authors Course may not be in vain nor the Name of Christ blasphemed in his Members as Babel hath done I have written this short Declaration and Explanation to refresh us in our knowledg in the Lord What is more is to be found in the Book of the Threefold Life and in the three Books of the Incarnation of Christ and do commend you all to the Love of JESUS CHRIST Dated on the Sunday Quasi modo geniti Anno 1621. A Theosophick EPISTLE or LETTER WHEREIN The Life of a true Christian is Described What a Christian is and How he cometh to be a Christian Together with a Description What a Titular Christian is What the Faith and Life of both of them is Written to a good Friend of his in Christian Brotherlike and Memberlike Admonition and a good Intention BY JACOB BEHMEN LONDON Printed by John Macock 1653. The Fountain of the Heart of JESUS CHRIST be our Refreshing Renovation and Eternal Life 1. BEloved and much respected Friend in Christ I do wish to you out of a memberlike obligation as one branch on the Tree is bound to do to the other in a co-operating Desire the open Fountain of Grace which God hath revealed in Christ Jesus in our Humanity that the same may flow in you richly and the Divine Sun therethrough bring into the Soul his Love-beams and therewith awake and open the great Magnetick Hunger of the Soul as the true divine Mouth after Christs Flesh and Blood together with bodily Welfare 2. For as much as I have often perceived by your loving Friend D. K. and also in my presence marked that you in the Drawing of the Father have an extraordinary Thirst and great Longing after his Life which he hath manifested in Christ Jesus out of his highest Love therefore I would not omit out of a memberlike obligation to visit you with a short Epistle upon the desire of the D. and also of your self and to recreate and refresh my self somewhat in that same Fountain of the Life of Jesus Christ with you since it is meer Joy unto me that our Paradisical Pearl-tree greeneth and worketh fruit in our fellow-members to our Eternal Joy 3. And herewith I will shew unto you out of my small gifts and knowledg What a Christian is and Wherefore he is called a Christian namely that only He is a Christian who is become capable of this high Title In Himself who hath turned himself with his Inward Ground Mind and Will to the free-given Grace in Christ Jesus and is in his Souls-Will become as a young Child that only longeth after the Brests of the Mother and sucketh the Brests of the Mother whereof it liveth 4. So also this Man only is a Christian whose Soul and Mind entereth again into the First Mother whereout the Life of Man is sprung viz. into the Eternal Word which hath revealed it self with the true Milk of Salvation in our Humanity being blind in regard of God and drinketh this Mother-milk into his hungry Soul whence the New Spiritual Humanity springeth and the fiery Soul being out of the Fathers Propriety reacheth and obtaineth herewith the place of the Love of God in which place the Father begetteth his Beloved Son wherein alone the Temple of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth In Us is found and wherein also alone the Spiritual Mouth of the Soul which eateth Christs Flesh and drinketh his Blood is understood 5. For He alone is a Christian in whom Christ dwelleth liveth and Is in whom Christ after the Inward Ground of the Soul and the Heavenly Essence which disappeared in Adam is risen and become Living He that hath in his Inward Ground put on Christs Victory against Gods Wrath as also against Hell Devil Death and Sin I say Christs Humanity Passion Death and Resurrection the Seed of the Woman to wit Christ in his Victory also overcoming in him and dayly triumphing upon the Serpents head in the Will of the Wicked Flesh and killing the sinful Lusts of the Flesh 6. For in Christ alone we are received to be Gods Children and heirs of Christ not through an outward strange shew of a special grace-receiving through a strange merit of a grace imputed from Without but through a Childlike Inhabiting Memberlike and Essential grace where the Conqueror of Death to wit Christ with his Life Substance and Power ariseth In Us from our Death and ruleth and worketh In Us as upon a Branch on his Vine as the Writings of the Apostles throughout do witness 7. He is not a Christian who only comforteth himself with the Passion Death and Satisfaction of Christ and imputeth the same unto himself as a grace-gift and yet remaineth an Unregenerated Wilde Beast such a Christian is every Ungodly Man for every one will fain be saved through a grace-gift The Devil also would very willingly be an Angel again through Grace received or applyed from Without 8. But that he should turn and become as a Child and be born a new out of Gods Grace-Water of Love and the Holy Ghost that pleaseth him not So also it pleaseth not the Titular-Christian who putteth about himself the Grace-mantle of Christ and yet will not enter into the Childship and the New Birth although Christ saith he cannot otherwise see the Kingdom of God 9. For what is born of the Flesh is Flesh and cannot inherit the Kingdom of God Joh. 6. To be fleshly minded is Enmity with God but to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace and He alone heareth Gods Word that is born of God for alone the Spirit of Grace in Christ heareth Gods Word 10. For no man hath seen God the