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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	world_n	worst_a	write_v	19	3	4.6419	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28532	The second booke, concerning the three principles of the divine essence of the eternall, dark, light, and temporary vvorld shewing what the soule, the image and the spirit of the soule are : as also what angels, heaven, and paradise are : how Adam was before the fall, in the fall, and after the fall : and what the wrath of God, sinne, death, the devils and hell are, how all things have been, now are, and how they shall be at the last / written in the German language by Jacob Behmen, aliàs Teutonicus Philosophus.; Beschreibung der drey Principien göttliches Wesens. English	Böhme, Jakob, 1575-1624.; Sparrow, John, 1615-1665?	1648 (1648)	Wing B3417; ESTC R17042	460,920	444

he hath made him Lord over all the Creatures of this world and hath endued him with b Or sense Minde Reason and Vnderstanding above all the rest of the Creatures especially with Speech or Language so that he can distinguish every thing that soundeth stirreth moveth or groweth and judge of every things vertue effect and Originall and that all is put under his hand so that he can bend them use and mannage them according to his will as pleaseth him 2. Moreover God hath given him higher and greater knowledge than this in that he can penetrate into the Heart of every thing and discerne what Essence vertue and property it hath both in the Creatures in Earth Stones Trees Hearbs in all moveable and immoveable things also in the Starres and Elements so that he knoweth what substance and vertue they have and that in their vertue all naturall sensibility c Growing vegetation d Propagation or encrease multiplication and life doth consist 3. Above all this God hath given him the understanding and perception to know God his Creatour What and whence Man is how he is and where he is and out of what he proceeded or was created and how he is the Image e Or Being substance f Inheritance or possession propriety and childe of the Eternall uncreated and infinite God and how he is created out of the substance of God in which God hath his own substance and propriety in whom he liveth and governeth with his Spirit by which God manageth his own work and loveth him dearely as his own Heart and substance for whose sake he created this world with all the Creatures that are therein which for the most part without the Reason and Government of Man could not live in such a g Or Qualification or manner of Life Condition as they doe 4. Tbe Divine Wisdome it selfe standeth in such a high Consideration and hath neither number nor end and therein is the Love of God towards Man knowne in that Man knoweth what his Creator is and what he would have him doe and leave undone and it is the most profitable thing for Man in this world that he can search for and seek after for heerein he learneth to know himselfe what matter and substance he is of also from whence his understanding cogitation perceptibility and sensibility is stirred and how he is created out of the h Essence or Being Substance of God and as a Mother bringeth forth a Childe out of her own substance and nourisheth it therewith and leaveth all her Goods to it for its own and maketh it the possessour of them so doth God also with Man his Childe he hath created him and preserved him and made him heire to all his Eternall Goods In and by this Consideration the Divine knowledge buddeth and groweth in Man and the Love towards God as of a Childe to its Parents so that Man loveth God his Father for that he knoweth that he is his Father in whom he liveth is and hath his being who nourisheth him preserveth him and provideth for him for thus saith Christ our Brother who is begotten of the Father to be a Saviour and sent into this world This is the Eternall Life that they know thee to be the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ 5. Now seeing wee our selves know that wee are created out of Gods own substance and made his Image substance and peculiar Inheritance it is therefore equall that wee should live in obedience to him and follow him seeing he leadeth us as a Father doth his Children And wee have also his Promise that if wee follow him wee shall obtaine the light of the Eternall Life without such a Consideration as this wee are altogether blinde and have no knowledge of God but we run on as dumb Beasts and wee look upon our selves and upon Gods Creation as Heifers look upon a i Which being strange they start backe at it and are afraid to goe into their own Lodging new Doore made to their Stalls and set our selves against God and his will and so live in opposition and enmity to the perdition of body and soule and of Gods Noble Creatures wee fall into this terrible and abominable Darknesse because wee will not learne to know our selves what wee are of what k Or matter substance what wee shall be whether wee are Eternall or whether wee are wholy transitory as the body is or whether also wee must give an account of our l Substance matters and doings seeing wee are made Lords of all Creatures and of the whole Creation and have all this in our power to manage 6. Even as wee see know and finde undeniably that God will require an account of all our Doings how wee have kept house with his m Or Creation works and that when wee fall from him and his Commandements he will punish us terribly of which wee have fearefull Examples from the beginning of the world and among the Jewes Heathens and Christians especially the Example of the Flood and in Sodome and Gomorrha also in Pharaoh and the Children of Israel in the Wildernesse and ever since till this very Time Therefore it is indeed most necessary that wee learne wisdome and learne to know our selves how great vice and wickednesse we carry about us how horrible Wolves are amongst us which strive against God and his will 7. For there is none that can excuse himselfe and plead ignorance because the will of God is put into and written in our Minds so that wee very well know what wee should doe and all the Creatures beare witnesse against us Moreover wee have Gods Law and Commandements so that there is no excuse but onely our drowsie lazie negligence and carelesnesse and so wee are found to be sloathfull unprofitable servants in the Lords Vineyard 8. Lastly it is in the highest measure most needfull for us to learne to know our selves because the Devill dwelleth with us in this world who is both Gods Enemy and ours and daily misleadeth us and entrappeth us as he hath done from the beginning that wee might fall away from our God and Father that so he might enlarge his Kingdome and bereave us of our Eternall Salvation as it is written He goeth about as a roaring Lyon and seeketh whom he may devour 9. Seeing therefore wee are in such horrible danger in this world that wee are environed with enemies on every side and have a very unsafe Pilgrimage or Journey to walke and above all wee carry our worst Enemy within us which wee our selves hide and desire not to learne to know it though n Viz. our evill corrupt nature will which is inclined to all evill it be the most horrible Guest of all which casteth us headlong into the Anger of God yea it selfe is the very Anger of God which throweth us into the Eternall Fire of Wrath into the Eternall unquenchable torment therefore

like the proud haughty Devill and he is his servant in obedience and looseth the Image of God and out of the Image cometh a Wolfe Dragon or Serpent to be all according to his Essences as he standeth figured in the minde But if he yeeld up himselfe to another swinish and beastiall condition as to a meere beastiall voluptuous life to gurmandizing gluttony and drunkennesse and lechery stealing robbing murthering lying cosening and cheating deceit then the eternall minde figureth him also in such an Image as is like an unreasonable ugly Beast and Worme And although he beare the Elementary Image in this life yet he hath indeed the Image of an Adder Serpent and Beast hidden therein which will be manifested at the breaking or deceasing of the body and it belongeth not to the Kingdome of God 35. But if he give himselfe up to the Obedience of God and p Or unite yeeld his minde up into God to strive against malice and wickednesse and the lusts and desires of the flesh also against all unrighteousnesse of life and conversation in humility under the Crosse then the Eternall minde figureth him in the Image of an Angel who is pure chast and vertuous and he keepeth this Image in the breaking of the body and hereafter he will be married with the precious virgin the Eternall Wisdome chastity and Paradisicall purity 36. And here in this life he must stick between the doore and the hinges between the kingdome of Hell the kingdome of this world and the noble Image must suffer much wrong or to be wounded for he hath not onely enemies outwardly but also in himselfe he beareth the beastiall and also the hellish Image of wrath in him so long as this house of flesh q Lasteth endureth Therefore that causeth strife and division against himselfe and also without him against the wickednesse of the world which the Devill mightily r Or driveth presseth against him and tempteth him on every side mis-leadeth and wringeth him every where and his own houshold in his body are his worst enemies therefore the Children of God are bearers of the Crosse in this world in this evill earthly Image 37. Now behold thou childe of Man seeing thou art an eternall Spirit thou hast this to expect after the breaking or deceasing of thy body thou wilt be either an Angel of God in Paradise or a hellish ugly Diabolicall Worme Beast or Dragon all according as thou Å¿ Hast behaved thy selfe hast been inclined or given here in this life that Image which thou hast borne here in thy minde with that thou shalt appeare for there can no other Image goe forth out of thy body at the breaking or deceasing of it but even that which thou hast borne here that shall appeare in Eternity 38. Hast thou been a proud vain-glorious selfvishly potent and one that hast for thy pleasure sake oppressed the needy then such a Spirit goeth forth from thee and then so it is in the Eternity where it can neither keep nor get any thing for to feed its covetousnesse neither can it adorne its body with any thing but with that which is there and yet it climeth up eternally in its pride for there is no other t Or working rising property source in it and thus in its rising it reacheth unto nothing else but the sterne might of the fire in its elevation it inclineth its selfe in its will continually in such a purpose as it did in this world as it was wont to doe here so all appeareth in its Tincture therein it climeth up eternally in the Abysie of Hell 39. But hast thou been a base slanderer lyar deceiver false murtherous Man then such a Spirit proceedeth from thee and that desireth in the Eternity nothing else but meere falshood it spitteth out from its fiery jawes fiery Darts full of abomination and reproach it is a continuall stirrer and breaker in the fierce sternnesse devouring in it selfe and consuming nothing all its things beeings essences works or u Or whatsoever he hath ever been substances appeare in its Tincture its Image is figured according as its minde hath been here 40. Therefore I say a Beast is better than such a Man who giveth himselfe up into the hellish Images for a Beast hath no Eternall Spirit its Spirit is from the Spirit of this world out of the x Or fragility corruptibility and passeth away with the body till it come to the figure without Spirit that figure remaineth standing seeing that the Eternall minde hath by the virgin of the Eternall wisdome of God discovered it selfe in the Out-Birth for the manifesting of the Great Wonders of God therefore those creaturely figures and also the figured wonders must stand before y God or the eternall minde him eternally although no beastiall figure or shaddow suffereth or doth any thing but is as a shaddow or painted figure or limmed Picture 41. Therefore in this world all things are given into Mans power because he is an Eternall Spirit and all other creatures are no other than a figure in the Wonders of God and therefore Man ought well to consider himselfe what he speaketh doth and purposeth in this world for all his works follow after him and he hath them eternally before his eyes and liveth in them except it be that he is againe new regenerated out of evill and falshood through the bloud and Death of Christ in the water and the Holy Ghost and then he breaketh forth out of the hellish and earthly Image into an Angelicall Image and cometh into another kingdome into which its untowardnesse or vices cannot follow and that untowardnesse waywardnesse or vice is drowned in the bloud of Christ and the Image of God is renewed out of the earthly and hellish 42. Thus wee are to consider and highly to know in the light of Nature the ground of the Kingdome of Heaven and of Hell as also the ground of the kingdome of this world and how Man in the Mothers body inheriteth three kingdomes and how Man in this life beareth a threefold Image which our first Parents by the first sinne z Or purchased inherited for us therefore wee have need of the Treader upon the Serpent to bring us againe into the Angelicall Image and it is needfull for Man to tame his body and minde or bring them under subjection with great earnestnesse and labour and to submit himselfe under the Crosse and not to hunt so eagarly after pleasure riches and the bravery of this world for therein sticketh perdition 43. Therefore said Christ A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of Heaven because they take such delight in pride haughtinesse and fleshly voluptuousnesse and the noble minde is dead to the kingdome of God and continueth in the Eternall Darknesse For the Image of the spirit of the soule sticketh in the minde and to whatsoever the minde inclineth and giveth up it selfe in that is the Spirit

is the Devils staying of thee who casteth into thy thoughts that God will not heare thee thou art yet in too great sinnes he will let no comfort come into thy soule he layeth the sinfull Kingdome of this world over b Comfort it but be not discouraged he is thy Enemy It is written If your sinnes were as red as Bloud if you turne they shall be as wooll white as snow Also As true as I l●ve I have no pleasure in the Death of a poore sinner but that he turne and live 30. Thou must continue stedfast in this resolute purpose and though thou gettest no vertue or strength into thy Heart and though the Devill also should beate downe thy Tongue that thou couldst not pray to God yet then thou shouldst desire and sigh to him and continually hold and goe on in this thought and purpose with the Cananitish Woman the more thou pressest forward the weaker the Devill is thou must take the suffering death and satisfaction of Jesus Christ before thee and must throw thy soule into his Promise where he saith My Father will give the Holy Ghost to them that aske him for it Also Knock and it shall be opened unto you seeke and you shall finde aske and you s●all receive and the more earnestly thou pressest forth from the Devill and from thy sinnes the more mightily doth the Kingdome of God presse into thee but have a care that thou doest not depart from this thy will before thou hast received the Jewel and though it hold off from morning till night and still from day to day let not that discourage thee if thy earnestnesse be great then thy Jewel will also be great which thou shalt receive c Or in thy victory at thy over-coming 31. For none knoweth what it is but he that hath found it by experience It is a most pretious Guest when it entreth into the soule there is a very wonderfull Triumph there the Bridegroome there embraceth his beloved Bride and the Halleluj●h of Paradise soundeth O! must not the Earthly Body needs tremble and shake at it and though it know not what it is yet all its Members doe rejoyce at it O what beauteous knowledge doth the Virgin of the Divine Wisdome bring with her shee maketh learned indeed and though one were dumb yet the soule would be crowned in Gods works of Wonder and must speake of his Wonders there is nothing in the soule but longing to doe so the Devill must be gone he is quite weary and faint 32. Thus that Noble Jewel and in it the Pearle is sowne But observe it well it is not instantly become a Tree O how often doth the Devill rush upon it and would faine roote up the Graine of Mustard-seed how many hard stormes must the soule undergoe and endure how often is it covered with sinnes for all that is in this world is against it it is as it were left alone and fo●saken even the children of God themselves rush upon it for the Devill doth plague the poore soule thus to try if he can lead it astray either with flattery and hypocrisie that the soule might flatter it selfe or else with sinnes in the Conscience he never ceaseth and thou must alwayes strive against him for so the Tree of Pearle groweth as Corne doth in the tempestuous stormes and windes but if it grow high and come to blossom then thou wilt enjoy the fruit well enough and understand better what this Penne hath written and where it was borne for it was a long time in this condition many stormes went over its head and therefore this shall be for a lasting Memoriall and continuall remembrance to it seeing wee must sit here in the murthering den of the Devill if wee doe but overcome our great reward will soone follow us 33. Now saith Reason I see no more in thee nor in any such as thou art then in other poore sinners it must needs be but a hypocriticall pretence besides saith Reason I have been also in such a way and yet I stick in my wickednesse still and doe that which I would not doe and I am still moved to anger covetousnesse and malice What is the matter that a Man doth not performe what he purposeth but that he doth even what himselfe reproveth in others and that which he knoweth is not right 34. Here the Tree of Pearle standeth hidden behold my beloved Reason the Tree of Pearle is not sowen into the outward Man he is not worthy of it he belongeth to the Earth and the Man of sinne sticketh in him and the Devill often maketh his seate therein who heapeth together anger and malice therein and bringeth the poore soule often into d Abominable sinnes and wickednesse lusts unto which it doth not consent so that the body medleth with that which the soule is against and now when this is so it is not alwayes the soule that doth it but the Spirit of the Starres and Elements in Man the soule saith it is not right nor well but the outward Body saith wee must have it that wee may live and have enough and so it is one time after another so that a true Christian knoweth not himselfe how then should he be knowne by others also the Devill can cover him sufficiently that he may not be knowne and that is his Master piece when he can bring a true Christian into wickednesse to fall into sinnes so that outwardly nothing is discerned by him but that he reproveth the sinnes of others and yet sinneth outwardly himselfe 35. But now when he doth thus commit sinnes yet he committeth them not in New Man but the old Man in sinne who is subjected under sinne who is in the Anger of God he is driven by the Anger so that he doth not alwayes that which is right and if he doe any thing that is Good yet he doth it not out of his own will and ability but the new Man compelleth him to it that he must doe it for the old Man is corruptible but the soule is uncorruptible and therefore the poore soule is alwayes in strife and sticketh e In the chinck of the Doore between the Doore and the Hinges and must be often pinched and bruised 36. But yet wee do not say that sinne in the old Man is no f Or evill hurt though indeed it cannot sway the new Man yet it giveth g Scandalizeth it offence and wee must with the new Man live to God and serve him though it is not possible to be perfect in this world yet wee must continually goe on and hold out and the new Man is in a field where the ground is cold bitter soure and voyde of life 37. And as an Hearb by the pleasant Sun-shine groweth out of the Earth so our new Man in Christ groweth out of Old soure cold harsh Man of our Earthly flesh and bloud And that is the true Light of the Pearle when wee apprehend it

form vertue and beginning in the aking or anxious harshnesse by the raging of the bitternesse for in the rising it taketh the vertue of its mother that is the a The substance that springeth or buddeth out of the tartnesse essence of the sweet harshnesse along with it and bringeth it into the fire-flash from whence the light kindleth And here the triall or experience beginneth one vertue beholding the other in the fire-flash one vertue feeleth the other by the rising up by the stirring they one hear another in the essence they one tast another and by the pleasant lovely source spring or fountain they one smell another from whence the sweetnesse of the light springeth up out of the essence of the sweet and harsh spirit which from henceforth is the water-spirit and out of these six forms now in the birth or generating cometh a sixfold self-subsisting essence which is inseparable where they one continually generate another and the one is not without the other nor can be and without this birth or substance there could be nothing for the six forms have each of them now the essences of all their sixfold vertue in it and it is as it were one onely thing and no more onely each form hath its own condition 13 For observe it although now in the harshnesse there be bitternesse fire sound water and that out of the springing vein of the water there floweth love or oyle from whence the light ariseth and shineth yet the b Or astringent attraction harshnesse retaineth its first property and the bitternesse its property the fire its property the sound or the stirring its property and the overcoming the first harsh or tart anguish viz. the returning down back again or the water-spirit its property and the springing fountain the pleasant love which is kindled by the light in the tart or soure bitternesse which now is the sweet source or springing vein of water its property and yet this is no separable essence parted asunder but all one whole essence or substance in one another and each form or birth taketh its own form vertue working and springing up from all the forms and the whole birth now retaineth chiefly but these foure forms in its generating or bringing forth viz. the rising up the falling down and then through the turning of the wheele in the foure harsh tart essence the putting forth on this side and on that side on both sides like a Crosse or as I may so say the going forth from the point or center towards the East the West the North and the South For from the stirring moving and ascending of the bitternesse in the fire-flash there existeth a crosse birth For the fire goeth forth upward the water downward and the essences of the harshnesse sidewayes CHAP. III. Of the endlesse and numberlesse manifold engendring * Begetting hatching bearing bringing forth or propagation generating or birth of the eternall Nature The Gates of the great Depth 1. REader understand and consider my writings aright we have no power or ability to speak of the birth of God or the birth of the Deity for it never had any beginning from all eternity but we have power to speak of God our Farher what he is and how he is and how the eternall a Nativity birth or generation or working geniture is 2 And though it is not very good for us to know the austere earnest strong fierce severe and originall birth into the knowledge feeling and comprehensibility of which our first parents hath brought us through the b Mixture poysoning venoming or temptation infection instigation and deceit of the Devil yet we have very great need of this knowledge that thereby we may learn to know the Devill who dwelleth in the most strong severe or cruell birth of all and that we may learn to know our own enemy Self which our first parents c Or roused up awakened and purchased for us which we carry within us and which we our selves now are 3. And although I write now as if there were a beginning in the eternall Birth yet it is not so but the eternall Nature thus begetteth or generateth it self without beginning my writings must be understood in a creaturely manner as the birth of man is who is a similitude of God although it be just so in the eternall Being essence or substance yet that is both without beginning and without end and my writing is onely to this end that Man might learn to know what he is what he was in the beginning how he was a very glorious eternall holy man that should never have known the Gate of the strong or austere birth in the eternity if he had not suffered himself to lust after it through the d Or temptation infection of the Devill and had not eaten of that e Viz. the fruit of the austere matrix or genetrix fruit which was forbidden him whereby he became such a naked and vain man in a bestiall form and lost the heavenly garment of the divine power and liveth now in the kingdome of the Devill in the f Or poysonous vertue infected Salnitre and feedeth upon the infected food Therefore it is necessary for us to learn to know our selves what we are and how we might be redeemed from the anguishing austere birth and be regenerated or born anew and live in the new Man which is like the first Man before the fall in Christ our g Who bringeth us forth out of the Wrath into the Love of God Regenerator 4. For though I should speak or write never so much of the Fall and also of the Regeneration in Christ and did not come to the root and ground what the fall was and by what it was we come to perish and what that property is which God abhorreth and how that was effected contrary to the command and will of God What should I understand of the thing just nothing and then how should I shun or avoyd that which I have no knowledge of or how should I endeavour to come to the New birth and give my selfe up into it if I knew not how wherein nor wherewith to doe it 5. It is very true the world is full of Books and Sermons of the Fall and of the New birth But in most part of the Books of the h Theologie Divines there is nothing but the History that such a thing hath been done and that we should be regenerated in Christ but what doe I understand from hence nothing but onely the History that such a thing hath been done and done againe and ought to be done 6. Our h Theologie Divines set themselves hand and foot with might and main with their utmost endeavour by persecution and reproach against this and say that men must not dare to search into the deep Grounds what God is men must not search nor curiously pry into the Deity but if I should speak

plainly what this trick of theirs is it is the dung and filth wherewith they cover and hide the Devill and cloake the injected malice and wickednesse of the Devill in Man so that neither the Devill nor the anger of God nor the i Or Evill will Evill Beast in Man k But remaine hidden and undiscovered can be discerned 7. And this is the very reason because the Devill smelleth the matter and therefore he hindereth it that his kingdome might not be revealed but that he might continue to be the Great Prince of the world still for otherwise if his kingdome were knowne men might flie from him where is it more needfull for him to oppose than on that part where his Enemy may break in He therefore covereth the hearts minds thoughts and senses of the Divines he leadeth them into covetousnesse pride and wantonnesse so that they stand amazed with feare and horror at the Light of God and therefore they shut it up for they are naked nay they grutch the light to those that see it this is rightly called the service and worship of the Devill 8. But the time is coming when the Aurora or Day-spring will break forth and then the Beast that evill childe or childe of perdition shall stand forth naked and in great shame for the judgement of the Whore of the Great Beast goeth on therefore awake and flie away ye children of God that you bring not the Mark of the Great Evill Beast upon your forehead with you before the cleare Light or else you will have great shame and confusion of face therewith It is now high time to awake from sleepe for the Bridegroom maketh himselfe ready to fetch home his bride and he cometh with a cleere shining Light they that shall have oyle in their Lampe their Lamps shall be kindled and they shall be Guests but those that shall have no oyle their Lamps shall continue dark and they shall sleep still and retaine the marks of the Beast till the Sun rise and then they shall be horribly affrighted and stand in eternall shame for the judgement shall be executed the children of God shall observe it but those that sleep shall sleep till day Further of the Birth 9. The Birth of the Eternall Nature is like the thoughts or senses in Man as when a thought or sense is generated by somewhat and afterwards propagateth it self into infinite many thoughts or as a roote of a Tree generateth a stock and many buds and branches as also many roots buds and branches from one roote and all of them from that one first roote Therefore observe what is mentioned before whereas nature consisteth of six formes or properties so every forme generateth againe a forme out of it selfe of the same quality and condition of it selfe and this forme now hath the quality and condition of all the formes in it selfe 10. But l Or understand and consider it aright observe it well the first of the six formes generateth but one m Or Budding property source like it selfe after the similitude of its own fountaine-Spirit and not like the first Mother the harshnesse but as one twig or branch in a Tree putteth forth another sprout out of it selfe For in every fountaine-Spirit there is but one centre wherein the fire-source or fountaine ariseth and the light ariseth out of the flash of the fire and the first six-fold forme is in the n Or Springing property source or fountaine 11. But mark the depth in a similitude which I set down thus the harsh-spring in the Originall is the Mother out of which the other five Springs are generated viz. Bitternesse fire love sound and water Now these are members of this Birth of their Mother and without them there would be nothing but an anguishing dark vale or vacuum where there could be no mobility nor any light or life But now the life is borne in her by the kindling of the light and then shee rejoyceth in her own property and laboureth in her owne tart soure quality to generate againe and in her own quality there riseth a life againe and a centre openeth it selfe againe and the life cometh to be generated againe out of her in a six-fold forme yet not in any such anguish as at the beginning but in great joy 12. For the Spring of the great anguish which was in the beginning before the light in the tart harshnesse from which the bitter sting or prickle is generated that is now in the sweet fountaine of the love in the light changed from the water-spirit and from bitternesse or pricklinesse is now become the fountaine or spring of the joy in the light Thus now henceforth the fire-flash is the father of the light and the light shineth in him and is now the onely cause of the moving Birth and of the birth of the love that which in the beginning was the o Or Lake of Torment aking source is now SUL or the oyle of the lovely pleasant fountaine which presseth through all the fountaines so that from hence the light is kindled 13. And the sound or noise in the turning wheele is now the declarer or pronouncer in all the fountaines that the beloved childe is borne for it cometh with its sound before all Doores and in all Essences so that in its awakening all the vertues or powers are stirring and see feele have smell and taste one another in the light for the whole Birth nourisheth it selfe in its first mother viz. the p Or Soure tart springing substantiality harsh essence being now become so thin or pure meek sweet and full of joy and so the whole birth standeth in very great joy love meeknesse and humility and is nothing else than a meere pleasing taste a delighting sight a sweet smell a ravishing sound to the hearing a soft touch beyond that which any tongue can utter or expresse how should there not be joy and love where in the very midst of death the Eternall Life is generated and where there is no feare of any end nor can be 14. Thus in the harshnesse there is a new birth againe understand where the tart soure astringency is predominant in the Birth and where the fire is not kindled according to the bitter sting or prickle or from the beginning of the anguish But the rising or exulting Joy is now the Centre and kindling of the light and the tartnesse or astringency hath now q Or for in its own quality the SUL Oyle and Light of the Father Therefore now the Birth out of the Twig or Branch of the first tree is qualified altogether according to the r Or tart soure fountaine harsh fountaine and the fire therein is a tart or soure fire and the bitternesse a tart bitternesse and the sound a tart sound and the love a tart love but all in meere perfection and in a totally glorious love and joy 15. And thus also the first bitter sting or

the Holy Ghost To what purpose are they invented but for the pleasure of Antichrist who thereby doth strut in might and pomp and is God on Earth O flie from him thou childe of Man the time is come for us to awake from the sleepe of Antichrist Christ cometh with the faire Lilly out of Paradise in the valley of Jehosaphat it is time for them to trim their Lamps that will goe to the Marriage of the Lamb The Gate or the Exposition 18. Paradise consisteth in the power and vertue of God it is not corporeall nor a Palpable comprehensible but its corporeity or comprehensibility is like the Angels which yet is a bright cleere visible substance as if it were materiall but it is figured meerly from the vertue or power where all is transparent and shining where also the centre of the Birth is in all things and therefore the birth is without measure or end 19. I give you a similitude in the minde of man from which the thoughts are generated which have neither number nor end for every thought hath a centre to generate againe other thoughts and thus is the Paradise from eternity to eternity But being the light of God is eternall and shineth without wavering or hinderance therefore also in the birth there is an unchangeable substance wherein all things spring up in meere perfection in great love 20. For the spirit of knowledge intimateth this that there are fruits and things that grow in Paradise as well as in this world in such a forme or figure but not in such a source or property and palpability For the matter or body of it is power and it groweth in the heavenly b Soyle or earth Limbus its roote standeth in the Matrix wherein there is neither earth nor stone for it is in another Principle The fire in that Principle is God the Father and the light is God the Sonne and the Aire is God the Holy Ghost and the vertue or power out of which all springeth is Heaven and Paradise 21. As we see that here out of the earth there spring plants hearbs and fruits which receive their vertue from the Sunne and from the Constellation so the Heaven or the heavenly Limbus is in stead of the earth and the light of God in stead of the Sunne and the eternall Father in stead of the vertue of the Starres the depth of this substance is without beginning and end its breadth cannot be c Fathomed reached there is neither yeares nor time no cold nor heate no moving of the Aire no Sunne nor Starres no water nor fire no fight of evill spirits no knowledge nor apprehension of the affliction of this world no stony rock nor earth and yet a figured substance of all the creatures of this world For all the creatures of this world have appeared to this end that they might be an eternall figured similitude not that they continue in this spirit in their substance no not so All the creatures returne into their d Receptacle Ether and the spirit corrupteth or fadeth but the figure and the shadow continue eternally 22. As also all words both the evill and the good which were here spoken by a humane tongue they continue standing in the shadow and figured similitude and the Good reach Paradise in the Holy Ghost and the false evill and wicked ones reach the abysse of Hell and therefore it is that Christ said Man must give an account of every idle or unprofitable word and when the harvest cometh then all shall be seperated for the Scripture saith also That every ones works shall follow them and all shall be tried by the fire of Nature and all false or evill workes words and deeds shall remaine in the fire of Nature which shall be the Hell at which when the Devils heare it they tremble and quake 23. All shall remaine in the shadow and every thing in its own source or property therefore it will be an eternall shame to the wicked that they shall see in the eternity all their works and words as a menstruous cloath which shall stick full of the wrath of God and shall burne according to their essence and according to their here kindled source or property 24. For this world is like a field wherein good seed is sowne into which the enemy casteth weeds or Tares and goeth his way which grow together untill the time of the harvest when all the fruit shall be gathered and brought into the Barne of which Christ also faith That the Tares or weeds shall be tyed up in bundles and cast into the fire and the wheate shall be brought into the barne The Holy Gate 25 REason which is gone forth with Adam out of Paradise asketh Where is Paradise to be had or found Is it farre off or neere Or when the soules goe into Paradise whither do they goe Is it in this world or without the place of this world above the starres Where is it that God dwelleth with the Angels And where is that desirable Native Countrey where there is no death Being there is no Sunne nor Starres in it therefore it cannot be in this world or else it would have been found long agoe 26 Beloved Reason One cannot lend the Key to another to unlock this withall and if any have a key he cannot open it to another As Antichrist boasteth that he hath the keys of Heaven and Hell It is true he may have the keys of both in this life time but he cannot open with them for any body else every one must unlock it with his own key or else he cannot enter therein for the Holy Ghost is the key when he hath that key then he may goe both in and out 27. There is nothing that is neerer you than Heaven Paradise and Hell unto which of them you are inclined and to which of them you tend or walke to that in this life time you are most neere you are between both and there is a birth between each of them you stand in this world between both the Gates and you have both the births in you God beckneth to you in the one Gate and calleth you and the Devill beckneth you in the other Gate and calleth you with whom you goe with him you enter in The Devill hath in his hand power honour pleasure and worldly joy and the roote of these is death and hell fire On the contrary God hath in his hand crosses persecution misery poverty ignominy and sorrow and the roote of these is a fire also and in the fire there is a light and in the light the vertue and in the vertue or power the Paradise and in the Paradise are the Angels and among the Angels joy The e Or dimme fleshly eyes grosse eyes cannot behold it because they are from the third Principle and see onely by the splendour of the Sunne but when the Holy Ghost cometh into the soule then he regenerateth it anew in

indeed somewhat the wiser but not much They say God tempted Adam to try whether he would continue in his obedience or not and when he became disobedient then God threw mighty anger and wrath upon him and cursed him to Death and that his wrath could not be quenched except he be reconciled in such a manner This Reason of this party maketh God to be a meere unmercifulnesse like an evill man of this world who yet will be reconciled when he hath once revenged himselfe sufficiently and this Reason hath no knowledge at all of God nor of Paradise 25. O beloved soule it is a very i For which the Curse came heavy businesse at which the very Heavens might well stand amazed in this Temptation there is a very great matter hidden in Moses which the unenlightened soule understandeth not God did not regard a bit of an Apple or Peare to punish so faire a Creature for it The punishment cometh not from his hand but from the k Or Macrocosme Spiritus majoris mundi from the Spirit of the great World from the third Principle God intended most mercifully towards Man and therefore he spared not his own heart but let it become Man that he might deliver Man againe You ought not to have such thoughts God is love and the Good in him is no angry thought and Mans punishment was not but from himselfe as you shall finde or reade in its due place The secret Gate of the Temptation of Man 26. Since many Questions fall to be in this place for the minde of Man seeketh after its native Countrey againe out of which it is wandered and would returne againe home to the Eternall Rest and since it is permitted to mee in my knowledge I will therefore set downe the deep Ground of the Fall wherein Men may looke upon the eyes of Moses If you be borne of God then it may well be apprehended by you but the unenlightened minde cannot hit the mark for if the minde desireth to see what is in a house it must then be within that house for from heare say without seeing it ones selfe there is alwaies doubting whether a thing be as is related But what the eye seeth and the minde knoweth that is beleeved perfectly for the eye and the minde apprehendeth it 27. The minde searcheth wherefore man must be tempted whereas God had created him perfect and seeing God is omniscient and knoweth all things the minde therefore alwaies layeth the blame upon God and so doe the Devils also for the minde saith If the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evill had not sprung up then Adam had not fallen 28. O beloved Reason If you understand no more than so then shut up the eyes of your minde quite and search not continue under patience in hope and let God alone he will doe well enough or else you will fall into the greatest unquietnesse and the Devill will drive you into despaire who continually pretendeth or giveth it forth l The Devill saith it in the minde that God did will evill and that he willeth not that all men should be saved and therefore he created the Tree of Anger 29. Beloved Minde put such thoughts away from thee or else thou wilt make of the kinde and loving God an unmercifull and hostile will but leave off such thoughts of God and consider thy selfe what thou art in thy selfe thou shalt finde the Tree of the Temptation and also the will to have it which made it spring up yea the source lust or quality whence it sprung up standeth in thee and not in God this must be understood that when we will speak of the pure Deity which manifesteth it selfe in the second Principle through the heart of God it is thus and not otherwise 30. But when wee consider or meane the originall of the first Principle then wee finde the nature propertie or species of the Tree and also the will to the Tree wee finde there the abysse of Hell and of anger and wrath and moreover wee finde the will of all the Devils we finde the envious will of all the Creatures of this world wherefore they all are the enemies one of another and doe hate bite worry kill and devour one another My beloved Reason here I will shew you the Tree of the Temptation and you shall look Moses in the face keep but your minde m Fixt or upon it stedfast that you may apprehend it 31. I have often given you to understand in this book already what the Essence of all Essences is but because it is most of all highly necessary in this place to know the Ground thereof therefore I will n Or explaine set you it downe all at large and very fundamentally so that you shall know it in your selfe yea you shall understand it in all Creatures and in all things that are or that you look upon or at any time may possibly think on all these shall be witnesse I can bring heaven and earth also the Sunne Starres and Elements for a witnesse and that not in bare words and promises onely but it shall be set before you very convincingly and very powerfully in their vertue and essence and you have no vertue or power or faculty in your body that shall not convince you and witnesse against you doe but not suffer the lying Spirit the old Serpent to darken your minde who is the inventor of a thousand o Or sleights shifts fetches arts tricks 32. When he seeth that he cannot catch or overcome Man by making him p Or Despaire doubtfull of the mercy of God then he maketh him carelesse so that he accounteth all as nothing he maketh his minde very drowsie so that he esteemeth very lightly of himselfe as if all were not worth the looking after let things be as they will he will not break his heart or trouble his head with it Let the q Priest Minister or learned who take upon them cura Animarum Pope looke after it they must answer for it Thus the minde carelesly passeth it over like a whirlwinde or streame of water concerning which Christ said The Devill stealeth the Word out of their hearts that they doe not apprehend it nor beleeve it that they might be saved so that it taketh no roote 33. Or else if the Pearle should grow and the Lilly bud forth r The Devill he should be revealed and then every one would flie from him and he should stand in great shame This Trade he hath driven ever since the beginning of the world and though he resist never so vehemently yet a Lilly shall grow in his supposed Kingdome whose smell reacheth into the Paradise of God in spite of all his raging and tyranny this the Spirit of God doth witnesse 34. Behold thou childe of Man if thou wilt easily draw neere to this knowledge take but thy minde before thee and consider it and therein thou wilt finde all You know