alwayes by the Serpents seed the unfaithfull wicked world slain persecuted despised scorned and put to Death in which regard also the Death of all Saints was before the Lord very highly dearly and preciously Esteemed 13. So he hath also in his divine fullnesse and perfect Seed and word of God the pure faithfull womans and Virgins Sonne God and Man in one Person the right Seed Sonne and Word of God of the perfect faithful Flesh and Bloud the totall persecution enmity hatred and envy of the abominable Satanicall Serpents Seed of the wofull Devill substantially united in all unfaithfull unrepentant children of the world hath taken upon him for the sake of the redemption of all the faithfull of his body and holy woman 14. And through his innocent suffering and dying hath paid the penalty and debt of all the Sinnes of the world on his most holy body and woman reconciled it with the Deity in himself overthrown all Enmity between God and Man and in and according to this his most holy totall or UNIVERSALL Redemption through his guiltlesse Crosse with and in divine union through God and out of the infancy to a perfect Man presented himself to his totall holy Church or Congregation 15. In and with which he now according to his most holy prediction Hosea 2. I will Espouse my selfe with thee in Eternity I will betroth my self with thee in Grace and Mercy Yes in the Faith I will unite and bind my self with thee with this his holy unreproveable undefiled Church and perfect Bride and most holy Sulamith Canticles Reconcileth and espouseth in Eternity 16. In which he now according to his own most holy revelation of himself here upon Earth Esaiah 9. The Eternal Father in an undivided Person God and Man ONE Eternall Generatour TRIUNE God and Lord yes ALL in ALL his beloved totall perfect Bride his holy body and woman wherein he Eternally generateth his holy Seed his holy Word Will Work and Performance substantially livingly and powerfully 17. And to his Eternall praise laud and honour in this his holy Church holy Jerusalem and perfect City of the perfect appearing divine Peace which is kept in Heaven but now on Earth in this ending ceasing Last time of the world manifesteth himself in the Eternall Unity of his body and woman the undefiled untransitory unfadable Inheritance 18. And the receiving his holy kingdom and Dominion according to the Testimony of the Holy Scripture Dan 7. under the whole Heaven in his Saints his united woman and Eternally ruling it to be openly proclaimed 19. The Bride the Woman of all faithfull Flesh and Bloud according to the Testimony of the Scripture Revelations 22. hath called Come LORD JESU the Bridegroom and Man Christ appeareth and saith in the unity of his Wife or Woman Here I am Here I am Here will I dwell this is my Rest Eternally 20. Here thou wilt with the beloved woman of all faithfull Flesh and Bloud in divine unity of thy Man with this Scripture Explanation for further holy consideration in and with thy united Bridegroom according to thy desire for Love and divine will acknowledge and receive this 21. In which the Triune highly praised Sonne and Word of God the fullnesse of the Deity generated from Eternity the most holy seed of the Woman from the beginning of the World after the Fall of Adam and Eve as also the regenerated new faithfull flesh and bloud the woman in that which is in Part and perfect holy substance is discovered to thee and manifested to the Eternall and in Eternall unchangeable Union 22. NOT Tinctured according to the Cabalisticall Theophrasticall Roso-Crucian kind and transmuted out of the unfaithfull Substance into the Faithfull 23. But according to the Testimony of the Scripture a New Birth not out of the old sinfull Substance but in the Center and inward Heart in the Love of the divine voyce a new beginning a New Heart a New Flesh and Bloud a New faithfull Person as to Body and Soul a Faith not born out of the unbeleef but out of God 24. A Body a Woman a Man an unity of the Woman a Seed a faithfull visible good Substance of God A Christ a Lord a God a Spirit Substantially opperatively livingly powerfully and actively the self-subsisting Eternall ONE onely blessednesse or salvation an undefiled unfadable untransitory inheritance reserved in Heaven 25. But now in this Last Time revealed or manifested to all over all through all and in all faithfull with himself the Triune Eternall God an Eternall REST and holy City and habitation of the highest of all and lowest of All in Heaven and upon Earth which is and is called in All Eternall Eternity according to the Testimony of Scripture of Ezekiel the last Chapter A Wedding City Here is the LORD Psal 48. 1 2. Very greatly and highly to be praised is The Mountain SION the fair Branch with which the whole Land is Comforted Yours alwayes willingly A. V. E. Esaiah Stiefell HEre followeth My Answer upon this Fourth Point of the Fourth Text. 1. T Fourth Point I would even leave unexplained if it were produced by the Authour in a right understanding but he jumbleth all together and sticketh his erroneous meaning therein and maketh much more a Confusion of it then a right explanation But seeing I have explained the contents of it above almost in every particular I will therefore only expound the chief matters and extract the Erroneous Opinions out of his Confusion for the sake of the Reader 2. Concerning the becoming Man or Incarnation of Christ concerning which the Authour here mentioneth That the Seed of the Holy Trinity in the Totall divine Substance is become Man or Incarnate in the Totall Holy Perfect totally united with the Deity virgin MARY and hath taken HER Flesh and Soul upon him and so made MARY the Genetrix of God viz the holy word of God as he writeth and that MARY was before new born in the Faith e er she was impregnate or with Childe with the Saviour 3. This needs yet a sharper explanation and exposition and it had stood this Master in hand that will needs be Perfect and Omniscient to have unsolded this Mystery and not to have confused it so that a man cannot know what he understandeth thereby but only that a Man may see his secret in sown Grain or Seed spring up therein 4. He will not herewith satisfie the seeking Mind which enquireth after the Ground and lead him into the Center of Nature he must put on other Stieffeln or Bootes if he will ride with Christs Spirit over Death and Hell and say how Gods Anger is quenched Death broken to peeces and the Devills Kingdome IN Man destroyed 5. His explanation is much more erroneous and an obscuring the understanding of the seeking Mind than an Expounding He hâ—nteth some high Points concerning the manner of the becoming Man or Incarnation of Christ and produceth none 6.
AN APOLOGIE Concerning Perfection Being A Fundamentall Answer and Reply upon Esaiah Stiefel His Exposition of Four Texts of the Holy Scripture Written In the Year 1622. finished the 6. Aprill By Jacob Behme Also called Teutonicus Philosophus Englished by JOHN SPARROW LONDON Printed by M. S. for Giler Calvert and are to be sold at his Shop at the Black-Spread-Eagle at the West end of St. Pauls 1661. THE PREFACE 1. COurteous Reader who lovest Truth There hath lately come to my hands a Treatise sent from Good friends concerning some Points of Conclusion which one hath explained and as to his sence sufficiently expounded at large 2. Thereupon I have been entreated by them also to give My apprehension or understanding and explanation upon those very Points 3. Seeing therefore I observe that in that very Explanation there are some Erroneous Opinions that run contrary to the Holy Scriptures and true Understanding which are of concernment to the Reader and may almost stagger him therefore I would take the labour and expresse it in a more rectified understanding 4. Not to disturb or judge any man but that the understanding thereof might be made more cleer for the sake of the Reader who with earnestnesse seeketh the PEARL of Divine Knowledge that it might introduce their hungry Minds into better security and Rest and so might have occasion to seek with the greater earnestnesse the Pearl of Divine knowledge and to refresh themselves therewith till we can attain the PERFECT enjoyment thereof in the other Life After this Tabernacle 5. Therefore will I set before me those Points of Couclusion together with the meaning of him that hath explained them and briefly and summarily peruse the understanding of the Points as also the understanding of the Expositour and shew the true Ground and bring it into a round currant expresse understanding at large and leave it to the Reader of the Divine knowledge to consider of The Points to be explained are these Four Texts of Scripture I. The First is Genesis the 1. Chapter Verse 27. God Created Man according to his Image II. The Second is 1 Timothy 3. 16. The Divine Mystery is apparently Great God is Manifested or Revealed in the Flesh III. The Third is Isaiah 54. 5. He who hath made thee is thy Husband his name is called the Lord of Hosts and the Redeemer the Holy One in Israel who is called the God of the whole World IV. The Fourth is 1 Corinthians 11. 12. As the Woman is from the Man so also the Man cometh by the Woman but all things from God J. B. UPon these alledged Texts the Expositour giveth his meaning in the following words and expressions to the sender of the Texts thus E. S. I. BEloved and Elect in CHRIST JESUS the Tri-une living God Governour and Lord of Heaven and Earth born of the Tri-une highly praised God and most holy Substance of the totall Perfect Tri-unity from Eternity and begotten to his Image in the Love of his Divine voyce to his most holy delight and most holy Joy and Pleasure from and in Eternity 2. Upon your last and lately sent Questions as they are written in order one after another I shall and have according to your desire answered them with God the Tri-une wisdome in Christ yes with that very wisdome Christ himselfe the Eternall most Holy Omniscience This which followeth to the holy Tri-une praise of God to the alone salvation of the Souls of all you that are holy and faithfull in and out of the Tri-une Heart and Mouth with the Eternall Powerfull and Living Word in with and out of all holy Members of Christ the highly praised God and shall or will in the Testimony of the Letter bring them forth to the day light The First Text. 3. And as is first mentioned and set down in the Text of the 1. of Genesis verse 27. and expressed in Scripture God Created Man according to his Image first of all in Adam 4. This Text hath been urged by you particularly in regard of the outward appearance of the German Text Gott schuff den Menschen Jhm Zum Bilde and therefore because of your unskilfulnesse therein you ought not so very much to be blamed yet you have alledged it slightly and contrary to the Divine Sence 5. Because the Hebrew Greek and Latine Text mentions it thus God Created Man in his Image From which it clearly and Manifestly appears that the Tri-une God in Christ his first begotten or born Son and most holy expresse Image of his invisible Deity before all Creatures hath created not only Man but also all Heavenly and Earthly Creatures yes all whatsoever was made John 1. In him and he hath made and brought them forth in Christ to his holy praise and Glory 6. Therefore your Exposition as you set it first in Adam cannot here be applyed and alledged as also your Scripture brought to prove it even To the Image of God Created he him a second time in Christ cannot avail or be allowed because all this came to passe before the fall of Adam 7. Whereas at that time there is no mention of the Regeneration in and through Christ and according to the Testimony of Scripture is not recorded for the Created Man to know from and with God 8. The Hebrew Greek and Latine Text also mentioneth that the Tri-une God In Christ his first begotten or born Expresse Image before all Creatures in whom and through whom he made all that is made hath Created Man according to his Image that is according to Christ his Divine Expresse Image 9. And as Christ was generated or born out of and with God in the Love of the Mother and divine voice from Eternity to his expresse Image of his totall perfect Substance from the greatest to the least and from the least to the greatest from Eternity 10. So he did in the Creation make man visible in Christ to and according to the Image of Christ and created him to his praise and Glory that he should through the obedience of Christ stedfastly be and appear like him in Innocency 11. This according to your meaning or sence of the Scripture is not done and Manifested a second time in Christ but a second time in the Creation of Man I. B. NOw followeth My Answer upon this forementioned Explanation and furthermore My Explanation 1. MEn finde in no place of the Holy Scirpture that Man is proceeded forth in Totally PERFECT Power authority Omnipotence Omniscience and that he had the same for his creaturely proper own 2. For that may not be said even of the Person of CHRIST as he conversed in this world visibly amongst us according to the Humanity received from US but only according to his Eternall Deity 3. For his Soule and Humanity hath also called and prayed to and in God and on the Mount of Olives said when he would goe into his suffering Father if it be possiâ—le let this Cup
such an Example as that of Moses and David 112. Therefore a Man cannot say that the Spirit of Christ promoteth it and driveth it on and intoduceth it self into the burning or ardent Imagination Christ therefore became a Man without the help or Co-working or concurrence of any Man or Husband that he might bring us forth out of this abomination before God through his holy Incarnation or Becoming Man he became such a Virgin-like Child with both the Tinctures one in another with own self-Love that he might bring our Rent in himself into ONE 113. And this is the abomination in the Marriage work that the Seed is unclean in the Conjunction of both the Tinctures when they are brought together into One it is the Property of the Eternall Joyfullnesse viz of the highest desiring and fulfilling if that might be done without abomination THEN it were holy 114. But the Sulphur of the Seed is an abomination before the Holinesse The Elevation of the Naturall Lifes Forms where the Forms of Nature lift up themselves in self-hood they lye in the Seeds and are kindled in Gods Anger viz in the abomination of the dark world through the Devils Imagination 115. Therefore this impure Sulphur out of which the Tinctures in the Fire Life viz in the Fiery Tincture become generated is an abomination before Gods holinesse and therefore must also this Sulphur with the abomination totally corrupt or break in peeces and go again into the beginning of the Creation 116. And though it be so that the Word of the LORD Verbum Domini intermixeth it self together in the Holy People that is done according to the inward Man where the Divine Sparkle is propagated in the Image of God in the Heavenly Substantiality 117. For the Word of the Deity in the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in Heaven and the right true Image created from the Divine worlds Substance which in Adam dyed and faded is the Heaven's Substance into which NO abomination CAN Enter for the Holy Spirit receiveth not that 118. The Spirit of Christ possesseth and manifesteth it selfe in HIS Tents and not in the beastial Conjunction of the Abominations of Sinne It is not in the power of the Imagination of the Flesh but in the pure Love-desire of Chastity and Faithfullnesse where TWO joyn their Minds together in the Marriage Band and give up their Love and faithfullnesse one to another to be their own and desire to be ONE Heart and Will 119. There the Spirit of Christ is the Love-band and here now is rightly that thing Increase or Multiply and be fruitfull God said to Adam and Eve they should multiply themselves in their Marriage Band. 120. He saith not HE would do it with the promised Crusher or Bruiser of the Serpent but he gave them the power of the Naturall Man but the Holy Spiritual Birth or Geniture he promoteth in his own Principle and not in the perished corrupt Flesh not in the Imagination of Lust which is more Beastiall than truly Humane 121. Indeed he bringeth holy children together but by the means of his Officer Nature how he will have it but the marriage work according to the outward Man is not Holy but according to the inward it is holy in the children of the Saints and Not in Beastiall Vessels 122. But that this Authour sets it down That through this Conjunction of Man and Wife in their Lust-desire the Evill Properties and Lust of the Flesh are separated asunder and totally sanctified in the Spirit of Christ the Love-Spirit of Christ mixeth it self in their Imagination and driveth on all Abominations and worketh in the Imagination this Lust of the Man and Woman and sanctifieth the Imagination and the Seed sinne dyeth and a totall holy child becometh conceived viz a Christ little Child or Infant that is without blemish and Sinne moreover God and Man outwardly and inwardly 123. And this he speaketh as one that understandeth nothing of the Mystery of CHRIST and takes upon him freely as a Saint of his own making a self elected one without power who knoweth not his beastial abomination and Filth 124. He will make Christ to be OUTWARDLY and yet Christ himself saith His Kingdom was not of this World after his appointed work was accomplished he went to Heaven and in the Heaven which is IN us he dwelleth with us and worketh in that very Heaven in us and not at all in the Beastial Man in the fleshly birth in which Death is 125. It is a meer fiction whereby young people which are very eager and fiery in Venus'es desire are made altogether wanton and Luxurious when it is so finely pourtrayed before them that their desire and Lust is Christs driving and that it is the Spirit of Christ which would mix it selfe and beget Children 126. When he conversed upon the Earth HE never desired to mixe himself but only in the Spirit in the Soul and in the Image of God will he then now mixe himself in the beastial outward Work we have NO testimony for that 127. In David was also the Spirit of God should therefore the Spirit of God have mixed it self in his outward whoredom and have driven on the work of the outward Imagination towards Bathsheba the Wife of Vriah whom he murthered then God would have had the whoredome to have been 128. No! God punished David for that very fact therefore men should not say the Spirit of Christ mixeth it self in the Center of the Imagination of fleshly Lust and sanctifieth the outward Seed it is altogether false 129. He sanctifieth his Tabernacles which he possesseth he indeed openeth and shutteth in the work of the Life so that the Mercury viz the Work master cannot many times bring his work to Life and also many times bringeth it to Life according to Gods will as in many times to be seen among the Saints of Old especially in the Line of Christ but men should distinguish the outward from the Inward 130. The Marriage work in it self if it Be done Ordinately is not sinfull for it is driven on by Gods Officer Nature and boarn withall under divine patience 131. God sets before him the Becoming Man or Incarnation of Christ his Sonne as among the Jewes the Sacrifices which God set before him in the Covenant through the future Humanity and reconciled himself in the Covenant that the Anger might not burn in the humane Abomination 132. Thus also in the outward Marriage work God sets before him the true Image which lyeth shut up in our Seed in Christ his Sonne and entereth in the working power into the Substance of that Image of the Heavenly Substantiality as a Glimmering Mother or Tinder of divine Property and herein lyeth the holinesse of the holy marryed peoples Children 133. But in the outward Flesh as also in the Soul the Abomination of Sinne cleaveth to them and so NO child is born into the world without Sinne The will to the outward work of
in Christs death and put on HIS Resurrection out of the GRAVE That the Man which dyeth according to Flesh in the Limit which God hath set or appointed viz at the Last DAY should ARISE out of Christs Death 79. He hath given us his Death and Buriall for a REST where the OUTWARD Body resteth from the working of vanity as in a meek soft Sleep 80. But what this Authour sets down concerning the opposition of the totall fleshly Man that the Earthly Man which he calleth the Serpents Seed despiseth contemneth derideth and persecuteth Christ in his Members and continually crucifieth and putteth them to death together with Christ that is so and cannot otherwise be 81. For when Christ is become born then the Man of Sinne in his self-hood MUST dye the Faithfull Man becometh himself an Enemy of his own Sinnes in the Flesh the Faithfull Man according to the Heavenly Substance is indeed yea undeniably the Bride of CHRIST in whom Christ dwelleth that I contradict not 82. But that this Authour sets it down that Christ was born a poor despised Infant in the highest Lowlinesse out of MARY and yet was equall in the Height of the Triune God and LORD there he should better explain it and shew wherein he is the Triune God and LORD 83. Not according to the Creature viz according to our Flesh and Soul which is Eternally under or beneath God but according to his Divine and according to the Heavenly Substantiality and Corporeity wherewith he came from Heaven and took our Substance upon him 84. The divine Substance is unmeasurable BOTH according to Spirit and Corporeall Substance but our humane Substance is measurable to our humane Substance the Power or Authority is given but to the divine nothing CAN be given 85. God will judge the humanity through the voyce of the humanity of Christ so that the humanity of Christ according to our humanity is the Instrument to do it with Not that our humanity in Christs Person and Creature hath the power or authority out of it self 86. It is a given power or authority from the Father As Christ himselfe saith ALL Power or Authority in Heaven and upon Earth is given me of my Father Matth 28. Not to the self-hood of the Creature that the Creature is as Omnipotent and self powerfull as GOD but that the CREATURE is the Instrument whereby the Spirit of God will Judge and separate ALL things 87. The Spirit of the Holy Trinity IN the Creature is the will and the Creature is the Instrument of performance as through a cleer visible open Image and Substance seeing God hath manifested himself through the Creature therefore through the Creature also he produceth a Manifested or revealed authority or power and Dominion 18. As an Artist fitteth an Instrument of Musick and himself strikes or playes upon it that it may sound and give melody to him SUCH as he would sain HEAR Thus also in like manner the Creature is Gods Instrument upon which God striketh or playeth and hath introduced his own sound out of the divine voyce into this Creaturely Lute which soundeth and Melodizeth to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will 89. This Lute doth not play upon it self for CHRIST saith also All whatsoever the Sonne seeth the Father do that the Sonne doth also And the word which I speak to you is not mine but the Fathers who dwelleth in me Also I and the Father are One but the Father is greater than I. 90. The Father is the Eternall Beginning and the Sonne is the Eternall Begun viz the Manifestation of that Spirit which is called Father and the Holy Spirit is that which the Father through the Sonne Manifesteth with the Eternall outspoken wisdome out of the sound which the Father with the Sonne Generateth 91. The Sonne is the Fathers sound or word and the Creature is the cleer or Loud manifested word through which the Father in the Eternall Generating of his holy word soundeth or speaketh 〈◊〉 hear the Creature viz the voyce of the Person CHRIST then I hear what the Father in his holy sound in the exit of his Holy Spirit manifesteth and expresseth in and with the Creature 92. Here it is not called beloved Woman or Wife with or as to the Creature but Gods Image Gods Manifestation Gods manifest Dominion Gods own Doing or self-acting viz the invisible and incomprehensible acting through a visible comprehensible image and Substance of his own propriety 93. For without God there is Nothing HE alone is ALL but all whatsoever is perceptible or comprehensible that is only an Image of the Invisible Divine Substance wherewith the Invisible hath Manifested or revealed it self 94. Therefore the Creature should NOT say of it self that it self is any thing but introduce its ability into THAT out of which it is originated that it may be the Omniscient Gods work and play or Melody in his Love that it may do what he will and SO God be ALL in ALL. 95. And if God will do any thing through his Creature and manifest his will then speaketh not the Creature from or of it self but saith Thus saith the LORD thus hath the Lord spoken this is the Command of the Lord and not esteem it self at all to be the speaking Word or divine Sound also not say with this outward Body that the outward Body is espoused with Gods Holinesse as this Authour sets it down 96. The inward Man is indeed together with or in Gods Harmony through which God soundeth and Singeth and is a Wedding-Place or City of God but all whatsoever is Creaturely is tinder or beneath that which hath made the Creature The Creature is Gods Artifice or workmanship which he hath made through his wisdome for it is the Nature it standeth in the Principle viz in a Beginning but God standeth in NONE God is without all Beginning his desire maketh Beginning 97. But what this Authour saith concerning the woman of Faithfull Flesh and Bloud is not spoken plain enough to be understood For Flesh and Bloud beleeveth not but the Spirit Flesh and Bloud is a House of the Spirit 98. And what he also setteth down concerning the Man CHRIST who is in the Marriage with the Woman cannot at all be spoken of the outward Flesh and Bloud of this Life time for Christ is himself the Woman and the Man God and Man 99. Of the Inward Man it may WELL be spoken that is in the Marriage with Christ but the Outward is in the Marriage with the Outward World and with the vanity and Sinne as also with Death and Corruptibility weaknesse sicknesse and Misery THAT is called Eve and not the Marriage City of God in Gods holinesse as this Authour saith it is 100. But a waste Tabernacle wherein the Spirit is perished understand the Outward Spirit which dwelleth in Flesh and Bloud not that we would or should DESPISE the Spirit viz the Soul of the Great