is that I answer the Divine Flesh and Blood of Christ his heavenly Body the one holy Element the Quintessence in the Eternal World 6. Will you ask what is that I answer again What is it that feeds the Soul in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper What is it transforms the starving fallen Man into an Angelical Divine Will enables him till then a Stranger to live the Life of Christ in Love Meekness Resignation thankful Obedience cheerful Suffering having one Spirit one Will one Life with Christ Is not this the Old Wine whereof whoso drinketh desireth not the New for he saith the Old is better 7. This Flesh and Blood is Meat and Drink indeed Oh my Soul taste and see how good the Lord is 'T is so sweet that this World 's bitter Cup rellished with this Tincture is Acceptable and this World's sweetest Products to him that hath tasted this are unpleasant and in comparison of this is Vanity 8. But more particularly Adam's Eating must have been suitable to the several Desires he had and those Desires are according to the several Spirits and Capacities and those Spirits answer to and are modell'd by the several Principles whereof he was founded 9. Those Principles are Three as to avoid tediousness which I studiously shun do refer my self to the 8th Verse of the Answer of the 45th Question where the Principles are explicated and something in fallen Man may be produced to Demonstrate this great Truth 10. It is undeniable that in us Men are three Spirits The Animal or Soulish Spirit the Vital Spirit and the Nutritive Spirit these also are to be found in a very obscure Figure in the Beasts but in Man they grow from three Eternal Roots The Animal Spirits live in the first Principle whence also as a Figure were breathed the four Forms in the Astral Spirit The Vital Spirit is in the second Principle The Nutritive Spirit in the third 11. Adam's Soul did Eat of the Meek Heavenly Holy Flesh and Blood or Life and Love of the Almighty Son of God or second Principle it could not be fed by Spirit for it Self was Spirit In this Divine Light and Meekness dwelt Adam's Vital Spirit as a twig on a Vine and his Nutritive Spirit was fed by the Holy part of the third Principle 12. In this Principle of Holy Paradisical Excellency flourish all Eternal pure Fruits whose unexpressibly Exquisite and Incomprehensible Varieties real Entities or Substances are no more but shadowed and that darkly under the Curse by this World's Excellencies 13. Those Divine Productions are the Quintessence Eternally fixed in the Temperature consisting of all the seven Properties of the Eternal Nature in Triumphant Harmony and these were the Fruits on which Adam should and Blessed Men shall live Eternally Q. 53. What was the Earth with its Fruits before the Curse when it was call'd Paradise A. What Paradise is was shewn in the Answer of the 42 Question And the Trees in Paradice are will be met with in the 56 Question And that This Worlds fruits were not those of Paradice is plain in the Answer of the 4 Question 1. The thing here enquired is what the Earth and its fruits were before the Curse therefore that if the fruits of the Earth before the Curse were call'd Paradice it was not properly but figuratively as representing Paradice which it did tho' very imperfectly in many parts 2. For if we understand by the fruits the Plants it must be acknowledged that seeing the Fall of the Angels stirred up disorders in the great Mystery which introduced a Darkness in the Deep whereby the Properties being separate from the Harmony were unclean and every Property willed to be creaturely Thence came out Evil Plants whose extremities shewed them degenerated from the Temperature also evil Beasts c. 3. 'T is true the second Principle so influenced the whole Creation and blessed it that the Evil part was subjected under the Good the Evil was thus very good to shew the various Powers of the incomprehensible World the Earth also and all its fruits might then well be called good because the Divine part had the Dominion and from it the whole was denominated 4. For the Good Powers were so far exempted from the Evil that they could not be affected or impaired by them unless they first laid off their own Good Property voluntarily which Adam did introducing not only Pollution into himself and posterity but Enmity into all the contrary Qualities in the Creatures who tho' contrary in their Qualities and proper Constitutions were as harmless each to other before as the Wormwood is to the Liquorice Root which extracting the bitter Quality leave the other the more easie attraction of the sweet nourishment yet was the one as really bitter as the other was sweet 5. Yet all those contraries tho' not in the perfect Harmony and Temperature by the Divine Blessing were very good and thus was every thing before the Curse good Q. 54. Should the Propagation possibly haue been without Man and Wife seeing in the Resurrection of the dead they shall not be Man nor Wife but like the Angels of God in Heaven A. 1. That Propagation was to have been is clear because all mankind was not made at once But that it was not to have been by Husband and Wife distinct as are the Male and Female of other Creatures appears in that when the Man was made he was expresly said to be Male and Female after which the Creator said all was very good 2. 1. Then it followed that the Creation was blessed 2. The Creatures distinguished by sundry names 3. The scituation of Eden described 4. The Geographical courses of the four Rivers assigned to which point of Heaven they inclined 5. The Countries of their Travels and Peregrination particularized 6. The proper Treasures of Pison the first of them noted 3. All which we may not think but the Holy Ghost apparently to signifie a Mystery of intervening thus all orderly recorded The Jewish Rabbins can note intermission of time by an accent or little addition to an Hebrew Letter and a prolongation by protraction of the spirits of their characters and an abrupt cutting off by a small dash and shall we see nothing by interposing a Volume of six branches between Adam's Creation and that of Eve 4. So that much time why not forty years viz. a year for a day tho' he was not in time but in eternity may be proportioned in which was his probation and in which all these things are stated passing after the Creation of Adam the Male and Female Man before the extracting and building of the Woman out of and distinct from him 5. And tho' the time be not in plain words in Moses yet is signified year for year by the Israelites forty years Trial in the Wilderness in which they liv'd like Adam on Paradisical Manna and again like him who should have been confirmed but missed by unstedfastness so
pure Element 7. In the holy Ternary and pure Element spring the Paradisical Fruits and the Virgin of Wisdom is the great Spirit in the whole Heavenly World and the Holy Element is her Body But the Deity is Incomprehensible yet as a Soul to a Body in the Holy Ternary The Virgin of God's Wisdom Christ brought with him to be a Bride to our Souls and the Holy Ternary which is his Body is the Food of our Souls Amen John 6. 56. 8. Baptism was not instituted in respect of the Earthly Man which belonged to Earth nor of the Heavenly Man which was pure already but for the poor Souls sake for though we may have a new Body we cannot have a new Soul that being out of the Eternity Therefore as the Holy Ghost over-shadowed and impregnated Mary so the Water out of the Heavenly Matrix coming out of the Holy Ternary in the Baptism over-shadoweth and filleth the Soul and so reneweth the Earthy Water of the Out-birth washing it clean that it is in resignation a pure Angel and may eat of the Heavenly Fruit which is the cause of Baptism Thenceforth if it incline it self forward into God this World is only bound or tyed to it till it enter into Death CHAP. XXIII Of the Testaments of Christ Baptism and the Supper 1. CHrist said he would be with us always and would give us his Body and Blood for Meat and Drink 2. The Deity is not divided and if the Father be every where so is the Son his Heart nor is the Son divided and a spark of the Deity in his Body and the rest every where When Christ sat with his Disciples he gave them his Flesh and Blood viz. His holy Heavenly Body in the second Principle and his holy Heavenly Blood in the pure Element wherein is the holy Tincture and Holy Life 3. The holy pure Element is every where and substantial generated of God therein is the Ternariâ—â— Sanctus and that is the heavenly Body of Christ with our here assumed Soul in it with the fulness of the Deity therein 4. Thus the regenerated Soul putteth on the Body of Christ viz. his Eternal Humanity which is out of the holy Element and which giveth the new Body Meat and Drink The Father every where from Eternity to Eternity doth generate the Son and from both doth the Holy Ghost every where proceed 5. The inward Element which compriseth this World became Christ's Eternal Body the Deity espoused it self thereunto and acteth the Heavenly new Humanity which is an Omnipresent Creature such as captivated all Devils Thus all Men who earnestly and stedfastly draw near to Christ are in their new Man in Heaven who acteth their new Humanity Christ hath taken this Pledge of us viz. our Souls in Mary 6. Christ began his Baptism by John his fore-runner who was born before Christ signifying that Water is the cause and beginning of the Life and in it by the Tincture cometh Sulphur wherein is vital Motion And in the Sulphur and Water the Tincture after causeth Blood 7. In the same order is the Regeneration that the Soul be Baptized in the Water of Eternal Life and then the grain of Mustard-seed of the Pearl be sown that it become a new Fruit in God 8. Children ought to be Baptized or the Covenant is contemned for though Children know not that which is done to them yet it is not in our fore-knowing but in God's that the Covenant stands and if thou as the tree be in the Covenant so may thy Child as the branch thy Faith is its Faith Art thou a true Christian Thy Child at the kindling of its Life passeth into the Covenant yet omit not to Baptize for when 't is born 't is sever'd from the tree and thou must with thy Faith and Prayer present it 9. And because the outward Body is in this World therefore the outward Water is requisite and with the inward Water of Eternal Life the Holy Ghost in the Covenant baptizeth the inward Man 10. Yet if after the Soul depart the Virgin passeth into the Centre of the Light of Life but if it again return is receiv'd And therefore was the other Testament of the Lord's Body and Blood left in which the outward Man hath the outward Elements of Bread and Wine The inward new Man feeds on Christ's heavenly Flesh and Blood and the Soul feeds on the pure Deity 11. The unworthy Receiver feeds outwardly on the four Elements and inwardly on the Wrath of God having departed as did the fallen Angels out of the Love CHAP. XXIV Of true Repentance 1. TO enter into true Repentance the Mind with all the Thoughts Purposes and Reason must be collected wholly into one will resolution and earnest desire to forsake all Abominations and fix the Soul in a stedfast Confidence in God's Mercy 2. That which terrifieth and with-holdeth arising from the greatness of Sin is of Sathan but every though but the least thought inclining the Will towards God and that it would fain enter into Repentance is not from self but the Love of God draweth his Spirit inviteth the noble Virgin calleth 3. Neglect not to give the Lord a meeting who will certainly give a hearty welcom Come Knock Pray he knows the Language of a hearty Sigh Depart not press from Sin so doth the Kingdom of God press into thee wait from day to day the greater the earnestness the greater will be the Jewel 4. But this Seed is not instantly a Tree The Devil would root it up many Storms rush on it every thing in this World is against it sometimes Sins cover it Conscience upbraids the Traveller even God's Children themselves rush on him he sometimes doth what he reproves in others even against his own Light and Purposes 5. When it is thus the Tree of Pearl is hidden for not being sowen in the outward Man which is not worthy of it but is Sathan's Seat that doth what the Soul opposeth It is sometimes done by the Spirit of the Stars in Man So that a Christian is not known to himself how much less to others and is often wounded in the strife for the Field in which the new Man grows is barren harsh cold sour and bitter but the new Man arm'd by the sharp Sword of Christ's Death is Conqueror growing as the Herb or Flower out of the Earth by the pleasant Sunshine CHAP. XXV Of the Dying Death Resurrection Ascension of Christ and his sitting on the right Hand of God his Father Also our Misery and the Divine Power of his Love 1. THE outward Man and its Actions Thoughts and Intents are Instruments of the Spirit of the great World which after Corrupt 2. None therefore should scorn another having our several Compositions Habits and Mutations according to our Constellations and Influences which are not wholly rooted out till Dissolution though Regeneration oppose the falshood of the outward corruptible Man 3. But the outward Man 's not
the Virgin remains a Creature not so mixt as to be confounded and swallowed up by the Deity 3. The two Men in White testified he should so Descend as they had seen him Ascend as is also asserted in the 11th Particular of the Incarnation 4. But the New Man is the Heavenly New Man or Heavenly Humanity of Jesus Christ being the humble pure Virgin of Wisdom which Adam lost and as it were died to him disappeared retiring into its own Ether The first Adam had as it were repudiated This Chast Holy Image This is by the second Adam the Lord from Heaven restored and married to His and in His to our Earthly Humanity It was His at the instant when the Holy Ghost overshadowed the Virgin Mary It is Ours when by the Holy Ghost we are begotten again and That Divine Image is awakened and stirred up in us 5. Of This let none marvel that my weak hand begs Strength and delights to speak for This is That dear pretious Image of Virginity Purity and Modesty whose Eternal Perfect Sweet Love was by Apostate Adam exchanged for the Lust of a Woman which soon sway'd him to Mortality 6. This as the Sun to the outward World would have been Man's Guide being her self out of the Abyss of Infinite Wisdom This the Promised Seed bringing with him still sweetly and convincingly woo's at the Door of every Man's Heart 7. But in regard she is Heavenly she can have no acquaintance with one that is resolved to be Earthy she will be Married only to That Soul that It regenerateth which Nicodemus understood not at first and none ever can who like not to be divorced from the Old Man and die daily To others these Writings are Sounds not Substances for This Tree of Life may not be toucht by them who love That of Good and Evil. 8. This Heavenly Humanity that disappear'd when Adam fell yields the Water of Life which becomes a Well springing up to Eternal Life This is the Childrens Bread It fills Paradise feeds the Angels and all the Blessed for ever 9. This is the Quintessence of Things the Holy Element whence streamed out the four Elements It is the Life and Vertue of the Eternal Nature or great Mystery It is That Pearl which whoso finds and buys is a cheap Bargain whatever it costs 10. This is Christ's Heavenly Flesh and Blood wherewith he feeds His in the Sacramental Feast But being come now to That which men make occasion of Controversie it may be profitable to discourse it John 6. from 47. v. to 59. v. And again in 63. v. it is said I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven v. 53. Except ye eat his Flesh and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you 11. The Jews understanding This as many still do to be meant of his outward Flesh and Blood said and that rightly How can This Man give us his Flesh to eat for That had been so understood not intended by him and Canibal-like to them 12. But the Lord interprets himself first Negatively in 63. v. not his outward Flesh as they thought to be meant profiteth nothing But Affirmatively v. 50. and 58. the Lord himself is express That the Flesh he meant was also Bread and that Bread was the Bread which came down from Heaven viz. the Word of God Hence arise Two controversial Points different from each other and both from the Truth 13. One Party say they eat the outward flesh which being eaten they swallow into their Beastial Carkass This the other Party opposeth saying That flesh though now glorified remains a Circumscriptive Creature therefore may not be eaten every where at once and that it is not Many but One therefore may not be eaten at all This last Party in opposition to the former yet farther say they eat That Flesh and drink That Blood only by Faith or Imagination but know nothing of the Heavenly Flesh or Humanity but still understand only the outward Flesh. Though the Lord is express in This that it is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing and that his words are Spirit and Life and that it is That Bread which came or cometh down from Heaven 14. The Mouth and Eating of the Soul are real and substantial though not Palpable yet not Imaginary 15. It was not the outward Flesh and Blood they did eat and drink for He sate with them when they did eat and drink Shewing plainly that the Sacramental Flesh and Blood is the Divine Flesh and Blood that came down from Heaven 16. In This Enoch walked with God and fed so heartily on This Food that the Food of the third Principle would no longer down with him This New Wine made the Bottle New This like the Tincture that transmuteth Metals Enflamed and Translated his whole Man so that his very third Principle was swallowed up by the Divine second Principle By This all the Holy Men before Christ's Incarnation were nourished in their Pilgrimage on Earth and by This were carried home to their Native Country 17. This was the Rock that followed them in the Wilderness for they did all eat the same spiritual meat and drink the same spiritual drink and That Rock was Christ. 18. This is the Tree of Life which is Angels Food and had never returned to be the Food of the Fallen Posterity of Adam had not the second Adam opened a door in our hearts thro' which to enter and given as a mouth to eat it and receive Life and Vigour from it This First-Born of every Creature was Heir of all things 19. But This is not the Only begotten Son for so He is the true second Person of the Trinity and Lord of all things but This is the Created Son or Word who is the Heir of all things This is the New Man it is not said This is the Omnipotent God but That Holy Heavenly Image of God wherein the first Adam was Created and which on his Disobedience disappeared as to him and as to him was Dead and said to be the Lamb slain 20. This did the Only begotten Son of God bring with Him He who was the True Second Person of the Trinity did Reunite This in himself to the Fallen and so by Him Restored Human Nature and having made Men Priests made them also Kings reigning over the first and third Principles in Man irradiating and divinely governing the first and sacrificing the Wills-Lusts and misplaced Love to the third Principle 21. This Holy Thing was begotten by the Holy Ghost as the Pure Heavenly Humanity united to the Earthly or Fallen Humane Nature comprising the Essences of the Virgin Mary as a Daughter of Eve 22. The Lord saith He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath Eternal Life He saith not He that eateth and drinketh it worthily hath Eternal Life but he that eateth and drinketh For none can be said to eat That Flesh and drink That Blood that
Aâ—tral World 12. When Man makes these idolatrously the object of his Love Hope Delight and Confidence as the rich Man in the Gospel did which should be used only as a Picture or Glass through which to Contemplate by Divine Skill the Eternal Powers represented by them He catcheth at a Shadow worships the Ass on which he was to Ride 13. It is evident his thus Living to his third Principle was his and is our Dying to and Loss of the second Principle and 't is as clear the Dying to the Third that is only giving it leave to hang to us as an old loose Garment or looking through it as through a Cloud or Medium on the Sun or regarding it as a Letter much blotted for the Esteem we bear to the Hand whence it came or as a much faded imperfect Portraicture of an Absent Friend or as a Perspective-Glass Thus only to use it is rightly to Live to it which is really to Die to it and so to Die to it is really to Live to the second Principle and to reunite to the Eternal Chast Holy Modest pure Virgin which disappeared on Adam's disobedient Lusting for the Lusting awakeneth the Knowledge of Evil and Good which the Virgin abhorreth and left Man should be quite stranged 14. Therefore to Extricate us of this miserable Toil came the Son of the Virgin whose Doctrine teacheth us That it is a greater Blessedness to give than to receive for that the Holy Light World consisting in the Might and Vertue of the second Principle cannot be supported and receive Nourishment from the divided Properties of the third which consisteth of Transitory mutable Powers because what is of Good in those outflown Powers is the free Gift out of the Abyss of the true and greatest Blessedness the second Principle 15. All therefore who Die not to the Lesser cannot Live to the Greater Blessedness if we Die not to all things but Christ we are unworthy of Him Whatever is divided from Him is Dead for He only is Life and God is called God according to His infinite Abyss of Light Love Life Goodness and second Principle for according to the first is a consuming Fire 16. Man living to the Cheating Pleasure of the third Principle is Dead as the Widow is said to be who liveth in Pleasure We startle at being Adulterers Idolaters c. yet so we are while we Live that is till we Die with Christ. Till we pass through Death that is truly and really Die to the Wrath fierâ—eness and Dark Anguish of the first Principle the Root of the Soul as to the Father's Property And until we Die to the Deceitful Volatil Bewitching Pampering Lust of the third Principle whereinto Man's outward Body like those of the Beasts is fallen wherein also lodgeth the Curse till This be we are Dead as to God But being indeed mortified to both these we arâ— in the same degree raised again to live the Life of Jesus Christ a Life of Love Humility Patience chearful Submission and Obedience as our Progress to the Death of both these extends and ascends or amounts unto 17. For the Death to these two Principles as to their Prevalence is such an emptying us of our selves as enables without Reluctance to Pray the Lord to exercise his whole Will in us and on us regarding in nothing its Greatness or Contemptibleness its Sweetness or Bitterness its Gratefulness or grating Temper but only esteeming every thing without Reflection or Sticking ever equally acceptable that the Divine Will shall direct and allot us to do or submit to 18. And this Life of Sacrifice hath a thankful Reverence in it and is as whole as the Burnt ones were without the least reserve This Life is no longer ours for we are first Dead But is the Life of Christ the meek Child like Life taught us by the Cross of Christ the Footsteps of the Lord are plain and conspicuous in this good Path. 19. It is both in Word and in Power but neither is the Word or Power ours but 't is the Holy Word and Power whence Adam departed as the fallen Angels had done before and in which Word and Power the Blessed Angels converse and are Established In which Adam might have lived Gloriously without knowing the Cross as do the Angels 20. But the restored Image grows not but under the Cross Thus did Abel under the Hate of Cain Enoch and Noab under the Pressures of the highly wicked old World Lot under the filthy Sodomites And infinitely above all thus did our Almighty Saviour whom if we will follow it must be in Deepest Humility bearing his Cross which must be also ours divesting our selves of all Self-pleasing and whatsoever fallen Man calls and thinks to be his for this is the Holy Soul's weaning time when as Heirs of the Faith of Abraham they also keep a great Feast as he did at weaning Isaac 21. This Feast is a real feeding on the Heavenly Flesh and Blood of Christ a Drinking of the Water that becomes a Spring of Water in us to Eternal Life It is a Life hid with Christ in God a walking with God and a putting on the Lord Jesus Christ the Marriage Supper and Wedding Garment a Peace passing the understanding of all except the Children who are regenerated and to them only known in such measure ordinarily as they have made Progress in Mortification and so grow in the new pure Image of God restored us by Jesus Christ. 22. For a close let all be warn'd not to contemn if they understand not some things and so judge themselves unworthy of this Childrens Bread The Reason why so few understand the Holy Scriptures which yet many often read is because few give up their Wills to Obey and Regeneration is the Necessary Qualification to attain true Wisdom Hence is it that from a Corrupt Mind though refinedly Penetrating the Writings of the Blessed Jacob Behmen are Seal'd up and as if Dumb from such were the very Sermons of the Lord himself who so spake as never Man spake hidden And none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand Here endeth the Considerations c. The 177 Theosophick Questions of the blessed Jacob Behmen divide themselves into Ten grand Distributions or Kinds being of so many various Aspects viz. THE first four Questions are most immediately concerning God in his Infinite Abyss The ten following concern Angels good and bad from the fifth Inclusive to the fifteenth Exclusive The 23 next succeeding are of the Creation in general ranged into three distinct Eminencies deduced from the 3 Principles making in all 37. viz. 1. That out of the first Principle or dark Abyss in the 15th 16th and 17th Questions 2. That out of the second Principle the Angelical holy World in the 18th and 19th Questions 3. That out of the third Principle the Visible Creation and contrariety in it from the 20th Question inclusive to the 38 exclusive The one and forty
keepeth its Light to its self or as Fire blazeth through Iron yet is not Iron So clear must be the Will which God's Unity is to possess till the Will be thus the Dragon existeth in it 4. Thus may Love and Anger be so unsevered as to be One only thing as Fire and Light The Power of the Anger caus'd the Fire Kingdom to form it self into a Den of Dragons which God permitted that he might not further disturb the Creation Q. 12. How can Man possibly know the Deep Unity A. 1. Reason imagineth God consulted with Himself about the Predestination But the out-flowing Names of the Powers is the Councel of God The wonder-doing Word it self in the Figures or Reflections of the Holy Names which Figures are call'd the Idea 2. The Eternal Nature imageth it self according to the Forms to Fire as hard sharp fierce c. in the No or Anger yet illustrated by the Yea or Light and they wrestle as a Love sport which brings the Imaging into Triumph and overcometh the Dragon 3. In This Strife Jesus sunk himself into the Humanity Redeeming Man and Ruleth till his Enemies be his Footstool 4. To shew the possibility for the Spirit to search the Depth of the Deity Know Man is an Image of God according to Love and Anger First The Soul is of the Eternal Central Fire whence all Creatures come but not out of the Pure God Secondly The Spirit of the Soul out of the Central Fire and Idea of the Light sprung from the Power of God is the Temple of the Holy Ghost in which Christ seedeth the Soul with His Flesh and Blood with Divine and Human Balsam 5. The outward Body is out of the four Elements and Astrum which Rule the Outward Life after which Adam lusted and broke himself from the Unity of God and the Will was captivated the true Spirit disappeared and the Idea inoperative which Right Spirit Jesus in drew again and restor'd with the Balsam of Love in the Light In This Light may the Soul search out all things operatively in the Understanding as did the Prophets of Old tho' incomprehensible to Outward Reason Q. 13. How and whither was the Dragon c. thrust seeing God fills all things c. A. 1. His Thrusting out was Effected by the name of the Holy Powers of the Throne which Lucifer had is severed from God's Holiness dwelleth under the Firmament and in all Quarters of the Earth betwixt Time and Eternity Also in the out-flown fierce Wrath of the four Elements but cannot touch the Good Power of the Elements 2. Tho' there are some Good Powers in which is wholly the Fire of the Light yet in Man is Good and Evil the Evil being captivated by the Good unless by Man's Will or by Turba Magna the Evil exceedeth the Good 3. The Expulsed Dragon is not the Central Fire of the Eternal Nature but an Efflux from it resembling Smoke 〈…〉 Hellish Den presents it self sometimes in the Upper Region where from great Heat and great Cold break Thunderbolts Also in great Wildernesses and in great Clefts and Concaves in the Earth where the Highly Damned Spirits and Souls of Men are horribly terrified But the Sun and Water hold them hidden as yet 4. God is to Hell as a Nothing as Light to Night as Life to Death The great Sharne Reproach Anguish and Torment of the Devil is that he is so near God yet cannot possibly attain him Q. 15. Had Hell a Beginning and may it have an End A. 1. God's Anger hath been from Eternity but not as Anger but as Fire hidden in Wood or a Stone 2. The enkindling was in the Fall of Lucifer And having an Eternal Foundation it can never cease unless the Creation totally be annihilated and that the receptibility of the Eternal Nature should extinguish and the Kingdom of Joy and Triumph cease There must be two Eternal Beginnings one in another the one to manifest the other Thus far the Extracts of the Answers of Jacob Behmen given to the first Thirteenth and part of the Fifteenth Question Here follow orderly the Answers of all such of the 177 Questions of Jacob Behmen which were left as far as yet appears unresolved by the blessed Author himself beginning at the 14th of those Questions Q. 14. What is Lucifer's Office in Hell with his Legions A. 1. What God's working in Hell is will be shewn in the 17 of these Answers as also what and where Hell is What is the Dragon is resolved by the blessed Jacob Behmen in the 11th Answer What the Dominion of Good Angels is will fall under the 19th all which may contribute much to the present Inquiry 2. The Dark World existeth of six of the seven separate Properties because the seventh is the rest of the other therefore not properly to be understood of That World where no Rest shall be for ever for Lucifer and his Angels as they are Creatures tho' revolted and in rebellion against the God of Love and Goodness yet are Subjects in His Kingdom of Wrath and ready Servants to the Active Fierceness thereof For tho' the Principle wherein they are Instruments be without beginning and as it is in God for ever unmanifested yet as it is in the Creatures the Secluded Angels it is a Fire of their own kindling wherein as being their Life they are more or less extreamly active and skilful according as their Tincture rooted in their Forms of Life is more or less fortified and excelling that in others for Puissance and Exquisiteness 3. Consider we that God's working in Hell must needs be in all the seven Properties of the Dark Abyss in the first four whereof the Apostate Angels are like ready Actives having no other Will or have they fitted themselves for any other work or use but to Image the Abyss of the first Principle some of them most strongly bear the Astringent impressed Powers others the restless Constringent Attraction others the Cruel Self-gnawing Worm of Anguish others the Raging Hot Fire that is severally one sort under the prevailing Tyranny of the one others of the other Tho' the whole four unite in every one in the Eternal Band as in some horrid Creatures here the Anguish of Cold Venom is prevalent yet in this Elementary Fabrick there is an allay of some contrary Property in some weak proportion else were the Creatures here as the horrid ones there But thus the Office of the Black Spirits is in all their Forms wholly extream tho' in one only is the Extremity in the highest degree their Natures are capable of as is seen in Diseased Bodies that one of the Humours is predominant 4. From these things is discernable what Lucifer's Office is in Hell which is to be the most copious ample compleat Image of the Jealousie Zeal Indignation Fierce Wrath or Devouring Fire proceeding from the Breath of the Almighty Father And the Will and Life of This Prince the Master piece of
Spirit of the World dispenseth the general universal Sperm according to the Dark Light or Mixt Impressions 6. No otherwise are the Metals their kinds are seven Lead Quick-silver Tin Iron Copper Gold Silver The Tincture of Sol and Venus is yellow and rosie or redish and of the other five either earthy darkish pale or white Thus is the order in precious Stones of them are also seven distributions besides those of Coral and Amber which are Vegetatives and Christal a figure of the pure Water and besides those in Animals Shell-fish c. 7. And of the seven Orders of precious Stones two are of a bright burning Lustre as the two sorts of Metals one and the other of a yellow glory answering to Gold and Copper in Metals They are 1. Black as the Morion 2. Red or Purple as the Ruby and Granat for the Onyx is more pale 3. Green as the Emerald 4. Changeable as the Jasper and Chrisophras 5. Sky-colour as the Saphire and Amethist 6. Yellow as the Jacinth 7. Bright and burning as the Carbuncle Chrisolite and Calcedon 8. The Properties handed by the Astral Influences are so various that Herbs are much exalted others much debased by Evil Constellations But Metals are â—ess casual their Sperm being better fixt or coagulated precious Stones léast of all if at all being in good measure free from the Curse 9. Thus Vegetables are produced by their Sperm in their Properties thro' the Elements according to the several Principles sorted by the distinguishing Stars Metals are Vegetables transplanted passing a second fermentation and sublimation from the Internal as well as the External Fire whose Spirits have a new fixation 10. Precious Stones are Metals transplanted passing a third coagulation they attain the Love Principle in the Light as far as Visibles are capable and are the Triumphs of the Starry Powers in their exalted Perfection yet is of the same Original Sperm with the more inferior part of the Creation Q. 31. How is the Copulation and Conjunction of Female and Male Nature effected whence their Seed and Growth ariseth A. The six first Verses of the Answer of the 27th Question gives great Light to the first part of this for there is shewn the Cause why the desire of Male and Female is to each other And that not in Animals only but in Vegetatives and Minerals leaving only that here be signified how that is effected whence their seed and growth ariseth which may be understood by what follows 1. The Male-power consisteth in the Properties of harsh Astringency bitter Attraction and Fire The Female Power is of the Properties of the â—our part of the Harshness the anxious part of the Bitterness and the Light Spirit Both make up one Indissoluble Band and Immortal Worm having one and the same only Root therefore must incline to each other 2. As part of a growing Tree clave off from the rest yet fast in the same Root bent off inclines of its own Nature up again towards the Trunk whence it was rent and in the Root whereof it is a sharer and lives whereunto being reunited concurs to bear fruit 3. Also as the Fiery Property longs after That of the Liquid whereby Vegetation issueth so longs the Male for the Female Property And being united have One only Will in their various Properties contributing each the Powers by Natural Instinct which they earnestly thirst after to obtain such increase as suits their Magick seeking To which united desire the Astral and Elementary Spirits assist and in a sort intrude themselves wrestling for predominancy 4. In which strife the prevailing power denominates the Sex and the most genuine Ascendant Planets impress the Properties as Supream Agents of the Principles The Elements also entitle themselves to be Nurses and immediate Parents Thus thrives the Seed and in this order under these Laws and by these necessary consequences from real Causes is growth of all the Species in every genus where is Male and Female 5. And by consent of all Powers giving into one all their Wills the food is so concocted and digested that the tartarous part being separated it becomes an assimilating Vapour and That spirated Vapour is enriched with all the Properties in which are generated according to the four Elements the four Complexions as Blood Melancholy Flegm and Choler and of their and the other Properties Nerves Membranes Gristles Bones also Veins Flesh Fat Urine Spittle And from the fierce Earthy Vapour the Gravel and Stone In this sense also may it be said What is your Life it is but a Vapour And from a second force are all the Pores bored so numerous in the Skin thro' which the Hairs excresce and are vapoured Q. 32. What is the Tincture in the Spermatick kind or species whence the Growth and Lustre ariseth A. What the Sperm is not and what it is the Answer of the 29th Question telleth us This Answer only addeth what the Tincture in the Spermatick Nature is producing Growth and Lustre 1. The Tincture is a Potent Will the pleasant House and Propriety of the Soul very pure and subtle of its own Nature yet flexible and mutable for it is Divine in the Holy Principle dark in the fierce Principle and deceitful in the Out-birth As the Air suits it self to every Creature also to all sorts of Pipes yet very differently Thus the Tincture is insinuated into all Intellectual Rational Animal Vegetative Mineral and Infernal Existencies yet hath no Life of its own 2. The same is thus understood The Elementary Essences compose a Body the Astral Spirit adds Life to the Body the Tincture brings Light to the Living Body such Light as the Senses move by 3. Thus far are the meer Animals associates with Man Then to Man is not only all That but their Tincture exceedingly higher to which was also a Soul out of the first Principle and the Virgin of Divine Wisdom having Life in it self and giving Divine Understanding in which respect Man is an associate with the Angels 4. The Tincture is the sweet Odour Beauty and cheering Verture Tast and Vigour found in Vegetatives The Vertue and Lustre in Minerals as far as the Properties assist or at least impede not and transmuteth and sublimeth them It is also the sparkling glory and transparency in precious Stones with the eminent various Excellencies 5. Yet to shew it not to be holy in it self and to have Divine Understanding as is and hath the Virgin it is Evil in the Evil for the Evil Angels have a Tincture tho' a defiled one even as the Air of it self Pure may be made Pestilential and nauseous 6. And seeing the Tincture is so eminently Noble Excellent and Eternal therefore the prophanation and perverting it render Angels and Men obnoxious to the Eternal Vengeance of the Offended Majesty of the Almighty God Q. 33. Out of what are all the Creatures of the Mortal Life sprung forth and created A. 1. The Creatures of the Mortal Life are
wherein the three behold themselves in parcels 9. But in Man behold themselves in one entire Image yet not in fallen Man but in the man Christ Jesus by whom and for whom are all things 10. The Idea and perfect Image of God is only in Christ yet not as He is the Second Person of the Three for so He is the inaccessible Light and the Original which is Imaged but He is the perfect Image of God as He is the Divine Humanity or Heavenly Man the First-born of every Creature This Virgin-Image was in Adam before he lusted whereby he was in Christ God's exact Image having all the three Principles in due Harmony being the true Character Idea and Figure of the Glorious Trinity 11. This is also in an obscure and less conspicuous way in every one who is Begotten again by the Holy Ghost The mortified humble resigned Will entreth into the way of the Cross quietly patiently Love makes it sweet this is a putting on Christ for here the Lord is Born is Formed sways the Righteous Scepter Transforming that Soul into the Virgin Image in some degree but the glance of this stops my Hand extracts a Groan swallows me up I flame am almost devoured My Lord what is this Earthen House Q. 42. What was Paradise wherein God Created Man Is the same Alterable or Changeable and a Creature or doth it stand in the Eternal Ground A. It hath been reported that a Painter would have Drawn the Lineaments of the Lord when in Flesh which by reason of His Majestick Face he could not perform The like Fond attempt were it to Survey Paradise by Humane Art or Instruments which if it were a place cannot be found and if it prove a State or Principle cannot be comprehended 1. The Answer may first be Negatively that it is not a Place or Locality 1. Because then as the most worthy the Garden of Eden should not have been the place named for Adam's Seat whence proceeded the four Rivers but Paradise is not called the Garden nor is the Garden stiled Paradise 2. Nor is it changeable for though it disappeared as to the first Adam yet the second Adam granted it to the Thief 3. Positively Paradise is the one holy pure Element having its Eternal Fountain from the second Principle and every of the seven Properties are in it in great Purity and Splendor So that had any created Angel the Task perfectly to Epitomize it he could do it but according to his excellent measure yet not fully Nor to Human Apprehension for as Paradise is the heavenly Body of Christ so is it the Womb of Angelical Conception comprehending them but cannot be fully comprehended by them as neither can the Sun's lustre be by us comprehended 4. Heaven is Paradise and the Paradisical Principle is Heaven and when they are Contemplated their Glory swallows up all created Angels as well as Men. It is an Over-match to penetrate the Holiness Purity Immensity or rather Infinity Transparency Simplicity Variety Successive Formations with all Powers Colours Vertues Sounds Odours Substantials the Quintessence and Elixir of the outward Quintessence and Elixir the Harmony Peace Gravity and Eternity its ample Commensuration and Redundancy to the most noble expatiated sublime and exalted Capacities 5. So that proceed they never so far in this ravishing Traverse and Quest there is still a prospect of more and other they must say in our Father's House are many Mansions at whose right hand are Pleasures for evermore such as Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor hath entred into the Heart of Man to conceive 6. A faint Similitude may be a fresh springing flowry Meadow where stand Thousands of fragrant Flowers some more Beautiful than other all shewing their peculiar Beauties without grudging and how the Divine Vertue in the third Principle is become Material the tast whereof causeth the Creation to be in Anguish and Travel to be delivered from the Vanity and Groan after freedom from their Bondage 7. And though Paradise be not excluded this World yet a great Gulph interposeth betwixt it and the World the Mind when inflamed with Divine Love feels what the stammering Tongue cannot tell to others 8. The Corporeity of Paradise is not palpable that Salitter is Holy and Pure like that of the Angels viz a bright transparent visible Substance 9. It 's Birth or Productions are in all things and therefore immeasurable and innumerable which is thus to be discovered and understood Let the Divine Light and Vertue be likened to the Mind of Man The Paradisical Fruits to the Thoughts eacht Thought hath a Centre whence other Thoughts spring so also do those Heavenly Fruits proceed from and in unwavering Eternal Love 10. The Fire there is God the Father the Light God the Son the Air God the Holy Ghost It 's â—roâ—undity and Extent are not bounded 11. The Idea or Figure of the Creatures here are there but not their Spirit much less their Substance for for that End they were Created 12. All Holy Works stand there in their Figure and all Words spoken by the Human Tongue from a Divine Root as the wicked Works and Words do in Hell 13. I compare the Arabian Odours Oriental Gems Palms of Asia Wine of Pomegranates the American Pine-Apple and what else is most desirable in comparison of the Paradisical Productions to the obscure Vitality surviving in Mens Dead Bodies generating some as it were Fibres of Gold amongst the decaying Teeth and the Usnea on the Skulls of â—â—â—sons Strangled And all things of less Excellency in this World in comparison of Paradise to the Excrementitious growth of Hair and Nails in their Dormitories 14. I compare Man's outward Astral and Elementary Life to that in Paradise to idle deceitful Dreams some disquiet ones some wrathful some frightful some wicked and obscene many many ways Evil. And our Translation hence I compare to the Morning awakening time terrifying some as Slaves to their grievous Chains and hateful Drudgery and others as great Conquerors are usher'd in State to the Princely Triumphant Chariots 15. Say any say not all retaining the least degree above perfect Madness if Paradise be thus infinitely Good what shall I receive in exchange for it And how shall I search the Path leading to it What Key opens the Door of it 16. The Lord Himself tells us Except a Man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And by way of Explanation addeth that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit And again Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no life in you and by way of Explanation addeth It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing my Words are Spirit and they are Life 17. Where we see the New Birth and Eating Christ's Flesh are the same Also that to be spirited by the Spirit of Christ and to feed on the Word of Christ are the very same Whence it
tâ—e Humane Soul as it was deriv'd from Mary was finite yet as he was conceived by the seminal substance of the Holy Ghost it was Infinite being wholly so united to the Infinity 7. Behold and sink down and drown thy self Oh my Soul in the sweet Ocean of this free Master piece of Matchless love see the heighth depth length and breadth Know what passeth knowledge Conception Comprehension Make thy Heart the Footstool of it thy Soul a Sacrifice to it thy Spirit the amazed Witness of it thy Mind and Thoughts the Waiters on it thy Tongue and Pen the Trumpet of it Let Heaven and Earth adore it let Time and Eternity record it let Hell and the Children of Pride tremble at it but let the humble Man and broken Bones Inherit Inhabit and Rejoice in it for ever Q. 128. Why did some convert and turn again when they saw what was done at the dying of Christ And the High-Priests not Why must they be blind and hardened as to this Work A. 1. By the High-Priests are meant him that was such and those Rulers of most Eminence assisting and concurring with him This Question is double viz. Why some did convert And why such as the High Priests c. did not That some did as the Centurion c. Matth. 27. â—4 seeing that which was done feared greatly saying Truely this was the Son of God Luke 2â— 47. 4â— And Luke records That the Centurion and all the people seeing c. Glorified God and all the people smote their Breasts and departed 2. For their dark Centre was terrified the stirred by remorse and compassion with and unto so patient and innocent a Lamb and that stirring moving on by conviction to great grief sorrow and mourning begat love and the love enkindled the holy Light of the second Divine principle of which number it 's said Longinus was who with his Spear pierced the Lords blessed side 3. But in the High-Priests c. The dark Zeal had like Fire drunk up the meek Water of Tenderness and Compassion so that the Light could not enkindle but they remain'd a dark Fire For it is manifest they by their impetuous Lusting proud grasping for Grandeur and Rule and their griping after heaping up abundance of the outward principle had by Covetousness like greedy Dogs or Swine formed their very Souls according to the four Auguishes of the first dark Hellish Impression 4. As Antichrist also whose Forerunners and Antitype these were hath done and still doth Therefore to distinguish a resolv'd hardened Persecutor from the Creaturely Devils is thus to be done that the persecuting Man hath on him the Bestial part of the Out-birth for mitigation which is a Door through which it is possible Grace may enter unless the impardonable sin hath judicially wholly shut him up 5. But the mitigating third principle excepted viz. the worst part of it the Antichristian Spirited-Man having shut out the second principle the Evil Angels and he are in one and the self-same principle 6. It is also certain that the Antichrist sometimes call'd the Whore sometimes Babylon sometimes the Mystery of Iniquity and Man of Sin is as such incureable and irrecoverable for it is an Enmity against Love and Meekness The Art of Physick gives that Disease for Incureable which is grounded on the Constitution the Disease of Antichrist is such and therefore Incureable for he is compos'd of the Enmity of the four forms of the first principle and is Enmity in the Abstract against the Divine Kingdom of Humility Meekness Love Peace and Divine Light and Joy Q. 129. What was Christs going to Hell where he overcame Death and the Devil A. 1. Great is Mans Misery on Earth by reason of wilful blindness When we hear of Christs going to Hell or overcoming Death and the Devil there we blindly grope with our Conceits imagining in our Reason a local motion to a place far off But that it may be plainly told what Christs going to Hell was it must first be orderly said 1. What Hell is and where Which is referr'd to the 17th Answer the 19 20 21 22 23 verses 2. What the Conquering Captain Christ is that Vanquished all the Devils every where It is answered It was Christ as he had made himself a Creature for his Body as a Creature is the whole holy pure Element which comprizeth this whole World The holy Body hath Heavenly Flesh and Blood and Water of Eternal Life which feedeth the Faithful Soul at the Lords Table 2. Anâ— tho' it comprizeth this World Heaven Paradise and the Angelical World yet is a Creature but such a Creature as can be every where in the Deity for unto this Creature of Heavenly substantiality hath the Almighty Son of God espoused himself as a Body to remain in Eternity as in the time the Sun doth unto the Moon as in his own Body In every part of which Body the Trinity is always manifest Objection 3. But this crosseth the received Divinity which assigns ubiquity to be the peculiar distinction of the Creator from the Creature Also an imposing upon the Senses that one Creature is at London and at Quinsay at the same moment of time a thing denied to be in the Sphere of an Angel whose Wings are only illustrations of his almost instantaneous local motion implying he cannot be in two places at once Answer 4. The least divisible Body requires place and space and magnitude is the uniting of two or more divisibles 1. My Foot is not where my Head is but I am where either of them is 2. If my Head only is in the Air my Body only in the Water my Feet only in the Earth under Water yet I am in every of these at once 3. My Hand is at the Heâ—m my Eye on the Star my Heart with my God then am I at once in two Worlds 4. Again my Elementary and Sensual Man is in pain my Siderial Man in care the unmortified properties of my Eternal first Principle or old Man or Root of the Soul in much stubbornness anxiety and frowardness my regenerate new Man or humble meekened Spirit is rejoicing under the Cross in hope of Eternal Blessedness Yet am I but one little poor Creature tho' I am at once in one Visible and three Invisible Worlds 5. Now tho' what the new Man sees or feels hath or hopes for meets with resistance in the unmortified part of the first principle or earthy Vessel yet is it not so in Divine Bodies of Angels or perfected Spirits Who all by prevalence of their consonance and uninterrupted holy will have their Heterogeneous parts swallow'd up by their lustrous Harmony 6. All these things penetrated and pondered shall our straitned Souls confine the Immense Heavenly Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ For his becoming Man or Incarnation wherein he assumed our darkened Souls uniting them with the Divine Virgin of Wisdom as one Creature in himself did not straâ—ten lessen
Garden which he had often frequented The Judgment Hall where he had been reviled crown'd with Thorns mocked scourged and condemned Also Calvary where they mercilesly crucified Mercy it self remained all Monuments of the greatest Love and Patience and extream Malice and ferine Cruelty In this City which should have worn Sackcloth with these sad Objects and under these Rulers were they to dwell and be confined 4. 3. With respect to the time being that of the Bridegrooms being taken from them of their having Tribulation ten days the time when their Enemies were Flesht by having their Hands Embrewed in the Blood of the Lord Jesus As cruel wild Beasts tasting the Blood of their prey and the time before descending of power from on high to revive them 5 But they must wait on this service in this place at this time signifying to us that the time of the Christians Life is the exercise of Faith Obedience and Trial of the sincerity of Love a time of beholding sad Objects as was this of theirs of hearing sinful sounds the being harassed by Oppressive Rulers converse with or amongst malicious ensnaring dangerous Enemies inward Terrors and Tempests and outward Storms and Outrages from the powers of the dark World 6. So that the distressed Soul can find no succour or guidance from the Imaged Powers of the outward Astral World but must sink down from them and constantly wait the Breathings of the true speaking Light World left if the outward Magia be our level design and home the dark Magus do by it insinuate into us and we thereby form the will of the Spirit of this World into our Eternal Souls which neither can â—â—ed them cloth them nor guide them but if thus they proceed till the four Elements fall off they shall find themselves miserably cheated This waiting of the Apostles directs us therefore to wait for the Whispers of the Word behind us so call'd we having gone out from it and turn'd our Backs on it Q. 145. What is the Feast of Pentecost How was the shedding or pouring forth of the Holy Ghost effected And how did the Bands of the Tongues of the Lords Disciples become unloosed A. 1. Our Fall in Adam brought us from the Paradisical Feasting to the toilsom Life to a state affording no other Food for the four properties of our first Principle which was the Centre of the Soul but the third Principle Which is rightly a feeding on Ashes and a Shadow If Men can live by looking on their own Picture so might Adam's Soul by the third Principle It was worse with him than it is with an Elementary Body who can subsist a little while by feeding on it self 2. Now the Feast of Pentecost was bringing back through the Lords Incarnation the vertue of the holy World viz. the Paradisical Bread and Water of Life for the Soul to feast on The true Flesh and Blood of Christs Heavenly Humanity this pure Water of Meekness is in the Soul a Well of Living Water springing up to Eternal Life 3. The pouring forth of the Holy Ghost was thus effected The Darkness into which the Soul had cast it self caused a violent anguish that anguish of its own Nature generates a fierce hungry Fire And higher than this the Humane Soul of its own ability since its Captivity goeth not Now such Souls as can get no satiety in the Spirit of their will from God but go to the third Principle do as Sâ—ul who waited not for Samuel but considering his streights Offered a Burnt-offering himself and so lost the Kingdom But so did not the Lords Disciples for they waited till the Lord came Where is he that learneth the lesson this Mystery unfoldeth He shall hear and understand the things which none of the divided Languages can possibly express and sometimes may see and penetrate what it is not lawful to utter 4. Pluck out the Earthy guessing and pretended seeing stop the Ear against the delusive Charmer then shall not the outward Reason like the Sun dazle nor Thunder or the roaring of the Sea amuse the raging Waves shall be countermanded and thy Ark will be in inward Tranquillity 5. The pouring out of the Holy Ghost did enkindle the Souls Anguish and Fire into a Light and Divine serenity of meek Love Now as the blinking Lamp flaming from a small spark enlighteneth a little Boom and the greater Fire of a Torch yields a more eminent Lustre So the greater the Anguish the greater the Fire and the greater also is the Light when the Lord enkindles it to a Love flame that according to its exalted vivacity it be proportionably as it weâ—e Tinctured reaching hard after the Resurrection from the dead 6. Now were the Bands of their Tongues unloosed by their opening the power World in this World for by how much we are by wrath and death Captivated by so much are we impotent But where the Spirit of God unites with Mans Spirit it frees him from all restrictive Ligaments that with the Word there may be power But the following Question â—reating of this Suâ—â—â—ct â—oâ—â— is not â—eresaid to this third Branch Q. 146. How is the difference or distinction of Languages among them to be understood that they have all at one instant spoken all Languages at once in one sence so that people of all Nations understood them A. 1. Man's Fall cast him from the unity into the multiplicity Before which Fall he stood in the one holy power his Word being in God was by his Almightiness Mighty ruling in through and over the multiplicity his Words were as many Arrows in a Quiver penetrating all things As the Arrow out of a Bow of Steel doth the Air. But Mans Fall into the multiplicity disarm'd him render'd him impotent only some have a little power to see into one property some into another but were all Mens Abilities united it were but some pieces of the multiplicity far short of the Unity 2. Man is an Image of the whole Trinity and the Astral and Elementary Worlds Image Heavenly Things and Places while Man therefore kept his station he was in the Divine Centre but his departure thence dejected him into the circumference Wheel of Nature or Out-birth thenceforth was the Centre or Holy Fountain hid 3. The Lord Jesus Christ as he is the only Begotten Son of God is the Eternal speaking Word which may be understood to be Eternally generated out of the Eternal Father or first Principle as our four Forms or Anguishes generate naturally the Liberty or Light which is call'd the fifth This is the first Word the creating speaking holy Word from Eternity 1 John 1 2 3. 4. The next is the created Word the holy World wherein the Almighty Word doth through the Virgin of Divine Wisdom Image himself It may be compared to a holy Eternal Book whereof the Angels are Golden Letters sounded in Divine Harmony In which Book the Almighty with delight reads his own glorious ineffable tremendous
had an open Door into Hearts that could see who was in the Gall of Bitterness and who had Faith to be Healed so infallible was their deep penetration whereas the now Pretenders have their own Hearts shut against them and many 't is to be feared themselves fetter'd in the Bonds of Iniquity 8. I compare the Apostles continuation in the Lord's Work of remitting after his departure to Joshuah succeeding Moses who passed the Tribes through Jordan as Moses had done through the Sea but the succeeding Judges though Prophets did not so and the Allusion so fits as the one is the plain figure of the other 9. He that converteth a Sinner from the Error of his ways shall save a Soul from death and cover a multitude of Sins As many therefore as God useth for Instruments of Converting Sinners so many Absolvers Remitters Pardoners and Coverers of Sins are there yet not one of them is so but God alone enkindles his Candle and puts a Treasure in such Earthen Vessels sometimes by Preaching the Gospel which who so reject do reject the Council of God against themselves Some others are used by holy Conversation to the same end so is the unbelieving Husband by the believing Wife c. Some by faithful Monitions Some by patient and constant Suffering But many by Writing according to the measure of Grace vouchsafed which is a loud way of Preaching ringing to the largest distance of the habitable Earth and living to the longest space of time it self opening Heaven to several Nations and Ages influencing dark Souls and subjecting them to the Scepter of Jesus Christ. 10. All these and the like blessed ways doth God the Holy Ghost consecrate and sanctifie to touch and change Hearts these are the Keys the Evangelical Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to unlock Imprison'd Souls But if any pretend to have Keys to open Heaven to the Unregenerate Man the old unchang'd Nature and to bring the Serpentine Man in as once the Serpent entred Eden those are Thieves and their Keys Picklocks Heaven is exempt and above them that would break through and enter not in by the Door Q. 151. What is Christ's Testament together with the last Supper with Bread and Wine How is Christ really enjoy'd what manner of Flesh and Blood is it and what is the Mouth to eat it with A. 1. The Question is double 1. What is Christ's Testament together with the last Supper with Bread and Wine what manner of Flesh and Blood is it 2. How is Christ really enjoy'd and what is the Mouth to Eat it To the first it 's answer'd Negatively 1. It 's not his Almighty pure Deity the infinite inaccessible Light or true second Principle this no Creature can touch or reach 2. It is not the Body Soul and Spirit he received from Mary descending from Eve for so he is our Brother and remains a Creature not so swallow'd up as to be confounded in his Deity but must so return as the two Men in white testified nor is it eaten or swallow'd Cannibal like into our foul Carcasses As the Jews rightly said How can this man give us his meaning this his flesh to Eat But affirmatively 2. The Last-Supper Bread and Wine Flesh and Blood is the pure chast Virgin of Wisdom or Heavenly Man or Holy Humanity which Adam fell from The Tongue of an Angel might tell what this is but there must be a preparedness in the Intellect to receive the thing spoken or he would be as Dumb to the Hearers yet for the sake of the serious Deâ—irers it is answered 3. It is the created Tincture of the Light World That out of which Angels were spoken or breathed forth the Food of Angels as every Creature feedeth of its Mother the Child of the Breast and the Elementary Creatures of the Elements Man's outward Body on the Tincture of the Elements Soul of the World or Astral Powers but if his inward Man hath no higher Nourishment as the Unregenerate hath not the Soul starveth for its Will hath an inferiour false Tincture declining to Sensuality and with the Fool saith Soul take thyrest eat drink and be merry And though by reason of the noble Extraction of the Soul Man hath Eternity as also the Devil remains an Angel Yet is the Tincture of both false and degenerate man going into the Wrath in the Looking-Glass and the Evil Spirits into the fierceness of the first Principle and both out of the Light 4. While the regenerate New Man feedeth on the true Divine Tincture which is the Bread that cometh down from Heaven or the Flesh of Christ and Water of Life or Divine Meekness viz. The Blood of Christ which quencheth the wrath or thirst of the Fire-Soul It is the Quintessence of the Paradisical Angelical World every where for ever pure before God evidently figur'd by the Quintessence and Tincture in the outward World which that Man only who is taught of God knoweth or can know 5. The second part How is Christ really enjoy'd and what is the Mouth to eat it with 2. A. The Mouth is the great earnest hunger and thirst of the Love sick Fire-Soul and the enlightned Human Spirit both sharpened into so vigorous desire of Food proper for them that they are dead while thus awakened to all the drivings of the outward Magia And Christ is really enjoy'd while the outward Bread and Wine or Elements are received by such a Soul The way and manner how The Divine Power-world or Paradisical-Tincture or Virgin of Wisdom and Purity which are meant by the Flesh and Blood of Christ gives it self by and through the Tincture of the Bread and Wine not through the Elementary Bread and Wine which are Mortal and so under the Wrath but through the Tincture thereof which is Immortal and for the sake whereof the Creatures shall in their Idea share in the Liberty of the Children of God Therefore this Tincture or Kind of Quintessence doth the Holy Power use as the Medium to conveigh it self into the Mouth of the Human Soul and Spirit And as the right Tincture transmuteth inferior Metals into the noble solar one so doth this Body and Blood through the above Medium transmute the half dead Image into revived Vertue the Eternal inward Man into a holy lustrous Love-fire and Love-flame that the Man may thereby be exalted into an Image of the three Worlds in due weight harmony and regiment of the Holy World or Divine second Principle the Almighty Infinite Son of God Q. 152. What is the place in Man wherein Christ's Flesh and Blood continueth He himself saith Whosoever eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood he continueth in me and I in him Also If you do not eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood then you have no life in you A. 1. What the eaâ—ing Christ's Flesh and drinking his Blood is and how it is really enjoy'd also what we are
the Lamb was eaten as in haste and with bitter Herbs The Supper as in a Table gesture of such as have attained rest not by violent killing as That but by a free Issue of the highest and sweet Tincture as is That producing Bread and Wine and remaining in them 2. So high is it that it hath been thought by some of the Learned tho' erroneously that the Spirit of Wine is the true Fire of Nature 3. That it might be a Medium for conveyance for so great was the Precipice down which Man fell that he must be followed or for ever lost but tho' he fell into the Mortal Elementary State and the Elements of Bread and Wine blessed for his use yet these are not the Medium The Tincture is a Virgin a Servant to Virgin Sophis who tho' it be not purely Divine yet is such a Servant indeed as in whom is no guile 3. The Tincture whence issueth the Corn and Vine is the middle Earth betwixt the Heavenly or Paradifical Earth as the most superior and the Mortal as the most inferior This is therefore the proper Medium Here the Souls fiery hunger in the Promise meets the Divine Love and Grace the Living Word or Power World bringing in and with the Flesh and Blood of Christ's Heavenly Humanity which is the Emmanuel the Hope the Joy and Eternal Spouse of the Fire Soul and the Lord Husband and Crown of the enlightened renewed meek Spirit fore here the two Tiâ—ctures are united for â—ver and is neither Male nor Female but our Christ is all in all Q. 157. Whether is the True Testamentary Enjoyment or Participation bound meerly to the Apostolical Practice and Observation or whether also men may have Power or Authority to alter and change This Ordinance as is done now-a-days A. 1. Amongst men the Law making Power only hath Authority to change and alter Laws And a Testator dying no one may alter the Will and Testament ratified by the deceased On much higher and surer Reason is it therefore that no man or all men may alter or change This Ordinance or reject any of God's Institutions no more than two or three School-boys can root up the Basis of Philosophy or two or three Thieves or other Criminals change the publick Statuâ—es of a State or Kingdom 2. This will be acknowledged in words but when men come to measure Heavenly Mysteries by the Form of Words and Those Words by the Standard of Reason and That Reason corrupted by their Lusts disputes are raised without end and Obstinacy is the Disputant for the unregenerate man hath a perverse Will so that such of them as can attain the most exact Form of Godliness are only thereby the more confirmed in their Ungodliness 3. Could such do every Outward Ordinance with direct exactness of every gesture speak the words and only those spoken and done by the Lord himself without the Regenerating Spirit of Christ they would transgress the Rule still be in the Livery of Christ Traitors to Him fight against Him under His own Banners the Lord's Supper will be to such as the Sop to Judas who did after kiss and betray Such men receive the Heavenly Dews but bear fruit to self and That fruit the Grapes of Sodom they err in every work of their hands their very plowing is sin their Metonymies and other Tropes are airy distinctions of the words of the Institution like the endless Genealogies of the unbelieving Jews 4. Thus we see men guided by the Properties of the first Principle clothing their Hypocrisie by the Images and Maxims of the third do turn That blessed Ordinance which was to be as a Bond of Peace into Enmity And what wonder they should endeavour to impose their dark notions on others by hostile force as wild Beasts are to be dealt with not having the Light of the second to guide their Understandings as Children of the day But the new Nature of Gods Child is fed by that whereof it is Begotten and because the love of every such is sincere their hunger is earnest and is in proportion satisfied as it is in power and vigor excited Q. 158. Whether also is the Testament powerful in the alter'd or chang'd Ordinance or not A. 1. The misapprehending of this Question may either on the one hand encourage to make unwarrantable alterations arbitrarily or persist in them after being found to be such Or on the other hand unnecessarily to decline all Communion or despair of Vertue from the Ordinance because something said or done at the Administration seem not expresly commanded in the form recorded in the Institution Wherefore 2. To make way to the Answer 1. Something must be said to the Institution of the Sacrament it self 2. Something to the partakers 1. In the Sacrament are 1. The Form and Materials 2. The Force and Vertue 3. The Medium 1. The Form and Materials are meant in the words take eat this and take drink this this intends the Elements or Accidents of Bread and Wine 2. The force and Vertue meant by the words this is my Body is my Blood viz. are that Heavenly Flesh and Blood of Christ the Food of the Eternal Soul It is Christs Spiritual Humanity whereby he doth substantially inhabit the Souls of all who open to him their hungry and thirsty Mouth sups with them and is himself the true Bread and Water of Eternal Paradisical Divine Life 3. 3. The Place or Medium and this is not Christ himself tho' in his Heavenly Humanity he is not shut out of any Heaven for he is in or rather is all Heavenly Places Also the Medium neither can be the Elements of Bread and Wine for they are Mortal Accidents not Substances But the Tincture whence groweth the Bread and Wine is the Medium for that is Pure and Immortal and for the sake whereof the Idea of the Creatures shall be raised into the Glorious liberty of the Children of God 4. Something preparatory to the Answer is concerning the partakers of the Sacrament be the subdivisions how many soever there will be found at last but two sorts The Wise and the Unwise both call'd Virgins The one really and in Heart the other feigned and only in shew The one those of the day generated in the Glory and Love of the second principle the other of darkness in the works of the first principle 5. The Child of wrath can eat only and drink the Elementary part which hath in it the good and evil properties the Imaged Powers of Wrath and Love extending only to his Mortal Elementary Life wherewith neither his Eternal Soul nor Eternal Spirit of the Mind are really fed but starve and therefore so eats he and drinks he Damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body viz. not receiving nourishment from the Heavenly Food the Lords real Body but only the Elementary And his Astral or Siderial Spirit cannot receive so much as the pure Medium and keep it
doing what it would is not from its Wisdom but the Heavens Contra conjunctions 4. But if it be restrain'd from Sin that is not by the Aâ—tral Aspects but by the Regeneration whose strife cannot yet swallow up the earthy but the fire is sometimes blown up again 5. So great is our Misery Let none be secure for sometimes the whole Man running to Evil loseth the Pearl 6. The Soul is bound with two Chains the one is the root of its original Poison and Anger remediable only by him who is Love it self the other that of the Flesh and Blood and Region of the Stars therefore God assumed a Human Soul from ours and a new heavenly Body like to our glorious Body before the Fall and not only to cloath the Soul with it but really Unite it in the Essences and so became a Creature in all the three Principles And by separating the third passed thence by Death as a flower out of the Earth captivating Death by treading on the Head of it in the new Body 7. So by kindling the Love in the Soul captivateth the Devil in the Eternal Prison of Anger for in the Light is the Holy Trinity which the Devil neither can nor dare behold so saith Paul O Death where is thy Sting O Hell where is thy Victory 8. The causes why Christ must not only die but in so many sorts suffer are as follow Man's Fall made all the Essences of the first four Forms predominant so that had not the Eternal Word given it self into the Centre of the fifth Form opening another Centre of Love the Soul in this Body had been captive in an Eternal Prison 9. And when in Jesus Christ the fourth Form came to be broken all the Forms stirred and environ'd him and in him us with Death which made the bloody Sweat and the outward Man cry Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me 10. And as Adam by going out of the fifth Form viz. the Angelical into the fourth became the scorn of the Devils so the Pharisees who lived in the Spirit of this World must have their pleasure on Christ for a terrible Example That what we fill our Souls with becomes a substance in the figure and must come under the Judgment of God 11. And as Adam would in his Pride be like God and wear this Worlds Crown Christ must in this World be crown'd with Thorns as a false King of or in it 12. And as after Adam's entring into the Spirit of this World he had a Rib broken from his Side for a Wife so did Blood by scourging flow from Christ's Body and his blessed Side pierced and opened 13. And as Adam departed out of the Eternal Day into the Eternal Night so was Christ bound in the dark Night and carried before the angry Murtherers 14. And as Adam chang'd his Angelical for this gross Body so was Christ loaden with the heavy wooden Cross. 15. And as upon Adam's Disobedience the fierce wrathful Essences pierced him so must Christ be pierced in his Hands Feet by sharp Nails fixing him to his Cross. 16. And as when Adam's Soul entred the fourth Form the Cross-birth was stirred so hath the Man on his Brain the one half of the Cross and the Woman the other 17. And as Adam then hung between the Kingdom of Hell and this World so did Christ between the two Malefactors the one whereof was forgiven entring with Christ into Paradise 18. The great Secret The Love of God or the second Principle became Man taking the Human Soul which was out of the first viz. the Anger and Body out of the third viz. the Our-birth so there hung on the Cross all the three Principles then commending his Spirit to his Father he bowed the head and departed 19. His Father is all the Kingdom Power and Glory So the Love is his Heart and Light His Anger is his strength and darkness the Father took the Soul into the Trinity and in the Soul the loâ—t Paradise sprung up 20. And by the rising of another â—un in Death viz. in the Father's Anger the outward Sun which was generated out of the pure Element the Body of Christ loâ—t its Light 21. And at the Holy Lifes going into Death the Rocks rent And those who had put their trust in the Messiah as Patriarchs Prophets c. when Christ's Mortal had put on Immortality got their new Bodies out of Christ's Holy Body and Vertue 22. Of Christs rest in the Grave That the Soul of Christ leaving his Body in the Grave descended into Hell a great way off and there chaineâ— the Devils is nothing so For all the three Principles hung on the cross why not also reâ—â—ed in the Grave with the Body forty Hours for the Heavenly Body was not Dead but the Earthy only His Soul came with the Light into the Anger causing 〈…〉 radise to revive which made the Devils tremble and captivated them for the Light is their terror and shame 23. Of Christ's Resurrection There was no need of rolling away the Stone save to strengthen the weak Faith of his Disciples for he comprehended all things 24. He appeared a Creature in our Human Dimensions yet the fulness of the Deity was in him and his Body is the whole Princely Throne of the whole Principle without end or limit 25. As our inward Body is unlimited in the Resurrection in the Body of Christ yet visible and palpable in Heavenly Flesh and Blood and so can in the Heavenly Figure be great or little without hurt or want there being no need of compressing the Parts of that Body 26. Vain is the Contention about the Sacrament for Christ's Heavenly Flesh and Blood is really received by the Faithful and it is as great as Heaven 27. The Forty days before his Ascension of the Proba or Tryal was such a life as Adam should have liv'd having all the Principles except the four Elementary ones He shew'd himself without outward Glory did eat yet all Heavenly and Paradisical in the Mouth not into the Body and entred the Doors being shut 28. So should Adam have liv'd in and above the World above the Stars and Elements in Meekness and Divine Love without Death and Frailty 29. To this state we make some approaches when in Obedience to Christ's Laws we do Good for Evil and overcome the World by being Dead to it 30. Of Christ's Ascension Christ ascended in sight of many to shew he is our Brother Will you ask whither ascended he Into his Throne the right Hand of God that is where Love quencheth Anger and generateth Paradise in the whole Father 31. But the place of this World according to the Heavenly Principle is the Throne and Body of Christ also all the third Principle is his 32. And the Devil who dwelleth in the place of this World in the first Principle is our Christ's Captive for the Father is the band of Eternity but his Love
living Word attracted Maries Essences or Faculties into the Eternal Virginity and so in Nine Months there was a compleat Man in Soul Spirit and Flesh but the Virgin of Eternity never till then did put on Flesh except in Adam before the Fall but â—ow the Word united to the Soul is not though united one and the same with the Soul but the Soul being out of the Centre of Nature remained intirely the same Creature and the Word being out of the Majesty penetrated it like as a dark black piece of â—ron is flaming and shining by the Fire penetrating it but the Iron comprehendeth not but is comprehended by the Light of the Fire So the Deitâ— dwelleth in the Soul yet the Soul remaineth a Soul still but if the flaming Iron fall into Water it is soon as other Iron again as it was with Adam 10. Adam departed and Christ became Man to return us into the Angelical World wherein Man attains the Eternal incomprehensible Flesh of Eternal Substantiality which is hidden in the old earthy Flesh as Gold in the Stone This true most precious Stone of Philosophers tinctureth the old for this is as a Son yet a Thousand times greater than the Father this bright Crown of Pear s is most manifâ—st yet most secret who so finds it hath such Joy as no earthy Tongue or Pen can describe CHAP. VII The Hypocritical and real Christian the Gates of the Firmamental Heaven with Stars c. The Threefold Life of Man and right noble Spiritual Stone 1. MAN's greatest Concern is to seek that which is lost not hypocritically without our selves for all the hearing of Heaven and the new Birth Preached Singing Repetitions Reading all Books having the Bible without Book Talking and Despising the Simple requiring they be guided by Man's Art and Eloquence and resting there is a continuing of Men as in a dark Dungeon and no more than casting a Stone into Water which is taken out again as hard as before And Mens deepest Reason Opinions of the Pope Luther Calvin or Schwenkfield and all Contention Disputation and that accounted high University Study though the Soul fill it self therewith only leaves the Soul in doubt on the shaking Foundation of vain flattering Hopes if still there be an unholy unchang'd Heart 2. But simply with the Publican God be merciful unto me a sinner gather all thy captivating Sins and in great earnestness knock seek consult not thy Earthy Reason sensual Love and self Will and then that Soul entreth into the Temple of Christ instead of Disputing bring earnest Resignation let thy Contention be such only as was Jacob's Wrestling God's Invitation and inviolable Promises are the Ground of that Faith which makes Hell tremble produceth the new Birth giveth the noble Stone and then the little grain of Mustard-seed growing in the Storms of Reproach and Temptation becoming a Tree attaineth the Angelical Garland of Pearl for then may the Soul say Though this World hath my outward Body Captive yet I have the Regenerator in my Soul that will make me free which is as putting a Stone into Fire which makes an effectual change on 't though Water do not as is above mentioned 3. Saith any one seeing the Devil is gone into Enmity Why doth not God annihilate him A. That which is Eternal breaketh or dissolveth not like that which hath a Beginning but though the Devils were not in the Form of a Spirit from Eternity yet their Essences were from Eternity but the putting their Will into the stern Matrix of the Centre of Nature captivated them therein but in their Essences remain as a Looking-glass for Angels and Souls of Men. Say also any If the World be so dangerous for Man Why hath God set and continued him in it A. Should God reduce the third Principle into its Aether before effecting what wonders were foreseen in the Wisdom from Eternity it cannot be but also in time must the Forms of Nature be substantial 4. The Infinite God being Threefold in Persons willed to move himself according to the Property and Nature of each Person As 1. The Father's Property moved to create Angels c. to bear his Image and behold his glorious Power 2. The Son's Property moved once and never more in Eternity to become Man by whom the glorious Majesty of the Trinity is shewn unto Angels and Men in an express Character and living Image 3. The Holy Ghost's Nature will move it self at the Resurrection at returning this World into its Aether and will set the Wonders passed in time into Eternal substantiality He is the Joy and Mover of the Creatures and of Paradise through whom will be seen the Power and Vertue of every thing 5. This World with Stars and Elements shew the Eternal Centre and Being of all Forms whereon Adam who was the Image of the Trinity doated and was capâ—iv'd as Lucifer was by the fierce Matrix He was one not two the Light shone in him and he should have propagated an Angelical Kingdom was Lord over Fire Air Water and Earth could remove Mountains no Death was in him Paradisical Fruit grew for him he was a Virgin after the Form of Eternal Sophia he was pure and was to place his Will on himself for God was in him and he in God But seeing two Divine Forms in himself one Paradisical within himself the other without him he thought to Eat of both viz. the Paradisical and the mixed of Good and Evil till he sunk into a sleep which signifieth Death where the Spirit of this World formed him into such a Man as we now are and Eve into a Woman and when they had eaten the Spirit of this World captivated their Souls their Essences were Earthy their Flesh and Blood Bestial so that they begat Children in two Kingdoms viz. of Wrath and Love the first a Murtherer the second Holy for the word of Grace and Covenant had on their Fall set it self in the Light of their Life 6. This Word was and for ever is the only noble spiritual Philosopher's Stone Christ. This Stone was in all the Holy Men from Adam downward whereby they both were Good and did Good but the Men of lower outside Principles or Rationists have a counterfeit scholastick glistering pleasant Stone which they think is right and they hotly persecute the true precious Stone to advance their own which outside Stone of theirs is only a Stone of the great Building of this World for it initiateth Childhood in wantonness and bravery requiring Covetousness and crafty Guile to support it so they set the Paradisical Garland of Blossoming Youth on the Serpents Head learn to contemn them as simple who have the true Stone because they live as not of the World but Childlike and go through and out of the World weeping yet bearing precious seed 7. From v. 62. to the end is as it were a recital of the often treated of the Eternal Being compar'd to Fire and Light as Anger and Love
prudent exemplars in Manners great Proficients in Philosophy profound Casuists in Theology with so good progress as if they were Pillars in God's House and all this adorned with a blameless Conversation to human observation 3. But all this destitute and exclusive of a changed Will but retaining unmortified affections and desires having an unregenerate Heart a Soul dead to any Life of Resignation and Sacrifice but is still immutably stubborn is therefore as concerning the Faith reprobate for the right Faith is the right Will which divested of its self-lusts enters into the living Word whereas the other is without God in the World tho' flattering himself all his life long with the merits of Jesus Christ his share in them his Predestination from Eternity his assurance never to fall away whereas he was never risen with Christ but lies drowned with and under the desires of the present Evil World and lives wholly a stranger to the dying of Christ to the emptying of the corrupt self-will for the Pearl is in That man's account too dear nor will he buy Oyl Of the Company and Assistance of the Holy Angels 4. As Men fearing God readily help each other in their misery so do the Holy Angels powerfully assist Men for they affect the company of vertuous humble chast men themselves being very pure chast modest humble friendly and know no deceit or iniquity they have also great delight among little Infants and sometimes manifest themselves to them and play with them if they be the Children of God for they do nothing but what is innate in them both the Angels and the Children They have also great joy for one poor Soul delivered from the Snares of the Devil and are at hand ready to deliver such in their greatest extremities having an over ballance of Power to that of the Evil Angels else what Ruins would the Devils make in the busie execution of their Office in the Turba magna of terrible Storms c. as far as the fierce Wrath is therein enkindled were they not curb'd and drove away by the ministration of the Heavenly Hosts of the holy and mighty Angels sent out by the Almighty gracious Jehovah 5. There is therefore no cause at all of despair tho' the whole World seem to be against us Nor are Prayers to be made to them for they accept not that honour but direct us to God Whatever befals us is to purifie us as Gold for God aims to have fair lovely Children and of understanding to discover the Deceits of the Old Serpent God sets Heaven and Hell before us therefore must the Soul have Understanding to chuse and Faith to fight for it must be a continual Warriour If we make our selves fierce false covetous proud Devils we are so but if we image in our Souls humble meek submissiveness with a love to follow the Lord we enter into the Holy Principle and are in the Paradiâ—ical and Angelical Regiment Let all therefore be warned according to what they form their Spirits which is commended to seasonable and most serious and continued consideration CHAP. XV. Of the mixed World its wicked exercise being a Glass wherein every one may try out of what Spirit themselves are 1. MOst just and necessary is it to reprehend practical Impieties Immoralities and Debauchery especially among such professing goodness the which unchristian Conversation is chargeable on high and low Priest and People old and young who all are yet apt to account this a Golden Time and bless themselves in it tho' it is a time of lamentation being the opening of the last Seal and of pouring out the Vial of God's Wrath bringing to light the Wonders of Hell particularly the Pride and Oppression derived from those sent to the University enslaving the People in their Understandings by Constitutions Orders Statutes c. and in their Bodies and Estates by wresting from them their sweat and the fruit of their labours wherewith these pamper themselves a practice not grounded in Nature but is hellish for there one Form vexeth and plagueth another so that among these the Dog is more happy than the poor of the people 2. And this hath another consequent Evil in that it induceth and in a sort inforceth the poor to imitate them and to live by deceit doing that also swinishly which the other do in pride and bravery All which is convinced of great madness considering the shortness and uncertainty of the present time the great strict solemn Judgment day and the Eternity of the Life to come on the brink whereof we stand ready to enter unconceivable happiness by the narrow way or intolerable misery and shame by the broad way Yet this Chapter concludes that a sincere Christian doth not here wholly know himself seeing comparatively nothing but his vices for his Sanctity Christ hideth under his Cross. CHAP. XVI Of praying and fasting what praying its power use benefit and preparation to God's Kingdom is 1. THE earnest restless hunger and thirst of Man's Spirit after the meek rest of Divine Love from the Property of the driver being so impetuous that the Morning calleth to the Evening the Night to the Day and one Day to another panting when will the refreshment come Sheweth whence Man came and how greatly he is strayed having no place of rest till he be driven back to his still Eternal Mother the Eternal Nature for here the driver taketh him by the very throat he lieth as one among the slain in a great Battle who dares not lift up his head for fear of the cruel overflowing Conquerors or as one surrounded with malicious Foes who all strike at him to murther him or as one fallen into a deep Pit hoping for help only from above or as one fallen into a deep Sea swimming yet seeing no shoar sigheth for help from Heaven 2. So is it with Man's Soul for if the Soul search its own flesh blood marrow and bones they are Enemies incompassing and captivating it the Spirit of this World suppresseth it and would like a Sea drown it by pampering the Bestial Life the Devil also as a cruel proud Enemy draweth it into the fierce aking Abyss striking at it with hellish anguish and despair 3. Then if it will be saved its Will must depart from the outward and from its own thoughts and mind into God's mercy for the Word that made Man's Soul became Man and his holy Humanity the flesh of the Eternal Word his food his blood also the Water of Eternal Life is as a puâ—e new Body and this Word was a meek pure desirous Love and then the Holy Ghost leads it out of Prison from the Battle of the driver cooling its flames and the Soul becomes an humble Child 4. When the whole man resolves into a Will of leaving every Evil and seeking God with the whole heart he is received as Daniel when he began to set himself to pray and chasten himself the command came forth But the Life is
and groaneth to have it Banished for the outward devoureth the inward if the inward continue not in strife 2. Yet the three Principles are one in another The Soul is the Jewel the Spirit is the finder of the Jewel the Earthy Spirit is the â—eeker the Earthy Body is the Mystery so three seekers belong to the Soul 3. We undervalue not the outward Life it shews Gods Wonders but let Men go with the inward into the outward for tho' the outward be a Beast yet the Wonders which have discovered themselves in a comprehensible substance belong with their figures not their substance to the inward 4. The inward understanding Spirit is Lord of the outward But if it let the outward be Lord that Man is a Beast and if it let the Fire-spirit viz. the Turba be Lord that Man is a Devil But the outward Life is Water to that Fire else how would many a Man become a Devil if the outward Life did not hinder it as is to be seen in the Gall which is a Fire Poyson but mixed with Water it allays the fierce Pomp of the Fire from going aloft above the Meekness of God as Lucifer did Q. 17. Whence and wherefore is there a contrariety of the Flesh and Spirit A. Water is a death to Fire but the contrariety is not totally such in Man because the Light ever causeth the Fire but rather such as between God and Hell for the Anger Fire sharpeneth the Divine hiddenness of Gods Eternal Majesty for it generateth the high Light in the free Liberty and thus the other or second World cometh to be out of the first The Soul is the Centre of Nature The Spirit is the precious Image tho' not sever'd as Fire and Light are not sever'd the Fire is fierce yet the cause of the Meek Light and in the Light is the Life The contrariety is that the inward Spirit hath Gods Body out of the meek substantiality the outward Spirit hath the great Wonders which lye in the Arcanum of the Souls â—ternness therefore the Love spirit hindereth that the fierce wrath destroyeth not the Soul bâ— inflaming it The contrariety is that the inward Spirit would be Lord and subdue and the outward would be Lord saying it hath the Mystery of which it hath but a Looking-glass Seek not the Mystery in the outward Spirit for there is but a Glimpse but go into the Cross and from the Cross back into the fourth Form there is Sun and Moon one in another Bring it into Anguish into Death Drive on that Magick Body so far till it be again what it was before the Centre in the will and then it is Magical and hungry after Nature it is a seeking in the Eternal seeking and would fain have a Body therefore give him for a Body Sol viz. the Soul and then it will suddenly make it a Body according to the Soul for the will sprouteth in Paradise with very fair Heavenly Fruit without spot or blemish The inward Spirit would have God the outward would have Bread which is also good in its place But beware thou let not the outward Spirit be Lord. Q. 18. How the Soul departs from the Body in the death of a Man A. There is need of the Eyes of all the three Principles to take Death Captive to see this sharp question The beginning which is Magical having found the limit casteth away the seeking the Looking-glass the Earthy Life And lets the Body depart without complaint for there is no woe done to the Soul but the Turba or Fire life the Matter or Earthy Life â—â—â—seth The Soul dwelleth in the will which hath a glance or lustre burning in it and the Fire becometh impotent and a darkness unless the Spirit hath Heavenly Substantiality if so it is swallow'd up in the Magia hath the same meek Body for a Sulphur and Eternally burneth in the Love-fire Thus Sickness unto Death is that the Turba hath kindled it self and destroyeth the introduced Medium The Life's Fire being withdrawn the Body goeth into its Aether when if the Soul's Fire hath not in its Spirit God's Body viz nothing of the Power of Humility to sink down in it self through Death into Life it is a dark Fire in great horror in the first four Forms of Nature The stern Astringency Bitterness Anguish and Fire without flaming The Covetous one hath Frost the Envious one Bitterness the falâ—e Deceitful one Anguish the Wrathful one Fire Hence consider the last Judgment to be such as at which the Devils do tremble Q. 19. How the Soul is Mortal or who it is Immortal A. The Soul is from the Eternal and continueth Eternally it came out of God's Mouth and at Death goeth into God's Mouth again But the wicked Soul hath lost its Image yet Immortal for the Eternal Nature dieth not also if the Anger Fire should die God's Majesty would extinguish which can never be The wicked Soul hath introduced a Substance into the Will thence comes wo it is a Dying yet only a Will of Dying an Anguish ever thinking if I had not done this or that I might have attained God's Salvation which Evil things done make Eternal Despair No Soul Dieth be it in God or in Hell but its Substance or Doings stand Eternally to the Glory of God's Wonders Q. 20. How the Soul comes or returns to God again A. Answer'd in the foregoing Answer Q. 21. Whither the Soul goeth when it Departeth c. be it saved or not saved A. 1. It goeth not out at the Mouth for it came not in at the Mouth but the Turba having broken the Earthy Life goes as a Conqueror unapprehended by Wood or Stone through the Anger of God and Death and then is in God's Body in Christ's Flesh and Blood seeth God's Majesty and the Angels face to face in the unsearchable World without end or limit 't is swift as a Thought is magical its words and deeds done here are â—ts House 2. The Heavenly Body of the Soul is from the pure Element out of which the four are come that gives Flesh the Tincture blood It s external substantiality is Paradise where spring all bright heavenly Fruits which the Soul may eat they are as pure as a Thought yet substantial with colours Power and palpable to be handled by the Soul Juicy full of the Water of Life 3. Only those who are gone out of their own Will into God's in this Life have Christ's Flesh on them but most go so out as by Faith hang by a thread and are in the still rest waiting for the last Judgment Day sunk down in Humility through Death yet a Cliff or Gulph is betwixt them and the Holy Souls in Christ's Flesh and Blood but are in the same Principle yet under the Altar 4. The wicked are in the innermost which is also the outermost Darkness and can appear again in the starry Spirit seeking rest make terrors in Houses
will into the Earthy as a common thing prophanely offering it up to God it brings fruit to perdition 4. For the Spirit of every Life appropriates its like to it self for one Property receiveth not another what the Soul willeth the thing received willeth the same for it is all Magical So the Devil was an Angel but when he willed Evil his heavenly substance became poison Yet is it not the Deities will that we perish but his Anger 's will and our will CHAP. IX Of the Life of Darkness wherein the Devils dwell of what kind it is The Sixth Point 1. THE Life of Darkness is a fierce false inimicitious stinging Essence having many Forms each would murther the other Nothing can cease the contrariety for the opposing it is as the blowing up of fire only God's Light can make it soft meek sweet and joyful But that cannot be for it is an Eternal Terror to the Darkness And if the Kingdom of Darkness should be enkindled with the Light the Light would have no Root no Fire no Omnipotency thus all must serve to God's Glory 2. The Life of the Darkness is a fainted poison Life like an Eternal dying Property It is also manifest that every Life existeth in poison which poison the Light both withstandeth and causeth that the poison faileth not 8. The Dark Life is especially in seven Properties with the Principle of the Centre of Nature The Light Life is also in seven Properties of the right of Nature So that what in the one giveth sadness that in the other giveth joy 4. What the malicious arrogant and wicked men do in this World that the Devils do in the Dark Worlds Property And what the poisonous Evil Creatures do in this World that do the other Creatures who also have Spiritual Bodies in the Dark World The whole Dark Worlds Dominion is principally in the first four Forms of Nature and from the fierce contrary Qualities are the Eternal Wonders manifested and brought to substance which substance parteth into three Fountains not rent one from the other but giving each to the other as Fire Light and Matter whereout Fire burneth 2. In Man is the substance of all substances carrying the Properties of Heaven and Hell in him which soever he awakeneth of that is the Soul capable Nor is it necessary to search farther 3. But Man having broke himself off from the first Image and Order must learn how to be regenerated by introducing the Meekness and Light to rule over his false and fierce Property and then the Law that pursued him ceaseth because the Law of Love and Meekness sets him free 4. Whatever departeth from its first will is pursued by the Law to restrain its wandering but when ever it is return'd to its right State and first Image and Order or by Death of the Outward Body is totally confirm'd in the erroneous will the Law and Strife ceaseth CHAP. X. Further of the sixth Point Of the four Elements of the Devil THE four Elements of the Devil are Pride Covetousness Envy Anger Gods four Elements are The Outward Worlds four Elements are The Devils four Elements are Humility Air Pride Meekness Earth Covetousness Patience Water Envy Love Fire Anger The discourse of the four Elements of the Dark World being both very plain and the Subject of several of this Authors other Writings The Extracts of it is forborn A Brief Exposition of the Small Six Points The first Point Of the Blood and Water of the Soul 1. THE Soul is a Magick Fire its Form is generated in the Light and though it self be no Substance yet it hath a Substance and Preservation which is its Flesh Blood and Water for the Tincture of Fire and Light in the Water makes Blood which is the Life of the Wisdom having in it all the Forms of Nature and all colours being another or second Magick Fire 2. According to the Light it is Divine Vertue and according to the Fire it is a sharpness of Transmutation and driveth up every thing to its highest pitch or degree 3. The Flesh and Blood of the Soul is the Divine Substantiality consisting in the highest Mystery and at the Death of the outward Body it retireth to the same and the outward Mystery goeth home to the inward And because each Magick fire hath its Clarity or Darkness therefore a final Day of Separation is appointed The second Point Of Election and Reprobation 1. God alone is all whose Infinite Abyssal Substance parteth into three Distinctions one in the other yet the one is not the other viz. The Fire world Dark-world and Light-world From the Desire comes the Centre of Nature and from that Centre the first three Forms who have no pain in them but the Fire causeth Pain 2. In the Fire is the Life tending to Light and Darkness which of them the Desire filleth it self with in that it burneth be it Heaven or Hell If it give it self to self Property it burneth in the Fire of dark Anguish but if to the Universal Will in Resignation it 's Fire burneth in the Light driving up no Substance but is in the Liberty of God 3. God's Predestination is not in the first Essence that is only a Mystery But Predestination passeth upon the introduced Substance be it the Wrath or Love for the Life is regenerated into one of them And in which of them the Will kindleth it self on that passeth the Election or Reprobation Hence is it that God causeth us to be Taught so doth the Devil each of them willeth that Man's will should converse and kindle it self in his Fire See the Book of Predestination The third Point What Sin is and how it is Sin 1. Two contrary Wills are an Enmity God is purely One without Source and though every Source be in him yet not manifested for the Good so subjecteth the Evil that it may be only a cause or Root of Light and Life 2. The Good or Light is as a Nothing inâ—o which when a Something entreth there must be a Spring to preserve that Something The Something is dark and the Qualities are manifold And Covetousness fiâ—leth the one wherein God dwelleth with multiplicity 3. Though an unfathomable dwelleth not in a fathomable yet God dwelleth in the highest or preciousest Life of Man therefore must the Will of Life tend and subject it self to the One in before and above every Creature for it is pregnant with that it lusteth after and no Fire-source subsisteth in the free Fire or Fire of the Liberty therefore can none Unite to God till they are emptied of their own Will till then God and Man are at Enmity Hence stands the immutable Law That Man depart from Self or be separated from the One. 4. Thus Sin is manifest to be a Will departing from God by awakening of and burning in the Root of Self-lust maketh it self a sole Lord a contrary opposite Will So Christ saith He that gathereth not with me scattereth 5. This
third Principle Will it be said the Tempter should have been character'd and here is only the Temptation 5. It 's answered we may know the Evil Tree by the corrupt fruit Again the Tempter is dangerous to us for the sake of the Temptation What could the Fisher do without his Net or Bait Again tho' Eve were but little and Adam less propense to the sugar'd potion yet we have abundant thirst like one in an inflaming Fever desires drink 6. 'T was therefore necessary our Second Adam should be able to say the Tempter cometh but findeth nothing in me To prevent Ruine we must imprison our domestick Foes to avoid their betraying us to the common Enemy 7. Every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own lust and enticed which saith not only that our own lusts are our Temptations but that it is what every man is obnoxious to 8. It is of sad consideration that many who abandon the Wit Craft and Subtilty of the Fox in great measure may yet betray themselves to the curious Art Contemplative Ingenuity and Innate Wisdom of the Serpent falling also far below the Divine especially in This. 9. That the Wisdom from above is not only good-natur'd as peaceable gentle easie to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits but is also high-born viz. pure humble self-emptying denying annihilating mortifying judging condemning leaving loathing witnessing for God against it self and all others Adding to Faith Patience to Experience Hope with which Faith Patience and Hope enduring all things waiting in extremity with quiet resolution 10. True it is that much penetrating speculation and knowledge natural and acquired for advance of reputation with improvement of Property and Self-pleasing is the Serpents Dust and Meat but the former are bits he cannot rellish they are his bane poison and death Q. 68. Why did the Serpent perswade Eve and not Adam to lust after the fruit What was the fruit on which they both did eat death A. 1. Whether an envenomed Shaft pierce the heart through the breast or through the side it is equally mortal Such was the Serpents Temptation and Eve might more easily be seduced because the breach was begun in her very Structure and Constitution by the separation of the Female Tincture Again the Woman was as a scattered party who are more suddenly made a prey of than the Body of any Army 2. The Temptation might take hold of her most readily being her self a kind of Temptation having drawn Adam from his pure chast precious dear Virgin-state therefore the Tempter awaited her and prevailed by a kind of assimilation 3. Naturalists observe Assimilation effects much in motion as in the hastening of Bodies to their several Centres not only in rarity and density and the version of the Needle but in velocity and penetration that the Arrow headed with Wood and the Woodden Wedge shall pierce and cleave Wood by more ready insinuation than Iron 4. And This squares most with the Apostles humbling charge on that Sex that the Woman was first in the Transgression c. not barely with respect to the Serpent or Temptation it self but her declension inclination and propinquity to curiosity which still is found amongst them preparing her to swallow the Bait. 5. But I spare them for the above hints pondered may suffice rather adding that men should be the more compassionate and assistant knowing they are Man's weaker part and of his own Essences 6. To say farther what was the fruit on which they did both eat Death little is enough but refer to the 7th 8th and 9th verses of the 57th Answer concerning the Tree of Good and Evil which shews it to be of the third Principle no better nor worse than That we eat of yet mortal Poison to their Paradisical Life 7. And a little to digress let it be considered that the Lord's blessing the Meat when he did eat with his Disciples teacheth us to know and remember the peril lest the Evil Properties in the Creation should so steal themselves into our Meat or Drink as to associate with heighten and strengthen the Evil Properties in us 8. Therefore we find some character'd who make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof and of the Rich Man that fared deliciously every day and of others feeding themselves without fear A sin prevailing by Assimilation with our voracious licencious wanton Appetites willingly indulging our selves to forget that the Provisions for our Lord and his Disciples were a few Loaves and a few little Fishes and those he multiplied or augmented by Miracle yet the Loaves were but of Barley in a Country abounding with Wheat Milk Honey c. Q. 69. What was the sin and how it is become a sin that the same is an Enmity of God A. 1. What the Tree of Good and Evil was and why forbidden the 7th 8th and 9th verses of the 57th Answer explaineth How excellent Adam's first State was is somewhat distinctly in the whole 52 Answer How he fell and how low is touched in the 51 Answer a review of all which will be eminently assistant to the searcher and a large contribution to the Answer of this Yet farther 't is answered 2. That as Lucifer and his Angels by imaging in their Bodies the Forms of the first Principle left the glorious holy 2d Principle whereby their Tincture became not only impure â—separate and unclean but falshood and filthiness in the abstract 3. So Adam being Ruler by Creation right in the third Principle imaged in the Spirit of his Will Mind and Soul a hunger of the same third Principle grasping the shadow as painted Food instead of the substantial Quintessence and Bread of Eternal Life departed out of the Unity wherein he possessed all and every good perfectly at once for ever into a few little parcels of fading good blended and interlaced with Volumes of multiform exquisite real steddy permanent Evils 4. What the Will is the Man is Thus the Will of Lots Wife 's captivating her by the Accommodations of their late opulent Seat she is by the Astringent Property fixed a Pillar of Salt Also Nebuchadnezzar placing his chief Glory in such stuff as must be rubbish becomes a Beast or Fowl for the Magical Will hath as even in Witches appears the over-match to the Forms of Elementary and Astral Concretes because the Magia is the Power of the Will or Hand of the Mind having its Root in the Potence of the first Principle or Eternal Band. 5. Thus our first Parents by impressing in their Originally Noble Breasts the Good and Evil Properties could not retain the Divine Image As the Eye looketh not at once upward and downward therefore the pure Love Delight Joy and Heavenly Man disappeared and the Dead Form resigned The Apostle saith Death reigned As Iron when the Lustre of the Fire is gone or a Lamp extinguished so no more could he be Divine and Sensual Earthy and Heavenly 6. This departure was his
of the Country a Self-murtherer their shame and indignation but the unknown number of wounded Souls and self-murthered Souls are not regarded tho' it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for such Gospel-Apostates and Haters of Christ. The malicious Enemy of Mankind who wounds himself that he may murther Souls so greatly he hates Man draws into the Anguishes of his Central Forms whole Harvests of Reprobates in whom he hath no true Right or Propriety by his offering Baits and Cheats for Food and Realities while woe to the World the most glorious gracious and adorable only Son of the only High God whose we are by Absolute Propriety and whose Love to Mankind was so immense and unsearchable as that He made Himself vile and a Sacrifice to whom He offereth Real Highest and Eternal Blessedness yet hath only the gleanings of the Harvest or Vintage while the World lieth in wickedness and their Posterities approve of their saying calling the proud happy and perpetuating the Black Art of Self-murther like Fish hasten greedily to catch the same Bait wherewith others had been hookt or Birds speed to be taken in an evil Net so throng Men to be ruined reject the only Hope precipitate into irreparable desperation Others seeming less obstinate are as fatal Foes to themselves telling and flattering of tomorrow while such futurities of safety expose them as Fools to perish to day while Wisdom saith To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts and that This is the accepted time This is the day of Salvation The time of the coming of John the Baptist was in the year of Jubilee yet then saith he The Axe is laid to the Root of the Tree 17. Our gracious God infinitely out-doth and out-bids all to make us his and restore his Image in us for in Man's Creation he did much more than for any or all the visible Creatures of the Out-birth or third Principle in his Redemption for restoring the Divine Image he did infinitely more for him than any or all the invisible Creatures of the first Principle the Apostate Angels for whom is given no Sacrifice nor Mediator Also in Man's Consummation Perfection Sealing and Glorification and Preparation thereunto is much more done for him than for the Holy glorious Angels the Sons and Inhabitants as morning Stars of the bright Heaven the Holy second Principle for the Spirits of just Men made perfect the general Assembly of the Church of the first-born are Fellow-Citizens with the Angelical Worlds and so share of the infinite Goodness of God as they and also have this more that they have had in the Lord their Head the Bowels of infinite Pardoning Mercy drawn out for them which is peculiarly extended them and treasur'd up only in the Emmanuel for them 18. This most dear boundless Goodness calls for the highest and deepest Contemplation 't is so profound so large so adorable so admirable that neither can the Earthen Vessel bear it the Syderial Man find any thing whereunto his Bounty may be likened the Immortal Soul be properly said to know it for it is what passeth Knowledge but the Soul is known by it as it is more or less enlighten'd therewith and Man's intellectual Spirit is so far from throughly penetrating it that it only shines and flows by Influence and Reflection of it for it self is as a drop of the Abyss enlighten'd by a beam of the Eternal Sun it burns and flames in the self-evidencing splendor of that incomparable inexhaustible Treasure and excellent Majesty This poor vile hand lyes prostrate at the Footstool of this Grace the Elementary and Astral Man the Eternal Soul and Spirit is herein swallow'd up once and for ever 19. How reasonable necessary and natural was what our Apostle saith I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God This is the Riches of his goodness forbearance and long suffering to lead man to Repentance There is a Promise that Men shall fear the Lord and his Goodness Man's contempt of Bowels of Infinite Mercy shews him less rational than the Bruits than the Insects who all shew the desire of Self-defence while he refuseth to be shielded from the greatest of horror by the free goodness of his God purchased by his own Blood with sorrows aggravated to unexpressible mysteriousness yet is Man offered all at the cheap Price of Acceptance and importunately besought to open his Hand Mouth and Heart to receive Pardon from day to day perhaps for many years still in vain whil'st he riseth early compasseth Sea and Land with his Life in his hand sweats freezeth bleeds frets wounds his Conscience and sells himself What therefore can the account of such Rejecters of the Invitation to the Marriage Supper be seeing to Ungratitude is added Stubbornness to that Despitefulness and consequently desperate Madness being one who having more done for him than for the Holy Angels and yet thus doth more against the glorious Grace of God in Christ by exalted Wickedness than the very Devils 20. Behold this and Blush ye Heavens ye Sun and Stars gather blackness let the Earth be moved let the Stones of the Streets and Walls be Witnesses let the Brutes and Animals stand amaz'd melt ye Rocks of Adamant relent and sigh ye Mountains of Ice let Marble and Pummice-stones weep come hither discover your inward Forms ye savage Bears cruel Tygers Vultures and unnatural Vipers The Heavens Sun and Stars were never Witness of the like Tragick Stupidity for had they seen the Angels that fell become Devils yet had they not known them refuse Mercy freely continually and importunately tendered the most brutish Animals reject not but greedily snatch what they want the Adamantine and Marble Rocks are all easily dissolvable by their proper Separators and Dissolvents the Mountains of Ice are as unwilling Captives Bears Tygers and Vultures are not only kind and friendly to themselves but compassionate to their Young the Viper though he destroys his Genitrix yet seems to do it of necessity to preserve its own Existence where therefore can be found so obdurate a thing as the Impenitent Heart of Man so great a Monster so ferine a Brute such a Prodigy of Ingratitude so implacable a Creature as the hardened obstinate Sinner No such Ingratitude and Cruelty can the Astral World demonstrate in the contrary Wills of the Martial Mercurial and other cross Constellations nor in the Elementary Offspring of them nor all whose Differences result to Harmony in the Earth or Deserts Air or Seas no not in Hell the dark Abyss or Devils no Sinners against so great Mercies and means for Recovery no Sinners against a Redeemer against the bleeding Love and Bowels of a Saviour there but Man the Devils are those for whom nothing of Mercy is prepared Oh therefore that Men were wise that they knew this and would hear that their Souls might live and not sink
Excellency to Sensitives from the Ant to the Elephant their activity comeliness usefulness cunning and seminal Power But above all to Man a vigorous beautiful Body a prudent capacity and prosperous success furnishing him with such Abilities as may be applicable to preserve himself and others by implanting improving and repairing things profitable and extirpating and preventing the noxious also ennobling him with such Endowments whereby he may rule over and give conduct to the Inferiour Creatures and use the Creation the Earth Water Air Fire and Wind as his Servants to do his Work without Wages or Limitation of Time c. The Ruler of the day and Mistress of the Night are his Directors On the 25th Question and Answer Of the Temporal Natures Light and Darkness whence they sprung and exist Seeing they sprung from exist by and are manifestations of the two incomprehensible Principles the holy Light World and the dark Wrathful World how large a Field of Meditation is here to us Men who are little Worlds The Experience of one Man hath been that his Closet approaches in the Evening hath been more confused perplext and impure and his most early Morning access more simple chearful and vigorous the former seeming not only toucht with the days contagion but at the entrance of the figure of the dark Abyss whereas his Morning hath been a Sally of the Soul out of a Dungeon more transported with a new Glory figuring the Resurrection Which seems to be one reason the Christians about an hundred years after the Incarnation used to meet at certain days before Sun-rising to Sing Hymns to Jesus Christ c. Hence those in whom Christ is risen are the Children of the day for New Ierusalem knows no Night If therefore thou my Soul art risen with Christ the things over which thou art risen are to thee dead dry withered trash and thou art entred by the first Resurrection into the new fruitful growing state But where are the steps of thy growth is it in the figure or similitude of the New Birth Hast thou a Lamp without Oyl A fair Building not rightly founded Livest thou on the Letter without the Life Art thou receiving Seed but choaking it with the outward Principle Art thou one of the Grains that shall be fann'd away Or hast thou entred the true second Principle Do thy Original forms generate the true Light whereof the outward Light is but a shadow and therewith the Divine Love whereof the highest outward delight is but a weak Similitude Is there in thee a deep humble foundation and a springing up of Life through Death as a structure on that profound Basis. If so the day is dawned and the Day-Star risen else not a dim weak sight yet infallibly informs when 't is day and when not and why should it be so mysterious to our Intellect But so dismal is Mans Fall that the Children of Darkness may more unerringly doom themselves such than those of the day can be assured of their progress therein While that often good beginnings are flatter'd as if the Prize were won and yet themselves degenerate into wild Grapes and wild Olives and the awakened Souls are often under various Misrepresentations fears and impressions proceeding sometimes from real and sometimes from supposed causes as it happens to a distressed Traveller in an unknown Countrey or as to a laden Ship labouring under successive Surges Seeing therefore the day and night we carry about in our Bosoms figur'd by the natural day and night is truely Heaven and Hell what highest diligence is necessary to introduce and stir up the one and what dreadful earnest cautions are requisite like Sea marks where the Ships have been split to shun the other On the 26th Question and Answer Of the separation of the Water above the Firmament from the Water which is underneath the Firmament and of the Created Heaven in the midst of the Water 1. The Created Heaven out of the midst of the Water being the outward Heaven partaking of both Waters is like the Tree bearing the Forbidden Fruit which stood in the midst of the Garden between the inward and outward Principles and partaking by Figure of the inward but really was of the outward The Water above the Firmament is a part of holy Paradise and that under the Firmament our palpable Mortal Water yet a similitude of the other for as this is our condensed Air and our Air as the Breath of Fire so is that holy living Water the meekness of the Heavenly which Air is exalted from the Incomprehensible Forms of the holy Fire And as our Water hath a cleansing property to the outward Man so hath that a purifying power to the inward As ours gives reception to the Light which no sooner looks on it but through it So is that the Vehicle or Transparent Habitation of the Eternal Light not to be understood so grosly as the Blood is of the Life of Creatures but in a sense agreeable to the Spiritual Power and Property thereof 2. And as Luoifer not obtaining his inordinate desire excited his Central Fire to the drying up of his meek Water wherein his Light shone his Light thenceforth disappeared So when Man 's dark implacable Lust thirsting for Domination Revenge or to compass some other evil according to the fierce Anguish of the Fire Soul is quenched overcome and kill'd by the sinking down humble subjection and true resignation of the Will to the Divine Councel and Conduct a new Life is generated of Childlike Obedience by the arising of this Water of the upper Springs which cleanse and become in that Soul a Well of Living Water springing up to Eternal Life For his Water is the Eternal Light and Eternal Love substantiated in such degree as this holy living Water can be capable so to be signified by that in the Brass Lâ—wer between the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Altar wherein the Priests were to wash that they died not 3. Why Oh my Soul are thy daily and hourly thoughts so low and impure It is not the defect of a Fountain of that above the Firmament but because thou usest it not Why sometimes feelest thou the Fire of prevailing Wrath proceeding from Impatience that from Pride that from Ignorance of God and thy self but because thou drawest not by an earnest thirst this living Water nor finkest into it Why is it by the returns of thy old Habits thou so often defilest thy self and so seldom washest in these Waters Did not the Priests wash as often as Sacrifice was it not daily Morning and Evening wants not the Earth the former and latter Rain So let Oh my Lord my cleansing be frequent and constant as was that of the Priests Let it be real as the Fire of the Altar and the Water in the Laver was real Let my cleansing be universal and extend to all the active Properties as they washed both Hands and Feet and their Fire consumed the whole Burns Offering
for him for to give him more Divine Light were but as Water to increase his Fire And God willeth to have no fiery Spirit in Paradise his Brimstone Spirit is inkindled and remaineth unquenchable desiring to get above the Meekness of the Heart of God which shuts him up Eternally CHAP. XI Of all Circumstances of the Temptation 1. WHen God did set the Fiat in the Will to Create Angels he separated all the Properties as hard four bitter harsh fierce soft c. as we see are in the various properties of the Stars and created the Princely Throne Angels as so many Fountains Then in each Fountain came forth a Centre in many Thousand Thousands and every Host got a Will such as was the Fountain or Prince whence they proceeded giving their will to him as the Stars do to the Sun Tho' all thoroughly irradiated with Divine Splendor yet had every Host some one of the Properties of the first Principle most Eminent in them 2. Of the Princes one is fallen and his Host for standing in the fourth form his Fire Elevated him above the End of Nature 3. The Fiat in the Creation separated the Matrix also of the Out-birth created after the other according to the forms of the inward World and out of the Properties of the first Principle came Creatures of all sorts good and bad as Lambs Doves c. as also Wolves Toads also in the separation of Vegetables are good and hurtful Plants And that the evil is also profitable is seen for that in every Creature is a poysonous Gall being the cause of Life 4. Adam was created of all the three Principles but in perfect clarity an Image of his Creator and Epitomy of all Creatures 5. In the Garden of Eden were all Paradisical Trees pleasant to look on and good for Food wherein tho' they sprung out of the Earth yet in them was imprinted the Divine Vertue of the second Principle and yet were truely in the third Principle Death stuck only in that Tree of Good and Evil that was able to bring Man into another Image 6. God willed not Adam should eat of it for he not only barely warned him of the danger but forbad him with a severe Menace 7. Nor was he Created with a distinct Female as other Creatures that on his Fall he might the better be helped 8. Nor will'd he should need any other clothing than Glory else would have given him a Hide as other Creatures But as a Heavenly Man he should have eaten Heavenly Fruit. Now follows the Gate of the Temptation Adam had all the three Principles or Worlds in him and in all he looked on without him 9. The Heart of God would have him to abide in Paradise being his similitude The Kingdom of Wrath would have this great Lord because he proceeded out of the Eternal Mind of the Darkness that through him might be shew'd great power The Kingdom of this World would have him be his Housholder for that he lived in it and was part of it saying Eat and Drink not only Divine Food thou art not yet a meer Spirit eat not that which is incomprehensible Eat my sweet drink my strong which is comprehensible 10. Here Adam thought seeing I am on the Earth and that it is mine I will use it as I list 11. Then came the Inhibition on pain of Death not to eat the Earthy Food wherein was mixt the evil for the Tree was neither better nor worse than that we have But God saw his eager imagination so set on the Earthy Fruit that he could not generate a perfect Paradisical Man but an Infected one out of himself that would fall to be corruptible did let a sleep fall on him CHAP. XII Further of the Circumstances of the Temptation 1. MOses at the Bush was commanded to pull off his Shoes shewing his Earthy Birth God gave the Law at Sinai and establisht it in clarity but by Thunders c. in the Spirit of the great World for in Gods Heart is only Love and Kindness because after the Fall Men lived therein viz. in the Spirit of the great World 2. The Law demanding obedience and the false voluptuousness of Israel were in strife Forty days till they fell to their sinful Calf And Christs tryal Forty days c. shew the time of Adam's Temptation Of Adam's Sleep 1. Adam's sleep was his being Captivated by the â—triving Stars and Elements whose wrestling so far overcame him that his Tincture became enfeebled and he as dead who should as we in the Resurrection have Eternally with open Eyes beheld the Infinite Glories This God so greatly loathed that Adam could not long continue in Paradise The Highest Gate of the Life of the Tincture 2. The Tincture is that which separateth the pure from the impure and graduateth to the highest all sorts of Life in all Creatures Yet in some strong in others weak It s Birth is from the Vertue of the Deity and imprints it self in all things yet so secretly that none of the ungodly can know it It is Eternal but the Spirit given it by the Fiat is according to the kind of every Creature At first it was implanted in Jewels Gems Metals 3. It was generated in the fifth form that of Love out of the Heart of God And tho' its Spirit in the third Principle abide not for ever yet for the sake thereof the very figures of this World shall remain for ever But in the second Principle the Tincture standing in the Spirit and Substance in Angels and Men is Eternally fixt The Tinctures Essences 4. It is the flash of Life and Lustre whose Root is Fire causing the faculty of seeing in all Creatures It Chrystallizeth impure Water separateth the Light from Darkness imageth it self in what it hath made pure making it also sweet shining like Oyl and Fire Mixt with the Matrix of VVater by the mixture becomes fixt and thick and by the Property of the Fire is colour'd Red and is the Blood in which the Noble Life existeth Of the Death and Dying 5. In so great and hourly danger stands the Noble Life in the Tincture and hath so many potent Enemies that either on the Efflux of the Blood the Tincture flyeth away or on the over-prevalency of any one of the four Elements or ill Conjunction of the Constellations darting their Poisons the Band of Life breaketh and the flash goeth out in Meekness How the Heavenly Tincture was in Adam before the Fall and shall be in us after this Life 6. Adam's three Principles whereof he was were three Births the one not comprehended by the other viz. The Worm or Brimstone Spirit generated out of the Eternal Will of the Father The Virgin or Wisdom of God And the Spirit of this World The two latter were given to him to his right and left 7. The second was to illustrate the first in the power whereof he was to rule over the third It is
Virgin of Gods Wisdom discovereth her self infinitely without number oâ— end in Powers Colours and Arts at which the Deity rejoiceth And that Joy is call'd Paradise because of the sharp generating of the infinity of the pleasant Fruit of the Lilly What it is no Earthy Tongue or Pen is sufficient all we can say of it is less than Dross to Gold and our Speech is as a drop or glimpse or sparkle CHAP. XV. Of the Knowledge of the Eternity in the Corruptibility of the Essence of all Essences 1. IN the Original Essence of all Essences we find but one whence is from Eternity generated the other both are in Divine Omnipotence have different Inclinations mix not nor can be dissolved 2. In the Eternal Original is also the Virgin of Wisdom whose longing after a Similitude Created the Angels opening a Fountain to every Essence whence came the Names of Principalities Thrones c. And out of each many thousand thousands 3. But Lucifer and his Servants like a Tree and its Branches moved by the stern Matrix bearing only the guilt of his own Fall kindled the Element whence came the four Elements and out of it came Earth and Stones and became execrated out of Paradise 4. But the Virgin rediscovered in the Out-birth the Similitude which the Fiat made substantial a meer Quinta Essentia And God Created the Sun the Similitude of his own Heart which put all the Out-birth into Meekness that all this after dissolution might in Paradise be a shadow of his substance and not only made the outward Creation but also out of the Quinta Essentia figur'd Spirits 5. And in the room of the fallen Angels made Man of all the three Principles but to live in the second and rule over the other two to whom the Virgin of Gods Wisdom Espoused her self opening â—n him a Centre to many thousand thousands in perfect chast Meekness without rending his Body but the Spirit of the great World so overcame Adam that he became Earthy the Virgin departed 6. But still the Virgin calleth and is ready to return to all that seek her with humble earnestness 'T is a Lie tâ—â—aâ— one is not elected the possibility of humble seeking is in every one Pâ—idâ— enâ—â—iâ—eth one more strongly than another but forceth none There is need of the Trader upon the Serpent in the Womb because all the three Prinâ—iples do there imprâ—nâ— themselves 7. And tho' the Devil dare not â—mage himseâ—f tiâ—â— Mâ—â—s understanding inclines to evil yet let none presume on the Devils Impotency for tho the Child be in Innocence the Seed is not which is of feâ—rful consideration to Parents especially evil ones 8. Dâ—ligently and deeply to be considered Pure Love which reacheth Paradise is wholly modest As in two young people whose Limbus and Matrix have attained the Blossom of the Nâ—â—le Tiâ—cture how hearty faithful pure Love bear they to each other But a 〈…〉 they ake each other the burning Love infecteth and the Ashes of Lust turns â—â—em oftentimes to spiteful Enmity Whence may be seen God willed not the Bestial Copâ—lation but the pure fiery Paradisical Love 9. When all the parts of the Child are formed 't is still so Bestial an Image that if it perish before the enkindling of the Light viz. the Spirit of the Soul nothing of the Figure appears before God at the Restitution but its shape and shadow 10. The Life of the Soul standeth in the three Principles The first discovereth it self in the Fire flash standing over the Heart in the Gall The second is generated of the first and is the pleasant joy Oh happy they who experience the governing power of it The third Principle presseth after the Tincture of the Soul but attaineth only the Light of the Sun and Stars whose qualifying with the Soul brings many Diseases into the Essences as the Plague c. and at last Death The Extracts of the rest of this Excellent Chapter I forbear contenting my self with what hath been done in the Aurora c. on that subject CHAP. XVI Of the Mind Understanding Senses Thoughts Threefold Spirit Tincture Inclination of a Child in the Womb of the Divine Hellish and Earthy Image c. 1. THE Mind standeth in three Kingdoms The first is Eternal the second is Eternally generated the third transitory If the first generateth not the second it goeth into the Abyss The Gate of the second goeth into Paradise 2. So can our Mind being a sparkle breathed in from the Eternal Mind speculate things remote from the Senses and penetrate Wood Stone Bone and Marrow without rending the dark Bodies The third Kingdom that of the Sun Stars and Elements wrestle with the first Kingdom yield themselves to it as to their Father 3. The second standeth between these two Regions from the Rays whereof spring the Gates of the Senses filling all with joy The Tincture whereof causeth all Vegetation And in Animals especially in Man the Blood of the Heart in which the Soul Swimmeth is incomparably sweet therefore God forbiddeth eating Blood for the Bestial Life ought not to be in Man lest the Spirit be infected by it 4. The Consteliations make not a Child an Image of God but at highest a lusty subtle pleasant Beast In some the Image of a dangerous evil Beast in others of a tame merry â—east according as the Constellations stood at the Incarnation and Birth of the Child 5. The first Principle saith Go forth in stern might The second in Love and Wisdom The third in sustaining and adorning the Body to which the Soul obeys of these three his Servant he is 6. If thou desirest the second Birth know thou art here in Prison call to him that hath the Key of the Gate of the Deep and thou wilt break through as the day breaketh and find the chast Virgin waiting for thee who is ever warning thee of evil Whom if thou follow despising the good and evil of the World she will joyfully conduct thy wandered Soul into its true Native Countrey CHAP. XVII Of the Lamentable Fall of Adam and Eve in Paradise 1. ADam stood forty days before his sleep in an Angelical Image yet had a Body out of the one Element out of the which one Element issued also the four Elements and of the Quintessence of the four are the Stars and are as the Husband and the four Elements the Wife The Heart of both is the one Element and of the Essence and Vertue of that one Element is Paradise 2. Adam had the Eternal Essences of the first Principle behind him The Divine Light of the second Principle before him both were as Fire and Light The outward World of Stars and four Elements under him and were impotent as to him his Breath was that of the Holy Ghost Paradisical 3. As long as he set his Heart on the Heart of God the other two Kingdoms as to their divided properties were hidden But in his reflecting on the great hidden
flaming Iron which emitteth two Spirits viz. a hot one able to awaken another Fire from its own Centre and another an airy one which though it hath all powers of the Fire yet not the Tincture of the Fire but only the Spirit of the Fire a faint Life for in the Eternity is no Death Hence is it that Life must proceed only from the Seed of the Male Tincture in the Matrix of the Female 9. Every Creature Inanimate Sensitive c. is formed according to the Tincture in the Spirit of the Species of them as may be found by the order of the several days of the Creation for on the first day God Created the Material Water which hath an impotent Life and is a Bar to the Devils Anger Fire And when God said let there be Light the Light of the Tincture opened it self which God separated from the darkness viz. shut up the fierce Fire Lucifer kindled which originateth in the darkness and let the Qintessence burn in the fat of the Water Spirit as doth the Fire of the Life in a Beast 10. The Tincture is in the Blood the Life burneth in the Tincture and God keeps the Centre of the Fire in the darkness and so every Life is in his own hand for if he let the Fire into the Tincture the Spirit is in the Hellish Fire The Tincture was divided into a Fire Life and Light Life the Fire Life was to be a Firmament between the Holy Meekness the Heart of God and the weak Air between both which God dwelleth The Fire Spirit of the Tincture hath Eternity for its Root the Air Spirit hath the awakened substantiality ruling the outward Life of Beasts Trees c. having a weak Tincture 11. Thus see we Life standeth in Fire and Air also the Original of Blood such Creatures that have it are more noble than those that have it not for such have a false Tincture proceeded from the will of the Devil as is seen in Vipers and other Venemous Reptils for such lothsom ugly Bodies are figur'd in Hell not from the divided Tincture but from the fierce dark Spiritual substance 12. When the Water covering the Created Earth was separated and the Earth dry the collected Water was call'd Sea signifying in the Language of Nature a covering in reproach to the Devil whose power was drown'd By the Water above the Firmament separated from that below is meant the Blood wherein is the Tincture of Living Creatures and that beneath is the Elementary Water in which two consist two Kingdoms 1. The Soul in the Blood in the Tincture and because the Tincture is from Eternity therefore must the figures remain in Eternity And 2. The Air Spirit in the Water which is corruptible for it had a beginning 13. After the Earth and Elements were formed the fiery Tincture was as a shining Light then God suffered the Centre of Nature to open with its proper will out of the Essences and the whole Principle became but one Body whereof the Sun was the Heart and the six other Planets the Spirits at the Centre of the Heart the other Stars are its Essences all just as the Deity hath been from Eternity whence came a true Life Reason Sences and Understanding yet a Bestial one and Spirit of the Air manifesting God in a figurative form which this world sheweth if we consider the Centre and thence go on in the Light of the Majesty to the number three The Discourse and Figure of the Planets and Signs from the 63d v. to the end of this Chapter being it self Summary is recommended to be perused entirely as the Author left it CHAP. X. Of the Creation of every Being and how Man may find himself and all Mysteries to and only to the ninth Number 1. TO seek the Mysteries of Nature in the Stars and Elements is vain neither Luna nor Mercury will lead you to Sol but if you take the Spirit of the Tincture following of which to Sol some have been laid hold on by the Spirit of the Heavenly Tincture and been brought into the liberty of the Majesty where they have known the noble Stone and stood amazed at Mans blindness 2. The number is but three stay at the Cross or ten but nine is only attainable then take Saturn as a Male and Fire-Tincture and Luna as the Female and Air Spirit go thus gradually in the Wheel to Sol go then on through the Suns Fire and being through it lay hold by means of the Tincture on the Eternity which is the ninth number bring that on the Cross which is the tenth the very end of nature here handle the Stone it is Fire-proof free from the Wrath and Out-birth its splendor is in the Majesty its Body out of the Eternal Substantiality 3. If now the seeker willeth the splendor of this world let him go from the inward into the outward Luna which break into a thousand parts giving it such proportion of Sol as its hunger desireth and it is made bright and perfect but we ought justly to rest satisfied in the tenth number for this world is but dross and dung therefore Christ saith Seek first the Kingdom of God and all other things shall be added All lyeth in the willing for the will maketh the desire the outward will must enter into the inward and deny it self as if it were dead to the outward because Adam turning his will to the outward caus'd him to die to the inward but if we turn back into the inward we see God and the Eternity and are the Similitude of what God is and are as we were Created 4. It is more easie to the inward Man in the Divine Will to see the ground of the Creation of this world than for the outward to know what the Sences inform To create is to comprehend what is first figur'd in the will as doth a Builder frame in his will a Model of what he is to Erect In the Creation the six Properties stand in every quadrat of the Circle of Time which divides the Day into Morning Noon Evening and Midnight 5. On the fifth day the Fiat opened the Matrixes of all Similitudes and the Wrath Kingdom pressed hard to be imaged with it when were produced all Fowls and Fishes then also all sorts of Spirits of the Fire Air Water and Earth went forth so that the whole deep even to the Constellations is nothing but a Life and stirring of Spirits The Devils place is in the darkest towards the Constellations and so poor a Creature is he as not to touch any of the seven Governments 6. The describing the order of Powers cannot be sufficiently seen by the orderly Wheel of the Magi nor can it be written for Reason to penetrate being more subtle going inwards towards the Sun that is upwards downwards and side-ways towards the meek substantiality but the Spirit of the Soul if it look with its own Eye into the inward and with the Eye of
from within as when Christ raised Lazarus by a power from within from the Centre of the Soul as so also shall we be raised at last for the Word with the three Principles dwells in us And all Souls are as it were one Soul being all propagated of one Soul therefore will they all hear the Voice of the Human Soul of Christ and arise with their Bodies 5. So when we pray it is not to a God afar off for God heareth in the Centre of the Soul of the repenting sinner pressing out of the anguish of the first Principle and out of the Spirit of this World into the holy second Principle which is also in the Soul for when we pray aright the Word which became Man having the Holy Ghost in it goeth from the Father and meeteth the pouring out Soul for the Body is not worthy but the new Body of the flesh of Christ when the Soul attains it is the Temple of the Holy Ghost Then comes the Soul to God as the Prodigal Son with an humble submissive obedient Will from the Swine He knocks at his evil heart and breaks open the doors and the Father saith This my Son was lost and is found was dead and is alive The latter part of this Chapter is not extracted being a brief Exposition of the Lord's Prayer according to the Language of Nature which is little known CHAP. XVII Concerning God's Blessing in this World 1. THE Soul finds it self in such an Earthy Garment causing shame and is so choaked by the Devils smoky Pit which represents God a cruel severe Judge that stands at a catch to damn it or decreed its eternal perdition before the present World was that the Soul must needs be under total despair or great doubt at least of falling short of the Light of God for such is the Effect of shame and guilt Therefore the Soul by this misunderstanding starts back seeking some satisfaction from the Spirit of this World and support for the outward Life only or chiefly to be had by its own distrustfâ—â—â—arking and toiling in his own contrivances and subtle reason a consequent of the Curse whence so many potent delusions spring for he thus falls home to the Earthy Life for meat clothing and habitation 2. And this is contrary to the Life Man should have led for as God dwelleth in the Earth yet the Earth apprehendeth him not so Man should with the Soul have eaten the Divine Word of God's Love tho' the Body had been of the Matrix of the Earth yet not captivated in it but eating of the Blessing of God The Body was taken out of the Centre of the Fire and Waters Tincture the Soul out of the second Principle why then should the Body captivate the Soul 3. The Outward Life consists in three parts one in the dominion of the Stars another in the one Element divided into four and the other the dominion of God So that the Man who trusteth in God and not in his Reason the Spirit of God is with him blessing what he is hath and doth For seeing the Soul hath the Body of God how can God's Spirit forsake the outward Body which must open its Wonders God wants none and all are alike profitable to him the politick and the weak for with the outwardly wise he ruleth and with the outwardly simple he tilleth buildeth c. and this Worlds outward Spirit gives degrees to men here so according as the Soul is indued with Divine Power such are the degrees in Heaven yet all in one Love but God's Children are in this and that World as Good Herbs and sweet Flowers which yield their several Vertues in harmony to the Apothecary and the wicked are as poisonous Weeds Thorns and Thistles who separate themselves and their Off-spring into an evil Self-will and Property 4. Covetousness is madness driving Man Devil like to Torment others about a handful of Earth or a Stone of which the World hath enough and plague himself to get the Good of that he must speedily leave and the gnawing guilt which will never leave him This Man still runneth after that Care and Sorrow which runneth after him whereas every one if content hath a sufficient Portion from the Spirit of this World and of Care and Sorrow also as saith the Lord Sufficient for the day is the Evil thereof But Man's mad Will is all to advance Pride whereas the Kingdom of God is Love and Humility and if Man suffers not himself to be captivated Heaven and Earth is his by God's free Donation so not only Heaven but the Sun Stars Elements Earth Sea and all is Man's by Natural Propriety To trust therefore in God is to build sure in Heaven and Earth CHAP. XVIII Of Death and Dying How Man is when he Dieth and how it is with him in Death 1. THE Life consisteth in three Parts 1. The Inward which is God's Eternal hidden Mystery in the Fire whence Life existeth 2. The Middle or Eternal Image of God wherein God seeth himself as a Man doth himself in a Glass 3. The Spirit of the great World which this Eternal Image got in the Creation as a Glass to see it self in so the out-principle figures the inward and the inward Image hath so gazed on the outward as that it hath received the outward which must break off again which because it is bound to the Eternal Centre of Nature therefore is the breaking in Death so very painful 2. The outward consisteth in the Sun's Tincture and its Dominion are the Planets and Stars each of which still drive on to its Limits and when it comes again to its place where it stood in the Creation all whereof it was Lord ceaseth for there it commenceth a new Age whence many a young Child in the Womb dieth for its Lord is at its Period And to hit the Point of our limited End it is required to know exactly the Number and Period of the Sign which is our Leader 3. How hardly can the Living Man express how it is with one that is Dead which himself hath not experimented A Dead Man's sence is ceased with extinguishing his Fire his Elementary Spirit evaporateth his Blood and Water pass into Water and Earth also therewith his Essences thus his Beginning finds End But because the corruptible hath an Eternal Root therefore the Eternal worketh in the Fragile and because the outward Imageth the Eternal it should bring its Wonders and Similitudes into the Eternal whence it is originated 4. The Souls Will worketh in the Centre or Eternal Root the Astral Spirit works in the Body adhering so to the Soul that the Soul often lusteth to do what the Starry Spirit doth and such Souls who get no higher fall into Covetousness Pride Envy and Anger whence if they convert not in those very works must the Soul Eternally dwell doing the Devils Will hating God loving Folly which was here and is there their only Treasure but only in the
eat and drink unworthily they eat and drink what is common to those that have not Eternal Life and but eat and drink the Elements only or what more is at most but Imagination grounded on and extended no farther than on the History Never the more enabled to enter into the Sufferings Dying and New Life of Christ. CHAP. XXIII Man's mistaken way towards a supposed Happiness 1. THE State of the Children of Adam is the same with Those Bebold I will hedge up thy ways with Thorns and wall a Wall that she shall not find her paths and she shall follow after her Lovers but she shall not overtake them and she shall seek them but shall not find them Then shall she say I will go and return to my first Husband for then it was better with me than now And God proceeds against the Apostate Adulteress to the end of v. 13. but in v. 14. and to the end of the Chapter returns her to him c. 2. Wise men in every Generation have sought in the Treasures of the Creation for Real Happiness and Rest And after they have div'd into the deep ransackt the many Mysteries obvious to Artists collected the scattered parcels of Felicity dispersed in the Earth pierced the Bowels of Nature as well Astral as Elementary Anatomised the Creatures and sum'd up their Totals Yet still could not overtake their Lovers but their way was wall'd up and some of them found theirs heâ—â—ed up perhaps with Thorns Many have sought the Living among the Dead every Creature eath told them it is not in Me. So their quest resulted in Dissatisfaction 3. Wise mens increase of Wisdom hath been the increase of Sorrow in which they lay down in the Grave forgetting and being forgotten their Thoughts perishing they left sad Memento's of the Vanity of every thing Those of them only have been truly Wise whom God hath led beyond their own into his School of the Love of Purity and Holiness as Job's three Friends Hermes and others such seem to be 4. For since the World by Wisdom knew not God those only were Truly Wise and still are who ceasing from things Visible are guided to things Eternal 5. Our Lesson is as to the Wisdom of This World to become Fools and as such to crucifie our Wills to the Lusts of the Eye Lusts of the Flesh and Pride of Life and as little Children who Will nothing but the supply of Necessities and do without Contract Bargain or Regret what the Father bids His Will is their Principle And as a reward of their Resigned Obedience they know no perplexing Cares forecasting Fears crafty Excuses Dissimulation Malice c. but have a calm Serene Face a Peaceable contented Mind a câ—earful Innocent Behaviour while awake and when they lie down fall sweetly aslâ—ep CHAP. XXIV The Lord's way home for Man to follow 1. BUT Man hath travelled with the Prodigal from This White State To him straying will he suffer one that heartily wisheth the good of Souls to say Stand still and consider if a Good End be better than a Bad a Good Way must be better than an Evil for the Evil Way tends to a Bad End 2. And to shew whether his way be not bad let him look narrowly heedfully and impartially into his own Heart and Inclination where he shall find a Body of Self-Love coveting to get All which comes from the first Form the Aâ—tringency 3. Next He shall find an eager Desire to be Exalted and Great above others which Pride cometh from the second Form of Nature the Attraction or Constringency 4. Next He shall perceive a contemning despising and envying of others That he thinks he exceeds in Worth and they him in Fortune or the like which he fretteth at This proceeds from the third Form of Nature the Anguish 5. And then he shall find violent Anger Rage and Fury when crost or curb'd by any one which cometh of the fourth Form of Nature the Fire 6. And under these four Heads Troops of Sins Appendixes to these which well consider'd may make him much rather than blessed Paul cry out Oâ— wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death He may now see how Evil in themselves these Disorders and hellish Principles are and how Evil to him how Dangerous to erect a Government in his private particular Soul opposite to the One entire gracious universal omnipotent Will and Government 7. When thus the Light of Jesus Christ ariseth it both sheweth the Malady and the Cure And this Light is not under a Bushel but as universal yet not seen by the wilfully Blind as the outward Sun to all Mens outward Senses The voice of Wisdom calls at every Mans Heart and where they listen it teacheth 7. To dye to the tyranny of their own Wills and so be like Children for Mens own Wills compass them about with sparks of their own kindling viz. Common Fire not that of the Altar which leads them in the Dark to lye down in Sorrow for as far as Adam did and we still do introduce our Wills into the third Principle we are like sad Eclipses in Hostility against the Heavenly out-goings 8. The true Divine Light of Jesus Christ where it is followed generateth a warm chearing dear â—ove to the New Man growing out of the Old as in a balance the New is lift up in that degree of Swiftness as the Old sinketh down It springeth out of the Old as a fair Flower out of the dark Earth as it were out of the Grave of the Old 9. This Light of Jesus Christ also so winneth on the Soul that it is resigned to the Guidance of true Wisdom being that of the Universal Holy Will For finding their own to be deceiving and deceived they become to it as Fools for Christ's sake not only content but habitually longing to know nor do nor be any thing but what their crucifyed Lord willeth in them 10. This Light having kill'd the perverted Will wrought Divine Love and Resignation doth betroth the Soul to the Virgin of Modesty and Purity again from whom Adam departed whom the Lord from Heaven the second Adam brought with him by him she was re-espoused to the Humane Nature no more to be Divorced For Man having Travelled by Art into Nature by his own Wisdom like a dark Head steered his own Will to the Designs of a Corrupt Heart and laboured all Night catching nothing wherewith being weary learns to Obey and be as a little Child and then finds rest yet in such degree and proportion as his continuance in Child-like Obedience is more or less Universal and Stedfast 11. Adam lost and we lose the Heavenly Virgin of Purity and Modesty by finding and living to the Lust of the third Principle viz. The seeming Wisdom guiding to obtain the mistaken satiety of Pleasure Profit and Honour by the Elementary palpable Transitory and