Spiritual World which are open in some measure in all the humble Holy Ones but to others tho great Proficients in Knowledge if of Old Adam only I am dumb and these things are idle Speculations they are lockt bolted sealed 3. But to the Children of the Kingdom it is answer'd The Deity united it self to the Humanity in the holy part of the Humanity in every of the three principles that is in the holy Element where his third principle in his Creation stood else could he not have rul'd over the siderial had he not been in their Root for they but Imaged the powers of the holy Element and Eternal Nature or great Mystery 4. We are not to be so ignorant as to suppose the Deity took into union our Bestial part for we see in transmutation of Metals the dross or rust is not affected with the Tincture The regenerate new Man feels while we are present in the Body we are absent from the Lord. 5. The Infinite Deity or Heart of God the second principle of Love createth nothing being himself the end of nature viz. as out of himself for he is the perfect Summit of all yet doth comprehend all penetrate all only the perverse will blindfolds it self 6. But tho' the holy Love principle or Deity createth nothing As neither doth the outward Sun generate any substance out of its own pure Body but furthereth pre-existent Matter Yet because Man had estranged himself both from the holy Element and Virgin of purity who was his Image being the Tincture of the Light as himself was the express Image of the Father therefore did the for ever Blessed Deity to the Eternal Admiration of humane Nature and of the Angelical World Unite himself in the holy Element which is his Heavenly Flesh and Blood and in the Virgin of Wisdom the Spouse of the Soul unto miserable fallen blind distressed Humane Nature 7. Hereby meekening the rage and disorder of the darkned Soul illuminating the unsetled Spirit and Understanding and Tincturing the very Siderial Soul or Astral Spirit or Man Extending also his Abyss of Infinite Grace to the very Elementary Body As Aaron's precious Oyl ran down to the Hem of his Vesture Q. 109. How did Christ become Born of Mary to this World without prejudice to her Virginity How could she after the Birth remain still a Virgin A. 1. This pure Virgin Conception may shew all who are not wilfully blind what Adam's exchange of pure Virgin Love and Modesty for Lust in the divided properties was I refer to the 54. 61 62 63 and 65. Answers studiously shunning recitals of things written in any of them how pertinent soever hereunto 2. The Virginity of Mary remained intire after the Conception and Birth of the Lord 1. For it may be considered that this most admirable condescention was a work begun and perfected by Infinite Divine Love on the one part and holy awe and profound humility on the other more above wanton Lust than do the Coelestial Rays excel the foul Kitchen Fire in purity 3. Obscurely figur'd by some eminently holy Men who were the Children of Old Age such as Isaac and others after long barrenness So was Joseph given to Rachel and others after Wrestling with God by Prayer as Samuel to Hanna And John the Baptist given to Elizabeth who seemed to be proverbially call'd Barren Now in the holy Parents of such the wantonness of Fleshly Lust was withered which in the Virgin Mary had not been excited 4. Let it be considered that the access of Increase of Homogeneous Vertue and Power doth not nor can weaken impair or lessen the vigour of the property it hath as 1. In a House where burns a common Fire the hot Sun and Season makes the heat more ardent tho' that Fire less penetrating and scalding Or 2. Into a Room where burns a blinking Candle or other small Light a Beam of the Sun entring makes the place more lustrous tho' that faint Light less luminous And 3. Pure Water poured into Water somewhat foul makes it not less but more pure 5. Thus the holy Element feeding the Life of Maries regenerated Soul and in the same pure Element the Virgin of Gods Wisdom being the Tincture of the Light and Spouse of Jesus Christ. In the same pure Element with that pure Virginity of Gods Wisdom the Infinite holy second principle the Son of God took for an Eternal propriety the Essences of Maries Humanity and did of all form one Divine and Humane Holy One Holy Thing Holy Child c. And all this could no more detract or impeach her Virginity than the Elixir put into common Wine or Water can debase and debilitate it and decline it towards the disesteem and inefficacy of common cold Water Q. 110. Why did Christ walk or converse Thirty years upon the Earth before he took or entred upon his Office Why did he increase in Age and Favour with God and Man seeing he is God himself and needed no growing or increasing A. 1. Infinite Wisdom saw Thirty years neither more nor less than necessary wherein compleat obedience might actually be rendered by the second Adam to all the parts of the Righteous Law broken by the first and all this before the Lord took his Office 2. For in these Thirty years the ten forms of Fire in the active Life signified by the ten Generations beginning in Sem and ending in Abraham had their peâ—fect work three times because as Man had miserably estranged his Life forms by actual Transgression in every of the three principles So accordingly did the Son of God who was now also the Son of Man graciously travel with his which were our Lifes forms and in and through all the three principles by the several steps of the ten forms of Fire in the active Liâ—e 3. Bringing thereby the first second and third principles which were stray'd from the will of the liberty as the first of the ten was figured by Sem and introduced the Humanity through the desiring anguish and all the rest into the tenth that is into the Holy Flesh and Paradisical or Angelical World figur'd by Abraham 4. Thus Joseph the Type of this Glorious Thirty years wherein were fulfilled all Righteousness endured Bondage and a Series of Sorrow and when he was Thirty years old stood before Pharaoh and was put into Office next unto him 5. David also another Type of this after passing many tiring hardships and almost invincible difficulties and hazards was at the same Age of Thirty years Crowned King This is represented again by David's Thirty Worthies and three more Honourable than the rest figure the years after the Lord took his Office 6. Noah's Ark and Solomon's Temple were each Thirty Cubits high pointing us these Thirty years Now for answer to the second part of the Question why Christ did increase in Age and Favour with God and Man c. 7. This signifies and points out to us his
21 days 17. How mighty their Strength and transcendent their Nature and perfect soever to behold the Most High yet their sweet humble modest Love notwithstanding their sublime Purity is such that they disdain not to serve and dandle such vile wretched Creatures as Man such is the flaming Love they abound with to Christ that they vouchsafe to do for us what sinful abjects even scorn to do for their poor Brethren by constant watching care c. As they did for the Child lost in a Wood for a time in Franconia whom a Snow falling they fed and guided at last homeward The Innocency Chastity and Modesty of Children is that why Angels delight them and no marvel seeing the Lord of Angels gave a little Child as a Pattern of Humility to his Apostles for Children some more eminently have Angelical Sparkles of Paradice in them and before knowing Evil have lively Figures of the Children of the Resurrection 18. And seeing there never was nor can be more than three Universal Principles out of some or all of them must all things originate immediately or mediately 19. Whence 't is plain that Angels and Man's Spirit are of one substance even as the Fire in the luminous Globes is the same with that which being sunk down by the Separator is confined in the Bowels of the Earth for generating of Metals c. 20. The Angels are so near of kin to us that they appear in Human Form And tho' they are not Almighty but depend for Eternal Subsistence and Food from God's Infinite Store yet are they far above all Human Might and Power 21. 1. Because they are not at all detained from action by their own Bodies 22. 2. Because they can have no Resistance from any Elementary Bodies simple or compound in exercise of any of their proper Powers and Offices The Terrestrial Globe hinders not their seeing a Pin's point were it in the Centre of it 23. 3. Because they dwelling in Eternity need not time whence it is that tho' they are but in one place at once yet can instantly be in another not so slowly as Light or Lightening for that needs some time to pass from East to West for altho ' perhaps it hath no detention from its own gravity yet is subjected to some resistance by interposing Atoms and space or distance 24. Their Expedition is otherwise than our Thoughts for our Thoughts being reposed require time to dissipate obstructions immuring them and collect Requisites having first been informed by the Affections or Senses but these sublime Agents being above all such inferior Laws can instantly effect what time must measure it self out to us to think 25. Thus was it an Angel slew in one night 18 5000 of Sennacherib's Army as before all the first-born of all the Land of Egypt passing by all where the Blood was on the Lintel 26. 4. Because of their Noble Transcendent Nature perfectly fixt in them Their Saturnine Property is not their burthen but their most strong Compaction and so of the other Properties Yet how perfectly soever they are honoured with the Majestick Names they admit more as by adventitious occurrents not unfitly call'd Improved and Acquired Experience of the works of Infinite Grace Mercy and Bounty of God to Apostate Penitent Converts at which they rejoyce 27. Angels have the Senses of Seeing Touching Hearing c. yet without Organs whence they are affected with Delight and Dislike Earnest Desire Joy Grief Pleasure and Pain Their Understanding is vast and perfect for they penetrate all Creatures of their Principle Simple or Compound as far at least as their Principle is an Ingredient which yet is bounded by the adverse Principle for the Holy Angels are as Children to the Sinful Tricks of the impure separate World as are the Evil ones to them The infinite God only comprehends all Things as one and all Time and Eternity as present But the Good Angels see not things above them in their own very Principle for they desire to look or pry into the Mystery of the Incarnation by which lost Mankind are found Q. 20. Out of what is the Visible World Created seeing the Scripture saith God made all things by his Word how is the same to be understood A. 1. First By way of Simile A Wheat Corn is sowed there is produced a Blade Ear Husk or Chaff The Ear Straw and Chaff as an Appurtenance to the Corn or an Accident is likened to the Visible World the Grain of Corn to the fixed Harmony produced into Existence by the Power of the Seven Fountain Spirits The Spirit of the Grain to the Quintessence and the Quintessence is the one Element having in it the Mystery and vertue of the Four Elements and the Power of the Holy World and God himself is likened to the Husbandman 2. Thus as the Son is the Infinite Majesty Light and Speaking Word Express Image of the Father and as the Holy Ghost is the Infinite Breath of Father and Son So is the Holy Spiritual World the Image of the Father Son and Holy Ghost in the Heavenly Powers Vertues Colours and infinite Variety and Harmony of it And as the Paradisical Principle is the Image of God's Holiness and the dark Abyss the Image of God's Potence so is the Out-birth the Image of the two Spiritual Worlds in the Good and Evil Properties whereof it is Composed And the Varieties therein Image the Varieties of the Eternal Mansions and these Creatures all those Eternal Creatures of all Kinds 3. Another Simile may be the enkindling of a common Fire the hunger whereof attracts the Circumambient Air for Nourishment yet the Fiâ—e remains an hungry fierceness still the Air by way of Supplement to the vacuity endeavoured by the Fire becomes it self enkindled into a Radiant Flame the operation whereof is various first at nearest distance are hot active Productions also luminous active Productions Secondly At greater remove are other less fiery and luminous yet excellent Productions of both Kinds viz. with the Temperament of Fire and Light 3. At the most remote Extream bounding the stream of the Fires spherical activity are produced sluggish dark cold glâ—â—inous Passive rather than Active Bodies 4. The first Production of the Fire shews us the two Spiritual Worlds of Fire and Light The second the Angelical World in which are the Souls and Spirits of Mankind 5. The third the Out-birth consisting of the visible Heavens and this poor sorry Ball of Earth and Waters 6. Over this Out-birth of the third Principle Man should have continued Ruler and have subsisted in his Divine Principle but falling into it became much a Bâ—â—it into the sluggish cold passive Principle as to his Body and entred into the dark Principle with his Soul and Spirit 7. Out of which the infinite Grace of the Almighty Saviour by dying Himself to the third Principle taught us so to do redeemed the Body and by bringing in the Righteousness of Perfect Obedience teacheth us to die
all those whose Immortal Souls derived them from Human Generation are Enlightned by Jesus Christ he stirs up and makes to grow the seed hidden in them shewing them how to dye to the Old Man the Will of the four Forms or Properties and are New Born by the blowing up of the Light Meek Holy Powers all such are established in Divine willing working and persevering And in all such Persons the starry Spirits are serviceable Agents kept under due Order and Discipline and being kept so are of excellent Profit and Advantage to the helping on the Soul like a Ship to her Haven 17. The Starry Spirit is in this Man like the Waters which sometimes have cross Currents the Elementary Body is the Ship the Soul the Merchandize the Word or Lord Jesus the Helms-man the Spirit of Grace the Gale Now though the Starry Properties are often cross Tides oppposite Streams to the hindrance of the Voyage so violent as carry with them all untackl'd Ships who like dead Fishes are precipitated with the Stream yet the regenerated will finds such a steady Pilot for his Guide and such vigorous Gales from above that the Ship against its own Nature wasteth the Merchandize through over and against the thwarting Streams to its longed for Haven By all which we see to what Profit the Stars were Created the thing proposed Q. 25. What is the Ground of the Temporal Nature Light and of the Darkness from whence doth the same arise or out of what did they Exist A. 1. The Temporal Light and Darkness are the manifest Figures of the Eternal second and first Principles As the desire of Rest moves Men to Motion So the longing after the Light agitates the Eternal Matrix of the first Principle to a constant employing the four Properties of it that they may enter into the Light whereby they become known which else would be an Eternal stilness 2. Thus a violent suffocating rubbing or breaking causeth an extending in some Bodies an impressing in others a discontinuance of Parts in others and extracts Heat Fire and the vertue of Light out of cold moist and compacted Bodies to this is referred the vertue of the Usnea on the Skulls of strangled Persons 3. For the Contracting Property interrupted by the Attracting depresseth to Anguish and those three sharpen themselves into a fourth viz. Fire yet not one nor all of these are known to themselves but remain Captive in gross Darkness till the Light be enkindled in them As a Man having all the Properties Proportions and Forms of other Men is still unknown to himself if he hath no Understanding for wanting the Light and Knowledge he is below the Wit Craft Memory and Docility of many Beasts Birds c. 4. And yet is worse if at rest in that dark State Whereas the noble Faculties irradiated by the Light makes Man though naked rule over the Bruits whom Nature hath arm'd with defensive Hides Scales Hoofs also offensive Horns Teeth Tallons c. 5. Now whence the Temporal Light ariseth is evident to come from the Eternal Light as the Temporal dark Matrix deriveth from the Eternal dark Matrix Yet though in the Temporal Matrix Mystery or Chaos was potentially all Properties but without Ability of stirring up it self into a flaming Lustre till the Divine Power or fiat call'd up the Light as Jesus did Lazarus for till then it was lock'd up as fire in a Flint green Sticks or wet Hay not touching each other 6. Nor could the â—ight till severed from the Darkness officiate to attenuate and form the crude Matter to be fruitful but was as Fire under Ashes inoperative unactive Wherefore the Light was severed that it might as force United is be most Powerful Yet when it was severed and collected by enkindling the place of the Sun and Orbs of the Stars it was no otherwise withdrawn than as a Conquering Prince having added some Province to his Empire on his retiring leaves such part of his Army as may cause continually due Execution of his Pleasure 7. So the Sun and Stars have no other entire Separation than consisteth with the leaving a competent Portion of their Vertue every where to effect by Conjunction all needful Operations It is left in every of the Elements as we see also the Elements have among themselves a mutual Commixture of each others Property and all as hath been said of them some Proportion of the Vertue of the Light the Hellish Part and Principle only excepted Q. 26. What is the Heaven created out of the midst of the Water And what is the Separation of the Water above the Firmament from the Water underneath the Firmament A. To answer this it is necessary to distinguish what is meant by the Above the Midst and Underneath for a Firmament is fixt in the midst between the Waters Above and those Underneath If Above were meant above the Middle Region or Stars then Beneath may be on or in the Earth and the Midst must be a space or local distance 1. But First God is every where Heaven is also in the World though this World be not in Heaven the Above and Beneath therefore must be otherwise understood than locally 2. Where an Hour-glass is measuring of Time Eternity is also in every Minute of it yet is so Above as Incomprehensible to Time 3. The New Man is Above yet so with and in the Old as to Rule and Act it and so divided from the Old as to be Incomprehensible to it 4. We find a Water call'd Living Water which who Drinks it shall be in him a Well of Water springing up to Eternal Life This is also the Water of Regeneration Except ye be born of Water c. These Waters none doubts are those Above yet must be Drunk where the Divine Life is being the true Eternal Life and of such as shall be cleansed 5. There is a Divine Love and there is an outward Love or Lust They are one from Above the other Beneath yet not sever'd by place but by a fixt Firmamament Gulph or Principle And if they were as like each other as true and false Light or as Tin and Silver yet coming of different Properties are uncompoundable as Silver and Tin incorporate and Sowder not 6. Thus the Waters which are Above the Firmament are Holy Pure Heavenly those Underneath are our Mortal Waters wherein is the Wrath yet wherein also may the Holy Waters which are Above penetrate as Heaven doth this World for the outward Water cannot Subsist and Unite with it or Comprehend it as neither can this World be in Unite with or Comprehend the Holy Heaven Therefore how near soever the inward or outward Waters are one to the other they are immoveably sundered till the Judgment of God burn off the Curse at the time of the Separation 8. And the Holy Heaven may as well be said to be Created and Creating out of those Living Waters as the outward Heaven to have been Created out
improperly may be called an Immortal Death being a Death to the Glorious second Holy light Principle 3. The Soul is taken sometimes for the two first Principles I saw the Souls of them who had been slain c. for here the third Principle was asleep Sometimes it 's taken for the whole Man If thou wilt make thy Soul an Offering for Sin c. The Lord Jesus offered up all the three Principles meant here by his Soul and as was shadow'd by the whole burnt Sacrifice But in this Question Soul is restrained only to the first Principle because other Questions particularly reach the other two The above brief Answer may here suffice because Jacob Behmen so largely resolveth it in the Answer of the first of the Forty Questions of the Soul Q. 40. What is the Immortal Life in Man viz. the Soul and what is the outward Life in him A. 1. The Principle of Man's Immortal Life is what the Answer of the last foregoing Question renders it that is a Life sprung from the wrestling of the first four Forms of the first Principle They generate a strong stern eager sting prickle poison Life or bitter Root which as doth the Gall in living Bodies strikes up or enkindles Life 2. This being rooted in the Eternal Beginning or from the Eternal Abyss of the Father's Property can never find End or limit of Race But Either is according to the Fountain and Essence of its own Nature dark raging and fierce for ever or in the Holy Principle of Love in the Light World happy for ever 3. It must now be told what the outward Life of this World in Man is and must be sadly acknowledged to be Earthy and Sensual here is the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and Pride of Life So that it may be said Shut the â—ive Windows that our House may be truly Light within 4. The Beasts live as Man doth having all the five Senses as he in some of them more sharp also some of them extend the Thread of their time to greater Measure are generally more exempt from Sickness wholly Privileged from careful Perturbations in good Measure without fear of future Events or Sorrow c. 5. So that Mans outward Life or third Principle as now it is from first to last renders him of all Creatures the most Miserable And his restless striving to satiate the Lusts of this Worlds Spirit by Wealth Greatness c. is an additional Sorrow and Vexation which some of the Ancients skilfully mitigated by wise Moderation and Contentation 6. Who sees not how much more grievous this Pilgrimage and Travel is to Man than to any other Creature Because his Creator made him for the Excellent Holy Sweet Paradisical Life Even as Hell is most intolerable to Evil Angels and lost Men who were created to be Inhabitants of Heaven whereas it is no Wo to those horrible Creatures that figure the fierceness of the Properties for that is their Life 7. Yet it is true the poor Brute Animals groan under the Curse Man subjected them to for they should have been harmless Figures of the Astral and Elementary Powers 8. To conclude the Answer of this Question let it be seriously considered That if Man will think to feed his Immortal Principle with Mortal Food viz. his Soul with this third Principle he doth as a cruel Murtheress who to still her unhappy Nurse-Child instead of Food amuses its Eyes with Objects and its Ears with Sounds and answers its hungry Laments with louder Noises till she hath forced it to sleep who so pines and destroys it 9. But the Love of God in Jesus Christ is the true real Food of the Soul it is true not like Shews and Sounds which are delusive also real and substantial not a Shadow which every thing here else is as to the Soul This Love as Food generateth its like in the Soul and strengthensit This Love as Physick Purgeth out all other Love and it reigneth and remaineth for ever Q. 41. What is the Idea or exact express reflex Image of God in Man wherein God worketh and dwelleth A. If a Volume were written to Answer this Question as well might be by reason of the Excellency and Importance of the Subject yet still it would be as under Locks and Seals from the fallen Adam until he enter into the Knowledge at the right Door of that he lost by his Fall 1. The Doctrine of the Resurrection was call'd Babling by the studious Athenians for Man is dead to the Holy Divine Image and in all who so abide the outward Astral Spirit and Elementary Body is the only Bridle of Suspension and Mitigation of the hellish Image or dark Principle 2. But had Man no more he were in no better state than the brute Beasts for in the Astral and Elementary they are in common with Man and in the dark Principle he is one with the Evil Angels 3. Yet so exceeding Great and Adorable was God's Grace Love and Pity that the same Grace was like a Seed inspoken into him at the Fall which in all by whom Obedience is yielded beareth Fruit to Eternal Life but it lyes as Dead in such who bury it under the Dominion of the Astral Spirit or that choak it under the Thorns of the Elementary Body 4. And all Impenitent Rejecters of God's regenerating Grace how subtle and studiously penetrating soever have no part nor lot in this Matter but are absolute Strangers guided by an unreasonable Model of Humane Reason resulting from the Information of the Sences twisted with the Maxims of Serpentine Wisdom 5. Nevertheless the Poor in Spirit that dyeth to its own Will and Lusts hath lively Characters of the Idea of the Divine Image and Birth for such a dying enters the Soul into the first Resurrection 6. God's Image is not in the Earthquakes of the first Principle nor in the Lightning and Thunders of the third Principle but most nearly in the small still voice of the Proclaiming his Gracious Merciful Long suffering Name for that is the second Holy Principle 7. And this speaking Almighty Word cannot be more than stammer'd by words no more than Omnipotence can be comprehended by Concrets With what Eye can a Sinner behold the unexpressible loveliness of That ravishing Face where dwells That Majesty which is the Express Image of the Father and before whom the Angels cover their Faces I must say when a drop of that Ocean of Love and Mercy blesseth my Soul I melt I stammer I am astonished Lord what is Man 8. God's exact Image consisteth of all the three Principles The first and third in perfect Order being thorowly illustrated by the second The mighty longing of the first like a Hunger produceth or begetteth the meek Will and glorious Majestick Principle of Light according to which God is called God And of the longing and will proceedeth the desiring which is a Love-spirit producing Millions and Miriads to Infinity of Variety
is still greater if it perpetrate the purpos'd Evil 't is heavier yet 6. If it extend to many of the True Worshippers or if it could to all it is become the Blackness of Darkness drawing on themselves all the righteous blood-shed from Abel to the day of doing or willing the Evil. 7. What need much be said the Hunter or Persecutor is known for tho' the Goatish Creature may undiscerned associate among the Sheep till the Judgment of the great day yet the Wolf is notoriously distinguisht from the Lord's Flock of Lambs 8. They are the figure of the Christian and Antichristian Churches to the end of time Also here to the considering mind it is evident that cruel Persecutions rise not but from the strong stern lofty bitter Forms of the first Principle who are so cruel each to other in an Intestine Wrath that it is exceedingly more facil for the Sons of the Humble Light Principle sweetly to yield up themselves a Sacrifice than for the Evil Ones to perpetrate it and still or quiet their own clamorous Consciences in and after the fact but such bitter persecuting Spirit existeth not in nor resulteth from the third Principle or due Natural Magistracy Q 81. In what Grace was the first World saved without the Law What was their Justification A. 1. Tho' the 75th Answer contributes much to the solution of this Question yet the more plain full and direct Answer of this is That the Lord Jesus Christ the Eternal Almighty Son of the Father was and is and is to come the only alone Redeemer Justifier and Saviour by him for him are all things to whom all Knees shall bow and all Tongues confess him by uniting the Heavenly Humanity to the Seed of the Woman 2. In the Volume of the Book it is written of Him He is in His own holy Principle in the Light of the Life or Heart of every Man that cometh into the World He cannot be comprehended by space for all Heavens are comprehended by Him He is a Branch in the Infinite second Principle whence is the Divine Virgin of Wisdom 3. He was inspoken by the Father into Adam and Eve at That needful Time as a Refiners Fire or as the Holy Fire which descended and transmuted the material Sacrifices or as a Tincture ennobleth Metals He is to the Soul as it is to the Body to the Understanding as the Light of the outward World to the Eye to the Deadness of the Soul the Animation Food to its Hunger an Appeaser to its Tumults reducing her of meer Grace from the Multiplicity to the Unity such was He to the Old World and in the fulness of Time the Divine Wisdom and Purity assumed the Woman's Seed 4. For at the instant of the Father's inspeaking Christ did re-implant Himself in the Light of the Life of Adam's and Eve's Souls to dispossess the Strong Man and through all Generations doth stand in the Door of the Heart of every Child of theirs none excepted reproving Sin warning of the Judgment to come and Preaching Salvation This is the Light shining in a Dark place the name of This is Infinite Love and it is also the Word of Reconciliation To Him give all the Prophets witness and also all the Holy Ones which have been since the World began 5. Here are no Novelties nor in any of the blessed Jacob Behmens Writings may such be found But whereas men have dark confused notions of God like those of Athens dedicating their Altar to the unknown God of Him therefore whom men ignorantly worship do Jacob Behmens Writings give a clear certain demonstrable and distinct knowledge and of all things and Worlds also of all Creatures from the most holy Angelical Princes of Eternity to the most despicable excrescence of Time Q. 82. Was Cain condemned for his sins Or whether did Cain become damned in respect of his sins What was his doubt or despair of Grace A. 1. The heinousness of his sin appears 1. That Abel provoke't him not who in truth of heart offered but Cain only in shew the one really did what the other only pretended to do Aggravation that on fall of his Countenance and rising of his Wrath the Lord reprehended and warned him before his perpetrating the fact 3. Aggravation his false and stubborn Answer after he had done it before Sentence I know not Am I my Brother's keeper 4 Aggravation his desperate Answer after Sentence My punishment is greater than I can bear or my sin is greater than can be forgiven 5 Aggravation that he went out from the presence of the Lord to marrying and building So that were there no more in the Text it had left him in a most desperate forlorn state His sin therefore under these Aggravations must of its own Nature and by its own Writ condemn him 2. But Cain is under a twofold consideration one as to his own Person and so he was a Sacrificer a Priest and Worshipper of the True God Nor may it be doubted but that the Offering in it self was well warranted for God's approbation of Abel shews it had Divine Institution yet was Cain a Worshipper with an Evil Heart that is an unresigned Spirit but a Self-will and therefore not accepted 3. Cain is to be considered as a Figure of the Formal Hypocritical Worshippers and of them 1. Such who pretend to worship the True God 2. That in the Outward Form of what they do suit their Worship much according to the Letter 3. That yet are strangers to the Spirit Life and Power of Divine Worshipping 4. That have some Outward Dignity Priority or Authority over the humble resigned Worshippers As Ishmael and Esau had the Primogeniture of Isaac and Jacob. 5. That they have a strong disposition and preparedness to Anger and Envy against the Faithful Worshippers and do make all such Approaches to their hurt as they can As did Balaam and Corah with whom Cain is ranked 6. Such as when they can hurt or kill have so great impenitence as hardens them against Self-accusing and impudence to deny their Evil Facts 4. Now to close the Answer It is true all such Churches or Persons as are figured by Cain are whilst they continue unregenerate seeking to please the Self-will in a lost desperate state under the first four Forms and shut up in the first Principle 5. But forasmuch as God did set a Mark on Cain thereby defending him against the destroyers all this may be without his particular personal condemnation Q. 83. Why did God make a Mark on Cain and said he or whosoever that slayeth Cain his blood shall be avenged sevenfold A. 1. Cain said From thy face shall I be hid also every one that findeth me shall kill me It could not be the Outward Man there meant for that could not be hid from God but the Inward might fall into Darkness and so be as it were hid Noâ— was it the Outward Man that
he feared they that found him should kill him for there was no Man besides him but Adam but it must be the Inward Man that might be kill'd for to That there were Enemies enough 2. The â—ark God set upon Cain must not therefore be understood to be on his skin or flesh but on his Inward Man to withstand the Spiritual Enemies That Mark therefore must be an Opposite Power to that of the Evil Spirits which must be confessed to be the Covenaâ—t of Grace Jesus Christ which was inspoken imprinted and set upon him 3. The Threatning He that slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold must be an Inward Vengeance for Outward it could not be on Inward Enemies but to be understood thus that if any Spirit slay Cain's Inward Life vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold that is Eternally in all his seven Forms of Life 4. Thus Grace was extended to Cain nor may we think Cain was the Only Cause of that Murther for his Propagation in the divided Properties was his first mover and as Cain had Grace extended to him he being the figure of the False Church So is Grace extended by Christ to such of That Church as shall come out of it into the Resignation 5. And Abel's sincere giving up of himself as well as the Offering enkindled the Love-fire in his Lifes Forms who by propagation was otherwise out of the divided Properties but therein he was the Figure of Christ's Humble Church Q. 84. Wherefore said Lamech Cain's Successor to his Wives Zilla and Ada Lamech shall be avenged seventy and seven fold what doth this mean and signifie A. This Mystery prophesied by Lamech calls for these Considerations 1. What he was from Cain viz. 1. The seventh 2. Why to his Wives spake he this viz. because by the Woman came the first Evil and Vengeance And to his two Wives pointing at the divided Properties 2. The next is the thing spoken I have slain or would have slain a man to my wounding or in my wound and a young man to or in my hurt 3. No one is named to have been slain actually but That and the other Reading would have slain signifies an Internal Slaughter And if Cain be avenged seven-fold truly Lamech seventy and seven-fold shews the Vengeance was not against the person of Lamech as it had not been against That of Cain 4. Whence we are to know that the Holy Ghost signifies by the Man or young Man slain or that he would have slain the Heavenly Man against whom Cain was the figure of Eâ—mity 5. And Lamech the seventh from him saw the holy Power World acted by the Mental Tongue or Language of Nature would withdraw and vengeance should be taken by the dividing of the High Tongue into seventy Languages which was done at Babel 6. And under This Hurt and Evil the World still groans But where the Divine Power Rules men speak one Language tho' imperfectly but they who are under subjection of the multiplicity speak Confusion and run into the Abyss of Disorder and Enmity Concerning which I here say the less because it will be met with if God will open in any one understanding to answer the 89th Question Q. 85. What was the greatest sin of the Old World or first Terreâ—tial Human World A. 1. Their greatest sin was their leaving the Divine Substance of the second Principle and going into the Out birth or third Principle which is only a shadow figure image or representer of the Substance whereby they mistook that for their chief food which is not so 2. It is written All that is in the World is the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life and they are charged with the Lust of the Eye and the Lust of the Flesh And after it follows God saw that their wickedness was great on the Earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts or desires and purposes were only evil continually 3. The Heart is the Parent the Thoughts the First-born And as Water is best known by tasting at the Fountain so is the Heart by the Thoughts Imaginations or makings for so signifies the word Imaginations shewing Man's Soul to have a kind of Creating Power 4. And if Man chuseth as they did the things of This World for their Chief Good that his Choice is his God and his Love makes him to be the Propriety of the thing chosen 5. Such men are therefore call'd the Children of This World for that Man rather lives where he loves than where he is And what Man chuseth for his Chief Good loves and lives in his desire unto puts confidence in here during all the Union of the Soul with the Body That is the Substance his Will feeds on and That is his and all he hath for ever 6. If it be God it is heightened and perfected if it be the World it is more wretchedly depraved which being a Substance fixt in his Will the same he shall for ever inâ—atiably desire but never reach and therefore be his Torment and Anguish in Eternity 7. Who hath bewitched men therefore that they chuse not and practise what their Reason cannot but dictate to them as depraved as it is to be best And That is That Divine Love and Eternal Life which Christ in God is more elegible than the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life 8. What cure is there when men depart from God's Goodness God is but one and hath but one Son eternally generated of his Substance and That Son can die but once our resistance of his Calls makes God by Ezekiel say I am broken with their whorish heart which had departed from me and with their Eyes which go a whoring after their Idols Like to what he said to the first World It repeâ—ted the Lord that he made Man and it grieved him at the heart c. Q. 86. What is the Henochian Life What is become of Henoch or where â—â—th Henoch reâ—â—tined so also of Moses and Eâ—â—as A. 1. Not without many haesitations come â— to this almost singular Question Many Recoils from my attempts to adventure speaking of so secret a Mystery My heart meditateth terror to see it self groveling But it must be said the Henochian Life is a Life of Faith for the Holy Ghost saith Henoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found c. And tho' the Administration of the Henochian Life be so rarely found as it is and hath been and that the Writing on it might seem to anticipate and forerun the discovery of it yet for the sake of the Sons of Wisdom to whom only it shall appertain it is answered and let such be directed 2. To consider Christ's Life in the Wilderness who after his abandoning the Food of the divided Properties in the third Principle forty days being in the temperature was then ministred unto by Angels Let it
Name 5. But Lucifer making an harsh jarring Tone and changing his Golden Letters into black of poysonous composition raced himself and his whole Hierarchy out of that fair Record Then did the creating Word speak or incert and interline Man into that part of the Book out of which Lucifer and his Angels had been raced which with the additional skill of Interliners had the Out-principle as an adjunct to him this was the second race of Intellectuals 6. And tho' the skill of the speaking Word were perfect yet as usually it is in Interlinings the obliterated Letters had left some flaws or scratches tho' not in the holy Book yet in the adjunct shadower or cover viz. the Out-birth which being new bound and the lacerated pieces cemented in the cover rested such stains and rents that thereof came the perillous poysonous stinging Animals and Vegetables and Beasts of prey bearing the impressions of the clauses of the dark World 7. Whereinto when Man fell their contagion so affected him that he could not sound a due consonance to the Harmonious Dialect of the Holy Book which as to him became so closed and sealed that he could not read open nor so much as look thereon But as Men Illiterate cannot Spell nor Read so the Language of Nature of the Heavenly Holy World our true Mother Tongue was lost he had no Ears to hear the Angelical Ravishing Voices nor Tongue to utter it till the Fiery Cloven Tongues descended 8. Now come we to the Holy Language it self which if any could speak would not some say this Man is full of new Wine But we may mournfully tell of our Losses easierthan regain them we must say that Language was one and but one For its Nature it is pure for its extent it is comprehensive of all and therefore no wonder all understood it for its power it hath Authoritatively Omnipotence in it actually or executively it hath the Keys of Life and Instruments of Death this Word slew Ananias and Sappâ—ira and freed Tabitha from the Bonds of Death 9. Now as in Mens ordinary Affairs the Reason and Understanding prevail to move the Mind so that after Debate a Will is formed this Will is the Result of all consideration and is the Man the Soul the Spirit the Body the Passions Affections all make one Intire Will and the Magical driving power of all this becomes the Word this Word is the Executive Instrument and not barely the Herauld of the Soul or whole Man It is the Energy and expressed Vigor of all the Powers wherefore it is said By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned for the word is the work and the worker 10. Thus and no otherwise is the Divine Language which the Holy Ghost opened in the Apostles viz. the Result and Law or Abridgment of all the Powers of the hidden Holy World it was the Opener of all Doors the Epitomy of all Openings the understanding of which is offered by this simile 11. The Intricacies of the perverted perplexed confused Tongues in the multiplicity is compared to the Night season when a Man can only see the House or Room that contains him and that not without the aid of Fire or Candle Light where is much shadow many uncertainties some colours not distinguishable And the explicating opening and voice of the holy one Language is compared to the Noon-day which shews every thing at once without Door and within 12. Thus the Divine Word or Language comprehends all opens all Doors therefore was it that all Nations understood them for the unity contains the multiplicity as every Genus doth every of its own Species or as the Element of Fire doth every Spark of Fire This hath the Life of all openings as the Vowels are the Spirit of the whole Alphabet All the sounds Musical or otherwise are contained in three and in seven both Concords and Discords All Voices or Tones expressing the Passions and Affections in the two Extreams of Joy and Sorrow and the Mean of Equiponderating Solemnity of Humane Creatures or others are comprised in the sixth Fountain Spirit or property of the Eternal Nature and must have its efficacy in every formation Q. 147. What doth this shedding forth of the Holy Ghost out of Christs Resurrection and Ascention to Heaven profit or benefit us How may that be also effected in us A. 1. When the Epâ—esians who had been Baptized by John were ask'd Have ye received the Holy Ghost since you be ieved Answer'd We have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost they may not be thought wholly ignorant of the Eternal Existence of the Holy Ghost for all the Holy Men from the Creation were guided by him But that these knew not of this glorious and plentiful Effasion of the Holy Ghost on the whole Assembly 2. And now how the pouring forth of the Holy Ghost profits us is not only that records deliver this to us as once done in them but that the same is vouchsafed more or less Eminently as those sacred Visits are more or less welcom'd by joyful Obedience or grieved by stubborn Resistance For as the precious Ointment going down to the Hem of Aaron's Vesture is not said to be spilt on the Rocks or sterile Earth so neither doth the Holy Spirit always strive with Gaâ—sayeâ—s 3. Again the coming of the Holy Ghost out of Christs Death and Resurrection profits us also that whereas it finds us in as many pieces as there are Properties in Nature and drawn by as many contradictory wills as there are subordinate Species in those Properties figâ—â—'d by the confused Languages at Babel this Holy Spirit unites us as Fire unites all sorts of Fuel into a like Flame 4. Thus it found some of them in one form and extream some in another some Busied with Curiosities others Brutishly Ignorant and Remiss some seeking by fraud or otherwise to establish their particular propriety some making Ambitious Designs their Idol c. The sacred Spirit putting out their several false Fires and Gloworm fictitious Light brought them and willeth to bring us into one Kingdom by one Spirit to mind the same things leads us by one will to be imploy'd in one work for our scatter'd Interests extravagant Desires and private selfish Contrivances must as Rubbish be removed before the Lords House be Erected or as Weeds be eradicated before the good Seeds flourish 5. 'T is true our Humane Powers and the Spirit of the great World in us and the Tincture convey'd us thereby may be used by the Almighty Architect as unhew'd Timber rough stone and other Materials whereof to frame a Building like as the Principles and Properties were extracted out of the first Chaos So may our confusions be consecrated and made conducible to the work of the new Creation which is effected in us by dying of our first wilful desires For by giving up the might of our first principle into the Intellectual
Man at dissolution of the outward Life at one instant and by the same dissolution is it effected and compleated A. What Omnipotence may do is not for vile dust to comprehend for it is written I know thou canst do all things and the Thief on the Cross was a Monument of unsearchable Grace yet by the words of that Thief there seems not only a preparedness but a good degree of Conviction of guilt penitence sence and anguish under it inlightening to know the Lord Jesus Faith to direct and fortifie his petition and a seeing the unseen Kingdom yet so late a Repentance tho' thus manifested is the one only singular president on Record Q. 10. But it may be enquired what the dissolution of the outward Life of its own Nature contributeth hereunto A. It must be acknowledged that it banisheth for ever the outward Objects of our misimployed Affections and yet it followeth not that it takes away the desire gust or lust after them for the breaking of the outward Life or Elementary and Siderial Man or the Obligations and Ligaments of our Souls and Spirits is but as taking away the Skreen and opening to us the two inward Worlds which is as the unraking of Fire and enraging the Souls native forms of the unregenerate which the Astral and Elementary Man had been before the separation a mitigation of the Anguishes of so far is Mans dissolution from contributing to a Foundation or Beginning of the Divine Birth As it may be conceived by noting that tho' a proper Soil and apt Season may shoot a Mustard-seed sown unto a tall large stature Yet the richest Soil concurring Elements liberal Season benign Astral Influences with the Solar Rays uniting transmute not Tares into Wheat Thistles into Fig-trees nor Thorns into Vines 11. But where the Soul like Flax only smoketh with the Holy Fire and the Souls Fire is irradiated with true tho' weak Divine Light rightly directing the Eye of the Mind Causing the Will and Affections to press forward mourning sowing in tears smiting on the Breast in Anguish heaviness and good earnestness the dissolution of such a sincere beginning Pilgrim may be but as plucking up a Thorn Hedge to make the way more accessable disburthening an over-laden Ship the better to secure the whole the alighting from a froward unbroken or tired Horse which will neither carry the Rider nor can be carried by him So unsuitable a Companion doth the Soul begun to be regenerate find his Body with the distrustful cares distracting fears worldly sorrow and hateful pollutions thereof And so adverse are the Maxims of the Sensual Man to those of the New that they are on terms of Hostility so that if we live after the Flesh we shall die but if by the Spirit we mortifie the deeds of the Body we shall live The Body's Vileness is pointed at by that Statute in Moses that the Holy Anointing Oil was not to be poured on Man's Flesh tho' not only both the Altars the Table Laver all the Vessels and Candlesticks but also the very Tabernacle was to be anointed therewith 12. How much are we less provident than the Brutes who know and use their season the Stork the Ant c. and under flattering Hopes of doing all at last neglect all for ever but when Harvest is come begin to sow regardless of what is written To day if you will bear his voice harden not your hearts But besotted lost Man will promise himself that it is enough at death that the Priest can absolve me Others to say I believe Christ hath done all for me or because they acknowledge that all are sinners indulge themselves to be always sinners neglecting the great End of their Creation and of Divine Patience till the Creator is calling them for Accompt of His betrusted Talents as if they would then work out their Salvation when themselves are passive and unable to action and the night come when no man can work Obj. 3. 13. But we are told and that by some who detest the Roman Purgatory that something may be done to compleat the perfection of separate Souls after their separation from the Mortal Body who produce several Texts out of the Old Testament and out of the New also out of the Apocryphal antiquity to point at it or rather expresly to confirm it as out of the Old Deut. 26. 14. Isa. 61. 1. Zech. 9. 11 12. out of the New Matth. 12. 32. 2 Tim. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 3. 19. 1 Pet. 4. 6. out of the Antient Writings call'd Apocrypha 2 Esdras 7. 37. Ecclesiasticus 7. 33. 2. Maccab. 44. 45. Let us therefore post-pone the first step to the New Birth till our bodily Letts be removed when without the obstructions of the Rebel Passions ending with cutting of the Temporal Thread we be adapted thereunto A. The Objection supposeth not that one who at separation of the Soul from the Outward Body after rejecting the Gospel being in fixt Enmity against God and the Kingdom of Resignation is remediable nor suggesteth that he who soweth himself a Tare Thorn or Thistle shall rise a Wheat Corn Vine or Fig-tree how therefore may it seem incumbent on me to oppose my self to the dint of the Texts produced 14. But rather as the Lord Christ in answer to the Question of the Disciples Wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father keepeth in his own Power but prophesieth and chargeth on them on that occasion their immediate concern and business How much less is it for men to know what the operations of Father Son and Holy Ghost will be in perfecting separate Souls when out of the Circle of Time and Seasons For so strong a Fort hath Satan built in mens resolute Self-wills so impierceable are their Rocky Hearts that like Leviathan they laugh at the shaking of the Spear and as the Servants of Atheistical Benhadad diligently catch every word seeming to favour their flattery of Impunity that they may treasure up wrath by impenitence more and more against the day of wrath 15. To these am I sent with happy Tydings that howsoever the Abyss of Mercy hath winked at the faults of the days of Ignorance yet now commandeth he all men every where to repent also with heavy Tydings that if in this their day they neglect so great Salvation how shall they escape Which Question none in Heaven Earth or Hell answereth Again if they that sinned against Moses Law died without Mercy and it might seem the bottom of Misery to die a merciless Death of how much sorer punishment shall they be thought worthy who have trampled under foot the Son of God and blasphemously counted the Blood of the Covenant an unholy thing and done despite to the Spirit of Grace of how much sorer punishment is that Question but which either is unanswerable or which Eternity can only unfold 16. A murthered Body is the sorrow and pity
as saith our Lord My Father worketh hitherto and I work 2. Hath not Man brought himself in a most wretched degree oâ— the Curse by the Fall of Toil and Labour and Confusion of Language it is on the Work and Word what hath and is man more A great aggravation of this Misery is either when we sit down under Bondage in Soul and Body feeding among Swine having a Beast's Heart as Nebuchadnezar and groan not after working in God and for God which would gradually deliver from the Curse Also when we mistake our present working-time and flatter our selves with undue and imaginary rest whereas we are here in the Seed time in a Journey in the six days of Work 2. But thou my Soul spare no pains spur thy lazy Assoâ—iate my Body subject it to the Cross to free you both from the Cross endure patiently die daily and having done all stand empty thy self lose thy self pour out thy self Let not thy Will be bought but pay it to the Owner give and resign it gladly and irrevocably As to thy Name be content it should wither as if blasted with the East Wind be willing to be nameless the Memory of it to be as written on the Sand and while here to be a Fool a Child an off-scouring any thing or nothing yet must not thy work stop let it proceed chearfully till thy Body like the Matter of a Taper be consumed if then thou art found so doing no sooner shall this Candle expire but the Sun will rise who shall never set and the Sabbath enter at the end of the Week On the 36th Question and Answer Of the difference of the Mortal Creatures their Chaos kind and how distinguish'd 1. Had we the Intellect of an Angel the distinct Properties would be as an Index by their Idea to the voluminous Book of the great Mystery and the Idea of the Creatures as it were pourtray the Potent Will and Properties of the Abyss Or had we Adam's bright Eye we might read their Names in the Language of Nature and in them the Names Power and Vigor of our own three Principles but falling so far below both as that many of the Bruits themselves may instruct us in several things How weak are our Enquiries how perplext our Aphorisms and Process The ancient Magi direct us to know the seven Properties by the seven regal Stars and Governors which are the Spirits of the seven Metals and impress the Vertues of the seven precious Stones while many of Modern Pretenders to Wisdom having lost the Spirit Life and Essence of Nature fill their Heads only with the Names Mood Figure and Grasp at Shadows of things 2. Behold how various are the Species how curious the Symmetry how agil the Composure even of many Insects how wonderful the Transmigration and Product of the Silk-worm the Confection of the Bee with her Feminine Monarchy how crafty the Nets of the Spiders how providently laborious the Ant wherewith our Lord upbraids our slothfulness and we gratifie our Pride with the Silk and our Palate with the Honey instead of searching out and adoring of the most High in these his little Creatures yet are these little ones great compar'd with those to the bare Eye invisible and only visible in good Glasses which sits spinning in Sage leaves and yet how many Atoms may that Creature be divided into Consider we their Sympathy and Society not only of Flocks and Herds but of Birds of Prey as Rooks Stares Storks also their Antipathy as the Thresher and Sword-fish against the Whale 3. But now how highly necessary is it that from this open Door all should impartially search themselves to see whether their Spirits are imaged according to the Evil Creatures and if they find the Powers of the dark World predominant that they learn to die to them else they die in them shall rise in them and live everlastingly in them and of what infinite concern endless Misery is all reasonable Creatures may judge Whereas if by the Spirit of Life we mortifie the Deeds that is the lusts of the Body of Sin we shall by the same Spirit be raised now in the first Resurrection which excludes the second Death and begets the Divine Life springing up through Death by self-emptying where no Creature nor all of them hath any room but the Lord and those only to Contemplate his Grace and Infinity in On the 37th Question and Answer To what end and wherefore were the mortal Creatures made 1. When the gracious Creator placed Man here it was in a Farm well stockt but that which meets my Meditation on the present Subject in the last Paragraph of the Answer which is the Eternity of them in their Idea how fading and transitory soever they are The glorious Work of the Creation is not a bare Pageantry it must cease as to its present Forms but not vanish into a non-entity for it shall bud forth for the sake of it's Tincture by the strife of the Properties to the Glory of the God of Glory and as Instances or Trophies of the Victory the weak Members of the Almighty Lord Jesus Christ have obtain'd by their Lord's strength fortifying them to trâ—ad his steps and follow him in the Regeneration 2. By the reverting of those Figures shall the blessed see how meekly the patient Lambs and other good Creatures pour'd out their lives how quick and punctually the Fowls contributed as did the Quails and Raven how readiâ—y the Inhabitants of the Water yield themselves as those to the Apostles Nets how liberally the Olive and other Fruit Trees pour'd forth their fatness and the Elements their several Stores And to the cursed Rejecters of God shall all Creatures be plain material Demonstrations of their Abuses by Man's Excess and Cruelty the toil of the laborious Oxe the sweat of the macerated Horse the life of a multitude of other Creatures profusely lavished away to pamper base sordid Lusts run as with one cry not as the Lambs against a devouring Wolf or the Turtle against the Vulture but that as those Devils in Humane shape should ransack the Indies and four Elements to humour their insatiable Lusts. 3. What Arguments my Soul may be drawn hence for Sobriety Moderation Humility Thankfulness Improvement of the Strength given us liberal breaking to the Poor and Mercy to the Dumb Creatures of doing all not only as before the Omniscient Eye who will be a swift Witness before the good Angels Devils our own Consciences but the whole Creation also who as they the Creatures partake of the Properties and Tincture are branches of the whole Astral and Elementary Creation shall in their Aethers be more than a meer History viz. an express material Representation and Wiâ—ness for or against thee in the other Country though the Fool and Atheist will not know it On the 38th Question and Answer Of that whence Man's Body was taken 1. If they to whom the Word of God came are called God's what was
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
hath a good Constellation at the time of the Spirits awakening it gives him a Friendly lovely outside whereby such a one can give good flattering words from a false heart for he dwelleth in two Kingdoms in this World is he a History Hypocrite and his Soul in the Anger Kingdom with the Devils 8. But the Grace of God appeared by Christ's becoming Man to bring our Human Souls out of Death and the Abyss of Anger into the Tenth Number the Eternal Tincture to be again the Similitude of God upon the Cross whence the Soul originated And then when the Soul is turned into the Will of God in great Humility having Christ's Body it passeth through Death or from Death to Life in the Death of Christ through the Anger of God into the Ninth Number before the Holy Trinity and is imbraced by the Majesty The great open Gate of Antichrist 9. Antichrist in Men professing Christ is a contrary will to the Divine Will yet a Counterfeit of it but as the Soul becomes born of God more or less in such proportion the renewed Will quits the Principles and Dictates of corrupt Reason and self Desires cover'd by Hypocrisie and by a sincere faithful Love rooted in the Life of Christ a holy Flame of self-evidencing Light ariseth giving a distinct discovery of Antichrist before which it falls and by which it is destroy'd for the going from Antichrist is the going from the Fire into the Light The highly Precious Gate also the Gate of Immanuel 10. Is it askt How can Christ's Body be ours How can we dwell in the Body of Christ It is Answer'd As we have Adam's Flesh Soul and Spirit which Christ becoming Man hath yet remaineth God but receiv'd in the fair Virgin of Wisdom the Eternal Flesh which Adam's was before dividing of the Properties and the Property of our earthy Flesh so Christ's Soul is ours and his Body ours and his Virgin ours whereby we live in Christ when we give up our selves to him wherein also he liveth in us and will at last present us wholly pure with the Heavenly Flesh Blood Tincture and Majesty of Christ. Thus also he liveth in us and we are his Members Temple and Body 11. Where one saith Here is Christ and another There it is because they have lost the Key for the Body and Blood of Christ is in the Eternity and not shut up by space or place but as the Sun shineth from East to West and whose Light fills the World how much more doth Christ fill every part of his Incarnation And when we desire his Flesh and Blood we receive it and are fed by it for as the Father gives Being and upholdeth all so the Son gives Vertue and Light The Congregation of Christ is in every Nation where Men turn from their Sins to God be they Greeks Turks Asians Africans c. God respects not Persons nor Opinions but seeks the Heart those who call on the only true God in plain Simplicity are in Christ but the Tyrannous Proud Covetous Malicious Blood-thirsty Antichrist with their endless Contentions and Disputations offend the Heathens whose Life and Customs are far more Innocent and Pious and when Antichrist's Lyes have stifled him broken his Murthering Sword and laid him in the Pit then shall Christ feed his Lambs and the Turk be of the Fold of the Lambs 12. The whole World is full of God the inward holy Life dwelleth in God and the inward dark Abyss standeth in God's Wrath the strife is which may Image us into it self in this outward Life here God sets Light and Darkness before us and all the teaching here is to warn of the severe Property of the Fire for every thing hath Free-will with an Inclination to its Property therefore we must either embrace the true Good or the certain Evil. Young Children are our School-masters with all our Cunning we are but Fools to them who first play with themselves and after one with another this the Devil grudg'd us and made us fall out at our Play and so we quarrel till we go to sleep and then others Act over again the same quarrels and all is about a defiled Garment which yet is not ours while we should obediently search for a new fair Garment when amongst the Roses Lillies and Flowers we shall in our own Country sing the Song How the Driver who did set us at variance is captivated CHAP. XII Of the true Christian Life and Conversation What Man is to do c. COnsidering well the 34 first Verses of this 12th Chapter it may be comprised mostly in these words He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to do justly to love Mercy and to walk humbly with thy God The Way we must walk through this World into the Kingdom of God We must if we will so walk Crucifie Self Repent Convert from Evil hourly pass out of Death into Life we must not take pleasure in our selves but so humble our selves before the clear Countenance of the Trinity before whom we always stand and look on Jesus who always sitteth on the Rainbow in us I say we are so to converse without Self-pleasing that our ways may please God the heavenly Hoasts and Man The rest of this sweet Chapter is of various and copious Rules and Monitions yet so conspicuous that the perusal is rather to be recommended than the particulars extracted Only this asserteth That a Self-defence against outward Force or War having only a desire of Self-defence is not against God for he whose House is on Fire may quench it CHAP. XIII Of Christ's Precious Testaments the Lord's Supper and Baptism 1. VVHEN Christ's Apostles and Disciples met together after fervent Exhortation of one another They took brake divided amongst them and did eat Bread in commemoration of Christ's giving his Body for us on the Cross as himself had commanded So also took they the Cup in their hand saying one to another Take this Cup and drink the Blood of our Lord which he shed on the Cross for Remission of our Sins to shew forth his Death till he come again to Judgment and bring us into himself This was the true great Paschal Lamb inâ—â—ituted by Christatier they had eaten the Passover 2. He gave them and they did eat and drink his Flesh and Blood not his earthy and mortal Flesh and Blood to be chewed with their earthy Teeth and swallow'd for that Body of his was not divided amongst them but he gave them his immortal holy Body and Blood new and unknown to the earthy Man yet which did hang in or was United to the outward on the Cross this holy Body became as a Body to their Souls making them his Members 3. As the Eternal Virginity Substantiality and Wisdom wherein was the promised Word gave it self into the perished Tincture became a new Man at the Incarnation in the Virgin Mary so the new Body of
Covenant of God with Noah 1. THat Ham was admitted sheweth an open Gate to all Men and that the Election passeth when the Souls Free-will goeth out of good into evil 1. The Mystery of the three Sons of Noah 2. The three Stories of the Ark 3. The three Men that appeared to Abraham 4. Especially Christ Moses and Elias at the Transfiguration denote the Trinity and three Principles The seven pair of clean Beasts shew the seven Properties of the Natural Life of the unclean but one pair represents only the Property of the Dark World 2. The Raining just Forty days points at Adams time of Proba in which he introduced the Turba 3. Gods Promising respite 120 years and bringing the Deluge in 100 points out that God will shorten time in the Conclusion of all Beings The Ark being rested at the end of Forty days Noah sends out a Raven signifying the Earthy Man which flew to and fro but return'd not to the Ark. 4. After seven days he sent forth a Dove signifying the Children of God who finding no rest in this World return to the Ark. After seven days more he sent forth a second Dove who return'd in the Evening with an Olive Leaf the Unction After other seven days he let fly the third Dove which denotes Antichrist flying out of the Ark but will no more forsake the World to return to the Ark. CHAP. XXXIII Of the beginning of the second Monarchy and of the Covenant of God with Noah c. 1. I Have set my Bow in the Clouds c. The Rainbow is a Token of Gods Covenant a representation to Man of all the three Principles out of which he was Created viz. the red and dark brown betoken the first Principle viz. the dark Fire-world the Kingdom of Gods Anger The white and yellow shew the second Principle the Majestick Colour the holy World Gods Love The green and blue is the third Principles Colour the blue from the Chaos the green from the Salt peter where in the flagrat the Sulphur and Mercury do sever and produce various Colours which betoken the inward Worlds hidden in the four Elements 2. The Rainbow also betokens Christ the Judge who shall then appear in all the three Principles viz. in the first or fiery into which the Turba in all Beings shall be swallowed up In the second or that of the Light to defend all his in Love and Meekness from the Flames of Fire In the third or Kingdom of Nature in his Assumed Humanity all the formed Word shall be manifest before him according to good and evil 3. Also the Rainbow is a reflex contra-glance of the Sun and in it the Chaos or hidden World out of which the four Elements with the hidden Humanity shews it self And if the Sun be in a good Aspect it may with the Astrum produce a wonderful Birth both in Animals and Vegetables For there the Chaos doth open it self which Saturn hungrily attracts The Sun enkindles Mars and so makes Mercury quick and active which Saturn amasseth and the Fiat of the outward World becomes a flying Life And Saturn may take the distilling Dew into it self which after falls on the Water and by some Fishes being eaten up may coagulate in them and become precious Pearls For the Paradisical Property doth open it self all along in the Chaos if it be not hindered by evil malignant Aspects For the Chaos is the Root of Nature and yieldeth it self nothing but a good Property but by an evil Constellation may be changed into evil as a good Man may by evil Company CHAP. XXXIV How Noah Cursed Ham and the Mysteries concerning the three Sons c. 1. NOah's Drunkenness sheweth how Adam by Lusting after this Worlds Property was overcome therewith and introduced the Bestial Lusts standing in nakedness and shame then did the Monster of false Lusts whereof Ham was the Figure mock the precious Image by introducing the shame 2. Sem did Typifie the fair Image of God in the Light the Sons Property who stood in the Covenant Japhet did Typifie the Soul the Fathers Property 3. The Garment to cover the shame is the new Heavenly Virgin Humanity in the Covenant the precious Sophia which should open it self out of the Angelical World This Garment Sem alone did not lay over the shame but Japhet the poor Soul must help by resignation 4. They went backward by Repentance for if Christ must lay the Garment to cover us the Soul must not dispute but resign its will and go back 5. Ham must be a Servant of Servants the mocking Spirit must never rule but always be kept under Of Ham came the Beastly Sodomites and Brutish Canaanites whom Joshua destroy'd 6. Japhet were the Gentiles who walked according to the Light of Nature which is Tenant to the Light of Grace for so they lived in Sem's Tents 7. Thus was the Tree of the second Monarchy in the same three Properties as the first was The Second Part. CHAP. XXXV How the Humane Tree by the Children of Noah hath spread it self c. 1. THE long Lives before the Flood were because the Divine Powers of the formed Word were then undivided But when the Language of Nature was divided at Babel the stem of Nature was faint and enfeebled Seventy seven is the whole number of the Divine Manifestation seventy two are Babel the five are holy 2. The Sons of Japhet are recorded to be seven Japhet noteth the first Principle out of which riseth Nature viz. The first seven Properties of Nature and the seven free Arts. 3. After which from two of Japhets Sons are named seven to spring whose Names signifie the Kingdom of Humane Rule In the fourteenth aâ—e the Prophetical and Apocalyptical Number and in them lye couched the Angelical will for in the wise Heathen the inward holy Kingdom beheld it self they law by the Light of Nature the restitution of all things and they shall when the covering is taken off dwell in the Tents of Sem. 4. Ham had Cush and of him came Nimrod the Hunter Man was fallen under the wrath in Nature and the wild Nature must be awed by a more mighty Hunter than it self and be caught torn and destroyed But 't is lamentable that tame Beasts which are none of his Game should be devoured But they also are outwardly but Beasts before God and have the Hunters hide on them Ham's Children and Grand Children are numbred twenty nine himself makes thirty for Ham sold the Righteous One for thirty pieces And in the thirtieth year Christ separated himself to his Office 5. Sem is said to be the Father of all the Children of Eber which Eber was the third degree after Sem but the mark of the Covenant was that chiefly intended Eber had two Sons Peleg and Jocktan in these two were the Seed of Adam and Christ divided as after in Isaac and Ishmael Jacob and Esau. Jocktan had fourteen Names hinting the Humane Kingdom 6. Peleg
Also we must know whoever will understand the Old Testament must set before him the two Types externally Adam the earthy Man and internally Christ and change both these into one and so he may apprehend Moses and the Prophets CHAP. XLVII Of the Covenant of Abimelech and Abraham and what it points at 1. BEershebah a bruising to Death is the same Fountain which the Angel shewed Hagar which Abraham viz. Christ digged and there afterwards preached the Eternal God The Covenant between Abimelech and Abraham is the Covenant of Christ with the Humanity where he sware not to destroy the Humanity as he said he was not come to condemn the World Abimelech viz. the Soul out of the Father's Property Picholl the outward Nature the third Principle Field-Captain or Officer of the Soul Abraham is Christ in the Humanity Now Abimelech's restoring Abraham's Wife saying he knew not c. signifieth That the Soul of Adam knew not Christ in the Tincture of Heavenly Venus therefore went into Self-lust but when God shewed it to the Soul the Soul said I knew not that God's Wife the Holy Tincture the Heavenly Matrix was in me 2. But now I restore whatever I have taken of the Divine Worlds Property it is thy Wife then all the Women of Abimelech and his Servants Eves Daughters were healed 3. Christ here sweareth not to shew any unkindness to the Human Property nor to the Children nor to the Grandchildren or Nephews viz those springing out of the wild Property where often a wicked Husband or Wife are joyned to a godly one and so those Children spring from the wild Property 'T is said Thou shalt do according to the kindness that I have done unto thee viz in restoring thy Wife thy Image shalt thou do to me and to the Land viz. the outward Man wherein thou viz. Christ sojournest art a Stranger Which Christ Sweareth As I live saith c. Then Abraham Christ reproved Abimelech the Soul that the Soul's Servants the Essences of Nature had taken away the Well the Essence from the Heavenly Corporality viz. Christ's Body in Adam for Christ's Holy Fountain sprung up in the fiery Essence of the Soul which being taken to Self-Power the Heavenly Image disappeared And Abimelech the Soul answered I knew not till this Day viz. that the Devil had deceived me 4. Then Abraham viz. Christ took Sheep his Children the Jews and Oxen the Gentiles and gave them to the Father of whose Property the Soul is by an everlasting Covenant And set seven Ewe Lambs apart viz. the seven Properties of the Natural Humanity of Christ manifested in us A part viz. a distinct Person 5. We poor Jews and Gentiles may not say we are Christ but his House he is a part with the Divine Property But in right resignation when Man's Will is Dead to Self Christ only liveth in it such Eternally witness that Christ digged the Well At Beersheba the place of Contrition Christ planted Trees Heavenly Branches Preached c. and remained there a long time viz. all the time of the Natural Life CHAP. XLVIII Of Abraham's Offering up Isaac 1. ABraham is represented in Adams stead Isaac in Christs Humanity The Voice is God the Fathers so is Christ Offered by Adam's Children the Jews to the Fathers Fire Thy Son whom thou lovest viz. thy will brought into Self-love in the devoration of which in Gods Wrath-fire the true Man Created in Adam must be form'd and preserv'd as Gold or Silver in the Crucible where Copper and all Impurities evaporate On Mount Moriah which God not we chuseth 2. Christ wholly resigns up our Humane Will of self to his Father in his Death for all and in all Men As when the stock of a Tree dyeth the Branches die also and as the Tree reneweth its Youth as the Râ—d of Aaron did it introduceth new Life into its â—ranches Abraham rose early teaching immediate obedience And girt his Ass the Bestial Man with power Took with him two young Men one the Soul from the first Principle the other the Spirit of the outward Life Clave the Wood as Adam clave Gods Love and Anger On the third day pointing at Adam's sleep to the Angelical World and the time of Christs Resurrection Afar off the Final Offering of Christ above two Thousand years The two young Men to tarry with the Ass till Christ is Offered and come again Abraham took the Knife and Fire Gods Anger and Death Isaac said Here is the Wood the Sins of all Men and the Fire Gods Wrath but where is the Lamb Abraham's Ens of Faith saw the Lamb. Abraham bound Isaac so was Christ and so must our self-wills be bound and resign'd to God in entire earnestness The Angel calleth hurt not Nature as he had done to Hagar at Beersheba He saw a Ram hung c. shews death kills not the true Man but the pushing Beast hung in the Devils Thickets of Thorny Cares and Vanity Next follows the Blessing increase and prevalency And Abraham return'd with his Son and two young Men to Beersheba into the toil and labour of this World so God exerciseth his people not always in operation of the Spiritual Figures but in weakness and infirmities in the Kingdom of Nature And sometimes again under the Cross and so they grow as in a Field sometimes Storms sometimes Sun-shine 3. Nahor Abraham's Brother had eight Sons by Milcah of whom came great Nations the Assyrians who tho' they sprung not from the Ens of Faith in the Line of Christ the Blessing of Abraham passed on them CHAP. XLIX Of Sarah's Death and Abraham's Hereditary Sepulchre 1. WHile Abraham lived he was a Stranger no continuing abode had he but when his Sarah died he would have a certain Possession of a peculiar and Hereditary Sepulchre for his Wife himself and Children which he would not have to be given him but bought it of the Sons of Heth and Ephron for four hundred Sheckles of Silver viz. the Cave of Machpelah The inward Figure of which is That 2. When Isaac viz. Christ is come the two fold Body returns back to its original Mother the Eternal and Temporal Nature When the Saints die to self the outward Life The resigned Life will no longer stand in a strange Serpentine one it cannot of due right take the first true Field but it must be purchased Thus Abraham in the Figure of Christ doth of the Sons of Heth who stand in the Fathers Figure And that Christs Ransom is signified by four hundred Sheckles hath this meaning The first is the true Magical Fire the second is the Light the third the holy sound of the Mental Tongue the fourth the conceived Ens of the other Properties forming the holy Life This is the pure Silver 3. And whereas the Children of Heth would freely have given it yet at last took Money for it So hath God the Father freely given the Kingdom of Grace to Christ
and whom he pleased he endeavoured to stir up the Magistracy to exercise their Jurisdiction in rooting out this supposed Church Weed And this he did with so much vehemency and pretence of Godly Zeal that the Senate took some notice of it and convened Jacob Behmen before them seizing his Book and admonishing him to imploy his Mind in the Affairs of his Trade and for the future leave off the writing any more Books wherein he saw was so much offence This occasion brought this Man first into publick notice for at the hearing of the Business such was the Unchristian Heat and Distemper of the Minister and so much the meekness of Jacob Behmen that it gave great advantage to his repute and credit to that inward School from whence he came out so well taught For afterwards this very Book which the Senate had seized on was by themselves presented to the Electoral Court Marshal at Dresden when he came to Gorlitts and was afterward by him sent to Amsterdam from whence I believe the first Impression came forth Upon the command of the Senate he abstained from writing seven years at the end of which a new Motion from on high seizing upon him and taking captive these rational Humane Prohibitions that held him bound he again writes out of what Principle and now moved his own words can best express Art saith he hath not written here neither was there any time to consider how to set it punctually down according to the right understanding of the Letters but all was ordered according to the direction of the Spirit which often went in haste so that in many words Letters may be wanting and in some places a Capital Letter for a word so that the Penmans Hand by reason he was not accustomed to it did often shake and tho' I could have written in a more accurate fair and plain manner yet the reason was this that the burning Fire did often force forward with speed and the Hand and Pen must hasten directly after it for it cometh and goeth as a sudden Shower And further he saith I can write nothing of my self but as a Child which neither knoweth nor understandeth any thing which neither hath ever been Learnt but only that which the Lord vouchsafeth to know in me according to the measure as himself manifests in me For I never desired to know any thing of the Divine Mystery much less understood I the way to seek and find it I knew nothing of it as it is the condition of poor Laymen in their Simplicity I sought only after the Heart of Jesus Christ that I might hide my self therein from the wrathful Anger of God and the violent assaults of the Devil and I besought the Lord earnestly for his Holy Spirit and his Grace that he would please to Bless and Guide me in him and take that away from me which did turn me from him and I resign'd my self wholly to him that I might not live to my own will but his and that he only might lead and direct me to the end I might be his Child in his Son Jesus In this my earnest and christian seeking and desire and wherein I suffered many a shrewd repulse but at last resolved rather to put my self in hazard than give over and leave off The Gate was opened to me that in one quaâ—ter of an Hour I saw and knew more than if I had been many years together at an University at which I did exceedingly admire and thereupon turn'd my praise to God for it For I saw and knew the Being of all Beings the Byss and the Abyss and the Eternal Generation of the Holy Trinity the Descent and Original of the World and of all Creatures through the Divine Wisdom I knew and saw in my self all the three Worlds namely 1. The Divine Angelical Paradisical 2. And the Dark World the Original of the Nature to the Fire 3. And thirdly The External and Visible World being of a Procreation or Extern Birth from both the Internal and Spiritual Worlds and I saw and knew the whole-working Essence in the Evil and in the Good and the Mutual Original and Existence of each of them and likewise how the fruitful Bearing Womb of Eternity brought forth So that I did not only greatly wonder at it but did also exceedingly rejoice and presently it came powerfully into my Mind to set the same down in Writing for a Memorial for my self albeit I could very hardly apprehend the same in my External Man and express it with the Pen. Yet however I must begin to labour in these great Mysteries as a Child that goes to School I saw it as in a great deep in the Internal For I had a through view of the Universe as in a Chaos wherein all things are couched and wrapt up but it was impossible for me to explicate the same Yet it opened it self in me from time to time as in a young Plant albeit the same was with me for the space of Twelve years and it was as it were breeding and I found a powerful instigation within me before I could bring it forth into External form of Writing and whatever I could apprehend with the External Principle of my Mind the same I wrote down But however afterward the Sun did shine on me a good while but not constantly for the Sun did hide it self and then I knew not nor well understood my own labour So that Man must acknowledge that his Knowledge is not his own but from God who manifests the Ideas of Wisdom to the Soul of Man in whatmeasure he pleaseth In the Guidance of this Light and from this Principle he wrote these following Works 1. He wrote the first Book called Aurora 1612. 2. Of the Three Principles 1619. 3. Of the Threefold Life of Man 1620. 4. Answers to the Forty Questions of the Soul 5. Of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Of the Suffering Death and Resurrection of Christ. Of the Tâ—â—â— of Faith 6. Of the Six Points Great and Small 7. Of the Heavenly and Earthly Mystery 8. Of the last times to P. K. 9. Signaturâ— Rerum 1621. 10. A Consolatory Book of the four Complexions 11. An Apology to Bathasar Tilken in two parts 12. Considerations upon Isaias Seâ—feâ—'s Book 13. Of true Repentance 1622. 14. Of true Resignation 15. A Book of Regeneration 16. A Book of Predestination and Election of God 1623. 17. A Compendium of Repentance 18. Mysterium Magnum or an Exposition upon Genesis 19. A Table of the Principles or a Key of his Writings 1624. 20. Of the Super-sensual Life 21. Of the Divine Vision 22. Of the Two Testaments of Christ Baptism and the Supper 23. A Dialogue between the Enlightned and Uninlightned Soul 24. An Apology for the Book of true Repentance against a Pamphlet of the Primate of Gâ—rlitâ—s Gregâ—ry Richter 25. A Book of 177 Theosophick Questions 26. An Epitome of the Mysterium Magnum 27. The Holy Weeks or the Prayer-Book
John Page 132 Why he was Tempted 40 Days Page 133 How he was in Heaven and also on Earth Page 134 Why he Taught in Parables Page 134 Why he did not describe his Gostel in Writing Page 135 Why the High Priest and Scripture-Learned persecuted him Page 135. 139 His Process through his Suffering and why it was so Page 136. 142. 283. 330. 332. Why must he Die on a wooden Cross. Page 140 Of the two Murtherers Crucified with Christ what they figure Page 140. 283 Why must his Side be opened with a Spear Page 141 Why did the Earth tremble when he hung on the Cross. Page 142 What did the darkness signifie that came over all Nature Page 143 Of Christs Dying Descending c. from Page 143. to 158. and 283 Of the true Christian. Page 170 176. 297 Of the Titulary Christian. Page 171. 176 297. 310. Of the True Christian Church Page 279 Circumcision what it signifies Page 116. 376. 398 Conversion what it is Page 324 Contrariety whence it sprung Page 340 What use it is of Page 349 357 Of the Covenant with Noah Page 391 Of the Covenant with Abraham Page 116. 397 Of the Line of the Covenant Page 391 Of the Mortal Creatures from whence they sprung and Exist Page 64. 72. 233. 242 Of their Differences Page 73. 235 The End why they were Created Page 74. 235 Of the Creation Page 19. 234. 252. 303. 371. 381. What was before the Creation Page 43 Of the inward and outward Cure Page 363 Of Gods Curse what it is Page 275 The Cause thereof Page 388 D. OF the two Principles of Darkness and Light Page 1 Of the Temporal Darkness whence it is Page 65. 227 How the Devil came to be and what he is Page 45 Of Death and Dying Page 191. 192. 277. 313. 321. 358. Of the Divine Nature Page 260 Of the Divine Being in Nature Page 241. 380 The Divine Being and Nature distinguished Page 337. 341 Dinah deflowered what it figureth Page 412 E. WHat the Earth was before the Curse Page 87. 106 What the Earth is since the Curse Page 106 Of the Constitution and Form of the Earth Page 253 Egypt The bringing the Children of Israel out thence what figure it bears Page 121 Of Election and Reprobation what they are Page 345 What the four Elements are and whence proceeded Page 62. 224. 263. Of Enoch's Wonderful Line Page 391 Of the Enochian Life what it is and where hath Enoch remained Page 113. 326 The History of Esau what it figureth Page 405 to 413 Of the Eternal Nature or Originality Page 286 Of the infinite Productions thereof Page 261 Of the Knowledge of the Eternal through the Corruptible Page 272 Of Evil fierceness and anger whence they proceeded Page 2. 223. 247. 334. 380. F. TRue Faith what it is Page 332 Of the Fathers Property Page 243 Of the Firmament in the midst of the Waters Page 66. 228 254 Of the Flesh and Blood of Christ how the Disciples did Eat and Drink it Page 377 Of the Flesh and Spirit the contrariety betwixt them Page 321 Of the forbidden Fruit what it was Page 99 Of the Forms of Nature Page 292 How God Forgiveth Sins Page 336 G. IN what Grace the old World was Saved without Law Page 110 Of God distinct from Nature and Creature Page 42. 369. 379 Of Gods Love and Anger Page 42 Of Gods being All in All. Page 201 Of Gods working in Hell Page 54. 55. 220 Of the Word or Heart of God Page 379 Of Gods Voice when the day grew cool Page 104 Of Good and Evil whence they proceeded Page 334. 366. 380. H. OF the Human Tree Page 390. 393 Of the Hand of God what it is that Christ commended his Soul into Page 144. Of Heaven what it is where it is and how Page 56. 158. 213. 221. 252 Of Hell its beginning continuance and place Page 47. 51. 55. 213. 219. 220. 263. Of the Heathenish Gods whence they sprung Page 396 Of Hagar and Ishmael what their History figureth Page 397 to 400 Of the shedding forth the Holy Ghost after Christs Ascension what it benefits us Page 163 J. THE History of Jacob and Esau what it figureth Page 405 The Vision of Jacob's Ladder Page 407 The rest of the History of Jacob to Page 423 Of Jehovah Page 19 The Image of God in Man what it is Page 78. 238. 245. 273. 316 The History of Joseph what it figureth from Page 413 to 423. Concerning John Baptist what he was Page 125 Of Isaac's Birth and casting out Ishmael what it figureth Page 400 405 Of Judah and Thamar Page 414 Of the last Judgment what it is and how effected Page 195. 285 K. THE Kingdom of Christ how it is assumed or taken by him Page 183 How Christ will deliver the Kingdom to the Father Page 346 L. COncerning Lamech Cain's Successor Page 112 Of the Language of Nature Page 295. 395 Of the Language spoke by the Apostles at Pentecost Page 162 What the Law is Page 122 How the Divine Life may be manifested in this Life Page 350 Of the Life of Darkness what it is Page 343 Of the Principles of Light and Darkness Page 1 Of the true and false Light Page 354 Of the Temporal Light and Darkness Page 65. 227 Lot's Wife becoming a Pillar of Salt what it figureth Page 118 Of his departure out of Sodom Page 399 Of his Daughters Lying with him Page 118 What each signifies Lust what it can do Page 335 Lucifer what moved him to depart from God Page 44 45 Of his doleful Fall Page 250. 359 Of his Office in Hell Page 47. 219 Of his place at present Page 257 M. OF Mans Estate before the Fall Page 21. 82 84. 85. 86. 274 By what Degrees Man fell Page 26. 274. 359. 372. 385 What Mans Estate is by the Fall Page 28. 83. 274. 290. 335. 342. 373. 388 Of Mans Recovery Page 30. 38. 39. 40. 170 Mans mistaken way towards a supposed Happiness Page 37 Of Mans Immortal Life Page 77. 81. 237 Of Mans Mortal Life Page 77. 81. 237. 255. The Difference of the Heavenly and Earthy Man Page 382 Mans Body whence derived Page 75. 237. 255. 264. Of Mans Birth and Propagation Page 271 Why but one Man Created in the Beginning Page 81 Of the Government of Man over the Creatures Page 92 Why the first Man born of a Woman was a Murtherer Page 106 How Man may find himself and all Mysteries Page 303. 342 Of Mans deep Ground and Knowledge Page 46. 299. 304. 343. 358. 372. Of Mans Threefold Life Page 288. 301 Of the Male and Female kind whence proceeded Page 67. 229. Magia what it is and doth Page 346 Of Natural Magick what it is Page 417 Concerning the Metals Page 358 Of the Mind Page 273 Of the strife between Michael and the Dragon what it is Page 45 Moses what doth his being drawn out of the River signifie Page 119 Why the Lord appeared to him in