for him for to give him more Divine Light were but as Water to increase his Fire And God willeth to have no fiery Spirit in Paradise his Brimstone Spirit is inkindled and remaineth unquenchable desiring to get above the Meekness of the Heart of God which shuts him up Eternally CHAP. XI Of all Circumstances of the Temptation 1. WHen God did set the Fiat in the Will to Create Angels he separated all the Properties as hard four bitter harsh fierce soft c. as we see are in the various properties of the Stars and created the Princely Throne Angels as so many Fountains Then in each Fountain came forth a Centre in many Thousand Thousands and every Host got a Will such as was the Fountain or Prince whence they proceeded giving their will to him as the Stars do to the Sun Tho' all thoroughly irradiated with Divine Splendor yet had every Host some one of the Properties of the first Principle most Eminent in them 2. Of the Princes one is fallen and his Host for standing in the fourth form his Fire Elevated him above the End of Nature 3. The Fiat in the Creation separated the Matrix also of the Out-birth created after the other according to the forms of the inward World and out of the Properties of the first Principle came Creatures of all sorts good and bad as Lambs Doves c. as also Wolves Toads also in the separation of Vegetables are good and hurtful Plants And that the evil is also profitable is seen for that in every Creature is a poysonous Gall being the cause of Life 4. Adam was created of all the three Principles but in perfect clarity an Image of his Creator and Epitomy of all Creatures 5. In the Garden of Eden were all Paradisical Trees pleasant to look on and good for Food wherein tho' they sprung out of the Earth yet in them was imprinted the Divine Vertue of the second Principle and yet were truely in the third Principle Death stuck only in that Tree of Good and Evil that was able to bring Man into another Image 6. God willed not Adam should eat of it for he not only barely warned him of the danger but forbad him with a severe Menace 7. Nor was he Created with a distinct Female as other Creatures that on his Fall he might the better be helped 8. Nor will'd he should need any other clothing than Glory else would have given him a Hide as other Creatures But as a Heavenly Man he should have eaten Heavenly Fruit. Now follows the Gate of the Temptation Adam had all the three Principles or Worlds in him and in all he looked on without him 9. The Heart of God would have him to abide in Paradise being his similitude The Kingdom of Wrath would have this great Lord because he proceeded out of the Eternal Mind of the Darkness that through him might be shew'd great power The Kingdom of this World would have him be his Housholder for that he lived in it and was part of it saying Eat and Drink not only Divine Food thou art not yet a meer Spirit eat not that which is incomprehensible Eat my sweet drink my strong which is comprehensible 10. Here Adam thought seeing I am on the Earth and that it is mine I will use it as I list 11. Then came the Inhibition on pain of Death not to eat the Earthy Food wherein was mixt the evil for the Tree was neither better nor worse than that we have But God saw his eager imagination so set on the Earthy Fruit that he could not generate a perfect Paradisical Man but an Infected one out of himself that would fall to be corruptible did let a sleep fall on him CHAP. XII Further of the Circumstances of the Temptation 1. MOses at the Bush was commanded to pull off his Shoes shewing his Earthy Birth God gave the Law at Sinai and establisht it in clarity but by Thunders c. in the Spirit of the great World for in Gods Heart is only Love and Kindness because after the Fall Men lived therein viz. in the Spirit of the great World 2. The Law demanding obedience and the false voluptuousness of Israel were in strife Forty days till they fell to their sinful Calf And Christs tryal Forty days c. shew the time of Adam's Temptation Of Adam's Sleep 1. Adam's sleep was his being Captivated by the â—triving Stars and Elements whose wrestling so far overcame him that his Tincture became enfeebled and he as dead who should as we in the Resurrection have Eternally with open Eyes beheld the Infinite Glories This God so greatly loathed that Adam could not long continue in Paradise The Highest Gate of the Life of the Tincture 2. The Tincture is that which separateth the pure from the impure and graduateth to the highest all sorts of Life in all Creatures Yet in some strong in others weak It s Birth is from the Vertue of the Deity and imprints it self in all things yet so secretly that none of the ungodly can know it It is Eternal but the Spirit given it by the Fiat is according to the kind of every Creature At first it was implanted in Jewels Gems Metals 3. It was generated in the fifth form that of Love out of the Heart of God And tho' its Spirit in the third Principle abide not for ever yet for the sake thereof the very figures of this World shall remain for ever But in the second Principle the Tincture standing in the Spirit and Substance in Angels and Men is Eternally fixt The Tinctures Essences 4. It is the flash of Life and Lustre whose Root is Fire causing the faculty of seeing in all Creatures It Chrystallizeth impure Water separateth the Light from Darkness imageth it self in what it hath made pure making it also sweet shining like Oyl and Fire Mixt with the Matrix of VVater by the mixture becomes fixt and thick and by the Property of the Fire is colour'd Red and is the Blood in which the Noble Life existeth Of the Death and Dying 5. In so great and hourly danger stands the Noble Life in the Tincture and hath so many potent Enemies that either on the Efflux of the Blood the Tincture flyeth away or on the over-prevalency of any one of the four Elements or ill Conjunction of the Constellations darting their Poisons the Band of Life breaketh and the flash goeth out in Meekness How the Heavenly Tincture was in Adam before the Fall and shall be in us after this Life 6. Adam's three Principles whereof he was were three Births the one not comprehended by the other viz. The Worm or Brimstone Spirit generated out of the Eternal Will of the Father The Virgin or Wisdom of God And the Spirit of this World The two latter were given to him to his right and left 7. The second was to illustrate the first in the power whereof he was to rule over the third It is
this world into the outward understandeth it and is as Ezekiel's Vision having Eyes within and without and the Spirit goeth right forward wheresoever it goes 7. Now to shew how far Man may go and where he must stop note that the Fire after the seven Spirits is the eighth and the cause of the seventh Now tho' Life consists not in the Fire yet the Fire maketh two Tinctures 1. An inward after the Eternal Liberty and still Meekness where springeth the Majesty of the Liberty 2. An outward after the Oyl from the water of Venus where springs the outward splendor so the Fire hath the eighth number and the inward Tincture hath the ninth number so far and no farther ought we to go but stand there before the Cross of the number three where Angels and Men are to stand not reaching into the Centre of the Cross to Create as did Lucifer but cast their Minds down into the Tincture of Humility back into the ninth number fearing God and highly rejoicing before the tenth number with Songs of Hallelujahs to the Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts in this ninth is the Virgin Tincture of Wisdom Paradise and Heavenly Substantiality 8. For while we keep our will in humility tho' we search into the thousandth number our will is still Gods will but if we leave him and imagine into the Wonders we are Captives for imagination makes substance we must go out of that again into Humility Love Pureness Mercy c. or we shall not see God we must submissively seek the will of God and resign our whole self thereinto wherein we can do all but in our own will and nature we must not we can do nothing CHAP. XI Of the true Knowledge concerning Man 1. THE Earth is a peculiar Centre an Out-birth of the Eternal substantiality the Matrix whereof was corrupted by the Fall of Lucifer whence the upper Centre the Suns Heart drew forth from the Properties in the Earth which longed after the upper Paradisical Fruit of which Man only was capable to eat after an Angelical manner and which Adam stood in the Proba or tryal to have done till he slept but we see how it went with him for that we both eat and are eaten by the Earth 2. Of that Paradisical Earth wherein was the Heavenly Property was Adam's Body made for he was to be Lord over the Earth and to open the wonders of the Earth therefore God gave him a palpable yet a paradisical and not instantly an Angelical Body Man was made an Image of the uncreated Virgin of Gods Wisdom wherein the Astral and Elementary Powers stood but neither they nor the Matrix of the Earth could over-power Man for he had receiv'd the Eternal Substantiality 3. It is said God breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life this was not Air nor can it be a thing breathed in from without for God is the fulness of all things God longed after a visible Similitude of himself but his longing is only Majesty and Liberty his breathing was from within for Gods Holy Spirit hath awakened the Soul out of the Centre of the Fire of the Eternal Nature the fifth form where the two Kingdoms of Gods Love and Anger do part and brought it outwards into the Tincture of the outward Spirit into the Blood of the Heart opening it self according to the Centre of Nature and the Spirit of this world which reacheth into the Sun was breathed into him from without so became he a Living Soul ruling over Fire Air Water Earth and the Sun it self without Covetousness Pride Envy Anger Toil Care and Sickness but was a holy pure Virgin in meer Joy and Love-sport 4. The dividing of the Tinctures is shewn by dividing the Cross in the Brain-Pan God Created Man with the whole Cross but now 't is divided half to the Man and the other half to the Woman before Adam's being divided he could generate out of his will such a Man as himself having the three Centres in him without tearing as neither was the Centre of the Eternal Nature whence his Soul proceeded torn nor the Spirit of this world divided when the Spirit of God breathed it into him nor had he Members whereof to be ashamed his clothing was the Heavenly Tincture his Fall was his Lust after the out-principle and could not eat of the Word of the Lord. 5. The Male and Female Will to each other existeth out of the two Governments of one substance the Man soweth Flesh and Blood and the Noble Tincture of the Soul out of the Fire Tincture the Woman Spirit out of the Tincture of this World viz. of Venus giving a soft Spirit but Man is yielded faln home a Captive to the Spirit of this world making an Earthy Elementary Child so that if God had not become Man our Bodies had remained Beasts our Souls Devils and such we are till Born again in Christ and by him turned about to see into the tenth number again And if this be done when God awakens the Centre of the Eternal which is the Souls Fire the Holy Ghost shall burn forth from the Tincture of the Soul and the Soul be taken into the Majesty of God and her works without loss pass through the Fire but the Soul that turneth into this world when the substance hereof passeth into its Ether is without God in the Hellish Fire wanting the Oyl of the wise Virgins for this World neither gives it nor sells it for it hath it not The great Misery of Mans Destruction from the Womb. 6. While the Soul is in the Seed it is only a Fire of the Tincture and a Will of the Creature but when it becomes a Living Creature the Fruit is much as the Tree is and if it be forsaken of the Holy Powers the Will of the Soul by the Nature of the Fire formeth the Souls Spirit into the figure of horrible cruel crafty poysonous filthy Creatures Also in the Spirit of the Seed while it is a Sulphur viz. Unformed Matter is the Spirit of this World and the Constellation so that the outward Life is fallen quite under the Power of the Stars which strongly inclineth some to various Evils and Tragical Exits others to insnaring Honours which is done when a fixed Star having been fortified by the Sun's Vertue is inducted by the Father of Nature it can then powerfully impress its Imagination into the Seed conveying such or such a Property into the Creatures Elementary Life in Men and Beasts 7. Man thus making himself and Posterity miserable awakens the Wrath Kingdom in this World where the Devil is the Great Prince which awakening bringeth Tempests Wars Pestilence Fire Famine c. for had not Man opened the Anger the Devil had remained shut up without Power to touch a Fly or move a Leaf 'T is true that sometimes the Astral Powers make and give for a Tincture this Worlds Spirit and then by reason that the Spirit of the Soul
Earthy way slept and God took the Rib and half cross in Adam and fram'd a Woman also gave the Woman a Branch out of Adam's Souls Spirit that she might not generate Devils So the Man hath the Fires Tincture and the Woman the Lights Tincture and seeing it could not be otherwise they propagate after the manner of all Beasts the Man soweth Soul the Woman Spirit So then the Soul cometh not into the Body from without but the three Principles are each its own Work-master The one striketh Fire making the Centre of Nature the second Tincture and Fire and the third the great Earthy Mystery All done in the Mixture of the Seed as a Twig or Branch out of a Tree Q. 9. In what manner the Soul uniteth it self with the Body A. It is above explained that all the three Principles are one in another The Soul hath its seat in the Blood of the Heart The outward Water and Blood naturally captivateth the inward but not the Light of the Majesty nor Lights Tincture Save only by the imagination therefore often is a Child more blessed than one that is old Though many are not Born Holy yea though from good Seed because often some potent wrathful Constellation insinuateth it self But God knoweth who are his Q. 10. Whether the Soul be ex traduce by production or every time new breathed in by God It is propagated as a sprout cometh of a Grain set with this difference that the three Principles wrestle which may have it which often introduceth a wonderful Turba while it is yet a Seed And where the Parents are both captivated by the Devil it is rare that of a black Raven should come a white one But the Child can if it convert enter into the Word of the Lord for God casteth away no Soul But O Parents procure good Souls for your Children For where the Parents have Christs Flesh in their Souls of the good Tree cometh good Fruit But the Turba can by their acting according to selfish Reason get entrance into such Children also Q. 11. How and in what place the Souls seat in Man is A. It dwelleth in the three Principles but the Heart is its original it is the inward Fire in the inward Blood and in the Tincture is the Spirit which like a Brimstone light moveth on the concavity of the Heart and distributeth it self into every Member and carrieth its dominion into the Head And if the Soul sink it self down into God the outward must suffer it self to be subdued The outward Death reacheth not the Soul one Principle it seizeth on but not on the substance of that neither no Fire or Sword can touch or kill the Soul but the Imagination that is its Poyson thence it proceeded therein it ever dwelleth Q. 12. How the Souls Enlightning is A. The Soul hath two Eyes with the right it looketh forward into the Eternal Liberty into Gods Light With the other backward into the desiring into the Looking glass and if not restrained imagineth into the glance of the Looking glass into Pride Covetousness and Self This Eye must by the right Eye be drawn backwards let the left Eye draw Wonders to it but not Matter Let it seek Earthy Food but not go into it For from this the right Eye must ever in this Life time account it self and be really dead and then the Soul layeth hold on liberty and becometh enlightened The noble Image which is subtiler and purer than any thing standeth in Heavenly Flesh and Blood in the Fire of the Majesty and in the Heart of that Image sitteth the Holy Spirit who teacheth that my self am Gods Servant my Children my Estate my Work are all his and when he calleth me into my Native Countrey may give my labour to whom he will this is a conversing with God in Love and Humility a going out from self into the Majesty Power and Clarity a giving up of darkness a receiving of Eternal Light and Triumph Q. 13. How the Souls feeding on the World of God is A. The Soul hath a Mouth as well as the Body and groweth by eating It is not only Gods Similitude but Child and when it entreth into the Majestick Light it continually longeth panteth and draweth into its desire the Virtue and Power of God which is his Body Christs Heavenly Flesh the Bread of God John 6. 27. Christs Testaments are nothing else we eat not Spirit without Body for the Soul is Spirit before hand it would have Body And this inward is substance consisting in its own Principle in Power is Magical not as a thought but Essential and Substantial Q. 14. Whether such new Soul be without Sin A. 1. So great was Adam's heavy Fall as let in the Spirit of this World the Turba and a monstrous Image making the Soul a vehement hunger That had not the word instantly set it self in the middle Man had remain'd Eternally broken off from God and if the Soul do not convert its right Eye into the word again and so acquire a new Body Born of God its precious Image must remain hidden and lost However it is half Earthy having the Turba in it How then can a clean Soul be generated It cannot 2. It is sinful in the Mothers Womb thence came Circumcision Yet if the Child die in the Mothers Womb if the Parents be vertuous and in God it is Baptized with the Father and Mothers Spirit the Holy Spirit dwelling in them But the Child of wicked Parents dying in the Womb falleth home to the Turba remaining as a Brimstone Flame or Ignis Fatuus in the Mystery between Heaven and Hell till the Judgment of God gather in its Harvest and give every thing it s own repository but in Eternity it reacheth not to God 3. Babel saith Jews Turks c. not having Baptism are rejected of God But blessedness lyeth not in the outward word only but in the Power and Virtue They may vehemently press into Gods Love by their Teaching Life and Death for God and Christ are every where Q. 15. How Sin cometh into the Soul seeing it is Gods Work and Creature A. Sin maketh not it self but the will maketh it and because Children even of good Parents come not pure and clean as the Soul is drawn of the Word of the Lord so is it mightily of the Turba especially in Youth when the Earthy Tree sâ—icketh full of green sprouting driving Essences and Poyson That which standeth in equal Ballance by putting more weight into one end sinketh down be it to good or evil Q. 16. How the Soul both in the Adamical as also in the new or regenerate Body is held in such Union together A. 1. There is no full Union betwixt the inward and outward for the Turba is in the very Seeds which tho' the Spirit doth subdue the deeds of the Body Yet the Turba so causeth it to imagine that the sincere Soul is ashamed and offended at it
planted a seed or sperm whereon the Holy Ghost brooded and in six days hatcht the generation of the Heavens and Earth with their Hosts Thrones and Royalties Hence were founded the Ant and Elephant the Insects as well as Leviathan And but for this God would have been wholly an unsearchable God nor could any Creature Angel or other have been made 5. We say in things of our little Horoscope the end of Motion is Rest and shall the Originals whence all things exist want a Rest for themselves Must our six days toil end in one of rest and shall these supream Agents reach no Sabbath wherein to triumph in with and for the delight of the Lord of the Sabbath This seventh Spirit is therefore the quiet receptacle of them all 6. Out of which according to the harmony of the Divine Unity they never for one moment can possibly depart And over the Threshold of which according to the separate Property whereby they are rent from the glorious Unity they never put a foot or can for ever enter 7. Will therefore the Human Off-spring whose departure is as written by the Sun Beams reunite and do its first works those whereunto he was created and the pure works of the second Adam whereunto he was regenerated 8. Be it said forasmuch as by his departure he is so far degenerated that his Soul by a willing captivity is under the rage of the first four Spirits from whom the light is withdrawn His Spirit that was a meek divine Ruler hath lost its dominion to so great a degree of fierceness that the Astral rule all His Body which was formed out of the one pure Element out of which Element came also the four and to have been a perpetual figure of the holy third Principle as his Soul and Spirit were of the first and second And which body of his should have eaten Paradisical food is now a captive under the four Elements in so great rigour and vileness that Nature shames at its Beastiality till thus it travels thro' sorrow pain and shame to the dust But the Soul and Spirit may here be baptized and regenerated 9. And because the fruit cannot be brought back to the Tree but the Apple must first perish and the seed in it first die as doth the grain of Corn before it increase therefore the Soul and Spirit must also die the mystical death that is to its strange will to secure them against the second death or before they are capable of the first Resurrection 10. From the same ground is it that the Body also must die and lose its new gotten bestial Image before it can put on immortality and the Image of the heavenly whereunto Jesus came to conduct it 11. But we may know these things are not the work of faint wishes but call for striving watching praying fighting contending running working searching knocking that fruit may be produced by patience for Heaven may not be ascended by earthy wings therefore let the Earth beware of resisting when Heaven stoops descends and enters it 12. To subject mad Mankind to this its only good the gracious Jehovah on Adams departure left his Soul should be a Devil his Body a Beast and the Woman generate a Race of Monsters in the out-birth and of totally proud hellish spirits in the inward reimplanted the Word of Eternal Life as a seed or as a light shining in a dark place to which they only do well who take heed so as to obey such shall by the Divine Guide lose their All and be as a Fool or Child as to self-wisdom but proceeding that way under the Cross possess all things 13. For as there is no salvation in any other so is there no other way of entring there into The six names of the Tribes on Mount Gerizim to bless represent the six active Fountain Spirits according to the second principle and Gerizim the seventh or heavenly body where they rest And the other six on Mount Gebal to curse exhibit the same six Fountains according to the first principle or dark world The seven Pillars on which Wisdom built her house points out the seven Foundation Spirits The six Steps to Solomons Throne hath the same signification and the Throne it self the seventh whither they led and ascended was the Sabbath or Rest. So the seven Seals seven Trumpets and seven Vials signifie the same seven Fountains yet all hidden and according to the Darkness where neither can the Book be read till first the Seals be gradually opened the mind and voice of the Trumpets be distinguished till they be orderly sounded nor the things contained in the Vials discerned till severally effused by the Lamb and his successive Angels But the seven Golden Candlesticks are the seven according to the second Principle or Light-World seen all manifestly at once The same also are the seven Stars at once giving their splendor Again we read there were seven Lamps of fire burning before the Throne which the Text saith are the seven Spirits of God We find and 't is observable the Revelation gives the Vision treble to each viz. To the dark impression by Seals Trumpets and Vials To the Light impression by Candlesticks Stars and Lamps So the seven lean Kine and blasted Ears signifies what we have the seven Properties The seven fat and good what God made the seven Properties to be CHAP. X. Of the Three Principles of the Divine Essence 1. BY a Principle is meant a chief beginning power a self-subsisting Life an original root foundation or in some sense a mystery or genus whence other Spirits Bodies Species or things originate as from a Supream Power And thus is God the only one Principle 2. And this one Principle is also three Eternal Births or Principles ever without ceasing begetting being begotten and proceeding by in and from each other of which all Worlds are conjunctly or severally an Image but very different according to the inscription stamp figure and degrees they attain or are capable of 3. And tho' the three Principles are by an indissoluble band ever inseparably one in God yet are they distinguishable 4. But in the Creatures in the separate Properties are terribly manifest which tho' Adam was not to have known in himself yet is it what we ought to know 5. God said Let us make Man in our Image after our likeness but saith not so of the other Creatures Man in his first make being most perfectly his figure and off-spring 6. Yet every of the other Creatures the Astral Elementary Vegetative Sensitive and the Dark World do all in their various kinds more or less perfectly represent him for the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made his eternal Power and Godhead And as there are the united three bearing record in Heaven so are here an agreeing three bearing record on Earth viz. Spirit Water and Blood CHAP. XI
Concerning the first Principle in four Demonstrations 1. THE Abyss of the Father distinct from the second and third is understood to be an eternal indissoluble band and Original to Potence a center or root of substance an earnest longing to the birth of the majestick Light or Lustre an austere vigour like an eternal infinite hot and cold fire That this is so and in some measure what it is may be shewed to the very Senses 2. Demonstration The insensitive Creatures witness it The Rock where grows the Diamond the Oar whence proceeds the Gold the shell in which is fed the Pearl the Earth whence issue forth the plants do all figure their root the darkness or first Principle their substantial root center basis or immovable foundation 3. Again the Elements have the cold and heat to be founded on representing this Principle called the Eternal Darkness for from the degrees of cold and hot fire proceed not the Earth and Stones only but Air and Water 4. Lastly The Astral World whence spring the Elemental figures the same darkness as is most evidently seen in some of the Royal Stars called Planets Saturns condensing strong binding contraction impresseth in Lead Stone c. a dry hard and hardly to be penetrated weight so doth Mars confer on Iron c. both are substantial figures of the same Eternal Principle 5 Demonstration of the first Principle is in the Sensitive Creatures both evil and good The evil whose hurtful properties of venom stings poisonous fierce and cruel qualities shew they originate from the dark Principle and some of them especially love darkness some of them also are outwardly dark as that dangerous reptile called in some parts the Blind-worm c. 6. It is seen also in good Sensitive Creatures either as they partake of the hurtful property by being soon moved to choler and then mischievous and vindictive or else as the dark Principle takes hold of them clogging them with sluggish inactivity and depressed limbs dark bodies rough hides c. 3 Demonstration It is evident in Intelligent Creatures for into this Principle of Might and Potence the Pride of the Devils cast them in which their light being extinct they are shut up for ever 8 Demonstration It is evident in Rational Creatures viz. Man whose sad fall brought his human Soul which originated out of this Eternal Principle yet illustrated by the second to so great a degree into this that such men as shall continue Rebels to the Light of the Son of God which on Man's fall was inspoâ—â—â— again do remain a plain and terrible figure of this first Principle in the dark impression on their Souls for they being hardened and fixt in disobedience are as sealed up in utter enmity against the Divine Kingdom of Love and Purity 9 And such mens bodies are the drudges of their darker minds being as truly a figure of the Eternal Darkness as are those bodies of the hurtful Animals 10. But which is also to be bewailed the Children of the day have in the unmortified part of their Souls too lively Characters of this first Principle and their Bodies are made like those of the Elementary Creatures subject to vanity travelling in pain and distempers till as the effect of all comes the anguish of death for they are fallen under the Regiment of the Astral evil influences till their mortal shall put on immortality by the grace of the second Principle the free mercy of God in Jesus Christ. 11. As for the disobedient that climb up into the first Principle or fall into the third Principle shutting their Eyes against the second they must ever bear the Image they here conformed their minds to and grow up in for man having his root in the Power that is without beginning can find no end Oh therefore that we were wise that we understood this that we would consider our latter end 12. The out-birth into which Adams fall hath cast our mortal bodies is signified by the Earthen Vessels which having toucht some legally unclean thing could not be made clean and purified but must be broken such is the mortal body of all the Children of Adam 13. But those Vessels which were of Brass or other metal being washt c. were become clean for Metals are one step higher more noble deriving from the Astral Powers more immediately and with a purer tincture more simple less volatile than our fleshly Tabernacles CHAP. XII Of the Second Principle in four Demonstrations 1. THE Divine Wisdom and that of this World are on terms of hostility hence was it that when the Lord himself in the flesh preacht Salvation his Divine Wisdom explicated by the most familiar Parables highest Evidence and more than Angelical Skill was derided and blasphemed by many not of the lower ruder sort only but by the Rabbâ—es men skill'd in the Law of God according to the letter men of parts zealous and outwardly holy the Guides of the multitude men according to the Law blameless But the Doctrine of the Lord Jesus was understood very well by all such tho' otherwise weak in whom the love of it wrought obedience to it and who by the Spirit of Holiness were taught to refuse the pleasures of sin To them no Yoke so easie as Christ's nor any Load so unsupportable as that of sin These knew what it was to be born again without and not of the will of the flesh And Christ's Life and Doctrine was plain and so is still to such and none but such 2. If any such shall peruse these Lines their inward senses being unlockt they if they press after this Principle with earnestness may find it informing enlightning and assisting them 3. But to the full these are fulsom and offensive to the wise they are folly for this Principle divests them of their own self-will before it inducts them into the universal holy will And if Divine Discourses lead not to cleanse the heart it cumbreth the head and cloys the appetite and so Men do with Truths as Children with Birds either they crush them or let them fly away 4. But tho' the glory of the second Principle be so much above fallen Man's reach yet such efficacy hath it on the whose Creation as is demonstrable to any rational Creature for God hath not left himself without witness by giving Rain c. 5. To discourse this where may we not begin for it is every where infinite It is the glory in the Infinite Abyss of the Father It gave Glory Purity and the Vertue of the Angelical World It also gave the third Principle in this out-birth all the Excellency and Beauty it hath in it only the hellish Principle hath shut it self up from it and is dead to it 6 Demonstration That tho' no Language can express it yet every one that is regenerated doth in such measure as he hath attained the Regeneration know this for he liveth in it The
or suffering what he willeth him to obey and suffer 8. Now we are to know that from Eternity is the first second and third Principles according to the Fathers Sons and Holy Ghosts Properties the One living in the Other having all One holy free Omnipotent Will And that the Infinite Abyss wherein Eternally dwell the seven Spirits and in every the least imaginable Circle whereof dwells the whole Holy Trinity Abyss or immeasurable heighth depth length and breadth which Men and Angels can reach no number of nor conceive its immensity is as the Holy Body of God who is its Soveraign Creator Owner and as a Soul and Spirit to it 9. But this pure Abyss is Holy and as one Holy Element the Seventh the Laboratory of the other Six hath in it all Powers and Vertues out of which Heaven Angels and all Inferior Productions come for in it is the Divine Salitter and all Qualities in indissoluble Amity and perfect Harmony due Equality most dearly embracing each other being the Mystery of all the various Powers 10. And from the two first Principles therein by the Exit of the Holy Ghost were Throne Angels created according to the several Properties of the seven Fountains Spirits with their Hosts respectively having the great Might of the first Principle Glorified with the Majestick light of the second the Son of God 11. But Lucifer and his Angels extinguish'd in themselves the glorious Sweetness of the second by giving up their Will into the first four Forms which without the second are at Eternal Enmity 12. Also out of the Holy Element were created the two active Elements of Fire after the Property of the Father and Air wherein is Light after the Property of the Son Out of which two after dividing of the Properties in the Dark Deep the effect of the Fall of the Angels came the Mortal Water and Dead Earth in both which by the prevalence of the Astringency came Rocks and Stones 13. To cease that immoderate Coagulation the Word commanded Light expelling Lucifer at which the Holy Angels rejoyced Where wast thou when the Morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy for then was the Out-birth or third Principle founded by the Exit of the Holy Ghost 14. Then also out of the Holy Element and the divided Properties which Lucifer had brought into a confused Chaos or Dark Deep the Word spake the Astral Heavens the Seven Planets after the Properties of the Seven Fountains and all the other Stars and the Terrestial Ball after the infinite variety of the Properties 15. Also out of the Holy Element and the Astral Birth came the four Elements and out of the Elements the Transitory Creatures Some bare the Figure of the first four Forms separated from the Light as venomous Creatures Toads Torpedo's c. from the Anguish Scorpions Spiders Basilisks c. from the Fire for every Property would be Creaturely Some also figur'd the second Principle in Innocency Meekness and Love as Lambs Doves c. 16. Then in the Throne of secluded Lucifer and his Angels the Word spake Man such an Image of God as might not only be the second Race of Intellectualâ— but a compleat Image of all the three Principles That is his Soul out of the first Principle or Dark-Power-World his Spirit out of the second the Holy-Light World his Body out of the one Holy Element the Root of the four Elements so that he might by his Divine Holy Principle of Love and Meekness illustrate and sweetly use his first as the fallen Angels should have done He was also furnished with the third Principle which the Angels were not and in that respect a more compleat Image of God than they over which third Principle he might also beaâ— Rule by the Power of the Divine second Principle 17. And by his third in subordination to the second might Rule over the Astral Birth and Elementary not only as He was the Natural Lord in that Principle but ennobled also with the Light or Angelical Principle and therefore able and adapted to Rule over the Creation knowing what they were whence they sprung and whither they tended for all Properties were open in him therefore Adam could name them knowing their Parentage and Use. Thus the manifold Wisdom of God appeareth in every thing and summarily to be observed in these following 18. First from the first Principle glorified with the second according to the seven Fountains were created the Throne Angels Arch-Angels and their Hosts 19. The Creatures that derive immediately from the One Holy Element as the Paradisical Body of Adam that was more pure than seven times refined Gold and to have remained eternally 20. The Astral Birth of the Visible Heavens and their Invisible Powers Of Alliance Dependance and Affinity with which is Man's Astral Spirit called his Prophetick Evester which ordinarily predicts by Dreams a kind of Intuitive Impulses of approaching Good or Evil small also important natural Events c. 21. Out of the Astral seem to be born Those Mortal yet to the outward Eye mostly invisible Creatures in all the four Elements called Aerial Spirits prodigious Predicters of Wars by Armies in the Clouds Others also of the Fire Some Aquastrish and Those of our Horoscope Terrestrial and Subterranean that are about Minerals of which This Discourse is not sollicitous 22. Out of the Holy Element proceeded the two Elements and consequently the four more Pure and Paradifical than after the Curse 23. Hence by the steddy Conduct of the Separator or Father of Nature substituted by the Great Creators word and by the Spirit of the Tincture have sprung the Animal Vegetative and Mineral Kingdoms to the composition of every of which Naturalists find the Principles of Sal Sulphur and Mercury more or less pure according to the Body which it composeth and the Tincture wherewith it is more or less sublimed and ennobled 24. But Lucifer by his renting from the total Unity thereby making the Properties separate prophane and unclean there proceeded out of the first four Forms hellish immortal fierce horrible poisonous Creatures to whom Death and Darkness the fierceness of the Properties is no woe or torment for it is their Life But Hell is therefore an intolerable Hell to Angels and Men because they were created to â—nother State in another Principle for another End 25. From all the three Principles with the Potence of the first Love fire of the second and moving Life of the third was Man created And as such with the Light of God which is not quite extinguished in him for when once awakened by Divine stirring and his hungry desire let none think it impossible he should see into the several Principles that are truly in him for the Child knoweth his Parents better and better as himself groweth to be a Man A breath of Air is like the whole Element a drop like the whole Ocean a
Meek Love of God lost the Throne of the central Love-fire possessing only that where hot and cold are in strife Being a Centre of the Visible World Q. 5. What was it of which the Angels were made What in the Word of God became Creaturely A. 1. The Substance of the Good Angels is out of the two central Fires of Fire and Light but their Idea Spirit or Powers are out of the Out-flowing Infinite Migâ—ty Holy Names of God 2. They are many and every Throne Angel according to the Peculiar of the various Names and Offices himself and his Legions are illustrated with 3. The Prince-Angels are as the Spirits of the Letters and the other as the joyning of Words and Sentences And as our Alphabet hath our whole understanding of all Substances So is God's Word of all things and the Angels are his Letters in the Divine Alphabet 4. And did not the Curse to prevent our abuse hinder Man having shut up himself in the NO So great is the Authority in what his Mouth carries that he might triumphantly do wonders as the Angels Deut. 30. 14. Rom. 10. 8. 5. If the Creatural Life stood not in an own Will in the Property to the Fire Lucifer could not have separated himself from the Good 6. The Angels are within and without this World yet in another Principle or World viz. in the One Element whereout came and still cometh the Four Elements and are Princes of the Constellations But some are of a more outward Chaos or Kind in the Four Elements call'd Starry Spirits viz. Ascendants Q. 6. What do Angels and why doth God's Power become Image-like A. 1. Out of the Mind come Thoughts and from them Imaginations whence Longing and Delight exist and we rule all things by the distinction of words So God viz. the Eternal Mind by His out-flowing Powers brought out the Angelical Idea and the Holy Angels are as God's Thoughts revealing His Mind as his Work Instruments to manifest the Eternal Powers they are as Strings in the great Harmony as our articulate Words so are they distinct Parts of the Love sport 2. And their great Joy and Knowledge of the Eternal Wisdom humbleth them before such Highness lest they lose that honour Their feeding is an indrawing of the Unity which is the Balsam that their Central Fire awake not the Wrath for the Devil's Fall is their Looking glass 3. The most gross Compaction of the Outward World is the out-flown Inward World in the two Central Fires The most Outward is the four Elements the next Inward is the Astral the third the Quintessence the fourth the Tincture the fifth the Clear God The more inwardly we reach the nearer God And were we awake from Adam's Earthy Love we might very well see Heaven Q. 7. What moved Lucifer to depart from God A 1. The Potence of Forming standing in the Transmutation viz. His Receiving Power therefore the out-flown Will in the Central Fire of the Eternal Nature made him elevate himself to despise the Resignation but would try the Properties of the Eternal Nature and so misused the Holy Name in himself and willed to domineer over the Thrones and brake himself off from the Unity Then instantly the Properties were manifest as hard sharp sour bitter stinging and the tormenting cold and hot fires Q. 8. How could an Angel become a Devil What is a Devil A. 1. He would not be under the speaking of the Unity which was Balsam to his Fire-Life but be his own speaking so his Fire could conceive no glance but the Holy Name and Central Love Fire withdrew 2. If he would be an Angel again his Fire Life must be killed with Love but This the Hellish Foundation neither will nor can do as Fire cannot endure Water 3. Their whole Life is a Despair Venem Dying Stink Sorrow Shame and Torment that he hath triâ—â—ed away the Divine Express Reflex Image and got the Form of Poisonous Venomous Beasts and Worms according to their various Properties of Pride Covetousness Envy c. all contrary to Wisdom Truth Love c. Thus good men have turned evil and fallen into Perdition Q. 9. Why did not the Omnipotent God prevent the Fall of Lucifer A. 1. Whilst Fire and Water are in a Vegetable they lovingly embrace each other but once sundred do never more desire each other but as Mortal Foes whenever they encounter the one dies 2. So Love and Anger where in Harmony bring the first Sweet Delight the other Life and Strength and are two Eternal Principles having each an Eternal Will Foundation and Centre of its own Therefore if the Anger will sever the Love doth not hinder with force Nor could the Love work otherwise than like it self else God would be at odds in himself But if the Created Image the No or Anger give its Will to the Yea or Love it would be chang'd into a Love-Fire 3. And tho' the Anger be an Eternal Principle and part of God's Omnipotence the fault was the Creatures for in the unimaged Power the Love doth ever burn And God's hardening is not sending a strange fierce Wrath into any but it is left to its own fierceness on which Judgment passeth The Anger is Love's manifestation and the Fallen Angels are the Looking glass of the Good Angels Q. 10. What did the Devil desire for which he left God A. He would be an Artist their Joy still is in Transmutation of themselves into Forms Subjection in Humility pleased him not but would be a God to himself and his Legions The Magick ground of Omnipotency pleas'd him which made him elevate himself above the Efflux of the Unity and prove the Properties but knew not how it would be with him when the Light should extinguish for then came Darkness and the cold sharpness of the Fierceness and he instantly at utter Enmity against God and all Angelical Hosts Q. 11. What was the Strife between Michael and the Dragon and what are they A. 1. Michael is the Figure of the Divine Power not as a Creature but as the opening and moving of the Eternity which name after in Jesus was ordained for Man 2. The Dragon is Hell manifested the Will of the Anger and the Wrath of the Properties as Heat Cold Woe the first Principle a Hunger and Thirst a Dying Quality Satan is the Will to Contradiction and Lies Belial the Lust to Uncleanness Belzebub a Source of Idol Gods Asmodâ—â— a Spirit of Fury and Madness Lucifer of Pride and stately climbing up 3. Their Strife was as of the first and second Principles as was That of Jesus in his forty days Temptation and of Israel while Moses was in the Mount In This Strife the Dragon is driven out of the Holy Name in This Strife Christ brought the Will of Man through Death and Hell to subsist in God unpassive that it may subsist in the Fire unapprehended by the Fire or as the Sun kindleth it self in the Elements yet
keepeth its Light to its self or as Fire blazeth through Iron yet is not Iron So clear must be the Will which God's Unity is to possess till the Will be thus the Dragon existeth in it 4. Thus may Love and Anger be so unsevered as to be One only thing as Fire and Light The Power of the Anger caus'd the Fire Kingdom to form it self into a Den of Dragons which God permitted that he might not further disturb the Creation Q. 12. How can Man possibly know the Deep Unity A. 1. Reason imagineth God consulted with Himself about the Predestination But the out-flowing Names of the Powers is the Councel of God The wonder-doing Word it self in the Figures or Reflections of the Holy Names which Figures are call'd the Idea 2. The Eternal Nature imageth it self according to the Forms to Fire as hard sharp fierce c. in the No or Anger yet illustrated by the Yea or Light and they wrestle as a Love sport which brings the Imaging into Triumph and overcometh the Dragon 3. In This Strife Jesus sunk himself into the Humanity Redeeming Man and Ruleth till his Enemies be his Footstool 4. To shew the possibility for the Spirit to search the Depth of the Deity Know Man is an Image of God according to Love and Anger First The Soul is of the Eternal Central Fire whence all Creatures come but not out of the Pure God Secondly The Spirit of the Soul out of the Central Fire and Idea of the Light sprung from the Power of God is the Temple of the Holy Ghost in which Christ seedeth the Soul with His Flesh and Blood with Divine and Human Balsam 5. The outward Body is out of the four Elements and Astrum which Rule the Outward Life after which Adam lusted and broke himself from the Unity of God and the Will was captivated the true Spirit disappeared and the Idea inoperative which Right Spirit Jesus in drew again and restor'd with the Balsam of Love in the Light In This Light may the Soul search out all things operatively in the Understanding as did the Prophets of Old tho' incomprehensible to Outward Reason Q. 13. How and whither was the Dragon c. thrust seeing God fills all things c. A. 1. His Thrusting out was Effected by the name of the Holy Powers of the Throne which Lucifer had is severed from God's Holiness dwelleth under the Firmament and in all Quarters of the Earth betwixt Time and Eternity Also in the out-flown fierce Wrath of the four Elements but cannot touch the Good Power of the Elements 2. Tho' there are some Good Powers in which is wholly the Fire of the Light yet in Man is Good and Evil the Evil being captivated by the Good unless by Man's Will or by Turba Magna the Evil exceedeth the Good 3. The Expulsed Dragon is not the Central Fire of the Eternal Nature but an Efflux from it resembling Smoke 〈…〉 Hellish Den presents it self sometimes in the Upper Region where from great Heat and great Cold break Thunderbolts Also in great Wildernesses and in great Clefts and Concaves in the Earth where the Highly Damned Spirits and Souls of Men are horribly terrified But the Sun and Water hold them hidden as yet 4. God is to Hell as a Nothing as Light to Night as Life to Death The great Sharne Reproach Anguish and Torment of the Devil is that he is so near God yet cannot possibly attain him Q. 15. Had Hell a Beginning and may it have an End A. 1. God's Anger hath been from Eternity but not as Anger but as Fire hidden in Wood or a Stone 2. The enkindling was in the Fall of Lucifer And having an Eternal Foundation it can never cease unless the Creation totally be annihilated and that the receptibility of the Eternal Nature should extinguish and the Kingdom of Joy and Triumph cease There must be two Eternal Beginnings one in another the one to manifest the other Thus far the Extracts of the Answers of Jacob Behmen given to the first Thirteenth and part of the Fifteenth Question Here follow orderly the Answers of all such of the 177 Questions of Jacob Behmen which were left as far as yet appears unresolved by the blessed Author himself beginning at the 14th of those Questions Q. 14. What is Lucifer's Office in Hell with his Legions A. 1. What God's working in Hell is will be shewn in the 17 of these Answers as also what and where Hell is What is the Dragon is resolved by the blessed Jacob Behmen in the 11th Answer What the Dominion of Good Angels is will fall under the 19th all which may contribute much to the present Inquiry 2. The Dark World existeth of six of the seven separate Properties because the seventh is the rest of the other therefore not properly to be understood of That World where no Rest shall be for ever for Lucifer and his Angels as they are Creatures tho' revolted and in rebellion against the God of Love and Goodness yet are Subjects in His Kingdom of Wrath and ready Servants to the Active Fierceness thereof For tho' the Principle wherein they are Instruments be without beginning and as it is in God for ever unmanifested yet as it is in the Creatures the Secluded Angels it is a Fire of their own kindling wherein as being their Life they are more or less extreamly active and skilful according as their Tincture rooted in their Forms of Life is more or less fortified and excelling that in others for Puissance and Exquisiteness 3. Consider we that God's working in Hell must needs be in all the seven Properties of the Dark Abyss in the first four whereof the Apostate Angels are like ready Actives having no other Will or have they fitted themselves for any other work or use but to Image the Abyss of the first Principle some of them most strongly bear the Astringent impressed Powers others the restless Constringent Attraction others the Cruel Self-gnawing Worm of Anguish others the Raging Hot Fire that is severally one sort under the prevailing Tyranny of the one others of the other Tho' the whole four unite in every one in the Eternal Band as in some horrid Creatures here the Anguish of Cold Venom is prevalent yet in this Elementary Fabrick there is an allay of some contrary Property in some weak proportion else were the Creatures here as the horrid ones there But thus the Office of the Black Spirits is in all their Forms wholly extream tho' in one only is the Extremity in the highest degree their Natures are capable of as is seen in Diseased Bodies that one of the Humours is predominant 4. From these things is discernable what Lucifer's Office is in Hell which is to be the most copious ample compleat Image of the Jealousie Zeal Indignation Fierce Wrath or Devouring Fire proceeding from the Breath of the Almighty Father And the Will and Life of This Prince the Master piece of
State of things will fall under the Answers of the 33 34 35 36 and 37th Questions by whomsoever they shall by Divine Assistance be resolved Q. 24. Wherefore and to what use and benefit are the Stars created Ans. 1. This of the Stars includes the Sun and Moon for they also are two of the Royal Stars To the better discoursing which it may be orderly 1. To say what they are 2. What they figure and represent 3. What they are Instruments to do 2. They are in the Out-birth vigorous Engines of Omnipotence that by occult and Spiritual Powers can insensibly influence and act irresistible applications for the concreting or generating improving dissolving of all the various Bodies within the Sphere of their Activity or Principle being of the Outward World or Third Principle 3. Thus by similitude the Angels are call'd Stars As doth the Lord of Angels humble himself to be call'd a Star several times in the Sacred Records 4. What they represent and figure The four Forms or Anguishes of binding attracting Anguish and Fire represent the first whole Principle and do form Saturn Jupiter Mercury and Mars The two Forms of Majestick Light and dear Love figure the whole second Principle and do form Sol and Venus And the seventh Form of habitation a seeming change or inconstancy a seeming alteration of increase and diminution of Essence being the Scale and Method of the third Principle formeth the Moon with her Changes and Eclipses 5. The seven Royal Stars are like vowels or spirits of Letters and the innumerable others are like consonants forming infinite variety of syllables and words for as words are the opening of the secret lockt up Mind so are the Stars the opening of the Dark Mystery or Chaos shut up in the Anguish Chambers And as the various Properties of the several Principles are couched in and expressed by the vowels and spirits of the Letters peculiar to them so the seven Royal Stars are suited in and qualified by the three Principles and the seven Properties of the Eternal Nature 6. Thus the Stars figure God in his Almightiness Infinity and Eternity according to the first Principle In His Majestick Triumphant Kingdom of Light according to the second and in His Gracious Kingdom of Love according to the third Principle And are in the very third Principle the express word of what the Devils are in the Dark Abyss and of what the Holy Angels are in the Heavenly World In all which they are an Image of the Image of God so expresly that the Throne or Angelical Kings according to each of the seven Fountain Spirits are imaged by the seven Kingly Stars The Hosts and Legions of the seven Angelical Kings by the rest of the innumerable Constellations and lesser Glories 7. What they do instrumentally Moses saith they were for signs seasons days months and years Deborah makes them Warriors The Stars in their courses fought against Siâ—era The wise men found one of them a Harbinger to tell them of Christ's Incarnation 8. The wise Antients penetrated so far into their Properties Virtues and Orderly Applications in Human and all Terrene Bodies Affairs Governments that by true Natural Magick they could demonstrate their occult Energies by sensible Influences And the Egyptian Magi imitating Moses may not be concluded meerly Impostors tho' their Acquired Operations how really natural soever must humble themselves before the stupendious Fiat of the God of Nature The Babylionian Magi whereof Daniel and his Companions were could interpret and disclose Secrets And the wise men find the King of the Jews by clear Inductions and Conclusions of Natural Operations as are found Real Causes by Natural Consequents 9. But some Modern Pretenders to Wisdom little more than gaze on the Stars and take up with names and numbers and where they see more will entitle Satan to the honour of God's great excellent Works amongst his Creatures 10. Having thus made way be it known Man hath an Astral Spirit call'd by Some an Evester by others otherwise which laies hold on him at the enkindling of his Life when his Embrio in the Conception is ennobled by a Living Soul and that Astral Spirit sublimeth or debaseth his Intellect decorateth or incurvateth his Mind towards Good or Evil. This as the Separators Instrument doth model and distinguish into Sexes dispenseth such Peculiar Properties as their successive ascending Regiments by prevalence or precedency shall impress then and at the Birth the Internal Faculties more or less capacious c. The whole composure of Body the Eye Feature Stature Lineaments Voice Seal of the Palm Tincture of the Parts caâ—t of the Hair c. 11. The Stars are such Arbitrary Lords since Adam's heavy Fall subjected him thereunto that they can well proportion the Elementary Body of one a Mind well composed Atchievements successful his course renowned Another they load with an incumbring Body of Ill Symmetry perverse Humours and unprosperous and finish him with a Tragical Exit 12. The Astral Vertue is woven into all the variety of Minerals distributing weight to one making Lead from Saturn so Mars harshness makes Iron Venus Copper those with the work of the power of Sol produceth Gold and so of the rest 13. Their Vertue is also as apparent in the other parts of the Creation as in Vegetables from the Cedar to the Hyssop or pile of Grass In Insects that there is infused both utmost diligence and providence which is observed in the Ant. What is the Spur of the delicate curious Bee the crafty industrious Spider the profitable Contexture of the Silk-worm with its Transmigration all proceeding from the strife of the Properties 14. In Sensitives and Animals are there Inscriptions some fitted by the first four Forms or some of the four for prey and hostility others by conjunction of more benevolent Aspects are mild some very docible So in the general Body of Nature by some call'd the Soul of the World are Sympathies and Antipathies c. In all which no cause is left to doubt but their Vertue is expresly eminent in the several Elementary Worlds Who sees not that all things bear their Impressions Some according to the Darkness and others the Light and some after the mixt Powers from their peeping up into Propriety till their being resumed by their several Ethers and first Principles 15. As the Stars are over under and incircle us so their Energies and Powers are in us and on us we are strong in their strength they are not ours more properly than that they are us even a very great part of us They are the Pilot of the Elementary part and the Chariot of our Eternal Soul And to our shame and sorrow it must be acknowledged they are in very many Lords paramount even over the High-born Noble Eternal Soul very many give up their Will to their Conduct for never laying hold of the Grace provided for them in the true Jubilee are voluntary Ear-boar'd Slaves 16. But
enkindle the other Senses making it thereby a poor Cottage but badly furnished to serve the Noble Eternal Soul and sweet penetrating intelligent Spirit 5. But the Sun c. is a Principle deeper shewn among other ways by their secret irresistible Agitations and vigorous Influences on all adapted Subjects as also by their unaltered steadiness 6. The last and lowest Principle in the Spirit of this World is the wrathful mortal transient mutable Birth This is one sad consequence of Man's departure from and prophaning of the Holy Powers and of the Evil Angels introducing the dark fierceness of the Properties of the first Principle into the Mystery or Chaos out of which the Fiat by the Separator produced This whole Outward World For the Evil had planted it self in the deep of this Out-birth probably bounded by the Primum Mobile and was call'd by Moses a darkness on the face of the deep 7. And this fierceness is part of the heavy Load thorny Cross severe School and rigorous trying Fire of the Regenerate Sons of God The same is also part of the Over-load Plague and Torment of the Rebellious who in their Anguish curse and look upward And the same is also the vanity and misery the Creatures groan and travel in pain under who shall be delivered from it But the Spirit of This cannot look into the Divine World and if it endeavours to snatch the Virgin Image it is but as a Thief Q. 29. What is the Sperm or Seed of the Generation of all things A. 1. By Sperm is meant a Seed Root or Ens yielding matter or substance out of which Form is produced And by all things meant in the Question is understood all the Out-world consisting of Stars Elements and their Concretes To which thus understood it is answered 2. That there is an Immediate Cause of all things that may be call'd a Root Seed or Sperm for to believe the Visible World to be its own Cause were Heathenism 3. The Answer is brancht 1. Negatively That this Immediate Cause or Sperm cannot be one of the Principles for in one Principle all Varieties and Properties are not found but in This World is a commixture of all Varieties and Properties Not an Herb or Flower purely a simple but a composition made up of many Properties 4. Nor can This Sperm be all the three Principles themselves for so is nothing below Infinity no not the Divine World but the Omnipotent is the alone Possessor of all the three Principles in him only they all subsist 5. Nor infinitely less can it be God a thought of which were derogatory to the Purity and unapproachable Light and Holiness of His Nature and Essence 6. If therefore the Sperm be not one Principle having but part of the Properties nor all three united because they are inseparably in the One God and that all Properties owe their Fountains to them This Sperm can but only be a product from the same Principle according to and after all the Properties It is therefore not a beginner of Existence but a begun Existence not a beginner of Life but a begun Life 7. Now for an Affirmative Answer The Sperm of all Visible things is a Spiritual and to our outward Eyes Invisible Ens consisting of and containing all the Powers Properties Vertues Varieties and every distinct Genus and Species potentially which the Visible World hath in its multiform express divided parcels 8. It must be confessed to be the great Mystery great because in its womb lie all things A Mystery because all is wrapt up in it and spring from it 9. It is also the Eternal Nature Nature being generated by the Principle and furnished with the Native Birth of all the Properties Eternal as it is the Root of the Temporary Creation and its Centre Retreat and Aether 10. It may also be call'd a Quintessence as it contains in Union all the four Elements and Astral Birth It is the Image and Imager the impresser and bringer into Forms of the whole three Principles and seven Fountain Spirits the Mirrour of all Forms and Powers Is it objected God's Creating all things by His Word is a giving Being where none was exclusive of all Intermediate Causes and the Out-birth was a substance from a Nullity or Vacuum 11. It is answered It is no derogation of Omnipotence having out of himself spoken an excellent Image of himself a Power-world or other Creature that the same generateth more even to Infinity The Trees Fowl Fish Man as well as Elements had all seed in themselves Thus a Carpenter makes Tools and with them makes more 12. The Apostle saith That by Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God so that the things that are seen were not made of things that do appear he saith not they were made of no pre-existent matter but not of things that do appear 13. And Moses recording the Generation of Heaven and Earth saith And the Earth was without Form and void and darkness was on the face of the deep And again The Spirit of God moved on the face of the Waters Loe â—ere is something call'd Earth something call'd Water and some space call'd deep before so much as Light was call'd for But how the Earth Water and Space prove this great Mystery Eternal Nature or Quintessence to have priority of Existence and what that Matter and Space import will fall under the Questions yet behind more properly than here whomsoever God shall enlighten to make Answers to them Q. 30. What is the distinction or difference of the Sperm or Seed betwixt Metals Stones and Vegetables viz. Herbs Trees and Earthy things or Mineral Earths A. 1. David saith With the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure and with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward The Light and Heat of the Sun exciteth the Mercury and Sulphur to germinate in the Saline Property and so prosper all Vegetations in quite contrary Qualities with equal vigour 2. For as we may not multiply Principles nor Properties so neither may we Sperms all of which may be distinguished rather than divided 3. Their known number and distributions are fully sufficient to methodize innumerable Concretes not admitting the least disorder or confusion but yet abounding with infinite variety and every individual duly ranged into an exact order and subjection as of all the seven so especially of some one who hath peculiar Superiority 4. Hence is it that the Roots Herbs Fruits and Seeds sort themselves after the seven Properties and in them the Sperm is various either as the Spirit of the World or Astral Spirit impresseth the Infusing Matter or Sperm in some according to the Evil Dark Impression and such have much malignity some especially 〈◊〉 mortally vitiated 5. Others in which the Astral Spirit impresseth on the infused Sperm a vertue according to the Light Divine Kingdom subliming those Vegetatives to be cordial sanative and restorative All as the
Spirit of the World dispenseth the general universal Sperm according to the Dark Light or Mixt Impressions 6. No otherwise are the Metals their kinds are seven Lead Quick-silver Tin Iron Copper Gold Silver The Tincture of Sol and Venus is yellow and rosie or redish and of the other five either earthy darkish pale or white Thus is the order in precious Stones of them are also seven distributions besides those of Coral and Amber which are Vegetatives and Christal a figure of the pure Water and besides those in Animals Shell-fish c. 7. And of the seven Orders of precious Stones two are of a bright burning Lustre as the two sorts of Metals one and the other of a yellow glory answering to Gold and Copper in Metals They are 1. Black as the Morion 2. Red or Purple as the Ruby and Granat for the Onyx is more pale 3. Green as the Emerald 4. Changeable as the Jasper and Chrisophras 5. Sky-colour as the Saphire and Amethist 6. Yellow as the Jacinth 7. Bright and burning as the Carbuncle Chrisolite and Calcedon 8. The Properties handed by the Astral Influences are so various that Herbs are much exalted others much debased by Evil Constellations But Metals are â—ess casual their Sperm being better fixt or coagulated precious Stones léast of all if at all being in good measure free from the Curse 9. Thus Vegetables are produced by their Sperm in their Properties thro' the Elements according to the several Principles sorted by the distinguishing Stars Metals are Vegetables transplanted passing a second fermentation and sublimation from the Internal as well as the External Fire whose Spirits have a new fixation 10. Precious Stones are Metals transplanted passing a third coagulation they attain the Love Principle in the Light as far as Visibles are capable and are the Triumphs of the Starry Powers in their exalted Perfection yet is of the same Original Sperm with the more inferior part of the Creation Q. 31. How is the Copulation and Conjunction of Female and Male Nature effected whence their Seed and Growth ariseth A. The six first Verses of the Answer of the 27th Question gives great Light to the first part of this for there is shewn the Cause why the desire of Male and Female is to each other And that not in Animals only but in Vegetatives and Minerals leaving only that here be signified how that is effected whence their seed and growth ariseth which may be understood by what follows 1. The Male-power consisteth in the Properties of harsh Astringency bitter Attraction and Fire The Female Power is of the Properties of the â—our part of the Harshness the anxious part of the Bitterness and the Light Spirit Both make up one Indissoluble Band and Immortal Worm having one and the same only Root therefore must incline to each other 2. As part of a growing Tree clave off from the rest yet fast in the same Root bent off inclines of its own Nature up again towards the Trunk whence it was rent and in the Root whereof it is a sharer and lives whereunto being reunited concurs to bear fruit 3. Also as the Fiery Property longs after That of the Liquid whereby Vegetation issueth so longs the Male for the Female Property And being united have One only Will in their various Properties contributing each the Powers by Natural Instinct which they earnestly thirst after to obtain such increase as suits their Magick seeking To which united desire the Astral and Elementary Spirits assist and in a sort intrude themselves wrestling for predominancy 4. In which strife the prevailing power denominates the Sex and the most genuine Ascendant Planets impress the Properties as Supream Agents of the Principles The Elements also entitle themselves to be Nurses and immediate Parents Thus thrives the Seed and in this order under these Laws and by these necessary consequences from real Causes is growth of all the Species in every genus where is Male and Female 5. And by consent of all Powers giving into one all their Wills the food is so concocted and digested that the tartarous part being separated it becomes an assimilating Vapour and That spirated Vapour is enriched with all the Properties in which are generated according to the four Elements the four Complexions as Blood Melancholy Flegm and Choler and of their and the other Properties Nerves Membranes Gristles Bones also Veins Flesh Fat Urine Spittle And from the fierce Earthy Vapour the Gravel and Stone In this sense also may it be said What is your Life it is but a Vapour And from a second force are all the Pores bored so numerous in the Skin thro' which the Hairs excresce and are vapoured Q. 32. What is the Tincture in the Spermatick kind or species whence the Growth and Lustre ariseth A. What the Sperm is not and what it is the Answer of the 29th Question telleth us This Answer only addeth what the Tincture in the Spermatick Nature is producing Growth and Lustre 1. The Tincture is a Potent Will the pleasant House and Propriety of the Soul very pure and subtle of its own Nature yet flexible and mutable for it is Divine in the Holy Principle dark in the fierce Principle and deceitful in the Out-birth As the Air suits it self to every Creature also to all sorts of Pipes yet very differently Thus the Tincture is insinuated into all Intellectual Rational Animal Vegetative Mineral and Infernal Existencies yet hath no Life of its own 2. The same is thus understood The Elementary Essences compose a Body the Astral Spirit adds Life to the Body the Tincture brings Light to the Living Body such Light as the Senses move by 3. Thus far are the meer Animals associates with Man Then to Man is not only all That but their Tincture exceedingly higher to which was also a Soul out of the first Principle and the Virgin of Divine Wisdom having Life in it self and giving Divine Understanding in which respect Man is an associate with the Angels 4. The Tincture is the sweet Odour Beauty and cheering Verture Tast and Vigour found in Vegetatives The Vertue and Lustre in Minerals as far as the Properties assist or at least impede not and transmuteth and sublimeth them It is also the sparkling glory and transparency in precious Stones with the eminent various Excellencies 5. Yet to shew it not to be holy in it self and to have Divine Understanding as is and hath the Virgin it is Evil in the Evil for the Evil Angels have a Tincture tho' a defiled one even as the Air of it self Pure may be made Pestilential and nauseous 6. And seeing the Tincture is so eminently Noble Excellent and Eternal therefore the prophanation and perverting it render Angels and Men obnoxious to the Eternal Vengeance of the Offended Majesty of the Almighty God Q. 33. Out of what are all the Creatures of the Mortal Life sprung forth and created A. 1. The Creatures of the Mortal Life are
sprung out of the four Elements animated by the Astral Powers and Properties all which proceeded from the one Element and seven Fountain Spirits concerning which the Answers of the 23 24 and 25 Questions particularly discoursed 2. The Mortal transitory Creatures have their Root in the Dark Out-birth yet some more out of one Element and Property and some especially out of other Elements and Properties of which much might be said as also of the permanence of their Ideas or Figures but that the Answers of the other subsequent Questions will meet with those things if God shall vouchsafe Light to any to answer them 3. Briefly now the transitory Creatures bear the Figures and but the Figures or shadows of every Principle every Property and every Element and consequently of all Worlds That the Lord God Almighty may be adored admired and known in proportion and according to the capacity of us His Creatures by some more intimately by others with a more remote less perfect and less distinct Knowledge as the Image they are entrusted to contemplate is more or less express improved and kept bright and serene by our viewing Divinity in them 4. They also bear all Figures that the Lord may behold Himself in those His Wonders Imaged in by and through all things for all things are in Him from Him and for Him for whom waits all Honour Love Subjection and Obedience for ever Q. 34. What was the Archeuâ— or Separator of their Kind or Species and Property which formed them and still to this day formeth them A. The Answer of the last Question derives their Original from the four Elements and this must tell what Architect contriveth their Structure 'T is true the Elements and their Products are the Matter whereof they are but what divides the Matter into Portions and those Parts into Method and exact order with different Sexes Colours and Qualities Good Evil and Mixt 1. Are they made of the Earth Why eat they not Earth For every Creature subsisteth of its own Root or Mother but they subsist by the Astral Productions in the Elements and must do so or of meer Earth The Earth and the other outward Elements would be still Barren were they not pusht on and moved by their immediate Causes 2. Hence 't is clear the Transitory Creatures proceeded from the Aquastrish Womb of the Elements which may be well call'd their Mother or Female Matrix and the fiery Part or Masculine Limbus is their immediate Father but the animating Vertue of the Stars is their Quintessence or Tincture the which Astral Spirit is their Separator and gives them various Colours Properties active or sluggish Fabricks of nimble Wings or unweldy Bulks As doth the same Tincture also cause those great varieties of Colours of the many Thousands of different Flowers Herbs and Vegetatives 3. This is not barely like a Refiner's Fire which segregates Metals and thrusts and divides to each in the Crucible all its own Gold to Gold or Copper to Copper for that Mechanick Skill tortures and mortifies the Matter rather than exalts or improves it 4. But he that is enabled from above prosperously to Transmute Augment and Tincture Metals must remove Obstructions of Mortal Heterogeneous Parts and then knows how to animate fortifie and fructifie the United Homogeneous Parts And do all with such a Fire as that wherewith the Astral Powers generate Minerals produce Animals and feed and cause their so great growth which is done by satiating and converting their constant Anguish and Hunger which Anguish and Hunger is not radicated at all but transmuted into constant Joy Love and Victory and the Light World awakened therein Q. 35. What are the six Days Work of the Creation and the Sabbath A. The six Days Work of the Creation and the Sabbath being severally and at large treated of in the 12 13 14 15 and 16th Chapters of the Mysterium Magnum may not be toucht here Q. 36. What is the Difference or Distinction of the Mortal Creatures And what is their Chaos wherein each Kind liveth and wherein are they distinct and severed one from another A. None can call this Question too curious for God who made nothing in Vain made not all Creatures but to be of high Consideration and the Lord sending us to learn Providence and Industry of the Aâ—â— doth much more establish his almost Infinite Number of Creatures to be for vast Uses grand Speculation and Importance It having been shewn whence they were produced and by what Power divided it must now be shewn what their Differences and distinct Kinds are 1. Moses teaching the order of the Creation saith Let them meaning the Creatures of the Out-birth come forth every one after their Kind By which word Kind is understood their several Properties and of the Properties are seven and no more which Patronize all Creatures and every of the seven is as clearly distinguish'd in the Animals as in Minerals and Pretious Stones 2. And though they are all in and of one Principle yet in them may all the three Principles be evidently distinguished according to the Order engraved on them by the Sacred Hand of the Creator in Conformity to all His other more Divine and Illustrious Works for His Words are His Works 3. As First The Dark Matrix like a Fountain issued those of the first four Forms viz. The Cold Astringent Tenacious greedy Animals which are a numerous Family some more some less vigorous as Wolves Swine c. 4. Next the Attractive constringent restless Quality or Kind as Foxes Serpents c. 5. Another of the despairing anguishing Property as Dogs some Venomous Creatures c. Therefore is a Mad Dog so Contagious 6. The Fourth is of a fiery rapacious ravenous voracious haughty Tribe as Lions Vultures Eagles c. 7. The Fifth Sort or Kind are of a merry airy Inclination some more thus as Birds others more according to the Spirit of the World as some other Birds Apes c. And of the same Kind more especially principl'd with Love as far as the Out-birth is capable of it as Lambs Turtle Doves some more laxe or rather lustful as wanton Creatures 8. The Sixth is the Property of the Sound in harmonious sweet Singing-birds Chirping their Musical Notes to the Praise of the glorious Creator 9. The last are great bulky unweldy huge lumpish Beasts and the Chaos of them is part of themselves or that whereof their various Properties shew them to be part for the Will of every of them willeth its Property and thereby willeth it self and would be much more so yet knoweth not what it self is Q. 37. To what End or wherefore were the Mortal Creatures created A. 1. The more Perfect of them are composed together with the Internal Organs of Flesh Blood Bones Scales Skin Hair Feathers of which I may be excused from Curiosity not being on Natural History or Dissection Thus is Man of Flesh c. his Nails resembling
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-Love-spirit producing Millions and Miriads to Infinity of Variety
is that I answer the Divine Flesh and Blood of Christ his heavenly Body the one holy Element the Quintessence in the Eternal World 6. Will you ask what is that I answer again What is it that feeds the Soul in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper What is it transforms the starving fallen Man into an Angelical Divine Will enables him till then a Stranger to live the Life of Christ in Love Meekness Resignation thankful Obedience cheerful Suffering having one Spirit one Will one Life with Christ Is not this the Old Wine whereof whoso drinketh desireth not the New for he saith the Old is better 7. This Flesh and Blood is Meat and Drink indeed Oh my Soul taste and see how good the Lord is 'T is so sweet that this World 's bitter Cup rellished with this Tincture is Acceptable and this World's sweetest Products to him that hath tasted this are unpleasant and in comparison of this is Vanity 8. But more particularly Adam's Eating must have been suitable to the several Desires he had and those Desires are according to the several Spirits and Capacities and those Spirits answer to and are modell'd by the several Principles whereof he was founded 9. Those Principles are Three as to avoid tediousness which I studiously shun do refer my self to the 8th Verse of the Answer of the 45th Question where the Principles are explicated and something in fallen Man may be produced to Demonstrate this great Truth 10. It is undeniable that in us Men are three Spirits The Animal or Soulish Spirit the Vital Spirit and the Nutritive Spirit these also are to be found in a very obscure Figure in the Beasts but in Man they grow from three Eternal Roots The Animal Spirits live in the first Principle whence also as a Figure were breathed the four Forms in the Astral Spirit The Vital Spirit is in the second Principle The Nutritive Spirit in the third 11. Adam's Soul did Eat of the Meek Heavenly Holy Flesh and Blood or Life and Love of the Almighty Son of God or second Principle it could not be fed by Spirit for it Self was Spirit In this Divine Light and Meekness dwelt Adam's Vital Spirit as a twig on a Vine and his Nutritive Spirit was fed by the Holy part of the third Principle 12. In this Principle of Holy Paradisical Excellency flourish all Eternal pure Fruits whose unexpressibly Exquisite and Incomprehensible Varieties real Entities or Substances are no more but shadowed and that darkly under the Curse by this World's Excellencies 13. Those Divine Productions are the Quintessence Eternally fixed in the Temperature consisting of all the seven Properties of the Eternal Nature in Triumphant Harmony and these were the Fruits on which Adam should and Blessed Men shall live Eternally Q. 53. What was the Earth with its Fruits before the Curse when it was call'd Paradise A. What Paradise is was shewn in the Answer of the 42 Question And the Trees in Paradice are will be met with in the 56 Question And that This Worlds fruits were not those of Paradice is plain in the Answer of the 4 Question 1. The thing here enquired is what the Earth and its fruits were before the Curse therefore that if the fruits of the Earth before the Curse were call'd Paradice it was not properly but figuratively as representing Paradice which it did tho' very imperfectly in many parts 2. For if we understand by the fruits the Plants it must be acknowledged that seeing the Fall of the Angels stirred up disorders in the great Mystery which introduced a Darkness in the Deep whereby the Properties being separate from the Harmony were unclean and every Property willed to be creaturely Thence came out Evil Plants whose extremities shewed them degenerated from the Temperature also evil Beasts c. 3. 'T is true the second Principle so influenced the whole Creation and blessed it that the Evil part was subjected under the Good the Evil was thus very good to shew the various Powers of the incomprehensible World the Earth also and all its fruits might then well be called good because the Divine part had the Dominion and from it the whole was denominated 4. For the Good Powers were so far exempted from the Evil that they could not be affected or impaired by them unless they first laid off their own Good Property voluntarily which Adam did introducing not only Pollution into himself and posterity but Enmity into all the contrary Qualities in the Creatures who tho' contrary in their Qualities and proper Constitutions were as harmless each to other before as the Wormwood is to the Liquorice Root which extracting the bitter Quality leave the other the more easie attraction of the sweet nourishment yet was the one as really bitter as the other was sweet 5. Yet all those contraries tho' not in the perfect Harmony and Temperature by the Divine Blessing were very good and thus was every thing before the Curse good Q. 54. Should the Propagation possibly haue been without Man and Wife seeing in the Resurrection of the dead they shall not be Man nor Wife but like the Angels of God in Heaven A. 1. That Propagation was to have been is clear because all mankind was not made at once But that it was not to have been by Husband and Wife distinct as are the Male and Female of other Creatures appears in that when the Man was made he was expresly said to be Male and Female after which the Creator said all was very good 2. 1. Then it followed that the Creation was blessed 2. The Creatures distinguished by sundry names 3. The scituation of Eden described 4. The Geographical courses of the four Rivers assigned to which point of Heaven they inclined 5. The Countries of their Travels and Peregrination particularized 6. The proper Treasures of Pison the first of them noted 3. All which we may not think but the Holy Ghost apparently to signifie a Mystery of intervening thus all orderly recorded The Jewish Rabbins can note intermission of time by an accent or little addition to an Hebrew Letter and a prolongation by protraction of the spirits of their characters and an abrupt cutting off by a small dash and shall we see nothing by interposing a Volume of six branches between Adam's Creation and that of Eve 4. So that much time why not forty years viz. a year for a day tho' he was not in time but in eternity may be proportioned in which was his probation and in which all these things are stated passing after the Creation of Adam the Male and Female Man before the extracting and building of the Woman out of and distinct from him 5. And tho' the time be not in plain words in Moses yet is signified year for year by the Israelites forty years Trial in the Wilderness in which they liv'd like Adam on Paradisical Manna and again like him who should have been confirmed but missed by unstedfastness so
which penetrated the outermost and swallowed it up as Light doth Darkness This Holy World is the Tree of Life it self which in its Original should have been unknown to Adam even as the Tree of Good and Evil should have been unknown to him 6. He should have kept a Child-like resigned Mind which is attained after the corrupt Man consisting of the fierceness of the first and vanity of the third Principle is cut off by the sharpness of that Sword or become Fuel to the flame of it Then the New Man entreth irresistibly by that Guard and Eateth freely and for ever of the Tree of Life till then his Food is of the Tree of Good and Evil and what that Tree is follows 7 The Tree of Good and Evil was the only Tree of that sort that grew in Eden This Tree was Good as partaking of the Vertue of the second Principle though it self grew in the third and it was Evil as partaking of the dark Impression of the first Principle whereby is Poison as the Gall is the Exciter of Life in living Creatures and so that Death and Corruption is in this Worlds Fruits 8 Therefore was it forbidden Adam as being a Production of the Stars and Elements over which he was to Rule for though Adam was in the third Principle he was above it as Eternity is in yet above time God willed Adam to have remained in the Happy State therefore commanded his not touching that which would be Contagious and Mortal as it proved to be by opening in him the Evil of the divided Properties 9. It was in the midst of the Garden that is in the midst between the first and third Principles partaking of both as doth also the Tree of Life but this of Good and Evil hath not the vertue but shadow of the second Principle Q. 58. Wherefore did God Create this Tree seeing be knew well that Man would offend or lay hold on them and hurt himself thereby A. 1. The considering God's foreknowledge unto whom nothing can be casual but all Events which Time divides into past present and future are one instant act should make it seem that God's infinite Goodness would have inclined his Omnipotence to forbear the Creating the Tree of Good and Evil or have restrained it that exquisite Garden that it might at least have been no tempting bait to Adam or Eve's Curiosities Had not the Creator willed such dire Effects as that it should be the Eternal Perdition of so great a part of Adam's Offspring such Reasonings Human frailty calls Wisdom 2. But Predestination and Reprobation may not be here discussed because it falls under the seventieth Question whoever shall live to answer it wherefore it would be here Digressive 3. The Answer of this must be restrained to the Cause of God's creating that Tree of Good and Evil whereby the Transgression was occasioned In Answer whereunto it must be understood that when the Almighty willed to become Creaturely or to behold Himself in Images of Himself He moved the fiat in every of the three Principles viz. according to the first and second in the Triumph of all the seven Properties in the Eternal Nature or Temperature the Holy Heavenly Thrones Powers Dominions Princes and Hosts of Angels 4. Also according to the Out-birth or third Principle out of the great Mystery with the seven Properties but much less sublime was produced the Astral World in so beautiful order yet with such adverse qualities as they were for their excellency adored by some Ancients as Deities and deemed for their Contrarieties Immortal Gods at Civil Wars 5. Who yet being but an Image of the third Principle must by the Wrestlingwheel of Nature be resolved into their Aether not being allied to any Soul which can invest it or it self in a Root of the Eternal Band as Adam's Body was 6. Next out of the Astral for Matter by the insinuation of the Astral Spirit were the four Elements produced and with them and the Astral Spirit the Transitory Creatures and as an other Out-birth the Mineral and Vegetative Common-wealths 7. Lastly According to the three Principles with the seven Properties in due Temper and Harmony with a Soul out of the Potence of the first a Spirit out of the Holiness and Glory of the second and out of the out-flowing vertue of the third Principle was Man made a complete Image of the total God in his first and second he was an Angel in his third lower yet Lord of that Principle also his glorious Body had this excellency above the outward Sun that it was Unīted to an Eternal Soul and so exempt from suffering any Recess but capable of Eternal Splendor 8. From what hath been said it is Evident That the same cause why the Almighty Imaged Himself in the first and second Principles moved Himself in the third also part of which was the Trees of Good and Evil as our outward Eyes witness to us And the like Motive which induced Lucifer to Image in his Will the potence and strength of the first Principle which was his Root and whereof by the Grace and Glory of the second He was Lord in His glorious Body the like Motive induced Adam to Imprint in his Will the Lust after the fructifying Vertue of the third Principle whereof by right of Creation he is part and by Donation hath right of Soveraignty over it 9. And if there yet rest so eminent a Vigor in the Reliques of Man as appears in Women with Child and common Sympathies and Antipathies what was out of Adam's reach especially in the third Principle over which he was Lord being himself subject to none but God Could not his Magical Desire raise that unhappy Plant which he should not have done nor known Then came the severe Inhibition That of the Tree of Good and Evil thou mayest not Eat for in the day thou Eatest thereof thou shalt surely Die. 10 God created Man compleat which he could not have been especially as His Divine Image without the freedom of his own Faculties which the very Brutes have but lest in that one Tree he should harm himself unwarily or by ill exercise of his freedom the dangerous Tree is named it 's Situation described he is warned he is threaten'd on pain of immediate Death What can be more 11. If his Will had been chain'd it had been to take it away or as to speak a Contradiction What had that been but to Uncreate Him What had that been but to inflict the utmost severity on Him who was never yet a Sinner 12. What could confine Adam's Magical Will to call up such a Tree for Moses dividing the Sea Joshuah's stopping the Sun Eliah's calling down Fire his and Elisha's dividing Jordan were but Fragments of Adam's perfect Piece Q. 59. Why did God forbid Man these Trees What was the Cause thereof A. In the 57th Answer appears what this Tree is and why said to be in the midst of the Garden In the
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
that it can hold no commerce abroad or like a man distracted who cannot advise nor be advised being a stranger to himself as well as to common Prudence 3. For Man having passed from the Unity into Self became a God to himself and so there were as many Gods as Nations as Families yea as Men Then could they no more speak the One Language than abide steddy in One Power whereof they had deprived themselves 4. Therefore was the One Language confounded into many as One United Power was distracted into many feeble ones But to shew what the One Language was and the possibility or impossibility or restoring it and way how cannot come under the present Question but falls of its own accord under the 145 146 and first part of the 147 Questions whoever God shall enable to arrive at their solution Q. 90. What was the Covenant of or with Abraham concerning the Blessing and also the Circumcision What doth that signifie A. 1 It was not a Litteral or Verbal stipulation as the Covenants amongst Men are and as we are too apt to conceit and deem it Yet is it the subject of many and in some respects of all the holy words and writings imparted to us 2. It is the again iâ—kindled holy power of the Eternal Divine World which was ingrafted and inspoken into the darkened Souls of Adam and Eve creating peace and order there as the Light had done in the Chaos in order to the Creation of the Out birth or World figured by tâ—e Tincture which transmuteth and innobleth base Metals to Gold And as the holy Fire inflamed the Sacrifices the Inspoken Grace set on Fire Mans cold Affections for he was given to that end as a Covenant to the people 3. This was the Holy Seed sowed into the Light of the Life of Adam and Eve which was their Salvation Yet pointing to and being the Lord Jesus Christ who was and is and is to come yesterday to day and for ever but at the time of the limit of the Covenant took Flesh. 4. This according to the Flesh was to descend and be in one line only from Adam to Seth thence to Sem Abraham and Tribe of Judah and took the Womans Seed in the Virgin Mary 5. But according to the Spirit and Divine Life wherewith and by which it was in the fulness of time begotten it was not only in that Line but in every of Adam's Children as an Ingrafted Word as truely in Cain and in his Race as in Seth and in his Race 6. This was grieved at the Heart by the old World vexed by the Israelites in the Wilderness and as Gods formed Word is his witness in Men judging and importuning from Age to Age. This like the small Grain of Mustard-seed grows up to such a Tree as whose top reacheth Heaven 7. This was the Covenant and Blessing given Abraham and with respect to the Union it hath with the Son of God was both the Food of Adam's Soul and of Abraham's Faith and the Author of his Faith and Confidence 8. And now being come to the Circumcision having set a Law to my self to avoid repetitions all I can do refer to the 8th and 9th Sections of that short Tract call'd Considerations on the Scope of J. Behmen compared with the 41st Chap. of the Mysterium Magnum is said to be Epitomized or Abridged in the Book of Extracts in every of which it is so largely opened that to touch it here would be Tautology and superfluous recitals Q. 91. What Figure is the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah How was it effâ—cted A. 1. The destruction of Sodom c. is the Figure of the destruction of Babel sometimes call'd the Antichrist sometimes the Whore sometimes the Man of Sin a Man for his daring Courage a Whore for Unfaithfulness and Impudence And these do figure Sodom c. 2. 1. In their State and Grandeur 2. In their Sin 3. In their Downfal Their State consisted 1. In their Oâ—ulence being richly perfectly Scituated thus do Babylon Antichrist and the Whore covet and possess the Fat of the Earth 2. Their State and Grandeur Sodom c. were Cities Royal Cities having Kings and Pomp. 3. In their security by their numbers as Cities in a well watered Land Like the second thus doth Antichrist ally it self by Policy to Chief Magistracy Like the third thus doth Antichrist establish her self by outward force 3. In their Sin Sodom's Sins were 1. Pride 2. Fulness of Bread 3. Idleness Thus Babylon and the Whore is said to be in Scarlet with a Golden Cup in her Hand not got by Industry but already in her Hand And is distinguishable and an Enmity with the Servants of Christ for 1. Christs Servants are like their Lord humbled to the Earth 2. If not poor outwardly as for the most part they are yet are always as having nothing 3. Not Idle for they are working out their own Salvation with fear and trembling 4. In their Downfal sudden and unexpected Sodom's was not in the silence and horrors of the Night Season but when the risen Sun had renewed their hopes of Safety Thus is it said of Babylon who said I sit as a Queen c. in one hour is her c. 2. That Sodom's Ruine was immediately from above Thus the Apostle saith of Antichrist Whom the Lord shall destroy by the Spirit of his Mouth and Brightness of his coming Therefore shall Babylon fall irresistibly 3. The Fall of Sodom was â—otal final and irrecoverable or irreparable in every of which it figures Antichrist for to express it it 's said that a Mighty Angel took up a great Stone like a Milstone and cast it into the Sea saying thus with violence shall the great City Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all 4. In the fall of Antichrist those that will come out of her shall be received figured by the escape of Lot and his two Daâ—ghters as saith the Holy Ghost Come out of her my people that ye partake not of her sins nor receive of her Plagues Thus Antichrist and Babel might well and fitly be call'd Spiritually Sodom and Egypt 5. To the secâ—nd part of the Question viz. How it was effected It 's answer'd 1. Not by the Helâ—ish Fire for the Fuel and Matter of that Fire must be Eternal 2. Not by the â—ire which shall sweep and reduce the Out-birth to it first principles before the last Judgment for that would have dissolv'd the Elements 6. But it was effected by the flagrat of the Elementary Fire which was fully sufficient to execute Divine Vengeance on the Elementary part of Sodom c. Q. 92. Wherefore did Lot's Wife become a Pillar of Salt how is it to be understood A. 1. For a dreadful warning to all succeeding times of the effect of Covetousness We are not to be trusted with the World till we are dead to it as Paul saith
debilitate or commit a Rape upon that Virginity which is the Tincture of the holy World according to which he was Begotten by the Holy Ghost but it exalted to the highest the assumed Soul 7. Nor was his uniting our frail Astral and Elementary and Sensual Man unto the holy pure Element any Impeachment to the holy Element which in the instant of the Virgin Maries Conception was like a Tincture blessedly put into our Body in him but it was as the first Resurrection to our impair'd divided sleepy impure mortal Man 8. For thus the Soul in the Virgin was taken into the Trinity and the Body in the holy Element which is every where present and evermore pure before God was made Lord in the Heavenly World 9. Yet is thâ—s whole Heavenly Man a Creature tho' the First-born of every Creature and is the Food of our Souls neither is this a confounding the Deity with the Humanity of Christ no more than the Apple is the Tree Or the living Vertue of the Sun in the whole deep is the Sun it self 10. This Virgin of Wisdom is the Image of God the Delight of God the Spouse of Jesus Christ and of so high descent as to be possessed by God in the beginning of his way c. Read Prov. 8. from the 1. to the 31. verse but yet is not God or the Infinite Almighty Deity Thus see we how Christ was on Earth and in Heaven as Son of Man or in his Heavenly Humanity at once and is so still and it is his Office to expel bind vanquish and chain all Devils every where and reign in the Throne of expulsed Lucifer to kill Death and take away the Sting for Hell cannot withstand him 11. This is demonstrated by the Operative Astrum particularly by the seven Regal Stars See we not how Saturn tho' most remote is equally potent in coagulating petrifving giving weight c. as in Lead Stones c. as if he were at the nearest distance Also how Mercury in Jupiter causeth Sensitives and Plants to sprout up tall c. And how Mars Influenceth Men and confines Plants checks Oaks to he crooked knotty dwarfy Shrubs And how calmly and sâ—renely Venus Influenceth every where how the Moon acts Bodies the Circulations and Fluxes of Blood and the Tides which some call the Pulse of that Element How also the Sun chearfully bears witness to himself All these do variousâ— work through all the Creatures within their principle or as 't is term'd the Sphere of their activity all at once in all places of all kinds 12. And shall we straiten the sacred power of the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ in the holy principle to narrower bounds than we can do the outward Sun which is his outside Image which at once dwells in all the Stars and whole deep in every Creature on and many under the Earth and in every piâ—e of Graâ—s 13. It is demonstrative in the four Elements the same Air fills all Cranies and with degrees of purity so doth it the deep as also the other three Elements in the Out-birth Only within or above the Firmament is another principle understood to be a holy Birth of which it were digressive to speak here 14. And shall we think the one holy pure Element the vertuous Eternal Mother of the more Impure Prophane and Mortal four Elements to have less vigor to operate in the holy principle as the Eternal living Body of Christ than they in the drowsy Travels of Mortality for Productions and Dissolutions 15. The like might be demonstrated by the outward principles of Sal Sulphur and Mercury And how they operate in degrees of Purity according to their several Subjects And in a word it may be demonstrated in whole Nature and every Travel it hath But it 's better to be contemplated than exposed into many words Thus the Lords descending to Hell to overcome Death and all Devils is evident not to have been a going a great way off c. but what and how it was and is effected Q. 130. How did Christ 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. preach to the Spirits which in the time of Noah believed not A. 1. Truth hath found worse Entertainment than the Lords seamless Coat for some pretenders to it have rejected what other pretenders have wrested Thus as Maâ—s wickedness makes him unworthy so makes it him unable to hear the truth But tho' we are justly offended at the fictitious Purgatory which Covetousness prompts to tell of yet we must submit to God in his Word all which magnifieth his Mercy and Goodness 2. The Spirits mentioned by Peter were of those overthrown in the Deluge which tho' * one Interprets expresly against the Text to be the preaching before the Flood The Error and Vanity thereof will appear by the following Particulars 3. 1. This Preaching was to Spirits not to Men in the Flesh and certainly they that perished in that Flood were Men living and dying in the Flesh. 2. The Text takes notice there were of that World but few to wit eight Souls saved which hath a serious consideration like that of God to Jonah concerning Popuâ—ous Nineâ—eâ— 3 It is said Christ was put to death in the Flesh but quickened by the Spirit By which also he went and Preached It is not said that Spirit by which Christ was quickened went and preached but he that was put to death and quickened went and preached 4. The first World Imaged the first Principle and Reuben Jacob's First-born figured the first World And yet Reuben tho' otherwise sinful in a high degree was the only innocent of all Joseph's Brethren of the severity used against him which might open a Door to them viz. the first World figured for the second principle graciously inclineth to inlighten the first Reuben is also readiest to reflect on their sin against Joseph in their distress in Egypt for he was the first Worlds figure as Joseph was the Figure of Jesus Christ. 5. It was to Spirits in Prison not to Men at large Christ when quickened from the dead did Preach which the same Apostle explaining according to this meaning saith 1 Pet. 4. 6. For this cause was the Gospel preached to them that are dead not living 6. The Apostle saith he preached to Spirits which were but sometimes disobedient also telling us when viz. in the days of Noah while the Ark was preparing implying they were not disobedient at this time of preaching To this sence are referr'd the words of the Prophesie of Zechary Q. 131. What doth Christs rest in the Grave signifie that he must lye Forty Hours in the Grave In the 98th Answer concerning Moses being Forty days on the Mount is what may be the compleat Answer hereunto to which this is referr'd Q. 132. Why must Christs Grave be guarded with Watchers What doth that signifie that the High-Priests should resist or oppose Gods Power and Might and would keep Christ in
as 666 is to 1000. And as the Evil Angels having secluded themselves from the meek Majestick Order will yet be as Eminent in their Evil as they can so Man being become bestial willeth to be as extreamly and vigorously a Beast as he may He is conversant about the Dictates of the sensual Man seldom proceeding but so far as the depraved rational which yet were he they both would not only fall utterly short but indispose him to the true Light as a Man brought out of a dark Dungeon is surprized and sees not in the dazling Sun 3. Now how the Seven headed Beast is cast into the Abyss is thus done he is destroy'd by Intestine or as 't is call'd Civil Discord A Beast hath many things like to a Man so the Apocalyptical Beast hath the Notion of Grace making room in the Regenerate by Combat and Warfare to destroy the impure depraved Lusts and cleanse the House that the King of Glory may enter The Beast flatters himself finding a disposition in him to be rid of some Sins though it be as Men are of troublesome Tenants without design of receiving a Heavenly Guest as the Regenerate do for such a one the Beast desires not for he knows no such but doth it only to ease himself of such who are unprofitable Associates Nor is there in the bestial Man a Warfare betwixt Grace and Sin the pure Spirit and sinful Flesh the Holy Virgin Image and the unmortified or revivings of Lust Though in the Astral Man as it is more nearly the Instrument of the Eternal Soul there is something better than is in the bestial Man as in a more simple ingeny where the Tincture is less incurvated or the Mind by assed than in the sensual bestial Man So that unto that Man the Heavenly Applications have readier intercourse more familiarly to impart it self and diffuse its beams therefore was it and still is it that the Soul is often spoken to in Dreams the Visions of the Night finding her best at leisure and emptied in some sort of the bestial Man's Clamors and throngs of Impositions But the War in the unregenerate Man is between the adverse parts and properties wherewith his Soul is endowed or whereof rather it is composed and as resulting from them the strife is between that natural Intellect which distinguisheth him from the Transitory Brutes on the one hand and his impetuous Lusts on the other 4. This Intellect may be call'd his Natural Conscience whereof the Apostle speaks that in those things which they understand as viz. little differenced from natural Brute Beasts in those they corrupt themselves Now in this contest where the depraved Intellect sentenceth that or this to be evil or good the will resulting from the Rebel Affections which will is regent and by Prerogative deems himself unaccountable calls the evil good indulgeth it delights in it and assimilates becomes one with it This natural Intellect the Beast deceived by the Whore calls the new Creature and Regenerator and flatters himself to be fighting the Fight of the Faith of Gods Elect or precious Ones Whereas their dark Heads and inimicitious Hearts are only engaged in Intestine Broils from the disorder of their native contrary Parts or Faculties And this Light is that whereof the Lord speaks If the Light that is in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness viz. If the Eye be evil and not single the four forms all this while proceed not to enkindle the true fifth but are compassed by the sparks of Fire of their own private Spirits enkindling not Flames of Light blown up by the Spirit of Divine Love And other times the Affections enclined by their good Astral Man or Constellation or perhaps by some surprize of Sympathy have a warmth towards compassionate and righteous Actions but yet at the same time the Mind is abstractedly darkness for death and disorder reigneth there These may give some Light to the inquiring Observer by what ways the Beast deceives precipitates and destroys himself plunging himself into the Abyss of Confusion for all his seven Heads Forms or Properties being so many implacable Enemies to each other rend and ruine him Q. 165. How doth Christ take the Kingdom when this Beast becometh slain The Tenth Distribution A. 1. Here we are come to enquire how that is done which we are taught to pray for Thy Kingdom come out of that Kingdom we like the Prodigal wandered and became as he into a most wretched state desirous to eat of the Swines meat but no one gave even that shewing us he had no right or title to it but either must beg it or steal it having not to pay for it and yet must have it or perish for hunger In this very state and nothing better is every man till Christ introduceth his Kingdom into the Soul And Man 's going out of himself is in this Parable call'd a coming to himself 2. But Reason can neither speak what This Kingdom is nor understand the written or spoken â—anguage concerning it be it spoken with all possible plainness or written with ample demonstration for Reason hath but one Eye and that looks downward like the Eye of a Beast and the Lust of Property and incessant Thirst to gratifie the Flesh by self-pleasing it s own exaltation self-avenging c. like manifold Cloths of Pitch shuts it up from the Kingdom of Christ so that all it can by this reach to is but as a swiming in the brain the receptacle and working-shop of the Sensitive Astral and Depraved Rational Spirits But the Eternal Word is spoken in the Heart which in opposition to that of the Brain is only mentioned and it 's not without signification that the word Brain is scarce found in the whole Bible but always the Heart as that which the Lord regardeth to mention 3. The Knowledge how Christ takes the Kingdom will be much advanced by clearing how Adam lost it For as the Spiritual World breathed it self through the Outward which is its Image so the Divine World filled the Essences of Adam's Soul also swallowed up his Astral Man then capable of Eternity so that his first four Forms were sweetly united in the Image of Holiness and true Righteousness and thus themselves were as it were hidden The Astral Man also was only serviceable to its Illustration and thereby compleatly happy sharing according to its capacity the Glory together with his noble Soul replenisht with his Divine Spirit 4. And his departure from the Eternal Substantiality of the Divine Life was to live according to Astral Reason as to his Inward Man and no higher And according to the Sensual Bestiality in his Outward both which are but the Figure or Shadow of the true substantial Spiritual World thereupon he died to the Divine Life And the Magical Power of his Essences being Those Properties whereof his Soul is composed wanting Heavenly Food became a dark hungry fierce inimicitious Will spoiling his Tincture as is
the Almighty Power of the Holy Ghost the latter perfected and consummated by the same Power concurring with the Gracious Providence of Infinite Wisdom The first so great an inward Divine Work as none but such in whom it is wrought can speak more of it but as Parrots so that the Experimental Work only enables rightly to see taste feel and know it And the Spirit working it can only rightly open the Mouth and guide the Hand to tell and describe it And this being spoken in the plainest simplest way can yet be received and profitable to such only who by the same Spirit are not only enlighten'd but made alive by the new Regeneration 2. Therefore in answer to the first part of the Question we are to know that God made of one Blood all Nations of the Earth and all Men in one Principle viz. the third consisting of the first four Properties for its Root But the second was Mans Paradisical Garland his Heaven his Crown and Divine Image This our Root and common Father the first Adam suppressed extinguished and caused to die and disappear Thenceforth Man became like the Cursed Earth whereof some plats bear Thorns and Briars others fetid Weeds others poysonous Plants others less noxious Products according to the prevalency of every of which the plat is named So some Men are hurried by the impetuous storms and fury of the four Anguishes of the first Principle and so are Devilish others are swallow'd up of the voluptuous Lusts of the Elementary Spirit and thence rightly called sensual others steered and regulated by the Maxims of the Siderial World and these can be no more or better than Earthy 3. Now out of all these the Divine Power ingenerating Faith not only acting in the understanding but swaying the Scepter of the Will also self-denial both as from abhorrence of the defiling self and also from self-interest property and self-pleasing which is as the Flower of Grass then cometh a hunger after the unseen Manna which is the Root producing the meek resignation of self-pleasing desires patient submission to the Cross which as it were insensibly enkindleth in the Soul the sweet dear silent retirement rest and peace the passing into the fifth form and this walkt in gradually regenerateth and tinctureth the dark perverted Soul with the noble new universal Power and Might And these are as different according to the procedure of Men as years distinguish the growth and stature of Children But done so silently by the Holy Spirit in Mans Spirit as the Blossom issueth and after it the Fruit. 4. The true new Regeneration in the Spirit of Christ is always new and that continually and successively renewed if indeed it be true not as the natural Birth of Children into this World who are so Born but once but rather as the growing of the Embrio in the Womb to a formed animated perfect Child Nor as an Arrow flying through by the force of its first push but as a Ship sailing through successive Perils and always returning to its latitude from various aberrations and passing through raging Surges as over so many Deaths Or as young people recover out of escaping from and through many Sicknesses and Relapses For the Lord himself teacheth saying to his Disciples who none doubts were before that converted Except ye be converted and become as this little Child ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Which then they were not for their quest was who should be the greatest thus tho' Metal upon Metal be false Herauldry Conversion upon Conversion is true Christianity 5. Nor is this less plain and evidently real in it self to the Children of the day tho' Nicodemus the Night Visiter misunderstood it than that the outward Suns Diurnal appearances on the Earths Revolutions make so many new days and every advance of the new Born Soul towards Perfection is such another thing than was the former as this Harvest is than the last was for the Soul can no more continue to grow by the first stirrings of the Heavenly World in it than the Body be nourished and supported by the Food it received the last Month or the Plants by the Rain they imbibed the last year or the Manna gathered one day be Food the following day when grown Verminous Thus God saith Behold I make all things new 6. Such therefore who pinfold their apprehensions of the new Regeneration by the Gage and Glass of the Natural Birth of Children may as equally infer the Mortification or Dying to the corrupt Man to be one only act Contrary to the Apostle I die daily Whereas we both die daily and are daily regenerated as Night and Day Winter and Summer are successively perpetuated Among the Roman Ecclesiasticks their Novices are under an absolute Arbitrary Subjection to the Tyranny of their unaccountable Superiors but the higher the Soul advanceth to the superior parts of true Regeneration the more simply and resignedly obedient is he till he actively passively and compleatly become as a little Child 7. And now to the second part of the Question Is it done in this time or after this time It is answer'd in the immediately preceding Discourse on the first part of this Question That the Regeneration is not wrought by one act as neither is Mortification done at once but gradually by little and little effected as a Summer hath its Spring a Day its Dawning a Vintage its sprouting out Obj. 1. â—8 Is it objected Omnipotence may perfect the Regeneration at once by one single act A. Without the Censure of confining Infinity it 's queried on what Ground is this presumption Built God shews us his way by all his gracious Discoveries for instance that of the Creation of the Out-world leads us as by the Hand to the view of the progress of the new Creation in which not to touch particulars which were repeating what is elsewhere done and digressive it may not be denyed but the Light call'd for at the beginning might have been multiplied into the inkindling of the whole deep that all had been as a Sun and so the alone figure of the Heavenly World but how then had this Out-birth figur'd both Worlds or both Principles wherein the seven properties should impress themselves in their distinct powers Therefore was that Light collected and the place of the Sun ennobled with the preheminence of the Empire of the Out-world as the Representer of the Holy Infinite second Principle the Son of God And the Darkness which before covered the Deep was conserved by condensation of the Terrestrial Globe whereon we creep and the Crassitude of the other Stars to figure the Infinite Eternal first Principle whereinto according to the dark impression thereof Man fell and out of which he is gradually recover'd as by way of similitude the Suns lustre attenuateth the gross Air by his continual variation by steddy orderly and regular approaches toward either Tropick Obj. 2. 9. But God new regenerateth the Spirit of Christ in
into everlasting Indignation Wrath Tribulation and Anguish who can dwell with devouring Fire under the Wrath of the Lamb Q. 167. What is the Dying of a true Christian What of him Dyeth A. 1. The Dying here inquired is call'd a Sleep which alludes to Adam who not exerting his Power became as one fainting and fell into a deep Sleep in which time his Female Property was divided from him and he slumbered to the Unity of the Paradisical Life and then was opened in him the divided state partly and but partly Paradisical for it was a begun Declension into the Dividings of the Astral Multiplicity And by Eves and his Eating the Fruit of the third Principle soon wrought in them dismal Effects for he lived no longer according to the Universal Will but set up a private Self-will as Law-maker ceasing to Rule over the Astral Powers he fell under them and so sadly as to be relieved and collect support and food from them given up to their contrary Properties and became a Beast as to his outward Body the deadness of part whereof degraded him so far as to render him by his Bones Skin and other insensible Parts to the baseness of Vegetatives and all this not transient as are some Astral Impressions but as a strong Prison out of which is no escape but by demolishing the Walls and Fabrick This is the desolate Wilderness which was signified by the going of the the Lord Jesus out of Canaan into the Wilderness to be there Forty days teÌ„mpted of the Devil after Fasting 2. Thus may a glimpse be seen what Adam's Sleep and after that his Fall introduced It chang'd his first Principle by darkning the Divine Eye of his second from great Power and active Vigor such as is that of the mighty Angels into Discord Rage Envy Fury c. and it chang'd his third Principle from so great Purity Transparency and Aptitude to have done Eternally the Offices of his great Soul and Divine Spirit into a gross obscene filthy palpable feeble sickly bestial perishing Carcass or Sack of Worms 3. Now when the Sun of Righteousness descends into this dark Dungeon he more or less according to the growth of the Regenerate Child by his pure meek Spirit appeaseth the Disorders of the Soul and halloweth it directing correcting and confirming a resolved will to obey as simply as a little Child and to persevere as a strong Man in Christ by which the Internal Man is in great part made God's Child and Image reaching toward the Love flame pressing strongly thitherward and groans to be with the Lord but still is the Body as little affected as the Bark of a Tree with the Virtue of the Fruit or as a Candlestick with the lustre of the Taper or as the Earth with the Astral Vertue rouâ—ing the Principles of Sulphur and Mercury in the saline Spirit in and through it 4. What can be done with this Body If it were possible to affect it so as the East-India Nut-tree doth that the Mercurial Vertue arising with Sulphur into a Nutmâ—g on a Clove for the Stud the Bark should be a Cinnamon it were somewhat but our Carcass is as senseless of the inward Man's Divine Work as the Bone is the Respondence and Intercourse the Spirits have through the Arteries and venal Channels or as the Beasts Hide is of the Astral Impulses moving the Animal Therefore it must like a Husk shell off and the Natural Body as a Grain of Wheat be sowed into the Elements whence it derived as the Corn into the Earth and die before it can increase and rise a spiritual Body 5. Thus dieth the Elementary part of the true Christian. How dieth the Wise-Man as the Fool returning into the Mouth whence it was spoken The Astral Body also rather disappears than dies but being dissolved from the ancient Obligations to the bestial Body it may remain at the Will of the Noble Soul to be its Chariot wherewith as a Medium it sometimes doth vouchsafe a loving Visit to his dear Christian Friend yet in the Body but most easily when such a one sleepeth as to the Elementary Man and seeth heareth and toucheth with his Astral Man for then may the precious separate Soul if it desires it as familiarly have access and converse with his dear Friend or Brother as two Men of one Language may and this hath been and may be to the great Satisfaction and Edification of the surviving Christian though not frequently because of Mens unworthiness or for fear of Impostures and especially because the Lord only is abundantly and infinitely all-sufficient by his own Omnipotence and Omnipresence 6. As Adam slept to the Holy Paradifical Virgin state and awaked to the bestial World's Adulterous state so the true Christian's Death is a sleeping to that sleep of his viz. The filthy sickly cumbring prophane Elementary Life and an awaking to the pure holy triumphant dear sweet child-like angelical Endless Life it transfers him out of the howling Wilderness of Temptation into Eternal Canaan out of a Dungeon into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God out of the Turba of perplexing Multiplicity and restless wrestling of contrary Properties into the equal Temperature and Calm harmonious complete Unity the private Self being extinct he entreth the Universal sacred Freedom of the Lord's Redeemed ones Q. 168. What is the Dying of the wicked in that it is called an Eternal Dying A. 1. It hath been often inculcated in these Writings that all Men are in all the three Principles of one Blood but their difference is notorious for though they are almost the same in their first and third Principles and much what alike though not without great distance of degrees in their second Principle yet here is the immense difference that in some their second Principle like the House of Saul impairs and gradually as it were insensibly extinguisheth to a dismal blackness to be felt at length and in others the Regeneration calmly yet with irresistible sweet force more and more opens that Principle which as the House of David improves and flourisheth 2. From these dear Children if their Progress hath been Crown'd with Perseverance their third Principle is like Trash and dusty Rubbish scatter'd about a firm built Structure fully finished which Death like an impetuous Storm with rapid Motion disperseth or as a mounting Torrent of Water violently bears away leaving the Fabrick unconcern'd But the third Principle is to the other his Fortress Confidence Retreat Refuge Rest Joy Hope Treasure and his all therefore Death at once surprizing him and snatching that away he and it perish together his only home falleth for want of Foundation the Cistern he hath hewn is broken having no Water in it nor can hold it if any were entrusted thereinto which shews the fault to be in the very bottom else it might hold some Water but the truth is it hath no bottom at all The World to the one is either as it is to
many in a desert place how much less will he lose the noble Tincture it self nor for the sake thereof the Earthen Pot in which like the Manna it is intrusted but Ransom by his Mighty Power the Tincture like a Captiv'd Turtle from the power of the Dog for his own glory sake and therewithal every Idea it hath been imploy'd to animate and hath spirited Q. 174. What shall be after this Worlds time when God shall be All in All when the Dominions shall cease A. 1. 1. The Answer of this may be censur'd as curious as the preceding Question seemed at first to be 2. To be also so hidden as to be inscrutable from the perplexedness and ambiguity of it being so far as may seem beyond our measure 3. To be sterile and unfruitful And in incountring such imputations it runs parallel with the discouragements of inquiring into the last precedent Question but to this one is added viz. that 4. It is a Tautology repeating the former Question 2. But to clear all successively the Matter here inquired must be confessed to be our great End Mark and Object we should level at therefore not unnecessary and curious and accordingly it is the subject of that of our Apostle therefore not unprofitable for us to get the knowledge of being our particular concern Nor is it unsearchable seeing the Holy Ghost in that Text teacheth us that Mystery can therefore the Explanation of it be unacceptable Lastly It is no Tautology for it must be heedfully noted and distinctly understood that the former last preceding Question intends the first Administration step or transaction immediately following the general Resurrection comprizing that formidable final irrevocable general Judgment but this Question intendeth the second step or administration as consequent of that Judgment or as may be expressed the Executive result of that Universal Judgment being the compleat summit of the perfect Worlds wherein the end hath not only found the beginning but is entred thereinto resteth in and possesseth it 3. We come now to speak of that most holy pure desireable state It is most undeniable that God shall not then only be All in All but ever was and is so either in his love or second Principle or in his Wrath or first Principle therefore it is no News but that it is said he shall then be so also how and why is clear in the following part of this Answer particularly in verse 23 24 25. being its proper place whither it 's referr'd 4. This state signified by the Sabbath Jubilee c. in Israel is when all the six Properties or Forms of Nature give up themselves into the seventh that is into the Throne or End of Action and Work Thus as by the gracious Creator the captiv'd Properties were ransom'd out of the dark confused Chaos and by him disposed into orderly Contexture to Image the hidden Powers of the Holy World and seven Fountain Spirits which made the Morning Stars sing their Psalm of Adoration Thankfulness and Shout for Joy So out of the Confusion the Creation had hurried themselves into by the direful Fall this state is the compleat Restoration there being afore begotten in every thing capable thereof something conformable to the new Birth which is the superior part of the Lords Children according to the capacity of the things themselves 5. And as in the Out-birth are such Fruits Products Precious Stones Seasons Localities Properties Auspicious sweet Astral Influences in the animate and inanimate Creatures all which are the footsteps of the disappeared Paradisical World and the Figures and Pointers toward the state here intended So are there in the Out birth on our Terrene Ball and why not on other Stars Certain Inhabitable Climates as toward both Poles Inhabitable places in the Habitable Latitudes as terrible Wildernesses raging Deeps also there are cross fatal Conjunctions malevolent Astral Influences with their various Productions amongst us as may figure and point out the state of the dark Abyss where the Ear bor'd are for ever Slaves 6. But because some may think this Discourse to be too remote from the Matter here sought it must therefore farther be said the Demonstration of what remains after the general Dissolution may be found in every Man whether wicked or holy for instance the Prophane Soul who turns all God's Goodness to him into Gall and Wormwood when ever the influences of gracious Bounty cease and God's tender Pity and great Long-suffering with him terminates the Serpent is grown in such a one thereby but the more strong and lusty for that in him which by the allay of this World 's intermixing Divertisements and the Holy World's Neighbourhood was only bitterish will then when this World as to what it now is is vanished and that wholly and for ever withdrawn become bitterness in the Abstract 7. As prick or bruise an angry Man's finger only and you see his Choler but rend his several Limbs and judge what his severe Fury will be Take from a griping Man but a few Shillings and see his Anguish and Repining but take all his Idol gods at once and he is as a Bear bereaved of her Whelps Disregard but the presence of an imperious spirited Man and he will wish to make a Sacrifice of all that do so and all they are and have like Mordecai but render him as vile as really he is and what would he not do could he revenge himself to the full Thus may we see what remains to the Dark Impression when this World's time is ended 8. But now according to the Divine World which is the thing in this Question intended it is very evident thus Let the Man who is raised in the Spirit of Christ retire himself but a little while by submissive resignation quitting his being at Home and from the Images there swaying in the outward Man also from the Desires and Remembrance of them let him then approach the holy Intercourses enter into the Contemplation of the infinite Love kingdom and he shall see and feel what he cannot speak or write he shall like a little Child act purely and will uninterruptedly the Passions of the Principle in which he lives if they may be call'd Passions he shall also like a little Child move simply according to the Dictates of his Father's Universal perfect Will for himself and his own Will averted are as if neither had ever been and thus according to the Question what remains after this World's time such a one throughly penetrateth the Spirit of this Man experiments how God being all in his poor little all causeth all other Dominions to cease in and over him and he breaths the holy Air. 9. The contrary Properties in him are in a measure so attoned and in harmony as they are in the infinite Abyss of Almightiness for they are all really and truly in him he consisting of them yet all is but one Power because the Divine Love in the
Wisdom hath swallow'd them all up and that Love is soveraign for ever over them And though this be most conspicuous in the mortified and daily dying Child of God who hath made good Progress in the Regeneration yet is it in some degree and measure in the Child of a Day old or a Span long for these have pure though much interrupted Breathings their Love may be very Ardent as the Love of Espousals though often and variously perverted these are begun to enter into the new World by the new Way in the new Nature and have thence by Intervals a fair Prospect into what cometh after this World all such are in a measure my Witnesses for what is above spoken in Answer to the Question 10. Now more particularly come we to the latter part of the Question viz. When God shall be all in all when the Dominions shall cease What therefore may most undeniably be said on this shall be drawn from the Words of the Holy Ghost by our Apostle wherein are taught us 1. That Christ having raised himself as the first Fruits raiseth also them that are his at his coming 2. That he shall put down all Rule Authority and Power 3. That then is or cometh the End 4. That then the Kingdom shall be deliver'd up to the Father and God shall be all in all To every of which a few words in their order 1. That our risen Christ shall raise all his and after all others at his second coming For 11. We ought assuredly to acknowledge that the great Work shall once be Universally accomplish'd by Jehovah's Almightiness in Raising Judging and Determining the state of all Adam's offspring and the actual delivering up the Kingdom to the Father and God shall be all in all and that all this is openly literally really and universally a Foundation Truth to be confessed before all men and next shall be spoken according to the same Method as Demonstrations thereof the work particularly done and doing viz. in the Divine meek Spirits and regenerated Souls of all God's new born Children from the first Holy Man to the last that shall be 12. Now that Christ having raised himself as the first Fruits shall also raise them that are his at his coming is such an immoveable Foundation Truth as neither Atheists or Apostate Christians those fallen Stars nor any fallen Angels nor all of them United can ever reâ—st but it is an Eternal Truth to the Glory of God the joy of all his in their Pilgrimage and matter of Divine Contemplation and Adoration for ever Read and Meditate among many others 1 Tâ—â—ss 4. 14 15 c. 1 Cor. 15. 23. Rev. 20 4 5 6. 1 Cor. 15. 3 4. and Review the 134 and 172 Answers 13. This great general second Resurrection is also done and demonstrated by the first Resurrection when God awakens the Sinner by unlocking the inspoken Grace and makes the Word a Refiner's Fire and as a Tincture transmuteth the Mass and leaveneth the Lumâ— then the Soul dies to the old and lives to the renewed Image by the Visits of the Virgin becomes a Virgin by looking on Christ comes to look like him the Bottle is made new into which the new Wine may now be intrusted and the King of Glory comes into his Temple his new made Vineyard and Garden and imparts himself his Heart his Whispers and Counsels when the Ear is opened For the sake of the Virgin Image thus Begotten shall the whole Man be crystalliz'd and tinctured with solar Power at the Resurrection mean time no Tongue or Pen can more than smatter at the recital of the loveinspired Words formed at every of the Masters sweet Visits when he comes to feed this Infant-birth and Sup with it 14. The Reason why we cannot tell it when we come out from the Holy Place is because our Astral Man knows not of what Dignity the Guest is that comes to the inward Man for he enters farther and our Astral Man or outward Reason is as a Porter whose office being at the Door hears not the Holy Treaty held within in the Closet and were it he could he understands not the Language but if a loud word be spoken which he hears then only when the sensual Man sleepeth then doth he either tremble as if he feared to be dismist his office for our Reason is like Gallio no Judge of these Matters or else he frames Images of what he as it were over-hears And if a Letter to the Virgin be intrusted with the Astral Man the Porter he only reads the Superscription but sees not what the inside is he thinks it all as the outside with ordinary Ink but within 't is all golden Letters mixt with Blood and legible in the dark Night for the Characters all shine and flame and none can read them but those who share in the first Resurrection for the old Eyes are dim these are convinced and somewhat more or less see how the second Resurrection will be having a sensible lively feeling of the first and passed the Danger and Power of the second Death See the 8th and 10th Verses of the 173 Answer 15. That our Lord shall put down all Rule Authority and Power this is meant to be after the Resurrection when he as the Sun in his strength obscures not only Gloworms but the Candle and Torch light Men shall then no longer abuse lawful Power nor acquire lawless Authority nor violently or subtilly Usurp undue Rule the Hunter and his Dogs shall no longer chase Lambs as if they were Foxes but the tyrannous Monarchs and the wronged Captives stand on the same level each in his own Principle and the Principles are as different as a dark Sulphurous Fire is from a sweet Radiant Lustre then also shall the Evil Angels whether they shall be Seducers of Men or other spiritual Wickednesses in High Places or Rulers of the Darkness as God of this World be all thrust out for he is come whose right it is both by Original and Purchas'd Propriety 16. This great general Manifestation of Jehovah Christ's Natural Soveraignty is also done and demonstrated in the whole Creation by his sitting among the Gods turning the Heart of the Mighty as Water stopping all Mouths bowing all Knees being above the Proud rescuing the Prey from the Teeth of the fiercest feeding the Hungry and Helpless the young Lions and young Ravens showering on the parched Wilderness stilling the raging Deep opening his Bottles in their Season treasuring his Snow and Wind and marshalling his Host of Stars But above all it is demonstrable in his Family who not only have ceased Hostility against him but taken up Arms for and under him out of weakness are strengthened to do suffer live die for him and in him their Health is to be Love-sick their Life to die daily he is their Fear Love Hope Repose Strength Wisdom Song their Springs and Treasures are in him for Time and
Consider common Fire it is not Light no more than a Rose is a Tree or the Root of a Lilly is the Flower Tho' by the way we may digress to observe that an Eminent Pen endeavours by many in their kind ingenious Arguments to prove Light to be Fire in a less degree but granting the vigour of the Fire to be in the Light or by the affluence of the Air to be the enkindler of the Light yet will it not follow that the Light is Fire unless the whole Deep is therefore the Sun because the Sun's vigour enlivens it For grant That Author's Arguments to arrive at what he levels them the distinct Properties will result into a Chaos whose various Vertues mutually produce consubstantiate figure and cohabit each the other yet the one no more the other than Heat is Cold or Light is Darkness It would also confound the Son with the Father and those two to be only terms convertible a thing so far from truth as not to be esteemed only short of it but rather diametrically opposite to it But passing by this consider we as was said common Fire that hath an attractive hungry fierceness in it like that in a heated Stone and that fierceness must be perpetuated if the Light be not generated by it but is the Fire of Hell but when the Light begotten by it as from a Fountain is resigned unto it and shineth in it then and there is the meek Vertue united with the strong might of the Fire thereby turning all into a Majestick splendor so bringing the Copy as a fit due conformity to the Original because the alone perfection of the multiplicity is its arriving at the Unity 23. Now come we to the last and God shall be all in all here may be taken a prospect of the Holy of Holies An Angel's Royal Hand were well employed in drawing these Lines and Measures but then still it must be with a Reed and the Computation must suit with the Cubit of a Man the Language also must be flammering wretched and as it were foolish else it descends not to the fallen Human Understanding And as none knows the things of a man but the Human Understanding Spirit so none those of God but the Holy Spirit of God What is vile dust to penetrate this Woe to us that we are of unclean Lips and vain in our imagination 24. Truth tells us that our Omnipotent God hath three Delights viz. 1. In his Son in whom is his delight 2. In the Excellent made so by his Son 3. In Exercising Mercy The two last viz. the Excellent and Exercising of Mercy dwell in the Son as in their Ocean Centre or Fountain and issue through him as Sap through a Tree and That Tree grows in our Impotent Humanity Now after the delivering up the Kingdom to the Father God's becoming all in all is the uniting all these three Delights to the Almighty Power-World where the Joy is incomprehensible and the Increase of it Endless and Infinite for then Almightiness of Strength and Wisdom hath replenisht it self with Almightiness of Love and Goodness the Unity hath reassumed the Multiplicity What words may express This most Holy Dominion 25. Can it be pourtrayed by the Joy of a tender-hearted Parent all whose dear Children having been miserably captiv'd by a barbarous malicious Enemy are by the prudent Conduct and prosperous Atchievement of their eldest Brother compleatly rescued May it be apprehended by the Joy of the Harvest when the loaden Sheaves crowning the Fields do seasonably enrich the Barns and Granaries Or of the Vintage when the bowed Branches dropping into the Press overflow it Or by the lost Son the lost Groat the lost Sheep the Joy of the Bridegroom over the Bride all which are faint resemblances and dim shadows of the Delight of the Eternal Father Also what is the Content of an Earthly Monarch whose Victorious Arms subject his Enemies and his seasonable Succours secure his Friends What is the Triumph of the Sun in the Firmament when his Spicy Beams revive the Face of Nature grown pale by his long absence and call up a smiling Spring These are weak figures and dark similes of the Delight of the Sun of Righteousness And what is the sweet Satisfaction the tender Mother hath by seeing all her dear Babes for whom she travell'd to whom she had drawn out her Breasts over whom she had long unweariedly watcht and cared of whom she had been a compassionate Comfort and Assistant in their Froward Fits various Anguishes Sicknesses and Hazards as so many Deaths at last all thriveâ— to perfect stature of Body excellent Endowments of Mind exact chearful Dutifulness to their Father and by Him all advanced to wear Crowns By this may be tho' obscurely represented the Delight of God's Holy Spirit Lastly What was the Joy of the lately oppressed Tribes when delivered at the Red Sea and occasion'd the Song of Moses What was also their Joy when God turned back the Captivity of Sion from the Chaldean when they were as men in a dream and what the Joy of them who having washed their Garments in the Blood of the Lamb and had been brought out of Fiery Tryals do come to receive their White Robes and Palms by which may be seen the Joy of the Redeemed of the Lord in that Holy of Holy days Thus are the sublimost Affairs offered in a most familiar homely manner with a low voice and flat style for so the Wisdom of God descends and delights to cloath it self while Man's Wisdom would flourish in enticing words puft up with empty sounds Obj. 26. But some by way of opposition may say that God ever was is and shall all be in all as it is written Of him for him and through him are all things and in him we live move and have our Being Ans. A confused knowledge of things doth but little difference men from Brute Creatures Let us therefore summarily remember what dispersedly in the Answers foregoing and the blessed Jacob Behmers Writings is large and clear viz. That the gracious Creator spake the Paradisical or Angelical World out of himself according to every Property of the Eternal Nature and according to the holy second Principle which till there was a rent by the receding of Lucifer into the by-path of his private Self-will the whole remained an exact Image and true Copy of the Original where the Name of God was perfectly spoken and God was all in all 27. And out of and as an Image of the Paradisical Principle and with the Properties of the Power-World did God speak forth the Astral-World an Image of both Inward-Worlds which as a Child of the other two had as the Children of Men have a Centre of its own and tho' it were a Copy of the Inward-Worlds yet was another a third Principle issuing into the multiplicity and as far as it so remaineth God is all in all in it also 28. In and over
gives extream cold 2. The sweetness gaspeth and fainteth 3. The bitterness teareth like a hot Plague as Gall. 4. The Fire is as a wrathful Sulphur 5 Love is turn'd into Enmity 6. Sound is as a crackling Fire or Thunder out of a hollow place 7. Their Region a hole of Mourning Their Food is the fierceness of all the Qualities CHAP. XI 1. THE seventh Spirit is the Body wherein Heaven and Earth Beauty and Joy rise up being generated out of the other six in colour Azure or Heaven Blew were it not for this there would be neither Man nor Angel and God would be an unsearchable Power 2. All the seven Spirits without the rising up of the flash were a dark Valley but when the flash riseth up between the Astringent and the Bitter in the Heats shining in the sweet Water it makes all living and the Power which riseth up in the flash is the Love and all the seven Spirits thus enlightened become a palpable Body to speak after an Angelical manner and this is the Body of Nature wherein all heavenly Creatures Idea's Figures or Vegetations are imaged or fashioned 3. The Light is the Life of all the seven Spirits it is their Son and Heart they are its Father him they Eternally generate in him triumph This Light or Majesty is the second Person in the Trinity and is another Person from the seven Spirits and the seven Spirits rise up continually in the Light and are the Father 4. And this splendor of the Light in the seventh Nature-spirit viz. the going forth of the Powers to form and image all in the seventh Spirit this out-going or Exit of the glance is the true Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son 5. This the Jews Turks and Heathens might find in their own Life and by these three they must rise again 6. But that the Christians boast not and scorn them Know that if the Turks be of an Astringent Quality and the Heathens of a Bitter yet if they stand in the anxious Birth seeking Rest and Grace though not in the right place God is every where And the Christian is generated in the Heat where the Light springeth up in the sweet-water yet take heed by drying up the Water thou extinguish not the Light and be burnt 7. The six Spirits rise up alway in a compleat Birth in the seventh and the corporeal drying of them is called Divine Salitter 8. The Angels are not all of equal Power though every one hath the might of all the Fountain Spirits but in every one there is somewhat of one Quality more predominant than another wherein he is glorified 9. Such as the Salitter was in every place at the time of their Creation in such is the Angel strongest and according to which is he named 10. As Flowers in Meadows receive colours from each ones Quality So the Holy Angels some are strongest in the Astringent quality and are of a brownish dusky grey white light like Twilight and nearest the Quality of Cold and when the Light of the Son of God shineth on them they are of a brownish purple flash of Lightening very bright in their Quality 11. Some are of the Quality of Water-light like the Holy Heaven and when the Light shineth on them they look like a Chrystalline Sea 12. Some are strongest in the Bitter Quality and are like a green precious Stone or Emerald sparkling like a flash of Lightening and when the Light shineth on them they appear as a greenish red as a Carbuncle or as if the Life had its Original there 13. Some are of the Quality of Heat and they are brightest of all yellowish and reddish and when the Light shineth on them they are like the flash or Lightening of the Son of God 14. Some are strongest in the Quality of Love and are a glance of the Heavenly Joyfulness very bright and when the Light shines on them they look like light blew azure lustre 15. Some are strongest in the Quality of the Tone or Sound and are bright also and when the Light shineth on them they look as if something would lift up it self aloft there in the rising of the flash of Lightening 16. Some are of the quality of the total Nature as a general mixture and when the Light shineth on them they look like the Holy Heaven formed out of all the Spirits of God 17. But the King is the Heart of all the qualities and hath his Court Province or Circumference in the Centre as the Sun amongst the other Planets so great is a Cherubim or King of Angels 18. The Author saith this Revelation was given him of God not that he had gone into Heaven and beheld it nor had any told it him for if any yea tho' an Angel he could not have understood or believed it but have doubted whether it had been an Angel sent of God or no but because it is generated in the Centre or Circle of Life as a bright self-evidencing Light like the Heavenly Birth or rising up of the Holy Ghost with a fiery impulse of the Spirit he could not withstand it at which let him that mocketh fear lest he soweth mocking and Eternally reap it 19. Worldly Wisdom is Born Blind therefore must all be Born again which new Birth begets the flash of Life in the sweet Spring or Fountain Water of the Heart and then it seeth 20. And therefore hath Christ ordained the Baptism in the Water because the birth of the Light riseth up in the Water which hath from the beginning of the World been a Mystery till now 21. This World is a Type of Heaven 22. The Stars denote the Angels being unaltered 23. The Elements in the deep between the Stars and Earth by their often alterations of being bright and sometimes louring blew whitish duskish wet and dry signifie the wonderful proportion variety and change of the posture of Heaven yet all according to the rising up of the Spirits of God and the Glory of the Son of God shining Eternally therein 24. The Earth sheweth the Heavenly Nature or the seventh Spirit of Nature in which the Ideas rise up 25. The Birds Fishes Beasts Worms Trees Plants and Flowers set forth the forms in Heaven tho' they are in clarity and brightness who rise there and go away again not being compacted as the Angels are but a figure and if imaged in one Spirit the same by wrestling with another Spirit is divided and altered therefore also the Creatures in this World are created Transitory CHAP. XIII Of the Doleful Terrible Fall of Lucifer and his Kingdom 1. WHen Lucifer saw his own Excellencies then his Heart or Life Spirit exalted it self aspiring to triumph over the Divine Birth the Son or Heart of God 2. For the seven Fountain Spirits who are the Father of the Light were pleased to become creaturely in
Astral and is the third Birth in him As an Apple on a Tree is the third Birth which though it be United with the Word of God in its innermost Birth yet the Wrath being in the Mother of its Body it remains palpable must dye and rot but at the last Judgment Day the Power of the Principle out of which the Apple groweth shall spring anew in Paradice and be a Fruit for Men in the other Life 3. And Man's Body hath the same Hope for though the bestial Body must putrifie yet its vertue liveth in the four Elements in the Word and there grows out of it beautiful Roses and if thy Soul standeth in the Love thou canst while thy Body liveth here live and reign with God in Heaven according to the Spirit of the Soul which the Devil seeth not 4. But for that thy Astral Birth standeth one part in the Wrath the Devil seeth into that part viz. of the Wrath into thy Heart where if thou give him any room he teareth that part of the Astral Birth which standeth in the Love out from the Word and then thy Heart is a dark Valley and if thou labour not quickly to kindle the Light again he kindleth the Wrath-fire and then thou art a Devil and into what thou hast sowed thy Seed that is thy Soul and in that part shall thy Body arise The striving of the seven Spirits in the Earth the Depth in the Centre 5. In the strife of the Astringency bitterness and sweet water the Astringency is Predominant which is dry The sweet quality is extensive and yielding yet the bitterness and sweet quality struggle till the Astringency dry and harden them and thence from their unwilling Captivity Anguish riseth up just as in a Dying Man in this anxiety Heat riseth whereby a Sweat exhaleth as in one yielding to the Captivity of Death That Sweat the Astringent and bitter qualities lay hold on as their Son which they had begotten on the sweet quality which they had killed 6. However the Astringent being strong and the Bitter swift from their Joy in their Son do stuff it that it swells and grows full and great And when the Astringent striveth to captivate the Bitter and the Body begins to be too streight or narrow and that the strife there be too great the Bitter must yield but cannot be kill'd but leaps aside and breaks out of the Body into Strings or Threads taking the Son's sap with it And this is Vegetation and growing of a Root in the Earth Q. How can God be in this Vegetation 7. A. That is the Vegetation of Nature and if the wrath Fire were not in the three Qualities viz. Astringent Sweet and Bitter God might plainly be seen but the Wrath makes the Astringent a cold Fire and its Attraction to be too hard and maketh the Sweet too thick and dark and the Bitter too raging and swelling else they might kindle that Fire from whence the Light would exist and from the Light the Love and from the same Fire-flash the Tone and then would be a Heavenly Body wherein the Light of God would and doth shine and then would be a Heavenly Fruit as it springeth up in Heaven and the Light would generate it self in the sweet-water and there would be a bright shining Heavenly Body where God is 8. But being the first three Qualities are benummed in Death they remain a dark Eternal Prison God's Wrath. Death and Hell a source of Torment Not that the three Qualities are reprobated even to the innermost but only the outward palpable Body and therein the outward Hellish 9. Thus is seen how the Kingdom of God and of Hell hang one to another as one Body and yet the one comprehendeth not the other but the Heat Light Love and Souâ—d are a kind of second Birth making the outward moveable and in the inward standeth the sound of God's Word which seeing it riseth up through the Astringent bitter Death and generateth a Body in the half-dead Water that Body is therefore Evil and Good which may thus be demonstrated 10. One taking a Surfeit by any mortiferous Herb Water or unwholsom Flesh let the same kind of Water Herb or Flesh be distilled or burnt whereby the outward Poison which standeth in Death is gone the Astral Vigour remaineth that Dead Body being gone wherewith if good Treacle be mixed which holdeth Captive the Wrath in the Astral Birth and give it the Sick in warm Drink then operateth the innermost Birth which hath diseased the Person and Cureth Whereby is seen that the Power of the Eternal Life wrestleth in the Dead Earth in Anguish but cannot bud till the Death be severed which hangeth to it for the Wrath is the Life of Death and of the Devil wherein standeth their corporeal Bodies or Being for the Dead Birth or Geniture is their Eternal House CHAP. XXII AFter other things in this Chapter are the seven times Refining of Silver and especially Gold till it become Triumphing CHAP. XXIII 1. THE earnest and severe Birth or Geniture out of which the Wrath of God Hell and Death are come to be hath been from Eternity in God but not accensible nor elevable not kindled or domineering without which severe Birth would be neither God Life nor Heaven Angel nor Creature The Gate of the Holy Trinity 2. The whole Birth of the Heaven of all Heavens this World the place of the Earth and of all Creatures and whatever can be thought of all that together is God the Father And in every the least circle imaginable is the whole Birth of God perfectly perpetually and irresistably but if in a Creature or Place the Light be extinguish'd there is the Austere Birth which lyeth hid in the Light in the innermost Kernel 3. The second Person is the Light which is continually generated out of all the Powers and enlighteneth again all the Powers of the Father an instance whereof is in the kindled Fires in this World the innate Son is the meek Joy and Delight of the Father Now the Father and the Son are equally great the one could not be without the other If the Jews Turks and Heathen will convert the Light will rise up in them gloriously 4. The third Person is the moving Spirit of Life Thus there is One God and Three distinct Persons neither of them can comprehend with-hold or fathom the Original of the other 5. If any will be Saints and not Devils let them generate in the meek holy Law of God else they shall Eternally generate in the austere severe Geniture oâ— God's Wrath. But the Deity is a very simple pure meek loving quieâ— unanimous Being through which the sharpness of the innermost Birth can never elevate it self but remains hidden CHAP. XXIV Of the incorporating or Compaction of the Stars 1. GOD moved the whole Body of Nature contained in the Extent of this World on the 4th Day
Unctuosity of the Blood of the Heart which Oyl or Sap hath in it the Root of the whole Man as Tinder cast into Straw 6. But if the Light had kindled it self in the Birth of the Soul all the Fountain Spirits according to the right of the Deity had triumphantly United with the Deity and had been a living Angel but because the Wrath had already infected the Salitter that Danger was to be feared which befell Lucifer therefore the Extract whereof Man 's Body was made was not become Earth though it was of the Salitter of the Earth but was held by the Word till the Love-Spirit out of the Heart of God glanced on the Salitter of the Mass then did the Salitter become impregnated in the Centre of the Soul and the Light abode in the Centre of the Mass and the Word stood in the Mass in the Sound This Book was Written by J. B. in the Year 1612. Being his first Book It was taken from the Author and not finished but that Defect supplied in his other Writings Aurorae Finis THE Three Principles OF THE Divine Essence CHAP. I. Of the First Principle of the Divine Essence 1. THough God generateth the Essence of all Essences out of Himself for through Him and in Him are all things yet Evil is not God And though the first Principle be the earnest Fountain of Tartness and Cause of all Mobility yet if that be irradiated with Divine Light it is no more Wrath or Tartness but great Joy 2. Though also God hath no Beginning it is here set down as if he had to distinguish the first from the second Principle Although it cannot be said that Bitterness Sorrow or Hell Fire are in God for God made no Devil nor Death yet those things are in Nature and Nature originateth from God according to the first Principle of the Father whose is call'd Angry not in himself but in the Spirit of the Creature which hath enkindled it self and the Wrath of God burneth therein 3. God is the incomprehensible Infinite Spirit A Spirit doth ever nothing but ascend flow move and generate it self in a Threefold Form viz. Bitterness Harshness and Heat neither of which is the first or last for a Spirit is like a Will which rising up beholdeth perfecteth and generateth it self 4. Three things are in the Original whence all things came to be Sulphur Mercurius and Sal. In Sulphur is Soul or Spirit and Matter In Mercury is harshness Bitterness Fire and Water of which four Sal is the Child From harshness bitterness and fire in the first Principle come wo torment trembling and burning yet from those three is also generated Water But in the first Principle God is not called God but a devouring Fire CHAP. II. Of the first and second Principles what God and the Divine Nature is 1. THE Divine Essence cannot be expressed by the Tongue the Spiraculum vitae the Spirit of the Enlighten'd Soul seeth it for every Creature seeth no farther than to its own Mother whence it originated The Soul was breathed out of God's first Principle into the third Principle viz. into the Syderial and Elementary Birth it is not therefore marvellous that it should see the whole depth of the Father in the first Principle it so seeing only it self in its rising The Devils also see and know it they wish also they neither saw nor felt it but themselves shut themselves up from the second Principle 2. The Sydereal Spirit which cloatheth the Soul and the Elementary which ruleth the Foundation of the Blood see only into that whence themselves are But the Spirit of the Soul enlightned by the Holy Spirit of God seeth into the Holy Divine Birth the Heavenly Essence the second Principle This Door can be opened only by Prayer seeking and knocking 3. In the Syllable phur in Sulphur are signified the four Forms of harshness or astringency bitterness or attraction anguish and fire but in the Sul of Sulphur is the Soul or Spirit meant which when it attaineth the Light the fifth Form of Love springeth up the Bridegroom embraceth his sacred Bride 4. Hence by the Water Spirit in Mercurius ariseth the sixth Form or sound so are all in one Heavenly Harmony united in the Divine Nature yet every Form retains its own Property so that here existeth a cross Birth for the fire goeth upward the Water downward the Essences of the harshness sideways as it were East West North and South CHAP. III. Of the endless and innumerable Productions of the Eternal Nature 1. SUch as by reproach forbid a search what God is prosecute the Devil's deceit that it might not be known what the Anger of God is nor what the Devil is and what properly it is which God Abhors Ability is in Man to speak what God our Father is and what the Eternal working 2. Every of the six Forms generateth more for in every of the Fountain Spirits is but one Centre and each generateth more as out of one branch issue many springs and buds and out of one root many threads 3. Out of the harsh Spring proceed five Springs viz. Bitterness Fire Love Sound and Water and in their Co-operating through Anguish the Light and Life arise and the Anguish becomes in the sixfold Form a great Joy in a meer pleasing Tast delighting Sight reviving Smell ravishing Sound the softest Touch all unutterably Excellent So as if one were instantly snatcht out of the bitter Pangs of Death and Torments of Hell into the Triumphant Light of Divine Joy 4. For the Forms of harshness bitterness and fire being perfect in Love become totally Glorious and a Highest Joy and yet their various Properties remain all perfectly irradiated CHAP. IV. Of the Eternal Essence generating Infinity of Existencies 1. THE Eternal generating hath neither Beginning Number End Bottom nor is it Corrupted The Mind of the Sydereal and Elementary Spirit seeth only a glimpse of it which Mind is the Chariot of the Soul without which Mind the Soul were feeble and crâ—â—e in the first Principle but if the Soul be regenerated in the Light of God that Light is its lustre in the second Principle wherein it liveth Eternally 2. Man's Body was made out of the one Element the Quintessence whence also the four Elements Stars and Heaven of the third Principle were created But the Soul was breath'd by the Holy Ghost out of the Father's Light which Light being the Name of God is the Light of Life and enkindled out of the four Anguishes therefore is the Soul God's own Substance 3. If therefore the Soul elevate it self back into the Anguishes of the four Original Form into Priâ—e c. it become a Devil But if it elevate it self forward in the fifth Form of Light Meekâ—ess and lovely Humility it is fed by the Word the Heart of God and its own strong fierce Original becomes Paradisical a sweet Fountain of Eternal Songs of Praise â—t is an Angel a Child of
Strength and Meekness the Original Forms and Principle of Light to v. 73. The Stars are a Quintessence or fifth Essence distinct from the four Elements as the Fat in a Creature causeth the Fountain of Life to burn they are not only Fire and Water but have all the Properties of hard soft bitter sweet sour dark and whatever the Earth hath and every Star a several prevalent Property according as in the Eternal Centre of Nature they stood open when the Eternity mov'd it self in the Creation 8. The Air mixeth with all sorts of Forms therefore is unconstant sometimes awakening one Form in the Centre anon another The whole Deep is like the Mind of a Man which beholds some things cursorily some other fixedly bringing it to substance setting Hands and Feet to work as the Will hath conceived and framed it so this Spirit of the Deep though without Divine Understanding formeth by the vigor of the Constellations the Spirit of our Adamical Man also of all Beasts Fowls Herbs Plants Trees Metals Precious Stones Fishes c. and is the cause of Wisdom in Arts Polity Governments among fallen Mankind And this is called the third Principle or awakened Life of God not Eternal but that in which the great Wonders are made visible Substances whose Figures remain as a Picture for the Glory of God and Joy of the Angels and Men but their Essences shall be reduced into the Aether as it was before the Creation of the World yet shall all stand in the Eternal Nature with its colours and figures and there will be a springing blossoming and growing yet without feeling any fire or fierceness for the Essences will then be no more a Substance and therefore it affordeth no fire but the fire is an Eternal Darkness and gnawing call'd the Eternal Death CHAP. VIII How by the outward World is opened the Eternal World How a Man may seek and find himself Whence is his Beginning and what his End 1. AS the enlivening Spirit in the deep animates all Creatures as if they were one Body each according to their Kind so the Light of Eternity within this World incomprehensible to this Worlds Spirit having all the Properties also in it yet with no such inkindled Essences is the Life of the blessed Inhabitants thereof Their Fire though mighty is yet without Pain or Consumption burning in the soft delicate desire of dear Love and highest Joy this Fire maketh Majesty springeth and blossometh for ever in such Earth as is call'd Divine Substantiality or Holy Ternary stored with perfect Goodness exempt from all kind of Evil. 2. And as the whole third Principle of Astral and Elementary Bodies are as one Body so the Infinite Holy God Heaven Angels Men Paradise with all Divine Things and Properties are but one Body call'd God Majesty and Eternity wherein the Majesty is the Light the Holy Ghost the Air and Spirit Every Angel and Man is like the total God and the Holy Ghost proceeds forth in him also As in a flaming piece of Iron the Iron resembleth the Creature its flame of Light the Deity its Heat the Creatures Spirit the Air proceeding from it the Holy Ghost but now we live in Anguish Cares Labour Fear Trembling Affliction and cloathed with fallen Adam's Skin yet also in the Hope of Israel 3. And because the Soul stands between two Eternal Principles and the Body meerly in the Spirit of this Worlds Earthy state caring little for the Soul therefore must the Body be kept under its necessities only not its wanton desires answer'd The Soul also must watch and pray not please it self in its own ability but ever humble it self to the Divine Will and Mercy These things are irksom to the Body and cross to the Self will of the Soul but the view of Eternity must sway all for the Body is an unconstant Neighbour and Death a sudden Guest And as the danger so the power God hath graciously given the Soul is very great As it is written to them he gave power in Christ to be the Sons or Children of God 4. Man finds in himself more than is in the Beast for the Beast hath no higher Will than to fill and nourish it self and multiply according to the property of their Centre and every Life desireth the best that is in its Mother or Centre which shews what the best of the Centre or Mother whence they are is but Man sees into the property and vanity of every thing here and therefore a higher Life above the Elementary Transitory Food The Beast hath a Tincture else the Fire of their Life would devour them but their Fire and Tincture is but Elementary and Astral and consequently fragil but Man hath a desire after an Eternal Life and shews it by his desire to perpetuate his Memory here by his Off-spring or otherwise if he could For tho' he enter community with the Beasts in his third Principle yet he hath a Fire-life out of the Eternity wherein the Forms are in Anguish and that not being the right Life hath a Tincture of Divine substantiality of Meekness which is the Light which quencheth the wrath of his Fire-soul wherein is the Intellect satiating the Anguish which tincture Lucifer caused to disappear as a shadow shutting himself up in Death and Fierceness 5. Is it said why did God suffer Lucifer to fall A. He was a Prince and Throne Angel a Son of the first Creation or Morning and cause of the Out-birth in the third Principle therefore Christ called him the Prince of this World He had also a Free-will like us Men and we often do things contrary to God as making Forts Castles and sumptuous Houses for our state So Lucifer would be as a Creator which in it self was no more his Fall than Adam's imagining which caused the Tree of Temptation to grow which therefore was severely forbidden yet which of it self was not Adam's Fall but Lucifer's Fall was when he awakened the Matrix of the Fire over the Meekness of God that Fire became and now is his Hell which God captivated with Heaven or Water and moved himself to the Creation as the pleasant Sun shuts up the Astringent cold turning Ice into Water making Fish c. to live and grow And the cause of the Sea and unfathom'd deeps is that there the Fire was greatly enkindled as when Sodom c. were a Habitation of the Devil who would have dwelt there in his fiery fierceness God allay'd his stoutness bringing Water on that place 6. The Souls dissatisfaction here shews it in a captivity for its true Rest and Heaven was shut up in it having in Adam put its desire into the Principle of this World great is the perplexity that an Eternal Creature should be Immur'd and Married to another Principle have another Mother and Centre which as soon as it breaks as dissolve it doth leaves the Soul in indigence and darkness This pos'd the understanding non-plust the wisdom of all Creatures
flaming Iron which emitteth two Spirits viz. a hot one able to awaken another Fire from its own Centre and another an airy one which though it hath all powers of the Fire yet not the Tincture of the Fire but only the Spirit of the Fire a faint Life for in the Eternity is no Death Hence is it that Life must proceed only from the Seed of the Male Tincture in the Matrix of the Female 9. Every Creature Inanimate Sensitive c. is formed according to the Tincture in the Spirit of the Species of them as may be found by the order of the several days of the Creation for on the first day God Created the Material Water which hath an impotent Life and is a Bar to the Devils Anger Fire And when God said let there be Light the Light of the Tincture opened it self which God separated from the darkness viz. shut up the fierce Fire Lucifer kindled which originateth in the darkness and let the Qintessence burn in the fat of the Water Spirit as doth the Fire of the Life in a Beast 10. The Tincture is in the Blood the Life burneth in the Tincture and God keeps the Centre of the Fire in the darkness and so every Life is in his own hand for if he let the Fire into the Tincture the Spirit is in the Hellish Fire The Tincture was divided into a Fire Life and Light Life the Fire Life was to be a Firmament between the Holy Meekness the Heart of God and the weak Air between both which God dwelleth The Fire Spirit of the Tincture hath Eternity for its Root the Air Spirit hath the awakened substantiality ruling the outward Life of Beasts Trees c. having a weak Tincture 11. Thus see we Life standeth in Fire and Air also the Original of Blood such Creatures that have it are more noble than those that have it not for such have a false Tincture proceeded from the will of the Devil as is seen in Vipers and other Venemous Reptils for such lothsom ugly Bodies are figur'd in Hell not from the divided Tincture but from the fierce dark Spiritual substance 12. When the Water covering the Created Earth was separated and the Earth dry the collected Water was call'd Sea signifying in the Language of Nature a covering in reproach to the Devil whose power was drown'd By the Water above the Firmament separated from that below is meant the Blood wherein is the Tincture of Living Creatures and that beneath is the Elementary Water in which two consist two Kingdoms 1. The Soul in the Blood in the Tincture and because the Tincture is from Eternity therefore must the figures remain in Eternity And 2. The Air Spirit in the Water which is corruptible for it had a beginning 13. After the Earth and Elements were formed the fiery Tincture was as a shining Light then God suffered the Centre of Nature to open with its proper will out of the Essences and the whole Principle became but one Body whereof the Sun was the Heart and the six other Planets the Spirits at the Centre of the Heart the other Stars are its Essences all just as the Deity hath been from Eternity whence came a true Life Reason Sences and Understanding yet a Bestial one and Spirit of the Air manifesting God in a figurative form which this world sheweth if we consider the Centre and thence go on in the Light of the Majesty to the number three The Discourse and Figure of the Planets and Signs from the 63d v. to the end of this Chapter being it self Summary is recommended to be perused entirely as the Author left it CHAP. X. Of the Creation of every Being and how Man may find himself and all Mysteries to and only to the ninth Number 1. TO seek the Mysteries of Nature in the Stars and Elements is vain neither Luna nor Mercury will lead you to Sol but if you take the Spirit of the Tincture following of which to Sol some have been laid hold on by the Spirit of the Heavenly Tincture and been brought into the liberty of the Majesty where they have known the noble Stone and stood amazed at Mans blindness 2. The number is but three stay at the Cross or ten but nine is only attainable then take Saturn as a Male and Fire-Tincture and Luna as the Female and Air Spirit go thus gradually in the Wheel to Sol go then on through the Suns Fire and being through it lay hold by means of the Tincture on the Eternity which is the ninth number bring that on the Cross which is the tenth the very end of nature here handle the Stone it is Fire-proof free from the Wrath and Out-birth its splendor is in the Majesty its Body out of the Eternal Substantiality 3. If now the seeker willeth the splendor of this world let him go from the inward into the outward Luna which break into a thousand parts giving it such proportion of Sol as its hunger desireth and it is made bright and perfect but we ought justly to rest satisfied in the tenth number for this world is but dross and dung therefore Christ saith Seek first the Kingdom of God and all other things shall be added All lyeth in the willing for the will maketh the desire the outward will must enter into the inward and deny it self as if it were dead to the outward because Adam turning his will to the outward caus'd him to die to the inward but if we turn back into the inward we see God and the Eternity and are the Similitude of what God is and are as we were Created 4. It is more easie to the inward Man in the Divine Will to see the ground of the Creation of this world than for the outward to know what the Sences inform To create is to comprehend what is first figur'd in the will as doth a Builder frame in his will a Model of what he is to Erect In the Creation the six Properties stand in every quadrat of the Circle of Time which divides the Day into Morning Noon Evening and Midnight 5. On the fifth day the Fiat opened the Matrixes of all Similitudes and the Wrath Kingdom pressed hard to be imaged with it when were produced all Fowls and Fishes then also all sorts of Spirits of the Fire Air Water and Earth went forth so that the whole deep even to the Constellations is nothing but a Life and stirring of Spirits The Devils place is in the darkest towards the Constellations and so poor a Creature is he as not to touch any of the seven Governments 6. The describing the order of Powers cannot be sufficiently seen by the orderly Wheel of the Magi nor can it be written for Reason to penetrate being more subtle going inwards towards the Sun that is upwards downwards and side-ways towards the meek substantiality but the Spirit of the Soul if it look with its own Eye into the inward and with the Eye of
prudent exemplars in Manners great Proficients in Philosophy profound Casuists in Theology with so good progress as if they were Pillars in God's House and all this adorned with a blameless Conversation to human observation 3. But all this destitute and exclusive of a changed Will but retaining unmortified affections and desires having an unregenerate Heart a Soul dead to any Life of Resignation and Sacrifice but is still immutably stubborn is therefore as concerning the Faith reprobate for the right Faith is the right Will which divested of its self-lusts enters into the living Word whereas the other is without God in the World tho' flattering himself all his life long with the merits of Jesus Christ his share in them his Predestination from Eternity his assurance never to fall away whereas he was never risen with Christ but lies drowned with and under the desires of the present Evil World and lives wholly a stranger to the dying of Christ to the emptying of the corrupt self-will for the Pearl is in That man's account too dear nor will he buy Oyl Of the Company and Assistance of the Holy Angels 4. As Men fearing God readily help each other in their misery so do the Holy Angels powerfully assist Men for they affect the company of vertuous humble chast men themselves being very pure chast modest humble friendly and know no deceit or iniquity they have also great delight among little Infants and sometimes manifest themselves to them and play with them if they be the Children of God for they do nothing but what is innate in them both the Angels and the Children They have also great joy for one poor Soul delivered from the Snares of the Devil and are at hand ready to deliver such in their greatest extremities having an over ballance of Power to that of the Evil Angels else what Ruins would the Devils make in the busie execution of their Office in the Turba magna of terrible Storms c. as far as the fierce Wrath is therein enkindled were they not curb'd and drove away by the ministration of the Heavenly Hosts of the holy and mighty Angels sent out by the Almighty gracious Jehovah 5. There is therefore no cause at all of despair tho' the whole World seem to be against us Nor are Prayers to be made to them for they accept not that honour but direct us to God Whatever befals us is to purifie us as Gold for God aims to have fair lovely Children and of understanding to discover the Deceits of the Old Serpent God sets Heaven and Hell before us therefore must the Soul have Understanding to chuse and Faith to fight for it must be a continual Warriour If we make our selves fierce false covetous proud Devils we are so but if we image in our Souls humble meek submissiveness with a love to follow the Lord we enter into the Holy Principle and are in the Paradiâ—ical and Angelical Regiment Let all therefore be warned according to what they form their Spirits which is commended to seasonable and most serious and continued consideration CHAP. XV. Of the mixed World its wicked exercise being a Glass wherein every one may try out of what Spirit themselves are 1. MOst just and necessary is it to reprehend practical Impieties Immoralities and Debauchery especially among such professing goodness the which unchristian Conversation is chargeable on high and low Priest and People old and young who all are yet apt to account this a Golden Time and bless themselves in it tho' it is a time of lamentation being the opening of the last Seal and of pouring out the Vial of God's Wrath bringing to light the Wonders of Hell particularly the Pride and Oppression derived from those sent to the University enslaving the People in their Understandings by Constitutions Orders Statutes c. and in their Bodies and Estates by wresting from them their sweat and the fruit of their labours wherewith these pamper themselves a practice not grounded in Nature but is hellish for there one Form vexeth and plagueth another so that among these the Dog is more happy than the poor of the people 2. And this hath another consequent Evil in that it induceth and in a sort inforceth the poor to imitate them and to live by deceit doing that also swinishly which the other do in pride and bravery All which is convinced of great madness considering the shortness and uncertainty of the present time the great strict solemn Judgment day and the Eternity of the Life to come on the brink whereof we stand ready to enter unconceivable happiness by the narrow way or intolerable misery and shame by the broad way Yet this Chapter concludes that a sincere Christian doth not here wholly know himself seeing comparatively nothing but his vices for his Sanctity Christ hideth under his Cross. CHAP. XVI Of praying and fasting what praying its power use benefit and preparation to God's Kingdom is 1. THE earnest restless hunger and thirst of Man's Spirit after the meek rest of Divine Love from the Property of the driver being so impetuous that the Morning calleth to the Evening the Night to the Day and one Day to another panting when will the refreshment come Sheweth whence Man came and how greatly he is strayed having no place of rest till he be driven back to his still Eternal Mother the Eternal Nature for here the driver taketh him by the very throat he lieth as one among the slain in a great Battle who dares not lift up his head for fear of the cruel overflowing Conquerors or as one surrounded with malicious Foes who all strike at him to murther him or as one fallen into a deep Pit hoping for help only from above or as one fallen into a deep Sea swimming yet seeing no shoar sigheth for help from Heaven 2. So is it with Man's Soul for if the Soul search its own flesh blood marrow and bones they are Enemies incompassing and captivating it the Spirit of this World suppresseth it and would like a Sea drown it by pampering the Bestial Life the Devil also as a cruel proud Enemy draweth it into the fierce aking Abyss striking at it with hellish anguish and despair 3. Then if it will be saved its Will must depart from the outward and from its own thoughts and mind into God's mercy for the Word that made Man's Soul became Man and his holy Humanity the flesh of the Eternal Word his food his blood also the Water of Eternal Life is as a puâ—e new Body and this Word was a meek pure desirous Love and then the Holy Ghost leads it out of Prison from the Battle of the driver cooling its flames and the Soul becomes an humble Child 4. When the whole man resolves into a Will of leaving every Evil and seeking God with the whole heart he is received as Daniel when he began to set himself to pray and chasten himself the command came forth But the Life is
Trinity was to have a total Similitude That longing awakened the Astringent Fiat That Desire hath drawn out of All into One a Similitude of Heaven this World and the Anger-World And as there is no Thing higher than the Soul so nothing can aâ—â—ihilate it being a Child of the Substance of all Substances Q. 4. What the Breathing in of the Soul is and when it is done A. 1. Every Spirit without a Body being unknown to it self desireth one for its Food and Habitation and the third Principle being created before the Soul as a Looking-glass of the Deity and generated materially out of the Eternal Wonders desired a material Similitude on the Soul and there did the outward Fiat Form an Image out of the Earth's Matrix a mixture consisting of Fire and Water 2. The Fiat of the Heavenly Matrix which did Create before the Earthy longed after the Soul and out of the Centre of the Word went forth the Fiat of the Word so was the third Principle created in the second The Virgin Wisdom clothed the Souls Spirit with Divine Flesh and the Heavenly Tincture made Heavenly Blood in the Water 3. Thus the inward Man stood in Heaven his glance in the Inward Eye was Majesty and understood the Language of God and the Angels viz. That of Nature And tho' he stood in the outward also yet knew not the outward by experience 4. Into this twofold Body Created on the sixth hour of the sixth day was the Royal Soul breathed in by the Holy Spirit into the Holy Man like an awakening of the Deity and the outward Spirit of the Stars and Elements breathed its Life through the Nostrils into the outward Heart also the quality of the fierce wrath pressed in with the original of the Soul so that the Soul could not continue to be Gods Image otherwise than in humble obedience Else could he not over-power two Principles the angry and outward which was generated out of the Anger And the Temptation was for Forty days signified by 1. Moses on the Mount Forty days when Israel stood not but made a Calf 2. The Spies Forty days searching the Land 3. Israel's being Forty years in the Wilderness 4. Elias Fasting Forty days 5. Christs being Forty days Tempted in the Wilderness 6. And being Forty hours in the Grave 7. Christs being Forty days on Earth before his Ascention 8. Israel's Forty Journeys in the Wilderness 9. Goliah's Forty days Challenge 10. Esau lived Forty years then took two Evil Wives which grieved Isaac and Rebekah all the days of their Lives Q. 5. How the Soul is peculiarly form'd and fashioned or framed A. 1. A Twig is like the Tree a Child like the Mother The Soul is like a round Globe ☉ ☉ ♓ the right Arm of the Cross signifieth the second Principle the Spirit The Left Arm signifieth the first Principle its Original Might and Power the upper part signifies its sproutinâ— through Anguish in the Fire The lower part its sinking the Water the Humility into Gods Majesty and be dead to its own will 2. The Soul in its first Principle hath the form of an Eye yet twofold wherein the Cross standeth unless it let the Devil into the Will viz. Pride and Covetousness if so it loseth the Cross. 3. In the second Principle it is a Spirit and a total intire Image such a one as the outward Man is 4. And in the third Principle it is a Looking-glass of the whole world the Potentiality of Heaven and Earth and all Properties of Creatures lye in it Q. 6. What the Ability or Potentiality of the Soul is A. The first power of the Soul is That if the will go strongly forward it is Faith And so can form another Image in the Spirit out of the Centre of Nature It can give the Body another form being Lord of the outward but that transmutation is not permanent because Adam did let in the Turba and this kind of power is call'd Nigromancy for the Body is Sulphur the Spirit of the Soul hath the Tincture But the Devil readily mixeth therein for it is the Abysses Wonder whereof he is Lord. 2. The second power of the Souls will is that the earnest will which otherwise is called faith can put the Spirit into another form If the Spirit were an Angel the will can make it a stubborn Devil Also if it be Devilish it can by sinking down in Humility under the Cross cast it self again into Gods Spirit 3. The third power of the Souls will or Spirit is that it hath power to enter into another Mans Marrow and Bones and if he be wicked can introduce the Turba into one who is not armed by Gods Spirit as do Sorcerers c. 4. The fourth power of the Souls will is that it hath power if it be Gods Child to lead Captive the Turba and pour it out on the House of the ungodly As Moses on Pharaoh and Elias did the Fire It can throw down Mountains break Rocks as far as the place is capable of the Turba having made the Anger stirring 5. The fifth power is that it can search out all wonders or works in Nature Arts Sciences c. So Moses commanded the Sea Joshua the Sun And if it be in God it can over-power the Devil Also can heal the Sick raise the Dead But not unless Gods Spirit stir it up having lost the exercise of its power by the Fall yet the Soul in its original is greatly powerful But only in that Principle into which it looketh or in which it standeth is its might Q. 7. Whether the Soul be Corporeal or not Corporeal A. The Soul is a Fire-Globe with a Fire-Eye and a Light-Eye The Tincture is a Spirit existing from the Fire and Light And is its Meekness out of which cometh Water which the Fire draweth to it self to allay its fierce quality turning that Water of Life into Sulphur according to the seven Spirits of Nature And that Mystery changeth it self into red from the Fire and into white from the Tincture the glance is from both so that the Life seeth it self out of which Reason and Thoughts exist The Blood is the House of the Soul The Tincture is its Body The pure Soul is not Corporeal but there groweth a Body in the Tincture not palpable or comprehensible to the outward but a Power Body Gods Body Christs Heavenly Flesh which he gives us in his Supper A Body the Turba cannot touch unfadeable comprized in nothing but in the noble precious Tincture Which being perished in Adam therefore God became Man and brought the Divine Image again into the Souls Tincture and we must now be Born again in Christ if we will see God Q. 8. In what manner the Soul cometh into Man or into the Body A. This Question is understood of propagation the Creation of the first Soul being shown before 'T is answered That Adam when fallen could not generate but in an
and groaneth to have it Banished for the outward devoureth the inward if the inward continue not in strife 2. Yet the three Principles are one in another The Soul is the Jewel the Spirit is the finder of the Jewel the Earthy Spirit is the â—eeker the Earthy Body is the Mystery so three seekers belong to the Soul 3. We undervalue not the outward Life it shews Gods Wonders but let Men go with the inward into the outward for tho' the outward be a Beast yet the Wonders which have discovered themselves in a comprehensible substance belong with their figures not their substance to the inward 4. The inward understanding Spirit is Lord of the outward But if it let the outward be Lord that Man is a Beast and if it let the Fire-spirit viz. the Turba be Lord that Man is a Devil But the outward Life is Water to that Fire else how would many a Man become a Devil if the outward Life did not hinder it as is to be seen in the Gall which is a Fire Poyson but mixed with Water it allays the fierce Pomp of the Fire from going aloft above the Meekness of God as Lucifer did Q. 17. Whence and wherefore is there a contrariety of the Flesh and Spirit A. Water is a death to Fire but the contrariety is not totally such in Man because the Light ever causeth the Fire but rather such as between God and Hell for the Anger Fire sharpeneth the Divine hiddenness of Gods Eternal Majesty for it generateth the high Light in the free Liberty and thus the other or second World cometh to be out of the first The Soul is the Centre of Nature The Spirit is the precious Image tho' not sever'd as Fire and Light are not sever'd the Fire is fierce yet the cause of the Meek Light and in the Light is the Life The contrariety is that the inward Spirit hath Gods Body out of the meek substantiality the outward Spirit hath the great Wonders which lye in the Arcanum of the Souls â—ternness therefore the Love spirit hindereth that the fierce wrath destroyeth not the Soul bâ— inflaming it The contrariety is that the inward Spirit would be Lord and subdue and the outward would be Lord saying it hath the Mystery of which it hath but a Looking-glass Seek not the Mystery in the outward Spirit for there is but a Glimpse but go into the Cross and from the Cross back into the fourth Form there is Sun and Moon one in another Bring it into Anguish into Death Drive on that Magick Body so far till it be again what it was before the Centre in the will and then it is Magical and hungry after Nature it is a seeking in the Eternal seeking and would fain have a Body therefore give him for a Body Sol viz. the Soul and then it will suddenly make it a Body according to the Soul for the will sprouteth in Paradise with very fair Heavenly Fruit without spot or blemish The inward Spirit would have God the outward would have Bread which is also good in its place But beware thou let not the outward Spirit be Lord. Q. 18. How the Soul departs from the Body in the death of a Man A. There is need of the Eyes of all the three Principles to take Death Captive to see this sharp question The beginning which is Magical having found the limit casteth away the seeking the Looking-glass the Earthy Life And lets the Body depart without complaint for there is no woe done to the Soul but the Turba or Fire life the Matter or Earthy Life â—â—â—seth The Soul dwelleth in the will which hath a glance or lustre burning in it and the Fire becometh impotent and a darkness unless the Spirit hath Heavenly Substantiality if so it is swallow'd up in the Magia hath the same meek Body for a Sulphur and Eternally burneth in the Love-fire Thus Sickness unto Death is that the Turba hath kindled it self and destroyeth the introduced Medium The Life's Fire being withdrawn the Body goeth into its Aether when if the Soul's Fire hath not in its Spirit God's Body viz nothing of the Power of Humility to sink down in it self through Death into Life it is a dark Fire in great horror in the first four Forms of Nature The stern Astringency Bitterness Anguish and Fire without flaming The Covetous one hath Frost the Envious one Bitterness the falâ—e Deceitful one Anguish the Wrathful one Fire Hence consider the last Judgment to be such as at which the Devils do tremble Q. 19. How the Soul is Mortal or who it is Immortal A. The Soul is from the Eternal and continueth Eternally it came out of God's Mouth and at Death goeth into God's Mouth again But the wicked Soul hath lost its Image yet Immortal for the Eternal Nature dieth not also if the Anger Fire should die God's Majesty would extinguish which can never be The wicked Soul hath introduced a Substance into the Will thence comes wo it is a Dying yet only a Will of Dying an Anguish ever thinking if I had not done this or that I might have attained God's Salvation which Evil things done make Eternal Despair No Soul Dieth be it in God or in Hell but its Substance or Doings stand Eternally to the Glory of God's Wonders Q. 20. How the Soul comes or returns to God again A. Answer'd in the foregoing Answer Q. 21. Whither the Soul goeth when it Departeth c. be it saved or not saved A. 1. It goeth not out at the Mouth for it came not in at the Mouth but the Turba having broken the Earthy Life goes as a Conqueror unapprehended by Wood or Stone through the Anger of God and Death and then is in God's Body in Christ's Flesh and Blood seeth God's Majesty and the Angels face to face in the unsearchable World without end or limit 't is swift as a Thought is magical its words and deeds done here are â—ts House 2. The Heavenly Body of the Soul is from the pure Element out of which the four are come that gives Flesh the Tincture blood It s external substantiality is Paradise where spring all bright heavenly Fruits which the Soul may eat they are as pure as a Thought yet substantial with colours Power and palpable to be handled by the Soul Juicy full of the Water of Life 3. Only those who are gone out of their own Will into God's in this Life have Christ's Flesh on them but most go so out as by Faith hang by a thread and are in the still rest waiting for the last Judgment Day sunk down in Humility through Death yet a Cliff or Gulph is betwixt them and the Holy Souls in Christ's Flesh and Blood but are in the same Principle yet under the Altar 4. The wicked are in the innermost which is also the outermost Darkness and can appear again in the starry Spirit seeking rest make terrors in Houses
by Eternal Generation standing in the Majesty of the Sacred Trinity and in the Body of Mary equally alike at Once Q. 37. What the Spirit of Christ is which was Obedient and which he commended into his Fathers Hands A. 1. This is that great Jewel that Pearl Matth. 13. 46. The Philosopher's Stone and shining Sun not so noble The Heavenly and Earthy Mystery is in it Nothing in this World is like it but the mean Simplicity which standeth still and awakeneth not the Turba in such a Spirit is this Jewel hid as the Gold in the Stone 2. The Soul is the Original of Life as a Fire of God which should be turned into God's Eternal Will in the Magick seeking of which Will the Soul is originated and wherein lyeth the Deity with all the three Principles 3. And out of the Soul's Fire the Light is generated by blowing it self up by which it is its own Life and in the Lights Meekness is the Noble Tincture with two Forms one red of the Fire the other thin of the Water which generate the Life And in the Exit or going forth of that Power and Vertue which is free from the Fire is the Light of Life or true Spirit wherein is the Virgin the Image of God In this Spirit lye the Thoughts and Understanding and if it casteth away its own Soul's Fire Pomp and Wit it attains God's Image God's Body For it is so subtil that it Uniteth it self with God for it can and may enter into God And because this Spirit originateth out of the Fire-life and the Fire-life in the Abyss standeth in the quality of the Anger of God therefore Christ commended not this his Spirit into the fiery Life but into his Father's hands viz. into his Love-desire wherewith he reacheth after our Spirits when we enter into God 4. Thus is shewed what Christ's Spirit is and what our Spirit is viz. not the Soul it self but its Life's Spirit In the Trinity the Son hath the Spirit proceeding out of his Heart and Mouth the Heart is the flame of Love which meekneth the Father's Anger so is it in Man and no otherwise in one Syllable Q. 38. What are to be done at the End of the World A. Future things are to be answered only in a Magical manner or by way of Similitude because the future Wonders are all seen in the Turba And concerning this Question there is enough spoken in the Answers of the former Questions Q. 39. What and where Paradise is with its Inhabitants A. It is explained in the Enochian Life that Paradise is not altered only withdrawn from our source or quality if our Eyes were opened we should see it Nay God is with us only we have lost the Quality and Fruit of Paradise as the Devil hath lost God For Adam would eat of the Earthy Fruit whereby he got an Earthy Life and secluded himself the Garden where heavenly Fruit groweth Q. 40. Whether Paradise is alterable and what shall de afterwards A. 1. As little as God is alterable so little is Paradise When the outward Dominion shall pass away then shall in the place of this World be pure Paradise an Earth of heavenly substantiality No Night Heat Frost Old-Age Sickness Fear Sorrow Death nor Superiour but Christ in one Communion with the Angels then will the Tabernacle of God be with Men. 2. This Earth will be a Christalline Sea where God's lustre will be the Light It will be a Holy Priestly Life all speaking of God's Wisdom and Infinite Wonders all Fruits will grow to us according to our wish it will be a Life of meer Love and Delight for to this end hath God manifested himself in the created Images of Angels and Men that he might rejoyce himself in his Life's Essences Eternally Hallelujah This was the Author's Fourth Book Written Anno 1620. THE FIFTH BOOK Of the AUTHOR Jacob Behmen Consisting of Three PARTS Viz. First The Incarnation or becoming Man of Jesus Christ. The second Part is Of Christs Suffering Dying Death and Resurrection The third Part is Of the Tree of Christian Faith 1. TO the right knowing Christs Incarnation the Knowledge how Adam was and whereof made much importeth 2. Adam was made out of all the three Principles God the Fathers Property compared to Fire The Sons Property compared to Light The Spirits Property to the Wind or Air the out-birth proceeding from both God according to the first Principle is not called God but a consuming Fire 3. The Father is the Eternal Will the son the Eternal Meekness and the Impregnator the Spirit the Eternal Life 4. The Trinity Created the one holy Element called Centre of Nature Divine substantiality the substantiality of the Light Paradise the Mother of a giving Power Meekness and Substance to all Forms 5. Out of this one holy Element were made Angels and Men. Only Man was made not only of the one holy Element but as to the out-birth of the four Elements also over which he was to rule both Stars Elements and Creatures by his Power given him out of that one holy Element 6. Adam's Body was Paradisical Holy and of Power to penetrate Stone or Earth Immortal yet real Flesh and Blood but Holy and Heavenly He was both a Masculine and Feminine Virgin and was to propagate Magically for both the Tinctures were in him and to eat only Paradisical Food which needed neither Guts not Bestial Draught c. 7. But Adam did not continue so for the four Elements gaining Power over the one holy potent Element by which they were to have been governed he slept for he was not able to continue in the state wherein he was created so God divided the Tinctures and form'd of the Feminine a Woman giving her the half Cross in the head and to them the Members of distinction and propagation yet still in Paradise 8. And Eve being tempted by the Serpent tho' the Law of God was explained to her by her Husband fell and drew him also 9. But God had incorporated the Virgin of Wisdom in them which viz. the Eternal Virginity in the Covenant of Promise hath lain shut up in the Virgin Mary and in all Adam's Children in every Man's Light of Life wanting only this that the Soul's Spirit give it self up thereinto and in that Soul-Spirit God becometh generated again CHAP. VIII 1. FOR Christ is not become Man in the Virgin Mary only so that the Divine Substantiality did sit bolted up therein no the Divine Substantiality in the Water of Eternal Life entred into and became flesh and blood It made Heavenly Tincture and Divine Magia 2. So that we may say when with our imagination we enter into God that we enter into God's flesh and blood for the Word became Man and God is the Word 3. This takes not away the Creature of Christ We liken the Creature of Christ which is indeed a Body to the Sun which enlighteneth the whole
Deep one Power and Lustre receiveth the other The Deep with its Lustre is hidden but yet hath the power of the Sun in it 4. So Christ's Substantiality filleth Heaven and Paradise and swalloweth up the Earthiness also where it is received and obeyed 5. Thus Christ brought back what Adam lost and much more for the Word is every where become Man See the Extracts of the latter part of the 18th Chapter of the Three Principles The 2d Part being of Christ's Suffering Dying Death and Resurrection CHAP. I. Q. IS it said Was it not sufficient that God became Man why must he also die Could God no other way save Man What pleasure takes he in Death and Dying If God had by his Sons Death paid a Ransom for us why must we also die CHAP. V. Ver. 54. to the end Ans. 1. MAN had lost the Divine Substantiality and Angelical Property and imagined into the Out-birth viz. into the Earthy part was departed from the Divine Light into the Light of this World and captivated in the fierce Wrath of God which the Devil had kindled viz. the four first Forms according to which God calleth himself a consuming fire 2. The corrupted Out birth also had put a Body on him which it destroyed and swallowed up again in its essential fire 3. But being the Soul was breathed into Man out of the Holy Spirit of God out of the Eternal and so is an Angel 4. Therefore hath the Power of the Holy Light World the Heart of God resumed the same entring into the Human Essence which lay in the Anguish Chamber surrounded with Death and took to himself a Soul out of our Essence and our Mortal Life and introduced the Soul through Death through the earnest severe Fire of God the Father into the holy meek Light-World and so destroyed Death by bringing in Divine Substanâ—iality into the fierce Wrath of the Father the Centre of the Anguish-Chamber the Fire World in the Soul Christ being the right Centre of the Holy Trinity is with the out gone Holy Spirit the flaming Majesty the Light-World 5. And whosoever will possess the Light-World and be an Angel must enter in through the same path bear old Adams Cross go forth through the harâ—â—â— astringent stern and malignant corrupted Adamical Man and slay him and be born anew out of the Anxious Wheel 6. But seeing we were not able to do this Christ gave himself into the Centre of the fierce Wrath in the Soul brake and extinguished it with his Love So that now when we go out of our selves to the death of sin we come into the death of Christ the path he hath prepared for us and leads to his Resurrection whereby we ascend into his Arms the unshut Light-World which is also Abraham's bosom the Paradise wherein we were created our true dear native Country 7. It consisteth not in this that we think it enough to pourtray and represent what Christ hath done and suffered for us and tell of a Faith in that but that we daily and hourly fight and slay the Evil Adam as to his will and doings with resigned and resolved earnestness and then we enter into Christ's Death in our living Bodies put on his Life in us become impregnated with the Kingdom of Heaven Get on us Christ's Thorny Crown and still be accounted one that is not worthy to live on the Earth through all which we must faithfully proceed on knowing we must either be Angels or Devils 8. In this Death nothing dieth to or in us but only the Earthy Evil dead Adam whose will and life we have here continually destroyed This Enemy departeth from us into the Essential Fire into the four Elements and into the Mystery and must at the end be tryed through the Fire of God and then our Bodies and Works must be given us again through that Fire whatever the Earthy Mystery had swallowed up But not such an Evil one for the Fire of God devoureth the Evil but such a one as we here in anxiety have sought a Divine Spiritual Substance like the Wonders and Wisdom of God 9. Hypocritical Reason saith Christ hath done all for us we cannot It is right Christ hath done what we cannot do he hath broken Death and restored a new Life and is in Heaven But 't is not knowing but doing the Devils know but what availeth that we know if we remain without and enter not into Christ in the way and passage he hath made for us doing good for evil in truth and simplicty CHAP. VII Ver. 75. 1. IT is not enough to cry Lord give me a strong Faith in the Merits of thy Son he hath satisfied for my sins But I must enter into Christ's suffering and dying and be born a second time out of his Death become a Member in and with him Constantly crucifie the old Adam Always hang on Christ's Cross Become an obedient Child Tho' I plainly walk this way yet I have so evil a ghest in me that I still work too much evil must therefore continually strive and fight till I vanquish 2. Christ indeed hath in and for us broken Death and made way but what doth that comfort me unless I enter in that very way and path as a Pilgrim or Stranger here CHAP. IX CHrist's Sufferings c. 1. Men content them to participate of in the Lord's Supper v. 29. But his Divine Flesh and Blood is that which the wicked cannot participate of that is Sacramentally 2. They receive the four Elements in the Anger of God because they discern not the Lord's Body which is every where present in Heaven and Earth and is fed upon by the Heavenly Soul not as a sign as others dream not Spirit without Substance but the Substance of the Spirit Christ's Flesh which filleth the Light-World which the Word that became Man brought with it into the Virgin Mary and there became opened in its Flesh and Blood the assumed Human Essence 3. Yet was it at that very time while Christ lay in the Virgins Womb in Heaven in the one Element in all places It came not into Mary from many miles off but the Centre which Adam in God's Anger had shut up in death the Word of the Deity did unlock and bring in the Divine Substantiality not entring in but unshutting ingenerating and in this World exgenerating God and Man one person heavenly Substantiality and Virginity one only Man in Heaven and in this World See the latter part of the 18th Chapter of the three Principles The third part being of the Tree of Christian Faith CHAP. I. WHat Faith is 1. It is not our forcing the mind to belief of Articles which are the work of our Reason 2. But true Faith is one Spirit with God working in and with God is the might of God dwells in the liberty in God's Will inclined to his Love and Mercy is free from the fierce Wrath and Torment in Nature is not comprehended subsisteth in
near to the Devil And after this time there is no remedy more for the Souls Fire is naked and cannot be quenched with Gods Meekness but a Gulph or Principle is between them 3. Man is the Image of God and so standeth in a threefold Life the first is the Souls Life existing chiefly in seven Forms according to the Spirit of Nature The second is in the Image generated out of the Eternal Nature out of the Souls Fire standing in the Light The meek pure amiable Spirit The first the Fire is the cause of the second the Light Thus are two Worlds one in another onâ— not comprehending the other But at Death divides into two Principles of Anger and Love 4. As we in Adam went out of the Meek Spirit into the outward Life of fierceness God became Man to lead us through the Anguish Fire through Death into the Light and Love-life 5. The Prince Christ breaking the Bar or Fort of Death and so destroy'd the Devils Kingdom for the Light of God and the Water of Meekness is his Death 6. The third Life is the outward Created Life from the Sun Stars and Elements Man should have used the outward as a Looking-glass to the Eternal and Gods Honour But he did put his Will-spirit into the outward Principle by wicked Lust longing after the Earthy Life and so went out of Paradise which sprouteth through Death into the second Principle and went into Death and destroy'd his Noble Image This we Inherit from Adam but from the second Adam the Regeneration by which we must enter through his Incarnation with him into Death and through Death or Annihilation sprout into the Paradisical World into the Eternal Substantiality of the Liberty of God CHAP. VI. What Lust can do How we are fallen in Adam and helped again in Christ and yet that it is not easie to be a Right Christian. 1. DEstruction came and still cometh out of Lust. The outward Spirit of Man which is a similitude of the inward by Lusting after it infected the inward which not feeling present death gave room to the outward who then became Host of the House and so the fair Image disappeared for it fell among Murtherers the stern Spirits of the Lives original of which Cain was afraid then came the good Samaritan Christ who becâ—me Man 2. As Adam's Soul had opened the Fires Essences and let in the Earthy so Gods Heart opened the Lights Essences and compassed the Soul with Heavenly Flesh wherewith when the Soul became impregnated it went with its will into the Paradise Life Hence came Christs Temptation to try whether he could eat of the Word of the Lord and would enter through Death into Gods Life which was fulfilled on the Cross where Christs Soul went through the Fire of the fierce wrath through the stern source through Death and sprouted forth again into the Holy Paradise We must die unto our Earthy willing and continually become Regenerated into the new World 3. The right will must couragiously Fight against the corrupt will sinking down from Earthy Reason into Christs Death so that it will hazard the Earthy Life upon it And he that thus sinketh down passeth through Gods fierce wrath through all the holding â—ords of the Devil into the Paradise of God into the Life of Christ. And the more the noble Pearl Tree is sought the more strongly it groweth and suffereth it self not to be suppressed tho' it cost the outward Life which must but hang to us as it did to Christ. CHAP. VII To what end this World was Created 1. THE two Eternal Mysteries Mans strife about the Image And where the â—ree of Faith beareth Fruit. 2. The inward World desires a Similitude of it self which the Angelical World standing only in the light could not be This therefore standing in a twofold Genitrix of Love and Anger and Man being in a threefold Life from the Fire Light and Out birth clearly represents Who was Created to manifest the same Mystery and bring the Wonders into Forms according to the Eternal Mystery 3. The Noble Image the true Paradisical Man is strove for 1. By the stern Fire life 2. By the Divine Life 3. By the outward Life and thus being drawn of three There is great need of Fighting Hope Faith Humble Prayer and Patience that the Tree may grow which the outward Man nor Reason knoweth not but is very well known to the Noble Image The Cross Scorn Tribulation and Persecution attend him every hour for he is unknown to his Brethren all suppose his own Folly plagueth him but great will his Harvest be CHAP. VIII In what manner God forgiveth Sins and how Man becometh a Child of God 1. MAN is not to bring his Conscience into the History and hope for pardon in the manner of an Earthy Judicatory and yet remain wicked He must be a Son it is elâ—e as if a Servant should comfort himself that his Lord would give him his Estate not considering he is not his Son Whereas whosoever is Born of God in Christ is a partaker of Christs Sufferings Dying and Resurrection for a continual Battel must be till the Reason and Will of the corrupt Flesh be subjected 2. And if the Earthy Reason be strong it goeth often sadly and there is requir'd not only strict Sobriety but Watching Fasting and Prayer to â—ame it that Gods Spirit may find place to generate some faâ—r little Branches out of the Tree of Faith which under the Cross Anguish and Tribulation may bear Fruit with Patience These three Parts or Books were the Authors fifth Book THE Great Six Points The First POINT CHAP. I. Of the first sprout of Life out of the first Principle whereby we may distinguish the Divine Being from Nature 1. TEXT 1. The first or Abyssal Will without and beyond Nature is like an Eye or Looking-glass yet retains Nature 2. This Will is the cause of the Desiring The Desiring is the cause of the Essences The Essences are the cause of every Life for Life lyeth in them as a hidden Fire which burneth not 3. In the Will all the Forms of Nature from Eternity tho' but as a nothing in respect of Nature yet are truely and entally or really but not essentially in the Will 4. The Eternal Will which comprizeth the Eye wherein standeth the Seeing or Wisdom is the Father 5. The Eternal Wisdom comprizing a Centre out of the Abyss is the Form Heart and Son 6. The entring Eternally into it self to the Centre is the Spirit for it is the finder and then goeth forth manifesting the Wisdom of the Father and Son 2. TEXT 1. Thus the Abyssal being of the Trinity generateth to it self a Centre of Rest viz. the Eternal Word or Heart wherein is understood a threefold Spirit where the one is ever the cause of the other and is not measurable fathomable divisible nor circumscriptive dwelling in it self as a substance equally alike and at once filling
all things but hidden to the things not dwelling in the things for it self hath a substance in it self after the manner of Eternity 2. The first Eternal Principle is Magical and like a hidden Fire is Eternally known in its Colours in the figure in the Wisdom of God as in a Looking-glass The opening of which Mystery openeth the three Principles according to the Trinity 3. The Magical Centre of the first Principle is Fire which as also the second is as a Spirit without palpable substance therefore the longing is to generate the third where the Spirit of the Principles might manifest it self by Similitude In this desiring Powers Colours and Virtues come to be 4. And for as much as every desiring is attractive The first Principle impregnateth it self with Nature and the second with Light And this meek Fire of the Majesty of the second being set opposite to the Fire of the first quenching its wrath puts it into an Essential Substance thereby and the first giveth the second power strength and might being together an Eternal Band that without the one the other could not be 5. What the first Principle is wholly and alone in it self The first Will willeth to be free from the darkness and by desiring cannot attain it for the desiring is a stern attraction So that out of the thin rare liberty where nothing is a darkness comes And the greater the desiring the greater will be the attraction The drawing giveth sting and the attracted giveth hardness from the desiring comes the feeling thence also comes the third form viz. the Anguish which is as it were the Centre where Life and Will originate 6. Hence it is the Will would flee but is withheld by the harshness so that it becomes whirling as a Wheel and the greater the Anguish the greater the whirling and the greater the bitter sting of the Essences and Multiplicity But in the whirling the Essences become a mixed will where lye innumerable multiplicity of Existencies or Beings justly called the Eternal Mind 7. The first will which is called Father and is in it self the Liberty desireth Nature and Nature groaneth after the liberty from the Anguish The conception of which in the Imagination causeth a shriek of joy and when it attaineth the liberty the shriek becomes a flash in the meekness breaking the sting of Death and passeth into the Kingdom of Joy and so into the Love for the meekness draweth the Joy into it and that is the Water of Eternal Life 8. And when the Fire drinketh the Water of Eternal Life it giveth forth the Light of the Majesty where dwell the Father and the Son And the Holy Spirit is the Life of it opening the meek substantiality viz. Colours Wonders and Vertues That is called the Divine Wisdom the House of the Holy Trinity and in its Colours and Vertues the Spirit hath all the Angelical Quires 9. The second substance of the shriek is an Inimicitious Quality exciting a panting to be loosed from the quality of Anguish Whence in the Fathers Will ariseth pity compassion and mercifulness 10. Hence also cometh the Gall into Creatures which tho'it be a Poyson is the cause of Life viz. of Mobility for Death is the Root of Life as may be seen in Christs Death and also in our own 11. The Souls Fire uniteth with the Eternal Nature The right Souls Spirit is one Spirit with God The Images Corporeity is of the Substance wherein the Faithful shall live Eternally CHAP. II. What the Principle is or what they all three are Further of the First Point 1. WHen Life findeth it self where none is that is a Principle Fire is a Property so is Light for tho' it be caused by the Fire it is not the Fires Property and the wrathful Anguish is the cause of both 2. But the Will to the Anguish called Father a Man cannot search out We only fathom how the Anguish gains the highest Perfection in the Holy Trinity and manifesteth it self in the three Principles What Essence is and how it originateth because thence spring the Senses and Thoughts and the Wonder of all Beings 3. The third Principle of the Stars and Elements manifesteth the other two And that which in moving attained the fierce wrath became the Globe of the Earth Thence is it that out of it while the Centre of Nature is in it and it freed from Death the pure Child of the Eternal substance may be extracted as in Gold Tho' by defect of attaining the Eternal Fire Life is not so brought out of Death save only in Man and what is beyond Man belongs to God and we wait the Renovation in the end of time 4. of the Substance and Property of the three Principles The first Principle standing in the Fire of the Will The second in the Will to the Light the one giving its desire into the other yet are not mixt each retaineth its Property yet dwelleth in the other The third hath the Properties of both yet is neither It is an awakener manifester and similitude of the Eternal yet is not the Eternal but is become a substance in the Eternal desire 5. The Creation was an awakening of the Power and Form which was in the Eternal Will and because it was in the beginning comprized in the Eternal therefore must the substance in this World together with the figure go into the Eternal 6. But whatsoever became comprized in the desire out of the beginning recâ—des into its Ether becoming what it was when it was no substance So this Worlds substance being a coagulated Vapour returns into the Magia or Mystery whereof it served a while to be a manifester 7. For nothing attains the liberty of Eternity that subsisteth not in the Willfire of the Eternal in which the Light can bring its lustre and dwell and that it be as subtle as the Lights substantiality 8. Mans Soul may if it will become generated out of the fierce wrath into Renovation by forsaking the Earthy renew what he hath generated out of the Eternal which else remaineth in the quality of Torment For whatever is not like to the Love fire Light and Water cannot subsist in the liberty but remains in an opposite Will in the dark Torment it awakened in it self 9. The right Man out of the new Birth is three Worlds the Eternal Light World shineth through all whatsoever is thin rare or transparent and thereby capable of it which can no more be hinder'd than the Sun can be that it should not shine 10. The Properties of the first Principle sprout making Sulphur Mercurius and Sal. 11. The second Principle sprouteth in it self making Love a Friendly Vertuous Pioâ—s Humble Patient Will to stoop and bear with evil in others ever hidden to the old Man lashing it forward as a lazy Ass denies him the worldly Jollity it lusteth after and makes him a Servant it with standeth the evil Influences of the Stars and the fierce Devil and Malicious Men so
estranged Heterogene Will must be slain and the Multiplicity corrupt with the Body and the departure of the Will again from Self to the One the Good is the Regeneration for the Will of the Soul is Fire having been captivated in the Earthy Desire hath wrestled and got into the One whence it sprang originally finding it true that Man's Will is nothing God's Will is all things whereinto when Man gets all things are also its own The fourth Point How Christ will deliver up the Kingdom to his Father 1. In the Creation the Father moved himself with the Dark and Fire-world also in the Light or Heart wherein God became Man and the Love of the Light wherewith the Father did rule in the Son and the Love overcame the Father's angry Property Then did the Son rule in such as clave to God 2. But in the End the Holy Ghost moveth himself in both the Fathers and Sons Properties and driveth on Eternally the Rule in both Properties and proceeding from the Father and Son is the alone Revealer of the Wonders Thus is the Eternal Rule deliver'd up to the Father who is All which Rule he driveth on by the Spirit The fifth Point What the Magia and Magick Ground is 1. The Magia is not the Majesty but the Desire in the Majesty Not the Divine Power but the Desire of the Power Not the Omnipotency but the Driveress in or into the Might It is not a Fire but the potence to the burning Fire 2. It hath the Fiat in it and is the greatest Substance in the Deity drawing Abyss into Byss It is such a Will as driveth it self forth through the Desire into Substance It Self is a Spirit and Substance is its Body It is the Mystery of the Trinity The Mother to Nature and the Understanding is the Mother proceeding forth out of Nature The Understanding leadeth it which is its Mother into its own Love-fire It self is without Understanding yet it is the Comprehension of all things 3. What the Will modelleth the Magia makes to be Substance serving those that love God with Divine Substance making Divine Flesh. By the Magia are all things wrought in their various Properties Good and Evil serving God's Children to bring them to God's Kingdom and Negromancers to the Devil's Kingdom It is from Eternity and its Profundity is inexpressible It is the School-Mistress of Philosophy the Book of all Learning from the Plowman to the most Sublime It is the best Theology To reproach it is to reproach God It is the Acting and Performance in the Will-spirit The sixth Point Of the Mystery What it is 1. The Mystery is the Imaging Power remaining in the Desire of the Magick Will as it becomes in the Tincture is by the Magia substantiated 2. The great Mystery is the hiddenness of the Deity the Substance of all Substances whence issue all Mysteries each representing that which was his immediate Producer The greatest Wonder of Eternity the Reflexion of the Wisdom And all existeth as it hath been foreknown from Eternity but every thing according to the Property of the Looking-glass even all the Forms of Nature Light or Darkness Love or Wrath. 3. The Magus if arm'd sutably to what he would produce may do what he will else he will be captivated by the Spirits thereof A Brief Summary of the Earthy and Heavenly Mysteries Contracted and Comprised in Nine Texts THE Abyss is an Eternal Nothing but a seeking Which seeking is meerly a Will and a giving of Somewhat and that Somewhat is the Eternal Magia 1. The Will or seeking in the Abyss is a Spirit like a Thought and being gone out findeth its Mother the Seeking So the Seeking is a Magia and the Will a Magus 2. The Seeking is Inoperative but the Will a Life without Original So may be considered Nature and the Spirit of Nature to have been from Eternity Thus the Will ruleth the Seeking for the Seeking hath a moving desiring Life without Understanding and the Will doth therewith what it will therefore we apprehend the Eternal Will-spirit to be God and the Eternal Seeking to be Nature the Eternal Will-spirit is the knowing of the Abyss and the life of the Seeking an Eternal knowing of the willing 1. The Will is no Substance but Lord in it which Substance desireth Substance The desiring is a strong Magical attracting of Substance and an Eternal proceeding Life 2. And because this Magical Impregnation hath no Substance it self is a Voice or Word in the Original of the Spirit in which Word is a Will and the Life of the Original going into Nature opening the unintelligent Life of the Magia which is the Mystery of Substance the Abyssal Wonder where infinity of Lives are generated 3. Of this the Threefold Spirit is Master of whom the Word is the Heart And the Spirit of the Word in the first Will viz. God openeth the Essential Life viz. Nature 4. In the desiring of the Spirit Life the Divine Substance or Heart of God is generated from Eternity to Eternity Thus apprehend we both what God and Nature are and both in an Abyssal Endurance from Eternity in Eternity 1. The two Eternal Substances are not sundered but the Spirit life in it self is turn'd inward and the Nature life 〈◊〉 forward like a Globe the Nature-life worketh to the Fire the Spirit-liâ—e 〈…〉 he Light and Glory 2. In the one tâ—e consumin◠〈◊〉 in the other the generating of Water their commixture gives a light 〈…〉 zure or like a Cherubin or Ruby and Chrystal c. 3. Thus we may see that the Will can create a Source out of the Magick Substance or great Mystery especially in the Fires Property which before the awakening lay hidden as did the Devils for in the Eternal Nature lyeth the Turba though unawakable unless the Creature in the fierceness do it 4. Also we see when the Eternal Nature awaked it self with the creating the Wrath also awakened in some Creatures more evidently as in poisonous Herbs evil Trees and venomous Creatures as Toads Serpents c. which the Eternal Nature loatheth and willeth to forsake spewing it out that the Malignity may stand in its own anguishing Mystery 1. The desire every Will hath of Purity without Turba from without though it hath the Turba in it self is the cause of loathing and that the stronger ruleth and oppresseth the weaker till it become Monarchy which Nature must acknowledge to be in its Essence Yet was not commanded in the Beginning by the â—ighest Good 2. And whereas the seeking in the beginning was by one parting it self into many So the Multiplicity seeketh the one again and findeth it when a Lord shall be generated governing the whole World through man Offices which shall be in the hour of the Worlds Creation the sixth day in the Afternoon when the purity shall drive out the Turba for a time till the beginning pass into the end and
14. Reason lighted at this Sun is the true house of Knowledge else but a Constellation of the Visible World all other seeking out of the resignation to the Divine Love Grace and Will is a shadow for it cannot know how God hath through his Word made himself perceptible findable creatural and formal 15. He is the Bottom and Bottomless and to the Creature in its ability as a nothing yet through all Nature and Creature is the somewhat wherewith he makes himself visible both according to Time and Eternity All things even the four Elements exist from the Divine Imagination Signatura Rerum CHAP. I. Of the Signature what it is and that it lies exactly in the Mind of Man 1. EVery thing spoken or taught of God without knowledge of the Signature is dumb for it is not sufficient to my understanding that I hear and read what another teacheth and writeth of God unless his Similitude and Signature by entring into mine own imprinteth it really and fundamentally for so only hath he the Hammer that strikes my Bell. 2. Hence we know all Human Properties have one only Root for one like tone catcheth and moveth another either in good or evil and doth assimilate into one Form one Will one Spirit and Understanding 3. The Signature is no Spirit but the receptacle As a prepared Lute is dumb till toucht by the Spirit of the Will and what strings he toucheth sound according to their property 4. The Signature lies so well compos'd in Man that he wants only the true Spirit of the high might of Eternity to strike his Instrument if that be quickened in Man and doth act the Mind so speaketh the Mouth 5. Man hath the Forms of the three Worlds in him being the compleat Image of God and there are three Masters contest for his Form in his Incarnation but the predominant only tunes his Instrument and the other two lie hid and as soon as he is born his innate genuine Form appears by his words and conversation And so great is the difference in the procreation that one Brother or Sister doth not as the other 6. Yet one Fiat doth not alwaies keep the dominion for sometimes an Evil Man is by a contra tune viz. the meek loving Spirit of a Good Man moved to cease his iniquity and repent his hidden Lute or Form being played upon Contrariwise in a Good man is stirr'd up the Form of Anger by the Wrath Spirit of a wicked man So is the will broken by the coming of a stronger will As the bitter sour quality of the fruit is by the potent influence of the Sun made pleasant And as a good Herb receiving a contra Essence from a bad Soil cannot sufficiently shew its real genuine vertue but if replanted into a good Soil its vertue and smell is recovered Thus a wild Beast being over-aw'd and tam'd hath another property unless its innate Form be stirr'd up Also we see the inward gives external Character of Good or Evil in Man Beasts and Vegetables The Form and Sound in Animals the smell and tast in Herbs and Flowers c. shewing to what it is good and profitable 7. And because by the desire sound and voice all Creatures shew the inward Spirit Man may know both them himself and the Essence of all Essences wherein lieth the greatest understanding The Signature is the Language of Nature for every thing sheweth its Mother giving will to the Form CHAP. II. Of the Combate in all Beings Of Antipathy and Sympathy And of the Corruption and Cure of each thing 1. THE opposition of one Being to another causeth pains and sickness yet if this were not Nature would not be revealed but be an Eternal Stilness for the contra Will makes the motion and seeking The Cure is when the Will findeth its assimilate and therein its satisfaction and highest joy and rest As every pallate desireth to tast its like 2. Man's Life consisteth in a threefold Essence 1. The Eternal Nature the Fire's Property 2. The Light the Divine Essentiality 3. The outward World 3. The satisfaction of the Will is the Liberty which if it seek outwards it attracteth Darkness but if it enter inwards the Lustre of the Liberty shineth and satiateth the Anguish extinguishing the Wrath. 4. No joy can arise from the still nothing for we see that from the poisonful Gall ariseth joy and sorrow because therein is the twofold Will one to the Fire the original of Nature the other to the Light which is the Cure and Liberty of the Will and if obtained maketh triumphant joy 5. The Properties lie in the Essence as a well tun'd Instrument with many strings which stand still and the Spirit viz. the Egress is the real life he may play as he pleaseth to Evil or Good to Love or Anger The Properties are one in another as one but sever themselves being different and when they enter one the other comes Enmity and a flagrat As when the Sun stirreth up the Fires Form in the Salnitre that Ethereal blaze penetrateth the cold Salt Spirit and dismayeth it whose instant flight causeth the Thunder claps by opening the astringent Chamber whence follows a cool Wind with Hail and Rain CHAP. III. Of the Grand Mystery of all Beings 1. WIthout Nature God is a Mystery an Abyssal Eye of Eternity and the same Eye is a Will to manifestation 1. To Nature 2. To Vertue Power and Joy 2. The desire is egressive and the Egress is the Spirit of the Will a moving forming the infiniteness of the Mystery and this Signature or Form is the Eternal Wisdom of the Deity 3. Here is understood the Trinity but how the Will ariseth in the Abyss which is called Father we must not know but distinguish the Deity from Nature namely how the Deity manifesteth it self with the Eternal Generation 4. God is a pure Spirit and the Eternal Nature is his Corporeal Essence The external Birth is a similitude of the dark Fire and light World and each Property sees its Mother The Soul sees the inward Eternal Nature The Spirit of the Soul sees the Angelical and Light World The Sidereal Spirit sees the Birth and Property of the Stars and Elements 5. The Essence of this World consists of Sulphur Mercury and Sal. Sul is the free Lubet of the Eternal Abyss in the Internal Sull is God and Phur is Nature viz the Eternal Nature a hard attraction the cause of Fire and Sul the cause of the Lustre in the Fire but the Light riseth not in the Sulphur alone but in Mercury is the dividing made and its true real body is Sal. 6. The Astringency makes gross Stones c. Mercury and the Lubet Metals And of the freeing from the wrath by the light and meekness comes the precious Stones Gold c. for all things consist in these three Forms Sulphur Mercury and Sal as well the inward heavenly Quires as the very Plants and Stones all stand according to
its first sude boiling or vegetation CHAP. IV. The Birth of the Stars c. 1. THere are seven Forms in Nature which yet principally consist in three viz. Astringency Compunction and Anguish according to which there are seven Planets and no more and seven Metals fixt The Temporal Spirits hunger gaineth a Temporal Body and the Eternal Spirits hunger an Eternal Body both in each other but distinct as Time and Eternity 2. In Saturns Property the Lubet makes Lead and according to the Water Salt according to Saturns mortal Property Earth Stones c. according to the Liberty in Saturn Gold which he keeps shut up See verse the 27th to the 34th 3. There is in Man 1. The Divine Golden Man 2. The inward holy Body from Fire and Light like pure Silver if not corrupted 3. The Elemental Man like Jupiter 4. The Mercurial growing Paradisical Man 5. The Martial Soul-like Man 6. The Venerine according to the outward desire 7. The Solar a seer of the Wonders of God 4. Mercury in the internal was as the Word by which God created 5. Mars his impression is Anguish causing the Love-will to separate from him which is called God but the Anguish is God's Anger or Wrath of the Eternal Nature 6. Venus Metal is Copper receiving its toughness from Saturn its redness from Mars tho' Mars his Metal be Iron But Sol may tincture Mars and Venus into Gold for Venus longeth after Sol her Mother her Joy whence she hath a peculiar smiling twinkling Aspect 7. The Sun is a figure in the outward World of the heart of God each thing longeth after the Sun in Sulphur being the universal Tincture and what the first desire with Saturns impression makes evil the Sun restores to be good causing a pleasant temperature blooming and growing in all Creatures CHAP. V. Of the Sulphurian Death and how the Body is revived c. 1. MAN was created good according to and out of the three Worlds But the inward Lubet generated in the Centre viz. the fire wherein stands the Life by Lust enkindled the Divine Meekness wherein Joy consisteth turning from Eternal Liberty to Time from the one pure Element into the four Elements 2. Then did the Precious Gold of Heavenly Corporality which tinctur'd the outward Body disappear then also the dominion of Time destroyed its own contrived Spirit and so the Body passed away and died 3. The only Remedy is that Gods Love Desire Essentiality and Divine Water enter again into and quench the Souls Wrath-Fire For Mans Salvation consists in his full unfeigned desire after God so riseth the Meekness and Love tinctureth Death and Darkness in the four Elements and sever from the New Man who and the Heavenly Body remaineth only in it self So is it done in the transmutation of Metals See Verse the 12th and to the End of the Chapter De â—apide Philosophorum CHAP. VI. Of the generating Difference and Vegetation caus'd by Water and Oyl 1. ALL life and growth consist in the Lubet and the Desire The Lubet is out of the Liberty so God hath the free Lubet needeth nothing Himself as far as he is called God is all But the Desire is a hunger stirring up the Lubet to manifestation so the Lubet is the hungers Food and Essence 2. The free Lubet or Essence giveth an Oâ—â— and the Desire giveth a life to the Oyl The Oyl is a Light the Desire giveth the Fires Property so that it shineth In the Desire ariseth the Natural Spirit in the Lubet the Supernatural which yet is belonging to Nature not spontaneously but from its meek resignation to the Desires Property 3. But a twofold Property ariseth out of one Spirit thus a fiery according to the Property of the Desire and a joyful lucid according to the Liberty 4. The fiery giveth in its water Essence a sharpness or saltness and from the flery in its anguish Brimstorâ—e whence are Stones Earth and Meâ—als 5. The Oleous Property gives Meekness viz. Vegetation what the raging Mercury spoils the Lubet of the Love-oyl heals thus Good and Evil are in each Life the Evil comes when the Hunger Spirit too much impresseth its own Form To that it cannot receive the free Lubet to appeaâ—e its Hunger Whereas Nature's Property should be sincerely inclined to God's Love Eâ—s that it become not a dark raging poisonful Hunger but a Love desire which is called God's Nature for the hungry fiery desire is God's Anger in the outward 't is Fire but in the inward where it doth energize in the free Lubet it is the Divine Desire whence joyfulness proceedeth 6. All sharpness of taste is Salt all smell proceeds of Sulphur and Mercury distinguisheth all Motion in â—ast smell and power 7. In the strongest poisonful Mercury lyes the highest Tincture but not in its own Property but in an Oyl from the Light which is its Food If this be sever'd from him it is a mighty potent inkindler a lifter up of all sick â—ainting weak obscured lives for in this Oyl is the joyful Life a hunger after Life So in a Toad Viper Addeâ— â— lyes the highest Tincture if the oily Substance be reduced from the wrath of Mercury CHAP. VII How Adam and Lucifer were Corrupted through Imagination c. 1. VVHEN Adam was Created the Light of his Life shone in the pure Oyl of Divine Essentiality but by his Fall Mortal Water pene 〈…〉 so that his Mercury became a cold Poison which was before an Exaâ—â—aâ—ion 〈…〉 ss So came darkness into his Oyl and he died to the Divine Light 〈…〉 thereto by the Property of the Serpent for in the Serpent the wrath 〈…〉 and outward also was manifeâ—t whose subtilty Eve desired 2. Fo◠〈◊〉 much as the Serpent is not out of the Eternal Ground 〈◊〉 Angels and the Souls of Men but out of the Beginning where Fire and Light sever Eve should not have gone with her desire out of Eternity into time and be a Selfist but with a desire resign'd to God to the quiet still meek Liberty for each Hunger maketh it self an Essence according to the Property of the Hunger 3. The Devil went with his desire into himself into the Property of the Centre forsook the Eternal Lubet of Love and became a Poisonful Mercury or as an anxious Fire as Wood burnt to a Coal a dark glowing without Oyl or Water in it whence springeth a stinging Envy in his Lifes Forms where one Form hates the other in his aspiring Pride Out of the strife of which Properties when God said Let all sorts of Beasts come forth each according to his Kind or Property then came out of the divided Evil Properties Vipers Serpents Toads c. Not that the Devil made them but that there where God and the World sever the inward Wrath according to which God is called a Consuming Fire manifested it self in External figures of the inward wrath Kingdom 4. And because Adam died to God and lived
the true holy Tincture 5. The watry Spirit begotten by the devoration of the Fire viz. its death Which also it must have again for its Life else neither Firenor Light could subsift so there is an Eternal giving and receiving The 8th Chapter of the Creation and Dominion of Angels and the 9th Chapter of the Fall of Lucifer and the 10th of the Creation of Heaven and the outward World and the 11th of the Mystery of the Creation Are all clearly deeply and largely treated of in the Aurora viz. Aurora CHAP. XII Of the Six Days Work 1. THough there is no Night in the Deep above the Moon yet in the length of six Days and Nights was all Created which hath this subtle acute meaning viz. six of the Properties of Nature only belong to the active Dominion to good and evil The seventh is the Essence House Body or Rest wherein all the other work 2. The Planetick Orb which is the Figure of the six Properties of the Spiritual World belongeth to the punctum of Sol. But Saturn doth not proceed from the Sun 3. The First Day With the Word when God said let there be Light the holy Power which was amassed in the wrath viz. the confusion caused by Lucifer moved it self and became Light by which the Devils strength wholly withdrew and the Light viz. that of Nature was wholly useless to him and the Darkness being severed remained in the wraths Property both in the Earth and the whole Deep 4. Of the Second Day As the Moon ruleth the first Hour so is this the most External or Inferiour Heaven next the Earth and the Laboratory of the other six Properties See more of the Second Day in the 20th Chapter of the Aurora p. 254. 5. Of the Third Day of the Creation Mars rules the first Hour on Tuesday on this third Day God moved the third Property of Nature viz. the Sulphurous in which the Saltish and Mercurial were also mutually unfolded and severized by the Salnitral flagrat from the poysonful Mars for they felt the Light and became hungry till they were coagulated 6. In which Joy arose unto pullulation and growth or vegetation for when the Light springeth up in the water source Mars springeth up for great Joy in the Sulphur so came Grass and Trees The Inward Nature made it self External and yet remained also Internal Yet therewith did the Properties of the dark world press in also whence came poysonous Roots and Weeds CHAP. XIII Of the Creation of the Fourth Day 1. MErcurins hath the first Hour giving a sensitive feeling Life In the third is only an insensitive Life but now in the Fire is a painful and in the Oleous a meek joyful Life 2. This Light of Nature hath a Fiery Airy Oily and Watry Property yet no Intellective Life but only Properties to Life 3. The Intellectual Life is the spirated word from the free Lubet whence comes a Sulphur Salnitri that is a Magical Astrum in manner of Mans Mind which hath thence its real Original 4. The whole Astrum is a breathed Voice or Tone of the Powers An Eccho out of Gods Love and Anger the Dark and Light World Out of this have the four Elements their Original and they speak forth a Corporeal Essence and the Stars breathe a Spiritual both which rule in the visible World as Soul and Body 5. And from the four Astrums is procreated the Soul of the outward World as an enduring great Mind or Mystery 6. And in this Office hath God raised up a King or as a God of Nature the Sun with the other six Planets his Counsellors or Assistants First the Nature-God the Sun receiveth its Lustre from the Tincture of the inward Fire and Light-world Next Venus giveth Body to all the seven Metals CHAP. XIV Of the Creation of the Fifth Day 1. JUpiter rules the first Hour of that day The superior Astrum actuated the four Astrums in the four Elements all from the motion of the holy Eternal speaking Word into Forms according to the Properties of the Astrum in the Spiritual Body And thence were Creatures in the Astrum of every of the four Elements produced Birds in the Astrum of the Air Fishes in that of the Water Beasts in that of the Earth and Spirits in the Astrum of the Fire 2. The two Sexes the Male and its Female arise one from the Tincture of the Fire the other of the Water as of Fire and Light CHAP. XV. Of the Sixth Days Work of the Creation Vide Chapter 21. of the Aurora p. 254. CHAP. XVI Of the difference of the Heavenly and Earthy Man 1. THE Image of God Created unto Eternal Life in Paradise cannot be the gross Property of Earthy Bestial Flesh for the Properties of the inward holy Body and outward were in Adam compos'd in equal Harmony and gave up their desires to the Soul in which the Divine Light shone as in the holy Heaven The Properties were all Tinctur'd with the sweet Love delight For the inward holy Man of the pure Element penetrated and swallowed up the outward as Light doth Darkness which when extinguished the darkness is manifested 2. But the Earthy Bestial and Corruptible Body made so by the Lust of Adam is not the Man for what the Soul is in the Spirit the same is the true Humane Body in the Essence As the Souls Mansion and as Iron is made Lustrous when through heated in the Fire Neither Heat Cold Sickness c. could annoy him his Body was as Gold that endureth the Fire or as a Tincture penetrating all things and gives way to nothing So neither was Man subject to any thing but his God alone who dwelt in him 3. Nor are here two but one only Man in the Likeness of God See more of this in the 21. Chap. of the Aurora in the 10th Chap. of the Three Principles and that of the Incarnation and that of Predestination Chap. 5. 4. Of the Creation of the seventh Day God Created all things in six Days out of the seven Properties and brought them all into the seventh as into one Body which is a Mystery of all the other whence they came and in which they work as a Spiritin a Body The seventh Property standeth still as a sensless Life but the seventh and the first Properties mutually belong to one another as one Property CHAP. XVII Of Paradise 1. THE Garden of Eden was a place on Earth where Man was tempted but Paradise was the Seventh Days Property the Essentiality of the second Principle which penetrated the four Elements as Eternity doth Time as the Sun the Fruit as the Day â—wallows up the Night or as the Fire illustrateth the heated Iron Yet was no more apprehended by the outward Elements though then in their best Purity than the Terrestrial doth the Celestial The Internal was to rule over the External the Heaven was the Husband to the Earth before the
the Incorporated Covenant in the Seed of the Woman but they look'd only on the outward Eve and committed Whoredom with her but the inward Eve was fruitless Therefore God slew Er the old World and bid the new Marry Thamar and raise up Seed to his Brother viz. in the Covenant but the second Son brought this Seed into Vanity as did Nimrod then the Lord slew him also viz. Sodom and Gomorrah and the Canaanites whom â—â—â—â—el drove out Then said Judah to Thamar remain a Widdow till my third Son Salah be grown up 6. But the Woman was not given to the Law but Judah Gods Word and Power must raise up this Womans Seed which was fulfilled in Mary 7. The Pledges given were his Ring Bracelet and Staff The Ring is the Soul the Bracelet the â—â—â—ward â—â—rit of Spirituâ— Mundi the Staff the Body Then she put on again her Widows Apparel so do Gods Children after Christ is conceiv'd in great Joy in them that the noble Seed be not known they do after this Union enter again into the state of Mourning as of a forsaken Widow 8. And as Judah committed and intended Whoredom so did the Jewish Priests in their outward Sacrifices which God boâ—e with but mixed himself only with the Faith in the Body Soul and Spirit of Man 9. Tho' the precious Line of the Covenant pressed in Perez through Judah's Whoredom yet it shews Mans Misery that even the children of God in their corrupt Nature in their Wedâ—ock have nothing chast and pure in the sight of God but is Bestial and a Whoredom 10. How then should we pray that Christ would enter with his Heavenly Virgin Seed and change it into the Paradisical Image again 11. Such a Figure we see also in David with Bâ—thsheba under whose Murther and Adultery God set the Line of the Covenant in the middle And after again in Solomon who had so many Wives and â—oncâ—bines and joyned himself to Idolatrous Women To shew Christ should set himself in the midst amongst the Heathen and tear away their Idolatry and convert their Hearts to himself 12. Of the Twins the first put forth his Hand and the Midwife tyed a red Thread on it but he pulled back his Hand and the other came out first First the Humane Nature according to Adam's right and self-will puts forth about this Humanity of Christ the red Thread with shedding of Blood is bound then must it return again into the Word then cometh the inward new Man first Thus is modellized Christs breach through Hell Death and Wrath of the first Principle CHAP. LXVI How Joseph was sold to Potiphar And of his Chastity and Fear of God 1. POtiphar having bought Joseph set him over his whole House so must the Christian let the Government be Christs then shall his twenty pieces of Silver become thirty pieces viz. the Adamical Humanity be exalted 2. The Wife of Joseph's Master cast her Eves on Joseph viz. The Whorish Eve the Bestial Lust in the Prison of Flesh and Blood wherein is the Serpents â—ting assaulteth the new regenerate Child who must converse in this World with such impure Lusts for which cause the Body must die and rot and this Bestial Spirit be destroyed for in it the Devil draweth the Noble Virgin Child the chast Joseph who saith I will not lye with thee nor be near thee thou art the Wife of the Spirit of this World 3. Joseph was alone and she caught him and he fled and left his Garment c. The Soul is alone the Spirit of God not stirring in it and then doth the Devil by the Whorish Woman storm the Soul in the Lifes Essence to defile the precious Virgin Child for the Serpent would copulate with the Soul but the chast Divine Child flies viz. hides it self in its own Principle that it comes not near this Whore in Flesh and Blood thus strongly the Divine Purity shields it self 4. Gods Children have no danger greater than worldly Exaltation for that is the Throne of Pride Lust Cruelty Wrath and of the Prince of this World which is not resisted but by giving up self as did Joseph and Daniel 5 Then his Master put him in Prison c. This figureth the final Tryal of the Child of God who is resigned wholly to God and dead to himself and his own will As a Prisoner condemn'd expecting Death knoweth not how to get comfort from any Creature But liveth in the unsearchable will standing again in the first Image is a similitude and spark of the One and the All. 6. It is better not to know than to will according to self for the will of that which knoweth not passeth away with the creaturely Life but the will to self rendeth it self off from the intire will into restless inquietude which is the Source and Torment of all the Damned the strife of the will bringing Enmity 7. But God is the will of the intirely resigned Man in him Sin ceaseth and tho' Gods will of Anger stir in him to bring down Fire as Elias yet all is right for God doth it by him as an Instrument Night is turn'd into day the Curse and Malice of the World into Paradise as did Joseph's Prison and Daniel's Den lift them up CHAP. LXVII Of Joseph's Expounding the Dreams of Pharoah's Butler and Baker 1. THE Art of Astronomy according to Astrology may Interpret But Joseph got by resignation into the total and in it the Divine Eye which sees the ground of all 2. Every Man hath the Image of his Constellation in himself and when time comes for kindling the Magick Image to work the Astral Spirit seeth what Figure it self hath in the Elements But the Elements affording only a Bestial Figure the Astral Spirit hath only a Bestial appearance So a Beast dreameth according to Fanâ—y as doth a Bestial Animal Man But there is great difference betwixt the false wicked Soul which daily willeth and figureth Bestial things and the pious Divine Soul wherein Gods Spirit is manifest 3. But the right Visions are when Mans will resteth in God then it seeth with Gods Eyes for then the Astral Spirit cannot model it self into the fancy CHAP. LXVIII Pharoah Dreaming saw seven Fat Kine c. 1. THese Dreams were shewn Pharaoh out of the Centre of Nature therefore the Natural Magicians who saw only into the working of Nature in the Constellation understood them not but Joseph being a Divine Magus understood them 2. The Egyptian Art Magick was common but being abus'd to Witchcraft was â—upprest by the Divine Magia in the Kingdom of Christ. And it was well that thereby the Heathens Faith in their Idols which tho' they had their ground in Nature were above their Sphere worshipt for Gods Might be rooted out of Mens Hearts 3. But Titular Christendom is surcharg'd with such Magi as have only an empty babling of supernatural Magick without natural understanding of God or Nature but make Images of
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