of Christ he must be in Christ that he may have Christs Voyce in him otherwise he cannot feed Christs Sheep on the green Pasture What good doth a Wolf in the Sheepfold that intendeth nothing but prey He doth only waste and spoil the Sheepfold Wherefore then doth a Stranger intrude himself for a Shepherd not being called of Christ the chief Shepherd Why goeth he about to teach the Spirit of this World in Man which is in him afore 100. If he will sound the Inward in Death inclosed Bell then he must have even that same Clapper which breaketh the Death so that the dead Bell may sound For the Divine Sound was in Adam inclosed in Death Now if any will awake the same he must have in himself that same Living Sound he must speak out of Christs Spirit and Voyce or his teaching is only a Jugling or playing of tricks before a dead thing and he is only a belly-servant by Custom and no whit profitable to the Temple of Christ for he himself is not therein and how will he then bring others in 101. The Holy Ghost mixeth not himself in the Voyce of the Wicked the Word of the Wicked is not the Word of God Therefore it is a meer Deceit to preach out of Art the Art is born out of the Stars and it awaketh none that lieth inclosed in Death it must be a right hammer that will make a dead Bell sound 102. And it is very highly to be lamented that men do so prank with these Mouth-Apes and honour them for Gods and will also be called good Christians and yet name themselves after a Wolf and besides strive and contend for him and make desolate also their Land and Men and destroy their body and soul for a Wolfs sake 103. O thou worthy Christendom in blindness be seeing I beseech thee O how art thou blinded Thou sufferest thine eares to be filled with a tingling noyse that thou mayst but sleep hard in Adams sleep in the Sinworld with the Devil and very securely in the wicked flesh But an hard thunder wil awake thee for thou art too too fast a sleep thou wilt not yet be awaked let God call how he Will yet Adam the old Man sleepeth in his pleasure 104. That the Author also mentioneth That this fleshly Babel will fall and a Fountain spring up in Zion out of the true Jerusalem is very true and the Time is already born that that shal be broken which is grown unto and of it self without Divine Order for it hath attained its age and the bound The Begining hath found the End the Middle shal be Manifested and none shal be able to hinder it But seeing the child of sin and Perdition doth so rage against it therefore it must burst and break it self in pieces in its raging Madness 105. But if it would enter into the Beginning it would abide standing and its Wonders only would appear But seeing it is grown in Pride Covetousness and Envy and in all kind of Wickedness and Malice to what end shall that evil Beast abide It is unfit for an Offering of God neither will it be converted that it might get an humane heart 106. Therefore God caused it to be denounced that his Children should depart from it for the LORD will afright the Earth and overturn Babel and there shall a River flow out of Zion that the thirsty Soul may be refreshed For the poor shall be refreshed and eat in his Pasture 107. The Driver shall be broken in pieces and then shalt thou rejoyce a little while for thou art Wicked from thy very Youth and seekest only the Goal in the Wonder As thy Begining was so is also thine End Whosoever is blind will not see it but sleep till the Day breakon 108. Christ saith When the Son of Man shall come thinkest thou that he shall find Faith on Earth Therefore the Time of the End is an Evil dreg and there shall not be meer Zion save only in the sanctified Children of Christ For the Begining and the End are altogether like one another 109. The Wonders with the high Tongue were manifest in the Beginning and the Signature was exceeding well known this cometh again in the End But we understand also thereby a good and evil Time when the Gates of all Principles shall stand open as we also see this in the Beginning by Cain and Abel Therefore let every one look to it what he speaketh teacheth and writeth for it shall be tryed by the highest Tongue 110. But when we speak of the Temple of Christ and of the River out of Zion then we mean not one certain place in one Land alone for the Temple of Christ is over all we understand in all Tongues and Languages although the Tongues shall be brought higher in one place then in another all things according to the property of the people and according as the Spirit is in Man 111. For the Temple of Christ is In Us We must hear Christ teaching In Us if Christ teacheth not In Us then the outward Mouth-cry is in Vain and spoken but into the Ayr. 112. Therefore let no man think that it will be so that such Men will come which shall teach or force the Holy Spirit into Men No It is said To Day when you do hear the Voyce of the Lord harden not your ears and hearts Look not after another Time for This is the Time of your Visitation 113. Incline your Ears and Hearts into the Temple of Christ In You cast away your Abominations and false Will from you and bring your Will earnestly through Christ into the Father and resolve to enter no more into the Wickedness as into Pride Covetousness Envy Anger and Falshood leave off from all height of this World and humble your selves in the hand of the LORD and in the Love towards the needy 114. Esteem your selves as simple Idiots in Christ esteem your Art nothing for it draweth but away from Christ Desire to know no more but only that which the Holy Ghost in Christ will know in you that he only may be your Knowing and Willing 115. For the Fountain in Zion will not be found through any search out of Reason Zion will not first be begotten from Without but from Within We must seek and find our selves in our selves No Man needeth to run to another place where he thinketh the Spirit shall be more powerful but Within himself is the Gate of the Holy Deity 116. He must only enter into himself and seek and call upon the Holy Spirit in himself for in himself is the place where God dwelleth in his Heaven and receiveth the Will of the Soul with her Desire 117. Whither will the Soul swing her self being she her self is the Fountain of Etetnity In her standeth the Principle of the Light and Dark World she is all the Three Worlds 118. Only this is Necessary that like as she in Adam hath brought her self by her
A CONSIDERATION Upon the Book of ESAIAS STIEFEL OF THE Threefold State of Man and his New Birth Written Anno Christi 1621. BY JACOB BEHMEN Otherwise called Teutonicus Philosophus LONDON Printed by John Macock 1653. The Open Fountain in the Heart of JESUS CHRIST be our Source and Constant Quickening 1. MOst Honored and much Esteemed Sirs in the Love of Jesus Christ and in the Union of his Humanity my Singular Friends and Brothers It is meer Joy unto me and the Recreation of my Soul that I do now perceive from divers places that the most precious Tree of Christ our Salvation hid through the fleshly Anti-christ beginneth again to green from the very Root through all the Gates of Darkness in the midst of the Captivity of Babylon Much more do I rejoyce in the Outgreening Plant of its Amiableness and Loveliness Power and and Vertue since I find my self also to be a little Twig on the same Tree and that it is so sweet and pleasant and I see this with great admiration that it as it were in the midst of the Night beginneth to green forth with fair Twigs yea that in the midst of the Winter Lillies and Flowers grow 2. Is not this contrary to all Outward Reason that an old desolate broken house that continually expecteth by the Tempest to be thrown into heaps beginneth to become New again and set forth its first youth as if it had never been old We see now the first shape of this Tree how it was in its youth and how in the age and youth of it there is one Shape Power and Vertue Is not this a great Wonder 3. We became in our First Mother that bare us all blind and are now in our old age in the end become seeing again in the Mothers bosom We became dumb and lost our Mother-Tongue and find it now in our old age again so that we know our Mother in and by the same and can speak with her out of her own Tongue Ought not we justly highly to admire that we were in our Mother and knew her not that we have been such a long time blind in her and now become seeing in the old age 4. But shall we speak of our Old age No We are a New Branch born of our first Mother We were a dryed Branch on the Tree but the Mother hath brought into us her Sap and Vertue and brought forth a young Twig out of her self wherein she will have Joy and through which she will bring forth her fruit yea she hath born a young Son out of the Old he shall not be blind neither go out from her but abide in her house for he is her only Heir in whom she hath Joy 5. Loving Brothers Let us rejoyce and be glad in the Lord that our City Jerusalem in Zion is now a building again in which our Mother dwelleth and shall also be our Everlasting Habitation 6. Sithence then Loving Sirs and Brothers as I perceive you stand also with us in the greening Essence and have received a seeing Eye therefore I desire to refresh my self heartily in my Members in the Essence of my Mother with you in our new Life and I beseech you that you would understand it no otherwise then in true Sincerity and Love as one Member is bound to the other 7. That I thus will speak with you is not done to ascend above your gifts nor to exalt my self above you because a sharper understanding is given me of the Divine Mystery but rather take it thus viz. that I am not become your Breaker but rather a Beam in our Building in the House of the Mother of us all not through Humane Reason or Art but he that hath Power hath so ordained it even He that doth what he will 8. Now a House must not only have spars and beams but also Stones for the Foundation and it must have divers Joynts Now if the Lord placeth one for the Foundation or Corner-stone and useth another about the Building then we ought to learn to acknowledg the one the other every one according to his gifts and not to despise or reject one another in regard of the unequal gifts as is practised hitherto for a long time in Babel But rather consider the good and benefit of the House and that the one Juncture must not be as the other although it is all one within another and is together but one House 9. To me it is given to understand and to speak of the Ground to another of the whole Building of God as in a sum Yet the Ground and the Whole House is but One it comes from One Spirit and all serveth for the Wonderful Manifestation of God 10. Therefore if I shall speak with you out of my gifts and shew you the House within I desire you to understand and take it Lovingly I do it not out of Levity and Presumption but in true Knowledg given to me of God for benefit and bettering that our Pearl might be found and the Enemy that hath so long detained us captive be choaked in his own Poyson that we may learn to know the Wonderful God in his bottomless Wisdom and delight our selves in him as Children like as a Branch on a Tree in his Essence and Power which Joy and delight is a greening in our Lives Essence Therefore you will not interpret it otherwise 11. You have sent me a Book to behold my self and also your Friends and request me to open my knowledg thereupon unto you which doubtless in my Writings which you have in your hands might be to you already sufficiently opened and understood what I would thereupon answer you Yet seeing it is for Gods Glory and the Benefit and Salvation of Man I wil give you a short and summary Answer unto it and further refer you to my other Writings 12. Of the Author himself who indeed according to mine outward Man is unknown to me yet in the Spirit is not a Stranger but born out of my Mothers Essence and Power I see say and know so much out of his Written Words which without doubt are also his Spirit and full Will that he indeed hath wholly given over himself as he also throughout mentioneth of himself into the Mothers bosom and desireth nothing else but the Mothers Life and Spirit 13. And that indeed the Mother-spirit is in him as in the old and yet now in a new greening Essence doth keep the old in the grim Qualm Prisoner and is so sunk down with the old Essence that he cannot know himself in that he supposeth he is wholly and totally and throughout new and without sin and spot This is truly and rightly said yet only according to the Inward new Man born out of Christ but not according to the Mortal Corruptible Man which the New holdeth captive in him as through-piercing and wholly overshadowing him 14. The Old Stock or Husk understand the Body which Adam by his Imagination into the
Earthliness brought into us out of the Earthly and Diabolical Essence as a Contrary Qualm is not that which greeneth but the disappeared Image of God understand that which was given to Adam out of the Divine Substantiality as from the Second Principle out of the Kingdom of Heaven which by the bringing-in of the Earthly dyed or as I might express it was again enclosed or shut up into the Eternal Quietness as into that Nothing when it lost its right Divine Life and this is it in which the Eternal Word became Man and brought in again the living Substantiality with its Entering and Opening and out of Death brought forth Eternal Life This same Divine and also in Death enclosed humane Substantiality or Flesh became Man to which the Earthly Husk only did adhere and held the Earthly burning Death captive in it self Therefore we must observe a Difference when we will speak of our selves 15. The Holy Scripture also speaketh not of a wholly New Flesh viz. that the Old cometh to be conceived wholly New in Divine Essence and begotten in God otherwise it must follow that the Evil introduced bestial Flesh with the bestial Properties were become exalted in the Power of the Majesty 16. And if one would say that the Earthly Qualm is wholly killed in the New Birth out of Christ and that it doth wholly and totally dye in the Death of Christ as the Author of the Book saith That the old Man is altogether Dead and Nothing and Christ alone liveth and governeth in this outward visible Flesh and doth all then must and should Man also eat and drink after the Manner of Paradise and enjoy only an Heavenly Qualm For Christ eateth no more Earthly food but Divine The bestial Maggot-paunch doth neither suffer us to call the Whole Man out of all the Three Births Divine much less the Kingdom of this World of Stars and Elements which is the Qualm Life and Regiment of the outward Man 17. We cannot deny be a Man so holy as he will but that the Spirit of the Outward World is the Spirit Life and Guide of his Outward Flesh and we see clearly how the outward Man standeth in a Starry Constellation when it leaveth him he falleth away and putrifieth 18. Yet since it is given to me of Gods Grace to know what the Earthly and also what the Heavenly Man is in One Person therefore I will a little delineate and signifie how things stand with the Author of the Book sent to me and that out of the Ground although in a childlike simplicity for a Rule to the Author and those that read his Book 19. As for the Author himself I understand that he indeed may well be a godly Man born anew and holy in Christ with his New Birth in the New Man in regard of the Inhabitation of Christ For the Substantial Inhabitation is throughout agreeing with the holy Scripture as he also highly assevereth it and I have in that Point no Objection at all against him It is the true Ground that God hath begotten us for children out of his Heavenly Substance in himself through his Power in the Word in Christs Flesh and Blood out of his own Essence 20. I understand also Flesh and Spirit in one Substance and by no means Spirit without Flesh and Blood I understand also that it is come to pass in the Womans seed and cometh yet always to pass and I say upon sure ground that Christ in and out of mine own humane Essence is born a new Creature in my self as the Author also throughout saith 21. But the Author wanteth the Understanding of the Three Principles in one another viz. of the Threefold World one within another He distinguisheth not one from another He hath wrapt up himself wholly with all Reason and Senses and hath cast himself wholly into the Incarnation of Christ into his Suffering Death and Resurrection and hath denyed his own outward Life He desireth to live only in and of Christ He rejects all what is and liveth contrary to it He desireth nothing but what is of Christ that Christs Life Spirit and Will may be his Spirit Life and Will Thus he is as it were sunk down into the Life Will and Spirit of Christ so that his old man is as it were dead although according to the Kingdom and Qualm of this World in his own Principle in himself he liveth and is not dead for he cannot dye until the Spirit of the Outward World in his Constellation do leave him and yet he doth not dye then but goeth into the Mysterium of the Outward Principle with his Wonders and Works until the Judgment of God for the Restitution of all that which we have lost in Adam 22. This right Christian Entrance of the Author is very Right and without falshood it is also gone rightly with him in Christ if it be so indeed as I fully perceive as he writeth of himself But his knowledg of himself what and how he is were need better to be declared He hath cast himself into the middle of the Tree where he indeed is safe and stands very Well But the Root of the Tree is yet hidden to him he standeth therein as a Twig but in the middle 23. When a man will satisfie the humane Mind so that it may yeeld it self into Eternal Rest then a man must shew it the Root of the Tree whereout Spirit and Flesh have their Origiginal A man must shew and manifest unto him the Center both of the Eternal and also of the Original Nature so that he may comprehend the Earthly and also the Heavenly Mysterium Then is the Eternal Beginning and the Eternal End altogether One In this the Spirit of the Soul lieth down to rest for it seeth the Wheel wholly and perfectly 24. With this Description the weak corrupted Nature is very ill contented for a thing is requested of it that it cannot do The Author saith it ought altogether to dye that Christ alone might live in the Flesh This the Nature will not but hopeth for a Renovation the which it putteth on as a garment but not Essentially in Power But as fire doth through-glow a stone so the beams of the Holy Ghost go often out of the Second Principle of the New Man through the Old And as Iron in the glowing and without the glowing is still Iron at one time as at the other so is also the Earthly Man 25. He must be servant to the Inward Man when the New with his glowing Divine Fire goeth through him he also willingly doth it so long as the fire-glowing shineth through him but he cannot change himself into the Inward Kingdom For the outward Flesh and Blood saith Christ shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven it shall and must putrifie as an husk from the Essence of the Corn sown in the field 26. You have Beloved Sirs the Ground of this Mystery in my Book of the Incarnation of Christ and in a
Book of the Threefold Life very largely how Man standeth in a Threefold Life Viz. 1. According to the Soul in the Eternal Fathers Nature and in the Root of the Dark World in the Center of the Eternal Original as in the Spirit of the Eternal Father 27. 2 dly How the right true Image and Similitude of God greeneth out of the Soul as out of the Death in the Souls Magical Spirits Fire in another Principium or in another World and becometh free as God himself from Nature as also from Death Qualm and Pain and that the true Image of God liveth not in the Regiment of the outward World nor useth for it self the outward food and drink but eateth of the Divine Substantiality as of the Bread of God Christs Flesh and Blood so that Christ liveth in it and it in Christ and that same Eating consisteth in a Spiritual Desire and also cometh to pass truly and substantially and that the Soul is therewith nourished in her hungers-fire and that a great Gulf happeneth between the Soul and the true Image in the Death of the Fire 28. As we see this in Fire and Light and have therein a true form pattern and similitude where a man by a comparison understandeth the Soul by the fire-glow for it is in it self what concerneth it alone without the noble Image a fire-eye consisting in God the Fathers Eternal Nature brought from the Spirit of God out of the Fathers Property into the outward Created Image which was Created both out of the Outward and Inward heavenly Divine Substantiality and we understand the Noble Image in or by the Light and in the Vertue of the meek Light that out-shineth from the Dying as from the Consuming Qualm of the Fire Where then we see how the Light dwelleth in the Fire without any feeling of the firequalm and how the Fire is a painly Essence to Nature and the Light is free from the Fires Nature and yet without the Fire it is a Nothing 29. Secondly I have shewed you in the fore-mentioned Books how the Fire is a Magick-desire of Meekness to cool it self and to fill its dry Hunger whereout it receiveth Life and Light and again how that the Light is also a great Desire of the Fire to awake its Life Vertue and Power through the Fire 30. Thirdly How that the Light in its Desire maketh a Substantiality and Being viz. Meekness which taketh its Original in the Dying in the Fire which Meekness is called the Water of Eternal Life for it is a sinking through the Death and it giveth Sensibility and and Substantiality and how the Fire doth again draw that same Substantiality into it self and satiate it self therewith and out of that same Indrawing it doth again beget a Spirit out of it self which continually goeth again into the Substantiality and at length bringeth the shining from the Fire and Light into the Substantiality Which Shining or Splendor in the Substantiality of the Meekness is called Tincture which bringeth the Substantiality into the highest Ornament and Colours and thus Reneweth the Essence viz. the forms of the Dark World to the Fire-life and high-graduates it and changeth it into another thing so that out of the unpleasant painly Qualm of the First Principle through Fire the highest Joyfulness ariseth in the precious Tincture And thus the worst is the cause of the best In which Type or Figure we understand in the Inward Birth the Birth and the Substance of the Holy Trinity 31. And then fourthly I have declared to you in the fore-mentioned Books how that the Whole Substance of all Substances is a Continual Desire to manifest it self in its Desire and that this Desire to Manifestation is the Fiat and the Power in the Light is the Word and how that the Word hath moored the Fiat in all the Forms of the Eternal Nature according to the Light and also according to to the Dark World through which the Desire according to both the Worlds Properties hath made Substance in it self whereout in the Substantiality Good and Evil is sprung according to the Property of each World out of which Substance this visible World is created with the Stars and Elements as an own and peculiar Life yet not separated from the Eternal And moreover it is declared how that the Inward Spiritual Substance hath in its Desire manifested it self with this outward visible World as with an Image 32. Now when God created Man as an Image after his Substance a Similitude after God he created him out of the Mother of all Substances and out of all the Three Worlds 33. For God would behold himself through Man in One Image he should be a Similitude after God His Body he created both out of the Outward and Inward Substantiality as out of the Earthly and Heavenly and breathed into it through his Spirit a living Breath that is himself according to the Divine World and also according to the Outward World 34. For the Spirit of God is the Spirit of every Life but distinguished into Three Principles of Three Worlds As 1. According to the Dark World after the First Principle according to which God calleth himself an angry zealous God and a Consuming Fire which is the Eternal Nature And 2 dly According to the Light-World as according to Gods Love and Meekness in regard of which he is called the Holy Spirit And 3 dly According to the Outward World the ayr-Ayr-Spirit with the Qualm of the Stars and Elements Thus Man hath received a Threefold Life the Spirit of all the Three Worlds 35. Now it is palpable and plain enough to understand that the Holy Ghost had not his Regiment in the outward earthly Flesh but in the Inward Heavenly For with his entering into the Humanity he also brought in with him the Heavenly Divine Substantiality 36. For Gods Spirit dwelleth from Eternity to Eternity only in Heaven that is only in his own Substance in the Power of the Majesty Now when he breathed himself into the Image of Man then the Heaven was in Man for God would manifest himself in Man as in an Image after himself and open the great Wonders of his Eternal Wisdom through Man 37. Therefore we must rightly consider Man what he is and not make an Earthly Beast of him neither an Angel of his earthly part but he is created into the Wonders in respect of the Earthly Kingdom viz. according to the Third Principle that he should manifest the Wonders in Figures For to that end he hath the Inward Spirit out of the first Principle but he should not domineer therewith neither with the Outward but yeeld himself over to the Holy Ghost in the Second Principle and in the outward Life be as a Child in the Mothers bosom 38. For the Spirit of God had in him the outward Kingdom as it were swallowed up like as the Light swalloweth up the dark Night that a Man seeth it not But through his Imagination into
and immaculate for if a Man will search from whence Sin hath its Original he must look upon the Ground 67. The new Body worketh no Sin but the Soul by Imagining into the Wickedness bringeth Sin into it self Now since the true Similitude after God hath its Beginning out of the Soul therefore the heavenly Substantiality becometh Infected through the Poyson which is taken into the Soul 68. Sin toucheth not the Heart of God as the Center of the New Body but the Substantiality is Infected as when a Man poureth Earth into fair Water The Flesh of the New Man and the Spirit of God is not one thing the Spirit of God remaineth in the new Man although Adam be spoiled in regard of him as it also came to pass in Adam 69. What falleth from the Light-world it the Fire-world receiveth if it be a grim Substantiality then it is swallowed up in the Fire and falleth into the Dark World into Eternal Death When the new Body is infected it loseth its Divine Life the Deity loseth nothing by it but only its Mirror of the Wonders For the Body is not God only it is through the Spirit by the noble Tincture highly graduated with the splendor of the holy Heaven so that in it the Colours of the Divine Joy-kingdom do shine But if it be darkened then the Tincture ariseth in another Property viz. according to that in which the Fire of the Soul burneth such a Tincture shineth also thereout and as the Spirit of Man is in himself such an Heaven he geteth also for his Habitation 70. Nothing can fall beyond God for He himself is All yet he is not called God in respect of his Anger because it devoureth much did it not also devour the whole royal hoste of Lucifer they were Angels and yet became Devils how then should it not be possible in a Man who as yet beareth in him the Sin-mirror in the outward Flesh 71. Indeed if the Soul goeth not into the false Lust so that it desireth not sin then it is not possible The Soul is free it hath the high Fire-Principle in it self both to the Dark and also to the Light World What it awaketh to it self that it hath it can live in Gods Love or Anger Whithersoever it turneth it self there it is received so that it as the Mother of the Eternal Nature is in all things Whither the Eternal Will turneth it self according to that its Image is also figured 72. Therefore Man should not be secure or bold in this World but always humble himself before God and cast his Will into the Heart of God all this time whilest he carrieth the outward Cottage he liveth in danger but while he abideth with his Will in God he is in Gods hand and then no man 〈◊〉 pluck Christs sheep out of Christs hand John 10. except the Will of the Soul teareth it self out from thence which happeneth when the Soul is secure then the Devil soweth his poysonous Imagination into her so that she therein beginneth to imagine after falshood 73. You must understand that the Soul standeth in the Fathers Property and the fair Image when it is begotten standeth in the Sons Property The Soul hath the Center of the Dark World and the Image hath the Center of the Light World as Gods Heart But if it departeth from Gods Love then the Soul bringeth its Image into the Fathers Property into the dark World 74. Therefore we ought to be very humble and submissive before our God and not desire to exalt Our Name but the Name of God in Us We are not the Tree with the Root but little boughs and twigs on the Tree We receive indeed the Essence and Vertue of the Tree like as the Tree giveth it to the Twig But the Twig saith not I am the Tree but it delighteth it self in the Tree as in its Mother 75. If we put on Christ then we are truly called Christians for the new Man liveth in Christ But we ought not to say I am Christ in this mine holy flesh and bones in this my visible Conversation on Earth for Christ said also My Kingdom is not of this World Therefore Christs Kingdom In Us is much less of this World For he said I am gone forth and come from God Again I leave the World and go the Father and I will take you to me that where I am there ye may be 76. Understand it thus When the noble Seed is sown so that the Lilly-twig is born in the Humanity of Christ then he taketh it to himself where He is This noble Twig is not of this World but it cometh from God and its Plant groweth in Gods Kingdom not in this World not in Adams Manhood neither in the Woman Eva but in the Virgin being neither Man nor Woman but a chaste Virgin that follow-God and the Lamb. 77. For that is the Angel whereof Christ speaketh Matth. 22. and Mark 12. In the Resurrection they are like the Angels of God When he is born out of Christ then he expecteth no Resurrection for himself for he is Immortal if the Soul doth not poyson him in the time of this World But he Waiteth for the Outward Mysterium as the third Principle in which he hath sown all his Wonders and Works that same swalloweth up here the Outward Life with its Works and that shall come again out of the Mysterium 78. For the First Adam before his Eva he being neither Man nor Woman shall stand he shall have all the three Principles in him as God himself but not so mingled together as Now when one is brought into the other 79. The Outward World is compacted and born out of the Inward in the Desire of the Inward and in the Fiat created into a form not altogether to a fading transitory Substance for it shall be renewed in the Fire and stand again to Gods Wonder-deed not four Elements but One in which the four do lie hid For the Outward World shall not rule but the Inward Divine World through all things 80. As little as the Outward Visible World can be called God so little also the Name of God becometh or befitteth the outward Life in flesh and bones For God gave Adam a name and called him MAN he named Adam MAN This the highest Tongue understandeth Well in the Language of Nature that the name Adam hath its Original from the Second Principle as from Gods Kingdom out of the Divine Essence and the name Man from the Limus whereout the outward Body was created 81. For every thing getteth its right Name out of its Essence according to its Spirit like as the most dear Name of JESUS CHRISTUS hath a double sence Viz. By the Name JESUS in the highest Tongue is understood the Motion of the Divine Center as an Out-going Lust or Delight bringing the Lowliness in the Humility forth in the Out-going Joy-kingdom in Majesty 82. And in the Name CHRISTUS is understood an In-going
Imagination into the Earthly World which standeth Essentially within the dark World whereby her Almightiness was and is broken and inclosed in the Death so she turn her self again into the Light in the Almightiness in the Spirit of Christ who hath broke that same Death in her viz. in the Soul she must go again into Gods house into her self 119. Therefore it is necessary to become new born to beget out of himself a New Son out of the Old not a New Soul but a New Image out of the Soul in the Power of the Holy Ghost a Twig out-greening out of his own Essence in the Spirit of Christ and standing within the Light of the Deity not being shone upon from without but shining out of it self 120. The New Image is the food of the Fiery Soul and fuel for her burning The Soul eateth the Love-essence of the Image and giveth out of the Consuming as out of the grim Dying the high Light and in the Light through Fire out of the Desire of the Love and out of the Desire of the Fire the high and noble Tincture of the Holy Life with the power of Colours and Vertues 121. In which Power the Center of the Joy-kingdom of the Light-World standeth as the Heart of the Deity out of which the Holy Ghost proceedeth For the Fires-Center of the Soul and the Lights-Center in the Souls Image are it out of which the Spirit of God is begotten 122. The Spirit of God entereth not from Without into the Soul but he openeth himself in himself through the Souls-fire and through the Light-fire of the Image He is the Holy Mans peculiar Propriety 123. When a Man entereth into earnest Repentance and layeth hold on an earnest Will to enter into the Mercy of God within himself and casteth from himself all false Will then is the grain sown whereout the noble Flower in the Holy Trinity groweth Understand that the Souls-Will is turned thereby out of the Dark World into the Light World 124. And then when she Imagineth into the Light World into the Center of the Deity as she before hath Imagined into this World then she shall in her self in her Imagination or Desire grow pregnant of the Saviour and out of this Pregnancy God is begotten always and to all Eternity 125. Thus the true Man becometh the food of God and God the food of Man and so are We in God and God in Us and work with and in God and are his true Children in him 126. And this we had not been able to do being Adam brought his Souls-fire into the Grimness and his noble Image out of the Soul in God if Gods Heart had not entered again into the in Death inclosed Image of the Soul and given himself into the Grimness of the Souls-fire and brought again Divine Substantiality into the Image understand into the Essence of Mary to the Image 127. Understand the Holy Tincture arose together with the divine Substantiality in the Substantiality in Gods Spirit and the Holy Blood which the Tincture in humane Property maketh Blood went into the middle of the Turba of the Soul when the Outward Life broke on the Cross Then the Grimness of Death was broken with the Love and Meekness of God and transmuted into a Life of Joy and here Death was shewed openly For divine Love was again begotten in the grim Essence of the Soul and that is our New Birth in Christ into which the Desire of our Soul must enter if it will behold God and be begotten in Christ out of God 128. Christ is the New Stock and we green forth as Branches in him We must be born in God and must also beget God in us if we will be Branches on the Tree For upon the Branches which we are the Holy fruit groweth which Gods Spirit eateth in us viz. the Praise of God 129. Loving Brothers jest not and esteem it not a fiction it is known in Ternarium Sanctum in the pure River out of Zion Let no man expect or stay for a golden Time in which the Holy Spirit shall out of the outward Mouth cry into the hardened Man who will live only in the lust of the flesh I say into his Bestial Will O no that will not be 130. Whosoever will hear the Holy Ghost teaching out of the Mouth of another he must before bring his Will into the Holy Ghost and then the Holy Ghost preacheth unto him out of the Mouth of another within him 131. The Time is already that Henoch teacheth and Noah denounceth the Deluge there is henceforth no other sign then the sign of Elias Why doth the World stand gazing and suffereth its Ears in Vain to be filled with the Stars it is all in vain 132. Whosoever will enter with Zion and praise God in Jerusalem he hath now the acceptable time the Sound of the Seventh Trumpet is already Sounded The Fountain of Israel is open Let no Man imagine that the Trumpets-Sound will come from this or that place For as the Lightening ariseth and shineth unto the West so from the Beginning to the End is the Coming of the Son of Man 133. Let no man expect the Outward Prophet he shineth Inwardly in the Spirit the Outward Man shall not know him for he standeth in the Crown-number and preacheth in the Mysterium he is already known and found whoso desireth to see him let him seek him in himself and leave Babel he will find him 134. The Right Way into Eternal Life is in Man he hath brought the Will of the Soul into the Outward World it must he again bring into himself into the Inward World Paradise must green in Man 135. But he hath a dangerous and tedious Way to go for the turned Will must enter into it self again and break-through through the Kingdom of the Stars and Elements O how is he there held It must be a great Earnestness not Hypocrisie and an abiding with the Will in the Kingdom of the Stars 136. The Will must forsake the Outward World and yet it cannot wholly do it for it must maintain the Outward Body O how grievous is this in the Beginning when that must be forsaken which is so dear to the Outward Man wherein his joy and glory stands O how doth the Outward Man in the Souls-spirit hold back 137. How exceeding many Conflicts and Assaults must there be holden how busie is the Devil and sets before the poor Soul the glory and beauty of this World as riches and the pleasures of the Flesh 138. It falleth not so presently on a heap from him the Outward Will must be broken in pieces with an hard bickering and yet it dyes not but is shut up in the prison of the Inward Will and must be servant until the breaking or dissolution of the Outward Life 139. Therefore I say upon sure ground that all what is taught of God out of the Spirit of the Outward World and heard in the Outward Spirit is
not the Word of God but Babel a meer Confusion Misery Howling and Crying and no man heareth it but only the Spirit of the Outward World it is only an Antichristian Hypocrisie and a glittering Flattery 140. A Knave goeth into the Outward Church and a Knave sits therein and a Knave returneth thence and is an hypocrite who giveth good words before God and comforteth and tickleth himself from without with Christs Satisfaction yet still remaineth the old Man in himself 141. He supposeth God forgiveth sins as Life is of grace and favour given to a Murtherer although the Conscience doth continually accuse the Murtherer that he is guilty of the deed and of punishment O no it is not so Christ said Unless ye turn and become as Children ye shall not see the Kingdom of Heaven No Verbal Forgiving availeth before God but it is as Christ said to those that turned to him Thy Faith hath helped thee 142. For Christs Spirit went into the Faith of the Patient and the Faith of the sick went into Christs Spirit then the Cure was there otherwise there had been no healing 143. This a Man may see on the Day of Pentecost when those Men were attentive to S t Peter whose Will was bent into themselves and desired the Kingdom of God in them the Spirit of Christ sounded out of Peters Mouth But as for those whose Will was bent into this World the Spirit past by them who said These men are drunk because they speak thus 144. So it goeth also Now when the Spirit of Christ speaketh then saith the Outward Reason These men are mad and hereticks But as for those whose Will is turned into themselves in a desire after Gods Kingdom they hear the Spirit of Christ speak 145. Therefore all those into whose heart this throngeth are admonished to abide Constant and to meet the golden River that floweth out of Zion and they shall find the Pearl for it is born Let no man gaze on Time and Person it is the Spirit of Christ that speaketh 146. And the Author writeth out of the Bride of Christ very well and truly of the Spirit of Christ out of the New Man But he must learn to distinguish this Old Mortal being from the Spirit of this corrupted and cursed World from the New and not esteem the mortal corruptible flesh and bones for Christ his Flesh 147. Nor to seek Christs Flesh in the four Elements and in the Spirit of the Outward World but in the Root of it as in the Holy Element one Principle deeper then this World is yet not absent from the Outward Body 148. Nor must he think the Old is Transmuted into the New but as Gold groweth in the gross Stone out of the Stone the Sun being the Cause of the Tincture and the gross Stone the Cause of the Body and yet it must not be understood as if the New Body had any place or room in the Old in its Principle for it standeth a Birth deeper in it self 149. As we may know by this that God is in this World and yet the World neither knoweth nor seeth him He dwelleth a Birth deeper in the Center then this Outward World is He filleth all in this World and yet there is nothing that comprehendeth or seeth him for he dwelleth not in the World but in himself So also the New Man and yet there is no separation from one another 150. Like as there is a difference between Fire and Light the Fire not being able to comprehend the Light although the Light is born out of the Fire so also the New Man out of the Old through the Entering of the Spirit of Christ like as the Sun maketh a Tincture of Gold in the Stone 151. But when the Author writeth that the Old Man falleth wholly away in the Repentance and dyeth altogether in the Death of Christ he erreth For Christ is not come for the Old Mans sake nor is he become Man in the old defiled sinful flesh but in the Essence of the Image that a New Man may be born out of the Old and dwell in the Old yet not in the Third Principle in this outward World but in the Second in Heaven in God and God in him 152. Therefore he ought not to write I Christ the living Word in this my visible flesh and bones This none that is born out of Christ will grant him The Outward Man is conceived and born in Sin He is not Christ but the Inward Man is in Christ a Member of Christs Body in the Essence of Christ 153. And that he supposeth that Nature falls wholly and altogether away from Man when the New Birth ariseth that is not so and in that he understands as yet nothing of the Eternal Nature There falls no Nature away from him for the Life stands in the Nature viz. the Life of the Soul in the Eternal Nature and the outward Spirit in the Stars and Elements 154. The Eternal Nature holds in it self the seven Spirits or Forms of the Deity from whence the Holy Divine World is sprung and also this Outward World it parteth not to all Eternity from Man otherwise Man were a Nothing For out of Nature the Mystery of Eternity is revealed and also the Divine Being as is declared in my Book of the Six Points Nature came not into Man for Sins sake wherefore should it then for the Regenerations sake fall away 155. By Death the outward Nature falleth away from the Nature of the Soul but it goeth only into the outward Mysterium until the Day of Judgment then shall all its here-made Wonders and Works appear therein when the Spirit of God shall moor the Mysterium of this World then shall all be manifest and the Turba shall be separated from the good and given to the Dark World and the Mysterium unto the New Man yet only Holy and without spot 156. And this is the Resurrection of the Flesh it is not the Husk as the Bestial flesh which ariseth but the Life in the Outward Mysterium with the Wonders it shall be included in the Holy Element and united with the Body of Christ the New Man and in Eternity stand with its Wonders in it 157. But not in earthly Essence but as a shadow or figure For by reason of the Divine Life this same Life of ours is esteemed as dead for so was Adam also before his Heva before the Imagination but in the Imagination the Outward Life was made manifest and the Heavenly dyed 158. This I could not Loving Sirs and Brothers hide from you nor from the Author in an Answer of your Book sent to me for my Conscience requires it in the LORD not in any intention to reject or put down the Authors Book or high Spirit but in Love towards him I would communicate my gifts and understanding to him into his gifts as one member to the other that we might edifie and acknowledg one another in Christ as Members in