sticketh in thy Eyes 433. But I tell thee that thy Book the Libel affordeth a good Root for a New Antichrist I understand therein very new Things which I suppose to run quite contrary to the Holy Scripture Especially concerning the Becoming Man or Incarnation of Christ and concerning his Mother Mary 434. I believe if men did not Read the Libel it would be more conducing to their happinesse then for any to grope far after your new conceits which are contrary to the Ground of the Scripture it hath such an aspect that it filleth the Eyes of the People but not of those that understand aright they do not all account thee a Master for it it is even called Babel and an untirnely or abortive unprofitable Libel 435. Is this thy Christian Heart that thou judgest and condemnest a zealous Man who is zealous after Salvation and if I did indeed erre in my zeal and yet in a right heart and sincere meaning and that really led with Ignorance and simplicity shouldest thou condemn Me Doest thou not Observe what Saint Paul saith of the zealous Heathens as above-mentioned Rom. 2. 436. Art thou a Master and a Christian why doest thou not first Instruct me and teach me what is better Doest thou not know me I think it is not hidden to thee who I am viz a simple Man and unlearned Art thou highly learned expert and skilfull shouldst thou then deal so Tyrannically with me as to cast me to the Devill 437. Where is thy Christian Heart shew it me in thy Libel shouldest thou condemn a Simple Man I would have friendly conserred with thee and given thee a good account of my doings if thou hadst done as befits a Christian with friendly Information 438. But thy high pust up Mind would not now I have answered to it it deserves no better since thou proclaimest me a Devill I proclaime thee a Lyar for I am a Child of God and am zealous day and night after my God with Sapplication to his Mercy for Christs sake and stedfastly believe that I am a Child of God and Member of Christs Body I am also very certain in the power of the Holy Spirit that he will preserve my Deposited Treasure viz the Noble Pearly Jewel in Christ till that Day 439. Thou proud Pharisee thou shalt not take away the Noble Garland of Victory from me which my Saviour Christ hath set upon me but if thou desirest to take it away from me have a care what thou doest and where thou abidest that the Anger of God do not devoure thee 440. I would as a Christian have thee warned to abstain from such reproaching and shamefull condemning for the kingdome of God consisteth not is knowing much but in an Earnest sincere obedient humble Mind and Will in the presence of God that we be Christains in the Deed and not with the Mouth only 441. A Christian hath no strife but only against HIMSELF against his EVILL Nature God saith Vengoance is mine I will repay it we live and are in God why will we then strive about HIM Let every one but judge himself and turn to God The Strife is alwayes about the Shell and the Kernell which belongeth to the Soul men let that lye 442. Hath any Learned somwhat let him use it to the Honour of God and the profit of his Brother he should not despise any God hath regenerated us in his Love without all our knowledge or desert through his Heart viz his great Mercy when as formerly we were all of us blind and knew nothing of his bringing us back again we were all under sinne and he hath bestowed on us the childship out of Grace shall we then out selves judge one another 443. Or can we all speak with one and the same Tongue There are you know many Gifts and but One only Spirit which giveth them as Saint Paul saith Shall we then call that very Spirit a Devill which openeth Gods Wonders to us doest thou not know what the Scripture saith Whosoever blasphemeth or reproacheth the Spirit of God hath no forgivenesse Eternally 444. Thou drawest the Judgement of God wilfully upon thy self and makest the people the worse that look upon thy Reproaching so that they also become slanderers from your Mouth whereas otherwise they would be quiet that Sinne might be brought forth with Sinne and so be reserved to the severe Judgement of God who will give to every one according to his Deeds Number IV. 445. THe Libeller sets it down thus All men are created by God according to the Flesh and in that very Masse or Lump they are all shut up under Sinne disobedience and Darkness and none better then the other but they are distinguished according to the Spirit and the Children of the Light generated from or out of HIM whom he delivereth out of the Naturall Darknesse and maketh their Darknesse Light But the Children of the World he letteth sit in Darknesse and letteth their Light go out in the Midst of the Darknesse for he loved Jacob and hated Esau 446. Hearken Libeller why doest thou boyle the Broth in thy Mouth and tellest not all freely forth as it sitteth in thy heart you have it within you I would have you fully give it forth What mean you by the Two sorts of Spirits from the Mothers Body or Womb are there two sorts of Souls generated or born one out of God the other out of the Flesh as thou supposest O thou blind Reason what dost thou Teach Wilt thou judge when thou thy self understandest it not 447. Of the Flesh no Soul becometh Generated but Soul of Soul and Flesh of Flesh we are from Adam all extracted or begotten of one Soul and Spirit and no other Adam is the Tree we are the Branches we stand all in that Tree as to the Root and he hath destroyed us all 448. Else if it were so that one Man did receive in the Mothers Body or Womb an Earthly Spirit and the other one out of or from God then were he which is Generated or born out of or from God not guilty of Adams fall also he were no Sinner from the Mothers womb and the other from the Flesh were from the Mothers womb Damned as he finely Court-like applyes it to Jacob and Esau this is his meaning and the understanding soundeth just so only he boyles the broth in the Mouth 449. For what should God suffer so long a while that there is teaching and Preaching to the Damned or what would it be profitable to the totally perfect Is the Spirit from the Mothers womb of God and hath it Gods Light PERFECT then it is without Sinne and needs no Teaching But the Scripture saith They are all Sinners and come short of the boasting which they should have in God The Holy Apostles say O Lord thou hast redeemed US with thy Bloud 450. ANd the Libeller saith further Who then dare say that this is done
the Father of the House Beelzebub what will they doe to those of his Houshold faith Christ When they persecute you and hate you for my Names sake then doe you rejoyce for great is your Reward in the Kingdome of Heaven 620. Men say an Enemies Mouth never speaks Good there is nothing so Evill but some men make it worse My Book is not Evill it meddles with none only thou makest it Evill thou expoundest it in an Evill sence and my sence was right and Good when I made it 621. Thou fayest there is an evill spirit in me if there were a good spirit in thee then thou wouldst make the Evill to be Good and wouldst not pervert all 622. Gods Spirit seeketh only Good he contends with none he Loveth Man and where he is in a Man there he driveth on to Love and Humility towards his Neighbour he Teacheth and instructeth Gently and Meekly he lifts not up the Horns also he comes not with Thunder and Ligntning as the Anger in the Fathers Nature upon Mount Sinai and with Elias did but with a still meek Voyce as at the day of Pentecost 623. God hath in Christ regenerated us in the Love not in his fires property that we should meet together one with another with a Modest and amiable condiscention and behaviour in a friendly Will and intention and heartily admonish one another as brethren 624. We should help up the weak and erroneous and friendly instruct them in the way and not from the narrow path plunge them into the Water or else cast them into Gods Anger in Hell-fire as the Libeller doth where he saith Hell Fire is thine 625. Christ saith Whosoever saith unto his Brother thou Fool he is guilty of Hell Fire or Raiha he is guilty of a Councill what is he worthy or guilty of who calleth his Brother a Devill and judgeth or condemneth him to Hell fire O Man Consider thy self convert from such uncouth Paths 626. We have indeed here is this valley of Misery before hand in the way of our Pilgrimage a very small narrow Bridge into Gods Kingdome why should we our selves first throw one another down doth one goe astray then let the other shew him the way let us deal one by another as Brethren 627. We all are born blind now then if sight be afforded us of Grace why then doth not one Brother afford Eyes to the Other Every one seeth as God hath favourably afforded him according as sight is given to him why will one brother hate the other for the sake of that because he knoweth not what the Lord hath given to him 628. O how Miserable is this Time of Ours how the Devill hunteth for us with Snares and Nets so that one Brother reproacheth dispiseth contemneth and slayeth the Other that he may captivate us in Gods Anger How doth he not afford us the high honour which he had but lost it with Pride 629. Dear Brethren beware of Pride especially those that are generated out of much Learning Knowledge it is the Pride of Reason and it is Mans worst Enemy it hath set up nothing but Wars and contemning of others 630. Syrach saith The higher thou art the humblyer behave thy self Pride goeth before a Fall Our Reason-knowledge is folly if Gods Spirit in us kindle not the knowledge if I knew all Scriptures outwardly and had not the Spirit of understanding what were my knowledge other then a Conceit 631. That is not Divine knowledge that any confirm an Opinion with many Texts of Scripture collected and put together for every Text hath its proper understanding in the place it standeth according to the Matter treated of oftentimes it signifieth much otherwise then the purpose it is drawn by one for to HIS Opinion 632. The Right knowledge standeth in this where any will Judge there his knowledge in him should be confirmed from the Spirit of God it must goe forth from the Center and not from a strange Mouth 633. Or dost thou suppose that Gods Spirit hath ceased to speak or that it is Dead so that the Spirit which moveth in Gods seeing dare not say any more Thus saith the Lord. 634. The Spirit sheweth it what it should speak only it bewares and defends it self from the intermixture of the Spirit of this World and from the Imagination of the Devill that the right humane will spirit which goeth forth out of the souls fire into the Light be not infected with its Malignity or Curse 635. There is no better Medicine or Antidote then the Desire of Love and the Humility so long as it goeth on and judgeth in Love and Humility in the seeing of the Divine Power so long is his Word GODS WORD for it is approved by the Spirit of God it goeth upon the wings of the Wind in the pure humane will-will-spirit as David saith The Lord Rideth upon the Wings of the Wind. 636. You find by no Prophet or Apostle that any hath spoken from anothers Mouth but from his own Gift somtime the Spirit hath brought in a Text and thereby cleered other Scriptures but the Maine Matter hath been set downe out of his own Spirit and Mouth 637. Who hath prohibited us that we should not dare to speak out of the Gifts of our Spirit but that we should only speak with a strange Mouth from our Spirit as the Libeller would have it 638. Who hath made a Law that a man should take away the Speech from the Spirit and change it into another Forme but even the Antichrist who hath set himself to be Lord over Gods Spirit and hath changed the Mouth of the holy Children into his Colour and Will 639. Indeed the High Apostles have not commanded it but they said Keep in Remembrance JESUS CHRIST who dyed for us and rose againe and did bid us Teach and Preach that they have barred up the Spirit of no Man or commanded his Tongue to be altogether changed into THEIR Words They have all of them indeed spoken together every one out of his own Tongue and yet out of ONE Spirit which was CHRISTS 640. We have still at this very Day the very SAME Spirit if so be we are born or generated out of HIM dare it not then now speak what is Necessary at this Time what is the Cause that the Center of the Holy Trinity Manifesteth or Revealeth it selfe even Mens Seeking their Desiring 641. Men strive now about the Person of Christ about Gods Election and Men raise Wars and reproaches about it and that Gods Love will have no more to be and he will rather manifest or reveale himself that Men should yet see what he doth and so goe out from strise about Gods Will into a right Apostolick life and no more contend about the knowledge as is done hitherto for a long time in Babel 642. But that now thus a simple Mouth must speak such great Things and NOT one highly Learned Ask
his charge with such evidence that even his adversaries may be convinced and reconciled to acknowledg the same truth with him The SECOND Apologie was in answer also to a Booke of Balthazar Tylckens against Jacob Behme's hints of Predestination mentioned in some of his treatises written before the yeare 1621. whereby the greate Controversies between the Lutherans and Calvinists about the will of God and of Man are kindly Reconciled but he not apprehending the Ground and depths in them which resolve those Questions did very much oppose this Author also the Tutour to his children whose name was Dr. Charles Weisner did take greate distast at him likewise as may be seen by a Letter at the End of the Epistles herewith printed but by personall Converse with J. B. he received such Satisfaction and Content that he asketh God forgiveness for his former hard Opinion of the Author But Balthazar Tylcken wrote also against the Booke of the Incarnation and Person of CHRIST and of the Virgin MARY to all which the Author hath answered particularly in this Apologie The Next Treatise is concerning the Four Complexions Compiled at the Desire of some friends upon the necessary Occasion of a Person that was very much tempted afflicted and perplexed by Satan and therein he hath very exactly deciphered the Nature of the Cholerick Sanguine Phlegmatick and Melancholy complexions with their Effects upon the Soule that inhabits them as a House in this outward Tabernacle also the Cures and Remedies to make them advantagious to the Soules progress in the way to Eternity while it is in this Life that never any treatise was written before so fully briefely and yet convincingly as far as hath been Commonly knòwn either among the bookes of Philosophy or Divinity it was formerly translated into English by a worthy Person in very Elegant language which notwithstanding was thought to be the writing of another authour by those that delighted to reade him not having the same Phrase with his other Bookes for which cause I was induced to re-translate it though not in so good a stile into that kinde of Expression which makes it known to be one of his workes The following Piece was his Considerations upon a Booke set forth by Esaias Stiefel concerning the Threefold State of Man and of the Newbirth of the River flowing out of Sion and the New Jerusalem wherein are handled distinctly that Threefold State and Condition of Man also of the Resurrection at the Last Day what that Body is IN this Corruptible Body which shall rise againe and put on Incorruption and in what Manner with more plainness as I conceive then in his other Bookes After that is here placed his THIRD Apologie in Answer to a Booke of the same Esaias Stiefel concerning Perfection shewing what the Inward and Outward Perfection is which is attainable in this Life and which way we are to demeane our selves for the avoyding of the Errours incident thereto and for the establishing and Consirming the Truth Great Perfection was attained by some mentioned in the Holy Scriptures as Enoch in his walking with God and his Translation Moses when his Face shone like the Sun when he desecended from seeing but the glory that was left after God was passed by the Clift of the Rock whereinto God himself had put him least he should be consumed before that Glory of Gods Face Eliah in his Miraculous Life and taking up alive in a Chariot of Fire into Heaven Christs Transfiguration when his Face also shone like the Sun and his Garments were Bright like lightening in the presence of Peter James and John in Mount Tabor before his Death Stevens Face shining as an Angell when they Stoned him that he dyed and all the Prophets and Holy Men in their Miraculous Conversation upon Earth All these attained High Perfection in this Life our not such as when Mortality shall be swallowd up of Life yet the least among the children of God are of a perfect Heart Other many excellent enquiries are unfolded in this Treatise about the purity and impurity of the Holy Matrimonial Propagation as when Moses sayd to the outwardly Holy Miraculous people after they were brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand and were to have the Law declared to them be sayd come not at your wives and David and his Men when he desired Bread of the High priest was asked by him if the young Men had kept themselves at least from women to whom David answered the women have been kept from us these three dayes by which a great Mystery is hinted and exactly resolved in this Treatise The FOURTH of his Apologies answereth the scandalous reproaches of Gregory Rickter Chiefe Minister of the City of Gerlitz and Primate of the Country of Lusatia in Germany under prince Electour of Saxony wherein this Authors rare temper of Spirit and his deepe decision of the Matters layd against him are evident In it Men may see as in a Looking-Glasse the great hurt any doe to their own Soules who revile and reproach another contrary to the precept and example of our blessed Lord and saviour Jesus Christ who sayd when men revile you revile not againe But Love your Enemies doe good to them that Hate you and persecute you and pray for them that DESPITEFULLY use you that you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven If we did know how the wrath gets the upper hand when we forbeare earnestly to exercise our selves in the sincere love to every one without partiality and by respects we would be more diligent and watchfull over our own vile Hearts that we might preserve our Crowne of rejoycing which shall be put on to us in the World to Come from being defiled here by our remisseness it is worth our watching that neither the Devill nor Man may hinder or disappoint us of it The Last treatise is the residue of his Epistles to his friends wherein are many heavenly advices and Instructions in the wayes of God and of the New Birth also they informe us somewhat of his Conversation with Greate Persons and Officers of the Emperour and of the Prince Electour of Saxony a little after his Banishment out of Gerlitz among whom he was lovingly received and his writings and discourses well approved of by the Prince Electour himselfe also by his Councillours and Learned Doctors and other at the End of all is a letter from Dr. Charles Weisner about the whole transaction of that affaire between Gregory Rickter and Jacob Behme together with the opinion of Dr. Hoe one of the Chiefe preachers to the Prince Electour which signifieth how loath they were to Judg a Man whose Gifts they understood not but it doth no were appeare they either thought the Author did not himself understand them or that they could not be understood by others as some among us do These are the totall Remainder of of all his workes Extant either in Print or Manuscript which make up the Catalogue
expected in me and so how much I want of the Infinite effect of being able to dwell with the Eternall Burnings I may well account my self one of the unworthiest of the children of Men John Sparrow The First APOLOGIE To Balthazar Tylcken Being An Answer of the Authour concerning his Book the AVRORA Opposed by an Enemicitious Pasquil or Opprobrious Libel This Answer Written Anno 1621. By Jacob Behme Also called Teutonicus Philosophus Englished by JOHN SPARROW LONDON Printed by M. S. for Giles Calvert and are to be sold at his Shop at the Black-Spread-Eagle at the West end of St. Pauls 1661. A brief and well intended Answer of the Authour concerning his Book AVRORA against the enimicitions Pasquil or Libel in respect of some opposed and falsly recited Articles or Conclusions and ill-understood by this Libeller 1. INto what Calamity Misery Anxiety and great Perplexity we are plenged by the heavy fall of Adam is dayly demonstrated in that we have not only thereby obscured and darkened our Noble Image so that we cannot any more see or apprehend the Divine Light unlesse we become borne of God againe but also we have thereby awakened and made stirring in US the Originall fierce Wrath of the Eternall Nature so that the fierce wrath venome and poyson thereof is become Springing up and burning in us 2. Which is rightly called GODS Anger-Fire which should not become stirring and Manifest but continue shut up in the Center for it should remaine shut up in the Love in the Divine Light and be only a cause of Life and Mobility 3. Which so long as it remaineth shut up in the Light is a Spring or Fountaine of Joy and Knowledge but if the Light Extinguisheth is an Evill Opposite Poyson wherein nothing qualifyeth or operateth but meere self Enmity or Hatred where instantly all Love and desire of Good hath an End 4. As we poor Children of Eve must now feele in us with great paine sorrow and Misery how that fierce wrath stirreth driveth and vexeth us so that now we no more converse one with another in Love as Children of God but very venomously spitefully hatefully murtheringly and enimicitiously doe maliciously persecute dispise slander and reproach also rob Murther and doe all manner of Evill and alwayes wish death fierce wrath and all Evill one to another 5. Which great Misery and Evill is sufficiently to be traced in this Libell and out of what manner of Mind knowledge and Will it is flowen forth in that he undertakes not only to Misconstrue the words but also to wrest the whole understanding into a false meaning or sense and to pronounce the Authour to be a Devill and in a very vaunting reproachfull spitefull Malicious and Odious manner likeneth the Authours Will or Intent thought or sence and mind to the Devill without any knowledge of him who he is how he is or what Spirit 's Child he is whether he seeks God or this World 6. Thus he takes upon him to infinuate his innate poyson into the Heart thought or sense and Will or intention of the Authour all which is very horrible lamentable and Miserable in that he knoweth not himself or from what Mind his Zeal proceeds and in whose driving he runneth 7. He cannot see that his whole writing is a meer venomons Pasquil or Libel and Evill meaning or intention for though that which is spoken is not reproveable by him yet he can not leave it unreproached whereby a man may cleerly see out of what Spirit and Mind it is flowen forth and how the miserable fierce wrath hath ruled in him and yet he dares set in his Title that it is Christian-like and well intended 8. But if he would set any thing better in the room of it it might indeed be born with But I can find in all his Writing no Divine Knowledge and Light which yet he highly boasteth of as if he had an enlightened Mind and Thoughts and were Exercised therein 9. An Enlightened Mind or thoughts if the Light be from God proceedeth friendly and lovingly and instructeth a Man what he should Doe and leave undone it owneth others in a brotherly Duty it hunteth not Mens Minds into the Jawes of the Devill but they are Gentle in reproving and teaching with Good instruction They reprove in Generally they catch not hold of a Man Privately particularly and Singly and make not a Den of Theevery or Murther by the Good Way side 10. An Enlightened Mind which hath Exercised Thoughts as the Libeller would seem to have knoweth the Gifts of God that they are without End or Number that God Leadeth his Children Wonderfully and giveth to one a Divers gift to Expresse than to another as the Apostle also witnesseth the same 11. That God giveth to one from the gift of his Spirit to do Miracles or Wonders to another to interpret Tongues to a Third to Prophesie to a Fourth to speak with Tongues c. and all from the One only Spirit of God which thus speaketh from the Great Wonders of the eternall Wisdome of God and thus Driveth and teacheth the Children of God that the unmeasurable Wisdome of God may appear in his Children 12. If the Spirit of God ruleth in a Man then he is NOT Crafty suttle Deceitfull trecherous Lying astonishing ambitious but reproveable teachable and Meek he is not thorney prickley Misconstruing and vainly frivolous he suddenly apprehends what is in a Man and from what Spirit he Speaketh For the Spirit of God it self knoweth it self very well in a Man it needeth no Witnesse it tryeth the Heart and the Reins Soul and Body it speaketh the Truth and disgraceth or reproacheth no man it drives on all to that which is good and proveketh Men to Righteousnesse 13. But this whole Libell or Pasquil is nothing Else but a Misconstruing poysoning and disgracing he draweth the Scripture by the hair of the Head and corrupteth it that he may but take occasion to prick with Thorns besides he hath no right understanding of the Scripture that must serve him as he will have it meane that he may therewith satisfie his fierce wrath and bring it as fuell to his ficrce Fire that it may burn farre and neere and so make shew of his Deep knowledge though he should thereby tread his Brother Abel under his feet 14. And yet his knowledge which he hath here brought forth to the Day Light Concerning GODS Will is as to one part in Bibell and he largely buildeth the Babylonish Tower therewith as it shall be set before his eyes which for my part I doe unwillingly but now necessity requires I must doe it 15. Not for my own sake but for the sake of those whom he hath kindled with his envious fire and poysoned and hath insinuated into them very Erroneous Opinions especially concerning Gods Election of Grace therefore it behoveth me to cleere my meaning how I have apprehended it in Divine knowledge and how also it
lost the Life understand the right Divine Life of his Noble Image and that hath Christ brought again he hath generated that Image out of Death againe the living Word out of Gods Heart is entered into the Image shut up in Death and hath assumed or taken THAT Essence to himself and become a true Man such a Man to whom the outward Body only hung which stood swallowed up in the right Image but in the outward World manifest 271. He hath also therewith put on again to the Soul the holy Body viz the Innocent or Immaculate and into that holy Body hath taken a humane Soul out of Mary's Souls Essence-seede therefore must Christ afterwards be Tempted and want the outward food for Forty Dayes 272. For the Soul must be tempted to try whether now in that holy Body it would Eate of Gods Substance and satiate it self and therefore it was permitted to the Devill to Tempt the Soul 273. Seeing he Excused himself that he could not stand because the Matrix of the fierce wrathfull Nature had drawen him too hard therefore now he should tempt and try it with THIS Man as he had also tempted and tryed it with Adam and overcame him 274. Therefore God sent another or second Adam and set him upon the Kingly Throne which he had there he should tempt or try with him whether he could also give him a Fall He now set before him the Glory of this outward World viz the outward Eating or foode 275. And though indeed that was not at hand therefore that he should with his Noble Image and Divine strength goe into the outward and command Stones to become bread to try whether he could bring it to that that the Noble Image might yet become captivated and shut up in Death 276. And then he set before him the Great power and authority he had he should with the Divine Omnipotency in the outward kingdome flie from the Temple to try whether he might introduce him into the outward Lust so that Gods Love Spirit might depart from this Image whereas the Deity was only humble and Lowly he would introduce him into Pride 277. Thirdly he set before him the Dominion of the Outward world he should be a Lord in the Third Principle that he would let him only be a Lord in the Inward should fall downe and pray unto him or worship him 273. For the Devill had to doe about the Kingly Seate that this Man was to possesse Therefore it was permitted to him viz to the Devill to Tempt HIM so that if he stood the Devill should remaine a Lyer and his Judgement be upon his own Lying Mouth or Tongue The Conception and Becoming Man or Incarnation of Jesus Christ is with its Circumstances as followeth 279. WHen the Divine Image in Adam was vanished or disappeared Then God pittied it and would that this Image might be helped againe and Promised to Adam and Eve the Crusher of the Serpent viz the Word and Power of the Deity that should take the Womans seede understand the disappeared Image Essence into it self and therewith destroy the sting of the Devill and the Anger of God in the Soul 280. That very Promised Word stood neverthelesse presented to the Noble Image now shut up in Death and desired its former dwelling house of its similitude for a Delightfull habitation 281. But by or with the Promise it hath set it self before the Soul againe in the Light of the Life of the Soul and set a Limit or Mark thereto whereby it would againe enter into the in Death inclosed right humane Essence and awaken the Life from Death 282. That Limit or Mark was set in Mary the Virgin and became blessed in the Word of Promise in Paradise and stood as a Center or Limit of the Humanity 283. Gods Heart had promised and espoused or united it self in that Limit or Mark That Limit or Mark became adorned with the highly precious Virgin of the wisdome of God viz with the Looking Glasse or Eye of the Holy Spirit indeed not with any strange thing but with the first Life understand the Divine of the Noble Image in Adam from which Adams Soul went forth into the Spirit of this outward world viz into the source or quality of the Starres and Elements whose Center is the Abysse of the first Principle 284. This blessed Limit or Mark was promised to the Fathers viz to Adam Abraham David and others O how have the Prophets delighted and rejoyced at this Limit or Mark the sacrifices of the Jewes were a Type of this Limit or Mark. 285. For when Adam had lost the pure and faire Image understand the power of the Heart of God which stood in his body of the Heavenly Substantiality as a Center of the Deity then stood the Soul barely in the Fathers Property understand the Eternall Nature which without the Light of God is a fierce wrathfull and Consuming fire 286. For the Soul is out of that Center viz out of the Eternall Nature of the Father and therefore was that Soul in Israel lead so long a while even unto the Limit or Mark in the Father Nature 287. The Law on Mount Sinai was given in Fire and Thunder in the Fathers Nature and Moses was also called in the Bush by the Fire-flame in the Fathers Nature 288. And Christ also sayd thus when he came in the Flesh Father the Men were thine and thou hast given them to ME and I give them Eternall Life 289. That highly blessed Limit or Mark stood in the Grace Covenant of the Sacrifices with or in Israel The Sacrifices were a Signe or Type of the Limit which God set before them and Israel became in the Sacrifices through the Limit or Mark ransomed from sinne 290. Israel offered Sacrifice with the bloud of Beasts that Gods Imagination looked upon through the Limit or Mark of his Covenant since Man was become Earthly therefore God set the Limit or Mark before himself for a Covenant of Grace that his Imagination might not enter into the Earthly source or quality and that his anger Fire might not be awakened with Mans Earthlinesse and Sinne and so he devoure them as was done by Eliah 291. The Circumcision of the Jewes was also this that Israel must shed its Bloud and that Gods Imagination looked on through the Limit or Mark of his Covenant For Christ should destroy Death with the shedding of his bloud It should fall into the Anger of God viz into the Souls Fire and quench the kindled Fire of God 292. Therefore now God Imaged or represented to himself in the Covenant the bloud-shedding of Christ and quenched with this Imagination the fierce wrath in the Soul and through THAT became Israel saved such as with earnest sincerity have set or put their Will and Imagination into the Covenant they have received or conceived the power of the Limit or Mark in the Covenant viz
in Gods representing 293. For in God that which is done and past and that which is to come is all one And therefore was the New Regeneration out of Christ reckoned or imputed to the Children of the Covenant as iif they stood already in the New Body of Christ as if Christ had already drowned the Anger with his bloud-shedding and that the Life were already become Generated out of Death againe 294. For that very Life out of the Limit or Mark stood in Gods Imagination and with the Promise in Paradise it set it self therein that very Life was Promised to Abraham that it should be awakened againe in his seed Not in a strange seed as the Libeller conceiteth but in the seed of the Noble Image which out of the Heavenly Substantiality out of the Second Principle was together given to Adam for a Body 295. And yet with the Entrance of the Soul into the Earthlynesse was become shut up in the still Death as in the Nothing and that should againe sprout out of Death and therein rise againe and be borne A New Man in holinesse innocency and Righteousnesse it should againe be put on to the Soul 296. Understand it highly and aright The Life of God in the Covenant of the Limit or Mark which in Mary assumed the humanity that very Life must from Christ enter into us understand into our disappeared Image shut up in Death That is the Graine that is sowen into the Dead disappeared Substantiality that draweth that humane Essence again to it and becometh again the Life of that Image 297. Thus the Noble Lilly Twig or Branch groweth up which first is small as a Graine of Mustard-seed as Christ saith and afterwards becometh as large as a Bay Tree That is the True New Regeneration out of Christ 298. My Libeller put you other Eyes into your Bride and look upon the Old Testament and the Covenant of Promise with or as to Adam and Abraham rightly doe not imbitter the Scripture and drag it not about by the Haire of the head in a strange understanding Your Meaning or Opinion Obscureth the Noble Lilly or Branch which now should sprout or Grow out of the Mother or Roote much more then it doth serve to the promoting of its growth 299. If you would Judge in this Mystery then must you be born againe in Christ you must see out of Christs Eyes if you would apprehend the Great Mystery Mysterium Magnum but if you were born of Christ then you would not be a Mote Judger but a loving Brother 300. Christ bids you not condemne but meekly to converse and friendly Instruct not to wrangle or scoffe or pronounce Men to be in the Jawes of the Devill My friend you are yet very blinde concerning the kingdome of Christ I will rightly shew you the Doore of the Becoming Man or Incarnation of Christ as it is given to me from the Grace of God in the Love of Christ 301. Not through my understanding but in my resignation in Christ from Christs Spirit From Christs Spirit have I conceived or received the knowledge the Great Mystery Mysterium Magnum I have not studied in your Schoole I have knowne nothing of that neither have I sought it in that way I sought only Gods Heart and more is come to me then I sought or understood 302. Therefore if you would be brother in Christ put your Bucks-hornes off and then we may see one another with right Eyes and a modest Mind and instruct one another in the Feare of God 303. Such Surlynesse and Scorne is Babel the Mother of Tyranny and Great spirituall whoredom whence Warres and Strise is arisen at all times your Libell is only a Bloudy provocation and a scoffing an unseemly puffed up Pride a Cainish property goe out from it if you would see the richly Amiable countenance of Christ in the Holy Ternary in Ternario Sancto if you would see the Wonder-Branch of the hidden LILLY which at present Sprouteth out of the Roote of the Tree 304 If you would grow and sprout with the Noble Lilly Branch out of the Old Tree you must bring an humble Heart and so you must stand in the Becoming Man or Incarnation of Christ if you would grow spring or sprout and speak out of or from God 305. For None know any thing of God but only the Spirit of Christ which is in God the Some in the Bosome of the Father searcheth out in our spirit even the Depths of the Deity Our spirit must stand in the Spirit of Christ if we we would understand the Divine Mysterie 306. It is not enough for Men to put together or collect a heap of Scripture Texts and Make an Opinion and Meaning out of them no my Friend Opinion doth it not but the Living Word where the Heart experienceth the certainty therein Consisteth Faith in the Holy Spirit 307. In Opinions there is meere Doubting whether it be right or not Out of Opinions is the Antichrist Generated If we would speak of God then we must speak from or out of the Spirit of Christ which alone knoweth what God is or else we are very Lyars 308. Christs Spirit must speak out of us of the Divine Mysterie else we speak out of the Babel of Confusion Christ is in our right humane Essence understand in Adams Essence become Man not in the Essence of the Starres and Elements but in the Essence of the One Element through which before the fall Paradise grew or sprouted in Adam 309. When the Angel Gabriel came to Mary he Saluted her and sayd Haile Graciously Amiable the Lord is with Thee Thou blessed of all Women thou shalt be impregnate in thy Body and beare a sonne whose name thou shalt call JESUS 310. Here it hath not that understanding as the Libeller Explaines it that Mary was borne out of God before-hand Ere Christ in her became Man No Christ is the first from the Dead he first kindled the Life in Death only the Limit or Mark stood in Mary that was the Blessing For in the Limit or Mark was the Living Word and the Spirit of God Surrounded and Cloathed with the Noble Virgin of the Wisdome of God in the Divine Substantiality 311. When the Angel sayd thou shalt be impregnate in thy Body And shee the Virgin Mary thereupon said Behold I am the Maid-servant of the Lord be it done unto me as thou hast said then the Life in the Limit or Mark of the Covenant viz the Heart of God moved in Maryes in Death included Essence That word was cloathed or surrounded with divine Substantiality out of the Water of Eternall Life generated out of the Meeknesse of the Light of the Majesty of God 312. And in that Substantiality was the Tincture out of the Fire and Light of God which is the Glance or Lustre and Ornament of the Substantiality 313. And in the Tincture was the Chast
Soul viz in the Fathers Principle in the sound for it hath by its entrance into the Anger set the Looking Glasse of his Covenant viz the Virgin of the Divine Wisdome before the Soul that it should behold it self therein 555. The Wisdome saith continually Come then saith the Devill behinde it also Come now to which so Ever it goeth thereby it becometh Elected for a Childe 556. God letteth no Soul which hath Light to Extinguish its Light out of his predestinate purpose The Free-Will Extinguisheth it The Devill set himself in the forme of an Angel before the Soul that it might Imagine in Evill and Good thus then its Imagination eateth of Evill and Good and so the Soul becometh blinde and captivated in its Imagination 557. Else if God did harden any out of his predestinate purpose and did let his Light Extinguish out of his predestinate purpose then would not that be true which David saith in the 5. Psalme Thou art not a God that willest Evill indeed he permitteth it to come to passe that an honest vertuous Man becometh Evill when the Will inclineth into Evill then he letteth his Light Extinguish 558. But not out of his predestinate purpose so that he would not saine have that very Man surely he receiveth him if he cometh againe so long as a Man liveth in this Tabernacle he hath power to become the Childe of God for the Apostle saith also thus He hath given us power to become the Children of God 559. Understand not out of or from the Will of the Flesh viz of the outward World that belongeth not to Gods Kingdome but out of or from the Will of the Souls Spirit which becometh Generated or born in God For Gods predesfinate purpose is that the right Divine Will should alwayes become Generated out of the Soul which is done when the Soul entereth into the becoming Man or Incarnation of Christ in that it becometh Generated or born againe to be Gods childe 560. For the Souls-Fire becometh introduced into Christs Death and Sprouteth againe with a New faire blossome out of the Death of Christ forth into the Divine Liberty into the Angelicall World 561. That very Blossome or Spirituall Will is Gods Will and in that very Will-Spirit the Soul is an Angel for it possesseth the Second Principle viz Gods Majesty it continually introduceth Divine Substantiality viz Christs Flesh which filleth the Heaven so that the Soul eareth of Christs Flesh and drinketh his Bloud John 6. out of the Water of the Meeknesse of the Eternall Life 562. Therefore I say with good Ground It is not Gods predestinate purposed Will that any one Man becometh Lost but it is from the Will of his fierce Wrath and Anger and of the Dark World and of the Devill 563. Therefore he is a false or wicked Judger and an Advocate of Gods Anger who will Judge and blame God and knoweth not the difference of what God is in Love and Anger and knoweth not whence an Evill and Good Will Originateth and yet will be a Judger he cryeth continually God God it is that doth a thing 564. The Prophets and Apostles have often called the Totall God according to Love and Anger as also according to all the Three Principles by ONE WORD but yet a Man should use a right understanding and make a distinction between Gods Love-Will and his Anger-Will 565. We see very plainly in Man that he willeth Evill and Good he would alwayes saine be an Angel and would also faine have the Pride in Covetousnesse and the Power of this World Men should search whence every Will taketh its Originall and not alwayes say God God God willeth it 566. He willeth only that which is like himself his Love viz the Right Name of God willeth only that we should Love God and our Neighbour and Continue in his desire and will HE willeth nothing else but that all Men should turne to him and goe out from fierce Wrath into the Love For the Love of God and of our Neighbour is the whole Law and the Prophets 567. On the Contrary his fierce Wrath and Anger which is the Roote of the outward World willeth its like to have sewell or wood for its Fire 568. Now being Gods Love hath set before Man the Looking-Glasse of his Wisdome in the becoming Man or Incarnation of himself why then doth he goe into the Anger Looking-Glasse and letteth the Devill sway him God indeed sendeth Prophets and Teachers out of his predestinate purpose who reveale and signifie to the World his Anger why doth Man follow Sinne 569. That must needs be a wonderfull thing that God should cause any to be called to come to HIM and yet would harden him out of his predestinate purpose that he Could not then God would be unrighteous Indeed the Lust of the Flesh and of the Devill hardeneth the Soul and holdeth it Captive 570. If God had willed the Evill or the Fall of Man then he would not have forbidden Adam the Tree of Good and of Evill viz the Lust or Pleasure of this World But if he hath forbidden him and hath also hardened him that he could not doe Gods Will who would now be righteous God or Man 571. As the Libeller supposeth that it is out of Gods predestinate purpose that two unlike sonnes were generated out of Adam an Evill and a Good and will make thereof two sorts of Seed hearken make two sorts of Souls and then it may be 572. When Adam became Earthly then he became drawne of the Spirit of this World and Gods Anger became Stirring in him then did the Soul give way that the Devill through the Spirit of the Outward World thrust in Evill Seed into the Soulish Essence for propagation which the Constellation of the Configuration hath increased so that a fratricide or brother Murtherour became generated but was that Gods predestinate purpose 573. Had not Adam made himself Earthly then would not Gods fierce wrath have become Manifest or revealed in him also then would the Constellation have had no power over the Soulish Seed 474. For the outward Kingdome should not have possessed and governed Man in the inward Image it should have been as an impotency or weaknesse in Man He was Paradisicall 575. But that it standeth written the Outward Man was Created to a Naturall Life thereby it is understood that Nature is a Ruler or Manifester of the Wisdome of God and then in the Mortall fall Eve is understood to be a Woman and not a Virgin of this World 576. Whereas it could not be otherwise and that Adam stood not in the Proba or Tryall he let him fall into the sleep of the Eternall Life and made a Naturall fleshly Woman out of him out of his Matrix and Rib. 577. For the spirit of the outward World had captivated Adam and introduced its substantiality into his Imagination whence he is such a Naked sfinking hard palpable cold bitter and hot Man