the Scales c. They have also Craft Wrath Love every of the Five Senses Invention Providence Memory c. 2. To call them moving Plants is too low but only that it leadeth the Mind to view the Harmony of all the Creatures how they variously some more clearly others more obscurely Image and Shadow every of the three Principles and the seven Properties of the Eternal World 3. Whence they sprung appears by several Answers of the foregoing Questions particularly in that of the 33th 4. And now among the many Glorious Ends of their Creation the following brief hints are some They are at fourth Degree from the Principles and Properties created 1. To Figure the Dark Abyss 2. The Light World though very obscurely 3. The Out-birth or outward World of the Stars and Elements with the almost infinitely various Tendencies Inclinations and Impulses of them By every of which the Almighty Creator uncovereth his veiled Omnipotence infinite Grace and Wisdom 5. The Contemplation of them is both a pleasant and a perplexing Laboratory or serious Book for Man's Study and as it were a Play-Book for the Angels whose piercing understandings read the Effects by the Causes while declined Man gropeth by the Information of the Senses at a piece-meal guess of the Causes from Experience of the Effects 6. It must be confest that Adam being as to his Body or third Principle in his first and pure state Lord of the Mystery whence they proceeded could more sensibly discover and Epitomize them than the Angels as the Lord Jesus had a feeling of our Infirmities by His gracious humbling Himself to be as one of us But Adam's bright Eyes were darkened by the dismal lapse 7. Men may see themselves in the brute Creatures 1. All Unregenerate Men are figured either by the greedy ones 2. Or by the haughty proud Beasts 3. Or by the envious Reptils where by the way may be observed that Envy is found among the Poorer sort for the venomous Creatures are rather creeping than going 4 Or by the cruel wrathful ones And all these are of the first Principle without proceeding to enkindle the Light of the second Principle and are call'd by the Names of those Creatures in the Sacred Records 8. Other Creatures there are that figure the Light World or second Principle by their Innocence Love Usefulness and Loveliness in which they glorifie the Creator and like a dark Shadow pourtray the same 9. There are other Creatures more especially of the Out-world or World's Spirit as those that have Lunary Bodies produced improved and transacted by her Mutations which extends very far also to the whole Creation 10. My last Consideration restraining my self to brevity is somewhat abstracted which is That their Root is not so Ignoble and Vile but their Forms and Idea's for the sake of their Tincture have a prospect into Perpetuity each into their natural Aethers as is signified by the Apostle that the Creatures Travel in pain groaning under forced and as to them causless Vassalage shall be deliver'd into the glorious Liberty of the Children of God where the Drunkard's Horse shall like Balaam's Ass convince mens Madness and cruel Excess The abused toil of the Laborious Ox the innocent life of the Patient Lambs both employed to nourish filthy Lusts the cruel Delight of Hunting to the heart-breaking of the Deer and Hare c. shall at last be material Witnesses of Man's aggravated Guilt perpetuated Apostacy and lawless Irregularities Q 38. Whence was Man Created as to his Body The Fourth grand Distribution A. 1. Not of the Earth for the brute Animals are more nobly descended not of the four Elements which are the Matrix of the Earth for of that Matter are the Brutes form'd and the Elements are Transient and must melt or resolve into their first Principles Not of the Astral Out-birth for the Stars shall fall that is cease their present Order and pay the Debt of their various Properties to the Aether whence they were separated 2. But because Adam's Body was of Eternal Duration had he not â—inned it could not derive from a fading Root as Eternity is not founded on Mortality which forceth our search to ascend a step higher 3. It shall therefore be to the Divine Salitter which also hath the Water-spirit in it from both which the Stars were breathed And this Divine Salitter as it hath in it all the Powers of the Properties together with the Divine Sulphur and Mercury is call'd the great Mystery Eternal Nature or Quintessence 4. Out of this was Created Adam's Holy pure Paradisical Body capable of Eternal Life This Divine Saliter J. B. calls the Holy Ternary that is a Celestial Paradisical pure Earth whence grows Heavenly holy Fruits and near unto it no Curse ever can enter or approach for thereinto cometh nothing that defileth Of this Dust of this Ground Moses spake that God formed Man But they who suppose it to be our dead Dust wherein is the Wrath and Fierceness do not only err by means of the Veil before Moses's Face but also by reason of the Veil on their own Hearts and Eyes 5. The Apostle saith The first Man is of the Earth earthy The second is the Lord from Heaven 6. That it could not be this nor the Elements nor the Astral Birth is clear but therefore that it must be the Heavenly Earth is of forcible Consequence The Apostle saith not what Adam was or was extracted from but what he is or is come to be but if he had so said yet the Proportion betwixt the second and first admits no Comparison 7. Between a Mote in the Sun and the whole Glorious Sun is some Proportion for the least of Quantities taken from the greatest of Bodies below Infinity hath Proportion to that whence it was for it leaves the other really lessened but all created Worlds bear no Proportion with the Infinite Son of God for all breathed out from an Infinite leaves still an Infinite and the Infinite is not lessened by it 8. The Apostle therefore in this place either doth not speak of Adam's first state or doth not lessen his Extraction but adoreth the Glory of the second Adam as the Work-master excelleth the Work made for when of the Angels it is written And hath made them all ministring Spirits Of the Son it is said Let all the Angels of God worship him Also Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever c. Q. 39. What was the Inspiration or Breathing in whereby Man became a living Soul A. 1. The Inspiration of Man's Soul was out of the first Principle the Father's Property which consisteth of the first four Forms of Nature of this Living Root sprung his Immortal Living Soul 2. Yet so is it that wherever or in whomsoever the second Principle is shut out that Exclusion is truly call'd the Death of the Soul for the Living Soul by that Deprivation enters or remaineth in Death which though
wherein the three behold themselves in parcels 9. But in Man behold themselves in one entire Image yet not in fallen Man but in the man Christ Jesus by whom and for whom are all things 10. The Idea and perfect Image of God is only in Christ yet not as He is the Second Person of the Three for so He is the inaccessible Light and the Original which is Imaged but He is the perfect Image of God as He is the Divine Humanity or Heavenly Man the First-born of every Creature This Virgin-Image was in Adam before he lusted whereby he was in Christ God's exact Image having all the three Principles in due Harmony being the true Character Idea and Figure of the Glorious Trinity 11. This is also in an obscure and less conspicuous way in every one who is Begotten again by the Holy Ghost The mortified humble resigned Will entreth into the way of the Cross quietly patiently Love makes it sweet this is a putting on Christ for here the Lord is Born is Formed sways the Righteous Scepter Transforming that Soul into the Virgin Image in some degree but the glance of this stops my Hand extracts a Groan swallows me up I flame am almost devoured My Lord what is this Earthen House Q. 42. What was Paradise wherein God Created Man Is the same Alterable or Changeable and a Creature or doth it stand in the Eternal Ground A. It hath been reported that a Painter would have Drawn the Lineaments of the Lord when in Flesh which by reason of His Majestick Face he could not perform The like Fond attempt were it to Survey Paradise by Humane Art or Instruments which if it were a place cannot be found and if it prove a State or Principle cannot be comprehended 1. The Answer may first be Negatively that it is not a Place or Locality 1. Because then as the most worthy the Garden of Eden should not have been the place named for Adam's Seat whence proceeded the four Rivers but Paradise is not called the Garden nor is the Garden stiled Paradise 2. Nor is it changeable for though it disappeared as to the first Adam yet the second Adam granted it to the Thief 3. Positively Paradise is the one holy pure Element having its Eternal Fountain from the second Principle and every of the seven Properties are in it in great Purity and Splendor So that had any created Angel the Task perfectly to Epitomize it he could do it but according to his excellent measure yet not fully Nor to Human Apprehension for as Paradise is the heavenly Body of Christ so is it the Womb of Angelical Conception comprehending them but cannot be fully comprehended by them as neither can the Sun's lustre be by us comprehended 4. Heaven is Paradise and the Paradisical Principle is Heaven and when they are Contemplated their Glory swallows up all created Angels as well as Men. It is an Over-match to penetrate the Holiness Purity Immensity or rather Infinity Transparency Simplicity Variety Successive Formations with all Powers Colours Vertues Sounds Odours Substantials the Quintessence and Elixir of the outward Quintessence and Elixir the Harmony Peace Gravity and Eternity its ample Commensuration and Redundancy to the most noble expatiated sublime and exalted Capacities 5. So that proceed they never so far in this ravishing Traverse and Quest there is still a prospect of more and other they must say in our Father's House are many Mansions at whose right hand are Pleasures for evermore such as Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor hath entred into the Heart of Man to conceive 6. A faint Similitude may be a fresh springing flowry Meadow where stand Thousands of fragrant Flowers some more Beautiful than other all shewing their peculiar Beauties without grudging and how the Divine Vertue in the third Principle is become Material the tast whereof causeth the Creation to be in Anguish and Travel to be delivered from the Vanity and Groan after freedom from their Bondage 7. And though Paradise be not excluded this World yet a great Gulph interposeth betwixt it and the World the Mind when inflamed with Divine Love feels what the stammering Tongue cannot tell to others 8. The Corporeity of Paradise is not palpable that Salitter is Holy and Pure like that of the Angels viz a bright transparent visible Substance 9. It 's Birth or Productions are in all things and therefore immeasurable and innumerable which is thus to be discovered and understood Let the Divine Light and Vertue be likened to the Mind of Man The Paradisical Fruits to the Thoughts eacht Thought hath a Centre whence other Thoughts spring so also do those Heavenly Fruits proceed from and in unwavering Eternal Love 10. The Fire there is God the Father the Light God the Son the Air God the Holy Ghost It 's â—roâ—undity and Extent are not bounded 11. The Idea or Figure of the Creatures here are there but not their Spirit much less their Substance for for that End they were Created 12. All Holy Works stand there in their Figure and all Words spoken by the Human Tongue from a Divine Root as the wicked Works and Words do in Hell 13. I compare the Arabian Odours Oriental Gems Palms of Asia Wine of Pomegranates the American Pine-Apple and what else is most desirable in comparison of the Paradisical Productions to the obscure Vitality surviving in Mens Dead Bodies generating some as it were Fibres of Gold amongst the decaying Teeth and the Usnea on the Skulls of â—â—â—sons Strangled And all things of less Excellency in this World in comparison of Paradise to the Excrementitious growth of Hair and Nails in their Dormitories 14. I compare Man's outward Astral and Elementary Life to that in Paradise to idle deceitful Dreams some disquiet ones some wrathful some frightful some wicked and obscene many many ways Evil. And our Translation hence I compare to the Morning awakening time terrifying some as Slaves to their grievous Chains and hateful Drudgery and others as great Conquerors are usher'd in State to the Princely Triumphant Chariots 15. Say any say not all retaining the least degree above perfect Madness if Paradise be thus infinitely Good what shall I receive in exchange for it And how shall I search the Path leading to it What Key opens the Door of it 16. The Lord Himself tells us Except a Man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And by way of Explanation addeth that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit And again Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no life in you and by way of Explanation addeth It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing my Words are Spirit and they are Life 17. Where we see the New Birth and Eating Christ's Flesh are the same Also that to be spirited by the Spirit of Christ and to feed on the Word of Christ are the very same Whence it
in the Wonders of this World so evidently that in the Wheel of the Stars and Planets also in our Orb and every Creature that they are an apparent similitude and figure of God according to Love or Anger generating Fire Air Water and Earth That is to say the extremity impurity mortality and gross death of them image the Wrath and the good property in every of them images Paradice where tho' there be but one Element yet in it are the four hidden and on their enkindling and severing become active and comprehensible or palpable to the Creatures which from Eternity was in God yet invisible and immaterial 9. The Language of Nature is treated of from 84th v. to the end of this Chapter which being also dispersed in several places of the blessed Authors excellent Writings it is to be wished were all contracted and paraphrased on in one distinct Treatise not only to shew us the Monuments of our Ruins by the Fall but also stir us up to press inward out of the shadow and figure into the substance which is the inward Power-Worlds CHAP. VI. Of the World and also of Paradise The two Gates of high Consideration 1. MAN is a Child of Eternity but this World is an Out-birth from the Eternal Nature as its Root and an Out-birth is corruptible its grosness originates in the Anger and the Stars are out of the Centre of Nature in all seven Forms and out of each a Centre so that by the wrestlings so very many have proceeded which are a certain number tho innumerable in our account and their being so set a number shews they must be resolved into their Ether for in every Eternal Centre is a springing up without number as is found in Man's Spirit and Soul by the Constellations of the Mind thoughts arise without number and out of one innumerable others which clearly prove our Eternity 2. The Birth of the Eternal Nature is Infinite and perpetually springing up every where in all places as if we imagine a Circle as little as an Attom the least of quantities and in that Circle is the whole Trinity whole Birth of the Eternal Nature so that Eternity is in every place yet maketh no place for it is the Out-birth that maketh place it also maketh Beginning and End for the Infinite Three is without Beginning and End yeâ— as before this Beginning there was nothing but God aâ—d that after the End of these things shall be nothing but God so God is the α and ω the Beginning and the End 3. And forasmuch as the Eternity generateth nothing but what is like it though it self be unchangeable therefore as man is so is Eternity all the three Principles are in him one in another as one â—et in the Creation are three From the Eternal Centre is made the Eternal Substantiality as a Body or weakness being a sinking down and the Spirit is a springing up whence comes Motion Penetration and Multiplication and when the Spirit did create the Substantiality into an Image breathing the Spirit of the Trinity into it the whole Essences even all Forms of Nature the Power to Light and Darkness and the whole Eternity it instantly blossom'd and became the Paradise or Angelical World 4. In the Darkness is the Genitrix in the Light is the Wisdom the first imaged by Devils the other by Angels as a Similitude of the whole Eternal Being to speak in a creatural manner of it And Lucifer imaging beyond the Meekness of the Trinity inkindled in himself the Matrix of Fire and that of Nature becoming Corporeal then was the second Form of the Matrix viz. the Meekness of the Substantiality inkindled whence Water originated out of which was made an Heaven to captivate the Fire and of that Fire and Water came the Stars 5. Then did Man who was God's Image form and imagine in himself the awakened Spirit of the Air four Elements and Constellations which though it were breathed into him Man's Divine Spirit should have over-ruled as the Holy Spirit of God ruleth over all but they became his Lord and instantly captivated him then the Stars Death Vanity and the Elementary Life wrought in him And now if he would enter into God again he must in himself be new-born in God or lost Eternally he is now in the midst between Heaven and Hell to which of these Spirits he yieldeth his he is if Man form in his Spirits the fierceness of Pride c. God loseth nothing for the Image of God in Man withdraweth untoucht into its Principle leaving Man to form himself into the Image of the Serpent and the Spirit forms the Body into its Deformity or otherwise as the Seal the Wax 6. The Eternal Nature doth generate it self Eternally which this World resembleth thus it is a high round Globe figuring Eternity and Infinity wherein by the seven Planets are shewn the seven Spirits of Nature by the great Deep the Eternal Liberty by the Sun in the midst of the seven as a Point or Centre in a Cross the Heart of God by the lustre God's Majesty by the Constellations the Effects or Products of the Fountain Spirits by the Earth the Eternal Death for as the Earth compared with the vigorous outward upper Dominion is as Death so the fierce Matrix is as a Death compared to God yet is not Death but Eternal Torment 7. Not that it is with the Heart of God as with the Sun to be only in one circumscriptive place but as the Centre of a Cross signifying the Trinity in a Globular Rainbow wherein the Red signifies the Father's Property in the glance of Fire Yellow the Son's Lustre and Majesty Blew the Substantiality the dusky Brown the Kingdom of Darkness and on such a Rainbow will Christ sit to Judge and thus is he undivided every where and in that Man who is Born of God is the whoâ—e undivided Heart of God the Son of Man Christ sitting in the circle of his Life upon the Rainbow at the right Hand of God for that Man is Christ's Member his Body his Brother his Flesh his Spirit Power Majesty Heaven Paradise Element Stars Earth and all is that Mans who in Christ is above Hell and Devils though his Earthy Life be under Heaven Stars Elements Hell and Devils 8. Man's Creation was the speaking of that into Substance which was in God in the Virgin of his Wisdom in Eternity not Male and Female which when divided was one Earthy the other Bestial but the new Birth restores that very Eternal Image the Eternal Virginity wherein Christ became Man uniting it to the fallen Man in the Mortal Virginity for Mary had all the three Principles being of the Seed of Joachim and Anna. The Soul of Christ was out of Maries Essences conceived in the Eternal Virgin which Eternal Virgin came into Substantiality uniting with the Human earthy Essences 9. The Eternal Virgin gave to Christ's Human Soul the Heavenly Body and Mary the Earthy the
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
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
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
continue without touching any hallowed thing or approaching the Sanctuary 33 days But if she had a Maid-child her Legal Uncleanness was for fourteen days and not to be purified till sixty six days Whereas seven days sufficed for cleansing a Leper or one who had an Issue Those on the eighth day might come into the Tabernacle of the Congregation as before 19. All which evinceth the Human Birth by the Woman to have much more in it than bodily Pollution since separating the Tinctures For the Leprosie was a bodily Pollution in a high degree but the cleansing the Woman being near Five times as much for a Man-child and near Ten times as much for a Maid-child is a too pregnant Testimony that the Impurity of This Propagation is exceeding great which moved David's Confession I was Born in Inquity and in Sin did my Mother Conceive me 20. Man's Propagation after Separating the Tinctures is defiled with much Immodesty and Lust so that it derives Filth Sin and Shame as by a Torrent down a Precipice from one Dark Soul to another For abating the Impetuousness of which Isaac the Son of the Promise was not only of Abraham when Old but of Aged Sarah with whom it was ceased to be after the manner of Women and Lust was withered and the eminent Joseph Samuel and other choice Servants of God were of great Modesty and obtained by Prayer 21. But at once fully to convince us of our Impure Descent from Adam and Eve the Lord Jesus was of the Virgin CHAP. XVII Of a Virgin-Propagation Q. 1. WILL any ask Could a Virgin-Propagation possibly have been A. The Lord speaketh nothing in vain and He it was that said God is able of These Stones to raise Children unto Abraham But 2. It is answered That tho' the above Arguments may challenge the force of Demonstration to enlightened Reason yet because the Senses often make Mutinous Resistance to solid Reason the Senses shall be by what follows gratified as far as the Sublimity of the Subject may expose it self to the view and touch Demonstrations to the Senses of a Virgin-Propagation 3. Light with little loss penetrateth Glass so plentifully as can improve Generation by contraction of its Central and Original Property thro' Burning-glasses by which also it can destroy as 't is said Archimedes did the Roman Navy at Syracusa and we see Light not only walking thro' Christal but Multiplying by the Motion 4. And can any think Adam's Pure Body whilst capable of Eternity had not Less in it obstructive to his Magical Will for Divine Imployment or rather More Assisting Power than Condensed Ponderous Glass or Christal have of opposition or furtherance of the Solar Raies Was not His whole Man fortified by Harmony for Vigorous Operations 5. See we not the subtle Atoms of Fire insinuate thro' the Pores of Gross Iron Pots to the evaporating of Liquor with the ascending Breath whereof the subtle fiery Atoms cloath themselves and take wing till only Dregs uncapable of Light be captiv'd in the Pot and finally the Iron become Lustrous as if it also willed no longer to be Iron but Fire and Light See we not Fiery Atoms as calmly enter the finer Pores of Silver Vessels and with like facility make passage through the most exquisite Pores of Golden Vessels 6. And should not That Glorious Creatures Body a glimpse whereof was Moses Shining Face and Wondrous Works have been more Potent to work His Creators Will in His Own Principle than these Dead Instances Consider we also the Healing Emanations from the Bodies of the Disciples as the Power of Raising the Dead c. 7. See we not the due affection of the Blood drawn out of the Veins with That remaining in the Veins And if That which issued out at one Orifice be kindly treated abroad how it dispatcheth quick Messengers to impart the Vertue thereof not only to that Wound whence it issued but to as many other as the Body hath suffered by 8. And shall we abridge the Magical-Child of the kind Assisting Intercourse of Its natural Parent of what the Absent Man and Cold Blood is privileged with 9. A Woman Great with Child doth often Impress Magically on the Fruit of her Womb Cherries Strawberries c. things She Longed Earnestly for as well as other tokens of â—ll Created by her Passions of Fear others do Mortally Wound by their Anguish Despair c. Others Exalt to expressions of Joy by the raised Serenity of the Mother's Spirit as the Babe in the Womb of Elizabeth leapt at the Salutation of the Virgin Mary 10. If therefore such Vigour remain as the Relique of Languishing Magick-Power in so great a degree Dead and almost forgotten and that in the weaker Sex of the divided Tincture of Mortal Man when Rowsed shall any doubt but That sufficient Virtue and Majesty Sate enthroned in Adam whilst perfectly Enriched and Ennobled with both the Tinctures Who was a Spark of God's Omnipotence Divinely to effect what His Creator blessed him to viz. to Multiply the New Race bearing God's compleat Image instead of the Apostate Angels who by extinguishing the Kingdom of Love implanted in their Creation had let loose awakened and introduced into themselves the Wrath of the first Principle and so perverted God's Holy Work by the Wrath of the first four Spirits 11. We see an Ability of Propagation in the Universal Sperm issuing at the Conduct Pipes of the three Principles The Eye observes it in Shell-fish Trees Flowers Herbs having their various kinds in their respective Seeds with their Tinctures of Male and Female united or Fire and Light in one And though these last the Vegetative Tribe be more remote than the Sensitive yet every one gives Pregnant Testimony to illustrate and lead to the most Noble 12. And shall any think Man whose Original exempted him had he persever'd and fixt and set him on high far above the reach of any the least approach of Mortality as Sorrow Weariness Sickness Sleep could admit the Defect of any thing that might tend to impeach his Perfection Should not he be fully able to perform all the Parts of what might concern the perpetuating his Race by communicating his Heat and Light as the Sun doth his in pure Modesty and highest humble Love that his Divine Offspring might have assisted in that holy Paradisical Imployment 13. It seemed needful to be thus Large to be a High and Powerful Incitement to all the Sons of Wisdom to fix their Souls on noble Divine Objects by the Example of the Sons of Princes who level at Kingdoms 14. Let therefore the Sons of God pity and pray for and never envy gods of clay who covet Crowns of glittering Earth stuft with Thorns washt with Tears and Blood of oppressed Innocents often supported by Fraud and not seldom blown off by the breath of Curses justly caus'd 15. At best the centre of Cares surrounded by ravennous hungry Vultures I say Let not
all those whose Immortal Souls derived them from Human Generation are Enlightned by Jesus Christ he stirs up and makes to grow the seed hidden in them shewing them how to dye to the Old Man the Will of the four Forms or Properties and are New Born by the blowing up of the Light Meek Holy Powers all such are established in Divine willing working and persevering And in all such Persons the starry Spirits are serviceable Agents kept under due Order and Discipline and being kept so are of excellent Profit and Advantage to the helping on the Soul like a Ship to her Haven 17. The Starry Spirit is in this Man like the Waters which sometimes have cross Currents the Elementary Body is the Ship the Soul the Merchandize the Word or Lord Jesus the Helms-man the Spirit of Grace the Gale Now though the Starry Properties are often cross Tides oppposite Streams to the hindrance of the Voyage so violent as carry with them all untackl'd Ships who like dead Fishes are precipitated with the Stream yet the regenerated will finds such a steady Pilot for his Guide and such vigorous Gales from above that the Ship against its own Nature wasteth the Merchandize through over and against the thwarting Streams to its longed for Haven By all which we see to what Profit the Stars were Created the thing proposed Q. 25. What is the Ground of the Temporal Nature Light and of the Darkness from whence doth the same arise or out of what did they Exist A. 1. The Temporal Light and Darkness are the manifest Figures of the Eternal second and first Principles As the desire of Rest moves Men to Motion So the longing after the Light agitates the Eternal Matrix of the first Principle to a constant employing the four Properties of it that they may enter into the Light whereby they become known which else would be an Eternal stilness 2. Thus a violent suffocating rubbing or breaking causeth an extending in some Bodies an impressing in others a discontinuance of Parts in others and extracts Heat Fire and the vertue of Light out of cold moist and compacted Bodies to this is referred the vertue of the Usnea on the Skulls of strangled Persons 3. For the Contracting Property interrupted by the Attracting depresseth to Anguish and those three sharpen themselves into a fourth viz. Fire yet not one nor all of these are known to themselves but remain Captive in gross Darkness till the Light be enkindled in them As a Man having all the Properties Proportions and Forms of other Men is still unknown to himself if he hath no Understanding for wanting the Light and Knowledge he is below the Wit Craft Memory and Docility of many Beasts Birds c. 4. And yet is worse if at rest in that dark State Whereas the noble Faculties irradiated by the Light makes Man though naked rule over the Bruits whom Nature hath arm'd with defensive Hides Scales Hoofs also offensive Horns Teeth Tallons c. 5. Now whence the Temporal Light ariseth is evident to come from the Eternal Light as the Temporal dark Matrix deriveth from the Eternal dark Matrix Yet though in the Temporal Matrix Mystery or Chaos was potentially all Properties but without Ability of stirring up it self into a flaming Lustre till the Divine Power or fiat call'd up the Light as Jesus did Lazarus for till then it was lock'd up as fire in a Flint green Sticks or wet Hay not touching each other 6. Nor could the â—ight till severed from the Darkness officiate to attenuate and form the crude Matter to be fruitful but was as Fire under Ashes inoperative unactive Wherefore the Light was severed that it might as force United is be most Powerful Yet when it was severed and collected by enkindling the place of the Sun and Orbs of the Stars it was no otherwise withdrawn than as a Conquering Prince having added some Province to his Empire on his retiring leaves such part of his Army as may cause continually due Execution of his Pleasure 7. So the Sun and Stars have no other entire Separation than consisteth with the leaving a competent Portion of their Vertue every where to effect by Conjunction all needful Operations It is left in every of the Elements as we see also the Elements have among themselves a mutual Commixture of each others Property and all as hath been said of them some Proportion of the Vertue of the Light the Hellish Part and Principle only excepted Q. 26. What is the Heaven created out of the midst of the Water And what is the Separation of the Water above the Firmament from the Water underneath the Firmament A. To answer this it is necessary to distinguish what is meant by the Above the Midst and Underneath for a Firmament is fixt in the midst between the Waters Above and those Underneath If Above were meant above the Middle Region or Stars then Beneath may be on or in the Earth and the Midst must be a space or local distance 1. But First God is every where Heaven is also in the World though this World be not in Heaven the Above and Beneath therefore must be otherwise understood than locally 2. Where an Hour-glass is measuring of Time Eternity is also in every Minute of it yet is so Above as Incomprehensible to Time 3. The New Man is Above yet so with and in the Old as to Rule and Act it and so divided from the Old as to be Incomprehensible to it 4. We find a Water call'd Living Water which who Drinks it shall be in him a Well of Water springing up to Eternal Life This is also the Water of Regeneration Except ye be born of Water c. These Waters none doubts are those Above yet must be Drunk where the Divine Life is being the true Eternal Life and of such as shall be cleansed 5. There is a Divine Love and there is an outward Love or Lust They are one from Above the other Beneath yet not sever'd by place but by a fixt Firmamament Gulph or Principle And if they were as like each other as true and false Light or as Tin and Silver yet coming of different Properties are uncompoundable as Silver and Tin incorporate and Sowder not 6. Thus the Waters which are Above the Firmament are Holy Pure Heavenly those Underneath are our Mortal Waters wherein is the Wrath yet wherein also may the Holy Waters which are Above penetrate as Heaven doth this World for the outward Water cannot Subsist and Unite with it or Comprehend it as neither can this World be in Unite with or Comprehend the Holy Heaven Therefore how near soever the inward or outward Waters are one to the other they are immoveably sundered till the Judgment of God burn off the Curse at the time of the Separation 8. And the Holy Heaven may as well be said to be Created and Creating out of those Living Waters as the outward Heaven to have been Created out
improperly may be called an Immortal Death being a Death to the Glorious second Holy light Principle 3. The Soul is taken sometimes for the two first Principles I saw the Souls of them who had been slain c. for here the third Principle was asleep Sometimes it 's taken for the whole Man If thou wilt make thy Soul an Offering for Sin c. The Lord Jesus offered up all the three Principles meant here by his Soul and as was shadow'd by the whole burnt Sacrifice But in this Question Soul is restrained only to the first Principle because other Questions particularly reach the other two The above brief Answer may here suffice because Jacob Behmen so largely resolveth it in the Answer of the first of the Forty Questions of the Soul Q. 40. What is the Immortal Life in Man viz. the Soul and what is the outward Life in him A. 1. The Principle of Man's Immortal Life is what the Answer of the last foregoing Question renders it that is a Life sprung from the wrestling of the first four Forms of the first Principle They generate a strong stern eager sting prickle poison Life or bitter Root which as doth the Gall in living Bodies strikes up or enkindles Life 2. This being rooted in the Eternal Beginning or from the Eternal Abyss of the Father's Property can never find End or limit of Race But Either is according to the Fountain and Essence of its own Nature dark raging and fierce for ever or in the Holy Principle of Love in the Light World happy for ever 3. It must now be told what the outward Life of this World in Man is and must be sadly acknowledged to be Earthy and Sensual here is the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and Pride of Life So that it may be said Shut the â—ive Windows that our House may be truly Light within 4. The Beasts live as Man doth having all the five Senses as he in some of them more sharp also some of them extend the Thread of their time to greater Measure are generally more exempt from Sickness wholly Privileged from careful Perturbations in good Measure without fear of future Events or Sorrow c. 5. So that Mans outward Life or third Principle as now it is from first to last renders him of all Creatures the most Miserable And his restless striving to satiate the Lusts of this Worlds Spirit by Wealth Greatness c. is an additional Sorrow and Vexation which some of the Ancients skilfully mitigated by wise Moderation and Contentation 6. Who sees not how much more grievous this Pilgrimage and Travel is to Man than to any other Creature Because his Creator made him for the Excellent Holy Sweet Paradisical Life Even as Hell is most intolerable to Evil Angels and lost Men who were created to be Inhabitants of Heaven whereas it is no Wo to those horrible Creatures that figure the fierceness of the Properties for that is their Life 7. Yet it is true the poor Brute Animals groan under the Curse Man subjected them to for they should have been harmless Figures of the Astral and Elementary Powers 8. To conclude the Answer of this Question let it be seriously considered That if Man will think to feed his Immortal Principle with Mortal Food viz. his Soul with this third Principle he doth as a cruel Murtheress who to still her unhappy Nurse-Child instead of Food amuses its Eyes with Objects and its Ears with Sounds and answers its hungry Laments with louder Noises till she hath forced it to sleep who so pines and destroys it 9. But the Love of God in Jesus Christ is the true real Food of the Soul it is true not like Shews and Sounds which are delusive also real and substantial not a Shadow which every thing here else is as to the Soul This Love as Food generateth its like in the Soul and strengthensit This Love as Physick Purgeth out all other Love and it reigneth and remaineth for ever Q. 41. What is the Idea or exact express reflex Image of God in Man wherein God worketh and dwelleth A. If a Volume were written to Answer this Question as well might be by reason of the Excellency and Importance of the Subject yet still it would be as under Locks and Seals from the fallen Adam until he enter into the Knowledge at the right Door of that he lost by his Fall 1. The Doctrine of the Resurrection was call'd Babling by the studious Athenians for Man is dead to the Holy Divine Image and in all who so abide the outward Astral Spirit and Elementary Body is the only Bridle of Suspension and Mitigation of the hellish Image or dark Principle 2. But had Man no more he were in no better state than the brute Beasts for in the Astral and Elementary they are in common with Man and in the dark Principle he is one with the Evil Angels 3. Yet so exceeding Great and Adorable was God's Grace Love and Pity that the same Grace was like a Seed inspoken into him at the Fall which in all by whom Obedience is yielded beareth Fruit to Eternal Life but it lyes as Dead in such who bury it under the Dominion of the Astral Spirit or that choak it under the Thorns of the Elementary Body 4. And all Impenitent Rejecters of God's regenerating Grace how subtle and studiously penetrating soever have no part nor lot in this Matter but are absolute Strangers guided by an unreasonable Model of Humane Reason resulting from the Information of the Sences twisted with the Maxims of Serpentine Wisdom 5. Nevertheless the Poor in Spirit that dyeth to its own Will and Lusts hath lively Characters of the Idea of the Divine Image and Birth for such a dying enters the Soul into the first Resurrection 6. God's Image is not in the Earthquakes of the first Principle nor in the Lightning and Thunders of the third Principle but most nearly in the small still voice of the Proclaiming his Gracious Merciful Long suffering Name for that is the second Holy Principle 7. And this speaking Almighty Word cannot be more than stammer'd by words no more than Omnipotence can be comprehended by Concrets With what Eye can a Sinner behold the unexpressible loveliness of That ravishing Face where dwells That Majesty which is the Express Image of the Father and before whom the Angels cover their Faces I must say when a drop of that Ocean of Love and Mercy blesseth my Soul I melt I stammer I am astonished Lord what is Man 8. God's exact Image consisteth of all the three Principles The first and third in perfect Order being thorowly illustrated by the second The mighty longing of the first like a Hunger produceth or begetteth the meek Will and glorious Majestick Principle of Light according to which God is called God And of the longing and will proceedeth the desiring which is a Love-spirit producing Millions and Miriads to Infinity of Variety
contradictory to Law and Gospel Faith and Reason Q. 65. How was the dividing of Adam into the Wife or Woman effected A. 1. Had the parting been natural genuine and according to the blessed Paradisical state it had been as voluntary and delightful as is the Sun 's diffusing its Radiance or the Olive tree and Vine putting forth their Fruit. 2. But the Text calls it casting him into a deep sleep so as the Phrase may be compared to the manner of Chirurgeons about to make some deep Incisions which the subject of their Skill would not without great Impatience if awake permit 3. And whereas Moses saith took out one of his Ribs signifieth a violence and force not only as before without the Privity also not only without the consent and concurrence of Adam but implyeth some unwillingness in him and may be compared to the cutting the outer and inner Bark of those Trees a little above ground whence issueth the Rosin and those also yielding Frankincense or drawing the Blood of a fruitless Vine for some singular use 4. And the Phrase of closing up the flesh again signifieth there to have been a rending wounding or laceration of Adam all against the Nature of a Blessed Eternity which may be likened to Gardeners rending the Roots of Flowers or cleaving with a hard Wedge or Pin the Roots of drowzy Fruit-trees 5. So that from the whole 't is apparent that whereas Adam was created perfectly with both Tinctures of Fire and Light Masculine and Feminine in Virgin Modesty Purity and Chastity which appears in the 45th Answer that he was to have propagated a Progeny and Virgin holy Race out of himself is proved in the 54th Answer 6. That he did not so is apparent That therefore the Woman was separated from him by a Holy Violence is evident by the above Discourse and that the Fiat took not only part of one part of him is proved by the last precedent Answer but part of every part and it is visible that though the Woman is the weaker part which should strongly incline Man compassionately to bear with her affectionately to assist her earnestly to Pray with and for her she being and bearing the weaker part of his Essences yet hath she every of the four first Forms of the Eternal Nature also every of the Principles and every of the Faculties Powers Passions c. were all as truly imparted to her from Adam as was the Spirit of Moses to the Seventy Elders or the Spirit of Eliah to Elisha but the manner how it was done was much otherwise being unknowingly as to him violently and with notable penetration Q. 66. Why did Adam presently take his Eve to him and said she was his flesh How could he know her A 1. If a rent or cut divide the flesh of a living Creature both parts earnestly will to attract each the other and sement with like Reason did Adam take his Eve for while he was whole and married to the Divine Virgin of Modesty the Wisdom of God he remained as the Sun in a Cloud not doing what he was enabled unto 1. But changing Love for Lust his heavenly dear modest Love Delight Joy and fixed Satisfaction hath now a great aloy of Astral Precipitancy Fancy Immodesty and deceivable seeming Satisfaction for the Tinctures when thus divided into two distinct persons tho' as yet not throughly infected but having only the above aloy expected to find each in the other the Virgin of Purity and Modesty and from that mistake the Magical Ardency introducing and belonging to the deformed Bestial Image arose and infinuated it self 3. So when he but saw her he saith She is c. and straightway without interposing reflection on his former State for any thing appears he took her where was then his Purity and Virgin Modesty accompanying the Heavenly Man This declension was so great that the second Adam was conceived without the Masculine concurrence bringing again the Purity and Modesty of the Heavenly Virgin the first Image which Adam had caused to disappear 4. The Man acknowledged her to be his flesh and bone and took her and they were Husband and Wife and Posterity are told their duty that the Man leaving Father and Mother must cleave to his Wife and they be one flesh 5. And the Birth of Cain following in the next verse after their expulsion the Garden yet the Conception must precede with due gradation of interposing Time 6. But that the knowing Eve and her Conception are spoken of after the expulsion may have this Mystery as being so unsuitable to the Paradisical State as not fit to be recorded till after their being driven out of the very Garden 7. And why might not by the Conception the Woman be the easier swayed to a libidinous tasting the forbidden fruit 8. In sad commemoration whereof the Tyranny of Womens Lusting so much inconvenienceth them as not seldom to frustrate the Conception other times to destroy the formed fruit other times to impress forreign marks on them and sometimes the Magical Lust is so rampant and voracious as like a Storm it blows down the Abortive Fruit Tree and all 9. And for Adam's knowing what and whence she was the cause is plain he knew his God and by That knowledge knew himself in the same Light discerned her for his Intellect was very radiant it must be more bright than Noah's who tho' in an ill sleep knew what every of his Sons had done to him whilst he so slept which sleep of Noah's is a pregnant figure of This sleep of Adam's Q. 47. What was the Serpent on the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil which deceived or seduced Eve A. 1. The less is requisite to answer this because the blessed propounder in His own Answer to This 8th Question shews what the Devil is and in His Answer to the 11th Question saith what the Dragon is that strove with Michael Shortly then it little concerns us to know whether the Serpent that tempted Eve were the Old One forming himself into That Animal's figure imitating his particularities or whether actuating the very Creature to insinuate his design But it greatly concerns us to know what the Tempter or Temptation was tho' Eve should not have known it 2. The Tempter is a Will resulting from the Central Fire of the Dark impressed Forms of the first Principle without enkindling the Love fire of the second thereby becoming separate and broken from the Infinite Inseparable Unity into Self-lust 3. It therefore imageth it self into a hunger after knowing the multiplicity viz. after entring into possessing of or rather being possessed by the divided Properties of the Out-birth or third Principle without enkindling the Love-fire of the second thereby becoming separate and broken from the Infinite Inseparable Unity into Self-lust 4. It therefore imageth it self into a hunger after knowing the multiplicity viz. after entring into possessing of or rather being possessed by the divided Properties of the Out-birth or
and travel'd to be deliver'd from the Bondage of it crying to God because of the Rigor of their Servitude as the Poor where-ever they are oppressed may do assuring themselves their cause is weighed 3. In this needful time God appears to Moses in the Fire of the first the Flame and Lustre of the second in the Bush representing the third both to shew them what they had lost and that as the Fire could burn in the Bush without consuming it so could the first and second Principles have well consisted with the third had the due order been kept 4. For when the Harmony was preserv'd the first with its four Properties was as a Root to the whole the second as a Life to the Root and the whole the third a Fruit or Vertue of and in the whole 5. Whereas in the Severation and Disorder the first was a fire to the whole the second only as an incomprehensible unknown Life and Witness and the third a Life of Vexation Sorrow and Pain and loaden with the Curse 6. Therefore was it the Lord appear'd in the Idea of the two first Principles and so appearing sanctified the third which was meant by the Command that Moses should put off his Shoes because the place was Holy Ground 7. By the first Principle is signified the Lord's Jealousie and Zeal and by the second his merciful Love and Pity Therefore is this Figure as are many others repeated over a thousand times from Age to Age on and towards the Souls of all God's ransom'd and Redeem'd ones Q. 96. From or out of what Power did Moses do his Works of wonder before Pharaoh A. 1. The Apostle saith I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me But to shew what Power enabled Moses to do his Wonders It must be known whither go the Groans and Complaints of the oppressed It is answered into the Principle of God's severe Justice such time as wicked Oppressors destroy and devour Wicked Men like themselves 2. But when cruel Beasts grind and hunt the Lord's Flock who are not of their Game though they also have the Beasts Hide on them but return Good for Evil Praying for their Persecutors This passeth into the Principle of fierceness with respect to the Enemy but the Holy World the Fountain of Grace and Compassion is strongly prest upon with respect to the wronged Children 3. And unless the Oppressor enter into the Grace Principle by humble earnest Repentance all his Works Words Thoughts and every their Aggravations go into a Substance and are treasur'd up for God's Judgment and then those that sow the Wind shall reap the Whirlwind 4. And from the Holy World is it said I have seen I have seen the affliction c. I have heard c. and am come down So that Moses ability lay in the Abyss of God's Power and Holiness that is in both first and second Principles 5. For whereas the Avarice Haughtiness Envy and Cruelty of the Driver goes into the Treasure of God's Wrath so the Patience of the Lord's Family goes into the Treasure of God's infinite Love-Principle and Holiness as we therefore reap Wheat or Cockles whence we sowed them so is it here thus Moses had Power out of his first Principle of awakened Zeal to Muster the fierce Qualities in the third Principle and bring them like a Victorious Army upon Egypt and out of the Treasure of Divine Grace to visit secure and exempt Gâ—shen 6. Yet God is but only One thus the sweet Odour of fragrant Herbs and the fumes of foetid Weeds differently ascend from one fire wherein they are burnt 7. Is it occasionally ask'd whence is the Power the Magicians did their Wonders by It 's answered it proceeded out of the divided Properties and Powers of the spoken formed Word or Out-birth which the Ancients were skill'd in yet was theirs impotent when in competition with the might Moses exerted for his was the speaking forming Holy Powers whereof theirs was a Figure and Representation 8. But our Modern Pretenders to Wisdom in Nature are Men of Words having neither Divine Substance as was in Moses and the Prophets nor true Knowledge of the figure or formed outward Powers as had the Antients but pretending Divinity to Umbrage their shallowness do call God's Power in the Out-birth Diabolical and pretending Philosophy fill their Schools and Books with an empty Sound of vain words fictitious and fabulous neither knowing what they say nor whereof they affirm first Coin feigned words then contend about their Etymologies thus fighting with a shadow themselves give being to instead of seeking the Spirits of the Letters of the Holy Tongue whence we departed by our Confusion at Babel Q. 97. What figure is the Departure or bringing forth of the Children of Israel out of Egypt A. 1. Man exchanged Paradise for the third Principle the Substance for the figure or obscure Representation and thereby his till then immortal Body became by the Contagion of the Fruit of the same like the Beast an Accident no longer a Substance Whereunto was added a Curse that by toil and sweat he should gather his sustenance out of the barren Earth which himself was near come to be 2. A tast and earnest figure whereof was Israel whose Males were either to be Drown'd as soon as Born or Vassals as long as they Lived which yet was but a figure of the best Life Man hath in this World compar'd with that we departed from and whereof Solomon writes his black and pale Characters that it is altogether Vanity and Vanity of Vanities Vexation of Spirit and sore Travel 3. And whereas God tells Abraham his Seed should be in Bondage 400 Years it is a figure that all Poor Mankind undergoeth the Servitude of the four Forms of the first Principle and the four divided Elements 4. And now the figure of their departure out of Egypt stands thus As Man by falling into the third Principle stood with his Astral Man in the four Elements and his Soul in the four Forms of the first Principle which either murthered them at first falling to them or kept in rigorous Vassalage till laying off the Body 5. Out of which a series of Miracles only could deliver So Man can no more ransom or deliver himself than these poor oppressed ones could by their own Power call down the Ten Plagues guide their way and divide the Sea and Jordan 6. And the spoiling the Egyptians by borrowing and bringing away their Jewels shews that God's Children shall carry out of the place of their Captivity under the first and third Principles a Soul and Spirit wholly resigned to God signified by the Jewels of Gold and the Quintessenâ—e or Divine Tincture of the Humanity signified by Jewels of Silver the Seventh or Lâ—â—ar Property 7. And that Moses the Son of Amram of the Tribe of Levi one of their Brethreâ— should be their Deliverer hath this Signification That God raiseth up in Man a Prophet of his Brethren
And why must his â—ide be open'd with a Spear out of which Blood and Water ran How do these signifie in the Figure A. 1. Christ being nail'd to the Cross a Plant or Product of the third Principle shews us how we are fixed to the loading burthensom part of that Principle whence we cannot dis-engage or free our selves though being over-loaden therewith we should greatly desire it but must patiently wait the whole time of our life till God shall do it 2. And as Christ refused not His Cross no not the carrying it though the Burthen exceeded the strength of His afflicted wounded Body for that one was compelled to help him to bear it thus neither should faln Man refuse his own nor help to bear another's Burthen 3. And as Christ refused neither to be nail'd to it nor did remove His blessed Body from it but thereon meekly poured out His very Soul and breathed out His Spirit and was taken off by others so will the regenerate Man spend and be spent for his God 4. And as out of Adam's Side being rent open went out a Female Property which Wound otherwise incurable was repaired by the piercing Jesus holy Innocent Side because as the separating the Female from the Male Property introduced so great an Evil the Consequence whereof was Deâ—ilement Misery Lamentation and Wo. 5. So the piercing the Lord's Side was the opening the Divine Fountain whence issued Blood and Water that is the Virgin Tincture of Soul and Spirit the holy Fire and Light the first and second Principles in Inseparable Harmony which introduced that Good viz. the bringing forth Righteousness Salvation and sacred Love wherein consists the pure Heavenly Virgin Image that out of which Adam departed and died or disappeared to him the Bride of Christ and Joy and Delight of the Eternal World and General Assembly and Church of the First-born Q. 123. Why must Christ be reproached on the Cross A. 1. One accounted it the Complement of Misery when a Captive in much Torment begâ—d his severe Governess whose Slave he was in old Rome for Ease or some Mitigation who was so wholly regardless as to be all the while Painting her Face a Scene calculated very fitly to the present Mother of Harlots in Rome Antichristian 2. But what is the anguish and torture all Creatures are capable of if compared with this super abundant grief sorrow and load the weight of a World of Sin pressed our Lord with To all which that no part might be exempted was added that His blessed Eyes where Love and Mercy sate Triumphant and His Prayer-hearing Ears must see the scornful gestures of Prophane Heads wagging at Him in Scorn not bowing to Worship Him and hear the Taunts of vile and blasphemous Spectators the very Passers by and a Thier under Execution joyning to aggravate it So was the 53 of Isaiah fulfill'd in the 27 Matthew 3. And what shall we say was not the Cup bitter enough till cruel Mockings were wrung into it but thus it was that as Adam by the loss of his Innocence purity and brightness fell into guilt filthiness and scorn reproached by the Devils by the first and third Principles by the in of Cain his own and the rest of his sinful Posterity by every Essence whence he fell and every separate unclean Property into which he fell All this did He who hid not His Face from Shame and Spitting receive as if it had been His own Due and His own Procurement 4. And into this Shame Mocking and Reproach must every Child of the Regeneration submissively enter and accompt it their peculiar Privilege to suffer their own Shame by the Lord's designation we suffer righteously yet the Lord calls it a suffering for Him 5. His reproach was Moses Riches and the Apostles Joy His Chains are all pure Gold but all the Lord's Children must remember that their Cross is fully as long as themselves being the Principle into which they fell and that they are nail'd to it But though the Lord's Crown were Thorns there is at the End of our light and momentary Afflictions and Cross a Crown of Righteousness and Eternal weight of Glory coming by the meer free Gift of gracious Love Q. 124. Whether was also the Divine Power in the Blood which Christ shed or poured into the Earth Q. 125. Why did the Earth tremble when Christ bung on the Cross A. The latter of these Questions depends on the opening of the former so that one Answer will sâ—ffice to both 1. The whole scope of the Gospel teacheth us that Christ was truly God and truly man for that the Deity graciously United it Self to the Humanity in the Incarnation of the Lord Jesus 2. We are also to know that though God may be distinguished as into three yet not at all divided Seeing therefore that God assumed the Humanity and became Man we may not after that Unity divide Him from that Humanity which He United himself with though we distinguish the Deity from the Humanity left we seem to divide Him from Himself What therefore God hath joyned together let no man put asunder 3. By the Incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ He Himself who is God Blessed for ever became a God-Man in an inseparable indissâ—luble Union And a little to disgress the Human Nature of us poor Men is so strongly allied espoused or betroathed and adopted by the same incarnation that it is most stupendious admirable and ravishing How can a poor Earthen Vessel bear the serious contemplating of it 4. For were Man sensible how near God is to us who as of our selves are wretchedness and vanity in the abstract it must be with the regenerate Children as it was with the Women departing quickly from the Sepulchre with Fear and great Joy and with others as with the Souldiers they would be as dead Men. 5. But the third principle is an Eclipse to the prospect of the Soul awakened by the Sun of Righteousness and an allay to their holy affecting Meditations and is also a mitigation and flattering gilded Dream to the willingly deluded Captives 6. And now to step back to our Work we must say that the Humane Soul of the Lord Jesus being of Divine Conception was inseparable from his Deity therefore the Blood he shed for us Sinners had Divine power in it for that Souls Masculine Seed was out of the Fountain Spirits pure before God as of the Eternal Divine substance of the Holy Ghost 7. And as Fire kindleth combustible Matter So was the Feminine Seed he receiv'd from the Virgin Mary which was also our Soul according to which he is our Flesh and Blood and our Brother united and incorporated with the Divine substance maâ—ing one Heavenly Humanity in an indissoluble Band. 8. Thus as a Child receiveth a Soul from the Souls of Father and Mother so this Heavenly Humane Soul of the Lord Jesus dwelling in his holy precious Blood was one and but one received from the Holy
tâ—e Humane Soul as it was deriv'd from Mary was finite yet as he was conceived by the seminal substance of the Holy Ghost it was Infinite being wholly so united to the Infinity 7. Behold and sink down and drown thy self Oh my Soul in the sweet Ocean of this free Master piece of Matchless love see the heighth depth length and breadth Know what passeth knowledge Conception Comprehension Make thy Heart the Footstool of it thy Soul a Sacrifice to it thy Spirit the amazed Witness of it thy Mind and Thoughts the Waiters on it thy Tongue and Pen the Trumpet of it Let Heaven and Earth adore it let Time and Eternity record it let Hell and the Children of Pride tremble at it but let the humble Man and broken Bones Inherit Inhabit and Rejoice in it for ever Q. 128. Why did some convert and turn again when they saw what was done at the dying of Christ And the High-Priests not Why must they be blind and hardened as to this Work A. 1. By the High-Priests are meant him that was such and those Rulers of most Eminence assisting and concurring with him This Question is double viz. Why some did convert And why such as the High Priests c. did not That some did as the Centurion c. Matth. 27. â—4 seeing that which was done feared greatly saying Truely this was the Son of God Luke 2â— 47. 4â— And Luke records That the Centurion and all the people seeing c. Glorified God and all the people smote their Breasts and departed 2. For their dark Centre was terrified the stirred by remorse and compassion with and unto so patient and innocent a Lamb and that stirring moving on by conviction to great grief sorrow and mourning begat love and the love enkindled the holy Light of the second Divine principle of which number it 's said Longinus was who with his Spear pierced the Lords blessed side 3. But in the High-Priests c. The dark Zeal had like Fire drunk up the meek Water of Tenderness and Compassion so that the Light could not enkindle but they remain'd a dark Fire For it is manifest they by their impetuous Lusting proud grasping for Grandeur and Rule and their griping after heaping up abundance of the outward principle had by Covetousness like greedy Dogs or Swine formed their very Souls according to the four Auguishes of the first dark Hellish Impression 4. As Antichrist also whose Forerunners and Antitype these were hath done and still doth Therefore to distinguish a resolv'd hardened Persecutor from the Creaturely Devils is thus to be done that the persecuting Man hath on him the Bestial part of the Out-birth for mitigation which is a Door through which it is possible Grace may enter unless the impardonable sin hath judicially wholly shut him up 5. But the mitigating third principle excepted viz. the worst part of it the Antichristian Spirited-Man having shut out the second principle the Evil Angels and he are in one and the self-same principle 6. It is also certain that the Antichrist sometimes call'd the Whore sometimes Babylon sometimes the Mystery of Iniquity and Man of Sin is as such incureable and irrecoverable for it is an Enmity against Love and Meekness The Art of Physick gives that Disease for Incureable which is grounded on the Constitution the Disease of Antichrist is such and therefore Incureable for he is compos'd of the Enmity of the four forms of the first principle and is Enmity in the Abstract against the Divine Kingdom of Humility Meekness Love Peace and Divine Light and Joy Q. 129. What was Christs going to Hell where he overcame Death and the Devil A. 1. Great is Mans Misery on Earth by reason of wilful blindness When we hear of Christs going to Hell or overcoming Death and the Devil there we blindly grope with our Conceits imagining in our Reason a local motion to a place far off But that it may be plainly told what Christs going to Hell was it must first be orderly said 1. What Hell is and where Which is referr'd to the 17th Answer the 19 20 21 22 23 verses 2. What the Conquering Captain Christ is that Vanquished all the Devils every where It is answered It was Christ as he had made himself a Creature for his Body as a Creature is the whole holy pure Element which comprizeth this whole World The holy Body hath Heavenly Flesh and Blood and Water of Eternal Life which feedeth the Faithful Soul at the Lords Table 2. Anâ— tho' it comprizeth this World Heaven Paradise and the Angelical World yet is a Creature but such a Creature as can be every where in the Deity for unto this Creature of Heavenly substantiality hath the Almighty Son of God espoused himself as a Body to remain in Eternity as in the time the Sun doth unto the Moon as in his own Body In every part of which Body the Trinity is always manifest Objection 3. But this crosseth the received Divinity which assigns ubiquity to be the peculiar distinction of the Creator from the Creature Also an imposing upon the Senses that one Creature is at London and at Quinsay at the same moment of time a thing denied to be in the Sphere of an Angel whose Wings are only illustrations of his almost instantaneous local motion implying he cannot be in two places at once Answer 4. The least divisible Body requires place and space and magnitude is the uniting of two or more divisibles 1. My Foot is not where my Head is but I am where either of them is 2. If my Head only is in the Air my Body only in the Water my Feet only in the Earth under Water yet I am in every of these at once 3. My Hand is at the Heâ—m my Eye on the Star my Heart with my God then am I at once in two Worlds 4. Again my Elementary and Sensual Man is in pain my Siderial Man in care the unmortified properties of my Eternal first Principle or old Man or Root of the Soul in much stubbornness anxiety and frowardness my regenerate new Man or humble meekened Spirit is rejoicing under the Cross in hope of Eternal Blessedness Yet am I but one little poor Creature tho' I am at once in one Visible and three Invisible Worlds 5. Now tho' what the new Man sees or feels hath or hopes for meets with resistance in the unmortified part of the first principle or earthy Vessel yet is it not so in Divine Bodies of Angels or perfected Spirits Who all by prevalence of their consonance and uninterrupted holy will have their Heterogeneous parts swallow'd up by their lustrous Harmony 6. All these things penetrated and pondered shall our straitned Souls confine the Immense Heavenly Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ For his becoming Man or Incarnation wherein he assumed our darkened Souls uniting them with the Divine Virgin of Wisdom as one Creature in himself did not straâ—ten lessen
excited by earnest Love is successful passionately to enkindle Divine Light in such proportion of speed as the heat is in degree for great Divine Fervour having Anguish for its Root hath always according to its own Nature eminent Light and Glory for its Fruit. 2. More particularly 4. To shew his immediate care of the feeblest as tender Mothers do to their weakest Children So here to a Woman 5. To demonstrate his gracious Condescention to the separate Image of the Humanity divided from Adam and first in the Transgression like to the saying Tell my Disciples and Peter who had so lately denied him that it was as the seâ—ting of a dislocated Joint 6. To try the Faith of his most eminent Followers who should first only hear of this glorious Resurrection once and again by the words of others than after the sence of hearing follow'd their seeing him then touching then tasting by their Intellect his heavenly Teaching then participating of the Spirit by his breathing on them Thus became they Witnesses not only of Christ's swallowing up Death by Victory by gradual assurance past all shadow of doubt but also be Witnesses against themselves of their own Diffidence till their Faith was enforced to act its office by Mediation of all the Senses Q. 138. Why did Christ after his Resurrection eat of the broiled Fish with his Disciples and entred in unto them through a shut Door and taught them A. 1. The Text saith They gave him a piece of broiled Fish and a Hony comb and he did eat The first part of this Question may seem curious as well as obscure but it must be noted that all things God discovereth are not alike plain but must be sought out by diligent search comparing and inferring as amongst many the offering strange Fire was not forbidden but God consuming the Sacrifice by his own Fire did by Consequence forbid the other the Error herein cost Nadab and Abihu their lives The carrying the Ark on a Cart was not forbidden but David's not considering and inferring a Prohibition of that by the Direction for carrying it on the Priests Shoulders cost Uzzah his Life 2. And now here the Lord after his Resurrection eats broiled Fish and Hony-comb as before he twice feeds the Multitude with Fish by Miracle we may not think the Eating of Fish insignificant and that again having wrought the Miracle of the great Draught of Fishes after the Resurrection their Dinner was Fish All which hath a double signification 1. 3. More general That as Adam's Fall had laid the Creation under Universal Disorder such as was most aptly represented by the confused troubled â—ea and all his Posterity by Fishes one devouring the other as saith the Lord on this Allusion to his Disciples I will make you fishers of men in this sense concerning the New Heaven c. Viz. At the reducing to Paradisical Order it is written there was no more Sea 2. 4 More particularly whereas Fish was never us'd in Sacrifice and Honey directly forbidden to be in any Offering to the Lord by Fire this with rending the Veil of the Temple was to shew the Jews the time of their Sacrifice was finished But Men signified by Fish were in a more excellent way to be the Lord's and the Kingdom of Heaven like a Drag Net to catch them But their not considering this their gracious Visitation and persisting in their obstinate Sacrificing and wilful Ignorance of the signs of the times cost not the lives of a Nadab and Abiâ—u or Uzza but those of Priests and People City and Nation Desolation of Jerusalem and Sion Temple and Altar and suppression of their supposed Offspring for so many Centuries to this very day 5. Now as his Eating was Paradifical in the Mouth only So his entring the Doors being shut was his being now only in the Divine Principle not to be shut out for the World is as nothing before him The Condensations fiercest Attractions strongest Constringencies are all open High-ways to his Omnipotence for his Conquest was over Hell and he goeth into all the wrath of the first Principle as well as the third all Power in Heaven and Earth being his for ever Q. 139. Why did not Christ after his Resurrection sheâ— himself to every one but to some only A. 1. 1. By every one must be intended 1. Every of those in Jerusalem or 2. Every of the Lords Disciples 1. But so to have done in the larger sence had been cross to his own Inhibition Cast not holy things to Dogs nor Pearls before Swine 2. It had oppos'd the Method of his Proceedings with Men from the time of his Conception to his Ascension 1. His Conception was a Secret imparted only to the Virgin after in a Dream to Joseph then Prophetically to Elisabeth Simeon and Anna and Prophesies had Obscurities 2. His Birth was discovered to the poor solitary Shepherds after that perhaps above two Years to the Wise Men but presently veil'd by his Flight and Absence Thence no more is said of him till he attained to about 12 Years and then though the Doctors were astonished at his Understanding yet they knew him not Neither understood his Parents his Answer on that occasion but he went with them and was subject unto them from that time till he began to be about 30 Years So that for 18 Years nothing appears but as if he had been a common Child of Adam 3. Then the Observation of what passed at his Baptism was instantly shrouded by his Forty Days withdrawing from all Men into the Wilderness 4. And after his calling of the Twelve and Preaching the Gospel he often retreated from the Multitudes divers times from some of the Twelve and sometimes from them all especially for Prayer and all this while unknown to his very Brethren 5. And when his exalted Glory was so conspicuous upon raising of Lazarus that the High Priest c. began to say the World goeth after him that it seemed to threaten the hindering the Baptism he was graciously straightned to be Baptized with and that they feared the People then offered he himself up at once checking the mistaken Hopes and Confidence of Jews and Gentiles This was the Method of the humbled state of the Only Eternal Almighty Son of God 3. 3. The Reason of his thus much concealment was the abuse by vile Mankind of the sparklings of his Glory As 1. Herod begins by shedding the Blood of Innocents 2. The Sharers in and Beholders of his Miracles were obstructive to his other work of gaining Souls therefore he so frequently chargeth Privacy on them 3. The Multitudes that he fed by Miracle offered so much interruption as to obtrude on the Eternal Soveraign of all World 's such Advancement as to be King of a Dunghil and render him obnoxious to the filly Jealousie of Earthy Kings those Gods of Clay and their beastly Tyranny 4 The Splendor
of the Country a Self-murtherer their shame and indignation but the unknown number of wounded Souls and self-murthered Souls are not regarded tho' it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for such Gospel-Apostates and Haters of Christ. The malicious Enemy of Mankind who wounds himself that he may murther Souls so greatly he hates Man draws into the Anguishes of his Central Forms whole Harvests of Reprobates in whom he hath no true Right or Propriety by his offering Baits and Cheats for Food and Realities while woe to the World the most glorious gracious and adorable only Son of the only High God whose we are by Absolute Propriety and whose Love to Mankind was so immense and unsearchable as that He made Himself vile and a Sacrifice to whom He offereth Real Highest and Eternal Blessedness yet hath only the gleanings of the Harvest or Vintage while the World lieth in wickedness and their Posterities approve of their saying calling the proud happy and perpetuating the Black Art of Self-murther like Fish hasten greedily to catch the same Bait wherewith others had been hookt or Birds speed to be taken in an evil Net so throng Men to be ruined reject the only Hope precipitate into irreparable desperation Others seeming less obstinate are as fatal Foes to themselves telling and flattering of tomorrow while such futurities of safety expose them as Fools to perish to day while Wisdom saith To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts and that This is the accepted time This is the day of Salvation The time of the coming of John the Baptist was in the year of Jubilee yet then saith he The Axe is laid to the Root of the Tree 17. Our gracious God infinitely out-doth and out-bids all to make us his and restore his Image in us for in Man's Creation he did much more than for any or all the visible Creatures of the Out-birth or third Principle in his Redemption for restoring the Divine Image he did infinitely more for him than any or all the invisible Creatures of the first Principle the Apostate Angels for whom is given no Sacrifice nor Mediator Also in Man's Consummation Perfection Sealing and Glorification and Preparation thereunto is much more done for him than for the Holy glorious Angels the Sons and Inhabitants as morning Stars of the bright Heaven the Holy second Principle for the Spirits of just Men made perfect the general Assembly of the Church of the first-born are Fellow-Citizens with the Angelical Worlds and so share of the infinite Goodness of God as they and also have this more that they have had in the Lord their Head the Bowels of infinite Pardoning Mercy drawn out for them which is peculiarly extended them and treasur'd up only in the Emmanuel for them 18. This most dear boundless Goodness calls for the highest and deepest Contemplation 't is so profound so large so adorable so admirable that neither can the Earthen Vessel bear it the Syderial Man find any thing whereunto his Bounty may be likened the Immortal Soul be properly said to know it for it is what passeth Knowledge but the Soul is known by it as it is more or less enlighten'd therewith and Man's intellectual Spirit is so far from throughly penetrating it that it only shines and flows by Influence and Reflection of it for it self is as a drop of the Abyss enlighten'd by a beam of the Eternal Sun it burns and flames in the self-evidencing splendor of that incomparable inexhaustible Treasure and excellent Majesty This poor vile hand lyes prostrate at the Footstool of this Grace the Elementary and Astral Man the Eternal Soul and Spirit is herein swallow'd up once and for ever 19. How reasonable necessary and natural was what our Apostle saith I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God This is the Riches of his goodness forbearance and long suffering to lead man to Repentance There is a Promise that Men shall fear the Lord and his Goodness Man's contempt of Bowels of Infinite Mercy shews him less rational than the Bruits than the Insects who all shew the desire of Self-defence while he refuseth to be shielded from the greatest of horror by the free goodness of his God purchased by his own Blood with sorrows aggravated to unexpressible mysteriousness yet is Man offered all at the cheap Price of Acceptance and importunately besought to open his Hand Mouth and Heart to receive Pardon from day to day perhaps for many years still in vain whil'st he riseth early compasseth Sea and Land with his Life in his hand sweats freezeth bleeds frets wounds his Conscience and sells himself What therefore can the account of such Rejecters of the Invitation to the Marriage Supper be seeing to Ungratitude is added Stubbornness to that Despitefulness and consequently desperate Madness being one who having more done for him than for the Holy Angels and yet thus doth more against the glorious Grace of God in Christ by exalted Wickedness than the very Devils 20. Behold this and Blush ye Heavens ye Sun and Stars gather blackness let the Earth be moved let the Stones of the Streets and Walls be Witnesses let the Brutes and Animals stand amaz'd melt ye Rocks of Adamant relent and sigh ye Mountains of Ice let Marble and Pummice-stones weep come hither discover your inward Forms ye savage Bears cruel Tygers Vultures and unnatural Vipers The Heavens Sun and Stars were never Witness of the like Tragick Stupidity for had they seen the Angels that fell become Devils yet had they not known them refuse Mercy freely continually and importunately tendered the most brutish Animals reject not but greedily snatch what they want the Adamantine and Marble Rocks are all easily dissolvable by their proper Separators and Dissolvents the Mountains of Ice are as unwilling Captives Bears Tygers and Vultures are not only kind and friendly to themselves but compassionate to their Young the Viper though he destroys his Genitrix yet seems to do it of necessity to preserve its own Existence where therefore can be found so obdurate a thing as the Impenitent Heart of Man so great a Monster so ferine a Brute such a Prodigy of Ingratitude so implacable a Creature as the hardened obstinate Sinner No such Ingratitude and Cruelty can the Astral World demonstrate in the contrary Wills of the Martial Mercurial and other cross Constellations nor in the Elementary Offspring of them nor all whose Differences result to Harmony in the Earth or Deserts Air or Seas no not in Hell the dark Abyss or Devils no Sinners against so great Mercies and means for Recovery no Sinners against a Redeemer against the bleeding Love and Bowels of a Saviour there but Man the Devils are those for whom nothing of Mercy is prepared Oh therefore that Men were wise that they knew this and would hear that their Souls might live and not sink
to be risen with Christ and guided by his Light within them Let it be observed by such who wilfully oppose or not regarded at their Peril And for satisfaction of such who are willing to know the truth viz. That Christ had a true Natural Humane Body of Flesh and Blood from Mary Heb. 2. 24. For asmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death which is the Devil Q. 3. But is it askt how is this Body and Humane Soul the same of ours It 's answer'd 1. By way of Concession that it was so far other than ours as it had the Holy Ghost instead of Mans Masculine Seed 2. Yet took he as the above Text with many others plainly tell us part of our Flesh and Blood and so was our Brother that is such as the Children had part of were of or are partakers of and this is also ours of what Nation soever we are for it is written Acts â—7 16. God hath made of one Blood all Nations of Men to dwell on the Face of the Earth Q. 4. Is it ask'd what of this was raised again It 's Answer'd all of it for the Women and after that the Disciple whom Jesus loved and Peter saw there was nothing left in the Sepulchre after the Resurrection but the Linnen Cloaths wherein he had been wrapped Q. 5. May it be fully so with other Bodies Answer Matth. 27. 52 53. And the Graves were opened and many Bodies of Saints which slept arose and came out of their Graves after his Resurrection and went into the Holy City and appeared unto many And it must be remembred that it shall be so with ours at the last day it was the Faith of Martha who saith unto him John 11. 24. I know that my Brother shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day Q. 6. May it not be otherwise with us our Bodies must putrifie and the Incorruptible only rise Answer our Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15. 53. Our Mortal shall put on Immortality and our Corruptible shall put on Incorruption and all this as a consequence of Christs Death and Burial according to the Scriptures also of his rising again and after his rising again was seen of Cephas then of the Twelve after that of above five hundred Brethren at once 1 Cor. 15. 3 4 5 6. Q. 7. Shall it be a Resurrection of all Answer The Lord saith Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the Graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation Let it therefore no longer be charged justly on us as formerly on the Jewish Rabbies That we err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God 1 Thes. 4. 14 15. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep c. Q. 8. How is it effected Answer As Lazarus was raised That voice which gave Being to all call'd him up and that voice shall call all up every one in his own Order May it never be said of us as of the Jews Because they knew not him nor yet the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath day they have fulfilled them in condemning him So may it not be said now Because they consult not frequently nor heedfully regard nor will understand the holy Words and Writings of the Lord his Apostles c. which they may daily read they yet sit down with a confused Notion of this great Doctrine and bury their drowsie Intellect some with dark Heathenish Maxims begetting Atheism in Judgment and Practice a degree worse than Devils 9. Other some there are having a glimpse of a true Light wherewith they think themselves rich and to have need of nothing and there shut it and themselves up without proving it by searching like the Bereans and without improving it by trimming their Lamps But not imploying themselves in the Lords methods do obscure or bury their Talent and so by degrees let their foolish Heart be darkened not only in this but in many other of the plain and precious Truths of the Kingdom of God which great evil and defection is as ever heretofore in all other forms accompanied with sharp Censures of others and peremptory unwarranted Injunctions of their own Reason Whereas the more we approach the Divine Life the more comprehensive is that Soul the more ready to bear and forbear to do and suffer to become all or any thing to all that it may beget of that meek Spirit in others to be swift to hear to have an open naked Breast whereon it begs the Lord Jesus to write his whole Pleasure is so vile in his own absurd Judgment that is easily induced to think highly of others Q. 173. How doth this World pass away or vanish And what doth remain thereof afterward A. 1. To some this Question may seem only curious and to others so occult as if incogniscible to a third sort such as if possible to be resolv'd were needless because it fruitlesly anticipates say they the thing which in its season shall demonstrate it self But on serious mature inspection it is found possible important and greatly necessary to be known and believed 2. It is said that when Cortis with a Brigade of Spanish Horse and Infantry Invaded the West Indies and had charged them of the Republick of Tlaxcallan upon the Fall of any Spaniard either Man or Horse care was taken so to bury them that the Americans might not know it which made them despair of withstanding such whom they thence concluded to be Immortal Thus not to discover the end of this present World which the dark World and the Prince of it would conceal were to insinuate as if it were indissoluble and consequently uncreated and so Brutishly to introduce Atheism and Atheism is that fatal Evil which may be justly accounted the worst of Errors of the worst of Men. 3. But this World had a beginning and shall have an end as it is written Psal. 102. 25 26. Of old thou hast laid the foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thy hand They shall perish c. They all shall wax old as doth a Garment c. Heb. 1. 10 11 12. And tho' no History scarcely records any who mock'd at the coming of the Lord yet is it Prophesied 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. That in the last days Scoffers shall come even at that which will then be at the Door saying Where is the promise of his coming c. For such Mens Lusts Biass them to abuse Gods long-suffering ver 9. Who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance Ezek. 18. 31. 32. 2 Pet. 3. 10. And it is told
the snuff of a Candle is â—id in the Centre of the Light as is appâ—râ—nt iâ— Lucifer â— Now how we may conceiue that God is an â—â—gry zealous God and a gracious merciful God the seven Species or Circumstance must be 〈…〉 to win The 1. Astringent 2. Sweet 3. Bitter 4. Heat 5. 〈◊〉 6. Tone or Sound 7. The Body generated out of the other six Spirits 6. The sweet Quality flâ—eth from the bitter which is the cause of the growth of Fruit in Vegetables and the Astringent and bitter eagerly pursue it cloaths it and is the cause of a stalk and when it overtakes it strives to hinder its farther flight and so comes the knot in the stalks through which is a small Orifice the sweet Quality gets through that and then comes more stalk leaves and blossoms which by the external heat and light gets colours but the sweet Water is not a Mother strong enough to produce Fruit but the blossoms being fallen off the outward Heat with the united aid of all the Qualities bringeth the Fruit. 7. The Light riseth up only in the sweet Quality no thing can be kindled but that in which the sweet Quality is predominant for the Spirit riseth up only in the Water A Stone or Earth cannot be kindled because the Astringent and bitter Qualities are predominant in them only The Earth when the earthy quality is boyl'd out is brought as in Gun-powder to give a flash of Terror wherein the Devil in the anger of God representeth himself 8. But that the Water will not burn is because it is not the sweet Water but Elementary only Else Water were not Mortal Flesh shineth not but fat doth the sweet quality prevailing therefore lean Creatures are not merry Q. Where are the seven Spirits 9. A. All Heaven and this World and all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth are comprehended in them Q. Seeing God is every where and is himself all How comes heat cold wrath and fierceness among the Creatures 10. A. The first four Forms are at Enmity with each other without the Light and yet are the cause of the Life 11. Know that all within the Stars was a holy Salitter and the place of Lucifer whose proud Elevation kindled the seven qualifying and Fountain-Spirits all was burning The Astringent compacted so vigorously that Stones were generated and so Cold that the sweet Water became Ice and part thick stinking and raging Poison 12. Whereupon Lucifer was thrust out and instantly insued the Creation of this World and the hard spoiled corrupt matter which had wrought out it self in the kindling the seven Qualities was driven together whence Earth and Stones came to be and after that all the Creatures were made of the kindled Salitter of the seven Spirits of God their kindling made the fierceness of one Property against another and the Creatures from the same impulse do bite and annoy each other 13. Upon which the Universal God hath Decreed the last Judgment to separate the Good unto the meek Delight which was before the kindling by Lucifer and give that which is fierce and wrathful to be an Habitation for the Devil for ever The Good Men being Eternally with their King Jesus Christ. CHAP. X. 1. THE sixth Fountain Spirit is the Sound Tone or Noise 1. Whence is the singing Melody of the Angels and all Colours and Beauty are from the Tone or Mercurius 2. Hardness is the Father but the whole Salitter is the Mother for if the hardness were both Father and Mother a Stone would sound and ring 3. But where the Light is generated out of the Heat there riseth the sound viz. The Astringent Quality rubbeth it self with the bitter making Heat rise up in the sweet Water the flash of Light distinguisheth there and iâ—pregnâ—teth the bitter and Astringent so that the moving Spirits would speak Then the flash coming from the bitter breaketh open the hard and the Tone goeth forth as it was decreed in the Centre in the middle of the Circle the Council of the seven Spirits 4. Therefore all the Veins and Powers go into the Tongue that the Noise may go forth gently 5. Of the seven Spirits six always generate the seventh without every one there would not be any one 6. But the Author saith his naming of but two or three to the Nativity of a Spirit is though he saw them all seven well yet because of his weakness he could not bear the speculating them all at once in their Perfection but in part 7. Otherwise if a thought through the Centre of Nature could penetrate all the Forms it were free from the Bond of Nature 8. From the flash comes the Light of the Majesty therefore if any one could in his flesh comprehend the flash kindling it self in the central Fountain of the Heart which the Author saith he very well saw how it is that Person could clarifie or transfigure his Body therewith and be like the Angels and no more bestial 9. The Soul hath the first Principle the Spirit of the Soul hath the second the Astral Spirit hath the third in the Elements 10. When a Fire riseth up in one of the Fountain Spirits it is not concealed from the Soul which may awaken the other Spirits and it hath a Prison and if the Fire become too big can shut up the kindled Spirit in the Astringent quality till it be allay'd and extinguished Else the Sap that is in the whole seven will become dry and then thou art a Hellish Firebrand But if thou take the evil Spirit and imprison it and turn a submissive Heart and Will to God contemning Honour Pleasure Riches Wantonness by bearing the Cross and being the Worlds Fools then will not the Fire at the last Judgment Day stick to thy sappy Spirits but after this anxious trouble God will in the Resurrection Crown thee and thou wilt be a Triumphing Angel 11. Q. Is there in God also any contrary Will amongst the Spirits of God 12. A. No tho' the great earnest severity of God may by the former Writings of the Spirit be seen yet in God is no disunion in him all the Spirits Love and Triumph as one Spirit but in the innermost secret geniture not apprehended by any Creature but in the flash it must be so for Life and Omniscience is thus begotten for tho' Lucifer kindled the Spirits of this World and made it all faint and half dead yet this World belongeth to the Body of God the Father as well as Heaven 13. And the whole Trinity is generated in the Heart of all Angels and Men except the Devil and Damned Men and in such a manner is God Almighty All-seeing c. and proveth the Hearts and Reins 14. Thus also all the Devils and Damned must in the Salitter which they have corrupted be his Eternal Priseners in Torment and Reproach 15. 1. The hardness
innermost Geniture of God and presseth in through the Astral and Fleshly Geniture it is clearly in Heaven 3. But the Out-birth of this World was Lucifer's Kingdom to the Stars and so far is the Wrath of God between which outmost Birth of this and the outmost Birth of that is a great gulph and are one to the other as Death is to Life or a Stone to a Man So that as to the Out-birth we cannot see the Angels nor they dwell with us but in the innermost they dwell with us 4. The second Birth or Geniture viz. the Astral standeth in the seven Fountain Spirits of this World in which the Holy Ghost also ruleth and helpeth to generate the third Holy Birth 5. The which third Holy Birth is the clear Holy Heaven which uniteth with the Heart of God and holdeth the Devil Captive in the Out-birth in the Anger Fire 6. Out of this Heart Jesus Christ in the Womb of the Virgin went into all the three Births that he might with his innermost take the Devil Captive in the Out-birth overcome the Wrath of God as a Victorious Prince and in the Power of his Birth in the Flesh press through all Men whereby he is become Lord and King of our Heaven and Earth over Sin Devil Death and Hell in whom we also press through the sinful corrupted Out-dead-birth of the Flesh through Death and the wrath of God into our Heaven in which Heaven now sitteth our King Jesus Christ as an Almighty Son on the Right Hand of God being present in all the three Births in this World in all corners and places bearing up all ruling in the Throne of the once potent and now expelled Lucifer 7. When Stephen saw Heaven opened and the Lord Jesus at the Right Hand of God his Spirit did not swing it self up into the upper Heaven aloft but penetrated into the innermost Birth Concerning the Constitution and Form of the Earth 8. Every thing must have a Root The Earth is come from the corrupted Salitter of the outmost Birth for in Earth and Stones is Death and in it is also a Life else Gold Silver and Vegetables could not grow therein 9. Three Births are in it the outmost is Death the second is Life pressing through it being in the Wrath Fire and that of Love and the third is the Holy Life 10. In the outmost is Gods Wrath else why engendereth it poysonous venemous Worms and creeping Things 11. The Earth hath more than one kind of Life for Herbs and Wood are not Earth nor is Fruit Wood nor is the vertue of the Fruit God for the outmost Birth containeth him not but he containeth the Out-birth Q. Why is the Earth so Mountany c 12. A. Where the sweet Water was chief much earthy palpable Water came to be 13. The corrupted Salitter was more abounding in one place than another Also 14. Where the Astringent Quality was chief in the bitterness in Mercurius much Earth and Stones were compacted 15. Where the Heat in the Light much Silver and Gold and some clear Stones 16. Where the Love in the Light the most precious Stones and finest Gold 17. Where are great Lakes and Seas over that Zenith there being not much Salitter there came to be a Valley for which resting place the thin Water sought resembling the Spirit of meekness not elevating it self as in the Bitter Fires quality the Devils did On the words the Evening and Morning were the first day is said 18. Evening and Morning reacheth only up from the Earth to the Moon taking its Original from the Light of the Sun which maketh the outward day and the outward Night Not that there was then a twofold Creation of Evening and Morning Query Whether by it be not meant by once turning about of the Earth whereby the Evening and Morning came to be that is by one Revolution 19. A. Man having a Threefold Birth tho' with his inward he uniteth with the Light of God cannot bring it perfectly back to his Astral and less to his outward Birth which tho' Moses did in part when his Face shone but could not see God perfectly and live even as an Apple on a Tree cannot bring its Smell and Taste back into the Tree nor Earth CHAP. XX. On the Creation in the Second Day Let there be a Firmament in the midst of the Waters c. 1. THis Firmament divideth the impalpable inward pure Water from the outward palpable corrupted Water Wherein is Death which lyeth Captive below the Moon and is the House of the Devils Death and Hell where the fierce Wrath of God becometh kindled daily by the Devils through the great Sins of Men which mix with the Astral Birth in the Deep 2. But even those pure Waters have some of the Wrath in them and is that meant where 't is said The Heavens are not pure in his sight 3. The innermost holds the outward Water strongly Captive and the outward Earth also else with the Revolution of the Globe the Water would be divided or dissolved and the Earth crumble away Which Firmament is between the clear Deity and corrupt Nature 4. Yet the Deep above the Earth may be said to be a place where Gods Holiness dwelleth for the whole Holy Trinity dwelleth in the Centre under the Firmament of Heaven tho' that cannot comprehend him but dwelleth not there fully bodily and creaturely as the Angels and Souls of Men do 5. The Third Birth is the Almighty Holy Heart of God wherein Christs Natural Body sitteth for his Natural Body is not as John Calvin thought such as reacheth no farther than a little circumscribed place wherein it is 6. For if every Man in his Astral Spirit comprehendeth the whole Body of this World should not the Fountain Spirits in the Natural Body of Christ being out of the Fountain Spirits of Nature and his Heart out of the inward Birth viz. the Heart of God which comprehendeth all Angels and the Heaven of Heavens viz. the whole Father should not it comprehend the whole World and uphold it as the only Head Heart and King of it in his Hands are his Sheep whom none can pluck out CHAP. XXI 1. MAN is made out of the Seed viz. Matrix of the Earth wherein the Eye is Twofold one in God the other in this World out of the three Principles not out of the Wrath but out of the Birth of the Earth in the Astral Birth in the part of Love but Wrath hung to him which he should have put forth from himself as the Fruit putteth forth from it self the bitterness of the Tree but that he did not but reached back from the Love into the Wrath and lusted after his Dead or Mortal Mother to suck her Breasts and so brought his outermost Birth into Mortality and his Astral Birth or Life into the part of the Wrath. 2. Man's Soul or Spirit is generated out of the
God and hath Ability to speak of the indissolvable band but not of the infinite generating for the immeasurable space of the Dâ—ity hath neither Beginning nor End Of the sublime Gate of the Holy Trinity 4 The Father iâ— the Original Essence of all Essences in whom if the Son the second Principle were not Eternally generated the Father according to the first Principle would be a zealous wrathful dark Principle for the Son is as the Light out of the Fire the Heart Brightness and Love of the Father who is in his Son merciful reconciled and well pleased The Son is another manner of Person than the Father hath another centre of meer Jov and Love The Holy Ghost proceedeth from both in the enkindling of the Light as out of the Water Fountain of Humility is also an Almighty Spirit making out of the vertue of the Light an infinite number of Centres of a sweet smell and sweet tast The Description of Lucifer c. I Abridge not here having done it more fully in the 13th Chapter of Aurora page 250. CHAP. V. Of the third Principle the Creation of the Material World and farther clearing of the first and second Principles 1. A Principle is a Birth Therefore he that is Born of God may know the third Principle by his own new Birth The terror of God's Wrath the horror and anguish of his Estate Sin and Darkness was his first Principle His pure Divine Joy in being born again is his entring into the new Life or second Principle 2. In the first Principle is the indissoluble band which is Genitrix in it self inanimate wherein by the moving Spirit of God out of that incomprehensible Matrix the comprehensible visible Water proceeded in such various manner as the Spirit willed for out of the fifth Form of it was enkindled the fiery Heaven and Constellation or Quintessence where the Light originateth whence the Sun was Born which opened and enlivened the third Principle of the Material World as the Heart of God in Paradise doth in that pure immaterial Heaven opening the Eternal Power and Wisdom of God 3. The outward third Principle is the Similitude or Representation of the inward Paradisical World in which Angels and Man were â—reated and should not have known the Original of the four Elements wherein by the Fall of Lucifer was Evil and Good but now the Knowledge of it is highly necessary that we may fly from the bestial Man and learn to know the true Man CHAP. VI. Of the Separation in Creating the Third Principle 1. BY the Separation of the Creatures the Sun Stars Elements yea in our selves and in all things and their particular Properties the Eternal Mother is seen 2. The generated World becomes a Genitrix not sundered from the Eternal but by the Sun hath attain'd another Light and Life but is not the Eternal Light Life or Wisdom it self 3. Out of the Paradisical Heaven Water Spirit or Matrix is the Material Heaven created For when Lucifer would Domineer the dark Matrix attracted so as the Earth Stones Metals Salt c. proceeded which shut him up but the vertue remaining in the Matrix producing Light made also Gold Silver Copper c. The Spirit of God without departing from his own Eternal Paradisical Seat by the Fiat moved on the Material half deadned Water and created the Heaven which once separated from the dark Mist whereof was the Earth the Elements of Air Fire and Water though one in another appeared CHAP. VII Of the Eternal Birth of Heaven and generating the four Elements c. 1. NO Spirit nor Man can of his own Power possibly see into any other Principle but in which he is or is regenerated into Man whose Soul is out of the first Principle his Body outwardly of the Stars and Elements and inwardly of the one Element if illustrated by the second Principle hath great might of Miracles raising the Dead c. such may well see into the three Principles the Spirit of which it is Born searcheth the deep things of the Deity 2. Other Men Swim between the Vertue of the Stars and Elements as the Created Heavens do between the Divine and Hellish Kingdoms as doth Man also and to which of them he falls and yields himself in that is he regenerated 3. The Light of God is a cause of all the three Principles But for that there would be no longing and attraction in the dark Eternity and the Father is the first desiring and longing after the Son thence the Eternal Nature is ever longing So the brightness or Heart of the Father in the dark Matrix generateth the third Principle for so is God manifest who else would be Eternally hidden 4. Therefore O Noble Man though thou art stept with Adam out of Paradice into the third Principle set thy great desire and longing of thy Heart on the Heart of God and his Kingdom will be taken by force seek God in thy Soul there stands all the three Principles The Divine Birth it self the Pearl the Paradisical Garden do all stand open in a holy Soul 5. The true place of God is every where the Centre of the Earth he comprehendeth Hell it self All things are of him and from him And yet the out or procreated Birth is not from his Essence or Substance but from the Darkness And 1. The Fountain of the Darkness is the first Principle 2. The Vertue and Power of the Light is the second Principle 3. The Out-birth generated out of the Darkness by the power of the Light is the third Principle In a similitude 6. 1. Your Soul-giving Reason representeth God the Father 2. The Light shining in the Soul represents the Son 3. The vertue proceeding from that Light whereby the whole Body is directed represents the Holy Ghost 7. 1. The Darkness in you which longeth after the Light is the first Principle 2. The power of the Light by which you see in your Mind without Bodily Eyes is the second Principle 3. The vertue proceeding from the Mind impregnating it self whence the Material Body groweth is the third Principle Between each of which is an inclosure knot or stop 8. God â—ever'd the Fiery Starry Heaven or Quintessence from the watery Matrix else there would have been no end of generating of Stones That done the watery became clear and still the fiery longeth after the watery as the Husband of it and the watery as the Wife is impregnated thereby by which the Elements and all Minerals Vegetables c. as Children are proceeded 9. Every Form in the Matrix hath its visible Creatures but invisible to us unless they will manifest themselves for tho' the Elements are Members one of the other and receptacles one of the other yet each comprehendeth but it self Nor do the Spirits of the Air Water and Fire comprehend more than of their own Birth or peculiar World As the Body seeth not the Syderial and Elementary Spirit nor that
possible for a Soul by reaching back into the might of the Fire or first four forms and becoming false to the Virgin the Wisdom of God to shut the Door of the Virgin and lose the good of the third Principle which cannot be obtained again but by a new Birth wrought by the Holy Ghost Such a Regeneration restores true Honour and Joy but without it at the Death of the Body the Soul remains a Serpent or Worm that never dies and the figures only of the other two principles remain to compleat its horrour that he may see what an Angelical Form he hath irrecoverably lost Thus Adam lost the Virgin by his Lust and got the Woman in his Lust. 8. By the above appears what Adam was viz. having the Tincture of the perfect Male and Female Properties 9. The Temptation was the Spirit of the VVorld being the third Principle like a young Man of good Complexion Vertuous and Beautiful having forty days and nights sweet Converse and Embraces of a perfectly Fair curiously Featur'd modest Virgin of Gods Wisdom in meer Joy with command that their Will be most stedfast so as not in the least thought to desire one another but as chastly as if they were each unknown or unseen to the other and so to remain in the Proba forty days and nights 10. The Spirit which God had breathed into Adam was the chast Virgin which Adam's worldly Spirit should have loved with a pure Mind but he desired her with Terrene Lust which was his Fall 11. But by being Born again of Water which is in the Centre and of the Holy Spirit the Soul is cleansed from impure Affections and inflam'd with Divine and Sacred Love CHAP. XIII Of Creating the Woman 1. Adam's Tincture being wearied in the strife of the three Principles his Lust Spirit prevailing he sunk into sleep his Heavenly Body became Flesh and Blood his strength Bones the Virgin withdrew into her Heavenly Ether where she waiteth to see if any will by the new Birth receive her for their Bride 2. Adam's Angelical Kingdom was gone he now must generate a worldly Kingdom by a Female as other Beasts Which that God abominated appears by his making Man at first without a Female and said all was very good also that the first Child was a Murtherer and that God cursed the Earth c. 3. But God that he might help vanquisht Adam of one of his Ribs built a Woman That is The Fiat stood in the Centre and sever'd the Matrix from the Limbus took part of Adam's substance viz. of his Spirit Flesh and Bones which then were not so hard till Eve did bite the Apple So they were two yet undivided in Nature and both must generate one Man which before one should have done 4. A pleasant Gate As little as the Spirit of the Soul could be helped except the Virgin by entring into the Abyss of the Spirit of the Soul which is near the Hell of Gods fierce anger had regenerated by Jesus Christ so little could the rent in Adam's hollow side whence the Rib was taken be made perfect except the second Adam had suffered the Wound in the same place to pour out his precious Blood and so repair the first Adam's breach made in the same place 5. Further of the Woman Eve was not made of the Rib only but of all Adam's Essences yet of no more Members than the Rib which causeth her feebleness and is by Gods command in subjection to the Man and to be friendly to him Also the Man must help her and love her as his own Essences And they being but one Flesh Bone and Heart must have but one will And their Children are neither of the one nor of the other but of both As if only of one which causeth the severe command that they honour and be in subjection to Father and Mother on pain of Temporary and Eternal Punishment 6. The Noble propagation of the Soul The Tincture is generated from all the three Principles yet hath neither for its own but is a bright Habitation in which the Spirit dwelleth It reneweth the Spirit that it becometh clear and visible It s Name is Wonderful known only to them that have it It giveth Vertue to and is the Life and Heart of all things It is the fragrancy of Herbs and Flowers and causeth them as also Silver and Gold to grow though of all the Children of Nature it be a Virgin and generateth nothing out of it self It is the Friend and Play-fellow of God The way to it is very near Whosoever findeth it dare not reveal it nor can he for no Language can express it yet it is not God It may be over-powered and used in Metals if it be pure it can make pure Gold of Iron and Copper and make a little grow to be a great deal It s way is as subtle as the thoughts of a Man for thence rise the thoughts 7. The propagation in the Flesh So great is the subtilty and might of the Tincture as to penetrate the Marrow in the Bones of another which Witches know and practise for their Master Lucifer thought to exalt his false Tincture above Gods 8. The Male and Female Tinctures tho' different yet both long after the Virgin the Tincture of the Male goeth out of the Limbus that of the Female out of the Matrix And in the delicate Complexions where the Tincture is most noble and clear the ardent vigour of each thinketh to find the Virgin in the other tho' it be in neither And from the mixed desire groweth the Body and in the wrestling the Conqueror giveth the marks of distinction The Spirit of the great World thinketh it hath the Virgin which it hath not 9. The secret Gate of Women The Seed is sown in the Lust of the Tinctures and the harsh sour Fiat supposing it to be the Virgin attracteth the Seed to it with great joy desiring the Limbus of God in Paradise but the Spirit of the great World insinuateth and filleth the Tincture with the Elements whence comes a loathing against the fulness for the Virgin Tincture relisheth not such grossness but retires into its Ether Then the Spirit of the Sun Stars and Elements doth by the Fiat attract and foster the Child 10. In the first Month the harsh Fiat in which ruleth the Spirit of the Stars perceiving the Blood of the Mother wherein is the Tincture to be sweeter than its own Essence it longeth to image it self therein and Create Adam In the second Month the Matter is sever'd into Members according to the predominance of such Stars as are then most potent In the third Month the joy the Fiat got in the Tincture of the Blood withdraweth and the harsh Essences in Terror would fain like a flash depart but are withheld and made hard making the Skin inclosing the Child then the Tincture flasheth upward in the Terror taking the power of all the Essences with
Church 1. ADam having a Garment lent him by the great World is let go out of the Garden and a Cherubim with a flaming Sword is set to guard the Way to the Tree of Life which is the Kingdom of the fierceness in God's Anger which must cut away the Earthy Body from the Holy Element that the new Man may press into the second Principle the Way to the Tree of Life in Paradise Our gross Flesh is the Hedge before the Paradise Would you enter press through the Sword of Death Christ the great Champion will help you who though by his entering haâ—h shew'd and made the Way more easie yet the Sword is still before it 2. Christ took the Book of the first Principle out of the hand of the Ancient of Days and opened the seven Seals or Spirits of the Operation of God The seven Candlesticks are his Humanity the seven Stars the Deity See the four first Chapters of this Book 3. When Eve bare Cain she said I have a Man from the Lord meaning what the Apostles thought of Christ that he should erect a Worldly Kingdom and break the Serpent's Head by the Spirit of this World and its might And here lay the Foundation of the two sorts of Churches one as Cain's standing in the might of the Spirit of this World the other of Abel pressing on the Mercy of God in Faith and Resignation But from the Evil Tree of Adam and Eve's lust sprung the evil murtherous branch Cain 4. That Cain the First-born should be so wicked and a Murtherer is for that Eve was the Child which Adam should if he had not been overcome in great Modesty have generated but his Matrix being impregnated by the Spirit of the great World therefore first was framed out of it a fleshly Woman and her first Fruit became Evil as well as the Limbus of Adam After Abel's Death 70 Years passed before Seth. CHAP. XXI Of Cain's Kingdom and Antichristian Church and of Abel's Kingdom and true Christian Church 1. THE two Eternal Principles of Fierceness and Meekness do strive from Eternity to Eternity for without the fierceness the Meekness would be a still nothing without Mobility and without the Meekness the Fierceness would be a dark gnawing as in Hell Adam's first Principle was throughly illustrated with the second and his Body out of the one Element out of which Element came the four Elements 2. Adam was drawn of both and so is Man still but Man hath the ballance of both Scales The Mind is the Centre of the ballance the Senses or Thoughts are the Weights which the Mind passeth out of one Scale into the other The one is the Kingdom of the Fierceness the other of the Regeneration Thus hath Man the Kingdom of Heaven in the Word of the Divine Vertue given into his Power the Kingdom of Hell in the Root of it in a Bridle and the Kingdom of this World according to the Humanity from Adam Consider we well which we suffer the Mind to be charged with and over-ballanced by for of that we are the very Image 3. Man is a Field the Mind the Sower the three Kingdoms the Seed Look which thou sowest for that thou reapest and at the dissolving of the Body that thou art If thou give thy Field thy self up to this World thou standest only in two Principles that of this World and that of the fierce Wrath. 4. But he that is generated out of Darkness into the Light knoweth both the fierce Eternity and the Out-birth but cannot search out the Light for he is therewith environ'd and therewith ruleth like a Prince in Heaven over Hell and Earth and all are profitable to him for by the first his high exulting Paradisical Joy springeth up and in the third are God's variety of Wonders as in Glasses represented 5. Thus may be seen how Cain's Evil worldly Kingdom and hypocritical Antichristian Church is founded Also how Abel's meek Light righteous Kingdom and his regenerated and resigned spiritual Church is perfected The victorious Gate of the poor Soul In the three last Pages of this Chapter is a sweet and consolatory Incitement and Exhortation that the Soul advance by Perseverance with disregard of the Old Man compar'd to a Wild unruly Beast that it may attain the victorious Garland of Pearl to Crown the New Man with CHAP. XXII Of the new Regeneration in Christ out of the Old Adamical Man 1. THE Scripture saith Christ was conceived and born without Sin of a pure Virgin But since Adam's Fall no pure Virgin is generated of Man's Seed therefore the pure Eternal Virgin of God's Wisdom putting it self into Mary became not thereby Earthy but Mary by putting on the chast Virgin as a pure Garment of the Holy Element or as a new regenerated Man the Soul of Mary comprehended the same and in that same she conceived and did bear into the World the Saviour of all the World 2. And as Mary bare the Heavenly in the old Earthy Man which was her own yet comprehended not the new So the Word entred into the Eternal Virgin in the Heavenly Matrix in the Body of Mary and became a Heavenly Man out of the new regenerated Man in the Soul of Mary and hath brought the Soul of Mary again into the Holy Father so that the Souls of Men were new born again in the Soul of Christ. 3. The Soul of Christ was no strange Soul brought from Heaven but as all Souls are generated so was Christ's though in his Holy Body which was become Maries own And Christ with his entrance into Death sever'd his Holy Man from the fierceness of the Anger and from the Kingdom of this World 4. As the pure Element which is truly every where in which God dwelleth hath attracted to it this World as a Body and yet this Out-birth comprehendeth it no more than the Body doth the Soul So truly hath Christ in the Body of the Virgin Mary attracted to him our Human Essences and so is our Brother which Essences comprehend not his Deity nor can the new Man comprehend it otherwise than the Body doth the Soul 5. In our Human Essences Christ died and his Deity of his Holy Man in the pure Element bereaved Death of its Power and opened a Gate for us all to be separate from the Devil the World and the bestial Body of the four Elements whereof only the shadow is to remain Who then shall not have the Image of our Immanuel shall have the Image of that which his Heart hath been set upon here 6. To Demonstrate Highest things by a Similitude 1. The Almighty Father is as the Fire of the whole Holy Constellations 2. The Son as the Sun which is the Heart and Joy of the Deep 3. The Holy Ghost as the Air. 4. The Virgin of God's Wisdom as the Spirit of the great World 5. The Holy Ternary as the Earth 6. The Heavenly Aquaster as the Water call'd also the Holy
Essences in the Centre of the Eternal Band so in the new Birth may be seen the dark and holy Worlds as that whereout the new Man is Born Even as the Word in the Father and the Spirit which goeth forth from the power is the life of the Deity The Eternal Will is the Creator and the Father is the Being of the Will and the Essences caused by the Will There are two Wills causing two Principles in one Being but the first is not called God but Nature or Essence the second Will is the beginning and end making Nature or Essence manifest 2. The first Will being an Eternal desire to Generate the Word can be called only the desiring in the Will which with a strong eagerness contracteth narrowness to be the manifester of wideness which attraction is thicker than the Will and as its darkness and in the Egress of the desiring are the Essences viz. a sting of sensibility which the desiring cannot endure therefore rageth so much the more into such Enmity as is betwixt Heat and Cold and this Impetuosity causeth Mobility Terror and Anguish moving upwards where being restrained it stirs Circular whence come Multiplicity and tho' without feeling being meer Spirit and Forms of Nature yet so terribly raving that it buildeth and destroyeth as Life and Death and here is the Sulphur Mercury and Salt of high-knowing ancient Philosophers 3. Two Forms sharp cold and bitter stinging make the Wheel of the Essences which two are in terrible Anguishes without the other Forms generated out of them for the sharp sourness is like hard Stones and the sting of the attracting breaketh them which is rightly called Phur which would hold the Will in the Darkness which cannot be captivated being incomprehensible and is the flash of the sting And the bitter sting dissipateth the darkness of the Astringency as the flash ariseth from a stroke on a sharp Flint the bitter sting extreamly sharpeneth it self consuming the darkness even so the Fathers sharpness is a consuming Fire being the liberty which is free from Nature as much as the Mind is above the Sences and when the sourness hath captivated the liberty the fourth form is generated and the crack of the flash is the third Form making the sour Anguish or Brimstone Spirit For if the sourness sharpeneth extremely it is the proper limit of Eternal Death the Brimstone Spirit is the Soul of the four Forms having the Fire in it and would enkindle Nature and fly above it in a horrible power as may be considered in the Devils 4. Sul in Sulphur is the Soul in an Herb it is the Oyl not originating in the Centre as Phur doth but is generated after the flash even as all the four Forms in this third Principle are by the Suns vertue in a great degree moderated and made amiable in like manner doth the second Principle enlighten the Centre of the four Forms in the Holy Angels making them lovely and pleasant Mercurius comprizeth all the four Forms and Sal is the greatest in corporeal things The four Forms are the cause of all things making the Wheel of the Essences and every Essence which are themselves innumerable is again a Centre so that the power of God is unsearchable 5. The Fall of the Devils was their extinguishing in themselves the Light of the Heart of God wherefore they are shut up in the anxious four Forms Man fell from that Light also into that of this World Who if he enters not again into the Light of God when this Body breaketh he is in the first Birth of Life with the Devils yet both would climb up above Heaven but cannot feel or see that Principle like as we Men with our outward Eyes cannot see God who is always present nor the Angels who are very often with us except we put our earnest Will into God then we see and feel him with the Mind So also if we go with our Will inâ—o wickedness we receive the Hellish Principle and the Devil takes fast hold of our Heart Whereof the Soul is so sensible that often in desperation they destroy themselves by the Sword Ropes or Water 6. Tho' the Hellish Creatures have but four Forms manifest to them yet can they turn themselves into all Forms as infinitely as Mens thoughts except the holy Forms The Fire is their right Life and the sour Astringency of the darkness their right Food 7. The first Eternal Will is the Father and Eternally generateth the Word his Son who is the Heart of the first Will having in him the vertue and power of the first Will and a several Centre in it self The Father expresseth all things by the Son and whatever is expressed by the Spirit and Power of the Father in the word is in a Spiritual manner for what is formed out of the Eternal is Spirit and Eternal as Angels and Souls of Men are And tho' the four Forms keep their own Centre yet out of them cometh the Light and in the Light the Love which shineth in the darkness but the darkness comprehendeth it not The Father is in himself the light clear bright Eternity yet without a Name for if the Eternal Liberty did not generate there would be no Father but seeing he doth generate the Band of Nature he manifesteth himself therewith with his fiery sharpness an angry Zealous or Jealous God and Consuming Fire out of which presseth forth the Meekness as a sprout out of Death turning Enmity into Love CHAP. III. Is concerning the Sixth and Seventh Forms 1. THE generating of the Love is in the sixth Form viz. Mercury the sound Tone or Song as also the five Senses The Son of God is rightly the Flame of Love who created the Angelical World out of himself whence goeth out the Virgin of the Eternal Wisdom of God by which God created this World out of the first Principle and that which goeth forth with or out of the Love is the Holy Spirit of the Word this together is the Trinity in Unity But as in the wrath there is a striving contrary Will here is an Embracing 2. The sourness retaineth its strength in the sharpness of Love but it is very soft and the sixth Form makes Voices Tunes and Sounds so that the Essences hear one another and in the Assimilation taste one another in the breaking through of their Power feel one another in the desirous Love smell one another and in the Light see one another The six Forms are the six Seals of God what in the dark Centre is a poysonous Woe and Anguish is in this the exalted Joy and Triumph a satiating of the first Will which is call'd Father for the Son is the Word the Brightness the Power the Love the Life the Wonder of God he is the Essence which manifesteth every Essence Concerning the seventh Form of the Eternal Nature The revealed Gate of the Essence of all Essences 3. The time of this World from the beginning to the end
is the seventh Form or Seal of the Eternal Nature wherein the six Seals disclose themselves And natural Wisdom instead of finding the Heart of God by humble resignation hath found the Wonders of this World by Thunders Voices and Strife for when after the Apostles times Men left Love and Meekness and fell to Pomp and Pride the Golden Candlesticks and seven Stars withdrew and were hid and all became seven Seals The Glassy Sea is the Angelical World The Voices of the seven Thunders would be hid proceeding out of the stern Essences did we not put our Imagination into them and open them in us So that only the Lamb excepted none in Heaven nor Earth were worthy to open the Seals nor look thereon we were shut up by them under Death Darkness which only the Light in the Heart of God could open for Man was become an abominable Beast a Dragon with seven Heads and ten Horns and ten Crowns on the ten Horns this Beast the hypocritical Woman rideth on is this the Ass Christ humbly rode on 4. It is hellish Pride and worldly Pomp on which the Woman of seeming Holiness rideth she pretendeth to the Keys of Heaven and makes Laws Decrees and Canons yet knoweth not the New Birth He only that is born of God in his inclined heart the Seals are opened But when and wheresoever the Lamb openeth the seventh Seal then and there the Whore the Beast and Dragon are cast into the Lake of Fire then doth the good Shepherd lead his Flock into green Pastures then they that mark hearken incline the heart mind and thoughts coming humbly with broken hearts are met and embraced in them Christ is born they have him in the Baptism Supper and hearing of the Divine Word in all places for the Holy Ghost satisfieth the longing of the contrite spirit CHAP. V. Of the Seventh Form of Nature the Corporeity 1. COrporeity subsisteth in the 7th Form of Nature and as all the other six Forms are a hunger and longing desire to each other so are all their desires to the seventh to have a Body or Rest and the desire of the Essences is to preserve and sustain the Body The whole Essence of all Essences is a continued hunger of propagating from its fulness so that when one Form attaineth the other a third riseth yet the two former vanish not but all keep one in the other their own respective Powers and so of the rest And tho' the still Eternity is the only true Rest yet is the seventh Form a substantial Body of Rest whereinto the six diffuse their vertues and the same seventh Form standeth and is the comprehensible Body of Darkness and Light 2. The sharp Fire in the Liberty holdeth its right and the anguish whence the Fire ariseth sinking as a death affordeth matter and weight as in my self I see the Fire the cause of feeling in the dead Corporeity which else in the anguish sinketh into weight and is burthensom as a stifling Now what as Fire ascendeth not or as weight sinketh not in death doth as anguish remain neither uppermost nor lowermost which as the begun anguish is the Centre of both and not getting up nor down presseth side-ways like the lower Branches of a growing Tree 3. The Deity longed to see the Wonders in the Eternal Nature and Innumerable Essences yet created all for the Light not for the Darkness for the Tincture is awakened in the Centre in the death of the Earth which is the life of all Gems Minerals Vegetatives and Animals And in the deep the Sun having the Tincture of the Fire is the Father and Life of all the Stars who in the beginning proceeded from its Centre not that they all sprang from them for as the Sun is the Centre of the uppermost in the Liberty so is Saturn or the Earth of the lowermost in death yet is there no dying but a transmutation for neither doth this World die but the Essences change to be what they were not and remain as figures for ever to the glory of God's works And if the gross Visibles were not created to the Darkness how much less the Spirits which are out of the Eternal Mind and therefore Eternal like as our Mind hath diversity of innumerable thoughts and those thoughts essentially potent when exalted as in that of a Woman with Child whose thoughts can magically impress foreign preternatural substances as well as heterogene incongruous figures on the fruit of her womb 4. When God willed the Fiat viz. the creating the Eternal Essences or Powers which flowed into substance which Eternal Essences before went forth without substance then time hads its beginning But the Holy Will still proceeded with the Powers into the love and delight in meekness contrariwise Lucifer's direful Fall was his delight of turning back his will to domineer in the Tincture of the Fire root his motion to which was the forms of the Genitrix before enkindling of the Light as sour bitter dark tart stinging envious for in the fourth form stands Love and Anger in opposition being the middle form of the seven having three drawing one way and the other three drawing the other Lucifer therefore was drawn of both but that the Root forms prevailed was because he saw the Divine or Second Birth proceed out of the Centre and himself standing in the Essences of the Nature of Eternity the great Fountain he therefore despised the Humility whereof Love and Light are the Off-spring and would rule over it and so was cast out of the uppermost Life into the nethermost Death and Darkness for he was offended to see the greatest Mysteries to stand in the greatest lowliness 5. The attaining the Divine Light consisteth in a fixt resolution wrought in us of Humility wherein the Love is generated But all Laws and Devices to attain it are fabulous and as the making costly works wherein the Artificer pleaseth only himself with things wholly unprofitable reaching no higher than imitation of useful things like also as there are many Spirits Aerial Aquastrish Terrestrial and in the Anguish which are not out of the Eternal Well-spring but from the beginning Will generated by the Tincture of Heaven in Nature which mutable at their time leaving only their shadow to manifest the wonders of God And from Eternity there hath been such a Government where the knowledge was only in God but at the coming out of the Angelical World an Intellect was also in the Creatures The Gate into the Holy Trinity 6. In no Creature in Heaven or this World stand the three Principles open as in Man The first Principle or Father tho' he standeth in the Liberty Eternal Stilness is not call'd Father as such but as he is the desiring Thus the Mind of a Man being one only Will is desiring yet therein out of the Eternal Will are innumerable Wills the first Will is Master and the other are recomprehended leading to Light and Darkness to Joy
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
Fire in Adam and passed on all Men and the gross bestial Property the Serpents Ens and enkinded Anger was in Abraham and his Childrens own Property as in the Children of Ham except the Line of Christ which was in God's Power and stood in them as Heaven doth in this World also in Hell or as the Day doth in the Night yet not confounded So in the angers Property Abraham and his Family smote the Heathen and rescued Lot so also have the Children of the Saints waged War 4. But such who would be call'd Christians do wage War not as Christians but as Heathens for the Christian is dead with Christ to Wrath and the four Elements and new born in Christ's Spirit of Love and Patience he is not of this World liveth not to himself but to God his Conversation is in Heaven Nor did Abraham desire ought he took the Goods he restored to the King of Sodom 5. Melchisedeck the Royal Priest was the real figure of Christ who blessed Abraham left the Turba after his fighting should return on him To him Abraham gave Tithes viz. the 10th Property of the Human fiery Tongue of the Soul And the Priest gave his Bread and Wine and Blessing thereinto viz. Love-fire Tincture of the Light Heavenly Substantiality that the Soul 's fiery Tincture might again become a compleat Image of God with Male and Female Property Heavenly Corporiety by the King of Salem viz. of Salvation CHAP. XXXIX God's Covenant with Abraham his Faith and Sacrifice 1. A Abraham's Faith was his receiving the Speaking Word of God viz. in the Promise into his Human Ens His Desire viz. the aim of the Covenant or formed Word and both these were formed into one Power and real Spiritual Substance For Faith is the taking hold of God's Will and Uniting it to ours 2. The Offerings were of three sorts of Beasts a Heifer a She-Goat and a Ram each three years old betokens the whole outward threefold Man of Salt Mercury and Sulphur The dividing them the twofold Limus of the Earth viz The gross Property out of the Dark World the other the Limus out of the Heavenly Worlds Property which lyes in one Compaction in the Earth whence Man was created The Turtle Dove the poor Soul captivated in the bestial Property The young Pigeon the inward disappeared Humanity Their not being divided shews nothing shall be taken from the Soul nor from the inward Man of the Heavenly Limus The Fowls which Abraham drove away the Essence of the wrathful Property of God's Anger in Man which hungreth after the Humanity and would devour the same Abraham's deep Sleep the Death of Christ. The horror the Wrath of God The darkness the dark World into which the Word should enter and resign its Will The enkindled Fire passing between the pieces the Holy Love-fire tincturing all into a pure Gold The Servitude in Egypt that Christ in his Members should be only a Pilgrim and that we are here in the Kingdom of the Heathen where God's Children must be embroiled in Servitude with them to which the Potent do compel the Poor whereto he must be subject else he resisteth the Kingdom of Nature viz the formed Word But if the Worldly Rulers rule only according to their Will and Lusts they will find that God will Judge them CHAP. XL. Of Hagar and Ismael 1. THE scope of this toucheth that of Predestination For as much as Ismael and Esau are erroneously taken to be of Eternal reprobation we are to know that Ismael representeth the Father's Property and Kingdom of Nature in Adam Isaac the Sons Property and Kingdom of Grace in the second Adam 2. Babel indeed blindly teacheth that God hath ordained a certain Number and Company to Damnation and the rest to Salvation but if so Nature must needs be limited confin'd and determin'd when to bring forth a Child of God or of Wrath and nothing would be in the Human Property free yea God himself must confine and shut up his unchangeable one Infinite Will into a Beginning and Limit which opens a Gate to horrid Prophaneness makes void God's Holy Laws and Rules renders needless the offers of Grace and bars up the Door of Repentance 3. Yet the Holy Name of God thus taken in Vain is from Eternity free and offers it self to all poor Sinners Thus the Angel met Hagar and blessed Ismael then in her Womb who figur'd the Runagate Adamical self Will for God inwardly calls all wicked Men not only in the Womb but all the time of their lives as the Sun shines all the Day 4. So God calls the Turks and Heathens figur'd by Cain Ham Ismael and Esau who are in the Kingdom of Nature as Ismael in Hagars Womb they went not to Isaac but to Abraham nor these to Christ's â—erson but to God and he heareth them in Christ. They and painted Christendom are as the two Sons one promis'd but did it not the other said he would not but went and â—id it so may they attain the Adoption though the letter Christians grumble at the returning Prodigal who is nevertheless embraced by the Father CHAP. XLI Of the Seal of the Covenant of Circumcision and of Baptism 1. GOD ratified his Covenant with Abraham by the Seal Circumcision shewing what Ens was Blessed also what must and what in Man must not inherit viz. not the gross Earthy Man conceived in the bestial Lust of Man and Woman 2. That Copulation is only born with by Divine Patience and Permission Man having lost the Magical Birth of Paradice and therefore was every Male circumcised on that Monstrous Member The bestial Seed of Man and Woman being the Seed of their own Will shall not put on the Covenant and Blessing but he who is not Born of the Will of Man nor of the Flesh but of God 3. The Earthy Members die in the Spiritual Birth through Christ's Death Externally 't is cut off in the Temporal Death and 't is Buried in the Eternal Death in the Nothing and a new Angelical Form shall arise 4. The Males were only Circumcised for Adam had both the Tinctures and was a Masculine Virgin It was to be on the eighth Day because six Days are the Man in Nature the Seventh is the Day of Rest which he had brought into disquietness by reason that the seventh Property the Heavenly Nature died in him therefore God gave him of Grace another Day viz. the Eighth which is Christ. Ismael was the first Man though a Mocker thus taken into Covenant for Christ came for Ismael's sake also though the Doctrine of some damâ— Children from the Womb. 5. Baptism is for both Sexes on all Days shewing the need all have and Christ's Universal offer of God's Mercy also pointing out Christ's Humanity who was both Circumcised and Baptized and the First born from the Dead But the Ens of Faith by the Spirit was the Fire-baptism for both Jews and Christians CHAP. XLII Of the three Men
twofold Humanity viz. the Heavenly and Earthy that when these Warriours should smite the Earthy the other which came down from Heaven should escape 3. Jacob's Presents are Christs Prayers 4. His humbling himself saying I came over with my Staff only but am now two Bands so did Christ in the Garden whose two Bands were the Heavenly Humanity perish'd in Adam and that of the Limus of the Earth with both which Jacob viz. Christ was to return to his first Paradisical Countrey and Angelical Kindred 5. Sent five hundred and eighty Cattel viz. Christ sent out Lusts to the Anger of God 6. Jacob also sent his two Wives viz. Christ sent the twofold Spirit of Man viz. the Soul and the Spiritus Mundi viz. the inward Eternal Soul and the outward Soul 7. Two Handmaids viz. the twofold Humanity of the Body 8. The Eleven Children viz. the Eleven Apostles 9. And passed over the Brook Jabock viz. Kidron 10. Jacob's Twelfth Son lay yet unborn so now was Christs Twelfth Apostle not chosen in the room of Judas 11. Jacob staid alone and there wrestled a Man with him viz. the great love of God in the Name Jesus did wrestle with Gods Righteousness and Truth which was on Mount Sinai 12. All Night of the darkness of Gods Anger 13. The Ham of his Thigh was displaced viz. the Adamical Humanity was displaced but not broken to die Eternally He halted viz. being Lame to the Pride Vanity Malice Lasciviousness c. of this World 14. The Man said Let me go for the day viz. the Eternal day dawneth But Jacob viz. Christ said I will not let thee go until thou bless me viz. the Humanity 15. And the Man said What is thy Name He said Jacob. Then the Man said Thou shalt no more have a self name but Israel viz. a Tree of Life or Christian viz. a sprout on the Vine Christ. 16. And Jacob asked what is thy Name But Christ said why askest thou that is I am no stranger thy Name and mine shall be one But God without Nature and Creature is the Eternal one and Eternal good the Abyss and Profunâ—ity no place is found for him no Creature can Name him for all Names stand in the formed Word But God is the Beginningless Root of all Power the Vegetables know not how the Sun blesseth them 17. Man hath lamentably lost the five Vowels the Holy Ghosts Language for the whole New Testament is couched up in the Old 18. When God blessed Jacob he called the place Penuel that is where God is manifest in the Soul 19. And when he was departed thence the Sun viz. of Righteousness arose in him and he halted his self-will was lame in its ability 20. And the Children of Israel eat not of that Sinew to this day for they understood that Mystery and Instituted this Memorial viz. the displacing of their Bestial Wills which if the present Jews and Christians well understâ—od they would not hunt after Covetousness and Lust yet under Christs Purple Mantle CHAP. LXI Of Jacob and Esau meeting all Heart-burning turned to Joy c. 1. BLind Reason should learn the meaning of Gods Decree Rom. 9. 13. and Mal. 1. 2 3. for here was Esau the Type of the corrupted Adam and Jacob of Christ who came to help Adam and were of one Seed to shew Christ must become Flesh. And Jacob appeased Esau by his Humility as did Christ by his great Love in our Humanity in our Anger-soul appease the Anger of God when he gave up his Heavenly Blood with the Tincture of Love into the Anger of God for then was the Anger in the dark World turn'd into a Love-fire 2. Jacob seeing Esau coming with four hundred Men divided his Children to Leah and to Rachel and to both the Handmaids and passed before them and bowed seven times c. 3. When Christ in our Humanity entred his Sufferings Gods Anger in the four Elements met him Then Christ divided the Heavenly Worlds substance which he brought from God signified by Rachel from the Natural Humanity from Adam or Spiritus Mundi Typed by blear-ey'd Leah wherein yet the destroyer of the Serpent was Born as Judah of Leah while Rachel was Barren till Christs Spirit made her fruiâ—ful 4. And as Jacob set the Handmaids foremost so did Christ first cause the Earthy to pass through the sharpness of Death next Leah the Body out of the Limus of the Earth follow'd 5. And after her Rachel the Heavenly Limus with the Prince Joseph the Divine Worlds substance 6. Jacob bowed seven times in this Humility appeasing Esau so did Jesus through all the seven forms of Natures Life 7. As Jacob yielded up his Riches and Life to Esau to do what he would with him so did Christ to Gods Anger 8 Esau ran to meet him fell on his Neck wept and kissed him so when the Essence of Gods Anger in Man tasted the sweet Love in the Name and Blood of Jesus it was transmuted into Compassion 9. And Eâ—â—u beheld the Women and Children and said whose are these c. Man whiâ—e heâ—d in the Anger and Darkness was not known to the holy Image but Love made him known 10. Their order of coâ—ing to Esau shews how poor Eve's Children were brought through Christs Suffering and Death into the Countenance of God first the Body of Sin through Death then the Body out of the Limus of the Earth which in the Resurrection is esteemed strange therefore Typed by a Handmaid And lastly the fair Image Created in Adam 11. Jacob's Presents signifie the Children purchased bâ— Christ and given to the Father so shall Christ deliver up the Kingdom to the Father 12. Yet is Esau's Compassion and weeping on Jacob the Type of repenting Sinners sorrow 13. Esau said Let us go together Jacob saith The Children are tender c. I will follow softly c. When Christ in his Sufferings had appeas'd his Fathers Anger in the Kingdom of Nature the appeas'd Anger would instantly take the Journey viz. in the Life of Man But the Love said Man is too tender and may fall by Temptation in one day I will follow slowly with them to the end of the World 14. Esau would have left some of his Men with Jacob but Jacob said what needeth it viz. God the Father said Let me leave some Laws of my severe Righteousness but Christ saith Let me with my redeemed Children only find Grace in thy sight for they cannot fulfil thy Laws CHAP. LXII Of Dinah Deflour'd all the Males of Sichem slain by Simeon and Levi. 1. JAcob had Twelve Sons six of them were of Leah and Judah of whom came the Humanity of Christ was one of the â—ix 2. Then bare Leah Dinah which Daughter of Fleshly Love went after the Daughters of the Land a gadding lively prefiguring Christendom who instead of continuing in the humble simplicity of Jacob's Tents at Succoth and remaining a Stranger to the Customs and Behaviour
of the proud wanton Daughters of the Land mixeth with the Heathenish Wisemen in Fleshly Lust and bringeth forth a Bastard half Christian and half Heathen compos'd of the Profession of Christ and the Heathenish Notions viz. Philosophy Schools Colledges Heathenish Festivals c. 3. And as Simeon and Levi after the Men of Shechem had Circumcised themselves yet Murthered not only guilty Hemor but all the Males tho' Innocent so hath Christendom dealt by many Nations who having conformed to some of their Opinions yet are causlesly kill'd by the Antitype of Simeon and Levi. Therefore are the Potent Countries of the East departed from these Murtherous Pretenders to Religion to the Doctrine of Reason CHAP. LXIII How Jacob leaves Sichem Rachel bare Benjamin Isaac died 1. AFter Simeon and Levi had Murthered the Males of Sichem Jacob by command of God removed to Bethel after he had first taken away from his people their Idols and Ear rings and buried them under an Oak And at Sichem built an Altar Which hath this Figure That when the Spiritual Whoredom of the Jews and Christians had drawn on them Wars and Miseries God commanded his people to withdraw and erect an Altar of Humility and Fear in their Hearts 2. Then are their Idolatries Wars and Pride buried in Gods Anger in his hungry wrath viz. under an Oak which hath a Magnetick Tenacious Attractive Property making a hardness and blackness there will their Sins and Blasphemies lye buried till the Earth can no longer cover them But the fear of the Lord will fall on the pursuers of those that so depart and Build Gods Altar in them 3. God appear'd to Jacob in Bethel which Bethel signifies a condescention of the Deity in the Humanity 4. And they went from Bethel and it was a Field breadth from Ephrath where Rachel brought forth Benjamin but in hard labour so as she died 5. Adam was gone a Field breadth from Gods Altar viz. out of the Spiritua World into the Earthy where with the Death of the old Man the new must be Born 6. So also when Christ had consummated his Passion and Judas had perished Matthias was chosen an Apostle 7. After this Reuben defiled Bilhah Rachel's Maid his Fathers Concubine This Concubine representeth the Stone Churches in which God generateth his Children but the Adamical Man playeth the Hypocrite in them for none that is dead câ—â— awaken another that is dead nor can one that is Blind shew the way to another that is Blind but both will fall into the Pit their Ministers having lost the true Divine Power Reuben was given to fleshly Lust and Self-love and in that regard rejected of God 8. Yet those places though no more holy than other places hurt no Man being at first well intended yet their Ministers who Officiate for Honour and Profit without the Divine Unction are Adulterers and as profitable to the Church as a fifth Wheel to a Waggon 9. Jacob's returning to his Father and Isaac's Death at Hebron where he was a Stranger shews Gods Children to be all Strangers here and must all go to their Fathers Countrey viz. the Angelical World CHAP. LXIV Esau's Genealogy his own Name and Posterity and of Joseph 1. ESau's Children and Childrens Children being set down with so great observation is not without its Figure We must know we may not condemn him to Hell but that he and his Posterity bare the Image of the Earthy Glory Might and Power 2. From his own Name Esau the sau being cut off viz. the Swinish Bestial Property there remains the E the Angelical Property 3. And the Spirit calls him Edom which dom in the High Tongue signifies Red as Tinctured by the Blood of Jesus But of his Children more is said in another place viz. of this Authors Writings The remainder of Chap. 64. follows beginning the Third Part. Mysterium Magnum The Third Part. CHAP. LXIV Of Joseph Jacob's Son 1. JAcob had cast his Natural Love on Rachel being Fair but she was unfruitful till their Age had wither'd fleshly Love A Child they desired prayed for and obtain'd which represented the pure and right Adamical Humanity in its Primitive Chastity and fear of God as the first Adam in Innocency 2. For in Leah viz. in the simplicity and lowliness arose the Line of Christ. A Christian should stand at once in Christs Image and in Adam's such was Joseph therefore Jacob most lov'd him sprung from his chast Love to Rachel wherein Christ had imprinted and revealed himself in this copious Figure of Regeneration 3. Thence was it Joseph discover'd all falshood of his Brethren to his Father as did Christ reprove the World for sin 4. Joseph's Natural Brethren in the Type of Christendom became his Enemies 5. His Vision that he should be a Prince over his Father and Brethren points at the new Man undergoing all hatred Reproach and Persecution 6. Sometimes God raiseth up some honest pious Ruler like Reuben the eldest Brother to restrain their Cruelty yet not so wholly to oppose but divert them that he may deliver willing them to throw him into a Pit 7. Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of Silver and Christ for thirty to shew the Humanity of Christ is higher and more perfect than the Humanity of others For he was not from the Seed of Man but sprung from the natural Property of the Lights Tincture which assum'd the Fires Property viz. the Adamical Soul 8. A Christian is sold into the hands of Men to suffer but Christ not only suffered in the hands of Men but gave himself up also to the wrath of God thence came the Sweating Blood 9. The whole acts of Joseph paint out how Adam's Children come to be Christians by being put by the process of Christ into the Figure and be made an Image of Christ. 10. Also how God in the process of Christ sets Christ at the Right Hand of God As Joseph after he had been brought through the process of Christ was set at the Right Hand of Pharaoh CHAP. LXV Of Judah and Thamar and how they Figure Christ and Adam 1. THE Figure of Judah and Thamar interrupts the History of Joseph for his represents the demeanour of the true Christian. Theirs a Christians growth out of Adam's Image 2. Judah Figur'd here the old and new Adam Thamar the Earthy and also the new Eve 3. Judah went away from his Brethren and saw a Canaanitish Woman c. so did Adam go in his Lust from his Fathers House into the four Elements 4. Judah begot three Sons the first he called Er viz. self-will signifying the first World before the Deluge The second the Mother call'd Onan the World next after the Flood Onan O no my Lord drown me no more The third she call'd Selah a recomprehension viz. the time of the Law of Nature offering righteousness to Man and laying open of Sin which reached till Christ. 5. Judah gave this first Son a Wife call'd Thamar
fifth shall be Pharaoh's viz. This Seed shall cherish the four Elements of the Body and four Properties of the Souls Fire-life but the fifth viz. The Love-fire in the Light is the Lords herein is the Soul an Angel and Gods Kingdom of Divine Joy is in us 8. The Priests Field the heavenly Worlds Substance Christ buyeth not with his Blood as the averted Soul was bought for that never received the Turba in it but in the Fall disappeared and the Soul was blind concerning it into this was the Word inspoken again in Paradise and is filled with Christs Flesh and Blood It is in the Soul through the Soul and of the Soul but hath another Principle as Light hath than Fire from which Fire and Light proceeds Air and a dewy Water which again nourisheth the Fire 9. The History of the Five Books of Moses is this in the Figure The Exit out of Canaan and return into Canaan shews how Man went out of Paradise to be a Bondslave of Gods Anger and there be afflicted persecuted and tormented and how the right Adamical Man should with great Hosts and Armies and much purchased Goods got in the Divine Operation enter again into the Promised Land CHAP. LXXV How Jacob blesseth the two Sons of Joseph and preferreth the Youngest c. 1. JOseph brought Manasseh in his left Hand towards Jacob's right Hand and Ephraim his youngest in his right Hand towards Jacob's left Hand These two signifie the inward Man the Eldeâ—t the fiery Soul the Youngest the Spirit of the Soul the Power of the Light the second Principle That with its Love it might be set before God's left Hand viz. his Anger and break the Serpents Head The Soul he setteth before his right Hand to receive the Blessing but that could not be Israel stretched his right Hand and put upon Ephraim's Head God would not give the Government to the first Birth viz. to the fiery Soul seeâ—ng i◠〈◊〉 turâ—ed away its will from God but laid his Hand of Omnipotency on the Image of the Ligâ—t so was the second Birth uppermost in the Dominion 2. Jacob gave Joseph above his Brethren a piece of Ground which he got from the Amorites by his Sword and by his Bow which signifieth Christendom got by the Sword of the Spirit of Christ. CHAP. LXXVI THIS Chapter though excellent is with part of the 77th referr'd to the Abridgment the Author himself makes of all the Twelve in the close of the 77th Chapter CHAP. LXXVII 1. REuben beareth the Image or Figure of the first World who was fickle though in the greatest Dominion 2. Simeon beginneth with Noah and hath Levi viz. Sem with him but Simeon was the Sword of Ham and Japhet 3. Levi beginneth with Moses whose Sword cuts very sharply 4. Judah beginneth under the Prophets and is manifest in the Incarnation of Christ. 5. Zebulon cohabiteth in and with the Kingdom of Christ representing Christendom who sits pleaâ—antly for she is a new Love 6. Issachar was the time of Christendoms being settled in Rest and Dominion yet must bear the â—ross of Christ and was about 300 years after Christ. 7. Dan began the Potency of Christendom when they set up Kings Emperors Popes and Pompous consecrated Places The Aâ—der and Serpent sate in Judicature cloak'd under Christ's Name Then saith the Spirit of Christ I wait for thy Salvation O Lord now is Truth bitten in the heels 8. Gâ—d beâ—inneth the time of Universities and Schools when with might of Arms Mer sâ—t up Antichrist in Christ's Chair by baâ—ling Disputes so bring in Tradition and Canons making the Tail to be the Head 800 years since 9. Asher began the time of flattering Antichrist for fat Bread about 600 years ago and nearer 10. Naphtaly beginneth the searching deep Disputes about God's Council and Predestination that Men might cover themselves with a Mantle of plausible Maxims acute Logick this hath continued to this time 11. Joseph beginneth Christ's remanifestation he Ejecteth the Adder and Joseph's Brethren must now be ashamed of their Unfaithfulness and Selling him for now their subtiltâ— craft c. and Babylon is fallen and become the Habitation of Abominable Beasts but Joseph flourisheth 12. Benjamin â—eginneth with Josâ—ph's Evening to divide the Spoil of the first Christendom he is the first and last time he begiâ—â—â—th to devour Antichrist as a Wolf yet is but a Wolf So Jacob having finished all these Sayings drew up his Feet on the Bed and departed Shewing that when God will recall the unfolded Nature in the strife of time into himself strife shall cease and be drawn into the Temperature CHAP. LXXVIII Jacob's Burial in Canaan accompanied with all the Children of Israel and many of the Egyptians 1. SHEWS Christ's powerful Exit hence to Paradise and that when Christ will bring home his Bride he will have many of the Heathen with him also 2. Their Weeping and Mourning shew in the Magi Eternal Joy 3. Joseph's Brethrens fear and falling down before him and Joseph's weeping and gracious Answer not only of Pardon but to provide for them and theirs is a mighty comfort to Joseph's Brethren viz. to the Repenting Sinner under Anguish for his first committed Sins who saith they shall not only be Pardoned but turn'd into the best 4. Joseph's Desire of an Oath to carry his Bones out of Egypt to his Fathers signifies God's Oath in Paradise that Christ would come again to his Brethren and â—â—ay forever with them Amen This was the Author's Eighteenth Book FINIS Some Brief Remarks concerning the Life and Conversation of the Blessed Jacob Behmen Collected out of the Relations published concerning him JAcob Behmen was Born in the year 1575. at a Town in the upper Lusatia named Old Seidenburg distant from Gorlitâ—â— about a Mile and a half his Parents were of the poorer sort yet of sober and honest demeanour His Education and Breeding was suitable to their Wealth his first Imployment being the care of the common Cattel amongst the rest of the Youths of the Town But when grown Elder he was placed at School where he learned to read and write and was from â—heâ—ce put an Apprentice to a Shoemaker in Gorâ—iâ—â—s with whom having served his Time in the year 1594 he Married one Kaetherine the Daughter of John Hunshman a Citizen of Gorlitts by her he had four Sons living in the state of Matrimony thirty years His Sons he did in his Life time place to several honest Trades He fell sick in Silesia of a hot burning Ague but was at his desire brought to Gorlitts and there died the 18th of November 1624. being in the 50th year of his Age and was Buried in the Church-yard A Hieroglyphical Monument was Erected over his Grave by a Friend which had remained but a while but was razed and embezelled by the rude Hands of the envious As to his Personage I may truly say it was not such as was Amiable among the Children of Men
and Obedience do with Ardent and unwearied Prayers desire his Spirit The occasion of our first converse came from a prejudicate Mind I had against him being Tutor to the Sons of Mr. Balthasar Tilcken then his Enemy whence expressing in too harsh Language which God forgive me my dislike of the Man and his Tenets these Friends upon his coming to Lauben desired my Company with him to an amicable Conference about my Dissatisfactions wherein his solid Answers and Mildness in bearing with that disputing cavâ—ling frowardness the Schools had infected me with struck so deep into my Conscience as I could not longer resist the Spirit and Power of Christ in his Discourses but yielded up my self Truth 's Prisoner for which I ever Praise God But as for what passed 'twixt him and his Antagonist Gregory Richter Minister of Gorlitz and Superintendent of that Country as 't was first related to me by a Friend and after confirmed by Divers Persons of Credit I shall now give you a Relation This Minister had lent a young Baker a Doller to buy a little Meal to make Cakes against the Holy-days out of which he brought him a pretty big one for a Thank-offering and having within a Fortnight sold off his Batch restores him presently his Money with Thanks not imagining an expectation of any further Interest for so short a Loan but this it seems satisfied not the Minister in high Rage pronounced against him God's Anger and terrible Curse which so terrified the young â—â—ker that he fell into deep perplexity and despair of his Salvation in that he had inraged the Minister and had such a Curse or Anathema from him so that for several days he went up and down Sighing in great Perplexity nor would say what hurt him till at last upon the Desire of his Wife her Uncle Jacob Behmen discoursed him so Friendly that he confessed what it was that lay so heavy upon him who understanding the Cause of his Distemper spake comfortably to him and repair'd to the enraged Preacher and offer'd to him with all Submission that if the Young Man through Ignorance had in any thing offended him he should have the utmost Satisfaction he desired and upon these terms intreats his favour to the perplexed Soul But the Minister turning his Choler upon the Intercessor demands angrily What he had to do to trouble him bids him get him gone about his own Business or he would send him away with a Vengeance So seeing no hopes to appease him he bid God keep his Worship and departed but ere he was got out of the Door the Preacher was yet more enraged at his mild Salute throws his Slipper at him calling him Wicked Raskal and disdaining a Good Night from his Mouth the Humble Man nothing moved takes up his Slipper and lays it again at his Feet intreats him not to be Angry that he knew not in what he had wronged him Prays God to have him in his keeping and so parts The Superintendant's Choler ceased not boyling but the next Sunday he rails bitterly in the Pulpit against Jacob Behmen even by Name thundring against the Senate for tolerating such a pernicious Heretick and sworn Enemy of the Ministerial Function who not content to write Blasphemous Books and pervert Souls durst presume to come and disturb him in his own House that if they longer suffered and did not expel him their Territories they would move God in his Wrath to sink their City as he did those withstanders of Moses and Aaron the rebellious Corah Dathan and Abiram with their Complices The innocent Man was present and with much Patience heard himself most bitterly railed at and reviled and afterward stayed in the Church till the People were departed and as the Superintendant was going forth he followed him and expressed his Grief to hear himself so publickly and as he thought causelesly defamed and requested that rather than proceed in that way of publick reproach he would before his Chaplain that then was with him let him know his Offence and it should be amended The Minister would at first give no Answer to his Suit at length upon much importunity turning to him with a stern Visage cries Get thee behind me Sathan Avant thou turbulent unquiet Spirit to thy Abyss of Hell Doest thou still persist without all respect to my Function to Molest and Disgrace me to which surly repulse the true spirited Christian gave this Modest Reply Yea Reverend Sir I know well and much honour your Function I desire not to lay any Aspersion upon it or your Self only intreat you for your own and your Functions honour which engages you not to trample upon a Submissive Offender much less innocent to tell me candidly where my Fault lyes And further turning to the Chaplain said Courteous Sir I pray be pleased to intercede for me with our Minister that he would laying aside this violent Passion tell me ingenuously wherein I have offended him that I may by the best Satisfaction I can appease his Wrath that he may cease incensing the Magistrates against me But no Submission would allay his Rage but in heat he sends his Servant for the Town Serjeant to lay hold of him and carry him away to Prison but his Chaplain modestly excusing the poor Man dissuaded him from it and bid him go home to his House The next Morning the Magistrates meeting in the Council-House cite Jacob Behmen to appear before them they Examined him as to his Life and Conversation in which they could not find any thing blameable They asked him what Injury he had offered the Minister that made him with such vehemency to exclaim against him but he constantly affirmed that he was utterly ignorant of any Just cause of Offence he had given him and humbly prayed the Complainant might be sent for to declare the Grounds of his Accusation they esteeming this a Just Motion sent two Men of Quality of the Town to him to desire him either to come and personally make known his Grievances to the Court or at least inform them of the Matter by those they had sent to him for that purpose But he again falling into Passion at this Demand said he had nothing to do with the Council-House what he had to say he would speak from the Pulpit and what he did there dictate they must obey without Contradiction and without more ado disable this wicked Heretick from further opposing the Ministerial Function by Banishing him their City else the Curse of Corah Dathan and Abiram would light upon them all With this the poor Senate a little terrified fearing the Preacher's Anger and his Power in the Duke of Saxony's Court fall to fresh Consultations and concluded to Banish their innocent Fellow-Citizen out of the City but several of the Council would not consent thereto but rose and went their way The Sentence of Banishment was to be executed presently and the City Officers ordered to perform it It being so ordered he humbly