or Entrance of the Love into the Anger a Breaking or Killing of the Grimness and a Perfect Transmutation with the forth-bringing of the Joy-kingdom Wherein we then understand that God himself hath resisted his Anger as the First Principle with the Second as with his Love and himself broken the grim Death the which the Souls-spirit alone Understandeth when it attaineth the Heavenly Mysterium 83. Therefore we ought to beware that we do not abuse the most precious Name of God but call him only a Christian who is a Christian viz. the Inward Man out of Christ The Outward sinful Man retaineth justly his own Name from or out of his Mother wherein he Liveth Seeing God hath given to Adam an Outward Name according to the Outward Man and the Inward also according to the Inward Man why would We then mount higher then we are in the Ground 84. Now when the Author saith of himself I the living Word of God in this my holy flesh and bones say this and do this then the Dear Name of God is thereby abused For when the Spirit of Man is chosen to be a Prophet and Mouth of God then saith he only Thus saith the LORD as all Prophets have so spoken He doth it not out of himself out of his flesh and bones but the LORD revealeth his Will through him He is only an Instrument thereto 85. He is not in flesh and bones the LORD but in the Life of Christ a fruitful humble Twig that neither will nor doth any thing it self and also desireth nothing but its Mothers Essence the Mother may do with it what she Will The Mother will only have humble Children to lie on her Brest and drink of her Vertue and live in her Will so that she may delight her self in them for her fruit groweth upon their twigs which is the praise of the Tongues in Gods Wonder-deed 86. It must not be taken so as if I would despise a Christian spirit but I teach in the Spirit of Christ in him seeing I must speak of the Root and this is the Office given me that we may edifie our selves in the knowledg in Christ in One Tree and I beseech you to understand it right For to speak with an Angels Tongue with the Mouth of the Holy Ghost is a great matter Let no man ride unarmed if Gods Spirit armeth not his Tongue Heart and Spirit and giveth assurance and Certainty then let him not say The LORD speaketh 87. For often when the Fire of the Holy Ghost shineth out of the Inward viz. out of Gods Substance through the Outward the Outward Mysterium is kindled and rejoyceth exceedingly and beginneth in the knowledg of the Light to speak with Tongues out of the Mysterium But the will-Will-spirit ought Well to look to it self that the Outward Spirit do not go too high and speak with Tongues out of it self in the LORDS Name For the Outward Spirit triumpheth when it getteth a Look as if it were in the Inward and mounteth often thus aloft with Joyfulness But the Outward Reasons-spirit from the Stars mingleth it self willingly therewith 88. Therefore it is a very subtil thing to speak with the Outward Mouth out of Divine Tongues the Holy Ghost must go upon the Wings of the Wind and direct the Understanding that the Mind may find it experimentally for the Certainty must be in the Mind 89. The Prophet that speaks is not the Assurance for the speaks out of two Tongues as out of the Turba of the Wickedness of Men which he reproveth and also out of the Love out of Christs Humanity and sheweth the right Way 90. Now the Certainty or Assurance consisteth in the Mind that must be kindled and filled with the Holy Ghost then the Mouth of the LORD speaketh through the Outward Mouth not as its Own Word but as the Word of God Only the noble Image in the Inward standeth as it were trembling before the Presence and great Power of the Lord. 91. It maketh no Words in the Name of the LORD unless the Spirit of God doth form them then it must do as a Child in Obedience and although the LORD commanded Fire to fall from Heaven as by Elia it cannot contain it self it shall and must perform the Work of the LORD in Zeal 92. Therefore I say in good truth out of my gifts that a man ought to have a great care of himself if he must or will speak with the Mouth of the LORD for if he will say I the Living Word of God say and do this then must the Will of the LORD be there and the Spirit of God must arm the Tongue Heart and Mind and even himself go with it otherwise it is not the Word of the LORD but of the Outward Man 93. What the Author saith further of the altogether fleshly Christendom which carrieth no more but only the Name in the Mouth when the heart and mind are known before God to be only a Mocker of the Name of Christ is so indeed and he hath after his knowledg written very truly of it 94. This Christendom hath now borrowed the Mantle of Christ with his Passion Death and Satisfaction and hath thereunder hidden the Antichristian Bastard and covereth that same Man of Pride and Falshood with the Purple-mantle of Christ and rideth therewith in Babel upon the horrible and abominable Beast spoken of in the Revelation of John 95. It tickleth it self with Christs Passion and Satisfaction and yet will not enter into Christs Passion Death and Resurrection and be born out of Christs Spirit the Bastard must only be comforted 96. O! to how many an one shall the Mantle of Christ be turned to hellish fire wherewith he covereth the man of falshood There is not spoken only of Comfort but ye must be born anew out of Water and the Holy Ghost otherwise ye shall not see the Kingdom of God saith the Mouth Christus 97. The Will must be turned from Deceit and Falshood into Righteousness and Truth if he will be called a Christian with the ground of Truth and not only in the Mouth but in the Deed be a Christian 98. But he that carrieth Christ only in the Mouth and is not born out of the Will and Spirit of Christ he is the Antichrist and boasteth himself unjustly a Christian if he striveth not against the Will of the Flesh and continually killeth it then the Life of Christ is not in him but the Outward Worlds and the Devils Will in the Anger of God is in him For Christ said Whosoever entereth not in by the Door into the Sheepfold but climbeth up some other way He is a Thief and a Robber and cometh but for to rob steal and the Sheep follow him not for they know not his Voyce He is but a Hireling and the Sheep are not his own he seeketh only the Wool 99. If any will be a Shepherd of Christ he must not be a Stranger but must be born out
Imagination into the Earthly World which standeth Essentially within the dark World whereby her Almightiness was and is broken and inclosed in the Death so she turn her self again into the Light in the Almightiness in the Spirit of Christ who hath broke that same Death in her viz. in the Soul she must go again into Gods house into her self 119. Therefore it is necessary to become new born to beget out of himself a New Son out of the Old not a New Soul but a New Image out of the Soul in the Power of the Holy Ghost a Twig out-greening out of his own Essence in the Spirit of Christ and standing within the Light of the Deity not being shone upon from without but shining out of it self 120. The New Image is the food of the Fiery Soul and fuel for her burning The Soul eateth the Love-essence of the Image and giveth out of the Consuming as out of the grim Dying the high Light and in the Light through Fire out of the Desire of the Love and out of the Desire of the Fire the high and noble Tincture of the Holy Life with the power of Colours and Vertues 121. In which Power the Center of the Joy-kingdom of the Light-World standeth as the Heart of the Deity out of which the Holy Ghost proceedeth For the Fires-Center of the Soul and the Lights-Center in the Souls Image are it out of which the Spirit of God is begotten 122. The Spirit of God entereth not from Without into the Soul but he openeth himself in himself through the Souls-fire and through the Light-fire of the Image He is the Holy Mans peculiar Propriety 123. When a Man entereth into earnest Repentance and layeth hold on an earnest Will to enter into the Mercy of God within himself and casteth from himself all false Will then is the grain sown whereout the noble Flower in the Holy Trinity groweth Understand that the Souls-Will is turned thereby out of the Dark World into the Light World 124. And then when she Imagineth into the Light World into the Center of the Deity as she before hath Imagined into this World then she shall in her self in her Imagination or Desire grow pregnant of the Saviour and out of this Pregnancy God is begotten always and to all Eternity 125. Thus the true Man becometh the food of God and God the food of Man and so are We in God and God in Us and work with and in God and are his true Children in him 126. And this we had not been able to do being Adam brought his Souls-fire into the Grimness and his noble Image out of the Soul in God if Gods Heart had not entered again into the in Death inclosed Image of the Soul and given himself into the Grimness of the Souls-fire and brought again Divine Substantiality into the Image understand into the Essence of Mary to the Image 127. Understand the Holy Tincture arose together with the divine Substantiality in the Substantiality in Gods Spirit and the Holy Blood which the Tincture in humane Property maketh Blood went into the middle of the Turba of the Soul when the Outward Life broke on the Cross Then the Grimness of Death was broken with the Love and Meekness of God and transmuted into a Life of Joy and here Death was shewed openly For divine Love was again begotten in the grim Essence of the Soul and that is our New Birth in Christ into which the Desire of our Soul must enter if it will behold God and be begotten in Christ out of God 128. Christ is the New Stock and we green forth as Branches in him We must be born in God and must also beget God in us if we will be Branches on the Tree For upon the Branches which we are the Holy fruit groweth which Gods Spirit eateth in us viz. the Praise of God 129. Loving Brothers jest not and esteem it not a fiction it is known in Ternarium Sanctum in the pure River out of Zion Let no man expect or stay for a golden Time in which the Holy Spirit shall out of the outward Mouth cry into the hardened Man who will live only in the lust of the flesh I say into his Bestial Will O no that will not be 130. Whosoever will hear the Holy Ghost teaching out of the Mouth of another he must before bring his Will into the Holy Ghost and then the Holy Ghost preacheth unto him out of the Mouth of another within him 131. The Time is already that Henoch teacheth and Noah denounceth the Deluge there is henceforth no other sign then the sign of Elias Why doth the World stand gazing and suffereth its Ears in Vain to be filled with the Stars it is all in vain 132. Whosoever will enter with Zion and praise God in Jerusalem he hath now the acceptable time the Sound of the Seventh Trumpet is already Sounded The Fountain of Israel is open Let no Man imagine that the Trumpets-Sound will come from this or that place For as the Lightening ariseth and shineth unto the West so from the Beginning to the End is the Coming of the Son of Man 133. Let no man expect the Outward Prophet he shineth Inwardly in the Spirit the Outward Man shall not know him for he standeth in the Crown-number and preacheth in the Mysterium he is already known and found whoso desireth to see him let him seek him in himself and leave Babel he will find him 134. The Right Way into Eternal Life is in Man he hath brought the Will of the Soul into the Outward World it must he again bring into himself into the Inward World Paradise must green in Man 135. But he hath a dangerous and tedious Way to go for the turned Will must enter into it self again and break-through through the Kingdom of the Stars and Elements O how is he there held It must be a great Earnestness not Hypocrisie and an abiding with the Will in the Kingdom of the Stars 136. The Will must forsake the Outward World and yet it cannot wholly do it for it must maintain the Outward Body O how grievous is this in the Beginning when that must be forsaken which is so dear to the Outward Man wherein his joy and glory stands O how doth the Outward Man in the Souls-spirit hold back 137. How exceeding many Conflicts and Assaults must there be holden how busie is the Devil and sets before the poor Soul the glory and beauty of this World as riches and the pleasures of the Flesh 138. It falleth not so presently on a heap from him the Outward Will must be broken in pieces with an hard bickering and yet it dyes not but is shut up in the prison of the Inward Will and must be servant until the breaking or dissolution of the Outward Life 139. Therefore I say upon sure ground that all what is taught of God out of the Spirit of the Outward World and heard in the Outward Spirit is
save only in the Blood and Death of Christ Him alone God hath made and fore-ordained to be unto him a Throne of Grace or Propitiation in his own Love which he hath brought into him in the sweet Name JESUS out of JEHOVAH He is that only Offering which God receiveth that can reconcile Gods Anger 22. Now if that same Offering shall do me good then must it also come to pass in me the Father must beget and give his Son into the Desire of my Faith so that the Hunger of my Faith may lay hold of him and if the Hunger of my Souls Faith comprehendeth him as in his promised Word then I put on him in his whole process of Justification in mine Inward Ground and immediately the killing of the Wrath Devil Death and Hell beginneth and goes on out of Christs Death in me 23. For I can do nothing I am dead to my self but Christ doth it in Me when He ariseth in Me then I am dead in my self in respect of the true Man and he is my Life and what I live I live to Him and not to Minehood For Grace killeth my Will and setteth it self for a Lord in the place of mine I-hood that I may be a Work of God who doth therewith what He Will. 24. And then I live in Two Kingdoms to wit with the Outward Mortal Man in the vanity of Time wherein the Yoke of Sin yet liveth it Christ taketh in the Inward Kingdom of the divine World upon Himself and helpeth my Soul to bear it 25. For the Yoke of this World is Christs Burden which he must bear until he shall again deliver up the Kingdom to his Father which He hath given him for He said All Power in Heaven and Earth is given to Me of my Father So is also this Burden given to him that He should bear Gods Anger Hell Death and all evil in us as Esaias saith He took on him our Diseases and carried our griefs but we did count him stricken smitten of God and afflicted 26. Whence it is that a Christian must be a Cross-bearer For so soon as Christ is born in him the assaulting of Hell and the Anger of God in the Eternal Nature goeth on then the Hell in Man is destroyed and the Serpent is trampled upon whence great Unquietness Persecution and Reproach from the Devil and the corrupt World ariseth over the outward sinful Man then the outward sinful Man must suffer himself to be condemned and judged to Damnation of Gods severe Justice in the Anger by the Children of the Anger seeing that another Man liveth in him which is not like to the Outward Mortal therefore Gods Justice executeth its Judgment in Anger upon the Sin-house as also all the Ministers of Gods Anger 27. Then Christ helpeth to bear the Yoke and Man is sacrificed in Christs process contempt and scorn in his Suffering and Death unto the Justice of God in the Wrath and he becomes like unto Christs Image 28. The Holy Scripture witnesseth in all places that we are Justified from sins by Faith in Christ not by the Works of our Merit but by the Blood and Death of Christ which indeed is so taught of many but rightly understood of few that teach us 29. Men indeed teach us the Imputed grace but what Faith is how it is begotten what it is in its Essence and Substance and how it layeth hold on the Merit of Christ with the Grace in that the most part are dumb and blind and rest by an Historical Faith Jam. 2. which is but a bare knowledg the Man of Sin tickling and comforting himself therewith and through such Imagination flattering himself and naming himself a Christian though he is not become capable of this so high a Title but is only a Titular Christian covered from Without with Christs Purpur-mantle of whom the Prophet saith They draw neer unto me with their lips but their Heart is far from me And Christ said Not all that say Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but they that do the Will of my Father in Heaven 30. Now Christ alone is the Will of the Father wherein the Receiving of Grace and the Childship is and no man can do the Fathers Love-Will but only that only Grace-Throne Christ himself as the Scripture saith No man can call God LORD without the Holy Spirit In Him 31. For we know not what we pray before God as we ought but He even the Holy Spirit maketh Intercession for us with inexpressible Sighings before God in our selves as it pleaseth God We cannot attain unto any thing by our Willing and Knowing He is too deeply hidden to us For it lieth not in any Mans Knowing Willing or Running but in Gods Mercy 32. Now there is no Mercy but only in Christ and if I shall reach that Mercy I must reach Christ in Me If my sins shall be blotted in Me Christ must perform it in Me with his Blood and Death and with his Victory If I shall beleeve then must the Spirit the Desire and the Will of Christ beleeve in my Desire and Will for I cannot Beleeve 33. But he receiveth my Will being resigned to Him and encloseth it in his Will bringeth it through his Victory into God there He intercedeth for the Will of my Soul in his Will before God and thus I am received as a Grace-child in his Love-Will 34. For the Father hath manifested his Love in Christ and Christ manifesteth the same Love in my Will being resigned to him Christ draweth my Will into himself and cloateth it with his Blood and Death and tinctureth it with the highest Tincture of the Divine Power Thus it is changed into an Angelical Image and getteth a Divine Life 35. Whereupon that same Life beginneth to hunger after its Body which Body is the corrupt fiery Soul whereout the Will is entered into Christ thus the New Life in Christ doth now also tincture the Soul so that the Soul in this Will-spirit getteth a right divine Hunger and becometh desirous of the Divine Grace and begineth to behold her self in this Divine Will-spirit in Christ what she is how she in her Properties is separated from God and how she lieth captive in Gods Wrath and acknowledgeth her abominations as also her Deformity in the presence of Gods Angels there she hath nothing wherewith she may protect her self for she seeth that she standeth in the Jaws of Death and Hell environed with evil Spirits which bring their Desires always into her to destroy her 36. Then she sinketh down into that same New-born Spirit of the Will and ingulfeth her self into the meerest Humility then the Spirit of Christ taketh hold of her and bringeth her into this New-will-spirit that the Soul essentially feeleth it Whereupon the Divine Joyful Look ariseth in the Soul as a New Eye wherein the fiery Soul conceiveth the Ens and Substance of the Divine Light in her self whereupon she hungereth and thirsteth
and immaculate for if a Man will search from whence Sin hath its Original he must look upon the Ground 67. The new Body worketh no Sin but the Soul by Imagining into the Wickedness bringeth Sin into it self Now since the true Similitude after God hath its Beginning out of the Soul therefore the heavenly Substantiality becometh Infected through the Poyson which is taken into the Soul 68. Sin toucheth not the Heart of God as the Center of the New Body but the Substantiality is Infected as when a Man poureth Earth into fair Water The Flesh of the New Man and the Spirit of God is not one thing the Spirit of God remaineth in the new Man although Adam be spoiled in regard of him as it also came to pass in Adam 69. What falleth from the Light-world it the Fire-world receiveth if it be a grim Substantiality then it is swallowed up in the Fire and falleth into the Dark World into Eternal Death When the new Body is infected it loseth its Divine Life the Deity loseth nothing by it but only its Mirror of the Wonders For the Body is not God only it is through the Spirit by the noble Tincture highly graduated with the splendor of the holy Heaven so that in it the Colours of the Divine Joy-kingdom do shine But if it be darkened then the Tincture ariseth in another Property viz. according to that in which the Fire of the Soul burneth such a Tincture shineth also thereout and as the Spirit of Man is in himself such an Heaven he geteth also for his Habitation 70. Nothing can fall beyond God for He himself is All yet he is not called God in respect of his Anger because it devoureth much did it not also devour the whole royal hoste of Lucifer they were Angels and yet became Devils how then should it not be possible in a Man who as yet beareth in him the Sin-mirror in the outward Flesh 71. Indeed if the Soul goeth not into the false Lust so that it desireth not sin then it is not possible The Soul is free it hath the high Fire-Principle in it self both to the Dark and also to the Light World What it awaketh to it self that it hath it can live in Gods Love or Anger Whithersoever it turneth it self there it is received so that it as the Mother of the Eternal Nature is in all things Whither the Eternal Will turneth it self according to that its Image is also figured 72. Therefore Man should not be secure or bold in this World but always humble himself before God and cast his Will into the Heart of God all this time whilest he carrieth the outward Cottage he liveth in danger but while he abideth with his Will in God he is in Gods hand and then no man 〈◊〉 pluck Christs sheep out of Christs hand John 10. except the Will of the Soul teareth it self out from thence which happeneth when the Soul is secure then the Devil soweth his poysonous Imagination into her so that she therein beginneth to imagine after falshood 73. You must understand that the Soul standeth in the Fathers Property and the fair Image when it is begotten standeth in the Sons Property The Soul hath the Center of the Dark World and the Image hath the Center of the Light World as Gods Heart But if it departeth from Gods Love then the Soul bringeth its Image into the Fathers Property into the dark World 74. Therefore we ought to be very humble and submissive before our God and not desire to exalt Our Name but the Name of God in Us We are not the Tree with the Root but little boughs and twigs on the Tree We receive indeed the Essence and Vertue of the Tree like as the Tree giveth it to the Twig But the Twig saith not I am the Tree but it delighteth it self in the Tree as in its Mother 75. If we put on Christ then we are truly called Christians for the new Man liveth in Christ But we ought not to say I am Christ in this mine holy flesh and bones in this my visible Conversation on Earth for Christ said also My Kingdom is not of this World Therefore Christs Kingdom In Us is much less of this World For he said I am gone forth and come from God Again I leave the World and go the Father and I will take you to me that where I am there ye may be 76. Understand it thus When the noble Seed is sown so that the Lilly-twig is born in the Humanity of Christ then he taketh it to himself where He is This noble Twig is not of this World but it cometh from God and its Plant groweth in Gods Kingdom not in this World not in Adams Manhood neither in the Woman Eva but in the Virgin being neither Man nor Woman but a chaste Virgin that follow-God and the Lamb. 77. For that is the Angel whereof Christ speaketh Matth. 22. and Mark 12. In the Resurrection they are like the Angels of God When he is born out of Christ then he expecteth no Resurrection for himself for he is Immortal if the Soul doth not poyson him in the time of this World But he Waiteth for the Outward Mysterium as the third Principle in which he hath sown all his Wonders and Works that same swalloweth up here the Outward Life with its Works and that shall come again out of the Mysterium 78. For the First Adam before his Eva he being neither Man nor Woman shall stand he shall have all the three Principles in him as God himself but not so mingled together as Now when one is brought into the other 79. The Outward World is compacted and born out of the Inward in the Desire of the Inward and in the Fiat created into a form not altogether to a fading transitory Substance for it shall be renewed in the Fire and stand again to Gods Wonder-deed not four Elements but One in which the four do lie hid For the Outward World shall not rule but the Inward Divine World through all things 80. As little as the Outward Visible World can be called God so little also the Name of God becometh or befitteth the outward Life in flesh and bones For God gave Adam a name and called him MAN he named Adam MAN This the highest Tongue understandeth Well in the Language of Nature that the name Adam hath its Original from the Second Principle as from Gods Kingdom out of the Divine Essence and the name Man from the Limus whereout the outward Body was created 81. For every thing getteth its right Name out of its Essence according to its Spirit like as the most dear Name of JESUS CHRISTUS hath a double sence Viz. By the Name JESUS in the highest Tongue is understood the Motion of the Divine Center as an Out-going Lust or Delight bringing the Lowliness in the Humility forth in the Out-going Joy-kingdom in Majesty 82. And in the Name CHRISTUS is understood an In-going
of Christ he must be in Christ that he may have Christs Voyce in him otherwise he cannot feed Christs Sheep on the green Pasture What good doth a Wolf in the Sheepfold that intendeth nothing but prey He doth only waste and spoil the Sheepfold Wherefore then doth a Stranger intrude himself for a Shepherd not being called of Christ the chief Shepherd Why goeth he about to teach the Spirit of this World in Man which is in him afore 100. If he will sound the Inward in Death inclosed Bell then he must have even that same Clapper which breaketh the Death so that the dead Bell may sound For the Divine Sound was in Adam inclosed in Death Now if any will awake the same he must have in himself that same Living Sound he must speak out of Christs Spirit and Voyce or his teaching is only a Jugling or playing of tricks before a dead thing and he is only a belly-servant by Custom and no whit profitable to the Temple of Christ for he himself is not therein and how will he then bring others in 101. The Holy Ghost mixeth not himself in the Voyce of the Wicked the Word of the Wicked is not the Word of God Therefore it is a meer Deceit to preach out of Art the Art is born out of the Stars and it awaketh none that lieth inclosed in Death it must be a right hammer that will make a dead Bell sound 102. And it is very highly to be lamented that men do so prank with these Mouth-Apes and honour them for Gods and will also be called good Christians and yet name themselves after a Wolf and besides strive and contend for him and make desolate also their Land and Men and destroy their body and soul for a Wolfs sake 103. O thou worthy Christendom in blindness be seeing I beseech thee O how art thou blinded Thou sufferest thine eares to be filled with a tingling noyse that thou mayst but sleep hard in Adams sleep in the Sinworld with the Devil and very securely in the wicked flesh But an hard thunder wil awake thee for thou art too too fast a sleep thou wilt not yet be awaked let God call how he Will yet Adam the old Man sleepeth in his pleasure 104. That the Author also mentioneth That this fleshly Babel will fall and a Fountain spring up in Zion out of the true Jerusalem is very true and the Time is already born that that shal be broken which is grown unto and of it self without Divine Order for it hath attained its age and the bound The Begining hath found the End the Middle shal be Manifested and none shal be able to hinder it But seeing the child of sin and Perdition doth so rage against it therefore it must burst and break it self in pieces in its raging Madness 105. But if it would enter into the Beginning it would abide standing and its Wonders only would appear But seeing it is grown in Pride Covetousness and Envy and in all kind of Wickedness and Malice to what end shall that evil Beast abide It is unfit for an Offering of God neither will it be converted that it might get an humane heart 106. Therefore God caused it to be denounced that his Children should depart from it for the LORD will afright the Earth and overturn Babel and there shall a River flow out of Zion that the thirsty Soul may be refreshed For the poor shall be refreshed and eat in his Pasture 107. The Driver shall be broken in pieces and then shalt thou rejoyce a little while for thou art Wicked from thy very Youth and seekest only the Goal in the Wonder As thy Begining was so is also thine End Whosoever is blind will not see it but sleep till the Day breakon 108. Christ saith When the Son of Man shall come thinkest thou that he shall find Faith on Earth Therefore the Time of the End is an Evil dreg and there shall not be meer Zion save only in the sanctified Children of Christ For the Begining and the End are altogether like one another 109. The Wonders with the high Tongue were manifest in the Beginning and the Signature was exceeding well known this cometh again in the End But we understand also thereby a good and evil Time when the Gates of all Principles shall stand open as we also see this in the Beginning by Cain and Abel Therefore let every one look to it what he speaketh teacheth and writeth for it shall be tryed by the highest Tongue 110. But when we speak of the Temple of Christ and of the River out of Zion then we mean not one certain place in one Land alone for the Temple of Christ is over all we understand in all Tongues and Languages although the Tongues shall be brought higher in one place then in another all things according to the property of the people and according as the Spirit is in Man 111. For the Temple of Christ is In Us We must hear Christ teaching In Us if Christ teacheth not In Us then the outward Mouth-cry is in Vain and spoken but into the Ayr. 112. Therefore let no man think that it will be so that such Men will come which shall teach or force the Holy Spirit into Men No It is said To Day when you do hear the Voyce of the Lord harden not your ears and hearts Look not after another Time for This is the Time of your Visitation 113. Incline your Ears and Hearts into the Temple of Christ In You cast away your Abominations and false Will from you and bring your Will earnestly through Christ into the Father and resolve to enter no more into the Wickedness as into Pride Covetousness Envy Anger and Falshood leave off from all height of this World and humble your selves in the hand of the LORD and in the Love towards the needy 114. Esteem your selves as simple Idiots in Christ esteem your Art nothing for it draweth but away from Christ Desire to know no more but only that which the Holy Ghost in Christ will know in you that he only may be your Knowing and Willing 115. For the Fountain in Zion will not be found through any search out of Reason Zion will not first be begotten from Without but from Within We must seek and find our selves in our selves No Man needeth to run to another place where he thinketh the Spirit shall be more powerful but Within himself is the Gate of the Holy Deity 116. He must only enter into himself and seek and call upon the Holy Spirit in himself for in himself is the place where God dwelleth in his Heaven and receiveth the Will of the Soul with her Desire 117. Whither will the Soul swing her self being she her self is the Fountain of Etetnity In her standeth the Principle of the Light and Dark World she is all the Three Worlds 118. Only this is Necessary that like as she in Adam hath brought her self by her
not the Word of God but Babel a meer Confusion Misery Howling and Crying and no man heareth it but only the Spirit of the Outward World it is only an Antichristian Hypocrisie and a glittering Flattery 140. A Knave goeth into the Outward Church and a Knave sits therein and a Knave returneth thence and is an hypocrite who giveth good words before God and comforteth and tickleth himself from without with Christs Satisfaction yet still remaineth the old Man in himself 141. He supposeth God forgiveth sins as Life is of grace and favour given to a Murtherer although the Conscience doth continually accuse the Murtherer that he is guilty of the deed and of punishment O no it is not so Christ said Unless ye turn and become as Children ye shall not see the Kingdom of Heaven No Verbal Forgiving availeth before God but it is as Christ said to those that turned to him Thy Faith hath helped thee 142. For Christs Spirit went into the Faith of the Patient and the Faith of the sick went into Christs Spirit then the Cure was there otherwise there had been no healing 143. This a Man may see on the Day of Pentecost when those Men were attentive to S t Peter whose Will was bent into themselves and desired the Kingdom of God in them the Spirit of Christ sounded out of Peters Mouth But as for those whose Will was bent into this World the Spirit past by them who said These men are drunk because they speak thus 144. So it goeth also Now when the Spirit of Christ speaketh then saith the Outward Reason These men are mad and hereticks But as for those whose Will is turned into themselves in a desire after Gods Kingdom they hear the Spirit of Christ speak 145. Therefore all those into whose heart this throngeth are admonished to abide Constant and to meet the golden River that floweth out of Zion and they shall find the Pearl for it is born Let no man gaze on Time and Person it is the Spirit of Christ that speaketh 146. And the Author writeth out of the Bride of Christ very well and truly of the Spirit of Christ out of the New Man But he must learn to distinguish this Old Mortal being from the Spirit of this corrupted and cursed World from the New and not esteem the mortal corruptible flesh and bones for Christ his Flesh 147. Nor to seek Christs Flesh in the four Elements and in the Spirit of the Outward World but in the Root of it as in the Holy Element one Principle deeper then this World is yet not absent from the Outward Body 148. Nor must he think the Old is Transmuted into the New but as Gold groweth in the gross Stone out of the Stone the Sun being the Cause of the Tincture and the gross Stone the Cause of the Body and yet it must not be understood as if the New Body had any place or room in the Old in its Principle for it standeth a Birth deeper in it self 149. As we may know by this that God is in this World and yet the World neither knoweth nor seeth him He dwelleth a Birth deeper in the Center then this Outward World is He filleth all in this World and yet there is nothing that comprehendeth or seeth him for he dwelleth not in the World but in himself So also the New Man and yet there is no separation from one another 150. Like as there is a difference between Fire and Light the Fire not being able to comprehend the Light although the Light is born out of the Fire so also the New Man out of the Old through the Entering of the Spirit of Christ like as the Sun maketh a Tincture of Gold in the Stone 151. But when the Author writeth that the Old Man falleth wholly away in the Repentance and dyeth altogether in the Death of Christ he erreth For Christ is not come for the Old Mans sake nor is he become Man in the old defiled sinful flesh but in the Essence of the Image that a New Man may be born out of the Old and dwell in the Old yet not in the Third Principle in this outward World but in the Second in Heaven in God and God in him 152. Therefore he ought not to write I Christ the living Word in this my visible flesh and bones This none that is born out of Christ will grant him The Outward Man is conceived and born in Sin He is not Christ but the Inward Man is in Christ a Member of Christs Body in the Essence of Christ 153. And that he supposeth that Nature falls wholly and altogether away from Man when the New Birth ariseth that is not so and in that he understands as yet nothing of the Eternal Nature There falls no Nature away from him for the Life stands in the Nature viz. the Life of the Soul in the Eternal Nature and the outward Spirit in the Stars and Elements 154. The Eternal Nature holds in it self the seven Spirits or Forms of the Deity from whence the Holy Divine World is sprung and also this Outward World it parteth not to all Eternity from Man otherwise Man were a Nothing For out of Nature the Mystery of Eternity is revealed and also the Divine Being as is declared in my Book of the Six Points Nature came not into Man for Sins sake wherefore should it then for the Regenerations sake fall away 155. By Death the outward Nature falleth away from the Nature of the Soul but it goeth only into the outward Mysterium until the Day of Judgment then shall all its here-made Wonders and Works appear therein when the Spirit of God shall moor the Mysterium of this World then shall all be manifest and the Turba shall be separated from the good and given to the Dark World and the Mysterium unto the New Man yet only Holy and without spot 156. And this is the Resurrection of the Flesh it is not the Husk as the Bestial flesh which ariseth but the Life in the Outward Mysterium with the Wonders it shall be included in the Holy Element and united with the Body of Christ the New Man and in Eternity stand with its Wonders in it 157. But not in earthly Essence but as a shadow or figure For by reason of the Divine Life this same Life of ours is esteemed as dead for so was Adam also before his Heva before the Imagination but in the Imagination the Outward Life was made manifest and the Heavenly dyed 158. This I could not Loving Sirs and Brothers hide from you nor from the Author in an Answer of your Book sent to me for my Conscience requires it in the LORD not in any intention to reject or put down the Authors Book or high Spirit but in Love towards him I would communicate my gifts and understanding to him into his gifts as one member to the other that we might edifie and acknowledg one another in Christ as Members in
one Body 159. For I do very well know the Authors Spirit and I love to speak to him seeing he for Christs Name sake as you mention hath suffered much and willingly hath brought his Life into Christs footsteps therefore I acknowledg him for a right true Christian 160. But he need not to be ashamed to learn to know himself better and to learn more in the Spirit in the Spouse of Christ For Christ saith Seek and ye shall find The Wisdom hath neither number nor end 161. I say of my self nothing else but that I first am become an A. B. C. Scholer and will heartily seek in the Spouse of Christ of the Spirit of Christ in my Brethren and Members Me in them and them in Me. 162. I do not arrogate to me yet any perfect knowledg for that which is perfect is not of mine understanding but revealed in the Spirit of Christ in my Brethren I am in my self as a Nothing that I might be found and known to be somewhat in the knowledg of my Brother in his Spirit and that God in Christ may be All in us both the Understanding Willing and Doing 163. Therefore I exhort you not to take this otherwise then Christianly and Brotherly for I am not a Master of your Spirit and Knowledg but your help in the Lord that the Authors Course may not be in vain nor the Name of Christ blasphemed in his Members as Babel hath done I have written this short Declaration and Explanation to refresh us in our knowledg in the Lord What is more is to be found in the Book of the Threefold Life and in the three Books of the Incarnation of Christ and do commend you all to the Love of JESUS CHRIST Dated on the Sunday Quasi modo geniti Anno 1621. A Theosophick EPISTLE or LETTER WHEREIN The Life of a true Christian is Described What a Christian is and How he cometh to be a Christian Together with a Description What a Titular Christian is What the Faith and Life of both of them is Written to a good Friend of his in Christian Brotherlike and Memberlike Admonition and a good Intention BY JACOB BEHMEN LONDON Printed by John Macock 1653. The Fountain of the Heart of JESUS CHRIST be our Refreshing Renovation and Eternal Life 1. BEloved and much respected Friend in Christ I do wish to you out of a memberlike obligation as one branch on the Tree is bound to do to the other in a co-operating Desire the open Fountain of Grace which God hath revealed in Christ Jesus in our Humanity that the same may flow in you richly and the Divine Sun therethrough bring into the Soul his Love-beams and therewith awake and open the great Magnetick Hunger of the Soul as the true divine Mouth after Christs Flesh and Blood together with bodily Welfare 2. For as much as I have often perceived by your loving Friend D. K. and also in my presence marked that you in the Drawing of the Father have an extraordinary Thirst and great Longing after his Life which he hath manifested in Christ Jesus out of his highest Love therefore I would not omit out of a memberlike obligation to visit you with a short Epistle upon the desire of the D. and also of your self and to recreate and refresh my self somewhat in that same Fountain of the Life of Jesus Christ with you since it is meer Joy unto me that our Paradisical Pearl-tree greeneth and worketh fruit in our fellow-members to our Eternal Joy 3. And herewith I will shew unto you out of my small gifts and knowledg What a Christian is and Wherefore he is called a Christian namely that only He is a Christian who is become capable of this high Title In Himself who hath turned himself with his Inward Ground Mind and Will to the free-given Grace in Christ Jesus and is in his Souls-Will become as a young Child that only longeth after the Brests of the Mother and sucketh the Brests of the Mother whereof it liveth 4. So also this Man only is a Christian whose Soul and Mind entereth again into the First Mother whereout the Life of Man is sprung viz. into the Eternal Word which hath revealed it self with the true Milk of Salvation in our Humanity being blind in regard of God and drinketh this Mother-milk into his hungry Soul whence the New Spiritual Humanity springeth and the fiery Soul being out of the Fathers Propriety reacheth and obtaineth herewith the place of the Love of God in which place the Father begetteth his Beloved Son wherein alone the Temple of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth In Us is found and wherein also alone the Spiritual Mouth of the Soul which eateth Christs Flesh and drinketh his Blood is understood 5. For He alone is a Christian in whom Christ dwelleth liveth and Is in whom Christ after the Inward Ground of the Soul and the Heavenly Essence which disappeared in Adam is risen and become Living He that hath in his Inward Ground put on Christs Victory against Gods Wrath as also against Hell Devil Death and Sin I say Christs Humanity Passion Death and Resurrection the Seed of the Woman to wit Christ in his Victory also overcoming in him and dayly triumphing upon the Serpents head in the Will of the Wicked Flesh and killing the sinful Lusts of the Flesh 6. For in Christ alone we are received to be Gods Children and heirs of Christ not through an outward strange shew of a special grace-receiving through a strange merit of a grace imputed from Without but through a Childlike Inhabiting Memberlike and Essential grace where the Conqueror of Death to wit Christ with his Life Substance and Power ariseth In Us from our Death and ruleth and worketh In Us as upon a Branch on his Vine as the Writings of the Apostles throughout do witness 7. He is not a Christian who only comforteth himself with the Passion Death and Satisfaction of Christ and imputeth the same unto himself as a grace-gift and yet remaineth an Unregenerated Wilde Beast such a Christian is every Ungodly Man for every one will fain be saved through a grace-gift The Devil also would very willingly be an Angel again through Grace received or applyed from Without 8. But that he should turn and become as a Child and be born a new out of Gods Grace-Water of Love and the Holy Ghost that pleaseth him not So also it pleaseth not the Titular-Christian who putteth about himself the Grace-mantle of Christ and yet will not enter into the Childship and the New Birth although Christ saith he cannot otherwise see the Kingdom of God 9. For what is born of the Flesh is Flesh and cannot inherit the Kingdom of God Joh. 6. To be fleshly minded is Enmity with God but to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace and He alone heareth Gods Word that is born of God for alone the Spirit of Grace in Christ heareth Gods Word 10. For no man hath seen God the