square its judgement and opinion according to another the Inferiour judgeth and censureth as his grand Superiour the Lay-man as the Doctor and yet none of them both apprehend the Sense Minde and truth of the Lord without the Spirit of God which judgeth in Man and respects no mans person the Lay-man and the Doctor are both one to him 24. Now whereas the Children of God have diverse and manifold gifts in Writing Speaking and judging and they have not all one manner of expression phrase and style whereupon selfe Reason afterward doth by artificiall conclusions draw out of them what maketh for its owne turne and frameth a Babell to it selfe whence such a multitude and wearisome heape of opinions are risen so that men out of their Writings have forged and invented diverse conjectures and wayes unto God and men must be forced to goe in those wayes whereby such controversies and unchristian contentions are arisen that men for the present looke onely upon the strife of words and disputes about the Letter and those which according to their Reason and Principles doe overcome by Verball jangling and exchanging Scripture for Scripture are applauded but this is nothing but Babel a Mother of spirituall whoredome where Reason entereth not in at the doore of Christ through Christs spirit but presseth in of it selfe and climeth up by its owne might strength and pride being yet a stranger or unregenerated and would alwayes faine be the fairest Child in the house men must honour and adore it 25. The children of God have a diversity of gifts according to the Rule of the Apostle God giveth an expression to every one as he pleaseth the gifts and endowments of men fall out according to the unsearchable will of God and spring altogether out of one Root the which is the Mother of the Three Principles and as the spirit of every soule is Constellated in the eternall Mother even so is its revelation apprehension and knowledge 26. For God bringeth not a new or strange Spirit into us but he openeth with his spirit our spirit namely the Mystery of Gods Wisedome which lyeth in every man according to the measure manner and condition of his internall hidden constellation For Christ sayd My Father worketh and I also worke Now the Father worketh in the Essence of the soule property and the Son in the Essence of Gods owne Image that is in the Divine Similitude or Harmony 27. The property of the soule belongeth to the Father For Christ sayd Father the men were thine and thou hast given them mee and I give unto them Eternall life Seeing then the property of the soule is from Eternity of and from the Father therefore he hath wrought in it from Eternity and still worketh in that same Image to Eternity light and darknesse to either of which the Will of the soules property doth incline and give up it selfe 28. Seeing then the Fathers property or wisedome is unmeasurable and infinite and that he being the wisedome it selfe worketh and yet through his wisedome all things doe arise thereupon the soules of men are diversly Constellated indeed they arise and originally proceed out of one onely Essence yet the operation is diverse and manifold all according to Gods wisedome Now the spirit of Christ openeth the property of every soule so that each speaketh from its owne property of the wonders in the wisedome of God 29. For the spirit of God maketh no new thing in man or it infuseth no strange spirit into him but he speaketh of the wonders in the wisedome of God through Man and that not from the Eternall Constellation onely but likewise from the externall Constellation that is through the spirit of the externall World hee openeth in Man the internall Constellation of the soule that he must Prophesie and foretell what the externall heaven worketh and produceth also he is driven to speak through the Turba Magna as the Prophets have many times spoken and denounced unto the people their punishment which by Gods permission through the Turba Magna should come upon them for their violence and sinfulnesse and their bitter imprecations wicked contentions and wrathfull indignation in their envious will one against another doe awaken the Sword of Anger in the Turba Magna 30. Now the spirit of God speaketh in his Children diverse manner of wayes sometimes in one it speaketh by the internall and eternall Constellation of the soule of eternall punishment or reward of Gods Curse or Blessing and in another it telleth through the externall Constellation of the Fortune or Misfortune of the prosperity or adversity of this World also of the rising and advancement of Powers and Authorities and then likewise of the ruine and destruction of Countries and Cities and also of strange and wonderfull alterations in the World 31. And though it hapneth oftentimes that the spirit of the outward World doth make its sport with its representations of phansie in Man and from its owne Might and strong influence doth infinuate it selfe into the spirit of man and sheweth diverse strange and marvellous Figures which onely findes place among those who run on in their owne Reason onely in proud selfe will whence often false Prophets arise yet I say that every one speaketh from his owne Constellation the one through the manifestation of Gods spirit really and sincerely and the other through the manifestation of the externall Astrall spirit uncertainly by conjecture and guesse yet from the same Constellation but he that speaketh from the mouth of another and in like manner judgeth of the Mystery without a peculiar knowledge he is in Babel and entangled in opinion wilfully amusing himselfe in those things which the heart findes not experimentally whether they be true or no but he pins his Faith upon the sayings of other men 32. And I say further that all those pretious men who have been illuminated of God some of whose Writings you may have at hand have spoken from their manifestation and revelation each according to his apprehension or the Modell of his capacity yet the centre is the soule and the light is God the revelation is wrought and brought to passe by the opening or manifestation of Gods spirit through the Constellation of the soule 33. All the Prophets from the beginning of the World have prophesied of Christ in different formes one thus and another so they have not all concurred in one style phrase and forme but each according as the spirit of God hath revealed to him in the eternall Constellation of the soule yet they have all spoken out of one Centre and Ground And even so it is now adayes the Children of God speake all from the revelation of Christs spirit which is Gods and every one according to his capacity or that Idea of wisedome which is formed in his minde and therefore I put you in mind as a Friend and exhort you not to hearken after the vaine babâ—ing and prating of
is not his owne or from himselfe but Gods and from God and that God knoweth or manifests the Ideas of his Wisedome in the soule of Man after what manner and measure hee pleaseth 12. I intended to keep this my Writing by mâ— all the dayes of my life and not to deliver it into the hands of any but it fell out according to the providence of the most High that I entrusted a certaine person with some of it by meanes whereof it was published and made knowne without my knowledge and consent and the first Booke called Aurora was thereby taken from me and because many wonderfull things were revealed therein which the mind of man was not presently capable to comprehend I was faint to suffer much from Reason 13. I saw this first Booke no more in three yeares I supposed that it was dead and gone till certaine learned men sent me some Copies of it who exhorted me to proceed and manifest my Talent to which the outward Reason would by no meanes agree because it had suffered so much already for it moreover the spirit of Reason was very weake and timorous for my High light was for a good while also withdrawne from me and it did glow in me as a hidden fire So that I felt nothing but anguish and perplexity within me Outwardly I found contempt and inwardly a fiery instigation yet I was not able to comprehend that light till the breath or inspiration of the most High did helpe me to it againe and awakened new life in me and then I obtained a better style in writing also deeper and more grounded knowledge I could bring every thing better into the outward expression which the Book treating of the Threefold life through the three Principles doth demonstrate and the godly Reader whose heart is opened shall see that it is so 14 Thus now I have written not from the instruction or knowledge received from men not from the learning or reading of Bookes but I have written out of my own Book which was opened in me being the Noble similitude of God the Booke of the Noble and precious Image understand Gods owne similitude or likenesse was bestowed upon me to Read and therein I have studied as a child in the house of its Mother which beholdeth what the Father doth and in his child-like play doth imitate his Father I have no need of any other Booke 15. My Booke hath onely three leaves the same are the three Principles of Eternity wherein I can finde all whatsoever Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles have taught and spoken I can finde therein the foundation of the World and all Mysteryes yet not I but the spirit of God doth it according to the measure as he pleaseth 16. For I have besought and begged of him many hundred times that if my knowledge did not make for his glory and conduce to the amending and instructing of my Brethren he would be pleased to take it from me and preserve mee onely in his love yet I found that by my praying or earnest desiring I did onely enkindle the fire more strongly in me and in such inflamation knowledge and manifestation I made my Writings 17. Yet I did not intend to make my selfe knowne with them among such Persons as now I see is come to passe I still thought I wrote for my selfe onely albeit the spirit of God in the Mystery of God in my spirit did sufficiently shew me to what end it was yet outward Reason was alwayes opposite save onely sometimes when the morning Starre did arise and even then Reason was also thereby enkindled and did dance along as if it had comprehended the Pearl yet it was far from it ☞ 18. God dwelleth in the Noble Image but not in the spirit of the Stars and Elements he possesseth nothing save himselfe onely in his owne likenesse and albeit he doth possesse something as indeed he possesseth all things yet nothing comprehends him but what doth Originally arise and spring from him as namely the soule in the similitude of God 19. Besides all my Writings are like unto a young Schollers that is going to Schoole God hath according to his will brought my soule into a wonderfull Schoole and in truth I cannot ascribe or arrogate any thing unto my selfe as if my selfehood were or understood any thing 20 No man must conceive higher of me then he seeth for the worke in my studying or Writing is none of mine I have it onely according to the measure as the Lord is pleased to give it me I am nothing but his instrument whereby he effecteth what he willeth This I relate unto you my beloved Friends for an instruction and information least any should esteem me otherwise then I am namely as if I were a man of high art and deep understanding and reason for I live â—in weaknesse and infirmity in the childhood and simplicity of Christ and my sport and pastime is in that child-like worke which he hath allotted to me yea I have my delight therein as â—n a Garden of pleasure where many Noble Flowers grow and in the meane time I will joy and recreate my selfe therewith till I shall againe obtaine the Flower of Paradise in the New man 21. But because deare Sir and beloved Friend I see and perceive that you are a seeking in this way therefore I write unto you with diligence my child-like course for I understand that you make use of diverse Authors and Writings concerning which you desire my judgement the which I shall impart unto you as my fellow-member so far as God hath given me to know and that onely in a briefe and short comprisall In my Booke of The threefold life you shall find it at large according to all circumstances 22. And this is the Answer I give unto you Viz. That Selfe-reason which being voyd of Gods spirit is onely taught and instructed from the bare Letter doth cavill taunt deride and despise whatsoever doth not punctually agree and conforme to the Canons and Institutions of the Universities and high Schooles which I doe not wonder at for it is from without and Gods spirit is from within it is good and evill is is like the winde which is moved and driven too and fro it esteemeth mans judgement and according as the high and great ones who have the respect and authority of the World doe judge and censure just so it gives its credit and verdict It knoweth not the mind of the Lord because the same is not in it its understanding is from the Starres and t is nothing else but a counterfeite shadow of phansie in comparison of the Divine wisedome 23. How can he judge of Divine matters in whom the spirit of the Lord is not The spirit of the Lord doth alone try prove and judge all things for to him onely all things are known and manifest but Reason judgeth outwardly and one Reason doth alwayes
signature whereby the different secret qualities and vertues that are hid in all visible and corporeall things as Mettals Minerals Plants and Hearbes c. may be drawne forth and applyed to their right naturall use for the curing and healing of corrupt and decayed nature and by the powerfull effects and operation that will hence arise all false Sophisticate Artists that soare aloft in their owne contrived Imaginations and tottering experiences may be convinced of their unsound sicke and sandy foundation and moreover this signall fundamentall Centrall knowledge will quicken and revive the life of Divinity so deeply buryed in the painted Sepulchers of Pharisaicall Hypocrisie and Verball formality and settle all Sects and Controversies in Religion on the true ground that so we may come to serve God aright in the true unity of the Spirit and each other in all Christian Love and Righteousnesse In these Epistles there is much seasonable and wholesome Doctrine Instruction and Counsell for a Christian resigned Soule much Consolation for the afflicted under Christs Crosse and also direction how a man shall behave himselfe as a Christian amidst the various Sects and their harsh censures Exhortation to Truth Love and righteousnesse Dehortation from all evill pride envy covetousnesse wrath malice falshood and Cain-like Hypocrisie likewise many Propheticall Passages and Predictions concerning the punishment and severe judgements that are and shall be upon Babel and the Antichrist and all false and wicked Oppressours the most whereof are Printed in a Treatise by themselves called Mercurius Teutonicus In a word Courteous and Christian Reader these Epistles will serve as an Introduction and right information to shew thee what this Author was and whence hee had his great knowledge and upon what ground and centre it is founded and likewise how thou mayst come really to understand the drift and meaning of his Writings and effectually finde the excellent use thereof for art thou learned or unlearned rich or poore Master or Servant Parent or Childe be thou of what Calling Profession Complexion Constellation and Disposition thou wilt Thou mayst finde such knowledge herein as may better and improove thee aright in Christianity Therefore be like to the laborious Bee that seeketh Honey at every Flower and where shee findes it not there shee doth not leave her sharpe Sting so likewise if thou findest that which doth not like thee let it alone and leave not a taunting scoffe and stinging venome of scorne and rash censure behinde thee but rather pray that God would give thee his Holy Spirit to leade thee into all truth and so thou shalt know God in thy Selfe according to that Divine promise they shall all be taught of God and know the Lord John 6. 4 5. Heb. 8. 11. But let the end of all be Love for if thou couldst speake with the tongue of Men and Angells and couldst Prophesse and understand all Mysteries and hadst all Faith yet without Love thou wert but as tinckling Brasse and a sounding Cymball 1 Corinthians 13. It is even this Love that distinguisheth betweene the knowledge of the Devills in Hell for they know beleeve and tremble and the Angels in Heaven and as true Love is a deadly poyson and paine to the Devillish nature of evill Spirits even so is all Selfe-denying Love as a Plague and Pestilence to all sophisticall Pharisaicall Hypocrites who pervert the Gospell of Peace and Love by vaine Distinctions and Heathenish practices Therefore beloved Reader let thy Divine light lead thee unto a Divine life and so enter into the Divine Love the bond of perfection and so thou shalt be made partaker of the Divine nature for God is Love Now therefore let us be mercifull loving and perfect as our Father which is in Heaven is mercifull loving and perfect that so it may be knowne that wee are the Children of the most High who is kinde unto the unthankfull and to the evill And the God of Love so enkindle the fire of his Love in our hearts that it may breake forth in our practice and conversation to the destroying the Thornes and tearing Bryars of vaine contentions that so wee may enjoy the happy fruits of Peace Truth Love and Righteousnesse in all Christian Society one among another Yours in all Service of Christian Love J. E. Toe Scorner seeketh wisedome and findeth it not but knowledge is easie to him that understandeth Prov. 14. 6. A Scorner loveth not one that reproveth him neither will hee goe unto the wise Prov. 15. 12. Knowledge puffeth up but Love Edifieth 1 COR. 8. 1. A Theosophicall LETTER WHEREIN The life of a true CHRISTIAN is described Shewing what a Christian is and how he commeth to be a Christian and likewise what a Titular Nominall or Hystoricall Christian is and how the Faith and Life of each differ The Fountaine of Jesus Christs heart be our quickning consolation renovation and eternall life 1. BELOVED and much respected friend in Christ From a member-like obligation as one branch on the Tree is bound to doe to the other and a fellow-working desire I wish unto you the open well-spring of grace which God in Christ Jesus hath manifested in our humanity so that it may richly spring up in you and the Divine Sun may thereby cast the influence of its Love-beams into the soule and also therewith stirre up and open the great Magnetick hunger of the soule being the true Divine mouth after Christs flesh and blood together with bodily wellfare 2. Being I have often understood by your deare friend D. K. and also observed in my presence with you that you in the drawing of the Father do bear a peculiar thirst and an earnest sincere longing after his life which he out of his highest Love hath manifested in Christ Jesus therefore I would not upon the desire of Mr. D. and also of your selfe omit from a member-like and mutuall obligation to visit and salute you with a short Epistle and so to recreate quicken and refresh my selfe somewhat with you in the same fountaine of the life of Jesus Christ for it is meer joy unto me to perceive that our Paradisicall Corall flourisheth and bringeth forth fruit in my fellow-members to our eternall recreation and delight 3. And hereupon Sir I will declare unto you out of my small gifts and knowledge What a Christian is and wherefore hee is called a Christian Namely that he onely is a Christian who is become capable of this high Title in himselfe and hath resigned himselfe with his inward ground minde and will to the Free grace in Christ Jesus and is in the will of his soule become as a young child that only longeth after the Breasts of the Mother that sincerely panteth after the Mother and sucketh the breasts of the Mother whereof it liveth 4. Even thus also that man is onely a Christian whose soule and minde entereth againe into the first Mother whence the life of man hath its rise Viz. into the
snarl us in despaire and so to open a gate of all lewdnesse and wantonnesse 4. And therefore he liketh not the tast of the open fountaine of Christ in my writings whereupon I have made short a declaration upon his annexed pamphlet and have given it onely in breife to the consideration of him that reads my Book seeing the ground is else where sufficiently and satisfactorily to be found in my writings that men may see how this Carping Pamphletter thinketh to beguil and bereave us of the cheifest treasure on which our Eternall Salvation and happinesse dependeth and that with Cunning words by alleadging and quoting of the Scripture as a Toad that sucketh poyson out of honey even so he Perverteth the Scripture as is to be seen in his description of the Virgine Mary and the promised seed of the Woman how he therein falsifiyeth and imbittereth the Scripture whereupon he buildeth the Election 5. At the which I am much grieved in my heart that the man is so burthened and possessed with such an opinion which burthen is very heavy and he cannot get rid of it unlesse he learne to understand the Centre of all Beings whence good and evill arise what Gods love and anger is and learne to understand the Three Principles else he will not be freed from such Opinions 6. Albeit I wonder not that my Writings seeme strange unto him for there is somewhat New that surpasseth the reach of reason they have another sense another understanding then his another root whence they spring for I have not gathered them together from the Letter neither learned I them from other mens Writings I was an ignorant childe in that respect as Lay men usually are I knew nothing of such things I sought it not also in such a way I sought onely the heart and open well-spring of Jesus Christ to hide my selfe from the Tempest of Gods anger and from the opposition of the Devill that so I might get a guid and leader that might rule and direct me in my life 7. But when this did presse so hard upon me and my minde forced so strongly into the Combate against sinne and death and towards the mercy of God that I was resolved rather to part with my life then to give in or desist such a Garland was then set upon me which I hope to enjoy and rejoyce in it for ever and I have no Pen sufficient to describe it much lesse can I expresse it with my mouth and from thence my knowledge came and also the desire to set it down onely for my owne memoriall and I was intended to keepe it by me till the last of my dayes and how it came to passe that it was published you know Sir very well by Mr. N. But Gods providence and permission herein was such that you and your Brother were called as Firstlings unto it by whose meanes it was propagated 8. Therefore I exhort and entreat you for the eternall salvation sake to heed and minde well the Pearle that God favoureth us with for there will come a time that it shall be sought after and greatly accepted of let no stormy gusts drive you to and fro but looke upon it aright and pray God the most High that he would be pleased to open the doore of knowledge without which no man will understand my Writings for they surpasse and transcend the Astrall Reason they apprehend and comprehend the Divine birth therefore there must also be the very like spirit to understand them aright no speculation or acute apprehension or notion of reason reacheth them unlesse the minde be illuminated from God to the finding of which the way is faithfully shewn unto the seeking Reader 9. I speake in good truth and syncerity before God and Man and appeale also therewith before the judgement of God and declare that there is no good at all in any Disputing without Gods light and spirit also nothing that is permanent constant undoubtedly grounded or well-pleasing to God may arise from thence 10. Therefore he that will learne to understand the right and true way to God fundamentally let him depart and forsake his owne Reason and enter into a penitent humble and to God resigned childlike or filiall life and so he shall obtaine heavenly power and skill and shall put on Christs filiall spirit that shall lead him into all truth else there is no true way to God but this onely 11. If it come so farre that the Virgins Garland be set upon him he shall not need say any more Teach me c. For it is written They shall all be taught of God otherwise I have no knowledge skill or understanding I have been in my Writings as a young scholar that goeth to schoole or as a shower that passeth by what it lighteth upon it hits thus hath my apprehension beene even to this day 12. The Booke Aurora was my first childish beginning I wrote also contrary to Reasons conceit onely according to the appearance of light in a magicall cabalisticall or parabolicall manner I understood it very well but it was not sufficiently explained it needed a more large description and exposition for I intended to have kept it by me but it was taken from me against my will and Published as you Sir know and I commend me into your favor and us all into the meeke love of Jesus Christ Dated the third of July Anno Dom. 1621. THE SEVENTEENTH EPISTLE Worthy and much respected Noble Sir 1. THE hearty salutation and desire of Divine love and fulnesse of joy in Our IMMANVEL in his wondrous sweet power with all bodily and temporall welfare premised I give you friendly to understand that I have entirely considered of the conference lately held and being I perceive you to be a zealous lover of the truth and Divine Mysteries I would not omit to visit you with this Epistle seeing opportunity hath beene given me to answer somewhat upon the Article of a Person who opposed me in the Article of Gods Free-grace of Election and I have sent this my Answer for you to read over 2. But so far forth as the minde cannot rest satisfyed with this little I am ready and willing if it be desired to write such a Book and to enlarge and unfold it so out of the Centre that the heart might rest satisfyed thereupon albeit I should suppose that Christian might finde so much in this little that he might be satisfyed in reference to this and other Articles 3. But seing neverthelesse that this Article hath perplexed many men and thereupon such opinions are stated and concluded which doe set open a gate for all iniquity unto the World I am therefore greived at it being it is given me to know from the most high that this article hath not as yet been understood from the very ground and I wish from my heart that it might be understood that we might not looke so strangely one upon another as Men Devills