The second apologie to Balthazar Tylcken treating of the eternall predestination and election of God, and of the incarnation, or becoming man and person, of Christ, and concerning the Virgin Mary / written in the yeare 1621, finished the 3. of July by Jacob Behme, also called Teutonicus Philosophus ; Englished by John Sparrow. London, Printed by M.S. for Giles Calvert, 1661.

The Second APOLOGIE to Balthazar Tylcken treating of the Eternall PREDESTINATION and Election of GOD and of the INCARNATION or Becoming Man, and PERSON of CHRIST and Concerning the VIRGIN MARY.

Written in the Yeare 1621. Finiſhed the 3. of July.

by Jacob Behme Alſo called Teutonicus Philoſophus.

Engliſhed by JOHN SPARROW.

LONDON: Printed by M. S. for Giles Calvert, and are to be ſold at his Shop at the Black-Spread-Eagle at the Weſt end of St. Pauls. 1661.

He that Beleeveth is certainly Foreſeen.

He that Beleeves not hath moſt Regardleſs been.

He that Beleeveth, is certainly Elected.

He that Beleeves not, hath's Election Rejected.

A Letter Or a PREFACE To Herre J. D. K.

Written when this Treatiſe was Finiſhed.

ESteemed truly Honourable highly Learned Sir; after my hearty deſiring of the Grace, Love and Mercy of our Dear IMMANUEL, as alſo all temporall welfare of Body, for you, I will not conceal from you Sir; that I have received and read the Book with the Appendix, and conſidered the Oppoſers underſtanding apprehenſion and Opinion, in the Love and Fear of God; and ſufficiently underſtand in what apprehenſion the Man runneth on; and that he hath not at all in the leaſt underſtood my Writings.

2. Alſo I very much Lament the Man, that he hath plunged himſelf into ſuch a Lake, with the Election of God, out of which aſſuredly he cannot get, unleſſe he learne to underſtand the Center of all things or ſubſtances.

3. Alſo he lamentably goeth aſtray concerning the humanity of Chriſt, and concerning his Mother Mary; which Opinion, is quite contrary to our Chriſtian or Spirituall Faith, upon which our Reſtored Salvation ſtandeth.

4. But I deſire from my heart, that this Man might become ſeeing, for he is zealous, for then his Zeale would be profitable: only the way which he now goeth, is an Open Gate to all vanity or Licentiouſneſſe, and deſpair; and there muſt a ſevere accompt belong to ſuch, introducing men into deſpair and vanity.

5. I deſire he may be adviſed; that he might become ſeeing, that he may at length acknowledge, the friendly Dear heart of JESUS CHRIST; which hath manifeſted it ſelf in our humanity; ^[1] to ſeek and to ſave our poor loſt Man.

6. For this vain frivolous reproach which he venteth againſt his Brother, is no Chriſtian way at all; it will not build SION but deſtroy it, if he will be comprehended under the ſeaventh ^[2] ſounding of Trumpet, and be one among the ^[3] firſt fruits, then he muſt goe out from all reproachings, contention, and ſcorning, and ſeek only the heart of brotherly Love; elſe all is Babel and a Fiction, even clamouring and Contending, and never coming to the Limit of our Reſt in Chriſt.

7. I have a little preſented it before him and other Readers, of my Writings, to conſider of it; ſince I ſee that not only my Oppoſer, but alſo others for the moſt part Perſons of high Dignity, are thus perplexed with this conceit about the Predeſtination or Election of God, to try, whether this moſt difficult errour might be brought out of the Minds of many of them.

8. But I am entended to write an ^[4] Entire Book thereof, if I could but perceive that Men would not ſo ſpitefully oppoſe me; without knowledge what ſpirits Child I am; this I offer to you as learned and experienced Men to conſider of, and entreat you, to ponder aright whence my apprehenſion and ſkill might come.

9. For you ſee and know, that I have not learned it, much leſſe ſtudyed or underſtood it aforehand, as the manner of ſimple Ideots or Layicks is, neither have I ſought it, or underſtood any the leaſt part of it but it is given me of the Grace of the Moſt High, in that I have ſought his Love-Heart, to hide my ſelf therein, from the Horrible Anger of God, and the Hatred or Enmity of the Devill.

10. Therefore I exhort and beſeech you in the Love of Chriſt, to think of it, and rightly hold cloſe to the Holy Scripture of the Spirit, and keep it rightly to the proof or Touchſtone, with a true Chriſtian Mind, and then your Eyes will be opened, that you will ſee and know it.

11. Though I doe not at all doubt concerning your Perſon Sir, for I look upon you to be a very honeſt Lover of God and of the Truth; and I alſo hope, that my Mind which is ſo very exceedingly inclined towards you, will not deceive me.

12. For I ſtedfaſtly hope, and doe preſent it in my Prayers to God, that Sir, the Fair Garland or Crown of Divine Honour in the knowledge of the Wiſdome, may be ſet upon you, that you might not need to uſe either Mine or others writings to the knowledge of God: but Sir you know in your ſelf, as it hath alſo happened to me, out of what ſpirit I write, and uſe nothing elſe about it; for it is written, ^[5] They ſhall be all Taught of God: ^[6] and know the Lord: ^[7] I will pour out my ^[8] Spirit upon all Fleſh; alſo your ſonnes and your daughters ſhall Propheſie, and your Young Men ſhall ſee viſions.

13. Why will Men reproach then, when God powreth out his Spirit upon ſuch a ſimple Man; ſo that he muſt write above the Reaſon of All Men; and higher than the Ground of this World is.

14. Deare Sir, it is done out of Gods Love towards you; that you may ſee the Ground and roote of your School-Contention; for many have ſought but not at the right Limit or Place, whence contention is ariſen to them, which hath filled the World, and hath almoſt quite deſtroyed all brotherly Love.

15. Therefore, God calleth you, with a higher voyce, that you might yet ſee, whence all Evill and Good Originateth, and proceedeth, becauſe you ſhould ceaſe from Contention and Strife, and moſt highly acknowledge that which from the Times of this World hath been hitherto hidden, and is only manifeſted or revealed to the Children of the Saints.

16. But ſeeing it is ſhewed to me how your heart Sir is inclined to wiſdome, therefore I ſpeak ſublimely towards you, and do hope, you will accept it in true Love, and underſtand it rightly as it is entended: I would I could give you halfe the Spirit of my knowledge: and then you would need no Writings; although, I eſteeme you wiſe, yet I will once brotherly ſalute you with this Writing, before the rough Winter of Calamity Come, which is upon the way.

17. If your Honour Love my Writings, I pray you to reade them diligently, and above all eſpecially to lay them to the Center of All things or Subſtances; and then the Three Principles will be very ^[9] eaſie.

18. I know and am aſſured, that if you apprehend the Center in the Spirit, that you will have ſuch joy in it, as excelleth all the Worlds joy, for the Noble STONE of the wiſe Men, lyeth therein, it giveth certainty in ALL things, and releaſeth Man from all incumbrance and perplexity, in the Strife and Contentions about Religion, and openeth to him the higheſt ſecret Myſtery which lyeth IN himſelf: he bringeth his work which he is choſen to by Nature, to the higheſt PERFECTION; and can ſee all things into the Heart: muſt not that be a Jewel above all the precious things of this World?

19. If you ſhould meete with any thing in my Writings that were unintelligible and too high, I entreat you to Obſerve it, and ſend it me in Writing, and I will render it in a Childiſh manner.

20. But ſince I obſerve you have a very ſublime underſtanding, therefore I exhort and entreat you, in a right entention, as it is ſet before God; that Men would enter into ſuch a Life, and Live and Converſe in the knowledge, that we may be found as Firſt-fruits in the Lord in SION.

21. The Lord N. at N, if you did come into acquaintance with him, I entreat you to Judge of his Gifts, for he is zealous, and a great Seeker, God give him that he may finde; and I entreat you to ſend the Incloſed Writing to him with the ſooneſt, opportunity; wherein you will do him and me a pleaſure, alſo ſend this with it to the Lord N: or to N. that he may ſend it to him.

22. In reſpect of the venomous ſpitefull Paſquill or Libel of the unintelligent zealous Perſon, I have given ^[10] Three and twenty ſheets in anſwer; but have kept up that Anſwer to this time, that the Man might not be diſcountenanced, hoping that by the Information of Good People he would ſomewhat become ſeeing, and ſtill I have forbidden it to be given abroad, that if it were poſſible, he might forſake his Malice or Malignity; elſe if the Anſwer ſhould be publiſhed, he would have ſmall cauſe of boaſting, as he ſuppoſeth to have by it; in the meane time deliver this to be conſidered of a little by HIM.

23. If he will not be thus ſatisfied, to converſe in brotherly Love, let him certainly believe, that where Gods Love is, his Anger is alſo; that will ſhew him, that he will be aſhamed thereof, and wiſh that he never had begun it: but if he will be quiet, then may this Anſwer, be laid up in ſome knowne place; he may aſſuredly believe that I ſee further than he underſtandeth.

24. For, a Time openeth it ſelf which is wonderfull, which in my Writings is enough ſignified, it certainly cometh, therefore earneſtneſſe and ſincerity is neceſſary to be uſed.

25. Out of reſpect, and for Gods honour ſake, I have friendly anſwered the knowne Perſon; for I regard More the Children of God, viz: my Eternall Brethren, than my Vindication or Juſtification; for, I willingly ^[11] ſuffer-reproach for the ſake of Truth, and of the honour of Chriſt; for it is the Badg or Livery of Chriſt, I ſend it to your honour, friendly, and Commit you, together with ^[12] all thoſe that Love JESƲS, into the Grace of Jeſus Chriſt; Dated the 3. of July, 1621.

Jacob Behme.

The INTRODUCTION To the Anſwer, To Balthaſar Tylcken's aſperſing Pamphlet, concerning ſome Points or Concluſions, in the Book of the Becoming Man or Incarnation of Jeſus Chriſt, by him Oppoſed.

JACOB BEHME Warneth his Fellow-Brethren.

The Open fountaine in the Heart of JESƲS CHRIST; be our Quickening and Life, and let it bring us into his Light, in a Brotherly Love and Child-like Union; that we may converſe in his power or vertue, and love and know our ſelves in Him.

1. DEare Sirs and Brethren in Chriſt, in what dangerous Lodging, in the vale of ^[13] this Earthly Tabernacle, in Fleſh and Bloud; in the Kingdome of the Starres and Elements, we lye captive in the Oppoſition and aſſaults of the Devill, and in what Dangerous Wayes of the Devill in the Luſts of Fleſh and Bloud, we uſe to walke, unleſſe the bright Morning Starre of the Heart of Jeſus Chriſt, awaken or ariſe in US; is not ſufficiently to be ſpoken or written.

2. How indeed, the World ſo altogether departeth from the wayes of the Divine Light; and goeth grouping in the Dark; neither will they ſuffer themſelves to be helped, but doe only deſpiſe and ſcorne Gods Meſſengers, which are often ſent to them from God out of his Love, to warne them of their ungodly wayes: this we all ſee and know alas too much, how the own ſelf Reaſon from the Starres and Elements, layeth and ſetteth it ſelfe againſt the open fountaine of the Love, in the Heart of JESUS CHRIST; and ſcorneth all that which God ſets before them for a Warning and Teaching, as was done in the Time of Chriſt and his Apoſtles; wherein the Reaſon-wiſe Schooles, not only Scorned the ſimplicity of the Perſons that taught the Kingdome of Chriſt, but alſo deſpiſed all Wonders or Miracles, and held only their own diſſembling Hypocriticall Reaſon to be true and right.

3. And as it was at the Time of Noah, before the Deluge or Floud, alſo at Sodom and Gomorrha, alſo at the time of the deſtruction of the Jewiſh people, alſo among the Heathen before Iſrael was brought out of Egypt into their Land or Country: when they drave them out and ſlew them: ſo alſo it is in this preſent Time, wherein all live in Strife or Contention and Oppoſition, and rage and rave, againſt God and the way of righteouſneſſe, as Mad-men, and yet alwayes Cry Here is the Church of CHRIST, avoyd ſuch a one he is Mad or Senſleſſe and from the Devill.

4. And yet One party liveth as wickedly as the other, they carry the Name of God in their Mouthes for a ſhew as an Oath; and yet their Heart ſticketh full of Gall, venome, or poyſon and bitterneſſe; There is no feare of God in their Hearts, ^[14] their Mouth is full of Curſing, reproaching, ſcandalous deriding Blaſphemies, there is no deſire to Love and Concord, or unanimity in their Hearts, but Pride, State, Covetouſneſſe, and vaine voluptuouſneſſe, only that they continually liſt up themſelves above Gods Children, and to obſcure and overthrow their way which they walke, in, the Light of God, that their Teaching and Life might not be knowne, and that the Devill may continue to be Chiefe Great Prince in the humane Will and Government or Dominion: therefore they blaſpheme ſcandalize and reproach the Children of God, and account them for Fooles, that they may remaine Covered in Obſcurity.

5. And that which is more horrible, thus the Divine Omnipotence, muſt be a Cloake or Mantle to hide their wickedneſſe, wherewith they cover themſelves, and mix Gods Will therein, as if Nothing were done without Gods Will, and that all of it is only Gods purpoſe or predeſtination, who from Eternity hath concluded in himſelfe, what ſhall be manifeſted in the Time, whether it be Evill or Good.

6. Whereas, they yet underſtand nothing of God nor his Will or Subſtance, yes they are as blinde concerning it, as one that is born blinde is to the viſible things of this World, as is cleerly diſcovered and preſented to view in this aſperſing Pamphlet, againſt the Book of the Becoming Man or Incarnation of Chriſt, and in his former Paſquil or Libellous Pamphlet [againſt the Avrora] that the poor confuſed Man, runs on ſo ſenſleſly, and raveth againſt it, and yet hath no Ground or underſtanding in him at all, ſo that: I lament his great want of apprehenſion, and muſt have a great ſumpathy or fellow-feeling with him, and doe wiſh from my heart, that God would once open his heart, that he might firſt ſee and underſtand e're he Judgeth.

7. For, the poor blinde Man, rejecteth many a thing in my Book, and ſets even ſuch a thing in the place thereof, as my meaning is, in the knowledge of it, which makes me wonder, how he is ſuch a zealous Saul, and is zealous for the Law of God, and yet hath no apprehenſion of it at all in the Light of God: I wiſh heartily that the Light to Saul at Damaſcus might ſhine round about him, that he might become a Paul, ſeeing he is ſo zealous, then might his zeale, be profitable towards the furthering the Salvation of Man.

8. But ſo long as he is in ſuch a way, as to blaſpheme reproach and perſecute, and ſo to rage in blindneſſe as Saul did, he will effect nothing, but only rave againſt God to his greateſt Condemnation, and will but confound thoſe whom he thinketh to teach, and lead them deeper into darkneſſe.

9. For he hath conceived ſuch an Opinion in his Reaſon, which it were much better he had never ſet it down in Paper: Alſo I am very much afraid, that Satan hath Caſt his own ſelf-Reaſon, without Divine Light, into ſuch a Priſon, and Captivated him with ſuch a Snare, out of which it will be hard to break forth, and without the Divine Light cannot at all be done.

10. But now ſeeing it is apparent, that not only he but others alſo are encumbred and perplexed with the purpoſe or Predeſtination and Election of God, and doe thus repreſent the Omnipotence of God after ſuch a manner, wherein they goe on in ignorance very confuſedly, and underſtand Nothing of Gods Will to Good and Evill, much leſſe doe they know what God is, from whence horrible Opinions are concluded of, and yet this Man in ſuch confuſed Reaſon ſo ſhameleſly entendeth to diſgrace and ſuppreſſe my Writings which yet have a far deeper Ground, then he ever underſtood; therefore it ſhall be a little ſignified to him, to try whether he or another will thereby become ſeeing in God.

11. Not with entent to contemne but to inſtruct out of my Talent which is given to me of God: For men know very well that I am no Doctor from the Schoole of this World, if it were not given to me I ſhould not underſtand it.

12. And though I did not ſo highly ſeek, yet it hath been given to me without my knowledge: I ſought only the fountain of Chriſt, and underſtood Nothing of the Myſtery what THAT was; but now it is alſo afforded me as a Favour, to ſee the Subſtance of All Subſtances; in which without the Light of God I ſhould indeed be Blinde.

13. But ſeeing the Man with his Pamphlet annexed ſo my Writings, underſtandeth nothing at all of the Myſtery of the Subſtance of all Subſtances, much leſſe the Principles to the C[•]nter in the Principle; and yet undertaketh to reprove my Writing, alſo with a ſtrange underſtanding quite Contrary to my ſence or meaning, and perverteth my Sence or Thoughts into a ſtrange and very fooliſh underſtanding, only to bring ſorth his conceits under ſuch a ſemblance, which neither conſiſteth with the Ground of the Holy Scripture, nor with the Light of Nature; therefore I am as it were neceſſitated to waſh the Dirt from my ſence and apprehenſion.

14. Seeing he begins ſo artificially, and drags the Scripture by the haire of the Head to it, that it muſt ſerve him as he will have it, let the Ground and Corner-Stone be where it will, whether there be ſuch an underſtanding in the alledged Termes or Texts or No, only that he may bring Scripture and Letters, and exchange words with words, and thereby cloake his Erroneous meaning with ſuch a ſemblance, ſo he doth but bring Scripture for it: and though many times in my Writings I handle not juſt that very Matter, that he would anſwer with Scripture, but bring clean another Meaning; and that he perverts my ſence to the quite Contrary, and thereby would make it ſuſpected: therefore I will a little ſummarily and briefly anſwer him to his aſperſed Objections; Not in that Manner as to Contend with him; but for thoſe to conſider of that read my Writings.

15. For a true Chriſtian hath no Contention with any Man, about Religion; he that contendeth about words, and deſpiſeth his Brother, is blinde, and ^[15] hath not the Faith.

16. For FAITH, is not a Hiſtoricall conceit, but a right Life, the Spirit of God muſt be generated in the Center through the Principle of the Soul, and ſpring up in the Myſtery of the Minde, and therein Rule and Shine, it muſt be Mans Will and Deed, yes, it muſt be his inward Life and underſtanding, and Man muſt be reſigned into if, elſe there is no right Faith or Divine underſtanding in a Man, but only Fables and Babel, Contention and Clamour, to teare and rend, about the Husk and not enjoy the Kernell.

17. Therefore I ſay now; Is Gods Spirit in my ſcorner? why then is he a Scorner and Contender? Hath he the Faith, why then doth he deſpiſe Chriſts Children and Members, whoſe Chriſtianity is earneſt and Sincere? Chriſt ſaid; ^[16] Love one another, thereby Men ſhall know that ye are my Diſciples; Alſo, ^[17] Doe ye not judge, thoſe that are within, God will judge thoſe that are without; Is he in the Spirit of Chriſt? why then doth he deſpiſe the Spirit of Chriſt? Or is Chriſt become at Odds with himſelf?

18. O deare Sirs and Brethren, take it into conſideration, and look upon the holy Scriptures rightly in the Spirit of Chriſt, and then ye will finde that a right true Chriſtian hath contention with no man; for ^[18] His Converſation is in Heaven, as Saint Paul ſaith: from whence he continually expecteth the Saviour Chriſt, that ^[19] Gods Kingdome in him may come and Gods Will in him be done; ^[20] Chriſt is come to ſeek and to ſave that which is loſt, what ſhould then the Spirit of Chriſt in the Converted Man, will, otherwiſe?

An Admonition, alſo what the Firſt Principle or the Dark World, is; and how, the Fire is not the Firſt Principle.

19. DEare Sirs and Brethren, I tell you in good will and faithfulneſſe, as I have obtained Grace in the Spirit of Chriſt, ^[21] that a Divine Spirit dwelleth in no contemning and ſcorning deriſion or diſgrace: but goe out from that, and tread the Contention in the Minde, underfoote, account it as Dung.

20. And ſeek the Life of God in Chriſt with earneſtneſſe, when you get that, you need no other Maſter to teach you, the Spirit of God will well teach you, lead you and drive you, yea he will teach WITHIN you: For it is written, ^[22] They ſhall all be taught of God: and Chriſt ſaith; ^[23] The Holy Spirit ſhall receive of Mine, and make it knowne to you within you.

21. All outward Teaching, doth not lay faſt hold in Man, unleſſe Man caſt his deſirous will thereinto, how will it then take hold in the ſcorner, who bringeth an Envious oppoſition againſt the Spirit of Chriſt.

22. Deare Sirs and Brethren, doe but ſee and conſider him, what the poor blinde Man in his Pride and State ſets before him, he reproves that which he knoweth nothing of, and that which he hath no apprehenſion of, which I very much Lament that the Man runneth on thus without any Ground.

23. He begins to reprove, that I have written concerning the Great MYSTERY of the Eternall Nature, out of which the Third Principle, viz: the Outward World, with the Starres and Elements are become generated and Created, and yet bringeth nothing to Light, that Men may ſee, that he underſtandeth ſomewhat of the Ground, and Center; he ſaith, The Word and the Wiſdome of CHRIST, are the Myſtery, viz: the Outpoured Glance of his Glory, in which every thing is Created; who is it now that ſtriveth with him about that, that ^[24] all things are created by God through his Wiſdome; I have in all my Writings written ſo; and it needs not his Gloſſe or Expoſition at all.

24. Only the Queſtion is, out of what God hath Created them; If he will ſay, that Evill, as alſo Earth and Stone, alſo all venomous or poyſonous Creatures, and particularly SINNE, are generated out of the outpoured Glance or Luſtre of his Wiſdome; then he ſpeaketh as a blinde Man of Colours, which he hath never ſeene.

25. But, that he brings forth ſuch a ſad and miſerable meaning, Men ſee, ſufficiently, in that which he writes concerning the Will and Election of God, and ſo thruſts all into Gods Predeſtination, and drags the Scripture by the Haire of the Head to it, quite contrary to the Meaning of the Scripture: Oh that the Confuſed Man might come ſo farre, as firſt to learne to underſtand the Center of the Eternall Nature, and of all things or Subſtances, before he ſpeak of the Great Myſtery of all things or Subſtances and reprove thoſe to whom the ſame is revealed or manifeſted from God.

26. If he will now put it ſo, that all things were in the Great Myſtery of God; then he muſt diſtinguiſh the Word of Love, and the Eternall Name of God; from Gods Anger and fierce Wrath, in which he calleth himſelf ^[25] a Conſuming Fire.

27. If he will ſay, that the Conſuming Fire is Gods Wiſdome and Love, then he will ſay, that Hell is Heaven, and that the Heaven, wherein Gods Majeſty ſhineth, is the Darkneſſe; If he will not admit, that the Center to the Fire of God, is an Eternall Darkneſſe, whereinto the Devill plunged himſelf, when he deſpiſed Gods Meekneſſe.

28. If now this outward World with all things or Subſtances therein, is become generated only out of the Word of Love, out of the Holy Name of God, out of the Wiſdome; why it is then called, and is, Evill and Good, and moreover, a vale of Miſery, full of anxiety and Toyle? why then did God ^[26] Curſe it for the ſake of One Sinne?

29. If it be the Myſterie of the Wiſdome, why is it then without Divine Underſtanding; but if it be not that, as he alſo doth not determine; then I ask, what kinde of Myſtery is THAT out of which it became Created, that it is Good and Evill whether is it an inceptive or beginning Myſtery or an Eternall one, ſeeing the blinde Man will know Nothing of the Eternall Nature, and knoweth not nor will not diſtinguiſh the Cleere Deity from the fierce Wrath of God and the Eternall Nature: whereas he hath a true ſimilitude of this in Fire and Light, and in whatſoever thing out of which the Fire burneth, if he did but ſee.

30. If he will not admit, that before the time of this World, there hath been a Myſtery in the Eternall Nature, in which the Eternall Nature from Eternity in Eternity continually Originateth, wherein Gods Anger and fierce Wrath from Eternity becometh generated, wherein the fierce Wrathfull hard and Stern Property hath Generated Darkneſſe and a Miſt or Cloud or Vapour; and yet hath been like no Miſt, but the fierce wrathfull Spirit hath had ſuch a property, wherein all Evill is underſtood; as alſo the ſterne Earth; Then let him tell me, out of what THAT is proceeded; and tell me further, how the Life can ſubſiſt without the Fires property; and whence the Fires Property Originateth.

31. Let him ſhew me another Center, then I have ſhewne him in the book of the Three Principles, as alſo in the Book of the Threefold Life of Man, and yet much more, deeply and fundamentally, in the Book of The Sin Poynts, of the Great Myſterie of the Subſtance of all Subſtances, concerning the Thr[••] Worlds; how they ſtand one in another as ONE, and how they Eternally ſupport themſelves, and each is the Cauſe of the Other, ſo that in the Great Myſterie there is nothing Evill, nor any thing without a Cauſe.

32. Let him firſt come into the Schoole, and learn the A, B, C, before he call himſelf Maſter, it is not to goe upon ſtrange Feet, if one will ſpeak of the Myſterie, to furniſh or adorne himſelf with ſtrange Maſters or Artiſts, but to underſtand it himſelf; himſelf to have the Spirit of underſtanding, or elſe to leave the Myſterie undefiled, and let thoſe ſpeak and write of it, to whom God hath manifeſted or revealed it.

33. His Tattle which he driveth on, with his drawing the Holy Scripture to it, taketh or reacheth not my ſenſe and underſtanding at all: The Children of God ſpeak in their apprehenſion and Gifts, not out of the Mouth of others, but their own, and I ſpeak alſo not out of the Mouth of others, but out of my own: but out of One ſpirit we all ſpeak, every one out of his own Gift; what doth that availe the unintelligent, to whom the Myſtery of God is not intruſted? why doth he reprove us all before he rightly underſtandeth one of them.

34. Learne firſt to underſtand the Center of the Eternall Nature, and how to diſtinguiſh the Cleere or bright Deity from Nature, and learne how the Deity revealeth or manifeſteth it ſelf through Nature, and Learn what Gods Wiſdome is, how it is the out ſpoken Subſtance of the Deity; and what the Divine-Life is, and then what the Nature-Life is; alſo what a Principle is; e're he wittily ſubtillizeth: Let him firſt learne beforehand, what the Eternall Tincture is, and what the One Element is; alſo what Paradiſe, and Heaven, are, what Evill and Good are; Let him firſt goe into the Schoole of Pentecoſt; that he may attaine that Spirit, in which only there is underſtanding.

35. But he muſt firſt ^[27] become a Fool, and then come to be Nothing, as the World ſuppoſeth, if he will attain the Spirit of the Myſterie, that God may be his Will and Deed, and then let him come, and I will ſpeak with him of the Myſtery, elſe let him leave my apprehenſion unreproved.

36. If he be a Chriſtian let him Live in Love towards a Chriſtian, and rejoyce in the Gifts, which God giveth us one among another; why doth he brag and reproach ſo much, that ſheweth him to be a Proud Man, let him deal Meekly, and I will meet him meekly; if he underſtand any thing according to his Gifts, let him praiſe God, and not contemne that, which God giveth to another, if he can not endure to read it, let him leave it for thoſe whom God hath called thereunto, to whom HE will reveale or manifeſt it.

37. Is not that a wonderfull thing; that he will reprove the Three Principles, and underſtandeth not out of what Center and underſtanding the Spirit ſpeaketh: he will begin the firſt Principle with the Fire, where then remaineth the Center out of which the Fire originateth?

38. Let him tell me, how the Eternall Nothing introduceth it ſelfe from Eternity in Eternity, into an Eternall Center, and how the Eternall Nature from Eternity continually generateth it ſelf; whereby the Eternall Will, which is called God, manifeſteth or revealeth it ſelf from Eternity.

39. With this his half-mute, Deſcription, he will not bring me into it; but in My Book of the Six Points he will well find it, let him read that; it is like, he will become ſeeing, if he but ſeek and begin aright.

40. When I write of Three Principles, then I underſtand Three Worlds, as Firſt, the Center to Nature, the Dark World, in which the Fire, or the ſharpneſſe of the ſterne Might originateth from Eternity, the Form to the Fire-Life, in which property Gods fierce Wrath and Anger alſo the helliſh Fire is underſtood: from whence the Nature-Life Originateth, which is not called God, and though indeed it is Gods, yet it attaineth not the Name and Divine ſource or quality in its own Eſſence, as Saint John Witneſſeth, Chap. 1. Verſ. 5. Where he ſaith; The Light ſhineth in the Darkneſſe, and the Darkneſſe hath not comprehended it, and this ſheweth it ſelf alſo in the Outward World, how the Light ſhineth or giveth Light in the Darkneſſe.

41. Now if the Fire be the Firſt Principle, as he ſaith; then let him tell me, whether the Darkneſſe cometh out of the Fire, or whether the Fire maketh Darkneſſe; Alſo what that is which Maketh Darkneſſe; and how all this thus generateth it ſelfe from Eternity in Eternity.

42. I ſuppoſe here, my Pamphlet Maker, will remain Mute, he will indeed be ſilent concerning it, unleſſe he goe with Me into the School: but he ſhould firſt put off the Click of Pride; elſe this Schoolmaſter will not receive him, he will have Children at School, which look and truſt upon him: Not Lords.

43. When I write of three Principles, then I write of Three Worlds, of Three Eternall Beginnings, how they generate themſelves.

44. I underſtand with or by the Principles, Not the Chaos, the Eye of the Aether, which dwelleth without Ground or Place in it ſelf, but I underſtand, How the Eye of the Aether Manifeſteth or Revealeth it ſelf, through and with the Principles, and introduceth it ſelf into Power Might Shining Glance and Glory, viz; with Deſire and Luſt or Longing Delight; where, in the Deſire the firſt ſhutting in, is effected, which is a Darkneſſe, where the Deſire is the firſt Center to Nature, which introduceth it ſelf into the ſource or quality, into the perceptibility and perception, even into the Fire, viz: into the fourth Form, as is ſufficiently Deſcribed in our Books, viz: of the Three Principles, alſo of the Threefold Life, alſo in the Second Booke of the Becoming Man or Incarnation of Chriſt, concerning Chriſts Suffering and Dying, and yet higher in the Six Poynts: to which Books I refer the Reader, and ſo in this Part, which the blind Man oppoſeth, it is not here expreſſed at Large.

45. Now if Gods Fire, which generateth the Glance or Luſtre of the Majeſty, be the firſt Principle; and yet in the Darkneſſe, the ſource quality or Torment and Pain, and moreover the ſterne Life, is generated, and alſo the Fire it ſelf Originateth out of the Darkneſſe, viz: out of the ſharpneſſe, with the aſpect or appearance of the Liberty in the Luſt or Longing out of the Chaos; then tell me now my Opponent, whether the Dark World be a Principle, or whether He or I be blind in the Myſtery.

46. I know alſo very well that the Fire is a ſource or quality of Every Life, but I ſay that the Root of the Fire is Dark; and that the Dark world is not called God, for it is an Enimicitious quality in it ſelf; a Cauſe of Nature.

47. Indeed it is Gods, and God who manifeſteth himſelf, through the Dark World with the Fire, in the Light of the Majeſty, is its Lord, for it becometh generated in the Deſire of the Chaos, out of the Abyſſe in the Nothing, and in the Deſire introduced into Darkneſſe, but the Luſt or Longing Delight, of the Chaos, to the Revelation, taketh only thus its Sharpneſſe and Fires Might to it ſelf, and yet bringeth it ſelf againe through the Dying in the Fire, wherein the Darkneſſe dyeth, underſtand the Darkneſſes ſubſtantrality, forth through the Fire into the Light, and maketh another or Second Principle, of another ſource or quality, viz: Joy Meekneſſe and Love-Deſire.

48. Thus the Dark-ſource or quality-Spirit, remaineth to be in it ſelf an anguiſh and Paine, and is called Gods Anger and fierce wrath, and the kindled Fire in the Fourth Form at the Center, is called a Conſuming Fire, whence God calleth himſelf an angry, Zealous or Jealous, fierce wrathfull, God.

49. And here underſtand Death and Dying, as alſo Gods Holy Kingdome, alſo his Anger or Kingdome of Hell; viz: the Darkneſſe is the Eternall Hell or Hole wherein Lucifer Batheth himſelf, and into which the wicked Soul goeth; and the fierce wrath to the Fire-Life is the right helliſh Fire-life therein, and yet there is no farre diſtance from God, but a Principle only ſevereth them.

50. As we ſee a Similitude of this, in Fire and Light, where the Dark Matter in the Fire, Dyeth, and the Light ſhineth out of that which dyeth, and dwelleth in the Fire, and the Fire comprehendeth it NOT.

51. Alſo the Light is not of the Fires Eſſence quality ſource or Torment, for the Light giveth Meekneſſe and an amiable ^[28] thing or Subſtance viz: out of that which before was a Dead Dark Subſtance, a Water and herein lyeth Myſterium Magnum the Great Myſtery: My Dear Pamphlet-Maker, ſeek and you will find, knock and it will be opened unto you.

52. Your Conceit is a Dead underſtanding, as to the Myſtery, if you be taught of God, then goe with me to the Center, and then I will ſhew it you in all the things of this World, yes in your very SELF: I will have nothing excepted; wherein I will not ſhew you the Similitude of the Three Principles: Forbear your reproaching and become a Child, then it will be ſhewen you; but I will not caſt the Pearle under your Feet, know that, nor under None.

53. I have my knowledge and ſkill not from Conceit or Opinions as you have, but I have a living ſkill or knowledge in the viſibility & Experience or perceptibility: I need no Doctor from the Schools of this World about it, for I have not learned it from them, but from Gods Spirit; therefore I am not afraid of your Clamour and Scorne.

Of a right Chriſtian. And of the Divine Wiſdome the Eternall Virgin that is no Genetrix.

54. DEare Sirs and Brethren in Chriſt, I pray be Schollers of Gods Wiſdome, let none ſay of Himſelf, I underſtand it, we know nothing concerning God, what HE is; but Gods Spirit muſt become the knowing in US, elſe our knowing is but Fiction, a continuall Confuſedneſſe, a ^[29] continuall Learning and underſtanding nothing in the Ground of the Center.

55. What is it for me to ſpeak much of the Wiſdome out of the Scripture, and could repeat the Bible ^[30] without Book, and underſtood nothing of what the Wiſe Men have ſpoken, and out of what Spirit and knowledge; if alſo I have not the ſame Spirit which they had, HOW then ſhall I underſtand them.

56. To ſuch knowledge belongeth not Conceits, and to collect together a heap or abundance of Texts to his purpoſe; THAT no Holy Man, or wiſe Man, hath done; but a living Spirit out of God can See the Myſtery, and converſe in its own knowledge.

57. Gods Spirit muſt be IN the Reaſon, if Reaſon will ſee God; there belongeth an humble reſigned heart to it, not a Scorner in Reaſon; where Reaſon boaſteth it ſelf to be enlightened, that is only a Sydereall or Starry Enlightening, to be ſo ^[31] ſharp witted.

58. If any be a Child of God, then let him ſeek his Brother in the Love of God, and then I can truſt him, but while he is a Scorner, he hath put on the Devills Vizard and Hood, and goeth about in Pride, he is no Chriſtian, but a Mouth or Lip-Chriſtian and Conſufed Babel: as indeed ſuch Books of Controverſie or Contention and Hypocriſie are ALL Babel.

59. Let one ſhew another the Way of God, in Love, Humility, and in the Fear of God, as becometh the Children of God, then ſuch Contemning would not exiſt in the World, whereby the ſimple Layick is ſeduced; and totally ignorant of the Cauſe, falleth on in reproach and Contempt, againſt his Brother who is not of his Opinion or Sect of Religion; and yet One in a Religion, which without Gods Spirit and Power, is but a conceit and Opinion, is as blinde as the other.

60. For the true Religion ſtandeth not alone, in outward Words, in appearance or ſhew, but in Living active power, that one deſireth from the Ground of his Heart, to performe to another what he knoweth he ought to doe.

61. It muſt come into deed, elſe it is but a Coloured or Painted faith a Hiſtoricall Babel; where Gods Spirit is not, there is no Faith; alſo no Chriſtian; but where that is, there it worketh cleere works of Love, he teacheth and reproveth Meekly, he is not puffed up and Scornfull; as my Opponent.

62. He will needs write out the Ground of the divine Wiſdome, & ſcorn my Explanation, which I have ſpoken from the Center, & Confirm himſelf with the Collected Texts of Scripture, & deſpiſeth that which I have Written: That the Wiſdom is a Virgin without Generating, that ſhe is NO Genetrix, but that the Spirit of God is her Life and Generating, which Revealeth or Manifeſteth in her the Divine Wonder; and he will ſet that which is better in the ſtead thereof.

63. He ſaith, the Wiſdome ſuffereth and Generateth; and he collecteth a heap of Texts for proof: Who now is at odds with him in this: Not I: I ſay the ſame; and he writeth but my words, but underſtandeth not my Senſe or Thoughts, he is at Odds with himſelf.

64. I ſpeak out of the Center, and he from the Subſtance that is Generated, I underſtand, that the Wiſdome is not the Center or the Opener, but Gods Spirit is that; I underſtand thus, to ſpeak in a Similitude, that as the Soul in the Body, manifeſteth or revealeth it ſelf, through the Eſſence of the Fleſh; and that the Fleſh had not the Might or ſtrength if there were not a living Spirit in it: ſo alſo Gods Wiſdome is the Out-ſpoken Subſtance, where through, the Power and the Spirit of God manifeſteth or revealeth it ſelf in Forms, underſtand in Divine Forms and Shapes in the Wonders.

65. It generateth or beareth indeed, but it is not the Divine Principle or the Center of the Genetrix, but the Mother wherein the Father Worketh.

66. And therefore I call it a Virgin, becauſe it is the Modeſt Chaſtity and purity of God, and carrieth no Deſire backward to the Fire; but its longing pleaſure or Luſt of Delight goeth forward with or in the Revelation or Manifeſtation of the Deity.

67. She could generate Nothing if the Spirit of God did not work in her, and therefore ſhe is NO Genetrix, but the Looking-Glaſſe of the Deity, the Spirit of God generateth in her; he is her Life, ſhe is his Chiſt, Cabinet, or Body; ſhe is the Holy Spirits Corporeity, in her lye the Colours of the Vertue, for ſhe is the Out-ſpoken Subſtance, which the Father comprehendeth out of the Chaos, that is out of himſelf without beſides beyond or before Nature in the Nothing; and bringeth the ſame forth with the deſire to Nature, through the Eternall Nature, through the firſt Principle, through the Fire of his Might, into the Second Principle, in the Divine Power, into the Light of the Majeſty.

68. It is that which the Father, from Eternity in Eternity continually re-comprehendeth, which the Father who is a Fire and Light, introduceth into his Fire-Life, to the Center of his Heart.

69. She is the higheſt Subſtantiality of the Deity; without her God would not be Manifeſted or Revealed, but would be only a Will, but through the Wiſdome he bringeth himſelf into Subſtance, ſo that he is Manifeſted or Revealed to himſelf.

70. And therefore I call her a Virgin, being ſhe is in the Marriage with God: ſo that ſhe generateth without a Fire-life, for in her the Light or the right Divine Life, Manifeſteth or Revealeth it ſelf, ſhe is a Virgin of the Modeſt Chaſtity and purity of God, and yet is in the Marriage with God.

71. Thou ſuttle prudent School or Vniverſity from the Conſtellation, if thou didſt here underſtand the Ground, thou wouldſt NEED NO Books more, ALL lyeth herein, the Stone of the Wiſe Men, or Philoſophers STONE, lyeth in this place, but firſt put off your rough Garment, and then you will ſee it.

Of the Third Principle, which is the Bride of God: and how the Spirit of God is no Principle and yet is a Principle.

72. NOw when I ſpeak of the Third Principle, I underſtand the Outward World: Then ſaith my Opponent, God hath made it through his Wiſdome, and proveth it by Scripture; and I ſay ſo to; but I proceed not mutely, I ſay out of what; for God hath given me the knowledge; It is Not I my ſelf that know it, but God knoweth it IN Me.

73. The Wiſdome is his Bride, and the Children of Chriſt, are in Chriſt in the Wiſdome alſo Gods Bride: Now then if Chriſts Spirit dwelleth in Chriſts Children, and if Chriſts Children be Branches on his Vine, and one Body with him alſo one Spirit; whoſe now is the knowledg is it Mine or Gods? ſhould I then not know in the Spirit of Chriſt, out of what this World is Created, if he dwelleth in me, which hath created it, ſhould HE not know it.

74. Therefore now I ſubmit and will know nothing, ſo far as I am ſelf, viz: in that part from the outward World, that he may know in me, what he will. I am not the Genetrix in the knowing, but my Spirit is his Wife or [〈…〉] which he generateth the knowing, according to the Meaſure [〈…〉].

75. As the Eterna[••] Wiſdome is the Body of God, and he generateth therein what he will; then now if he generateth, it is not I that doe it, but he in me, I am as Dead in the generating of the knowledg, and he is my Life, and indeed I have neither ſought it or learned it: he inclineth himſelf to my Minehood, and my Ihood inclineth it ſelf up into him.

76. But now I am Dead, and underſtand Nothing, but he is my underſtanding, therefore I ſay, I live in God, and God in me, and ſo I teach and write of him, Dear Brethren, and otherwiſe I know Nothing

77. Bear with my folly a little I pray, in that which I tell you, not for my own boaſting, but for your Learning and knowledge, that you may know, whom you ſcorne and deſpiſe when you deride me, I will not hide it from you, but mean it heartily.

78. I have written of Three Principles, which are known in Me, but weakly, as a Scholler which goeth to School, ſo it hath gone with me.

79, My Opponent writeth of Four Principles, and calleth the Spirit of God a Principle alſo, according to his meaning, though I bring no Controverſie into HIS meaning about it, he may make Ten, for the Wiſdome hath neither Limit nor Ground, but he neither underſtandeth my meaning nor his own.

80. Let him tell me, How the Holy Spirit is a Principle; or what doth he underſtand by a Principle? will he make the Cleere Bright Deity to be a Principle? which is Eternall without ground and Beginning, which dwelleth in the Nothing, alſo poſſeſſeth nothing but only it ſelf? I can not ſpeak ſo of the Principles; but I ſpeak of the Three Worlds; in and with which the Incomprehenſible Deity manifeſteth or revealeth it ſelf.

81. One of them; with or by the wrought power in the Deſire to the Eternall Nature, viz: with the Spirit of the Dark ſource or quality, through which the Will of the ſtill Eternity ſharpeneth it ſelf, and brings it ſelf in the Fire through the Light, and ſo the ſharpneſſe remaineth Eternally only in it ſelf, and yet in the ſtill Will of the Meekneſſe thus receiveth a Cauſe, in the ſharpneſſe, to the Kingdome of Joy, and yet alſo remaineth not Eſſentially ſtanding, with the Spirit, in the fierce wrathfull ſharpneſſe.

82. But the Root is a Darkneſſe, and the Spirit goeth forth out of the Chaos through the Root through the Fire in the Fathers Property, through the Second Center of the Love and Kingdome of Joy into the Light.

83. Now therefore that very SPIRIT which is the Life of all in every Subſtance or Thing according to its property, is NO Principle; but according to the Eternall Nature of the fierce wrathfulneſſe, it is a Principle.

84. Thus alſo the Second Principle, ſubſiſts with or by the Divine World, viz: where the Divine Power with [〈◊〉] of the Majeſty is poured forth, which is juſtly accounted [〈…〉] THREE Perſons.

85. But the Principle in the Fire, is to [〈…〉], where the Dying is, and out of the Dying another Life [〈◊〉], viz: out of the Fire a Light, and yet there is no dying, but a conſuming ſource quality or Torment, and out of the Source Quality or Torment, the high triumphing Spirit exiſteth; where then, Gods Love-Will, and Anger-Will, ſevereth it ſelf into two Worlds, viz: into Light and Darkneſſe, and he is called God according to the Light, and according to the poured-out vertue or power of his Wiſdome.

86. But the Eternall Divine Originall, is not in the Eternall Nature; the Will to Nature is ſooner, and THAT Will is the Chaos, wherein all lyeth, and the Spirit exiſteth out of that, and Manifeſteth or revealeth it ſelf with or by, Light and Darkneſſe, Therefore I call not the Spirit of God, a Principle: for it is without or beſides all Beginnings, yet with the Eternall Beginnings, manifeſted or revealed with God in Trinity, though the Ternary alſo is in the Chaos: as is expreſſed in the Book of the Six Poynts.

Wherefore the Outward World is a Principle of its own; its Model is Eternall.

87. NOw when I Write of the Third Principle, then I alſo ſay, that God hath created all things through his Wiſdome, but out of the Spirit which is called God, this World is NOT Created; for it is called Evill and Good, and a Murthering Den of the Devill.

88. Alſo it is not generated out of the Divine Wiſdome, but by or through the Wiſdome; the Wiſdome is Not the Matter of this World, elſe I muſt call a Stone Gods Wiſdome; and Sinne alſo; but it is generated out of the two Eternall Principles, of both Worlds Subſtantiality, viz: out of the deſires of BOTH.

89. God the Father who is ALL, hath moved himſelfe with the Creation of this World, that is, in the Formes of both Worlds, of both Natures, and hath created Angells, underſtand out of the Spirit of the Eternall Natures.

90. For, if a Spirit be to ſubſiſt, in the kingdome of Joy, then it muſt have the Center in it ſelfe, out of which the Joy Originateth, viz: the Center to the Dark World, which is the ſharp might, elſe it would be a ſtillneſſe, without Moving.

91. Therefore, when Lucifer contemned the Light, he remained in that part of the Darkneſſe; for his Will went out from the Light, and would domineere in the Fires Might, whereby he angred God according to the Fires property, that is, in the Principle in the Fires property.

92. Thus I ſay, the Outward World is a Principle, that it hath a Life of its own, generated out-of both the inward Spirituall Worlds, viz: a Revelation or Manifeſtation of the Firſt and Second Principle, a Model or Similitude of the Eternall Nature, comprized in the deſire of the Eternall Nature, and Manifeſted with a Beginning, and included in a Time, which with the End goeth againe into the Eternity.

93. This Model or Time hath ſtood in Gods Wiſdome; which the Wiſdome hath manifeſted through TWO Spirituall WORLDS, with the Moving of the Eternall Father, and that which is Revealed or Manifeſted, goeth out of both Eternall Principles, viz: out of the Light and Dark World; and thus ^[32] the Light moveth in the Darkneſſe, and the Darkneſſe comprehendeth it not.

94. And herein lyeth the Drawing to Evill and Good, and here is that which the Scripture ſaith concerning the Will of Man; ^[33] To which you give your ſelves as ſervants in Obedience, either to the Light of God, or to the Darkneſſe in the Anger of God, to that you are ſervant, and into that you goe, to which you are obedient, of THAT you are led and drawne, alſo Elected for children; they are BOTH Gods, but the Light is only called God or Good.

How the Soul is out of all the Three-Worlds, of its Might and Free-will; of the drawing of the Father; and what is called to Beleeve above Reaſon.

95. MY Opponent writeth, that the Soul of Man, is inbreathed into Man, out of the Mouth of God, and I have no Strife about that, and it needeth no Gloſſe: But I ſpeak not blindly as he doth; I ſay, out of the totall Wonder of God, out of the Center, out of the Will to the Eternall Nature, that is, out of the Chaos, and out of the Eternall Nature, that is, out of the two Eternall Principles, out of Darkneſſe, Fire, and Light, a totall Image and Similitude of the totall Deity of the Subſtance of all Subſtances.

96. And I ſay, that the Spirit of God, hath inbreathed it ſelfe, according to all the Three Worlds properties, for it is the Life and the Spirit of all Subſtances, in every Subſtance according to its property.

97. For, before the times of this World, there was Nothing, no ^[34] Life without him: but it is as the Scripture faith; †With the Holy thou art Holy, and with the perverſe thou art perverſe.

98. In the Holy or Saints he is the Divine Kingdome of Joy; and the Divine Life; but with thoſe, which incline their will into Gods Anger in the Darkneſſe, he is Gods Anger-Spirit.

99. Indeed God himſelfe is ALL; for from him all is proceeded; why then doe we longer Contend ſo much about God, let us ſtrive after that which is Beſt, after Love, then we become Children of Gods Love.

100. Why will you * Deny Man Free-Will? ſurely his Soul is ^[35] created out of the higheſt Omnipotence of God, and hath Divine might or ſtrength, if it entereth into the Love of God; as Chriſt teacheth us; † That we ſhould not only doe ſuch Wonders or Miracles as he did with ^[36] the Fig-Tree, but much greater; if we had but Faith, then we could with one ^[37] word, caſt the Mountaines into the Sea.

101. He hath indeed told us he would give us Faith; for he ſaid; My Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him for it; ^[38] his words Muſt be true, and whoſoever ſpeaketh againſt them, are Lyars: Moreover, he ſaith; ^[39] He was come to call Sinners to Repentance, and not the Righteous.

102. What folly is it to make or ſet and impoſe Election upon Man, and take away his Free-Will: hath not the poor Sinner Free-Will; that he CAN Come? Why then doth Chriſt ^[40] call them to himſelf? Math: 11.

103. You ſay with the Scripture, ^[41] There can none come to him, unleſſe the Father Draw him: very right, I ſay ſo too: ^[42] It lyeth not in our doing willing or running; but in Gods Mercy; He draweth whom he will, and hardeneth whom he will; it is all right; but you are Blinde; and underſtand it not aright.

104. If it lay in Man, then did Salvation ſtand in Mans ſtrength or might, to become ſaved through an Opinion; as, or how, he will, and though likely, the old Evill Man which dyed in Adam, continue.

105. Therefore, ^[43] when we dyed in Adam, then we loſt the own ſelfe [〈◊〉], and lay in Gods Mercy: and it was inſtantly ſaid; ^[44] You muſt become borne of God againe, if you would ſee God.

106. Now at preſent after the Fall; we have no power as to the kingdome of Heaven, to meddle with it: but if we obtaine the Spirit of Chriſt, which hath of Grace generated it ſelfe againe in our Souls, then ^[45] the kingdome of Heaven ſuffereth violence, and the violent ſnatch it to themſelves.

107. It is not in our ability, that we ſnatch it to our ſelves, but the ability is Gods, who hath introduced it againe through Chriſt into us; we cannot take it with force and own-ſelfe Right, but of Grace it is promiſed to be beſtowed.

108. Now it lyeth not in that we hunt after it in own ſelfe-reaſon, and willing to take it; but it lyeth in this; that we caſt our ſelves againe into the Boſome; viz: into the Becoming Man or Incarnation of Chriſt; viz: into our New Mothers Body or Womb; viz: into a New Becoming Man or Incarnation: that we with our Will be in the Obedience of Chriſts Will, that we become Nothing; viz: nakedly and barely a glimps or Seed of a Will, that Chriſt became our Will, and his Becoming Man or Incarnation be our Becoming Man or Incarnation, his New-Birth out of God and Man, our Birth out of God and Man; his ſlaying of the Anger of God in the Center of the Soul; our ſlaying, his Reſurrection our Reſurrection; his Eternall Divine Life, our Eternall Divine Life; then it is really ſo; that ^[46] whoſoever cometh to me, viz: into my Becoming Man or Incarnation, that is, into me, him I will not thruſt away. Alſo, ^[47] my Lambs are in my hands, none can pluck them away out of them; and the Father who hath given them to me; is greater than all; Land the Father are one.

109. Deare Brethren and Friends, doe but underſtand the Drawing of the Father aright, it ſhould not ſo be underſtood, that God hardeneth any, who deſireth to convert from Sinne; but thoſe who doe not deſire that, the ^[48] deſire ſtandeth in our Will, but the Converſion ſtandeth in Gods Mercy.

110. But now he hath promiſed the Mercy out of Grace, to the deſiring Will: for he ſaith; ^[49] Turne to me, then will I turne my ſelfe to you; Alſo, ^[50] Knock, and then it will be opened unto you, ſeek and then you will finde, ask and then you will receive: What ſonne is there that asketh his father for an Egge, and he giveth him a Scorpion: Can ye that are Evill, give good gifts to your Children, how much More my heavenly Father.

111. ^[51] Wilt thou now ſay, God hardeneth thy Heart and Will, that thou canſt not ask? prove that out of Scripture; or wilt thou ſay, thou canſt not beleeve? that is alſo NOT true.

112. Canſt thou not beleeve? then caſt all thy Sinnes into the becoming Man or Incarnation of Chriſt, into his Spirit, and be in him as Dead; ^[52] let HIM in THEE beleeve, how or as he will; why doſt thou long take care or perplex thy ſelfe about ſtrong Faith which overthroweth Mountaines, it ſtandeth not in thy power, to beleeve SO.

113. Only take care about a true earneſt ſincere Will, goe out from Sinne, and ſtrive againſt Sinne in Fleſh and Bloud, deſire it no more, become its Enemy, have Enmity againſt it, let God make of thee and beleeve in thee, as ſtrongly, as he will: depend on God, and wreſtle with him, as Jacob did the whole night, who then ſaid; ^[53] I will not let thee Goe unleſſe thou bleſſe me; and David ſaid, ^[54] Though it continue all the Day, and in the Night, and againe till the Morning; yet my heart ſhall not give over.

114. This is really, to beleeve above all Reaſon, when the Heart receiveth no Comfort, and yet dependeth on God; and ſaith in the Will; LORD, LORD, I will not leave thee, whether thou caſt me into Heaven or Hell, I will not forſake thee; for thou art mine and I am thine: I will be Nothing in thee, make of me what thou wilt.

115. Deare Brethren, obſerve it well, ^[55] This ſtorme and force, at laſt breaketh Heaven and Hell: whereof my Opponent as I underſtand, in his very lamentable Writings, knoweth nothing at all.

116. He ſaith, Man ſhould ſtand ſtill, and expect what God will doe with him, whether he caſteth him into Heaven or Hell; Man cannot prevent or hinder it, it is concluded in Gods predeſtinate purpoſe, or Councill; whether he will caſt every One; O the Moſt Lamentable Place, and Miſerable Faith, God pitty us, that we ſuffer our ſelves to be ſo blinded.

117. If we cannot come to God, why then doth he bid us to Come, Chriſt indeed ſaith; ^[56] he came into this world to ſeek and to ſave poor ſinners; alſo, he came to ſeek that which is Loſt; viz: the poor condemned Sinner, whom God had cleerly drawne into the Darkneſſe, and firmely included therein, and Choſen him to be a Childe of Darkneſſe; the ſame is Chriſt come to ſeek, and to ſave, and not the Righteous, who is honeſt or pious beforehand, look upon the Father of the Loſt or prodigall Sonne; how he did with the Swineheard; who had ſpent his heavenly Goods, with the Devills Swine.

Of the Groſſe Errour of Balthaſar Tylcken, Concerning the Seed of Adam upon which he buildeth his Election.

118. MY Opponent will make TWO Seeds in Adam, out of which Naturally two ſorts of Men become generated from the Mothers Body or Womb, one out of the Seed of the Woman, and the other out of the Seed of the Serpent, therefore God Loved the One, and forſooke or hardened the Other; and will prove it with Cain and Abel, alſo with Jacob and Eſau: upon which he buildeth the Election.

119. But I tell you Deare Brethren; if at that time when he wrote ſuch Blaſphemy againſt God and Mankinde, he had been aſleep, how happy had the time been: thus he maketh of the Image of God a twofold Image, out of One Seed Two Seeds; One party he aſcribes to the Devill, viz: to the Serpent; and the Other to the Womans Seed.

120. But I would ask him, Whether Cain and Abel, as alſo Jacob and Eſau, were both conceived from the Seed of Father and Mother; or whether at the Time, when Cain became conceived, there was in that very Seed in Adam and Eve, out of which he became conceived, a meere fleſhly Eſſence, as he giveth forth; then muſt even the Devill have wrought or effected that very Seed in Adam and Eve, for which, God, out of his predeſtinate purpoſe hath rejected him; or let him but tell me, who wrought or effected that ſame Serpents Seed in Adam and Eve, of which he ſpeaketh: being he will not permit him to be Good and Evill according to the Two Inward Worlds, and ſo maketh a Totall Seperation.

121. O thou totally blinde lamentable miſerable Reaſon! be but adviſed; The Doore of Grace ſtandeth yet wide open, doe not thus ſeduce the Children of Chriſt, ^[57] Whom Chriſt hath purchaſed with his precious Bloud; who there ſaith; ^[58] Come all to me who are heavy laden with ſinne; obſerve yet the Center, and the Ground of the Will of God, look upon the Center.

122. John ſaith: ^[59] The Light ſhineth in the Darkneſſe, and the Darkneſſe Comprehended it not; doe you not underſtand this? when Adam was in his Innocency, then his Light alſo ſhone to him in the Darkneſſe, and the Darkneſſe comprehended not his Light; but when he Imagined after the Darkneſſe, that is after Evill and Good, then the Evill, quenched out his Light to him; and the Darkneſſe became manifeſted or revealed on him, then the Divine Subſtantiality dyed to him, underſtand, the Divine Bodyes, or heavenly Fleſhes Subſtantiality, and the outward Spirits, and the outward Elementary Fleſhes Subſtantiality, awakened or aroſe; and gat a beaſtiall property.

123. Alſo together in that beaſtiall property, awakened or aroſe the Spirit or ſource or quality of Darkneſſe, viz: the Firſt Principle in Gods Anger; and ſo he dyed to the Angelicall World, viz: to Paradiſe, and awakened or aroſe to the Outward World which is Evill and Good, out of the Two Inward Spirituall Worlds.

124. The Dark World ſhould not be manifeſted on Man; for the Light, underſtand the Divine Light, ſhined in Adam in the Darkneſſe, and the Darkneſſe, viz: the firſt Principle could not Comprehend the Light; but when Adams Imagination went thereinto, ^[60] then the Darkneſſe Comprehended the Light: and all the Three Principles were ſtirring and manifeſted or revealed in Adam.

125. For, Adam would be as God, and know Good and Evill, which God did forbid them; that they ſhould not Eate of Good and Evill, elſe they would dye, but the Devill perſwaded them, they ſhould become wiſe thereby; yes wiſe Indeed! ſo that, when their Eyes became opened, through their Imagination and Earthly Eating, that they knew the outward beaſtiall property, which became manifeſted or revealed on them; ^[61] the poor Soul was aſhamed and is ſtill aſhamed to ſee the Beaſtiall Property.

126. The Outward Body on Adam, was indeed before the Fall, but not Manifeſted or revealed to the Soul, as now at preſent the Kingdome of Heaven is in us, but to the Soul in its outward Part in this World not Manifeſted or revealed: A Childe of Chriſt, liveth at preſent in this World with the New Birth in Heaven, and the Eye of the averted or Reverſe Soul, ſeeth it not: but the Eye IN Chriſt ſeeth it.

Why God hated Cain and Eſau, and loved Abel and Jacob, and which are thoſe loſt ſinners that Chriſt is come to ſave.

127. DEare Brethren, doe but underſtand it aright: Cain was not begotten out of a totall Devilliſh Eſſence, out of the Serpents Seed, but out of the Eſſence of all the Three Principles, of all the Three Worlds, for as Adam was after his Fall ſo alſo was his Seed.

128. But know this; when Adam fell, then came the Three Principles together in Adam, into Strife one with another, viz: Gods Anger-Kingdome, Gods Love-Kingdome, and this World Kingdome: Cain was Comprehended in the Anger-Kingdome, and Abel in the Love-Kingdome; therefore rightly ſaid God of Jacob, ^[62] Jacob have I loved, and hated Eſau; thus alſo it was with Cain and Abel, Cain had comprehended the Anger-Kingdome; viz: the Firſt Principle in the Eſſence in the Seed in the Mothers Body or Womb in the Wreſtling, and Abel Gods Love, viz: the Second Principle; And now Cain was of an Evill kinde or Condition, and Abel honeſt or vertuous.

129. Now, ſee Deare Brethren; when Cain and Abel Sacrificed, then God, that is Gods Love and Meekneſſe; viz: the Second Principle, ^[63] ſavoured Abels ſacrifice, but Cain's God would not accept: then Cain was in fierce wrath againſt his brother Abel: there ye ſee the Strife between the two Eternall Principles, between Love and Anger in both the Brothers in Man; how the dark fierce wrathfull Kingdome, is become alſo manifeſted or revealed in Man; then ſaid God to Cain, ^[64] Why art thou in fierce Wrath? Is it not ſo, that when thou art honeſt or vertuous, thou art accepted, but if not then Sinne reſteth before the Doore; but rule thou over it, and let it not have the authority or preheminency.

130. Here obſerve: God ſaid Rule over ſinne; let it not have the preheminency or power: Had there not been in Cain, wherewith he could rule over the Evill, then God had not bid him doe it, though likely the Anger in him was mightier or ſtronger than in Abel; yet he was not therefore altogether begotten out of the Angers Eſſence, but out of the THREE into ONE: Chriſt is come to ſeek and to ſave that which is Loſt, as himſelfe ſaith, and not for the ſake of the righteous.

131. Now who are thoſe that are loſt, Cain, Iſhmael, and all poore Sinners comprehended in the Anger of God; who were ^[65] loſt from their Mothers Body or Womb, for their ſakes is he become a Man or Incarnate, and calleth them all to him, they ſhould come whoſoever will, they ſhould ſeek, pray, and knock, and he will give them the Holy Spirit; and if they come there is more joy, at one alone loſt Man comprehended in the Anger of God, among the Angells of God in Heaven, than at Ninety and Nine Abels or Jacobs, which need no repentance, which became comprehended in the Love in the wreſtling-wheele, in the Center of the Three Principles.

132. God loved Jacob, underſtand, he was comprehended in the Mothers Body or Womb, in Gods Love, which co-worketh therein, and Eſau was hated, for the Anger had comprehended him: But now the hate is not ſo to be underſtood, as if God would not have the loſt Sinner; No, but for the ſake of the Sinner is God become Man, and Come to call the poor Sinner to Repentance, and to the New Regeneration, out of the Anger in the Soul.

133. And Chriſt ſaid, thou wouldeſt Not; ^[66] O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, how oft would I have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldſt not; Alſo, ^[67] How faine would I eate of the Beſt Grapes; but I am as a Vine-gatherer that Gleaneth.

What the hardening is: And how the Love of God warneth the Sinner: Alſo how the Love of God is as well Omnipotent to preſervation as his Anger is to Deſtruction.

134.

Queſtion.

NOw ſaith Reaſon, What is THAT Now which Willeth not? Seeing God calleth the Loſt Sinner, and willeth in Chriſt to have them, and new Generate them; is that the Fathers Hardening?

Anſwer.

Yes indeed it is his Angers hardening; and the Devills Will; underſtand it is the Dark Worlds Will which hardeneth Man, but it cannot doe that TO Death, but as a Dark Night.

135. But what doth Gods Love, viz: the Second Principle; to that Man? It complaineth very often IN the Heart, when Man deſireth Sinne: and ſaith commit it not, or doe it not: Gods Anger, will burne in thee; feare Gods judgement, and it warneth Man of his wicked wayes; now if he followeth the Free-Will and Converteth: then it is rightly ſaid: To the Honeſt or vertuous; that is ſo long as he is honeſt or vertuous, the Light muſt ariſe or ſpring up to him out of Darkneſſe, and then the Light beginneth to ſhine in the midſt in the Darkneſſe.

136. But if thou ſayeſt; He cannot convert, it is impoſſible; then thou ſpeakeſt in the Might or Strength of God, and againſt all that which Chriſt ſaith: he came for the ſake of loſt Man, becauſe he would ſeek and ſave him; ſhould then Gods Anger be greater than his Love; Chriſt hath undeniably, broken the hard Death and fierce Anger of God in pieces; which held us captive in the Center of the Soul, to the bands of the Dark World, viz: of the Firſt Principle, and ^[68] made a ſhew in Triumph of Death in the Soul, on the Croſſe, ſo that the Scripture in the Spirit of Chriſt ſaith; ^[69] Death where is thy Sting? Hell where is thy Victory? the Snare is broken and we are delivered; thus ſingeth the Church of Chriſt.

137. Dear Brethren, I will ask you; what Profit is there in all Teaching and Preaching, if GOD doe harden Mans heart, as my Opponent ſaith; that he can not underſtand, and receive it in; What need Men Preach to the Righteous, who run their Courſe without it? But Chriſt ſaith, he came for the ſake of the poor loſt Sinner, and not for the ſake of the Righteous, which need not Repentance: Doe you not ſee, that Chriſt Drave the Devill out of thoſe that were cleerly already poſſeſſed of the Devill? and received them for Children: Alſo, Out of Mary Magdalen the great Whore.

138. Though now indeed the Scripture ſaith: ^[70] He hardeneth whom he will, that is meant of the Stubborne arrogant Sinner; who ſinneth againſt Grace, and doth but [••]arn God under a flattering hypocriticall ſhew; he flattereth him with the Mouth, and his Spirit entendeth only falſhood and wickedneſſe, from thoſe he withdraweth himſelf at the Laſt, and letteth him goe on in his flattery and hypocriſie; who will help him, who taketh his own Will in for a helper; Would he be helped, then muſt he goe out from his own Will, and be reſigned up into God.

139. Then thou ſayſt; ^[71] God is Omnipotent; and may he not doe with Mans Will, what he will; It is he which is Potent in all things; ^[72] Who will Contend with him? as the Scripture ſaith; and my Opponent urgeth that mightily.

140. Hearken my Opponent: you are much too young for that matter: Learn firſt what God is: What his Will in Evill and Good, is; thus there is a Chain fixed in Reaſon; but know alſo: that Heaven is againſt Hell, and Hell againſt Heaven, the Anger againſt the Love, the Darkneſſe againſt the Light? What doe you here mean concerning God; if I ſhould ſpeak after your manner; that God is Mighty to do all in all things: as indeed it is true: then muſt I ſay, that God is ALL, ^[73] He is God, He is Heaven and Hell, and is alſo the Outward World, for ^[74] from him, and in him all things Originate: But what doe I effect by ſuch Diſcourſe, which is no Religion; ſuch a Religion the Devill receiveth into himſelf, and would be Manifeſted or Revealed in all things, and be Mighty Potent in all.

141. Then thou ſayſt: Thus God is at Odds with himſelf, being he is Evill and Good: O thou Dear Reaſon, learn the Center here, or ſtay at Home with thy Teaching and Writing: Behold! I tell thee this: If there were no Anguiſh, there would be no Fire; if there were no Fire, there would be no Light; if there were no Light, there would be neither Nature nor Subſtance; and God would not be Manifeſted to himſelf: What now would there be then? A Nothing: when thou wilt come on to the Center, then thou wilt ſee it: Concerning this very high Article I referre the Reader to the Book of the ^[75] Six Poynts concerning the Three Worlds: there he will ſee what God is: and what his Will and Omnipotence is, and what is called God.

142. For if his Anger be Omnipotent to deſtroy, then is his Love alſo Omnipotent to preſerve: if this Contrariety were not, there would be no Life; and there would be no Good, alſo no Evill; For if there were No fierce Wrath, there would be no Moving; thus the Subſtance of all Subſtances is a continuall. Working Deſiring and Fulfilling; the Fire Deſireth the Light, that it may get Meekneſſe and Subſtance, for its burning or Life; and the Light deſireth the Fire, elſe there would be no Light, and it would have neither Power nor Life, and they both Deſire the Dark Anguiſh elſe the Fire and Light would have NO Root, and all would be a Nothing.

143. Therefore I ſay unto you now [〈…〉] Gods Love is as Great as his Anger, his Fire is as great as his Light; and his Darkneſſe as great as ^[76] either of the other; it is all alike-Eternall without beginning and it beginneth it ſelf from Eternity with or by the Darkneſſe; and bringeth it ſelf from Eternity to the Darkneſſe into the ſource or quality even into the Fire, and in the riſing up of the Fire, is the Eternall Death; where the Darkneſſe and the Light ſeperate themſelves, each into a Principle in it ſelf; and the Light alſo it ſelf poſſeſſeth it ſelf; One dwelleth in the Other unapprehended by the Other; there is in Eternity no parting aſunder: thoſe that dwell in the Darkneſſe ſee not the Light, and thoſe that dwell in the Light ſee no Darkneſſe.

What God is; and how without the Darkneſſe all would be Nothing: and in what Manner Man hath Ability or Strength to goe out of Evill into Good and out of Good into Evill.

144. THen, ſaith Reaſon, what is God then: Or who is God, when it is ſaid: God hardeneth Mans Mind? Behold he is All, but the Light alone is called God, for in the Light is Power or Vertue, Love and Meekneſſe or ſoft gentle Subſtance; and in the Fire, horrour Might and Life.

145. Then thou ſayſt; thus the Darkneſſe is a Cauſe of the Deity? NO: but God would not be Manifeſted or Revealed, and there would be no Nature nor Creature without the Darkneſſe; neither thick nor thin, or Denſe nor Rare, neither Colour nor Vertue.

146. God is indeed without beſides or beyond Nature, but without Revelation or Manifeſtation of any Forme: through the Eternall Nature he Manifeſteth or Revealeth himſelfe, in Trimity, and with the Wiſdome in Wonders, and with the outward Nature Manifeſteth or Revealeth the ſpirituall Worlds: viz: with the Time the Eternity; but whatſoever hath its beginning out of Time, paſſeth away with Time, and its Shadow remaineth in Figure according to the property of BOTH the Eternall Worlds: as it wasbefore the Times of the World.

147. Therefore Obſerve now: ^[77] Gods Anger maketh the Dark Mind ^[78] full; and Gods Love maketh the Light Mind full; ^[79] For whoſoever hath to them it will be given.

148. But now all ſtandeth in ſtrife: the Light againſt the Darkneſſe, and the Life againſt the Death, and the Death againſt the Life.

149. But ^[80] Man is out of the great Subſtance of all Subſtances; and in him is the Strife; now if he be Captivated in the Evill or Malice, then he cannot avoyd the Great Evill; unleſſe he fall into Death; that is into the Nothing, then he is free from the Turba; or Wrath; and falleth into Gods Mercy; for his Will goeth again into that out of which it is Exiſted in the Creation at Firſt; viz: into the fore-ſeeing or Predeſtination in CHRIST JESU, before the Foundation of the World was laid; there it is at the Limit and fallen again into the Fiat, and ſo Chriſt conceiveth or receiveth it.

150. For, ^[81] the Men were Thine, ſaid Chriſt; and thou O Father haſt given them unto Me: ^[82] and I give them the Eternall Life; Father I will that they be where I am.

151. But whoſoever remaineth in that which is his own; as he is ^[83] Born or generated to this World; he remaineth in that; as he is apprehended in the Wreſtling-Wheele in the Center of the Lifes Springing up: Now therefore it ſtands FREE for him; to goe out of the Good into the Evill; and out of the Evill into the Good.

152. NOT that he hath the Power, to make himſelf a Child and Heir, that is done out of Grace, but the Maker ſtandeth ready for him, and waiteth for him Every Hour, to Evill and to Good; Hell deſireth him, and Heaven deſireth him, both Deſires ſtand ready for him and open in him; ALL the Time of his Life; he hath Hell and Heaven in himſelf; if he goe with his Will out of God into Reaſon, in Fleſh and Bloud, then is he IN or upon the Ground or Foundation of Hell; which will when the Light of the SUN extinguiſheth, be manifeſted on him: but if he demerſe himſelf out from fleſhly Reaſon; in Reſignation, into God, then he is IN Heaven; All lyeth in the Will: Whitherſoever the Will entereth, thither Body and Life or Subſtance muſt after it; and THAT, in Man is FREE.

153. Hath Man Might or ability, with his Will, to demerſe himſelf into Gods Anger; as my Opponent acknowledgeth; wherefore alſo not into Gods Love; ^[84] but he cannot Make himſelf a Child; he goeth only with the Will into the Matrix, and then the Divine Fiat apprehendeth him, and Maketh him One: Indeed he can not make himſelf a Devill, the Helliſh Fiat according to the Dark Worlds Property Maketh him One, when he doth but give his Will up thereinto.

How Balthaſar Tylcken is the Devils Advocate: How the Devill doth aſſault none More with Deſpaire, then the Children of God; alſo Concerning firme Confidence of the Faithfull.

154. MY Opponent ſaith, The Soul is proceeded out of the Mouth of God, and it is true; but if it be proceeded out of the Mouth of God, then it is proceeded out of the Divine Omnipotence, why then doth he take away the Free Will from it, It hath Free-Will in Evill and Good; he ſpeaketh ſo much, as if I ſhould ſay; I can think nothing that is Good, I can never frame any good Will in me, to doe any Good.

155. But the Scripture reproveth him and ſaith thus; Say not in thy Heart, if I Sinne, God hath done it; for the Fift Pſalme 5. ^[85] Thou art not a God who art pleaſed with wicked Matters: And in Ezek. 33. ^[86] As true as I Live, I will not the Death of a Sinner, but that he Convert and Live.

156. But he ſaith, God hardeneth him out of his Predeſtinate purpoſe, ſo that he cannot Convert; who now ſhall be righteous, the Prophet or my Opponent? The Scripture anſwereth thus; It is much more ſo, that ^[87] God is true and every Man a Lyar.

157. My Opponent ſets it down evidently, and giveth it forth to be ſo underſtood, that God willed the Fall of Adam; if the Magicall Paradiſicall Birth had not pleaſed God, elſe would Gods Majeſty not have become manifeſted or revealed; if that were true, then God were unrighteous, in that he did forbid Adam to Fat of Evill and Good: why then will God Judge me for it; and account or impute that for Sinne, if I doe what he willeth to have.

158. But I ſay, the Devill willed to have it ſo, that Man ſhould Sinne, and that the Earthly became Manifeſted or Revealed in Him, of which he is aſhamed; and my Opponent thereby affordeth the Devill a right Advocate, which I verily: Lament, that this Man ſpeaketh even the Devils Words and Will; and ſo caſteth a Snare of Deſpaireing, on to Mans Neck; he giveth ſo much to be underſtood; that Man ^[88] cannot be ſaved, though he would never ſo fain, unleſſe he be Elected to it; that is aſſuredly the Devils Doctrine and Word.

159. Where will the Tempted remaine, when the Devill aſſaulteth him and ſaith: Deſpaire, thou art Not Elected of God, he ſhould by that Doctrine Deſpaire and ſay, I can doe no more, if God will not have me then thou mayeſt take me away.

160. And yet he is ſo Holy, and tickleth alſo ſome diſſembling Hypocrites, and ſaith in the Paſquill or Pamphlet, It is a great Comfort to the Children of God, viz: To the Elect, when they find by themſelves, that they are Elect Children of God. O how many diſſembling Hypocrites would not lye under this Mantle, if Sinne Sleep.

161. O alas, Miſerable Doctrine; O man, open thy Eyes wide and beware; the Church of Chriſt ſingeth;

Wo er iſt am beſten mit, da will er's nicht entdecken.

Where he is moſt pleas'd with Man, he will not alwayes ſhow it.

162. Whom doth the Devill aſſault with Deſpair, but even the Children of God, that they might not be manifeſted or revealed, and God often hideth himſelf, that they might cry aloud anxiouſly to God, for ſo the Noble Pearl-Tree groweth.

163. He often ſheweth himſelf ſtrange to his Children, ſo that they can oftentimes fetch no Comfort: as the ^[89] Canaanitiſh Woman, when he likened her to a Dog, only that the Faith and earneſtneſſe might become greater in the Storme, he letteth the heart even Quake or Tremble, that the Earneſt may become great.

164. Now if doubting thus ſeizeth upon a Man, then with this Man he muſt Deſpaire: It ſtandeth written, ^[90] God willeth that all Men ſhould be ſaved. Which now is true? your Cripled Election or Chriſts Promiſe?

165. The Apoſtle ſaith, ^[91] It is a precious worthy Word, that JESUS CHRIST, is come into the World, to ſave all poor Sinners: Who hath now the Right? I will remaine by the Words of my Saviour, and will beleeve, that ^[92] Nothing, whether it be High or Low, whether Power or Principality, whether Hunger, Nakedneſſe, vengeance, Perils, alſo No Creature can tear or ſeperate me from the Love of God which is in Chriſt JESƲ.

166. And if all men did ſay, thou art dainned, and if my Heart alſo did ſay it, yet I will not beleeve it, but demerſe my ſelf into Chriſts Sufferings and Death, and let the Death of Chriſt make of me what it will, if I muſt be in Death, then will I be in his Death, and in no other; but ſeeing his Death, is become an Eternall Life, ^[93] therefore I ſhall well remaine in him, let who ſo will Elect me there, I Bled or chooſe my Saviour Chriſt: my Will ſhall remaine in him; though the World in Gods Anger make of the Outward Body what it will; when I have him; then I ask not after Pope, Turk, Emporour, Devill, Hell, nor Heaven: he is my Heaven, I will be Dead and a Nothing; that he may live in Me, and I in him; and if Body and Soul ſhould break in peeces, yes I will not depart from him; what now will the Mo[••]ion or Proclamation doe to ME?

167. I have Elected to my ſelf, my Saviour, and he hath Elected me, even before I was, I beleeve NO otherwiſe, let any Teach or Write what they will; he that will venture and try it with me ſhall find it by [〈◊〉]: I am ſure it is the right way, therefore I ſpeak and write thereof; for it is my Paſſime and I rejoyce that I ſhall come to this, that I ſhall be delivered from the ^[94] Opponent of the Anger of God.

168. Therefore I ſay to my Brethren, what the Lord hath ſaid in Me; whoſoever will goe along, lee him come, he that will not, but will look upon many Elections, and expect till the Spirit of God fall upon him and draw him let him ſtay there till that boſome, if he will not labour and Work with God in his Vineyard, then he hath alſo no Wages to expect. I know not how to get any thing our of ^[95] his Deſcription, that they refreſh me, but only Sadneſſe and Sorrow of heart, Doubting and Deſpaire.

How Nothing is impoſſible to Faith. What Gods Drawing is. Why the Wicked Becometh Not Drawn. What a right Chriſtian is: and who becometh hardened by God.

169. MY Opponent in Scorne ſaith; Could God Create nothing ſtedfaſt? He likeneth us Men, as to God, to be, as the ^[96] Potter and Clay or Lump, is One to the Other: Hearken my Opponent: why then doct thou ſay, that the Soul is proceeded out of Gods Mouth; how doth that accord with the Clay and the Potter? What Man would become a Pot, for a Pots ſake? Or if that were poſſibles; Is God become Man for a handfull of Earths ſake? O No, it is an other Manner of Pot, wherein God became Man; It was alſo another Pot which brake in Paradiſe; look upon ^[97] the dry Rod of Aaron which Sprouted and hare Almonds; ask it what it ſignifieth, it will tell thee.

170. My Dear Scornes; thou underſtandeſt nothing thereby, where in God is become Man; much leſſe concerning Gods Creation, of the Poſſibility and Impoſſibility; thou ſayeſt only God, God, and knoweſt not what God in, alſo thou wilt not know it, only thou ſayeſt; ^[98] A Man can take or receive to himſelf Nothing in God, unleſſe it be given him.

171. ^[99] I know alſo well, that I can doe Nothing in my own Might or ſtrength; The Faith can doe it: that can receive where there is Nothing: If I caſt my Will into Gods Will, then GOD beleeveth in My Will; and then I can receive, for nothing is Impoſſible to Faith: I can receive to my ſelf the Becoming Man or Incarnation of Chriſt; if My Will, willeth, yet I cannot doe it, but Gods Will in Mine.

172. My Will and Gods Will muſt be One; for my Saviour hath told Me he will give the Holy Spirit into my Will, if I but ask him for it: And ſhould not that be true then? would my Opponent deny me alſo to Ask? I can Ask, THAT none On deny.

173. Now Chriſt hath promiſed to hear; and though I find it not inſtantly in the power or vertue, yet if I aſk; THEN I beleeve that God hath given me his Spirit; and though my heart and all the World ſhould ſay cleerly No: yet I will let the Words of Chriſt be more certaine to me, then all Bablings and Fictions.

174. Am I indeed the day Staffe or Rod of Aarow? in me lyeth the Drying or withering, through Adam: but if Chriſt hath introduced his Sap into my withered Fleſh and into my Dark Soul again, ſhall I not take or receive it to my ſelf? ſhall I firſt expect the Drawing?

175. I know that I can have no Good Thought in me unleſſe it be from God; Now if I would faine be ſaved, then I know, that very Will is Gods Drawing; why ſhould I long then expect other drawing, if the Lord calleth in me, and biddeth me turne to him, is not that Drawing? but, what Man, can ſay, he is not SO drawne? Even none at all: God draweth every one.

176. ^[100] The evill Man will not follow, he goeth on in a diſputable Way, and ſeeketh Subterfuges or Excuſes; and ſaith he is Holy; and his Heart is a Theef, and Covetous, a Murtherour, and moreover a Proud Devill; he flattereth himſelf only under Chriſts Purple Mantle, and tickleth himſelf with Chriſts Suffering and Death; but will not enter thereinto; and with Chriſt dye to Sinne and become an Enemy to it, he will only walk upon Roſes in ſat and Jolly Dayes, and devour the ſweat of the Miſerable in Pride, for ſaith he, God draweth me not; yes thou wilt not: therefore he hardeneth thee, and his Anger draweth thee, alſo the Devill, whom thou ſerveſt.

177. Should God draw thee? then caſt the falſe or wicked wayes from thee, ſet thy ſelf as if thou wert to meet an Enemy, where it concerns Body and Life: If the Anger draweth thee and holdeth thee: doe but Defend thy ſelf and thou wilt ſoon get One that will help thee.

178. Doth the Anger in the Conſcience Say? thou art mine, thou canſt not be ſaved, then ſay in oppoſition, I take only CHRISTS Death with me, and doe with me how thou wilt, take that and wrap thy ſelf therein, let Gods Anger and all Devills roar over thee and ſay and complain againſt thee what they will, out of theſe Swadling Cloathes ſhall no Election pluck THEE whether it be of ^[101] God, or the Devill, or Man.

179. But the Wanton Licentious way which men now walk, wherein Men only tickle and comfort the Old Evill wicked One, the Murtherer, the proud ſtately, Covetous Babyloniſh Antichriſt, with Chriſts ſufferings and Death, he ſhould only be quiet, and fatten himſelf well, Chriſt hath ſatisfied; if he be marked or noted under Chriſts Bloud Banner, and Elected; then he cannot be damned; this way is totally falſe or wicked, Murtherous and unrighteous.

180. If thou wilt be a Chriſtian, then thou muſt be and become conformable to Chriſts Image, and walke in his Footſteps and with him, ſuffer perſecution, diſgrace, and ſcorne, love the way of Truth and Righteouſneſſe, doe that which Chriſt hath taught thee; not with hypocriſie, to take double or four-fold; and give a little piece of it to another: No, it muſt be earneſt; thou ſhouldſt not Eſteeme any thing thou haſt, as if it were thy own, only; but conſider that thou art only a ſervant therein, and ſerveſt thy Lord in Heaven, therein, thou ſhouldſt diſpoſe of it according to HIS pleaſure.

181. Not to ſuck up the Miſerable, and give a little piece thereof to a Beggar: and ſay I miniſter indeed to the poore: Firſt, [〈◊〉] them their Sweat, elſe thou wilt be accurſed in all thy Service of God, and be kept back from God.

182. Serve him with Minde and Heart: walke in the Light; let the ſcorne of the World, be ^[102] the Prints of Chriſts wounds, to thee; labour watch and pray, and ſtand alwayes in care and circumſpection againſt the Devil; Arme and fortifie thy ſelfe continually againſt him; and conſider thou art here a Pilgrim; and in the Vineyard of Chriſt; labour faithfully in the Kingdome of God: all thy Labour followeth after thee; for Chriſt ſaid; ^[103] My Father worketh and I work alſo; ſo muſt thou alſo, as ^[104] a Branch on the Vine work and beare fruit.

183. For a Chriſtian is a Branch on the Tree of JESUS CHRIST, if it will not work and beare fruit, then it ^[105] ſhall be cut off, that it hinder not other Branches, that is it muſt quite wither and he hardened as to the Life of Chriſt: theſe will God harden. Here it is ſaid; ^[106] I harden whom I will; viz: a Branch that will not bring forth fruit; to ſuch a one God will not give the Sap of Chriſt; It is not ſaid, ^[107] God will not be mine; but thou wilt not be his, and ſo you are parted.

184. Doeſt thou ſay? God can make of me what he will, he is Omnipotent; he maketh of thee what thou wilt, his Love is Omnipotent, and alſo his Anger; THAT which getteth thee; holdeth thee; The wicked is to God a good ſavour to Death, and the Saint or holy, is ſo to the Eternall Holy Life: as thou groweſt, ſo thou art, ſuch Sap as thou draweſt into thy ſelfe, ſuch Fruit thou beareſt.

185. Why doeſt thou blame God? God ſo farre as he is called God, CANNOT will Evill; for he is Good, there is no Evill Will in Him, but according to his Anger, he deſireth Wood or Fewel in his Fire, which is conformable to or fit for the Fire.

186. Therefore rightly ſaith the Apoſtle; ^[108] To whom you give your ſelves for ſervants in Obedience, his ſervants you are, whether of Gods Love or Anger: Here the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of Mans Election, that Man CAN give up himſelfe, and be given up: and though indeed of himſelfe he cannot take or receive, yet God giveth him the taking or receiving, for he hath promiſed it him.

The abominable Doctrine of Balthaſar Tylcken: Admonition not to doubt of Election: Admonition and Warning to Balthaſar Tylcken.

187. THe Doctrine of My Opponent is throughout no other; then this, If God make a Good Tree, then it is ſo; that is, if he make one a Chriſtian, then he is ſo, as if Man need doe nothing in it, he need not work and labour for it, that he may become a Good Tree.

188. Alas; God [〈◊〉] us, why hath God given us the LAW and Teaching; and ſaid, thou ſhalt not doe this, or that; If he will have Evill: How very ſhamefully, goeth this Man aſtray, how very careleſſe and negligent, doth he cauſe Men to be; Deare Brother, Minde and Conſider of this abominable Doctrine; How he gathereth the Texts of Scripture together, for a falſe ſervice to God, only that he may prove, that God worketh, both Good and Evill in us.

189. What needs proofe for that I ſay ſo too: that Gods Love worketh Good in us, and his Anger, if we give our ſelves up into it, worketh evill fruit to Damnation: but what doth it avane him, to bring men into ſuch a careleſſe negligent way? He ſhould rather tell them, that they ſhould Repent, as God ſaith in the Prophets; ^[109] To day when you heare the voyce of the Lord, Harden not you hearts: Let my word enter into your Hearts and Eares.

190. But he ſaith; It cannot Enter; God maketh either a Good or an Evill Tree: this ſerveth well to all careleſſe negligence and wickedneſſe; and laſtly to Deſpaire; that is the end of his Doctrine, you will finde nothing better or more in his Grace Election or Predeſtination.

191. And I ſay with good ground, and it is the precious truth; that if ſuch Doctrine ſhould become embraced or received, then will the World at length become a Murthering Den of Devills: For every one will ſay; how can I doe otherwiſe, then God driveth me, if God will have me to be his childe, he will teach and lead me well enough, but if I be not Elected, why ſhould I long favour the Honeſt and vertuous; I will doe as the Devill doth and hate them, and be their Enemy, to his kingdome I belong; I will ſteale, rob, murther, and cheate, and deceive the ſimple: that I may be potent and voluptuous; there will no other come of it, being God will not draw me, therefore really I muſt ſerve God Lucifer; but if God will have me, he will well draw me from THAT, that I ſhall not doe it.

192. Alas, be not ſo Evill and wicked, doe not that, God hath forbidden it, let every one have a care of his own ſalvation, and ^[110] feare the Lord with Trembling; let no Man deſpaire; and ſay, there is a faſt doore upon me, I cannot be ſaved, for ſuch Thoughts the Devills have, and the Damned in Hell; If I knew there were but ſeven Men Elected in our City or ſcarce two, I would NOT deſpaire, but beleeve that I were one of them.

193. My Opponent, conſider your ſelfe, for the ſake of your Salvation: when you ſhall appeare before the Judgement of God; and Chriſt ſhall ſay to the wicked, who in ſuch Doctrine have become, lazy careleſſe and negligent, goe ^[111] away from me ye Curſed, I was hungry, thirſty, ſick, naked, and in Priſon, and ye have not miniſtred unto me, and they ſhall ſay, Lord, thou haſt not Elected us for children, and drawne us, then will he ſay, have I not cauſed my goodneſſe to be prelented to you, and cauſed my Word to be taught, and faithfully called you, and warned you of the falſe or wicked way? and they ſhall ſay, we have been Taught, that thou haſt out of thy predeſtinate purpoſe Elected one to the childſhip or filiation, and hardened the other; now being that ſſlandeth in thy Word, why wilt thou blame us then, we were able to doe nothing that was Good.

194. My Opponent, I put you in Minde of this, Conſider I pray, what will you anſwer, that you have expounded thus; that, the Anger of God, which God in his Love, in the Soul of Man, hath drowned with the bloud of his Sonne; you make to be an Electour againe, you give the Sword into its hand againe.

195. The Anger was indeed in Adam before the Fall, yet not manifeſted or revealed, and the God of Love hath ſet his heart upon it, that he will boult it up againe in the humane Soul, that we ſhould run to him as to an Open Fountaine.

196. I would have you asked: that if Adam had continued in his Innocency, where the[•] had remained your Eternall Election or ^[112] Predeſtination, if he had begotten children in Paradiſe; therefore now if you will maintaine your Eternall Election over Man, then muſt you ſay, the Fall of Man is alſo out of God predeſtinate purpoſe.

197. But what means that which God ſaid; ^[113] Thou ſhalt not eate of the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evill, if he would have that to be done, and hath alſo forbidden it, then God were unrighteous, and Men need keep no Commandment which he hath forbidden in Moſes: For he would have if that Man ſhould Sinne, that he might have cauſe to puniſh him; thus it were to be Concluded in Reaſon.

198. Beloved, Conſider your Gloſſe or Expoſition, I will ſpeak brotherly and Child-like to you, put but away your Crooked ſcornfull Hornes, and let us deale one with another as Brethren, and Members: with ſcorne, we can advance Nothing that is Good, we doe but deceive the Men in the World, that are plaine and ſimple, therewith.

199. If you have Chriſts Spirit, as you would be thought to have, then meete Me and my Brethren, in the Meek Love and Humility of Jeſus Chriſt, ſhew me I pray you, your love in the Spirit of Chriſt, who came in great Humility to us poor loſt children of Eve, to ſeek and ſave that which is Loſt; If you be a childe of that Spirit, be ſo, faithfully, with Meekneſſe, Love, and Friendlineſſe, with modeſt ſpeech, and caſt the Hornes of ſcorning away: that I may know that you are my Brother: then will I be very Loving to you: if God give you more then me: but if not, yet I will in that weakneſſe, rejoyce with you, and refreſh my ſelfe in that which God giveth.

200. And be not ſo furious againſt the deare Revelation, which God hath favoured ƲS with at Laſt; reade it firſt aright; it hath a very Noble pretious Originall and beginning, which reacheth above all Reaſon, yes, above, the Outward World, and above the Light of the Outward Nature, why doe you rage againſt the Moſt High?

201. I Chriſtianly admoniſh you, take heed what you doe, that the Anger of the Lord, doe NOT take hold of you, and God Curſe you, I tell you I will be guiltleſſe as to your Soul; if you doe awaken it.

202. See what was done by ^[114] Eliah: Alſo to Corah, Dathan, and Abivdm, in the Wilderneſſe: I tell you for ſo much as it is knowne to me in the Lord, it may happen ſo to you and more beſides, for at preſent it is a Wonderfull Time; not knowne or acknowledged by All; The Lord hath ſent his Spirit of Zeale or Jealouſie; There is a Wonderfull time before the Doore, which you will finde by Experſence, if you Live.

Of the Eternall Predeſtination and Election of God; The beginning and End thereof is One only, and Alwayes the ſame.

203. MY friend, you ſpeak after a humane Manner; and write of Gods Eternall Predeſtination and Election; it will not beare to be ſo written of.

204. When the Scripture ſpeeks of Gods Eternall purpoſe or Predeſtination; it ſpeaketh not of a purpoſe or predeſtination that hath been Long before; for in God there is no beginning: but there is an Eternall beginning, where the beginning and the End is all ONE; the Firſt is continually the Laſt; and the Laſt is the Firſt: whatſoever God hath begun, from Eternity to foreſee, that he beginneth now alſo at this Day alwayes every Moment to foreſee.

205. I CAN ſay with good Ground, thus, that if I were in my Mothers body or womb, comprehended in his Anger, then God had from Eternity ſeene me and apprehended me in his Anger; and I were from Eternity Elected in his Anger.

206. But if I convert in Repentance, ſo that Gods Love apprehend me, then I am alſo from Eternity foreſeene out of the Anger into the Love; for in God, ALL is Eternall, ^[115] whatſoever at this day, beginneth to alter in the Eternall, that is, from Eternity, to Eternity, equally in the Eternity.

207. The Spirit in the Scripture hath another kinde of ſpeaking, than the World hath: Know you not how it ſtands written in the Scripture? where the Lord ſaith; ^[116] Suddenly I ſpeak againſt a Nation or people, which are Evill, that I will deſtroy it, but if they convert, then it repenteth me of the Evill, which I thought to doe unto them.

108. Look upon ^[117] Nineveh, there you ſhall ſee whether God doth not alter his Will, for Mans ſake: and the Apoſtle ſaith, that even ^[118] the Spirit of God, is ſubject to Man, viz: to Holy Men.

209. ^[119] His Election and beginning is alwayes every moment, his Eternall Birth or Geniture, is alſo every moment, in him and before him, is all, both New and Old: for the ſame God who ^[120] hath Elected us in Chriſt before the foundation of the World; he alſo every moment Electeth his Children that come to him: the Matter conſiſts only in the Converſion of the Will.

210. And though it ſtandeth written, that it lyeth not in Mans willing: that is only concerning thoſe, that Deſire God, and yet will not goe forth out of their ſinfull Will, they keep their ſinne, and yet will be ſaved, ^[121] therefore it lyeth not in HIS Willing, but in this, that Man goe out from ſinne into Gods Grace; and then it lyeth in the Mercy; and that God doth readily, for he hath promiſed it.

211. ^[122] It lyeth not in Man to make himſelfe bleſſed or ſaved, but in the Grace, which God in his Sonne hath promiſed and beſtowed: for ^[123] God willeth that All Men ſhould be helped or ſaved, as the Scripture ſaith; his Election and out going is from Eternity, and his Mercy is alſo from Eternity in Eternity, ALL is in him ETERNALL.

212. Therefore Men ſhould better conſider the Scripture as to ſuch Termes or Expreſſions; for it often ſpeaketh out of the Eternall Mouth, which beginneth every Moment.

213. ^[124] For, when the Scripture faith, ^[125] He hardeneth their Hearts, that they beleeve not, and ſo come not to be ſaved, then it ſpeaketh of thoſe, who would be ſaved by their own ability, in their Evill Will and Life: thoſe he ſuffereth to goe on in their purpoſe or predeſtination, for they will doe it.

214. As alſo Adam did, he would not be reſigned into God as a Childe, but be his own, and apprehend and know Good and Evill, and Live in all the Three Principles; for he went out from Gods will into his own, of ſet purpoſe, therefore God left him, and then he fell downe and ſlept.

215. And when he did eate of the forbidden fruit, then Gods Anger Elected him to the Damnation of Death, and Gods Love ſpake againſt it, ſaying, The Seed of the Woman ſhall Bruiſe or Cruſh the Serpents head, and that was alſo an Eternall Election, and yet it was alſo a beginning Temporary Election: for how can an Election paſſe upon a thing, when as yet it hath no Roote.

216. ^[126] Gods Anger hath from Eternity continually and ſtill at this very day: Elected IT SELFE to be a Darkneſſe; that Gods Love and Light might in the Anger become Manifeſted or revealed.

217. Now that which is out of the Eternall, as, the Soul of Man; that hath alſo Free-will, to manifeſt it ſelfe in the Light, or in the Darkneſſe; ^[127] NOT that it hath the Light and Darkneſſe in ITS power; but it hath ability to work in Good or Evill, that is in the power of the Light, or of the Darkneſſe, and in which ſoever it worketh, that manifeſteth it ſelfe, in it.

218. The Might or power is Gods, and the Soule is his Childe, a Branch in the Tree, proceeded out of Gods Mouth; out of Love and Anger; all THAT lyeth in it, and is its own propriety.

219. Who will then take away the Free-Will from it, being it is a Branch in the Eternall Tree, and hath Love and Anger in it ſelfe; Or is it not true? My Opponent ſpeaketh Even ſo, that the Anger lay hidden in Adam before the Fall, and hath manifeſted it ſelfe with the Fall.

220. But he maketh me Wonderfull beginnings in the Seed of Adam, One with God, another with the Serpent, and that is a groſſe Errour, there are not TWO ſorts of Seeds, but ONE only, but two ſorts of Dominions lye in the Seed, viz: Gods Love and Anger, and is but one only Seed.

221. But as to one part from the Divine Subſtantiality, from the Holy and pure Element, in which the Paradiſe and Heaven [••]eth; as alſo the Tincture of Fire and Light, that very Seed diſappeared in Adam when he fell, whereof God ſaid; ^[128] The day that thou eateſt of this Tree, thou ſhall dye.

222. And the other Seed, underſtand Spirit, is the Center of the Eternall Nature, viz: of the Dark World, according to which God calleth himſelfe an Angry God, but that was not ſtirring and manifeſt, while the Light ſhone in the divine heavenly Paradiſicall Subſtantiality; but in the Fall it became manifeſted or revealed.

223. But now, Adam was alſo ſhut up in the Dominion, and in the Spirit of the Outward World, but that muſt in his Innocency goe alſo behinde and come after; for Gods Kingdome ruled in him: but when he fell, then it became alſo manifeſted and powerfull in him, and inſtantly, heate and Cold, fell upon him, ſo that he muſt cloath himſelfe; and he fell by the Outward Worlds Might into the Corruptibility of his Body.

224. Now what kinde of Seed ſhould become generated in Adam, out of which Cain and Abel could be conceived, even ſuch a one as Adam was after the Fall, viz: according to the Outword World Evill and Good, and according to the Anger-World totally Evill.

225. But now the Kingdome of God, viz: the Heavenly Subſtantiality was faded or diſappeared in him, for the Darkneſſe had received in, the Light in him; as you have an Image thereof in the dry ^[129] withered Staffe of Aaron which Sprouted againe: So alſo did the faded or diſappeared Subſtantiality in the Spirit of Chriſt, when God became Man, in that very faded Subſtantiality.

226. Now my Opponent with your Election, come hither to Schoole: now ſhew me the Grace-Election, I will alſo ſhew it you in the Divine knowledge, to me is given to ſee as ſharply and accutely, as any one can ſearch. Mark this which followeth.

227. NOw when the Image was faded or diſappeared, what did God with it, did he let it fall quite away and remaine in Death? No. Then inſtantly the Doore of his Mercy ſet it ſelfe Open, and ſaid; ^[130] The Womans Seed ſhall Cruſh the Serpents head.

228. Then the Deare Name JESUS incorporated it ſelfe in the faded diſappeared Image, and the Mark or Limit in this faded diſappeared Image became ſtrengthened; which with the Revelation or Manifeſtation, ſtood in the Body or Womb and Seed of the Virgin Mary, as a propagated Seed; for if that had not been ſo, then had all thoſe before Chriſts Birth been Loſt.

229. For, the high Noble Virgin of the Wiſdome of God; with which Adam in his heavenly in breathed Spirit, was Eſpouſed or Married, that, is Immortall: that preſented it ſelf in the Light of Life to Man, viz: to Adam and Eve, and warneth them of the ungodly wayes, and continually ſheweth through the Propheticall Spirit, the Limit or Mark of the Covenant, where it will, with the Deare Name JESUS, with the Word and power of the true Deity, open it ſelfe againe in Mans Soul.

The Second Part. Of the Becoming Man or Incarnation and Perſon of Chriſt.

How Chriſt, is become Man or Incarnate, out of No Strange Seed, but out of Mary, and yet indeed not in Eves Earthly Eſſence, the Holy Ghoſt was the Man or Maſculine therein.

230. MY Opponent, tell me here, what the Womans Seed is, upon which you found your Election, you ſay, the Children of God muſt become generated out of the Womans Seed, as the Dew out of the ^[131] Morning Redneſſe, and reject Adam's and Eves Seed, and make a Strange Seed, and yet God ſaid; Through the Womans Seed ſhall the Head of the Serpent be Cruſhed; Who is the Woman? is it Eve? No, that you will not admit! Why? Becauſe otherwiſe you cannot Cloake your Election or Predeſtination.

231. Well now; if you be Learned; as indeed you goe about mightily to Colour your Cauſe with Texts of Scripture; then ſhew in the Holy Scripture, that God entended a Strange Woman; you ſay, that Mary is not from us Men; but is a Virgin from Eternity: that you muſt and ſhall prove, or elſe it ſhall have neither place nor beliefe.

232. But I will demonſtrate with ſtrong Arguments, that the Word of Promiſe goeth upon the Womans Seed, viz: upon Eve and Adam, that is, upon the Matter, or Matrix, which was taken from Adam, out of which the Woman was framed, out of and in which Adam ſhould have impregnated himſelfe, if he had ſtood, and had not ſuffered himſelfe to be over-powred.

233. For the Woman Eve, ſhould have been the propagated Childe, but it could not be, and therefore ſhe was taken out of Adam's Eſſence and Bone, and was Made ^[132] a help for him, ſo that the propagation muſt be performed through TWO.

234. Now if Mary, Chriſts Mother, be not from us Men, then is Chriſt, not the Son of Man: as he ſo very often calleth himſelf: and where then would my poor Soul remaine, which lyeth Captive in a darke Dungeon? whereas if God would Regenerate it againe as the Dew out of the Morning Redneſſe: could he not well doe it without becoming Man.

235 Beſides, if Mary were not Man or Humane from us, what then would the ſtrange CHRIST be profitable to Me, and then it would not be true, that the Word is become Fleſh; Or how could I enter into CHRISTS Suffering Dying and Death, if it were not done in Me.

236. But I can with Truth ſay, as the Apoſtle ſaith, that I beleeve ^[133] I am Crucified and dead with Chriſt, and riſe up in and with him, and bear his Image on me.

237. Thus ſaith my Opponent, then Chriſt were conceived in a ſinfuſt Seed, if Eve had been the Woman in the Promiſe, No, I ſay not that.

238. Chriſt, viz: the Living Word, was not generated from Mans Seed, but in the ſhut up Seed of the Heavenly part, which in Eve, faded or diſappeared: as the ^[134] dry or withered Rod of Aaron ſignifieth; he became againe, the dead parts Sap and Life; for the Sinne fell not upon the heavenly part, but that dyed; underſtand Subſtance; and not Gods Spirit, which reſted in the Covenant; till at the Limit of the Covenant in Mary.

239. The Anger of God, Manifeſted or revealed it ſelf in the Earthly Part, as a Life; and the heavenly, diſappeared or faded, as God ſaid; the day thou eateſt thou dyeſt.

240. He meant not ſolely the Earthly Death, for Adam lived ^[135] Nine hundred and Thirty Yeares e're he dyed: and God ſaid, the day thou eateſt thou dyeſt, that is, to the Kingdome of Heaven; and liveſt to the Earthly World, as it came to paſſe.

241. I ſay not, that God became Man in Eves Earthly Eſſence, elſe he muſt have had a Father; but thus himſelf is the Father.

242. Underſtand this aright; ^[136] The Angel ſaid to Mary, The holy Spirit will come upon thee, and the Power of the Moſt High will over-ſhadow thee; in that ſticketh the Mark or Key: the Angel ſaid, he will come upon thee, and the Power of the Moſt High will over-ſhadow thee; Do you not underſtand this? The Holy Spirit would open the ſhut Center in the Covenant in the Dead Seed, and the Word of God would give it ſelf in with living heavenly Subſtantiality, into that which was ſhut up in Death, and become a Fleſh; the Holy Spirit was inſtead of a Man or Husband: he brought the Heavenly ^[137] Tincture of the Fathers Fires Glance, and of the Eternall Sonnes Lights Glance. He was in the Tincture, the Life and the Moving.

What Manner of Eſſence the Word received or aſſumed, wherein God and Man became One Perſon: Alſo how Chriſt is a Creature, and how he is No Creature.

243. NOw underſtand me according to its high worth; I ſpeak in the Viſion or Sight and not in the Opinion or Conceit; In Adam, when God inbreathed the Soul into him then was the Soul ſurrounded or endued, from the Glance of the Fathers Fire, together with the Center to the Fire, and alſo from the Glance of the Light, with Divine Subſtantiality, Moving in Gods Wiſdome or Subſtantiality.

244. But now, in the Fall, the Light extinguiſhed; and only the Fire, with the Center to the Fire, remained, that was now the Dryed or withered and dead. Soul, as the Dry Rod of Aaron ſignified; and Old ſhut up Barren Sarah Abraham's Wife; and Old Elizabeth dead in the Womb or Matrix, the Mother of John the Baptiſt.

245. This Soul was, from Adam thus dry or withered, propagated, except ſome Holy or Saints in the Covenant, where the Holy Spirit in the Covenant Moved, as is to be ſeen by Old ^[138] Elizabeth; that the Child in the Covenant in the Mothers Body or Womb, when the Spirit moved the Childs Spirit, when Mary came to her, that it leaped for joy, in the Spirit of the Meſſiah; when it perceived THAT; and both the Mothers Propheſied.

246. That ſtryed or withered Eſſence of the Soul, underſtand the Womans Part, not the Mans; although the Mans Part alſo lyeth in the Seed of the Woman, but too weakly in reſpect of the Fire, the Word took or aſſumed to himſelf, with the dead Subſtantiality, into the Living now opened and introduced with or by the Holy Spirit, and God and Man became ONE Perſon.

247. But now underſtand me aright; my Opponent will not permit that I ſhould ſay; CHRIST is aCreature; and yet it is true, ſo far as concernes the Soul, and th[•] Outward Kingdome viz: the Third Principle, he is a Creature; for the outward hangeth to the Inward; elſe Chriſt had not been in this World, if he had not had the outward Kingdome on him, but without impurity in the Similitude of the Deity.

248. He was a Creature, and he IS one Eternally; underſtand as to the Soul, and as to the Subſtantiality which dyed in Adam, which he with the introducing of the living Divine Subſtantiality, and with the Word and Spirit of God, made living againe; and as to the Third Principle, with that he is a Creature and a King and High-Prieſt of Men.

249. But as to what concernes, the Eternall Word, together with the Divine Subſtantiality, which now became introduced into the in death incloſed Subſtantiality, Chriſt is NO Creature, but the firſt Born of the Father in Eternity

250. Underſtand, in the Creature, is the new introduced Subſtantiality, viz; Chriſts heavenly Fleſh, Creaturely; but without beſides or beyond the Creature, it is uncreaturely; for, that very Subſtantiality is the right true Divine Principle; it is as great as Gods Majeſty; in all places, filling all in the Second Principle; and THAT in the Body or Creature, and THAT without the Creature is totally entirely ONE undevided, totally one power or vertue, might, and Glory, Paradiſe and pure Element; wherein Gods Eternall Wiſdome dwelleth.

251. As the SUN ſhineth or enlighteneth in the whole World: and ſo now if there were not in the deep ſuch a Subſtance as the Sun; then it would not receive the Glance or Luſtre of the Sun: ^[139] Thus the Gorporeity of Chriſt, is the fulneſſe of the Heaven, in the Perſon, Creaturely; and without the Creature, Living; in ONE Spirit and Power or vertue, Not TWO.

Of the Virgin Mary. How Mary was no ſtrange Virgin, but the Daughter of Joachim and Anna, Whence the Author hath his Knowledge. And what is called, Chriſts Deſcending into Hell.

252. MY Dear Opponent; you will needs have a ſtrange Virgin, and you deſpiſe my very high knowledg given me of God; was Mary? Whoſe Generation or diſcent is ſufficiently to be found in the Bible? a ſtrange heavenly Virgin? And moreover ſtanding in Gods Wiſdome? And from Eternity Elected or Predeſtinated thereto? How then came it? That, when the Angel came to her, and brought the Meſſage? That ſhe ſhould be impregnate or with Child? And bear or Generate a Sonne? She ſaid, How ſhall that come to paſſe? Seeing I know of no Man? Did not the Eternall Wiſdome then know it, how it ſhould come to paſſe?

253. I Suppoſe therefore, my Dear Opponent, you muſt permit Her to be the Daughter of Joachim and Anna; as the Holy Scripture ſets it downe, elſe our Salvation will ſtand in ſuſpence and be in doubt.

254. I ask you in earneſt, if you be Gods Child then tell me: How or where hath Chriſt Broken Death? And whither went he into Hell? as the Church teacheth? tell me! If he hath NOT received or aſſumed our Soul.

255. Your Conceited work of a Sacrifice alone doth not ſatisfie me; I would know from you, HOW Death in the Soul is become broken; neither Covenant nor promiſe availeth as to that, if Sacrifices could have done it, then it had been done among the Jewes; it muſt be done with right Heavenly Mans Bloud.

256. Now, I would know, whether it be done in my Soul? Whether my Will-Spirit have attained an Open Gate to God with or by Chriſts Death; that I may ſay, ^[140] Abba, my Dear Father; or No? Tell me this, or leave my Writings uncenſured.

257. I have my knowledge from God, and not from your Fiction, Schools or Vniverſities; where you contend about words, as a Dog about a Bone; goe with me into the Center, be taught of God, I will ſhew it you, in the whole World, in all Subſtances, living Creatures, and Created things, I will ſet it lively before your Eyes: how the greateſt ſecret hidden Myſtery is in Death.

258. Now if my Soul were not together in the Death of Chriſt, ſeeing it was in the Father from Eternity, in the Divine Eſſence; then have I no part in Chriſts Death.

259. I know, that JESUS CHRISTS precious heavenly Bloud, which out of the Divine Subſtantiality, became Bloud, in the dryed or withered Images Seed; through the Might or ſtrength of the Heavenly Tincture, hath kindled the Fire which was dark in the Souliſh Eſſence, ſo that, the ſame, Souls Fire in that very hour began to burne in a white cleere bright Majeſtick Power Light and Glance or Luſtre.

260. And there Gods Anger in the Souliſh Eſſence was quenched, and made to be Love, THIS is Called * CHRISTS Deſcention ^[141] into Hell; when Gods Love in the Vertue or Power of the Living Word in the Heavenly Subſtantiality, with Chriſts Bloud, brought it ſelf into the Center of the Soul viz: into the Fathers Anger, and overcame and quenched the Same with Meekneſſe.

261. That was the Smoak-Hole, white the Devill and the Serpents Seed Ruled, and Now that very Hell became deſtroyed; and the Devills Kingdome in the Soul taken away.

262. And here it is rightly ſaid: that ^[142] as Sinne came from One upon all, and penetrated from One upon all; ſo alſo came the Grace and Eternall Life from One upon all, and penetrated upon all. Now whoſoever will not himſelf receive it, but expects another peculiar Election; let him remaine as he is, he may come or not come; It is ſaid: ^[143] We have Piped to you, and you have not Danced; we have called you and you have not come to us.

Queſtion. How is the New Birth performed in Ʋs? Alſo: WHAT of Ʋs ſhall Ariſe?

263. MY Deare Brother, Tell me, if you be borne of God, and enlightned, as you ſuppoſe, how is the New Birth performed in US? is it entering in or exgenerating? is it not performed in us in our Souls? Indeed Chriſt muſt become manifeſted in us, after the Manner as in Miry.

264. What meane you by the New Creature? Alſo doe you underſtand, a New Soul? Or the Old, which you have inherited from Father and Mother? or what do you hold concerning the ^[144] Reſurrection of the Dead, WHAT of us muſt ariſe? For, the Soul dyeth not, alſo Chriſt in us dyeth not; for he is once dead to Sinne for and in Ʋs. What is it that ariſeth? The EARTHLY Body? viz: the Evill Fleſh that is infected by the Devill, and full of Sinne and Abomination? THAT is NOT it that ſhall live in God: For Chriſt ſaid, ^[145] Fleſh and Bloud, CANNOT inherit the Kingdome of Heaven.

265. What is it then? For the New Creature generated out of the Dew of Heaven, as you ſay, alſo cannot ariſe, for it dyeth Not: Chriſts Life, is its Life; You will quite take away the firſt Adam; what remaineth then? If you are Learned, tell me! and play not on my Pipe: you would have it, that Chriſt hath not received or aſſumed Adam's Fleſh: then can Adam NOT riſe again.

266. My Friend, I Exhort you in the Love of Chriſt, be not an oppoſer, till you underſtand the Center of all things or Subſtances, together with the Three Principles, For the Power or vertue of the Reſurrection is performed according to the THIRD Principle; there ſhall Nothing of ADAM paſſe away, but only the groſſe Droffineſſe of the Beaſtiall Property, and the Sinne, which hath been wrought or committed according to the Anger of the Firſt Principle.

267. The Myſtery, viz: the Quintae Eſſentia, ſhall ariſe; For Chriſt Fleſh, ſo farre, and in whomſoever it is become Living, Dyeth NO more; In whomſoever, the ſhut up heavenly part, is, in the power of the Word that became Man, become Living, that dyeth not: It dyed in Adam; therefore it needeth no [further] Reſurrection.

268. Alſo our Works follow not after us, in That; but in that which is a Similitude of the inward World; viz: in the Outward Myſtery: Now if Chriſt hath not received or aſſumed that to himſelf from US Men; how then will it ariſe?

269. I ſay Chriſt hath received or aſſumed the whole humanity from us, on to his Heavenly; but only not the BEASTIAL Property and Sinne: but he hath received or aſſumed the ^[146] Sinnes of the World on to himſelf; As an own ſelf-guilty Perſon; and ſlaine the Death in our Souland Fleſh: elſe there were no Remedy for Man: therefore muſt only a ſtrong Saviour come into the Humane Property, and ſlay Death; and deſtroy Sinne, and Introduce his Love into us.

279. Now I beleeve, that I ſhall ariſe in HIS and MY Fleſh, and Eternally Live in him, his Life for mine, his Spirit for mine, and all whatſoever I am, for his; He, God, I, Man, and in him God and Man: and he in me God and Man.

271. This ſhall none teare out of my Heart; I have knowne it; Not I. but Chriſt in me, therefore whoſoever will, may Fable and Babble about it, I need no Election or Predeſtination to it: my Saviour Chriſt hath Elected me IN my Soul Spirit and Fleſh in himſelf; I am therein Joyfull and Comforted. let who will be a Heretick and Feigner: ^[147] I have with MARY Elected or Choſen the Beſt thing, and will in the meane time ſit at the Feet of my LORD JESU; till all Feigners and Grace Electioners or Predeſtinatours, have ſeigned and babbled Out, ALL they CAN.

272. They ſay, they cannot [doe ſo]: that is their Obſtinacy and Wilfulneſſe; I ſay, if I cannot, yet Chriſt in Me can: And ſay with Jacob, ^[148] I will not leave thee unleſſe thou bleſſe me; and Though Body and ſoul ſhould be ^[149] diſſolved, yet I will not leave thee, caſt me into Heaven or into Hell, yet I am in thee and thou in me, thou art mine and I am thine, the Enemy ſhall NOT part us.

How Mary was Eves Daughter; and how Chriſt hath had a Humane Soul, which is Eternally Immortall.

273. MY Opponent, hath ſo wonderfull a vaine diſcourſe concerning Mary; he will prove out of the Scripture, that SHE hath been from Eternity, and draweth a whole heape of Texts together about it which yet are all againſt him, thoſe very Texts ſpeak all of the Virgin of the Divine Wiſdome: and then, who is it that contendeth with him? that Chriſt is become Man, in that very Virginity? not I: I have throughout written juſt So: but I underſtand alſo, that the ſame Virgin was alſo IN the Mark, or Limit of the Covenant, in which God became Man.

274. But Mary was from Eve, elſe Chriſt had not received or aſſured our humane Soul; as he alſo very ſtrongly denyeth it, that he hath aſſumed no Soul from us, a ſtrange thing helpeth not me, in a ſtrange thing he is not my Brother.

275. Is his Soul no Creature but God himſelf? Is he not out of or from us? why then did ^[150] he commend it to his Father in his Death, into his hands: And ſaid, ^[151] On the Mount of Olives; My Soul is troubled even unto Death; May God alſo be troubled? I beleeve he muſt now permit it to be a Humane Soul, if he will ſtand before the Scripture and Truth; that ſo Chriſt remaine to be our Brother: as he ſaid ^[152] After his Reſurrection; Goe and tell my Brethren, I aſcend to my God and to your God, elſe how ſhould Chriſt ſay, I goe to MY God, if he were no Creature? God needs no going without beſides and beyond the Creature.

276. Beloved, what may indeed his Temptation in the Wilderneſſe have been? WHAT in him became Tempted? His Deity? or his Soul? Beloved, pray tell me, Did God Tempt himſelf? Or What had he to doe with the Humanity? I ſuppoſe the Man will here be Silent; Read my Book of the Threefold Life; therein thou wilt have the ground of all, even More then any one could Ask, which I here let paſſe.

277. He writeth that Chriſts Soul did flow forth out of the Word and the Wiſdome, then is Chriſt Totally ſtrange and not my Brother; as he ſaith; if they are to be Brothers then they muſt come out of ONE Body; but Chriſt would not have ſpoken right, if this Opinion ſhould take place.

278. God promiſed Abraham; that in HIS, underſtand in Abraham's Seed, ſhould all People become bleſſed: but ^[153] he ſaith no; but in Abrahams promiſed Seed; ^[154] he ſaith not, in the Seed which I promiſe thee; or in my Seed, but in thy Seed.

279 ^[155] O! how terrible it is, that Man Dare ſo to pervert the Scriptures; Dear Sirs, where will you abide? How will you ſtand before God? Have you not the Spirit of True Knowledge from God? Why then doe you make Gloſſes or Expoſitions upon the Scripture? What are your conceits profitable? that you Exchange Words for Words; and imbitter the Scriptures? let them ſtand unexplained, if you be not called to it of God; Why doe you ſo long make many ^[156] Errours? leave the Explanation to the higheſt ^[157] Tongue in Every Man.

280. Why doe you Juggle ſo much with the Holy Spirit? are you more knowing or ſkilfull then HE? Yes indeed ye are ſtately proud, ſelf honouring, ſelf-profiting, wilfull ſtubborne Children: ^[158] Ye run and None hath called you; ſuffer, your ſelves firſt to be called, and enlightened with Gods Light, before you run.

281. ^[159] From ſuch imbittering, from the beginning of the World to this time, nothing hath exiſted, but ſtrife Wars and Deſolation, and Babel is an unſure Leader, full of Abomination and Pride, to make Oſtentation of it ſelf, that a Man hath ſtudied, or that a Man hath read much: But the Holy Spirit, uſeth in thoſe Children which he calleth: only ONE Book with THREE Leaves, therein only they muſt ſtudy, they need none of them, more, neither are they profitable.

282. My Opponent will not permit, that the Virgin Mary is out of or from Adam; if that were true, then ſhe had alſo no Soul; or elſe a ſtrange one; for ſhe ſaid, ^[160] being with Old Elizabeth; my Soul doth magnifie the Lord; and Simeon ſaid to her, ^[161] A Sword will pierce through thy Soul: Now if ſhe be only the Virgin of the Wiſdome of God; as he writeth, then no Sword could pierce through her Soul; for that is God himſelfe, that is, his outſpoken or Expreſſed Subſtance:

283. Alſo I tell you indeed, that the Virginity of God, viz: the Wiſdome, became Manifeſted or revealed in Mary, through the awakening of God, when God manifeſted the Limit or Mark of the Covenant which ſtuck in her; then ſhe became highly ^[162] bleſſed above all women; for God was manifeſted in her and in her Seed; her, in Adam, dead Subſtantiality, viz: the heavenly part, Sprouted againe; but her outward Body was from this World, that we ſee in all her life, and Converſation, in Eating and drinking, in ſleeping and waking: Alſo in her perplexity when ſhe had ^[163] loſt her childe JESUS: when in the twelfth yeare ſhe offered JESƲS in the Temple.

284. Now if ſhe were only Gods Wiſdome; and not Man or humane; why did ſhe not then know all things? as JESUS her Sonne did? ſeeing in the Wiſdome of God, ALL knowledge lyeth, from Eternity in Eternity? and though likely ſhe did give up her ſelfe into the Lowlineſſe, as the Opponent ſaith; that doth not cauſe her skill and knowledge to ceaſe, it did not cauſe the skill and knowledge in JESUS her Sonne to ceaſe; why then ſhould it doe ſo in his Mother? Had ſhe not the Fleſh of Joachim, and of Anna her Mother? Why then did ſhe Suck her Mothers breaſts? and deſired the Eſſence of this World? and did Naturally eate Earthly food? What manner of Body had ſhe then nouriſhed, with the Earthly food? Doth the Divine Virgin Eate Earthly food? I ſuppoſe my Adverſary is in an Errour.

285. ^[164] There is in Mary aſſuredly, a two-fold Virgin to be underſtood: viz: One out-of God, and One out of Eve; I beleeve and know, that the inward was hidden in the outward, and only manifeſted in God; as alſo in US the New Man is hidden to the Earthly.

286. For, nothing may become manifeſted in the outward World, unleſſe it take or aſſume the outward Worlds Subſtance on to it ſelfe; Indeed the Outward World, as alſo the Outward Man is generated through Gods Wiſdome; and the pure Myſtery, of the Outward World; which lyeth hidden in the impure; ſtandeth in the roote of the inward World, and belongeth thereunto.

287. ^[165] Therefore ſhall the Outward Man with his Myſtery of the Third Principle ariſe at the Laſt Day, and enter into the inward; ſo that the inward ſtandeth turned outwards, and the outward inwards, and ſo ^[166] God is ALL in ALL.

288. I know not what manner of underſtanding that would afford, if I ſhould ſay, with my Opponent; that CHRIST hath not aſſumed our humanity; would God, only Tincture Man, through the Wiſdome; then it might well have been done without becoming Man.

289. Alſo if Chriſt be no Creature, why then hath he converſed in a Creaturely forme; and dyed with woe and paine, as a Creature, on the Croſſe? Can the Deity alſo ſuffer and dye? I know nothing of that yet: that it can dye, which was from Eternity without beginning; had that been poſſible to have dyed, then ſhould Lucifer and Adam's Soul alſo have dyed.

290. But now, that only dyeth, which is generated out of the Time, viz: the outward Man from the Third Principle; that ſo out of the Temporall Death, the Eternity may Sprout forth; and the Time, viz: the Temporary figure become turned and brought into the Eternity.

291. For, therefore came Chriſt in our Outward and inward Myſtery, that he might introduce our Temporary Myſtery into the Eternity: that he might Convert Man againe IN and WITH himſelfe, into that Forme, which Adam was of, in the Creation, when he knew not what Evill and Good was.

Of the vaine Contention about knowledge: When we reade IN our ſelves, then we reade in Gods Book; No knowledge maketh us happy: A Warning and Admonition.

292. MY Deare Brethren in Chriſt; take it into Conſideration, pray be Chriſts Members, pray be Branches in the Tree of Chriſt; ſee diligently in the Epiſtles of Saint Paul, how we muſt Enter into Chriſts Suffering and Death; and dye away to the old Earthly Man, and enter into a right Love.

293. Of a Truth moſt certainly, in Contention and Reproaching, the Spirit of Chriſt is not, but only a painted Looking-Glaſſe; without Life and knowledge; but Conſider that we are Branches in one and the ſame Tree; which is Chriſt, and God is Chriſts Tree.

294. Why doe we ſo long contend about knowledge? Indeed knowledge is not alone the way to bleſſedneſſe or Salvation; the Devill knoweth more than we, but what doth that availe him? For, that I know much affordeth me no Joy: but that I Love my Saviour JESUS, and continually deſire him, that affordeth me Joy, for the ^[167] deſiring is a receiving.

295. I know Nothing, alſo deſire to know nothing, nor have I at any time ſought any skill or knowledge; for I am a childe in knowledge, and a Nothing; I would alſo faine know Nothing; that I might in knowledge, be dead and a Nothing, that God in the Spirit of Chriſt, may be my knowing, willing, and doing, that I may run in his knowing and willing, and that not I, but he; that I may be only the Inſtrument, and he the Hand and the Labour.

296. Why will you long contend with me? I know Nothing of your knowledge, neither have I ever learned it; Search your ſelves, in whom, knowledge is, wherein, it is that I know, ſeeing I am indeed dead in the knowing, for the ſake of that which will know IN Me.

297. In my knowing, I doe not firſt collect Letters together out of Many Books, but I have the Letters in Me, indeed Heaven and Earth together with all things or Subſtances, and Moreover God himſelfe, lyeth in Man; Should he not then dare to Reade in that Book which he HIMSELF is?

298. If I had no other Book at all but only My own Book which I my ſelfe AM; I had Books enough, even the whole Bible lyeth in Me; If I have Chriſts Spirit, what need I then more Books? Shall I contend and diſpute againſt that which is without me? before I learne to know what is in me?

299. If I Reade my ſelfe; then I reade in God's Book, and ye my deare Brethren ALL, are my Letters, which I reade in me, for my Minde and Will ſindeth you in me: I wiſh heartily that you alſo may finde me.

300. I exhort you as Children and Brethren out of or from my precious Talent, that you goe out from Contention, and Reade the Brotherly ^[168] A. B. C. IN you: for it is all Nothing and unprofitable before God, that you contend about the Letter, it ſtandeth indeed in ALL Men; the Plowman is as Learned and neere to the Kingdome of God, as the Doctor, if he Reade the Brotherly A. B. C. IN himſelfe.

301. No skill or knowledge maketh you bleſſed, but that you enter into the knowledge, and be and become the doer or practicer of the skill or knowledge; Not a proud, ſurly, ſelfe-honouring, Stubborne wilde withered Branch, but Living, in he Tree of God, wherein one Branch affordeth Sap and Life to the other.

302. O how the Mother complaineth over ſome of you, that you are dry withered Branches; ^[169] It is told you, that the dry withered Branches ſhall be cut off; ^[170] for the Tree ſhall renew it ſelfe, and preſent ^[171] its firſt Forme of Youth againe, for the End belongeth into the Beginning.

303. If you ſhall all deſpiſe this, which is at preſent told you, and not turne into your ſelves, and learne to Reade your own Book; then will an Ano from the Riſing or Eaſt and Midnight or North, Cut you off, that you ſhall never more ſay, I reade in ſtrange or forreigne Books, and feed my ſelfe in ſtrange Paſture.

304. God hath ſent his Heart together with his Life INTO Ʋs, wherein all ſtandeth written; he that readeth that Book in himſelfe, is Learned Enough; the Other is Babel, and a Fable, that a Man will needs be learned in the Letter without him, before he can reade his owne Book: Let him firſt reade his own, and ſo he will in his own, finde ALL what ever the Children of God have written.

305. ^[172] ALL of us Men have together but One only Book which directeth to God, which we have in Common: ^[173] EVERY one hath it IN himſelfe; that is the Deare or Precious Name of GOD, his Letters are the Flames of Love, which out of his Heart in the Name JESV, he hath manifeſted in ƲS: Reade but thoſe only Letters in your Heart and Minde, and then you have books enough: ALL Scriptures of the Children of God direct to THAT, in that ONE onely Book; for therein lye all the Treaſures of Wiſdome; See only to this, that you become New borne in the Life and Spirit of CHRIST, and then you have ALL, whatever God IS, or CAN doe.

חי

וחי

חוחי

חושחי

tetractys of the Tetragrammaton [Image not included in the transcription.]

Not one JOT, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], or Tittle of the ^[174] LAW ſhall paſſe away.

JOD י Jod, ſignifies a Subſtantive.

JAH Exiſtence.

JEHV He, who is Exiſtent.

JEHOVAH Being of Beings. Or Subſtance of ALL Subſtances.

JHSVH [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]. A Saviour [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] JESVS.

306. But you are drunken, and erre, and goe aſtray, and ſeek the Key to the Book, and Contend or diſpute about the Key; every one ſaith, I have the Key; and yet none will unlock his own Lifes Book; every one hath the Key to God in himſelfe, let him but ſeek it in the right place: but you would rather contend or diſpute, then ſeek the ^[175] Key in your ſelves, Therefore you are all of you blinde, that contend or diſpute; you doe but goe Seeking, as before a Looking Glaſſe; why doe you not goe into the Center? for with other ſeeking you will not finde the Key, be as Learned as you will, it will not availe.

307. It lyeth not in Art and Reaſon, but in an Earneſt purpoſed reſolved Will, to goe out from ſelfe, and forſake all own ſelfe, skill, and knowledge, and with Repentant humble deſires, to caſt your ſelfe into Gods knowing, and deſire only Gods knowing, yet with or in this manner, that he in you may know what he will; thus you will put on Divine skill or knowledge; and FINDE the Key about which you contend or diſpute.

A Concluſions Alſo how the preſent ſo called Chriſtians, Turks, Jewes and Heathens are alike. And how one people ſhall devoure the other: The Harveſt is neere.

308. MY deare Brother: hate me not for my knowledge ſake, for I, ſo farre as I am I, knew not before-hand, that which I have written to you; I ſuppoſed I wrote it only for my ſelfe, and it is without my knowledge ſo come about; I tell it you in true faithfulneſſe; if you have not the Gift to underſtand it, then leave it to me, for I underſtand that well, which I have written.

309. If any can underſtand it, and hath a Minde to it; I willingly and readily afford it him; but if not, and that he doth not deſire it, in that he doth not underſtand it: let him not riſe up with ſcorning and blaſphemy againſt God, elſe there will follow an Earneſt ſeverity, which you neither can nor will know, any thing of, in ſuch a Courſe; but afford me leave to Labour in that wherein I am ſet.

310. But my Opponent faith; without God, we can think nothing that is Good; alſo know nothing of God, without him; I ſay ſo too: that I know nothing of God without God, my knowing is in him; and ſtandeth in his might or power.

311. Why then is HE my Enemy, for that, which God knoweth in ME, that I ſhould manifeſt or reveale to you, the way to him; I am indeed Nothing; and he is Ail, he that can underſtand it, let him underſtand it; but he that cannot ſhould let it ſtand; with ſuch objecting you will not fathom nor underſtand my Writings.

312. I ſee your Spirit much better then you underſtand, what manner of Objections you make; but I cannot finde, that my Opponent underſtandeth any thing fundamentally in my apprehenſion or ſence: but it is all of a wilde, ſurly, envious, property; very ſcornfull, ſo that I more lament his miſery, that he is for blinde therein, then that I deſire to anſwer him.

313. I exhort you all that reade and heare this, ſlop not your hearts, look upon the time and conſider it; ſee in what time we and our fathers, have lived: viz: in vaine Contention and Strife; what is the World, viz: Man, become the honeſter, or better, by the Strife? Nothing, but more helliſh, wicked, voluptuous, reproaching, and more ſcornfull.

314. He is by the Manifeſtation of the Goſpel, in his Life become the worſe; all the while they have contended, one brother hath contemned another, and perſecuted and hated him: what manner of fruit have you of the Goſpel at preſent, as there ſhould be:

315. Muſt not the Deare and precious Name of God, at preſent be the Cover to Mans wickedneſſe? Are not the preſent, Chriſtians, ſo called, as alſo Turkes, Jewes, and Heathens, all alike to one another in Life? What doth the Name of Chriſt availe you? If you live but heatheniſhly? Doe you ſuppoſe it is enough, that you know, that Chriſt dyed for Sinne? That you need only to tickle and Comfort your ſelves with Chriſts Death; and retaine the falſe or wicked Man; who is only proud or ſtately and a Contender.

316. Can you not perceive what will ſuddenly follow upon it? viz: that ſeeing they are all alike in Life and Will, they ſhould be accounted alike, before God; and ſo if Men ſeek nothing but ſtrife and meere Contention, it muſt come to ſuch a mixt Confuſion in the Strife, that one people will devoure the other.

317. For God withdraweth his hand from People, while they will not ſuffer his Spirit to reprove them, therefore hath the Wrath taken up its ſword and deſire, and driveth on mightily in the Minds of Men, ſo that one people deſtroyeth and devoureth the other; What our Fathers have layd in with reproach and ſcorn, that will their children Eate up with ſword and ſlaughter.

318. And that God ſuffers, to be, becauſe Men only uſe his holy Name to Curſing and Swearing, and ſo miſuſe it: and in the knowledge of his Name and Will, are only ſelfe-willed; and uſe his Name only for a Reproach, ſo that one brother deſpiſeth another only for the ſake of the knowledge of his Name, though he ſhould ſeek him in his knowledge in Love, and goe before him with a holy Life.

319. ^[176] What now are the Chriſtians ſo called, better than Turks and Heathens, if they live Turkiſh'y, and more then Turkiſhly or Heatheniſhly? ^[177] Where is the Chriſtian and Evangelicall Fruit?

320. Every one faith; It will be good when this Evill is paſt and gone; but I tell you in true knowledge, that it will not be good; but worſe and worſe, unleſſe you Convert every one in himſelfe, and turne his Heart and Minde to Love and condeſcenſion; elſe one people will devoure another; and the Countreys will Conſume, Waſt and Deſtroy Themſelves, and there will be ſuch a vaine Evill World, that they will not be worthy to be called Men.

321. And this they will doe themſelves one among another; and there will be a Generall Mixture and Confuſion of People in the Strife; no one part better than another; till the Anger of God Satiate its ſierce Wrath; and the people introduce themſelves into the higheſt perdition and miſery; and ^[178] then thou wilt ſee and learne to know thy ſelfe, what thou haſt been, in thy Pride, when thou art Naked, and wilt Seek the Lord in thy Miſery, and ſee what Evill thou haſt done to thy SELFE.

322. Therefore my deare Brethren: Seek but the Pearle; all you that entend to avoyd the Anger of God, look not one upon the Life of another, but upon his OWN: ^[179] For it is no more Diſputing, but either Convert, or periſh.

323. The Time of Diſputation and Babling is out, you will get no further with Diſputation; but with the Regeneration in the Spirit of Chriſt, you will reach and obtaine the Pearle; ſo that you need never to Diſpute More.

324. Let every one be in Sincere Earneſt, and ſeek himſelfe in himſelfe, and ſee what he is: and Conſider how to Seek his brother in Love: let him but goe out from Covetouſneſſe and Pride, and Content himſelfe with ^[180] food and Rayment, and put his truſt in God, who giveth Raine and bleſſing.

325. Indeed we take nothing along with us from this World, why then doe we then contend about that which is vaine, and thereby ſquander and looſe that which is untranſitory; it muſt come to the Limit or Mark, or elſe it will be ſtill worſe, and that People which will not enter into this Limit or Mark, muſt be quite devoured and Conſumed; ^[181] ſaith the Spirit of Wonders.

326. This I would not have concealed from you Deare Sirs and Brethren in Chriſt, who reade my Writings and make uſe of them, in conſideration of my Opponent; and I exhort you brotherly, as alſo my Opponent, that you would lay the Holy Scriptures upon my Writings; but in the Scripture ſeek nothing elſe then the Paternall Love-Heart of JESUS CHRIST, and then you will well FINDE from what Spirit I have written.

327. But he that hath no minde to doe this, let him leave my Writings at reſt, for I have written Nothing for him; I have written them for my ſelfe, without any thought how it would goe with them; neither doe I know how it cometh to paſſe, that they run ſo abroad, for I have not run after any body with them, and I wonder as much as you, what the Moſt High doth about them.

328. Yet Obſerve it and become ſeeing; for the Day breaketh or dawneth: if you will learne rightly to underſtand my Writings, then you will be freed from all Contention and Strife, and learne to know your ſelves: yet indeed the Letter cannot doe it; but only the Living Spirit of Chriſt; the way is faithfully ſhewne you.

329. Now doe what thou wilt, the Harveſt is neere; that every one will partake, of what he hath gathered into his Barne, I ſpeake from my whole Heart very Earneſtly, in my knowledge given Me of God, and Commend my ſelfe into your brotherly Love, into the Deare and Precious Name of JESUS CHRIST.

Dated the 3. July. 1621.

330. Rejoyce in the LORD all Countreys, and Praiſe him all People! For his Name goeth over all Mountaines and Hills, HE ſhooteth forth like a Sprout, and goeth on in Great Wonders, who will hinder it?

HALLELƲ-JAH.

A Poſtſcript of the Tranſlatour into Nether-Dutch out of the Three High-Dutch Copies, and this Engliſh Tranſlation out of a High-Dutch Copy was Compared with it. Who writes thus.

THis Treatiſe was Written in Anſwer to Balthaſar Tylcken concerning ſome Poynts in the Book of the Becoming Man or Incarnation of Jeſus Chriſt: This Balthaſar Tylcken firſt wrote a reproachfull Book against Jacob Behme, Concerning ſome Poynts in the AVRORA which Jacob Behme hath Anſwered, in the Firſt Apology to Balthaſar Tylcken; afterwards Tylcken oppoſed ſome Poynts in the Book of the Incarnation of Jeſus Christ; and added ſome Sheets as an Appendix to that Book: which were ſent over to Jacob Behme, upon which his Anſwer was, as is to be found in this Second Apology of His.

Here follow the CONTENTS Of the SECTIONS, As they were Devided by the Tranſlatour into the Nether-Dutch.

I. Part. Apo: to Tylcken II. Of Predeſtination.

A Letter or Preface concerning Verſes. 15.
I. An Introduction to the Anſwer, an Exhortation and marning from verſ. 1. to 18.
II. What the firſt Principle or Dark World is. How the Fire is not the firſt Principle. He that will attaine the Spirit of the Principle, muſt firſt become a Foole to the World. From v. 19. to 53.
III. Of a right Chriſtian: and of the Eternall Wiſdome, which is no Genetrixs From v. 54. to 71.
IV. Of the Third Principle. What the Bride of God is: and how the Spirit of God is no Principle, and yet is One. From verſ. 72 to 86.
V. Why the Outward World is a Principle of its own: Out of what the Angels are; out of what joy Exiſteth: The Model of this World is Eternall. From verſ. 87. to 94.
VI. How the Soul is proceeded out of all the Three Worlds; Of the Might or Strength, and of the Free Will of the Soul: Of the drawing of the Father: And what it is, to beleeve above all Reaſon. From verſ. 95. to 117.
VII. Of the groſſe errour of Balthaſar Tylcken, concerning the Seed of Adam, upon which he buildeth his Election. From 118. to 126.
VIII. Why God hated Cain, and Eſau; and loved Abel, and Jacob: and who are the loſt Sinners for whoſe ſake Chriſt came. From 127. to 133.
IX. What the hardening is, how the Love of God warneth Sinners; Alſo how the Love of God is as Almighty to preſerve, as his Anger is to deſtroy. From verſ. 134. to 143.
X. What God is: How without the Darkneſſe all would be Nothing: And in what Manner, man hath ability to goe out of Evill into Good and out of Good into Evill. From 144. to 153.
XI. How Balthaſar Tylcken is the Devills Advocate: How the Devill doth not aſſault any with Doubting, more then the Children of God: And of the firme Confidence of the Faithfull From 154 to 168.
XII. How Nothing is impoſſible for Faith; what the drawing of God is; Why the Wicked are not drawn; what a right Chriſtian is; and who become hardened from God. From 169. to. 186.
XIII. The abominable Doctrine of Balthaſar Tylcken; an Exhortation not to doubt of Election; and an Exhortation and warning to Balthaſar Tylcken. From verſ. 187, to 202.
XIV. Of the Eternall Purpoſe or Predeſtination and Election of God: The Beginning and End whereof, is one and the ſame alwayes. From 203. to 229.

II. Part. Of the Perſon of Chriſt. Apol. to Tylck. II.

XV. How Chriſt became Man out of no ſtrange Seed, but out of the Seed of Mary; and yet not in Eves Earthly Eſſence: the Holy Spirit was the Husband. From 230. to 242.
XVI. What manner of Eſſence the Word aſſumed, in which God and Man became One Perſon: How Chriſt is a Creature, and how no Creature. From 243. to 251.
Of the Perſon of the Virgin Mary.
- XVII. How Mary was no ſtrange Virgin; but the Daughter of Joaohim and Anna: Whence the Authour hath his Knowledge; and what is, Chriſts Deſcention into Hell. From 252. to 262.
- XVIII. Queſtion How the New Birth is performed in us: Alſo, what of us ſhall ariſe: Alſo of Impoſſibility and Poſſibility. From verſ. 263. to 272.
- XIX. How Mary was Eves Daughter, how Chriſt had a humane Soul; which Eternally is Immortal. From 273. to 291.
- XX. Of the vaine Contention about Knowledge: When we read in our ſelves, we read in Gods Book; No Knowledge maketh us Bleſſed: a Warning and an Exhortation. From verſ. 292. to 307.
- XXI. A Concluſion. How the preſent ſo called Chriſtians Turks Jewes and Hoathens are all alike. How one people ſhall devour the other; and how the Harveſt-is near at hand. From 308. to 330.

FINIS.

Marginal notes

Math. 18. 11. ↩
Rev. 10. 7. ↩
Rev. 14. 4. ↩
The Book of Predeſtination written 1623. ↩
Joh. 6. 45. ↩
Jer. 31. 34. Heb. 8. 11. ↩
Joel 2. 8. ↩
Acts 2. 17. ↩
NOTE. ↩
The firſt Apologie to Balthaſar Tylcken about the Aurora. ↩
1 Tim: 4. 10. Heb. 11. 26. ↩
Eph. 6. 24. ↩
2 Cor. 5. 1. 4. ↩
Rom. 3. 15. ↩
2 Theſ. 3. 2. ↩
Joh: 13. 35. ↩
1 Cor. 5. 12. ↩
Phil. 3. 20. ↩
Math. 6. 10. Luk. 11. 2. ↩
Math. 18. 11. Luk: 19. 10. ↩
Note. ↩
Joh: 6. 45, Iſa: 54. 13. Jer: 31. 34. ↩
Joh: 16. 15. ↩
Joh: 1. 3. Col: 1. 16. ↩
Deut: 4: 24. Chap: 9. 3. Heb. 12. 29. ↩
Gen: 3. 17. ↩
1 Cor. 3. 18. ↩
Weſen. ↩
2 Tim. 3. 7. ↩
Or know the Bible outwardly: inwardly were better. ↩
NOTE. ↩
Joh: 1. 5: ↩
Rom: 6. 16. ↩
18. 26. ↩
vſagen. ↩
[•…]: 14. 12. ↩
[•…]: 22. 21. ↩
[•…]k: 11. 13. ↩
Math: 9. 13. ↩
Math: 11. 28. ↩
Joh: 6. 44. ↩
Rom. 9. 16. 18. ↩
Note, Note. ↩
Joh: 3. 3. ↩
Math: 11. 12. ↩
Joh: 6. 37. ↩
Joh: 10. 27, 28, 29. ↩
NOTE. ↩
Ezek: 1. 3. Mal: 3. 7. ↩
Math: 7. 7. to the 11. Luk: 11. 9. to the 14. ↩
Note. ↩
Note. ↩
Gen: 32. 26. ↩
Pſal: 30. 5. ↩
Note. ↩
Luk: 5. 31. Math: 18. 11. ↩
Acts 20. 28. ↩
Math: 11. 28. ↩
Joh: 1. 5. ↩
Note, when it was that the Darkneſſe Comprehended the Light, in Adam. ↩
Note, Note. ↩
Mal. 1. 2, 3 Rom: 9. 13. ↩
Gen: 4. 4, 5. ↩
Gen: 4. 6. 7. ↩
NOTE. ↩
Math: 23. 37. Luk: 13. 34. ↩
Micah 7. 1. ↩
Col: 2, 14, 15. ↩
1 Cor. 15. 55, 57. ↩
Rom. 9. 18. ↩
Rev. 19. 6. Math. 20. 15. ↩
Iſa. 50. 8. ↩
NOTE. ↩
Rom. 11. 36. 1 Cor. 8. 6. ↩
The great Six Poynts. ↩
Note Note. ↩
Note Note. ↩
Or pregnant or ſatisfieth it. ↩
Math. 13. 12. Luk. 8. 18 ↩
Note Note. ↩
Joh. 17. 6. 24. ↩
Joh. 10. 28. ↩
NOTE. ↩
Note. ↩
Pſal. 54. ↩
Ezek. 33. 11. ↩
Rom. 3. 4. ↩
NOTE. ↩
Math. 15. 22, 26, 27. ↩
1 Tim. 2. 4. ↩
1 Tim. 1. 15. ↩
Rom. 8. 38, 39. ↩
Note. ↩
Or Accuſer. ↩
B. T. ↩
Note of the Potter &c. See Chap. 9. in the Book of Predeſtination. And Rom. 9. 21. ↩
Numb. 17. 8. ↩
Joh. 3. 27. ↩
Note. ↩
Note. ↩
Vix: Of Gods Anger. ↩
Joh: 20. 25. ↩
Joh: 5. 17. ↩
Joh: 15. 5. ↩
Rom. 11. 22. ↩
Rom: 9. 18. ↩
Note Note. ↩
Rom: 6. 16. ↩
Pſal: 95. 7, 8. Heb: 3: 7. 8. & 4. 7. ↩
Phil: 2. 1[•]. ↩
Math: 25. 41. &c. ↩
NOTE. ↩
Gen: 2. 17. ↩
2 Kings. I. 10, 11. Numb: 26. 10. ↩
Note Note. ↩
Note Note. Jer: 18. 7, 8. ↩
Jon: 3. 2. 10. ↩
1 Cor. 14. 32. ↩
NOTE. ↩
Eph: 1. 4. ↩
Note. ↩
Note. ↩
1 Tim: 2. 4. ↩
Note. ↩
Joh: 12. 40. ↩
Note. ↩
NOTE. ↩
Gen: 2. 17. ↩
Numb: 17. 8. Heb: 9. 4. ↩
Gen: 3. 15. ↩
Or Avrora. ↩
Gen. 2. 18. &c. ↩
Gal. 2. 20. ↩
Note, the dry Rod of Aaron grew not through the Four Elementary Water and Fire. ↩
Gen. 5. 5. ↩
Luke 1. 35. ↩
The Eternall Love-fire and the Water of tbe One Element. ↩
Luke 1. 41. ↩
Note. ↩
Gal. 4. 6. ↩
† NOTE Chriſts Deſcending into Hell. ↩
Note. Rom. 3. 17. ↩
Math. 11. 17. Luke 7. 32. ↩
NOTE. ↩
1 Cor. 15. 50. ↩
Joh. 1. 29. 1 Joh. 2. 2. ↩
Luke 10. 42. ↩
Gen. 32. 26. ↩
Joh 13. 15. ↩
Luk. 23. 46. ↩
Math. 26. 38. Joh: 12. 27. ↩
Joh. 20. 17. ↩
Balth[•]ſar Tylcken. ↩
God. ↩
Note ye Expoſitors of the Scripture. ↩
Note. ↩
Or Language of the Holy Spirit. ↩
Jer. 23 21. ↩
Note. ↩
Luke 1. 46. ↩
Luke 2. 35. ↩
Luk. 1. 42. ↩
Luk 2. 41, 42, 48. ↩
Note. ↩
Note. About the Reſurrection. ↩
1 Cor: 15. 28. ↩
NOTE. ↩
True brotherly Love. Alles. Bey. Chriſto: All. By. Chriſt. ↩
Note. ↩
Reſtitutio Renovatio Reditus Reparatio Regeneratio Revolutio ↩
OMNIUM ↩
Note. ↩
The WORD is neere thee in Thy HEART. Deut: 30. 14. The Word of FAITH. Rom: 10. 8. See verſe. 298. 299. 300. ↩
Matt 5. 18. ↩
The Holy Spirit dwelling in Gods Word, in Every ones Heart. ↩
Note. ↩
Note. ↩
See the firſt Epiſtle to Paulus Keym. verſe 30. ↩
Note. ↩
Suſtenance and preſervation. ↩
Signifieth. ↩

Cite this text

The Second Apology to Balthazar Tylcken. London, 1661. Hermetic Cloud, https://hermeticcloud.com/library/boehme-second-apologie-to-tylcken/. Public-domain edition reproduced from the TCP transcription; its gaps and missing figures are marked.

Transcription

Text Creation Partnership, TCP A28531, released under CC0 1.0. Unreadable characters, unavailable passages and figures absent from the transcription remain marked.