THEOLOGIA MYSTICA, O …

THEOLOGIA MYSTICA, OR The Mystic Divinitie Of the AETERNAL INVISIBLES, Viz.

The Archetypous Globe, or the Original Globe, or World of all Globes, Worlds, Essences, Centers, Elements, Principles and Creations whatsoever.

A Work never Exstant before.

Isa. LVII. 15. Thus saith the High, &c. who inhabiteth AETERNITIE, &c.

Rev. I.8. I am ALPHA and OMEGA, &c.

[...].

By a Person of Qualitie IPMD

LONDON, Printed, Anno Dom. 1683.

THE most speculativ and highest Myster [...] [...] no in­congruities to [...] Moral con­ceptions, nor yet contradictions to Natural ratiocinations ( how unproportionat a knowledg, and how incomprehensibl soever in their intrinsic Nature, as being only out of Rea­son's Sphaer and the Reach of its Axiom) but rather so many humiliations of our intellect, gracious astonishments and unconceivabl en­dearments of our Souls and Spirits to Faith, Love and Obedience, yea very conducive to the ends of Religion, viz. the Glorie of God, and the furtherance of tru Godli­ness, in the happiness of the Univers: and that with strong and Heroic Assent and the most vigorous Acts and Transports of Ado­ration and Devotion: Yet, without determi­ning our Opinions, or Persuasions, or beeing ani of our Catechisms, Confessions, Creeds, or Public Service: much less any sort of Illusions, or Phanatacisms, from the heat, or sublimation of contemplativ, of Splenetic Heads; but the Agreeabl Attestation and United Experience of mani chois Christians of more fixed and [...] Brains [...] [...]o One of our datest Orthodox and Elegant Wri [...]e [...].

EH: MAMP CENSORI. VEL LIBER LECTORI.

Tu mea non cernis; nec Ego Tua crimina: Recté.
Null' ERRATA patent. Nulla latere putas?
Imò, alibi qae sint peccantia, Corrige, Qaeso.
Sic facilè facies Paginam utram (que) Vale.

PRAY, in the supplies of the Good Spirit and peruse, without praejudice and parti­alitie, and ponder, with profound sobrietie, be­fore you pronounce your final sentence, either on the praecedent Title-Page, or the subsequent TRACT of AETERNAL INVISI­BLES; but rather suspend ( at less'st, som small time) your judgment, and let your Mo­deration be known not here and to me only, but elswhere and to all men

The Lord is at Hand.

Hora Novissima, Tempora pessima sunt: Vigilemus. Imminet, imminet: En venit! O! venit Ille supremus Arbiter & Iudex! Cujus nunc ante Tribunal Subsistens paveo. Tu Cavě, Lector, Ave. ě Sic apud Ovid de Tristibus: Erg [...] save [...]

A Distich by one of the Prime, tho' private, Poets of our Age.

He who shal read this Book, He may behold
The Best of men; but in an Ampler mold.
Ita Testatur. R. S.

To the impartial and well-disposed READER.

FOR as much as som Part of the Author's most sublime and mystical Writings are now brought forth to publick view, accor­ding to the said Author's Intent and Desire in his Life time, committing it to the Trust wholly and soly of Dr. Ed. Hr. as a Person hee put all his Confidence in for that most excellent Service; as beeing one that hee, and many others, knew to bee not onely very worthy, but also singularly just, and far from worldly, or Self-designes; and moreo­ [...]er had really tasted and savoured very much of the Author's Spirit, as well before, as during the Time of his Acquaintance with him (although more satisfactorily and fully since that Time) which made him to be so affected with the Matter [...]hat is now published, as that hee reckoned all La­ [...]our easy and Pains pleasant to serve him, both in Life, to my knowledg, and also after Death: so [...]reatly loved hee him and honoured him in the Lord for his Work's sake: as you may easily un­ [...]erstand when you shall have perused thorowly, [...]nd pondered seriously those learned and elaborate [...]ines of his, which hee entituleth THE PRAE­ [...]ATORI EPISTL: to which I refer you. And now I come to give you som brief Accompt [...]f what I knew concerning the Life and Death of [...]his great Saint that now is received up into Glo­rie. [Page 2] It seemed good unto mee, having had clear understanding and knowledg of that high and glo­rious Ministration, in which hee lived and died, (and therefore holding my self obliged) to bear my Testimony concerning this Authour. Know then, my first Acquaintance with him was in the Year 1663, (the Memory of which shall ever be pretious to mee, because of those great and spiritual Ad­vantages, as to the Information of my Iudgment about som deep and weighty Points of Divinitie: which none could answer that I could meet with, nor sa­tisfy my searching Mind in those Things, like this holy Man of God, who had profound Abilitie gi­ven him in the holy Anointing: (for which I so re­verence him) and I affirm, that since my acquain­tance with him till the Time of his Death, he was evermore imployed and busied in an internal con­templative Life: the Spirit in him still searching the deep and hidden Mysteries of the Kingdom. And truly hee was not only a Seeker, but a success­ful Finder of that rich Pearl of the Gospel. And albeit his mortal Part is now expired, in which he enjoyed great Inspiration and Prospect of that Light-world, into which he now is entred, having put off only the weak and less honourable Bodie, and put on Immortalitie and Glorie, which in his sick and languishing Bed he gave great Assurance of. And although hee had such a foresight and taste of the Powers of the invisibl World, with all the Glorie which is expected in this latter Age to break forth, yet he was brought into a great Resignation in the Spi­rit of his Mind to give up his Right, as to what hee might here have enjoyed yet in the Body of Mortali­tie. For sure I am I knew none that had a more deep seeing and prophetical Spirit than hee had But when that the Symptoms of a dying State came upon him, he then, most patiently and cheerfully, [Page 3] acquiesced in the Will of God his Father. The Truth of which I shall give you in one remarkable Passage amongst many more that fell from him in the Time of his Sickness: which is this. Some few Daies before his Departure, perceiving Death's Approach, and being in som Agonies, hee called and commanded to have mee sent for, judging the Time of his Departure might be at hand: being come to him, he said, Friend, I have this to desire [...]f you, that you would be free to give mee up for Disso­lution of my Bodie: I know you have been earnest by Faith and Praier with God to continue me yet in this weak and wearie Bodie, but I am to go from hence: for this Night the Lord Christ hath appeared to me, and embraced me in his Arms, and hath given me that Sa­tisfaction, that it is my Soul's Hunger to taste of Death: the Vision of whose Glorie hath so refreshed me, that I long to go through the Passage-Gate of Death, to meet him, and be ever with Christ my Lord. And after some Words which then I spake to him, hee further said to me, I would not have you dismayed, though I leave you in the Work that we have bin travail­ing in together: for do not think my being tak [...]n away shall stop it; for it shall live and flourish. And doubt not but God will raise up that good Spirit, that hath bin a guiding Light in and to me, in some others, that shall assist and go forward with you, for the finishing of that great Mysterie which we have mutually rejoiced in. But be you stedfast, abiding in the Faith thereof, according to what hath been made known b [...] the Spirit of our Lord and Saviour touching these Things. And so he con­cluded with a desire to speak with his trusty and dear­ly beloved Friend Dr. Ed. Hr. concerning the Publi­cation of the Writings which his Mind was much up­on: who also declared his Mind, some small Time after, in my hearing, to the Doctor concerning them; as leaving them in trust with no other; though some [Page 4] Breach of his Will did after happen, which will be sad indeed, should the same not he repaired, that so his Will mai be fullfilltd concerning his Writings so left in trust. After he had thus delivered his Mind, his animal Spirits grew hourly faint and weak, yet as he was able, many refreshing Speeches and gra­cious Sentences came still from him, both to his near Relations and other Friends then about him, who performed their dutiful and Christian Part to him: for which they received his Blessing, and had his Praiers to God in their behalf. Much more might be recited, but I shall forbear further En­largement, and refer the Inquirer to those living Testators, to whom this Author was sufficiently known. It may now be expected that we should give some more Satisfaction as to the Life of this Per­son, how he carried it as to all holy Deportment, both towards God and towards Man. For as his Light was great and eminent, so his Life is answerably to be measured. I shall not affirm it to be so per­fect as nothing of defect could be found therein; he was a Man that might be subject to Passions and Infirmities, as Elias was: yet this I can boldly, and as truly say on his behalf, since the Time of my acquaintance, he groaned and travailed hard in himself after the Birth of Perfection, forward pressed he towards the Mark of the Resurrection, which was still in his Eye, daily preaching it to himself and others; being of late Years more than ordinary in Mortifica­tions and daily Dyings to all things, that came in as the Effect of the Fall. And indeed for the later Years of his Life he took up so much with God, as he cared to be very little known among Men, (alwaies excepting his dear Friend Dr. Ed. Hr. whom he would not wil­lingly be without at home, even when most reti­red) I say, he cared not to be known in the World; as a Preludium to his not long staying among the Inhabi­tants [Page 5] thereof. For thus far I made my Observation upon him, that I often saw the Spirit of his Mind translated, and was gone up, beforehand as it were, to prepare a Mansion for his Soul, which then groa­ned to be set loose from so unagreeable a Bodie: yet as little so (by reason of its habituated heavenly Incli­nation, and sometimes extraordinary Exertion and E­levation), as a mortal Bodie could lightly be. Hence it was that he so often let fall this Expression, ‘Olr! how little do I care to live, without I might come to put on the Bodie of the Resurrection, by and in which I might do the Will of God in this low­er World with as great Libertie, Alacritie and Constancie, as Mount Sion's Saints now in Glorie.’ Thus in grand Soul-Introversion, and Body-Exer­tion he spent this later part of his Daies, delighting much (as the Dr. E. H. and several more know) in an abstracted Life, and coveted Solitude, with­drawing from his publick Ministery, wherein he had formerly exercised himself, but of late, after the Example of the holy Apostle Paul, he retired to a little convenient Place of his own; yet not refusing any that would come for spiritual Direction and Counsel, freely giving, as he had freely received from the Lord [...] Thus painfully did he labour in the Vineyard of his own Soul, and for others, in the Name of the Lord. In the Time of this his So­litude he writ more, as much more, as what is now brought forth into publick View: wherein are ma­ny great and mystical Truths that were opened un­to him from the pure central Light that rose from the morning-Star [...] whereof this Tract sheweth somthing, though but as a Glance of what lieth hid in the fuller Bodie of the Golden Remains: which some-bodi [...] doth retain, for the present, which when they shall see Light ( as we will yet hope they mai) the will appear as the Express of a deep [Page 6] Spirit, which had great Libertie of access to, and Abilitie of diving into the infinite Ocean of divine Mysteries, through the favourable Guift of a faith­ful and bountiful Lord, the Almighty God. There­fore he being so greatly good, let not thine Eye, O Reader, be evil: nor let any one stumble or be offended at either the Author or matter, Method or Expression; but give place to that pure Light, which gave him such an Understanding and Sight. If the Meat be too strong for thee, thou hast liber­ty to refuse, and maist set it by, till thou art grown stronger in Spirit: it was the Author's Iudgment not to impose, he left that for the Lord alone, to dispose the Mind for reception. But doubtless it is prepared as a living Portion for such as hun­ger after spiritual Dainties and heavenly Mysteries. Let me therefore beseech you to be censureless, till the Day of the Lord cometh, without Clouds, to arise in the Heart of your Earth, so as to clear up all doubtful matters of this kind; observing the Doctrine of that large spirited Apostle; which is, To abide in that Spirit of Love, which can hope, be­lieve, and bear all things, and cover and com­prehend what we mai not yet perfectly understand or reach, as not being happily come to that clear inspection of things; thereby to be so imboldned as to pass Iudgment with an infallibility thereon, but rather give room and grant Christian Liberty to and for the various Gifts and Operations of the Spirit in each one. For, sure I am, it is that which will secure us in the Peace of God, which passeth Understanding, which will guard our Hearts from the evil of Controversies, which this Author did study to avoid, though of sufficient Learning and Ability to manage them, yet of late Time kept himself from all such Ingagements, quietly resting under the droppings (or rather Pourings) of the [Page 7] holy Anointing. Of which I shall give you some particular, as the ground-work of this Subject here treated of, being the Knowledg of God out of Nature, and yet to be known in the Globe of eternal Nature. This you must know he came to understand by his Spirit, being caught up into the still Eternitie for several Daies together; which in some Part of his Writings he giveth an hint of: and so from what he in the still Eternitie saw and heard, he wrote ( behold who can the Copy, and then, but not be [...]ore, compare the Writings therewith), and the Springs in him did daily sill. Of this I was Witness, be­ing conversant then with him, and making Re­marks, and taking Observations, with all Exact­ness possible, of those wonderful Transportations he had, (or rather they had him) for the space of three Weeks together, insomuch as I can do no less than bear my Testimony concerning his Spirit's Height, whilst his outward Bodie lay in passive Stillness in this visible Orb. Surely, we may con­clude, he was as another Moses in som sort, taken up into the Mount with God, as a Friend and Favourite of the most High; where he did see, hear and learn these so deep and excellent things, which are, by great Care, and no less Conscience, brought forth to Light. Therefore, pious Reader, be satisfied, that here is a true and real Draught or Copie taken from the Original; yea, drawn by the blessed A [...]thor out of the Original of all Worlds; where he saw what he saw in pure Abs­traction of Spirit. The Publication of which the Author intended before his Dissolution, being in­couraged thereunto by the above-named Doctor, his true hearted and right worthy Friend, who well un­derstood his Worth, Writings, and Spirit as well, if no [...] better, than any Man living; as also readily pro­moted by another Person, who therefore is in the Pre­fatori [Page 8] Epistle very honourably mentioned, and most worthily and nobly decyphered and described, if not perfectly delineated: Both of them jointly re­joicing, that they had found out such an one, so abundantly filled with God's blessed Spirit of Love, Wisdom, Holiness and Meekness, and influenced so extraordinarily by the same; sufficiently appa­rent in the Gifts and Graces he was endued and ad­orned with. Whereupon they could not choose but freely offer, both of them their Assistance; the one his Head and Pen, the other his Hand and Purse, to go thorow with, and carry on the Work, for, the easily-foreseen, universal Benefit: Nor can I doubt but both of them will receive no small Reward from the hands of Him, who will not suffer only a little cold Liquid (or, as we reade in our English Bible, a Cup of cold Water) given to any of the little ones in the Name of a Disciple to drink, to be unregarded; nai, not him, whosoever he should be, that gave to such an one thereof, to go unrewarded: for our Lord expresly declareth his Mind therein, and that with this Asseveration, Verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his Re­ward. Yea, I have good Ground moreover to be­lieve, that the same good Spirit of Grace and Glo­ry that lived in, and rested on the Author, may multiply on them both also: even so and Amen O Lord God: And let the Residue of the Spirit to all the just and faithful ones come, for the perfiting what this Author had so clear a Prospect of in his enlightned Eye. Now give me leave, good Rea­der, to conclude with this holy Challenge to all, that are Lovers of heavenly Truths, mystical or plain, if any be of that high Evangelical Order he was of, come forth, bear your living Witness, and go on and forward valiantly to the furthering, and strengthning, and finishing the great Work, which [Page 9] this Author was daily labouring in. Let us speak and write, love and work, fast and pray for a con­tinual flowing down of that pure and holy Unction, for the consummating in and amongst us, that which this holy and heavenly Man left to be fulfilled and accomplished: which, verily, will be Ioy, Praise, and Glory even to him, who according to the Flesh died, but now liveth among the perfect in Spirit; who also waiteth for the bringing up those that shall make up the Number of the Church of the First-born, who are enrolled in Heaven; of the Number of which let us strive, press, and pursue to be, that the Love-Hallelujahs may in our Day be sung to him that sitteth upon the Throne, and un­to the Lamb, who is crown [...]d King in Love's King­dome: where only I would be known, and found also truly

Yours in that pure Fellowship. Into which the Lord himself vouchsafe to lead you; So heartily prays I. L.

THE PRAEFATORI EPISTL.

Christian Reader.

FOR so in nature unfeignedly, as in Name professedly I wold have you to be. Miscal­led you, I hope, I have not in this Compella­tion. If I have, then are you utterly inca­pacified as to the Concerns of these Mysteries and [Page 11] Sublimities. So bold am I to tell * you, and such and Anointed one am * I; whatsoever Iudgment mai pass upon mee, or if I be not, yet do [...]prai, resolv, endevour, or purpose; or at les [...]'st, desire, or wish to be. No mo at all of this, yet this beleev wee all of us, that it is a most rare Thing in it self, were there neither Rewards, nor Punishments, to be realy and truly Religious in the Old waie, which is the Good waie, out of which there is no Rest. But you mai sai, who cometh here? whence you? what Religion are you of? you are, I beleev, a pure one! Wel for me if I be. However to the Quae­stion (not asking you who made you an Examiner) and in Meekness and Fear, as I ought, I answer, and that in the Words of a Servant of God, and of the Lord Iesus Christ, viz. I am of that (a) Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father, which is, to visit the Orphans and Widows in their Tri­bulation, and to keep mi self unspotted of the World. Of which Faith, or Persuasion, Iudgment, or Mind, was blessed Paul (in whom alone were evn the Apostles All) who further acquainteth you that Christ Iesus his Master and Lord was of the same, as to the whol Church; which Hee loved and gave himself for, that He mought sanctifi it, &c. not having spot, or wrinkl, or aught of such, but that it shold be holi and without blemish, or rather Amomous, so the (b) Word is, that is irrepre [...]ensibl, safeguarded from the bitings of Momus, one of the feined Gods a­mong the Gentils, who wold be ever carping (such was the suarl of his goodli Godhood) at everi thing, and who is, I fear, worshipped evn among our [Page 12] own selvs. So Idolatrous, or superstitious are wee, all almost, becom. But more particularly, if that mai be more for your Satisfaction, and to let you know, by the waie, that neither the insinuating Ie­suit hath deceived mee, nor perilous Books poiso­ned mee, nor fantastic Teachers seduced mee, nor corrupt Church-men carried mee away with everi Wind of Doctrine, I here, publicly, to the Inter­rogatorie about mi Religion, repli, Sir, I am of, that termed, the Reformed: but let mee tell you how: sciz. as Reformed not against either Pagan, or Papal Roam, and yet fairly and fully I mai safely affirm, from both: and this too without the dividing ad­dition of that new cast Name, Protestant. To be ingenuously free, if I must protest against ani thing, it must be among other Matters, against (c) Schis­matic Names (for those I (d) hate with a perfect ha­tred) which so basely, thro' the iniquitie of the Times, to the grand disservice, damage and dis­grace of the Christian Religion, at praesent abound. Nai, I cannot pati [...]ntly enough bear, or hear such Names; no, not evn then, when those be used, or rather abused, only for Distinction's sake. Certs, at the very best, these can be no better than Nic­names, I was about to call the same, for the sake of the mani, Old Nick's names. The consideration and ponderation of which verily maketh mee not so promptly to approve, or thorowly like, evn that Name it self of Reformed, either Catholic, with Mr. Perkins; or Church, or Churches, with most, if not all:

[Page 13]
All the name I desire is an honest good Fellow;
Or a pure pu [...]e Christian, inoffensively mellow:
V [...]hyp [...]chondriacous, or toucht with the yellow.

Son of a Church, or Son of a Chappel, if there be no more in it than the mere Name, is alike to mee. Member of this, that, or the other Classis, Congre­gation, or Bodie, is all one and the same thing, if ani thing at all, to mee. Nai, Plainly, a like to mee, (or rather unlike to mee) is a Friend with Thou and Thee, and Hat on Head, and that Super­erogation of the demure look, or long Gaze, and of the formal putting forth of the Hand, which ap­peareth, to such a Mortal as mee, a deceptio visûs; and tho' pretti; yet not half so fair, or neat, (mi­thinks) as the Trics of Legerdumein. I care no more for Luther, or, that Patriarch of Presbyterie, Cal­vin, Cramner, or Hooper, Iewel, or Hooker, Per­kins, or Preston, Huit, or Love, one, or other, courteous Reader, than for thee, that is, to pin mi Faith upon ani Man's Sleev; for fear he mai carri it I know not whither: yet I care not if I tell you, nai, I dare not but tell you, that, of a truth, I am no Respecter of Persons, at less'st in this respect, and that I own and love you, as I do mi own self; and if that be not fair, hang fair: I dare not say your­self, if you will: which saieing is commended, for­sooth, for a great Piece of Wit and Law as it were, nai, it is avouched to be one of the best that ever was, wil, or can be made. But all this while I can discern therein neither Law, nor Love, Wit, nor so much as good Manners; I am so dull and dim too. * I never hitherto could understand, see, or hear, [Page 14] that Christianitie and Civilitie have at ani time gi­ven the less'st bad, or unbecomimg Word, either before the Faces, or behind the Backs of each other: much less faln out, or gon together, as w [...]e phrase it, by the ears. I must acknowledg mi smal self greatly engaged to both for their teaching mee better Manners, and a more genteel Mode than that of making personal Quarrels, or Reflections. Nor have I onely of the two, abovenamed, learned, but of other, too. I learn somtimes somthing of ani thing, or Person, yea, or Word. Word? O brave! Word? what do words signi [...]i? what? in the [...]udgment of wise Men, much; and in the Daie of Iudgment more: much more than I need, or can indeed tell you. But a word to the Wise-Wel, I have heard of a certain Word, O! it is A­posiopesis. That is, truly, a strange Word, for it speaketh by holding its Toung. Peruse that Vers of the Evangelic (e) Prophet, if this iniquitie be purged from you, til you (or rather yee) di — thus dreadfully in the Original, and nothing after it, but a silent Punctum. There is another too, ( and but two shal I name in all). This is Prosop [...]poeia, which is a wondrous Word, as strange as the former. This speaketh to things void both of Reason and Sens and Life. Consult with the same (f) Pro­phet, and that Man of God mentioned in the Book of Kings. Nai, it frequently among the best of Orators bringeth up the veri Dead, and when so raised and fetcht up, maketh them alive, and next to speak, and that articulatly and distinctly, migh­tily wel, and both audibly and laudably. Have a care now of your Words, mind wee, all and everi of us, all and everi of our Words. You know who [Page 15] said, Man shal not liv by Bread alone, but by everi (g) Word that procedeth out of the Mouth of God, was it not our Lord Christ? Told he not the Devil that? Quoted Hee not the Scripture too for it? If I shold sai the Toung is a (h) World of iniquitie, wold not St. Iames be mi Compurgator, if ani shold tax, blame, or quaestion mee for so saieing? Mo, I dare venture to sai, there is a World in a Word: yea more than that, vouch, that this whol World, and the other likewise, were both made by one (i) Word. Mai be, you wil beleev not one Word of all this? Wel be it so, or not: of this not a word more, than said, of this matter from mee; who yet dearly love words in their proprietie: I wish it prove not to an excess, which I mai justly fear; seeing, that Great Linguist and Apostl evn of the Gentiles, reproveth [...] (k) it self. What? Good words quaestioned, prohibited, spoken a­gainst? Urbanitie it self ill-thought of, or, at best, a vanitie? What shal wee sai then, or think of Cramp-words, or Criticisms, Iocs, or Witti­cisms, Railleries and Drolleries, Quirks and Quillets, Trics and Trangams, Kniff-knaffs, Bim­boms, &c.? What of Whims and Shams, Punns and Flams, Stultiloquious Dialogs? What then of Obscoenities and Scurrilities, Huffings and Din­gings, AEquivocations and Lies, Invectives and Sa­tyrs, base Railings and malicious Detractions, Ac­cusations, Condemnations? But what of com­mon Oaths, cursed Dejuries, monstrous Perjuries, damnings most dreadfull, Imprecations innume­rous, Execrations horrendous, Blasphemies stu­pendous; to pass by their Autors, the infamous In­venters; their Vtterers, the villanous Venters; [Page 16] their * Abetters, the odious Fomenters? Why? were none wiser than I, with the Man after God's own Heart, I shold refrein from evn good words, in their praesence, and be silent; or with the Arch-Angel, disputing about the Bodie of Moses, onely say, (l) (tho' thei were Devils I contended with) The Lord rebuke you. But the new Mode is quite of another guise and other, far other-gets, Words, are the Couránt, pass for current Coin, and the newer-minted the more curious counted, yea, laid up in store to be brought forth upon som public, or special occasion evn som thereby worded to death by the learned an­ger of the Archilochus's of the Age. What words can utter the Devilish Nois wee make and that one against the other? But what a confounded Bomb about the Pope? I know not the Man, (as Peter said in another case, and a sad one we know it was) and, sure I am, I ow him nothing but as he is, I sup­pose, a Man: so, I confess, I do the dutie of Civil Language. Mai I not say, I honor him as (if hee be as thei sai) a Temporal Prince? If this mai offend a­ni of the littl ones of Christ, I can forbear: yet these littl ones mai, and ought, to bear a littl with me like­wise: forasmuch as I speak (m) sound Words, yea the veri Words of the great God, as delivered by an Apostl, who commandeth mee to [n] speak evil of no man, yea more (and as to love the Brotherhood so) to [o] honor all men, and then — And so much for this pra [...]sent of this particular Point. Not med­dling [Page 17] with Popish Doctrines and Policies, by which the veri Pillars and Foundations of the intellectual World, Reason, Moralitie, Civil Government and Religion are all not onely out of cours, disor­dered and shaken, but undermined, removed, ra­sed down and digged up. Nor take I ani delight to relate what is credibly reported, if not recorded, of Pope Paul the third, who as he lai on his Death-bed was heard to sai, hee shold shortly be resolved of two Things, Whether there were a God and a Devil, an Heven and a Hell? Less'st of all shal I have a Rencounter with the Apocalyptic Beast ( mark that) from which, O God, keep Thou us; els all our watching, warding, training, guarding and the best of endevours wil be in vain. For, as one divine­ly, it is the immediate Praesence of the Lord, that must (not that in the inter, wee mai not interpose and oppose with tru Courage and Zeal, as wel as renounce and abhorr with heart and soul all man­ [...]er of Papism foisted in among us; not barely that Poperie which is openly and publicly professed and propagated in their known and common Positions and Principles, but that likewise, which is more un­ [...]soernably, yet not less dangerously, masqueraded and disguised in Sects; whether under the Name of Faction, or Conscience) yet stil, as above, it is the immediate Praesence of the All-wise and the All-might [...] that must both conduct us and secure us Vi­ctorie: by this alone wee can hope to withstand [Page 18] the Furie of the Nations, the Gates of Hell, and Plots of * Papists.

But all this while setting aside the Whore, or Beast; how visibl are the nasti and beastli sai-ings and dooings that are amongst, nai against our selvs! What an Age, O! Oo! oh, ah, wo and aloss! do you the Reader and I the Scribler liv in! How am I nonplust for Expressions! Is it not ( to synchronize and symphonize a little) an Anti-Ecclesia [...]tic, Anti-Fanatic (and to mouth out more) an Anti-phrastic and Anti-Christian ( or more mildly, and where best) an Hyper-Caco-Critic Age? so [...]illed and over-grown ( not to mention speculativ Infidelitie, practicous Atheism, horrid (p) Blasphemies, and all manner of Diabolism) with so much peevish passion and pestilent pride ( by which onely a Man becometh con­tentious) that men wil not yield one gry, iota, jod, or Chirik parvum ( bit, or whit, is a thing too big) one unto the another. I wold not be understood, or conceived, Candid Reader, ( if so you can be) to speak this of wise men ( wheresoever those be) who albeit ever so much contended with, yet never so much as contend: well knowing, that tho' men mai have the right on their side, yet, for want of ha­ving their Spirit right, be very erroniously censo­rious, [Page 19] short breathingly nosi, superstitiously super­cilious, immoraly obstreperous and most inevan­gelicly malevolous, vitious, vitilitigious; wrong­ing both themselvs and other thei convers with: beeing mani parasangs ( in regard of their, so pa­ratragaediating, mani Degrees ( in respect of their so domineering with Rodomontado-language, brandishing, as it were, with the Sword of their Mouth, as wel as the Mouth of their Sword) not only from the lowliness and meeknes of the Holi Lamb, but evn from the harmlesnes, or hornlesnes of the common Dove, yea from the noted commen­dableness of the English good Nature ( so proper to our Nation, that no other Language can tell what Good Na­ture in Terminis, what the same verbatim translated, what the Idiotism of it neaneth) nai, further, from the fair serenitie, fine sedateness, charming sweetnes, obliging candor and conquering Patience, notori­ously famous in meer Ethnic and Pagan Constitu­tions and Tempers. But a littl to imitate Ahima­az and to go, as hee, by the waie of the Plains. In these our daies everi man is for himself, is not then the Devil for him? Or, is God for us all, when wee are * all one against another? Yet so it is. Everi man's Hand against Adam, and Adam's against e­veri man. N. B. All more Ismaelites, than Israelites, or Iesuelites. Loving Brethren are as rare Birds, as black Swans: not to talk of remote Relations, Ac­quaintants, or Strangers. A Brother's Knife, Sword; against a Brother's Throat, Heart. Iniquitie a­boundeth ( I fear to sai, yet I mai) with a Vengeance [...] There are as mani Sins, as Saints, as Men: What prate I? Men? were men ever so mani, one man mought reckon all the rest; but the Sins of one Man are more than he can count; how much more then, for which he can giv account? No man's [Page 20] Head can number his Sins, beeing far more than the Hairs of it. Assuredly in these [o] last Daies there wil hang over us, or stand upon us periculous tempestivities, hard [p] Seasons. Nations are becom Abominations. Since the World was, never was the World so wicked as now. It was in old times the wickednes of the World, but in our, it is (the Tabls being terribly turned) a world of wickednes. I shold shamelesly, said I otherwise, li. What saith the Apostl [q] Iohn, confirmeth hee not what I have affirmed? The whol World, saith hee, lie's in wickednes; not wickednes, only, in the World. The case I take to be damnably base, no less than abominably different, and such, as confoundeth ( however in mi thoughts) Philosophie it self: bee­ing in a Diameter and absolutely opposit to the Rule of all Reason, Right Reason; for the Acci­dent to be recipient of the Subject. I know not, I speak solemnly, how to call the wickednes of these last daies; mai I not write, according to all Chro­nologic computation, the last hours; considering the time now and reflecting on that past when those words were penned? I resume and acknowledg miself wofully at a loss, so ineffably comprehensiv is the iniquitie of this Centurie, that it self alone conteineth the whol World: which heretofore was called a Seat of Wickednes; nai all the Wickednes that was in it, was once concluded within the com­pass of one Gardin. To make the best of a bad matter, wee the most degenerate Of-spring of the first Adam (let us not name, for shame, without better Manners, the name of the Second) have farr ex [...]ed our Fore-father's evil, and for and in our time have set up Sin at such a pitch, rate, height, that it is moraly ( shal I sai, or immorally?) im­possibl [Page 21] to imagine, how Posteritie shold add to our ini­quitie! Sin is not only now customarily, obsti­natly and obduratly, in private, connived at, con­sented to and committed; but autoritativly, ex­emplarily and Diabolicly, in public, countenanced, encouraged, taught and ( what is our wo and worst of all) men are becom ( to add one drop of Mercie more to our Miserie) irrevocably and irrecuperably and impudently impious. In plain English wee are from the Crown of the Head to the Soal of the Foot, not barely wounded, bruised and putridly sore, but mortaly Sick, senlesly diseased, and, as I dread, gasping and dieing, if not dead and gon, without all Remedie: [...] * [...]. O' Great B [...]ain! how litl art Thou dwindled to! O England, the Land of mi Nativitie, once the Terror and Wonder of forein Nations, now maist Thou, with dread and shame too, wonder at thi­self! Within thi Walls and Palaces Goodnes and Truth have not more Praecepts and Counsils than Contradictors and Adversaries. Religion (aloss) is but taken up ( I wish I were mistaken in what now I write) under-hand, while Pietie and Honestie li un­der-foot, and what more foul Iniquitie than feign­ed Sanctitie? the old Proverb proclaimeth, dissem­bling Pietie to be double iniquitie. NAI, How mai wee lament, to see the loathing of Manna, evn among Israelites! But if wee look into the World: Oh [...]he monstrous Havock that is made of Moralitie [...] The manners of Men ( out of which beeing bad, good [Page 22] Laws were bravely made) have now brought the veri Laws theirselvs, most basely, under their Subjection. Never more Laws than at this Daie, never ani more lawless than at this Daie. The Laws which men, suffering wrongfully, run to for succour (as silli Sheep in a Storm for shelter to Briars, or Brambls) prov littl better than those and serv but to tear off their Skins; or, at softest and fairest, to turn their Fleeces all to tatters. Yea, a pau'r man hath now enough offended, if hee be not abl to defend himself. Nai, what one man doth now, is an hainous crime, huge transgression and severe­ly punished: when what mani doo is thought and judged wel of, tho' m [...]ch wors and farr more ab­ominably base: provided it be done by Great Ones [...] To stabb and kill are both valour and skill. Men perish merely for and at Men's pleaceurs. It is both the Rule and Practice to repell and repa [...] force with force and fraud with fraud, most un-Christianly. The Christian's Laws are bought and sold: the Christian Chraritie dead and buried, if not stinkingly rotten too. Lusts now are become Laws; or if ani venture to make these Sins, be bold to sai those must be, very venial: and yet, which is strange, a man shal be made a preie for a word.

As for Welth that rideth (up-a-Cock-hors ( pass by the term) while Worth holdeth but the stirr up. Yet if the Devil shold com to mee, as formerly, when [r] the Sons of God presented themselvs before the Lord, hee came likewise among them and mon lately to the veri Son of God [s] Himself, tho' with an If and shold shew to mee all the Glories of this lower World, as hee did to our Lord and sai to mee, as to mi Iesus, [...], and [Page 23] then com agen with his Devilish If, yet I hope, I shold be so strong in the Grace which is in Christ Iesus our Lord, as not to take him for mi Lord and deni Him who bought mee and fall to worship that Fiend for all the World. For, to speak as a Man and somwhat as a Philosopher, (s) I never * coveted to be master of ani thing without mee; insomuch that I have ever thought ( since I knew how to use mi thinking facultie) a meer worldli man to be the greatest wonder in the World. But wo! and so it is. The World, the Flesh, and the Devil are, indisputably and indubitably, the Trinitie, which is best un­derstood, and in sequel most adored. Hence wee see Praecepts wil do no good against Sins, no not Iehovah AElohim's Decalog, the Lord God's Law of the Ten Words, against men's Lusts, animosities, enormities, Anomies. Nai Mercies, the most ten­der, melt us, mend us not and Iudgments, the most severe, harden and make us wors and what wil be the end thereof? Are not these a Lamenta­tion and wil be for a lamentation? O! Where are the Moses's, the Iobs, the Samuels, the Daniels, and the Ieremiahs, the Mourners in Israel for the Abo­minations thereof? It is, I confess, a good fault ( be favourabl, I prai, to the Phrase) to afflict our selvs for others Faults and to be grieved thereat; so wee be not guilti thereof: but to mee it seemeth next to impossibl to look at praesent to other men and yet have a praesence of mind at the same time and be our selvs. Howl wee therefore wo [t] worth [Page 24] the Daic! shal it be the time of the Heathen? How i the nobl Vine turned into a degenerate Plant of a strange Vine to the Lord God! What, tho' wee wash with Nitre and take much Sope, yet our [u] iniqui­tie is marked before Iehovah. O the Wickednesses perpetrated with an high hand and repeted in the sight of the Sun! Oh! the stupendous prodigies of the innumerabl impieties that are daily, hourly, minutely and more, heard, understood, felt, smelt, acted under (or according to Copernicus, above) the Sun. Surely (I speak it in sober sadnes, the oneli Sercher of Hearts knoweth) the universal Fabric of the World turneth, til it be overturned and burned too, as it wil be for a Witch (of which there is enough and but too much proof and evidence) I sai the whol frame of the World ( seemeth to mee and I think and take miself to be very free from ani ver­tigo in mi cerebello) to circumgyrate, to wheel, whirl and turn round about in a Topsi-Turvi ( ex­cuse the expression) as if everi man went the wrong waie to work; All Arsi-varsi ( words are wanting, what shal wee sai?) the clean, nai soul, contrari waie.

NB. Lord have Mercie upon us! Christ have Mer­cie upon us! Lord have Mercie upon us! wee need all cri and cri agen and make it, at less'st, our Com­mon Praier; if peradventure that mai praevale and be proper for this daie and time wee liv in; where not only the Whore, the Beast, and the fals Prophet are, but the Red Dragon, the Devil and Satan sit upon the Throne reigning in great state, holding out the Sceptre. For without dispute, or doubt, less can neither be said nor seen, so tru and apparent it is. Wee now celebrate, as it were, the veri Incarnation, yea, the Inauguration, yea, the [Page 25] Aggrandization, as I mai sai, and Exaltation and veri Glorification of the * Prince of Devils; such a damning crew we cannot but sadly view reigning, raging, roaring: that, to sai no more, Torie his­self must turn out of door. For the Abyss of Hell is opened [...] and Hell it self unspeakably hath 38 en­larged it self, having been til now confined, but now is com up and broken loos upon us publicly, got above ground to act its part here on the stage of this World. But I draw the Curtein and go and glad I can escape too so, and leav it to the [u] An­gel's Iudgment, but the God of this [v] Age, I mean, the Devil's Commandment, He who is filthi, let him be filthi stil — Nevertheless let him re­member withal that he must and shal (who is thus his most humbl and obedient Servant, remane, nolens volens, without, evn the veri Gates, ( where dogs are) of the holi Citie, the New Ierusalem. For there is no entrance thereinto but by these [w] Gates. What then wil the woful consequen­ces hereof be? No less, nor more, nor other than these, that when the inexorabl Messenger, whose Name is the First Death, shal com (as certenly, and yet, as uncertenly hee wil) and uncloath and unflesh him too; the Second Death, when the first hath doon, shal follow and Hell (which hee shal find to be more than a Bugbear, or Scarcrow) when hee goeth thro' the Gulf, that [x] empti place, void space, or great fixed [x] passage to it) H [...]ll, I sai, (once a­gen, [Page 26] becaus I wold not have him forget where it is, least hee unhappily fall into it) shal, must and wil have him and hold him fast too (whatsoever loos opinion hee in his Life-time, here on Earth, mought have b [...]en of as to it) or grant, it shold, or could not; yet he falling in, and it beeing, con­fessedly, the t lowest part of the created World, and under the waters too, and that farr beneath the Sea in a much lower place, vorago, or, as above­said, Abyss; moreover, (if the Scriptures of Truth mai be credited) a u Craving (beyond the Hors-leeche's two daughters, the Grave, or the barren Womb, the Earth, or the Fire) and v hid and horribly dark, and a certain definit x dolefull place: But how y deep, tho the remotest from heven, the most high God, alone, knoweth. To repete, for the sake of a persisting and persevering Sin­ner, by waie of caution, shold Hell have no hands to hold him, or were there no keies to these Chambers of Death, wherewith to lock him in, (both which are as fals as Iudas, or the Devil) yet stil (I cannot sai non obstante) nor stil, in the sens we most common­ly take it, if there were no more nois, than the wai­ling and gnashing of teeth there) Yet stil, I continue and procede to ask (and let him answer) what can hee hold on, when in; or what can hee hold by to help him to get upward; much less up and out out agen. Hic labor, hoc opus est — But to help a littl at this dead lift and it is but a very littl and that badly too, Hee need not fear fal­ling into it, for hee and such as hee is, so continu­ing [Page 27] and forgetting God, shal be 49 turned in­to, nai, rather than that shold fail, [a] brought, [b] cast and thrust, or drivn down into Hell; that Hell, on the other side and far beyond and below the pro­fundities of Sheol, where the 52 Gehenna of Fire is, and where are (to speak a litil of it) the profoundest sorrows, the Plaguiest miseries, the worst enter­tainment [...]olt damned Companie; whose veri languag [...] [...]h, oo, o, wo, and, at most and best, Belching [...]sphemies for ever, ever.

This is but littl to what the Scriptures tell
Of this confounded dreadfull place of Hell;
But what is meant, mai som sai, by all this?
Nothing, but that wee mai not walk amiss,
But enter through the Gates to th' Citie of Bliss;
Where the AEternal Tabernacles are:
Whither Christ is ascended to praepare
Mansions for his Discipls, that there Hee
And thei together mai for ever be.
For in this high, this holi, happi place
Thei'l see Him, as Hee is, evn face to face.
' O strive wee then, strive all to enter in,
' 'Tis onely violence doth heven win,
' And keeps, through Grace, from Hel [...], the Devil and Sin.
' Not that, altho' the Gate, yea and the Waie,
' Be * strait and nar [...]ow, as the Scriptures sai,
' The difficultie must in these two li:
[Page 28] ' Not so, 'tis in the Persons. Ask you, Why?
' Becaus I see, so is the [b] Scripture's mind.
' Where? in th' next words, Few there are it do find
That is, the waie. Away then with such thoughts,
Which lai the hardness there; Thei're good for noughts.
T'affirm th'access hard, is the Devil's Sons;
High violation of God's Providence!
Wee All, as wel for, as by Him, were made,
Then how can Goodnes infinit be said
To hold from us, conceal'd, the needful thing,
The better part that shold us to Him bring?
Since that's the prime intent of our Creation;
The contrari, Blasphemous Defamation.
No, no. The Tree of Life, in Paradise,
(Th'AEternal Life's tru Type) doth in a trice
Sweetly and clearly make it to appear,
Becaus wee know 'twas not forbidden there.
The Freedom givn to it and t' all the rest,
Except the Tree of Knowledg, 'tis confest,
Wel-weighd, much aggravate's the first offens:
But sweeten's, heighten's Divine Providence.
And since the Goodness in the Deitie
Is full the same, and ne'r can lessen'd be.
For all that wretched, horrid, Hellish Baul [...]
Men, wors than Adam, make about his fall,
Wee wel mai think, concei [...], conclude, the waie
It self's not so perplex'd, as * Pulpits sai.
But less'st of all can it conceived be,
That finding this right waie, shold, as wee see,
Be made depend on curiositie
Of Arts and Sciences; on Knowledg, which
[Page 29]Created in pure Adam such an itch
After Divine Perfections' highest Pitch,
To be like God, ( This Satan wel did know,
Wold bring him with a vengeance down below)
That 'twas his fall; Preachers your selvs less show.
Leav quaestions curious, much more those uncouth,
The Word is nigh Thee, evn in thi Mouth,
And in thi Heart, we need not stretch, climb, Reach,
That is the [g] word of Faith which wee do preach:
That if thou with thi mouth shalt Christ confess,
And in thine heart beleev and that, no less,
God rais'd Him from the dead, Thou shalt sav'd be.
This Gospel is, this the Evangelie.
Not, Learning's Gunpowder, * School-subtiltie.
Here no divisions are, no offenses here,
Repugnant to sound Doctrine do appear.
Which who make, wee're to [h] mark, void ev'ri where
Priests no Divisions sow, less spread abroad.
O studi peace with truth. Keep to th' Right Road.
All captious notions, long deductions shun.
[Page 30]Do not torment the Text; nor from it run.
With Words don't darken Knowledg: that's not good.
The pure milk of the Word don't turn to blood.
Don't wrong us of our food: for that's too much.
Lai not on us those burthens, Yee'l not touch.
Christ's yoke is easi and his burthen light.
Hee speak's, write's Love: Yee love to speak and write
And yee [...]gno what [...] Howso'er, don't make us fight.
Dear Reader, this Digression pardon, prai.
Yea, think that truth and I no less could sai.
Com, let's be friends, why shold wee not agree?
Nai, wee must love, wold we our Lord's Friends be.
This caution let not slip, but on it sleep.
Remember whose Commands we are to keep.
Let old things pass, doo Thou the New [i] Com­mand,
S [...]udi thou that; enough you'l [l] understand
And moderate be to all. The Lord's at hand.
Hee com's; Hee com's Who'l judg both Quick and Dead.
What? You judg either? Better off your Head.

The Truth is I am not a littl pleaced with that common saieing among the Scots upon one Dead, tho * hanged. Of whom when thei hear ani speak ill, thei cri Hush, Hee is justified. There is no Ob­servator, with [le] allowance, in ani such waie, up­on [Page 31] ani person deceased: Speak wel, or not at all, of the Dead, is an old honest sai among our selvs: Mai I not Sai it is a good Pro­verb? Undoubtedly the Devil showed himself more a Gentleman, or if that mai offend, more civil howe­ver, to poor Iob than mani are to the Deceased: who in this are baser Accusers of the Brethren than Hee. For St. Iob, was then alive and mought, be­caus he was abl and had the opportunitie (which was fair) to answer, plead, or travers. Recollecting mi self, wee have another antient and excellent A­dage by waie of a severe Reprehension and strict Prohibition, Rake not up the Ashes of the Dead, as if hee were more than a Rascal, or Rogue, that wold offer that inhumanitie, which the scientific Graecs called gnawing of dead mens Bones; Thei gave such a Dog that Bone to pick, or rather threw it to him and at him. Historie * (whereof mi reading hath not been much, and wherein I never affected to show that littl of which I am a Register, Master, or Pos­sessor) telleth us, that one of our Monarchs, by name Iohn, King of England, wold not have the Bones of one (who while living had been his great Enemie) untombed, tho' wished and sollicited by a Courtier, no smal Favorite, so to doo. Oh no, cried the King, wold all mine Enemies were as honorably buried. Com, let all us Englishmen be Gentlemen and shame all sli Observators by the Candor of our convers and Car­riage. O let our Moderation be known to [...] (s) all men. The Lord is at hand and Iudgment at the Door. The best of us all wold be glad at the Daie of Doom (tho' now we be dooming daily one another) to have our grains of allowance and why not now? Mai we [Page 32] not fear in this our Daie Belshazzar's TEKEL, i. e. Thou art weighed in the Balances and art found wanting? Christan Reader, why shold you and I be found, I sai not so much wanting, but so much as wanting to our own selvs; specialy in [...]o plain and perilous a point? Pleace, I beseech you humbly, to accept of this Distich:

'Tis one man' work to have a serious sight
Of his own sins and judg himself aright.

O judg not, least you be judged: but if you wil judg, judg this (t) rather, that no man put a stumbling Block or an occasion to * fall in his Brother's waie: chiefly, thi weak Brother's, for whom Christ died: you wil find it, at the long-run, the best and safest waie, be sure. Haply yet you mai sai your Iudg­ment in this matter is you know not how. Giv mee libertie to sai, as a Physician was wont, pleasant­ly to delicate Dames, when thei complained thei were thei could not tell how, but yet thei could not endure to take ani Physic; Your only waie is to be sick and then you wil be glad to take ani Medicine. A­way, away with such indifference in such a dange­rous point, you wil turn a conscientious Persecutor, if you have not a great care and so be condemn­ed by the veri Turk. For I read of a certain Sul­tan, or Soldan ( taken among them for their Prin [...]e, King, or Emperor) who died at the Siege of Zige­tum [Page 33] (the Inhabitants of which are now, not called Zigae or Zigi, but, Circassi, upon the Coast of the Euxine Sea, in Sarmatia Asiana) being persuaded by the Mufti (the High Priest, Chief Churchman, Metropo­litan, Arch-Bishop, Supream Clergiman, Spiritual Su­perintendent, Superlative Minister, Head, Pope, as it were, among the Turks, created by the Emperour him­self, I would have all understood) This Turkish Em­perour, I sai, who was persuaded by this Mufti, or rather extremely urged by him, by no manner of means, to suffer so mani Religions as were in his Dominions, as judging all such dreadfully dangerous to the wellbeing of the Empire, Hee replied, I have heard you, now hearken to mee, remember what I sai, and know and beleev with mee, That a Nosegaie of ma­ni Flowers smelleth far more sweet than one Flower one­ly. Which said, hee had done, and ( if my Author hath not lied) immediatly died. O that our * ani­mosities had so done here; but I am much afraid, it will fall out among us, or be as much doue, as the Sermon, a good honest Englishman was asked about by one of his Nighbors, if it were don? No, saith hee, it is said, but it is not done, neither wil be, I fear, in haste. So, I fear, as to the state of things, I could ( as a certain King in the companie of Bion the Philosopher did) for grief tear mi hair, but that som man mought sai of mee, as Bion did of this King so dooing, Doth this Man (said hee) think, that baldnes wil asswage grief? But is not this given as meat to an Elephant, that one is afraid of? As Augustus used to sai, Petitions to Princes shold not so be. Or, it is likely, I shal be served by most [Page 34] Readers as one was by Aristotl, who, after a long idl Discours, concluded (as I was going to doo, if I had not thought of this) thus: Sir, I have been too te­dious to you with mani Words: In good sooth (said that Old Philosopher and Sage) You have not been taedious to mee, for I gave no heed to ani thing you said Howsoever, I wil venture to fetch you (now mi hand is in) one Storie more, and that is of the Ambassa­dors of Samos, who (and who can tell how this mai take?) beeing come to King Cleomenes of Sparta, praepared with a prolix Oration to stir him up to wage war against the Tyrant Polycrates, g [...]eedily expected his replie: The which after hee had list­ned a great while unto them, was this ensuing, Touching your Exordium I have forgotten it; the middl I remember not, and for the Conclusion, I will doo * no­thing. So I shal now conclude this Scoene with that of Alexander the Great, when one wondred why hee not onely not killed his Foes, but took them to be his Friends: It seemeth, saith hee, to thee profitabl to kill an Enimie while I fear him, and make him mi Friend, while I advance him. Nor is there ani waie, when all is thought, said, writ, or done that can be like to it; and therefore to one, telling Henrie the fourth King of France that there is nothing doth sooner make those who are out of their wits to become temperate than the punishment which is inflicted on them: the King did bravely interrupt his Speech, and Divinely told him, Mercie pardoneth those who have not deserved it, and the juster the wrath is, the more commendable is Mercie. Nor is that of Lewis [Page 35] [...]he twelfth King of France less remarquabl, who [...]ooking upon the Roll of King Charls his servants, [...]nd finding two who had been his deadli Inimies, up­ [...]n each of those names hee made a (a sad omen, [...]s these two thought) wherewith thei, beeing in [...]reat perplexitie, supposed the Gallows to be prae­ [...]ared for them: which their fear beeing discover­ [...]d to the King, Hee sent them word, To be of bon [...]orage, of good cheer ( as wee sai) for Hee had crossed [...]ll their evil deeds out of his remembrance. Nor can forget (tho I wel know, where you mai, gentl Rea­ [...]er, sai that I did, and that not very far from this [...]ace) that memorable passage of Antoninus Pius, [...]ost worthi of that name, som speaking in his prae­ [...]nce of wars and battels, that Iulius Ca [...]sar, Scipio [...]nd Hannibal had fought and overcame in the field, [...]ee responded, let everi man hold what opinion hee [...]inketh good, and prais what pleaceth him; but for mi [...]on part, I do more glori in conserving peace mani [...]ears, than with wars to conquer mani Battels. [...]he Emperour * Maximilian the second could not en­ [...]re that war shold be made for Religion, and was [...]ont to sai, That it was a deadli sin to seek to force mens Consciences, the which belongeth to God onely. Here is much Gold in a littl ore; or Diamonds, and [...]ch (and so polished, that further labour is su­ [...]er [...]luous to fit these for use; these need but using: [...]ke som I have read of which grow purely smooth. mai sai of these Potentates abovenamed, their [...]ords are Sententiae potius quàm sermones, qua [...]que [...]gnificant veriùs quàm exprimunt. When I am ve­ry [Page 36] serious I am all for Isidores of whom it is said that hee spake not words, but the veri Substance a [...] Essences of things. Other worders as there are t [...] mani, not to conceal som ( I hate tho all personal [...]lections) of our impertinently idl Pulpit-Prate [...] or, if you wil, too busily laborious Cushion-Cuffe [...] such and mani mo such lungs, were it not boie-is [...] co [...]ld hiss out o' dores. Not that if such Asses s [...] kick mee, shold I set mi wit to their, and kick them ag [...] as Socrates said to one who wished him to rev [...] himself of a Fellow who had realy kicked him. W [...] not this Reparteé like a Socrates? It was certe [...] As the old Cynic, being told that mani despised hi [...] wel answered. It is the wise man's part and port [...] to suffer Fools: Why not? Fools are oft foils (to [...] o [...]f and make the Wise mani times far more O [...]posita ju [...]ta se posita elucescunt magis. This i [...] known Maxim. i [...]strious. The truth is there is no avoiding them, [...] here. If ani wold, or that hee mai not, greatly fea [...] I shal be bold to tell him hee must not be here. T [...] Proverb instructeth us all in this point, sai-i [...] Hee who is afraid of everi pile of grass, must not piss a meddow. Which putteth mee in mind of a mem [...]rabl * passage of Sr. Horatio Vere, when in the Pa [...]tinate a Council of war was called, and debat [...] whether thei shold fight, or not? som Dutch Lo [...] said ( a name King Iames wold nevr to them allow, [...] Honor's Fountain nev'r in them did flow) nai, t [...] argued, urged, that the Enemie had mani pee [...] of Ordinance in such a place, and therefore it [...] extremely dang [...]rous to engage in a fight: That br [...] [Page 37] Nobleman retorted, Mi Lords, if yee fear the mouth of [...]he Cannon, yee must never com into the field. The [...]ike mai be said of Knaves, but I turn away from [...]hem, and beg your diversion, kind Reader, bee­ [...]g it is such a sad, glad, bad, mad world wee liv [...], so take leav to tell you the sai-ing of a merri [...]llow, ( an ounce of Mirth beeing worth a pound of Sor­ [...]w, and Burton's melancholie into the Bargain) It is [...]is. That in all Christendom there were neither Scho­ [...]rs enow, Gentlemen enow, nor Iews enow. Not the [...]st, for that then so mani wold not be doubl and [...]ebl Beneficed; Not the second, in that so mani [...]sants are put in and ranked among the Gentrie; [...]or the last, becaus so mani Christians profess so [...]uch Usurie. I hope, you will not sai of mee now, [...]at is said of the Germans, that thei understand more [...]an thei can utter, and 78 drink more than thei [...] carri [...]. I have not, I think, so carried the [...]atter, or miself. If ani shold of mee speak so [...]l, I must subjoin, or rejoin that of the wisest of [...]n (then so accounted and declared by the Oracl) [...]. Alak! the man hath not yet learned to speak wel, [...] I have learned to contemn what hee speaketh. This [...]courageth mee to mention here that sai-ing of [...]smi di Medici, accounted one of the Wits of Ita­ [...] whose following sai-ing so mani find so much [...] son as to make it Renowned, when hee said, I have [...]rned by the Scriptures to love mine Enemies; I never there read, that I was to forgive mi [...]ends. To mee this seemeth more a flash of wit in­ [...]d, than ani Light of Wisdom, or the soliditie of [...]d sens. Hee shold have com forth with Cardinal [...]umnus, one of his own Countrimen, and spoken [Page 38] as hee to the purpose, who when the Pope threatn [...] to take away his Cardinal's Hat, faced Him wi [...] this answer, evn His own Holiness: That then [...] wold put on an Helmet to pull Him out of his Thr [...] * This is somthing like Steph [...]n's Cap, as wee s [...] not the Cardinal's. However I shold be loth to [...] listed under him, remembring that of Luther (w [...] was far from a Coward, for hee feared not to [...] under that Roof that was tiled with Devils) [...] Hee wold be very unwilling to be a Soldier in that [...]mie where Priests were Captains: becaus the Chr [...] (to add nothing els) not the Camp was their pro [...] place. Mai I not praesume now to praedict, co [...]dering the pains I have somwhat taken to be Compilator, (or rather as one of the common C [...]ctors) not to be dealt with for these mi citations, by Theocritus, an ill Poet repeting mani of hir [...]ses, was; to whom whe [...] hee asked him, which [...] best liked? answered: Those which hee omit Wel enough. If this sli Sarcasm shold be mi [...] I shal not fall into ani passion: I have had a s [...] Chancerie, which, a Gentleman said, (who chec [...] for his choler by one who proposed Iob to him a pattern of Patience) Iob, hee was confident, ver had. So I wil on, yet a while, for fea [...] omitting what som mai like; To giv you som [...] tho' very few; which, if dislik [...]d, I shal not re [...] to take agen. Not that I take miself to be like, near aequal to, that man full of Words, I have [...] of, who took hims [...]lf to be a great huge mi [...] wit, made his boast, alwaies bragging, that was the leader of the discours in what Comp [...] soever he came, and none, said hee, dare spe [...] [Page 39] mi praesence, if I hold mi peace, for fear of som such Reprimand as this ( givn then to this Bragado­cio) viz. No wonder, answered one, for thei are all struck dumb at the miracl of your Silence. How far was this babbling fellow from that judicious Statesman whose Apophthegm this was: Hee who knoweth to speak wel, know [...]th likewise where to hold his peace: wisely concluding, Think, before you speak, an hour; before you promise, a daie. Now, Reader, if I mai ask what you I think, tell, prai: An Hodg-podg 'tis I saie. Lick enough. I heard one Dutchman spraken that varietie is perplexitie. I read in one Seneca, and hee wrote varia lectio delectat. Now am I almost at mi wit's end. You wil haply reflect and sai that mai soon be, becaus I had but a littl waie to it. Farther likely, that ‘this Praefa­cing Porch wil be bigger than the whole Hous: These Gates than the Citie.’ I know you allude to Mindum, but mi mind to mee is a * Ki [...]gdom. You Retort, Hee who his humor will [...]ull [...]ill: His humor is himself to kill. This is ominous if not abomi­nous: This praesage's somthing more than that is ordinari: Therefore refrein. O Wo [...]full! This causseth mee to call to mind the Gr [...]e [...]ato, when one asked counsil of Him in s [...]ber earnest [...] What harm hee thought aboded him ( so was the word then as I understand) becaus Rats had gnawn [Page 40] his Hose. Hee merrily, for all his Gravitie, answer­ed: That it was a strange thing to see that; but it ha [...] been more strange, if his Hose had devoured the Ra [...]. This Storie maketh mee troubl you with that Tr [...]dition of King Henrie the Eighth's Fool, commi [...] into the Court and finding the King transpor [...] with an unusual joi, boldly asked him the caus there of: to whom the King answered: It was, beca [...] his Holines had honored him with a Style more em [...]nent than ani of his Ancestors. O good Harrie (quo [...]ed the Fool) let thou and I defend one another, a [...] let the Faith alone to defend it self. What a va [...] glorious point was this? How plainly did the fo [...] evn point at them both for a coupl of Fools I re [...]koning it all vanitie. Which last words force me ( nolentem and I know not how to sai volentem) t [...] acquaint you with a Kentish famous Storie: A Knig [...] whereof having spent a great Estate at Court, a [...] reduced himself to one Park and a fair Hous in it was further ambitious to entertain Queen Elizabe [...] ( of blessed memorie) at it. To that purpose hee h [...] new painted his Gates, with a Coat of Arms, and Motto overwritten thus, o [...]a VANITAS, i [...] great golden Letters. The Lord Treasaurer Bu [...]leigh, attempting to read, desired to know [...] the Knight what hee meaned by oia: who told hi [...] it stood for omnia. The Lord replied, Sir, strange at it very much, you having made your omn [...] so littl as you have, you notwithstanding make yo [...] VANITAS fo large. To enlarge not mu [...] more, becaus of this Box I have given miself; o [...]ly I am bold to endevour the recoverie of one o [...] Storie tho' far inferior to either of the former; b [...] yet more proper to what wil follow. It is of on [...] Enatius at Roam, a certain man so named, somwha [...] [Page 41] aged and of a condition, complexion, or constitu­tion, naturaly, importune, ambitious, quarrellous, querilous, mutinous, and full of tumult, hubbub and garboil. The Emperour Adrian (Hee who said, Turbâ Medicorum perii, and under whom 10000 Souldiers were at one time martyred) beeing adver­tised, that Enatius was dead, Hee strangely fell in­to a great laughter, and protested, vowed and ( som add hee knowing Enatius so well) sware, That Hee could not a littl wonder, how hee could intend to die; considering his so littl leisure, and his so great * business both night and daie. Thus you have an end here of squabls and brabls and a Gallimaufreie of Stories. I shal close with this Epitaph on two contentious coxcombs that were pecking at each other as long as thei could stand to weet, (to wit, to blunder and be daub) or rather, to wet, con­s [...]dering all circumstances, viz.

Two falling out into a Ditch [...]hei fell;
Their falling out, was ill: but in, was wel.

Whether this be true or not, is not so much mate­rial: were it alltogether a Fabl, yet if you put it all together, you wil find it not at all impertinent, for in the first Line the Parallell is obvious; in the other the moral good; NB. in both the end aequal, yea Excellent: far better (I cannot but beleev than [Page 42] wee, in all probabilitie, shal com to. Wee, who are so desperately blinded with the mists and clouds and darknes of praejudice, passion, pride, envie, hatred, malice, and all manner of uncharitablnes, that tho' wee be faln into the Ditch, notwithstan­ding, wee are falling upon one another in the Ditch; that is visibl: and there plunging one the other o­ver head and ears ( as wee mouth it) and that so: that see, wee shal never ( I fear so) the waie out agen: at less'st to mee it so ( rebus sic stantibus, vel veriùs obstantibus) seem invisibl. Yee have heard that it was said by them of old time, Happi is the man whom o­ther mens harms do make to beware: but I * sai unto you who am but one and of new time, How unhappi is the man whom neither other mens harms, nor yet his own, do make to beware! What Warrs! what Bloodshed! what De [...]tructions have wee beheld in the State! what Factions! what Fractions! what Di [...]tractions do wee behold in the Church! what in all mens minds! In a word what? or rather, in­deed, what not? Let mee now tell you, sweet Rea­der, ( possibly you mai sai it was but reasonabl, I dare sai it is seasonable) what, with a greedi Ear, and a bl [...]ed [...]ng Heart, I heard from one, sai-ing, Gladly do I remember those happi daies ( now happi onely in the remembrance) that Golden Age, wherin wee had [Page 43] but one Truth, but one Waie, in which men wal­ked lovingly, without contentious * justling one an­other, when those Silver Trumpets of the Sanctuarie gave no uncer [...]en sound; when the waie to heaven was, tho' a narrow, yet ( as the Poetaster above sung, sounded, or noised) a plain and direct path, i. e. not block'd up by envious Censures, by Bulki Do­ctrines, by distracting clamors. An humbl and hearti practice of the sober, righteous and godli Truths, ( tho' as common as the Common-Praier it self, or as homo is a common name to all men) in those daies, alone necessari, without doubt, to Salvation, is farr more safe and sure, more blessed and happi, than all the lofti notions and towering speculations of bustling Heads and too busi Brains. Which consi­dering compelleth mee to think, sai, conclude, and beleev that there is som Reason in the old Scotch Rhythm which I put at the Bottom for their perusal. The waie, in the veri Iewish Chur [...]h, was easi enough, for the Peopl in general and had littl, or no difficultie in it, as to the apprehending what was to be by them performed: [...]or as for the Cere­monial Law, which, I confess, was full of Mysterie, that onely concerned their Clergie and Scribes. And in the Christian Church our waie is far from beeing taedious, or our burthen heavi: why then shold wee [Page 44] add length to the one and weight to the other, by an addition of unnecessaries. The whol of man's Beeing, Busines and Blessednes, is not invol­ved in much difficultie. Nai the Christian Religi­on, Praecepts and Practice are all plain, clear easi, fully guiding one in all natural, civil and re­ligious Duties: And for Points of Faith, these are neither mani, nor hard to be [...]ound: yet to think those atteinabl by the reach * of Reason ( the prae­sent attemt of most of our modern Doctors) is to make divine Revelation it self unnecessari; and tho' the use of Reason, I acknowledg, to be one of mi best Weapons, yet I shal not dare so to manage it; for the force of it in mee is such as causeth mee to con­clude the contrari: for without controversie, not ani one work of the Deitie is, or can be guilti of a­ni needless varitie. Nevertheless, as to the waie of Salvation that is as plain, as hee who runneth mai, almost, read it, and consequently Foundational Doctrines, either few, or clear, or both. The The Truth is, Foundation, in a strict acceptation, is no more than onely one, according to that of the Great Apostl, which is Iesus Christ, and which is laid: for oth [...] Foundation can, than this, no man lai. As for Doctrines Traditional, Superstitional, and Deduc [...]ional, these are (world!) without end: for everi * Church in everi Age, according to its [Page 45] praesent Power, for the interest of its own beloved Tenets, and for the upholding of their own Auto­ritie wil be, infallibly, imposing. Nai, the veri Ten Commandments, which either literaly taken, or, as spiritualy by our Lord interpreted, are as clear as the daie. Yet by Preachers and Writers deduction of particulars without number, out of everi Com­mandment, are made evn ( contrari to what the Scri­ptures of Truth speak of all Christ's Commandments) grievous; and not onely so, but absolutely impos­ [...]ibl for the mobile ( that monstrous Head, or mani headed Monster of Confusion) I mean the mani, the multitude, the vulgar, the Populo ( what shal I name them? the Commow Peopl) to keep in their me­mories. Now take Fundamentals in a larger sens, as I confess such there are, yet are these as plain, as true and few too. For our blessed Iesus hath redu­ced [...]ll the Commands into Two. And His holi A­postl Paul those two into One; And without you wold have none ( I know not I must needs acknowledg) how you can have less. Now that all this is no less than all Truth; pleace to consult the Citations of holi writ; which, for your satisfaction, both of in­formation and confirmation, I have placed a at the Bottom: add for a Conclusion, be sure you forget not, what followeth, that is to sai, The Peremp [...]ori Negation of this Foundation wil be man's Positive De­struction and final and aeternal Damnation: To which Hee beeing so contrari, disobedient and ungodli, shal, irrevocably, be adjudged. But this is not the thing wee matter, wee are for showing of fan­cie [Page 46] and wit and that in serious, yea, sacred Sub­jects: which is, as a great a crime, as wearing a Crown of Roses in a time of common [...]alamitie; like that man, whom for so dooing the Romans con­demned to Death. Not that I am, ani jot, affected, much less infected, with the Haeresie of som Hol­ders forth, who count, yea censure, both wit and * learning, as the Scumm of the bottomless Pit (for I know how to prise both as much as I am deprived of both, and that is not a littl) but I am grandly afflicted with the high abuse thereof, sorely lamenting the evil ef­fects which com there from like so mani filthi Satyrs, or rather fierce Fiends, debaubing each other, and falling out with and upon, nai biting and devou­ring one another, yea plotting the destruction and that of pau'r innocent Christians: Tho' it be wel­known Wit was given for more worthi ends. A Spa­nish Verdugo replied to Sir William Stanly railing against his native Countrie, Tho' you have offended your Countrie, your Countrie never offended you. It is storied of Marius that hee was never offended with ani report whatsoever it were, that went of him, sai-ing: If it were tru, it wold sound to his prais: if fals, his Life and manners shold prov the contra­ri. Diogenes us [...]d to sai, when the Peopl mocked him, Thei deride mee, yet I am not derided: I am not the man thei take mee for. V [...]spasian the Emperour [Page 47] was not moved with the mocks and scoffs of Deme­trius Cynicus, but contemned them, sai-ing slight­ly, I use not to kill barking Dogs. Philip of Macedon acknowledged himself much engaged to his Ene­mies ( the Athenians) for speaking evil of him: For thei made mee (said Hee) an honest man, to prove them Liars. Plato, beeing asked how hee knew a Wise man, answered, When beeing rebuked, hee wold not be passionat; and beeing praised, hee wold not be proud. Nai, when Dionysius the Tyrant had plotted the Death of Plato ( His Master) and was defeated by Plato's escape out of his Dominions; when the Tyrant thus disappointed requested Him by a Letter conveied afterwards to him, not to speak evil of Dionysius, what was the Philosophers replie? onely this, That hee had not, truly, so much time as once to think of him, knowing there was a just God wold one daie call him to an account. How much no­bler was that of Iugo an antient King, who set all his Nobles, beeing Pagans, in his Hall below, and certain pau'r * Christians in his Praesence-Chamber with Himself: at which all standing amazed, Hee told them, This Hee did, not as King of the Drones, but as King of another World, wherein these were his Fellow-Princes. Marquess Pawlet, there beeing at Court in his time strange factions and animosities, yet was hee greatly esteemed, yea, beloved of all [Page 48] parties: and beeing seriously demanded, how hee stood so right in the jndgment of all the contentious Courtiers, replied: By beeing a Willow and not an Oak. This maketh mee call to mind that of Dion of Syracuse, who suffering exile came to the Court of Theodorus, a Suppliant, where having his Audience long delaied, and hardly getting admittance, Hee accosted his Compa­nions with these words, mildly & patiently sai-ing, I remember I did the like, when I was in the like dig­nitie. There goeth a storie of the old Cynic above­named, that rather than hee wold want exercise of his patience hee wold make an humbl address to and a great while beg Alms of Dead mens Statues, and beeing demanded why hee did so? Hee said, that I mai learn to take denial from other men more patiently. It was a pretti and unpassionate 94 re­plie, that a Steward once made to his angri Lord, who called him Knave, &c. Your Honour mai speak what you pleace, but I beleev not a word that you sai, for I know miself an honest man. Nor was that an­swer amiss from Diogenes to a base and bawling fel­low, who told him, that for all his beeing now reputed ( forsooth) a Grand Philosopher, hee had once been a Coiner of Monie, viz. 'Tis tru, such as thou art now, I once was; but such as I am now, thou wilt never be. This base bawling mentioned, remindeth mee of Alexander, who when one of his Commanders in the warrs did speak loudly but did littl, told him, I entertained you into mi ser­vice, not to rail, but to act the part of a Soldier. I read of Isocrates who alwaies asked, of a Scholar [Page 49] givn to babbl and prattl, a doubl fee before his ad­mission, One (quoth hee) to learn him to speak wel; another to teach him to hold his toung. Assuredly, to have learned to speak good Words is wel: nai to speak such alwaies is a great Atteinment: yet to have not learned to speak those se [...]sonably, is not a smal reflection on the Speaker how great soever: as the * Narrativ beneath wil Verily and Merrily demonstrate. What is it then to be rarely gifted in the two virtues of our Times, lieing and slan­dring? what? in the injurious Hulls and Huzzae's of rich rough men? with whom, as Melancthon was wont to sai, whosoever dealeth, had need to bring a Divine, a Lawyer and a Soldier to get his Right. (Far from that nobl Commander, who, in the wars having taken great Spoils, said to a Soldier behind him, Tolle istos, ego Christianus.) But as to revenge, or passion, right good was that Speech of the Lord Tresaurer Burleigh and worthi of Remembrance, sciz. That Hee used to over [...]m envie and ill will, more by patience than by Pertinacie. This putteth mee in mind of a Philosopher, who gave thi [...] answer to one asking him, how hee was abl to endure so base and brawling a Wife, I have hereby, said hee, a School of Philosophie in my hous and learning daily to suffer pati­ently, I am made the more milder with other persons. Why shold I let pass here the retort of an undaunted Cap­tive, [Page 50] who contemning the domineering Braves and insulting Braggs of him who took him: Thou hol­dest thi conquest great in overcoming mee; but mine is far greater in overcoming miself. What think you of that Speech of the Graecian Statist who had extraor­dinarily deserved of the Citie hee dwelt in, whe [...] one told him, that the Citie had elected four and twenti O [...]ficers and ejected him, or omitted rather, and left him out; his answer, left upon Record, i [...] onely this, I am glad the Citie affordeth twenti fou [...] abler than miself. Here was no nois, nor ani reproch­ful words from him upon the Citie for their ingra­titude; no, nor so much as an expression of ani pride, or good conceipt hee had of his worth, or parts, ( like that storie put in the * Bottom of this Page) tho [...] hee mought have most righteously re [...]lected on the whol Citie. But the Antient waie seemeth to go quite another waie, as is apparent by this notabl Speech which proceded from the lips of one Nemon (Ge­neral then of Darius's Armie) to one of his Soldiers (listed under him in that warr which was then a­gainst Alexander, whom this fellow reproched: This Generalissimo, hearing it, came to him and smote him, telling him, Sir, I did not hire you to re­pro [...]h Alexander, but to fight against him. How contrari to the Temper of this Soldier was William Prince of Orange, who to satisfi those who reproved His too much humanitie, said, That man is wel bought, who costeth but a kind Salutation. Such an [...] one must Scipio certenly have been, or better, of [Page 51] whom it is recorded, that viewing his Armie hee sa [...]d, There was not one who wold not throw himse [...]f from the top of a Tower, in service to and for the love of him. But, I fanci, som wil sai, what is all this to us, or the Autor? Nothing, that I know, but Paterns and Praecedents for reasonabl and seasonabl speeches; [...]n short, mani good words and good manners, if wee can speak thereof and not offend. However, I [...]hansi agen, that I see one repraesenting mee, amidst these Históric relations, quaerieing if ani one have [...]eard the like: as the storie goes of the Lydian Croesus, enthroned in his Chair of State, and ask­ing a Sage, if hee at ani time beheld a more beau­tifull, or gracefull Spectacl? Yes, replied the Wise man, Dung-hill-Cocks, Phesants and Peacocks: for these are clothed and adorned with their own nativ beutie, but your is but borrowed glorie. This is mi State, I confess; nor have I ani thing to sai in the pra [...]sent case to the contrari; beeing in the same Praedicament, if you put it home so closely, Dear Reader, and so severely, evn with him; who beeing an Answerer, when a Professor pres [...]ed him, (a bet­ter Christian than a Clerk, saith mi Author) with an hard Argument; Reverende Professor, quoth hee, ingenuè confiteor, me non posse respondere huic Argu­mento. To whom the Professor, Re [...]tè respondes. Whether you wil speak so to mee, or what fur­ther you wil sai I cannot tell; yet this I can tell, that this is not the ingenuous Talk of the times; nor are wee so kind to convers, as to make use in publick, of such kind of Quaestions and Answers: No, our words are like those of Woodrofe * the She­riff to Mr. Rogers the Proto-martyr in Queen Ma­rie's [Page 52] Daies, Thou art an Haeretic. I wish our An­swers were like the Martyr's, That shal be know [...] (saith hee) at the daie of Iudgment. Such like words evn Religionists too often use in Reparteés, mutu­ously. So retorting the same, or in as gross terms, specialy when accused: much unlike the condu [...] and prudence of Scipio, who beeing one daie accu­sed before the Roman Peopl, evn of no less than a [...] huge and capital o [...]ens and Crime, in liew of ex­cusing himself, or insinuating into the favor, or opi­nion of the Iudges, turning to them, Hee said, [...] wil wel becom you to judg of his Head, by whos [...] means yee have Autoritie to judg of all the World Here (mi thinks) I hear one sai-ing, what mo sto­ries? no end of these Tales? judging of thes [...] Lines, as Apollidorus of old did of the Books o [...] Chrysippus, s [...]iz. That if other men's Sentences w [...] left out, the Pages wold be void. But this hath bee [...] the portion of mi betters: so, I mai wel be co [...]tent. For so, or near so and with less Reason wa [...] the illus [...]rious Erasmus served, of whose Enchein [...]dion one said, That there was much more Devotio [...] in the Book, than in the Autor. Nai this is ver [...] modest, I dare sai, in the opinion of our mode [...] Saints,

H [...]c in re quéis fas totam concedere palmam.

as Maximilian (the Emperor abovementioned) in a [...] other, but f [...]r better case, and in a public meet­i [...]g, or general Conv [...]ntion of the common Peers o [...] rather Di [...]t, so call [...]d, with all the Princes of Ger [...]manie: where the Duke of Saxon magni [...]i-ing hi Metals and rich Veins of Earth: The Duke of B [...]varia migh [...]ily extolling brave Cities and stron [...] Towers: and the Duke P [...]l [...]ine ( [...]o name but [...] mo) praeferring his Wines and the fertilitie of h [...] [Page 53] Lands, the Duke of Wittenberg said, I can lai mi Head and sleep upon the Lap of ani of mi Subjects, I have a broad in the [...]ield ev [...]ri where. Giv Him the Palm, said the Emperour. Now such judging I dearly like. But that Lot of his falleth rarely in so good a ground: Princes rather treading in the steps of the Praedecessors of Domitian, who percei­ving mani of them to have been hated, was so wise as to ask and inquire of one, How Hee mought so Empire it, so Govern and Rule as not to be hated, or envied? The Person replied, Tu fac contrà, by not doing what thei did. But it is not mi place to correct the Errata of * Kings, those Arcana Imperii shal never puzzl mi [...] pericranium: God grant mee the continuance of his Grace to govern miself. I must acknowledg I am not of the Religion of that Monck, who, covetous and ambitious of Martyr­dom, told the Sultan, that hee was com into his Court to di for telling and declaring the Truth, was answered, Hee needed not have rambled so f [...]r for death, for hee mought easily [...]ind it among his Prin­ces at home. Much learneder, modester and wiser was Favorinus ( under favor of more correct judgments) telling Adrian the Emperor, who had much cen­sured him in his own Profession of Grammar, that hee durst not be learneder than Hee who commanded thirti Legions. I cannot but commend in such pe­rilous [Page 54] Points specialy, the modestie of pietie, and the prudence o [...] Silence; with that obligation that lieth upon all men to live peaceably with one another, bu [...] p [...]incipaly o keep th [...] peace with their Prince; or to k [...]ow however, in such grand Circumstances, how [...] hold their p [...]ace: In a less case, where speaking ra [...] no-Risc, and the Speaker stood [...], out o [...] harms waie ( as wee sai) Silence hath been solemnly chosen as the best and most commendabl. Con­sult that famous Storie beneath. But oh tha [...] praejudice, envie, rancour, malice, the censures, the hard speeches and proud judgings of one another daily! far from committing the judgment to him wh [...] judgeth righteously, The God of all the Earth [...] Whose justice triumpheth over, and exalteth it self in the destru [...]ion of those * Luciferian Sinner [...], who seem to arrogate and assume no less to them­selvs than a kind of Divinitie, while thei think conceiv, plot and contrive, yea determine and conclude, their own multiplication, augmenta­tion and addition of glorie, advance and all ad­vantages to be [...]he alone [...]it, proper and adaequate objects of all their aims, intentions, designs, re­solu [...]ions, endevours and actions. O man! know­est thou all this time where thou art? Thou art go [...] [Page 55] into the Iudgment-Seat of the Lord, not only as to thiself, but likewise as to other. But who art Thou [a] who judgest another? There is but one [b] Law­giver who is abl to save and to destroi. Dread you not to have judgment without mercie? [c] so speak you, and so doo you, as one who shal be judged by the Law of Libertie, which is Perfect and but one; which who­soever shal keep whol, and yet offend in one (d) point, hee is guilti of all. But thou art so farr from bee­ing a Doer of the Law, that thou art becom a (e) Iudg: for hee who judgeth his Brother judgeth the Law, and judge his brother that man doth, who speak­eth evil of him. How dare one man then speak e­vil of another? seeing who speaketh evil of his Brother speaketh evil of the Law, and consequent­ly speaketh evil of and judgeth the Law-maker and Giver, evn the Lord God himself. Trembl then to detract from, traduce, or speak evil of and judg an­other. But rather than not drive this devilish Trade ( which surely wee praeposterously conclude to be of grand consequence) wee do, make, and wil argue, (and too often swear) men to speak and write evil by consequence, who never did so much as think so in the less'st. Shal I praesent you, judicious Reader, with two lines?

Mai Praiers get Syllogisms into their Den,
And Ergo all go sweetly into Amen.

O when shal wee keep * the golden Rule to doo, or [Page 56] not doo to another, what wee wold have another doo, or not doo to our own selvs! so shold wee b [...] rich towards God and store up treasaur on the oth [...] side of the Grave, that wee mai not be bankrup [...] for ever. Other dooing wil be our utter undoo [...]ing; but this dooing, thus living wee shal fare, [...] nigh, as wel, as if wee were * Alms giving. Which wh [...]soever plentifully giv, are provided for aeternaly [...] as having procured a Tresaur which thei mai safe [...]ly praeserv [...]or themselvs by putting it ( thro God [...] gratious grant [...] into such bags, as wax not old. O the AEternitie of the Divine Dil [...]ction, Exclus [...] of all Faith, or Hope! O the fertilitie of the grea­test of the three Theologi [...] Graces, namely Lov [...] when habitual in us! O the peculiaritie of th [...] perfec [...]ly Christian virtue of Charitie! so frequentl [...] exhor [...]ed to in the new Covenant: and seldom or not at all mentioned in the Old; however no [...] in the English Translation thereof; without which no admittance into the rest of holiness here; no en­trance into th [...] heaven of happiness hereafter. Now who wold be so wretchedly cruel to his own wel-beeing, as to be without this dilection, love, cha­ritie towards God, and towards, His Image, man? who wold be thus wanting to himself evn whil [...] here, specialy, if hee consider himself as wanting everi kind of waie, the veri same love and kindness, or loving kindness.

None need for this to us make ani leg:
For wee the same Boon need and shold it beg.
[Page 57]The Best of men beeing but men at the best.
The Proof's apparent, if brought to the Test,

Thus like Christians, indeed, wee shold and ought not onely to forbear one another in love, but to bear, too, one another's Burthens, so fullfilling the Law [...]f Chri [...]t and owing nothing to ani man but Love: everi one * giving to everi one a Manifesto of the same, by making and taking all means and methods, opportunities and advantages to oblige mankind (ali [...]s, the man of thi kind) both bodie and soul: but chiefly the later, which i [...] the best charitie in the world, and best pleacing to Christ who overcame the world, and while therein, went about dooing good, and whose mea [...] and drink it was to doo the will of God, which was to have all men to be sa­ved and to com to the knowledg of the Truth, evn Christ, the waie, the Truth, and the life. Into whose Crown (who now liveth for ever more) if hee be gained ther [...]by to him, Thou hast put and set a Iewel, a fair one, evn of grea [...]e [...] price and high­est value. O how far then from the right are unmer­cifulness, uncharitablnes, hardheartednes, strife, rancour, envie, judging, censuring, slandering, backbiting, speaking, or whispering evil! specialy of and against Persons and Things neither known to thee, nor understood by thee! How far, I sai, from right, I dare not take upon mee to judg! This onely I sai, to such Practicers, what Christ did to those (f) Hypocrites, who could discern the [Page 58] face of the Skies, Yea, and why evn of your selvs judg yee not what is right?

Now if such things be right, then, surely, nothing's wrong;
Let's all, like Devils, fight and damn, ith' cursed throng;
God, Christ and th' Spirit 'spite and mock'em in a Song.

Yet stil I shold beleev it to be the better, safer and wiser waie to humbl our selvs under the mighti hand of God ( taking holi Iames for our council in the case) and praepare to meet our God, who is a God of Iudgment and a consuming Fire and everlasting too; into whose hands to fall it is a fearfull thing: Hee likewise beeing the living God and no Person-Respecter, but recompensing everi one according to his work. If wee therefore wold not fall short of felicitie here and hereafter, let us fall, out of hand, upon dooing and mainteining good works, and for ever abandon falling on, or out with one an­other: but if there be a * wise man among us and one indued with knowledg, let him be persuaded by and with blessed Iames to shew out of a good conver­sation His Works with me [...]kn [...]s of Wisdom; evn tha [...] Wisdom from above (h) which, first, truly chast and pure is; further more pacific, qui [...]t, not rigid for its own right, moderate, obsequious, p [...]rsuasibl, yi [...]lding; full of mercie and good fruits; without disceptation, o [...] controversie, not doubting, certen; without Hypocrisie, [Page 59] not stage-plaier like, not dissembling its judgment, not a [...]ing ani waie counterfei [...]ly. O that wee were thus wise a [...]d in the meeknes of this wisdom walk; [...] simus, let us go to a [...]d fro' one another, pass things easily to and agen, having such a praesence of mind alwaies, as to becom all things to all men, with the Doctor of the Gentiles that (i) Omniformist: who tho Hee were free [...]rom all, y [...] Hee made himself a servant to all, that Hee mought gain the moe, by all means save som. This hee did [...]or the ends of the Evangelie. When s [...]al such glad Tidings be­fall us, bless Church and State! O what a glorious state shold wee and our Churchmen and women and Children and all things els be in! Of this pure tem­per wa [...] the Autor ( as you mai see evn by that littl hee speaketh to the Reader b [...]fore this Discours) yea re­nownedly clothed with the meek Spirit of our only Lord, Iesus the Christ, ( the Author and Finisher i. e. the Beginner and Ender not of our, your, or their, but of the (m) Faith, with reference to all times and per­sons, according to the tenor and T [...]stimonie of the Scri­ptures of Truth) I must tell you it agen. The Autor had the Spirit of meeknes, with the Faith and Lov which is in Chri [...]t; for the excellence the of know­ledg of whom his Lord hee su [...]ered ( like another Paul as is wel known to all, sciz. who knew him) the loss of all things, which hee reckoned at no higher rate than Dogs-meat ( but not such as is givn to dogs in [...]hese daies, which good Christians wold be glad of) that hee mought win Chri [...] a [...]d be found in Him, not having his own Righteousnes, but that which is by the Faith of Chri [...]t, that Hee mought know him and the power of his Resurrection a [...]d the Fel­lowship [Page 60] of his Su [...]ferings, beeing made * conformabl to his Death; if by a [...]i means Hee mought attein to the Resurrection of the dead: Which undoub­tedly Hee ( maugre all whisperings, backbitings, censures, or praejudices of unbeli [...]f to the contrari) did did follow after and ( to t [...] [...]citie of mortalitie) at­teined the nearest to [...], o [...] all that, in this Age, I have known, or heard of. Thus much I can testif [...] since mi acquaintance with him, for Hee was not onely a bare liver by the Faith of Iesus; but in the Work and Service of Love (Faith's best demonstra­tion and the Law's Fullfiller) a true Laborer: and as to winged Mysteries ( if I mai speak mi sens witho [...] essens) a littl incarnate Cherub ( or rather S [...]raph) or ( that I mai not excede the words of Truth and Holiness, to the extending, in the less'st, the lines of Modestie) a very highly mystic and transspiritualized Person. A specimen of which not more great than just and due Eulogie and Encomium, this Tract, tho' a smal one, is. Which Writings Hee ( before his As­scension to the Spirits of Iust men perf [...]ctly sancti [...]ied) advised and consulted with mee about, as is suffi­ciently known not only to his Hous-keeper, but to his most agreeabl and supersensual Companion and Fellow-laborer in the Evangelic-angelic Work, viz. [...]. L. mi Praecursor, or Prae-Epistoliz [...]r and a daili Exsp [...]c [...]ant to be clothed upon with the heavenli Bo­die [Page 61] to com down from above, waiting in the Spi­rit for the fullnes thereof, and who hath not long since appeared in, to, or from the World ( pleace to take which Praeposition you best approv) in an Heaven­li Cloud. A product fairly and fully meriting the Titl, as is clear, notwithstanding the Cloud to ani spiritual Discerner. Favor mee with somuch freedom as once agen to affirm, that the Autor, ex­cluding all other, (by what names, or Titles soever dignified, or distinguished, or wheresoever praesi­ding, or residing in Court, Citie, Camp, or Coun­trie) committed these Papyrs, according to the certen knowledg of the Person, ut supra, hinted, or lettered, to the custodie and Correction so continued, (under correc [...]ion be it spoken) and so confirmed was his confi­dence herein of Mee; who highly [...]steemed him in love for his Works sake, not forgetting evn this, which now ( thro the Divine Providence according to mi trust, word, or (as som wil have) words too, is now com forth, with an open face, to public view, from its recess, or privacie. ( [...]ere hearken and heed hereto) by the wholey unasked, therefore freely of [...]ered be­nignitie and generositie (of which I am a witness, and which likevise witnesseth the) dignitie and Divinitie of the Soul and Spirit of the Person so acting, viz. W. B. that famous Anti-Satánic Athleta, Anti-Dae­moníac Pal [...]strita, and Hell's black Regiment's Anta­gonist: yea, moreover [...]aptive's Redeemer and the mani-mani poor and needi, oppressed and dis­tressed People's most readi and praesent Refuge and Asylum, wheresoever hee resorteth: tho', more principaly at the place of his Residence at Wilmin­ton in Kent. Where beside, or rather about, evn, [Page] all * the Countrie over, Hee is wel known and wel nigh from everi quarter, or corner thereof ad­dressed unto, as an honest, diligent, expert, long experienced and very successfull [...]hysician. Let this brief Character of this gallant, generous, re­solute and religious man be, I prai, kindly admit­ted and accepted from mi welmeaning meanness: til a larger and fairer appear: which when it doth, wil be but his due: tho' his modestie, I mai safely sai, wil not be abl to suf [...]er it: such is the tender­ness of his Spirit v [...]sibl enough, in ani thing that mai but verge toward his own advantage: whom therefore I wold willingly more discover to the World ( to which hee doth so much good and in which hee hath done so great things) and declare his Name, in words at length and not, as now, in letters, were I not afraid that his humili [...]ie wold be there­by highly o [...]ended, which doth and can endure all things, except his own Eulogiums and Commen­dations. To the Sun- [...]hine of which and his mani­fold virtues I have onely lighted, or tinded (tho' ex officio) this my Rush-ca [...]dl which is one (I must confess to mi shame) of the shortest, less'st and worss' [...]t. For this do I here humbly crave his can­did [Page 63] construction and heartily beg the boon of his pardon; beeing too sensibl of the great need I have thereof: albeit I mai haply go without it, in that I have, so openly and boldly (as beeing without his leav, or knowledg) attemted tho' but this: unless by the seasonabl request and importune intercession of som intimate Friend, or other, it mai happily com to be givn to mee. I am not so sage as to foresee how hee wil handl mee for this mi fool-hardiness; nor can I praesage what the event mai be, His * Re­sentment of this mi boldnes wil be so great. I must now run the Risc, the hazard, jacta est alea. I must take mi Lot, how fair, or foul soever I be in his Books. As to this praesent Book I am bold to sai I foresee (such clearness there is in mi eies) the Crystal Streams thereof, going to be perturbed by the over diligent and silthily dirti feet of mani grim and ugli Satyrs: which seem to mee to call for and to have already praevaled with, several faln Angels [...]o mingl with them and becom their Coadjutors [...]nd Coagitators; that so these purely fluent Wa­ [...]ers mai the more suddenly and surely be made mere stagnant and putrid Puddls, or most foul stink­ing Pools. Nevertheless, I adventure herein to praedict (tho' I be no Prophet, nor the Son of a Prophet) for all the possibilitie, probabilitie, or proximitie of the feat, or fact; the impossibilitie, for all this, of the accomplishment; yea, I am more than confi­dent (for I am Sure) that the contamination thereof by their so complotted commixture wil prove no other than a Chimaera: unless I mai add (as I beleev it wil be) a slurr and blurr, or a base­foul Iilt upon themselvs. Nai further, shal conclude [Page 64] it never feacibl; til that veri daie, when I shal be­hold the dazling Beams of the glorious Sun in its Zenith, darkned by the mere steams of som Dung-Hill lieing on the lowest ground. But enough if not too much of this dirt and [...]ilth. Now not to be dirti miself, however not so dung-hill-bred as to account so wretchedly of the Reader, as if Hee were unworthi to have ani accompt of the Book: or to giv a [...]i [...]aus wher [...]by the Publisher thereof shold be thought so av [...]rs from Apologies as to judg all of lit [...]l value, much less to condemn all evn the best (with som * G [...]andees) as idl and useless at best; at less'st far below Prudence by waie there­fore of obviation, praevention, praeoccupation and anticipation, in companie with a fair praesolution of som praemised objections, which it is not im­probabl mani ill-natur [...]d and ill-mind [...]d men mai make evn to the suspecting, or, at fair [...]st, scrupl­ing, if not severely quaestioning, first, how honest­ly this worthi Writer, [...], came by these high Mysteries and grand Arcanums, viz. Th [...] Knowledg of what in the ensuing Pages is argued and dis­coursed: then, What necessitie of th [...]ir beeing now, or, at ani time, exposed and published, This I here offer and praesent. To the First. mi Respons is, tho' not dubious, yet doubl, h. e. Negativ and Affir­mativ, Thus; Hee, as a Philosopher, not falsly so called, and a Divine indeed, came to the reception, perception and cognition, or rather introspection, intuition and introreception of the praementioned; Not by reading, or poring on Books, or Manu­scripts; [Page 65] nor by the teaching of men, brethren, or Fathers; nor by ani conferring with Flesh and Blood, but by the pure Revelation of the Holi and Blessed Spirit of God, who is the Sercher and Re­veler of the deep things of God, as St. Paul b testi­fieth. Now in regard I have mentioned the Reve­ [...]ation of the Spirit, I cannot apprehend it an imper­ [...]inence to speak somwhat of, yea, inlarge so much [...]he more, upon the several sorts and different kinds [...]hereof, as properly praelimina [...]i, antecedaneous [...]nd very requisitly assistent to the advance of the [...]nquisitiv Reader's judgment and belief of, about [...]nd concerning these divine rarities, mysteries and [...]ublimities.

The first waie is by Vision, when the Spirit of God praesenteth the heavenli species, or ideas to the [...]ntern senses of the inward man. ( Quid quaeris, [...]rudite * Lector, vin quid species, vel Idea potiùs? sci­ [...]e certiùs ut queas, consulas Platonem, velim; cui, [...]uid esse videatur, audi. Idea est, earum quae naturâ [...]unt inviolabile, immutabile, immortale & aeternum [...]xemplar. Vide porrò si dubius animi es, Aug. L. lxxxi. quaest. 46.) This of Vision I look upon as one of the [...]owest Form or Degree.

The second is by Illumination, when the Spirit of the mind is thorowly illustrated, or enlightned by a Raie, or Beam proceding from the Holy Spirit, and purely apprehendeth the Truth and the veri Sens of the Blessed Spirit beside and without ani praesentation of extern Objects. Of these kinds the glorious Apostle Paul maketh plain mention, where [Page 66] Hee (c) saith, I wil com to Visions and Revelations [...] the Lord.

The third is by Transportation, or ( if you wil n [...] bear with that Term) Translation. When the Spir [...] of the Mind is, in veri deed, truth and realitie rap [...] and caught up, transported and translated tran [...] ­scendently and divinely into the veri Principl [...] self, there to view, introspect and comprehend, [...] wel as apprehend, the Wonders of Iehovah AE [...] him, the ever adorabl, holi and blessed Triune [...] Deitie. Of this Degree the same glorious Apo [...] telleth us, when hee declareth that Hee was (d) caug [...] up into the third Heaven, * into Paradise, whe [...] Hee heard wordless Words (so the Graec most emph [...]ticly) Words unutterabl, unexpressibl, unspea [...]abl, un [...]oidabl, — Nihil heic nisi vota [...] persunt. This is an higher Degree than either [...] the former ( the pair praeceding beeing far inferior [...] this) for here ( as much as possibly you mai, or can mi [...] the veri Spirit of the Mind is elevated, supersens [...]ly and superrationaly sublimed, or lifted up to [...] into that Principl, where the things theirselvs do [...] ­aly subsist, have their Essence and Existence. No [...] it is observabl and meriteth an Asterisc large and [...] both in the Line and below, that by this veri wa [...] of Apocalyptic Manifestation this Highly Spiritu [...] Person had, ( thro' God's free love and to the prais [...] the Glorie of His Grace) the things here treated [...] made known to Him and seen by Him. For [...] Spirit of his mind was without ani peradventure ( [...] above in mo Words was uttered) taken, carried drawn, fetched, or catched up * far, farr away, fro [...] [Page 67] [...]is Bodie, evn up to and into the veri * Arche­ [...]ypous Globe of all Globes, that of all originals the [...]riginal it self: where, unclothedly, uncoveredly, [...]akedly, uncompoundedly, abstractly and simpli­ [...]edly Hee stood, appeared, was in His Spirits [...]ong, with and in the Praesence and Companie of, [...]e innumerabl ( numberless number of) the Throne- [...]ngels, who are the Inhabitants of the Still AEter­ [...]itie. Nor are these Sublimities in Religion becau [...] [...]naccountabl as it were, and uncondescendabl to [...]e meerly Rational, or uncompliabl with the [...]ules of Syllogism to be reputed ( much less reproch­ [...]) as the Phrensies of an overheated Devotion, or [...]e Visions only, or apparitions of an old doting [...]ermit's Cell, separated from veritie and departed [...]om entitie, as only som Phantasm, Spectrum, [...]ngastromyth, or Ghost; nor ani supererogating [...]rfections, or rather praesumptuous and temerarious [...]nthusiasms at best; their Heads swimming in an [...]finit Vacuum and all [...]ss [...]ntial thought lessning ( like [...]m soaring hawks) into a strange transcendence and [...]t last passing away into invisibl atoms, or nothings [...]r ( however to make the most thereof) imperceptibl [...]btilities of unconvervably profound Contempla­ [...]rs; whose Eies have never a more immutabl fixa­ [...]on, than at that veri moment when thei see no [...]ind of thing; as if all were stupefaction rather [...]an Satisfaction, nai hus [...]ing Fanaticism by such, [...]amely, who beleev ani such atteiments impossibl [...]ithout cracking the Soul's Hypostasis by the im­ [...]oderate displaies ( as th [...]i call such) of immediate [...]evelation: not considering so much as that tru [Page 68] Metaphysics are to this daie ( non obstante, or for all [...] glori [...]ing in discoveries upon discoveries) a Grand D [...]sideratum in Philosophie. But pure (c) Religio [...] which hath brought Life and Immortalitie to lig [...] wil teach us to look up and wait for larger me [...]sures and fuller pourings forth of the Holi Spirit [...] all be taught of God, according to Scripture-Proph [...]ties and Promises, thro' the Blessed Spirit, assure to us to abide for ever with and in us. All th [...] while I am not ignorant how those, who look aft [...] such promises with an eie of Faith, are looked up [...] evn as the Commanders of Ramoth Gilead look [...] upon the Prophet sent to anoint Iehu King of Isr [...] to wit, as so mani mad men: But (d) Wisdom [...] been justified, or more cleerly judged, or the sent [...] hath, as in judgment been pronounced of Wisdom by [...] her children, as few Sons as thei be. The Truth [...] were all Truths evident to man's understanding wold not only set an undervalue upon Truth, * b [...] swell man with Pride evn to a bursting. Nor is p [...]fect knowledg of immediate causses altogether [...]quisite for finding out Truth. Here notwithst [...]ding give mee leav to persu and take ( and th [...] too) mi wretchedly sawci, stubborn, refractori a [...] too oft rebellious Reason to an O! the Hights, & and there to lose, a littl, both it and miself in t [...] vision and contemplation of these Divinest My [...]ries and then to descend gradualy and sacredly gen to visit and convers here below, but not wit [...] out a Seraphic kind of Lov, that noble and cert [...] [Page 69] [...]onsequence and Fruit of an operativ and activ [...]aith. For and to which there do (mi thoughts) want mani mo objectiv (a) impossibilities, far more [...]han as yet have in this our Age appeared to ani [...]erson: all which wil be found yet ( when ani such [...]hal arise) too low, easi and littl for a nobl Spirit [...]f Faith: which is an higher Principl by mani de­ [...]rees of Demonstration, than the most recti [...]ied [...]eason, beeing it is no less, [...]or lower than [...], the firm and evidential [...]robation of invisibls, things out of sight (b) (that most [...]nlimited Sens which extendeth its Roialtie through the [...]hole Vnivers; purvei-ing for all the capacitie of the [...]nderstanding facultie and pointing at what it can never [...]ake ani perfect discoverie of: for by the veri visibl [...]ings of the Creation the invisibls are collected) so farr [...] I from not being persuaded, convinced and ful­ [...] satisfied of and concerning the most abstruse and [...]nigmatic Verities and Mysteries in Theologie.

The fourth and last degree of Revelation, and [...]hich is of all the highest, is the Coming Down of * [...]et the Catachresis, I prai, be candidly interpreted for [...]e sake of that Dove) the Holi Spirit, into the Essence [...] the Soul, there to complete, finish and accom­ [...]ish the work of Regeneration; and to fix it in its [...]ate of Glorification, unveiling the beuties and [...]ening the Glories of the New Ierusalem, coming [...]om God out of Heven into the Soul's Centre. [...]o this degree of Revelation came the holi Apostls [...] the Daie of Pentecost by the Descent of the Holi [...]host, Gust, Wind, Breath, or Spirit; to be [...]ow once agen, once agen ( as one of the Marian [Page 70] Martyrs said, known it is wel enough about what) [...] ­vived and renewed, as the Prodromus, or For runner of the AEternal Evangelie ( the Everlasti [...] Gospel so called) to the Honor and Glorie of the [...]jestie on High, the shame and confusion of the D [...]vil with his Angels and Agent [...], which shal, at [...] be most low, and to the intermediate and intermi [...]bly triumphant joie and unexpressabl refreshing the Heavenli, longing, panting and longsufferi [...] humbl, waiting, faithful Servants of Christ, [...] all oppre [...]ions, oppositions, or supplantations the World, yea the hearing and beeing evn in [...] midst of all, the too often, unheavenli Plantatio [...] or unwholsom words not of our Lord Iesus, [...] of the (c) Doctrine according to Godliness in Church, (not to meddl with the Great ones) in State, whose Bibl is the Statute-book and the Art [...] of whose Faith are mostly grounded, I fear, [...] Positiv injunctions & who look no further haply [...] the peru [...]ing the Arguments of the three grand [...] postors, the Leviathan, or ( which is more pla [...] the Law of their Prince; which I renegue no furt [...] than as repugnant to that of the Prince of Kings of the Earth: it beeing sufficient for [...] I can in mi place and s [...]a [...]ion, as to that Qu [...]stion Point, be taught thro' Grace, mi dutie to Go [...]nors in God and for God, out of the Book * God ( that God, as I mai sai, of Books) as hither have had the repute of a reasonabl, apt and [...] Scholar at that lesson [...] Maulgre, I continue, [Page 71] whol (c) Plantation which the Father, who the Heven­ly, hath not planted of what denomination soever, whether rotten Foundations, superstitious super­structions, Anti-Christian innovations, unchristian Dominations, fals, unwritten Traditions, in­humane inventions, unscriptural institutions, in­junctions, impositions, or propositions, appositions, or suppositions of what are, * as cunningly as common­ly, called convenient contrivances, innocent indif­ferences and orderli decences, under the plausibl praetext, placent notion, specious name, pruden­tial guise and fair construction of that famous Eu­angelic Canon, or Rule ( the grand Ecclesiastic Cy­nosura) sciz. (d) Let all things be done decently and in or­der. Which [...], at best, is not so much an [...], as [...]; which I humbly conceiv and offer, [...], purely for sweet, dear, holi, hevenli Peace sake and in a sens and consci­ence of mi ( by mee as yet beleeved) dutie, omnibus & singulis qibuscunqe fortassean seu [...], seu [...], seu [...], seu [...], seu [...], seu Sacerdotum, seu Praefectorum nominibus & titulis indigitentur & insigniantur. Which Words so rendred, to procede in the waie of Peace and Truth ( a Conjunction which I wold ever call Copula­tiv, and make, if I could, perpetuously Consummativ) som Godli and learned Writers upon very probabl [Page 72] reasons Scholar like tendred ( which I like) and wit [...] out ani bitter reflection ( which I love) and not wit [...] out accurate retrospection, inspection and circu [...]spection, as to the design of the Apostl's discour [...] and their very serious meditation and ruminati [...] on the scope of the Text, with fervent supplicati [...] ( after * Consultation too of the best Commentators [...] the place) thro' the supplies of the Spirit of Grac [...] and in the name of Christ, the Wisdom of the [...]ther, to God the Father of Lights and the Spiri [...] of all Flesh ( which I cannot, neither mai, loath) hav [...] after all, apprehended and thereupon do beleev That, if the Reading were according to natural D [...]cencie and Scripture-Order in the room, place o [...] stead of decently and in order, those foregoing word wold be much more consonant to and with the S [...]gnificance of the Original and by consequen [...] ( tho' stil under Correction of more illuminated Head [...] [...] be assented and consented to ( specialy by the Church of Christ coming out of Mysterie-Babylon, gathered or scattered) as the fairest and best interpretatio [...] and exposition. O who wil giv, that our sight [...] be happily cleared by this smal foretast, or ani [...]ther ( as Ionathan's was by tasting a littl honie from [...] end of his Rod) and who can tell but it mai, speci [...] if wee look up for Eie-salv from Heaven, whi [...] [Page 73] our Eies are looking upon the letters and words and not be wholey taken up with the Letter without the Spirit, which wil quicken us and put Life into our Spirit: otherwise wee mai li dead at the letter til wee di. The Word of Life wil be most welcom to enlivened Spirits. O that the Spirit of Praier were raised agen from the dead ( as one mai sai) what happi hopes then shold wee have of a glorious and spiritual Resurrection after so great a death hath passed upon the Churches! Oh it is high time to begg as for Life that the Blessed Spirit wold come as Floods upon dri ground, since the chois Gar­dins of the veri Saints, for want of Spiritual dewes from Heven, are withered; that the Churches mai be as watered Gardins and the Saints and Servants of the most High mai at less'st at last, like the Wil­lows by the water-courses, grow up; evn into him, in all things, who is the Head of everi man and o­ver all things, to the Church which is His Bodie: the fullness of him who filleth all in all, and who wil make good His Great last Testament-Pro­miss of a doubl portion of his [a] Spirit in a plenti­full and powerful effusion thereof, in the later glo­rious * Ministration, to counsil and comfort, suppli and support the Saincts, til the conspicuous appa­rence of his Personal Praesence: without which his Praesence ( which can be no less, wheresoever it be, than Spiritual) no Communions, Ordinances, or ani ex­tern Administration can be effectual. Let us all [Page 74] therfore look upon it as one main work of the daie to set Faith at work on the Promises, and be earnest with the Father of Spirits to send down a special Unction from on High for the new spiriting of His Peopl, e [...]n that other spirit which Caleb had, See­ing a commune Spirit wil never carri them fully thorow in the work of their Generation. Let us al prai that the Golden * Pipes mai, more and more, empti their golden ill out of their selvs from the Olive-tree and that thei, who desire and endevour to keep the Commands of God and the Testimonie of Iesus, mai be anointed with the Oil of Gladnes in more abundant mensures. Prai wee all that the Spirit of Glorie mai com down and rest among and upon us, as a Refiner's fire to purifi us ( for our Gold is dim and our fine Gold changed) considering, Hee who hath the seven Spirits is too visibly turned aside from our golden Candlesticks, that so wee mai of­fer up pure offerings in truth of Righteousnes and holiness, beeing renovated in the Spirits of our minds, which mai be placent to the Lord, as in the daies of old. Prai wee all ( for I praefer it before Preaching in this our Daie) and set wee upon the Gates of Heavn with an holi violence knocking daie and night: for the Devil is com down in great Rage, wrath and violence throwing round [Page 75] about ( and that with grandest furie) his fieri darts to­ward his Catastrophe, or period: Hee sadly fore­seeing the short time hee hath to rant, or rage in.

O Tri wee all what Power we have with the Fa­ther of Lights to set his Power on work to shake the Powers of Darkness in this hour of Tentation that is com upon all the Dwellers upon Earth and to help us in the Discoverie of that now above 5000 years experienced Master of the Black Art, transformed too often into the most dangerous white Devil, yea, an Angel of Light, tho' disgui­sing himself and setting his face in secret (so the Ho­li Mother-Toung) to be then less'st in sight, when, without doubt, most at work; that so hee mai soo­nest defile and safest beguile us and wee not aware of him, while wee shal (like those mentioned in the [a] Apocalyps) be taken with the fine hair of the Locusts which asscended out of the bottomless Pit, that stung them as Scorpions with their Tails. O let the Remembran­cers of the Lord, who loveth to be put in Remem­brance of the good thing [b] promised, make mention thereof before him, that the Hyperpanonomous Iesus the Christ, the Lord of Righteousnes, the Lord of Lords, Tzion's King and King of Kings, mai be set upon this Holi Hill, that the Heathen mai be His inhaeritance and the uttermost Parts of the Earth His Possession (taking to himself his great Power and Reign) and put the Government upon his shoul­der and arise to shake the Earth, yea and the Hea­vens terribly once more for the introducing and setting up that Kingdom which cannot be shaken and the things that shal remane, according as is Pro­phecied [c]

[Page 76]O when shal the sounding of the Seventh Angel be heard as the great voices in Heaven, all the world over, sai-ing, The [d] Kingdoms of this World are becom the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and hee shal reign for ever, or into the Ages of the A­ges. And how long, O Lord holi and tru, shal the good old Promisses, to be renewed in these la­ter daies, rest unaccomplished!

Oh when shal the Saviours com upon Mount Zion [e] to judg the Mount of Esau and the Kingdoms be the Lord's and the Lord rais up Carpenters to break the Horns that scatter Iudah, so that no man can [f] lift up his Head; and put the Honor upon his Saincts, to expedite the Iudgment, as it is [g] written, with a two-edged Sword in their hands and the high prai­ses of God in their mouths to giv Blood to drink to the Woman who is drunken with their Blood and the Martyrs of Iesus, and destroi that great Citie which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth, and o­vercom all his and their Inimies in the Blood of the [h] Lamb, that so, at last, the loftiness and haugh­tiness of men beeing bowed down and made low, The Lord alone [i] mai be exalted in his Daie.

Here permitt mee, kind Reader, to speak a word, or two, or mo, as to the parts and pietie, meek­ness and humilitie, conscience and judgment of this illuminated Autor, specialy, as to Forms and Ceremo­nies and Controversies. Hee was then as far above all kinds of Church-divisions, differences, or in­differences ( yet stil keeping the unitie of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace) as the Light of the Sun at middaie is above that of the Glow-worm at midnight. For Hee lived, specialy in his later years, wholey givn [Page 77] up to God. If at ani time hee discoursed, it was Love, Life, Spirit; and if hee proponed ani Quae­stions to ani, those were, ( to the best of mi informa­tion, and, when by him, of mi memorie) alwaies heart-serching to tincture and quicken them, in lieu of heart-separating * Quaeries to turmoil, or deaden them. Hee walked with the best Charitie at this daie ever when abroad, to provoac perpetuously to lov' and good works and to visit som very sick Souls, who lai languishing under spiritual Consumptions, in the Name of the Lord. Nor could hee be found without a bright purely discerning Eie and a brave chois heart, not barely enlightned, but blessedly inflamed, beeing and living such a Luminarie, as moved in a much higher and diviner Orb than to mee ( [...]) men haply wil giv credit: tho' the Powers of the World to com fell somtimes won­derfully on him and wrought in Him ( prai peruse and profoundly ponder His beloved 2 of Cor. v. to the 14.) to such an Elevation and clarification of his veri mortal Bodie, when hee was fervent in the Spirit of Praier, that, I fear and therefore forbear to express, least it shold be reputed by som ( those principaly who despeir of atteining such perfections, or arriving at ani such Hights theirselvs, so, consequently, are more readi to beleev it) a Sp [...]ritual Romance: tho' I mi self have more than once been thereof an [...], [Page 78] Testis oculatus, * Eie-Witness. All this while now where is the wonder? To mee there is no more in it than the Bubbling up in a Quick-spring. It is true, where there is no stirring up of the Grace of Christ in ani, there the Grace of Christ wil ne­ver stirr up ani. Fire that lieth covered under Em­bers wil not rise, without beeing blown, into a flame. There is never ani Exsultation of Spirit, where there is no Actuation of the Graces of the Spirit. O the incredibl intern exercitations and extern ex­ertions of the veri visibl form of som Persons! thei are so divinely transformed! O that I had the Wings of a Dove that I mought flee away, &c. cried St. David, a man after God's own Heart and most like him, when hee was lifting up his all to God in hearti Praiers and high Praises. Doth not the veri Creature wait with an outstretched neck, or rather with the [a] Head put forth, or thrust out for the manifestation of the Sons of God? And shal the Sons of God theirselvs, whom the world knoweth not and whose Life is hid with Christ in God, neither have, nor doo ani thing extraordi­nari in themselvs, nor in the work the Lord is car­rieing on in the World; which is high and heaven­li, much above the World. It is very observabl in the Dove, that it casteth its Head this waie and that before it taketh its flight. But that which is reported by the Humanists of Oryx ( a kind of Goat in AEgypt) is most remarquabl, that it is so affected [Page 79] with the fear of scorching heat at the rising of Si­rius, i. e. the Dog-star, that it standeth with tears in the Eies, as if it seemed to deprecate the intolerabl heat thereof, and to thirst with an unquench­abl desire for som humiditie and refreshing moi­sture from heaven. What, is there nothing wil make a man excellent above his Nighbor? yea sure, and that visibly too, if hee be righteous, or els Solo­mon's [a] sight was not right. Not so much as a gaietie in the looks of a godli man above another? not a littl Wisdom to make a Sainct's Face to shine a littl more than ordinarily is discerned: Wisdom doth somtimes as it were magicly transfigure a man, as hath been found in experience; Hence not un­likely that Topic Proverb among the Spaniards, There are two Magicians in Segura, * the one Experi­ence, the other Wisdom. tho' I wel know Italie is the School of Prudence: for it is said, that where­as the French is wife after the fact, the Dutch and En­glish in the fact, the Italian is wise before: but an Englishman Italionat is a Devil incarnat. Tru it is, yet it doth not appear what the Sons of God shal be, shal it therefore at no time appear that such Sons of God there be? Never, acknowledgedly, acting in the Demonstration of the Spirit and Po­wer? What are becom of all the Promises and Prophecies concerning the later Daie-Glorie? Where is the shining forth of your good Works, that men mai see those and glorifi your Father who is in Heavn? Is it not dreadfull for children of the Daie to walk as dark Lanterns? nai wors, [Page 80] to put out their lights within likewise, that thei mai not see themselvs? Wil not the Lord God serch such, as with Candles? O arise yee Sons and Daughters of Tzion, rows up your selvs and lift up your heads, for your Redemption draweth nigh. A Christian must be so alltogether, or not at all. Hee must be throughly pure, the veri Name of Christ taken upon him, obligeth him against a * depraved conversation, hee must depart from ini­quitie. Up then and be dooing and let it be seen by som singular thing, which neither prophane, nor Professor have don, or can doo. You [...]gno who it was that asked this Quaestion [b] [...]; But som wicked one mai sai this looketh like the Wisdom of those of Zago P [...] pazzi che quei da Zago chi davan del letame al Campanile perche cresces [...]e. who dung­ed the foot of the Steepl [...]o make it grow higher. Here is enough of all conscience about puritie. It is known wel enough how the Devil climbeth, b [...] the skirts of the Vicar, up to the Por las holdas del Vicario, Sube el Diablo al Campanario. Steepl. I could repli,

— Sed Cynthius aurem
Vellit, ait motos melius componere fluctus.

[Page 81] Compose wee therefore our selvs, paus and make a stop, least an Hue and Crie com after us. For­get not the beloved, that darling Motto of Sr. Ma­thew Hale, the greatest, most perfect and inimitabl patern of the eminentest Virtue, deepest Learning and most indefatigabl Industrie the Age praecedent, praesent, or subsequent hath, doth, or wil ( such [...]s mi judgment and belief in the case, or point) enjoied, afford, shew: whom to speak less of, were greatly [...]o lessen him, and could not but be looked upon as such an Heterodox Paradox, as nothing but the basest of ignorance, envie, malice and (that omnia in uno) [...]ngratitude to his name and memorie could be guil­ [...]i of, or durst adventure to be the Autor, or Pro­mulgator of. Pass by civily the Digression, or ra­ [...]her pass it nobly into the Archives, Rolls, or Re­ [...]ords of Fame out of dear love to his du Honor, who hath, so confessedly, surpassed all; and having neither aequal, nor superior, by consent of all, [...]ould merit no less Titl than that ( which yet his [...]reater Humilitie voluntarily resigned [...]o the best of Ma­ters and most Clement and Serene of Princes) viz. of [...]he renowned Lord chief Iustice ( at less'st) of En­gland.

But what's becom of his beloved Mott?
Reader, albeit I know you had it not,
Yet know you too, I had not it forgot.

No, no: Engraven as it was on the Head of his Sta [...]f; so impressed it was and is in the thoughts of mi Head, sciz. Festina lenté. A sai-ing mani of our Hous-wives cannot, surely, abide; and thei stick not to tell us as much very roundly, when thei rown in their maid's ears so frequently and [...]ierce­ly, What slow haste make yee? Yee are good, rarely good, to go on a Deadman's Errand. But stil the Wis­dom [Page 82] of this Motto is, wil and must be great: whic [...] too mani witti men by the neglect thereof, too o [...] ten, to their no smal disgrace and detriment ha [...] found. Thus Canis festinans coecos parit catulos. N [...] more haste than good speed is sure good Advise for Qi nimiùm properat, seriùs absolvit. The curi [...]ous English of which I take to be that sai-ing, [...] usual, of the great Secretari Walsingham at th [...] Council-Tabl, Mi Lords, stai a litl, and wee shal [...]ner make an end. O! who knoweth the incon [...]niences and * mischiefs of Passion and Praecip [...] ­tance. Nai wee do sai too commonly of wit it se [...] whither wilt thou? How rare is it to have th [...] spoken of it, which was reported to have been, b [...] the ever memorabl Sir Henrie Wotton, of the wit [...] Sir Philip Sidney, that it was the measure of [pc] C [...]grui [...]ie. O vain, wild, pittifull, follifull, [...] man! how hardly art thou persuaded to be eas [...] thi self, or constant to thi resolution, or serious [...] thi convers! Was it not somwhat, more than barel [...] a witti speech of him who said that Men's Acti [...] were like Notes of Music, somtimes in spaces, somti [...] in lines, somtimes above, somtimes below; and seldom, [...] never, streit, for ani long continuance. How do yo [...] Reader, rellish this? Is there not harmonie in it [Page 83] But I mai here forget that of the sweet Singer of our Israel, holi Mr. Herbert, who in his Templ hath given you the exact Picture of poor man's impo­tence, while hee telleth you

How weak a thing is man, how far from power,
Beeing twentie several things, each several hour!

How sad then do wee all find all things at home, and truly not much better abroad. Do wee not see the greatest are but in and out, and that too with their greatest, highest and best * Favorites, who are no better than mere Tenants at will. See wee not the brightest Star twinkl? Yea the biggest, those of the first magnitude which wee judged to have been fixed in their Glorie, to have faln wors than Comets, most strangely and basely? Alvaro de Luna whom Don Iuan King of Castile so loved, admired and almost adored, that hee knew not how to advance high enuf: This Favorit used so sai to them who wondered and stood agast, as it were, at his Grandeurs ( or, as our foolish Phrase is, Fortunes) Iudg not of a building before it be finished. What is the meaning of that? Hee ( I dare not sai was murdered, but) died by the hand of Iustice. Can you hold out, and your peace too, a littl longer, while I onely demand of you, if this, as a Babbler [Page 84] did of Aristotl, if his discours were not strange? The Philosopher said, No. So haply you mai repli But then, I fear, you mai com with a surreplie, [...] hee did, sai-ing, But a man having feet (giv me [...] leav to put in, and those two at libertie) shold not gi [...] himself so much patience as to hear thee. Sai you s [...] too? Then I have don ringing, the Clapper [...] ­gon, as, like it is, you wish these Crotchets. Well am apt to think yet, that you have som Music, (a [...] wel as I) in you, gentl Reader: which if it pro [...] so much as not to be out of Tune while I shal b [...] strike one string; I wil praeengage, that the Clo [...] shal com off sweetly, con la bocca dolce, as the * Ita­lian waie and wording is. I shal put it into a kin [...] of vers, that you mai be the more kind to it, [...]f less avers * from it. If I fail therein and it shol [...] fall out to be barely a bald Rhythm; however [...] Sir Thomas More said to the poor poring Scholar i [...] that known Storie, Now 'tis somthing.

Now somthing hath, the Proverb saith, som savo [...]
Nai somthing more, it hath somtimes a flavour.
To High-gate in one's mouth, one man did sai,
[Page 85]From London 'tmought be carri'd. You cri away;
I wil: To th' Crotchet came into mi Crown,
Which I crave Licence now to set it down.
A Scazon 'tis, with which I mai be bold,
Of one more Honorabl far than old;
( Yet older far than most) and mi dear Friend,
But now deceased. Now too I will end.

And that with the Music, which is worth the heark­ning too.

Placere singuli [...] volam; sed ut prosim.
Nec displicere metuam; dummodo prosim.
To mee't's above the Music of the Sph [...]rs,
And hee, who hears it not, must want his ears:
His taste too: for it doth outflavour Wine.
It is th' Elixir, Reader, make it thine.
O! take, keep, use, ponder and prize each line:
For, sure, in each there is a Spirit Divine.
Once, these a Great Divine's were: but now Thine.
Thei're great too, Greater than I can divine.
These to translate int' English I've a mind;
But the translated left'em so behind:
So I'l be just to Him; to mee, prai, you be kind.

Allow mee to be a smal Critic, (I dare not aim at beeing an Observator) on the Word * translated: Evn til hee was not.

[Page 86]So temperate was Hee in all things, that I have heard him sai, Hee was never sick in all His Life; and from this World, in soundnes of Mind, Memo­rie and Senses, like another Moses, Hee went away; tho', by the waie, discoursing all along, Divinely, to his very last minute; and then this mighti man and as greatly meek did (not di, shold I sai that shold I not li? but) fall asleep in Iesus.

Tibi, Domine; qui velociter venis, Amen.
Nae, veni, Domine!

O com and feed all thi Supplicants with the per­petuous influence of thi purest Divinitie! Let thi Heavenli Highness sublime them to the Zenith of thi dearest and nearest Societie; and here, evn now, not only raie, beam and warm them with thi Ardors, Flames and Powers; but likewise en­soul-spirit-Heaven them in Thiself. This all thi longing and humbl Petitioners, at thi Throne of Grace, crave, beg, prai; beseeching, that Thou, who dwellest in Love and art Love, wold con­desscend and caus vehement-divine Love, thorowly, to penetrate, transmute and transfigure them into it s [...]lf; yea further convince and convert ( if it mai consist with the good pleaceur of thi holi Will) all the Rational Powers of humane Nature into a Lov of that Lov, which fullfilleth all thi Commandments, as in heavn, evn so on earth. In the inter, let all Thine, wheresoever dispersed, or howsoever distressed, understand and beleev, that it is their * Strength, not to make haste, but to sit still, and see the Salva­tion of God, and that it is no more in their power to [Page 87] [...]hange Kingdoms and Governments, than the cours of the Luminaries which are set in the blu visibl firm Expans, the Out-spread; or to unhinge the Po­siture of the whol created World. It is Thou and Thou onely, who art Lord of Lords and King of Kings, the Great and Mighti One, who must doo these great and mighti things. It is Iehovah AElo­him the most high God, who reigneth in the King­doms of men, and who soley is Hee who giveth these to whom soever Hee pleaceth, and who wil make all Adam know, that all bold * rashnes carrieth certen ruine within it self; but overcoming Patience it is which perfecteth both God's and Man's Works. Amen.

Now I exspect mi Reader to sai, let mee prai, to wit, that you wold no longer Tantalize mee, but giv mee the favor of the Great Person's Name, who was so translated.

Doubtless I am not worthi him to name,
But shold be counted worthi of great blame,
To bring this Person here to mee, while I,
Chius ad Coum, venture to stand by:
This needs must be a grand indignitie.

[Page 88]But seeing for all this, need there is to get ou [...] of this lurking hole, and to com abroad with hi [...] name for his Honor, which shold be sacred to e­veri serious Soul; as not beeing possibl to be spred abroad so much as his merits mai chalenge mo [...] righteously; Therfore it wold be injustice to with­hold Him from you ani longer, to conceal hi [...] Name by not answering to your Quaerie, and Com­plieing with your Request. It was then the truly Honor and, and it wil be as tru and right if I sai ( re­bus sic stantibus caeterisque non paribus, which, I judg none wil gain-sai) the most Reverend Father in God, or ( if that offend ani) with God ( that is most sure [...] ani be) the most humbl Lord and meek Lord Bi­shop Sanderson, of happi memorie, more happi Iudgment, and most happi Life and Death; latel [...] put sorth by the elegant Penn of an excellent En­glish Writer: who modestly acknowledgeth the bold undertaking, as beeing very unworthily in­ferior to the Merits of that Apostl of a Bishop (cer­tenly so hee was, if ani such have been) without a­ni Adulation I speak the truth before God and I not, mi Conscience likewise bearing mee witness in the Holi Spirit, * Now seeing I have put mi Con­science so to it, let mee put, too, this to Conscience, and be so far his Abetter (for want of a better) therein, as to conclude a better Resolver thereof in all cases England never saw, never knew. Where­upon I further venture ( and with all safetie) to vouch that hee was the Non-such Casuist in all Christen­dom, nemine, certè Anglorum, contradicente. So [Page 89] great a Master of right Reason and sound Iudg­ment was hee, which rendred him, without dispute, as inimitably judicious, so incomparably pretious to all Posteritie: nor wil his Works di, while Worth shal liv. Of which, I mean his written Works, that I mai speak som few words, I humbly beg, in regard of our miserably and uncharitably divided and subdivided Principles aud Practices, but more particularly, of Ceremonial Controversies: which are so bandied about, like a Ball, to and agen and make such a nois and racket in our Nation. O the sad circumstances, sans ceremonèe, that wee are now in! How strangely tho' are wee converted in­to Wolvs (which are far wors than Sheep, or yet Dogs) and that about the veri Worship of God! Monstrum * horrendum! O the Metamorphosis of our Manners! O the Metempschosis of our Souls! It is not a mere Acatastasis of our minds that marreth all the Beutie and Glorie of our Religion and Nation. Mai wee not lamentably fear an Ichabod? Mai I proov, I prai God, a Pseudoprophet. But yee best of Professors, tell mee truly what you think, is not God going about to take away his Glorie, Grace, Euangelie, Spirit and all with Him?

What said Herbert long agoe?
Religion stood on its Tiptoe:
Hee did mistake: mai I do so?

O yee Professors, can I have ani hopes that yee wil hinder his departure from our Land? Mai hee [Page 90] not go fast and far away for all you? Why? Who, or what staieth him, sai yee, save yourselvs? I tell you, truly, his dear hidden littl ones who cri greatly after him daie and night. An handfull it is, as it were, of wrastling Saincts, who have been so spiritualy cunning that thei have got within Him and hold him (with reverence and humilitie be it spo­ken upon the In-turn) and wil not let him go, but there keep him. Els were hee got loos, wo to you and us all. How wold hee lai about? and what a deal hand the living Lord hath, where hee striketh, let Heaven, Earth and Hell trembl to think. But blessed be God there are som few, to whom hee hath said, concerning the work of mi hands co [...] ­mand yee mee, and these hold him to his word, an [...] that so, til Hee is readi to cri out, as of old to Is­rael (quondam Iacob) Let me (a) go: As if hee shold have said, I never met with such a Fellow in [...] mi life. What is thi * name? So that of God to Moses, let mee alone, as if the hands of Omnipo­tence were held: All which holding of God All­mightie's Hands is but by lifting, purely, up o [...] Eies, Hearts and Hands to him our Father, who in the Heavens. Surely so did Sanderson , abo [...] ( whom for singular honor's sake I singly now name) be­fore hee desscended into the Sand to wrastl wit [...] his dissenting Brethren about Religious Co [...] ­cerns, [Page 91] Church-ceremonies so controverted, that up­ [...]n the Hypothesis (for so I wold be understood that [...]here be things Adiaphorous in the Church, or Churches, * if Christ hath ani more than one) San­ [...]erson, I sai, hath, thro' God's blessing upon his [...]udious and pious wrastlings, without Controver­ [...]e ( as that great is the Mysterie of Godliness) most Dia­ [...]hanously, perspicuously, no less clearly ( unless [...]oecis, mai I sai, auribus & mente?) than the Sun-Beams upon a Wall of Crystall; if not as transpa­ [...]ently, as the Streets of the new Ierusalem, cleared, [...]lustrated and adjudged that cloudi gloomi moot­ [...]ase, or point, that perplexed AEnigma, that [...]han of our Israel, or rather Abaddon and most [...]ertenly Church-confounding Controversie ( for I [...]an call it no other) while it so continueth, as dan­ [...]erously ( the Devil knoweth it doth and [...]hereat joieth) [...]preading like a Leprosie and eating as a Gangraen [...] and Cancer, and wil infallibly and inevitably de­ [...]our and destroi (but so wil it not be in God's Holi Mountain) without the opportune interposition of [...]rudent indulgence, mutuous toleration and grand [...]oderation; or, what is not over so much, as up­ [...] all God's Works, evn his (unesxpected, undeserv­ [...]d, tho' I trust, not undesired and unbegged) Mercie, [...]oth Root and Branch, us and our, as in a Daie, [...]ur name and place beeing taken away, to the

Dicite Io Paean, & Io bis dicite Paean

of them, whom none of us can be ani such Ignora­ [...]us, as not apparently at this time of daie to ken, [...]s wel as their crueltie and fraud; which God of [Page 92] the same His immens * Mercie, infinit Love, and for the sake of his own Son and Name Avert; A­men and Amen. And let both the King ( who (k) repraesenteth God) and the Parlement ( who (l) repr [...] ­senteth the Peopl) sai Amen; and whom that the all-wise, allmighti and most mercifull God mai salvi­fi, fortifi and grandifi; sanctifi, tranquillisi and fe­licifi ( if it mai stand with the good pleaceur of his Wil [...] heartily praieth the poor Praefacer. But now tho [...] late (yet better late than never, so the Proverb)

To the Second Quaestion, sciz. Why, or what n [...] have wee to expose to public view these Arcanums, o [...] Mysteries of the Archetypous Globe, Original World [...] Principl of AEternitie, &c.

Answ. It was, among other, for these reasons grounds, persuasives, motives, or, if you pleace inductives and incentives.

First, Hee did suppose and humbly conceiv th [...] the Holi Spirit of God did not communicate wit [...] him, and revele to him these Highest Mysteries fo [...] his own knowledg and proper Satisfaction.

Next and in sequel Hee looked at this Tresau [...] as a Talent given to him and entrusted with hi [...] not to wrap it up in a Napkin ( as the deservedly [...] ­proved slothfull Servant did his) but to put it out [...] his Master's use. Quite contrari to the Principl [...] Practices and custom of selfi men.

[Page 93] Add to these, His generous Benignitie wold not allow him to engross to himself, or envi to other of his own make, specialy his Countri-men, these purely * pleasant sensations, glorious intro­versions and divinely tru intellections of his mind, which hee could not but conclude to be serviceabl in som waie, or other, of spiritual instruction, im­prov, advance, or use.

Nor is the burning Fire of Charitie ( or rather di­vine Love that centred in his Heart) to be buried ( neither indeed could it be) under the Ashes of Obli­vion, or secrecie: which never seeking it self but the good and benefit ( & quod bene fit bis fit) of his Nighbor, extorted these from him by mani, mani­fold and those very great, strong, restless and im­portunate impulses: which, without manifest dis­obedience to the heavenli Visions and Revelations, could not be repulsed, resisted, or refused.

Besides, or rather persuant to what is already ur­ged, the Publication was for the sake of his School-Fellows ( as Hee was wont to word it) who were, or are, wold, or shold be taken up into this same High-School, and taught the same Lessons (most proper to the Daie) by the same School-master: that so thei ( principaly the more cautiously curious; spiritualy ambi­tious and sacredly inquisitiv of and among them) mought be gratified and satisfied in viewing ( thro' [Page 94] this purely pellucid medium) the coelestial Fabric frame and most inward work in the veri spring everi wheel within a wheel, yea everi the minut­est movement thereof, and be therby infinitly co [...] ­firmed by these exarations of His Penn and Em [...]nations ( as I mai sai) of his divinely tinctured Sp [...]rit; as those reciprocously ratified by these Test [...]monies: not that I wold have the mind of ani i [...]genious and spiritual Indagator blindly acquiescei [...] ani assertions, or conclusions neither arising upo [...] Principles of Faith, nor from necessari praemilles but praeserv his opinion and particular persuasio [...] as indeed hee cannot well omitt, or decline the t [...]king this mi caution and counsil.

Moreover, Hee allowed the printing and publi [...]ing of these Writings, that there mought be e [...]stant a Characteristic, an appropriate and disti [...]guishing Character, in truth and in veri deed, of i [...]maculate Divinitie, by Demonstration, as it [...] and likewise Praelibation; as an Antipast, or giving a foretaste to the Universities ( from w [...] hee had his Doctorate, tho' hee took few of these Degr [...] there) and ( had these been in all Languages) to t [...] Univers it self, as of the certentie, soliditie a [...] sublimitie of the Mysteries and Powers of the [...] vine Magia, so of that vastly grand and verily i [...]compatibl ( I had almost added yet incredibl) differe [...] and dis [...]inction twixt the Rational and Intellectu [...] Power, or Facultie, the apprehension and co [...]prehension in Men and Saincts, in order and [...]dence [Page 95] to and toward their beeing filled (a) with, or into, all the Fullness of God, thro' the Love of God in Christ ( which passeth knowledg) shed abroad in their Hearts, by the Holi Spirit which is given to them.

Surely, wee do not know by ani other means that wee are the Children of God, but becaus God sealeth unto our (b) Heart, by his Spirit, our Adoption of us out of free Grace, and wee by Faith receiv the assured Pledges of Him given in Christ's Love: for tho' everi Beleever hath the Testimonie of His Faith from his Works, yet it cometh à posteriori probati­one, from a later, or secondari proof in stead, or place of a sign. It is only an addition, or inferior Help for a prop to Faith, not for a Foundation to lean on. Tru it is, everi one mai be confirmed and assured in their calling by their sober, righteous and godli Life: But how? As a proof, not from the Caus, but from the Sign, or Effect: The Assurance of Faith doth wholey rest and reside in the Grace of Christ. Evn in Nature Children do not first com to know their Parents, either by their love to their Brethren, or [...]y their Obedience to their Parents, but from their Parents Lov desscending on them. So wee read in (c) Holi Writ, and so it is, that wee loved him, becaus Hee first loved us. Let men boast of their mighti Reasonings, their close Deductions, their strong- [...]inked Consequences and their elaborate Demon­ [...]trations, made out by the most Metaphysicous Divines, in * Religion; when thei have don all [...]o justifi themselvs ( as a late Writer rarely) in a cau­tious [Page 96] advance toward Heaven, thei wil find, that The best Divinitie consisteth in the Vnions of Love [...] Wonder; that there are such Doxologies, transsce [...] ­ding Reason's reach, as mai be dignified with th [...] Title of Faith's Triumphs; such Eucharistic [...] Theologic Enlargements and Exspatiations in th [...] Heart and Spirit, springing and arising and exsu [...] ­ing from the wondrous affection of Love, acco [...] ­panied with that immuculate and ineffabl Ioie, as no [...] can signi [...]i, or hint; none can beleev, or concei [...] but those who have felt and enjoied that beatifi [...] [d] Experience: which is only inferior to, or only le [...] in, som Degrees of beeing, that, which wee cal [...] Heaven. That the capacitie of Reason is much la [...] ­ger than that of Sens, I cannot but concede: [...] that the largeness of the Will and Affections, wh [...] are in it, farr surmounteth Reason, I cannot li [...] wise but confess. Wherfore els, I prai, hath Go [...] required that our desire and love of Him shold [...] more complete and perfect than our knowledg [...] Him? Are wee not obliged by the express Co [...]mand of God Hisself to entertein and imbrace [...] Perfections with the closest adhaesion of Heart [...] Soul? Albeit those wee can apprehend only wit [...] partial and rather a lax aenigmatic, than strict so enti [...]ic knowledg.

Of the two I shold rather praefer In [...]gination, than Ratiocination in Discourses co [...]cerning divine Subjects; the former beeing, con [...]sedly, the Spring and Engine of the Affectio [...] thro' its nobl suppli-ing Reason by raised and [...]gurativ adumbrations and its admirabl affordi [...] all those agreeabl illustrations, which serv to ki [...] it into vaster conceptions, to sweeten the severi [...] [Page 97] of it, and then beutifi it with all those allurements and adornments which fairly and e [...]fectualy ( and that not unusualy) recommend a cold, dead specula­tion to a warm, liveli affection. And this is pro­perly and totaly the [...], opus, Work of the Ima­gination, when it hath warily received and enter­teined the veritie and dignitie of its Object from a superior Facultie. Nor can it but be so, in strict­ness of proprietie, allowed; and not only Reason and Iudgment, ( which all permitt, conclude and ap­prove) but Imagination and Phansie, the meanest and most trivial Power of Man's Soul, likewise: seeing evn the [e] Meteors are called upon, as wel as the [e] Firmament, (as is finely by one noted and observed) to prais the Lord. Nai more, Phantasie mai be, and, under a good menage, mostly, is, an admirabl Organ and incomparabl Incentiv of heavenli Prais and divine Adoration: in like manner as the Om­nipotent Iehovah AElohim deemed it most fit to choos [f] the Rainbow ( that Circl of Phantastic Co­lors, as one called it) for the Symbol ( shal I not sai [...]he Sacrament?) of his Darling Attribute ( if At­ [...]ributes be not more properly God, than in God) namely Mercie. Nai, I heard one sai, that the strength and vehemence of Imagination, Phantasie, or Phan'sie wil, somtimes, carri forth the Reason and Iudgment to make new Worlds of discoveries, ex­cite both to take such Circuits and Travels in the contemplation of AEternal Entities, til the veri Soul is readi to be vertiginous, to swim and grow giddi, and the Speculation turneth almost Apople­xie. Yea further, actuate the Rational Power be­yond its praesent Order, without ani illusive Phana­ [...]icism, &c. to a tast and immature Anticipation of [Page 98] unproportioned Knowledg: yet stil with this pro­viso, that the Intellectual and Rational Power and Facultie are far from beeing the same. Deig [...] therfore to take notice that the intellectual * know­ledg is only learned from the Spirit of the mind [...] man, standing in the Centre, beeing then only an [...] there purely receptiv and divinely scient, ( what [...] I sai sentient?) of the supercoelestial things the [...]selvs. Whereas the Rational, which the confound­ing Iesuit wold make the pure Religionist beleev to b [...] Mechanism ( the Diana of this inquisitiv Age) and th [...] whole Encyclopoede of Arts and Sciences but [...] brisk circulation of the Blood, and all thinking an [...] reasoning Power a mere local motion, and that to [...] tumultuous; Hee notwithstanding wel knowing [...] to be most admirably rare in its due place ( which [...] doth as wel, too, make use of) and without whic [...] and the exercise therof a Man is below the Bea [...] that perisheth; Yet ( for all this) I sai the Ratio [...] speaketh, writeth and acteth from its rolling sug­gestions, cogitations, conceptions, motions, [...] shut out of the Centre .

Finaly, These intern manifestations are ma [...] out and put forth to public use and perusal, for t [...] vindicating and asserting Truth, and for period [...] ­zing, or putting an end, in fair probabilitie h [...]ever, [Page 99] to the several, otherwise endless, altercations, disputations and dubitations of, in and about My­stic Theologie; as mai most clearly appear to the diligent, judicious and spiritualy illuminated Per­user of the same. Hee having set before his Eies, one of the first and fairest Objects, deserving to be set in Letters of Gold and engraven upon all our Minds and Spirits, as with the point of a Diamant. For here Hee maketh and giveth a Diaphanous Manife­sto and perspicuous Demonstration ( and you wil not, I dare sai, nobl and Christian Reasoner and Rea­der, deni, or gain-sai that it is à Priori) evn from supersensual Sight and intellectual Vision; which amounteth to littl less than a Divine Apocalyps, or ( style it what you pleace) Revelation, Manifestation, Inspiration, Communication, Certification, De­claration, Notifica [...]ion, or, if you wil, Informa­tion, that there ever was, and now is and wil be an O­riginal and AEternal Globe, or World, which did exist before AEternal Nature (here I had need as I do in­deed, heartily prai you not to be impatient, nor out of good humor by reason of ( no reason for, you wil sai) this startling Epithete, [...]! seeing the following Pages wil make it, as you wil find, fairly co-incident with Nature) and all her pure Forms, Powers and Properties; so in sequel, anteceding ( that is more strange than all the rest you mai repli; nai, I beleev, wil: so I must ad­mitt, or however permitt you in this most wonder­full point, [...]) I re­vert and, as above, averr it, i. e. by consequence, prae­ceding all other Worlds, Globes, Centers and Cre­ations whatsoever. Hee furthermore declareth ( as it is made apparent by this Tract) that the Spi­rit and Soul are two distinct Essences, the former beeing of a more sublime Origination, or ( as wee [Page 100] vulgarly) of an higher Descent. Is it not so? Why? Do not the Golden Rules delivered by antient Phi­losophers seem to set forth as much? How came those famous Lights of Wisdom set up almost all the World over? Nai, what issue is there of the pretious Dictates of our gracious Saviour and His holi Apostls who spake as never man, or mere So [...] spake? Nai, what becometh of the Image of G [...] impressed on Man at the first, and wherein ( setti [...] the Angels apart) hee excelleth the whol Creation [...] NB. When the holi Iesus, the Christ of God, vouch­safed and condescended to be conversant among men, Hee made it his chief Work ( what Christia [...] wil be against the ensuing Truth?) to improve the mind and spirit of man farr above the hight of the Soul's Reason: and wee are so farr from conforming to our Blessed Lord's cours, as Reason it self, if [...] sens almost, is yet too sublime for us: except so [...] few who

Apparent rari nantes in Gurgite vasto.

( as the Poet singeth) bravely looking up and beari [...] up their Heads in this Universal Sinking towar [...] ( and I prai God it mai go down not wofully further, [...] dolefully deeper than) the Profundities of [a] Sh [...] out of which som are saved. Com along with me [...] kind Reader, if thou be not quite tired, and ma [...] use of the strongest legs, of thi reason, nai exercis [...] the Brains of it, yea let the Head and Crown of [...] asscend to that of [b] AEternitie (leaving farr be­low, those effects of curiositie and accidental emer­gences, the Arts and Sciences liberal, falsly so called [Page 101] and highest natural Philosophie too, upon which the Great Diana of this Mechanic Age, h. e. Natural Theologie is reared, buoied, hoisted, built up) and let thi Reason, I sai, soar aloft, evn, if possibl, up to AEternitie, beeing environed with Time (as it is a part of that Prius and Posterius without which the beginning and end of ani beeing cannot be conceived to be, not as it is defined the Measure of Motion, which had a Beginning) on that Founda­tion; that of an AEtern Beeing [c] of Beeings ( no­thing beeing abl to make it self) Reason existeth, sub­sisteth, standeth, buildeth and finisheth, I mean concludeth, That AEternitie it self is: but * what it is, the imbecillitie of ani rational Facultie is such as it cannot possibly comprehend, i. e. how ani thing shold have beeing without beginning and ending; yet such a beeing there must be, or no God there must, or can be, and where now wil Reason be? I fan­cie ( and you know what hath been written already of Phansie) that Reason, notwithstanding all the sub­limitie [Page 102] and vivacitie Phansie can afford, or give to it in all its best conceptions, like a sorri-silli Guide, doth but lead mee with confidence and leav mee in confusion in a dull dark Labyrinth, or Maze, in a Maeandrous passage, or Place. Hence evn the most Metaphysic Subtilissimoes after that thei have fati­gated, or quite tired and wearied ( and but worsted) themselvs with their Divisions and Subdivisions, I must affirm, thei have not arrived at so much of immodestie, as to make Reason the adaequate mea­sure of * Truth, but do ultimately resolv it into a Conformitie with the Divine Intellect, which a Plat [...] ­nist wold after this manner ( as one more excellently expresseth and exactly humoreth, than that ut supri lateiné) by waie of an Exegemátic Character, thus [...] That there is an AEternal Mind that comprehendeth th [...] intelligibl natures, species and ideas of all things, whe­ther actualy existing, or possibly only, and that compre­hendeth it self and all the extent of its own Power, [...] ­gether with an Exemplar, Platform, of the wh [...] World, according to which Hèe produced the sam [...]. What of all this? Why dato & concesso, the Praemis­ses granted and allowed, yet stil the Conclusion wil [...] and must be, in spite of all our Reason, assisted with the clearest imagination, wee are no less in the dark: for unless notice be vouchsafed to us by the AEternal Mind of what is conformabl to His infallibl and infinit Intellect, there wil be littl, or no certentie of Truth obteined by us. Such is the peculiar Province of Re­velation which is the tru (or praetended) foundation stil of all knowledg whatsoever. Moreover, it hath all [Page 103] the benefit of Philosophie and natural Religion's light in its best progress of Reasoning, in its high­est Zenith, exaltation, elevation, sublimation and Acme (to be silent as to a further and unfailing ra­tification from Divine Testimonie and the Trans­scendence of the Objects, proper quarto modo to an Apocalypsie, which giveth it freer admission and ma­keth a more solid, valid and durabl impression up­on our intellect: Tho' wee acknowledg, when all is don, how magnificously soever wee bragg and va­por and taper of our Reason, or Faith, Intellect, intelligibl Ideas and aeternal Verities, these wil ne­ver conduct us to enter into Paradise, or our Ma­ster's joie; but only as these are conjoined with our * affections, which commix, co-incide and as it were identifi with that grandest and Divinest Mysterie of Love, sciz. God made Flesh: which gave ( as one superexcellently) the Angels new Anthems, a new Scaene of Knowledg and consequently a new Heven. So much, if not too much, of the distinction of these Powers, and of that refined one of Soul and Spirit in man, I sai Man, who certenly is more, than is con­teined in that old definition Animal Rationale, if hee were no more than Animans intellectuale; tho' were I worthi to define Him it shold be rather by Religio­sum than by either, or both mentioned. Nai, se­riously thinking, considering and ruminating of the Rarities and Merits of his Creation by Iehovah AElohim, who breathed into his Nostrils [a] the [Page 104] Breath of Lifes, and who, as the Father of Spirits formeth that in man, I can scarce forbear calling Him Animal Divinum; tho' I be not such an Ani­mal, without the facultie to think, nai, and to foresee this definition deemed, forthwith, by the a­cute as unphilosophi [...]; yea the Terms doomed, o [...] however if not so adjudged, yet ( to speak favora­bly) impleaded, as carri-ing in their veri Bowels a self-duelling, by som: chiefly those, who have b [...] great Labors procured unto themselvs a deep-read [...] confusion of thought. Let mee complete this Para­graph with the three constituent Parts of man ac­cording to the Apostl's Philosophie, or Iudgment in that Praier of his where mention is made of Bo­die, Soul and Spirit; which Spirit, or [...] [b] what it signi [...]ieth in the New Covenant, or * Te­stament, the Places at the Bottom, and mani mo, do tell. But to interpret it, as most do, by the [...], the Graces of the H. Spirit, wold make the Apostl's Praier so impertinent, improper, strange, if not ridicu­lous, unless those Graces had at ani been found blame-worthi, that I cannot but appear most exceedingly blameabl miself, shold I add one Word to contra-argue it. However let mee add the following words tending toward the conclusion of this prodi­giously prolix and strange sort of a Praeface, viz. [Page 105] that seeing the Architypous Globe, or Original Beeing is the Basis and Foundation as wel of AE­ternal Nature ( to use you a littl to the Term that you mai be the less terribl against it) as of all other Essen­ces, Globes, Worlds, producted, educted, or brought forth out of the Womb of pure Nature su­pranominated, wee have therfore, first of all, made known (as is fit and order requireth) the Primari World of all Worlds. Next to it Nature (an empti name to som, I know, and wors) Then the Angelic World, had wee not been praevented and obstructed by the pertinacie and (I wil not add) perfidie of one Person: who hath not onely not complied with the fair desires of the Living (which is disobliging and disingenuous) but contradicted (which is fouly ominous) finaly frustrated, I fear to sai (that wold be dread­fully dangerous) the veri will of the * `Ο ΜΑΚΑΡΙ­ΤΗΣ, `Ο 'ΕΝ 'ΑΓΙΟΙΣ. With whom and whose Writings I have altogether don, after I shal have told thee, candid Lector, that this Spiritual Man, as hee cared not to be counted prolix (which hath made mee the longer and the more to imitate him) pro­vided, Hee could profit but ani Person: tho' with repetition upon repetition (which to captious, or cu­rious Critics, I am no such Novice, or Idiot, as not to [...]gno to be very nauseous) so neither sought hee the Prais of men, which hee was far above: albeit I, like an ambitious and praesumtuous Friend and Free-willer, have made an offering in this pitteous Prae [...]ace to the Memorie of his pretious Name: which wil rise higher and shine brighter, more and more ( for, so, [a] the path of the Righteous is as the shining Light that shineth more and more unto the perfect [Page 106] Daie) tho' to those who love darkness, abominably; and to Moles, Bats and Owls, invisibly. To pro­cede, as hee wrote not ani uncouth, much less, un­true things; so hee slighted censures, as much as ani thing: ( fit only like * Charcoal-sparks, to affrig [...] Children) hee never concerning himself at all, as to ani thing, men shold unworthily * sai, or Satyricl [...] write against what hee had surely found and sweet­ly felt. Take therfore now I do mi fair leav of him, who beeing raised on high ( above the God of th [...] World ( or Age rather) which blindeth the minds of them who beleev not, least the Light, &c. as the A­postl goeth on) and placed near the Regal Throne of the most High (evn when here ( Hear ye this all y [...] Wonderers) Hee knew and saw, that there was a Spi­rit in man, when illuminated by the Spirit of Go [...] ( the Father of Lights and Spirits) which is abl to serch, find, feel, apprehend and comprehend what words cannot utter, and so transscendently above ani things in this Book written by him. The more interior Portraicture of whom could only be drawn by himself, not by ani other Pencill; how much less then by mi Penn? Nai it is far from beeing drawn by, tho' possibly designed & as it were in the outlines on and in these Tabls of his own Heart, the praesent papyrs: therefore no exact Lineaments can be here exspected. Leav likewise here I do the Issue and Success to the Benediction of the holi, good and gra­cious, the immortal, invisibl, aeternal and only wise Spirit, who reveled these deep things to him, and made him and mee willing to impart the same spiritu­alities [c] for, as is hoped, the service and benefit [Page 107] of mani, the consolation and confirmation of som few, the confutation, redargution and conviction of unbeleevers, ill-beleevers and ill-livers, and for the rectification and illumination of the base mespri­sions of most, and dark conceptions of mo; who have other Ideas and apprehensions, than do, without doubt, becom the only True, semper eadem, sempitern ever-adorabl and super-benedict Tri-une Deitie. For ( as one excellently and admirably) that man doth but beli God, in plain English, when God is said, or thought to be All things, those things, or like ani thing men, or Angels can imagine: it beeing alltoge­ther unproblematic and without the less'st shadow of scrupl, and mai wel be accounted as an Axiom ( if not spoken as the [d] Oracls of God) that hee belieth God, who speaketh falsly of God, and truly ( wil that Word here pass?) so hee doth, who saith more, or less than the Truth. In which as it is [e] in Iesus the Christ, our High-Priest, Prophet, King and Iudg; so am I ( and in the Faith and Lov that is in him) tho' the ve­ri off-scouring of the whol Creation, so consequently most unworthi of the Name of your Friend, Ac­quaintante, or Compatriot, yet cannot but subscribe miself to be,

Dear Christian Reader,
Your's, as your self, and your own Soul * E H. MAMP.

THE AUTHOR TO THE READER.

Iudicious Reader.

SO I would have you to be. Read, then waigh and seriously consider what you read, and then judg, and then reject what thou dost not like. But yet not rashly condemn what thou in thy present state cannest not comprehend. Let it ly by thee, it may bee better understood in another State. Be­cause the Authour's Philosophy proceeds, note sha [...], from the Center, and not from others. And so writes in an unknown way and unusuall Method. And therefore at first reading the stile and the ex­pressions of it may seeme somthing unpleasant; but let Patience be thy Companion to carry thee in rea­ding it, from the Beginning to the End, and then the bitterness and harshness of it may be turned in­to a sweet pleasantness, and may cause a delight in your reading it over the second time. I onely court your appetite to read it over with judgment, and [Page 109] then judg what you please. I write not to gain Di­sciples, nor to make a Sect or Partie, nor to make Divisions in the World. There are too many Sects, Schisms, and Divisions in the World already; but onely to declare the interest of Truth, who is able to preserve herself from all the falsities of this present age. Therefore do not blinde your own minde with Prejudices before you read, for how then should you understand, or per­ceive what you read? So I rest

Yours, In the Love of Iesu [...] I P MD.

[...].

Page xiii. line 19. read Hewet. p. xiv. l. 26. for both, even. p. xviii. l. 38. for them, thei. p. xxxi. l. 9. read man's. p. xl. l. 8. joie. p. xlii. l. 12. seemeth. l. 31. persecutions. l. 34. non intelli­gatur. penult. ità. p. xliv. l. 33. by a [...] p. liv. l. 8. [...] p. lx. 16. soberness. p. lxvii. l. 5. abstractedly. p. lxxv. l. 26. His holi.

What further, Reader, you amiss mai find.
As like enough you mai, if that you mind;
Prai l [...]t your Penn amend. Sir, be so kind.

A POST-SCRIPT From the Praefacer to the Peruser.

AS I have been humbly bold before the Throne of Grace to praefer som few Petitions to the King of Kings, of Saincts, and the only Sovereign of Men and Angels ( as you mai see afore, and elswhere i [...] two smal * piec [...] of mine, peradventure not unworthi of your perusal) so now here agen I praesent to your hearts the flaming Ardors of a great Soul, who panted after God ( David like) after the living God ( as the Hart braieth after the Waters) and was most vehemently earnest, when in the bodie, with the God of Grace, Peace and Truth, beseeching and beseech­ing that hee wold forthwith [q] ( if so his blessed Will were) break up the Fountains of the great Depths of Spi­ritual knowledg, coelestial understanding and di­vine wisdom ( yet greatly sealed up) both in his Word and Works, before Men and Saincts; principaly those heavenly Heroic Persons, who loved the Truth at a better rate and higher value than to fear the shame of beeing reckoned and counted erroneous for the Profession of it, that, once more, the Wa­ters [Page 111] of Life ( which hee thirsted after, here, unsquench­ably) mought gush out exceedingly and flow forth abundantly for the watering and refreshing the dri­parched-scorched-barren Root of the World round about. Then shal all mesprisions and whatsoever is amiss be for ever drowned, as with a divine De­luge: which yet too much and too high are kept aloft, swimming in too-too mani of our best Heads.

Dear Reader, whosoever you mai be, I verily beleev that shold you pleace to lai the same Ear of con­scientious unpraejudicateness as close to the voice of these Mysteries as I did, and then hearken; you wold hear it, as wel deliciously harmonizing and ravish­ing, as distinctly admonishing and advising you, evn to steer the same cours of thoughts with miself. Ne­vertheless I cannot, courteous Reader, (let me have, I prai, mi wonted freedom in delivering plainly, if not prudently, or placently, mi opinion) I sai, I can­not praevale with mi self to becom a Counseller to you to advise you, as yet, to drink of these Aquas vitae coelestes: except and with this Proviso, that you draw, with mee, the same, from the veri same Foun­tain: yea drink and eat and sleep too (as was said of one) aeternal Life. That you mai not be startled at the sound of these Words, deign to view and re­view the Words of the holi Iesus, and ruminate up­on the reason, why our Lord (who was so meek and lowli in heart) rather reproved, than received that good (I shold have called it) salutation, or salutation of good (in that Titl of Dignitie dearly merited) which hee bestowed on him, Matt. xix. 7. Wel. This I must openly confess, namely, miself to have been built up in the Belief, wherein I formerly was; which as it was, thro' Grace, gradualy obteined: so by this Master-Builder greatly advanced: who likewise aequaly with (I shold sai farr more excellently than) miself forsook his most familiar and best [Page 112] Friends (not prostituting the Nobilitie of His Spirit i [...] the waie of his Iudgment) and not only those, but one particular and principal Darling (more dear and ne [...] than all the above-named) evn his own veri self. Eve­ri one therfore ought ( with no smal submission I spea [...] it) who shal be his Reader, to be veri kind, courteous, favorabl, compassionat, tender-hearted and most Christianly loving to Him in His Name and Memorie, & that without ani Nabalism, or dissimulation, yea as far as [...] mai, can, or wil extend: according to the direction and injunction of Iehovah AElohim i [...] holi Writ. I can assure you, candid Praelector, the Au­tor was * so to all: then why cannot you at, less'st [...] such an one? I conclude with that Distich of Dea [...] Donn, and two, or three mo, and then I have don.

Thei who to Lords do write Rewards to get,
Are thei not like Singers at Doors for meat?
And I who write, 'caus all do write, have stil
That plea for writing, and for writing ill.
Why shold Malfido then look now so grim?
Sure, Proximus postremus is, with him.
—Vt ameris amabilis esto. sic P. Ovid. Naso.
Est etenim Magnes magnus amoris amor.

Haec omnibus obtulit

E H. MAMP. aliàs, DRAWDE REKOOH

An Explanation of the Scheme of the eight worlds, Gl [...] Centers, and [...]heir Scituation.

THE Letter A affordeth the view of the Arch [...] Globe or World which is the first and contei [...] the other in its circumference; as the figure monstrateth.

B wold have you b [...]hold Eternal Nature; whose [...] see, doth enclose all the Worlds.

C Carrieth you to the Angelical World.

D Declareth the Dark Fire-World.

E Entreth you into the Fire-Light-World.

F Pointeth forth the Light-Fire-World.

G Giveth you the sight of the four Elementarie-Worl [...]

H Holdeth out the Light Fireless-World.

We may further observ from this Figure that [...] Worlds, or Principles, are comprehended in the first [...] is the Eternal World; becaus it is the first of all Worlds, teining all, it self conteined of none, and the beg [...] and e [...]d of all Worlds, Principles, and Creations.

Another thing to be observed is that E [...]ernal Natur [...] is the second World, and doth contein 6 Worlds in its en [...] as was before mentioned; which are scituated in the order in which they were produced. 1. The Angelic [...]l [...] next the Dark-World, then the Fire-Light-World, in the [...] place Paradise or the Ligh [...]-Fire-World, in the fifth [...] outward visible four Elemental-World, and in the sixt [...] last place the Ligh [...]-Fireless-World.

Finally we are to take notice of a thing which ca [...] expressed in this Figure which is the penetration [...] Worlds one through another, without mixing with one ther. Thus the Eternal World passeth through all the [...] which it comprehends within its circumference; for els [...] who fills this World and dwells in it, could not be an [...]s [...]lent, Omnipotent and Omnipraesent God: for as Go [...] seth through all, so doth this World which in good and sense may be called the Body of God. So llkewise doth nal Nature pass through and penetrate the six Worlds, [...] are conteined in its circumference: besides every o [...] the six do penetrate one another; yet without mixi [...] one another, as being each of them a distinct Center, [...] and Principle.

Thus much shall suffice to have spoken in general co [...]ning the import of this Scheme, tho this Book explain's two of the Globes, Worlds, Principles, &c.

[Page]

The Archetypal A Globe

THE Introduction.

This first Treatise is concerning these four general Heads.
  • THE First is, What is God in the primary Being of himself before the Globe of Eternity was in existen­cy?
  • The Second is, What is God in the original [...]eing of himself, in the Globe of Eternity, be­ [...]re Eternal Nature was in being?
  • The Third is, What is pure Eternal Nature [...]ith all her working forms, Elements, Princi­ [...]les and inseparable Essences?
  • The Fourth is, What is God in pure Eternal [...]ature's Essence?

All these four Particulars are handled in or­ [...]er to a second Treatise, which is to speak of [Page 2] those many particular and distinct principle which were extracted out of the Eternal Prin [...]ciple of pure Nature; according to Iacob Beb [...]me's Philosophical Hypotheses and his The [...]logical Maxims, in order to take off that vail obscurity, that seems to spread it self over a [...] through all his deep and Mystical writings.

The First Head. What God is before the Globe of Eternity.

THE subject of this Chapter is, What God is in the primary and original being of himself, before the Globe of Eternity did exist.

Quest. If you ask me, What this God is, that was before the Globe of Eternity was brought into mani­festation?

Answ. I answer, That by God in this place I un­derstand the Spirit of Eternity himself, as he is an Eternal Unity and Simplicity. But what this Eternal Unity and Simplicity of himself is, who can tell but himself, it being unknowable to any besides himself. For no creature can comprehend an infinite, unsearch­able and incomprehensible Creator: therefore none can know what the Spirit of Eternity is, out of the Globe of Eternity, but himself alone. The first mani­festation of himself is in the Globe of Eternity, there he first becomes knowable to Intellectual creatures: but without and beyond it, he is as a Nothing to all created understandings, being hid and wrapt up in his own unsearchable Mystery. Wherefore we conclude, That God considered, as existing before the Globe of Eternity, is absolutely unknowable to all Creatures; and this leads me to the second Head or Particular which is handled in the next following Chapter.

The Second Head, which makes the second part of this Treatise. What God is in the Primary, and original Being of himself, in the Globe of Eternity, before E­ternal Nature's Principle was in Being.

IF you ask me what God is, as he exists in the Globe of Eternity, without and before Eternal Nature's Principle? I must, before I come to give you a more particular Answer to this Query advise you, that the knowledge of God as he exists in the Globe of Eternity, without eternal Nature, is a very deep and Mystical Knowledge, though it is true with­all, that in the Globe of Eternity God is much more Knowable, than without it in the solitary abstracted Being of himself, for so he is altogether unknowable and incomprehensible. Having premised this, I now come to answer the foregoing question by explaining these two following particulars, viz.

  • 1. What God is, with relation to the Globe of Eternity.
  • 2. What the Globe of Eternity is, wherein God, the Spirit of Eternity, doth manifest himself.

    Which Particulars I intend to make the subject mat­ters of two Chapters, which are to make up this second part.

CHAP. I.

Concerning what God is, in relation to his existence in the Globe of Eternity.

THE Deity existing in the Globe of Eternity is nothing else but, First, A Spirit of Eternity; and this Spirit of Eternity is an uncreated Essence: for he could not be a Spirit, without being an Essence, and were not he uncreated, He could not be the Spirit of Eternity.

Secondly, Again the Spirit of Eternity, or God, as he [...]s an uncreated Essence, so he exists and subsists in him­self and from himself; for there is nothing before him or above him, from whence he might receive his Being; [...]nd if there was, he c [...]ld not be God; for the notion of a God (in the sence in which it is here taken) im­ [...]lie a first original Being or Existence, that is before [...]nd gives existence to all other beings, being himself [...]ndependent of them all. And therefore it is, that God [...]yles himself the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and [...]he End, the first and the last. Therefore we must [...]onclude that all Worlds and all Creatures derive their [...]eing from this Spirit of Eternity, and consequently [...]hat the Globe of Eternity, or Eternal World, hath its [...]xistence from him; since there is nothing can be ex­ [...]epted from being the effect of this Universal, all-com­ [...]rehending cause. This the Scripture doth often in­ [...]ulcate to us, 1 Iohn 3. By him all things are made, and [...]ithout him nothing was made. And again, Col. 1.16. All things were created by him and for him. Now if this [...]e so, it follows that the Eternal World or Globe of [...]ternity was also created by him. And as the Spirit [...]f Eternity, is the Creator of the Globe of Eternity; [...]o by consequence he must be supposed to be before it, [Page 6] as the cause is before the effect, which neither may, no [...] can be confounded together.

In the third place [...] I say that the Spirit of Eternity is the Essence of all Essences, and the Cause of a Causes. For this Spirit of Eternity is the one only tru [...] God, from whom all other beings do at first deriv [...] their being, and in and by whom they are continued i [...] their subsistence; neither could He otherwise be the fir [...] and the last, the beginning and end of all things.

Lastly, The Spirit of Eternity, is an Eternal, incom [...]prehensible, and unmeasurable Unity. Now this Et [...]nal Unity is nothing else but pure Deity, and pur [...] Deity is an Eternal Unity: for as an Unity is the begi [...]ning of all Numbers; so is this Eternal Unity the b [...]ginning of all beings. Now if God be an Etern [...] Unity, it follows, that there can be no more than o [...] God, because a plurality of gods would destroy t [...] Nature of Unity. Besides if t [...]re were a plurality [...] gods, there must be supposed to be many firsts a [...] many beginnings, and so the one only God, the Sp [...]rit of Eternity, could not be this Alpha, or first a [...] beginning of all things. But the Scriptures do pere [...]ptorily assert that there is but one God, so Deut. 6 [...] Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one God.

Concerning the Holy Trinity.

From this Eternal Unity, the Holy Trinity is man [...]fested, of which I must speak somewhat in this plac [...] because they subsi [...]ted in the Eternal Unity of th [...]s [...]lv [...]s b [...]fore the Globe of Eternity was manifeste [...] and were the manifesters of it, and therefore m [...] needs be bef [...]re it. Now we must know that the H [...] Trinity are inseparably united, and do subsist in [...] Eternal Unity of themselves, and are co-operators in a [...] Generations and Creations whatsoever.

Concerning the nature of the Holy Trinity as they subsist in the Globe of Eternity.

The nature of the Holy Trinity considered in them­selves, as they exist in the Globe of Eternity, without and before eternal Nature, is a very great Mystery. Many disapprove that the word Person should be ap­plied to the Trinity, because their Spirits, in the sight of Vision, and light of Revelation, never could per­ceive any personality in the Holy Trinity. And indeed nothing is more true, than that there are no figurative persons in the Deity. Neither doth the Scripture in any place tell us of three persons in the Trinity, but when it speaks of the Trinity it expresseth it self thus; There be three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy G [...] and these three are one; 1 Ioh. 5.7. Hence it is that Mystical writers instead of the word Person, make use of the words of Number to signifie the Trinity by, calling the Father Monas, the Word, Duas, and the Holy Ghost Trias, which may be [...]nterpreted the first, second and third Number. And if all would keep to these expressions it would take away much contention about words.

There are others who are so far displeased with the word Person that they would only have the Trinity to be three denominations of one and the same thing: but this is too short to express the essential distinction of Father, Son and Spirit, and is as much in one extream, as the word Person is in the other.

I now proceed to open the Mystery of the Holy Trinity which consists in two particulars, viz. Unity in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity.

And first concerning Unity in Trinity.

The Eternal Unity varies forth it self into an Eter­nal Trinity: were there no Unity, there could be no [Page 8] Trinity, because from the Unity, the Holy Trini [...] doth proceed, as from its Eternal ground.

Object. But you will say, if the Eternal Vnity be [...] ground whence the Holy Trinity doth proceed, then there i [...] Quaternity in the God-head.

Answ. This is a mistake, for the Eternal Unity, [...] the Father; were there no Father, there would be n [...] Son, nor Holy Ghost, therefore here is no Quaterni [...] but a Trinity. Thus you see the Father hath va [...] forth himself into the Son and Holy Spirit. The F [...]ther is not the Son, nor the Son the Father, and t [...] Holy Ghost is neither the Father nor the Son, but the [...] are distinct in themselves. This distinction of the H [...]ly Trinity, the Scripture teacheth us in the place fo [...] cited, 1 Ioh. 5.7. where they are distinguished,

  • First, By their Names, Father, Word and Spirit.
  • Secondly, By their Order, the Father first, the S [...] second, and then the Spirit.
  • Thirdly, In their Numb [...], as one, two an [...] three.
  • Fourthly, By their relative properties which are i [...] ­cluded in their Names of Father, Son and Spirit. Wer [...] there no Father, there could be no Son, and if no So [...] neither could there be a Father: and if neither Fathe [...] nor Son were, there could be no Spirit proceeding fro [...] them both.

The Trinity being thus distinguished, let us spe [...] briefly of each of them a sunder.

Quest. What is God the Father?

Answ. God the Father is the first original beginning of the Trinity: were there no beginning, there could be no end; were there no first number, there could be no second or third in the Trinity. God the Father therefore is the Eternal beginning of the Holy Trinity. God the Father must be either from himself, that is from his own Divine Essence, or else from the Eternal World, or Eternal Nature's Essence; but neither of [Page 9] them were yet existent; wherefore we must conclude that except the Father had taken his Beginning from his own Eternal Unity, he could not have been the first beginning of the Trinity.

In the second place, I say that God the Father, is the Eternal Generator of the Son, or word who is the second person in the Holy Trinity.

Quest. What is God the Son?

Answ. God the Son is the Second number of the Tri­nity, were there no Son, there would be no Father. He is the Center and Heart of the Trinity. He is gene­rated of the Father before the Eternal World, or Eter­nal Nature were in being. He is the only begotten Son of the Father, and is co-eternal, co-essential, and co-e­qual with him. He is the essential Word of the Father. He is the delight of the Father, and his well beloved Son, in whom he is well pleased.

Quest. What is the Holy Ghost?

Answ. He is th [...] third and compleating number of the Trinity. He is an out-flowing breath, life, or power, which proceeds from the Father through the Son, and doth execute the will of the Father. This out-flowing life and acting power proceeds from the Divine Essence of the Father and the Son, and therefore is co-eternal, co-essential and co-equal with the Father and Son.

Quest. Why is not the Holy Ghost said to be begotten of, but to proceed from the Father?

Answ. If the Holy Ghost were begotten of the Fa­ther, then the Son could not have been the only begot­ten of the Father, and so the Father would have had more Sons then one; neither would there have been a distinction between the Son and the Holy Ghost. There­fore the Holy Ghost is not said to be generated of the Father, but to proceed from the Father and Son, as an out-flowing breath of Life and Power. The Holy Ghost doth compleat the Trinity, and make up the number three, so as nothing can be added thereto, or [Page 10] diminished: the Father cannot be without the Son, nor the Son without the Father, nor the Holy Ghost without both Father and Son.

Quest. How is the Vnity in Trinity distinguished in the Eternal World?

Answ. I have told you before that the Trinity is di­stinguishable by their Names, Number, Order, and by their relative properties, but not by their Natures, be­caus they have but one Nature and Essence; in which oneness of their Nature their Eternal Vnity doth consist. Therefore they that would distinguish the Holy Trinity in the Eternal World, otherwise than before expressed, do run into great confusion. The Father is an Eternal Vni­ty, and so is the Son and Spirit; the Son is pure Deity, and so is the Father and Spirit: the Holy Ghost is an Eternal Liberty and so is the Father and Son. There­fore these are no distinguishing properties of the Holy Tri­nity in the Eternal World. Some do thus distinguish the Trinity, they say the Father is Light, the Son Life, and the Holy Ghost Love: but these cannot be the distin­guishing characters of the Trinity, because the Father is Light, Life and Love, and so likewise the Son and Holy Ghost. Others would have the Father to be Light, the Son Love, and the Holy Ghost Power, but all these belong to every one of the Trinity, and therefore can­not be the distinguishing characters of them. Others again would have the Father Fire, the Son Light, and the Holy Ghost Air: but these are elements which are rooted in Eternal Nature's Principle, and are not to be found in the Globe of Eternity. Others distinguish the Father by the severity of Divine Iustice, the Son by Love and Mercifulness; whereas in the Eternal World there is no severity of vindictive Iustice known, nor any thing of anger or wrath; becaus the Holy Trinity stands wholly in the Unity of Love. The only distinction of the Holy Trinity in the Eternal World is this, That the Fa­ther manifesteth himself as a wonderful all-seeing Eye: [Page 11] the Son manifests himself as the Center of the Eye, and Heart of the Father; and the Holy Ghost as an out-flow­ing Power proceeding from the Father's Eye, and the Son's Heart, effecting whatsoever the will of the Father in the Eye, through the Love-essence, seated in the Heart of the Son, would have done. And thus the Ho­ly Trinity do manifest themselves distinctly in the Eternal World, though they all stand in the Eternal Vnity, and are not only three Denominations, as will be clearly ma­nifested in the third Chapter of this following dis­course, to which I refer you.

Now I come to speak of the other particular in the Mystery of the Holy Trinity, viz. Trinity in Vnity. This Mystery I will endeavor to open, as I have seen it with the Eye of my enlightned mind, and shew how the Holy Trinity do subsist as one in one only ground, or Di­vine Essence.

Object. You will say if three do subsist in one only es­sence, that seems to make a Quaternity and not a Tri­nity.

Answ. This is an ill drawn consequence and a meer mistake which may easily be rectified thus. The one only ground or essence in which the Holy Trinity do subsist, is the Eternal Unity; and this Eternal Unity in the Father, and the Son, and Holy Ghost, subsists in the Father's Unity: so that the Holy Trinity is one with the Eternal Unity, from whence they flow forth: and as they have their beginning from the Unity, so they end in the same. The Holy Scripture teacheth us this fundamental truth, that the Holy Trinity are one, and yet three in that oneness, 1 Ioh. 5. 7. There are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. They are all one in the Eternal Unity, the Father is in the Son, and the Son in the Father, and the Holy Ghost in the Father and Son; so that one cannot be without the other, and are but one ever blessed God, though distinguished [Page 12] in their goings forth, and the manifestations of them­selves.

Now if it be asked what the Nature of the Holy Trinity is? I answer, it is pure Unity, and pure Uni­ty is pure Deity; and this is the Nature of the Father, Son and Spirit, they are all Unity and pure Deity. And as they have but one undivided Nature, so they have but one Eye, one Understanding, one Will. But if any one inquire further what this Eternal Unity and Deity is which is the Nature of the Holy Trinity? I answer, that none knows this, but the unsearchable Trinity. Neither is it any further knowable by Angels or Men, but that it is, what it is.

But notwithstanding that we say, that the Vnity is unknowable in it self to Angels and Men; yet it may be known, forasmuch as it relates to the Trinity, and as it is the one ground in which they subsist; and in this respect we say, that the Eternal Unity, is a most simple Essence free from all duality and contrariety. It is most true that va­riety may consist with Vnity, but contrariety destroys its nature, which admits of no mixture whatsoever. Now if the Nature of the Trinity be Eternal Vnity and simpli­city, free from all contrariety and mixture, it follows that Light and Darkness, Love and Anger cannot be in the Holy Trinity, as they exist in the Globe of Eternity; because these contrarieties would necessarily destroy the Nature of Vnity.

But you will say that God is styled in Scripture, a God that is angry, and a consuming fire, and in other places he is said to be Light and Love, which implies that there is a mixture of contrarieties in the Essence of the Holy Trinity.

I answer, that these Scriptures speak of God as he hath introduced himself into apostatized and impure Nature's essence after the fall, whereas I in this place speak of God as he exists in the Eternal World, be­fore Eternal Nature was divided by the fall; and in [Page 13] this state the Holy Trinity is nothing but Eternal Unity, free from any contrariety or mixture whatso­ever.

And thus the Nature of the Trinity, if well under­stood, manifests clearly h [...]w Father, Son and Spirit are distinct, and yet are but one Eternal Unity. And thus much concerning the Trinity in Unity.

Now I will further treat of the Nature of the Holy Trinity. The Triune God, considered in himself in the Globe of Eternity, is pure Deity; which pure Dei [...]y is the highest purity, clarity and brightness of glory beyond all imagination. This high purity of the Trinity is free from all impurity and imperfection whatsoever: and in this high purity consists the righte­ousness and holiness of God. This bright purity is the Nature of t [...]e Trinity in the Globe of Eternity, which they equally partake of; for as the Father is all purity, so is the Son and Spirit, an [...] from this purity of their Nature are called the Holy Trinity.

But to proceed to a further opening of the Nature of the Trinity. God is said to be Good, and the one only Good, the chiefest Good wherein Eternal Bliss and happiness doth consist; in which ground of Eternal Goodness the Father, Son and Spirit are all one. The Father is all Goodness, and so likewise is the Son and Spirit; and consequently Good and Evil cannot be in God; for so there would be a mixture of contrary natures in the Divine Essence, which as hath been said, is all Eternal Goodness.

Evil of sin cannot be in God, because sin is an imper­fection; now no imperfection can be found in the Di­vine Essence which is perfection it self.

Neither is the evil of punishment to be found in the Trini­ty: for if the Nature of God be all Goodness, Mercy, Pity and Compassion, where shall severity, fierceness or bitterness be found? Or any vindicative Iustice? [Page 14] From whence proceeds the evil of punishment? I say, none of these are to be found in the Nature of the Holy Trinity, as they subsist in the Globe of Eternity.

If you ask me further, what the Nature of the Holy Trinity is? I answer, That the Holy Trinity are i [...] themselves a free Eternal lib [...]rty: The Father is an Eter­nal Liberty, and so is the Son and Spirit. But wh [...] is this Eternal [...]iberty, which is the Nature of the Ho­ly Trinity? I answer, It is their subsisting in their ow [...] Eternal Vnity, simplicity and pure Deity; free from a [...] other Essences, neither touching them, nor being touched b [...] them. For as they exist in the Eternal World, befor [...] and without Eternal Nature they are free from all Es [...]sences whatsoever and exist in their own eternal Li [...]berty.

If you further inquire what the Nature of the H [...] Trini [...]y is? I answer, That their Nature is all happi [...] and blessedness; no misery, torment, or anguish is t [...] be found in them, or proceeds from them: wherefo [...] Hell, death and the Curs never proceeded from the H [...] Trinity; becaus their Nature being all happiness, [...] such thing can be found in them or proceed f [...] them: because such a mixture would necessarily de [...]stroy the happy and blessed Nature of the Holy Tr [...]nity.

I say further, That the Nature of the Holy Trinity [...] all perfection in the abstract, and ther [...]ore at an infini [...] distance from all imperfection whatsoever: Which p [...]fection of the Holy Trinity results from the Vnity and Si [...] ­plicity of their Nature, which admits not of any mixture [...] contrariety. By means of this perfection the Holy Tr [...]nity are compleat in themselves, so as nothing can b [...] added to it, or taken from it; forasmuch as it is t [...] Nature of absolute perfection to be compleat and entire in i [...] self, lacking nothing. The Father is the Beginning, th [...] Son the Center, and the Holy Ghost the End and con­summation of the Holy Trinity. Thus they are compl [...] [Page 15] and entire in themselves, rejoycing from Eternity to Eterni­ty in their own Eternal fulness, compleatness and absolute Perfection. They wanted not the Eternal World, nor the Essences of Eternal Nature, nor the Angelical Creation, for they were compleat in their own enjoy­ments without them. Wherefore the Eternal World and Eternal Nature were not created out of necessity, as if the Holy Trinity had stood in need of them; for they were compleatly perfect and happy before they were, and would continue so, if they were no more.

To finish this particular concerning the Nature of the Holy Trinity, I shall add these few lines, for a far­ther explanation of what the Nature of the Holy Tri­nity is. I have formerly told you that the Essence of the Trinity is Eternal Unity, which Eternal Unity is pure Deity, and now come to tell you, That this Vni­ty of the Divine Nature, is nothing else but Love: in which Love the Holy Trinity stand united, and are nothing else but Divine Love. And therefore in the Eternal World, in pure Eternal Nature, and in the Angelical World, there is no other manifestation but that of Love: because the Holy Trinity who manifest themselves in these Worlds Principles are themselves nothing but Love. Thus we see that the Holy Trini­ty have exalted the Love; to be the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending Essence of all Essences. We cannot ascend higher than this Love, because there is no Essence above, before, or beyond it. For as in Number we cannot pass beyond an Unity, which is first of Numbers; so neither can we, when we speak of Essences, go beyond the Love-Essence; which is all in all in the Eternal World, which is the first and the beginning of all Worlds. Oh wonderful, unsearchable and incomprehensible Love! Who can find out thy originality? Who can declare thy Generation? Thou wast before all, and wilt be the last of all: and blessed, yea thrice blessed are they who have found thee and en­joy [Page 16] thee! We conclude then that the Nature of the Holy Trinity consists in the Divine Vnity of the Love-Es­sence.

I shall conclude this Chapter with this Proposition, That the Trinity in Vnion with the Eternal World is the first Principle of all Principles: for there is none before it or beyond it. This Eternal World or Globe of Eternity is enclosed in its own circumference, and is therefore called a Principle, according to the Defi­nition of a Principle given hereafter in its proper place more fully.

CHAP. II.

Concerning the Eternal World, wherein the Ho­ly Trinity do manifest themselves, as in a clear Chrystalline Glass or mirrour.

THIS Eternal World was called the Globe of Eter­nity, at the time when I was taken up to have a view of it. In which Globe of Eternity I then distin­guished three distinct places, which yet make up but one undivided Globe or Sphear. The first of these places was called the Outward Court; the second, the Inward Court, or the Holy Place; and the third and last was called the inmost Court, or the Holiest of all. My Guide first led me into the Outward Court, concerning which accordingly, I do intend to speak in the first place.

In this Outward Court I took notice of two things, the first was the Globe or circumf [...]rence it self called the outward Court; the second was the Eye placed in the Center of the said Globe or circumference.

As concerning the Globe it self, we are to take notice that it is the first and highest of all; not created by God, but generated out of himself: as also that it is substan­tial, [Page 17] though of a very refined and Spiritual substance, for it is the Essence of Essences, and Substance of Sub­stances.

Concerning the second thing which is the Eye pla­ced in the Center of this Globe, we must know that it represents the Spirit of Eternity, which is God himself, who is not only the efficient, but also the material, for­mal and final cause of the Globe, in the Center of which he manifests himself as an Eye: which essential Eye of God, looking into it self, and finding nothing besides it self, by dilating it self, gives a beginning and end to it self; which beginning and end entring into, and joyning with one another, do constitute and form the Globe of Eter­nity. So that the Globe of Eternity is nothing else, but the dilatation of the Eye of Eternity, from the Center to the Circumference.

But if any ask why this first emanation of the Spirit of Eternity, was formed into a round figure, rather than into any other? I answer, because a round is the most simple, perfect and comprehensive of all Figures, and there­fore most proper for him who is Simplicity and Perfection it self, and the wonderful all-comprehending All.

I have already told you that the final Cause of this Globe, is God himself; but to speak more particularly concerning the ends God proposed to himself in the Generation of this Globe.

1. I say that the first end, why God generated the Globe of Eternity, was, that he might dwell therein as in an house or mansion.

2. A second end, why God generated this Globe out of himself, was, for the manifestation of himself to himself: for the Eye turning it self inward into it self, comes to know it self, and to see, feel and taste it self; and if it look outward it sees nothing but it self neither, becaus as the Eye is God, so is the Globe nothing but the di­latation of the Eye.

[Page 18]I now come to give you some properties or qualifica­tions of this Globe, from which it may appear wha [...] kind of Principle this Globe of Eternity is.

1. The first property is, that it is the first of a [...] Globes in order of existence, nothing being before [...] but the Eye, by the dilatation of which it was s [...]med.

2. The second is, that this Globe is the Cause an [...] original ground from whence all other principles [...] proceed.

3. The third is, that this Globe was immediatel [...] formed by the Spirit of Eternity out of himself.

4. The fourth is, that this Globe is an all-compre [...]sive Globe, because it conteins all other Globes an [...] Principles whatsoever, but is it self uncomprehend [...] of none. And it must needs be so, for this Globe be [...]ing nothing else, but the Spirit of Eternities dilati [...] it self, it will follow, that if there were any thing [...] of the bounds of this Globe, it must also be out [...] the reach and comprehension of the Spirit of Eternity which cannot be, because this Spirit of Eternity is God himself, who is All in All, and contains all Worlds [...] Centers and Creations whatsoever. And therefore it is that God calls himself the first and the last, the be­ginning and end of all things; to signifie that the [...] is nothing besides him, nor beyond him; but that h [...] wonderful immense Being, doth contain and compre­hend all other beings whatsoever.

This Globe of Eternity, to speak more particularl [...] doth contain seven several Principles, Globes or Cen­ters, of which we shall give you an account here­after.

If any one ask, what if it should please God to make more Worlds or Principles than those already brought forth, where would he find room for them?

I answer, that the Globe of Eternity is of sufficient Capa [...]ity to contain not only those Worlds already [Page 19] formed, but also those that may be formed hereafter: for since the Circumference of this Globe is nothing else but a dilatation of the Eye of Eternity, who can put bounds to the same? Or conclude that the Spirit of Eternity cannot at pleasure further dilate the same to those dimensions, which may be correspondent to his purpose and design?

The immense comprehensiveness of this Globe of Eternity doth yet further appear, in that it compre­hends, quo ad nos, the incomprehensible Spirit of Eter­nity it self, which is far more than its comprehending all Principles and Worlds whatsoever. But you'l say, if the Spirit of Eternity be incomprehensible and in­finite, how can it be contained and comprehended by the Globe of Eternity? To which I answer, that such a being is truly and properly said to be incomprehen­sible, which cannot be comprehended or contained by any thing but it self; when we say that God is incom­prehensible, we do not mean that he is not compre­hended of and by himself, but only that nothing be­sides himself can comprehend him: now the Spirit of Eternity doth comprehend it self in the Globe of Eter­nity, becaus (as hath been said) the Globe is no­thing else but the dilatation of the Eye.

5. Property, This Globe of Eternity though it con­tain several Globes, yet is distinct from them all, and all the Globes contained in it, are distinct from it, and from one another, without any mixture or confusion.

6. Property, This Globe of Eternity is an Abyssal Globe (for so it was named to me, and the Eye in the Center of it, the Abyssal Eye) that is of an un­searchable depth, without bottom or ground; for the Abyssal Eye looking downwards into it self, and find­ing nothing but it self, did set a bound to it self. For as God looking upwards with his Eye, found no beginning of himself, and therefore put a begin­ning to his own heights; so when he looked down [Page 20] he put an end to his own depth, and by the dilatati­on of his Eye put bounds and limits to his own im­mensity. A [...]d thus this Abyssal Globe of Eternity was formed in heighth, depth and breadth; and all this was done suddainly even as in the twink of an Eye; for the Eye looking up gave it heighth, looking down gave it depth, and on each side gave it breadth: which dimensions are such as no Spirit can comprehend be­sides the Abyssal Eye, who is the former and maker of them. This is the outward Court of the glorious Pa­lace of the King of Kings, whose heighth, depth and breadth is proportion'd and suitable to the incompre­hensible Majesty that resides in it. Himself is the buil­der, himself the matter of it, and therefore the matter of this Palace may well be called Almighty Matter, but not the matter of this outward World, as some wis [...] Men falsely so deemed, would have it to be. And in­deed nothing is more apparent from what hath bee [...] said, than that Spirit is before matter and the cause of it, since even that most pure substance or matter which fills the Globe of Eternity doth proceed by way of Emanation, from the Spirit of Eternity, dwelling in the Eye of Eternity; now say I, if the matter of the Globe of Eternity did not produce it self, but pro­ceeded by immediate Emanation from God, much les [...] did ever any other matter produce it self, and conse­quently could not deserve the Name of Omnipote [...] matter; Omnipotence being a title only due to that Spirit, from whom all matter proceeds, and who acts and moves in it according to his good pleasure.

I now come to speak of the second Particular, viz. Concerning the Eye placed in the Center of the Globe of Eternity, called by God himself, the Abyssal Eye of Et [...]r­nity. This Eye is the Seat of the Spirit of Eternity, which Spirit of Eternity is God himself, as he subsists in his own pure simple abstracted Essence, before his [Page 21] introducing of himself into the principle of Eternal Nature. It is the Name which God gave to himself, those other Names which are made mention of in Scripture, do for the most part express God only as he stands related to the Creature, but this Name Spi­rit of Eternity, expresseth only his relation to the Globe of Eternity, of which he is the former, by immediate Emanation from himself.

If you ask me, why did the Spirit of Eternity in­troduce himself into the Eye?

I answer, it was for manifestation of himself, as hath been said already.

But if you ask me further, why was the Eye just placed in the Center of the Globe of Eternity?

I answer, that thereby it might appear, that the Spirit in the Eye, was the generator of the Globe of Eternity; for the natural formation of a Globe or Sphear is by the Center's dilating and expanding of it self: a circumference being nothing else, but a center dilated, or a central emanation bounded by it self.

For the further illustration of the Nature of this Eye, I will present you with these following parti­culars.

I. This Abyssal Eye is but one, not two or more, even as every Circle or Sphear hath but one Center, and as the beginning of all numbers is an Unity not two, three, &c. and so it must needs be, because it is the manifestation of the Spirit of Eternity, who is the most perfect and absolute Unity and Simplicity: For as there not two Gods, that is two Eternal Begin­nings, but one only; so there is but one Eye, in and by which the one God, who is the Spirit of Eternity, doth manifest himself.

II. This Abyssal Eye, is the first Being of all Be­ings, none before it nor beyond it; for it is nothing else but the first manifestation of the Spirit of Eter­nity, therefore nothing can be before it, even as [Page 22] nothing is, or can be before the Spirit of Eter­nity.

III. This Abyssal Eye is distinguishable from the Globe of Eternity, because as hath been said, the Spi­rit of Eternity in the Abyssal Eye is the generator o [...] it by way of emanation: now all emanations whatso­ever are distinguishable, from the being from whenc [...] they proceed.

IV. This Abyssal Eye, is Gods all-seeing and all-know­ing Eye: it is the Wonder-Eye of God, which search­eth out all things and from which nothing is hid. Bu [...] here ariseth a Question, viz. Whether the Spirit o [...] Eternity through this Eye do see all things past presen [...] and to come with one simple act of intuition togethe [...] and at once? Or whether he sees them successively [...] I know the first is maintained by the Schools, and b [...] the generality of Divines; neither will I positively [...]sert the contrary, but shall only give you the groun [...] which hinder me from being fully satisfied with th [...] truth of that assertion.

First, Because the Scriptures, which the defenders [...] this opinion do alledge for it, do not convincingl [...] prove the point: we will instance in some of the [...] of them, and which are most insisted upon. Let t [...] first be that place of Acts 15. v. 18. Known to God [...] all his works from the beginning of the world. It is pl [...]i [...] at first sight that this Scripture doth not fully prov [...] the thing in question, which is not whether all thing [...] be known to God? But whether God sees all thing [...] past, present and to come, in one single act, altogethe [...] and at once? Besides that Scripture only tells us tha [...] God knows all his own works, which is not at al [...] here in question, but whether God knows all the acti­ons of Men and Angels past present and to come a [...] one view, and in one single act? Concerning which this place makes no mention at all. Another plac [...] they alledge is Heb. 4. v. 13. All things are naked an [...] [Page 23] [...]pen unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do. Which place doth only prove that all things are known [...]o God, but it makes no mention at all of the man­ [...]er how God knows all things; and therefore cannot determine the point in controversie. The last place we [...]hall instance in is Acts 4. v. 28. For to do whatsoever thy Hand, and thy Councel determined before to be done. Nei­ther doth this afford any confirmation to that asserti­on, that God knows all things in one single intuitive act, but only shews that God knows and determines [...]hings before they come to pass. For I do not in the [...]east question Gods knowing all things, all secrets, and much more all his own purposes, before the foundation of the World; my only scruple is whether he knows all these in one undivided single act, or successively? Which the forementioned places of Scripture do not determine.

My second ground, why I cannot fully come over to this assertion, is, because this way of knowing all [...]hins at one single act, is altogether unintelligible to Creatures as Creatures, and consequently can be of no service or use to them.

In the third place it seems most probable to me, since it hath pleased God to introduce his Eye into the Globe of Eternity (which Globe is the Glass of his Wisdom) that God hath set this miroir before his Eye, that in it he might see all things as they come to be represented there, which representation being suc­cessive, his seeing and knowing of them must needs be such also.

I formerly told you [...] that this Globe of Eternity was distinguished into three parts, viz. into the outward Court, the Holy Place, and the most Holy; concerning which I come now to speak in particular. In the out­ward Court the Eye of Eternity is shut up or contra­cted; in the Holy Place, the same Eye is dilated; and in the Holiest of all the state and majesty of the Trinity is displayed.

[Page 24]I begin with the first, viz. the outward Court; [...] which as was just now said, the Eye of Eternity is con­tracted, that is, in which God shuts up himself in hi [...] own Mystery; and this contraction of the Eye o [...] Gods shutting up of himself is that which makes [...]he outward Court; here the Eye of Eternity only ap­pears as the Point and Center of the Globe of Eterni­ty, and yet therein the total Deity is shut up, or rathe [...] hides it self in his own Mystery. By the total Deity [...] understand the Holy Trinity, with all their essentia [...] Attributes, Power and Vertues, which are all hid i [...] this contracted Eye, or Center of the Globe of Eter­nity, and in a word the whole fulness of the Deity i [...] contained and as it were lock'd up in this contracte [...] Eye, which gives being to the outward Court. No [...] this contracted Eye or Center doth very properly re­present the Deity as he hides himself in his own Myste­ry, for he is the most absolute and first Unity, he is invisible, indivisible, without organs, shape or figu [...], and what can be more proper to represent such a Be­ing, than the Point or Center of a Circumference, which in it self is invisible, and without parts, shape or figure. The highly illuminated Iacob Behme gives us this following account concerning this contracted Eye of the Deity: It is, saith he, the Eye of the Abys [...] concerning which we have no Pen, Tongue nor utterance [...] write or speak of it, only the Eye of Eternity leadeth t [...]e Eye of the Soul into it, and so we see it, else it must r [...] ­main in silence, and this Hand could not describe any thi [...]g of it. Consider it according to its pretious Depth, fo [...] we speak not here according to Nature in a figure, but according to the Spirit above Nature in the Divine Character T. Again, he saith expresly that this Eye of the Abyss did form it self into a Globe, and so gave a beginning and end to himself; of which you may see more in the fourth and fifth p. of his fourty Questions. From which words of his it clearly ap­pears, [Page 25] that his Spirit had been taken up into the out­ward Court of the Abyssal Globe of Eternity.

But in the second place, like as the Abyssal Eye by contracting it self into the Center, and shutting up it self, doth constitute the outward Court; so the same Eye opened, and dilating it self throughout the whole Globe makes the inward Court or Holy Place. In the first the Deity hides it self; in this second place, the Deity manifests the Mystery wherein he had wrap'd up himself in the first or outward Court. So that as long as the Eye is shut, the whole Globe of Eternity is the outward Court; but as soon as the said Eye is opened, it is no more the outward but inward Court: for the Deity manifesting himself makes the outward Court to disappear, and instead thereof presents the inward. Wherefore no Spirit can pass at will from the outward Court to the inward, but must wait the opening of the Eye; which as it makes the inward Court, so it can only give an entrance into it, and a sight of all the wonders, heights and depths of the Deity, which by the opening of the said Eye are presented to the Spirit of the mind.

Quest. But you'l ask me what are these deep Mysteries which are made known and manifested by the opening of the Eye of Eternity?

Answ. In answer to which I shall give you an ac­count of some particulars which, by the opening of the said Eye, were presented to the intellectual sight of my Spirit: not that they were presented all at once, but at several distinct openings, every opening of the Eye presenting a new Mystery concerning the Deity.

1. The first Mystery discovered at the opening of the Abyssal Eye, is, the Mystery of the Being and existence of God in himself, before Eternal Nature or any Crea­tures were; and herein these three particulars are opened,

[Page 26]First, That God is the Spirit of Eternity, filling the Globe of Eternity with himself, that is, with power. For the further illustration of which we are to know that though God hath several Names given him in the Scripture, yet the most, if not all of them, speak his relation to Eternal Nature, as he hath intro­duced himself into it, and clothed himself with it; but this Name the Spirit of Eternity expresseth him only with regard to his solitary and abstracted Being, as he exists in the Globe of Eternity, without any relation to Eternal Nature.

Now as God by the opening of the Eye discovers himself to be the Spirit of Eternity, existing in, and filling the Globe of Eternity; so likewise this Spirit of Eternity is manifested to be All-power, Universal Power, and pure act, as the School-men term it, filling the whole and every part of the Globe of Eternity. Here is also discovered that this Spirit of Eternity, as it is All-power, so it is one undivided Power, as per­fect Unity without any separation, distinction or divi­sion. So as from this manifestation we may define the Spirit of Eternity to be the one total and Universal Power which fills the Globe of Eternity.

2. The second particular is this, That the Spirit of Eternity is not only Essential and Substantial in it self, but also the Primary Essence of all Essences, and Sub­stance of all Substances. That the Spirit of Eternity is Essential appears, becaus it is all Power, now there can be no power but what is Essential; Power implying Essence in the notion of it, for we cannot conceive of Power without Essence, nor of Essence without Power. It appears also that this Spirit of Eternity is the origi­nal Essence of all other Essences, because the opening of the Eye discovers this Spirit to be the first Essence, not only in order of time, but also by nature and way of caus [...]lity or efficiency; nothing being above, be­yond, or before it. Moreover, as was said before, this [Page 27] Spirit is discovered to be an All-power, a total and universal Power; that is, a Power including and com­prehending all Powers, and from whence, as from a fruitful womb, all Powers whatsoever are derived and do proceed; now if this Spirit of Eternity be the Power of all Powers, it must by consequence be the Essence of all Essences, because, as was just now hin­ted, the one cannot be without the other. No Pow­er can be without Essence, nor Essence without Power.

But you'l say, if the Spirit of Eternity be the first beginning of all things, and the Essence of all Essen­ces, then it will follow that God is the beginning as well of evil Essences as of Good?

To which I answer, first, That when we say that the Spirit of Eternity is the first beginning and Es­sence of all Essences, it must be restrained to good Es­sences, actions and motions, which do proceed from the Spirit of Eternity and not those that are evil.

In the second place, when we say the Spirit of Eter­nity is the Essence of all Essences, it must be thus un­derstood, that from the Spirit of Eternity doth pro­ceed the first Eternal beginning of all Essences in re­lation to himself, that is, in relation to the Abyssal Eye, which is himself and from himself; and in relation to his Abyssal Globe, which is himself and from himself: now nothing can be in God but that which is God, and therefore contrary to all evil; for there is no evil originally in himself: therefore they are wholly out that would draw Good and Evil from Gods Eternal beginning of himself [...] When indeed the opening of the Eye doth only manifest what is shut up in the Eye of the Abyss, and manifesteth nothing that is without the Abyss. Now there being nothing but God himself manifested in the Abyss of Eternity, and no evil Es­sence being to be found in him, therefore it must fol­low that the Eye of Eternity doth only manifest God [Page 28] to be the original of all good Essences and not of evil; becaus the Eye of Eternity cannot manifest that which is not, it being plain that no evil can be in God. Therefore when we say that all Essences proceed from God, it must be restrained to all such Essences as do immediately proceed from God, even such as God is the immediate Author of, and those are only all good Essences; for whatsoever doth immediately proceed from God, the highest Good, must needs be good and no ways evil.

3. The third particular, which the opening of the Eye manifesteth, concerning the Being an existence of God, is this; That the Spirit of Eternity is the origi­nal Essence of all Essences; that is, that the Spirit of Eternity is not only the first of all Essences, but also that he subsisteth in and from himself, and oweth his existence to none but himself, as being the only origi­nal of self.

And thus we have done with the first Mystery which is discovered to the Spirit of the mind, by the opening of the Eye of the Abyss, viz. the Mystery o [...] God's being and existence, that he is the only true God and Father of all, who is above all, before all, through all, and in all.

The second Mystery which is discovered by the opening of the Eye of the Abyss, is, the Mystery of the Holy Trinity, viz. how the Eternal Unity brings forth the sacred Trinity, co-eternal, co-essential, co-equal with himself? The Eternal Unity is the Father, who brings forth his Son and Spirit out of himself. Were there no Eternal Unity, there coud be no Trinity; if there were no first, there could be no second or third; were there no Father, there could be no Son or Spirit; and thus you see that the Holy Trinity proceeds from the Eternal Unity.

But you will say, how doth this agree with what you said before, viz. that the Spirit of Eternity is an [Page] [Page]

[figure]

[Page 29] Eternal Unity, and an indivisible power, without duality, diversity and contrariety; whereas now you say that this Eternal Unity hath diversified it self into a Trinity?

I answer, that the opening of the Eye of the Abyss doth reconcile this seeming contradiction: for at the disclosing of the Eye, the Spirit of the mind clearly sees [...]hat the Holy Trinity is one with the Eternal Unity; becaus they are one in another and proceed one from another, and do not exist severally in distinction from, or without one another: for thus the indissoluble band of God's Eternal Unity would be broken and his in­divisibility taken away. But here it appears that the Eternal Unity abides indivisible, notwithstanding that the Holy Trinity proceeds from it; becaus they subsist one in another, the Son and Spirit subsisting in the Eternal Unity of the Father.

Further we must know that though Unity doth ex­ [...]lude all manner of Contrariety, yet it may consist with Harmonious variety: now the Father is not contrary to the Son and Spirit, nor they to the Father, but their [...]ariety is harmonized in Unity.

Again though Eternal Unity cannot consist with an [...]bsolute distinction, division and separation, such as is between things which subsist independently of one [...]nother; yet it may consist with such a distinction, as is [...]ound in things which are one in another and cannot be without one another, as being united in the root of Unity.

For the illustration of which look upon the figure in the Margent, the round Circle

[figure]

represents the Abyssal Globe, the Eye in the midst of the Heart, represents the Father, the Generator of the Son, who is the Heart of the Fa­ther: the Heart in the midst of which the Eye is placed, typifies the Son of God, the only begotten of the Father, Co-eternal, Co-essential and Co-equal with him; and the out flowing exit of powers, like a breath, repre­sents [Page 30] the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father [...] through the Heart of the Son. Thus the Birth of the Holy Trinity is manifested, in the opening of the Eye, to be a Trinity in Unity: the Eye is in the Heart, and the Heart is the Eye's Center, and the Spirit is a pro­ceeding Spirit from the Eye and Heart; and thus they are one in another, in one Essence, undivided and in­separable: the Father is one with the Son, and the Son with the Father, and the Spirit proceeds from the Union of them both, and abides one with them [...] Wheresoever the Eye is, there is the Heart, and wheresoever the Eye and Heart are, there the out go­ing of powers stream's forth from them. But yet not­withstanding this their undivided Unity, they are i [...] this manifestation represented with a distinction fro [...] each other: for the Eye is not the Heart, nor the on [...] going breath either Eye or Heart. We must not think that the Holy Trinity are three distinct origanical per­sons, for so they must be three distinct Gods; but we must keep to the Scripture expression, which tells us, There are Three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, Word and Spirit, and these Three are one. 1 Iohn 5.7. And accordingly the Antients used to express the Tri­nity not by the word Persons, but by the Numbers, Monas, Duas, Trias, the first, second, third Number [...] I know there are many, who are so great Enemies [...] the word Person, that they suppose the Father, So [...] and Spirit only to be three denominations; but this is a great mistake, for the Eye of the Father is an Essen­tial Power, and not a meer denomination; the Sons Heart is an Essential being, generated out of and fro [...] the Father, and is the seat of the Eye of the Father, and the Holy Ghost is an Essential Breath proceeding from the Father's Eye, through the Son's Heart. The most unblameable expression therefore for to signifie the Trinity, is the Number Three, being an exp [...]essi­on which the Scripture warrants. Behme, in his [...] ­cellent [Page 31] writings, compares the Trinity to the Sun in the firmament, from whence fire, light and heat do proceed, which three are one in another, and yet so as the one is not the other: which resemblance holds forth the Holy Trinity, as they have introduced them­selves into Eternal Nature's Essence: but the Father's Eye opening it self, doth not manifest the Trinity in similitudes taken out of Eternal Nature's ground, but doth manifest their very Essence as they are in them­selves, before the existence of any Creatures out of Eternal Nature's ground.

We next come to speak of the Locality or Vbi of the Holy Trinity, which according to the foregoing figure, is in the midst or Center of the Abyssal Globe: When the Eye is closed or shut up, then neither the Eye of the Father, nor the Son's Heart, the Glory of the Eye, nor the breathing forth of the Spirit from both is to be seen, but are all shut up in the Eye; but when the Eye opens, then the Heart of the Son, and the Holy Ghost are seen; so that when the Eye of the Unity in the Center opens, then the blessed Trinity be­comes visible in the midst of the Abyssal Globe, being otherwise shut up and concealed in the Eternal Unity of themselves. Thus the Trinity is hid in the Eter­nal Unity of it self, and from that Unity they proceed and become visible in the opening of the Eye. So we see that the Unity is in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity. The sight of the Holy Trinity from the open­ [...]ng of the Eye, in the inward Court of the Holy Place, is a lively, operative, reviving, and yet amazing [...]nd surprising sight; a sight worth the whole World, [...]nsomuch as I am ashamed to present you such a dead [...]iveless figure of it: but no pen can decipher it, on pa­ [...]er, it is only the Spirit of the Eye that can open it [...]elf, and give you the living and ravishing sight of its own essentiality without similitudes or figures, though can express it outwardly no better than I have in the [...]oregoing figure.

[Page 32]Let no man here object that I do not make use of Scripture for the confirmation or illustration of these deep Mysteries: the reason is becaus the Holy Sciptures speak of God as he hath introduced himself into Eter­nal Nature, and not as he exists out of and before Eternal Nature, in the Globe of Eternity; therefore you must not expect my alledging of Scripture, whilst I am treating of a Subject which they do not reveal: though it be certain also that the opening of the Eye, cannot discover any thing contrary, or opposite to Scripture revelation, but rather what is agreeable thereunto, though it cannot be so readily confirmed from Scriptures; becaus, as hath been said, it is not the scope or design of the Holy Scriptures to speak of the Being of God before and without Eternal Nature. Neither do I in this speaking oppose or disparage the Holy Scriptures; if my subject were to speak of the Fall, and the Redemption of sinners by Christ, then I should not be wanting to confirm my writing from Scripture; but as long as I am writing of the solitary being of God in the Globe of Eternity, the Spirit of God in the Eye must be my Guide and Witness in stead of the Scripture. And thus much shall suffice to have spoken concerning the second opening of the Abyssal Eye, whereby the Mystery of the Holy Trinity is revealed to the Spirit of the mind.

The third opening of the Eye discovers the Mystery of it self, that is, by opening it self, it discovers and reveals what is in it self. Now the Eye opening di­vides it self into three parts, the first of which is the Abyssal Eye, the second is the Heart, and the third is the out-flowing breath. The Eye is first, before the Heart, that is in relation to order and for distinction sake, else being Co-essential and Co-eternal there is no first and last; and the Heart is the Eye's Center, and the breath proceeds from the Eye and the Heart. The Ey [...] is before the Heart, and generates the Heart; the Hear [...] [Page 33] [...]s generated from the Eye, and the breath proceeds from both. The Heart is the Eye's seat and Center, wherein it is fixed, and the Spirit is the virtue or power proceeding from the Eye and the Heart: and [...]n those three Eye, Heart, and Spirit, consists the ful­ness and compleatness of the Deity, nothing can be super-added, neither can any thing be substracted.

To speak more particularly, this third opening of the Eye doth manifest all those Powers commonly cal­led the Attributes of God; for this Eye of the Abyss sparkles forth from it self, its own perfections, beam­ [...]ng forth its own beauty in many lustrous rays, like the Sun. These beams proceeding from the Eye, are God's Eternity, Infinity, Immensity, Incomprehensi­ [...]ility, Omnipotency, All-sufficiency, &c. as being the out-flowing powers and perfections of the Eye, and of the Spirit of Eternity in the Eye; they are God's es­ [...]ential perfections, without which he cannot be God; [...]ccordin [...] [...] that saying of the Schoolmen, Whatsoever [...]s in God, is God: therefore they are inseparable from him, because they are himself.

But here it may be objected again, how this multi­plicity of Powers and Attributes in God can consist with his being the most absolute, and perfect Unity?

1. To which I answer, First, That a diversity and variety of powers may consist with perfect Unity, pro­ [...]ided there be no contrariety or opposition in those powers to one another: now nothing is more plain [...]han that the attributes of God are without any con­ [...]rariety whatsoever among themselves.

2. In the Second place, I say, That Eternal Unity [...]oth not exclude a diversity of powers, if they all do [...]rise and stand united in one root. Now all the At­ [...]ributes of God are inseperably united in God's Es­ [...]ence, they spring from, and are rooted in the same, [...]nd are one and the same with it and in it. And this [...]he opening of the Eye of the Abyss discovers, that all [Page 34] the Atrributes of God are but one Power diversified [...] they stand one in another; his Infinity, Omnipoten­cy, &c. are shut up in his all-sufficiency, and whe [...] they beam forth, they proceed from thence as from their Root and Original. So that all God's Attri­butes proceed from one Power, and are shut up in on [...] Power, and are but the Variation of one and the same Power; and consequently are but one Power, and s [...] cannot take away God's Eternal Unity.

These Powers or Attributes of God are [...]ixed in the Eye, being nothing else but the various beamings for [...] of the Eye, and may be called the Head Powers of th [...] Godhead, as being seated in the Eye, and from them glancing forth themselves.

We must know that this was one chief end of God bringing forth the Abyssal Globe, even the manifes [...] ­tion of his Attributes and Powers to himself: for [...]e Eternity is manifested in this Abyssal Globe, to h [...]e [...] beginning and end, which else would be without be­ginning or End, and so his Infinity, Immensity [...] Incomprehensibility, are bounded and limited by the circumference of the Abyssal Globe, which else wo [...] be without all bounds or limits, without all Heigh [...] Depths, or Breadths, and thus they come to be ma [...]i­fest in the Abyssal Globe. St. Paul saith, that this [...] ­sible Creation doth manifest God's Eternal Godh [...] and Power, and so it is; but if so, how much mO [...] then doth the Abyssal Globe (which is the first man [...] on of the Holy Trinity) manifest all the Eternal A [...] ­tributes and Powers of his Godhead?

This sight of God's Attributes from the opening o [...] the Eye in the Abyssal Globe, is both a ravishing an [...] amazing sight, for you do not behold Ideas or Simili­tudes of things, but the things themselves intellectual­ly, which causeth most unexpressible joys, and extasie in the Spirit of the Soul; to which nothing in t [...] World can be compared. Neither can any Letter [Page 35] Words or Images, manifest or discover these Attributes to us, but themselves only are the manifesters and revealers of themselves; and the Spirit of God alone hath the Key to unlock the Eye, at the opening of which they are clearly and lively manifested. So that this writing can do no more but point you to the place, where they may be intellectually seen and dis­cerned. We proceed now to the fourth opening of the Abyssal Eye.

The fourth opening of the Abyssal Eye, discovers and manifests the Eternal faculties of the Godhead, viz. his Intellect, Will and Divine Senses, under which are comprehended his Wisdom, Praescience and Omniscience, all which faculties subsist in God, and are inseperable from him, and are himself; and there­fore he cannot manifest himself in the Abyssal Globe without them.

But you will say that these faculties, as likewise the Senses of Seeing, Hearing, Tasting, Smelling and Fee­ling, are only attributed to God to comply with our weakness, and to make him intelligible to our under­standing, not that there are any such faculties or sen­ses in God, but only by way of Analogy and like­ness.

To which I answer, That all the forementioned fa­culties and senses are most really and truly in God, even far more really than they are or can be in any Crea­ture; for in him they are originally and in truth, and in the Creature only by way of participation, and by way of Analogy and resemblance. So that Un­derstanding, Will, Wisdom, Hearing, Seeing, &c. are in God Primarily, Essentially, and by way of Eminence; and in the Creature only derivatively, and by way of resemblance, as the Copy resembleth and expresseth its original.

[Page 36]Neither doth this variety [...] Faculties and Senses in the least contradict God's most absolute Unity; be­caus as they all proceed from [...]he Unity of God's Es­sence, so they are all harmonized into a perfect agree­ment, in and by the said Unity, from whence they display themselves as so many branches springing from, and united to the same root: for, as was said before, they subsist in God, and are inseperable from him; they are also in one another and penetrate through one another, and so are but one Faculty in the Eternal Uni­ty of God's Essence, and notwithstanding in that one­ness, have their distinct offices and Objects.

But you will further object, That by attributing these Faculties and Senses to God we seem to espous [...] the Error of the Anthropomorphites, who supposed that the Spirit of Eternity was in the likeness of a man.

To take away this objection, I shall declare to yo [...] the opinion of the Anthropomorphites, by which it will appear how far I am from asserting their Errors in this writing.

First, It is to be noted, that the Anthropomorphites attributed these Faculties to God, more Humane, after the manner of Men, that is according as they are in Men, and thereby framed God after the Image of a Man: but we attribute these Faculties and Senses to God after a Divi [...]e manner, Primarily, Originally, and by way of Eminence, as may be consistent with the Super-excellence of the Divine Being.

In the Second plac [...] [...] is to be observed, that the Anthropomorphites d [...]d [...]ppose in God distinct Seats, M [...]mb [...]rs and Organs, to every one of the forementi­oned Faculties and Organs, and thereby attributed un­to God an Organical Image: whereas, we say, that all these Faculties and Senses are in God after a Spiritual m [...]nner, without being fix'd to particular and distinct Members or Organs, which cannot be in God, foras­much [Page 37] as he is a Spirit, and is such a perfect Unity in himself, that all his Faculties and Senses, are one with himself, and with one another, as hath been before declared.

All these Faculties and Senses forementioned are seated in the Center of the Eye, even as the Eye is seated in the midst of the Abyssal Globe; and accor­dingly when the Eye is shut up they are hid, and are manifested when it opens and displays it self, and dis­covered to be Essential Powers, and Faculties subsist­ing in the Eye, being one with it, and therefore ab­solutely inseperable from it.

We now proceed to a further consideration of the Nature of this Eye; concerning which our first asserti­on is this, That the Abyssal Eye is the Head-Eye of the Spirit of Eternity [...] not that God is to be concei­ved to have an Organical Head like Men; but it is therefore called God's Head Eye, becaus in this Eye is the seat of the Head-Powers of the Deity, Under­standing and Will, and the senses of Seeing, Hearing, Smelling, Tasting and Feeling; which by way of re­semblance of what is in the Deity, are all seated in the Head of Man and other inferiour Creatures. Be­sides as the Head in Man governs all the Members, by reason of the Intellect and Will seated there, which are the ruling Powers of Man: so the Eye and ruling Powers in the Eye, do rule and govern throughout the whole Deity.

The second thing which I assert concerning the Na­ture of this Eye is,

That this governing Abyssal Eye is God's Face; for when this Eye doth open fully upon us, then it is that we see God, Face to Face, that is, clearly as he is in his own Essence, and without any vail or covering whatsoever. When this Eye beam's forth its brightness upon the Spirit of the Mind, then God's Face is said to shine upon us; and again the shutting of the Eye is that [Page 38] which we mean, when we say God hides his Fac [...] from us. This Eye is the Face of the total Trinity, and it is not to be conceived, though we have attributed the Eye of God the Father, as if the Eye was only th [...] Face of the Father, and not of the Son or Spirit, no by no means, for this Eye is indeed the Face of th [...] total Godhead, Father, Son and Spirit, and is [...] otherwise to be conceived of by us.

We may also observe the order of these Head-Pow­ers, as they are in the Deity: in the Eye of the Aby [...] is seated the Eternal Wisdom of God, and in his Wis­dom or Intellect, is seated his Will, and from the Di­vine Will and Intellect, flow forth the senses of th [...] Deity, by which he is an all-seeing, all-hearing, &c [...] God. And all these are one in another, and flowin [...] from one root, viz. the absolute Unity of the Deity and standing upon that root, they are all but as [...] Power or Faculty, and do all belong to the total Deity [...] Father, Son and Spirit, without any distinction whatso­ever.

The fifth opening of the Abyssal Eye doth manife [...] and discover the Heart of the Deity. And in the fir [...] place here is discovered the relation of the Heart to th [...]

[figure]

Eye; the Heart is the seat, and resting place o [...] the Eye; for the Eye (as you may see in the figure in the Margent) is placed in the Center [...] or mid part of the Heart. And though one be not the other, yet they are in one another undivided. Here is order indeed, here is first and second, as the Eye first and then the Heart, generated out of the Eye, and yet both in conjunction: the Eye is the Center of the Heart, and the Heart the seat of the Eye; the Heart is generated out of the Eye, and is co-essential with it without any separation or division: wheresoever the Eye is, there is the Heart, and wheresoever the Heart is, there is the Eye also; neither is there any other [Page 39] [...]istinction but that the Eye begets the Heart, and the [...]eart is begotten by the Eye, which makes the order [...]etween them, so as the Eye is the first and the Heart [...]he second; yet both co-essential, co-eq [...] [...]nd in [...]oint union. We must speak thus in relation to Or­ [...]er (though co-essential) else we cannot be under­ [...]ood in relation to distinction. And in relation to Manifestation, for the Holy Spirit doth manifest to the Soul's Eternal Essence, that the Eye is before the Heart, [...]lse no distinction could be apprehended between the one and the other: Therefore I must write thus, else [...]t could not be apprehended, what the Spirit of God manifests, neither could it be otherwise expressed in words, to be made Intelligible.

If you inquire of me, why the Heart was generated out of the Eye?

I answer, That the Eye did therefore generate the Heart, that it might have a place to dwell and rest in; a subject in which it might rule and govern, and a medium through which it might conveigh the Spirit of Life.

But you'l say to which of the Trinity doth this Heart belong?

I answer, It is the Heart of the total Godhead; for as the Trinity hath but one Eye, so likewise they have but one Heart between them. Yet notwithstanding when we speak of the Trinity with distinction, the Heart is attributed to the second Number of the Trini­ty as being the manifestation of the Son of God.

We come now to speak more particularly concer­ning the manifestation made by this fifth opening of the Abyssal Eye, and we say that it discovers these particulars to the Spirit of the Mind.

  • 1. That the Holy Trinity hath a Heart.
  • 2. It discovers the Nature and Office of this Heart.
  • 3. It shews what is comprehended in this Heart.

[Page 40]And in the fourth and last place, it discovers wha [...] flows forth and proceeds from it.

I. Part. In the fist place, this fifth opening of the Eye doth discover the Trinity to have a Heart, even an Essential Heart, wherein is seated the Life of the Deity as the Understanding, Will and Senses are seated [...] the Eye: yea this Heart is the very Life it self of th [...] Deity; for God hath no Soul, neither can he have any and that for these reasons.

  • First, Becaus all Souls do proceed from the Womb of Eternal Nature; but the Spirit of Eternity o [...] whom we here speak, is, before Eternal Nature had [...] being.
  • Secondly, God hath no Soul, becaus he hath n [...] need of one, his Heart supplying the place of [...] Soul.
  • Thirdly and lastly, God hath no Soul, that hereby he might be distinguished from all Angels and Men, none of which are without Souls.

And though the word Soul be in some few places o [...] Scripture attributed to God, yet this is only done by way of Analogy, and after the manner of Men, and not with relation to his Primary abstracted being in the Globe of Eternity.

II. The second Particular discovered is, What this Eternal Heart of God is, and its Nature and Office in the Holy Trinity. The opening of the Eye manifests this Heart to be the Essential Heart of God, generated by himself, out of himself, and for himself; and therefore is himself, as being co-essential, and co-equal with him; all pure Deity, all Holy, all Pure, all Per­fect. But more especially the opening of the Eye doth discover, this Heart of God to be of a flowing Nature like to the Sea, without bottom or bounds; it is like a spring in a Fountain, and bubbling Well which can [Page 41] never be drawn dry; it is in a perpetual motion, and in this motion there is a perpetual communication of it self, from it self, through it self, to it self; and this out-flowing of the Heart, is nothing else but the original Divine Purity, Righteousness and Holiness. This Heart of God is the overflowing Sea of the Dei­ty, which flows from himself, that is, from his own original Purity, Righteousness and Holyness, and flows into, and fills the whole Eternal Abyss, with its fulness: it is so immense in its flowings forth, that the deep Abyss of the Eternal Globe would not be able to contain it, but that the Spirit of the Eye, by his Omnipotency sets bounds and limits to the out-flow­ings of his own Divine Nature. The out-goings of the Deity, are deeper than the Abyss, and broader than the Abyss, but the Spirit of Eternity saith to the out-flowing of his own Ocean Deity, thus far go, and no further, be ye bounded within the Circumference of the Abyss. And this out-flowing Ocean of the Dei­ty, is, by the opening of the Eye, manifested to be a clear, transparent mist or vapor, filling the whole Deep of the Abyssal Globe. This sight from the open­ing of the Abyssal Eye, is a lively, spriteful, rejoycing, triumphing and amazing sight, and cannot be expres­sed in dead words or letters, neither can any Idea, form or likeness fully represent it, as it discovers it self by the opening of the Eye. O ye seekers of the Divine Mysteries, when your Spirits are let in, to a sight of this Divine Mist, then you will understand what this pen hath written.

Having spoke something concerning the Nature of this Heart of the Deity, come we now to speak of the function o [...] office of this Heart in the Holy Tri­nity.

1. The first office of the Heart is this, To be the fixed center and fountain of the out-going, over­flowing Ocean of the Deity. Hence this Heart is cal­led [Page 42] an ever rising, bubling, spring of living waters, which fails not: becaus the fulness of the Deity is continually flowing and streaming forth from this Heart, and returning to the same again. This Heart is a golden pipe of conveiance by which the fulness of the Deity is conveyed from it self, through it self, to it self, and there is fixed as a center or middle point in the midst of the Holy Trinity.

2. The second office of this Heart of the Holy Tri­nity is, to be the Center, Fountain, and Treasury of Life in the Deity: for as the Heart is the Fountain of Life in Man, and all other living Creatures; even so is this Heart of the Holy Trinity, the Spring and Center of the Essential Life of the Godhead.

3. The third and last office of this Essential Heart of God is, to bear the express Image and likeness of the whole Deity: for as this Heart is the Center and Spring from whence the Divine Nature continually streameth forth, and to which it returneth again; and as it is the seat and Center of Life to the Holy Trini­ty, so it must needs be the express Image and repre­sentative of the whole Godhead: for God's Life flows from this his Essential Heart, and his Divine Nature flows from his Life, through his Heart; and his Image being nothing else but an outward expression of his Life and Nature, therefore the Image of the Total Deity must needs be impressed upon the Essential Heart of God.

III. The third Particular discovered concerning the Heart of God, by the opening of the Eye of the Abyss, is the manifestation of all that which is shut up [...] contained and comprehended in it; and they are there, viz. the Nature of God, his Image and like­ness, and his Essential affections.

1. In the first place therefore, the opening of the Eye shews, that the Divine Nature is contained in this [Page 43] Essential Heart of God; which Divine Nature is a perfect Unity and Simplicity, without the least mix­ture of contrariety: for though the Scriptures and other Divine writers speak of Love and Anger in God, yet we must not think that they speak of God as he exists in the Globe of Eternity, for there he is nothing but a perfect Unity, without any duality or contrarie­ty whatsoever; but they attribute these opposite af­fections to God, as he hath introduced himself into the divided properties of fallen Nature [...] for in them he is angry and fierce against sin and ev [...] thing that is opposite to his own Holy, Pure, Divine Nature, which is the most perfect Unity and Simplicity. The Nature of G [...]d as it is a most perfect Unity, so it is also unal­terable and unchangeable; becaus that which is per­fectly one cannot be subject to any change or alterati­on, which always proceeds from Duality and Contra­riety. Having thus declared that the Divine Nature is a perfect unchangeable Unity and Simplicity, and ha­ving elsewhere told you that this Divine Nature, from the opening of the Eye is manifested in the form of a clear transparent mist; if you should [...]urther inquire of me, what this Divine Nature is? I must tell you, that this Divine Nature is nothing else but Love. And accordingly the Scripture tells us, That God is Love, and that he that lives in Love, lives in God, and God in him. And this Love is seated in the Essential Heart of God, from thence it stream's forth, and thither it re­turns again: and therefore it is called God's flaming Heart, becaus the Essential Love doth continually burn and flame in it. This Eternal Love, which is the un­changeable Nature of God, is a most pure Virgin, it is Love without lusting or desire; it wills and acts no­thing, but in the Will of God, and is guided by the Eye in all its out goings. What pen can express the high purity of this Eternal Love? It is the Eternal Li­berty, being free from all things, it is a meer passive [Page 44] nothing. The Essential Love of God is said to be meerly passive in relation to its own motion, for it acts not but is acted only by and from the Spirit of the Holy Trinity. It cannot mingle with any thing of Na­ture contrary to it self, and indeed with nothing but with its own purity: neither can any thing touch it, for then its Virginity and Purity might be defiled. In this consists the High Liberty of Love's Nature, it is free from all things, and all things free from it; it toucheth nothing, neither doth any thing touch it. No wonder that St. Paul cries out concerning this Es­sential Love of God, O the heighth, depth, breadth and length of the Love of God, which passeth knowledge! For its dimensions are equal to the Abyssal Globe, this Love being the fulness of God, which filleth it throughout. I have declar'd to you the Mystery of the Divine Na­ture, that it is nothing else but Eternal Love; but if you should further persist to enquire of me, what this Eternal Love is? I must tell you, that it is as a mee [...] nothing to us, becaus it is beyond all humane com­prehension and knowledge, and we can only say of it, that it is, what it is; an Angel's Tongue being not able to express what this Eternal Love is.

But you will say, how can this Love be termed the unchangeable Nature of God, when we are told from the Scriptures, that God is angry, and fierce against sin and evil?

For answer to this, I must only put you in mind of what I said before, viz. that when I say, that Eternal Love is God's unchangeable Nature, I speak of God, as he exists in himself in the Globe of Eternity, before Eternal Nature; but when Anger and Severity are at­tributed to God, then the Divine Nature is considered as cloath'd upon with the properties of Eternal Na­ture; but we speak of God here in his own primary abstracted Being, which is nothing else but Eternal unchangeable Love.

[Page 45]2. In the next place, the opening of the Eye shews that the Image of God is contained, and shut up in his Heart; for since the Divine Nature doth continual­ly flow from, and return again to this Essential Heart of God as its Center, and Spring; and since the Image of God is nothing else but the expression and manifestation of his Nature, therefore this Image must needs be impressed on the Heart of God, which is the very Center of his Divine Nature. And therefore this Heart of God is called the face of God, becaus it is the true and living expression and representation of God, the Essential Image and likeness of the total Deity.

But you will object, that the Scriptures of Truth tell us, that God hath no Image.

To which I answer, that indeed God hath no or­ganical outward Image resembling that of Angels or Men; and thus the Scripture is to be understood when it tells us that God hath no Image. But the Scripture doth not contradict God's having an Essen­tial inward form or Image, according to which Image we are told, in the first of Genesis, th [...]t God created Man. Let us create Man in our own Image, and after our own likeness. If we ask what this Image of God is, and wherein it doth consist? The Apostle Paul will tell us, that it consists in knowledge, righteousness and true Holyness; and to comprehend all this in one word, this Essential living Image of God, is nothing else but Eternal Love; this is God's Nature, this is his Image, and this is All in All in the Deity, considered in his solitary and abstracted being, before the intro­ducing of himself into the properties of Eternal Na­ture. Now from this Eternal Love do flow and beam forth all those Eternal excellencies and virtues, which together with the Love do compleat this Divine Image; such are the Wisdom, Righteousness, Holyness and Goodness of God.

[Page 46]Now that the Image of God doth consist in these, the Scripture will inform us, if we compare Colos. 3. 10. with Ephes. 4.24. so that we see that God's Image doth not consist in his infinity, immensity and omni­potence; but in his Divine Virtues proceeding from Eternal Love, viz. Wisdom, Righteousnes, and true Holyness.

3. The third and last thing, which the opening of the Eye discovers to be hid and contained in the Heart of God, are the Divine Affections and Pas­sions.

But you will object, and tell me that God hath no Affections nor Passions, as being immutable and un­changeable in his unchangeable Nature of Love?

To which I answer, in the first place, that it is true God hath no Passions or Affections like to those which are in Men.

Secondly, There are no evil, and unordinate affecti­ons in God.

But in the third place, I say God hath Divine and Godlike affections, such as become the Deity, and are suitable to the perfection of his Nature.

Fourthly, God hath such affections, as are always in Harmony and Unity, without any contrariety or opposing of each other.

Fifthly, God's affections are at the greatest distance from all weakness and imperfection whatsoever.

In the sixt and last place, God's Affections and Pas­sions do all flow from his essential Heart of Love, and are all rooted and centred in the same.

These Affections contained in the Heart of God, are chiefly these three, Love, Ioy and Delight: For God eternally Loves himself, rejoyceth in himself, and de­lighteth in himself; neither can God any more cease to Love himself, or to rejoyce and delight in himself than he can cease to be; therefore these are the Essen­tial and inseperable affections of the Divine Being.

[Page 47]IV. The fourth and last Particular, which the open­ing of the Eye discovers concerning the Heart, are God's Divine Qualities, Virtues and Excellencies; which do all proceed f [...]om the Heart of God, as from their Source and Center; and they are these follow­ing, viz. his Love, Purity, Truth, Faithfulness, Un­changeableness, Goodness, Perfection, Righteousness and Holyness. These are the Essential inseparable Virtues and Perfections of the Divine Nature; for they proceed from himself, subsist in himself, and are himself, and from the opening of the Eye are mani­fested to be such. Neither doth this variety of per­fections in God in the least destroy, or take away his most absolute Unity and Simplicity; becaus they all proceed from one root, and stand all united in the same, as one, which root is Love; in which all the Excellencies and Perfections of the Divine Nature stand Harmoniz'd in Unity, and are but as one Virtue and Perfection.

Having thus treated of the several Particulars con­tained in the Heart of God, I shall next proceed to a view of some particulars which are not contained in God's original Essence; and that from a hint of the Spirit, which said expresly to me, search diligently, what is not to be found in the original Essence of God: I did accordingly, and I found, that no pardon­ing Mercy, nor vindictive Iustice, nor Wrath, nor Death, nor Curse, neither any Anguish, Sorrow, Darkness, Evil, or Elements, were to be found in the solitary abstract­ed Essence of the Deity.

I say, first, no pa [...]doning Grace or Mercy; becaus there was nothing besides himself, and consequently no Object which stood in need of Pardon or For­giveness.

No vindictive Iustice; becaus no object capable of punishment.

[Page 48]No Anger nor Wrath; for God could not be Angry with himself; for so contrariety and enmity would be found in the bosom, and Center of Eternal Unity and Simplicity.

No Death; for the Deity is a living God, yea life it self, and the Author of it, wheresoever it is.

No Anguish nor Sorrow; becaus God is the Highest and Chiefest Good, and consequently must needs be All-triumphing joy, All-delight, All-pleasure.

No Darkness; becaus God is all Light, Light it self, and the Source and Center of it.

No Elements; becaus the Deity is the most perfect and absolute Unity and Simplicity without any mix­ture or composition whatsoever.

But you will object, that I seem to reject Gods vin­dictive Iustice, and to deny his Anger against Sin and Sinners.

I answer not at all; for I do not simply deny God's vindictive Iustice and Wrath, but only say, that none of these are to be found in the solitary and primary Being of the Deity, and are only attributed to him, forasmuch as he hath introduced himself into the pro­perties of Eternal Nature. And thus much shall suf­fice to have spoken concerning the Discovery and ma­nifestation, which the opening of the Eye gives of the essential Heart of God.

But in the next place, as the opening of the Eye dis­covers it self and the Heart, so it likewise manifests the Deity of the Holy Ghost to be the exit or outgoing emanat [...]on of both Eye and Heart, even a sweet, plea­sant out-flowing life or power like to a breath or gust of Air, proceeding from the Abyssal Eye of the Fa­ther, as [...]rom its Eternal Root and beginning, and conveighed through the Heart of the Son, as the Gol­den-Oyl transmitted through the Golden Pipe of the Son's Essential Love. It is the active Life and Power of the Holy Trinity, which finisheth the work of true [Page 49] Regeneration in Apostatized Creatures. Thus we see [...]hat the opening of the Eye doth reveal the total Deity, Father, Son and Spirit, by a true and vitall Repre­sentation.

In the sixth place when the Eye of Eternity opens, it manifests God's Corporeity, or the Divine Body.

Object. But you'l object that God hath no body, as [...]ing a pure Spirit.

Answ. To which I answer first, by way of Conces­sion, that God hath no organicall body like men, nei­ [...]her like those of the glorified Saints and Angels.

But in the next place, I say that God hath a body, such as becomes his high, spiritual and refined Nature; [...]or indeed the opening of the Eye doth clearly disco­ver to the Spirit of the mind, that the immense deep [...]f the Abyssal Globe of Eternity is God's Vniversal, incom­ [...]rehensible, omnipresent body. This is the Eternal Cor­ [...]eity of the Holy Trinity, which comprehends all things, being comprehended of none, but it self: it is univer­ [...]lly in all Beings and diffuss'd through all Beings; no­ [...]hing can keep it out, neither can any thing shut it up. It is a free Liberty in it self, it stands free from all [...]ssences, only so farr as it pleaseth to unite it self with [...]ny essence: With relation to this Vniversal Body, it is, b [...]t God styles himself the Alpha and Omega, the begin­ning and end of all Beings; all things proceed from it, [...]nd therefore it is the first, and all things subsist in it, [...]nd therefore it is the last. Thus we see that the Holy Trinity have the Globe of Eternity for their body in which [...]hey act and move. This Body is Wisdome's Crystalline [...]lasse, wherein all things are truly and intellectually [...]epresented to the eye of the mind: it is in this deep A­ [...]ysse of the Globe of Eternity, that all those divine mysteries [...]e discovered and manifested, which in the foregoing trea­ [...]ise have been made out to you; for in this Miroir of Wisedome all the Depths of the Deity stand openly represen­ [...]ed to the Eye of the Spirit, when a glance from the Eye [Page 50] illustrates its hidden deep. We see then that the Globe of Eternity, is the body of the Spirit of Eternity, yet not an organical Body; for what Organs are there in a Globe or Sphear? It is such a Body as the Spirit of Eternity can by contraction draw into it self, or by dilatation diffuse its. into infinity. This Body comprehends all worlds and globes within it self, and is therefore called the Uni­versal, all conteining, Body of the Deity. By means of this Body, the Spirit of Eternity hath brought forth himself into Heighths, Depths and Breadths, which are formed and distinguished by the Eye, for the Eye looking up­wards gives an immense heigth to the Globe of Eterni­ty; When it look's downwards it forme's the Depths, and when on either side, the Breadth: becaus without the Eye, none of these would be determinable in a Globe, concerning which, we cannot say, that it hath heighth or depth. So that though the Spirit of Eterni­ty in it self be without any bounds or limits, yet he hath been pleased to bound himself in the Globe of E [...]e [...] ­nity, and that for the manifestation of himself, without which we could have no other, but a Negative know­ledge of Him. We may here also take notice of the figure of this Body, which is round or Sphaerical, being the most perfect of all figures, and therefore most proper [...]or the Body of the Deity; Who in this also differs from all Creatures, who have their distinct organical bodies with great variety of figure; whereas the blessed Deity hath the most simple and perfect of all figures to be the outw [...] form of his Corporeity.

Lastly, the opening of the Eye of Eternity discover [...] God's External Form or Figure: we have before spoken of Gods internal Form or Image, and declared that it i [...] nothing else but his Essentiall Holyness. I know it wi [...] seem strange, that I speak here of God's figure, sinc [...] the Scripture forbids us to make any figure or likenes [...] of God. But to this I answer that though God forbid us to Frame any likeness of himself who is th [...] [Page 51] Spirit of Eternity, in resemblance of any Creature what­soever, yet cannot this debarr the Holy Trinity from re­presenting themselves according to the pleasure of their own will: who is above them to controle them? Or who is their Councelor to advise them? Or who dare say to them, why do you thus represent your selves? For, as hath been said before, at the opening of the Eye, the Fa­ther appears in the figure of the sight or black of an Eye, which yet is no o [...]ganical eye: the Son appears in the likeness of an heart, in the midst of which the Eye of the Father is centred: and the Holy Ghost is represented in the likeness of an outgoing Breath, Winde or Ayre, which proceedeth from the Eye, through the Heart, and is in its own essentially, an active Power, which effect's whatsoever the Eye or Heart will have done. Now the Triune Diety brought it self into these visible figures for their own manifestation, that we might thereby learn, how the Father, Son, and Spirit are in one ano­ther Eternally, and yet notwithstanding this their Unity, they are distinguished by those three figures of Eye, Heart, and outgoing breath, which are distinguish­able one from the other. So that here this great Myste­ry of the Vnity and distinction of the Trinity is fully discove­ [...]ed, and made out to the Eye of the mind: for though the Eye, Heart and outgoing breath, do appear in one another, yet they appear with distinction, so as the Eye is distinguishable from the Heart, and the Heart from the outgoing Breath.

But before I leave this point, I shall endeavour to give you some account concerning the Nature of these forementioned figures, in these following particu­lars.

In the first place, I say that those Images and Figures which the opening of the Eye Manifests are not Shadows and Empty representations, but Reall and Substantial ones, they are not only figures of Heavenly things, but the Heavenly things themselves.

[Page 52]In the second place, I say that these Figures, are li­ving and spiritful representations, not dead Images, for the fulness of the Living God fills them all with Life and Spirit and Power.

In the third and last place, these Figures are un­changeable, and that because they are Essentiall to the Holy Trinity. So the Eye is Essentiall to the Father; the flaming Heart of Love is Essentiall to the Son, and the out-flowing breath of Power is Essentiall to the Holy Ghost. For though in Eternal Nature, in the Darkness the Eye of the Father appear dark, wrath­ful and terrible; and contrary, in the Light, shining pleasant and full of Love; yet the Eye is not changed by th [...]se variations, but remains still the unchangeable Es­sentiall Eye of the Father, though diversifyed by the Light and darkness. Thus we see that the unchangeable Image of the Father, in the Globe of Eternity, is the sight o [...] black of an Eye, into which likeness he hath been plea­sed to contract himself, for the manifestation of himself: for though we as Creatures are commanded to make no Representation or Image of the Trinity, yet this doth not hinder, but they may bring forth a divine Imag [...] and representation of themselves. What hath been said concerning the Eye, may be also said concerning the Heart, viz. That it is the Unchangeable, Essentiall and Substantiall Image of the Son: for he manifests himself to Angels and Saints in this figure of a central Heart, all flaming with Love, otherwise this Hand could not have writ of it. And the out-flowing breat [...] or ayre proceeding from the Eye and Heart, is the immutable and Essentiall Image of the Holy Ghost.

Thus we see that the Eye by its opening of it self doth clearly discover to us, that the one only true God, who is the Spirit of Eternity, hath brought forth himself into a Be­ginning and End, into matter and form, into Corporeity and Figure, (in the sense as hath been before expressed, else it may seem harsh to common Philosophers,) who without the [Page 53] Eternal Globe is without any of these, even an unmea­sureable, incomprehensible Vnity, concerning which we can only say that it is what it is; for what it is, none can tell but it self. And so I proceed from the second place of Purity in the Globe of Eternity called the Holy Place, unto the third which is the most Holy or Holiest of all.

And here before I begin to speak of the most holy Place, I think it not amiss, once more, to hint to you, that these three distinct Places or Courts, make up but one Globe or Sphear, for they proceed one from another, and penetrate one through another, and subsist in one another, yet with the distinction, above mentioned, of outward, inward and inmost, the first leading to [...]he second, and the second to the third.

Concerning the most Holy Place.

I shall reduce all that I have to say concerning the most Holy Place to these four Particulars,

  • First, I shall give you the several Names which were given to it by the Spirit of God.
  • Secondly, I shall speak of the Nature and condition of [...]he Place.
  • Thirdly, I shall give you an account of the Wonders which are to be seen in it.
  • Fourthly, and Lastly, I will speak of the Ends of its formation.

1. As to the first of these, viz. the Names and titles which were expresly given to this third Court by the Spirit of God, they are these following: it was cal­led the Still Eternity, and that by reason of the un­utterable Rest, Silence and Stilnenss which Eternally dwells in this third Court; for as the outward Court was called the Globe of Eternity, and the in­ward Court the deep Abysse or Abyssal Globe of Eter­nity, [Page 54] so the third Place of Purity is called the still E­ternity, because nothing but Eternal Rest, Silence and Stilness is to be perceived by those who live in this most Holy Place. This Holy Place is not the Trinity but distinct from it, and is the still Eternity in which the holy simplified Spirits live. It was also called the Chamber of State, the presence Chamber of the Spirit of Eternity, the King of Kings, where his unexpressibly glorious Majesty is to be seen. Besides it was called the Rock of wonders, with reference to those wonders which do appear in it, of which we shall speak in the third particular.

2. The second particular is what the Nature and condition of this place is, and this is hinted to us in the Name which is given to it by the Spirt of God; for Names ought to express the Nature of the thing which they signifie, and the whole excellency of Names con­sists in this: Now we cannot imagine but that those Names by which the Holy Spirit doth call any thing have all the excellence and truth which a Name is ca­pable of, and consequently must very properly and sig­nificantly express the Nature of the thing, named; the name of this third Place you have heard is the still Eternity, and consequently have reason to conclude that the Essentiall difference of this Place is the Majestick silence and awful stillness with which it is continually filled. This is such a stillness as surpasseth, not only all expressions, but likewise all thoughts and imagina­tions; and because of this Majestick silence, and unex­pressibly awful stillness this most Holy Place is also called the Presence-Chamber of the Deity; this superna­tural silence and stillness being the ornament, state and pompe of it, to which all the Glory and magni­ficence of Monarchs here is but as a shadow or no­thing.

3. The third particular is the Wonders which are to be seen in this place, in respect of which, as was men­tioned [Page 55] before, it was called the Rock of wonders; and these wonders are five in number, viz.

  • 1st. The Spirit of Eternity, or the Eternal Unity.
  • 2dly, The Holy Trinity.
  • 3dly, The Virgin Wisdome of God.
  • 4thly, The Seren Spirits before the Throne.
  • 5thly, and Lastly the Inhabitants of the Still E­ [...]rnity.

1. The first wonder which manifests its self in this Rock of wonders is the Spirit of Eternity, or the E­ternal Unity, which doth fill the total deep Abysse with it self, that is, with all Power. Here the Spirit of Eternity discovers its self to be the first and original Power, the Power of all Powers, yea All-power it self. And this manifestation of the Spirit of Eternitie's being All-power, is more full, magnificent and glorious in the stil Eternity than in the inward or outward Court, where the Deity doth also discover himself to be All-sufficient and Omnipotent, but not in that Sovereignty and Majesty with which he appears to the Eye of the Mind in this his presence-Chamber. Here the Glory of the All-power of the Deity is seen Nakedly, openly and without a veile, eye to eye, and face to face; the sight of which doth cause ravishing Extasies, unex­pressible Ioys, and transporting admiration to fill the heart of the beholder; it being a sight so glorious as no words can express, nor no thoughts represent to the mind, as being beyond all comprehension.

The second wonder in this Rock of wonders, the still Eternity, is the Holy and ever blessed Trinity, Father Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Father is the Original power of all powers, sub­sisting in, by and from himself; which Original pow­er of the Father is most clearly and openly discovered in the still Eternity, in the highest magnificence, Ma­jesty and Glory. This supreme power of the Father, is the beginning of all power, and the fulness of all [Page 56] power, filling the Heighths, Depths, and Bredth o [...] the still Eternity: this Power of the Father is an Eter­nal Unity and simplicity, that is, it is free from all manner of contrariety, divisibility, composition or mixture, as being an Uniform, Universal, diffusive power, which is nothing else but pure Deity; and further we cannot search into this Power of the Father to know what it is, for none knows what pure Deity is, but God himself. It is this Paternal power, which fills the still Eternity through­out, in the appearance of the clearest transparency and brightness. I have now given you an account how the Father manifests himself in the still Eternity, to be All-power, yet before I leave this particular for fu [...]ther expla­nation, I shall shew you negatively what this Power of the Father is not.

First then say, I that this Power of the Father is no personal power, for nothing of personality is manifest­ed in the still Eternity, only a Uniform, Universal diffusive Power in the appearance of the greatest bright­ness fills it throughout.

2. Neither is this Power of the Fathers any Or­ganical Image resembling that of Angels or men, having distinction of parts and members, for nothing of this kind can be found in the Eternal Unity of the Father's All-power. And thus much shall suffice to have spo­ken concerning the Father, who is the First in the Tri­nity. We now proceed to the second, viz. the Son of the Father.

The Son is an Essential power immediately generated by the Father, out of his own divine Essence: and therefore he is co-essential and co-equal with the Father. For the Son's power dilateth and co-extendeth it self in, with and through the Father's power, to the utmost bounds and limits of the still Eternity, and filleth the deep Abysse with his own Power's, in the Father's Power, as being co-essentiall and co-equall with the Father. A­gain this Power of the Son is also the co-eternal with the [Page 57] Father: for though the Father may be said to be before the Son in order of Nature, forasmuch as he is the generator of the Son, yet we cannot say that the Father is before the Son as to priority of time, for the Son exists from all Eternity at once, and together with the Fa­ther, and therefore is the Eternal Son of the Father. If you would further know what this generated Power of the Son is, I say it is an Eternal Vnity, and pure Deity even as the Father's Power is.

But for the further opening of what the Son of God is, you may take notice of these following parti­culars.

1. In the first place the Son of God is the first begot­ten of the Father; He is the first born of all Beings, as being that Essentiall word, Co-eternal with the Father, by whom the Father made all things, and without whom nothing was made. By him were all things created whether they be in Heaven, or on Earth, whether visible or invisible, whether Thrones or Dominions, Principalities or Powers, all things were created by him, and for him; and there­fore he must needs be before them all, and consequent­ly be the first begotten of the Father.

Secondly, this Son of God is the only begotten Son of the Father: all other Sons whether Angels or men receive their filiation or sonship from this only begotten Son of the Father, and are called Sons forasmuch as they part [...]ke of, and are centred in this only begotten Son: they are Sons in and because of this only begotten Son, and beloved in the only beloved of the Father.

Thirdly, this Son is the Co-essentiall Son of the Father, of the same essence and nature with the Father: now the Nature of the Father is Purity, Holiness, Righteous­ness, Meekness, Love, Goodness and Perfection, and such is the Son's nature also, and therefore the Son is called the Brightness of his Father's Glory, and the expresse Image of his subsistence: But the Image of the Father is no organi­call Image, but consists in Light, Life and Love: The [Page 58] Father is all Light, and in him is no darkness at all; he is all Life, and in him is no Death; he is all Love, and in him is no Wrath; and the Son being the co-essential Son of the Father, must also be all Light, all Life and all Love. Thus the Father is in the Son, and the Son in the Father; Neither is the Nature of the Fa­ther and Son distinguishable in the still Eternity, the Na­ture of the Father is not severe and wrathfull, and that of the Son, sweet, milde and gentle, for this is no way consistent with the one simple nature of the Deity. The Father is all Light, Life and Love in the Son's Nature, and the Son is all Light, Life and Love in the Father's Nature: the Nature of the Father flows from himself, ar the Fountain-head and spring, into the Son, and from the Son again into the Father; and therefore the Son is called the Heart of the Father; because he is the fixed Seat of the Father's Light, Life and Love. Thus we see that neither Angels nor Saints are in this degree codeisied and consubstantiated with the Father, for he fil­leth the still Eternity with the Light, Life and Love of his Essentiall Deity in co-equality with the Father.

Fourthly, this Son, is the well beloved Son of the Father, the Son of his Loves, in whom he is fully well pleased satisfied and delighted. And indeed how can it be otherwise? since he is one being and one nature with the Father, the very Heart of the Father, and his expresse Image; when he is the Beauty, Brightness and Excellence of his Father's Glory, and exalted to an equality of honour and dominion with the Father, as sitting in the same Throne with the Father, and possessing the kingdome with him. This is the Son whom the Father will have honoured and worshiped as himself, and to whom the Father hath committed all Iudgment, neither can the one be worshiped without the other, they subsisting in each other. This is the Son who is exalted by the Father to be Heir of all things.

In the fifth place this Son is the Essential Christ of God. [Page 59] I would not have you stumble at this Expression, I might indeed haue omitted it, but for the matters sake: for you must take notice that I speak here of the Holy Trinity, as they exist without Nature, and in this state the Son of God cannot properly be called the Christ that is, the Anointed; because thus considered he is not Anointed to any office, for it is after his entring into the properties of Nature, that he is Anointed to be the Mediator: yet bear with me for using this word im­properly, because I do it only for this end to give you a more clear and distinct knowledge of what the Son of God is as he exists before Nature, as well as what he is in the properties of Eternal Nature.

But you'l ask of me, why I speak of the Holy Trini­ty out of, and before Nature, and particularly, why I speak of the Essential Christ of God as existing before Nature? I answer that my speaking of the Holy Tri­nity, and particularly of the second person, who is the Christ of God, as he exists before Nature, is only in order to give you a more distinct knowledge of the Son and Christ of God in Nature, and to enable you to distinguish between his being out of Nature, and his ex­stence in the properties of Nature.

This Essentiall Christ is one with the Father, it is who is the same yesterday, to day and forever, even before all time and before Eternal Nature, and he is the Co-creation with the Father: He is the Word, Wisdome, Power, the Light, Life, Love, the Heart, Reighteous­ness, Purity, Brigtness, Excellency and Glory of the Father in the Father: for we must not conceive of him as a distinct Person from the Father, because that would destroy the High Unity and Simplicity of Divine Nature, which admits of no composition, or division: nor on the other side must we conceive the Son of God to be only a distinct denomination, for we see that in the still Eternity, there is a distinct repersentation of the Son, from that of the Father, and the Holy Ghost: [Page 60] For the Son is represented in the Image of an Heart, the Father of an Eye, and the Holy Spirit in the stream or emanation which issueth from both.

But you will say, is then this Christ the Son of God the Redeemer, Saviour, Iustifier and Reconciler of Mankind? I answer, that to speak properly, the Son of God, as he exists out of and before Eternal Nature, is not a Redeemer, Saviour, &c. and that because in this state he hath no relation to any Creature whatsoever; and therefore as long as there was nothing for to be re­deemed or saved, he could not properly be called a Redeemer or Saviour.

But you'l say this essentiall Christ, the Eternal Son of the Father, is not the Christian's Christ, in whom they trust for Redemption, Salvation and Glorification?

1. I grant that properly he is not, first because the ob­ject of the [...]aith of Christians is a God-man; a Christ clothed with Humanity, in whom two natures, pure Deity, and pure Humanity are hypostatically united, so that according to his Deity he is true God, and ac­cording to his Humanity pure man: whereas [...] the Es­sentiall Christ is not made up of two Natures, but is whole Deity, Unity and Simplicity, being co-essentiall and co-equall with the Father, which he could not be, if the Humane Nature was joyned with him; for then he could not be one Eternall Unity and Simplicity with the Father.

2. The Christ of the Christians is born in time, even in the fulness of time of the blessed Virgin Mary; but the Essential Christ is Co-eternall with the Father, and exists from all Eternity with the Father, be­fore all time.

3. The Christ of the Christians is a personal Christ, found and brought forth in flesh, in the figure of man; being made like unto us in all things, sin only excep­ted: but the Essentiall Christ of the Father hath no hu­man figure, or organical personality; and conseqneutly [Page 61] [...]t was impossible for him, as such, to shed his blood [...]pon the Cross for the Redemption of sinners, which was the great work of the Christian Christ.

4. The Christ of the Christians arose from the Dead the third day and ascending on high, is sat down on the [...]ight hand of the Father, being made the Head and King over all Angels on mount Sion, and over all his Saints and members within the walls of the New Ieru­salem: but the Essential Christ of God reigns and rules on the same Throne with the Father, in the Globe of Eternity over all World [...]nd over the Person of Christ in his glorified Corporeity.

6. The Christ of the Christian was before promised to be the seed of the Woman, and the treader down of the Serpent, and it was with reference to this Christ that the Covenant was made with Abraham, that all Nations should be blessed in his seed, Isack being a type of him and his Birth, Life, Death, Resurrection, Ascention and Glorification, were shadowed out by the dark types and figures of the Ceremonial Law. Now we see that these things are not applicable to the Eternal Son of God, as he exists in the Eternal Unity of the Father, without any humane Nature.

Now because I have been misrepresented by some as if I were a Socinian, and denyed the Deity of Christ, I think it not amiss to give this following declaration of my Faith concerning Christ, viz. I believe him to be perfect God and perfect man [...] that he was born of the Virgin Mary, being made like [...]nto us in all things, sin only excep­ted; that he dyed on the Cross at Ierusalem, and rose from the Dead the third day; that he ascended in­to Heaven, and is sat down at the right hand of the Father, being constituted head and king over all An­gels and Saints, All which points I cordially assent to, and do from my very Soul abhor those ranting principles, which deny that ever there was such a person as Iesus Christ, who was born at Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary, and [Page 62] who acted all those Miracles the Scriptures of truth re­late of him; which deny his death on the Cross at Ie­rusalem, his Resurrection, Ascention and personal Glo­rification: for they reject and deny the true Gospel-Christ, the personal Christ, to whom the Scriptures bear witness, even that Christ, who is the Object of the Faith of Christians, whereby they destroy the Christian faith, and make the Scripture an heap of allegorical confusions and untruths: Which principles I am so far from owning, that I here once more declare that I do from my heart and soul detest and abhorr them.

I come now in order to speak of God the Holy Ghost [...] who, as was said before, is the out-flowing power, pro­ceeding from the Father and the Son. It may be di­stinguished from the Father's power, in that the Fa­thers power is the original, primary, fountain-power of the Trinity, without which no Trinity had ever been; whereas the power of the Holy Ghost is the con­summating and finishing Power which makes the Blessed Trinity perfect and compleat. And it differs from the Son's power, forasmuch as that is a power begotten and generated out of the Divine Essence of the Father, but the Power of the Holy Ghost is only a proceeding out going power, not from the Father only, but from the Father and the Son: it proceeds from the Father Origi­nally, as being the fountain-spring of it, and proceeds Derivatively through the Son, and for so much as distin­guishable from Father and Son; though indeed it be Co-essential, Co-equal and Co-eternal with the Father and the Son; for the Holy Trinity are centred and roo­ted in the most perfect Unity.

In the first place, I say that the Holy Ghost is Co-essential with the Father and the Son, that is, of the same Nature and Essence, being all pure Deity, even as the Father and Son is.

Secondly, this proceeding power of the Holy Ghost is Co-equal with the Father and the Son, for even as the [Page 63] power of the Father and the Son is dilated from the Center to the Circumference of the Abyssal Globe, so likewise is the out-going power of the Holy Ghost.

In the third place, the power of the Holy Ghost is Co-eternal with the Father and the Son, for the Holy Tri­nity exist from all Eternity at once, and altogether; and as the Father never was without the Son, nor the Son without the Father, so likewise the Father and Son were never without the Holy Ghost proceeding from them.

In the fourth place, this out-going power of the Holy Ghost was manifested to be a bodily power, I do not mean that it appeared as an organical and visible body, capable of division into parts, but as a body of power fil­ling the whole circumference of the still Eternity. Hence it is that this all filling power of the Holy Ghost is called the Temple and Tabernacle-body of the Holy Ghost, be­caus as the Father dwelleth in the Son, and the Son in the Father, so both Father and Son dwell in this Body of power of the Holy Ghost, as in a Temple or Tabernacle.

But you will object, that here I seem to contradict what I said before, viz. that the Abyssal Globe of the still Eternity was the body of Corporeity of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, whereas here I make the all-filling Power of the Holy Ghost to be the Temple-body of the Deity.

To which I answer, that I do not attribute two distinct bodies to the Deity, for these are as a wheel within a wheel, and as an inward skin covered with an out­ward: in like manner the outward cover or body of the Trinity is the Abyssal Globe of the still Eternity, but the inward covering or Corpor [...]ity is the all-filling power of the Holy Ghost, and both make up one Divine Corporeity, which is the place and Temple of the Holy Trinity. And this is one of those wonders which are [Page 64] manifested in this Rock of wonder's viz. that the all-filling power of the Holy Ghost is the innermost Temple and Tabernacle-body wherein the Father, Son and Spirit have their mutuall Co-habitation.

The Fifth and last property of the out-flowing power of the Holy Ghost is this, it is an Essentiall crea­ting power, insomuch as nothing can be effected or crea­ted without it. It is by this acting power of the Holy Ghost, that Eternal Nature and her forms were brought forth, it is this Power brought all things, all worlds, into act, according to the will of the Father; so that this Divine body of power, is the united acting power of the whole Trinity. The Father operates from himself, as being the beginning of power, through the heart of his Son, with and by the acting power of the Holy Ghost; the Son operates from the Father, in himself, by the effecting power of the Holy Ghost, The Holy Ghost worketh from the Father, through the Son, with and by his own effecting power: Thus the Holy Trinity act harmoniously from through and by one a­nother in this Ghostly body of power, which fills all in the still Eternity. This body of power is a most Spiritual, divine, refined Body, which nothing can shut out, neither can any thing keep it in: it is far more refined and subtle then any personal organical body whatsoever of Angels or men; and it is so infinitely powerful, that if it were in Hell, Hell would not be able to keep it, but it would raise it self thence to Glory, the omnipotency of the Holy Trinity being lodged in it.

Hitherto I have spoken of the Unity in Trinity, viz. how the Eternal Unity and simplicity manifests it self in Trinity; I shall now come to speak something briefly of the Trinity in Unity, and shew you how the blessed Trinity, as they pr [...]ed from Unity, so they return to it and are cen [...]red [...] it. St. Iohn hint's both these mysteries to us, 1 Iohn 5. 7. There are three which bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit, [Page 65] and these three are one: as if he had said, these three Fa­ther Son and Spirit proceed from one Eternal Unity, and yet they are three distinguishable powers, so as one is not the other from Eternity to Eternity, and can ne­ver be confounded together.

For first they are distinguished by their names Father Son and Spirit, and this distniction of Names doth necessarily imply some distinction of Nature.

Secondly, they are distinguished according to order, the Father first, the Son next, the Holy Spirit last of all.

Thirdly by number, as one, two, three, and are therefore well called the Holy number three.

In the fourth place the Apostle distinguisheth them by their relative properties of Father, Son, and the outgoing Spirit of power.

Now after he hath spoke of their distinction, he tells us that notwithstanding all this, these three are one, that is, that they are all centred, and rooted in one un­divided Unity and Simplicity, which is the pure Es­s [...]ial Nature of the Deity. And indeed if the Holy Trinity were not thus centred in the most perfect Unity, they would be three distinct Deities, which is contrary to the Christian faith and divine Revelation. No, the Holy Trinity have but one Divine Nature, one Eye, one Heart, one Body of power between them, for to dwell in. And thus much shall suffice to have spoken con­cerning the second wonder, which is to be seen in the still Eternity, viz. the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity: though no words are able to express the Majesty and transparent Clarity of this Sight as it pre­sents it self in the still Eternity, where the Trinity ap­p [...]ars in the triumphant glorious Body of the Pow­er of the Holy Ghost. I now pass to the third wonder.

[Page 66]The Third Wonder which was presented to my intel­lectual sight was God's Wisdom, concerning whom I shall speak under these three heads.

  • First I shall speak of the Birth and Nativity of the Wisdom of God.
  • Secondly of its Nature.
  • Thirdly and lastly of its office.

1. First then, as to the Birth and Nativity of Wis­dome, we are are to know that it spring's and flows from God's Eternal Eye, as from its Eternal root and original, and here it is fixed as in its proper seat and center; for it is by this Wisdom, that all all the de­sire and motions of the Deity are most wisely Ordered, conducted and governed, for it proceeds from and is seated in the same Eye with his desiring mind, and willing will, these three are in one another and pene­trate through one another, and make up but one inse­parable, indivisible power. I say they all three exist i [...] the Eye as one power, yet distinguishable, and without the least disorder or confusion; the first is the wisdom, then the mind, and next the will; for as the wisdom pro­ceeds from the Eye, so the mind proceeds from the wisdom, and the will from the mind. And thus much for the birth and Nativity of Wisdome.

2. I come now in the next place to speak of the se­cond head, viz. what the Nature of the Wisdom is: I say then, that the Divine Wisdom is a flowing, moving power, a moving motion immediately proceeding from God's Eternal Eye. God's Wisdom is a bright ray, or glance issuing from the Eye of Eternity: therefore she is termed the brightness or Clarity of the God­head, and a pure breath or efflux from the Majesty of the Almighty. We can say nothing of her but that She is the brightness and glance of the Eye of Eternity; [Page 67] who as she proceeds from the Eye, so she is moved by, and only by the same; for she is a meer passive bright shining virtue, that swiftly passeth through and pierceth all things, by reason of her high purity and subtilty, which can be compared to nothing better, than to a lustrous shining glance, being perfectly pas­sive and moving only according to the motion of the Eye of the Father, which makes her more swift and piercing than any thing whatsoever.

But for a further illustration of the Nature of God's Wisdom, I shall a little enlarge my self upon these following Particulars, which are so many Essentiall properties of the said Wisdom.

  • I. In the first place this Wisdom is Co-essential with the Holy Trinity: Because as hath been said it proceeds from the Trinity, as an outgoing ray, glance or brightness; now nothing doth immediately proceed from God, but what is of the same nature and Essence with him, and consequently what can this bright shining glance from the Eye of the Majesty be else, but pure Deity, as proceeding from, and fixed in the Eye of Eternity.
  • II. The second Essential property of this Divine Wisdom, is this, that she is Co-eternal with the ever-blessed Trinity. God was never without his wisdom, nor the Eye of Eternity without this glance and bright ray which proceedeth from it; for else God could not have been an All-wise and All-knowing God. Therefore according to order of time the Divine wisdom, is Co-eternal with the Holy Trinity, though in order of Nature and digni­ty, the Holy Trinity are before Wisdom, which is no­thing else but a passive effiux from the ever-blessed Trinity. Wherefore you are not to imagine that the wisdom of God, as she is Co-essential and Co-eternal, is also Co-equal with the holy Trinity, because as was said before, [Page 68] she is perfectly passive, and moves not her self, but as the Eye is moved, whereas the Blessed Trinity is all Act, all acting power; she is indeed said to be a Co-ope­rator with the Trinity, but yet so as that she moves not, except she be moved, nor acts except she be acted: thus far indeed she may be said in some sense to be Co-equal with the Trinity, forasmuch as she fills with her glance and brightness the whole still Eternity; but this cannot a­mount to a proper co-equality, because she is wholly passive, and depending of the Trinity. Besides she is clearly distinguishable from the Eye, and the Spirit of the Eye, as being only a brightness, Glance or ray pro­ceeding from it, and is consequently inferior, and sub­ordinate to the Blessed Trinity.
  • III. The third and last Essentiall property of the Di­vine Wisdom, is her Virgin Purity, which consists in this, that she is free from all desire, will and motion of he [...] own. She desire's and wills nothing, but as the Eter­nal mind, and will, desires and wills in her; she moves not, but as she is moved, and acts not, but as she is acted by the Spirit of Eternity; for she is nothing but a bright passive glance from the Eye of Eternity. She is an Eternal stillness in her self. She is not the Majesty it self, nor the Eye, but she is only the beauty, glory, brightness, lustre and glance of the Majesty in the Eye, and that such a transparent clarity and brightness as is without all spot or blemish. And in a word, She is nothing but perfect, absolute purity, she is a thousand times brighter, and purer than the Sun, and fairer than the Moon, and indeed nothing can be compared to the Excellence of that her Virgin-purity.

But her pure virginity doth not only consist in this, that she is free from all manner of spot, blemish or mix­ture, but especially in this, that her bright glance is from all Eternity fixed upon the flaming heart of God's love, which is the Center of the Holy Trinity. This flaming [Page 69] [...]eart of Love is the sole Object to which her regard is fastned continually: she receives nothing into her self but this divine Love, from the heart of God. She es­pouseth her self to nothing, inclineth her self to no­thing, but only to this essential Love, the Word of God, fixed in the Heart of the Deity. Thus the Holy Trinity have their delight with wisdom, and again the whole joy and delight of wisdom is the flaming Love of the blessed Trinity. She is exalted above all things, be­cause of her beauty and immaculate purity; she is the highest purity; she is purity and virginity in the abstract. She cannot be touched by sin, evil or self, because she can­not mix with, nor incline to any thing, but only the essential Love of God. She is free from all essences whatsoever, being nothing else but the unspotted mirrour of the glory and excellency of God: and thus we have de­clared to you what that pure Virginity is, which is one of the essential properties of God's wisdom.

3. I now proceed to the third and last head, viz. What the office of Wisdom is in the still Eternity. I find that Wisdom dischargeth these two offices, viz.

  • 1. She is a revealer of the Mysteries, and hidden wonders of the Deity.
  • 2. She is an enlightner of the still Eternity.

First, As for the first of these, Scripture and Reve­lation assure us, That Wisdom is the revealer and mani­fester of the unsearchable secrets of God: she is the gol­den Key of the Eternal Eye, by which all the won­ders of the Trinity are unlocked. As the office of the Holy Ghost is to effect and create all things, so the office of Wisdom is to manifest and reveal all things. She never brings forth any thing, and upon that account also, is called a pure Virgin, but only discovers and mani­fests whatsoever the Holy Trinity, by their effecting-creating-power, are pleas'd to bring forth. This Wis­dom is the companion of the Eye of Eternity, by her out [Page 70] going glance, revealing the wonders contained in it: She is as an Handmaid waiting upon the Holy Trinity, to declare, publish and make known their counsels, secrets and wonders.

Secondly, The other office of Wisdom is to give Light to the deep Abyss of the still Eternity. It is Wisdom's bright glance which is the day and light of this most holy mansion, not a created Light, but a pure di­vine Light, in that sence as God is called a Light in whom is no darkness at all, and no otherwise.

But you will object, That the Holy Scriptures and Divine Philosophers seem to give a different account con­cerning Wisdom than I have here given?

To which I answer, That I easily grant that the Scriptures of Truth, and holy enlightned Men, have spoken concerning Wisdom after another manner, than here I have done; and the reason of it is plain, for they speak of Wisdom after the production of Eternal Nature, as Wisdom is introduced into the seven forms of Eternal Nature: whereas I speak of Wisdom's existence with the Holy Trinity, in the still Eternity, before ever Eternal Nature was brought forth.

The fourth Wonder (which my Spirit was made to take notice of) in the still Eternity was the Seven Spi­rits of God which stand before the Throne of the Holy Trinity. Saint Iohn doth oft make mention of these in the Revelation, but he speaks of them there, as they were seen by him on mount Zion, in the New Ierusa­lem, after their being introduced into the working properties of pure Nature; whereas I treat of them here, a [...] they were seen in the still Eternity, before the ex­istence of pure Nature, out of which the New Ierusalem is created, and brought forth by the Holy Trinity. And accordingly we are to distinguish between these seven Spirits here mentioned, and those seven generating fountain-Spirits, out of which pure Nature and her [Page 71] [...]lements were generated, according to the highly en­ [...]ightned Behme, for those are the working powers of Eter­ [...]al Nature; whereas these are in the still Eternity, which [...]as before Eternal Nature, co-existing with the Holy Tri­ [...]ity, and Divine Wisdom in the still Eternity.

What I have further to declare concerning these se­ [...]en Spirits, I shall refer to these following particu­ [...]ars.

First, I shall speak of their Number; in the second place, of their Birth and Originality; thirdly, of their Nature; fourthly, of their Office; and fifthly and lastly, of their place in the still Eternity.

1. For the first, viz. their Number, which is Seven; for so they were named to me, the Seven Spirits of God. They do indeed subsist one in another, and through another, and appear but as one power, yet they are seven in number; even seven distinguishable powers flowing from, and rooted in the Unity of the Trinity. They were not distinguished to me by their several Names, but only by their Number: though, I know, that as they are in Eternal Nature, they enjoy [...]heir several distinct Names; but it is not time now to speak of them, because here we consider them as ex­isting in the still Eternity, out of, and before Eternal Nature.

2. As to their Birth and Originality, they spring and proceed from the Temple-body of the Holy Ghost, as well as they have their subsistence in the same: for as Wisdom is a beam or glance proceeding from the Fa­ther's Eye, and subsisting in the same; so these seven Spirits, or seven lustrous Powers proceed from the Di­vine Body of the Spirit, as from their source and original, and subsist in the same, as in their true ground.

3. The third perticular I am to speak to, is the Na­ture of these seven Spirits, which I shall endeavour to de­clare to you in these following Propositions.

  • [Page 72]1. The [...]irst is this, The seven Spirits of God are [...] many various outgoing Powers, immediately proceed [...]ing from the Body of the Holy Ghost; they are th [...] true fruits of the Spirit, they are as so many derive [...] streams, from the head and fountain-stream, the Hol [...] Ghost. They are a variation of that one all-effecting pow­er of the Holy Spirit. For as the supreme Unity varieth it self into a Trinity, so the all-effecting power of the Trinity varieth it self into a Septenary, or seven Spi­rits.
  • 2. In the second place, these seven Spirits are co-es­sential Powers with the Holy Ghost, and consequently with the whole Trinity; for they immediately p [...]oceed from the Essence of the Holy Ghost, they are essences out of his essence, and therefore must needs be co-es­sential with him.
  • 3. Thirdly, the seven Spirits of God are co-etern [...]l with the Holy Spirit, for they exist together with the Holy Trinity, which was never without these Spirits proceeding from them, and consequ [...]ntly these seven Spirits must needs be co-eternal with the Blessed Trini­ty. But here we must not think that their being co-essen­tial and co-eternal with the Holy Trinity, doth make th [...] co-equal with them: no, the Spirit of Eternity doth not bring forth Spirits equal to himself; but such as are subordinate and dependant, otherwise he would make other Gods besides himself, which cannot be suppo­sed. Besides, their subordination and inferiority in this appears, that they are n [...]t shut up in the Vnity of the Trinity, but appear distincl [...] from the Holy and ever blessed Trinity, as shall be more particularly declared hereafter.
  • 4. The fourth and last particular is, What are the of­fices and functions of these seven Spirits? Which I find to be these following.
    • 1. In the first place, their office and function is to wait upon the Majesty of the Trinity, in the still Eternity, [Page 73] in the Holiest of all. They are waiters and attenders on the Majesty of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in the Presence-Chamber of the still Eternity; where these glorious waiters make a great part of the pomp, s [...]ateliness and magnificence of the most Holy Place, and Presence-Chamber of the Holy and ever blessed Trinity.
    • 2. Another office and function of these seven Spi­rits, is to execute and perform the will of the Holy-Trini­ty: whatsoever the blessed Trinity will have done, these can, and do effect in a moment: there is no­thing too hard, or difficult for them: so that these are the high Princes and officers of the supreme Ma­jesty, always attending in the most Holy Place, the Presence-Chamber of the Deity, to effect and execute the will and pleasure of the blessed Trinity. These are those miraculous powers continually assisting before the su­preme Majesty, who have manifested and effected their mighty works of [...]nder in all ages, for which end also the Deity hath introduced them into the working forms of Eternal Nature.
    • 3. In the third place, the office of these seven Spi­rits, is to be the high Princely Councelors of the Divine Majesty: all the secrets of the Holy Trinity are re­vealed to them, all their purpose and will is made known to them, for the Holy Trinity doth nothing without them: for they perform and execute all the will and purpose of the Deity.
    • 4. In the fourth and last place, their function is this, they are the high Favourites, Friends and Compani­ons of the supreme Majesty; for they are not only al­ways in his presence in the most Holy Place, but they are admitted to his most secret, bosom-councels, they are exalted to a degree next to the Holy Trinity, which argues the high favour the supreme Majesty hath for them.
  • [Page 74]5. Having thus declared to you the office and fun­ctions of these seven Spirits, I come now to speak of the fifth and last Particular which I was to open con­cerning them, viz. the place they have in the still Eterni­ty: concerning which we are to know, that they are placed next to the supreme Majesty of the Holy Trinity, and therefore are said always to stand before the glorious Majesty of God in the most Holy Place, not in the out­ward or inward Court, but in the Holiest of all, which is the presence Chamber of the Deity, where the highest Pomp, Glory and Magnificence of God is dis­played. Here they behold the supreme Majesty, Face to Face, and Eye to Eye; that is, most clearly without any veil or similitude whatsoever.

I shall now briefly shew you what these Spirits are not: they are no personal Spirits, as the Angels are, who appear in organical bodies: they are pure simpli­fied Spirits, without composition, they resemble the supreme Unity and Simplicity of the Deity, from which they do immediately proceed. Neither can it be otherwise, for that in the still Eternity nothing but what is pure Spirit and Power is to be found. It is true St. Iohn in the Revelation represents them as burning Lamps, but he speaks of them there, not as they exist in the still Eternity; but as they appear in the properties of pure Nature, where they are [...]inctured with the fire and light in Harmony.

I now come to speak of the fifth and last Wonder, which was seen in this Rock of Wonder, the still Eternity, viz. the Inhabitants of this most Holy Place. You must not think that the Deity is solitary or unatten­ded, except only by those seven Spirits before mentioned, for there are an innumerable number of pure simplified Spi­rits, that stand ready in all humble resigned obedience, to execute the will, and perform the good pleasure of the Father of Spirits. As to their number they are ten [Page 75] [...]ousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, [...]nd indeed are innumerable as to us. And as I told you, [...]hey are all pure simplified Spirits, not like the Angels, [...]ho were created out of the forms of Eternal Nature, [...]t they are pure abstracted Spirits, proceeding from the [...]preme Vnity, who is the Father of Spirits.

I intend here for a further illustration of the present [...]bject to speak something concerning the nature of [...]pirits: and before I proceed any further, shall di­ [...]inguish between pure, simple Spirits, and mixed Spi­ [...]its. Pure and simple Spirits are such as exist without [...]ternal Nature in the still Eternity: mixed Spirits are [...]uch as are created out of Eternal Nature, and exist in the [...]me, as all Angelical Spirits do, [...]nd are therefore said to be mixed, because they do not immediately proceed from [...]he supreme Vnity, as simple Spirits do: but are created [...] of Nature's forms. Wherefore they that suppose the Angels to be Spirits of the first degree of perfection are [...]istaken: they are indeed the most perfect that were created out of the principle of Eternal Nature; but they do not reach the perfection of those simple Spirits, who proceed from the Vnity, and cohabit with the Vnity in the [...]ill Eternity. If you ask of me a description of these [...]imple Spirits? I say, That they are most simple essences [...]nd powers, free from all manner of mixture, or duality, without any Angelical or other figure, and are Eternal Vnities, proceeding from the supreme Vnity it self.

I shall here subjoyn a Figure, wherein by way of likeness you may conceive in what manner these sim­plified Spirits, the Inhabitants of the still Eternity, were represented to the Eye of my Spirit.

[Page 76]

[figure]

THIS Figure represents the still Eternity, or most Holy Place; the black spot in the midst or center of this Circle, figureth the Central Eye of Eter­nity; and the black points, with which the whole cir­cumference is filled, denote those pure simplified Spi­rits, which are the Inhabitants of the still Eternity, or the most Holy Place: From which representation of them, we may learn,

  • First, That they are Numberless.
  • Secondly, That they compass [...]he Deity, and fill the whole Round of the still Eternity, ready to execute the commands of the High Majesty.
  • In the third place, The Figure shews us, that they ar [...] distinct one from another, like the Stars in the Firmament.
  • [Page 77] Fourthly, They are all alike unto and co-equal with [...]e another, they are all of the same Essence, and all [...] them equally Eternal, all of them equal in Fun­ [...]ion, Charge and Dignity, all being obedient Chil­ [...]en and Servants of the Deity: they are all alike in [...]eir external form and figure, appearing all like bright [...]ints, Sparks, or Eyes.
  • In the fifth and last place, The Figure shews us, that [...]ey all resemble and are like the central Eye of the Dei­ [...], from which they do not differ but as a less from a [...]ater: for as the Spirit of Eternity represents him­ [...]lf by the sight or black of an Eye; so these simplified [...]irits, the Inhabitants of the still Eternity, appear [...]ke so many bright Points, Sparks or Eyes, all multi­ [...]ied and derived from the Eye of Eternity: So that these [...]pirits are true resemblances of the Spirit of Eternity, [...]eing of the same nature, only with the abovesaid dif­ [...]rence of greater and lesser, and of original and copy, [...] they are Lights from Light, and nothing else but the [...] of Eternity multiplying it self through the unmeasu­ [...]ble extent of the still Eternity.

Having thus opened the figure, I proceed now to [...]ive you a definition of simplified, pure Spirits, and it [...] this,

Simplified Spirits are Spirits generated [...]y That is by the whole Trinity, not as the Son is generated by the Father. God, immediately out of himself, [...] the likeness and similitude of himself, [...]nd for himself.

This definition is made up of a genus and diffe­ [...]ence, the genus or general comprehensive notion, is Spirits which is common to these simplified Spirits with all others; the difference, or that whereby these [...]ure Spirits are distinguished from all others, is laid [...]own in the causes, viz. the efficient, material, formal [...]nd final causes of simplified Spirits.

[Page 78]We shall begin with the first of these, viz. the [...]ficient Cause, which is expressed in these words [...] the Definition, generated by God which intimates t [...] us, that God is the efficient Cause, and sole generat [...] of those pure Spirits, which are the Inhabitants of th [...] still Eternity. I have told you before, that these S [...]rits are simple, pure Powers, and no wonder, since her [...] you see that they are the off-spring of the Deity, who [...] all pure Power: they partake of his Nature, and E [...]sence, as Children partake of the Nature and Essence [...] their Parents, and therefore it is that God is called the F [...]ther of Spirits, in reference to these pure simplified Spi [...] who resemble him in the Vnity, Simplicity and Purity [...] his Divine Nature. But you will say, How and af [...] what manner were these pure Spirits generated by God [...] This I confess is a great Mystery, yet for the satisfacti­on of the inquiring mind, we shall speak somethin [...] of it. We are to know that these simplified Spirits [...] did from all Eternity exist ideally in the Eye of Eter­nity, and the said I [...]eas were actually and essentiall [...] manifested by production, before all Worlds: The m [...] ­ner of their generation we may thus conceive of, their Id [...] being conceived in t [...] Divine mind, rais'd a desire fo [...] their manifestation, and this desire awakned the omni­potent will of God to their actual production: for in the will of God stands the Omnipotence, which ef­fecteth all things: This all-effecting power, is the power of the Holy Ghost; who is the producer, and actual manifester of whatsoever lie's hid in the Eye of the Father Ideally; Neither could the Spirit of Pow [...] ever have brought forth these pure Spirits, had not thei [...] Ideas pre-existed in the Eye of the Father, as their first ground and original pattern, according to which they were brought forth actually by the Holy Ghost.

I next proceed to speak of the material Cause of thes [...] simple Spirits, the Inhabitants of the still Eternity [...] [Page 79] which is expressed in these words of the definition, immediately generated out of himself.

Though these pure Spirits be immaterial, that is, free from all gross materiality and corporeity, yet are they not without a material cause, from whence they derive their substance and Essence; so that materiality in this s [...]nce is taken for essentiality. Now this material cause is ex­pressed to be God himself, for there was nothing in the still Eternity but the blessed Trinity and the seven Spi­rits immediately proceeding from them; therefore they must needs be generated out of God himself, for there was no other subject matter, no Eternal Nature, out of which they might b [...] taken. The Word immediate­ly is added in the Definition to distinguish these pure sim­plified Spirits from the Angels who were brought forth out of Eternal Nature, as their material cause, and not immediately out of the Divine Essence, as these are. Now this Divine Nature, out of which these Spirits are generated, is no other than the Heart of God, which, as I told you, is the Central Heart of the Deity; and this Heart of God is the Eternal flaming Heart of God's Love, it is Love it self, and the fulness and perfection of Love, and accordingly St. Iohn gives us this account of God, that He is Love, and that he that dwells in Love, dwells in God, and God in him. Though this Scripture has relation to man litterally; yet we may here apply it for illustration that God is Love, which Love is the Generator of these simplified Spirits. And it is out of this Love's Eternal Substantiality, that the numberless number of the Inhabitants of the still Eternity were actually manifested, for the Glory of the supreme Majesty.

Now because I have told you, that Love's Eternal Essentiality is that, out of which all pure simplified Spirits were brought forth; I think it not amiss to open to you the nature and properties of this Divine Love; to the end you may have a clearer understand­ing [Page 80] concerning the Nature, and quali [...]ic [...]tions of thos [...] pure Spirits, which did proceed from it: for by opening unto you the Nature of this Divine Love, which is the Cause, I must needs at the same time lead you to the knowledge of these Spirits, which are the effect or pro­duct of it.

1. In the fi [...]st place, then I find the Nature of Di­vine Love to be a perfect Unity and Simplicity. There is nothing more one, undivided, simple, pure, un­mixed and uncompounded than Love. You will say how do I prove this? Very well: for this Love is God himself, now it is well known that there is nothing more essential to God, than Unity and Simplicity, nothing more contrary to the Divine Nature than du­ality, division or composition. Besides it is this Love, which gives Unity and Harmony to all things. There is no Unity in Heaven nor on Earth, but what derive [...] from Love, and must acknowledge him the Author [...] and do you think Love can want that Unity, which it gives to all others? No certainly, rather conclude, that that which makes all things one, which harmonizeth and agrees the most different and discordant Natures, must needs be Unity it self.

2. In the second place, I find Love to be a most per­fect and absolute Liberty. Nothing can move Love, but Love; nothing touch Love, but Love; nor no­thing constrain Love, but Love. It is free from all things, it self only gives Laws to it self, and those Laws, are the Laws of liberty; for nothing acts more freely than Love, because it always acts from it self, and is moved by it self; by which prerogatives Love shews himself allyed to the Divine Nature, yea to be God himself.

3. Thirdly. Love is all strength and power. Make a diligent search through Heaven and Earth, and you'l find nothing so powerful as Love. What is stronge [...] than Hell and Death? Yet Love is the triumphan [...] [Page 81] Conqueror of both. What more formidable than the [...] of God? Yet Love overcomes it, and dissolves [...]nd changeth it into it self. In a word, nothing can [...]ithstand the prevailing strength or Love: it is the [...]ery munition of Rocks, and the strength of Mount [...]io [...], which can never be moved.

4. In the fourth place, Love is of a transmuting and [...]ransforming Nature. The great effect of Love is to [...]urn all things into its own Nature, which is all good­ [...]ess, sweetness and perfection. This is that Divine Power which turns Water into Wine, Sorrow and [...]ellish Anguish into exulting and triumphing Ioy; Curse into Blessings; where it meets with a barren [...]eathy Desart, it transmutes it into a Paradise of de­ [...]ghts; yea it changeth evil to good, and all imper­ [...]ction into perfection. It restores that which is fallen, [...]d degenerated, to its primary beauty, excellence, [...]d perfection. It is the Divine Stone, the White [...]one with a Name written on it, which none knows, [...] he that hath it. In a word, it is the Divine Na­ [...]re, it is God himself, whose essential property it is [...]o assimilate all things with himself; or (if you will [...]ve it in the Scripture phrase) to reconcile all things [...] [...]imself, whether they be in Heaven or in Earth; and [...]ll by means of this Divine Elixir, whose transform­ [...]ng power and efficacy nothing can withstand.

5. In the fifth and last place, Love is of a fruitful, [...]rolifick, multiplying, diffusive and communicating Nature. It is Love makes all other things to be fruit­ [...]ul and multiply, and to be diffusive and communica­ [...]ive of themselves; therefore Love which gives to [...]thers this property, must needs possess it by way of [...]minency it self. Upon this account it is, that Love [...]aith, Shall I cause others to bring forth, and shall I not [...]ing forth my self? I shall speak no more of this pro­ [...]erty of Love now, becaus I shall have occasion to [...]ntion it again in the next paragraph.

[Page 82]It was out of this fruitful womb of Eternal Love, th [...] the acting power of the Holy Ghost, in Vnion with Wis [...]dom, brought forth these simplified Spirits, as out of thei [...] first matter; and consequently all these Spirits mus [...] needs be co-essential, as being all brought forth out o [...] the Essence of Love, which is the common matter to th [...] all; neither are they only co-essential with one another [...] but also in some sort co-essential with the Deity, being immediately produced out of the Divine Love-essence [...] yet with this difference, that the Divine Love-essence is t [...] Cause, and the Spirit are Effects, and so are subordinat [...] and inferior to him who is the Father of Spirits. Thi [...] Love-essence (as you have heard before) is the Cente [...] and Heart of the Holy Trinity, and is consequently th [...] first of all Essences; as being before Eternal Nature [...] and all things else, and will be the last and reign an [...] triumph over all to Eternity.

But here it may be objected, That it doth not s [...] consistent with the Vnity and Simplicity of [...]ternal L [...]-essence, to be the producer of so many distinct Spirits, [...]e­cause Vnity and Multiplicity are opposite to one [...] ­ther?

To which I answer, That if these Spirits be concei­ved to be taken out of the Love-essence, as so man [...] divided parts, or parcels torn or separated from the whole; this cannot consist with the Unity of Love [...] but it is not so, for it is the fruitful womb of the Love-es­sence, which hath brought forth all these innumerable Spi­rits, without the least division or separation of its o [...] simplified Essence. But as we see here in this World [...] that one seed (by reason of the blessing of the Love-essence hid in it) brings fort [...], and varies it self i [...] many, not by dividing it self into so many parts, bu [...] by a Magical Multiplication: even so must we conceiv [...] that this Eternal Love-essence did Magically Multiply i [...] self into this innumerable number of Spirits, witho [...] making the least rent or division in its own mo [...] [Page 83] united and simple Essence. These Spirits are first in the Eye of the Father, as so many Ideas, which Ideas after­wards are fruitful seeds in the womb of Love, and are brought to actual manifestation by the all-effecting power of the Holy Ghost, with the assistance of wisdom. So that hence we see that these Spirits, which were only Ideas in the Eye of the Father, receive their essentiality and become fruitful seeds in the Love-essence, which is the womb that cherisheth them. Wherefore it does not ap­pear impossible or unintelligible, that the Unity of Love' [...] Essence, should multiply and vary it self into an in­numerable off-spring; becaus we see both the Light and Fire of this outward Creation to multiply them­selves without any division or loss of parts: How many sparks do proceed from one fire? And how many candles may be lighted by one? But how much more than, must we suppose, that the Heart of God, the Eternal Love-essence, is able to multiply it self; since all the multiplying virtue, which is found in things here be­low, are only the effects of the all-fruitfulness of Love, which is communicated unto, and diffused through all Creatures, causing them to multiply, and bring forth according to their several kinds. So that it appears, That this Love-essence is the Mother of all Es­sences, but more immediately and peculiarly of these sim­plified Spirits, which are the Inhabitants of the still Eternity, as being her own immediate off-spring, without the intervention of Eternal Nature: where­fore they also partake of the Nature and Essence of Love, being all meek and pleasant Essences, beautified with all the graces, powers and perfections of Love, and exempt from all contrariety whatsoever.

I come now to speak of the formal Cause of the In­habitants of the still Eternity, which in the definition is laid down in these words, in the Image and likeness of himself: intimating to us that which makes these simplified Spirits to be what they are is the Image and [Page 84] likeness of the Holy Trinity; which is their internal essen­tial Form.

I now [...]roceed to a more particular explication of the forma [...] [...] of these pure Spirits; and to this end shall give you an account of what was declared, to the Spirit of my mind, concerning them in the still Eternity.

First, I was expresly charged to observe diligently wha [...] difference I could find between the Holy Trinity and t [...]ese Spirits; and upon observation, I could find no ot [...]er difference, but that of greater and lesser; whereupon it was further expresly told me; that these Spirits, were Spirits generated out of, and to the Image and like­ness of the Spirit of Eternity. And again, Th [...]t they were lesser Wonders, proceeding from th [...] great Wonder, as we may say, lesser Deities generated by the Universal Deity of Love: and what can more sig­nificantly express the formality of these Spirits, than these words which were revealed to my Spirit in the most H [...]ly Place? Insomuch as it seems superfluous to add any thing further: but yet if any should desire further to be instructed, what this Image of God is, which is the Essential form of pure Spirits, I say, This Image co [...] ­tains the whole Nature, Essence, and all the perfections of the Deity; yet with the distinction of greater and lesser, original and derivative, independent and dependent: For example, Do you find God to be a perfect Unity? So are these Spirits an Unity in themselve. Is God Love? So are these: Is God Wise, Good, Powerful? So are these. And the same may be said of all the ex­cellencies and perfections of the Divine Nature, in the per­fect Image and likeness of which they were brought forth, by the acting power of the Holy Ghost.

I come now in the last place to speak of the final Cause, express'd in these words, For himself, that is to say, these simplified Spirits were brought forth for the Manifestation of the Deity: for had the Divine Na­ture always continued shut up in it self, in the still [Page 85] Eternity, without bringing forth it self, without it self, it would never have been known to any, but it self [...] wherefore for the manifestation of the Triune Dei [...]y were these simplified Spirits brought forth to be the Inhabitants of the still Eternity.

1. But more especially these simplified Spirits were brought forth for the manifestation of the attributes, vir­ [...]es and excellencies of the Divine Essence, in the still E [...]ernity, viz. His Eternity, Infinity, All-sufficiency, Immensity, as also his Unity, Simplicity, Liberty, Goodness, Perfection and Happiness. For though all these were well known to themselves, yet they were not manifested to others, till these simplified Spirits were brought forth.

2. Again th [...]y were brought forth for the manifestation [...]f the Divine Soveraignty, Majesty and Dominion, in the still Eternity: which could not be known or manifest­ed till there were Spirits which might be the Subjects of this Dominion and Soveraignty.

3. In the next place, one of the ends of the producti­ [...] of these Spirits was, that the mystery of the Divine Be­i [...]g, and subsistence might be known to others besides it self, i [...] the still Eternity. Therefore were these Spirits pro­duced which are all Eye, and every way capacitated eternally to dwell upon the blisful contemplation of the Triune Deity.

4. Another end why these Spirits were brought forth, was to manifest the generating and multiplying fruitfulness of the Deity, in his abstracted Nature in the still Eternity, [...]i [...]hout Eternal Nature's principle. There being nothing more essential to the Divine Nature than to multiply, dif­fuse and communicate it self, which essential property had [...] been known in the still Eternity, without this producti­on of simplified Spirits.

5. Again, a main end, why these pure Spirits were brought forth, was for the manifestation of God's Glory, which consists in the triumphing exulting Nature of Love, O [Page 86] in the still Eternity. Now that this pleasant and all glorious Love-essence might be revealed, in the still Eter­nity to others besides the Trinity; therefore were these pure Spirits brought forth, that they tasting, see­ing and enjoying this glorious, pleasant and blisful Love-essence, might celebrate the praise and glory of the Triune Deity to all Eternity.

6. Lastly, These pure Spirits were brought forth for the manifestation of the hidden will and good pleasure of the Trinity. The Divine Will from Eternity was to bring forth Spirits in the still Eternity, to be the Inhabi­tants of it; which might know him and enjoy him, and in so doing, be Eternally happy: Which Will of God could not be manifest till such Spirits were actu­ally produced, who were capable of knowing and en­joying him; and such were these simplified, pure Spirits; and therefore were they brought forth by the Holy and ever blessed Trinity.

The Divine Wisdom very well knew, that nothing less than Spirits of the highest degree of purity, and sim­plicity could be capable of receiving the manifestations of the Trinity in the still Eternity, that is, in their pure, simple, abstracted and solitary being. Therefo [...]e were these Spirits brought forth in the perfect Image of th [...] Deity, as he subsists, all pure Spirit, and Vnity, with­out and before Eternal Nature; that they might be vessels capable of receiving the Divine fulness; for which they were brought forth.

Having now finished the manifestation of the Na­ture of these simplified Spirits from their Causes, I shall next come to give you a brief account of some of their [...]ssential qualifications, properties, and adjuncts; the explication of which may afford a fuller and clearer understanding of their Nature.

1. In the first place then, I say, That these Inhabitants of the still Eternity are most highly simplified Spirits; which simplicity of theirs consists in this, that they [Page 87] did immediately proceed from the most simple and ab­stracted Essence of the Deity; and were not brought forth out of Eternal Nature's Principle as all other Creatures were, which therefore want much of the simplicity and unity of these pure Spirits. And again, these Spirits are justly said to be simplified Spirits, in that they have no Souls, or any personal organical cor­poreity; but are meer, pure Spirits, that is, nothing but Spirit, all Spirit. Yet I do not deny but these Spirits h [...]ve a Body which is common to them all; which Body is the Temple Body of the Holy Ghost: which fills that whole circumference of that most Holy Place, in which Body they do all dwell; yet reserving their numerical distinction.

2. These Inhabitants are Intellectual Spirits, that is, they were endued with understanding and will; for otherwise they could not have resembled the Father of Spirits, neither could they have been capable of knowing, loving and obeying him, and consequently would have been unmeet for the company of the Holy Trinity, in the still Eternity.

3. These Spirits are endued with the Spiritual senses, of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling, whereby they are inabled to discern the object of the still Eternity. They behold the Trinity face to face, they hearken to his still and awful voice, they are re­freshed by perceiving the ravishing odors which con­tinually perfume the most Holy Place, they taste and feed upon the outflowing sweetness of the Deity; and they feel nothing but the Eternal goodness of him, who with his fulness fills the still Eternity.

4. In the fourth place, These Spirits are endued with a Spiritual kind of materiality from the Love-Essence in the Heart of God. But because I have fully spoken of this in the material Cause, I thither refer you.

5. In the fifth place, These Spirits are all of them Co-eternal, I mean in relation to themselves, not to the Holy [Page 88] Trinity who were before them, in order of Nature; as the Cause is before the effect, and the Generator before that which is generated; though we cannot de­ny but that in some sense these Spirits may be said to be Co-eternal with the Trinity, becaus we cannot say that the blessed Trinity ever were without the compa­ny of these Spirits in the still Eternity. But in thi [...] place, when, I say, that these Spirits are Co-eternal, my meaning is, that they were all brought forth at once in the still Eternity, without any priority or succes­sion of time, which is not to be found in the most Holy Place.

6. In the sixth place, These Spirits are all of them co-equal with one another, I say, with one another, not with the Holy Trinity: for though these simplified Spi­rits may in some sense be said to be Co-essential and Co-eternal with the Blessed Trinity; yet can they [...] be said to be co-equal with them. They were indeed the off-spring of the Divine Essence of multiplying and pro­pagating Love, proceeding from the Heart of the Trinity, and so may be said to be co-essential with the Deity, as immediately proceeding from the Divine Essence of Love; and they were brought forth in the still Eter­nity, where time is not to be found, and so may be said to be Co-eternal with the Blessed Trinity; who were never witho [...] [...]he company of these pure Spirits in the still Eternity: yet notwithstanding all this, they were never admitted to a co-equality with the Deity, becaus it is contrary to the Nature and right of the Deity, to bring forth Sons which should be equal with them in the Soveraignty, Kingdom and Dominion; for so the Holy Trinity must have brought forth many abso­lute, independent Deities like themselves, which cannot be admitted. It remains then that this co-equality, which we attribute to these Spirits, is only to be under­stood with respect to themselves, viz. that they are all alike, without having any preheminence the one before the other.

[Page 89]As first, In their birth and original: they all have [...]t one Father, the Father of Spirits, and but one Mo­ther, as proceeding all from the womb of Eternal Love: They are all Children, and Brethren alike: They a [...] all equal in Dignity and Glory. Here is no Electi­ [...] or Reprobation takes place amongst these Spirits, as be­ing all of them the Sons of God's Eternal Love. They are all of them Co-heirs alike of all their Father's Goods, even of all the Riches and Glory of the still Eternity: they enjoy the Beatifical Vision, and Union to and Communion with the blessed Trinity alike. All the wonders of Eternity are their's in Community, and are all alike sharers in the Powers, Raptures and Ioys of the most Holy Place. They are all members of the same Body, viz. the Divine Love-essence. They are all Citizens of the same City. All Subjects and obe­dient Servants of the same Soverain Majesty. They are all equal in the Divine perfections, and heavenly gifts and graces: they are all of them most Lovely, Holy, Pure and Righteous. They are equally meek, humble, obedient, resigned, &c. so that they may very well be said to be co-equal with one another.

7. In the seventh place, These Spirits are all fixed Spirits, that is, they are unchangeable and unalterable, and by the power of the Holy Ghost filling them throughout, become fixed and unmoveable pillars in the most Holy Place. The reason of this their unchangeable fixation is, that the Holy Ghost is the Life of their Life, the Spirit of their Spirits, and the moving Power in all their motions. They desire not, think not, will not, speak not, move not; but the Holy Spirit desire's, think's, will's, speaks and moves in and through them. Not that they want these faculties and powers, but becaus the Holy Ghost alone is the acting and mo­ving power in and through all their faculties; them­selves being purely and meerly pas [...]ive. And therefore it is impossible that any of these Spirits should fall, becaus [Page 90] they stand all fixed in and by the unchangeable power of the Holy Spirit, owning no will, but that of the Blessed Trinity; so that there is no way for sin or self to enter in and take possession of these Inhabitants of the still Eternity, forasmuch as the Holy Ghost, who performs all the good will of the Trinity, is become their act­ing and moving power.

8. In the next place, These simplified Spirits as to their Number are innumerable as to us, though not to the Holy Trinity, to whom their number is exactly known, and who calls them all by their Names. This innumerable number of Spirits, proceeded (as I told you before) from the overflowing stream of Love's Eternal Es­sence; for when the Father and Spirit moved in the Heart-essence of Love, then the Heart of the Son's Deity opened it self; and then the Love-essence shut up in the Heart, did flow forth as a stream from the Heart-center; out of which essentially the Holy Ghost, in Conjunction with Wisdom, formed this numberless number of simplified Spirits. And this infinite fulness of the Divine Love might have sufficed to the production of many more of these Spirits, than were brought forth; therefore the out-flowings of this ocean Sea, what shall I say, of Eternal Love, were bounded by God's Will and Wisdom, who brings forth all things in Number, Weight and Measure; and so were these Spi­rits also produced according to the will and good plea­sure of the Holy Tri [...]ity.

9. In the ninth place, We may consider the place or Vbi of these Spirits, which is no other than the most Holy Place, the still Eternity; the Heaven of Heavens, differing from the Angelical and all other Heavens, in that they were brought forth out of Eternal Nature, but this was before, and stands without Eternal Nature: and is the most Holy Place, and Presence-chamber of the Divine Ma­jesty in its own pure abstracted Essence. But to speak somewhat more particular concerning the place of [Page 91] [...]hese Spirits; I say, that they are placed round about the Eye of Eternity, not in the very Eye: which situation of [...]ir's is a mark of their inferiority, subordination unto, and dependance upon the Trinity.

10. In the tenth and last place, I shall speak some­thing concerning their outward form and figure, which as was told you before, is the very same with the figure of the Eye of Eternity, only with this difference

[figure]

that the Eye of Eternity is greater, and these al­so many lesser Eyes encompassing it round. Ac­cording as you see it represented in the figure which is in the Margin: where the Great Spot in the midst deciphers the Eye of Eternity appearing like the black or sight of an Eye; and the lesser spots round about it re­present the Inhabitants of the still Eternity, exactly resembling the Eye of Eternity, with this only di­stinction, that they are less than it. And here we may also take notice, that as these Spirits do exactly in their outward figure resemble the Holy Trinity, as they exist in the shut up Eye of Eternity, so also they exact­ly resemble one another without any the least difference, appearing all not only in the same figure and form, but also of the same bigness; so that there is no distinction between them, but only a numerical distinction, where­by one of them is not the other. And one of the great­est Wonders of the still Eternity is this, to behold this innumerable number of Spirits bearing the exact and per­fect resemblance with the Deity both outwardly and in­wardly. At which sight my Spirit was in a manner all absorbed quite swallowed with wonder and amaze­ment.

Having thus spoken concerning these qualifications and adjuncts of these pure Spirits, I should now draw to a conclusion of this Subject, but becaus some, it may be, will be curious to know what the manner of living and employment of these Spirits in the still Eter­nity is.

[Page 92]As to the first, We must know that being living Spi­rits, their life requires to be maintained with food: fo [...] no life, though the most spiritual can be continued without a supply of meat and drink, according to its kind. It is not to be thought that we speak here of any gross way of eating and drinking, but of that which is purely and highly Spiritual; for the food of these Spirits is nothing else but living powers, or rather powers of Life proceeding from the Holy Trinity. Their Eternal Mother that brought them forth to be living Spirits, doth feed, nourish and maintain them with her Divine influences and distilling powers; which Mother of theirs is the Eternal Heart of Love, which is the Center of the blessed Trinity: from whence proceed these impregnating, penetrating powers which do feed and maintain these Spirits, which powers are the very Blood, Life and Spi­rit of Love, which is the food of those Inhabitants of the still Eternity. And thus much shall suffice concerning the manner and way of Living of these Spirits in the still Eternity: I shall now come to speak a word or two concerning their Employment.

Their employment is to attend in the presence of the Holy and everblessed Trinity, being ready to perform the will of the supreme Majesty. Their Minds are continually taken up, and delighted with the Beatifical Vision of the Deity; their Wills fully satisfied in the immediate en­joyment of the chiefest Good; their Senses pleased with most suitable and ravishing objects; and they continually bathing themselves in those Rivers of unknown delights [...] which proceed from the Heart of the Deity without intermission. Thus they spend that Eternal day in never ceasing Praises and Hallelujahs to the ever blessed and incomprehensible Trinity.

Quest. If any one do further enquire concerning these Spirits, what Speech or Language they have, or how they communicate their thoughts to one another?

[Page 93] Answ. I answer, That their speaking to one another is [...] thought; what ever they do but think, is answered [...]mediately; their thoughts are all known to one another, [...] forthwith answered: which awful silence adds [...]uch to the Glory of this Presence-chamber of the su­ [...]me Majesty.

But it is not only their Language which is Won­ [...]erful, they being full of Wonders; for they all see [...] through one Eye, hear through one ear; they all live [...] one Heart, and from one Center of Life; they move [...]rom one moving Cause, they all breath from one [...]reath, they all will from one Spirit, and they all stand [...]n one Body. For God the Holy Ghost who is a breath, [...]ir, life and power, proceeding from the Father's Eye, through the Son's Heart of Love, is all in all [...] these Spirits, so that the will of the Trinity is fully [...]erformed in them, and by them.

I have but little more to add, and that is concer­ning the Nature of [...]his still Eternity, and the ends why [...] was brought forth. To the first of these I shall speak [...]n these following particulars:

  • 1. In the first place, then I say, That the still Eterni­ty is a Principle; now what a Principle is, I shall af­terwards set down, to which therefore I refer you.
  • 2. Secondly, The still Eternity is the first Eternal Principle; becaus there is none before, above or be­yond it: But God alone who is the Cause of it.
  • 3. In the third place, This still Eternity is the Original Principle of all Principles; becaus all other Principles proceed from it.
  • 4. In the fourth place, This still Eternity is the origi­nal Principle of Eternal Love; and therefore it is called the Kingdom of Love, becaus here is the birth of Love, and here the blessed Trinity dwell in the Eternal Uni­ty of their Love-essence, which is the first and last of all Beings and Essences whatsoever.

    [Page 94]But you will object, That Mount Zion, the New Ie­rusalem, and the Angelical World, are called by the sa [...] Names, viz. the Kingdom and World of Love.

    To which I answer, by granting, That it is true Mount Zion, &c. are called by the same Names, as i [...] the still Eternity, but yet with this difference, that the still Eternity is the Kingdom and Mansion of the Love, as it exists without and before Eternal Nature's Prin­ciple: but Mount Zion, the New Ierusalem, and An­gelical World, are called the Kingdom of Love, ma­nifested in and through Eternal Nature: so as the [...] is the Kingdom of Love out of Eternal Nature, and the others are the Kingdom of the said Love, brought forth i [...] Eternal Nature's Principle.

  • 5. In the fifth and last place, The still Eternity is [...] simple undivided Principle, without any distinction of parts, composition or mixture whatsoever. It is all Light, and all Love, without any thing of Contrariety [...] Disagreement whatsoever.

I now come to speak briefly concerning the second head I just now propounded, viz. the ends why this still Eternity was brought forth.

  • 1. In the first place, The still Eternity was brought forth, that it might be the Palace and Habitation of the ever blessed Trinity in their abstracted and solitary Being.
  • 2. Secondly, The still Eternity was brought forth t [...] be the Council-chamber of the Holy Trinit; when all their Eternal Decrees, Counsels, Purposes, and Pre­destinatious are agreed upon, and from whence they pro­ceed. And because we here have made mention of the Decrees and Counsels of the blessed Trinity, it will not be amiss if we speak something concerning the Nature of these Decrees, &c. We are to know that all the Decrees and Counsels of the Holy Trinity do wholly and solely depend on the Will of their Eternal Love, wit [...] ­out the least regard to any thing without themselves; be­ing [Page 95] nothing else but the pure results of the will and pur­pose of their Love. But if we consider the Holy Trinity as being invested with the Principle of Eternal Nature, so their Decrees and Counsels, concerning Angels and Men, may be said to have a conditional regard to Faith, Obedience, Perseverance, &c. which distinction, if well understood, will put an end to all those disputes, which have been concerning the Decrees and purposes of God, whither they be absolute and independent, or conditional, and with regard to things without them; for both opinions are true, if rightly and distinctly taken. In the still Eternity all the Decrees and Purposes of God are unconditional and independent of any thing, but their own wills; but in Eternal Nature their decrees do not absolutely and solely depend on the soveraign will of the Trinity, but upon conditions and qualifica­tions found in things without them. As for ex­ample in Angels and Men, concerning whom God's de­crees are limited, and conditional according to the se­veral dispositions of those Creature.

And thus I have finished the second head, viz. What God is in his original Being, in the Globe of Eternity, before Eternal Nature was in Being. And now shall proceed to the Third Part of this Treatise, wherein the third Head is handled, which is concerning Eter­nal Nature's Essence, with her working Forms, sub­sisting in her own Eternal Principle.

Soli Deo gloria.

A TREATISE OF Eterna …

A TREATISE OF Eternal Nature WITH Her Seven Essential Forms, OR Original Working Properties.

Ezek. 1. 16. Their appearance and their Work was as it were a Wheel in the midst of a Wheel.

Ezek. 1. 21. For the Spirit of the living Creature was in the Wheels.

Rev. 5. 1. And I saw in the right Hand of him that sat on the Throne, a book written within, and on the back side, sealed with Seven Seals.

Iames 3. 6. And setteth on Fire the Wheel of Nature.

IPMD.

LONDON, Printed, Anno Dom. 1681.

The Author to the Reader.

Christian Reader,

I Here present you with a little Tract of Eternal Nature with her seven Original Essential forms: [...]ere is multum in parvo, for this Orb of Eternal Nature, is the origi­ [...]al Ground of all Worlds, both Visi­ [...]le and Invisible, of Heaven and An­ [...]els, of Hell and Devils, of all Spi­ [...]ts whether good or bad, and indeed [...]f all Created Essences. Hence origi­ [...]lly spring Light and Darkness, Good [...]nd Evil, Life and Death, Ioy and Sorrow, Wrath and Love, Blessing and Curse, Happiness and Misery, and [...]nity and Contrariety. It is indeed a [...]rand Mystery, and not made known to [...]ormer Ages; for in [...] this, all Secrets and Mysteries belonging to our salvation do [...]riginally subsist, being the Ground, or Womb, from whence all Worlds have [...]heir Birth. In coming to know the [Page] Mysteries of this Eternal Nature, w [...] shall come to know and comprehend th [...] deep Mysteries of God, for the triu [...] Deity has brought forth himself into E [...]ternal Nature, as into a ground whereb [...] he might be the better manifested to h [...] intellectual Creatures, who without th [...] Eternal Nature, would not be able [...] know or understand any thing of his Ma [...]jesty, Greatness, Omnipotency, Clarit [...] Love, Holiness, Righteousness, Purit [...] and Glory. By it is also manifested th [...] true knowledge of Things, which with [...]out this we do but grope after as in th [...] Dark. In a word, 'tis the first origina [...] and true ground of all created being [...] and so of all true knowledge. By th [...] right understanding of the Nature o [...] this, we s [...]all come to know and under [...]stand, the secret meaning of many my [...]stical Scriptures. It is a Library, an [...] Academy of it self, and can teach u [...] the original ground of all Arts and Sci [...]ences: It is worth our Labour and Stu [...]dy, to read, peruse, and consider thi [...] [Page] [...]ttle little Book, which will teach the [...]ay of true Wisdom and Knowledge. The [...]umber seven is a number of perfection, [...]hich is here to be found, with the num­ [...]er ten, the number one hundred, and [...]e number one thousand, and so ad [...]nfinitum, for beyond this we cannot go. [...] may seem to write in the dark to many, [...]nd this perhaps will seem a new and [...]range paradox to others, but it has [...]een before revealed by the Holy Spirit, [...]o that inlightned Philosopher Iacob Behme, he first indeed manifested this [...]ystery to the World; which was, I say, [...] very great manifestation, though re­ [...]eived by few, who could understand the Writings of that deep Philosopher, which had many Vails and Coverings; but I have in this Tract, endeavoured to shew you Eternal Nature, as she is in her original Creation, and to lay open to your view, all her seven working forms or properties, being the original ground of all things, without any coverings, and in as plain Words and Terms as I could [Page] invent, that the meanest capaciy, w [...] is willing to Learn, and who is n [...] thorow pride, envy, and high-minde [...]ness, prejudiced against the teaching of the Spirit, may be taught and bene [...]itted: for the time of the Lily is [...] hand, and the Morning [...]star is alrea [...] risen, and the Sun of the Eternal Go [...]spel is about to rise, its dawn or day [...]break already strikes our Eyes, with [...] glimmering of that glorious Light whose splendor rejoyces the Hearts of th [...] faithful, who wait for this glorious da [...] The Eternal Gospel shall then be preach [...]ed, and all mysteries revealed. I say the day is at hand, even at the door [...] In the mean time, I desire thee Reader to accept of this small Tract of Eterna [...] Nature, as a preparative to the opening of other mysteries, and that thou wil [...] consider it seriously [...] and without pre­i [...]dice: Speak not against that thou doest not understand, and judge not others that you be not judged. I have many Years studied this little little [Page] [...]ook, not little for the value, but that [...] contains but seven leaves, which are [...]he seven properties of Nature, locked [...]p under seven Seals, all which I have [...]und opened in my Soul's Essence, and [...]d I have not repented me of my study; [...]or I have experimented the excellency [...]hereof. Have a care of vain Philoso­ [...]hy, and the rudiments of Men, it is St. Paul's advice, who was acquainted [...]ith the Teachings of the Spirit; out­ [...]ard notions and academical know­ledge, have devoured the Spirit of God, [...]nd have served only to make Men high- [...]inded and proud, and to despise their Brothers, and to cry out all is fancy and delusion, that agrees not with their Te­nents; I am not against humane learn­ing, I have known what it is; but I would not have it set above the Spirit of God; nor the teachings of the Spirit to truckle under it: For God has said, He will destroy the wisdom of the Wise, and he will make [...]imself known to babes, and such who in a childlike [Page] Innocency wait for the teaching of th [...] most high, and bring to nothing th [...] understanding of the prudent. Th [...] wisdom of this World is indeed but foll [...] at the best. I confess my self the lea [...] of all Saints, and not worthy of th [...] knowledge of those deep mysteries, whic [...] God hath revealed to me, and whic [...] hath been manifested to my Eterna [...] Spirit, but God hath thought Good to use me as an Instrument in his Hand; the effect of which I leave to God, desi­ring to be serviceable to thee, in my ge­neration, and remain

Yours in the Love of IESUS IPMD.

THE ABYSSAL NOTHING.

[figure]

The Explication of this Figure.

THIS Circle represents the Principle of Eter­nal Nature, which is the Subject of this dis­course.

The Black spot in the midst of the Circle, repre­sents God's Eternal Eye, and type's out the Trinity in [Page 106] their Eternal Unity, who have placed themselves in the midst of Eternal Nature's Principle, for the or­dering and governing of it. And also the Holy Trinity's introducing of themselves into Eternal Na­ture.

The wide space within the Circle type's forth the Chaos or the Abyssal nothing; the ground of all Es­sences and yet no Essence to be seen in it.

Now because I have in the foregoing discourse oft made mention of the word Principle. without having any where declar'd what I meant by it, I think it pro­per in this place to give you the signification of it, ac­cording to the sense in which I take it.

And in the first place, I shall tell you negatively, in what sense it is not in this place taken by me. By the word Principle, I do not understand the first constitu­tive beginnings of things, whereof they consist, and from whence they take their Being, in the same sense, in which the four Elements by some, and Salt, Sul­phur and Mercury, by others, are called the Princi­ples of all things.

But by a Principle, I mean an Original Source, and Fountain-Essence, formed by an Agent, into a Sphae­rical Circumference, by which it is distinguished from all others.

1. To explain this definition a little, I say, in the first place, that a Principle is an Original and Fountain-Essence: for it is not every Essence doth make a Prin­ciple, but such an one only, as is th [...] fruitful Mother of all the Essences conteined within its own Circum­ference and Kingdom, and affords them being and sustenance from its own Bowels.

2. In the second place, it is said to be formed by an Agent, becaus a Principle of it self is Passive, con­sidered without the Active Spirit in the Center, which is the Mover of it.

[Page 107]3. In the third place, you have the form and figure of a Principle, a Sphaerical Circumference, which is the common form of all Principles.

4. In the last place, you have the end, why a Prin­ciple is formed into a Sphaerical enclosure, viz. that thereby it might be distinguished from all other Princi­ples, Worlds and Centers: for all these are the same with me in this place, and therefore many times one of these is put for the other.

Having thus given you the Definition of a Principle in general, I shall now subjoyn the particular definiti­on of Eternal Nature, in these words:

  • Eternal Nature is a Principle created by God out of the Abyssal Chaos, containing the seven operative powers, for the production of all things.
  • The Genus or general Notion of this definition is the word Principle, which but just now we have ex­plained to you.
  • The difference of this definition contains the four Causes of Eternal Nature, viz. the efficient, material, formal and final.
  • The efficient Cause, which is God, is expressed in these words of the definition, created by God.
  • The material which is the Abyssal Chaos is expres­sed in these words, out of the Abyssal Chaos.
  • The formal Cause are the seven operative Powers, which the definition tells you, that Eternal Nature doth contain.
  • The final Cause of Eternal Nature is, that it might be the fruitful Mother of all things: which the defini­tion expresseth in these words, for the production of all things.

What Eternal Nature is.

The Third Head, (Which makes the third Part of this Discourse) What Eternal Nature is.

I. THE subject of this Part is concerning Eternal Nature's Essence, it is a most noble Subject to look into. I acknowledge that none could lay a deeper ground, as to this Subject, than divine Behme hath done; yet I find withal that he hath brought it forth something obscurely, so that he is understood by few, and misunderstood by most: This hath moved me to search into the Nature of this Subject for my own private satisfacti­on, according to the innate light of my own intellect, and the inward discoveries of the Triune Deity to the Spirit of my Soul.

In this Third Part I shall confine my discourse to these two general Heads;

  • The First, What Eternal Nature is in its first origi­nal purity?
  • The Second, What kind of Essence, or Principle pure Eternal Nature is?

I begin with the first of these.

II. Quest. What is Eternal Nature's Essence, in its first original, birth and being, as it came out of Wisdom's hand?

Answ. Eternal Nature was a pure Essence, and then called pure Nature, being free from sin and evil and all mixture of imperfection: she was then all fair, clear, spotless, faultless and sinless. Now for the manifestati­on [Page 109] of this great mystery of Eternal Nature, what it is, I will open it in the original Causes of it, viz. the efficient, material, formal and final.

III. Concerning the efficient Cause of Eternal Nature. Who can be the Author and Creator of Eternal Nature, but the Triune Deity? The Father, Son and Spirit must be the Creator of Eternal Nature, not the Father with­out the Son and Spirit, nor the Son without the Fa­ther and Spirit, nor the Spirit without the Father and Son, but the Triune Deity in joynt Co-operation. There­fore the Triune Deity in the Globe of Eternity, subsist­ing in their own pure Deity, must be before Eternal Nature by way of efficiency, as the Cause is before the Effect, and are distinct as the Cause and Effect. God therefore is not Eternal Nature, nor Eternal Nature God, because Eternal Nature is formed by God, as the efficient. And thus we see that God can subsist with­out nature, but Eternal Nature's Essence cannot subsist without the Triune Deity: God comprehends Eternal Nature, but Eternal Nature cannot comprehend him, who as being the efficient cause of Eternal Nature, is higher essenced in his own Eternal Vnity and Simplici­ty. Now that God is the Creator of Eternal Nature Scripture teacheth us, when it tells us, That by the Word all things were created, and that without him no­thing was made that was made. Now if the Triune Deity was the Creator of Eternal Nature, he must needs in order of Nat [...]re be before it, and distinct from it, and subsist in a far higher graduated Essence, than Eternal Natu [...]'s Essence is. For if any should ask me what is above, before and beyond Eternal Nature's Essence? I can only reply the Triune Deity, in the Globe of Eternity, who is the efficient Cause of Eternal Nature, and here we must st [...]p, for we cannot go beyond the first Cause of all things.

IV. We proceed to sp [...]k of the efficient Cause of Eternal Nature, which is God, and will briefly declare [Page 110] how God doth not only create Eternal Nature by way of efficiency, but also that he creates it out of and from himself by way of Essentiality. Thus the Divine Phi­losophy instructs us, Rom. 8. 36. Of him, and from him and to him are all things. That is, all things proceed essentially from him; and if all, then Eter­nal Nature must proceed materially and essentially out of God's Essence; 1 Cor. 8. 6. To us there is but one God, by whom are all things, efficiently, and of whom are all things, essentially. Neither can it be otherwise, for when God was to create Eternal Nature, there was nothing besides Himself out of, or from which he might create it; wherefore it follows that Eternal Nature must proceed essentially and substantial­ly from God. And indeed God could not be the first original Essence of all Essences, if there were any Es­sence which was not created out of God's Essence. Wherefore we must conclude that Eternal Nature's Es­sence did proceed from God's Essence by way of essentiality, as well as by that of efficiency.

V. But the Great mystery lye's here, to know how Eternal Nature doth proceed from God's Essence, and what God's Essence is, from whence Eternal Nature doth proceed: Now to this, I say, that Eternal Na­ture proceeds from God's Abyssal Essence, generated out of himself; for as was said before, there was no other Essence to generate it from. You will say, what is this Abyssal Essence, which is the original ground of all Essences? I answer, It is an immens [...], deep, empty space, a bottomless and boundless Abyss. Yet I do not say it is without beginning: for God generated this Abyssal Essence out of his own Eternal Essence, as was manifested to my fight by God's Spirit, else I could not write of it as I do, had I not seen the pattern in the Mou [...]t of Eternity [...] When, I say, God was the original of this Abyssal Essence, I mean the Triune Deity, in their Eternal Vnity, for they are the joynt co-opera­tors [Page 111] in every created Essence; they work inseparably, one doth not work without the other. But the My­stery is yet in the manner how God doth generate this Abyssal Essence out of himself; to clear this, you must know, that in God there is an Eternal Will, and this Eternal desiring Will looketh into himself, and find­ing nothing but himself, doth make a beginning and end to himself; and so the beginning entring into the end, and the end into the beginning of himself, there is formed out of himself this round Abyssal Globe. Thus you see, that the Will of God is the beginning and end of this Abyssal Essence. The materiality also of this Abyss is generated out of himself, becaus there was nothing besides himself to generate himself from, therefore the Eternal desiring Will must generate this Abyssal Essence out of it self. Last of all, you see the form or figure that God's Eternal Will formed this Abyss into, As in the fore­said Figure. even into a Circle or Globe, and the manner how, viz. that the desiring Will looking into it self, and finding nothing but himself, doth put an end to himself; and so the beginning closing with the end there is formed ae Round or Globe. Thus you se [...] the highest ground that we can have of this Abyssal Essence, viz. the desiring Will of God, which Will is the first and last cause of all things, from which free, efficacious Will, God doth style himself the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End of all things; the Scripture teaching us, that from this Will, by this Will, and for this Will all things were created. And thus much shall suffice con­cerning the beginning of God's Abyssal Essence.

VI. Now we will proceed to consider the Nature of this Abyssal Essence, which, as was hinted before, is a deep, immense, boundless, empty space, and is there­fore called the Abyssal Essence, or ground, without ground. When, I say, this Abyssal Essence is without bounds, I do not mean in relation to God, by whose [Page 112] Will it is bounded and comprehended, but in relation to our Spirits. In this empty, immense space there is nothing to be seen, no darkness, no fire, no light, no creature, but is indeed an unsearchable deep without any Essence, though indeed it be the ground of all Es­sence, and that from whence Eternal Nature's Essence doth proceed. And though the Spirit of the Creature sees no Essence in it, yet God's Eye sees all things in it; be­caus it is the original ground of all Essences, yet is no visible Essence to be seen in it. This Abyssal Essence generated out of God, to be the ground of all Essences, is called by Mystical Writers the Divine Chaos, and the original Essence of all Essences, from whence all created Essences, Principles and Centers do proceed. Thus I have brought you to the first original of all Es­sences, under the Triune Deity, which is this Abyssal ground or Essence; with respect to which Abyss, God calls himself the First and the Last of all Essences. Concer­ning this Subject Behme speaks thus, in his deep wri­tings; If the Spirit of the Soul could come into the Eter­nal Nothing, then he would come into that Original ground, whence Eternal Nature and all Creatures did pro­ceed. He also term's this Eternal Nothing, the Eter­nal Stilness, becaus as no Essence is to be seen in it, though it be the ground of all Essences; so there is no life, no motion, no working source to be found in it, but an Eternal Stilness, though indeed it be the ground whence all life, motion and working power doth pro­ceed. This Divine Behme well understood, therefore he saith, If the Spirit of the Soul could sink down into this Eternal N [...]thing and Abyssal still Essence, then he would come into that ground, where God was when he brought forth Eternal Nature and Creatures, and from which he brought forth Eternal Nature. And thus I have led you to the original ground of Eternal Nature, even the Abyssal still Essence of Eternity.

[Page 113]VII. To recollect briefly what hath been said; I have told you that this Abyssal Essence is an immense, empty space, where no Essence is to be seen by us. Secondly, I have told you that it is the original ground of all Essences. Thirdly, That it is an Eternal stil­ness. Fourthly, That it had its birth from the will of God. Fifthly, I have declared also the manner of its formation into a Globe, by the desiring of the Tri­une Deity. Sixthly, I have too manifested to you, that it is the original ground whence Eternal Nature's Essence doth proceed. Seventhly, That this Abyssal Essence is God's Divine Chaos, wherein God's Eternal Eye doth see all things lye hid, yet without Essence. All Eternal Essences, Centers, Principles, Worlds, Ele­ments, Colours, and whole Eternal Nature with her seven working Powers are hid therein, and from hence are brought forth by the Wisdom of God.

VIII. If your searching mind do not rest satisfied with this, but be still enquiring what the Nature of this Abyssal Essence is; I say further, that this Abys­sal Essence, is an Eternal Essence generated out of God's Essence; that is, out of himself, by himself and for the good pleasure of himself, and is himself. But if you will ask further, what this Essence is, which is thus genera­ted out of himself? I can give no other answer, but that it is, what it is; and further than this none but the Triune Deity can tell. But I can tell you the end why God brought it out of himself, even that it might be the original ground of all Essences, this was the end why the Holy Trinity introduced themselves into this Eter­nal Beginning. God indeed is without any beginning, but the Will of the Trinity hath been pleased to generate it self into a Beginning, which is the Abyssal Essence, the b [...]ginning of all Essences whatsoever, and particularly of Eternal Nature, as well as of the high and lofty Globe of Eternity.

[Page 114]We are to observe here that his Eternal World, where the Majestick Soveraig [...]ty of the Deity is mani­fested, called the still Eternity, is far different from the Eternal nothing, and Abyssal Essence of which we have been speaking.

Quest. If you now ask me, what is above and before this Abyssal Essence?

Answ. I answer, the All-seeing Eye, the Eternal Free-will of the Deity, in the still Eternity, in the original Globe of the High and Lofty Eternity; where the Triune Deity manifests the bright flaming glances of his Majesty, and the Glory of his Sovereignty, with his Perfections, called Attributes, viz. his Infinity, All-sufficiency, Omnipotency; which are not manifest­ed in this Abyssal still Essence. Wherefore it appears that the Original Globe of Eternity is above it, and distinct from it: this Divine Chaos being set by the Eternal Will of the Deity, as a middle Gulf between the Eter­nal World (where stands the still Eternity in all its Essential Goodness, viz. in its Eternal Unity, Simpli­city and Pure Deity) and between Eternal Nature's Es­sence and her working Powers. You are likewise to distin­guish the Globe of Eternity, from the Light World, or Light Eternity, in which Paradise, the Angelical World, the Glassy Sea, Mount Zion, and the New Ierusalem are placed; and though these be called by us the Heavenly World, as in truth they are, yet they differ from the still Eternity, in the Globe of the High and Lofty Eternity. All those Worlds forementioned, Paradise, the Angelical World, &c. spring out of the Light Eternity, and the Light Eternity is born out of Eternal Nature's Essence, and therefore they are di­stinct: for the still Eterni [...]y in the Eternal World stands before, above and without Eternal Nature's Essence. These things being premised, we come to speak of Eternal Nature's Essence, which is generated out of the Abyss [...]l Ess [...]nce.

[Page 115]IX. Quest. If you ask me, what is Eternal Nature's Essence?

Answ. I answer, it is an Eternal Essence, genera­ [...]ed out of the Divine Chaos, or Abyssal Essence, and [...]educed into matter and form for the good pleasure of [...]is Will. Here you see the efficient Cause of Eternal Nature, God's Eternal Free-will, willing and desi­ring it.

Secondly, You see out of what or from whence Eternal Nature is produced, viz. out of God's Divine Chaos, not out of the still Eternity, nor out of the Eternal Unity of the Triune Deity.

Thirdly, It is brought forth by God's Will out of this Eternal ground into matter and form, which I am now to speak of.

Fourthly, The final Cause is also signified, in these words, for the good pleasure of his Will. Now the Will [...]f God was to bring forth Eternal Nature, with all her working Essences to be the original Essence, and ground of all created Essences whatsoever, nothing being crea­ted without it, but from it essentially and originally.

Quest. But you will say, what is the difference between the Abyssal Essence, which is the original Essence of all Essences, and Eternal Nature, which is the ground of all Essences?

Answ. There is a very great difference; the Triune Deity doth see that all things lye hid in his Divine Chaos, but without Essence: but in Eternal Nature's Ground he sees all things essentially, and that he hath actually all sufficiency of materials and instruments to bring forth all things from Eternal Nature's Ground. So that Eternal Nature is God's work-house, wherein he hath whatsoever materially are required to Creation. In the Eternal Nothing is no actual Essence, but in Eternal Nature, all Essences for creation are actually brought forth by God's Wisdom and Power.

[Page 116] Again, In the Divine Chaos there is nothing but an Eternal stilness, no life, no motion, no moving power [...] but in Eternal Nature, God sees an actual working Source, Power, Life and motion to create from and with; in the Abyssal Essence he sees indeed that all these lye hid, all life, all power but only potentially, not actually.

X. Now I proceed to the third Particular, to shew the manner how God by his Eternal Will brought forth Eternal Nature, out of the Abyssal Essence into matter and form. Here I must open two Particulars, First, What is the Matter Eternal Nature is created of? And secondly, The manner how performed by God, and then pass to the formal Cause.

First Particular.

Concerning the Material Cause of Eternal Nature.

If you ask me, What the Original matter of Eternal Nature is?

I answer, It is made up of Fire and Light with their essential properties belonging unto them, and the four Eternal Eleme [...]s of Fire, Water, Air and Earth, are the materials of Eternal Nature's Essence, for if these were taken away, Eternal Nature would cease to be.

Concerning the Eternal Element of Fire.

XI. This Element is the first matter and ground of Eternal Nature's Essence, and therefore we will speak of it in the first place.

If we would understand the nature of this Element, we must know the birth of it, and how it was brought forth by God. When it pleased the Eternal [Page 117] Will of God to move on the face of the deep Abyssa-Essence; he from thence brought forth the four Eter­ [...]al Elements, to be the first Principles of Eternal Na [...]re, and the Element of Fire in the first place, together with its intrinsecal and essential properties, to be the [...]riginal beginning of Eternal Nature's Essence. Here you see the Creator of it, is the Eternal Will of the Triune Deity, Father, Son and Spirit, for they have but one will among them.

XII. In the second place, you see the ground whence the Will of God brought forth [...]is Element of Fire, viz. [...]t of the Divine Chaos or Abyssal nothing; I do not say it came immediately from the Deity in its Eternal Unity and Simplicity; for in the pure Deity there are no Eternal Elements, no duality, no contrariety, becaus the pure Deity is an Eternal Unity in it self.

XIII. In the third place it is necessary to speak a word how the Eternal Will brought forth this Element [...] Fire, out of the Divine Chaos. The Eternal Ele­ [...]nt of Fire was brought forth from the Abyssal Es­ [...]nce by the Wisdom and Omnipotence of God, nei­ther need we to enquire further into the manner of its production, becaus a multitude of words will but darken the manner of its birth. The highly illumi­nated Behme hath set it forth from its deep ground, how this Eternal Element was brought into existency by, through and from, the Eternal will of God; but there are but few that can understand him, and those that do, comprehend a great Mystery; for reason with all its Academical knowledge cannot comprehend it, it being only to be discerned by an intellectual sight. And though in the glass of Divine Wisdom I have seen how this Ele­ [...]ent out of Eternal nothing was brought into an Eternal something, viz. to be essential Fire, not only by and from God's Will, but also through his Will; yet I do not find it necessary [...]o explain it any further at this time.

[Page 118]XIV. In the next place let us consider, what is the Nature of Eternal Fire?

This Eternal Element is created by God to be a fierce, mighty, penetrating, consuming Essence, as appears from its essential and inseparable properties, it is created with, all which do manifest the nature of this created Fire-essence. The first of these properties is Darkness which consists in astringent harshness, from which dark harsh­ness doth arise Bitterness with its prickliness, and out of this bitter prickliness doth arise the Eternal woe and tormenting Anguish, called the sting of the bitter Anguish, and from this bitter sting is born the fierce Fire-essence. Thus Behme sets it forth, to whom I sub­scribe; thus he makes the Fire-Essence the fourth form of Eternal Nature. The Dark astringent harshness is the first form to the bringing forth of the fire; the Bitter sting the second; the Anguish the third; and the fire-flash out of the Anguish the fourth form which com­pleats this This word Eter­nal when thus ap­plyed is only to be understood à parte post, and not à parte ante, as the Schoolmen distin­guish, for so no­thing is Etern [...]l but the Triune Dei­ty of the Holy Tri­nity. Eternal fire-essence. But to make the Nature of this Fire-essence more plain, I will add to the former these following properties: To the Fire-essence do belong, Fierceness, Fieri­ness, Wrathfulness, Sternness, Sul­phureousness, Salnitrousness, Con­suming, Devouring, Flying up and Elevating it self: these are the essen­tial properties of the Eternal Anguish­ing Fire-spirit, becaus it cannot subsist without them, nor be separated from them. Now it is easie by these properties to give a Description of the Na­ture of this Fire-essence, viz. that it is a Dark, Harsh, Bit­ter, Anguishing, Fierce, Fie [...]y, Wrathful, Stern, Brim­stony, Salnitrous, Consuming, Elevating Fire-Spirit: and the strength and force of this Essence consists in the forementioned properties, and more particularly in its Fierceness, Consumingness, and self-elevation; for [Page 119] [...]ithout these it would be weak and feeble.

Quest. If you ask me wherein the Goodness of this [...]ire-essence doth consist?

Answ. I answer, in all its essential properties, for [...]hey are all good and serviceable to the end for which [...]ey were created, and the Eternal Fire-essence by [...]eans of them becomes a fit instrument for God to [...]ork with. Therefore there is no evil property to be [...]und in this Fire-essence, for if there were, God must be the Author of it, he being the Sole Creator of the [...]re. But indeed God created it to be a good Servant, [...]o serve his Eternal Will, not that it might Lord it [...]nd reign over the Deity, for this would not have s [...]ited with his Eternal Wisdom by which all things were brought forth: since therefore it was created by God, it must needs be good, for no evil can proceed from God by way of efficiency.

XV. We will now proceed to the Element of Eternal Water.

This Element is the next matter of Eternal Nature's Essence, and consequently to be handled next to the Fire. Its efficient Cause is the same with that of the Fire-essence, viz. the Eternal Will of God; the Cen­ter from whence it is produced, is the same, viz. the Eternal Nothing, or Abyssal Essence; and the manner how, is also the same, viz. by the Divine Power and Wisdom; wherefore we refer you to what hath been said before concerning the Eternal Element of Fire. But our present work is to consider

What the Nature of this Eternal Element of Water is.

The Eternal Element of Water is a Meek, Mild, Soft, Gentle Essence: for as the Fire-essence is the ground of Fierceness, so the Water is the ground of Meekness: [Page 120] and this will appear, if we consider the essential Pro­perties of it: The first of which is Meekness, the next Sweetness, then Softness, Mildness, Gentleness, Cold­ness, Refreshingness, Sincking down, Heaviness: so that we see from these properties that the Water must needs be a Meek and Mild Essence: and this Meek Es­sence is the Ground of Eternal Light, it is the Womb of the Meek Light, from whence springs Pleasantness, De­lightfulness, Ioyfulness and Gladness.

All which properties are in one another inseparably and make up but one Meek Essence, as the several pro­perties of the Fire make up one fierce Essence: which Meek Essence we may call the Meek Water-Essence, the Meek Light-Essence, or the Meek Love-fire-Essence. This Essence Divine Behme makes to be the fifth form of Eternal Nature, and so it is. But I would have you further to consider the end of its production, which is to mitigate and allay the fierceness of the Fire-Es­sence, and to be its Antagonist: So to the fierce, fiery, harsh, darkness, the Water opposeth its meek, soft, gentle and pleasant Light; to the bitterness and prick­liness of the Fire, it opposeth its sweetness and plea­santness; to the anguish, wrathfulness and devouring property of the Fire, it opposeth the joyfulness of its Love-fire-Essence; and to the Mounting elevation of the Fire, it opposeth its ponderosity and sinking down.

Here you see that the Beauty, Excellence and Strength of the Water consists in its Meekness, Mild­n [...]ss, Softness, Gentleness, Sweetness. Its riches are the Meek Light, and the trium [...]hing joy of the Love-fire's-Essence, which stop's the fury of the devouring, anguishing Fire. Its goodness consists in this, that it is a serviceable instrument in the Hand of its Creator, to stop the pride and flying up of the Fire by its ponde­rosity: And thus it appears that both these Essences are good in their kind, as proceeding both from God's Will, and fro [...] one ground, viz. the Divine Chaos or [Page 121] Abyssal Essence. And thus much concerning the Ele­ [...]ent of Water.

XVI. We now proceed to the third Element, of which Eternal Nature doth consist, viz. the Element of Air.

Its efficient Cause, its ground from whence, and manner of production are the same with those of the two former Elements. But if you would know the Nature of this Eternal Air; I say, it is a Brisk, Cool­ing, Refreshing, Reviving, Quickening, Pleasant Essence, Breath, or Wind. It is very useful and ser­viceable in Eternal Nature's Essence; to blow up the Fire, lest it should be suffocated; and therefore it is appointed by God to blow up the Fire, to give moti­on to the Water, and to drive away the dark clouds from the Light-Essence, when need requires. It is a necessary Instrument to blow up the Love-Fire-Essence, that so it may penetrate through all Properties; when it is too weak and passive it maketh it blossom and break forth; it is the food of all the Properties; it is also the Chariot of the Spirit of God, who rides upon the wings of this wind, and is a good separator in his hand to separate between the precious and the vile, between the wheat and the chaff: Its essential properties are Cla­rity, Transparency, Volatility, Levity, Celerity, and Penetrability. Behme refers this Air-Essence to the sixth Property, to which we assent.

XVII. We now proceed to the last Element, viz. Eternal Earth.

To know what this Element is, we may consider the efficient of it, the ground whence it proceeded, the manner how it was brought forth, and the end for which it was produced, which are the same with those which are mentioned in the Element of Fire. The es­sential [Page 122] properties of this Earth are Ponderosity, Corpo­reity and Transparency. For you must know that this Eternal Earth, is not like the outward Elementary Earth, so gross and opacous, but it is a transparent Crystalline Earth; yet it gives essentiality and Corpo­reity to the three forementioned Elements: and it was therefore created by God to make Eternal Nature's Essence substantial. For Fire, Water and Air must have one ground or substance to subsist in, and to move in and through one another, which substance is the Element of Earth. This Element Behme makes the seventh proper­ty, in which, he saith, all the six do move, in one only ground, as the Soul in the Body, which is very well expressed by him. And thus much concerning the matter of which Eternal Nature doth consist, viz. Fire, Water, Air and Earth.

XVIII. Concerning the formal Cause of Eternal Nature.

The formal Cause of Eternal Nature's Essence, is no­thing else but the mixture, and harmonical composition of the four Eternal Elements; for they are one in another, and flow one through another. Let us now consider who is the mixer of these Eternal Elements, and their properties, for they would never mix of themselves to all Eternity, becaus of the Contrariety of their Na­tures; wherefore we must conclude that the Divine Wisdom, is the Artist who mingles these Elements to­gether.

XIX. In the mixture of these Eternal Elements observe with me these following Particulars.

First, Wisdom's Art appears in the manner of their mixture, they are mixed one with another, and one thro [...]gh another; Fire with Water, Light with Dark­ness, and penetrate through and through one another, [Page 123] neither can their contrariety hinder or oppose the Art and Power of Wisdom.

Secondly, The Art of Wisdom appears not only in mixing them, but in reducing them to a harmony and equal temperament, she doth proportion them to an equality in Number, Weight and Measure.

Thirdly, Wisdom's Art appears in that being thus proportionally tempered together, they qualifie act and move in and through one another, and that in the greatest harmony and friendship, as the members of one body: the fierceness of the fire is mitigated and allayed by the Water, the harsh astringency of the Darkness, is dissolv'd in the meekness of the Light, and so of the rest.

Fourthly, Wisdom's Art appears, in this, that in the harmonizing of these four Eternal Elements, she hath made all their contrary properties to be useful one to ano­ther: The Harsh Darkness is serviceable to the Meek Light, for Darkness is the subject through which Light displays it self; were there no Darkness, there would be no Light: the fierceness of the Fire, gives strength to the Meek Water-Essence, and meekness of the Wa­ter allays the fierceness of the Fire: so Air is very use­ful to the Fire to keep it from being suffocated; and the Earth is useful to them all, becaus it gives them a Body to act and move in: We may yet further consider the usefulness of the Elements to one another, as they stand harmonized and tempered together by the Hand of Wisdom. The Fire gives Life, Mobility and Strength to the Meek Wat [...]r, and the Water gives Food and Nourishment to the Fire [...] and thereby allays the fierce hunger of the Fire: so that Darkness subsists in the Light, and the Light in the Darkness, and satisfieth the harsh bitter hunger of the Darkness, being as food unto it: and in this their serviceableness to one another consists their Natural Goodness: for how can any evil be in them, since they all serve the Will of their Creator, [Page 124] and are useful to one another; the Darkness is as use­ful as the Light, and the Fire as the Water, and con­sequently they are all good, their contrarieties being har­monized, and reconciled by the skilful hand of omnipo­tent Wisdom.

Fifthly, Wisdom's Art appears in that, in this tem­perature of the Eternal Elements, she makes them qualifie and serve one another in triumphing joyfulness, and to rejoyce in each other's qualifying: for though these Eternal Elements are not understanding Spirits, yet they have an innate hunger in themselves (which is their intrinsecal form) which makes them desire each other: thus the Fire-Essence hunger's after the Meek­ness of the Water, as its dayly food, wherewith its ravenous fierceness may be satisfied and allayed; and again the Water hunger's after the Fire, as its Life, Strength and Motion. The astringent Darkness hun­ger's after the Meek Light, and the Light after the Darkness, that it may shine through it, and subsist in it. And from this inbred Hunger it is that they rejoyce to qualifie one with another; it is as their sport and past time to penetrate one through another, and to be sometimes above and sometimes under another in this wrestling wheel of Nature. For you must know that all these quali­fyng powers of Nature have sensibility and mobility in themselves, whereby they can feel and taste one ano­ther's properties, and are sensible of the pleasure and satisfaction they receive one from another, which con­tinually awakens the hunger in every property, to qua­lifie one with another. So the Fire is sensible that the Meek Water doth allay its fierceness, and therefore it doth hunger after it; the anguishing Darkness is sen­sible, that the amiable pleasantness of the Light is a refreshment to it; and thus each property feels and taste's the other's goodness, and this makes them still to hunger after one another, and to penetrate one another with all triumphing Ioyfulness. Oh let us [Page 125] for ever admire this unsearchable Art of the Di­vine Wisdom! who alone can pe [...]form this Masterpiece.

Sixthly, Wisdom's Art appears in nothing more than in the orderly placing of these Elements; for Wisdom makes the Fire, with all is Harsh, Bitter, Dark, An­guishing and Brimstony properties to descend, and makes it elevating pride to buckle, bow and become a Servant to the Water-Essence; and causeth the Wa­ter with it Meekness, Gentleness and Ponderosity to ascend and command the Fire; the Light to rule over the Darkness; the Meekness over the Fierceness; and the joyfulness of the Light over the Anguish. For Di­vine Wisdom well understood the force of self elevating Fire, and therefore she caused it to sink down, and be­come a Servant to the Meek Light: she foresaw that the Fire-life with its fierce properties would be but an ill Governor, therefore she made the elder, viz. the Fire-Spirit, [...]o serve the younger, viz. the Water and Light-Essence, which could be done by no other Hand but that of Omnipotent Wisdom. If we proceed to consider of this order how incomprehensible will the Skill of Wisdom appear! For the Darkness was hid in the Light, and though it was there with all its properties, yet nothing of it was to be see [...] or felt; for it was swallowed up of the Light, as the night is swallowed up of the Day; so the fierceness, bitterness and An­guish of the fire were perfectly dissolv'd in and swal­low'd up of the meekness, mildness, softness and pleasantness of the Water, and nothing remained but the pleasant glances of th [...] Fire arising from the mix­ture of Fire and Water. This was the Beauty and ex­cellence of Eternal Nature, that all her divided, contrary properties were united into one undivided property in the Eternal Earth, where all their contrarieties were reduced to the most perfect union, agreement and harmony.

[Page 126]XX. Quest. If you further ask me what Eternal Na­ture's Essence is in relation to her formal being, as she stood in her original Purity and Beauty?

Answ. I thus define Eternal Nature; Eternal Na­ture is an Eternal Essence subsisting in a six fold working property, inseparable one from the other. For the Dark­ness generates the Harshness, the Harshness the Bitter­ness; this the A [...]guish, the Anguish the Fire; this the Water, the Water the Light; this the Love-Fire, and the Love-Fire the Air; thus they generate one another, and qualifie one in another, and through one another inseparably and undivided; but in the se [...]enth they all rest as in one only ground. So that Eternal Na­ture subsists of six working properties in one only ground or substance. And all the properties of Eter­nal Nature considered in relation to this one ground, are all equally Eternal, none of them can be accounted before other; they have all but one beginning, one Mother, and subsist in one ground; and in this their Union they constitute the wrestling wheel of Eternal Na­ture, wherein sometimes one is uppermost, sometimes another, sometimes Darkness, sometimes Light, some­times Anguish, sometimes Ioy. Yet notwithstanding though they be all undivided, and none before the other, for distinction sake, we may place the Darkness and Harshness in the first place, as being the root of the dark Fire-Essence, which Fire-Essence is the Center of Eternal Nature; the Prickly Stinging Bitterness in the second place, the Brimstony Anguish in the third place, the Fire in the fourth place: From which Fire the Water is generated, together with the Light and Love-Fire, which belong to the fifth form of Nature; and in the sixth place out of the Light and Love-Fire the Eternal Element of Air, from which Air proceeds the seventh and last viz. the Eternal Element of Earth, in which the six foregoing properties subsist in perfect Vnity [Page 127] and Harmony. Now according to this order we can better understand the beginning and end of Eternal Nature's Essence, and how it is distinct from God's Eter­nal Vnity and pure Deity; though indeed in i [...] self it be an Eternal indissoluble band, in which property is distinct from or before another; but all co-equal and co-eternal in one only ground and substance. So that we conclude that the original beauty and excellency of Eternal Nature did consist in this, that the six working properties were Harmonized into a perfect Vnity, and triumphing joyfulness in the seventh form: which Harmony, Peace and Unity is the true form or formal Cause of Eter­nal Nature.

XXI. But me thinks I hear some body object against what hath been said, that I seem clearly to con­tradict Behme, who place's Darkness and Light back to back, as opposite to one another, and makes the Fire, a distinct center from the Light; speaking of a Cross birth in Eternal Nature, which divides the fourth [...]orm of the Fire, from the fifth of the Light?

To which I answer, that what Behme saith is most true, but it must be noted that he speaks this of Eternal Nature in its fallen and degenerate state, whereas I speak of it, in its original spotless purity. Behme speaks of God in Nature, but I speak of Eternal Nature's birth in order to God's introducing himself into Nature's Essence. So that it appears that I do not in the least contradict Behme's writings.

XXII. Concerning the final Cause of Eternal Nature.

Though it be true (to speak in General) that the final cause and end for which all creatures, and conse­quently Eternal Nature was brought forth, is the Good pleasure and will of God, according as the Holy Scrip­ture in many places teacheth. Ephes. 1.9. According to [Page 128] the Good pleasure of his will purposed in himself: again vers. the 11. Who worketh all things according to the plea­sure of his own will; Rev. 4.11. And for thy pleasure all things were created. Yet where it pleaseth God to re­veal the grounds and reasons of his creating will, we may then look into them, and consider of them.

XXIII. The first end why Eternal Nature was produ­ced, was for manifestation, that the Triune Deity might manifest themselves, and together with themselves the still Eternity; this was the reason why the Trinity raised in themselves an Eternal Will, for the producti­on of Eternal Nature, that they might no longer be hid in their abstracted Nature of pure Spirit and na­ked Deity.

A second end why Eternal Nature was created, is, that all the glorious attributes of God, his All-sufficiency, Omnipotency, Wisdom, Goodness and Immensity might be displayed, and made known.

A third end was, that all the wonders of the Deity might be manifested and brought into act.

Fourthly, Eternal Nature w [...] produced, that it might be the Subject matter out of which all Creations, and all Worlds should be brought forth: Eternal Nature being the store House of the Holy Trinity wherein all suffici­ency of instruments and materials required to Creati­on are treasured up. So that if Eternal Nature, with its Eternal El [...]ments, forms and working Essences, had not been brought forth by the Trinity, then no Worlds or Creatures had ever been, nor any thing besides the still Eternity, which was contrary to the Will which the Holy Trinity had raised in themselves, to manifest themselve [...] by Creation; for the accom­plishing of which will, Eternal Nature's Essence was produced.

[Page 129]Quest. If you ask me, what moved the Eternal Will of the Trinity to bring forth Eternal Nature in order to Crea­tion?

Answ. I answer, that it was the Eternal desire of their mind; for from the desiring mind the Eternal Will proceeds.

Quest. If you enquire, what moves the Eternal Mind of the Trinity to desire?

Answ. I answer, the Spirit of Eternity it self.

Quest. But you will say what awakned the first thought in the Spirit of Eternity to create Eternal Na [...]ure?

Answ. I answer the Divine Magia moved and awa­kened the Spirit of Eternity to desire; from the desi­ring mind proceeded the will, and from the will it came to be brought forth into existence by the creating [...]at; which being placed in the Divine Omnipotence brought forth Eternal Nature's Essence out of the Divine Chaos.

Quest. If you ask further, what moved the Eternal Magia of the Holy Trinity to awaken the first motion in the Eternal Spirit to create Eternal Nature with her Elements and working Properties?

Answ. I answer, that none can tell this, but the Spirit of Eternity it self: and therefore here we must rest: becaus we cannot go beyond the first. Hence we may learn that the Spirit of the Holy Trinity is Magical, viz. and that it acts magical. Thus God brought forth the Eternal World, viz. the still Eternity, with all its wonders out of Himself, by Himself and for Himself to dwell in Magically; and after the same manner the Divine Chaos and Eternal Nat [...] were brought forth. The Spirit of the Holy Trinity doth will desire and act from nothing else but from its pure Magia; for it is not a rational Spirit, but a wise, intelligent Spirit, which wis­dom and intelligence is grounded in the Divine Magia. There is no use of Reason in the still Eternity; for the Divine Magia supplies its room; neither is reason made [Page 130] use of in Paradise, nor in the Angelical World, nor in the New Ierusalem, becaus reason belongs only to the Spi­rit of this outward World: and however enlightned Reason may be exalted by some, yet my Spirit knows it to be an Eternal infallible Truth, that there is no use of Reason but in this Babylonish Principle, and the Kingdom of the beast.

Sixthly, Eternal Nature was brought forth, that it might be a garment of the Holy Trinity, and a vesture wherewith their pure naked Deity might be cloathed upon: for as the Soul is hid and wrapt up in the Body, and the Body in its cloaths; so the Holy Trinity is cover'd and wrapt up in Eternal Nature's Essence, and in the Creatures thence proceeding. Blessed are they who through all these wiles and disguisements can find him, who is the desire of all Nations, who in this Rubbish can find the pearl of price; which yet if we can search deep enough we cannot fail of, for the Ho­ly Trinity in their pure Deity is the most innermost kernel of all things, being hid under Eternal Nature's Essence and all her working forms and Elements.

Seventhly, Eternal Nature was to be an Habitation for the Holy Trinity. For though the Eternal World be the most glorious Palace of the Deity and the most Holy place, yet it was the will of the Holy Trinity to have the outward Court of Eternal Nature added to it, in which they might dwell, as the Soul in the Body.

Eighthly, Eternal Nature was produced, that it might be a Medium between tw [...] extreams, God and the Creature, whereby God [...]ight communicate himself to Creatures, and Creatures might have fellowship with him.

Ninethly, Eternal Nature was brought forth, that the Eternal Vnity of the Deity might be display'd in variety, diversity and multiplicity.

[Page 131]Object. But you will say, was there not a variety of properties and attributes in the Deity, even before the birth of Eternal Nature, viz. his Power, Wisdom, Goodness, Mercy, Truth, &c.?

Sol. I answer, that all these perfections are all one in the Deity and make up but one most simple Essence, for else God would be divided in himself, and could not be the supreme Unity and Simplicity, as before hath been proved at large.

But by the Elements and working forms of Eternal Nature, this Unity displays and as it were dissolves and dilates it self into an infinite variety and diversity of Creations, according to the purpose of his Will.

Tenthly, A tenth end was, that the still Divine Essence by entring into the contrariety of Eternal Nature might bring forth the Glory of the Majesty, and triumphing and exulting joy, which were not to be found in the still Eternity, before the working properties of Eternal Na­ture were brought forth.

Eleventhly, Eternal Nature was brought forth, that it might be the true Primum Mobile, or the first source and spring of all motion and action. For this end it plea­sed the Trinity to produce this Eternal turning wheel, and indissoluble band of the seven forms of Eternal Nature: for in the still Eternity there is nothing but stil­ness, quiet and rest: and that such as passeth all the thought and conceptions of Man; and that Spirit only knows it, who hath been taken up into it.

Twelfthly, Eternal Nature was produced, that the one single Essence of the Holy Trinity might be manifested in distinction, according to the distinct Essences and pro­perties of Eternal Nature. Thus the Father is mani­fest in Fire, the Son in Water, the Holy Ghost in Air. Thus you see how the Holy Trinity may be di­stinguish'd from one another in Eternal Nature's Es­sence.

[Page 132]Thirteenthly and Lastly, Eternal Nature was produ­ced, that all the Ideas forms and patterns in the Divine Mind might become actual and substantial, which could not be brought to pass in the still Eternity, nor without the working properties of Eternal Nature, which do bring all that into act and existence which in the Divine Will and Mind, is only in purpose and Idea. And thus much concerning the ends for which Eter­nal Nature was created by God.

Having hitherto discoursed of what Eternal Nature is, I shall next come to shew you (according to my method propounded at the beginning of this third part.)

What kind of Principle Eternal Nature is?

Quest. If it be asked what kind of Essence Eternal Nature is?

Answ. 1. I answer, first, that it is a Created Essence, as hath been sufficiently declar'd before.

Answ. 2. Eternal Nature is an Eternal Essence, for whatsoever is immediately created by God out of the Di­vine Chaos, is Eternal, becaus it proceeds from an Eter­nal root; now since Eternal Nature is immediately brought forth from the Abyssal Chaos it must conse­quently be Eternal.

Answ. 3. Eternal Nature is an Original Essence, that is, it is the first created Essence out of whose fruitful womb all created Essences do proceed: it is the first Essence of all Essences, and the ground and source of them. There is nothing above, befo [...]e or beyond it, but the Holy Trinity in the still Eternity. All Essences proceed from it whether Temporal, or Eternal; for time it self is rooted in Eternity.

Object. But it will be objected, how can Eternal Na­ture be the first Original Essence, since the Eternal World and the Divine Chaos are before it?

[Page 133] Answ. The answer is obvious, for I do not say that Eternal Nature is the first Essence, but the first created [...]ss [...]ce; now the Eternal World and Divine Chaos were not created by God, but generated out of him: there­fore it remains unshaken, that Eternal Nature is the first Original Created Essence.

Object. But you will object again, that God himself is the Essence of all Essences, and the original Cause and first matter of all things, which I own to be true but with distinction.

Ans. For first, God is the original Essence of all Essences, [...] he is the efficient Cause, and Creator of Eternal Na­ture's Essence, out of the Divine Chaos.

Secondly, I say, God is the Essence of all Essences re­motely, but not immediately, for all created Essences do immediately proceed from Eternal Nature, and not from God; becaus both the Divine Chaos and Eternal Nature [...]and between them and God. Now that created Essences [...]id not immediately proceed from God, will appear by these following reasons.

First, If all creatures had immediately proceeded from God, they must all have been a perfect Unity, without all duality, diversity, or contrariety; becaus God's Essence from which they immediately procee­ded was such: But we find that all created Essences are [...]ot a perfect unity, but that diversity and duality is found in them, which is not in the Divine Essence; therefore we must necessarily conclude that they did not immediately proceed from God's Essence.

Secondly, If all crea [...]d Essences do immediately proceed from God, it [...]ll follow, that God's Di­ [...]ine Essence is not unintelligible and incomprehensible; but may be easily known from the nature of those Essences which immediately proceed from him, for such as their Essence is, such must God's be, if we al­low this immediate procession; becaus whatsoever doth immediately proceed from any Essence, is of the same Es­sence [Page 134] with that, from whence it proceeds. We conclud [...] therefore that Light, Fire, Darkness, &c. are not i [...] God, nor do they immediately proceed from him, fo [...] if they did, we might then know what God's Na [...]ture and Essence is, viz. that it is Light, Fire, Dark [...]ness, &c.

Answ. 4. Eternal Nature is a distinct Essence from th [...] Divine Chaos out of which it was created by God which appears,

  • First, Becaus that which is brought forth differs, an [...] is distinct from that which is brought forth, as the frui [...] is distinct from the tree, the Son from his Father wherefore Eternal Nature being created out of the Di [...]vine Chaos must needs be distinct from it.
  • Secondly, Eternal Nature is distinct from the Divin [...] Chaos, becaus in Eternal Nature, the Elements an [...] the working powers of Nature are essentially an [...] actually; whereas in the Divine Chaos they are only potentially and remotely.
  • Thirdly, In Eternal Nature there is order and di­stinction; there we find the four Eternal Elements [...] and seven working forms of Nature; whereas in the Divine Chaos all things lye hid without any order o [...] distinction; and therefore this Principle is called [...] Chaos or confused mixture, Gen. 1. 2. becaus in this Principle there is no Essences to be found, but all things are in it in a hidden dark confused manner.

Answ. 5. Eternal Nature is a middle Essence, becaus it is placed by God between the Eternal World and the Angelical, and this vis [...]ble Creation, and is the original ground [...]rom wh [...]nce all middle Worlds and Creations do proceed. Were not Eternal Nature a mid­dle Essence there would be no middle Worlds, no middle States, nothing but the still Eternity. But the Scripture tells us of Worlds in the plural number, Heb. 1.2. which must be these middle Worlds of which here [...] have spoken.

[Page 135] Answ. 6. Eternal Nature is in it self an invisible Es­sence, for it is the ground from whence all invisible Worlds and Creations do proceed, and we are taught that even this outward visible World was made of an in­ [...]isible matter, viz. Eternal Nature's Essence, Heb. 11. 3. The things which are seen, were not made of the things [...]hat do appear.

Answ. 7. Eternal Nature's Essence, is a mixed and compounded Essence, it is mixed and compounded of the four Eternal [...]lements and their essential forms; and thus it is an Essence compounded of multiplicity, va­ [...]iety and contrariety, and therefore must needs be dis­tinct from the Divine Essence, which is an Eternal Vnity and Simplicity, which cannot admit of any mixture or composition whatsoever. Now we must further know that this mixture and composition of the Eternal Ele­ments in Eternal Nature is wrought by the Art of Divine Wisdom in such a manner, that all their contra­rieties are reduced to the greatest harmony and agree­ment; insomuch that they qualifie in and through another, with the greatest concord and amity, as bre­thren and members of the same body. This harmoni­ous mixture and composition of the Elements in Eternal Na­ture is the beauty and perfection of Eternal Nature; and that whereby it is fitted to become the fruitful Mother of all things. If we consider Eternal Nature only as made up of fighting contrarieties, we shall find nothing but deformity and disorder, in her; but if we regard her as she is mixed and compounded by the hand of Eternal Wisdom to a perfect temperature harmony and concord, so she appears and is ina [...]d all beautiful and lovely.

Answ. 8. Eternal Nature is a Good Essence: there is no evil in it, notwithstanding it is made up of Contrarieties; for God who is Eternal Goodness, could not make that evil, which he designed to be the original matter of all created Essences: for so he would have entailed evil upon all his Creatures, which were to proceed out [Page 136] of its womb. Neither was it partly good, and partly evil; for this is a mixture that God declares against, and therefore would never be a cause of it himself. Neither can we say, that evil is in Eternal Nature's Es­sence, but that it is swallowed up of the good, becaus nothing can proceed from God, but what is wholly good. The Darkness in Eternal Nature is as good as the Light, and the Fire as the Water. All the [...]orms of Eternal Nature must needs be alike good for these fol­lowing reasons;

  • First, Becaus they have one efficient cause, one Creator even God.
  • Secondly, Becaus they all have but one Mother, viz. the Abyssal Chaos out of whose womb they pro­ceed.
  • Thirdly, Becaus God hath implanted in them all an hunger and desire to answer the end of their Crea­tion: Now whatsoever answers the end for which it is made, that we may truly say is good.
  • Fourthly, All the forms of Eternal Nature are equally good, becaus they all obey the Will of their Creator.
  • Fifthly, Becaus they are all serviceable and helpful to one another; as appears by their qualifying toge­ther, and union in the sixth form, where the Darkness is serviceable to the Light, and the Light to the Dark­ness, the Fire, to the Water, and the Water, to the Fire.

But here is to be observed, That when I say that all the forms of Eternal Nature are good, I do not mean that they are the chiefest [...]od; for that is only to be found in the Divine Essence; but that they are en­dowed by God with a Natural Goodness, suitable to their kind, and such as they are capable of, and free from Evil.

Object. You'l say, evil is not in God, therefore it must be in Eternal Nature?

[Page 137] Sol. Yet the inconsequence of this argument doth appear, in that it may be so easily retorted, for say I, becaus evil is not in God, therefore neither can it be in Eternal Nature, which was created by him; for such as the cause is, such must the effect be: no evil is in the Cause of Eternal Nature, therefore neither can there be any evil in Eternal Nature, which is the ef­fect.

Quest. But you'l question further, if evil be not in God, nor in Eternal Nature, where then will you place it? What will you make the ground and source of evil?

Answ. I answer, that the mutability of the Creature is the Cause of evil. For though all things be created good by God, yet they are not immutably so; but may become evil. But we will speak no further of this matter, becaus this is not the proper place to speak of the original of evil and sin, for we are here only a treating of Eternal Nature, as it came out of God's hand, and before any Creatures were created or brought forth out of it.

Object. It may be you'l object, that Iacob Behme makes Eternal Nature the ground of Good and Evil.

Sol. To which I answer, that what Iacob Behme writes concerning Eternal Nature is very true, for he does not make it the ground of evil [...] in its state of purity, as it came out of God's hand: but the cause of this mistake is, that Behme is not well understood, becaus sometimes he speaks of Eternal Nature in its state of original purity, and presently after speaks of it, with reference to its fallen state, and this being not sufficiently distinguished by unwary readers, makes them conclude that Iacob Behme makes Eternal Nature in its original purity to be the ground of evil; which in­deed is contrary to the whole scope of his writings. Behme was very sensible that many would be apt thus to mistake his writings, which made him say that there was a vail upon his writings which would hinder all those [Page 138] who were not born again, from having a right under­standing of them. Iacob Behme, whensoever he attri­butes evil to Eternal Nature, considers it, in its fall [...]n state, as it became infected by the fall of Lucifer, in this second or hellish Principle, and so I do fully agree with him; but I am a speaking of Eternal Nature in its pure undefiled state, as it came out of the hands of God.

Object. But you will say that Darkness is an evil Es­sence: but say I, how can that be evil, which is the cause of the Light?

Sol. For Darkness is the root of the Fire, and from the Fire proceeds the Light, so that if there were no Darkness, there would be no Light; wherefore Dark­ness is no evil Essence.

Neither is the bitterness and sting of the Anguish evil in it self, becaus they are the cause of the triumph­ing joy. Nor the Fire though it be a fierce and de­vouring Essence, becaus its [...]ierceness and wrathfulness is the strength of Eternal Nature: and when these qualities of the Fire come to be penetrated by the Wa­ter they are changed, and become the cause of pleasure and triumphing joy. Therefore you see that Fire as it was originally in Eternal Nature is no evil Essence.

Neither can it be said that the contrariety which is found in the forms and properties of Eternal Nature makes them to be evil; becaus all the six forms of Nature are united and harmonized in the seventh, where no strife contrariety or opposition is to be found, nor any thing from whence they might with truth be denominated evil. In this harmony and agreement of all the essential forms of Eternal Nature doth the essential and intrinsecal goodness of Eternal Nature consist. This was the beautiful garment wherewith she was arayed when first she came out of the hand of her great and wise Creator: for the Darkness was not at odds with the Light, nor the [Page 139] Light with the Fire, nor the Fire with the Water; but all the forms in the greatest harmony qualified in and through one another; this I say was the state and condition of Eternal Nature, as she came out of the hand of God, she was all pleasing and beautiful, for all her appearing contrarieties were swallowed up of Harmony and Unity.

Answ. 9. Eternal Natures Essence is a perfect and compleat Essence. She is perfect in the perfect number of her seven forms and properties, nothing can be added to her, neither can any thing be taken from her; becaus in the forementioned seven forms she contains whatsoever is required to her compleating and per­fection. And these forms are in one another and through one another, they generate one another, and are generated from one another, so that none can be without the other, but all make up one Essence in the seventh form: and in this unity and inseparability of the forms of Eternal Nature doth her perfection consist. All the forms of Eternal Nature are co-essential and co-eternal with her self and with one another; none is before the other, becaus all are one and make up but one Essence which is Eternal Nature her self.

Object. But you will object, that this seems to contra­dict your former discourse, wherein you have spoken of the 1, 2, 3, &c. forms of Nature, distinct from one ano­ther?

Sol. I answer that when I spoke of the forms of Eternal Nature under a distinction of order and number. I considered them is they were a making and forming under God's hand, a [...] not as already made into an ever circling wheel, and fix'd in an indissoluble band in the seventh form, for so they are but one Essence and have neither beginning nor end, nor can they be said to be one before the other in number and order. In this full and perfect Vnion of the sixt forms in the seventh, consists the perfection of Eternal Nature: for if [Page 140] we consider the six forms a part and distinct from one another, w [...] shall find them all wanting and im­perfect, and plainly discern that Eternal Nature's per­fection consists not in any one of the forms, as distinct from the others, but only in the Union and fixation of them all in the seventh, which is as the common body and receptacle of them. The truth of this will appe [...] by ta­king a view of all Eternal N [...]ture's forms, in which pro­spect we shall clearly discern, that the perfection of Eter­nal Nature doth not consist in any one, or more of her forms apart; but in the joynt Union and fixation of them all in the seventh form.

First, Wee'l begin with the Darkness, and the Es­sences which pertain to it, viz. harshness, bitterness and the sting of Anguish, which make the three first proper­ties of Eternal Nature, and are the beginning and root of it: if these were not, there would be no Fire, if no Fire, no Light, and if no Light, no Love-fire-essence. But we cannot say that God intended to place perfecti­on in this root of Darkness, as being only the foun­dation of that compleat structure which God hath rais'd upon it. This Eternal Darkness was extracted by God out of the Abyssal Chaos, the hidden root of all things: and is the beginning and ground of Eternal Nature and her forms, and is made up of Harshness, Bitterness and Anguish; and therefore this darkness of which we treat here, is not a meer privation or non-entity; for if it were so, God could not be said to create the Darkness, as the Scripture expresly tells us: therefore we lay this as a ground that this darkness is essential, as being the root and ground of [...]ternal Nature's Es­sence: but perfection not being found here, God proceeds, and

In the second place, God out of the forementioned Darkness, brings forth the Fire, being the fourth form of Eternal Nature: its properties are Fierceness, Eleva­tion, Co [...]suming and Devouring all things that can­not [Page 141] endure its trial, it contains Sulphur, Sal-Nitre and Mercurie; it was no sooner added to that Dark­ness, but it communicated to it (as it were) Life, Sense and Motion, so that they embraced each other most willingly. The Fire said to the Darkness, I cannot subsist without thee, for if I were not pre­serv'd in thy Essence, as in a furnace, I should perish and vanish away. The Darkness reply'd, Dear Fire-spirit, live for ever in my Center, for without thee I am as Dead, thou art my Life and givest me sensibility and mobility; let us live together as members of Eternal Nature in Love and Unity for ever.

We will now take into consideration the Nature of this Fire, and whence it burns and flames continually, without ever being extinguished. God, the most wise Artist and great Chymist, took great care that the Fire might never go out, for then he knew that Eter­nal Darkness would become a Dead Essence; and therefore he placed in the bowels of this fire its Eternal food of Sulphur, Mercurie and Sal-Nitre, which is the Fewel that maintains its everlasting burnings.

Quest. If you ask me from whence this Eternal Fire doth proceed?

Answ. I answer, not immediately from the Divine Essence, for in it no Fire to be found; but out of the Abyssal Chaos, by the Eternal speaking word of power. The Essence and Nature of this Fire-spirit is nothing else but an Eternal hunger, and a dry painful thirst in it self; and from this hunger [...]t attracts eagerly and earnestly, and yet finds nothing in its self to attract, but its own burning Sulphur, poisonful Mercurie, and infected Sal-Nitre, and the more it attracts, the more it hun­ger's; and the more it hunger's, the more it prey's on its own Fewel. But God doth not stop here, becaus perfection is not found in the Fire: for the [Page 142] great Artist knew very well, that if this eager attracti­on of the Fire-spirit were not allayed and pacified, it would bring it self into anguish and pain, as ha­ving nothing to feed upon and refresh it self with, but its own burning Sulphur, poisonful Mercurie, and [...]nfected Sal-Nitre. Wherefore that the Fire-spirit might have no reason to complain of its being so fierce, wrathful and anguishing, the great Artist re­solve's to palliate, cover and allay the harshness and bitterness of the Fire-spirit, so that it might never know them, nor perceive its own burning Sulphur, Mercurie and Sal-Nitre. God knew that the Fire in the elevation of its might and power would devour all that [...] come in its way, if once it should be inflamed with his own Sulphur, Mercurie and Sal-Nitre, and so spoil the work which he intended to bring forth.

In the third place, God brings forth the Water-es­sence, being the root of the fifth form, viz. the Light-essence. This Water is the food of the Fire, whereby its eager hunger is allayed, and its painful attraction stilled, and the effects of its Sulphureous, Mercurial and Salnitrous properties, palliated and concealed. This Water-spirit is placed at the bottom of the Fire-root, where the Fire finds its own Eternal refreshment in it self, and needs not to seek it elsewhere: yet the Fire-sperit cannot reach it by flying upwards, but by sink­ing down deep into his own root. Thus God brings down the pride of the Fire, by placing its food and refreshment in the deeps below it. No sooner had the Fire-spirit by sinking down into its own root, al­lay'd its fierce hunger, and quenched its dry and un­satiable thirst in the Water-essence, but it became as transported with joy, and said, O Blessed Element! How camest thou to be so near me, even in my very root and center and I not aware of thee? Behold! I [Page 143] have drunk deep of thy fountain and am satisfied: I have tasted thy sweetness, and am refreshed. O come and mingle thy softness and meekness with my strength and fierceness, that my anguishing hunger and painful thirst may no more be felt by me, but be swallowed up in satisfaction and delight! Thus you see how the fire, by sinking down into its own root, mingles with the Water, and the Water raising it self penetrates the Fire, by which means the hunger and thirst of the Fire are mitigated and asswaged; not that they are quite taken away, but the attraction being more moderate, the thirst and hunger, which before were painful and anguishing, now become pleasing and delightful. It is worth our observing here how all this is brought about, viz. by the Descent of the proud and self-elevating Fire-spirit, and the Ascent of the meek and humble Water-spirit: thus the Great Creator is pleased to abase the proud, and to exalt the humble and the meek.

Quest. If you ask me whence this Water-essence derives its Original?

Answ. I answer, not immediately from the Divine Essence, but from the Abyssal Chaos, as hath been said before concerning the Darkness and Fire.

But in the fourth place, how excellent soever this Water-spirit is, yet it is not the full perfection of Eternal Nature; wherefore the Great Artist doth not stop here, but to the Water-essence superadds the Light-essence, which is the fifth form: for God knowing that the Wrath-fire desired the Light, as a further step to its compleat joy and satisfaction, he said, Let there be Light, and there was Light, which immediately darted its lustre and brightness through all the preceding forms of Eternal Nature: it made the Water clear and transparent, the Fire bright and luminous, and hid the Darkness in its own glory. Thus we see how vseful and pleasing the Light is, to all the forms of Nature, causing them to move [Page 144] and penetrate in and through one another with great joy and delight. Here the Wrath- [...]ire thus salute's the Eternal Light: Oh dear and pretious Light, how welcom art thou unto me? Thy pleasantness, meekness and soft sweetness have fully satisfied all my longing desires. Again the Light embraceth the Fire and in the Fire the Darkness, and saith, Ye are both most dear unto me: thou Fire art my strength and might, thy fierceness is my Life, as my softness and pleasantness is thy food, wherefore let us delight to dwell in one another for ever.

Do you desire to be further informed concerning the nature and properties of this Eternal Light? You must know that words are not able to express the gladding sweetness, and meek-softness of its nature, the Fire-spirit only can feel it, and is throughly sensible of it; for it transmutes its sullen darkness into smiling brightness, and its anguishing stinging property into a reviving and quickening warmth, such as the Sun gave forth in Paradise before the strife of contraries was known. Such is the blessed state of the Fire, when the Light comes to rule over it, when it sinks down and resigns it self to the Light, that its [...]ierceness may be qualified with the soft meekness of the Light. Oh the wonder­ful pleasant birth of Light! Which by penetrating the Essences of Eternal Nature makes them wholly meek, sweet, soft and delightful, so that nothing but a plea­sing sight, sweet smell, delightful taste, ravishing sound, and soft pleasant feeling is to be found amongst them. Here the Darkness becomes lustrous, the Fire loseth its burning and scorching property, and becomes mild, luminous and quickning, and the Water clear and refreshing.

This Light (if we further enquire into its originali­ty) doth not immediately proceed from the Divine Essence, which is an increated Light, but this is [...]reated by that, and brought forth out of the Abyssal Chaos, as the [Page 145] Darkness, Fire and Water were before. It is placed by God in the root of the Water-essence, and from thence it shineth forth; and with its meek bright virtue penetrates and tincture's all the forms of Na­ture.

In the fifth place, God brings forth the Air, which blows up the Love-fire-essence, and together with it constitutes the sixth form of Eternal Nature. The Creator of all things knew, that the Fire-essence was placed between two dangerous Enemies, the Darkness on the one hand, and the water on the other; either the thick smoak of the Darkness might stifle and smo­ther it, or the Water might overwhelm and drown it: wherefore that the Fire of his Eternal furnace might never be in danger of being extinguish'd, he brought forth the Air-essence to blow up the Fire that it might not go out. It is this Air-spirit that keeps the Wrath-fire in its due bounds, that it may neither be too strong, nor too weak: for when it is too strong, it is in danger of drying up the Water, and when too weak, its attractive hunger will not be great enough to maintain its own being; for the Hunger of the fire is the cause and source of the Fire-life, in the Fire-essence. If the moderate thirst and hunger of the Wrath-fire were not preserved, the cause of Life, Sensibility and Mobility would be taken away, and there would re­main nothing but an unactive dead Darkness, the Fire being extinguished.

This Air-spirit doth not only m [...]d [...]rate the W [...]th-fire, but it also blows up the Love-fire-essence, w [...]th which being united [...] constitutes the sixth form of Eternal Nature. This Love-fire hath its root in the Meek-water, from whence it springeth, as the Fier [...]-fire from the harsh astringent Darkness. It riseth [...] through the Meek-light, as the Wrath-fire through the Darkness, and is blown up and preserved by the Air. This Love-fire doth not immediately proceed from the [Page 146] Divine Essence, which is an increated Fire-life, but this is created and brought forth out of the Abyssal Chaos. But the Love-fire, which proceeds immediately from the Divine-Essence, is the Loveliest, pleasantest and sweetest birth of all, as Iacob Behme saith, for it makes all the forms of Nature Ioyful, Pleasant and Lovely. As soon as this Child of Love is born the whole birth of Eternal Nature stands in great Triumph of Divine Ioy; all its Powers and Essences become substantial, and they so see, hear, smell, taste and feel one another in the most ravishing joyfulness beyond words and this pen's expression. For the Love-fire giveth forth it self for food to all the properties of Nature, it becomes unto them Eternal Bread and Wine, wherewith they are fed and refre [...]hed for ever; which makes them all cry out, O Love! thou hast satisfied our Hunger and quenched our Thirst, nay thou hast filled us with the highest exulting Ioys; behold, we desire no longer to have any will of our own, but that all our wills may be thine, and so thy will may be our will; thou shalt have the dominion over us, only feed us with thy Heavenly food, and give us thy Wine to drink Eternally. When this Love-essence mingles with the Spirit it be­gets in him a Divine and Spiritual understanding, and opens his spiritual senses of Seeing, Hearing, Tasting, Smelling and Feeling: thus the blind properties of Na­ture come to see Spiritually and Intellectually, the Deaf to Hear, the Dumb to Sing, and the Barren to become Fruitful. This is the feeling Life of Nature, and proceeds from the Love-fire's-dominion in and over all its properties. When this Love-fire-tincture enters into the Dark-fire-forms, and comes to penetrate the burning Sulphur, poisonous Mercurie and Salt-Nitre of the Fire-spirit, and to change them into its own N [...]ture, there ariseth such triumphing Ioy, charming Pleasure, ravi [...]hing Extasie and Exultation, as none can imagine but those that have felt them, and tin­cture's [Page 147] them with such variety of beautiful sparkling colours, as surpasseth all the pretious Stones and Gems of this visible Creation. This Love-fire-Tincture (as Iacob Behme declares) proceeds from the Union of the Fire and Light, and it is the joy and end of Eternal Nature; neither is there any birth to be looked for, or enjoyed beyond this birth of Love; in which the Eter­nal beginning hath found the end of its own hand­work, and is indeed the perfection and accomplish­ment of the five preceding forms of Eternal Na­ture.

And now in the last place, for a conclusion of all, the Creator brings forth the seventh form, in which the [...]ix forementioned working forms and properties do act and qualifie, as the Soul in the Body. It is the House and dwelling place, and is the Eternal Earth, which gives [...]he Eternal Substantiality and Corporiety to them all. Here [...]hey dwell in triumphant Ioy; here they are all fed, with the Eternal food which the Love-essence gives [...]orth unto them, and circle in and through one ano­ [...]her, in the greatest Unity and Harmony in the trium­phant joy of the Love essence, which pierceth through [...]hem all. Thus you see the birth of Eternal Nature [...]ull, compleat and perfect; you see her in comly garments wherewith she was arrayed when she came out of the [...]ands of her great Creator: you see all her Variety and Diversity Centred in Love's Harmony, all contrariety and [...]rife banish'd from her Court.

But before we leave this prospect of Eternal Na­ [...]re's excellence and perfection, Let us consider,

First, That amongst all her distinct forms there is [...]o disorder or confusion.

Secondly, That the variety and diversity of forms [...]hich are in her do not produce the least strife or [...]ontrariety, but are all reduced to a perfect agreement [...]n Love's Harmony. All the seven have but one will, one [...]sire, and one joy and pleasure: And indeed how could [Page 148] it be otherwise? Since the God of Love, Peace, and Unity could not be the Author of contrariety in Eter­nal Nature's Essence, out of which he was to bring forth his whole Host of Creatures; And thus much concerning the perfection of Eternal Nature's Essence.

10. Ans. In the tenth place, Eternal Nature's Es­sence is a Blessed and Happy Essence; I do not mean that she is the Summum Bonum, the most High and Soveraign happiness, for that is only to be found in the Divine Essence; but that she is so far happy and blessed as a created Essence is capable of being. This happi­ness of Eternal Nature consists in this, that she is free from all contrariety, strife, misery and anguish, as hath been but even now declared at large.

Neither indeed could it be otherwise, except we will make God to be the Author of contrariety, Misery, Pain and Death, which is directly contrary to his Nature, and to what the Holy Scriptures testifie concerning him; No, Eternal Nature as she came out of the Hand of her great Creator was all Beautiful, all Spotless, all Hap­py; no Strife, Misery, or Death to be found in any borders of her Dominion. Neither do I in this As­sertion contradict Iacob Behme, becaus he speaks of Eternal Nature in her divided properties, as she was after the fall of Angels; but I speak of her as she came out of God's Hand, all Good, Harmonious, Perfect and Blessed.

Now since it hath been declared before, that the Perfection, Happiness and triumphant joyfulness of Eternal Nature is chiefly placed in her sixth and last active form (the seventh being only as the body, or hou [...]e, wherein they operate) viz. in the Love-essence, the Question may be put,

Quest. Why God placed the happiness of Eternal Na­ture neither in the beginning, nor middle, but in the end of it?

[Page 149] Ans. To which I answer, That the Holy Trinity created Eternal Nature to be a Palace for them to dwell in; now as in a Royal Palace we must pass through many rooms and apartments, before we come to the Presence-chamber of the Prince; so in Eternal Nature the forms of darkness must be pass'd through and after these the Fire and Water, before we can come to the Love-fire, which the Holy Trinity hath chosen for his Pre­sence-chamber, out of all the forms of Eternal Nature. God will not have his Creatures to rush in of a sud­dain into his all-glorious presence, and therefore hath so ordered it that many doors must be passed by them, and many locks opened, before they can come to His Presence, whom to see and know is Eternal bliss and hap­piness. Wherefore thrice happy is the man, who by walking this path of pure Nature, hath pass'd the Gates of Darkness, Bitterness and Anguish, and af­ter them the Gate of the Fierce-fire, and at length through Water, Light and Air hath made his way to the Love-fire-essence; where he meets with Eternal Rest, Liberty and triumphant Ioy, as being come to that point where the end hath found the beginning, and where the beginning and the end are joyned to­gether never to be parted again for ever.

Ans. 11. The Principle of Eternal Nature, is a Passive Principle; the Active power of it being derived from the Holy Trinity, who have introduced themselves to act and work in the same, and to bring forth Creatures out of it. She is indeed the Mother of all beings, but as a Woman cannot bring forth without a Man; so Eter­nal Nature would have continued barren for ever, without the Active power of the Deity had impregna­ted her, to the end she might be the fruitful Mother of all things.

[Page 150] Ans. 12. The Principle of Eternal Nature is a sub­jected and subordinated Principle, as appears, becaus she is created by God, and therefore cannot be co-equal with the Deity, no more than the Creature can be with the Creator: she is placed below the Globe of Eternity, is influenced from the same, and doth de­pend upon it: therefore must needs be a subjected and subordinated Principle. We may hence gather the ab­surdity of that Athiehical Principle which makes All-mighty Matter to be the Cause of all things; for we see here clearly that Eternal [...]ature, the matter of all things, is wholly Passive and subordinate to the will and power of her Great Creator, in whose Hand she is as clay in the Hand of the Potter.

Ans. 13. In the last place if it be asked, what kind of Principle Eternal Nature is? I answer, that it is an use­ful and serviceable Principle, and that becaus it fully an­swer's to all those ends for which it was created by God: but more especially the usefulness thereof ap­pears in these following particulars.

First, Becaus the Principle of Eternal Nature, is as it were the body of the Holy Trinity wherein they live, act and move; as the Soul doth in our Bodies, and is therefore called the Eternal Humanity, and Eternal pure substantiality: for without this Principle of pure Nature, the Holy Trinity is all pure Deity, without any covering whatsoever; whereas in this Principle, the Deity is cloathed upon with Eternal Humanity,; which conjun­ction of the Deity with Humanity is the greatest mystery, n [...]xt to that of the Holy Trinity; by means of which the Holy Trinity convey their pure Deity, which is all Life, Power and Virtue through the Principle of Eter­nal Nature.

Secondly, The usefulness of E [...]ernal Nature's Prin­ciple appears, in that it is become the Palace and Habi­tation [Page 151] of the Holy Trinity. God's first and most glorious Palace is the still Eternity, or the Eternal World which he generated out of himself, that it might be the first and most proper habitation for himself; but his second Palace, or dwelling place is the Principle of Eternal Na­ture.

Thirdly, In the third place, the usefulness of Eter­nal Nature's Principle appears, in that it is God's work­house wherein the great and wonderful Potter hath laid up not only a sufficiency of Materials, but also of Tools and Instruments for all Creations. Here is the great and Vniversal treasury of that Clay of which all things are made; and here is the Eternal turning wheel with which they are framed and fashioned.

Fourthly, Eternal Nature's Principle is the Wardrobe of the Deity, where all the variety of vestures and cloathing, wherewith the Holy Trinity are pleased at any time to cover themselves, are laid up. All the forms of Eternal Nature, Darkness, Fire, Light, Water, &c. are but so many vehicles, or rather vestures of the Deity, wherewith he vaileth his pure-naked essential Glory. Wherefore he is also termed a God that hideth himself, even his pure Deity with and under the forms of Eter­nal Nature.

Fifthly, In the fifth place, the usefulness of Eternal Nature's Principle appears, in that it is the Conduit-pipe through which the golden oil and water of Life, together with the Divine Virtue of the Heavenly Tincture, is con­veied to the Creature. Pure Nature's Principle is the silver-pipe through which the Golden oil of the Holy Tincture, which flows from the Union of Fire and Light, is conveied, and is the mean by which the Holy Trinity, with the wonders of Eternity, come to be manifested, felt, tasted and enjoyed; and therefore must needs be a very useful and necessary Principle.

Sixthly, In the sixth and last place, Eternal Nature's Principle is the field wher [...]in is hid the inestimable Pearl [Page 152] of the Holy Trinity: it is the Cabinet wherein is con­tained the Iewel of wonder, viz. the Deity in pure Hu­manity: whosoever it is that finds this Pearl doth, to­gether with it, find all the wonders of the Holy Trinity. The [...]earl indeed is one thing and the field, or rich Cabinet another, yet is both field and Cabinet very use­ful to keep and conceal the precious stone of Eternal Wis­dom, which is fast locked up in this Cabinet, and lye's deep buried in this field, and whosoever will find it must dig deep for it.

But you will say, where shall I find this field? I an­swer the field is thy self: if thou canst find in thy self the Union of Fire and Light, and these two qualifying together in one Essence, then thou hast met with the place where this noble stone is hid, and thou needest seek no further. And thus much shall suffice to have spoken concerning the Principle of Eternal Nature. I shall now proceed to the fourth general head, or the last part of this discourse, concerning God's introdu­cing of himself into Eternal Nature.

The end of the Third Part.
Soli sapienti Deo Gloria.

The Fourth Part.
Concerning God in Eternal Nature.

THE Mystical Divines do make mention of two great Mysteries in the Divine Nature; the first is the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity, which re­spect's the Deity in their single, solitary and abstracted Essence: the second Mystery, is the Deity in Humani­ty and Humanity in the Deity, which concern's God as being introduced and subsisting in Eternal Nature. I have in the former part of this discourse treated of the first of these; and do now intend in this Chapter to speak of the later, and that by opening this pro­position, that God hath introduced himself into the prin­ciple of Eternal Nature.

Which Proposition you will find explained in these following particulars.

1. In the first place, when I say that God hath in­troduced himself into Eternal Nature, I understand that the Blessed Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, have introduced themselves into Eternal Nature. The Father with his intellectual, all seeing Eye, the Son with his all flaming Heart of Love, and the Holy Ghost with his out-flowing acting Power.

2. Secondly, when I say that God introduced him­self, &c. I do include the Eternal Wisdom which God introduced together with himself into the principle of Eternal Nature.

3. In the third place, God introduced himself into Eternal Nature together with his essential Love, which is the holy Nature of the Trinity, according to that of the Apostle Iohn, God is Love.

Object. But some may object, That the Divine Na­ture doth not only consist in Love, but also in Light and [Page 154] Life, which are attributed to the Holy Trinity as well as Love.

Sol. To which I answer, That Love, in the sense I take it, doth include both Light and Life, for this essen­tial Love, is all Light and all Life; so that neither death, nor darkness can come near it. Now we must know that this essential Love is the unchangeable Nature of the Trinity, and therefore we must not think that the Divine Nature is changed by being brought into and clothed upon with Eternal Nature, and from Love turned to Wrath, or from Meekness to Severity. No, by no means: for as God is all Love in himself, so he is the same in Eternal Nature.

Quest. But you will say, how can this be reconciled with Scripture which attributes Wrath, Anger, Severity and Iustice to God.

Ans. I answer, that when the Scripture speaks of God's Anger, Wrath and Severity, it hath regard to God's manifesting of himself in and through Eternal Nat [...]re as it is infected and defiled by sin. Whereas when I say, that the manifestation of God in Nature is all Love, I speak of Nature in its purity, before it was in­fected by the fall of Lucifer, and when all its forms and properties were harmonized to the most penfect concord and Vnity: for in this state nothing but Love, which is the unchangeable Nature of God, was to be found in Eternal Nature's principle.

4. In the last place, I say, God introduced the se­ven Spirits before the Throne together with himself into Eternal Nature; else these seven Spirits could never have been seen, or manifested in Eternal Nature's prin­ciple; but the Scripture oft makes mention of them as introduced into Eternal Nature; so they were repre­sented to Iohn, in the first Chap. of the Revelation as existing in Mount-Zion, or the New Ierusalem-principle, which was brought forth out of Eternal Nature.

[Page 155]And thus much shall suffice to have spoken of the first part, or subject of this proposition, which is God: we now proceed to the praedicate which is Eternal Na­ture.

2. Now by Eternal Nature, into which it is said that God hath introduced himself, we are to understand Eternal Nature in its puriey, not as defiled with sin; for the Holy Trinity would never of their own free-will have introduced themselves into any thing that was defiled, or impure. Again, we are to understand that when Gnd introduced himself into Eternal Nature, that she stood yet in her original Unity, Simplicity and Har­mony, without any duality, or contrariety: for the Holy Trinity would never have entered with their Di­vine Nature of Love, into that where division, disagree­ment and contrariety had taken place. No, Eternal Nature was without strife or contest, without any mixture of Good and Evil, or Light and Darkness, but was all perfectly harmonized; or else the blessed Trinity could not have made it the habitation of their Divine Love-Essence. And thus we see in what sence we are to take Eternal Nature, when we speak of God's introducing himself into it.

3. I come now to the third and last particular in the foregoing proposition which may need some explicati­on, which is the word introduced how it is to be under­stood, and in what sense we are to take it in this place. When we say that the Holy Trinity have introduced themselves into Eternal Nature, we mean nothing else, but the Vnion of the Blessed Trinity with Eternal Na­ture, and Eternal Nature's Union with the Blessed Trinity, which is the full meaning of God's intro­duction of himself into Eternal Nature's principle. Here the Deity subsist's in its Eternal Humanity, and Eternal Humanity subsist's in Union with the Deity: God in Nature, and Nature in God; and thus God and Nature are in one another, becaus God hath intro­duced [Page 156] his Divine Nature of Love into Eternal Nature's pure principle.

The Nature of which Vnion I shall explain and open to you in these following particulars.

1. First, then I say, that this Vnion of God with Eternal Nature is a true, real, essential and most inti­mate Vnion. In every Union these three things are to be found, and meet together, viz. the Uniter, the thing United, and the Union it self, which joyns the Uniter and United together. In this Union of God with Eternal Nature the Vniter is the blessed Trinity, the thing Vnited is the principle of Eternal Nature; and the Vnion of them both is the Divine Nature of Love, now this Love, which is the link and tye of both the Uniter and United, is the essential Love of the Deity, wherefore this Vnion must needs be an essential and most intimate Union: It is a kind of in­corporation, the Vniter and Vnited penetrating and mix­ing with one another: and therefore this Vnion of God and Eternal Nature in Love's Essence is compared to a Nuptial Vnion, becaus God hath as it were espou­sed himsel [...] [...]ith Eternal Nature, as a pure, spotless and undefiled Virgin, in an indissoluble band, which is the band of Essential Love.

2. In the second place, this Vnion of God with Eter­nal Nature is an Eternal Vnion; for no sooner was the principle of Eternal Nature brought forth, but the Holy Trinity introduced themselves into it, and this was be­fore the foundation of the Angelical World was laid, and consequently from Eternity Quo ad nos, so it must be understood by us—

3. In the third and last place, this Vnion is an un­changeable and inseparable Vnion; and that becaus the band and tie of this Union is the Eternal unchange­able Love of God.

Quest. But you will say, that God's Love may be changed into anger, whic [...] is the bond of this Vnion, and [Page 157] consequently the Vnion it self may be changed?

Ans. To which I answer, by denying that God's Love can be changed into anger in Eternal Nature, as she stands in purity and perfection, before the coming in of sin; becaus in that state neither Eternal Nature, nor any thing in it could be the subject of God's An­ger, Hatred, Severity, or Iustice. Wherefore tho in fal­len Nature we perceive the effects of God's Love and Hatred, Mercy and Iustice, Sweetness and Severity, yet in pure Nature, into which God hath introduced himself and concerning which we speak here, nothing can ever be found but the effects of an unchangeable Love: which unchangeable Love is that bond, which makes the in­separable Union between God and pure Nature, be­tween the Deity and Humanity. This Love is that which after a vital manner doth pass through and penetrate all and every part of Eternal Nature, and Eternal Na­ture presseth into the Love, which makes the Vnion of them both most intimate, vital and inseparable: so that we may say, who shall, or who can separate God and pure Nature? Or who can disannul the Eternal Cove­nant betwen them? But yet notwithstanding all that hath been said concerning this Union between God and pure Nature's principle, we are to understand that this Vnion is without confusion, so as God is not pure Na­ture, nor pure Nature God, for tho one be in the other; yet God comprehends Nature, but Nature cannot com­prehend the Deity.

Quest. But here it may be enquired, what were the ends and motives why the Blessed Trinity introduced them­selves and entred into so intimate a Union with pure Nature's Principle?

Ans. To which enquiry I shall answer with these following particulars.

  • 1. Reas. Why the Trinity brought forth themselves into pure Nature's Principle, was for the manifestation of themselves in it and by it. For tho they were manifested [Page 158] to themselves, and simplified Spirits in the still Eterni­ty, yet they desired a further manifestation of themselves to Creatures which lay hid in the womb of Eternal Nature, and for this reason did they enter into Vnion with it.
  • 2. Reas. A second motive or reason was, that the Holy Trinity might glorifie and exalt their own Divine Na­ [...]ure of Eternal Love in those Worlds and Creatures, which were to be brought forth from the womb of Eternal Na­ture. In the still Eternity there were indeed an infinite number of simplified Spirits, who dwelling in the Cen­ [...]er of Love, did glorifie and exalt the Divine Nature of Love, which was all in all to them. But the design of God was to have his Eternal Love glorified and exalted in an infinite variety of Creatures and beings, who might all in their several ranks and according to their several ca­pacities exalt and glorifie Love; and so make up the Divine Consort and Harmony, which cannot be with­out variety.
  • 3. Reas. Why the Holy Trinity have introduced them­selves into Eternal Nature was, for the manifestation of their Sovereignty and Supremacy. For how could their So­vereignty be manifested without variety of Dominions and Subjects? Now both these were brought forth out of the womb of Eternal Nature by the Holy Trinity. The Dominions were those several Worlds which were created out of Nature's principle, and the Subjects were the numberless number of Creatures, which were the Inhabitants of each of those Worlds and Principles, and by both of these, the Sovereignty of the Holy Trinity was fully declared and manifested; which was one reason why they introduced themselves into Eternal Nature.
  • 4. Reas. Was for the manifestation of their Eternal Power, Wisdom and Goodness in the creating of so many Worlds visible and invisible, together with such an infinite variety of creatures to store and replenish them. As also in the ordering, governing and disposing of them for the [Page 159] obtaining those glorious ends for which they were created. Nothing can more expresly declare and manifest the di­vine Power, Wisdom and Goodness, than the Creating and Governing of so many Worlds and Creatures, as were brought forth from the womb of Eternal Nature for this very end.
  • 5. Reas. Why the Holy Trinity introduced them­selves into Eternal Nature, was, for the executing their Eternal Goodwill, decrees and purposes and bringing them into act. For the Eternal Goodwill and purpose of the Holy Trinity was to manifest their own Glory in the Creation of Worlds, and an infinite variety of Creatures which were to be the inhabitants of the same, out of Eternal Nature's Principle: wherefore for the effecting and bringing about of these designs they introduced themselves into Eternal Nature, that so it, being impregnated by the Divine Love-essence, might give a being to those Worlds and Creatures, which had been from all Eternity in the purpose and decree of the Holy Trinity.
  • 6. Reas, The sixth reason why God introduced himself into Eternal Nature, was, for the glorification of Nature, by means of its union with the Divin [...] Essence of Love [...] I told you before, that one main reason why the Trinity introduced themselves into Nature was for the manifesting of the Glory of their Divine Nature, and now I come to tell you, that it was for the Glo­rification of Nature; that Nature might be exalted to the highest degree of Glory, it was capable of, by its union with the Deity. Eternal Nature indeed in its own Es­sence was pure and spotless, but its Glory is from the union it hath with the Deity [...] who penetrates it through and through, and communicates of his own glory unto it, glorifying it in, with and through him­self. Now to the end that Nature might thus be made partaker of the Divine Glory, it pleased the Holy Trinity to enter into and unite Eternal Nature to themselves.
  • [Page 160]7. Reas. The last reason, why the Holy Trinity uni­ted themselves to Eternal Nature, was, that they might [...]e the supreme acting, governing and moving power in and throughout the pure principle of Nature, and thereby be­come the sole author, and the all in all of the motions of Nature. But I do not say that the Trinity is the sole mover in the principle of defiled and fallen Nature, for there the Dragon and the Beast have established their Dominions, and are very active and stirring in it. And tho we cannot deny but God is in fallen Na­ture, yet not to the same e [...]d, for which he was pleased to introduce himself into pure Nature; for he introduced himself into pure Nature, that he might be the sole mover and actor in it, and thereby to keep and pre­serve it in its original purity: whereas the end why God entred into fallen Nature was that he might redeem it and restore it to its original purity, from whence it is fallen.

Quest. But you will say, How can the high purity of the Divine Nature be preserved in the unclean vessel of defiled and corrupted Nature?

Answ. To which I answer, That if we consider what hath been said of the Divine Nature, we shall find this objection fully satisfied, for I told you that the Divine Nature is the highest unity and simplicity, and consequently cannot admit of any mixture, or composition with any thing: and again I told you that the Divine Nature was an Eternal Liberty, being free from all; tho being in and penetrating through all, like the beams of the Sun, which tho they pierce the Air and Water penetrating them throughout, yet are they not mixed, or jumbled with them, but abide in their perfect liberty and untouched from either of them.

And now for a Conclusion, we may draw this co­rollary from what hath been said, that the Divine Na­ture and glory of the Deity is hid i [...] Nature, as a Iewel [Page 161] in a Cabinet, or as a treasure hid in a field. Indeed in pure Nature this Iewel is easily found, for there it lie' [...] open, and shed's its lustre, whereby it discovers it self; but in impure Nature it lie's deep hid and buried, and cannot be discovered, but with great pains and diffi­culty. Yet some holy souls have found this Pearl in their [...]wn fallen nature, through great earnestness and conti­nual labour, and thereby have attained to the possession of the Blessed Trinity in themselves, and through their Baptism into the Nature of the Father, Son and Spirit, are arrived to perfection by the redemption, purification and transmutation of their impure natures, and so restored again to their Original purity. These were called in [...]hose daies wise men, and Lovers of wisdom, and holy souls, from their high Union to and with the Divine Nature of Love.

Thus for a Conclusion you see how God the Father hath introduced hims [...]lf into the principle of pure Nature, as an Eternal Eye, to see through all Nature's Globe, and together with himself, his Eternal flaming Heart of Love, as an Eternal spring flowing continually through all the principle of Eternal Nature for its de­light and refreshment, and his Spirit of Life to be the supreme moving motion throughout the whole Essence of pure Nature. Thus much may suffice to have been spoken of what God is in Pure Nature.

Having hitherto given you an account concerning the Principle of Eternal Nature, we are next to speak of the Generations of it, that is, the numerous off-spring of Worlds and Creatures which were manifested from her fruitful womb, which I intend shall be, and now have made it to be the Subject of my second Tract, Treatise or Book, namely of the Angels, and herewith shall put an end to the first, wherein I have endeavoured to de­clare these three Propositions:

  • [Page 162] What the Nature of the Holy Trinity is out of Eternal Nature.
  • What Eternal Nature is.
  • What God is in pure Eternal Nature, Cujus nullus:
FINIS.
[...]
ALL the Errata to your outward look
Correct within your self, that inward Book.
Be wholey God-taught; wholey, if you can:
Be not a Skreen to Antichrist, but Fan.
No other Book you then need read of man.
But while in weak and childish state we dwell,
We must have Letters, line on line to spell,
And so let Faults [...]e mended, and all's well.
So sai'th and prai'th your humbl
DRAWDE REKOOH.

THE Printer likewise praieth that yo [...] would pleas to mend the matter, som [...] what a little Marr'd, he confesseth, for wan [...] of these words: whi [...] [...]e requesteth may be read in the room of the other. Thus,

For impli pag. 3. line 17. imprieth. for Seren in p. 55. l. 7. put in Seaven. p. 59. l. 23. He, twixt is and who. and l. 30. brightness l. ult. [...] Repraesentation. p. 89. l. 18. Sovereign. p. 91. l. 31. up with. p. 94. l. 30. praedestinations. p. 95. l. 21. creatures. p. 129. l. 28. Magicaly. p. 139. l. penult. six. p. 142. l. 27. Spirit. p. 145. [...]. 33. Nature. p. 151. l. 13. Tresaurie. p. 154.

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