A description of the three principles of the divine essence viz., of the un-originall eternall birth of the Holy Trinity of God ... : of man, of what he was created and to what end, and how he fell from his first glory into the angry wrathfulnesse ... : what the anger of God, sinne, death the Devill, and hell are ... / written in the German language, anno 1619, by Jacob Beme.

AN APPENDIX. OR Fundamentall and true Description of the Threefold Life in Man.

• ...First, Of the Life of the Spirit of this world in the qualities and Dominion of the Starres and Elements.
• ...Secondly, Of the Life of the Originality of all Essences, which standeth in the Eternall [indissoluble] Band: wherein the Roote of Mans soule standeth.
• Thirdly, of the Paradisicall Life in Ternario sancto: viz the Life in the New Regeneration, which is the Life of the Lord Jesus Christ: wherein the Angelicall Life is understood, as also the Holy Life of the New Regeneration.

All searched out, very fundamentally, in the Light of Na∣ture, and set downe for the comfort of the poore sick wounded soule that it might seek the holy life in the new Regeneration, wherein it goeth forth out of the earthly, and passeth into the life of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God.

By the same Author.

1.BEcause in our a foregoing Writings, there are some words which the Reader may not perhaps apprehend, especially where wee have written; that in the Resur∣rection of the Dead, we shall be in the Body of Christ, in Ternario Sancto: where wee call the sernarius san∣ctus, Holy Earth: which must not be understood of Earth, but of the holy Body out of the holy vertue [or power] of the Trinity of God:

d that b y Ternarius sanctus is properly understood in our writings the Gate of God the Father, from whence all things proceed as out of one onely substance: Therefore wee will instruct the Reader of the b Second Booke of our Writings a little more fundamentally, that he may not hang so to the bare letter, and make a Historicall matter of our Writings, but that he may observe the minde and spirit, what that [Spirit] meaneth, when it speaketh of the Divine Life, and useth not alwayes the same words and names.

2. For if wee look into the Creation of God, wee finde very won∣derfull things, which yet in the beginning proceeded out of one one∣ly Fountaine: for wee finde evill and good, life and death, joy and sorrow, love and hate, weeping and laughing: and wee finde that it all sprung out of one onely substance, for that may very well be seene in all Creatures, especialiy in Man, who is the similitude of God, as Mo∣ses writeth, and the Light of Nature convinceth us. Therefore wee ought to consider of the Threefold Life in Man, which is found so, also in the Gate of God the Father.

3. If wee consider of the alteration how the minde is changed as it is, how suddenly joy is turned into sorrow, and sorrow into joy, then wee ought well to consider from whence that taketh its Origi∣nall: For wee finde it all to be in one and the same minde; and if one forme [property or quality] riseth and getteth above the other (there then presently c something followeth, so that the minde collecteth all its thoughts together, and sendeth them to the Members of the Body, and so the hands, the feete, the mouth, and all goe to worke, and doe something, according to the desire of the minde) and then wee say that forme [or property that driveth the work] is predominant, qualifying and working above other formes, wherein yet all other formes of Naturelye yet hidden; and are subject to that one forme: And yet the minde is such a wonderfull d thing, that suddenly (out of one forme that is now predominant and working more than all other) it bringeth forth and raiseth up another, and quencheth the [forme] that was kindled before, so that it becometh as it were a nothing, as may be seene in joy and sorrow.

4. Now therefore when wee consider whence all taketh its Origi∣nall, wee finde, especially three formes, in the minde; wee speak not heere of the Spirit of this world onely; for wee finde that our minde hath also a desire [or longing] after another minde, and that it is anxious for that which the eyes of the body see not, and which the mouth tasteth not, and the feeling of the earthly body doth not per∣ceive, neither doth the earthly eare heare it, nor the nose smell it, which yet the Noble Minde can see, raste, feele, perceive and heare, if the forme of the Divine Kingdome in that minde, he predominant or qualifieth more than the other two: there then instantly the other

two are as it were haise dead and overcome, and the Divine [forme] riseth up alone, and then it is in God.

5. And wee see also how instantly the Minde raiseth up another forme, and maketh it predominant (viz. the Spirit of this world) in covetousnesse, pride, in the oppressing of the needy, and lifting up it selfe onely, and so drawing all to it: whereupon then instantly also the third forme breaketh forth out of the Eternall [Indissoluble] Band; as falshood, envy, anger and malice; so that the Image of God is as it were dead and overcome: where then the minde (in this man∣ner) e is in the Anger of God, in Death, in the Jawes of Hell, over which Hell in the Anger of God insulteth; for hereby its Jawes are set wide open, and it becometh predominant: but when the Divine forme breaketh forth againe, then the Kingdome of Hell is overcome, and as it were dead, and the Kingdome of Heaven cometh to be predomi∣nant and working againe.

6. Therefore S^t Paul saith, To whom you yeeld your selves as ser∣vants in obedience, his servants you are, (whether of sinne unto Death, or of the obedience of God to righteousnesse) and that source or proper∣ty wee have, and in that Kingdome wee live, and that Kingdome with the property thereof driveth us: seeing then heere in this life, all is in the sowing and in the growing, therefore the harvest also shall one day follow: where then the one Kingdome shall be seperated from the other.

7. For there are in the minde of Man Three Principles, all which Three in the Time [of this foure Elementary Life] he may open: but when the body is broken, then he liveth in one Principle onely, and then he hath lost the Key, and can open no other Principle more, he must continue Eternally in that source [or quality] which he hath kindled heere. For wee know that Adam (with his going out of Para∣dise into this world) brought us into Death; And Hell in the Anger of God groweth from Death, and so our soule is capable of [going into] the Kingdome of Hell, and standeth in the Anger of God, where the Jawes of Hell then stand wide open against us, continually to de∣voure us, and wee have [made] a Covenant with Death, and wholly yeelded our selves up to it, in the sting of the Anger, in the first Principle.

8. Wee not onely know this, but wee know also, that God hath regenerated us in the life of his Sonne Jesus Christ to a living Crea∣ture, to live in him. And as he is entered into Death, and againe through Death into Eternall Life, so must wee enter into the Death of Christ, and in the life of Jesus Christ, goe forth out of Death, and live in God his Father: and then our life and also our flesh is no more earthly, but holy in the power of God, and wee live rightly in Terna∣rio Sancto, in the Holy Trinity of the Deity. For then wee beare the

holy flesh (which is out of the holy Element in the presence of God) which our loving Brother and Saviour, or Immanuel, hath brought in∣to our flesh: and he hath brought us in and with himselfe out of Death into God his Father, and then the Holy Trinity of the Deity is substantially [or really] working in us.

9. And as the Eternall Word in the Father, is become true Man, and hath the Eternall Light shining in him, and hath humbled [and abased] himselfe in the Humanity, and hath put upon the Image which wee heere beare in this Life, the Image [which is] out of the pure unspotted Element in the presence of God, (which wee l••st in Adam, which standeth in the Mercy of God), as is cleerly mentioned in our second Booke with all the Circumstances of it: so must wee al∣so put on to us that Image [which is] out of the pure Element, out of the body of Jesus Christ, and live in that bodily substance, and in that source [condition] and vertue wherein he diveth.

10. Wee doe not heere meane his Creature, that wee must enter into that, but wee understand, his source, for the depth and breadth of his life in his source is unmeasurable: and as God his Father is un∣measurable, so also is the Life of Christ so: for the pure Element in the source of God the Father in his f Mercy, is the Body of Christ: and as our Earthly Body standeth in the foure Elements, so the new Man standeth in a pure Element, out of which this world with the foure Elements is generated: and the source of the pure Element, is the source of the Heaven, and of Paradise, and so also it is [the source] of our Body in the New Regeneration.

11. Now that Element is in the whole Principle of God every where, in all places, and so is unmeasurable and infinite, and therein is the Body of Christ and his quality; and in that is the Trinity of the Deity: so that the Father dwelleth in the Sonne, (viz. in the Body of Jesus Christ,) and the Sonne in the Father, as one onely God, and thus the Holy Ghost goeth forth from the Father in the Sonne, and is given to us, to regenerate us to a new life in God, in the life of Jesus Christ, and the Earthly Man (in his Image and source [or quality and property]) hangeth but to us in this [Life] time, [which is] well understood, if wee be borne of God with our Minde.

12. For as God the Father in his own substance, comprehendeth all the Three Principles, and is himselfe the substance of all substan∣ces, wherein both joy and sorrow is comprehended, and yet goeth forth in it selfe, out of the source of the Anguish, and maketh the Kingdome of Joy to himselfe, unconceivable to the sorrow, and in∣comprehensible to the source of his Anger in the Anguish, and Gene∣rateth to himselfe his Heart in the Love, wherein the Name of God taketh originall. So also the Minde hath in it all the Three Principles, and therein the soule is comprized, viz. in the Band of Life: g which

must enter againe into its selfe, and create a will in the Life of Jesus Christ, and endeavour after it, desiring it with a strong will and pur∣pose, and not stay meerly in the History, or in the knowledge of it, and being able to speake of it, and suppose the words and discourse make a sufficient Christian, when the Minde is still in meere doubt in Babell: no: that is not the Regeneration, but it must be an Earnest Resolution: the Minde must in it selfe goe forth into the humility to∣wards God, and enter into the will of God, in Righteousnesse, Truth, and Love.

13. And though indeed the Minde is not able to doe this in its own abilitie (because it is captivated with the Spirit of this world) yet it hath the Purpose in its power, and God is presented with [and in] the Purpose, and receiveth it in his Love, and soweth therein the seede of Love in his vertue [or power], out of which the New Man in the Life of Jesus Christ groweth. Therefore all lyeth in the true Earnest [Purpose], which is called True Repentance: for the Re∣ceiving of the Word of God in the obedience of Love, groweth not in the Earthly Life, but in the New borne, in the Life of Jesus Christ.

14. Therefore the Kingdome of Heaven is a bestowed Bounty of Grace for all those that earnestly desire it; not that it is enough to say to ones selfe; I have indeed a will to yeeld my selfe earnestly to God, but I have need to have this world for a while, and afterwards I will enter into the obedience of God, and that continueth from one time to another, and from one day to another, and in the meane while the h evill Man groweth: if you deferre it to the end, and then desire [and think] to be a Heavenly fruit or Birth, when all the Time of your life, you have growne in the anger of God, in the Abysse of Hell; no: that is deceit, thou deceivest thy selfe.

15. The Priests in Babell have after that, no Key to open the King∣dome of Heaven for thee: thou must enter in thy selfe, and be new∣borne, or else there is no remedy for thee in this world, nor in Hea∣ven: thou standest heere in this [life] time, in the Ground, and art a Plant, but when Death cometh, and cutteth downe the stock, then thou art no more in the growing, but art a fruit: and then if thou art not foode for God, thou doest not belong to his Table, and then God will not dwell in thee.

16. For wee know that the Deity onely, is the vertue to the New Birth, which [vertue] (if thou longest for it, and desirest it with earnestnesse) soweth it selfe in thy minde, and in thy soule, out of which the New Man in the Life of Christ groweth, so that in this world the Earthly [Man] doth but hang to it. Thus the New Man is in God in the Life of Jesus Christ, and the Old Man is in this world; of which Saint Paul writeth cleerly in his i Letter to the Romans, that,

if wee thus live in the New Birth, wee live to God, but as to the old Adam wee are in this world: where then the source of the Eternall Band in the soule is also changed, and the soule entreth in it selfe into the Life of Christ, into the Holy and Pure Element: which in some places of my Second Booke I call the Ternarius Sanctus.

17. Not according to the understanding of the Latine Tongue, but according to the understanding of the Divine Nature; by which words is excellently expressed the Life of Jesus Christ in God the Fa∣ther; as also the Characters or Letters themselves, and the Spirit in the syllables doe signifie: wherein the Birth [unigeniture, or Eter∣nall working] of the Deity is excellently understood; though indeed it is hidden to the Historicall Man of the k Schoole of this world, yet it is wholly comprehensible to those that are enlightened from God, who then also understand the source [or working property] of the Spirit in the Letter, which is not at this time fit to be set downe here, and yet it shall be brought to the understanding.

18. And there is nothing more profitable for Man for his begin∣ning to the New Birth, than true earnest sincere Repentance, with great earnest Purpose and Resolution: for he must presse into the Kingdome of Heaven, into the Life of Christ, where then his Rege∣neratour is ready, deepe in his Minde, in the Light of Life, and with desiring and earnestnesse helpeth [to wrestle], and so soweth him∣selfe as a Graine of Mustard seede into the soule of Man, as a Roote to a New Creature. And if the earnestnesse in the soule of a Man be great, then the earnestnesse in his Regeneratour is also great.

19. And it is not possible to describe the New Birth in Christ ful∣ly: for he that cometh into it, can finde it onely in himselfe by ex∣perience: there groweth another Bud in his Minde, another Man with other knowledge, he is taught of God: and he seeth that all the labour in the History, without the Spirit of God, is but a confused work of Babell, from whence strife and contention (in selfe Pride) cometh, for they aime onely at Pride and Advancement, to Recreate themselves in the Lusts of the Flesh, and in selfe. They are no Shep∣heards or Pastours of Christ, but Ministers or Servants of the Anti∣christ, they have set themselves upon Christs Throne; but they have erected it in this world.

20. Yet the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world, but consisteth in Power; and there is the true knowledge of God in no Man, except he be Regenerated in God, out of his corrupted house of sinnes, where then the fiercenesse changeth it selfe into Love, and he is a Priest of God in the Life of Jesus Christ, who alwayes seeketh that which is in Heaven in the Wonders of God: and the New Man is hidden in the Old Man, and is not of this world, but he is in Ternario Sancto, in the holy Body of Jesus Christ, understand, in the vertue of his Body.

21. For such also his Covenant with us is, both in the Baptisme and the Last Supper. He tooke not the flesh of his Creature and gave it to his Disciples, but he tooke the Body of the Pure Element [that is] before God, wherein God dwelleth, which is present in all Crea∣tures, but comprised in another Principle, and gave it to his Disciples to eate and to drinke under Earthly Bread and Wine: so also he Bap∣tized the Outward Man with Earthly Elementary Water, but the in∣ward New Man he Baptiseth with the Water in the holy pure Ele∣ment of his Body and Spirit, which substance appeareth onely in the Second Principle, and is present every where, yet is hidden to the Third Principle, viz. to the Spirit of this world.

22. For as wee know, that our Minde reacheth all over this world, and also into the Kingdome of Heaven to God: so also the Life of the Pure Element (wherein the Creature Christ, and our New Man in Christ standeth) reacheth every where all over, and it is all over full of the fullnesse of the Life of Jesus Christ, but onely in the [One Pure Holy] Element, and not in the foure Elements, in the Spirit of the Starres.

23. Therefore there needeth not in our Writings much toyle nor hard consideration or study, wee write out of another Principle, no Reader understandeth us rightly in the Ground, except his Minde be borne in God: there ought no Historicall skill and knowledge to be sought for in our Writings: for as it is not possible to see God with earthly eyes, so also it is not possible that an unenlightened Minde in the Earthlinesse can comprehend l it, Heavenly thoughts and meanings can comprehend l it, like must be comprehended by like.

24. Indeed wee carry the Heavenly Treasure in an Earthly m ves∣sell, but there must be a Heavenly receptacle hidden in the Earth∣ly, else the heavenly Treasure is not comprised nor held. None should thinke or desire to finde the Lilly of the Heavenly Bud, with deepe searching and studying; if he be not entered by earnest Repentance into the New Birth, so that it be growne in himselfe; for else it is but a Historie where his Minde never findeth the Ground, and yet it selfe supposeth it hath comprehended it, but his Minde maketh it mani∣fest, n what Spirits childe it is: for it is written; They are Taught of God.

25. Wee know that every Life is a fire that consumeth, and must have somewhat to feede its consuming, or else it goeth out: so also wee know that there is an Eternall Band of Life, where there is a matter whereon the Eternall fire feedeth continually, for the Eter∣nall fire maketh that matter for foode to it selfe.

26. So also wee know that the Eternall Life, is twofold in a two∣fold source [quality or property] and each standeth in its own fire:

The one burneth in the fiercenesse, and in the woe, and the matter thereof is Pride, Envy, and Anger, its source is like a Brimstone Spi∣rit: for the rising up of the Pride, in coverousnesse, envy, and anger, maketh together, a Brimstone, wherein the fire burneth, and conti∣nually kindleth it selfe with this o matter: for it is a great Bitter∣nesse, wherein the Mobility of the Life consisteth, as also the q Striker up of the fire

27. Now wee know also, that every fire hath a shining and Glance, and that Glance goeth in it selfe forth from the source [or quality], and enlighteneth the matter of the source, so that in the source there is a knowledge and understanding of a [thing or] substance, from whence a Minde and the Might, taketh its Originall, of doing and comprehending a will to somewhat, and yet was not there in the Ori∣ginality: and that will in it selfe in the source, goeth forth, and ma∣keth a liberty for it selfe in the source, and the will desireth the li∣berty that it might stand therein, and hath its life from the will in the Light, and in it selfe, in the habitation, liveth without source, and yet there it standeth in the Originality in the Ground of the source.

28. Thus my Beloved, worthy seeking r Minde, know and observe, that every Life standeth upon the Abysse of the fiercenesse: for God calleth himselfe, A Consuming fire, and also, A God of Love, and his Name GOD, hath its Originall in the Love, where he goeth forth out of the source in himselfe, and maketh it, in himselfe, Joy, Para∣dise, and the Kingdome of Heaven.

29. Wee all in the Originality of our Life, have the source of the Anger, and of the fiercenesse, of else wee should not be alive: but wee must looke to it, and in our selves goe forth out of the source of the fiercenesse, with God, and Generate the Love in us, and then our Life shall be a joyfull and pleasant habitation to us, and then it standeth rightly in the Paradise of God. But if our Life stay in the fiercenesse, (viz. in covetousnesse, envy, anger, and malice,) and goeth not forth into another will, then it standeth in the Anguishing source, as all De∣vills doe, wherein no one good thought or will can be, but a meere enmity in it selfe.

30. Therefore these two Lives, viz. the Life in the Loving Rege∣neration, and the Life in the Originality of the source [or proper∣ty]; are one against another: and because the Life in the Love, is not Enimicitious; therefore it must suffer it selfe to be pinched, pierced-through and wounded, and upon it the Crosse is laid to be borne with Patience of Meeknesse, and in this Bud, in this Ground, [soyle, or field] a childe of God must be a bearer of the Crosse: and for this end hath God appointed in himselfe, a Day of Judgement, and of Seperation, where then he will reape what is growne in every Life,

and herewith shall all formes of the Eternall Life be manifested, and all must stand to [the manifesting of Gods Deeds of Wonder.

31. Therefore O Man! looke to it, destroy not thy selfe: see that thou grow in the Ground [or field] of Love, Meeknesse, and Righ∣teousnesse, and enter with thy Life in thy selfe, into the Meeknesse of Jesus Christ, in the Regeneration to God, and then thou shalt live in Gods source of Love: and so when the field of this s sprout is taken away, then thy Life is a fruit and Plant of God, and thou shalt spring and grow with a New Body out of the holy and pure Element before God, in the Life of thy deare Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ; give up, [or dedicate] thy selfe to it (in this contentious Life) wholly and altogether, and so thou shalt, with him, through his Death and Resurrection, grow up in a New Man before God.

Notes

• a

  The Aurora, and the Three Principles.
• b

  The Three Principles.
• c

  Or, a sub∣stance, or re∣ality.
• d

  Essence, or substance,
• e

  Or, standeth.
• f

  Barmhertz∣igkeit; Mer∣cifulnesse.
• g

  The soule.
• h

  Or, the childe of perdition.
• i

  Or, Epistle.
• k

  Or, Univer∣sities.
• l

  The Ground of our Wri∣tings.
• l

  The Ground of our Wri∣tings.
• m

  Or, recepta∣cle.
• Or, vessell.
• n

  Of what Spi∣rit it is gene∣rated.
• o

  Materia, or Materiall.
• q

  Or, Vulcan.
• Like Gall.
• r

  Or, friend.
• s

  Or, Bud.