Jacob Behmen's theosophick philosophy unfolded in divers considerations and demonstrations, shewing the verity and utility of the several doctrines or propositions contained in the writings of that divinely instructed author : also, the principal treatises of the said author abridged, and answers given to the remainder of the 177 theosophick questions, propounded by the said Jacob Behmen, which were left unanswered by him at the time of his death : as a help towards the better understanding the Old and New Testament : also what man is with respect to time and eternity, being an open gate to the great mysteries / by Edward Taylor ; with a short account of the life of Jacob Behmen.

A Brief Explanation of the Knowledge of God and of all things, also of the true and false Light.

1. THE hidden God out-breathing his distinguishable Power, made his speak∣ing Word substantial, by creating the Body, Soul and Spirit of Man, who is an Abstract of all the three Principles, and an Image of the speaking and spoken word.

2. Whence so great knowledge of all things is in Him, as to know the com∣position and dissolution of Nature; for every Creature can see into its Mother, those of the Elements into the out-spoken word.

3. So Man, after the manner as the out-breathing of the Eternal Will intro∣duceth it self into the manifold Properties of Love and Anger, Good and Evil, and can frame it self into the multiplicity of Properties, those into the desire, and that into substance, forming its Self-will out of the great Mystery.

4. So, if in this out-speaking there were no Divine Free Will, the speaking would be under compulsion, void of longing delight, and be finite and inchoative, which it is not. But a breathing of the Abyss and Eternal Stilness, a distributing it self into Powers, and in them a several Self-will existeth, whence originateth Nature, and the creaturely Life, with their various centers, impressions, magnetick desires, perception and bodies, according to the manner of the third Principle of Divine manifestation, producing bodies evil and good, manifold Earths, Salts, Stones, Minerals, in which the three Principles are mixt, where every Centre breatheth it self, yet all originate out of the Eternal One.

5. The first Centre is the out-breathing of the Abyss, God bringing himself in∣to Trinity.

The second Centre is called the Wisdom of God, through which the Eternal Word breatheth it self into Infinity of multiplicity, and that into longing delight, the delight into desire, the desire into Nature and Strife, and Strife into Fire. And through the dying of the Self hood through Fire into the Light. The which Light is a second Principle, and true great Mystery. And the Fire is the first, (viz.) the Eternal Nature.

6. The first giveth Soul; the second Spirit, and this Lights Power through the Fire is the Mother of the Eternal Spirits, Angels and Souls of Men. Also the hidden Spiritual Angelical Power-world, the Mother of the outward World

The third Centre is the Verbum fiat, the natural Word of God, the separator and maker of all Creatures in the inward and outward World. The same speaker hath out of the Fire, the Light and the Darkness, made it self ••••••erial moving and perceptible, out of which existed the third Principle, the Visible World, the life and substance whereof is come out of the Eternal Nature the Fire, and out of the great Mystery the Light, also out of the Darkness, w••ich is the separation of Fire and Light, Love and Enmity, Good and Evil, Joy and Pain.

7. There are two sorts of Fire, and two sorts of Light, viz. according to the dark impression a cold Fire, and a false Light, originating in the stern might and imagination, desiring a Self-will dominion.

The second Fire, is a hot Fire and true Light, originating in the Eternal One, in the substance of Divine Geniture, and that Light shineth in the Darkness, and illustrateth it; stan••ing in a perceptible Life. The Life of Man is in it, and he is the Light of the World.

8. Therefore should Man lift up the Eyes of his understanding, wherein God's Light desireth to shine into him, and not be like a Beast which hath a temporary Light in a finite Separator, in which Man's palpable Body is.

9. For his Spiritual Body is the true substantial word of Divine Property, in which God speaketh and imageth himself; into which, if Man giveth not up his own will, he is more hurtful to himself than the rude Earth, which yieldeth to be made what its Separator will.

10. But from the Devil False Will, a false Light hath raised a false Separator, in which the Stars and Elements have dominion.

11. In this Man finding no quietness, seeks his first Native Countrey; for the true Man finds himself oppressed with a monstrous Separator environed with Enemies, as a Rose in a bush of Thorns.

12. Yet all his seeking brings not any true Life, unless Grace become awakened, to do which Man must sink down into a willing of nothing but Grace, that it may overcome and mortifie him as the Sun doth the night.

13. In that true Light the Man may see himself, and the separation of every thing and work magically and divinely, if he see the breathing, in its inward ground, according to the manner of speaking, how out of one all proceed, and one Centre out of another.

14. Reason lighted at this Sun, is the true house of Knowledge, else but a Con∣stellation of the Visible World; all other seeking out of the resignation to the Divine Love, Grace and Will, is a shadow; for it cannot know how God hath through his Word made himself perceptible, findable, creatural and formal.

15. He is the Bottom and Bottomless, and to the Creature in its ability as a no∣thing, yet through all Nature and Creature is the somewhat wherewith he makes himself visible both according to Time and Eternity.

All things, even the four Elements, exist from the Divine Imagination.

Notes

• 1 Centre.
• 2 Centre.
• 3 Centre.