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.

Q. 4. Why did God divide him into two Images? he foresaw what would be before the Creation; and therefore it must be his predestinate purpose that he should be, what he came to be by his Fall.

A. God's fore-knowledge, and his fore-ordination are not the same thing.* 1.1

God created no Devil; had it been Divine predeterminate purpose that such* 1.2 should be, he had been created so.

The only Will of God gave it self into an Angelical figure, but the fiery Science* 1.3 or Root, according to the Property of the Dark World, pressed forth, and bego•• it self into a predestinate purpose.

So when the Light became creaturely, the dark, cold, painful, Fire pressed the* 1.4 Image of Phantasie into the Will; which Will did generate contrary to the tem∣perature, and so was thrust out from God.

No one should dare to say, a Will is given it ab extra; but the Will to Evil and* 1.5 Good existeth within the Creature.

God generateth (as far as he is called God) nothing evil and opposite to himself,* 1.6 but heat and cold come from one Root; the Enmity riseth in the place of di∣stinction.

The Science of the Soul which could frame it self to evil, could also frame it* 1.7 self to good; for God is no way the cause of Man's Fall, or of the Devils, but the division or variety, of the manifested Word being drawn into Properties, and the influence of the Dark World drew Man from the temperature.

Now this Divisibility of the manifested Word of God, is not called God; but* 1.8 God (as far as he is called God) willeth only good, yet may be said to will evil and good; in the good Angels he willeth good, and in the evil Angels he willeth evil; and whatsoever hath separated it self to evil, willeth evil. Vide from v. 70. to the end of the 6th Chapter.

The fiery Science of Eve's Soul imagined into the crafty subtilty of the Serpent,* 1.9 and desired to know evil and good, which first she gazed on, and then admired, then tryed, did eat, and finding she fell not presently down dead, gave to Adam, who had plunged himself in it when he stood in the Image of God, but yet had not eaten it into the body till that very time.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Illustr. 1.
• * 1.2

  Illustr. 2.
• * 1.3

  Illustr. 3.
• * 1.4

  Illustr. 4.
• * 1.5

  Illustr. 5.
• * 1.6

  Illustr. 6.
• * 1.7

  Illustr. 7.
• * 1.8

  Illustr. 8.
• * 1.9

  Illustr. 9.