The tree of Christian faith: being a true information, how a man may be one spirit with God, and what man must do to perform the works of God: in which is comprehended (compendiously) the whole Christian doctrine and faith. Item, what faith and doctrine is: an open gate of the great mystery of God out of the divine Magia, through the three principles of the divine being. / Written in High Dutch by Jacob Behmen.

The Fourth Chapter.

1. SEeing all is inclosed in Gods Will, which is born out of Nature, and we understand it thus, that nothing can enter into Gods Will unless it be first made or born in Gods Will.

2. Therefore we understand plainly, that it is re∣quisite for us, that we submit our selves wholly with our Reason and senses unto the Will of God; and so work with our hands in the world to provide food for the belly, but not to set our will unto it, as to esteem any earthly thing for our Treasure.

3. For where our will and heart is, there is our treasure also: if our will be in Gods Will, then have we the great Mystery of God, out of which is born this world, as a similitude of it; and thus we have it both as the eternal and the corruptible also, and something more; we bring the wonders of our works into the eternal Mystery, for they depend

from the spirit of the will.

4. But if we turn away our will from the eternal into the earthly Mystery, and esteem Money to be our Treasure, and the beauty of the body for our splendor, Honour and power for our best Jewels, then is our will captivated in it, and depends only upon the Mirror, and attains not unto Gods Free∣dom.

5. For the Mirror as the external Kingdom must be approved through Fire, and the Fury must be separated from the pure, where the Fury will be an external Burning.

6. Now if Reason bringeth the animated mind with the spirit of the will of the Soul (in which stands Gods Image, and the true Man) into the ex∣ternal Mirror, as into an hypocritical Infection, needs must the Image and true Man be captivated thereby, and (with the external Magia, as with its disease) be infected.

7. Where the Image putteth on the external En∣tity, not only as a garment, but it is an infection, and a total mixture.

8. Though the animated Fire doth not mix with the external Kingdom, yet the Souls spirit of the will mingleth, which is Magical, and the Image of God is destroyed, and transmuted into an earthly, where the Souls fiery life abideth crude, and hath an earthly Image in the will of the spirit.

9. Now if the Body breaketh and dyeth, then the Soul holdeth her Image as her spirit of the will is now, that is, as he departed from the body's image, for at the dying there is a dividing; Then there appeareth the Image with and in such things

which she hath taken in, wherewith she was infected; the same quality she hath in her.

10. What she hath loved here, the same hath been her treasure, into which the will of the spirit is entered, and after the same shapeth her self also the animated Image.

11. If one hath turned his mind and heart into pride in his life time, then the same quality spring∣eth up continually in the Souls fire in the Image, and goeth beyond Love and Meekness, as beyond Gods Freedom, and cannot comprehend nor possess Gods Freedom.

12. But springeth up thus in it self in that anguish quality, and still shapeth the will of the spirit after earthly things, wherein his will is entred, and so glit∣tereth with it in the Souls fire, and still riseth in pride, and will go beyond Gods Meekness in the Fire.

13. For he cannot draw or make any other will, because he cannot go into Gods Freedom into the holy Mystery (where he might make another will,) he lives meerly in himself.

14. He hath nothing, neither may he reach unto any thing, but only unto that which he had com∣prehended in him in his external life (or whilest he lived in the world.)

15. And so it fareth with a covetous person, he hath in his will and image the magical greedy dis∣ease, and coveteth much continually, and formeth that in his will of the spirit, which he dealt withall in the life of his body.

16. But because that hath left him, and his being is no more earthly, yet he carryeth the earthly will,

which tormenteth and plagueth himself with it, for he cannot reach any other.

17. And much worse it goes with falshood, a∣gainst which the poor cryeth and curseth him by reason of his oppression.

18. For all that is wrought in wickedness, which he hath caused, followeth after him, for it hath been wrought in the mystery of wrath; then the cor∣rupted soul after the body's dying falls into it.

19. There she must be bathed in those abomina∣tions, that if it were possible to unite with the will in Gods Love, yet the same abominations and wick∣edness keepeth him back, for they bring him to an eternal Despair.

20. Where at last the Soul presumeth, and re∣nounceth God, and desireth only to ascend in the same abominations, and to live so.

21. And that is her joy to calumniate or blas∣pheme God and his Saints, and exalteth himself in the Abominations above God and the Kingdom of Heaven, and yet comprehendeth none of them.

22. Thus we give you to consider, what Will and Confidence is, namely, that it is the Master and Guide, which bringeth mans Image both into Gods Love, and also into Gods Wrath.

23. For in the Will is begotten the right true Faith, wherein subsisteth the noble Image of God: For in Faith we are born again through Christ in God, and obtain again the noble Image which Adam had lost, and Christ hath brought it again with Gods Life into the Humanity.

24. Also a false Will destroyeth the Image, be∣cause the Will is the Root of the Image, for he

attracteth the Mystery of God.

25. And the spirit of that Mystery openeth that fair Image, and putteth on it the Divine Mystery, viz. Gods Entity, understand Christs heavenly Body, who was born out of God in the dear and beautiful Virgin of his Wisdom, which filleth Heaven.

26. Now if our mind and will is set into the same, and the will desireth it, then is the Will magi∣cal, and entereth into it; and if he be hungry, then he may feed on Gods Bread.

27. Now groweth up in him the new Body, which is the pleasant or gracious Tree of Christian Faith, for every body loveth himself.

28. Now if the Soul getteth a body out of God which is so sweet and gracious, needs must she love him, being given unto him for a propriety, in whom she dwelleth and liveth, and from whose power she eateth and strengtheneth her self.

29. Therefore let no man deceive himself, and continue in his falshood and unrighteousness, and comfort himself with an historical belief (or faith,) when he thinketh, and saith with himself, Is not God gracious? will he not forgive me? I will ga∣ther a Treasure, and enjoy the same, make use of it, and leave to my Children great Riches and Honor; I will repent at one time or other: This is a meer deceit.

30. Thou gatherest in falshood, and drawest in∣to thy self unrighteousness; and when it is done in the best manner, yet it is but earthly, and thou hast sunk thy heart and will into an earthy vessel, and clotheth thy noble Image with it, and so hast wholly infected it.

31. Besides, thou leavest to thy children only Pride for an Inheritance; that they only fix (set) into it the spirit of their will:

32. And putteth on the worst thing upon thee, and thy children, when thou thinkest to do good unto them.

33. True, external life must have sustenance, and he doth foolishly who giveth his goods to a wicked man.

34. But he doth more foolishly, who turneth with his goods unto wickedness, hanging his heart thereon, and holdeth in higher estimation temporal and corruptible pleasures, then the eternal incorrup∣tible Good, which is infinite.

35. But he is blessed, which helpeth the poor; for they wish all happiness unto him, and pray to God to bless him in his body and soul.

36. Thus their wishes and praying go to the Giver into the Mystery, and embraceth him, and followeth after him, as a good work born in God; for that treasure he taketh along with him, and not the earthly.

37. For when the Body dyeth, then the Image goeth into the Mystery, that is, she is revealed into the Mysteries of God.

38. For in the time of the earthly Life the exter∣nal principle hath been a cover for it, which falleth away when the body dyeth; then appeareth the Divine Mystery in the Image, and therein also all good works and deeds which were born in Love in Gods Will.

39. The wishes and prayers of all Gods Chil∣dren stand in the Mystery, and makes a propriety

with the Image: For the children of the poor, if he hath helped them in their miseries and afflictions, have sent their will in their prayers into Gods My∣stery, and so united thereby with their Deliverer and Comforter, and gave to him that likeness in the Divine Mystery.

40. And if that Benefactor cometh into the My∣stery, that the earthly life falleth away, then all things are revealed, and each doth stick to his own, whither the Will hath appointed it.

41. And all this is reserved unto Gods Judg∣ment of the holy Spirit in the Mystery, where eve∣ry one shall reap that, what he hath sowed here into his Acre.

42. Where all shall spring up, grow and bring blossoms in a heavenly new Earth, in which man in his divine Image shall put on the body of the per∣fect Mystery upon his divine Image, and will see, standing before him, namely before his bodily I∣mage, his Righteousness, why he is so fair.

43. He will know the Causes thereof, and re∣joyce therein eternally, and comprehend his Hymn therein unto Gods Honor and wondrous Deed.

44. On the other side, the multitude of the wick∣ed will have heaped on them Ignominy, avarice, pride, wickedness, and the curse of the oppressed gathered in the Mystery of Wrath, which will fol∣low after them, and shall know the causes of their torment, and therefore will be an eternal enemy of God, and of his Children.