"Fundamental and True Description Of The Threefold Life In Man"

"Fundamental And True Description Of The Threefold Life In Man" Appendix from, "The Three Principles Of The Divine Essence" By Jacob Behmen, the Teutonic Theosopher First, Of the Life of the Spirit of this World in the Qualities and Dominion of the Stars and Elements. Secondly, Of the Life of the Originality of all Essences, which stands in the eternal [indissoluble] Band; wherein the Root of Man's Soul stands. Thirdly, Of the paradisiacal Life in Ternario Sancto, viz. the Life in the new Regeneration, which is the Life of the Lord Jesus Christ; wherein the angelical Life is understood, as also the holy Life of the new Regeneration. All searched out, very fundamentally, in the Light of Nature, and set down for the Comfort of the poor sick wounded Soul, that it might seek the holy Life in the new Regeneration, wherein it goes forth out of the earthly, and passes into the Life of Jesus Christ the Son of God. By the same author. Because in our foregoing Writings, there are some Words which the Reader may not perhaps apprehend, especially where we have written, that in the Resurrection of the Dead, we shall be in the Body of Christ, in Ternario Sancto, where we call the Ternarius Sanctus Holy Earth, which must not be understood of Earth, but of the holy Body of the holy Virtue [or Power] of the Trinity of God; and by that Body Ternarius Sanctus is properly understood in our Writings the Gate of God the Father, from whence all Things proceed as out of one only Substance, therefore we will instruct the Reader of the second Book of our Writings a little more fundamentally, that he may not hang so to the bare Letter, and make an historical Matter of our Writings, but that he may observe the Mind and Spirit, what that [Spirit] means, when it speaks of the Divine Life, and uses not always the same Words and Names. 2. For if we look into the Creation of God, we find very wonderful Things, which yet in the Beginning proceeded out of one only Fountain; for we find Evil and Good, Life and Death, Joy and Sorrow, Love and Hate, Weeping and Laughing; for we find that it all sprung out of one only Substance, for that may very well be seen in all Creatures, especially in Man, who is the Similitude of God, as Moses writes, and the Light of Nature convinces us. Therefore we ought to consider of the Threefold Life in Man, which is found so also in the Gate of God the Father. 3. If we consider of the Alteration how the Mind is changed as it is, how suddenly Joy is turned into Sorrow, and Sorrow into Joy, then we ought well to consider from whence that takes its Original. For we find it all to be in one and the same Mind; and if one Form [Property or Quality] rises and gets above the other, then there presently something follows, so that the Mind collects all its Thoughts together, and sends them to the Members of the Body, and so the Hands, the Feet, the Mouth, and all go to Work, and do something, according to the Desire of the Mind, and then we say, that Form [or Property that drives the Work] is predominant, qualifying and working above other Forms, wherein yet all other Forms of Nature lie hidden, and are subject to that one Form. And yet the Mind is such a wonderful a Thing, that suddenly (out of one Form, that is now predominant and working more than all others) it brings forth and raises up another, and quenches the [Form] that was kindled before, so that it becomes as it were a Nothing, as may be seen in Joy and Sorrow. 4. Now therefore when we consider whence all takes its Original, we find especially three Forms in the Mind; we speak not here of the Spirit of this World only, for we find that our Mind has also a Desire [or Longing] after another Mind, and that it is anxious for that which the Eyes of the Body see not, and which the Mouth tastes not, and the Feeling of the earthly Body does not perceive, neither does the earthly Ear hear it, nor the Nose smell it, which yet the noble Mind can see, taste, feel, perceive and hear, if the Form of the divine Kingdom in that Mind be predominant, or qualifies more than the other two; there then instantly the other two are as it were half dead and overcome, and the divine [Form] rises up alone, and then it is in God. 5. And we see also how instantly the Mind raises up another Form, and makes it predominant, viz. the Spirit of this World, in Covetousness, Pride, in the oppressing of the Needy, and lifting up itself only, and so drawing all to it; whereupon then instantly also the third Form breaks forth out of the eternal [indissoluble] Band, as Falsehood, Envy, Anger and Malice; so that the Image of God is as it were dead and overcome, where then the Mind (in this Manner) is in the Anger of God, in Death, in the Jaws of Hell, over which Hell in the Anger of God insults; for hereby its Jaws are set wide open, and it becomes predominant. But when the divine Form breaks forth again, then the Kingdom of Hell is overcome, and as it were dead, and the Kingdom of Heaven comes to be predominant and working again. 6. Therefore St. Paul says, "To whom you yield yourselves as Servants in Obedience, his Servants you are, whether of Sin unto Death, or of the Obedience of God to Righteousness", and that Source or Property we have, and in that Kingdom we live, and that Kingdom with the Property thereof drives us. Seeing then here in this Life all is in the Sowing, and in the Growing, therefore the Harvest also shall one Day follow, where then the one Kingdom shall be separated from the other. 7. For there are in the Mind of Man Three Principles, all which Three in the Time [of this four elementary Life] he may open; but when the Body is broken then he lives in one Principle only, and then he has lost the Key, and can open no other Principle more, he must continue eternally in that Source [or Quality] which he has kindled here. For we know that Adam (with his going out of Paradise into this World) brought us into Death. And Hell in the Anger of God grows from Death, and so our Soul is capable of [going into] the Kingdom of Hell, and stands in the Anger of God, where the Jaws of Hell then stand wide open against us, continually to devour us, and we have [made] a Covenant with Death, and wholly yielded ourselves up to it, in the Sting of the Anger, in the first Principle. 8. We not only know this, but we know also, that God has regenerated us in the Life of his Son Jesus Christ to a living Creature, to live in him. And as he is entered into Death, and again through Death into eternal Life, so must we enter into the Death of Christ and in the Life of Jesus Christ go 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 we live rightly in Ternario Sancto, in the Holy Trinity of the Deity. For then we bear the holy Flesh (which is out of the holy Element in the Presence of God) which our loving Brother and Saviour, or Immanuel, has brought into our Flesh; and he has brought us in and with himself 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 eternal Word in the Father is become true Man, and has the eternal Light shining in him, and has humbled [and abased] himself in the Humanity, and has put upon the Image, which we here bear in this Life, the Image [which is] out of the pure unspotted Element in the Presence of God, which we lost in Adam, which stands in the Mercy of God, as is clearly mentioned in our second Book, with all the Circumstances of it, so must we also 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 Virtue wherein he lives. 10. We do not here mean his Creature, that we must enter into that, but we understand his Source, for the Depth and Breadth of his Life in his Source is unmeasurable; and as God his Father is unmeasurable, so also is the Life of Christ so; for the pure Element in the Source of God the Father in his Mercy, is the Body of Christ; and as our earthly Body stands in the four elements, so the new Man stands in a pure Element, out of which this World with the four Elements is generated; and the Source of the pure Element is the Source of the Heaven, and of Paradise, and also it is [the Source] of our Body in the new Regeneration. 11. Now that Element is in the whole Principle of God everywhere, 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 dwells in the Son, viz. in the Body of Jesus Christ, and the Son in the Father, as one only God, and thus the Holy Ghost goes forth from the Father in the Son, 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,] hangs but to us in this [Life] Time, [which is] well understood, if we be born of God with our Mind. 12. For as God the Father in his own Substance comprehends all the Three Principles, and is himself the Substance of all Substances, wherein both Joy and Sorrow are comprehended, which yet goes forth in itself out of the Source of the Anguish, and makes the Kingdom of Joy to himself, inconceivable to the Sorrow, and incomprehensible to the Source of his Anger in the Anguish, and generates to himself his Heart in the Love, wherein the Name of God takes Original, so also the Mind has in it all the three Principles, and therein the Soul is comprised, viz. in the Band of Life, which must enter again into itself, and create a Will in the Life of Jesus Christ, and endeavor after it, desiring it with a strong Will and Purpose, and not stay merely in the History, or in the Knowledge of it, and being able to speak of it, and suppose the Words and Discourse make a sufficient Christian, when the Mind is still in mere Doubt in Babel. No, that is not the Regeneration, but it must be an earnest Resolution; the Mind must in itself go forth into the Humility towards God, and enter into the Will of God, in Righteousness, Truth, and Love. 13. And though indeed the Mind is not able to do this in its own Ability, because it is captivated with the Spirit of this World, yet it has the Purpose in its Power, and God is presented with [and in] the Purpose, and receives it in his Love, and sows therein the Seed of Love in his Virtue [or Power,] out of which the new Man in the Life of Jesus Christ grows. Therefore all lies in the true earnest [Purpose,] which is called true Repentance; for the Receiving of the Word of God in the Obedience of Love grows not in the earthly Life, but in the newborn, in the Life of Jesus Christ. 14. Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is a bestowed Bounty of Grace for all those that earnestly desire it; not that it is enough to say to one's self, I have indeed a Will to yield myself 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 continues from one Time to another, and from one Day to another, and in the mean While the evil Man grows; if you defer 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 grown in the Anger of God, in the Abyss of Hell: No; that is Deceit, you deceive yourself. 15. The Priests in Babel have after that no Key to open the Kingdom of Heaven for you; you must enter in yourself and be newborn, or else there is no Remedy for you in this World, nor in Heaven; you stand here in this [Life] Time, in the Ground, and art a Plant, but when Death comes and cuts down the Stock, then you art no more in the Growing, but art a Fruit; and then if you art not Food for God, you do not belong to his Table, and then God will not dwell in you. 16. For we know that the Deity only is the Virtue to the new Birth, which [Virtue,] if you longest for it, and desire it with Earnestness, sow itself in your Mind, and in your Soul, out of which the new Man in the Life of Christ grows, so that in this World the earthly [Man] does 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 St. Paul writes clearly in his g Letter to the Romans, that if we thus live in the new Birth, we live to God, but as to the old Adam we are in this World; where then the Source of the eternal Band in the Soul is also changed, and the Soul enters itself into the Life of Christ, into the holy and pure Element; which in some Places of my second Book I call the Ternarius Sanctus. 17. This is not according to the Understanding of the Latin Tongue, but according to the Understanding of the divine Nature; by which Words is excellently expressed the Life of Jesus Christ in God the Father; as also the Characters or Letters themselves and the Spirit in the Syllables signify; wherein the Birth [Unigeniture or eternal Working] of the Deity is excellently understood; though it is hidden to the historical Man of the School 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 to be set down here, and yet it shall be brought to the Understanding. 18. There is nothing more profitable for Man for his Beginning to the new Birth, than true earnest sincere Repentance, with great earnest Purpose and Resolution; for he must press into the Kingdom of Heaven, into the Life of Christ, where then his Regenerator is ready, deep in his Mind, in the Light of Life, and with Desiring and Earnestness helps [to wrestle,] and so sows himself as a Grain of Mustard-Seed into the Soul of Man, as a Root to a new Creature. And if the Earnestness in the Soul of a Man be great, then the Earnestness in his Regeneration is also great. 19. And it not possible to describe the New Birth in Christ fully; for he that comes into it, can find it only in himself by Experience; there grows another Bud in his Mind, another Man with other Knowledge, he is taught of God, and sees that all the Labor in the History, without the Spirit of God, is but a confused Work of Babel, from whence Strife and Contention (in Self-Pride) come, for they aim only at Pride and Advancement, to recreate themselves in the Lusts of the Flesh, and in Self. They are no Shepherds or Pastors of Christ, but Ministers or Servants of the Antichrist, they have set themselves upon Christ's Throne; but they have erected it in this World. 20. Yet the Kingdom of Christ is not of this World, but consists 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 Sins, where then the Fierceness changes itself into Love, and he is a Priest of God in the Life of Jesus Christ, who always seeks that which is in Heaven in the Wonders of God; and the New Man is hid 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 Virtue of his Body. 21. For such also his Covenant with us is, both in the Baptism and the Last Supper. He took not the Flesh of his Creature and gave it to his Disciples, but he took the Body of the pure Element [that is] before God, wherein God dwells, which is present in all Creatures, but comprised in another Principle, and gave it to his Disciples to eat and drink under earthly Bread and Wine; so also he baptized the outward Man with earthly elementary Water, but the inward new Man he baptized with the Water in the holy pure Element of his Body and Spirit, which Substance appears only in the second Principle, and is present everywhere, yet is hid to the third Principle, viz. to the Spirit of this World. 22. For as we know, that our Mind reaches all over this World, and also into the Kingdom of Heaven to God, so also the Life of the pure Element (wherein the Creature Christ, and our new Man in Christ stands) reaches everywhere all over, and it is all over full of the Fullness of the Life of Jesus Christ, but only in the [one pure holy] Element, and not in the four Elements, in the Spirit of the Stars. 23. Therefore there needs not in our Writings much toil, nor hard Consideration or Study, we write of another Principle, no Reader understands us rightly in the Ground, except his Mind be born in God; there ought no historical 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 Mind in the Earthliness can comprehend it. Heavenly Thoughts and Meaning can comprehend it; like must be comprehended by like. 24. Indeed we carry the heavenly Treasure in an earthly Vessel, but there must be a heavenly Receptacle hidden in the earthly, else the heavenly Treasure is not comprised nor held. None should think or desire to find the Lily of the heavenly Bud with deep Searching and Studying, if he be not entered by earnest Repentance in the new Birth, so that it be grown in himself; for else it is but a History, where his Mind never finds the Ground, and yet itself supposes it has comprehended it; but his Mind makes it manifest, what Spirit's Child it is; for it is written, "They are taught of God." 25. We know that every Life is a Fire that consumes, and must have somewhat to feed its Consuming, or else it goes out; so also we know that there is an eternal Band of Life, where there is a Matter whereon the eternal Fire feeds continually, for the eternal Fire makes that Matter for Food to itself. 26. So also we know that the eternal Life is twofold, in a twofold Source [Quality or Property,] and each stands in its own Fire. The one burns in the Fierceness, and in the Woe, and the Matter thereof is Pride, Envy, and Anger, its Source is like brimstone Spirit; for the Rising up of the Pride, in Covetousness, Envy, and Anger, makes together a Brimstone, wherein the Fire burns, and continually kindles itself with this Matter; for it is a great Bitterness, wherein the Mobility of the Life consists, as also the Striker up of the Fire. 27. Now we know also, that every Fire has a shining and. Glance, and that Glance goes in itself forth from the Source [or Quality,] and enlightens the Matter of the Source, so that in the Source there is a Knowledge and Understanding of a [Thing or] Substance, from whence a Mind and the Might takes its Original of doing and comprehending a Will to somewhat, and yet was not there in the Originality; and that it will in itself, in the Source, go forth, and make a Liberty for itself in the Source, and the Will desires the Liberty, that it might stand therein, and has its Life from the Will in the Light, and in itself, in the Habitation, lives without Source, and yet there it stands in the Originality in the Ground of the Source. 28. Thus, my beloved, worthy, seeking Mind, know and observe that every Life stands upon the Abyss of the Fierceness; for God calls himself, A consuming Fire; and also, A God of Love; and his Name G O D has its Original in the Love, where he goes forth out of the Source in himself, and makes it, in himself, Joy, Paradise, and the Kingdom of Heaven. 29. We all in the Originality of our Life have the Source of the Anger, and of the Fierceness, or else we should not be alive; but we must look to it, and in ourselves go forth out of the Source of the Fierceness with God, and generate the Love in us, and then our Life shall be a joyful and pleasant Habitation to us, and then it stands rightly in the Paradise of God; but if our Life stays in the Fierceness, viz. in Covetousness, Envy, Anger, and Malice, and goes not forth into another Will, then it stands in the anguishing Source, as all Devils do, wherein no good Thought or Will can be, but a mere Enmity in itself. 30. Therefore these two Lives, viz. the Life in the loving Regeneration, and the Life in the Originality of the Source [or Property,] are one against another; and because the Life in the Love is not enemicitious, therefore it must suffer itself to be pinched, pierced through and wounded, and upon it the Cross is laid to be borne with Patience of Meekness, and in this Bud, in this Ground, [Soil, or Field,] a Child of God must be a Bearer of the Cross; and for this End has God appointed in himself a Day of Judgment, and of Separation, where then he reaps what is grown in every Life; and herewith shall all Forms of the eternal Life be manifested, all must stand to the manifesting of God's Deeds of Wonder. 31. Therefore, O Man! look to it, destroy not yourself; see that you grow in the Ground [or Field] of Love, Meekness, and Righteousness, and enter with your Life, in yourself, into the Meekness of Jesus Christ, in the Regeneration to God, and then you shall live in God's Source of Love; and so when the Field of this Sprout is taken away, then your Life is a Fruit and Plant of God, and you shall spring and grow with a new Body out of the holy and pure Element before God, in the Life of your dear Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Give up, [or dedicate] yourself to it, in this contentious Life, wholly and altogether, and so you shall with him, through his Death and Resurrection, grow up in a new Man before God.