A compendious view of the grounds of the Teutonick philosophy : with considerations by way of enquiry into the subject matter and scope of the writings of Jacob Behmen, commonly called, the Teutonick philosopher : also several extracts from his writings and some words used by him explained

Of pure eterna! Nature. 19

dwells in the moft ftrong, fevere, and cruel birth of all: and to know our own enemy seLF, which our firft parents awakened and roufed up, and we carry within us, and which we ourfelves now “are. And my writing is only to this end, that man may learn to know what he is, and what he was in the beginning: that he was a very glorious eternal holy man, that fhould never have known the gate of the ftrong and auftere birth in the eternity, if he had not fuffered himfelf to luft after it, through the temptation and infection of the devil; and had not eaten of that fruit which was forbidden him; whereby he became fuch a naked and vain man, in a beaftial form, [as we now find ourfelves to be} and loft the heavenly garment [or body] of the divine power ; and now live in the kingdom of the devil, in the poifonous virtue of the infected fal-nitre, and feed upon infected food. And it is neceffary for us to learn to know ourfelves, what we are, and how ye may be redeemed from the anguifhing auftere birth, and be regenerated or born anew, and live in the new man (which is like the firft man before the fall) in:Chrift our regenerator,

M 4 ZAP GR