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

58 Of the third Principle; or,

kingdom of heaven is, as alfo the angels and Paradife, is fhut up from him, and he cannot get to it.

5. In this confideration you may find what I underftand by a principle: namely,

nothing elfe but a new birth, a new life,

for there is no more than one principle, that is, the eternal Deity ; wherein there is eternal life. But God would not haye been manifefted, if in the Father, Son, and Spirit in himfelf, he had not created creatures, as he has done angels and the fouls of men, who underftand the eternal and indiffoluble band, and how the birth and manner of the eternal light is in God the Son.

6. Now if we will fpeak of the third principle; namely, the beginning and birth of this world; then we muft confider the root of the genetrix, or begettrefs, feeing every principle is another birth, but out of no other effence. The divine efience in the root of the firft principle is the begettrefs matrix, or genetrix, in the eternal birth ia the limbus, or concretion of matter, in the original water fpirit : [for in the fecond principle, namely, in the holy birth, there is only fpirit, light, and life] and the eternal

Wifdom