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VI. From the 40 to the 43 Question. Where the Angels and Devils dwell in this World's Time; How far Heaven and Hell are afunder; and What and Whence the Angels and human Souls are.

VII. The 44 Question.

What the Body of Man is; and why the Soul is capable of receiving Good and Evil. VIII. From the 45 to 57 Queftion. Of the Destruction of the World; of Man's Body in and after the Refurrection; Where Heaven and Hell fhall be; of the last Judgement; and wherefore the Strife in the Crea ture must be.

A

A

COUR

DISCOURSE

BETWEEN

A

Soul hungry and thirsty after the Fountain of Life, the sweet Love of Jefus Christ,

AND A

SOUL ENLIGHTENED.

SHEWING

Which Way one Soul should seek after and comfort another, and bring it by means of its Knowledge into the Paths of Chrift's Pilgrimage, and faithfully warn it of the thorny Way of the World, which leadeth the fallen Soul that naturally walketh therein, into the Abyfs or Pit of Hell.

Compofed by a Soul that loveth all who are the Children of Jefus Chrift under the Crofs.

Written in the German Language,

(Anno. 1624.)

By JACOB BEHMEN.

THI

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THE

'HERE was a poor Soulthat had wandered out of Paradife, and come into the Kingdom of this World; where the Devil met with it, and said to it,

"Whither doft thou go, thou Soul that art half blind?"

The Soul faid,

I would fee and fpeculate into the Creatures of the World, which the Creator hath made.

The Devil faid,

How wilt thou fee and speculate into them, when thou canst not know their Effence and Property? Thou wilt look upon their Outfide only, as upon a graven Image, and canft not know them throughly.

The

1

The Soul faid,

How may I come to know their Effence and Property?

The Devil faid,

Thine Eyes would be opened to fee them throughly, if thou didft but eat of That from whence the Creatures themselves are come to be good and evil. Thou wouldft then be as

GOD himself is, and know what the Creature is.

The Soul faid,

I am now a noble and holy Creature; but if I fhould do so, the Creator hath said, that I fhould die.

The Devil faid,

No, thou fhouldft not die at all; but thy Eyes would be opened, and thou wouldst be as God himself, and be Mafter of Good and Evil. Alfo, thou fhouldst be mighty, powerful, and very great, as I am; all the Subtilty that is in the Creatures would be made known to thee.

The Soul faid,

If I had the Knowledge of Nature and of the Creatures, I would then rule the whole World as I lifted.

The Devil faid,

The whole Ground of that Knowledge lieth in thee. Do but turn thy Will and Defire

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