For God hath implanted a New Will into it, into which, after dying to itself, it must be changed. 15. And because the Will of Nature must thus die, and refign up its Being to the Will of GOD, therefore it is that fuch Grievous Temptations afflict the Soul. The Devil is unwilling to lose his Fort of Prey or Strong Hold therein. For if the Spirit of Chrift is to live in Man, then the Spirit of Self-Luft and falfe Imagination muft needs die in him. Wholly indeed it cannot die during the Time of this Mortal Life, because the Flesh, which carrieth Sin in itself, is fo long united to the Soul; but it dieth daily, tho' it thus ftill liveth. And this is the Cause of the poor Soul's Anguifh and Conflict. A Conflict, unknown to the Wicked, and felt only by those who have in fome Degree put on Chrift, and begin to find him wrestling with Lucifer in them and for them. 16. The Third Temptation and Source of Trouble, which befetteth Chriftians, hath its Seat in the Strong Holds which the Devil hath in the Natural Will and Mind, and in the Bodily Flesh and Blood. These comprehend the falfe Centres that lie in Man. These are the Springs of Pride, Carnal Luft, and Love of the This Fortress of the Devil in Man is World. much strengthened and fupported by the Sins committed, which have concentred and made to themselves a Ground in the Aftral Spirit; and alfo by the Effect of those Curfes which Men who have been injured, oppreffed, tempted, or driven to Sin by the Power or Perfuafion of fuch a Sinner, have imprecated on his Soul and Body. Which Fortress Chrifį now in his Love and Mercy would fain deftroy; but the human Will, captivated and blinded with the Honours, Pleasures, and Beauty of the outward World, defendeth and maintaineth it as its own beloved Property, and best Treasure; and will not give it up, and submit itself to the Power of Chrift. 17. Thus, my beloved Friend, and Chriftian Brother, have I laid before you what our loving Lord Jefus Chrift hath been pleased to manifeft to me in my Confideration of your Cafe. Now you would do well to examine yourself, in order to find which kind of Temptation yours is. And remember what our Dear Lord faid; that we must forfake all and follow him. To do this we should be poor, as He was; at least poor in Will and Spirit. 18. Now if you find that your Heart, and Mind, yet ftick in the Mire of Self-Luft, Imagination, and Love of Earthly Things, then you may be sure that your Temptation and confe quent quent Trouble arife from those falfe and evil Centres that ftill work in you. 19. But if you would follow my fimple and Child-like Counsel, do thus. Imagine nothing else to yourself, nor let your Thoughts fix themselves on any other Object, but the bitter Sufferings and Death of Our LORD Jefus Chrift; confider the Reproach, Scorn, Contempt and Poverty, which He underwent in this World for us poor Men; and in fuch Confideration give up your whole Will and Defire thereinto, wishing and afpiring to be conformable to His Image; defiring nothing but to be like Him, and to follow Him in His Procefs; patiently to endure whatever is laid on you, and that with a good Will for His fake, and as His Appointment; and to be content for the Love of Him to be abject; defpifed, derided, and afflicted in any Manner or Degree, fo that you may but preferve this His Precious Gift of Love in you; and, finally, to will no longer of and for Yourself, but only what Chrift willeth in and through you. 20. Dear Friend, to fpeak plainly and freely, I must needs tell you that I am afraid there is fomewhat ftill lurking in you, which is difpleafing to Chrift, and confequently the Caufe of your prefent Difquiet. Chrift willeth that you should with Him die to your wn own Will in His Death, and rife in His Will, and live with and to Him. And Chrift is now in your Soul, and ftriving for it in this Conflict. 21. Let go then All Earthly Will, and refign up yourself to Him wholly and fully. Let Joy and Sorrow, Comfort and Diftrefs be alike to you. So fhall you come to be with and through Chrift a Triumphant Conqueror over the World, the Devil, Death and Hell; and in the end find by Experience What He hath been in You, and for what Cause you have fuffered your present Trial; which is no other than hath been the Portion and Procefs of all the true Children of Christ. What I have written is the Dictate of pure Chriftian Affection to you. Dated on the Day of Chrift's going to his J. B. An Explication of fome Latin and other Words ufed by This Author in a peculiar Senfe, and occurring in the foregoing Treatifes. A LTHOUGH the Writings of Jacob Behmen, particularly thofe here felected, are altogether of a practical Tendency, and direct their Reader folely to the One Thing needful to himfelf, Regeneration; yet, as the illuminated Author unfolds the Reafons, and demonftrates the Importance, of that Grand Article of Our Religion, from the strongest Ground of Truth and Conviction, its abfolute Neceffity in Nature to the Salvation of the Soul: So he could do this no otherwife, than by fetting it forth according to that Fundamental Knowledge of the Great Mystery of all Things, which was by the Holy Spirit of GOD opened in him. And That being a Knowledge as far beyond the Sphere of Reafon, and the Capacity of the Natural Man, as is that Divine Life, which is the only Ground of it; it is not to be wondered at, that Human Wit and Reafon fhould find themselves ftrangely at a Lofs to comprehend it, and the Language in which it is expreffed. The highly enlightened Author was fenfible enough of this: He knew that many of the deep Truths delivered by him, as well as the particular Style, and Forms of Expreffion, in which they were cloathed, were not open to the general Apprehenfion of Mankind; and therefore, at the Defire of certain Lovers of His Writings, composed a fmall Treatife purposely to explain some of the Principal Points, and Unufual Words, occurring in them; and entitled it The Clans; that is, The Key. In the Preface to which, he makes the following Apology for his peculiar Duction: "Reafon will be offended, when it feeth Heathenifh Terms used in the Explanation of Natural Things, as fuppofing, that we fhould ufe none but Phrafes and Words borrowed from the Scriptures. But fuch Words will not always ply and adapt themselves to the Fundamental Expofition of the deep Ground and Properties of Nature, nor can the fame be fufficiently expreffed by them. Which deep Ground, the Wife Heathens and Jews have hidden under fuch Particular Terms and Expreffions; as being well aware, that |