and what all creatures whatsoever are, we ourselves amongst the rest, and how we may attain to the true, only, and eternal happiness and blessedness of life everlasting, with and in God. And can there be anything more useful, beneficial, necessary and worthy than this? Also further, by his writings we may come to understand how Christ is the Saviour of all men: and yet all will not attain salvation. Though it be confessed, and must be granted, that eternal salvation is attained by some infants, also by some innocent, ignorant persons of years that have been born of Heathenish, of Jewish and of Christian parents, being such as have served God according to the law of their forefathers, with an upright conscience; as Paul, who was a Jew; and so the eunuch, servant to Candace, Queen of Ethiopia, a stranger; and Cornelius, the Centurion; and all others fearing God, and working righteousness, in every nation are accepted of him, though they know nothing, as the Apostles knew it, of the great and common salvation that hath appeared to all men. For, if any be cleansed from his sins, it is done by the blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanseth us from all sin; and this is effected in us and for us, though we know not of it, nor how it is done. And indeed, had not the Holy Scripture mentioned this thing concerning the blood of Christ, it had not been possible for any man, but such as the Prophets and Apostles were, to have procured any that are now called Christians to believe and confess it. Neither can any one understand this, though he read of it in the Scriptures, but by the Holy Spirit within himself, which proceedeth from the Father and the Son in the soul of every one; and by the Word in the heart, the Word of faith, which is God and Christ, even that true, divine Light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world. The same also may be said concerning all those that have been, are, or shall be saved, though they attain not in this life the understanding of the Mysteries of salvation, as those did who wrote the Holy Scriptures; neither can any one understand them as they did, but by the same gift of the Holy Spirit in the soul. Therefore let none boast that he is not born among those that are called Heathen, but among those that were outwardly called Jews of old, or Christians now, or of the Church of Rome, or Protestants, or of the reformed religion, or Presbyterians, Independents, Separatists, Seekers, or Perfectists; though every one of these has outwardly a high prerogative and excellency above the Heathen, yet their lives and fruits which do not exceed the lives and fruits of the Heathen will rise up in judgment against themselves. But let every soul in love rejoice with all other souls in this: that God is our Father, in whom we live and move and have our being, ruling in our souls, and manifesting his infinite grace and mercy, and bringing all things to pass according to his inconceivable wisdom and goodness, and according to the purpose of his good will towards men, which is his eternal Gospel: To those that hearken and yield to his will and word of life always calling, in the soul of every one (or else none could be condemned for neglecting and contemning his call, as some will be), also provoking the soul to forsake that which it perceiveth to be evil, and embrace and cowork with that which it perceiveth to be good, holy and divine within itself.
Therefore also let every soul grope after God in its heart, that it may feel and know him, whom to know is life eternal; and feel the hope of enjoying the inestimable good things that are laid up for them that love God, though few here know anything thereof; and yet he will certainly give them unto us at that day, which [he] himself hath appointed, which day will also assuredly come, though no man knoweth when, nor what, it will be or bring forth, but he to whom God doth reveal it. And, indeed, the writings of such persons, whose understandings have been filled with spiritual, divine Wisdom, are to be prized above all others. And though it be an exceeding happiness and joy to us that God hath bestowed so large understanding on those that have written the Scriptures, therefore we ought diligently and frequently to read and deeply consider them; yet, in most of the Mysteries thereof the meaning remaineth very dark to us—we having so little knowledge of the things spoken of. Therefore, in exceeding love of the Scriptures, how highly should we value and esteem the writings of this author, Jacob Behme, which disclose the very things which are but briefly hinted at therein, and this so fundamentally as to satisfy all the objections of reason that can be made; and which also direct us plainly in the way to find the infallible Conductor, the Holy Spirit, which will open our understandings to discern those hidden Mysteries mentioned in the Scriptures so long ago (that we, through patience and comfort of them, might have hope), and yet but darkly, of purpose that some things should be kept secret from the beginning of the world, and not be revealed till the due time and season in every age, and some not till this last age, which is appointed for the manifesting of all Mysteries.
and what all creatures whatsoever are, we ourselves amongst the rest, and how we may attain to the true, only, and eternal happiness and blessedness of life everlasting, with and in God. And can there be anything more useful, beneficial, necessary and worthy than this? Also further, by his writings we may come to understand how Christ is the Saviour of all men: and yet all will not attain salvation. Though it be confessed, and must be granted, that eternal salvation is attained by some infants, also by some innocent, ignorant persons of years that have been born of Heathenish, of Jewish and of Christian parents, being such as have served God according to the law of their forefathers, with an upright conscience; as Paul, who was a Jew; and so the eunuch, servant to Candace, Queen of Ethiopia, a stranger; and Cornelius, the Centurion; and all others fearing God, and working righteousness, in every nation are accepted of him, though they know nothing, as the Apostles knew it, of the great and common salvation that has appeared to all men. For, if any be cleansed from his sins, it is done by the blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanses us from all sin; and this is effected in us and for us, though we know not of it, nor how it is done. And indeed, had not the Holy Scripture mentioned this thing concerning the blood of Christ, it had not been possible for any man, but such as the Prophets and Apostles were, to have procured any that are now called Christians to believe and confess it. Neither can any one understand this, though he read of it in the Scriptures, but by the Holy Spirit within himself, which proceeds from the Father and the Son in the soul of every one; and by the Word in the heart, the Word of faith, which is God and Christ, even that true, divine Light which lights every one that comes into the world. The same also may be said concerning all those that have been, are, or shall be saved, though they attain not in this life the understanding of the Mysteries of salvation, as those did who wrote the Holy Scriptures; neither can any one understand them as they did, but by the same gift of the Holy Spirit in the soul. Therefore let none boast that he is not born among those that are called Heathen, but among those that were outwardly called Jews of old, or Christians now, or of the Church of Rome, or Protestants, or of the reformed religion, or Presbyterians, Independents, Separatists, Seekers, or Perfectists; though every one of these has outwardly a high prerogative and excellency above the Heathen, yet their lives and fruits which do not exceed the lives and fruits of the Heathen will rise up in judgment against themselves. But let every soul in love rejoice with all other souls in this: that God is our Father, in whom we live and move and have our being, ruling in our souls, and manifesting his infinite grace and mercy, and bringing all things to pass according to his inconceivable wisdom and goodness, and according to the purpose of his good will towards men, which is his eternal Gospel: To those that hearken and yield to his will and word of life always calling, in the soul of every one (or else none could be condemned for neglecting and contemning his call, as some will be), also provoking the soul to forsake that which it perceives to be evil, and embrace and cowork with that which it perceives to be good, holy and divine within itself.
Therefore also let every soul grope after God in its heart, that it may feel and know him, whom to know is life eternal; and feel the hope of enjoying the inestimable good things that are laid up for them that love God, though few here know anything thereof; and yet he will certainly give them unto us at that day, which [he] himself has appointed, which day will also assuredly come, though no man knows when, nor what, it will be or bring forth, but he to whom God does reveal it. And, indeed, the writings of such persons, whose understandings have been filled with spiritual, divine Wisdom, are to be prized above all others. And though it be an exceeding happiness and joy to us that God has bestowed so large understanding on those that have written the Scriptures, therefore we ought diligently and frequently to read and deeply consider them; yet, in most of the Mysteries thereof the meaning remains very dark to us—we having so little knowledge of the things spoken of. Therefore, in exceeding love of the Scriptures, how highly should we value and esteem the writings of this author, Jacob Behme, which disclose the very things which are but briefly hinted at therein, and this so fundamentally as to satisfy all the objections of reason that can be made; and which also direct us plainly in the way to find the infallible Conductor, the Holy Spirit, which will open our understandings to discern those hidden Mysteries mentioned in the Scriptures so long ago (that we, through patience and comfort of them, might have hope), and yet but darkly, of purpose that some things should be kept secret from the beginning of the world, and not be revealed till the due time and season in every age, and some not till this last age, which is appointed for the manifesting of all Mysteries.
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