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

Concerning the abyffal Effence. 13

cacious will, God does ftile himfelf the. Firft and the Laft, the Beginning and Endof all things; the fcripture teaching us, that from bis will, by his will, and for his will, alt

things were created. . Now we will proceed to confider the ture of this abyffal effence, which as was hinted before, is a deep, immenfe, boundlefs, void fpace, and is therefore called the abyffal effence, or ground, without ground. When I fay this abyffal effence is without bounds, I do not mean in relation to God, by whofe will it is bounded and comprehended, but in relation to our fpirits. In this void, immenfe fpace there is nothing to be feen, no darknefs, no fire, no light, no creature, but is indeed an unfearchable deep without any effence, though it be the ground of all eflences, and that from whence eternal Nature’s effence does proceed: and though the fpirit of the creature fees no eflence in it, yet God’s eye fees all things in it, becaufe it is the original ground of all effences ¥ yet is no vifible effence to be feen in it. This abyffal effence generated out of God, to be the ground of all effences, is called