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

The Eprror to the READER. xxi

to interpret each others fouls, we fhould quickly find, that we differ more in words than in thoughts, and in the notions of things, than in the things themfelves.

Our fpiritual wifdom, and happinefs, do not lie in our notions, and opinions of fpiritual truth, but in the truth itfelf. The apoftle excellently diftinguifhes, and explains this matter, 2 Cor. iv. 6, 7: Where {peaking of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrift, he tells us, «© We have this treafure in earthen . < veffels, that the. excellency of the «© power may be of God, and not of « us,” That the fpiritual truth which is the fhining forth of the glory of God in the perfon of Chrift, the fupreme univerfal truth, is the heavenly treafure ; the notions, and forms in our underftandings by which this truth appears to us, are but a part of the earthen veffel which holds this treafure. How weak is it to eftimate the value-of fuch a trea-

fure