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

10 What eternal Nature is.

above, before, and beyond eternal Nature’s effince? I can only reply the Triune Deity, in the globe of eternity, who is the

t efficient caufe of eternal Nature; and here

| we muft ftop: for we cannot go beyond

_| the firft caufe of all things.

«J ‘+ We proceed to fpeak of the efficient caufe of eternal Nature, and that is God: and will briefly declare how God does not only create eternal Nature by way of 8 ciency, but alfo that he creates it out /and from himfelf by way of effentiality. Thus the divine philofophy inftruéts us, Rom. xr BGr te Of him, and from him, and to * him, are all things.” That is, all things proceed effentially from him; and if all, then eternal Nature muft proceed materially, and effentially, out of God’s effence ; 1 Cor vili. 6. “© To us there is but one “God, by whom are all things [ef“© ciently] and of whom are all things [ef‘© fentially].” Neither can it be otherwife, for when God was to create eternal Nature, there was nothing befide himéfelf, out of, or from which he might create it; wherefore it follows, that eternal Nature muft proceed effentially and fubftantially from God. And indeed God could not be

the