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. 1

the firft original effence of all effences, if there was any effence which was not created out of God’s effence. Wherefore we muft!” conclude, that ‘eternal Nature’s eflence | did proceed from God’s effence by way of effentiality, as well as by that of efficiency. But the great myftery lies here, to know how eternal Nature does proceed from God’s effence, and what God’s effenee is, from whence eternal Nature does proceed. Now to this, I fay, that eternal .* #3*.% Nature proceeds from God’s abyfial effence, generated out of himfelf; for as was {aid before, there was no other eflence to eenerate itfrom. You will fay, what is this abyffal effence which is the original ground of all effences? Lanfwer, [¢ is an immenfe,a Ww bad deep, void Jpace, a bottomlcfs and boundle/s te abyfs, yet net without beginning :. for God generated this abyflal effence out of his own eternal efience, as was manifefted to my fight by God’s Spirit, elfe I could not

rite of it as 1 do, had I not feen the pat-

tein, in fthe mount offeternityg When, I

fay? God was the original of this abyffal-

effence, I mean the Triune Deity, in their

eternal unity, for they are the joint coA 6 operators ~

ces