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

22 Concerning the eternal Element of Fire.

This element is created by God to be a fierce, mighty, penetrating, confuming eflence, as appears from the effential and infeparable properties it is created with, all which do manifeft the nature of this created fire-effence. The firft of thefe properties is darknefs, which confifts in aftringent harfhnefs, from which dark harfhnefs doth arife bitternefs, with its pricklinefs, and out of this bitter pricklinefs does arife the eternal woe and tormenting anguifh, called the fting of the bitter anguifh, and from this bitter fting is born the fierce fire-effence. Thus Behmen fets it forth, to whom I fubferibe; he makes the freeffence the fourth form of eterna] nature. That is to fay, the dark aftringent harfhnefs is the firft form, to the bringing forth of the fire: the bitter fting the fecond : the anguifh the third: and the fire flath out of the anguifh the fourth form: which compieats this eternal fire-effence.

But it may perhaps make the nature of this fire-eflence more plain, if I add to the former thefe following properties: To the fire-efience do belong fiercenefs, wrathtulnefs, fternnefs, fulpburoufnels, falnitroulnefs, confuming, devouring, flying up and

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