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

46 What kind of Principle eternal Nature is.

or beyond it, but the Holy Trinity in the Jill eternity. All effences proceed from it, whether temporal or eternal; for time ivfelf is rooted in eternity, =

~ Objeét. But it may be objected, how can eternal Nature be the firft original effence, fince the eternal world and the divine chaos @* before it ?

Antw. The anfwer is obvious, for I do not fay that eternal Nature is the firft effence, but the fir? created effence; now the eternal world and divine chaos were not created by God, but generated out of him: therefore it remains unfhaken, that eterna/ Nature is the firft original crEATED effence.

Object. But you will obje& again, that God biimfelf is the effence of all effences, and the original caufe and firft matter of all things, which I own to be true, but with diffinction. Anfw. For firft, Ged is the original effence of all effences as be is the efficient caufe, and creator of eternal Nature’s effence, out of the divine chaos,

Secondly, I fay,‘ God is the effence of * all effences remotely, but not immediately, * for all created effences do immediately proceed * from eternal Nature, and not from God;

© becaufe