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

What kind of Principle eternal Nature is. 5t

Anfw. 8. Eternal Nature is a good effence: there is xo evil in it, notwith/tand= ing it is made up of contrarieties; for God, who is eternal goodnefs, could not make that evil, which he defigned to be the ori+ ginal matter of all created effences: for fo he would have entailed evil upon all his creatures, which were to proceed out of its womb, Neither was it partly good, and partly evil; for this isa mixture that God declares againft, and therefore would never be the caufe of it himfelf. Neither can we fay, that evil is in eternal Nature’s effence, but that it is fwelllowed up of the good, becaufe nothing can proceed from God, but what is wholly good. The darknefs in eternal Nature is as good as the light; and the fire as the water. All the forms of eternal Nature muft needs be alike good, for thefe following reafons:

Firft, Becaufe they have one efficient caufe, one Creator, even God.

econdly, Becaufe they all have but one mother, namely, the abyffal chaos, out of whofe womb they proceed.

‘Thirdly, Becaufe God has implanted in them alla hunger and defire to anfwer the end of their creation: Now whatfoever an<

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