Jacob Boehme's Aurora
Chapter 1: Of Searching out the Divine Being in Nature: Of both the Qualities, the Good and the Evil.
THOUGH flesh and blood cannot conceive or apprehend the being of God, but the spirit only when enlightened and kindled from God:
Yet if a man will speak of God, and say what God is, then, I. A man must diligently consider the powers in nature. II. Also the whole creation, heaven and earth. III. The stars, the elements, and the creatures that are proceeded from them. As also the holy angels, devils, and men; moreover, heaven and hell. Of the Two Qualities in One.
In this consideration are found two qualities, a good one and an evil one, which are in each other as one thing in this world, in all powers, in the stars and the elements, as also in all the creatures; and no creature in the flesh, in the natural life, can subsist, unless it has the two qualities. What a Quality is.
Now here a man must consider what the word quality meaneth or is. A quality is the mobility, boiling, springing and driving of a thing. Of Heat.
As for example, heat, which burneth, consumeth and driveth forth all whatsoever that cometh into it which is not of the same property; and again, it enlighteneth and warmeth all cold, wet and dark things; it compacteth and hardeneth soft things. Of Light and Fierceness.
Heat containeth likewise two other kinds in it, namely, (l) Light, and (2) Fierceness; of which take notice in this manner. The light, or the heart of the heat, is in itself a pleasant, joyful glance or lustre, a power of life, an enlightening and glance of a thing which is afar off, which light is a piece or source of the heavenly kingdom of joy.
For it makes living and moving all things in this world. All flesh, trees, leaves and grass grow in this world in the power of the light, and have their life therein, viz. in the good.
Again, heat containeth also a fierceness or wrath, which burneth, consumeth and spoils; this wrath or fierceness springeth, driveth and elevateth itself in the light, and makes the light moveable.
Heat wrestleth and fighteth together in its twofold source as one thing: It is also one thing, but it has a double source: the light subsisteth in God without heat, but it does not subsist so in nature.
For all qualities in nature are one in another as one quality, in that manner as God is all, and as all things descend and come forth from him: For God is the heart or fountain of nature, from him cometh all.
Now the heat reigneth and predominateth in all powers in nature, and warmeth all, and is one source or spring in all; for if it were not so the water would be too cold, and the earth would be congealed, and there would be no air.
The heat is predominant in all, in trees, herbs and grass, and makes the water moveable, so that through the springing of the waters, herbs and grass grow out of the earth. Heat is therefore called a quality, because it operateth, moveth and boileth (or welleth up) in all, and elevateth all.
But the light in the heat giveth power to all qualities, so that all grow pleasant and joyful: Heat without light availeth not the other qualities, but is a perdition to the good, an evil source or spring; for all is spoiled in the fierceness or wrath of the heat. Thus the light in the heat is a quick spring or living fountain, into which the Holy Ghost entereth, but the Holy Ghost entereth not into the fierceness or wrath.
Yet the heat makes the light moveable, so that it springeth and driveth forth; as is seen in winter, when the light of the sun is likewise upon the earth, but the hot rays of the sun cannot reach into the earth, and that is the reason why no fruit grows in winter. Of the Qualification of the Cold Quality.
Cold is a quality also, as well as heat; it qualifieth or operateth in all creatures whatsoever that come forth in nature, and in all whatsoever that move therein, in men, beasts, fowls, fishes, worms, leaves and grass.
Heat is set in opposition unto it, and qualifieth therein, as if it were one and the same thing; but cold opposeth the fierceness or rage of the heat, and allayeth the heat.
Cold containeth also two sorts or species in it, which are to be observed, viz. It mitigateth the heat, makes all things pleasant, and is in all creatures a quality of life; for no creature can subsist without cold; for it is a springing, driving mobility in every thing.
The other kind or species is fierceness; for where this getteth power it suppresseth all, and spoils all, even as the heat does; no life could subsist in it if the heat did not hinder that. The fierceness of cold is a destruction to every life, and the house of death, even as the hot fierceness also is. Of the Qualification of the Air and the Water.
Air has its original from heat and cold; for heat and cold work powerfully and replenish all, whereby is caused a lively and stirring motion; but when cold allayeth or mitigateth the heat, then both their qualities are rarefied and made thin; and the bitter quality attracteth or concreteth them together, so that they become dewy.
But the air has its original and greatest motion from heat, and the water has its original and greatest motion from cold.
Now these two qualities wrestle continually the one with the other, the heat consumeth the water, and the cold condenseth or crowdeth the air. Now air is the cause and spirit of every life and motion in the world, be it in flesh or in any of the vegetables; all whatever is has its life from the air, and nothing whatsoever that moveth and is in this world can subsist without air.
Water also springeth in every living and moving creature in this world. In the water consisteth the body of everything, as the spirit consisteth in the air, be it in animals [or in flesh] or in vegetables.
These two [air and water] are caused by heat and cold, and qualify or mix and operate together as one thing.
Now in these two qualities two other species or kinds are to be observed, viz. a living operation and a dead operation. The air is a living quality, if it be temperate or moderate in a thing, and the Holy Ghost reigneth in the calmness or meekness of the air; and all the creatures rejoice therein.
But there is a fierceness or wrath also in it, so that it killeth and destroyeth by its terrible disturbance. But the qualification taketh its original from the fierce disturbance or elevation, so that it moveth and driveth in every creature, from whence life has its originals and does exist; and therefore both of them must be in this life.
The water also has a fierce deadly spring, for it killeth and consumeth; and so all things that have a life and being must rot and perish in the water.
Thus heat and cold are the cause and original of water and air, in which everything acteth and stands; every life and mobility stands therein. Of this I shall write plainly, concerning the creation of the stars. Of the Influences of the other Qualities in the Three Elements, Fire, Air, and Water. Of the Bitter Quality.
The bitter quality is the heart in every life; for as it attracteth together the water in the air, and also dissipateth the same, so that it [the water] becometh separable; so also in other creatures, and in the vegetables of the earth. For leaves and grass have their green colour from the bitter quality.
Now if the bitter quality dwelleth meekly and gently in any creature, then is it the heart or joy therein; for it dissipateth all other evil influences, and is the beginning or cause of joy or of laughing.
For the bitter quality, when stirred, causes the creature to tremble and be joyful, and to be lifted up in its whole body; for the stirring of the bitter quality is, as it were, a glimpse or ray of or from the heavenly kingdom of joy, an exaltation of the spirit, a spirit and virtue in all plants of the earth, a mother of life.
The Holy Ghost springeth, moveth and driveth vehemently in this quality, for this quality is a part of the heavenly joyfulness, as I shall demonstrate afterwards.
But it has also in it another species or kind, namely, the fierceness or wrath, which is the very house of death, a corruption of all good, a perdition and destruction of the life in the flesh.
For if it be too much elevated or too preponderant in any creature, and be inflamed in the heat, then flesh and spirit separate, and the creature loseth its life and must die; for then it moveth and kindleth the element fire; and in the great heat and bitterness no flesh can subsist. But if it be kindled in the element water, and springeth [becometh active] therein, it causes debility and sickness in the flesh, and finally death. Of the Sweet Quality.
The sweet quality is set opposite to the bitter, and is a gracious, amiable, blessed and pleasant quality, a refreshing of the life, an allaying of the fierceness. It makes all pleasant and friendly in every creature; it makes the vegetables of the earth fragrant and of good taste, affording fair, yellow, white and ruddy colours.
It is a glimpse and source of meekness, a pleasant habitation of heavenly joyfulness, a house or mansion of the Holy Ghost, a qualification of love and mercy, a joy of the life.
But, on the other side, it has also a fierce or wrathful source, a source of death and corruption. For if it be kindled in the bitter quality in the element water, then it breedeth diseases, and the blotchy plague or pestilence, and corruption of the flesh.
But if it be kindled in the heat and bitterness, then it infecteth the element air, whereby is engendered a sudden spreading plague and sudden death. Of the Sour Quality.
The sour quality is set opposite to the bitter and the sweet, and is a good temper to all, a refreshing and cooling when the bitter and the sweet qualities are too much elevated or too preponderant. It is a longing delight in the taste, a pleasure of life, a stirring, boiling, flowing joy in everything; a desire, longing and lust of joyfulness, a still joy or habitation of the spirit. Thus it is a temperature to all living and moving creatures.
It containeth also a source of evil and corruption: For if it predominate too much, or stirreth too much in anything, so that it be inflamed, then it engendereth sadness and melancholy.
In the water it causes a stink, putridness and rankness, a forgetfulness of all good things, a melancholy or sadness of life, a house of death, a beginning of sorrow and an end of joy Of the Astringent or Saltish Quality.
The saltish quality is a good temperature [or temper] in the bitter, the sweet and the sour, making every thing pleasant; it opposeth the rising of the bitter quality, as also of the sweet and the sour, lest they should be inflamed: it is a sharp quality, a delight in the taste, a source of life and joy.
It containeth also fierceness and corruption: Being inflamed in the fire it engendereth a hard, tearing and stony nature, a fierce, wrathful source, a destruction of life, whereby the stone or gravel is engendered in the flesh, causing great pain and torment to the flesh.