Jacob Boehme's Aurora
Chapter 5: Of the Corporeal Substance, Being and Propriety of an Angel. Question.
Question.
Now here the Question is: What Manner of Body, Form, or Shape has an Angel, or what Figure is it of?
Answer.
As Man is created for the Image and Similitude of God, so also are the Angels, for they are the Brethren of Men, and Men in the Resurrection will have no other Form or Image than the Angels have, as our King CHRIST himself testifies. [Matth. xxii]
Besides, the Angels never showed themselves in any other Form or Shape to Men here on Earth, than in a human Form and Shape.
Therefore seeing in the Resurrection, we shall be like the Angels, the Angels must needs be shaped and figured like us, or else we must assume to us another Image or Shape in the Resurrection, which would be against and contrary to the first Creation.
Thus also Moses and Elias appeared to the Disciples of Christ in their own Form and Shape, on Mount Tabor, though they had been a long Time in Heaven before. [John 17.]
And Elias was taken up into Heaven alive, with his living Body, and yet had now no other Form or Shape than he had when he was on Earth. [2 Kings 2. 12.]
Also when Christ went to Heaven, two Angels hovered in the Clouds, and said to the Disciples: Ye Men of Israel, what do you look after? This JESUS shall come again, as you have seen HIM go away to Heaven. [Acts 1. 11.]
Thus it is plain and clear enough, that He will come again in the same Form at the last Day, with a divine and glorified Body, as a Prince of the Holy Angels, which shall be the Men-Angels.
The Spirit also testifies clearly, that Angels and Men have one and the same Image: For God has made another Angel instead of expelled Lucifer and his Legions, out of the same Place, wherein Lucifer sate, and out of which he was made, which Angel was ADAM, if he had but persevered in his Clarity Brightness or Glory.
But there is yet a sure Hope of Resurrection, and then we shall get the Angelical Clarity or Glory, and Purity again.
Question.
Answer.
First the compacted figured Body is indivisible and incorruptible, and not to be felt by Man's Hands; for it is constituted or composed out of the Divine Power, and that Power is so knit and bound together, that it can never be destroyed again.
For as none, no not any Thing, can destroy the whole Deity, so also there is not any Thing can destroy an Angel; for every Angel is formed, figured, let together or composed out of all the Powers of God, not with Flesh and Blood, but out of the Divine Power. And
first the Body is out of all the Powers of the Father, and in those Powers is the Light of God the Son; and now the Powers of the Father and of the Son, which are in an Angel creaturely, generate an understanding Spirit, which rises up in that Angel.
First of all the Powers of the Father generate a Light, whereby an Angel sees into the whole Father, whereby he can see the outward Power and Operation of God, which is externally without its own Body, and thereby can see its Fellow-brethren, and can see and enjoy the glorious Fruit of God, and therein consists its Joy. And that Light
at first came out of the Son of God in the Powers of the Father, into the Angelical Body creaturely, and is the Body's proper own, which cannot be withdrawn from it by any Thing, unless itself extinguishes it, as Lucifer did.
Now all the Powers which are in the whole Angel generate that Light; and as God the Father generates his Son to be his Heart, to the Power of the Angel generates also its Son and Heart in itself, and that again enlightens all Powers in the whole Angel.
After that there goes forth out of all the Powers of the Angel, and also out of the Light of the Angel, a Fountain which springs or boils in the whole Angel; and that is its Spirit, which rises up into all Eternity: For in that Spirit is all Knowledge and Skill of all the Powers which are in the total God.
For that Spirit springs up out of all the Powers of the Angel, and goes up into the Mind, where it has five open Doors, there it can look round about and see whatsoever is in God, and also whatsoever is in itself,
and so goes forth out from all the Powers of the Angel, as also from the Light of the Angel; as the Holy Ghost goes forth from the Father and the Son, and fills the whole Corpus or Body.
Now observe the great Mystery.
As
there are two Things to be observed in God; the First is the Saltiter, or the Divine Powers, out of which the Body or Corporiety is; and the Second is the Mercurius, Tone, Tune or Sound: Thus also it is in like Manner and Form in an Angel.
First there is the Power, and in the Power is the Tone or Tune, which rises up in the Spirit, into the Head, into the Mind, as in Man in the Brain; and in the Mind it has its open Doors or Gates; but in the Heart it has its Seat, Residence and Original, where it exits out of all Powers.
For the Fountain of all Powers floweth in the Heart, as it does also in Man or to- in the Head it has its Princely Seat, where it sees all, smells all, and feels all.
And now when it sees and hears the divine Tone, Tune and Sound rise up, which is externally without it, then is its Spirit affected and kindled with Joy, and elevates itself in its Princely Seat, and sings and sounds forth very joyful Words concerning God's Holiness, and concerning the Fruit and Vegetation of the Eternal Life.
Also concerning the Ornament, Colours and Beauty of the eternal Joy, and concerning the amiable blessed Glance, or gracious Aspect and Countenance of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; also concerning the excellent Fraternity, Fellowship, and Communion of Angels, concerning the continual everlasting Joyfulness, concerning the Holiness of God, and concerning the Angels own Princely Government.
In brief, concerning all Powers, and that which proceeds from all God's Powers, which in Regard of the Inaptitude of my Corruption in the Flesh I cannot write; I would much rather be there present myself.
But what I cannot write here, I will commit to thy Soul to consider further of, and at the Day of the Resurrection you shall see it most plainly and clearly.
You should not here scorn my Spirit, for it is not sprung forth from the wild Beast, but is generated from my Power and Virtue, and enlightened by the Holy Ghost.
I write not here without Knowledge; but if thou, like an Epicure and fatted Swine of the Devil, from the Devil's Instigation, shouldst mock at these Things and say,
The Fool surely has not gone up to Heaven, and seen or heard them; these are mere Fables; therefore in the Power of my Knowledge, I would have you warned and cited before the severe Judgment of God.
And though in my Body I am too weak to bring thee there, yet That from which I have my Knowledge, is mighty and potent enough to cast thee even into the Abyss of Hell.
Therefore take warning, and consider that thou also belongest to the Angelical Quire, and read the following Hymn with longing Delight, and then the Holy Ghost will be awakened and stirred up in thee, and thou also wilt get a Desire and Longing after the heavenly Chorus, and Choir of Dancing. Amen.
The Musician has wound up his Pegs and tuned his Strings, the Bridegroom comes, take heed thou dost not get the hellish Gout in thy Feet, when the Round begins, lest thou be found incapable or unfit for the Angelical Dance, and so be thrust out from the Wedding, seeing thou hast no Angelical Garment on. [Podagra.]
Surely the Gate will be locked upon thee, and so thou wilt not enter in any more, but wilt dance with the Hellish Wolves in the hellish Fire; truly thou wilt forget then to mock, and Sorrow will gnaw thee.
Of the Qualification of an Angel.
Question.
Answer.
The Holy Soul of a Man, and the Spirit of an Angel, is and has one and the same Substance and Being, and there is no Difference therein, but only in the Quality itself, or their corporeal Government; that which qualifies outwardly or from without in Man, by the Air, has a corrupt earthly Quality, yet on the other Side it has also a divine and heavenly Quality hidden from the Creatures.
But the Holy Soul understands it well, as the Kingly Prophet David saith, "The Lord rideth on the Wings of the Wind."
Question.
[Psalm 104:3.]
Answer.
I mean thereby the Power, which in the Body of the Angel enters in from without, and comes forth again; as in a Similitude, when a Man fetches Breath and breaths it forth again; for therein stands the Life both of the Body and of the Spirit.
The Quality from without kindles the Spirit in the Heart, in the first Fountain, whereby all the Powers in the whole Body become stirring, and then that Quality in the corporeal Spirit, which is the natural Spirit of an Angel or Man, rises up into the Head, where it has its Princely Seat, or Throne and Government, and there it has its Counsellors, whose Advice it takes.
The first Counsellor is the Eyes; they are affected with every Thing they look upon, for they are the Light.
For as the Light goes forth from the Son of God in the whole Father into all the Powers, and affects all the Powers of the Father, and on the other Side all the Powers of the Father affect the Light of the Son of God;
so do the Eyes work in the Thing they look upon, and the Thing works again in the Eyes, and the Eyes as the Counsellor, bring it into the Head before the Princely Seat or Throne; and there it is to be approved of.
Now if the Spirit is pleased with it, then it brings the same to the Heart, and the Heart gives it to the Passages or Illyings forth of the Powers, or Fountain-veins in the whole Body; and then the Mouth, and Hands, and Feet, fall to work.
The second Counsellor is the Ears, which have their Rise also from all the Powers in the whole Body through the Spirit; their Fountain is Mercurius or the Sound, which arises from all the Powers.
And as in all the Powers of God the Mercurius rises and sounds, wherein the heavenly Tone, Tune or Joy, consists, and the Tone or Tune goes forth out of all the Powers, and so in the Attraction of the Spirit in God, is elevated or raised up;
and when one Power touches or stirs the other, and tunes or sounds, then the Tune or Sound goes forth, and rises up again in all the Powers of the Father; and so all the Powers of the Father are again affected therewith, whereby they are always impregnated with the Tune, and continually generate it again in every Power:
Thus also also the second Counsellor in the Head, is the Ears, they stand open, and the Sound goes forth through them in all that sounds.
Now where the Mercurius sounds, and is elevated, there the Mercurius of the Spirit goes also in, and is thereby affected, and brings it before the Princely Throne in the Head, where it is to be approved by the other Four Counsellors.
And if the Spirit is pleased with it, then it brings the same before its Mother into the Heart, and the Heart, or the Fountain of the Heart, gives it to all the Powers in the whole Body; and then the Mouth and Hands lay hold on it.
But if the whole Princely Counsel in the Head be not pleased, so that it is approved, then it lets that go again, and brings it not to the Mother, the Heart.
The third Princely Counsellor is the Nose; there the Fountain rises up from the Body in the Spirit into the Nose, and there it has two open Doors or Gates. And
as the excellent, precious, and amiable blessed Savour or Smell goes forth from all the Powers of the Father and of the Son, and tempers itself with all the Powers of the Holy Ghost, whence the Holy Spirit and most precious Savour rises up from the Fountain of the Holy Ghost; and flows or boils in all the Powers of the Father, and kindles all the Powers of the Father, whereby they are impregnated again with the amiable blessed Savour, or Saving Smell, and so generate it in the Son and Holy Ghost;
so also in Angels and Men, the Power of the Smell rises up out of all the Powers of the Body by and through the Spirit, and comes forth at the Nostrils of the Nose, and is affected with all Smells or Savours, and brings them through the Nostrils of the Nose, which is the third Counsellor, into the Head, before the Princely Seat, or Throne.
And there it is to be proved, whether it be a good Smell, or Savour pleasing to its Constitution and Complexion, or no: If it be good, then it brings the same to its Mother, that it may be brought to Effect; if not, then is it expelled and thrust away.
And this Counsellor of the Smell, which is generated out of the Salitter, is also mixed with Mercurius, and so belongs to the heavenly Joyfulness, and is a glorious, excellent, and fair Fountain in God.
The fourth Princely Counsellor is the Taste on the Tongue, which also arises from all the Powers of the Body through the Spirit into the Tongue: For all Fountain-veins of the whole Body go into the Tongue, and the Tongue is the Sharpness or Taste of all the Powers:
As the Holy Ghost goes forth from the Father and the Son, and is the Sharpness or Proof of all Powers, and in his moving or rising up, brings all that which is good again into all the Powers of the Father, whereby the Powers of the Father are impregnated again, and so continually generate the Taste.
But that which is not good, the Holy Ghost speweth that out as a loathsome Abomination, as it is written in the Apocalypse, and as he spewed out the Great Prince Lucifer in his Pride and Perdition. For he could no more endure to taste the fiery proud stinking Quality; and thus it is also to all proud stinking Men. [Rev. 3. 16.]
O Man let this be told thee, for the Spirit is earnestly Jealous in this Thing especially: Desist from Pride, or else it will be with you as it befell the Devils. There is no jesting or trifling herein; the Time is very short, thou wilt suddenly taste it, I mean the hellish Fire.
Now as the Holy Ghost proves all, so the Tongue proves all Tastes: And if the same pleases the Spirit, then it brings the same into the Head, to the other four Counsellors before the Princely Seat, and there it is proved, whether it be profitable or wholesome for the Qualities of the Body.
If so, then is it brought to the Mother, the Heart, which gives it to all the Veins or Powers of the Body, and then the Mouth and Hands lay hold of it.
But if it is not good, then the Tongue spits or spews it out, before it comes to the Princely Counsel.
But though it be pleasant to the Tongue, and is of a good Taste, but yet is not serviceable and useful for the whole Body, then it is rejected nevertheless, when it comes before the Council, and the Tongue must spit or spew it out, and touch it no more.
The fifth Princely Counsellor is the Feeling, which fifth Counsellor arises also from all the Powers of the Body in the Spirit, into the Head.
As all Powers go forth from God the Father and Son, in the Holy Ghost, and so one touches the other, from whence exists the Tune or Mercurius, so that all the Powers sound and move themselves.
Else if one did not touch the other, nothing would stir at all, and so this touching makes the Holy Ghost stir, so that he rises up in all the Powers, and touches all the Powers of the Father, wherein then exists the heavenly Joyfulness or triumphing, as also Tuning, Sounding, Generating, Blossoming, and Vegetation or Springing, all which has its Rising from this; that one Power touches the other.
For Christ saith in the Gospel, "I work, and my Father worketh also." And he means this very touching and working, in that every Power goes forth from him, and generates the Holy Ghost, and in the Holy Ghost all the Powers are already clearly stirred, by the going forth of the Father. [John 5. 17.] And
therefore the Holy Ghost flows, boils, and rises up from Eternity to Eternity, and kindles again all the Powers of the Father, and makes them stirring, so that they are always impregnated.
In such Manner it is also in Angels and Men: for all Powers in the Body arise, and touch one another, or else Angels and Men could feel nothing.
But if one Member be too much stirred, it cries to the whole Body for Help, and the whole Body stirs, as if it was in a great Commotion or Uproar, as if the Enemy were at Hand, and comes to help that Member, and to deliver and release it from the Pain.
This you may see if a Finger be but hurt, crushed, or wounded, or any other Member of the Body, be it which it will; presently the Spirit in that Place runs suddenly to the Mother, the Heart, and complains to the Mother; and if the Pain does but a little exceed, then the Mother rouzes up and awakens all the Members of the Body, and all must come to help that Member.
Now observe,
Thus one Power continually touches and stirs the other in the whole Body, and all the Powers rise up into the Head before the Princely Council, which proves the stirring of all the Powers.
Now if one Member stirs too much, and at any Time hurts a princely Counsellor; as by Seeing, it would be in love with that which it ought not to be in love with.
As Lord Lucifer did, who saw the Son of God, and fell in love with that high Light, and moved and stirred himself so very much, intending to be equal with him, or indeed to be higher and brighter than He; such stirring or meddling the Counsellors reject.
Or if it would stir and move too vehemently by Hearing, and it would fain hear false and wicked Tongues in talking Lies and Fictions, and bring that to the Heart, this also is rejected by the Counsellors.
Or if it would by the Smelling get a Longing or Lusting after that which is none of its own, as Lord Lucifer did also, who longed after the holy Savour or Sweet Smell of the Son of God, and intended in his Elevation and Kindling to smell and favour yet more pleasantly:
In that Manner he also deceived our Mother Eve, saying; If she did but eat of the forbidden Tree, then she should be wise or witty, and be like God; but this Smelling or Stirring the Council likewise rejected. [Gen. 3. 5.]
Or if by Tasting it should fall into a Desire and Longing, to eat that which is not of the Quality of the Body, or is none of its own; as Mother Eve in Paradise fell a Longing to eat of the Devil's Swine-apples, and did eat thereof; such Stirring in Lust the Council also rejects.
In short, there are therefore Five in the princely Council, that one should advise the other, and every one is of a peculiar sundry Quality; and that compacted or concreted Spirit which is generated out of all the Powers, He is their King or Prince, and he sitteth in the Head in the Brain of a Man, and in an Angel in that Power which is instead of the Brain of a Man, and in the Head also upon his Princely Throne, and executes every Thing, which was concluded and decreed by the whole Princely Council.