Jacob Boehme's Aurora
Chapter 5: Of the Corporeal Substance, Being and Propriety of an Angel. 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 to be 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 testifieth. (Matt. xxii. 30)
Besides, the angels never shewed themselves in any other form or shape to men here on earth, than in a human form and shape.
Therefore seeing that 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 ourselves another image or shape in the resurrection, which would be against and contrary to the first creation.
Thus also, on mount Tabor, Moses and Elias appeared [Matt. xvii.], in their own form and shape, to the disciples of Christ, though they had been a long time in heaven before.
And Elias was taken up into heaven alive [Kings ii. 12], with his living body, and yet had now no other form or shape than he had when he was on earth.
Also when Christ went to heaven, two angels hovered in the clouds, [Acts i. 11] 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.
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 will be the men-angels.
The spirit also testifieth clearly that angels and men have one and the same image; for out of the same place wherein Lucifer sat, and out of which he was made, God has made another angel instead of expulsed Lucifer and his legions, 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.
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 anything, can destroy the whole Deity, so also there is not anything that can destroy an angel; for every angel is formed, figured, set together or composed out of all the powers of God, not with flesh and blood, but out of the divine power.
First, the body is out of all the powers of the Father, and in those powers is the light of God the Son; now the powers of the Father and of the Son, which are in an angel creaturely, generate an understanding spirit, which riseth up in that angel.
First of all, the powers of the Father generate a light, whereby an angel seeth 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 fellowbrethren, and can see and enjoy the glorious fruit of God, and therein consisteth its joy.
At first that light 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 anything, unless itself extinguished it, as Lucifer did.
Now all the powers, which are in the whole angel, generate that light; and as God the Father generateth his Son to be his Heart, so the power of the angel also generateth its son and heart in itself, and that again enlighteneth all powers in the whole angel.
After that there goeth forth out of all the powers of the angel, and also out of the light of the angel, a fountain, which springeth or welleth up in the whole angel; and that is its spirit, which riseth up into all eternity; for in this same spirit is all perception and all knowledge [i.e. understanding] of all powers and of all types and modes [of life] which are in the whole [universal] God.
For that spirit springeth up out of all the powers of the angel, and goeth 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 it goeth forth from all the powers of the angel, as also from the light of the angel; as the Holy Ghost goeth forth from the Father and the Son, and filleth the whole corpus or body. Now observe the great Mystery.
There are two things to be observed in God; the first is the Salitter, or the divine powers, out of which is the body or corporeity; 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, in the spirit, riseth up into the head, into the mind, as in man in the brain; and in the mind it [the tone] has its open doors or gates; but in the heart it has its seat and its origin, where it springeth [or ariseth] from all the powers.
For the fountain of all powers floweth in [or to] the heart, as it does also in man, and in the head it has its princely seat, where it seeth all, smelleth all, and feeleth all.
And now when it seeth and heareth the divine tone, tune and sound rise up, which is externally without it, then is its spirit affected and kindled with joy, and elevateth itself in its princely seat, and singeth and ringeth 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 joy fulness, concerning the holiness of God, and concerning the angels' own princely government.
In brief, concerning all powers, and that which proceedeth from all God's powers; which, in regard of the untowardness 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 it, 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.
Here I write not 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; then, 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 powerless 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 choir, 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 cometh. When the round beginneth take heed thou dost not get the hellish gout in thy feet, lest thou be found incapable or unfit for the angelical dance, and so be thrust out from the wedding, seeing thou hast on no angelical garment.
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 then forget 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, are and have one and the same substance and being, and there is no difference therein, but only in the quality itself, or in their corporeal government; that which qualifieth outwardly, or from without, in man by the air has a corrupt earthly quality, yet on the other side, hidden from the creatures, it has also a divine and heavenly quality.
But the holy soul understands it well, as the kingly prophet David saith, [Psalm civ. 3] The Lord rideth on the wings of the wind. In the angel the divine property qualifies only in perfect holiness, divinity and purity. Question.
I mean thereby the power, which in the body of the angel entereth in from without, and cometh forth again; as in a similitude, when a man fetcheth breath and breatheth it forth again; for therein stands the life both of the body and of the spirit.
The quality from without kindleth 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 a man, riseth up into the head, where it has its princely seat or throne and government, and there it has its counsellors, whose advice it taketh.
The first counsellor is the eyes; they are affected with everything they look upon, for they are the light.
For as the light goeth forth from the Son of God in the whole Father into all the powers, and affecteth 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 wherefrom ariseth the Holy Spirit:
So do the eyes work in the thing they look upon, and the thing works again in the eyes, and the counsellor, the eyes, bringeth it into the head before the princely seat or throne; and there it is to be approved of.
Now if the spirit is pleased therewith, then it bringeth the same to the heart, and the heart giveth it to the passages or issuings forth of the powers or fountainveins 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 ariseth from all the powers.
And as in all the powers of God the Mercurius riseth and soundeth, wherein the heavenly tone, tune or joy consisteth, and the tone or tune goeth 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 toucheth or stirreth the other, and tuneth or soundeth, then the tune or sound goeth forth, and riseth 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 the second counsellor in the head is the ears, they stand open, and in all that soundeth the sound goes forth through them.
Now where the Mercurius soundeth and is elevated or predominant, there the Mercurius of the spirit goeth also in, and is thereby affected, and bringeth it [the sound] before the princely throne in the head, where it is to be approved by the other four counsellors.
And if the spirit is pleased therewith, then it [the spirit] bringeth the same before its mother into the heart, and the heart, or the fountain of the heart, giveth it [the sound] to all the powers in the whole body; and then the mouth and hands lay hold on it.
But if the whole princely council in the head be not pleased, so that it [the sound] is approved, then it [the princely council] lets that go again, and bringeth it [the sound] not to the mother, the heart.
The third princely counsellor is the nose; there the fountain riseth up from the body in the spirit into the nose, and there it has two open doors or gates.
As the excellent, precious and amiable blessed savour or smell goeth forth from all the powers of the Father and of the Son, and tempereth itself with all the powers of the Holy Ghost, whence the Holy Spirit and most precious savour riseth up from the fountain of the Holy Ghost; and floweth or boileth in all the powers of the Father, and kindleth 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 riseth up out of all the powers of the body by and through the spirit, and cometh forth at the nostrils of the nose, and is affected with all smells or savours, and bringeth 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 the smell be a good smell or savour, pleasing to man's constitution and complexion, or no: If it be good, then the counsellor bringeth the same to its mother, that the smell may be brought to effect; if it be not good, 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 belongeth 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 ariseth from all the powers of the body through the spirit into the tongue: for all fountainveins of the whole body go into the tongue, and the tongue is the sharpness or taste of all the powers:
Just as the Holy Ghost goeth forth from the Father and the Son, and is the sharpness or proof of all powers, and in his moving or rising up bringeth 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 out, as a loathsome abomination, as it is written in the Apocalypse [Rev. iii 16]; and as he spewed out the great prince Lucifer in his pride and perdition; for the Holy Ghost could no more endure to taste the fiery proud stinking quality. And thus it happens to all proud stinking men.
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 proveth all, so the tongue also proveth all tastes: and if the same pleaseth the spirit, then the spirit bringeth 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 giveth it to all the veins or powers of the body, and then the mouth and hands lay hold of it.
But if it be not good, then the tongue spits or speweth it out, before it comes to the princely council.
But though the taste be pleasant to the tongue, and is 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 ariseth 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, so one toucheth another, from whence existeth the tune or Mercurius, so that all the powers sound and move themselves.
Else if one did not touch another, nothing would stir at all, and so this touching makes the Holy Ghost stir, so that he riseth up in all the powers, and toucheth all the powers of the Father, wherein then existeth 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 toucheth another.
For Christ saith in the Gospel [John v. 17], I work, and my Father works also. And he meaneth this very touching and working, in that every power goeth forth from him, and generateth the Holy Ghost, and in the Holy Ghost all the powers are already clearly stirred, by the going forth of the Father.
Therefore the Holy Ghost floweth, boileth and riseth up from eternity to eternity, and kindleth 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 (Corpus) arise, and touch one another, or else angels and men could feel nothing.
But if one member be too much stirred, it crieth to the whole body for help, and the whole body stirs, as if it were in a great commotion or uproar, as if the enemy were at hand, and cometh 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 runneth suddenly to the mother, the heart, and complaineth to the mother; and if the pain do but a little exceed, then the mother rouseth up and awakeneth all the members of the body, and all must come to help that member. Now observe,
Thus one power continually toucheth and stirreth another in the whole body, and all the powers rise up into the head before the princely council, which princely council proveth the stirring of all the powers.
Now if one member stirreth too much, and at any time hurteth a princely counsellor; (as by seeing, it would be in love with that which it ought not to be in love withal):
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 one member would stir and move too vehemently by hearing, and 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 savour yet more pleasantly.
In that manner he also deceived our mother Eve, saying, [Gen. iii 5] 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 rejecteth.
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 crabapples, and did eat thereof; such stirring in lust the council also rejecteth.
In short, there are therefore five in the princely council, that one should advise another, and every one is of a peculiar sundry quality; and that compacted or concreted spirit which is generated out of all the powers 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 executeth everything which was concluded and decreed by the whole princely council.