Jacob Boehme's Aurora
Chapter 8: Of the whole Corpus or Body of an Angelical Kingdom. The Great Mystery.
THE angelical kingdoms are throughout formed according to the Divine Being, and they have no other form or condition than the Divine Being has in its Trinity.
This only is the difference: that their bodies are creatures, which have a beginning and an end, and that the kingdom where their locality, habitation or court is, is not their corporeal propriety, or proper own, having it for their natural right, as they have their bodies for a natural right.
But the kingdom belongs to God the Father, who has made it out of his powers, and he may set it and dispose it which way he pleaseth; otherwise their body is made according to all, and out of all, the powers of the Father.
Their power generateth the light and knowledge in them. As God generateth his Son out of all his powers; and as the Holy Ghost goeth forth out of all the powers of the Father and the Son; so also in an angel: the spirit goeth forth from their heart, from their light and from all their powers. Now observe:
As the condition and constitution of an angel is, in his corporeal body, with all the members thereof, such also is the condition of a whole kingdom, which together is as it were but one angel.
If a man rightly considereth all circumstances, he will find that the whole government in its locality, circumference or region in a kingdom, is of the same condition or constitution as the body (Corpus) of an angel, or as is the Holy Trinity. Observe here the Depth.
All power is in God the Father, and he is the fountain of all powers in his deep; in him are light and darkness, air and water, heat and cold, hard and soft, thick and thin, sound and tone, sweet and sour, bitter and astringent, and that which I cannot number or rehearse
I conceive of it only in my body, for that is originally, from Adam to this time, made out of all powers, and according to the image of God.
But here thou must not think that the powers in God the Father are in such wise, or qualify in such a corrupt manner and kind, as in man, which lord Lucifer has so brought to pass; no, it is all very lovely, pleasant, delicious and joyful, very gentle, and meek or mild.
First there is the light (as I may naturally compare or resemble it) like the light of the sun, but not so intolerable as the light of the sun is to our corrupted perished eyes, but very lovely, pleasant and delightful, an aspect or glance of love.
But the darkness is hidden in the centre of the light, that is, when a creature, who is made out of the power of the light, would move and boil higher and faster in that light than God Himself does, then in that creature that light would go out and be extinguished.
["Understand, the creature kindleth the fire, if its spirit elevateth itself beyond the humility that is from love: Read the second and third books, viz. The Three Principles, and The Threefold Life of Man."]
And instead of light it has darkness, and therein the creature is sensible, by experience, that there is a darkness hidden in the centre.
As when a man kindleth a wax candle it giveth light, but when it is put out, then is the snuff or candle darkness: Thus also the light shineth from all the powers of the Father; but when the powers are perished or corrupted, then the light is extinguished, and the powers would remain in darkness, as is apparent by Lucifer.
In God the air also is not of such a kind, but is a lovely, pleasant, still breath or voice, blowing or moving; that is, the exit, going forth or moving of the powers is the original of the air, in which the Holy Ghost riseth up.
Neither is the water of such a kind in God, but it is the source or fountain in the powers, not of an elementary kind, as in this world; if I should liken it to anything, I must liken it to the sap or juice in an apple, but very bright and lightsome, like heaven, which is the spirit of all powers.
It is lord Lucifer who has thus spoiled it, that it rageth and raveth so in this world, which so runneth and floweth, and is so thick and dark, and moreover if it runneth not, it becometh stinking; of which I shall treat more largely when I shall write of the creation.
In God the heat is a most lovely, pleasant, soft, gentle, mild, meek warmth, an effluence or going forth of light, which expandeth itself, rising up from the light, wherein the source or fountain of love springeth up.
The cold also in God is not of such a kind, but is a cooling or refreshing of the heat, a mollifying or allaying of the spirit, a rising up, boiling or moving of the spirit. Note here the Depth.
In Moses God saith, when he gave the Law to the Children of Israel, I am an angry jealous God to those that hate me; afterwards he also calls himself a merciful God to them that fear him. Question.
Now the question is, What in heaven is the wrath of God? And whether God be angry in himself; or how is God moved to anger? Answer. Here there are chiefly seven sorts of qualities or circumstances to be observed. I. Of the First Species or Circumstance.
First: In the divine power there is, hidden in secret, the astringent quality, which is a quality of the kernel, pith or hidden being, a sharp compaction or penetration in the Salitter, very sharp and harsh or astringent, which generates hardness, and also coldness; and when the astringent quality is kindled it generateth a sharpness like unto salt.
This astringent quality is one species or source of wrath in the divine Salitter; and when this source is kindled, which may be done by great motion or elevation, touching or stirring, then the astringent causes, or qualifieth in, great coldness, which is very sharp, like unto salt, very hard, binding, knitting and attracting together like a stone.
But in the heavenly pomp or state it is not so elevating; for it does not elevate itself, neither does it kindle itself; king Lucifer alone has kindled this quality in his kingdom, through his elevation and pride, whence this quality is burning even till the last day.
And by this now, in the creation of this world, the stars and the elements, as also the creatures, tremble and burn; out of it existeth also the house of death and of hell, also an eternal, base, loathsome habitation for the kingdom of Lucifer, and for all Godless men.
In the heavenly pomp this quality generateth the sharpness of the spirit, out of which, and whereby, the creaturely being is so formed or constituted that a heavenly body may be framed, as also all manner of colours, forms and sprouts or vegetation.
For it is the contraction, compacting or imaging of a thing, and therefore it is the first quality, and a beginning of the angelical creatures, and of all images or likenesses which are in heaven, and all which are in this world, and all whatsoever that can be named or expressed.
But if it be kindled through exaltation, which those creatures that are created out of the divine Salitter alone can do (and only in their own kingdom), then it is a burning sourcevein of the wrath of God.
For it is one of the seven spirits of God, in whose power stands the divine being or essence in the whole divine power and heavenly pomp.
So if it be kindled, then it is a fierce source of wrath, and a beginning of hell, and a torment and woe of the hellish fire, also a quality of darkness; for therein are extinguished the divine love, and also the divine light.
["It is a key which locketh in to the chamber of death, and generateth death, from whence proceed earth, stones and all hard things."] II. Of the Second Species or Circumstance.
The Second quality, or second spirit of God in the divine Salitter, or in the divine power, is the sweet quality, which works in the astringent, and mitigateth the astringent, so that it is altogether lovely, pleasant and mild or meek.
For it is the overcoming of the astringent quality, and is the very source or fountain of the mercy of God, which overcometh the wrath, whereby the astringent harsh source is mollified, and God's mercy riseth up.
Of this you have a similitude in an apple, which at first is astringent, harsh or chokey, but when the sweet quality forceth and overcometh it, then it is very soft, lovely and pleasant to eat: Thus it is in the divine power also.
For when men speak of the mercy of God the Father, they speak of his power, of his fountain spirits, of the qualities which are in the Salitter, out of which his most richly loving Heart or Son is generated. Observe here:
The astringent or harsh quality is the heart, pith or kernel in the divine power, the contraction, compaction or imaging, forming or impression; for it is the sharpness and cold, as it is seen that the harsh astringent cold drieth the water, and makes it sharp ice.
The sweet quality is the allaying or warming, whereby the harsh or astringent and cold quality becometh thin and soft, whence the water taketh its original.
Thus the astringent quality is and is called the heart; and the sweet is called barm or warm, or softening or mitigating: they are the two qualities out of which the Heart or son of God is generated.
For the astringent or harsh quality, in its stock or kernel, when it qualifieth or operateth in its own power, is a darkness: The sweet quality, in its own power, is a moving, boiling, warming and rising light, a source or fountain of meekness and well-doing.
But while both of them qualify or operate the one in the other, in the divine power, as if they were but one power, they are a meek, mild, lovely, pleasant, merciful qualifying.
These two qualities are two of the spirits of God, among the seven qualifying or fountain-spirits in the divine power.
Whereof you have an image in the Revelation of John, where he seeth seven golden candlesticks or lights before the Son of God, which signify the seven spirits of God, which shine in great clarity, brightness or lustre before the Son of God, out of which the Son of God is continually generated from eternity to eternity, and is the Heart of the seven spirits of God, and which I will here describe in order one after another.
You must here elevate your sense or mind in the spirit, if you intend to understand and apprehend it; or else in your own sense or mind you will be an astringent, hard, blind stock. III. Of the Third Circumstance or Species.
The Third quality, or the third spirit of God in the Father's power, is the bitter quality; which is a penetrating or forcing of the sweet and the astringent or harsh qualities, and which is trembling, penetrating and rising up. Observe here:
The astringent or harsh quality is the kernel or stock, and is sour or attractive; and the sweet is the light, mollifying and softening; and the bitter is penetrating or triumphing, which riseth up and triumpheth in the astringent or harsh quality, and in the sweet.
This is the source of joy, or the cause of the laughing, elevating joy, whereby a thing trembleth and jubilateth for joy; whence the heavenly joy existeth.
Moreover, it is the imaging or forming of all sorts of red colours in its own quality; in the sweet it imageth or formeth all sorts of white and blue; in the astringent, or harsh and sour, it formeth all sorts of green, dusky and mixed colours, with all manner of forms or figures and smells.
The bitter quality is the first spirit from whence mobility taketh its original, whence the life becometh stirring, and is well called Cor or the heart, for it is the trembling, shivering, elevating, penetrating spirit, a triumphing or joy, an elevating source of laughing; in the sweet quality the bitter is mollified, so that it becometh very richly loving and joyful.
But if it be moved, elevated and kindled too much, then it kindleth the sweet and the astringent or harsh qualities, and is like a tearing, stinging and burning poison, as when a man is tormented with a raging plaguesore, which makes him cry out for woe and misery.
In the divine power this quality, when it is kindled, is the spirit of the zealous or jealous and bitter wrath of God, which is unquenchable, as may be seen by the legions of Lucifer.
Yet further: this quality, when it is kindled, is the bitter hellish fire, which putteth out the light, turning the sweet quality into a stink, causing a sharpness and tearing, a hardness and coldness in the astringent or harsh quality.
In the sour quality it causes a rankness and brittleness, a stink, a misery, a house of mourning, a house of darkness, of death and of hell; an end of joy, which therein can no more be thought upon: For it cannot be quieted or stilled by anything, nor can it be enlightened again by anything; but the dark, astringent or harsh, stinking, sour, torn, bitter, fierce quality riseth up to all eternity. Now observe:
In these three species or qualities stands the corporeal being, or the creatural being of all creatures in heaven and in this world, whether it be angel or man, beast or fowl or vegetable, of a heavenly or of an earthly form, quality and kind, as also all colours and forms.
Briefly, whatsoever imageth itself, stands in the power and authority of these three head qualities, and is formed by them, and also is formed out of their own power.
First, the astringent and sour quality is a body or source which attracteth the sweet power, and the cold in the astringent or harsh quality makes it dry.
For the sweet quality is the heart of the water, for it is thin and light or bright, and is like heaven: and the bitter quality makes it separable or distinct, so that the powers form themselves into members, and cause mobility in the body.
And when the sweet quality is dried, then it is a corpus or body, which is perfect, but wanting reason.
And the bitter quality penetrateth into the body, into the astringent or sour and into the sweet qualities, and frameth all sorts of colours according to that quality to which the body is most eagerly inclined, or according to that quality which is strongest in the body, according to that [strongest quality] the bitter quality frameth the body, with its colours, and according to that [same] quality the creature has its greatest impulse and inclination, motion, boiling and will. IV. Of the Fourth Circumstance or Species.
The Fourth quality, or the fourth fountain-spirit in the divine power of God the Father, is the heat, which is the true beginning of life, and also the true spirit of life.
The astringent or harsh and sour quality, and the sweet, are the Salitter, which belongeth to the body, out of which the body is framed.
For coldness and hardness stand in the astringent quality, and are a contraction and drying; and in the sweet quality stand the water, and the light or shiningness, and the whole matter of the body.
And the bitter quality is the separation and forming, and the heat is the spirit, or the kindling of the life, whereby the spirit existeth in the body, which [spirit] springeth or moveth in the whole body, and shineth out from the body, and also makes the living motion in all the qualities of the body.
Two things chiefly are to be eyed in all the qualities: If you look upon a body you first see the stock or pith, or the kernel of all the qualities, which is framed or composed out of all the qualities; for to the body belong the astringent or harsh, sour, sweet, bitter and hot qualities; these qualities being dried together, make the body or stock. The Great Mystery of the Spirit.
Now in the body these qualities are mixed, as if they all were but one quality; yet each quality moveth or boileth in its own power, and so goeth forth.
Each quality goeth forth from itself into the others, and toucheth or stirreth the others, that is, it affecteth the others, whereby the other qualities get the will of this quality; that is, they prove the sharpness and spirit of this, as to what is in it, and always mix with it continually.
Now the astringent or harsh quality (together with the sour), always contracteth or attracteth the other qualities together, and so apprehendeth and retaineth the body and drieth it.
For it drieth all the other powers, and retaineth them all through its infection or influence; and the sweet softeneth and moisteneth all the others, and so blendeth and tempereth itself with all the others, whereby they become daintily pleasant and mild or soft.
The bitter makes all the others stirring and moveable, and parteth or distinguisheth them into members; so that every member in this tempering obtaineth the fountain of all the powers, whence mobility existeth.
The heat kindleth all the qualities, out of which the light riseth up and expandeth itself aloft in all the qualities, so that they see one another: For when the heat works in the sweet moisture, then it generateth the light in all the qualities, so that one quality seeth the others.
From whence the senses and thoughts exist, so that one quality seeth the others, which are also in it, and tempered with itself, and proveth them with its sharpness, so that there cometh to be but one will; which in the body riseth up in the first fountainsource or wellspring in the astringent or harsh quality.
There the bitter quality penetrateth in the heat through the astringent, and the sweet in the water letteth it easily or gently through; and there the bitter in the heat goeth through the sweet water forth from the body and makes two open gates, which are the eyes, the first sense or sensibility.
You have an example and type or resemblance of this, if you behold and consider this world, especially the earth, which is of the kind and condition of all qualities, and all manner of figures or shapes are formed and imaged therein.
First the astringent quality is therein, which attracteth the Salitter together, and fixeth or makes the earth firm and compact, so that it cometh to be a solid body, which holds together and does not break asunder, and [the astringent quality] imageth, frameth or formeth therein all manner of bodies, according to the kind of each quality, viz. all manner of stones and ores of minerals, and all manner of roots, according to the condition or kind of each quality.
Now when these are imaged or formed, there it [the astringent quality] lies as a corporeal, springing, boiling mobility, for it moveth or boileth through and in the bitter quality in itself, as in its own imaged, formed or framed body; but without the heat, which is the spirit of nature [or nature-spirit], it has as yet no life to growing, vegetation, springing or spreading abroad.
But when the heat of the sun shineth upon the earth, then there spring and grow in the earth all manner of images or figures of ores or minerals, herbs, roots and worms, and all whatsoever is therein. Understand this aright.
In the earth the heat of the sun kindleth the sweet quality of water, in all imaged or framed figures; and then through the heat the light cometh to be in the sweet water, and that enlighteneth the astringent or sour quality, and the bitter, so that they see in or by the light; and in that seeing the one riseth up into the other, and proveth the other, that is, in that seeing the one tasteth of the other's sharpness, from whence cometh the taste.
When the sweet quality perceiveth the taste of the bitter quality, it caggs at it [checks or stops it], and giveth back; even as a man, when he tasteth astringent, harsh or bitter gall, openeth both the gums of his palate [throat or jaws] in his mouth in his cagging, and wideneth his palate more than it is of itself; and just so does the sweet quality against the bitter.
When the sweet quality thus stretcheth or wideneth itself, and retireth from the bitter, then the astringent always presseth after it, and would also fain taste of the sweet: and always makes the body, that is behind it, and in it, to be dry; for the sweet quality is the mother of the water, and is very meek, mild, soft and gentle.
Now when the astringent or harsh and the bitter qualities get their light from the heat, then they see the sweet quality, and taste of its sweet water, and then they continually make haste after the sweet water, and drink it up, for they are very hard, rough and thirsty, and the heat drieth them quite up.
And the sweet quality always flies from the bitter and the astringent, and always stretcheth its palate wider, and the bitter and the astringent continually hasten after the sweet, and refresh themselves from the sweet, and dry up the body.
Thus is the true springing or vegetation in nature, be it in man, beast, wood, herbs or stones. Now observe the End of Nature in this World.
When the sweet quality thus flies from the bitter, and from the sour and astringent, then the astringent and the bitter make all the haste they can after it, as their best treasure; and the sweet presseth vehemently from them, and striveth so much that it driveth and penetrateth through the astringent or harsh quality, and rends the body, and goeth forth from the body, out above the earth, and hasteneth so fast, till a long stalk grows up.
Then the heat above the earth presseth upon the stalk, and so the bitter quality is then kindled by the heat, and it [the stalk] receiveth a repulse from the heat, so that it is terrified, and the astringent quality drieth it.
Therein the astringent, the sweet, the bitter and the heat struggle together, and the astringent quality in its coldness continually makes their dryness, and so the sweet withdraweth on the sides, and the others hasten after it.
But when it seeth that it is like to be taken or captivated (the bitter quality from within pressing so hard upon it, and the heat from without pressing upon it also), it makes the bitter fervent or burning, and inflameth it, and there it [the sweet quality] leapeth, springing up through the astringent quality, and riseth up again aloft; so there cometh to be a hard knot behind it in that place where the struggling was, and the knot gets a hole or orifice.
But when the sweet quality leapeth or springeth up through the knot, then the bitter quality had so much affected or wrought upon it that it was all in a trembling; and as soon as it cometh above the knot it suddenly stretcheth itself forth on all sides, striving to fly from the bitter quality; and in that stretching forth its body keepeth hollow in the middle, and in the trembling, leaping or springing up through the knot, it still gets more stalk or leaves, and now is frolick or cheerly that it has escaped the battle.
So when the heat from without thus presseth upon the stalk, then the qualities become kindled in the stalk, and press through the stalk, and so become affected or wrought upon in the external light of the sun, and generate colours in the stalk, according to the kind of its quality.
But so long as the sweet water is in the stalk, the stalk retaineth its greenish colour according to the kind of the sweet quality.
Such substance the qualities always bring to pass with the heat in the stalk, and the stalk always grows farther, and always one storm or assault is held after another, whereby the stalk always getteth more knots, and still spreadeth forth its branches farther and farther.
In the meanwhile the heat from without always drieth the sweet water in the stalk, and the stalk is always smaller at the top; the higher it grows the smaller it is, growing on so long till it can escape or run no farther.
And then the sweet quality yieldeth to be taken captive, and so the bitter, the sour, the sweet and the astringent reign jointly together, and the sweet stretcheth itself a little forth, but it can escape no more, for it is captivated or caught.
And then from all the qualities which are in the body, there grows a bud or head, and there is a new body in the bud or head, which is formed or figured answerable or like to the first root in the earth, only now it gets another more subtile form.
And then the sweet quality extends itself gently or mildly, and there grow little subtile leaves in the head, which are of the kind of all the qualities, and then the sweet water is as it were a pregnant woman new with child, having conceived the seed, and it always presseth onward, till it openeth the head.
And then also the sweet quality presseth forth in little leaves, like a woman who is in travail and bringing forth, but the little leaves or blossoms have no more its colour and form, but the form of all the qualities; for now the sweet quality must bring forth the children of the other qualities.
And when this sweet mother has brought forth the fair, green, blue, white, red and yellow flowers, blossoms or children, then she grows quite weary, and cannot long nourish or nurse these children, neither can she have them long, seeing they are but her stepchildren, which are very tender.
And so when the outward heat presseth upon these tender children, all the qualities in the children come to be kindled, for the spirit of life qualifieth or floweth in them.
And seeing they are too weak for this strong spirit, and cannot elevate themselves, they yield or surrender their noble power, and that smells so lovely and with so pleasant a savour that it rejoiceth the very heart, and makes it laugh; but they must wither and fall off, because they are too tender for this spirit.
For the spirit draweth from the head or bud into the blossoms, and the head or bud is formed according to the kind of all the qualities; the astringent quality attracteth or collecteth the body of the bud or head, and the sweet quality softeneth it and spreadeth it abroad, and the bitter quality parteth or distinguisheth the matter into members, and the heat is the living spirit therein.
Now all the qualities labour or work therein, and bring forth their fruit or children, and every child is qualified or conditioned according to the kind and property of all the qualities.
This they drive and act so long, till all the matter is quite dried, till the sweet quality or sweet water is dried up, and then the fruit falls off, and the stalk drieth also and falleth down. And this is the End of Nature in this World.
Concerning this, much higher things are to be written, which you will find concerning the creation of this world: This is only brought in for a similitude, and described in the briefest manner.
Now the otlier form of the qualities, or of the divine powers, or of the seven spirits of God, is especially to be observed or known by the instance or example of heat.
First there is the ground, or the corporeal being, although in the Deity, or in the creatures, it [the heat] has no peculiar or several body, for all the qualities are one in another as one, however the operation of every quality is perceived in particular and severally.
Now in the body or fountain is the heat, which generateth the fire, and which is a form or kind of thing that a man can search into; and out of the heat goeth the light through all the spirits and qualities; and the light is the living spirit, which a man cannot search into.
A man can search into its will, and know what it willeth, or how it is: For it proceedeth in the sweet quality, and the light riseth up in the sweet quality in the sweet water, but not in the other qualities.
For example: If the sweet quality has the predominance thou canst kindle all things in this world, and so make them burn and give light, but where the other qualities are predominant thou canst kindle nothing; for though thou may bring heat into a thing yet thou canst not bring the spirit into it, to make it give light. Therefore all qualities are the children of the sweet quality, or of the sweet water, because the spirit riseth up only in the water.
Art thou a rational man, in whom is the spirit and understanding? then look all about in the world, for there thou wilt find it thus.
Thou canst kindle wood that it give light, for the water is chief upper regent, or predominant therein; so likewise in all sorts of herbs on earth, wherein the sweet water is predominant.
Thou canst not kindle light in a stone, because the astringent or harsh quality is chief or predominant therein: neither canst thou kindle light in earth, unless the other qualities be first vanquished and boiled out of it, which is seen in gunpowder; yet this light is but a flash or a spirit of terror, wherein the devil in the anger of God representeth himself, which I will describe and demonstrate more largely in another place. Objection.
Yes, dear man, here lies or sticketh the Mystery. The wood which thou kindlest is not very fire, but a dark or opaque stock, still the fire and light take their original from thence.
But thou must understand this concerning the sweet quality of the water, and not concerning the stick or block; but it is to be understood concerning the unctuosity [oiliness] or fatness which is the spirit therein.
Now in the elementary water on earth the sweetness is not the chief or upper regent, but the astringent, bitter and sour quality; else the water were not mortal, but were as that water is out of which heaven is created.
That I will demonstrate to thee thus, viz. that the astringent, sour and bitter quality is predominant in the elementary water on earth.
Take rye, wheat, barley, oats, or what you will, wherein the sweet quality is predominant, soak or steep it in the elementary water, afterwards distil it, then the sweet quality will take away the predominancy from the others; and afterwards kindle that water, and then you will see the spirit which is remaining in the water of the unctuosness or fatness of the corn, which overcame the water.
This thou seest also in flesh: The flesh neither burneth nor shineth nor giveth light, but its fat burneth and shineth or giveth light. Question.
Behold, in flesh the astringent or sour, and the bitter qualities are predominant; and in the fat the sweetness is chief and predominant; therefore fat creatures are always merrier and frolicker than the lean, because the sweet spirit floweth more abundantly in them than in the lean.
For the light of nature, which is the spirit of life, shineth more in them than in the lean: For in that light in the sweet quality stands the triumphing or the joy, for the astringent or harsh and bitter qualities triumph therein, for they rejoice that they are refreshed, fed, given to drink and enlightened from the sweet and light quality.
For in the astringent or harsh quality there is no life, but an astringent, cold, hard death; and in the bitter quality there is no light, but a dark, bitter and raging pain, a house of trembling, horror, and fierce, wrathful, fearful misery.
Therefore when they are guests feasting at the sweet and light quality, then are they affected, and pleasant, very joyful and triumphing in the creature.
Therefore no lean creature is merry, unless it be that heat is predominant therein: That is, though it be lean, and has little of the fat or oil in it, yet perhaps sweetness is very abundant there.
On the other side, many creatures have much fatness, and yet are very melancholy or sad, which is because their fatness is inclined to the condition of the elementary water, wherein the astringent or harsh, and bitter qualities are somewhat strong. Of the Language of Nature.
Art thou a rational man? then observe this: The spirit which moveth on high, aloft from the heat, taketh its exit, rising and shining in the sweet quality; therefore the sweet quality is its friendly or kind will, and reigneth in meekness; and meekness and humility are its proper house or habitation.
This is the pith or kernel of the deity, and therefore IT is called GOTT, GOD, because it is sweet, meek, friendly and bounteous or good, GUTIG; and therefore is IT called Barmhertzig (warmhearted or merciful), because its sweet quality riseth up in the astringent or sour and bitter qualities, and refresheth, moisteneth and enlighteneth them, that they might not remain a dark valley.
For understand but thy mother tongue aright; thou hast as deep a ground therein as is in the Hebrew or Latin: Though the learned elevate themselves in these, like a proud arrogant bride; it is no great matter, their art is now on the lees [Turba], or bowed down to the dust.
The spirit sheweth and declareth, that yet before the end, many a layman will know and understand more than now the wittiest or most cunning doctors know; for the gates of heaven set themselves open; those that do not blind themselves shall and will see it very well; the Bridegroom crowneth his bride. AMEN.
Observe, the word BARM is chiefly formed upon thy lips, and when thou pronouncest BARM then thou shuttest thy mouth, and snarlest in the hinder part of the mouth; and this is the astringent quality, which environeth or encloseth the word; that is, it figureth, compacted or contracteth the word together, that it becometh hard, or soundeth, and the bitter quality separateth or cutteth or distinguished it.
That is, when thou pronouncest BAR, the last letter R snarleth and murmureth like a trembling breath, and thus does the bitter quality, which is a trembling.
Now the word BARM is a dead word, void of understanding, so that no man understands what it meaneth; which signifieth that the two qualities, astringent, and bitter, are a hard, dark, cold and bitter being, which have no light in them: And therefore a man cannot understand their power without the light.
But when a man saith BARMHERTZ, he fetcheth or presseth the second syllable out from the deep of the body, out from the heart, for the right spirit speaketh forth the word HERTZ, which riseth up aloft from the heat of the heart, in which the light goeth forth and floweth.
Now observe, when thou pronouncest BARM, then the two qualities, the astringent and the bitter, form, frame or compact together the word BARM, very leisurely or slowly; for it is a long, impotent, feeble syllable, because of the weakness of the qualities.
But when thou pronouncest HERTZ then the spirit in the word HERTZ (heart) goeth forth suddenly, like a flash of lightning, and giveth the distinction and understanding of of the word.
But when thou pronouncest IG, then thou catchest or captivatest the spirit in the midst of the other two qualities, so that it must stay there and form the word.
Thus is the divine power also; the astringent and bitter qualities are the Salitter of the divine omnipotence, the sweet quality is the pith or kernel of the Barmhertzigkeit, warmheartedness, or mercifulness, according to which the whole being, with all the powers, is called GOTT (GOD).
The heat is the kernel of the spirit, out of which the light goeth and kindleth itself in the midst or centre of the sweet quality, and becometh captivated by the astringent and bitter qualities, as in the midst or centre wherein the Son of God is generated, and that is the very Hertz (heart) of God.
The light's flame or flash, which in the twinkling of an eye, or in a moment, shineth into all the powers, even as the sun does in the whole world, is the Holy Ghost, which goeth forth from the clarity or brightness of the Son of God, and is the flash of lightning and sharpness; for the Son is generated in the midst or centre of the other qualities, and is caught by the other qualities. Understand this high thing rightly.
When the Father speaketh or pronounceth the WORD, that is, generateth his Son (which is always done for ever and eternally), then that Word first taketh its original in the astringent quality; therein it fixeth, conceiveth or compacteth itself; and in the sweet quality it taketh its fountain, spring or source, and in the bitter quality it sharpeneth and moveth itself, and in the heat it riseth up and kindleth the middle sweet fountain or source.
Now it burneth jointly or equally alike in all the qualities of the kindled fire, and the fire burneth forth from the qualities; for all qualities burn, and that fire is one fire, and not many several fires.
That fire is the very Son of God, who is thus generated always from eternity to eternity: This I can demonstrate by the heaven and the earth, the stars and the elements, and by all the creatures, stones, leaves and grass, yea in the devil himself; and that, not with dead, slight, insignificant arguments, void of understanding, but with clear, quick, living and invincible firm arguments, even above, beyond and to the refutation of all men's reason, convincingly and undeniably; and lastly, in opposition against all the devils and the gates of hell; and I would do it here, if it would not take up too much room.
Yet it shall be treated of all along in this whole book, in all the articles and parts thereof; but you shall find it more particularly in that part concerning the creation of the creatures, as also concerning the creation of heaven and earth and of all things, which will be fitter to be done then, and more easily apprehended by the Reader. Now observe:
Out of that fire goeth forth the flash or the light, and moveth or boileth in all the powers, and has or containeth in itself the fountain and sharpness of all the powers, because it is generated, through the Son, out of all the powers of the Father; and so then it reciprocally makes all the powers in the Father living and moving; and through that spirit are all the angels formed and imaged out of the Father's powers.
That spirit formeth and preserveth and supporteth all, all vegetation, all colours and all creatures, both in heaven and in this world, and above the heaven of heavens. For the birth or geniture of the holy Trinity above all is thus and no otherwise, neither will it be otherwise in all eternity.
But when the fire is kindled in a creature, that is, when a creature elevateth itself too high or too much (as Lucifer and his legions did), then the light extinguished or goeth out, and the fierce, wrathful and hot source, the source of the hellish fire, riseth up, that is, the spirit of the fire riseth up in the fierce quality.
Observe here the circumstances how this is done, or how it can come to be done. Therefore consider: an angel is formed, figured, composed or compacted together out of all powers, as I have described it at large.
Now when he elevateth himself, he elevateth himself first in the astringent quality, which he gripeth close together, as a woman who is in travail, and presseth himself, whereby the hard quality becometh so hard and sharp that the sweet water can force or prevail with it no more, and so can rise up no more meekly or mildly in the creature, but is captivated and dried up by the astringent quality, and changed into a hard, sharp, fierce coldness.
For it becometh too empty and dry by the astringent contraction, and loseth its bright lustre, and its unctuosity, fatness or oiliness (wherein the light spirit riseth up, which is the spirit of the holy angelical and divine life) becometh so hard compacted and pressed together by the astringent quality, whereby it is dried up like sweet dry wood.
So when the bitter quality riseth up in the exsiccated or dried sweet quality, then the sweetness cannot mollify it, and saturate it with its sweet light water, because it is dried up.
There the bitter quality raveth and rageth, and seeketh for rest and food, and finds it not, and moveth or boileth in the body as a lingering poison.
Now when the heat kindleth the sweet quality, and would mitigate its heat in the sweet water (whence it riseth up and shineth in the whole body), there it finds nothing but a hard, dry, sweet source or quality, there is no sap or moisture, the sap being quite exsiccated or dried up by the astringency.
Then the heat kindleth the sweet source or quality, with an intent to be refreshed, but there is no sap left, the sweet source or quality is now burning and glowing only, even as a hard, dried or burnt stone, and can no more kindle its light. And so the whole body remaineth now a dark valley, in which there is nothing but a fierce hard coldness in the astringent quality, and in the sweet quality a hard glowing fire only, wherein the fierce wrathful heat riseth up in all eternity, and in the bitter quality there is a raving, a raging, a stinging and a burning.
Thus you have here the true description of an expulsed angel or of a devil, as also the cause thereof, and that not written in a similitude only, but in the spirit, through that power out of which all things are come to be.
This great history or action, of how it came to pass and how it went, you will find it at large concerning the fall of the devil. V. Of the Fifth Circumstance or Species.
The Fifth quality, or the fifth spirit of God among the seven spirits of God, in the divine power of the Father, is the gracious, amiable, blessed, friendly and joyful love.
Now observe what is the fountain of the gracious, amiable, blessed and friendly love of God; observe it exactly, for it is the very pith, marrow or kernel.
When the heat in the sweet quality riseth up, and kindleth the sweet source, fountain or spring, then that fire burneth in the sweet quality; now seeing the sweet quality is a thin or transparent lovely pleasant sweet fountain or springwater, it allayeth the heat and quencheth the fire, and so there remaineth in the sweet fountainspring of the sweet water only the joyful light.
The heat is only a gentle soft warming, even as it is in a man who is of a sanguine complexion, wherein also the heat is only a friendly, cheerly wanning, if the party liveth temperately, and keepeth a due measure.
That friendly courteous lovelightfire goeth along in the sweet quality, and riseth up into the bitter and astringent qualities, and so kindleth the bitter and astringent qualities, feeding them with its sweet lovesap, refreshing, quickening and enlightening them, and making them living or lively, cheerful and friendly.
And when the sweet, light, lovepower cometh to them, so that they taste thereof and get its life, O, there is a friendly meeting, saluting and triumphing, a friendly welcoming and great love, a most friendly and gracious, amiable and blessed kissing, and well-relishing taste.
There the Bridegroom kisseth his bride: O gracious amiable blessedness and great love! how sweet art thou? How friendly and courteous art thou? How pleasant and lovely is thy relish and taste? How ravishingly sweet dost thou smell? O noble light and bright glory, who can apprehend thy exceeding beauty? How comely adorned is thy love? How curious and dainty are thy colours? And all this eternally! Who can express it?
Or why and what do I write, I, whose tongue does but stammer like a child that is learning to speak? With what shall I compare it? or to what shall I liken it? Shall I compare it with the love of this world? No, that is but a mere dark valley to it.
O immense greatness! I cannot compare thee to anything, but only to the resurrection from the dead; there will the love-fire rise up again in us, and embrace man courteously and friendly, and kindle again our astringent, bitter and cold, dark and dead quality, and embrace us most friendly.
O noble guest! O, why didst thou depart from us! O fierceness, wrath and astringency or severity, thou art the cause of it! O fierce wrathful devil! O, what hast thou done, who hast sunk down thyself and thy beautiful bright angels into darkness? Woe, woe for ever!
O, was not the gracious, amiable, blessed and fair love in thee also? O thou high and lofty- minded devil! Why wouldst thou not be contented? Wert thou not a Cherubim? and was there anything so beautiful and bright in heaven as thou? For what didst thou seek? Wouldst thou be the whole or total God? Didst thou not know that thou wert a creature, and hadst not the fan and castingshovel in thy own hand or power?
O, why do I pity thee, thou stinking goat? O thou cursed stinking devil! how hast thou spoiled us? How wilt thou excuse thyself? What wilt thou object to me? Objection.
Thou sayest, if thy fall had not been, man would never have been thought of. Answer. O thou lying devil! Though that should be true, yet the Salitter out of which man is made (which is also from eternity, as well as that out of which thou art made), had stood in eternal joy and bright glory, and had likewise risen up in God, and had tasted of the gracious, amiable, blessed love in the seven spirits of God, and enjoyed the heavenly joy.
O thou lying devil, stay but a little, the spirit will discover thy shame to thee; tarry but a little while longer, and thy pomp, pride and pageantry will be at an end. Stay, the bow is bent, the arrow will hit thee, and then whither wilt thou fall? The place is ready provided and prepared, it wanteth only to be kindled; wilt thou bring fuel lustily to it, that thou be not frozen with cold? Thou wilt sweat very hard: Dost thou suppose thou shalt obtain the light again? No, but hell fire. Smell thy sweet love, guess at it, what is that called? Gehenna; yes, that will be in love with thee eternally.
Woe, woe, poor miserable blinded man, why sufferest thou the devil to make thy body and soul so dark and blind? O temporal good, and the pleasure and voluptuousness of this life! thou blind whore, why dost thou go a wooing and a whoring to the devil?
O security! the devil watcheth for thee. O high-mindedness! thou art a hellish fire. O beauty, pomp or bravery! thou art a dark valley. O potency of dominion! thou art a raging and a tearing of the hellish fire. O selfvindication or vengeance! thou art the fierce wrath of God.
O Man! why will the world be too narrow for thee? Thou wilt needs have it all for thyself; and if thou hadst it, thou wouldst not have room enough. O, this is the devil's highmindedness, who fell out of heaven into hell.
O man! alas, O man! why dost thou dance with the devil who is thine enemy? Art thou not afraid that he will thrust thee into hell? Why dost thou go on so securely? Is it not a very narrow stick on which thou dancest? Under that small narrow bridge is hell! Dost thou not see how high thou art, and how dangerously and desperately thou goest? Thou dancest between heaven and hell.
O thou blind man! how does the devil mock at thee? O, wherefore dost thou trouble heaven? Dost thou think thou wilt not have enough in this world? O blind man! is not heaven and earth thine? Nay, God himself too? What dost thou bring into this world, or what dost thou take along with thee at thy going out of it? Thou bringest an angelical garment into this world, and with thy wicked life thou turnest it into a devil's mask or vizor.
O thou miserable man, return, the heavenly Father has stretched forth both his arms and calleth thee; do but come, he will take thee into his love. Art thou not his child? He does love thee. If he did hate thee, he must be at odds with himself. O no, it is not so: there is nothing in God but a merciful, amiable love and bright glory.
O ye watchmen of Israel! why do ye sleep? Awake from the sleep of whoredom, and dress or trim your lamps: The Bridegroom cometh, sound your trumpets.
O ye covetous, stiffnecked and drunken roisterers! how do you woo and go a whoring after the covetous devil? Thus saith the LORD, Will ye not feed my people which I have committed to your charge?
Behold I have set you upon Moses' chair, and entrusted you with my flock; but you mind nothing but the wool, and mind not my sheep, and therewith you build your great palaces. But I will set you on the stool of pestilence, and my own Shepherd shall feed my sheep eternally.
O thou fair world, how does heaven complain of thee? How dost thou trouble the elements? O wickedness and malice! when wilt thou leave, and give over? Awaken! awaken! and bring forth, thou sorrowful woman; behold thy Bridegroom cometh, and requireth fruit at thy hands: Why dost thou sleep? Behold, he knocketh!
O gracious, amiable, blessed love and clear bright light, tarry with us, I pray thee, for the evening is at hand. O truth! O justice and righteous judgment! what is become of thee? Does not the spirit wonder, as if he had never seen the world before now? O, why do I write of the wickedness of this World? I must do it, the devil's and the world curseth me for it. Amen.