Jacob Boehme's Aurora
Chapter 10: Of the Sixth qualifying or fountain Spirit in the Divine Power.
THE Sixth qualifying or fountain spirit in the divine power is the sound, tone, tune or noise, wherein all soundeth and tuneth; whence ensued speech, language, and the distinction of everything, as also the ringing melody and singing of the holy angels, and therein consisteth the forming or framing of all colours, beauty and ornament, as also the heavenly joyfulness. Question.
But thou wilt ask, What is the tone or sound? Or how taketh this spirit its source and original? Answer.
All the seven spirits are generated one in another, the one continually generateth the other, not one of them is the first, nor is any one of them the last; for the last generateth as well the first as the second, third, fourth, and so on to the last.
But why one is called the first, another the second, and so on, that is in respect to that which is the first in order to the imaging, framing and forming of a creature.
For all the seven are equally eternal, and none of them has either beginning or end; and therefore, in that the seven qualities are continally generating one another, and that none is without the other, it followeth that there is ONE Only Eternal Almighty GOD.
For, if anything be generated out of or in the divine being, that thing is not formed or framed by or through one spirit alone, but by all the seven.
And if a creature, which is like or as the whole being of God, spoils, elevateth and kindleth itself in a qualifying or fountain spirit, it kindleth not one spirit alone, but all the seven spirits.
And therefore that creature is a loathsome abomination before the total God, and before all his creatures, and must stand in eternal enmity and ignominy or shame before God, and before all the creatures.
The tone or Mercurius taketh its original in the first, that is, in the astringent and hard quality. Observe in the Depth:
Hardness is the fountain or wellspring of the tone, but it alone cannot generate the same, yet it is the father thereof, and the whole Salitter is the mother; otherwise, if the hardness were both father and mother of the tone, then a hard stone also must have a ringing sound. But a hard stone does make only a noise, like a knocking, as a seed or beginning of a tone, and that it is, certainly.
But the tone of voice riseth up in the middle centre, in the flash or lightning, where the light is generated out of the heat, where the flash or lightning of life riseth up. Observe how this is done:
When the astringent quality rubbeth itself with the bitter, so that the heat riseth up in the sweet spring or fountain-water, then the heat kindleth the sweet spring or fountain-water, like a flash of lightning, and that flash is the light; which in the heat goeth into the bitter quality, and there the flash is distinguished according to all the powers.
For all powers are discerned or distinguished in the bitter, and the bitter receiveth the flash of the light, as if it were horribly terrified, and goeth with its trembling and terror into the astringent and hard quality, and there it is bodily captivated.
And the bitter quality is now impregnated with the light, and trembleth in the astringent and hard quality, and stirreth therein, and is captivated in the astringent quality, as in a body.
And now when the spirits do move and would speak, the hard quality must open itself; for the bitter spirit with its flash breaketh it open, and then there the tone goeth forth, and is impregnated with all the seven spirits, which distinguish the word, as it was decreed in the centre, that is, in the middle of the circle, while it was yet in the council of the seven spirits.
And therefore the seven spirits of God have created a mouth for the creatures, that when they [the creatures] would utter their voice, which is their speaking, or [when they would] make a noise, they need not first tear themselves open; and therefore it is that all the veins and powers or qualifying [conditioning] or fountain spirits go into the tongue, that the tone or noise may come forth gently.
When the flash riseth up in the heat, then first the sweet water catcheth or captivateth it, for therein it becometh shining. Now when the water catcheth the flash, that is, the birth of the light, then the sweet water is terrified, and being so thin and pliant or feeble, it yieldeth, very much trembling; for the heat riseth up in the light.
Now when the astringent quality, which is very cold, catcheth the heat and the flash, then it is terrified, as in a tempest of lightning; for when the heat cometh with the light into the hard cold, then it makes a fierce flash, of a very fiery and light colour.
Then that flash retireth back, and the sweet water catcheth it, and riseth up in that fierceness, and in that rising and terrifying changeth itself into a green or azure or blue colour, and trembleth because of the fierce flash.
And the flash in itself keepeth its fierceness, from whence existeth the bitter quality, or the bitter spirit, which now riseth up in the astringent quality, and inflameth or kindleth the hardness with its fierce quality, and the light or flash drieth itself in the hardness, and shineth clear and bright, far brighter than the light of the sun.
But it is caught in the hard quality, so that it subsists in a bodily manner, and must shine so eternally, and the flash trembleth in the body, like a fierce rising up, whereby all the qualities are stirred, always and eternally.
And the flash of fire in the light trembleth and triumpheth thus continually, and the sweet water softeneth [or quencheth] the fire also continually and the hardness is always the body, which retaineth, preserveth, and drieth it.
And this stirring in the hardness is the tone, so that [there is a] sound; and the light or flash makes the ringing, and the sweet water makes the ringing soft: so that a man can use the sound to the distinction of speech, or articulation of syllables. Here observe yet more plainly the Nativity or Birth of the bitter Quality.
The original of the bitter quality is when the flash of life in the heat riseth up in the astringent quality; and now when the flash of fire in the mixture of the water cometh into the astringent quality, then the spirit of the fiery flash catcheth the astringent and hard spirit, and both these together are an earnest severe fierce quality, which rageth and teareth vehemently, like a fiery violent fierceness.
I can liken it to nothing else but to a thunderclap, when the fierce fire first falls down, so that it dazzleth the sight; that fierce fire is like the manner of the conjunction of these two. Now observe:
When the fire-spirit and the astringent spirit struggle and wrestle thus together, then the astringent makes a vehement hard cold astriction, and the fiery makes a terrible fierce heat.
Now the rising up of the heat and of the astriction makes a trembling, fierce, terrible spirit, which raveth and rageth, as if it would tear the Deity asunder. But thou must understand this, exactly and properly.
This is thus in the original of the quality in itself; but in the midst, in the rising up of this fierce spirit, this [same] spirit is caught and mitigated in the sweet water, where its fierce source or fountain is changed into a trembling, bitter, and greenish colour, like a greenish duskiness, and it retaineth in itself the condition and property of all three qualities, viz. of the fiery, the astringent and the sweet; and so from these three existeth the fourth quality, viz. the bitter.
For from the fiery quality the spirit becometh trembling and hot, and from the astringent it becometh severe, astringent, hard and corporeal, so that it is a spirit which always subsisteth; and from the sweet it becometh meek or mild, and the fierceness changeth it into a gentle bitterness; which stands now in the fountain or wellspring of the seven spirits of God, and helpeth continually to generate the other six spirits. Understand this rightly.
It does as well generate its father and mother, as its father and mother do generate it, for after that it is corporeally generated, it then, with the astringent quality, always generateth the fire again, and the fire generateth light, and the light is the flash, which always generateth the life again in all the qualifying or fountain spirits; whence the spirits have life, and always generate one another again.
But here thou must know that one spirit alone cannot generate another, neither can two of them do it, but the birth of a spirit stands in the operation of all the seven spirits, six of them always generate the seventh, and so if one of them were not, then the others would not be either.
But that I sometimes take only two or three to the nativity or birth of a spirit, I do that because of my own weakness, for in my corrupted brain I cannot bear them all seven at once in their perfection.
I see them all seven very well, but when I speculate into them, then the spirit riseth up in the middlemost fountain or wellspring, where the spirit of life generateth itself, which goeth now upwards, now downwards, it cannot apprehend all the seven spirits in one thought, or at once, but only in part.
Every spirit has its own quality or source, though indeed it is generated of the others; and so it is with the apprehension of man; he has indeed the fountain of all seven spirits in him, but in what quality or fountain soever the spirit riseth up, the qualifying or fountain spirit thereof, wherein that same spirit is most strongly imaged, is that [one] which he comprehendeth most sharply in that rising up.
For even in the divine power one spirit, in its rising up [or ascension], does not go through all the spirits equally at once; for when it riseth up, then indeed it toucheth or stirreth them all at once, but it is caught in its rising up, so that it must lay down its stateliness and pomp, and not triumph over all the seven.
["It is the being or substance of the senses and thoughts, otherwise, if a thought through the centre of nature could penetrate all the forms, then it were free from the band of nature."]
Thus also in man: When one qualifying or fountain spirit riseth up, then it toucheth all the others, and seeth all the others, for it riseth up in the middle or central fountain or wellspring of the heart, where, in the heat, the flash of light kindleth itself, wherein the spirit in its rising up, in the same flash, seeth through all the spirits.
But in our corrupted flesh it [the rising up] is only like a tempest of lightning: for if I could in my flesh comprehend the flash (which I very well see and know how it is), I could clarify or transfigure my body therewith, so that it would shine with a bright light and glory. ["For from the flash cometh the light of the Majesty."] And then it would no more resemble and be conformed to the bestial body, but to the angels of God.
But hearken, Friend, tarry yet a little while, and then give the bestial body for food to the worms: But when the total God shall kindle the seven spirits of God in the corrupted earth, then, if that same Salitter which thou sowest in the earth will not be capable of the fire, then thy qualifying or fountain spirits, which thou didst sow in thy lifetime, and which are sown in thy departure from hence, will rise again in the same Salitter which thou hast sown, and will triumph therein, and become a body again.
But he that will be capable of the kindled fire of the seven spirits of God, he shall abide therein, and his qualifying or fountain spirits shall rise in hellish pain, which I shall demonstrate clearly in its due place.
I cannot describe unto thee the whole Deity by the circumference or extent of a circle, for it is immeasurable; but to that spirit which is in God's love it is not incomprehensible: That spirit comprehends it well, yet but in part; therefore take one part after another, and then you will see the whole. See Cont of this B., par. 39 et seq., and Ch. 21, par. 66.
In this corruption we cannot get higher than with such a revelation, neither does this world enclose itself any higher, both as to the beginning and the end. "In this corruption we cannot get higher than with such a revelation." That is, man can get no higher knowledge of the whole Deity, or of this world as to its beginning and end, than is vouchsafed to him as a revelation by the spirit that is in God's love.
["I would very fain see somewhat higher in this my anxious generating or birth, whereby my sick Adam might be refreshed.
"But I look round about me in all the world, and can find out nothing; all is sick, lame and wounded: moreover, blind, deaf and dumb "].
I have read the writings of very high masters, hoping to find therein the ground and true depth; but I have found nothing, but a half dead spirit, which in anxiety travaileth and laboureth for health, and yet, because of its great weakness, cannot attain perfect power.
Thus I stand yet as an anxious woman in travail, and seek perfect refreshing, but find only the scent or smell or savour in its rising up, wherein the spirit examineth what power sticketh in the true cordial, and in the meanwhile refresheth itself in its sickness with that perfect smell or savour, till the true Samaritan does come, who will dress and bind up its wounds and heal it, and bring it to the eternal inn or lodging, then shall it enjoy the perfect taste.
This herb, which I mean here, from whose fragrancy my spirit taketh its refreshing, every country ploughman does not know it, nor every doctor, the one is as ignorant of it as the other; it grows indeed in every garden, but in many it is quite spoiled and bad: for the quality of the soil or ground is in fault. And therefore men do not know it, nay the children of this Mystery do hardly know it; although this knowledge has been very rare, dear and precious, from the beginning of the world to this time.
Though in many men a source or fountain and quality has risen up, but then suddenly pride pressed after it, and spoiled all; whereupon it [pride] was loath to write it down in its mothertongue; it supposed that was too childish a thing to do, it must shew it in a deeper language, that the world should see that it is manly; and for its advantage it kept it [the source or fountain and quality] in secret, and daubed it with deep strange names, that men might not know it; such a beast is the devil's disease of pride.
But hear, thou simple mother, who bringest all the children into this world, who afterwards in their rising up are ashamed of thee and despise thee, and yet are thy children whom thou hast brought forth.
Thus saith the spirit, which riseth up in the seven spirits of God, which is thy Father: Despair not, behold, I am thy strength, and thy power, I will fill to thee a mild draught in thy age.
Seeing all thy children despise thee, whom thou didst bear, and hast given them suck in their childhood, and who will not give thee any attendance, or minister to thee in thy high or old age:
Therefore I will comfort thee, and will give unto thee a young SON in thy high or old age; he shall abide in thy house as long as thou livest, and attend thee or minister to thee, and comfort thee against all the raving and raging of thy proud children. Now here observe further concerning the Mercurius, Tone or Sound.
All qualities take their beginning-original [finite or transitory origin] in their middle or centre: Therefore observe where the fire is generated; for there riseth up the flash of the life of all the qualities, and it is caught in the water, so that it remaineth shining; and it is dried in the astringency, so that it remaineth corporeal, and becometh shining, bright and clear. Observe here:
For instance: Kindle some wood, and then you will see the mystery: The fire kindleth itself in the hardness of the wood; and this is now the astringent hard quality, the quality or source Saturnus, which makes the wood hard and dry.
But now the light, that is, the flash, does not consist in the hardness, otherwise a stone also would burn and give light, but the light subsisteth only in the sap of the wood, that is, in the water [or oiliness].
While there is sap in the wood the fire shineth as a shining light; but when the sap is consumed in the wood the shining light goeth out, and the wood becometh a glowing coal.
Now behold: the fierceness which riseth up in the light consists not in the water of the wood, but when the heat riseth up in the hardness, then is the flash generated, which the sap in the wood first catcheth, whereby the water becomes shining.
The fierceness or bitterness is generated in the midst or centre of the hardness, and the heat is generated in the flash, and therein also it subsisteth; and so far as the flash, that is, the flame of the fire reacheth, so far also reacheth the fierceness of the bitterness, which is the son of the hardness and heat.
But thou must know this mystery, that the bitterness is already in the wood, else the fierce bitterness would not so suddenly generate itself like lightning in the natural fire.
For as, when wood is kindled, the body of the fire generateth itself, in such a manner likewise is the wood generated in and above the earth.
But if the fierceness should be generated in the shining light, then surely it would reach as far also as the splendour or shining of the light, but it does not so.
But thus it is; the flash is the mother of the light; for the flash generateth the light, and is the father of the fierceness, for the fierceness abideth in the flash as a seed in the father; and that flash generateth also the tone or sound.
When it goeth from the hardness and heat, then the hardness makes a thumping, knocking sound in the flash, and the heat ringeth forth, and the light in the flash makes the ringing clear, and the water mitigateth or softeneth it, and then in the astringency and hardness it is caught and dried up, so that it is a corporeal spirit in all the qualities.
For every spirit in the seven spirits of God is impregnated with all the seven spirits, and they all are one in another as one spirit, not one of them is without the others.
Only the birth therein is thus, and so the one generateth the other, in and through itself, and the birth lasteth or continueth thus from eternity to eternity.
Here I will have the Reader warned that he rightly consider the divine birth. Thou must not think that one spirit stands by another, asyou see the stars of heaven stand one by another.
But all the seven are one in another as one spirit; as this may be conceived in man, who has several thoughts, because of the operation of the seven spirits of God, which keep and reside in the human body.
But you may say to me, "Thou art foolish in this; for any member of the whole body has the power of the other. But you must say [admit], unless you be foolish, that each one of the members of the whole body has the power of the other."
Yet in what quality soever thou excitest or awakenest the spirit, and makest it operative or qualifying, according to that same quality the thoughts rise up, and govern the mind.
If thou stirrest or awakest the spirit in the fire, then there riseth up in thee the bitter and harsh anger; for as soon as the fire is kindled, which is done in the hardness and fierceness, then springeth up the bitter fierceness or wrath in the flash.
For when thou, in thy body, liftest thyself against anything whatsoever, be it in love or wrath, thou kindlest the quality of that against which thou liftest thyself; and that [kindled quality] burneth in the corporeal whole of thy spirit; but in the flash this same fountain-spirit awakeneth.
For when thou lookest upon anything which does not please thee, but is against or contrary to thee, then thou raisest up the fountain of thy heart, as when thou takest a stone, and therewith strikest fire on a steel, and so when the spark catcheth fire in the heart, then the fire kindleth.
At first it gloweth, but when thou stirrest the source or fountain of the heart more violently, then it is as when thou blowest the fire, so that the flame is kindled; and then it is high time to quench it, else the fire will be too great, and then it burneth and consumeth, and does hurt to its neighbour. Question.
Hearken, thou hast the sweet water in thee, pour that into the fire, and then the fire goeth out: If thou lettest it burn, then it consumeth in thee the sap that is in all the seven qualifying or fountain spirits, so that thou wilt become dry.
When that is done, then thou art a hellish firebrand, and a billet or faggot to lay upon the hellish fire, and then there is no remedy for thee eternally.
But when thou lookest upon a thing which pleaseth thee, and awakenest the spirit in thine heart, then thou kindlest the fire in thine heart, which burneth first in the sweet water like a glowing coal.
While it is but glimmering it is only a gentle, soft, longing delight or pleasing lust in thee, and does not consume thee; but if thou exhaltest thy heart still more, and thou kindlest the sweet quality or fountain, so that it becomes a burning flame, then thou kindlest all the qualifying or fountain spirits, and then the whole body bumeth, and so mouth and hands fall on to work.
This fire is the most dangerous and hurtful, and has spoiled most since the world began, and it is a very hard matter to quench it; for when it is kindled it burneth in the sweet water in the flash of life, and must be quenched through bitterness, which is scarce a water, but much rather is a fire.
Therefore also there followeth a heavy, sad, sorrowful mind, when one is to forsake that which burneth in his lovefire in the sweet fountain water.
But thou must know, that thou, in the government of thy mind, art thine own lord and master, there will rise up no fire to thee in the circle or whole circumference of thy body and spirit, unless thou awakenest it thyself.
It is true that all thy spirits spring and move in thee, and rise up in thee, and indeed always one spirit has more power in thee than [in] another [man].
For if the government of the spirits were the same in one man as in another, then we should all have one will and form; but all seven are in the power of thy compacted incorporated spirit, which spirit is the SOUL.
["It has in it the first Principle; the spirit of the soul has the second; and the astral or starry spirit in the elements has the third, viz. this world."]
Now if a fire riseth up in one qualifying or fountain spirit, then that is not concealed or hidden from the soul, and it may instantly awaken the other qualifying or fountain spirits, which are contrary to the kindled fire, and may quench it.
But if the fire will be or becometh too big, then has the soul a prison, wherein it may shut up the kindled spirit, viz. in the hard astringent quality, and the other spirits must be the gaolers, till their wrath is allayed, and the fire is extinguished. Observe what that is.
When one qualifying or fountain spirit driveth thee too strongly, or presseth thee too hard to a thing which is against the law of nature, then thou must turn thine eyes away from it: If that will not help, then take that spirit and cast it into prison.
That is, turn thy heart away from temporal pleasure and voluptuousness, from fulness of eating and drinking, from the riches of this world, and think that today is the last day of the end of thy body; turn away from the wantonness of the world, and call earnestly to God, and yield or submit thyself to him.
When thou dost so, then the world mocketh thee, and thou art a fool to them. But bear this cross patiently, and let not the imprisoned spirit get out of prison again, but trust in God, and he will set upon thee the crown of the divine joy.
But if the spirit breaketh out of prison, then put it in again, make good thy part against it as long as thou livest, and if thou gettest so much advantage, that it does not wholly kindle the source or fountain of thy heart, whereby thy soul would become a dry firebrand of wood, each fountain or source having yet its sap, when thou departest from hence:
Then that kindled fire at the Last Judgment Day will not hurt thee; nor will it cleave or stick in thy sappy spirits; but after this anxious affliction and trouble thou wilt be, in the resurrection, a triumphing angel of God. Question.
But now thou may say, Is there in God also a contrary will or opposition among or between the spirits of God? Answer.
No: Though I shew here their earnest birth, how earnestly and severely the spirits of God are generated, whereby every one may very well understand the great earnest severity of God:
Yet it does not therefore follow that there is a disunion or discord among them: for the very innermost, deepest birth or geniture in the heart or kernel is only and altogether so, which no creature can apprehend in the body; but in the flash, where the hidden spirit is generated, there it will be apprehended; for that is also generated in such a manner, and in such a power as is here mentioned.
But unto me is opened the gate of my mind, so that I can see and discern it, else it would indeed remain concealed with me, and hidden to me, till the day of the resurrection from the dead; yea, it has been concealed from all men since the beginning of the world; but I submit my will to God's will, let him do what he pleaseth.
In God all the spirits do triumph as one spirit, and one spirit always mitigateth or softeneth and loveth the others, so there is nothing but mere joy and delight: But their severe birth or geniture, which is effected or done in secret, must be so:
Thou must not think that perhaps in heaven there is some manner of body which only is thus generated, which above all other things is called God.
No; but the whole divine power which itself is heaven, and the heaven of all heavens, is so generated, and that is called GOD the Father; of whom all holy angels are generated, and live also in the same power; also the spirit of all angels in their body is always continually and eternally thus generated; in like manner also is [generated] the spirit of all men.
For this world belongeth as well to the body or corpus [substantiality] of God the Father as the heaven does; but in the locality or space of this world the spirits were kindled through king Lucifer, in his elevation, so that all things in this world are as it were languid and half dead: And therefore it is that we poor men are so very much blinded, and live in such great and desperate danger.
Yet thou must not therefore think that the heavenly light in this world, in the qualifying or fountain spirits of God, is quite extinct: No; there is only a darkness or dim obscurity upon it, so that we cannot apprehend it with our corrupted eyes.
But if God did [but] once put away that darkness, which moveth about the light, and that thy eyes were opened, then in that very place where thou standest, sittest or liest thou wouldst see the glorious countenance or face of God, and the whole heavenly gate.
Thou needest not first to cast thine eyes up into heaven, for it is written: [1 Deut. xxx.,14. Rom.x.8.] The Word is near thee, viz. on thy lips, and in thy heart.
Yea, God is so near thee, that the birth or geniture of the Holy Trinity is done or wrought even in thy heart, yea, all the three Persons are generated in thy heart, even God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Now when I write here concerning the midst or centre, that the fountain of the divine birth or geniture is in the midst or centre, the meaning is not that in heaven there is a peculiar or several place, or a peculiar several body, wherein the fire of the divine life riseth up, out of which the seven spirits of God go forth into the whole deep of the Father.
No; but I speak in a corporeal or angelical or human way that the Reader may the better understand it, in such a manner as the angelical creatures were imaged or framed, and as it is in God everywhere universally.
For thou canst not nominate any place, either in heaven or in this world, wherein the divine birth or geniture is not thus, be it in an angel, or in a holy man, or anywhere else.
Wheresoever one qualifying or fountain spirit in the divine power is touched or stirred, let the place be where it will or the thing what it will (except in the devils, and all wicked, damned men), there is the fountain of the divine birth or geniture directly at hand, and there already are all the seven qualifying or fountain spirits of God.
As when thou wouldst make a spacious, creaturely, circumscribed circle, and hadst the whole Deity peculiarly apart therein. Just as the Deity is generated in a creature, so it is also in the whole deep of the Father in all places and parts thereof, and in all things. Note.
And in such a manner is God an all-mighty, all-knowing, all-seeing, all-hearing, all-smelling, all- tasting, all-feeling God, who is everywhere, and proveth the hearts and reins of the creatures.
And in such a manner heaven and earth are his; also in such a manner all the devils, together with all wicked men, must be his eternal prisoners; and in the Salitter, which they have corrupted and kindled in their place or space, must endure eternal pain and torment, and moreover eternal shame and reproach.
For the total glorious face of God, together with all the holy angels, will shine bright and gloriously above them and under them, and round about them on every side.
And all holy angels, together with all holy men, will eternally triumph above them, below them and round about them, and for great joy, delight and pleasantness will sing of God's holiness, of their royal kingly government or regimen, and of the gracious, amiable, blessed fruit of the heavenly spring or vegetation; and that will go forth according to the qualities of the seven spirits of God, in many various voices.
On the contrary, the devils, with all wicked men, will be forced into a hole, where a hellish stink will well up and rise up, and the hellish fire, and the hellish coldness and bitterness, will burn after the manner of the kindled spirits of God, eternally in their body, as also in their courts, dominions, regions, space or circumference.
Nay, if they could be locked in or barred up in a hole, that the angry face of God might not touch them, then they might be quiet and contented, and would not be necessitated to endure eternal ignominy, shame and reproach.
But here is no help, their torment increaseth and becometh but the greater; the more they bewail it, the more does the hellish fierceness or wrath kindle itself, they must lie in hell, as dead bones, like singed scorched sheep in the fire, their stink and abomination gnaweth them.
They dare not lift up their eyes for shame, for they see in their circumference, courts or regions, nothing else but only a severe judge; and above them, and on all sides of them, they see the eternal joy.
["Not that they apprehend and behold it, but they have a kind of knowledge thereof in the Centre."]
Here is lamentation and woe, yelling and crying, and no deliverance; it is with them as if it did continually thunder and lighten tempestuously.
For the kindled spirits of God generate themselves thus: I. The hardness generateth a hard, raw, rough, cold and astringent quality. II. The sweetness is grown faint, and gaspeth, like a glowing coal splits when there is no more sap in the wood, and there is no refreshment for it. III. The bitterness teareth like a hot plague, and is as bitter as gall. IV. The fire burneth as a fierce wrathful Sulphur. V. Love is an enmity here. VI. The sound is a mere beating, rumbling or cracking, like the noise of a fire breaking forth out of a hollow place, as if it were great claps of thunder. VII. The circuit, region, court or residence of the body of the seven is a house of mourning.
Their food is abomination, and grows from the fierceness of all qualities: Lamentation and woe, and that for ever without end; there is no time there; another king sitteth on their throne, which keepeth or holdeth a judgment for ever; they are only his footstool.
O beauty, pleasure and voluptuousness of this world! O riches and proud stateliness! O might and power! Thy unrighteous judgment and great pomp, with all thy pleasure and voluptuousness, lie all together on a heap, and are become a hellish fire!