Jacob Boehme's Aurora
Chapter 13: Of the terrible, doleful, and lamentable, miserable Fall of the Kingdom of Lucifer.
IT WOULD have all proud, covetous, envious and wrathful men invited to look into this glass, and there they will see the original of their pride, covetousness, envy and wrath, also the issue and final requital or wages thereof.
The learned have produced many and various monsters concerning the beginning of sin, and original of the devil, and scuffled one with another about it; every one of them thought he had the axe by the handle, yet it continued hidden from them all till this very time.
But since it will henceforth be fully revealed, as in a clear looking-glass, therefore it may well be supposed or expected that the great day of the revelation of God is now near at hand, wherein the fierceness and the kindled fire will be separated from the light.
Therefore let none make himself stark blind, for the time of the restitution of whatsoever man has lost is now near at hand: the day dawneth, or the morningredness breaketh forth; it is high time to awake from sleep. Question. Now it may be asked, What is ths source or fountain of the first sin of Lucifer's kingdom? Answer.
Here we must again take in hand the highest depth of the Deity, and see out of what king Lucifer became a creature, or what was the first source or fountain of evil or malice in him.
The devil and his crew continually excuse themselves, and so do all wicked men who are begotten in corruption, saying, God does them wrong in thrusting them out or rejecting them.
Nay, this present world does dare to say that God has decreed or concluded it so in his predestinate purpose and council that some men should be saved, and some should be damned; and they say, to that end also God has rejected prince Lucifer, that he should be a spectacle of God's wrath.
As if hell, or malice and evil, had been from eternity, and that it was in God's predestinate purpose that creatures should and must be therein; and so they pull and hale and bestir themselves to prove it by Scripture, though indeed they have neither the knowledge of the true God, nor the under-standing of the Scriptures, though also some erroneous things are brewed from the Scriptures.
Christ saith, The devil was a Murderer [John viii. 44] and liar from the beginning, and did not stand in the truth. But seeing these justifiers and disputers assist the devil so steadfastly, and pervert God's truth, and change it into lies, in that they make of God a thirsty and fierce wrathful devil, and such a one as has created and still willeth evil, so all of them, together with the devil, are jointly murderers and liars.
For as the devil is the founder and father of hell and damnation, and has himself built and prepared for himself the hellish quality to be his royal seat, so also such writers and scribblers are the masterbuilders of lies and damnation, who help to confirm and establish the devil's lies, and to make of the merciful, loving and friendly God, a murderer and furious destroyer, and so pervert and turn the truth of God into lies.
For God saith in the Prophet [Ezek. xxxiii. 11], As true as I live, I have no delight or pleasure in the death of a sinner, but that he turn and live; and in the Psalms it is thus [Psalm v. 4.], Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness,
Besides, God has given laws to man, and has forbidden the evil, and commanded the good. Now if God would have the evil, and also the good, then he would be at odds with himself, and it would follow that there would be destruction or destructiveness in the Deity, one quality running counter against the other, and the one spoiling and corrupting the other.
Now how all this is come to pass, or how wickedness has taken its first source, original and beginning, I will declare in the highest simplicity in the greatest depth.
To which end the spirit inviteth and citeth, summoneth or warneth all men that are seduced into errors by the devil, that they come and present themselves before the looking-glass of this school, wherein they shall see and inspect the murderous devil, even into his very heart.
Then he that will not take heed and beware of his lies, while he may very well do it, there is no remedy for him neither here nor hereafter: he that soweth and will sow with the devil, must reap with the devil also.
In the centre of the flash it is shewn that the harvest is white already, wherein every one will reap what he has sown.
Here, my entrusted talent, which I have received, I will let out for interest, profit and increase, as I am commanded to do, and he that will deal with me in this way of gain or usury, it shall be free for him, he may freely do it, whether he be a Christian, a Jew, a Turk or a Heathen; it is all the same to me; my warehouse shall stand open for every one, none shall be tricked or deceived, but shall be dealt with in all fairness.
Every one should here have a care to deal so well that he bring in some gain of usemoney for his Master: for I am afraid that not every merchant will be fitted to deal with my wares; for to some they will be very strange and uncouth; neither will every one understand my language.
I would therefore have every one warned that he deal circumspectly and warily, and not be conceited that he is rich, and cannot grow poor; truly I have very admirable and wonderful wares to sell, every one will not have understanding and skill to know what to do with them.
Now if any one should in drunkenness or fulness fall upon them, and plunge himself into perdition, let him bear his own blame; he has need of a light in his heart, that his understanding and mind may be well governed.
Else let him forbear to come into my warehouse, or he will but deceive his own expectation; for the ware which I have to sell is very precious and dear, and requireth a very sharp and acute understanding: Therefore have a care, and do not climb aloft where you see no ladder is, else you will fall.
But to me is shewn the ladder of Jacob, upon which I am climbed up, even into heaven, and have received my ware, to offer for sale: Therefore if any one will climb up after me, let him take heed that he be not drunken, but he must be girt with the sword of the spirit.
For he must climb through a horrible deep, a giddiness will frequently come into his head; and besides, he must climb through the midst or centre of the kingdom of hell, and there he will feel by experience what a deal of scoffings and upbraidings he must endure.
In this combat I had many hard trials to my heart's grief: My sun was often eclipsed or extinguished, but did rise again; and the oftener it was eclipsed or put out, the brighter and clearer was its rising again.
I do not write this for my own praise, but that if it go so with you, you should not despair about it; for there belongeth and is requisite a mighty enduring hard labour and stoutness, for him that fighteth with the devil, between heaven and hell; for the devil is a potent prince.
Therefore have a care that thou put on the 1 corslet or coat of mail or habergeon [breastplate] of the spirit, else do venture to come near my warehouse, or thou wilt deal wrongfully [evilly] with my wares.
Thou must renounce the devil and the world, if thou wilt enter into this fight, else thou wilt not overcome: But if thou overcomest not, then let my book alone, and meddle not with it, but stick to thy old matters, else thou wilt receive but evil wages for thy pains: Be not deceived, God will not be mocked.[Gal vi. 7.]
Truly it is a narrow and strait passage or entrance, through the gates of hell, for them that will press in to God; they must endure many pangs, crushings and squeezings from the devil.
For the human flesh is very young and tender, and the devil is rough and hard, also dark, hot, bitter, astringent and cold, and so these two are very ill matched.
Therefore I seriously exhort the Reader, and would have him faithfully warned, as it were with a Preface to this great Mystery, that if he do not understand it, and yet longeth and would fain have the meaning or understanding thereof, that he would pray to God for his Holy Spirit, and that he would enlighten him with the same.
For without the illumination thereof you will not understand this Mystery; for there is a strong lock and bar before it in the spirit of man, that must be first unlocked or opened; and that, no man can do, for the Holy Ghost is the only key to do it withal.
Therefore if thou wilt have an open gate into the Deity, then thou must move, stir and walk in God's love; this I have set down here for thy consideration. Now observe:
Every angel is created in the seventh qualifying or fountain spirit [or faculty], which is NATURE, out of which his body is compacted or incorporated together, and his body is given him for a propriety, and the same is free to itself, as the whole Deity is free.
He has no impulse or driving, without or distinct from himself; his impulse and mobility stands in his body, which is of such a kind and manner as the whole God is; and his light and knowledge, as also his life, is generated in that manner as the whole divine being is generated.
For the body is the incorporated or compacted spirit of nature, and encompasseth or encloseth the other six spirits; these generate themselves in the body, just as it is in the Deity.
Now Lucifer had the fairest, most beautiful and most powerful body in heaven, of or among all the princes of God, and his light, which he has, and which is continually generated in his body, that [light] has incorporated itself with the Heart or Son of God, as if they were one thing.
But when he saw that he was so fair and beautiful, and found or felt his inward birth and great power or authority, then his spirit, which he had generated in his body, and which is his ANIMAL (or animated) or lifespirit, or son or heart, exalted itself, intending to triumph over the divine birth, and to lift up or extol itself above the Heart of God. [Note, The author calls the soulish birth the ANIMAL birth, from anima, which signifieth the soul; but seeing the Scripture otherwise understands by the word animal the perished or corrupted soul, or animalem hominem, the animal man, or the corrupted natural man, that is, the Adamical bestial man, and so he being advertised of it, he altered that expression, and used it no more any further.] Here observe the Depth.
In the middle or central fountain or wellspring, which is the heart, where the birth riseth up, the astringent or harsh quality rubs itself with the bitter and the hot; and there the light kindleth, which is the son, and of the son the light is always impregnated in its body, and that enlighteneth and makes it living.
Now that light in Lucifer was so fair, bright and beautiful, that he excelled the bright form of heaven, and in that light was perfect understanding; for all the seven qualifying or fountain spirits generate that same light.
But now the seven qualifying or fountain spirits are the father of the light, and may permit or suffer the birth of as much light as they please; and the light cannot exalt or raise itself higher than the qualifying or fountain spirits will permit or give it leave.
But when the light is generated, then it enlighteneth all the seven qualifying or fountain spirits, so that all seven are [become] understanding, and all seven do give their will to the birth of the light.
But now, every one has power and might to alter its will in the birth of the light, according as there is need: Now if that be so, then the spirit cannot triumph thus, but must lay down its splendour.
Therefore it is that all seven spirits are in full power, every one of them has the reins in its hand, that it may hold in and check the generated spirit from triumphing any higher than is fit for it.
But the seven spirits, which are in an angel, and which generate the light and understanding, are bound and united with the whole God, that they should not qualify any other way, either higher or more vehemently, than God himself; but that there should be one and the same manner and way between them both.
Seeing they are but a part or piece of the whole, and not the whole itself, for God has therefore created them out of himself, that they should qualify, operate or act in such a manner, form and way as God himself does.
But now the qualifying or fountain spirits in Lucifer did not so; but they, seeing that they sat in the highest primacy or rank, moved themselves so hard and strongly that the spirit which they generated was very fiery, and climbed up in the fountain of the heart, like a proud damsel or virgin.
If the qualifying or fountain spirits had moved, qualified or acted gently and lovely, as they did before they became creaturely (as they were universally in God, before the creation), then had they generated also a gentle, lovely, mild and meek son in themselves, which would have been like to the Son of God; and then the light in Lucifer and the light of the Son of God had been one thing, one qualifying, operating, acting and affecting, one and the same lovely kissing, embracing and struggling.
For the great light, which is the Heart of God, would have played meekly, mildly and lovingly with the small light in Lucifer, as with a young son, for the little son in Lucifer should have been the dear little brother of the Heart of God.
To this end God the Father has created the angels, that as he is manifold and various in his qualities, and in his alteration or variegation is incomprehensible in his loveplay, so the little spirits also, or the little lights of the angels, which are as the Son of God, should play or sport very gently or lovely in the great light before the Heart of God, that the joy in the Heart of God might here be increased, and that so there might be a holy sport, scene or play in God.
The seven spirits of nature in an angel should play and rise up gently in God their Father, as they had done before their creaturely being, and rejoice in their newborn son, which they have generated out of themselves, which is the light and understanding of their body.
That light should rise very gently or mildly in the Heart of God, and rejoice in the light of God, as a child with its mother; and so there should be a hearty loving and friendly kissing, a very meek and pleasant taste or relish.
In this the tone should rise up and sound, with singing and ringing forth, in praising and jubilating: also all the qualities should rejoice therein, and every spirit should exercise or practise its divine work or labour, as God the Father himself does.
For the seven spirits had this in perfect knowledge, for they were united and actuated with God the Father, so that they could all see, feel, taste, smell and hear what God their Father did, or wrought and made.
But when they elevated themselves in a sharp or strong kindling, then they did against nature's right otherwise than God their Father did, and this was a stirring quality or rising up against or contrary to the whole Deity.
For they kindled the Salitter of the body, and generated a high triumphing son, which in the astringent quality was hard, rugged or rough, dark and cold, and in the sweet was burning, bitter and fiery; the tone was a hard fiery noise; the love was a lofty enmity against God.
Here now stood the kindled bride in the seventh nature-spirit, like a proud beast; now she supposed she was beyond or above God, nothing was like her now: Love grew cold, the Heart of God could not touch it, for there was a contrary will or opposition between them. The Heart of God moved very meekly and lovingly, and the heart of the angel moved very darkly, hard, cold and fiery.
The Heart of God should now unite and qualify with the heart of the angel, but that could not be; for there was now hard against soft, and sour against sweet, and dark against light, and fire against a pleasant gentle warmth, and a hard knocking or rumbling against a loving melodious song. Question. Hearken, Lucifer, Where lies the fault now, that thou art become a devil? Is God in fault, as thou lyingly sayest? Answer.
O no, thou thyself art faulty, the qualifying or fountain spirits in thy body, which thou thyself art, have generated thee such a little son: Thou canst not say that God has kindled the Salitter out of which he made thee, but thy qualifying or fountain spirits have done it; whereas thou wert clearly before a prince and a king of God.
Therefore, when thou sayest God created thee thus, or that he has without sufficient cause spewed thee up out of thy place, then art thou a liar and murderer; for the whole heavenly host or army bears witness against thee, that thou hast thyself erected and prepared this fierce quality for thyself.
If it be not so, then go before the face of God, and justify thyself. But thou seest it plain enough without that; and besides, thou darest not look on that matter: Wouldst not thou fain have a friendly kiss of the Son of God, that thou mightest once be eased or refreshed? If thou art in the right, then do but once look upon HIM: Perhaps thou may be made sound or whole again.
But stay a little, another sitteth on thy throne, he is kissed, and he is an obedient son to his Father, and does as the Father does.
Stay yet a little while, and the hellish fire will kiss thee; in the meanwhile make much of this Latin, till more grows out of it; thou wilt suddenly lose thy crown. Now one might ask, What then, in Lucifer, is properly that Enmity against God, for which he was thrust and driven out of his Place?
Here I will shew you exactly the pith, kernel and heart of Lucifer, and then you will see what a devil is, or how he is become a devil. Therefore take heed, and do not invite or entertain him as a guest, for he is the archsworn enemy of God, and of all angels and men, and that in his eternity.
Now if thou understandest and apprehendest this aright, then thou wilt not make of God a devil, as some do, who say, God has created the evil, and that his will is that some men should be lost; which men, that say so, help to increase the devil's lies, and bring upon themselves the severe judgment, by their perverting God's truths, and so turning them into lies. Now observe:
The whole Deity has in its innermost or beginning birth, in the pith or kernel, a very tart, terrible sharpness, in which the astringent quality is a very horrible, tart, hard, dark and cold attraction or drawing together, like winter, when there is a fierce, bitter, cold frost, when water is frozen into ice, and besides it is very intolerable.
Then think or suppose, if in such a hard winter, when it is so cold, the sun should be taken away, what kind of hard frost, and how very rough, fierce and hard darkness would it be, wherein no life could subsist.
After such a manner and kind is the astringent quality in the innermost kernel or pith in itself, and to itself alone, without the other qualities in God; for the austereness or severity makes the attraction or drawing together, and fixation or glutinousness of the body, and the hardness drieth it up, so that it subsisteth as a creature.
And the bitter quality is a tearing, penetrating and cutting bitter quality or source: for it divideth and driveth forth from the hard and astringent quality, and makes the mobility.
Between these two qualities is heat generated from its hard and fierce bitter rubbing, tearing and raging, which riseth up in the bitter and hard quality, as a fierce wrathful kindling, and presseth quite through, as a hard fiery noise.
From whence existeth the hard tone, and in that rising up or climbing, it is environed and fixed in the astringent quality, so that it becometh a body which subsisteth.
Now if there were no other quality in this body, which could quench the fierceness of these four qualities, then there would be a perpetual enmity therein. For the bitter would be against the astringent, in that it stormeth or teareth so vehemently therein, and breaketh open the astringent.
Then the astringent also would be against the bitter, in that it attracteth, draweth together and holdeth fast the bitter captive, that it could not have its own course.
The heat would be against both, in that with its fierce, wrathful kindling and rising up it makes all hot, burning and raging, and is fully or totally against the cold.
So the tone would be a great enmity in all the others, in that it penetrateth forcibly through all, like a tyrant.
Thus, this is the very deepest and innermost hidden birth of God, according to which he calleth himself an angry zealous or jealous God, as may be seen by the Ten Commandments on mount Sinai.
In this quality stands hell and eternal perdition, as also the eternal enmity and murderous den, and such a creature the devil is come to be.
But now, seeing he is a sworn archenemy of God, and though indeed the disputants and helpers of the devil will needs force it so in arguments (that God willeth the good and also the evil, and that he has created some men to damnation), therefore and thereupon the spirit of God citeth them, upon pain of eternal enmity, to come before this looking-glass, wherein their heart shall be laid open; and they shall see what God is, and who the devil is, or how he is become a devil.
If thy heart be not bolted and barred up in death, through thy stubborn wilfulness and blasphemy, and drowned in horrible sins, purposing not to desist from them, or leave them, then awake, and behold; I take heaven and earth, also the stars and elements, and all the creatures, and man himself also in his whole substance, to witness, and so I will prove it also plainly and clearly in its due place, with all these forementioned things, especially when we come to treat of the creation of all the creatures.
If these things will not give thee satisfaction, then pray to God that he would open thy heart, and then thou wilt know and see heaven and hell, as also the whole Deity with all its qualities; and then no doubt thou wilt forbear, and justify the devil no more: I am not able to open thy heart for thee. Now observe the true birth or geniture of God. [Or the divine birth.]
Behold, as I have mentioned above, the birth or geniture of God in its innermost being, in these four qualities, is thus sharp or tart. Thou must understand it exactly.
The astringent quality is thus sharp in its own proper quality in itself, but it is not alone, or without the others; neither is it generated of or in itself, as being wholly free, but the other six spirits generate it, and they also hold it by the reins, and may let their reins and authority go as far only as they please.
For the sweet spring or fountain-water is suddenly a whip, scourge or lash upon the astringent quality, and mitigateth, softeneth or suppleth it, so that it grows very thin, gentle, mild and soft, as also very bright.
But that it is thus sharp in itself, is to the end that a body may be imaged or framed through its attracting or drawing together, otherwise the Deity would not subsist, much less a creature.
In this sharpness God is an all-comprehensible, and all-fixing or all-fastening sharp God: for the birth, geniture and sharpness of God is thus everywhere.
But if I should describe the Deity in its birth or geniture in a small round circle, in the highest depth, then it is thus: In a Similitude.
Suppose a WHEEL standing before thee, with seven wheels one so made in the other that it could go on all sides, forward, backward and cross ways, without need of any turning back or stopping. See Ch. 19, par. 81 et seq.
In its going, that always-one wheel, in its turning about, generateth the others, and yet none of them vanish out of sight, but that all seven be visible or in sight.
The seven wheels always generating the naves in the midst or centre according to their turning about, so that the nave stand always free without alteration or removing, whether the wheels go forward or backward or cross ways or upward or downward.
The nave always generating the spokes, so that in their turning about they stand right and direct from the nave to the fellies of the wheel: and yet none of the spokes to be out of sight, but still turning about thus one with another, going whithersoever the wind driveth it, and that without need of any turning back or stopping. Now observe what I shall inform you in the application of this.
The seven wheels are the seven spirits of God, the one always generating the others, and are like the turning about of a wheel, which has seven wheels one in another, and the one always wheeleth itself otherwise than the others in its station or position, and the seven wheels are hooped round with fellies, like a round globe.
And yet that a man may see all the seven wheels turning round about severally apart, as also the whole fitness or compass of the frame, with all its fellies and spokes and naves.
The seven naves in the midst or centre being as it were one nave, which does fit everywhere in the turning about, and the wheels continually generating these naves, and the naves generating the spokes continually in all the seven wheels, and yet none of the wheels, as also none of the naves, nor any of the fellies or spokes, to be out of sight, and as if this wheel had seven wheels, and yet were all but one wheel, and went always forward, whithersoever the wind drove it. Now behold, and consider:
The seven wheels one in another, the one always generating the others, and going on every side, and yet none out of sight, or turning back; these are the seven qualifying or fountain spirits of God the Father.
They generate in the seven wheels in each wheel a nave, and yet there are not seven naves, but one only, which fitteth in all the seven wheels: This is the heart or innermost body of the wheels, wherein the wheels run about, and that signifieth the Son of God.
For all the seven spirits of God the Father generate continually in their circle, and that is the Son of all the seven spirits, and all those qualify or act in his light, and [the Son] is in the midst or centre of the birth, and holds together all the seven spirits of God, and they in their birth turn about therewith thus.
That is, they climb either upward or downward, backward or forward, or crossways, and so the Heart of God is always in the midst or centre, and fitteth itself to every qualifying or fountain spirit.
Thus there is one Heart of God, and not seven, which is always generated from all the seven, and is the heart and life of all the seven.
Now the spokes, which are always generated from the naves and wheels, and which fit themselves to all the wheels in their turning, and are their root, stay and fastening in which they stand, and out of which they are generated, signify God the Holy Ghost, which goeth forth from the Father and the Son, even as the spokes go out from the nave and wheel, and yet abide also in the wheel.
Now as the spokes are many, and go always about with and in the wheel, so the Holy Ghost is the workmaster in the wheel of God, and formeth, imageth and frameth all in the whole or total God.
Now this wheel has seven wheels one in another, and one nave, which fitteth itself to all the seven wheels, and all the seven wheels turn on that one nave: Thus God is one God, with seven qualifying or fountain spirits one in another, where always one generateth the others, and yet is but one God, just as these seven wheels are but one wheel. Now observe:
The wheel in its incorporated structure and frame signifieth the astringent quality, which attracteth or draweth together the whole corporeal being of the Deity, and holdeth it, and drieth it, so that it subsisteth.
The sweet spring or fountain-water is generated by the driving about or rising up of the spirits, for when the light is generated in the heat, then the astringent quality is amazed or terrified for great joy, and this is a submitting or lying down or growing thin, and the hard corporeal being sinketh down like a meekness or mildness.
Now the terror or the glance of the light riseth up in the astringent quality very gently and shivering, and trembleth, which now in the water is bitter, and the light drieth it, and makes it friendly and sweet.
Therein stands life and joy; for the terror or flash riseth up in all the qualities, like the wheel before mentioned which turneth about, and then there all the seven spirits rise up one in another, and generate themselves, as in a circle, and the light is shining in the midst or centre of the seven spirits, and reshineth back again in all the spirits, and all the spirits triumph therein, and rejoice in the light.
As the seven wheels turn about upon one nave, as upon their heart, which holds them, and they hold the nave, so the seven spirits generate the heart, and the heart holds the seven spirits, and so there arise voices, and divine joy fulness of hearty loving and kissing.
For when the spirits with their light move or boil, turn about and rise one in another, then the life is always generated; for one spirit always affordeth to the others its taste or relish, that is, it is affected by the others.
Thus one tasteth and feeleth another, and in the sound one heareth another, and the tone presseth forth from all the seven spirits towards the heart, and riseth up in the heart in the flash of the light, and then rise up the voices and joyfulness of the Son of God; and all the seven spirits triumph and rejoice in the Heart of God, each according to its quality.
For in the light in the sweet water all astringency and hardness and bitterness and heat are mitigated and made pleasant, and so there is in the seven spirits nothing else but a pleasant striving, struggling and wonderful generating, like a divine holy sport or scene of God.
But their sharp or tart birth, of which I have written above, abideth hidden as a kernel, for it becometh mitigated by the light and the sweet water.
Just as a sour bitter green apple is forced by the sun, that it becometh very pleasant or lovely to be eaten, and yet all its qualities are tasted; so the Deity keepeth its qualities also, but striveth or struggles gently, like a pleasant lovely sport or scene.
But if the qualifying or fountain spirits should extol or lift up themselves, and penetrate suddenly one into another, driving hard, rubbing and thronging, crowding or squeezing, then the sweet water would be squeezed out, and the fierce heat would be kindled, and then would rise up the fire of the seven spirits, as it did in Lucifer.
This is now the true birth or geniture of the Deity, which has been so from eternity in all corners and places whatsoever, and abideth so in all eternity.
But in the kingdom of Lucifer, the destroyer, it is otherwise, as I have written above concerning the fierceness; and in this world, which is now half kindled also, it is likewise after another manner, and will be so till the day of the restitution; of which I shall write when I treat concerning the creation of this world.
Now in this glorious, lovely and heavenly Salitter or divine qualities, the kingdom of Lucifer also was created without any greater motion than in the others.
For when Lucifer was created, he was altogether perfect, and was the fairest prince in heaven, adorned and endued with the fairest clarity or brightness of the Son of God.
But if Lucifer had been spoiled or destroyed in the moving of the creation, as he pretendeth, then he had never had his perfection, beauty and clarity, but would have been presently a fierce dark devil, and not a Cherubim. Of the glorious Birth and Beauty of King Lucifer.
Behold, thou murderous and lying spirit! here I will describe thy royal birth, how thou wert in thy creation, how God created thee, and how thou becamest so beautiful, and to what end God created thee.
If thou sayest any other thing than this, which heaven and earth and all the creatures testify, then thou liest; nay, the whole Deity testifieth against thee, that God created thee for his praise out of himself, to be a prince and king of God, as he did prince Michael, and prince Uriel. Now observe:
When the Deity moved itself to creation, and would form, image or frame creatures in its body, it kindled not the qualifying spirits, else they would have burnt eternally, but it stirred them very gently or softly in the astringent quality.
That drew or attracted the divine Salitter together, and dried it, so that it became a body, and so the whole divine power of all the seven qualifying or fountain spirits of that place or room, as far as that of the angels reached, was captivated in the body, and became the propriety of the body, which neither can nor will be destroyed again in eternity, but will remain the body's propriety or proper own in eternity.
Now the captivated or incorporated power of all the seven qualifying or fountain spirits had its propriety in the body, and is risen in the body, and has generated itself in the same manner as the whole Deity generateth itself from all the seven qualifying or fountain spirits.
One quality has always generated the others alike, and none of them have vanished or gone out of sight, just as it is in the whole God; and then the whole body, as it is also in the Ternary, generated itself just as the Deity generateth itself, without or distinct from the body in the Ternary.
But this I must mention here, viz. that Lucifer, the king, was incorporated together out of his whole kingdom, as the heart of the whole place or room thereof, so far as his whole angelical host or army reached when it was created, and so far as that circumference or circle, region or quarter reached, wherein he with his angels became a creature, and which God before the time of creation had enclosed or concluded as a room or space for a kingdom, whose circuit or extent comprehendeth heaven and this world, as also the deep of the earth, and of the whole circle, sphere or circumference of this whole world of the heavens and stars.
According to the qualities were his [Lucifer's] qualifying or fountain princes created, which are his kingly counsellors, and so also were all his angels created.
Yet you are to know that every angel has all the seven spirits in him, but one of the seven is chief or principal. Now behold!
When the king was thus incorporated or compacted together, as one comprehending his whole kingdom, then instantly, the same hour, and in the same moment, when he was incorporated or compacted together, the birth of the Holy Trinity of God, which he had for a propriety in his body, rose up and generated itself without, distinct from the creature, in God. ["Understand, for a propriety in the liberty, not essentially, but as the fire shineth forth or gloweth through the iron that is flaming hot, and the iron remaineth iron still; or as the light replenisheth or filleth the darkness, the dark source or quality being changed into light, and so becometh joyful, and yet in the centre remaineth a darkness, which is understood to be nature; for a spirit is replenished only with the Majesty."]
For in the driving together of the body, presently likewise rose up the birth also in great triumph, as in a newborn king, in God; and all the seven qualifying or fountain spirits shewed themselves very joyful and triumphing.
And instantly, in the same moment, the light was generated and rose up out of the seven spirits in the centre of the heart, as a newborn son of the king, which also instantly, in a moment, transfigured the body of all the seven qualifying or fountain spirits from the centre of the heart; and externally from without the light of the Son of God transfigured it.
For the birth of the new son in the heart of Lucifer also penetrated through the whole body, and was glorified from the Son of God, which was without, distinct from the body, and was in a friendly manner welcomed with the greatest beauty of heaven, according to the beauty of God the Son, and it was to him as a loving heart or propriety, with which the whole Deity qualified or operated.
Then instantly the spirit of the newborn son in the heart also went forth from the light of Lucifer through his mouth, and united, qualified or cooperated with the holy Spirit of God, and was with highest joy received and embraced, as a dear little brother.
Now here stands the beauteous bride: what shall I write of her now? was she not a Prince of God, as also the most beautiful, moreover, in God's love also, and as a dear son of the creatures? Of the horrible, proud, and henceforth doleful lamentable Beginning of Sin. The highest Depth. Observe here:
When king Lucifer was thus fairly, gloriously, beauteously, highly and holily framed or built, he should surely have now begun to praise, honour and magnify his Creator; and should do that which God his Creator does.
Viz. God his Creator qualifieth or operateth very meekly, lovingly and joyfully, and one qualifying or fountain spirit of God always loveth the other, and infecteth itself with the other, and always helpeth the other to image, form and frame all in the heavenly pomp.
Whereby in the heavenly pomp such fair beauteous forms, ideas, figures and vegetations always spring up, as also various colours and fruits; and this the qualifying or fountain spirits of God do in God, as a holy play, sport or scene. Now behold!
Seeing then God had incorporated or compacted together out of himself eternal creatures, they should not qualify or operate in the heavenly pomp in such a way and manner as to be like God himself.
No, by no means; for they were not thus imaged or framed for that end: For the Creator had for this cause incorporated or compacted the body of an angel together, to be more dry than he [the Creator] is in his body, that he might be and remain to be God; so that the qualities should be harder and tougher, that the tone or sound might be audible.
So that when the seven qualities in an angel, in the centre of the heart, do generate the light and the spirit or understanding, that then that same spirit, which in the light of the heart goeth forth at the mouth of the angel, in the divine power, should, as an audible sound in the power of all the qualities in God, sing and ring forth as a melodious music, and in the forming, imaging, framing or qualifying of God, rise up as a pleasant, hearty, loving voice, in Gods forming.
And when the Holy Ghost formeth the heavenly fruit, then should the tone, which should rise up in the praising of God from the angels, be also together in the forming or imaging of the fruit; and so on the other side again, the fruit should be the food of the angels.
Therefore also we pray in Our Father, [Matt vi. 11] saying, GIB uns unser taglich Brodt (GIVE us our daily bread) so that the tone or word, GIB (GIVE), which we thrust forth from our centre of the light, through the animated, animal or soulish [psychical] spirit, out at the mouth forth from us, into the divine power, should, in the divine power, as a fellowforming [coforming] or fellowgenerating [cogenerating], help to image or frame unser taglich, Brodt (our daily bread), which afterwards Der Vater gibet Uns (the Father giveth to us) for food.
Then, when our tone is thus incorporated in God's tone, so that the fruit is formed, imaged or framed, it must needs be wholesome or healthful for us, and so we are in God's love, and have that food to make use of, as by the right of nature, being our spirit in God's love did help to image and form the same.
Herein stands the innermost and greatest depth of God. O man, consider thyself! I will more largely declare it in its due place.
Now for such an end has God created the angels, and they do so too: for their spirit, which in the centre or heart goeth forth from their light in the power of all the seven qualifying or fountain spirits, that goeth forth at their mouth, as God the Holy Ghost goeth forth from the Father and Son, and helpeth to form, image or frame all in God (that is to say, in the divine nature) through the Mercurius, song and speaking and sport or scene of joy.
For as God works in nature to the producing of all manner of forms, ideas, images, vegetations, springings, fruits and colours, so do the angels also, in very great simplicity or sincerity; and though they should scarce touch the least twig, or scarce rejoice in the beauteous flowers in the heavenly May, and discourse and confer never so little, weakly, meanly or simply thereof; yet nevertheless that very tone or speech riseth up together in the divine Salitter, and helpeth to coimage and frame or form all.
Thou hast many examples thereof in this world, that if some creature or man look upon a thing, it perishes because of the poison or venom in the creature: On the other side again, some men, as also beasts and other creatures, can with their tone or words change or alter the malignity or evil of a thing, and bring it into a right form.
That now is the divine power, which all the creatures are subjected to; for all whatsoever it is that liveth and moveth is in God, and God himself is all, and all whatsoever is formed or framed, is formed out of HIM, be it either out of love or out of wrath. The HeadSpring or FountainVein of Sin.
Now Lucifer being so royally imaged or framed, that his spirit in his forming and imaging rose up in him, and was received or embraced of God very excellently and lovingly, and was set or put into glorification, then instantly he should have begun his angelical obedience and course, and should have moved (as God himself did) as a loving son in the house of his Father; and that he did not.
But when his light was generated in him in his heart, and that his qualifying spirits were instantly affected or environed with the high light, they then became so highly rejoicing that they elevated themselves in their body against the right of nature, and presently began as it were a higher, statelier, more pompous or active qualifying or operation than God himself exercised.
But these spirits elevating themselves thus, and triumphing so eagerly and vehemently one in another, and rising up against the right of nature, by that means they kindled the qualifying or fountain spirits an exceeding deal too much; viz. the astringent quality attracted or compacted the body too hard together, so that the sweet water was dried up.
And the powerful and great bright flash, which was risen up in the sweet water in the heat, from whence the bitter quality existeth in the sweet water, that rubbed itself so horribly hard with the astringent quality, as if it would break in pieces for great joy.
For the flash was so bright, that it was as it were intolerable to the qualifying or fountain spirits, and therefore the bitter quality or source trembled and rubbed itself so hard in the astringent, that the heat was kindled contrary to the right of nature, and the astringent also dried up the sweet water by its hard attracting together.
But now the quality of heat was so severe, furious and eager, that it bereaved the astringent quality or source of its power; for the heat existeth in the fountain or source of the sweet water.
But the sweet water being dried up through the astringent attracting together, therefore could not the heat any more rise to a flame or to any light (for the light existeth in the unctuosity or oiliness of the water), but glowed like a redhot iron, or like iron not quite glowing, but very dimly and darkly; or as if you should put a very hard stone into the fire, and should let it lie there in great heat as long as you please, yet it would not be glowing light, because it has too little water or oiliness in it.
Thus now the heat kindled the dried water, and the light could no more elevate and kindle itself, for the water was dried up, and was quite consumed by the fire or great heat.
The meaning is not here, as if the spirit of the water were swallowed up or devoured, which dwelleth in all the seven qualities, but its quality or upper place or predominancy was changed into a dusky hot and sour quality.
For here in this place the sour quality has taken its first original and beginning, which now also is inherited in this world, which is not in heaven in God after such a manner at all, nor in any angel; for it is and signifieth the house of affliction, trouble and misery, and is a forgetfulness of all good.
Now when this was done, the qualifying or fountain spirits rubbed themselves one upon another in that manner and way as I have mentioned above, concerning the figure of the sevenfold wheel, for they ever do, and rise up one in another, to taste one another, or to affect one another, from whence life and love exist.
Now in all the spirits there was nothing else but a mere hot, fiery, cold and hard corruption, and so one evil quality tasted the others, whereby the whole body grew so very fierce and wrathful; for the heat was against the cold, and the cold against the heat.
So the sweet water being dried up, the bitter quality (which existed and was generated by the first flash, when the light kindled itself) rose up in the body through all the spirits, as if it would destroy the body, and so raved and raged like the rankest or worst poison.
From thence existed the first poison, wherein we poor men now in this world have enough to chew upon, and thereby the bitter poisonous death is come into the flesh.
Now in this raging and tearing the life of Lucifer was generated, that is, his dear little son in the circle or centre of his heart; and what manner of life and dear little son came to be, I offer to any rational soul to consider of.
For such as the father was, such was the son also, viz. a dark, astringent, cold, hard, bitter, hot, sour, stinking fountain or source, and the love stood in the bitter quality, in its penetrating taste and relish, and became an enmity against all the qualifying or fountain spirits in the body of the highminded arrogant king.
Thus the tone rose up through the penetrating of the bitter quality through the heat and dried water, and through the astringent hard quality, into the heart, into the little, new, dear son.
Here the spirit went forth, and as he was generated in the heart, so he went forth now at the mouth; but how welcome a guest he was before God, and in God, also before the holy angels of the other kingdoms, I leave to thee to consider of.