Jacob Boehme's Aurora
Chapter 20: Of the Second Day
It is written thus, concerning the second Day: 'And God said, let there be a Firmament in the Midst of the Waters, and let it be a Distinction or Division between the Waters: So there God made the Firmament, and divided the Waters under the Firmament, from the Waters above the Firmament, and it was so done. And God called the Firmament, Heaven; and so out of the Evening and the Morning the second Day came to be.'
This Description shows once more, that the dear Man Moses was not the original Author thereof; for it is very obscurely, and not fully expressed, though indeed it has a very excellent Understanding and Meaning. [See ch. 21. v. 1. 11. ch. 26. v. 122, 123. and first Apology for Balthazar Tÿlchen, Part 2. No 15.] And
without Doubt the Holy Ghost would not have it revealed, left the Devil should know all the Mysteries in the Creation. For the Devil does not know the Creation of the Light, viz. how Heaven is made out of the Midst or Center of the Water.
For he can neither see nor comprehend, or apprehend the Light and holy Generation or Production, which stands in the Water of the Heaven, but the Generation or Production only which stands in the astringent, bitter, four, and hot Quality, from whence exists the outworn Birth or Geniture, which is his royal Fort or Castle.
The Meaning is not, that he has no Power in the elementary Water, to possess it; for the outworn corrupted Birth or Geniture in the elementary Water belongs also to the Wrath of God, and Death is also therein, as well as in the Earth.
But the Spirit in Moses means here quite another Sort of Water; which the Devil can neither understand, nor comprehend: But if it should have been declared so long a Time ago, then the Devil would have learned it from Man, and had without Doubt strowed his hellish Chaff also into it.
Therefore the Holy Ghost has kept it hidden almost till the last Hour before the Evening, wherein his thousand Years are accomplished, and then he must be let loose again for a little Season, as is to be read in the Revelation. ["After that Summer, comes the last Winter; but the Sun will shine warm yet, before that Time."] [Rev. 20. 3.]
But seeing he is now loose from the Chains of Darkness, God causes Lights to be set up every where in this World, whereby Men might learn to know him, and his Feats and Wiles, and beware of him.
Whither he be loose or no, I offer it to every one to consider; view but the World in the clear Light, and thou wilt find, that at present the four new Sons which the Devil generated when he was thrust out of Heaven, govern the World, viz. 1. Pride, 2. Covetousness, 3. Envy, 4. Wrath; these rule the World at present, and are the Devil's Heart, his animated or soulful Spirit.
Therefore view the World very well, and then thou wilt find, that it fully qualifies, unites, and co-works with these four new Sons of the Devil. Therefore Men have cause to look circumspectly to themselves. For this is the Time, of which all the Prophets have prophesied; and Christ in the Gospel, saying; 'Thinkest thou, that the Son of Man will find any Faith, when he shall come again to judge the World?' [Luke 18. 8.]
The World supposes, that it flourishes now, and stands in its Honor, because the clear Light has moved over it. But the Spirit shows to me, that it stands in the Midst or Center of Hell.
For it forsakes the Love, and hangs on Covetousness, Extortion and Bribery; there is no Mercy at all therein: Every one cries out, If I had but Money! Those that are in Authority and Power suck the very Marrow from the Bones of Men of low Degree and Rank, and feed upon the Sweat of their Brows. Briefly, there is nothing else but lying, cozening, robbing and murdering, and so may very justly be called the Devil's Nest and Dwelling-house.
The Holy Light is now a-days accounted a mere History and bare Knowledge, and that the Spirit will not work therein; and yet they suppose, that is Faith which they profess with their Mouths.
O thou blind and foolish World! full of Devils. It is not Faith, to know that Christ died for thee, and has shed his Blood for thee, that thou mightest be saved: This in thee is but a mere History and Knowledge, the Devil also knows as much, but it profits him nothing; so thou also, thou foolish World, goest no further, but contentest thyself with the bare Knowledge, and therefore this thy Knowledge will judge thee.
But if thou wouldst know what the true Faith is, then observe: Thy Heart must not qualify or co-operate with the four Sons of the Devil, in Pride, Covetousness, Envy, Wrath, Extortion, Oppression, Lying, Deceiving, Murder, and tearing the Bread out of thy Neighbour's Throat, studying Day and Night to do Mischief, in bringing subtle Devices and Designs to effect, that thou mayest give Satisfaction to the proud, covetous, envious, and wrathful Devils, to court them, and exercise thyself in worldly Pleasures and Voluptuousness.
For thus saith the Spirit in its Zeal, or in the Jealousy of God's Wrath in this World: While thy Spirit and Will qualifies or co-operates with and in the four Abominations of the Devil, thou art not one Spirit with God: And saith the Spirit, Though thou presentest me every Hour with thy Lips, and prayest and bowest thy Knees before me, yet I will accept none of thy Labour: Is not thy Breath however continually before me? What shall thy Incense be to me in my fierce Wrath? Dost thou think, I will receive the Devil into myself, or exalt Hell into Heaven?
Convert! Convert! and strive against the Malice and Wickedness of the Devil, and incline thine Heart towards the LORD thy GOD, and walk in his Will. If thy Heart will incline to me, saith the Spirit, then will I also incline to thee: Or dost thou think, that I am false and wicked as thou art?
Therefore I say now, if thy Heart does not qualify, mix, or co-operate with God in thy Knowledge out of a true Purpose of Love, then thou art a Dissembler, Lyar, and Murderer in the sight of God. For God does not hear any Man's Prayer, unless his Heart be fully directed and bent in Obedience to God.
Wouldst thou fight against the Wrath of God? Then thou must put on the Helmet of Obedience, and not of Love, otherwise thou wilt not break through; and if thou dost not break through, then thou fightest in vain, and remainest to be a Servant or Minister of the Devil, in one Way as well as in the other.
What will thy Knowledge do thee good, if thou wilt not strive and fight therein? It is just as if one knew of a great Treasure, and would not go for it; but though he knows he might have it, would rather starve for Hunger in the bare knowing of it.
Thus saith the Spirit, Many Heathens, who have not thy Knowledge, and yet strive or fight against the Wrath, will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before thee.
For who shall judge them, if their Hearts qualify, unite, or operate with God? For though they do not know him, and yet work and labour in his Spirit, in Righteousness, and in the Purity of their Heart, in true Love one to another, they testify assuredly, that the Law of God is in their Heart. [Rom. 2. 15. they testify assuredly, that the Law of God is in their Heart.]
But seeing thou knowest it, and dost it not, and the other know it not, but yet do it, they with their Doing judge thy Knowledge; and thou art found to be a Hypocrite, Dissembler, and an unprofitable Servant, who wast put into the Vineyard of the Lord, and will not work therein.
What dost thou suppose the Master of the House will say to thee, when he shall require and demand his Talent which he entrusted thee with, thou having buried it in the Earth? Will he not say, Thou perverse wicked Servant, why didst thou not put my Talent out upon use, and then I could have demanded the Principle and the interest or Profit? Note:
And so the sufferings of Christ will be quite taken from thee, and will be given to the Heathens, who had but one Talent, and yet made five good for it to the Master of the House; and thou must howl with bite Dogs.
Now observe,
If we will rightly consider, how God separated the Water under the Firmament, from the Water above the Firmament, then great Things are to found therein.
For the Water which rests on the Earth, is as a corrupt, perished, and mortal or dead Being, or Thing, as the Earth is, and belongs also to the outermost Birth, which with its Comprehensibility, or as to its Palpability, stands in Death, even as the Earth and Stones do.
The Meaning is not, that it is quite reprobated, rejected or thrust out from God; for the Heart therein belongs yet to the astral Birth or Geniture, out of which the holy Birth becomes generated.
But Death stands in the outermost Birth, and therefore is the palpable Water separated from the impalpable.
Now thou wilt say. How is that?
Answer.
Behold the Water in the Deep above the Earth, which qualifies, mixes, or unites with the elementary Air and Fire, that is the Water of the astral Birth or Geniture, wherein stands the astral Life, and wherein especially the Holy-Ghost moves, and through which the third and innermost Birth does generate incomprehensibly, as to the Wrath of God therein: And that Water to our Eyes seems like the Air.
But that Water, Air, and Fire, are one in another, in the Deep above the Earth, every intelligent Man may see and understand.
For thou seest that often the whole Deep is very clear and pure, and in a Quarter of an Hour is covered with watery Clouds: that is, when the Stars from above, and the Water upon the Earth from beneath, kindle themselves, and so Water is suddenly there also generated; which would not be, if the Wrath did not also stand in the astral Birth or Geniture.
But seeing all is corrupted, therefore must the upper Water in the Wrath of God come to help the astringent, bitter, and hot Quality of the Earth, and allay, mitigate, and quench its Fire, so that the Life may always be generated, and that the holy Birth between Death and the Wrath of God may be generated also.
But that also the Element of Fire is, and rules in the Deep of the Air and Water, thou seest in Tempests of Lightning; also thou perceivest, how the Light of the Sun kindles the Element of Fire on the Earth with its Reflection, although many times aloft in the upper Region towards the Moon it is very cold.
But now God separated the palpable Water from the impalpable, and placed the palpable on the Earth, and the impalpable remained still in the Deep, in its own Seat, as it had been from Eternity.
But seeing the Wrath also is in that Water in the Deep above the Earth, therefore constantly through the Kindling of the Stars, and of the Water in the Wrath, such palpable Water generates itself, which with its outermost Birth stands in Death.
Which seeing it qualifies or unites with its innermost Birth of the astral Birth or Geniture, it comes to help the Salitter of the corrupted Earth, and quenches its Wrath, whereby in the astral Birth or Geniture all stands in the Life, and so the Earth generates the Life through the Death.
The Gate of the Mystery.
But that there is a Firmament between the Waters, which Firmament is called Heaven, it has this Understanding or Meaning.
The whole Deep, from the Moon to the Earth, stands all with its Working in the wrathful and comprehensible, or palpable Birth or Geniture; for the Moon is the Goddess of the palpable Birth, and to the House of the Devils, of Death, and of Hell, is in the Circuit, Orb, or Extent between the Moon and the Earth.
Where therefore the fierce Wrath of God in the outermost Birth or Geniture, in the Deep, becomes daily kindled, and blown up by the Devil's, and all wicked Men, through the great Sins of Man, which still qualify, mix, unite, or co-operate with the astral Birth or Geniture in the Deep. Now
therefore God has made the Firmament, which is called Heaven, between the outermost and innermost Birth, and that is a Partition or Division between the outermost and innermost Birth or Geniture.
For, the outermost Birth of the Water cannot comprehend the innermost Birth of the Water, which is called Heaven, and which is made out of the Midst or Center of the Water. [“
Heaven is the Firmament, viz. the Fire-sea, or Sea of Fire, out of the seven Spirits of Nature, out of which the Stars as a Quintessence were concreted, incorporated, or created by the Word FIAT: And it has or contains both Fire and Water, and hangs in itself inwardly on the first Principle, and shall bring its Wonders, with or as to the Figure of them, into the Eternal; but its Birth or Geniture fades or passes away.”]
Now the innermost Birth of Heaven reflects strongly upon the Earth, and holds the outermost Water upon the Earth, together with the Earth also, strongly captive. And
if that were not, then with the Revolution of the Globe of the Earth the Water would be divided or dissolved again; also then would the Earth crumble, break, and moulder away in the Deep, [and all would be a Chaos again.] But now
therefore that Firmament, between the outermost palpable Water and the inward, holds the Earth and the palpable Water captive.
But now thou mayest ask, What Kind of Firmament of Heaven then is that, which I can neither see nor apprehend?
Answer.
It is the Firmament between the clear Deity and the corrupt Nature, which thou must break through when thou intendest to come to God; and it is that very Firmament which does not quite stand in the Wrath, neither is it altogether or perfectly pure; concerning which it is written, 'The very Heavens are not pure in the Sight of God.' And at the last Judgment-Day the Wrath will be purged from them. For it is written, Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but my Word shall not pass away, says Christ. [Mark 13. 31.] [Matth. 24. 35.] [Job 15. 15.]
Now that Impurity in that Heaven is the Wrath; but the Purity is the Word of God, which he once spoke, saying; 'Let the Water under the Firmament be separated from the Water above the Firmament.' And that Word stands, and is comprised in the Firmament of the Water, and holds the outward Water, together with the Earth, captive or fixed.
The Gate of the Deity.
Observe here the hidden Mystery of God.
[Gen. 1.]
When thou beholdest the Deep above the Earth, thou oughtest not to say, that it is not the Gate of God, where God in his Holiness dwells: No, no, think not so; for the whole holy Trinity, God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, dwells in the Center under the Firmament of Heaven, but that very Firmament cannot comprehend him.
Indeed, all is as it were one Body, the outermost and innermost Birth, together with the Firmament of Heaven, as also the astral Birth therein, in and with which the Wrath of God also qualifies, mixes, and unites; but yet they are one to another as the Government, Frame, or Constitution in Man.
*
The Flesh signifies, 1. The outward Birth or Geniture, which is the House of Death. 2. The second Birth or Geniture in Man is the astral, in which the Life stands, and wherein Love and Wrath wrestle one with another; and thus far Man himself knows himself; for the astral Birth generates the Life in the outermost, that is, in the dead Flesh. 3. The third Birth is generated between the astral and outermost, and that is called the animated or soulish Birth or Geniture, or the Soul, and is as large as the whole Man. [Note, three sorts of Births or Genitures in Man.]
And that Birth or Geniture the outward Man neither knows nor comprehends; neither does the astral comprehend it, but every qualifying or fountain Spirit comprehends only its innate or instant Root, which signifies or resembles the Heaven.
And that animated or soulish Man must press through the Firmament of Heaven to God, and live with God, else the whole Man cannot come into Heaven to God. †
For every Man that desires to be saved, must with his innate infant Births or Genitures be as the whole Deity with all the three Births in this World is. [See ch. 10. Vulg. 55. 52.]
Man cannot be absolutely or wholly pure without Wrath and Sin, for the Births of the Depth in this World are not fully pure before the Heart of God; but always Love and Wrath wrestle one with another, whence God is called "an angry zealous God." [Job 15:15. Exod. 20:5. Deut. 5:9.]
Now as a Man is in the Government or Order of his Nativity, Birth or Geniture, just so also is the whole Body of God in or of this World; but in the Water stands the meek Life.
As, I. First in the outward Body of God, in or of this World, there is the congealed, astringent, bitter, and hot Death, in which the palpable Water is also congealed and dead. And
therein now is the Darkness, wherein King Lucifer with his Angels, as also all fleshly or carnal wicked Men, lie captive, even with or in their living Bodies, as also the separated Spirits of damned Men.
This Birth can neither see, hear, feel, smell nor comprehend the Heart of God, but is a foolish Virgin, which King Lucifer in his Pride has caused to be so. [Or Folly,] And
II. The second Birth is the astral, which thou must understand to be the Life of the seven qualifying or fountain Spirits, wherein now the Love and the Wrath are against one another; therein stands the upper Water, which is a Spirit of the Life, and therein, or between, is the Firmament of Heaven, which is made out of the Midst or Center of the Water.
Now this Birth or Geniture presses through the outward congealed Birth quite through Death, and generates the astral Life in the Death, that is, in the congealed Earth, Water, and Flesh, of the Beasts and of Men, also of the Fowls, Fishes, and Worms, or creeping Things. And
the Devil can reach half into this Birth, so far as the Wrath comprehends or reaches, and no deeper, and thus far goes his Dwelling, and no deeper; therefore the Devil cannot know how the other Part in this Birth has a Root; and so far Man is come in his Knowledge from the Beginning of the World to this Time, since his Fall. But the other Root, called the Heaven, the Spirit has kept that hidden and concealed from Man till this time, lest the Devil should have learned it from Man, and should have strewed Poison into it for Man before his Eyes.
This other Part of the astral Birth, which stands in the Love in the sweet Water, is the Firmament of Heaven, which holds the kindled Wrath together with all the Devils captive, for they cannot enter thereinto; and in that Heaven dwells the Holy Spirit, which goes forth from the Heart of God, and strives or fights against the Fierceness, and generates to himself a Temple in the Midst, in the Fierceness of the Wrath of God.
And in this Heaven dwells the Man that fears God, even with and in the living Body; for that Heaven is as well in Man, as in the Deep above the Earth. And as the Deep above the Earth is, so is Man also both in Love and Wrath, till after the Departure of the Soul; but then when the Soul departs from the Body, then it abides either only in the Heaven of Love, or only in the Heaven of Wrath. [f Or alive in the Body here upon Earth.]
That Part which it here has comprehended in its Departure, that is now its eternal, permanent, incessant Dwelling-house, and from thence it can never get; for there is a great 'Cliff between them and the other,' as Christ speaks of the rich Man. [† Luke 16. 26.]
And in this Heaven the holy Angels dwell amongst us, and the Devils in the other Part: And in this Heaven Man lives between Heaven and Hell, and must endure and suffer from the Fierceness many hard Blows, Temptations, Persecutions, and many Times, Torments and Squeezings.
The Wrath is called the Cross, and the Love-Heaven is called Patience, and the Spirit that rises up therein is called Hope and Faith, which qualifies, mixes, or unites with God, and wrestles with the Wrath till it overcomes and gets the Victory. [
- 1. Cross.
- 2. Patience.
- 3. Hope.
- 4. Faith.
* 1 John 5. 4.]
And herein lies the whole Christian Doctrine: He that teaches otherwise, does not know what he teaches, for his Doctrine has no Foot, Ground or Foundation, and his Heart always totters, wavers, and doubts, and knows not what it should do.
For his Spirit always seeks for Rest, but finds it not, for it is impatient, and always seeks after Novelties, or some new Thing; and when it finds somewhat, it amuses itself therewith, as if it had found some new Treasure, and yet no Stedfastness, Stability or Certainty in him, but he seeks continually for Abstinence or for a Diversion.
O ye Theologians, the Spirit here opens a Door and Gate for you: If you will not now see, and feed your Sheep and Lambs on a green Meadow, but on a dry, parched Heath, you must be accountable for it before the severe earnest and wrathful Judgment of God; therefore look to it.
I take Heaven to witness that I perform here what I must do; for the Spirit drives me to it, so that I am wholly captivated therewith, and cannot be freed from it, whatever may befal me hereafter, or ensue upon it.
The Holy Gate.
III. The third Birth or Geniture in the Body of God, in or of this World, is under the Firmament of Heaven, hidden or concealed; and the Firmament of Heaven qualifies, mixes, or unites therewith, but yet not fully bodily, but creaturely, as the Angels and the Souls of Men do.
And this third Birth or Geniture is the almighty and holy Heart of God, wherein our King Jesus Christ with his natural Body sits at the right Hand of God, as a King and Lord of the whole Body or Place of this World, who encompasses, holds and preserves all with his Heart.
And this Firmament of Heaven is his Throne or Footstool, and the qualifying or fountain Spirits of his natural Body rule in the whole Body of this World, and all is tied, bound, or united with them, whatsoever stands in the astral Birth in the Part of Love: The other Part of this World is tied, bound, and united with the Devil.
Thou must not think, as Johannes Calvus or Calvinus thought, which was, that the Body of Christ is not an almighty Being, and that it comprehends or reaches no further then a little circumscribed Place wherein it is.
No; thou child of Man, thou errest, and dost not rightly understand the divine Power: Does not every man in his astral, qualifying or fountain Spirits, comprehend the whole Place or Body of this World, and the Place comprehends Man? it is all but one Body, only there are distinct Members.
Why then should not the qualifying or fountain Spirits in the Natural Body of Christ qualify, mix or unite with the qualifying or fountain Spirits of Nature? Is not his Body also out of the qualifying or fountain Spirits of Nature? Is not his Heart animated or become soulish from or out of the third Birth or Geniture, which is the Heart of God, which comprehends all Angels and the Heaven of Heavens, even the whole Father?
Ye Calvinists, desist from your Opinion, and do not torment yourselves with the comprehensible or palpable Being; for 'God is a Spirit'; and in the Comprehensibility or Palpability stands Death. [† John 4. 24.]
The Body of Christ is no more in the hard Comprehensibility or Palpability, but in the divine Comprehensibility or Palpability of Nature, like the Angels.
For our Bodies also at the Resurrection will have no more such hard Flesh and Bones, but be like the Angels; and though indeed all Forms and Powers shall be therein, and all Faculties and Members even to the privy Parts, and these shall be in another Manner of Form, and so also the Entrails and Guts, and yet we shall not have the hard Comprehensibility or Palpability.
For Christ says to Mary Magdalen in Joseph's Garden at the Sepulchre, after his Resurrection, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my God and to your God. As if he would say, I have not now the bestial Body any more, although I show myself to thee in my Form or Shape which I had, otherwise, thou in thy bestial couldst not see me. [z John 20. 17.]
And so during the forty Days after his Resurrection, he did not always walk visibly among the Disciples, but invisibly, according to his heavenly and angelical Property; but when he would speak or talk with his Disciples, then he showed or presented himself in a comprehensible or palpable Manner and Form, that thereby he might speak natural Words with them, for the Corruption cannot comprehend or apprehend the divine [Words or Things.]
Also it sufficiently appears that his Body was of an angelical Kind, in that he went to his Disciples through the Doors, being shut. [a John 20. 19.]
Thus thou must know now, that his Body qualifies, mixes, or unites with all the seven Spirits in Nature in the astral Birth in the Part of Love, and holds Sin, Death, and the Devil captive in its wrath Part. And
thus thou now understandest what God made on the second Day, when he separated the Water under the Firmament from the Water above the Firmament. Thou seest also, how thou art in this World every where in Heaven, and also in Hell, and dwellest between Heaven and Hell in great Danger.
Thou seest, also, how Heaven is in a holy Man, and that every where, wheresoever thou standest, goest or liest, if thy Spirit does but qualify or co-operate with God, then as to that Part, thou art in Heaven, and thy Soul is in God. Therefore also says Christ; 'My Sheep are in my Hands, no Man can pull them away from me.' [b John 10.]
In like manner thou seest, also, how thou art always in Hell among all the Devils, as to the Wrath; if thy Eyes were but open, thou wouldst see wonderful Things, but thou standest between Heaven and Hell, and canst see neither of them, and walkest upon a very narrow Bridge.
Some Men have many times, according to or in the sydereal or astral Spirit, entered therein, being ravished in an Extasy, as Men term it, and have presently known the Gates of Heaven and of Hell, and have shown and declared how that many Men dwell in Hell, with, or in their living Bodies, or with their Bodies alive: And such indeed have been scorned, derided or laughed at, but with great Ignorance and Indiscretion, for it is just so as they declare; which I will describe
But that the Water has a twofold Birth, I will here prove it also with or by the Language of Nature; for that is the Root or Mother of all the Languages, which are in this World; and therein stands the whole perfect Knowledge of all Things.
For when Adam spoke at the first, he gave Names to all the Creatures, according to their Qualities and innate infant Operations, Virtues or Faculties. And it is the very Language of the total universal Nature, but is not known to every One. For it is a hidden secret Mystery, which is imparted to me by the Grace of God from the Spirit, which has a Delight and Longing towards me.
Now observe,
The word Water [Water] is thrust forth from the Heart, and closes the Teeth together, and passes over the astringent and bitter Qualities, and touches them not, but goes forth through the Teeth, and the Tongue contracts and rouzes up itself together with the Spirit, and helps to hiss, and so qualifies, mixes, or unites with the Spirit, and the Spirit presses very forcibly through the Teeth. But when the Spirit is almost quite gone forth, then the astringent and bitter Spirit contracts and rouzes up itself, and afterwards first qualifies with the Word, but yet sits still in its Seat, and afterwards jars mightily and strongly in the Syllable-ter.
But now that the Spirit conceives itself at the Heart, and comes forth, and closes the Teeth together, and hisses with the Tongue through the Teeth, it signifies, that the Heart of God has moved itself, and with its Spirit made a Closure round about it, which is the Firmament of Heaven: Also, as the Teeth do shut and close together, and then the Spirit goes through the Teeth, so also the Spirit goes forth from the Heart into the astral Birth or Geniture.
And as the Tongue frames itself for the hissing, and qualifies, mixes, or unites with the Spirit, and moves therewith, so the Soul of Man co-images or frames itself with the Holy Spirit, and qualifies, operates, or unites therewith, and presses jointly together in the Power thereof through Heaven, and rules together also therewith in the Word of God.
But that the astringent and bitter Qualities awaken behind afterwards, and co-image afterwards to the Framing of the Word, it signifies, that indeed all is as it were one Body, but the Heaven and the Holy Spirit together with the Heart of God has its proper Seat to itself, and the Devil, together with the Wrath of God, can neither comprehend the Holy Spirit, nor the Heaven; but the Devil, together with the Wrath bangs in the outward Birth in the Word, and in the Wrath helps to image all in the outermost Birth in this World, whatsoever stands in the Comprehensibility or Palpability; just as the astringent and bitter Qualities rouze themselves behind afterwards to the Framing of the Word, and qualify, operate, or unite therewith. [One Copy, has Life.] But
that the Spirit first goes over the astringent and bitter Qualities unperceived, it signifies, that the Gate of God is every where in this World all over, wherein the Holy Ghost rules, and that the Heaven stands open every where, even in the Midst or Center of the Earth; and that the Devil no where can either see, comprehend, or apprehend the Heaven, but is a grumbling and snarling Hell-Hound, which afterwards first comes out from behind, when the Holy Ghost has built or raised to himself a Church and Temple, and destroys it in the Wrath, and bangs behind at the Word as an Enemy, who will not endure that a Temple of God should be raised or built in his Land or Country, whereby his Kingdom might be lessened or diminished. Of the Third Day.