planets and elements reign. 47. The flesh signifieth the earth, which is congealed, and hath no motion; and so the flesh in itself hath no reason, comprehensibility or mobility, but is moved only by the power of the stars, which reign in the flesh and veins. 48. No more could the earth bring forth any fruit, nor could there grow any metals, as gold, silver, copper, iron or stones, if the stars did not work in them; nor could there grow any grass without the operation of the stars. 49. The head signifieth heaven; the same is grown on the body, by the veins, passages and going forth of powers; and so all the powers come again from the head and brain into the body, into the fountainveins or arteries of the flesh. 50. Now heaven is a pleasant palace of joy, wherein all the powers are, as they are in the whole nature in the stars and elements, but not so hard working and springing. For every power of heaven hath but one species, kind or form of power, springing very bright and meek, not promiscuously evil and good one in another, as in the stars and elements in the whole nature, but very pure. 51. It is made out of the midst of the waters, but not qualifying in such a manner as the water in the elements, for fierceness or wrath is not therein. However, heaven belongeth to nature, because the stars and elements have their original and power from the heaven. 52. For heaven is the heart of the water. Likewise, in all creatures, and in all that is in this world the water is the heart thereof, and nothing can subsist without water, be it in the flesh or out of the flesh, in the vegetables of the earth or in metals and stones, in everything the water is the kernel or the heart. 53. So heaven is the heart in nature, wherein all the powers are, as in the stars and elements, and it is a soft, supple and meek matter of all powers, as the brain in man's head is. 54. Now heaven kindleth with its power the stars and elements, so that they move and work: And so the head of man is also like heaven. 55. For as in heaven all powers are meek and full of joy,* and as heaven hath a closure or firmament above the stars, and yet all powers go forth from heaven into the stars, so the brain also hath a closure or firmament between it and the body, and yet all the powers go forth from the brain into the body, and into the whole man. * "full of joy" (freudenreich... und qualificiren), "full of joy and qualify," i.e. qualify [operate] in joy. 56. The head containeth the five senses, viz. seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling, wherein the stars and elements qualify, and therein existeth the sidereal or heavenly, starry or astral and natural spirit in men and beasts; in this flow forth good and evil, for it is the house of the stars. 57. Such power the stars borrow from heaven, that they can make in the flesh a living and moving spirit in man and beast. The moving of the heaven maketh the stars moveable, and so the head also maketh the body moveable. 58. Now open here the eyes of thy spirit, and behold God thy Creator.
Question. Here now the question is, From whence hath heaven, or whence borroweth it, this power, that it causeth such mobility in nature? Answer. 59. Here you must lift up your eyes beyond nature, into the lightholy triumphing divine power, into the unchangeable Holy Trinity, which is a triumphing, springing, moveable being, and all powers are therein, as in nature. 60. For this is the eternal mother of nature, of which heaven, earth, stars, elements, angels, devils, men, beasts, and all have their being; and therein ALL standeth. 61. When we nominate heaven and earth, stars and elements, and all that is therein, and all whatsoever is above the heaven, then thereby is nominated the total God, who hath made himself creaturely in these abovementioned beings, in his power which goeth forth from him. 62. But GOD in his TRINITY is unchangeable, and whatever there is in heaven and upon earth and above the earth, hath its spring, source and original from the power which proceedeth from God. 63. Yet you must not therefore conceive that in God there is good and evil, for God himself is the good, and hath the name from good, which is the triumphing eternal joy: Only all the powers which you can search out in nature, and which are in all things, proceed from him. Question. 64. Now perhaps you may say, Is there not good and evil in nature? And seeing everything cometh from God, must not then the evil also come
planets and elements reign. 47. The flesh signifies the earth, which is congealed, and has no motion; and so the flesh in itself has no reason, comprehensibility or mobility, but is moved only by the power of the stars, which reign in the flesh and veins. 48. No more could the earth bring forth any fruit, nor could there grow any metals, as gold, silver, copper, iron or stones, if the stars did not work in them; nor could there grow any grass without the operation of the stars. 49. The head signifies heaven; the same is grown on the body, by the veins, passages and going forth of powers; and so all the powers come again from the head and brain into the body, into the fountainveins or arteries of the flesh. 50. Now heaven is a pleasant palace of joy, wherein all the powers are, as they are in the whole nature in the stars and elements, but not so hard working and springing. For every power of heaven has but one species, kind or form of power, springing very bright and meek, not promiscuously evil and good one in another, as in the stars and elements in the whole nature, but very pure. 51. It is made out of the midst of the waters, but not qualifying in such a manner as the water in the elements, for fierceness or wrath is not therein. However, heaven belongs to nature, because the stars and elements have their original and power from the heaven. 52. For heaven is the heart of the water. Likewise, in all creatures, and in all that is in this world the water is the heart thereof, and nothing can subsist without water, be it in the flesh or out of the flesh, in the vegetables of the earth or in metals and stones, in everything the water is the kernel or the heart. 53. So heaven is the heart in nature, wherein all the powers are, as in the stars and elements, and it is a soft, supple and meek matter of all powers, as the brain in man's head is. 54. Now heaven kindls with its power the stars and elements, so that they move and work: And so the head of man is also like heaven. 55. For as in heaven all powers are meek and full of joy,* and as heaven has a closure or firmament above the stars, and yet all powers go forth from heaven into the stars, so the brain also has a closure or firmament between it and the body, and yet all the powers go forth from the brain into the body, and into the whole man. * "full of joy" (freudenreich... und qualificiren), "full of joy and qualify," i.e. qualify [operate] in joy. 56. The head contains the five senses, viz. seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling, wherein the stars and elements qualify, and therein exists the sidereal or heavenly, starry or astral and natural spirit in men and beasts; in this flow forth good and evil, for it is the house of the stars. 57. Such power the stars borrow from heaven, that they can make in the flesh a living and moving spirit in man and beast. The moving of the heaven makes the stars moveable, and so the head also makes the body moveable. 58. Now open here the eyes of your spirit, and behold God your Creator.
Question. Here now the question is, From whence has heaven, or whence borrows it, this power, that it causes such mobility in nature? Answer. 59. Here you must lift up your eyes beyond nature, into the lightholy triumphing divine power, into the unchangeable Holy Trinity, which is a triumphing, springing, moveable being, and all powers are therein, as in nature. 60. For this is the eternal mother of nature, of which heaven, earth, stars, elements, angels, devils, men, beasts, and all have their being; and therein ALL stands. 61. When we nominate heaven and earth, stars and elements, and all that is therein, and all whatsoever is above the heaven, then thereby is nominated the total God, who has made himself creaturely in these abovementioned beings, in his power which goes forth from him. 62. But GOD in his TRINITY is unchangeable, and whatever there is in heaven and upon earth and above the earth, has its spring, source and original from the power which proceeds from God. 63. Yet you must not therefore conceive that in God there is good and evil, for God himself is the good, and has the name from good, which is the triumphing eternal joy: Only all the powers which you can search out in nature, and which are in all things, proceed from him. Question. 64. Now perhaps you may say, Is there not good and evil in nature? And seeing everything comes from God, must not then the evil also come
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