body, with its colours, and according to that [same] quality the creature hath its greatest impulse and inclination, motion, boiling and will. IV. Of the Fourth Circumstance or Species. 59. The Fourth quality, or the fourth fountainspirit in the divine power of God the Father, is the heat, which is the true beginning of life, and also the true spirit of life. 60. The astringent or harsh and sour quality, and the sweet, are the Salitter, which belongeth to the body, out of which the body is framed. 61. For coldness and hardness stand in the astringent quality, and are a contraction and drying; and in the sweet quality stand the water, and the light or shiningness, and the whole matter of the body. 62. And the bitter quality is the separation and forming, and the heat is the spirit, or the kindling of the life, whereby the spirit existeth in the body, which [spirit] springeth or moveth in the whole body, and shineth out from the body, and also maketh the living motion in all the qualities of the body. 63. Two things chiefly are to be eyed in all the qualities: If you look upon a body you first see the stock or pith, or the kernel of all the qualities, which is framed or composed out of all the quali ties; for to the body belong the astringent or harsh, sour, sweet, bitter and hot qualities; these qualities being dried together, make the body or stock.
The Great Mystery of the Spirit. 64. Now in the body these qualities are mixed, as if they all were but one quality; yet each quality moveth or boileth in its own power, and so goeth forth. 65. Each quality goeth forth from itself into the others, and toucheth or stirreth the others, that is, it affecteth* the others, whereby the other qualities get the will of this quality; that is, they prove the sharpness and spirit of this, as to what is in it, and always mix with it continually. * " affecteth " (inficiret), " infecteth," implying interaction. This graphic expression of J. B. is, in most cases, translated by Sparrow in the above manner, though in a very few instances he uses " qualify " and " influence." St M. has " inqualifier" which is apparently of his own coining. 66. Now the astringent or harsh quality (together with the sour), always contracteth or attracteth the other qualities together, and so apprehendeth and retaineth the body and drieth it. 67. For it drieth all the other powers, and retaineth them all through its infection or influence; and the sweet softeneth and moisteneth all the others, and so blendeth and tempereth itself with all the others, whereby they become daintily pleasant and mild or soft. 68. The bitter maketh all the others stirring and moveable, and parteth or distinguisheth them into members; so that every member in this tempering obtaineth the fountain of all the powers, whence mobility existeth. 69. The heat kindleth all the qualities, out of which the light riseth up and expandeth itself aloft in all the qualities, so that they see one another: For when the heat worketh in the sweet moisture, then it generateth the light in all the qualities, so that one quality seeth the others. [see Ch.3 par. 67] 70. From whence the senses and thoughts exist, so that one quality seeth the others, which are also in it, and tempered with itself, and proveth them with its sharpness, so that there cometh to be but one will; which in the body riseth up in the first fountainsource or wellspring in the astringent or harsh quality. 71. There the bitter quality penetrateth in the heat through the astringent, and the sweet in the water letteth it easily or gently through; and there the bitter in the heat goeth through the sweet water forth from the body and maketh two open gates, which are the eyes, the first sense or sensibility. 72. You have an example and type or resemblance of this, if you behold and consider this world, especially the earth, which is of the kind and condition of all qualities, and all manner of figures or shapes are formed and imaged therein. 73. First the astringent quality is therein, which attracteth the Salitter together, and fixeth or maketh the earth firm and compact, so that it cometh to be a solid body, which holds together and doth not break asunder, and [the astringent quality] imageth, frameth or formeth therein all manner of bodies, according to the kind of each quality, viz. all manner of stones and ores of minerals, and all manner of roots, according to the condition or kind of each quality. 74. Now when these are imaged or formed, there it [the astringent quality] lieth as a corporeal,
body, with its colours, and according to that [same] quality the creature has its greatest impulse and inclination, motion, boiling and will. IV. Of the Fourth Circumstance or Species. 59. The Fourth quality, or the fourth fountainspirit in the divine power of God the Father, is the heat, which is the true beginning of life, and also the true spirit of life. 60. The astringent or harsh and sour quality, and the sweet, are the Salitter, which belongs to the body, out of which the body is framed. 61. For coldness and hardness stand in the astringent quality, and are a contraction and drying; and in the sweet quality stand the water, and the light or shiningness, and the whole matter of the body. 62. And the bitter quality is the separation and forming, and the heat is the spirit, or the kindling of the life, whereby the spirit exists in the body, which [spirit] springs or moves in the whole body, and shines out from the body, and also makes the living motion in all the qualities of the body. 63. Two things chiefly are to be eyed in all the qualities: If you look upon a body you first see the stock or pith, or the kernel of all the qualities, which is framed or composed out of all the quali ties; for to the body belong the astringent or harsh, sour, sweet, bitter and hot qualities; these qualities being dried together, make the body or stock.
The Great Mystery of the Spirit. 64. Now in the body these qualities are mixed, as if they all were but one quality; yet each quality moves or boils in its own power, and so goes forth. 65. Each quality goes forth from itself into the others, and touches or stirrs the others, that is, it affects* the others, whereby the other qualities get the will of this quality; that is, they prove the sharpness and spirit of this, as to what is in it, and always mix with it continually. * " affects " (inficiret), " infects," implying interaction. This graphic expression of J. B. is, in most cases, translated by Sparrow in the above manner, though in a very few instances he uses " qualify " and " influence." St M. has " inqualifier" which is apparently of his own coining. 66. Now the astringent or harsh quality (together with the sour), always contracts or attracts the other qualities together, and so apprehends and retains the body and dries it. 67. For it dries all the other powers, and retains them all through its infection or influence; and the sweet softens and moistens all the others, and so blends and tempers itself with all the others, whereby they become daintily pleasant and mild or soft. 68. The bitter makes all the others stirring and moveable, and parts or distinguishes them into members; so that every member in this tempering obtains the fountain of all the powers, whence mobility exists. 69. The heat kindls all the qualities, out of which the light rises up and expands itself aloft in all the qualities, so that they see one another: For when the heat works in the sweet moisture, then it generats the light in all the qualities, so that one quality sees the others. [see Ch.3 par. 67] 70. From whence the senses and thoughts exist, so that one quality sees the others, which are also in it, and tempered with itself, and proves them with its sharpness, so that there comes to be but one will; which in the body rises up in the first fountainsource or wellspring in the astringent or harsh quality. 71. There the bitter quality penetrats in the heat through the astringent, and the sweet in the water letts it easily or gently through; and there the bitter in the heat goes through the sweet water forth from the body and makes two open gates, which are the eyes, the first sense or sensibility. 72. You have an example and type or resemblance of this, if you behold and consider this world, especially the earth, which is of the kind and condition of all qualities, and all manner of figures or shapes are formed and imaged therein. 73. First the astringent quality is therein, which attracts the Salitter together, and fixes or makes the earth firm and compact, so that it comes to be a solid body, which holds together and does not break asunder, and [the astringent quality] imags, frams or forms therein all manner of bodies, according to the kind of each quality, viz. all manner of stones and ores of minerals, and all manner of roots, according to the condition or kind of each quality. 74. Now when these are imaged or formed, there it [the astringent quality] lies as a corporeal,
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