Here observe yet more plainly the Nativity or Birth of the bitter Quality. 24. The original of the bitter quality is when the flash of life in the heat riseth up in the astringent quality; and now when the flash of fire in the mixture of the water cometh into the astringent quality, then the spirit of the fiery flash catcheth the astringent and hard spirit, and both these together are an earnest severe fierce quality, which rageth and teareth vehemently, like a fiery violent fierceness. 25. I can liken it to nothing else but to a thunderclap, when the fierce fire first falls down, so that it dazzleth the sight; that fierce fire is like the manner of the conjunction of these two. Now observe: 26. When the firespirit and the astringent spirit struggle and wrestle thus together, then the astringent maketh a vehement hard cold astriction, and the fiery maketh a terrible fierce heat. 27. Now the rising up of the heat and of the astriction maketh a trembling, fierce, terrible spirit, which raveth and rageth, as if it would tear the Deity asunder. But thou must understand this, exactly and properly. 28. This is thus in the original of the quality in itself; but in the midst, in the rising up of this fierce spirit, this [same] spirit is caught and mitigated in the sweet water, where its fierce source or fountain is changed into a trembling, bitter, and greenish colour, like a greenish duskiness, and it retaineth in itself the condition and property of all three qualities, viz. of the fiery, the astringent and the sweet; and so from these three existeth the fourth quality, viz. the bitter. 29. For from the fiery quality the spirit becometh trembling and hot, and from the astringent it becometh severe, astringent, hard and corporeal, so that it is a spirit which always subsisteth; and from the sweet it becometh meek or mild, and the fierceness changeth it into a gentle bitterness; which standeth now in the fountain or wellspring of the seven spirits of God, and helpeth continually to generate the other six spirits. Understand this rightly. 30. It doth as well generate its father and mother, as its father and mother do generate it, for after that it is corporeally generated, it then, with the astringent quality, always generateth the fire again, and the fire generateth light, and the light is the flash, which always generateth the life again in all the qualifying or fountain spirits; whence the spirits have life, and always generate one another again. 31. But here thou must know that one spirit alone cannot generate another, neither can two of them do it, but the birth of a spirit standeth in the operation of all the seven spirits, six of them always generate the seventh, and so if one of them were not, then the others would not be either. 32. But that I sometimes take only two or three to the nativity or birth of a spirit, I do that because of my own weakness, for in my corrupted brain I cannot bear them all seven at once in their perfection.
33. I see them all seven very well, but when I speculate into them,* then the spirit riseth up in the middlemost fountain or wellspring, where the spirit of life generateth itself, which goeth now upwards, now downwards, it cannot apprehend all the seven spirits in one thought, or at once, but only in part. * "but when I speculate into them"; text, "aber wenn ich speculire in sie." But when I look or gaze into them, to examine, inspect or observe them more closely or narrowly. (Speculate, 2. O.E.D.) 34. Every spirit hath its own quality or source, though indeed it is generated of the others; and so it is with the apprehension of man; he hath indeed the fountain of all seven spirits in him, but in what quality or fountain soever the spirit riseth up, the qualifying or fountain spirit thereof, wherein that same spirit is most strongly imaged, is that [one] which he comprehendeth most sharply in that rising up. 35. For even in the divine power one spirit, in its rising up [or ascension], doth not go through all the spirits equally at once; for when it riseth up, then indeed it toucheth or stirreth them all at once, but it is caught in its rising up, so that it must lay down its stateliness and pomp, and not triumph over all the seven. [36. " It is the being or substance of the senses " and thoughts, otherwise, if a thought through the " centre of nature could penetrate all the forms, " then it were free from the band of nature."] 37. Thus also in man: When one qualifying or fountain spirit riseth up, then it toucheth all the others, and seeth all the others, for it riseth up in the middle or central fountain or wellspring of the heart, where, in the heat, the
Here observe yet more plainly the Nativity or Birth of the bitter Quality. 24. The original of the bitter quality is when the flash of life in the heat rises up in the astringent quality; and now when the flash of fire in the mixture of the water comes into the astringent quality, then the spirit of the fiery flash catches the astringent and hard spirit, and both these together are an earnest severe fierce quality, which rags and tears vehemently, like a fiery violent fierceness. 25. I can liken it to nothing else but to a thunderclap, when the fierce fire first falls down, so that it dazzls the sight; that fierce fire is like the manner of the conjunction of these two. Now observe: 26. When the firespirit and the astringent spirit struggle and wrestle thus together, then the astringent makes a vehement hard cold astriction, and the fiery makes a terrible fierce heat. 27. Now the rising up of the heat and of the astriction makes a trembling, fierce, terrible spirit, which ravs and rags, as if it would tear the Deity asunder. But you must understand this, exactly and properly. 28. This is thus in the original of the quality in itself; but in the midst, in the rising up of this fierce spirit, this [same] spirit is caught and mitigated in the sweet water, where its fierce source or fountain is changed into a trembling, bitter, and greenish colour, like a greenish duskiness, and it retains in itself the condition and property of all three qualities, viz. of the fiery, the astringent and the sweet; and so from these three exists the fourth quality, viz. the bitter. 29. For from the fiery quality the spirit becomes trembling and hot, and from the astringent it becomes severe, astringent, hard and corporeal, so that it is a spirit which always subsists; and from the sweet it becomes meek or mild, and the fierceness changes it into a gentle bitterness; which stands now in the fountain or wellspring of the seven spirits of God, and helps continually to generate the other six spirits. Understand this rightly. 30. It does as well generate its father and mother, as its father and mother do generate it, for after that it is corporeally generated, it then, with the astringent quality, always generats the fire again, and the fire generats light, and the light is the flash, which always generats the life again in all the qualifying or fountain spirits; whence the spirits have life, and always generate one another again. 31. But here you must know that one spirit alone cannot generate another, neither can two of them do it, but the birth of a spirit stands in the operation of all the seven spirits, six of them always generate the seventh, and so if one of them were not, then the others would not be either. 32. But that I sometimes take only two or three to the nativity or birth of a spirit, I do that because of my own weakness, for in my corrupted brain I cannot bear them all seven at once in their perfection.
33. I see them all seven very well, but when I speculate into them,* then the spirit rises up in the middlemost fountain or wellspring, where the spirit of life generats itself, which goes now upwards, now downwards, it cannot apprehend all the seven spirits in one thought, or at once, but only in part. * "but when I speculate into them"; text, "aber wenn ich speculire in sie." But when I look or gaze into them, to examine, inspect or observe them more closely or narrowly. (Speculate, 2. O.E.D.) 34. Every spirit has its own quality or source, though indeed it is generated of the others; and so it is with the apprehension of man; he has indeed the fountain of all seven spirits in him, but in what quality or fountain soever the spirit rises up, the qualifying or fountain spirit thereof, wherein that same spirit is most strongly imaged, is that [one] which he comprehends most sharply in that rising up. 35. For even in the divine power one spirit, in its rising up [or ascension], does not go through all the spirits equally at once; for when it rises up, then indeed it touches or stirrs them all at once, but it is caught in its rising up, so that it must lay down its stateliness and pomp, and not triumph over all the seven. [36. " It is the being or substance of the senses " and thoughts, otherwise, if a thought through the " centre of nature could penetrate all the forms, " then it were free from the band of nature."] 37. Thus also in man: When one qualifying or fountain spirit rises up, then it touches all the others, and sees all the others, for it rises up in the middle or central fountain or wellspring of the heart, where, in the heat, the
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