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.] 28. 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. 29. 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. 30. 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. 31. 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. 32. 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: 33. Every angel is created in the seventh quali fying 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. 34. He hath no impulse or driving, without or distinct from himself; his impulse and mobility standeth 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. 35. 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. 36. 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 hath, and which is continually generated in his body, that [light] hath incorporated itself with the Heart or Son of God, as if they were one thing. 37. 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 understandeth 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.] *
* The Note is printed by Gichtel in the 1682 edition, and is reproduced as a footnote by Schiebler. In the editions of 1715 and 1730 it is absent; but whenever the expression "animal spirit" occurs in the text, in this particular sense, it is invariably printed "animalischer (seelischer) Geist." See Ch. 15, pars. 4249. In par. 42 Bohme himself has added a note on the meaning of this term. Here observe the Depth. 38. 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 maketh it living. 39. 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. 40. 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. 41. 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. 42. But now, every one hath 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
then let my book alone, and meddle not with it, but stick to your old matters, else you will receive but evil wages for your pains: Be not deceived, God will not be mocked.[Gal vi. 7.] 28. 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. 29. 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. 30. 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 longs 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. 31. 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. 32. Therefore if you will have an open gate into the Deity, then you must move, stir and walk in God's love; this I have set down here for your consideration. Now observe: 33. Every angel is created in the seventh quali fying 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. 34. 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. 35. For the body is the incorporated or compacted spirit of nature, and encompasses or encloses the other six spirits; these generate themselves in the body, just as it is in the Deity. 36. 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. 37. 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 signifies 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.] *
* The Note is printed by Gichtel in the 1682 edition, and is reproduced as a footnote by Schiebler. In the editions of 1715 and 1730 it is absent; but whenever the expression "animal spirit" occurs in the text, in this particular sense, it is invariably printed "animalischer (seelischer) Geist." See Ch. 15, pars. 4249. In par. 42 Bohme himself has added a note on the meaning of this term. Here observe the Depth. 38. In the middle or central fountain or wellspring, which is the heart, where the birth rises up, the astringent or harsh quality rubs itself with the bitter and the hot; and there the light kindls, which is the son, and of the son the light is always impregnated in its body, and that enlightens and makes it living. 39. 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. 40. 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. 41. But when the light is generated, then it enlightens 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. 42. 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
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