rather than on what had.
But to proceed. That which can qualify the fire and practically put it — in its immediate aspect of raging, consuming — into the hiddenness, is Light. This is Boehme's fifth form, and the term needs no amendment. " Whatsoever doth make manifest is light" (literally, " make to appear"). If man is an evolution, gradually being perfected, then clearly his first ideas and impressions are not in accordance with actual fact, or no evolution would be needed. What he takes himself as seeing is not what is there, but what is there seen in a dimness of greater or less extent. Boehme says — very rightly — that in perfect light all darkness is in the hiddenness. Correspondingly, in semi-light some of the darkness is hidden and some manifested. Our Lord spoke of the light that is in us being darkness; and he who is in darkness, and yet Ithinks he sees, is sure to see wrongly and imperfectly.
But as the light increases, many things before unseen come into view. It is as if, as the light increases, the first three forms for the first time see their true place and function, which is not to emphasise and express themselves as themselves, but to be basal powers to that which can come to manifestation when they are hidden.
In reading Boehme, one has constantly to be on the watch for what he is seeking to convey. He had the rough idea, but not the training in literary expression which would have enabled him to convey it clearly and with no liability of misapprehension.
For I take it that what he really means is this. He says that the first three forms, the harshness, the attraction, and the bitterness, should always remain in the hiddenness, and never be manifested. But what is in the hiddenness is utterly unknown and can have no name at all, for we cannot name (define) what we do not know. Hence the names harshness, attraction, bitterness, only belong to these when they are manifested. Not manifested, they are basal forces of no known quality, and not rightly regarded as hidden evil, but as hidden bases which, if manifested, must manifest as evil, but are not evil so long as they are not manifested.
The corollary of this is most interesting. If Lucifer can be put into the hiddenness, he would cease to be evil; for evil is only evil when brought out of the hiddenness into manifestation. But this is just what Boehme says will happen in the end. The first principle and all contained in it will be so shut up that no knowledge of it can ever obtain in the second principle. If this is not the equivalent of being put into the hiddenness, I know not to what it is equivalent. Lucifer is clearly (in Boehme's system) the external and open manifestation of certain basal forces which should never be explored, or known, or come to manifestation. So long as they do not, they are necessary
rather than on what had.
But to proceed. That which can qualify the fire and practically put it — in its immediate aspect of raging, consuming — into the hiddenness, is Light. This is Boehme's fifth form, and the term needs no amendment. " Whatsoever does make manifest is light" (literally, " make to appear"). If man is an evolution, gradually being perfected, then clearly his first ideas and impressions are not in accordance with actual fact, or no evolution would be needed. What he takes himself as seeing is not what is there, but what is there seen in a dimness of greater or less extent. Boehme says — very rightly — that in perfect light all darkness is in the hiddenness. Correspondingly, in semi-light some of the darkness is hidden and some manifested. Our Lord spoke of the light that is in us being darkness; and he who is in darkness, and yet Ithinks he sees, is sure to see wrongly and imperfectly.
But as the light increases, many things before unseen come into view. It is as if, as the light increases, the first three forms for the first time see their true place and function, which is not to emphasise and express themselves as themselves, but to be basal powers to that which can come to manifestation when they are hidden.
In reading Boehme, one has constantly to be on the watch for what he is seeking to convey. He had the rough idea, but not the training in literary expression which would have enabled him to convey it clearly and with no liability of misapprehension.
For I take it that what he really means is this. He says that the first three forms, the harshness, the attraction, and the bitterness, should always remain in the hiddenness, and never be manifested. But what is in the hiddenness is utterly unknown and can have no name at all, for we cannot name (define) what we do not know. Hence the names harshness, attraction, bitterness, only belong to these when they are manifested. Not manifested, they are basal forces of no known quality, and not rightly regarded as hidden evil, but as hidden bases which, if manifested, must manifest as evil, but are not evil so long as they are not manifested.
The corollary of this is most interesting. If Lucifer can be put into the hiddenness, he would cease to be evil; for evil is only evil when brought out of the hiddenness into manifestation. But this is just what Boehme says will happen in the end. The first principle and all contained in it will be so shut up that no knowledge of it can ever obtain in the second principle. If this is not the equivalent of being put into the hiddenness, I know not to what it is equivalent. Lucifer is clearly (in Boehme's system) the external and open manifestation of certain basal forces which should never be explored, or known, or come to manifestation. So long as they do not, they are necessary
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