The Forty Questions of the Soul
201. After the Ninth Number standeth the Soul's Eternal Habitation, noted with the Number 35; which signifieth that these escaped souls are yet in God, in the angelical world, but without their works; and they cannot so highly attain the glance of the Majesty, as those which Hn this life have clothed themselves with the power of God. The word Habitation entereth into the liberty, without nature, as also above it the word Image doth. For the soul must stand in nature, but the habitation of the Image is without nature, in the divine liberty.
Angelical World; Number 36.
202. Beyond the word Habitation standeth Angelical World, Number 36, signifying the whole 2 court of angels or 3 princely thrones in the liberty of the divine Majesty; whereas their root is in nature, but is not 4 felt.
Proud Devil; Number 37. Will of the Devil Lucifer; Number 38.
203. At the left hand, in the upper space, Number 37, standeth Proud Devil, with two 5 lines; one reaching to be upon the character O, Number 4, and the other reaching up above the great Mystery of the Ternary, where standeth Will of the Devil Lucifer, Number 38. Here the devil's fall is to be considered.
1 Or here.
2 Or place.
3 thrones, or principalities.
4 Or apprehended.
5 Or strokes.
204. He hath driven his proud will from the line of the cross upwards, and would domineer over the Mystery of the divine wisdom by l cunning, subtlety and wrath, in the power of fire, and 2 kindle the Mystery of the Ternary, that he might be lord (as indeed he did kindle the essence in the Mystery, from whence earth and stones proceed), and would fain have flown out above the Mystery of the Ternary, Number 38, as still at this very day he desireth to fly out above *the highest thrones of angels.
Abyss of the Dark World; Number 39. Eternal Hell of Devils; Number 40.
205. And hence it followed, that he was thrust out from the divine Mystery, from the highest thrones, into the dark magic fire, and is thrown down beneath (viz. into the abyss of the Dark World,Number 39), where he must dwell without the Principle in f the 3 horror of fire (that is, in the first three forms 4 of fire) in the anguish: And there he hath his hell, as below, Number 40, is to be seen; and thither also do the damned souls fall, where to eternity they cannot see God.
1 Or reason, or in wit, craft, and fury.
2 Or inflame.
3 fire-crack.
4 Or to fire, or before the fourth form, which is fire itself.
* "the highest thrones of angels," lit., "the angelical princely thrones."
f "the horror of fire" (Feuerschrack), an expression peculiar to Bohme; denotes a bursting forth of fire, or the very point where fire breaks out. St Martin renders it, I'explosion du feu.
The other line of the Cross upwards.
206. Over that line Number 1, standeth Abyss Eternity, signifying the liberty without the Principle, and thereby is l meant the Mystery of the eternity, wherein every creature standeth in its own source, in its own fire, whether in darkness or in light, and hath no other light but what shineth 2 in itself, and it also comprehendeth that light 3 without itself: Both worlds, viz. the light and dark world, are in one another; but the light is not attained, except a creature be capable 4 of it.
207. There are angelical thrones, which we know nothing of; our knowledge reacheth only 5 unto the place of 6 this world, so far as the kindling in the creation did reach; and 7 therefore this wheel is made with the Cross in it.
SON; Number 41: and of the Heart.
208. Over the upright line standeth SON, Number 41, and at the left angle or point, Number 9, FATHER; and at the right line, Number 14, HOLY GHOST; signifying the Persons and birth of the Holy Trinity: The \? in the Cross is the centre, and signifieth the eternal band of the 8 Trinity.
209. The word SON, Number 41, signifieth the Word, which the eternal FATHER always speaketh from eternity in the light and dark Worlds, according to the property of each source.
1 Or understood.
2 Or in the creature itself.
3 Or beside itself outwardly.
4 Or to receive it.
5 in locum, or the space, or bounds.
6 Or that.
7 for a resemblance of it.
8 Or Ternary.
201. After the Ninth Number stands the Soul's Eternal Habitation, noted with the Number 35; which signifies that these escaped souls are yet in God, in the angelical world, but without their works; and they cannot so highly attain the glance of the Majesty, as those which Hn this life have clothed themselves with the power of God. The word Habitation enters into the liberty, without nature, as also above it the word Image does. For the soul must stand in nature, but the habitation of the Image is without nature, in the divine liberty.
Angelical World; Number 36.
202. Beyond the word Habitation stands Angelical World, Number 36, signifying the whole 2 court of angels or 3 princely thrones in the liberty of the divine Majesty; whereas their root is in nature, but is not 4 felt.
Proud Devil; Number 37. Will of the Devil Lucifer; Number 38.
203. At the left hand, in the upper space, Number 37, stands Proud Devil, with two 5 lines; one reaching to be upon the character O, Number 4, and the other reaching up above the great Mystery of the Ternary, where stands Will of the Devil Lucifer, Number 38. Here the devil's fall is to be considered.
1 Or here.
2 Or place.
3 thrones, or principalities.
4 Or apprehended.
5 Or strokes.
204. He has driven his proud will from the line of the cross upwards, and would domineer over the Mystery of the divine wisdom by l cunning, subtlety and wrath, in the power of fire, and 2 kindle the Mystery of the Ternary, that he might be lord (as indeed he did kindle the essence in the Mystery, from whence earth and stones proceed), and would fain have flown out above the Mystery of the Ternary, Number 38, as still at this very day he desires to fly out above *the highest thrones of angels.
Abyss of the Dark World; Number 39. Eternal Hell of Devils; Number 40.
205. And hence it followed, that he was thrust out from the divine Mystery, from the highest thrones, into the dark magic fire, and is thrown down beneath (viz. into the abyss of the Dark World,Number 39), where he must dwell without the Principle in f the 3 horror of fire (that is, in the first three forms 4 of fire) in the anguish: And there he has his hell, as below, Number 40, is to be seen; and thither also do the damned souls fall, where to eternity they cannot see God.
1 Or reason, or in wit, craft, and fury.
2 Or inflame.
3 fire-crack.
4 Or to fire, or before the fourth form, which is fire itself.
* "the highest thrones of angels," lit., "the angelical princely thrones."
f "the horror of fire" (Feuerschrack), an expression peculiar to Bohme; denotes a bursting forth of fire, or the very point where fire breaks out. St Martin renders it, I'explosion du feu.
The other line of the Cross upwards.
206. Over that line Number 1, stands Abyss Eternity, signifying the liberty without the Principle, and thereby is l meant the Mystery of the eternity, wherein every creature stands in its own source, in its own fire, whether in darkness or in light, and has no other light but what shines 2 in itself, and it also comprehends that light 3 without itself: Both worlds, viz. the light and dark world, are in one another; but the light is not attained, except a creature be capable 4 of it.
207. There are angelical thrones, which we know nothing of; our knowledge reaches only 5 unto the place of 6 this world, so far as the kindling in the creation did reach; and 7 therefore this wheel is made with the Cross in it.
SON; Number 41: and of the Heart.
208. Over the upright line stands SON, Number 41, and at the left angle or point, Number 9, FATHER; and at the right line, Number 14, HOLY GHOST; signifying the Persons and birth of the Holy Trinity: The \? in the Cross is the centre, and signifies the eternal band of the 8 Trinity.
209. The word SON, Number 41, signifies the Word, which the eternal FATHER always speaks from eternity in the light and dark Worlds, according to the property of each source.
1 Or understood.
2 Or in the creature itself.
3 Or beside itself outwardly.
4 Or to receive it.
5 in locum, or the space, or bounds.
6 Or that.
7 for a resemblance of it.
8 Or Ternary.
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