Jacob Boehme — the works in English

Mysterium Magnum, Part Two

Open to allJacob Boehme (1575–1624)83 of 1052 segments carry a modern register · 351 pp1 passage withheld
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17. Through the five holy speeches proceeding from JOTH, the spirit in the formed word of nature speaks holy divine words in the children of the saints; and through the seventy-two tongues he speaks through the nature of the wonders, both from the evil and the good, according as the word does form and amass itself in an ens.

18. The five speeches belong to the spirit of God, who speaks by his children, when and how he pleases, but the seventy-two belong to man's selfness and particular ownhood, whence man's self-full understanding speaks lies and truth. Therefore the seventy-two languages, viz. Babel, must pass through the judgement of God, and the pure shall be separated from the impure, and tried in the fire.

19. For him, who is taken under, and capable of this knowledge, we will give a short direction and manuduction, to trace out our sense and meaning, (which yet we in this place will keep to ourselves), and thereby intimate unto him, how he may search out all mysteries and secrets which lie couched under these names, which the holy spirit, in Moses, has marked out.

20. The spirit in Moses sets down seven names in Japheth's line, viz. the seven sons which he begat; which are these: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. Now Japheth is the first, and betokens the first Principle, and therein the kingdom of nature; intimating how, even out of nature, the seven free arts or liberal sciences should be found under a natural philosophy; and these were found out in this Japheth's line in a natural manner, by the heathenish philosophy. For this was the twig which should dwell in Shem's tent, as Noah foretold.

21. For the seven sons of Japheth signify and point out the seven properties of nature, and under their seven names lies the great mystery of the Japhethical lines in the kingdom of nature, [intimating to us] what kind of people and kingdoms should arise from them, even unto the end of the world; concerning the manifestation and writing of which our speech is stopped and taken from us; but it shall be freely and fully manifested to our school-fellows in its time; and be wholly made known and revealed.

22. After this the spirit mentioneth only two sons of Japheth which begat children, viz. Gomer and Javan; he passes over the other children of Japheth in silence, and mentions not at all what children they begat. And this is not without cause. The spirit points at the two sorts of men among the Gentiles in the kingdom of nature, viz. under Gomer he sets three names, Ashkenaz, Riphas and

Togarmah; these were the sons of Gomer, who do thus manifest themselves in the Language of Nature, viz. they form [conceive or amass] the ens of nature, viz. the formed word, into an ens, and bring it into a contemplation, that is, into an acute speculating reason, and make a figure out of it, viz. a dominion (or form of a government of self will) according to the kingdom of nature, for temporal glory and renown.

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17. Through the five holy speeches proceeding from JOTH, the spirit in the formed word of nature speaks holy divine words in the children of the saints; and through the seventy-two tongues he speaks through the nature of the wonders, both from the evil and the good, according as the word does form and amass itself in an ens.

18. The five speeches belong to the spirit of God, who speaks by his children, when and how he pleases, but the seventy-two belong to man's selfness and particular ownhood, whence man's self-full understanding speaks lies and truth. Therefore the seventy-two languages, viz. Babel, must pass through the judgement of God, and the pure shall be separated from the impure, and tried in the fire.

19. For him, who is taken under, and capable of this knowledge, we will give a short direction and manuduction, to trace out our sense and meaning, (which yet we in this place will keep to ourselves), and thereby intimate unto him, how he may search out all mysteries and secrets which lie couched under these names, which the holy spirit, in Moses, has marked out.

20. The spirit in Moses sets down seven names in Japheth's line, viz. the seven sons which he begat; which are these: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. Now Japheth is the first, and betokens the first Principle, and therein the kingdom of nature; intimating how, even out of nature, the seven free arts or liberal sciences should be found under a natural philosophy; and these were found out in this Japheth's line in a natural manner, by the heathenish philosophy. For this was the twig which should dwell in Shem's tent, as Noah foretold.

21. For the seven sons of Japheth signify and point out the seven properties of nature, and under their seven names lies the great mystery of the Japhethical lines in the kingdom of nature, [intimating to us] what kind of people and kingdoms should arise from them, even unto the end of the world; concerning the manifestation and writing of which our speech is stopped and taken from us; but it shall be freely and fully manifested to our school-fellows in its time; and be wholly made known and revealed.

22. After this the spirit mentions only two sons of Japheth which begat children, viz. Gomer and Javan; he passes over the other children of Japheth in silence, and mentions not at all what children they begat. And this is not without cause. The spirit points at the two sorts of men among the Gentiles in the kingdom of nature, viz. under Gomer he sets three names, Ashkenaz, Riphas and

Togarmah; these were the sons of Gomer, who do thus manifest themselves in the Language of Nature, viz. they form [conceive or amass] the ens of nature, viz. the formed word, into an ens, and bring it into a contemplation, that is, into an acute speculating reason, and make a figure out of it, viz. a dominion (or form of a government of self will) according to the kingdom of nature, for temporal glory and renown.

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