Mysterium Magnum

CHAPTER 2. Of the Word, or Heart of God. 3

CHAPTER II.
Of the Word, or Heart of God.

1. This is now what Saint John says in Chapter 1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. l "In" signifies "in the." The word "In" is the will of the Abyss. m Anfang (beginning). "Beginning" is the conception or understanding of the will, where it conceives and brings itself into an eternal beginning. Wort* signifies "the word." He explains these words in German according to the Language of Nature. The "Word" is now that which is conceived, which in the will is a "nothing." With the act of conception, there is a generation. This was in the beginning with the will and in the will. However, with the longing original: Lubet; an inner desire or inclination that precedes manifest action of the will, it receives its beginning in the conception of the will. Therefore it is called a "Heart," which is to say, a center or life-circle where the origin of eternal life exists.

2. And John says further: By the same were all things made, and without it was not anything made that was made. In it was the life, and the life was the light of men. Here, O man, take now this light of life, which was in the Word and is eternal. Behold the Being of all beings, and especially yourself, seeing as you are an image, life, and being of the unsearchable God and a likeness to Him. Here, consider time and eternity; heaven and hell; the world; light and darkness; pain and source original: Source; likely referring to the German Qual, which Böhme uses to mean a quality, tension, or driving force; life and death; something and nothing. Here, examine yourself to see whether you have the light and life of the Word within you, so that you are able to see and understand all things. For your life was in the Word and was made manifest in the image which God created. It was breathed into it from the spirit of the Word. Now, lift up your understanding in the light of your life and behold the Formed Word. Consider its inward generation, for all is manifest in the light of life.

3. Do you say, "I cannot; I am corrupt and depraved"? Hear me! You are not as yet born again of God. Otherwise, if you had that same light again, then you could. Come then! We all indeed fall far short of the glory which we ought to have in God. But I will show you something. Have a care and understand it rightly. Do not be a mocker, as the confused Babel Böhme uses "Babel" to represent the confusion of competing religious systems and human logical reasoning without spiritual insight is. Look! When we would speak of the Being of all beings, then we say that all things are from God and through God. For Saint John also says that without Him was not anything made that was made.

4. Now Reason asks: from where or how has God made good and evil, pain and joy, life and death? Is there any such will in God which makes the evil? Here Reason begins to speculate and wants to understand it. But it only goes around the outside of the circle and cannot enter in. For Reason is outside, and not in the Word of the life-circle.

5. Now then, behold yourself and consider what you are. View what the outward world is with its dominion, and you shall find,
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