Mysterium Magnum

20

Of the Essence of Corporality.
CHAPTER 6

penetrate original: "petrate"; likely an OCR error or archaic shortening for penetrate and sprout through the four elements. In this power, such fruit grew wherein the vanity of the wrath was not manifest. Man lost this through negligence, so that the living buddings of the holy element—which grew through the four elements and the earth—ceased. For the curse of vanity became manifest and began to work effectively, springing forth out of the earth.

7. Thus, by the seventh form of the eternal nature, we understand the eternal kingdom of heaven, wherein the power of God is essential. This essence is colored original: "tinctured"; refers to the alchemical process of changing the quality or "spirit" of a substance by the luster and power of the fire and light. For the luster of the spiritual fire and light is the working life in the spiritual water, namely, in the holy element. This water is moving, being the gathered or solidified essence of the divine powers. Yet, it is an essence void of understanding in comparison to the divine powers themselves, for it is one degree more external, just as every substance or body is inferior to the spirit. The oily essence is the spirit of the water—namely, of the watery spirit—and the manifested powers of God are the spirit of the oil, or oily spirit. The eternal understanding of the Word is the beginning of the manifested powers. One degree goes forth from another, and all essence is nothing else but the manifested God.

8. When we consider what kind of life, motion, and dominion existed before the time of this outward world, in the place where this world is, and what eternity is, we find that it was, and is unto eternity, such a life, motion, and dominion as is mentioned above.

9. The outward world, with the four elements and stars, is a figure of the internal powers of the spiritual world. It was expressed or breathed forth by the motion of God when he moved the internal spiritual world. It was gathered by the divine desire of the inward powers and introduced into a created being, both out of the internal spiritual dark-world and also out of the holy light-world.

10. This outward world is like a smoke or vaporous steam of the fire-spirit and water-spirit. it was breathed forth both out of the holy world and also out of the dark world. Therefore, it is both evil and good; it consists in love and anger. It is only like a smoke or misty exhalation in comparison to the spiritual world. It has again introduced itself, with its properties, into forms of power to become a pregnatress original: "Pregnatresse"; a term Böhme uses to describe nature as a fruitful mother or a womb that brings forth new life. This is seen in the stars, elements, and creatures, as well as in growing trees and herbs. In its own birth, it makes another principle or beginning. For the pregnatress of time is a model or platform of the eternal pregnatress, and time lies hidden in eternity. It is simply that eternity, in its wonderful birth and manifestation of its powers and strength, beholds itself in a form or in time.

11. Now, we acknowledge that in the spiritual holy world, there is an essence—namely, a comprehensive essence. This consists of spiritual sulphur, mercurius, and sal original: "Sal"; these are the three alchemical principles representing soul/expansion, spirit/motion, and body/structure in an oily and watery byss original: "Bysse"; Böhme uses this term to mean a "ground" or "foundation," the opposite of the "Abyss" or "Ungrund". In this essence, the divine powers play and work. Likewise, in the