By Jacob Boehme
The Author's Preface
1. COURTEOUS Reader, I compare the whole Philosophy, Astrology and Theology, together with their Mother, to a goodly Tree, which groweth in a fair Garden of Pleasure.
2. Now the Earth in which the Tree stands affords Sap continually to the Tree, whereby the Tree has its living Quality: But the Tree in itself groweth from the Sap of the Earth, becomes large, and spreads itself abroad with its Branches: And then as the Earth works with its Power upon the Tree, to make it grow and increase; so the Tree also works continually with its Branches with all its Strength, that it might still bear good Fruit abundantly.
3. But when the Tree bears not much Fruit, and those but small, shriveled, rotten, and worm-eaten, the Fault doth not lie in the Will of the Tree, as if it desired purposely to bear Evil Fruit, because it is a goodly Tree of good Quality; but here lies the Fault, because there is often great Cold, great Heat, Mildew, Caterpillars and other Worms happen to it: For the Quality in the Deep, from the Influence of the Stars, spoils it, and that makes it bear but little good Fruit.
4. Now the Tree is of Condition, that the bigger and older it is, the sweeter Fruit it bears: in its younger Years it bears not much Fruit, which the crude and wild Nature of the Ground or Earth causes, and the superfluous Moisture in the Tree: and though it bears many fair Blossoms, yet the most of its Apples fall off whilst they are growing, which is not so, when it stands in a very good Soil or Mould. Now this Tree also has a good sweet Quality, but there are three others, which are contrary to it, namely, the bitter, sour, and astringent.
5. And as the Tree is, so will its Fruit be, till the Sun works on it and makes it sweet; so that it comes to be of a sweet Taste, and its Fruit must also hold out in Rain, Wind and Tempest.
6. But when the Tree grows old, that its Branches wither, and the Sap ascends no more, then below the Stem or Stock there grow many Suckers; at last from the Root also Twigs grow, and make the old Tree flourish, showing that it also was once a green Twig and a young Tree, and is now become old. For Nature, or the Sap, struggles so long, till the Stock grows quite dry, and then it is to be cut down, and burnt in the Fire.
7. Now observe, what I have signified by this Similitude: The Garden of this Tree signifieth the World; the Soil or Mould signifies Nature; the Stock of the Tree signifies the Stars; by the Branches are meant the Elements; the Fruit which grows on this Tree signifies Men; the Sap in the Tree resembles the pure Deity. Now Men were made out of Nature, the Stars and Elements, but God the Creator reigneth in all: even as the Sap doth in the whole Tree.
8. But there are two Qualities in Nature, even until the Judgment of God: The one is pleasant, heavenly, and holy; the other is fierce, wrathful, hellish and thirsty.
9. Now the good one qualifies and works continually with all Industry, to bring forth good Fruit, and the Holy Ghost reigneth therein, and affords thereunto Sap and Life: the bad one springs and drives with all its Endeavours to bring forth bad Fruit continually, to which the Devil affords Sap and hellish Flame. Now both are in the Tree of Nature, and Men are made out of that Tree, and live in this World, in this Garden, betwixt both, in great Danger; suddenly the Sun shineth on them; by and by, Winds, Rain and Snow, fall on them.
10. That is, if Man elevates his Spirit into the Deity, then the Holy Ghost moves, springs and qualifies in him: But if he permits his Spirit to sink into the World, in Lust towards Evil, then the Devil and hellish Sap stirs and reigns in him.
11. Even as the Apple on the Tree comes to be corrupt, rotten and worm-eaten, when Frost, Heat, and Mildew fall on it, and easily falls off and perishes: So does Man also when he suffers the Devil to rule in him with his Poison.
12. Now as in Nature there are, spring up, and reign, good and bad; even so in Man: But Man is the Child of God, whom he has made out of the best Kernel of Nature, to reign in the good, and to overcome the bad: Though Evil sticks to him, even as in Nature the Evil hangs on the Good, yet he can overcome the Evil, if he elevates his Spirit in God; for then the Holy Ghost stirs and moves in him, and helps him overcome.
13. As the good Quality in Nature is potent, to overcome the Evil, for it is, and cometh from God, and the Holy Ghost is the Ruler therein: even so is the fierce wrathful Quality, powerful to overcome in a malicious wicked Soul: For the Devil is a potent Ruler in the Wrath or Fierceness, and is an eternal Prince of the same.
14. But Man hath cast himself into fierce Wrathfulness through the Fall of Adam and Eve, so that the Evil hangs on him; otherwise, his moving and driving would be only in the good. But now it is in both, and it is as St. Paul saith: Know ye not, that to whom you yield your selves Servants in Obedience, his Servants ye are, to whom ye obey, either to Sin unto Death, or to the Obedience of God unto Righteousness. Rom. 6.16.
15. But because Man has an Impulse or Inclination to both, he may lay hold on which he pleases; for he lives in this World betwixt both, and both Qualities, the good and the bad are in him, in which soever Man moves, with that he is indued, either with a Holy or a Hellish Power. For Christ saith: My Father will give the Holy Ghost to those that ask him. Luke 11.13.
16. Besides, God commanded Man to do Good, and did forbid him to do Evil; and now daily calls and preaches, and exhorts Man unto Good; whereby we see well enough, that God willeth not Evil, but his Will is, That his Kingdom should come, and his Will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven. But now Man is poisoned through Sin, so that the fierce wrathful Quality, as well as the Good, reigns in him, and is now half dead, and in his gross Ignorance can no more know God his Creator, nor Nature and its Operation; Yet has Nature used its best Endeavours from the Beginning till now, to which God hath given his Holy Ghost, so that it hath at all Times generated wise, holy and understanding Men, which learned to know Nature and their Creator, who always in their Writings and Teachings have been a Light to the World, whereby God has raised his Church on Earth, to his eternal Praise. Against which the Devil has raged, and spoiled many a noble Twig, through the wrathful Fierceness in Nature, whose Prince and God he is.
17. For Nature has many Times prepared and fitted a learned judicious Man with good gifts, and then the Devil has done his utmost to seduce that Man, and bring him into carnal Pleasure, to Pride, to a Desire to be Rich, and to be in Authority and Power. Thereby the Devil hath ruled in him, and the fierce wrathful Quality has overcome the Good; his Understanding, his Knowledge and Wisdom have been turned into Heresy and Error, who hath made a Mock of the Truth, and been the Author of Great Errors on Earth, and a good Leader of the Devil's Host.
18. For the bad Quality in Nature has wrestled, and does still wrestle with the Good, ever since the Beginning, and has elevated itself, and spoiled many a noble Fruit even in the Mothers Womb, as it plainly appears, first by Cain and Abel, which came from one Womb. Cain was from his Mothers Womb a Despiser of God, and proud; but Abel, on the contrary, was a humble Man, and one that feared God.
19. The same is seen also in the three Sons of Noah; as also by Abraham's Sons Isaac and Ishmael, especially by Isaac's in Esau and Jacob, which struggled and wrestled even in the Mother's Womb: therefore said God, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated, Gen.25.23., which is nothing else, but that both Qualities in Nature have vehemently wrestled one with another.
20. For when God at that Time moved in Nature, and would reveal himself unto the World through righteous Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and would raise a Church to himself on Earth for his Glory, then in Nature Malice also moved, and its Prince Lucifer. Seeing there was good and bad in Man, therefore both Qualities could reign in him, and therefore there was born at once, in one Womb, an evil and a good Man.
21. Also it is clearly seen by the first World, as also by the second, even unto the End of our Time, how the Heavenly and Hellish Kingdom in Nature have always wrestled one with another, and stood in great Travail, even as a Woman in the Birth. This does most clearly appear by Adam and Eve. For there grew up a Tree in Paradise of both Qualities of Good and Bad, wherewith Adam and Eve were to be tempted, to try whether they would hold out in the good Quality in the Angelical Kind and Form. For the Creator did forbid Adam and Eve to eat of the Fruit: but the evil Quality in Nature wrestled with the Good, and brought Adam and Eve into a Lust and Longing to eat of both. Thereupon they presently became of a bestial Form and Nature, and did eat of Good and Bad, and must increase and live in a bestial Manner; and so many a noble Twig begotten or born of them perished.
22. Afterwards it is seen, how God did work in Nature, when the Holy Fathers in the first World were born: as Abel, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methusalah, Lamech, and holy Noah. These made the Name of the Lord known to the World, and preached Repentance: for the Holy Ghost wrought in them.
23. On the contrary, the Hellish God also wrought against it, in Nature, and begot Mockers and Despisers, first Cain and his Posterity: And it was with the first World as with a young Tree, which grows, is green, blossometh fairly, but brings little good Fruit, by Reason of its wild Kind. So Nature in the first World brought forth but little good Fruit, though it blossometh fair in worldly Knowledge, and Luxury or Wantonness, which could not apprehend the Holy Spirit, who wrought in Nature then, as well as now.
24. Therefore said God, It repents me, that I have made Man, Gen.6.6., and he stirred up Nature so, that all Flesh died, which lived on dry Land, except the Root and Stock, that remained in Virtue: and so he has hereby dunged the wild Tree, and manured it, that it should bear better Fruit. But when the same sprung up again, it brought forth good and bad Fruit again; Among the Sons of Noah, there were found again Mockers and Despisers of God, and there hardly grew any good Branch on the Tree, which brought forth any holy and good Fruit: The other Branches were bearing also, and brought forth wild Heathens.
25. But when God saw, that Man was thus dead in his Knowledge, He moved Nature again, and shewed unto Man, how there was good and bad therein, that they should avoid Evil, and live unto the Good; and he caused Fire to fall down out of Nature, and fired Sodom and Gomorrah, for a terrible Example to the World. But when the Blindness of Men grew predominant, and refused to be taught by the Spirit of God, he Gave Laws and Precepts unto them, showing how they should behave themselves, and confirmed them with Wonders and Signs, lest the Knowledge of the true God should be quite extinct. But for all this, the Light did not manifest it self, for the Darkness and wrathful Fierceness in Nature struggled against it, and the Prince thereof ruled powerfully.
26. But when the Tree of Nature came to its middle Age, then it began to bear some mild and sweet Fruit, to show, that it would henceforth bear pleasant Fruit. Then were born, the Holy Prophets, out of the sweet Branch of the Tree, which taught and preached of the Light, which hereafter should overcome the wrathful Fierceness in Nature. And then there arose a Light in Nature among the Heathens, so that they knew Nature, and her Operation, although this was only a Light in the wild Nature, and was not yet the holy Light.
27. For the wild Nature was not yet overcome, and Light and Darkness wrestled so long one with another, till the Sun arose, and forced this Tree with its Heat, so that it did bear pleasant sweet Fruit: that is, till there came the Prince of Light out of the Heart of God and became Man in Nature, and wrestled in his human Body in the Power of the Divine Light, in the wild Nature. That same Prince and Royal Twig grew up in Nature, and became a Tree in Nature, and spread its Branches abroad from the East to the West, and encompassed the whole Nature, and wrestled and fought with the fierce Wrath which was in Nature, and with the Prince thereof, till he overcame and triumphed as a King in Nature, and took the Prince of Wrath or Fierceness, Captive in his own House, Psal.68.
28. This being done, there grew out of the Royal Tree, which was grown in Nature, many thousand Legions of precious sweet Twigs, all which had the Scent and Taste of that precious Tree. Though there fell upon them Rain, Snow, Hail and tempestuous Storms, so that many a Twig was torn and beaten from the Tree, yet still others grew in their Place. For the Wrath or Fierceness in Nature, and the Prince thereof, raised great Tempests, with Hail, Thundering, Lightning and Rain, so that many glorious Twigs were torn from the sweet and good Tree.
29. But these Twigs were of such a pleasant sweet and curious Taste, that no human nor angelical Tongue is able to express it: For there was great Power and Virtue in them, they were good to heal the wild Heathens. Whatever Heathen did eat of the Twig of this Tree, he was delivered from his wild Nature in which he was born, and became a sweet Tree in this precious Tree, and sprung up in that Tree, and did bear precious Fruit, like the Royal Tree. Therefore many Heathens resorted to the precious Tree, where the precious Twigs lay, which the Prince of Darkness by his Storms and tempestuous Winds had torn off; and whatever Heathen did smell to the Twig so torn off, he was healed of his wild Wrath or Fierceness, which he had brought from his Mother into the World.
30. But when the Prince of Darkness saw that the Heathens strove and contended about these Twigs, and not about the Tree, therein he found great Loss and Damage, and then he ceased with his Storms towards the East and South, and placed a Merchant under the Tree, who gathered up the Twigs, which were fallen from the precious Tree: And then when the Heathens came, and enquired after the good and virtuous Twigs, then the Merchant presented and offered them, for Money, to make Gain of the precious Tree. For this, the Prince of Wrath or Fierceness required at the Hands of his Merchant, because the Tree was grown upon his Ground and Land, and spoiled his Soil.
31. And so when the Heathens saw that the Fruit of the precious Tree was put to Sale, they flocked to the Merchant, and bought of the Fruit of the Tree; and they came also from foreign Islands to buy, even from the Ends of the World. Now when the Merchant saw that his Wares were in Request and Esteem, he plotted, how he might gather a great Treasure to his Master, and so sent Factors abroad, everywhere, to offer his Wares to sell, praising them highly: But he sophisticated the Wares, and sold other Fruit instead of the Good, which were not grown on the good Tree; this he did to increase his Master's Treasure.
32. But the Heathens and all the Islands and Nations, which dwelt on the Earth, were all grown on the wild Tree, which was good and bad: and therefore were half blind, and did not discern the good Tree, (which however did spread its Branches from the East to the West), else they would not have bought of the false Wares.
33. But because they knew not the precious Tree, which spread its Branches over them all, all of them ran after, and to the Factors, and bought of them mixed false Wares instead of good; and supposed they served for Health: But because all of them longed after the good Tree, which however moved over them all, many of them were healed, because of their great Desire they had to the Tree. For the Fragrance of the Tree, which moved over them, healed them of their Wrath or Fierceness and wild Nature, and not the false Wares of the Factors: this continued a long Time.
34. Now when the Prince in the Darkness, who is the Source or Wrath or Fierceness, Malice and Perdition, perceived that Men were healed of their Poison and wild Nature by the Fragrance of the precious Tree, he was enraged, and planted a wild Tree towards the North, which sprung up and grew in the Fierceness or Wrath of Nature, and made proclamation, saying: This is the Tree of Life; he that eateth of it, shall be healed and live eternally.
35. For in that Place, where the wild Tree grew, was a wild Place, and the People there had the true Light of God from the Beginning, even unto that Time, and to this Day, though unknown: and the Tree grew on the Mount Hagar in the House of Ishmael the Mocker. But when the Proclamation was made of the Tree, Behold, this is the Tree of Life!, then the wild People flocked unto the Tree, which were not born of God, but of the wild Nature, and loved the wild Tree, and did eat of its Fruit.
36. And the Tree grew to a mighty Bigness, by the Sap of Wrath or Fierceness in Nature, and spread abroad its Branches, from the North to the East and West: But the Tree had its Source and Root from the wild Nature, which was good and bad, and as the Tree was, so were its Fruits. But though the Men of this Place were grown out of the wild Nature, yet the Tree grew over them all, and grew so huge, that it reached with its Branches even unto the esteemed precious Land or Country under the Holy Tree.
37. But the Cause, that the wild Tree grew to so great a Bigness, was because the Nations under the good Tree ran all after the Factors, which sold the false Wares, and did eat of the false Fruits, which were good and bad, and supposed they were healed thereby, and meddled not with the holy good effectual Tree.
38. In the mean while, they grew more blind, weak and faint, and were disabled to suppress the growing of the wild Tree towards the North: For they were too weak and faint, and they saw well enough, that the Tree was wild, and bad, but they wanted Strength, and could not suppress the Growing of the Tree.
39. Yet if they had not run after the false Wares those Factors sold, and had not eaten of the false Fruits, but rather eaten of the precious Tree, then they might have got Strength to oppose the wild Tree. But because they ran a whoring after the wild Nature in human Conceits and Opinions, in the Lusts of their Hearts, in a hypocritical Way, therefore the wild Nature did predominate over them, and the wild Tree grew high and large over them, and spoiled them with its wild Rankness.
40. For the Prince of Wrath or Fierceness, in Nature, gave his Power to the Tree, to spoil Men which did eat of the wild Fruits of the Factors: Because they forsook the Tree of life, and sought after their own Fancy, as Mother Eve did in Paradise, therefore their own innate Quality predominated in them, and brought them into strong delusions, as St Paul saith, 2Thess.2.11: And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. And the Prince of Wrath or Fierceness, did raise Wars and Tempests from the wild Tree towards the North against the People and Nations, which were not born from the wild Tree; and the Tempest which came from the wild Tree overthrew them in their Weakness and Faintness.
41. And the Merchant under the good Tree dissembled with the Nations of the South and West, and towards the North, and highly commended his Wares, and cunningly deceived the simple Ones; and those that were witty, he made them his Factors, that they also might have their Livelihood or Living out of it, and he brought it so far, that no Body saw or knew the holy Tree any more, and so he got all the Land to himself, and then made Proclamation, 2Thess. 2. I am the Stock of the good Tree, and stand on the Root of the good Tree, and am in-grafted into the Tree of Life, buy my wares which I sell: and then you shall be healed of your wild Birth, and live for ever.
42. I am grown out of the Root of the good Tree, and the Fruit of the holy Tree is in my Power, and I sit on the Throne of the divine Power; I have Power in Heaven and on Earth, Come unto me, and buy for Money, the Fruit of Life.
43. Whereupon all Nations flocked to him and did buy and eat, even till they fainted: All the Kings of the South, West, and towards the North did eat the Fruits of the Factors, and lived under a great Faintness; for the wild Tree of the North grew more and more over them, and made waste of them a long Time. And there was a miserable Time upon Earth, such as never was, since the World stood, but Men thought that Time to be good; so terribly the Merchant under the good Tree, had blinded them.
44. But in the Evening, God in his Mercy took Pity on Man's Misery and Blindness, and stirred up the good Tree again, even that glorious Divine Tree, which did bear the Fruit of Life; then there grew a Twig nigh unto the Root, out of the precious Tree, and was green, and to it was given the Sap and Spirit of the Tree, and it spoke with the Tongue of Man, and showed to every one the precious Tree, and its Voice was heard in many Countries.
45. And when Men resorted thither to see and to hear what the Matter was, and there was shown unto them the precious and vigorous Tree of Life, of which Men had eaten at the Beginning, and were delivered of their wild Nature, and they were mightily rejoiced, and did eat of the Tree of Life with great Joy, and Refreshing, and so got new Strength from the Tree of Life, and sung a new Song concerning the true real Tree of Life, and so were delivered from their wild Birth, and then hated the Merchant and his Factors, as also their false Wares.
46. But all those came, which did hunger and thirst after the Tree of Life, and those that sat in the Dust, and they did eat of the holy Tree, and were healed of their impure Birth and Wrath or Fierceness of Nature, in which they lived, and so were in-grafted into the Tree of Life. But only the Factors of the Merchant, and his and their Dissemblers, and those that made their Gains with false Wares, and had gathered Treasure together came not, for they were drowned and quite dead in the Gain of the Merchant's Whoredom, and lived in the wild Nature, and so their Anguish and Shame, which was discovered, kept them back, because they went a whoring so long with the Merchant, and seduced the Souls of Men, notwithstanding they gloried, that they were in-grafted into the Tree of Life, and lived in Sanctity by a divine Power, and set to Sale the Fruit of Life.
47. Now because their Shame, Deceit, Covetousness, Knavery and Wickedness were discovered, they waxed dumb, and stayed behind; they were ashamed, and repented not of their Abominations and Idolatry, and so went not with the Hungry and Thirsty to the Fountain of Eternal Life; and therefore they grew faint also in their Thirst, and their Plague rises up from Eternity to Eternity, and they are gnawed in their Conscience.
48. Now the Merchant seeing that the Deceit of his false Wares was discovered, he grew very wrath, and despaired; and bent his Bow against the holy People, who would buy no more of his Wares, and so destroyed many of the holy People, and blasphemed the green-Twig, which was grown up out of the Tree of Life. But the great Prince MICHAEL, which stands before God, came and fought for the holy People, and he overcame.
49. But the Prince of Darkness perceiving, that his Merchant had a Fall, and that his Deceit was discovered, he raised a Tempest from the North out of the wild Tree against the Holy People, and the Merchant of the South made an Assault upon them: then the Holy People grew greatly in their Blossom, even as it was in the Beginning, when the holy and precious Tree grew, and that overcame the Wrath or Fierceness in Nature and its Prince; thus it was at that Time.
50. Now, when the noble and holy Tree was revealed to all Nations, so that they saw how it moved over them, and spread its Fragrance over all People, and that any one that pleased, might eat of it, then the People grew weary of eating of its Fruit, which grew on the Tree, and longed to eat of the Root of the Tree; and the cunning and wise People sought after the Root, and contended about the same: So the Strife was great about the Root of the Tree, insomuch that they forgot to eat the Fruit of the sweet Tree, by Reason of the Controversy about the Root of the Tree.
51. And now they minded neither the Root nor the Tree, but the Prince of Darkness had another Design, intending something else: when he saw, that they would eat no more of the good Tree, but contended about the Root, he perceived that they were grown very weak and faint, and that the wild Nature had the Predominance in them again.
52. And therefore he stirred them up to Pride, so that everyone supposed he had the Root at Hand; every one must look after and hear him, and reverence him: Whereby they built their Palaces and great Houses, and served in Secrecy their Idol Mammon, whereby the Lay people were troubled and caused to offend, and so lived in carnal Pleasures, in the Desire of the wild Nature, and served their Belly in Wantonness, confiding in the Fruit of the Tree, which moved over them all, though they fell into Misery, that thereby they might be healed.
53. And in the mean while they served the Prince of Darkness according to the Impulse of the wild Nature, and the precious Tree stood there only for a May-game or Mocking stock, and many lived like wild Beasts, and led a wicked Life, in Pride, Pomp, Stateliness and Lasciviousness, the Rich consuming the Labour and Sweat of the Poor, forcing them thereunto.
54. All evil Actions were approved of for Bribery: the Laws issued forth out of the evil Quality in Nature, and every one strove after Riches and Goods, after Pride, Pomp and Stateliness; there was no Deliverer for the Poor; Scolding, Railing, Cursing and Swearing were not disapproved nor held vicious, and so they defiled themselves in the wrathful or fierce Quality, even as a swine tumbles in the Dirt and Mire.
55. Thus did the Shepherds with the Sheep, they retained no more but the bare Name of the noble Tree; its Fruit, Virtue and Life were only a Cover to their Sins. Thus the World lived at that Time, except a small Remnant or Number, which were generated in the Midst among the Thorns in great Tribulation and Contempt, out of all Nations upon the Earth, from the East to the West.
56. There was no Difference, they all lived upon the Impulse of the wild Nature in Faintness, even to a small Number, which were delivered out of all Nations, as it was before the Deluge, and before the Growing of the noble Tree in Nature; and thus it was also at that Time.
57. But why Men in the End, did long so eagerly after the Root of the Tree, is a Mystery, and hitherto it was concealed from the wise and prudent; neither will it rise up to the Height, but in the Deep, in great Simplicity.
58. As indeed the noble Tree with its Kernel and Heart, has always been concealed from the worldly Wise: though they supposed they stood, some at the Root, and some at the very Top of the Tree, yet this was no more than a shining Mist before their Eyes.
59. But the noble Tree, from the Beginning till now, strove in Nature to its utmost, that it might be revealed to all People, Tongues, and Languages, against which the Devil in the wild Nature raged, and fought like a fierce Lion.
60. But the noble Tree bore the more and the sweeter Fruit, and revealed it self more and more against all the Fury and Madness of the Devil, even unto the End: and then it was Light. For there grew a green Twig at the Root of the noble Tree, which got the Sap and Life of the Root, to which was given the Spirit of the Tree; so it increased and multiplied the noble Tree in its glorious Virtue and Power, and Nature also, in which it grew.
61. Now when this was done, then both the Gates of Nature were opened, the Knowledge of the two Qualities of good and bad, and so the Heavenly Jerusalem was manifested, and the Kingdom of Hell also, to all men upon Earth. And the Light and Voice was heard in the four Winds, and the false Merchant in the South was quite revealed, and his own hated him, and rooted him out from the whole Earth.
62. This being done, the wild Tree toward the North withered, and all People beheld the holy Tree, even in foreign Islands, with Admiration. And the Prince in the Darkness was revealed, and his Mysteries were discovered, and his Shame, Ignominy and Perdition, the Men upon Earth did see and know, for it was Light.
63. And this lasted but a little Time, for Men forsook that Light, and lived in carnal Pleasures to their own Perdition: For as the Gate of Light had opened itself, so did also the Gate of Darkness; and from them both went forth all Manner of Powers and Arts, that were therein.
64. For as Men had lived from the Beginning in the Growth of the wild Nature, and hunted only after earthly Things, so in the End, Things were not mended but rather grew worse.
65. In the Middle of this Time were raised many great stormy Winds from the West towards the East and North: but from the North there went forth a great Stream of Water towards the holy Tree, and spoiled many Twigs in the holy Tree, and in the Midst of the Stream it was Light, and so the wild Tree toward the North withered.
66. And then the Prince in the Darkness was enraged in the great Motion of Nature. For the Holy Tree moved in Nature, as one that would by and by be elevated, and kindled, in the Glorification of the holy Divine Majesty, and cast the Wrath or Fierceness from it, which had so long stood against it, and had wrestled with it.
67. In like Manner, the Tree of Darkness, Wrath, Fierceness and Perdition, moved furiously, as one that would be kindled by and by, and therein the Prince with his Legions went forth to spoil the noble Fruit of the good Tree.
68. And it stood horribly in Nature in the fierce Quality, in that Quality wherein the Prince of Darkness dwelt, to speak after the Manner of Men; like as when Men see terrible Weather coming on, which makes a horrible Appearance with Lightning and tempestuous Winds, at which Men stand amazed.
69. On the other Side, in the good Quality, in which the holy Tree of Life stood, all was pleasant sweet and delightful; like an heavenly Joyfulness. These two moved furiously one against another, till the whole Nature was kindled of both qualities in one Moment.
70. And the Tree of Life was kindled in its own Quality by the Fire of the Holy Ghost, and its Quality burnt in the Fire of the heavenly Joyfulness, in an unsearchable Light and Glory.
71. All Voices of the heavenly Joyfulness qualified, mixed or harmonized in this Fire, which have been from Eternity in the good Quality; and the Light of the Holy Trinity shined into the Tree of Life, and replenished or filled the whole Quality, in which it stood.
72. And the Tree of the fierce Quality, which is the other Part of Nature, was kindled also, and burnt in the Fire of God's Wrath in a hellish Flame, and the fierce Source rose up into Eternity, and the Prince of Darkness with his Legions did abide in the fierce wrathful Quality, as in his own Kingdom.
73. In this Fire were consumed the Earth, the Stars and Elements, for all were on Fire at once, each in the Fire of its own Quality, and all was separable. For the Ancient of Days moved himself in it, wherein every Power and all the Creatures, and whatsoever can be named, even the Powers of Heaven, of the Stars and of the Elements, became thin again, and were fashioned according to that Form, which they were in from the Beginning of the Creation.
74. Only the two Qualities, good and bad, which have been in Nature one in another, were separated, and the bad one was given to the Prince of Malice and Wrath, or Fierceness, for eternal Habitation; and that is called Hell, or a Rejection, which in Eternity no more apprehends or touches the good Quality; but is an Oblivion of all Good, and that unto its Eternity.
75. In the other Quality stood the Tree of eternal Life, and its Source and Off-spring descended from the Holy Trinity, and the Holy Ghost did shine into the same. And all Men came forth which descended from the Loins of Adam, who was the first Man, each in its Virtue, and in that Quality, in which each did grow on Earth.
76. Those that on Earth had eaten of the good Tree, which is called JESUS CHRIST, in them did flow the Mercy of God unto eternal Joy; they had in them the Power of the good Quality, they were received into the good and holy Quality, and they sung the Song of their Bridegroom, each in his Voice, according to his own Holiness.
77. But those that were born in the Light of Nature, and of the Holy Ghost, and on Earth never fully knew the Tree of Life, but were grown in its Power, which overshadowed all Men upon Earth, as very many Nations, Heathens and Babes, which were also received in the same Power wherein they were grown, and wherewith their Spirit was cloathed, and they sung the Song according to their Power and Measure in the noble Tree of eternal Life; for every one was glorified according to his Power, Virtue, Measure and Proportion.
78. And the Holy Nature generated joyful heavenly Fruit, even as on Earth it had generated Fruit in both the Qualities, which were both good and bad, so now it did generate heavenly Fullness of Joy.
79. And those Men, that were now like Angels, did each eat the Fruit of his Quality, and they sung the Song of God, and the Song of the Tree of eternal Life.
80. And that was in the Father as a holy Scene, a triumphing Joy; for to that End all Things at the Beginning were made out of the Father, and now they abide so to all Eternity.
81. But those that were grown on Earth in the Power of the Tree of Wrath, that is, which the fierce Quality had overcome, and were withered in the Wickedness of their Spirit, in their Sins, all those came forth also, each in his Power or Faculty, and were received into the Kingdom of Darkness, and each was indued in that Power, in which he was grown up, and their King is called Lucifer, viz. one expelled, or driven forth from the Light.
82. And the hellish Quality brought forth Fruit also, as it had done upon Earth, only the good was severed or parted from it, and therefore it brought forth Fruit now in its own Quality. And these Men also, which were now like the Spirits, did each eat the Fruit of his quality, and so did the Devils also.
83. For as there is a difference in Men upon Earth in their Qualities, and all are not of one Quality, Condition or Disposition, even so among the rejected reprobate Spirits, and so in the heavenly Pomp in Angels and Men, and that lasteth unto its Eternity.
AMEN!
84. Courteous Reader, This is a short Information concerning the two Qualities in Nature from the Beginning to the End, how there arose from thence two Kingdoms, a heavenly and a hellish, and how they stir in this time and strive one against another and what the Event of it will be in the Time to come.[ This explanatory paragraph { #84.} is found in the Wm. Law Edition ]
Extract from Jacob Boehme's "Aurora: The Day Spring",
From: " The Works of Jacob Behmen, The Teutonic Theosopher."
Reverend William Law's Edition: Volume One; London, 1764,
Printed for M. Richardson, in Pater-noster Row.
The Author's Preface.
