Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	darkness_n	light_n	shine_v	1,307	5	9.6147	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28525	Forty questions of the soul concerning its original, essence, substance, nature or quality and property, what it is from eternity to eternity : framed by a lover of the great mysteries, Doctor Balthasar Walter, and answered in the year 1620 / by Jacob Behme, called Teutonicus Philosophus ; Englished by John Sparrow ...; Viertzig Fragen von der Seele. English	Böhme, Jakob, 1575-1624.; Sparrow, John, 1615-1665?	1665 (1665)	Wing B3407; ESTC R14533	160,272	442

and St. James saith chap. 1. 17. Every good and perfect Gift cometh from above from the Father of Lights in whom there is no alteration nor shadow of change 6. But seeing you seek these things so vehemently you are even become the cause of finding them for God giveth his Mysteries both by means and without means but that none might boast he oftentimes useth very mean people in it that it may be known to come from His Hand 7. You shall be answered with a very firm and deep Answer yet comprized in brief not according to outward Reason but according to the Spirit of Knowledge 8. And though I could have fully demonstrated these things and set them down in a larger description yet seeing they are all plentifully enough described and explained in my other Writings I pass them ever now briefly for the delight of the Reader and that this may be a brief Memorial of the great Mysteries 9. But he that desireth to know these things fully and from the ground of them let him seek in the foregoing Writings especially in the Third Part where he hath the whole ground of the Divine Substance as also of the Creation of all things of that which is Eternal and also that which is temporary or transitory and how all hath come to be and act as it doth and what it will come to be at last 10. Wherein lyeth the Mysterium magnum the great Mystery so far as a Creature is able to apprehend or bear Thither I would have you directed for further Explanation and commend me to you in Christ into the Brotherly Love Anno Christi 1620. Jacob Beheme Called Teutonicus The First Question Whence the Soul Existed from the Beginning of the World 1. VVE have sufficiently in the Second and Third Book explain'd the Mystery of the Soul by the Three Principles of the Divine Substance where we have described the Eternal Centre of the Eternal Nature as also the Number Three of the Divine Substance with many circumstances and what Eternity hath ever been and how the beginning of the Creation came to be what an Angel and Soul is as also the heavy Fall of Lucifer and then both the Mothers that have so brought it forth the one generating the Heavenly Substantiality the other the Hellish Abomination also of Light and Darkness 2. Therefore in this Treatise we are not so very easily to be understood unless the Third part of our writings have been read and apprehended 3. Although that Apprehension doth not at all consist in humane power yet the way to it is very faithfully shewn so that if any have a mind to attain it if he will follow our counsel and advice therein he will well get a leader and directer that will shew him the Key the Mysterium magnum the great Mystery to the noble Stone Lapis Philosophorum the Philosophers Stone and to all Mysteries let none account it impossible for with God All is possible whosoever findeth God findeth ALL with and in HIM 4. Ye know from or in Reason that all things are sprung and come forth out of the Eternity and the Scripture telleth you In God are All things in him we live and move and we are all of his Off-spring 5. And though indeed we cannot say of God that the pure Deity is Nature but Majesty in the number Three yet we must say that God is in Nature though Nature doth not contain or comprehend him as little as the Air can contain or comprehend the glance or shining of the Sun yet we must needs say that Nature is generated in his Will and is a Seeking proceeded out of the Eternity 6. For where there is no Will there is also no Desiring But there is in God an Eternal Will which is Himself to generate his Heart or Sonne and that Will maketh the stirring or the exit out of the will of the heart which is a Spirit so that the Eternity standeth in Three Eternall Forms which are called Persons as we have very exactly explained it in the third Book 7. And since we see and know that there is not only Light and Majesty but also Darkness as is plain before our eyes 8. Therefore we ought to know from whence Darkness originateth for in the Eternity without or besides Nature no Darkness can be for there is nothing that can afford it we must only look into the Will and into the Desiring for a Desiring is an attracting 9. And whereas yet in the Eternity it hath nothing but only it self it attracts it self in the Will and maketh the Will fall and that is its Darkness 10. Whereas otherwise if it were not desirous it would be nothing but an Eternal stillness without Being or Substance the attracting therefore maketh Mobility and Essence which otherwise in the stillness cannot be and therefore also it maketh austere astringency hardness and grosness as also sharpness 11. Yet we cannot say neither that the Darkness swalloweth up the Light viz. the Eternal Liberty for that which is Eternal suffereth not it self to be altered or changed but we must say that Light and Darkness are IN One another 12. Now the Light is good and hath pleasant vertue or power and the Darkness hath austere or astringent hard cold and the Wills Desiring maketh Essences and attracting that is a stirring in the hardness thus the attracted stirreth from the drawing and is a whirling whereby in the sharpness Light and Darkness become mingled 13. And thus we are to consider how the free Light in the sharp stirring in the Substance is also sharpned where we understand the Fire flash of Lightning and the earnest severity and yet cannot say that any rending asunder is there 14. For that which is Eternal from no beginning hath no parting of one from another but standeth as a Wheel that generates it self in it self as you have a similitude of it in the Mind of a man where there is indeed a will of rising and flying but no departing away and the greater the will is the greater also is the substance and the more potent is the matter or the thing represented seeing it is sharpned 15. Thus seeing the still liberty which is neither Light nor Darkness becometh sharpned in the sharp desiring attracting so that it appeareth as a flash of Lightning that shineth 16. Therefore also we cannot say that the Liberty holdeth or captivateth the Light for from Eternity it hath had nothing but we may well say that the Light and the Glance shineth in the Liberty 17. For that which is free letteth in the Light but that which is not free as the harsh or austere astringency which maketh Darkness and is Material spoken after a spiritual manner that receiveth not the Light 18. But we may well say that which is meek and not holding or contracting receiveth the Light as ye see in water

fountain Quality of the Essences out of the Will 135. Now ye see also well that Fire must have somewhat to consume else it is a Darkness and though it devoureth it self viz. it s strong or stern attraction yet that very fire is only a source or fountain quality in the Darkness whereby we understand the Abyss of the Anger which in God is not revealed or manifested but only as a Cause of the Life in the Kingdom of God 136. Ye see this that every Fire must have substance if it must burn understand this thus the Fire affordeth Air the Air Water and it draweth the Air strongly again into it self with the water whence the Fires source or fountain quality of heat becometh mittigated or meekned so that it shineth 137. For without Water no Fire shineth where in a thing the Water is not to be attained there is no shining of the Fire but only a glimps as is to be seen in a glowing or red hot Stone which hath the source or quality of Fire of the shining it hath nothing but only glimps it may be not that but in the Iron ye see a glimps wherein the Fire attaineth the Water Therefore also Iron is at length consumed and getteth rust and a Stone Not. This is thus to be understood according to the outward Principle of this World but according to the inward viz. according to the Kingdom of God observe this understanding the Eternal Fire burneth Eternally but it is a Spirit and in the Kingdom of God not manifested or revealed in a fierce wrathful manner 138. Observe this thus the flash maketh a shining which originateth from the fire and dwelleth not in the fierce wrath of the fire but it satiateth or fulfilleth the fire totally and giveth light also externally out of the fire and is not held or detained by the fire and bringeth also a several source or quallity as Meekness and hath yet the Fires vertue or power Wit or Ingenuity and Art for in the Light is first the Fires Source or Quality in the Essences manifested or revealed 139. Now the Light maketh no source or pain but goeth in it self into a Meekness and is also desirous proceeding from the Fires source or Quality and its desiring is also an attracting as viz. of the meekness and vertue or power into it self and impregnaeth it self with meekness 140. For the Light is also a fire a very yearning fire a desirous fire and a continual finding fire which continually findeth what is generated in the Original 141. All the vertue and power which originateth in the fierce wrathful Fire is manifested or revealed in the Light and the Light desireth that in meekness for the Fires fierce wrathfulness and the Lights shining are Two Principles of a twofold Source or fountain Quality each dwelleth in it self and the one comprehendeth not the Other in Eternity and yet the One is the others Life and Cause Understand it thus 142. As we consider that a horrible anxious Source or Quality maketh a sinking down in it self like a death where then is the parting limit and yet the Anguish in it self retaineth its source or quality but the sincking into it self as a Death entereth into its Aethen where then the Anguish-Life is no more apprehended for the sinking breaketh it self forth out of the Anguish-source like a dying and is a dying whereas yet in the Eternity is no dying but such an Entrance into another World of another Principle of another Source or fountain-Quality 143. For the sinking goeth into the still Eternity as into the Liberty and being the fierce wrathful fires-Source continueth in it self in its life therefore is the sinking a going forth out of the Fire-Life and yet is from the Fire-Life but its source or fountain-spirit it hath not for it is broken off in Death and is the parting-limit in Death that so the sinking presseth through Death and hath another Substantiality viz. another Water wherein the Light shineth wherein no fierce wrathfulness is 144. For in the Eternity is no Death that with-holdeth but only such an entrance in for that which hath no beginning that hath also no end nor ground and thus originateth the Light out of the Fires-Source 145. For the Light dwelleth in the Fire also not in the Fire it is in another world and is another Fire which is called Love Vertue or Power Wonder Sweet Mild or Gentle Pure or Clean and is no Substance and also not Nature but without or besides Nature in another Principle 146. It is nothing else but a Light-flaming powerful Majesty and hath its own spirit which bringeth the sinking through Death which from the Anguish is the sinking through Death which maketh the sprouting out through Death 147. It is in it self free both from the Fire and from the Light and is held or detained by none as little as the fire holdeth or detaineth the Air and it goeth forth out of the Light out of the Power of the Light and openeth all whatsoever is in the Fire-Source or Quality and also in the Lights-Source or Quality 148. But it hath no perception in it self of the Fire but it is a blower up of the Light-Fire a bringer of the Love-Essences into the desirous power or Vertue an Opener of the Love-Essences 149. And yet that we may be understood when we speak thus of the Love-Essences as of another Fire Observe it Behold when the Light becometh thus generated through the fierce wrathfulness so that the one Fire goeth forth out of the other then the Light-fire desireth no more the fierce wrathfulness for it hath dyed away from the fierce wrathfulness and is an own peculiar fire in it self and sendeth its Life out of it self which is a sprouting for it is also desirous and attractive whence Essences exist and hath all forms in it as the Fire-life also hath such a rising up or springing 150. But the Essences are generated out of the Lights power and vertue and so the one alwayes tasting the other there is a mere pure desiring and satisfying or fulfilling whereas yet there is nothing that the Love desiring can draw into it self therefore it draweth it self into it self and impregnateth it self out of the Power of the Majesty so that that very will is full and yet also nothing is there but such power and vertue and Image of the Wonder it is a Similitude of the Birth or Geniture and is the power and vertue it self It is the Substance of the Spirit whence the Spirit hath its food for it goeth forth out of the Image and floweth or bubleth as the Air in this World doth 151. But now if the Spirit findeth no Similitude wich is without or besides it and yet findeth it self thus in the Power and Vertue then it is also desirous for it dweleth in the powers or vertues ground and is not it self the power or vertue therefore its desiring also maketh a Similitude according to it

Mystery which with the Magia viz. with the Desire introduceth it self into the fierce Wrath where then the strong loud-sounding life and strength is understood in the entrance of Nature in the first Three Forms viz. the astringent bitter and anguish as the word Wrath standeth in the space under the Line Number 18. signifying that the fierce Wrath doth not touch the Angle or Point of the Number Three but is generated or born in the Desire Craft Numb 19. 187. Under the word Omnipotence Number 19. standeth Craft signifying the Essence out of the Looking-Glass of the Mystery which Craft or Suttlety in the second Principle is changed into a right or rectified understanding and here in the Magick Fire it is only Craft or cunning Suttlety for it is accute or pointed and sharp and a cause of the Understanding Devil Numb 20. 188. Over against it standeth Devil Number 20. in the space of the Dark World signifying the evilness malignity or malice of the Devil in that he is gone away from the Angle or Point of the Number Three and hath set or put his will into the fierce Wrath Craft or Suttlety in willing therewith to rule or lord it over God's Meekness and himself to use the strength and might or potency of the Fire and of the Fierce-wrath Devils Art Numb 21 22. 189. Under the word Craft standeth Devils Art Number 21 22. Devils standeth without the Circle of Nature and Art standeth within the Circle of Nature signifying that the Devil was created as well out of the Mystery of the Father upon the Line or Stroak of the Cross in the Eternal Nature as the other Angels But he hath framed or created to himself his Art Number 22. in the magick seeking of Nature in the Center of the dark World whereas yet he should have gotten framed or created it in God's Heart and Power or Vertue and that is his Cause of his Fall and of his Envy or Hatred and Malice Will Numb 23. 190. Above the Line Number 23. standeth Will signifying that the Devil hath hath swung himself aloft above the Divine Line upon or in which he was created as a proud or haughty stately Spirit that would himself have been Lord and have governed in own Self Art and Wit Darkness Numb 24. 191. As now at present the pride or state and haughtiness and cunning suttle Policy and Prudence of Men doth which swingeth it self also thus from the Line of God up into own self wherein it cannot reach or attain the Divine Power or Vertue and Light within but falleth in it self into the Dark anguishing Magick Fire as above the word Will is marked Number 24. First into Darkness for Reason loseth the Divine Understanding and Desire wherein it can take hold of and receive God's Substance and so impregnate it self with Power and Vertue out of or from God Fire Numb 25. 192. And then the Magick Fire of Covetousness kindleth it self in that it willeth to have much and yet hath not enough as here Number 25. Anguish Numb 26. 193. And when it hath filled it self with Covetousness then beginneth the Magick Fire in the Anguish Number 26. to burn For that which is brought in by the Covetousness and laden the fire with is the Magick Fires wood or fewel wherein it burneth and there is Death generated or born which must separate what the Covetousness hath laid in Death Numb 27. 194. And here is also the heavy Fall of Adam who imagined as the Devil did and desired the multiplicity of this world for his own he would be wise or suttle and prudent and get much Wit or crafty Ingenuity and also the earthly hellish source or fountain quality in the wit Had he remained upon the Stroak or Arm in God's Line then he had not become earthly for his will-spirit had dwelt in God and had introduced Divine food into the Body but now he standeth in the Anguish Number 26 and must again go through the Principle into Death Number 27 where his Body must in the Mystery be consumed 195. And if he hath not in this time converted his will into the Cross of Christ as in this Figure is to be seen then is he in the Mystery reserved to the Judgement of God and there he shall be tryed in the Fire whether his will-spirit hath Divine Power and Vertue in it or not or whether he can subsist in the Fire And there the proud stately or haughty earthly works will be burned away from him and the soul will remain in the dark Magick Will-Fire for it self is also a Magick Fire when the Divine Light-Fire is not in it and so now one Magick Fire layeth hold of another out of which there is no remedy to help Will Numb 28. Light Numb 29. Spirit Numb 30. Man Numb 31. 196. But that Soul which hath in this time converted again and hath with its will given up it self into the Death of Christ on the Line of the Cross Number 27. that soul is sunk down from its proud or haughty evil works and is as to them will-less or free from willing and is entered into the Death of Christ and sprouteth forth with the Will-spirit Number 28. through the second Principle in the Divine Power and Vertue out of the Death of Christ where then the Will-Spirit viz. the Image attaineth again the Divine Light Number 29. and the Image standeth Number 30. again in the Divine Man Number 31. Image Numb 32. God Numb 33. 197. For when the Will Spirit entereth into Death upon the Cross then it draweth again Divine Substantiality viz. Christ's Flesh to it self and bringeth the same with it self into the Light into the Light world there the Divine Life sprouteth again into the holy Body and the Image standeth free again As here Number 32. is to be seen and dwelleth in God Number 33. and eateth of God's Word or Substance for the Image is here without or beyond Nature in the Liberty but the Humanity is within Nature as is described 198. But as to those Souls which stick in their proud or stately and haughty covetous Works in the Anguish Number 26. they stick indeed in the Magick Anguish-Fire and their works are wood or fuel to or for the Fire 199. But if the Will-spirit do yet turn in it self a little into the Death of Christ and yet also is fast bound to the fierce Wrath that soul hangeth as by a thred to the Death of Christ The Ninth Number Numb 34. 200. This Soul may well thus burn a while till the Will-Spirit can enter into the Death of Christ till its sydereal wood or fuel be burned up when the earthly body dyeth then must the Image bathe which the present too wise and subtle world contemneth but in Death doth find it by woful experience There must this little sparkle which hangeth only by a thred wind it self into the Death

but the will taketh its Substance doings or works along into it self for they stand in the New Body and follow after it therefore a Man should consider what he doth in this Life The Ninth Form of Fire The great earnest Severity 319. Thus we understand that all proceedeth out of the Beginning and so one goeth out of the other and we understand how the Fire is a cause of the Life and how the Life divides it self into two parts and yet breaketh not but only the outward Life which falleth home back to the Turba which breaketh or destroyeth it therefore we ought to consider wherein it is that the Eternal Life consisteth what its preservation is that the Body breaketh not for Substantiality hath a beginning 320. And yet we can say with good ground that no End is therein for it must have a Ground else it belongeth to the Turba which findeth the Limit the Eternal Body must stand in no Limit but be free in the Abyss in the Eternal Nothing else there would be another substance or thing again in that substance or thing which would cut that assunder and make a Limit 321. It is said before how all must go or pass quite through the Fire that will endure Eternally for that which remaineth in the Fire the Turba taketh that there is no spirit created in the Fire that it should remain in the Fire 322. Only the Turba hath captivated mary of them but not from or by God's will or purpose for God's will is only Love but the Turba is his Anger-will which hath with its vehement hunger brought a great Kingdom of its Manifestation or Revelation into his wonders viz. the Devils and wicked Souls of Men. 323. But being the Eternal Life standeth in Meekness and hath no Death nor Turba in it Therefore we must needs say that the Soul and Spirit stand not in the Turba especially the Soule Body else the Turba would break or destroy it 324. To be understood as above mentioned thus that the Will in the Anguish-source or quality in the Fire understand the Souls Will sinketh down into it self viz. into Death and should not live in the Fire and then that very Will falleth into another will viz. into the Beginning or to express it better into the Free Eternity into the Eternal Nothing where there is no source or quality or pain nor nothing that can either give or receive it 325. But now there is in the sunkdown will no dying for it is gone out from the fiery Beginning in the Eye and so bringeth its Life into another Principle and dwelleth in the Liberty and yet hath all Forms of the Essences out of the Fire in it self but unperceptibly for it is gone quite out from the Fire 326. Therefore its Life of its Essences are in the Liberty and is also desirous and receiveth in the Desiring into its Essences the Power or Vertue of the Light which shineth in the Liberty that is Power or Vertue without Turba for that Fire is only Love which consumeth not but continually desireth and satiateth so that the will of the Soul attracteth a Body 327. For the Will is a Spirit and the Soul is the great Life of the Spirit which upholdeth or preserveth the Spirit thus the Soul becometh indued with Power and Vertue and dwelleth in Two Principles as God himself doth and according to the outward in Three Principles and is the Similitude of God 328. The inward Water in the Spirit of the Soul is the Water of the Eternal Life concerning which Christ saith Whosoever drinketh of the Water that I give him he will never thirst more this is that Water 329. The Substantiality of the Spirit which becometh put on to the Soul is Gods Christs Body concerning which he saith Whosoever eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood continueth in Me and I in Him 330. But the right true Life in the Light of the Majesty in the Ninth-Number is the Virgin Tincture it is a Fire and yet not a Fire it burneth but consumeth not it is the Love the Meekness the Humility this is God's Life the Holy Souls Life an uncorruptible Life and an unsearchable Life for it standeth in the Abyss in it self there is a Center therein which Center is its First Life and yet it doth not comprehend it as the Fire doth not comprehend the Light 331. Thus the Ninth Number is the Life in the Fire of God and is called the Life in the presence of the Number Three As an Angel which standeth before the Cross to or for God's Deeds of Wonder and to or for the Manifestation of the Heavenly Honour and Glory The Tenth Number and Form of Fire The Gate into the Holy Ternary 332. We know in Reason that where there is a Root therein also is a desirous will as viz. the Noble Tincture which driveth upwards and forwards and seeketh a Similitude according to its Form 333. The Tincture is a Virgin and is known or apprehended in God's Wisdom in the Wonders It is no Genetrix but an opener or manifester of the Wonders which stand in the Wisdom it seeks no Looking-Glass but meerly openeth or discovereth the Essences that so a total Similitude may generate or produce it self out of the Essences it driveth the Twig or Branch out of the Tree 334. This we understand as to Angels and Souls which are proceeded out of God's Essences out of the total Tree the Angels out of two Principles and the Soul with the Body of the outward Life out of Three Principles And therefore Man is higher dignified than the Angels if he continue in God 335. And in the Tenth Number upon the Cross are the Angels and Souls awakned and become corporised in the Heavenly Substantiality although the Tenth Number belongeth to the place between the Fift and the Sixt but in a Globe to be understood so that the Heart is in the midst in the Center which is God's Heart that is God's Word the Power and Vertue in or of the whole Tree as the Kernel or Pith in the Wood hath the Essences Vertue or Condition of the whole Tree 336. Thus God is a Spirit and the Word is his Heart which he speaketh forth out of all Powers or Vertues and Wonders therefore Isaiah calleth it * Wonder Council Power Prince of Peace viz. a Pacifier of the Anger and an Eternal Power of Wonders a Counsellour of the Genetrix 337. For the Word upholdeth or preserveth the Center of Nature is a Heart and Lord of Nature it is the Genetrix in God's Eye a Giver of the Power and Vertue and the strength of the Omnipotence It holdeth the Fire-Center captive with the Love-Fire so that it must be dark in it self and the Word hath only the Light-Life 338. We cannot apprehend the Tenth-Number any otherwise then that it is a Cross and is the Original of the Substance of all Substances which Substance parteth it self into Three