[THE TWENTY-SECOND CHAPTER Of the Birth or Geniture of the Stars, and Creation of the Fourth Day.]
From the Aurora, Jakob Boehme
1. HERE now is begun the describing of the astral birth. It ought well to be observed what the first
title of this book meaneth, which is thus expressed: The Day Spring or Dawning in the East, or
Morning Redness in the Rising. For here will a very simple man be able to see and comprehend or
apprehend the being of God.
2. The Reader should not make himself blind through his unbelief and dull apprehension; for here
I bring in the whole or total nature, with all her children, for a witness and a demonstration. If
thou art rational, then look round about thee, and view thyself; also consider thyself aright, and
then thou wilt soon find from or out of what spirit I write.

3. For my part, I will obediently perform the command of the spirit, only, have thou a care, and
suffer not thyself to be shut out by an open door; for here the gates of knowledge stand open to
thee.
4. Though the spirit will indeed go against the current of some astrologers, that is no great matter
to me, for I am bound to obey God rather than men; men are blind in or concerning the spirit, and if
they will not see, then they may remain blind still.
Now observe:
5. Now when upon the third day the fire-flash rose up out of the light, which was shining in the
sweet water, which flash is the bitter quality which generateth itself out of the kindled terror or
crack of fire in the water:
6. Then the whole nature of this world became springing, boiling and moving in the earth, as well
as above the earth, and everywhere, and began to generate itself again in all things.
7. Out of the earth sprang up grass, herbs and trees; and in the earth, silver, gold, and all manner of
ores came to be; and in the deep above the earth sprang up the wonderful forming of power and
virtue. 8. But that thou may understand what manner of substance and condition all these things
and births or genitures have, I will describe all in order one after another, that thou may rightly
understand the ground of this Mystery.
8. I will treat, 1. Of the earth. 2. Of the deep above the earth. 3. Of the incorporating or compacting of
the bodies of the stars. 4. Of the seven chief qualities of the planets, and of their heart, which is the
sun. 5. Of the four elements. 6. Of the outward comprehensible or palpable birth or geniture, which
existeth out of this whole regimen or dominion. 7. Of the wonderful proportion and fitness or
dexterity of the whole wheel of nature.
9. Before this looking-glass I will now invite all lovers of the holy and highlytobeesteemed arts of
philosophy, astrology, and theology, wherein I will lay open the root and ground of them.
10. Though I have not studied nor learned their arts, neither do I know how to go about to
measure their circles; I take no great care about that. However, they will have so much to learn
from hence, that many will not comprehend the ground thereof all the days of their lives.
11. I have no use for their tables, formulae or schemes, rules and ways, for I have not learned from
them, but I have another teacher or schoolmaster, which is the whole or total NATURE.
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12. From that whole nature, together with its innate, instant birth or geniture, have I studied and
learned my philosophy, astrology, and theology, and not from men, or by men.
13. But seeing men are gods, and have the knowledge of God the only Father, from whom they are
proceeded or descended, and in whom they live, therefore I despise not the canons, rules and
formulae of their philosophy, astrology, and theology: For I find, that for the most part they [the
philosophers, etc.] stand upon a right ground, and I will diligently endeavour to go according to
their rules and formulae.
14. For I must needs say that their scheme of formulation is my master; from it I have the first
elements of my knowledge, and it is not my purpose to controvert or amend their formulae (for I
cannot do it, neither have I learned them), but rather leave them where they are. A new translation
of this par. has been substituted for Sparrow's rendering.
15. I will not, however, build upon their ground, but as a laborious, careful servant I will dig away
the earth from the root, that thereby men may see the whole tree, with its root, stock, branches,
twigs and fruits; and they may also see that my writing is no new thing, but that their philosophy
and my philosophy are one body, one tree, bearing one and the same sort of fruit.
16. Neither have I any command to bring in complaints against them, to condemn them for
anything, except for their wickedness and abominations, as pride, covetousness, envy and wrath,
against which the spirit of nature complaineth very exceedingly, and not I: For what can I do, that
am poor dust and ashes, also very weak, simple, and altogether unable?
17. Only the spirit sheweth thus much: that to them is delivered and entrusted the weighty talent,
and the key; and they are drowned in the pleasures of the flesh, and have buried their weighty
talent in the earth, and have lost the key in their proud drunkenness.
18. The spirit has a long time waited on them, and importuned them that they would once open the
door, for the clear day is at hand; yet they walk up and down in their drunkenness, seeking for the
key, when they have it about them, though they know it not; and so they go up and down in their
proud and covetous drunkenness, always seeking about like the country man for his horse, who
all the while he went seeking for him was riding upon the back of that very horse he looked for.

19. Thereupon, saith the spirit of nature, seeing they will not awake from sleep and open the door, I will
therefore do it myself.
20. What could I, poor, simple layman, teach or write of their high art, if it were not given to me by
the spirit of nature, in whom I live and am? I am in the condition or state of a vulgar or layman,
and have no salary, wages or pay for this writing: Should I, then, oppose the spirit, that he should
not begin to open where, and in whom, he pleaseth? I am not the door, but an ordinary wooden bolt
upon it: Now if the spirit should pluck me out from thence, and fling me into the fire, could I
hinder it?
21. But if I should be an unprofitable bolt, which would stubbornly resist to be pulled out, and
would bolt up and hinder the spirit in the opening, would not the spirit be angry with me, tear me
off, and cast me away, and provide a more profitable and & fitter bolt? Then should I lie on the
ground and be trampled under foot, whereas formerly I made so fair a show upon the door: What
would be the use of the bolt, except as firewood?
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22. Behold! I tell thee a Mystery: so soon as the door is set wide open to its angle, all useless, fastnailed, sticking bolts or bars will be cast away, for the door will never be shut any more at all, but
stands open, and then the four winds will go in and out at it.
23. But the sorcerer sitteth in the way, and will make many so blind that they will not see the door;
and then they return home and say, There is no door at all, it is a mere fiction. And so they go
thither no more.
24. Thus men suffer themselves easily to be turned away, and so live in their drunkenness.
25. Now when this is done, then the spirit which has opened the gates is angry, because none will
go OUT and IN at its doors any more, and then it flings the doorposts into the abyss, and then
there is no more time at all. Those that are within, remain within; and those that are without, remain
without. AMEN. Now it may be asked, What are the stars?
Answer.
26. Moses writeth concerning them thus: And God said; Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven, to
divide or distinguish the day from the night; and let them give signs and seasons, days and years; and let
them be lights in the firmament of heaven to shine or give light upon the earth; and it was so done. And God
made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; as also the
stars. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven, to shine or give light upon the earth; and to rule
day and night; also to divide or distinguish the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good, so
out of the evening and the morning the fourth day came to be.
27. This description sheweth sufficiently that the dear man Moses was not the original author
thereof; for the first writer did not know either the true God, or the stars, what they were. It is very
likely that the creation, before the flood, was not described in writing, but was kept as a dark word in
men's memories, and so delivered from one generation to another, till after the flood, and till
people began to lead epicurean lives in all voluptuousness.
28. Then the holy patriarchs, when they saw that, described the creation, that it should not be quite
forgotten, and that the swinish, epicurean world might have a looking-glass in the creation,
wherein they might see that there is a God, and that this being of the world did not so stand from
eternity; whereby they might have a glass to look into, and so fear the hidden God.
29. This was the chief teaching and doctrine of the patriarchs, both before and after the flood,
[namely] to direct men [i.e. men's attention] to the creation, which [object] the whole book of Job
also driveth at. A new translation of this par. has been substituted for Sparrow's rendering.
30. After these patriarchs came the wise Heathen, who went somewhat deeper into the knowledge of
nature. And I must needs say, according to the ground of the truth, that they, in their philosophy
and knowledge, did come even before the face or countenance of God, and yet could neither see
nor know him.
31. Man was so altogether dead in death, and so bolted up in the outermost birth or geniture in the
dead palpability; or else they could have thought, that in this palpability there must needs be a
divine power hidden in the centre, which had so created this palpability, and moreover preserveth,
upholdeth and ruleth the same.
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32. Indeed they honoured, prayed to, or worshipped the sun and stars for gods, but knew not how
these were created or came to be, nor out of what they came to be: For they might well have
thought that that which proceeded from somewhat, and that that which created this, must needs
be older and higher or greater than all the stars.
33. Besides, they had the stones and the earth for an example, to shew that these must proceed from
somewhat, as also men, and all the creatures upon the earth. For all give testimony that there must
needs be in these things a mightier and greater power at hand, which had so created all these
things, in that manner as they are.
34. But, indeed, why should I write much of the blindness of the Heathen; are not our doctors, in
their crowned ornaments of hoods and cornered caps, as blind as they? Our doctors know indeed
that there is a God, who has created all this, but they know not where that God is, nor how he is.
35. When they would write of God, then they seek for him without, and absent from, this world,
above only, in a kind of heaven, as if he were some image that may be likened to somewhat. Indeed
they grant that that God ruleth all in this world with a spirit; but his corporeal propriety or
habitation they will needs have in a certain heaven aloft, many thousand miles off.

36. Come on ye doctors! if you are in the right, then give answer to the spirit: I will ask you a few questions.
1. What do you think stood in the place of this world before the time of the world? Or, 2. Out of
what do you think the earth and stars came to be? Or, 3. What do you think there is in the deep
above the earth? Or, 4. From whence did the deep exist? Or, 5. How do you think man is the image
of God, wherein God dwelleth? Or, 6. What do you suppose God's wrath to be? Or, 7. What is that
in man which displeaseth God so much, that he tormenteth and afflicteth man so, seeing he has
created him? And 8. That he imputeth sin to man, and condemneth him to eternal punishment? 9.
Why has he created that wherein or wherewith man committeth sin? Surely that thing must be far
worse. 10. Wherefore, and out of what, is that come to be? Or, 11. What is the cause or beginning, or
the birth or geniture of God's fierce wrath, out of or from which hell and the devil are come to be?
Or, 12. How comes it that all the creatures in this world do bite, scratch, strike, beat and worry one
another, and yet sin is imputed to man alone? Or, 13. Out of what are poisonous and venomous
beasts and worms and all manner of vermin come to be? Or, 14. Out of what are the holy angels
come to be? And 15. What is the soul of man? And lastly, 16. What is the great God himself?
37. Give your direct and fundamental answer to all this, and demonstrate what you say, and leave
off your verbal contentions. Now if you can demonstrate out of all your books and writings, 1.
That you know the true and only God; and, 2. How he is in love and wrath: Also, 3. What that God
is. And 4. If you can demonstrate that God is not in the stars, elements, earth, men, beasts, worms,
leaves, herbs and grass, nor in heaven and earth; also that all this is not God himself, and that my
spirit is false and wicked; then I will be the first that will burn my book in the fire, and recall and
recant all whatsoever I have written, and will accurse it, and in all obedience willingly submit
myself to be instructed by you.
38. I do not say that I cannot err at all. For there are some things which are not sufficiently
explained, but are described, as it were, from a glimpse of the great God, when the wheel of nature
whirled about too swiftly, so that man, with his half-dead and dull capacity or apprehension,
cannot sufficiently comprehend it; though what thou findest not sufficiently explained in one place
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thou wilt find it done in another; if not in this book, then in the others. Now thou wilt say, It does
not become me to ask such questions; for the Deity is a Mystery, which no man can search into.
Answer.
39. Hearken: If it does not become me to ask, then it does not become thee to judge me. Dost thou
boast in the knowledge of the light, and art a leader of the blind, and yet art blind thyself? How wilt
thou shew the way to the blind? In your blindness must you not both fall? But you will say, We are
not blind; for we well see the way of the light. Why then do you contend or dispute about the way
of the light, if none can see it rightly?
40. You teach others the way, and you are always seeking after it yourselves, and so you grope in
the dark, and discern it not. Or do you suppose that it is sin for any man to ask after the way?
41. O ye blind men! leave off your contentions, and shed not innocent blood; also do not lay waste countries
and cities, to fulfil the devil's will; but put on the helmet of peace, gird yourselves with love one to another,
and practise meekness: Leave off pride and covetousness, grudge not the different forms of one another, also
suffer not the wrath-fire to kindle in you; but live in meekness, chastity, friendliness and purity, and then
you are and live ALL in God.
42. For thou needest not to ask, Where is God? [See Ch. 14, par. 127] Hearken, thou blind man; thou
livest in God, and God is in thee; and if thou livest holily, then therein thou thyself art God. For
wheresoever thou lookest, there, is God.
43. When thou beholdest the deep between the stars and the earth, canst thou say, That is not God,
or, There God is not? O, thou miserable corrupted man! be instructed; for in the deep above the
earth, where thou seest and knowest nothing, and sayest there is nothing, yet even there is the
lightholy God in his Trinity, and he is generating there, as well as in the high heaven aloft above
this world.

44 Or dost thou think that in or at the time of the creation of this world he departed and went away
from his seat wherein he did sit from eternity? O no; that cannot be, for though he would himself
do so, he cannot do it, for he himself is All: As little as a member of the body can be rent off from
itself, so little also can God be divided, rent or separated from being everywhere.
45. But that there are so many formings, figurings or framings in him, is caused by his eternal
birth or geniture, which first is threefold, and out of or from that Trinity or Ternary it generateth
itself infinitely, immeasurably or inconceiveably.
46. Of these births or genitures I will here write, and shew to the children of the last world what
God is; not out of any boasting or pride, thereby to disgrace or reproach anybody! No; the spirit
will instruct thee, meekly and friendly, as a father does his children; for the work is not from my
fleshly reason, but the Holy Ghost's dear revelation, or breaking through in the flesh.
47. In my own faculties or powers I am as blind a man as ever was, and am able to do nothing; but
in the spirit of God my innate [regenerated] spirit seeth through ALL, though not always with long
stay or continuance; but only when the spirit of God's love breaketh through my spirit, then is the
animated or soulish birth or geniture and the Deity one being, one comprehensibility, and one
light.
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48. Am I alone only so? No, but all men are so, be they Christians, Jews, Turks, or Heathen. In
whomsoever love and meekness is, in them is also the light of God. If thou sayest, No, this is not so;
consider:
49. Do not the Turks, Jews, and Heathen live in the same body or corporeity wherein thou livest,
and do they not make use of that same power and virtue of body which thou usest; moreover, they
have even the same body which thou hast, and the same God which is thy God is their God also?
But thou wilt say, They know him not; also they honour him not.
Answer.
50. Yes, dear man, now boast thyself that thou hast hit it well! Indeed thou, above others, knowest
God! Behold, thou blind man, wherever love riseth up in meekness, there the heart of God riseth
up. For the heart of God is generated in the meek water of the kindled light, be it in man, or
anywhere else without man; it is everywhere generated in the centre, between the outermost and
the innermost birth or geniture.
51. Whatsoever thou dost but look upon, there, is God, but in this world the comprehensibility
stands in the wrath, which the devil has kindled; and in the hidden kernel, in the midst or centre
of the wrath, the light or heart of God is generated, incomprehensibly as to the wrath; and so each of
them remaineth in its seat.
52. Yet, for all that, I do no way approve or excuse the unbelief of the Jews, Turks, and Heathen, nor
their stiffnecked stubbornness, nor their fierce wrath, furious malice and hatred against the
Christians. No; these things are mere snares of the devil, whereby he allureth men to pride,
covetousness, envy and hatred, that he may kindle in them the hellish fire: Neither can I say that
these four sons of the devil are not domineering in Christendom, and, indeed, in every man. Now
thou sayest, What then is the difference between Christians, Jews, Turks, and Heathen?
Answer.
53. Here the spirit openeth both door and gate; if thou wilt not see, then be blind.
54. I. The first difference, which God has always held and maintained for all those who know what
God is, and how they should serve him, is that they should be able by their knowledge to press
through the wrath into God's love, and overcome the devil: But if they do it not, then they are no
better than those that know it not.
55. But if he that knoweth not the way presseth through the wrath into the love, then is he like the
man who pressed through by his knowledge. But those that persevere in the wrath, and wholly
kindle it in themselves, they are all alike, one and other, be they Christians, Jews, Turks, or
Heathen. Or what dost thou suppose it is, wherewith man can serve God?
56. If thou wilt dissemble with God, and adorn or magnify thy birth, then I suppose thee to be a
very fine angel indeed! He that has love in his heart, and leadeth a merciful, meek, and lowlyminded life, and fighteth against malice and hatred, and presseth through the wrath of God into the
light, he liveth with God, and is one spirit with God.
57. For God needeth no other service, but that his creature, which is in his body, do not slide back
from him, but be holy, as he is.
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58. Therefore also God gave the Law to the Jews, that they should diligently study and endeavour
after meek holiness and love, that thereby all the world might have them for their looking-glass or
mirror. But when the Jews grew proud, and boasted in their birth, instead of entering into love,
they turned the law of love into sharpness of wrath; then God removed their candlestick, and went
to the Heathen.

(This is called a spirit-phenomenology)
59. II. Secondly, There is this difference between the Christians, Jews, Turks, and Heathen: the
Christians know the Tree of Life, which is CHRISTUS, CHRIST, who is the Prince of our heaven
and of this world, and ruleth in all births or genitures as a King in God his Father, and men are his
members.
60. Now Christians know how they can, by the power of this Tree, press out from their death,
through his death, to him into his life, and reign and live with him, wherein they also, with their
pressing through with their new birth out from this dead body, can be with him in heaven.
61. And though the dead body is in the midst or centre of hell among all the devils, yet, for all that,
the new man reigneth with God in heaven, and the Tree of Life is to them a strong gate, through
which they do enter into life: But of this thou wilt find more largely in its proper place.
Now observe:

62. Moses writeth, that God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven, which should therein
give a light to the earth, and divide or distinguish day and night; also make years and times or seasons.
63. This description sheweth that the first writer did not know what the stars are, though he was
capable of understanding the right or law of God, and has taken hold on the Deity at the heart, and
looked upon or had respect to the heart, to consider what the heart and kernel of this creation is;
though the spirit kept the astral and outermost dead birth or geniture hidden from him, and did
only drive him in faith to the heart of the Deity.
64. Which is also the principal point most necessary for man: For when he layeth hold on true faith,
then he presseth through the wrath of God, through death into life, and reigneth with God.
65. But seeing men now, at the end of this time, do listen and long very much after the root of the tree,
through which nature sheweih that the time of the discovery of the tree is at hand, therefore the spirit will
shew it to them. And the whole Deity will reveal itself, which is the Dayspring, Dawning, or Morningredness, and the breakingforth of the great day of God, in which whatsoever is generated from death to the
regeneration of life shall be restored and rise again.
66. Behold, when God said, Let there be light, then the light in the powers of nature, or the seven
spirits of God, rose up, and the firmament of heaven, which stands in the Word, in the heart of the
water, between the astral and the outermost birth or geniture, was closed or shut up by or with the
Word and heart of the water, and the astral birth is the place of the parting mark or limit, which
stands half in heaven and half in the wrath.
67. For from or out of that half part of the wrath the dead birth generateth itself continually, and
out of the other half part, which reacheth with its innermost degree even into the innermost heart
and light of God, the life generateth itself now continually through death, and yet the astral birth
or geniture is not two bodies, but one body.
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68. But when, in these two days, the creation of heaven and of earth was completed, and the
heaven was made in the heart of the water, for a difference or distinction between the light of God
and the wrath of God, then, on the third day, through the terror or crack of the fire-flash, which
rose up in the heart of the water, and presseth through death, incomprehensibly as to death, there
sprang up all manner of ideas, forms and figures, as was done before the time of the kindled wrath.
69. But seeing the water, which is the spirit of the astral life, stood in the midst or centre of wrath,
and also in death, thereupon also every body formed itself as was the birth or geniture to life and
mobility.
Of the Earth.
70. But now the earth was the Salitter, which was cast up out of the innermost birth and stood in
death: But when the fire-flash, through the word, rose up in the water, then it was a terror or crack,
from which existed the mobility in death; and that mobility, in all the seven spirits, is now the
astral birth or geniture.
The Depth. Understand this aright.
71. Now when, on the third day, the fire-flash in the water of death had kindled itself, then the life
pressed forth quite through the dead body of the water and of the earth.
72. But yet the dead water and earth comprehend no more than the flash or terror or crack of the
fire, through which their mobility existeth: But the light that riseth up very softly, gently or meekly
in the fire-flash neither the earth nor the dead water can comprehend.
73. But it retaineth its seat in the kernel, which is the unctuosity or fatness, or the water of life, or
the heaven; for it is the body of life, which the death cannot comprehend, and yet it riseth up in the
death.

74. Neither can the wrath take hold of it or apprehend it, but the wrath remaineth in the terror or
crack of the fire-flash, and makes the mobility in the dead body of the earth and the water.
75. But the light presseth in very gently after, and formeth the birth, which birth, through the
terror or crack of the fire-flash, has gotten its [the birth's] compacted body.
Of the Growths or Vegetables of the Earth.
76. When now the wrathful fire-flash awakened, and roused up the spirits of nature, which stand
in death in the earth, and made them moveable by its fierce terror or crack, then the spirits began,
according to their peculiar divine right, to generate themselves, as they had done from eternity, and
form, figure or frame a body together, according to the innate, instant qualities of that place.
77. Now, that kind of Salitter which, in the time of the kindling of the wrath, did become torpid in
death, as it did qualify or operate at that time, in the innate, instant [instanding] life of the seven
spirits of God, that also did rise again in the time of the regeneration in the fire-flash, and is not
become any new thing, but only another form of the body, which stands in the comprehensibility
or palpability in death.
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78. But now the Salitter of the earth and of the water is no more able to change or alter itself in its
dead being, and shew forth itself infinitely, as it did in the heavenly place or seat; but when the
qualifying or fountain spirits form the body, then it riseth up in the power and virtue of the light.
79. And the life of the light breaketh through the death, and generateth to it another body out of
death, which is not conformable to, or of the condition of, the water and the dead earth; also it does
not get their taste and smell; but the power of the light presseth through, and tempereth or mixeth
itself with the power of the earth, and taketh from death its sting, and from the wrath its
poisonous, venomous power, and presseth forth up together in the midst or centre of the body, in
the growth or vegetation, as a heart thereof.
80. And herein sticketh now the kernel of the Deity in the centre in its heaven, which stands hidden in the
water of life, if thou canst now apprehend or lay hold of it.
Of the Metals in the Earth.
81. The metals have the same substance, condition and birth or geniture as the vegetables upon the
earth. For the metals or mineral ores, at the time of the kindling of the wrath in the innate, wheel
of the seventh nature-spirit, stood in the fabric, work or operation of the love, wherein the meek
beneficence or welldoing generateth itself behind the fire-flash; wherein the holy heaven stands,
which in this birth or geniture, when the love is predominant, presents or sheweth forth itself in
such a gracious, amiable and blessed clarity or brightness, and in such beauteous colours, like
gold, silver and precious stones.
82. But silver and gold in the dead palpability or tangibility are but as a dark stone, in comparison
with the root of the heavenly generating; but I set it down here only that thou may know from
whence it has its original.
83. But seeing it has been the most excellent rising up and generating in the holy heavenly nature,
therefore also it is loved by man above all other things in this world. For nature has indeed written
in man's heart that it is better than other stones and earth; but nature could not reveal or manifest
to him the ground thereof, from whence it is come or proceeded, whereby now thou may observe
the Dayspring or Morningredness.

84. There are many several sorts of mineral ores, according as the Salitter in nature's heaven was
predominant at its rising up in the light of love: For every qualifying or radical spirit in the heavenly
nature containeth the property or kind of all the qualifying or fountain spirits, for it is ever
infected or affected with the other, from whence the life and the unsearchable birth or geniture of
the Deity existeth: But yet it is predominant as to its own power, and that is its own body, from
whence it has the name.
85. But now every qualifying or fountain spirit has the property of the whole or total nature, and
its fabric or work, at the time of the kindling of the wrath, was together also incorporated in death;
and out of every spirit's fabric or work, earth, stones, mineral ores, and water came to be.
86. There also in the earth there are found, according to the quality of each spirit, mineral ores,
stones, water and earth; and therefore it is that the earth is of so many various qualities, all as each
qualifying or fountain spirit, with its innate, instant birth or geniture, was at the time of the
kindling.
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87. Nature has likewise manifested or revealed so much to man, that he knoweth how he may melt
away the strange or heterogene matter from every qualifying or fountain spirit's strange infected
innate birth or geniture; whereby that qualifying or fountain spirit might remain chief in its own
primacy.
88. You have an example of this in gold, and in silver, which you cannot make to be pure or fine
gold or silver, unless it be melted seven times in the fire. [Psalm xii. 6.] But when that is done, then it
remaineth in the middle or central seat in the heart of nature, which is the water, sitting in its own
quality and colour.
89. I. First, the astringent quality, which holdeth the Salitter captive in the hard death, must be
melted away, which is the gross stony dross.
90. II. Then secondly, the astringent death of the water is to be separated, from which proceeds a
poisonous venomous water of separation, or aqua fortis, which stands in the rising up of the fireflash in death, and which is the evil, malignant, even the very worst, source of all in death, even
the astringent and bitter death itself; for this is the place where the life, which existeth the in the
sweet water, died in death: And that separateth itself now in the second melting.
91. III. Thirdly, the bitter quality, which existeth in the kindling of the water in the fire-flash, is
melted away, for that is a rager, raver, tyrant and destroyer. Also no silver nor gold can subsist, if
that be not killed or mortified; for it makes all dry and brittle, and presenteth or sheweth forth
itself in several colours; for it rideth through all spirits, assuming the colours of all spirits.
92. IV. Fourthly, the fire-spirit, which stands in the horrible anguish and pangs of life, must be also
melted away, for it is a continued father of the wrath, and out of or from that is generated the
hellish woe.
93. Now when the wrath of these four spirits is killed, then the mineral orey Salitter stands in the
water, like a tough matter, and looketh like that spirit which is predominant in the mineral ore;
and the light which stands in the fire coloureth [tinctureth] it according to its own quality, be it
silver or gold.

94. And now this matter in the fourth melting looks like silver or gold, but it is not yet fixed
[subsistent], nor is it tough or malleable and pure enough; its body indeed is subsistent, but not the
spirit.
95. V. Now when it is melted a fifth time, then the love-spirit riseth up in the water through the
light, and makes the dead body living again, so that the matter, which remained in the first four
meltings, getteth power or strength again, which was the proper own of that qualifying or
fountain spirit which was predominant in this mineral ore.
96. VI. Now when it is melted the sixth time, then it grows somewhat harder, and then the life,
which is risen up in the love, moveth and stirreth itself. From this stirring existeth the tone in the
hardness, and the mineral ore gets a clear sound, for the hard and dead beating or noise of the
bitter fiery matter is gone away.
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97. In this sixth melting I hold to be the greatest danger for [al]chymists about the preparing of their
silver and gold. For there belongeth to it, and is required for it, a very subtile fire, and it may soon
be burnt or made dead or deaf; and it becometh very dim or blind if the fire be too cold.
98. For it must be a middle or mild fire; to keep the spirit in the heart from rising it must be gently
simmering, then it getteth a very sweet and meek ringing sound, and continually rejoiceth, as if it
would now be kindled again in the light of God.
99. But if the fire be too hot in the fifth and sixth meltings, then the new life, which has generated
itself in the love in the rising up of the light's power out of the water, is kindled again in the
fierceness in the wrath-fire, and the mineral ore becomes a burnt scum and dross, and the alchymist
has dirt instead of gold.
100. VII. Now when it is melted the seventh time, then there belongeth to, and is required for, the
process, a yet more subtile fire, for therein the life riseth up and rejoiceth in the love, and will shew
forth itself in infinity, as it has done in heaven before the time of the wrath.

101. And in this motion it grows unctuous or fat, and luscious or luxuriant; it increaseth and
spreadeth itself, and the highest depth generateth itself very joyfully out of or from the heart of the
spirit, just as if it would begin an angelical triumph, and present or shew forth itself infinitely in
divine power and form, according to the right of the Deity: and thereby the body getteth its
greatest strength and power, and the body coloureth or tinctureth itself with the highest degree,
and getteth its true beauty, excellency and virtue.
102. And now, when it is almost made, then it has its true virtue and colour, and there is nothing
wanting except in this, that the spirit cannot elevate itself with its body into the light, but must
remain to be a dead stone; and though indeed it be of greater virtue than other stones, yet the body
remaineth in death.
103. And this now is the earthly god of blind men, which they love and honour, and leave the living
God, who stands hidden in the centre, sitting in his seat. For the dead flesh comprehendeth only a
dead god, and longeth also only after such a dead god. But it is such a god as has thrown many men
headlong into hell.
104. Do not take me for an alchymist, for I write only in the knowledge of the spirit, and not from
experience. Though indeed I could here shew something else, viz. in how many days, and in what
hours, these things must be prepared; for gold cannot be made in one day, but a whole month is
requisite for it.
105. But it is not my purpose to make any trial at all of it, because I know not how to manage the
fire; neither do I know the colours or tinctures of the qualifying or fountain spirits in their
outermost birth or geniture, which are two great defects; but I know them according to (another
or) the regenerate man, which stands not in the palpability.
106. At the description of the SUN you will find more and deeper things concerning it: My
intention is only to describe the whole or total Deity, as far as I am capable in my weakness to
apprehend [it], viz. how that is, in love and in wrath, and how it does generate itself now at
present in this world. You will find more concerning jewels and precious stones at the description of the
seven planets