Jacob Boehme; The Teutonic Philosopher by W. P. Swainson

Author:W. P. Swainson [Swainson, W. P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, General, Christianity, Mysticism
ISBN: 9781375423632
Google: uWgKtAEACAAJ
Publisher: CHIZINE PUBN
Published: 2017-08-17T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER IX: ADAM’S FALL

Our earth, according to Boehme, was situated spiritually rather than geographically within the sphere of Lucifer. His dominion may be expressed as the sidereal universe of which our earth is a part. The six qualities were generating the seventh, through which they might manifest in a sweet and orderly manner, nature then being very ethereal and exalted, instead of dense and gross as we know it.

Lucifer’s fall, however, created an evil sphere by separating the Love and Wrath, in other words the mercy and severity of God, thus upsetting the equilibrium of nature, and so causing a state of general disorder and strife. As a result, nature became very gross and unable to work harmoniously. Still, the forces of light gradually gained on those of darkness, until at length the balance of things was sufficiently restored to culminate in man.

Man, in the true sense of the word, is not simply an intellectual animal, but a composite being containing the elements of all things. He possesses faculties that bring him in touch with everything on all planes of existence, and enable him not only to apprehend spiritual, astral, and physical, but also divine things. His capacity is limitless, there being nothing beyond his reach. These hidden or latent powers are unknown to, or at least ignored by, many of our modern scientists. The man they discuss is an incomplete and rudimentary being, little else than an intellectual animal, leading a more or less aimless existence, subject to, instead of lord and master of, nature.

Boehme asserts that Adam, who symbolises our earliest and spiritual ancestors, when the race was ethereal, not gross as it now is, was a luminous being, permeated by his spiritual or, rather, celestial essence. His body was not dense like ours, but ethereal in its nature. The inner man kept the external man imprisoned within itself, and penetrated it in a manner comparable to iron, which glows if it is penetrated by fire, so that it seems as if it were fire. When, however, the fire becomes extinct, the dark iron becomes manifest.

Boehme describes the state of Adam before his fall—·that is, before he became immersed in matter, and so merely natural—in the following words: “ The mind of Adam was innocent, like that of a child playing with the wonders of its Father. There was in him no knowledge of evil will, no avarice, pride, envy, anger, but a pure enjoyment of love. . . . The inner man stood in heaven ... he knew the language of God and the angels, and the language of nature . . . giving names to all creatures, to each according to its own essence and quality. . . . Fire, air, water and earth could not tame him; no fire burned him ; no water drowned him ; no air suffocated him ; all that lived stood in awe of him.”

In his unfallen state Adam consisted of the three principles—spirit, soul and body. His spirit belonged

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