themselves。　Boehme　has　there　the　quality　of　astringency　in　the　Father；　and　he　then　represents　the
  process　of　the　something　＇Ichts＇　as　a　sharpness；　a　drawing　together；　as　a　flash　of　lightning　that
  breaks　forth。　This　light　is　Lucifer。　The　Being…for…self；　the　self…perception；　is　by　Boehme　called　the
  drawing　together　into　a　point。　That　is　astringency；　sharpness；　penetration；　fierceness；　to　this
  pertains　the　wrath　of　God；　and　here　Boehme　in　this　manner　grasps　the　“other”　of　God　in　God
  Himself。　“This　source　can　be　kindled　through　great　motion　or　elevation。　Through　the　contraction
  the　creaturely　Being　is　formed　so　that　a　heavenly　Corpus　may　be”　intelligibly　“formed。　But　if　it”
  —　the　sharpness　—　“be　kindled　through　elevation；　which　those　creatures　only　can　do　which　are
  created　out　of　the　divine　Salitter；　then　it　is　a　burning　source…vein　of　the　wrath　of　God。　The　flash　is
  the　mother　of　light；　for　the　flash　generates　the　light；　and　is　the　Father　of　the　fierceness；　for　the
  fierceness　abides　in　the　flash　as　a　seed　in　the　father；　and　that　flash　generates　also　the　tone　or
  sound”　—　the　flash　is；　speaking　generally；　the　absolute　generator。　The　flash　is　still　connected　with
  pain；　light　is　what　brings　intelligence。　The　divine　birth　is　the　going　forth　of　the　flash；　of　the　life　of　all
  qualities。（26）　This　is　all　from　the　Aurora。
  In　the　Qu？stionibus　theosophicis　Boehme　makes　particular　use　of　the　form　of　Yes　and　No　for
  the　separator；　for　this　opposition。　He　says：　“The　reader　must　know　that　in　Yes　and　No　all　things
  consist；　whether　divine；　devilish；　earthly；　or　what　they　may　be　called。　The　One　as　the　Yes　is　pure
  power　and　life；　and　it　is　the　truth　of　God　or　God　Himself。　He　would　be　unknowable　in　Himself；
  and　in　Him　there　would　be　no　joy　nor　elevation；　nor　feeling”　—　life　—　“without　the　No。　The　No　is
  a　counter…stroke　of　the　Yes；　or　of　the　truth”　（this　negativity　is　the　principle　of　all　knowledge；
  comprehension）；　“that　the　truth　may　be　manifest　and　be　a　something　wherein　there　is　a
  contrarium　in　which　there　is　the　eternal　love；　moving；　feeling；　and　willing；　and　demanding　to　be
  loved。　And　yet　we　cannot　say　that　the　Yes　is　separated　from　the　No；　and　that　they　are　two　things
  in　proximity；　for　they　are　only　one　thing；　but　they　separate　themselves　into　two　beginnings　and
  make　two　centra；　where　each　works　and　wills　in　itself。　Without　those　two；　which　are　continually
  in　strife；　all　things　would　be　a　nothing；　and　would　stand　still　without　movement。　If　the　eternal　will
  did　not　itself　flow　from　itself　and　introduce　itself　into　receptibility；　there　would　be　no　form　nor
  distinction；　for　all　powers　would”　then　“be　one　power。　Neither　could　there　be　understanding　in
  that　case；　for　the　understanding　arises”　（has　its　substance）　“in　the　differentiation　of　the　manifold；
  where　one　property　sees；　proves　and　wills　the　others。　The　will　which　has　flowed　out　wills
  dissimilarity；　so　that　it　may　be　distinguished　from　similarity　and　be　its　own　something　—　and　that
  something　may　exist；　that　the　eternal　seeing　may　see　and　feel。　And　from　the　individual　will　arises
  the　No；　for　it　brings　itself　into　ownness；　i。e。　receptivity　of　self。　It　desires　to　be　something　and　does
  not　make　itself　in　accordance　with　unity；　for　unity　is　a　Yes　which　flows　forth；　which　ever　stands
  thus　in　the　breathing　forth　of　itself；　being　imperceptible；　for　it　has　nothing　in　which　it　can　find　itself
  excepting　in　the　receptivity　of　the　dissentient　will；　as　in　the　No　which　is　counterstroke　to　the　Yes；
  in　which　the　Yes　is　indeed　revealed；　and　in　which　it　possesses　something　which　it　can　will。　And　the
  No　is　therefore　called　a　No；　because　it　is　a　desire　turned　inwards　on　itself；　as　if　it　were　a　shutting
  up　into　negativity。　The　emanated　seeking　will　is　absorbent　and　comprehends　itself　within　itself；
  from　it　come　forms　and　qualities。　（1）　Sharpness；　（2）　Motion；　（3）　Feeling。　（4）　The　fourth　property
  is　Fire　as　the　flash　of　light；　this　rises　in　the　bringing　together　of　the　great　and　terrible　sharpness　and
  the　unity。　Thus　in　the　contact　a　Flagrat　＇Schrack＇　results；　and　in　this　Flagrat　＇Schrack＇　unity　is
  apprehended　as　being　a　Flash　or　Gleam；　an　exulting　joy。”　That　is　the　bursting　forth　of　the　unity。
  “For　thus　the　light　arises　in　the　midst　of　the　darkness；　for　the　unity　becomes　a　light；　and　the
  receptivity　of　the　carnal　will　in　the　qualities　becomes　a　Spirit…fire　which　has　its　source　and　origin
  out　of　the　sharp；　cold　astringency。　And　according　to　that；　God　is　an　angry”　and　“jealous　God；”
  and　in　this　we　have　evil。　“（a）　The　first　quality　of　the　absorption　is　the　No；　（b）　Sharpness；　（c）
  Hardness；　（d）　Feeling；　（e）　the　source　of　fire；　hell　or　hollowness；　Hiddenness。　（5）　The　fifth　quality；
  Love；　makes　in　the　fire；　as　in　pain；　another　Principium　as　a　great　fire　of　love。”（27）　These　are　the
  main　points　under　the　second　head。　In　such　depths　Boehme　keeps　struggling　on；　for　to　him
  conceptions　are　lacking；　and　there　are　only　religious　and　chemical　forms　to　be　found；　and　because
  he　uses　these　in　a　forced　sense　in　order　to　express　his　ideas；　not　only　does　barbarism　of
  expression　result；　but　incomprehensibility　as　well。
  c。　“From　this　eternal　operation　of　the　sensation　the　visible　world　sprang；　the　world　is　the　Word
  which　has　flowed　forth　and　has　disposed　itself　into　qualities；　since　in　qualities　the　particular　will　has
  arisen。　The　Separator　has　made　it　a　will　of　its　own　after　such　a　fashion。”（28）　The　world　is　none
  other　than　the　essence　of　God　made　creaturely。（29）　Hence　“if　thou　beholdest　the　Deep”　of　the
  heavens；　“the　Stars；　the　Elements　and　the　Earth；”　and　what　they　have　brought　forth；　“then　thou”
  certainly　“comprehendest　not　with　thy　eyes　the　bright　and　clear　Deity；　though　indeed　it　is”
  likewise　“there　and　in　them。”　Thou　seest　only　their　creaturely　manifestation。　“But　if　thou　raisest
  thy　thoughts　and　considerest　。　。　。　God　who　rules　in　holiness　in　this　government　or　dominion；　then
  thou　breakest　through　the　heaven　of　heavens　and　apprehendest　God　at　His　holy　heart。　The
  powers　of　heaven　ever　operate　in　images；　growths　and　colours；　in　order　to　reveal　the　holy　God；
  so　that　He　may　be　in　all　things　known。”（30）
  3。　Finally　what　comes　third　in　these　threefold　forms　is　the　unity　of　the　light；　of　the　separator　and
  power：　this　is　the　spirit；　which　is　already　partially　implied　in　what　has　preceded。　“All　the　stars
  signify　the　power　of　the　Father；　and　from　them　issues　the　sun”　（they　make　themselves　a
  counterstroke　to　unity）。　“And　from　all　the　stars　there　goes　forth　the　power　which　is　in　every　star；
  into　the　Deep；　and　the　power；　beat　and　shining　of　the　sun　goes　likewise　into　the　Deep”　—　back　to
  the　stars；　into　the　power　of　the　Father。　“And　in　the　Deep　the　power　of　all　stars；　together　with　the
  heat　and　lustre　of　the　sun；　are　all　but　one　thing；　a　moving；　boiling　Hovering；　like　a　spirit　or　matter。
  Now　in　the　whole　deep　of　the　Father；　externally　without　the　Son；　there　is　nothing　but　the　manifold
  and　unmeasurable　or　unsearchable　power　of　the　Father　and　the　Light　of　the　Son。　The　Light　of　the
  Son　is　in　the　Deep　of　the　Father　a　living；　all…powerful；　all…knowing；　all…hearing；　all…seeing；
  all…smelling；　all…tasting；　all…feeling　Spirit；　wherein　is　all　power；　splendour；　and　wisdom；　as　in　the
  Father　and　the　Son。”（31）　That　is　Love；　the　softener　of　all　powers　through　the　light　of　the　Son。　We
  see　that　the　sensuous　element　thus　pertains　to　this。
  Boehme　really　has　the　idea　that　“God's　essence”　（which　has　proceeded　from　the　eternal　deep　as
  world）　“is　thus　not　something　far　away　which　possesses　a　particular　position　or　place；　for”
  essence；　“the　abyss　of　nature　and　creation；　is　God　Himself。　Thou　must　not　think　that　in　heaven
  there　was　some　manner　of　Corpus”　—　the　seven　spirits　generate　this　Corpus　or　heart　—　“which
  above　all　other　things　is　called　God。　No；　but　the　whole　divine　power　which　itself　is　heaven　and　the
  heaven　of　all　heavens；　is　so　generated；　and　that　is　called　God　the　Father；　of　whom　all　the　holy
  angels　are　generated；　in　like　manner　also　the　spirit　of　all　men。　Thou　canst　name　no　place；　either　in
  heaven　or　in　this　world；　where　the　divine　birth　is　not。　The　birth　of　the　divine　Trinity　likewise　takes
  place　in　thine　own　heart；　all　three　persons　are　generated　in　thy　heart；　God　the　Father；　Son　and
  Holy　Ghost。　In　the　divine　power　everywhere　we　find　the　fountain　spring　of　the　divine　birth；　and
  there　already　are　all　the　seven　qualifying　or　fountain　spirits　of　God；　as　if　thou　wouldst　make　a
  spacious　creaturely　circumscribed　circle　and　hadst　the　deity　therein。”（32）　In　every　spirit　all　are
  contained。
  To　Boehme　this　trinity　is　the　complete　universal　life　in　each　individual；　it　is　absolute　substance。　He
  says：　“All　things　in　this　world　are　according　to　the　similitude　of　this　ternary。　Ye　blind　Jews；　Turks；
  and　Heathens；　open　wide　the　eyes　of　your　mind：　I　will　show　you；　in　your　body；　and　in　every
  natural　thing；　in　men；　beasts；　fowls；　and　worms；　also　in　wood；　stone；　leaves；　and　grass；　the
  likeness　of　the　holy　ternary　in　God。　You　say；　there　is　but　one　Being　in　God；　and　that　God　has　no
  Son。　Open　your　eyes　and　consider　your　selves：　man　is　made　according　to　the　similitude　and　out　of
  the　power　of　God　in　his　ternary。　Behold　thy　inward　man；