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with quality； ＇Qualit？t＇； which he makes into Quallity。（10） The absolute identity of difference is all
through present to him。
a。 Boehme thus represents God not as the empty unity； but as this self…separating unity of absolute
opposites； one must not； however； here expect a clearly defined distinction。 The first； the one； the
Father； has likewise the mode of natural existence； thus； like Proclus； he speaks of this God being
simple essence。 This simple essence he calls the hidden； and he therefore names it the
Temperamentum； this unity of what is different； in which all is tempered。 We find him also calling
it the great Salitter — now the divine and now the natural Salitter — as well as Salniter。 When he
talks of this great salitter as of something known to us； we cannot first of all conceive what it
means。 But it is a vulgar corruption of the word sal nitri； saltpetre （which is still called salniter in
Austria）； i。e。 just the neutral and in truth universal existence。 The divine pomp and state is this； that
in God a more glorious nature dwells； trees； plants； &c。 “In the divine pomp or state two things
have principally to be considered； salitter or the divine power； which brings forth all fruits； and
marcurius or the sound。”（11） This great salitter is the unrevealed existence； just as the
Neo…Platonic unity is without knowledge of itself and likewise unrecognized。
b。 This first substance contains all powers or qualities as not yet separated； thus this salitter
likewise appears as the body of God； who embraces all qualities in Himself。 Quality thus becomes
an important conception； the first determination with Boehme； and he begins with qualities in his
work “Morgenr？the im Aufgang。” He afterwards associates with this the conferring of quality；
and in the same place says： “Quality is the mobility； boiling； springing； and driving of a thing。”
These qualities he then tries to define； but the account he gives of them is vague。 “As for example
heat which burns； consumes and drives forth all whatsoever comes into it which is not of the same
property； and again it enlightens and warms all cold； wet； and dark things； it compacts and
hardens soft things。 It contains likewise two other kinds in it； namely Light and Fierceness”
（Negativity）； “of which the light or the heart of the heat is in itself a pleasant； joyful glance or lustre；
a power of life 。 。 。 and a source of the heavenly kingdom of joy。 For it makes all things in this
world living and moving； all flesh； trees； leaves； and grass grow in this world； as in the power of
the light； and have their light therein； viz。 in the good。 Again； it contains also a fierceness or wrath
which burns； consumes and spoils。 This wrath or fierceness springs； drives； and elevates itself in
the light； and makes the light movable。 It wrestles and fights together in its two…fold source。 The
light subsists in God without heat； but it does not subsist so in nature。 For all qualities in nature are
one in another； in the same manner as God is all。 For God” （the Father） “is the Heart。” On
another occasion （Vom dreifachen Leben des Menschen； chap。 iv。 § 68； p。 881） the Son is the
heart of God； and yet again the Spirit is called the heart （Morgenr？the； chap。 ii。 § 13； p。 29） “or
fountain of nature； and from Him comes all。 Now heat reigns and predominates in all powers in
nature and warms all； and is one source or spring in all。 But the light in the heat gives power to all
qualities； for that all grow pleasant and joyful。” Boehme goes over quite a list of qualities： cold；
hot； bitter； sweet； fierce； acid； hard； dense； soft qualities； sound； etc。 “The bitter quality is in God
also； but not in that manner as the gall is in man； but it is an everlasting power； in an elevating；
triumphing spring or source of joy。 All the creatures are made from these qualities； and live therein
as in their mother。”（12）
“The virtues of the stars are nature itself。 Everything in this world proceeds from the stars。 That I
shall prove to you if you are not a blockhead and have a little reason。 If the whole Curriculum or
the whole circumference of the stars is considered； we soon find that this is the mother of all things；
or the nature from which all things have arisen and in which all things stand and live； and through
which all things move。 And all things are formed from these same powers and remain eternally
therein。” Thus it is said that God is the reality of all realities。 Boehme continues： “You must；
however； elevate your mind in the Spirit； and consider how the whole of nature； with all the
powers which are in nature； also extension； depth and height； also heaven and earth and all
whatsoever is therein； and all that is above the heavens； is together the Body and Corporeity of
God； and the powers of the stars are the fountain veins in the natural Body of God； in this world。
You must not conceive that in the Body of the stars is the whole triumphing Holy Trinity； God the
Father； Son； and Holy Ghost。 But we must not so conceive as if God was not at all in the Corpus
or Body of the stars； and in this world。 。 。 。 Here now the question is； From whence has heaven； or
whence borrows it this power； that it causes such mobility in nature？ Here you must lift up your
eyes beyond nature into the light； holy； triumphing； divine power； into the unchangeable holy
Trinity； which is a triumphing； springing； movable Being； and all powers are therein； as in nature： of
this heaven； earth； stars； elements； devils； angels； men； beasts； and all have their Being； and therein
all stands。 When we nominate heaven and earth； stars and elements； and all that is therein； and all
whatsoever is above the heaven； then thereby is nominated the total God； who has made Himself
creaturely in these abovementioned” many “Beings； in His power which proceedeth forth from
Him。”（13）
c。 Boehme further defines God the Father as follows： “When we consider the whole nature and its
property； then we see the Father： when we behold heaven and the stars； then we behold His
eternal power and wisdom。 So many stars as stand in the whole heaven； which are innumerable；
so manifold and various is the power and wisdom of God the Father。 Every star differs in its
quality。” But “you must not conceive here that every power which is in the Father stands in a
peculiar severed or divided part and place in the Father； as the stars do in heaven。 No； but the
Spirit shows that all the powers in the Father；” as the fountainhead； “are one in another as one
power。” This whole is the universal power which exists as God the Father； wherein all differences
are united； “creaturely” it； however； exists as the totality of stars； and thus as separation into the
different qualities。 “You must not think that God who is in heaven and above the heaven does there
stand and hover like a power and quality which has in it neither reason nor knowledge； as the sun
which turns round in its circle and shoots forth from itself heat and light； whether it be for benefit or
hurt to the earth and creatures。 No； the Father is not so； but He is an All…mighty； All…wise；
All…knowing； All…seeing； All…hearing； All…smelling； All…tasting God； who in Himself is meek；
friendly； gracious； merciful； and full of joy； yea Joy itself。”（14）
Since Boehme calls the Father all power； he again distinguishes these as the seven first originating
spirits。（15） But there is a certain confusion in this and no thought…determination； no definite reason
for there being exactly seven — such precision and certainty is not to be found in Boehme。 These
seven qualities are likewise the seven planets which move and work in the great Salitter of God；
“the seven planets signify the seven spirits of God or the princes of the angels。” But they are in
the Father as one unity； and this unity is an inward spring and fermentation。 “In God all spirits
triumph as one spirit； and a spirit ever calms and loves the others； and nothing exists excepting
mere joy and rapture。 One spirit does not stand alongside the others like stars in heaven； for all
seven are contained within one another as one spirit。 Each spirit in the seven spirits of God is
pregnant with all seven spirits of God；” thus each is in God itself a totality。 “One brings forth the
other in and through itself；” this is the flashing forth of the life of all qualities。（16）
2。 As what came first was the source and germ of all powers and qualities； what comes second is
process。 This second principle is a very important conception； which with Boehme appears under
very many aspects and forms； viz。 as the Word； the Separator； Revelation — speaking generally
the “I；” the source of all difference； and of the will and implicit Being which are in the powers of
natural things； but in such a way that the light therein likewise breaks forth which leads them back
to rest。
a。 God as the simple absolute existence is not God absolutely； in Him nothing can be known。
What we know is something different — but this “different” is itself contained in God as the
perception and knowledge of God。 Hence of the second step Boehme says that a separation must
have taken place in this temp