THE CLAVIS OR KEY
OR
AN EXPOSITION OF SOME PRINCIPAL
WORDS AND MATTERS.
Continuing with the words of Jacob Boehme:
13. I will write but a short description of the divine manifestation, yet as much as I can comprehend in brief; and expound the strange words for the better understanding of our books; and set down here the sum of those writings, or a model or epitome of them, for the consideration and help of beginners: The further exposition of it is to be found in the other books. or revelation.
Boehm wrote the 'Key in 1623, a year before his death. By 'our books' we understand that
B. is referred to all his works, in the same way that WB might refer to with his own books.
How God is to be considered without Nature and Creature.
14. MOSES saith, The Lord our God is but one only God. In another place it is said, Of him, through him, and in him are all things: in another, Am not I he that filleth all things? And in another, Through his Word are all things made, that are made. Therefore we may say that he is the original of all things: He is the eternal * unmeasurable Unity.
Blake's Jerusalem, like most of his works goes through the Fall to Ulro, Generation,
Regeneration at Beulah to the ultimate Unity.
15. For example, when - I think what would be in the place of this world, if the four elements and the starry firmament, and. also nature itself, should perish and cease to be, so that no nature or creature were to be found any more; I find there would remain this eternal Unity, from which nature and creature have received their original.
16. So likewise, when I think with myself what is many hundred thousand miles above the starry firmament, or what is in that place where no creature is, I find the eternal unchangeable Unity is there, which is that only Good, which hath nothing either before or after it, that can add anything to it, or take anything away from it, or from which this Unity could have its original: There is neither * ground, time, nor place, but there is the only eternal God, or that only Good, which a man cannot express.
A further Consideration, How this one God is Threefold.
17. The Holy Scripture sheweth us that this only God is threefold, viz. one only [1] threefold
essence, having three manners of workings, and yet is but one only essence, as may be seen in the outflown power and virtue which is in all things, if any do but observe it: but it is especially represented to us in fire, light, and air; which are three several [2] sorts of workings, and yet but in one only ground and substance.
Boehme attempts to put a rational face on the Trinity. I don't recall that WB did that.
Boehme attempts to put a rational face on the Trinity. I don't recall that WB did that.
18. And as we see that fire, light, and air, arise from a candle (though the candle is none of the three, but a cause of them), so likewise the eternal Unity is the cause and ground of the eternal [1] Trinity, which manifesteth itself from the Unity, and bringeth forth itself, First, in desire, or will; Secondly, pleasure, or delight; Thirdly, proceeding, or outgoing.
"And this is the manner of the Daughters of Albion in their beauty
Every one is threefold in Head & Heart & Reins, & every one
Has three Gates into the Three Heavens of Beulah which shine
Translucent in their Foreheads & their Bosoms & their Loins
Surrounded with fires unapproachable: but whom they please
They take up into their Heavens in intoxicating delight
For the Elect cannot be Redeemd, but Created continually
By Offering & Atonement in the crue[l]ties of Moral Law
Hence the three Classes of Men take their fix'd destinations"
Carl Jung thought that the Trinity should change to a
Quaternity, the fourth being the Mother, but Blake would
have objected vigorously. Blake seems to interpret the Bible
more freely than Boehme.
"They are the Two Contraries & the Reasoning Negative."
Satans' holy Trinity
From page 672 of Erdman:"<!WB>[third state of plate, 1809-10]</!WB>The Accusers of TheftAdultery Murder W Blake inv & sculp A Scene in the LastJudgment Satans' holy Trinity TheAccuser The Judge & TheExecutioner
The Judge, the Accuser, the Executioner
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19. The desire, or will is the Father; that is, the stirring or manifestation of the Unity, whereby the Unity willeth or desireth itself
20. The pleasure, or delight is the Son; and is that which the will willeth and desireth, viz, his love and pleasure, as may be seen at the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ, when the Father witnessed, saying, This is my [1] beloved Son, in whom I [2] am well pleased; hear ye him.
21. The delight is the compressure in the will, whereby the will in the Unity bringeth itself a place and working, wherewith the will willeth and worketh; and it is the feelingness and virtue of the will.
22. The will is the Father, that is, the stirring desire; and the delight is the Son, that is, the
virtue and the working in the will, with which the will worketh; and the Holy Ghost is the proceeding will, through the delight of the virtue, that is, a life of the will and of the virtue and delight.
23. Thus there are three sorts of workings in the eternal Unity, viz, the Unity is the will and desire of itself: the delight is the working substance of the will, and an eternal joy of perceptibility in the will; and the Holy Ghost is the proceeding of the power: the similitude of which may be seen in a [1] plant.
24. The [1] magnet, viz. the essential desire of nature, that is, the will of the desire of nature, [2] compresseth itself into an ens or substance, to become a plant, and in this compression of the desire becometh feeling, that is, working; and in that working the power and virtue ariseth, wherein the magnetical desire of nature, viz, the outflown will of God, worketh in a natural way.
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