74. So the tone would be a great enmity in all the others, in that it penetrateth forcibly through all, like a tyrant. 75. Thus, this is the very deepest and innermost hidden birth of God, according to which he calleth himself an angry zealous or jealous God, as may be seen by the Ten Commandments on mount Sinai. 76. In this quality standeth hell and eternal perdition, as also the eternal enmity and murderous den, and such a creature the devil is come to be. 77. But now, seeing he is a sworn archenemy of God, and though indeed the disputants and helpers of the devil will needs force it so in arguments (that God willeth the good and also the evil, and that he hath created some men to damnation), therefore and thereupon the spirit of God citeth them, upon pain of eternal enmity, to come before this lookingglass, wherein their heart shall be laid open; and they shall see what God is, and who the devil is, or how he is become a devil. 78. If thy heart be not bolted and barred up in death, through thy stubborn wilfulness and blasphemy, and drowned in horrible sins, purposing not to desist from them, or leave them, then awake, and behold; I take heaven and earth, also the stars and elements, and all the creatures, and man himself also in his whole substance, to witness, and so I will prove it also plainly and clearly in its due place, with all these forementioned things, especially when we come to treat of the creation of all the creatures. 79. If these things will not give thee satisfaction, then pray to God that he would open thy heart, and then thou wilt know and see heaven and hell, as also the whole Deity with all its qualities; and then no doubt thou wilt forbear, and justify the devil no more: I am not able to open thy heart for thee. Now observe the true birth or geniture of God. [Or the divine birth.] 80. Behold, as I have mentioned above, the birth or geniture of God in its innermost being, in these four qualities, is thus sharp or tart. Thou must understand it exactly. 81. The astringent quality is thus sharp in its own proper quality in itself, but it is not alone, or without the others; neither is it generated of or in itself, as being wholly free, but the other six spirits generate it, and they also hold it by the reins, and may let their reins and authority go as far only as they please. 82. For the sweet spring or fountainwater is suddenly a whip, scourge or lash upon the astringent quality, and mitigateth, softeneth or suppleth it, so that it groweth very thin, gentle, mild and soft, as also very bright. 83. But that it is thus sharp in itself, is to the end that a body may be imaged or framed through its attracting or drawing together, otherwise the Deity would not subsist, much less a creature. 84. In this sharpness God is an allcomprehensible, and allfixing or allfastening sharp God: for the birth, geniture and sharpness of God is thus everywhere.
85. But if I should describe the Deity in its birth or geniture in a small round circle, in the highest depth, then it is thus: In a Similitude. 86. Suppose a WHEEL standing before thee, with seven wheels one so made in the other that it could go on all sides, forward, backward and cross ways, without need of any turning back or stopping.* * See Ch. 19, par. 81 et seq. 87. In its going, that alwaysone wheel, in its turning about, generateth the others, and yet none of them vanish out of sight, but that all seven be visible or in sight. 88. The seven wheels always generating the naves in the midst or centre according to their turning about, so that the nave stand always free without alteration or removing, whether the wheels go forward or backward or cross ways or upward or downward. 89. The nave always generating the spokes, so that in their turning about they stand right and direct from the nave to the fellies of the wheel: and yet none of the spokes to be out of sight, but still turning about thus one with another, going whithersoever the wind driveth it, and that without need of any turning back or stopping. Now observe what I shall inform you in the application of this. 90. The seven wheels are the seven spirits of God, the one always generating the others, and are like the turning about of a wheel, which hath
74. So the tone would be a great enmity in all the others, in that it penetrats forcibly through all, like a tyrant. 75. Thus, this is the very deepest and innermost hidden birth of God, according to which he calls himself an angry zealous or jealous God, as may be seen by the Ten Commandments on mount Sinai. 76. In this quality stands hell and eternal perdition, as also the eternal enmity and murderous den, and such a creature the devil is come to be. 77. But now, seeing he is a sworn archenemy of God, and though indeed the disputants and helpers of the devil will needs force it so in arguments (that God wills the good and also the evil, and that he has created some men to damnation), therefore and thereupon the spirit of God cits them, upon pain of eternal enmity, to come before this lookingglass, wherein their heart shall be laid open; and they shall see what God is, and who the devil is, or how he is become a devil. 78. If your heart be not bolted and barred up in death, through your stubborn wilfulness and blasphemy, and drowned in horrible sins, purposing not to desist from them, or leave them, then awake, and behold; I take heaven and earth, also the stars and elements, and all the creatures, and man himself also in his whole substance, to witness, and so I will prove it also plainly and clearly in its due place, with all these forementioned things, especially when we come to treat of the creation of all the creatures. 79. If these things will not give you satisfaction, then pray to God that he would open your heart, and then you will know and see heaven and hell, as also the whole Deity with all its qualities; and then no doubt you will forbear, and justify the devil no more: I am not able to open your heart for you. Now observe the true birth or geniture of God. [Or the divine birth.] 80. Behold, as I have mentioned above, the birth or geniture of God in its innermost being, in these four qualities, is thus sharp or tart. You must understand it exactly. 81. The astringent quality is thus sharp in its own proper quality in itself, but it is not alone, or without the others; neither is it generated of or in itself, as being wholly free, but the other six spirits generate it, and they also hold it by the reins, and may let their reins and authority go as far only as they please. 82. For the sweet spring or fountainwater is suddenly a whip, scourge or lash upon the astringent quality, and mitigats, softens or suppls it, so that it grows very thin, gentle, mild and soft, as also very bright. 83. But that it is thus sharp in itself, is to the end that a body may be imaged or framed through its attracting or drawing together, otherwise the Deity would not subsist, much less a creature. 84. In this sharpness God is an allcomprehensible, and allfixing or allfastening sharp God: for the birth, geniture and sharpness of God is thus everywhere.
85. But if I should describe the Deity in its birth or geniture in a small round circle, in the highest depth, then it is thus: In a Similitude. 86. Suppose a WHEEL standing before you, with seven wheels one so made in the other that it could go on all sides, forward, backward and cross ways, without need of any turning back or stopping.* * See Ch. 19, par. 81 et seq. 87. In its going, that alwaysone wheel, in its turning about, generats the others, and yet none of them vanish out of sight, but that all seven be visible or in sight. 88. The seven wheels always generating the naves in the midst or centre according to their turning about, so that the nave stand always free without alteration or removing, whether the wheels go forward or backward or cross ways or upward or downward. 89. The nave always generating the spokes, so that in their turning about they stand right and direct from the nave to the fellies of the wheel: and yet none of the spokes to be out of sight, but still turning about thus one with another, going whithersoever the wind drivs it, and that without need of any turning back or stopping. Now observe what I shall inform you in the application of this. 90. The seven wheels are the seven spirits of God, the one always generating the others, and are like the turning about of a wheel, which has
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