and formed or framed out of God, who can vanquish me? Or who can alter or change me? I myself will be lord, and with my sharpness rule in all things, and my body shall be the image which shall be worshipped; I will prepare and erect for myself a new kingdom: for the whole circumference, extent or region is mine, I alone am God, and none else. * "tickled" (stack), lit., "stung." 12. And in his pride he struck and smote himself with darkness and blindness, and made himself a devil, and that he must be, and abide so eternally. [" In God he knew only the Majesty, and not " the Word in the centre, which hath the fan or " casting shovel: He blinded himself with the " astringent darkness; for he would needs in " flame himself, and rule in the fire over the " light, and over the meekness."] 13. Now when these evil, devilish spirits (understand the centre of the genitrix) moved or boiled in God's Salitter, and made havock, or spoiled all therein, then there was nothing but stinging, burning, murdering, robbing, and a mere opposite or contrary will. 14. For the heart of God delighted in love and meekness; and Lucifer would needs turn the same by force into a raging tyranny: So there was nothing but enmity, and a contrary or opposite will; for by force he kindled the Salitter of God, which had rested from eternity, and stood in its meekness. 15. Concerning this kindling in this circumference or extent, it is that God calls himself an angry, zealous or jealous God against those that hate him; that is, against those who kindle his wrath and fierceness still more with their diabolical spirits, with swearing, cursing, blaspheming, and all manner of furious fierceness and wrath, which stick in the heart, with pride, covetousness, envy and anger. All that whatsoever is in thee, thou castest into God; [" that is, " into the genitrix of nature, and therefore that " must be proved and tried through the fire, and " the soul's spirit also, and the wickedness or " malice must abide and remain in the fire."] Now thou askest, How can that be? Answer. 16. When thou openest thy eyes, and seest the being of God [which is everywhere], then thou prickest as it were with thorns into the being of God, and movest or stirrest up the wrath and anger of God. 17. When a tone or noise soundeth in thy ears, so that thou receivest or catchest it up from the being of God, then thou infectest it, as if thou didst dart thunderclaps into it. 18. Consider what thou dost with thy nostrils, and with thy mouth, whence thy dear newborn little son rusheth forth with thy speech, as a little son of all the seven spirits; and observe whether it doth not storm and assault in God's Salitter, as Lucifer did. O, there is no difference at all in this! 19. But again, on the other side, God saith, [Exod. XX. 6.] I am a merciful God to those that love me; those I will do good to, and bless them, to a thousand generations. Here observe: 20. Such are those who, contrary to the kindled wrathfire, do, with their love, meekness and industrious earnest yearnings and kindlings of love with their prayers, quench the wrathfire, and press on against the kindled fierceness. 21. Here indeed is many a hard blow or crushing; for the kindled wrathfire of God falls many times so heavy upon them, and they know not where to bestow themselves; heavy mountains lie upon them, the lovecross presseth sore, and is heavy. 22. But this is their comfort and strong helmet against the fierceness and the kindled fire; accord ing as the kingly prophet David saith [Psalm cxii. 4], To the honest or the upright the light riseth up in the darkness. 23. In this strife and fight against the wrath of God, and the kindled fierceness of the devils, and of all wicked men, the light riseth up in the heart of the honest and upright; and the friendly love of God embraceth him, that he may not despair in his cross, but strive further still against the wrath and fierceness. 24. If there were not at all times some honest upright men on earth, who quench the wrath of God with their opposing, the hellish fire had kindled itself long ago; and then it would have been well seen where hell is, which men do not now believe. 25. But thus saith the spirit; as soon as the fierceness overcometh the opposition of love in this world, then the fire kindleth itself, and then there is no more time in this world. 26. But that the fierceness doth terribly burn now at present, it needs no proof here, for, by woeful experience, it is known as clear as the day. Behold, there riseth up yet a little fire, in the opposition against the wrath, out of a singular
and formed or framed out of God, who can vanquish me? Or who can alter or change me? I myself will be lord, and with my sharpness rule in all things, and my body shall be the image which shall be worshipped; I will prepare and erect for myself a new kingdom: for the whole circumference, extent or region is mine, I alone am God, and none else. * "tickled" (stack), lit., "stung." 12. And in his pride he struck and smote himself with darkness and blindness, and made himself a devil, and that he must be, and abide so eternally. [" In God he knew only the Majesty, and not " the Word in the centre, which has the fan or " casting shovel: He blinded himself with the " astringent darkness; for he would needs in " flame himself, and rule in the fire over the " light, and over the meekness."] 13. Now when these evil, devilish spirits (understand the centre of the genitrix) moved or boiled in God's Salitter, and made havock, or spoiled all therein, then there was nothing but stinging, burning, murdering, robbing, and a mere opposite or contrary will. 14. For the heart of God delighted in love and meekness; and Lucifer would needs turn the same by force into a raging tyranny: So there was nothing but enmity, and a contrary or opposite will; for by force he kindled the Salitter of God, which had rested from eternity, and stood in its meekness. 15. Concerning this kindling in this circumference or extent, it is that God calls himself an angry, zealous or jealous God against those that hate him; that is, against those who kindle his wrath and fierceness still more with their diabolical spirits, with swearing, cursing, blaspheming, and all manner of furious fierceness and wrath, which stick in the heart, with pride, covetousness, envy and anger. All that whatsoever is in you, you castest into God; [" that is, " into the genitrix of nature, and therefore that " must be proved and tried through the fire, and " the soul's spirit also, and the wickedness or " malice must abide and remain in the fire."] Now you askest, How can that be? Answer. 16. When you openest your eyes, and seest the being of God [which is everywhere], then you prickest as it were with thorns into the being of God, and movest or stirrest up the wrath and anger of God. 17. When a tone or noise sounds in your ears, so that you receivest or catchest it up from the being of God, then you infectest it, as if you did dart thunderclaps into it. 18. Consider what you do with your nostrils, and with your mouth, whence your dear newborn little son rushes forth with your speech, as a little son of all the seven spirits; and observe whether it does not storm and assault in God's Salitter, as Lucifer did. O, there is no difference at all in this! 19. But again, on the other side, God says, [Exod. XX. 6.] I am a merciful God to those that love me; those I will do good to, and bless them, to a thousand generations. Here observe: 20. Such are those who, contrary to the kindled wrathfire, do, with their love, meekness and industrious earnest yearnings and kindlings of love with their prayers, quench the wrathfire, and press on against the kindled fierceness. 21. Here indeed is many a hard blow or crushing; for the kindled wrathfire of God falls many times so heavy upon them, and they know not where to bestow themselves; heavy mountains lie upon them, the lovecross presses sore, and is heavy. 22. But this is their comfort and strong helmet against the fierceness and the kindled fire; accord ing as the kingly prophet David says [Psalm cxii. 4], To the honest or the upright the light rises up in the darkness. 23. In this strife and fight against the wrath of God, and the kindled fierceness of the devils, and of all wicked men, the light rises up in the heart of the honest and upright; and the friendly love of God embracs him, that he may not despair in his cross, but strive further still against the wrath and fierceness. 24. If there were not at all times some honest upright men on earth, who quench the wrath of God with their opposing, the hellish fire had kindled itself long ago; and then it would have been well seen where hell is, which men do not now believe. 25. But thus says the spirit; as soon as the fierceness overcoms the opposition of love in this world, then the fire kindls itself, and then there is no more time in this world. 26. But that the fierceness does terribly burn now at present, it needs no proof here, for, by woeful experience, it is known as clear as the day. Behold, there rises up yet a little fire, in the opposition against the wrath, out of a singular
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