42. This firespirit, and right devil's spirit, elevated itself now also in the centre of the heart, and would rule through the animated or soulish spirit, [ " Hereby is understood the spirit " of the will, out of the centre, which is generated " out of the genitrix, viz. out of the seven qualify " ing or fountain spirits, which is the image of " God,"] in the whole divine power, and kindle the whole Salitter of God as a new and potent God; and so the formings and heavenly imagings should rise up in a horrible fiery quality, and suffer themselves to be imaged and framed according to this fierceness. 43. Now when I write of the animated soulish spirit, then you must exactly know what it is, or how it is, else thou wilt read this birth or geniture [Or nativity] in vain, and it will happen to thee as it did to the wise Heathen, who climbed up to the very face or countenance of God, but could not see it. 44. The [soulish] spirit of the soul is very much more subtle, and more incomprehensible than the body, or the seven qualifying or fountain spirits, which hold, retain and form the body; for it goeth forth from the seven spirits, as God the Holy Ghost goeth forth from the Father and the Son. 45. The seven qualifying or fountain spirits have their compacted or incorporated body out of nature, that is, out of the seventh naturespirit in the divine power; which in this book I call the Salitter of God, or the Comprehensibility, wherein the heavenly figures or shapes arise. 46. And that is a spirit, as all the rest of the seven spirits are, only the other six are an incomprehensible being therein; for the divine power generateth itself in the comprehensibility of the seventh naturespirit, as it were hidden or concealed, and incomprehensible to the creatures. 47. But the animated or soulish spirit generateth itself in the heart, out of or from the seven qualifying or fountain spirits, in that manner as the Son of God is generated, and keepeth its seat in the heart, and goeth forth from that seat in the divine power, as the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son; for it hath the same subtleness as the Holy Spirit of God, and it uniteth, qualifieth or operateth with God the Holy Ghost. 48. When the animated or soulish spirit goeth forth out of the body, then it is one thing with the hidden Deity, and is together the midst or centre in the imaging or framing of a thing in nature, as God the Holy Ghost himself is. 49. An example whereof you have in this: as when a carpenter will build a curious house or artificial piece of architecture, or when any other artist goeth about the making of some artificial work, the hands, which signify nature, cannot be the first that begin the work: but the seven spirits are the first workmasters about it, and the animated or soulish spirit sheweth to the seven spirits the form, figure or shape of it. 50. Then the seven spirits image or frame it, and make it comprehensible, and then the hands first begin to fall to work, to make the structure according to the image or frame contrived: For a work must be first brought to the sense, before you can make it. 51. For the soul comprehendeth the highest sense, it beholdeth what God its Father acteth or maketh, also it cooperateth in the heavenly imaging or framing: and therefore it maketh a description,* draught, platform or model for the naturespirits, shewing how a thing should be imaged or framed. * " it maketh a description," etc., lit., " it draweth [round] a model," etc. 52. According to this delineation or prefiguration of the soul, all things in this world are made; for the corrupted soul worketh or endeavoureth continually to bring forth or frame heavenly forms, but cannot bring that to effect, for the materials for its work are only the earthly corrupted Salitter, even a halfdead nature, wherein it cannot image or frame heavenly ideas, shapes or figures. 53. By this you may understand what great power the spirits of the expelled angels have had in the heavenly nature; and of what manner of substance this perdition or corruption is; how in their place they have corrupted and spoiled nature in heaven with their horrible kindling, from whence the horrible fierceness which is predominant in this world exists. 54. For the kindled nature burneth still continually until the Last Judgment Day, and this kindled fire, source or quality, is an eternal enmity against God. 55. But yet whether this kindled firespirit hath right therein, and whether God himself hath kindled it, from whence the wrathfire existed, let the Electionists or Predestinarians, or those that dispute so about Election, justify it, and prove it in nature, if they can; if not, then this firespirit is to be condemned also. Of the Fifth Kind, Species, Form or Manner of
42. This firespirit, and right devil's spirit, elevated itself now also in the centre of the heart, and would rule through the animated or soulish spirit, [ " Hereby is understood the spirit " of the will, out of the centre, which is generated " out of the genitrix, viz. out of the seven qualify " ing or fountain spirits, which is the image of " God,"] in the whole divine power, and kindle the whole Salitter of God as a new and potent God; and so the formings and heavenly imagings should rise up in a horrible fiery quality, and suffer themselves to be imaged and framed according to this fierceness. 43. Now when I write of the animated soulish spirit, then you must exactly know what it is, or how it is, else you will read this birth or geniture [Or nativity] in vain, and it will happen to you as it did to the wise Heathen, who climbed up to the very face or countenance of God, but could not see it. 44. The [soulish] spirit of the soul is very much more subtle, and more incomprehensible than the body, or the seven qualifying or fountain spirits, which hold, retain and form the body; for it goes forth from the seven spirits, as God the Holy Ghost goes forth from the Father and the Son. 45. The seven qualifying or fountain spirits have their compacted or incorporated body out of nature, that is, out of the seventh naturespirit in the divine power; which in this book I call the Salitter of God, or the Comprehensibility, wherein the heavenly figures or shapes arise. 46. And that is a spirit, as all the rest of the seven spirits are, only the other six are an incomprehensible being therein; for the divine power generats itself in the comprehensibility of the seventh naturespirit, as it were hidden or concealed, and incomprehensible to the creatures. 47. But the animated or soulish spirit generats itself in the heart, out of or from the seven qualifying or fountain spirits, in that manner as the Son of God is generated, and keeps its seat in the heart, and goes forth from that seat in the divine power, as the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son; for it has the same subtleness as the Holy Spirit of God, and it unites, qualifies or operats with God the Holy Ghost. 48. When the animated or soulish spirit goes forth out of the body, then it is one thing with the hidden Deity, and is together the midst or centre in the imaging or framing of a thing in nature, as God the Holy Ghost himself is. 49. An example whereof you have in this: as when a carpenter will build a curious house or artificial piece of architecture, or when any other artist goes about the making of some artificial work, the hands, which signify nature, cannot be the first that begin the work: but the seven spirits are the first workmasters about it, and the animated or soulish spirit shows to the seven spirits the form, figure or shape of it. 50. Then the seven spirits image or frame it, and make it comprehensible, and then the hands first begin to fall to work, to make the structure according to the image or frame contrived: For a work must be first brought to the sense, before you can make it. 51. For the soul comprehends the highest sense, it beholds what God its Father acts or makes, also it cooperats in the heavenly imaging or framing: and therefore it makes a description,* draught, platform or model for the naturespirits, showing how a thing should be imaged or framed. * " it makes a description," etc., lit., " it draws [round] a model," etc. 52. According to this delineation or prefiguration of the soul, all things in this world are made; for the corrupted soul works or endeavours continually to bring forth or frame heavenly forms, but cannot bring that to effect, for the materials for its work are only the earthly corrupted Salitter, even a halfdead nature, wherein it cannot image or frame heavenly ideas, shapes or figures. 53. By this you may understand what great power the spirits of the expelled angels have had in the heavenly nature; and of what manner of substance this perdition or corruption is; how in their place they have corrupted and spoiled nature in heaven with their horrible kindling, from whence the horrible fierceness which is predominant in this world exists. 54. For the kindled nature burns still continually until the Last Judgment Day, and this kindled fire, source or quality, is an eternal enmity against God. 55. But yet whether this kindled firespirit has right therein, and whether God himself has kindled it, from whence the wrathfire existed, let the Electionists or Predestinarians, or those that dispute so about Election, justify it, and prove it in nature, if they can; if not, then this firespirit is to be condemned also. Of the Fifth Kind, Species, Form or Manner of
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