creation: For there are to be found living testi monies enough, so that none need doubt whether the things be so or no. 104. Thus king Lucifer is the beginning of sin and the sting of death, and the kindling of God's wrath, and the beginning of all evil, a corruption, perdition and destruction of this world; and whatever evil is done, there he is the first author and causer thereof. 105. Also he is a murderer and father of lies, and a founder of hell, a spoiler and corrupter, and destroyer of all that is good, and an eternal enemy of God, and of all good angels and men; against whom I, and all men that think to be saved, must daily and hourly struggle and fight, as against the worst and arch enemy. The final Condemnation. 106. But seeing God hath accursed him as an eternal enemy, and condemned him unto eternal imprisonment, where God now seeth his hourglass more and more plainly before his eyes; and seeing his hellish kingdom is revealed to me by the spirit of God; so I, together with and among all holy souls of men, curse him also, and renounce and defy him as an eternal enemy, who hath often spoiled and torn up my vineyard. 107. Moreover, I defy also all his lawyers and helpers, and will, with the divine grace, from henceforth fully reveal his kingdom, and demonstratively prove, that God is a God of love and meekness [Psalm v. 4.], who willeth not the evil, and who hath no pleasure in the perdition of any, [ Ezek. xviii. 23] but willeth that all men should be helped or saved. [1 Tim. ii. 4.] Then I will shew and prove also that all evil cometh from the devil, and taketh its original from him. Of the final Fight and Expulsion of King Lucifer, together with all his Angels. 108. Now when this horrible Lucifer, as a tyrant and raging spoiler of all that is good, shewed himself thus terribly, as if he would kindle and destroy all, and bring all under his jurisdiction, then all the heavenly hosts and armies were against him, and he also against them all; there now the fight began, for all stood most terribly, one party against another. 109. And the great prince Michael [Rev. xii.] with his legions fought against him; and the devil with his legions had not the victory, but was driven from his place, as one vanquished. Now it may be asked, What manner of fight was this? How could they fight one with another without weapons? Answer. 110. The spirit alone understandeth this hidden secret, which spirit must fight daily and hourly with the devil, the outward flesh cannot comprehend it; also the astral spirits in man cannot understand it, neither is it comprehended by man at all, unless the animated or soulish spirit unite, qualify and operate with the innermost birth or geniture in nature, in the centre, where the light of God is set opposite against the devil's kingdom, that is, in the third birth or geniture, in the nature of this world. 111. When it uniteth,* qualifieth or operateth with God in this seat, then the animated or soulish spirit carrieth it ** into the astral; for the astral must in this place fight hourly with the devil.
* " When it uniteth," etc. The word which Sparrow has translated " it" is in the original " er," and may refer either to "man," or to "the animated or soulish spirit." St M. has chosen the former, and prints: " Lorsque dans ce siége, I'homme inqualifie avec Dieu, alors l'esprit animique," etc. "When in this seat, man uniteth . . . then the animated or soulish spirit," etc. ** "carrieth it." Here "it" refers to "the light." 112. For the devil hath power in the outermost birth or geniture of man, for his seat is there. [This seat is] the murderous den of perdition, and the house of misery and woe, wherein the devil whetteth the sting of death, and through his animated or soulish spirit he reacheth in into the heart of man, in man's outermost birth or geniture. 113. But when the astral spirits are enlightened from the animated or soulish spirit, which in the light uniteth with God, then they grow fervent, and very longing and desirous of the light. On the other hand, the animated or soulish spirit of the devil, which ruleth in the outermost birth or geniture of man, is very terrible and angry, and of a very contrary or opposite will. 114. And then there riseth up the striving or fighting fire in man, just as it rose up in heaven with Michael and Lucifer, and so the poor soul comes to be miserably crushed, stretched, tormented and put upon the rack. 115. But if it getteth the victory, then it bringeth with its piercing penetration its light and knowledge into the outermost birth or geniture of man; for it presseth back with force through the seven spirits of nature, which here I call the astral spirits, and governeth in the
creation: For there are to be found living testi monies enough, so that none need doubt whether the things be so or no. 104. Thus king Lucifer is the beginning of sin and the sting of death, and the kindling of God's wrath, and the beginning of all evil, a corruption, perdition and destruction of this world; and whatever evil is done, there he is the first author and causer thereof. 105. Also he is a murderer and father of lies, and a founder of hell, a spoiler and corrupter, and destroyer of all that is good, and an eternal enemy of God, and of all good angels and men; against whom I, and all men that think to be saved, must daily and hourly struggle and fight, as against the worst and arch enemy. The final Condemnation. 106. But seeing God has accursed him as an eternal enemy, and condemned him unto eternal imprisonment, where God now sees his hourglass more and more plainly before his eyes; and seeing his hellish kingdom is revealed to me by the spirit of God; so I, together with and among all holy souls of men, curse him also, and renounce and defy him as an eternal enemy, who has often spoiled and torn up my vineyard. 107. Moreover, I defy also all his lawyers and helpers, and will, with the divine grace, from henceforth fully reveal his kingdom, and demonstratively prove, that God is a God of love and meekness [Psalm v. 4.], who wills not the evil, and who has no pleasure in the perdition of any, [ Ezek. xviii. 23] but wills that all men should be helped or saved. [1 Tim. ii. 4.] Then I will show and prove also that all evil comes from the devil, and takes its original from him. Of the final Fight and Expulsion of King Lucifer, together with all his Angels. 108. Now when this horrible Lucifer, as a tyrant and raging spoiler of all that is good, showed himself thus terribly, as if he would kindle and destroy all, and bring all under his jurisdiction, then all the heavenly hosts and armies were against him, and he also against them all; there now the fight began, for all stood most terribly, one party against another. 109. And the great prince Michael [Rev. xii.] with his legions fought against him; and the devil with his legions had not the victory, but was driven from his place, as one vanquished. Now it may be asked, What manner of fight was this? How could they fight one with another without weapons? Answer. 110. The spirit alone understands this hidden secret, which spirit must fight daily and hourly with the devil, the outward flesh cannot comprehend it; also the astral spirits in man cannot understand it, neither is it comprehended by man at all, unless the animated or soulish spirit unite, qualify and operate with the innermost birth or geniture in nature, in the centre, where the light of God is set opposite against the devil's kingdom, that is, in the third birth or geniture, in the nature of this world. 111. When it unites,* qualifies or operats with God in this seat, then the animated or soulish spirit carries it ** into the astral; for the astral must in this place fight hourly with the devil.
* " When it unites," etc. The word which Sparrow has translated " it" is in the original " er," and may refer either to "man," or to "the animated or soulish spirit." St M. has chosen the former, and prints: " Lorsque dans ce siége, I'homme inqualifie avec Dieu, alors l'esprit animique," etc. "When in this seat, man unites . . . then the animated or soulish spirit," etc. ** "carries it." Here "it" refers to "the light." 112. For the devil has power in the outermost birth or geniture of man, for his seat is there. [This seat is] the murderous den of perdition, and the house of misery and woe, wherein the devil whetts the sting of death, and through his animated or soulish spirit he reaches in into the heart of man, in man's outermost birth or geniture. 113. But when the astral spirits are enlightened from the animated or soulish spirit, which in the light unites with God, then they grow fervent, and very longing and desirous of the light. On the other hand, the animated or soulish spirit of the devil, which ruls in the outermost birth or geniture of man, is very terrible and angry, and of a very contrary or opposite will. 114. And then there rises up the striving or fighting fire in man, just as it rose up in heaven with Michael and Lucifer, and so the poor soul comes to be miserably crushed, stretched, tormented and put upon the rack. 115. But if it getts the victory, then it brings with its piercing penetration its light and knowledge into the outermost birth or geniture of man; for it presses back with force through the seven spirits of nature, which here I call the astral spirits, and governs in the
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