THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER Of the lamentable and miserable State and Condition of the corrupt perished Nature, and Original of the four Elements, instead of the holy Government of God. 1. ALTHOUGH God be an eternal, almighty regent or governor, whom none can resist, yet nature in its kindling hath now gotten a very monstrous strange government, such as was not before the times of the wrath. 2. For the six qualifying or fountain spirits did generate the seventh naturespirit before the times of the wrath, in the place of this world, very meekly and pleasantly, as is now done in heaven, and not so much as the least spark of wrath or anger rose up therein. 3. Moreover, all was very bright and light therein, neither was there need of any other light; but the fountain or wellspring of the Heart of God enlightened all, and was a light in all, which did shine everywhere all over incessantly without any obstacle. For nature was very rarified and thin or transparent, and all stood merely in power, and was in a very pleasant lovely temper. 4. But as soon as in nature the fight began with the proud devil, then in the seventh naturespirit, in the court, region or extent of Lucifer, which is the place of this world, all gat another form and operation. 5. For nature gat a twofold source, and the outermost birth or geniture in nature was kindled in the wrathfire, which fire now is called the wrath of God, or the burning hell. Note. 6. Here is required most inward sense or perception to understand this; for the place where the light is generated in the heart alone comprehendeth it, the outward man doth not comprehend it at all. 7. But behold! when Lucifer with his host or army stirred or awakened the wrathfire in the nature of God, so that God was moved to anger in nature in the place of Lucifer, then the outermost birth or geniture in nature gat another quality, which was very fierce, astringent, cold, hot, bitter and sour. 8. The moving or boiling spirit, which before qualified or operated very meekly in nature, became, in its outermost birth or geniture, very exhalted and terrible, which now, in the outer most birth, is called the wind, or the element of air, in regard of its elevation or expansion. 9. For when the seven spirits kindled themselves in their outermost birth or geniture, then they generated such a violent moving spirit; and so the sweet water, which before the times of the wrath was very rarified and thin and incomprehensible, grew very thick and elevated and swelled, and the astringent quality grew very sharp and coldfiery or fiercecold, for it got a strong attracting together, like salt. 10. For the saltwater or salt [or saltpetre], which still to this day is found in the earth, hath its original and descent from the first kindling of the astringent quality; and so the stones also have their beginning and descent from thence, as also the earth.
11. For the astringent quality now attracted the Salitter very strongly together, and dried it, whence the bitter earth is proceeded; but the stones are from the Salitter which at that time stood in the power of the tone or tune. 12. For as nature, with the working, wrestling and rising up of its birth or geniture, stood in the time of the kindling, just such a matter attracted itself together. Now it may be asked, How then is a comprehensible or palpable son come to be out of an incomprehensible mother? Answer. 13. Thou hast a similitude of this, in that the earth and stones are proceeded out of the incomprehensibility. 14. For behold, the deep between heaven and earth is also incomprehensible, and yet the elementary qualities sometimes generate living comprehensible flesh therein, as grasshoppers, flies, and worms or creeping things. 15. Which is caused by the strong attracting together of the qualities, in which attracted Salitter the life is suddenly generated. For when the heat kindleth the astringent quality, then the life riseth up, for the bitter quality stirreth itself, which is the original of life. 16. So in like manner the earth and stones have their descent; for when the Salitter kindled itself in nature, then all became very rugged, thick and dark, like a thick dark mist or cloud, which the astringent quality dried up hard with its coldness.
THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER Of the lamentable and miserable State and Condition of the corrupt perished Nature, and Original of the four Elements, instead of the holy Government of God. 1. ALTHOUGH God be an eternal, almighty regent or governor, whom none can resist, yet nature in its kindling has now gotten a very monstrous strange government, such as was not before the times of the wrath. 2. For the six qualifying or fountain spirits did generate the seventh naturespirit before the times of the wrath, in the place of this world, very meekly and pleasantly, as is now done in heaven, and not so much as the least spark of wrath or anger rose up therein. 3. Moreover, all was very bright and light therein, neither was there need of any other light; but the fountain or wellspring of the Heart of God enlightened all, and was a light in all, which did shine everywhere all over incessantly without any obstacle. For nature was very rarified and thin or transparent, and all stood merely in power, and was in a very pleasant lovely temper. 4. But as soon as in nature the fight began with the proud devil, then in the seventh naturespirit, in the court, region or extent of Lucifer, which is the place of this world, all gat another form and operation. 5. For nature gat a twofold source, and the outermost birth or geniture in nature was kindled in the wrathfire, which fire now is called the wrath of God, or the burning hell. Note. 6. Here is required most inward sense or perception to understand this; for the place where the light is generated in the heart alone comprehends it, the outward man does not comprehend it at all. 7. But behold! when Lucifer with his host or army stirred or awakened the wrathfire in the nature of God, so that God was moved to anger in nature in the place of Lucifer, then the outermost birth or geniture in nature gat another quality, which was very fierce, astringent, cold, hot, bitter and sour. 8. The moving or boiling spirit, which before qualified or operated very meekly in nature, became, in its outermost birth or geniture, very exhalted and terrible, which now, in the outer most birth, is called the wind, or the element of air, in regard of its elevation or expansion. 9. For when the seven spirits kindled themselves in their outermost birth or geniture, then they generated such a violent moving spirit; and so the sweet water, which before the times of the wrath was very rarified and thin and incomprehensible, grew very thick and elevated and swelled, and the astringent quality grew very sharp and coldfiery or fiercecold, for it got a strong attracting together, like salt. 10. For the saltwater or salt [or saltpetre], which still to this day is found in the earth, has its original and descent from the first kindling of the astringent quality; and so the stones also have their beginning and descent from thence, as also the earth.
11. For the astringent quality now attracted the Salitter very strongly together, and dried it, whence the bitter earth is proceeded; but the stones are from the Salitter which at that time stood in the power of the tone or tune. 12. For as nature, with the working, wrestling and rising up of its birth or geniture, stood in the time of the kindling, just such a matter attracted itself together. Now it may be asked, How then is a comprehensible or palpable son come to be out of an incomprehensible mother? Answer. 13. You have a similitude of this, in that the earth and stones are proceeded out of the incomprehensibility. 14. For behold, the deep between heaven and earth is also incomprehensible, and yet the elementary qualities sometimes generate living comprehensible flesh therein, as grasshoppers, flies, and worms or creeping things. 15. Which is caused by the strong attracting together of the qualities, in which attracted Salitter the life is suddenly generated. For when the heat kindls the astringent quality, then the life rises up, for the bitter quality stirrs itself, which is the original of life. 16. So in like manner the earth and stones have their descent; for when the Salitter kindled itself in nature, then all became very rugged, thick and dark, like a thick dark mist or cloud, which the astringent quality dried up hard with its coldness.
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