10. But seeing I have such an impulse upon me, I let him act and move in me, he who knoweth and understandeth what it is, and whose pleasure it is that I should do it; I, poor man of earth, dust and ashes, could not do it. But the spirit inviteth * and citeth all such mockers and despisers [to come] before the innermost birth or geniture of God in this world, [and] to desist from their wickedness and malice: If not, then they shall be spewed out as hellish chaff into the outermost birth or geniture in the wrath of God. * " But the spirit inviteth," etc. St M. renders this clause: " But the spirit inviteth all these mockers and these scorners of the innermost birth," etc. This gives an entirely different meaning, which, though it may be the real sense intended by J. B., hardly seems warranted by the original, " vor die innerste Geburt." Now observe: 11. When God was now moved to anger in the third birth or geniture, in the court, quarters or region of Lucifer, which was all the space and room or extent of this world, then the light was extinguished in the third birth or geniture, and all became a darkness, and the Salitter in the third birth or geniture was rough, wild, hard, bitter, sour, and in some parts stinking, stagnant and morasslike, all according to the birth or geniture of the qualifying or fountain spirits then at that time working. 12. For in that place wherein the astringent quality was predominant, there the Salitter was attracted together and dried, so that hard dry stones came to be; but in those places where the astringent spirit and the bitter were equally alike predominant, there sharp small gravel and sand came to be, for the raging bitter spirit brake the Salitter all to pieces.
13. But in those places where the tone, together with the astringent spirit, was predominant in the water, there copper, iron, and such like rocky ores of minerals came to be: but where the water was predominant, together with all the spirits jointly and equally, there the wild earth came to be, and the water was here and there like a cloud or vapour held captive in the clefts and veins or spaces of the rocks; for the astringent spirit, as the father of corrupted nature, held it captive with its sharp attracting together. 14. But the bitter spirit is the chief cause of the black earth, for through its fierce bitterness the Salitter became killed in its outermost birth or geniture, from whence existed the wild or barren earth. 15. But the heat in the astringent spirit chiefly helped to make the hardness; but where that [hardness] came to be, there it [the heat] generated the noblest and most precious Salitter in the earth, as gold, silver, and precious stones. 16. For when the shining light, by reason of the hard, dry and rough matter, became extinguished, then it was together dried up and incorporated in the heat, which is the father of the light. Yet you must understand it thus: 17. Where the hot spirit in the sweet water was predominant in love, there the astringent spirit attracted the matter together, and so thereby the noblest ores of minerals and precious stones were generated. 18. But concerning precious stones, as carbuncles, rubies, diamonds, smaragdines or emeralds, onyxes and the like, which are of the best sort, they have their original where the flash of the light rose up in the love. For that flash becometh generated in the meekness, and is the heart in the centre of the qualifying or fountain spirits; therefore those stones are also meek, full of virtue, delightful, pleasant and lovely. Now it might be asked, Why in this world is man so in love with gold, silver and precious stones, above all other things, and useth them for a defence or protection, and for the main tenance of his body? [Eccles. vii. 12] Answer. 19. Herein lieth the pith or kernel; for gold, silver, and precious stones, and all bright ores of minerals, have their original from the light, which shone before the times of wrath in the outermost birth or geniture of nature, that is, in the seventh naturespirit: So now, seeing every man is as the whole house of this world, therefore all his qualifying or fountain spirits love the kernel, or the best thing that is in the corrupted nature, and that they use for the defence, pro tection and maintenance [livelihood] of themselves. 20. But the innermost kernel, which is the Deity, that they can nowhere comprehend, for the wrath of the fire lieth before it, as a strong wall, and this wall must be broken down with a very strong storm or assault, if the astral spirits will see into it. But the door standeth open to the animated or soulish spirit, for it [the animated or soulish spirit] is withheld by nothing, but is as God himself is, in his innermost birth or geniture. Now then it might be asked, How then shall I understand myself in or according to the threefold birth or geniture in nature?
10. But seeing I have such an impulse upon me, I let him act and move in me, he who knows and understands what it is, and whose pleasure it is that I should do it; I, poor man of earth, dust and ashes, could not do it. But the spirit invits * and cits all such mockers and despisers [to come] before the innermost birth or geniture of God in this world, [and] to desist from their wickedness and malice: If not, then they shall be spewed out as hellish chaff into the outermost birth or geniture in the wrath of God. * " But the spirit invits," etc. St M. renders this clause: " But the spirit invits all these mockers and these scorners of the innermost birth," etc. This gives an entirely different meaning, which, though it may be the real sense intended by J. B., hardly seems warranted by the original, " vor die innerste Geburt." Now observe: 11. When God was now moved to anger in the third birth or geniture, in the court, quarters or region of Lucifer, which was all the space and room or extent of this world, then the light was extinguished in the third birth or geniture, and all became a darkness, and the Salitter in the third birth or geniture was rough, wild, hard, bitter, sour, and in some parts stinking, stagnant and morasslike, all according to the birth or geniture of the qualifying or fountain spirits then at that time working. 12. For in that place wherein the astringent quality was predominant, there the Salitter was attracted together and dried, so that hard dry stones came to be; but in those places where the astringent spirit and the bitter were equally alike predominant, there sharp small gravel and sand came to be, for the raging bitter spirit brake the Salitter all to pieces.
13. But in those places where the tone, together with the astringent spirit, was predominant in the water, there copper, iron, and such like rocky ores of minerals came to be: but where the water was predominant, together with all the spirits jointly and equally, there the wild earth came to be, and the water was here and there like a cloud or vapour held captive in the clefts and veins or spaces of the rocks; for the astringent spirit, as the father of corrupted nature, held it captive with its sharp attracting together. 14. But the bitter spirit is the chief cause of the black earth, for through its fierce bitterness the Salitter became killed in its outermost birth or geniture, from whence existed the wild or barren earth. 15. But the heat in the astringent spirit chiefly helped to make the hardness; but where that [hardness] came to be, there it [the heat] generated the noblest and most precious Salitter in the earth, as gold, silver, and precious stones. 16. For when the shining light, by reason of the hard, dry and rough matter, became extinguished, then it was together dried up and incorporated in the heat, which is the father of the light. Yet you must understand it thus: 17. Where the hot spirit in the sweet water was predominant in love, there the astringent spirit attracted the matter together, and so thereby the noblest ores of minerals and precious stones were generated. 18. But concerning precious stones, as carbuncles, rubies, diamonds, smaragdines or emeralds, onyxes and the like, which are of the best sort, they have their original where the flash of the light rose up in the love. For that flash becomes generated in the meekness, and is the heart in the centre of the qualifying or fountain spirits; therefore those stones are also meek, full of virtue, delightful, pleasant and lovely. Now it might be asked, Why in this world is man so in love with gold, silver and precious stones, above all other things, and uses them for a defence or protection, and for the main tenance of his body? [Eccles. vii. 12] Answer. 19. Herein lies the pith or kernel; for gold, silver, and precious stones, and all bright ores of minerals, have their original from the light, which shone before the times of wrath in the outermost birth or geniture of nature, that is, in the seventh naturespirit: So now, seeing every man is as the whole house of this world, therefore all his qualifying or fountain spirits love the kernel, or the best thing that is in the corrupted nature, and that they use for the defence, pro tection and maintenance [livelihood] of themselves. 20. But the innermost kernel, which is the Deity, that they can nowhere comprehend, for the wrath of the fire lies before it, as a strong wall, and this wall must be broken down with a very strong storm or assault, if the astral spirits will see into it. But the door stands open to the animated or soulish spirit, for it [the animated or soulish spirit] is withheld by nothing, but is as God himself is, in his innermost birth or geniture. Now then it might be asked, How then shall I understand myself in or according to the threefold birth or geniture in nature?
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