God is.* * "therefore consider rationally and seriously," etc. Sparrow has added "seriously," presumably because the German vernünftig expresses not so much the idea of thinking according to the rational faculty, as thinking " in reasonableness," i.e. in a patient, open and temperate attitude of mind. 48. Thou seest in this world nothing but the deep, and therein the stars, and the birth or geniture of the elements: Now wilt thou say, God is not there? Pray then, what was there in that place before the time of the world? Wilt thou say, There was nothing? Then thou speakest without reason, for thou must needs say that God was there, or else nothing would have come to be there. 49. Now if God was there then, who hath thrust him out from thence or vanquished him, that he should be there no more? But if God is there, then he is indeed in his heaven, and, moreover, in his Trinity. 50. But the devil hath kindled the bath or lake of wrath, whence the earth and the stones, also the elements, are become so fluctuating, as also cold, bitter, and hot. And so he hath destroyed the outermost birth or geniture. 51. Whereupon now this treatise, and my whole purpose therein, is to describe how the outermost birth is come to be living and revived again, and how it regenerateth itself again. From thence [the wrath bath] also in the creatures the bestial flesh is come to be; but sin in the flesh is the wrath of God. Another question, which is chiefly treated of in this book, is this, viz. Where then shall the wrath of God come to be?
Answer. 52. Here the spirit answereth, that at the end of the time of this corrupted birth or geniture, after the resurrection from the dead, this place or space where the earth now is will be left to the devil for a propriety or possession and house of wrath, yet not through and in all the three births or genitures, but only in the outermost, in which he now standeth: But the innermost will hold him captive in its might and strength, and use him for a footstool, or as the dust under its foot, which innermost birth he will never be able either to comprehend or to touch. 53. For it hath not this understanding or meaning, that the wrathfire should be extinguished, and be no more; for then the devils also must become holy angels again, and live in the holy heaven; but that not being so, a hole, burrow or dungeon in this world must remain to be their habitation. 54. If man's eyes were but opened, he would see God everywhere in his heaven; for heaven standeth in the innermost birth or geniture everywhere. 55. Moreover, when Stephen saw the heaven opened, and the Lord JESUS at the right hand of God, there his spirit did not first swing itself up aloft into the upper heaven, but it penetrated or pressed into the innermost birth or geniture, wherein heaven is everywhere. 56. Neither must thou think that the Deity is such a kind of being as is only in the upper heaven, nor that the soul, when it departeth from the body, goeth up aloft into the upper heaven many hundred thousand miles off. 57. It needeth not do that, but it is set or put into the innermost birth, and there it is with God, and in God, and with all the holy angels, and can now be above, and now beneath; it is not hindered by anything. 58. For in the innermost birth the upper and nether Deity is one body, and is an open gate: The holy angels converse and walk up and down in the innermost birth of this world by and with our King JESUS CHRIST, as well as in the uppermost world aloft in their quarters, courts or region. 59. And where then would or should the soul of man rather be, than with its King and Redeemer JESUS CHRIST? For near and afar off in God is one thing, one comprehensibility, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, everywhere all over. 60. The gate of the Deity in the upper heaven is no other, also no brighter, than it is in this world: And where can there be greater joy than in that place, where every hour and moment there cometh to Christ beautiful, loving, dear, newborn children and angels, who are pressed or penetrated through death into life? 61. Doubtless they will have to tell of many fights: and where can there be greater joy, than where, in the midst or centre of death, life is generated continually? 62. Doth not every soul bring along with it a new triumph? and so there is nothing else but an exceeding friendly welcoming and salutation there. 63. Consider, when the souls of children come to their parents, who in the body did generate them, whether heaven can choose but be there?
God is.* * "therefore consider rationally and seriously," etc. Sparrow has added "seriously," presumably because the German vernünftig expresses not so much the idea of thinking according to the rational faculty, as thinking " in reasonableness," i.e. in a patient, open and temperate attitude of mind. 48. You seest in this world nothing but the deep, and therein the stars, and the birth or geniture of the elements: Now will you say, God is not there? Pray then, what was there in that place before the time of the world? Wilt you say, There was nothing? Then you speak without reason, for you must needs say that God was there, or else nothing would have come to be there. 49. Now if God was there then, who has thrust him out from thence or vanquished him, that he should be there no more? But if God is there, then he is indeed in his heaven, and, moreover, in his Trinity. 50. But the devil has kindled the bath or lake of wrath, whence the earth and the stones, also the elements, are become so fluctuating, as also cold, bitter, and hot. And so he has destroyed the outermost birth or geniture. 51. Whereupon now this treatise, and my whole purpose therein, is to describe how the outermost birth is come to be living and revived again, and how it regenerats itself again. From thence [the wrath bath] also in the creatures the bestial flesh is come to be; but sin in the flesh is the wrath of God. Another question, which is chiefly treated of in this book, is this, viz. Where then shall the wrath of God come to be?
Answer. 52. Here the spirit answers, that at the end of the time of this corrupted birth or geniture, after the resurrection from the dead, this place or space where the earth now is will be left to the devil for a propriety or possession and house of wrath, yet not through and in all the three births or genitures, but only in the outermost, in which he now stands: But the innermost will hold him captive in its might and strength, and use him for a footstool, or as the dust under its foot, which innermost birth he will never be able either to comprehend or to touch. 53. For it has not this understanding or meaning, that the wrathfire should be extinguished, and be no more; for then the devils also must become holy angels again, and live in the holy heaven; but that not being so, a hole, burrow or dungeon in this world must remain to be their habitation. 54. If man's eyes were but opened, he would see God everywhere in his heaven; for heaven stands in the innermost birth or geniture everywhere. 55. Moreover, when Stephen saw the heaven opened, and the Lord JESUS at the right hand of God, there his spirit did not first swing itself up aloft into the upper heaven, but it penetrated or pressed into the innermost birth or geniture, wherein heaven is everywhere. 56. Neither must you think that the Deity is such a kind of being as is only in the upper heaven, nor that the soul, when it departs from the body, goes up aloft into the upper heaven many hundred thousand miles off. 57. It needs not do that, but it is set or put into the innermost birth, and there it is with God, and in God, and with all the holy angels, and can now be above, and now beneath; it is not hindered by anything. 58. For in the innermost birth the upper and nether Deity is one body, and is an open gate: The holy angels converse and walk up and down in the innermost birth of this world by and with our King JESUS CHRIST, as well as in the uppermost world aloft in their quarters, courts or region. 59. And where then would or should the soul of man rather be, than with its King and Redeemer JESUS CHRIST? For near and afar off in God is one thing, one comprehensibility, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, everywhere all over. 60. The gate of the Deity in the upper heaven is no other, also no brighter, than it is in this world: And where can there be greater joy than in that place, where every hour and moment there comes to Christ beautiful, loving, dear, newborn children and angels, who are pressed or penetrated through death into life? 61. Doubtless they will have to tell of many fights: and where can there be greater joy, than where, in the midst or centre of death, life is generated continually? 62. Does not every soul bring along with it a new triumph? and so there is nothing else but an exceeding friendly welcoming and salutation there. 63. Consider, when the souls of children come to their parents, who in the body did generate them, whether heaven can choose but be there?
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