17. Convert! Convert! and strive against the malice and wickedness of the devil, and incline thine heart towards the LORD thy GOD, and walk in his will. If thy heart will incline to me, saith the spirit, then will I also incline to thee: Or dost thou think that I am false and wicked, as thou art? 18. Therefore I say now, if thy heart doth not qualify, mix or cooperate with God in thy knowledge, out of a true purpose of love, then thou art a dissembler, liar and murderer in the sight of God. For God doth not hear any man's prayer, unless his heart be fully directed and bent in obedience to God. 19. Wouldst thou fight against the wrath of God? Then thou must put on the helmet of obedience and of love, otherwise thou wilt not break through; and if thou dost not break through, then thou fightest in vain, and re mainest to be a servant or minister of the devil, in one way as well as in another. 20. What good will thy knowledge do thee, if thou wilt not strive and fight therein? It is just as if one knew of a great treasure, and would not go for it; but, though he knoweth he might have it, would rather starve for hunger in the bare knowing of it. 21. Thus saith the spirit, Many Heathen, who have not thy knowledge, and yet strive or fight against the wrath, will enter into the kingdom of heaven before thee. 22. For who shall judge them, if their heart do qualify, unite or operate with God? For though they do not know him, and yet work and labour in his spirit, in righteousness, and in the purity of their heart, in true love one to another, they testify assuredly that the law of God is in their heart [1 Rom. ii. 15]. 23. But seeing thou knowest it, and dost it not, and the others know it not, but yet do it, they, with their doing, judge thy knowledge; and thou art found to be a hypocrite, a dissembler, and an unprofitable servant, who wert put into the vineyard of the Lord, and wilt not work therein. 24. What dost thou suppose the Master of the house will say to thee, when he shall require and demand his talent with which he entrusted thee, thou having buried it in the earth? Will he not say, Thou perverse wicked servant, why didst thou not put my talent out upon use, and then I could have demanded the principal and the interest or profit? 25. And so the sufferings of Christ will be quite taken from thee, and will be given to the Heathen, who had but one talent, and yet yielded to the Master of the house five; and thou wilt have to howl with the dogs. Now observe: 26. If we rightly consider how God separated the water under the firmament, from the water above the firmament, then great things will be found therein. 27. For the water which resteth on the earth is as corrupt and perished and mortal or dead a being or thing as the earth is, and belongeth also to the outermost birth, which with its comprehensibility, or as to its palpability, standeth in death, even as the earth and stones do. 28. The meaning is not that the water is quite reprobated, rejected or thrust out from God; for the heart therein belongeth yet to the astral birth or geniture, out of which the holy birth becometh generated. 29. But death standeth in the outermost birth, and therefore is the palpable water separated from the impalpable. Now thou wilt ask, How is that? Answer. 30. Behold the water in the deep above the earth, which qualifieth, mixeth or uniteth with the elementary air and fire, that is the water of the astral birth or geniture, wherein standeth the astral life, and wherein especially the Holy Ghost moveth, and through which the third and innermost birth doth generate incomprehensibly as to the wrath of God therein: That water to our eyes seemeth like the air. 31. But that, in the deep above the earth, water, air and fire are one in another, every intelligent man may see and understand. 32. For thou seest that often the whole deep is very clear and pure, and then, in a quarter of an hour, is covered with watery clouds; that is, when the stars from above, and the water upon the earth from beneath, kindle themselves, and so water is suddenly there also generated; which would not be, if the wrath did not also stand in the astral birth or geniture. 33. But seeing all is corrupted, therefore must the upper water in the wrath of God come to help the astringent, bitter and hot quality of the earth, and soften the quality and quench its fire, so that the life may always be generated, and that the holy birth, between death and the wrath of God, may be generated also.
17. Convert! Convert! and strive against the malice and wickedness of the devil, and incline your heart towards the LORD your GOD, and walk in his will. If your heart will incline to me, says the spirit, then will I also incline to you: Or do you think that I am false and wicked, as you are? 18. Therefore I say now, if your heart does not qualify, mix or cooperate with God in your knowledge, out of a true purpose of love, then you are a dissembler, liar and murderer in the sight of God. For God does not hear any man's prayer, unless his heart be fully directed and bent in obedience to God. 19. Wouldst you fight against the wrath of God? Then you must put on the helmet of obedience and of love, otherwise you will not break through; and if you do not break through, then you fightest in vain, and re mainest to be a servant or minister of the devil, in one way as well as in another. 20. What good will your knowledge do you, if you will not strive and fight therein? It is just as if one knew of a great treasure, and would not go for it; but, though he knows he might have it, would rather starve for hunger in the bare knowing of it. 21. Thus says the spirit, Many Heathen, who have not your knowledge, and yet strive or fight against the wrath, will enter into the kingdom of heaven before you. 22. For who shall judge them, if their heart do qualify, unite or operate with God? For though they do not know him, and yet work and labour in his spirit, in righteousness, and in the purity of their heart, in true love one to another, they testify assuredly that the law of God is in their heart [1 Rom. ii. 15]. 23. But seeing you know it, and do it not, and the others know it not, but yet do it, they, with their doing, judge your knowledge; and you are found to be a hypocrite, a dissembler, and an unprofitable servant, who were put into the vineyard of the Lord, and will not work therein. 24. What do you suppose the Master of the house will say to you, when he shall require and demand his talent with which he entrusted you, you having buried it in the earth? Will he not say, You perverse wicked servant, why did you not put my talent out upon use, and then I could have demanded the principal and the interest or profit? 25. And so the sufferings of Christ will be quite taken from you, and will be given to the Heathen, who had but one talent, and yet yielded to the Master of the house five; and you will have to howl with the dogs. Now observe: 26. If we rightly consider how God separated the water under the firmament, from the water above the firmament, then great things will be found therein. 27. For the water which rests on the earth is as corrupt and perished and mortal or dead a being or thing as the earth is, and belongs also to the outermost birth, which with its comprehensibility, or as to its palpability, stands in death, even as the earth and stones do. 28. The meaning is not that the water is quite reprobated, rejected or thrust out from God; for the heart therein belongs yet to the astral birth or geniture, out of which the holy birth becomes generated. 29. But death stands in the outermost birth, and therefore is the palpable water separated from the impalpable. Now you will ask, How is that? Answer. 30. Behold the water in the deep above the earth, which qualifies, mixes or unites with the elementary air and fire, that is the water of the astral birth or geniture, wherein stands the astral life, and wherein especially the Holy Ghost moves, and through which the third and innermost birth does generate incomprehensibly as to the wrath of God therein: That water to our eyes seems like the air. 31. But that, in the deep above the earth, water, air and fire are one in another, every intelligent man may see and understand. 32. For you seest that often the whole deep is very clear and pure, and then, in a quarter of an hour, is covered with watery clouds; that is, when the stars from above, and the water upon the earth from beneath, kindle themselves, and so water is suddenly there also generated; which would not be, if the wrath did not also stand in the astral birth or geniture. 33. But seeing all is corrupted, therefore must the upper water in the wrath of God come to help the astringent, bitter and hot quality of the earth, and soften the quality and quench its fire, so that the life may always be generated, and that the holy birth, between death and the wrath of God, may be generated also.
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