devils live in the power of the rising or elevating quality of fierceness, terror and darkness, and cannot comprehend the light, into which condition they precipitated and cast themselves through their pride and elevation of themselves; as I shall shew afterwards, when I shall write of the creation. 12. If thou wilt not believe that in this world all descendeth or cometh from the stars, I will demonstrate it to thee, if thou art not a blockhead, but hast some little reason and understanding left; therefore take notice of that which followeth. 13. First behold the sun; it is the heart or king of all stars, and giveth light to all stars from the east to the west; it enlighteneth and warmeth all, all liveth and groweth by its power; besides, the joy of all creatures consisteth in its virtue. 14. If that should be taken away or become extinct, then all would be dark and cold; neither would there grow any fruit, and neither man nor beast could propagate and increase, because their heat would be extinguished and their seed would be cold and torpid. Of the Quality of the Sun. 15. If thou wilt be a philosopher and naturalist, and search into God's being in nature, and discern how all is come to pass, then pray to God for the Holy Spirit, to enlighten thee with it. 16. For in thy flesh and blood thou art not able to apprehend it, and though thou dost read it, yet it is but as a fume or mist before thine eyes.
17. In the Holy Ghost alone, who is in God, and also in the whole nature,* out of which all things were made, in him alone canst thou search into the whole body or corporeity of God, which is nature; as also into the Holy Trinity itself. * "the whole nature." This expression is, in this and most other instances, rendered by St M.: " la nature universelle," " universal nature." 18. For the Holy Ghost goeth forth from the Holy Trinity, and reigneth and ruleth in the whole body or corpus of God; that is, in the whole nature. 19. Even as the spirit of man ruleth and reigneth in the whole body, in all the veins, and replenisheth the whole man; even so the Holy Ghost replenisheth the whole nature, and is the heart of nature, and reigneth in the good qualities of everything. 20. Now, if thou hast that spirit in thee, so that it enlighteneth, filleth and replenisheth thy spirit, then thou wilt understand what followeth in this writing. 21. But if not, then it will be with thee as it was with the wise Heathen, who gazed and stared on the creation,* and would search and sift it out by their own reason; and though with their fictions and conceits + they came before God's countenance or face, yet they were not able to see it, but were stark blind in the knowledge of God. * " gazed and stared on the creation " (sich in der Schöpfung vergaffeten), "became enamoured with the creation," i.e. fell under the spell of the creation. + "fictions and conceits" (Dichten), "romance" or "allegories";
the word is by no means used in an abusive sense. 22. As the Children of Israel in the desert could not behold the countenance of Moses, and therefore, when he drew near to the people, he must put a veil before his face. 23. The cause of this was, that they neither understood nor knew the true God and his will, who, notwithstanding, walked among them; and therefore that veil was a sign and type of their blindness and misunderstanding. 24. As little as a piece of work can apprehend him that made it, so little also can man apprehend and know God his Creator, unless the Holy Ghost enlighten him; which happeneth only to those that rely not upon themselves, but set their hope, will and desires upon God alone, and move in the Holy Ghost, and these are one spirit with God. 25. Now if we consider rightly of the sun and stars, with their corpus or body, operations and qualities, then the very divine being may be found therein, and we may find that the virtues of the stars are nature itself. 26. If the whole wheel, circumference or sphere of the stars be well considered, then it is soon found that the same is the mother of all things, or the nature out of which all things are come, and wherein all things stand and live, and whereby everything moveth; all things are made of these powers, and therein they all abide eternally. 27. Though indeed they shall be changed at the end of this time, when good and evil shall be separated. So in like manner angels and men, in
devils live in the power of the rising or elevating quality of fierceness, terror and darkness, and cannot comprehend the light, into which condition they precipitated and cast themselves through their pride and elevation of themselves; as I shall show afterwards, when I shall write of the creation. 12. If you will not believe that in this world all descends or comes from the stars, I will demonstrate it to you, if you are not a blockhead, but have some little reason and understanding left; therefore take notice of that which follows. 13. First behold the sun; it is the heart or king of all stars, and gives light to all stars from the east to the west; it enlightens and warms all, all lives and grows by its power; besides, the joy of all creatures consists in its virtue. 14. If that should be taken away or become extinct, then all would be dark and cold; neither would there grow any fruit, and neither man nor beast could propagate and increase, because their heat would be extinguished and their seed would be cold and torpid. Of the Quality of the Sun. 15. If you will be a philosopher and naturalist, and search into God's being in nature, and discern how all is come to pass, then pray to God for the Holy Spirit, to enlighten you with it. 16. For in your flesh and blood you are not able to apprehend it, and though you do read it, yet it is but as a fume or mist before your eyes.
17. In the Holy Ghost alone, who is in God, and also in the whole nature,* out of which all things were made, in him alone can you search into the whole body or corporeity of God, which is nature; as also into the Holy Trinity itself. * "the whole nature." This expression is, in this and most other instances, rendered by St M.: " la nature universelle," " universal nature." 18. For the Holy Ghost goes forth from the Holy Trinity, and reigns and ruls in the whole body or corpus of God; that is, in the whole nature. 19. Even as the spirit of man ruls and reigns in the whole body, in all the veins, and replenishes the whole man; even so the Holy Ghost replenishes the whole nature, and is the heart of nature, and reigns in the good qualities of everything. 20. Now, if you have that spirit in you, so that it enlightens, fills and replenishes your spirit, then you will understand what follows in this writing. 21. But if not, then it will be with you as it was with the wise Heathen, who gazed and stared on the creation,* and would search and sift it out by their own reason; and though with their fictions and conceits + they came before God's countenance or face, yet they were not able to see it, but were stark blind in the knowledge of God. * " gazed and stared on the creation " (sich in der Schöpfung vergaffeten), "became enamoured with the creation," i.e. fell under the spell of the creation. + "fictions and conceits" (Dichten), "romance" or "allegories";
the word is by no means used in an abusive sense. 22. As the Children of Israel in the desert could not behold the countenance of Moses, and therefore, when he drew near to the people, he must put a veil before his face. 23. The cause of this was, that they neither understood nor knew the true God and his will, who, notwithstanding, walked among them; and therefore that veil was a sign and type of their blindness and misunderstanding. 24. As little as a piece of work can apprehend him that made it, so little also can man apprehend and know God his Creator, unless the Holy Ghost enlighten him; which happens only to those that rely not upon themselves, but set their hope, will and desires upon God alone, and move in the Holy Ghost, and these are one spirit with God. 25. Now if we consider rightly of the sun and stars, with their corpus or body, operations and qualities, then the very divine being may be found therein, and we may find that the virtues of the stars are nature itself. 26. If the whole wheel, circumference or sphere of the stars be well considered, then it is soon found that the same is the mother of all things, or the nature out of which all things are come, and wherein all things stand and live, and whereby everything moves; all things are made of these powers, and therein they all abide eternally. 27. Though indeed they shall be changed at the end of this time, when good and evil shall be separated. So in like manner angels and men, in
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