6. If a man rightly considereth all circumstances, he will find that the whole government in its locality, circumference or region in a kingdom, is of the same condition or constitution as the body (Corpus) of an angel, or as is the Holy Trinity. Observe here the Depth. 7. All power is in God the Father, and he is the fountain of all powers in his deep; in him are light and darkness,* air and water, heat and cold, hard and soft, thick and thin, sound and tone, sweet and sour, bitter and astringent, and that which I cannot number or rehearse. * "light and darkness." Here St M. refers the reader to pars. 916 of Ch. 4 for a better understanding of this statement. 8. I conceive of it only in my body,* for that is originally, from Adam to this time, made out of all powers, and according to the image of God. * "I conceive of it only in my body" (allein an meinem Leibe nehme ichs ab), i.e. " from [a consideration of] my body alone [as apart from any other consideration] I take it to be so." 9. But here thou must not think that the powers in God the Father are in such wise, or qualify in such a corrupt manner and kind, as in man, which lord Lucifer hath so brought to pass; no, it is all very lovely, pleasant, delicious and joyful, very gentle, and meek or mild. 10. First there is the light (as I may naturally compare or resemble it) like the light of the sun, but not so intolerable as the light of the sun is to our corrupted perished eyes, but very lovely, pleasant and delightful, an aspect or glance of love.
11. But the darkness is hidden in the centre of the light, that is, when a creature, who is made out of the power of the light, would move and boil higher and faster in that light than God Himself doth, then in that creature that light would go out and be extinguished. [12. " Understand, the creature kindleth the "fire, if its spirit elevateth itself beyond the " humility that is from love: Read the second " and third books, viz. The Three Principles, and " The Threefold Life of Man."] 13. And instead of light it hath darkness, and therein the creature is sensible, by experience, that there is a darkness hidden in the centre. 14. As when a man kindleth a wax candle it giveth light, but when it is put out, then is the snuff or candle darkness: Thus also the light shineth from all the powers of the Father; but when the powers are perished or corrupted, then the light is extinguished, and the powers would remain in darkness, as is apparent by Lucifer. 15. In God the air also is not of such a kind, but is a lovely, pleasant, still breath or voice, blowing or moving; that is, the exit, going forth or moving of the powers is the original of the air, in which the Holy Ghost riseth up. 16. Neither is the water of such a kind in God, but it is the source or fountain in the powers, not of an elementary kind, as in this world; if I should liken it to anything, I must liken it to the sap or juice in an apple, but very bright and lightsome, like heaven, which is the spirit of all powers. 17. It is lord Lucifer who hath thus spoiled it, that it rageth and raveth so in this world, which so runneth and floweth, and is so thick and dark, and moreover if it runneth not, it becometh stinking; of which I shall treat more largely when I shall write of the creation. 18. In God the heat is a most lovely, pleasant, soft, gentle, mild, meek warmth, an effluence or going forth of light, which expandeth itself, rising up from the light, wherein the source or fountain of love springeth up. 19. The cold also in God is not of such a kind, but is a cooling or refreshing of the heat, a mollifying or allaying of the spirit, a rising up, boiling or moving of the spirit. Note here the Depth. 20. In Moses God saith, when he gave the Law to the Children of Israel, I am an angry jealous God to those that hate me; afterwards he also calls himself a merciful God to them that fear him. Question. 21. Now the question is, What in heaven is the wrath of God? And whether God be angry in himself; or how is God moved to anger? Answer. Here there are chiefly seven sorts of qualities or circumstances to be observed. I. Of the First Species or Circumstance. 22. First: In the divine power there is, hidden in secret, the astringent quality, which is a quality of the kernel, pith or hidden being, a sharp compaction or penetration in the Salitter, very sharp and harsh or astringent, which generates hardness, and also coldness; and when the astringent quality is kindled it generateth a sharpness like unto salt.
6. If a man rightly considers all circumstances, he will find that the whole government in its locality, circumference or region in a kingdom, is of the same condition or constitution as the body (Corpus) of an angel, or as is the Holy Trinity. Observe here the Depth. 7. All power is in God the Father, and he is the fountain of all powers in his deep; in him are light and darkness,* air and water, heat and cold, hard and soft, thick and thin, sound and tone, sweet and sour, bitter and astringent, and that which I cannot number or rehearse. * "light and darkness." Here St M. refers the reader to pars. 916 of Ch. 4 for a better understanding of this statement. 8. I conceive of it only in my body,* for that is originally, from Adam to this time, made out of all powers, and according to the image of God. * "I conceive of it only in my body" (allein an meinem Leibe nehme ichs ab), i.e. " from [a consideration of] my body alone [as apart from any other consideration] I take it to be so." 9. But here you must not think that the powers in God the Father are in such wise, or qualify in such a corrupt manner and kind, as in man, which lord Lucifer has so brought to pass; no, it is all very lovely, pleasant, delicious and joyful, very gentle, and meek or mild. 10. First there is the light (as I may naturally compare or resemble it) like the light of the sun, but not so intolerable as the light of the sun is to our corrupted perished eyes, but very lovely, pleasant and delightful, an aspect or glance of love.
11. But the darkness is hidden in the centre of the light, that is, when a creature, who is made out of the power of the light, would move and boil higher and faster in that light than God Himself does, then in that creature that light would go out and be extinguished. [12. " Understand, the creature kindls the "fire, if its spirit elevats itself beyond the " humility that is from love: Read the second " and third books, viz. The Three Principles, and " The Threefold Life of Man."] 13. And instead of light it has darkness, and therein the creature is sensible, by experience, that there is a darkness hidden in the centre. 14. As when a man kindls a wax candle it gives light, but when it is put out, then is the snuff or candle darkness: Thus also the light shines from all the powers of the Father; but when the powers are perished or corrupted, then the light is extinguished, and the powers would remain in darkness, as is apparent by Lucifer. 15. In God the air also is not of such a kind, but is a lovely, pleasant, still breath or voice, blowing or moving; that is, the exit, going forth or moving of the powers is the original of the air, in which the Holy Ghost rises up. 16. Neither is the water of such a kind in God, but it is the source or fountain in the powers, not of an elementary kind, as in this world; if I should liken it to anything, I must liken it to the sap or juice in an apple, but very bright and lightsome, like heaven, which is the spirit of all powers. 17. It is lord Lucifer who has thus spoiled it, that it rags and ravs so in this world, which so runns and flows, and is so thick and dark, and moreover if it runns not, it becomes stinking; of which I shall treat more largely when I shall write of the creation. 18. In God the heat is a most lovely, pleasant, soft, gentle, mild, meek warmth, an effluence or going forth of light, which expands itself, rising up from the light, wherein the source or fountain of love springs up. 19. The cold also in God is not of such a kind, but is a cooling or refreshing of the heat, a mollifying or allaying of the spirit, a rising up, boiling or moving of the spirit. Note here the Depth. 20. In Moses God says, when he gave the Law to the Children of Israel, I am an angry jealous God to those that hate me; afterwards he also calls himself a merciful God to them that fear him. Question. 21. Now the question is, What in heaven is the wrath of God? And whether God be angry in himself; or how is God moved to anger? Answer. Here there are chiefly seven sorts of qualities or circumstances to be observed. I. Of the First Species or Circumstance. 22. First: In the divine power there is, hidden in secret, the astringent quality, which is a quality of the kernel, pith or hidden being, a sharp compaction or penetration in the Salitter, very sharp and harsh or astringent, which generates hardness, and also coldness; and when the astringent quality is kindled it generats a sharpness like unto salt.
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