Aurora, or the Day-Spring

86. But if the fire will be or becometh too big, then hath the soul a prison, wherein it may shut up the kindled spirit, viz. in the hard astringent quality, and the other spirits must be the gaolers, till their wrath is allayed, and the fire is extinguished. Observe what that is. 87. When one qualifying or fountain spirit driveth thee too strongly, or presseth thee too hard to a thing which is against the law of nature, then thou must turn thine eyes away from it: If that will not help, then take that spirit and cast it into prison. 88. That is, turn thy heart away from temporal pleasure and voluptuousness, from fulness of eating and drinking, from the riches of this world, and think that to­day is the last day of the end of thy body; turn away from the wantonness of the world, and call earnestly to God, and yield or submit thyself to him. 89. When thou dost so, then the world mocketh thee, and thou art a fool to them. But bear this cross patiently, and let not the imprisoned spirit get out of prison again, but trust in God, and he will set upon thee the crown of the divine joy. 90. But if the spirit breaketh out of prison, then put it in again, make good thy part against it as long as thou livest, and if thou gettest so much advantage, that it doth not wholly kindle the source or fountain of thy heart, whereby thy soul would become a dry fire­brand of wood, each fountain or source having yet its sap, when thou departest from hence: 91. Then that kindled fire at the Last Judgment Day will not hurt thee; nor will it cleave or stick in thy sappy spirits; but after this 2anxious affliction and trouble thou wilt be, in the resurrection, a triumphing angel of God. Question. 92. But now thou mayest say, Is there in God also a contrary will or opposition among or between the spirits of God? Answer. 93. No: Though I shew here their earnest birth, how earnestly and severely the spirits of God are generated, whereby every one may very well understand the great earnest severity of God: 94. Yet it doth not therefore follow that there is a disunion or discord among them: for the very innermost, deepest birth* or geniture in the heart or kernel is only and altogether so, which no creature can apprehend in the body; but in the flash, where the hidden spirit is generated, there it will be apprehended; for that is also generated in such a manner, and in such a power as is here mentioned. * "for the very innermost, deepest birth," etc. "For it is in the heart or kernel alone, that the innermost, deepest birth thus takes place [as above described], and no creature can apprehend it [this birth] in the body, but [only] in the flash, where," etc. 95. But unto me is opened the gate of my mind, so that I can see and discern it, else it would indeed remain concealed with me, and hidden to me, till the day of the resurrection from the dead; yea, it hath been concealed from all men since the beginning of the world; but I submit my will to God's will, let him do what he pleaseth. 96. In God all the spirits do triumph as one 3spirit, and one spirit always mitigateth or softeneth and loveth the others, so there is nothing but mere joy and delight: But their severe birth or geniture, which is effected or done in secret, must be so: ** for life, under­ standing, and omniscience are thus generated; and this is an eternal birth or geniture, which is never otherwise. ** " must be so " = must be as it is, i.e. severe and secret. 97. Thou must not think that perhaps in heaven there is some manner of body which only is thus generated, which above all other things is called God.* * " Thou must not think that perhaps in heaven there may be some [particular] manner of body thus generated, and above all things called God." 98. No; but the whole divine power which itself is heaven, and the heaven of all heavens, is so generated, and that is called GOD the Father; of whom all holy angels are generated, and live also in the same power; also the spirit of all angels in their body is always continually and eternally thus generated; in like manner also is [generated] the spirit of all men. 99. For this world belongeth as well to the body or corpus [substantiality] of God the Father as the heaven doth; but in the locality or space of this world the spirits were kindled through king Lucifer, in his elevation, so that all things in this world are as it were languid and half dead: And therefore it is that we poor men are so very much blinded, and live in such great and desperate danger. 100. Yet thou must not therefore think that the heavenly light in this world, in the qualifying