it seeketh for ease and rest. 140. When it cometh thither, where it would be, yet it findeth no such thing; then doubtings and unbelief fall in between and come upon it; sometimes it seems to it as if God had quite cast it off; but it doth not understand the fight of the spirit, how the same is sometimes down, and sometimes gets aloft. 141. What vehement and furious war and fight there is between the hellish quality and the heavenly, which fire the devils blow up, and the holy angels quench it, I leave to every holy soul to consider of. 142. Thou must know that I write not here as a story or history, as if it were related to me from another, but I must continually stand in that combat or battle, and I find it to be full of heavy strivings, wherein I am often struck down to the ground, as well as all other men. 143. But for the sake of the violent fight, and for the sake of the earnestness which we have together, this revelation hath been given me, and the vehement driving or impulse to bring it so to pass as to set all this down on paper. 144. But what the total sequel is, which may follow upon and after this, I do not fully know: Only sometimes, future Mysteries in the depth are shewn to me. 145. For when the flash riseth up in the centre, one seeth through and through, but cannot well apprehend or lay hold on it; for it happeneth to such a one as when there is a tempest of lightning, where the flash of fire openeth itself, and suddenly vanisheth.
146. So it goes also in the soul, when it presseth or breaks quite through in its flight or combat, then it beholdeth the Deity, as a flash of lightning; but the source, quality or fountain of sins covereth it suddenly again: For the Old Adam belongeth to the earth, and doth not, with this flesh, belong to the Deity. 147. I do not write this for my own praise, but to that end that the Reader may know wherein my knowledge standeth, that he might not seek that from me which I have not, or think me to be what I am not. 148. But what I am, that are all men, who wrestle in JESUS CHRIST our King for the crown of the eternal joy, and live in the hope of perfection; the beginning whereof is at the day of the resurrection, which is now shortly near at hand; which, in the circle of the rising or horizon of the east in the flash, is very well to be seen, in which nature sheweth itself as if it would be daybreak. 149. Therefore take heed, that you be not found asleep in your sins; truly the prudent and the wise will take notice hereof, but the wicked will continue in their sins. 150. They say, What ails the fool, when will he have done with his dreaming? This is because they are asleep in fleshly lusts. Well, well, you shall see what kind of dream this will be. 151. I would willingly take ease and rest in my meekness, if I were not put upon this work; but that God who hath made the world is too strong for me, I am the work of his hands, he may set me and place me where he will.
152. Though I must be a byword and spectacle of scorn to the world and devils, yet my hope is in God concerning the life to come; in him will I venture to hazard myself, and not resist or strive against the Spirit. Amen. THE TWELFTH CHAPTER Of the Nativity and Proceeding forth or Descent of the Holy Angels, as also of their Government, Order, and Heavenly joyous Life. [1. "VERBUM Domini, The Word of the " Lord, by the Fiat (that is, the say " ing, Let there be angels), comprised the quali "fying or fountain spirits into a will; and that "is the creation of the angels."] Question. 2. Now the question is, What is properly an angel? Answer. Behold, when God [Schuff] created the angels, then he created them out of the seventh qualifying or fountain spirit, which is nature, or the holy heaven. 3. The word Schuff [created] thou must understand thus, as when a man says, drawn together [attracted], or driven together [compacted]; as the earth is driven or compacted together: In like manner, when the whole God did move himself, then the astringent quality drew or drove together the Salitter of nature, and dried it, and so the angels came to be: Now such as the quality was in every place, in its moving, such also was the angel.
it seeks for ease and rest. 140. When it comes thither, where it would be, yet it finds no such thing; then doubtings and unbelief fall in between and come upon it; sometimes it seems to it as if God had quite cast it off; but it does not understand the fight of the spirit, how the same is sometimes down, and sometimes gets aloft. 141. What vehement and furious war and fight there is between the hellish quality and the heavenly, which fire the devils blow up, and the holy angels quench it, I leave to every holy soul to consider of. 142. You must know that I write not here as a story or history, as if it were related to me from another, but I must continually stand in that combat or battle, and I find it to be full of heavy strivings, wherein I am often struck down to the ground, as well as all other men. 143. But for the sake of the violent fight, and for the sake of the earnestness which we have together, this revelation has been given me, and the vehement driving or impulse to bring it so to pass as to set all this down on paper. 144. But what the total sequel is, which may follow upon and after this, I do not fully know: Only sometimes, future Mysteries in the depth are shown to me. 145. For when the flash rises up in the centre, one sees through and through, but cannot well apprehend or lay hold on it; for it happens to such a one as when there is a tempest of lightning, where the flash of fire opens itself, and suddenly vanishes.
146. So it goes also in the soul, when it presses or breaks quite through in its flight or combat, then it beholds the Deity, as a flash of lightning; but the source, quality or fountain of sins covers it suddenly again: For the Old Adam belongs to the earth, and does not, with this flesh, belong to the Deity. 147. I do not write this for my own praise, but to that end that the Reader may know wherein my knowledge stands, that he might not seek that from me which I have not, or think me to be what I am not. 148. But what I am, that are all men, who wrestle in JESUS CHRIST our King for the crown of the eternal joy, and live in the hope of perfection; the beginning whereof is at the day of the resurrection, which is now shortly near at hand; which, in the circle of the rising or horizon of the east in the flash, is very well to be seen, in which nature shows itself as if it would be daybreak. 149. Therefore take heed, that you be not found asleep in your sins; truly the prudent and the wise will take notice hereof, but the wicked will continue in their sins. 150. They say, What ails the fool, when will he have done with his dreaming? This is because they are asleep in fleshly lusts. Well, well, you shall see what kind of dream this will be. 151. I would willingly take ease and rest in my meekness, if I were not put upon this work; but that God who has made the world is too strong for me, I am the work of his hands, he may set me and place me where he will.
152. Though I must be a byword and spectacle of scorn to the world and devils, yet my hope is in God concerning the life to come; in him will I venture to hazard myself, and not resist or strive against the Spirit. Amen. THE TWELFTH CHAPTER Of the Nativity and Proceeding forth or Descent of the Holy Angels, as also of their Government, Order, and Heavenly joyous Life. [1. "VERBUM Domini, The Word of the " Lord, by the Fiat (that is, the say " ing, Let there be angels), comprised the quali "fying or fountain spirits into a will; and that "is the creation of the angels."] Question. 2. Now the question is, What is properly an angel? Answer. Behold, when God [Schuff] created the angels, then he created them out of the seventh qualifying or fountain spirit, which is nature, or the holy heaven. 3. The word Schuff [created] you must understand thus, as when a man says, drawn together [attracted], or driven together [compacted]; as the earth is driven or compacted together: In like manner, when the whole God did move himself, then the astringent quality drew or drove together the Salitter of nature, and dried it, and so the angels came to be: Now such as the quality was in every place, in its moving, such also was the angel.
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