* "hard knocking" (Pochen). See Ch. 10, par. 119. Question. Hearken, Lucifer, Where lieth the fault now, that thou art become a devil? Is God in fault, as thou lyingly sayest? Answer. 58. O no, thou thyself art faulty, the qualifying or fountain spirits in thy body, which thou thyself art, have generated thee such a little son: Thou canst not say that God hath kindled the Salitter out of which he made thee, but thy qualifying or fountain spirits have done it; whereas thou wert clearly before a prince and a king of God. 59. Therefore, when thou sayest God created thee thus, or that he hath without sufficient cause spewed thee up out of thy place, then art thou a liar and murderer; for the whole heavenly host or army beareth witness against thee, that thou hast thyself erected and prepared this fierce quality for thyself. 60. If it be not so, then go before the face of God, and justify thyself. But thou seest it plain enough without that; and besides, thou darest not look on that matter: Wouldst not thou fain have a friendly kiss of the Son of God, that thou mightest once be eased or refreshed? If thou art in the right, then do but once look upon HIM: Perhaps thou mayest be made sound or whole again. 61. But stay a little, another sitteth on thy throne, he is kissed, and he is an obedient son to his Father, and doth as the Father doth. 62. Stay yet a little while, and the hellish fire will kiss thee; in the meanwhile make much of this Latin, till more groweth out of it; thou wilt suddenly lose thy crown. Now one might ask, What then, in Lucifer, is properly that Enmity against God, for which he was thrust and driven out of his Place? 63. Here I will shew you exactly the pith, kernel and heart of Lucifer, and then you will see what a devil is, or how he is become a devil. Therefore take heed, and do not invite or entertain him as a guest, for he is the archsworn enemy of God, and of all angels and men, and that in his eternity. 64. Now if thou understandest and apprehendest this aright, then thou wilt not make of God a devil, as some do, who say, God hath created the evil, and that his will is that some men should be lost; which men, that say so, help to increase the devil's lies, and bring upon themselves the severe judgment, by their perverting God's truths, and so turning them into lies. Now observe: 65. The whole Deity hath in its innermost or beginning birth, in the pith or kernel, a very tart, terrible sharpness, in which the astringent quality is a very horrible, tart, hard, dark and cold attraction or drawing together, like winter, when there is a fierce, bitter, cold frost, when water is frozen into ice, and besides it is very intolerable. 66. Then think or suppose, if in such a hard winter, when it is so cold, the sun should be taken away, what kind of hard frost, and how very rough, fierce and hard darkness would it be, wherein no life could subsist. 67. After such a manner and kind is the astringent quality in the innermost kernel or pith in itself, and to itself alone, without the other qualities in God; for the austereness or severity maketh the attraction or drawing together, and fixation or glutinousness of the body, and the hardness drieth it up, so that it subsisteth as a creature. 68. And the bitter quality is a tearing, penetrating and cutting bitter quality or source: for it divideth and driveth forth from the hard and astringent quality, and maketh the mobility. 69. Between these two qualities is heat generated from its hard and fierce bitter rubbing, tearing and raging, which riseth up in the bitter and hard quality, as a fierce wrathful kindling, and presseth quite through, as a hard fiery noise. 70. From whence existeth the hard tone, and in that rising up or climbing, it is environed and fixed in the astringent quality, so that it becometh a body which subsisteth. 71. Now if there were no other quality in this body, which could quench the fierceness of these four qualities, then there would be a perpetual enmity therein. For the bitter would be against the astringent, in that it stormeth or teareth so vehemently therein, and breaketh open the astringent. 72. Then the astringent also would be against the bitter, in that it attracteth, draweth together and holdeth fast the bitter captive, that it could not have its own course. 73. The heat would be against both, in that with its fierce, wrathful kindling and rising up it maketh all hot, burning and raging, and is fully or totally against the cold.
* "hard knocking" (Pochen). See Ch. 10, par. 119. Question. Hearken, Lucifer, Where lies the fault now, that you are become a devil? Is God in fault, as you lyingly say? Answer. 58. O no, you yourself art faulty, the qualifying or fountain spirits in your body, which you yourself art, have generated you such a little son: You can not say that God has kindled the Salitter out of which he made you, but your qualifying or fountain spirits have done it; whereas you were clearly before a prince and a king of God. 59. Therefore, when you say God created you thus, or that he has without sufficient cause spewed you up out of your place, then art you a liar and murderer; for the whole heavenly host or army bears witness against you, that you have yourself erected and prepared this fierce quality for yourself. 60. If it be not so, then go before the face of God, and justify yourself. But you seest it plain enough without that; and besides, you darest not look on that matter: Wouldst not you fain have a friendly kiss of the Son of God, that you might once be eased or refreshed? If you are in the right, then do but once look upon HIM: Perhaps you may be made sound or whole again. 61. But stay a little, another sitts on your throne, he is kissed, and he is an obedient son to his Father, and does as the Father does. 62. Stay yet a little while, and the hellish fire will kiss you; in the meanwhile make much of this Latin, till more grows out of it; you will suddenly lose your crown. Now one might ask, What then, in Lucifer, is properly that Enmity against God, for which he was thrust and driven out of his Place? 63. Here I will show you exactly the pith, kernel and heart of Lucifer, and then you will see what a devil is, or how he is become a devil. Therefore take heed, and do not invite or entertain him as a guest, for he is the archsworn enemy of God, and of all angels and men, and that in his eternity. 64. Now if you understandest and apprehendest this aright, then you will not make of God a devil, as some do, who say, God has created the evil, and that his will is that some men should be lost; which men, that say so, help to increase the devil's lies, and bring upon themselves the severe judgment, by their perverting God's truths, and so turning them into lies. Now observe: 65. The whole Deity has in its innermost or beginning birth, in the pith or kernel, a very tart, terrible sharpness, in which the astringent quality is a very horrible, tart, hard, dark and cold attraction or drawing together, like winter, when there is a fierce, bitter, cold frost, when water is frozen into ice, and besides it is very intolerable. 66. Then think or suppose, if in such a hard winter, when it is so cold, the sun should be taken away, what kind of hard frost, and how very rough, fierce and hard darkness would it be, wherein no life could subsist. 67. After such a manner and kind is the astringent quality in the innermost kernel or pith in itself, and to itself alone, without the other qualities in God; for the austereness or severity makes the attraction or drawing together, and fixation or glutinousness of the body, and the hardness dries it up, so that it subsists as a creature. 68. And the bitter quality is a tearing, penetrating and cutting bitter quality or source: for it divids and drivs forth from the hard and astringent quality, and makes the mobility. 69. Between these two qualities is heat generated from its hard and fierce bitter rubbing, tearing and raging, which rises up in the bitter and hard quality, as a fierce wrathful kindling, and presses quite through, as a hard fiery noise. 70. From whence exists the hard tone, and in that rising up or climbing, it is environed and fixed in the astringent quality, so that it becomes a body which subsists. 71. Now if there were no other quality in this body, which could quench the fierceness of these four qualities, then there would be a perpetual enmity therein. For the bitter would be against the astringent, in that it storms or tears so vehemently therein, and breaks open the astringent. 72. Then the astringent also would be against the bitter, in that it attracts, draws together and holds fast the bitter captive, that it could not have its own course. 73. The heat would be against both, in that with its fierce, wrathful kindling and rising up it makes all hot, burning and raging, and is fully or totally against the cold.
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