Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence

41. It is true indeed, the judges and kings, as also princes and rulers [or magistrates], are the officers of God in the house of this [four elementary] world, whom God (because of sin) hath set to punish secretly, that thereby the wicked drivers [and oppressors] might be stopped.

42. And their state [condition, jurisdiction, or authority] is founded in the originality of the essence of all essences, where God in the beginning created the thrones, according to his eternal wisdom ; where then (both in heaven and also in hell) there

1 Or throne- are l thrones and principalities, and also a region

[or dominion] according to the seven spirits of the eternal nature, of which here much ought not to be said, for the world holdeth it impossible to know such things ; whereas yet a spirit born in God

2 Or hath 2 searcheth into the kingdom of heaven.

43. But a true judge, who judgeth according to righteousness, he is God's steward [viceroy or vicegerent], in the kingdom of this world ; and that it might not be needful that God should always pour forth his wrath upon the people [and nations], therefore he hath put the sword into their hands to protect and defend the righteous, and to punish the evil. And if any do so, in earnest uprightness (in the fear of God, and nothing partially

3 Or for par- for 8 favour) then he is great in the kingdom of heaven ; for he beareth the [sword] for righteousness, and he shineth, as the sun and moon, exceeding the stars.

Ch. 21] THE CAINISH AND ABELLISH KINGDOMS 575

• 44. But if he turneth tyrant, and doth nothing but devour the bread of his subjects, and only adorneth his state and dignity in pride, to the oppression of the needy, and hunteth after nothing but covetousness, accounting the needy to be but Kis dogs, and placeth his office only in voluptuousness, and will not hear the oppressed, then he is an insulting, tormenting prince and ruler in the kingdom of Antichrist, and is of the number of the tyrants, and he rideth upon Antichrist's horse.
• 45. And we are to consider how the true Christian Church is environed with the Cainish antichristian church, and how they live in one only kingdom in this world. As the first Principle encloseth all, and yet can comprehend or hold nothing, but the kingdom of heaven is (from eternity) brought forth out of the anger, as a fair sweet-smelling flower, out of the earth, so also the holy Church standeth in the antichristian ; where they both together go to pray before God, and one is accepted by God, and the other [is accepted] by the spirit of this world ; each image goeth into its own region [or kingdom].

46. There is nothing more secret in this world than the kingdom of Christ, and also nothing more manifest than the kingdom of Christ; and it is often so, that he who supposeth he hath it, and liveth therein, hath it not, but hath the kingdom of Antichrist, and he is an hypocrite and scorner and hath the serpent's ' figure; and his heart also'

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is but the heart of a greedy wolf, and he standeth

1 Or image, not in the angelical * figure.

47. On the contrary, many a one is in great

2 the kingdom anguish, and longeth after 2 it, and generateth very of Christ.

painfully, he would fain have 2it; but then the devil rusheth upon him, and after stirreth up irksomeness [vexation] and discontent, and also overwhelmeth him with great sins, so that he knoweth not himself, and then dejecteth him with impatience and doubting ; and his heart standeth continually in anguish, it would fain get out of evil, and endeavoureth continually for abstinence

3 forgiveness, or 3 forbearance, many times with groans, sighing, rest. and longing : But then the devil holdeth his sins before him, and barreth up the door of the grace of God, that he might despair.