and may know by such as many times fall into foul and heinous sins and wickedness, (for the outward spirit casteth them headlong thereinto), and then suddenly they fall into such great sorrow and repentance upon it, that they sigh and turn and go on towards abstinence [or amendment] ; and that is a strong combat of the soul against the spirit of this world: for it often doth a thing that it never had in its mind or thought, much less in the purpose to do it, and yet is so suddenly entangled [and overcome] .
37. For when a man is secure, and doth not always stand in fear and trembling before the anger of God, then the devil slippeth into the spirit, and looketh narrowly when there is in a man any evil constellation of his property and stars, and so casteth a man headlong into an unexpected fall, into wrath, murder, whoredom, theft, poisoning, and death: This is his art, which he is most diligent in.
38. For the outward life is fallen quite under the power of the stars, and if thou wilt withstand them, thou must enter into God's will, and then they are but as a shadow, and cannot bring that to effect which they have in their power: neither do they desire it, but the devil only desireth it: For the whole nature boweth itself before the will of God: For the image of God in man is so powerful and mighty, that when it wholly casteth itself into the will of God, it overpowereth nature, so that the stars are obedient to it, and do rejoice themselves in the image: for their will is that they may be freed from the vanity, and thus are kindled in meekness in the image, at which the heaven rejoiceth, and so the anger of God in the government of this world is quenched; for when that is burning, man's wickedness is guilty of it, in that men kindle it in the spirit of this world.
39. For a false wicked malicious man kindleth the elements, for he casteth his evil power and falsehood into them, which the wrath of the abyss devoureth, and thereby groweth stirring and working; which otherwise the love, in the meek life, would keep back: But if the wrath of God be strong, then it overpowereth this world, and then saith the prophet from the spirit of God, / will let my wrath come upon you, which will devour and destroy you.
4 0. For God is nothing but goodness, and willeth not the evil: He warneth man before-hand, that he should still the wrath, by turning and going out from the anger; but when this is not done, then he suffereth that to come which man hath awakened, viz. wars, famine, pestilence: Now God doth not this, but man himself, which maketh wars; and the heaven withdraweth its fruitfulness, and the spirit of this world kindleth itself in the hellish poison and wrath, and so diseases and the pestilence come forth, which God is not guilty of, but man hath awakened them, and they devour him: for thereby the anger is sharpened, and getteth a longing to devour: for men awaken it in their wickedness and malice, and kindle it, whereas otherwise it would be at rest.
41. You must understand it thus; Adam hath left it us for an inheritance: If he had continued in the will of God, the anger had not touched him to eternity; and then the devil had been shut up in the wrath; and therefore he hath wrestled with man, and thrown him into sin, so that he hath awakened the anger in the spirit of this world, in which the devil is the Great Prince, and increaseth his kingdom with the souls of men: and thus the devil is a prince of this world, or else he could not touch a fly, or move a leaf, if man had not kindled the property [and working] of the anger; even as he is altogether void of strength in a time when men are virtuous and honest; and therefore he driveth men so eagerly to unchastity, for he knoweth well what he getteth by that, and what ability it hath in the incarnation, [or man's coming to be], and what fine spirit is begotten out of a false will [and unchastity], to which [spirit] he hath a great access and power.
42. And then, thirdly, we give you to understand, from a true ground, what the great secret mystery of the anger, and of the devil is; for we demonstrate it to you thus: There are two sorts of dominions in man, even while he lieth in the seed,
and may know by such as many times fall into foul and heinous sins and wickedness, (for the outward spirit casts them headlong thereinto), and then suddenly they fall into such great sorrow and repentance upon it, that they sigh and turn and go on towards abstinence [or amendment] ; and that is a strong combat of the soul against the spirit of this world: for it often does a thing that it never had in its mind or thought, much less in the purpose to do it, and yet is so suddenly entangled [and overcome] .
37. For when a man is secure, and does not always stand in fear and trembling before the anger of God, then the devil slipps into the spirit, and looks narrowly when there is in a man any evil constellation of his property and stars, and so casts a man headlong into an unexpected fall, into wrath, murder, whoredom, theft, poisoning, and death: This is his art, which he is most diligent in.
38. For the outward life is fallen quite under the power of the stars, and if you will withstand them, you must enter into God's will, and then they are but as a shadow, and cannot bring that to effect which they have in their power: neither do they desire it, but the devil only desires it: For the whole nature bows itself before the will of God: For the image of God in man is so powerful and mighty, that when it wholly casts itself into the will of God, it overpowers nature, so that the stars are obedient to it, and do rejoice themselves in the image: for their will is that they may be freed from the vanity, and thus are kindled in meekness in the image, at which the heaven rejoics, and so the anger of God in the government of this world is quenched; for when that is burning, man's wickedness is guilty of it, in that men kindle it in the spirit of this world.
39. For a false wicked malicious man kindls the elements, for he casts his evil power and falsehood into them, which the wrath of the abyss devours, and thereby grows stirring and working; which otherwise the love, in the meek life, would keep back: But if the wrath of God be strong, then it overpowers this world, and then says the prophet from the spirit of God, / will let my wrath come upon you, which will devour and destroy you.
4 0. For God is nothing but goodness, and wills not the evil: He warns man before-hand, that he should still the wrath, by turning and going out from the anger; but when this is not done, then he suffers that to come which man has awakened, viz. wars, famine, pestilence: Now God does not this, but man himself, which makes wars; and the heaven withdraws its fruitfulness, and the spirit of this world kindls itself in the hellish poison and wrath, and so diseases and the pestilence come forth, which God is not guilty of, but man has awakened them, and they devour him: for thereby the anger is sharpened, and getts a longing to devour: for men awaken it in their wickedness and malice, and kindle it, whereas otherwise it would be at rest.
41. You must understand it thus; Adam has left it us for an inheritance: If he had continued in the will of God, the anger had not touched him to eternity; and then the devil had been shut up in the wrath; and therefore he has wrestled with man, and thrown him into sin, so that he has awakened the anger in the spirit of this world, in which the devil is the Great Prince, and increases his kingdom with the souls of men: and thus the devil is a prince of this world, or else he could not touch a fly, or move a leaf, if man had not kindled the property [and working] of the anger; even as he is altogether void of strength in a time when men are virtuous and honest; and therefore he drivs men so eagerly to unchastity, for he knows well what he getts by that, and what ability it has in the incarnation, [or man's coming to be], and what fine spirit is begotten out of a false will [and unchastity], to which [spirit] he has a great access and power.
42. And then, thirdly, we give you to understand, from a true ground, what the great secret mystery of the anger, and of the devil is; for we demonstrate it to you thus: There are two sorts of dominions in man, even while he lies in the seed,
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