gold is purified, the finer it is; so also the soul, the more it is brought into trial, if it holds out, the fairer and brighter it is: and God's aim is to have fair and lovely children, and such as are of understanding, and learn to discover [the deceits of] the old devil.
61. But you must know that the angels are very pure, chaste, modest spirits, also humble and friendly, and are like to infants who know of no deceit or iniquity, but what is innate in them.
62. Now, whosoever will enjoy the company and assistance of angels must not be a lustful bull or heifer, or a lascivious wanton Venus, or have a false wicked mind, which day and night studieth nothing but cunning tricks and deceit, how to get money and wealth: neither must always dabble and swim in the world's back-biting, scoffing jests and conceits, and tickle and feed the soul with them, in which the world useth to provoke one another, and to take exceptions one at another: No, no angel will stay with such men, but the black devil, who possesseth the hearts of these men, so that they take pleasure in wickedness.
63. Whosoever will have the assistance of angels need not call upon them, or pray to them; for they accept not of that honour, they give all honour to God; but [he] ought only to turn away from uncleanness of heart and enter through true Repentance into God's will, and continually put away evil thoughts and influences; he must continually incline his will to God [and goodness], and pray to God for the guidance of his holy Spirit.
64. And though the devil holdeth fast, and will not let go, and layeth open his uncleanness before him; there is no better course to be taken, than to leave all his uncleanness and filthiness upon the devil's neck, and wind himself out from it, in spite of all [carnal] reason, and cast himself in humility into God's will, and commit himself to it, and leave all doubting to the devil (for that is his lodging), and he must consider that it is a great sin to continue in doubting; he should consider that doubting is the devils band wherewith he holdeth the soul fast: When any man's uncleanness meeteth him and representeth itself before him, so that the soul can receive no strength, that is not God's hardening
[of the heart], but the devil wrappeth himself about the soul, and will not let the soul come to the light, that it may receive strength and virtue; and there the words and promises of Christ, with his bloodshedding, suffering and death, are a sovereign medicine; when the soul wrappeth itself up in them, and leaveth all its uncleanness upon the devil's neck, that is poison to the devil, which maketh him faint and feeble; and so the soul then presseth forth into the light of God, and receiveth strength and virtue; and there it must earnestly enter into humility, and then it treadeth upon the devil's head, and destroyeth his hell; and then the angels associate with that man, and have great joy that the devil is overcome, who intended to be God and creator in the soul.
65. But a soul in Christ must be a continual warrior, and although the devil cannot get possession of the soul, yet he still holdeth it before the unclean forbidden tree, that it should taste of unchastity, iniquity, lies and deceit, of anger and envy, and if he can bring it to pass that the soul letteth the evil lust and desire kito itself, O how doth he hide and cover it! how doth he strew sugar upon it! And if he should once draw it into Venus's heaven, he will spare no pains to get his fortress again. For the devil is never better at ease than in man, for there he can be lord of this world, and perform his work, and accomplish his will; which he cannot do in the spirit of this world without man; for his kingdom is not in the outward dominion of this world, but in the inward, in the root in the abyss.
gold is purified, the finer it is; so also the soul, the more it is brought into trial, if it holds out, the fairer and brighter it is: and God's aim is to have fair and lovely children, and such as are of understanding, and learn to discover [the deceits of] the old devil.
61. But you must know that the angels are very pure, chaste, modest spirits, also humble and friendly, and are like to infants who know of no deceit or iniquity, but what is innate in them.
62. Now, whosoever will enjoy the company and assistance of angels must not be a lustful bull or heifer, or a lascivious wanton Venus, or have a false wicked mind, which day and night studies nothing but cunning tricks and deceit, how to get money and wealth: neither must always dabble and swim in the world's back-biting, scoffing jests and conceits, and tickle and feed the soul with them, in which the world uses to provoke one another, and to take exceptions one at another: No, no angel will stay with such men, but the black devil, who possesses the hearts of these men, so that they take pleasure in wickedness.
63. Whosoever will have the assistance of angels need not call upon them, or pray to them; for they accept not of that honour, they give all honour to God; but [he] ought only to turn away from uncleanness of heart and enter through true Repentance into God's will, and continually put away evil thoughts and influences; he must continually incline his will to God [and goodness], and pray to God for the guidance of his holy Spirit.
64. And though the devil holds fast, and will not let go, and lays open his uncleanness before him; there is no better course to be taken, than to leave all his uncleanness and filthiness upon the devil's neck, and wind himself out from it, in spite of all [carnal] reason, and cast himself in humility into God's will, and commit himself to it, and leave all doubting to the devil (for that is his lodging), and he must consider that it is a great sin to continue in doubting; he should consider that doubting is the devils band wherewith he holds the soul fast: When any man's uncleanness meets him and represents itself before him, so that the soul can receive no strength, that is not God's hardening
[of the heart], but the devil wrapps himself about the soul, and will not let the soul come to the light, that it may receive strength and virtue; and there the words and promises of Christ, with his bloodshedding, suffering and death, are a sovereign medicine; when the soul wrapps itself up in them, and leaves all its uncleanness upon the devil's neck, that is poison to the devil, which makes him faint and feeble; and so the soul then presses forth into the light of God, and receives strength and virtue; and there it must earnestly enter into humility, and then it treads upon the devil's head, and destroys his hell; and then the angels associate with that man, and have great joy that the devil is overcome, who intended to be God and creator in the soul.
65. But a soul in Christ must be a continual warrior, and although the devil cannot get possession of the soul, yet he still holds it before the unclean forbidden tree, that it should taste of unchastity, iniquity, lies and deceit, of anger and envy, and if he can bring it to pass that the soul letts the evil lust and desire kito itself, O how does he hide and cover it! how does he strew sugar upon it! And if he should once draw it into Venus's heaven, he will spare no pains to get his fortress again. For the devil is never better at ease than in man, for there he can be lord of this world, and perform his work, and accomplish his will; which he cannot do in the spirit of this world without man; for his kingdom is not in the outward dominion of this world, but in the inward, in the root in the abyss.
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