18. And thus the soul is a joyful habitation in the divine life, as if I should liken it to a kindled light, when the wick of the candle burneth, and casteth a pleasant light, [or shineth bright] and hath no pain in the shining, but at lightsome pleasantness, and yet the wick continueth burning: yet you must understand, that there is in the burning wick no pain or woe, but that there is only a cause of the glance of life; for no fire is comparable to the divine [fire] .
19. For the divine nature, out of which the divine fire of life burneth, is filled with the love of God, so that the light of God maketh another
Principle in itself, wherein nature is not felt [or perceived], for it is the end of nature; therefore the soul cannot comprehend, in its own essences, the light of God to possess it. For the soul is a fire in the eternal nature, and doth not reach the end of nature; for it continueth in nature as a creature created out of the eternal nature, which yet hath no comprehensibility, but is a spirit in a seven-fold form: whereas yet in the originality there are not seven, but only four forms known, which uphold the eternal band, and those [four] are the source [or property] in the anguish, wherein the eternal consisted; and thereout the other forms are wholly generated, wherein God and the Kingdom of heaven consist; and in the four forms the anguish and torment consist, if they are singly alone, and therein we understand hell-fire [to consist], and the eternal wrath of God: and although we do not know the originality of the essence of God, yet we know the eternal birth [geniture], which never had any beginning. And seeing it had no beginning, therefore it is the same this day that ever it was from eternity: and therefore we may well comprehend what we see and know this day in the light of God.
20. None ought to account us ignorant, because God hath given us to know his own essence, which we cannot and must not deny, upon pain of the loss of the divine light, and of our eternal salvation; for it is impossible for any man to have it, except it be given him out of grace in the love of God: and when that is given to a man, then that soul standeth in the knowledge in the wonders of God; which [soul] then speaketh not of things strange and afar off, but of the things wherein it standeth, and of itself; for it becometh seeing in the light of God, so that it can know itself.
21. Now that this can be, consider, that the essences of the soul stand in the original in the first Principle, and that the divine light shineth in itself, and maketh the second Principle, and so there are two of them; and the soul seeth into the high knowledge of the light of the second Principle, which shineth in it: why then should it not speak of its native country, wherein it liveth? And how wilt thou, mad world (in the third Principle in the spirit [or wisdom] of the stars and elements) forbid that to it, whereas thou art blind as to God, and liest captivated in the eternal wrath, in the source [or property] of the original?
22. Now seeing it is so, we will therefore set down the ground of the eternal band, to be a lookingglass for him that desireth to see; though it be true indeed that he cannot learn it of us. Unless he himself enter into the new birth into the life of Christ, that the divine light itself may shine in him, we are but as a history to him, and shall not be understood by him.
23. But when we speak of the source [or original] of the fire, and of its kindling (we mean
18. And thus the soul is a joyful habitation in the divine life, as if I should liken it to a kindled light, when the wick of the candle burns, and casts a pleasant light, [or shines bright] and has no pain in the shining, but at lightsome pleasantness, and yet the wick continues burning: yet you must understand, that there is in the burning wick no pain or woe, but that there is only a cause of the glance of life; for no fire is comparable to the divine [fire] .
19. For the divine nature, out of which the divine fire of life burns, is filled with the love of God, so that the light of God makes another
Principle in itself, wherein nature is not felt [or perceived], for it is the end of nature; therefore the soul cannot comprehend, in its own essences, the light of God to possess it. For the soul is a fire in the eternal nature, and does not reach the end of nature; for it continues in nature as a creature created out of the eternal nature, which yet has no comprehensibility, but is a spirit in a seven-fold form: whereas yet in the originality there are not seven, but only four forms known, which uphold the eternal band, and those [four] are the source [or property] in the anguish, wherein the eternal consisted; and thereout the other forms are wholly generated, wherein God and the Kingdom of heaven consist; and in the four forms the anguish and torment consist, if they are singly alone, and therein we understand hell-fire [to consist], and the eternal wrath of God: and although we do not know the originality of the essence of God, yet we know the eternal birth [geniture], which never had any beginning. And seeing it had no beginning, therefore it is the same this day that ever it was from eternity: and therefore we may well comprehend what we see and know this day in the light of God.
20. None ought to account us ignorant, because God has given us to know his own essence, which we cannot and must not deny, upon pain of the loss of the divine light, and of our eternal salvation; for it is impossible for any man to have it, except it be given him out of grace in the love of God: and when that is given to a man, then that soul stands in the knowledge in the wonders of God; which [soul] then speaks not of things strange and afar off, but of the things wherein it stands, and of itself; for it becomes seeing in the light of God, so that it can know itself.
21. Now that this can be, consider, that the essences of the soul stand in the original in the first Principle, and that the divine light shines in itself, and makes the second Principle, and so there are two of them; and the soul sees into the high knowledge of the light of the second Principle, which shines in it: why then should it not speak of its native country, wherein it lives? And how will you, mad world (in the third Principle in the spirit [or wisdom] of the stars and elements) forbid that to it, whereas you are blind as to God, and liest captivated in the eternal wrath, in the source [or property] of the original?
22. Now seeing it is so, we will therefore set down the ground of the eternal band, to be a lookingglass for him that desires to see; though it be true indeed that he cannot learn it of us. Unless he himself enter into the new birth into the life of Christ, that the divine light itself may shine in him, we are but as a history to him, and shall not be understood by him.
23. But when we speak of the source [or original] of the fire, and of its kindling (we mean
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