Six Theosophic Points, and Other Writings
2. And we see hereby clearly that this world rests upon the foundation of these four elements, and receives from them tendency, quality and will. For the son of these four elements rules on earth; he will have all obedient under him, and has four different races of his subjects. (1) The race of pride, which will be above all other, and will put itself on a level with none. (2) The race of covetousness, which will alone possess all, subdue all under it, and will have all. This second race is the son of the first, for pride will also have all, thatp. 113 it alone may be all. (3) The third race is envy, which is the son of covetousness. When it sees it cannot alone have all, it stings like a poison, and begrudges anything to any one. Its will in all things is either to draw to itself and possess alone, or to rage therein with an evil will. (4) The fourth race is anger, which is the son of envy. What it cannot attain with evil will, that it enkindles in the fire of wrath, and breaks it by force. It brings about war an^ slaughter, and would destroy everything. This race would subdue all by violence.
3. These, then, are the four elements of the devil, all which four are in one another as one. One proceeds from the other, and one gives birth to the other. They take their origin from the dark Nature, viz. from sour, bitter, anguish and fire.
4. But seeing God's power is for them an opposition, so that in this world they have not full dominion, they have generated a crafty son, by whom they rule, who is called Falsehood. He takes the coat of divine colours upon him, that he may not be known ; and wishes to be called a son of truth and virtue, but is an imposter. He speaks in one way, and thinks and acts in another. He carries the lustre of God on his tongue, and the devil's power and poison in his heart.
5. This is king on earth, and manages two kingdoms. The first is called perdition; the second Babel, a confusion. The kingdom of perdition this king has clothed with strength and might; it is the garment of that kingdom. On the other kingdom, Babel, he has put a white shining garment.
p. 114
That must be to it in place of God, and with that the king rules on earth as if he were God. And the people worship this garment; and beneath it is the man of falsehood and deceit, and hath in him his mother the four elements, ^dz. pride, covetousness, envy and anger.
6. Thus the four elements of the devil rule under a hypocritical coat, and men strive eagerly for this coat. Every one will put it on; but he who puts it on, puts on hell and God's wrath. The coat is honoured in God's stead, and is the coat which the wrath of God did put on Adam and Eve, when the devil deceived them, so that they fell from obedience to God. And it is the very same coat of which God from the beginning of the world has warned us, that we should not put it on; for the devil has his lodging in it. When we put it on, we take up our abode with the devil, and must do what he pleases; for he is host in that house, and rests in that coat.
7. Because he is a prisoner of God, he puts his coat on us, and sends us therewith to Babel into his service, where we cannot but mock God; for we have on God's coat, and the devil lodged under it as guest. Thus the tongue gives God's good words, and the heart has the spirit of the four elements of wrath ; and God is therefore mocked by the devil, that God shall see that he, the devil, is lord and king over men, and esteems God's dominion in man only as a shining coat, in which he, the devil, is man, and has man captive in his arms. He covers him indeed with the coat, and allows man to call
p. 115
2. And we see hereby clearly that this world rests upon the foundation of these four elements, and receives from them tendency, quality and will. For the son of these four elements rules on earth; he will have all obedient under him, and has four different races of his subjects. (1) The race of pride, which will be above all other, and will put itself on a level with none. (2) The race of covetousness, which will alone possess all, subdue all under it, and will have all. This second race is the son of the first, for pride will also have all, thatp. 113 it alone may be all. (3) The third race is envy, which is the son of covetousness. When it sees it cannot alone have all, it stings like a poison, and begrudges anything to any one. Its will in all things is either to draw to itself and possess alone, or to rage therein with an evil will. (4) The fourth race is anger, which is the son of envy. What it cannot attain with evil will, that it enkindles in the fire of wrath, and breaks it by force. It brings about war an^ slaughter, and would destroy everything. This race would subdue all by violence.
3. These, then, are the four elements of the devil, all which four are in one another as one. One proceeds from the other, and one gives birth to the other. They take their origin from the dark Nature, viz. from sour, bitter, anguish and fire.
4. But seeing God's power is for them an opposition, so that in this world they have not full dominion, they have generated a crafty son, by whom they rule, who is called Falsehood. He takes the coat of divine colours upon him, that he may not be known ; and wishes to be called a son of truth and virtue, but is an imposter. He speaks in one way, and thinks and acts in another. He carries the lustre of God on his tongue, and the devil's power and poison in his heart.
5. This is king on earth, and manages two kingdoms. The first is called perdition; the second Babel, a confusion. The kingdom of perdition this king has clothed with strength and might; it is the garment of that kingdom. On the other kingdom, Babel, he has put a white shining garment.
p. 114
That must be to it in place of God, and with that the king rules on earth as if he were God. And the people worship this garment; and beneath it is the man of falsehood and deceit, and has in him his mother the four elements, ^dz. pride, covetousness, envy and anger.
6. Thus the four elements of the devil rule under a hypocritical coat, and men strive eagerly for this coat. Every one will put it on; but he who puts it on, puts on hell and God's wrath. The coat is honoured in God's stead, and is the coat which the wrath of God did put on Adam and Eve, when the devil deceived them, so that they fell from obedience to God. And it is the very same coat of which God from the beginning of the world has warned us, that we should not put it on; for the devil has his lodging in it. When we put it on, we take up our abode with the devil, and must do what he pleases; for he is host in that house, and rests in that coat.
7. Because he is a prisoner of God, he puts his coat on us, and sends us therewith to Babel into his service, where we cannot but mock God; for we have on God's coat, and the devil lodged under it as guest. Thus the tongue gives God's good words, and the heart has the spirit of the four elements of wrath ; and God is therefore mocked by the devil, that God shall see that he, the devil, is lord and king over men, and esteems God's dominion in man only as a shining coat, in which he, the devil, is man, and has man captive in his arms. He covers him indeed with the coat, and allows man to call
p. 115
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