Mysterium Magnum, Part One

58. But if it should so come to pass that the own peculiar will would give itself to the murderers, then the life of Cain should be avenged sevenfold, that is, through all the seven properties;

and the free will which did slay the life of God (which was in the Word) should be rebuked and punished sevenfold through all the seven forms of nature, both temporally and eternally. And this is the meaning: whosoever kills the life, [that is] what free will soever murders its life, vengeance shall be taken on it eternally in the seven properties of the dark world.

59. And in this place we are further to consider aright of the great mysteries; for the seven properties of the human tree, producing and manifesting the life of the wonders of God, had now spread forth themselves even unto Lamech. The dominion of the world was now wholly brought forth with Lamech in nature; for Lamech was the seventh man in the root of the wonders arising from the first stock. That is, Adam was the first; Abel belongs not unto the line of the wonders, but unto the regeneration; Cain was the second in the line of the wonders; Enoch the third, Irad the fourth, Mahujael the fifth, Methusael the sixth, and Lamech the seventh.

60. Now Lamech did spring forth from Cain's root out of this line of the wonders of God; and he was an honest upright man; but was environed [taken or beset] with the spirit of the wonders. And he looked back upon the wound, and also upon the sign [or seal] of grace in the Covenant, and knew for certain that even now the spirit of the wonders should be fully brought forth and manifested in the human life; whereby all arts of the world should be found out.

61. And he saw also forwards, how it would fall out in these wonders of the world; how his children would introduce his life, which they should receive from him by propagation, into a Babylon of folly, and corrupt the same. And hereby also he looked especially upon the Word whence the human life was sprung; and how the life in the spirit of the wonders of the world would introduce itself into a seven- and- seventy fold word of languages and nations, as came to pass at Babel;

and how the free will of nature would go astray from the only God, and be corrupt, and that it should be avenged seven-andseventyfold. That is, every tongue and speech should be avenged in the anger of God, and therefore, because they would corrupt Lamech's life, which they received of him by propagation; and this the wrath of God would avenge in the free will of his children, divided into several speeches.

62. For the spirit saw forwards, how the free will would give up and addict itself to selfhood, and apostatise from the only God, and how the anger of God would seize upon and confound the natural spirit of the wonders in man, viz. the soul of the outward world, from whence the great Babylon of contention about God's being and will would arise; and this, the spirit said, should be avenged sevenand. seventyfold in Lamech.

63. For this was a seven- and- seventyfold Racha [or avengement] upon the word of the understanding in the human life; that out of one only tongue, out of only one speaking Word and vital Spirit, a seventy- and- sevenfold tongue (viz. a confusion of the understanding) should be made. Before, the understanding lay in one sound [voice or harmony], but now the Racha came into it, and confounded and shattered it into seventy-and-seven parts.

64. For the human wheel of the sound or understanding was turned round, and the ten forms of fire, wherein time and eternity does consist, did open themselves in every form of nature; which was seven times ten, which makes seventy; whereto also belongs the centre, with its seven unchangeable forms of the eternal nature; which is altogether seventy-and-seven parts.

65. And herein lies the Grand Mystery [ Mysterium Magnum]. Dear brethren, if you were not clothed with the garment of the contentious languages, then we would be bold to declare something more in this place unto you;