31. And as we know that the same only eternal-begetting and speaking Word expresses itself in heaven, viz. in the power of the light, in holiness, viz. the holy wisdom: so also the same only Word expresses itself in the hell of darkness, in flames of torment, viz. in hellish essences; according to which God calls himself An angry God, and a consuming fire (Deut. iv. 24; Heb. xii. 29). For without and beyond the only Word, or speaking, of God, there is nothing. So also it is to be understood concerning souls, as also angels, and devils.
32. In the resigned soul God the Father expresses the holy name Jesu, viz. the grace, mercy, and compassion; that is, he begets Christ in it, and brings the Adamical, evil, innate will, through the suffering and death of Christ, again into the eternal One, where the Son delivers up the kingdom of the soul's nature again to the Father (I Cor. xv. 24).
33. But if the soul will not stand still from its working of wickedness, then the Father, through the Word, speaks hell torment in the soul; and the desire of the soul imprints and fixes itselftherein, and its impression makes the eternal gross darkness, viz. a gulf between God [and it]. And yet no strange foreign speaker must be here understood, which from without shall speak into the soul; but the word, that is, the soul itself, speaks itself thus into wickedness.
34. But it has lost in Adam the good speaking [or expression of good], viz. the divine ability. But of God's mercy it is inspoken or inspired again of grace, in Paradise, as a self-centre of the soul; and it stands now at present in the soul as a self-centre or principle, and speaks continually into the soul [saying], It should stand still from its false [and wicked] imagination, and then will that good 1 manifest itself again in the soul. But if the soul will not stand still from its ungodly speaking, then cannot the good inspeaking or inspiration manifest itself in the soul; and so it cannot be converted.
35. Therefore this is the conclusion: that God, in the false [and wicked] soul's speaking, cannot be good; and in the resigned soul's will, he cannot be evil. In himself he is indeed good, but not in that soul.
36. God is only called God where his love is expressed, and known and manifest operatively and feelingly. Of which the Scripture also says, The Word (John i. I) which is God, is nigh you, namely, in your mouth and heart (Deut. xxx. 14; Rom. x. 8). Also, The kingdom of God is within you (Luke xvii. 21): with the holy you are holy, and with the perverse you are perverse (Ps. xviii. 26).
37. In heaven he is called God, and in hell he is called anger; and yet he is in the Abyss, both in heaven and in hell, the eternal One, viz. the only Good.
38. And man can speak no further or deeper concerning God's will, but merely and only as in his manifestation through the Word;
where the Word brings itself into nature and creature: there God wills through the expressed Word of evil and good. As the science of every thing is in the formed Word, so also is God's will therein: That same expressed Word is in the angels, angelical; in the devils, diabolical; in man, human; in beasts, bestial. And yet in itself in its eternal speaking, in the One, is only God, viz. one only holy Word, a ground and root of all beings.
39. Therefore salvation lies in the will of the soul,2 whether it will suffer itself to be saved, or whether it will stand still in its will. Not that it can take salvation to itself: no, it is given of grace, only the divine sun shines into it in the abyss; and it lies in it,l whether, with its will, which it has from God, it will again for the twinkling of an eye dive down in its mother, viz. in God's unsearchable will, and so it will attain the ability.
1 Good speaking, motion, or inclination of the spirit in the mind.
2 Note the Grace of God.
40. For the ability has opened its mouth to the soul, and says, Come you to me (Matt. xi. 28). As the sun shines the whole day into all plants, and gives them power, and the sun is not in fault that the thistle is a thistle, but the first ens is the cause whence it is a thistle.
31. And as we know that the same only eternal-begetting and speaking Word expresses itself in heaven, viz. in the power of the light, in holiness, viz. the holy wisdom: so also the same only Word expresses itself in the hell of darkness, in flames of torment, viz. in hellish essences; according to which God calls himself An angry God, and a consuming fire (Deut. iv. 24; Heb. xii. 29). For without and beyond the only Word, or speaking, of God, there is nothing. So also it is to be understood concerning souls, as also angels, and devils.
32. In the resigned soul God the Father expresses the holy name Jesu, viz. the grace, mercy, and compassion; that is, he begets Christ in it, and brings the Adamical, evil, innate will, through the suffering and death of Christ, again into the eternal One, where the Son delivers up the kingdom of the soul's nature again to the Father (I Cor. xv. 24).
33. But if the soul will not stand still from its working of wickedness, then the Father, through the Word, speaks hell torment in the soul; and the desire of the soul imprints and fixes itselftherein, and its impression makes the eternal gross darkness, viz. a gulf between God [and it]. And yet no strange foreign speaker must be here understood, which from without shall speak into the soul; but the word, that is, the soul itself, speaks itself thus into wickedness.
34. But it has lost in Adam the good speaking [or expression of good], viz. the divine ability. But of God's mercy it is inspoken or inspired again of grace, in Paradise, as a self-centre of the soul; and it stands now at present in the soul as a self-centre or principle, and speaks continually into the soul [saying], It should stand still from its false [and wicked] imagination, and then will that good 1 manifest itself again in the soul. But if the soul will not stand still from its ungodly speaking, then cannot the good inspeaking or inspiration manifest itself in the soul; and so it cannot be converted.
35. Therefore this is the conclusion: that God, in the false [and wicked] soul's speaking, cannot be good; and in the resigned soul's will, he cannot be evil. In himself he is indeed good, but not in that soul.
36. God is only called God where his love is expressed, and known and manifest operatively and feelingly. Of which the Scripture also says, The Word (John i. I) which is God, is nigh you, namely, in your mouth and heart (Deut. xxx. 14; Rom. x. 8). Also, The kingdom of God is within you (Luke xvii. 21): with the holy you are holy, and with the perverse you are perverse (Ps. xviii. 26).
37. In heaven he is called God, and in hell he is called anger; and yet he is in the Abyss, both in heaven and in hell, the eternal One, viz. the only Good.
38. And man can speak no further or deeper concerning God's will, but merely and only as in his manifestation through the Word;
where the Word brings itself into nature and creature: there God wills through the expressed Word of evil and good. As the science of every thing is in the formed Word, so also is God's will therein: That same expressed Word is in the angels, angelical; in the devils, diabolical; in man, human; in beasts, bestial. And yet in itself in its eternal speaking, in the One, is only God, viz. one only holy Word, a ground and root of all beings.
39. Therefore salvation lies in the will of the soul,2 whether it will suffer itself to be saved, or whether it will stand still in its will. Not that it can take salvation to itself: no, it is given of grace, only the divine sun shines into it in the abyss; and it lies in it,l whether, with its will, which it has from God, it will again for the twinkling of an eye dive down in its mother, viz. in God's unsearchable will, and so it will attain the ability.
1 Good speaking, motion, or inclination of the spirit in the mind.
2 Note the Grace of God.
40. For the ability has opened its mouth to the soul, and says, Come you to me (Matt. xi. 28). As the sun shines the whole day into all plants, and gives them power, and the sun is not in fault that the thistle is a thistle, but the first ens is the cause whence it is a thistle.
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