27. Not that this matter of the brimstone and fire came from the inward heaven; but the wrath came forth from the inward into the outward [Principle], so that the outward, in the might of the inward, did impress and enkindle itself out of the properties of the inward. And this is a real type of the inward dark world: if the same nature does move itself, then it is even so in spiritual property, which God calls his wrath and anger, and a consuming fire; for if this inward spiritual dark world did move itself the outward world, with the four elements, would forthwith be swallowed up in this same spirit-fire; which shall come to pass at the end of days.
28. And here we have a figure of this in Lot's wife, who was turned into a pillar of salt: that the three first [properties] had moved themselves; for she, after that she had looked back into the turba, was apprehended or taken in the salt's spirit in its impression; which denotes, that she was most of that very property, [ that property was most predominant in her] viz. covetous in the desire, in which she also was taken and apprehended in the sifting [probation] of the angel.
29. And though the angel had defended her from the fire-wrath, yet she was taken in the wrath of nature of her own peculiar property; viz. the turba magna laid hold of the body, viz. the substance of the third Principle, and changed it into its own peculiar property, viz. into the might of the first, which was chiefly predominant in her body, according to which property also she was apprehended in the turba.
30. And we ought not to account this a strange thing; for we have very much hereof in the Scripture. Let us look upon Uzza, who was apprehended and smitten by the Ark of the Covenant, when he did only touch the same, when the wrath of God was moved [awakened and stirred up, and not atoned] but in the sound.
Let us see also, how it seized on the Philistines, when they had the Ark of the Covenant with them. Also how it devoured Chorah, Dathan, and Abiram, by Moses in the wilderness. All these have but one original; but each is peculiarly manifest in its own [matter and manner] according as the turba is enkindled among the three first [properties] .
31. But if Lot's wife had apprehended and laid hold of the word of truth and mercy in the message of the angel, it had well protected her. But she did not believe what the angel said, and very like she loved her temporal goods, all which she must forsake, and looked back again, and earnestly longed after the temporal, and the turba of time did also apprehend her; so that she, according to the substance of the body, must remain in the first matter (out of which God had extracted the limus of the earth, and formed it into a spiritual living image) until the Lord shall again transmute the same substance into a spiritual essence.
32. And it was done to the end that man should yet see what he is according to the outward body, if God withdraws his spirit therefrom; and that he requires the ground of the heart, and not only a mouth-hypocrisy [and flatteries of a seeming holy devout lip-labour], that a man should only comfort himself with the grace tendered [feeding himself with an outward apprehension or application thereof], and receive the same only as a free gift of grace from without, and yet remain an evil beast in the spirit and will.
33. As the present Babylonical Christendom does, which also with Lot's wife receives the grace only externally [or by a strange imaginary imputation], and comforts itself with the grace, but remains in the heart in selfhood, and the lust of the flesh, unconverted; and has turned its eyes only towards Sodom, but with
27. Not that this matter of the brimstone and fire came from the inward heaven; but the wrath came forth from the inward into the outward [Principle], so that the outward, in the might of the inward, did impress and enkindle itself out of the properties of the inward. And this is a real type of the inward dark world: if the same nature does move itself, then it is even so in spiritual property, which God calls his wrath and anger, and a consuming fire; for if this inward spiritual dark world did move itself the outward world, with the four elements, would forthwith be swallowed up in this same spirit-fire; which shall come to pass at the end of days.
28. And here we have a figure of this in Lot's wife, who was turned into a pillar of salt: that the three first [properties] had moved themselves; for she, after that she had looked back into the turba, was apprehended or taken in the salt's spirit in its impression; which denotes, that she was most of that very property, [ that property was most predominant in her] viz. covetous in the desire, in which she also was taken and apprehended in the sifting [probation] of the angel.
29. And though the angel had defended her from the fire-wrath, yet she was taken in the wrath of nature of her own peculiar property; viz. the turba magna laid hold of the body, viz. the substance of the third Principle, and changed it into its own peculiar property, viz. into the might of the first, which was chiefly predominant in her body, according to which property also she was apprehended in the turba.
30. And we ought not to account this a strange thing; for we have very much hereof in the Scripture. Let us look upon Uzza, who was apprehended and smitten by the Ark of the Covenant, when he did only touch the same, when the wrath of God was moved [awakened and stirred up, and not atoned] but in the sound.
Let us see also, how it seized on the Philistines, when they had the Ark of the Covenant with them. Also how it devoured Chorah, Dathan, and Abiram, by Moses in the wilderness. All these have but one original; but each is peculiarly manifest in its own [matter and manner] according as the turba is enkindled among the three first [properties] .
31. But if Lot's wife had apprehended and laid hold of the word of truth and mercy in the message of the angel, it had well protected her. But she did not believe what the angel said, and very like she loved her temporal goods, all which she must forsake, and looked back again, and earnestly longed after the temporal, and the turba of time did also apprehend her; so that she, according to the substance of the body, must remain in the first matter (out of which God had extracted the limus of the earth, and formed it into a spiritual living image) until the Lord shall again transmute the same substance into a spiritual essence.
32. And it was done to the end that man should yet see what he is according to the outward body, if God withdraws his spirit therefrom; and that he requires the ground of the heart, and not only a mouth-hypocrisy [and flatteries of a seeming holy devout lip-labour], that a man should only comfort himself with the grace tendered [feeding himself with an outward apprehension or application thereof], and receive the same only as a free gift of grace from without, and yet remain an evil beast in the spirit and will.
33. As the present Babylonical Christendom does, which also with Lot's wife receives the grace only externally [or by a strange imaginary imputation], and comforts itself with the grace, but remains in the heart in selfhood, and the lust of the flesh, unconverted; and has turned its eyes only towards Sodom, but with
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