T HE Seventh spirit of God in the divine power is the corpus or body, which is generated out of the other six spirits, wherein all heavenly figures subsist, and wherein all things image and form themselves, and wherein all beauty and joy rise up.
This is the very spirit of nature, yea nature itself, wherein apprehensibility or comprehensibility consisteth, and wherein all creatures are formed in heaven and on earth. Yea heaven itself is therein formed; and all naturality in the whole God consisteth in this spirit.
If it were not for this spirit there would be neither angel nor man, and God would be an unsearchable being, subsisting only in an unsearchable power.
Question.
Now the question is: How is this form? Or in what manner is this so?
Answer.
If thou art a rational mercurial spirit, which presseth through all the seven spirits of God, and beholdeth, proveth and examineth them, how they are, then thou wilt, by the explanation of this seventh spirit, conceive and understand the operation and the being of the whole Deity, and apprehend it in thy sense or mind.
But if thou understandest nothing by this spirit, then let this book alone, and judge neither of the cold nor of the warmth therein: For thou art too hard bound and captivated in Saturnus, and art not a philosopher in this world.
Let thy judging alone, or else thou wilt receive thy evil wages for it; therefore I will have thee faithfully warned of it. Tarry till thou comest into the other life, for then the heavenly gate will be opened to thee, and then thou also wilt understand this.
Now observe the Depth.
Here I must lay hold on the whole divine body in the midst or centre at the heart, and explain the whole body, how nature is or existeth, and there you will see the highest ground, how all the seven spirits of God continually generate one another, and how the Deity has neither beginning nor end.
Therefore behold and see the longing, desired pleasure of thy spirit, the eternal divine joyfulness, and the heavenly delight and corporeal joy, which in all eternity has no end.
Now observe:
When the flash riseth up in the centre, then the divine birth stands in its full operation: In God it is continually and eternally thus; but not so in us poor fleshly children.
In this life the triumphing divine birth lasteth in us men only so long as the flash lasteth, therefore our knowledge is but in part, whereas in God the flash stands unchangeably, always eternally thus.
Behold, all the seven spirits of God are generated alike together at once; none of them is the first, and none of them is the last; but we must have an eye to the kernel, and consider how the divine birth or geniture riseth up, otherwise man understands it not.
For the creatures cannot comprehend at once all the seven spirits, one in another, but they look upon them; but when one spirit is touched or stirred, then that toucheth or stirreth all the others, and then the birth or geniture stands in full power.
Therefore it has a beginning in man, but none in God ; and therefore I must also write in a creaturely manner, or else thou canst not understand it.
Behold, without the flash all the seven spirits were a dark valley, but when the flash riseth up between the astringent and bitter qualities, in the heat, then it becometh shining in the sweet water, and in the flames of the heat it becometh bitter, and triumphing and living, and in the astringent it becometh corporeal, dry and bright.
Now these four spirits move themselves in the flash, for all the four become living therein, and so now the power of these four riseth up in the flash, as if the life did rise up, and the power which is risen up in the flash is the love, which is the fifth spirit.
That power moveth so very pleasantly and amiably in the flash, as if a dead spirit did become living, and was suddenly in a moment set into great clarity or brightness.
Now in this moving one power toucheth or stirreth another: First the astringent beateth or striketh, and the heat makes in that beating or stroke a clear ringing sound, and the bitter power divideth the ringing, and the water makes it mild and soft, and mitigateth it; and this is the sixth spirit.
Now the tone in all the five spirits riseth up like a melodious pleasant music, and remaineth so standing; for the astringent quality exsiccateth it or drieth it up.
So now, in the same sound that is gone forth (which now subsisteth, being dried) is the power of all the six qualifying or fountain spirits, and it is as it were the seed of the other six spirits, which they have there compact-ed or incorporated together, and made one spirit thereof, and which has the quality of all the spirits: and that is the seventh spirit of God in the divine power.
Now this spirit subsisteth in its colour like azure or heaven-blue , for it is generated out of all the six spirits; and when the flash, which stands in the midst or centre in the heat, shineth into the other spirits, so that they rise up in the flash and generate the seventh spirit, then the flash riseth up also in the birth of the six spirits together in the seventh.
But because the seventh has no peculiar quality in itself, therefore the flash in the seventh cannot be brighter, but it receiveth from the seventh the corporeal being of all the seven spirits, and the flash stands in the midst or centre of these seven spirits, and is generated from all the seven.
The seven spirits are the father of the light, and the light is their son, which they always continually generate thus from eternity to eternity, and the light enlighteneth and always eternally makes the seven spirits living and joyful, for they all receive their rising and life in the power of light.
Again, they all generate the light, and all are together alike the father of the light, and the light generateth no one spirit, but makes them all living and joyful, that they always continually stand in the birth.
Behold, I will shew it thee once more, that so by any means thou may apprehend it, that this high work may not take place in vain without profit to thee.
The astringent quality is the first spirit, and that attracteth or draweth together and makes all dry: The sweet quality is the second spirit, and that softeneth or mitigateth the astringent: Now the third spirit is the bitter spirit, which existeth from the fourth and the first.
So when the third spirit in its rage rubs itself in the astringent, then it kindleth the fire, and then the fierceness in the fire riseth up in the astringent. In that fierceness now the bitter spirit becometh self-subsisting; and in the sweet it becometh meek or mild ; and in the hard it becometh corporeal ; and so now it subsisteth, and is also the fourth spirit.
Now the flash in the power of these four goeth forth in the heat, and riseth up in the sweet spring water or fountain; the bitter makes it triumphing; the astringent makes it shining, dry and corporeal; and the sweet makes it meek and mild; and so it receiveth its first shining and lustre in the sweet; and here now the flash, or the light, subsisteth in the midst or centre, as a heart.
Now when that light, which stands in the midst or centre, shineth into the four spirits, then the power of the four spirits riseth up in the light, and they become living, and love the light; that is, they take it into them, and are impregnated with it, and that spirit which is so taken in is the love of the life, which is the fifth spirit.
Now when they have taken the love into them, then they qualify, act or operate for great joy; for the one seeth the other in the light, and so the one toucheth or stirreth the other.
Then the tone riseth up; and the hard spirit beateth, striketh or thumpeth; but the sweet makes that beating or striking mild ; and the bitter divideth it according to the condition or kind of every quality; the fourth causes the ringing ; the fifth causes joyfulness; and the compacted incorporated sounding is the tone or tune, or the sixth spirit.
In this tone riseth up the power of all the six spirits, and becometh a palpable body, to speak after an angelical manner, and subsisteth in the power of the other six spirits, and in the light; and this is the body of nature, wherein all heavenly creatures, ideas, figures and sprouts or vegetations are imaged or fashioned.
The Holy Gates.
But the light, which subsisteth in the midst or centre in all the seven spirits, and wherein stands the life of all the seven spirits, whereby all seven become triumphing and joyful, and wherein the heavenly joyfulness rises up:
This is that which all the seven spirits generate, and that is the son of all the seven spirits, and the seven spirits are its father, which generate the light; and the light generateth in them the life ; and the light is the heart of the seven spirits.
This light is the true Son of God, whom we Christians worship and honour, as the second Person in the Holy Trinity.
All the seven spirits of God together, are God the Father.
For no one spirit of them is alone or without the others; they all seven generate one another; for if one were wanting the others could not be.
But the light is another Person, for it is continually generated out of or from the seven spirits, and the seven spirits rise up continually in the light; and the powers of these seven spirits go forth continually in the glance or splendour of the light in the seventh nature-spirit [Or spirit of nature], and do form and image all in the seventh spirit; and this outgoing or exit in the light is the Holy Ghost.
The flash or stock or pith or the heart, which is generated in the powers, remaineth standing in the midst or centre, and that is the Son; and the splendour or glance in all the powers goeth forth from the Father and the Son, in all the powers of the Father, and formeth and imageth all in the seventh nature-spirit, according to the power and operation of the seven spirits, and according to their distinction and impulse. This is the true Holy Ghost, whom we Christians honour and adore for the third Person in the Deity.
Thus, O blind Jew, Turk, and Heathen, thou seest that there are three Persons in the Deity, thou canst not deny it, for thou livest and art or hast thy being in the three Persons, and thou hast thy life from them and in them, and in the power of these three Persons thou art to rise from the dead at the last day, and live eternally.
Note.
Now if thou hast lived well and holily in this world, according to the law of nature, and hast not extinguished the clear flash, which is the Son of God, which teacheth thee the law of nature in thy seven qualifying or fountain spirits, and hast not put it out through a fierce elevation, which runneth on contrary to the knowledge of nature [or conscience], then wilt thou with all Christians live in eternal joy.
Note.
["The law of nature is the divine ordinance out of the centre of nature, he that can live therein needs no other law, for he fulfilleth the will of God."]
For it lies not in thy unbelief [or ignorance] to hinder it; thy unbelief does not take away or make void the truth of God: but faith bloweth up the spirit of hope, and testifieth that we are God's children. The faith is generated in the flash, and wrestleth so long with God till it overcometh and gets the victory.
Thou judgest us, and thereby thou judgest thyself, in that thou blowest up the zealous or jealous spirit in anger and wrath, which extinguisheth thy light. But if thou art grown on a sweet tree, and suppressest the evil influence or suggestions, and livest well and holily in the law of nature, that sheweth thee very well what is right, if thou art not indeed grown out from a fierce or wrathful twig or branch.
["Here is meant or understood out of or from a quite Godless seed, whereout there often grows a thistle; though yet there were a remedy, if the will were but once broken; but it is a rare and precious thing; however, indeed on a good tree it is often so, that some branches do also wither." ]
Note.
Moreover, thou art blind. For who shall separate thee from the love of God, in which thou art born or generated, and wherein thou livest, if thou perseverest and continuest therein till the end? Who shall separate thee from God, in whom thou hast lived here?
That which thou hast sown in the ground, that will spring up, be it rye, wheat, barley, tares or thorns; that which is not combustible or capable of the final or last fire, that will not burn at all: But God will not himself corrupt or spoil his good seed, but will husband, till and manure it, that it may bear fruit in the eternal life.
Seeing then all live and have their being in God, why do the weeds glory and boast against the wheat ? Dost thou think that God is a dissembler, and that he regardeth or respecteth any man's person or name?
What man was the father of us all? Was it not Adam? And when his son Cain lived wickedly before God, why did not his father Adam help him? But here it may be said: [Ezek. xviii. 4,20] He that sinneth shall be punished.
If Cain had not quenched or extinguished his light, who could have separated him from the love of God?
So thou also, thou boastest thou art a Christian, and knowest the light, why dost thou not walk therein? Dost thou think the name will make thee holy? Tarry, Friend, till thou comest thither into the other world, then thou wilt know it by experience. Behold! many a Jew, Turk, and Heathen, who had indeed their lamps well trimmed and furnished, will sooner enter into the kingdom of heaven than thou who boastest.
Question.
What prerogative or advantage then have the Christians?
Answer.
Very much; for they know the way of life, and know how they should rise from the fall: But if any will lie still, then he must be thrown into the ditch, and there must perish with all the Godless Heathen.
Therefore take heed what thou dost, and consider what thou art; thou judgest others, and art blind thyself.
But the spirit saith thou hast no cause for it, viz. to judge him who is better than thou: Have we not all one flesh, and our life subsisteth in God, be it in his love, or in his anger? For what thou sowest, that thou shalt reap.
Note.
God is not the cause thereof that thou art lost: For the law to do right or righteousness is written in nature, and thou hast that very book in thy heart.
Thou knowest very well that thou shouldst deal well and friendly with thy neighbour; also thou knowest well that thou shouldst not vilify thy own life, that is, thou shouldst not bemire and defile thy own body and soul, and lay open their shame.
Surely herein consisteth the pith and kernel, and the love of God. God does not regard any man's name or birth, but he that moveth or acteth in the love of God moveth in the light, and the light is the heart of God. Now he that sitteth in the heart of God, who can spew him out from thence? No one; for he is begotten or generated in God.
O thou blind, half-dead world, cease from thy judging; O thou blind Jew, Turk, and Heathen, desist from thy calumniating, and submit thyself in obedience to God, and walk in the light, then thou wilt see how thou shouldst rise from thy fall, and how thou shouldst arm thyself in this world against the hellish fierceness and wrath, and how thou mayst overcome, and live with God eternally.
Most certainly there is but one God; hut when the veil is put away from thy eyes, so that thou seest and knowest him, then thou wilt also see and know all thy brethren, whether they be Christians, Jews, Turks, or Heathen.
Or dost thou think that God is the God of Christians only? Do not the Heathen also live in God, [Acts x. 35] whosoever does right or righteousness God loveth and accepteth him.
Or what didst thou, who art a Christian, know [as to] how God would redeem and deliver thee from evil? What friendship and familiarity hadst thou with HIM? or what covenant hadst thou made with HIM, when God caused his Son to become man, or be incarnate, to redeem mankind? Is he only thy king? Is it not written, [Haggai ii. 7] He is the comfort of all the Heathen.
Hearken, [Rom. v. 18] By one man sin came into the world, and pressed through one upon all. And through one came the redemption into the world, and pressed through one upon all. What therefore lies in any man's knowledge? No! indeed, thou didst not know how God would deal with thee, when thou wast dead in sins.
Now as sin without distinction reigneth through one man over all, so mercy and redemption reign through one over all.
But unto those Heathen, Jews, and Turks, blindness did befall, yet for all that they stand in an anxious birth, and seek for a rest; they desire grace, though they seek not for it at the right mark, or in the right place or limit: but God is everywhere, and looketh upon the ground of the heart.
But if in their anxious birth the light be generated in them, what art thou that judgest them?
Behold! thou blind man, I will demonstrate this to thee thus: Go into a meadow, there thou seest several sorts of herbs and flowers; thou seest some that are bitter, some tart, sweet, sour, white, yellow, red, blue, green, and many various sorts.
Do they not all grow out of the earth? Do they not stand one by another? Does the one grudge the beauteous form of the other?
But if one among them lifteth up itself too high in its growth, and so withereth, because it has not sap enough, how can the earth help it? Does it not afford its sap to that as well as to the others?
But if thorns grow among them, and the mower cometh to reap his crop, he cutteth them down together, but he casteth out the thorns, and they are to be burnt in the fire; but the various flowers and good crop he gathereth, and causes it to be brought into his barn.
Thus it is also with men, there are diversities of gifts and accomplishments, endowments or aptitudes; one it may be is much lighter or brighter in God than another; but all the while they do not wither in the spirit they are not rejectable; but when the spirit withereth, then that is good and useful for nothing but for fuel, and is only as wood for the fire.
But if the Turks be of an astringent quality, and the Heathen of a bitter, what is that to thee? If the light becomes shining in the astringent and bitter qualities, then it gives light also.
But thou art generated in the heat, where the light riseth up in the sweet spring or fountain- water; have a care lest the heat burn thee; it is time, thou wouldst do well to quench that.
Question.
Thou sayest, Is it right then that the Heathen, Jews, and Turks, should persevere in their blindness?
Answer.
No; but this I say; How can he see, that has no eyes? For what does the poor lay or vulgar man know of the tumults which the priests have in their drunkenness? He goeth on in his simplicity, and generateth anxiously in his spiritual birth.
Question.
But then thou sayest, Has God blinded the Turks, Jews, and Heathen?
Answer.
No; but when God kindled the light for them, then they lived after the pleasures, voluptuousness and lusts of their own hearts, and would not be led or directed by the spirit, and so the outward light extinguished.
But it is not therefore so totally extinguished that it could not be generated in man; for man is out of or from God, and liveth in God, be it either in love or in wrath.
Now if man be in a longing, should he not be impregnated in his longing? And so if he be impregnated once, then he can generate also. But as long as the outward light does not shine to him, therefore he does not know his [man's] Son, whom he has generated.
But when the light shall arise on the last Judgment Day, then he will see HIM [Christ].
Behold, I tell thee a mystery: The time is already that the Bridegroom crowneth his bride!
Guess, Friend, where lies the crown? Towards the north; for in the centre of the astringent quality the light will be clear and bright.
But from whence cometh the Bridegroom? From the midst or centre, where the heat generateth the light, and goeth towards the north into the astringent quality; there the light grows bright.
What do these towards the south? They are in the heat fallen asleep, but a stormy tempest will awaken them; among these many will be terrified to death.
Then what do those in the west? Their bitter quality will rub itself with the others, but when they taste the sweet water, then will their spirit be mild and meek.
But what do these in the east? Thou art a lofty proud bride from the beginning; the crown was always offered to thee from the beginning, but thou thoughtest thyself too fair already; thou livest as the rest do.
Of the Operation and Property of the Divine and Heavenly Nature.
Now if thou wilt know what kind or manner of nature there is in heaven, and what kind of nature the holy angels have; also what kind of nature Adam had before his fall, and what, properly, the holy, heavenly or divine nature is; then observe the circumstances exactly concerning this seventh qualifying or fountain spirit of God, as followeth.
The seventh qualifying or fountain spirit of God is the qualifying or fountain spirit of nature: for the other six do generate the seventh; and the seventh, when it is generated, is then as it were the mother of the seven, which encompasseth the other six, and generateth them again: for the corporeal and natural being consisteth in the seventh.
Observe here the Sense.
The six rise up in a full or a complete birth according to the power and condition of each of them, and when they are risen up, then is their power mingled one in another, and the hardness drieth it [the whole], and is as it were the whole being.
This corporeal exsiccation or drying, I call in this book the divine SALITTER, for it is therein [in the seventh fountain spirit of nature] the seed of the whole Deity, and it [the seventh spirit] is as it were a mother, which receiveth the seed, and always generateth fruit again, according to all the qualities of the seed.
Now in this rising up of the six spirits, there riseth up also the Mercurius, tone or sound of all the six spirits, and in the seventh nature-spirit it subsisteth as in the mother; and then the seventh generateth all manner of fruits and colours, according to the operation of the six.
["By the word SALITTER, in this book, is understood how, out of the eternal centre of nature, the second Principle grows and springeth up out of the first, just as the light springeth up out of the fire, wherein two spirits are understood, viz. first, a hot, second, an aerial one; whereas in the aerial life the true vegetation or growing consisteth, and in the firelife is the cause of the quality.
"So when it is written, the angels are created out of God, then it is understood or meant out of God's eternal nature, wherein is understood or meant the seven forms, and yet the divine holy nature is not understood to be in the fire, but in the light.
"Yet the fire giveth or holdeth forth to us a mystery of the eternal nature, and of the Deity also, wherein a man is to understand two Principles of a twofold source, viz. I. a hot, fierce, astringent, bitter, anxious, consuming one in the fire-source . And out of the fire cometh II. viz. the light, which dwelleth in the fire, but is not apprehended or laid hold on by the fire; also it has another source than the fire has, which is meekness, wherein there is a desire of love, where then, in the love-desire, another will is understood than that which the fire has.
"For the fire will consume all, and causes a high rising in the source, and the meekness of the light causes entity or substantiality; viz. in the eternal light it causes the water-spirit of eternal life; and in the third principle of this world it causes water, together with the existency or original of the air.
"Thus the Reader is to understand this book as concerning three Principles or births; viz. one is the original of the eternal nature, in the eternal will or desire of God, which desire driveth itself on in great anguish till it cometh to the fourth form, viz. to the fire.
" Wherein the second, which is the light, existeth and replenisheth the eternal liberty besides or beyond nature, wherein we understand the holy Ternary in the light, without or beyond nature, in the power of the light, in the liberty, as another or second spring or source without being, and yet united with the fire's nature, viz. as fire and light together in one.
"The third Principle of this world is generated and created out of the first, that is, magically: As is clearly demonstrated in our second [Three Principles], and in our third book [Threefold Life], unto which this book is only an introduction, and is the first book, which was not sufficiently apprehended by the author at the first time, though it appeared clearly enough, yet all of it could not be conceived; also it was as when a torrent or stormy shower of rain passeth over a place, from whence vegetation and springing existeth; for therein is the seed of the whole Deity." ]
But here thou must know that the Deity does not stand still, but works and riseth up without intermission, as a pleasant wrestling, moving or struggling.
Like two creatures which in great love play together, embracing, struggling and wrestling the one with the other; now one is above, by and by the other, and when one has overcome it yieldeth or giveth over, and letteth the other rise up again.
Thou may also understand it thus, in a similitude, as when seven persons had begun a friendly sport and play, where one gets the upper hand above another, and a third comes to help that one which is overcome; and so there is a pleasant friendly sporting among them; whereas indeed they all have one and the same agreement or lovewill together, and yet strive and fight or vie one against another in a way of love, in sporting and pastime.
Thus also is the working of the six spirits of God in the seventh; suddenly one of them has a strong rising up, suddenly another; and thus they wrestle in love one with another.
When the light riseth up in this striving, then the Holy Ghost moveth in the power of the light, in the play of the other six spirits, and so in the seventh spring up all manner of fruits of life, and all manner of colours and vegetations, or ideas and forms.
Now as that quality is which is strongest, so the body of the fruit is imaged, and the colours also; in this striving or wrestling the Deity formeth itself into infinite and unsearchable variety of kinds and manners of images or ideas.
For the seven spirits are the seven head sources or springs, and when Mercurius riseth up therein, that stirreth all, and the bitter quality moveth it, and distinguished it, and the astringent drieth it up.
["Nature and the Ternary are not one and the same; they are distinct, though the Ternary dwelleth in nature, but unapprehended, and yet is an eternal band, as is plainly unfolded in our second and third books." ]
Now observe here, how the Imaging in Nature is in the seventh Spirit.
The sweet water is the beginning of nature, and the astringent quality draweth or attracteth it together, that it becomes natural and creatural, to speak in an angelical way.
Now being drawn together, it looketh like azure or sky-colour blue, but when the light or flash riseth up therein, then it looketh like the precious jaspis or jasper stone, or as I may call it in my language, a glassy sea, on which the sun shineth, and that very clear and bright.
But when the bitter quality riseth up therein, then it divideth and formeth itself, as if it were alive or lively, or as if the life did rise up there, in a greenish flourishing manner and form, like a green flash of lightning, to speak after the manner of men, so that it dazzleth a man's eyes, and blindeth him.
But when the heat riseth up therein, then the green form inclineth to a half red or ruddy form, as when a carbuncle stone shineth from the green flash or beam of light.
But when the light, which is the Son of God, shineth into this sea of nature, then it getteth its yellowish and whitish colour, which I cannot compare to anything; you must be content to stay or tarry with this aspect or vision, till you come into the other life.
For this now is the true heaven of nature, which is out of or from God, wherein the holy angels dwell, and out of which they were created in the beginning.
Behold now, when the Mercurius or tone in this nature-heaven riseth up, there the divine and angelical joyfulness riseth up, for therein rise up forms, imagings, colours and angelical fruits, which blossom curiously, grow, spring, flourish and stand in perfection, as to all manner of bearing or fruit trees, plants and springing growths, of a gracious, comely, lovely, amiable, blessed prospect, vision or sight to be looked upon, with a most delicious, lovely, pleasant smell and taste.
But here I speak with an angel's tongue, thou must not understand it earthly, like unto this world.
It is with Mercurius in this manner or form also. Thou must not think that there is any hard beating, striking, toning or sounding, or whistling and piping in the Deity, as when one taketh a huge trumpet, and bloweth in it, and makes it to sound.
O no, dear man, thou half dead angel, that is not so, but all is done and consisteth in power; for the divine being stands in power. But the holy angels sing, ring and trumpet forth with clear and
shrill sounding; for to that end God has made them out of himself, that they should increase and multiply the heavenly joy: [And therefore were the angels made out of God. ]
Also such an image was Adam, as God created him, before his Eve was made out of him; but the corrupted Salitter did wrestle with the wellspring of life in Adam, till it overcame. And so Adam became weary, which made him fall into a sleep. Here he was undone: And if the Barmhertzigkeit, or the mercy of God, had not come to help him, and made a woman out of him, he would have still continued asleep. Of this we will speak in its proper Place.
This, as is mentioned above, is that fair, bright and holy heaven, which is thus in the total
Deity, and which has neither beginning nor end, whither no creature with its sense can reach.
Yet thou shouldst know this, that always in a place now one quality sheweth itself more powerfully than the others, now the second prevaileth, now the third, then now the fourth, now again the fifth, now the sixth, then again now the seventh.
Thus there is an eternal wrestling, working and friendly amiable rising up of love; where then in this rising up the Deity continually sheweth itself more and more wonderful, more incomprehensible and more unsearchable.
So that the holy angels cannot sufficiently enough rejoice themselves, nor sufficiently enough converse, walk and most lovingly sport therein, nor sufficiently enough sing that beautiful Te Deum Laudamus, We praise thee, O God, as to each quality of the great God, according to his wonderful revelation, and wisdom, and beauty, and fruit, and form.
For the qualities rise up eternally, and so there is not with them or among them either beginning, middle or end.
Although I have written here how all is come to be, and how all is framed, formed and imaged, and how the Deity riseth up, yet for all that thou must not think that it has any rest, ceasing or extinction, and that afterwards it riseth up thus again.
O no: But I must write in part or by pieces, for the Reader's better understanding, that he might thereby apprehend somewhat, and so attain the sense and meaning thereof.
Nor must thou think that I have climbed up aloft into heaven, and beheld it with my carnal or fleshly eyes. O no; hear me, thou half-dead angel, I am as thou art, and have no greater light in my outward being than thou hast.
Moreover, I am a sinful and mortal man, as well as thou, and I must every day and hour grapple, struggle and fight with the devil who afflicteth me in my corrupted lost nature, in the fierce or wrathful quality, which is in my flesh, as in all men continually.
Now I get the better of him, now he is too hard for me; yet for all that he has not overcome or conquered me, though he often getteth the advantage over me: For our life is as a perpetual warfare with the Devil.
["This strife and battle is about that most high, noble, victorious garland, till the corrupted, perished Adamical man is killed and dead, in which the devil has an access to man. "Of which the sophister will know nothing; for he is not generated of God, but is born of flesh and blood: and though indeed the birth stands open for and towards him, yet he will not enter; for the devil withholds him. God blindeth none." ]
If he buffeteth me, then I must retire and draw back, but the divine power helpeth me again; then he also getteth a blow, and often loseth the day in the fight.
But when he is overcome, then the heavenly gate openeth in my spirit, and then the spirit seeth the divine and heavenly being; not externally without the body, but in the fountain or wellspring of the heart there riseth up the flash in the sensibility or thoughts of the brain, and therein the spirit does contemplate or meditate.
For man is made out of all the powers of God, out of all the seven spirits of God, as the angels also are. But now seeing man is corrupted, therefore the divine birth does not always spring, qualify or operate in him; no, nor in all men either: And though indeed it springeth in him, yet the high light does not presently shine in all men; and though indeed it does shine, yet it is incomprehen- sible to the corrupted nature.
For the Holy Ghost will not be caught, held or retained in the sinful flesh, but riseth up like a flash of lightning, as fire flashes and sparkles out of a stone, when a man strikes fire upon it.
But when the flash is caught in the fountain of the heart, then the Holy Ghost riseth up in the seven qualifying or fountain spirits, into the brain, like the daybreak, dawning of the day, or morning redness: Therein sticketh the mark, aim or scope and knowledge.
For in that light the one seeth the others, feeleth the others, smelleth the others, tasteth the others, and heareth the others, and it is as if the whole Deity did rise up therein.
Herein the spirit seeth into the depth of the Deity; for in God, near and afar off is all one; and that same God, of whom I write in this book, is as well in his Ternary in the body of a holy soul, as in heaven.
From this God I take my knowledge, and from no other thing, neither will I know any other thing than that same God, and the same it is which makes that assurance in my spirit, that I steadfastly believe and trust in him.
Though an angel from heaven should tell this [knowledge] to me, yet for all that I could not believe it; much less lay hold on it, for I should always doubt whether it were certainly so or no: But the sun itself ariseth in my spirit, and therefore I am most sure of it, and I myself do see the proceeding and birth of the holy angels, and of all things both in heaven and in this world.
For the holy soul is one spirit with God; though indeed it is a creature, yet it is like to the angels: Also the soul of man seeth much deeper than the angels; for the angels see only to the heavenly pomp, but the soul seeth both the heavenly and the hellish, for it liveth between both.
Therefore it must undergo many hard bangs and pinches, and must every day and hour wrestle and struggle with the devil, that is, with the hellish qualities [Or devilish conditions, inclinations, and passions in us] and so it liveth in great danger in this world; therefore this life is very well called the valley of misery, full of anguish, a perpetual hurliburly, pulling and haling, worrying, warring, fighting, struggling and striving.
But the cold and half-dead body does not always understand this fight of the soul: The body does not know how it is with it, but is heavy and anxious; it goeth from one room or business to another; and from one place to another; it seeketh for ease and rest.
When it cometh thither, where it would be, yet it findeth no such thing; then doubtings and unbelief fall in between and come upon it; sometimes it seems to it as if God had quite cast it off; but it does not understand the fight of the spirit, how the same is sometimes down, and sometimes gets aloft.
What vehement and furious war and fight there is between the hellish quality and the heavenly, which fire the devils blow up, and the holy angels quench it, I leave to every holy soul to consider of.
Thou must know that I write not here as a story or history, as if it were related to me from another, but I must continually stand in that combat or battle, and I find it to be full of heavy strivings, wherein I am often struck down to the ground, as well as all other men.
But for the sake of the violent fight, and for the sake of the earnestness which we have together, this revelation has been given me, and the vehement driving or impulse to bring it so to pass as to set all this down on paper.
But what the total sequel is, which may follow upon and after this, I do not fully know: Only sometimes, future Mysteries in the depth are shewn to me.
For when the flash riseth up in the centre, one seeth through and through, but cannot well apprehend or lay hold on it; for it happeneth to such a one as when there is a tempest of lightning, where the flash of fire openeth itself, and suddenly vanisheth.
So it goes also in the soul, when it presseth or breaks quite through in its flight or combat, then it beholdeth the Deity, as a flash of lightning; but the source, quality or fountain of sins covereth it suddenly again: For the Old Adam belongeth to the earth, and does not, with this flesh, belong to the Deity.
I do not write this for my own praise, but to that end that the Reader may know wherein my knowledge stands, that he might not seek that from me which I have not, or think me to be what I am not.
But what I am, that are all men, who wrestle in JESUS CHRIST our King for the crown of the eternal joy, and live in the hope of perfection; the beginning whereof is at the day of the resurrection, which is now shortly near at hand; which, in the circle of the rising or horizon of the east in the flash, is very well to be seen, in which nature sheweth itself as if it would be daybreak.
Therefore take heed, that you be not found asleep in your sins ; truly the prudent and the wise will take notice hereof, but the wicked will continue in their sins.
They say, What ails the fool, when will he have done with his dreaming? This is because they are asleep in fleshly lusts. Well, well, you shall see what kind of dream this will be.
I would willingly take ease and rest in my meekness, if I were not put upon this work; but that God who has made the world is too strong for me, I am the work of his hands, he may set me and place me where he will.
Though I must be a byword and spectacle of scorn to the world and devils, yet my hope is in God concerning the life to come; in him will I venture to hazard myself, and not resist or strive against the Spirit. Amen.