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(1) AND therefore the sharp stirring of thine understanding, that will always press upon thee when thou settest thee to this work, behoveth always be borne down; and but thou bear him down, he will bear thee down. Insomuch, that when thou weenest best to abide in this darkness, and that nought is in thy mind but only God; an thou look truly thou shalt find thy mind not occupied in this darkness, but in a clear beholding of some thing beneath God. And if it thus be, surely then is that thing above thee for the time, and betwixt thee and thy God. And therefore purpose thee to put down such clear beholdings, be they never so holy nor so likely. For one thing I tell thee, it is more profitable to the health of thy soul, more worthy in itself, and more pleasing to God and to all the saints and angels in heaven—yea, and more helpful to all thy friends, bodily and ghostly, quick and dead—such a blind stirring of love unto God for Himself, and such a privy pressing upon this cloud of unknowing, and better thee were for to have it and for to feel it in thine affection ghostly, than it is for to have the eyes of thy soul opened in contemplation or beholding of all the angels or saints in heaven, or in hearing of all the mirth and the melody that is amongst them in bliss.

(3) God is a light incapable of receiving its contrary [darkness.]

You have in yourself something similar to God, and therefore use yourself as the temple of God, on account of that which in you resembles God.

(8) Now elevate thy Sense, Thoughts and Spirit into the Deep of the Deity, for here a Gate is opened. The Place or Space of this World, the Deep of the Earth, and above the Earth even to Heaven, as also the created Heaven, which was made out of the Midst of the Waters, which moves above the Stars, and which we behold with our Eyes, whose Depth we cannot found or reach with our Sense; all this Place or Room together was one Kingdom, and Lucifer was King therein before his being thrust out. [Or Center.]

(73) Now when the Heaven was made for a Distinction, or Partition between the Light of God and the kindled Corruption of the Body of this World, then was the Body of this World a dark Valley, and had no Light that could have shone forth in the outward Body, besides the Heaven; there stood all Powers as it were captivated in Death, and were in great Anguish, till they had heated themselves in the Midst or Center of the Body.