(70) But seeing it runs counter, quite contrary to the Love and Meekness of the Birth or Geniiture of God, and is a contrary or opposite Will in the Love of God, so that he is unwilling, unless pressing Necessity drives him to it, to hurt Man, therefore will the Spirit have the Wrath-Bath, or Lake of Nature, set apart to be an eternal Parching or drying Place, for Jugglers, Perverters or Changers of God’s Ordinance or Order: And therein they may practise and show forth their new Deity. Of the kindling of the Wrath-Fire.

(51) Now some may ask: “Since this tree, to wit, Self-will, is so contrary to God and the Eternal Will, wherefore hath God created it, and set it in Paradise?” Answer: whatever man or creature desireth to dive into and understand the secret counsel and will of God, so that he would fain know wherefore God doeth this, or doeth not that, and the like, desireth the same as Adam and the Devil. For this desire is seldom from aught else than that the man taketh delight in knowing, and glorieth therein, and this is sheer pride. And so long as this desire lasteth, the truth will never be known, and the man is even as Adam or the Devil. A truly humble and enlightened man doth not desire of God that He should reveal His secrets unto him, and ask wherefore God doeth this or that, or hindereth or alloweth such a thing, and so forth; but he desireth only to know how he may please God, and become as nought in himself, having no will, and that the Eternal Will may live in him, and have full possession of him, undisturbed by any other will, and how its due may be rendered to the Eternal Will, by him and through him. However, there is yet another answer to this question, for we may say: the most noble and delightful gift that is bestowed on any creature is that of perceiving, or Reason, and Will. And these two are so bound together, that where the one is, there the other is also. And if it were not for these two gifts, there would be no reasonable creatures, but only brutes and brutishness; and that were a great loss, for God would never have His due, and behold Himself and His attributes manifested in deeds and works; the which ought to be, and is, necessary to perfection. Now, behold, Perception and Reason are created and bestowed along with Will, to the intent that they may instruct the will and also themselves, that neither perception nor will is of itself, nor is nor ought to be unto itself, nor ought to seek or obey itself. Neither shall they turn themselves to their own advantage, nor make use of themselves to their own ends and purposes; for His they are from Whom they do proceed, and unto Him shall they submit, and flow back into Him, and become nought in themselves, that is, in their selfishness. But here ye must consider more particularly, somewhat touching the Will. There is an Eternal Will, which is in God a first Principle and substance, apart from all works and effects,49 and the same will is in Man, or the creature, willing certain things, and bringing them to pass. For it belongeth unto the Will, and is its property, that it shall will something. What else is it for? For it were in vain, unless it had some work to do, and this it cannot have without the creature. Therefore there must be creatures, and God will have them, to the end that the Will may be put in exercise by their means, and work, which in God is and must Or realisation, wirklichkeit. be without work. Therefore the will in the creature, which we call a created will, is as truly God’s as the Eternal Will, and is not of the creature. And now, since God cannot bring His will into exercise, working and causing changes, without the creature, therefore it pleaseth Him to do so in and with the creature. Therefore the will is not given to be exerted by the creature, but only by God, who hath a right to work out His own will by means of the will which is in man, and yet is God’s. And in whatever man or creature it should be purely and wholly thus, the will would be exerted not by the man but by God, and thus it would not be self-will, and the man would not will otherwise than as God willeth; for God Himself would move the will and not man.

(90) For when God was angry in his outermost Birth or Geniture in Nature, then it was not his purposed determinate Will to be kindled, neither has he effected that Kindling. But he has drawn the Salitter together, and thereby has prepared an eternal Lodging for the Devil.

(17) But seeing the Love and Meekness of God would not leave the Body or Place of this kindled wrath World flicking in eternal Wrath and Ignominy, therefore he generated the whole old Body of this World again into a rectified, reformed Body; wherein Life ruled in a divine Manner and Way; though in the kindled Wrath, yet it must subsist according to the Right of the Deity, that out of it a new Body might be generated, which should subsist in Holiness and Purity in Eternity.

(130) Thou seest also, how the Wrath of God in the outward Birth of Nature lies hid, and rests, and cannot be awakened, unless Men themselves rouze or awaken it, who with their fleshly Birth or Geniture qualify, operate, or unite with the Wrath in the outward Birth of Nature.

(97) Should God withstand him then with Anger or Wrath, which indeed must be done at length, then God must have kindled himself in his Qualities in the Salitter, wherein King Lucifer dwelt, and must in the strong Zeal or Jealousy strive and fight against him, which he did; and to this Striving made his Kingdom so dark, evil, and evil, that another Creation must needs afterwards follow upon it.

(73) Thou must not think, that the Devil has thus powerfully and mightily overcome the Deity. No; but he has kindled the Wrath of God, which, indeed, had otherwise rested eternally in secret, and so he has made the Salitter of God to be a murderous Den; for if Fire be cast into a Heap of Straw, and kindled, it will burn.

(14) For the Heart of God delighted in Love and Meekness; and Lucifer would needs turn the same by Force into a raging Tyranny: And lo there was nothing but Enmity, and a contrary or opposite Will; for by Force he kindled the Salitter of God, which had rested from Eternity, and stood in its Meekness.