(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 the straw kindled, it will burn. God has not, on that account become a devil.

(72) Pray tell me, Why was the devil expelled or thrust out? Surely thou wilt say, Because of his pride, in that he would needs be above God. But guess, Sir, with what the devil would be so: What power had he to do it? Here tell me, if thou knowest anything of it; if thou knowest nothing, be silent and attentive.

(34) Now then, seeing the devils kindled their own bodies, intending thereby to domineer over the whole Deity, therefore the creator also, in his wrath, kindled this third spirit, or this third birth or geniture in nature, and imprisoned the devil therein, and made an eternal lodging therein for him, that he might not be higher than the whole God. ["Understand, in the outward sources or qualities; for the outermost of all, is also the innermost of all."]

(91) For the devil cannot be expelled quite out, away, beyond God, into another kingdom of angels; but a place must be reserved to him for a habitation.

(77) But now, seeing he is a sworn archenemy of God, and though indeed the disputants and helpers of the devil will needs force it so in arguments (that God willeth the good and also the evil, and that he has created some men to damnation), therefore and thereupon the spirit of God citeth them, upon pain of eternal enmity, to come before this looking-glass, wherein their heart shall be laid open; and they shall see what God is, and who the devil is, or how he is become a devil.

(127) But that the astringent and bitter spirit sitteth still in its seat at the hinder gums on the tongue, and thrusteth forth the word at the mouth, and yet cannot get away from thence, signifieth that the devil and the wrath of God would indeed be domineering in all the creatures, yet would not have full power in them, but must stay in prison; and that there they would belch forth or blow into all the creatures, and plague them, but would not overcome them, unless the creatures themselves are minded to tarry there in that place.

(1) Then they [i.e. the gods] said to this Breath in the mouth: ' Sing for us the Udgltha/ They [i.e. the devils] knew: c Verily, by this singer they will overcome us/ They rushed upon him and desired to pierce him with evil. As a clod of earth would be scattered by striking on a stone, even so they were scattered in all directions and perished. Therefore the gods increased, the demons became inferior. He increases with himself, a hateful enemy becomes inferior for him who knows this.

(64) Now if thou understandest and apprehendest this aright, then thou wilt not make of God a devil, as some do, who say, God has created the evil, and that his will is that some men should be lost; which men, that say so, help to increase the devil's lies, and bring upon themselves the severe judgment, by their perverting God's truths, and so turning them into lies. Now observe:

(8) Again, up an exceeding high mountain, the devil sheweth him, in a moment of time, all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and saith unto Jesus, All these things will I give thee; all this power, and the glory of them: if thou wilt fall down and worship me, all shall be thine.

(8) But the holy angels, and the fierce wrathful devils, are here to be excepted; for these are severed apart: Each of these liveth, qualifieth and ruleth in his own peculiar quality.

(75) But I find that the most cunning devil is set against me; he will raise scorners and mockers, who will say that I intend by mine own conceit to grope, dig deep, and search out the Deity. Yes, Mr Scorner, thou art an obedient son to the devil, thou hast great cause to mock God's children. As if I were able, in mine own power, to fathom the depth of the Deity! No! but the Deity searcheth the ground in me: Or, dost thou think that I am strong enough to stand against it?

(1) Then they [i.e. the gods] said to the Mind: ' Sing for us the Udgltha/ c So be it/ said the Mind, and sang for them. Whatever pleasure there is in the mind, that it sang for the gods, what- ever good one imagines, that for itself. They [i.e. the devils] knew: 'Verily, by this singer they will overcome us/ They rushed upon him and pierced him with evil. That evil was the improper thing that one imagines. This, truly, was that evil. And thus they let out upon these divinities with evil, they pierced them with evil.

(20) ¶The scribes said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of devils casteth he out devils. Jesus said unto them in parables,

(73) And this firmament of heaven is his throne or footstool, and the qualifying or fountain spirits of his natural body rule in the whole body of this world, and all is tied, bound or united with them, all whatsoever that stands in the astral birth in the part of love: The other part of this world is tied, bound and united with the devil.

(2) Down at the bottom were the sinners naked; This side the middle came they facing us, Beyond it, with us, but with greater steps; Even as the Romans, for the mighty host, The year of Jubilee, upon the bridge, Have chosen a mode to pass the people over; For all upon one side towards the Castle Their faces have, and go unto St. Peter's; On the other side they go towards the Mountain. This side and that, along the livid stone Beheld I horned demons with great scourges, Who cruelly were beating them behind. Ah me! how they did make them lift their legs At the first blows! and sooth not any one The second waited for, nor for the third. While I was going on, mine eyes by one Encountered were; and straight I said: "Already With sight of this one I am not unfed." Therefore I stayed my feet to make him out, And with me the sweet Guide came to a stand, And to my going somewhat back assented; And he, the scourged one, thought to hide himself, Lowering his face, but little it availed him; For said I: "Thou that castest down thine eyes,

(25) Now, after that a man hath walked in all the ways that lead him unto the truth, and exercised himself therein, not sparing his labour; now, as often and as long as he dreameth that his work is altogether finished, and he is by this time quite dead to the world, and come out from Self and given up to God alone, behold! the Devil cometh and soweth his seed in the man’s heart. From this seed spring two fruits; the one is spiritual fulness or pride, the other is false, lawless freedom. These are two sisters who love to be together. Now, it beginneth on this wise: the Devil puffeth up the man, till he thinketh himself to have climbed the topmost pinnacle, and to have come so near to heaven, that he no longer needeth Scripture, nor teaching, nor this nor that, but is altogether raised above any need. Whereupon there ariseth a false peace and satisfaction with himself, and then it followeth that he saith or thinketh: “Yea, now I am above all other men, and know and understand more than any one in the world; therefore it is certainly just and reasonable that I should be the lord and commander of all creatures, and that all creatures, and especially all men, should serve me and be subject unto me.” And then he seeketh and desireth the same, and taketh it gladly from all creatures, especially men, and thinketh himself well worthy of all this, and that it is his due, and looketh on men as if they were the beasts of the field, and thinketh himself worthy of all that ministereth to his body and life and nature, in profit, or joy, or pleasure, or even pastime and amusement, and he seeketh and taketh it wherever he findeth opportunity.

(2) Look thou upon me and exalt me, impart to me Terror, and rouse in me Might, so that the gods of the Tuat may fear me, that their battlements war in my behalf there; and that he may not assail and slay me in the house of darkness, who enwrappeth the dead; the god who hideth his name; or that the like be done by them

(9) Whether he be loose or no I offer it to every one to consider; but view the world in the clear light, and thou wilt find, that at present the four new sons which the devil generated when he was thrust out of heaven, do govern the world, viz. 1. Pride, 2. Covetousness, 3. Envy, 4. Wrath; these rule the world at present, and are the devil's heart, his animated or soulish spirit.

(96) O dear blind man! it was not a man nor a beast that stood here before God. But it was God against God; one strong one against another: Besides, how should God withstand him? With the friendly love? That could not avail, for Lucifer did but scorn and despise that, and would himself be God.

(5) Then, in Jerusalem, the holy city, on a pinnacle of the temple, the devil saith unto Jesus, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, to keep thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash they foot against a stone.