Of the True Eternal Nature. Chapter 4.

[the soul] is not itself: for that principium first principle or foundational source has its origin from the light of nature.

28. Now observe human life further. Through your outward seeing, you neither see, understand, nor know more than flesh and blood. In this, you are equal to other animals. Secondly, you find the air and the fire of the Elements the physical building blocks of the world ^l Mixed or operates. which qualify operate or manifest their characteristics within you. This is an animal life, for every animal has such things within itself. From this, it has the desire to fill itself and to give birth again, just like all crawling things, foliage, and grass. Yet you find that ^m Understand: in the animal life. ^n Understand: the animal man. in all of this there is ^m no true understanding. For even if the stars ^n qualify influence or operate within a person and give him senses, these are still only senses used to feed and increase himself, just like all animals.

29. For the stars themselves are mute and have neither knowledge nor feeling. It is only their soft working in the water that creates a ^o bubbling through one another. In the tincture the spiritual essence or vital energy of the blood, it creates ^o Or bubbling up and boiling. ^p Or a sweet being becomes and arises. ^q Or can shine in a dark body. a rising up, seeing, feeling, hearing, and tasting. Now consider: from where does the tincture (in which the noble life arises) come? If it becomes ^p sweet out of that which is harsh, bitter, and fiery, you will truly find no other cause than the light. But from what does the light come, so that it shines in a dark ^q body? If you wish to say that such light comes from the sun's brilliance, then what shines in the night and enlightens you, your senses, and your understanding, so that you see and know what you do even with closed eyes? Here you will say: the noble gemoet mind or inner disposition guides me. Yes, exactly so. But from where does the mind have its origin? Then you will say: the senses, they make the mind moveable. That is also correct. But from where do they both come? ^r What is their birth or origin? Why is it also not in the animals?

30. My dear reader, if you have the power here, then step open and ^r Or answer this question. see what is in the body. You shall not find it there. Seek now in the depth, seek in the stars, seek in the elements, seek in all creatures: in stones, herbs, trees, and in metals. Seek in all of Heaven and Earth, and you shall not find it. So you say now: where must I find such a thing? Dear reader, I cannot lend you the key for that. John 3. I will only show you where you shall find it. It lies in the Evangelist John, chapter 3, and is named: "You must be born anew through water and through the Holy Spirit." That same Spirit is the key. When you obtain Him, then take Him and go before the first Principle, from which this world, together with all creatures, is created. Unlock the first root from which such visible and perceptible things have become.

31. Then you shall say: that is God alone, and He is a

Chapter 4. Of the True Eternal Nature.

Spirit, and He has created all things out of nothing. Yes, exactly so. He is a Spirit, and before our eyes He is as a nothing. If we did not know Him through the creation, we would know nothing of Him. And had He not been from eternity, then nothing would have ever become.

32. But what do you think existed before the times of the world, from which the earth and the stones have become, as well as the stars and elements? That same thing from which such things have become was the root. But what is the root of these things? Observe: what do you find in these things? Nothing other than fire, bitterness, and harshness. These are but one single thing, and from this, all things are born. Now, before the times of the world, such a thing was only a Spirit. Yet you do not yet find God in these three forms. The pure Godhead is a light which is incomprehensible, as well as imperceptible, also almighty and all-powerful. From where, then, does one find God?

33. Open your noble mind here, see, and seek further. Since God alone is good, from where comes the evil? Since He alone is the life, and the light, and also the holy power; just as that is undeniably true, from where then comes the wrath of God? From where comes the Devil and his will, as well as the hellish fire? From where does it have its origin? While there was nothing before the times of the world but God alone, and He was and is a Spirit, and remains such in eternity, from where then has the first materia matter or substance of evil become? ^r The outcome, the fountain, or the vein to bring forth the wrath. For there must have been a will in the Spirit of God to give birth to the ^r source of wrath. Such is the judgment that reason gives.

34. But now the Scripture says: "The Devil was a holy angel." And further: "You are not a God who wills evil." ^s Understand: or over. And in Ezekiel: "As I live, I do not want the death of the sinner." ^t Understand: all unrepentant sinners. Such is also proven by the earnest punishment of God ^s upon the Devil and all ^t sinners, showing that He does not want their death.

35. What then moved the Devil to become wrathful and evil? ^v Understand: toward evil. What is the first ^v materia matter within him, since he is created from the ^x That is: that no other fountain or active vein shall flow for him there. original eternal Spirit? Or from what is the origin of hell, in which the devil shall remain eternally, when this world, with stars, elements, earth, and stones, shall perish at the end?

36. Beloved reader, open here the eyes of your mind and know that no other ^x torment shall torment him but his own ^y quality ^y His working property. within him. For that is his hell from which he is created and made. And the light of God is his eternal shame; therefore, he is an enemy of God, because he is no longer in the light of God.

37. Now