another.
8. Fire arises from the fierceness of the cold, and
cold from the centrum naturae, viz. from the sour
sharp anguish, wher6 the sourness (astringency)
contracts so strongly into itself and makes sub-
stance. As we are to know that in the motion
of the Father at creation it has made earth and
stones, although there was no matter for this,
but only His own being, which is generated in two
principles, viz. in the light-world and world of
death, in two desires.
9. That which the fierceness attained in the
motion became shaped into the terrestrial globe.
And we find therein a diversity of things, evil and
good; and it often happens that from the worst
may be made the best, because the centrum naturae
is therein. If it be brought into fire, the pure child
of the eternal Essence may be extracted from it;
when it is liberated from death, as is to be seen in
gold.
10. In this world, however, we cannot attain
the eternal fire, and therefore also can develop
nothing from this principle. That is want of the
eternal fire, which we do not reach but in imagina-
tion only, by which a man has power to lead life
out of death and bring it into the divine sub-
stantiality. This can be done only in man; but
what is outside of man belongs to God, and remains
unto the renovation, to the end of this time.
11. And thus we give you to understand the
nature and property of the principles. The first
Principle lies in the fire of the will, and is a cause