any one, and man does it readily to please him.
Neither can the devil use God's creatures, and
man misuses them willingly to please him, thereby
to mock God. With this he practises pride and
covetousness, also falsehood and malice, and accom-
plishes by them all that the devil would have; he
shines also therewith as if he w&ye God.
8. The external kingdom is therefore become a
perpetual murderous den of the devil. The false
and pretended man (who calls himself a man, but is
not) does the butchery, and increases God's wrath,
and kindles the dark world in this outer world, so
that God's wrath continually burns in this world.
9. Thus God's kingdom, is hindered, and the
devil's will done ; and the devil remains a prince
on earth, whereas otherwise he could accomplish
nothing on earth. The pretended man is in his
service, and does his will. Two species of men,
then, dwell together on earth. The one are real
true men, who serve God in the coat of humility
and misery, whom the devil derides and torments
them with the other species, and in their case
brings all his wonders to pass by means of those
who serve him.
10. The other species also calls itself men, walk
also in human form, but they are evil beasts. They
put on the garment of their King, that is to say,
Falsehood; and live in the power of the four
elements of their king, viz. in pride, covetousness,
envy and anger.
11. Pride is the first virtue. It snatches the
bread from the mouth of the real man, and coerces