ed Wrath of God in itself,
but knew not how that came to pass, nor what ailed it. For many times
great trouble and terror fell upon it, which made it comfortless, sick,
and faint with very fear; so mightily did the first bruising it with the
ray or influence of the stirring of Grace work upon it. And yet it knew
not that Christ was in the Wrath and severe Justice of God and fought
therein with that Spirit of Error incorporated in Soul and Body, nor
understood that the hunger and desire to turn and repent came from
Christ Himself, neither did it know what hindered it that it could not
yet attain to Divine Feeling. It knew not that itself was a monster, and
did bear the Image of the Serpent.

AN ENLIGHTENED AND REGENERATE SOUL MET THE DISTRESSED SOUL

By the Providence of God, an enlightened and regenerate Soul met the
distressed Soul, and said: What ailest thou, thou distressed Soul, that
thou art so restless and troubled!

THE DISTRESSED SOUL ANSWERED

The Creator hath hid his Countenance from me, so that I cannot come to
his Rest; therefore I am thus troubled, and know not what I shall do to
get his Loving-kindness again. For great cliffs and rocks lie in my way
to his Grace, so that I cannot come to him. Though I sigh and long after
him never so much, yet I am kept back, so that I cannot partake of his
Power, Virtue, and Strength.

THE ENLIGHTENED SOUL SAID

Thou bearest the monstrous shape of the Devil, and art clothed
therewith; in which, being his own Property or Principle, he hath access
or power of entrance into thee, and thereby keepeth thy Will from
penetrating into God. For if thy Will might penetrate into God, it would
be anointed with the highest Power and Strength of God, in the
Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that unction would break in
pieces the monster which thou carriest about thee; and thy first Image
of Paradise would revive in the Centre; which would destroy the Devil's
Power therein, and thou wouldst become an Angel again. And because the
Devil envieth thee this happiness, he holdeth thee captive in his Desire
in the lusts of the flesh, from which if thou art not delivered, thou
wilt be separated from God, and canst never enter into our Society.

THE DISTRESSED SOUL TERRIFIED

At this speech the poor distressed Soul was so terrified and amazed,
that it could not speak one word more. When it found that it stood in
the form and condition of the Serpent which separated it from God,