Plates 16-17

[plates 16-17]
The giants who formed this world
into its sensual existence and now seem to live in it in chains, are in
truth the causes of its life & the sources of all activity; but the chains
are the cunning of weak and tame minds which have power to resist energy,
according to the proverb, the weak in courage is strong in cunning. Thus
one portion of beings is the prolific, the other the devouring: to the
devourer it seems as if the producer was in his chains: but it is no so,
he only takes portions of existence and fancies that the whole. But the
prolific would cease to be prolific unless the devourer, as a sea received
the excess of his delights. Some will say: 'Is not God alone the prolific?
' I answer: 'God only acts & is, in existing beings or men'. These two
classes of men are always upon earth,& they should be enemies: whoever
tries to reconcile them seeks to destroy existence. Religion is an
endeavour to reconcile the two. Note: Jesus Christ did not wish to unite,
but to seperate them, as in the parable of sheep and goats!& He says: 'I
came not to send peace, but a sword. ' Messiah or Satan or tempter was
formerly thought to be one of the antediluvians who are our energies.