A Memorable Fancy
Once I saw a Devil in a flame
of fire, who arose before an Angel that sat on a cloud and the Devil utter'd these words:
"The worship of God is: Honouring his
gifts in other men, each according to his genius, and loving the greatest men best: those who envy or calumniate great men
hate God; for there is no other God."
The Angel hearing this became almost
blue; but mastering himself he grew yellow & at last white, pink, & smiling, and then replied:
"Thou Idolater! is not God One? &
is not he visible in Jesus Christ? and has not Jesus Christ given his sanction to the law of the ten commandments? and are
not all other men fools, sinners, & nothings?"
The Devil answer'd: "Bray a fool in a
morter with wheat, yet not shall his folly be beaten out of him; if Jesus Christ is the greatest man, you ought to love him
in the greatest degree; now hear how he has given his sanction to the law of ten commandments: did he not mock at the sabbath
and so mock the 'sabbath's God'? murder those who were murdered because of him? turn away the law from the woman taken in
adultery? steal the labor of others to support him? bear false witness when he omitted making a defence before Pilate? covet
when he prayed for his disciples, and when he bid them shake off the dust of their feet against those who refused to lodge
them? I tell you, no virtues can exist without breaking these ten commandments . Jesus was virtue, and acted from impulse,
not from rules."
When he had so spoken, I beheld the Angel,
who stretched out his arms , embracing the flames of fire , & he was consumed and arose as Elijah.
NOTE: This Angel, who has now become
a Devil, is my particular friend; we often read the bible in its infernal and diabolical sense, which the world shall have
if they behave well.
I have also the Bible of Hell, which
the world shall have whether they will or not.
One Law for the Lion
& Ox is Opression.
-William
Blake "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell"
