hand, every one must look after and hear him and reverence him: Whereby they built their palaces and great houses, and served in secrecy their idol, Mammon; whereby the lay people were troubled and caused to offend, and so lived in carnal pleasures, in the desire of the wild nature, and served their belly in wantonness, though they fell into misery, relying upon the fruit of the tree, which moved over them all, that thereby they might be healed. 53. In the meanwhile they served the prince of darkness according to the impulse of the wild nature, and the precious tree stood there only for a Maygame or mockingstock, and many lived like wild beasts, and led a wicked life, in pride, pomp, stateliness and lasciviousness, and the rich consumed the labour and sweat of the poor, and oppressed him in addition. 54. All evil actions were approved of for bribery: The laws issued forth out of the evil quality in nature, and every one strove after riches and goods, after pride, pomp and stateliness; there was no deliverer for the poor; scolding, railing, cursing and swearing were not disapproved nor held vicious, and so they defiled themselves in the wrathful or fierce quality, even as a swine tumbleth in the dirt and mire. 55. Thus did the shepherds with the sheep: they retained no more than the bare name of the noble tree; its fruit, virtue and life were only a cover to their sins. Thus the world lived at that time, saving a small remnant or number, which were generated in the midst among the thorns in great tribulation and contempt, out of all nations upon the earth, from the east to the west. 56. There was no difference, they all lived upon the impulse of the wild nature, in impotence, even to a small number, which were delivered out of all nations, as it was before the deluge, and before the growing of the noble tree in nature; and thus it was also at that time. 57. But why men, in the end, did long so eagerly after the root of the tree, is a mystery,* and hitherto it was concealed from the wise and prudent; neither will it rise up to the height, but in the deep, in great simplicity. * "a mystery, and hitherto," etc. A free but correct rendering would be: "a mystery which hitherto was concealed from the wise and prudent; neither will it be made manifest openly to the highminded, but open out in the depth of humility in great simplicity." 58. As indeed the noble tree with its kernel and heart hath always been concealed from the worldly wise, though they supposed they stood, some at the root, and some at the very top of the tree; yet this was no more than a shining mist before their eyes. 59. But the noble tree, from the beginning till now, strove in nature to its utmost, that it might be revealed to all people, [of all] tongues, and languages, against which the devil in the wild nature raged, and fought like a fierce lion. 60. But the noble tree bore the more and the sweeter fruit, and revealed itself more and more against all the fury and madness of the devil, even to the end: and then it was light. For there grew at the root of the noble tree a green twig, which gat the sap and life of the root, to which was given the spirit of the tree; so that it transfigured or made clearly manifest the noble tree in its glorious virtue and power, and nature also, in which it grew.
61. Now when this was done, then both the gates of nature, the knowledge of the two gualities of good and bad, were opened, and so the Heavenly Jerusalem was manifested, and the kingdom of hell also, to all men upon earth. And the light and voice was heard in the four winds, and the false merchant in the south was quite revealed, and his own hated him, and rooted him out from the whole earth. 62. This being done, the wild tree towards the north withered, and all people beheld with wonder or great astonishment the holy tree, even in foreign islands. And the prince in the darkness was revealed, and his mysteries were discovered, and his shame, ignominy and perdition the men upon earth did see and know, for it was light. 63. This lasted but a short time; for men forsook that light, and lived in carnal pleasures, to their own perdition: For as the gate of light had opened itself, so did the gate of darkness also; and from them both went forth all manner of powers and arts that were therein. 64. For as men had lived from the beginning in the growth of the wild nature, and hunted after earthly things only, so in the end things were not mended, but rather grew worse. 65. In the middle of this time were raised many great stormy winds from the west towards the east and north: But from the north there went forth a great stream of water towards the holy tree, and spoiled many twigs in the holy tree, and in the midst of the stream it was light, and so the wild tree towards the north withered. 66. Then the prince in the darkness was enraged in the great motion of nature. For the holy tree moved in nature, as one that would by and by
hand, every one must look after and hear him and reverence him: Whereby they built their palaces and great houses, and served in secrecy their idol, Mammon; whereby the lay people were troubled and caused to offend, and so lived in carnal pleasures, in the desire of the wild nature, and served their belly in wantonness, though they fell into misery, relying upon the fruit of the tree, which moved over them all, that thereby they might be healed. 53. In the meanwhile they served the prince of darkness according to the impulse of the wild nature, and the precious tree stood there only for a Maygame or mockingstock, and many lived like wild beasts, and led a wicked life, in pride, pomp, stateliness and lasciviousness, and the rich consumed the labour and sweat of the poor, and oppressed him in addition. 54. All evil actions were approved of for bribery: The laws issued forth out of the evil quality in nature, and every one strove after riches and goods, after pride, pomp and stateliness; there was no deliverer for the poor; scolding, railing, cursing and swearing were not disapproved nor held vicious, and so they defiled themselves in the wrathful or fierce quality, even as a swine tumbls in the dirt and mire. 55. Thus did the shepherds with the sheep: they retained no more than the bare name of the noble tree; its fruit, virtue and life were only a cover to their sins. Thus the world lived at that time, saving a small remnant or number, which were generated in the midst among the thorns in great tribulation and contempt, out of all nations upon the earth, from the east to the west. 56. There was no difference, they all lived upon the impulse of the wild nature, in impotence, even to a small number, which were delivered out of all nations, as it was before the deluge, and before the growing of the noble tree in nature; and thus it was also at that time. 57. But why men, in the end, did long so eagerly after the root of the tree, is a mystery,* and hitherto it was concealed from the wise and prudent; neither will it rise up to the height, but in the deep, in great simplicity. * "a mystery, and hitherto," etc. A free but correct rendering would be: "a mystery which hitherto was concealed from the wise and prudent; neither will it be made manifest openly to the highminded, but open out in the depth of humility in great simplicity." 58. As indeed the noble tree with its kernel and heart has always been concealed from the worldly wise, though they supposed they stood, some at the root, and some at the very top of the tree; yet this was no more than a shining mist before their eyes. 59. But the noble tree, from the beginning till now, strove in nature to its utmost, that it might be revealed to all people, [of all] tongues, and languages, against which the devil in the wild nature raged, and fought like a fierce lion. 60. But the noble tree bore the more and the sweeter fruit, and revealed itself more and more against all the fury and madness of the devil, even to the end: and then it was light. For there grew at the root of the noble tree a green twig, which gat the sap and life of the root, to which was given the spirit of the tree; so that it transfigured or made clearly manifest the noble tree in its glorious virtue and power, and nature also, in which it grew.
61. Now when this was done, then both the gates of nature, the knowledge of the two gualities of good and bad, were opened, and so the Heavenly Jerusalem was manifested, and the kingdom of hell also, to all men upon earth. And the light and voice was heard in the four winds, and the false merchant in the south was quite revealed, and his own hated him, and rooted him out from the whole earth. 62. This being done, the wild tree towards the north withered, and all people beheld with wonder or great astonishment the holy tree, even in foreign islands. And the prince in the darkness was revealed, and his mysteries were discovered, and his shame, ignominy and perdition the men upon earth did see and know, for it was light. 63. This lasted but a short time; for men forsook that light, and lived in carnal pleasures, to their own perdition: For as the gate of light had opened itself, so did the gate of darkness also; and from them both went forth all manner of powers and arts that were therein. 64. For as men had lived from the beginning in the growth of the wild nature, and hunted after earthly things only, so in the end things were not mended, but rather grew worse. 65. In the middle of this time were raised many great stormy winds from the west towards the east and north: But from the north there went forth a great stream of water towards the holy tree, and spoiled many twigs in the holy tree, and in the midst of the stream it was light, and so the wild tree towards the north withered. 66. Then the prince in the darkness was enraged in the great motion of nature. For the holy tree moved in nature, as one that would by and by
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.