Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
concerning the hidden things that were in Adamp. 190 before his fall, and that yet there are much greater after his fall, when he was as it were dead, and yet
1 Or continual living ; and here is shewn the l birth of the eternal essence, and wherefore it still must thus have been, that Adam must have been tempted, and wherefore it could not have been otherwise ; though reason
2speaketh continually 2gainsayeth it, and allegeth God's against it. . . . .' , . , omnipotency, that it was in him to hinder, or suffer the doing of it.
30. Beloved reason, leave off your thoughts, for with these thoughts and conceits you know not God, nor the eternity. Then how will you with such thoughts know the similitude which God generated out of the eternal mind ? It hath here been sundry times mentioned to you, that the mind (which yet is the greatest essence in man)
3 in a working doth not stand 3 in a source.
is fre^. ' 31. If we think of [or consider] the incliner, what that was which inclined and drew Adam to that which was forbidden, that he should lust contrary to the command of God, whereas he was yet in great perfection, then we shall find the eternal mind, out of which Adam was also created ; and that because he was an extract out of the eternal mind, out of all essences of all the three Principles, therefore he must be tempted [to try] whether he could stand in paradise : For the Heart of God desired that he should continue in paradise, but now he could not continue in paradise, except he did eat paradisical fruit ;
Ch. llj CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE TEMPTATION 191
therefore now his Heart should have been wholly
1 inclined towards God ; and so he should have 1 given up to lived in the divine centre, and God had wrought in him.
32. Now what opposed him, or what drew him from paradise to disobedience, so that he passed into another image [form or condition] ? Behold, thou child of man, there was a threefold strife in Adam, without Adam, and in all whatsoever Adam beheld. Thou wilt say, What was it ? It was the three Principles ; first, the kingdom of hell, the power of the wrath ; and secondly, the kingdom of this world, with the stars and elements ; and thirdly, the kingdom of paradise, that desired to have him.
33. Now these three kingdoms were in Adam, and also 2 without him ; and in the 3 essences there 2 extra. was a mighty strife, all drew as well in Adam as t without Adam, and would fain have him ; for he was a great lord [come] out of all the [powers or] virtues of nature. The Heart of God desired to have him in paradise, and [would] dwell in him ; for it said, it is my image and similitude. And the kingdom of wrath [and of the fierce tartness] would also have him ; for it said, he is mine, and he is [proceeded] out of my fountain, out of the eternal mind of the darkness ; I will be in him, and he shall live in my might, for he is generated out of [that which is] mine ; I will, through him, shew great and strong power. The kingdom ofp. 192 this world said, he is mine ; for he beareth my image, and he liveth in [that which is] mine, and I in him ; he must be obedient to me, I will tame him and compel him, I have all my members in him, and he in me ; I am greater than he, he must
1 Or steward, be my l householder, I will shew my fair wonders and virtues in him, he must manifest my wonders and virtues, he shall keep and manage my herds, I will clothe him with my fair glory ; as now it is to be seen.
34. But when the kingdom of the fierceness, of the wrath, of death, and of hell, saw that it had lost, and could not keep man, then it said, I am
2 mws. 2 death, and a worm, and my virtue [or power] is in
concerning the hidden things that were in Adam
190 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 11 before his fall, and that yet there are much greater after his fall, when he was as it were dead, and yet
1 Or continual living ; and here is shown the l birth of the eternal essence, and wherefore it still must thus have been, that Adam must have been tempted, and wherefore it could not have been otherwise ; though reason
2speaketh continually 2gainsayeth it, and allegs God's against it. . . . .' , . , omnipotency, that it was in him to hinder, or suffer the doing of it.
30. Beloved reason, leave off your thoughts, for with these thoughts and conceits you know not God, nor the eternity. Then how will you with such thoughts know the similitude which God generated out of the eternal mind ? It has here been sundry times mentioned to you, that the mind (which yet is the greatest essence in man)
3 in a working does not stand 3 in a source.
is fre^. ' 31. If we think of [or consider] the incliner, what that was which inclined and drew Adam to that which was forbidden, that he should lust contrary to the command of God, whereas he was yet in great perfection, then we shall find the eternal mind, out of which Adam was also created ; and that because he was an extract out of the eternal mind, out of all essences of all the three Principles, therefore he must be tempted [to try] whether he could stand in paradise : For the Heart of God desired that he should continue in paradise, but now he could not continue in paradise, except he did eat paradisical fruit ;
Ch. llj CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE TEMPTATION 191 therefore now his Heart should have been wholly
1 inclined towards God ; and so he should have 1 given up to lived in the divine centre, and God had wrought in him.
32. Now what opposed him, or what drew him from paradise to disobedience, so that he passed into another image [form or condition] ? Behold, you child of man, there was a threefold strife in Adam, without Adam, and in all whatsoever Adam beheld. You will say, What was it ? It was the three Principles ; first, the kingdom of hell, the power of the wrath ; and secondly, the kingdom of this world, with the stars and elements ; and thirdly, the kingdom of paradise, that desired to have him.
33. Now these three kingdoms were in Adam, and also 2 without him ; and in the 3 essences there 2 extra. was a mighty strife, all drew as well in Adam as t without Adam, and would fain have him ; for he was a great lord [come] out of all the [powers or] virtues of nature. The Heart of God desired to have him in paradise, and [would] dwell in him ; for it said, it is my image and similitude. And the kingdom of wrath [and of the fierce tartness] would also have him ; for it said, he is mine, and he is [proceeded] out of my fountain, out of the eternal mind of the darkness ; I will be in him, and he shall live in my might, for he is generated out of [that which is] mine ; I will, through him, show great and strong power. The kingdom of
192 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 11 this world said, he is mine ; for he bears my image, and he lives in [that which is] mine, and I in him ; he must be obedient to me, I will tame him and compel him, I have all my members in him, and he in me ; I am greater than he, he must
1 Or steward, be my l householder, I will show my fair wonders and virtues in him, he must manifest my wonders and virtues, he shall keep and manage my herds, I will clothe him with my fair glory ; as now it is to be seen.
34. But when the kingdom of the fierceness, of the wrath, of death, and of hell, saw that it had lost, and could not keep man, then it said, I am
2 mws. 2 death, and a worm, and my virtue [or power] is in