Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
24. The tincture is the pleasant sweetness and softness in a fragrant herb and flower, and the spirit thereof is bitter and harsh, and if the tincture were not, the herb would get neither blossom nor smell ; it giveth to all essences virtue to grow. Itis also in metals and stones ; it maketh that thep. 236 silver and gold do grow, and without it [the tincture] there is nothing in this world could grow. Among all the children in nature, [it only] is a virgin, and hath never generated any thing out of itself; neither can it generate, and yet it maketh that all things impregnate. It is the most hidden Dei. thing, and also the most manifest ; it is l a friend
Friendess, or
she-friend of God, and a play-fellow of virtue ; it suffereth itself to be detained by nothing, and yet it is in all things ; but if anything be done to it against the right of nature, then it flieth [away], and that very easily : It standeth not fast, and yet it continueth immovable ; it continueth in no kind of decaying of any thing ; all the while that it standeth in the root of nature, not altered nor destroyed, so long it continueth. It layeth no burthen upon anything, but it easeth the burthen in all things ; it maketh that all things rejoice, and yet it
2 laughter, or generateth no shouting 2 noise ; but the voice out-cry.
cometh out of the essences, and becometh loud in the spirit.
- 25. The way to it is very near ; whosoever findeth that [way] dareth not to reveal it, neither can he, for there is no language that can express it :
- * the tincture. And although any seek long after 3 it, if the tincture will not, he cannot find it ; nevertheless it meeteth them that seek after it aright, in its own way [or manner], as its nature is, with a virginlike mind, not being [prone] to covetousness and [wantonness or] voluptuousness ; it suffereth itself
Ch. 13] OP THE CREATING OF THE WOMAN 237 to be imprinted [represented or imagined] in a thing (where it was not before) by l faith, if it be1 Or belief.
right in a virgin-like manner : It is powerful, and yet doth nothing ; when it goeth out of a thing, it cometh not into it again, but it stayeth in its
2 ether, it never breaketh [or corrupteth] more, and 2 air, or receptacle.
yet doth grow.
26. Now you will say, this must be God ! No, it is not God, but it is God's 3 friend. Christ said, 3 She-friend. My Father worketh, and I work also ; but it worketh not ; it is in a thing imperceptibly, and yet it may well be overpowered and used ; especially in metals, there it can (if itself be pure) make pure gold of iron, and of copper ; it can make a little grow to be a great deal, and yet it puts forth nothing. Its way is as subtle as the thoughts of a man, and the thoughts do even arise from thence.
27. And therefore when a man sleepeth, so that the tincture resteth, then there are no thoughts in the spirit ; but the constellation rumbleth in the elements, and beateth into the brains what shall (through their operation) come to pass, which yet is often broken again by another * conjunction, so « aspect of the that it cometh not to effect ; besides, it can shew p nothing exactly, except it cometh by a conjunction of planets and fixed stars, and that only goeth forward, but it representeth all [in an] earthly [manner], according to the spirit of this world ; so that where the 6 sidereal spirit should speak of men, * Or starry it often speaketh of beasts, and continually repre238
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 13
1 Or to bo understood.
2 That is, upon true resignation.
3 Schwebet.
4 on God's side.
sents the contrary ; as the earthly spirit fancieth from the starry spirit, so he dreameth.
24. The tincture is the pleasant sweetness and softness in a fragrant herb and flower, and the spirit thereof is bitter and harsh, and if the tincture were not, the herb would get neither blossom nor smell ; it gives to all essences virtue to grow. Itis also in metals and stones ; it makes that the
236 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 13 silver and gold do grow, and without it [the tincture] there is nothing in this world could grow. Among all the children in nature, [it only] is a virgin, and has never generated any thing out of itself; neither can it generate, and yet it makes that all things impregnate. It is the most hidden Dei. thing, and also the most manifest ; it is l a friend
Friendess, or
she-friend of God, and a play-fellow of virtue ; it suffers itself to be detained by nothing, and yet it is in all things ; but if anything be done to it against the right of nature, then it flies [away], and that very easily : It stands not fast, and yet it continues immovable ; it continues in no kind of decaying of any thing ; all the while that it stands in the root of nature, not altered nor destroyed, so long it continues. It lays no burthen upon anything, but it eases the burthen in all things ; it makes that all things rejoice, and yet it
2 laughter, or generats no shouting 2 noise ; but the voice out-cry.
comes out of the essences, and becomes loud in the spirit.
- 25. The way to it is very near ; whosoever finds that [way] dars not to reveal it, neither can he, for there is no language that can express it :
- * the tincture. And although any seek long after 3 it, if the tincture will not, he cannot find it ; nevertheless it meets them that seek after it aright, in its own way [or manner], as its nature is, with a virginlike mind, not being [prone] to covetousness and [wantonness or] voluptuousness ; it suffers itself
Ch. 13] OP THE CREATING OF THE WOMAN 237 to be imprinted [represented or imagined] in a thing (where it was not before) by l faith, if it be1 Or belief.
right in a virgin-like manner : It is powerful, and yet does nothing ; when it goes out of a thing, it comes not into it again, but it stays in its
2 ether, it never breaks [or corrupts] more, and 2 air, or receptacle.
yet does grow.
26. Now you will say, this must be God ! No, it is not God, but it is God's 3 friend. Christ said, 3 She-friend. My Father works, and I work also ; but it works not ; it is in a thing imperceptibly, and yet it may well be overpowered and used ; especially in metals, there it can (if itself be pure) make pure gold of iron, and of copper ; it can make a little grow to be a great deal, and yet it puts forth nothing. Its way is as subtle as the thoughts of a man, and the thoughts do even arise from thence.
27. And therefore when a man sleeps, so that the tincture rests, then there are no thoughts in the spirit ; but the constellation rumbls in the elements, and beats into the brains what shall (through their operation) come to pass, which yet is often broken again by another * conjunction, so « aspect of the that it comes not to effect ; besides, it can show p nothing exactly, except it comes by a conjunction of planets and fixed stars, and that only goes forward, but it represents all [in an] earthly [manner], according to the spirit of this world ; so that where the 6 sidereal spirit should speak of men, * Or starry it often speaks of beasts, and continually repre238
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 13
1 Or to bo understood.
2 That is, upon true resignation.
3 Schwebet.
4 on God's side.
sents the contrary ; as the earthly spirit fancies from the starry spirit, so he dreams.