Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence

(like Lucifer) for their haughtiness [or pride's] sake, God in their remained in the flash of fire and anxiety.

10. This birth [or active property] with the indissoluble band, is generated in every soul ; and there is no soul before the kindling of the light in the child in the mother's body. For with the kindling the eternal band is knit [or tied], so that it standeth eternally, and this worm of the three essences doth not die, nor sever itself ; for it is not possible, [because] they are all three generated out of one [only] fountain, and have three qualities, and yet are but one being [or substance] ; as the Holy Trinity is but in one only essence [or substance] ; and yet they have three originalities inp. 262 one mother, and they are one [only] being [or substance] in one another. Thus also (and not a whit less) is the soul of man, but only one degree in the first going forth ; for it is generated out of the father's eternal will (and not out of the heart of God), yet the heart is the nearest to it of all.

11. And now it may very exactly be understood by the essences and property of the soul, that in this house of flesh (where it is as it were generated) it is not at home ; and its horrible fall may be also understood [thereby]. For it hath no light in itself of its own, it must borrow its light from the sun ; which indeed springeth up along with it in its birth, but that is corruptible, and the worm of the soul is not so ; and it is seen that when a man

1 the light of dieth lit goeth out. And if then the divine light man's faculty be not again generated in the centre, then the soul thateiightmg remaineth in the eternal darkness, in the eternal anguishing [source or] quality of the birth, where nothing is to be found in the kindled fire, but a horrible flash of fire, in which [source, property, or] quality, also the devils dwell ; for it is the first Principle.

12. And the soul here in this world useth the light of the third Principle, after which the soul of Adam lusted, and thereupon was captivated by the spirit of the great world. But if the soul be regenerated in the Holy Ghost, so that its centre

2 in true to the regeneration springeth 2 forth, then it seeth with two lights, and liveth in two Principles. And

Ch. 14] BIRTH AND PROPAGATION OF MAN 263

the most inward [Principle] (viz. the first) is shut up fast, and hangeth but to it, in which the soul is tempted and afflicted by the devil ; and on the contrary, the l virgin (which belongeth to [and is » the virtue or

.-,,". .,, . 1-1 power of God.

mj the tincture of the regeneration, and in the departure of the body from the soul, shall dwell [in the same tincture]) is in continual strife and combat with the devil, and trampleth upon his head in the virtue [and power] of the [soul's] Prince and 2 Champion (viz. the Son of the Virgin), when 8 Saviour or n r -i f i Conqueror.

a new body (out of the virtue [or power] 01 the soul) shall 3 spring forth in the tincture of the soul. 30rbe

13. And that (when the soul is4 departed from f the body) it might no more possibly be tempted ated< by the devil and the spirit of this world ; there is a quiet rest for the soul included in its centre in its own tincture, which standeth in paradise, betwixt the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of hell, to continue until God shall put this world into its 6 ether, when the number of men, and * or reoepfigures (according to the depth of the eternal mind of God) shall be finished.

14. And now when we consider how the temporary and transitory life is generated, we find that the soul is a cause of all the 6 members [or • organs or instruments.