Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
"excrement f>jat fa^f driveth it Out, and of its tOUgh
[glutinous] sourness maketh an inclosure round about it, viz. a film, or gut, that it may touch neither the flesh nor the spirit, and leaveth the
8 condemneth. nethermost port open for it, and 3banisheth it eternally, because that impurity doth not belong to this kingdom ; as it happened also to the earth,
4 At the when the 4 Fiat thrust it out of the matrix in the creation. • i • i r i midst in the centre, upon a neap [as a luinpj, » in the incar- being it was unfit for heaven, so also 5here.
nation. A , ., ,
22. And we find greater mysteries yet in 6 testimony. 6 evidence of the horrible fall ; for after that the four elements had thus set themselves every one in a several region, then they made themselves lords over the spirit of the soul, which was generated out of the essences, and they have taken it into theirp. 267 power, and qualify with it. The fire, viz. the mightiest of them, hath taken it into its l region [or jurisdiction]
in the heart ; and there it must 2 keep, and the a The spirit blossom and light thereof goeth out of the heart, and moveth upon the heart, as the kindled light of a candle, where the candle resembleth the fleshly heart, with the essences out of which the light shineth. And the fire hath set itself over the essences, and continually reacheth after the light, and it supposeth that it hath the virgin, viz. the divine virtue [or power].
23. And there the holy tincture is generated out of the essences, which regardeth not the fire, but setteth the essences (viz. the soul) in its pleasant 3joy. Then come the other three elements 3 refreshment, out of their regions, and fill themselves also by force therein, each of them would taste of the virgin, receive her and qualify [or mingle] with her : viz. the water, that filleth itself by force also therein, and it tasteth the sweet tincture of the soul. And the fire saith, I would willingly keep the water, for I can quench my thirst therewith, and refresh myself therein. And the air saith, I am indeed the spirit, I will blow up thy heat and fire, that the water do not choke thee. And the fire saith to the air, I will keep thee, for thou upholdest my quality for me, that I also go not out. And then coraeth the element [of] (earth) and saith, What will you three do alone ? You will starve and consume one another ; for you depend allp. 268 three OD one another, and devour yourselves, and when you shall have consumed the water, then you extinguish ; for the air cannot move, unless it have some water ; for the water is the mother of the air, which generateth the air : Moreover, the fire becometh much too fierce [violent and eager] if the water be consumed, and consumeth the body, and then our l region is out, and none of us can subsist.
24. Then thus say the three elements (the fire, the air, and the water) to the earth, Thou art indeed too dark, too rough, and too cold, and thou art rejected by the Fiat : We cannot take thee in ; thou destroyest our dwelling, and makest it dark and stinking, and thou afflictest our virgin, which is our only delight and treasure wherein we live. And the earth saith, Yet pray take my 2 children in ; they are lovely, and of good esteem ; they afford you meat and drink, and cherish you, that you never suffer want.
25. Hereupon thus say the three elements : But so they may afterwards get a dwelling in us, and may come to be strong and great, and then we must depart, or be in subjection to them, and therefore we will not take them in either, for they may come to be as rough and cold as thou art : Yet this we will do, thou mayest let thy stonuuh and children dwell 3 in our courts and porches, and we ^ta- will come and be their guest, and eat of * their
4 the virtue of. ii«i • i i • v their fruit, fruit, and drink of their drink, else the water whichCh. 14] ^ BIRTH AND PROPAGATION OP MAN 269 is contained in the element would be too little for us.
26. Now thus say the three elements (fire, water, and air) to the spirit, Fetch us children of the earth, that they may dwell in our courts, we will
"excrement f>jat fa^f drivs it Out, and of its tOUgh
[glutinous] sourness makes an inclosure round about it, viz. a film, or gut, that it may touch neither the flesh nor the spirit, and leaves the
8 condemns. nethermost port open for it, and 3banisheth it eternally, because that impurity does not belong to this kingdom ; as it happened also to the earth,
4 At the when the 4 Fiat thrust it out of the matrix in the creation. • i • i r i midst in the centre, upon a neap [as a luinpj, » in the incar- being it was unfit for heaven, so also 5here.
nation. A , ., ,
22. And we find greater mysteries yet in 6 testimony. 6 evidence of the horrible fall ; for after that the four elements had thus set themselves every one in a several region, then they made themselves lords over the spirit of the soul, which was generated out of the essences, and they have taken it into their enceCh. 14] BIRTH AND PROPAGATION OF MAN 267 power, and qualify with it. The fire, viz. the mightiest of them, has taken it into its l region [or jurisdiction]
in the heart ; and there it must 2 keep, and the a The spirit blossom and light thereof goes out of the heart, and moves upon the heart, as the kindled light of a candle, where the candle resembls the fleshly heart, with the essences out of which the light shines. And the fire has set itself over the essences, and continually reaches after the light, and it supposes that it has the virgin, viz. the divine virtue [or power].
23. And there the holy tincture is generated out of the essences, which regards not the fire, but setts the essences (viz. the soul) in its pleasant 3joy. Then come the other three elements 3 refreshment, out of their regions, and fill themselves also by force therein, each of them would taste of the virgin, receive her and qualify [or mingle] with her : viz. the water, that fills itself by force also therein, and it tastes the sweet tincture of the soul. And the fire says, I would willingly keep the water, for I can quench my thirst therewith, and refresh myself therein. And the air says, I am indeed the spirit, I will blow up your heat and fire, that the water do not choke you. And the fire says to the air, I will keep you, for you upholdest my quality for me, that I also go not out. And then coras the element [of] (earth) and says, What will you three do alone ? You will starve and consume one another ; for you depend all
268 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 14 three OD one another, and devour yourselves, and when you shall have consumed the water, then you extinguish ; for the air cannot move, unless it have some water ; for the water is the mother of the air, which generats the air : Moreover, the fire becomes much too fierce [violent and eager] if the water be consumed, and consums the body, and then our l region is out, and none of us can subsist.
24. Then thus say the three elements (the fire, the air, and the water) to the earth, You art indeed too dark, too rough, and too cold, and you are rejected by the Fiat : We cannot take you in ; you destroyest our dwelling, and makest it dark and stinking, and you afflictest our virgin, which is our only delight and treasure wherein we live. And the earth says, Yet pray take my 2 children in ; they are lovely, and of good esteem ; they afford you meat and drink, and cherish you, that you never suffer want.
25. Hereupon thus say the three elements : But so they may afterwards get a dwelling in us, and may come to be strong and great, and then we must depart, or be in subjection to them, and therefore we will not take them in either, for they may come to be as rough and cold as you art : Yet this we will do, you may let your stonuuh and children dwell 3 in our courts and porches, and we ^ta- will come and be their guest, and eat of * their
4 the virtue of. ii«i • i i • v their fruit, fruit, and drink of their drink, else the water which
Ch. 14] ^ BIRTH AND PROPAGATION OP MAN 269 is contained in the element would be too little for us.
26. Now thus say the three elements (fire, water, and air) to the spirit, Fetch us children of the earth, that they may dwell in our courts, we will