Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
eat of their l essences, and make thee strong. l Orsubstance. Here the spirit of the soul (like a captive) must be obedient, and must reach with his essences, and fetch them forth. And then cometh the Fiat, and saith, No : thou 2 mightest [so] outrun me ; 2 Or mayest and [the Fiat] created the reaching forth, and** there came forth from thence, hands, and all other essences and forms, as it is before our eyes, and the astronomicus [astronomer] knoweth it well, yet he knoweth not the secrecy of it, although he can explain the 3 signs according to the constellation 3 marks or and elements, which qualify [and mingle] together in the essences of the spirit of the soul.
27. And now when the hands (in the will) reach after the children of the earth (which [reaching forth] yet is no other than a will in the spirit of the child in the mother's body) then the Fiat is there, and maketh a great room in the courts of the three elements, and a tough firm enclosure round about it, that they may not touch the flesh : For the flesh is afraid of the children of the earth, because the earth is thrown away (for its rough stinking darkness) and it trembleth for great fear ; and it looketh still about after the best [means] (lest the children of the earth should be too roughp. 270 for it, and might cause a stink) that so it might
1 outlet. have an l opening, and might cast away the stink and the filth, and [so] it maketh out of the court (which is the maw [or stomach]) an outlet and gate, and environeth the same with its tough [sour] harshness, and so there is a gut.
2 the stink. 28. But because the2 enemy is not yet in substance, but only in the will of the spirit, therefore it goeth away very slowly downwards, and seeketh for the port, where it will make an outlet and gate, that it may cast away the stink and filth, from whence the guts are so very long and
8 winding and 3 Crooked.
folds. 29. Now when this conference (which is spiritual, between the three elements, fire, air, and water) was perceived by the spirit of the earth (viz. the
* the spirit of essences in the region of the lungs) then 4it the earth. .
cometh at last (when the habitation or the court was already built for the children of the earth) and saith to the three elements, Wherefore will you take the body for the spirit ? Will you take the children of the earth, and feed upon them ? I am their spirit, and am pure ; I can strengthen the essences of the soul with my virtue and essences, and uphold them well, take me in.
30. And they say, Yes, we will take thee in, for thou art a member of our spirit ; thou shalt dwell in us, and strengthen the essences of our spirit, that it may not faint ; yet we must also have the children of the earth (for they have our
Ch. 14] BIRTH AND PROPAGATION OF MAN 271
quality also in them) that we may rejoice. And the spirit of the lungs saith, Then 1 will live in you wholly, and rejoice myself with you.
The Gate of the Sidereal, or l Starry Spirit. l Astral spirit
31. Thus now when the light of the sun, which had discovered and imprinted itself in the fire-flash of the essences of the spirit, and was shining in the fire-flash (as in a strange virtue, and not in the sun's own virtue), [when he] seeth that he hath gotten the 2 region, and that the 3 essences of the 2 rule,
..... . . ... . . ment, or pre soul (which are the worm or the spirit) as also the elements will rejoice in his virtue and splendour, and that the elements have made their four regions [or dominions] and habitations, for an everlasting possession, and that * he should be a king, and that 4 the sun. 5 they should serve at court (in the spirit of the6 the elements. essences) in the heart, and so exceedingly love him, and rejoice in their service, and have besides brought the 6 children of the earth, that the spirit 6 the fruits
L of the earth.
might present them (where then they will first be frolic and potent, and eat and drink of the
7 essences of the children of the earth), then 8 he 7 Or virtues.
thinketh with himself, it is good to dwell here, thou art a king, thou wilt bring *thy kindred 9 the woridiyJ . wise, or the offspring, or generation] hither, and raise them children of the sun.
eat of their l essences, and make you strong. l Orsubstance. Here the spirit of the soul (like a captive) must be obedient, and must reach with his essences, and fetch them forth. And then comes the Fiat, and says, No : you 2 might [so] outrun me ; 2 Or may and [the Fiat] created the reaching forth, and** there came forth from thence, hands, and all other essences and forms, as it is before our eyes, and the astronomicus [astronomer] knows it well, yet he knows not the secrecy of it, although he can explain the 3 signs according to the constellation 3 marks or and elements, which qualify [and mingle] together in the essences of the spirit of the soul.
27. And now when the hands (in the will) reach after the children of the earth (which [reaching forth] yet is no other than a will in the spirit of the child in the mother's body) then the Fiat is there, and makes a great room in the courts of the three elements, and a tough firm enclosure round about it, that they may not touch the flesh : For the flesh is afraid of the children of the earth, because the earth is thrown away (for its rough stinking darkness) and it trembls for great fear ; and it looks still about after the best [means] (lest the children of the earth should be too rough
270 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 14 for it, and might cause a stink) that so it might
1 outlet. have an l opening, and might cast away the stink and the filth, and [so] it makes out of the court (which is the maw [or stomach]) an outlet and gate, and environs the same with its tough [sour] harshness, and so there is a gut.
2 the stink. 28. But because the2 enemy is not yet in substance, but only in the will of the spirit, therefore it goes away very slowly downwards, and seeks for the port, where it will make an outlet and gate, that it may cast away the stink and filth, from whence the guts are so very long and
8 winding and 3 Crooked.
folds. 29. Now when this conference (which is spiritual, between the three elements, fire, air, and water) was perceived by the spirit of the earth (viz. the
* the spirit of essences in the region of the lungs) then 4it the earth. .
comes at last (when the habitation or the court was already built for the children of the earth) and says to the three elements, Wherefore will you take the body for the spirit ? Will you take the children of the earth, and feed upon them ? I am their spirit, and am pure ; I can strengthen the essences of the soul with my virtue and essences, and uphold them well, take me in.
30. And they say, Yes, we will take you in, for you are a member of our spirit ; you shall dwell in us, and strengthen the essences of our spirit, that it may not faint ; yet we must also have the children of the earth (for they have our
Ch. 14] BIRTH AND PROPAGATION OF MAN 271 quality also in them) that we may rejoice. And the spirit of the lungs says, Then 1 will live in you wholly, and rejoice myself with you.
The Gate of the Sidereal, or l Starry Spirit. l Astral spirit
31. Thus now when the light of the sun, which had discovered and imprinted itself in the fire-flash of the essences of the spirit, and was shining in the fire-flash (as in a strange virtue, and not in the sun's own virtue), [when he] sees that he has gotten the 2 region, and that the 3 essences of the 2 rule,
..... . . ... . . ment, or pre soul (which are the worm or the spirit) as also the elements will rejoice in his virtue and splendour, and that the elements have made their four regions [or dominions] and habitations, for an everlasting possession, and that * he should be a king, and that 4 the sun. 5 they should serve at court (in the spirit of the6 the elements. essences) in the heart, and so exceedingly love him, and rejoice in their service, and have besides brought the 6 children of the earth, that the spirit 6 the fruits
L of the earth.
might present them (where then they will first be frolic and potent, and eat and drink of the
7 essences of the children of the earth), then 8 he 7 Or virtues.
thinks with himself, it is good to dwell here, you are a king, you will bring *your kindred 9 the woridiyJ . wise, or the offspring, or generation] hither, and raise them children of the sun.