Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
74. Now thus the infiniteness hath the possibility, while it is yet in the first essence [or substance], that it can 2 incline itself to him ; but here you must not understand it any more concerning the whole, for God only is the whole [totum universale], the great deep all over ; but this [which is] in the infiniteness is divided ; and it is in the appearing [flash or sparkling] of the plurality [or multiplicity], where the whole, in and through himself in the eternal impregnated darkness, [sparkleth, or] discovereth itself in infinitum [or infinitely]. This discovery, [or 3 these sparklings], stand altogether in the originality of the fire-flash, and may again, in the impregnated darkness (viz. in the 4cold sourness, and in the flash of the fire), discover [flash or sparkle] and 5 give up themselves, or again conceive a will out of the darkness, to go out of the anxiety of the mind (through the sharpness in the flash) 6in the meekness, to God.
75. For the sharpness in the flash is always the centrum [or centre] to the regeneration in the second Principle ; to which now the worm in the spark inclineth [or uniteth] to generate itself [in], whether it be in the eternal cold out of the sharp essence through the flash in the fierceness [or sternness] of the fire, or. out of the sharpness in the regeneration of the meekness to God ; therein it standeth, and there is no 7 recovery [back from
Ch. 14] BIRTH AND PROPAGATION OF MAN 295
thence]. For, the meekness goeth not back again into the dark, fierce, and cold essence, in the first attracting, which from eternity is before the recomprehended [or re-conceived] will ; but it cometh to help that [darkness], and enlighteneth whatsoever cometh to it out of the strong might of God, and this liveth in the virtue, and in the light eternity with God.
76. And the deep of the darkness is as great as the habitation of the light ; and they stand not one distant from the other, but together in one another, and neither of them hath beginning or end ; there is no limit or place, but the sharp regeneration is the mark [stroke, bounds] or limitation between these two Principles.
77. Neither of them is above or beneath, only the regeneration out of the darkness in the meekness is said to be above ; and there is such a [bar or] l firma- l clift, door, ment between them, that neither of them both doth comprehend the one the other ; for the [bar or] mark of limitation is a whole birth or Principle, and a firm centre, so that none of them both can go into the other, but [only] the sharp fire-flash, the strong might of God, that standeth in the midst in the centre of the regeneration, and that only looketh into the worm of the darkness ; and with its terror in the darkness maketh the eternal anguishing source, the rising-up in the fire, which yet can reach nothing but only the anguish, and in the anguish the fierce [stern] flash. And so now
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whatsoever becometh corporized there, in the stern [fierce or strong] mind, in the sparkling [or shining] of the infiniteriess, and doth not put its will (in the corporizmg) forward, into the centre of the regeneration, in the meekness of God, that remaineth in the dark mind, in the fire-flash.
78. And so that creature hath -no other will in itself, neither can it ever make any other will from anything ; for there is no more in it, but [a will] to fly up in its own un -regenerated might above the centre, and to rule [or domineer] in the might of the fire over the meekness of God, and yet it cannot reach it.
79. And here is the original [cause] that the creature of the darkness willeth to be above the Deity, as the devil did ; and here is the original
2 Or fountain, of self-pride ; for such as the * source in the creature is, such also is the creature. For the creature is [proceeded] out of the essence ; and on the other side, the 2 source (viz. its worm) is [proceeded] out of the eternal will of the dark mind.
80. And this will is not the will of God, neither 8 re-purposed, is it God ; but the 3 re-conceived will 4 to meekness in the mind, is God's regenerated will, which standeth there in the centre of the birth in the sharpness of the breaking [or destroying] of the
» Or well-do- darkness, and in the pleasant 5 loving kindness in&>
74. Now thus the infiniteness has the possibility, while it is yet in the first essence [or substance], that it can 2 incline itself to him ; but here you must not understand it any more concerning the whole, for God only is the whole [totum universale], the great deep all over ; but this [which is] in the infiniteness is divided ; and it is in the appearing [flash or sparkling] of the plurality [or multiplicity], where the whole, in and through himself in the eternal impregnated darkness, [sparkls, or] discovers itself in infinitum [or infinitely]. This discovery, [or 3 these sparklings], stand altogether in the originality of the fire-flash, and may again, in the impregnated darkness (viz. in the 4cold sourness, and in the flash of the fire), discover [flash or sparkle] and 5 give up themselves, or again conceive a will out of the darkness, to go out of the anxiety of the mind (through the sharpness in the flash) 6in the meekness, to God.
75. For the sharpness in the flash is always the centrum [or centre] to the regeneration in the second Principle ; to which now the worm in the spark inclins [or unites] to generate itself [in], whether it be in the eternal cold out of the sharp essence through the flash in the fierceness [or sternness] of the fire, or. out of the sharpness in the regeneration of the meekness to God ; therein it stands, and there is no 7 recovery [back from
Ch. 14] BIRTH AND PROPAGATION OF MAN 295 thence]. For, the meekness goes not back again into the dark, fierce, and cold essence, in the first attracting, which from eternity is before the recomprehended [or re-conceived] will ; but it comes to help that [darkness], and enlightens whatsoever comes to it out of the strong might of God, and this lives in the virtue, and in the light eternity with God.
76. And the deep of the darkness is as great as the habitation of the light ; and they stand not one distant from the other, but together in one another, and neither of them has beginning or end ; there is no limit or place, but the sharp regeneration is the mark [stroke, bounds] or limitation between these two Principles.
77. Neither of them is above or beneath, only the regeneration out of the darkness in the meekness is said to be above ; and there is such a [bar or] l firma- l clift, door, ment between them, that neither of them both does comprehend the one the other ; for the [bar or] mark of limitation is a whole birth or Principle, and a firm centre, so that none of them both can go into the other, but [only] the sharp fire-flash, the strong might of God, that stands in the midst in the centre of the regeneration, and that only looks into the worm of the darkness ; and with its terror in the darkness makes the eternal anguishing source, the rising-up in the fire, which yet can reach nothing but only the anguish, and in the anguish the fierce [stern] flash. And so now 296 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 14 whatsoever becomes corporized there, in the stern [fierce or strong] mind, in the sparkling [or shining] of the infiniteriess, and does not put its will (in the corporizmg) forward, into the centre of the regeneration, in the meekness of God, that remains in the dark mind, in the fire-flash.
78. And so that creature has -no other will in itself, neither can it ever make any other will from anything ; for there is no more in it, but [a will] to fly up in its own un -regenerated might above the centre, and to rule [or domineer] in the might of the fire over the meekness of God, and yet it cannot reach it.
79. And here is the original [cause] that the creature of the darkness wills to be above the Deity, as the devil did ; and here is the original
2 Or fountain, of self-pride ; for such as the * source in the creature is, such also is the creature. For the creature is [proceeded] out of the essence ; and on the other side, the 2 source (viz. its worm) is [proceeded] out of the eternal will of the dark mind.
80. And this will is not the will of God, neither 8 re-purposed, is it God ; but the 3 re-conceived will 4 to meekness in the mind, is God's regenerated will, which stands there in the centre of the birth in the sharpness of the breaking [or destroying] of the
» Or well-do- darkness, and in the pleasant 5 loving kindness in&>