Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
89. Beloved mind, behold, consider this, this now is God and his heavenly kingdom, even the eternal element and paradise, and it standeth thus in the eternal original from eternity to eternity. Now what joy, delight, and pleasantness is therein, I have no pen that can describe it, neither can I express it ; for the earthly tongue is too much insufficient to do it ; [all that men can say of it] is like dross compared with gold, and much more inferior ; yea, although the virgin 2 bringeth it into 2 discovereth the mind, yet all is too dark and too cold in the ' whole man, so that he cannot express so much as one spark [or glimpse] thereof sufficiently. We will defer it till [we come] into the bosom of thep. 302 virgin ; we have here only given a short hint of it, that the author of this book may be understood ; for we are but a very little drop out of the fountain of the wisdom of God ; and we speak as a little sparkle [or glimpse], but [high] enough for our Or in respect, earthly [understanding], and1 for our weak knowledge here upon earth ; for in this life we have no need of any higher knowledge of the eternal substance [being or essence] ; if we do but barely and nakedly speak of what hath been from eternity, it is enough.
THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER
Of the l Knowledge of the Eternity in the l Or UnderCorruptibility of the Essence of all Essences.
1. ~^TOW ^ we consider of the eternal will
A.^1 of God, [and] of the 2 essence of all2 being of all essences; then we find in the originalness but substance of
Q WV^V^HHftMi V»
one [only being, substance or] essence, as is*1 mentioned above. Out of this [only] essence is generated from eternity the other [being, substance, or] essence, viz. the divine essence, and we find that both the [beings, substances or] essences stand in divine omnipotence, but not in one 3 source, 8 Or working neither do they mix together, nor can either ofpl them both be [destroyed, dissolved, corrupted, or] broken.
2. But yet they have two sorts of inclinations [or desires], each in itself for its own. Yet because the divine [being or] essence from eternity is generated out of itself, therefore it is inclined to help the weak, and is rightly called Barmhertzig-keit [mercifulness].
3. And now seeing the virgin of the eternal wisdom hath 4 discovered herself in the eternal « Or shone.
p. 303
p. 304
original, and in the eternal mind in the sharp essence of the breaking of the darkness in the fireflash [hath found] the depth of the f1 very] image of God, and that the similitude of God is there in the eternal original, therefore she hath longed after the similitude, and that longing maketh the against the similitude ; and the Fiat in the attracting of the willing, created the will in the similitude, out of which came the angels all together. But now the eternal essences were in the similitude, and the wisdom discovered [or manifested] herself in the essences in many thousand thousands, that the eternal wonders might be revealed [or made manifest] ; and thereupon there went forth (according to every essence, as out of a fountain) many thousand thousands.
2 Or presented attracting in the will, and the will stood [2 right]
4. And from thence came the names of the thrones and principalities, as according to the
3 Or fountain, essences of the first and great 3 source, which in the discovering of the eternal wisdom of God goeth forth again into many thousand thousands, yet there is a certain number [of them], and in the centre of God none [or no number, but infiniteness] ; and thus out of the fountain of every essence are
4 Or throne- gone forth, first the * thrones, and in the throne many thousand thousands.
5. These the Fiat created to a similitude and image of God, and overshadowed the same in the Fiat with the overflowing virtue of God ; and theCh. 15] KNOWLEDGE OF THE ETERNITY 305 will of God l set itself [right] against the image and x Or presented
1-1 11 1-1 -IT -n itself before.
89. Beloved mind, behold, consider this, this now is God and his heavenly kingdom, even the eternal element and paradise, and it stands thus in the eternal original from eternity to eternity. Now what joy, delight, and pleasantness is therein, I have no pen that can describe it, neither can I express it ; for the earthly tongue is too much insufficient to do it ; [all that men can say of it] is like dross compared with gold, and much more inferior ; yea, although the virgin 2 brings it into 2 discovers the mind, yet all is too dark and too cold in the ' whole man, so that he cannot express so much as one spark [or glimpse] thereof sufficiently. We will defer it till [we come] into the bosom of the
302 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Oh. 14 virgin ; we have here only given a short hint of it, that the author of this book may be understood ; for we are but a very little drop out of the fountain of the wisdom of God ; and we speak as a little sparkle [or glimpse], but [high] enough for our Or in respect, earthly [understanding], and1 for our weak knowledge here upon earth ; for in this life we have no need of any higher knowledge of the eternal substance [being or essence] ; if we do but barely and nakedly speak of what has been from eternity, it is enough.
THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER
Of the l Knowledge of the Eternity in the l Or UnderCorruptibility of the Essence of all Essences.
1. ~^TOW ^ we consider of the eternal will
A.^1 of God, [and] of the 2 essence of all2 being of all essences; then we find in the originalness but substance of
Q WV^V^HHftMi V»
one [only being, substance or] essence, as is*1 mentioned above. Out of this [only] essence is generated from eternity the other [being, substance, or] essence, viz. the divine essence, and we find that both the [beings, substances or] essences stand in divine omnipotence, but not in one 3 source, 8 Or working neither do they mix together, nor can either ofpl them both be [destroyed, dissolved, corrupted, or] broken.
2. But yet they have two sorts of inclinations [or desires], each in itself for its own. Yet because the divine [being or] essence from eternity is generated out of itself, therefore it is inclined to help the weak, and is rightly called Barmhertzig-keit [mercifulness].
3. And now seeing the virgin of the eternal wisdom has 4 discovered herself in the eternal « Or shone.
p. 303
304 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 15 original, and in the eternal mind in the sharp essence of the breaking of the darkness in the fireflash [has found] the depth of the f1 very] image of God, and that the similitude of God is there in the eternal original, therefore she has longed after the similitude, and that longing makes the against the similitude ; and the Fiat in the attracting of the willing, created the will in the similitude, out of which came the angels all together. But now the eternal essences were in the similitude, and the wisdom discovered [or manifested] herself in the essences in many thousand thousands, that the eternal wonders might be revealed [or made manifest] ; and thereupon there went forth (according to every essence, as out of a fountain) many thousand thousands.
2 Or presented attracting in the will, and the will stood [2 right]
4. And from thence came the names of the thrones and principalities, as according to the
3 Or fountain, essences of the first and great 3 source, which in the discovering of the eternal wisdom of God goes forth again into many thousand thousands, yet there is a certain number [of them], and in the centre of God none [or no number, but infiniteness] ; and thus out of the fountain of every essence are
4 Or throne- gone forth, first the * thrones, and in the throne many thousand thousands.
5. These the Fiat created to a similitude and image of God, and overshadowed the same in the Fiat with the overflowing virtue of God ; and the
Ch. 15] KNOWLEDGE OF THE ETERNITY 305 will of God l set itself [right] against the image and x Or presented
1-1 11 1-1 -IT -n itself before.