Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
18. But the spirit of the great world overcame Adam, and put itself in with force, in quintam essentiam [into the quintessence], which there is the fifth form, the extract out of the four elements and stars ; and there must God create a woman [or wife] for Adam out of his essences, if he must be to fill the kingdom, according to the appearing [discovering, shining, or sparkling] of the noble virgin, [with many thousand thousands], and build [or propagate] the same. And thus man 'became earthly, and the virgin departed from him in paradise ; and there she warned [called and told] him that he should lay off the earthliness, and then she would be his bride and loving spouse. And now it cannot be otherwise in this world with 1 begotten, man, he must be * generated in the virtue of the m! nourish- outward constellation and elements, and live
Lrved. pre therein till the earth li ness falleth away.
19. And thus he is in this life threefold, and the threefold spirit hangeth on him, and he is generated therein, neither can he be rid of it, except he [corrupt or] break to pieces ; yet he can be rid of paradise, whensoever his spirit imagineth in the fierceness [or wrath] and falsehood, and giveth up himself thereto, that so he might be above meekness and righteousness in himself, as a lord, like Lucifer, [and] live in pride [and stateliness] ; and
Ch. 15] KNOWLEDGE OF THE ETKRNITY 311 then paradise l falleth [away], and is shut up ; ' ceaseth, vanisheth, or and he loseth his first image which standeth in the disappeared. hidden element in Paradise.
20. For the Adamical 2 however (according to the 2 though he it_ • -L • j \ tne inward element which standeth open in the mind) four elements. can live in paradise, if he striveth against evil, and wholly with all his strength give himself up to the Heart of God, then the virgin dwelleth with him, (in the inward element in paradise), and enlighteneth his mind, so that he can tame the Adamical body.
21. For these 3 three births are [inbred or]3 Or these
, , three propergenerated together with every one in the mother s ties, darkness,
-i i -I i i T lights an£l th®
[womb or] body, and none ought to say, 1 am foar elements.
not elected ; for it is a lie, [and he] belieth the element, (wherein man also liveth) ; and besides
[he] belieth the virgin of wisdom, which God giveth to every one which seeketh her with earnestness and humility. So [likewise] the possibility of seeking is also in every one, and it is inbred [or generated] in him with the all -possible hidden element [to which all things are possible] ; and there is no other cause of perdition in man, than
[was in or] with Lucifer, whose will stood free ; he must either reach into God in humility, chastity, and meekness, or into the dark mind, in the climbing up of malice and fierceness [or grimness], which yet (*in its flowing forth) desireth not to lift itself 4 the fierceness up above God, but it inclineth itself only above the would not lift meekness, in the fire-flash, in the stern [or fierce] God.8* regeneration : But the devils would (as creatures)
p. 312
be above all, and be lords wholly [of themselves], 1 Note, the and l so it is also with man here.
evil of nature .
is not in fault, 22. The pride of nature indeed mclmeth one but the crea- .
tureisin fault, man more strongly than another, but it forceth [or compelleth] none that they must be proud ; and if there be a force [or strong compulsion upon any], then it is when man willingly, for temporal honour and pleasure sake, lets the devil into his eternal essences ; and then he [the devil] seeth presently how that man is inclined [or led] by the spirit of this world, and in that way tempteth him accordingly ; if man letteth him but in, he is then a guest very hardly to be driven out again ; yet it is very possible, if that man entirely and sincerely purposeth to turn, and to live according to the will of God, then the virgin is always ready [before-hand] in the way to help him.
18. But the spirit of the great world overcame Adam, and put itself in with force, in quintam essentiam [into the quintessence], which there is the fifth form, the extract out of the four elements and stars ; and there must God create a woman [or wife] for Adam out of his essences, if he must be to fill the kingdom, according to the appearing [discovering, shining, or sparkling] of the noble virgin, [with many thousand thousands], and build [or propagate] the same. And thus man 'became earthly, and the virgin departed from him in paradise ; and there she warned [called and told] him that he should lay off the earthliness, and then she would be his bride and loving spouse. And now it cannot be otherwise in this world with 1 begotten, man, he must be * generated in the virtue of the m! nourish- outward constellation and elements, and live
Lrved. pre therein till the earth li ness falls away.
19. And thus he is in this life threefold, and the threefold spirit hangs on him, and he is generated therein, neither can he be rid of it, except he [corrupt or] break to pieces ; yet he can be rid of paradise, whensoever his spirit imagines in the fierceness [or wrath] and falsehood, and gives up himself thereto, that so he might be above meekness and righteousness in himself, as a lord, like Lucifer, [and] live in pride [and stateliness] ; and
Ch. 15] KNOWLEDGE OF THE ETKRNITY 311 then paradise l falls [away], and is shut up ; ' ceases, vanishes, or and he loses his first image which stands in the disappeared. hidden element in Paradise.
20. For the Adamical 2 however (according to the 2 though he it_ • -L • j \ tne inward element which stands open in the mind) four elements. can live in paradise, if he strives against evil, and wholly with all his strength give himself up to the Heart of God, then the virgin dwells with him, (in the inward element in paradise), and enlightens his mind, so that he can tame the Adamical body.
21. For these 3 three births are [inbred or]3 Or these
, , three propergenerated together with every one in the mother s ties, darkness,
-i i -I i i T lights an£l th®
[womb or] body, and none ought to say, 1 am foar elements.
not elected ; for it is a lie, [and he] belies the element, (wherein man also lives) ; and besides
[he] belies the virgin of wisdom, which God gives to every one which seeks her with earnestness and humility. So [likewise] the possibility of seeking is also in every one, and it is inbred [or generated] in him with the all -possible hidden element [to which all things are possible] ; and there is no other cause of perdition in man, than
[was in or] with Lucifer, whose will stood free ; he must either reach into God in humility, chastity, and meekness, or into the dark mind, in the climbing up of malice and fierceness [or grimness], which yet (*in its flowing forth) desires not to lift itself 4 the fierceness up above God, but it inclins itself only above the would not lift meekness, in the fire-flash, in the stern [or fierce] God.8* regeneration : But the devils would (as creatures)
312 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 15 be above all, and be lords wholly [of themselves], 1 Note, the and l so it is also with man here.
evil of nature .
is not in fault, 22. The pride of nature indeed mclms one but the crea- .
tureisin fault, man more strongly than another, but it forces [or compells] none that they must be proud ; and if there be a force [or strong compulsion upon any], then it is when man willingly, for temporal honour and pleasure sake, lets the devil into his eternal essences ; and then he [the devil] sees presently how that man is inclined [or led] by the spirit of this world, and in that way tempts him accordingly ; if man letts him but in, he is then a guest very hardly to be driven out again ; yet it is very possible, if that man entirely and sincerely purposes to turn, and to live according to the will of God, then the virgin is always ready [before-hand] in the way to help him.