Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
formed itself, creation of Eve in the springing up of her life, and so in like manner in all men, so that we can, in our first mind, through the word and virtue of God in the Treader upon the Serpent, who in the time became man [or was incarnate], trample upon [orCh. 15] KNOWLEDGE OF THE ETERNITY 325 break] the head and will of the devil, and if this might [or power] were not xin this place, then we » viz. in the were in the eternal death. Thus the mind is its iJJiS^Jp own, in the free will, and moveth in the virtue [of ** power] of God, and in his promise, in the free substance [or being].
45. Seeing then that the shriek of joy in the virtue of God (which breaketh the doors of the deep darkness) thus springe th up in the heart, and flieth with its glimpse [or sparkling] into the head, then the virtue of the joy setteth itself above, as being the strongest, and the flash [or glance] beneath, as being the weakest; and so when the flash [or glance] corneth into the head into its seat, then it maketh itself two open gates. For it hath broken the' doors of the deep darkness, and therefore it continueth no more in the darkness, but it must be free as a victorious prince [or conqueror], and will not be held captive. And this signifieth to us the resurrection of Christ from the dead, who is now free, and will not be held [therein], which in its due place shall be very deeply described. And those gates which the glance holdeth open, they are the eyes, and the spirit of joy is their root, which [spirit] springeth up at first in the kindling of the life.
46. Thus then the strong re-conceived will (to fly out from the darkness and to be in the light in the heart) generateth itself; and therefore we cannot know [or apprehend] it to be any other
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than the noble virgin, the wisdom of God ; which thus springeth up in joy, and in the beginning marrieth herself with the spirit of the soul, and helpeth it to the light, which after the springing up of the soul (viz. after the kindling of the virtue of the sun in the essences) putteth herself into its paradisical centre, and continually warneth the 1 of the ways soul, l of the ungodly ways, which are held before of the un- . . n , .. .. ..
godly. it by the stars and elements, and brought into its essences. Therefore the virgin keepeth her throne thus in the heart, and also in the head, that she may defend and keep them off from the soul, all over.
formed itself, creation of Eve in the springing up of her life, and so in like manner in all men, so that we can, in our first mind, through the word and virtue of God in the Treader upon the Serpent, who in the time became man [or was incarnate], trample upon [or
Ch. 15] KNOWLEDGE OF THE ETERNITY 325 break] the head and will of the devil, and if this might [or power] were not xin this place, then we » viz. in the were in the eternal death. Thus the mind is its iJJiS^Jp own, in the free will, and moves in the virtue [of ** power] of God, and in his promise, in the free substance [or being].
45. Seeing then that the shriek of joy in the virtue of God (which breaks the doors of the deep darkness) thus springe th up in the heart, and flies with its glimpse [or sparkling] into the head, then the virtue of the joy setts itself above, as being the strongest, and the flash [or glance] beneath, as being the weakest; and so when the flash [or glance] corns into the head into its seat, then it makes itself two open gates. For it has broken the' doors of the deep darkness, and therefore it continues no more in the darkness, but it must be free as a victorious prince [or conqueror], and will not be held captive. And this signifies to us the resurrection of Christ from the dead, who is now free, and will not be held [therein], which in its due place shall be very deeply described. And those gates which the glance holds open, they are the eyes, and the spirit of joy is their root, which [spirit] springs up at first in the kindling of the life.
46. Thus then the strong re-conceived will (to fly out from the darkness and to be in the light in the heart) generats itself; and therefore we cannot know [or apprehend] it to be any other
326 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 15 than the noble virgin, the wisdom of God ; which thus springs up in joy, and in the beginning marries herself with the spirit of the soul, and helps it to the light, which after the springing up of the soul (viz. after the kindling of the virtue of the sun in the essences) putts herself into its paradisical centre, and continually warns the 1 of the ways soul, l of the ungodly ways, which are held before of the un- . . n , .. .. ..
godly. it by the stars and elements, and brought into its essences. Therefore the virgin keeps her throne thus in the heart, and also in the head, that she may defend and keep them off from the soul, all over.