Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
3 think, or 47. And we must further 2 consider, that when the shriek [or crack] maketh its dwelling-house, in its strong breaking-through, out of the gate of the anxious darkness, viz. the tongue, that the shriek [or crack] hath not then yet seen the virgin ; but when it reflected [or shone] back again into the heart, into the opened darkness, and found her so habitable, there then first sprang up its joy, habitableness, and pleasantness, and it became paradisical, and desired not [to go] into the tongue again, but into the head, and [desired] there to have its region out of the source of the heart. Therefore the tongue ought not in all [or altogether] to be believed, for it sitteth not in the heavenly region, as the friendly pleasant virtue [doth] ; but it hath its region in the crack and flash, and the flash is as near the hellish region as the crack is, for they are conceive.
Ch. 15] KNOWLEDGE OF THE ETERNITY 327
both generated in the Sharpness of the stars, in1 Or stem grim sharpthe essences, and the tongue speaketh both lies and ness. truth ; in which of the two the spirit armeth itself, according to that it speaketh : Also it many times soeaketh lies in 2 great men; when it is armed 2 Such as have esteem, authofrom the essences, then it speaketh in the crack, rity, and riches, or such like a rider in his [haughty, surly, vaunting state as are high minded, and or] high mindedness. stout, and hare the world at
The Life of the Soul The Gate. wm48. Thus now when the virtue of the life and the spirit of the second Principle, 3 is generated in 3 Or was. the first originality of the first Principle (viz. in the gate of the deep darkness, which the will of the virtue of the virgin, in the fierce earnest flash of the fierce might of God, did break, and set itself in the pleasant habitation) then instantly the essences of the stars and elements, in the flash of the springing-up of the life, pressed in also, yet after the building of the pleasant habitation first [made].
49. For the habitation is the element, and the virtue of the inward element is the paradisical love, which the outward elements (being generated out of the element) will have for their mother, and the sharp Fiat bringeth them into the habitation. And there the light of the life becometh rightly kindled, and all essences live in the habitation. For in the beginning of the life each Principle *taketh its light. «0rcatcheth.
p. 328
50. The first Principle (viz. the darkness) taketh the fierce and sudden fire-flash ; and so when the
1 re-conceived, l re-comprehended will, in the first will of the first or re-purposed, attracted darkness of the harshness, discovereth itself, and breaketh the darkness in the flash, then the harsh dark fire-flash remain eth in the first will, and standeth over the heart, m the gall, and kindleth the fire in the essences of the heart.
51. And the second Principle retaineth its light
2 Or joy. for itself, which is the pleasant 2 habitation, which shineth there, where the darkness is broken [or dispelled], wherein the courteous loving virtue, and the pleasantness ariseth, from whence the shriek [or crack] in the strong might becometh so very joyful,
30raiiayeth and 3 turneth its forcible rushing into a joyful biingforjoy. trembling; where then the fire-flash of the first
4 the shriek Principle sticketh to 4 it, which causeth its trembling.
or crack. . .
.but its source [or active propertyj is pleasantness and joy, that cannot sufficiently be described; happy are they that find it [by experience].
52. And the third Principle retaineth its light wholly for itself, which (as soon as the light of life springeth up) presseth into the tincture of the soul,
8 the inward to the 5 element, and reacheth after the element ; but it attaineth no more than to the light of the sun, which is proceeded out of the quinta essentia, out of the element. And thus the stars and elements rule in their light and virtue, which is the sun's, and qualify with the soul, and bring many distempers, and also diseases into theCh. 15] KNOWLEDGE OF THE ETERNITY 329 essences, from whence come stitches, agues, swellings and [other] sicknesses, [as] the plague, etc. into those [essences], and at last their corruption and death.
3 think, or 47. And we must further 2 consider, that when the shriek [or crack] makes its dwelling-house, in its strong breaking-through, out of the gate of the anxious darkness, viz. the tongue, that the shriek [or crack] has not then yet seen the virgin ; but when it reflected [or shone] back again into the heart, into the opened darkness, and found her so habitable, there then first sprang up its joy, habitableness, and pleasantness, and it became paradisical, and desired not [to go] into the tongue again, but into the head, and [desired] there to have its region out of the source of the heart. Therefore the tongue ought not in all [or altogether] to be believed, for it sitts not in the heavenly region, as the friendly pleasant virtue [does] ; but it has its region in the crack and flash, and the flash is as near the hellish region as the crack is, for they are conceive.
Ch. 15] KNOWLEDGE OF THE ETERNITY 327 both generated in the Sharpness of the stars, in1 Or stem grim sharpthe essences, and the tongue speaks both lies and ness. truth ; in which of the two the spirit arms itself, according to that it speaks : Also it many times soeaks lies in 2 great men; when it is armed 2 Such as have esteem, authofrom the essences, then it speaks in the crack, rity, and riches, or such like a rider in his [haughty, surly, vaunting state as are high minded, and or] high mindedness. stout, and hare the world at
The Life of the Soul The Gate. wm48. Thus now when the virtue of the life and the spirit of the second Principle, 3 is generated in 3 Or was. the first originality of the first Principle (viz. in the gate of the deep darkness, which the will of the virtue of the virgin, in the fierce earnest flash of the fierce might of God, did break, and set itself in the pleasant habitation) then instantly the essences of the stars and elements, in the flash of the springing-up of the life, pressed in also, yet after the building of the pleasant habitation first [made].
49. For the habitation is the element, and the virtue of the inward element is the paradisical love, which the outward elements (being generated out of the element) will have for their mother, and the sharp Fiat brings them into the habitation. And there the light of the life becomes rightly kindled, and all essences live in the habitation. For in the beginning of the life each Principle *takes its light. «0rcatcheth.
328 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 15
50. The first Principle (viz. the darkness) takes the fierce and sudden fire-flash ; and so when the
1 re-conceived, l re-comprehended will, in the first will of the first or re-purposed, attracted darkness of the harshness, discovers itself, and breaks the darkness in the flash, then the harsh dark fire-flash remain eth in the first will, and stands over the heart, m the gall, and kindls the fire in the essences of the heart.
51. And the second Principle retains its light
2 Or joy. for itself, which is the pleasant 2 habitation, which shines there, where the darkness is broken [or dispelled], wherein the courteous loving virtue, and the pleasantness arises, from whence the shriek [or crack] in the strong might becomes so very joyful,
30raiiayeth and 3 turns its forcible rushing into a joyful biingforjoy. trembling; where then the fire-flash of the first
4 the shriek Principle sticks to 4 it, which causes its trembling.
or crack. . .
.but its source [or active propertyj is pleasantness and joy, that cannot sufficiently be described; happy are they that find it [by experience].
52. And the third Principle retains its light wholly for itself, which (as soon as the light of life springs up) presses into the tincture of the soul,
8 the inward to the 5 element, and reaches after the element ; but it attains no more than to the light of the sun, which is proceeded out of the quinta essentia, out of the element. And thus the stars and elements rule in their light and virtue, which is the sun's, and qualify with the soul, and bring many distempers, and also diseases into the
Ch. 15] KNOWLEDGE OF THE ETERNITY 329 essences, from whence come stitches, agues, swellings and [other] sicknesses, [as] the plague, etc. into those [essences], and at last their corruption and death.