Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
71. And the taste also is a trying and attracting of the tincture in the essences of the spirit. And so the feeling also, if the spirit of man with its essences did not stand in the sound, there would be no feeling ; for when the sour essences draw to them, then they awaken the bitter prickle [or sting] in the fire-flash, which stirreth itself, either by gripping, thrusting, or striking, and thereupon in all 2 driving the bitter prickle in the fire-flash is awakened ; and therein standeth the moving ; [and] all in the tincture.
2 Text, Anrilhren
[C. J. B.].
THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER
Of the noble Mind of the Understanding, Senses and Thoughts. Of the threefold Spirit and Will, and of the Tincture of the Inclination, and what is inbred in a Child in the Mothers Body [or Womb]. Of the Image of God, and of the bestial Image, and of the Image of the Abyss of Hell, and Similitude of the Devil, to be searched for, and found out in J [any] » Or in one Man. oneThe nolle Gate of the noble Virgin. And also the Gate of the Woman of this World, highly to be considered. I~F we consider ourselves in the noble know- -L ledge, which is opened to us in the love of God, in the noble virgin of the wisdom of God, (not for our merit, honesty [virtue], or worthiness, but merely of his own will, and original eternal purpose) even in those things which appear to us in his love, then we must needs acknowledge ourselves to be unworthy of such a revelation ; and being we are sinners, we are deficient in the glory that we should have before him.
2. But seeing it is his eternal will and purpose to
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p. 340
do us good, and to open his secrets to us according to his counsel, therefore we ought not to withstand, nor to bury the bestowed talent in the earth, for we must give account of it in the appearing of his coming. Therefore we will thus labour in our vineyard, and commend the fruit to him, and will set down in writing a Memorial for ourselves, and leave it to him. For we can search or conceive no further, than only what we apprehend in the light 1 Or our com- of nature; where xour gate standeth open; not prehensibiiity. according to the measure of our purpose, when and how we will, but according to his gift, when and how he will. We are not able to comprehend the least sparkle of him, unless the gates of the deep be
"• opened to us in our mind ; where then the zealous
71. And the taste also is a trying and attracting of the tincture in the essences of the spirit. And so the feeling also, if the spirit of man with its essences did not stand in the sound, there would be no feeling ; for when the sour essences draw to them, then they awaken the bitter prickle [or sting] in the fire-flash, which stirrs itself, either by gripping, thrusting, or striking, and thereupon in all 2 driving the bitter prickle in the fire-flash is awakened ; and therein stands the moving ; [and] all in the tincture.
2 Text, Anrilhren
[C. J. B.].
THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER
Of the noble Mind of the Understanding, Senses and Thoughts. Of the threefold Spirit and Will, and of the Tincture of the Inclination, and what is inbred in a Child in the Mothers Body [or Womb]. Of the Image of God, and of the bestial Image, and of the Image of the Abyss of Hell, and Similitude of the Devil, to be searched for, and found out in J [any] » Or in one Man. oneThe nolle Gate of the noble Virgin. And also the Gate of the Woman of this World, highly to be considered. I~F we consider ourselves in the noble know- -L ledge, which is opened to us in the love of God, in the noble virgin of the wisdom of God, (not for our merit, honesty [virtue], or worthiness, but merely of his own will, and original eternal purpose) even in those things which appear to us in his love, then we must needs acknowledge ourselves to be unworthy of such a revelation ; and being we are sinners, we are deficient in the glory that we should have before him.
2. But seeing it is his eternal will and purpose to
p. 339
340 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 16 do us good, and to open his secrets to us according to his counsel, therefore we ought not to withstand, nor to bury the bestowed talent in the earth, for we must give account of it in the appearing of his coming. Therefore we will thus labour in our vineyard, and commend the fruit to him, and will set down in writing a Memorial for ourselves, and leave it to him. For we can search or conceive no further, than only what we apprehend in the light 1 Or our com- of nature; where xour gate stands open; not prehensibiiity. according to the measure of our purpose, when and how we will, but according to his gift, when and how he will. We are not able to comprehend the least sparkle of him, unless the gates of the deep be
"• opened to us in our mind ; where then the zealous