Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
11. And here we must accurately consider wherein every region rejoiceth ; for the sun and stars apprehend not the divine light, as the essences of the soul [do] (and yet only that soul which standeth in the new birth) ; but 2 they taste the a the sun r . n . -and stars.
sweetness which hath imprinted [or imaged] itselt in the tincture ; for the blood of the heart, wherein the soul moveth, is so very sweet, that there is nothing to be compared to it. Therefore hath God by Moses forbidden man to eat the flesh in its blood ; for the life standeth in it. For the bestial life ought not to be in man, that his spirit be not infected therewith.
12. The three regions receive every one of themp. 348 their light, with the springing up of the tincture in the blood ; and each [region] keepeth its tincture. The region of the stars keepeth the light of the sun ; and the first Principle [keepeth]
1 That is, the the l fire-flash ; and the essences of the holy souls kindling of receive the most dear and precious light of the the abyss. virgin, yet in this body only her rays, wherewith she fighteth in the mind against the crafty assaults of the devil, as St Peter witnesseth. And although the dear light stayeth for a while in many in the new birth [or regeneration], yet it is not steady in the house of the stars and elements, in the outward birth, but it dwelleth in its [own]
centre in the mind.
1 Or language. The Gate of 2 Speech.
13. Seeing now that the mind standeth in free will, therefore the will disco vereth itself according to that which the regions have brought into the essences, whether it be evil or good ; whether it be fitting for the kingdom of heaven, or for the kingdom of hell ; and that which the glimpse [or flash] apprehendeth, it bringeth that into the will of the mind. And in the mind standeth the king, and the king is the light of the whole body ; and he hath five counsellors, which sit [all together] in the 3 Or sound of 8 noise of the tincture ; and each of them trieth the kindling. i • •> i T • i • • c that which the glimpse with its infection natn brought into the will, whether it be good or evil ; and these counsellors are the five senses.
Ch. 16] THREEFOLD SPIRIT AND WILL 349
14. First the king giveth it to the eyes, to see 1 Or sendeth. whether it be good or evil ; and the eyes give it to the ears, to hear from whence it cometh, whether out of a true, or out of a false region, and whether it be a lie or truth ; and the ears give it to the nose (the smell), that must smell, whether that which is brought in (and standeth before the king)
cometh out of a good or 2 evil essence ; and the 2 Or false.
nose giveth it to the taste, which must try whether it be pure or impure, and therefore the taste hath the tongue, that it may 3spit it out again if it be30rspew.
4 impure ; but if it be a thought to [be expressed 4 Or false.
in] a word, then the lips are the door-keepers, which must keep it shut, and not let the tongue forth, but must bring it into the region of the air, into the 5 nostrils, and not into the heart, and s Text. Biaae
. n . , . . i •, or Breath.
still e it, and then it is dead.
15. And when the taste hath tried it, and if it be good for the essences of the soul, then it giveth it to the feeling, which must try what quality it is of, whether hot or cold, hard or soft, thick or thin, and then the feeling 6 sendeth it into the 6 Or giveth.
heart, [presenting it] before the flash of the life, and before the king of the light of life ; and the will of the mind 7 pierceth further into that thing, 7 flasheth or
, , , , r . . discovereth.
a great depth, and seetn what is therein, [considering] how much it will receive and take in of that thing, and when it is enough, then the will giveth it to the spirit of the soul, viz. to the eternal 8 emperor, who bringeth it (with his strong and " chief ruler.
p. 350
austere might) out of the heart, in the sound upon the tongue under the roof of the mouth,
1 divideth, or and there the spirit * distinguisheth according to separateth. -n i i T i r the senses, as the will hath discovered [or manifested] it, and the tongue l distinguisheth it in the noise.
11. And here we must accurately consider wherein every region rejoics ; for the sun and stars apprehend not the divine light, as the essences of the soul [do] (and yet only that soul which stands in the new birth) ; but 2 they taste the a the sun r . n . -and stars.
sweetness which has imprinted [or imaged] itselt in the tincture ; for the blood of the heart, wherein the soul moves, is so very sweet, that there is nothing to be compared to it. Therefore has God by Moses forbidden man to eat the flesh in its blood ; for the life stands in it. For the bestial life ought not to be in man, that his spirit be not infected therewith.
12. The three regions receive every one of them
348 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 16 their light, with the springing up of the tincture in the blood ; and each [region] keeps its tincture. The region of the stars keeps the light of the sun ; and the first Principle [keeps]
1 That is, the the l fire-flash ; and the essences of the holy souls kindling of receive the most dear and precious light of the the abyss. virgin, yet in this body only her rays, wherewith she fights in the mind against the crafty assaults of the devil, as St Peter witnesses. And although the dear light stays for a while in many in the new birth [or regeneration], yet it is not steady in the house of the stars and elements, in the outward birth, but it dwells in its [own]
centre in the mind.
1 Or language. The Gate of 2 Speech.
13. Seeing now that the mind stands in free will, therefore the will disco vers itself according to that which the regions have brought into the essences, whether it be evil or good ; whether it be fitting for the kingdom of heaven, or for the kingdom of hell ; and that which the glimpse [or flash] apprehends, it brings that into the will of the mind. And in the mind stands the king, and the king is the light of the whole body ; and he has five counsellors, which sit [all together] in the 3 Or sound of 8 noise of the tincture ; and each of them tries the kindling. i • •> i T • i • • c that which the glimpse with its infection natn brought into the will, whether it be good or evil ; and these counsellors are the five senses.
Ch. 16] THREEFOLD SPIRIT AND WILL 349
14. First the king gives it to the eyes, to see 1 Or sends. whether it be good or evil ; and the eyes give it to the ears, to hear from whence it comes, whether out of a true, or out of a false region, and whether it be a lie or truth ; and the ears give it to the nose (the smell), that must smell, whether that which is brought in (and stands before the king)
comes out of a good or 2 evil essence ; and the 2 Or false.
nose gives it to the taste, which must try whether it be pure or impure, and therefore the taste has the tongue, that it may 3spit it out again if it be30rspew.
4 impure ; but if it be a thought to [be expressed 4 Or false.
in] a word, then the lips are the door-keepers, which must keep it shut, and not let the tongue forth, but must bring it into the region of the air, into the 5 nostrils, and not into the heart, and s Text. Biaae
. n . , . . i •, or Breath.
still e it, and then it is dead.
15. And when the taste has tried it, and if it be good for the essences of the soul, then it gives it to the feeling, which must try what quality it is of, whether hot or cold, hard or soft, thick or thin, and then the feeling 6 sends it into the 6 Or gives.
heart, [presenting it] before the flash of the life, and before the king of the light of life ; and the will of the mind 7 pierces further into that thing, 7 flashes or
, , , , r . . discovers.
a great depth, and seetn what is therein, [considering] how much it will receive and take in of that thing, and when it is enough, then the will gives it to the spirit of the soul, viz. to the eternal 8 emperor, who brings it (with his strong and " chief ruler.
350 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 16 austere might) out of the heart, in the sound upon the tongue under the roof of the mouth,
1 divids, or and there the spirit * distinguishes according to separates. -n i i T i r the senses, as the will has discovered [or manifested] it, and the tongue l distinguishes it in the noise.