Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
27. But when Adam was infected from the lust to eat of the knowledge of good and evil, and that the spirit of this world pressed [or swayed] Adam, where also the subtle devil (which in the spirit of this world slipped in) shot mightily at Adam, so that Adam became weary, and blind to the kingdom of God ; [then] said God, It is not good for man to be alone, for he will not now * bring forth the J generate or paradisical virgin ; because he is infected from the spirit of this world, so that the chastity of the modesty is quite 2at an end; we will make a help2 gone, for him, to be with him, out of whom he may build his principality, and propagate himself, it cannot be otherwise now ; and he let a deep sleep fall upon man, and he slept.
28. Here it may be very properly and well understood, how the virgin in Adam departed into the ether, into her Principle ; for the text saith, God let a deep sleep fall upon Adam ; now where sleep is, there the virtue [or power] of God is hidden in the centre ; for where that [virtue of God] groweth, there is no sleep; for the Keeperp. 380 of Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth ; as it is written.
If ikon askest, How long did Adam sleep ?
29. Then consider Christ's rest in the grave, and thou shalt find the ground ; for the second Adam must (with his resurrection out of the grave) awaken [or raise] the first (out of his eternal sleep of the darkness of hell) out of the grave of this world again.
30. And so God, in * his sleep, made the woman for him out of himself, by which he must now generate his kingdom, for now it could not otherwise be. And when he awaked, he saw her, and took her to him and said, This is flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bone ; for Adam was (in his sleep) become quite another image ; for God had permitted the spirit of this world in him to make his tincture weary unto sleep.
31. Adam was in an angelical form before the sleep ; but after the sleep he had flesh and blood ;
'and he was (in his flesh) a lump of earth, and he saw from a threefold spirit. With his eyes he apprehended the light of the sun, and knew the first image no more ; although the four elements had not yet fallen upon him, nor touched him ; for he was yet in innocency.
32. And there the devil bestirred himself, and slipped into the serpent (which he himself is, in his own proper form), and laid himself at the tree, and
Ch. 17] OF THE FALL OF ADAM AND EVE 381
1 strewed sucrar upon it : for he saw well that Eve l Or set the sweet light was a woman, and that she was infected with the and pieasantness forth.
four elements ; and although she did strive a little, and objected God's command [against the devil], yet she suffered herself very easily to be persuaded, when the lying spirit said, That the fruit would make her wise, and that her eyes should be opened, and she be as God, knowing good and evil ; yet he told her not, that (if she ate thereof) she must die ; but [he said] she should be wise and fair ; which disease [desire or lust] sticketh still in the brains of the woman, that she would fain be the fairest beast.
33. So she pulled off an apple and did eat, and gave to Adam also, and he ate of it likewise. That was a bit at which the heavens might well have blushed, and the paradise have trembled, as it was indeed really done, as is to be seen at the death of Christ, (when he entered into death, and wrestled with hell), that the earth and the elements trembled, and the light of the sun was darkened, when this bit of the apple was to be 2 healed up. 2 Or cured.
The Gate of the great Affliction, and Misery of Man.
34. Reason sticketh at the veil of Moses, and seeth not through the Tables that were graven through, which God gave him upon mount Sinai ; as also reason cannot take off the veil from before
8 his eyes, and look him in the face, for he hath a 3 the eyes of brightened [clarified or shining] countenance in
p. 382
27. But when Adam was infected from the lust to eat of the knowledge of good and evil, and that the spirit of this world pressed [or swayed] Adam, where also the subtle devil (which in the spirit of this world slipped in) shot mightily at Adam, so that Adam became weary, and blind to the kingdom of God ; [then] said God, It is not good for man to be alone, for he will not now * bring forth the J generate or paradisical virgin ; because he is infected from the spirit of this world, so that the chastity of the modesty is quite 2at an end; we will make a help2 gone, for him, to be with him, out of whom he may build his principality, and propagate himself, it cannot be otherwise now ; and he let a deep sleep fall upon man, and he slept.
28. Here it may be very properly and well understood, how the virgin in Adam departed into the ether, into her Principle ; for the text says, God let a deep sleep fall upon Adam ; now where sleep is, there the virtue [or power] of God is hidden in the centre ; for where that [virtue of God] grows, there is no sleep; for the Keeper
380 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 17 of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps ; as it is written.
If ikon askest, How long did Adam sleep ?
29. Then consider Christ's rest in the grave, and you shall find the ground ; for the second Adam must (with his resurrection out of the grave) awaken [or raise] the first (out of his eternal sleep of the darkness of hell) out of the grave of this world again.
30. And so God, in * his sleep, made the woman for him out of himself, by which he must now generate his kingdom, for now it could not otherwise be. And when he awaked, he saw her, and took her to him and said, This is flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bone ; for Adam was (in his sleep) become quite another image ; for God had permitted the spirit of this world in him to make his tincture weary unto sleep.
31. Adam was in an angelical form before the sleep ; but after the sleep he had flesh and blood ;
'and he was (in his flesh) a lump of earth, and he saw from a threefold spirit. With his eyes he apprehended the light of the sun, and knew the first image no more ; although the four elements had not yet fallen upon him, nor touched him ; for he was yet in innocency.
32. And there the devil bestirred himself, and slipped into the serpent (which he himself is, in his own proper form), and laid himself at the tree, and
Ch. 17] OF THE FALL OF ADAM AND EVE 381
1 strewed sucrar upon it : for he saw well that Eve l Or set the sweet light was a woman, and that she was infected with the and pieasantness forth.
four elements ; and although she did strive a little, and objected God's command [against the devil], yet she suffered herself very easily to be persuaded, when the lying spirit said, That the fruit would make her wise, and that her eyes should be opened, and she be as God, knowing good and evil ; yet he told her not, that (if she ate thereof) she must die ; but [he said] she should be wise and fair ; which disease [desire or lust] sticks still in the brains of the woman, that she would fain be the fairest beast.
33. So she pulled off an apple and did eat, and gave to Adam also, and he ate of it likewise. That was a bit at which the heavens might well have blushed, and the paradise have trembled, as it was indeed really done, as is to be seen at the death of Christ, (when he entered into death, and wrestled with hell), that the earth and the elements trembled, and the light of the sun was darkened, when this bit of the apple was to be 2 healed up. 2 Or cured.
The Gate of the great Affliction, and Misery of Man.
34. Reason sticks at the veil of Moses, and sees not through the Tables that were graven through, which God gave him upon mount Sinai ; as also reason cannot take off the veil from before
8 his eyes, and look him in the face, for he has a 3 the eyes of brightened [clarified or shining] countenance in
382 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 17