Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
humble, chaste, modest, pure, courteous [mind], which inclineth itself with a longing desire and love to the Heart of God, that is the similitude of God; in which the fire-flaming spirit in the joy and meekness goeth forth out of the will, and for its brethren the will of its spirit (which goeth forth from it) readily inclineth towards them ; and as the Proverb saith, It imparteth the very heart to them, which is done in spirit, wherein the heavenly joy (in the eternal element) springeth up, and the wonders of God are manifested in the virgin, by a hymn of praise to the eternal mind of God; where the mind playeth upon the harp of David an hymn to God ; where then (in the eternal holy mind) there springeth up knowledge and colours in the [eternal] element, and in the spirit wonders, with works and powers [or virtues].
45. And this is the image of God, which God created for his glory and joy, and no other; and let not the mad Antichrist persuade thee concerning any other [image of God], for there is no other. Thy body and soul convince thee of it, as also heaven and earth, the stars and elements ; look upon what thou wilt, all things convince thee ; and if thou dost not turn and enter into that image to which God created thee, then, in the breaking of thy body (when thy mind in the spirit of the soul shall stand naked without a body), thou shalt be ashamed before all creatures ; this we speak accord388 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 17 ing to its high worth, as it is highly known in the will of God.
46. Thus it is highly [necessary] for us to know the miserable fall of our first parents ; wherefore it was so with God, that his anger is in us, and that we must die, and (if we apprehend not the Treader upon the Serpent) must also perish eternally. But that we may set down a short summary of the fall (because of our simple, cold, dull, and dark mind) for the Reader's understanding, who, it may be, doth not yet apprehend our sense and knowledge, therefore we will explain it briefly and clearly, and also readily impart our knowledge and mind to
'Or in. him, as indeed ^according to the divine image) we ought to do.
47. Adam stood forty days in an angelical image before his sleep, and there was neither day nor night in him, also no time ; though indeed he was not (as an angel) a mere spirit ; for his body
2 the inward was out of the 2 element, which is no understandelement. . . . .
ing spirit, but [isj the attraction [concretion or •Ortheeter- congelation] in the will of God, or the zlimbus, nal earth. •> • •, i /-NT which standeth before God, wherein the chaste virgin, the divine wisdom dwelleth, which discovered and created the image out of the element by the Fiat.
48. And out of this lirtibus (at the time when the earth was corporized) went forth the four elements, as out of a fountain ; and that which was discovered [or manifested] by the virgin (the
Ch. 17] OF THE FALL OF ADAM AND EVE 389
wisdom of God) in the innumerableness, was the stars, as a virtue [power] or procreation out of the limbus. And they are the quintessence 1 of the four 1 Or before, elements, not severed from the four elements, but qualifying [or mixing virtues] one with another, 2 and yet extracted from the four issues with their 2 The stars
, , , i i • n • with their sharp essences ; and they are the seeking [longing or fierce property hunger] of the four elements, or, as I may express it out of the by a similitude, [they are] the man, and the elements are the woman ; and the heart of these things is the element, in one only substance, and the essences in that [one element] are the virtues [or powers] of the wonders of the wisdom of God, and are called paradise, an exulting joy.
humble, chaste, modest, pure, courteous [mind], which inclins itself with a longing desire and love to the Heart of God, that is the similitude of God; in which the fire-flaming spirit in the joy and meekness goes forth out of the will, and for its brethren the will of its spirit (which goes forth from it) readily inclins towards them ; and as the Proverb says, It imparts the very heart to them, which is done in spirit, wherein the heavenly joy (in the eternal element) springs up, and the wonders of God are manifested in the virgin, by a hymn of praise to the eternal mind of God; where the mind plays upon the harp of David an hymn to God ; where then (in the eternal holy mind) there springs up knowledge and colours in the [eternal] element, and in the spirit wonders, with works and powers [or virtues].
45. And this is the image of God, which God created for his glory and joy, and no other; and let not the mad Antichrist persuade you concerning any other [image of God], for there is no other. Your body and soul convince you of it, as also heaven and earth, the stars and elements ; look upon what you will, all things convince you ; and if you do not turn and enter into that image to which God created you, then, in the breaking of your body (when your mind in the spirit of the soul shall stand naked without a body), you shall be ashamed before all creatures ; this we speak accord388 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 17 ing to its high worth, as it is highly known in the will of God.
46. Thus it is highly [necessary] for us to know the miserable fall of our first parents ; wherefore it was so with God, that his anger is in us, and that we must die, and (if we apprehend not the Treader upon the Serpent) must also perish eternally. But that we may set down a short summary of the fall (because of our simple, cold, dull, and dark mind) for the Reader's understanding, who, it may be, does not yet apprehend our sense and knowledge, therefore we will explain it briefly and clearly, and also readily impart our knowledge and mind to
'Or in. him, as indeed ^according to the divine image) we ought to do.
47. Adam stood forty days in an angelical image before his sleep, and there was neither day nor night in him, also no time ; though indeed he was not (as an angel) a mere spirit ; for his body
2 the inward was out of the 2 element, which is no understandelement. . . . .
ing spirit, but [isj the attraction [concretion or •Ortheeter- congelation] in the will of God, or the zlimbus, nal earth. •> • •, i /-NT which stands before God, wherein the chaste virgin, the divine wisdom dwells, which discovered and created the image out of the element by the Fiat.
48. And out of this lirtibus (at the time when the earth was corporized) went forth the four elements, as out of a fountain ; and that which was discovered [or manifested] by the virgin (the Ch. 17] OF THE FALL OF ADAM AND EVE 389 wisdom of God) in the innumerableness, was the stars, as a virtue [power] or procreation out of the limbus. And they are the quintessence 1 of the four 1 Or before, elements, not severed from the four elements, but qualifying [or mixing virtues] one with another, 2 and yet extracted from the four issues with their 2 The stars
, , , i i • n • with their sharp essences ; and they are the seeking [longing or fierce property hunger] of the four elements, or, as I may express it out of the by a similitude, [they are] the man, and the elements are the woman ; and the heart of these things is the element, in one only substance, and the essences in that [one element] are the virtues [or powers] of the wonders of the wisdom of God, and are called paradise, an exulting joy.