Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
5. We must conceive, that there 'was then a > Before the very pleasant habitation upon the earth ; for all cursethe fruits did grow [spring and bud] out of the hidden element, (through the fierceness of the four elements); and although the four elements had also their fruits, yet man should not (but the beasts of the field should) have eaten thereof. But now when the Lord cursed the earth, then the element withdrew from the root of the fruit, (for God's cursing is nothing else, but his flying from a thing) ; and thus God's holiness is flien from the root of the fruit, and so the root' [of the fruits] remaineth in the four elements, in the out-birth ; and Adam and Eve were also fallen 2 thereinto.' • into the four And thus now like came to like; his body elements' also was become earthly, and must turn to earth again.
^ 6. But that God said, Thou shalt turn to earth from whence thou wast taken, that is aJso very true; but the understanding is [hidden] in the word, and the earthly veil hangeth before it, we must look under the veil. For Adam was taken out of the earth, not out of the four issuings of the elements, [but he was] an extract out of the element, which qualified [or mingled] with the th. But when he fell into the four elements en he became earth, as also fire, air, and water. And now what should the bestial man do [with] the heavenly paradisical fruit ? He could not 3 eat 3 Or eDJoy it. it ; and therefore God doth not cast his heavenly
p. 426
kingdom to beasts and swine, but it belongeth to angels.
7. So also it is very clear and manifest, that before the curse there grew not such venomous [or poisonous] thorns and thistles, and poisonous fruits ; and if God had not cursed the earth (from the [one] element) then no beast should have been so fierce and [mischievous or] evil ; for God said, Let the earth be cursed for thy sake. From whence now is also arisen the disobedience of the beasts towards man, and the wildness [or flying in their face], as also that they are so [cruel], fierce, [mischievous] and evil, and that man must hide himself from their fierce rage [and fury] ; whereas God (in the creation) gave all into his power, all beasts of the field should be in subjection under him, which now is quite contrary ; for man is become a wolf to them [in devouring the beasts], and they are [like] lions against him, and there is mere enmity , against one another ; he can scarce order the tame beasts, much less the wild.
8. And we are to know, that there was a great difference in the beasts before the curse ; for some (viz. the tame ones) were very near akin to the element, with whom man should have had joy and delight ; on the contrary, some, viz. the wild ones, which fly from man, [were very near akin] to the
1 the wonder- f our elements ; for the l causes of those wonders stuck wholly in the essences, and they were very than another, well known and seen in the light of the life in theCh. 18] PROMISED SEED OF THE WOMAN 427 knowledge of the 1 virgin. There is nothing so1 Or divine
. ., . wisdom.
deep that man cannot search into, and see it most
2 assuredly, if he do but put away the. veil, and look « infallibly.
(through the tables 8 graven through) with * Joshua, * Or trans-
& parent law.
into the Promised Land. 4 Or Jesus.
9. And God said, In the sweat of thy 5face, 6 Or brows. thou shalt eat thy bread till ihou turn to earth again. Here now all is clear [and manifest] in the light ; for he had lost the heavenly fruit, which grew for him without labour [or toil of his] ; and now he must dig and delve in the earth, and sow and plant, and so in the four elenients must get fruit, in cares, labour, toil, and misery. For while the element, or the virtue [or power] out of the element, sprang forth through the earth, there was so long a continual lasting root to the fruit ; but when the element (by the curse) withdrew, then the 6 congealed death, frailty, and transitory fading, 6 Or frozen.
was in the root, and they must now continually be
'planted acrain : Thus the turmoilinsr life of man took » or transplanted. beginning, wherein we must now 8 bathe ourselves. „ Or swelter
5. We must conceive, that there 'was then a > Before the very pleasant habitation upon the earth ; for all cursethe fruits did grow [spring and bud] out of the hidden element, (through the fierceness of the four elements); and although the four elements had also their fruits, yet man should not (but the beasts of the field should) have eaten thereof. But now when the Lord cursed the earth, then the element withdrew from the root of the fruit, (for God's cursing is nothing else, but his flying from a thing) ; and thus God's holiness is flien from the root of the fruit, and so the root' [of the fruits] remains in the four elements, in the out-birth ; and Adam and Eve were also fallen 2 thereinto.' • into the four And thus now like came to like; his body elements' also was become earthly, and must turn to earth again.
^ 6. But that God said, You shall turn to earth from whence you were taken, that is aJso very true; but the understanding is [hidden] in the word, and the earthly veil hangs before it, we must look under the veil. For Adam was taken out of the earth, not out of the four issuings of the elements, [but he was] an extract out of the element, which qualified [or mingled] with the th. But when he fell into the four elements en he became earth, as also fire, air, and water. And now what should the bestial man do [with] the heavenly paradisical fruit ? He could not 3 eat 3 Or eDJoy it. it ; and therefore God does not cast his heavenly 426 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 18 kingdom to beasts and swine, but it belongs to angels.
7. So also it is very clear and manifest, that before the curse there grew not such venomous [or poisonous] thorns and thistles, and poisonous fruits ; and if God had not cursed the earth (from the [one] element) then no beast should have been so fierce and [mischievous or] evil ; for God said, Let the earth be cursed for your sake. From whence now is also arisen the disobedience of the beasts towards man, and the wildness [or flying in their face], as also that they are so [cruel], fierce, [mischievous] and evil, and that man must hide himself from their fierce rage [and fury] ; whereas God (in the creation) gave all into his power, all beasts of the field should be in subjection under him, which now is quite contrary ; for man is become a wolf to them [in devouring the beasts], and they are [like] lions against him, and there is mere enmity , against one another ; he can scarce order the tame beasts, much less the wild.
8. And we are to know, that there was a great difference in the beasts before the curse ; for some (viz. the tame ones) were very near akin to the element, with whom man should have had joy and delight ; on the contrary, some, viz. the wild ones, which fly from man, [were very near akin] to the
1 the wonder- f our elements ; for the l causes of those wonders stuck wholly in the essences, and they were very than another, well known and seen in the light of the life in the
Ch. 18] PROMISED SEED OF THE WOMAN 427 knowledge of the 1 virgin. There is nothing so1 Or divine
. ., . wisdom.
deep that man cannot search into, and see it most
2 assuredly, if he do but put away the. veil, and look « infallibly.
(through the tables 8 graven through) with * Joshua, * Or trans-
& parent law.
into the Promised Land. 4 Or Jesus.
9. And God said, In the sweat of your 5face, 6 Or brows. you shall eat your bread till ihou turn to earth again. Here now all is clear [and manifest] in the light ; for he had lost the heavenly fruit, which grew for him without labour [or toil of his] ; and now he must dig and delve in the earth, and sow and plant, and so in the four elenients must get fruit, in cares, labour, toil, and misery. For while the element, or the virtue [or power] out of the element, sprang forth through the earth, there was so long a continual lasting root to the fruit ; but when the element (by the curse) withdrew, then the 6 congealed death, frailty, and transitory fading, 6 Or frozen.
was in the root, and they must now continually be
'planted acrain : Thus the turmoilinsr life of man took » or transplanted. beginning, wherein we must now 8 bathe ourselves. „ Or swelter