Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
10. God could well have created creatures which °urselvesshould have managed the beasts, [so] that man might well have stayed in paradise in the angelical form; and besides that, there are already, in all the four elements, creatures without a soul ; God would well have laid the labour [or charge] of managing the beasts upon another generation, which were also 9 earthly. But he saw well that 9 Or of the four elements.
man would not stand, therefore instantly the
p. 428
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 18
1 had desired bestial man.
2 Or commandment laid upon them.
burthen was laid upon him, as Moses also writeth of it.
11. But if God l would have had bestial men, then he would have created them so in the beginning, and given them no commandment (neither should they have been tempted) ; as indeed the beasts have no Maw.
12. Therefore all objections, which fall into reason, are nothing else but the subtle contradictions [or fallacies] of the devil, who would very fain maintain, that God did will the fall of man. There are also men that dare to say, that God did will it ; [and say] that he fitted the tongue of the serpent to seduce Eve ; whose judgment is very justly upon themselves, because they [offer to] confirm the devil's word with lying, and [go about to] make God a liar.
13. It is very true, according to the first Principle (viz. the abyss of hell) he hath willed it ; but that kingdom is not called God ; there is yet another Principle and fast enclosure between. But in the second Principle (where God
8 Or manifests 3 appeareth) he hath not willed it. Indeed all is God's. But the first Principle is the band of eternity, which maketh itself; from whence God the Father issueth forth from eternity into the second Principle; and therein he generateth his Heart and Son [from eternity to eternity] ; and there the Holy Ghost goeth forth from the Father and the Son, and not in the first himself.
Ch. 18] PROMISED SEED OF THE WOMAN 429
[Principle]; and man is created for the second
Principle.
14. And therefore also the Heart of the second Principle (by himself) hath new regenerated him [man] out of the band of the first Principle, and delivered him from the harsh [or wrathful] band ; and each [Principle] shall stand, to itself, in its own eternity : And yet God alone is Lord, and alone almighty ; but the eternal band is indissoluble, or else the Deity also would be dissoluble. But now all must be to his honour, glory, and joy ; and he is alone the Creator of all things ; and all must stand [naked] before him ; as the Scripture saith, Thou shalt see, and rejoice, when the wicked are recompensed; whereas in the second Principle, there is no desire of revenge * at all ; but in the i AS the light j. , /. , of the fire sharpness of the breaking-through out ot the nrst doth not
, , , r consume any-
[Principle] into the second, where the soul strametn thing. through from the torment into the joy, there it reioiceth that the 2 driver (who plagued [and vexed] ' hunter or
, tormentor.
it) is imprisoned, and because now it is securely freed from him ; even as it is the joy of the kingdom of heaven, that the devil (in the first Principle) is imprisoned, so that he cannot molest the heaven any more, and kindle the habitation of the element.
15. Therefore there is also very great joy in heaven, * for this world, because there is a Principle 3 at. generated, so that the devil can make no more use of the fierce wrath, which he poured forth and
p. 430
p. 18
1 The second and the third.
2 As the fire's consuming is the joy of the light.
3 As there would be no light without fire.
4 Or manifestations.
5 the world.
6 Mysterium.
kindled in the time of his creation ; but is imprisoned between the ltwo Principles, which are both good.
10. God could well have created creatures which °urselvesshould have managed the beasts, [so] that man might well have stayed in paradise in the angelical form; and besides that, there are already, in all the four elements, creatures without a soul ; God would well have laid the labour [or charge] of managing the beasts upon another generation, which were also 9 earthly. But he saw well that 9 Or of the four elements.
man would not stand, therefore instantly the
p. 428
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 18
1 had desired bestial man.
2 Or commandment laid upon them.
burthen was laid upon him, as Moses also writes of it.
11. But if God l would have had bestial men, then he would have created them so in the beginning, and given them no commandment (neither should they have been tempted) ; as indeed the beasts have no Maw.
12. Therefore all objections, which fall into reason, are nothing else but the subtle contradictions [or fallacies] of the devil, who would very fain maintain, that God did will the fall of man. There are also men that dare to say, that God did will it ; [and say] that he fitted the tongue of the serpent to seduce Eve ; whose judgment is very justly upon themselves, because they [offer to] confirm the devil's word with lying, and [go about to] make God a liar.
13. It is very true, according to the first Principle (viz. the abyss of hell) he has willed it ; but that kingdom is not called God ; there is yet another Principle and fast enclosure between. But in the second Principle (where God
8 Or manifests 3 appears) he has not willed it. Indeed all is God's. But the first Principle is the band of eternity, which makes itself; from whence God the Father issus forth from eternity into the second Principle; and therein he generats his Heart and Son [from eternity to eternity] ; and there the Holy Ghost goes forth from the Father and the Son, and not in the first himself.
Ch. 18] PROMISED SEED OF THE WOMAN 429
[Principle]; and man is created for the second
Principle.
14. And therefore also the Heart of the second Principle (by himself) has new regenerated him [man] out of the band of the first Principle, and delivered him from the harsh [or wrathful] band ; and each [Principle] shall stand, to itself, in its own eternity : And yet God alone is Lord, and alone almighty ; but the eternal band is indissoluble, or else the Deity also would be dissoluble. But now all must be to his honour, glory, and joy ; and he is alone the Creator of all things ; and all must stand [naked] before him ; as the Scripture says, You shall see, and rejoice, when the wicked are recompensed; whereas in the second Principle, there is no desire of revenge * at all ; but in the i AS the light j. , /. , of the fire sharpness of the breaking-through out ot the nrst does not
, , , r consume any-
[Principle] into the second, where the soul strametn thing. through from the torment into the joy, there it reioics that the 2 driver (who plagued [and vexed] ' hunter or
, tormentor.
it) is imprisoned, and because now it is securely freed from him ; even as it is the joy of the kingdom of heaven, that the devil (in the first Principle) is imprisoned, so that he cannot molest the heaven any more, and kindle the habitation of the element.
15. Therefore there is also very great joy in heaven, * for this world, because there is a Principle 3 at. generated, so that the devil can make no more use of the fierce wrath, which he poured forth and
p. 430
THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 18
1 The second and the third.
2 As the fire's consuming is the joy of the light.
3 As there would be no light without fire.
4 Or manifestations.
5 the world.
6 Mysterium.
kindled in the time of his creation ; but is imprisoned between the ltwo Principles, which are both good.