Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
27. And then God confounded their language, that they might yet see that they had only confounded senses [or thoughts], and should turn them to God ; that they also might see that they did not understand the language of the saints [or holy people], of the stock of Shem ; and that they must be scattered abroad over the whole world, so that a holy seed might be preserved, and that all might not perish ; but it availed not, they were wicked.
28. Then God (out of the fierceness of the first Principle) burnt Sodom and Gomorrah, those five kingdoms, with fire, for a terror ; but it availed not, sin grew like a green branch. And then God promised the chosen generation, that if they would walk before him, he would bless them as the stars of heaven, and make them so great [that they should not be numbered], and yet there were still among them evil birds hatched. And then God brought them into a strange land, and prospered macrocosmp. 436 them, to try whether they would acknowledge his goodness, and depend on him, but they were yet worse.
29. Then God stirred up a Prophet among them, even Moses, who gave them laws, and sharp
1 promoted, or doctrines, as nature x required; and these were thrust forth. . u given them (through the spirit of the 2 great world) in zeal, in the fire. Yet seeing they would live still in the roughness, therefore they were tried [or tempted to see] whether they would live in the Father ; and God gave them bread from heaven, and fed them forty years, to try what manner of people they would be, and whether they would by any means be brought to cleave to God. He gave them ordinances and customs [to observe] in meats and drinks, and also a priestly order, with heavy and hard precepts and punishments, which he published also to them ; but it availed not, they were only wicked, and walked in the dominion [or regimen] of the stars ; and yet far worse, [they walked] altogether according to the wrathfulness of hell.
30. And there is a great matter for us to see in the several meats which God forbad them, especially swine's flesh, whose source [quality or property] will not subsist in the fire, but affordeth only a stink ; and so it doth also in the fire of the soul, which reacheth [or stirreth] the originality of the first Principle ; from whence the first Principle (in the soul) stinketh [or maketh a stink], which is
Ch. 18] PROMISED SEED OF THE WOMAN 437
1 contrary to the Word, and the noble virgin, and it J Or loathmaketh the gates of the breaking-through [into the light] swelled [thick, misty, fumy], and dark : For the soul is also a fire, which burneth ; and if it receiveth such a 2 source, [quality, or property] then 2 Or fuel for that darkeneth it the more, and burneth in the * vapour, like a flash [of lightning], as may be seen in the fat of swine ; for which cause God did forbid it them.
31. And there was no other cause of their employment about offering sacrifice, than because man was earthly ; and so the Word standing near the soul in the gate of the light of life, 8 he heard 8 God.
their prayers, through the earthly source [quality or property] of their smells [4 or incense] ; and so 4 Or offerings they had a token in the fire, that their prayer was acceptable to God ; as may be seen in many places in Moses, which shall be expounded in its due place.
32. And there is a very great matter to be seen in Moses, concerning his 5 brightened face; where "glorious it was tried whether it were possible that the soul s could be ransomed by the Father's clarity [or brightness] in the fire, if they did live in his law, which was sharp and consuming, and a great piercing to the soul ; but it was in vain, it might not be.
33. And there the noble virgin (in the spirit of the Prophets) did 6 point at the Seed of the'OrproTTT i- • r i n ' of.
Woman, at ms incarnation [or becoming man],
p. 438
27. And then God confounded their language, that they might yet see that they had only confounded senses [or thoughts], and should turn them to God ; that they also might see that they did not understand the language of the saints [or holy people], of the stock of Shem ; and that they must be scattered abroad over the whole world, so that a holy seed might be preserved, and that all might not perish ; but it availed not, they were wicked.
28. Then God (out of the fierceness of the first Principle) burnt Sodom and Gomorrah, those five kingdoms, with fire, for a terror ; but it availed not, sin grew like a green branch. And then God promised the chosen generation, that if they would walk before him, he would bless them as the stars of heaven, and make them so great [that they should not be numbered], and yet there were still among them evil birds hatched. And then God brought them into a strange land, and prospered macrocosm
436 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 18 them, to try whether they would acknowledge his goodness, and depend on him, but they were yet worse.
29. Then God stirred up a Prophet among them, even Moses, who gave them laws, and sharp
1 promoted, or doctrines, as nature x required; and these were thrust forth. . u given them (through the spirit of the 2 great world) in zeal, in the fire. Yet seeing they would live still in the roughness, therefore they were tried [or tempted to see] whether they would live in the Father ; and God gave them bread from heaven, and fed them forty years, to try what manner of people they would be, and whether they would by any means be brought to cleave to God. He gave them ordinances and customs [to observe] in meats and drinks, and also a priestly order, with heavy and hard precepts and punishments, which he published also to them ; but it availed not, they were only wicked, and walked in the dominion [or regimen] of the stars ; and yet far worse, [they walked] altogether according to the wrathfulness of hell.
30. And there is a great matter for us to see in the several meats which God forbad them, especially swine's flesh, whose source [quality or property] will not subsist in the fire, but affords only a stink ; and so it does also in the fire of the soul, which reaches [or stirrs] the originality of the first Principle ; from whence the first Principle (in the soul) stinks [or makes a stink], which is
Ch. 18] PROMISED SEED OF THE WOMAN 437
1 contrary to the Word, and the noble virgin, and it J Or loathmaks the gates of the breaking-through [into the light] swelled [thick, misty, fumy], and dark : For the soul is also a fire, which burns ; and if it receives such a 2 source, [quality, or property] then 2 Or fuel for that darkens it the more, and burns in the * vapour, like a flash [of lightning], as may be seen in the fat of swine ; for which cause God did forbid it them.
31. And there was no other cause of their employment about offering sacrifice, than because man was earthly ; and so the Word standing near the soul in the gate of the light of life, 8 he heard 8 God.
their prayers, through the earthly source [quality or property] of their smells [4 or incense] ; and so 4 Or offerings they had a token in the fire, that their prayer was acceptable to God ; as may be seen in many places in Moses, which shall be expounded in its due place.
32. And there is a very great matter to be seen in Moses, concerning his 5 brightened face; where "glorious it was tried whether it were possible that the soul s could be ransomed by the Father's clarity [or brightness] in the fire, if they did live in his law, which was sharp and consuming, and a great piercing to the soul ; but it was in vain, it might not be.
33. And there the noble virgin (in the spirit of the Prophets) did 6 point at the Seed of the'OrproTTT i- • r i n ' of.
Woman, at ms incarnation [or becoming man],
p. 438