Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence

Ch. 20] ADAM AND EVE's GOING OUT OP PARADISE 525 kingdom of God worketh (in him) to righteousness ; and thus it is seen, as clear as the sun, what the cause is that the first man born of a woman became a murderer.

49. For as the tree was, so was the fruit ; and though the tree was not wholly evil [or false], yet as to the l becoming man, the tincture (by the ' Or incaraa. wrestling of the two 2 regions) became false [or evil], f'"^ And besides, afterwards Eve (his mother) helped do*s™ 8 him forward very much, because she sought after «cw*. an earthly lord and treader upon the serpent, and instructed him, [telling him] that he was the warrior [or soldier to overcome] against the devil, he must do it ; and so the wrath held him captive,' and his offering [or sacrifice] was not acceptable to God, because (in wrath) he built upon himself, and so his prayer reached not the gate of heaven' but the * driver did take it up, because it proceeded - the hunter out of self-pride (like the proud Pharisee), out of an tbe devi1' [evil or] false mind.

50. And 5here (thou lascivious whore in Babel' full of immodesty and lechery, in such whoredom) thou hast a gloss in thy [evil or] false copulation without the fear of God ; thou shouldst look [well to it] what thou sowest, that there groweth not a tree in hell-fire. Thou supposest that it is a small matter to commit whoredom. But I pray consider thyself, whither dost thou send thy tincture? Which, if it be true [or faithful], reacheth the element of God ; and now, if you pour it forth fruit.

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thus, in such a false [or evil] way, in the impulsion of the region of the stars, with the infection of the devil, and also into such an unclean vessel, what dost thou suppose shall accept it ? Dost thou not know that the tincture in the seed is a blossom of the life, which qualifieth [or mingleth] with thy body and soul, which (as often as it is generated) is a figure before God? How dost thou think, whether doth it stand in the love, or anger of God ?

51. 0 thou Babylonish whore, when thou thus

1 Or destroy- committest whoredom, and * breakest afterwards est.

the limbus, together with the matrix, wherein the figure of the image of God standeth, only for thy filthy lechery sake ; what dost thou think, how shall this figure appear? Seeing all (whatsoever is generated at any time out of the tincture) shall after the breaking of this world stand before God. And will not these figures appear in the anger of God ? Or hast thou an absolution for that which thou sowest in hell ? Look to it that this figure doth not qualify [or mingle] with thy body and soul ; for the tincture [then] is not yet become a spirit, it reacheth thyself; if thou art not newborn (through the blood of Christ) then thou must bathe [swim or swelter] therein eternally. It is i not I that say this, but the high spirit in the bosom of the virgin.

52. Therefore consider thyself, and say not, I

2 Or play a stand in the dark, and 2 exercise love ; none seeth youth. it. Thou standest before the clear countenance of

Ch. 20] ADAM AND EVfi's GOING OUT OF PARADISE 527

God ; also thou standest before the abyss of hell, before the council of all devils, who mock at thee ;

and besides, thou hast an evil [false] or unfaithful love, and it is no other than a [wanton] lechery ;

if l it were faithful, thou wouldst not defile thy 1 the love.

brother or sister ; both of you miserably defile the image of God, and are the worst enemies one of another ; you cast one another in the devil's murdering den, and are in the wrestling ; but the