Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
95. And there the Word, or the Treader upon the Serpent, stood in the new regenerated element, in the soul of Abel, in the centre, in the gate of the deep, and did break the serpent's head (that is, the kingdom of the fierceness) of its might ; for the head signifieth the strong might of the fierce anger. And there the love of God (out of the Heart of
4 Or put. God) 4 let itself into the hell of the anger, and did smother the kindled fire of the poor soul in the love again ; and here the first work was proved, according as was promised from God to Adam and Eve.
96. Secondly, also the terrible work of the entering into the fierceness [or anger] was proved in Cain, for each kingdom proved its own. And now when Cain went into the anger, then the love of God stood in the centre before him, wholly hidden ; there Cain (as a champion) should have broken the serpent's head, which he before supposed that he was the man that should do it, and would do it in his own power and might ; and here it was rightly tried, whether it were possible in one's own self-power (through the lustre of the Father in the fire) to possess the kingdom of God.
97. But it was miserable, and all in vain, for Cain (in his tender humanity) cried, Woe, woe isCh. 20] ADAM AND EVE'S GOING OUT OF PARADISE 545 me. His sins were greater than l he, he could not l Or above his in his own power press in to God; he trembled,1"
and at length stood amazed before the abyss of hell, which had captivated him, and held him in it;
he 2 severed himself now also from [the company 2 separated.
of] men, and said, Now whosoever shall find me will slay me, for I must flee from thy face.
98. And here is seen the separating of the Christian Church from the Cainish, where God expelled Cain, that he must dwell in another place; and the true understanding of these high hidden secrets sticketh wholly in the word, under the veil [of Moses], and was almost never known [yet], but (in the time of the lily) it shall 3 stand3 Or be in the wonders. And thou antichrist! an church known' on earth shouldst know, that all (whatsoever thou inventest without the spirit of God for thy trimming and pride, also for thy strength and power) is gone forth with Cain from Abel, out from the Church of Christ, beyond Eden, into the Land of Nod ; if thou art so highly learned, and dost understand 4this in the language of nature, 4 this speech what it is, as thy flatterers in their bonnet [or pro- °f motion] suppose [they do]; but they apprehend nothing but the 5four elements in the going forth6 Or the with Cain, and not the [one] element before God ; SânTSd therefore the same is the Babel of confusion and d^aC of various opinions, and not the ground 8in the "in the [one] element, which standeth in one alone, and not in multiplicity.
p. 35
p. 546
'Or example. 99. Thou hast been a clear l glass (in him) of men's own conceits [or opinions], what one's own good meaning (without the spirit of God) is. Cain went not into the sheepfold at tfee door (which God made for Adam and Eve, with the Word, and Treader upon the Serpent), but climbed into it another way, by his strong lionish mind, and would be a lord over the sheep, and became a thief and murderer of the sheep, and the sheep followed him not, but they went (with Abel) through the sword of the angel [or Cherubim] (out of this frail and corruptible life) with the Treader upon the Serpent, into their resting sheepfold, where there is not one wolf ; for the Cherubim will let none of them in. And if any of them do come, then he cutteth their wolfs heart of the fierceness of the kingdom of this world clean away, and then they also become sheep, and lay themselves patiently among the sheep, and seek no more after the
* the wolf. wolf, for 2he is beyond Eden, in the Land of Nod ; but they are gone through the sword of the Cherubim into paradise, where no wolf entereth in ;
3 Or a great there is B, wall of a Principle and whole 3 birth cliff or gulf , - before para- before it.
95. And there the Word, or the Treader upon the Serpent, stood in the new regenerated element, in the soul of Abel, in the centre, in the gate of the deep, and did break the serpent's head (that is, the kingdom of the fierceness) of its might ; for the head signifies the strong might of the fierce anger. And there the love of God (out of the Heart of
4 Or put. God) 4 let itself into the hell of the anger, and did smother the kindled fire of the poor soul in the love again ; and here the first work was proved, according as was promised from God to Adam and Eve.
96. Secondly, also the terrible work of the entering into the fierceness [or anger] was proved in Cain, for each kingdom proved its own. And now when Cain went into the anger, then the love of God stood in the centre before him, wholly hidden ; there Cain (as a champion) should have broken the serpent's head, which he before supposed that he was the man that should do it, and would do it in his own power and might ; and here it was rightly tried, whether it were possible in one's own self-power (through the lustre of the Father in the fire) to possess the kingdom of God.
97. But it was miserable, and all in vain, for Cain (in his tender humanity) cried, Woe, woe is
Ch. 20] ADAM AND EVE'S GOING OUT OF PARADISE 545 me. His sins were greater than l he, he could not l Or above his in his own power press in to God; he trembled,1"
and at length stood amazed before the abyss of hell, which had captivated him, and held him in it;
he 2 severed himself now also from [the company 2 separated.
of] men, and said, Now whosoever shall find me will slay me, for I must flee from your face.
98. And here is seen the separating of the Christian Church from the Cainish, where God expelled Cain, that he must dwell in another place; and the true understanding of these high hidden secrets sticks wholly in the word, under the veil [of Moses], and was almost never known [yet], but (in the time of the lily) it shall 3 stand3 Or be in the wonders. And you antichrist! an church known' on earth should know, that all (whatsoever you inventest without the spirit of God for your trimming and pride, also for your strength and power) is gone forth with Cain from Abel, out from the Church of Christ, beyond Eden, into the Land of Nod ; if you are so highly learned, and do understand 4this in the language of nature, 4 this speech what it is, as your flatterers in their bonnet [or pro- °f motion] suppose [they do]; but they apprehend nothing but the 5four elements in the going forth6 Or the with Cain, and not the [one] element before God ; S&nTSd therefore the same is the Babel of confusion and d^aC of various opinions, and not the ground 8in the "in the [one] element, which stands in one alone, and not in multiplicity.
p. 35
546 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 20
'Or example. 99. You have been a clear l glass (in him) of men's own conceits [or opinions], what one's own good meaning (without the spirit of God) is. Cain went not into the sheepfold at tfee door (which God made for Adam and Eve, with the Word, and Treader upon the Serpent), but climbed into it another way, by his strong lionish mind, and would be a lord over the sheep, and became a thief and murderer of the sheep, and the sheep followed him not, but they went (with Abel) through the sword of the angel [or Cherubim] (out of this frail and corruptible life) with the Treader upon the Serpent, into their resting sheepfold, where there is not one wolf ; for the Cherubim will let none of them in. And if any of them do come, then he cutts their wolfs heart of the fierceness of the kingdom of this world clean away, and then they also become sheep, and lay themselves patiently among the sheep, and seek no more after the
* the wolf. wolf, for 2he is beyond Eden, in the Land of Nod ; but they are gone through the sword of the Cherubim into paradise, where no wolf enters in ;
3 Or a great there is B, wall of a Principle and whole 3 birth cliff or gulf , - before para- before it.