Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
part unregenerated, whom the 2 driver holdeth 2 hunter, or captive ; thou must not hide nor bury thy Pearl, per8ecutor'
p. 582
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 21 but shew the same to them, that they also may come into my arms ; thy mouth must not be
1 Or tell the shut, thou shalt walk in my law and J declare truth.
the truth.
62. And although the driver compasseth thee about, and will fetch thee away, yet there is a limit set for thy beast, how far it shall go, the hunter cannot break [or destroy] it sooner than the limited time ; and then if he do break it, it is done only for [the manifesting of] God's deeds of wonder, and for thy best good ; all thy stripes in the thorny bath shall stand in my kingdom for a fair ensign of thy victory ; and moreover, thou shalt have great joy in it, before the angels of God, in that thou hast despised the hunter, and art gone out of a wild birth into an angelical one. 0 how thou wilt rejoice, when thou shalt think upon thy
2 vexed and wild beast, which 2 plagued thee day and night, in that thou art 3 loosed from it.
63. Then thou hast great honour for thy great shame. And therefore why art thou so sad ? Lift up thyself out of thy wild beast, as a fair flower springeth out of the earth. Or dost thou suppose, thou wild beast, that my spirit is mad, that it so little esteemeth thee ? Thou sayest I am indeed thy beast, yet thou art born out of me ; if I had not grown forth, thou hadst not been either. Hearken thou my beast, I am greater than thou ; when thou wast to be, there I was thy master-framer ; my essences are out of the root of
8 Or released.
Ch. 21] THE CA1NISH AND ABELLISH KINGDOMS 583 the eternity, but thou art from this world, and thou breakest [or corruptest], but I live in my source [or quality] eternally ; therefore am I much nobler than thou ; thou livest in the tierce [wrathful] source, but I will put my strong fierce property into the light, into the eternal joy ; my works stand in power, and thine remain in the figure ; when I shall once be released from thee, then I shall take thee no more to be my beast again, but [I will take] my new body which I brought forth in thee, in thy deepest root of the holy element. I will no more have thy rough issues of the four elements, death swalloweth thee up. But I spring and grow out of thee, with my new body, as a flower out of its root ; I will 1 forget thee. For the glory of God (which 2 cursed ftc thee together with the earth) hath grafted my 2 Or fled from root again in his Son, and my body groweth in11"** the holy element before God. Therefore thou art but my wild beast, which dost plague me, and make me sick here, upon which the devil rideth, as upon his accursed horse ; and although the world scorn thee, I regard not that, it doth that for my sake ; and yet it cannot see me, neither can it know me. And wherefore then is it so mad? It cannot murder me, for I am not in it.
64. But thou, mad world, what shall the spirit say [of thee]? Art thou not my brother? The essences of my spirit stir thee ; go forth out of thyp. 584 beast, and then I go with my companions into the garden of roses, into the lily of God. Why keepest thou back, and sufferest thyself to be held by the devil ? Is he not thy enemy ? He doth but hunt after thy Pearl ; and if he getteth it, then thy spirit becometh a worm and beast in its figure. Why sufferest thou thy angelical image to be taken away, for temporal pleasure sake ? Thy pleasure is only in the corruptible beast. But what doth that avail the soul ? If thou dost not go out from it, thou wilt get eternal woe and sorrow by it.
65. Or what shall thy noble warrior Christ say to it ? Have not I [saith Christ] broken thy wild beast ? Am not I entered into death ? I have cut off from thy soul the four elements, and the wickedness [or malice] of the devil, and have
part unregenerated, whom the 2 driver holds 2 hunter, or captive ; you must not hide nor bury your Pearl, per8ecutor'
p. 582
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 21 but show the same to them, that they also may come into my arms ; your mouth must not be
1 Or tell the shut, you shall walk in my law and J declare truth.
the truth.
62. And although the driver compasses you about, and will fetch you away, yet there is a limit set for your beast, how far it shall go, the hunter cannot break [or destroy] it sooner than the limited time ; and then if he do break it, it is done only for [the manifesting of] God's deeds of wonder, and for your best good ; all your stripes in the thorny bath shall stand in my kingdom for a fair ensign of your victory ; and moreover, you shall have great joy in it, before the angels of God, in that you have despised the hunter, and art gone out of a wild birth into an angelical one. 0 how you will rejoice, when you shall think upon your
2 vexed and wild beast, which 2 plagued you day and night, in that you are 3 loosed from it.
63. Then you have great honour for your great shame. And therefore why art you so sad ? Lift up yourself out of your wild beast, as a fair flower springs out of the earth. Or do you suppose, you wild beast, that my spirit is mad, that it so little esteems you ? You say I am indeed your beast, yet you are born out of me ; if I had not grown forth, you had not been either. Hearken you my beast, I am greater than you ; when you were to be, there I was your master-framer ; my essences are out of the root of
8 Or released.
Ch. 21] THE CA1NISH AND ABELLISH KINGDOMS 583 the eternity, but you are from this world, and you breakest [or corruptest], but I live in my source [or quality] eternally ; therefore am I much nobler than you ; you livest in the tierce [wrathful] source, but I will put my strong fierce property into the light, into the eternal joy ; my works stand in power, and your remain in the figure ; when I shall once be released from you, then I shall take you no more to be my beast again, but [I will take] my new body which I brought forth in you, in your deepest root of the holy element. I will no more have your rough issues of the four elements, death swallows you up. But I spring and grow out of you, with my new body, as a flower out of its root ; I will 1 forget you. For the glory of God (which 2 cursed ftc you together with the earth) has grafted my 2 Or fled from root again in his Son, and my body grows in11"** the holy element before God. Therefore you are but my wild beast, which do plague me, and make me sick here, upon which the devil rids, as upon his accursed horse ; and although the world scorn you, I regard not that, it does that for my sake ; and yet it cannot see me, neither can it know me. And wherefore then is it so mad? It cannot murder me, for I am not in it.
64. But you, mad world, what shall the spirit say [of you]? Art you not my brother? The essences of my spirit stir you ; go forth out of your
584 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 21 beast, and then I go with my companions into the garden of roses, into the lily of God. Why keepest you back, and sufferest yourself to be held by the devil ? Is he not your enemy ? He does but hunt after your Pearl ; and if he getts it, then your spirit becomes a worm and beast in its figure. Why sufferest you your angelical image to be taken away, for temporal pleasure sake ? Your pleasure is only in the corruptible beast. But what does that avail the soul ? If you do not go out from it, you will get eternal woe and sorrow by it.
65. Or what shall your noble warrior Christ say to it ? Have not I [says Christ] broken your wild beast ? Am not I entered into death ? I have cut off from your soul the four elements, and the wickedness [or malice] of the devil, and have