Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence

10. And we know (in our deep knowledge) that 1 they have rightly taught and written, that there is one only God, which is threefold in personal distinction, as is before mentioned. And we also know that he is the creator of all things ; that he hath generated all out of his own 2 substance, both light and darkness, as also the thrones and 3 dominions of all things. Especially we know (as the Holy Scripture witnesseth throughout) that he hath created man to his own image and similitude,Ch. 22] THE NEW REGENERATION IN CHRIST 591 that he should eternally be, and live, in the kingdom of heaven in him.

11. And then- we know also, that this world (wherein we now are and live) was generated out of the eternal original in time (through the pure element) in the Fiat, and so created ; and so, l it 1 the world is not the substance of the holy pure element, but elements. an issue [or out-birth] out of the eternal limbus of

God, wherein the eternal element consisteth, which is before the clear Deity, wherein consisteth paradise, and the kingdom of heaven ; and yet the limbus, together with the pure element, is not the pure Deity, which is alone holy in itself, and hath the virtue of the eternal light shining in it, but hath no essences (in the light of the clarity) in it ; for the essences are generated from the virtue, 2 according to the light, as a desire ; and 2 Or o£ the desire attracteth to it, from whence the essences proceed, as also the eternal darkness in the source, as is before mentioned.

12. Seeing then God is all in all, and hath created man to his image and similitude, to live with him eternally in his love, light, joy and glory, therefore we cannot say, that he was merely created out of the corruptibility of this world, for therein is no eternal perfect life, but death, and perplexity, anguish, and necessity ; but as God dwelleth in himself, and goeth through all his works incomprehensibly to them, and is hindered by nothing, so was the similitude before him out

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THE THREE PRINCIPLES

[Ch. 22 of the pure element ; it was indeed created in this world, yet the kingdom of this world should not comprehend that [image], but the similitude (man) should mightily, and in perfect [power or] virtue, rule through the essences (with the essences out of the pure element of the paradisical holy limbus) through the dominion of this world.

13. Therefore he breathed into him the living soul out of the eternal will of the Father (which will goeth thither only to generate his eternal Son) ; and out of that will he breathed into man ; the same is his eternal soul, which must set its regenerated will in the eternal will of the Father, merely in the * Heart of God, and so it receiveth ^ne 2 virtue of the Heart of God, and also his holy eternal light, wherein paradise, the kingdom of heaven, and also the eternal joy springe th up ; and in this virtue [or power] it goeth through all

3 hurteth, or things, and 3 breaketh none of them, and is mighty over all [things], as God himself is ; for it liveth in the virtue [or power] of the Heart of God, and eateth of the Word [that is] generated out of God.

14. Thus also we know, that the soul is a spirit, generated out of God the Father, in the throne and entrance out of the recomprehended [or reconceived] will, out of the darkness into the light, to the generating of the Heart of God ; and that

4 above the [soul] is free to elevate itself above 4it in the

Heart of God, .«".,, , . , .„ „ , -~ , as TMrifer did. will, or in the meekness in the will of the x1 ather,Ch. 22] THE NEW REGENERATION IN CHRIST 593 to comprehend and incline itself to the birth of the Heart of God the Father.

1 Or Son of God.

2 Or power.