Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
Xii THE THREE PRINCIPLES
more exquisitely than of another, and therefore I conceive the author useth sometimes to expound words borrowed from the Hebrew and Greek, and some Latin words, and other words of art, as well as German words, and not always words of his own native language only, according to their signification in the language of nature : For that language doth shew, in every one's mother tongue, the greatest mysteries that have ever been in the nature of any thing, in the letters of that word by which it is expressed ; therefore let every one esteem those expositions of his according to their high worth : for the knowledge of that language is only taught by the spirit of the letter.
Some think it is unnecessary to know such Mysteries ; indeed every one's nature is not fitted with a capacity for the highest depths, therefore they need not search so far, nor trouble themselves to look for the understanding of that they desire not to know ; but that they may see how necessary his writings are, let them read the author's own Preface to this book, and there they may find the e necessity of l knowing themselves, for else they can
CLUiOV.
never know God, and then they cannot know the way to God, though they read it never so plainly set down in the Scriptures. And besides, the way to God is, in his writings, more easy to be understood by those of our age, than in the Scripture, because that hath been so veiled by doubtful interpretations, expositions, inferences
TO THE READER Xlll
and conclusions ; and therefore it must needs be highly necessary that such a foundation be laid as may assure us of the true meaning of the Scriptures, which teach that which is so absolutely necessary to salvation. Moreover, his grounds will teach us the way to get such understanding, that we shall know and feel, as well as they to whom the Apostle John wrote, that we shall not need any man to teach us anything, for we shall know and get that unction, which teacheth all things, and leadeth into all truth ; though it is thought people cannot have that now, by such as know not what is in man, for want of examining what is in themselves. Yet they may well perceive, that the ground of what hath ever been lieth in man ; for whatsoever any man hath been, or can be, must needs be in that man that attaineth to it, as the ground of the most excellent flower is in the root from whence it groweth. And then sure the ground of all that was in Adam, or any that have been since, or shall be, is in any one of us ; for whatsoever ground lay in God, the same lieth in Christ, and in him it lieth in us, because he is in us all. There is nothing but may be understood, if we do but consider how everything that ever was, or shall be known truly, is feelingly understood, by and in him that knoweth it as he ought. And he that thus knoweth God within him, cannot but know the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, angels, men, and all other creatures, even the devils, and may well be able to speak the
Xii THE THREE PRINCIPLES
more exquisitely than of another, and therefore I conceive the author uses sometimes to expound words borrowed from the Hebrew and Greek, and some Latin words, and other words of art, as well as German words, and not always words of his own native language only, according to their signification in the language of nature : For that language does show, in every one's mother tongue, the greatest mysteries that have ever been in the nature of any thing, in the letters of that word by which it is expressed ; therefore let every one esteem those expositions of his according to their high worth : for the knowledge of that language is only taught by the spirit of the letter.
Some think it is unnecessary to know such Mysteries ; indeed every one's nature is not fitted with a capacity for the highest depths, therefore they need not search so far, nor trouble themselves to look for the understanding of that they desire not to know ; but that they may see how necessary his writings are, let them read the author's own Preface to this book, and there they may find the e necessity of l knowing themselves, for else they can
CLUiOV.
never know God, and then they cannot know the way to God, though they read it never so plainly set down in the Scriptures. And besides, the way to God is, in his writings, more easy to be understood by those of our age, than in the Scripture, because that has been so veiled by doubtful interpretations, expositions, inferences
TO THE READER Xlll
and conclusions ; and therefore it must needs be highly necessary that such a foundation be laid as may assure us of the true meaning of the Scriptures, which teach that which is so absolutely necessary to salvation. Moreover, his grounds will teach us the way to get such understanding, that we shall know and feel, as well as they to whom the Apostle John wrote, that we shall not need any man to teach us anything, for we shall know and get that unction, which teaches all things, and leads into all truth ; though it is thought people cannot have that now, by such as know not what is in man, for want of examining what is in themselves. Yet they may well perceive, that the ground of what has ever been lies in man ; for whatsoever any man has been, or can be, must needs be in that man that attains to it, as the ground of the most excellent flower is in the root from whence it grows. And then sure the ground of all that was in Adam, or any that have been since, or shall be, is in any one of us ; for whatsoever ground lay in God, the same lies in Christ, and in him it lies in us, because he is in us all. There is nothing but may be understood, if we do but consider how everything that ever was, or shall be known truly, is feelingly understood, by and in him that knows it as he ought. And he that thus knows God within him, cannot but know the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, angels, men, and all other creatures, even the devils, and may well be able to speak the