Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
Ch. 1] FIRST PRINCIPLE OF THE DIVINE ESSENCE 5
[anxious or vexed]. For example, in man, when he is enraged, how his spirit attracteth itself, which maketh him bitter [or sour] and trembling ; and if it be not suddenly withstood and quenched, we see that the fire of anger kindleth in him so, that he burneth in malice, and then presently a * substance * an essential, or whole essence cometh to be in the spirit and Son,™*81 mind, to be revenged.
10. Which is a similitude of that which is in the original of the generating of nature : Yet it must be set down more intelligibly [and plainly]. Mark what Mercurius is, it is harshness, bitterness, fire, and brimstone- water, the most horrible 2 essence ; 2 being, snb-
, . , . . stance, or yet you must understand hereby no matena, thing. matter, or comprehensible thing ; but all no other than spirit, and the source of the original nature. Harshness is the first essence, which attracteth itself; but it being a hard cold virtue or power, the spirit is altogether prickly [stinging] and sharp. Now the sting and sharpness cannot endure attracting, but moveth and resisteth [or opposeth] and is a contrary will, an enemy to the harshness, and from that 8 stirring cometh the first mobility, which 3tOr wriggis the third form. Thus the harshness continually attracteth harder and harder, and so it becometh hard and tart [strong or fierce], so that the virtue or power is as hard as the hardest stone, which the bitterness [that is, the harshness' own sting or prickle] cannot endure ; and then there is great anguish in it, like the horrible brimstone spirit,
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 1
1 Or astringent attraction.
8 Or senselessly and madly.
and the sting of the bitterness, which rubbeth itself so hard, that in the anguish there cometh to be a twinkling flash, which flieth up terribly, and breaketh the l harshness : But it finding no rest, and being so continually generated from beneath, it is as a turning wheel, which turneth anxiously and terribly with the twinkling flash 2 furiously, and so the flash is changed into a pricking [stinging] fire, which yet is no burning fire, but like the fire in a stone.
11. But seeing there is no rest there, and that the turning wheel runneth as fast as a swift thought, for the prickle driveth it so fast, the prickle kindleth itself so much, that the flash (which is generated between the astringency and bitterness) becometh horribly fiery, and flieth up like a horrible fire, from whence the whole materia or matter is terrified, and falleth back as dead, or Or eagerly, overcome, and doth not attract so 'strongly to itself any more, but each yieldeth itself to go out one from another, and so it becometh thin. For the fire-flash is now predominant, and the materia, or matter, which was so very harsh [astringent or attracting] in the originalness, is now feeble, and as it were dead, and the fire-flash henceforth getteth strength therein, for it is its mother; and the bitterness goeth forth up in the flash together with the harshness, and kindleth the flash, for it is the father of the flash, or fire, and the turning wheel henceforth standeth in the fire-flash, and the harshCh. 1]p. 7
Ch. 1] FIRST PRINCIPLE OF THE DIVINE ESSENCE 5
[anxious or vexed]. For example, in man, when he is enraged, how his spirit attracts itself, which makes him bitter [or sour] and trembling ; and if it be not suddenly withstood and quenched, we see that the fire of anger kindls in him so, that he burns in malice, and then presently a * substance * an essential, or whole essence comes to be in the spirit and Son,™*81 mind, to be revenged.
10. Which is a similitude of that which is in the original of the generating of nature : Yet it must be set down more intelligibly [and plainly]. Mark what Mercurius is, it is harshness, bitterness, fire, and brimstone- water, the most horrible 2 essence ; 2 being, snb-
, . , . . stance, or yet you must understand hereby no matena, thing. matter, or comprehensible thing ; but all no other than spirit, and the source of the original nature. Harshness is the first essence, which attracts itself; but it being a hard cold virtue or power, the spirit is altogether prickly [stinging] and sharp. Now the sting and sharpness cannot endure attracting, but moves and resists [or opposes] and is a contrary will, an enemy to the harshness, and from that 8 stirring comes the first mobility, which 3tOr wriggis the third form. Thus the harshness continually attracts harder and harder, and so it becomes hard and tart [strong or fierce], so that the virtue or power is as hard as the hardest stone, which the bitterness [that is, the harshness' own sting or prickle] cannot endure ; and then there is great anguish in it, like the horrible brimstone spirit,
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 1
1 Or astringent attraction.
8 Or senselessly and madly.
and the sting of the bitterness, which rubbs itself so hard, that in the anguish there comes to be a twinkling flash, which flies up terribly, and breaks the l harshness : But it finding no rest, and being so continually generated from beneath, it is as a turning wheel, which turns anxiously and terribly with the twinkling flash 2 furiously, and so the flash is changed into a pricking [stinging] fire, which yet is no burning fire, but like the fire in a stone.
11. But seeing there is no rest there, and that the turning wheel runns as fast as a swift thought, for the prickle drivs it so fast, the prickle kindls itself so much, that the flash (which is generated between the astringency and bitterness) becomes horribly fiery, and flies up like a horrible fire, from whence the whole materia or matter is terrified, and falls back as dead, or Or eagerly, overcome, and does not attract so 'strongly to itself any more, but each yields itself to go out one from another, and so it becomes thin. For the fire-flash is now predominant, and the materia, or matter, which was so very harsh [astringent or attracting] in the originalness, is now feeble, and as it were dead, and the fire-flash henceforth getts strength therein, for it is its mother; and the bitterness goes forth up in the flash together with the harshness, and kindls the flash, for it is the father of the flash, or fire, and the turning wheel henceforth stands in the fire-flash, and the harshCh. 1] FIRST PRINCIPLE OF THE DIVINE ESSENCE 7