Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence

23. And though there be such seeking in the Mystery by the instigation and driving of the spirit of God, yet every one seeketh (in his own

» Or form. banner) in his field wherein he standeth, and there he also findeth, and so bringeth his invention to light, that it may appear, and this

9 Or decree, is the 2 purpose of the great God, that he may so be manifested in his wonders. And it is not all from the devil, as the world in Babel (in its

» Or babble, great folly) doth 3 teach ; where they cast all down to the ground, and will make a bonfire of it, and set Epicurism in its place.

24. Behold, I give you a fit similitude in a sower ; a sower tilleth his ground the best he can, and soweth good wheat, but now there is other seed among the wheat, and though that were indeed wholly pure, yet the earth putteth forth weeds among the wheat, even thorns and thistles. And now what shall the sower do ? Shall he therefore reject the whole crop, or burn it, for the thistles and darnels sake? No, but he thresheth it, and fanneth it, he separateth the weeds and dross from it, and useth the good seed for his food, and giveth the chaff to his cattle or beasts, and with the straw

4 Or dung for he rnaketh 4 compost for his ground, and so maketh good use of his whole crop.

25. But to the mockery be it spoken, he is a weed, and shall be thrown to the beasts. And

Ch. 27] OF THE LAST JUDGMENT 757

now, though other seed be found among the wheat (when it is fanned and sifted) that he cannot get out, Shall h6 therefore not use his wheat for food ? Every kind of grain hath its virtue ; one strengtheneth the heart, the other the stomach, another the other members of the body ; for one essence alone inaketh no tincture, but all the essences together make the senses [thoughts] and understanding.

26. Go into a meadow, and look upon the herbs and flowers which grow all out of the earth, and always one is fairer and more fragrant in smell than the other, and the most contemptible [herb] hath many times the greatest virtue. Now then the physician cometh and seeketh, and often turneth his mind to the lustiest and fairest, because they thrive so in their growing, and smell strong ; then thinketh he, these are the best ; whereas many times a small regardless herb will serve his turn better in his physic for his patient, whom he hath under cure.

27. Thus I must tell you ; the heaven is a sower, and God giveth him seed, and the elements are the ground into which the seed is sown ; now the heaven hath the constellation, and receiveth also the seed of God, and soweth all together one among another ; now the essences of the stars receive the seed in the ground, and qualify [or are united] with it, and carry themselves along in the herb, till a seed also be in the herb.

p. 758

THE THREE PRINCIPLES

[Ch. 27

1 all men's minds and opinions.

2 Or spirit.

28. Now since there are varieties of growth, according to the essences of the stars, and yet the seed of God (which was sown in the beginning) is in the ground, and so they grow together, Should God now therefore cast away the whole crop because all have not the same essences? Doth it not all stand in his wonders ? And is it not the joy of his life, and the quickening of his tincture ? [This is] spoken by way of similitude.

29. Therefore, my beloved mind, look what thou dost ; and judge not so hastily and unadvisedly, and do not turn beast because of the multitude of opinions, to whom belongeth only the chaff of the noble seed. ( The spirit of God sheweth himself in every one that seeketh him, yet according to the manner and kind of his essences ; and yet the seed of God is sown along in the essences ; and if the seeker seeketh in a divine desire, then he findeth the Pearl according to his essences, and so the great wonders of God are manifested thereby. ^