Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
21. For such also his covenant with us is, both in the Baptism and in" the Last Supper. He took not the flesh of his creature and gave it to his disciples, but he took the body of the pure element [that is] before God, wherein God dwelleth, which is present in all creatures, but comprised in another Principle, and gave it to his disciples to eat and to drink under earthly bread and wine. So also he baptized the outward man with earthly elementary water, but the inward new man he baptizeth with the water in the holy pure element of his body and spirit; which substance appeareth only in the second Principle, and is present everywhere, yet is hidden to the third Principle, viz. to the spirit of this world.
22. For as we know, that our mind reacheth all over this world, and also into the kingdom of heaven to God, so also the life of the pure element (wherein the creature / Christ, and our new man in Christ standeth) reacheth everywhere all over; and it is all over full of the fullness of the life of Jesus Christ, but only in the [one pure holy] element, and not in the four elements, in the spirit of the stars.
23. Therefore there needeth not in our writings much toil, nor hard consideration or study. We write out of another Principle, no Reader understandeth us rightly in the ground, except his mind be born in God. There ought f no historical skill and knowledge to be sought for in our writings ; for as it is not possible to see God with earthly eyes, so also it is not possible that an unenlightened mind, in the earthliness, can comprehend *it. l tho ground Heavenly thoughts and meaning can comprehend x it : of ?." like must be comprehended by like.
24. Indeed we carry the heavenly treasure in an earthly
2 vessel, but there must be a heavenly 3 receptacle hidden 2 Or recepin the earthly, else the heavenly treasure is not comprised tacle' nor held. None should think or desire to find the lily * ^ V688eL of the heavenly bud with deep searching and studying,
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THE THREE PRINCIPLES
1 of what spirit it is generated.
2 materia, or material.
« like gall. 4 Or Vulcan.
6 Or friend.
if he be not entered by earnest repentance in the New Birth, so that it be grown in himself ; for else it is but a history, where his mind never findeth the ground, and yet itself supposeth it hath comprehended it; but his mind maketh it manifest * what spirit's child it is ; for it is written, They are taught of God.
25. We know that every life is a fire that consumeth, and must have somewhat to feed its consuming, or else it goeth out ; so also we know that there is an eternal band of life, where there is a matter whereon the eternal fire feedeth continually, for the eternal fire maketh that matter for food to itself.
26. So also we know that the eternal life is twofold, in a twofold source [quality or property], and each standeth in its own fire. The one burneth in the fierceness, and in the woe, and the matter thereof is pride, envy, and anger, its source is like brimstone spirit ; for the rising up of the pride, in covetousness, envy, and anger, maketh together a brimstone, wherein the fire burneth, and continually kindleth itself with this 2 matter ; for it is a great 3 bitterness, wherein the mobility of the life consisteth, as also the 4 striker up of the fire.
21. For such also his covenant with us is, both in the Baptism and in" the Last Supper. He took not the flesh of his creature and gave it to his disciples, but he took the body of the pure element [that is] before God, wherein God dwells, which is present in all creatures, but comprised in another Principle, and gave it to his disciples to eat and to drink under earthly bread and wine. So also he baptized the outward man with earthly elementary water, but the inward new man he baptizes with the water in the holy pure element of his body and spirit; which substance appears only in the second Principle, and is present everywhere, yet is hidden to the third Principle, viz. to the spirit of this world.
22. For as we know, that our mind reaches all over this world, and also into the kingdom of heaven to God, so also the life of the pure element (wherein the creature / Christ, and our new man in Christ stands) reaches everywhere all over; and it is all over full of the fullness of the life of Jesus Christ, but only in the [one pure holy] element, and not in the four elements, in the spirit of the stars.
23. Therefore there needs not in our writings much toil, nor hard consideration or study. We write out of another Principle, no Reader understands us rightly in the ground, except his mind be born in God. There ought f no historical skill and knowledge to be sought for in our writings ; for as it is not possible to see God with earthly eyes, so also it is not possible that an unenlightened mind, in the earthliness, can comprehend *it. l tho ground Heavenly thoughts and meaning can comprehend x it : of ?." like must be comprehended by like.
24. Indeed we carry the heavenly treasure in an earthly
2 vessel, but there must be a heavenly 3 receptacle hidden 2 Or recepin the earthly, else the heavenly treasure is not comprised tacle' nor held. None should think or desire to find the lily * ^ V688eL of the heavenly bud with deep searching and studying,
p. 49
p. 770
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
1 of what spirit it is generated.
2 materia, or material.
« like gall. 4 Or Vulcan.
6 Or friend.
if he be not entered by earnest repentance in the New Birth, so that it be grown in himself ; for else it is but a history, where his mind never finds the ground, and yet itself supposes it has comprehended it; but his mind makes it manifest * what spirit's child it is ; for it is written, They are taught of God.
25. We know that every life is a fire that consums, and must have somewhat to feed its consuming, or else it goes out ; so also we know that there is an eternal band of life, where there is a matter whereon the eternal fire feeds continually, for the eternal fire makes that matter for food to itself.
26. So also we know that the eternal life is twofold, in a twofold source [quality or property], and each stands in its own fire. The one burns in the fierceness, and in the woe, and the matter thereof is pride, envy, and anger, its source is like brimstone spirit ; for the rising up of the pride, in covetousness, envy, and anger, makes together a brimstone, wherein the fire burns, and continually kindls itself with this 2 matter ; for it is a great 3 bitterness, wherein the mobility of the life consists, as also the 4 striker up of the fire.