Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
the turning wheel for great joy.
10. Here observe, the shriek or crack of the fire is kindled in the anguish in the brimstone-spirit, and then the shriek flieth up triumphantly ; and the aching, or anxious harshness, or brimstonespirit, is made thin and sweet by the light. For as the light or the flash becometh clearer or brighter from the crack of the fire in the vanquished harsh tartness, and loseth its wrathful fierce 3 property, so ' dominion, or the tartness loseth its authority by the infection or mixture of the light, and is made thin or transparent and sweet by the white light : For in the original the harshness or astringency was altogether dark, and aching with anguish, by reason of its hardness and attracting ; but now it is wholly light, and thereupon it loseth its own quality or property, and out of the wrathful harshness there cometh to
p. 16
1 Or springing be an l essence that is sharp, and the light maketh substance.
the sharpness altogether sweet.
2 The divine The 2 Gates of God. everlasting
Gates or \\, Behold now, when the bitterness, or the
Doors, by
which we bitter sting for prickle] (which in the original was have entrance J v to the Deity, so very bitter, raging and tearing, 'when it took its original in the harshness) attain eth this clear light, and tasteth now the sweetness in the harshness, which is its mother, then it is so joyful, and cannot rise or swell so any more, but it trembleth and rejoiceth in its mother that bare it, and triumpheth like a joyful wheel in the birth. And in this triumph the birth attaineth the fifth form, and
» Or loving- then the fifth source springeth up, viz. the 3 friendly love ; and so when the bitter spirit tasteth the sweet water, it rejoiceth in its mother [the sour tart harshness], and so refresheth and strengtheneth
4 with, or for. itself therein, and maketh its mother stirring 4 in great joy ; where then there springeth up in the sweet water-spirit a very sweet pleasant source or fountain : For the fire-spirit (which is the root of the light, which was a strong [fierce rumbling shriek, crack, or] terror in the beginning) that now riseth up very lovely, pleasantly and joyfully. 12. And here is nothing but the kiss of love, and wooing, and here the bridegroom embraceth his beloved bride, and is no otherwise than when the pleasing life is born or generated in the sour, tart, or harsh death ; and the birth of life is thus,Ch. 2] WHAT GOD AND THE DIVINE NATURE ARE 17 in a creature. For from this l stirring, moving, or x Or wnggling.
wheeling of the bitterness in the essence of the harsh astringent tartness of the water-spirit, the birth attaineth the sixth 2 form, viz. the sound or 2 property,
• • virtue, °r noise of the motion. And this sixth form is power.
rightly called Mercurius ; for it taketh its form, virtue, and beginning, in the aching or anxious harshness, by the raging of the bitterness ; for in the rising it taketh the virtue of its mother (that is, the 3 essence of the sweet harshness) along with 3 The substance that it, and bringeth it into the fire-flash, from whence springeth or
, • 1 r buddeth outof
the turning wheel for great joy.
10. Here observe, the shriek or crack of the fire is kindled in the anguish in the brimstone-spirit, and then the shriek flies up triumphantly ; and the aching, or anxious harshness, or brimstonespirit, is made thin and sweet by the light. For as the light or the flash becomes clearer or brighter from the crack of the fire in the vanquished harsh tartness, and loses its wrathful fierce 3 property, so ' dominion, or the tartness loses its authority by the infection or mixture of the light, and is made thin or transparent and sweet by the white light : For in the original the harshness or astringency was altogether dark, and aching with anguish, by reason of its hardness and attracting ; but now it is wholly light, and thereupon it loses its own quality or property, and out of the wrathful harshness there comes to
16 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 2
1 Or springing be an l essence that is sharp, and the light makes substance.
the sharpness altogether sweet.
2 The divine The 2 Gates of God. everlasting
Gates or \\, Behold now, when the bitterness, or the
Doors, by
which we bitter sting for prickle] (which in the original was have entrance J v to the Deity, so very bitter, raging and tearing, 'when it took its original in the harshness) attain eth this clear light, and tastes now the sweetness in the harshness, which is its mother, then it is so joyful, and cannot rise or swell so any more, but it trembls and rejoics in its mother that bare it, and triumphs like a joyful wheel in the birth. And in this triumph the birth attains the fifth form, and
» Or loving- then the fifth source springs up, viz. the 3 friendly love ; and so when the bitter spirit tastes the sweet water, it rejoics in its mother [the sour tart harshness], and so refreshes and strengthens
4 with, or for. itself therein, and makes its mother stirring 4 in great joy ; where then there springs up in the sweet water-spirit a very sweet pleasant source or fountain : For the fire-spirit (which is the root of the light, which was a strong [fierce rumbling shriek, crack, or] terror in the beginning) that now rises up very lovely, pleasantly and joyfully. 12. And here is nothing but the kiss of love, and wooing, and here the bridegroom embracs his beloved bride, and is no otherwise than when the pleasing life is born or generated in the sour, tart, or harsh death ; and the birth of life is thus,
Ch. 2] WHAT GOD AND THE DIVINE NATURE ARE 17 in a creature. For from this l stirring, moving, or x Or wnggling.
wheeling of the bitterness in the essence of the harsh astringent tartness of the water-spirit, the birth attains the sixth 2 form, viz. the sound or 2 property,
• • virtue, °r noise of the motion. And this sixth form is power.
rightly called Mercurius ; for it takes its form, virtue, and beginning, in the aching or anxious harshness, by the raging of the bitterness ; for in the rising it takes the virtue of its mother (that is, the 3 essence of the sweet harshness) along with 3 The substance that it, and brings it into the fire-flash, from whence springs or
, • 1 r budds outof