Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
the light kmdleth. And here the trial [or ex- the tartness. perience] beginneth, one virtue beholding the other in the fire-flash, one [virtue] feeleth the other by the rising up, by the stirring they one hear another, in the essence they one taste another, and by the pleasant, lovely [source, spring, or] fountain, they one smell another, from whence the sweetness of the light springeth up out of the essence of the sweet and harsh spirit, which from henceforth is the water-spirit. And out of these six forms, now in the birth, or generating, cometh a sixfold selfsubsisting essence, which is inseparable ; where they one continually generate another, and the one is not without the other, nor can be, and without this birth or substance there could be nothing ; for the six forms have each of them now the essences of all their sixfold virtue in it, and it is as it were one only thing, and no more ; only each form hath its own condition.
p. 18
13. For observe it, although now in the harshness there be bitterness, fire, sound, water, and that out of the springing vein of the water there floweth love (or oil) from whence the light ariseth and 'Orastrin- shineth ; yet the harshness retaineth its first SSL* property, and the bitterness its property, the fire its property, the sound or the stirring its property, and the overcoming the first harsh or tart anguish (viz. the returning down back again) or the waterspirit, its property, and the springing fountain, the pleasant love, which is kindled by the light in the tart or sour bitterness, (which now is the sweet [source or] springing vein of water) its property ; and yet this is no separable essence parted asunder, but all one whole essence or substance in one another. And each form or birth taketh its own form, virtue, working and springing up from all the forms ; and the whole birth now retaineth chiefly but these four forms in its generating or bringing forth ; viz. the rising up, the falling down, and then through the turning [of the wheel in the sour, harsh] tart essence, the putting forth on this side, and on that side, on both sides like a cross ; or, as I may so say, the going forth from the point [or centre] towards the east, the west, the north and the south : For from the stirring, moving, and ascending of the bitterness in the fire-flash, there existeth a cross birth. For the fire goeth forth upward, the water downward, and the essences of the harshness sideways.
THE THIRD CHAPTER
Of the endless and numberless manifold engendering P generating] or Birth of the eternal J begetting, hatching, Nature. bearing,
The Gates of the great Depth. farther' pro1. I) EADER, understand [and consider] my writings aright, we have no power or ability to speak of the birth of God [or the birth of the Deity], for it never had any beginning from all eternity ; but we have power to speak of God our Father, what he is, and how he is, and how the eternal 2 geniture is. 2 nativity,
... .. birth, or
2. And though it IS not Very gOOd lor US tO generation, or know the austere, earnest [strong, fierce, severe] and w original birth, into the knowledge, feeling and comprehensibility of which our first parents have brought us, through the 8 infection [instigation] 3 mixture,
........ . poisoning, and deceit ot the devil, yet we nave very great envenoming, need of this knowledge, that thereby we may 01 learn to know the devil, who dwelleth in the most strong [severe or cruel] birth of all, and [that we may learn to know] our own enemy Self, which our first parents 4 awakened and purchased for us, • Or roused up.
p. 19
p. 20
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 3 which we carry within us, and which we ourselves now are.
the light kmdls. And here the trial [or ex- the tartness. perience] beginns, one virtue beholding the other in the fire-flash, one [virtue] feels the other by the rising up, by the stirring they one hear another, in the essence they one taste another, and by the pleasant, lovely [source, spring, or] fountain, they one smell another, from whence the sweetness of the light springs up out of the essence of the sweet and harsh spirit, which from henceforth is the water-spirit. And out of these six forms, now in the birth, or generating, comes a sixfold selfsubsisting essence, which is inseparable ; where they one continually generate another, and the one is not without the other, nor can be, and without this birth or substance there could be nothing ; for the six forms have each of them now the essences of all their sixfold virtue in it, and it is as it were one only thing, and no more ; only each form has its own condition.
18 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 2
13. For observe it, although now in the harshness there be bitterness, fire, sound, water, and that out of the springing vein of the water there flows love (or oil) from whence the light arises and 'Orastrin- shines ; yet the harshness retains its first SSL* property, and the bitterness its property, the fire its property, the sound or the stirring its property, and the overcoming the first harsh or tart anguish (viz. the returning down back again) or the waterspirit, its property, and the springing fountain, the pleasant love, which is kindled by the light in the tart or sour bitterness, (which now is the sweet [source or] springing vein of water) its property ; and yet this is no separable essence parted asunder, but all one whole essence or substance in one another. And each form or birth takes its own form, virtue, working and springing up from all the forms ; and the whole birth now retains chiefly but these four forms in its generating or bringing forth ; viz. the rising up, the falling down, and then through the turning [of the wheel in the sour, harsh] tart essence, the putting forth on this side, and on that side, on both sides like a cross ; or, as I may so say, the going forth from the point [or centre] towards the east, the west, the north and the south : For from the stirring, moving, and ascending of the bitterness in the fire-flash, there exists a cross birth. For the fire goes forth upward, the water downward, and the essences of the harshness sideways.
THE THIRD CHAPTER
Of the endless and numberless manifold engendering P generating] or Birth of the eternal J begetting, hatching, Nature. bearing,
The Gates of the great Depth. farther' pro1. I) EADER, understand [and consider] my writings aright, we have no power or ability to speak of the birth of God [or the birth of the Deity], for it never had any beginning from all eternity ; but we have power to speak of God our Father, what he is, and how he is, and how the eternal 2 geniture is. 2 nativity,
... .. birth, or
2. And though it IS not Very gOOd lor US tO generation, or know the austere, earnest [strong, fierce, severe] and w original birth, into the knowledge, feeling and comprehensibility of which our first parents have brought us, through the 8 infection [instigation] 3 mixture,
........ . poisoning, and deceit ot the devil, yet we nave very great envenoming, need of this knowledge, that thereby we may 01 learn to know the devil, who dwells in the most strong [severe or cruel] birth of all, and [that we may learn to know] our own enemy Self, which our first parents 4 awakened and purchased for us, • Or roused up.
p. 19
p. 20
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 3 which we carry within us, and which we ourselves now are.