Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
9. The third day God, by the Fiat, divided the waters upon the earth, and created them for several places, that there might be a dwelling upon the earth, and so the earth became dry. Now when this was done, then God did seek the creature, and the eternal Father spake (that is, he wrought through the Son, who is his Heart and glance) [or lustre] in the Fiat, in the earth ; and there budded the life through death ; and grass, herbs, and all manner of trees and plants sprang up, every one according to the eternal l source, as it had been i fountain. before. Thus every essence became visible, and
God manifested his manifold virtue with the manifold herbs, plants, and trees, so that every one that doth but look upon them, may see the eternal power, virtue, and wisdom of God therein ; if he be born of God he may know in every spire of grass his Creator, in whom he liveth. Thus in this time sprang up all that grew [or was] in the Earth.
p. 110
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 8
This was 'ound written n the inanucript copy ipart by itself, \o that it is wt known chether it be he author's,
1 If men would not be blind, they might here see the Mystery of the Man Christ's remaining in Death till the third Day, and his bringing of Life out of the Earth.
10. And the matrix of the earth stood still till the third day, as it were in death/ in respect of the great storm : But in the Fiat the life sprang up through the death, and the eternal virtue [or power] and wisdom of God (which hath formed itself together in the Fiat) discovered itself on the blossoming earth, where the similitude of the paradisical world may be clearly seen.
11. For although many thousand several herbs stand one by another in one and the same meadow, and one of them is fairer and hath more virtue than another, yet one of them doth not grudge at the form of another, but there is a pleasant refreshment in one 2 mother : So also there is a distinct variety in paradise, where every creature hath its greatest joy in the virtue and beauty of another ; and the eternal virtue and wisdom of God is without number and end ; as you found before in the third chapter concerning the opening of the centres of the eternal life. You shall find no book wherein the divine wisdom may be more searched into, and found, than when you walk in a flowery fresh springing meadow, there you shall see, smell, and taste the wonderful power and virtue of God ; though this be but a similitude, and the divineCh. 8] OF THE CREATION OF THE CREATURES 111 virtue in the third Principle is become material ; and God hath manifested himself in a similitude. But [this similitude] is a loving schoolmaster to him that seeketh, he shall there find many of them.
12. On the fourth day, God took the place of this world rightly at the heart : For therein he created the l wise master out of his eternal wisdom l Or the wise in the third Principle, viz. the sun and stars ; or teachers! herein men may first rightly see the Deity, and the eternal wisdom of God, as in a clear glass, though indeed the essence or substance that is visible to the eye is not God himself, but it is the goddess in the third Principle, which in the end goeth into her ether again, and taketh her end.
13. Though men must not cast the Pearl in the way that the beasts may tread it under foot, much less must men throw it among the grains [or husks] to be devoured by the swine ; (for that would not be beneficial to the wanton world, because that seeketh nothing thereby but to misuse itself therewith ; for the devil whom the world serveth, doth teach it, that when it learneth the ground of the heaven, and of the stars, to will presently to be a god, as Lucifer did) : Yet I will write somewhat of the beginning and virtue or power of the stars, (because man and all creatures live in the virtue, working, and essences of them, and that every creature receiveth its property from them), for the sake of him that seeketh, who would willingly fly from the bestial man, and would fain
p. 112
9. The third day God, by the Fiat, divided the waters upon the earth, and created them for several places, that there might be a dwelling upon the earth, and so the earth became dry. Now when this was done, then God did seek the creature, and the eternal Father spake (that is, he wrought through the Son, who is his Heart and glance) [or lustre] in the Fiat, in the earth ; and there budded the life through death ; and grass, herbs, and all manner of trees and plants sprang up, every one according to the eternal l source, as it had been i fountain. before. Thus every essence became visible, and
God manifested his manifold virtue with the manifold herbs, plants, and trees, so that every one that does but look upon them, may see the eternal power, virtue, and wisdom of God therein ; if he be born of God he may know in every spire of grass his Creator, in whom he lives. Thus in this time sprang up all that grew [or was] in the Earth.
p. 110
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 8
This was 'ound written n the inanucript copy ipart by itself, \o that it is wt known chether it be he author's,
1 If men would not be blind, they might here see the Mystery of the Man Christ's remaining in Death till the third Day, and his bringing of Life out of the Earth.
10. And the matrix of the earth stood still till the third day, as it were in death/ in respect of the great storm : But in the Fiat the life sprang up through the death, and the eternal virtue [or power] and wisdom of God (which has formed itself together in the Fiat) discovered itself on the blossoming earth, where the similitude of the paradisical world may be clearly seen.
11. For although many thousand several herbs stand one by another in one and the same meadow, and one of them is fairer and has more virtue than another, yet one of them does not grudge at the form of another, but there is a pleasant refreshment in one 2 mother : So also there is a distinct variety in paradise, where every creature has its greatest joy in the virtue and beauty of another ; and the eternal virtue and wisdom of God is without number and end ; as you found before in the third chapter concerning the opening of the centres of the eternal life. You shall find no book wherein the divine wisdom may be more searched into, and found, than when you walk in a flowery fresh springing meadow, there you shall see, smell, and taste the wonderful power and virtue of God ; though this be but a similitude, and the divine
Ch. 8] OF THE CREATION OF THE CREATURES 111 virtue in the third Principle is become material ; and God has manifested himself in a similitude. But [this similitude] is a loving schoolmaster to him that seeks, he shall there find many of them.
12. On the fourth day, God took the place of this world rightly at the heart : For therein he created the l wise master out of his eternal wisdom l Or the wise in the third Principle, viz. the sun and stars ; or teachers! herein men may first rightly see the Deity, and the eternal wisdom of God, as in a clear glass, though indeed the essence or substance that is visible to the eye is not God himself, but it is the goddess in the third Principle, which in the end goes into her ether again, and takes her end.
13. Though men must not cast the Pearl in the way that the beasts may tread it under foot, much less must men throw it among the grains [or husks] to be devoured by the swine ; (for that would not be beneficial to the wanton world, because that seeks nothing thereby but to misuse itself therewith ; for the devil whom the world serves, does teach it, that when it learns the ground of the heaven, and of the stars, to will presently to be a god, as Lucifer did) : Yet I will write somewhat of the beginning and virtue or power of the stars, (because man and all creatures live in the virtue, working, and essences of them, and that every creature receives its property from them), for the sake of him that seeks, who would willingly fly from the bestial man, and would fain
112 THE THREE PRINCIPLES' [Ch. 8