Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
41. Observe, as hath been often mentioned, that as in the Fiat, in the aching matrix (viz. the dark harshness [or sourness]) the fire rose up in the breaking- wheel in the kindling; and that in the fiery, the light of the sun, and of all the stars [sprang up] (which is [done] in the harsh matrix, which from the light is become thin, lowly, and material water), and the pleasant source of love [sprang up], so that one form vehemently loveth the other, in respect of the kind, meek light, which was come into all forms ; so now the soft meekness was become a new child, which was not the dark originality in the anguishing nature. But this child was the paradise, yet being it stood not in the materia [or matter], therefore the matrix of
2 the matrix, the harshness could not comprehend it ; but 8 it yielded itself forth very desirously, and longing with great earnestness (according to the fire and bitterness) to comprehend the pleasant source of love, and yet could not comprehend it, for 8 it was paradisical ; and thus it still stood in great longing, and generated water.
Ch. 8] OF THE CREATION OF THE CREATURES 125
42. But now God separated the fire (viz. the fifth essence or form) from the water, and out of that made the stars ; and the paradise is hid in the matrix. Therefore now the mother of the water desireth with great earnestness the mother of the fire, and seeketh the child of love ; and the mother of the fire seeketh it in the mother of the water, where it was generated, and there is between them a continual vehement hunger one after another to copulate.
43. Now God said, Let all manner of beasts come forth, every one after its kind ; and so there came forth out of the essence of every one's kind, a male and a female. And thus the spirit of the stars, or the spirit in the form of fire, had now by its longing copulated with the watery [spirit], and two sexes sprang out of one essence ; the one according to the limbus in the form of fire, and the other according to the aquaster [or spirit of the water] in the watery form ; yet so [blended or] mixed, that they were alike as to the body. And so the male was qualified according to the limbus, or form of fire, and the female according to the aquaster in the watery form.
44. And so now there is a vehement desire in the creatures. The spirit of the male seeketh the loving child in the female, and the female in the male ; for the irrationality of the body in the unreasonable creatures knoweth not what it doth ; the body would not, if it had reason, move so
p. 126
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 8 eagerly towards propagation ; neither doth it know anything of the impregnation [or conception], only its spirit doth so burn and desire after the child of love, that it seeketh love, (which yet is paradisical), and it cannot comprehend it ; but it maketh a l semination only, wherein there is again a centre to the birth. And thus ^s the original of both sexes, and their propagation ; yet it doth not attain the paradisical child of love, but it is a vehement hunger, and so the propagation is acted with great earnestness.
45. But that I now write, that the stars rule in all beasts, and other creatures ; and that every creature received the spirit of the stars in the creation, and that all things still stand in the same regimen ; this the simple will hardly believe, though the doctor knoweth it well, and therefore we direct them to experience. Behold, a male and female beget young ones, and that often ; now they come forth out of one only body, and yet are not of one kind, [nor of the same] colour and virtue, nor [shape or] form of body. All this is caused by the alteration of the stars ; for when the seed is sown, the 2 carver maketh an image according to his 3 pleasure ; * yet according to the first essence, he cannot alter that ; but he giveth the spirit in the essence to it according to his power [or ability or dominion], as also manners, and senses, colour and gesture like himself, to be as he is ; and as the constellation is in its essence
41. Observe, as has been often mentioned, that as in the Fiat, in the aching matrix (viz. the dark harshness [or sourness]) the fire rose up in the breaking- wheel in the kindling; and that in the fiery, the light of the sun, and of all the stars [sprang up] (which is [done] in the harsh matrix, which from the light is become thin, lowly, and material water), and the pleasant source of love [sprang up], so that one form vehemently loves the other, in respect of the kind, meek light, which was come into all forms ; so now the soft meekness was become a new child, which was not the dark originality in the anguishing nature. But this child was the paradise, yet being it stood not in the materia [or matter], therefore the matrix of
2 the matrix, the harshness could not comprehend it ; but 8 it yielded itself forth very desirously, and longing with great earnestness (according to the fire and bitterness) to comprehend the pleasant source of love, and yet could not comprehend it, for 8 it was paradisical ; and thus it still stood in great longing, and generated water.
Ch. 8] OF THE CREATION OF THE CREATURES 125
42. But now God separated the fire (viz. the fifth essence or form) from the water, and out of that made the stars ; and the paradise is hid in the matrix. Therefore now the mother of the water desires with great earnestness the mother of the fire, and seeks the child of love ; and the mother of the fire seeks it in the mother of the water, where it was generated, and there is between them a continual vehement hunger one after another to copulate.
43. Now God said, Let all manner of beasts come forth, every one after its kind ; and so there came forth out of the essence of every one's kind, a male and a female. And thus the spirit of the stars, or the spirit in the form of fire, had now by its longing copulated with the watery [spirit], and two sexes sprang out of one essence ; the one according to the limbus in the form of fire, and the other according to the aquaster [or spirit of the water] in the watery form ; yet so [blended or] mixed, that they were alike as to the body. And so the male was qualified according to the limbus, or form of fire, and the female according to the aquaster in the watery form.
44. And so now there is a vehement desire in the creatures. The spirit of the male seeks the loving child in the female, and the female in the male ; for the irrationality of the body in the unreasonable creatures knows not what it does ; the body would not, if it had reason, move so
p. 126
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 8 eagerly towards propagation ; neither does it know anything of the impregnation [or conception], only its spirit does so burn and desire after the child of love, that it seeks love, (which yet is paradisical), and it cannot comprehend it ; but it makes a l semination only, wherein there is again a centre to the birth. And thus ^s the original of both sexes, and their propagation ; yet it does not attain the paradisical child of love, but it is a vehement hunger, and so the propagation is acted with great earnestness.
45. But that I now write, that the stars rule in all beasts, and other creatures ; and that every creature received the spirit of the stars in the creation, and that all things still stand in the same regimen ; this the simple will hardly believe, though the doctor knows it well, and therefore we direct them to experience. Behold, a male and female beget young ones, and that often ; now they come forth out of one only body, and yet are not of one kind, [nor of the same] colour and virtue, nor [shape or] form of body. All this is caused by the alteration of the stars ; for when the seed is sown, the 2 carver makes an image according to his 3 pleasure ; * yet according to the first essence, he cannot alter that ; but he gives the spirit in the essence to it according to his power [or ability or dominion], as also manners, and senses, colour and gesture like himself, to be as he is ; and as the constellation is in its essence