Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
self is that only man which is both good and evil, and that he shall have the reward of either of them, and to which of them he inclineth in this life, to that his soul goeth when he dieth ; and that he shall arise at the Last Day in power, in his labour [and works] which he exercised here, and live therein eternally, and also be glorified therein ;
XXVI
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
i sil^t. iruii-f.
8 Or evil disposition.
* Corpus, or body, or natural substance.
4 Viz. through and from God's wrath and love.
9 imaging, fashioning, framing.
and that shall be his eternal food and l subsistence ; therefore it is very necessary for him to learn to know himself, how it is with him, and whence the impulsion to good and evil cometh, and what indeed the good and evil merely are in himself, and whence they are stirred, what properly is the original of all the good, and of all the evil, from whence, and by what [means] evil is come to be in the devils, and in men, and in all creatures ; seeing the devil was a holy angel, and man also created good, and that also such 2 unto wardn ess is found to be in all creatures, biting, tearing, worrying, and hurting one another, and such enmity, strife, and hatred in all creatures ; and that every 3 thing is so at odds with itself, as we see it to be, not only in the living creatures, but also in the stars, elements, earth, stones, metals, in wood, leaves, and grass ; there is a poison and malignity in all things ; and it is found that it must be so, or else there would be no life, nor mobility, nor would there be any colour or virtue, neither thickness nor thinness, nor any perceptibility or sensibility, but all would be as nothing.
14. In this high consideration it is found that all is through and from *God himself, and that it is his own substance, which is himself, and he hath created it out of himself ; and that the evil belongeth to the 6 forming and mobility; and the good to the love ; and the austere, severe, or contrary will belougeth to the joy ; so far as the
\
PREFACE XXV11
creature is in the light of God, so far the wrathful aiid contrary will maketh the rising, eternal joy ; but if the light of God be extinguished, it maketh the rising, painful torment, and the hellish fire.
15. That it may be understood how all this is, I will describe the Three Divine Principles, that therein all may be declared, what God is, what nature is, what the creatures are ; what the love and meekness of God is, what God's desiring or will is, what the wrath of God and the devil is, and in * conclusion, what joy and sorrow are ; and how 1 in brief, or all took a beginning, and endureth eternally, with the true difference between the eternal and transitory creatures, especially of man, and of his soul, what it is, and how it is an eternal creature : And what heaven is, wherein God and the holy angels and holy men dwell ; and what hell is, wherein the devils dwell ; and how all things originally were created, and had their being. In sum, what the 2 Essence of all essences is. 2 Being of ail
self is that only man which is both good and evil, and that he shall have the reward of either of them, and to which of them he inclins in this life, to that his soul goes when he dies ; and that he shall arise at the Last Day in power, in his labour [and works] which he exercised here, and live therein eternally, and also be glorified therein ;
XXVI
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
i sil^t. iruii-f.
8 Or evil disposition.
* Corpus, or body, or natural substance.
4 Viz. through and from God's wrath and love.
9 imaging, fashioning, framing.
and that shall be his eternal food and l subsistence ; therefore it is very necessary for him to learn to know himself, how it is with him, and whence the impulsion to good and evil comes, and what indeed the good and evil merely are in himself, and whence they are stirred, what properly is the original of all the good, and of all the evil, from whence, and by what [means] evil is come to be in the devils, and in men, and in all creatures ; seeing the devil was a holy angel, and man also created good, and that also such 2 unto wardn ess is found to be in all creatures, biting, tearing, worrying, and hurting one another, and such enmity, strife, and hatred in all creatures ; and that every 3 thing is so at odds with itself, as we see it to be, not only in the living creatures, but also in the stars, elements, earth, stones, metals, in wood, leaves, and grass ; there is a poison and malignity in all things ; and it is found that it must be so, or else there would be no life, nor mobility, nor would there be any colour or virtue, neither thickness nor thinness, nor any perceptibility or sensibility, but all would be as nothing.
14. In this high consideration it is found that all is through and from *God himself, and that it is his own substance, which is himself, and he has created it out of himself ; and that the evil belongs to the 6 forming and mobility; and the good to the love ; and the austere, severe, or contrary will belougs to the joy ; so far as the
\
PREFACE XXV11
creature is in the light of God, so far the wrathful aiid contrary will makes the rising, eternal joy ; but if the light of God be extinguished, it makes the rising, painful torment, and the hellish fire.
15. That it may be understood how all this is, I will describe the Three Divine Principles, that therein all may be declared, what God is, what nature is, what the creatures are ; what the love and meekness of God is, what God's desiring or will is, what the wrath of God and the devil is, and in * conclusion, what joy and sorrow are ; and how 1 in brief, or all took a beginning, and endures eternally, with the true difference between the eternal and transitory creatures, especially of man, and of his soul, what it is, and how it is an eternal creature : And what heaven is, wherein God and the holy angels and holy men dwell ; and what hell is, wherein the devils dwell ; and how all things originally were created, and had their being. In sum, what the 2 Essence of all essences is. 2 Being of ail