Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
p. 136
man, the time is come for us to awake from the sleep of Antichrist. Christ cometh with the fair lily out of paradise in the valley of Jehosaphat : It is time for them to trim their lamps that will go to the marriage [of the Lamb].
The Gate [or the Exposition].
18. Paradise consisteth in the power [and virtue] palpable. of God : It is not corporeal, nor l comprehensible ;
but its corporeity or comprehensibility is like the angels, which yet is a bright, clear, visible substance, as if it were material ; but it is figured merely from the virtue [or power], where all is transparent and shining, where also the centre of the birth is in all things, and therefore the birth is without measure or end.
19. I give you a similitude in the mind of man, from which the thoughts are generated, which have neither number nor end, (for every thought hath a centre to generate again other thoughts), and thus is the paradise from eternity to eternity. But being the light of God is eternal, and shineth without wavering or hindrance, therefore also in the birth there is an unchangeable substance, wherein all things spring up in mere perfection, in great love.
20. For the spirit of knowledge intimateth this, that there are fruits and things that grow in paradise, as well as in this world, in such a form or figure, but not in such a source [or property]
Ch. 9] OF PARADISE, ETC. 137
and palpability. For the matter or body of it is power, and it groweth in the heavenly 1 limbus ; * soil or earth, its root standeth in the matrix, wherein there is neither earth nor stone ; for it is in another Principle. The fire in that [Principle] is God the Father ; and the light is God the Son ; and the air is God the Holy Ghost ; and the virtue [or power] out of which all springeth is heaven and paradise.
21. As we see that here out of the earth there spring plants, herbs, and fruits, which receive their virtue from the sun, and from the constellation : so the heaven or the heavenly limbus is instead of the earth ; and the light of God instead of the sun ; and the eternal Father instead of the virtue of the stars. The depth of this substance is without beginning and end, its breadth cannot be 2 reached, 2 fathomed, there are neither years nor time, no cold nor heat ;
no moving of the air ; no sun nor stars ; no water nor fire ; no sight of evil spirits ; no knowledge nor apprehension of the affliction of this world ; no stony rock nor earth ; and yet a figured substance of all the creatures of this world. For all the creatures of this world have appeared to this end, that they might be an eternal figured similitude ;
not that they continue in this spirit in their substance, no not so : All the creatures return into their 8 ether, and the spirit corrupteth [or fadeth], 8 receptacle.
but the figure and the shadow continue eternally.
22. As also all words (both the evil and thep. 138 good) which were here spoken by a human tongue, they continue standing in the shadow and figured similitude, and the good reach paradise in the Holy Ghost ; and the false [evil] and wicked ones reach the abyss of hell. And therefore it is that Christ said, Man must give an account of every idle [or unprofitable] word ; and when the/ harvest cometh, then all shall be separated. For the Scripture saith also, That every one's works shall follow him, and all shall be tried by the fire of nature ; and all false [or evil] works, words, and deeds, shall remain in the fire of nature (which shall be the hell) ; at which, when the devils hear it, they tremble and quake.
23. All shall remain in the shadow, and every thing in its own source [or property] ; therefore it will be an eternal shame to the wicked, that they shall see in the eternity all their works and words, as a menstruous cloth, which shall stick full of the wrath of God, and shall burn, according to their essence, and according to their here-kindled source [or property].
136 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 9 man, the time is come for us to awake from the sleep of Antichrist. Christ comes with the fair lily out of paradise in the valley of Jehosaphat : It is time for them to trim their lamps that will go to the marriage [of the Lamb].
The Gate [or the Exposition].
18. Paradise consists in the power [and virtue] palpable. of God : It is not corporeal, nor l comprehensible ;
but its corporeity or comprehensibility is like the angels, which yet is a bright, clear, visible substance, as if it were material ; but it is figured merely from the virtue [or power], where all is transparent and shining, where also the centre of the birth is in all things, and therefore the birth is without measure or end.
19. I give you a similitude in the mind of man, from which the thoughts are generated, which have neither number nor end, (for every thought has a centre to generate again other thoughts), and thus is the paradise from eternity to eternity. But being the light of God is eternal, and shines without wavering or hindrance, therefore also in the birth there is an unchangeable substance, wherein all things spring up in mere perfection, in great love.
20. For the spirit of knowledge intimats this, that there are fruits and things that grow in paradise, as well as in this world, in such a form or figure, but not in such a source [or property]
Ch. 9] OF PARADISE, ETC. 137
and palpability. For the matter or body of it is power, and it grows in the heavenly 1 limbus ; * soil or earth, its root stands in the matrix, wherein there is neither earth nor stone ; for it is in another Principle. The fire in that [Principle] is God the Father ; and the light is God the Son ; and the air is God the Holy Ghost ; and the virtue [or power] out of which all springs is heaven and paradise.
21. As we see that here out of the earth there spring plants, herbs, and fruits, which receive their virtue from the sun, and from the constellation : so the heaven or the heavenly limbus is instead of the earth ; and the light of God instead of the sun ; and the eternal Father instead of the virtue of the stars. The depth of this substance is without beginning and end, its breadth cannot be 2 reached, 2 fathomed, there are neither years nor time, no cold nor heat ;
no moving of the air ; no sun nor stars ; no water nor fire ; no sight of evil spirits ; no knowledge nor apprehension of the affliction of this world ; no stony rock nor earth ; and yet a figured substance of all the creatures of this world. For all the creatures of this world have appeared to this end, that they might be an eternal figured similitude ;
not that they continue in this spirit in their substance, no not so : All the creatures return into their 8 ether, and the spirit corrupts [or fads], 8 receptacle.
but the figure and the shadow continue eternally.
22. As also all words (both the evil and the
138 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 9 good) which were here spoken by a human tongue, they continue standing in the shadow and figured similitude, and the good reach paradise in the Holy Ghost ; and the false [evil] and wicked ones reach the abyss of hell. And therefore it is that Christ said, Man must give an account of every idle [or unprofitable] word ; and when the/ harvest comes, then all shall be separated. For the Scripture says also, That every one's works shall follow him, and all shall be tried by the fire of nature ; and all false [or evil] works, words, and deeds, shall remain in the fire of nature (which shall be the hell) ; at which, when the devils hear it, they tremble and quake.
23. All shall remain in the shadow, and every thing in its own source [or property] ; therefore it will be an eternal shame to the wicked, that they shall see in the eternity all their works and words, as a menstruous cloth, which shall stick full of the wrath of God, and shall burn, according to their essence, and according to their here-kindled source [or property].