Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
his spirit ruled powerfully over the spirit of this world, over the stars, and over the sun and moon, and over the elements.
21. This must be Adam's condition ; and thus he was a true and right image and similitude of
God. He had no such hard bones in his flesh fas
/ "- we now have], but they were strength, and such [a kind of] virtue ; also his blood was not out of the tincture of the 2 aquastrish matrix, but it was out of the heavenly matrix. In brief, it was altogether heavenly, as we shall appear [and be] at the Day of the Resurrection. For the purpose of God standeth, the first image must return and come again and continue in paradise ; and seeing it could be done in no other form, [way, or manner], nor [that which was lost] be restored again, therefore God would rather spend his own Heart ; his eternal will is unchangeable, that must stand.
22. And when God had created man, then he planted a garden in Eden towards the east, and placed him therein, and caused to spring up and grow all manner of fruit, delightful to behold, and all sorts of trees good to eat of ; and the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. And when God had placed man in the garden, he commanded him, and said, You sliall eat of every tree in the garden, but of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil thou shalt not eat; for in the day that thou eatest
Ch. 10] THE CREATION OF MAN, AND HIS SOUL 163
thereof, thou shalt die the death. Here the veil lieth upon Moses, and they must be sharp [or piercing] eyes that can behold the face of Moses. God hath not without cause let Moses write this so very mystically [hiddenly and obscurely].
23. For what needed God to care so much for the biting of an apple, as to destroy so fair a creature for it ? Doth he not forgive many greater sins ? And he so exceedingly loved man, that he spared not his only Son, but let him become man, and gave him unto death. And could he not forgive a small sin ? Seeing he was omniscient [or knew all things], therefore why did he let the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil grow ?
24. Reason judgeth thus, that if God would not have had it so, Adam should not have eaten of it, or else he should not have forbidden that tree only ; sure he made it for a stumbling-stock to him. Thus the reason of one [sort or] party judgeth. The reason of the other party will mend the matter, which is indeed somewhat the wiser, but not much : They say, God tempted Adam, [to try] whether he would continue in his obedience or not; and when he became disobedient, then God threw mighty anger and wrath upon him, and cursed him to death ; and that his wrath could not be quenched, except he be reconciled in such a manner. This reason of this party maketh God to be a mere unmercifulness, like an evil man of this world, who yet will be reconciled, when he hath
p. 164
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 10
1 For which the curse came.
2 Or macrocosm.
once revenged himself sufficiently ; and this reason hath no knowledge at all of God, nor of paradise.
25. 0 beloved soul ! it is a very l heavy business, at which the very heavens might well stand amazed. In this temptation there is a very great matter hidden in Moses, which the unenlightened soul understandeth not : God did not regard a bit of an apple or pear, to punish so fair a creature for it : The punishment cometh not from his hand, but from the 2 spiritus majoris mundi, from the spirit of the great world, from the third Principle. God intended most mercifully towards man, and therefore he spared not his own Heart, but let it become man, that he might deliver man again. You ought not to have such thoughts. God is love, and the good in him is no angry thought ; and man's punishment was not but from himself, as you shall [find or] read in its due place.
TJie Secret Gate of the Temptation of Man.
26. Since many questions fall to be in this place (for the mind of man seeketh after its native country again, out of which it is wandered, and would return again home to the eternal rest) and since it is permitted to me in my knowledge, I will therefore set down the deep ground of the fall, wherein men may look upon the eyes of Moses : If you be born of God, then it may well be apprehended by you, but the unenlightened mind cannot hit the mark ; for if the mind desire th to see what
his spirit ruled powerfully over the spirit of this world, over the stars, and over the sun and moon, and over the elements.
21. This must be Adam's condition ; and thus he was a true and right image and similitude of
God. He had no such hard bones in his flesh fas
/ "- we now have], but they were strength, and such [a kind of] virtue ; also his blood was not out of the tincture of the 2 aquastrish matrix, but it was out of the heavenly matrix. In brief, it was altogether heavenly, as we shall appear [and be] at the Day of the Resurrection. For the purpose of God stands, the first image must return and come again and continue in paradise ; and seeing it could be done in no other form, [way, or manner], nor [that which was lost] be restored again, therefore God would rather spend his own Heart ; his eternal will is unchangeable, that must stand.
22. And when God had created man, then he planted a garden in Eden towards the east, and placed him therein, and caused to spring up and grow all manner of fruit, delightful to behold, and all sorts of trees good to eat of ; and the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. And when God had placed man in the garden, he commanded him, and said, You sliall eat of every tree in the garden, but of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil you shall not eat; for in the day that you eatest
Ch. 10] THE CREATION OF MAN, AND HIS SOUL 163 thereof, you shall die the death. Here the veil lies upon Moses, and they must be sharp [or piercing] eyes that can behold the face of Moses. God has not without cause let Moses write this so very mystically [hiddenly and obscurely].
23. For what needed God to care so much for the biting of an apple, as to destroy so fair a creature for it ? Does he not forgive many greater sins ? And he so exceedingly loved man, that he spared not his only Son, but let him become man, and gave him unto death. And could he not forgive a small sin ? Seeing he was omniscient [or knew all things], therefore why did he let the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil grow ?
24. Reason judges thus, that if God would not have had it so, Adam should not have eaten of it, or else he should not have forbidden that tree only ; sure he made it for a stumbling-stock to him. Thus the reason of one [sort or] party judges. The reason of the other party will mend the matter, which is indeed somewhat the wiser, but not much : They say, God tempted Adam, [to try] whether he would continue in his obedience or not; and when he became disobedient, then God threw mighty anger and wrath upon him, and cursed him to death ; and that his wrath could not be quenched, except he be reconciled in such a manner. This reason of this party makes God to be a mere unmercifulness, like an evil man of this world, who yet will be reconciled, when he has
p. 164
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 10
1 For which the curse came.
2 Or macrocosm.
once revenged himself sufficiently ; and this reason has no knowledge at all of God, nor of paradise.
25. 0 beloved soul ! it is a very l heavy business, at which the very heavens might well stand amazed. In this temptation there is a very great matter hidden in Moses, which the unenlightened soul understands not : God did not regard a bit of an apple or pear, to punish so fair a creature for it : The punishment comes not from his hand, but from the 2 spiritus majoris mundi, from the spirit of the great world, from the third Principle. God intended most mercifully towards man, and therefore he spared not his own Heart, but let it become man, that he might deliver man again. You ought not to have such thoughts. God is love, and the good in him is no angry thought ; and man's punishment was not but from himself, as you shall [find or] read in its due place.
TJie Secret Gate of the Temptation of Man.
26. Since many questions fall to be in this place (for the mind of man seeks after its native country again, out of which it is wandered, and would return again home to the eternal rest) and since it is permitted to me in my knowledge, I will therefore set down the deep ground of the fall, wherein men may look upon the eyes of Moses : If you be born of God, then it may well be apprehended by you, but the unenlightened mind cannot hit the mark ; for if the mind desire th to see what