Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence

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is in a house, it must then be within that house ; for from hearsay, without seeing it oneself, there is always doubting whether a thing be as is related. But what the eye seeth, and the mind knoweth, that is believed perfectly, for [the eye and the mind] apprehendeth it.

27. The mind searcheth wherefore man must be tempted, whereas God had created him perfect ; and seeing God is omniscient [and knoweth all things], the mind therefore always layeth the blame upon God ; and so do the devils also ; for the mind saith, If the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil had not sprung up, then Adam had not fallen.

28. 0 beloved reason ! if you understand no more than so, then shut up the eyes [of your mind] quite, and search not ; continue under patience in hope, and let God alone [he will do well enough], or else you will fall into the greatest unquietness, and the devil will drive you into despair, who continually [pretendeth or] giveth it l forth, that God » The devil did will evil, [and that] he willeth not that all men mind, should be saved, and therefore he created the tree of anger.

29. Beloved mind, put such thoughts away from thee, or else thou wilt make of the kind and loving God, an unmerciful and hostile will, but leave off such thoughts of God, and consider thyself what thou art ; in thyself thou shalt find the Tree of the Temptation, and also the will to have it, which made it spring up ; yea the source [lust or quality]

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whence it sprang up standeth in thee, and not in God ; [this must be understood] that when we will speak of the pure Deity (which mariifesteth itself in the second Principle through the Heart of God) it is thus, and not otherwise.

30. But when we consider [or mean] the original of the first Principle, then we find the [nature, property, or] species of the tree, and also the will to the tree. We find there the abyss of hell and of anger [and wrath] ; and moreover we find the will of all the devils, we find the envious will of all the creatures of this world, wherefore they all are the enemies of one another, and do hate, bite, worry, kill and devour one another. My beloved reason, here I will shew you the Tree of the Temptation, and you shall look Moses in the face : Keep your

1 fixed, or mind * stedfast, that you may apprehend it.

upon it. TIP- -i

31. 1 nave often giyen you to understand in this book already, what the essence of all essences is ; but because it is most of all highly necessary in this place to know the ground [thereof], there2 Or explain, fore I will 2 set it you down all at large, and very fundamentally, so that you shall know it in yourself; yea you shall understand it in all creatures, and in all things that are, or that you look upon, or at any time may possibly think on ; all these shall be witnesses. I can bring heaven and earth, also the sun, stars, and elements for a witness, and that not in bare words and promises only, but it shall be set before you [very convincingly and]

Ch. 10] THE CREATION OF MAN, AND HIS SOUL 167

very powerfully in their virtue and essence ; and you have no virtue [or power, or faculty] in your body, that shall not [convince you and] witness against you ; do but not suffer the lying spirit, the old serpent, to darken your mind, who is the inventor of a thousand l tricks. » Or sleights,

,,,, , , r shifts, fetches,

32. \\hen lie seeth that he cannot catch [or arts, overcome] man, by making him 2 doubtful of the 2 Or despair, mercy of God, then he maketh him careless, so that he accounteth all as nothing. He maketh his mind very drowsy, so that he esteemeth very lightly of himself, as if all were not worth the looking after : Let things be as they will, he will not break his heart [or trouble his head] with it. Let the 3 Pope 3 priest,