Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
43. For the will in the centre climbeth aloft till it generateth the fire, and in the fire is the substance and essentiality generated. For it is the spirit thereof, and the end of the will in the dark mind, and there can be nothing higher generated in the anguish than the fire, for it is the end of nature, and it generateth again the anguish and the source, as may be perceived. Now therefore the dark anguishing [aching, or anxious] mind hath not only one substance, viz. one being [or essence] in itself, but many, or else no quality could be generated ; and yet it is truly but one [being, essence, or] substance, and not many.
44. Thou dear soul, thus saith the high spirit to thee ; yield up thy mind here, and I will shew it thee. Behold, what doth comprehend thy will, orCh. 10] THE CREATION OF MAN, AND HIS SOUL 173 wherein consisteth thy life? If thou sayest, In water and flesh : No, it consisteth in the fire, in the warmth. If the warmth were not, then thy body would be stiff [with cold], and the water would dry away ; therefore the mind and the life consisteth in the fire.
45. But what is the fire ? First, there is the darkness, the hardness, the eternal cold, and the dryness, where there is nothing else but an eternal hunger. Then how cometh the fire to be ? Dear soul, here [in the fire's coming to be] the spirit of God (viz. the eternal light) cometh to help the hunger; for the hunger existeth also from the light : Because the divine virtue beholdeth itself in the darkness, therefore the darkness is desirous [and longing] after the light ; and the desirousness is the will.
46. Now the will or the desirousness in the dryness cannot l reach the light ; and therein con- J Or attain, sisteth the anguish in the will [longing] after the light ; and the anguish is attractive, and in the attracting is the woe, and the woe maketh the anguish greater, so that the anguish in the 2 harsh- - sourness, or
, , . . astringency.
ness attracteth much more, and this attracting in the woe is the bitter [sting or] prickle, or the bitterness of the woe ; and the anguish reacheth after the [sting or] prickle with attracting, and yet cannot 3 comprehend it, because it resisteth, and 3 Or catch it.
the more the anguish attracteth, the more the
[sting or] prickle raveth and rageth.
p. 174
47. Now therefore the anguish, bitterness, and woe in the [sting or] prickle, are like a brimstonespirit, and all spirits in nature are brimstone : They [torment, or] cause the anguish in one another, till that the light of God cometh to help them ; and then there cometh to be a flash, and there is its end, for it can climb no higher in nature ; and this is the fire, which becometh shining in the flash, in the soul, and also in the mind. For the soul reacheth the virtue of the light, which doth put it into meekness ; and in this world it is the burning fire : In hell it is immaterial, and there it is the eternal fire, which burneth
1 Or property, in the x quality.
48. Now, thou dear soul, here you see in a glass how very near God is to us, and that he himself is the heart of all things, and giveth to all virtue
2 careless, [power] and life. Here Lucifer was very 2 heedless, inconsiderate. .
43. For the will in the centre climbs aloft till it generats the fire, and in the fire is the substance and essentiality generated. For it is the spirit thereof, and the end of the will in the dark mind, and there can be nothing higher generated in the anguish than the fire, for it is the end of nature, and it generats again the anguish and the source, as may be perceived. Now therefore the dark anguishing [aching, or anxious] mind has not only one substance, viz. one being [or essence] in itself, but many, or else no quality could be generated ; and yet it is truly but one [being, essence, or] substance, and not many.
44. You dear soul, thus says the high spirit to you ; yield up your mind here, and I will show it you. Behold, what does comprehend your will, or
Ch. 10] THE CREATION OF MAN, AND HIS SOUL 173 wherein consists your life? If you say, In water and flesh : No, it consists in the fire, in the warmth. If the warmth were not, then your body would be stiff [with cold], and the water would dry away ; therefore the mind and the life consists in the fire.
45. But what is the fire ? First, there is the darkness, the hardness, the eternal cold, and the dryness, where there is nothing else but an eternal hunger. Then how comes the fire to be ? Dear soul, here [in the fire's coming to be] the spirit of God (viz. the eternal light) comes to help the hunger; for the hunger exists also from the light : Because the divine virtue beholds itself in the darkness, therefore the darkness is desirous [and longing] after the light ; and the desirousness is the will.
46. Now the will or the desirousness in the dryness cannot l reach the light ; and therein con- J Or attain, sists the anguish in the will [longing] after the light ; and the anguish is attractive, and in the attracting is the woe, and the woe makes the anguish greater, so that the anguish in the 2 harsh- - sourness, or
, , . . astringency.
ness attracts much more, and this attracting in the woe is the bitter [sting or] prickle, or the bitterness of the woe ; and the anguish reaches after the [sting or] prickle with attracting, and yet cannot 3 comprehend it, because it resists, and 3 Or catch it.
the more the anguish attracts, the more the
[sting or] prickle ravs and rags.
174 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 10
47. Now therefore the anguish, bitterness, and woe in the [sting or] prickle, are like a brimstonespirit, and all spirits in nature are brimstone : They [torment, or] cause the anguish in one another, till that the light of God comes to help them ; and then there comes to be a flash, and there is its end, for it can climb no higher in nature ; and this is the fire, which becomes shining in the flash, in the soul, and also in the mind. For the soul reaches the virtue of the light, which does put it into meekness ; and in this world it is the burning fire : In hell it is immaterial, and there it is the eternal fire, which burns
1 Or property, in the x quality.
48. Now, you dear soul, here you see in a glass how very near God is to us, and that he himself is the heart of all things, and gives to all virtue
2 careless, [power] and life. Here Lucifer was very 2 heedless, inconsiderate. .