14. Behold now in what danger we are, according to the outward life; neither are we at home in this life, and yet we are quickened and awakened, through the outward life, and so a soul comes to be generated: though indeed the outward life cannot generate a soul; for the seed is sown with [or in ] all the three Principles, and there are three mothers, each of which hatcheth its chicken.
15. This might was given to man: though indeed the image of God did not stand thus: For Adam, before his Eve [was made], was a chaste virgin, not man nor woman: he had both the tinctures, that in the fire, and that in the spirit of meekness, and could of himself have brought forth after a heavenly manner, without dividing or rending of himself, if he had stood out the trial; and then one man had been generated from another, after that manner; as Adam in his virgin-like manner was man, and the image of God.
16. For that which is out of the eternal hath also, an eternal manner of generating, its substance must go wholly out of the eternal, else it subsisteth not in eternity. But having no tongue to bring to light how one is in death, when he is dead, though indeed we understand it, therefore we must shew it in similitudes.
17. A dead man hath no breath, neither hath he any fire in his body: the body hath no feeling, for it breaketh [or corrupteth] altogether: its essences go into the earth: its elementary spirit, viz. the air, goeth into the air, and vanisheth in a vapour: the water and blood is received by the water and earth, and then there remaineth nothing of the outward man: he is quite gone, for he hath beginning and end, all his essences are gone.
18. Understand us after this manner: As the image stood in a form from eternity, and yet it had no certain form, but was a wonder, like one that dreameth of a sight or image; and so it hath been foreseen in the wisdom of God, with all wonders.
19. Also observe this; when God the Father once moved himself to the creation, then he awakened (in the image) essences, which stood hidden in the centre of nature; and these essences are out of the eternal liberty, they should work their wonders in or according to the will of God; they should frame no other will, for that which they should do and open should stand eternally, for it was out of the eternal, and should work in the fragile or corruptible, and bring its similitudes into the wonders.
20. For the fragile or corruptible hath in the inward an eternal mother; and seeing now that the eternal image hath let the corruptible into its will, therefore hath the root of the corruptible (which is also eternal) wrought in the image, and put its wonders therein, which continue now standing eternally as & figure, seeing they are generated out of the eternal: and so they stand in the will, in the desire of the soul, when it is departed from the body.
21. And though it happen that the will (in the time of this life, viz. in the time of the body) goeth forth out of falsehood and wickedness, yet the will [purpose and intention (The representation of the thought)] remaineth as a figure, which followeth the will as a shadow, for it is generated out of the eternal, the soul, in its eternal essences, hath made that; for the soul worketh by its will in the centre, and the starry spirit worketh in the body, in the flesh and blood, and hangeth on to the soul, and maketh the soul to long and lust, that it also may do as the starry spirit doth.
22. And so now what the soul doth, it doth in its Principle, in the eternal, and all that followeth the soul in the deceasing of the body; only in the time of the body, it hath ability to draw its will out from it: and when the will is renewed, then also the substance [or subject matter], which the will hath made in the centre, is renewed; and though it had been evil, yet it becometh good, and so standeth in the
14. Behold now in what danger we are, according to the outward life; neither are we at home in this life, and yet we are quickened and awakened, through the outward life, and so a soul comes to be generated: though indeed the outward life cannot generate a soul; for the seed is sown with [or in ] all the three Principles, and there are three mothers, each of which hatches its chicken.
15. This might was given to man: though indeed the image of God did not stand thus: For Adam, before his Eve [was made], was a chaste virgin, not man nor woman: he had both the tinctures, that in the fire, and that in the spirit of meekness, and could of himself have brought forth after a heavenly manner, without dividing or rending of himself, if he had stood out the trial; and then one man had been generated from another, after that manner; as Adam in his virgin-like manner was man, and the image of God.
16. For that which is out of the eternal has also, an eternal manner of generating, its substance must go wholly out of the eternal, else it subsists not in eternity. But having no tongue to bring to light how one is in death, when he is dead, though indeed we understand it, therefore we must show it in similitudes.
17. A dead man has no breath, neither has he any fire in his body: the body has no feeling, for it breaks [or corrupts] altogether: its essences go into the earth: its elementary spirit, viz. the air, goes into the air, and vanishes in a vapour: the water and blood is received by the water and earth, and then there remains nothing of the outward man: he is quite gone, for he has beginning and end, all his essences are gone.
18. Understand us after this manner: As the image stood in a form from eternity, and yet it had no certain form, but was a wonder, like one that dreams of a sight or image; and so it has been foreseen in the wisdom of God, with all wonders.
19. Also observe this; when God the Father once moved himself to the creation, then he awakened (in the image) essences, which stood hidden in the centre of nature; and these essences are out of the eternal liberty, they should work their wonders in or according to the will of God; they should frame no other will, for that which they should do and open should stand eternally, for it was out of the eternal, and should work in the fragile or corruptible, and bring its similitudes into the wonders.
20. For the fragile or corruptible has in the inward an eternal mother; and seeing now that the eternal image has let the corruptible into its will, therefore has the root of the corruptible (which is also eternal) wrought in the image, and put its wonders therein, which continue now standing eternally as & figure, seeing they are generated out of the eternal: and so they stand in the will, in the desire of the soul, when it is departed from the body.
21. And though it happen that the will (in the time of this life, viz. in the time of the body) goes forth out of falsehood and wickedness, yet the will [purpose and intention (The representation of the thought)] remains as a figure, which follows the will as a shadow, for it is generated out of the eternal, the soul, in its eternal essences, has made that; for the soul works by its will in the centre, and the starry spirit works in the body, in the flesh and blood, and hangs on to the soul, and makes the soul to long and lust, that it also may do as the starry spirit does.
22. And so now what the soul does, it does in its Principle, in the eternal, and all that follows the soul in the deceasing of the body; only in the time of the body, it has ability to draw its will out from it: and when the will is renewed, then also the substance [or subject matter], which the will has made in the centre, is renewed; and though it had been evil, yet it becomes good, and so stands in the
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