50. But the Father containeth in him the eternal nature in his own essence, and is the eternal will itself, and generateth out of himself [another or] a second will, which, in the first eternal will (which is the Father) openeth the Principle of the light, in which the Father (with the eternal essences, in his eternal original will) becometh amiable, friendly, mild, pure, and gentle; and so the Father is not in the source [or quality] of darkness: for the recomprehended will (which goeth forth out of the centre, and dispelleth the darkness) is his Heart, and dwelleth in itself, and enlighteneth the Father [or is the glance and light or lustre of the Father], and that will is the Word of the eternal Father, which is generated out of the eternal essences, and is rightly another Person; for he dwelleth in the Father's essences [or essential powers] in himself, and is the light of the Father; and this Word (or will) hath created all things, (understand, out of the essences of the Father) for it [the Word] is the eternal omnipotency, because it cannot be comprehended by the eternal essences; for it breaketh asunder the eternal essences, and dwelleth in itself, and shineth out of the essences, and yet it cannot depart from the essences, as little as the glance or light departeth from the fire.
THE SECOND CHAPTER
1. SEEING we have mentioned such a ground to you, we will shew you farther the ground of the genetrix [or matrix], begettress, pregnant mother or womb], for we see it clearly in this world, in the dominion of the elements: (and yet much more in ourselves, in our minds, whence the senses [or thoughts] arise, whereby they walk, converse, and direct all their actions)
that there is a genetrix, which doth afford so much; and if there be a genetrix, then there must be a centre or circle of life wherein the genetrix hath its dominion: for the nothing doth mot move nor stir; but if there be a stirring, that moveth every life, that must not be a strange
[or heterogeneous] thing, because it is in every thing that thing's own spirit and life, as well in the vegetative and insensitive as in the sensitive living [things].
2. And let not the dissemblers and hypocrites mislead you, who are mere book-learned in the history, and boast and vapour with strange languages, and would be respected for it, whereas they understand them not in the least: they understand not their mother tongue; if they understood that rightly (together with the spirits of the letters) then they would know nature therein.
3. It is mere pride that forbiddeth you to search or seek, that you should not find, and that (the pride) with her crowned [or cornered] cap may domineer (like a proud woman) over the wonders of God; for so the devil would have it, that he might not be known: they are more blind than the simple laity.
4. If you desire to seek, then knock, that the right door may be opened for you, and seek in the fear and the love of God, and you shall find well enough; let not the calumnies of the proud divert you: for if the right door be opened to you, then you shall see how very blind they [the clergy] are: their pride hath blinded the whole world, so that every one looketh merely at their eloquence [fine language, or good expressions], and upon their [several]
strange languages, and think they understand very well. Thus they domineer over men's souls.
Whereas their knowing is altogether doubtful, as may be seen by their disputations and contentions.
5. Therefore I say still, none should trust their soul with such hypocrites and dissembling men: for the soul standeth not in this world, but in the original of the essence of all essences, and it is in the centre of the eternal band, wherein God, and the kingdom of heaven and hell standeth; and if it [the soul] attaineth the love of God in the light, (which dwelleth in the ground of the soul), it may well see the eternal nature, as also God, and the kingdom of heaven, and of hell: if it do not suffer itself to be blinded: it is not hard or difficult: it is but to go about the new birth, or Regeneration out of the darkness into the light, without which you cannot reach the depth in the centre.
6. And now if we will speak of the centre, or
50. But the Father contains in him the eternal nature in his own essence, and is the eternal will itself, and generats out of himself [another or] a second will, which, in the first eternal will (which is the Father) opens the Principle of the light, in which the Father (with the eternal essences, in his eternal original will) becomes amiable, friendly, mild, pure, and gentle; and so the Father is not in the source [or quality] of darkness: for the recomprehended will (which goes forth out of the centre, and dispells the darkness) is his Heart, and dwells in itself, and enlightens the Father [or is the glance and light or lustre of the Father], and that will is the Word of the eternal Father, which is generated out of the eternal essences, and is rightly another Person; for he dwells in the Father's essences [or essential powers] in himself, and is the light of the Father; and this Word (or will) has created all things, (understand, out of the essences of the Father) for it [the Word] is the eternal omnipotency, because it cannot be comprehended by the eternal essences; for it breaks asunder the eternal essences, and dwells in itself, and shines out of the essences, and yet it cannot depart from the essences, as little as the glance or light departs from the fire.
THE SECOND CHAPTER
1. SEEING we have mentioned such a ground to you, we will show you farther the ground of the genetrix [or matrix], begettress, pregnant mother or womb], for we see it clearly in this world, in the dominion of the elements: (and yet much more in ourselves, in our minds, whence the senses [or thoughts] arise, whereby they walk, converse, and direct all their actions)
that there is a genetrix, which does afford so much; and if there be a genetrix, then there must be a centre or circle of life wherein the genetrix has its dominion: for the nothing does mot move nor stir; but if there be a stirring, that moves every life, that must not be a strange
[or heterogeneous] thing, because it is in every thing that thing's own spirit and life, as well in the vegetative and insensitive as in the sensitive living [things].
2. And let not the dissemblers and hypocrites mislead you, who are mere book-learned in the history, and boast and vapour with strange languages, and would be respected for it, whereas they understand them not in the least: they understand not their mother tongue; if they understood that rightly (together with the spirits of the letters) then they would know nature therein.
3. It is mere pride that forbidds you to search or seek, that you should not find, and that (the pride) with her crowned [or cornered] cap may domineer (like a proud woman) over the wonders of God; for so the devil would have it, that he might not be known: they are more blind than the simple laity.
4. If you desire to seek, then knock, that the right door may be opened for you, and seek in the fear and the love of God, and you shall find well enough; let not the calumnies of the proud divert you: for if the right door be opened to you, then you shall see how very blind they [the clergy] are: their pride has blinded the whole world, so that every one looks merely at their eloquence [fine language, or good expressions], and upon their [several]
strange languages, and think they understand very well. Thus they domineer over men's souls.
Whereas their knowing is altogether doubtful, as may be seen by their disputations and contentions.
5. Therefore I say still, none should trust their soul with such hypocrites and dissembling men: for the soul stands not in this world, but in the original of the essence of all essences, and it is in the centre of the eternal band, wherein God, and the kingdom of heaven and hell stands; and if it [the soul] attains the love of God in the light, (which dwells in the ground of the soul), it may well see the eternal nature, as also God, and the kingdom of heaven, and of hell: if it do not suffer itself to be blinded: it is not hard or difficult: it is but to go about the new birth, or Regeneration out of the darkness into the light, without which you cannot reach the depth in the centre.
6. And now if we will speak of the centre, or
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.