dwelleth in the liberty, as a glance or brightness of a still joy [habitation]; and the Word [proceeding] out of the powers of nature is the fire of the light, out of which the shining goeth forth, and enlighteneth the whole deep of the Father; so that it is one essence together, but with three distinctions, where every distinction hath a centre, and may be called a Person.
64. For, the Father generateth the nature out of the eternal still liberty, which is himself, and yet in the stillness is not called Father; but in that he is desiring [or generating], and comprehendeth a will in himself, to [have] the genetrix of nature [to be] ; there he is known to be a Father, from whom all things proceed, as out of his first will through all wills.
65. Even as the mind of man is but one only will, which is desiring, and yet conceiveth in it, out of the eternal will, innumerable wills, and one always goeth forth out of the other. Whereby we see and find, that the first will is master, and the other recomprehended wills lead to light and darkness, to joy and sorrow; according as they conceive anything good or evil in them, as reason can discern. So it is also in the Father, in nature, but not in the liberty; for there, there is nothing in himself, but the light eternity.
66. Seeing then a twofold comprehension thus proceedeth out of one will, as to joy and sorrow, love and hatred, therefore each hath its birth to will [or to a contrary will, out of one and the same point] again, out of one into many: Nature hath its will to the sharpness of its stern generating: and the first will of the Father, (which ariseth out of the light eternity), to the still meekness: even as the still eternity is, in itself, a still soft joy, without substance.
67. Thus there is a twofold driving in one only substance, and therefore also two centres are generated; the one tendeth to meekness, and the other to fierceness, and yet are not separated: for the fierceness in nature is the first, and out of the fierceness is the meekness generated, which is the other; and one without the other would be only a still eternity.
68. Therefore now, the meekness is the Son of God, which dwelleth in the still eternity, and mitigateth the wrath, and is therefore called the Son, because he is generated out of the Father's nature; and is called the Word of the Father, because he is, with the glance of the eternal liberty, [proceeding] out of the eternal liberty (out of the wheel of the essences, out of the forms of nature, as the life of nature) expressed in the liberty of the Father; and is called a Person, because he is a self-subsisting essence, which doth not belong to the birth of nature, but is the life and understanding of nature; and is called the Heart of the Father, because he is the virtue and power in the centre of nature; and he is in nature, as the heart in the body, which giveth strength and understanding to its members; and is called the light of God, because the light is kindled in him, and taketh its original in him; and is called the glance [or brightness] because, in the eternal still liberty, he maketh a glance [or lustre] which taketh its original out of the sharpness of the eternal nature, as is mentioned before. And he is called the love of the Father, because the first will of the Father, to the genetrix of nature, desireth only this his most beloved Heart, and this (in the will of the Father) is the best beloved above nature, and yet is his essence: And is called wonder, because he is the Creator of all things, by whom all things, out of the centre of the essences of the Father, are brought to light, and being; so that the nature of the Father standeth in great wonders.
69. And this is the diversity, [and the cause] that the Father and the Son are called two Persons, and yet are but one God in one only essence; that is, the Father is the generator of nature, because it is generated by his will, out of the desire; and because his Heart separateth itself from nature, and is not comprehended by nature, and exerciseth a several centre, viz. the love; and the Father exerciseth the centre of wrath. In the sharpness of the Father is the fire, and in the sharpness of the Son is the light, and yet they are in one another, as fire and light.
dwells in the liberty, as a glance or brightness of a still joy [habitation]; and the Word [proceeding] out of the powers of nature is the fire of the light, out of which the shining goes forth, and enlightens the whole deep of the Father; so that it is one essence together, but with three distinctions, where every distinction has a centre, and may be called a Person.
64. For, the Father generats the nature out of the eternal still liberty, which is himself, and yet in the stillness is not called Father; but in that he is desiring [or generating], and comprehends a will in himself, to [have] the genetrix of nature [to be] ; there he is known to be a Father, from whom all things proceed, as out of his first will through all wills.
65. Even as the mind of man is but one only will, which is desiring, and yet conceives in it, out of the eternal will, innumerable wills, and one always goes forth out of the other. Whereby we see and find, that the first will is master, and the other recomprehended wills lead to light and darkness, to joy and sorrow; according as they conceive anything good or evil in them, as reason can discern. So it is also in the Father, in nature, but not in the liberty; for there, there is nothing in himself, but the light eternity.
66. Seeing then a twofold comprehension thus proceeds out of one will, as to joy and sorrow, love and hatred, therefore each has its birth to will [or to a contrary will, out of one and the same point] again, out of one into many: Nature has its will to the sharpness of its stern generating: and the first will of the Father, (which arises out of the light eternity), to the still meekness: even as the still eternity is, in itself, a still soft joy, without substance.
67. Thus there is a twofold driving in one only substance, and therefore also two centres are generated; the one tends to meekness, and the other to fierceness, and yet are not separated: for the fierceness in nature is the first, and out of the fierceness is the meekness generated, which is the other; and one without the other would be only a still eternity.
68. Therefore now, the meekness is the Son of God, which dwells in the still eternity, and mitigats the wrath, and is therefore called the Son, because he is generated out of the Father's nature; and is called the Word of the Father, because he is, with the glance of the eternal liberty, [proceeding] out of the eternal liberty (out of the wheel of the essences, out of the forms of nature, as the life of nature) expressed in the liberty of the Father; and is called a Person, because he is a self-subsisting essence, which does not belong to the birth of nature, but is the life and understanding of nature; and is called the Heart of the Father, because he is the virtue and power in the centre of nature; and he is in nature, as the heart in the body, which gives strength and understanding to its members; and is called the light of God, because the light is kindled in him, and takes its original in him; and is called the glance [or brightness] because, in the eternal still liberty, he makes a glance [or lustre] which takes its original out of the sharpness of the eternal nature, as is mentioned before. And he is called the love of the Father, because the first will of the Father, to the genetrix of nature, desires only this his most beloved Heart, and this (in the will of the Father) is the best beloved above nature, and yet is his essence: And is called wonder, because he is the Creator of all things, by whom all things, out of the centre of the essences of the Father, are brought to light, and being; so that the nature of the Father stands in great wonders.
69. And this is the diversity, [and the cause] that the Father and the Son are called two Persons, and yet are but one God in one only essence; that is, the Father is the generator of nature, because it is generated by his will, out of the desire; and because his Heart separates itself from nature, and is not comprehended by nature, and exercises a several centre, viz. the love; and the Father exercises the centre of wrath. In the sharpness of the Father is the fire, and in the sharpness of the Son is the light, and yet they are in one another, as fire and light.
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