soul was out of the eternal will, out of the centre of nature, upon the cross of the Number Three, where light and darkness do part; understand, he was not a divided sparkle, as a piece of the whole, for he is no piece, but totally all, as there is a total in every punctum [point or atom].
50. Now the eternal centre maketh the eternal substantiality, ( viz. the sinking down and springing up, whence the stirring of the elements doth arise, as also penetration and multiplication, whereas there is only such a kind of spirit), and the substantiality is the body, and a weakness, for it is a sinking down, and the spirit is the springing up.
51. Now the spirit created the substantiality into an image, like the cross of the Number Three, and breathed in the spirit of the Number Three, viz. himself, and so the image existed: and then instantly, out of the substantiality of the image, sprang up the blossom of the essences, which is called paradise: and thus stood the image in the angelical world.
52. And so there is nothing less in the image, than in the centre of nature, viz. the original of sourness, wrathfulness, and of fire, also all the forms of nature; whatsoever was seen from eternity in the wisdom, that was all in this image; also the power to light and darkness; and the wisdom stood in the light of the image, wherein stand all the eternal wonders, even the image of every creature, in the sinking down of death, and in the source [or property] of the paradisical life.
53. This we understand to be the matrix of the genetrix in the darkness; viz. that out of which angels and devils come to be; as is above mentioned. This source [or property] was wholly in the image, for it was a whole similitude of the eternal Being;
as Moses writeth concerning it, that God made man [to be] his image: so that it may be said, (if one did see man standing in paradise), here is the whole eternity manifested in an image, to speak in a creaturely manner of it; and yet it is so truly and rightly in the understanding.
54. Now, as Lucifer, by his flying out, in the source of the fire, imagined beyond the still meek Number Three above the cross in the Majesty, and so awakened to himself the matrix of the fire in himself, and kindled the matrix of nature; which kindling became corporeal, and was instantly together created by the Verbum Fiat, where also the second form of the matrix, viz. the meekness of the substantiality, was kindled together with it, out of which water came to be, which was made an heaven, (by which the fire was captivated), out of which the stars were generated; so you must understand also, that [man,] the image of God thus imagined [or lusted] after the awakened life, viz. after the awakened spirit of the air; indeed the air was together breathed into him, but the spirit [man's] of the centre should over-rule it, as the Holy Spirit over [ruleth] this world: for he should live in the power [or virtue] of God, and be a lord over the four elements, but in the fall they became his lord. And now if he would live in God, he must enter into himself again, and likewise leave the old body to the four elements, and must, in himself, be born in God. And so he was instantly also captivated by the air of the out-birth, and then the stars, elements, heaven, hell, death, and life, wrought together in him.
55. But seeing there is a firmament created, between God and the dominion of this world, by the spirit of God, therefore man is composed of three parts, (viz. Three Principles,) One is the hidden Deity, which standeth in the firmament of heaven, in itself, as a Principle of its own; the Second is the dominion of this world, viz. the stars and elements; and the Third is the abyss of the image, and also the abyss of this world, viz. the wrath, or the matrix of nature, out of which all things are proceeded.
56. And now the image, viz. man, is in the midst, viz. between the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of hell; between love and anger: and to which of these two spirits he yieldeth, its [servant] he is.
57. And though man cast himself into the
soul was out of the eternal will, out of the centre of nature, upon the cross of the Number Three, where light and darkness do part; understand, he was not a divided sparkle, as a piece of the whole, for he is no piece, but totally all, as there is a total in every punctum [point or atom].
50. Now the eternal centre makes the eternal substantiality, ( viz. the sinking down and springing up, whence the stirring of the elements does arise, as also penetration and multiplication, whereas there is only such a kind of spirit), and the substantiality is the body, and a weakness, for it is a sinking down, and the spirit is the springing up.
51. Now the spirit created the substantiality into an image, like the cross of the Number Three, and breathed in the spirit of the Number Three, viz. himself, and so the image existed: and then instantly, out of the substantiality of the image, sprang up the blossom of the essences, which is called paradise: and thus stood the image in the angelical world.
52. And so there is nothing less in the image, than in the centre of nature, viz. the original of sourness, wrathfulness, and of fire, also all the forms of nature; whatsoever was seen from eternity in the wisdom, that was all in this image; also the power to light and darkness; and the wisdom stood in the light of the image, wherein stand all the eternal wonders, even the image of every creature, in the sinking down of death, and in the source [or property] of the paradisical life.
53. This we understand to be the matrix of the genetrix in the darkness; viz. that out of which angels and devils come to be; as is above mentioned. This source [or property] was wholly in the image, for it was a whole similitude of the eternal Being;
as Moses writes concerning it, that God made man [to be] his image: so that it may be said, (if one did see man standing in paradise), here is the whole eternity manifested in an image, to speak in a creaturely manner of it; and yet it is so truly and rightly in the understanding.
54. Now, as Lucifer, by his flying out, in the source of the fire, imagined beyond the still meek Number Three above the cross in the Majesty, and so awakened to himself the matrix of the fire in himself, and kindled the matrix of nature; which kindling became corporeal, and was instantly together created by the Verbum Fiat, where also the second form of the matrix, viz. the meekness of the substantiality, was kindled together with it, out of which water came to be, which was made an heaven, (by which the fire was captivated), out of which the stars were generated; so you must understand also, that [man,] the image of God thus imagined [or lusted] after the awakened life, viz. after the awakened spirit of the air; indeed the air was together breathed into him, but the spirit [man's] of the centre should over-rule it, as the Holy Spirit over [ruls] this world: for he should live in the power [or virtue] of God, and be a lord over the four elements, but in the fall they became his lord. And now if he would live in God, he must enter into himself again, and likewise leave the old body to the four elements, and must, in himself, be born in God. And so he was instantly also captivated by the air of the out-birth, and then the stars, elements, heaven, hell, death, and life, wrought together in him.
55. But seeing there is a firmament created, between God and the dominion of this world, by the spirit of God, therefore man is composed of three parts, (viz. Three Principles,) One is the hidden Deity, which stands in the firmament of heaven, in itself, as a Principle of its own; the Second is the dominion of this world, viz. the stars and elements; and the Third is the abyss of the image, and also the abyss of this world, viz. the wrath, or the matrix of nature, out of which all things are proceeded.
56. And now the image, viz. man, is in the midst, viz. between the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of hell; between love and anger: and to which of these two spirits he yields, its [servant] he is.
57. And though man cast himself into the
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