a body [as may be seen in the tincture (or colour) of gold] ; though it be not palpable, yet it is substantial [essential]; and the understanding is in the tincture, for it is a wrestling with the fire, and flieth before the fire; and yet it cannot fly away, because the fire generateth [desireth] it, and continually attracteth it again into itself; and it still striveth to get out from the fire with the substantiality, and is after the manner, as a man fetcheth breath.
57. Therefore we give you now rightly to understand it thus: you see that the tincture shineth, and in the shining there is no stirring, but a constant lustre; and yet in the lustre there is all power, as in the tincture: and it is an eternal stillness, and the tincture is the stirring, and also the life. Understand us rightly and deeply, for it is the deepest ground, and foundation in heaven.
58. The other desire in man, after the highest good, is the soul, which standeth in the eternal mother: for every desire hath its original out of its own mother: therefore this is a desire of the eternity; and not the eternity [itself], but the tincture of the eternity, and the Majesty, viz. the glance in the still habitation, as is now mentioned.
59. Now, if a spirit be in its own mother, it desireth not to go out from her again; [as the air-spirit doth not desire to go away from the body] ;
neither doth it desire anything more than what is in its mother, and in its centre.
60. But yet we find and understand it in our mind, that the soul willeth to be out of this [earthly] mother, in which it standeth at present: and not only so, [but] it desireth the house of its own mother, viz. its own tincture, and the majesty; also the eternal rest out of the tincture.
61. And so we search and find, and have it in true knowledge, that the poor soul in the spirit and in the tincture [or life] of this [outward] world, lieth captive in a strange lodging, and hath not its light of the Majesty, for if it had that, it would be at rest, and desire nothing more.
62. Also we find, that it lieth captive in death in much weakness: for if it had its [right] tincture, then should the Majesty, wherein it is a child of
God, shine in it.
63. Therefore we say, that the poor soul of Adam was captivated by the spirit and Principle of this world, and received the tincture of this world into it; and then instantly the Majesty and brightness of God remained standing in its [own] Principle: for the soul put its will and desire into the spirit of this world, and itself entered into it.
64. Thus God shut up the heaven in the soul, so that it knew its Majesty no more; and there was perplexity and great misery, that an eternal creature should come to be in another Principle in another centre. Here the seven seals to the Book of the eternal life were shut to the soul, for the centre of its life was shut up and captivated in the eternal death, it could no more stir any form in the centre of its life, it lay in hell, like dead bones, the dragon had it in his jaws.
65. For it was in the house of misery, there was none that could help it; no angel, no throneprince, no creature, neither could the centre of the soul help it: for its fire was extinguished, the spirit of this world had swallowed it up [as the water devoureth the brightness of the flaming iron] : For the will of the soul was entered into the spirit [of this world], and had married [or joined] itself thereto, it [The will] was in another mother, as it is now at this day.
66. And so now, if the mother of this world had been broken (as it doth break [indeed]) then the soul would have stood in the eternal death in the darkness. Here counsel [Or remedy] was at an end, the fair creature was captivated by the kingdom of hell, which triumphed over it.
The highly Precious Gate.
a body [as may be seen in the tincture (or colour) of gold] ; though it be not palpable, yet it is substantial [essential]; and the understanding is in the tincture, for it is a wrestling with the fire, and flies before the fire; and yet it cannot fly away, because the fire generats [desires] it, and continually attracts it again into itself; and it still strives to get out from the fire with the substantiality, and is after the manner, as a man fetches breath.
57. Therefore we give you now rightly to understand it thus: you see that the tincture shines, and in the shining there is no stirring, but a constant lustre; and yet in the lustre there is all power, as in the tincture: and it is an eternal stillness, and the tincture is the stirring, and also the life. Understand us rightly and deeply, for it is the deepest ground, and foundation in heaven.
58. The other desire in man, after the highest good, is the soul, which stands in the eternal mother: for every desire has its original out of its own mother: therefore this is a desire of the eternity; and not the eternity [itself], but the tincture of the eternity, and the Majesty, viz. the glance in the still habitation, as is now mentioned.
59. Now, if a spirit be in its own mother, it desires not to go out from her again; [as the air-spirit does not desire to go away from the body] ;
neither does it desire anything more than what is in its mother, and in its centre.
60. But yet we find and understand it in our mind, that the soul wills to be out of this [earthly] mother, in which it stands at present: and not only so, [but] it desires the house of its own mother, viz. its own tincture, and the majesty; also the eternal rest out of the tincture.
61. And so we search and find, and have it in true knowledge, that the poor soul in the spirit and in the tincture [or life] of this [outward] world, lies captive in a strange lodging, and has not its light of the Majesty, for if it had that, it would be at rest, and desire nothing more.
62. Also we find, that it lies captive in death in much weakness: for if it had its [right] tincture, then should the Majesty, wherein it is a child of
God, shine in it.
63. Therefore we say, that the poor soul of Adam was captivated by the spirit and Principle of this world, and received the tincture of this world into it; and then instantly the Majesty and brightness of God remained standing in its [own] Principle: for the soul put its will and desire into the spirit of this world, and itself entered into it.
64. Thus God shut up the heaven in the soul, so that it knew its Majesty no more; and there was perplexity and great misery, that an eternal creature should come to be in another Principle in another centre. Here the seven seals to the Book of the eternal life were shut to the soul, for the centre of its life was shut up and captivated in the eternal death, it could no more stir any form in the centre of its life, it lay in hell, like dead bones, the dragon had it in his jaws.
65. For it was in the house of misery, there was none that could help it; no angel, no throneprince, no creature, neither could the centre of the soul help it: for its fire was extinguished, the spirit of this world had swallowed it up [as the water devours the brightness of the flaming iron] : For the will of the soul was entered into the spirit [of this world], and had married [or joined] itself thereto, it [The will] was in another mother, as it is now at this day.
66. And so now, if the mother of this world had been broken (as it does break [indeed]) then the soul would have stood in the eternal death in the darkness. Here counsel [Or remedy] was at an end, the fair creature was captivated by the kingdom of hell, which triumphed over it.
The highly Precious Gate.
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.