Het tweede boeck des auteurs, handelende van de drie principien ([1637 ?]) - Page 26

42 Of the True Eternal Nature. Chapter 4. original: "Cap. iij." Note that while the header says Chapter 3, the text numbering follows the previous chapter.

a Or the greatest oppressive anxiety. 47. But now, in this principium principle, there stands nothing other than the most terrifying birth, the greatest anxiety and the wandering delight, just like a sulfurous spirit. It is the very gate of Hell and the abyss in which Lucifer remains, specifically in that same abyss of Hell. He is created from the second principle, but his light from the heart of God has been extinguished. Therefore, at the end of this time, there shall be a separation or a driving out: the holy ones of the light shall be separated from the damned ones, whose source-quality shall be without the light of God.

o or whose working fountain.

p Or such a practical property. 48. Now we have shown you here the first principle, from which all things take their beginning. I must speak as if there were a place or a divided being where such a

torment exists, only for the purpose that the first principle may be understood. This is so that one can recognize and understand eternity, as well as the wrath of God, sin, eternal death, the darkness (which is so named because of the extinguishing of the light), and also the hellish fire and the Devil.

q That is the power and the radiance of the Father.

r A contracting, harsh tartness.

f To suffer or endure.

e Understand: the harshness.

v Understand: the lightning flash.

x The harshness.

y Friendly or pleasant.

z Or flowering fountain. 49. Now I will write of the second principle, of the clear, pure Godhead, of the heart of God. In the first principle (as I have related above) there is harshness, bitterness, and fire, and yet these are not three things but one single thing, and one gives birth to the other. Harshness is the first father, who is stern, entirely sharp, and drawing into himself. This same drawing is the sting and the bitterness, which the harshness cannot endure. It does not allow itself to be captured in death, but it climbs and rises up like a stern being, yet it cannot leave its seat. Then there arises a terrifying anxiety that finds no rest. The birth stands like a turning wheel, stinging so hard and breaking like a madness. The harshness cannot endure this but pulls more and more and harder upon itself, as if one rubbed stone and steel against each other. From this the shooting fire-flash rises, which terrifies it and makes its back sink down as if dead or overcome, specifically when the fire-flash becomes dangerous to it. And when the fire-flash comes into its mother ( the harshness) and finds her thus overcome and soft, then it is terrified much more than the harshness was, and it becomes white and clear in the overcome harshness in an instant. Now when the harshness receives this white, clear light in itself, it is so terrified that it sinks back as if overcome by death, lifting itself upwards, and becomes entirely thin and overcome. For its own source-quality was dark and hard, and now it is *light

Chapter 4. Of the True Eternal Nature. 43

light and soft. Therefore, it is now for the first time truly like one who is dead, and it is now the father-spirit.

* Note: Understand this as how the radiance of the Sun makes the soft water.

a That is, then he can no longer work.

b Or in the fountain of the father.

c Or straw. d Understand: the second.

50. Thus the birth receives an Essentiam essence: from the harshness, it is sharp; and from the light, it is sweet, thin, and lifting upwards. When the fire-flash now comes into its mother and finds her so sweet, thin, and light, then he loses his right in the qualifying, and he does not rise into the height, nor does he tear or feed anymore. He remains in his mother and loses his fiery right; it trembles and vanishes in its mother.

51. And in that same joy, in the father-source, there rises up the friendly source of unsearchable love, and that which rises up there is the second principle. For the entire birth now turns completely into a glorious love. For the harshness now loves the light because it is so delightful and beautiful. Out of that same lovely delight, she becomes so sweet, friendly, and humble. And the bitterness now loves the harshness because she is no longer dark and no longer pulls so sternly upon her, but is sweet, mild, pure, and light.

e Mixed or united.

f Or through-going essentiality.

g Or swelling and upward-moving.

h Or full of joy.

i Or every being.

k Understand: in the second.

l Or multiplication.

m Or the hovering one. 52. There the taste begins, where one constantly tastes the other, and with great desire qualities one into the other, so that there is nothing there but a pure loving. Thus the bitterness now rejoices in her mother and strengthens herself therein, and goes with great joy through all the essences and announces to the second principle that the dear child is born. Thereupon all the essences take notice and rejoice over the dear child. From this arises the hearing, which is the sixth power of the form, where the wheel of birth stands in triumph. And in this great joy, the birth can no longer contain itself, but it goes out, falling entirely full of virtues, and gives birth to every essence, becoming again a center in the second principle.

53. There begins the unsearchable multiplication, for the falling and rising spirit, from the first and second principle, confirms and strengthens everything. It is in the entire birth like a being, or a multiplication in a single will. The birth here receives the seventh form, namely, the multiplication in a being of love. In this form stands Paradise, or the Kingdom of God, or the innumerable divine birth out of one single being, into all beings.

54. Although no human tongue can exalt or recount this here, nor search out this depth where there is neither mask nor number nor end, yet we have the power to speak of it...