Tripartite Tractate 17

1The thought of the Word, who had regained his stability and had come to rule over those who came to be through him, was called “Aeon” and “Place” for everyone he had produced in agreement with the decision, even that which is called “Synagogue of Salvation,” because he healed himself from the scattering that is the multitudinous thought, and returned to the single thought. It is similarly called “Storehouse” for the repose he gained, bestowed on himself alone. [] It is also called “Bride” for the joy of the one who delivered himself to him hoping for fruit from the union, even who appeared to him. It is also called “Kingdom” for the firmness he gained while rejoicing at the dominion over those who had waged war against him. And it is called “Joy of the Lord” for the gladness with [which he] clothed himself. The light abides with him, granting him repayment for the good things that are his, even the thought<s> of freedom.

2The aeon we mentioned earlier is higher than the two orders of those who battle each other. It is no companion to those who wield control, and it does not pertain to infirmities and weaknesses, things pertaining to the memory and to the likeness. What the Word placed himself in was a completely joyful aeon possessing the form of matter, yet also having the nature of its cause, which is what was revealed, given that it was an image of those who dwell in the Fullness, who came to exist from the riches of the delight of He Who Is.

3Moreover, rejoicing at the face of the one who revealed himself, in his <delight> and expectation and the promise of what he had requested, he possessed the name of the Son and his essence, his power, and his form. He is the one he loved and in whom he delighted, [] for whom prayers had been lovingly offered. This aeon was a light and a desire to be made firm and a willingness to be taught and an eye for seeing, qualities which it possessed from the exalted ones. Moreover, it was wisdom for his thought opposed to those situated lower in the plan of salvation, a word for speaking, and the perfection of other things like these.

4And those who assumed form together with him according to the image of the Fullness, their parents are the ones who revealed themselves, each one being a copy of one of the figures. Being forms of maleness, not originating from the infirmity that is femaleness, they originate from the one who had already fled from the infirmity. <They> bear the name Church, because they harmoniously resemble the harmony of the assembly of those who have come into manifestation. What came into being in the image of the light is also perfect, given that it is an image of the sole existent light, which is the Totalities. Even if it was inferior to the one whose image it is, it still possesses its inseparability, because it is a face of the inseparable light.

5Nevertheless, those who came into being in the image of each of the aeons, in essence they are what we mentioned earlier, but in their energy they are unequal, because it inheres (differently) in each of them individually. In this unification with each other they are equal, [] but each (aeon) has retained (the individual differences) proper to it. That is why they possess passions, passion being an infirmity, because they were not produced from the unity of the Fullness, but instead prematurely from one before receiving it from the Father, or from the unity with his Totality and will.

6Despite this, it was beneficial for the future plan of salvation. They were allowed to pass through the lower places, because the places cannot receive their sudden arrival, unless one at a time. Their arrival is necessary, because everything will be brought to completion by them.

7In brief, the Word received the vision of everything, of those that were, and of those that now are, and of those that will be, because he has been entrusted with the plan of salvation of everything that is. Some things have already attained to being, because there was a purpose behind it. Seeds that are yet to exist he has, by contrast, preserved within himself, on account of the promise pertaining to what he conceived, a promise of seeds yet to be. And he produced his offspring, that is, the revelation of what he had conceived. For a time, though, the promised seeds were prevented from coming into existence, because they have been appointed for a mission when the Savior comes, and his companions, the ones who are first in the knowledge and glory of the Father.