Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
according to the region of the stars ; yet [the starry region] cannot bring the spirit of the soul into its own form, but it practiseth its juggling therewith,
4 Or con- and so there is no rest in its * worm, and its worm science.
of the soul hangeth to its treasure ; as Christ said, Where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.
22. Therefore it happenetb often, that the spirit of a deceased man is seen walking, also manyCh. 19] ENTERING OF THE SOULS TO GOD 481 times it is seen riding in the perfect form of fire ; also many times in [some] other manner of disquietude ; all according as the clothing of the soul hath been in the time of the body, just so hath its source [or condition] been ; and such a form, according to its source, it hath (after the departing of the body) in its figure, and so rideth (in such form) in the source [or working] of the stars, till that source also be consumed ; and then it is wholly 1 naked, and is never seen more by any man. But * Or without
J , . . a body.
the deep abyss without end and number is its eternal dwelling-house, and its works which it hath here wrought, stand in the figure, in its tincture, and follow after it.
23. Hath it wrought good here ? Then it shall eat that good ; for all sins stand before it in its tincture : If it think inwardly in itself of the kingdom of heaven, (which yet it neither seeth nor knoweth), then it seeth the causes wherefore it is in such a source [or misery] ; for itself hath made that. And there all the tears of the oppressed and afflicted are in its tincture, and they are fiery, stinging and burning in a hostile manner, fretting and gnawing in themselves, and make an eternal despair in the essences, and a hostile will against
God ; the more it thinketh of 2 abstinence, the more 2Or forbearthe gnawing worm riseth up in itself.
24. For there is no light, either of this world, or of God, but its own fiery kindling in itself, and that is its light, which standeth in the horrible flash ofp. 31 ance.
p. 482
the grimness, which also is an enmity to itself ; yet the source is very unlike, all according to that which the soul hath here burthened itself with. For such a soul there is no [remedy or] counsel, it cannot come into the light of God ; and although St Peter had left many thousand keys upon earth,
1 that soul, yet none of them could open the heaven for *it;
for it is separated from the band of Jesus Christ, and there is between it and the Deity, a whole
2 Principle or 2 birth ; and it is as with the 3rich man, where j Luke xvi those that would come from thence to us cannot.
And this must be understood of the unrepentant souls, which thus in hypocrisy [or show of holiness] depart from the body, being unregenerated.
25. But there is a great difference in souls, and
4 Or their therefore 4the going to heaven is very unlike;
departure is also unlike, some of them are through true repentance and
8 Or evil sorrow for their B misdeeds, through their faith (in the time of their bodies) set [or engrafted] into the
Heart of God, [and] new regenerated through the birth of Jesus Christ ; and they instantly (with the breaking of their bodies) leave all that is
6 transitory or 6 earthly, and instantly also lay off the region corruptible. .. , 11oi the stars ; and they comprehend, in their essences of the first Principle, the mercy of God the Father in the kind love of Jesus Christ ; and [these] also stand, in the time of their bodies, according to the essences of the soul, (which they receive from the passion and death of Christ), in the gate of the heaven ; and their departure fromCh. 19] ENTERING OF THE SOULS TO GOD 483 the body is a very pleasant entering into the element before God, into a still rest, expecting their bodies, without [irksome] longing ; where then the paradise shall flourish again, which the soul tasteth very well, but effecteth no source [or work] till the first Adam, fas he was] before the fall, l be again l Or be its clothing Upon it. again.
according to the region of the stars ; yet [the starry region] cannot bring the spirit of the soul into its own form, but it practises its juggling therewith,
4 Or con- and so there is no rest in its * worm, and its worm science.
of the soul hangs to its treasure ; as Christ said, Where your treasure is, there is your heart also.
22. Therefore it happenetb often, that the spirit of a deceased man is seen walking, also many
Ch. 19] ENTERING OF THE SOULS TO GOD 481 times it is seen riding in the perfect form of fire ; also many times in [some] other manner of disquietude ; all according as the clothing of the soul has been in the time of the body, just so has its source [or condition] been ; and such a form, according to its source, it has (after the departing of the body) in its figure, and so rids (in such form) in the source [or working] of the stars, till that source also be consumed ; and then it is wholly 1 naked, and is never seen more by any man. But * Or without
J , . . a body.
the deep abyss without end and number is its eternal dwelling-house, and its works which it has here wrought, stand in the figure, in its tincture, and follow after it.
23. Has it wrought good here ? Then it shall eat that good ; for all sins stand before it in its tincture : If it think inwardly in itself of the kingdom of heaven, (which yet it neither sees nor knows), then it sees the causes wherefore it is in such a source [or misery] ; for itself has made that. And there all the tears of the oppressed and afflicted are in its tincture, and they are fiery, stinging and burning in a hostile manner, fretting and gnawing in themselves, and make an eternal despair in the essences, and a hostile will against
God ; the more it thinks of 2 abstinence, the more 2Or forbearthe gnawing worm rises up in itself.
24. For there is no light, either of this world, or of God, but its own fiery kindling in itself, and that is its light, which stands in the horrible flash ofp. 31 ance.
482 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 19 the grimness, which also is an enmity to itself ; yet the source is very unlike, all according to that which the soul has here burthened itself with. For such a soul there is no [remedy or] counsel, it cannot come into the light of God ; and although St Peter had left many thousand keys upon earth,
1 that soul, yet none of them could open the heaven for *it;
for it is separated from the band of Jesus Christ, and there is between it and the Deity, a whole
2 Principle or 2 birth ; and it is as with the 3rich man, where j Luke xvi those that would come from thence to us cannot.
And this must be understood of the unrepentant souls, which thus in hypocrisy [or show of holiness] depart from the body, being unregenerated.
25. But there is a great difference in souls, and
4 Or their therefore 4the going to heaven is very unlike;
departure is also unlike, some of them are through true repentance and
8 Or evil sorrow for their B misdeeds, through their faith (in the time of their bodies) set [or engrafted] into the
Heart of God, [and] new regenerated through the birth of Jesus Christ ; and they instantly (with the breaking of their bodies) leave all that is
6 transitory or 6 earthly, and instantly also lay off the region corruptible. .. , 11oi the stars ; and they comprehend, in their essences of the first Principle, the mercy of God the Father in the kind love of Jesus Christ ; and [these] also stand, in the time of their bodies, according to the essences of the soul, (which they receive from the passion and death of Christ), in the gate of the heaven ; and their departure from
Ch. 19] ENTERING OF THE SOULS TO GOD 483 the body is a very pleasant entering into the element before God, into a still rest, expecting their bodies, without [irksome] longing ; where then the paradise shall flourish again, which the soul tastes very well, but effects no source [or work] till the first Adam, fas he was] before the fall, l be again l Or be its clothing Upon it. again.