Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
26. These holy souls' works also follow them, in their tincture of the spirit of the soul, in the holy element, so that they see and know how much good they have wrought here ; and their highest delight and desire is still continually (in their love) to do more good ; although without the paradisical body (which they [shall then] first attain at the restoration) they work nothing, but their source [quality or property] is mere delight and soft
2 welfare. 2 Or well27. Yet you are to know, that the holy souls are not so void of ability [or power] ; for their essences are out of the strong might of God, out of the first Principle ; although (because of their great humility towards God) they do not use that [might], whereas they continually expect their bodies in that still rest with great humility, and yet their love and delight is so very great, that at several times they have wrought great wonders [or miracles], among the faithful upon earth ; which [faithful people] so vigorously set their love and desire in them, that one holy tincture took hold of the other, and so through the faith of the living,p. 484 wonders are thus done, for there is nothing impossible to faith.
28. And it is not hard for the holy souls, which Or upon. are departed from the body, to appear l to a strong faith of one that is living ; for the firm faith of the living (if it be born of God) reacheth also unto the kingdom of heaven, into the holy element, where the separated souls have their rest.
29. And now if the deceased (or separated) soul was here in this world a candlestick, and a declarer [of the name] of God, and that it hath turned many unto righteousness, then it appeareth also to the living saints, which incline their faith so strongly to them ; and it is not a jot harder now than in former times, when (in the times of the saints) great wonders were done ; for the faith of the living, and the love of the separated [souls] towards the believing saints, hath wrought them in the strong might of God ; and God hath permitted it for the conversion of people, that they might see the great might of those [that were] deceased in God, and that they are, and live, in another kingdom, that so they might be assured of the resurrection of the dead, by the great miracles of the deceased souls : All which, in general, were put to death for the witness of Jesus ; that the heathen and all people might thereby see what manner of reward the holy [people] had, when they laid down their life for the testimony of Christ ; by whose example many people also were converted.
Ch. 19] ENTERING OF THE SOULS TO GOD 485
30. But now that a Babel of confusion is come out of this (in that it is come so far, that the saints departed are invocated [or worshipped], as intercessors to God, and that divine honour is done them) this the holy souls departed are not guilty of, neither here did they desire any such thing, neither do they present the miseries and necessities of men before God. But the fault lieth in the forged superstition of the wicked deceitful Antichrist, who hath founded his x stool of pride 1 chair or thereon ; not as a living saint, which (with the holy) inclineth himself to God ; but as an earthly god, he thereby arrogateth divine omnipotence to himself, and yet hath none, but is the greedy, covetous, proud Antichrist, riding upon the strong
2 beast of this world. 2 the arm
31. The souls departed do not present our wants power, before God ; for God is nearer to us than the souls departed are ; and [besides] if they should do so, then they must have bodies, as also paradisical sources [or flowing properties] springing up and working, whereas they are in the still humility and meek rest, and do not suffer our sour miseries to enter into them, but one holy tincture taketh hold
26. These holy souls' works also follow them, in their tincture of the spirit of the soul, in the holy element, so that they see and know how much good they have wrought here ; and their highest delight and desire is still continually (in their love) to do more good ; although without the paradisical body (which they [shall then] first attain at the restoration) they work nothing, but their source [quality or property] is mere delight and soft
2 welfare. 2 Or well27. Yet you are to know, that the holy souls are not so void of ability [or power] ; for their essences are out of the strong might of God, out of the first Principle ; although (because of their great humility towards God) they do not use that [might], whereas they continually expect their bodies in that still rest with great humility, and yet their love and delight is so very great, that at several times they have wrought great wonders [or miracles], among the faithful upon earth ; which [faithful people] so vigorously set their love and desire in them, that one holy tincture took hold of the other, and so through the faith of the living,
484 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 19 wonders are thus done, for there is nothing impossible to faith.
28. And it is not hard for the holy souls, which Or upon. are departed from the body, to appear l to a strong faith of one that is living ; for the firm faith of the living (if it be born of God) reaches also unto the kingdom of heaven, into the holy element, where the separated souls have their rest.
29. And now if the deceased (or separated) soul was here in this world a candlestick, and a declarer [of the name] of God, and that it has turned many unto righteousness, then it appears also to the living saints, which incline their faith so strongly to them ; and it is not a jot harder now than in former times, when (in the times of the saints) great wonders were done ; for the faith of the living, and the love of the separated [souls] towards the believing saints, has wrought them in the strong might of God ; and God has permitted it for the conversion of people, that they might see the great might of those [that were] deceased in God, and that they are, and live, in another kingdom, that so they might be assured of the resurrection of the dead, by the great miracles of the deceased souls : All which, in general, were put to death for the witness of Jesus ; that the heathen and all people might thereby see what manner of reward the holy [people] had, when they laid down their life for the testimony of Christ ; by whose example many people also were converted.
Ch. 19] ENTERING OF THE SOULS TO GOD 485
30. But now that a Babel of confusion is come out of this (in that it is come so far, that the saints departed are invocated [or worshipped], as intercessors to God, and that divine honour is done them) this the holy souls departed are not guilty of, neither here did they desire any such thing, neither do they present the miseries and necessities of men before God. But the fault lies in the forged superstition of the wicked deceitful Antichrist, who has founded his x stool of pride 1 chair or thereon ; not as a living saint, which (with the holy) inclins himself to God ; but as an earthly god, he thereby arrogats divine omnipotence to himself, and yet has none, but is the greedy, covetous, proud Antichrist, riding upon the strong
2 beast of this world. 2 the arm
31. The souls departed do not present our wants power, before God ; for God is nearer to us than the souls departed are ; and [besides] if they should do so, then they must have bodies, as also paradisical sources [or flowing properties] springing up and working, whereas they are in the still humility and meek rest, and do not suffer our sour miseries to enter into them, but one holy tincture takes hold