Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
36. And there all the holy souls and angels (in one love) will highly rejoice, that the poor soul is delivered from such great necessity [or misery] ; and the great joy then taketh its beginning from thence, of which Christ said, That there is more j°y for one sinner that repenteth, than for ninety and nine righteous that need no repentance. And the soul will praise God, that he hath redeemed it out of these great sins ; and herewith the praise of Christ [in] his merit, passion, and dying for the poor soul, springeth up in eternity, and it is the right song of the redeemed bride, which riseth up in the Father, where the souls so highly rejoice,
1 dependants, that the driver is captivated, and his 3 confederates accomplices.
[or followers].
37. And here is fulfilled that which king David descanteth upon : Thou shalt rejoice to see how the wicked are recompensed ; how the wicked driver
4occasioner, [hunter or oppressor], and 4 incendiary of malice or stirrer up . . . '
of evil. and wickedness, is tormented in his prison; for the sins that are washed away shall not appear in heaven (as in the abyss of hell) in the form of fire ; but as Isaiah said, Though thy sins were as red as blood [or scarlet], (if thou turn) they shall be like wool} white as snow ; they shall stand inCh. 19] ENTERING OF THE SOULS TO GOD 489 a heavenly figure, for men to sing of in a hymn of praise, and a psalm of thanksgiving, for their deliverance from the driver.
38. And now seeing the departure of souls is various, so also their * source [quality or condition] l Or torment after their departure is various ; so that many of the souls departed 2 are indeed for a long time in 2 Or have a purgatory for purgatory, if the soul had been defiled with gross a tedious wh.il 6.
sins, and hath not rightly stepped into the true earnest regeneration, and yet do hang a little to it ; as it useth to be with those that have been laden with temporal honour and might [or authority and power], where many times their own power and profit prevaileth over right, where wickedness or malice (and not wisdom) is the judge ; and here a great burthen is laid upon the poor soul, and that poor soul also would fain be saved.
39. Here cometh man, and prayeth before God for forgiveness of sins, and the fox hangeth behind his cloak ; he would be justified, and his unrighteousness sticketh in the abyss, and that will not suffer him to enter into the new regeneration ; his covetousness hath taken too much hold of him ; his wicked Babel (of Antichrist's opinions) will not let him come to the true earnest conversion ; they bar up the gate of love, [and] the spirit of this world (in the lust of the flesh) continueth always [predominant or] chief.
40. And yet however, when the point [or hour] of death cometh, that the conscience is roused, and
p. 490
that the poor soul beginneth to tremble for great fear at the [torment or] source of hell, then these also would fain be saved, though there is very little faith in them, only mere unrighteousness, falsehood, and pleasure of the earthly life. The groanings and tears of the poor stand hard before it, and the devil readeth the book of conscience to the mind ; and there standeth also before the mind the pleasure of the world, and [the person] would fain live [somewhat] longer, and promiseth to lead a life in [forbearance of evil, or] abstinence ; and the mind inclineth a little towards God [or goodness], but the sins beat that [inclination] down again, and then *0run- there ariseth great doubt in * unquietness ; yet, righteousness. innevertheless, many of them lay hold on the Saviour by a thread.
41. And now when death cometh and severeth the body and soul asunder, then the poor soul hangeth by a thread [of faith], and will not let go ;
2 budded and yet its 2 essences stick fast in the anger of essential virtues. God, the source [or pain] of the gross sins 3 torment
3 boil up in it. ^ tke thread of faith (in the new regeneration) is very weak ; and here therefore now they must press through the gate of the deep, through the passion, and through the death of Christ, [through the kingdom of hell], to God ; and hell hath yet a strong band about the soul, the falsehood is not yet washed off.
36. And there all the holy souls and angels (in one love) will highly rejoice, that the poor soul is delivered from such great necessity [or misery] ; and the great joy then takes its beginning from thence, of which Christ said, That there is more j°y for one sinner that repents, than for ninety and nine righteous that need no repentance. And the soul will praise God, that he has redeemed it out of these great sins ; and herewith the praise of Christ [in] his merit, passion, and dying for the poor soul, springs up in eternity, and it is the right song of the redeemed bride, which rises up in the Father, where the souls so highly rejoice,
1 dependants, that the driver is captivated, and his 3 confederates accomplices.
[or followers].
37. And here is fulfilled that which king David descants upon : You shall rejoice to see how the wicked are recompensed ; how the wicked driver
4occasioner, [hunter or oppressor], and 4 incendiary of malice or stirrer up . . . '
of evil. and wickedness, is tormented in his prison; for the sins that are washed away shall not appear in heaven (as in the abyss of hell) in the form of fire ; but as Isaiah said, Though your sins were as red as blood [or scarlet], (if you turn) they shall be like wool} white as snow ; they shall stand in
Ch. 19] ENTERING OF THE SOULS TO GOD 489 a heavenly figure, for men to sing of in a hymn of praise, and a psalm of thanksgiving, for their deliverance from the driver.
38. And now seeing the departure of souls is various, so also their * source [quality or condition] l Or torment after their departure is various ; so that many of the souls departed 2 are indeed for a long time in 2 Or have a purgatory for purgatory, if the soul had been defiled with gross a tedious wh.il 6.
sins, and has not rightly stepped into the true earnest regeneration, and yet do hang a little to it ; as it uses to be with those that have been laden with temporal honour and might [or authority and power], where many times their own power and profit prevails over right, where wickedness or malice (and not wisdom) is the judge ; and here a great burthen is laid upon the poor soul, and that poor soul also would fain be saved.
39. Here comes man, and prays before God for forgiveness of sins, and the fox hangs behind his cloak ; he would be justified, and his unrighteousness sticks in the abyss, and that will not suffer him to enter into the new regeneration ; his covetousness has taken too much hold of him ; his wicked Babel (of Antichrist's opinions) will not let him come to the true earnest conversion ; they bar up the gate of love, [and] the spirit of this world (in the lust of the flesh) continues always [predominant or] chief.
40. And yet however, when the point [or hour] of death comes, that the conscience is roused, and
490 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 19 that the poor soul beginns to tremble for great fear at the [torment or] source of hell, then these also would fain be saved, though there is very little faith in them, only mere unrighteousness, falsehood, and pleasure of the earthly life. The groanings and tears of the poor stand hard before it, and the devil reads the book of conscience to the mind ; and there stands also before the mind the pleasure of the world, and [the person] would fain live [somewhat] longer, and promises to lead a life in [forbearance of evil, or] abstinence ; and the mind inclins a little towards God [or goodness], but the sins beat that [inclination] down again, and then *0run- there arises great doubt in * unquietness ; yet, righteousness. innevertheless, many of them lay hold on the Saviour by a thread.
41. And now when death comes and severs the body and soul asunder, then the poor soul hangs by a thread [of faith], and will not let go ;
2 budded and yet its 2 essences stick fast in the anger of essential virtues. God, the source [or pain] of the gross sins 3 torment
3 boil up in it. ^ tke thread of faith (in the new regeneration) is very weak ; and here therefore now they must press through the gate of the deep, through the passion, and through the death of Christ, [through the kingdom of hell], to God ; and hell has yet a strong band about the soul, the falsehood is not yet washed off.