Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence

42. There then saith the bridegroom, Come ! On the other hand, saith the poor soul, / cannot yet,Ch. 19] ENTERING OF THE SOULS TO GOD 491 my lamp is not yet trimmed. Nevertheless it holdeth the Saviour fast by the thread [of faith], and setteth its imagination [or desire] (through the thread of faith and confidence) further into the Heart of God ; where then at last it is ransomed out of the putrefaction, through the passion of Christ.

43. But what its putrefaction is, my soul doth not desire to try by participating with them ; for it is their abominable sins, which are kindled in the anger of God ; there must the poor soul * bathe, l Or swim, till it cometh into the rest, through the small faith ; where its clarification [or glorification] shall not in eternity be like the true-born saints. Although indeed they are redeemed out of hell, and have fruition of the heavenly joy ; yet the greatest joy standeth in the earnest regeneration, wherein there springeth up paradisical virtue [or power] and wonders.

44. And thy worldly bravery, glory, beauty, and riches, will not exalt thee before God, as thou supposest, nor yet thy office which thou didst bear here, be it the kingly or priestly office ; if thou desirest to be in heaven, then thou must (through thy Saviour) be new born ; thou must endeavour to bring thy subjects unto righteousness, and then thou wilt shine (with thy office) as bright as the lustre of heaven, and thy works will follow thee. 0 Man ! consider thyself in this.

45. But thou earthly Babel, what shall I writep. 492 much of thee for ? Indeed I must shew thee the ground, that thy hypocrisy may be brought to light, and that the devil may not continue (in such a manner) to stand in an angelical form, and in the voluptuous kingdom of this world (in man) be a god, which is his highest endeavour.

46. Behold, thou callest thyself a Christian, and thou boastest [that] thou art a child of God ; this thou confessest with thy mouth, but thy heart is a thief and a murderer; thou endeavourest after nothing else but honour and riches, and thy conscience regardeth little by what means thou attainest them [whether by hook or by crook]. Thou hast a will, one day, to enter into earnest repentance, but the devil keepeth thee back, that thou canst not ; thou sayest to-morrow, [to-morrow], and that is always so, from time to time ; and thou thinkest with thyself, if I had my chest full, then I would give to him that hath need, [and become another man]. If I had but enough to serve my turn [beforehand], that I may not come to want myself. This is thy purpose till thy end, which the devil persuadeth thee that it is far off from thee.

47. In the meanwhile, thou consumest the sweat and blood of the needy, and thou gatherest all his miseries and necessities on a heap in thy soul ; thou takest his sweat to maintain thy pride therewith, and yet thy doings must be accounted holy ; thou givest scandal to the poor, so that byCh. 19] ENTERING OF THE SOULS TO GOD 493 thy example and doings, he cometh to be vile [and wicked], and to do that which is not right in the presence of God ; he curseth thee, and therewith causeth himself to perish also ; and thus one 1 abomination generateth another, but thou art the 1 one sin bringeth|