Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
he took all the vices (which stuck in flesh and blood) and cast them upon the soul, that he might entangle it with them, and hinder it from comprehending the virgin again ; he made a great mountain of the sins in the flesh and blood, and therewith covered and shut close up the 1 mercy of God, viz. the new man in Christ, and the gates of heaven, which stood open before, were shut up close : Misery and great trouble were heaped upon the soul, till at length once again, from the breath of God (which came into it again) it was moved to break the devil's chains in pieces, and it entered into combat with him, so that he was quite thrown to the ground, and its covering was rent in pieces, and then the soul saw its beloved virgin again. What 2 friendly welcoming there was then, I had rather the Reader might find by experience, than that I should write of it.
20. Thus the soul desired the Pearl again, but it was gone, and must be generated anew, and be sown as a grain of mustard-seed, which is small and little, and afterwards there groweth a great tree out of it ; and thus the Pearl groweth in the bosom of the 8 virgin in the soul. Therefore keep what thou hast, for misery is an ill guest ; regard not what sugar the devil stroweth, though the kingdom of this world seem as sweet as sugar, it is nothing else but gall ; consider that the poor soul in this world, and in the flesh and blood, is not in its true home, it must travel into another
Ch. 24] OF TRUE REPENTANCE 669
country. Therefore suffer not the devil to cover it thus with the untowardness of the flesh, for great earnestness is requisite for the driving away of the devil ; though that would not be in our ability [and power], if the exceeding worthy Champion did not aid and assist us.
21. Therefore none should be so presumptuous, as to mock and despise the children of God, who are in the combat against the devil. But think that it will come to thy turn also ; if thou wilt not go about it when thou art well and in health, thou must come to it at thy death ; when the poor soul cometh to part from the body, then it must enter into the combat, there is no remedy ; for it must depart from the body out of the spirit of this world, and then two gates stand open, viz. heaven and hell, it must go in at one of them, there is no other place out of this world.
22. If now it be hard captivated in sins, and still goeth on in sinning from day to day, so that it is clothed with the anger of God, and hath loaded itself with mockiug the children of God, and so sticketh over head and ears in the anger of God, and scarce hangeth by a thread [to Christ], 0, how hard it is with that soul ! Must not that soul needs swelter a tedious while in the scorn which it hath put upon the children of God ? How can it suddenly reach the noble virgin in the love and mercy of God? And then where is the noble Tree of Pearl [in the meanwhile],
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which is sown as a small grain of mustard-seed, and in the growing of it cometh to flourish like a bay tree ? Whence hath it its sap, if the soul standeth thus in the bath of the anger? 0! it will (in many) not grow green in eternity. And therefore saith Christ, In the resurrection they shall excel one another in glory, as the sun, moon, and stars.
23. And what then will thy gold and silver, thy money, goods, honour, and authority, which thou hadst here, avail thee, when thou must leave all, and part from them ? What will it profit thee, that thou hast scorned and contemned the children of God ? Also, what will thy covetousness and envy avail thee, now thyself must swelter therein with great shame and anguish, where thou hast so great shame before the angels of God, and where all the devils mock thee, that thou hast been God's branch, and hast had so long a time [that thou mightest have been a great tree], and art now but a dry withered twig ?
24. Or what thinkest thou, if thy twig be thus very dry and withered, and that thou must eternally swelter in the anger of God, where instantly thy human image will be taken away,
he took all the vices (which stuck in flesh and blood) and cast them upon the soul, that he might entangle it with them, and hinder it from comprehending the virgin again ; he made a great mountain of the sins in the flesh and blood, and therewith covered and shut close up the 1 mercy of God, viz. the new man in Christ, and the gates of heaven, which stood open before, were shut up close : Misery and great trouble were heaped upon the soul, till at length once again, from the breath of God (which came into it again) it was moved to break the devil's chains in pieces, and it entered into combat with him, so that he was quite thrown to the ground, and its covering was rent in pieces, and then the soul saw its beloved virgin again. What 2 friendly welcoming there was then, I had rather the Reader might find by experience, than that I should write of it.
20. Thus the soul desired the Pearl again, but it was gone, and must be generated anew, and be sown as a grain of mustard-seed, which is small and little, and afterwards there grows a great tree out of it ; and thus the Pearl grows in the bosom of the 8 virgin in the soul. Therefore keep what you have, for misery is an ill guest ; regard not what sugar the devil strows, though the kingdom of this world seem as sweet as sugar, it is nothing else but gall ; consider that the poor soul in this world, and in the flesh and blood, is not in its true home, it must travel into another
Ch. 24] OF TRUE REPENTANCE 669
country. Therefore suffer not the devil to cover it thus with the untowardness of the flesh, for great earnestness is requisite for the driving away of the devil ; though that would not be in our ability [and power], if the exceeding worthy Champion did not aid and assist us.
21. Therefore none should be so presumptuous, as to mock and despise the children of God, who are in the combat against the devil. But think that it will come to your turn also ; if you will not go about it when you are well and in health, you must come to it at your death ; when the poor soul comes to part from the body, then it must enter into the combat, there is no remedy ; for it must depart from the body out of the spirit of this world, and then two gates stand open, viz. heaven and hell, it must go in at one of them, there is no other place out of this world.
22. If now it be hard captivated in sins, and still goes on in sinning from day to day, so that it is clothed with the anger of God, and has loaded itself with mockiug the children of God, and so sticks over head and ears in the anger of God, and scarce hangs by a thread [to Christ], 0, how hard it is with that soul ! Must not that soul needs swelter a tedious while in the scorn which it has put upon the children of God ? How can it suddenly reach the noble virgin in the love and mercy of God? And then where is the noble Tree of Pearl [in the meanwhile], 670 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 24 which is sown as a small grain of mustard-seed, and in the growing of it comes to flourish like a bay tree ? Whence has it its sap, if the soul stands thus in the bath of the anger? 0! it will (in many) not grow green in eternity. And therefore says Christ, In the resurrection they shall excel one another in glory, as the sun, moon, and stars.
23. And what then will your gold and silver, your money, goods, honour, and authority, which you had here, avail you, when you must leave all, and part from them ? What will it profit you, that you have scorned and contemned the children of God ? Also, what will your covetousness and envy avail you, now yourself must swelter therein with great shame and anguish, where you have so great shame before the angels of God, and where all the devils mock you, that you have been God's branch, and have had so long a time [that you might have been a great tree], and art now but a dry withered twig ?
24. Or what think you, if your twig be thus very dry and withered, and that you must eternally swelter in the anger of God, where instantly your human image will be taken away,