Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence

Or figure, and thou wilt be in the * shape of the most abominable beasts, worms, and serpents, all according to thy deeds and practice here, where then all thy deeds will stand in the figure in the tincture eternally before thy eyes, and will gnaw thee sufficiently, so that thou wilt continually think, ifCh. 24] OF TRUE REPENTANCE 671 thou hadst not done this or that, thou shouldst have attained the grace of God ? Thy mocking standeth before thy eyes, and thou art ashamed to let the least good thought into thy soul ; for good is as an angel before thee, and thou darest not (for great shame) so much as touch it with thy mind, much less look upon it. But thou must eternally devour into thyself thy great scorning, with all thy vices and sins, and thou must eternally despair ;

and though thou thinkest to go forth after

1 abstinence, yet the light striketh thee down J ease or «- again, and so thou goest but forth aloft (in thy forbearance of devouring fretting worm, in thyself) without the6'

thrones of God ; and it is with thee, as with one who standeth upon a high stony cliff of a rock, and would cast himself into a bottomless gulf ; and the further he seeth, the deeper he falleth. Thus thy own sins, scornings, deridings, cursings in contempt of God, are thy hell-fire, which gnaweth thee eternally ; this I speak in the word of life.

25. Therefore, 0 dear soul, turn, and let not the devil captivate thee, and regard not the scorn of the world ; all thy sorrow must be turned into great joy. And though in this world thou hast not great honour, power, and riches, that is nothing ; thou knowest not, whether to-morrow will be the day it will come to thy turn [to die]. Doth not a bit of bread taste better to the needy, than the best dainties to the great ones? What advantage hath the rich man then, but that he

672 THE THREE PEINCIPLES [Ch. 24 seeth much, and must be tormented and vexed in many things, and in the end must give an account of all his doings and stewardship, and how he hath been a planter in this world ? He must give an account of all his servants, and if he hath been an evil example to them, and hath been a scandal to them, so that they have walked in ungodly ways, 1 woe be then their poor souls cry eternally l for vengeance superiors. upon those their superiors ; there all standeth in the figure in the tincture. Why then dost thou contend and strive so much after worldly honour that is transitory ? Rather endeavour for the Tree of Pearl, which thou carriest along with thee, and shalt rejoice eternally in its growing and fruit.

26. 0 ! is not that a cheerful welfare, when the soul dareth to look into the Holy Trinity, " Or faculties, where with it is filled, so that its 2 essences grow [flourish and blossom] in paradise, where always the Hallelujahs or songs of praise break forth in God's deeds of wonder, where the perpetual growing fruit springeth up [in infinitum] endlessly, according to thy will, where thou enjoy est all, where there is no fear, envy, nor sorrow, where there is mere love one of another, where one rejoiceth at the form and beauty of another, where the fruit groweth to every one according to his essences [and taste or relish], as there was a type of it in the manna to the children of Israel, where it tasted to every one according to their essences [or desire] ?

Ch. 24] OF TRUE REPENTANCE 673

Of ike, Way [or Manner] of the Entrance.

27. Beloved, mind, if thou hast a desire to this way, and wouldst attain it, and the noble virgin in the Tree of Pearl, then thou must use great earnestness ; it must be no lip-labour, or flattery with the lips, and the heart far from it. No, thou canst not attain it in such a way. Thou must collect thy mind, with all thy thoughts [purposes] and reason, wholly together in one will [and resolution] to desire to turn, and resolve that thou wilt forsake thy abominations, and thou must set thy thoughts upon God [and goodness], with a steadfast confidence in his mercy, and then thou wilt obtain it.