taketh care for us: we will go under the fig-tree; how abundant is its fruit! How fair are the pine-trees in Lebanon! Let us be glad and rejoice, that our mother may have joy of us.
113. We will sing a song of the driver [or oppressor] who hath set us at variance. How is he captivatedl Where is his powerl He is not here to be found; neither hath he gotten the defiled garment, which we contended about, the mother hath it in her keeping. How poor he is ! He domineered over us, but now he is bound! O great power, how art thou thus brought to scorn! thou that didst fly aloft above the cedars, art now laid under foot, and so art void of power: Rejoice, ye heavens, and ye children of God; for he that was our driver [oppressor, and persecutor], who plagued us. day and night, is captivated: Rejoice, ye angels of God, for men are delivered, and malice and wickedness taken captive.
THE TWELFTH CHAPTER
Of the [true] Christian Life and Conversation. What Man is to do in this Valley of Misery, that he may work the works of God, and so attain the Eternal highest Good.
1. THERE is nothing more necessary and profitable to man in the valley of misery upon earth, than for him to learn to know what he is, from whence he is, and whither he tendeth, what course he taketh, and whither he goeth when he dieth: There is nothing more profitable than to know these things; for the outward conversation remaineth in this world, but what the heart conceiveth, that a man taketh with him: The will of the spirit of the soul is eternal, that which is comprehended in the will of the spirit of the soul, that the soul carrieth with it when the soul and body part. Therefore it is necessary for us to labour for something that is good, wherein the soul may accomplish its eternal sport, and have its joy therein; for the works of our soul follow after us; and the works of our hands, and of the outer spirit, remain in this world: for the soul is in the eternity, whatsoever it maketh and imagineth here, that standeth always before it; unless it breaketh that again, and then it is as a broken work, which it hath no more to do withall, for it is gone out from that; for the eternal cutteth an eternal model, and the corruptible and inceptive cutteth a corruptible model; for after this time every thing will stand in its own model; for that which the eternal will conceiveth, that getteth an incorruptible form, if itself doth not break it.
2. Therefore it is good for man to choose in this life that which is best, in which he may have joy eternally; for when thou choosest beauty, bravery, and honour or riches, then thou art thereby made unbeneficial [useless] to thy brother and sister, who are in misery in this world; for the bravery of this world despiseth the mean and simple; and riches wring away the sweat from the poor, [or grind the faces of the poor]; and great power and authority press and oppress the low and miserable; great honour despiseth the simple, and will not condescend to the needy. Seeing therefore in the other life, the souls of many that have been simple, miserable, and in this world contemned; poor, oppressed, and dejected, will appear; and seeing it is certain, that in their form will not be comprehended much highness, bravery, desire of might and honour; for their souls have, in this valley of misery, only shut up themselves into the meek love of God, and yielded themselves into simplicity and lowliness, and have not dared to have communion with might, pomp, and great honour, for such things have had no affinity with them.
3. And seeing it is so, that the souls in the other life shall have joy one with another, and enjoy the gifts and virtues one of another; and seeing then the souls will have their substance which they have here taken in and conceived, and appear in their eternal will as a. figure, therefore we ought very
takes care for us: we will go under the fig-tree; how abundant is its fruit! How fair are the pine-trees in Lebanon! Let us be glad and rejoice, that our mother may have joy of us.
113. We will sing a song of the driver [or oppressor] who has set us at variance. How is he captivatedl Where is his powerl He is not here to be found; neither has he gotten the defiled garment, which we contended about, the mother has it in her keeping. How poor he is ! He domineered over us, but now he is bound! O great power, how art you thus brought to scorn! you that did fly aloft above the cedars, art now laid under foot, and so art void of power: Rejoice, you heavens, and you children of God; for he that was our driver [oppressor, and persecutor], who plagued us. day and night, is captivated: Rejoice, you angels of God, for men are delivered, and malice and wickedness taken captive.
THE TWELFTH CHAPTER
Of the [true] Christian Life and Conversation. What Man is to do in this Valley of Misery, that he may work the works of God, and so attain the Eternal highest Good.
1. THERE is nothing more necessary and profitable to man in the valley of misery upon earth, than for him to learn to know what he is, from whence he is, and whither he tends, what course he takes, and whither he goes when he dies: There is nothing more profitable than to know these things; for the outward conversation remains in this world, but what the heart conceives, that a man takes with him: The will of the spirit of the soul is eternal, that which is comprehended in the will of the spirit of the soul, that the soul carries with it when the soul and body part. Therefore it is necessary for us to labour for something that is good, wherein the soul may accomplish its eternal sport, and have its joy therein; for the works of our soul follow after us; and the works of our hands, and of the outer spirit, remain in this world: for the soul is in the eternity, whatsoever it makes and imagines here, that stands always before it; unless it breaks that again, and then it is as a broken work, which it has no more to do withall, for it is gone out from that; for the eternal cutts an eternal model, and the corruptible and inceptive cutts a corruptible model; for after this time every thing will stand in its own model; for that which the eternal will conceives, that getts an incorruptible form, if itself does not break it.
2. Therefore it is good for man to choose in this life that which is best, in which he may have joy eternally; for when you choosest beauty, bravery, and honour or riches, then you are thereby made unbeneficial [useless] to your brother and sister, who are in misery in this world; for the bravery of this world despises the mean and simple; and riches wring away the sweat from the poor, [or grind the faces of the poor]; and great power and authority press and oppress the low and miserable; great honour despises the simple, and will not condescend to the needy. Seeing therefore in the other life, the souls of many that have been simple, miserable, and in this world contemned; poor, oppressed, and dejected, will appear; and seeing it is certain, that in their form will not be comprehended much highness, bravery, desire of might and honour; for their souls have, in this valley of misery, only shut up themselves into the meek love of God, and yielded themselves into simplicity and lowliness, and have not dared to have communion with might, pomp, and great honour, for such things have had no affinity with them.
3. And seeing it is so, that the souls in the other life shall have joy one with another, and enjoy the gifts and virtues one of another; and seeing then the souls will have their substance which they have here taken in and conceived, and appear in their eternal will as a. figure, therefore we ought very
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