The Forty Questions of the Soul
3. For, as the Scripture saith, 2 They shall excel one another as the stars of heaven; but there will be no 3 grudging, but every one will rejoice at the excellence of the other; for there is no other light there than 4 God, filling all in all.
4. And so every one, as his 5 power is capable of the light, shall receive the brightness of the Majesty of God; for after this life there will be no bettering, but everything remaineth as it returneth home.
5. For there the Judge 6 Christ will deliver up the kingdom to his Father, and then we shall no more need any teachers and guides; but he is our King and Brother, there is no intercession, but we are with him as a child with the father; whatsoever we do, it is good, for all falsehood is done away.
1 Viz. the great saints.
2 1 Cor. xv. 41.
3 Or envying.
4 Eph. i. 23.
5 Or virtue.
6 1 Cor. xv. 24.
* "as every one shall be clothed," etc., lit., "inasmuch as every one shall be clothed upon with the powers of love, righteousness and purity, and according to his excellent works of faith, so shall he shine," i.e. "according to the excellence of," etc.
f "will all remain," lit., "will almost all remain."
THE THIRTY-SECOND QUESTION What shall the Form, Condition, Joy and Glory of the Soul be, in the Life to come?
1. HERE we must consider paradise; for this outward world, with its fruits and colours, hath been a figure of paradise; for paradise was in us, and the outward spirit bereaved us of it, and drew us into itself; for when Adam lusted after it, his own lust took him captive.
2. But we shall now enter into it again, and eternally solace ourselves in the excellent beautiful flourishing of all manner of flowers, and forms, both of trees and plants, and all kinds of fruits, but they will not be so earthly, gross and palpable.
3. For then our bodies shall not be so; how then can that essence be so? All things there will be angelical: the fruits are more 1 pure and fine, than are now in the outward elements, for they make no impurity when we have eaten them.
4. We shall have no stomach or entrails, which we shall need to fill, as we do here this devouring stomach, but all there is in power; we shall eat in the mouth, and not receive into the belly; we shall need no teeth to chew withal; there is mere power, and yet in a true natural form and manner, with shining colours.
1 clear, subtle, transparent, bright, and shining.
5. And so 1 the kingdom of heaven consisteth not in eating and drinking, but in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, with singing and * shewing forth Gods deeds of wonder concerning the corporeity of paradise.
6. We shall lead a life like children, who rejoice and are very merry in their sports; for there will be no sadness in our hearts, or fear of anything, but a delightful 2 recreation with the angels.
7. This world will be no more thought upon or regarded; for all earthly knowledge and f cogitations shall remain in the turba of the earthly body in the fire.
8. We shall have no knowledge more of our parents, children, or friends, who are in hell.
9. We shall all know one another by name that are together; though the earthly name shall remain in the turba; we shall have a name according to our first name, in the language of angels; which here in this life we do not understand: In the language of nature we understand somewhat of it; but here we have no tongue to express it with.
1 Rom. xiv. 17.
2 play, sport, or exercise.
* "shewing forth" (klingen), "resounding forth," or "proclaiming." f "cogitations" (Gedancken), "thoughts."
10. None shall say to another, Thou art my husband, Thou art my wife, Thou art my daughter, Thou art my son, my servant, or my handmaid; all are alike there; we are all children; there is neither husband, nor wife; neither child, man-servant or maid-servant, but all are free; every one is all: There is but one sex, viz. heavenly virgins full of modesty, chastity and purity.
11. We are all Gods spouse, and he is our husband; he soweth his power and virtue into us, and we generate or bring forth to him praise and glory.
3. For, as the Scripture says, 2 They shall excel one another as the stars of heaven; but there will be no 3 grudging, but every one will rejoice at the excellence of the other; for there is no other light there than 4 God, filling all in all.
4. And so every one, as his 5 power is capable of the light, shall receive the brightness of the Majesty of God; for after this life there will be no bettering, but everything remains as it returns home.
5. For there the Judge 6 Christ will deliver up the kingdom to his Father, and then we shall no more need any teachers and guides; but he is our King and Brother, there is no intercession, but we are with him as a child with the father; whatsoever we do, it is good, for all falsehood is done away.
1 Viz. the great saints.
2 1 Cor. xv. 41.
3 Or envying.
4 Eph. i. 23.
5 Or virtue.
6 1 Cor. xv. 24.
* "as every one shall be clothed," etc., lit., "inasmuch as every one shall be clothed upon with the powers of love, righteousness and purity, and according to his excellent works of faith, so shall he shine," i.e. "according to the excellence of," etc.
f "will all remain," lit., "will almost all remain."
THE THIRTY-SECOND QUESTION What shall the Form, Condition, Joy and Glory of the Soul be, in the Life to come?
1. HERE we must consider paradise; for this outward world, with its fruits and colours, has been a figure of paradise; for paradise was in us, and the outward spirit bereaved us of it, and drew us into itself; for when Adam lusted after it, his own lust took him captive.
2. But we shall now enter into it again, and eternally solace ourselves in the excellent beautiful flourishing of all manner of flowers, and forms, both of trees and plants, and all kinds of fruits, but they will not be so earthly, gross and palpable.
3. For then our bodies shall not be so; how then can that essence be so? All things there will be angelical: the fruits are more 1 pure and fine, than are now in the outward elements, for they make no impurity when we have eaten them.
4. We shall have no stomach or entrails, which we shall need to fill, as we do here this devouring stomach, but all there is in power; we shall eat in the mouth, and not receive into the belly; we shall need no teeth to chew withal; there is mere power, and yet in a true natural form and manner, with shining colours.
1 clear, subtle, transparent, bright, and shining.
5. And so 1 the kingdom of heaven consists not in eating and drinking, but in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, with singing and * showing forth Gods deeds of wonder concerning the corporeity of paradise.
6. We shall lead a life like children, who rejoice and are very merry in their sports; for there will be no sadness in our hearts, or fear of anything, but a delightful 2 recreation with the angels.
7. This world will be no more thought upon or regarded; for all earthly knowledge and f cogitations shall remain in the turba of the earthly body in the fire.
8. We shall have no knowledge more of our parents, children, or friends, who are in hell.
9. We shall all know one another by name that are together; though the earthly name shall remain in the turba; we shall have a name according to our first name, in the language of angels; which here in this life we do not understand: In the language of nature we understand somewhat of it; but here we have no tongue to express it with.
1 Rom. xiv. 17.
2 play, sport, or exercise.
* "showing forth" (klingen), "resounding forth," or "proclaiming." f "cogitations" (Gedancken), "thoughts."
10. None shall say to another, You are my husband, You are my wife, You are my daughter, You are my son, my servant, or my handmaid; all are alike there; we are all children; there is neither husband, nor wife; neither child, man-servant or maid-servant, but all are free; every one is all: There is but one sex, viz. heavenly virgins full of modesty, chastity and purity.
11. We are all Gods spouse, and he is our husband; he sows his power and virtue into us, and we generate or bring forth to him praise and glory.
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