The Forty Questions of the Soul
63. And seeing we write of the eternity, to the end to satisfy your will concerning the soul (our purpose herein being according to the will of God), we will therefore first shew you the ground of the soul, and then its original; and so open your eyes, that you may be freed from your laborious searching.
64. For you have now to your old age gone about this, and so far as I understand, you have not yet found that deep Mystery in the spirit: But seeing it is God's will that you should know it, and have it given you for a reward of your so great labour, therefore have a care that you receive it aright; and then that you cast not the Pearl before swine, which are not worthy of it, nor will be worthy of it to eternity.
65. For that which shall be revealed to you here, belongeth to the children of God, therefore be faithful, and employ it according to the spirit, and not according to human reason.
66. *For it is so sublime, that it will not endure earthliness, which proceeds f from covetousness, pride, self-glory, and arrogancy, although you be not such; but look well into whom you pour oil, for it is poison to many: let others themselves seek as you have done; but give the children bread, that they may eat, and praise our Father which is in heaven, for to that end it is given you.
* "For it is so sublime" (so subtil), "so subtile," i.e. fine, delicate.
f "from covetousness" (Geitz), "avarice." Sparrow has rendered this word in the same way throughout. St Martin uses "cupidite," which expresses both covetousness and avarice.
The Fifth Form of Fire in the Eternal Will.
67. As we have opened an entrance and a glass to you of the eternal original, from whence the eternal fire proceeds, and what it is, so it is also necessary that we shew you further, according to the highest depth, what the eternal nature is, in its propagation.
68. Wherein we must understand two kingdoms, the one good and pleasant, the other an evil, wrathful, and ever envious sad one: of which the philosophers from the beginning of the world have treated, and sought after it, but the time of finding it was not then.
69. But now it is at hand, that the hidden * thing should be found, not only by me, but also by many that will be faithful, and humble themselves to God, and seek in his spirit and will; it will be found in the eye of God only, and nowhere else; therefore let none dive deeper in searching elsewhere, or he will find the devil.
70. Seeing then the eternity is thus, which yet is nothing, and yet there is light and darkness, life and spirit, which are all things; and so there is a seeking (that is, a desire) in both, to find itself, though there is nothing 2 that can be found, but the spirit.
1 Or secret Mystery.
2 Or that can find anything.
71. Now seeing it hath nothing that it can find, and yet the desire goeth on eternally forward, therefore the desire is a figure of the seeking will, the similitude of the eye of God, and it is as a glass of the eternal eye, which is called God.
72. Now this is in two manner of ways, one according to the light, and the other according to the darkness: for the seeking is in both; and yet there is no departing of the one from the other; the light is in the internal, and the darkness in the external, and yet that which is most internal is also most external, but the light is the middlemost.
73. For it is in the nothing; therefore it cannot be the most internal, for it hath no place nor limit; it is its own finding, which the darkness findeth not; but the will in the darkness, which desireth the light, goeth out from the darkness, and remaineth eternally in the hght.
74. Now the desire of the hght presenteth a model like itself, wherein the eternity is manifest; that is, all whatsoever the spirit, in the eternal power of God, findeth in itself from eternity to eternity.
75. This model is not God, the eternity itself; for it taketh its beginning in the spirit, and it is the wonder of the spirit, which it seeketh and findeth from eternity; and 1 it is in the eye of God, as a figure, and all the wonders of the abyss of eternity are therein, and are beheld in the light of the Majesty, as one wonder in many endless wonders.
1 the model.
63. And seeing we write of the eternity, to the end to satisfy your will concerning the soul (our purpose herein being according to the will of God), we will therefore first show you the ground of the soul, and then its original; and so open your eyes, that you may be freed from your laborious searching.
64. For you have now to your old age gone about this, and so far as I understand, you have not yet found that deep Mystery in the spirit: But seeing it is God's will that you should know it, and have it given you for a reward of your so great labour, therefore have a care that you receive it aright; and then that you cast not the Pearl before swine, which are not worthy of it, nor will be worthy of it to eternity.
65. For that which shall be revealed to you here, belongs to the children of God, therefore be faithful, and employ it according to the spirit, and not according to human reason.
66. *For it is so sublime, that it will not endure earthliness, which proceeds f from covetousness, pride, self-glory, and arrogancy, although you be not such; but look well into whom you pour oil, for it is poison to many: let others themselves seek as you have done; but give the children bread, that they may eat, and praise our Father which is in heaven, for to that end it is given you.
* "For it is so sublime" (so subtil), "so subtile," i.e. fine, delicate.
f "from covetousness" (Geitz), "avarice." Sparrow has rendered this word in the same way throughout. St Martin uses "cupidite," which expresses both covetousness and avarice.
The Fifth Form of Fire in the Eternal Will.
67. As we have opened an entrance and a glass to you of the eternal original, from whence the eternal fire proceeds, and what it is, so it is also necessary that we show you further, according to the highest depth, what the eternal nature is, in its propagation.
68. Wherein we must understand two kingdoms, the one good and pleasant, the other an evil, wrathful, and ever envious sad one: of which the philosophers from the beginning of the world have treated, and sought after it, but the time of finding it was not then.
69. But now it is at hand, that the hidden * thing should be found, not only by me, but also by many that will be faithful, and humble themselves to God, and seek in his spirit and will; it will be found in the eye of God only, and nowhere else; therefore let none dive deeper in searching elsewhere, or he will find the devil.
70. Seeing then the eternity is thus, which yet is nothing, and yet there is light and darkness, life and spirit, which are all things; and so there is a seeking (that is, a desire) in both, to find itself, though there is nothing 2 that can be found, but the spirit.
1 Or secret Mystery.
2 Or that can find anything.
71. Now seeing it has nothing that it can find, and yet the desire goes on eternally forward, therefore the desire is a figure of the seeking will, the similitude of the eye of God, and it is as a glass of the eternal eye, which is called God.
72. Now this is in two manner of ways, one according to the light, and the other according to the darkness: for the seeking is in both; and yet there is no departing of the one from the other; the light is in the internal, and the darkness in the external, and yet that which is most internal is also most external, but the light is the middlemost.
73. For it is in the nothing; therefore it cannot be the most internal, for it has no place nor limit; it is its own finding, which the darkness finds not; but the will in the darkness, which desires the light, goes out from the darkness, and remains eternally in the hght.
74. Now the desire of the hght presents a model like itself, wherein the eternity is manifest; that is, all whatsoever the spirit, in the eternal power of God, finds in itself from eternity to eternity.
75. This model is not God, the eternity itself; for it takes its beginning in the spirit, and it is the wonder of the spirit, which it seeks and finds from eternity; and 1 it is in the eye of God, as a figure, and all the wonders of the abyss of eternity are therein, and are beheld in the light of the Majesty, as one wonder in many endless wonders.
1 the model.
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.