The Forty Questions of the Soul
118. For all substances go forward in their progress so long till the end findeth the beginning, and then the beginning swalloweth up the end again, and is as it ever was; except that the 4 model remaineth, for the model did proceed from the eternal, from which the creation came forth into a substance; viz. the eye of God's wonders.
119. You must know also, that the spirit of the air proceedeth from the bitter eternal fire-spirit, which also goeth forward after the wonders, in the will of the
5 seeking of the essences, which are the stars: and therefore it maketh 6 whirlings, and cometh from many places; as from above, from beneath, and sideways, and many times round about like a wheel, all according as the fire-seeking is kindled by the essences of the stars.
120. This is wholly like the wheel of the mind, and it hath its own spirit, and a proper life of its own, and a proper will of its own: and therefore it is a Principle, and continueth so long till the end findeth the beginning, then the beginning taketh the end into itself, f and maketh the middle, which manifesteth what is done between both beginning and end therein, which ye will consider further of, unless ye be 7 foolish 8 virgins.
1 Viz. seeking.
2 Verbum Fiat.
3 Or attraction.
4 figure, or idea.
5 Or attraction.
6 Or wheelings, or jarring.
7 Or mad.
8 Matt. xxv. 8.
* "For this world is a material seeking, comes from the eternal," or "For this world is a material attraction derived from the eternal attraction."
f "and maketh the middle . . . both beginning and end," lit., "and maketh manifest the middle and what hath taken place therein, between beginning and end."
121. Also this 1 dominion continueth *no longer than it can remain in the number of the creation: For every day of the creation is a circle of a revolution in the eye, and hath its 2 number, whereof 3 ten is the +, the highest number: and man hath ten times ten, viz. a hundred, for his number; and in the crown of paradise he hath the number thousand; but in the eternal essentiahty, in the divine centre of the Majesty, he hath 4 no number, O.
122. Now look narrowly, with very clear eyes: God created this world, with every substance, in six days, and they were finished about the middle of the sixth day, somewhat after noon towards the evening, and then the rest, and the Sabbath of the seventh day, began on the sixth day: and so the eternal rest found the beginning of the creation on the sixth day afternoon; this was the end, then came the beginning and the end together in one again, and it was manifest what God had made in the days.
1 regimen, viz. turba.
2 1. number, or time.
3 10. X.
100.
1000.
4 0.
* "no longer than it can remain," or "no longer than it hath to remain," i.e. no longer than is appointed.
123. Seeing then man, by his imagination hath destroyed the heavenly angelical body, and hath brought it into a corruptible number, that is, into the outward Principle, therefore he is in it; for he hath lost the paradisical number, and is placed in the hundredth number, wherein he is also now given up to the outward hfe, as to his leader, that is, he hath given himself up to this leader, so that his number, to be fulfilled in the circle of the outward Principle, is clearly known to us.
124. If we knew certainly the hour of the sixth day wherein the creation was finished, we could then set you down the year and day (we mean the 1 last day), *for it goeth not a minute further, it hath its hmit hidden in the inward circle.
125. Therefore know for certain that the time is near; for in the sixth day afternoon the rest of the eternal day began, and therefore God instituted the Sabbath of the seventh day for a rest, and an everlasting remembrance.
126. And as the rest began on the sixth day towards the evening, and the entrance to the manifestation of the 2 works of the creation (the end then taking in the beginning again, and the six days stood thus in the circle as a wonder), so know, that ye were created in paradise, and yet are gone out from it into the spirit of wrathfulness into death; 3 which hath now wrought its wonders in you these 5500 years and upwards.
1 Or Judgment Day.
2 working, viz. the wonders.
3 which spirit.
118. For all substances go forward in their progress so long till the end finds the beginning, and then the beginning swallows up the end again, and is as it ever was; except that the 4 model remains, for the model did proceed from the eternal, from which the creation came forth into a substance; viz. the eye of God's wonders.
119. You must know also, that the spirit of the air proceeds from the bitter eternal fire-spirit, which also goes forward after the wonders, in the will of the
5 seeking of the essences, which are the stars: and therefore it makes 6 whirlings, and comes from many places; as from above, from beneath, and sideways, and many times round about like a wheel, all according as the fire-seeking is kindled by the essences of the stars.
120. This is wholly like the wheel of the mind, and it has its own spirit, and a proper life of its own, and a proper will of its own: and therefore it is a Principle, and continues so long till the end finds the beginning, then the beginning takes the end into itself, f and makes the middle, which manifests what is done between both beginning and end therein, which you will consider further of, unless you be 7 foolish 8 virgins.
1 Viz. seeking.
2 Verbum Fiat.
3 Or attraction.
4 figure, or idea.
5 Or attraction.
6 Or wheelings, or jarring.
7 Or mad.
8 Matt. xxv. 8.
* "For this world is a material seeking, comes from the eternal," or "For this world is a material attraction derived from the eternal attraction."
f "and makes the middle . . . both beginning and end," lit., "and makes manifest the middle and what has taken place therein, between beginning and end."
121. Also this 1 dominion continues *no longer than it can remain in the number of the creation: For every day of the creation is a circle of a revolution in the eye, and has its 2 number, whereof 3 ten is the +, the highest number: and man has ten times ten, viz. a hundred, for his number; and in the crown of paradise he has the number thousand; but in the eternal essentiahty, in the divine centre of the Majesty, he has 4 no number, O.
122. Now look narrowly, with very clear eyes: God created this world, with every substance, in six days, and they were finished about the middle of the sixth day, somewhat after noon towards the evening, and then the rest, and the Sabbath of the seventh day, began on the sixth day: and so the eternal rest found the beginning of the creation on the sixth day afternoon; this was the end, then came the beginning and the end together in one again, and it was manifest what God had made in the days.
1 regimen, viz. turba.
2 1. number, or time.
3 10. X.
100.
1000.
4 0.
* "no longer than it can remain," or "no longer than it has to remain," i.e. no longer than is appointed.
123. Seeing then man, by his imagination has destroyed the heavenly angelical body, and has brought it into a corruptible number, that is, into the outward Principle, therefore he is in it; for he has lost the paradisical number, and is placed in the hundredth number, wherein he is also now given up to the outward hfe, as to his leader, that is, he has given himself up to this leader, so that his number, to be fulfilled in the circle of the outward Principle, is clearly known to us.
124. If we knew certainly the hour of the sixth day wherein the creation was finished, we could then set you down the year and day (we mean the 1 last day), *for it goes not a minute further, it has its hmit hidden in the inward circle.
125. Therefore know for certain that the time is near; for in the sixth day afternoon the rest of the eternal day began, and therefore God instituted the Sabbath of the seventh day for a rest, and an everlasting remembrance.
126. And as the rest began on the sixth day towards the evening, and the entrance to the manifestation of the 2 works of the creation (the end then taking in the beginning again, and the six days stood thus in the circle as a wonder), so know, that you were created in paradise, and yet are gone out from it into the spirit of wrathfulness into death; 3 which has now wrought its wonders in you these 5500 years and upwards.
1 Or Judgment Day.
2 working, viz. the wonders.
3 which spirit.
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