The Forty Questions of the Soul
* "for it goeth not a minute further, it hath its limit hidden"; or "for it goeth not a minute further than its limit, which is hidden," etc.
127. And now the end hath found the beginning again, and ye shall see, also feel and find what paradise hath been, even every one of them that shall be born in God.
128. For (to speak after the manner of reason, and not according to God) paradise is born again, but ye shall not escape mortality, nor the wrath in the flesh, but paradise is now already manifest in the mind, in the soul of the children of God, and they have the true taste of the power.
129. And no subtlety nor power can hinder it, no subtlety can suppress it, nor can any devil destroy it; for the end hath found the beginning, there can be no hindrance of it; the power of falsehood breaketh, and there remaineth nothing but a waiting for the bridegroom; for the children of God shall be found in paradise, when the turba in the wrath shall be swallowed up. We speak high things, yet we understand and know them certainly in the wonders.
130. Thus, as is mentioned above (if you understand us aright) there is born out of the wrathfulness of the anger, out of the eternal centre (out of which this world was produced and created, which is a l seeking of the eternal) in the Spirit of this world (in this Principle wherein we now live) and there will always be born, falsehood, covetousness, subtlety, deceit, enmity in the will; lying, murder, pride, desire of honour, self -power, art, 2 wit, the wisdom of this world proceeding from reason, they all come from this root, and remain in the wonders of God's anger; and though reason and 3 self -prudence be never so fine, yet it is in the anger of God, and springeth from the abyss.
1 Or attraction.
2 cunning, or policy.
3 Or wit.
131. And here behold thy self, thou fair world; it is no fable, as thou holdest it to be, it is known in Temario Sancto, and he that cannot get within the limit of that, he is captivated by Antichrist, and belongeth at last to that lake from whence he sprang; it is no time to linger now, but the doors stand open, and whatsoever hath grown in the turba, shall be swallowed up with it.
132. So also consider the eternal fire further, and take a similitude from all sorts of fire in this world; for that which is a spirit, in the eternity, is a substance in this world. You see also that fire in itself is an anguishing, wrathful, rising, bitter essence and source; and yet you see nothing else in the proper form of fire, but the flash which shineth; you see not the source, you can only feel that.
133. You see also that the fire when it burneth, sendeth up from itself a smoke, in which there is water, whence soot cometh, which sticketh to the sides, especially where the fire is enclosed and not free, then the soot is seen, as in a furnace; and the soot and water are in one another, and thus the material earth cometh originally from the eternal fire, which Lucifer kindled: Then in the wrathfulness time began, and the creation was after that manner, which is mentioned in the
1 third book.
1 Threefold Life.
134. Understand the l great Mystery further: you see that every fire giveth light, and you see also that air goeth forth from the source of the fire, and you know very well that if the fire had no air to blow it up, it would be smothered, as all fires are smothered when they have no air, and yet they produce air.
* "for it goes not a minute further, it has its limit hidden"; or "for it goes not a minute further than its limit, which is hidden," etc.
127. And now the end has found the beginning again, and you shall see, also feel and find what paradise has been, even every one of them that shall be born in God.
128. For (to speak after the manner of reason, and not according to God) paradise is born again, but you shall not escape mortality, nor the wrath in the flesh, but paradise is now already manifest in the mind, in the soul of the children of God, and they have the true taste of the power.
129. And no subtlety nor power can hinder it, no subtlety can suppress it, nor can any devil destroy it; for the end has found the beginning, there can be no hindrance of it; the power of falsehood breaks, and there remains nothing but a waiting for the bridegroom; for the children of God shall be found in paradise, when the turba in the wrath shall be swallowed up. We speak high things, yet we understand and know them certainly in the wonders.
130. Thus, as is mentioned above (if you understand us aright) there is born out of the wrathfulness of the anger, out of the eternal centre (out of which this world was produced and created, which is a l seeking of the eternal) in the Spirit of this world (in this Principle wherein we now live) and there will always be born, falsehood, covetousness, subtlety, deceit, enmity in the will; lying, murder, pride, desire of honour, self -power, art, 2 wit, the wisdom of this world proceeding from reason, they all come from this root, and remain in the wonders of God's anger; and though reason and 3 self -prudence be never so fine, yet it is in the anger of God, and springs from the abyss.
1 Or attraction.
2 cunning, or policy.
3 Or wit.
131. And here behold your self, you fair world; it is no fable, as you hold it to be, it is known in Temario Sancto, and he that cannot get within the limit of that, he is captivated by Antichrist, and belongs at last to that lake from whence he sprang; it is no time to linger now, but the doors stand open, and whatsoever has grown in the turba, shall be swallowed up with it.
132. So also consider the eternal fire further, and take a similitude from all sorts of fire in this world; for that which is a spirit, in the eternity, is a substance in this world. You see also that fire in itself is an anguishing, wrathful, rising, bitter essence and source; and yet you see nothing else in the proper form of fire, but the flash which shines; you see not the source, you can only feel that.
133. You see also that the fire when it burns, sends up from itself a smoke, in which there is water, whence soot comes, which sticks to the sides, especially where the fire is enclosed and not free, then the soot is seen, as in a furnace; and the soot and water are in one another, and thus the material earth comes originally from the eternal fire, which Lucifer kindled: Then in the wrathfulness time began, and the creation was after that manner, which is mentioned in the
1 third book.
1 Threefold Life.
134. Understand the l great Mystery further: you see that every fire gives light, and you see also that air goes forth from the source of the fire, and you know very well that if the fire had no air to blow it up, it would be smothered, as all fires are smothered when they have no air, and yet they produce air.
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