The Forty Questions of the Soul
237. A little above, under the circle at the right hand, after Earthly Man, standeth Number 64, Own Reason in Babel, which goeth about the circle of the second Principle, and goeth along in its own power under the divine world; it supposeth itself to be in God and that it serveth God, and yet it is without God, in itself, and teacheth and doth its own matters only: it ruleth the outward world according to its own reason, without the spirit and will of God, even according to its own self-will only; therefore it goeth about the light world flattering, and giveth God 5 fair words, but remaineth without God * still in the abyss, and entereth into it.
1 Or in.
2 as to its own place.
3 Or evil.
4 Or Self-reason.
5 Or good.
* "still in the abyss," lit., "over the abyss."
Wonder of the Great Folly; Number 65.
238. Under Own Reason, standeth Number 65, Wonder of the Great Folly, signifying Babel, which hath found all 1 arts, 2 subtleties, and * 3 devices, and lost itself: it seeketh gold and loseth God; it taketh earth for gold, death for life, and that is the greatest folly that can be found in the 4 Essence of all essences, as is enough demonstrated in other places.
The Conclusion.
239. Thus we see where our home is; not in this world, but in the two inward worlds; in which of them we 5 labour here in this life, into the same we enter when we die; we must leave the outward; we must be new-born only on the cross.
240. Babel hath wholly turned itself away from the cross; which signifieth proud men f wedded to their own wit and reason, who rule themselves by their witty folly.
241. The Earthly Man upon the cross, Number 61, signifieth that simple flock of people, which yet hang to the cross of Christ, and are at length regenerated through the cross.
1 Or inventions.
2 cunning, deceit, fallacies.
3 feats or tricks.
4 Or Being of all beings.
5 Or converse.
* "devices" (Geschicktlichkeit), "cleverness, skill."
f "wedded to their own wit and reason," etc. Lit., "clever in [the power of] their own reason, who govern themselves by the wit [the spirit] of their folly."
242. But reason hath also rent itself off from the cross, * by own pleasure, own power, and laws, and that is the wonder of folly, which the very devils do scorn and deride.
243. The Reader should consider this further, for there lieth much under it, it hath the understanding of all the three worlds; behold thyself therein, it is a most true glass; for the Ternary is a cross, and it hath two kingdoms in one, which part themselves by sinking through death.
244. Therefore the devil would be above God; and therefore God became man, that he might bring the soul out of the wrath, through death, into another life, into another world, which yet remaineth in the first, but it turneth the back to it, as this Figure is; and the cross standeth between the two Principles, and goeth from the fire-life into the life of light.
245. Understand us thus, my beloved Friend: the soul hath its original in the firelife (for no spirit subsisteth 2 without the source of the fire): and it goeth out from itself with its own will through death: it accounteth itself as dead, and sinketh itself down as dead, and so falleth with its will through the Principle of fire, into the divine light eye, and there it is the chariot of the Holy Ghost, whereon he rideth.
246. But when it will go [of] itself, then it continueth in its own fire-nest, in the original, wherein it was awakened, as Lucifer did: for it is awakened at the beginning of the cross at the left hand, as is to be seen in this Figure, and that is its original, as shall be further mentioned hereafter.
1 by taking its own pleasure, and making laws according to its own power, though against right.
2 Or sine, absque.
237. A little above, under the circle at the right hand, after Earthly Man, stands Number 64, Own Reason in Babel, which goes about the circle of the second Principle, and goes along in its own power under the divine world; it supposes itself to be in God and that it serves God, and yet it is without God, in itself, and teaches and does its own matters only: it ruls the outward world according to its own reason, without the spirit and will of God, even according to its own self-will only; therefore it goes about the light world flattering, and gives God 5 fair words, but remains without God * still in the abyss, and enters into it.
1 Or in.
2 as to its own place.
3 Or evil.
4 Or Self-reason.
5 Or good.
* "still in the abyss," lit., "over the abyss."
Wonder of the Great Folly; Number 65.
238. Under Own Reason, stands Number 65, Wonder of the Great Folly, signifying Babel, which has found all 1 arts, 2 subtleties, and * 3 devices, and lost itself: it seeks gold and loses God; it takes earth for gold, death for life, and that is the greatest folly that can be found in the 4 Essence of all essences, as is enough demonstrated in other places.
The Conclusion.
239. Thus we see where our home is; not in this world, but in the two inward worlds; in which of them we 5 labour here in this life, into the same we enter when we die; we must leave the outward; we must be new-born only on the cross.
240. Babel has wholly turned itself away from the cross; which signifies proud men f wedded to their own wit and reason, who rule themselves by their witty folly.
241. The Earthly Man upon the cross, Number 61, signifies that simple flock of people, which yet hang to the cross of Christ, and are at length regenerated through the cross.
1 Or inventions.
2 cunning, deceit, fallacies.
3 feats or tricks.
4 Or Being of all beings.
5 Or converse.
* "devices" (Geschicktlichkeit), "cleverness, skill."
f "wedded to their own wit and reason," etc. Lit., "clever in [the power of] their own reason, who govern themselves by the wit [the spirit] of their folly."
242. But reason has also rent itself off from the cross, * by own pleasure, own power, and laws, and that is the wonder of folly, which the very devils do scorn and deride.
243. The Reader should consider this further, for there lies much under it, it has the understanding of all the three worlds; behold yourself therein, it is a most true glass; for the Ternary is a cross, and it has two kingdoms in one, which part themselves by sinking through death.
244. Therefore the devil would be above God; and therefore God became man, that he might bring the soul out of the wrath, through death, into another life, into another world, which yet remains in the first, but it turns the back to it, as this Figure is; and the cross stands between the two Principles, and goes from the fire-life into the life of light.
245. Understand us thus, my beloved Friend: the soul has its original in the firelife (for no spirit subsists 2 without the source of the fire): and it goes out from itself with its own will through death: it accounts itself as dead, and sinks itself down as dead, and so falls with its will through the Principle of fire, into the divine light eye, and there it is the chariot of the Holy Ghost, whereon he rids.
246. But when it will go [of] itself, then it continues in its own fire-nest, in the original, wherein it was awakened, as Lucifer did: for it is awakened at the beginning of the cross at the left hand, as is to be seen in this Figure, and that is its original, as shall be further mentioned hereafter.
1 by taking its own pleasure, and making laws according to its own power, though against right.
2 Or sine, absque.
No commentary for this page.
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