The Forty Questions of the Soul
21. And in the third Principle, it is a glass of the whole world; all whatsoever is contained in heaven and earth, every property of every creature lieth therein; for that glass is like the firmament and stars.
22. *This is such a crown, as in which the 2 number of the end of the life of the outward man is contained, and all whatsoever prosperity and adversity can happen outwardly from the spirit of this world.
1 medicine, or counsel.
2 How long he shall live.
* "This is such a crown," etc., lit., "Such a crown it [the soul in the third Principle] is, and therein stands the number of the outward man," etc.
THE SIXTH QUESTION
What is the Power and Ability of the Soul?
1. WE know, that whatsoever cometh out of the abyss, and is the ground of itself, can in itself do all things, for it l is its own essence, it maketh itself.
2. But though the soul be a twig out of this tree, yet now it is 2 become a creature, and is its 3 own; it is an image of the whole, and a child of the whole; for when a child is born, then the mother and the child are two, they are two persons; but so long as it is in the seed in the mother, so long the seed is the mother's, and the mother governeth it.
3. But when the child is born, then it hath its own life in itself, and hath the
4 centre of nature in its own 5 power: it governeth not only in itself, but also without itself in whatsoever is seed.
4. Understand us aright, thus: God's spirit, and the spirit of the soul, are two persons; each is free from the other, and yet both stand in the first beginning; each hath its own will.
5. Now it is but right, that the child should be obedient to his Father, upon forfeiture of the Father's inheritance: For the Holy Ghost is the 6 maker of the soul, he created it, and therefore the spirit of the soul should be obedient to the Holy Ghost, upon loss of the inheritance of the Holy Ghost, viz. the Deity.
1 Or subsisteth from itself.
2 Or entered into the condition of a creature.
3 Or sui juris, or a thing of itself.
4 centrum naturae.
5 form.
6 workmaster, or builder.
6. And though we have much to say here, yet it is very dangerous to say it, in regard of the false magia; for when the false spirit knoweth it, it practiseth witchcraft with it.
7. Yet we will speak, so that the children may understand us, and reserve the full speaking of it for them; for it is not good to write such things, not knowing who shall be the readers.
8. But to the wicked we say, that they belong to the devil, and shall have no part in our writings; we shut them out with a thick wall and strong enclosure, that they may be blind, and not know our spirit, for we will not set the serpent in 1 it; our will is gone out from them, and therefore they shall not 2 know us, though they should carry us in their hands: there is a fast seal upon it.
9. Christ said, 3 Ifye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, then you might say to the mountain, be removed, and cast into the sea: this is no vain word without truth or effect.
The First Power of the Will of the Soul.
10. The Will ( 4 that goeth strongly forward) is faith. It frameth its own form in the spirit; it hath also such 5 power, that it can frame another image in the spirit, out of the centre of nature; it can 6 give another form to the body, according to the outward spirit; for the inward is lord of the outward, the outward must be obedient to it: It can change the outward into another image, but not permanent.
1 Viz. in our spirit.
2 Or understand us.
3 Matt. xvii. 20.
4 If it be strong. Note what faith is. The strong desire is faith.
5 Or might.
6 change the body into another shape.
11. For Adam's soul hath let in the turba of this world, so that if the turba seeth a strange child, it riseth against it instantly, and destroyeth it: It continueth only so long as the inward spirit can subdue and overpower the outward.
12. And this iform is called Necromancy, a transmutation, where the inward overpowereth the outward, for it is natural; and we understand, that when 2 we shall all be changed, that change will be made thus by the same turba, which hath the first Fiat in it.
21. And in the third Principle, it is a glass of the whole world; all whatsoever is contained in heaven and earth, every property of every creature lies therein; for that glass is like the firmament and stars.
22. *This is such a crown, as in which the 2 number of the end of the life of the outward man is contained, and all whatsoever prosperity and adversity can happen outwardly from the spirit of this world.
1 medicine, or counsel.
2 How long he shall live.
* "This is such a crown," etc., lit., "Such a crown it [the soul in the third Principle] is, and therein stands the number of the outward man," etc.
THE SIXTH QUESTION
What is the Power and Ability of the Soul?
1. WE know, that whatsoever comes out of the abyss, and is the ground of itself, can in itself do all things, for it l is its own essence, it makes itself.
2. But though the soul be a twig out of this tree, yet now it is 2 become a creature, and is its 3 own; it is an image of the whole, and a child of the whole; for when a child is born, then the mother and the child are two, they are two persons; but so long as it is in the seed in the mother, so long the seed is the mother's, and the mother governs it.
3. But when the child is born, then it has its own life in itself, and has the
4 centre of nature in its own 5 power: it governs not only in itself, but also without itself in whatsoever is seed.
4. Understand us aright, thus: God's spirit, and the spirit of the soul, are two persons; each is free from the other, and yet both stand in the first beginning; each has its own will.
5. Now it is but right, that the child should be obedient to his Father, upon forfeiture of the Father's inheritance: For the Holy Ghost is the 6 maker of the soul, he created it, and therefore the spirit of the soul should be obedient to the Holy Ghost, upon loss of the inheritance of the Holy Ghost, viz. the Deity.
1 Or subsists from itself.
2 Or entered into the condition of a creature.
3 Or sui juris, or a thing of itself.
4 centrum naturae.
5 form.
6 workmaster, or builder.
6. And though we have much to say here, yet it is very dangerous to say it, in regard of the false magia; for when the false spirit knows it, it practises witchcraft with it.
7. Yet we will speak, so that the children may understand us, and reserve the full speaking of it for them; for it is not good to write such things, not knowing who shall be the readers.
8. But to the wicked we say, that they belong to the devil, and shall have no part in our writings; we shut them out with a thick wall and strong enclosure, that they may be blind, and not know our spirit, for we will not set the serpent in 1 it; our will is gone out from them, and therefore they shall not 2 know us, though they should carry us in their hands: there is a fast seal upon it.
9. Christ said, 3 Ifye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, then you might say to the mountain, be removed, and cast into the sea: this is no vain word without truth or effect.
The First Power of the Will of the Soul.
10. The Will ( 4 that goes strongly forward) is faith. It frams its own form in the spirit; it has also such 5 power, that it can frame another image in the spirit, out of the centre of nature; it can 6 give another form to the body, according to the outward spirit; for the inward is lord of the outward, the outward must be obedient to it: It can change the outward into another image, but not permanent.
1 Viz. in our spirit.
2 Or understand us.
3 Matt. xvii. 20.
4 If it be strong. Note what faith is. The strong desire is faith.
5 Or might.
6 change the body into another shape.
11. For Adam's soul has let in the turba of this world, so that if the turba sees a strange child, it rises against it instantly, and destroys it: It continues only so long as the inward spirit can subdue and overpower the outward.
12. And this iform is called Necromancy, a transmutation, where the inward overpowers the outward, for it is natural; and we understand, that when 2 we shall all be changed, that change will be made thus by the same turba, which has the first Fiat in it.
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