The Forty Questions of the Soul
3. In a thing which hath its rise from two beginnings, being of equal weight, one part will sink down, if weight be added to it, be it either good or evil that is added.
1 seeking, or longing.
2 Verbum Domini.
4. Sin maketh not itself, but the will maketh it, it cometh from the imagination into the spirit; for the spirit entereth into a thing, and is infected by that thing, and so the turba of that thing cometh into the spirit, and first destroyeth the image of God.
5. And the turba proceedeth further, and searcheth deeper, and so it findeth the abyss, viz. the soul; and seeketh in the soul, and so findeth the wrathful fire, by which it mingleth itself with the thing that is so introduced into the spirit; and thus at length sin is wholly born. Now, therefore, whatsoever desireth to bring that which is outward into the will, that is sin.
6. The will ought to incline to nothing, but to meekness and love, as if it were a nothing, or dead; we should only desire to hve to God, so that God may work in us, and whatsoever we do besides, our will must be directed so, that we do it to God.
7. But if we set our will upon the 1 essence, then we bring the essence into the spirit, and that taketh possession of our heart; and then the turba is born, and the soul is captivated by the thing.
8. And therefore we answer, that no soul cometh pure from the mother's 2 womb, be it begotten by holy or unholy parents.
9. And as the abyss and the anger of God, and also the earthly world, depend wholly on God the Father, and yet cannot comprehend and touch his heart and spirit; so it is also with the child in the mother's womb, if it be begotten by godly parents, then each Principle 3 standeth in its own part.
10. When the turba taketh the earthly body, then the heaven taketh the spirit, and the Majesty filleth the spirit; and then the soul is in God, it is free from pain.
11. But while the soul remain eth in the earthly life, it is not free; because the earthly spirit doth, with its imagination, always bring its abomination into it; and the spirit must continually stand in strife against the earthly life.
1 covetousness, or earthly desire, viz. pride, goods, power, and honour.
2 Or body.
3 Or hath a part, or one part, or share in it.
THE SIXTEENTH QUESTION How is the Soul kept in such Union, both in the Adamical and Regenerate Body"?
1. WE have mentioned before, that there are three Principles, which are all three in the soul already, and are in one another, as one thing: and you must understand, that the strife in the soul beginneth before, in the seed, while it lieth hidden in both sexes, in the man and woman; *when also the turba stirreth up itself before, in that it driveth the essence of the seed to a false imagination, to a false desire.
2. Though the spirit tameth the body, yet it imagineth, and this the turba causeth in the seed; and no man can well deny, but that many times this imagination is offensive to him, and where there is a right spirit, it wisheth it
1 anathematized: And you must know, that the spirit of the soul sticketh thus in a miserable f strait, and cannot be loosed till the turba taketh the body.
1 banished from him.
* "when also the turba stirreth up itself before" (so erreget sich schon die Turba), lit., "when also the turba stirreth up itself already."
t "strait" (Quetsch) means a painful squeezing or crushing.
3. Now there is never any union between the outward and the regenerate man; the outward man would always devour the regenerate, for they are in one another, but each hath its own Principle, so that the outward cannot overpower the inward, if the spirit doth but continue Hn strife.
4. They may very well depend on one another; for all three set forth God's works of wonder, if they continue in due order, each keeping its own Principle.
5. For the soul hath the government of the fire, and it is the cause of the life of all
2 three: and the 3 spirit hath the government of the light, in which the noble heavenly image consisteth with the divine body: and the outward spirit hath the government of the earthly life; this should seek and manifest the wonders, and the inward spirit should give it understanding to do that; and the soul should manifest the abyss (viz. the highest secret) to 4 it.
3. In a thing which has its rise from two beginnings, being of equal weight, one part will sink down, if weight be added to it, be it either good or evil that is added.
1 seeking, or longing.
2 Verbum Domini.
4. Sin makes not itself, but the will makes it, it comes from the imagination into the spirit; for the spirit enters into a thing, and is infected by that thing, and so the turba of that thing comes into the spirit, and first destroys the image of God.
5. And the turba proceeds further, and searches deeper, and so it finds the abyss, viz. the soul; and seeks in the soul, and so finds the wrathful fire, by which it mingls itself with the thing that is so introduced into the spirit; and thus at length sin is wholly born. Now, therefore, whatsoever desires to bring that which is outward into the will, that is sin.
6. The will ought to incline to nothing, but to meekness and love, as if it were a nothing, or dead; we should only desire to hve to God, so that God may work in us, and whatsoever we do besides, our will must be directed so, that we do it to God.
7. But if we set our will upon the 1 essence, then we bring the essence into the spirit, and that takes possession of our heart; and then the turba is born, and the soul is captivated by the thing.
8. And therefore we answer, that no soul comes pure from the mother's 2 womb, be it begotten by holy or unholy parents.
9. And as the abyss and the anger of God, and also the earthly world, depend wholly on God the Father, and yet cannot comprehend and touch his heart and spirit; so it is also with the child in the mother's womb, if it be begotten by godly parents, then each Principle 3 stands in its own part.
10. When the turba takes the earthly body, then the heaven takes the spirit, and the Majesty fills the spirit; and then the soul is in God, it is free from pain.
11. But while the soul remain eth in the earthly life, it is not free; because the earthly spirit does, with its imagination, always bring its abomination into it; and the spirit must continually stand in strife against the earthly life.
1 covetousness, or earthly desire, viz. pride, goods, power, and honour.
2 Or body.
3 Or has a part, or one part, or share in it.
THE SIXTEENTH QUESTION How is the Soul kept in such Union, both in the Adamical and Regenerate Body"?
1. WE have mentioned before, that there are three Principles, which are all three in the soul already, and are in one another, as one thing: and you must understand, that the strife in the soul beginns before, in the seed, while it lies hidden in both sexes, in the man and woman; *when also the turba stirrs up itself before, in that it drivs the essence of the seed to a false imagination, to a false desire.
2. Though the spirit tams the body, yet it imagines, and this the turba causes in the seed; and no man can well deny, but that many times this imagination is offensive to him, and where there is a right spirit, it wishes it
1 anathematized: And you must know, that the spirit of the soul sticks thus in a miserable f strait, and cannot be loosed till the turba takes the body.
1 banished from him.
* "when also the turba stirrs up itself before" (so erreget sich schon die Turba), lit., "when also the turba stirrs up itself already."
t "strait" (Quetsch) means a painful squeezing or crushing.
3. Now there is never any union between the outward and the regenerate man; the outward man would always devour the regenerate, for they are in one another, but each has its own Principle, so that the outward cannot overpower the inward, if the spirit does but continue Hn strife.
4. They may very well depend on one another; for all three set forth God's works of wonder, if they continue in due order, each keeping its own Principle.
5. For the soul has the government of the fire, and it is the cause of the life of all
2 three: and the 3 spirit has the government of the light, in which the noble heavenly image consists with the divine body: and the outward spirit has the government of the earthly life; this should seek and manifest the wonders, and the inward spirit should give it understanding to do that; and the soul should manifest the abyss (viz. the highest secret) to 4 it.
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.