The Forty Questions of the Soul

6. The soul is the Pearl, and the spirit of the soul is the finder of the Pearl, and the earthly spirit is the seeker: the earthly body is the 5 Mystery, wherein the

6 secret of greatest 7 abstruseness lieth: for the Deity hath manifested itself in the earthliness, viz. in a comprehensible essence; and therefore now three seekers belong thereto.

7. But you must not suppose that we * undervalue the outward hfe, for it is most profitable to us, as to the wonders of God: there is nothing more profitable to the whole man, than to stand still in his threefold dominion, and not go back with the outward into the inward, but with the inward into the outward.

1 the combat.

2 Note, three bear rule in man.

3 the spirit of the soul.

4 the outward spirit.

5 Mysterium.

6 Arcanum.

7 Or hiddenness.

* "undervalue" (anfeinden), "antagonize."

8. For the outward is a beast, and belongeth not to the inward; but its wonders, which it hath brought forth out of the inward, and which it hath opened in the comprehensible essence, they belong in their figure (not in their essence) to the inward: the inward spirit must receive these (which are God's works of wonder), for they shall be the joy of it for ever.

9. And thus we say, that the soul may be kept very well in the new man, if the spirit of its tincture do but * hinder its 1 longing and imagination; and though the outward spirit be bestial, yet the inward understanding [spirit] is able to keep in and subdue the outward, for it is lord over it: But he that suffereth the bestial spirit to be lord, he is a beast, and hath also a bestial image in the inward figure in the tincture.

10. And he that letteth the fire-spirit, viz. the turba, be Lord, he is an 2 essential devil in the inward image; therefore here it is necessary that the outward spirit pour 3 water into the fire, that it may hold that 4 strong spirit captive; whereas, whilst it will not be God's image, it is a beast, according to the inward image.

11. Now if we consider ourselves in the 5 union, the outward spirit is very profitable to us; for many souls would perish, if the bestial spirit were not, which holdeth the fire captive, and setteth before the fire-spirit earthly bestial labour and joy, wherein it may f busy itself, till it be able, by the 6 wonders in the imagination, to $ discover somewhat of its noble image, that it may seek itself again.

1 seeking, or desire.

2 substantial, or devil incarnate.

3 Viz. humility.

4 Or stern.

5 of the old and new man together.

6 Or works.

* "hinder" (wehren), "oppose," or "resist."

f "busy" (erlustigen), "amuse."

X "discover somewhat" (wieder erblickeri), "set eyes again upon," or "catch sight again of; the idea is not to "discover," but to recover the vision.

12. My beloved children, who are born * in God, I tell it you: it was not for nothing, that God breathed the outward spirit (viz. the outward life) into Adam 's nostrils; for great danger did attend this image.

13. God knew how it went with Lucifer, and also what the great eternal 2 magic could do: yea, Adam might have been a devil; but the outward glass hindered that, for where water is, it quencheth the fire.

14. Also many a soul by its wickedness would become a devil in a 3 moment, if the outward life did not hinder it, so that the soul cannot wholly inflame itself.

15. How many are there that are so full of poison and 4 evil, that they would murder and commit villainy, but this their fire hath water, or else they were past remedy? As you see in gall, which is a fiery poison, but it is mingled with water, and so the violence of the fire is allayed.

1 Or of.

2 Magia, or desire.

3 Or the twinkling of an eye.

4 Or malice, and wickedness.

16. Thus it is also with the inward essence: the spirit of this world hath * wound itself into the abyss of the soul, and in its source hath mortal water, wherewith it often moisteneth the soul, when it would spit fire.