The Forty Questions of the Soul
14. Thus you understand, if you have your sight, all the Old Testament; this is the only ground, though comprised but in brief; if we write upon Moses, you shall find it wholly there; and thus we have shewn you the true ground of the bosom of Abraham, and of the true Christian religion.
15. He that teacheth otherwise is of Babel; beware of him, he hath not Christ's spirit, but he is Ishmael, and seeketh but in his own conceit.
16. O! thou dear Christendom, do but open thine eyes, or else it will no more shine so clearly to thee; go yet to Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham.
THE TWENTY-SIXTH QUESTION
Whether do the Souls of the Dead take care for Men, Children, Friends, and Goods? And whether do they know, see, approve, or disapprove their
Purposes and Undertakings?
1. MY beloved Friend, this Question is beyond the reach of all human reason, and knowledge according to outward reason; but seeing we are Abraham's children, we have also Abraham's spirit in Christ; and as Abraham looked back upon the promise in paradise, and then also forward to the fulfilling of the promise, so that he saw in the whole body of Christ what was yet to be brought to pass in the
1 middle, 2 and saw Christ afar off; so also we.
2. Now seeing you so vehemently long after the great Mysteries, and seek them with so earnest a desire, giving God the glory, accounting yourself unworthy in your high art, and so humble yourself before God; therefore God giveth you them, though by so mean and poor an instrument, who esteemeth himself much more unworthy of them, but yet would not willingly strive against his will; and so you are the cause that this hand findeth and attaineth them.
1 Or the time between the beginning and the end.
2 John viii. 56.
3. For this hand knew nothing of the Mystery; it sought only for the faith of
Abraham, but the understanding of Abraham was also given unto it, which you have caused by your seeking.
4. Now see that you also obtain the spirit of Abraham, which hath written in the knowledge of this hand, we will impart it to you as a brother; for we are not your lord in the Mystery, but your servant.
5. Apprehend us aright; we are Lazarus, and you may be accounted Abraham, in comparison of us; you have laboured much more than we, but we are fallen into your harvest; not of merit, but by the grace of the Giver, that no tongue might boast in the sight of God, and say, This hath my understanding done.
6. You propound a deep Question; 1 1 understand it not: for if I should understand it, then I should dwell in the * separated soul, and must have the very same spirit and knowledge of that soul.
7. But now seeing we are one body in Christ, we have all of us Christ's spirit; therefore in Christ we all see out of one spirit, and have one knowledge; for he is become man in us, and all holy souls are our fellow members; all begotten out of one: and we all have one will in Christ, in the true bosom of Abraham.
1 Viz. in his own reason, or in the old Adam.
* "separated soul," lit., "departed soul." The same applies to pars. 10, 16, 25, etc.
8. And now we have obtained strength to reveal to you this hidden thing in Christ; for our soul seeth in their souls; *not as if they came to us, but we go to them; for they are in perfection, and we but 1 in part.
9. And now we are able to answer you, not from the reason of the outward world, but from the image in Christ, and from his and our spirit.
10. You ask, whether the separated souls take care of human matters, and approve, or disapprove them? Now this you must understand to be in three different manners, concerning three several sorts of souls.
11. First, those souls which have not yet attained heaven, and so stick in the source, in the Principle, in the birth, they have yet the human essence, with the works in them; they diligently search out the cause of their 2 retention.
14. Thus you understand, if you have your sight, all the Old Testament; this is the only ground, though comprised but in brief; if we write upon Moses, you shall find it wholly there; and thus we have shown you the true ground of the bosom of Abraham, and of the true Christian religion.
15. He that teaches otherwise is of Babel; beware of him, he has not Christ's spirit, but he is Ishmael, and seeks but in his own conceit.
16. O! you dear Christendom, do but open your eyes, or else it will no more shine so clearly to you; go yet to Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham.
THE TWENTY-SIXTH QUESTION
Whether do the Souls of the Dead take care for Men, Children, Friends, and Goods? And whether do they know, see, approve, or disapprove their
Purposes and Undertakings?
1. MY beloved Friend, this Question is beyond the reach of all human reason, and knowledge according to outward reason; but seeing we are Abraham's children, we have also Abraham's spirit in Christ; and as Abraham looked back upon the promise in paradise, and then also forward to the fulfilling of the promise, so that he saw in the whole body of Christ what was yet to be brought to pass in the
1 middle, 2 and saw Christ afar off; so also we.
2. Now seeing you so vehemently long after the great Mysteries, and seek them with so earnest a desire, giving God the glory, accounting yourself unworthy in your high art, and so humble yourself before God; therefore God gives you them, though by so mean and poor an instrument, who esteems himself much more unworthy of them, but yet would not willingly strive against his will; and so you are the cause that this hand finds and attains them.
1 Or the time between the beginning and the end.
2 John viii. 56.
3. For this hand knew nothing of the Mystery; it sought only for the faith of
Abraham, but the understanding of Abraham was also given unto it, which you have caused by your seeking.
4. Now see that you also obtain the spirit of Abraham, which has written in the knowledge of this hand, we will impart it to you as a brother; for we are not your lord in the Mystery, but your servant.
5. Apprehend us aright; we are Lazarus, and you may be accounted Abraham, in comparison of us; you have laboured much more than we, but we are fallen into your harvest; not of merit, but by the grace of the Giver, that no tongue might boast in the sight of God, and say, This has my understanding done.
6. You propound a deep Question; 1 1 understand it not: for if I should understand it, then I should dwell in the * separated soul, and must have the very same spirit and knowledge of that soul.
7. But now seeing we are one body in Christ, we have all of us Christ's spirit; therefore in Christ we all see out of one spirit, and have one knowledge; for he is become man in us, and all holy souls are our fellow members; all begotten out of one: and we all have one will in Christ, in the true bosom of Abraham.
1 Viz. in his own reason, or in the old Adam.
* "separated soul," lit., "departed soul." The same applies to pars. 10, 16, 25, etc.
8. And now we have obtained strength to reveal to you this hidden thing in Christ; for our soul sees in their souls; *not as if they came to us, but we go to them; for they are in perfection, and we but 1 in part.
9. And now we are able to answer you, not from the reason of the outward world, but from the image in Christ, and from his and our spirit.
10. You ask, whether the separated souls take care of human matters, and approve, or disapprove them? Now this you must understand to be in three different manners, concerning three several sorts of souls.
11. First, those souls which have not yet attained heaven, and so stick in the source, in the Principle, in the birth, they have yet the human essence, with the works in them; they diligently search out the cause of their 2 retention.
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