The Forty Questions of the Soul
12. And therefore many of them come again with the astral spirit, and wander up and down in their houses and places of abode, and appear in a human shape, and desire this and that, and often take care about their wills or testaments, and think to procure the blessing of the saints, that they may rest; and if their earthly affairs still stick in them, they take care many times also about their children and friends.
1 in part, or in imperfection.
2 Or stay in that condition.
* "not as if they came to us," etc. (nicht also dass sie zu uns dringen, sondern wir dringen zu ihnen), "not that they penetrate [force their way] to us; but we penetrate [force our way] unto them."
13. This condition of theirs continueth so long till they fall into their rest, and till their astral spirit be consumed; then all such doings, cares and perplexities are at an end, and they also have no more knowledge thereof, but that they see them merely in the wonders, in the magia.
14. But they touch not the turba, neither seek what is in this world: for they being once passed through death from the turba, they desire such things no more; they also take no further care, for care stirreth up the turba, and then the will of the soul should be forced to enter with its spirit into earthly things; but it had rather let such things alone, because it hardly got rid of them before: It will no more entertain the earthly will.
15. This is an answer concerning this first sort; and we tell you plainly, and in truth, that this sort, after they are once received into grace, take no more care
* purposely about human earthly l matters, but they behold the heavenly matters which are brought to them by the spirit of man, and rejoice in them; but there is somewhat still behind, which is this.
16. A living man hath such power that he is able with his spirit to go into heaven to the separated souls, and stir them up about some question by a hearty desire; but it must be earnest, it must be faith that can break open a Principle.
1 Or affairs.
* "purposely" (aus eigenem Fursatze), "of their own purpose."
17. And this we see in Samuel, the prophet, whom the 1 King of Israel raised up, that he might make his will known to him: though some look upon it otherwise; of whom we may well say that they are blind and void of knowledge, for they speak but their own scholastic conceits, and form opinions about that they have no knowledge of in the spirit, and that is Babel.
18. Now secondly, the other sort, which sink into death without a 2 body, they are wholly in one and the same place of the Principle in which the first sort are, which did afterwards sink down in themselves: All these take no evil affairs upon them, wherein the turba sticketh.
19. But when the honest souls which are alive send them their works, with their spirit and will, *they rejoice in them, and are so friendly and ready that they appear to men magically in sleep, and shew them good ways, and many times reveal arts which he in 3 secret, viz. in the abyss of the soul.
20. For seeing the earthly spirit thrusteth its Mystery before the soul, and keepeth the soul captive in that Mystery, therefore the spirit of the soul cannot always attain the deepest 4 secret; but after the departure of the body the soul is naked, and especially if it be without a new body; then it beholdeth itself, and also its wonders: and it can very well shew one that is living, somewhat in the sleeping magia, if he be honest and hath not stirred up the turba; for dreams are wholly magical, and the soul without a body is in the magia of God.
1 Saul.
2 Or the body of Christ.
3 in arcano, in the most inward Mystery.
4 Or arcanum of the soul.
* "they .... are so friendly and ready" (kiihri), lit., "they make bold." St Martin renders this, elles sont mime assez entreprenantes.
21. Thus know that no soul separated from the body entereth into any wicked matter, unless it be a damned soul, which indeed entereth in magically, and hath its joy therein, and teacheth great masterpieces of wickedness in dreams, for it is a servant of the devil.
12. And therefore many of them come again with the astral spirit, and wander up and down in their houses and places of abode, and appear in a human shape, and desire this and that, and often take care about their wills or testaments, and think to procure the blessing of the saints, that they may rest; and if their earthly affairs still stick in them, they take care many times also about their children and friends.
1 in part, or in imperfection.
2 Or stay in that condition.
* "not as if they came to us," etc. (nicht also dass sie zu uns dringen, sondern wir dringen zu ihnen), "not that they penetrate [force their way] to us; but we penetrate [force our way] unto them."
13. This condition of theirs continues so long till they fall into their rest, and till their astral spirit be consumed; then all such doings, cares and perplexities are at an end, and they also have no more knowledge thereof, but that they see them merely in the wonders, in the magia.
14. But they touch not the turba, neither seek what is in this world: for they being once passed through death from the turba, they desire such things no more; they also take no further care, for care stirrs up the turba, and then the will of the soul should be forced to enter with its spirit into earthly things; but it had rather let such things alone, because it hardly got rid of them before: It will no more entertain the earthly will.
15. This is an answer concerning this first sort; and we tell you plainly, and in truth, that this sort, after they are once received into grace, take no more care
* purposely about human earthly l matters, but they behold the heavenly matters which are brought to them by the spirit of man, and rejoice in them; but there is somewhat still behind, which is this.
16. A living man has such power that he is able with his spirit to go into heaven to the separated souls, and stir them up about some question by a hearty desire; but it must be earnest, it must be faith that can break open a Principle.
1 Or affairs.
* "purposely" (aus eigenem Fursatze), "of their own purpose."
17. And this we see in Samuel, the prophet, whom the 1 King of Israel raised up, that he might make his will known to him: though some look upon it otherwise; of whom we may well say that they are blind and void of knowledge, for they speak but their own scholastic conceits, and form opinions about that they have no knowledge of in the spirit, and that is Babel.
18. Now secondly, the other sort, which sink into death without a 2 body, they are wholly in one and the same place of the Principle in which the first sort are, which did afterwards sink down in themselves: All these take no evil affairs upon them, wherein the turba sticks.
19. But when the honest souls which are alive send them their works, with their spirit and will, *they rejoice in them, and are so friendly and ready that they appear to men magically in sleep, and show them good ways, and many times reveal arts which he in 3 secret, viz. in the abyss of the soul.
20. For seeing the earthly spirit thrusts its Mystery before the soul, and keeps the soul captive in that Mystery, therefore the spirit of the soul cannot always attain the deepest 4 secret; but after the departure of the body the soul is naked, and especially if it be without a new body; then it beholds itself, and also its wonders: and it can very well show one that is living, somewhat in the sleeping magia, if he be honest and has not stirred up the turba; for dreams are wholly magical, and the soul without a body is in the magia of God.
1 Saul.
2 Or the body of Christ.
3 in arcano, in the most inward Mystery.
4 Or arcanum of the soul.
* "they .... are so friendly and ready" (kiihri), lit., "they make bold." St Martin renders this, elles sont mime assez entreprenantes.
21. Thus know that no soul separated from the body enters into any wicked matter, unless it be a damned soul, which indeed enters in magically, and has its joy therein, and teaches great masterpieces of wickedness in dreams, for it is a servant of the devil.
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