The Forty Questions of the Soul
22. And whatsoever a wicked man desireth, that the devil readily helpeth him to; for he can do it better by the soul of a man than of himself, for he is too crude, and
1 terrifieth the magia, so that the elementary spirit is astonished, and 2 awakeneth the body.
23. Also you must know this, that all is done magically in the will, without
3 awakening of the source: no soul stirreth up its essences of its own accord to please man; unless a man awaken and disturb them himself.
24. There are many pieces of wickedness in necromancy, which can many times vex and torment the spirits of men; but they do so to no soul that is clothed with Christ's essentiahty, for that soul is free.
25. The third sort of separated souls are those which are in Abraham's bosom in Christ, having the heavenly essentiahty; none can stir them, except they wiU themselves, as when they bear a favour to a soul that is hke themselves: they take no earthly thing upon them, unless it maketh for the glory of God, and then they are * restless to reveal something in a magical manner.
1 makes horror in the magia.
2 Or raiseth up.
3 stirring up.
* "restless to reveal" (unverdrossen zu offenbaren), "indefatigable in revealing."
26. But they let no turba into them; neither do they intercede with God for us; but whatsoever cometh to them, they rejoice in it, with the angels: 1 for the angels rejoice at a sinner that repenteth; then much more the souls.
27. Why should they pray to God for us? It heth not in their prayer, but in man's entering into God; when he strongly turneth his will to God, then God's spirit helpeth him, without 2 their prayers.
28. For his arms are stretched forth day and night to help man; what need is there then of their prayers? It is the will of God that man should come to him.
29. Shall then a 3 soul be so presumptuous as to make God so severe a judge, as not to be wilhng to receive a returning sinner? Surely no true knowledge of God were in this: But when they see the soul press in with its spirit to God, it is great joy to them that God's kingdom is enlarged.
30. The heavenly soul hath God's will: what God willeth, that it willeth also; but it is God's spirit itself that will help the converted sinner.
1 Luke xv. 7, 10.
2 their praying, or intercession for us.
3 separated soul of a saint.
31. The souls see well how God's spirit penetrateth into the soul, if the will of the soul doth but give way to it: there is no need of the prayers of any 1 angel, they all wish that God's kingdom may come into us, and God's will be done; but in the dominion they give God the glory.
32. That men in popery have invocated great saints that are dead, and that they also have appeared to men, and wrought 2 wonders, we acknowledge it, and it is true; though perhaps now it be taught to the contrary, yet there is not any true apprehension among them: It hath another A. B. C. which neither of the two parties understandeth.
33. The faith of one receiveth the faith of another; the faith of the hving laid hold of the faith of the saints departed, and the 3 faith hath wrought wonders.
34. Yea, it is so powerful that it can remove mountains! Shall then the pure faith of the saints in the faith of the living be able to do nothing? Indeed it could even
4 destroy the whole world, if God would suffer it.
35. As he hath permitted it to work so far sometimes that the heathen have been converted by such means, when they have seen such wonders wrought at the 5 death of the saints.
36. Should not a soul in heaven be willing to put forth its faith for the glory of God, and the working of wonders for him? This is done by the Holy Ghost, who hath wrought the wonders by the faith of both parties; and they are only the wonders of God, and of his children.
1 Or blessed soul.
2 Or miracles.
3 Viz. the will that is strong.
4 Or break in pieces.
5 Or departure, or burial.
22. And whatsoever a wicked man desires, that the devil readily helps him to; for he can do it better by the soul of a man than of himself, for he is too crude, and
1 terrifies the magia, so that the elementary spirit is astonished, and 2 awakens the body.
23. Also you must know this, that all is done magically in the will, without
3 awakening of the source: no soul stirrs up its essences of its own accord to please man; unless a man awaken and disturb them himself.
24. There are many pieces of wickedness in necromancy, which can many times vex and torment the spirits of men; but they do so to no soul that is clothed with Christ's essentiahty, for that soul is free.
25. The third sort of separated souls are those which are in Abraham's bosom in Christ, having the heavenly essentiahty; none can stir them, except they wiU themselves, as when they bear a favour to a soul that is hke themselves: they take no earthly thing upon them, unless it makes for the glory of God, and then they are * restless to reveal something in a magical manner.
1 makes horror in the magia.
2 Or raises up.
3 stirring up.
* "restless to reveal" (unverdrossen zu offenbaren), "indefatigable in revealing."
26. But they let no turba into them; neither do they intercede with God for us; but whatsoever comes to them, they rejoice in it, with the angels: 1 for the angels rejoice at a sinner that repents; then much more the souls.
27. Why should they pray to God for us? It heth not in their prayer, but in man's entering into God; when he strongly turns his will to God, then God's spirit helps him, without 2 their prayers.
28. For his arms are stretched forth day and night to help man; what need is there then of their prayers? It is the will of God that man should come to him.
29. Shall then a 3 soul be so presumptuous as to make God so severe a judge, as not to be wilhng to receive a returning sinner? Surely no true knowledge of God were in this: But when they see the soul press in with its spirit to God, it is great joy to them that God's kingdom is enlarged.
30. The heavenly soul has God's will: what God wills, that it wills also; but it is God's spirit itself that will help the converted sinner.
1 Luke xv. 7, 10.
2 their praying, or intercession for us.
3 separated soul of a saint.
31. The souls see well how God's spirit penetrats into the soul, if the will of the soul does but give way to it: there is no need of the prayers of any 1 angel, they all wish that God's kingdom may come into us, and God's will be done; but in the dominion they give God the glory.
32. That men in popery have invocated great saints that are dead, and that they also have appeared to men, and wrought 2 wonders, we acknowledge it, and it is true; though perhaps now it be taught to the contrary, yet there is not any true apprehension among them: It has another A. B. C. which neither of the two parties understands.
33. The faith of one receives the faith of another; the faith of the hving laid hold of the faith of the saints departed, and the 3 faith has wrought wonders.
34. Yea, it is so powerful that it can remove mountains! Shall then the pure faith of the saints in the faith of the living be able to do nothing? Indeed it could even
4 destroy the whole world, if God would suffer it.
35. As he has permitted it to work so far sometimes that the heathen have been converted by such means, when they have seen such wonders wrought at the 5 death of the saints.
36. Should not a soul in heaven be willing to put forth its faith for the glory of God, and the working of wonders for him? This is done by the Holy Ghost, who has wrought the wonders by the faith of both parties; and they are only the wonders of God, and of his children.
1 Or blessed soul.
2 Or miracles.
3 Viz. the will that is strong.
4 Or break in pieces.
5 Or departure, or burial.
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