Six Theosophic Points, and Other Writings

41. But if he find strife and combat within him, that his inner will always, yea, hourly, fights against these evil properties, suppresses them, and suffers them not to attain to evil being; that he would fain always do well, and yet finds that these evil properties hinder him, so that he cannot accomplish what he would; and finds the desire for abstinence and repentance, that a perpetual desire after God's mercy springs in him, so that he would gladly do well if he could:

42. This man may think and assuredly know that God's fire glimmers in him, and continually labours towards the light. It would fain burn, and is always giving essence for flame ; but is quenched by the evil hmnidity of this world, which Adam has introduced into us.

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43. But when the outer evil body with its vapours perishes, so that it can no longer obstruct the glimmering wick, then the divine fire becomes enkindled in its essence, and the divine image is figured according to the strongest quality which the man has here carried in his desire. If, however, he continue not in the above-mentioned warfare, but drops the struggle, he may again deteriorate most dangerously.

44. The third proof and trial is this, that a man recognize in what being or figure he stands. If he find that he hath a constant desire after God, and in his desire is so strong that he can again break and transform into gentleness the evil essences, as often as for him a quality becomes enkindled; that he is able to let all go that shines and glitters in this world; that he can do good for evil; that he hath full mastery over all his worldly substance, be it money or goods, to give thereof to the needy and for God's truth to abandon it all; and freely and willingly for God's sake resign himself to misery in assured hope of that which is eternal : for him the divine power flows, so that he may kindle the light of the kingdom of joy therein; he tastes what God is. He is the most undoubted man, and carries the divine image with heavenly essence in himself even in the time of the outer body.

45. There Jesus is born of the Virgin, and that man never dies. He lets pass from him only the earthly kingdom, which was to him in this time an opposition and hindrance, with which God hasp. 89 concealed him. For God will not cast pearls before swine ; they are hidden in Him.

46. This same new man dwells not in this world; neither doth the devil know him, only he is hostile to his essence, which contains the inward centre; for it impedes him that his will is not done. And therefore he incites the evil animal-men against him, to vex and persecute him, so that the true humanity remains concealed.

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CHAPTER VIII

Of the right human essence from God's essence.

1. The right true himian essence is not earthly, nor from the dark world ; it is generated only in the light-world; it has no communion or fellowship with the dark world, nor with the outer world; there is a great bar, viz. death, between them.

2. Not that there is nothing of the true essence in the external man. It is there; for it was given to Adam in his image. But it is shut up and lies in death, and cannot qualify; neither has it any motion in itself, unless it becomes quick in the power of the Deity. As it became quick in the Virgin Mary by God's motion and entrance; there the right human essence came again to life.

3. So also in us the right human essence is not stirring, except we be born of God in Christ.