(50) 'Tis soul effects this transmutation with water of life. Such is the power of the soul, O man of right views! Then what is the power of the Soul of souls? (God). Bread is the food of the body, yet consider, How can it be the food of the soul, O son? Flesh-born man by force of soul The might of Ferhad's soul cleft a hill; The might of the Soul's soul cleaves the moon; If the heart opens the mouth of mystery's store,

(31) Of which I have a great Longing to eat, but I cannot reach to it, for Heaven is the Closure or Firmament between the old and new Body. And therefore I must let it alone till I come into the other Life, and must give my bestial Body Mother Eve's Wrath-Apples to eat. Concerning the Kindling of the Heart, or Life of this World.

(57) But seeing the Soul, all the while the Body had been in Death, remained hidden in the Word, and seeing the same Word also holds the Earth in the astral Birth in Love, therefore it qualifies, mixes, or unites through the Word, all the Time of its Hiddenness and Secrecy, also with its Mother the Body, according or as to the astral Birth or Geniure in the Earth, and so Body and Soul in the Word were never separated one from another, but live jointly and equally together in God.

(46) For the Word is in thy Heart, and qualifies or unites with the Soul, as if it were one Being; and if thy Soul stands in the Love, then it also is one Being. And, thou mayest say, that according to thy Soul thou sittest in Heaven, and livest and reignest with God. ["Understand, according to the Spirit of the Soul, with the Image out of the animated or soulish Fire."]

(4) But what is the solid food and what the liquid? For the Good Wisdom is celebrated as at once bestowing and providing these. I suppose then, that the solid food is suggestive of the intellectual and abiding perfection and sameness, within which, things Divine are participated as a stable, and strong, and unifying, and indivisible knowledge, by those contemplating organs of sense, by which the most Divine Paul, after partaking of wisdom, imparts his really solid nourishment; but that the liquid is suggestive of the stream, at once flowing through and to all; eager to advance, and further conducting those who are properly nourished as to goodness, through things variegated and many and divided, to the simple and invariable knowledge of God. Wherefore the divine and spiritually perceived Oracles are likened to dew, and water, and to milk, and wine, and honey; on account of their life-producing power, as in water; and growth-giving, as in milk; and reviving, as in wine; and both purifying and preserving, as in honey. For these things, the Divine Wisdom gives to those approaching it, and furnishes and fills to overflowing, a stream of ungrudging and unfailing good cheer. This, then, is the veritable good cheer; and, on this account, it is celebrated, as at once life-giving and nourishing and perfecting.

(28) But that the Fruits get another Body than the Earth is, which is much fuller of Virtue, fairer, or more beautiful, also of a better Taste, Relish and Smell; it is, because the astral Birth or Geniture receives Power or Virtue from the Word, and forms or frames another Body, which stands half in the Death, and half in the Life, and stands hidden between the Wrath of God and the Love.

(24) Not that the Fruits of the Earth are thereupon wholly in the Wrath of God; for the one only incorporated or compacted Word, which is immortal and incorruptible, which was from Eternity in the Salitter of the Earth, sprung up again in the Body of Death, and brought forth Fruit out of the dead Body of the Earth; but the Earth comprehended not the Word, but the Word comprehended the Earth.

(83) The Body takes its Food from the Seed of the seven Spirits of God, in the Body of the great Deep, which is Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. Or

(58) And though indeed the bestial Body must putrefy and rot, yet its Power and Virtue live, and in the mean while there grow out of its Power, in its Mother, fair beautiful Roses, Blossoms and Flowers. And though it were quite burnt up and consumed in the Fire, yet its Power and Virtue stands in the four Elements in the Word, and the Soul qualifies, mixes, or unites therewith; for the Soul is in Heaven, and the same Heaven is every where, even in the Midst or Center of the Earth.

(11) But the Soul thirsts after the heavenly Holy Father, and he also gives Meat and Drink to it, feeding it with his holy Spirit, and the spring Source or Fountain of Joy.

(1) Then it [i.e. breath] sang out food for itself, for what- ever food is eaten is eaten by it. Hereon one is established. 1 8. Those gods said: c Of such extent, verily, is this universe as food. You have sung it into your own possession. Give us an after-share in this food.' fore whatever food one eats by this breath, these are satisfied by It. Thus, verily, his people come to him, he becomes the supporter of his people, their chief, foremost leader, an eater of food, an overlord— he who knows this. And whoever among his people desires to be the equal of him who has this knowledge suffices not for his dependents. But whoever follows after him and whoever, following after him, desiies to support ^his dependents, he truly suffices for his dependents.

(132) But the wisdom of God prevents this speedy end, He says, "O parts, the appointed time is not yet; It is useless for you to take wing before that day." But as each part desires reunion with its original, How is it with the soul who is a stranger in exile? It says, "O parts of my habitation here below, My absence is sadder than yours, as I am heaven-born. The body loves green pastures and running water, The love of the soul is for life and the living one, The love of the soul is for wisdom and knowledge,