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(1) Our holy Saviour applied poverty and riches, and the like, both to spiritual things and objects of sense. For when He said, "Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness' sake," He clearly taught us in every circumstance to seek for the martyr who, if poor for righteousness' sake, witnesses that the righteousness which he loves is a good thing; and if he "hunger and thirst for righteousness' sake," testifies that righteousness is the best thing. Likewise he, that weeps and mourns for righteousness' sake, testifies to the best law that it is beautiful. As, then, "those that are persecuted," so also "those that hunger and thirst" for righteousness' sake, are called "blessed" by Him who approves of the true desire, which not even famine can put a stop to. And if "they hunger after righteousness itself," they are blessed. "And blessed are the poor," whether "in spirit" or in circumstances - that is, if for righteousness' sake. It is not the poor simply, but those that have wished to become poor for righteousness' sake, that He pronounces blessed - those who have despised the honours of this world in order to attain "the good;" likewise also those who, through chastity, have become comely in person and character, and those who are of noble birth, and honourable, having through righteousness attained to adoption, and therefore "have received power to become the sons of God," and "to tread on serpents and scorpions," and to rule over demons and "the host of the adversary." And, in fine, the Lord's disciplines draws the soul away gladly from the body, even if it wrench itself away in its removal. "For he that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life shall find it," if we only join that which is mortal of us with the immortality of God. It is the will of God [that we should attain] the knowledge of God, which is the communication of immortality. He therefore, who, in accordance with the word of repentance, knows his life to be sinful will lose it - losing it from sin, from which it is wrenched; but losing it, will find it, according to the obedience which lives again to faith, but dies to sin. This, then, is what it is "to find one's life," "to know one's self."

(51) It is clearly shown to us, why the Man Christ must thus suffer himself to be mocked, despised, scourged, crowned [with Thorns,] and crucified; also why he must endure to be cried out upon for one that had a Devil; and why he must be so spoken against by the Wise and Prudent; also why the simple People only hung to him, and but some few of the Honourable and Rich of this World. Though indeed we shall not please every one, yet we speak not our own Words, but we speak (in our Knowledge and Driving in the Spirit) that which is shown us of God: Therefore understand [and consider] it right.

(26) That is to say: from the time that He was born of Mary, until His death on the cross, He had not one joyful day, but only trouble, sorrow and contradiction. Therefore it is just and reasonable that His servants should be even as their Master. Christ saith also: “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (that is, those who are truly humble), “for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” And Matt. xi. 29. thus we find it of a truth, where God is made man. For in Christ and in all His true followers, there must needs be thorough humility and poorness of spirit, a lowly retiring disposition, and a heart laden with a secret sorrow and mourning, so long as this mortal life lasteth. And he who dreameth otherwise is deceived, and deceiveth others with him as aforesaid. Therefore nature and Self always avoid this life, and cling to a life of false freedom and ease, as we have said. Behold! now cometh an Adam or an Evil Spirit, wishing to justify himself and make excuse, and saith: “Thou wilt almost have it that Christ was bereft of self and the like, yet He spake often of Himself, and glorified Himself in this and that.” Answer: when a man in whom the truth worketh, hath and ought to have a will towards anything, his will and endeavour and works are for no end, but that the truth may be seen and manifested; and this will was in Christ, and to this end, words and works were needful. And what Christ did because it was the most profitable and best means thereunto, He no more took unto Himself than anything else that happened. Dost thou say now: “Then there was a Wherefore in Christ”? I answer, if thou wert to ask the sun, “Why shinest thou?” he would say: “I must shine, and cannot do otherwise, for it is my nature and property; but this my property, and the light I give, is not of myself, and I do not call it mine.” So likewise is it with God and Christ and all who are godly and belong unto God. In them is no willing, nor working nor desiring but has for its end, goodness as goodness, for the sake of goodness, and they have no other Wherefore than this.

(82) Let us look upon his Baptism, and then upon his Temptation instantly after his Baptism, and so we shall find our new Regeneration, as also in what Kingdom we lie imprisoned; and we very highly rejoice (in this Knowledge) that God is become Man: And if now we would apprehend it, we must first set down the Baptism Or Heresy. of Christ, and then the Temptation in its right Order. Of the Baptism of Christ upon Earth, in Jordan.

(4) Mary answered and said: "To all men then who are in the world, will all which is appointed them through the Fate, whether good or bad or sin or death or life,--in a word, will all which is appointed them through the rulers of the Fate, have to come unto them?" "For this cause, therefore, hath John the Baptizer prophesied concerning me, saying: 'I indeed have baptized you with water unto repentance for forgiveness of your sins. He who cometh after me, is stronger than me. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will purify his floor. The chaff indeed he will consume with unquenchable fire, but the wheat he will gather into his barn.' The power in John hath prophesied concerning me, knowing that I would bring the mysteries into the world and purify the sins of the sinners who shall have faith in me and hearken unto me, and make them into refined light and lead them into the Light."

(87) Therefore must Christ now (after the Baptism) be tempted; and he was set against the Kingdom of the fierce Wrath, to see whether this [second] Adam, thus new prepared, could stand in the new and old Man, with the half new born and washed Soul, and set his Imagination upon God, and eat of the Word of the Lord. And there it was tried whether the Soul would press in to God, or into the Spirit of this World again.

(39) When he now had undergone all the Reproach and Sufferings, he said on the Cross, It is finished; while he yet lived in the earthly Body, he said it was finished; understand all that should have remained upon us eternally, and should have sprung up in us, with all the Ignominy in which he stood before Hell and the Kingdom of Heaven, he had all that laid upon him; concerning which Isaiah says, Surely, he bore our Infirmities, and took upon him our Transgressions; yet we held him as one smitten of God, tormented, and afflicted, but he took upon him our Diseases, and all our Miseries were laid upon him, and through his Wounds we are healed; we all went astray like Sheep, every one has looked upon his own Way; and yet we could not help ourselves, but we went as miserable half-slain Sheep, and we must let the Devil (in the Anger of God) do with us what he will; for we bear on us a monstrous Garment, and stand in great Ignominy before Heaven and Hell.

(1) It came to pass then, when John had finished speaking these words to Jesus in the midst of his disciples, that he said unto him: "Well said, John, the Virgin, who shalt rule in the kingdom of the Light."

(1) "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Wherefore the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed; that is, the word of faith which we preach: for if thou confess the word with thy mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." There is clearly described the perfect righteousness, fulfilled both in practice and contemplation. Wherefore we are "to bless those who persecute us.