(5) "Then you don't think that I have sought?" "Yes, if you think you do not know." So with the lamps of the wise virgins, lighted at night in the great darkness of ignorance, which the Scripture signified by "night." Wise souls, pure as virgins, understanding themselves to be situated amidst the ignorance of the world, kindle the light, and rouse the mind, and illumine the darkness, and dispel ignorance, and seek truth, and await the appearance of the Teacher.

(18) He that will now sleep, let him sleep still; and he that will awake and trim his lamp, let him awake still: Behold the Bridegroom cometh, and he that is awake and is ready accompanieth him into the eternal heavenly wedding: But he that sleepeth at his coming, he sleepeth for ever, eternally in the dark prison of fierceness or wrath.

(175) O ye watchmen of Israel! why do ye sleep? Awake from the sleep of whoredom, and dress or trim your lamps: The Bridegroom cometh, sound your trumpets.

(13) Such are the gnostic souls, which the Gospel likened to the consecrated virgins who wait for the Lord. For they are virgins, in respect of their abstaining from what is evil. And in respect of their waiting out of love for the Lord and kindling their light for the contemplation of things, they are wise souls, saying, "Lord, for long we have desired to receive Thee; we have lived according to what Thou hast enjoined, transgressing none of Thy commandments.

(11) And there the noble Grain of Mustard-Seed is sown, of which Christ says; That it is at first small, and afterwards groweth to be like a great Tree; so far [or so long] as the Mind perseveres in the Will. But the noble Virgin stays not continually, for her Birth is [of a] higher [Descent;] and therefore she dwells not in earthly Vessels; but she sometimes visits her Bridegroom at a Time when he is desirous of her: Although she always with Observance prevents and calls him, before he [calls] her, which is only understood in the Lily. This the Spirit speaks in a high and worthy Seriousness, therefore observe it, ye Children of God, the Angel of the great Council comes in the Valley of Jehosaphat with a golden Charter, which he sells for Oil without Money; W7hosoever comes shall have it.

(96) And though indeed it is the third mother, yet it remaineth but a foolish virgin, if the light be not kindled in it. Just as the deep of this world is a foolish virgin before the Heart of God, in which deep of this world the wheel of the seven spirits stands in such anxiety, in so much corruption and redemption, in heat and in cold, as is apparent.

(42) There then says the Bridegroom, Come! On the other Hand, says the poor Soul, / cannot yet, my Lamp is not yet trimmed. Nevertheless it holds the Saviour fast by the Thread [of Faith,] and sets its Imagination [or Desire] (through the Thread of Faith and Confidence) further into the Heart of God; where then at last it is ransomed out of the Putrefaction, through the Passion of Christ.