(31) And though in my body I am powerless to bring thee there, yet That from which I have my knowledge is mighty and potent enough to cast thee even into the abyss of hell.

(112) Nor is this my natural will, that I could do it by my own small ability; for if the spirit were withdrawn from me, then I could neither know nor understand my own writings; and I must on every side fight and struggle with the devil, and lie open to temptation and affliction as well as other men.

(70) And be mingled together like soul and body." Body is like a string tied to sod's foot, The soul is the frog in the water of ecstatic bliss; Escaping from the mouse of the body, it is in bliss. The mouse of the body drags it back with that string; Ah! what sorrow it tastes through being dragged back If it were not dragged down by that insolent mouse, On the last day, when you shall awake from sleep, You will learn the rest of this from the Sun of truth!

(1) MY beloved Reader, we tell thee this, that all Things from the Original of the Essence of all Essences (every Thing from its Originality) has its Driving [or Impulse] in its own Form; and it always makes that very Thing, with which the Spirit is impregnated; the Body must always labour in that wherein the Spirit is kindled. When I consider and think, why I write thus [many Wonders,] and leave them not for other sharper Wits, I find that my Spirit is kindled in this Matter, whereof I write; for there is a living running Fire of these Things in my Spirit, and thereupon (let me purpose what I will) yet this Thing continually moves and swims on the Top, and so I am captivated therewith in my Spirit; and it is laid upon me as a Work which I must exercise. Therefore seeing it is my Work that my Spirit drives, I will write it down for a Memorial, in such a Manner, as I know it in my Spirit, and in such a Manner as I attained to it, and I will set down no strange Thing, which myself have not tried [and known,] that I be not found a liar concerning myself before God.

(84) In whatsoever [whether a good or evil thing] thou endeavourest, labourest and actest here, into that thy soul goeth when thou diest.

(3) For my part, I will obediently perform the command of the spirit, only, have thou a care, and suffer not thyself to be shut out by an open door; for here the gates of knowledge stand open to thee.

(17) From this light now it is that I have my knowledge, as also my will, impulse and driving, and therefore I will set down this knowledge in writing according to my gift, and let God work his will; and though I should irritate or enrage the whole world, the devil, and all the gates of hell, I will look on and wait what the LORD intendeth with it.

(12) Fix the mind firmly in Me only; place the intellect in Me, thereafter you shall live in Me only; there is no doubt about this.

(172) Explore the River of the Soul, whence, or in what order you have come: so that although you have become a servant to the body, you may again rise to the Order from which you descended, joining works to sacred reason.

(58) Therefore have I put my confidence in the strong God, and will venture, and see what will come of it. I have no more than one body, which nevertheless is mortal and corruptible, I willingly venture that; if the light and knowledge of my God do but remain with me, then I have sufficiently enough for this life and the life to come.

(81) But thou must know, that thou, in the government of thy mind, art thine own lord and master, there will rise up no fire to thee in the circle or whole circumference of thy body and spirit, unless thou awakenest it thyself.

(176) If thou extendeth the Fiery Mind to the work of piety, thou wilt preserve the fluxible body.

(18) What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

(1) IF we consider ourselves in our right Reason, and behold the Kingdom of this World, in which we stand with our Flesh and Blood, also with our Reason and Senses, then we find very well, that we have the Substance and Stirring of it in us; for we are its very proper own. Now all whatsoever we think, do, and purpose in the outward Man, that the Spirit of this World does in us Men; for the Body is nothing else but the Instrument thereof, wherewith it performs its Work; and we find, that as all other Instruments (which are generated from the Spirit of this World) decay, corrupt, and turn to Dust, so also our earthly Body, wherein the Spirit of this World works [and acts] for a While.

(9) But since I perceive that my eternal salvation hangeth upon this [i.e. the getting of new life and power] and that through my negligence [in case I were negligent], the gates of the light would be closed against me, which [light] is yet the firmament of my heaven wherein my soul hideth from the stormings of the devil, and which [light and heaven] also I won with great toil and hard assaults, through the love of God and by the breakingthrough of my Redeemer and King, Jesus Christ, therefore am I willing to let God have his way and take captive my fleshy reason.

(20) Now either permit me to hold my peace altogether, And if you dislike this and forbid that, Who can tell what your desire is? You must have the soul of Abraham in order with light Step by step he ascended above sun and moon, And so lagged not below, as a ring that fastens a door. Since the "Friend of God" ascended above the heavens, And said, "I love not Gods that set;" So this world of the body is a breeder of misconceptions

(19) The soul in man, however - not every soul, but one that pious is - is a daimonic something and divine. And such a soul when from the body freed, if it have fought the fight of piety - the fight of piety is to know God and to do wrong to no man - such a soul becomes entirely mind. Whereas the impious soul remains in its own essence, chastised by its own self, and seeking for an earthly body where to enter, if only it be human. For that no other body can contain a human soul; nor is it right that any human soul should fall into the body of a thing that doth possess no reason. For that the law of God is this: to guard the human soul from such tremendous outrage.

(10) And I have chosen the gate of knowledge of the light, and will follow after the impulse and knowledge of the spirit, though my bestial body should be brought to beggary, or be destroyed or ruined. I regard none of these things, but will say with the royal prophet David, [Psalm lxxiii. 26] Though my body and soul should faint and fail, yet thou, O God, art my salvation, my comfort, and the refuge of my heart.

(4) The heavens your movements do initiate, I say not all; but granting that I say it, Light has been given you for good and evil, And free volition; which, if some fatigue In the first battles with the heavens it suffers, Afterwards conquers all, if well 'tis nurtured. To greater force and to a better nature, Though free, ye subject are, and that creates The mind in you the heavens have not in charge. Hence, if the present world doth go astray, In you the cause is, be it sought in you; And I therein will now be thy true spy. Forth from the hand of Him, who fondles it Before it is, like to a little girl Weeping and laughing in her childish sport, Issues the simple soul, that nothing knows, Save that, proceeding from a joyous Maker, Gladly it turns to that which gives it pleasure. Of trivial good at first it tastes the savour; Is cheated by it, and runs after it, If guide or rein turn not aside its love. Hence it behoved laws for a rein to place, Behoved a king to have, who at the least Of the true city should discern the tower.

(321) Do not become guilty of your own death. Do not be angry at him who will take you out of (the) body and kill you.