[8] After a while, when Simon recovered from his captivation and I reassuringly influenced his heart, Simon said: “My Lord and My God! What did I do, that You suddenly are so lenient and merciful towards me? See, I’m a sinful person; since my flesh is quite loose. The beautiful and attractive maiden leave a mighty impression on me and from time to time quite indecent thoughts are forcing themselves upon me. And quite often I willingly engage with a kind of lust and joy in these thoughts, although not in deed because of a lack of opportunity, but still in my heart, which behaves quite affirmative during such estrous stages. [9] But then also quite bright moments appear in me and I have reasonable views and considerations about this point; but to what use? If I again see a beautiful maiden, all the brighter moments, all the reasonable views and considerations are gone in an instant, and the old scapegoat, armed with all its indecent intentions, is back in its place. Of course, I do nothing; but this doing-nothing is nevertheless not a true doing-nothing, but simply a doing which is prevented by a bad opportunity. The fear for temporary punishment and disgrace is preventing one thereof, but not so the own free will, who at such opportunities contains a lot of desire, and at a good opportunity surely will not reveal any negation! I know my loose flesh unfortunately just too well and therefore are a sinful person and not worthy of such a great mercy from You.” 9. PURPOSE AND NATURE OF THE SENSES
[1] I said: “Friend and brother, why are you concerned about the flesh and what happens in it?! If I had not implanted such property in the flesh, would ever a man take a wife and awaken a living fruit in her?! [2] If I had not put the desire into the stomach to eat, would ever someone consume any food? In what other manner could nature-specific-spirits enter the blood and other fluids of the body, from there into the nerve-ether and, in such manner purified, become soul-substance? Through My wills power, certainly, among the primitive order; but what would then become of the everlasting continuance ability? By no other means than by a hard, continuing judgment; but what would then become of the independence and future spiritual freedom of life?! [3] See, if just one point in My once arranged order is moved, and an all independent life with the fullest freedom becomes forever an impossibility. Have I not given the eyes the ability to see and the ears the ability to hear, the tongue the ability to speak and to taste and the nose the ability to smell?! [4] Are you therefore a sinner because from time to time you are getting hungry and thirsty? Do you sin, if you are seeing, hearing, tasting and smelling? All these senses are given to you to perceive the form of things, to listen to the wise meaning of speeches and to perceive good and bad and harmful spirits of the still unfermented and raw matter! [5] Of course, you can also sin with the eyes, ears, nose, the palate and the tongue, if you do not use these senses according to order, if you only direct your eyes into the direction, where the flesh is given an account, if you with preferably and desirously only listens to sacrileges, invective and scurrilous speeches, if you only smell stinking things for pleasure, which pollutes the flesh and make it ill and incapable to work. You are also sinning with the palate and the tongue, if you do not curtail the too big lasciviousness for the most expensive delicacies; since why should your palate be tickled with the most expensive things and delicacies, while alongside you many poor must perish because of hunger and thirst?! If you are hungry and thirsty, satisfy yourself with simple and freshly prepared food; but if you are engaging in gluttony and overindulgence, you are clearly sinning against all order of God. [6] Now see, all this is not the case with you; to the contrary, you already have achieved some quite glorious victories over your flesh by yourself! You also have been moderately in all things and acted soberly in your desires. (GGJ Book 10, chap. 8-9)
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