Stephen M Baines[_2_]
January 24th 08, 11:02 PM
final tsade and he deficientes may signify mysteries. But it is not
allowable to say so, and still less to say this is the way of the
philosopher's stone. But we say that the literal meaning is not the true
meaning, because the prophets have themselves said so.
688. I do not say that the mem is mystical.
689. Moses (Deut. 30) Promises that God will circumcise their heart to
render them capable of loving Him.
690. One saying of David, or of Moses, as for instance that "God will
circumcise the heart," enables us to judge of their spirit. If all their
other expressions were ambiguous and left us in doubt whether they were
philosophers or Christians, one saying of this kind would in fact determine
all the rest, as one sentence of Epictetus decides the meaning of all the
rest to be the opposite. So far ambiguity exists, but not afterwards.
691. If one of two persons, who are telling silly stories, uses language
with a double meaning, understood in his own circle, while the other uses it
with only one meaning, any one not in the secret, who hears them both talk
in this manner, will pass upon them the same judgment. But, if, afterwards,
in the rest of their conversation one says angelic things, and the other
always dull commonplaces, he will judge that the one spoke in mysteries, and
not the other; the one having sufficiently shown that he is incapable of
such foolishness and capable of being mysterious; and the other that he is
incapable of mystery and capable of foolishness.
The Old Testament is a
allowable to say so, and still less to say this is the way of the
philosopher's stone. But we say that the literal meaning is not the true
meaning, because the prophets have themselves said so.
688. I do not say that the mem is mystical.
689. Moses (Deut. 30) Promises that God will circumcise their heart to
render them capable of loving Him.
690. One saying of David, or of Moses, as for instance that "God will
circumcise the heart," enables us to judge of their spirit. If all their
other expressions were ambiguous and left us in doubt whether they were
philosophers or Christians, one saying of this kind would in fact determine
all the rest, as one sentence of Epictetus decides the meaning of all the
rest to be the opposite. So far ambiguity exists, but not afterwards.
691. If one of two persons, who are telling silly stories, uses language
with a double meaning, understood in his own circle, while the other uses it
with only one meaning, any one not in the secret, who hears them both talk
in this manner, will pass upon them the same judgment. But, if, afterwards,
in the rest of their conversation one says angelic things, and the other
always dull commonplaces, he will judge that the one spoke in mysteries, and
not the other; the one having sufficiently shown that he is incapable of
such foolishness and capable of being mysterious; and the other that he is
incapable of mystery and capable of foolishness.
The Old Testament is a