"THE INVISIBLE PRINCIPLE": Saint-Martin's Theosophick Hymns - Chant 10

"The Invisible Principle"

by Louis Claude de Saint-Martin

            The works of God become manifest quietly, and their Principle remaineth invisible.

            Take this model for thy wisdom: do not make this wisdom known except by the sweetness of its fruits; the sweet ways are the hidden ways.

            If the air was visible, like the substances which compose the body, would it hold such a marvelous rank in nature?

            What rapports are there between the life of the spirit, and the death of this deviated universe? Man promiseth more than he giveth, the Spirit shall one day give more than It doth promise.

            The Lord hath led His people by an obscure path, that His designs might be fulfilled. He hath spoken to His people in parables; without this the Jews could not have failed to recognize the Salvation of the nations,

            And then then they could not be excused for having sacrificed Him; and if they had not sacrificed Him, the nations had not received the inheritance.

            Veils of the prophecies, ye doth favor the ignorance of my people’s daughter; it is through this that the gate of mercy remaineth open to my people.

            God wished to suspend the Jews, and not to condemn them.

            Ah! What blood hath they required, which hath fallen back upon them and upon their children! This blood was spirit and life—could it ever give them death?

            The industrious charity of my God concerneth itself only with the means of saving His children.

            The ignorance of the peoples is the resource that He doth husband without cease in order to pardon them.

O what depths in the wisdom, the power, and the love of our God!

            Men, you condemn your fellows to tortures, when they are culpable according to your laws: are we not much more guilty according to the laws of the Lord?

            And yet we can satisfy His justice with a prayer. We can do it with a secret fervor, brought about in the depths of our being;

            And the more this fervor is concentrated, the more efficacy and power it shall have, because it shall have more of the character of the Unity, of the invincible and irresistible Unity.

            --Chant 10 from THE MAN OF DESIRE (L’HOMME DE DESIR) (1790)

translated by Seth Edwards, 2016

title by Robert Amadou

"THE PROPHETS": Saint-Martin's Theosophick Hymns - Chant 9

"The Prophets"

by Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin

            Who shall give to man the intelligence to understand the march of the Word?

God hath spoken with His mouth of His prophets: this is what ye shall know if the One who prophesies is true, or if He doth not speak with a lying spirit:

When what he telleth of doth come to pass, ye shall then believe in the truth of the prophet.

But hath He not consummated all the Law? And since the Great Sign,¹ have not all the old signs become fragile?

Must there not appear prophets of error and falsehood, who shall have even the power of seducing the elect?

I see them do marvelous works; I see them announcing events which shall occur.

I see them, like Elijah, make fire come down from Heaven.

Woe to future times, when falsehood will so well resemble the truth!

At all times, take precautions against imitators. Ever since man was sold to be subjugated unto sin, sin useth him as well as wisdom.

It will thus be necessary for man to dig more deeply into himself, so as to find new signs there.

The prophet, is he humble and sweet? Doth he preach the reign of God, and not his own?

Doth he manifest with his tears and his sobs the ardors of charity? Is he ready to give his life for his brothers? Doth he join to these virtues a doctrine, sound and well-tried?

Turn towards him, follow in his footsteps, attach thyself to his spirit; charity of  heart and soundness of doctrine are gifts which cannot be feigned.

Even though thou walkest in the midst of confusion and darkness, a luminous circle shall surround thee, and keep thee safe.

The more time advances towards the fullness of its disorder, the more man must move towards his consummation of light.

How can he advance to this term, if he doth not allow himself to penetrate the spirit of life, and rush with ardor towards it, as if compelled there by a devouring hunger?

No! There is no joy comparable to that of treading the paths of wisdom and truth!

--Chant 9 from THE MAN OF DESIRE (L’HOMME DE DESIR) (1790)

translated by Seth Edwards, 2016

title by Robert Amadou

NOTES: 

1. The Crucifiction, or perhaps the life and ministry of Christ in general.