German Theology

comes—they shall come after this time into the kingdom of heaven, and they gain in this time a foretaste that surpasses all the joy and delight that ever was or may be in this time from all temporal things. And while a person is thus in this hell, no one can comfort them, neither God nor any creature, as it is written: In hell there is no redemption original: In der hellen ist kein erlösunge — a common medieval theological maxim suggesting that while in the state of spiritual despair, the soul feels its situation is permanent and beyond help.. Regarding this, a person once said: "Perishing, dying, I live without comfort, damned without and within; let no one pray that I be redeemed." ☞ Now, God does not leave a person in this hell, but rather He takes them to Himself so that the person cares for nothing desires original: cupiat except for the Eternal Good alone, and recognizes that with the Eternal Good all is exceedingly well, and that It is their bliss, peace, joy, rest, and sufficiency. And when a person regards and desires nothing other than the Eternal Good and nothing for themselves, then the peace, joy, bliss, delight, and all such things of the Eternal Good become entirely the person’s own. And thus the person is in the kingdom of heaven. This hell and this kingdom of heaven are two good, certain ways for a person in this time, and well is it for those who find them rightly and well. For this hell passes away, but the kingdom of heaven endures. ¶ Also, a person should note that when they are in this hell, nothing can comfort them, and they cannot believe that they will ever be redeemed or comforted. But when they are in this kingdom of heaven, nothing can distress them or leave them uncomforted, and they do not believe they can ever be distressed or uncomforted—even though after this hell they are comforted and redeemed, and after this kingdom of heaven they are distressed and uncomforted. Also, this hell and this kingdom of heaven come to a person so that they do not know where it comes from, and the person can neither do nor omit anything, nor do anything of their own, from which it might come or go. And the person can give or take neither of these for themselves, nor make or unmake them, but as it is written: The Spirit blows original: gaistet — a verb form of "spirit" or "ghost," meaning to act as a spirit or to blow like the wind. where He wills, and you hear His voice—that means in the present moment—but you do not know where He comes from or where He goes. And when a person is in either of these two, it is well with them, and they may be as secure in hell as in the kingdom of heaven; and all those