1856.] Notice on tie oldest work on SuJZsm. 137 



is able to distinguish between what is evil and good (literally the 

 verum see Logic note 21) and what is vain and transitory, between 

 what is useful and what is hurtful, and between what is beautiful 

 (j-*^ and what is hideous and the object of his lusts. He who 

 does not make these distinctions, is the slave of his appetites. The 

 most precious of all gifts of God is faith in our Creator. The 

 essence of this faith is that we act up to the duties which Grod has 

 imposed upon us. If you ask me what is the Yaqyn (intuitive know- 

 ledge) ;* I answer it is the very essence of faith, the fruits of which 

 are purity of life — action, but action in which our object is not 

 honor or any reward, except the reward from Him. He that has 

 received his reward in this world, has to expect no more on the 

 day of resurrection. 



The most fruitful intuitive knowledge (Yaqyn) is that which 

 increases in your eyes the importance of the intuitive knowledge 

 which you already have and lowers the importance of every thing 

 else, and which increases your fear of a future retribution. The 

 most useful fear is that which guards you against sin, and leads 

 you to repentance for past sins. The most useful hope is that which 

 makes it easy for you to do that which leads you to the accomplish- 

 «ment of your hope. The best poverty is that which you bear 

 -patiently and with a cheerful heart. The best riches are those 

 which remove the fear of poverty from your mind. The most 

 useful knowledge is the knowledge of ignorance which brings you 

 injury and the knowledge which increases your contrition and impels 

 you to action. The most useful humility is that which guards you 

 against pride and extinguishes anger in your heart. The most 

 useful despair ^j^\ is that which kills cupidity in you, for cupidity 

 is the key of debasement, it deprives a mau of his reason, soils his 

 sentiments of honor {jej*J\ and his generous feeliugs,and extinguishes 

 the light of knowledge. The virtue which has the most pernicious 

 consequences is the one which you look upon with complacency, and 

 on which you place your reliance — it is not virtue but conceit with 



* Yaqyn means that which is certain, cerium. Continued contemplation leads the 

 ascetic to the intuition (i. e. a view with the eye of his mind) of what is super- 

 natural, and this view becomes more and more distinct and is the only certain and 

 positive knowledge which man possesses. It is faith raised to the highest power. 



T 



