Re: I've Been Working on the Railroad

giving a seat at
their right hand, God will have also. It is then an indication of the
intention of God, not of His manner of carrying it out.

Thus when it is said, "God has received the odour of your incense, and will
in recompense give you a rich land," that is equivalent to saying that the
same intention which a man would have, who, pleased with your perfumes,
should in recompense give you a rich land, God will have towards you,
because you have had the same intention as a man has towards him to whom he
presents perfumes. So iratus est, a "jealous God," etc. For, the things of
God being inexpressible, they cannot be spoken of otherwise, and the Church
makes use of them even to-day: Quia confortavit seras,137 etc.

It is not allowable to attribute to Scripture the meaning which is not
revealed to us that it has. Thus, to say that the closed mem of Isaiah
signifies six hundred, has not been revealed. It might be said that the
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