Tripartite Tractate 29

1Even though there are many more things we could say on the topic of the Election, [] and it would be appropriate to speak of them, nevertheless we must <speak> more about those of the Calling, as those of the right are named, it being unhelpful were we to forget them. We have spoken of them before at length, as if it had been enough. Why is it, then, that we spoke of them only in part?

2I said that all those who originated from the Word, either from the judgment on the evil ones or from the fury which battles against them, or from the conversion away from them, being the return to the exalted ones, or from the prayer and the memory of the pre-existent ones, or from hope and faith that their salvation through good works could be [won], all of these have been deemed deserving, because they are from the good inclinations, having as cause of their begetting a thought from He Who Is.

3I furthermore said that before the Word willingly involved himself with them in an invisible mode, the Exalted One bestowed on them the earlier mentioned thought, because they [heeded] it, [] the thought that became the cause of their existence. They did not lift up themselves (arrogantly) when <they> were saved, as if nothing pre-existed them. They instead confessed that their existence had an origin, and that they desire to know him who existed before them.

4I furthermore said that they prostrated at the revelation of the light with the appearance of lightning, and that they gave testimony that it appeared for their salvation.

5I said that not just those who have originated from the Word will obtain what is good, but even those whom these produced in accord with the good inclinations will enjoy the repose because of the richness of the gift. Even those who were produced from the desire of lust for control, in whom is the seed for the lust for control, will obtain the reward of good deeds, if they have cooperated with those of a good inclination, and if they purposely desire to forsake the vacuous love of fading glory, in order to observe the commandment of the Lord [] of glory, and rather than a passing paltry honor, they will inherit the eternal kingdom.

6We needed to revisit our earlier discourse, but now, to articulate a coherent argument, we have to correlate the causes and the effects and the <evidence> regarding whether those of the right, regardless of being unmixed or mixed, can obtain the gift of salvation and repose. Consequently, in a convincing discussion we must demonstrate this based on the form of their belief.

7If we profess the kingdom in Christ, <we> eliminate the entire diversity of forms, of inequality, and of change. For the end will again experience a singularity, just as the beginning was a singularity, the place without male or female, without servant or free, without circumcision or uncircumcision, without angel or human, but Christ is all in all. How is it that one who did not exist in the beginning can be found in existence, and <what is> the nature of the one who was not a servant, given that he will take a place together with [] someone who is free? They will even receive an unmediated vision, without needing to believe that things are this way based solely on a minor word from a voice.

8This is because the restoration of what once was is a singularity. Even if some are exalted owing to the plan of salvation, being assigned with the causes of the things that exist, activating a multitude of natural forces, and delighting in them, be they angels or humans, they will attain to the kingdom and the confirmation and the salvation.

9And the following are the causes: Those who appeared in flesh unflinchingly believed that he is the Son of the unknown God, ineffable from of old, and whom none were able to see. They renounced their gods to whom they had previously prostrated, and the lords of heaven and on earth. Before <he> had even been taken up, even still as a child, they gave testimony that he was already preaching. And when he was in the tomb [as a] dead man, the angels believed that he was alive, [even receiving] life [] from the one who had died.

10The multitude of their sacred services and wonders which they had performed in the (pagan) temples were now changed to devotion to another (i.e., Christ). Their confession (of Christ) is what gave them the power to (change their pagan devotion), through hastening their approach to (Christ). They had received that (pagan) preparation only so that they would (later) reject it in favor of the one (i.e., Christ) who was not <shown honor> in this lower place (i.e., the world). But for (rejecting pagan gods) [they gained] Christ, whom they realized was from the [exalted] place, from [which] they had come together with him, a place of godly rule. The names of those they had worshipped, cared for, and served, they had received on loan, now transferring them to the one to whom they properly refer.

11However, it was not until after his assumption that they recognized that he was their Lord, over whom there is no lord. They transferred their kingdoms to him; they rose up [from their] thrones (vacating them); they surrendered their crowns. He revealed himself to them, however, for the causes we discussed already, namely, for their healing and their [conversion to] the good thought concerning [. . .] [] companion and the angels [. . .], and the wealth of good they did for it. They [thus] were assigned the services that benefit the elect, namely, conveying their iniquity to heaven, for eternal trial with undeniable and unerring [judgment]. They continue on their behalf, until all enter earthly life and depart from life, while their bodies [linger] on earth, serving all their [. . .], making [themselves] sharers in their pains and persecutions and perils, which were brought upon the saints more than on others.

12Regarding the servants of the evil <one>, because evil is deserving of destruction <…>, firmly because of the [life in common] which is above all the worlds, which is their good thought and fraternity.

13And the Church will recall them as true friends and faithful servants, once she has obtained redemption from the one who [gives them] the reward comprising the joy that prevails in the bridal [chamber] and the [ . . . which] dwells in her house [. . .] which dwells in thought [. . .] and what it is indebted to [. . .] [] Christ, who dwells with her [and the] expectant waiting of the Father [of] the Totality, because she will supply them with angels for guidance and service.

14The aeons will recall pleasing thoughts of serving the Church, <and> will bestow on them their reward [for] all their meditations. This is an emanation from them, so that as Christ [fulfilled his] will, which produced the exalted great [things] of the Church and bestowed them on her, <so> will this emanation be a thought for these, supplying them their dwelling places, in which they will dwell eternally. [After they] reject the downward pull of the deficiency, the power of the Fullness will propel them upward by greatness of generosity and by the sweetness of the pre-existent aeon.