I. V

I. V

If Mary, the mother of Jesus, were betrothed to Joseph, God established the justice of the original institution, for He Himself joined Adam and Eve, looked upon them, and willed that the mother of His Son should be betrothed to a man, so that she would be cared for in faith and protection, and that she herself would be subject to him; for it was just that every woman, having a child, should have a man as her protector. And in this is justice, which humility follows in submission; for if Mary did not have a guardian, pride would easily creep in as if she did not need a man to care for her. Before they came together in the bond of marriage, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit, as was known before God and the people. Joseph, her husband, was a just man, and because he was engaged in the covenant and union, he did not seek falsehood in any of his desires, for his will was pure, and he did not want to be a transgressor of the Law; and he did not want to take her as his wife. I heard a voice from heaven saying: "Man, who has seen these things, and has written them down, saw and did not see, felt the ashes and did not feel, and the miracles of God are not produced by himself, but through those touched, just as a string produces sound through a harp, not by itself, but through the touch of the player." These things are true, and the one who is true wanted them to be revealed in this way. Therefore, if someone adds anything contrary to the supreme understanding of the Scriptures and their own property, they deserve to be subject to the penalties described here; or if someone removes anything from them out of contradiction, they deserve to be erased from the joys presented here. And I heard a voice from the multitude in the higher secrets responding: Let it be, Amen, and so be it. And again I heard a voice from heaven saying to me: These things have been spoken and declared by the living voice of the ever-present light, and they are faithful; let the faithful pay attention to them, and let them be composed in memory of good knowledge.