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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/33742-8.txt b/33742-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f66d36b --- /dev/null +++ b/33742-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4353 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Dialogues on the Supersensual Life, by Jacob Behmen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Dialogues on the Supersensual Life + +Author: Jacob Behmen + +Editor: Bernard Holland + +Release Date: September 17, 2010 [EBook #33742] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DIALOGUES ON THE SUPERSENSUAL LIFE *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + +DIALOGUES + +ON + +THE SUPERSENSUAL LIFE + +BY + +JACOB BEHMEN + +EDITED BY BERNARD HOLLAND + +METHUEN & CO. +36 ESSEX STREET, W.C. +LONDON +1901 + +_Desiderare est Mereri_ + + + + +PREFACE + + +The Works of Jacob Behmen, the "Teutonic Theosopher," translated into +English, were first printed in England in the seventeenth century, +between 1644 and 1662. In the following century a complete edition in +four large volumes was produced by some of the disciples of William Law. +This edition, completed in the year 1781, was compiled in part from the +older English edition, and in part from later fragmentary translations +by Law and others. It is not easily accessible to the general reader, +and, moreover, the greater part of Behmen's Works could not be +recommended save to those who had the time and power to plunge into that +deep sea in search of the many noble pearls which it contains. + +Behmen's language and way of thought are remote and strange, and in +reading his thought one has often to pass it through a process of +intellectual translation. This is chiefly true of his earlier work, the +"Aurora" or "Morning Redness." But among those works which he wrote +during the last five years of his life there are some written in a +thought-language less difficult to be understood, yet containing the +essential teaching of this humble Master of Divine Science. From these I +have selected some which may, in a small volume, be useful. It seemed +that for this purpose it would be best to take the "Dialogues of the +Supersensual Life," including as one of them the beautiful, really +separate, Dialogue, called in the Complete Works, "The way from darkness +to true illumination." In the case of neither of these works is the +translation used that of the seventeenth century. The first three +dialogues are a translation made by William Law, one of the greatest +masters of the English language, and found in MS. after his death. This +translation from the original German is not exactly literal, but rather +a liberal version, or paraphrase, the thought of Behmen being expanded +and elucidated, though in nowise departed from. The dialogue called "The +way from darkness to true illumination" was taken by the eighteenth +century editors from a book containing translations of certain smaller +treatises of Behmen then lately printed at Bristol and made, as they +say, "in a style better adapted to the taste and more accommodated to +the apprehension of modern readers." I do not know who was the +translator, but the work seems to be excellently well done. + +It will be well to say a few words first as to the life, then as to the +leading ideas of Jacob Behmen. This name is more correctly written Jacob +Boehme, but I prefer to retain the more easily pronounced spelling of +Behmen, adopted by the Editors of both the complete English editions. + +Jacob Behmen's outward life was simplicity itself. He was born in the +year 1575 at Alt Seidenberg, a village among pastoral hills, near +Görlitz in Lusatia, a son of poor peasants. As a boy he watched the +herds in the fields, and was then apprenticed to a shoemaker, being not +enough robust for rural work. One day, when the master and his wife were +out, and he was alone in the house, a stranger entered the shop and +asked for a pair of shoes. Jacob had no authority to conclude a bargain +and asked a high price for the shoes in the hope that the stranger would +not buy. But the man paid the price, and when he had gone out into the +street, called out "Jacob, come forth." Jacob obeyed the call, and now +the stranger looked at him with a kindly, earnest, deep, soul-piercing +gaze, and said, "Jacob, thou art as yet but little, but the time will +come when thou shalt be great, and become another man, and the world +shall marvel at thee. Therefore be pious, fear God, and reverence his +Word; especially read diligently the Holy Scriptures, where thou hast +comfort and instruction; for thou must endure much misery and poverty, +and suffer persecution. But be courageous and persevere, for God loves, +and is gracious unto thee." So saying, the stranger clasped his hand, +and disappeared. + +After this Jacob became even more pensive and serious, and would +admonish the other journeymen on the work-bench when they spoke lightly +of sacred things. His master disliked this and dismissed him, saying +that he would have no "house-prophet" to bring trouble into his house. +Thus Jacob was forced to go forth into the world as a travelling +journeyman, and, as he wandered about in that time of fierce religious +discord, the world appeared to him to be a "Babel." He was himself +afflicted by troubles and doubts, but clave to prayer and to Scripture, +and especially to the words in Luke xi.; "How much more shall your +heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." And once, +when he was again engaged for a time by a master, he was lifted into a +state of blessed peace, a Sabbath of the Soul, that lasted for seven +days, during which he was, as it were, inwardly surrounded by a Divine +Light. "The triumph that was then in my soul I can neither tell nor +describe. I can only liken it to a resurrection from the dead." + +Jacob returned in 1594 to Görlitz, became a master shoemaker in 1599, +married a tradesman's daughter, and had four children. In the year 1600 +"sitting one day in his room, his eye fell upon a burnished pewter dish +which reflected the sunshine with such marvellous splendour that he fell +into a deep inward ecstasy and it seemed to him as if he could now look +into the principles and deepest foundations of things. He believed that +it was only a fancy, and in order to banish it from his mind he went out +upon the green. But here he remarked that he gazed into the very heart +of things; the very herbs and grass, and that Nature harmonised with +what he had inwardly seen. He said nothing about this to any one, but +praised and thanked God in silence. He continued in the honest practice +of his craft, was attentive to his domestic affairs, and was on terms of +goodwill with all men."[A] + +At the age of thirty-five, in the year 1610, Jacob Behmen suddenly +perceived that all which he had seen in a fragmentary way was forming +itself into a coherent whole, and felt a "fire-like" impulse, a yearning +to write it down, as a "Memorial," not for publication, but lest he +should forget it himself. He wrote it early in the morning before work, +and late in the evening after work. This was his "Morning Redness" or +"Aurora." + +A nobleman of the country, called Carl von Endern, happened to see the +MS. at the shoemaker's house, was struck by it, and had some copies +made. One of these fell into the hands of the Lutheran Clergyman of +Görlitz, Pastor Primarius Gregorius Richter, who thenceforth became a +bitter opponent of Behmen. He assailed him in sermons, in language of +savage invective, as a heretic of the most dangerous kind, until Jacob +was summoned before the Magistrates, and forbidden to write anything in +future. He was told that as a shoemaker he must confine himself to his +own trade. But the affair, as is usually the case, had an effect the +reverse of that intended by persecutors. It made him known to various +persons more learned than himself who were interested in the subject, +and from his converse with them he learned a better style, and some +Latin technical terms, which he afterwards found useful for expressing +his thoughts. + +Jacob obeyed for some years the magisterial command to write nothing, +but it was very grievous to him, and he often reflected with dismay on +the parable of the talents and how "that one talent which 'tis death to +hide" was lodged with him useless. At length he would keep silence no +more. He says himself: "I had resolved to do nothing in future, but to +be quiet before God in obedience, and to let the devil, with all his +host, sweep over me. But it was with me as when a seed is hidden in the +earth. It grows up in storm and rough weather against all reason. For in +winter time all is dead, and reason says: 'It is all over with it.' But +the precious seed within me sprouted and grew green, oblivious of all +storms, and, amid disgrace and ridicule, it has blossomed forth into a +lily." + +Between the year 1619 and his death in 1624, at the age of forty-nine, +he poured forth his stored up thoughts, writing a number of Works, +including those in the present volume, which were among his very latest. +He had the more time to write because his shoemaking business had fallen +off, by reason, perhaps, of the question as to his orthodoxy, but some +friends supplied him with the necessaries of life. He was now exposed +to fresh attacks from Gregorius Richter and was forced this time to go +into exile. At this period he went to the Electoral Court at Dresden +where the Prince was curious about him, and a conference took place +between him and John Gerhard and other eminent theologians. At the close +of this Dr Gerhard said: "I would not take the whole world and help to +condemn this man." And his colleague Meissner said, "My good brother, +neither would I. Who knows what stands behind this man? How can we judge +what we have not understood? May God convert this man if he is in error. +He is a man of marvellously high mental gifts who at present can neither +be condemned nor approved." + +Soon afterwards, while Jacob was staying at the house of one of his +noble friends in Silesia he fell into a fever. At his own request he was +carried back to Görlitz, and there awaited his end. On Sunday, November +21st 1624, in the early hours he called his son Tobias and asked him if +he did not hear that sweet melodious music. As Tobias heard nothing, +Jacob asked him to set wide the door so that he might the better hear +it; then he asked what was the hour, and when he was told that it had +just struck two he said, "My time is not yet; three hours hence is my +time." After some silence he exclaimed, "Oh thou strong God of Sabaoth, +deliver me according to thy Will," and immediately afterwards "Thou +Crucified Lord Jesus Christ have mercy upon me and take me to thyself +into thy Kingdom." At six in the morning he suddenly bade them farewell +with a smile, and said, "Now I go hence into Paradise," and yielded up +his Spirit. + +Frankenberg writes of him: "His bodily appearance was somewhat mean; he +was small of stature, had a low forehead but prominent temples, a rather +aquiline nose, a scanty beard, grey eyes, sparkling into heavenly blue, +a feeble but genial voice. He was modest in his bearing, unassuming in +conversation, lowly in conduct, patient in suffering, and +gentle-hearted." + +As the shoemaker of Görlitz had in his life-time some disciples among +highly educated men, so has he always had a few since his departure from +this life. Men so diversely situated as the non-juror William Law in +England; St Martin, the "philosophe inconnu" of the French Revolution; +the sincere Catholic, Franz Baader, in Germany; Martensen, the +Protestant Bishop in Denmark, have found in him their Teacher. + +The selections contained in the present book belong rather to the +practical or ethical side of Jacob Behmen's teaching than to his +Cosmogony, or _Vision_, as one may best call it, of the nature of all +things. I think that any old cottager, who had read nothing but his +Bible, but had lived his life, would well understand the general +teaching of most that is contained in these Dialogues, and would find +all Behmen's words most beautiful and comforting. It is not, therefore, +necessary for the present purpose to attempt fully to set forth the +whole Vision of Behmen, nor, in any case would it be within my power to +do so. But it may be of service to those readers who are not acquainted +with the writings of Behmen or of his disciples, if I here say something +as to his general teaching with regard to the nature of the soul of man +and its relation to that which is not itself, but like to itself. + +The Soul, in the doctrine of Behmen, is a Being which has a will or +desire, and is aided by a mirror of understanding or imagination. Will +or Desire is of the very essence of the Soul, inseparable from its +existence. He says: "Where Desire is there is also Essence or Being." +The Soul is subject to the diverse attractions of the Centre of Divine +Life and Light, and of the Spirit of the World. Enlightened by its +understanding it has the free power to turn its will towards, and unite +itself to, this or that. "Choose well, thy choice is brief and yet +endless." + +The Soul is a magic Fire derived out of, or from, God the Father's +Essence, _lumen de lumine_, and imprisoned in darkness. It is an intense +and incessant Desire after the Light; it longs to return to the +Light-centre, whence it originally came, that is, to the "heart of God." +Thus longing, it is a "Fire of Anguish," until it becomes a "Fire of +Love." It is a fire of anguish, so long as it is shut up in its dark +self. It is a fire of love when it pierces through and escapes from its +dark self-prison and burns freely and softly in union with the Divine +Love. God then comes as a Light, a soft purifying Fire into the Soul, +and changes all the wanting, hungering, empty, restless, self-tormenting +properties of the Natural Life into a sweetness of rest and peace. This +is called in Scripture the "new birth." Thus the same thing--the same +Fire,--is a cause of torment or of joy according to the conditions under +which it is. Man, who is a microcosm of the whole Universe, is a +mingling of light and darkness. His anguish comes from his Soul's +imprisonment in darkness (as a mere raging fire) and continues until it +can break forth and unite itself with _that_ whence it came and to which +it belongs. + +Behmen says "The Eternal Darkness of the Soul is Hell, viz.: an aching +source of anguish, which is called the Anger of God, but the Eternal +Light in the Soul is the Kingdom of Heaven, where the fiery anguish of +darkness is turned into joy. For the _same_ nature of anguish, which, in +the Darkness, is a cause of sadness, is, in the Light, a cause of the +outward and stirring joy.... The Fire is painful and consuming, but the +Light is yielding, friendly, powerful and delightful, a sweet and +amiable Joy." + +Pure delight, with no trace of doubt or fear, hope or regret, is the +sign of the presence of Love or Light. So again Behmen says: "The Fire +in the Light is a fire of Love, but the Fire in the Darkness is a fire +of Anguish, and is painful, irksome, and full of contrariety." The end +to which all things tend is the final separation of light from darkness; +the "last day" means this; but the present world is a perpetual mixture +of light and darkness, good and evil, joy and anguish. So, the Cross of +Jesus is at once the highest embodiment of Love and Hate. + +It is remarkable that in this doctrine of light and darkness Behmen was +nearly followed by one who had not, I suppose, ever heard of him, +reading as he did little of anything but the Bible, who worked on the +Scriptures with his own powerful and earnest insight, the Christian +hero, Charles Gordon. In his little book called "Reflections in +Palestine" written in that one year, 1883, of unbroken repose from +action spent in the Holy Land, just before his final service at +Khartoom, Gordon dwells upon the repetition, as he calls it, _both in +the individual soul, and in the world's history_ of four processes +constantly recurring,--a state of darkness, a light breaking forth +through darkness, a division of light from darkness or gathering +together of light, a re-dispersion of light into darkness, and then a +renewal of the four processes, ever upon an ascending level of good, +directed towards the final elimination of all light from the darkness. + +Fire must have fuel, something on which to feed. It must feed or perish. +But the magic Fire-spirit, the Soul, cannot perish because it is an +eternal Essence. Therefore it must either feed; or _hunger_. It desires +spiritual essence or "virtue" to allay its raging hunger. But, during +the space that it is embodied in this nature, it can feed _either_ on +the Divine Spirit, or upon the Spirit of this World. "Hence," says +Behmen, "we may understand the cause of that infinite variety which is +in the Wills and Actions of Men." For of whatsoever the Soul eateth, and +wherewith its Fire-life becometh kindled; "according to that the Soul's +life is led and governed." You become like to that which you eat. If the +Soul breaks forth out of its Nature-self and enters into "God's +Love-fire," it eats of the Divine Essence (the substance or flesh of +Christ) and it is to this that Jesus Christ referred when he spoke of +feeding upon his body, and when he spoke of the true bread from heaven +"which giveth life to the World" (John vi. 33), of which he that eateth +shall "live for ever" (John vi. 58), or the "living water," whereof +whosoever drinketh "shall never thirst," but it shall be to him "a well +of water springing up into everlasting life" (John iv. 13, 14). This +feeding is in no way metaphorical but as real and actual as physical +feeding. + +Behmen says, "The Essence of that Life eateth the Flesh of Christ and +drinketh His Blood.... Now if the Soul eat of this sweet, holy and +heavenly food, then it kindleth itself with the great Love in the name +and power of Jesus, whence its fire of anguish becometh a great triumph +of joy and glory."[B] + +Behmen held that man lives at once in three worlds, firstly in the +outward visible elementary world of space and time (where man "_is_ the +Time and _in_ the Time;") secondly, the "Eternal Dark World, Hell, the +centre of Eternal Nature, whence is _generated_ the Soul-fire, that +source of anguish, and thirdly, in the Eternal Light World, Heaven--the +Divine habitation." The same processes of feeding and life take place in +the three Worlds, so that physical feeding is a kind of outside sheath +of spiritual feeding. + +If the Soul accustoms itself to feed in this life upon the heavenly food +(that _panem de coelo omne delectamentum in se habentem_) it gradually +itself becomes of quite heavenly substance, purged from darkness, and, +when the natural life falls off at death, stands in heaven, where indeed +it already is. But, if the Soul feeds upon the Spirit and Things of this +World, then, when by reason of death, it can no longer feed upon them, +it is left in the condition of mere "aching Desire," or eternal +unsatisfied Hunger, working in a void, in perpetual anguish. Thus Heaven +and Hell are not places, but conditions of the Soul. So Milton, who had +no doubt studied the translation of Behmen made in his own time, +writes: + + "The mind is its own place, and in itself + Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven." + +They are in this life everywhere commingled, but when this life falls +away, the Soul remains in that of the two states into which it has in +this life brought itself. The Soul, after death, remains _either_ as a +satisfied Desire, that is, a Desire no longer but a Joy, _or_ as an +aching Desire. The Persian says:-- + + Heaven is the vision of fulfilled Desire + And Hell the shadow of a Soul on fire. + +Behmen says, Heaven _is_ fulfilled desire; Hell _is_ a Soul on fire, no +mere vision or shadow. + +Heaven and Hell are within us, since our souls are portions of the +universe of things, in every part of which Heaven and Hell are +commingled. The gates of Heaven within us were shut in Adam, but the +Power of God, Christ in Jesus, broke open by his passion "the closed +gates of Paradise," that is, the gates of our "inward heavenly +humanity," and now the wayfarer can, if he will, pass through. We do not +spiritually live by a reasoning process, or acceptance of doctrines by +the understanding, but by the action of the Desire in feeding upon the +Spirit of Love, a process of laying hold, drawing in, and assimilating. +True prayer is like feeding, or still more, perhaps, like the +unconscious drawing in of the air: it should be as constant. By it is +introduced the heavenly life from without to nourish the like heavenly +life contained in the seed within. If a man thus rightly feeds, then, in +him, the hellish life and passions, portions of the powers of darkness, +"our creatures" as Behmen says, will be killed by starvation, wanting +their appropriate food. On the other hand, a man can feed these also +from without with their appropriate food by misdirected desire, thereby +starving the heavenly life in the Soul. + +Thus the essence of Behmen's teaching as to the Soul incarnate in Man +and revealed by his body, is that it is an eternal Being, and that it is +a source of joy or anguish according as it is, or is not, purified or +tranquillised by communion with the Centre of Light, or the Fountain of +Life. He does not contemplate, as some Eastern teachers perhaps do, the +annihilation of the Will of the Soul by a kind of higher spiritual +suicide; its existence is to him the very condition of good no less than +of evil; he contemplates its liberation from the dark, contracted, +self-prison, its purification, and entrance into the full heaven-life. +This magical soul-fire, like visible fire, can rage and destroy, or it +can serve as the means and ground of all good. Here is the foundation +both of good and evil, in man as in all things. + +To understand this better, one must consider the cosmic teaching lying +behind the rich profusion of images, often inconsistent and clashing, in +which Jacob Behmen embodies his Vision. + +Man has fallen into Nature. But Nature itself, apart from and unfilled +by the Divine Light, is a self-torment, a mere Want, a Desire, a Hunger. +The true distinction between God and Nature is that God is an Universal +All, while Nature is an Universal Want, viz: to be filled by God. +Physical attraction is nothing but the outer sheath of this universal +desire. Nature filled by God is Heaven or fulfilled Desire.[C] Without +God it is Hell, mere Desire. Heaven is the Presence of God: Hell his +Absence. It is as true to say that Heaven is in God, as to say that God +is in Heaven. + +Apart from the existence of God there could be neither Presence nor +Absence, neither Heaven nor Hell. If the Soul of Man were wholly divided +and separated from the Divine Life, it would, as a part of Nature, be a +mere hungering, restless, conscious Desire. In so far as it is so +separated it partakes of this pain. For "through all the Universe of +Things nothing is uneasy, unsatisfied, or restless, but because it is +not governed by Love, or because its Nature has not reached or attained +the full birth of the Spirit of Love. For when that is done, every +hunger is satisfied, and all complaining, murmuring, accusing, +resenting, revenging and striving are as totally suppressed and overcome +as coldness, thickness and horror of darkness are suppressed and +overcome by the breaking forth of the light. If you ask why the Spirit +of Love cannot be displeased, cannot be disappointed, cannot complain, +accuse, resent or murmur, it is because the Spirit of Love desires +nothing but itself, it is its own Good, for Love is God, and he that +dwelleth in God dwelleth in Love."[D] + +Behmen's idea of the "fallen Angels" is that they are entirely and +hopelessly divided from the Life of God. They are mere embodied, +hopeless, self-tormenting Desires. They have fallen into the hell within +themselves, they _cannot but_ be hating, bitter, envious, proud, +wrathful, restless; and therefore tormentors of others. They have lost +that which man, however far astray, always possesses, the faculty of +return or regeneration through submission to and union with God. The +spark of the Life and Spirit of God which is in Men is not in the +fallen Angels. Let us hope that Beings so utterly lost do not exist. + +God is outside of Nature and yet in a sense inside also, because there +is a divine life or virtue in Nature which, longing to re-unite itself +with its source, is a cause of anguish while divided, and of joy when +united. So, in the outer world, the seed buried in earth contains a +power kindred to the virtue of the sun. It is this which breaks forth +from the seed, forces itself up through the dark, imprisoning, and yet +nourishing and necessary earth, and at last, if it can win its way +through obstacles, cheerfully expands in the light of the sun and feeds +upon his warmth. That, in man's inner nature, which answers to this +power or life in the seed, is called by Behmen the Life or Spirit of +Jesus Christ. Egoism or _Ihood_, the old contracting, narrowing cell, is +destroyed as this expansive and expanding force grows and breaks forth. +Behmen says: "As the Sun in the visible world ruleth over Evil and Good, +and, with its light and power, and all whatsoever itself is, is present +everywhere, and penetrates into every Being, and wholly giveth itself to +every Being, and yet ever remaineth whole, and nothing of its being +goeth away therewith. Thus also it is to be understood concerning +Christ's person and office which ruleth in the inward spiritual world, +and penetrateth into the faithful man's soul, spirit and heart. As the +Sun worketh through a herb, so that the herb becometh filled with the +virtue of the Sun, and, as it were, so converted by the Sun that it +becometh wholly of the nature of the Sun, so Christ ruleth in the +resigned will or Soul and Body, over all evil inclinations and +generateth the man to be a new heavenly creature." The same teaching is +finely set forth in a passage of William Law.[E] He says: + +"Man has a spark of the Light and Spirit of God, as a supernatural gift +of God given into the birth of his Soul to bring forth by degrees a new +birth of that life which was lost in Paradise. This holy spark of the +Divine Nature within him has a natural, strong, and almost infinite +tendency or reaching after that eternal Light and Spirit of God, from +whence it came forth. It came forth from God, it came _out_ of God, it +partaketh of the Divine Nature, and therefore it is always in a state of +tendency and return to God. All this is called the breathing, the +moving, the quickening of the Holy Spirit within us, which are so many +operations of this spark of life tending towards God. On the other hand +the Deity as considered in itself, and without the Soul of man, has an +infinite unchangeable tendency of love and desire towards the Soul of +man, to unite and communicate its own riches and glories to it, just as +the Spirit of the air _without_ Man unites and communicates its riches +and virtues to the Spirit of the air that is _within_ Man. This love or +desire of God toward the soul of Man is so great that he gave his +only-begotten Son, the brightness of his glory, to take the human nature +upon him, in its fallen state, that by this mysterious union of God and +Man, all the enemies of the Soul of Man might be overcome, and every +human creature might have a power of being born again according to that +Image of God in which he was first created. The gospel is the history of +this Love of God to Man. _Inwardly_ he has a seed of the Divine Life +given into the birth of his Soul, a seed that has all the riches of +eternity in it, and is always wanting to come to the birth in him, and +be alive in God. _Outwardly_ he has Jesus Christ, who as a Sun of +Righteousness, is always casting forth his enlivening beams on this +inward seed, to kindle and call it forth to the birth, doing that to +this Seed of Heaven in Man, which the sun in the firmament is always +doing to the vegetable seeds in the earth. + +"Consider this matter in the following similitude. A grain of wheat has +the air and light of this world enclosed or incorporated in it. This is +the mystery of its life, this is its power of growing, by this it has a +strong continual tendency of uniting again with that ocean of light and +air from whence it came forth. On the other hand that great ocean of +light and air, having its own offspring hidden in the heart of the grain +has a perpetual strong tendency to unite and communicate with it again. +From this _desire of union on both sides_, the vegetable life arises and +all the virtues and powers contained in it. But let it be well observed +that this desire on both sides cannot have its effect till the husk and +gross part of the grain falls into a state of corruption and death; till +this begins, the mystery of life hidden in it cannot come forth." + +The sun only acts by stirring up in each thing, and calling into +activity, its own imprisoned, dormant, heat or life. Save by the same +nature-process, working in an inner sphere, there cannot come to pass +the flower and fruit of the Soul. The Sun, true emblem of the Redeeming +Spirit, helps each vital force to break forth from its state of +death--even though, like the grains of wheat found in Egyptian graves +and then new-planted, it has been immured there thousands of years--and +to enter into its highest possible state of life. Indeed, in this school +of wisdom, the natural visible light, of which the Sun is the dispensing +medium to our solar system, and other suns to other circles of planets, +is actually an outer manifestation of the inner supernatural light, and +warmth, not a mere emblem at all. We speak more truly than we know, when +we speak of a "heavenly day." All Nature is a series of "out-births" of +the Deity. "The outward world," says Behmen, "is sprung out of the +inward spiritual world, viz., out of Light and Darkness." And his +English interpreter says: "Whatever is delightful and ravishing, sublime +and glorious in spirits, minds, or bodies, either in heaven, or on +earth, is from the power of the Supernatural Light opening its endless +wonders in them. Hell has no misery, horror or distraction, but because +it has no communication with the supernatural Light. And did not the +supernatural Light stream forth its blessings into this world, through +the materiality of the Sun, all outward Nature would be full of the +horror of Hell." And elsewhere, "There is no meekness, benevolence or +goodness in Angel, Man, _or any other Creature_, but where Light is the +Lord of its life. Life itself begins no sooner, rises no higher, has no +other glory, than as the Light begins it, and leads it on. Sounds have +no softness, flowers and germs no sweetness, plants and fruits have no +growth, but as the Mystery of Light opens itself in them."[F] And so +Behmen himself says: "There is nothing that is created or born in Nature +but it also manifests its internal form externally; for the internal +continually labours or works itself forth to manifestation. We know in +the power and form of this World, how the only Essence has manifested +itself with the external birth in the desire of the similitude; how it +has manifested itself in so many forms and shapes, which we see and know +in the stars and elements, likewise in the living creatures, and also in +the trees and herbs." Thus there is a real communion between all beauty, +sweetness, and glory, within and without the Soul of man. + +It is this truth, not of the analogy between the essential life of Man +and Nature, but of the unity in all things, that is now opening itself +out in many ways. Wordsworth, a true seer, has given to it its highest +expression in English Poetry. Modern science all tends to confirmation +of this unity. + +God, then, must become Man, there must be a birth of the Life of God in +the Soul, in order that the Soul may live its highest life. Only in +this way can the wild properties of Nature be subordinated and turned to +their proper use, their restless hunger pacified. Goodness and happiness +can be expected from nothing else but from the Divine Life united to and +dwelling in the Nature Life. It is the "ingrafted Word" of St James' +Epistle. + +The plant cannot but grow towards the sun. If it is too deep in earth, +or prevented by a strong soil, or withered by dryness, so that it cannot +attain to its end, the fault is not with it. But, in the spiritual inner +world (in which the plant dwells not) the Soul of man has this +freedom--that it can consciously turn towards God, whose Spirit and Life +will then come forth to meet it, or can turn towards the Things of this +World. Upon this freedom of choice is founded Behmen's moral teaching. +The Soul is like a woman (and all nations have testified in their +languages and parables to their sense of this) who can freely choose to +submit and surrender her body to this Lover, or to that. When she has +chosen her free power ends. As she has chosen, so her life-faculty will +be fertilised by good or evil; so will be the new life that arises +within her, and so will be her future joy or sorrow. + +In a deep sense, the desire of the spark of Life in the Soul to return +to its Original Source is part of the longing desire of the universal +Life for its own heart or centre. Of this longing the universal +attraction, striving against resistance, towards an universal centre, +proved to govern the phenomenal or physical world, is but the outer +sheath and visible working. It has been said that Sir Isaac Newton (who +was a diligent reader of Behmen's Works) "ploughed with Jacob Behmen's +heifer." There is in truth but one Religion, that founded upon the +eternal, immutable, universal processes of the actual Nature of things, +and of this Christianity, rightly apprehended, is the supreme +Revelation. This will be seen better by all as the Religion unfolds +itself. Rightly speaking there is no such thing as _supernatural_ +religion; there is but one Religion, that of Nature. It is the work of +visible religion to teach by signs and parables, embodying the mystery +in symbols, and clothing it with adoration. + +Jacob Behmen's mode of expression is all his own, and there is much in +the fabric of his thought which men of our time, if they take a +superficial view, would not find it easy to accept. The doctrine of +Evolution now profoundly influences every corner of the field of +thought. We now incline to think rather of the rise of Man out of Nature +than of his fall into it, though, perhaps, there can no more be a rise +without a precedent fall, than there can be a return without a precedent +out-going. Evolution may be the time-form of Attraction. But all this +affects the outside form, not the essence of the doctrine. Behmen is +concerned with the real nature of things, apart from time and space, +with their apparent, but so misleading, facts. He appeals to each Soul's +knowledge of itself, and, on the principle that _all is in everything_, +draws from the nature of Man, that little Universe (and we can no +otherwise learn things as they are in themselves), his teaching as to +Universal Nature. "In Man (he says) lies all whatsoever the Sun shines +upon, or Heaven contains, as also Hell and all the Deeps." His Iliad is +the struggle between light and darkness, life and death, expansion and +contraction, the centripetal and centrifugal force, heat and cold, love +and hatred, peace and wrath, humility and pride, self-sacrifice and +self-seeking, joy and anguish, repose and restlessness, in the whole of +Nature and in the Soul of Man. Does not every man, who has lived his +full life, know the truth and reality of all this? It is known more +especially and actually by those ardent and adventurous spirits who have +sailed in far seas of thought or action, not merely coasting along the +shores of tradition, authority and established rule. Sinners know some +things more vividly than those who ever and easily have been good. Only +the man who has been sick knows the difference between sickness and +health. The prodigal who had wandered in a far country and had lived as +he would, understood the meaning of peace and love better than the +brother who had always stayed at home. + +These wanderers, if they return in time, know best, taught by the +heart-rending lessons of experience, the difference between the Heaven +and Hell within them; the Hell of wrath, self-torment, fear, anxiety, +envy, malice, evil-will, pride, cruelty, sensual passion, longing to +domineer, and the Heaven of love, benevolence, meekness, humility, +compassion, peace, joy, long-suffering. + +They know that Heaven and Hell can alike be revealed in the Soul. From +youth they have felt something in them striving, often feebly enough, +against passionate desires for wealth, honour, success, and for mastery +over the minds, affections, and bodies of others. Behind all this +turmoil and ever unsatisfied anguish of seeking that which satisfies +not, they have been aware of a diviner life slowly growing towards +heaven, ever and again thwarted and driven back by the renewed assaults +of the Spirit of the World, yet never quite destroyed. At the moments of +fiercest fight against rebel passions they have felt the divine +assisting strength flow into them, if only they powerfully invoked it, +turning towards its source as a babe towards its mother's breast. They +have heard the "Peace be still" amid the wildest spiritual storms. They +know that if they have been saved, it is not by their own strength nor +by reasoning, but by this power from without. + +They know the impotence, in action, of the merely reflective or +spectator faculty. In this sense of the word "reason," they would agree +with him who wrote "Your Heart is the best and greatest gift of God to +you; it is the highest, greatest, strongest, and noblest Power of your +Nature; it forms your whole Life, be it what it will; all Evil and all +Good comes from it; your Heart alone has the key of Life and Death; it +does all that it will; Reason is but its plaything; and whether in Time +or Eternity, can only be a mere Beholder of the wonders of happiness, or +forms of misery, which the right or wrong working of the Heart is +entered into."[G] + +William Law remarks that Jesus Christ, though he had all wisdom, yet +gives but a small number of doctrines to mankind "whilst every moral +teacher writes volumes upon every single virtue." It is, he adds, +because our Lord "knew what they know not, that our whole malady lies +in this, that the Will of our Mind is turned into this World, and that +nothing can relieve us, or set us right, but the _turning_ of the Will +of our Mind and the Desire of our Hearts to God. And hence it is that he +calls us to nothing but a total denial of ourselves and the Life of this +World and to faith in him as the Worker of a new birth and life in us." +On this one root of the whole matter Jacob Behmen insisted, expressing +one truth in a thousand ways and through images, which to him are not +images but the same process working in other spheres. His whole +practical, moral teaching enforces the right direction of Desire. _Mali +mores sunt mali amores_, said one who also truly _saw_; the profound +Augustine. The hunger of the Soul must be turned to the source of +eternal joy. All that is good and beautiful in nature or in the heart of +man flows from that fountain. Desire _is_ everything in Nature; _does_ +everything. Heaven is Nature filled with divine Life attracted by +Desire. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[A] From the Danish Bishop Martensen's book "Jacob Boehme"; an excellent +study well translated from Danish into English by Mr T. Rhys Evans, +(Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1885). An account of Behmen's life is +given in the preface to the first volume of the last century English +edition of the Works. + +[B] It should be noted that Jacob Behmen held strongly to the Sacrament +of the Lord's Supper, the actual bread and wine as a "permissive medium" +of the real feeding, in order that there may be "a visible sign of what +is done in the inward ground." But he says "We should not _depend_ on +this means or medium _alone_, and think that Christ's Flesh and Blood is +_only_ and alone participated in this use of bread and wine, as Reason +in this present time miserably erreth therein. No, that is not so. +Faith, when it hungereth after God's love and grace, always eateth and +drinketh of Christ's Flesh and Blood. Christ hath not bound himself to +bread and wine _alone_, but hath bound himself to the _faith_, that he +will be in men." Works, vol. iv. p. 208. Charles Gordon took the same +view of the visible "eating," as being a great assistance to the +spiritual feeding, but not indispensable to it. (Gordon's "Letters to +his Sister.") + +[C] Dante's "ricchezza senza brama." + +[D] Law's Works, vol. viii., p. 177. + +[E] Works, vol. vii., p. 65, ed. 1765. + +[F] Law's Works, vol. viii., p. 189. + +[G] Law's Works, vol. vii., p. 162. + + + + +PRELIMINARY NOTE + + +Before entering upon the Dialogues I have thought it well to insert some +sentences taken from a treatise of Behmen's called "Regeneration," +together with some taken from another treatise of his on "Christ's +Testament" because they show well the spirit in which he thought and +wrote. The freedom of thought and expression which he claims is, +happily, far more readily accorded now than it was in his own day. + +I have only one thing to add. In the eighteenth century English +translation of Behmen's Works, all the substantives, as was then the +frequent custom, are printed with capital letters. There is a +philosophic basis for this practice, because a substantive is an attempt +to denote a "thing in itself" and is therefore of greater weight than an +adjective, which only expresses qualities which we attribute to it. To +Behmen's Works this mode of printing seems especially appropriate. In +our now too literary language, many words have become so trite and +carelessly used that they have almost ceased to have reference to real +existing things. But Behmen never uses words in this merely literary +way, being indeed in nowise a man of letters. It might have been said of +him, as indeed his enemies did at the time say, that which was said by +the Jews of our Lord, "How knoweth this man letters having never +learned?" When he speaks of the "_glory_" of God, he means something as +real as if he spoke of the "_leaves_ on that tree," and so with all his +words. I was therefore somewhat inclined, in order to mark this, to +adhere altogether to the old custom in this case, and though I have not +done so, fearing it might annoy the eye of the unaccustomed reader, I +have preserved the capital letters in many cases, where it is especially +desirable to dwell on the expression of real existences by the words. It +is of course an illogical compromise between two customs. + +The title "Supersensual Life" is not altogether a good one, but it is +that which is used in former editions of Behmen. The idea is rather of +Life behind, than above, the life of sense. + + + + +_Sentences Selected from Jacob Behmen's Treatises "Regeneration" and +"Christ's Testaments"_ + + +1 + +A true Christian, who is born anew of the Spirit of Christ, is in the +simplicity of Christ, and hath no strife or contention with any man +about religion. + + +2 + +The Christendom that is in Babel striveth about the manner how men ought +to serve God and glorify him; also, how they are to know him, and what +he is in his Essence and Will. And they preach positively that whosoever +is not one and the same with them in every particular of knowledge and +opinion, is no Christian, but a heretic. + + +3 + +But a Christian is of no sect. He can dwell in the midst of sects, and +appear in their services, without being attached or bound to any. He +hath but one knowledge, and that is, Christ in him. He seeketh but one +way, which is the desire always to do and teach that which is right; +and he putteth all his knowing and willing into the Life of Christ. He +sigheth and wisheth continually that the Will of God might be done in +him, and that his Kingdom might be manifested in him. His faith is a +desire after God and Goodness, which he wrappeth up in a sure hope, +trusting to the words of the promise, and liveth and dieth therein; +though as to the _true man_, he never dieth. + + +4 + +For Christ saith: _Whosoever believeth in me shall never die, but hath +pierced through from death to life_; and, _Rivers of living water shall +flow from him_, viz. good doctrine and works. + + +5 + +Therefore I say that whosoever fighteth and contendeth about the Letter, +is all Babel. The Letters of the Word proceed from, and stand all in, +one Root, which is the Spirit of God; as the various flowers stand all +in the earth, and grow about one another. They fight not with each other +about their difference of colour, smell, and taste, but suffer the +earth, the sun, the rain, the wind, the heat, and cold, to do with them +as they please; and yet every one of them groweth in its own peculiar +essence and property. + + +6 + +Even so it is with the Children of God; they have various gifts and +degrees of knowledge, yet all form one Spirit. They all rejoice at the +great Wonders of God, and give thanks to the Most High in his Wisdom. +Why then should they contend about him in _Whom they live and have their +being_, and of whose substance they themselves are? + + +7 + +It is the greatest folly that is in Babel for people to strive about +religion, so that they contend vehemently about opinions of their own +forging, viz. about the Letter. When the Kingdom of God consisteth of no +Opinion, but in Power and Love. + + +8 + +As Christ said to his disciples, and left it with them at the last, +saying: _Love one another as I have loved you: for thereby men shall +know that ye are My disciples_. If men would as fervently seek after +love and righteousness as they do after opinions, there would be no +strife on earth, and we should be as children of one father, and should +need no law or ordinance. For God is not served by any law, but only by +obedience. Laws are for the wicked, who will not enhance love and +righteousness; they are, and must be, compelled by laws. + + +9 + +We all have but one Order, Law, or Ordinance, which is to stand still to +the Lord of all Beings, and resign our wills up to him, and suffer his +Spirit to play what music he will. And thus we give to him again as his +own fruits that which he worketh and manifesteth in us. + + +10 + +Now if we did not contend about our different fruits, gifts, kinds, and +degrees of knowledge, but did acknowledge them in one another, like +Children of the Spirit of God, what could condemn us? For the Kingdom of +God consisteth not in our knowing and supposing, but in Power. + + +11 + +If we did not know half so much, and were more like children, and had +but a brotherly mind and goodwill towards one another, and lived like +children of one mother, and as branches of one tree, taking our Sap all +from one Root, we should be far more holy than we are. + + +12 + +Knowledge serves only to this end, viz., to know that we have lost the +Divine Power in Adam, and are now become inclined to sin; that we have +evil properties in us, and that doing evil pleaseth not God; so that +with our knowledge we learn to do right. Now if we have the Power of God +in us, and desire with all our hearts to act and to live aright, then +our knowledge is but our sport, or matter of pleasure, wherein we +rejoice. + + +13 + +For true knowledge is the manifestation of the Spirit of God through the +Eternal Wisdom. He knoweth what he will in his children; he sheweth his +wisdom and wonders by his children, as the earth putteth forth her +various flowers. + + +14 + +Now if we dwell with one another, like humble children, in the Spirit of +Christ, are rejoicing at the gift or knowledge of another, who would +judge or condemn us? Who judgeth or condemneth the birds in the woods +that praise the Lord of all Beings with various voices, every one in +its own essence? Doth the Spirit of God reprove them for not bringing +their voices into one harmony? Doth not the melody of them all proceed +from his Power, and do they not sport before him? + + +15 + +Those men therefore that strive and wrangle about the knowledge and will +of God, and despise one another on that account, are more foolish than +the birds in the woods, and the wild beasts that have no true +understanding. They are more unprofitable in the sight of the holy God +than the flowers of the field, which stand still in quiet submission to +the Spirit of God, and suffer him to manifest the Divine Wisdom and +Power through them. + + +16 + +All Christian Religion consisteth wholly on this, to learn _to know +ourselves_; whence we came, and what we are; how we are gone forth from +the Unity into dissension, wickedness, and unrighteousness; how we have +awakened and stirred up these evils in us; and how we may be delivered +from them again, and recover our original blessedness. + + +17 + +_First_; How we were in the Unity, when we were the Children of God in +Adam before he fell. _Secondly_; How we are now in dissension and +disunion, in strife and contrariety. _Thirdly_; Whither we go when we +pass out of this corruptible condition; whither with the unnatural, and +whither with the natural part. And _lastly_; How we came forth from +disunion and vanity, and enter into that one Tree, Christ in us, out of +which we all sprung in Adam. In these four points all the necessary +knowledge of a Christian consisteth. + + +18 + +So that we need not strive about any thing; we have no cause of +contention with each other. Let every one only exercise himself in +learning how he may enter again into the Love of God and his Brother. + + +19 + +The written Word is but an instrument whereby the Spirit leadeth us to +itself within us. That Word which will teach must be living in the +literal Word. The Spirit of God must be in the literal sound, or else +none is a Teacher of God, but a mere Teacher of the Letter, a knower of +the history, and not of the Spirit of God in Christ. + + +20 + +All that men will serve God with must be done in Faith, viz. in the +Spirit. It is the Spirit that maketh the work perfect, and acceptable in +the sight of God. All that a man undertaketh and doeth in Faith, he doth +in the Spirit of God, which Spirit of God doth co-operate in the work, +and then it is acceptable to God. For he hath done it himself, and his +Power and Virtue is in it. It is holy. + + +21 + +Strife and misunderstanding concerning Christ's Person, Office, and +Being, or Substance, as also concerning his Testaments which he left +behind him, wherein he worketh at present, ariseth from the deflected +creaturely Reason, which runneth on only in an Image-like opinion, and +reacheth not the ground of this mystery, and yet will be a mistress of +all things or beings, and will judge all things. It doth but lose itself +in such Image-likeness, and breaketh itself off from its Centre, and +disperseth the thoughts, and runneth on in the multiplicity, whereby its +ground is confused and the mind is disquieted, and knoweth not itself. + + +22 + +No Life can stand in certainty, except it continue in its Centre, out of +which it is sprung. + + +23 + +When the Soul that is sprung from God's Word and Will is entered into +its own desire to will of itself, it will run in mere uncertainty till +it return to its Original again. + + +24 + +Seeing that human life is an outflowing of the Divine Power, +Understanding and Skill, the same ought to continue in its Original, or +else it loseth the Divine Knowledge, Power and Skill, and with +self-speculation bringeth itself into centres of its own, and strange +imaging, wherewith its Original becometh darkened and strange. + +Therefore say I, that this is the only cause that men dispute about God, +his Word, Essence or Being, and Will, that the understanding of man hath +broken itself off from its Original, and now runneth on in mere +self-will, thoughts and images in its own lust to selfishness, wherein +there is no true knowledge, nor can be, till the Life returneth to its +Original, viz. into the Divine Outflowing and Will. + + +25 + +If this be done, then God's Will speaketh forth the Divine Power and +Wonders again through the human willing. In which Divine Speaking, the +Life may know and comprehend God's Will, and frame itself therein. Then +there is true Divine Knowledge and Understanding in man's skill, when +his skill is continually renewed with Divine Power. + + +26 + +As Christ hath taught us when he said, _Unless ye be converted and +become as a Child, ye shall not come into the Kingdom of God_. That is, +that the Life turn itself again unto God out of whom it is proceeded, +and forsake all its own imaging and lust, and so come to the Divine +Vision again. + + +27 + +All disputation concerning God's Being or Essence or Will is performed +in the images of the senses or thoughts without God. For if any liveth +in God, and willeth with God, what needeth he dispute about God, who, or +what God is? That he disputeth about it is a sign that he hath never +felt it at all in his mind or senses, and it is not given to him that +God is in him, and willeth in him what he will. It is a certain sign +that he exalts his own meaning and image above others, and desireth +dominion. + + +28 + +Men should friendly confer together, and offer one another their gifts +and knowledge in love, and try things one with another, and hold that +which is best, and not so stand in their own opinion as if they could +not err. It lyeth in no man's person that men should suppose that the +Divine Understanding must come only from such and such. For the +Scripture says, _Try all things and hold that which is good_, 1 Thess. +v. 21. + + +29 + +The touchstone to true knowledge is first, the Corner-stone, Christ; +that men should see whether a thing enter out of love into love, or +whether alone purely the love of God be sought and desired; whether it +be done out of humility or pride; Secondly, whether it be according to +the Holy Scripture; Thirdly, is it according to the human heart and +soul, wherein the Book of the Life of God is incorporated, and may very +well be read by the Children of God? Here the true mind hath its +touchstone in itself, and can distinguish all things. If it be so that +the Holy Ghost dwell in the ground of the mind, that man hath touchstone +enough; that will lead him into all truth. + + +30 + +All strife concerning Christ's testaments cometh hence that men do not +understand that Heaven wherein Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. +They understand not that he is in this World, and that the World +standeth in Heaven, and Heaven in the World, and are in one another, as +Day and Night. + + 1 COR. ii. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. + + _We speak the hidden mystical wisdom of God; which God + ordained before the world into our glory; which none of the + Princes of this World knew. For had they known it, they + would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. But, as it is + written, Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither hath it + entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which + God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath + revealed them unto us by his Spirit. For the Spirit + searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. Now we + have received, not the Spirit of the World, but the Spirit + which is of God; that we might know the things that are + freely given us of God. Which things also we speak, not in + the words which men's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy + Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. + But the Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit + of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he + know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he + that is spiritual judgeth, or discerneth all things._ + + + + +OF THE SUPERSENSUAL LIFE + +IN DIALOGUES + +BETWEEN A SCHOLAR OR DISCIPLE AND HIS MASTER + + + + +DIALOGUE I + + +The Disciple said to his Master: Sir, how may I come to the Supersensual +Life, so that I may see God, and may hear God speak? + +The Master answered and said: Son, when thou canst throw thyself into +THAT, where no Creature dwelleth, though it be but for a moment, then +thou hearest what God speaketh? + +DISCIPLE + +Is that where no Creature dwelleth near at hand, or is it afar off? + +MASTER + +It is _in thee_. And if thou canst, my Son, for a while but cease from +all thy thinking and willing, then thou shalt hear the unspeakable words +of God. + +DISCIPLE + +How can I hear him speak, when I stand still from thinking and willing? + +MASTER + +When thou standest still from the thinking of Self, and the willing of +Self. When both thy intellect and will are quiet, and passive to the +expressions of the Eternal Word and Spirit; and when thy soul is winged +up and above that which is temporal, the outward senses and the +imagination being locked up by holy abstraction, then the Eternal +Hearing, Seeing and Speaking will be revealed in thee, and so God +heareth and seeth through thee, being now the organ of _his_ Spirit, and +so God speaketh in _thee_, and whispereth to thy Spirit, and thy Spirit +heareth his voice. Blessed art thou therefore if thou canst stand still +from self-thinking and self-willing, and canst stop the wheel of thy +imagination and senses; forasmuch as hereby thou mayest arrive at length +to see the great Salvation of God, being made capable of all manner of +divine sensations and heavenly communications. Since it is nought indeed +but thine own hearing and willing that do hinder thee, so that thou dost +not see and hear God. + +DISCIPLE + +But wherewith shall I hear and see God, forasmuch as he is above Nature +and Creature? + +MASTER + +Son, when thou art quiet and silent, then art thou as God was before +Nature and Creature; thou art that which God then was; thou art that +whereof he made thy nature and creature. Then thou hearest and seest +even that wherewith God himself saw and heard in thee, before ever thine +own willing or thine own seeing began. + +DISCIPLE + +What now hinders or keeps me back, so that I cannot come to _that_, +wherewith God is to be seen and heard? + +MASTER + +Nothing truly but thine own willing, hearing, and seeing do keep thee +back from it, and do hinder thee from coming to this supersensual state. +And it is because thou strivest so against that, out of which thou +thyself art descended and derived, that thou thus breakest thyself off, +with thine own willing, from God's willing, and with thine own seeing +from God's seeing. In as much as in thine own seeing thou dost see in +thine own willing only, and with thine own understanding thou dost +understand but in and according to thine own willing, as the same +stands divided from the Divine Will. This thy willing, moreover, stops +thy hearing, and maketh thee deaf towards God, through thy own thinking +upon terrestrial things, and thy attending to that which is without +thee, and so it brings thee to a ground where thou art laid hold on and +captivated in Nature. And having brought thee hither, it overshadows +thee with that which thou willest, it binds thee with thine own chains, +and it keeps thee in thine own dark prison which thou makest for +thyself, so that thou canst not go out thence, or come to that state +which is Supernatural and Supersensual. + +DISCIPLE + +But being I am in Nature, and thus bound as with my own chains, and by +my own natural will, pray be so kind, Sir, as to tell me, how I may come +_through_ Nature into the Supersensual and Supernatural Ground, without +the destroying of Nature? + +MASTER + +Three things are requisite in order to this. The first is, Thou must +resign up thy Will to God, and must sink thyself down to the dust in his +mercy. The second is, Thou must hate thy own Will, and forbear from +doing that to which thy own Will doth drive thee. The third is, Thou +must bow thy soul under the Cross, heartily submitting thyself to it, +that thou mayst be able to bear the temptations of Nature and Creature. +And if thou dost this, know that God will speak unto thee, and will +bring thy resigned Will into Himself, in the supernatural ground, and +then thou shalt hear, my son, what the Lord speaketh in thee. + +DISCIPLE + +This is a hard saying, Master, for I must forsake the World and my life +too, if I should do thus. + +MASTER + +Be not discouraged hereat. If thou forsakest the World, then thou comest +unto that out of which the World is made, and if thou losest thy life, +then thy life is in that for whose sake thou forsakest it. Thy life is +in God, from whence it came into the body, and as thou comest to have +thine own power faint and weak and dying, the power of God will then +work in thee and through thee. + +DISCIPLE + +Nevertheless, as God hath created man in and for the natural life, to +rule over all creatures on earth, and to be a lord over all things in +this world, it seems not to be at all unreasonable that God should +therefore possess this world and the things therein for his own. + +MASTER + +If thou rulest over all creatures but outwardly there cannot be much in +that. But if thou hast a mind to possess all things, and to be a lord +indeed over all things in this world, there is quite another method to +be taken by thee. + +DISCIPLE + +Pray, how is that? And what method must I take, whereby to arrive at +this sovereignty? + +MASTER + +Thou must learn to distinguish between the Thing, and that which is only +an image thereof; between that sovereignty which is substantial and in +the inward ground of Nature, and that which is imaginary and in outward +form of semblance; between that which is properly angelical and that +which is no more than bestial. If thou rulest over the creatures +externally only and not from the right internal ground of thy inward +nature, then thy will and ruling is in a bestial kind or matter, and +thine at best is but a sort of imaginary and transitory government, +being void of that which is substantial and permanent, that which only +thou art to desire and press after. Thus by thy outward lording it over +the creatures it is most easy for thee to lose the substance and the +reality, whilst thou hast naught remaining but the image and shadow only +of thy first and original lordship wherein thou art made capable to be +again invested, if thou art but wise, and takest thy investiture from +the Supreme Lord in the right course and matter. Whereas by thy willing +and ruling them in a bestial manner, thou bringest also thy desire into +a bestial essence, by which means thou becomest infected and captivated +therein, and gettest therewith a bestial nature and condition of life. +But if thou shalt have put off the bestial nature, and left the +imaginary life, and quitted the low-imaged condition of it, then art +thou come into the super-imaginariness and into the intellectual life, +which is a state of living above images, figures and shadows. And so +thou rulest over all creatures, being re-united with thy Original, in +that very ground or source, out of which they were and are created, and +thenceforth nothing on earth can hurt thee. For thou art like All +Things, and nothing is unlike thee. + +DISCIPLE + +O loving Master, pray teach me how I may come the shortest way to be +like unto _All Things_. + +MASTER + +With all my heart. Do but think on the words of our Lord Jesus Christ +when he said: "Except ye be converted and become as little children ye +shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." There is no shorter way +than this, nor can a better way be found. Verily, Jesus saith unto thee, +Unless thou turn and become as a child, hanging upon him for all things, +thou shalt not see the Kingdom of God. This do and nothing shall hurt +thee; for thou shalt be at friendship with all the things that are, as +thou dependest upon the author and fountain of them, and becomest like +him, by such dependence, and by the Union of thy Will with his Will. But +mark what I have further to say, and be not thou startled at it, though +it may seem hard for thee at first to conceive. If thou wilt be like All +Things thou must forsake all things; thou must not extend thy will to +possess that for thine own, or as thine own, which is _Something_, +whatever that Something be. For as soon as ever thou takest _Something_ +into thy desire, and receivest it into thee for thine own, or in +propriety, then this very Something (of what nature soever it is) is +the _same_ with thyself; and this worketh with thee in thy will, and +thou art thence bound to protect it, and take care of it, even as of thy +own being. But if thou dost receive _no thing_ into thy desire then thou +art free from all things, and rulest over all things at once, as a +Prince of God. For thou hast received nothing for thine own, and art +nothing to all things, and all things are as nothing unto thee. Thou art +as a child, which understands not what a thing is; and though thou dost +perhaps understand it, yet thou understandest it without mixing with it, +and without it sensibly affecting or touching thy perception, even in +that matter wherein God doth rule and see all things, he comprehending +All, and yet nothing comprehending him. + +DISCIPLE + +Ah! how shall I arrive at this heavenly understanding, at this pure and +naked knowledge, which is abstracted from the senses, at this light +above Nature and Creature, and at this participation of the Divine +Wisdom which oversees all things, and governs through all intellectual +beings? For, alas, I am touched every moment by the things which are +about me, and overshadowed by the clouds and perfumes which rise up out +of the earth. I desire, therefore, to be taught, if possible, how I may +attain such a state and condition as that no creature may be able to +touch me to hurt me; and how my mind, being purged from sensible objects +and things, may be prepared for the entrance and habitation of the +Divine Wisdom in me. + +MASTER + +Thou desirest that I would teach thee how thou art to attain it; and I +will direct thee to our Master, from whom I have been taught it, that +thou mayest learn it thyself from him, who alone teacheth the heart. +Hear thou him. Wouldst thou arrive at this; wouldst thou remain +untouched by sensibles; wouldst thou behold light in the very Light of +God, and see all things thereby; then consider the words of Christ, who +is the Light and who is the Truth. O consider now his words, who said, +_Without me ye can do nothing_ (John xix. 5) and defer not to apply +thyself unto him, who is the strength of thy salvation, and the _power_ +of thy life; and _with whom thou canst do all things_, by the faith +which he waketh in thee. But unless thou wholly givest thyself up to the +life of our Lord Jesus Christ, and resignest thy Will wholly to him, and +desirest nothing and willest nothing without him, thou shalt never come +to such a rest as no creature can disturb. Think what thou pleasest, +and be never so much delighted in the activity of thine own reason, thou +shalt find that, in thine own power and without such a total surrender +to God and to the life of God, thou canst never arrive at such a rest as +this, or the true Quiet of the Soul, wherein no creature can molest +thee, or even so much as touch thee. Which when thou shalt, with Grace, +have attained to, then with thy Body thou art in the World, as in the +properties of outward Nature; and, with thy Reason, under the Cross of +our Lord Jesus Christ; but with thy _Will_ thou walkest in heaven, and +art at the end from whence all creatures are proceeded forth, and _to_ +which they return again. And then thou canst in this End, which is the +same with the _Beginning_, behold all things outwardly with _reason_ and +liberally with the _mind_; and so mayest thou rule in all things and +over all things, with Christ; unto whom all power is given both in +heaven and on earth. + +DISCIPLE + +O, Master, the creatures which live in me do withhold me, so that I +cannot so wholly yield and give up myself as I willingly would. What am +I to do in this case? + +MASTER + +Let not this trouble thee. Doth thy Will go forth from the creatures? +Then the creatures are forsaken in thee. They are in the world, and thy +body, which is in the world, is with the creatures. But spiritually thou +walkest with God, and conversest in heaven; being in thy mind redeemed +from earth, and separated from creatures, to live the life of God. And +if thy Will thus leaveth the creatures, and goeth forth from them, even +as the spirit goeth forth from the body at death; then are the creatures +dead in it, and do live only in the body in the world. Since if thy Will +do not bring itself into them, they cannot bring themselves into it, +neither can they by any means touch the soul. And hence St Paul saith, +_Our conversation is in heaven; and also, Ye are the temple of God, and +the Spirit of God dwelleth in you_. So, then, true Christians are the +very temples of the Holy Ghost, who dwelleth in them; that is, the Holy +Ghost dwelleth in the Will, and the Creature dwelleth in the Body. + +DISCIPLE + +If now the Holy Spirit doth dwell in the Will of the Mind, how ought I +to keep myself so that he depart not from me again. + +MASTER + +Mark, my son, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: _If ye abide in my +words_, then my words abide in you. If thou abidest with thy Will in the +Words of Christ; then his Word and Spirit abideth in thee, and all shall +be done for thee that thou canst ask of him. But if thy Will goeth into +the creature, then thou hast broken off thyself thereby from him. And +then thou canst not any otherwise keep thyself but by abiding +continually with that resigned humility, and by entering into a constant +course of penitence, wherein thou wilt always be grieved at thine own +creaturely Will, and that creatures do still live in thee, that is, in +thy bodily appetite. If thou dost thus, thou standest in a daily dying +from the creatures, and in a daily ascending into heaven in thy will, +which will is also the Will of thy Heavenly Father. + +DISCIPLE + +O my loving Master, pray teach me how I may come to such a constant +course of holy penitence, and to such a daily dying from all creaturely +objects, for how can I abide continually in repentance? + +MASTER + +When thou leavest that which loveth thee, and lovest that which hateth +thee; then thou mayest continually abide in repentance. + +DISCIPLE + +What is it that I must thus leave? + +MASTER + +All things that love and entertain thee, because thy Will loves and +entertains them. All things that please and feed thee, because thy Will +feeds and cherishes them. All creatures in flesh and blood; in a word, +all visibles and sensibles, by which either the imaginative or sensitive +appetite in men are delighted and refreshed. These the Will of thy mind, +or thy supreme part, must leave and forsake, and must even account them +all its enemies. This is the leaving of what loves thee. And the loving +of what hates thee is the embracing the reproach of the World. Thou must +learn then to love the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, and for his sake +to be pleased with the reproach of the World which hates thee and +derides thee; and let this be thy daily exercise of penitence to be +crucified to the World, and the World to thee. And so thou shalt have +continual cause to hate thyself _in the Creature_, and to seek the +eternal rest which is _in Christ_. To which rest thou having thus +attained, thy Will may therein safely rest and repose itself, according +as thy Lord Christ hath said: In me ye may have rest, but in the World +ye shall have anxiety: In me ye may have peace, but in the World ye +shall have tribulation. + +DISCIPLE + +How now shall I be able to subsist in this anxiety and tribulation +arising from the World so as not to lose the eternal peace, or not to +enter into this rest? And how may I recover myself in such a temptation +as this is, by not sinking under the World, but rising above it by a +life which is truly heavenly and supersensual? + +MASTER + +If thou dost once every hour throw thyself by faith beyond all +creatures, beyond and above all sensual perception and apprehension, +yea, above discourse and reasoning into the abyssal mercy of God, into +the sufferings of our Lord, and into the fellowship of his interceding, +and yieldest thyself fully and absolutely thereinto; then thou shalt +receive power from above to rule over Death and the Devil and to subdue +Hell and the World unto thee. And then thou mayest subsist in all +temptations, and be the brighter for them. + +DISCIPLE + +Blessed is the man that arriveth to such a state as this. But, alas, +poor man that I am, how is this possible as to me? And what, O my +Master, would become of me, if I should ever attain with my mind to that +where no creature is? Must I not cry out, _I am undone_? + +MASTER + +Son, why art thou so dispirited? Be of good heart still; for thou mayest +certainly yet attain to it. Do but believe, and all things are made +possible to thee. If it were that thy Will, O thou of so little courage, +could break off itself for an hour, or even but for a half hour, from +all creatures, and plunge itself into that where no creature is, or can +be; presently it would be penetrated and clothed upon with the supreme +splendour of the Divine Glory, would taste in itself the most sweet Love +of Jesus, the sweetness whereof no tongue can express, and would find in +itself the unspeakable words of our Lord concerning his great mercy. Thy +spirit would then feel in itself the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ to +be very pleasing to it; and would thereupon love the Cross more than the +honours and goods of the World. + +DISCIPLE + +This for the Soul would be exceeding well indeed. But what would then +become of the Body, seeing that it must of necessity live in _Creature_? + +MASTER + +The body would by this means be put into the imitation of our Lord Jesus +Christ and of his body. It would stand in the communion of that most +blessed Body, which is the true temple of the Deity, and in the +participation of all its gracious effects, virtues, and influences. It +would live in the Creature, not of choice, but only as it is made +subject to vanity, and in the World, as it is placed therein by the +ordination of the Creator, for its cultivation and higher advancement, +and as groaning to be delivered out of it in God's time and manner, for +its perfection and resuscitation in eternal liberty and glory, like unto +the glorified body of our Lord and his risen Saints. + +DISCIPLE + +But the body, being in its present constitution, so made subject to +vanity, and living in a vain image and creaturely shadows according to +the life of the undergraduated creatures or brutes, whose breath goeth +downward to the earth; I am still very much afraid thereof, lest it +should continue to depress the mind which is lifted up to God, by +hanging as a dead weight thereto; and go on to abuse and perplex the +same, as formerly, with dreams and trifles, by letting in the objects +from without, in order to draw me down into the World and the hurry +thereof; whereas I would fain maintain by conversation in Heaven even +while I am living in the World. What, therefore, must I do with this +body, that I may be able to keep up so desirable a conversation, and not +to be under subjection to it any longer? + +MASTER + +There is no other way for thee that I know but to present the body +whereof thou complainest (which is the beast to be sacrificed) _a living +sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God_. And this shall be thy rational +service whereby this thy body will be put, as thou desirest, into the +imitation of Jesus Christ, who said his Kingdom was not of this World. +Be not thou then _conformed_ to it, but be _transformed_ by the renewing +of thy mind; which renewed mind is to have dominion over the body, that +so thou mayest prove, both in body and mind, what is the perfect Will of +God, and accordingly perform the same with and by his grace operating +in thee. Whereupon the body, or the _animal life_ would, being thus +offered up, begin to die, both from without and from within. From +_without_, that is, from the vanity and evil customs and fashions of the +World; it would be an utter change to all the parts thereof, and to all +the pageantry, pride, ambition, and haughtiness therein. From _within_ +it would die as to all the lusts and appetites of the flesh, and would +get a mind and will wholly new for its government and management; being +now made subject to the Spirit, which would continually be directed to +God. And thus thy very body is become the temple of God and of his +Spirit, in imitation of thy Lord's Body. + +DISCIPLE + +But the World would hate it and despise it for so doing, seeing it must +hereby contradict the World, and must live and act quite otherwise than +the World doth. This is most certain. And how can this be taken? + +MASTER + +It would not take that as any harm done to it, but would rather rejoice +that it is become worthy to be like unto the image of our Lord Jesus +Christ, being transformed from that of the World. And it would be most +willing to bear that cross after our Lord, merely that our Lord might +bestow upon it the influence of his sweet and precious love. + +DISCIPLE + +I do not doubt but in some this may be even so. Nevertheless, for my own +part, I am in a strait between two, not feeling yet enough of that +blessed influence upon me. Oh how willingly should my body bear _that_, +could _this_ be safely depended upon by me! Wherefore pardon me, loving +Sir, in this one thing, if my impatience doth still further demand, +"What would become of it, if the anger of God from within, and the +wicked World also from without, should at once assault it, as the same +really happened to our Lord Christ?" + +MASTER + +Be that unto it, even as unto our Lord Christ, when he was reproached, +reviled and crucified by the World, and when the anger of God so +fiercely assaulted him for our sake. Now what did he under this most +terrible assault both from without and within? Why; he commended his +soul into the hands of his Father, and so departed from the anguish of +this World into the eternal joy. Do thou likewise, and his death shall +be thy life. + +DISCIPLE + +Be it unto me as unto the Lord Christ, and unto my body as unto his, +which into his hands I have commended, and for the sake of his name do +offer up, according to his revealed Will. Nevertheless I am desirous to +know what would become of my body in its pressing forth from the anguish +of this miserable World into the power of the Heavenly Kingdom. + +MASTER + +It would get forth from the reproach and contradiction of the World by a +conformity to the passion of Jesus Christ; and from the sorrows and +pains in the flesh, which are only the effects of some sensible +impression of things without, by a quiet introversion of the spirit and +secret communion with the Deity manifesting itself for that end. It +would penetrate into itself; it would sink into the great love of God; +it would be sustained and refreshed by the most sweet name _Jesus_, and +it would see and find within itself a new world springing forth, as +through the anger of God, into the joy and love eternal. And then should +a man wrap his soul in this, even in the great Love of God, and clothe +himself therewith as with a garment; and should account thence all +things alike; because in the Creature he finds nothing that can give +him, without God, the least satisfaction, and because also nothing of +harm can touch him more while he remains in this Love. For this Love is +indeed stronger than all things, and makes a man invulnerable both from +within and without, by taking out the sting and poison of the Creature, +and destroying the power of death. And whether the body be in hell or on +earth, all is alike to him; for whether it be there or here, his mind is +still in the greatest Love of God; which is no less than to say that he +is in heaven. + +DISCIPLE + +But how would a man's body be maintained in the World; or how would he +be able to maintain those who are his, if he should by such a +conversation incur the displeasure of all the World? + +MASTER + +Such a man gets greater favours than the world is able to bestow upon +him: he hath God for his friend; he hath all the Angels for his friends. +In all dangers and necessities these protect and relieve him; so that he +need fear no manner of evil; no creature can hurt him. God is his +helper, and that is sufficient. Also God is his blessing in everything. +And though sometimes it may seem as if God would not bless him, yet is +this but for a trial to him, and for the attraction of the Divine Love, +to the end he may more fervently pray to God, and commit all his ways +unto him. + +DISCIPLE + +He loses, however, by this all his good friends, and there will be none +to help him in his necessity. + +MASTER + +Nay, but he gets the hearts of all his good friends into his possession, +and loses none but his enemies, who before loved his vanity and +wickedness. + +DISCIPLE + +How is it that he can get his good friends into his possession? + +MASTER + +He gets the very hearts and souls of all those that belong to our Lord +Jesus to be his brethren, and the members of his own very life. For all +the children of God are but ONE in Christ, which one is Christ _in All_. +And therefore he gets them all to be his fellow-members in the Body of +Christ, whence they have all the same heavenly goods in common and all +live in one and the same Love of God, as the branches of a tree in one +and the same root, and spring all from one and the same source of life +in them. So that he can have no want of spiritual friends and relations, +who are all rooted with him together in the Love which is from above, +who are all of the same blood and kindred in Christ Jesus; and who are +cherished all by the same quickening sap and spirit diffusing itself +through them universally from the one true Vine, which is the tree of +life and love. These are friends worth having; and though here they may +be unknown to him, will abide his friends beyond doubt to all eternity. +But neither can he want even outward natural friends, as our Lord +Christ, when on earth, did not want such also. For though, indeed, the +High-Priests and Potentates of the World could not have a love to him, +because they belonged not to him, neither stood in any kind of relation +to him, as being not of this world, yet those loved him who were capable +of his love, and receptive of his words. So, in like manner, those who +love truth and righteousness will love that man, and will associate +themselves unto him, yea, though they may perhaps be outwardly at some +distance or seeming disagreement, from the situation of their worldly +affairs, or from other reasons, yet in their hearts they cannot but +cleave to him. For though they be not actually incorporated into one +body with him, yet they cannot resist being of one mind with him, and +being united in affliction, for the great regard they bear to the truth, +which shines forth in his words and in his life. By this they are made +either his declared or his secret friends; and he doth so get their +hearts that they will be delighted above all things in his company, for +the sake thereof, and will court his friendship and will come unto him +by stealth, if openly they dare not, for the benefit of his conversation +and advice; even as Nicodemus did to Christ, who came to him by night, +and in his heart loved Jesus for the truth's sake, though outwardly he +feared the World. And thus thou shalt have many friends that are not +known to thee; and some known to thee, who may not appear so before the +World. + +DISCIPLE + +Nevertheless it is very grievous to be generally despised of the World, +and to be trampled upon by men as the very offscouring thereof. + +MASTER + +That which now seems so hard and heavy to thee, thou wilt yet hereafter +be most in love with. + +DISCIPLE + +How can it ever be that I should love that which hates me? + +MASTER + +Though thou lovest the Earthly Wisdom now, yet when thou shalt be +clothed upon with the Heavenly Wisdom, then wilt thou see that all the +wisdom of the World is folly; and wilt see also that the World hates not +so much thee, as thine enemy, which is this mortal life. And when thou +thyself shalt come to hate the will thereof, by means of a habitual +separation of thy mind from the World, then thou also wilt begin to love +that despising of the mortal life, and the reproach of the World for +Christ's sake. And so shalt thou be able to stand under every +temptation, and to hold out to the end by the means hereof in a course +of life above the World and above sense. + +In this course thou wilt hate thyself, and thou wilt also love thyself, +I say, love thyself, and that even more than thou ever didst yet. + +DISCIPLE + +But how can these two subsist together, that a person should both _love_ +and _hate_ himself? + +MASTER + +_In loving thyself_, thou lovest not thyself _as thine own_, but thou +lovest the divine ground in thee, as given thee from the Love of God. By +which, and in which, thou lovest the Divine Wisdom, the Divine Goodness, +the Divine Beauty; thou lovest also by it God's works of wonders; and in +this ground thou lovest also thy brethren. But _in hating thyself_, thou +hatest only that which is _thine own_, and wherein the Evil sticks close +to thee. And this thou dost, that so thou mayest wholly destroy that +which thou callest _thine_, as when thou sayest I or MYSELF do this, or +do that. All which is wrong and a downright mistake in thee; for nothing +canst thou properly call _thine_ but the evil Self, neither canst thou +do anything of thyself that is to be accounted of. This _Self_ therefore +thou must labour wholly to destroy in thee, that so thou mayest become a +ground wholly divine. There can be no _selfishness_ in love; they are +opposite to each other. Love, that is, Divine Love (of which only we are +now discoursing), hates all Egoity, hates all that which we call I, or +IHOOD, hates all such restrictions and confinements, even all that +springs from a contracted spirit, or this evil _Self-hood_, because it +is an hateful and deadly thing. And it is impossible that these two +should stand together, or subsist in one person; the one driving out the +other by a necessity of nature. For _Love_ possesses Heaven, and dwells +in itself, which is dwelling in Heaven; but that which is called I, this +vile self-hood, possesses the world and worldly things; and dwells also +in itself, which is dwelling _in Hell_, because this is the very root of +Hell itself. And, therefore, as Heaven rules the World, and as Eternity +rules Time, even so ought Love to rule the natural temporal Life; for no +other method is there, neither can there be of attaining to that Life +which is supernatural and eternal, and which thou so much desirest to be +led into. + +DISCIPLE + +Loving Master, I am well content that this Love should rule in me over +the natural Life, that so I may attain to that which is supernatural and +supersensual; but, pray tell me now, why must Love and Hatred, friend +and foe, thus be together? Would not Love alone be better? Wherefore, I +say, are Love and Trouble thus joined? + +MASTER + +If Love dwelt not in Trouble, it could have nothing to love. But its +substance which it loves, namely the poor soul, being in trouble and +pain, it hath thence cause to love this its own substance and to deliver +it from pain, that so itself may by it be again beloved. Neither could +any one know what Love is, if there were no Hatred; or what friendship +is, if there were no foe to contend with. Or, in one word, if Love had +not something which it might love, and manifest the virtue and power of +love in working out deliverance to the Beloved from all pain and +trouble. + +DISCIPLE + +Pray what is the virtue, the power, the height, and the greatness of +Love? + +MASTER + +The virtue of Love is NOTHING and ALL, or that _Nothing visible_ out of +which All Things proceed. Its power is through All Things; its height is +as high as God; its greatness is as great as God. Its virtue is the +principle of all principles; its power supports the Heavens and upholds +the Earth; its height is higher than the highest Heavens, and its +greatness is even greater than the very Manifestation of the Godhead in +the glorious light of the Divine Essence, as being infinitely capable of +greater and greater manifestations in all Eternity. What can I say +more? Love is higher than the Highest. Love is greater than the +Greatest. Yea, it _is in a certain sense_ greater than God; while yet, +in the highest sense of all, God is Love, and Love is God. Love being +the highest principle is the virtue of all virtues; from whence they +flow forth. Love, being the greatest Majesty, is the Power of all +Powers, from whence they severally operate. And it is the Holy Magical +Root, a Ghostly Power from whence all the wonders of God have been +wrought by the hands of his elect servants, in all their generations +successively, Whosoever finds it, finds _Nothing and All Things_. + +DISCIPLE + +Dear Master, pray tell me how I may understand this? + +MASTER + +First, then, in that I said, its _virtue is Nothing, or that Nothing_ +which is the beginning of All Things, thou must understand it thus; When +thou art gone forth wholly from the Creature, and from that which is +visible; and art become Nothing to all that is Nature and Creature, then +thou art in that Eternal One, which is God himself; and then thou shalt +perceive and feel within thee the highest virtue of Love. But in that I +said, Its power is through All Things, this is that which thou +perceivest and findest in thy own soul and body experimentally, whenever +this great Love is enkindled within thee; seeing that it will burn more +than the fire can do, as it did in the Prophets of old, and afterwards +in the Apostles, when God conversed with them bodily, and when his +Spirit descended upon them in the Oratory of Zion. Thou shalt then see +also in all the works of God, how Love hath poured forth itself into all +things, and penetrated all things, and is the most inward and most +outward ground in all things. Inwardly in the virtue and power of every +thing, and outwardly in the figure and form thereof. + +And in that I said, _Its height is as high as God_; thou mayest +understand this in thyself: forasmuch as it brings thee to be as high as +God himself is, by being united to God; as may be seen by our beloved +Lord Jesus Christ in our humanity. Which humanity Love hath brought up +into the highest throne, above all angelical principalities and powers, +into the very Power of the Deity itself. + +But in that I also said, _Its greatness is as great as God_, thou art +hereby to understand that there is a certain greatness and latitude of +heart in Love, which is unexpressible, for it enlarges the soul as wide +as the whole Creation of God. And this shall be truly experienced by +thee, beyond all words, when the throne of Love shall be set up in thy +heart. + +Moreover in that I said, _Its virtue is the principle of all +principles_; hereby it is given thee to understand that Love is the +principal cause of all created beings, both spiritual and corporeal, by +virtue whereof the second causes do move and act occasionally, according +to certain Eternal Laws, from the beginning implanted in the very +constitution of things thus originated. This virtue which is in Love is +the very life and energy of all the principles of Nature, superior and +inferior. It reaches to all Worlds, and to all manner of beings in them +contained, they being the workmanship of Divine Love, and is the _first +mover_ and _first moveable_, both in heaven above, and in the earth +beneath, and in the water under the earth. And hence there is given to +it the name of the _Lucid Aleph_ or _Alpha_; by which is expressed the +beginning of the _Alphabet of Nature_, and of the Book of Creation and +Providence or the _Divine Archetypal Book_, in which is the Light of +Wisdom and the source of all lights and forms. + +And in that I said, _Its power supports the Heavens_; by this thou wilt +come to understand that as the Heavens, visible and invisible, are +originated from this great principle, so are they likewise necessarily +sustained by it; and that therefore if this should be but never so +little withdrawn, all the lights, glories, beauties and forms of the +heavenly worlds would presently sink into darkness and chaos. + +And whereas I further said _that it upholds the Earth_; this will appear +to thee no less evident than the former, and thou shalt perceive it in +thyself by daily and hourly experience; forasmuch as the Earth _without +it_, even thy _own earth_ also (that is, thy body) would certainly be +without form and void. By the power thereof the Earth hath been thus +long upheld, notwithstanding a foreign usurped power introduced by the +folly of sin. And should this but once fail or recede there could be no +longer either vegetation or animation upon it; yea, the very pillars of +it being overthrown quite, and the band of union, which is that of +attraction or magnetism, called the centripetal power, being broken and +dissolved, all must thence run into the utmost disorder, and falling +away as into shivers, would be dispersed as loose dust before the wind. + +But in that I said, _Its height is higher than the highest Heavens_; +this thou mayest also understand within thyself. For shouldest thou +ascend in spirit through all the orders of Angels and heavenly Powers, +yet the Power of Love still is undeniably superior to them all. And as +the Throne of God, who sits upon the Heaven of Heavens, is higher than +the highest of them, even so must Love also be, which fills them all, +and comprehends them all. + +And whereas I said of the _Greatness of Love that it is greater than the +very Manifestation of Godhead in the light of the Divine Essence_; that +is also true. For Love enters even into that where the Godhead is not +manifested in this glorious light, and where God may be said not to +dwell. And entering thereinto, Love begins to manifest to the soul the +light of the Godhead; and thus is the darkness broken through, and the +wonders of the new creation successively manifested. + +Thus shalt thou be brought to understand really and fundamentally what +is the virtue and the power of Love, and what the height and greatness +thereof is; how that is indeed the _virtue of all virtues_, though it be +invisible, and as a _Nothing_ in appearance, inasmuch as it is the +worker of all things, and a powerful _vital energy_ passing through all +virtues and powers natural and supernatural, and the _power of all +powers_, nothing being able to let or obstruct the _Omnipotence_ of +Love, or to resist its invincible penetrating might, which passes +through the whole Creation of God, inspecting and governing all things. + +And in that I said; _It is higher than the highest and greater than the +greatest_; thou mayst hereby perceive as in a glimpse the supreme height +and greatness of _Omnipotent Love_ which infinitely transcends all that +human sense and reason can reach to. The highest Archangel and greatest +Powers of Heaven, are in comparison of it, but as dwarfs. Nothing can be +conceived higher and greater in God himself, by the very highest and +greatest of his creatures. There is such infinity in it as comprehends +and surpasses all the divine attributes. + +But in that it was also said, _Its greatness is greater than God_; that +likewise is very true in the sense wherein it was spoken. For Love can +there enter where God dwelleth not, since the most high God dwelleth not +in darkness, but in the Light, the hellish darkness being put under his +feet. Thus, for instance, when our beloved Lord Jesus Christ was in +Hell, Hell was not the mansion of God or of Christ, Hell sees not God, +neither was it with God, nor could it be at all with him; Hell stood in +the darkness and anxiety of Nature, and no light of the Divine Majesty +did there enter; God was not there, for he is not in the darkness nor in +the anguish; but Love was there; and Love destroyed Death and conquered +Hell. So also when thou art in anguish or trouble, which is _hell +within_, God is not the anguish or trouble, neither is he in the anguish +or trouble; but his Love is there, and brings thee out of the anguish +and trouble into God, leading thee into the light and joy of his +presence. When God hides himself in thee, Love is still there, and makes +him manifest in thee. Such is the inconceivable greatness and largeness +of Love, which will hence appear to thee as great as God _above Nature_ +and greater than God _in Nature_, or as considered in his manifestative +glory. + +Lastly, whereas I said, _Whosoever finds it finds Nothing and all +Things_; that is also certain and true. But how finds he _Nothing_? Why, +I will tell thee how. He that findeth it findeth a supernatural, +supersensual Abyss, which hath no ground or Byss to stand on, and where +there is no place to dwell in; and he findeth also nothing is like unto +it and therefore it may fitly be compared to _Nothing_, for it is deeper +than any _Thing_, and is as Nothing with respect to All Things, +forasmuch as it is not comprehensible by any of them. And because it is +Nothing respectively, it is therefore free from All Things, and is that +only Good, which a man cannot express or utter what it is, there being +Nothing to which it may be compared, to express it by. + +But in that I lastly said; _Whosoever finds it finds All Things_; there +is nothing can be more true than this assertion. It hath been the +Beginning of All Things; and it ruleth All Things. It is also the End of +All Things; and will thence comprehend All Things within its circle. All +Things are from it, and in it, and by it. If thou findest it thou comest +into that ground from whence All Things are proceeded, and wherein they +subsist; and thou art in it a King over all the works of God. + +Here the Disciple was exceedingly ravished with what his Master had so +wonderfully and surprisingly declared, and returned his most hearty and +humble thanks for that light which he had been an instrument of +conveying to him. But being desirous to hear further concerning these +high matters, and to know somewhat more particularly, he requested him +that he would give him leave to wait on him the next day again; and that +he would then be pleased to show him _how_ and _where_ he might find +this which was so much beyond all price and value, and whereabout the +seat and abode of it might be in human nature, with the entire process +of the discovery and bringing it forth to light. + +The Master said to him: This then we will discourse about at our next +conference, as God shall reveal the same to us by his Spirit, which is +a searcher of All Things. And if thou dost remember well what I answered +thee in the beginning, thou shalt soon come thereby to understand that +hidden mystical wisdom of God; which none of the wise men of the world +know; and where the Mine thereof is to be found in thee shall be given +thee from above to discern. Be silent therefore in thy spirit, and watch +unto prayer; that, when we meet again to-morrow in the love of Christ, +thy mind may be disposed for finding that noble Pearl, which to the +World appears _Nothing_, but to the Children of Wisdom is _All Things_. + + + + +DIALOGUE II + + +The Disciple being very earnest to be more fully instructed how he might +arrive at the supersensual life, and how, having found all things, he +might come to be a king over all God's works, came again to his Master +next morning, having watched the night in prayer, that he might be +disposed to receive and apprehend the instructions that should be given +him by a divine irradiation upon his mind. And the Disciple, after a +little space of silence, bowed himself, and thus brake forth. + +DISCIPLE + +O my Master, my Master! I have now endeavoured to recollect my soul in +the presence of God, and to cast myself into the Deep where no creature +doth nor can dwell; that I might hear the voice of my Lord speaking in +me, and be initiated into that high life whereof I heard yesterday such +great and amazing things. But alas I neither hear nor see as I should. +There is still such a partition wall in me which beats back the heavenly +sounds in their passage, and obstructs the entrance of that light +whereby alone divine objects are discoverable, as till this be gone I +can have but small hopes, yea, even none at all, of arriving at those +glorious attainments which you pressed me to, or of entering into _that +where no creature dwells_, and which you call _Nothing_ and _All +Things_. Wherefore be so kind as to inform me what is required on my +part, that this partition which hinders may be broken or removed. + +MASTER + +This partition is the creaturely will in thee, and this can be broken by +nothing but the Grace of self-denial, which is the entrance into the +true following of Christ, and totally removed by nothing but a perfect +conformity with the Divine Will. + +DISCIPLE + +But how shall I be able to _break_ this creaturely will which is in me, +and is at enmity with the Divine Will? Or what shall I do to follow +Christ in so difficult a path, and not to faint in a continual course of +self-denial or resignation to the Will of God. + +MASTER + +This is not to be done by thyself; but by the light and grace of God +received into thy soul, which will, if thou gainsay not, break the +darkness that is in thee, and melt down thy old will, which worketh in +the darkness and corruption of Nature, and bring it into the obedience +of Christ, whereby the partition of the creaturely self is removed from +betwixt God and thee. + +DISCIPLE + +I know that I cannot do it of myself. But I would fain learn how I must +receive this Divine Light and Grace into me, which is to do it for me, +if I hinder it not my own self. What is then required of me in order to +admit this Breaker of the partition, and to promote the attainment of +the ends of such admission? + +MASTER + +There is nothing more required of thee at first than not to resist this +grace, which is manifested in thee; and nothing in the whole process of +the work, but to be obedient and passive to the Light of God shining +through the darkness of thy creaturely being, which comprehendeth it +not, as reaching no higher than the _Light of Nature_. + +DISCIPLE + +But is it not for me to attain, if I can, both the Light of God, and +the Light of the outward Nature too, and to make use of them both for +the ordering of my life wisely and prudently? + +MASTER + +It is right so to do. And it is indeed a treasure above all earthly +treasures to be possessed of the Light of God and Nature operating in +their spheres, and to have both the Eye of Time and Eternity at once +open together, and yet not to interfere with each other. + +DISCIPLE + +This is a great satisfaction to me to hear; having been very uneasy +about it for some time. But how this can be without interfering with +each other, there is the difficulty. Wherefore fain would I know, if it +were lawful, the boundaries of the one and the other, and how both the +Divine and the Natural Light may in their several spheres respectively +act and operate for the Manifestation of the Mysteries of God and +Nature, and for the conduct of my outward and inward life? + +MASTER + +That each of these may be preserved distinctly in their several spheres, +without confounding Things Heavenly and Things Earthly, or breaking the +golden Chain of Wisdom, it will be necessary, my child, in the first +place to wait for and attend the Supernatural and Divine Light, as this +superior Light appointed to govern the day, rising in the true East, +which is the Centre of Paradise, and the great Light breaking forth as +out of the darkness within thee, through a pillar of fire and +thunder-clouds, and thereby reflecting also upon the inferior Light of +Nature a sort of image of itself, whereby only it can be kept in its due +subordination; that which is _below_ being made subservient to that +which is _above_, and that which is _without_ to that which is _within_. +Thus there will be no danger of interfering, but all will go right, and +everything abide in its proper sphere. + +DISCIPLE + +Therefore without Reason or the Light of Nature be sanctified in my +soul, and illuminated by this superior Light, as from the central East +of the holy Light-World, by the Eternal and Intellectual Sun, I perceive +there will always be some confusion, and I shall never be able to manage +aright either what concerneth Time or Eternity. But I must always be at +a loss, or break the links of Wisdom's Chain. + +MASTER + +It is even so as thou hast said. All is confusion if thou hast no more +than the dim Light of Nature, or unsanctified and unregenerated Reason +to guide thee by, and if only the Eye of Time be opened in thee, which +cannot pierce beyond its own limit. Wherefore seek the Fountain of +Light, waiting in the deep ground of thy soul for the rising there of +the Sun of Righteousness, whereby the Light of Nature in thee, with the +properties thereof, will be made to shine seven times brighter than +ordinary. For it shall receive the stamp, image and impression of the +Supersensual and Supernatural, so that the sensual and rational life +will hence be brought into the most perfect order and harmony. + +DISCIPLE + +But how am I to wait for the rising of this glorious Sun, and how am I +to seek in the Centre this Fountain of Light, which may enlighten me +throughout and bring my properties into perfect harmony? I am in Nature, +as I said before, and which way shall I pass through Nature, and the +light thereof, so that I may come into the Supernatural and Supersensual +ground whence this true light, which is the Light of Minds, doth arise; +and this without the destruction of my nature, or quenching the Light of +it, which is my reason? + +MASTER + +Cease but from thine own activity, steadfastly fixing thine Eye upon +_one Point_, and with a strong purpose relying upon the promised Grace +of God in Christ, to bring thee out of thy Darkness into his marvellous +Light. For this end gather in all thy thoughts, and by faith press into +the Centre, laying hold upon the Word of God, which is infallible, and +which hath called thee. Be thou then obedient to this call, and be +silent before the Lord, sitting alone with him in thy inmost and most +hidden cell, thy mind being centrally united in itself, and attending +his Will in the patience of hope. So shall thy Light break forth as the +Morning, and after the redness thereof is passed, the Sun himself which +thou waitest for, shall arise unto thee, and under his most healing +wings thou shalt greatly rejoice; ascending and descending in his bright +and salutiferous beams. Behold this is the true Supersensual Ground of +Life. + +DISCIPLE + +I believe it indeed to be even so. But will not this destroy Nature? +Will not the Light of Nature in me be extinguished by this greater +Light? Or, must not the outward Life hence perish, with the earthly body +which I carry? + +MASTER + +By no means at all. It is true, the evil Nature will be destroyed by it; +but by the destruction thereof you can be no loser, but very much a +gainer. The Eternal Bond of Nature is the same afterward as before; and +the properties are the same. So that Nature hereby is only advanced and +meliorated, and the Light thereof, or human Reason, by being kept within +its due bounds, and regulated by a superior Light, is only made useful. + +DISCIPLE + +Pray, therefore, let me know how this inferior Light ought to be used by +me; how it is to be kept within its due bounds; and after what manner +the superior Light doth regulate it and ennoble it. + +MASTER + +Know then, my beloved son, that if thou wilt keep the Light of Nature +within its own proper bounds, and make use thereof in just subordination +to the Light of God, thou must consider that there are in thy soul two +_Wills_, an _inferior_ Will, which is for driving thee to Things without +and below; and a _superior_ Will, which is for drawing thee to Things +within and above. These two Wills are now set together, as it were back +to back, and in a direct contrariety to each other; but in the beginning +it was not so. For this contraposition of the soul in these two is no +more than the effect of the Fallen State; since before that they were +placed one under the other, that is, the _superior_ Will _above_, as the +Lord, and the inferior _below_, as the subject. And thus it ought to +have continued. Thou must also further consider that, answering to these +two Wills, there are likewise two Eyes in the soul, whereby they are +severally directed, forasmuch as these Eyes are not united in one single +view, but look quite contrary ways at once. They are in a like manner +set one against the other, without a common medium to join them. And +hence, so long as this double-sightedness doth remain, it is impossible +there should be any agreement in the determination of this or that Will. +This is very plain. And it showeth the necessity that this malady, +arising from the disunion of the rays of vision, be some way remedied +and redressed, in order to a true discernment in the mind. Both these +eyes therefore must be made to unite by a concentration of rays, there +being nothing more dangerous than for the mind to abide thus in the +Duplicity and not to seek to arrive at the Unity. Thou perceivest, I +know, that thou hast two Wills in thee, one set against the other, the +superior and the inferior, and that thou hast always two Eyes within, +one against the other, whereof the one Eye may be called the Right Eye, +and the other the Left Eye. Thou perceivest too, doubtless, that it is +according to the Right Eye that the wheel of the superior Will is moved; +and that it is according to the motion of the Left Eye that the contrary +wheel in the lower is turned about. + +DISCIPLE + +I perceive this, Sir, to be very true; and this it is which causeth a +continual combat in me, and createth in me greater anxiety than I am +able to express. Nor am I unacquainted with the disease of my own soul, +which you have so clearly declared. Alas! I perceive and lament this +malady, which so miserably disturbeth my sight; whence I feel such +irregular and convulsive motions drawing me on this side and that side. +The Spirit seeth not as the Flesh seeth, neither doth, nor can, the +Flesh see as the Spirit seeth. Hence the Spirit willeth against the +Flesh; and the Flesh willeth against the Spirit in me. This hath been +my hard case. And how shall it be remedied? O how may I arrive at the +Unity of Will, and how come into the Unity of Vision? + +MASTER + +Mark now what I say. The Right Eye looketh forward in thee into +Eternity. The Left Eye looketh backward in thee into Time. If thou now +sufferest thyself to be always looking into Nature, and the Things of +Time, it will be impossible for thee ever to arrive at the Unity, which +thou wishest for. Remember this, and be upon thy watch. Give not thy +mind leave to enter into nor to fill itself with that which is without +thee; neither look thou backward upon thyself; but quit thyself, and +look forward to Christ. Let not thy Left Eye deceive thee by making +continually one representation after another, and stirring up thereby an +earnest longing in the self-propriety; but let thy right eye command +this left, and attract it to thee. Yea it is better to pluck it quite +out and to cast it from thee, than to suffer it to proceed forth without +restraint into Nature, and to follow its own lusts. However there is for +this no necessity, since both eyes may become very useful, if ordered +aright, and both the Divine and Natural Light may in the soul subsist +together, and be of mutual service to each other. But never shalt thou +arrive at the Unity of Vision or Uniformity of Will, but by entering +fully into the Will of our Saviour Christ, and therein bringing the Eye +of Time into the Eye of Eternity, and then descending by means of these +united through the Light of God into the Light of Nature. + +DISCIPLE + +So then if I can but enter into the Will of my Lord, and abide therein, +I am safe, and may both attain to the Light of God in the Spirit of my +soul and see with the Eye of God, that is, the Eye of Eternity in the +Eternal Ground of my Will; and may also at the same time enjoy the Light +of this World nevertheless, not degrading but adorning the Light of +Nature, and beholding as with the Eye of Eternity things Eternal, so +with the Eye of Nature, things Natural, and both contemplating therein +the Wonders of God, and sustaining also thereby the life of my outward +vehicle or body. + +MASTER + +It is very right. Thou hast well understood, and thou desirest now to +enter into the Will of God, and to abide therein as in the Supersensual +Ground of Light and Life, where thou mayst in his Light behold both Time +and Eternity, and bring all the wonders created of God for the exterior +into the interior life, and so eternally rejoice in them to the glory of +Christ; the partition of thy Creaturely Will being broken down and the +Eye of thy Spirit simplified in and through the Eye of God manifesting +itself in the Centre of thy Life. Let this be so now, for it is God's +Will. + +DISCIPLE + +But it is very hard to be always looking forwards into Eternity, and +consequently to attain to the single eye, and simplicity of Divine +Vision. The entrance of a soul naked into the Will of God, shutting out +all imaginations and desires, and breaking down the strong partition +which you mention, is indeed somehow very terrible and shocking to human +nature in its present state. O what shall I do, that I may reach this +which I so much long for? + +MASTER + +My Son, let not the Eye of Nature with the Will of the Wonders depart +from that Eye which is introverted into the Divine Liberty, and into the +Eternal Light of the Holy Majesty. But let it draw to thee by union +with that heavenly internal Eye those wonders which are externally +wrought out and manifested in visible Nature. For while thou art in the +world, and hast an honest employment, thou art certainly by the Order of +Providence obliged to labour in it, and to finish the work given thee, +according to thy best ability, without repining in the least; seeking +out and manifesting for God's glory the Wonders of Nature and Art. Since +let the Nature be what it will it is all the Work and Art of God. And +let the Art also be what it will, it is still God's Work and his Art, +rather than any art or cunning of man. And all both in Art and Nature +serveth but abundantly to manifest the wonderful Works of God, that he +for all and in all may be glorified. Yea, all serveth, if thou knowest +rightly how to use them, only to recollect thee more inwards, and to +draw thy Spirit into that majestic Light wherein the original patterns +and forms of things visible are to be seen. Keep, therefore, in the +Centre, and stir not from the Presence of God revealed within thy Soul; +let the world and the devil make never so great a noise and bustle to +draw thee out, mind them not; they cannot hurt thee. It is permitted to +the Eye of thy Reason to seek food, and to thy hands by their labour to +get food for the terrestrial body. But then this Eye ought not with its +desire to enter into the food prepared, which would be covetousness; but +must in resignation simply bring it before the Eye of God in thy Spirit, +and then thou must seek to place it close to this very Eye, without +letting it go. Mark this lesson well. + +Let the hands or the head be at labour, thy Heart ought nevertheless to +rest in God. God is a Spirit; dwell in the Spirit; work in the Spirit; +pray in the Spirit; and do every thing in the Spirit; for remember thou +also art a Spirit, and thereby created in the Image of God. Therefore +see thou attract not in thy desire _Matter_ unto thee, but as much as +possible abstract thyself from all Matter whatever; and so, standing in +the Centre, present thyself as a naked Spirit before God, in simplicity +and purity; and be sure thy Spirit draw in nothing but Spirit. + +Thou wilt yet be greatly enticed to draw Matter, and to gather that +which the World calls _substance_; thereby to have somewhat visible to +trust to. But by no means consent to the Tempter, nor yield to the +lustings of thy Flesh against the Spirit. For in so doing thou wilt +infallibly obscure the Divine Light in thee; thy Spirit will stick in +the dark Covetous Root, and from the fiery Source of thy soul will it +blaze out in pride and anger; thy Will shall be chained in Earthliness, +and shall sink through the Anguish into Darkness and Materiality; and +never shalt thou be able to reach the still Liberty, or to stand before +the Majesty of God. It will be all darkness to thee, as much Matter as +is drawn in by the Desire of thy Will. It will darken God's Majesty to +thee, and will close the seeing Eye, by hiding from thee the light of +his beloved countenance. This the Serpent longeth to do, but in vain, +except thou permittest thy _Imagination_, upon his suggestion, to +receive in the alluring Matter; else he can never get in. Behold then, +if thou desirest to see God's Light in thy Soul, and be divinely +illuminated and conducted, this is the short way that thou art to take; +not to let the Eye of thy Spirit enter into Matter, or fill itself with +any Thing whatever, either in Heaven or Earth, but to let it enter by a +_naked faith_ into the Light of the Majesty; and so receive by _pure +love_ the Light of God, and attract the Divine Power into itself, +putting on the Divine Body, and growing up in it to the full maturity of +the Humanity of Christ. + +DISCIPLE + +As I said before, so I say again, this is very hard. I conceive indeed +well enough that my Spirit ought to be free from the contagion of +Matter, and wholly empty, that it may admit into it the Spirit of God. +Also, that this Spirit will not enter, but where the Will entereth into +_Nothing_, and resigneth itself up in the _nakedness of faith_, and in +the _purity of love_, to its conduct, feeding magically upon the Word of +God, and clothing itself thereby with a _Divine Substantiality_. But, +alas, how hard it is for the Will to sink into nothing, to attract +nothing, to imagine nothing. + +MASTER + +Let it be granted that it is so. Is it not surely worth thy while, and +all that thou canst ever do? + +DISCIPLE + +It is so, I must needs confess. + +MASTER + +But perhaps it may not be so hard as at first it appeareth to be; make +but the trial and be in earnest. What is there required of thee but to +stand still and see the salvation of thy God? And couldst thou desire +anything less? Where is the hardship in this? Thou hast nothing to care +for, nothing to desire in this life, nothing to imagine or attract. Thou +needest only cast thy care upon God, who careth for thee, and leave him +to dispose of thee according to his good will and pleasure, even as if +thou hadst no will at all in thee. For he knoweth what is best; and if +thou canst but trust him, he will most certainly do better for thee, +than if thou wert left to thine own choice. + +DISCIPLE + +This I most firmly believe. + +MASTER + +If thou believest, then go and do accordingly. _All_ is in the _Will_, +as I have shown thee. When the Will imagineth after _Somewhat_, then +entereth it into that somewhat, and this somewhat taketh the Will into +itself, and overcloudeth it, so as it can have no Light, but must dwell +in Darkness, unless it return back out of that somewhat into _Nothing_. +But when the Will imagineth or hasteth after nothing, then it entereth +into _Nothing_, where it receiveth the Will of God into itself, and so +dwelleth in Light, and worketh all its works in it. + +DISCIPLE + +I am now satisfied that the main cause of any one's spiritual blindness, +is his letting his Will into Somewhat, or into that which he hath +wrought, of what nature soever it be, good or evil, and his setting his +heart or affections upon the work of his own hand or brain, and that +when the earthly body perisheth, then the Soul must be imprisoned in +that very thing which it shall have received and let in; and if the +Light of God be not in it, being deprived of the Light of this World, it +cannot but be found in a dark prison. + +MASTER + +This is a very precious Gate of Knowledge; I am glad thou takest it into +such consideration. The understanding of the whole Scripture is +contained in it; and all that hath been written from the beginning of +the World to this day may be found therein, by him that having entered +with his Will into Nothing, hath there found All Things, by finding God, +from Whom, and to Whom, and in Whom are All Things. By this means thou +shalt come to hear and see God; and after this earthly life is ended to +see with the Eye of Eternity all the Wonders of God and of Nature, and +more particularly those which shall be wrought by thee in the flesh, or +all that the Spirit of God shall have given thee to labour out for +thyself and thy neighbour, or all that the Eye of Reason enlightened +from above, may at any time have manifested to thee. Delay not therefore +to enter in by this Gate, which if thou seest in the Spirit, as some +highly favoured souls have seen it, thou seest in the Supersensual +Ground _all that God is and can do_; thou seest also therewith, as one +hath said who was taken thereinto, _through Heaven, Hell, and Earth; and +through the Essence of all Essences_. Whosoever findeth it, hath found +all that he can desire. Here is the Virtue and Power of the Love of God +displayed. Here is the Height and Depth, here is the Breadth and Length +thereof manifested, as ever the capacity of thy soul can contain. By +this thou shalt come into that Ground out of which all Things are +originated, and in which they subsist; and in it thou shalt reign over +all God's Works, as a Prince of God. + +DISCIPLE + +Pray tell me, dear Master, where dwelleth it _in Man_? + +MASTER + +Where Man dwelleth not: there hath it its seat in Man. + +DISCIPLE + +Where is that in a Man, when Man dwelleth not in himself? + +MASTER + +It is the resigned Ground of a Soul to which nothing cleaveth. + +DISCIPLE + +Where is the Ground in any Soul, to which there will nothing stick? Or +where is that which abideth and dwelleth not in something? + +MASTER + +It is the Centre of Rest and Motion in the resigned Will of a truly +contrite Spirit, which is Crucified to the World. This Centre of the +Will is impenetrable consequently to the World, the Devil, and Hell. +Nothing in all the World can enter into it, or adhere to it, because the +Will is dead with Christ unto the World, but quickened with him in the +Centre thereof, after his blessed Image. Here it is where Man dwelleth +not, and where no Self abideth or can abide. + +DISCIPLE + +O where is this naked Ground of the Soul void of all Self? And how shall +I come at the hidden Centre, where God dwelleth, and not Man? Tell me +plainly, loving Sir, where it is, and how it is to be found of me, and +entered into? + +MASTER + +There where the Soul hath slain its own Will, and willeth no more any +Thing as from itself, but only as God willeth, and as his Spirit moveth +upon the Soul shall this appear. Where the Love of Self is banished +there dwelleth the Love of God. For so much of the Soul's own Will as is +dead unto itself even so much room hath the Will of God, which is his +Love, taken up in that Soul. The reason whereof is this: Where its own +Will did before sit, there is now nothing; and where nothing is, there +it is that the Love of God worketh alone. + +DISCIPLE + +But how shall I comprehend it? + +MASTER + +If thou goest about to comprehend it, then it will fly away from thee; +but if thou dost surrender thyself wholly up to it, then it will abide +with thee, and become the Life of thy Life, and be natural to thee. + +DISCIPLE + +And how can this be without dying, or the whole destruction of my Will? + +MASTER + +Upon this entire surrender and yielding up of thy Will, the Love of God +in thee becometh the Life of thy Nature; it killeth thee not, but +quickeneth thee, who art now dead to thyself in thine own Will, +according to its proper Life, even the Life of God. And then thou +livest, yet not to thy own Will, but thou livest to its Will; for as +much as thy Will is henceforth become its Will. So then it is no longer +thy Will, but the Will of God; no longer the Love of thyself, but the +Love of God, which moveth and operateth in thee; and then, thou being +thus comprehended in it, thou art dead indeed as to thyself, but art +alive unto God. So being dead thou livest, or rather God liveth in thee +by his Spirit; and his Love is made to thee Life from the Dead. Never +couldst thou with all thy seeking have apprehended it, but it hath +apprehended thee. Much less couldst thou have comprehended it, but it +hath comprehended thee; and so the Treasure of Treasures is found. + +DISCIPLE + +How is it that so few Souls do find it, when yet all would be glad +enough to have it? + +MASTER + +They all seek it in _somewhat_, and so they find it not. For where there +is Somewhat for the Soul to adhere to, there the Soul findeth _that +somewhat only_, and taketh up its rest therein, until she seeth that it +is to be found in Nothing, and goeth out of the Somewhat into Nothing, +even into that Nothing out of which all Things may be made. The Soul +here saith "_I have nothing_, for I am utterly stripped and naked of +every Thing; _I can do nothing_, for I have no manner of power, but am +as water poured out; _I am nothing_, for all that I am is no more than +an Image of Being, and only God is to me I AM; and so, sitting down in +my own Nothingness, I give glory to the Eternal Being, and _will +nothing_ of myself, that so God may _will all_ in me, being unto me my +God and All Things." Herein now it is that so very few find this most +precious treasure in the Soul, though every one would so fain have it; +and might also have it, were it not for this Somewhat in every one that +letteth. + +DISCIPLE + +But if the Love should proffer itself to a Soul, could not that Soul +find it, nor lay hold of it, without going for it into Nothing? + +MASTER + +No verily. Men seek and find not, because they seek it not in the naked +Ground where it lieth; but in something or other where it never will be, +nor can be. They seek it in their _own Will_, and they find it not. They +seek it in their _Self-Desire_, and they meet not with it. They look for +it in an _Image_, or in an _Opinion_, or in _Affection_, or a natural +_Devotion_ and _Fervour_, and they lose the substance by thus hunting +after a shadow. They search for it in something sensible or imaginary, +in somewhat which they may have a more peculiar natural inclination for, +and adhesion to; and so they miss of what they seek, for want of diving +into the Supernatural and Supersensual Ground, where the Treasure is +hid. Now, should the Love graciously condescend to proffer itself to +such as these, and even to present itself evidently before the Eye of +their Spirit, yet could it find no place at all in them, neither could +it be held by them, or remain with them. + +DISCIPLE + +Why not, if the Love should be willing and ready to offer itself, and to +stay with them? + +MASTER + +Because the _Imaginariness_ which is in their own Will hath set itself +up in the place thereof. And so this Imaginariness would have the Love +in it, but the Love fleeth away, for it is its prison. The Love may +offer itself; but it cannot abide where the _Self-Desire_ attracteth or +imagineth. That Will which attracteth Nothing, and to which Nothing +adhereth, is only capable of receiving it; for it dwelleth only in +Nothing, as I said, and therefore they find it not. + +DISCIPLE + +If it dwell only in Nothing, what is now the office of it in Nothing? + +MASTER + +The office of the Love here is to penetrate incessantly into Something; +and if it penetrate into, and find a place in Something which is +standing still and at rest, then its business is to take possession +thereof. And when it hath there taken possession, then it rejoiceth +therein with its flaming Love-fire, even as the sun doth in the visible +world. And then the office of it is without intermission to enkindle a +fire in this Something which may burn it up; and then with the flames +thereof exceedingly to enflame itself, and raise the heat of the +Love-fire by it, even seven degrees higher. + +DISCIPLE + +O, loving Master, how shall I understand this? + +MASTER + +If it but once kindle a fire within thee, my son, thou shalt then +certainly feel how it consumeth all that which it toucheth, thou shalt +feel it in the burning up thyself, and swiftly devouring all _Egoity_ or +that which thou callest _I and Me_, as standing in a separate Root, and +divided from the Deity, the Fountain of thy Being. And when this +enkindling is made in thee, then the Love doth so exceedingly rejoice in +thy fire, as thou wouldest not for all the world be out of it; yea, +wouldst rather suffer thyself to be killed, than to enter into _thy +something_ again. This fire must now grow hotter and hotter, till it +shall have perfected its office with respect to thee. Its flame also +will be so very great that it will never leave thee, though it should +even cost thee thy temporal life, but it would go with thee with its +sweet loving fire into death; and if thou wentest also into Hell, it +would break Hell in pieces also for thy sake. Nothing is more certain +than this, for it is stronger than Death and Hell. + +DISCIPLE + +Enough, my dearest Master, I can no longer endure that any Thing should +divert me from it. But how shall I find the nearest way to it? + +MASTER + +Where the way is hardest, there go thou; and what the World casteth +away, that take thou up. What the World doth, that do thou not; but in +all things walk thou contrary to the World. So thou comest the nearest +way to that which thou art seeking. + +DISCIPLE + +If I should in all things walk contrary to other people, I must needs be +in a very unquiet and sad state, and the World would not fail to account +me for a madman. + +MASTER + +I bid thee not, Child, to do harm to anyone, thereby to create to +thyself any misery or unquietness. This is not what I mean by walking +contrary in everything to the World. But because the World, as the +World, loveth all deceit and vanity, and walketh in false and +treacherous ways, thence, if thou hast a mind to act a clean contrary +part to the ways thereof, without any exception or reserve whatsoever, +walk thou only in the right way, which is called the _Way of Light_, as +that of the World is properly the _Way of Darkness_. For the right way, +even the Path of Light, is contrary to all the ways of the World. + +But whereas thou art afraid of creating to thyself hereby trouble and +inquietude, that indeed will be so according to the flesh. In the world +thou must have trouble, and thy flesh will not fail to be unquiet, and +to give thee occasion of continual repentance. Nevertheless in this very +_anxiety of soul_ arising from the world or the flesh, the Love doth +most willingly enkindle itself, and its cheering and conquering fire is +but made to blaze forth with greater strength for the destruction of +that evil. And whereas thou dost also say, that the World will for this +esteem thee mad; it is true the World will be apt enough to censure thee +for a madman in walking contrary to it, and thou art not to be surprised +if the children thereof laugh at thee, calling thee silly Fool. For the +Way to the Love of God is Folly to the World, but is Wisdom to the +Children of God. Hence, whenever the World perceiveth this holy Fire of +Love in God's Children, it concludeth immediately that they are turned +fools, and are beside themselves. But to the Children of God that which +is despised of the World is the greatest Treasure, yea, so great a +Treasure is it as no life can express, nor tongue so much as name what +this enflaming, all-conquering Love of God is. It is brighter than the +Sun; it is sweeter than anything that is called sweet; it is stronger +than all strength; it is more nutrimental than food; more cheering to +the heart than wine, and more pleasant than all the joy and pleasantness +of this world. Whosoever obtaineth it is richer than any Monarch on +earth; and he who getteth it, is nobler than any Emperor can be, and +more potent and absolute than all Power and Authority. + + + + +DIALOGUE III + +BETWEEN JUNIUS, A SCHOLAR, AND THEOPHORUS, HIS MASTER, CONCERNING HEAVEN +AND HELL + + +The Scholar asked his Master "Whither goeth the Soul when the Body +dieth?" + +His Master answered him: There is no necessity for it to go any whither. + +How not, said the inquisitive Junius, must not the Soul leave the body +at death and go either to Heaven or Hell? + +It needs no going forth, replied the venerable Theophorus. Only the +outward Mortal Life with the body shall separate themselves from the +Soul. The Soul hath Heaven and Hell within itself before, according as +it is written. _The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation, neither +shall they say Lo here! or Lo there! For behold the Kingdom of God is +within you._ And which soever of the two, that is, either Heaven or +Hell, is manifested in it, in that the Soul standeth. + +Here Junius said to his Master: This is hard to understand. Doth it not +enter into Heaven or Hell, as a man entereth into a house; or as one +goeth through a hole or casement into an unknown place; so goeth it not +into another world? + +The Master spoke and said: No, there is verily no such kind of entering +in; forasmuch as Heaven and Hell are every where, being universally +co-extended. + +How is that possible? said the Scholar. What, can Heaven and Hell be +here present, where we are now sitting? And if one of them might, can +you ever make me believe that ever both should be here together? + +Then spoke the Master in this manner: I have said that Heaven is +everywhere present and it is true. For God is in Heaven; and God is +everywhere. I have said also that Hell must be in like manner +everywhere. For the _Wicked One_, who is the Devil, is in Hell, and the +whole World, as the Apostle hath taught us, lyeth in the _Wicked One_, +or the _Evil One_; which is as much as to say, not only that the Devil +is in the World, but that the World is in the Devil; and if in the +Devil, then in Hell too, because he is there. So Hell therefore is +everywhere, as well as Heaven; which is the thing that was to be proved. + +The Scholar, startled hereat, said: Pray make me to understand this. + +To whom the Master: Understand then what Heaven is. It is but the +_turning in of the Will to the Love of God_. Wheresoever thou findest +God manifesting himself in Love, there thou findest Heaven, without +travelling for it so much as one foot. And by this understand also what +Hell is and where it is. I say unto thee it is but the _turning in of +the Will into the wrath of God_. Wheresoever the Anger of God doth more +or less manifest itself, there certainly is more or less of Hell, in +whatsoever place it be. So that it is but the turning in of thy will +either into his Love, or into his Anger; and thou art accordingly either +in Heaven or in Hell. Mark it well. And this now cometh to pass in this +present life, whereof St Paul speaking saith, _Our conversation is in +Heaven_. And the Lord Christ saith also, _My sheep hear my voice, and I +know them, and they follow me, and I give them the Eternal Life, and +none shall pluck them out of my hand_. Observe, he saith not, I _will +give_ them, after this life is ended, but I _give_ them, that is, now in +the time of this life. And what else is this gift of Christ to his +followers, but an Eternity of Life, which for certain can be no where +but in Heaven. Yea, moreover, none shall be able to pluck them out of +Heaven, because it is he who holdeth them there, and they are in his +hand which nothing can resist. All therefore doth consist in the +turning in, or entering of the Will into Heaven, by hearing the the +voice of Christ, and both _knowing_ him, and _following_ him. And so on +the contrary it is also. Understandest thou this? + +His Scholar said to him: I think, in part, I do. But how cometh this +entering of the Will into Heaven to pass? + +The Master answered him: This then will I endeavour to satisfy thee in; +but thou must be very attentive to what I shall say unto thee. Know +then, my son, that when the Ground of the Will yieldeth itself up to +God, then it sinketh out of its own Self, and out of and beyond all +ground and place, that is or can be imagined, into a certain unknown +Deep, where God only is manifest, and where he only worketh and willeth. +And then it becometh nothing to itself, as to its own working and +willing, and so God worketh and willeth in it. And God dwells in this +designed Will, by which the Soul is sanctified, and so fitted to come +into Divine Rest. Now, in this case, when the body breaketh, the Soul is +so thoroughly penetrated all over with the Divine Light, even as a +glowing hot iron is by the fire, by which being penetrated throughout, +it loseth its darkness, and becomes bright and shining. Now this is the +_hand of Christ_, where God's Love thoroughly inhabits the Soul, and is +in it a shining Light, and a new glorious Life. And then the Soul is in +Heaven, and is a Temple of the Holy Ghost, and is itself the very Heaven +of God, wherein he dwelleth. Lo, this is the entering of the Will into +Heaven; and thus it cometh to pass. + +Be pleased, Sir, to proceed, said the Scholar, and let me know how it +fareth on the other side. + +The Master said: The godly Soul, you see, is in the _hand of Christ_, +that is in Heaven, as he himself hath told us, and in what manner this +cometh to be so, you have also heard. But the ungodly Soul is not +willing in this life-time to come into the Divine Resignation of its +Will, or to enter into the Will of God; but goeth on still in its own +lust and desire, in vanity and falsehood, and so entereth into the Will +of the Devil. It receiveth, thereupon, into itself nothing but +wickedness; nothing but lying, pride, covetousness, envy and wrath; and +thereunto it giveth up its Will and whole Desire. This is the Vanity of +the Will; and this same Vanity or vain shadow must also in like manner +be manifested in the Soul, which hath yielded itself up also to be its +servant; and must work therein even as the Love of God worketh in the +regenerated Will; and penetrate it all over, as fire doth iron. + +And it is not possible for this Soul to come into the Rest of God, +because God's Anger is manifested in it, and worketh in it. Now when a +body is parted from the Soul, then beginneth the Eternal Melancholy and +Despair, because it now findeth that it is become altogether Vanity, +even a Vanity most vexatious to itself, and a distracting Fury, and a +self-tormenting Abomination. Now it perceiveth itself disappointed of +every Thing which it had before fancied, and blind, and naked, and +wounded, and hungry, and thirsty, without the least prospect of ever +being relieved, or obtaining so much as one drop of the water of Eternal +Life. And it feeleth itself to be its own vile executioner and +tormentor; and is affrighted at its own ugly dark form, and fain would +flee from itself if it could, but it cannot, being fast bound with the +chains of the Dark Nature, whereinto it had sunk itself when in the +flesh. And so, not having learned or accustomed itself to sink down into +the Divine Grace, and being also strongly possessed with the Idea of +God, as an angry and jealous God, the poor Soul is both afraid and +ashamed to bring its Will into God, by which deliverance might possibly +come to it. The Soul is afraid to do it, as fearing to be consumed by so +doing, under the apprehension of the Deity as a mere devouring Fire. +The Soul is also _ashamed_ to do it, as being confounded at its own +nakedness and monstrosity, and therefore would, if it were possible, +hide itself from the Majesty of God, and cover its abominable form from +his most holy eye, though by casting itself still deeper into the +Darkness. Therefore it _will not_ enter into God, nay, it _cannot_ enter +with its false Will; yea, though it should strive to enter, yet can it +not enter into the Love, because of the Will which hath reigned in it. +For such a Soul is thereby captivated in the Wrath, yea, is itself but +_mere Wrath_, having by its false Desire, which it had awakened in +itself, comprehended and shut itself up therewith, and so transformed +itself into the nature and property thereof. + +And since also the Light of God doth not shine in it, nor the Love of +God enclose it, the Soul is moreover a _great Darkness_, and is withal +an anxious Fire-source, carrying about an Hell in itself, and not being +able to discern the least glimpse of the Light of God, or to feel the +least spark of his Love. Thus it dwelleth in itself as in Hell, and +needeth no entering into Hell at all, or being carried thither, for in +what place soever it may be, so long as it is in itself, it is in the +Hell. And though it should travel far and cast itself many hundred +thousand leagues from its present place, to be out of Hell; yet still +would it remain in its hellish source and darkness. + +If this be so, how then cometh it, said the Scholar to Theophorus, that +an Heavenly Soul doth not in the time of this life perfectly perceive +the Heavenly Light and Joy, and the Soul which is without God in the +World, doth not also here feel Hell, as well as hereafter? Why should +they not both be perceived and felt as well in this life as in the next, +seeing that both of them are in Man, and one of them as you have shewed, +worketh in every man? + +To whom Theophorus presently returned this answer: The Kingdom of Heaven +is in the Saints operative and manifestative of itself by _Faith_. They +who carry God within them, and live by his Spirit, find the Kingdom of +God in their Faith, and they feel the Love of God in their Faith, by +which the Will hath given up itself unto God, and is made Godlike. All +is transacted within them _by Faith_, which is to them the evidence of +the Eternal Invisibles, and a great manifestation in their Spirit of +this Divine Kingdom, which is within them. But their natural life is +nevertheless encompassed with flesh and blood; and this standing in a +contrariety thereto, and being placed through the Fall in the principle +of God's Anger, and environed about with the World, which by no means +can be reconciled to Faith, these faithful Souls cannot but be very much +exposed to attacks from this World, wherein they are sojourners; neither +can they be insensible of their being thus encompassed about with flesh +and blood, and with the World's vain lust, which ceaseth not continually +to penetrate the outward mortal life, and to tempt them manifold ways, +even as it did Christ. Whence the World on one side and the Devil on the +other, not without the curse of God's Anger in flesh and blood, do +thoroughly sift and penetrate the Life, whereby it cometh to pass that +the Soul is often in anxiety when these three are all set upon it +together, and when Hell thus assaulteth the Life, and would manifest +itself in the Soul. But the Soul hereupon sinketh down into the hope of +the Grace of God, and standeth like a beautiful Rose in the midst of +Thorns, until the Kingdom of this World shall fall from it in the death +of the body. And then the Soul first becometh truly manifest in the Love +of God, and of his Kingdom, which is the Kingdom of Love; having +henceforth nothing more to hinder it. But during this life she must walk +with Christ in this world, and then Christ delivereth her out of her own +Hell, by penetrating her with his Love throughout, and standing by her +in Hell, and even changing her Hell into Heaven. + +But in that thou sayest, Why do not the Souls which are without God feel +Hell in this World? I answer; They bear it about with them in their +wicked consciences, but they know it not; because the World hath put out +their eyes, and its deadly cup hath cast them likewise into a sleep, a +most fatal sleep. Notwithstanding which it must be owned that the Wicked +do frequently feel Hell within them during the time of this mortal life, +though they may not apprehend that it is Hell, because of the earthly +vanity which cleaveth to them from without, and the sensible pleasures +and amusements wherewith they are intoxicated. And moreover it is to be +noted that the outward Life in every such one hath yet the Light of the +outward Nature, which ruleth in this Life, and so the Pain of Hell +cannot, so long as that hath the rule, be revealed. But when the body +dyeth or breaketh away, so as the Soul cannot any longer enjoy such +temporal pleasure and delight, nor the Light of this outward World, +which is wholly thereupon extinguished as to it, then the Soul stands in +an eternal hunger and thirst after such vanities as it was here in love +withal, but yet can reach nothing but that false Will, which it had +impressed in itself while in the body; and wherein it had abounded to +its great loss. And now whereas it had too much of its Will in this +life, and yet was not contented therewith, it hath, after the separation +by death, as little of it; which createth in it an everlasting thirst +after that which it can henceforth never obtain more, and causeth it to +be in a perpetual anxious lust after Vanity, according to its former +impression, and in a continual rage of hunger after those sorts of +wickedness and lewdness whereinto it was immersed, being in the flesh. +Fain would it do more evil still, but that it hath not either wherein or +wherewith to effect the same, and therefore it doth perform this only +_in itself_. All is not literally transacted, as if it were outward; and +so the ungodly is tormented by those Furies which are in his own mind, +and begotten upon himself by himself. For he is verily become his own +Devil and Tormentor; and that by which he sinned here, when the Shadow +of this World is passed away, abideth still with him in the impression, +and is made his prison and his Hell. But this hellish hunger and thirst +cannot be fully manifested in the Soul, till the Body, which ministered +to the Soul that it lusted after, and with which the Soul was so +bewitched, as to doat thereupon, and pursue all its cravings, be +stripped off from it. + +I perceive then, said _Junius_ to his Master, that the Soul, having +played the wanton with the Body in all voluptuousness, and served the +lusts thereof during this life, retaineth still the very same +inclinations and affections which it had before, then when it hath no +opportunity or capacity to satisfy them longer; and that when this +cannot be, there is then Hell opened in that Soul, which had been shut +up in it before by means of the outward Life in the Body, and of the +Light of this World. Do I rightly understand? + +_Theophorus_ said: It is very rightly understood by you. Go on. + +On the other hand (said he) I clearly perceive by what I have heard, +that Heaven cannot but be in a loving Soul which is possessed of God, +and hath subdued thereby the Body to the obedience of the Spirit in all +things, and perfectly immersed itself into the Will and Love of God. And +when the Body dyeth, and the Soul is hence redeemed from the Earth, it +is now evident to me that the Life of God, which was hidden in it, will +display itself gloriously, and Heaven consequently be then manifested. +But, notwithstanding, if there be not a local Heaven besides and a local +Hell, I am still at a loss where to place no small part of the Creation, +if not the greatest. For where must all the intellectual inhabitants of +it abide? + +In their own Principle, answered the Master, whether it be of Light or +of Darkness. For every created intellectual Being remaineth in its deeds +and essences, in its wonders and properties, in its life and image; and +therein it beholdeth and feeleth God, as who is everywhere, whether it +be in the Love or in the Wrath. + +If it be in the Love of God, then beholdeth it God accordingly, and +feeleth him as he is, Love. But if it hath captivated itself in the +Wrath of God, then it cannot behold God otherwise than in the Wrathful +Nature, nor perceive him otherwise than as an incensed and vindictive +Spirit. All places are alike to it, if it be in God's Love; and, if it +be not there, every place is Hell alike. What Place can bound a Thought? +Or what needeth any understanding Spirit to be kept here or there, in +order to its happiness or misery? Verily, wheresoever it is, it is in +the Abyssal World, where there is neither end nor limit. And whither, I +pray, should it go? since though it should go a thousand miles off, or a +thousand times ten thousand miles, and this ten thousand times over +beyond the bounds of the Universe, and into the imagining spaces above +the stars, yet it were then still in the very same point from whence it +went out. For God is the _Place_ of Spirit, if it may be lawful to +attribute to him such a name to the which Body hath a relation. And in +God there is no limit; both near and far off is here all one; and be it +in his Love, or be it in his Anger, the abyssal Will of the Spirit is +altogether unconfined. It is swift as thought, passing through all +things; it is magical, and nothing corporeal or from without can let it; +it dwelleth in its wonders, and they are its house. + +Thus it is with every Intellectual, whether of the Order of Angels or of +human Souls, and you need not fear but there will be room enough for +them all, be they ever so many; and such also as shall best suit them, +even according to their election and determination, and which may thence +very well be called the "_own place_" of each. + +At which said the Scholar, I remember, indeed, that it is written +concerning the great traitor, that he went after death to his _own +place_. + +The Master said: The same is true of every Soul, when it departeth this +mortal life. And it is true in like manner of every Angel and Spirit +whatsoever, which is necessarily determined by its own choice. As God is +everywhere, so also the Angels are everywhere; but each one in its own +Principle, and in its own Property or (if you had rather) in its _own +Place_. The same Essence of God, which is as a Place to Spirits, is +confessed to be everywhere, but the appropriation or participation +hereof is different to everyone, according as each hath attracted it +magically in the earnestness of Will. The same Divine Essence which is +with the Angels of God above, is with us also below. And the same Divine +Nature which is with us is likewise with them; but after different +manners and in different degrees communicated and participated. + +And what I have said here of the Divine, is no less to be considered by +you in the participation of the Diabolical Essence and Nature, which is +the Power of Darkness, as to the manifold modes, degrees, and +appropriations thereof in the false Will. In this World there is strife +between them, but when this World hath reached in anyone the Limit, then +the Principle catcheth that which is its own, and so the Soul receiveth +companions accordingly, that is, either Angels or Devils. + +To whom the Scholar again: Heaven and Hell then being in us at strife in +the time of this life, and God himself being also thus near to us, where +can Angels and Devils dwell? + +And the Master answered him thus: Where thou dost not dwell as to thy +_Self-hood_ and to thine _own Will_, there the holy Angels dwell with +thee, and every where all over round about thee. Remember this well. On +the contrary, where thou dwellest as to thyself, or in Self-seeking, and +Self-will, there to be sure the Devils will be with thee, and will take +up their abode with thee, and dwell all over thee, and round about thee +everywhere, which God in his mercy prevent. + +I understand not this, said the Scholar, so perfectly well as I could +wish. Be pleased to make it a little more plain to me. + +The Master then spake: Mark well what I am going to say. Where the Will +of God in anything willeth, there is God manifested. And in this very +manifestation of God the Angels do dwell. But where God in any Creature +willeth not with the Will of that Creature, there God is not manifested +to it, neither can he be; but dwelleth in himself, without the +co-operation thereof, and subjection to him in humility. There God is an +unmanifested God to the Creature. So the Angels dwell not with such an +one; for wherever they dwell, there is the Glory of God; and they make +his Glory. What then dwelleth in such a Creature as this? God dwelleth +not therein; the Angels dwell not therein; God willeth not therein; the +Angels also will not therein. The case is evidently this; in that Soul +or Creature its own will is without God's Will; and there the Devil +dwelleth; and with him all that is without God, and without Christ. This +is the truth; lay it to heart. + +The _Scholar_ said: It is possible I may ask several impertinent +questions; but I beseech you, good Sir, to have patience with me, and to +pity my ignorance, if I ask what may appear to you perhaps ridiculous, +or may not be at all fit for me to expect an answer to. For I have +several questions still to propound to you; but I am ashamed of my own +thoughts in this matter. + +The _Master_ said: Be plain with me, and propose whatever is upon your +mind; yea, be not ashamed even to appear ridiculous, so that by querying +you may but become wiser. + +The _Scholar_ thanked his Master for this liberty and said: How far then +are Heaven and Hell asunder? + +To whom he answered thus: As far as Day and Night; or as far as +Something and Nothing. They are in one another and yet they are at the +greater distance one from the other. Nay, the one of them is as nothing +to the other; and yet notwithstanding they cause joy and grief to one +another. Heaven is throughout the whole World, and it is also without +the World over all, even everywhere that is, or that can be even so much +as imagined. It filleth all, it is within all, it is without all, it +encompasseth all; without division, without place; working by a Divine +Manifestation, and flowing forth universally, but not going in the least +out of itself. For only in itself it worketh and is revealed, being one +and undivided in all. It appeareth only through the Manifestation of +God; and never but in itself only. And in that Being which cometh into +it, or in that wherein it is manifested; there also it is that God is +manifested. Because Heaven is nothing else but a Manifestation or +Revelation of the Eternal One, wherein all the working and willing is in +quiet love. + +So in like manner Hell also is through the whole World, and dwelleth and +worketh but in itself, and in that wherein the Foundation of Hell is +manifested, namely, in Self-hood and in the False Will. The visible +World hath both in it; and there is no place but Heaven and Hell may be +found or revealed in it. Now Man as to his temporal life is only of the +visible World; and therefore during the time of his life he seeth not +the spiritual World. For the Outward World with its substance is a cover +to the Spiritual World, even as the Body is to the Soul. But when the +outward Man dyeth, then the Spiritual World is manifested to the Soul, +which hath now its covering taken away. And it is manifested either in +the Eternal Light with the holy Angels, or in the Eternal Darkness, with +the Devils. + +The _Scholar_ further queried: What is an Angel, or an human Soul, that +they can be thus manifested either in God's Love or Anger, either in +Light or Darkness? + +To whom Theophorus answered: They come from one and the self-same +Original. They are little branches of the Divine Wisdom, of the Divine +Will, sprung from the Divine Word, and made objects of the Divine Love. +They are out of the Ground of Eternity; whence Light and Darkness do +spring; Darkness which consisteth in the receiving of Self-Desire; and +Light which consisteth in willing the same thing with God. For the +conformity of the Will with God's Will is Heaven; and wheresoever there +is this willing with God, there the Love of God is undoubtedly in the +working, and his Light will not fail to manifest itself. But in the +Self-attraction of the Soul's desire, or in the reception of Self into +the willing of any Spirit, angelical or human, the Will of God worketh +with difficulty, and is to that Soul and Spirit nought but Darkness; out +of which, notwithstanding, the Light may be manifested. And this +Darkness is the Hell of that Spirit wherein it is. For _Heaven_ and +_Hell_ are nought else but a _Manifestation of the Divine Will either +in Light or Darkness, according to the Properties of the Spiritual +World_. + +SCHOLAR + +What then is the Body of Man? + +MASTER + +It is the visible World, an Image and Quintessence, or Compound of all +that the World is; and the visible World is a manifestation of the +inward spiritual World, come out of the Eternal Light, and out of the +Eternal Darkness, out of the spiritual compaction or connection; and it +is also an Image or Figure of Eternity, whereby Eternity hath made +itself visible; where Self-Will and resigned Will, viz., Evil and Good, +work one with the other. + +Such a substance is the outward Man. For God created Man out of the +outward World, and breathed into him the inward spiritual World for a +Soul and an intelligent Life, and therefore in the things of the outward +World, Man can receive and work Evil and Good. + +SCHOLAR + +What shall be after this World, when all things perish and come to an +end? + +MASTER + +The material substance only ceaseth; viz., the four Elements, the Sun, +Moon and Stars. And then the inward world will be wholly visible and +manifest. But whatsoever hath been wrought by the Will or Spirit of Man +in this World's time, whether evil or good shall there separate itself +in a spiritual matter, either into the Eternal Light or into the Eternal +Darkness. For that which is born from each Will penetrateth and passeth +again into that which is like itself. And there the Darkness is called +Hell, and is an eternal forgetting of all Good, and the Light is called +the Kingdom of God, and is an eternal joy in and to the Saints, who +continually glorify and praise God, for having delivered them from the +torment of evil. + +The last Judgment is a kindling of the Fire both of God's Love and +Anger, in which the matter of every substance perisheth, and each Fire +shall attract into itself its own, that is, the substance which is like +itself. Thus God's Fire of Love will draw into itself what is wrought in +the Anger of God in Darkness, and consume the false substance; and then +there will remain only the painful, aching Will in its own proper +nature, image, and figure. + +SCHOLAR + +With what matter and form shall the human Body rise? + +MASTER + +It is sown a natural gross and elementary Body; yet in this gross Body +there is a subtle Power and Virtue. As in the Earth also there is a +subtle good Virtue, which is like the Sun, and is one and the same with +the Sun, which also did in the beginning of time spring and proceed out +of the Divine Power and Virtue, whence all the good Virtue of the Body +is likewise derived. This good Virtue of the mortal Body shall come +again and live for ever in a kind of transparent crystalline material +property, in spiritual flesh and blood; as shall return also the good +Virtue of the Earth, for the Earth, likewise shall become crystalline, +and the Divine Light shine in everything that hath a being, essence, or +substance. And as the gross Earth shall perish and never return, so also +the gross flesh of Man shall perish and not live for ever. But all +Things must appear before the Judgment, and in the Judgment be separated +by the Fire; yea, both the Earth, and also the ashes of the human Body. +For when God shall once move the spiritual World, every Spirit shall +attract its spiritual substance to itself. A good Spirit and Soul shall +draw to itself its own substance, and an evil one its evil substance. + +SCHOLAR + +Shall we not rise again with our visible bodies, and live in them for +ever? + +MASTER + +When the visible world perisheth, then all that hath come out of it, and +hath been external, shall perish with it. There shall remain of the +World only the crystalline Nature and Form, and of Man also only the +spiritual Earth, for Man shall be then wholly like the crystalline +World, which as yet is hidden. + +SCHOLAR + +Shall all then have eternal joy and glorification alike? + +MASTER + +St Paul saith: In the Resurrection one shall differ from another in +glory, as do the Sun, Moon and Stars. Therefore know that the Blessed +shall indeed all enjoy the divine working in and upon them, but their +virtue and illumination or glory shall be very different according as +they have endured in this life with different measures and degrees of +power and virtue in their painful workings. + +SCHOLAR + +How shall all people and nations be brought to judgment? + +MASTER + +The Eternal Word of God, out of which every creaturely spiritual Life +hath proceeded will move itself at that hour, according to Love and +Anger, in every Life which is come out of the Eternity, and will draw +every Creature before the Judgment of Christ, to be sentenced by this +motion of the Word. The Life will then be manifested in all its works, +and every Soul shall see and feel its judgment and sentence in itself. +For the Judgment is, indeed, immediately at the departure of the Body +manifested in and to every Soul. And the last Judgment is but a return +of the spiritual Body, and a separation of the World, when the Evil +shall be separated from the Good, in the substance of the World, and of +the human Body, and everything enter into its eternal receptacle. And +thus it is a manifestation of the Mystery of God in every substance and +life. + +SCHOLAR + +How will the sentence be pronounced? + +MASTER + +Here consider the words of Christ. He will say to those on his right +hand; _Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for +you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and ye gave me +meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took +me in; naked and ye clothed me. I was sick and ye visited me, in prison +and ye came unto me._ + +_Then shall they answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, +thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or in prison, and ministered thus unto +thee?_ + +Then shall the King answer and say unto them; _Inasmuch as ye have done +it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me._ + +And unto the wicked on his left hand he will say; _Depart from me, ye +Cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. +For I was hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, and in prison, and ye +ministered not unto me._ + +And they shall also answer him and say; _When did we see thee thus and +ministered not unto thee?_ + +And he will answer them, _Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have not +done it unto one of the least of these, ye did it not to me._ + +_And these shall depart into everlasting punishment, but the Righteous +into Life Eternal._ + +SCHOLAR + +Loving Master, pray tell me why Christ saith, _What you have done to the +least of these you have done to me; and what you have not done to them, +neither have you done it to me_? And how doth a Man this _so_, as that +he doth it to Christ himself? + +MASTER + +Christ dwelleth really and essentially in the faith of those that wholly +yield up themselves to him, and giveth them his Flesh for food and his +Blood for drink; and thus possesseth the ground of their faith, +according to the interior or inward Man. And a Christian is called a +Branch of the Vine Christ, and a Christian, because Christ dwelleth +spiritually in him; therefore, whatsoever good any shall do to such a +Christian in his bodily necessities, it is done to Christ himself, who +dwelleth in him. For such a Christian is not his own, but is wholly +resigned to Christ, and become his peculiar possession, and consequently +the good deed is done to Christ _himself_. Therefore also whosoever +shall withhold their help from such a needy Christian, and forbear to +serve him in his necessity, they thrust Christ away from themselves, and +despise him in his members. When a poor person that belongeth thus to +Christ asketh anything of thee, and thou deniest it him in his +necessity, thou deniest it to Christ himself. And whatsoever hurt any +shall do to such a Christian, they do it to Christ himself. When any +mock, scorn, revile, reject, or thrust away such an one they do all that +to Christ, but he that receiveth him, giveth him meat, and drink, or +apparel, and assisteth him in his necessities, doth it likewise to +Christ, and to a fellow-member of his own Body. Nay he doth it to +himself if it be a Christian; for we are all one in Christ, as a tree +and its branches are. + +SCHOLAR + +How then will those subsist in the day of the last Judgment, who afflict +and vex the poor and distressed, and deprive them of their very sweat, +necessitating and constraining them by force to submit to their wills, +and trampling upon them as their footstools, only that they themselves +may live in pomp and power, and spend the fruits of this poor people's +sweat and labour in voluptuousness, pride, and vanity? + +MASTER + +Christ suffereth in the persecution of his members. Therefore all the +wrong that such hard executors do to the poor wretches under their +control is done to Christ himself; and falleth under his severe sentence +and judgment. And besides that by such oppression of the Poor they draw +them off from Christ, and make them seek unlawful ways to fill their +bellies. Nay, they work for and with the Devil himself, doing the very +same thing which he doth: who, without intermission opposeth the Kingdom +of Christ, which consisteth only in Love. All these oppressors, if they +do not turn with their whole hearts unto Christ, and minister to or +serve him, must go into Hell-fire, which is fed and kept alive by +nothing else but such mere Self, which they have exercised over the Poor +here. + +SCHOLAR + +But how will it fare with those who in this time do so fiercely contend +about the kingdom of Christ, and slander, revile and persecute one +another for their religion? + +MASTER + +All such have not yet known Christ; and they are but as a type or figure +of Heaven and Hell, striving for each other for the victory. + +All rising, swelling pride, which contendeth about opinions, is an image +of Self. And whosoever hath not faith and humility, nor liveth in the +Spirit of Christ, which is Love, is only armed with the Anger of God, +and helpeth forward the victory of the imaginary Self, that is, the +Kingdom of Darkness, and the Anger of God. For at the day of Judgment +all Self shall be given to the Darkness as shall also all the +unprofitable contentions of men; in which they seek not after Love, but +merely after their imaginary Self. All such things belong to the +Judgment, which will separate the false from the true; and then all +images or opinions shall cease, and all the Children of God shall dwell +for ever in the Love of Christ, and _that_ in them. For in Heaven all +serve God their Creator in humble love. + +SCHOLAR + +Wherefore then doth God suffer such strife and contention to be in this +time? + +MASTER + +The Life itself standeth in strife, that it may be made manifest, +sensible, and palpable, and that the wisdom may be made separable and +known. + +The Strife also constituteth the Eternal Joy of the victory. For there +will arise great praise and thanksgiving in the Saints from the +experimental sense and knowledge that Christ in them hath overcome +Darkness, and all the Self of Nature, and that they are at length +totally delivered from the Strife, at which they shall rejoice +eternally. And therefore God suffereth all Souls to stand in a +free-will, that the Eternal Dominion both of Love and Anger, of Light +and of Darkness, may be made manifest and known; and that every Life +might cause and find its own sentence in itself. For that which is now a +strife and pain to the Saints in their wretched warfare here, shall in +the end be turned into great joy to them; and that which hath been a joy +and pleasure to ungodly persons in this world, shall afterwards be +turned into eternal torment and shame to them. Therefore the joy of the +Saints must arise to them out of death, as the light ariseth out of a +candle by the destruction and consumption of it in its fire, that so the +Life may be freed from the painfulness of Nature, and possess another +World. + +And as the Light hath quite another property than the Fire has, for it +giveth and yieldeth itself forth; whereas the Fire draweth in and +consumeth itself, so the holy Life of Meekness springeth forth through +the Death of Self-will, and then God's Will of Love only ruleth, and +doth all in all. For thus the Eternal One hath attained Feeling and +Separability, and brought itself forth again with the feeling, through +Death, in great Joyfulness, that there might be an Eternal Delight in +the Infinite Unity, and an Eternal Cause of Joy; and therefore that +which was before Painfulness, must now be the Ground and Cause of this +motion or stirring to the Manifestation of all Things. And herein lyeth +the Mystery of the hidden Wisdom of God. + +_Every one that asketh receiveth, every one that seeketh findeth, and to +every one that knocketh it shall be opened. The Grace of our Lord Jesus +Christ, and the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghost, be +with us all. Amen._ + + + + +DIALOGUE IV + +THE WAY FROM DARKNESS TO TRUE ILLUMINATION + + +There was a poor Soul that had wandered out of Paradise, and come into +the kingdom of this World; where the Devil met it, and said to it: +Whither dost thou go, thou Soul that art half blind? + +THE SOUL SAID + +I would see and speculate into the Creatures of the World, which their +Creator hath made. + +THE DEVIL SAID + +How wilt thou see and speculate into them, when thou canst not know +their essence and property? Thou wilt look upon their outside only, as +upon a graven image, and canst not know them thoroughly. + +THE SOUL SAID + +How may I come to know their essence and property? + +THE DEVIL SAID + +Thine eyes would be opened to see them thoroughly, if thou didst but eat +of _that_, from whence the Creatures themselves are come to be _good_ +and _evil_. Thou wouldst then be as God himself is, and know what the +Creature is. + +THE SOUL SAID + +I am now a noble and holy Creature: but if I should do so, the Creator +hath said that I should die. + +THE DEVIL SAID + +No, thou shouldst not die at all; but thy eyes would be opened, and thou +wouldst be as God himself, and be Master of Good and Evil. Also, thou +wouldst be mighty, powerful and very great, as I am; all the subtlety +that is in the Creatures would be made known to thee. + +THE SOUL SAID + +If I had the knowledge of Nature and of the Creatures, I would then rule +the whole World as I listed. + +THE DEVIL SAID + +The whole ground of their knowledge lieth in thee. Do but turn thy Will +and Desire from God or Goodness into Nature and the Creatures, and then +there will arise in thee a lust to taste; and so thou mayest eat of the +Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and by that means come to know all +things. + +THE SOUL SAID + +Well then, I will eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, that I +may rule all things by my own power, and be of myself a Lord on Earth, +and do what I will, even as God himself doth. + +THE DEVIL SAID + +I am the Prince of this World; and if thou wouldst rule on earth thou +must turn thy lust towards my Image, and desire to be like me, that thou +mayst get the cunning, wit, reason, and subtlety that my Image hath. + +Thus did the Devil present to the Soul the Power that is in the fiery +root of the Creature, that is the fiery Wheel of Essence in the form of +a Serpent. Upon which, + +THE SOUL SAID + +Behold this is the Power which can do all things. What must I do to get +it? + +THE DEVIL SAID + +If thou dost break thy Will off from God, and bring it into this power +and skill, then thy hidden Ground will be manifested in thee, and thou +mayest work in the same manner. But thou must eat of that Fruit, wherein +each of the four elements in itself ruleth over the other, and is in +strife. And then thou wilt be instantly as the fiery Wheel is, and so +bring all things into thine own power, and possess them as thine own. + +THE SOUL DID SO AND WHAT HAPPENED THEREUPON + +Now when the Soul broke its will off thus from God, and brought it into +the fiery Will (which is the Root of Life and Power), there presently +arose in it a lust to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; and +the Soul did eat thereof. Which as soon as it had done, instantly was +kindled the fiery Wheel of its Essence, and thereupon all the properties +of Nature awoke in the Soul, and exercised each its own desire. + +First arose the lust of Pride; a desire to be great, mighty, and +powerful; to bring all things in subjection to it, and to be Lord itself +without control, despising all humility and equality, as esteeming +itself the only prudent, witty and cunning one, and accounting +everything folly that is not according to its own humour and liking. + +Secondly, arose the lust of Covetousness, a desire of getting, which +would draw all things to itself, into its own possession. For when the +lust of Pride had turned away the Will from God, then the Life of the +Soul would not trust God any further, but would take care for itself; +and therefore brought its desire into the Creatures, viz., into the +earth, metals, trees, and other Creatures. Thus the kindled fiery Life +became hungry and covetous, when it had broken itself off from the +Unity, Love, and Meekness of God, and attracted to itself the four +Elements and New Essence, and brought itself into the Condition of the +beasts, and so the Life became dark, empty, and wrathful; and the +heavenly Virtues and Colours went out, like a candle extinguished. + +Thirdly, there awoke in this fiery Life the stinging thorny lust of +Envy: a hellish poison, and a torment which makes the Life a mere enmity +to God and to all Creatures. Which Envy raged furiously in the sting of +Covetousness, as a venomous sting doth in the body. Envy cannot endure, +but hateth and would hurt or destroy that which Covetousness cannot +draw to itself by which hellish passion the Noble Love of the Soul is +smothered. + +Fourthly, there awoke in this fiery Life a torment like fire, viz., +Anger; which would murder and remove out of the way all who would not be +subject to Pride. Thus the Ground and Foundation of Hell, which is +called the Anger of God, was wholly manifested in this Soul. Whereby it +lost the fair Paradise of God and the Kingdom of Heaven, and became such +a worm as the fiery Serpent was, which the Devil presented to it in his +own image and likeness. And so the Soul began to rule on earth in a +bestial manner, and did all things according to the Will of the Devil, +living in mere Pride, Covetousness, Envy, and Anger, having no longer +any true love towards God. But there arose in the stead thereof an evil +bestial love of Wantonness and Vanity, and there was no purity left in +the heart, for the Soul had forsaken Paradise, and taken the Earth into +its possession. Its mind was wholly bent upon cunning knowledge, +subtility, and getting together a multitude of earthly things. No +righteousness nor virtue remained in it at all; but whatsoever evil and +wrong it committed, it covered all cunningly under the cloak of its +power and authority by law, and called it by the name of Right and +Justice, and accounted it good. + +THE DEVIL CAME TO THE SOUL + +Upon this the Devil drew near the Soul, and brought it on from one vice +to another, for he had taken it captive in his Essence, and set joy and +pleasure before it, therein, saying thus to it: Behold now thou art +powerful, mighty, and noble, endeavour to be greater, richer, and more +powerful still. Display thy knowledge, wit and subtlety, that every one +may fear thee, and stand in awe of thee, and that thou mayst be +respected, and get a great name in the World. + +THE SOUL DID SO + +The Soul did as the Devil counselled it, and yet knew not that its +counsellor was the Devil; but thought it was guided by its own +knowledge, wit, and understanding, and that it did very well and right +all the while. + +JESUS CHRIST MET WITH THE SOUL + +The Soul going on in this course of life, our dear and loving Lord Jesus +Christ, Who was come into this World with the Love and Wrath of God, to +destroy the works of the Devil, and to execute judgment upon all ungodly +deeds, on a time met with it, and spake by a strong power, viz., by his +passion and death into it, and destroyed the works of the Devil in it, +and discovered to it the way to his Grace, and shone upon it with his +mercy, calling it to return and repent, and promising that he would then +deliver it from that monstrous deformed shape and image which it had +gotten, and bring it into Paradise again. + +HOW CHRIST BROUGHT IN THE SOUL + +Now when the Spark of the Love of God, or the Divine Light, was +accordingly manifested in the Soul, it presently saw itself with its +will and works to be in Hell, in the Wrath of God, and found it was an +ugly, misshapen monster in the Divine Presence and the Kingdom of +Heaven: at which it was so affrighted, that it fell into the greatest +anguish possible, for the Judgment of God was manifested in it. + +WHAT CHRIST SAID + +Upon this the Lord Christ spake unto it with the Voice of his Grace, and +said: _Repent and forsake Vanity, and thou shalt attain My Grace_. + +WHAT THE SOUL SAID + +Then the Soul with its ugly misshapen image went before God and +entreated for Grace and the pardon of its sins, and came to be strongly +persuaded in itself that the satisfaction and atonement of our Lord +Jesus Christ did belong to it. But the evil properties of the Serpent, +formed in the Astral Spirit, or Reason, of the outward Man, would not +suffer the Will of the Soul to come before God, but brought their lusts +and inclinations thereinto. + +But the poor Soul turned its countenance towards God, and desired Grace +from him, even that he would bestow his Love upon it. + +THE DEVIL CAME TO IT AGAIN + +But when the Devil saw that the Soul thus prayed to God, and would enter +into repentance, he drew near to it, and thrust the inclinations of the +earthly properties into its prayers, and disturbed its good thoughts and +desires which pressed forwards towards God, and drew them back again to +earthly things that they might have no access to him. + +THE SOUL SIGHED + +The central Will of the Soul indeed sighed after God, but the thoughts +arising in the mind that it should penetrate into him, were distracted, +scattered and destroyed, so that they could not reach the Power of God. +At which the poor Soul was still more affrighted and began to pray more +earnestly. But the Devil with his desire took hold of the kindled, fiery +Wheel of Life, and awakened the evil properties, so that evil or false +inclinations arose in the Soul, and went into that thing wherein they +had taken most pleasure and delight before. + +The poor Soul would very fain go forward to God with its Will, and +therefore used all its endeavours; but its thoughts continually fled +away from God into earthly things, and would not go to him. + +Upon this the Soul sighed and bewailed itself to God; but was as if it +were quite forsaken by him, and cast out from its Presence. It could not +get so much as one look of Grace, but was in mere anguish, fear and +terror, and dreaded every moment that the Wrath and severe Judgment of +God would be manifested in it, and that the Devil would take hold of it +and have it. And thereupon fell into such great heaviness and sorrow, +that it became weary of all the temporal things, which were before its +chief joy and happiness. + +The earthly natural Will indeed desired those things still, but the Soul +would willingly leave them altogether, and desired to die to all +temporal lust and joy whatsoever, and longed only after its first native +country, from whence it originally came. But it found itself to be far +from thence in great distress and want, and knew not what to do, yet +resolved to enter into itself, and try to pray more earnestly. + +THE DEVIL'S OPPOSITION + +But the Devil opposed it, and withheld it so that it could not bring +itself into any greater fervency of repentance. + +He awakened the earthly lusts in its heart, that they might still keep +their evil nature and false right therein, and set them at variance with +the new-born Will and Desire of the Soul. For they would not die to +their own Will and Light, but would still maintain their temporal +pleasures, and so kept the poor Soul captive in their evil desires, that +it could not stir, though it sighed and longed never so much after the +Grace of God. For whensoever it prayed, or offered to press forward +towards God, then the lusts of the flesh swallowed up the rays and +ejaculations that went forth from it, and brought them away from God +into earthly thoughts, that it might not partake of Divine Strength. +Which caused the poor Soul to think itself forsaken of God, not knowing +that he was so near it, and did thus attract it. Also the Devil tempted +the poor Soul, saying to it in the earthly thoughts: + +"Why dost thou pray? Dost thou think that God knoweth thee or regardeth +thee? Consider but what thoughts thou hast in his presence; are they not +altogether evil? Thou hast no faith or belief in God at all; how then +should he hear thee? He heareth thee not, leave off; why wilt thou +needlessly torment and vex thyself! Thou hast time enough to repent at +leisure. Wilt thou be mad? Do but look upon the world I pray thee a +little; doth it not live in jollity and mirth, yet it will be saved well +enough for all that. Hath not Christ paid the ransom and satisfied for +all men? Thou needest only persuade and comfort thyself that it is done +for thee, and then thou shalt be saved. Thou canst not possibly in this +world come to any feeling of God, therefore leave off, and take care for +thy body, and look after temporal glory. What dost thou suppose will +become of thee, if thou turn to be so stupid and melancholy? Thou wilt +be the scorn of everybody, and they will laugh at thy folly; and so thou +wilt pass thy days in mere sorrow and heaviness, which is pleasing +neither to God nor Nature. I pray thee, look upon the beauty of the +World, for God hath so erected and placed thee in it, to be a Lord over +all Creatures and to rule them. Gather store of temporal goods +beforehand, that thou mayest not be beholden to the World, or stand in +need hereafter. And when old age cometh, or that thou growest near thy +end, then prepare thyself for repentance. God will save thee, and +receive thee into the heavenly mansions there. There is no need of such +ado in vexing, bewailing, and stirring up thyself, as thou makest." + +THE CONDITION OF THE SOUL + +In these and the like thoughts the Soul was ensnared by the Devil, and +brought into the lust of the flesh, and earthly desires; and so bound as +it were with fetters and strong chains that it did not know what to do. +It looked back a little into the World and the pleasures thereof, but +still felt in itself a hunger after Divine Grace, and would rather enter +into repentance and favour with God. For the Hand of God had touched and +bruised it, and therefore it could rest nowhere; but always sighed in +itself after sorrow for the sins it had committed, and would fain be rid +of them. Yet could not get true repentance, or even the knowledge of +sin, though it had a mighty hunger and longing desire after such +penitential sorrow. + +The Soul being thus heavy and sad, and finding no remedy or rest, began +to cast about where it might find a fit place to perform true repentance +in, where it might be free from business, cares, and the hinderances of +the World; and also by what means it might win the favour of God. And at +length purposed to betake itself to some private solitary place, and +give over all worldly employments and temporal things, and hoped that by +being bountiful and pitiful to the Poor, it should obtain God's mercy. +Thus did it devise all kinds of ways to get rest, and to gain the love, +favour, and grace of God again. But all would not do; for its worldly +business still followed it in the lusts of the flesh, and it was +ensnared in the net of the Devil now, as well as before, and could not +attain rest. And though for a little while it was somewhat cheered with +earthly things, yet presently it fell to be as sad and heavy again as it +was before. The truth was it felt the awakened Wrath of God in itself, +but knew not how that came to pass, nor what ailed it. For many times +great trouble and terror fell upon it, which made it comfortless, sick, +and faint with very fear; so mightily did the first bruising it with the +ray or influence of the stirring of Grace work upon it. And yet it knew +not that Christ was in the Wrath and severe Justice of God and fought +therein with that Spirit of Error incorporated in Soul and Body, nor +understood that the hunger and desire to turn and repent came from +Christ Himself, neither did it know what hindered it that it could not +yet attain to Divine Feeling. It knew not that itself was a monster, and +did bear the Image of the Serpent. + +AN ENLIGHTENED AND REGENERATE SOUL MET THE DISTRESSED SOUL + +By the Providence of God, an enlightened and regenerate Soul met the +distressed Soul, and said: What ailest thou, thou distressed Soul, that +thou art so restless and troubled! + +THE DISTRESSED SOUL ANSWERED + +The Creator hath hid his Countenance from me, so that I cannot come to +his Rest; therefore I am thus troubled, and know not what I shall do to +get his Loving-kindness again. For great cliffs and rocks lie in my way +to his Grace, so that I cannot come to him. Though I sigh and long after +him never so much, yet I am kept back, so that I cannot partake of his +Power, Virtue, and Strength. + +THE ENLIGHTENED SOUL SAID + +Thou bearest the monstrous shape of the Devil, and art clothed +therewith; in which, being his own Property or Principle, he hath access +or power of entrance into thee, and thereby keepeth thy Will from +penetrating into God. For if thy Will might penetrate into God, it would +be anointed with the highest Power and Strength of God, in the +Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that unction would break in +pieces the monster which thou carriest about thee; and thy first Image +of Paradise would revive in the Centre; which would destroy the Devil's +Power therein, and thou wouldst become an Angel again. And because the +Devil envieth thee this happiness, he holdeth thee captive in his Desire +in the lusts of the flesh, from which if thou art not delivered, thou +wilt be separated from God, and canst never enter into our Society. + +THE DISTRESSED SOUL TERRIFIED + +At this speech the poor distressed Soul was so terrified and amazed, +that it could not speak one word more. When it found that it stood in +the form and condition of the Serpent which separated it from God, and +that the Devil was so nigh it in that condition, who injected evil +thoughts into the Will of the Soul, and had so much power over it +thereby that it was near damnation and sticking fast in the Abyss or +bottomless pit of Hell in the Anger of God, it would have even despaired +of Divine Mercy; but that the Power, Virtue and Strength of the first +stirring of the Grace of God, which had before bruised the Soul, upheld +and preserved it from total despair. But still it wrestled in itself +between Hope and Doubt; whatsoever Hope built up, that Doubt threw down +again. And thus was it agitated with such continued disquiet, that at +last the World and all the glory thereof became loathsome to it, neither +would it enjoy worldly pleasures any more; and yet for all this could it +not come to Rest. + +THE ENLIGHTENED SOUL CAME AGAIN, AND SPOKE TO THE TROUBLED SOUL + +On a time the enlightened Soul came again to this Soul, and finding it +still in so great trouble, anguish, and grief, said to it. + +What dost thou? Wilt thou destroy thyself in thy anguish and sorrow? Why +dost thou torment thyself in thy own Power and Will, seeing thy torment +increaseth thereby more and more? Yea, if thou shouldst sink thyself +down to the bottom of the sea, or fly to the uttermost coasts of the +morning, or raise thyself above the stars, yet thou wouldst not be +released. For the more thou grievest, tormentest, and troublest thyself, +the more painful thy nature will be; and yet thou wilt not be able to +come to Rest. For thy Power is quite lost, and as a dry stick burnt to a +coal cannot grow green and spring afresh by its own power, nor get sap +to flourish again with other trees and plants; so neither canst thou +reach the Place of God by thy own power and strength, and transform +thyself into that Angelical Image which thou hadst at first. For in +respect to God thou art withered and dry, like a dead plant that hath +lost its sap and strength, and so art become a dry tormenting Hunger. +Thy Properties are like Heat and Cold which continually strive one +against the other, and can never unite. + +THE DISTRESSED SOUL SAID + +What then shall I do to bud forth again, and recover the first Life, +wherein I was at rest before I became an Image? + +THE ENLIGHTENED SOUL SAID + +Thou shalt do nothing at all but forsake thy own Will, viz., that which +thou callest _I_, or _thyself_. By which means all thy evil properties +will grow weak, faint, and ready to die; and then thou wilt sink down +again into that One Thing from which thou art originally sprung. For now +thou liest captive in the Creatures; but if thy Will forsaketh them, +they will die in thee, with their evil inclinations, which at present +stay and hinder thee that thou canst not come to God. But if thou takest +this course, thy God will meet thee with his infinite Love, which he +hath manifested in Christ Jesus in the Humanity, or human Nature. And +that will impart sap, life and vigour to thee, whereby thou mayst bud, +spring, flourish again, and rejoice in the Living God, as a branch +growing on his true Vine. And so thou wilt at length recover the Image +of God, and be delivered from that of the Serpent. Then shalt thou come +to be my brother and have fellowship with the Angels. + +THE POOR SOUL SAID + +How can I forsake my Will, so that the Creatures which lodge therein may +die, seeing I must be in the World, and also have need of it as long as +I live? + +THE ENLIGHTENED SOUL SAID + +Now thou hast worldly power and riches, which thou possesses! as thy +own, to do what thou wilt with, and regardest not how thou gettest or +invest the same, employing them in the service or indulgence of thy +carnal and vain desires. Nay though thou seest the poor and needy wretch +who wanteth thy help, and is thy brother, yet thou helpest him not, but +layest heavy burdens upon him, by requiring more of him than his +abilities will bear, or his necessities afford, and oppressest him, by +forcing him to spend his labour and sweat for thee and the gratification +of thy voluptuous Will. Thou art moreover proud and exultest over him, +and behavest roughly and sternly to him, exalting thyself above him, and +making small account of him in respect of thyself. Then that poor +oppressed brother of thine cometh, and complaineth with sighs towards +God, that he cannot reap the benefit of his labours and pains, but is +forced by thee to live in misery. By which sighings and groanings of his +he raiseth up the wrath of God in thee, which maketh thy flame and +unquietness still the greater. + +These are the Creatures which thou art in love with, and hast broken +thyself off from God for their sakes, and brought thy Love into them or +them into thy Love, so that they live therein. Thou nourishest and +keepest them by continually receiving them into thy desire, for they +live in and by thy receiving them into thy mind, because thou thereby +bringest the lust of thy Life into them. They are but unclean and evil +births and issues of the Bestial Nature, which yet by thy receiving them +in thy Desire, have gotten an Image and formed themselves in thee. And +that Image is a beast with four heads. First, _Pride_. Secondly, +_Covetousness_. Thirdly, _Envy_. Fourthly, _Anger_. And in these four +properties the Foundation of Hell consisteth, which thou earnest in thee +and about thee. It is imprinted and engraven in thee, and thou art +wholly taken captive thereby. For these properties live in thy Natural +Life; and thereby thou art severed from God, neither canst thou ever +come to him, unless thou so forsake these evil Creatures that they may +die in thee. + +But since thou desirest me to tell thee how to forsake thy own, perverse +creaturely Will, that the Creatures might die, and that yet thou +mightest live with them in the World, I must assure thee that there is +but one way to do it, which is _narrow_ and _straight_, and will be very +hard and irksome to thee in the beginning, but afterwards thou wilt walk +in it cheerfully. + +Thou must seriously consider that in the course of this worldly life +thou walkest in the Anger of God and in the Foundation of Hell; and that +this is not thy true native country; but that a Christian should and +must live in Christ, and in his walking truly follow him; and that he +cannot be a Christian unless the Spirit and Power of Christ so live in +him that he becometh wholly subject to it. Now seeing the Kingdom of +Christ is not of the world, but in Heaven, therefore thou must be always +in a continual ascension towards Heaven, if thou wilt follow Christ; +though thy body must dwell among the Creatures and use them. + +The narrow way to which perpetual ascension into Heaven and imitation of +Christ is this. Thou must despair of all thy own power and strength, for +in and by thy own thou canst not reach the Gates of God, and firmly +purpose and resolve wholly to give thyself up to the Mercy of God, and +to sink down with thy whole mind and reason into the Passion and Death +of our Lord Jesus Christ, always desiring to persevere in the same and +to die from all thy Creatures therein. Also thou must resolve to watch +and guard thy mind, thoughts, and inclinations that they admit no evil +into them, neither must thou suffer thyself to be held fast by temporal +honour or profit. Thou must resolve likewise to put away from thee all +Unrighteousness and whatsoever else may hinder the freedom of thy motion +and progress. Thy Will must be wholly pure and fixed in a firm +resolution never to return to its old idols any more, but that thou +wilt, that very instant leave them, and separate thy mind from them, and +enter into the sincere way of truth and righteousness, according to the +plain and full doctrine of Christ. And as thou dost thus purpose to +forsake the enemies of thine own inward Nature, so thou must also +forgive all thy outward enemies and resolve to meet them with thy Love, +that there may be left no Creature, Person, or Thing at all able to +take hold of thy Will and captivate it; but that it may be sincere and +purged from all Creatures. Nay, further, if it should be required, thou +must be willing and ready to forsake all thy temporal honour and profit +for Christ's sake, and regard nothing that is earthly so as to set thy +heart and affections upon it; but esteem thyself in whatsoever state, +degree and condition thou art, as to worldly rank and riches, to be but +a servant of God, and of thy fellow-Christians; or as a steward in the +office wherein thy Lord hath placed thee. All arrogance and +self-exaltation must be humbled, brought low, and so annihilated that +nothing of thine own or of any other Creature may stay in thy Will to +bring the thoughts or imagination to be set upon it. + +Thou must also firmly impress it on thy mind that thou shalt certainly +partake of the promised Grace in the Merit of Jesus Christ, viz., of his +outflowing Love, which indeed is already in thee, and which will deliver +thee from thy Creatures, and enlighten thy Will, and kindle it with the +Flame of Love, whereby thou shalt have victory over the Devil. Not as if +thou couldst will or do anything in thy own strength, but only enter +into the suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and take them to +thyself, and with them assault and break in pieces the kingdom of the +Devil in thee. Thou must resolve to enter into this way this very hour, +and never to depart from it, but willingly to submit thyself to God in +all thy endeavours and doings, that he may do with thee what he +pleaseth. + +When thy Will is thus prepared and resolved, it hath then broken through +its own Creatures, and is sincere in the Presence of God, and clothed +with the Merits of Jesus Christ. It may then freely go to the Father +with the Prodigal Son, and fall down in his Presence and pour forth its +prayers; and putting forth all its strength in this Divine Work, confess +its sins and disobedience; and how far it hath departed from God. This +must be done not with bare words, but with all its strength, which +indeed amounteth only to a strong purpose and resolution; for the Soul +of itself hath no strength or power to effect any good work. + +Now when thou art thus ready, and thy heavenly Father shall see thee +coming and returning to him in such repentance and humility, he will +inwardly speak to thee, and say in thee; _Behold, this is my son which I +had lost, he was dead and is alive again._ And he will come to meet thee +in thy mind with the Grace and Love of Jesus Christ, and embrace thee +with the beams of his Love, and kiss thee with his Spirit and Strength, +and then thou shalt receive Grace to pour out thy confession before him +and to pray powerfully. This indeed is the right place where thou must +wrestle in the Light of his Countenance. And if thou standest resolutely +here and shrinkest not back, thou shalt see or feel great wonders. For +thou shalt find Christ in thee assaulting Hell, and crushing thy Beasts +in pieces, and that a great tumult and misery will arise in thee; also +thy secret undiscovered sins will then first awake and labour to +separate thee from God, and to keep thee back. Thus shalt thou truly +find and feel how Death and Life fight one against the other, and shalt +understand by what passeth within thyself what Heaven and Hell are. At +all which be not moved, but stand firm and shrink not; for at length all +thy Creatures will grow faint, weak, and ready to die; and then thy Will +shall wax stronger, and be able to subdue and keep down the evil +inclinations. So shall thy Will and Mind ascend into Heaven every day, +and thy Creatures gradually die away. Thou wilt get a Mind wholly new, +and begin to be a new Creature, and, getting rid of the Bestial +Deformity, recover the Divine Image. Thus shalt thou be delivered from +thy present Anguish, and return to thy original Rest. + +THE POOR SOUL'S PRACTICE + +Then the poor Soul began to practise this course with so much +earnestness that it conceived it should get the victory presently, but +it found that the Gates of Heaven were shut against it in its own +strength and power, and it was, as it were, rejected and forsaken by +God, and received not so much as one look or glimpse of Grace from him. +Upon which it said to itself; _Surely thou hast not sincerely submitted +thyself to God. Desire nothing at all of him, but only submit thyself to +his judgment and condemnation, that he may kill thy evil inclinations. +Sink down into him beyond the Limits of Nature and Creature, and submit +thyself to him, that he may do with thee what he will, for thou art not +worthy to speak to him._ Accordingly the Soul took a resolution to sink +down, and to forsake its own will; and when it had done so there fell +upon it presently the greatest repentance that could be for the sins it +had committed; and it bewailed bitterly its ugly shape, and was truly +and deeply sorry that the evil Creatures did dwell in it. And because of +its sorrow it could not speak one word more in the Presence of God, but +in this repentance did consider the bitter Passion and Death of Jesus +Christ, viz., what great anguish and torment he had suffered for its +sake, in order to deliver it out of its anguish, and change it into the +Image of God. In which consideration it wholly sank down, and did +nothing but complain of its ignorance and negligence, and that it had +not been thankful to its Redeemer, nor once considered the great love he +had shown to it, but had idly spent its time, and not at all regarded +how it might come to partake of his purchased and proffered Grace; but +instead thereof had formed in itself the images and figures of earthly +things, with the vain lusts and pleasures of the World. Whereby it had +gotten such bestial inclinations that now it must lie captive in great +misery, and for very shame dared not lift up its eyes to God, Who hid +the light of his countenance from it and would not so much as look upon +it. And as it was thus sighing and crying it was drawn into the Abyss or +Pit of Horror, and laid as it were at the Gates of Hell there to perish. +Upon which the poor troubled Soul was, as it were, bereft of sense, and +wholly forsaken, so that it in a manner forgot all its doings, and would +willingly yield itself to Death, and cease to be a Creature. Accordingly +it did yield itself to Death, and desired nothing else but to die and +perish in the Death of its Redeemer Jesus Christ, who had suffered such +torments and death for its sake. And in this perishing it began to sigh +and pray in itself very inwardly to the Divine Goodness, and to sink +down into the mere Mercy of God. + +Upon this there suddenly appeared unto it the Love of God, as a great +Light which penetrated through it, and made it exceedingly joyful. It +then began to pray aright, and to thank the Most High for such Grace, +and to rejoice abundantly that it was delivered from the Death and +Anguish of Hell. Now it tasted of the Sweetness of God, and of his +promised Truth; and how all the evil Spirits which had harassed it +before, and kept it back from the Grace, Love, and inward Presence of +God, were forced to depart from it. The wedding of the Lamb was now kept +and solemnised, that is, the Noble _Sophia_ espoused or betrothed +herself to the Soul, and the Seal-Ring of Christ's victory was impressed +into its Essence, and it was received to be a Child and Heir of God +again. + +When this was done the Soul became very joyful, and began to work in +this new power, and to celebrate with praise the wonders of God, and +thought thenceforth to walk continually in the same Light, Strength, and +Joy. But it was soon assaulted: from _without_ by the shame and reproach +of the World, and from _within_ by great temptation, so that it began to +doubt whether its ground was truly from God, and whether it had really +partaken of his Grace. For the accuser Satan went to it, and would fain +lead it out of its course, and make it doubtful whether it was the true +way, whispering thus to it inwardly; _This happy change in thy Spirit is +not from God, but only from thy own imagination._ Also the Divine Light +retired in the Soul, and shone but in the inward ground, as fire raked +up in embers, so that Reason was perplexed, and thought itself forsaken, +and the Soul knew not what had happened to itself, nor whether it had +really and truly tasted of the heavenly gift or not. Yet it could not +leave off struggling; for the burning Fire of Love was sown in it, which +had raised in it a vehement and continual Hunger and Thirst after the +Divine Sweetness. So at length it began to pray aright, and to humble +itself in the Presence of God, and to examine and try its evil +inclinations and thoughts, and to put them away. By which means the Will +of Reason was broken, and the evil inclinations inherent in it were +killed and extirpated more and more. This process was very severe and +painful to the Nature of the Body, for it made it faint and weak as if +it had been very sick; and yet it was no natural sickness that it had, +but only the melancholy of its earthly Nature, feeling and lamenting +the destruction of its evil lusts. + +Now when the earthly Reason found itself thus forsaken, and the poor +Soul saw that it was despised outwardly and derided by the World, +because it would walk no longer in the way of Wickedness and Vanity; and +also that it was inwardly assaulted by the accuser Satan, who mocked it, +and continually set before it the beauty, riches and glory of the World, +and called it a fool for not embracing them; it began to think and say +thus within itself: _O eternal God, what shall I now do to come to +Rest?_ + +THE ENLIGHTENED SOUL MET IT AGAIN AND SPOKE TO IT + +While it was in this consideration, the enlightened Soul met with it +again, and said: What ailest thou, my Brother, that thou art so heavy +and sad! + +THE DISTRESSED SOUL SAID + +I have followed thy counsel, and thereby attained a ray or emanation of +the Divine Sweetness, but it is gone from me again, and I am now +deserted. Moreover I have outwardly very great trials and afflictions in +the World, for all my good friends forsake and scorn me; and am also +inwardly assaulted with anguish and doubt, and know not what to do. + +THE ENLIGHTENED SOUL SAID + +Now I like thee very well; for now our beloved Lord Jesus Christ is +performing that Pilgrimage or Process on Earth with thee and in thee, +which he did himself when he was in this World, who was continually +reviled, despised, and evil spoken of, and had nothing of his own in it; +and now thou bearest his mark or badge. But do not wonder at it, or +think it strange; for it must be so, in order that thou mayst be tried, +refined, and purified. In this Anguish and Distress thou wilt +necessarily hunger and cry after deliverance; and by such Hunger and +Prayer thou wilt attract Grace to thee both from within and from +without. For thou must grow from above and from beneath to be the Image +of God again. Just as a young plant is agitated by the wind, and must +stand its ground in heat and cold, drawing strength and virtue to it +from above and from beneath by that agitation, and must endure many a +tempest, and undergo much danger before it can come to be a tree and +bring forth much fruit. For through that agitation the virtue of the sun +moveth in the plant, whereby its wild properties come to be penetrated +and tinctured with the solar virtue, and grow thereby. + +And this is the time wherein thou must play the part of a valiant +soldier in the Spirit of Christ, and co-operate thyself therewith. For +now the Eternal Father by his fiery Power begetteth his Son in thee, who +changeth the Fire of the Father, namely, the first Principle, or +Wrathful Property of the Soul, into the Flame of Love, so that out of +Fire and Light (viz. Wrath and Love) there cometh to be one Essence, +Being, or Substance, which is the true Temple of God. And now thou shalt +bud forth out of the Vine Christ, in the Vineyard of God, and bring +forth fruit in thy life, and by assisting and instructing others, show +forth thy Love in abundance, as a good tree. For Paradise must then +spring up again in thee, through the Wrath of God, and Hell be changed +into Heaven in thee. Therefore be not dismayed at the temptations of the +Devil, who seeketh and striveth for the Kingdom which he once had in +thee, but, having now lost it, must be confounded, and depart from thee. +And he covereth thee outwardly with the shame and reproach of the World, +that his own shame may not be known, and that thou mayst be hidden to +the World. For with thy New Birth or regenerated Nature thou art in the +Divine Harmony in Heaven. Be patient, therefore, and wait upon the Lord, +and whatsoever shall befall thee, take it all from his hands as intended +by him for thy highest good. And so the enlightened Soul departed from +it. + +THE DISTRESSED SOUL'S COURSE + +The distressed Soul began its course now under the patient Suffering of +Christ, and depending solely upon the Strength and Power of God in it, +entered into Hope. Thenceforth it grew stronger every day, and its evil +inclinations died more and more in it. So that it arrived at length to a +high state or degree of Grace; and the Gates of the Divine Revelation +and the Kingdom of Heaven were opened to and manifested in it. + +And thus the Soul, through Repentance, Faith, and Prayer, returned to +its true Rest, and became a right and beloved Child of God again; to +which may He of his infinite Mercy help us all. Amen. + +TURNBULL AND SPEARS, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Dialogues on the Supersensual Life, by Jacob Behmen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DIALOGUES ON THE SUPERSENSUAL LIFE *** + +***** This file should be named 33742-8.txt or 33742-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/3/7/4/33742/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Dialogues on the Supersensual Life + +Author: Jacob Behmen + +Editor: Bernard Holland + +Release Date: September 17, 2010 [EBook #33742] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DIALOGUES ON THE SUPERSENSUAL LIFE *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + +<h1>DIALOGUES</h1> + +<h4>ON</h4> + +<h2>THE SUPERSENSUAL LIFE</h2> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>JACOB BEHMEN</h2> + +<h3>EDITED BY BERNARD HOLLAND</h3> + +<p class="center"> +METHUEN & CO.<br /> +36 ESSEX STREET, W.C.<br /> +LONDON<br /> +1901<br /> +<br /> +<i>Desiderare est Mereri</i><br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span></p> +<h2>PREFACE</h2> + + +<p>The Works of Jacob Behmen, the "Teutonic Theosopher," translated into +English, were first printed in England in the seventeenth century, +between 1644 and 1662. In the following century a complete edition in +four large volumes was produced by some of the disciples of William Law. +This edition, completed in the year 1781, was compiled in part from the +older English edition, and in part from later fragmentary translations +by Law and others. It is not easily accessible to the general reader, +and, moreover, the greater part of Behmen's Works could not be +recommended save to those who had the time and power to plunge into that +deep sea in search of the many noble pearls which it contains.</p> + +<p>Behmen's language and way of thought are remote and strange, and in +reading his thought one has often to pass it through a process of +intellectual translation. This is chiefly true of his earlier work, the +"Aurora" or "Morning Redness." But among those works which he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</a></span> wrote +during the last five years of his life there are some written in a +thought-language less difficult to be understood, yet containing the +essential teaching of this humble Master of Divine Science. From these I +have selected some which may, in a small volume, be useful. It seemed +that for this purpose it would be best to take the "Dialogues of the +Supersensual Life," including as one of them the beautiful, really +separate, Dialogue, called in the Complete Works, "The way from darkness +to true illumination." In the case of neither of these works is the +translation used that of the seventeenth century. The first three +dialogues are a translation made by William Law, one of the greatest +masters of the English language, and found in MS. after his death. This +translation from the original German is not exactly literal, but rather +a liberal version, or paraphrase, the thought of Behmen being expanded +and elucidated, though in nowise departed from. The dialogue called "The +way from darkness to true illumination" was taken by the eighteenth +century editors from a book containing translations of certain smaller +treatises of Behmen then lately printed at Bristol and made, as they +say, "in a style better adapted to the taste and more accommodated to +the apprehension of modern readers." I do not know who was the +translator,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span> but the work seems to be excellently well done.</p> + +<p>It will be well to say a few words first as to the life, then as to the +leading ideas of Jacob Behmen. This name is more correctly written Jacob +Bœhme, but I prefer to retain the more easily pronounced spelling of +Behmen, adopted by the Editors of both the complete English editions.</p> + +<p>Jacob Behmen's outward life was simplicity itself. He was born in the +year 1575 at Alt Seidenberg, a village among pastoral hills, near +Görlitz in Lusatia, a son of poor peasants. As a boy he watched the +herds in the fields, and was then apprenticed to a shoemaker, being not +enough robust for rural work. One day, when the master and his wife were +out, and he was alone in the house, a stranger entered the shop and +asked for a pair of shoes. Jacob had no authority to conclude a bargain +and asked a high price for the shoes in the hope that the stranger would +not buy. But the man paid the price, and when he had gone out into the +street, called out "Jacob, come forth." Jacob obeyed the call, and now +the stranger looked at him with a kindly, earnest, deep, soul-piercing +gaze, and said, "Jacob, thou art as yet but little, but the time will +come when thou shalt be great, and become another man, and the world +shall<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</a></span> marvel at thee. Therefore be pious, fear God, and reverence his +Word; especially read diligently the Holy Scriptures, where thou hast +comfort and instruction; for thou must endure much misery and poverty, +and suffer persecution. But be courageous and persevere, for God loves, +and is gracious unto thee." So saying, the stranger clasped his hand, +and disappeared.</p> + +<p>After this Jacob became even more pensive and serious, and would +admonish the other journeymen on the work-bench when they spoke lightly +of sacred things. His master disliked this and dismissed him, saying +that he would have no "house-prophet" to bring trouble into his house. +Thus Jacob was forced to go forth into the world as a travelling +journeyman, and, as he wandered about in that time of fierce religious +discord, the world appeared to him to be a "Babel." He was himself +afflicted by troubles and doubts, but clave to prayer and to Scripture, +and especially to the words in Luke xi.; "How much more shall your +heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." And once, +when he was again engaged for a time by a master, he was lifted into a +state of blessed peace, a Sabbath of the Soul, that lasted for seven +days, during which he was, as it were, inwardly surrounded<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</a></span> by a Divine +Light. "The triumph that was then in my soul I can neither tell nor +describe. I can only liken it to a resurrection from the dead."</p> + +<p>Jacob returned in 1594 to Görlitz, became a master shoemaker in 1599, +married a tradesman's daughter, and had four children. In the year 1600 +"sitting one day in his room, his eye fell upon a burnished pewter dish +which reflected the sunshine with such marvellous splendour that he fell +into a deep inward ecstasy and it seemed to him as if he could now look +into the principles and deepest foundations of things. He believed that +it was only a fancy, and in order to banish it from his mind he went out +upon the green. But here he remarked that he gazed into the very heart +of things; the very herbs and grass, and that Nature harmonised with +what he had inwardly seen. He said nothing about this to any one, but +praised and thanked God in silence. He continued in the honest practice +of his craft, was attentive to his domestic affairs, and was on terms of +goodwill with all men."<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a></p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[Pg x]</a></span></p> +<p>At the age of thirty-five, in the year 1610, Jacob Behmen suddenly +perceived that all which he had seen in a fragmentary way was forming +itself into a coherent whole, and felt a "fire-like" impulse, a yearning +to write it down, as a "Memorial," not for publication, but lest he +should forget it himself. He wrote it early in the morning before work, +and late in the evening after work. This was his "Morning Redness" or +"Aurora."</p> + +<p>A nobleman of the country, called Carl von Endern, happened to see the +MS. at the shoemaker's house, was struck by it, and had some copies +made. One of these fell into the hands of the Lutheran Clergyman of +Görlitz, Pastor Primarius Gregorius Richter, who thenceforth became a +bitter opponent of Behmen. He assailed him in sermons, in language of +savage invective, as a heretic of the most dangerous kind, until Jacob +was summoned before the Magistrates, and forbidden to write anything in +future. He was told that as a shoemaker he must confine himself to his +own trade. But the affair, as is usually the case, had an effect the +reverse of that intended by persecutors. It made him known to various +persons more learned than himself who were interested in the subject, +and from his converse with them he learned a better style, and some +Latin technical terms,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[Pg xi]</a></span> which he afterwards found useful for expressing +his thoughts.</p> + +<p>Jacob obeyed for some years the magisterial command to write nothing, +but it was very grievous to him, and he often reflected with dismay on +the parable of the talents and how "that one talent which 'tis death to +hide" was lodged with him useless. At length he would keep silence no +more. He says himself: "I had resolved to do nothing in future, but to +be quiet before God in obedience, and to let the devil, with all his +host, sweep over me. But it was with me as when a seed is hidden in the +earth. It grows up in storm and rough weather against all reason. For in +winter time all is dead, and reason says: 'It is all over with it.' But +the precious seed within me sprouted and grew green, oblivious of all +storms, and, amid disgrace and ridicule, it has blossomed forth into a +lily."</p> + +<p>Between the year 1619 and his death in 1624, at the age of forty-nine, +he poured forth his stored up thoughts, writing a number of Works, +including those in the present volume, which were among his very latest. +He had the more time to write because his shoemaking business had fallen +off, by reason, perhaps, of the question as to his orthodoxy, but some +friends supplied him with the necessaries of life. He was now<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[Pg xii]</a></span> exposed +to fresh attacks from Gregorius Richter and was forced this time to go +into exile. At this period he went to the Electoral Court at Dresden +where the Prince was curious about him, and a conference took place +between him and John Gerhard and other eminent theologians. At the close +of this Dr Gerhard said: "I would not take the whole world and help to +condemn this man." And his colleague Meissner said, "My good brother, +neither would I. Who knows what stands behind this man? How can we judge +what we have not understood? May God convert this man if he is in error. +He is a man of marvellously high mental gifts who at present can neither +be condemned nor approved."</p> + +<p>Soon afterwards, while Jacob was staying at the house of one of his +noble friends in Silesia he fell into a fever. At his own request he was +carried back to Görlitz, and there awaited his end. On Sunday, November +21st 1624, in the early hours he called his son Tobias and asked him if +he did not hear that sweet melodious music. As Tobias heard nothing, +Jacob asked him to set wide the door so that he might the better hear +it; then he asked what was the hour, and when he was told that it had +just struck two he said, "My time is not yet; three hours hence is my +time." After some silence<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xiii" id="Page_xiii">[Pg xiii]</a></span> he exclaimed, "Oh thou strong God of Sabaoth, +deliver me according to thy Will," and immediately afterwards "Thou +Crucified Lord Jesus Christ have mercy upon me and take me to thyself +into thy Kingdom." At six in the morning he suddenly bade them farewell +with a smile, and said, "Now I go hence into Paradise," and yielded up +his Spirit.</p> + +<p>Frankenberg writes of him: "His bodily appearance was somewhat mean; he +was small of stature, had a low forehead but prominent temples, a rather +aquiline nose, a scanty beard, grey eyes, sparkling into heavenly blue, +a feeble but genial voice. He was modest in his bearing, unassuming in +conversation, lowly in conduct, patient in suffering, and +gentle-hearted."</p> + +<p>As the shoemaker of Görlitz had in his life-time some disciples among +highly educated men, so has he always had a few since his departure from +this life. Men so diversely situated as the non-juror William Law in +England; St Martin, the "philosophe inconnu" of the French Revolution; +the sincere Catholic, Franz Baader, in Germany; Martensen, the +Protestant Bishop in Denmark, have found in him their Teacher.</p> + +<p>The selections contained in the present book belong rather to the +practical or ethical side of Jacob Behmen's teaching than to his +Cosmogony, or <i>Vision</i>, as one may best call it, of the nature<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xiv" id="Page_xiv">[Pg xiv]</a></span> of all +things. I think that any old cottager, who had read nothing but his +Bible, but had lived his life, would well understand the general +teaching of most that is contained in these Dialogues, and would find +all Behmen's words most beautiful and comforting. It is not, therefore, +necessary for the present purpose to attempt fully to set forth the +whole Vision of Behmen, nor, in any case would it be within my power to +do so. But it may be of service to those readers who are not acquainted +with the writings of Behmen or of his disciples, if I here say something +as to his general teaching with regard to the nature of the soul of man +and its relation to that which is not itself, but like to itself.</p> + +<p>The Soul, in the doctrine of Behmen, is a Being which has a will or +desire, and is aided by a mirror of understanding or imagination. Will +or Desire is of the very essence of the Soul, inseparable from its +existence. He says: "Where Desire is there is also Essence or Being." +The Soul is subject to the diverse attractions of the Centre of Divine +Life and Light, and of the Spirit of the World. Enlightened by its +understanding it has the free power to turn its will towards, and unite +itself to, this or that. "Choose well, thy choice is brief and yet +endless."</p> + +<p>The Soul is a magic Fire derived out of, or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xv" id="Page_xv">[Pg xv]</a></span> from, God the Father's +Essence, <i>lumen de lumine</i>, and imprisoned in darkness. It is an intense +and incessant Desire after the Light; it longs to return to the +Light-centre, whence it originally came, that is, to the "heart of God." +Thus longing, it is a "Fire of Anguish," until it becomes a "Fire of +Love." It is a fire of anguish, so long as it is shut up in its dark +self. It is a fire of love when it pierces through and escapes from its +dark self-prison and burns freely and softly in union with the Divine +Love. God then comes as a Light, a soft purifying Fire into the Soul, +and changes all the wanting, hungering, empty, restless, self-tormenting +properties of the Natural Life into a sweetness of rest and peace. This +is called in Scripture the "new birth." Thus the same thing—the same +Fire,—is a cause of torment or of joy according to the conditions under +which it is. Man, who is a microcosm of the whole Universe, is a +mingling of light and darkness. His anguish comes from his Soul's +imprisonment in darkness (as a mere raging fire) and continues until it +can break forth and unite itself with <i>that</i> whence it came and to which +it belongs.</p> + +<p>Behmen says "The Eternal Darkness of the Soul is Hell, viz.: an aching +source of anguish, which is called the Anger of God, but the Eternal +Light in the Soul is the Kingdom of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xvi" id="Page_xvi">[Pg xvi]</a></span> Heaven, where the fiery anguish of +darkness is turned into joy. For the <i>same</i> nature of anguish, which, in +the Darkness, is a cause of sadness, is, in the Light, a cause of the +outward and stirring joy.... The Fire is painful and consuming, but the +Light is yielding, friendly, powerful and delightful, a sweet and +amiable Joy."</p> + +<p>Pure delight, with no trace of doubt or fear, hope or regret, is the +sign of the presence of Love or Light. So again Behmen says: "The Fire +in the Light is a fire of Love, but the Fire in the Darkness is a fire +of Anguish, and is painful, irksome, and full of contrariety." The end +to which all things tend is the final separation of light from darkness; +the "last day" means this; but the present world is a perpetual mixture +of light and darkness, good and evil, joy and anguish. So, the Cross of +Jesus is at once the highest embodiment of Love and Hate.</p> + +<p>It is remarkable that in this doctrine of light and darkness Behmen was +nearly followed by one who had not, I suppose, ever heard of him, +reading as he did little of anything but the Bible, who worked on the +Scriptures with his own powerful and earnest insight, the Christian +hero, Charles Gordon. In his little book called "Reflections in +Palestine" written in that one year, 1883, of unbroken repose from +action<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xvii" id="Page_xvii">[Pg xvii]</a></span> spent in the Holy Land, just before his final service at +Khartoom, Gordon dwells upon the repetition, as he calls it, <i>both in +the individual soul, and in the world's history</i> of four processes +constantly recurring,—a state of darkness, a light breaking forth +through darkness, a division of light from darkness or gathering +together of light, a re-dispersion of light into darkness, and then a +renewal of the four processes, ever upon an ascending level of good, +directed towards the final elimination of all light from the darkness.</p> + +<p>Fire must have fuel, something on which to feed. It must feed or perish. +But the magic Fire-spirit, the Soul, cannot perish because it is an +eternal Essence. Therefore it must either feed; or <i>hunger</i>. It desires +spiritual essence or "virtue" to allay its raging hunger. But, during +the space that it is embodied in this nature, it can feed <i>either</i> on +the Divine Spirit, or upon the Spirit of this World. "Hence," says +Behmen, "we may understand the cause of that infinite variety which is +in the Wills and Actions of Men." For of whatsoever the Soul eateth, and +wherewith its Fire-life becometh kindled; "according to that the Soul's +life is led and governed." You become like to that which you eat. If the +Soul breaks forth out of its Nature-self and enters into "God's +Love-fire," it eats of the Divine Essence (the substance or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xviii" id="Page_xviii">[Pg xviii]</a></span> flesh of +Christ) and it is to this that Jesus Christ referred when he spoke of +feeding upon his body, and when he spoke of the true bread from heaven +"which giveth life to the World" (John vi. 33), of which he that eateth +shall "live for ever" (John vi. 58), or the "living water," whereof +whosoever drinketh "shall never thirst," but it shall be to him "a well +of water springing up into everlasting life" (John iv. 13, 14). This +feeding is in no way metaphorical but as real and actual as physical +feeding.</p> + +<p>Behmen says, "The Essence of that Life eateth the Flesh of Christ and +drinketh His Blood.... Now if the Soul eat of this sweet, holy and +heavenly food, then it kindleth itself with the great Love in the name +and power of Jesus, whence its fire of anguish becometh a great triumph +of joy and glory."<a name="FNanchor_B_2" id="FNanchor_B_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_B_2" class="fnanchor">[B]</a></p> + +<p>Behmen held that man lives at once in three worlds, firstly in the +outward visible elementary world of space and time (where man "<i>is</i> the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xix" id="Page_xix">[Pg xix]</a></span> +Time and <i>in</i> the Time;") secondly, the "Eternal Dark World, Hell, the +centre of Eternal Nature, whence is <i>generated</i> the Soul-fire, that +source of anguish, and thirdly, in the Eternal Light World, Heaven—the +Divine habitation." The same processes of feeding and life take place in +the three Worlds, so that physical feeding is a kind of outside sheath +of spiritual feeding.</p> + +<p>If the Soul accustoms itself to feed in this life upon the heavenly food +(that <i>panem de coelo omne delectamentum in se habentem</i>) it gradually +itself becomes of quite heavenly substance, purged from darkness, and, +when the natural life falls off at death, stands in heaven, where indeed +it already is. But, if the Soul feeds upon the Spirit and Things of this +World, then, when by reason of death, it can no longer feed upon them, +it is left in the condition of mere "aching Desire," or eternal +unsatisfied Hunger, working in a void, in perpetual anguish. Thus Heaven +and Hell are not places, but conditions of the Soul. So Milton, who had +no doubt studied<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xx" id="Page_xx">[Pg xx]</a></span> the translation of Behmen made in his own time, +writes:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"The mind is its own place, and in itself<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>They are in this life everywhere commingled, but when this life falls +away, the Soul remains in that of the two states into which it has in +this life brought itself. The Soul, after death, remains <i>either</i> as a +satisfied Desire, that is, a Desire no longer but a Joy, <i>or</i> as an +aching Desire. The Persian says:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Heaven is the vision of fulfilled Desire<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And Hell the shadow of a Soul on fire.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Behmen says, Heaven <i>is</i> fulfilled desire; Hell <i>is</i> a Soul on fire, no +mere vision or shadow.</p> + +<p>Heaven and Hell are within us, since our souls are portions of the +universe of things, in every part of which Heaven and Hell are +commingled. The gates of Heaven within us were shut in Adam, but the +Power of God, Christ in Jesus, broke open by his passion "the closed +gates of Paradise," that is, the gates of our "inward heavenly +humanity," and now the wayfarer can, if he will, pass through. We do not +spiritually live by a reasoning process, or acceptance of doctrines by +the understanding, but by the action of the Desire in feeding upon the +Spirit of Love, a process of laying hold, drawing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxi" id="Page_xxi">[Pg xxi]</a></span> in, and assimilating. +True prayer is like feeding, or still more, perhaps, like the +unconscious drawing in of the air: it should be as constant. By it is +introduced the heavenly life from without to nourish the like heavenly +life contained in the seed within. If a man thus rightly feeds, then, in +him, the hellish life and passions, portions of the powers of darkness, +"our creatures" as Behmen says, will be killed by starvation, wanting +their appropriate food. On the other hand, a man can feed these also +from without with their appropriate food by misdirected desire, thereby +starving the heavenly life in the Soul.</p> + +<p>Thus the essence of Behmen's teaching as to the Soul incarnate in Man +and revealed by his body, is that it is an eternal Being, and that it is +a source of joy or anguish according as it is, or is not, purified or +tranquillised by communion with the Centre of Light, or the Fountain of +Life. He does not contemplate, as some Eastern teachers perhaps do, the +annihilation of the Will of the Soul by a kind of higher spiritual +suicide; its existence is to him the very condition of good no less than +of evil; he contemplates its liberation from the dark, contracted, +self-prison, its purification, and entrance into the full heaven-life. +This magical soul-fire, like visible fire, can rage and destroy,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxii" id="Page_xxii">[Pg xxii]</a></span> or it +can serve as the means and ground of all good. Here is the foundation +both of good and evil, in man as in all things.</p> + +<p>To understand this better, one must consider the cosmic teaching lying +behind the rich profusion of images, often inconsistent and clashing, in +which Jacob Behmen embodies his Vision.</p> + +<p>Man has fallen into Nature. But Nature itself, apart from and unfilled +by the Divine Light, is a self-torment, a mere Want, a Desire, a Hunger. +The true distinction between God and Nature is that God is an Universal +All, while Nature is an Universal Want, viz: to be filled by God. +Physical attraction is nothing but the outer sheath of this universal +desire. Nature filled by God is Heaven or fulfilled Desire.<a name="FNanchor_C_3" id="FNanchor_C_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_C_3" class="fnanchor">[C]</a> Without +God it is Hell, mere Desire. Heaven is the Presence of God: Hell his +Absence. It is as true to say that Heaven is in God, as to say that God +is in Heaven.</p> + +<p>Apart from the existence of God there could be neither Presence nor +Absence, neither Heaven nor Hell. If the Soul of Man were wholly divided +and separated from the Divine Life, it would, as a part of Nature, be a +mere hungering, restless, conscious Desire. In so far as it is so +separated it partakes of this pain. For<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxiii" id="Page_xxiii">[Pg xxiii]</a></span> "through all the Universe of +Things nothing is uneasy, unsatisfied, or restless, but because it is +not governed by Love, or because its Nature has not reached or attained +the full birth of the Spirit of Love. For when that is done, every +hunger is satisfied, and all complaining, murmuring, accusing, +resenting, revenging and striving are as totally suppressed and overcome +as coldness, thickness and horror of darkness are suppressed and +overcome by the breaking forth of the light. If you ask why the Spirit +of Love cannot be displeased, cannot be disappointed, cannot complain, +accuse, resent or murmur, it is because the Spirit of Love desires +nothing but itself, it is its own Good, for Love is God, and he that +dwelleth in God dwelleth in Love."<a name="FNanchor_D_4" id="FNanchor_D_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_D_4" class="fnanchor">[D]</a></p> + +<p>Behmen's idea of the "fallen Angels" is that they are entirely and +hopelessly divided from the Life of God. They are mere embodied, +hopeless, self-tormenting Desires. They have fallen into the hell within +themselves, they <i>cannot but</i> be hating, bitter, envious, proud, +wrathful, restless; and therefore tormentors of others. They have lost +that which man, however far astray, always possesses, the faculty of +return or regeneration through submission to and union with God. The +spark of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxiv" id="Page_xxiv">[Pg xxiv]</a></span> Life and Spirit of God which is in Men is not in the +fallen Angels. Let us hope that Beings so utterly lost do not exist.</p> + +<p>God is outside of Nature and yet in a sense inside also, because there +is a divine life or virtue in Nature which, longing to re-unite itself +with its source, is a cause of anguish while divided, and of joy when +united. So, in the outer world, the seed buried in earth contains a +power kindred to the virtue of the sun. It is this which breaks forth +from the seed, forces itself up through the dark, imprisoning, and yet +nourishing and necessary earth, and at last, if it can win its way +through obstacles, cheerfully expands in the light of the sun and feeds +upon his warmth. That, in man's inner nature, which answers to this +power or life in the seed, is called by Behmen the Life or Spirit of +Jesus Christ. Egoism or <i>Ihood</i>, the old contracting, narrowing cell, is +destroyed as this expansive and expanding force grows and breaks forth. +Behmen says: "As the Sun in the visible world ruleth over Evil and Good, +and, with its light and power, and all whatsoever itself is, is present +everywhere, and penetrates into every Being, and wholly giveth itself to +every Being, and yet ever remaineth whole, and nothing of its being +goeth away therewith. Thus also it is to be understood concerning<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxv" id="Page_xxv">[Pg xxv]</a></span> +Christ's person and office which ruleth in the inward spiritual world, +and penetrateth into the faithful man's soul, spirit and heart. As the +Sun worketh through a herb, so that the herb becometh filled with the +virtue of the Sun, and, as it were, so converted by the Sun that it +becometh wholly of the nature of the Sun, so Christ ruleth in the +resigned will or Soul and Body, over all evil inclinations and +generateth the man to be a new heavenly creature." The same teaching is +finely set forth in a passage of William Law.<a name="FNanchor_E_5" id="FNanchor_E_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_E_5" class="fnanchor">[E]</a> He says:</p> + +<p>"Man has a spark of the Light and Spirit of God, as a supernatural gift +of God given into the birth of his Soul to bring forth by degrees a new +birth of that life which was lost in Paradise. This holy spark of the +Divine Nature within him has a natural, strong, and almost infinite +tendency or reaching after that eternal Light and Spirit of God, from +whence it came forth. It came forth from God, it came <i>out</i> of God, it +partaketh of the Divine Nature, and therefore it is always in a state of +tendency and return to God. All this is called the breathing, the +moving, the quickening of the Holy Spirit within us, which are so many +operations of this spark of life tending towards God. On the other hand +the Deity<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxvi" id="Page_xxvi">[Pg xxvi]</a></span> as considered in itself, and without the Soul of man, has an +infinite unchangeable tendency of love and desire towards the Soul of +man, to unite and communicate its own riches and glories to it, just as +the Spirit of the air <i>without</i> Man unites and communicates its riches +and virtues to the Spirit of the air that is <i>within</i> Man. This love or +desire of God toward the soul of Man is so great that he gave his +only-begotten Son, the brightness of his glory, to take the human nature +upon him, in its fallen state, that by this mysterious union of God and +Man, all the enemies of the Soul of Man might be overcome, and every +human creature might have a power of being born again according to that +Image of God in which he was first created. The gospel is the history of +this Love of God to Man. <i>Inwardly</i> he has a seed of the Divine Life +given into the birth of his Soul, a seed that has all the riches of +eternity in it, and is always wanting to come to the birth in him, and +be alive in God. <i>Outwardly</i> he has Jesus Christ, who as a Sun of +Righteousness, is always casting forth his enlivening beams on this +inward seed, to kindle and call it forth to the birth, doing that to +this Seed of Heaven in Man, which the sun in the firmament is always +doing to the vegetable seeds in the earth.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxvii" id="Page_xxvii">[Pg xxvii]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Consider this matter in the following similitude. A grain of wheat has +the air and light of this world enclosed or incorporated in it. This is +the mystery of its life, this is its power of growing, by this it has a +strong continual tendency of uniting again with that ocean of light and +air from whence it came forth. On the other hand that great ocean of +light and air, having its own offspring hidden in the heart of the grain +has a perpetual strong tendency to unite and communicate with it again. +From this <i>desire of union on both sides</i>, the vegetable life arises and +all the virtues and powers contained in it. But let it be well observed +that this desire on both sides cannot have its effect till the husk and +gross part of the grain falls into a state of corruption and death; till +this begins, the mystery of life hidden in it cannot come forth."</p> + +<p>The sun only acts by stirring up in each thing, and calling into +activity, its own imprisoned, dormant, heat or life. Save by the same +nature-process, working in an inner sphere, there cannot come to pass +the flower and fruit of the Soul. The Sun, true emblem of the Redeeming +Spirit, helps each vital force to break forth from its state of +death—even though, like the grains of wheat found in Egyptian graves +and then new-planted, it has<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxviii" id="Page_xxviii">[Pg xxviii]</a></span> been immured there thousands of years—and +to enter into its highest possible state of life. Indeed, in this school +of wisdom, the natural visible light, of which the Sun is the dispensing +medium to our solar system, and other suns to other circles of planets, +is actually an outer manifestation of the inner supernatural light, and +warmth, not a mere emblem at all. We speak more truly than we know, when +we speak of a "heavenly day." All Nature is a series of "out-births" of +the Deity. "The outward world," says Behmen, "is sprung out of the +inward spiritual world, viz., out of Light and Darkness." And his +English interpreter says: "Whatever is delightful and ravishing, sublime +and glorious in spirits, minds, or bodies, either in heaven, or on +earth, is from the power of the Supernatural Light opening its endless +wonders in them. Hell has no misery, horror or distraction, but because +it has no communication with the supernatural Light. And did not the +supernatural Light stream forth its blessings into this world, through +the materiality of the Sun, all outward Nature would be full of the +horror of Hell." And elsewhere, "There is no meekness, benevolence or +goodness in Angel, Man, <i>or any other Creature</i>, but where Light is the +Lord of its life. Life itself begins no sooner, rises no higher, has no +other<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxix" id="Page_xxix">[Pg xxix]</a></span> glory, than as the Light begins it, and leads it on. Sounds have +no softness, flowers and germs no sweetness, plants and fruits have no +growth, but as the Mystery of Light opens itself in them."<a name="FNanchor_F_6" id="FNanchor_F_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_F_6" class="fnanchor">[F]</a> And so +Behmen himself says: "There is nothing that is created or born in Nature +but it also manifests its internal form externally; for the internal +continually labours or works itself forth to manifestation. We know in +the power and form of this World, how the only Essence has manifested +itself with the external birth in the desire of the similitude; how it +has manifested itself in so many forms and shapes, which we see and know +in the stars and elements, likewise in the living creatures, and also in +the trees and herbs." Thus there is a real communion between all beauty, +sweetness, and glory, within and without the Soul of man.</p> + +<p>It is this truth, not of the analogy between the essential life of Man +and Nature, but of the unity in all things, that is now opening itself +out in many ways. Wordsworth, a true seer, has given to it its highest +expression in English Poetry. Modern science all tends to confirmation +of this unity.</p> + +<p>God, then, must become Man, there must be a birth of the Life of God in +the Soul, in order that the Soul may live its highest life. Only in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxx" id="Page_xxx">[Pg xxx]</a></span> +this way can the wild properties of Nature be subordinated and turned to +their proper use, their restless hunger pacified. Goodness and happiness +can be expected from nothing else but from the Divine Life united to and +dwelling in the Nature Life. It is the "ingrafted Word" of St James' +Epistle.</p> + +<p>The plant cannot but grow towards the sun. If it is too deep in earth, +or prevented by a strong soil, or withered by dryness, so that it cannot +attain to its end, the fault is not with it. But, in the spiritual inner +world (in which the plant dwells not) the Soul of man has this +freedom—that it can consciously turn towards God, whose Spirit and Life +will then come forth to meet it, or can turn towards the Things of this +World. Upon this freedom of choice is founded Behmen's moral teaching. +The Soul is like a woman (and all nations have testified in their +languages and parables to their sense of this) who can freely choose to +submit and surrender her body to this Lover, or to that. When she has +chosen her free power ends. As she has chosen, so her life-faculty will +be fertilised by good or evil; so will be the new life that arises +within her, and so will be her future joy or sorrow.</p> + +<p>In a deep sense, the desire of the spark of Life in the Soul to return +to its Original Source<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxxi" id="Page_xxxi">[Pg xxxi]</a></span> is part of the longing desire of the universal +Life for its own heart or centre. Of this longing the universal +attraction, striving against resistance, towards an universal centre, +proved to govern the phenomenal or physical world, is but the outer +sheath and visible working. It has been said that Sir Isaac Newton (who +was a diligent reader of Behmen's Works) "ploughed with Jacob Behmen's +heifer." There is in truth but one Religion, that founded upon the +eternal, immutable, universal processes of the actual Nature of things, +and of this Christianity, rightly apprehended, is the supreme +Revelation. This will be seen better by all as the Religion unfolds +itself. Rightly speaking there is no such thing as <i>supernatural</i> +religion; there is but one Religion, that of Nature. It is the work of +visible religion to teach by signs and parables, embodying the mystery +in symbols, and clothing it with adoration.</p> + +<p>Jacob Behmen's mode of expression is all his own, and there is much in +the fabric of his thought which men of our time, if they take a +superficial view, would not find it easy to accept. The doctrine of +Evolution now profoundly influences every corner of the field of +thought. We now incline to think rather of the rise of Man out of Nature +than of his fall into it, though, perhaps, there can no more be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxxii" id="Page_xxxii">[Pg xxxii]</a></span> a rise +without a precedent fall, than there can be a return without a precedent +out-going. Evolution may be the time-form of Attraction. But all this +affects the outside form, not the essence of the doctrine. Behmen is +concerned with the real nature of things, apart from time and space, +with their apparent, but so misleading, facts. He appeals to each Soul's +knowledge of itself, and, on the principle that <i>all is in everything</i>, +draws from the nature of Man, that little Universe (and we can no +otherwise learn things as they are in themselves), his teaching as to +Universal Nature. "In Man (he says) lies all whatsoever the Sun shines +upon, or Heaven contains, as also Hell and all the Deeps." His Iliad is +the struggle between light and darkness, life and death, expansion and +contraction, the centripetal and centrifugal force, heat and cold, love +and hatred, peace and wrath, humility and pride, self-sacrifice and +self-seeking, joy and anguish, repose and restlessness, in the whole of +Nature and in the Soul of Man. Does not every man, who has lived his +full life, know the truth and reality of all this? It is known more +especially and actually by those ardent and adventurous spirits who have +sailed in far seas of thought or action, not merely coasting along the +shores of tradition, authority and established rule. Sinners know some +things more vividly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxxiii" id="Page_xxxiii">[Pg xxxiii]</a></span> than those who ever and easily have been good. Only +the man who has been sick knows the difference between sickness and +health. The prodigal who had wandered in a far country and had lived as +he would, understood the meaning of peace and love better than the +brother who had always stayed at home.</p> + +<p>These wanderers, if they return in time, know best, taught by the +heart-rending lessons of experience, the difference between the Heaven +and Hell within them; the Hell of wrath, self-torment, fear, anxiety, +envy, malice, evil-will, pride, cruelty, sensual passion, longing to +domineer, and the Heaven of love, benevolence, meekness, humility, +compassion, peace, joy, long-suffering.</p> + +<p>They know that Heaven and Hell can alike be revealed in the Soul. From +youth they have felt something in them striving, often feebly enough, +against passionate desires for wealth, honour, success, and for mastery +over the minds, affections, and bodies of others. Behind all this +turmoil and ever unsatisfied anguish of seeking that which satisfies +not, they have been aware of a diviner life slowly growing towards +heaven, ever and again thwarted and driven back by the renewed assaults +of the Spirit of the World, yet never quite destroyed. At the moments of +fiercest fight against rebel passions they have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxxiv" id="Page_xxxiv">[Pg xxxiv]</a></span> felt the divine +assisting strength flow into them, if only they powerfully invoked it, +turning towards its source as a babe towards its mother's breast. They +have heard the "Peace be still" amid the wildest spiritual storms. They +know that if they have been saved, it is not by their own strength nor +by reasoning, but by this power from without.</p> + +<p>They know the impotence, in action, of the merely reflective or +spectator faculty. In this sense of the word "reason," they would agree +with him who wrote "Your Heart is the best and greatest gift of God to +you; it is the highest, greatest, strongest, and noblest Power of your +Nature; it forms your whole Life, be it what it will; all Evil and all +Good comes from it; your Heart alone has the key of Life and Death; it +does all that it will; Reason is but its plaything; and whether in Time +or Eternity, can only be a mere Beholder of the wonders of happiness, or +forms of misery, which the right or wrong working of the Heart is +entered into."<a name="FNanchor_G_7" id="FNanchor_G_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_G_7" class="fnanchor">[G]</a></p> + +<p>William Law remarks that Jesus Christ, though he had all wisdom, yet +gives but a small number of doctrines to mankind "whilst every moral +teacher writes volumes upon every single virtue." It is, he adds, +because our Lord "knew what<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxxv" id="Page_xxxv">[Pg xxxv]</a></span> they know not, that our whole malady lies +in this, that the Will of our Mind is turned into this World, and that +nothing can relieve us, or set us right, but the <i>turning</i> of the Will +of our Mind and the Desire of our Hearts to God. And hence it is that he +calls us to nothing but a total denial of ourselves and the Life of this +World and to faith in him as the Worker of a new birth and life in us." +On this one root of the whole matter Jacob Behmen insisted, expressing +one truth in a thousand ways and through images, which to him are not +images but the same process working in other spheres. His whole +practical, moral teaching enforces the right direction of Desire. <i>Mali +mores sunt mali amores</i>, said one who also truly <i>saw</i>; the profound +Augustine. The hunger of the Soul must be turned to the source of +eternal joy. All that is good and beautiful in nature or in the heart of +man flows from that fountain. Desire <i>is</i> everything in Nature; <i>does</i> +everything. Heaven is Nature filled with divine Life attracted by +Desire.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> From the Danish Bishop Martensen's book "Jacob Boehme"; an +excellent study well translated from Danish into English by Mr T. Rhys +Evans, (Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1885). An account of Behmen's life +is given in the preface to the first volume of the last century English +edition of the Works.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_B_2" id="Footnote_B_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_B_2"><span class="label">[B]</span></a> It should be noted that Jacob Behmen held strongly to the +Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, the actual bread and wine as a +"permissive medium" of the real feeding, in order that there may be "a +visible sign of what is done in the inward ground." But he says "We +should not <i>depend</i> on this means or medium <i>alone</i>, and think that +Christ's Flesh and Blood is <i>only</i> and alone participated in this use of +bread and wine, as Reason in this present time miserably erreth therein. +No, that is not so. Faith, when it hungereth after God's love and grace, +always eateth and drinketh of Christ's Flesh and Blood. Christ hath not +bound himself to bread and wine <i>alone</i>, but hath bound himself to the +<i>faith</i>, that he will be in men." Works, vol. iv. p. 208. Charles Gordon +took the same view of the visible "eating," as being a great assistance +to the spiritual feeding, but not indispensable to it. (Gordon's +"Letters to his Sister.")</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_C_3" id="Footnote_C_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_C_3"><span class="label">[C]</span></a> Dante's "ricchezza senza brama."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_D_4" id="Footnote_D_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_D_4"><span class="label">[D]</span></a> Law's Works, vol. viii., p. 177.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_E_5" id="Footnote_E_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_E_5"><span class="label">[E]</span></a> Works, vol. vii., p. 65, ed. 1765.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_F_6" id="Footnote_F_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_F_6"><span class="label">[F]</span></a> Law's Works, vol. viii., p. 189.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_G_7" id="Footnote_G_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_G_7"><span class="label">[G]</span></a> Law's Works, vol. vii., p. 162.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxxvii" id="Page_xxxvii">[Pg xxxvii]</a></span></p> +<h2>PRELIMINARY NOTE</h2> + + +<p>Before entering upon the Dialogues I have thought it well to insert some +sentences taken from a treatise of Behmen's called "Regeneration," +together with some taken from another treatise of his on "Christ's +Testament" because they show well the spirit in which he thought and +wrote. The freedom of thought and expression which he claims is, +happily, far more readily accorded now than it was in his own day.</p> + +<p>I have only one thing to add. In the eighteenth century English +translation of Behmen's Works, all the substantives, as was then the +frequent custom, are printed with capital letters. There is a +philosophic basis for this practice, because a substantive is an attempt +to denote a "thing in itself" and is therefore of greater weight than an +adjective, which only expresses qualities which we attribute to it. To +Behmen's Works this mode of printing seems especially appropriate. In +our now too literary language, many words have become so trite and +carelessly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xxxviii" id="Page_xxxviii">[Pg xxxviii]</a></span> used that they have almost ceased to have reference to real +existing things. But Behmen never uses words in this merely literary +way, being indeed in nowise a man of letters. It might have been said of +him, as indeed his enemies did at the time say, that which was said by +the Jews of our Lord, "How knoweth this man letters having never +learned?" When he speaks of the "<i>glory</i>" of God, he means something as +real as if he spoke of the "<i>leaves</i> on that tree," and so with all his +words. I was therefore somewhat inclined, in order to mark this, to +adhere altogether to the old custom in this case, and though I have not +done so, fearing it might annoy the eye of the unaccustomed reader, I +have preserved the capital letters in many cases, where it is especially +desirable to dwell on the expression of real existences by the words. It +is of course an illogical compromise between two customs.</p> + +<p>The title "Supersensual Life" is not altogether a good one, but it is +that which is used in former editions of Behmen. The idea is rather of +Life behind, than above, the life of sense.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> +<h2><i>Sentences Selected from Jacob Behmen's Treatises "Regeneration" and +"Christ's Testaments"</i></h2> + + +<h4>1</h4> + +<p>A true Christian, who is born anew of the Spirit of Christ, is in the +simplicity of Christ, and hath no strife or contention with any man +about religion.</p> + + +<h4>2</h4> + +<p>The Christendom that is in Babel striveth about the manner how men ought +to serve God and glorify him; also, how they are to know him, and what +he is in his Essence and Will. And they preach positively that whosoever +is not one and the same with them in every particular of knowledge and +opinion, is no Christian, but a heretic.</p> + + +<h4>3</h4> + +<p>But a Christian is of no sect. He can dwell in the midst of sects, and +appear in their services, without being attached or bound to any. He +hath but one knowledge, and that is, Christ in him. He seeketh but one +way, which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> is the desire always to do and teach that which is right; +and he putteth all his knowing and willing into the Life of Christ. He +sigheth and wisheth continually that the Will of God might be done in +him, and that his Kingdom might be manifested in him. His faith is a +desire after God and Goodness, which he wrappeth up in a sure hope, +trusting to the words of the promise, and liveth and dieth therein; +though as to the <i>true man</i>, he never dieth.</p> + + +<h4>4</h4> + +<p>For Christ saith: <i>Whosoever believeth in me shall never die, but hath +pierced through from death to life</i>; and, <i>Rivers of living water shall +flow from him</i>, viz. good doctrine and works.</p> + + +<h4>5</h4> + +<p>Therefore I say that whosoever fighteth and contendeth about the Letter, +is all Babel. The Letters of the Word proceed from, and stand all in, +one Root, which is the Spirit of God; as the various flowers stand all +in the earth, and grow about one another. They fight not with each other +about their difference of colour, smell, and taste, but suffer the +earth, the sun, the rain, the wind, the heat, and cold, to do with them +as they please; and yet every one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> of them groweth in its own peculiar +essence and property.</p> + + +<h4>6</h4> + +<p>Even so it is with the Children of God; they have various gifts and +degrees of knowledge, yet all form one Spirit. They all rejoice at the +great Wonders of God, and give thanks to the Most High in his Wisdom. +Why then should they contend about him in <i>Whom they live and have their +being</i>, and of whose substance they themselves are?</p> + + +<h4>7</h4> + +<p>It is the greatest folly that is in Babel for people to strive about +religion, so that they contend vehemently about opinions of their own +forging, viz. about the Letter. When the Kingdom of God consisteth of no +Opinion, but in Power and Love.</p> + + +<h4>8</h4> + +<p>As Christ said to his disciples, and left it with them at the last, +saying: <i>Love one another as I have loved you: for thereby men shall +know that ye are My disciples</i>. If men would as fervently seek after +love and righteousness as they do after opinions, there would be no +strife on earth, and we should be as children of one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> father, and should +need no law or ordinance. For God is not served by any law, but only by +obedience. Laws are for the wicked, who will not enhance love and +righteousness; they are, and must be, compelled by laws.</p> + + +<h4>9</h4> + +<p>We all have but one Order, Law, or Ordinance, which is to stand still to +the Lord of all Beings, and resign our wills up to him, and suffer his +Spirit to play what music he will. And thus we give to him again as his +own fruits that which he worketh and manifesteth in us.</p> + + +<h4>10</h4> + +<p>Now if we did not contend about our different fruits, gifts, kinds, and +degrees of knowledge, but did acknowledge them in one another, like +Children of the Spirit of God, what could condemn us? For the Kingdom of +God consisteth not in our knowing and supposing, but in Power.</p> + + +<h4>11</h4> + +<p>If we did not know half so much, and were more like children, and had +but a brotherly mind and goodwill towards one another, and lived like +children of one mother, and as branches of one tree, taking our Sap all +from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> one Root, we should be far more holy than we are.</p> + + +<h4>12</h4> + +<p>Knowledge serves only to this end, viz., to know that we have lost the +Divine Power in Adam, and are now become inclined to sin; that we have +evil properties in us, and that doing evil pleaseth not God; so that +with our knowledge we learn to do right. Now if we have the Power of God +in us, and desire with all our hearts to act and to live aright, then +our knowledge is but our sport, or matter of pleasure, wherein we +rejoice.</p> + + +<h4>13</h4> + +<p>For true knowledge is the manifestation of the Spirit of God through the +Eternal Wisdom. He knoweth what he will in his children; he sheweth his +wisdom and wonders by his children, as the earth putteth forth her +various flowers.</p> + + +<h4>14</h4> + +<p>Now if we dwell with one another, like humble children, in the Spirit of +Christ, are rejoicing at the gift or knowledge of another, who would +judge or condemn us? Who judgeth or condemneth the birds in the woods +that praise<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> the Lord of all Beings with various voices, every one in +its own essence? Doth the Spirit of God reprove them for not bringing +their voices into one harmony? Doth not the melody of them all proceed +from his Power, and do they not sport before him?</p> + + +<h4>15</h4> + +<p>Those men therefore that strive and wrangle about the knowledge and will +of God, and despise one another on that account, are more foolish than +the birds in the woods, and the wild beasts that have no true +understanding. They are more unprofitable in the sight of the holy God +than the flowers of the field, which stand still in quiet submission to +the Spirit of God, and suffer him to manifest the Divine Wisdom and +Power through them.</p> + + +<h4>16</h4> + +<p>All Christian Religion consisteth wholly on this, to learn <i>to know +ourselves</i>; whence we came, and what we are; how we are gone forth from +the Unity into dissension, wickedness, and unrighteousness; how we have +awakened and stirred up these evils in us; and how we may be delivered +from them again, and recover our original blessedness.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> + + +<h4>17</h4> + +<p><i>First</i>; How we were in the Unity, when we were the Children of God in +Adam before he fell. <i>Secondly</i>; How we are now in dissension and +disunion, in strife and contrariety. <i>Thirdly</i>; Whither we go when we +pass out of this corruptible condition; whither with the unnatural, and +whither with the natural part. And <i>lastly</i>; How we came forth from +disunion and vanity, and enter into that one Tree, Christ in us, out of +which we all sprung in Adam. In these four points all the necessary +knowledge of a Christian consisteth.</p> + + +<h4>18</h4> + +<p>So that we need not strive about any thing; we have no cause of +contention with each other. Let every one only exercise himself in +learning how he may enter again into the Love of God and his Brother.</p> + + +<h4>19</h4> + +<p>The written Word is but an instrument whereby the Spirit leadeth us to +itself within us. That Word which will teach must be living in the +literal Word. The Spirit of God must be in the literal sound, or else +none is a Teacher of God, but a mere Teacher of the Letter, a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> knower of +the history, and not of the Spirit of God in Christ.</p> + + +<h4>20</h4> + +<p>All that men will serve God with must be done in Faith, viz. in the +Spirit. It is the Spirit that maketh the work perfect, and acceptable in +the sight of God. All that a man undertaketh and doeth in Faith, he doth +in the Spirit of God, which Spirit of God doth co-operate in the work, +and then it is acceptable to God. For he hath done it himself, and his +Power and Virtue is in it. It is holy.</p> + + +<h4>21</h4> + +<p>Strife and misunderstanding concerning Christ's Person, Office, and +Being, or Substance, as also concerning his Testaments which he left +behind him, wherein he worketh at present, ariseth from the deflected +creaturely Reason, which runneth on only in an Image-like opinion, and +reacheth not the ground of this mystery, and yet will be a mistress of +all things or beings, and will judge all things. It doth but lose itself +in such Image-likeness, and breaketh itself off from its Centre, and +disperseth the thoughts, and runneth on in the multiplicity, whereby its +ground is confused<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> and the mind is disquieted, and knoweth not itself.</p> + + +<h4>22</h4> + +<p>No Life can stand in certainty, except it continue in its Centre, out of +which it is sprung.</p> + + +<h4>23</h4> + +<p>When the Soul that is sprung from God's Word and Will is entered into +its own desire to will of itself, it will run in mere uncertainty till +it return to its Original again.</p> + + +<h4>24</h4> + +<p>Seeing that human life is an outflowing of the Divine Power, +Understanding and Skill, the same ought to continue in its Original, or +else it loseth the Divine Knowledge, Power and Skill, and with +self-speculation bringeth itself into centres of its own, and strange +imaging, wherewith its Original becometh darkened and strange.</p> + +<p>Therefore say I, that this is the only cause that men dispute about God, +his Word, Essence or Being, and Will, that the understanding of man hath +broken itself off from its Original, and now runneth on in mere +self-will, thoughts and images in its own lust to selfishness, wherein +there is no true knowledge, nor can<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> be, till the Life returneth to its +Original, viz. into the Divine Outflowing and Will.</p> + + +<h4>25</h4> + +<p>If this be done, then God's Will speaketh forth the Divine Power and +Wonders again through the human willing. In which Divine Speaking, the +Life may know and comprehend God's Will, and frame itself therein. Then +there is true Divine Knowledge and Understanding in man's skill, when +his skill is continually renewed with Divine Power.</p> + + +<h4>26</h4> + +<p>As Christ hath taught us when he said, <i>Unless ye be converted and +become as a Child, ye shall not come into the Kingdom of God</i>. That is, +that the Life turn itself again unto God out of whom it is proceeded, +and forsake all its own imaging and lust, and so come to the Divine +Vision again.</p> + + +<h4>27</h4> + +<p>All disputation concerning God's Being or Essence or Will is performed +in the images of the senses or thoughts without God. For if any liveth +in God, and willeth with God, what needeth he dispute about God, who, or +what God is? That he disputeth about it is a sign<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> that he hath never +felt it at all in his mind or senses, and it is not given to him that +God is in him, and willeth in him what he will. It is a certain sign +that he exalts his own meaning and image above others, and desireth +dominion.</p> + + +<h4>28</h4> + +<p>Men should friendly confer together, and offer one another their gifts +and knowledge in love, and try things one with another, and hold that +which is best, and not so stand in their own opinion as if they could +not err. It lyeth in no man's person that men should suppose that the +Divine Understanding must come only from such and such. For the +Scripture says, <i>Try all things and hold that which is good</i>, 1 Thess. +v. 21.</p> + + +<h4>29</h4> + +<p>The touchstone to true knowledge is first, the Corner-stone, Christ; +that men should see whether a thing enter out of love into love, or +whether alone purely the love of God be sought and desired; whether it +be done out of humility or pride; Secondly, whether it be according to +the Holy Scripture; Thirdly, is it according to the human heart and +soul, wherein the Book of the Life of God is incorporated, and may very +well be read by the Children of God? Here the true mind hath its +touchstone in itself,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> and can distinguish all things. If it be so that +the Holy Ghost dwell in the ground of the mind, that man hath touchstone +enough; that will lead him into all truth.</p> + + +<h4>30</h4> + +<p>All strife concerning Christ's testaments cometh hence that men do not +understand that Heaven wherein Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. +They understand not that he is in this World, and that the World +standeth in Heaven, and Heaven in the World, and are in one another, as +Day and Night.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>1 <span class="smcap">Cor.</span> ii. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.</p> + +<p><i>We speak the hidden mystical wisdom of God; which God +ordained before the world into our glory; which none of the +Princes of this World knew. For had they known it, they +would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. But, as it is +written, Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither hath it +entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which +God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath +revealed them unto us by his Spirit. For the Spirit +searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. Now we +have received, not the Spirit of the World, but the Spirit +which is of God; that we might know the things that are +freely given us of God. Which things also we speak, not in +the words which men's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy +Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. +But the Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit +of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he +know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he +that is spiritual judgeth, or discerneth all things.</i></p></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> + +<h2>OF THE SUPERSENSUAL LIFE</h2> + +<h4>IN DIALOGUES</h4> + +<h3>BETWEEN A SCHOLAR OR DISCIPLE AND HIS MASTER</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>DIALOGUE I</h2> + + +<p>The Disciple said to his Master: Sir, how may I come to the Supersensual +Life, so that I may see God, and may hear God speak?</p> + +<p>The Master answered and said: Son, when thou canst throw thyself into +THAT, where no Creature dwelleth, though it be but for a moment, then +thou hearest what God speaketh?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Is that where no Creature dwelleth near at hand, or is it afar off?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>It is <i>in thee</i>. And if thou canst, my Son, for a while but cease from +all thy thinking and willing, then thou shalt hear the unspeakable words +of God.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>How can I hear him speak, when I stand still from thinking and willing?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>When thou standest still from the thinking of Self, and the willing of +Self. When both thy intellect and will are quiet, and passive to the +expressions of the Eternal Word and Spirit; and when thy soul is winged +up and above that which is temporal, the outward senses and the +imagination being locked up by holy abstraction, then the Eternal +Hearing, Seeing and Speaking will be revealed in thee, and so God +heareth and seeth through thee, being now the organ of <i>his</i> Spirit, and +so God speaketh in <i>thee</i>, and whispereth to thy Spirit, and thy Spirit +heareth his voice. Blessed art thou therefore if thou canst stand still +from self-thinking and self-willing, and canst stop the wheel of thy +imagination and senses; forasmuch as hereby thou mayest arrive at length +to see the great Salvation of God, being made capable of all manner of +divine sensations and heavenly communications. Since it is nought indeed +but thine own hearing and willing that do hinder thee, so that thou dost +not see and hear God.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>But wherewith shall I hear and see God, forasmuch as he is above Nature +and Creature?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Son, when thou art quiet and silent, then art thou as God was before +Nature and Creature; thou art that which God then was; thou art that +whereof he made thy nature and creature. Then thou hearest and seest +even that wherewith God himself saw and heard in thee, before ever thine +own willing or thine own seeing began.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>What now hinders or keeps me back, so that I cannot come to <i>that</i>, +wherewith God is to be seen and heard?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Nothing truly but thine own willing, hearing, and seeing do keep thee +back from it, and do hinder thee from coming to this supersensual state. +And it is because thou strivest so against that, out of which thou +thyself art descended and derived, that thou thus breakest thyself off, +with thine own willing, from God's willing, and with thine own seeing +from God's seeing. In as much as in thine own seeing thou dost see in +thine own willing only, and with thine own understanding thou dost +understand but in and according to thine own willing, as the same<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> +stands divided from the Divine Will. This thy willing, moreover, stops +thy hearing, and maketh thee deaf towards God, through thy own thinking +upon terrestrial things, and thy attending to that which is without +thee, and so it brings thee to a ground where thou art laid hold on and +captivated in Nature. And having brought thee hither, it overshadows +thee with that which thou willest, it binds thee with thine own chains, +and it keeps thee in thine own dark prison which thou makest for +thyself, so that thou canst not go out thence, or come to that state +which is Supernatural and Supersensual.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>But being I am in Nature, and thus bound as with my own chains, and by +my own natural will, pray be so kind, Sir, as to tell me, how I may come +<i>through</i> Nature into the Supersensual and Supernatural Ground, without +the destroying of Nature?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Three things are requisite in order to this. The first is, Thou must +resign up thy Will to God, and must sink thyself down to the dust in his +mercy. The second is, Thou must hate thy own Will, and forbear from +doing that to which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> thy own Will doth drive thee. The third is, Thou +must bow thy soul under the Cross, heartily submitting thyself to it, +that thou mayst be able to bear the temptations of Nature and Creature. +And if thou dost this, know that God will speak unto thee, and will +bring thy resigned Will into Himself, in the supernatural ground, and +then thou shalt hear, my son, what the Lord speaketh in thee.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>This is a hard saying, Master, for I must forsake the World and my life +too, if I should do thus.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Be not discouraged hereat. If thou forsakest the World, then thou comest +unto that out of which the World is made, and if thou losest thy life, +then thy life is in that for whose sake thou forsakest it. Thy life is +in God, from whence it came into the body, and as thou comest to have +thine own power faint and weak and dying, the power of God will then +work in thee and through thee.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Nevertheless, as God hath created man in and for the natural life, to +rule over all creatures on earth, and to be a lord over all things in +this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> world, it seems not to be at all unreasonable that God should +therefore possess this world and the things therein for his own.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>If thou rulest over all creatures but outwardly there cannot be much in +that. But if thou hast a mind to possess all things, and to be a lord +indeed over all things in this world, there is quite another method to +be taken by thee.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Pray, how is that? And what method must I take, whereby to arrive at +this sovereignty?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Thou must learn to distinguish between the Thing, and that which is only +an image thereof; between that sovereignty which is substantial and in +the inward ground of Nature, and that which is imaginary and in outward +form of semblance; between that which is properly angelical and that +which is no more than bestial. If thou rulest over the creatures +externally only and not from the right internal ground of thy inward +nature, then thy will and ruling is in a bestial kind or matter, and +thine at best is but a sort of imaginary and transitory government, +being void of that which is substantial<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> and permanent, that which only +thou art to desire and press after. Thus by thy outward lording it over +the creatures it is most easy for thee to lose the substance and the +reality, whilst thou hast naught remaining but the image and shadow only +of thy first and original lordship wherein thou art made capable to be +again invested, if thou art but wise, and takest thy investiture from +the Supreme Lord in the right course and matter. Whereas by thy willing +and ruling them in a bestial manner, thou bringest also thy desire into +a bestial essence, by which means thou becomest infected and captivated +therein, and gettest therewith a bestial nature and condition of life. +But if thou shalt have put off the bestial nature, and left the +imaginary life, and quitted the low-imaged condition of it, then art +thou come into the super-imaginariness and into the intellectual life, +which is a state of living above images, figures and shadows. And so +thou rulest over all creatures, being re-united with thy Original, in +that very ground or source, out of which they were and are created, and +thenceforth nothing on earth can hurt thee. For thou art like All +Things, and nothing is unlike thee.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>O loving Master, pray teach me how I may<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> come the shortest way to be +like unto <i>All Things</i>.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>With all my heart. Do but think on the words of our Lord Jesus Christ +when he said: "Except ye be converted and become as little children ye +shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." There is no shorter way +than this, nor can a better way be found. Verily, Jesus saith unto thee, +Unless thou turn and become as a child, hanging upon him for all things, +thou shalt not see the Kingdom of God. This do and nothing shall hurt +thee; for thou shalt be at friendship with all the things that are, as +thou dependest upon the author and fountain of them, and becomest like +him, by such dependence, and by the Union of thy Will with his Will. But +mark what I have further to say, and be not thou startled at it, though +it may seem hard for thee at first to conceive. If thou wilt be like All +Things thou must forsake all things; thou must not extend thy will to +possess that for thine own, or as thine own, which is <i>Something</i>, +whatever that Something be. For as soon as ever thou takest <i>Something</i> +into thy desire, and receivest it into thee for thine own, or in +propriety, then this very Something (of what nature soever it is)<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> is +the <i>same</i> with thyself; and this worketh with thee in thy will, and +thou art thence bound to protect it, and take care of it, even as of thy +own being. But if thou dost receive <i>no thing</i> into thy desire then thou +art free from all things, and rulest over all things at once, as a +Prince of God. For thou hast received nothing for thine own, and art +nothing to all things, and all things are as nothing unto thee. Thou art +as a child, which understands not what a thing is; and though thou dost +perhaps understand it, yet thou understandest it without mixing with it, +and without it sensibly affecting or touching thy perception, even in +that matter wherein God doth rule and see all things, he comprehending +All, and yet nothing comprehending him.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Ah! how shall I arrive at this heavenly understanding, at this pure and +naked knowledge, which is abstracted from the senses, at this light +above Nature and Creature, and at this participation of the Divine +Wisdom which oversees all things, and governs through all intellectual +beings? For, alas, I am touched every moment by the things which are +about me, and overshadowed by the clouds and perfumes which rise up out +of the earth. I desire,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> therefore, to be taught, if possible, how I may +attain such a state and condition as that no creature may be able to +touch me to hurt me; and how my mind, being purged from sensible objects +and things, may be prepared for the entrance and habitation of the +Divine Wisdom in me.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Thou desirest that I would teach thee how thou art to attain it; and I +will direct thee to our Master, from whom I have been taught it, that +thou mayest learn it thyself from him, who alone teacheth the heart. +Hear thou him. Wouldst thou arrive at this; wouldst thou remain +untouched by sensibles; wouldst thou behold light in the very Light of +God, and see all things thereby; then consider the words of Christ, who +is the Light and who is the Truth. O consider now his words, who said, +<i>Without me ye can do nothing</i> (John xix. 5) and defer not to apply +thyself unto him, who is the strength of thy salvation, and the <i>power</i> +of thy life; and <i>with whom thou canst do all things</i>, by the faith +which he waketh in thee. But unless thou wholly givest thyself up to the +life of our Lord Jesus Christ, and resignest thy Will wholly to him, and +desirest nothing and willest nothing without him, thou shalt never come +to such a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> rest as no creature can disturb. Think what thou pleasest, +and be never so much delighted in the activity of thine own reason, thou +shalt find that, in thine own power and without such a total surrender +to God and to the life of God, thou canst never arrive at such a rest as +this, or the true Quiet of the Soul, wherein no creature can molest +thee, or even so much as touch thee. Which when thou shalt, with Grace, +have attained to, then with thy Body thou art in the World, as in the +properties of outward Nature; and, with thy Reason, under the Cross of +our Lord Jesus Christ; but with thy <i>Will</i> thou walkest in heaven, and +art at the end from whence all creatures are proceeded forth, and <i>to</i> +which they return again. And then thou canst in this End, which is the +same with the <i>Beginning</i>, behold all things outwardly with <i>reason</i> and +liberally with the <i>mind</i>; and so mayest thou rule in all things and +over all things, with Christ; unto whom all power is given both in +heaven and on earth.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>O, Master, the creatures which live in me do withhold me, so that I +cannot so wholly yield and give up myself as I willingly would. What am +I to do in this case?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Let not this trouble thee. Doth thy Will go forth from the creatures? +Then the creatures are forsaken in thee. They are in the world, and thy +body, which is in the world, is with the creatures. But spiritually thou +walkest with God, and conversest in heaven; being in thy mind redeemed +from earth, and separated from creatures, to live the life of God. And +if thy Will thus leaveth the creatures, and goeth forth from them, even +as the spirit goeth forth from the body at death; then are the creatures +dead in it, and do live only in the body in the world. Since if thy Will +do not bring itself into them, they cannot bring themselves into it, +neither can they by any means touch the soul. And hence St Paul saith, +<i>Our conversation is in heaven; and also, Ye are the temple of God, and +the Spirit of God dwelleth in you</i>. So, then, true Christians are the +very temples of the Holy Ghost, who dwelleth in them; that is, the Holy +Ghost dwelleth in the Will, and the Creature dwelleth in the Body.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>If now the Holy Spirit doth dwell in the Will of the Mind, how ought I +to keep myself so that he depart not from me again.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Mark, my son, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: <i>If ye abide in my +words</i>, then my words abide in you. If thou abidest with thy Will in the +Words of Christ; then his Word and Spirit abideth in thee, and all shall +be done for thee that thou canst ask of him. But if thy Will goeth into +the creature, then thou hast broken off thyself thereby from him. And +then thou canst not any otherwise keep thyself but by abiding +continually with that resigned humility, and by entering into a constant +course of penitence, wherein thou wilt always be grieved at thine own +creaturely Will, and that creatures do still live in thee, that is, in +thy bodily appetite. If thou dost thus, thou standest in a daily dying +from the creatures, and in a daily ascending into heaven in thy will, +which will is also the Will of thy Heavenly Father.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>O my loving Master, pray teach me how I may come to such a constant +course of holy penitence, and to such a daily dying from all creaturely +objects, for how can I abide continually in repentance?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>When thou leavest that which loveth thee,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> and lovest that which hateth +thee; then thou mayest continually abide in repentance.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>What is it that I must thus leave?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>All things that love and entertain thee, because thy Will loves and +entertains them. All things that please and feed thee, because thy Will +feeds and cherishes them. All creatures in flesh and blood; in a word, +all visibles and sensibles, by which either the imaginative or sensitive +appetite in men are delighted and refreshed. These the Will of thy mind, +or thy supreme part, must leave and forsake, and must even account them +all its enemies. This is the leaving of what loves thee. And the loving +of what hates thee is the embracing the reproach of the World. Thou must +learn then to love the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, and for his sake +to be pleased with the reproach of the World which hates thee and +derides thee; and let this be thy daily exercise of penitence to be +crucified to the World, and the World to thee. And so thou shalt have +continual cause to hate thyself <i>in the Creature</i>, and to seek the +eternal rest which is <i>in Christ</i>. To which rest thou<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> having thus +attained, thy Will may therein safely rest and repose itself, according +as thy Lord Christ hath said: In me ye may have rest, but in the World +ye shall have anxiety: In me ye may have peace, but in the World ye +shall have tribulation.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>How now shall I be able to subsist in this anxiety and tribulation +arising from the World so as not to lose the eternal peace, or not to +enter into this rest? And how may I recover myself in such a temptation +as this is, by not sinking under the World, but rising above it by a +life which is truly heavenly and supersensual?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>If thou dost once every hour throw thyself by faith beyond all +creatures, beyond and above all sensual perception and apprehension, +yea, above discourse and reasoning into the abyssal mercy of God, into +the sufferings of our Lord, and into the fellowship of his interceding, +and yieldest thyself fully and absolutely thereinto; then thou shalt +receive power from above to rule over Death and the Devil and to subdue +Hell and the World unto thee. And then thou mayest subsist in all +temptations, and be the brighter for them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Blessed is the man that arriveth to such a state as this. But, alas, +poor man that I am, how is this possible as to me? And what, O my +Master, would become of me, if I should ever attain with my mind to that +where no creature is? Must I not cry out, <i>I am undone</i>?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Son, why art thou so dispirited? Be of good heart still; for thou mayest +certainly yet attain to it. Do but believe, and all things are made +possible to thee. If it were that thy Will, O thou of so little courage, +could break off itself for an hour, or even but for a half hour, from +all creatures, and plunge itself into that where no creature is, or can +be; presently it would be penetrated and clothed upon with the supreme +splendour of the Divine Glory, would taste in itself the most sweet Love +of Jesus, the sweetness whereof no tongue can express, and would find in +itself the unspeakable words of our Lord concerning his great mercy. Thy +spirit would then feel in itself the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ to +be very pleasing to it; and would thereupon love the Cross more than the +honours and goods of the World.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>This for the Soul would be exceeding well indeed. But what would then +become of the Body, seeing that it must of necessity live in <i>Creature</i>?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>The body would by this means be put into the imitation of our Lord Jesus +Christ and of his body. It would stand in the communion of that most +blessed Body, which is the true temple of the Deity, and in the +participation of all its gracious effects, virtues, and influences. It +would live in the Creature, not of choice, but only as it is made +subject to vanity, and in the World, as it is placed therein by the +ordination of the Creator, for its cultivation and higher advancement, +and as groaning to be delivered out of it in God's time and manner, for +its perfection and resuscitation in eternal liberty and glory, like unto +the glorified body of our Lord and his risen Saints.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>But the body, being in its present constitution, so made subject to +vanity, and living in a vain image and creaturely shadows according to +the life of the undergraduated creatures or brutes,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> whose breath goeth +downward to the earth; I am still very much afraid thereof, lest it +should continue to depress the mind which is lifted up to God, by +hanging as a dead weight thereto; and go on to abuse and perplex the +same, as formerly, with dreams and trifles, by letting in the objects +from without, in order to draw me down into the World and the hurry +thereof; whereas I would fain maintain by conversation in Heaven even +while I am living in the World. What, therefore, must I do with this +body, that I may be able to keep up so desirable a conversation, and not +to be under subjection to it any longer?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>There is no other way for thee that I know but to present the body +whereof thou complainest (which is the beast to be sacrificed) <i>a living +sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God</i>. And this shall be thy rational +service whereby this thy body will be put, as thou desirest, into the +imitation of Jesus Christ, who said his Kingdom was not of this World. +Be not thou then <i>conformed</i> to it, but be <i>transformed</i> by the renewing +of thy mind; which renewed mind is to have dominion over the body, that +so thou mayest prove, both in body and mind, what is the perfect Will of +God, and accordingly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> perform the same with and by his grace operating +in thee. Whereupon the body, or the <i>animal life</i> would, being thus +offered up, begin to die, both from without and from within. From +<i>without</i>, that is, from the vanity and evil customs and fashions of the +World; it would be an utter change to all the parts thereof, and to all +the pageantry, pride, ambition, and haughtiness therein. From <i>within</i> +it would die as to all the lusts and appetites of the flesh, and would +get a mind and will wholly new for its government and management; being +now made subject to the Spirit, which would continually be directed to +God. And thus thy very body is become the temple of God and of his +Spirit, in imitation of thy Lord's Body.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>But the World would hate it and despise it for so doing, seeing it must +hereby contradict the World, and must live and act quite otherwise than +the World doth. This is most certain. And how can this be taken?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>It would not take that as any harm done to it, but would rather rejoice +that it is become worthy to be like unto the image of our Lord Jesus +Christ, being transformed from that of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> the World. And it would be most +willing to bear that cross after our Lord, merely that our Lord might +bestow upon it the influence of his sweet and precious love.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>I do not doubt but in some this may be even so. Nevertheless, for my own +part, I am in a strait between two, not feeling yet enough of that +blessed influence upon me. Oh how willingly should my body bear <i>that</i>, +could <i>this</i> be safely depended upon by me! Wherefore pardon me, loving +Sir, in this one thing, if my impatience doth still further demand, +"What would become of it, if the anger of God from within, and the +wicked World also from without, should at once assault it, as the same +really happened to our Lord Christ?"</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Be that unto it, even as unto our Lord Christ, when he was reproached, +reviled and crucified by the World, and when the anger of God so +fiercely assaulted him for our sake. Now what did he under this most +terrible assault both from without and within? Why; he commended his +soul into the hands of his Father, and so departed from the anguish of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> +this World into the eternal joy. Do thou likewise, and his death shall +be thy life.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Be it unto me as unto the Lord Christ, and unto my body as unto his, +which into his hands I have commended, and for the sake of his name do +offer up, according to his revealed Will. Nevertheless I am desirous to +know what would become of my body in its pressing forth from the anguish +of this miserable World into the power of the Heavenly Kingdom.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>It would get forth from the reproach and contradiction of the World by a +conformity to the passion of Jesus Christ; and from the sorrows and +pains in the flesh, which are only the effects of some sensible +impression of things without, by a quiet introversion of the spirit and +secret communion with the Deity manifesting itself for that end. It +would penetrate into itself; it would sink into the great love of God; +it would be sustained and refreshed by the most sweet name <i>Jesus</i>, and +it would see and find within itself a new world springing forth, as +through the anger of God, into the joy and love eternal. And then should +a man wrap his soul in this, even in the great Love<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> of God, and clothe +himself therewith as with a garment; and should account thence all +things alike; because in the Creature he finds nothing that can give +him, without God, the least satisfaction, and because also nothing of +harm can touch him more while he remains in this Love. For this Love is +indeed stronger than all things, and makes a man invulnerable both from +within and without, by taking out the sting and poison of the Creature, +and destroying the power of death. And whether the body be in hell or on +earth, all is alike to him; for whether it be there or here, his mind is +still in the greatest Love of God; which is no less than to say that he +is in heaven.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>But how would a man's body be maintained in the World; or how would he +be able to maintain those who are his, if he should by such a +conversation incur the displeasure of all the World?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Such a man gets greater favours than the world is able to bestow upon +him: he hath God for his friend; he hath all the Angels for his friends. +In all dangers and necessities these protect and relieve him; so that he +need fear no manner of evil; no creature can hurt him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> God is his +helper, and that is sufficient. Also God is his blessing in everything. +And though sometimes it may seem as if God would not bless him, yet is +this but for a trial to him, and for the attraction of the Divine Love, +to the end he may more fervently pray to God, and commit all his ways +unto him.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>He loses, however, by this all his good friends, and there will be none +to help him in his necessity.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Nay, but he gets the hearts of all his good friends into his possession, +and loses none but his enemies, who before loved his vanity and +wickedness.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>How is it that he can get his good friends into his possession?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>He gets the very hearts and souls of all those that belong to our Lord +Jesus to be his brethren, and the members of his own very life. For all +the children of God are but <span class="smcap">one</span> in Christ, which one is Christ <i>in All</i>. +And therefore he gets them all to be his fellow-members in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> Body of +Christ, whence they have all the same heavenly goods in common and all +live in one and the same Love of God, as the branches of a tree in one +and the same root, and spring all from one and the same source of life +in them. So that he can have no want of spiritual friends and relations, +who are all rooted with him together in the Love which is from above, +who are all of the same blood and kindred in Christ Jesus; and who are +cherished all by the same quickening sap and spirit diffusing itself +through them universally from the one true Vine, which is the tree of +life and love. These are friends worth having; and though here they may +be unknown to him, will abide his friends beyond doubt to all eternity. +But neither can he want even outward natural friends, as our Lord +Christ, when on earth, did not want such also. For though, indeed, the +High-Priests and Potentates of the World could not have a love to him, +because they belonged not to him, neither stood in any kind of relation +to him, as being not of this world, yet those loved him who were capable +of his love, and receptive of his words. So, in like manner, those who +love truth and righteousness will love that man, and will associate +themselves unto him, yea, though they may perhaps be outwardly at some +distance or seeming disagreement, from the situation of their worldly +affairs,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> or from other reasons, yet in their hearts they cannot but +cleave to him. For though they be not actually incorporated into one +body with him, yet they cannot resist being of one mind with him, and +being united in affliction, for the great regard they bear to the truth, +which shines forth in his words and in his life. By this they are made +either his declared or his secret friends; and he doth so get their +hearts that they will be delighted above all things in his company, for +the sake thereof, and will court his friendship and will come unto him +by stealth, if openly they dare not, for the benefit of his conversation +and advice; even as Nicodemus did to Christ, who came to him by night, +and in his heart loved Jesus for the truth's sake, though outwardly he +feared the World. And thus thou shalt have many friends that are not +known to thee; and some known to thee, who may not appear so before the +World.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Nevertheless it is very grievous to be generally despised of the World, +and to be trampled upon by men as the very offscouring thereof.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>That which now seems so hard and heavy to thee, thou wilt yet hereafter +be most in love with.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>How can it ever be that I should love that which hates me?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Though thou lovest the Earthly Wisdom now, yet when thou shalt be +clothed upon with the Heavenly Wisdom, then wilt thou see that all the +wisdom of the World is folly; and wilt see also that the World hates not +so much thee, as thine enemy, which is this mortal life. And when thou +thyself shalt come to hate the will thereof, by means of a habitual +separation of thy mind from the World, then thou also wilt begin to love +that despising of the mortal life, and the reproach of the World for +Christ's sake. And so shalt thou be able to stand under every +temptation, and to hold out to the end by the means hereof in a course +of life above the World and above sense.</p> + +<p>In this course thou wilt hate thyself, and thou wilt also love thyself, +I say, love thyself, and that even more than thou ever didst yet.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>But how can these two subsist together, that a person should both <i>love</i> +and <i>hate</i> himself?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p><i>In loving thyself</i>, thou lovest not thyself <i>as thine own</i>, but thou +lovest the divine ground in thee, as given thee from the Love of God. By +which, and in which, thou lovest the Divine Wisdom, the Divine Goodness, +the Divine Beauty; thou lovest also by it God's works of wonders; and in +this ground thou lovest also thy brethren. But <i>in hating thyself</i>, thou +hatest only that which is <i>thine own</i>, and wherein the Evil sticks close +to thee. And this thou dost, that so thou mayest wholly destroy that +which thou callest <i>thine</i>, as when thou sayest I or MYSELF do this, or +do that. All which is wrong and a downright mistake in thee; for nothing +canst thou properly call <i>thine</i> but the evil Self, neither canst thou +do anything of thyself that is to be accounted of. This <i>Self</i> therefore +thou must labour wholly to destroy in thee, that so thou mayest become a +ground wholly divine. There can be no <i>selfishness</i> in love; they are +opposite to each other. Love, that is, Divine Love (of which only we are +now discoursing), hates all Egoity, hates all that which we call I, or +IHOOD, hates all such restrictions and confinements, even all that +springs from a contracted spirit, or this evil <i>Self-hood</i>, because it +is an hateful and deadly thing. And it is impossible that these<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> two +should stand together, or subsist in one person; the one driving out the +other by a necessity of nature. For <i>Love</i> possesses Heaven, and dwells +in itself, which is dwelling in Heaven; but that which is called I, this +vile self-hood, possesses the world and worldly things; and dwells also +in itself, which is dwelling <i>in Hell</i>, because this is the very root of +Hell itself. And, therefore, as Heaven rules the World, and as Eternity +rules Time, even so ought Love to rule the natural temporal Life; for no +other method is there, neither can there be of attaining to that Life +which is supernatural and eternal, and which thou so much desirest to be +led into.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Loving Master, I am well content that this Love should rule in me over +the natural Life, that so I may attain to that which is supernatural and +supersensual; but, pray tell me now, why must Love and Hatred, friend +and foe, thus be together? Would not Love alone be better? Wherefore, I +say, are Love and Trouble thus joined?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>If Love dwelt not in Trouble, it could have nothing to love. But its +substance which it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> loves, namely the poor soul, being in trouble and +pain, it hath thence cause to love this its own substance and to deliver +it from pain, that so itself may by it be again beloved. Neither could +any one know what Love is, if there were no Hatred; or what friendship +is, if there were no foe to contend with. Or, in one word, if Love had +not something which it might love, and manifest the virtue and power of +love in working out deliverance to the Beloved from all pain and +trouble.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Pray what is the virtue, the power, the height, and the greatness of +Love?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>The virtue of Love is <span class="smcap">nothing</span> and <span class="smcap">all</span>, or that <i>Nothing visible</i> out of +which All Things proceed. Its power is through All Things; its height is +as high as God; its greatness is as great as God. Its virtue is the +principle of all principles; its power supports the Heavens and upholds +the Earth; its height is higher than the highest Heavens, and its +greatness is even greater than the very Manifestation of the Godhead in +the glorious light of the Divine Essence, as being infinitely capable of +greater and greater manifestations in all Eternity. What<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> can I say +more? Love is higher than the Highest. Love is greater than the +Greatest. Yea, it <i>is in a certain sense</i> greater than God; while yet, +in the highest sense of all, God is Love, and Love is God. Love being +the highest principle is the virtue of all virtues; from whence they +flow forth. Love, being the greatest Majesty, is the Power of all +Powers, from whence they severally operate. And it is the Holy Magical +Root, a Ghostly Power from whence all the wonders of God have been +wrought by the hands of his elect servants, in all their generations +successively, Whosoever finds it, finds <i>Nothing and All Things</i>.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Dear Master, pray tell me how I may understand this?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>First, then, in that I said, its <i>virtue is Nothing, or that Nothing</i> +which is the beginning of All Things, thou must understand it thus; When +thou art gone forth wholly from the Creature, and from that which is +visible; and art become Nothing to all that is Nature and Creature, then +thou art in that Eternal One, which is God himself; and then thou shalt +perceive and feel within thee the highest virtue of Love. But in that I +said, Its power is through All Things,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> this is that which thou +perceivest and findest in thy own soul and body experimentally, whenever +this great Love is enkindled within thee; seeing that it will burn more +than the fire can do, as it did in the Prophets of old, and afterwards +in the Apostles, when God conversed with them bodily, and when his +Spirit descended upon them in the Oratory of Zion. Thou shalt then see +also in all the works of God, how Love hath poured forth itself into all +things, and penetrated all things, and is the most inward and most +outward ground in all things. Inwardly in the virtue and power of every +thing, and outwardly in the figure and form thereof.</p> + +<p>And in that I said, <i>Its height is as high as God</i>; thou mayest +understand this in thyself: forasmuch as it brings thee to be as high as +God himself is, by being united to God; as may be seen by our beloved +Lord Jesus Christ in our humanity. Which humanity Love hath brought up +into the highest throne, above all angelical principalities and powers, +into the very Power of the Deity itself.</p> + +<p>But in that I also said, <i>Its greatness is as great as God</i>, thou art +hereby to understand that there is a certain greatness and latitude of +heart in Love, which is unexpressible, for it enlarges the soul as wide +as the whole Creation of God.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> And this shall be truly experienced by +thee, beyond all words, when the throne of Love shall be set up in thy +heart.</p> + +<p>Moreover in that I said, <i>Its virtue is the principle of all +principles</i>; hereby it is given thee to understand that Love is the +principal cause of all created beings, both spiritual and corporeal, by +virtue whereof the second causes do move and act occasionally, according +to certain Eternal Laws, from the beginning implanted in the very +constitution of things thus originated. This virtue which is in Love is +the very life and energy of all the principles of Nature, superior and +inferior. It reaches to all Worlds, and to all manner of beings in them +contained, they being the workmanship of Divine Love, and is the <i>first +mover</i> and <i>first moveable</i>, both in heaven above, and in the earth +beneath, and in the water under the earth. And hence there is given to +it the name of the <i>Lucid Aleph</i> or <i>Alpha</i>; by which is expressed the +beginning of the <i>Alphabet of Nature</i>, and of the Book of Creation and +Providence or the <i>Divine Archetypal Book</i>, in which is the Light of +Wisdom and the source of all lights and forms.</p> + +<p>And in that I said, <i>Its power supports the Heavens</i>; by this thou wilt +come to understand that as the Heavens, visible and invisible, are +originated from this great principle, so are they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> likewise necessarily +sustained by it; and that therefore if this should be but never so +little withdrawn, all the lights, glories, beauties and forms of the +heavenly worlds would presently sink into darkness and chaos.</p> + +<p>And whereas I further said <i>that it upholds the Earth</i>; this will appear +to thee no less evident than the former, and thou shalt perceive it in +thyself by daily and hourly experience; forasmuch as the Earth <i>without +it</i>, even thy <i>own earth</i> also (that is, thy body) would certainly be +without form and void. By the power thereof the Earth hath been thus +long upheld, notwithstanding a foreign usurped power introduced by the +folly of sin. And should this but once fail or recede there could be no +longer either vegetation or animation upon it; yea, the very pillars of +it being overthrown quite, and the band of union, which is that of +attraction or magnetism, called the centripetal power, being broken and +dissolved, all must thence run into the utmost disorder, and falling +away as into shivers, would be dispersed as loose dust before the wind.</p> + +<p>But in that I said, <i>Its height is higher than the highest Heavens</i>; +this thou mayest also understand within thyself. For shouldest thou +ascend in spirit through all the orders of Angels and heavenly Powers, +yet the Power of Love still is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> undeniably superior to them all. And as +the Throne of God, who sits upon the Heaven of Heavens, is higher than +the highest of them, even so must Love also be, which fills them all, +and comprehends them all.</p> + +<p>And whereas I said of the <i>Greatness of Love that it is greater than the +very Manifestation of Godhead in the light of the Divine Essence</i>; that +is also true. For Love enters even into that where the Godhead is not +manifested in this glorious light, and where God may be said not to +dwell. And entering thereinto, Love begins to manifest to the soul the +light of the Godhead; and thus is the darkness broken through, and the +wonders of the new creation successively manifested.</p> + +<p>Thus shalt thou be brought to understand really and fundamentally what +is the virtue and the power of Love, and what the height and greatness +thereof is; how that is indeed the <i>virtue of all virtues</i>, though it be +invisible, and as a <i>Nothing</i> in appearance, inasmuch as it is the +worker of all things, and a powerful <i>vital energy</i> passing through all +virtues and powers natural and supernatural, and the <i>power of all +powers</i>, nothing being able to let or obstruct the <i>Omnipotence</i> of +Love, or to resist its invincible penetrating might, which passes +through the whole Creation of God, inspecting and governing all things.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span></p> + +<p>And in that I said; <i>It is higher than the highest and greater than the +greatest</i>; thou mayst hereby perceive as in a glimpse the supreme height +and greatness of <i>Omnipotent Love</i> which infinitely transcends all that +human sense and reason can reach to. The highest Archangel and greatest +Powers of Heaven, are in comparison of it, but as dwarfs. Nothing can be +conceived higher and greater in God himself, by the very highest and +greatest of his creatures. There is such infinity in it as comprehends +and surpasses all the divine attributes.</p> + +<p>But in that it was also said, <i>Its greatness is greater than God</i>; that +likewise is very true in the sense wherein it was spoken. For Love can +there enter where God dwelleth not, since the most high God dwelleth not +in darkness, but in the Light, the hellish darkness being put under his +feet. Thus, for instance, when our beloved Lord Jesus Christ was in +Hell, Hell was not the mansion of God or of Christ, Hell sees not God, +neither was it with God, nor could it be at all with him; Hell stood in +the darkness and anxiety of Nature, and no light of the Divine Majesty +did there enter; God was not there, for he is not in the darkness nor in +the anguish; but Love was there; and Love destroyed Death and conquered +Hell. So also when thou art in anguish or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> trouble, which is <i>hell +within</i>, God is not the anguish or trouble, neither is he in the anguish +or trouble; but his Love is there, and brings thee out of the anguish +and trouble into God, leading thee into the light and joy of his +presence. When God hides himself in thee, Love is still there, and makes +him manifest in thee. Such is the inconceivable greatness and largeness +of Love, which will hence appear to thee as great as God <i>above Nature</i> +and greater than God <i>in Nature</i>, or as considered in his manifestative +glory.</p> + +<p>Lastly, whereas I said, <i>Whosoever finds it finds Nothing and all +Things</i>; that is also certain and true. But how finds he <i>Nothing</i>? Why, +I will tell thee how. He that findeth it findeth a supernatural, +supersensual Abyss, which hath no ground or Byss to stand on, and where +there is no place to dwell in; and he findeth also nothing is like unto +it and therefore it may fitly be compared to <i>Nothing</i>, for it is deeper +than any <i>Thing</i>, and is as Nothing with respect to All Things, +forasmuch as it is not comprehensible by any of them. And because it is +Nothing respectively, it is therefore free from All Things, and is that +only Good, which a man cannot express or utter what it is, there being +Nothing to which it may be compared, to express it by.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p> + +<p>But in that I lastly said; <i>Whosoever finds it finds All Things</i>; there +is nothing can be more true than this assertion. It hath been the +Beginning of All Things; and it ruleth All Things. It is also the End of +All Things; and will thence comprehend All Things within its circle. All +Things are from it, and in it, and by it. If thou findest it thou comest +into that ground from whence All Things are proceeded, and wherein they +subsist; and thou art in it a King over all the works of God.</p> + +<p>Here the Disciple was exceedingly ravished with what his Master had so +wonderfully and surprisingly declared, and returned his most hearty and +humble thanks for that light which he had been an instrument of +conveying to him. But being desirous to hear further concerning these +high matters, and to know somewhat more particularly, he requested him +that he would give him leave to wait on him the next day again; and that +he would then be pleased to show him <i>how</i> and <i>where</i> he might find +this which was so much beyond all price and value, and whereabout the +seat and abode of it might be in human nature, with the entire process +of the discovery and bringing it forth to light.</p> + +<p>The Master said to him: This then we will discourse about at our next +conference, as God shall reveal the same to us by his Spirit, which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> is +a searcher of All Things. And if thou dost remember well what I answered +thee in the beginning, thou shalt soon come thereby to understand that +hidden mystical wisdom of God; which none of the wise men of the world +know; and where the Mine thereof is to be found in thee shall be given +thee from above to discern. Be silent therefore in thy spirit, and watch +unto prayer; that, when we meet again to-morrow in the love of Christ, +thy mind may be disposed for finding that noble Pearl, which to the +World appears <i>Nothing</i>, but to the Children of Wisdom is <i>All Things</i>.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p> +<h2>DIALOGUE II</h2> + + +<p>The Disciple being very earnest to be more fully instructed how he might +arrive at the supersensual life, and how, having found all things, he +might come to be a king over all God's works, came again to his Master +next morning, having watched the night in prayer, that he might be +disposed to receive and apprehend the instructions that should be given +him by a divine irradiation upon his mind. And the Disciple, after a +little space of silence, bowed himself, and thus brake forth.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>O my Master, my Master! I have now endeavoured to recollect my soul in +the presence of God, and to cast myself into the Deep where no creature +doth nor can dwell; that I might hear the voice of my Lord speaking in +me, and be initiated into that high life whereof I heard yesterday such +great and amazing things. But alas I neither hear nor see as I should. +There is still such a partition wall in me which beats back the heavenly +sounds in their passage, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> obstructs the entrance of that light +whereby alone divine objects are discoverable, as till this be gone I +can have but small hopes, yea, even none at all, of arriving at those +glorious attainments which you pressed me to, or of entering into <i>that +where no creature dwells</i>, and which you call <i>Nothing</i> and <i>All +Things</i>. Wherefore be so kind as to inform me what is required on my +part, that this partition which hinders may be broken or removed.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>This partition is the creaturely will in thee, and this can be broken by +nothing but the Grace of self-denial, which is the entrance into the +true following of Christ, and totally removed by nothing but a perfect +conformity with the Divine Will.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>But how shall I be able to <i>break</i> this creaturely will which is in me, +and is at enmity with the Divine Will? Or what shall I do to follow +Christ in so difficult a path, and not to faint in a continual course of +self-denial or resignation to the Will of God.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>This is not to be done by thyself; but by the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> light and grace of God +received into thy soul, which will, if thou gainsay not, break the +darkness that is in thee, and melt down thy old will, which worketh in +the darkness and corruption of Nature, and bring it into the obedience +of Christ, whereby the partition of the creaturely self is removed from +betwixt God and thee.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>I know that I cannot do it of myself. But I would fain learn how I must +receive this Divine Light and Grace into me, which is to do it for me, +if I hinder it not my own self. What is then required of me in order to +admit this Breaker of the partition, and to promote the attainment of +the ends of such admission?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>There is nothing more required of thee at first than not to resist this +grace, which is manifested in thee; and nothing in the whole process of +the work, but to be obedient and passive to the Light of God shining +through the darkness of thy creaturely being, which comprehendeth it +not, as reaching no higher than the <i>Light of Nature</i>.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>But is it not for me to attain, if I can, both<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> the Light of God, and +the Light of the outward Nature too, and to make use of them both for +the ordering of my life wisely and prudently?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>It is right so to do. And it is indeed a treasure above all earthly +treasures to be possessed of the Light of God and Nature operating in +their spheres, and to have both the Eye of Time and Eternity at once +open together, and yet not to interfere with each other.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>This is a great satisfaction to me to hear; having been very uneasy +about it for some time. But how this can be without interfering with +each other, there is the difficulty. Wherefore fain would I know, if it +were lawful, the boundaries of the one and the other, and how both the +Divine and the Natural Light may in their several spheres respectively +act and operate for the Manifestation of the Mysteries of God and +Nature, and for the conduct of my outward and inward life?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>That each of these may be preserved distinctly in their several spheres, +without confounding Things Heavenly and Things Earthly,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> or breaking the +golden Chain of Wisdom, it will be necessary, my child, in the first +place to wait for and attend the Supernatural and Divine Light, as this +superior Light appointed to govern the day, rising in the true East, +which is the Centre of Paradise, and the great Light breaking forth as +out of the darkness within thee, through a pillar of fire and +thunder-clouds, and thereby reflecting also upon the inferior Light of +Nature a sort of image of itself, whereby only it can be kept in its due +subordination; that which is <i>below</i> being made subservient to that +which is <i>above</i>, and that which is <i>without</i> to that which is <i>within</i>. +Thus there will be no danger of interfering, but all will go right, and +everything abide in its proper sphere.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Therefore without Reason or the Light of Nature be sanctified in my +soul, and illuminated by this superior Light, as from the central East +of the holy Light-World, by the Eternal and Intellectual Sun, I perceive +there will always be some confusion, and I shall never be able to manage +aright either what concerneth Time or Eternity. But I must always be at +a loss, or break the links of Wisdom's Chain.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>It is even so as thou hast said. All is confusion if thou hast no more +than the dim Light of Nature, or unsanctified and unregenerated Reason +to guide thee by, and if only the Eye of Time be opened in thee, which +cannot pierce beyond its own limit. Wherefore seek the Fountain of +Light, waiting in the deep ground of thy soul for the rising there of +the Sun of Righteousness, whereby the Light of Nature in thee, with the +properties thereof, will be made to shine seven times brighter than +ordinary. For it shall receive the stamp, image and impression of the +Supersensual and Supernatural, so that the sensual and rational life +will hence be brought into the most perfect order and harmony.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>But how am I to wait for the rising of this glorious Sun, and how am I +to seek in the Centre this Fountain of Light, which may enlighten me +throughout and bring my properties into perfect harmony? I am in Nature, +as I said before, and which way shall I pass through Nature, and the +light thereof, so that I may come into the Supernatural and Supersensual +ground whence this true light, which is the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> Light of Minds, doth arise; +and this without the destruction of my nature, or quenching the Light of +it, which is my reason?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Cease but from thine own activity, steadfastly fixing thine Eye upon +<i>one Point</i>, and with a strong purpose relying upon the promised Grace +of God in Christ, to bring thee out of thy Darkness into his marvellous +Light. For this end gather in all thy thoughts, and by faith press into +the Centre, laying hold upon the Word of God, which is infallible, and +which hath called thee. Be thou then obedient to this call, and be +silent before the Lord, sitting alone with him in thy inmost and most +hidden cell, thy mind being centrally united in itself, and attending +his Will in the patience of hope. So shall thy Light break forth as the +Morning, and after the redness thereof is passed, the Sun himself which +thou waitest for, shall arise unto thee, and under his most healing +wings thou shalt greatly rejoice; ascending and descending in his bright +and salutiferous beams. Behold this is the true Supersensual Ground of +Life.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>I believe it indeed to be even so. But will not this destroy Nature? +Will not the Light<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> of Nature in me be extinguished by this greater +Light? Or, must not the outward Life hence perish, with the earthly body +which I carry?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>By no means at all. It is true, the evil Nature will be destroyed by it; +but by the destruction thereof you can be no loser, but very much a +gainer. The Eternal Bond of Nature is the same afterward as before; and +the properties are the same. So that Nature hereby is only advanced and +meliorated, and the Light thereof, or human Reason, by being kept within +its due bounds, and regulated by a superior Light, is only made useful.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Pray, therefore, let me know how this inferior Light ought to be used by +me; how it is to be kept within its due bounds; and after what manner +the superior Light doth regulate it and ennoble it.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Know then, my beloved son, that if thou wilt keep the Light of Nature +within its own proper bounds, and make use thereof in just subordination +to the Light of God, thou must consider<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> that there are in thy soul two +<i>Wills</i>, an <i>inferior</i> Will, which is for driving thee to Things without +and below; and a <i>superior</i> Will, which is for drawing thee to Things +within and above. These two Wills are now set together, as it were back +to back, and in a direct contrariety to each other; but in the beginning +it was not so. For this contraposition of the soul in these two is no +more than the effect of the Fallen State; since before that they were +placed one under the other, that is, the <i>superior</i> Will <i>above</i>, as the +Lord, and the inferior <i>below</i>, as the subject. And thus it ought to +have continued. Thou must also further consider that, answering to these +two Wills, there are likewise two Eyes in the soul, whereby they are +severally directed, forasmuch as these Eyes are not united in one single +view, but look quite contrary ways at once. They are in a like manner +set one against the other, without a common medium to join them. And +hence, so long as this double-sightedness doth remain, it is impossible +there should be any agreement in the determination of this or that Will. +This is very plain. And it showeth the necessity that this malady, +arising from the disunion of the rays of vision, be some way remedied +and redressed, in order to a true discernment in the mind. Both these +eyes therefore must be made to unite by a concentration<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> of rays, there +being nothing more dangerous than for the mind to abide thus in the +Duplicity and not to seek to arrive at the Unity. Thou perceivest, I +know, that thou hast two Wills in thee, one set against the other, the +superior and the inferior, and that thou hast always two Eyes within, +one against the other, whereof the one Eye may be called the Right Eye, +and the other the Left Eye. Thou perceivest too, doubtless, that it is +according to the Right Eye that the wheel of the superior Will is moved; +and that it is according to the motion of the Left Eye that the contrary +wheel in the lower is turned about.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>I perceive this, Sir, to be very true; and this it is which causeth a +continual combat in me, and createth in me greater anxiety than I am +able to express. Nor am I unacquainted with the disease of my own soul, +which you have so clearly declared. Alas! I perceive and lament this +malady, which so miserably disturbeth my sight; whence I feel such +irregular and convulsive motions drawing me on this side and that side. +The Spirit seeth not as the Flesh seeth, neither doth, nor can, the +Flesh see as the Spirit seeth. Hence the Spirit willeth against the +Flesh; and the Flesh willeth against<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> the Spirit in me. This hath been +my hard case. And how shall it be remedied? O how may I arrive at the +Unity of Will, and how come into the Unity of Vision?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Mark now what I say. The Right Eye looketh forward in thee into +Eternity. The Left Eye looketh backward in thee into Time. If thou now +sufferest thyself to be always looking into Nature, and the Things of +Time, it will be impossible for thee ever to arrive at the Unity, which +thou wishest for. Remember this, and be upon thy watch. Give not thy +mind leave to enter into nor to fill itself with that which is without +thee; neither look thou backward upon thyself; but quit thyself, and +look forward to Christ. Let not thy Left Eye deceive thee by making +continually one representation after another, and stirring up thereby an +earnest longing in the self-propriety; but let thy right eye command +this left, and attract it to thee. Yea it is better to pluck it quite +out and to cast it from thee, than to suffer it to proceed forth without +restraint into Nature, and to follow its own lusts. However there is for +this no necessity, since both eyes may become very useful, if ordered +aright, and both the Divine and Natural Light may in the soul subsist<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +together, and be of mutual service to each other. But never shalt thou +arrive at the Unity of Vision or Uniformity of Will, but by entering +fully into the Will of our Saviour Christ, and therein bringing the Eye +of Time into the Eye of Eternity, and then descending by means of these +united through the Light of God into the Light of Nature.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>So then if I can but enter into the Will of my Lord, and abide therein, +I am safe, and may both attain to the Light of God in the Spirit of my +soul and see with the Eye of God, that is, the Eye of Eternity in the +Eternal Ground of my Will; and may also at the same time enjoy the Light +of this World nevertheless, not degrading but adorning the Light of +Nature, and beholding as with the Eye of Eternity things Eternal, so +with the Eye of Nature, things Natural, and both contemplating therein +the Wonders of God, and sustaining also thereby the life of my outward +vehicle or body.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>It is very right. Thou hast well understood, and thou desirest now to +enter into the Will of God, and to abide therein as in the Supersensual<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +Ground of Light and Life, where thou mayst in his Light behold both Time +and Eternity, and bring all the wonders created of God for the exterior +into the interior life, and so eternally rejoice in them to the glory of +Christ; the partition of thy Creaturely Will being broken down and the +Eye of thy Spirit simplified in and through the Eye of God manifesting +itself in the Centre of thy Life. Let this be so now, for it is God's +Will.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>But it is very hard to be always looking forwards into Eternity, and +consequently to attain to the single eye, and simplicity of Divine +Vision. The entrance of a soul naked into the Will of God, shutting out +all imaginations and desires, and breaking down the strong partition +which you mention, is indeed somehow very terrible and shocking to human +nature in its present state. O what shall I do, that I may reach this +which I so much long for?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>My Son, let not the Eye of Nature with the Will of the Wonders depart +from that Eye which is introverted into the Divine Liberty, and into the +Eternal Light of the Holy Majesty.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> But let it draw to thee by union +with that heavenly internal Eye those wonders which are externally +wrought out and manifested in visible Nature. For while thou art in the +world, and hast an honest employment, thou art certainly by the Order of +Providence obliged to labour in it, and to finish the work given thee, +according to thy best ability, without repining in the least; seeking +out and manifesting for God's glory the Wonders of Nature and Art. Since +let the Nature be what it will it is all the Work and Art of God. And +let the Art also be what it will, it is still God's Work and his Art, +rather than any art or cunning of man. And all both in Art and Nature +serveth but abundantly to manifest the wonderful Works of God, that he +for all and in all may be glorified. Yea, all serveth, if thou knowest +rightly how to use them, only to recollect thee more inwards, and to +draw thy Spirit into that majestic Light wherein the original patterns +and forms of things visible are to be seen. Keep, therefore, in the +Centre, and stir not from the Presence of God revealed within thy Soul; +let the world and the devil make never so great a noise and bustle to +draw thee out, mind them not; they cannot hurt thee. It is permitted to +the Eye of thy Reason to seek food, and to thy hands by their labour<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> to +get food for the terrestrial body. But then this Eye ought not with its +desire to enter into the food prepared, which would be covetousness; but +must in resignation simply bring it before the Eye of God in thy Spirit, +and then thou must seek to place it close to this very Eye, without +letting it go. Mark this lesson well.</p> + +<p>Let the hands or the head be at labour, thy Heart ought nevertheless to +rest in God. God is a Spirit; dwell in the Spirit; work in the Spirit; +pray in the Spirit; and do every thing in the Spirit; for remember thou +also art a Spirit, and thereby created in the Image of God. Therefore +see thou attract not in thy desire <i>Matter</i> unto thee, but as much as +possible abstract thyself from all Matter whatever; and so, standing in +the Centre, present thyself as a naked Spirit before God, in simplicity +and purity; and be sure thy Spirit draw in nothing but Spirit.</p> + +<p>Thou wilt yet be greatly enticed to draw Matter, and to gather that +which the World calls <i>substance</i>; thereby to have somewhat visible to +trust to. But by no means consent to the Tempter, nor yield to the +lustings of thy Flesh against the Spirit. For in so doing thou wilt +infallibly obscure the Divine Light in thee; thy Spirit will stick in +the dark Covetous Root,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> and from the fiery Source of thy soul will it +blaze out in pride and anger; thy Will shall be chained in Earthliness, +and shall sink through the Anguish into Darkness and Materiality; and +never shalt thou be able to reach the still Liberty, or to stand before +the Majesty of God. It will be all darkness to thee, as much Matter as +is drawn in by the Desire of thy Will. It will darken God's Majesty to +thee, and will close the seeing Eye, by hiding from thee the light of +his beloved countenance. This the Serpent longeth to do, but in vain, +except thou permittest thy <i>Imagination</i>, upon his suggestion, to +receive in the alluring Matter; else he can never get in. Behold then, +if thou desirest to see God's Light in thy Soul, and be divinely +illuminated and conducted, this is the short way that thou art to take; +not to let the Eye of thy Spirit enter into Matter, or fill itself with +any Thing whatever, either in Heaven or Earth, but to let it enter by a +<i>naked faith</i> into the Light of the Majesty; and so receive by <i>pure +love</i> the Light of God, and attract the Divine Power into itself, +putting on the Divine Body, and growing up in it to the full maturity of +the Humanity of Christ.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>As I said before, so I say again, this is very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> hard. I conceive indeed +well enough that my Spirit ought to be free from the contagion of +Matter, and wholly empty, that it may admit into it the Spirit of God. +Also, that this Spirit will not enter, but where the Will entereth into +<i>Nothing</i>, and resigneth itself up in the <i>nakedness of faith</i>, and in +the <i>purity of love</i>, to its conduct, feeding magically upon the Word of +God, and clothing itself thereby with a <i>Divine Substantiality</i>. But, +alas, how hard it is for the Will to sink into nothing, to attract +nothing, to imagine nothing.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Let it be granted that it is so. Is it not surely worth thy while, and +all that thou canst ever do?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>It is so, I must needs confess.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>But perhaps it may not be so hard as at first it appeareth to be; make +but the trial and be in earnest. What is there required of thee but to +stand still and see the salvation of thy God? And couldst thou desire +anything less? Where is the hardship in this? Thou hast nothing to care +for, nothing to desire in this life, nothing to imagine or attract. Thou +needest only cast thy care upon God, who careth for thee, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> leave him +to dispose of thee according to his good will and pleasure, even as if +thou hadst no will at all in thee. For he knoweth what is best; and if +thou canst but trust him, he will most certainly do better for thee, +than if thou wert left to thine own choice.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>This I most firmly believe.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>If thou believest, then go and do accordingly. <i>All</i> is in the <i>Will</i>, +as I have shown thee. When the Will imagineth after <i>Somewhat</i>, then +entereth it into that somewhat, and this somewhat taketh the Will into +itself, and overcloudeth it, so as it can have no Light, but must dwell +in Darkness, unless it return back out of that somewhat into <i>Nothing</i>. +But when the Will imagineth or hasteth after nothing, then it entereth +into <i>Nothing</i>, where it receiveth the Will of God into itself, and so +dwelleth in Light, and worketh all its works in it.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>I am now satisfied that the main cause of any one's spiritual blindness, +is his letting his Will into Somewhat, or into that which he hath +wrought, of what nature soever it be, good or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> evil, and his setting his +heart or affections upon the work of his own hand or brain, and that +when the earthly body perisheth, then the Soul must be imprisoned in +that very thing which it shall have received and let in; and if the +Light of God be not in it, being deprived of the Light of this World, it +cannot but be found in a dark prison.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>This is a very precious Gate of Knowledge; I am glad thou takest it into +such consideration. The understanding of the whole Scripture is +contained in it; and all that hath been written from the beginning of +the World to this day may be found therein, by him that having entered +with his Will into Nothing, hath there found All Things, by finding God, +from Whom, and to Whom, and in Whom are All Things. By this means thou +shalt come to hear and see God; and after this earthly life is ended to +see with the Eye of Eternity all the Wonders of God and of Nature, and +more particularly those which shall be wrought by thee in the flesh, or +all that the Spirit of God shall have given thee to labour out for +thyself and thy neighbour, or all that the Eye of Reason enlightened +from above, may at any time have manifested to thee. Delay not therefore +to enter in by this Gate,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> which if thou seest in the Spirit, as some +highly favoured souls have seen it, thou seest in the Supersensual +Ground <i>all that God is and can do</i>; thou seest also therewith, as one +hath said who was taken thereinto, <i>through Heaven, Hell, and Earth; and +through the Essence of all Essences</i>. Whosoever findeth it, hath found +all that he can desire. Here is the Virtue and Power of the Love of God +displayed. Here is the Height and Depth, here is the Breadth and Length +thereof manifested, as ever the capacity of thy soul can contain. By +this thou shalt come into that Ground out of which all Things are +originated, and in which they subsist; and in it thou shalt reign over +all God's Works, as a Prince of God.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Pray tell me, dear Master, where dwelleth it <i>in Man</i>?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Where Man dwelleth not: there hath it its seat in Man.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Where is that in a Man, when Man dwelleth not in himself?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>It is the resigned Ground of a Soul to which nothing cleaveth.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Where is the Ground in any Soul, to which there will nothing stick? Or +where is that which abideth and dwelleth not in something?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>It is the Centre of Rest and Motion in the resigned Will of a truly +contrite Spirit, which is Crucified to the World. This Centre of the +Will is impenetrable consequently to the World, the Devil, and Hell. +Nothing in all the World can enter into it, or adhere to it, because the +Will is dead with Christ unto the World, but quickened with him in the +Centre thereof, after his blessed Image. Here it is where Man dwelleth +not, and where no Self abideth or can abide.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>O where is this naked Ground of the Soul void of all Self? And how shall +I come at the hidden Centre, where God dwelleth, and not Man? Tell me +plainly, loving Sir, where it is, and how it is to be found of me, and +entered into?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>There where the Soul hath slain its own Will, and willeth no more any +Thing as from itself, but only as God willeth, and as his Spirit moveth +upon the Soul shall this appear. Where the Love of Self is banished +there dwelleth the Love of God. For so much of the Soul's own Will as is +dead unto itself even so much room hath the Will of God, which is his +Love, taken up in that Soul. The reason whereof is this: Where its own +Will did before sit, there is now nothing; and where nothing is, there +it is that the Love of God worketh alone.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>But how shall I comprehend it?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>If thou goest about to comprehend it, then it will fly away from thee; +but if thou dost surrender thyself wholly up to it, then it will abide +with thee, and become the Life of thy Life, and be natural to thee.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>And how can this be without dying, or the whole destruction of my Will?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Upon this entire surrender and yielding up of thy Will, the Love of God +in thee becometh the Life of thy Nature; it killeth thee not, but +quickeneth thee, who art now dead to thyself in thine own Will, +according to its proper Life, even the Life of God. And then thou +livest, yet not to thy own Will, but thou livest to its Will; for as +much as thy Will is henceforth become its Will. So then it is no longer +thy Will, but the Will of God; no longer the Love of thyself, but the +Love of God, which moveth and operateth in thee; and then, thou being +thus comprehended in it, thou art dead indeed as to thyself, but art +alive unto God. So being dead thou livest, or rather God liveth in thee +by his Spirit; and his Love is made to thee Life from the Dead. Never +couldst thou with all thy seeking have apprehended it, but it hath +apprehended thee. Much less couldst thou have comprehended it, but it +hath comprehended thee; and so the Treasure of Treasures is found.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>How is it that so few Souls do find it, when yet all would be glad +enough to have it?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>They all seek it in <i>somewhat</i>, and so they find it not. For where there +is Somewhat for the Soul to adhere to, there the Soul findeth <i>that +somewhat only</i>, and taketh up its rest therein, until she seeth that it +is to be found in Nothing, and goeth out of the Somewhat into Nothing, +even into that Nothing out of which all Things may be made. The Soul +here saith "<i>I have nothing</i>, for I am utterly stripped and naked of +every Thing; <i>I can do nothing</i>, for I have no manner of power, but am +as water poured out; <i>I am nothing</i>, for all that I am is no more than +an Image of Being, and only God is to me I AM; and so, sitting down in +my own Nothingness, I give glory to the Eternal Being, and <i>will +nothing</i> of myself, that so God may <i>will all</i> in me, being unto me my +God and All Things." Herein now it is that so very few find this most +precious treasure in the Soul, though every one would so fain have it; +and might also have it, were it not for this Somewhat in every one that +letteth.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>But if the Love should proffer itself to a Soul, could not that Soul +find it, nor lay hold of it, without going for it into Nothing?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>No verily. Men seek and find not, because they seek it not in the naked +Ground where it lieth; but in something or other where it never will be, +nor can be. They seek it in their <i>own Will</i>, and they find it not. They +seek it in their <i>Self-Desire</i>, and they meet not with it. They look for +it in an <i>Image</i>, or in an <i>Opinion</i>, or in <i>Affection</i>, or a natural +<i>Devotion</i> and <i>Fervour</i>, and they lose the substance by thus hunting +after a shadow. They search for it in something sensible or imaginary, +in somewhat which they may have a more peculiar natural inclination for, +and adhesion to; and so they miss of what they seek, for want of diving +into the Supernatural and Supersensual Ground, where the Treasure is +hid. Now, should the Love graciously condescend to proffer itself to +such as these, and even to present itself evidently before the Eye of +their Spirit, yet could it find no place at all in them, neither could +it be held by them, or remain with them.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Why not, if the Love should be willing and ready to offer itself, and to +stay with them?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Because the <i>Imaginariness</i> which is in their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> own Will hath set itself +up in the place thereof. And so this Imaginariness would have the Love +in it, but the Love fleeth away, for it is its prison. The Love may +offer itself; but it cannot abide where the <i>Self-Desire</i> attracteth or +imagineth. That Will which attracteth Nothing, and to which Nothing +adhereth, is only capable of receiving it; for it dwelleth only in +Nothing, as I said, and therefore they find it not.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>If it dwell only in Nothing, what is now the office of it in Nothing?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>The office of the Love here is to penetrate incessantly into Something; +and if it penetrate into, and find a place in Something which is +standing still and at rest, then its business is to take possession +thereof. And when it hath there taken possession, then it rejoiceth +therein with its flaming Love-fire, even as the sun doth in the visible +world. And then the office of it is without intermission to enkindle a +fire in this Something which may burn it up; and then with the flames +thereof exceedingly to enflame itself, and raise the heat of the +Love-fire by it, even seven degrees higher.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>O, loving Master, how shall I understand this?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>If it but once kindle a fire within thee, my son, thou shalt then +certainly feel how it consumeth all that which it toucheth, thou shalt +feel it in the burning up thyself, and swiftly devouring all <i>Egoity</i> or +that which thou callest <i>I and Me</i>, as standing in a separate Root, and +divided from the Deity, the Fountain of thy Being. And when this +enkindling is made in thee, then the Love doth so exceedingly rejoice in +thy fire, as thou wouldest not for all the world be out of it; yea, +wouldst rather suffer thyself to be killed, than to enter into <i>thy +something</i> again. This fire must now grow hotter and hotter, till it +shall have perfected its office with respect to thee. Its flame also +will be so very great that it will never leave thee, though it should +even cost thee thy temporal life, but it would go with thee with its +sweet loving fire into death; and if thou wentest also into Hell, it +would break Hell in pieces also for thy sake. Nothing is more certain +than this, for it is stronger than Death and Hell.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>Enough, my dearest Master, I can no longer<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> endure that any Thing should +divert me from it. But how shall I find the nearest way to it?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Where the way is hardest, there go thou; and what the World casteth +away, that take thou up. What the World doth, that do thou not; but in +all things walk thou contrary to the World. So thou comest the nearest +way to that which thou art seeking.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Disciple</span></p> + +<p>If I should in all things walk contrary to other people, I must needs be +in a very unquiet and sad state, and the World would not fail to account +me for a madman.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>I bid thee not, Child, to do harm to anyone, thereby to create to +thyself any misery or unquietness. This is not what I mean by walking +contrary in everything to the World. But because the World, as the +World, loveth all deceit and vanity, and walketh in false and +treacherous ways, thence, if thou hast a mind to act a clean contrary +part to the ways thereof, without any exception or reserve whatsoever, +walk thou only in the right way, which is called<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> the <i>Way of Light</i>, as +that of the World is properly the <i>Way of Darkness</i>. For the right way, +even the Path of Light, is contrary to all the ways of the World.</p> + +<p>But whereas thou art afraid of creating to thyself hereby trouble and +inquietude, that indeed will be so according to the flesh. In the world +thou must have trouble, and thy flesh will not fail to be unquiet, and +to give thee occasion of continual repentance. Nevertheless in this very +<i>anxiety of soul</i> arising from the world or the flesh, the Love doth +most willingly enkindle itself, and its cheering and conquering fire is +but made to blaze forth with greater strength for the destruction of +that evil. And whereas thou dost also say, that the World will for this +esteem thee mad; it is true the World will be apt enough to censure thee +for a madman in walking contrary to it, and thou art not to be surprised +if the children thereof laugh at thee, calling thee silly Fool. For the +Way to the Love of God is Folly to the World, but is Wisdom to the +Children of God. Hence, whenever the World perceiveth this holy Fire of +Love in God's Children, it concludeth immediately that they are turned +fools, and are beside themselves. But to the Children of God that which +is despised of the World is the greatest Treasure, yea, so great<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> a +Treasure is it as no life can express, nor tongue so much as name what +this enflaming, all-conquering Love of God is. It is brighter than the +Sun; it is sweeter than anything that is called sweet; it is stronger +than all strength; it is more nutrimental than food; more cheering to +the heart than wine, and more pleasant than all the joy and pleasantness +of this world. Whosoever obtaineth it is richer than any Monarch on +earth; and he who getteth it, is nobler than any Emperor can be, and +more potent and absolute than all Power and Authority.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span></p> +<h2>DIALOGUE III</h2> + +<h3>BETWEEN JUNIUS, A SCHOLAR, AND THEOPHORUS, HIS MASTER, CONCERNING HEAVEN +AND HELL</h3> + + +<p>The Scholar asked his Master "Whither goeth the Soul when the Body +dieth?"</p> + +<p>His Master answered him: There is no necessity for it to go any whither.</p> + +<p>How not, said the inquisitive Junius, must not the Soul leave the body +at death and go either to Heaven or Hell?</p> + +<p>It needs no going forth, replied the venerable Theophorus. Only the +outward Mortal Life with the body shall separate themselves from the +Soul. The Soul hath Heaven and Hell within itself before, according as +it is written. <i>The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation, neither +shall they say Lo here! or Lo there! For behold the Kingdom of God is +within you.</i> And which soever of the two, that is, either Heaven or +Hell, is manifested in it, in that the Soul standeth.</p> + +<p>Here Junius said to his Master: This is hard to understand. Doth it not +enter into Heaven<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> or Hell, as a man entereth into a house; or as one +goeth through a hole or casement into an unknown place; so goeth it not +into another world?</p> + +<p>The Master spoke and said: No, there is verily no such kind of entering +in; forasmuch as Heaven and Hell are every where, being universally +co-extended.</p> + +<p>How is that possible? said the Scholar. What, can Heaven and Hell be +here present, where we are now sitting? And if one of them might, can +you ever make me believe that ever both should be here together?</p> + +<p>Then spoke the Master in this manner: I have said that Heaven is +everywhere present and it is true. For God is in Heaven; and God is +everywhere. I have said also that Hell must be in like manner +everywhere. For the <i>Wicked One</i>, who is the Devil, is in Hell, and the +whole World, as the Apostle hath taught us, lyeth in the <i>Wicked One</i>, +or the <i>Evil One</i>; which is as much as to say, not only that the Devil +is in the World, but that the World is in the Devil; and if in the +Devil, then in Hell too, because he is there. So Hell therefore is +everywhere, as well as Heaven; which is the thing that was to be proved.</p> + +<p>The Scholar, startled hereat, said: Pray make me to understand this.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span></p> + +<p>To whom the Master: Understand then what Heaven is. It is but the +<i>turning in of the Will to the Love of God</i>. Wheresoever thou findest +God manifesting himself in Love, there thou findest Heaven, without +travelling for it so much as one foot. And by this understand also what +Hell is and where it is. I say unto thee it is but the <i>turning in of +the Will into the wrath of God</i>. Wheresoever the Anger of God doth more +or less manifest itself, there certainly is more or less of Hell, in +whatsoever place it be. So that it is but the turning in of thy will +either into his Love, or into his Anger; and thou art accordingly either +in Heaven or in Hell. Mark it well. And this now cometh to pass in this +present life, whereof St Paul speaking saith, <i>Our conversation is in +Heaven</i>. And the Lord Christ saith also, <i>My sheep hear my voice, and I +know them, and they follow me, and I give them the Eternal Life, and +none shall pluck them out of my hand</i>. Observe, he saith not, I <i>will +give</i> them, after this life is ended, but I <i>give</i> them, that is, now in +the time of this life. And what else is this gift of Christ to his +followers, but an Eternity of Life, which for certain can be no where +but in Heaven. Yea, moreover, none shall be able to pluck them out of +Heaven, because it is he who holdeth them there, and they are in his +hand which nothing can resist.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> All therefore doth consist in the +turning in, or entering of the Will into Heaven, by hearing the the +voice of Christ, and both <i>knowing</i> him, and <i>following</i> him. And so on +the contrary it is also. Understandest thou this?</p> + +<p>His Scholar said to him: I think, in part, I do. But how cometh this +entering of the Will into Heaven to pass?</p> + +<p>The Master answered him: This then will I endeavour to satisfy thee in; +but thou must be very attentive to what I shall say unto thee. Know +then, my son, that when the Ground of the Will yieldeth itself up to +God, then it sinketh out of its own Self, and out of and beyond all +ground and place, that is or can be imagined, into a certain unknown +Deep, where God only is manifest, and where he only worketh and willeth. +And then it becometh nothing to itself, as to its own working and +willing, and so God worketh and willeth in it. And God dwells in this +designed Will, by which the Soul is sanctified, and so fitted to come +into Divine Rest. Now, in this case, when the body breaketh, the Soul is +so thoroughly penetrated all over with the Divine Light, even as a +glowing hot iron is by the fire, by which being penetrated throughout, +it loseth its darkness, and becomes bright and shining. Now this is the +<i>hand of Christ</i>, where God's Love thoroughly inhabits the Soul, and is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> +in it a shining Light, and a new glorious Life. And then the Soul is in +Heaven, and is a Temple of the Holy Ghost, and is itself the very Heaven +of God, wherein he dwelleth. Lo, this is the entering of the Will into +Heaven; and thus it cometh to pass.</p> + +<p>Be pleased, Sir, to proceed, said the Scholar, and let me know how it +fareth on the other side.</p> + +<p>The Master said: The godly Soul, you see, is in the <i>hand of Christ</i>, +that is in Heaven, as he himself hath told us, and in what manner this +cometh to be so, you have also heard. But the ungodly Soul is not +willing in this life-time to come into the Divine Resignation of its +Will, or to enter into the Will of God; but goeth on still in its own +lust and desire, in vanity and falsehood, and so entereth into the Will +of the Devil. It receiveth, thereupon, into itself nothing but +wickedness; nothing but lying, pride, covetousness, envy and wrath; and +thereunto it giveth up its Will and whole Desire. This is the Vanity of +the Will; and this same Vanity or vain shadow must also in like manner +be manifested in the Soul, which hath yielded itself up also to be its +servant; and must work therein even as the Love of God worketh in the +regenerated Will; and penetrate it all over, as fire doth iron.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span></p> + +<p>And it is not possible for this Soul to come into the Rest of God, +because God's Anger is manifested in it, and worketh in it. Now when a +body is parted from the Soul, then beginneth the Eternal Melancholy and +Despair, because it now findeth that it is become altogether Vanity, +even a Vanity most vexatious to itself, and a distracting Fury, and a +self-tormenting Abomination. Now it perceiveth itself disappointed of +every Thing which it had before fancied, and blind, and naked, and +wounded, and hungry, and thirsty, without the least prospect of ever +being relieved, or obtaining so much as one drop of the water of Eternal +Life. And it feeleth itself to be its own vile executioner and +tormentor; and is affrighted at its own ugly dark form, and fain would +flee from itself if it could, but it cannot, being fast bound with the +chains of the Dark Nature, whereinto it had sunk itself when in the +flesh. And so, not having learned or accustomed itself to sink down into +the Divine Grace, and being also strongly possessed with the Idea of +God, as an angry and jealous God, the poor Soul is both afraid and +ashamed to bring its Will into God, by which deliverance might possibly +come to it. The Soul is afraid to do it, as fearing to be consumed by so +doing, under the apprehension of the Deity as a mere devouring Fire. +The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> Soul is also <i>ashamed</i> to do it, as being confounded at its own +nakedness and monstrosity, and therefore would, if it were possible, +hide itself from the Majesty of God, and cover its abominable form from +his most holy eye, though by casting itself still deeper into the +Darkness. Therefore it <i>will not</i> enter into God, nay, it <i>cannot</i> enter +with its false Will; yea, though it should strive to enter, yet can it +not enter into the Love, because of the Will which hath reigned in it. +For such a Soul is thereby captivated in the Wrath, yea, is itself but +<i>mere Wrath</i>, having by its false Desire, which it had awakened in +itself, comprehended and shut itself up therewith, and so transformed +itself into the nature and property thereof.</p> + +<p>And since also the Light of God doth not shine in it, nor the Love of +God enclose it, the Soul is moreover a <i>great Darkness</i>, and is withal +an anxious Fire-source, carrying about an Hell in itself, and not being +able to discern the least glimpse of the Light of God, or to feel the +least spark of his Love. Thus it dwelleth in itself as in Hell, and +needeth no entering into Hell at all, or being carried thither, for in +what place soever it may be, so long as it is in itself, it is in the +Hell. And though it should travel far and cast itself many hundred +thousand leagues from its present place, to be out of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> Hell; yet still +would it remain in its hellish source and darkness.</p> + +<p>If this be so, how then cometh it, said the Scholar to Theophorus, that +an Heavenly Soul doth not in the time of this life perfectly perceive +the Heavenly Light and Joy, and the Soul which is without God in the +World, doth not also here feel Hell, as well as hereafter? Why should +they not both be perceived and felt as well in this life as in the next, +seeing that both of them are in Man, and one of them as you have shewed, +worketh in every man?</p> + +<p>To whom Theophorus presently returned this answer: The Kingdom of Heaven +is in the Saints operative and manifestative of itself by <i>Faith</i>. They +who carry God within them, and live by his Spirit, find the Kingdom of +God in their Faith, and they feel the Love of God in their Faith, by +which the Will hath given up itself unto God, and is made Godlike. All +is transacted within them <i>by Faith</i>, which is to them the evidence of +the Eternal Invisibles, and a great manifestation in their Spirit of +this Divine Kingdom, which is within them. But their natural life is +nevertheless encompassed with flesh and blood; and this standing in a +contrariety thereto, and being placed through the Fall in the principle +of God's Anger, and environed about with the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> World, which by no means +can be reconciled to Faith, these faithful Souls cannot but be very much +exposed to attacks from this World, wherein they are sojourners; neither +can they be insensible of their being thus encompassed about with flesh +and blood, and with the World's vain lust, which ceaseth not continually +to penetrate the outward mortal life, and to tempt them manifold ways, +even as it did Christ. Whence the World on one side and the Devil on the +other, not without the curse of God's Anger in flesh and blood, do +thoroughly sift and penetrate the Life, whereby it cometh to pass that +the Soul is often in anxiety when these three are all set upon it +together, and when Hell thus assaulteth the Life, and would manifest +itself in the Soul. But the Soul hereupon sinketh down into the hope of +the Grace of God, and standeth like a beautiful Rose in the midst of +Thorns, until the Kingdom of this World shall fall from it in the death +of the body. And then the Soul first becometh truly manifest in the Love +of God, and of his Kingdom, which is the Kingdom of Love; having +henceforth nothing more to hinder it. But during this life she must walk +with Christ in this world, and then Christ delivereth her out of her own +Hell, by penetrating her with his Love throughout, and standing by her +in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> Hell, and even changing her Hell into Heaven.</p> + +<p>But in that thou sayest, Why do not the Souls which are without God feel +Hell in this World? I answer; They bear it about with them in their +wicked consciences, but they know it not; because the World hath put out +their eyes, and its deadly cup hath cast them likewise into a sleep, a +most fatal sleep. Notwithstanding which it must be owned that the Wicked +do frequently feel Hell within them during the time of this mortal life, +though they may not apprehend that it is Hell, because of the earthly +vanity which cleaveth to them from without, and the sensible pleasures +and amusements wherewith they are intoxicated. And moreover it is to be +noted that the outward Life in every such one hath yet the Light of the +outward Nature, which ruleth in this Life, and so the Pain of Hell +cannot, so long as that hath the rule, be revealed. But when the body +dyeth or breaketh away, so as the Soul cannot any longer enjoy such +temporal pleasure and delight, nor the Light of this outward World, +which is wholly thereupon extinguished as to it, then the Soul stands in +an eternal hunger and thirst after such vanities as it was here in love +withal, but yet can reach nothing but that false Will, which it had +impressed in itself while in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> the body; and wherein it had abounded to +its great loss. And now whereas it had too much of its Will in this +life, and yet was not contented therewith, it hath, after the separation +by death, as little of it; which createth in it an everlasting thirst +after that which it can henceforth never obtain more, and causeth it to +be in a perpetual anxious lust after Vanity, according to its former +impression, and in a continual rage of hunger after those sorts of +wickedness and lewdness whereinto it was immersed, being in the flesh. +Fain would it do more evil still, but that it hath not either wherein or +wherewith to effect the same, and therefore it doth perform this only +<i>in itself</i>. All is not literally transacted, as if it were outward; and +so the ungodly is tormented by those Furies which are in his own mind, +and begotten upon himself by himself. For he is verily become his own +Devil and Tormentor; and that by which he sinned here, when the Shadow +of this World is passed away, abideth still with him in the impression, +and is made his prison and his Hell. But this hellish hunger and thirst +cannot be fully manifested in the Soul, till the Body, which ministered +to the Soul that it lusted after, and with which the Soul was so +bewitched, as to doat thereupon, and pursue all its cravings, be +stripped off from it.</p> + +<p>I perceive then, said <i>Junius</i> to his Master,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> that the Soul, having +played the wanton with the Body in all voluptuousness, and served the +lusts thereof during this life, retaineth still the very same +inclinations and affections which it had before, then when it hath no +opportunity or capacity to satisfy them longer; and that when this +cannot be, there is then Hell opened in that Soul, which had been shut +up in it before by means of the outward Life in the Body, and of the +Light of this World. Do I rightly understand?</p> + +<p><i>Theophorus</i> said: It is very rightly understood by you. Go on.</p> + +<p>On the other hand (said he) I clearly perceive by what I have heard, +that Heaven cannot but be in a loving Soul which is possessed of God, +and hath subdued thereby the Body to the obedience of the Spirit in all +things, and perfectly immersed itself into the Will and Love of God. And +when the Body dyeth, and the Soul is hence redeemed from the Earth, it +is now evident to me that the Life of God, which was hidden in it, will +display itself gloriously, and Heaven consequently be then manifested. +But, notwithstanding, if there be not a local Heaven besides and a local +Hell, I am still at a loss where to place no small part of the Creation, +if not the greatest. For where must all the intellectual inhabitants of +it abide?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span></p> + +<p>In their own Principle, answered the Master, whether it be of Light or +of Darkness. For every created intellectual Being remaineth in its deeds +and essences, in its wonders and properties, in its life and image; and +therein it beholdeth and feeleth God, as who is everywhere, whether it +be in the Love or in the Wrath.</p> + +<p>If it be in the Love of God, then beholdeth it God accordingly, and +feeleth him as he is, Love. But if it hath captivated itself in the +Wrath of God, then it cannot behold God otherwise than in the Wrathful +Nature, nor perceive him otherwise than as an incensed and vindictive +Spirit. All places are alike to it, if it be in God's Love; and, if it +be not there, every place is Hell alike. What Place can bound a Thought? +Or what needeth any understanding Spirit to be kept here or there, in +order to its happiness or misery? Verily, wheresoever it is, it is in +the Abyssal World, where there is neither end nor limit. And whither, I +pray, should it go? since though it should go a thousand miles off, or a +thousand times ten thousand miles, and this ten thousand times over +beyond the bounds of the Universe, and into the imagining spaces above +the stars, yet it were then still in the very same point from whence it +went out. For God is the <i>Place</i> of Spirit, if it may be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> lawful to +attribute to him such a name to the which Body hath a relation. And in +God there is no limit; both near and far off is here all one; and be it +in his Love, or be it in his Anger, the abyssal Will of the Spirit is +altogether unconfined. It is swift as thought, passing through all +things; it is magical, and nothing corporeal or from without can let it; +it dwelleth in its wonders, and they are its house.</p> + +<p>Thus it is with every Intellectual, whether of the Order of Angels or of +human Souls, and you need not fear but there will be room enough for +them all, be they ever so many; and such also as shall best suit them, +even according to their election and determination, and which may thence +very well be called the "<i>own place</i>" of each.</p> + +<p>At which said the Scholar, I remember, indeed, that it is written +concerning the great traitor, that he went after death to his <i>own +place</i>.</p> + +<p>The Master said: The same is true of every Soul, when it departeth this +mortal life. And it is true in like manner of every Angel and Spirit +whatsoever, which is necessarily determined by its own choice. As God is +everywhere, so also the Angels are everywhere; but each one in its own +Principle, and in its own Property or (if you had rather) in its <i>own +Place</i>. The same<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> Essence of God, which is as a Place to Spirits, is +confessed to be everywhere, but the appropriation or participation +hereof is different to everyone, according as each hath attracted it +magically in the earnestness of Will. The same Divine Essence which is +with the Angels of God above, is with us also below. And the same Divine +Nature which is with us is likewise with them; but after different +manners and in different degrees communicated and participated.</p> + +<p>And what I have said here of the Divine, is no less to be considered by +you in the participation of the Diabolical Essence and Nature, which is +the Power of Darkness, as to the manifold modes, degrees, and +appropriations thereof in the false Will. In this World there is strife +between them, but when this World hath reached in anyone the Limit, then +the Principle catcheth that which is its own, and so the Soul receiveth +companions accordingly, that is, either Angels or Devils.</p> + +<p>To whom the Scholar again: Heaven and Hell then being in us at strife in +the time of this life, and God himself being also thus near to us, where +can Angels and Devils dwell?</p> + +<p>And the Master answered him thus: Where thou dost not dwell as to thy +<i>Self-hood</i> and to thine <i>own Will</i>, there the holy Angels dwell with +thee, and every where all over round<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> about thee. Remember this well. On +the contrary, where thou dwellest as to thyself, or in Self-seeking, and +Self-will, there to be sure the Devils will be with thee, and will take +up their abode with thee, and dwell all over thee, and round about thee +everywhere, which God in his mercy prevent.</p> + +<p>I understand not this, said the Scholar, so perfectly well as I could +wish. Be pleased to make it a little more plain to me.</p> + +<p>The Master then spake: Mark well what I am going to say. Where the Will +of God in anything willeth, there is God manifested. And in this very +manifestation of God the Angels do dwell. But where God in any Creature +willeth not with the Will of that Creature, there God is not manifested +to it, neither can he be; but dwelleth in himself, without the +co-operation thereof, and subjection to him in humility. There God is an +unmanifested God to the Creature. So the Angels dwell not with such an +one; for wherever they dwell, there is the Glory of God; and they make +his Glory. What then dwelleth in such a Creature as this? God dwelleth +not therein; the Angels dwell not therein; God willeth not therein; the +Angels also will not therein. The case is evidently this; in that Soul +or Creature its own will is without God's Will; and there<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> the Devil +dwelleth; and with him all that is without God, and without Christ. This +is the truth; lay it to heart.</p> + +<p>The <i>Scholar</i> said: It is possible I may ask several impertinent +questions; but I beseech you, good Sir, to have patience with me, and to +pity my ignorance, if I ask what may appear to you perhaps ridiculous, +or may not be at all fit for me to expect an answer to. For I have +several questions still to propound to you; but I am ashamed of my own +thoughts in this matter.</p> + +<p>The <i>Master</i> said: Be plain with me, and propose whatever is upon your +mind; yea, be not ashamed even to appear ridiculous, so that by querying +you may but become wiser.</p> + +<p>The <i>Scholar</i> thanked his Master for this liberty and said: How far then +are Heaven and Hell asunder?</p> + +<p>To whom he answered thus: As far as Day and Night; or as far as +Something and Nothing. They are in one another and yet they are at the +greater distance one from the other. Nay, the one of them is as nothing +to the other; and yet notwithstanding they cause joy and grief to one +another. Heaven is throughout the whole World, and it is also without +the World over all, even everywhere that is, or that can be even so much +as imagined. It filleth all, it is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> within all, it is without all, it +encompasseth all; without division, without place; working by a Divine +Manifestation, and flowing forth universally, but not going in the least +out of itself. For only in itself it worketh and is revealed, being one +and undivided in all. It appeareth only through the Manifestation of +God; and never but in itself only. And in that Being which cometh into +it, or in that wherein it is manifested; there also it is that God is +manifested. Because Heaven is nothing else but a Manifestation or +Revelation of the Eternal One, wherein all the working and willing is in +quiet love.</p> + +<p>So in like manner Hell also is through the whole World, and dwelleth and +worketh but in itself, and in that wherein the Foundation of Hell is +manifested, namely, in Self-hood and in the False Will. The visible +World hath both in it; and there is no place but Heaven and Hell may be +found or revealed in it. Now Man as to his temporal life is only of the +visible World; and therefore during the time of his life he seeth not +the spiritual World. For the Outward World with its substance is a cover +to the Spiritual World, even as the Body is to the Soul. But when the +outward Man dyeth, then the Spiritual World is manifested to the Soul, +which hath now its covering taken away. And<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> it is manifested either in +the Eternal Light with the holy Angels, or in the Eternal Darkness, with +the Devils.</p> + +<p>The <i>Scholar</i> further queried: What is an Angel, or an human Soul, that +they can be thus manifested either in God's Love or Anger, either in +Light or Darkness?</p> + +<p>To whom Theophorus answered: They come from one and the self-same +Original. They are little branches of the Divine Wisdom, of the Divine +Will, sprung from the Divine Word, and made objects of the Divine Love. +They are out of the Ground of Eternity; whence Light and Darkness do +spring; Darkness which consisteth in the receiving of Self-Desire; and +Light which consisteth in willing the same thing with God. For the +conformity of the Will with God's Will is Heaven; and wheresoever there +is this willing with God, there the Love of God is undoubtedly in the +working, and his Light will not fail to manifest itself. But in the +Self-attraction of the Soul's desire, or in the reception of Self into +the willing of any Spirit, angelical or human, the Will of God worketh +with difficulty, and is to that Soul and Spirit nought but Darkness; out +of which, notwithstanding, the Light may be manifested. And this +Darkness is the Hell of that Spirit wherein it is. For <i>Heaven</i> and +<i>Hell</i> are nought else but a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> <i>Manifestation of the Divine Will either +in Light or Darkness, according to the Properties of the Spiritual +World</i>.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Scholar</span></p> + +<p>What then is the Body of Man?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>It is the visible World, an Image and Quintessence, or Compound of all +that the World is; and the visible World is a manifestation of the +inward spiritual World, come out of the Eternal Light, and out of the +Eternal Darkness, out of the spiritual compaction or connection; and it +is also an Image or Figure of Eternity, whereby Eternity hath made +itself visible; where Self-Will and resigned Will, viz., Evil and Good, +work one with the other.</p> + +<p>Such a substance is the outward Man. For God created Man out of the +outward World, and breathed into him the inward spiritual World for a +Soul and an intelligent Life, and therefore in the things of the outward +World, Man can receive and work Evil and Good.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Scholar</span></p> + +<p>What shall be after this World, when all things perish and come to an +end?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>The material substance only ceaseth; viz., the four Elements, the Sun, +Moon and Stars. And then the inward world will be wholly visible and +manifest. But whatsoever hath been wrought by the Will or Spirit of Man +in this World's time, whether evil or good shall there separate itself +in a spiritual matter, either into the Eternal Light or into the Eternal +Darkness. For that which is born from each Will penetrateth and passeth +again into that which is like itself. And there the Darkness is called +Hell, and is an eternal forgetting of all Good, and the Light is called +the Kingdom of God, and is an eternal joy in and to the Saints, who +continually glorify and praise God, for having delivered them from the +torment of evil.</p> + +<p>The last Judgment is a kindling of the Fire both of God's Love and +Anger, in which the matter of every substance perisheth, and each Fire +shall attract into itself its own, that is, the substance which is like +itself. Thus God's Fire of Love will draw into itself what is wrought in +the Anger of God in Darkness, and consume the false substance; and then +there will remain only the painful, aching Will in its own proper +nature, image, and figure.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Scholar</span></p> + +<p>With what matter and form shall the human Body rise?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>It is sown a natural gross and elementary Body; yet in this gross Body +there is a subtle Power and Virtue. As in the Earth also there is a +subtle good Virtue, which is like the Sun, and is one and the same with +the Sun, which also did in the beginning of time spring and proceed out +of the Divine Power and Virtue, whence all the good Virtue of the Body +is likewise derived. This good Virtue of the mortal Body shall come +again and live for ever in a kind of transparent crystalline material +property, in spiritual flesh and blood; as shall return also the good +Virtue of the Earth, for the Earth, likewise shall become crystalline, +and the Divine Light shine in everything that hath a being, essence, or +substance. And as the gross Earth shall perish and never return, so also +the gross flesh of Man shall perish and not live for ever. But all +Things must appear before the Judgment, and in the Judgment be separated +by the Fire; yea, both the Earth, and also the ashes of the human Body. +For when God shall once move the spiritual World, every Spirit shall +attract its spiritual substance to itself. A good<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> Spirit and Soul shall +draw to itself its own substance, and an evil one its evil substance.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Scholar</span></p> + +<p>Shall we not rise again with our visible bodies, and live in them for +ever?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>When the visible world perisheth, then all that hath come out of it, and +hath been external, shall perish with it. There shall remain of the +World only the crystalline Nature and Form, and of Man also only the +spiritual Earth, for Man shall be then wholly like the crystalline +World, which as yet is hidden.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Scholar</span></p> + +<p>Shall all then have eternal joy and glorification alike?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>St Paul saith: In the Resurrection one shall differ from another in +glory, as do the Sun, Moon and Stars. Therefore know that the Blessed +shall indeed all enjoy the divine working in and upon them, but their +virtue and illumination or glory shall be very different according as +they have endured in this life with different<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> measures and degrees of +power and virtue in their painful workings.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Scholar</span></p> + +<p>How shall all people and nations be brought to judgment?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>The Eternal Word of God, out of which every creaturely spiritual Life +hath proceeded will move itself at that hour, according to Love and +Anger, in every Life which is come out of the Eternity, and will draw +every Creature before the Judgment of Christ, to be sentenced by this +motion of the Word. The Life will then be manifested in all its works, +and every Soul shall see and feel its judgment and sentence in itself. +For the Judgment is, indeed, immediately at the departure of the Body +manifested in and to every Soul. And the last Judgment is but a return +of the spiritual Body, and a separation of the World, when the Evil +shall be separated from the Good, in the substance of the World, and of +the human Body, and everything enter into its eternal receptacle. And +thus it is a manifestation of the Mystery of God in every substance and +life.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Scholar</span></p> + +<p>How will the sentence be pronounced?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Here consider the words of Christ. He will say to those on his right +hand; <i>Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for +you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and ye gave me +meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took +me in; naked and ye clothed me. I was sick and ye visited me, in prison +and ye came unto me.</i></p> + +<p><i>Then shall they answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, +thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or in prison, and ministered thus unto +thee?</i></p> + +<p>Then shall the King answer and say unto them; <i>Inasmuch as ye have done +it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.</i></p> + +<p>And unto the wicked on his left hand he will say; <i>Depart from me, ye +Cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. +For I was hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, and in prison, and ye +ministered not unto me.</i></p> + +<p>And they shall also answer him and say; <i>When did we see thee thus and +ministered not unto thee?</i></p> + +<p>And he will answer them, <i>Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have not +done it unto one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.</i></p> + +<p><i>And these shall depart into everlasting punishment, but the Righteous +into Life Eternal.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Scholar</span></p> + +<p>Loving Master, pray tell me why Christ saith, <i>What you have done to the +least of these you have done to me; and what you have not done to them, +neither have you done it to me</i>? And how doth a Man this <i>so</i>, as that +he doth it to Christ himself?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Christ dwelleth really and essentially in the faith of those that wholly +yield up themselves to him, and giveth them his Flesh for food and his +Blood for drink; and thus possesseth the ground of their faith, +according to the interior or inward Man. And a Christian is called a +Branch of the Vine Christ, and a Christian, because Christ dwelleth +spiritually in him; therefore, whatsoever good any shall do to such a +Christian in his bodily necessities, it is done to Christ himself, who +dwelleth in him. For such a Christian is not his own, but is wholly +resigned to Christ, and become his peculiar possession, and consequently +the good deed is done to Christ <i>himself</i>. Therefore also whosoever +shall withhold their help from such a needy Christian, and forbear to +serve him in his necessity, they thrust Christ away from themselves, and +despise him in his members. When a poor person that belongeth thus to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +Christ asketh anything of thee, and thou deniest it him in his +necessity, thou deniest it to Christ himself. And whatsoever hurt any +shall do to such a Christian, they do it to Christ himself. When any +mock, scorn, revile, reject, or thrust away such an one they do all that +to Christ, but he that receiveth him, giveth him meat, and drink, or +apparel, and assisteth him in his necessities, doth it likewise to +Christ, and to a fellow-member of his own Body. Nay he doth it to +himself if it be a Christian; for we are all one in Christ, as a tree +and its branches are.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Scholar</span></p> + +<p>How then will those subsist in the day of the last Judgment, who afflict +and vex the poor and distressed, and deprive them of their very sweat, +necessitating and constraining them by force to submit to their wills, +and trampling upon them as their footstools, only that they themselves +may live in pomp and power, and spend the fruits of this poor people's +sweat and labour in voluptuousness, pride, and vanity?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>Christ suffereth in the persecution of his members. Therefore all the +wrong that such hard executors do to the poor wretches under<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> their +control is done to Christ himself; and falleth under his severe sentence +and judgment. And besides that by such oppression of the Poor they draw +them off from Christ, and make them seek unlawful ways to fill their +bellies. Nay, they work for and with the Devil himself, doing the very +same thing which he doth: who, without intermission opposeth the Kingdom +of Christ, which consisteth only in Love. All these oppressors, if they +do not turn with their whole hearts unto Christ, and minister to or +serve him, must go into Hell-fire, which is fed and kept alive by +nothing else but such mere Self, which they have exercised over the Poor +here.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Scholar</span></p> + +<p>But how will it fare with those who in this time do so fiercely contend +about the kingdom of Christ, and slander, revile and persecute one +another for their religion?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>All such have not yet known Christ; and they are but as a type or figure +of Heaven and Hell, striving for each other for the victory.</p> + +<p>All rising, swelling pride, which contendeth about opinions, is an image +of Self. And whosoever hath not faith and humility, nor liveth<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> in the +Spirit of Christ, which is Love, is only armed with the Anger of God, +and helpeth forward the victory of the imaginary Self, that is, the +Kingdom of Darkness, and the Anger of God. For at the day of Judgment +all Self shall be given to the Darkness as shall also all the +unprofitable contentions of men; in which they seek not after Love, but +merely after their imaginary Self. All such things belong to the +Judgment, which will separate the false from the true; and then all +images or opinions shall cease, and all the Children of God shall dwell +for ever in the Love of Christ, and <i>that</i> in them. For in Heaven all +serve God their Creator in humble love.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Scholar</span></p> + +<p>Wherefore then doth God suffer such strife and contention to be in this +time?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master</span></p> + +<p>The Life itself standeth in strife, that it may be made manifest, +sensible, and palpable, and that the wisdom may be made separable and +known.</p> + +<p>The Strife also constituteth the Eternal Joy of the victory. For there +will arise great praise and thanksgiving in the Saints from the +experimental sense and knowledge that Christ in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> them hath overcome +Darkness, and all the Self of Nature, and that they are at length +totally delivered from the Strife, at which they shall rejoice +eternally. And therefore God suffereth all Souls to stand in a +free-will, that the Eternal Dominion both of Love and Anger, of Light +and of Darkness, may be made manifest and known; and that every Life +might cause and find its own sentence in itself. For that which is now a +strife and pain to the Saints in their wretched warfare here, shall in +the end be turned into great joy to them; and that which hath been a joy +and pleasure to ungodly persons in this world, shall afterwards be +turned into eternal torment and shame to them. Therefore the joy of the +Saints must arise to them out of death, as the light ariseth out of a +candle by the destruction and consumption of it in its fire, that so the +Life may be freed from the painfulness of Nature, and possess another +World.</p> + +<p>And as the Light hath quite another property than the Fire has, for it +giveth and yieldeth itself forth; whereas the Fire draweth in and +consumeth itself, so the holy Life of Meekness springeth forth through +the Death of Self-will, and then God's Will of Love only ruleth, and +doth all in all. For thus the Eternal One hath attained Feeling and +Separability, and brought itself forth again with the feeling, through<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> +Death, in great Joyfulness, that there might be an Eternal Delight in +the Infinite Unity, and an Eternal Cause of Joy; and therefore that +which was before Painfulness, must now be the Ground and Cause of this +motion or stirring to the Manifestation of all Things. And herein lyeth +the Mystery of the hidden Wisdom of God.</p> + +<p><i>Every one that asketh receiveth, every one that seeketh findeth, and to +every one that knocketh it shall be opened. The Grace of our Lord Jesus +Christ, and the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghost, be +with us all. Amen.</i></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span></p> +<h2>DIALOGUE IV</h2> + +<h3>THE WAY FROM DARKNESS TO TRUE ILLUMINATION</h3> + + +<p>There was a poor Soul that had wandered out of Paradise, and come into +the kingdom of this World; where the Devil met it, and said to it: +Whither dost thou go, thou Soul that art half blind?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Soul said</span></p> + +<p>I would see and speculate into the Creatures of the World, which their +Creator hath made.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Devil said</span></p> + +<p>How wilt thou see and speculate into them, when thou canst not know +their essence and property? Thou wilt look upon their outside only, as +upon a graven image, and canst not know them thoroughly.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Soul said</span></p> + +<p>How may I come to know their essence and property?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Devil said</span></p> + +<p>Thine eyes would be opened to see them thoroughly, if thou didst but eat +of <i>that</i>, from whence the Creatures themselves are come to be <i>good</i> +and <i>evil</i>. Thou wouldst then be as God himself is, and know what the +Creature is.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Soul said</span></p> + +<p>I am now a noble and holy Creature: but if I should do so, the Creator +hath said that I should die.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Devil said</span></p> + +<p>No, thou shouldst not die at all; but thy eyes would be opened, and thou +wouldst be as God himself, and be Master of Good and Evil. Also, thou +wouldst be mighty, powerful and very great, as I am; all the subtlety +that is in the Creatures would be made known to thee.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Soul said</span></p> + +<p>If I had the knowledge of Nature and of the Creatures, I would then rule +the whole World as I listed.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Devil said</span></p> + +<p>The whole ground of their knowledge lieth in thee. Do but turn thy Will +and Desire from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> God or Goodness into Nature and the Creatures, and then +there will arise in thee a lust to taste; and so thou mayest eat of the +Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and by that means come to know all +things.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Soul said</span></p> + +<p>Well then, I will eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, that I +may rule all things by my own power, and be of myself a Lord on Earth, +and do what I will, even as God himself doth.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Devil said</span></p> + +<p>I am the Prince of this World; and if thou wouldst rule on earth thou +must turn thy lust towards my Image, and desire to be like me, that thou +mayst get the cunning, wit, reason, and subtlety that my Image hath.</p> + +<p>Thus did the Devil present to the Soul the Power that is in the fiery +root of the Creature, that is the fiery Wheel of Essence in the form of +a Serpent. Upon which,</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Soul said</span></p> + +<p>Behold this is the Power which can do all things. What must I do to get +it?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Devil said</span></p> + +<p>If thou dost break thy Will off from God, and bring it into this power +and skill, then thy hidden Ground will be manifested in thee, and thou +mayest work in the same manner. But thou must eat of that Fruit, wherein +each of the four elements in itself ruleth over the other, and is in +strife. And then thou wilt be instantly as the fiery Wheel is, and so +bring all things into thine own power, and possess them as thine own.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Soul did so and what happened thereupon</span></p> + +<p>Now when the Soul broke its will off thus from God, and brought it into +the fiery Will (which is the Root of Life and Power), there presently +arose in it a lust to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; and +the Soul did eat thereof. Which as soon as it had done, instantly was +kindled the fiery Wheel of its Essence, and thereupon all the properties +of Nature awoke in the Soul, and exercised each its own desire.</p> + +<p>First arose the lust of Pride; a desire to be great, mighty, and +powerful; to bring all things in subjection to it, and to be Lord itself +without control, despising all humility and equality, as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> esteeming +itself the only prudent, witty and cunning one, and accounting +everything folly that is not according to its own humour and liking.</p> + +<p>Secondly, arose the lust of Covetousness, a desire of getting, which +would draw all things to itself, into its own possession. For when the +lust of Pride had turned away the Will from God, then the Life of the +Soul would not trust God any further, but would take care for itself; +and therefore brought its desire into the Creatures, viz., into the +earth, metals, trees, and other Creatures. Thus the kindled fiery Life +became hungry and covetous, when it had broken itself off from the +Unity, Love, and Meekness of God, and attracted to itself the four +Elements and New Essence, and brought itself into the Condition of the +beasts, and so the Life became dark, empty, and wrathful; and the +heavenly Virtues and Colours went out, like a candle extinguished.</p> + +<p>Thirdly, there awoke in this fiery Life the stinging thorny lust of +Envy: a hellish poison, and a torment which makes the Life a mere enmity +to God and to all Creatures. Which Envy raged furiously in the sting of +Covetousness, as a venomous sting doth in the body. Envy cannot endure, +but hateth and would hurt or destroy that which Covetousness cannot +draw<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> to itself by which hellish passion the Noble Love of the Soul is +smothered.</p> + +<p>Fourthly, there awoke in this fiery Life a torment like fire, viz., +Anger; which would murder and remove out of the way all who would not be +subject to Pride. Thus the Ground and Foundation of Hell, which is +called the Anger of God, was wholly manifested in this Soul. Whereby it +lost the fair Paradise of God and the Kingdom of Heaven, and became such +a worm as the fiery Serpent was, which the Devil presented to it in his +own image and likeness. And so the Soul began to rule on earth in a +bestial manner, and did all things according to the Will of the Devil, +living in mere Pride, Covetousness, Envy, and Anger, having no longer +any true love towards God. But there arose in the stead thereof an evil +bestial love of Wantonness and Vanity, and there was no purity left in +the heart, for the Soul had forsaken Paradise, and taken the Earth into +its possession. Its mind was wholly bent upon cunning knowledge, +subtility, and getting together a multitude of earthly things. No +righteousness nor virtue remained in it at all; but whatsoever evil and +wrong it committed, it covered all cunningly under the cloak of its +power and authority by law, and called it by the name of Right and +Justice, and accounted it good.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Devil came to the Soul</span></p> + +<p>Upon this the Devil drew near the Soul, and brought it on from one vice +to another, for he had taken it captive in his Essence, and set joy and +pleasure before it, therein, saying thus to it: Behold now thou art +powerful, mighty, and noble, endeavour to be greater, richer, and more +powerful still. Display thy knowledge, wit and subtlety, that every one +may fear thee, and stand in awe of thee, and that thou mayst be +respected, and get a great name in the World.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Soul did so</span></p> + +<p>The Soul did as the Devil counselled it, and yet knew not that its +counsellor was the Devil; but thought it was guided by its own +knowledge, wit, and understanding, and that it did very well and right +all the while.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Jesus Christ met with the Soul</span></p> + +<p>The Soul going on in this course of life, our dear and loving Lord Jesus +Christ, Who was come into this World with the Love and Wrath of God, to +destroy the works of the Devil, and to execute judgment upon all ungodly +deeds, on a time met with it, and spake by a strong power, viz., by his +passion and death into it, and destroyed the works of the Devil in it, +and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> discovered to it the way to his Grace, and shone upon it with his +mercy, calling it to return and repent, and promising that he would then +deliver it from that monstrous deformed shape and image which it had +gotten, and bring it into Paradise again.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">How Christ brought in the Soul</span></p> + +<p>Now when the Spark of the Love of God, or the Divine Light, was +accordingly manifested in the Soul, it presently saw itself with its +will and works to be in Hell, in the Wrath of God, and found it was an +ugly, misshapen monster in the Divine Presence and the Kingdom of +Heaven: at which it was so affrighted, that it fell into the greatest +anguish possible, for the Judgment of God was manifested in it.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">What Christ said</span></p> + +<p>Upon this the Lord Christ spake unto it with the Voice of his Grace, and +said: <i>Repent and forsake Vanity, and thou shalt attain My Grace</i>.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">What the Soul said</span></p> + +<p>Then the Soul with its ugly misshapen image went before God and +entreated for Grace and the pardon of its sins, and came to be strongly +persuaded in itself that the satisfaction and atonement of our Lord +Jesus Christ did belong<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> to it. But the evil properties of the Serpent, +formed in the Astral Spirit, or Reason, of the outward Man, would not +suffer the Will of the Soul to come before God, but brought their lusts +and inclinations thereinto.</p> + +<p>But the poor Soul turned its countenance towards God, and desired Grace +from him, even that he would bestow his Love upon it.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Devil came to it again</span></p> + +<p>But when the Devil saw that the Soul thus prayed to God, and would enter +into repentance, he drew near to it, and thrust the inclinations of the +earthly properties into its prayers, and disturbed its good thoughts and +desires which pressed forwards towards God, and drew them back again to +earthly things that they might have no access to him.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Soul sighed</span></p> + +<p>The central Will of the Soul indeed sighed after God, but the thoughts +arising in the mind that it should penetrate into him, were distracted, +scattered and destroyed, so that they could not reach the Power of God. +At which the poor Soul was still more affrighted and began to pray more +earnestly. But the Devil with his desire took hold of the kindled, fiery +Wheel of Life, and awakened the evil properties,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> so that evil or false +inclinations arose in the Soul, and went into that thing wherein they +had taken most pleasure and delight before.</p> + +<p>The poor Soul would very fain go forward to God with its Will, and +therefore used all its endeavours; but its thoughts continually fled +away from God into earthly things, and would not go to him.</p> + +<p>Upon this the Soul sighed and bewailed itself to God; but was as if it +were quite forsaken by him, and cast out from its Presence. It could not +get so much as one look of Grace, but was in mere anguish, fear and +terror, and dreaded every moment that the Wrath and severe Judgment of +God would be manifested in it, and that the Devil would take hold of it +and have it. And thereupon fell into such great heaviness and sorrow, +that it became weary of all the temporal things, which were before its +chief joy and happiness.</p> + +<p>The earthly natural Will indeed desired those things still, but the Soul +would willingly leave them altogether, and desired to die to all +temporal lust and joy whatsoever, and longed only after its first native +country, from whence it originally came. But it found itself to be far +from thence in great distress and want, and knew not what to do, yet +resolved to enter into itself, and try to pray more earnestly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Devil's Opposition</span></p> + +<p>But the Devil opposed it, and withheld it so that it could not bring +itself into any greater fervency of repentance.</p> + +<p>He awakened the earthly lusts in its heart, that they might still keep +their evil nature and false right therein, and set them at variance with +the new-born Will and Desire of the Soul. For they would not die to +their own Will and Light, but would still maintain their temporal +pleasures, and so kept the poor Soul captive in their evil desires, that +it could not stir, though it sighed and longed never so much after the +Grace of God. For whensoever it prayed, or offered to press forward +towards God, then the lusts of the flesh swallowed up the rays and +ejaculations that went forth from it, and brought them away from God +into earthly thoughts, that it might not partake of Divine Strength. +Which caused the poor Soul to think itself forsaken of God, not knowing +that he was so near it, and did thus attract it. Also the Devil tempted +the poor Soul, saying to it in the earthly thoughts:</p> + +<p>"Why dost thou pray? Dost thou think that God knoweth thee or regardeth +thee? Consider but what thoughts thou hast in his presence; are they not +altogether evil? Thou hast no faith or belief in God at all; how then +should<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> he hear thee? He heareth thee not, leave off; why wilt thou +needlessly torment and vex thyself! Thou hast time enough to repent at +leisure. Wilt thou be mad? Do but look upon the world I pray thee a +little; doth it not live in jollity and mirth, yet it will be saved well +enough for all that. Hath not Christ paid the ransom and satisfied for +all men? Thou needest only persuade and comfort thyself that it is done +for thee, and then thou shalt be saved. Thou canst not possibly in this +world come to any feeling of God, therefore leave off, and take care for +thy body, and look after temporal glory. What dost thou suppose will +become of thee, if thou turn to be so stupid and melancholy? Thou wilt +be the scorn of everybody, and they will laugh at thy folly; and so thou +wilt pass thy days in mere sorrow and heaviness, which is pleasing +neither to God nor Nature. I pray thee, look upon the beauty of the +World, for God hath so erected and placed thee in it, to be a Lord over +all Creatures and to rule them. Gather store of temporal goods +beforehand, that thou mayest not be beholden to the World, or stand in +need hereafter. And when old age cometh, or that thou growest near thy +end, then prepare thyself for repentance. God will save thee, and +receive thee into the heavenly mansions there. There is no need of such +ado<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> in vexing, bewailing, and stirring up thyself, as thou makest."</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Condition of the Soul</span></p> + +<p>In these and the like thoughts the Soul was ensnared by the Devil, and +brought into the lust of the flesh, and earthly desires; and so bound as +it were with fetters and strong chains that it did not know what to do. +It looked back a little into the World and the pleasures thereof, but +still felt in itself a hunger after Divine Grace, and would rather enter +into repentance and favour with God. For the Hand of God had touched and +bruised it, and therefore it could rest nowhere; but always sighed in +itself after sorrow for the sins it had committed, and would fain be rid +of them. Yet could not get true repentance, or even the knowledge of +sin, though it had a mighty hunger and longing desire after such +penitential sorrow.</p> + +<p>The Soul being thus heavy and sad, and finding no remedy or rest, began +to cast about where it might find a fit place to perform true repentance +in, where it might be free from business, cares, and the hinderances of +the World; and also by what means it might win the favour of God. And at +length purposed to betake itself to some private solitary place,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> and +give over all worldly employments and temporal things, and hoped that by +being bountiful and pitiful to the Poor, it should obtain God's mercy. +Thus did it devise all kinds of ways to get rest, and to gain the love, +favour, and grace of God again. But all would not do; for its worldly +business still followed it in the lusts of the flesh, and it was +ensnared in the net of the Devil now, as well as before, and could not +attain rest. And though for a little while it was somewhat cheered with +earthly things, yet presently it fell to be as sad and heavy again as it +was before. The truth was it felt the awakened Wrath of God in itself, +but knew not how that came to pass, nor what ailed it. For many times +great trouble and terror fell upon it, which made it comfortless, sick, +and faint with very fear; so mightily did the first bruising it with the +ray or influence of the stirring of Grace work upon it. And yet it knew +not that Christ was in the Wrath and severe Justice of God and fought +therein with that Spirit of Error incorporated in Soul and Body, nor +understood that the hunger and desire to turn and repent came from +Christ Himself, neither did it know what hindered it that it could not +yet attain to Divine Feeling. It knew not that itself was a monster, and +did bear the Image of the Serpent.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">An enlightened and regenerate Soul met the distressed Soul</span></p> + +<p>By the Providence of God, an enlightened and regenerate Soul met the +distressed Soul, and said: What ailest thou, thou distressed Soul, that +thou art so restless and troubled!</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The distressed Soul answered</span></p> + +<p>The Creator hath hid his Countenance from me, so that I cannot come to +his Rest; therefore I am thus troubled, and know not what I shall do to +get his Loving-kindness again. For great cliffs and rocks lie in my way +to his Grace, so that I cannot come to him. Though I sigh and long after +him never so much, yet I am kept back, so that I cannot partake of his +Power, Virtue, and Strength.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The enlightened Soul said</span></p> + +<p>Thou bearest the monstrous shape of the Devil, and art clothed +therewith; in which, being his own Property or Principle, he hath access +or power of entrance into thee, and thereby keepeth thy Will from +penetrating into God. For if thy Will might penetrate into God, it would +be anointed with the highest Power and Strength of God, in the +Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that unction would break<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> in +pieces the monster which thou carriest about thee; and thy first Image +of Paradise would revive in the Centre; which would destroy the Devil's +Power therein, and thou wouldst become an Angel again. And because the +Devil envieth thee this happiness, he holdeth thee captive in his Desire +in the lusts of the flesh, from which if thou art not delivered, thou +wilt be separated from God, and canst never enter into our Society.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The distressed Soul terrified</span></p> + +<p>At this speech the poor distressed Soul was so terrified and amazed, +that it could not speak one word more. When it found that it stood in +the form and condition of the Serpent which separated it from God, and +that the Devil was so nigh it in that condition, who injected evil +thoughts into the Will of the Soul, and had so much power over it +thereby that it was near damnation and sticking fast in the Abyss or +bottomless pit of Hell in the Anger of God, it would have even despaired +of Divine Mercy; but that the Power, Virtue and Strength of the first +stirring of the Grace of God, which had before bruised the Soul, upheld +and preserved it from total despair. But still it wrestled in itself +between Hope and Doubt; whatsoever Hope built up, that Doubt threw down +again. And thus was it agitated with such continued<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> disquiet, that at +last the World and all the glory thereof became loathsome to it, neither +would it enjoy worldly pleasures any more; and yet for all this could it +not come to Rest.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The enlightened Soul came again, and spoke to the troubled Soul</span></p> + +<p>On a time the enlightened Soul came again to this Soul, and finding it +still in so great trouble, anguish, and grief, said to it.</p> + +<p>What dost thou? Wilt thou destroy thyself in thy anguish and sorrow? Why +dost thou torment thyself in thy own Power and Will, seeing thy torment +increaseth thereby more and more? Yea, if thou shouldst sink thyself +down to the bottom of the sea, or fly to the uttermost coasts of the +morning, or raise thyself above the stars, yet thou wouldst not be +released. For the more thou grievest, tormentest, and troublest thyself, +the more painful thy nature will be; and yet thou wilt not be able to +come to Rest. For thy Power is quite lost, and as a dry stick burnt to a +coal cannot grow green and spring afresh by its own power, nor get sap +to flourish again with other trees and plants; so neither canst thou +reach the Place of God by thy own power and strength, and transform +thyself into that Angelical Image which thou hadst at first. For<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> in +respect to God thou art withered and dry, like a dead plant that hath +lost its sap and strength, and so art become a dry tormenting Hunger. +Thy Properties are like Heat and Cold which continually strive one +against the other, and can never unite.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The distressed Soul said</span></p> + +<p>What then shall I do to bud forth again, and recover the first Life, +wherein I was at rest before I became an Image?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The enlightened Soul said</span></p> + +<p>Thou shalt do nothing at all but forsake thy own Will, viz., that which +thou callest <i>I</i>, or <i>thyself</i>. By which means all thy evil properties +will grow weak, faint, and ready to die; and then thou wilt sink down +again into that One Thing from which thou art originally sprung. For now +thou liest captive in the Creatures; but if thy Will forsaketh them, +they will die in thee, with their evil inclinations, which at present +stay and hinder thee that thou canst not come to God. But if thou takest +this course, thy God will meet thee with his infinite Love, which he +hath manifested in Christ Jesus in the Humanity, or human Nature. And +that will impart sap, life and vigour to thee, whereby thou mayst bud, +spring, flourish again, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> rejoice in the Living God, as a branch +growing on his true Vine. And so thou wilt at length recover the Image +of God, and be delivered from that of the Serpent. Then shalt thou come +to be my brother and have fellowship with the Angels.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The poor Soul said</span></p> + +<p>How can I forsake my Will, so that the Creatures which lodge therein may +die, seeing I must be in the World, and also have need of it as long as +I live?</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The enlightened Soul said</span></p> + +<p>Now thou hast worldly power and riches, which thou possesses! as thy +own, to do what thou wilt with, and regardest not how thou gettest or +invest the same, employing them in the service or indulgence of thy +carnal and vain desires. Nay though thou seest the poor and needy wretch +who wanteth thy help, and is thy brother, yet thou helpest him not, but +layest heavy burdens upon him, by requiring more of him than his +abilities will bear, or his necessities afford, and oppressest him, by +forcing him to spend his labour and sweat for thee and the gratification +of thy voluptuous Will. Thou art moreover proud<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> and exultest over him, +and behavest roughly and sternly to him, exalting thyself above him, and +making small account of him in respect of thyself. Then that poor +oppressed brother of thine cometh, and complaineth with sighs towards +God, that he cannot reap the benefit of his labours and pains, but is +forced by thee to live in misery. By which sighings and groanings of his +he raiseth up the wrath of God in thee, which maketh thy flame and +unquietness still the greater.</p> + +<p>These are the Creatures which thou art in love with, and hast broken +thyself off from God for their sakes, and brought thy Love into them or +them into thy Love, so that they live therein. Thou nourishest and +keepest them by continually receiving them into thy desire, for they +live in and by thy receiving them into thy mind, because thou thereby +bringest the lust of thy Life into them. They are but unclean and evil +births and issues of the Bestial Nature, which yet by thy receiving them +in thy Desire, have gotten an Image and formed themselves in thee. And +that Image is a beast with four heads. First, <i>Pride</i>. Secondly, +<i>Covetousness</i>. Thirdly, <i>Envy</i>. Fourthly, <i>Anger</i>. And in these four +properties the Foundation of Hell consisteth, which thou earnest in thee +and about thee. It is imprinted and engraven in thee,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> and thou art +wholly taken captive thereby. For these properties live in thy Natural +Life; and thereby thou art severed from God, neither canst thou ever +come to him, unless thou so forsake these evil Creatures that they may +die in thee.</p> + +<p>But since thou desirest me to tell thee how to forsake thy own, perverse +creaturely Will, that the Creatures might die, and that yet thou +mightest live with them in the World, I must assure thee that there is +but one way to do it, which is <i>narrow</i> and <i>straight</i>, and will be very +hard and irksome to thee in the beginning, but afterwards thou wilt walk +in it cheerfully.</p> + +<p>Thou must seriously consider that in the course of this worldly life +thou walkest in the Anger of God and in the Foundation of Hell; and that +this is not thy true native country; but that a Christian should and +must live in Christ, and in his walking truly follow him; and that he +cannot be a Christian unless the Spirit and Power of Christ so live in +him that he becometh wholly subject to it. Now seeing the Kingdom of +Christ is not of the world, but in Heaven, therefore thou must be always +in a continual ascension towards Heaven, if thou wilt follow Christ; +though thy body must dwell among the Creatures and use them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span></p> + +<p>The narrow way to which perpetual ascension into Heaven and imitation of +Christ is this. Thou must despair of all thy own power and strength, for +in and by thy own thou canst not reach the Gates of God, and firmly +purpose and resolve wholly to give thyself up to the Mercy of God, and +to sink down with thy whole mind and reason into the Passion and Death +of our Lord Jesus Christ, always desiring to persevere in the same and +to die from all thy Creatures therein. Also thou must resolve to watch +and guard thy mind, thoughts, and inclinations that they admit no evil +into them, neither must thou suffer thyself to be held fast by temporal +honour or profit. Thou must resolve likewise to put away from thee all +Unrighteousness and whatsoever else may hinder the freedom of thy motion +and progress. Thy Will must be wholly pure and fixed in a firm +resolution never to return to its old idols any more, but that thou +wilt, that very instant leave them, and separate thy mind from them, and +enter into the sincere way of truth and righteousness, according to the +plain and full doctrine of Christ. And as thou dost thus purpose to +forsake the enemies of thine own inward Nature, so thou must also +forgive all thy outward enemies and resolve to meet them with thy Love, +that there may be left no Creature, Person, or Thing at all able to +take<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> hold of thy Will and captivate it; but that it may be sincere and +purged from all Creatures. Nay, further, if it should be required, thou +must be willing and ready to forsake all thy temporal honour and profit +for Christ's sake, and regard nothing that is earthly so as to set thy +heart and affections upon it; but esteem thyself in whatsoever state, +degree and condition thou art, as to worldly rank and riches, to be but +a servant of God, and of thy fellow-Christians; or as a steward in the +office wherein thy Lord hath placed thee. All arrogance and +self-exaltation must be humbled, brought low, and so annihilated that +nothing of thine own or of any other Creature may stay in thy Will to +bring the thoughts or imagination to be set upon it.</p> + +<p>Thou must also firmly impress it on thy mind that thou shalt certainly +partake of the promised Grace in the Merit of Jesus Christ, viz., of his +outflowing Love, which indeed is already in thee, and which will deliver +thee from thy Creatures, and enlighten thy Will, and kindle it with the +Flame of Love, whereby thou shalt have victory over the Devil. Not as if +thou couldst will or do anything in thy own strength, but only enter +into the suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and take them to +thyself, and with them assault and break in pieces the kingdom<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> of the +Devil in thee. Thou must resolve to enter into this way this very hour, +and never to depart from it, but willingly to submit thyself to God in +all thy endeavours and doings, that he may do with thee what he +pleaseth.</p> + +<p>When thy Will is thus prepared and resolved, it hath then broken through +its own Creatures, and is sincere in the Presence of God, and clothed +with the Merits of Jesus Christ. It may then freely go to the Father +with the Prodigal Son, and fall down in his Presence and pour forth its +prayers; and putting forth all its strength in this Divine Work, confess +its sins and disobedience; and how far it hath departed from God. This +must be done not with bare words, but with all its strength, which +indeed amounteth only to a strong purpose and resolution; for the Soul +of itself hath no strength or power to effect any good work.</p> + +<p>Now when thou art thus ready, and thy heavenly Father shall see thee +coming and returning to him in such repentance and humility, he will +inwardly speak to thee, and say in thee; <i>Behold, this is my son which I +had lost, he was dead and is alive again.</i> And he will come to meet thee +in thy mind with the Grace and Love of Jesus Christ, and embrace thee +with the beams of his Love, and kiss thee with his Spirit and Strength, +and then thou shalt<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> receive Grace to pour out thy confession before him +and to pray powerfully. This indeed is the right place where thou must +wrestle in the Light of his Countenance. And if thou standest resolutely +here and shrinkest not back, thou shalt see or feel great wonders. For +thou shalt find Christ in thee assaulting Hell, and crushing thy Beasts +in pieces, and that a great tumult and misery will arise in thee; also +thy secret undiscovered sins will then first awake and labour to +separate thee from God, and to keep thee back. Thus shalt thou truly +find and feel how Death and Life fight one against the other, and shalt +understand by what passeth within thyself what Heaven and Hell are. At +all which be not moved, but stand firm and shrink not; for at length all +thy Creatures will grow faint, weak, and ready to die; and then thy Will +shall wax stronger, and be able to subdue and keep down the evil +inclinations. So shall thy Will and Mind ascend into Heaven every day, +and thy Creatures gradually die away. Thou wilt get a Mind wholly new, +and begin to be a new Creature, and, getting rid of the Bestial +Deformity, recover the Divine Image. Thus shalt thou be delivered from +thy present Anguish, and return to thy original Rest.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The poor Soul's Practice</span></p> + +<p>Then the poor Soul began to practise this course with so much +earnestness that it conceived it should get the victory presently, but +it found that the Gates of Heaven were shut against it in its own +strength and power, and it was, as it were, rejected and forsaken by +God, and received not so much as one look or glimpse of Grace from him. +Upon which it said to itself; <i>Surely thou hast not sincerely submitted +thyself to God. Desire nothing at all of him, but only submit thyself to +his judgment and condemnation, that he may kill thy evil inclinations. +Sink down into him beyond the Limits of Nature and Creature, and submit +thyself to him, that he may do with thee what he will, for thou art not +worthy to speak to him.</i> Accordingly the Soul took a resolution to sink +down, and to forsake its own will; and when it had done so there fell +upon it presently the greatest repentance that could be for the sins it +had committed; and it bewailed bitterly its ugly shape, and was truly +and deeply sorry that the evil Creatures did dwell in it. And because of +its sorrow it could not speak one word more in the Presence of God, but +in this repentance did consider the bitter Passion and Death of Jesus +Christ, viz., what great anguish and torment he had suffered for its<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> +sake, in order to deliver it out of its anguish, and change it into the +Image of God. In which consideration it wholly sank down, and did +nothing but complain of its ignorance and negligence, and that it had +not been thankful to its Redeemer, nor once considered the great love he +had shown to it, but had idly spent its time, and not at all regarded +how it might come to partake of his purchased and proffered Grace; but +instead thereof had formed in itself the images and figures of earthly +things, with the vain lusts and pleasures of the World. Whereby it had +gotten such bestial inclinations that now it must lie captive in great +misery, and for very shame dared not lift up its eyes to God, Who hid +the light of his countenance from it and would not so much as look upon +it. And as it was thus sighing and crying it was drawn into the Abyss or +Pit of Horror, and laid as it were at the Gates of Hell there to perish. +Upon which the poor troubled Soul was, as it were, bereft of sense, and +wholly forsaken, so that it in a manner forgot all its doings, and would +willingly yield itself to Death, and cease to be a Creature. Accordingly +it did yield itself to Death, and desired nothing else but to die and +perish in the Death of its Redeemer Jesus Christ, who had suffered such +torments and death for its sake. And in this perishing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> it began to sigh +and pray in itself very inwardly to the Divine Goodness, and to sink +down into the mere Mercy of God.</p> + +<p>Upon this there suddenly appeared unto it the Love of God, as a great +Light which penetrated through it, and made it exceedingly joyful. It +then began to pray aright, and to thank the Most High for such Grace, +and to rejoice abundantly that it was delivered from the Death and +Anguish of Hell. Now it tasted of the Sweetness of God, and of his +promised Truth; and how all the evil Spirits which had harassed it +before, and kept it back from the Grace, Love, and inward Presence of +God, were forced to depart from it. The wedding of the Lamb was now kept +and solemnised, that is, the Noble <i>Sophia</i> espoused or betrothed +herself to the Soul, and the Seal-Ring of Christ's victory was impressed +into its Essence, and it was received to be a Child and Heir of God +again.</p> + +<p>When this was done the Soul became very joyful, and began to work in +this new power, and to celebrate with praise the wonders of God, and +thought thenceforth to walk continually in the same Light, Strength, and +Joy. But it was soon assaulted: from <i>without</i> by the shame and reproach +of the World, and from <i>within</i> by great temptation, so that it began to +doubt<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> whether its ground was truly from God, and whether it had really +partaken of his Grace. For the accuser Satan went to it, and would fain +lead it out of its course, and make it doubtful whether it was the true +way, whispering thus to it inwardly; <i>This happy change in thy Spirit is +not from God, but only from thy own imagination.</i> Also the Divine Light +retired in the Soul, and shone but in the inward ground, as fire raked +up in embers, so that Reason was perplexed, and thought itself forsaken, +and the Soul knew not what had happened to itself, nor whether it had +really and truly tasted of the heavenly gift or not. Yet it could not +leave off struggling; for the burning Fire of Love was sown in it, which +had raised in it a vehement and continual Hunger and Thirst after the +Divine Sweetness. So at length it began to pray aright, and to humble +itself in the Presence of God, and to examine and try its evil +inclinations and thoughts, and to put them away. By which means the Will +of Reason was broken, and the evil inclinations inherent in it were +killed and extirpated more and more. This process was very severe and +painful to the Nature of the Body, for it made it faint and weak as if +it had been very sick; and yet it was no natural sickness that it had, +but only the melancholy of its earthly Nature, feeling<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> and lamenting +the destruction of its evil lusts.</p> + +<p>Now when the earthly Reason found itself thus forsaken, and the poor +Soul saw that it was despised outwardly and derided by the World, +because it would walk no longer in the way of Wickedness and Vanity; and +also that it was inwardly assaulted by the accuser Satan, who mocked it, +and continually set before it the beauty, riches and glory of the World, +and called it a fool for not embracing them; it began to think and say +thus within itself: <i>O eternal God, what shall I now do to come to +Rest?</i></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The enlightened Soul met it again and spoke to it</span></p> + +<p>While it was in this consideration, the enlightened Soul met with it +again, and said: What ailest thou, my Brother, that thou art so heavy +and sad!</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The distressed Soul said</span></p> + +<p>I have followed thy counsel, and thereby attained a ray or emanation of +the Divine Sweetness, but it is gone from me again, and I am now +deserted. Moreover I have outwardly very great trials and afflictions in +the World, for all my good friends forsake and scorn me; and am<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> also inwardly assaulted with anguish and doubt, +and know not what to do.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The enlightened Soul said</span></p> + +<p>Now I like thee very well; for now our +beloved Lord Jesus Christ is performing that +Pilgrimage or Process on Earth with thee and +in thee, which he did himself when he was in +this World, who was continually reviled, despised, +and evil spoken of, and had nothing of +his own in it; and now thou bearest his mark +or badge. But do not wonder at it, or think it +strange; for it must be so, in order that thou +mayst be tried, refined, and purified. In this +Anguish and Distress thou wilt necessarily +hunger and cry after deliverance; and by such +Hunger and Prayer thou wilt attract Grace to +thee both from within and from without. For +thou must grow from above and from beneath to +be the Image of God again. Just as a young plant +is agitated by the wind, and must stand its +ground in heat and cold, drawing strength and +virtue to it from above and from beneath by +that agitation, and must endure many a tempest, +and undergo much danger before it can come +to be a tree and bring forth much fruit. For +through that agitation the virtue of the sun +moveth in the plant, whereby its wild properties <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> come to be penetrated and tinctured +with the solar virtue, and grow thereby.</p> + +<p>And this is the time wherein thou must play +the part of a valiant soldier in the Spirit of +Christ, and co-operate thyself therewith. For +now the Eternal Father by his fiery Power +begetteth his Son in thee, who changeth the +Fire of the Father, namely, the first Principle, +or Wrathful Property of the Soul, into the Flame +of Love, so that out of Fire and Light (viz. +Wrath and Love) there cometh to be one +Essence, Being, or Substance, which is the true +Temple of God. And now thou shalt bud forth +out of the Vine Christ, in the Vineyard of God, +and bring forth fruit in thy life, and by assisting +and instructing others, show forth thy Love in +abundance, as a good tree. For Paradise must +then spring up again in thee, through the Wrath +of God, and Hell be changed into Heaven in +thee. Therefore be not dismayed at the temptations +of the Devil, who seeketh and striveth for +the Kingdom which he once had in thee, but, +having now lost it, must be confounded, and +depart from thee. And he covereth thee outwardly +with the shame and reproach of the +World, that his own shame may not be known, +and that thou mayst be hidden to the World. +For with thy New Birth or regenerated Nature +thou art in the Divine Harmony in Heaven. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> +Be patient, therefore, and wait upon the Lord, and whatsoever shall befall +thee, take it all from his hands as intended by him for thy highest +good. And so the enlightened Soul departed from it.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The distressed Soul's course</span></p> + +<p>The distressed Soul began its course now under the patient Suffering of +Christ, and depending solely upon the Strength and Power of God in it, +entered into Hope. Thenceforth it grew stronger every day, and its evil +inclinations died more and more in it. So that it arrived at length to a +high state or degree of Grace; and the Gates of the Divine Revelation +and the Kingdom of Heaven were opened to and manifested in it.</p> + +<p>And thus the Soul, through Repentance, Faith, and Prayer, returned to +its true Rest, and became a right and beloved Child of God again; to +which may He of his infinite Mercy help us all. Amen.</p> + +<h4>TURNBULL AND SPEARS, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH.</h4> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Dialogues on the Supersensual Life, by Jacob Behmen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DIALOGUES ON THE SUPERSENSUAL LIFE *** + +***** This file should be named 33742-h.htm or 33742-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/3/7/4/33742/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Dialogues on the Supersensual Life + +Author: Jacob Behmen + +Editor: Bernard Holland + +Release Date: September 17, 2010 [EBook #33742] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DIALOGUES ON THE SUPERSENSUAL LIFE *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + +DIALOGUES + +ON + +THE SUPERSENSUAL LIFE + +BY + +JACOB BEHMEN + +EDITED BY BERNARD HOLLAND + +METHUEN & CO. +36 ESSEX STREET, W.C. +LONDON +1901 + +_Desiderare est Mereri_ + + + + +PREFACE + + +The Works of Jacob Behmen, the "Teutonic Theosopher," translated into +English, were first printed in England in the seventeenth century, +between 1644 and 1662. In the following century a complete edition in +four large volumes was produced by some of the disciples of William Law. +This edition, completed in the year 1781, was compiled in part from the +older English edition, and in part from later fragmentary translations +by Law and others. It is not easily accessible to the general reader, +and, moreover, the greater part of Behmen's Works could not be +recommended save to those who had the time and power to plunge into that +deep sea in search of the many noble pearls which it contains. + +Behmen's language and way of thought are remote and strange, and in +reading his thought one has often to pass it through a process of +intellectual translation. This is chiefly true of his earlier work, the +"Aurora" or "Morning Redness." But among those works which he wrote +during the last five years of his life there are some written in a +thought-language less difficult to be understood, yet containing the +essential teaching of this humble Master of Divine Science. From these I +have selected some which may, in a small volume, be useful. It seemed +that for this purpose it would be best to take the "Dialogues of the +Supersensual Life," including as one of them the beautiful, really +separate, Dialogue, called in the Complete Works, "The way from darkness +to true illumination." In the case of neither of these works is the +translation used that of the seventeenth century. The first three +dialogues are a translation made by William Law, one of the greatest +masters of the English language, and found in MS. after his death. This +translation from the original German is not exactly literal, but rather +a liberal version, or paraphrase, the thought of Behmen being expanded +and elucidated, though in nowise departed from. The dialogue called "The +way from darkness to true illumination" was taken by the eighteenth +century editors from a book containing translations of certain smaller +treatises of Behmen then lately printed at Bristol and made, as they +say, "in a style better adapted to the taste and more accommodated to +the apprehension of modern readers." I do not know who was the +translator, but the work seems to be excellently well done. + +It will be well to say a few words first as to the life, then as to the +leading ideas of Jacob Behmen. This name is more correctly written Jacob +Boehme, but I prefer to retain the more easily pronounced spelling of +Behmen, adopted by the Editors of both the complete English editions. + +Jacob Behmen's outward life was simplicity itself. He was born in the +year 1575 at Alt Seidenberg, a village among pastoral hills, near +Goerlitz in Lusatia, a son of poor peasants. As a boy he watched the +herds in the fields, and was then apprenticed to a shoemaker, being not +enough robust for rural work. One day, when the master and his wife were +out, and he was alone in the house, a stranger entered the shop and +asked for a pair of shoes. Jacob had no authority to conclude a bargain +and asked a high price for the shoes in the hope that the stranger would +not buy. But the man paid the price, and when he had gone out into the +street, called out "Jacob, come forth." Jacob obeyed the call, and now +the stranger looked at him with a kindly, earnest, deep, soul-piercing +gaze, and said, "Jacob, thou art as yet but little, but the time will +come when thou shalt be great, and become another man, and the world +shall marvel at thee. Therefore be pious, fear God, and reverence his +Word; especially read diligently the Holy Scriptures, where thou hast +comfort and instruction; for thou must endure much misery and poverty, +and suffer persecution. But be courageous and persevere, for God loves, +and is gracious unto thee." So saying, the stranger clasped his hand, +and disappeared. + +After this Jacob became even more pensive and serious, and would +admonish the other journeymen on the work-bench when they spoke lightly +of sacred things. His master disliked this and dismissed him, saying +that he would have no "house-prophet" to bring trouble into his house. +Thus Jacob was forced to go forth into the world as a travelling +journeyman, and, as he wandered about in that time of fierce religious +discord, the world appeared to him to be a "Babel." He was himself +afflicted by troubles and doubts, but clave to prayer and to Scripture, +and especially to the words in Luke xi.; "How much more shall your +heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." And once, +when he was again engaged for a time by a master, he was lifted into a +state of blessed peace, a Sabbath of the Soul, that lasted for seven +days, during which he was, as it were, inwardly surrounded by a Divine +Light. "The triumph that was then in my soul I can neither tell nor +describe. I can only liken it to a resurrection from the dead." + +Jacob returned in 1594 to Goerlitz, became a master shoemaker in 1599, +married a tradesman's daughter, and had four children. In the year 1600 +"sitting one day in his room, his eye fell upon a burnished pewter dish +which reflected the sunshine with such marvellous splendour that he fell +into a deep inward ecstasy and it seemed to him as if he could now look +into the principles and deepest foundations of things. He believed that +it was only a fancy, and in order to banish it from his mind he went out +upon the green. But here he remarked that he gazed into the very heart +of things; the very herbs and grass, and that Nature harmonised with +what he had inwardly seen. He said nothing about this to any one, but +praised and thanked God in silence. He continued in the honest practice +of his craft, was attentive to his domestic affairs, and was on terms of +goodwill with all men."[A] + +At the age of thirty-five, in the year 1610, Jacob Behmen suddenly +perceived that all which he had seen in a fragmentary way was forming +itself into a coherent whole, and felt a "fire-like" impulse, a yearning +to write it down, as a "Memorial," not for publication, but lest he +should forget it himself. He wrote it early in the morning before work, +and late in the evening after work. This was his "Morning Redness" or +"Aurora." + +A nobleman of the country, called Carl von Endern, happened to see the +MS. at the shoemaker's house, was struck by it, and had some copies +made. One of these fell into the hands of the Lutheran Clergyman of +Goerlitz, Pastor Primarius Gregorius Richter, who thenceforth became a +bitter opponent of Behmen. He assailed him in sermons, in language of +savage invective, as a heretic of the most dangerous kind, until Jacob +was summoned before the Magistrates, and forbidden to write anything in +future. He was told that as a shoemaker he must confine himself to his +own trade. But the affair, as is usually the case, had an effect the +reverse of that intended by persecutors. It made him known to various +persons more learned than himself who were interested in the subject, +and from his converse with them he learned a better style, and some +Latin technical terms, which he afterwards found useful for expressing +his thoughts. + +Jacob obeyed for some years the magisterial command to write nothing, +but it was very grievous to him, and he often reflected with dismay on +the parable of the talents and how "that one talent which 'tis death to +hide" was lodged with him useless. At length he would keep silence no +more. He says himself: "I had resolved to do nothing in future, but to +be quiet before God in obedience, and to let the devil, with all his +host, sweep over me. But it was with me as when a seed is hidden in the +earth. It grows up in storm and rough weather against all reason. For in +winter time all is dead, and reason says: 'It is all over with it.' But +the precious seed within me sprouted and grew green, oblivious of all +storms, and, amid disgrace and ridicule, it has blossomed forth into a +lily." + +Between the year 1619 and his death in 1624, at the age of forty-nine, +he poured forth his stored up thoughts, writing a number of Works, +including those in the present volume, which were among his very latest. +He had the more time to write because his shoemaking business had fallen +off, by reason, perhaps, of the question as to his orthodoxy, but some +friends supplied him with the necessaries of life. He was now exposed +to fresh attacks from Gregorius Richter and was forced this time to go +into exile. At this period he went to the Electoral Court at Dresden +where the Prince was curious about him, and a conference took place +between him and John Gerhard and other eminent theologians. At the close +of this Dr Gerhard said: "I would not take the whole world and help to +condemn this man." And his colleague Meissner said, "My good brother, +neither would I. Who knows what stands behind this man? How can we judge +what we have not understood? May God convert this man if he is in error. +He is a man of marvellously high mental gifts who at present can neither +be condemned nor approved." + +Soon afterwards, while Jacob was staying at the house of one of his +noble friends in Silesia he fell into a fever. At his own request he was +carried back to Goerlitz, and there awaited his end. On Sunday, November +21st 1624, in the early hours he called his son Tobias and asked him if +he did not hear that sweet melodious music. As Tobias heard nothing, +Jacob asked him to set wide the door so that he might the better hear +it; then he asked what was the hour, and when he was told that it had +just struck two he said, "My time is not yet; three hours hence is my +time." After some silence he exclaimed, "Oh thou strong God of Sabaoth, +deliver me according to thy Will," and immediately afterwards "Thou +Crucified Lord Jesus Christ have mercy upon me and take me to thyself +into thy Kingdom." At six in the morning he suddenly bade them farewell +with a smile, and said, "Now I go hence into Paradise," and yielded up +his Spirit. + +Frankenberg writes of him: "His bodily appearance was somewhat mean; he +was small of stature, had a low forehead but prominent temples, a rather +aquiline nose, a scanty beard, grey eyes, sparkling into heavenly blue, +a feeble but genial voice. He was modest in his bearing, unassuming in +conversation, lowly in conduct, patient in suffering, and +gentle-hearted." + +As the shoemaker of Goerlitz had in his life-time some disciples among +highly educated men, so has he always had a few since his departure from +this life. Men so diversely situated as the non-juror William Law in +England; St Martin, the "philosophe inconnu" of the French Revolution; +the sincere Catholic, Franz Baader, in Germany; Martensen, the +Protestant Bishop in Denmark, have found in him their Teacher. + +The selections contained in the present book belong rather to the +practical or ethical side of Jacob Behmen's teaching than to his +Cosmogony, or _Vision_, as one may best call it, of the nature of all +things. I think that any old cottager, who had read nothing but his +Bible, but had lived his life, would well understand the general +teaching of most that is contained in these Dialogues, and would find +all Behmen's words most beautiful and comforting. It is not, therefore, +necessary for the present purpose to attempt fully to set forth the +whole Vision of Behmen, nor, in any case would it be within my power to +do so. But it may be of service to those readers who are not acquainted +with the writings of Behmen or of his disciples, if I here say something +as to his general teaching with regard to the nature of the soul of man +and its relation to that which is not itself, but like to itself. + +The Soul, in the doctrine of Behmen, is a Being which has a will or +desire, and is aided by a mirror of understanding or imagination. Will +or Desire is of the very essence of the Soul, inseparable from its +existence. He says: "Where Desire is there is also Essence or Being." +The Soul is subject to the diverse attractions of the Centre of Divine +Life and Light, and of the Spirit of the World. Enlightened by its +understanding it has the free power to turn its will towards, and unite +itself to, this or that. "Choose well, thy choice is brief and yet +endless." + +The Soul is a magic Fire derived out of, or from, God the Father's +Essence, _lumen de lumine_, and imprisoned in darkness. It is an intense +and incessant Desire after the Light; it longs to return to the +Light-centre, whence it originally came, that is, to the "heart of God." +Thus longing, it is a "Fire of Anguish," until it becomes a "Fire of +Love." It is a fire of anguish, so long as it is shut up in its dark +self. It is a fire of love when it pierces through and escapes from its +dark self-prison and burns freely and softly in union with the Divine +Love. God then comes as a Light, a soft purifying Fire into the Soul, +and changes all the wanting, hungering, empty, restless, self-tormenting +properties of the Natural Life into a sweetness of rest and peace. This +is called in Scripture the "new birth." Thus the same thing--the same +Fire,--is a cause of torment or of joy according to the conditions under +which it is. Man, who is a microcosm of the whole Universe, is a +mingling of light and darkness. His anguish comes from his Soul's +imprisonment in darkness (as a mere raging fire) and continues until it +can break forth and unite itself with _that_ whence it came and to which +it belongs. + +Behmen says "The Eternal Darkness of the Soul is Hell, viz.: an aching +source of anguish, which is called the Anger of God, but the Eternal +Light in the Soul is the Kingdom of Heaven, where the fiery anguish of +darkness is turned into joy. For the _same_ nature of anguish, which, in +the Darkness, is a cause of sadness, is, in the Light, a cause of the +outward and stirring joy.... The Fire is painful and consuming, but the +Light is yielding, friendly, powerful and delightful, a sweet and +amiable Joy." + +Pure delight, with no trace of doubt or fear, hope or regret, is the +sign of the presence of Love or Light. So again Behmen says: "The Fire +in the Light is a fire of Love, but the Fire in the Darkness is a fire +of Anguish, and is painful, irksome, and full of contrariety." The end +to which all things tend is the final separation of light from darkness; +the "last day" means this; but the present world is a perpetual mixture +of light and darkness, good and evil, joy and anguish. So, the Cross of +Jesus is at once the highest embodiment of Love and Hate. + +It is remarkable that in this doctrine of light and darkness Behmen was +nearly followed by one who had not, I suppose, ever heard of him, +reading as he did little of anything but the Bible, who worked on the +Scriptures with his own powerful and earnest insight, the Christian +hero, Charles Gordon. In his little book called "Reflections in +Palestine" written in that one year, 1883, of unbroken repose from +action spent in the Holy Land, just before his final service at +Khartoom, Gordon dwells upon the repetition, as he calls it, _both in +the individual soul, and in the world's history_ of four processes +constantly recurring,--a state of darkness, a light breaking forth +through darkness, a division of light from darkness or gathering +together of light, a re-dispersion of light into darkness, and then a +renewal of the four processes, ever upon an ascending level of good, +directed towards the final elimination of all light from the darkness. + +Fire must have fuel, something on which to feed. It must feed or perish. +But the magic Fire-spirit, the Soul, cannot perish because it is an +eternal Essence. Therefore it must either feed; or _hunger_. It desires +spiritual essence or "virtue" to allay its raging hunger. But, during +the space that it is embodied in this nature, it can feed _either_ on +the Divine Spirit, or upon the Spirit of this World. "Hence," says +Behmen, "we may understand the cause of that infinite variety which is +in the Wills and Actions of Men." For of whatsoever the Soul eateth, and +wherewith its Fire-life becometh kindled; "according to that the Soul's +life is led and governed." You become like to that which you eat. If the +Soul breaks forth out of its Nature-self and enters into "God's +Love-fire," it eats of the Divine Essence (the substance or flesh of +Christ) and it is to this that Jesus Christ referred when he spoke of +feeding upon his body, and when he spoke of the true bread from heaven +"which giveth life to the World" (John vi. 33), of which he that eateth +shall "live for ever" (John vi. 58), or the "living water," whereof +whosoever drinketh "shall never thirst," but it shall be to him "a well +of water springing up into everlasting life" (John iv. 13, 14). This +feeding is in no way metaphorical but as real and actual as physical +feeding. + +Behmen says, "The Essence of that Life eateth the Flesh of Christ and +drinketh His Blood.... Now if the Soul eat of this sweet, holy and +heavenly food, then it kindleth itself with the great Love in the name +and power of Jesus, whence its fire of anguish becometh a great triumph +of joy and glory."[B] + +Behmen held that man lives at once in three worlds, firstly in the +outward visible elementary world of space and time (where man "_is_ the +Time and _in_ the Time;") secondly, the "Eternal Dark World, Hell, the +centre of Eternal Nature, whence is _generated_ the Soul-fire, that +source of anguish, and thirdly, in the Eternal Light World, Heaven--the +Divine habitation." The same processes of feeding and life take place in +the three Worlds, so that physical feeding is a kind of outside sheath +of spiritual feeding. + +If the Soul accustoms itself to feed in this life upon the heavenly food +(that _panem de coelo omne delectamentum in se habentem_) it gradually +itself becomes of quite heavenly substance, purged from darkness, and, +when the natural life falls off at death, stands in heaven, where indeed +it already is. But, if the Soul feeds upon the Spirit and Things of this +World, then, when by reason of death, it can no longer feed upon them, +it is left in the condition of mere "aching Desire," or eternal +unsatisfied Hunger, working in a void, in perpetual anguish. Thus Heaven +and Hell are not places, but conditions of the Soul. So Milton, who had +no doubt studied the translation of Behmen made in his own time, +writes: + + "The mind is its own place, and in itself + Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven." + +They are in this life everywhere commingled, but when this life falls +away, the Soul remains in that of the two states into which it has in +this life brought itself. The Soul, after death, remains _either_ as a +satisfied Desire, that is, a Desire no longer but a Joy, _or_ as an +aching Desire. The Persian says:-- + + Heaven is the vision of fulfilled Desire + And Hell the shadow of a Soul on fire. + +Behmen says, Heaven _is_ fulfilled desire; Hell _is_ a Soul on fire, no +mere vision or shadow. + +Heaven and Hell are within us, since our souls are portions of the +universe of things, in every part of which Heaven and Hell are +commingled. The gates of Heaven within us were shut in Adam, but the +Power of God, Christ in Jesus, broke open by his passion "the closed +gates of Paradise," that is, the gates of our "inward heavenly +humanity," and now the wayfarer can, if he will, pass through. We do not +spiritually live by a reasoning process, or acceptance of doctrines by +the understanding, but by the action of the Desire in feeding upon the +Spirit of Love, a process of laying hold, drawing in, and assimilating. +True prayer is like feeding, or still more, perhaps, like the +unconscious drawing in of the air: it should be as constant. By it is +introduced the heavenly life from without to nourish the like heavenly +life contained in the seed within. If a man thus rightly feeds, then, in +him, the hellish life and passions, portions of the powers of darkness, +"our creatures" as Behmen says, will be killed by starvation, wanting +their appropriate food. On the other hand, a man can feed these also +from without with their appropriate food by misdirected desire, thereby +starving the heavenly life in the Soul. + +Thus the essence of Behmen's teaching as to the Soul incarnate in Man +and revealed by his body, is that it is an eternal Being, and that it is +a source of joy or anguish according as it is, or is not, purified or +tranquillised by communion with the Centre of Light, or the Fountain of +Life. He does not contemplate, as some Eastern teachers perhaps do, the +annihilation of the Will of the Soul by a kind of higher spiritual +suicide; its existence is to him the very condition of good no less than +of evil; he contemplates its liberation from the dark, contracted, +self-prison, its purification, and entrance into the full heaven-life. +This magical soul-fire, like visible fire, can rage and destroy, or it +can serve as the means and ground of all good. Here is the foundation +both of good and evil, in man as in all things. + +To understand this better, one must consider the cosmic teaching lying +behind the rich profusion of images, often inconsistent and clashing, in +which Jacob Behmen embodies his Vision. + +Man has fallen into Nature. But Nature itself, apart from and unfilled +by the Divine Light, is a self-torment, a mere Want, a Desire, a Hunger. +The true distinction between God and Nature is that God is an Universal +All, while Nature is an Universal Want, viz: to be filled by God. +Physical attraction is nothing but the outer sheath of this universal +desire. Nature filled by God is Heaven or fulfilled Desire.[C] Without +God it is Hell, mere Desire. Heaven is the Presence of God: Hell his +Absence. It is as true to say that Heaven is in God, as to say that God +is in Heaven. + +Apart from the existence of God there could be neither Presence nor +Absence, neither Heaven nor Hell. If the Soul of Man were wholly divided +and separated from the Divine Life, it would, as a part of Nature, be a +mere hungering, restless, conscious Desire. In so far as it is so +separated it partakes of this pain. For "through all the Universe of +Things nothing is uneasy, unsatisfied, or restless, but because it is +not governed by Love, or because its Nature has not reached or attained +the full birth of the Spirit of Love. For when that is done, every +hunger is satisfied, and all complaining, murmuring, accusing, +resenting, revenging and striving are as totally suppressed and overcome +as coldness, thickness and horror of darkness are suppressed and +overcome by the breaking forth of the light. If you ask why the Spirit +of Love cannot be displeased, cannot be disappointed, cannot complain, +accuse, resent or murmur, it is because the Spirit of Love desires +nothing but itself, it is its own Good, for Love is God, and he that +dwelleth in God dwelleth in Love."[D] + +Behmen's idea of the "fallen Angels" is that they are entirely and +hopelessly divided from the Life of God. They are mere embodied, +hopeless, self-tormenting Desires. They have fallen into the hell within +themselves, they _cannot but_ be hating, bitter, envious, proud, +wrathful, restless; and therefore tormentors of others. They have lost +that which man, however far astray, always possesses, the faculty of +return or regeneration through submission to and union with God. The +spark of the Life and Spirit of God which is in Men is not in the +fallen Angels. Let us hope that Beings so utterly lost do not exist. + +God is outside of Nature and yet in a sense inside also, because there +is a divine life or virtue in Nature which, longing to re-unite itself +with its source, is a cause of anguish while divided, and of joy when +united. So, in the outer world, the seed buried in earth contains a +power kindred to the virtue of the sun. It is this which breaks forth +from the seed, forces itself up through the dark, imprisoning, and yet +nourishing and necessary earth, and at last, if it can win its way +through obstacles, cheerfully expands in the light of the sun and feeds +upon his warmth. That, in man's inner nature, which answers to this +power or life in the seed, is called by Behmen the Life or Spirit of +Jesus Christ. Egoism or _Ihood_, the old contracting, narrowing cell, is +destroyed as this expansive and expanding force grows and breaks forth. +Behmen says: "As the Sun in the visible world ruleth over Evil and Good, +and, with its light and power, and all whatsoever itself is, is present +everywhere, and penetrates into every Being, and wholly giveth itself to +every Being, and yet ever remaineth whole, and nothing of its being +goeth away therewith. Thus also it is to be understood concerning +Christ's person and office which ruleth in the inward spiritual world, +and penetrateth into the faithful man's soul, spirit and heart. As the +Sun worketh through a herb, so that the herb becometh filled with the +virtue of the Sun, and, as it were, so converted by the Sun that it +becometh wholly of the nature of the Sun, so Christ ruleth in the +resigned will or Soul and Body, over all evil inclinations and +generateth the man to be a new heavenly creature." The same teaching is +finely set forth in a passage of William Law.[E] He says: + +"Man has a spark of the Light and Spirit of God, as a supernatural gift +of God given into the birth of his Soul to bring forth by degrees a new +birth of that life which was lost in Paradise. This holy spark of the +Divine Nature within him has a natural, strong, and almost infinite +tendency or reaching after that eternal Light and Spirit of God, from +whence it came forth. It came forth from God, it came _out_ of God, it +partaketh of the Divine Nature, and therefore it is always in a state of +tendency and return to God. All this is called the breathing, the +moving, the quickening of the Holy Spirit within us, which are so many +operations of this spark of life tending towards God. On the other hand +the Deity as considered in itself, and without the Soul of man, has an +infinite unchangeable tendency of love and desire towards the Soul of +man, to unite and communicate its own riches and glories to it, just as +the Spirit of the air _without_ Man unites and communicates its riches +and virtues to the Spirit of the air that is _within_ Man. This love or +desire of God toward the soul of Man is so great that he gave his +only-begotten Son, the brightness of his glory, to take the human nature +upon him, in its fallen state, that by this mysterious union of God and +Man, all the enemies of the Soul of Man might be overcome, and every +human creature might have a power of being born again according to that +Image of God in which he was first created. The gospel is the history of +this Love of God to Man. _Inwardly_ he has a seed of the Divine Life +given into the birth of his Soul, a seed that has all the riches of +eternity in it, and is always wanting to come to the birth in him, and +be alive in God. _Outwardly_ he has Jesus Christ, who as a Sun of +Righteousness, is always casting forth his enlivening beams on this +inward seed, to kindle and call it forth to the birth, doing that to +this Seed of Heaven in Man, which the sun in the firmament is always +doing to the vegetable seeds in the earth. + +"Consider this matter in the following similitude. A grain of wheat has +the air and light of this world enclosed or incorporated in it. This is +the mystery of its life, this is its power of growing, by this it has a +strong continual tendency of uniting again with that ocean of light and +air from whence it came forth. On the other hand that great ocean of +light and air, having its own offspring hidden in the heart of the grain +has a perpetual strong tendency to unite and communicate with it again. +From this _desire of union on both sides_, the vegetable life arises and +all the virtues and powers contained in it. But let it be well observed +that this desire on both sides cannot have its effect till the husk and +gross part of the grain falls into a state of corruption and death; till +this begins, the mystery of life hidden in it cannot come forth." + +The sun only acts by stirring up in each thing, and calling into +activity, its own imprisoned, dormant, heat or life. Save by the same +nature-process, working in an inner sphere, there cannot come to pass +the flower and fruit of the Soul. The Sun, true emblem of the Redeeming +Spirit, helps each vital force to break forth from its state of +death--even though, like the grains of wheat found in Egyptian graves +and then new-planted, it has been immured there thousands of years--and +to enter into its highest possible state of life. Indeed, in this school +of wisdom, the natural visible light, of which the Sun is the dispensing +medium to our solar system, and other suns to other circles of planets, +is actually an outer manifestation of the inner supernatural light, and +warmth, not a mere emblem at all. We speak more truly than we know, when +we speak of a "heavenly day." All Nature is a series of "out-births" of +the Deity. "The outward world," says Behmen, "is sprung out of the +inward spiritual world, viz., out of Light and Darkness." And his +English interpreter says: "Whatever is delightful and ravishing, sublime +and glorious in spirits, minds, or bodies, either in heaven, or on +earth, is from the power of the Supernatural Light opening its endless +wonders in them. Hell has no misery, horror or distraction, but because +it has no communication with the supernatural Light. And did not the +supernatural Light stream forth its blessings into this world, through +the materiality of the Sun, all outward Nature would be full of the +horror of Hell." And elsewhere, "There is no meekness, benevolence or +goodness in Angel, Man, _or any other Creature_, but where Light is the +Lord of its life. Life itself begins no sooner, rises no higher, has no +other glory, than as the Light begins it, and leads it on. Sounds have +no softness, flowers and germs no sweetness, plants and fruits have no +growth, but as the Mystery of Light opens itself in them."[F] And so +Behmen himself says: "There is nothing that is created or born in Nature +but it also manifests its internal form externally; for the internal +continually labours or works itself forth to manifestation. We know in +the power and form of this World, how the only Essence has manifested +itself with the external birth in the desire of the similitude; how it +has manifested itself in so many forms and shapes, which we see and know +in the stars and elements, likewise in the living creatures, and also in +the trees and herbs." Thus there is a real communion between all beauty, +sweetness, and glory, within and without the Soul of man. + +It is this truth, not of the analogy between the essential life of Man +and Nature, but of the unity in all things, that is now opening itself +out in many ways. Wordsworth, a true seer, has given to it its highest +expression in English Poetry. Modern science all tends to confirmation +of this unity. + +God, then, must become Man, there must be a birth of the Life of God in +the Soul, in order that the Soul may live its highest life. Only in +this way can the wild properties of Nature be subordinated and turned to +their proper use, their restless hunger pacified. Goodness and happiness +can be expected from nothing else but from the Divine Life united to and +dwelling in the Nature Life. It is the "ingrafted Word" of St James' +Epistle. + +The plant cannot but grow towards the sun. If it is too deep in earth, +or prevented by a strong soil, or withered by dryness, so that it cannot +attain to its end, the fault is not with it. But, in the spiritual inner +world (in which the plant dwells not) the Soul of man has this +freedom--that it can consciously turn towards God, whose Spirit and Life +will then come forth to meet it, or can turn towards the Things of this +World. Upon this freedom of choice is founded Behmen's moral teaching. +The Soul is like a woman (and all nations have testified in their +languages and parables to their sense of this) who can freely choose to +submit and surrender her body to this Lover, or to that. When she has +chosen her free power ends. As she has chosen, so her life-faculty will +be fertilised by good or evil; so will be the new life that arises +within her, and so will be her future joy or sorrow. + +In a deep sense, the desire of the spark of Life in the Soul to return +to its Original Source is part of the longing desire of the universal +Life for its own heart or centre. Of this longing the universal +attraction, striving against resistance, towards an universal centre, +proved to govern the phenomenal or physical world, is but the outer +sheath and visible working. It has been said that Sir Isaac Newton (who +was a diligent reader of Behmen's Works) "ploughed with Jacob Behmen's +heifer." There is in truth but one Religion, that founded upon the +eternal, immutable, universal processes of the actual Nature of things, +and of this Christianity, rightly apprehended, is the supreme +Revelation. This will be seen better by all as the Religion unfolds +itself. Rightly speaking there is no such thing as _supernatural_ +religion; there is but one Religion, that of Nature. It is the work of +visible religion to teach by signs and parables, embodying the mystery +in symbols, and clothing it with adoration. + +Jacob Behmen's mode of expression is all his own, and there is much in +the fabric of his thought which men of our time, if they take a +superficial view, would not find it easy to accept. The doctrine of +Evolution now profoundly influences every corner of the field of +thought. We now incline to think rather of the rise of Man out of Nature +than of his fall into it, though, perhaps, there can no more be a rise +without a precedent fall, than there can be a return without a precedent +out-going. Evolution may be the time-form of Attraction. But all this +affects the outside form, not the essence of the doctrine. Behmen is +concerned with the real nature of things, apart from time and space, +with their apparent, but so misleading, facts. He appeals to each Soul's +knowledge of itself, and, on the principle that _all is in everything_, +draws from the nature of Man, that little Universe (and we can no +otherwise learn things as they are in themselves), his teaching as to +Universal Nature. "In Man (he says) lies all whatsoever the Sun shines +upon, or Heaven contains, as also Hell and all the Deeps." His Iliad is +the struggle between light and darkness, life and death, expansion and +contraction, the centripetal and centrifugal force, heat and cold, love +and hatred, peace and wrath, humility and pride, self-sacrifice and +self-seeking, joy and anguish, repose and restlessness, in the whole of +Nature and in the Soul of Man. Does not every man, who has lived his +full life, know the truth and reality of all this? It is known more +especially and actually by those ardent and adventurous spirits who have +sailed in far seas of thought or action, not merely coasting along the +shores of tradition, authority and established rule. Sinners know some +things more vividly than those who ever and easily have been good. Only +the man who has been sick knows the difference between sickness and +health. The prodigal who had wandered in a far country and had lived as +he would, understood the meaning of peace and love better than the +brother who had always stayed at home. + +These wanderers, if they return in time, know best, taught by the +heart-rending lessons of experience, the difference between the Heaven +and Hell within them; the Hell of wrath, self-torment, fear, anxiety, +envy, malice, evil-will, pride, cruelty, sensual passion, longing to +domineer, and the Heaven of love, benevolence, meekness, humility, +compassion, peace, joy, long-suffering. + +They know that Heaven and Hell can alike be revealed in the Soul. From +youth they have felt something in them striving, often feebly enough, +against passionate desires for wealth, honour, success, and for mastery +over the minds, affections, and bodies of others. Behind all this +turmoil and ever unsatisfied anguish of seeking that which satisfies +not, they have been aware of a diviner life slowly growing towards +heaven, ever and again thwarted and driven back by the renewed assaults +of the Spirit of the World, yet never quite destroyed. At the moments of +fiercest fight against rebel passions they have felt the divine +assisting strength flow into them, if only they powerfully invoked it, +turning towards its source as a babe towards its mother's breast. They +have heard the "Peace be still" amid the wildest spiritual storms. They +know that if they have been saved, it is not by their own strength nor +by reasoning, but by this power from without. + +They know the impotence, in action, of the merely reflective or +spectator faculty. In this sense of the word "reason," they would agree +with him who wrote "Your Heart is the best and greatest gift of God to +you; it is the highest, greatest, strongest, and noblest Power of your +Nature; it forms your whole Life, be it what it will; all Evil and all +Good comes from it; your Heart alone has the key of Life and Death; it +does all that it will; Reason is but its plaything; and whether in Time +or Eternity, can only be a mere Beholder of the wonders of happiness, or +forms of misery, which the right or wrong working of the Heart is +entered into."[G] + +William Law remarks that Jesus Christ, though he had all wisdom, yet +gives but a small number of doctrines to mankind "whilst every moral +teacher writes volumes upon every single virtue." It is, he adds, +because our Lord "knew what they know not, that our whole malady lies +in this, that the Will of our Mind is turned into this World, and that +nothing can relieve us, or set us right, but the _turning_ of the Will +of our Mind and the Desire of our Hearts to God. And hence it is that he +calls us to nothing but a total denial of ourselves and the Life of this +World and to faith in him as the Worker of a new birth and life in us." +On this one root of the whole matter Jacob Behmen insisted, expressing +one truth in a thousand ways and through images, which to him are not +images but the same process working in other spheres. His whole +practical, moral teaching enforces the right direction of Desire. _Mali +mores sunt mali amores_, said one who also truly _saw_; the profound +Augustine. The hunger of the Soul must be turned to the source of +eternal joy. All that is good and beautiful in nature or in the heart of +man flows from that fountain. Desire _is_ everything in Nature; _does_ +everything. Heaven is Nature filled with divine Life attracted by +Desire. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[A] From the Danish Bishop Martensen's book "Jacob Boehme"; an excellent +study well translated from Danish into English by Mr T. Rhys Evans, +(Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1885). An account of Behmen's life is +given in the preface to the first volume of the last century English +edition of the Works. + +[B] It should be noted that Jacob Behmen held strongly to the Sacrament +of the Lord's Supper, the actual bread and wine as a "permissive medium" +of the real feeding, in order that there may be "a visible sign of what +is done in the inward ground." But he says "We should not _depend_ on +this means or medium _alone_, and think that Christ's Flesh and Blood is +_only_ and alone participated in this use of bread and wine, as Reason +in this present time miserably erreth therein. No, that is not so. +Faith, when it hungereth after God's love and grace, always eateth and +drinketh of Christ's Flesh and Blood. Christ hath not bound himself to +bread and wine _alone_, but hath bound himself to the _faith_, that he +will be in men." Works, vol. iv. p. 208. Charles Gordon took the same +view of the visible "eating," as being a great assistance to the +spiritual feeding, but not indispensable to it. (Gordon's "Letters to +his Sister.") + +[C] Dante's "ricchezza senza brama." + +[D] Law's Works, vol. viii., p. 177. + +[E] Works, vol. vii., p. 65, ed. 1765. + +[F] Law's Works, vol. viii., p. 189. + +[G] Law's Works, vol. vii., p. 162. + + + + +PRELIMINARY NOTE + + +Before entering upon the Dialogues I have thought it well to insert some +sentences taken from a treatise of Behmen's called "Regeneration," +together with some taken from another treatise of his on "Christ's +Testament" because they show well the spirit in which he thought and +wrote. The freedom of thought and expression which he claims is, +happily, far more readily accorded now than it was in his own day. + +I have only one thing to add. In the eighteenth century English +translation of Behmen's Works, all the substantives, as was then the +frequent custom, are printed with capital letters. There is a +philosophic basis for this practice, because a substantive is an attempt +to denote a "thing in itself" and is therefore of greater weight than an +adjective, which only expresses qualities which we attribute to it. To +Behmen's Works this mode of printing seems especially appropriate. In +our now too literary language, many words have become so trite and +carelessly used that they have almost ceased to have reference to real +existing things. But Behmen never uses words in this merely literary +way, being indeed in nowise a man of letters. It might have been said of +him, as indeed his enemies did at the time say, that which was said by +the Jews of our Lord, "How knoweth this man letters having never +learned?" When he speaks of the "_glory_" of God, he means something as +real as if he spoke of the "_leaves_ on that tree," and so with all his +words. I was therefore somewhat inclined, in order to mark this, to +adhere altogether to the old custom in this case, and though I have not +done so, fearing it might annoy the eye of the unaccustomed reader, I +have preserved the capital letters in many cases, where it is especially +desirable to dwell on the expression of real existences by the words. It +is of course an illogical compromise between two customs. + +The title "Supersensual Life" is not altogether a good one, but it is +that which is used in former editions of Behmen. The idea is rather of +Life behind, than above, the life of sense. + + + + +_Sentences Selected from Jacob Behmen's Treatises "Regeneration" and +"Christ's Testaments"_ + + +1 + +A true Christian, who is born anew of the Spirit of Christ, is in the +simplicity of Christ, and hath no strife or contention with any man +about religion. + + +2 + +The Christendom that is in Babel striveth about the manner how men ought +to serve God and glorify him; also, how they are to know him, and what +he is in his Essence and Will. And they preach positively that whosoever +is not one and the same with them in every particular of knowledge and +opinion, is no Christian, but a heretic. + + +3 + +But a Christian is of no sect. He can dwell in the midst of sects, and +appear in their services, without being attached or bound to any. He +hath but one knowledge, and that is, Christ in him. He seeketh but one +way, which is the desire always to do and teach that which is right; +and he putteth all his knowing and willing into the Life of Christ. He +sigheth and wisheth continually that the Will of God might be done in +him, and that his Kingdom might be manifested in him. His faith is a +desire after God and Goodness, which he wrappeth up in a sure hope, +trusting to the words of the promise, and liveth and dieth therein; +though as to the _true man_, he never dieth. + + +4 + +For Christ saith: _Whosoever believeth in me shall never die, but hath +pierced through from death to life_; and, _Rivers of living water shall +flow from him_, viz. good doctrine and works. + + +5 + +Therefore I say that whosoever fighteth and contendeth about the Letter, +is all Babel. The Letters of the Word proceed from, and stand all in, +one Root, which is the Spirit of God; as the various flowers stand all +in the earth, and grow about one another. They fight not with each other +about their difference of colour, smell, and taste, but suffer the +earth, the sun, the rain, the wind, the heat, and cold, to do with them +as they please; and yet every one of them groweth in its own peculiar +essence and property. + + +6 + +Even so it is with the Children of God; they have various gifts and +degrees of knowledge, yet all form one Spirit. They all rejoice at the +great Wonders of God, and give thanks to the Most High in his Wisdom. +Why then should they contend about him in _Whom they live and have their +being_, and of whose substance they themselves are? + + +7 + +It is the greatest folly that is in Babel for people to strive about +religion, so that they contend vehemently about opinions of their own +forging, viz. about the Letter. When the Kingdom of God consisteth of no +Opinion, but in Power and Love. + + +8 + +As Christ said to his disciples, and left it with them at the last, +saying: _Love one another as I have loved you: for thereby men shall +know that ye are My disciples_. If men would as fervently seek after +love and righteousness as they do after opinions, there would be no +strife on earth, and we should be as children of one father, and should +need no law or ordinance. For God is not served by any law, but only by +obedience. Laws are for the wicked, who will not enhance love and +righteousness; they are, and must be, compelled by laws. + + +9 + +We all have but one Order, Law, or Ordinance, which is to stand still to +the Lord of all Beings, and resign our wills up to him, and suffer his +Spirit to play what music he will. And thus we give to him again as his +own fruits that which he worketh and manifesteth in us. + + +10 + +Now if we did not contend about our different fruits, gifts, kinds, and +degrees of knowledge, but did acknowledge them in one another, like +Children of the Spirit of God, what could condemn us? For the Kingdom of +God consisteth not in our knowing and supposing, but in Power. + + +11 + +If we did not know half so much, and were more like children, and had +but a brotherly mind and goodwill towards one another, and lived like +children of one mother, and as branches of one tree, taking our Sap all +from one Root, we should be far more holy than we are. + + +12 + +Knowledge serves only to this end, viz., to know that we have lost the +Divine Power in Adam, and are now become inclined to sin; that we have +evil properties in us, and that doing evil pleaseth not God; so that +with our knowledge we learn to do right. Now if we have the Power of God +in us, and desire with all our hearts to act and to live aright, then +our knowledge is but our sport, or matter of pleasure, wherein we +rejoice. + + +13 + +For true knowledge is the manifestation of the Spirit of God through the +Eternal Wisdom. He knoweth what he will in his children; he sheweth his +wisdom and wonders by his children, as the earth putteth forth her +various flowers. + + +14 + +Now if we dwell with one another, like humble children, in the Spirit of +Christ, are rejoicing at the gift or knowledge of another, who would +judge or condemn us? Who judgeth or condemneth the birds in the woods +that praise the Lord of all Beings with various voices, every one in +its own essence? Doth the Spirit of God reprove them for not bringing +their voices into one harmony? Doth not the melody of them all proceed +from his Power, and do they not sport before him? + + +15 + +Those men therefore that strive and wrangle about the knowledge and will +of God, and despise one another on that account, are more foolish than +the birds in the woods, and the wild beasts that have no true +understanding. They are more unprofitable in the sight of the holy God +than the flowers of the field, which stand still in quiet submission to +the Spirit of God, and suffer him to manifest the Divine Wisdom and +Power through them. + + +16 + +All Christian Religion consisteth wholly on this, to learn _to know +ourselves_; whence we came, and what we are; how we are gone forth from +the Unity into dissension, wickedness, and unrighteousness; how we have +awakened and stirred up these evils in us; and how we may be delivered +from them again, and recover our original blessedness. + + +17 + +_First_; How we were in the Unity, when we were the Children of God in +Adam before he fell. _Secondly_; How we are now in dissension and +disunion, in strife and contrariety. _Thirdly_; Whither we go when we +pass out of this corruptible condition; whither with the unnatural, and +whither with the natural part. And _lastly_; How we came forth from +disunion and vanity, and enter into that one Tree, Christ in us, out of +which we all sprung in Adam. In these four points all the necessary +knowledge of a Christian consisteth. + + +18 + +So that we need not strive about any thing; we have no cause of +contention with each other. Let every one only exercise himself in +learning how he may enter again into the Love of God and his Brother. + + +19 + +The written Word is but an instrument whereby the Spirit leadeth us to +itself within us. That Word which will teach must be living in the +literal Word. The Spirit of God must be in the literal sound, or else +none is a Teacher of God, but a mere Teacher of the Letter, a knower of +the history, and not of the Spirit of God in Christ. + + +20 + +All that men will serve God with must be done in Faith, viz. in the +Spirit. It is the Spirit that maketh the work perfect, and acceptable in +the sight of God. All that a man undertaketh and doeth in Faith, he doth +in the Spirit of God, which Spirit of God doth co-operate in the work, +and then it is acceptable to God. For he hath done it himself, and his +Power and Virtue is in it. It is holy. + + +21 + +Strife and misunderstanding concerning Christ's Person, Office, and +Being, or Substance, as also concerning his Testaments which he left +behind him, wherein he worketh at present, ariseth from the deflected +creaturely Reason, which runneth on only in an Image-like opinion, and +reacheth not the ground of this mystery, and yet will be a mistress of +all things or beings, and will judge all things. It doth but lose itself +in such Image-likeness, and breaketh itself off from its Centre, and +disperseth the thoughts, and runneth on in the multiplicity, whereby its +ground is confused and the mind is disquieted, and knoweth not itself. + + +22 + +No Life can stand in certainty, except it continue in its Centre, out of +which it is sprung. + + +23 + +When the Soul that is sprung from God's Word and Will is entered into +its own desire to will of itself, it will run in mere uncertainty till +it return to its Original again. + + +24 + +Seeing that human life is an outflowing of the Divine Power, +Understanding and Skill, the same ought to continue in its Original, or +else it loseth the Divine Knowledge, Power and Skill, and with +self-speculation bringeth itself into centres of its own, and strange +imaging, wherewith its Original becometh darkened and strange. + +Therefore say I, that this is the only cause that men dispute about God, +his Word, Essence or Being, and Will, that the understanding of man hath +broken itself off from its Original, and now runneth on in mere +self-will, thoughts and images in its own lust to selfishness, wherein +there is no true knowledge, nor can be, till the Life returneth to its +Original, viz. into the Divine Outflowing and Will. + + +25 + +If this be done, then God's Will speaketh forth the Divine Power and +Wonders again through the human willing. In which Divine Speaking, the +Life may know and comprehend God's Will, and frame itself therein. Then +there is true Divine Knowledge and Understanding in man's skill, when +his skill is continually renewed with Divine Power. + + +26 + +As Christ hath taught us when he said, _Unless ye be converted and +become as a Child, ye shall not come into the Kingdom of God_. That is, +that the Life turn itself again unto God out of whom it is proceeded, +and forsake all its own imaging and lust, and so come to the Divine +Vision again. + + +27 + +All disputation concerning God's Being or Essence or Will is performed +in the images of the senses or thoughts without God. For if any liveth +in God, and willeth with God, what needeth he dispute about God, who, or +what God is? That he disputeth about it is a sign that he hath never +felt it at all in his mind or senses, and it is not given to him that +God is in him, and willeth in him what he will. It is a certain sign +that he exalts his own meaning and image above others, and desireth +dominion. + + +28 + +Men should friendly confer together, and offer one another their gifts +and knowledge in love, and try things one with another, and hold that +which is best, and not so stand in their own opinion as if they could +not err. It lyeth in no man's person that men should suppose that the +Divine Understanding must come only from such and such. For the +Scripture says, _Try all things and hold that which is good_, 1 Thess. +v. 21. + + +29 + +The touchstone to true knowledge is first, the Corner-stone, Christ; +that men should see whether a thing enter out of love into love, or +whether alone purely the love of God be sought and desired; whether it +be done out of humility or pride; Secondly, whether it be according to +the Holy Scripture; Thirdly, is it according to the human heart and +soul, wherein the Book of the Life of God is incorporated, and may very +well be read by the Children of God? Here the true mind hath its +touchstone in itself, and can distinguish all things. If it be so that +the Holy Ghost dwell in the ground of the mind, that man hath touchstone +enough; that will lead him into all truth. + + +30 + +All strife concerning Christ's testaments cometh hence that men do not +understand that Heaven wherein Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. +They understand not that he is in this World, and that the World +standeth in Heaven, and Heaven in the World, and are in one another, as +Day and Night. + + 1 COR. ii. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. + + _We speak the hidden mystical wisdom of God; which God + ordained before the world into our glory; which none of the + Princes of this World knew. For had they known it, they + would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. But, as it is + written, Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither hath it + entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which + God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath + revealed them unto us by his Spirit. For the Spirit + searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. Now we + have received, not the Spirit of the World, but the Spirit + which is of God; that we might know the things that are + freely given us of God. Which things also we speak, not in + the words which men's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy + Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. + But the Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit + of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he + know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he + that is spiritual judgeth, or discerneth all things._ + + + + +OF THE SUPERSENSUAL LIFE + +IN DIALOGUES + +BETWEEN A SCHOLAR OR DISCIPLE AND HIS MASTER + + + + +DIALOGUE I + + +The Disciple said to his Master: Sir, how may I come to the Supersensual +Life, so that I may see God, and may hear God speak? + +The Master answered and said: Son, when thou canst throw thyself into +THAT, where no Creature dwelleth, though it be but for a moment, then +thou hearest what God speaketh? + +DISCIPLE + +Is that where no Creature dwelleth near at hand, or is it afar off? + +MASTER + +It is _in thee_. And if thou canst, my Son, for a while but cease from +all thy thinking and willing, then thou shalt hear the unspeakable words +of God. + +DISCIPLE + +How can I hear him speak, when I stand still from thinking and willing? + +MASTER + +When thou standest still from the thinking of Self, and the willing of +Self. When both thy intellect and will are quiet, and passive to the +expressions of the Eternal Word and Spirit; and when thy soul is winged +up and above that which is temporal, the outward senses and the +imagination being locked up by holy abstraction, then the Eternal +Hearing, Seeing and Speaking will be revealed in thee, and so God +heareth and seeth through thee, being now the organ of _his_ Spirit, and +so God speaketh in _thee_, and whispereth to thy Spirit, and thy Spirit +heareth his voice. Blessed art thou therefore if thou canst stand still +from self-thinking and self-willing, and canst stop the wheel of thy +imagination and senses; forasmuch as hereby thou mayest arrive at length +to see the great Salvation of God, being made capable of all manner of +divine sensations and heavenly communications. Since it is nought indeed +but thine own hearing and willing that do hinder thee, so that thou dost +not see and hear God. + +DISCIPLE + +But wherewith shall I hear and see God, forasmuch as he is above Nature +and Creature? + +MASTER + +Son, when thou art quiet and silent, then art thou as God was before +Nature and Creature; thou art that which God then was; thou art that +whereof he made thy nature and creature. Then thou hearest and seest +even that wherewith God himself saw and heard in thee, before ever thine +own willing or thine own seeing began. + +DISCIPLE + +What now hinders or keeps me back, so that I cannot come to _that_, +wherewith God is to be seen and heard? + +MASTER + +Nothing truly but thine own willing, hearing, and seeing do keep thee +back from it, and do hinder thee from coming to this supersensual state. +And it is because thou strivest so against that, out of which thou +thyself art descended and derived, that thou thus breakest thyself off, +with thine own willing, from God's willing, and with thine own seeing +from God's seeing. In as much as in thine own seeing thou dost see in +thine own willing only, and with thine own understanding thou dost +understand but in and according to thine own willing, as the same +stands divided from the Divine Will. This thy willing, moreover, stops +thy hearing, and maketh thee deaf towards God, through thy own thinking +upon terrestrial things, and thy attending to that which is without +thee, and so it brings thee to a ground where thou art laid hold on and +captivated in Nature. And having brought thee hither, it overshadows +thee with that which thou willest, it binds thee with thine own chains, +and it keeps thee in thine own dark prison which thou makest for +thyself, so that thou canst not go out thence, or come to that state +which is Supernatural and Supersensual. + +DISCIPLE + +But being I am in Nature, and thus bound as with my own chains, and by +my own natural will, pray be so kind, Sir, as to tell me, how I may come +_through_ Nature into the Supersensual and Supernatural Ground, without +the destroying of Nature? + +MASTER + +Three things are requisite in order to this. The first is, Thou must +resign up thy Will to God, and must sink thyself down to the dust in his +mercy. The second is, Thou must hate thy own Will, and forbear from +doing that to which thy own Will doth drive thee. The third is, Thou +must bow thy soul under the Cross, heartily submitting thyself to it, +that thou mayst be able to bear the temptations of Nature and Creature. +And if thou dost this, know that God will speak unto thee, and will +bring thy resigned Will into Himself, in the supernatural ground, and +then thou shalt hear, my son, what the Lord speaketh in thee. + +DISCIPLE + +This is a hard saying, Master, for I must forsake the World and my life +too, if I should do thus. + +MASTER + +Be not discouraged hereat. If thou forsakest the World, then thou comest +unto that out of which the World is made, and if thou losest thy life, +then thy life is in that for whose sake thou forsakest it. Thy life is +in God, from whence it came into the body, and as thou comest to have +thine own power faint and weak and dying, the power of God will then +work in thee and through thee. + +DISCIPLE + +Nevertheless, as God hath created man in and for the natural life, to +rule over all creatures on earth, and to be a lord over all things in +this world, it seems not to be at all unreasonable that God should +therefore possess this world and the things therein for his own. + +MASTER + +If thou rulest over all creatures but outwardly there cannot be much in +that. But if thou hast a mind to possess all things, and to be a lord +indeed over all things in this world, there is quite another method to +be taken by thee. + +DISCIPLE + +Pray, how is that? And what method must I take, whereby to arrive at +this sovereignty? + +MASTER + +Thou must learn to distinguish between the Thing, and that which is only +an image thereof; between that sovereignty which is substantial and in +the inward ground of Nature, and that which is imaginary and in outward +form of semblance; between that which is properly angelical and that +which is no more than bestial. If thou rulest over the creatures +externally only and not from the right internal ground of thy inward +nature, then thy will and ruling is in a bestial kind or matter, and +thine at best is but a sort of imaginary and transitory government, +being void of that which is substantial and permanent, that which only +thou art to desire and press after. Thus by thy outward lording it over +the creatures it is most easy for thee to lose the substance and the +reality, whilst thou hast naught remaining but the image and shadow only +of thy first and original lordship wherein thou art made capable to be +again invested, if thou art but wise, and takest thy investiture from +the Supreme Lord in the right course and matter. Whereas by thy willing +and ruling them in a bestial manner, thou bringest also thy desire into +a bestial essence, by which means thou becomest infected and captivated +therein, and gettest therewith a bestial nature and condition of life. +But if thou shalt have put off the bestial nature, and left the +imaginary life, and quitted the low-imaged condition of it, then art +thou come into the super-imaginariness and into the intellectual life, +which is a state of living above images, figures and shadows. And so +thou rulest over all creatures, being re-united with thy Original, in +that very ground or source, out of which they were and are created, and +thenceforth nothing on earth can hurt thee. For thou art like All +Things, and nothing is unlike thee. + +DISCIPLE + +O loving Master, pray teach me how I may come the shortest way to be +like unto _All Things_. + +MASTER + +With all my heart. Do but think on the words of our Lord Jesus Christ +when he said: "Except ye be converted and become as little children ye +shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." There is no shorter way +than this, nor can a better way be found. Verily, Jesus saith unto thee, +Unless thou turn and become as a child, hanging upon him for all things, +thou shalt not see the Kingdom of God. This do and nothing shall hurt +thee; for thou shalt be at friendship with all the things that are, as +thou dependest upon the author and fountain of them, and becomest like +him, by such dependence, and by the Union of thy Will with his Will. But +mark what I have further to say, and be not thou startled at it, though +it may seem hard for thee at first to conceive. If thou wilt be like All +Things thou must forsake all things; thou must not extend thy will to +possess that for thine own, or as thine own, which is _Something_, +whatever that Something be. For as soon as ever thou takest _Something_ +into thy desire, and receivest it into thee for thine own, or in +propriety, then this very Something (of what nature soever it is) is +the _same_ with thyself; and this worketh with thee in thy will, and +thou art thence bound to protect it, and take care of it, even as of thy +own being. But if thou dost receive _no thing_ into thy desire then thou +art free from all things, and rulest over all things at once, as a +Prince of God. For thou hast received nothing for thine own, and art +nothing to all things, and all things are as nothing unto thee. Thou art +as a child, which understands not what a thing is; and though thou dost +perhaps understand it, yet thou understandest it without mixing with it, +and without it sensibly affecting or touching thy perception, even in +that matter wherein God doth rule and see all things, he comprehending +All, and yet nothing comprehending him. + +DISCIPLE + +Ah! how shall I arrive at this heavenly understanding, at this pure and +naked knowledge, which is abstracted from the senses, at this light +above Nature and Creature, and at this participation of the Divine +Wisdom which oversees all things, and governs through all intellectual +beings? For, alas, I am touched every moment by the things which are +about me, and overshadowed by the clouds and perfumes which rise up out +of the earth. I desire, therefore, to be taught, if possible, how I may +attain such a state and condition as that no creature may be able to +touch me to hurt me; and how my mind, being purged from sensible objects +and things, may be prepared for the entrance and habitation of the +Divine Wisdom in me. + +MASTER + +Thou desirest that I would teach thee how thou art to attain it; and I +will direct thee to our Master, from whom I have been taught it, that +thou mayest learn it thyself from him, who alone teacheth the heart. +Hear thou him. Wouldst thou arrive at this; wouldst thou remain +untouched by sensibles; wouldst thou behold light in the very Light of +God, and see all things thereby; then consider the words of Christ, who +is the Light and who is the Truth. O consider now his words, who said, +_Without me ye can do nothing_ (John xix. 5) and defer not to apply +thyself unto him, who is the strength of thy salvation, and the _power_ +of thy life; and _with whom thou canst do all things_, by the faith +which he waketh in thee. But unless thou wholly givest thyself up to the +life of our Lord Jesus Christ, and resignest thy Will wholly to him, and +desirest nothing and willest nothing without him, thou shalt never come +to such a rest as no creature can disturb. Think what thou pleasest, +and be never so much delighted in the activity of thine own reason, thou +shalt find that, in thine own power and without such a total surrender +to God and to the life of God, thou canst never arrive at such a rest as +this, or the true Quiet of the Soul, wherein no creature can molest +thee, or even so much as touch thee. Which when thou shalt, with Grace, +have attained to, then with thy Body thou art in the World, as in the +properties of outward Nature; and, with thy Reason, under the Cross of +our Lord Jesus Christ; but with thy _Will_ thou walkest in heaven, and +art at the end from whence all creatures are proceeded forth, and _to_ +which they return again. And then thou canst in this End, which is the +same with the _Beginning_, behold all things outwardly with _reason_ and +liberally with the _mind_; and so mayest thou rule in all things and +over all things, with Christ; unto whom all power is given both in +heaven and on earth. + +DISCIPLE + +O, Master, the creatures which live in me do withhold me, so that I +cannot so wholly yield and give up myself as I willingly would. What am +I to do in this case? + +MASTER + +Let not this trouble thee. Doth thy Will go forth from the creatures? +Then the creatures are forsaken in thee. They are in the world, and thy +body, which is in the world, is with the creatures. But spiritually thou +walkest with God, and conversest in heaven; being in thy mind redeemed +from earth, and separated from creatures, to live the life of God. And +if thy Will thus leaveth the creatures, and goeth forth from them, even +as the spirit goeth forth from the body at death; then are the creatures +dead in it, and do live only in the body in the world. Since if thy Will +do not bring itself into them, they cannot bring themselves into it, +neither can they by any means touch the soul. And hence St Paul saith, +_Our conversation is in heaven; and also, Ye are the temple of God, and +the Spirit of God dwelleth in you_. So, then, true Christians are the +very temples of the Holy Ghost, who dwelleth in them; that is, the Holy +Ghost dwelleth in the Will, and the Creature dwelleth in the Body. + +DISCIPLE + +If now the Holy Spirit doth dwell in the Will of the Mind, how ought I +to keep myself so that he depart not from me again. + +MASTER + +Mark, my son, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: _If ye abide in my +words_, then my words abide in you. If thou abidest with thy Will in the +Words of Christ; then his Word and Spirit abideth in thee, and all shall +be done for thee that thou canst ask of him. But if thy Will goeth into +the creature, then thou hast broken off thyself thereby from him. And +then thou canst not any otherwise keep thyself but by abiding +continually with that resigned humility, and by entering into a constant +course of penitence, wherein thou wilt always be grieved at thine own +creaturely Will, and that creatures do still live in thee, that is, in +thy bodily appetite. If thou dost thus, thou standest in a daily dying +from the creatures, and in a daily ascending into heaven in thy will, +which will is also the Will of thy Heavenly Father. + +DISCIPLE + +O my loving Master, pray teach me how I may come to such a constant +course of holy penitence, and to such a daily dying from all creaturely +objects, for how can I abide continually in repentance? + +MASTER + +When thou leavest that which loveth thee, and lovest that which hateth +thee; then thou mayest continually abide in repentance. + +DISCIPLE + +What is it that I must thus leave? + +MASTER + +All things that love and entertain thee, because thy Will loves and +entertains them. All things that please and feed thee, because thy Will +feeds and cherishes them. All creatures in flesh and blood; in a word, +all visibles and sensibles, by which either the imaginative or sensitive +appetite in men are delighted and refreshed. These the Will of thy mind, +or thy supreme part, must leave and forsake, and must even account them +all its enemies. This is the leaving of what loves thee. And the loving +of what hates thee is the embracing the reproach of the World. Thou must +learn then to love the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, and for his sake +to be pleased with the reproach of the World which hates thee and +derides thee; and let this be thy daily exercise of penitence to be +crucified to the World, and the World to thee. And so thou shalt have +continual cause to hate thyself _in the Creature_, and to seek the +eternal rest which is _in Christ_. To which rest thou having thus +attained, thy Will may therein safely rest and repose itself, according +as thy Lord Christ hath said: In me ye may have rest, but in the World +ye shall have anxiety: In me ye may have peace, but in the World ye +shall have tribulation. + +DISCIPLE + +How now shall I be able to subsist in this anxiety and tribulation +arising from the World so as not to lose the eternal peace, or not to +enter into this rest? And how may I recover myself in such a temptation +as this is, by not sinking under the World, but rising above it by a +life which is truly heavenly and supersensual? + +MASTER + +If thou dost once every hour throw thyself by faith beyond all +creatures, beyond and above all sensual perception and apprehension, +yea, above discourse and reasoning into the abyssal mercy of God, into +the sufferings of our Lord, and into the fellowship of his interceding, +and yieldest thyself fully and absolutely thereinto; then thou shalt +receive power from above to rule over Death and the Devil and to subdue +Hell and the World unto thee. And then thou mayest subsist in all +temptations, and be the brighter for them. + +DISCIPLE + +Blessed is the man that arriveth to such a state as this. But, alas, +poor man that I am, how is this possible as to me? And what, O my +Master, would become of me, if I should ever attain with my mind to that +where no creature is? Must I not cry out, _I am undone_? + +MASTER + +Son, why art thou so dispirited? Be of good heart still; for thou mayest +certainly yet attain to it. Do but believe, and all things are made +possible to thee. If it were that thy Will, O thou of so little courage, +could break off itself for an hour, or even but for a half hour, from +all creatures, and plunge itself into that where no creature is, or can +be; presently it would be penetrated and clothed upon with the supreme +splendour of the Divine Glory, would taste in itself the most sweet Love +of Jesus, the sweetness whereof no tongue can express, and would find in +itself the unspeakable words of our Lord concerning his great mercy. Thy +spirit would then feel in itself the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ to +be very pleasing to it; and would thereupon love the Cross more than the +honours and goods of the World. + +DISCIPLE + +This for the Soul would be exceeding well indeed. But what would then +become of the Body, seeing that it must of necessity live in _Creature_? + +MASTER + +The body would by this means be put into the imitation of our Lord Jesus +Christ and of his body. It would stand in the communion of that most +blessed Body, which is the true temple of the Deity, and in the +participation of all its gracious effects, virtues, and influences. It +would live in the Creature, not of choice, but only as it is made +subject to vanity, and in the World, as it is placed therein by the +ordination of the Creator, for its cultivation and higher advancement, +and as groaning to be delivered out of it in God's time and manner, for +its perfection and resuscitation in eternal liberty and glory, like unto +the glorified body of our Lord and his risen Saints. + +DISCIPLE + +But the body, being in its present constitution, so made subject to +vanity, and living in a vain image and creaturely shadows according to +the life of the undergraduated creatures or brutes, whose breath goeth +downward to the earth; I am still very much afraid thereof, lest it +should continue to depress the mind which is lifted up to God, by +hanging as a dead weight thereto; and go on to abuse and perplex the +same, as formerly, with dreams and trifles, by letting in the objects +from without, in order to draw me down into the World and the hurry +thereof; whereas I would fain maintain by conversation in Heaven even +while I am living in the World. What, therefore, must I do with this +body, that I may be able to keep up so desirable a conversation, and not +to be under subjection to it any longer? + +MASTER + +There is no other way for thee that I know but to present the body +whereof thou complainest (which is the beast to be sacrificed) _a living +sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God_. And this shall be thy rational +service whereby this thy body will be put, as thou desirest, into the +imitation of Jesus Christ, who said his Kingdom was not of this World. +Be not thou then _conformed_ to it, but be _transformed_ by the renewing +of thy mind; which renewed mind is to have dominion over the body, that +so thou mayest prove, both in body and mind, what is the perfect Will of +God, and accordingly perform the same with and by his grace operating +in thee. Whereupon the body, or the _animal life_ would, being thus +offered up, begin to die, both from without and from within. From +_without_, that is, from the vanity and evil customs and fashions of the +World; it would be an utter change to all the parts thereof, and to all +the pageantry, pride, ambition, and haughtiness therein. From _within_ +it would die as to all the lusts and appetites of the flesh, and would +get a mind and will wholly new for its government and management; being +now made subject to the Spirit, which would continually be directed to +God. And thus thy very body is become the temple of God and of his +Spirit, in imitation of thy Lord's Body. + +DISCIPLE + +But the World would hate it and despise it for so doing, seeing it must +hereby contradict the World, and must live and act quite otherwise than +the World doth. This is most certain. And how can this be taken? + +MASTER + +It would not take that as any harm done to it, but would rather rejoice +that it is become worthy to be like unto the image of our Lord Jesus +Christ, being transformed from that of the World. And it would be most +willing to bear that cross after our Lord, merely that our Lord might +bestow upon it the influence of his sweet and precious love. + +DISCIPLE + +I do not doubt but in some this may be even so. Nevertheless, for my own +part, I am in a strait between two, not feeling yet enough of that +blessed influence upon me. Oh how willingly should my body bear _that_, +could _this_ be safely depended upon by me! Wherefore pardon me, loving +Sir, in this one thing, if my impatience doth still further demand, +"What would become of it, if the anger of God from within, and the +wicked World also from without, should at once assault it, as the same +really happened to our Lord Christ?" + +MASTER + +Be that unto it, even as unto our Lord Christ, when he was reproached, +reviled and crucified by the World, and when the anger of God so +fiercely assaulted him for our sake. Now what did he under this most +terrible assault both from without and within? Why; he commended his +soul into the hands of his Father, and so departed from the anguish of +this World into the eternal joy. Do thou likewise, and his death shall +be thy life. + +DISCIPLE + +Be it unto me as unto the Lord Christ, and unto my body as unto his, +which into his hands I have commended, and for the sake of his name do +offer up, according to his revealed Will. Nevertheless I am desirous to +know what would become of my body in its pressing forth from the anguish +of this miserable World into the power of the Heavenly Kingdom. + +MASTER + +It would get forth from the reproach and contradiction of the World by a +conformity to the passion of Jesus Christ; and from the sorrows and +pains in the flesh, which are only the effects of some sensible +impression of things without, by a quiet introversion of the spirit and +secret communion with the Deity manifesting itself for that end. It +would penetrate into itself; it would sink into the great love of God; +it would be sustained and refreshed by the most sweet name _Jesus_, and +it would see and find within itself a new world springing forth, as +through the anger of God, into the joy and love eternal. And then should +a man wrap his soul in this, even in the great Love of God, and clothe +himself therewith as with a garment; and should account thence all +things alike; because in the Creature he finds nothing that can give +him, without God, the least satisfaction, and because also nothing of +harm can touch him more while he remains in this Love. For this Love is +indeed stronger than all things, and makes a man invulnerable both from +within and without, by taking out the sting and poison of the Creature, +and destroying the power of death. And whether the body be in hell or on +earth, all is alike to him; for whether it be there or here, his mind is +still in the greatest Love of God; which is no less than to say that he +is in heaven. + +DISCIPLE + +But how would a man's body be maintained in the World; or how would he +be able to maintain those who are his, if he should by such a +conversation incur the displeasure of all the World? + +MASTER + +Such a man gets greater favours than the world is able to bestow upon +him: he hath God for his friend; he hath all the Angels for his friends. +In all dangers and necessities these protect and relieve him; so that he +need fear no manner of evil; no creature can hurt him. God is his +helper, and that is sufficient. Also God is his blessing in everything. +And though sometimes it may seem as if God would not bless him, yet is +this but for a trial to him, and for the attraction of the Divine Love, +to the end he may more fervently pray to God, and commit all his ways +unto him. + +DISCIPLE + +He loses, however, by this all his good friends, and there will be none +to help him in his necessity. + +MASTER + +Nay, but he gets the hearts of all his good friends into his possession, +and loses none but his enemies, who before loved his vanity and +wickedness. + +DISCIPLE + +How is it that he can get his good friends into his possession? + +MASTER + +He gets the very hearts and souls of all those that belong to our Lord +Jesus to be his brethren, and the members of his own very life. For all +the children of God are but ONE in Christ, which one is Christ _in All_. +And therefore he gets them all to be his fellow-members in the Body of +Christ, whence they have all the same heavenly goods in common and all +live in one and the same Love of God, as the branches of a tree in one +and the same root, and spring all from one and the same source of life +in them. So that he can have no want of spiritual friends and relations, +who are all rooted with him together in the Love which is from above, +who are all of the same blood and kindred in Christ Jesus; and who are +cherished all by the same quickening sap and spirit diffusing itself +through them universally from the one true Vine, which is the tree of +life and love. These are friends worth having; and though here they may +be unknown to him, will abide his friends beyond doubt to all eternity. +But neither can he want even outward natural friends, as our Lord +Christ, when on earth, did not want such also. For though, indeed, the +High-Priests and Potentates of the World could not have a love to him, +because they belonged not to him, neither stood in any kind of relation +to him, as being not of this world, yet those loved him who were capable +of his love, and receptive of his words. So, in like manner, those who +love truth and righteousness will love that man, and will associate +themselves unto him, yea, though they may perhaps be outwardly at some +distance or seeming disagreement, from the situation of their worldly +affairs, or from other reasons, yet in their hearts they cannot but +cleave to him. For though they be not actually incorporated into one +body with him, yet they cannot resist being of one mind with him, and +being united in affliction, for the great regard they bear to the truth, +which shines forth in his words and in his life. By this they are made +either his declared or his secret friends; and he doth so get their +hearts that they will be delighted above all things in his company, for +the sake thereof, and will court his friendship and will come unto him +by stealth, if openly they dare not, for the benefit of his conversation +and advice; even as Nicodemus did to Christ, who came to him by night, +and in his heart loved Jesus for the truth's sake, though outwardly he +feared the World. And thus thou shalt have many friends that are not +known to thee; and some known to thee, who may not appear so before the +World. + +DISCIPLE + +Nevertheless it is very grievous to be generally despised of the World, +and to be trampled upon by men as the very offscouring thereof. + +MASTER + +That which now seems so hard and heavy to thee, thou wilt yet hereafter +be most in love with. + +DISCIPLE + +How can it ever be that I should love that which hates me? + +MASTER + +Though thou lovest the Earthly Wisdom now, yet when thou shalt be +clothed upon with the Heavenly Wisdom, then wilt thou see that all the +wisdom of the World is folly; and wilt see also that the World hates not +so much thee, as thine enemy, which is this mortal life. And when thou +thyself shalt come to hate the will thereof, by means of a habitual +separation of thy mind from the World, then thou also wilt begin to love +that despising of the mortal life, and the reproach of the World for +Christ's sake. And so shalt thou be able to stand under every +temptation, and to hold out to the end by the means hereof in a course +of life above the World and above sense. + +In this course thou wilt hate thyself, and thou wilt also love thyself, +I say, love thyself, and that even more than thou ever didst yet. + +DISCIPLE + +But how can these two subsist together, that a person should both _love_ +and _hate_ himself? + +MASTER + +_In loving thyself_, thou lovest not thyself _as thine own_, but thou +lovest the divine ground in thee, as given thee from the Love of God. By +which, and in which, thou lovest the Divine Wisdom, the Divine Goodness, +the Divine Beauty; thou lovest also by it God's works of wonders; and in +this ground thou lovest also thy brethren. But _in hating thyself_, thou +hatest only that which is _thine own_, and wherein the Evil sticks close +to thee. And this thou dost, that so thou mayest wholly destroy that +which thou callest _thine_, as when thou sayest I or MYSELF do this, or +do that. All which is wrong and a downright mistake in thee; for nothing +canst thou properly call _thine_ but the evil Self, neither canst thou +do anything of thyself that is to be accounted of. This _Self_ therefore +thou must labour wholly to destroy in thee, that so thou mayest become a +ground wholly divine. There can be no _selfishness_ in love; they are +opposite to each other. Love, that is, Divine Love (of which only we are +now discoursing), hates all Egoity, hates all that which we call I, or +IHOOD, hates all such restrictions and confinements, even all that +springs from a contracted spirit, or this evil _Self-hood_, because it +is an hateful and deadly thing. And it is impossible that these two +should stand together, or subsist in one person; the one driving out the +other by a necessity of nature. For _Love_ possesses Heaven, and dwells +in itself, which is dwelling in Heaven; but that which is called I, this +vile self-hood, possesses the world and worldly things; and dwells also +in itself, which is dwelling _in Hell_, because this is the very root of +Hell itself. And, therefore, as Heaven rules the World, and as Eternity +rules Time, even so ought Love to rule the natural temporal Life; for no +other method is there, neither can there be of attaining to that Life +which is supernatural and eternal, and which thou so much desirest to be +led into. + +DISCIPLE + +Loving Master, I am well content that this Love should rule in me over +the natural Life, that so I may attain to that which is supernatural and +supersensual; but, pray tell me now, why must Love and Hatred, friend +and foe, thus be together? Would not Love alone be better? Wherefore, I +say, are Love and Trouble thus joined? + +MASTER + +If Love dwelt not in Trouble, it could have nothing to love. But its +substance which it loves, namely the poor soul, being in trouble and +pain, it hath thence cause to love this its own substance and to deliver +it from pain, that so itself may by it be again beloved. Neither could +any one know what Love is, if there were no Hatred; or what friendship +is, if there were no foe to contend with. Or, in one word, if Love had +not something which it might love, and manifest the virtue and power of +love in working out deliverance to the Beloved from all pain and +trouble. + +DISCIPLE + +Pray what is the virtue, the power, the height, and the greatness of +Love? + +MASTER + +The virtue of Love is NOTHING and ALL, or that _Nothing visible_ out of +which All Things proceed. Its power is through All Things; its height is +as high as God; its greatness is as great as God. Its virtue is the +principle of all principles; its power supports the Heavens and upholds +the Earth; its height is higher than the highest Heavens, and its +greatness is even greater than the very Manifestation of the Godhead in +the glorious light of the Divine Essence, as being infinitely capable of +greater and greater manifestations in all Eternity. What can I say +more? Love is higher than the Highest. Love is greater than the +Greatest. Yea, it _is in a certain sense_ greater than God; while yet, +in the highest sense of all, God is Love, and Love is God. Love being +the highest principle is the virtue of all virtues; from whence they +flow forth. Love, being the greatest Majesty, is the Power of all +Powers, from whence they severally operate. And it is the Holy Magical +Root, a Ghostly Power from whence all the wonders of God have been +wrought by the hands of his elect servants, in all their generations +successively, Whosoever finds it, finds _Nothing and All Things_. + +DISCIPLE + +Dear Master, pray tell me how I may understand this? + +MASTER + +First, then, in that I said, its _virtue is Nothing, or that Nothing_ +which is the beginning of All Things, thou must understand it thus; When +thou art gone forth wholly from the Creature, and from that which is +visible; and art become Nothing to all that is Nature and Creature, then +thou art in that Eternal One, which is God himself; and then thou shalt +perceive and feel within thee the highest virtue of Love. But in that I +said, Its power is through All Things, this is that which thou +perceivest and findest in thy own soul and body experimentally, whenever +this great Love is enkindled within thee; seeing that it will burn more +than the fire can do, as it did in the Prophets of old, and afterwards +in the Apostles, when God conversed with them bodily, and when his +Spirit descended upon them in the Oratory of Zion. Thou shalt then see +also in all the works of God, how Love hath poured forth itself into all +things, and penetrated all things, and is the most inward and most +outward ground in all things. Inwardly in the virtue and power of every +thing, and outwardly in the figure and form thereof. + +And in that I said, _Its height is as high as God_; thou mayest +understand this in thyself: forasmuch as it brings thee to be as high as +God himself is, by being united to God; as may be seen by our beloved +Lord Jesus Christ in our humanity. Which humanity Love hath brought up +into the highest throne, above all angelical principalities and powers, +into the very Power of the Deity itself. + +But in that I also said, _Its greatness is as great as God_, thou art +hereby to understand that there is a certain greatness and latitude of +heart in Love, which is unexpressible, for it enlarges the soul as wide +as the whole Creation of God. And this shall be truly experienced by +thee, beyond all words, when the throne of Love shall be set up in thy +heart. + +Moreover in that I said, _Its virtue is the principle of all +principles_; hereby it is given thee to understand that Love is the +principal cause of all created beings, both spiritual and corporeal, by +virtue whereof the second causes do move and act occasionally, according +to certain Eternal Laws, from the beginning implanted in the very +constitution of things thus originated. This virtue which is in Love is +the very life and energy of all the principles of Nature, superior and +inferior. It reaches to all Worlds, and to all manner of beings in them +contained, they being the workmanship of Divine Love, and is the _first +mover_ and _first moveable_, both in heaven above, and in the earth +beneath, and in the water under the earth. And hence there is given to +it the name of the _Lucid Aleph_ or _Alpha_; by which is expressed the +beginning of the _Alphabet of Nature_, and of the Book of Creation and +Providence or the _Divine Archetypal Book_, in which is the Light of +Wisdom and the source of all lights and forms. + +And in that I said, _Its power supports the Heavens_; by this thou wilt +come to understand that as the Heavens, visible and invisible, are +originated from this great principle, so are they likewise necessarily +sustained by it; and that therefore if this should be but never so +little withdrawn, all the lights, glories, beauties and forms of the +heavenly worlds would presently sink into darkness and chaos. + +And whereas I further said _that it upholds the Earth_; this will appear +to thee no less evident than the former, and thou shalt perceive it in +thyself by daily and hourly experience; forasmuch as the Earth _without +it_, even thy _own earth_ also (that is, thy body) would certainly be +without form and void. By the power thereof the Earth hath been thus +long upheld, notwithstanding a foreign usurped power introduced by the +folly of sin. And should this but once fail or recede there could be no +longer either vegetation or animation upon it; yea, the very pillars of +it being overthrown quite, and the band of union, which is that of +attraction or magnetism, called the centripetal power, being broken and +dissolved, all must thence run into the utmost disorder, and falling +away as into shivers, would be dispersed as loose dust before the wind. + +But in that I said, _Its height is higher than the highest Heavens_; +this thou mayest also understand within thyself. For shouldest thou +ascend in spirit through all the orders of Angels and heavenly Powers, +yet the Power of Love still is undeniably superior to them all. And as +the Throne of God, who sits upon the Heaven of Heavens, is higher than +the highest of them, even so must Love also be, which fills them all, +and comprehends them all. + +And whereas I said of the _Greatness of Love that it is greater than the +very Manifestation of Godhead in the light of the Divine Essence_; that +is also true. For Love enters even into that where the Godhead is not +manifested in this glorious light, and where God may be said not to +dwell. And entering thereinto, Love begins to manifest to the soul the +light of the Godhead; and thus is the darkness broken through, and the +wonders of the new creation successively manifested. + +Thus shalt thou be brought to understand really and fundamentally what +is the virtue and the power of Love, and what the height and greatness +thereof is; how that is indeed the _virtue of all virtues_, though it be +invisible, and as a _Nothing_ in appearance, inasmuch as it is the +worker of all things, and a powerful _vital energy_ passing through all +virtues and powers natural and supernatural, and the _power of all +powers_, nothing being able to let or obstruct the _Omnipotence_ of +Love, or to resist its invincible penetrating might, which passes +through the whole Creation of God, inspecting and governing all things. + +And in that I said; _It is higher than the highest and greater than the +greatest_; thou mayst hereby perceive as in a glimpse the supreme height +and greatness of _Omnipotent Love_ which infinitely transcends all that +human sense and reason can reach to. The highest Archangel and greatest +Powers of Heaven, are in comparison of it, but as dwarfs. Nothing can be +conceived higher and greater in God himself, by the very highest and +greatest of his creatures. There is such infinity in it as comprehends +and surpasses all the divine attributes. + +But in that it was also said, _Its greatness is greater than God_; that +likewise is very true in the sense wherein it was spoken. For Love can +there enter where God dwelleth not, since the most high God dwelleth not +in darkness, but in the Light, the hellish darkness being put under his +feet. Thus, for instance, when our beloved Lord Jesus Christ was in +Hell, Hell was not the mansion of God or of Christ, Hell sees not God, +neither was it with God, nor could it be at all with him; Hell stood in +the darkness and anxiety of Nature, and no light of the Divine Majesty +did there enter; God was not there, for he is not in the darkness nor in +the anguish; but Love was there; and Love destroyed Death and conquered +Hell. So also when thou art in anguish or trouble, which is _hell +within_, God is not the anguish or trouble, neither is he in the anguish +or trouble; but his Love is there, and brings thee out of the anguish +and trouble into God, leading thee into the light and joy of his +presence. When God hides himself in thee, Love is still there, and makes +him manifest in thee. Such is the inconceivable greatness and largeness +of Love, which will hence appear to thee as great as God _above Nature_ +and greater than God _in Nature_, or as considered in his manifestative +glory. + +Lastly, whereas I said, _Whosoever finds it finds Nothing and all +Things_; that is also certain and true. But how finds he _Nothing_? Why, +I will tell thee how. He that findeth it findeth a supernatural, +supersensual Abyss, which hath no ground or Byss to stand on, and where +there is no place to dwell in; and he findeth also nothing is like unto +it and therefore it may fitly be compared to _Nothing_, for it is deeper +than any _Thing_, and is as Nothing with respect to All Things, +forasmuch as it is not comprehensible by any of them. And because it is +Nothing respectively, it is therefore free from All Things, and is that +only Good, which a man cannot express or utter what it is, there being +Nothing to which it may be compared, to express it by. + +But in that I lastly said; _Whosoever finds it finds All Things_; there +is nothing can be more true than this assertion. It hath been the +Beginning of All Things; and it ruleth All Things. It is also the End of +All Things; and will thence comprehend All Things within its circle. All +Things are from it, and in it, and by it. If thou findest it thou comest +into that ground from whence All Things are proceeded, and wherein they +subsist; and thou art in it a King over all the works of God. + +Here the Disciple was exceedingly ravished with what his Master had so +wonderfully and surprisingly declared, and returned his most hearty and +humble thanks for that light which he had been an instrument of +conveying to him. But being desirous to hear further concerning these +high matters, and to know somewhat more particularly, he requested him +that he would give him leave to wait on him the next day again; and that +he would then be pleased to show him _how_ and _where_ he might find +this which was so much beyond all price and value, and whereabout the +seat and abode of it might be in human nature, with the entire process +of the discovery and bringing it forth to light. + +The Master said to him: This then we will discourse about at our next +conference, as God shall reveal the same to us by his Spirit, which is +a searcher of All Things. And if thou dost remember well what I answered +thee in the beginning, thou shalt soon come thereby to understand that +hidden mystical wisdom of God; which none of the wise men of the world +know; and where the Mine thereof is to be found in thee shall be given +thee from above to discern. Be silent therefore in thy spirit, and watch +unto prayer; that, when we meet again to-morrow in the love of Christ, +thy mind may be disposed for finding that noble Pearl, which to the +World appears _Nothing_, but to the Children of Wisdom is _All Things_. + + + + +DIALOGUE II + + +The Disciple being very earnest to be more fully instructed how he might +arrive at the supersensual life, and how, having found all things, he +might come to be a king over all God's works, came again to his Master +next morning, having watched the night in prayer, that he might be +disposed to receive and apprehend the instructions that should be given +him by a divine irradiation upon his mind. And the Disciple, after a +little space of silence, bowed himself, and thus brake forth. + +DISCIPLE + +O my Master, my Master! I have now endeavoured to recollect my soul in +the presence of God, and to cast myself into the Deep where no creature +doth nor can dwell; that I might hear the voice of my Lord speaking in +me, and be initiated into that high life whereof I heard yesterday such +great and amazing things. But alas I neither hear nor see as I should. +There is still such a partition wall in me which beats back the heavenly +sounds in their passage, and obstructs the entrance of that light +whereby alone divine objects are discoverable, as till this be gone I +can have but small hopes, yea, even none at all, of arriving at those +glorious attainments which you pressed me to, or of entering into _that +where no creature dwells_, and which you call _Nothing_ and _All +Things_. Wherefore be so kind as to inform me what is required on my +part, that this partition which hinders may be broken or removed. + +MASTER + +This partition is the creaturely will in thee, and this can be broken by +nothing but the Grace of self-denial, which is the entrance into the +true following of Christ, and totally removed by nothing but a perfect +conformity with the Divine Will. + +DISCIPLE + +But how shall I be able to _break_ this creaturely will which is in me, +and is at enmity with the Divine Will? Or what shall I do to follow +Christ in so difficult a path, and not to faint in a continual course of +self-denial or resignation to the Will of God. + +MASTER + +This is not to be done by thyself; but by the light and grace of God +received into thy soul, which will, if thou gainsay not, break the +darkness that is in thee, and melt down thy old will, which worketh in +the darkness and corruption of Nature, and bring it into the obedience +of Christ, whereby the partition of the creaturely self is removed from +betwixt God and thee. + +DISCIPLE + +I know that I cannot do it of myself. But I would fain learn how I must +receive this Divine Light and Grace into me, which is to do it for me, +if I hinder it not my own self. What is then required of me in order to +admit this Breaker of the partition, and to promote the attainment of +the ends of such admission? + +MASTER + +There is nothing more required of thee at first than not to resist this +grace, which is manifested in thee; and nothing in the whole process of +the work, but to be obedient and passive to the Light of God shining +through the darkness of thy creaturely being, which comprehendeth it +not, as reaching no higher than the _Light of Nature_. + +DISCIPLE + +But is it not for me to attain, if I can, both the Light of God, and +the Light of the outward Nature too, and to make use of them both for +the ordering of my life wisely and prudently? + +MASTER + +It is right so to do. And it is indeed a treasure above all earthly +treasures to be possessed of the Light of God and Nature operating in +their spheres, and to have both the Eye of Time and Eternity at once +open together, and yet not to interfere with each other. + +DISCIPLE + +This is a great satisfaction to me to hear; having been very uneasy +about it for some time. But how this can be without interfering with +each other, there is the difficulty. Wherefore fain would I know, if it +were lawful, the boundaries of the one and the other, and how both the +Divine and the Natural Light may in their several spheres respectively +act and operate for the Manifestation of the Mysteries of God and +Nature, and for the conduct of my outward and inward life? + +MASTER + +That each of these may be preserved distinctly in their several spheres, +without confounding Things Heavenly and Things Earthly, or breaking the +golden Chain of Wisdom, it will be necessary, my child, in the first +place to wait for and attend the Supernatural and Divine Light, as this +superior Light appointed to govern the day, rising in the true East, +which is the Centre of Paradise, and the great Light breaking forth as +out of the darkness within thee, through a pillar of fire and +thunder-clouds, and thereby reflecting also upon the inferior Light of +Nature a sort of image of itself, whereby only it can be kept in its due +subordination; that which is _below_ being made subservient to that +which is _above_, and that which is _without_ to that which is _within_. +Thus there will be no danger of interfering, but all will go right, and +everything abide in its proper sphere. + +DISCIPLE + +Therefore without Reason or the Light of Nature be sanctified in my +soul, and illuminated by this superior Light, as from the central East +of the holy Light-World, by the Eternal and Intellectual Sun, I perceive +there will always be some confusion, and I shall never be able to manage +aright either what concerneth Time or Eternity. But I must always be at +a loss, or break the links of Wisdom's Chain. + +MASTER + +It is even so as thou hast said. All is confusion if thou hast no more +than the dim Light of Nature, or unsanctified and unregenerated Reason +to guide thee by, and if only the Eye of Time be opened in thee, which +cannot pierce beyond its own limit. Wherefore seek the Fountain of +Light, waiting in the deep ground of thy soul for the rising there of +the Sun of Righteousness, whereby the Light of Nature in thee, with the +properties thereof, will be made to shine seven times brighter than +ordinary. For it shall receive the stamp, image and impression of the +Supersensual and Supernatural, so that the sensual and rational life +will hence be brought into the most perfect order and harmony. + +DISCIPLE + +But how am I to wait for the rising of this glorious Sun, and how am I +to seek in the Centre this Fountain of Light, which may enlighten me +throughout and bring my properties into perfect harmony? I am in Nature, +as I said before, and which way shall I pass through Nature, and the +light thereof, so that I may come into the Supernatural and Supersensual +ground whence this true light, which is the Light of Minds, doth arise; +and this without the destruction of my nature, or quenching the Light of +it, which is my reason? + +MASTER + +Cease but from thine own activity, steadfastly fixing thine Eye upon +_one Point_, and with a strong purpose relying upon the promised Grace +of God in Christ, to bring thee out of thy Darkness into his marvellous +Light. For this end gather in all thy thoughts, and by faith press into +the Centre, laying hold upon the Word of God, which is infallible, and +which hath called thee. Be thou then obedient to this call, and be +silent before the Lord, sitting alone with him in thy inmost and most +hidden cell, thy mind being centrally united in itself, and attending +his Will in the patience of hope. So shall thy Light break forth as the +Morning, and after the redness thereof is passed, the Sun himself which +thou waitest for, shall arise unto thee, and under his most healing +wings thou shalt greatly rejoice; ascending and descending in his bright +and salutiferous beams. Behold this is the true Supersensual Ground of +Life. + +DISCIPLE + +I believe it indeed to be even so. But will not this destroy Nature? +Will not the Light of Nature in me be extinguished by this greater +Light? Or, must not the outward Life hence perish, with the earthly body +which I carry? + +MASTER + +By no means at all. It is true, the evil Nature will be destroyed by it; +but by the destruction thereof you can be no loser, but very much a +gainer. The Eternal Bond of Nature is the same afterward as before; and +the properties are the same. So that Nature hereby is only advanced and +meliorated, and the Light thereof, or human Reason, by being kept within +its due bounds, and regulated by a superior Light, is only made useful. + +DISCIPLE + +Pray, therefore, let me know how this inferior Light ought to be used by +me; how it is to be kept within its due bounds; and after what manner +the superior Light doth regulate it and ennoble it. + +MASTER + +Know then, my beloved son, that if thou wilt keep the Light of Nature +within its own proper bounds, and make use thereof in just subordination +to the Light of God, thou must consider that there are in thy soul two +_Wills_, an _inferior_ Will, which is for driving thee to Things without +and below; and a _superior_ Will, which is for drawing thee to Things +within and above. These two Wills are now set together, as it were back +to back, and in a direct contrariety to each other; but in the beginning +it was not so. For this contraposition of the soul in these two is no +more than the effect of the Fallen State; since before that they were +placed one under the other, that is, the _superior_ Will _above_, as the +Lord, and the inferior _below_, as the subject. And thus it ought to +have continued. Thou must also further consider that, answering to these +two Wills, there are likewise two Eyes in the soul, whereby they are +severally directed, forasmuch as these Eyes are not united in one single +view, but look quite contrary ways at once. They are in a like manner +set one against the other, without a common medium to join them. And +hence, so long as this double-sightedness doth remain, it is impossible +there should be any agreement in the determination of this or that Will. +This is very plain. And it showeth the necessity that this malady, +arising from the disunion of the rays of vision, be some way remedied +and redressed, in order to a true discernment in the mind. Both these +eyes therefore must be made to unite by a concentration of rays, there +being nothing more dangerous than for the mind to abide thus in the +Duplicity and not to seek to arrive at the Unity. Thou perceivest, I +know, that thou hast two Wills in thee, one set against the other, the +superior and the inferior, and that thou hast always two Eyes within, +one against the other, whereof the one Eye may be called the Right Eye, +and the other the Left Eye. Thou perceivest too, doubtless, that it is +according to the Right Eye that the wheel of the superior Will is moved; +and that it is according to the motion of the Left Eye that the contrary +wheel in the lower is turned about. + +DISCIPLE + +I perceive this, Sir, to be very true; and this it is which causeth a +continual combat in me, and createth in me greater anxiety than I am +able to express. Nor am I unacquainted with the disease of my own soul, +which you have so clearly declared. Alas! I perceive and lament this +malady, which so miserably disturbeth my sight; whence I feel such +irregular and convulsive motions drawing me on this side and that side. +The Spirit seeth not as the Flesh seeth, neither doth, nor can, the +Flesh see as the Spirit seeth. Hence the Spirit willeth against the +Flesh; and the Flesh willeth against the Spirit in me. This hath been +my hard case. And how shall it be remedied? O how may I arrive at the +Unity of Will, and how come into the Unity of Vision? + +MASTER + +Mark now what I say. The Right Eye looketh forward in thee into +Eternity. The Left Eye looketh backward in thee into Time. If thou now +sufferest thyself to be always looking into Nature, and the Things of +Time, it will be impossible for thee ever to arrive at the Unity, which +thou wishest for. Remember this, and be upon thy watch. Give not thy +mind leave to enter into nor to fill itself with that which is without +thee; neither look thou backward upon thyself; but quit thyself, and +look forward to Christ. Let not thy Left Eye deceive thee by making +continually one representation after another, and stirring up thereby an +earnest longing in the self-propriety; but let thy right eye command +this left, and attract it to thee. Yea it is better to pluck it quite +out and to cast it from thee, than to suffer it to proceed forth without +restraint into Nature, and to follow its own lusts. However there is for +this no necessity, since both eyes may become very useful, if ordered +aright, and both the Divine and Natural Light may in the soul subsist +together, and be of mutual service to each other. But never shalt thou +arrive at the Unity of Vision or Uniformity of Will, but by entering +fully into the Will of our Saviour Christ, and therein bringing the Eye +of Time into the Eye of Eternity, and then descending by means of these +united through the Light of God into the Light of Nature. + +DISCIPLE + +So then if I can but enter into the Will of my Lord, and abide therein, +I am safe, and may both attain to the Light of God in the Spirit of my +soul and see with the Eye of God, that is, the Eye of Eternity in the +Eternal Ground of my Will; and may also at the same time enjoy the Light +of this World nevertheless, not degrading but adorning the Light of +Nature, and beholding as with the Eye of Eternity things Eternal, so +with the Eye of Nature, things Natural, and both contemplating therein +the Wonders of God, and sustaining also thereby the life of my outward +vehicle or body. + +MASTER + +It is very right. Thou hast well understood, and thou desirest now to +enter into the Will of God, and to abide therein as in the Supersensual +Ground of Light and Life, where thou mayst in his Light behold both Time +and Eternity, and bring all the wonders created of God for the exterior +into the interior life, and so eternally rejoice in them to the glory of +Christ; the partition of thy Creaturely Will being broken down and the +Eye of thy Spirit simplified in and through the Eye of God manifesting +itself in the Centre of thy Life. Let this be so now, for it is God's +Will. + +DISCIPLE + +But it is very hard to be always looking forwards into Eternity, and +consequently to attain to the single eye, and simplicity of Divine +Vision. The entrance of a soul naked into the Will of God, shutting out +all imaginations and desires, and breaking down the strong partition +which you mention, is indeed somehow very terrible and shocking to human +nature in its present state. O what shall I do, that I may reach this +which I so much long for? + +MASTER + +My Son, let not the Eye of Nature with the Will of the Wonders depart +from that Eye which is introverted into the Divine Liberty, and into the +Eternal Light of the Holy Majesty. But let it draw to thee by union +with that heavenly internal Eye those wonders which are externally +wrought out and manifested in visible Nature. For while thou art in the +world, and hast an honest employment, thou art certainly by the Order of +Providence obliged to labour in it, and to finish the work given thee, +according to thy best ability, without repining in the least; seeking +out and manifesting for God's glory the Wonders of Nature and Art. Since +let the Nature be what it will it is all the Work and Art of God. And +let the Art also be what it will, it is still God's Work and his Art, +rather than any art or cunning of man. And all both in Art and Nature +serveth but abundantly to manifest the wonderful Works of God, that he +for all and in all may be glorified. Yea, all serveth, if thou knowest +rightly how to use them, only to recollect thee more inwards, and to +draw thy Spirit into that majestic Light wherein the original patterns +and forms of things visible are to be seen. Keep, therefore, in the +Centre, and stir not from the Presence of God revealed within thy Soul; +let the world and the devil make never so great a noise and bustle to +draw thee out, mind them not; they cannot hurt thee. It is permitted to +the Eye of thy Reason to seek food, and to thy hands by their labour to +get food for the terrestrial body. But then this Eye ought not with its +desire to enter into the food prepared, which would be covetousness; but +must in resignation simply bring it before the Eye of God in thy Spirit, +and then thou must seek to place it close to this very Eye, without +letting it go. Mark this lesson well. + +Let the hands or the head be at labour, thy Heart ought nevertheless to +rest in God. God is a Spirit; dwell in the Spirit; work in the Spirit; +pray in the Spirit; and do every thing in the Spirit; for remember thou +also art a Spirit, and thereby created in the Image of God. Therefore +see thou attract not in thy desire _Matter_ unto thee, but as much as +possible abstract thyself from all Matter whatever; and so, standing in +the Centre, present thyself as a naked Spirit before God, in simplicity +and purity; and be sure thy Spirit draw in nothing but Spirit. + +Thou wilt yet be greatly enticed to draw Matter, and to gather that +which the World calls _substance_; thereby to have somewhat visible to +trust to. But by no means consent to the Tempter, nor yield to the +lustings of thy Flesh against the Spirit. For in so doing thou wilt +infallibly obscure the Divine Light in thee; thy Spirit will stick in +the dark Covetous Root, and from the fiery Source of thy soul will it +blaze out in pride and anger; thy Will shall be chained in Earthliness, +and shall sink through the Anguish into Darkness and Materiality; and +never shalt thou be able to reach the still Liberty, or to stand before +the Majesty of God. It will be all darkness to thee, as much Matter as +is drawn in by the Desire of thy Will. It will darken God's Majesty to +thee, and will close the seeing Eye, by hiding from thee the light of +his beloved countenance. This the Serpent longeth to do, but in vain, +except thou permittest thy _Imagination_, upon his suggestion, to +receive in the alluring Matter; else he can never get in. Behold then, +if thou desirest to see God's Light in thy Soul, and be divinely +illuminated and conducted, this is the short way that thou art to take; +not to let the Eye of thy Spirit enter into Matter, or fill itself with +any Thing whatever, either in Heaven or Earth, but to let it enter by a +_naked faith_ into the Light of the Majesty; and so receive by _pure +love_ the Light of God, and attract the Divine Power into itself, +putting on the Divine Body, and growing up in it to the full maturity of +the Humanity of Christ. + +DISCIPLE + +As I said before, so I say again, this is very hard. I conceive indeed +well enough that my Spirit ought to be free from the contagion of +Matter, and wholly empty, that it may admit into it the Spirit of God. +Also, that this Spirit will not enter, but where the Will entereth into +_Nothing_, and resigneth itself up in the _nakedness of faith_, and in +the _purity of love_, to its conduct, feeding magically upon the Word of +God, and clothing itself thereby with a _Divine Substantiality_. But, +alas, how hard it is for the Will to sink into nothing, to attract +nothing, to imagine nothing. + +MASTER + +Let it be granted that it is so. Is it not surely worth thy while, and +all that thou canst ever do? + +DISCIPLE + +It is so, I must needs confess. + +MASTER + +But perhaps it may not be so hard as at first it appeareth to be; make +but the trial and be in earnest. What is there required of thee but to +stand still and see the salvation of thy God? And couldst thou desire +anything less? Where is the hardship in this? Thou hast nothing to care +for, nothing to desire in this life, nothing to imagine or attract. Thou +needest only cast thy care upon God, who careth for thee, and leave him +to dispose of thee according to his good will and pleasure, even as if +thou hadst no will at all in thee. For he knoweth what is best; and if +thou canst but trust him, he will most certainly do better for thee, +than if thou wert left to thine own choice. + +DISCIPLE + +This I most firmly believe. + +MASTER + +If thou believest, then go and do accordingly. _All_ is in the _Will_, +as I have shown thee. When the Will imagineth after _Somewhat_, then +entereth it into that somewhat, and this somewhat taketh the Will into +itself, and overcloudeth it, so as it can have no Light, but must dwell +in Darkness, unless it return back out of that somewhat into _Nothing_. +But when the Will imagineth or hasteth after nothing, then it entereth +into _Nothing_, where it receiveth the Will of God into itself, and so +dwelleth in Light, and worketh all its works in it. + +DISCIPLE + +I am now satisfied that the main cause of any one's spiritual blindness, +is his letting his Will into Somewhat, or into that which he hath +wrought, of what nature soever it be, good or evil, and his setting his +heart or affections upon the work of his own hand or brain, and that +when the earthly body perisheth, then the Soul must be imprisoned in +that very thing which it shall have received and let in; and if the +Light of God be not in it, being deprived of the Light of this World, it +cannot but be found in a dark prison. + +MASTER + +This is a very precious Gate of Knowledge; I am glad thou takest it into +such consideration. The understanding of the whole Scripture is +contained in it; and all that hath been written from the beginning of +the World to this day may be found therein, by him that having entered +with his Will into Nothing, hath there found All Things, by finding God, +from Whom, and to Whom, and in Whom are All Things. By this means thou +shalt come to hear and see God; and after this earthly life is ended to +see with the Eye of Eternity all the Wonders of God and of Nature, and +more particularly those which shall be wrought by thee in the flesh, or +all that the Spirit of God shall have given thee to labour out for +thyself and thy neighbour, or all that the Eye of Reason enlightened +from above, may at any time have manifested to thee. Delay not therefore +to enter in by this Gate, which if thou seest in the Spirit, as some +highly favoured souls have seen it, thou seest in the Supersensual +Ground _all that God is and can do_; thou seest also therewith, as one +hath said who was taken thereinto, _through Heaven, Hell, and Earth; and +through the Essence of all Essences_. Whosoever findeth it, hath found +all that he can desire. Here is the Virtue and Power of the Love of God +displayed. Here is the Height and Depth, here is the Breadth and Length +thereof manifested, as ever the capacity of thy soul can contain. By +this thou shalt come into that Ground out of which all Things are +originated, and in which they subsist; and in it thou shalt reign over +all God's Works, as a Prince of God. + +DISCIPLE + +Pray tell me, dear Master, where dwelleth it _in Man_? + +MASTER + +Where Man dwelleth not: there hath it its seat in Man. + +DISCIPLE + +Where is that in a Man, when Man dwelleth not in himself? + +MASTER + +It is the resigned Ground of a Soul to which nothing cleaveth. + +DISCIPLE + +Where is the Ground in any Soul, to which there will nothing stick? Or +where is that which abideth and dwelleth not in something? + +MASTER + +It is the Centre of Rest and Motion in the resigned Will of a truly +contrite Spirit, which is Crucified to the World. This Centre of the +Will is impenetrable consequently to the World, the Devil, and Hell. +Nothing in all the World can enter into it, or adhere to it, because the +Will is dead with Christ unto the World, but quickened with him in the +Centre thereof, after his blessed Image. Here it is where Man dwelleth +not, and where no Self abideth or can abide. + +DISCIPLE + +O where is this naked Ground of the Soul void of all Self? And how shall +I come at the hidden Centre, where God dwelleth, and not Man? Tell me +plainly, loving Sir, where it is, and how it is to be found of me, and +entered into? + +MASTER + +There where the Soul hath slain its own Will, and willeth no more any +Thing as from itself, but only as God willeth, and as his Spirit moveth +upon the Soul shall this appear. Where the Love of Self is banished +there dwelleth the Love of God. For so much of the Soul's own Will as is +dead unto itself even so much room hath the Will of God, which is his +Love, taken up in that Soul. The reason whereof is this: Where its own +Will did before sit, there is now nothing; and where nothing is, there +it is that the Love of God worketh alone. + +DISCIPLE + +But how shall I comprehend it? + +MASTER + +If thou goest about to comprehend it, then it will fly away from thee; +but if thou dost surrender thyself wholly up to it, then it will abide +with thee, and become the Life of thy Life, and be natural to thee. + +DISCIPLE + +And how can this be without dying, or the whole destruction of my Will? + +MASTER + +Upon this entire surrender and yielding up of thy Will, the Love of God +in thee becometh the Life of thy Nature; it killeth thee not, but +quickeneth thee, who art now dead to thyself in thine own Will, +according to its proper Life, even the Life of God. And then thou +livest, yet not to thy own Will, but thou livest to its Will; for as +much as thy Will is henceforth become its Will. So then it is no longer +thy Will, but the Will of God; no longer the Love of thyself, but the +Love of God, which moveth and operateth in thee; and then, thou being +thus comprehended in it, thou art dead indeed as to thyself, but art +alive unto God. So being dead thou livest, or rather God liveth in thee +by his Spirit; and his Love is made to thee Life from the Dead. Never +couldst thou with all thy seeking have apprehended it, but it hath +apprehended thee. Much less couldst thou have comprehended it, but it +hath comprehended thee; and so the Treasure of Treasures is found. + +DISCIPLE + +How is it that so few Souls do find it, when yet all would be glad +enough to have it? + +MASTER + +They all seek it in _somewhat_, and so they find it not. For where there +is Somewhat for the Soul to adhere to, there the Soul findeth _that +somewhat only_, and taketh up its rest therein, until she seeth that it +is to be found in Nothing, and goeth out of the Somewhat into Nothing, +even into that Nothing out of which all Things may be made. The Soul +here saith "_I have nothing_, for I am utterly stripped and naked of +every Thing; _I can do nothing_, for I have no manner of power, but am +as water poured out; _I am nothing_, for all that I am is no more than +an Image of Being, and only God is to me I AM; and so, sitting down in +my own Nothingness, I give glory to the Eternal Being, and _will +nothing_ of myself, that so God may _will all_ in me, being unto me my +God and All Things." Herein now it is that so very few find this most +precious treasure in the Soul, though every one would so fain have it; +and might also have it, were it not for this Somewhat in every one that +letteth. + +DISCIPLE + +But if the Love should proffer itself to a Soul, could not that Soul +find it, nor lay hold of it, without going for it into Nothing? + +MASTER + +No verily. Men seek and find not, because they seek it not in the naked +Ground where it lieth; but in something or other where it never will be, +nor can be. They seek it in their _own Will_, and they find it not. They +seek it in their _Self-Desire_, and they meet not with it. They look for +it in an _Image_, or in an _Opinion_, or in _Affection_, or a natural +_Devotion_ and _Fervour_, and they lose the substance by thus hunting +after a shadow. They search for it in something sensible or imaginary, +in somewhat which they may have a more peculiar natural inclination for, +and adhesion to; and so they miss of what they seek, for want of diving +into the Supernatural and Supersensual Ground, where the Treasure is +hid. Now, should the Love graciously condescend to proffer itself to +such as these, and even to present itself evidently before the Eye of +their Spirit, yet could it find no place at all in them, neither could +it be held by them, or remain with them. + +DISCIPLE + +Why not, if the Love should be willing and ready to offer itself, and to +stay with them? + +MASTER + +Because the _Imaginariness_ which is in their own Will hath set itself +up in the place thereof. And so this Imaginariness would have the Love +in it, but the Love fleeth away, for it is its prison. The Love may +offer itself; but it cannot abide where the _Self-Desire_ attracteth or +imagineth. That Will which attracteth Nothing, and to which Nothing +adhereth, is only capable of receiving it; for it dwelleth only in +Nothing, as I said, and therefore they find it not. + +DISCIPLE + +If it dwell only in Nothing, what is now the office of it in Nothing? + +MASTER + +The office of the Love here is to penetrate incessantly into Something; +and if it penetrate into, and find a place in Something which is +standing still and at rest, then its business is to take possession +thereof. And when it hath there taken possession, then it rejoiceth +therein with its flaming Love-fire, even as the sun doth in the visible +world. And then the office of it is without intermission to enkindle a +fire in this Something which may burn it up; and then with the flames +thereof exceedingly to enflame itself, and raise the heat of the +Love-fire by it, even seven degrees higher. + +DISCIPLE + +O, loving Master, how shall I understand this? + +MASTER + +If it but once kindle a fire within thee, my son, thou shalt then +certainly feel how it consumeth all that which it toucheth, thou shalt +feel it in the burning up thyself, and swiftly devouring all _Egoity_ or +that which thou callest _I and Me_, as standing in a separate Root, and +divided from the Deity, the Fountain of thy Being. And when this +enkindling is made in thee, then the Love doth so exceedingly rejoice in +thy fire, as thou wouldest not for all the world be out of it; yea, +wouldst rather suffer thyself to be killed, than to enter into _thy +something_ again. This fire must now grow hotter and hotter, till it +shall have perfected its office with respect to thee. Its flame also +will be so very great that it will never leave thee, though it should +even cost thee thy temporal life, but it would go with thee with its +sweet loving fire into death; and if thou wentest also into Hell, it +would break Hell in pieces also for thy sake. Nothing is more certain +than this, for it is stronger than Death and Hell. + +DISCIPLE + +Enough, my dearest Master, I can no longer endure that any Thing should +divert me from it. But how shall I find the nearest way to it? + +MASTER + +Where the way is hardest, there go thou; and what the World casteth +away, that take thou up. What the World doth, that do thou not; but in +all things walk thou contrary to the World. So thou comest the nearest +way to that which thou art seeking. + +DISCIPLE + +If I should in all things walk contrary to other people, I must needs be +in a very unquiet and sad state, and the World would not fail to account +me for a madman. + +MASTER + +I bid thee not, Child, to do harm to anyone, thereby to create to +thyself any misery or unquietness. This is not what I mean by walking +contrary in everything to the World. But because the World, as the +World, loveth all deceit and vanity, and walketh in false and +treacherous ways, thence, if thou hast a mind to act a clean contrary +part to the ways thereof, without any exception or reserve whatsoever, +walk thou only in the right way, which is called the _Way of Light_, as +that of the World is properly the _Way of Darkness_. For the right way, +even the Path of Light, is contrary to all the ways of the World. + +But whereas thou art afraid of creating to thyself hereby trouble and +inquietude, that indeed will be so according to the flesh. In the world +thou must have trouble, and thy flesh will not fail to be unquiet, and +to give thee occasion of continual repentance. Nevertheless in this very +_anxiety of soul_ arising from the world or the flesh, the Love doth +most willingly enkindle itself, and its cheering and conquering fire is +but made to blaze forth with greater strength for the destruction of +that evil. And whereas thou dost also say, that the World will for this +esteem thee mad; it is true the World will be apt enough to censure thee +for a madman in walking contrary to it, and thou art not to be surprised +if the children thereof laugh at thee, calling thee silly Fool. For the +Way to the Love of God is Folly to the World, but is Wisdom to the +Children of God. Hence, whenever the World perceiveth this holy Fire of +Love in God's Children, it concludeth immediately that they are turned +fools, and are beside themselves. But to the Children of God that which +is despised of the World is the greatest Treasure, yea, so great a +Treasure is it as no life can express, nor tongue so much as name what +this enflaming, all-conquering Love of God is. It is brighter than the +Sun; it is sweeter than anything that is called sweet; it is stronger +than all strength; it is more nutrimental than food; more cheering to +the heart than wine, and more pleasant than all the joy and pleasantness +of this world. Whosoever obtaineth it is richer than any Monarch on +earth; and he who getteth it, is nobler than any Emperor can be, and +more potent and absolute than all Power and Authority. + + + + +DIALOGUE III + +BETWEEN JUNIUS, A SCHOLAR, AND THEOPHORUS, HIS MASTER, CONCERNING HEAVEN +AND HELL + + +The Scholar asked his Master "Whither goeth the Soul when the Body +dieth?" + +His Master answered him: There is no necessity for it to go any whither. + +How not, said the inquisitive Junius, must not the Soul leave the body +at death and go either to Heaven or Hell? + +It needs no going forth, replied the venerable Theophorus. Only the +outward Mortal Life with the body shall separate themselves from the +Soul. The Soul hath Heaven and Hell within itself before, according as +it is written. _The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation, neither +shall they say Lo here! or Lo there! For behold the Kingdom of God is +within you._ And which soever of the two, that is, either Heaven or +Hell, is manifested in it, in that the Soul standeth. + +Here Junius said to his Master: This is hard to understand. Doth it not +enter into Heaven or Hell, as a man entereth into a house; or as one +goeth through a hole or casement into an unknown place; so goeth it not +into another world? + +The Master spoke and said: No, there is verily no such kind of entering +in; forasmuch as Heaven and Hell are every where, being universally +co-extended. + +How is that possible? said the Scholar. What, can Heaven and Hell be +here present, where we are now sitting? And if one of them might, can +you ever make me believe that ever both should be here together? + +Then spoke the Master in this manner: I have said that Heaven is +everywhere present and it is true. For God is in Heaven; and God is +everywhere. I have said also that Hell must be in like manner +everywhere. For the _Wicked One_, who is the Devil, is in Hell, and the +whole World, as the Apostle hath taught us, lyeth in the _Wicked One_, +or the _Evil One_; which is as much as to say, not only that the Devil +is in the World, but that the World is in the Devil; and if in the +Devil, then in Hell too, because he is there. So Hell therefore is +everywhere, as well as Heaven; which is the thing that was to be proved. + +The Scholar, startled hereat, said: Pray make me to understand this. + +To whom the Master: Understand then what Heaven is. It is but the +_turning in of the Will to the Love of God_. Wheresoever thou findest +God manifesting himself in Love, there thou findest Heaven, without +travelling for it so much as one foot. And by this understand also what +Hell is and where it is. I say unto thee it is but the _turning in of +the Will into the wrath of God_. Wheresoever the Anger of God doth more +or less manifest itself, there certainly is more or less of Hell, in +whatsoever place it be. So that it is but the turning in of thy will +either into his Love, or into his Anger; and thou art accordingly either +in Heaven or in Hell. Mark it well. And this now cometh to pass in this +present life, whereof St Paul speaking saith, _Our conversation is in +Heaven_. And the Lord Christ saith also, _My sheep hear my voice, and I +know them, and they follow me, and I give them the Eternal Life, and +none shall pluck them out of my hand_. Observe, he saith not, I _will +give_ them, after this life is ended, but I _give_ them, that is, now in +the time of this life. And what else is this gift of Christ to his +followers, but an Eternity of Life, which for certain can be no where +but in Heaven. Yea, moreover, none shall be able to pluck them out of +Heaven, because it is he who holdeth them there, and they are in his +hand which nothing can resist. All therefore doth consist in the +turning in, or entering of the Will into Heaven, by hearing the the +voice of Christ, and both _knowing_ him, and _following_ him. And so on +the contrary it is also. Understandest thou this? + +His Scholar said to him: I think, in part, I do. But how cometh this +entering of the Will into Heaven to pass? + +The Master answered him: This then will I endeavour to satisfy thee in; +but thou must be very attentive to what I shall say unto thee. Know +then, my son, that when the Ground of the Will yieldeth itself up to +God, then it sinketh out of its own Self, and out of and beyond all +ground and place, that is or can be imagined, into a certain unknown +Deep, where God only is manifest, and where he only worketh and willeth. +And then it becometh nothing to itself, as to its own working and +willing, and so God worketh and willeth in it. And God dwells in this +designed Will, by which the Soul is sanctified, and so fitted to come +into Divine Rest. Now, in this case, when the body breaketh, the Soul is +so thoroughly penetrated all over with the Divine Light, even as a +glowing hot iron is by the fire, by which being penetrated throughout, +it loseth its darkness, and becomes bright and shining. Now this is the +_hand of Christ_, where God's Love thoroughly inhabits the Soul, and is +in it a shining Light, and a new glorious Life. And then the Soul is in +Heaven, and is a Temple of the Holy Ghost, and is itself the very Heaven +of God, wherein he dwelleth. Lo, this is the entering of the Will into +Heaven; and thus it cometh to pass. + +Be pleased, Sir, to proceed, said the Scholar, and let me know how it +fareth on the other side. + +The Master said: The godly Soul, you see, is in the _hand of Christ_, +that is in Heaven, as he himself hath told us, and in what manner this +cometh to be so, you have also heard. But the ungodly Soul is not +willing in this life-time to come into the Divine Resignation of its +Will, or to enter into the Will of God; but goeth on still in its own +lust and desire, in vanity and falsehood, and so entereth into the Will +of the Devil. It receiveth, thereupon, into itself nothing but +wickedness; nothing but lying, pride, covetousness, envy and wrath; and +thereunto it giveth up its Will and whole Desire. This is the Vanity of +the Will; and this same Vanity or vain shadow must also in like manner +be manifested in the Soul, which hath yielded itself up also to be its +servant; and must work therein even as the Love of God worketh in the +regenerated Will; and penetrate it all over, as fire doth iron. + +And it is not possible for this Soul to come into the Rest of God, +because God's Anger is manifested in it, and worketh in it. Now when a +body is parted from the Soul, then beginneth the Eternal Melancholy and +Despair, because it now findeth that it is become altogether Vanity, +even a Vanity most vexatious to itself, and a distracting Fury, and a +self-tormenting Abomination. Now it perceiveth itself disappointed of +every Thing which it had before fancied, and blind, and naked, and +wounded, and hungry, and thirsty, without the least prospect of ever +being relieved, or obtaining so much as one drop of the water of Eternal +Life. And it feeleth itself to be its own vile executioner and +tormentor; and is affrighted at its own ugly dark form, and fain would +flee from itself if it could, but it cannot, being fast bound with the +chains of the Dark Nature, whereinto it had sunk itself when in the +flesh. And so, not having learned or accustomed itself to sink down into +the Divine Grace, and being also strongly possessed with the Idea of +God, as an angry and jealous God, the poor Soul is both afraid and +ashamed to bring its Will into God, by which deliverance might possibly +come to it. The Soul is afraid to do it, as fearing to be consumed by so +doing, under the apprehension of the Deity as a mere devouring Fire. +The Soul is also _ashamed_ to do it, as being confounded at its own +nakedness and monstrosity, and therefore would, if it were possible, +hide itself from the Majesty of God, and cover its abominable form from +his most holy eye, though by casting itself still deeper into the +Darkness. Therefore it _will not_ enter into God, nay, it _cannot_ enter +with its false Will; yea, though it should strive to enter, yet can it +not enter into the Love, because of the Will which hath reigned in it. +For such a Soul is thereby captivated in the Wrath, yea, is itself but +_mere Wrath_, having by its false Desire, which it had awakened in +itself, comprehended and shut itself up therewith, and so transformed +itself into the nature and property thereof. + +And since also the Light of God doth not shine in it, nor the Love of +God enclose it, the Soul is moreover a _great Darkness_, and is withal +an anxious Fire-source, carrying about an Hell in itself, and not being +able to discern the least glimpse of the Light of God, or to feel the +least spark of his Love. Thus it dwelleth in itself as in Hell, and +needeth no entering into Hell at all, or being carried thither, for in +what place soever it may be, so long as it is in itself, it is in the +Hell. And though it should travel far and cast itself many hundred +thousand leagues from its present place, to be out of Hell; yet still +would it remain in its hellish source and darkness. + +If this be so, how then cometh it, said the Scholar to Theophorus, that +an Heavenly Soul doth not in the time of this life perfectly perceive +the Heavenly Light and Joy, and the Soul which is without God in the +World, doth not also here feel Hell, as well as hereafter? Why should +they not both be perceived and felt as well in this life as in the next, +seeing that both of them are in Man, and one of them as you have shewed, +worketh in every man? + +To whom Theophorus presently returned this answer: The Kingdom of Heaven +is in the Saints operative and manifestative of itself by _Faith_. They +who carry God within them, and live by his Spirit, find the Kingdom of +God in their Faith, and they feel the Love of God in their Faith, by +which the Will hath given up itself unto God, and is made Godlike. All +is transacted within them _by Faith_, which is to them the evidence of +the Eternal Invisibles, and a great manifestation in their Spirit of +this Divine Kingdom, which is within them. But their natural life is +nevertheless encompassed with flesh and blood; and this standing in a +contrariety thereto, and being placed through the Fall in the principle +of God's Anger, and environed about with the World, which by no means +can be reconciled to Faith, these faithful Souls cannot but be very much +exposed to attacks from this World, wherein they are sojourners; neither +can they be insensible of their being thus encompassed about with flesh +and blood, and with the World's vain lust, which ceaseth not continually +to penetrate the outward mortal life, and to tempt them manifold ways, +even as it did Christ. Whence the World on one side and the Devil on the +other, not without the curse of God's Anger in flesh and blood, do +thoroughly sift and penetrate the Life, whereby it cometh to pass that +the Soul is often in anxiety when these three are all set upon it +together, and when Hell thus assaulteth the Life, and would manifest +itself in the Soul. But the Soul hereupon sinketh down into the hope of +the Grace of God, and standeth like a beautiful Rose in the midst of +Thorns, until the Kingdom of this World shall fall from it in the death +of the body. And then the Soul first becometh truly manifest in the Love +of God, and of his Kingdom, which is the Kingdom of Love; having +henceforth nothing more to hinder it. But during this life she must walk +with Christ in this world, and then Christ delivereth her out of her own +Hell, by penetrating her with his Love throughout, and standing by her +in Hell, and even changing her Hell into Heaven. + +But in that thou sayest, Why do not the Souls which are without God feel +Hell in this World? I answer; They bear it about with them in their +wicked consciences, but they know it not; because the World hath put out +their eyes, and its deadly cup hath cast them likewise into a sleep, a +most fatal sleep. Notwithstanding which it must be owned that the Wicked +do frequently feel Hell within them during the time of this mortal life, +though they may not apprehend that it is Hell, because of the earthly +vanity which cleaveth to them from without, and the sensible pleasures +and amusements wherewith they are intoxicated. And moreover it is to be +noted that the outward Life in every such one hath yet the Light of the +outward Nature, which ruleth in this Life, and so the Pain of Hell +cannot, so long as that hath the rule, be revealed. But when the body +dyeth or breaketh away, so as the Soul cannot any longer enjoy such +temporal pleasure and delight, nor the Light of this outward World, +which is wholly thereupon extinguished as to it, then the Soul stands in +an eternal hunger and thirst after such vanities as it was here in love +withal, but yet can reach nothing but that false Will, which it had +impressed in itself while in the body; and wherein it had abounded to +its great loss. And now whereas it had too much of its Will in this +life, and yet was not contented therewith, it hath, after the separation +by death, as little of it; which createth in it an everlasting thirst +after that which it can henceforth never obtain more, and causeth it to +be in a perpetual anxious lust after Vanity, according to its former +impression, and in a continual rage of hunger after those sorts of +wickedness and lewdness whereinto it was immersed, being in the flesh. +Fain would it do more evil still, but that it hath not either wherein or +wherewith to effect the same, and therefore it doth perform this only +_in itself_. All is not literally transacted, as if it were outward; and +so the ungodly is tormented by those Furies which are in his own mind, +and begotten upon himself by himself. For he is verily become his own +Devil and Tormentor; and that by which he sinned here, when the Shadow +of this World is passed away, abideth still with him in the impression, +and is made his prison and his Hell. But this hellish hunger and thirst +cannot be fully manifested in the Soul, till the Body, which ministered +to the Soul that it lusted after, and with which the Soul was so +bewitched, as to doat thereupon, and pursue all its cravings, be +stripped off from it. + +I perceive then, said _Junius_ to his Master, that the Soul, having +played the wanton with the Body in all voluptuousness, and served the +lusts thereof during this life, retaineth still the very same +inclinations and affections which it had before, then when it hath no +opportunity or capacity to satisfy them longer; and that when this +cannot be, there is then Hell opened in that Soul, which had been shut +up in it before by means of the outward Life in the Body, and of the +Light of this World. Do I rightly understand? + +_Theophorus_ said: It is very rightly understood by you. Go on. + +On the other hand (said he) I clearly perceive by what I have heard, +that Heaven cannot but be in a loving Soul which is possessed of God, +and hath subdued thereby the Body to the obedience of the Spirit in all +things, and perfectly immersed itself into the Will and Love of God. And +when the Body dyeth, and the Soul is hence redeemed from the Earth, it +is now evident to me that the Life of God, which was hidden in it, will +display itself gloriously, and Heaven consequently be then manifested. +But, notwithstanding, if there be not a local Heaven besides and a local +Hell, I am still at a loss where to place no small part of the Creation, +if not the greatest. For where must all the intellectual inhabitants of +it abide? + +In their own Principle, answered the Master, whether it be of Light or +of Darkness. For every created intellectual Being remaineth in its deeds +and essences, in its wonders and properties, in its life and image; and +therein it beholdeth and feeleth God, as who is everywhere, whether it +be in the Love or in the Wrath. + +If it be in the Love of God, then beholdeth it God accordingly, and +feeleth him as he is, Love. But if it hath captivated itself in the +Wrath of God, then it cannot behold God otherwise than in the Wrathful +Nature, nor perceive him otherwise than as an incensed and vindictive +Spirit. All places are alike to it, if it be in God's Love; and, if it +be not there, every place is Hell alike. What Place can bound a Thought? +Or what needeth any understanding Spirit to be kept here or there, in +order to its happiness or misery? Verily, wheresoever it is, it is in +the Abyssal World, where there is neither end nor limit. And whither, I +pray, should it go? since though it should go a thousand miles off, or a +thousand times ten thousand miles, and this ten thousand times over +beyond the bounds of the Universe, and into the imagining spaces above +the stars, yet it were then still in the very same point from whence it +went out. For God is the _Place_ of Spirit, if it may be lawful to +attribute to him such a name to the which Body hath a relation. And in +God there is no limit; both near and far off is here all one; and be it +in his Love, or be it in his Anger, the abyssal Will of the Spirit is +altogether unconfined. It is swift as thought, passing through all +things; it is magical, and nothing corporeal or from without can let it; +it dwelleth in its wonders, and they are its house. + +Thus it is with every Intellectual, whether of the Order of Angels or of +human Souls, and you need not fear but there will be room enough for +them all, be they ever so many; and such also as shall best suit them, +even according to their election and determination, and which may thence +very well be called the "_own place_" of each. + +At which said the Scholar, I remember, indeed, that it is written +concerning the great traitor, that he went after death to his _own +place_. + +The Master said: The same is true of every Soul, when it departeth this +mortal life. And it is true in like manner of every Angel and Spirit +whatsoever, which is necessarily determined by its own choice. As God is +everywhere, so also the Angels are everywhere; but each one in its own +Principle, and in its own Property or (if you had rather) in its _own +Place_. The same Essence of God, which is as a Place to Spirits, is +confessed to be everywhere, but the appropriation or participation +hereof is different to everyone, according as each hath attracted it +magically in the earnestness of Will. The same Divine Essence which is +with the Angels of God above, is with us also below. And the same Divine +Nature which is with us is likewise with them; but after different +manners and in different degrees communicated and participated. + +And what I have said here of the Divine, is no less to be considered by +you in the participation of the Diabolical Essence and Nature, which is +the Power of Darkness, as to the manifold modes, degrees, and +appropriations thereof in the false Will. In this World there is strife +between them, but when this World hath reached in anyone the Limit, then +the Principle catcheth that which is its own, and so the Soul receiveth +companions accordingly, that is, either Angels or Devils. + +To whom the Scholar again: Heaven and Hell then being in us at strife in +the time of this life, and God himself being also thus near to us, where +can Angels and Devils dwell? + +And the Master answered him thus: Where thou dost not dwell as to thy +_Self-hood_ and to thine _own Will_, there the holy Angels dwell with +thee, and every where all over round about thee. Remember this well. On +the contrary, where thou dwellest as to thyself, or in Self-seeking, and +Self-will, there to be sure the Devils will be with thee, and will take +up their abode with thee, and dwell all over thee, and round about thee +everywhere, which God in his mercy prevent. + +I understand not this, said the Scholar, so perfectly well as I could +wish. Be pleased to make it a little more plain to me. + +The Master then spake: Mark well what I am going to say. Where the Will +of God in anything willeth, there is God manifested. And in this very +manifestation of God the Angels do dwell. But where God in any Creature +willeth not with the Will of that Creature, there God is not manifested +to it, neither can he be; but dwelleth in himself, without the +co-operation thereof, and subjection to him in humility. There God is an +unmanifested God to the Creature. So the Angels dwell not with such an +one; for wherever they dwell, there is the Glory of God; and they make +his Glory. What then dwelleth in such a Creature as this? God dwelleth +not therein; the Angels dwell not therein; God willeth not therein; the +Angels also will not therein. The case is evidently this; in that Soul +or Creature its own will is without God's Will; and there the Devil +dwelleth; and with him all that is without God, and without Christ. This +is the truth; lay it to heart. + +The _Scholar_ said: It is possible I may ask several impertinent +questions; but I beseech you, good Sir, to have patience with me, and to +pity my ignorance, if I ask what may appear to you perhaps ridiculous, +or may not be at all fit for me to expect an answer to. For I have +several questions still to propound to you; but I am ashamed of my own +thoughts in this matter. + +The _Master_ said: Be plain with me, and propose whatever is upon your +mind; yea, be not ashamed even to appear ridiculous, so that by querying +you may but become wiser. + +The _Scholar_ thanked his Master for this liberty and said: How far then +are Heaven and Hell asunder? + +To whom he answered thus: As far as Day and Night; or as far as +Something and Nothing. They are in one another and yet they are at the +greater distance one from the other. Nay, the one of them is as nothing +to the other; and yet notwithstanding they cause joy and grief to one +another. Heaven is throughout the whole World, and it is also without +the World over all, even everywhere that is, or that can be even so much +as imagined. It filleth all, it is within all, it is without all, it +encompasseth all; without division, without place; working by a Divine +Manifestation, and flowing forth universally, but not going in the least +out of itself. For only in itself it worketh and is revealed, being one +and undivided in all. It appeareth only through the Manifestation of +God; and never but in itself only. And in that Being which cometh into +it, or in that wherein it is manifested; there also it is that God is +manifested. Because Heaven is nothing else but a Manifestation or +Revelation of the Eternal One, wherein all the working and willing is in +quiet love. + +So in like manner Hell also is through the whole World, and dwelleth and +worketh but in itself, and in that wherein the Foundation of Hell is +manifested, namely, in Self-hood and in the False Will. The visible +World hath both in it; and there is no place but Heaven and Hell may be +found or revealed in it. Now Man as to his temporal life is only of the +visible World; and therefore during the time of his life he seeth not +the spiritual World. For the Outward World with its substance is a cover +to the Spiritual World, even as the Body is to the Soul. But when the +outward Man dyeth, then the Spiritual World is manifested to the Soul, +which hath now its covering taken away. And it is manifested either in +the Eternal Light with the holy Angels, or in the Eternal Darkness, with +the Devils. + +The _Scholar_ further queried: What is an Angel, or an human Soul, that +they can be thus manifested either in God's Love or Anger, either in +Light or Darkness? + +To whom Theophorus answered: They come from one and the self-same +Original. They are little branches of the Divine Wisdom, of the Divine +Will, sprung from the Divine Word, and made objects of the Divine Love. +They are out of the Ground of Eternity; whence Light and Darkness do +spring; Darkness which consisteth in the receiving of Self-Desire; and +Light which consisteth in willing the same thing with God. For the +conformity of the Will with God's Will is Heaven; and wheresoever there +is this willing with God, there the Love of God is undoubtedly in the +working, and his Light will not fail to manifest itself. But in the +Self-attraction of the Soul's desire, or in the reception of Self into +the willing of any Spirit, angelical or human, the Will of God worketh +with difficulty, and is to that Soul and Spirit nought but Darkness; out +of which, notwithstanding, the Light may be manifested. And this +Darkness is the Hell of that Spirit wherein it is. For _Heaven_ and +_Hell_ are nought else but a _Manifestation of the Divine Will either +in Light or Darkness, according to the Properties of the Spiritual +World_. + +SCHOLAR + +What then is the Body of Man? + +MASTER + +It is the visible World, an Image and Quintessence, or Compound of all +that the World is; and the visible World is a manifestation of the +inward spiritual World, come out of the Eternal Light, and out of the +Eternal Darkness, out of the spiritual compaction or connection; and it +is also an Image or Figure of Eternity, whereby Eternity hath made +itself visible; where Self-Will and resigned Will, viz., Evil and Good, +work one with the other. + +Such a substance is the outward Man. For God created Man out of the +outward World, and breathed into him the inward spiritual World for a +Soul and an intelligent Life, and therefore in the things of the outward +World, Man can receive and work Evil and Good. + +SCHOLAR + +What shall be after this World, when all things perish and come to an +end? + +MASTER + +The material substance only ceaseth; viz., the four Elements, the Sun, +Moon and Stars. And then the inward world will be wholly visible and +manifest. But whatsoever hath been wrought by the Will or Spirit of Man +in this World's time, whether evil or good shall there separate itself +in a spiritual matter, either into the Eternal Light or into the Eternal +Darkness. For that which is born from each Will penetrateth and passeth +again into that which is like itself. And there the Darkness is called +Hell, and is an eternal forgetting of all Good, and the Light is called +the Kingdom of God, and is an eternal joy in and to the Saints, who +continually glorify and praise God, for having delivered them from the +torment of evil. + +The last Judgment is a kindling of the Fire both of God's Love and +Anger, in which the matter of every substance perisheth, and each Fire +shall attract into itself its own, that is, the substance which is like +itself. Thus God's Fire of Love will draw into itself what is wrought in +the Anger of God in Darkness, and consume the false substance; and then +there will remain only the painful, aching Will in its own proper +nature, image, and figure. + +SCHOLAR + +With what matter and form shall the human Body rise? + +MASTER + +It is sown a natural gross and elementary Body; yet in this gross Body +there is a subtle Power and Virtue. As in the Earth also there is a +subtle good Virtue, which is like the Sun, and is one and the same with +the Sun, which also did in the beginning of time spring and proceed out +of the Divine Power and Virtue, whence all the good Virtue of the Body +is likewise derived. This good Virtue of the mortal Body shall come +again and live for ever in a kind of transparent crystalline material +property, in spiritual flesh and blood; as shall return also the good +Virtue of the Earth, for the Earth, likewise shall become crystalline, +and the Divine Light shine in everything that hath a being, essence, or +substance. And as the gross Earth shall perish and never return, so also +the gross flesh of Man shall perish and not live for ever. But all +Things must appear before the Judgment, and in the Judgment be separated +by the Fire; yea, both the Earth, and also the ashes of the human Body. +For when God shall once move the spiritual World, every Spirit shall +attract its spiritual substance to itself. A good Spirit and Soul shall +draw to itself its own substance, and an evil one its evil substance. + +SCHOLAR + +Shall we not rise again with our visible bodies, and live in them for +ever? + +MASTER + +When the visible world perisheth, then all that hath come out of it, and +hath been external, shall perish with it. There shall remain of the +World only the crystalline Nature and Form, and of Man also only the +spiritual Earth, for Man shall be then wholly like the crystalline +World, which as yet is hidden. + +SCHOLAR + +Shall all then have eternal joy and glorification alike? + +MASTER + +St Paul saith: In the Resurrection one shall differ from another in +glory, as do the Sun, Moon and Stars. Therefore know that the Blessed +shall indeed all enjoy the divine working in and upon them, but their +virtue and illumination or glory shall be very different according as +they have endured in this life with different measures and degrees of +power and virtue in their painful workings. + +SCHOLAR + +How shall all people and nations be brought to judgment? + +MASTER + +The Eternal Word of God, out of which every creaturely spiritual Life +hath proceeded will move itself at that hour, according to Love and +Anger, in every Life which is come out of the Eternity, and will draw +every Creature before the Judgment of Christ, to be sentenced by this +motion of the Word. The Life will then be manifested in all its works, +and every Soul shall see and feel its judgment and sentence in itself. +For the Judgment is, indeed, immediately at the departure of the Body +manifested in and to every Soul. And the last Judgment is but a return +of the spiritual Body, and a separation of the World, when the Evil +shall be separated from the Good, in the substance of the World, and of +the human Body, and everything enter into its eternal receptacle. And +thus it is a manifestation of the Mystery of God in every substance and +life. + +SCHOLAR + +How will the sentence be pronounced? + +MASTER + +Here consider the words of Christ. He will say to those on his right +hand; _Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for +you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and ye gave me +meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took +me in; naked and ye clothed me. I was sick and ye visited me, in prison +and ye came unto me._ + +_Then shall they answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, +thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or in prison, and ministered thus unto +thee?_ + +Then shall the King answer and say unto them; _Inasmuch as ye have done +it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me._ + +And unto the wicked on his left hand he will say; _Depart from me, ye +Cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. +For I was hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, and in prison, and ye +ministered not unto me._ + +And they shall also answer him and say; _When did we see thee thus and +ministered not unto thee?_ + +And he will answer them, _Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have not +done it unto one of the least of these, ye did it not to me._ + +_And these shall depart into everlasting punishment, but the Righteous +into Life Eternal._ + +SCHOLAR + +Loving Master, pray tell me why Christ saith, _What you have done to the +least of these you have done to me; and what you have not done to them, +neither have you done it to me_? And how doth a Man this _so_, as that +he doth it to Christ himself? + +MASTER + +Christ dwelleth really and essentially in the faith of those that wholly +yield up themselves to him, and giveth them his Flesh for food and his +Blood for drink; and thus possesseth the ground of their faith, +according to the interior or inward Man. And a Christian is called a +Branch of the Vine Christ, and a Christian, because Christ dwelleth +spiritually in him; therefore, whatsoever good any shall do to such a +Christian in his bodily necessities, it is done to Christ himself, who +dwelleth in him. For such a Christian is not his own, but is wholly +resigned to Christ, and become his peculiar possession, and consequently +the good deed is done to Christ _himself_. Therefore also whosoever +shall withhold their help from such a needy Christian, and forbear to +serve him in his necessity, they thrust Christ away from themselves, and +despise him in his members. When a poor person that belongeth thus to +Christ asketh anything of thee, and thou deniest it him in his +necessity, thou deniest it to Christ himself. And whatsoever hurt any +shall do to such a Christian, they do it to Christ himself. When any +mock, scorn, revile, reject, or thrust away such an one they do all that +to Christ, but he that receiveth him, giveth him meat, and drink, or +apparel, and assisteth him in his necessities, doth it likewise to +Christ, and to a fellow-member of his own Body. Nay he doth it to +himself if it be a Christian; for we are all one in Christ, as a tree +and its branches are. + +SCHOLAR + +How then will those subsist in the day of the last Judgment, who afflict +and vex the poor and distressed, and deprive them of their very sweat, +necessitating and constraining them by force to submit to their wills, +and trampling upon them as their footstools, only that they themselves +may live in pomp and power, and spend the fruits of this poor people's +sweat and labour in voluptuousness, pride, and vanity? + +MASTER + +Christ suffereth in the persecution of his members. Therefore all the +wrong that such hard executors do to the poor wretches under their +control is done to Christ himself; and falleth under his severe sentence +and judgment. And besides that by such oppression of the Poor they draw +them off from Christ, and make them seek unlawful ways to fill their +bellies. Nay, they work for and with the Devil himself, doing the very +same thing which he doth: who, without intermission opposeth the Kingdom +of Christ, which consisteth only in Love. All these oppressors, if they +do not turn with their whole hearts unto Christ, and minister to or +serve him, must go into Hell-fire, which is fed and kept alive by +nothing else but such mere Self, which they have exercised over the Poor +here. + +SCHOLAR + +But how will it fare with those who in this time do so fiercely contend +about the kingdom of Christ, and slander, revile and persecute one +another for their religion? + +MASTER + +All such have not yet known Christ; and they are but as a type or figure +of Heaven and Hell, striving for each other for the victory. + +All rising, swelling pride, which contendeth about opinions, is an image +of Self. And whosoever hath not faith and humility, nor liveth in the +Spirit of Christ, which is Love, is only armed with the Anger of God, +and helpeth forward the victory of the imaginary Self, that is, the +Kingdom of Darkness, and the Anger of God. For at the day of Judgment +all Self shall be given to the Darkness as shall also all the +unprofitable contentions of men; in which they seek not after Love, but +merely after their imaginary Self. All such things belong to the +Judgment, which will separate the false from the true; and then all +images or opinions shall cease, and all the Children of God shall dwell +for ever in the Love of Christ, and _that_ in them. For in Heaven all +serve God their Creator in humble love. + +SCHOLAR + +Wherefore then doth God suffer such strife and contention to be in this +time? + +MASTER + +The Life itself standeth in strife, that it may be made manifest, +sensible, and palpable, and that the wisdom may be made separable and +known. + +The Strife also constituteth the Eternal Joy of the victory. For there +will arise great praise and thanksgiving in the Saints from the +experimental sense and knowledge that Christ in them hath overcome +Darkness, and all the Self of Nature, and that they are at length +totally delivered from the Strife, at which they shall rejoice +eternally. And therefore God suffereth all Souls to stand in a +free-will, that the Eternal Dominion both of Love and Anger, of Light +and of Darkness, may be made manifest and known; and that every Life +might cause and find its own sentence in itself. For that which is now a +strife and pain to the Saints in their wretched warfare here, shall in +the end be turned into great joy to them; and that which hath been a joy +and pleasure to ungodly persons in this world, shall afterwards be +turned into eternal torment and shame to them. Therefore the joy of the +Saints must arise to them out of death, as the light ariseth out of a +candle by the destruction and consumption of it in its fire, that so the +Life may be freed from the painfulness of Nature, and possess another +World. + +And as the Light hath quite another property than the Fire has, for it +giveth and yieldeth itself forth; whereas the Fire draweth in and +consumeth itself, so the holy Life of Meekness springeth forth through +the Death of Self-will, and then God's Will of Love only ruleth, and +doth all in all. For thus the Eternal One hath attained Feeling and +Separability, and brought itself forth again with the feeling, through +Death, in great Joyfulness, that there might be an Eternal Delight in +the Infinite Unity, and an Eternal Cause of Joy; and therefore that +which was before Painfulness, must now be the Ground and Cause of this +motion or stirring to the Manifestation of all Things. And herein lyeth +the Mystery of the hidden Wisdom of God. + +_Every one that asketh receiveth, every one that seeketh findeth, and to +every one that knocketh it shall be opened. The Grace of our Lord Jesus +Christ, and the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghost, be +with us all. Amen._ + + + + +DIALOGUE IV + +THE WAY FROM DARKNESS TO TRUE ILLUMINATION + + +There was a poor Soul that had wandered out of Paradise, and come into +the kingdom of this World; where the Devil met it, and said to it: +Whither dost thou go, thou Soul that art half blind? + +THE SOUL SAID + +I would see and speculate into the Creatures of the World, which their +Creator hath made. + +THE DEVIL SAID + +How wilt thou see and speculate into them, when thou canst not know +their essence and property? Thou wilt look upon their outside only, as +upon a graven image, and canst not know them thoroughly. + +THE SOUL SAID + +How may I come to know their essence and property? + +THE DEVIL SAID + +Thine eyes would be opened to see them thoroughly, if thou didst but eat +of _that_, from whence the Creatures themselves are come to be _good_ +and _evil_. Thou wouldst then be as God himself is, and know what the +Creature is. + +THE SOUL SAID + +I am now a noble and holy Creature: but if I should do so, the Creator +hath said that I should die. + +THE DEVIL SAID + +No, thou shouldst not die at all; but thy eyes would be opened, and thou +wouldst be as God himself, and be Master of Good and Evil. Also, thou +wouldst be mighty, powerful and very great, as I am; all the subtlety +that is in the Creatures would be made known to thee. + +THE SOUL SAID + +If I had the knowledge of Nature and of the Creatures, I would then rule +the whole World as I listed. + +THE DEVIL SAID + +The whole ground of their knowledge lieth in thee. Do but turn thy Will +and Desire from God or Goodness into Nature and the Creatures, and then +there will arise in thee a lust to taste; and so thou mayest eat of the +Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and by that means come to know all +things. + +THE SOUL SAID + +Well then, I will eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, that I +may rule all things by my own power, and be of myself a Lord on Earth, +and do what I will, even as God himself doth. + +THE DEVIL SAID + +I am the Prince of this World; and if thou wouldst rule on earth thou +must turn thy lust towards my Image, and desire to be like me, that thou +mayst get the cunning, wit, reason, and subtlety that my Image hath. + +Thus did the Devil present to the Soul the Power that is in the fiery +root of the Creature, that is the fiery Wheel of Essence in the form of +a Serpent. Upon which, + +THE SOUL SAID + +Behold this is the Power which can do all things. What must I do to get +it? + +THE DEVIL SAID + +If thou dost break thy Will off from God, and bring it into this power +and skill, then thy hidden Ground will be manifested in thee, and thou +mayest work in the same manner. But thou must eat of that Fruit, wherein +each of the four elements in itself ruleth over the other, and is in +strife. And then thou wilt be instantly as the fiery Wheel is, and so +bring all things into thine own power, and possess them as thine own. + +THE SOUL DID SO AND WHAT HAPPENED THEREUPON + +Now when the Soul broke its will off thus from God, and brought it into +the fiery Will (which is the Root of Life and Power), there presently +arose in it a lust to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; and +the Soul did eat thereof. Which as soon as it had done, instantly was +kindled the fiery Wheel of its Essence, and thereupon all the properties +of Nature awoke in the Soul, and exercised each its own desire. + +First arose the lust of Pride; a desire to be great, mighty, and +powerful; to bring all things in subjection to it, and to be Lord itself +without control, despising all humility and equality, as esteeming +itself the only prudent, witty and cunning one, and accounting +everything folly that is not according to its own humour and liking. + +Secondly, arose the lust of Covetousness, a desire of getting, which +would draw all things to itself, into its own possession. For when the +lust of Pride had turned away the Will from God, then the Life of the +Soul would not trust God any further, but would take care for itself; +and therefore brought its desire into the Creatures, viz., into the +earth, metals, trees, and other Creatures. Thus the kindled fiery Life +became hungry and covetous, when it had broken itself off from the +Unity, Love, and Meekness of God, and attracted to itself the four +Elements and New Essence, and brought itself into the Condition of the +beasts, and so the Life became dark, empty, and wrathful; and the +heavenly Virtues and Colours went out, like a candle extinguished. + +Thirdly, there awoke in this fiery Life the stinging thorny lust of +Envy: a hellish poison, and a torment which makes the Life a mere enmity +to God and to all Creatures. Which Envy raged furiously in the sting of +Covetousness, as a venomous sting doth in the body. Envy cannot endure, +but hateth and would hurt or destroy that which Covetousness cannot +draw to itself by which hellish passion the Noble Love of the Soul is +smothered. + +Fourthly, there awoke in this fiery Life a torment like fire, viz., +Anger; which would murder and remove out of the way all who would not be +subject to Pride. Thus the Ground and Foundation of Hell, which is +called the Anger of God, was wholly manifested in this Soul. Whereby it +lost the fair Paradise of God and the Kingdom of Heaven, and became such +a worm as the fiery Serpent was, which the Devil presented to it in his +own image and likeness. And so the Soul began to rule on earth in a +bestial manner, and did all things according to the Will of the Devil, +living in mere Pride, Covetousness, Envy, and Anger, having no longer +any true love towards God. But there arose in the stead thereof an evil +bestial love of Wantonness and Vanity, and there was no purity left in +the heart, for the Soul had forsaken Paradise, and taken the Earth into +its possession. Its mind was wholly bent upon cunning knowledge, +subtility, and getting together a multitude of earthly things. No +righteousness nor virtue remained in it at all; but whatsoever evil and +wrong it committed, it covered all cunningly under the cloak of its +power and authority by law, and called it by the name of Right and +Justice, and accounted it good. + +THE DEVIL CAME TO THE SOUL + +Upon this the Devil drew near the Soul, and brought it on from one vice +to another, for he had taken it captive in his Essence, and set joy and +pleasure before it, therein, saying thus to it: Behold now thou art +powerful, mighty, and noble, endeavour to be greater, richer, and more +powerful still. Display thy knowledge, wit and subtlety, that every one +may fear thee, and stand in awe of thee, and that thou mayst be +respected, and get a great name in the World. + +THE SOUL DID SO + +The Soul did as the Devil counselled it, and yet knew not that its +counsellor was the Devil; but thought it was guided by its own +knowledge, wit, and understanding, and that it did very well and right +all the while. + +JESUS CHRIST MET WITH THE SOUL + +The Soul going on in this course of life, our dear and loving Lord Jesus +Christ, Who was come into this World with the Love and Wrath of God, to +destroy the works of the Devil, and to execute judgment upon all ungodly +deeds, on a time met with it, and spake by a strong power, viz., by his +passion and death into it, and destroyed the works of the Devil in it, +and discovered to it the way to his Grace, and shone upon it with his +mercy, calling it to return and repent, and promising that he would then +deliver it from that monstrous deformed shape and image which it had +gotten, and bring it into Paradise again. + +HOW CHRIST BROUGHT IN THE SOUL + +Now when the Spark of the Love of God, or the Divine Light, was +accordingly manifested in the Soul, it presently saw itself with its +will and works to be in Hell, in the Wrath of God, and found it was an +ugly, misshapen monster in the Divine Presence and the Kingdom of +Heaven: at which it was so affrighted, that it fell into the greatest +anguish possible, for the Judgment of God was manifested in it. + +WHAT CHRIST SAID + +Upon this the Lord Christ spake unto it with the Voice of his Grace, and +said: _Repent and forsake Vanity, and thou shalt attain My Grace_. + +WHAT THE SOUL SAID + +Then the Soul with its ugly misshapen image went before God and +entreated for Grace and the pardon of its sins, and came to be strongly +persuaded in itself that the satisfaction and atonement of our Lord +Jesus Christ did belong to it. But the evil properties of the Serpent, +formed in the Astral Spirit, or Reason, of the outward Man, would not +suffer the Will of the Soul to come before God, but brought their lusts +and inclinations thereinto. + +But the poor Soul turned its countenance towards God, and desired Grace +from him, even that he would bestow his Love upon it. + +THE DEVIL CAME TO IT AGAIN + +But when the Devil saw that the Soul thus prayed to God, and would enter +into repentance, he drew near to it, and thrust the inclinations of the +earthly properties into its prayers, and disturbed its good thoughts and +desires which pressed forwards towards God, and drew them back again to +earthly things that they might have no access to him. + +THE SOUL SIGHED + +The central Will of the Soul indeed sighed after God, but the thoughts +arising in the mind that it should penetrate into him, were distracted, +scattered and destroyed, so that they could not reach the Power of God. +At which the poor Soul was still more affrighted and began to pray more +earnestly. But the Devil with his desire took hold of the kindled, fiery +Wheel of Life, and awakened the evil properties, so that evil or false +inclinations arose in the Soul, and went into that thing wherein they +had taken most pleasure and delight before. + +The poor Soul would very fain go forward to God with its Will, and +therefore used all its endeavours; but its thoughts continually fled +away from God into earthly things, and would not go to him. + +Upon this the Soul sighed and bewailed itself to God; but was as if it +were quite forsaken by him, and cast out from its Presence. It could not +get so much as one look of Grace, but was in mere anguish, fear and +terror, and dreaded every moment that the Wrath and severe Judgment of +God would be manifested in it, and that the Devil would take hold of it +and have it. And thereupon fell into such great heaviness and sorrow, +that it became weary of all the temporal things, which were before its +chief joy and happiness. + +The earthly natural Will indeed desired those things still, but the Soul +would willingly leave them altogether, and desired to die to all +temporal lust and joy whatsoever, and longed only after its first native +country, from whence it originally came. But it found itself to be far +from thence in great distress and want, and knew not what to do, yet +resolved to enter into itself, and try to pray more earnestly. + +THE DEVIL'S OPPOSITION + +But the Devil opposed it, and withheld it so that it could not bring +itself into any greater fervency of repentance. + +He awakened the earthly lusts in its heart, that they might still keep +their evil nature and false right therein, and set them at variance with +the new-born Will and Desire of the Soul. For they would not die to +their own Will and Light, but would still maintain their temporal +pleasures, and so kept the poor Soul captive in their evil desires, that +it could not stir, though it sighed and longed never so much after the +Grace of God. For whensoever it prayed, or offered to press forward +towards God, then the lusts of the flesh swallowed up the rays and +ejaculations that went forth from it, and brought them away from God +into earthly thoughts, that it might not partake of Divine Strength. +Which caused the poor Soul to think itself forsaken of God, not knowing +that he was so near it, and did thus attract it. Also the Devil tempted +the poor Soul, saying to it in the earthly thoughts: + +"Why dost thou pray? Dost thou think that God knoweth thee or regardeth +thee? Consider but what thoughts thou hast in his presence; are they not +altogether evil? Thou hast no faith or belief in God at all; how then +should he hear thee? He heareth thee not, leave off; why wilt thou +needlessly torment and vex thyself! Thou hast time enough to repent at +leisure. Wilt thou be mad? Do but look upon the world I pray thee a +little; doth it not live in jollity and mirth, yet it will be saved well +enough for all that. Hath not Christ paid the ransom and satisfied for +all men? Thou needest only persuade and comfort thyself that it is done +for thee, and then thou shalt be saved. Thou canst not possibly in this +world come to any feeling of God, therefore leave off, and take care for +thy body, and look after temporal glory. What dost thou suppose will +become of thee, if thou turn to be so stupid and melancholy? Thou wilt +be the scorn of everybody, and they will laugh at thy folly; and so thou +wilt pass thy days in mere sorrow and heaviness, which is pleasing +neither to God nor Nature. I pray thee, look upon the beauty of the +World, for God hath so erected and placed thee in it, to be a Lord over +all Creatures and to rule them. Gather store of temporal goods +beforehand, that thou mayest not be beholden to the World, or stand in +need hereafter. And when old age cometh, or that thou growest near thy +end, then prepare thyself for repentance. God will save thee, and +receive thee into the heavenly mansions there. There is no need of such +ado in vexing, bewailing, and stirring up thyself, as thou makest." + +THE CONDITION OF THE SOUL + +In these and the like thoughts the Soul was ensnared by the Devil, and +brought into the lust of the flesh, and earthly desires; and so bound as +it were with fetters and strong chains that it did not know what to do. +It looked back a little into the World and the pleasures thereof, but +still felt in itself a hunger after Divine Grace, and would rather enter +into repentance and favour with God. For the Hand of God had touched and +bruised it, and therefore it could rest nowhere; but always sighed in +itself after sorrow for the sins it had committed, and would fain be rid +of them. Yet could not get true repentance, or even the knowledge of +sin, though it had a mighty hunger and longing desire after such +penitential sorrow. + +The Soul being thus heavy and sad, and finding no remedy or rest, began +to cast about where it might find a fit place to perform true repentance +in, where it might be free from business, cares, and the hinderances of +the World; and also by what means it might win the favour of God. And at +length purposed to betake itself to some private solitary place, and +give over all worldly employments and temporal things, and hoped that by +being bountiful and pitiful to the Poor, it should obtain God's mercy. +Thus did it devise all kinds of ways to get rest, and to gain the love, +favour, and grace of God again. But all would not do; for its worldly +business still followed it in the lusts of the flesh, and it was +ensnared in the net of the Devil now, as well as before, and could not +attain rest. And though for a little while it was somewhat cheered with +earthly things, yet presently it fell to be as sad and heavy again as it +was before. The truth was it felt the awakened Wrath of God in itself, +but knew not how that came to pass, nor what ailed it. For many times +great trouble and terror fell upon it, which made it comfortless, sick, +and faint with very fear; so mightily did the first bruising it with the +ray or influence of the stirring of Grace work upon it. And yet it knew +not that Christ was in the Wrath and severe Justice of God and fought +therein with that Spirit of Error incorporated in Soul and Body, nor +understood that the hunger and desire to turn and repent came from +Christ Himself, neither did it know what hindered it that it could not +yet attain to Divine Feeling. It knew not that itself was a monster, and +did bear the Image of the Serpent. + +AN ENLIGHTENED AND REGENERATE SOUL MET THE DISTRESSED SOUL + +By the Providence of God, an enlightened and regenerate Soul met the +distressed Soul, and said: What ailest thou, thou distressed Soul, that +thou art so restless and troubled! + +THE DISTRESSED SOUL ANSWERED + +The Creator hath hid his Countenance from me, so that I cannot come to +his Rest; therefore I am thus troubled, and know not what I shall do to +get his Loving-kindness again. For great cliffs and rocks lie in my way +to his Grace, so that I cannot come to him. Though I sigh and long after +him never so much, yet I am kept back, so that I cannot partake of his +Power, Virtue, and Strength. + +THE ENLIGHTENED SOUL SAID + +Thou bearest the monstrous shape of the Devil, and art clothed +therewith; in which, being his own Property or Principle, he hath access +or power of entrance into thee, and thereby keepeth thy Will from +penetrating into God. For if thy Will might penetrate into God, it would +be anointed with the highest Power and Strength of God, in the +Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that unction would break in +pieces the monster which thou carriest about thee; and thy first Image +of Paradise would revive in the Centre; which would destroy the Devil's +Power therein, and thou wouldst become an Angel again. And because the +Devil envieth thee this happiness, he holdeth thee captive in his Desire +in the lusts of the flesh, from which if thou art not delivered, thou +wilt be separated from God, and canst never enter into our Society. + +THE DISTRESSED SOUL TERRIFIED + +At this speech the poor distressed Soul was so terrified and amazed, +that it could not speak one word more. When it found that it stood in +the form and condition of the Serpent which separated it from God, and +that the Devil was so nigh it in that condition, who injected evil +thoughts into the Will of the Soul, and had so much power over it +thereby that it was near damnation and sticking fast in the Abyss or +bottomless pit of Hell in the Anger of God, it would have even despaired +of Divine Mercy; but that the Power, Virtue and Strength of the first +stirring of the Grace of God, which had before bruised the Soul, upheld +and preserved it from total despair. But still it wrestled in itself +between Hope and Doubt; whatsoever Hope built up, that Doubt threw down +again. And thus was it agitated with such continued disquiet, that at +last the World and all the glory thereof became loathsome to it, neither +would it enjoy worldly pleasures any more; and yet for all this could it +not come to Rest. + +THE ENLIGHTENED SOUL CAME AGAIN, AND SPOKE TO THE TROUBLED SOUL + +On a time the enlightened Soul came again to this Soul, and finding it +still in so great trouble, anguish, and grief, said to it. + +What dost thou? Wilt thou destroy thyself in thy anguish and sorrow? Why +dost thou torment thyself in thy own Power and Will, seeing thy torment +increaseth thereby more and more? Yea, if thou shouldst sink thyself +down to the bottom of the sea, or fly to the uttermost coasts of the +morning, or raise thyself above the stars, yet thou wouldst not be +released. For the more thou grievest, tormentest, and troublest thyself, +the more painful thy nature will be; and yet thou wilt not be able to +come to Rest. For thy Power is quite lost, and as a dry stick burnt to a +coal cannot grow green and spring afresh by its own power, nor get sap +to flourish again with other trees and plants; so neither canst thou +reach the Place of God by thy own power and strength, and transform +thyself into that Angelical Image which thou hadst at first. For in +respect to God thou art withered and dry, like a dead plant that hath +lost its sap and strength, and so art become a dry tormenting Hunger. +Thy Properties are like Heat and Cold which continually strive one +against the other, and can never unite. + +THE DISTRESSED SOUL SAID + +What then shall I do to bud forth again, and recover the first Life, +wherein I was at rest before I became an Image? + +THE ENLIGHTENED SOUL SAID + +Thou shalt do nothing at all but forsake thy own Will, viz., that which +thou callest _I_, or _thyself_. By which means all thy evil properties +will grow weak, faint, and ready to die; and then thou wilt sink down +again into that One Thing from which thou art originally sprung. For now +thou liest captive in the Creatures; but if thy Will forsaketh them, +they will die in thee, with their evil inclinations, which at present +stay and hinder thee that thou canst not come to God. But if thou takest +this course, thy God will meet thee with his infinite Love, which he +hath manifested in Christ Jesus in the Humanity, or human Nature. And +that will impart sap, life and vigour to thee, whereby thou mayst bud, +spring, flourish again, and rejoice in the Living God, as a branch +growing on his true Vine. And so thou wilt at length recover the Image +of God, and be delivered from that of the Serpent. Then shalt thou come +to be my brother and have fellowship with the Angels. + +THE POOR SOUL SAID + +How can I forsake my Will, so that the Creatures which lodge therein may +die, seeing I must be in the World, and also have need of it as long as +I live? + +THE ENLIGHTENED SOUL SAID + +Now thou hast worldly power and riches, which thou possesses! as thy +own, to do what thou wilt with, and regardest not how thou gettest or +invest the same, employing them in the service or indulgence of thy +carnal and vain desires. Nay though thou seest the poor and needy wretch +who wanteth thy help, and is thy brother, yet thou helpest him not, but +layest heavy burdens upon him, by requiring more of him than his +abilities will bear, or his necessities afford, and oppressest him, by +forcing him to spend his labour and sweat for thee and the gratification +of thy voluptuous Will. Thou art moreover proud and exultest over him, +and behavest roughly and sternly to him, exalting thyself above him, and +making small account of him in respect of thyself. Then that poor +oppressed brother of thine cometh, and complaineth with sighs towards +God, that he cannot reap the benefit of his labours and pains, but is +forced by thee to live in misery. By which sighings and groanings of his +he raiseth up the wrath of God in thee, which maketh thy flame and +unquietness still the greater. + +These are the Creatures which thou art in love with, and hast broken +thyself off from God for their sakes, and brought thy Love into them or +them into thy Love, so that they live therein. Thou nourishest and +keepest them by continually receiving them into thy desire, for they +live in and by thy receiving them into thy mind, because thou thereby +bringest the lust of thy Life into them. They are but unclean and evil +births and issues of the Bestial Nature, which yet by thy receiving them +in thy Desire, have gotten an Image and formed themselves in thee. And +that Image is a beast with four heads. First, _Pride_. Secondly, +_Covetousness_. Thirdly, _Envy_. Fourthly, _Anger_. And in these four +properties the Foundation of Hell consisteth, which thou earnest in thee +and about thee. It is imprinted and engraven in thee, and thou art +wholly taken captive thereby. For these properties live in thy Natural +Life; and thereby thou art severed from God, neither canst thou ever +come to him, unless thou so forsake these evil Creatures that they may +die in thee. + +But since thou desirest me to tell thee how to forsake thy own, perverse +creaturely Will, that the Creatures might die, and that yet thou +mightest live with them in the World, I must assure thee that there is +but one way to do it, which is _narrow_ and _straight_, and will be very +hard and irksome to thee in the beginning, but afterwards thou wilt walk +in it cheerfully. + +Thou must seriously consider that in the course of this worldly life +thou walkest in the Anger of God and in the Foundation of Hell; and that +this is not thy true native country; but that a Christian should and +must live in Christ, and in his walking truly follow him; and that he +cannot be a Christian unless the Spirit and Power of Christ so live in +him that he becometh wholly subject to it. Now seeing the Kingdom of +Christ is not of the world, but in Heaven, therefore thou must be always +in a continual ascension towards Heaven, if thou wilt follow Christ; +though thy body must dwell among the Creatures and use them. + +The narrow way to which perpetual ascension into Heaven and imitation of +Christ is this. Thou must despair of all thy own power and strength, for +in and by thy own thou canst not reach the Gates of God, and firmly +purpose and resolve wholly to give thyself up to the Mercy of God, and +to sink down with thy whole mind and reason into the Passion and Death +of our Lord Jesus Christ, always desiring to persevere in the same and +to die from all thy Creatures therein. Also thou must resolve to watch +and guard thy mind, thoughts, and inclinations that they admit no evil +into them, neither must thou suffer thyself to be held fast by temporal +honour or profit. Thou must resolve likewise to put away from thee all +Unrighteousness and whatsoever else may hinder the freedom of thy motion +and progress. Thy Will must be wholly pure and fixed in a firm +resolution never to return to its old idols any more, but that thou +wilt, that very instant leave them, and separate thy mind from them, and +enter into the sincere way of truth and righteousness, according to the +plain and full doctrine of Christ. And as thou dost thus purpose to +forsake the enemies of thine own inward Nature, so thou must also +forgive all thy outward enemies and resolve to meet them with thy Love, +that there may be left no Creature, Person, or Thing at all able to +take hold of thy Will and captivate it; but that it may be sincere and +purged from all Creatures. Nay, further, if it should be required, thou +must be willing and ready to forsake all thy temporal honour and profit +for Christ's sake, and regard nothing that is earthly so as to set thy +heart and affections upon it; but esteem thyself in whatsoever state, +degree and condition thou art, as to worldly rank and riches, to be but +a servant of God, and of thy fellow-Christians; or as a steward in the +office wherein thy Lord hath placed thee. All arrogance and +self-exaltation must be humbled, brought low, and so annihilated that +nothing of thine own or of any other Creature may stay in thy Will to +bring the thoughts or imagination to be set upon it. + +Thou must also firmly impress it on thy mind that thou shalt certainly +partake of the promised Grace in the Merit of Jesus Christ, viz., of his +outflowing Love, which indeed is already in thee, and which will deliver +thee from thy Creatures, and enlighten thy Will, and kindle it with the +Flame of Love, whereby thou shalt have victory over the Devil. Not as if +thou couldst will or do anything in thy own strength, but only enter +into the suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and take them to +thyself, and with them assault and break in pieces the kingdom of the +Devil in thee. Thou must resolve to enter into this way this very hour, +and never to depart from it, but willingly to submit thyself to God in +all thy endeavours and doings, that he may do with thee what he +pleaseth. + +When thy Will is thus prepared and resolved, it hath then broken through +its own Creatures, and is sincere in the Presence of God, and clothed +with the Merits of Jesus Christ. It may then freely go to the Father +with the Prodigal Son, and fall down in his Presence and pour forth its +prayers; and putting forth all its strength in this Divine Work, confess +its sins and disobedience; and how far it hath departed from God. This +must be done not with bare words, but with all its strength, which +indeed amounteth only to a strong purpose and resolution; for the Soul +of itself hath no strength or power to effect any good work. + +Now when thou art thus ready, and thy heavenly Father shall see thee +coming and returning to him in such repentance and humility, he will +inwardly speak to thee, and say in thee; _Behold, this is my son which I +had lost, he was dead and is alive again._ And he will come to meet thee +in thy mind with the Grace and Love of Jesus Christ, and embrace thee +with the beams of his Love, and kiss thee with his Spirit and Strength, +and then thou shalt receive Grace to pour out thy confession before him +and to pray powerfully. This indeed is the right place where thou must +wrestle in the Light of his Countenance. And if thou standest resolutely +here and shrinkest not back, thou shalt see or feel great wonders. For +thou shalt find Christ in thee assaulting Hell, and crushing thy Beasts +in pieces, and that a great tumult and misery will arise in thee; also +thy secret undiscovered sins will then first awake and labour to +separate thee from God, and to keep thee back. Thus shalt thou truly +find and feel how Death and Life fight one against the other, and shalt +understand by what passeth within thyself what Heaven and Hell are. At +all which be not moved, but stand firm and shrink not; for at length all +thy Creatures will grow faint, weak, and ready to die; and then thy Will +shall wax stronger, and be able to subdue and keep down the evil +inclinations. So shall thy Will and Mind ascend into Heaven every day, +and thy Creatures gradually die away. Thou wilt get a Mind wholly new, +and begin to be a new Creature, and, getting rid of the Bestial +Deformity, recover the Divine Image. Thus shalt thou be delivered from +thy present Anguish, and return to thy original Rest. + +THE POOR SOUL'S PRACTICE + +Then the poor Soul began to practise this course with so much +earnestness that it conceived it should get the victory presently, but +it found that the Gates of Heaven were shut against it in its own +strength and power, and it was, as it were, rejected and forsaken by +God, and received not so much as one look or glimpse of Grace from him. +Upon which it said to itself; _Surely thou hast not sincerely submitted +thyself to God. Desire nothing at all of him, but only submit thyself to +his judgment and condemnation, that he may kill thy evil inclinations. +Sink down into him beyond the Limits of Nature and Creature, and submit +thyself to him, that he may do with thee what he will, for thou art not +worthy to speak to him._ Accordingly the Soul took a resolution to sink +down, and to forsake its own will; and when it had done so there fell +upon it presently the greatest repentance that could be for the sins it +had committed; and it bewailed bitterly its ugly shape, and was truly +and deeply sorry that the evil Creatures did dwell in it. And because of +its sorrow it could not speak one word more in the Presence of God, but +in this repentance did consider the bitter Passion and Death of Jesus +Christ, viz., what great anguish and torment he had suffered for its +sake, in order to deliver it out of its anguish, and change it into the +Image of God. In which consideration it wholly sank down, and did +nothing but complain of its ignorance and negligence, and that it had +not been thankful to its Redeemer, nor once considered the great love he +had shown to it, but had idly spent its time, and not at all regarded +how it might come to partake of his purchased and proffered Grace; but +instead thereof had formed in itself the images and figures of earthly +things, with the vain lusts and pleasures of the World. Whereby it had +gotten such bestial inclinations that now it must lie captive in great +misery, and for very shame dared not lift up its eyes to God, Who hid +the light of his countenance from it and would not so much as look upon +it. And as it was thus sighing and crying it was drawn into the Abyss or +Pit of Horror, and laid as it were at the Gates of Hell there to perish. +Upon which the poor troubled Soul was, as it were, bereft of sense, and +wholly forsaken, so that it in a manner forgot all its doings, and would +willingly yield itself to Death, and cease to be a Creature. Accordingly +it did yield itself to Death, and desired nothing else but to die and +perish in the Death of its Redeemer Jesus Christ, who had suffered such +torments and death for its sake. And in this perishing it began to sigh +and pray in itself very inwardly to the Divine Goodness, and to sink +down into the mere Mercy of God. + +Upon this there suddenly appeared unto it the Love of God, as a great +Light which penetrated through it, and made it exceedingly joyful. It +then began to pray aright, and to thank the Most High for such Grace, +and to rejoice abundantly that it was delivered from the Death and +Anguish of Hell. Now it tasted of the Sweetness of God, and of his +promised Truth; and how all the evil Spirits which had harassed it +before, and kept it back from the Grace, Love, and inward Presence of +God, were forced to depart from it. The wedding of the Lamb was now kept +and solemnised, that is, the Noble _Sophia_ espoused or betrothed +herself to the Soul, and the Seal-Ring of Christ's victory was impressed +into its Essence, and it was received to be a Child and Heir of God +again. + +When this was done the Soul became very joyful, and began to work in +this new power, and to celebrate with praise the wonders of God, and +thought thenceforth to walk continually in the same Light, Strength, and +Joy. But it was soon assaulted: from _without_ by the shame and reproach +of the World, and from _within_ by great temptation, so that it began to +doubt whether its ground was truly from God, and whether it had really +partaken of his Grace. For the accuser Satan went to it, and would fain +lead it out of its course, and make it doubtful whether it was the true +way, whispering thus to it inwardly; _This happy change in thy Spirit is +not from God, but only from thy own imagination._ Also the Divine Light +retired in the Soul, and shone but in the inward ground, as fire raked +up in embers, so that Reason was perplexed, and thought itself forsaken, +and the Soul knew not what had happened to itself, nor whether it had +really and truly tasted of the heavenly gift or not. Yet it could not +leave off struggling; for the burning Fire of Love was sown in it, which +had raised in it a vehement and continual Hunger and Thirst after the +Divine Sweetness. So at length it began to pray aright, and to humble +itself in the Presence of God, and to examine and try its evil +inclinations and thoughts, and to put them away. By which means the Will +of Reason was broken, and the evil inclinations inherent in it were +killed and extirpated more and more. This process was very severe and +painful to the Nature of the Body, for it made it faint and weak as if +it had been very sick; and yet it was no natural sickness that it had, +but only the melancholy of its earthly Nature, feeling and lamenting +the destruction of its evil lusts. + +Now when the earthly Reason found itself thus forsaken, and the poor +Soul saw that it was despised outwardly and derided by the World, +because it would walk no longer in the way of Wickedness and Vanity; and +also that it was inwardly assaulted by the accuser Satan, who mocked it, +and continually set before it the beauty, riches and glory of the World, +and called it a fool for not embracing them; it began to think and say +thus within itself: _O eternal God, what shall I now do to come to +Rest?_ + +THE ENLIGHTENED SOUL MET IT AGAIN AND SPOKE TO IT + +While it was in this consideration, the enlightened Soul met with it +again, and said: What ailest thou, my Brother, that thou art so heavy +and sad! + +THE DISTRESSED SOUL SAID + +I have followed thy counsel, and thereby attained a ray or emanation of +the Divine Sweetness, but it is gone from me again, and I am now +deserted. Moreover I have outwardly very great trials and afflictions in +the World, for all my good friends forsake and scorn me; and am also +inwardly assaulted with anguish and doubt, and know not what to do. + +THE ENLIGHTENED SOUL SAID + +Now I like thee very well; for now our beloved Lord Jesus Christ is +performing that Pilgrimage or Process on Earth with thee and in thee, +which he did himself when he was in this World, who was continually +reviled, despised, and evil spoken of, and had nothing of his own in it; +and now thou bearest his mark or badge. But do not wonder at it, or +think it strange; for it must be so, in order that thou mayst be tried, +refined, and purified. In this Anguish and Distress thou wilt +necessarily hunger and cry after deliverance; and by such Hunger and +Prayer thou wilt attract Grace to thee both from within and from +without. For thou must grow from above and from beneath to be the Image +of God again. Just as a young plant is agitated by the wind, and must +stand its ground in heat and cold, drawing strength and virtue to it +from above and from beneath by that agitation, and must endure many a +tempest, and undergo much danger before it can come to be a tree and +bring forth much fruit. For through that agitation the virtue of the sun +moveth in the plant, whereby its wild properties come to be penetrated +and tinctured with the solar virtue, and grow thereby. + +And this is the time wherein thou must play the part of a valiant +soldier in the Spirit of Christ, and co-operate thyself therewith. For +now the Eternal Father by his fiery Power begetteth his Son in thee, who +changeth the Fire of the Father, namely, the first Principle, or +Wrathful Property of the Soul, into the Flame of Love, so that out of +Fire and Light (viz. Wrath and Love) there cometh to be one Essence, +Being, or Substance, which is the true Temple of God. And now thou shalt +bud forth out of the Vine Christ, in the Vineyard of God, and bring +forth fruit in thy life, and by assisting and instructing others, show +forth thy Love in abundance, as a good tree. For Paradise must then +spring up again in thee, through the Wrath of God, and Hell be changed +into Heaven in thee. Therefore be not dismayed at the temptations of the +Devil, who seeketh and striveth for the Kingdom which he once had in +thee, but, having now lost it, must be confounded, and depart from thee. +And he covereth thee outwardly with the shame and reproach of the World, +that his own shame may not be known, and that thou mayst be hidden to +the World. For with thy New Birth or regenerated Nature thou art in the +Divine Harmony in Heaven. Be patient, therefore, and wait upon the Lord, +and whatsoever shall befall thee, take it all from his hands as intended +by him for thy highest good. And so the enlightened Soul departed from +it. + +THE DISTRESSED SOUL'S COURSE + +The distressed Soul began its course now under the patient Suffering of +Christ, and depending solely upon the Strength and Power of God in it, +entered into Hope. Thenceforth it grew stronger every day, and its evil +inclinations died more and more in it. So that it arrived at length to a +high state or degree of Grace; and the Gates of the Divine Revelation +and the Kingdom of Heaven were opened to and manifested in it. + +And thus the Soul, through Repentance, Faith, and Prayer, returned to +its true Rest, and became a right and beloved Child of God again; to +which may He of his infinite Mercy help us all. 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