measure And if by chance it happen that any of these or the like be neglected they do not therefore fall into despair for they know very wel that order reason are better and of more esteem then any thing that is done without reason therefore they will observe order and yet they know that happyness is not placed therein and therefore they are not so much troubled as others are and they are blamed contemned of all other Sects For the hirelings say these men do altogether neglect themselves and sometimes they say that they are wicked and the like others who are of a free spirit say in a scoffing manner that they behave themselves foolishly blockishly and the like But they themselves do hold that which is mean and the best for one lover of God is better and dearer to God then a hundred thousand hirelings and we ought to hold the like opinion of their works This also is to be observed that the Commandment Speech and all the Doctrine of God do tend to this purpose that the inward man may be joyned to God which when it comes to pass the outward man is so well ordered and instructed by the inner man that indeed he standeth not in need of any outward Precept or Doctrine but the Precepts and Laws of men belong to the outward man and are necessary where better things are unknown for these men are ignorant either what to do or what to leave undone so as if Discipline be wanting men become like to dogs and other beasts CHAP. XXXVIII The description of false light HAving made mention of a false light something must be spoken thereof as what it is and what properly belongeth to it Know therefore that whatsoever is contrary to the true light is belonging to the false It is a general property of the true light not to deceive nor to will that any should be deceived neither to be deceived it self But the false light doth deceive and is deceived for God will deceive no man neither can he be willing that any man should be deceived and so may you judg also of the true light Now mark this the true light is God and some divine thing The false light is men or some natural thing Now it is proper to God not to be this or that neither to will desire or seek this or that in a deified man but good as good and that for no other thing but for good the same is to be held of the true light Also it is proper to the creature and nature to be something this or that and to hold something in estimation and to desire it either this or that neither doth it love that which is meerly good as good and for good but for some other thing this or that And even as God and the true light is void of all egoity selfness and seeking it self so the property and nature of the natural false light is to be I my self me c. so as it seeks it self and its own in all things more then good as it is good this is proper to it and the nature of every each one Now let this be observed wheresoever this light is at the first deceived it doth not will nor choose any good as good and for good but it willeth and chooseth it self and its own as the best which is falshood and the first deceiving It doth also suppose that it is that which it is not for it doth suppose it self to be God being nothing but nature and supposing it self to be God it challengeth to it self that which is proper to God and not that which belongeth to God as God is man or as he is some deified man but it challengeth to it self that which belongeth to God and is proper to him as he is God and without the creature for ever and ever For as it is said before God is not poor neither wanteth he any thing he is free without business at liberty above all things c. All which are true he is also immoveable neither doth he challenge any thing to himself he is without Religion and whatsoever he doth is just After the same manner saith the false light will I also be for the liker any one is to God so much is he also the better wherefore it saith I will be like unto God nay I will be God and sit neer God I will I say be like unto him as Lucifer the Devil did God is everlastingly without pain passion and trouble so that nothing is or can be done which is grievous to him or can procure his pain but where God is man or in any deified man the matter is far otherwise Lastly Whatsoever can be deceived is deceived by this false light And seeing whatsoever is not God or Divine may be deceived and since that this light is nature it self it cometh to pass that it may be deceived therefore it is deceived and also deceived of it self Some will say how cometh it to pass that whatsoever can be deceived is deceived of it self This doth proceed from the great and unmeasurable craftiness thereof for it is so subtile deceitful and nimble of it self that it ascendeth and climbeth so high as to suppose it self to be above men that neither nature or any creature can possibly mount so high for this cause it supposeth it self to be God then therefore it doth arrogate to it self all things which belong to God and especially as God is in eternity and not as God is man For this cause it thinketh it self to be above all word work custom order and even above the corporal Life of Christ which he did lead in his humanity and therefore it refuseth to be touched of any creature or the works of the creatures whether they be good or evil or whether they be against God or otherwise all these it accounteth alike and will be freed from them as if it were the eternal God But all other things which are belonging to God and to no creature it doth arrogate to it self as if it were worthy of all things and as if it were meet and right that all the creatures should serve and be subject unto it Thus it comes to pass that there remaineth neither sorrow passions nor troubles for any other thing or cause but only the feeling of the body and sences which must remain until the death of the body and whatsoever pain can arise from thence Yea it doth say and 〈…〉 suppose that man is become higher then the corporal life of Christ and that he is and ought to be without pain and untouched as Christ was after his Resurrection There are many other and wonderful errours which do arise and proceed hence Seeing then that this false light is nature it hath the same property that nature hath that is to admire and seek it self and its own in all things and that which is the best and fittest most pleasant and sweet to nature it self in all
Kingdom of the Devil and these things are thus found to be truly there where God is man But where Christ and his true followers are there it is necessary that true inward spiritual humility and poverty should be and also a dejected and constant mind which mind it is meet should be full of close and hidden calamity and grief even to the death of the body And this I do truly avouch that he that thinketh otherwise is deceived and with himself deceiveth others as hath been said for this cause all nature and selfness doth depart from this kind of life and doth cleave to the false and free life as hath been said Now some Adam or Devil who desireth to excuse and defend himself would come upon me and say thus You would prove indeed that Christ was without himself and many other such like things yet notwithstanding he speaks often of himself and doth commend himself for this and that Unto which I thus answer When the truth ought and is willing to do or will there is no other cause of its will desire and action but that the truth might be known and manifested and this was in Christ and hither did all his works and actions tend and whatsoever was most profitable and behooful for that also whatsoever things were done by him from those he was free as likewise from all other things which were done You will say therefore there was in Christ some cause why he did every thing Unto which I thus answer If any man ask the Sun why it shineth it would answer it is necessary that I shine neither can I do otherwise for this is proper and belongeth to me and it is my freedom of nature to be endued with this property and to shine even so it is with God and Christ and all things that are divine and belonging unto God that they will do and desire no other thing nor no other good or for good neither can any other cause be alleaged CHAP. XXV How all things are to be left or lost AFter these things we must observe that it is said yea Christ himself saith that all things are to be left and lost which is not to be understood as if men should have nothing or have to do with nothing for it is necessary that man should have and do even something in this life wherein he may be employed so long as he liveth But this is thus to be understood Whatsoever any man or creature can do omit or know is not that thing wherein unition or uniting is placed And what is unition It is no other thing but that thy self be plainly singly and altogether simple in the truth together with the simple and eternal will of God And also that thou be wholly voyd of thy own will and that the created will flow into the eternal will and there dissolve and be turned into nothing so that the ettrnal will do there only will do or leave undone any thing And what is there that can help or further man to this matter that can neither words works nor other Ceremonies do nor finally any creature nor the work power knowledg action or omission of all the creatures Thus ought all things to be lost and lâ—ft which is as much as if you should say it is not to be supposed or thought that there is any work speech knowledg or learning or any other thing created which can help profit in this business but all these things whatsoever are to be lost and left and we must make our progress unto unition And yet it is necessary that these things should be and something there is which is to be done and left undone especially a man ought to sleep and wake and walk and stand to speak and be silent and many other things which must needs be so long as a man liveth CHAP. XXVI That the inner man is unmoveably joyned with God the outward man notwithstanding is moved THis also is truly to be observed that where unition befalleth and is truly made there immediatly the inner man remaineth unmoveable and suffereth his outward man to be moved hither and thither in those things and to those things which are convenient and necessary to be and come to pass So that the outward man may say yea and say truly I neither will be nor will not be neither live nor dye neither know nor be ignorant neither do nor leave undone or whatsoever of this kind but what is fit and ought to be done to that I am obedient whether it be to suffer or to act any thing Thus it comes to pass that the outward man hath no other cause nor any thing else which he seeketh but only to satisfie the eternal will for this we may truly perceive that the inward man ought to stand immoveable and the outward man ought and must move And although the inner man be some cause of the moving of the outward man yet this cause is no other thing but that it is necessary and must be done by the decree of the eternal will and where God himself would be or is there also the same thing is done as is to be perceived in Christ Also where this is in the divine and proceeding from the divine light there is not spiritual pride nor foolish liberty or a mind licentious but lowly submission and a depressed humbled and sorrowful soul and all order justice equality truth and whatsoever belongeth to all vertue There must also be peace and contentedness of estate and condition but if it be otherwise it is not right with man as is well else-where said more at large And as truly there is nothing which may help or further this unition so is there nothing which can hinder or avert it but only man himself through his own will CHAP. XXVII That no man in this life can be free from pain IT is both said and heard that man ought and may be without pain or grief in this life as Christ was after his Resurrection This they go about to confirm out of these words of Christ I will go before you into Galilee there you shall see me Also where he saith a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones as ye see me have which words they would thus expound As you have seen me and followed me when I was in a mortal body and in this life after the same manner you shall see me and I will go before you and you shall follow me in Galilee that is you shall both feel and taste being painless and immutable in what estate you shall live and remain before you dye the death of the body and suffer And as you see me have flesh and bones being notwithstanding free from pains after the self-same manner shall you be also in your corporality and your mortal humanity not harmed by the death of the body To this manner of reasoning it is thus answered Christ did not ordain that man should or could attain unto this
except he first performed and suffered all these things which were by Christ performed and suffered and if Christ attained not to this before he first endured and suffered the death of the body and all other things that belong thereunto then surely no man can nor ever shall attain to this so long as he is mortal and subject to pain For if this thing had been the best and most excellent thing or if it could or ought to be that man in this life might attain hereunto then surely it should first have been performed in Christ for the life of Christ was and is the best and most excellent life also the best approved and most dear unto God of any that ever was or shall be since that this neither ought nor could be done in Christ it shall never happen surely to a man in that manner as to be truly the best and most excellent It may be thought and called so but that is no reason why it should be so CHAP. XXVIII How we must understand that to a just man no law is to be given IT is also said that a man can and may transcend all vertue all Ceremony Ordinance Commandment Law and Justice so that he may depose shake off and abolish all these things here something is true and something is not true which must be thus considered Christ was above the life of Christ and above all Vertue Ceremony Ordinance c. The Devil also is above all those but after a diverse manner Christ was and is above all these things if you thus understand it all words deeds ceremony actions and omissions of actions silence speech suffering and whatsoever happened to Christ was not necessary to him neither did he stand in need of them neither did they confer any profit at all upon him and the same was and is the reason of all vertue ordinances justice and the like for whatsoever is or might be attained unto by these things all that is before in Christ and there in readiness and if you thus understand the case then it is true in the same sense that saying of Saint Paul is true and so to be understood Those who are endued carryed and lead by the Spirit of God are the sons of God and not subject to the Law the sense of which words is this they are not to be taught what they should do or leave undone seeing the Spirit of God which is their instructer will teach them sufficiently neither is any thing to be commanded or enjoyned them as to do good to shun evil or the like for he that teacheth them what is good or not good best or not best the same I say doth command and enjoyn them likewise to retain the best and quit the contrary and they obey him accordingly Hereupon it is that they need look for no Law Doctrine or precept for another reason also they need no law by means whereof to obtain or get profit to themselves for whatsoever might be obtained or gotten by these things or by the help of all the creatures or by speech words or works either in eternal life or to eternal life all that they have obtained already If you understand the cause on this manner it is true that a man may become more higher and excellent then all law and vertue and also then the works and knowledg and strength of all creatures But if you affirm that other which is that both ought to be done I mean that both the life of Christ as also all commandments laws ordinances and the like ought to be layd aside and cast off and to be neglected contemned and derided then is it false and full of lyes CHAP. XXIX Of the true and false Lights and of perseverance in the life of Christ NOw some will say If neither Christ nor any other man can obtain any thing nor reap any profit by the life of Christ nor by all Ceremonies and Ordinances c. for whatsoever may be obtained by those things that they have already what further cause is there why they should not leave off to do these things or why ought they to use these things afterwards or handle or have them any longer in account This is to be observed that there are two Lights the one a true the other a false light the true light is the eternal Light which is God or else it is a created Light which is notwithstanding Divine and is called Grace and this is the true Light The other is a false Light which is the Light of Nature or natural light But why the first light should be true and the other false it may be better observed then either written or spoken Nothing appertaineth to God as to the Divinity neither will nor knowledg nor satisfaction nor any thing at all that can be named spoken or thought but to God as God it appertaineth that he â—ay himself open know and love himself that he manifest himself to himself in himself and all this is God and that he is an offence and not an action as being without the creature And in this opening and manifestation is the distinction of persons But where God as God is man or where God liveth in some Divine or Deified man there is something belonging unto God which is only appertaining to him and not to the creatures and God is that in himself without the creature originally or essentially not in form or action and yet God would have this same to be put in practice for therefore it is that it might be conferred to action and so exercised for what then should it be should it be idle what then should it profit for that which is of no use is not at all Now this neither God nor Nature would have But if God would have this exercised and brought into action and that this cannot be done without the creature it is then necessary that it be so done What then If it were neither this nor that nor if it were neither any work nor action or the like what should it be or what should God himself become to be or what should he himself be Here you must return and abide lest by crawling as it were so far you be brought to that pass at the last as not to know which way to turn or by what means to creep back again CHAP. XXX That God is one and simple good and only to be loved NOw this is to be observed God as he is God is good and goodness it self and is neither this good nor that good but here something is to be marked which is somewhere either here or there and that is not in all ends nor above all ends or places Also that which is sometimes to day or to morrow is not always nor every time nor above all times and that which is something either this or that is not all things nor above all things Now understand this after this manner If God were any thing either this or
what is best and most excellent in every thing and loveth that in the true good and for none other cause but for the true good and where this knowledg is there is perceived that the life of Christ is best and most excellent and therefore also to be loved of all and willingly had and born not regarding whether it be sweet or sowre acceptable or troublesome to nature Besides it is to be observed that in what man this true good is known there it is necessary that the life of Christ should be and remain unto the death of the body he that thinketh othewise is deceived and he that speaketh otherwise lyeth and in whom the life of Christ is not he neither knoweth the true God nor Truth it self CHAP. XVII Of the way to Christ LEt no man conceive that he can attain to this true light and knowledg and to the life of Christ by many questions hearing reading or studying or by excellent hard sciences and learning or exquisite natural reason I will say further so long as man retaineth any thing of any thing or doth hold any thing in esteem love desire or study it or keepeth it in his hands whatsoever that is whether it be man himself or any thing else he attaineth not to this This Christ affirmeth when he saith Matthew 16. If thou wilt follow me forsake thy self and come after me And he that doth not forsake himself and his own life and doth not leave and lose it is not worthy of me neither can he be my Disciple The meaning of which words is this he that doth not forsake and abandon all things can never know me truly nor attain to my life And say that this had never bin uttered by the mouth of man yet truth speaketh by it self for this is as true as truth it self But so long as man doth love in part and a portion only and especially himself and doth make account and esteem of it he is so far blinded and becometh so blind as that he knoweth not good but such as is most profitable commodious and pleasing to himself and those things which are his this I say he chiefly accounteth of and holdeth most dear CHAP. XVIII That the life of Christ is envyed of humane wisdom ANd because the life of Christ is most bitter to all selfness and egoity therefore for the obtaining of the same it is necessary that all selfness and natural egoity perish die and be utterly forsaken Therefore also every mans nature doth abhor this life supposing it to be evil unjust foolish and embracing a life fiting it self pleasant and such is his blindness that he doth hold it for the best You see that there is no life so pleasant and agreeable to nature as that which consisteth of liberty and dissolateness Therefore nature cleaveth to this enjoying it as her own flesh peace and tranquillity as also all things which are her own And this comes to pass especially in them who are endued with excellent natural reason for this doth climb so high and standeth so far in her own light and on her self as that she thinketh her self to be that eternal and true light and doth challenge to her self to be the same and being deceived in her self deceiveth others with her self who know no better being thereto also enclined CHAP. XIX The state of a Christian is not to be expresled HEre some man will ask in what estate that man is who followeth the true light as much as is possible to him To whom I will answer that this can never truly be said and why so because that he who is not the thing cannot say it neither can he that is it and knoweth it speak it But if any desire to know it let him expect until he be that thing Further I beleeve that his outward conversation and manners are such that he is capable of whatsoever is fitting and convenient to be done and whatsoever is not meet and convenient to be done But is there not some lust of man who saith so I will so I command this he is not capable of but man perswadeth himself that many things are fitting and ought to be done which notwithstanding are foul and not meet to be done If a mans own pride or covetousness or any other vice or dishonesty provoke him to do or omit any thing he saith that necessity urged him to it and that it ought to be done if the favor or friendship of men or his own lust do set him forward to this or that or doth draw him from it he saith so it is meet and ought to be and all these things are false But if man had none other must or ought but that which God our preserver and truth doth draw and turn us to he should sometimes have more business and work then now he hath CHAP. XX. That the World is mad IT is said that the Devil and his spirit doth sometimes so possess and hold some man as that he knows not what he doth leaveth undone being besides himself the evil spirit having such command over him as that in him with him and through him and from him he doth or omitteth whatsoever he will This in some sort is true that the whole world is possessed with the Devil and carryed of him that is by lyes deceits and other wickednesses and vices which are all diabolical If therefore any man were in such manner possessed and transported by the Spirit of God as that he knew not what he did or did not or were so out of himself as that the will and Spirit of God should moderate his actions and so govern and move him as to cause him with him and from him whatsoever he would and how he would then this man were one of those of whom Saint Paul speaketh Romans 8. Whosoever are carryed and moved by the Spirit of God the same are the sons of God and not subjects to the Law and to whom Christ saith it is not you that speak but the Spirit of Christ speaketh in you but I fear that there are a hundred thousand or rather so many as cannot be numbered who are moved by the Devil whereas in the mean time not one is moved by the Spirit of God which cometh to pass because men have more likeness to the Devil then to God for egoity and selfness belong wholy to the Devil Now in one or two words all things may be here expressed which I have here rehearsed in so many words Even thus Be thou wholy and plainly without thy self And yet this matter is more fully and better declared and shewed and distinguished in many words Now some man will say I am unprepared for all these things therefore this cannot be done in me and so men do get and find out some excuse To the which we may thus answer That man is not ready and is unprepared it is certainly his own fault For if man would mind and do nothing
God had rather live sin remaining or not to destroy sin by his death he would answer that he would rather dye for the sin of one man is more grievous to God and troubleth him more then the torment and death of God himself Then if the sin of one man grieve him so much what grief shall we think that he undergoeth through the sins of men in general Here we may perceive after what manner man troubleth God by sinning and where God is man or in a deified man there is no complaint of any thing but of sin neither doth any thing else cause grief for whatsoever is or is done without sin that God would have and that should be But the complaint of sorrow which is for sin that is meet and fitting that it should remain in a deified man until the death of the body though he should live to the last day and for ever From hence did and doth arise the hidden sorrow of Christ which no man can either utter or know but only Christ and therefore it is both called and indeed is a hidden sorrow And surely this is a thing proper to God who will have it so and delighted therewith in man and is certainly appertaining to God for it doth not belong to man neither is it in mans power and where God can attain to this he holdeth it most dear and acceptable to him but to man it is most bitter and grievous All things which are here set down of the propriety of God which he will have in man in whom they are erected and exercised this I say the true light teacheth and it doth therefore teach that man upon whom it is bestowed and in whom it is exercised to this end might no more challenge it as his own then if himself were not at all for by this means at the length it doth appear that man is not able to do this neither ought it to be attributed to him CHAP. XXXVI That the life of Christ is to be loved for it self and not for reward THerefore wheresoever such a kind of deified man should be or is there also may be and is the best and excellentest life and most acceptable unto God of any that ever was or shall be hereafter and out of the eternal love which loveth God as good and for good and doth also love that in all things which is best and most excellent only for good this true and worthy life is so much beloved that it is never forsaken of that man in whom it is although he should live even to the last day yea and further it is unpossible that it should be forsaken although that man should dye a thousand deaths and all evils should befall him which can befall all creatures he would I say be more willing to endure all these things then forsake this excellent life although he could in exchange thereof obtain the life of an Angel And here answer is made to the question Where it is asked if a man by a Christian life obtain nothing more nor can raise any other profit what need is there then that he should do any thing This life is not followed to this end that thence profit ought to arise or any other thing be gained but only in the behalf of love and the excellency thereof also because it is dear and acceptable to God Now if any man will say or think that he hath gotten enough of it or that he may give it over this man doth neither feel nor know it for where it is truly found and felt it can never be forsaken but he that hath the life of Christ to this end that thereby he may attain or deserve something this man hath it as an hireling and not for love or rather he hath it not at all He that hath it not in love hath it not and although he thinks he have it he is deceived Christ had this life not for reward but for love and love makes this life easie and not grievous causing it to pass away cheerfuly and to be willingly born But he that doth not keep it for love but supposeth that he hath it for reward to him it is most grievous and he desires to be soon rid of it and this is the property of every hireling to desire and wish an end of his labor whereas a true lover taketh neither pain time nor labor in ill part for this cause it is written To serve God and to live to him is easie to him that doth it this indeed is true to him that doth all things in love but to him that doth them for reward it is grievous the same is to be held of all vertues and good deeds and also of integrity equity and the like CHAP. XXXVII That God is above all order IT is said and it is true that God is above all custom measure and order and giveth custom order and measure to all things which must be thus understood God is willing to have all these things but notwithstanding he cannot have them in himself without the creature for in God without the creature there is neither order nor confusion Rite nor Ceremony for this cause his will is that these things should be and that they may and ought to be done for where word work or action is there is necessity that these should be done either according to order custom measure or reason or without order Now order and reason are better and more excellent then these things which are contrary to them But now we must observe that there are four sorts of men who do hold Order Ceremony and Law Some do it neither for God nor for any other cause but only by compulsion and these indeed do it as little as they can and that which they do is bitter and grievous to them 2. Others do it for reward these are they who know no other thing but the same and do that men may and ought to obtain and deserve the Kingdom of God and eternal life after this manner and by no other means and that he who performeth the most of these things is blessed and he that doth omit or neglect any of them is damned and belongeth to the Devil and these men use great pains and diligence herein yet it is a bitter thing unto them 3. The third sort are evil and false spirits who think and say that they are perfect and that they stand in no need of these things and therefore hold them in scorn and derision 4. The fourth sort are such who are filled with a true light and do not these things for reward for they desire not to obtain any thing by them or to attain any thing by their help But whatsoever thing they perform concerning these they do it out of love And these men are not so careful how many of these things or how soon they do these or the like things but how well and that they may be done in peace and
learning many things are known to him the which is called Science and saith that it knoweth this or that And if you aske him whence he knoweth it he will make answer that he hath read it in books c. And this is termed knowledg and science c. but it is belief and not science or knowledg and by this science or knowledg many things are understood and known which are not loved There is also a love which is altogether false as when any thing is loved for reward as when a man loveth justice to the end he might obtain something by it c. Also when any creature loveth another for something of his own or if the creature do love God for some end then all these things are false and this love is most proper to nature as it is nature neither can nature as it is nature know or perform any other love then this for if any one were able to perceive this nature as it is nature loveth nothing but it self by this means something is acknowledged to be good and not loved But the true love is taught and directed by the true light and knowledg and the true eternal and divine light teacheth love to love nothing else but the true simple and perfect good and that for no other cause but for good not that it desireth to have this or that or any thing from it by way of reward but only for the love of good and because it is good and ought deservedly to be loved That which is thus known of the true light must also necessarily be loved of the true love Now the perfect good which is called good cannot be known but of the true light and therefore must needs be loved when it is known CHAP. XLI Of the true Love of God THis also is to be observed in what man soever the true light or the true love is in him the true and perfect good is known and love of it self and this is done not that he loveth it as himself or as from himself but as it is the true and simple good and surely that which is perfect neither can nor will love any thing so far forth as it is loved of it but the only true good and because it self is that same thing it necessarily followeth that it self should love it self yet not it self as it self nor of it self as of it self but so and in such manner as one and the true good doth love one true perfect good and as the one true and perfect good And hereupon it is said and is true that God doth not love himself as himself for if there were any thing better then God God would love it and not himself For in this true light and in this true love there neither remaineth I or mine or to me or thou or thine or any such things but the light knoweth and understandeth that one good which is all good and above all good and all things are truly good in this one and without this one there is no good Therefore here this or that I or thou or the like is not loved but only that One which is neither I nor thou this nor that and in it every good is loved as the only good as it is said all in one as in one and one in all as in all and one and all good is loved by one in one or by the love of one for the love that is born to one Here it is necessary that all Egoity mine selfness and the like should wholy perish and be forsaken and this belongeth properly to God excepting what belongeth to the personality Whatsoever therefore cometh to pass in a man who is truly deified either by doing or suffering the same comes to pass in this light or in this love and from the same and by the same and again into the same hence it followeth that man is contented with it and giveth over his desire to know more or less or to have live dye or not to be c. all these things are effected and are one and the same neither is any thing here blamed but only sin and what sin is is formerly said For it is sin to will otherwise then the simple and perfect good or the one and eternal will and to will any thing without it or against it or otherwise then that only will would whatsoever proceedeth thence as to lye injustice fraud and all vices Finally whatsoever is and is called sin cometh hence that man willeth otherwise then God the true good For if there were no will but this only one there would be no sin committed Therefore we may well say that all our own will is sin and that sin is nothing else but that which proceeds from our will and this is only that whereof a true deified man doth complain and indeed he is so far grieved and moved with as that if such a man were to endure a hundred infamous cruel deaths he would not so much complain or grieve as for sin And this must of necessity continue so until the death of the body where such a one is wanting here surely is not a divine or deified man Therefore after that in this light and in this love all good is loved in one and as one and one in all and in all things as one and as all it followeth necessarily that whatsoever hath truly a good name should also be loved as vertue order integrity justice truth c. Briefly whatsoever belongeth to God as the true good being proper to it the same is beloved and commended of it And whatsoever is contrary hereunto or voyd of this breedeth pain and torment and is blamed as sin And in what man soever this is beloved in the true light and true love he leadeth the most excellent best and worthiest life of any that ever was or shall be and therefore this is to be affected and praised above all other lives This was and is in Christ most perfect otherwise he could not be Christ and this love of which all this excellent life and all good is loved causeth all whatsoever is meet convenient or ought to be suffered done or come to pass to be willingly and freely done and suffered though it be or might be grievous to nature Again Christ saith My yoke is easie and my burthen light this is wrought by that love which loveth this excellent life and it is apparent in the Apostles and Martyrs who suffered willingly and patiently whatsoever they were to suffer neither did they desire of God that the torment and pain might be shortned and made easie or less but only that they might abide firm and constant And surely whatsoever is proper to the divine love in a truly deified man the same is so simple right and plain that it can never be plainly and truly expressed and written neither can it be known but only where it is and where it is not it cannot be loved much less known Again
and enjoying it to the use of himself and those which are his and this is the great loss and injury This I say is that bit wherewith Adam did bite the apple which is forbidden and contrary to God And as long and where this self-will is there never is any true quietness which may easily be discerned both in man and also in the Devil Neither is there verily any true happyness there either in this life or everlastingly Where this self-will is there is a propriety by which man doth challenge will unto himself and maketh it his own which if it be not forsaken in this life but carryed forth of this life it is to be feared that it can never be abandoned neither can that man ever receive true contentment nor enjoy peace rest or happyness The which may be seen in the Devil If creatures were not endued with reason and will surely God would remain unknown and unbelieved neither praised nor honoured and all living creatures would be of no aceount and unfit to serve God and this answer is made to this question If there be any one who from this long and tedious speech which notwithstanding is short and profitable to Godwards can and will correct himself that will be very acceptable to God That which is free is proper to no man and he that doth appropriate it doth ill Now of all freedoms nothing is so free as the wil and whosoever maketh it his own and doth not leave it to its own noble liberty free nobleness free nature he doth ill this doth the Devil and Adam and all their Imitators but he that doth leave will to its own excellent liberty doth as he ought This doth Christ and all that imitate him He that depriveth will of that his excellent liberty and maketh it his own this mans reward is that he becometh subject to cares sorrows poverties troubles unquietness and misfortunes and that he remain in them so long as that lasteth both in this life and for ever But he that leaveth will to its own free nature he enjoyeth plenty peace quietness rest felicity both in this life and everlastingly Wherfore where and in what man will is not appropriated but remaineth in its own excellent freedom there abideth and is a truly free and absolute man or creature of whom Christ saith Truth shall make you free and presently after Whom the Son doth make free he is free indeed John 8. CHAP. LI. That in what man the truth is in that man free-will is THis also is diligently to be observed That in what man soever the truth useth its free liberty it hath a work proper to it self which is to will and that which it willeth it willeth without hinderance and it willeth that which in every thing is the best and most excellent and whatsoever is not excellent nor good is contrary unto it breedeth grief and complaint and the freer the will is and at liberty the more sorrow pain and cause of moan is brought upon it by wickedness dishonesty malice vice and whatsoever is or can be termed sin This may be discerned in Christ who was endued with a most free absolute and least-appropriated will that ever was or shall be in any man yea the humanity of Christ was a creature most free and at greatest liberty of any man that ever was and yet it suffered so much cause of complaint misery and pain for sin that is for all things contrary to God as never any creature was able to suffer more But where man doth challenge liberty in such sort to himself as that he will endure no cause of complaint or misery for sin and such thing as are contrary to God but will neglect and free himself from all care and would be in this life in the same condition wherein Christ was after his Resurrection c. There is no true liberty arising from the divine light but a natural unjust false erroneous devilish liberty out of a natural life and erroneous light If there were no self-will there would be no propriety at all in the Kingdom of Heaven nothing is proper and therefore there is full abundance true peace and all happpness and if any one were there who would challenge any propriety to himself he should necessarily go to Hell and become a Devil But in Hell every one desireth to have his own self-will and therefore there is all unhappiness and misery the like also happeneth in this life But if there were any one in Hell who could free himself from self-will and propriety he should come from Hell to Heaven Now man in this world is placed between Heaven and Hell and may turn himself to either of them for the more propriety he hath the more he is subject to Hell and unhappiness and the less wil he hath the less hel he hath the neerer he is to the king dom of heaven And if man in this present world could be utterly void of self-will and propriety and be free and absolute by means of the true and divine light and should remain truly in that estate this man should be sure to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven He that hath would have or desireth to have any thing proper to himself becometh proper and as it were his own slave and bondman but he that hath nothing nor will have any thing nor desireth to have any thing proper to himself he is free and at liberty and none hath propriety in him CHAP. LII Of Christ his Cross CHrist did teach all these things which are here written in his long life which was almost three and thirty years and a half and this he did in few words when he said Follow me Now that man may follow him it is necessary that he forsake all things for Christ forsook all things so far forth as they never were so left of any other nor could be Further he that would follow him must also take up his Cross which Cross is nothing else but the Life of Christ for this Cross is bitter to all nature Therefore he saith Whosoever doth not forsake all and take up his Cross he is not worthy of me and cannot be my Disciple neither doth he follow me But the free false nature supposeth that it hath forsaken all things yet will not endure the Cross and saith that it hath endured enough of it and that now it standeth in no need of it but therein it is deceived for if it had once truly tasted the Cross it could never forsake it He that beleeveth in Christ must beleeve all things that are written Christ saith No man cometh to the Father but by me Now observe how we must come to the Father by Christ man ought to examine himself and all things that are his both inwardly and outwardly and so behave and help himself so far as he can that in him there never remain or be inwardly any evil or desire love or estimation thought or pleasure other