her for any treasure This is he who becometh and is a vertuous man and he that is truly endued with vertue would not for the whole world be bereaved of vertue Nay he had rather dye a miserable death We may speak the like of Justice most men know sufficiently what is justice yet do they not become just for they love not justice and therefore they exercise vice and injustice for if they loved justice they could do nothing which were unjust for they would hate and become such enemies to injustice as that if they should perceive it in any man they would willingly suffer and act great matters whereby injustice might he rooted out and man become just and had rather dye then do any unjust thing and all these they would do for no other cause nor end but the love of justice and justice should be their reward and sufficiently recompence them Such a one becometh and is a just man who had rather dye an hundred times then live unjustly The like may be said of truth Although a man know in many things what is true what is false and a lye yet if he love not the truth he is not a true man and if he do love it then that befalleth him which is said of justice Isaiah speaketh of justice when he saith Wo to them that are of a double spirit those are they who outwardly serve God but inwardly are full of lyes in whose mouth a lye is found Hence we may learn that knowledg and skill being voyd of love is of no moment The like is also understood of the devil who knoweth and understandeth evil and good just and unjust truth and falshood c. But because he loveth not the good which he knoweth he becometh not good which surely he would if he could love the truth and other good things and vertues which he knoweth It is true indeed that love and knowledg ought to be taught but if love do not follow knowledg and accompany it nothing is gained And such is the consideration of God and of his nature and of those things that appertain to him that if any man have great knowledg of God and of his nature and thinketh that he knoweth and understandeth what God is except he be endued with love he cannot become divine or deified But if he hath true love it is certain that such a man doth cleave unto God and forsaketh all such things as are not God nor appertaining to God and that he doth hate and is at enmity with all such things not enduring them being grievous to him and this love doth so joyn a man to God that he can never be separated from him CHAP. XL. Whether God may be known and yet not loved HEnce a question ariseth because it is said he that knoweth God not and loveth him not can never be blessed From this kind of knowledg there ariseth what kind of knowledg that is whereby God may be known and yet not loved seeing it is said elswheres that where God is known he there also is loved and that he that doth know God doth also necessarily love him how then can these contrary sayings agree together unto which I answer that here again something is to be observed We have formerly spoken of two lights whereof the one is true and the other false after the same manner we must discern that there is a double love a true one and a false one both which must be taught and brought unto us by some light or knowledg Now the true light worketh true love and the false light false love for that which the false light doth account to be best the same it doth propound and perswade to be loved as the best and love doth follow and obey what it commandeth Now it is formerly taught that the false light is natural and nature so as whatsoever is proper and belonging to nature is proper and belonging to it as I mine to me this that this mans c. It is necessary therefore it should be deceived and false in it self for I or mine never comes to the true light or knowledg undeceived except only one which is the divine persons And to the end we may come to the knowledg of the simple truth it is necessary that all these perish This also is one special property belonging to the natural false light that it desireth to know all things if it be possible and conceiveth much joy and pleasure boasting in its knowledg and learning desiring always to know more more and yet never resteth or is contented therewithall and the more or higher things that it knoweth the greater occasion it taketh of joy and boasting and when it is come to so great heighth that it supposeth it self to know all things and more then all then is it in the highest pleasure and triumphing accounting of that knowledg as the most best excellent thing and therefore it teacheth that knowledg and learning ought to be loved as the most best and excellent thing And thus it comes to pass that knowledg learning is more esteemed of then the thing it self which is known for the natural and false light doth better love its knowledg and learning id est it self then that self-same thing which is known as if it were possible that the same natural light could know God and the simple truth as it is in God and in truth yet notwithstanding it would not depart from its one property that is from it self and its own After this manner is knowledg without the love of that which is known or hath been known and thus it climbeth and creepeth to such an height that it supposeth it self to know God and the true and simple truth and so it loveth it self in it self Surely God is known of nothing but of God and because this light supposeth that it knows God it perswads it self also that it is God and boasteth it self as God and willing to be esteemed God thinking it self worthy of all things and to have right over all things and that it hath overcome and conquered all things c. Yea it scorneth Christ himself and the life of Christ and all other things for it would not be Christ but God eternal the reason of this is because that Christ and his life is contrary and burthensom to all nature and therefore nature cannot bear it but would be God for ever and not man yet would it willingly be Christ as he is now after his resurrection for all this is easie and pleasant and comfortable to nature therefore nature esteems it best because it seemeth best for her self Some thing is known but yet not loved of this false light and of this false and deceitful love but knowledg and learning is more loved then the thing it self which is known There is also knowledg which is called Science and yet is not Science and this is when a man supposeth by hearing reading and some singular knowledg 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
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
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
things and because it is deceived it doth think and say that whatsoever is the best sweetest and most fit for it self that indeed is the best of all other things and it doth say that 't is the best of all that every man should seek do and will that which is best for himself it knows none other good but its own and that which is best for it self as it supposeth But if you speak unto it of the true and simple good which is neither this nor that it knows not what it is but only laugheth it to scorn which indeed is fitting to be so for nature as it is nature cannot attain to it Therefore seeing this light is mearly nature it cannot proceed so far This false light doth also say that it hath surmounted both Religion and Conscience and whatsoever it doth is right In so much that a certain false libertine spirit did say standing in this error that although he had slain ten thousand men he would make no more conscience of it then if he had killed a dog Briefly this false and deceived light doth fly all things that are contrary and grievous to nature and this is proper unto it because it is nature and being so deceived as that it supposeth it self to be God it doubted not to swear by all the Saints that it knoweth the thing which is the best and hath his existence in it so that it intenddeth only to extol and seek that which is the best of all Thus it cometh to pass that it never either is amended or taught more then the Devil himself Observe also that this light doth suppose it self to be God and arrogateth the same to it self and herein it is Lucifer the Devil and whereas it doth reject the Life of Christ and many other things belonging to the true good and such as were taught beloved of Christ it is Antichrist seeing it doth teach and live against and contrary to Christ And even as this light is deceived by its own subtilty so likewise are all things deceived by it which are neither God nor Divine that is all men who are not illuminated with the true light and the love thereof for whosoever they are that are illuminated of the true light they are never deceived but whosoever hath it not and yet is so affected as that he will walk with this false light and remain in it he is deceived And this comes to pass because all men that are in the light which is not true are turned into themselves and do esteem themselves and that which is profitable and fit for them to be the chiefest good and if any man will commend and propound that unto them for the chiefest good and will help them to it and teach them how to obtain it him they follow and esteem as their Master Now this false light doth teach all things belonging thereunto and therefore all men follow it who know not the true light so it comes to pass that they are deceived both together It is said of Antichrist that when he cometh all that have not the Seal of God shall follow him those which have it shall not follow him and that is the same light this is true indeed if any man can attain to that which is best for himself viz. that which is best to God ward that is excellent but this is not done so long as man seeketh and loveth that which is best for himself For to the end he may find and obtain that which is best for himself it is necessary that he first lose that whith is best for himself as hath been already said But if a man be willing to forsake and lose that which is best for himself to the end he may find that which is best for himself this again is false therefore there are but few that can come into this way This false light that a man ought to be voyd of Religion and that he is a fool and a block who maketh any account thereof and this it would prove from Christ who was voyd of Religion to the which answer is made that the Devil is voyd also of Religion yet he is no whit the better for being so Understand therefore what Religion is Religion is when it is acknowledged that man is averse or diverted from God by his own will which both is truly named and called sin and that this was mans fault and not Gods for God is free from all fault of sinning who is he therefore that knoweth himself to be guiltless except Christ alone and some few besides Know that whosoever is voyd of Religion is either Christ or the Devil In a word wheresoever the true light is there is also a true and upright life which is acceptable and beloved of God And although it be not the Life of Christ in perfection yet notwithstanding it is rectified and framed to the imitation of him and such a one loveth the Life of Christ and whatsoever properly belongeth to reason order and all vertues In this life I say all selfness I mine c. perisheth Lastly Nothing is in it admired or sought but only good for good and as it is good But where the false light is there is no regard had either of Christ or all vertues but that is sought and beloved which is fitting and pleasing to nature hence proceedeth false and inordinate liberties whereby man becometh secure and negligent in and of every thing For the true light is the seed of God and therefore brings forth the fruit of God The false light is the seed of the Devil and where it is sown there also the fruit of the Devil and the Devil himself increaseth This may be perceived and understood by the words and arguments formerly set down CHAP. XXXIX Who and what a deified man is IT might be demanded who is or what is a deified or a divine man whereunto I answer he who is illuminated and enbeamed with divine light and kindled with the eternal and divine love is a divine and a deified man And of this light we have made some mention heretofore But we must know that light and knowledg is fit for nothing nor is nothing without love which may here be perceived that although a man very well know what vertue or vice is yet except he love vertue he becometh not neither is endued with vertue but leaving vertue he followeth vice But if he embrace vertue then he followeth it and this love causeth himself to become an enemy to vice and in such manner that he cannot only not entertain nor commit sin but also maketh him to hate it in all men yea he doth so far love vertue that he cannot be at rest except he doth exercise or enjoy it as much as he may and that for no other cause but for that he loveth vertue and vertue it self is a reward to him with enjoying of which he rests so well contented as that he will not exchange
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
God or belonging to God Neither is there any thing which doth challenge or arrogate any thing to it self so that it cometh to pass that it is God only who liveth understandeth is able loveth willeth doeth or leaveth undone That is the eternal and perfect good ought thus to be and where it is otherwise there the matter might be both better and streighter For a good work and beginning if care be had that it be the best becometh most acceptable and let the best be chosen and adhered unto also let man joyn himself to it thing in the creatures But what is the best thing in the creatures Surely where the eternal good and that which is proper unto it doth enlighten and work and where they are most known and loved And what is that which belongeth to God and is proper only to him I say all that is it which may be truly and rightly called and named good when man in the creatures adhereth and cleaveth so to that which is known to be the best as that he remaineth stedfast and flyeth not back then it comes to pass that he attaineth to something which is better then it so far forth until man perceive and understand that that only eternal and perfect good is unmeasurable infinite and to be esteemed above all created goodness CHAP. LVI That God alone is to be loved and honored THerefore if that which is best ought most of all to be loved and if man do follow it then the only eternal good ought without doubt alone to be loved above all things and man ought to stick thereunto only and to joyn himself unto it so far as is in his power And if every good thing ought to be acknowledged as received from the eternal only good as worthily and truly it ought then also the beginning going forward and conclusion ought rightly and truly to be acknowledged and esteemed from it and the same ought to be imputed and adjudged to it so as nothing is left as appertaining to man or the creatures and thus it ought of right to be And whatsoever is said or alledged as against this yet this is the way which leadeth into the true interiour life But what will at last become of this or be manifested there or what manner of life this is like to prove no man uttereth or expresseth neither was it ever declared or did any heart either know or conceive truly the quality of such a life It is briefly contained in this long written discourse by what means it may rightly and truly come to pass that man become free and voyd of arrogating any thing to himself or from willing wishing loving or affecting any thing saving God and Divinity that is the eternal perfect and only good and if any man arrogate to himself will esteem or desire any thing other or more then the eternal good it is too much and vicious Briefly if a man can obtain so far forth as to be the same to God which the hand of man is to man let him rest therewith contented And this ought truly to be done for all breathing creatures especially those who are endued with Reason and chiefly man doth truly and deservedly ow this duty to God This you may gather out of what hath been formerly written This also is to be committed to memory after man hath proceeded so far as that he should verily perswade himself to have attained hereunto it is time then that he should have regard lest the Devil sowing ashes there he seek and repose his whole nature tranquillity rest peace and pleasure in it and so slide into foolish and inordinate liberty and negligence which truly is wholy repugnant and remote from the divine life this befalleth that man who neither hath nor will enter in at the right gate nor by the right way that is by Christ as is aforesaid but willeth and thinketh that he may attain to this perfect truth otherwise by other means or else conceiveth that he hath attained so far already before he come to it in truth id est manifest by the witness of Christ who saith He that will enter by any other means then by me he never entreth rightly nor hath attained the chief truth but is a chief and a robber That we may depart from our and being dead to our own wills live only to God and the performance of his will God grant through him who subjected his will to the will of his heavenly Father who also liveth and raigneth with the Father in the Unity of the Holy Ghost and the perfect Trinity everlastingly Amen Certain grave sayings by which the diligent Schollar of Christ may search into himself and know what is to be sought and strived for concerning the true inward uniting of himself to the one supream good GOd is one and unity existeth and floweth from him alone and yet not out of him otherwise it should decrease and become less Where two are which ought to be preserved and agree together it is possible that betwixt those discord should arise These two cannot disagree saving only in will which would be the greatest cause of all discord in God himself if two things could be in him For there is nothing which may breed disagreement amongst all things which may disagree but dissimilitude of wills This one God willeth that which is one and is contrary to all things which are two Therefore whatsoever he himself hath created he created upon this one otherwise it should have wanted order Further his Creation or the things created could have had no constancy by reason of his contrary will even as now it comes to pass and therefore it must necessarily have perished This Unity could not have been measured considered handled or known but only of one and through one and that sometimes in its contrary Contrariety existeth of it self without the fault of the Adversary Hence it may easily be discerned that this one and this best was to have some object from whence it as far as might be should be known That Object was and is the essence and being of all living things Chiefly and best in the reasonable and by the reasonable creature which was Adam Here the omnipotency mercy and infinite goodness doth shew it self whose name is To the increasing of further knowledg hee created every thing free which he did craate for whatsoever was is and so rem ineth free could not man naturally make or create any thing that was proper Now also that free thing could not more conveniently work in any thing or make it self apparent then in its own object He that concludeth and appropriateth any thing that is free and ought to be free doth the contrary to him which made and created it free this is sin Sin is plainly to be discerned if you will throughly hate it Hatred consisteth in that which is contrary to it which is truly named the seed of God or the Image of God and desireth