stands in a figure, representing how God is in and through all, and yet is as a nothing to all things, for they comprehend not him, and yet all is manifested by him; and he himself is all, and yet has nothing, for any thing is to him in the apprehension of it even as nothing, for it comprehends him not. He is as it were dead to all things, and yet himself is the life of all things. He is ONE, and yet NOTHING and ALL. Thus also a man becomes according to his resigned will, when he yields himself wholly to God, and then his will falls again into the unsearchable will of God, out of which he came in the beginning, and then stands in the form as an image of the unsearchable will of God, wherein God dwells and wills.
64. For if the creature wills no more than what God wills through it, then it is dead to itself, and stands again in the first image, viz. in that wherein God formed it in a life; for what is the life of the creature? nothing else but a spark of the will of God, which creature now stands still to the will of God, whose life and will is God's, who drives and governs it.
65. But that which wills and runs (Rom. ix. 16) of itself that rends itself from the entire will of God, and brings itself into selfhood, wherein yet there is no rest, for it must live and run on in self-will, and is a mere unquietness. For unquietness is the life of selfwill; for when the will wills itself no more, then nothing can torment it more, its willing is its own life; and whatsoever wills in and with God,l that is one life with God.
66. It is better to know nothing, than to will according to self; for that which knows nothing, the will of that passes away with the creaturely life, and its strife has an end, and has no more source [or torment]: as we may understand in irrational creatures. 2
67. For it is the source [and torment] of all the damned that they are wishing and woulding,3 viz. they would that which is self, and in their woulding they generate ideas, species, and formations,4 viz. contrary wills and desires, the will being at strife; so that one [only] thing is manifested in multiplicity, wherein it is at enmity with itself; but when it is one with the Eternal One, then can no enmity be therein, and there is also no possibility of enmity therein.
68. Therefore it is man's last proof or trial when he stands still to God in all things; then in him light proceeds out of darkness, life out of death, and joy out of sorrow; for God is in and with him in all things, and blesses him. As was done to Joseph in the prison: his prison became joy to him, for he became also a governor over the prison in the prison; he was as a prisoner, and yet as a master of the prisoners; he governed the prison, and the prisoners, and was a patron, fosterer and guardian to the distressed; his master took nothing upon himself and was well pleased with what Joseph did, for all was very pleasing and right in his sight.
1 Wills or desires that which God wills or desires.
2 Or, sensitive creatures.
3 Have a longing desire, and yet cannot attain the least satisfaction.
4 Representations in their thoughts.
69. Thus understand us here according to its precious worth: When man is entirely resigned to God, then is God his will, and God takes nothing upon himself about what man does; nothing is against him, for God's will does it in himself; and all sin ceases; and though God's will of anger stirs in him, and brings fire from heaven from the Lord (as was done by Elias), yet all is right in the sight of God, for the party does it not, but God through him: he is the instrument through which God speaks and acts.
stands in a figure, representing how God is in and through all, and yet is as a nothing to all things, for they comprehend not him, and yet all is manifested by him; and he himself is all, and yet has nothing, for any thing is to him in the apprehension of it even as nothing, for it comprehends him not. He is as it were dead to all things, and yet himself is the life of all things. He is ONE, and yet NOTHING and ALL. Thus also a man becomes according to his resigned will, when he yields himself wholly to God, and then his will falls again into the unsearchable will of God, out of which he came in the beginning, and then stands in the form as an image of the unsearchable will of God, wherein God dwells and wills.
64. For if the creature wills no more than what God wills through it, then it is dead to itself, and stands again in the first image, viz. in that wherein God formed it in a life; for what is the life of the creature? nothing else but a spark of the will of God, which creature now stands still to the will of God, whose life and will is God's, who drives and governs it.
65. But that which wills and runs (Rom. ix. 16) of itself that rends itself from the entire will of God, and brings itself into selfhood, wherein yet there is no rest, for it must live and run on in self-will, and is a mere unquietness. For unquietness is the life of selfwill; for when the will wills itself no more, then nothing can torment it more, its willing is its own life; and whatsoever wills in and with God,l that is one life with God.
66. It is better to know nothing, than to will according to self; for that which knows nothing, the will of that passes away with the creaturely life, and its strife has an end, and has no more source [or torment]: as we may understand in irrational creatures. 2
67. For it is the source [and torment] of all the damned that they are wishing and woulding,3 viz. they would that which is self, and in their woulding they generate ideas, species, and formations,4 viz. contrary wills and desires, the will being at strife; so that one [only] thing is manifested in multiplicity, wherein it is at enmity with itself; but when it is one with the Eternal One, then can no enmity be therein, and there is also no possibility of enmity therein.
68. Therefore it is man's last proof or trial when he stands still to God in all things; then in him light proceeds out of darkness, life out of death, and joy out of sorrow; for God is in and with him in all things, and blesses him. As was done to Joseph in the prison: his prison became joy to him, for he became also a governor over the prison in the prison; he was as a prisoner, and yet as a master of the prisoners; he governed the prison, and the prisoners, and was a patron, fosterer and guardian to the distressed; his master took nothing upon himself and was well pleased with what Joseph did, for all was very pleasing and right in his sight.
1 Wills or desires that which God wills or desires.
2 Or, sensitive creatures.
3 Have a longing desire, and yet cannot attain the least satisfaction.
4 Representations in their thoughts.
69. Thus understand us here according to its precious worth: When man is entirely resigned to God, then is God his will, and God takes nothing upon himself about what man does; nothing is against him, for God's will does it in himself; and all sin ceases; and though God's will of anger stirs in him, and brings fire from heaven from the Lord (as was done by Elias), yet all is right in the sight of God, for the party does it not, but God through him: he is the instrument through which God speaks and acts.
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