Th$ Master. — If thy Will goeth forth from the Creatures , then the Creatures are forsaken in and by thee ; they are in the World, and thy Body only is with the Creatures , but in thy Spirit thou walkest with God. And if thy Will leaveth the Creatures , then the Creatures are dead in it, and live only in the JBody in the World ; and if thy Will doth not bring itself into * them, they cannot touch thy Soul. For St, Paul saith, ‘Our ‘Conversation is in Heaven;’ also, ‘Ye are the Temple of the ‘Holy Ghost, who dwelleth in you;’ so then, the Holy Qhost dwelleth in the Will, and the Creatures dwell in the Body .
11. The Scholar. — If the Holy Qhost dwell in the Will of
p. 7
9,8 The TV ay to Qhrist .
the Mind, how may I keep myself that He may not depart from me?
THE MASTER. — Mark the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ; * If ‘you abide in my Word, then my Words abide in you.’ If thou dost abide with thy Will in the Words of CUrist , then His Word and Spirit abide in thee. But if thy Will goeth into the Creatures, then thou hast broken off thyself from Him, and then thou canst not any other Way keep thyself, but by abiding continually in resigned Humility, and entering into continual Repentance, so that thou art always grieved that Creatures live in thee. If thou dost thus, thou standest in a daily dying from the Creatures, and in a daily ascending into Heaven in and with thy Will again.
12 . The Scholar. — O loving Master, pray teach me how 1 may come into such a continual Repentance,
How Men may come to continual Repentance , and- subsist in Temptation.
The Master. — When thou leavest that which loveth thee, and lovest that which hateth thee, then thou mayest abide continually in Repentance.
13. The Scholar. — What is that which I must thus leave?
The Master. — T hy Creatures in Flesh and Blood, and all other Things that love thee ; love thee because thy Will entertaineth, nourisheth, and preserveth them. These the Will must leave and account as Enemies ; and the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ together with the Reproach of the World hateth thee, which thou must learn to love, and take for a daily Exercise of thy Repentance. And then thou shalt have continual Cause to hate thyselj in the Creature, and to seek the eternal Rest, wherein thy Will may rest ; as Christ said, * In the World you shall have ‘ Tribulation, but in me you shall have Rest.’ «•
14. The Scholar. — How may I stand firm in such a Temptation as this? *■
The Master. — If every Hour thou dost once throw thyself beyond all Creatures, above all sensual Reason , into the mere Mercy of God, into the Sufferings of our Lord, and yield thyself thereinto, then thou shalt receive Power to rule over Sin, Death , and the Devil, over Hell and the World, and then thou mayest* stand firm in all Temptations.
15* The Scholar. — Poor Man that I am, what would become of me, if I should attain with my Mind to That where no Creature is !
Of the Super-Sensual Life . 99
THE MASTER. — Loving Scholar, if thy Will could break off itself for one Hour from all Creatures , and throw itself into that where no Creature Js, it would be presently clothed with the highest Splendour of God's Qlory , and would taste in itself the most sweet Love of our Lord Jesus , which no Man can express ; and it would find in itself the unspeakable Words of our Lord concerning his great Mercy. It would feel in itself that the Cross of our Lord Christ would be very pleasing to it, and it would love that more than the Honour and Goods of the World .
1 6. The Scholar. — But what would become of the Body, since it must live in the Creature ?
The Master. — The Bddy would be put into the Imitation of our Lord Christ, who said, His Kingdom was not of this World. It would begin to die from without and from within; from with - it wpulfl die from the Vanity and evil Deeds of the World ; it would be an utter Enemy to all Pride and Insolence . And from within , it would die from all Evil Lusts and Envy, and would get a Mind and Will in itself wholly new, which would be continually directed towards God and Goodness.
17. The SCHOLAR. — But the World would hate and despise a Man for doing so, seeing he must contradict the World, and live and do otherwise than the World doth.
Th$ Master. — If your Will goes forth from the Creatures , then the Creatures are forsaken in and by you ; they are in the World, and your Body only is with the Creatures , but in your Spirit you walkest with God. And if your Will leaves the Creatures , then the Creatures are dead in it, and live only in the JBody in the World ; and if your Will does not bring itself into * them, they cannot touch your Soul. For St, Paul says, ‘Our ‘Conversation is in Heaven;’ also, ‘You are the Temple of the ‘Holy Ghost, who dwells in you;’ so then, the Holy Qhost dwells in the Will, and the Creatures dwell in the Body .
11. The Scholar. — If the Holy Qhost dwell in the Will of
p. 7
9,8 The TV ay to Qhrist .
the Mind, how may I keep myself that He may not depart from me?
THE MASTER. — Mark the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ; * If ‘you abide in my Word, then my Words abide in you.’ If you do abide with your Will in the Words of CUrist , then His Word and Spirit abide in you. But if your Will goes into the Creatures, then you have broken off yourself from Him, and then you can not any other Way keep yourself, but by abiding continually in resigned Humility, and entering into continual Repentance, so that you are always grieved that Creatures live in you. If you do thus, you stand in a daily dying from the Creatures, and in a daily ascending into Heaven in and with your Will again.
12 . The Scholar. — O loving Master, pray teach me how 1 may come into such a continual Repentance,
How Men may come to continual Repentance , and- subsist in Temptation.
The Master. — When you leavest that which loves you, and lovest that which hates you, then you may abide continually in Repentance.
13. The Scholar. — What is that which I must thus leave?
The Master. — T hy Creatures in Flesh and Blood, and all other Things that love you ; love you because your Will entertains, nourishes, and preservs them. These the Will must leave and account as Enemies ; and the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ together with the Reproach of the World hates you, which you must learn to love, and take for a daily Exercise of your Repentance. And then you shall have continual Cause to hate thyselj in the Creature, and to seek the eternal Rest, wherein your Will may rest ; as Christ said, * In the World you shall have ‘ Tribulation, but in me you shall have Rest.’ «•
14. The Scholar. — How may I stand firm in such a Temptation as this? *■
The Master. — If every Hour you do once throw yourself beyond all Creatures, above all sensual Reason , into the mere Mercy of God, into the Sufferings of our Lord, and yield yourself thereinto, then you shall receive Power to rule over Sin, Death , and the Devil, over Hell and the World, and then you may* stand firm in all Temptations.
15* The Scholar. — Poor Man that I am, what would become of me, if I should attain with my Mind to That where no Creature is !
Of the Super-Sensual Life . 99
THE MASTER. — Loving Scholar, if your Will could break off itself for one Hour from all Creatures , and throw itself into that where no Creature Js, it would be presently clothed with the highest Splendour of God's Qlory , and would taste in itself the most sweet Love of our Lord Jesus , which no Man can express ; and it would find in itself the unspeakable Words of our Lord concerning his great Mercy. It would feel in itself that the Cross of our Lord Christ would be very pleasing to it, and it would love that more than the Honour and Goods of the World .
1 6. The Scholar. — But what would become of the Body, since it must live in the Creature ?
The Master. — The Bddy would be put into the Imitation of our Lord Christ, who said, His Kingdom was not of this World. It would begin to die from without and from within; from with - it wpulfl die from the Vanity and evil Deeds of the World ; it would be an utter Enemy to all Pride and Insolence . And from within , it would die from all Evil Lusts and Envy, and would get a Mind and Will in itself wholly new, which would be continually directed towards God and Goodness.
17. The SCHOLAR. — But the World would hate and despise a Man for doing so, seeing he must contradict the World, and live and do otherwise than the World does.
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