The Master. — He would not take that as any Harm done to him, but would rather rejoice that he is become worthy to be thus conformed to the Example of our Lord Christ , and be willing to bear that Cross after our Lord, merely that the Lord might bestow the Influence of his sweet Love upon him.
18. The Scholar. — What would become of him, when the
Anger of God from within , and the wicked World from without,
should assault him, as happened to our Lord Christ ?
The Master. — Let him be thereunto what our Lord Christ was. When He was reproached, reviled, and crucified by the Wjtrld and the Priests , He commended His Soul into the Hands of His Father, and so departed from the Anguish of this World into th*e eternal Joy . So also such a Soul would get forth from the Reproach and Anguish of all the World, and penetrate into itself, into the great Love of God, and be sustained and refreshed by the most sweet Name Jesus , and see and fiVid in itself a nezv World springing forth through the Anger of God; then should it wrap itself up herein, and account all Things alike. And thus ‘whether the Body be in Hell or on Earth, yet would the Soul be in the greatest Love of God.
. 19. The Scholar. — But how would a Man maintain himself in the World, and those that belong to him, if he should thus incur the Displeasure of all the World?
7—3 ioo The W'ay to Qhrist .
The MASTER. — He thereby getteth greater Favour than the World is able to bestow, for he hath God, and all His A ngels for his Friends , who protect him in all Dangers and Necessities. GOD is his Blessing in every Thing, and though sometimes it may seem as if God would not bless him, it is but to try him, and is in truth the drawing of God’s Love , that he might the more earnestly pray to God, and commit all his Way to Him.
20 . The SCHOLAR. — But he loseth all his good Friends , and there will be none to help him in his Necessity.
The Master. — Nay, he getteth the Hearts of all his good Friends into his Possession, and loseth none but his Enemies, who before loved his Vanity and Wickedness.
21 . The Scholar. — How is it that he getteth his good Friends into his Possession ?
The Master. — He getteth the Souls of all those, tha* belong • to our Lord Jesus to be his Brethren and the Members of his own Life. For the Children of God are but One in Christ, which One is Christ in all. Therefore he getteth them all to be his FellowMembers in the Body of Christ, for they have the Heavenly Qaods in common, and live in one and the same Love of God, as the Branches of a Tree spring from one and the same Sap. Nor will he want outward natural Friends, any more than our Lord Christ did. For though the High Priests and Potentates of the World who belonged not to Him, nor were His Members and Brethren, loved Him not, yet those who were capable of His Words loved Him. So likewise those that love Truth and Righteousness, would love that Man, and associate themselves with him ; as Nicodemus did with Christ, who came to Him by Night, and in his Heart loved Jesus for the Truths Sake, yet outwardly feared the World. And thus shall such a Man have many Friends rise up who were not known to him at the Beginning.
22. The Scholar. — B ut it is very grievous to be despised by all the World.
The Master. — That which now seems hard and heavy to thee thou wilt afterwards love most of all.
23. The Scholar. — How can it be that I should love that which hateth me ?
The Master. — He would not take that as any Harm done to him, but would rather rejoice that he is become worthy to be thus conformed to the Example of our Lord Christ , and be willing to bear that Cross after our Lord, merely that the Lord might bestow the Influence of his sweet Love upon him.
18. The Scholar. — What would become of him, when the
Anger of God from within , and the wicked World from without,
should assault him, as happened to our Lord Christ ?
The Master. — Let him be thereunto what our Lord Christ was. When He was reproached, reviled, and crucified by the Wjtrld and the Priests , He commended His Soul into the Hands of His Father, and so departed from the Anguish of this World into th*e eternal Joy . So also such a Soul would get forth from the Reproach and Anguish of all the World, and penetrate into itself, into the great Love of God, and be sustained and refreshed by the most sweet Name Jesus , and see and fiVid in itself a nezv World springing forth through the Anger of God; then should it wrap itself up herein, and account all Things alike. And thus ‘whether the Body be in Hell or on Earth, yet would the Soul be in the greatest Love of God.
. 19. The Scholar. — But how would a Man maintain himself in the World, and those that belong to him, if he should thus incur the Displeasure of all the World?
7—3 ioo The W'ay to Qhrist .
The MASTER. — He thereby getts greater Favour than the World is able to bestow, for he has God, and all His A ngels for his Friends , who protect him in all Dangers and Necessities. GOD is his Blessing in every Thing, and though sometimes it may seem as if God would not bless him, it is but to try him, and is in truth the drawing of God’s Love , that he might the more earnestly pray to God, and commit all his Way to Him.
20 . The SCHOLAR. — But he loses all his good Friends , and there will be none to help him in his Necessity.
The Master. — Nay, he getts the Hearts of all his good Friends into his Possession, and loses none but his Enemies, who before loved his Vanity and Wickedness.
21 . The Scholar. — How is it that he getts his good Friends into his Possession ?
The Master. — He getts the Souls of all those, tha* belong • to our Lord Jesus to be his Brethren and the Members of his own Life. For the Children of God are but One in Christ, which One is Christ in all. Therefore he getts them all to be his FellowMembers in the Body of Christ, for they have the Heavenly Qaods in common, and live in one and the same Love of God, as the Branches of a Tree spring from one and the same Sap. Nor will he want outward natural Friends, any more than our Lord Christ did. For though the High Priests and Potentates of the World who belonged not to Him, nor were His Members and Brethren, loved Him not, yet those who were capable of His Words loved Him. So likewise those that love Truth and Righteousness, would love that Man, and associate themselves with him ; as Nicodemus did with Christ, who came to Him by Night, and in his Heart loved Jesus for the Truths Sake, yet outwardly feared the World. And thus shall such a Man have many Friends rise up who were not known to him at the Beginning.
22. The Scholar. — B ut it is very grievous to be despised by all the World.
The Master. — That which now seems hard and heavy to you you will afterwards love most of all.
23. The Scholar. — How can it be that I should love that which hates me ?
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