But that which I further said, 4 its Qreatness is greater than ‘ Qod,' is also true. For Love entereth into that where GOD dwelleth not , as when our beloved Lord Christ was in Hell , Hell was not God but Love was there and destroyed Death . Also, when thou art in Anguish and Trouble of Soul, GOP is not the Anguish or Trouble , but His Love is there, and bringeth thee out of Anguish into God. When God hideth Himself in thee, Love is there, and maketh Him manifest in thee.
And that which I said, ‘ whosoever findeth it, findeth nothing ‘ and all Things is also true, for he findeth a Supernatural Supersensual Abyss having no Qround, where there is no Place to dwell in. He findeth also nothing that is like it, and therefore it may be compared to nothing; for it is deeper than any Thing, and is as nothing to all Things, for it is not comprehensible. And, because it is nothing , it is free from all Things, and is that onjv Qood which a Man cannot describe or express what it is.
But that which I lastly said, ‘ he that findeth it, findeth all ‘ Things / is also true ; it hath been the Beginning of all Things, and it ruleth all Things. If thou findest it, thou comest into that Qround from whence all Things proceeded, and wherein they subsist ; and thou art in it a King over all the Works of God.
28. The Scholar. — Loving Master, pray ‘tell me where < dwelleth it in Man ?
The Master. — Where Man dwelleth not , there it hath its
Seat in Man.
29. The SCHOLAR. — Where is that in a Man’s Self where Man dwelleth not ?
Of the Super-Sensual Life . 10,3
_ — . - — — — — 1
THE MASTER. — It is in the Soul that is resigned to the Ground, where the Soul dieth to its own Will, and Willeth no more of itself, but only what God Willeth. That is the Place in a Man’s Self where Man dwelleth not, and there Love dwelleth. For so much of the Soul as its own Will is dead to itself in, so much Place Love hath taken up therein ; for where its own Will sat before, there now is nothing , and where nothing is, there the Love of God is working alone. ,
30. The Scholar, — B ut how may I comprehend or attain it without the dying of my Will ?
The Master. — If thou wilt comprehend it in thy own Will, it flieth away from thee ^ but if thou yieldest thyself wholly up to it, then thou art dead to thyself in thy own Will, and Love will then be the Life of thy Nature. It killeth thee not, but quickeneth 'Ulee asco^ding to its Life, and then thou livest, yet not to thy own Will, but to its Will ; for thy Will becometh its Will, and then thou art dead to thyself, but alive unto Qod.
31. I* he Scholar. — How is it that so few find it, when all would so fain have it ?
The Master. — Because they all seek it in something, viz., in an imaginary Opinion, in Self Desire, whereto almost all have a peculiar natural Lust or Inclination. And though Love should proffer itself to them, it could find no Harbour or Dwelling-place in them, because the Imaginativeness that is in their own Will, hath set itself in the Place thereof. And that Imaginativeness of Self-Lust would fain have the Love in it ; but Love flieth away, for it dwelleth only in nothing, and therefore such Souls find it not.
32. The Scholar. — What is the Office of it in nothing?
The Master. — Its Office is to penetrate without Intermission into something ; and if it find a Place in something which standeth still, then its Office is to take Possession thereof, and to rejoice therein with its flaming Fire of Love, more than the Sun in this JVorld ; and without Intermission to kindle a Fire in something, and to consume the something, and to enflame itself therewith.
33> The Scholar. — O loving Master ! How shall I understand this ?
But that which I further said, 4 its Qreatness is greater than ‘ Qod,' is also true. For Love enters into that where GOD dwells not , as when our beloved Lord Christ was in Hell , Hell was not God but Love was there and destroyed Death . Also, when you are in Anguish and Trouble of Soul, GOP is not the Anguish or Trouble , but His Love is there, and brings you out of Anguish into God. When God hides Himself in you, Love is there, and makes Him manifest in you.
And that which I said, ‘ whosoever finds it, finds nothing ‘ and all Things is also true, for he finds a Supernatural Supersensual Abyss having no Qround, where there is no Place to dwell in. He finds also nothing that is like it, and therefore it may be compared to nothing; for it is deeper than any Thing, and is as nothing to all Things, for it is not comprehensible. And, because it is nothing , it is free from all Things, and is that onjv Qood which a Man cannot describe or express what it is.
But that which I lastly said, ‘ he that finds it, finds all ‘ Things / is also true ; it has been the Beginning of all Things, and it ruls all Things. If you find it, you comest into that Qround from whence all Things proceeded, and wherein they subsist ; and you are in it a King over all the Works of God.
28. The Scholar. — Loving Master, pray ‘tell me where < dwells it in Man ?
The Master. — Where Man dwells not , there it has its
Seat in Man.
29. The SCHOLAR. — Where is that in a Man’s Self where Man dwells not ?
Of the Super-Sensual Life . 10,3
_ — . - — — — — 1
THE MASTER. — It is in the Soul that is resigned to the Ground, where the Soul dies to its own Will, and Wills no more of itself, but only what God Wills. That is the Place in a Man’s Self where Man dwells not, and there Love dwells. For so much of the Soul as its own Will is dead to itself in, so much Place Love has taken up therein ; for where its own Will sat before, there now is nothing , and where nothing is, there the Love of God is working alone. ,
30. The Scholar, — B ut how may I comprehend or attain it without the dying of my Will ?
The Master. — If you will comprehend it in your own Will, it flies away from you ^ but if you yieldest yourself wholly up to it, then you are dead to yourself in your own Will, and Love will then be the Life of your Nature. It kills you not, but quickens 'Ulee asco^ding to its Life, and then you livest, yet not to your own Will, but to its Will ; for your Will becomes its Will, and then you are dead to yourself, but alive unto Qod.
31. I* he Scholar. — How is it that so few find it, when all would so fain have it ?
The Master. — Because they all seek it in something, viz., in an imaginary Opinion, in Self Desire, whereto almost all have a peculiar natural Lust or Inclination. And though Love should proffer itself to them, it could find no Harbour or Dwelling-place in them, because the Imaginativeness that is in their own Will, has set itself in the Place thereof. And that Imaginativeness of Self-Lust would fain have the Love in it ; but Love flies away, for it dwells only in nothing, and therefore such Souls find it not.
32. The Scholar. — What is the Office of it in nothing?
The Master. — Its Office is to penetrate without Intermission into something ; and if it find a Place in something which stands still, then its Office is to take Possession thereof, and to rejoice therein with its flaming Fire of Love, more than the Sun in this JVorld ; and without Intermission to kindle a Fire in something, and to consume the something, and to enflame itself therewith.
33> The Scholar. — O loving Master ! How shall I understand this ?
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.