The Master. — If it may but kindle a Fire in thee, thou shalt feel how it consumeth thy Selfhood, that which thou callest /, and rejoiceth so exceedingly in thy Fire, that thou wouldest rather suffer thyself to be killed, than to enter again into thy something. Its Flame also is so great, that it would not leave thee, though it should cost thy temporal Life ; it would go with thee in its Fire into Death ; nay if thou wentest into Hell, it would even destroy Hell for thy Sake.
34. The Scholar. —Loving Master, I can no longer endure
104 Way to Qhrist .
that any Thing should divert me from this Love ; how shall I find the nearest Way to it ?
THE MASTER. — Where the Way is hardest, there walk thou, and take up what the World rejecteth ; and what the World doth, that do not thou. Walk contrary to the W< orld in all Things, and then thou takest the nearest Way to it.
35. The Scholar.— If I should walk contrary to the World in every Thing, I must needs live in mere Misery and Unquietness , and f should also be accounted a Fool.
The Master. — I do not bid thee do Harm to any ; but because the World loveth only Deceit and Vanity, and walketh in false and wicked Ways ; therefore if t thou wilt act a quite contrary Part to the Ways thereof in all Things, walk only in the Right Way. For the Right Way is contrary to all the Ways of the World. r ^ *'■"
But whereas thou sayest thou shouldest live in mere Anguish and Trouble : that indeed will be so according to the Flesh ; and will give thee Occasion of continual Repentance-, and in such 'Anxiety the Love will most readily kindle its Fire. «,
What thou sayest also, viz., ‘ that thou shouldest be accounted a 'fool,' is true ; for the Way to the Love of Goi) is Folly to the World, but Wisdom to the Children of Qod. When the World perceiveth this Fire of Love kindled in the Children of Qod, it saith they are turned Fools ; but to the Children of Qoditls the greatest Treasure ; so great that no Life can express, nor Tongue describe, what the Fire of the inflaming Love of God is. It is brighter than the Sun, and sweeter than any Thing. It is far more nourishing and vital than any Meat or Drink, and more pleasant than all the Joy of this World. Whosoever getteth it is richer than any King on Earth, more noble than any Emperor, and more potent and strong than all Authority and Power.
Whither the blessed and damned Souls go, ‘when,, they depart from their Bodies ; and how Heaven and Hell are in Man.
36. Then the Scholar asked his Master further saying, Whither go the Souls, both of the Saved and Damned, when they leave these mortal Bodies ?
His Master answered , The Soul needeth no going forth ; only the outward mortal Life and the earthly Body do at Death separate themselves from the Soul. The Soul hath Heaven and Hell in itself before ; as it is written, ‘ The Kingdom of God cometh
Of the Super-Sensual Life . 105
~ • i not with outward Observation ; neither shall they say, lo here,
4 or lo there, it is, for behold, the Kingdom of God is within you/ And whether of the two States , viz., either Heaven or Hell , shall be manifested in thenSoul, in that it standeth.
37. The Scholar. — Doth it not enter into Heaven or Hell , as a Man entereth into a House, or goeth through a Door or Passage, into another Place?
The Master. — No, there is no such Kind of entering f for Heaven and Hell are present everywhere, and it is but the turtiing of the Will either into God’s Love , or into his Anger , that introduced into them. And that cometh to pass in this Life, according to the saying of St. Paul, 4 Our Conversation is in Heaven and Christ saith also, 4 My Sheep hear my Voice, and I know ‘them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal Life, •'Ufld nor*e $Jhall pluck them out of my Hand/
38. The SCHOLAR. — How cometh this entering of the Will into Heaven or Hell to pass ?
The Master. — If it may but kindle a Fire in you, you shall feel how it consums your Selfhood, that which you call /, and rejoics so exceedingly in your Fire, that you wouldest rather suffer yourself to be killed, than to enter again into your something. Its Flame also is so great, that it would not leave you, though it should cost your temporal Life ; it would go with you in its Fire into Death ; nay if you wentest into Hell, it would even destroy Hell for your Sake.
34. The Scholar. —Loving Master, I can no longer endure
104 Way to Qhrist .
that any Thing should divert me from this Love ; how shall I find the nearest Way to it ?
THE MASTER. — Where the Way is hardest, there walk you, and take up what the World rejects ; and what the World does, that do not you. Walk contrary to the W< orld in all Things, and then you takest the nearest Way to it.
35. The Scholar.— If I should walk contrary to the World in every Thing, I must needs live in mere Misery and Unquietness , and f should also be accounted a Fool.
The Master. — I do not bid you do Harm to any ; but because the World loves only Deceit and Vanity, and walks in false and wicked Ways ; therefore if t you will act a quite contrary Part to the Ways thereof in all Things, walk only in the Right Way. For the Right Way is contrary to all the Ways of the World. r ^ *'■"
But whereas you say you shouldest live in mere Anguish and Trouble : that indeed will be so according to the Flesh ; and will give you Occasion of continual Repentance-, and in such 'Anxiety the Love will most readily kindle its Fire. «,
What you say also, viz., ‘ that you shouldest be accounted a 'fool,' is true ; for the Way to the Love of Goi) is Folly to the World, but Wisdom to the Children of Qod. When the World perceives this Fire of Love kindled in the Children of Qod, it says they are turned Fools ; but to the Children of Qoditls the greatest Treasure ; so great that no Life can express, nor Tongue describe, what the Fire of the inflaming Love of God is. It is brighter than the Sun, and sweeter than any Thing. It is far more nourishing and vital than any Meat or Drink, and more pleasant than all the Joy of this World. Whosoever getts it is richer than any King on Earth, more noble than any Emperor, and more potent and strong than all Authority and Power.
Whither the blessed and damned Souls go, ‘when,, they depart from their Bodies ; and how Heaven and Hell are in Man.
36. Then the Scholar asked his Master further saying, Whither go the Souls, both of the Saved and Damned, when they leave these mortal Bodies ?
His Master answered , The Soul needs no going forth ; only the outward mortal Life and the earthly Body do at Death separate themselves from the Soul. The Soul has Heaven and Hell in itself before ; as it is written, ‘ The Kingdom of God comes
Of the Super-Sensual Life . 105
~ • i not with outward Observation ; neither shall they say, lo here,
4 or lo there, it is, for behold, the Kingdom of God is within you/ And whether of the two States , viz., either Heaven or Hell , shall be manifested in the#Soul, in that it stands.
37. The Scholar. — Does it not enter into Heaven or Hell , as a Man enters into a House, or goes through a Door or Passage, into another Place?
The Master. — No, there is no such Kind of entering f for Heaven and Hell are present everywhere, and it is but the turtiing of the Will either into God’s Love , or into his Anger , that introduced into them. And that comes to pass in this Life, according to the saying of St. Paul, 4 Our Conversation is in Heaven and Christ says also, 4 My Sheep hear my Voice, and I know ‘them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal Life, •'Ufld nor*e $Jhall pluck them out of my Hand/
38. The SCHOLAR. — How comes this entering of the Will into Heaven or Hell to pass ?
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