Part 5 (1/2)
Be it unto me as unto the Lord Christ, and unto my body as unto his, which into his hands I have commended, and for the sake of his name do offer up, according to his revealed Will. Nevertheless I am desirous to know what would become of my body in its pressing forth from the anguish of this miserable World into the power of the Heavenly Kingdom.
MASTER
It would get forth from the reproach and contradiction of the World by a conformity to the pa.s.sion of Jesus Christ; and from the sorrows and pains in the flesh, which are only the effects of some sensible impression of things without, by a quiet introversion of the spirit and secret communion with the Deity manifesting itself for that end. It would penetrate into itself; it would sink into the great love of G.o.d; it would be sustained and refreshed by the most sweet name _Jesus_, and it would see and find within itself a new world springing forth, as through the anger of G.o.d, into the joy and love eternal. And then should a man wrap his soul in this, even in the great Love of G.o.d, and clothe himself therewith as with a garment; and should account thence all things alike; because in the Creature he finds nothing that can give him, without G.o.d, the least satisfaction, and because also nothing of harm can touch him more while he remains in this Love. For this Love is indeed stronger than all things, and makes a man invulnerable both from within and without, by taking out the sting and poison of the Creature, and destroying the power of death. And whether the body be in h.e.l.l or on earth, all is alike to him; for whether it be there or here, his mind is still in the greatest Love of G.o.d; which is no less than to say that he is in heaven.
DISCIPLE
But how would a man's body be maintained in the World; or how would he be able to maintain those who are his, if he should by such a conversation incur the displeasure of all the World?
MASTER
Such a man gets greater favours than the world is able to bestow upon him: he hath G.o.d for his friend; he hath all the Angels for his friends.
In all dangers and necessities these protect and relieve him; so that he need fear no manner of evil; no creature can hurt him. G.o.d is his helper, and that is sufficient. Also G.o.d is his blessing in everything.
And though sometimes it may seem as if G.o.d would not bless him, yet is this but for a trial to him, and for the attraction of the Divine Love, to the end he may more fervently pray to G.o.d, and commit all his ways unto him.
DISCIPLE
He loses, however, by this all his good friends, and there will be none to help him in his necessity.
MASTER
Nay, but he gets the hearts of all his good friends into his possession, and loses none but his enemies, who before loved his vanity and wickedness.
DISCIPLE
How is it that he can get his good friends into his possession?
MASTER
He gets the very hearts and souls of all those that belong to our Lord Jesus to be his brethren, and the members of his own very life. For all the children of G.o.d are but ONE in Christ, which one is Christ _in All_.
And therefore he gets them all to be his fellow-members in the Body of Christ, whence they have all the same heavenly goods in common and all live in one and the same Love of G.o.d, as the branches of a tree in one and the same root, and spring all from one and the same source of life in them. So that he can have no want of spiritual friends and relations, who are all rooted with him together in the Love which is from above, who are all of the same blood and kindred in Christ Jesus; and who are cherished all by the same quickening sap and spirit diffusing itself through them universally from the one true Vine, which is the tree of life and love. These are friends worth having; and though here they may be unknown to him, will abide his friends beyond doubt to all eternity.
But neither can he want even outward natural friends, as our Lord Christ, when on earth, did not want such also. For though, indeed, the High-Priests and Potentates of the World could not have a love to him, because they belonged not to him, neither stood in any kind of relation to him, as being not of this world, yet those loved him who were capable of his love, and receptive of his words. So, in like manner, those who love truth and righteousness will love that man, and will a.s.sociate themselves unto him, yea, though they may perhaps be outwardly at some distance or seeming disagreement, from the situation of their worldly affairs, or from other reasons, yet in their hearts they cannot but cleave to him. For though they be not actually incorporated into one body with him, yet they cannot resist being of one mind with him, and being united in affliction, for the great regard they bear to the truth, which s.h.i.+nes forth in his words and in his life. By this they are made either his declared or his secret friends; and he doth so get their hearts that they will be delighted above all things in his company, for the sake thereof, and will court his friends.h.i.+p and will come unto him by stealth, if openly they dare not, for the benefit of his conversation and advice; even as Nicodemus did to Christ, who came to him by night, and in his heart loved Jesus for the truth's sake, though outwardly he feared the World. And thus thou shalt have many friends that are not known to thee; and some known to thee, who may not appear so before the World.
DISCIPLE
Nevertheless it is very grievous to be generally despised of the World, and to be trampled upon by men as the very offscouring thereof.
MASTER
That which now seems so hard and heavy to thee, thou wilt yet hereafter be most in love with.
DISCIPLE
How can it ever be that I should love that which hates me?
MASTER
Though thou lovest the Earthly Wisdom now, yet when thou shalt be clothed upon with the Heavenly Wisdom, then wilt thou see that all the wisdom of the World is folly; and wilt see also that the World hates not so much thee, as thine enemy, which is this mortal life. And when thou thyself shalt come to hate the will thereof, by means of a habitual separation of thy mind from the World, then thou also wilt begin to love that despising of the mortal life, and the reproach of the World for Christ's sake. And so shalt thou be able to stand under every temptation, and to hold out to the end by the means hereof in a course of life above the World and above sense.