CHAPTER XL
A good Account of the False Light and its Kind.
Now I have said that there is a False Light; but I must tell you more
particularly what it is, and what belongeth thereunto. Behold, all that is
contrary to the True Light belongeth unto the False. To the True Light it
belongeth of necessity, that it seeketh not to deceive, nor consenteth that any
should be wronged or deceived, neither can it be deceived. But the false is
deceived and a delusion, and deceiveth others along with itself. For God
deceiveth no man, nor willeth that any should be deceived, and so it is with
His True Light. Now mark, the True Light is God or divine, but the False Light
is Nature or natural. Now it belongeth to God, that He is neither this nor
that, neither willeth nor desireth, nor seeketh anything in the man whom He
hath made a partaker of the divine nature, save Goodness as Goodness, and for
the sake of Goodness. This is the token of the True Light. But to the Creature
and Nature it belongeth to be somewhat, this or that, and to intend and seek
something, this or that, and not simply what is good without any Wherefore. And
as God and the True Light are without all self-will, selfishness, and
self-seeking, so do the I, the Me, the Mine, and the like, belong unto the
natural and false Light; for in all things it seeketh itself and its own ends,
rather than Goodness for the sake of Goodness. This is its property, and the
property of nature or the carnal man in each of us.
Now mark how it first cometh to be deceived.
It doth not desire nor choose Goodness as Goodness, and for the sake of
Goodness, but desireth and chooseth itself and its own ends, rather than the
Highest Good; and this is an error, and is the first deception.
Secondly, it dreameth itself to be that which it
is not, for it dreameth itself to be God, and is truly nothing but nature. And
because it imagineth itself to be God, it taketh to itself what belongeth to
God; and not that which is God's, when He is made man, or dwelleth in a Godlike
man, but that which is God's, and belongeth unto Him, as He is in eternity,
without the creature. For, as it is said, God needeth nothing, is free, not
bound to work, apart by Himself, above all things, and so forth (which is all
true); and God is unchangeable, not to be moved by anything, and is without
conscience, and what He doeth that is well done; "So will I be," saith the
False Light, "for the more like God one is, the better one is, and therefore I
will be like God and will be God, and will sit and go and stand at His right
hand": as Lucifer the Evil Spirit also said.[45] Now God in Eternity is without contradiction, suffering
and grief, and nothing can hurt or vex Him of all that is or befalleth. But
with God, when He is made Man, it is otherwise.
In a word: all that can be deceived is deceived
by this False Light. Now since all is deceived by this False Light that can be
deceived, and all that is creature and nature, and all that is not God nor of
God, may be deceived, and since this False Light itself is nature, it is
possible for it to be deceived. And therefore it becometh and is deceived by
itself, in that it riseth and climbeth to such a height that it dreameth itself
to be above nature, and fancieth it to be impossible for nature or any creature
to get so high, and therefore it cometh to imagine itself God. And hence it
taketh unto itself all that belongeth unto God, and specially what is His as He
is in Eternity, and not as He is made Man. Therefore it thinketh and declareth
itself to be above all works, words, customs, laws and order, and above that
life which Christ led in the body which He possessed in His holy human nature.
So likewise it professeth to remain unmoved by any of the creature's works;
whether they be good or evil, against God or not, is all alike to it; and it
keepeth itself apart from all things, like God in Eternity, and all that
belongeth to God and to no creature it taketh unto itself, and vainly dreameth
that this belongeth unto it; and deemeth itself well worthy of all this, and
that it is just and right that all creatures should serve it, and do it homage.
And thus no contradiction, suffering or grief is left unto it; indeed nothing
but a mere bodily and carnal perceiving: this must remain until the death of
the body, and what suffering may accrue therefrom. Furthermore, this False
Light imagineth, and saith, that it has got beyond Christ's life in the flesh,
and that outward things have lost all power to touch it or give it pain, as it
was with Christ after His resurrection, together with many other strange and
false conceits which arise and grow up from these.
And now since this False Light is nature, it
possesseth the property of nature, which is to intend and seek itself and its
own in all things, and what may be most expedient, easy and pleasant to nature
and itself. And because it is deceived, it imagineth and proclaimeth it to be
best that each should seek and do what is best for himself. It refuseth also to
take knowledge of any Good but its own, that which it vainly fancieth to be
Good. And if one speak to it of the One, true, everlasting Good, which is
neither this nor that, it knoweth nothing thereof, and thinketh scorn of it.
And this is not unreasonable, for nature as nature cannot attain thereunto. Now
this False Light is merely nature, and therefore it cannot attain thereunto.
Further, this False Light saith that it hath got
above conscience and the sense of sin, and that whatever it doeth is right,
Yea, it was said by such a false Free Spirit, who was in this error, that if he
had killed ten men he should have as little sense of guilt as if he had killed
a dog. Briefly: this false and deceived Light fleeth all that is harsh and
contrary to nature, for this belongeth to it, seeing that it is nature. And
seeing also that it is so utterly deceived as to dream that it is God, it were
ready to swear by all that is holy, that it knoweth truly what is best, and
that both in belief and practice it hath reached the very summit. For this
cause it cannot be converted or guided into the right path, even as it is with
the Evil Spirit.
Mark further: in so far as this Light imagineth
itself to be God and taketh His attributes unto itself, it is Lucifer, the Evil
Spirit; but in so far as it setteth at nought the life of Christ, and other
things belonging to the True Light, which have been taught and fulfilled by
Christ, it is Antichrist, for it teacheth contrary to Christ. And as this Light
is deceived by its own cunning and discernment, so all that is not God, or of
God, is deceived by it, that is, all men who are not enlightened by the True
Light and its love. For all who are enlightened by the True Light can never
more be deceived, but whoso hath it not and chooseth to walk by the False
Light, he is deceived.
This cometh herefrom, that all men in whom the
True Light is not, are bent upon themselves, and think much of themselves, and
seek and propose their own ends in all things, and whatever is most pleasant
and convenient to themselves they hold to be best. And whoso declareth the same
to be best, and helpeth and teacheth them to attain it, him they follow after,
and maintain to be the best and wisest of teachers. Now the False Light
teacheth them this very doctrine, and showeth them all the means to come by
their desire; therefore all those follow after it, who know not the True Light.
And thus they are together deceived.
It is said of Antichrist, that when he cometh, he
who hath not the seal of God in his forehead, followeth after him, but as many
as have the seal follow not after him. This agreeth with what hath been said.
It is indeed true, that it is good for a man that he should desire, or come by
his own good. But this cannot come to pass so long as a man is seeking, or
purposing his own good; for if he is to find and come by his own highest good,
he must lose it that he may find it. As Christ said: "He who loveth his life
shall lose it." That is; he shall forsake and die to the desires of the flesh,
and shall not obey his own will nor the lusts of the body, but obey the
commands of God and those who are in authority over him, and not seek his own,
either in spiritual or natural things, but only the praise and glory of God in
all things. For he who thus loseth his life shall find it again in Eternal
Life. That is: all the goodness, help, comfort, and joy which are in the
creature, in heaven or on earth, a true lover of God findeth comprehended in
God Himself; yea, unspeakably more, and as much nobler and more perfect as God
the Creator is better, nobler, and more perfect than His creature. But by these
excellences in the creature the False Light is deceived, and seeketh nothing
but itself and its own in all things. Therefore it cometh never to the right
way.
Further, this False Light saith, that we should
be without conscience or sense of sin, and that it is a weakness and folly to
have anything to do with them: and this it will prove by saying that Christ was
without conscience or sense of sin. We may answer and say: Satan is also
without them, and is none the better for that. Mark what a sense of sin is. It
is that we perceive how man has turned away from God in his will (this is what
we call sin), and that this is man's fault, not God's, for God is guiltless of
sin. Now, who is there that knoweth himself to be free from sin save Christ
alone? Scarcely will any other affirm this. Now he who is without sense of sin
is either Christ or the Evil Spirit.
Briefly: where this True Light is, there is a
true, just life such as God loveth and esteemeth. And if the man's life is not
perfect as Christ's was, yet it is framed and builded after His, and his life
is loved, together with all that agreeth with decency, order, and all other
virtues, and all Self-will, I, Mine, Me, and the like, is lost; nothing is
purposed or sought but Goodness, for the sake of Goodness, and as Goodness. But
where that False Light is, there men become heedless of Christ's life and all
virtue, and seek and intend whatever is convenient and pleasant to nature. From
this ariseth a false, licentious freedom, so that men grow regardless and
careless of everything. For the True Light is God's seed, and therefore it
bringeth forth the fruits of God. And so likewise the False Light is the seed
of the Devil; and where that is sown, the fruits of the Devil spring up -- nay,
the very Devil himself. This ye may understand by giving heed to what hath been
said.
[45] Isaiah 14:13, 14.