CHAPTER LIII
Considereth that other saying of Christ, "No Man can come unto Me,
except the Father, which hath sent Me, draw him."
Christ hath also said: "No man cometh unto Me, except the Father, which hath
sent Me, draw him."[58] Now mark: by the
Father, I understand the Perfect, Simple Good, which is All and above All, and
without which and besides which there is no true Substance, nor true Good, and
without which no good work ever was or will be done. And in that it is All, it
must be in All and above All. And it cannot be any one of those things which
the creatures, as creatures, can comprehend or understand. For whatever the
creature, as creature (that is, in her creature kind), can conceive of and
understand, is something, this or that, and therefore is some sort of creature.
And now if the Simple Perfect Good were somewhat, this or that, which the
creature understandeth, it would not be the All, nor the Only One, and
therefore not Perfect. Therefore also it cannot be named, seeing that it is
none of all the things which the creature as creature can comprehend, know,
conceive, or name. Now behold, when this Perfect Good, which is unnameable,
floweth into a Person able to bring forth, and bringeth forth the Only-begotten
Son in that Person, and itself in Him, we call it the Father.
Now mark how the Father draweth men unto
Christ. When somewhat of this Perfect Good is discovered and revealed within
the soul of man, as it were in a glance or flash, the soul conceiveth a longing
to approach unto the Perfect Goodness, and unite herself with the Father. And
the stronger this yearning groweth, the more is revealed unto her; and the more
is revealed unto her, the more is she drawn toward the Father, and her desire
quickened. Thus is the soul drawn and quickened into a union with the Eternal
Goodness. And this is the drawing of the Father, and thus the soul is taught of
Him who draweth her unto Himself, that she cannot enter into a union with Him
except she come unto Him by the life of Christ. Behold, now she putteth on that
life of which I have spoken afore.
Now see the meaning of these two sayings of
Christ's. The one, "No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me"; that is, through
My life, as hath been set forth. The other saying, "No man cometh unto Me,
except the Father draw him"; that is, he doth not take My life upon him and
come after Me, except he be moved and drawn of My Father; that is, of the
Simple and Perfect Good, of which St. Paul saith; "when that which is Perfect
is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." That is to say; in
whatever soul this Perfect Good is known, felt and tasted, so far as may be in
this present time, to that soul all created things are as nought compared with
this Perfect One, as in truth they are; for beside or without the Perfect One,
is neither true Good nor true Substance. Whosoever then hath, or knoweth, or
loveth, the Perfect One, hath and knoweth all goodness. What more then doth he
want, or what is all that "is in part" to him, seeing that all the parts are
united in the Perfect, in One Substance?
What hath here been said, concerneth the outward
life, and is a good way or access unto the true inward life; but the inward
life beginneth after this. When a man hath tasted that which is perfect as far
as is possible in this present time, all created things and even himself become
as nought to him. And when he perceiveth of a truth that the Perfect One is All
and above All, he needs must follow after Him, and ascribe all that is good,
such as Substance, Life, Knowledge, Reason, Power, and the like, unto Him alone
and to no creature. And hence followeth that the man claimeth for his own
neither Substance, Life, Knowledge, nor Power, Doing nor Refraining, nor
anything that we can call good. And thus the man becometh so poor, that he is
nought in himself, and so are also all things unto him which are somewhat, that
is, all created things. And then there beginneth in him a true inward life,
wherein from henceforward, God Himself dwelleth in the man, so that nothing is
left in him but what is God's or of God, and nothing is left which taketh
anything unto itself. And thus God Himself, that is, the One Eternal
Perfectness, alone is, liveth, knoweth, worketh, loveth, willeth, doeth and
refraineth in the man. And thus, of a truth, it should be, and where it is not
so, the man hath yet far to travel, and things are not altogether right with
him.
Furthermore, it is a good way and access unto
this life, to feel always that what is best is dearest, and always to prefer
the best, and cleave to it, and unite oneself to it. First: in the creatures.
But what is best in the creatures? Be assured: that, in which the Eternal
Perfect Goodness and what is thereof, that is, all which belongeth thereunto,
most brightly shineth and worketh, and is best known and loved. But what is
that which is of God, and belongeth unto Him? I answer: whatever with justice
and truth we do, or might call good.
When therefore among the creatures the man
cleaveth to that which is the best that he can perceive, and keepeth
steadfastly to that, in singleness of heart, he cometh afterward to what is
better and better, until, at last, he findeth and tasteth that the Eternal Good
is a Perfect Good, without measure and number above all created good. Now if
what is best is to be dearest to us, and we are to follow after it, the One
Eternal Good must be loved above all and alone, and we must cleave to Him
alone, and unite ourselves with Him as closely as we may. And now if we are to
ascribe all goodness to the One Eternal Good, as of right and truth we ought,
so must we also of right and truth ascribe unto Him the beginning, middle, and
end of our course, so that nothing remain to man or the creature. So it should
be of a truth, let men say what they will.
Now on this wise we should attain unto a true
inward life. And what then further would happen to the soul, or would be
revealed unto her, and what her life would be henceforward, none can declare or
guess. For it is that which hath never been uttered by man's lips, nor hath it
entered into the heart of man to conceive.
In this our long discourse, are briefly
comprehended those things which ought of right and truth to be fulfilled: to
wit, that man should claim nothing for his own, nor crave, will, love, or
intend anything but God alone, and what is like unto Him, that is to say, the
One, Eternal, Perfect Goodness.
But if it be not thus with a man, and he take,
will, purpose, or crave, somewhat for himself, this or that, whatever it may
be, beside or other than the Eternal and Perfect Goodness which is God Himself,
this is all too much and a great injury, and hindereth the man from a perfect
life; wherefore he can never reach the Perfect Good, unless he first forsake
all things and himself first of all. For no man can serve two masters, who are
contrary the one to the other; he who will have the one, must let the other go.
Therefore if the Creator shall enter in, the creature must depart. Of this be
assured.
[58] John 6:44.