CHAPTER XXV.

_Of the contempt of all creatures, in order to find out the Creator._

*_Christian._ LORD, I stand in need of greater grace, to attain that state wherein no man or creature may be a hindrance to me.

For as long as any thing detains me, I cannot freely take my flight unto thee.

What is more quiet than a single eye? And what more free than he that desireth nothing upon earth?

And unless a man be free from the affections of all creatures, he cannot freely attend unto divine things.

Long shall he be little, and lie groveling below, that esteemeth any thing great, but the one infinite and eternal good.

For whatsoever is not God, is nothing, and ought to be accounted as nothing.

_Christ._ Son, thou canst not possess perfect liberty, unless thou wholly renounce thyself.

All who are lovers of themselves are in bondage, full of desires, curious wanderers, seeking self-indulgence, and not the things of Jesus Christ, but often devising and framing that which shall not stand.

For all that is not of God shall perish.

*Keep this short and perfect saying, Forsake all, and thou shalt find all; leave desire, and thou shalt find rest.

Consider this well, and when thou hast fulfilled it, thou shalt understand all things.

2. _Christian._ Lord, that is not one day’s work; yea, in this short word is contained all perfection.

_Christ._ Son, thou must not go back, nor straitways be dejected, when thou hearest of the ways of the perfect; but rather be stirred up to higher things, and at least desire and sigh after them.

I would thou wert come to this, that thou wert no longer a lover of thyself, but didst stand merely at my beck.

Then thou wouldst please me, and all thy life would pass away in joy and peace.

Thou hast yet many things to forsake; which, unless thou wholly resignest up unto me, thou shalt not attain that which thou desirest.

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayst be rich: that is, heavenly wisdom, which treadeth under foot all earthly things.

Cast away earthly wisdom, and all study to please others or thyself.

He that is wise, and well instructed in spirit, standeth fast, not heeding any thing, but that the whole intention of his mind may tend to the right end.

For thus he may continue one, and the selfsame, and unshaken in the midst of so many various events, directing continually the single eye of his intention unto me.

3. And the purer the eye of the intention is, the more steadily doth he pass through various storms.

But in many things the eye of a pure intention waxeth dim, for it quickly looketh upon any delightsome object that occurs.

And it is rare to find one that is wholly free from all blemish of self- seeking.

So the Jews of old came to Bethany to Martha and Mary, not for Jesus alone, but to see Lazarus also.

The eye of thy intention therefore is to be purged, that it may be single and right, directed unto me beyond the manifold earthly objects that come between.