ossession, then it rejoiceth
therein with its flaming Love-fire, even as the sun doth in the visible
world. And then the office of it is without intermission to enkindle a
fire in this Something which may burn it up; and then with the flames
thereof exceedingly to enflame itself, and raise the heat of the
Love-fire by it, even seven degrees higher.

DISCIPLE

O, loving Master, how shall I understand this?

MASTER

If it but once kindle a fire within thee, my son, thou shalt then
certainly feel how it consumeth all that which it toucheth, thou shalt
feel it in the burning up thyself, and swiftly devouring all _Egoity_ or
that which thou callest _I and Me_, as standing in a separate Root, and
divided from the Deity, the Fountain of thy Being. And when this
enkindling is made in thee, then the Love doth so exceedingly rejoice in
thy fire, as thou wouldest not for all the world be out of it; yea,
wouldst rather suffer thyself to be killed, than to enter into _thy
something_ again. This fire must now grow hotter and hotter, till it
shall have perfected its office with respect to thee. Its flame also
will be so very great that it will never leave thee, though it should
even cost thee thy temporal life, but it would go with thee with its
sweet loving fire into death; and if thou wentest also into Hell, it
would break Hell in pieces also for thy sake. Nothing is more certain
than this, for it is stronger than Death and Hell.

DISCIPLE

Enough, my dearest Master, I can no longer endure that any Thing should
divert me from it. But how shall I find the nearest way to it?

MASTER

Where the way is hardest, there go thou; and what the World casteth
away, that take thou up. What the World doth, that do thou not; but in
all things walk thou contrary to the World. So thou comest the nearest
way to that which thou art seeking.

DISCIPLE

If I should in all things walk contrary to other people, I must needs be
in a very unquiet and sad state, and the World would not fail to account
me for a madman.

MASTER

I bid thee not, Child, to do harm to anyone, thereby to create to
thyself any misery or unquietness. This is not what I mean by walking
contrary in everything to the World. But because the World, as the
World, loveth all deceit and vanity, and walketh in false and
treacherous ways, thence, if thou hast a mind to act a clean contrary
part to the ways thereof, without any exception or reserve whatsoever,
walk thou only