y Will with his Will. But
mark what I have further to say, and be not thou startled at it, though
it may seem hard for thee at first to conceive. If thou wilt be like All
Things thou must forsake all things; thou must not extend thy will to
possess that for thine own, or as thine own, which is _Something_,
whatever that Something be. For as soon as ever thou takest _Something_
into thy desire, and receivest it into thee for thine own, or in
propriety, then this very Something (of what nature soever it is) is
the _same_ with thyself; and this worketh with thee in thy will, and
thou art thence bound to protect it, and take care of it, even as of thy
own being. But if thou dost receive _no thing_ into thy desire then thou
art free from all things, and rulest over all things at once, as a
Prince of God. For thou hast received nothing for thine own, and art
nothing to all things, and all things are as nothing unto thee. Thou art
as a child, which understands not what a thing is; and though thou dost
perhaps understand it, yet thou understandest it without mixing with it,
and without it sensibly affecting or touching thy perception, even in
that matter wherein God doth rule and see all things, he comprehending
All, and yet nothing comprehending him.

DISCIPLE

Ah! how shall I arrive at this heavenly understanding, at this pure and
naked knowledge, which is abstracted from the senses, at this light
above Nature and Creature, and at this participation of the Divine
Wisdom which oversees all things, and governs through all intellectual
beings? For, alas, I am touched every moment by the things which are
about me, and overshadowed by the clouds and perfumes which rise up out
of the earth. I desire, therefore, to be taught, if possible, how I may
attain such a state and condition as that no creature may be able to
touch me to hurt me; and how my mind, being purged from sensible objects
and things, may be prepared for the entrance and habitation of the
Divine Wisdom in me.

MASTER

Thou desirest that I would teach thee how thou art to attain it; and I
will direct thee to our Master, from whom I have been taught it, that
thou mayest learn it thyself from him, who alone teacheth the heart.
Hear thou him. Wouldst thou arrive at this; wouldst thou remain
untouched by sensibles; wouldst thou behold light in the very Light of
God, and see all things thereby; then consider the words of Christ, who
is the Light and who is the Truth. O