CHAPTER XXXIII
How when a Man is made truly Godlike, his Love is pure and unmixed,
and he loveth all Creatures, and doth his best for them.
Hence it followeth, that in a truly Godlike man, his love is pure and unmixed,
and full of kindness, insomuch that he cannot but love in sincerity all men and
things, and wish well, and do good to them, and rejoice in their welfare. Yea,
let them do what they will to such a man, do him wrong or kindness, bear him
love or hatred or the like, yea, if one could kill such a man a hundred times
over, and he always came to life again, he could not but love the very man who
had so often slain him, although he had been treated so unjustly, and wickedly,
and cruelly by him, and could not but wish well, and do well to him, and show
him the very greatest kindness in his power, if the other would but only
receive and take it at his hands. The proof and witness whereof may be seen in
Christ; for He said to Judas, when he betrayed Him: "Friend, wherefore art thou
come?" Just as if He had said: "Thou hatest Me, and art Mine enemy, yet I love
thee and am thy friend. Thou desirest and rejoicest in My affliction, and dost
the worst thou canst unto Me; yet I desire and wish thee all good, and would
fain give it thee, and do it for thee, if thou wouldst but take and receive
it." As though God in human nature were saying: "I am pure, simple Goodness,
and therefore I cannot will, or desire, or rejoice in, or do or give anything
but goodness. If I am to reward thee for thy evil and wickedness, I must do it
with goodness, for I am and have nothing else." Hence therefore God, in a man
who is "made partaker of His nature," desireth and taketh no revenge for all
the wrong that is or can be done unto Him. This we see in Christ, when He said:
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
Likewise it is God's property that He doth
not constrain any by force to do or not to do anything, but He alloweth every
man to do and leave undone according to his will, whether it be good or bad,
and resisteth none. This too we see in Christ, who would not resist or defend
Himself when His enemies laid hands on Him. And when Peter would have defended
Him, He said unto Peter: "Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which My
Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?" Neither may a man who is made a
partaker of the divine nature, oppress or grieve any one. That is, it never
entereth into his thoughts, or intents, or wishes, to cause pain or distress to
any, either by deed or neglect, by speech or silence.