CHAPTER XXXVIII
How we are to put on the Life of Christ from Love, and not for the
sake of Reward, and how we must never grow careless concerning it, or cast it
off.
Now, wherever a man hath been made a partaker of the divine nature, in him is
fulfilled the best and noblest life, and the worthiest in God's eyes, that hath
been or can be. And of that eternal love which loveth Goodness as Goodness and
for the sake of Goodness, a true, noble, Christ-like life is so greatly
beloved, that it will never be forsaken or cast off. Where a man hath tasted
this life, it is impossible for him ever to part with it, were he to live until
the Judgment Day. And though he must die a thousand deaths, and though all the
sufferings that ever befell all creatures could be heaped upon him, he would
rather undergo them all, than fall away from this excellent life; and if he
could exchange it for an angel's life, he would not.
This is our answer to the question, "If a
man, by putting on Christ's life, can get nothing more than he hath already,
and serve no end, what good will it do him?" This life is not chosen in order
to serve any end, or to get anything by it, but for love of its nobleness, and
because God loveth and esteemeth it so greatly. And whoever saith that he hath
had enough of it, and may now lay it aside, hath never tasted nor known it; for
he who hath truly felt or tasted it, can never give it up again. And he who
hath put on the life of Christ with the intent to win or deserve ought thereby,
hath taken it up as an hireling and not for love, and is altogether without it.
For he who doth not take it up for love, hath none of it at all; he may dream
indeed that he hath put it on, but he is deceived. Christ did not lead such a
life as His for the sake of reward, but out of love; and love maketh such a
life light and taketh away all its hardships, so that it becometh sweet and is
gladly endured. But to him who hath not put it on from love, but hath done so,
as he dreameth, for the sake of reward, it is utterly bitter and a weariness,
and he would fain be quit of it. And it is a sure token of an hireling that he
wisheth his work were at an end. But he who truly loveth it, is not offended at
its toil or suffering, nor the length of time it lasteth. Therefore it is
written, "To Serve God and live to Him, is easy to him who doeth it." Truly is
so to him who doth it for love, but it is hard and wearisome to him who doth it
for hire. It is the same with all virtue and good works, and likewise with
order, laws, obedience to precepts, and the like. But God rejoiceth more over
one man who truly loveth, than over a thousand hirelings.