CHAPTER III
How Man's Fall and going astray must be amended as Adam's Fall was.
What else did Adam do but this same thing? It is said, it was because Adam ate
the apple that he was lost, or fell. I say, it was because of his claiming
something for his own, and because of his I, Mine, Me, and the like. Had he
eaten seven apples, and yet never claimed anything for his own, he would not
have fallen: but as soon as he called something his own, he fell, and would
have fallen if he had never touched an apple. Behold! I have fallen a hundred
times more often and deeply, and gone a hundred times farther astray than Adam;
and not all mankind could mend his fall, or bring him back from going astray.
But how shall my fall be amended? It must be healed as Adam's fall was healed,
and on the self-same wise. By whom, and on what wise was that healing brought
to pass? Mark this: man could not without God, and God should not without man.
Wherefore God took human nature or manhood upon Himself and was made man, and
man was made divine. Thus the healing was brought to pass. So also must my fall
be healed. I cannot do the work without God, and God may not or will not
without me; for if it shall be accomplished, in me, too, God must be made man;
in such sort that God must take to Himself all that is in me, within and
without, so that there may be nothing in me which striveth against God or
hindereth His Work. Now if God took to Himself all men that are in the world,
or ever were, and were made man in them, and they were made divine in Him, and
this work were not fulfilled in me, my fall and my wandering would never be
amended except it were fulfilled in me also. And in this bringing back and
healing, I can, or may, or shall do nothing of myself, but just simply yield to
God, so that He alone may do all things in me and work, and I may suffer Him
and all His work and His divine will. And because I will not do so, but I count
myself to be my own, and say "I," "Mine," "Me" and the like, God is hindered,
so that He cannot do His work in me alone and without hindrance; for this cause
my fall and my going astray remain unhealed. Behold! this all cometh of my
claiming somewhat for my own.