And in that I said, _Its power supports the Heavens_; by this thou wilt
come to understand that as the Heavens, visible and invisible, are
originated from this great principle, so are they likewise necessarily
sustained by it; and that therefore if this should be but never so
little withdrawn, all the lights, glories, beauties and forms of the
heavenly worlds would presently sink into darkness and chaos.
And whereas I further said _that it upholds the Earth_; this will appear
to thee no less evident than the former, and thou shalt perceive it in
thyself by daily and hourly experience; forasmuch as the Earth _without
it_, even thy _own earth_ also (that is, thy body) would certainly be
without form and void. By the power thereof the Earth hath been thus
long upheld, notwithstanding a foreign usurped power introduced by the
folly of sin. And should this but once fail or recede there could be no
longer either vegetation or animation upon it; yea, the very pillars of
it being overthrown quite, and the band of union, which is that of
attraction or magnetism, called the centripetal power, being broken and
dissolved, all must thence run into the utmost disorder, and falling
away as into shivers, would be dispersed as loose dust before the wind.
But in that I said, _Its height is higher than the highest Heavens_;
this thou mayest also understand within thyself. For shouldest thou
ascend in spirit through all the orders of Angels and heavenly Powers,
yet the Power of Love still is undeniably superior to them all. And as
the Throne of God, who sits upon the Heaven of Heavens, is higher than
the highest of them, even so must Love also be, which fills them all,
and comprehends them all.
And whereas I said of the _Greatness of Love that it is greater than the
very Manifestation of Godhead in the light of the Divine Essence_; that
is also true. For Love enters even into that where the Godhead is not
manifested in this glorious light, and where God may be said not to
dwell. And entering thereinto, Love begins to manifest to the soul the
light of the Godhead; and thus is the darkness broken through, and the
wonders of the new creation successively manifested.
Thus shalt thou be brought to understand really and fundamentally what
is the virtue and the power of Love, and what the height and greatness
thereof is; how that is indeed the _virtue of all virtues_, though it be
invisible, and as a _Nothing_ in appearance, inasmuch as it is the
worker of all things, and a powerful _vital energy_ passing through all
virtues and powers natural and supernatural, and the _power of all
powers_, nothing being able to let or obstruct the _Omnipotence_ of
Love, or to resist its invincible penetrating might, which passes
through the whole Creation of God, inspecting and governing all things.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account