ng, and only God is to me I AM; and so, sitting down in
my own Nothingness, I give glory to the Eternal Being, and _will
nothing_ of myself, that so God may _will all_ in me, being unto me my
God and All Things." Herein now it is that so very few find this most
precious treasure in the Soul, though every one would so fain have it;
and might also have it, were it not for this Somewhat in every one that
letteth.

DISCIPLE

But if the Love should proffer itself to a Soul, could not that Soul
find it, nor lay hold of it, without going for it into Nothing?

MASTER

No verily. Men seek and find not, because they seek it not in the naked
Ground where it lieth; but in something or other where it never will be,
nor can be. They seek it in their _own Will_, and they find it not. They
seek it in their _Self-Desire_, and they meet not with it. They look for
it in an _Image_, or in an _Opinion_, or in _Affection_, or a natural
_Devotion_ and _Fervour_, and they lose the substance by thus hunting
after a shadow. They search for it in something sensible or imaginary,
in somewhat which they may have a more peculiar natural inclination for,
and adhesion to; and so they miss of what they seek, for want of diving
into the Supernatural and Supersensual Ground, where the Treasure is
hid. Now, should the Love graciously condescend to proffer itself to
such as these, and even to present itself evidently before the Eye of
their Spirit, yet could it find no place at all in them, neither could
it be held by them, or remain with them.

DISCIPLE

Why not, if the Love should be willing and ready to offer itself, and to
stay with them?

MASTER

Because the _Imaginariness_ which is in their own Will hath set itself
up in the place thereof. And so this Imaginariness would have the Love
in it, but the Love fleeth away, for it is its prison. The Love may
offer itself; but it cannot abide where the _Self-Desire_ attracteth or
imagineth. That Will which attracteth Nothing, and to which Nothing
adhereth, is only capable of receiving it; for it dwelleth only in
Nothing, as I said, and therefore they find it not.

DISCIPLE

If it dwell only in Nothing, what is now the office of it in Nothing?

MASTER

The office of the Love here is to penetrate incessantly into Something;
and if it penetrate into, and find a place in Something which is
standing still and at rest, then its business is to take possession
thereof. And when it hath there taken p