John Tauler · 45 of 121

Secondly, of the work and knowledge of grace. · 99.

The Spirit of God speaketh in man that man may speak again all things through the Divine Spirit in God. But the spirit speaketh again all in God, when it purposes in all its works the honour of God, and when, whatever happens or clashes with him, he remains always pure, and never holdeth on to any accident, if thus he always finds himself in a pure state to receive God, and listeneth to Him whenever God willeth to speak to him. In thus hearing he giveth back all to God again, and this hearing is so joyful and delightful for him, that he setteth aside all things, and listeneth only to His words. This hearing is also called giving back all things to God, and thus the spirit speaketh back again all things in God. Thus man becometh one thing with God when he giveth back all things to God as God had given them to him, and by this return he maketh himself the friend of God. But where there is friendship there is union; for “a friend is another myself,” as Aristotle saith, and the spirit is united with God when it hath obtained God as its friend. Jesus said also to His disciples: “Now call I you no longer servants, but friends” (John xv. 15). He used this term “Now “when they had left all things to follow Him; now were they no longer servants, but friends. Therefore whosoever wisheth to be a true friend of God must leave all things and follow God; but he who is attached to things and doth not follow God, he is not a friend, but a servant. And he who is not a friend is also not one spirit with God, for friendship worketh union, and not servitude.