William Law (1686-1761)

[Nicholas Weeks]

From Spirit of Love:

Now the spirit of love has this original. God, as considered in
himself in his holy being, before anything is brought forth by him or out of
him, is only an eternal will to all goodness. This is the one eternal
immutable God, that from eternity to eternity changeth not, that can be
neither more nor less nor anything else but an eternal will to all the
goodness that is in himself, and can come from him. The creation of ever so
many worlds or systems of creatures adds nothing to, nor takes anything
from this immutable God. He always was and always will be the same
immutable will to all goodness. So that as certainly as he is the creator, so
certainly is he the blesser of every created thing, and can give nothing but
blessing, goodness, and happiness from himself because he has in himself
nothing else to give. It is much more possible for the sun to give forth
darkness than for God to do, or be, or give forth anything but blessing and
goodness. Now this is the ground and original of the spirit of love in the
creature; it is and must be a will to all goodness, and you have not the spirit
of love till you have this will to all goodness at all times and on all
occasions.

 

[Nicholas Weeks]

More from Spirit of Love:

[Love-1-5] Would you know the blessing of all blessings? It is this God of love dwelling in your soul and killing every root of bitterness which is the pain and torment of every earthly, selfish love. For all wants are satisfied, all disorders of nature are removed, no life is any longer a burden, every day is a day of peace, everything you meet becomes a help to you because everything you see or do is all done in the sweet, gentle element of love. For as love has no by-ends, wills nothing but its own increase, so everything is as oil to its flame. It must have that which it wills and cannot be disappointed, because everything naturally helps it to live in its own way and to bring forth its own work. The spirit of love does not want to be rewarded, honored, or esteemed. Its only desire is to propagate itself and become the blessing and happiness of everything that wants it. And therefore it meets wrath and evil and hatred and opposition with the same one will as the light meets the darkness, only to overcome it with all its blessings. Did you want to avoid the wrath and ill will or to gain the favor of any persons, you might easily miss of your ends; but if you have no will but to all goodness, everything you meet, be it what it will, must be forced to be assistant to you. For the wrath of an enemy, the treachery of a friend, and every other evil only helps the spirit of love to be more triumphant, to live its own life and find all its own blessings in a higher degree. Whether therefore you consider perfection or happiness, it is all included in the spirit of love and must be so for this reason, because the infinitely perfect and happy God is mere love, an unchangeable will to all goodness; and therefore every creature must be corrupt and unhappy, so far as it is led by any other will than the one will to all goodness.