15. All Speculation in the Wonders of God is very dangerous, for the Spirit of the Will may soon be captivated therewith, unless the Spirit of the Will goeth or walketh after the Spirit of God, and then it hath Power in the resigned Humility to behold the Wonders of God.
16. I do not say that a Man should search and learn nothing in natural Arts and Sciences ; no ; such Knowledge is useful to him ; but a Man must not begin with his own Reason. Man ought not only to govern his Life by the Light of outward Reason, which is good in itself, but should sink with that Light into the deepest Humility before God, and set the Spirit and Will of God foremost in all his searching, so that the Light of Reason may see and know Things through the Light of God. And though Reason
"'may be very wise in its own Sphere, and help a Man to much Knowledge , yet must it not arrogate such Wisdom and Knowledge to itself as if they were in its ow?t Possession, but give the Glory thereof to God, to whom alone all Wisdom and Knowledge belong.
17. For the more deeply Reason sinketh itself down into simple PPumilityxw the Sight of God, and the more unworthy it accounts itself in His Sight ; the more truly it dieth from Self desire, and the more thoroughly the Spirit of GWpenetrateth it, and bringeth it’ into the Highest Knowledge , so that at length it may come to behold the great Mysteries and Wonders of God. For the Spirit
, of Qod worketh only in resigned Humility , in that which neither
4 6 Fhe TV ay to Qhrist.
seeketh nor desireth itself. The Spirit of Qod taketh hold of whatsoever desireth to be simple and lowly before Him, and bringeth it into His Wonders; He hath Pleasure only in those that fear and bow themselves before Him.
1 8. For God hath not created us for ourselves only, but to be Instruments of His Wonders , by which He desireth to manifest his Wonders . The resigned Will trusteth God, and expecteth all g;ood from Him alone ; but Self Will ruleth itself for it is broken off from God. All that Self Will doth is Sin, and against God ; for it is gone out of that Oi'der wherein He created it, into Disobedience , and desireth to be its own Lord and Master .
19. When a Man's own Will dieth from itself \ then it is free from Sin, for it desireth nothing but that which GOD desireth of His Creature ; it desireth only to do that for which GOD hath created it ; and that which God will do by it ; and, though" it is and must be the Doing , yet it is but the Instrument of the Doing \ by which God doth what He will.
20. For this is the true Faith in Man, viz,, to die from himself ; that is, from his own Desire ; and in all his Undertakings ' and Designs to bring his Desire into the Will of God, and arrogate the doing of nothing to himself, but esteem himself in all his doings to be but a Servant or Minister of God, and to think that all he doth and undertaketh, is for God. For in such a Disposition the Spirit of GodleâdeXh him into true Uprightness and Faithfulness towards his Neighbour, For he thinketh thus with himself, 4 1 do my Work not for myself, but for God, who hath called 4 and appointed me to do it ; I am but a Servant in His Vineyard.' He listeneth continually after the Voice of his Master, who within him commandeth him what he shall do. The Lord speaketh in him, and biddeth him do what He would have to be done by him.
21. But JSV^doth what outward Reason from the Stars commandeth, into which Reason the Devil flieth with his Desire . AU whatever Self doth is without the Will of Qod, and is done altogether in the Phantasy, that the Anger of God may accom-v plish its Pastime therewith.
22. No work done without the Will of Qod can reach the Kingdom of Qod ; it is all but an unprofitable Imagery, ox self wrought Work , in this great Agitation of Mankind. For Nothing is
15. All Speculation in the Wonders of God is very dangerous, for the Spirit of the Will may soon be captivated therewith, unless the Spirit of the Will goes or walks after the Spirit of God, and then it has Power in the resigned Humility to behold the Wonders of God.
16. I do not say that a Man should search and learn nothing in natural Arts and Sciences ; no ; such Knowledge is useful to him ; but a Man must not begin with his own Reason. Man ought not only to govern his Life by the Light of outward Reason, which is good in itself, but should sink with that Light into the deepest Humility before God, and set the Spirit and Will of God foremost in all his searching, so that the Light of Reason may see and know Things through the Light of God. And though Reason
"'may be very wise in its own Sphere, and help a Man to much Knowledge , yet must it not arrogate such Wisdom and Knowledge to itself as if they were in its ow?t Possession, but give the Glory thereof to God, to whom alone all Wisdom and Knowledge belong.
17. For the more deeply Reason sinks itself down into simple PPumilityxw the Sight of God, and the more unworthy it accounts itself in His Sight ; the more truly it dies from Self desire, and the more thoroughly the Spirit of GWpenetrats it, and brings it’ into the Highest Knowledge , so that at length it may come to behold the great Mysteries and Wonders of God. For the Spirit
, of Qod works only in resigned Humility , in that which neither
4 6 Fhe TV ay to Qhrist.
seeks nor desires itself. The Spirit of Qod takes hold of whatsoever desires to be simple and lowly before Him, and brings it into His Wonders; He has Pleasure only in those that fear and bow themselves before Him.
1 8. For God has not created us for ourselves only, but to be Instruments of His Wonders , by which He desires to manifest his Wonders . The resigned Will trusts God, and expects all g;ood from Him alone ; but Self Will ruls itself for it is broken off from God. All that Self Will does is Sin, and against God ; for it is gone out of that Oi'der wherein He created it, into Disobedience , and desires to be its own Lord and Master .
19. When a Man's own Will dies from itself \ then it is free from Sin, for it desires nothing but that which GOD desires of His Creature ; it desires only to do that for which GOD has created it ; and that which God will do by it ; and, though" it is and must be the Doing , yet it is but the Instrument of the Doing \ by which God does what He will.
20. For this is the true Faith in Man, viz,, to die from himself ; that is, from his own Desire ; and in all his Undertakings ' and Designs to bring his Desire into the Will of God, and arrogate the doing of nothing to himself, but esteem himself in all his doings to be but a Servant or Minister of God, and to think that all he does and undertaks, is for God. For in such a Disposition the Spirit of Godle&deXh him into true Uprightness and Faithfulness towards his Neighbour, For he thinks thus with himself, 4 1 do my Work not for myself, but for God, who has called 4 and appointed me to do it ; I am but a Servant in His Vineyard.' He listens continually after the Voice of his Master, who within him commands him what he shall do. The Lord speaks in him, and bidds him do what He would have to be done by him.
21. But JSV^does what outward Reason from the Stars commands, into which Reason the Devil flies with his Desire . AU whatever Self does is without the Will of Qod, and is done altogether in the Phantasy, that the Anger of God may accom-v plish its Pastime therewith.
22. No work done without the Will of Qod can reach the Kingdom of Qod ; it is all but an unprofitable Imagery, ox self wrought Work , in this great Agitation of Mankind. For Nothing is
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