10. For there is some Qood in every Thing, which holdeth the . Evil captive and shut up in the Thing ; but he can walk and rule only in the evil Part or Property ; when it stirreth up an evil Desire in itself, and bringeth its Desire into Wickedness. This indeed the inanimate Creatures cannot do’ ; but Man can do it through the inanimate Creature , if he bring the Centre of his Will, with the Desire out of the eternal Centre, into it, which is the Qround of Enchantment, and false Magic. The Will of the Devil can also enter into that Evil whereinto Man bringeth the Desire of his Soul, which is born also out of the Eternal Nature.
11. For the Original of the Soul and of Angels, out of the Eternal .Nature is the same. But Ahe Devil hath no further Power over the Time, or temporary Condition , of this World, than in the great Turba, or Turba Magna, the Curse; wheresoever That kindleth itself in the eternal and temporal Wrath, the^e he is busy, as in Wars, Fighting, and Strife, as al^o in great Tempests without Water. In the Fire he proceeded as far as the Turba (Mischief or Hurt) goeth in great Showers or Tempests of Thunder, Lightning and Hail ; but he cannot direct them, for he is not Lord or Master in them, but Servant only.
12. Thus the Creature stirreth up with its Desire, Qood and Evil, Life and Death. The human Angelical Desire standeth in the Centre of the eternal Nature which is without Beginning; and wherein it kindleth itself, whether in Qood or Evil, it accomplished its Work in that.
13. Now God created every Thing for and in That wherein it should be, the Angels for and in Heaven, and Man for and in Paradise. If therefore the Desire of the Creature goeth forth from its own Mother, then it entereth into the contrary Will and into Enmity, and it is tormented with the Contrariety therein, and so a false Will ariseth in a good; and then the good Will entereth into its nothing again, viz., into the End of Nature and Creature, and so leaveth the Creature in its own Evil or Wickedness, as appeared by Lucifer and also by Adam ; and had not the Will of the Love of God met with Adam and of mere Mercy entered,, into the Huma?iity or human Nature again, there could be no good Will in Man.
14. Therefore all Speculation and Enquiry about God's Will is a vain Thing, unless the Mind be converted. For when the Mind standeth captivated in the Self -Desire af the earthly Lifg, it cannot comprehend what the Will of God is; it runneth on but in Self, from one Way into another, and yet findeth no Rest ; for Self-Desire evermore bringeth Disquiet. But when it sinketh itself wholly into the Mercy of God, desiring to die from itself, and to have God’s Will for a Guide to the Understanding, so
Of ’True "Resignation . ^ i
that it* acknowledgeth and esteemeth itself as nothmg, and Willeth nothing but what God Willeth , then shall it both know and do the Will of God. And if the Desire of Anger in the earthly Flesh should go along or join with the Devil's Imagination , and assault thb Will of the Soul, yet the resigned Desire crieth to God and saith, Abba , loving Father , deliver me from Evil : And then, though the earthly Will should grow too strong in the Wrath of God by the Infection of the Devil , th <z*Desire of Anger would work but in or upon itself According to what St. Paul saith, ‘Now if I Sin, I do it not, but Sin that dwelleth
10. For there is some Qood in every Thing, which holds the . Evil captive and shut up in the Thing ; but he can walk and rule only in the evil Part or Property ; when it stirrs up an evil Desire in itself, and brings its Desire into Wickedness. This indeed the inanimate Creatures cannot do’ ; but Man can do it through the inanimate Creature , if he bring the Centre of his Will, with the Desire out of the eternal Centre, into it, which is the Qround of Enchantment, and false Magic. The Will of the Devil can also enter into that Evil whereinto Man brings the Desire of his Soul, which is born also out of the Eternal Nature.
11. For the Original of the Soul and of Angels, out of the Eternal .Nature is the same. But Ahe Devil has no further Power over the Time, or temporary Condition , of this World, than in the great Turba, or Turba Magna, the Curse; wheresoever That kindls itself in the eternal and temporal Wrath, the^e he is busy, as in Wars, Fighting, and Strife, as al^o in great Tempests without Water. In the Fire he proceeded as far as the Turba (Mischief or Hurt) goes in great Showers or Tempests of Thunder, Lightning and Hail ; but he cannot direct them, for he is not Lord or Master in them, but Servant only.
12. Thus the Creature stirrs up with its Desire, Qood and Evil, Life and Death. The human Angelical Desire stands in the Centre of the eternal Nature which is without Beginning; and wherein it kindls itself, whether in Qood or Evil, it accomplished its Work in that.
13. Now God created every Thing for and in That wherein it should be, the Angels for and in Heaven, and Man for and in Paradise. If therefore the Desire of the Creature goes forth from its own Mother, then it enters into the contrary Will and into Enmity, and it is tormented with the Contrariety therein, and so a false Will arises in a good; and then the good Will enters into its nothing again, viz., into the End of Nature and Creature, and so leaves the Creature in its own Evil or Wickedness, as appeared by Lucifer and also by Adam ; and had not the Will of the Love of God met with Adam and of mere Mercy entered,, into the Huma?iity or human Nature again, there could be no good Will in Man.
14. Therefore all Speculation and Enquiry about God's Will is a vain Thing, unless the Mind be converted. For when the Mind stands captivated in the Self -Desire af the earthly Lifg, it cannot comprehend what the Will of God is; it runns on but in Self, from one Way into another, and yet finds no Rest ; for Self-Desire evermore brings Disquiet. But when it sinks itself wholly into the Mercy of God, desiring to die from itself, and to have God’s Will for a Guide to the Understanding, so
Of ’True "Resignation . ^ i
that it* acknowledgs and esteems itself as nothmg, and Wills nothing but what God Wills , then shall it both know and do the Will of God. And if the Desire of Anger in the earthly Flesh should go along or join with the Devil's Imagination , and assault thb Will of the Soul, yet the resigned Desire cries to God and says, Abba , loving Father , deliver me from Evil : And then, though the earthly Will should grow too strong in the Wrath of God by the Infection of the Devil , th <z*Desire of Anger would work but in or upon itself According to what St. Paul says, ‘Now if I Sin, I do it not, but Sin that dwells
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