* in my flesh ; also now I serve the Law of God in my Mind, but ‘in my Flesh the Law of $in/ Paul meaneth not, that the Will of the Mind or Soul should consent to the Will of the Flesh ; but that Sin is so strong in the Flesh , viz., the awakened Anger of God in Self that oftentimes the Mind is brought into Lust as it were fry Force , through the evil Incitements of the wicked \ or else by beholding worldly Pomp and Qlory ; so that it absolutely bbareth down the resigned Will, and ruleth by Force .
15. Now when Sin is wrought in the Flesh, then the Wrath sporteth itself therewith, and catcheth at the resigned Will ; and then the resigned Will crieth to God for Deliverance from the Evil , and prayeth that God would remove the Quilt away from it, and bring Sin into the Centre , viz., into Death , that it might die.
16. And St. Paul saith further, 4 Now there is no Condem-
* nation to those that are in Christ Jesus, who are called according ‘ to the Purpose of God ; that is, those who in that Purpose of ‘ God in which He first called Man, are again called in the same 4 Calling/ to stand again in that Purpose of God, wherein He originally created Man to be His Image and Likeness .
17. So long as Man's own Will standeth in Self, so long it is not in the Purpose and Calling of God ; it is not called, for it is gone forth from its original right Place : but when the Mind tu?neth itself back again into the Calling, viz., into Resignation, then the Will is in the Calling of God, that is, in the Place for and in which God created it, and then it hath Power to become the Child of Qod again, as it is written, ‘ He hath given us Power ‘ to become the Children of God/
18. The Power which he hath given us is his Purpose, for and ifi which he created Man in his Image . This God hath brought again into the Human Nature, and hath given Power unto that Power to break the Head of Sin in the Flesh , namely, the Will .and Desire of the Serpent ; that is, the resigned Will in Christ treadeth upon the Head of the Desire of the sinful Will of the Serpent, and killeth again the Sins which were committed. This
4—2
5 V 2 The TV ay to Christ .
Power that is given becometh a Death to Death, and the Power of Life to Life .
19. Therefore no Man can make any Excuse, as if he could not Will. Indeed, while he sticketh fast in himself in his own Desire , arid serveth only the Law of Sin in the Flesh] he cannot. For he is kept back, as being a Servant of Sin ; but when he turneth the Centre of his Mind away, and directeth it into the Will and Obedibnce of Qod, then he can.
20. Now the Centre of the Mind is come out of Eternity , out of God’S Omnipotence ; it can bring itself into what it will, and whither it will. For that which is out of the eternal , hath no Law . But the Will hath a Lmw to obey God, and is born out of the Mind , and must not rend itself away from that out of which God created it.
21. Now God created the Will of the Mind for aijd in Paradise, to be a Companion with Him in t the Kingdom of Divine foy . It ought not to have removed itself from thence ; but since it hath removed itself from thence, God hath brought His Will again into the Flesh , and in his New- b nought- in Will , hath given us Power to bring our Wills into it, and to kindle a new Light therein, and so to become his Children again.
22. God hardeneth no Man; but Man’s own Will , which goeth on in the Fleshly Life of Sin , hardeneth his Heart. The Will of .SV^bringeth the Vanity of this World into the Mind, which is thereby shut up, and continueth so.
23. Qod , so far as He is called Qod and is Qod, cannot Will
any Evil ; for there is but one only Will in God, and that is
Eternal Love , a Desire of that which is His Like , via., Power ,
Beauty and Virtue .
24. Qod desireth nothing but what is like His oivn Desire ; His
Desire receiveth nothing but what itself is.
* in my flesh ; also now I serve the Law of God in my Mind, but ‘in my Flesh the Law of $in/ Paul means not, that the Will of the Mind or Soul should consent to the Will of the Flesh ; but that Sin is so strong in the Flesh , viz., the awakened Anger of God in Self that oftentimes the Mind is brought into Lust as it were fry Force , through the evil Incitements of the wicked \ or else by beholding worldly Pomp and Qlory ; so that it absolutely bbars down the resigned Will, and ruls by Force .
15. Now when Sin is wrought in the Flesh, then the Wrath sports itself therewith, and catches at the resigned Will ; and then the resigned Will cries to God for Deliverance from the Evil , and prays that God would remove the Quilt away from it, and bring Sin into the Centre , viz., into Death , that it might die.
16. And St. Paul says further, 4 Now there is no Condem-
* nation to those that are in Christ Jesus, who are called according ‘ to the Purpose of God ; that is, those who in that Purpose of ‘ God in which He first called Man, are again called in the same 4 Calling/ to stand again in that Purpose of God, wherein He originally created Man to be His Image and Likeness .
17. So long as Man's own Will stands in Self, so long it is not in the Purpose and Calling of God ; it is not called, for it is gone forth from its original right Place : but when the Mind tu?neth itself back again into the Calling, viz., into Resignation, then the Will is in the Calling of God, that is, in the Place for and in which God created it, and then it has Power to become the Child of Qod again, as it is written, ‘ He has given us Power ‘ to become the Children of God/
18. The Power which he has given us is his Purpose, for and ifi which he created Man in his Image . This God has brought again into the Human Nature, and has given Power unto that Power to break the Head of Sin in the Flesh , namely, the Will .and Desire of the Serpent ; that is, the resigned Will in Christ treads upon the Head of the Desire of the sinful Will of the Serpent, and kills again the Sins which were committed. This
4—2
5 V 2 The TV ay to Christ .
Power that is given becomes a Death to Death, and the Power of Life to Life .
19. Therefore no Man can make any Excuse, as if he could not Will. Indeed, while he sticks fast in himself in his own Desire , arid serves only the Law of Sin in the Flesh] he cannot. For he is kept back, as being a Servant of Sin ; but when he turns the Centre of his Mind away, and directs it into the Will and Obedibnce of Qod, then he can.
20. Now the Centre of the Mind is come out of Eternity , out of God’S Omnipotence ; it can bring itself into what it will, and whither it will. For that which is out of the eternal , has no Law . But the Will has a Lmw to obey God, and is born out of the Mind , and must not rend itself away from that out of which God created it.
21. Now God created the Will of the Mind for aijd in Paradise, to be a Companion with Him in t the Kingdom of Divine foy . It ought not to have removed itself from thence ; but since it has removed itself from thence, God has brought His Will again into the Flesh , and in his New- b nought- in Will , has given us Power to bring our Wills into it, and to kindle a new Light therein, and so to become his Children again.
22. God hardens no Man; but Man’s own Will , which goes on in the Fleshly Life of Sin , hardens his Heart. The Will of .SV^brings the Vanity of this World into the Mind, which is thereby shut up, and continues so.
23. Qod , so far as He is called Qod and is Qod, cannot Will
any Evil ; for there is but one only Will in God, and that is
Eternal Love , a Desire of that which is His Like , via., Power ,
Beauty and Virtue .
24. Qod desires nothing but what is like His oivn Desire ; His
Desire receives nothing but what itself is.
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.