Discovering the true Way of turning to God, and of finding the Kingdom of Heaven, the Riches of Eternity in our Souls
[Pryr-1.2-1] Thou hast seen, dear Reader, the Nature and Necessity of Regeneration, and are persuaded therefore fully to believe, and firmly to settle in thy Mind this most certain Truth, that all our Salvation consists in the Manifestation of the Nature, Life, and Spirit of Jesus Christ, in our new Man.
This alone is Christian Redemption, this alone delivers from the Guilt and Power of Sin, this alone redeems, renews, and regains the first Life of God in the Soul of Man. Every Thing besides this, is the Self, a Fiction or Propriety, or one's own Will, of the Old Man (a metaphor for the Devil)... because if the old Man is still a Merchant within thee, trading in all sorts of worldly Honour, Power, or Learning, desires and cupidity.
If the Wisdom of this World is not Foolishness to thee, if earthly Interests, and sensual Pleasures, are still the Desire of thy Heart, and are covered under a Form of Godliness, a Cloak of Creeds, and false Altruisms, thou mayest be assured, that the Pearl of great Price is not yet found by thee.
For where Christ is born, or his Spirit lives, there within, all Selfness is denied, and turned out; there all carnal Wisdom, Arts of Advancement, every Pride and Glory of this Life, are willingly renounced, and the Man is not only content, but rejoices to say, that his Kingdom is not of this World.
[Pryr-1.2-2] But thou wilt perhaps say, How shall this great Work, the Birth of Christ, be shown in me? Rather it should be said, that since Christ has an infinite Power, and infinite Desire to save Mankind, how can anyone miss this Salvation, but through his own unwillingness and obstinacy, to be saved by Him?
Consider, this: the Lame and Blind, the Lunatic and Leper, the Publican and Sinner, found Christ to be their Saviour, and so He did all That for them, that they wanted done. He remarked right there, to them that this was possible because they had a real Desire of having that which they asked for, and therefore in true Faith and Prayer applied to Christ, that his Spirit and Power might enter into them, and heal That which they desired to be healed.
Each and everyone of these people, prayed to Him, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me whole." And the Answer was always this, "According to thy Faith, so be it done unto Thee."and as their faith was strong so was their recovery.
That was Christ's Answer then but it is also His now, and so it is to every one of us: so is our Faith, so is our Redemption. The whole Reason of our falling short of the Salvation of Christ, is because _we_ have No Will for it.
[Pryr-1.2-1] Thou hast seen, dear Reader, the Nature and Necessity of Regeneration, and are persuaded therefore fully to believe, and firmly to settle in thy Mind this most certain Truth, that all our Salvation consists in the Manifestation of the Nature, Life, and Spirit of Jesus Christ, in our new Man.
This alone is Christian Redemption, this alone delivers from the Guilt and Power of Sin, this alone redeems, renews, and regains the first Life of God in the Soul of Man. Every Thing besides this, is the Self, a Fiction or Propriety, or one's own Will, of the Old Man (a metaphor for the Devil)... because if the old Man is still a Merchant within thee, trading in all sorts of worldly Honour, Power, or Learning, desires and cupidity.
If the Wisdom of this World is not Foolishness to thee, if earthly Interests, and sensual Pleasures, are still the Desire of thy Heart, and are covered under a Form of Godliness, a Cloak of Creeds, and false Altruisms, thou mayest be assured, that the Pearl of great Price is not yet found by thee.
For where Christ is born, or his Spirit lives, there within, all Selfness is denied, and turned out; there all carnal Wisdom, Arts of Advancement, every Pride and Glory of this Life, are willingly renounced, and the Man is not only content, but rejoices to say, that his Kingdom is not of this World.
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| Jean-Marie Melchior Doze's painting of Jesus healing the Leper. |
Consider, this: the Lame and Blind, the Lunatic and Leper, the Publican and Sinner, found Christ to be their Saviour, and so He did all That for them, that they wanted done. He remarked right there, to them that this was possible because they had a real Desire of having that which they asked for, and therefore in true Faith and Prayer applied to Christ, that his Spirit and Power might enter into them, and heal That which they desired to be healed.
Each and everyone of these people, prayed to Him, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me whole." And the Answer was always this, "According to thy Faith, so be it done unto Thee."and as their faith was strong so was their recovery.
That was Christ's Answer then but it is also His now, and so it is to every one of us: so is our Faith, so is our Redemption. The whole Reason of our falling short of the Salvation of Christ, is because _we_ have No Will for it.
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