Spiritual Experiences (Buss) n. 6004

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6004. Let whoever will, think whether or no any man is able, from freedom, to purpose good and evil, and whether he has this freedom or not - although it is not from himself but from the Lord, by whom it is continually given to man, as if it were the man's. The Lord wishes to use this, in order that there may be reciprocation, and that it may be inrooted in man, and as it were appropriated to him. This is the same as that which the Church enjoins on everyone, namely, to examine himself, his thoughts and intentions, remarks and actions, and perform repentance, and live a different life than formerly, so that sins may be remitted to him. Ought, or ought not, man's will to be thus present as if it were the man's? or, does this take place, if he be led like a stock, and if he hang down his hand and believe that influx into himself produces effort, while the man is unconscious, or asleep? If they ask what doing good is, the reply is, that it is to have as one's end the good of Church, of country, of society, and of fellow-citizens, for their sake and for the sake of good; thus, it is doing good because it is commanded in the Word, which is for the Lord's sake, and not for the end merely of self honor and gain. This latter end rules, when anyone lives according to the doctrine of being justified by faith alone; but the other end rules, when he lives according to the doctrine of Charity. Then, also, man has faith as respects the Lord, the Word and eternal life: otherwise, he has nothing but a persuasive, historic faith, which also is dead. The good of life is that which produces faith, because good is the life of faith; for good loves truth, and conjoins it to itself; and so far as truth is conjoined to good, so far does it operate and conjoin itself to good - not from itself as truth, but as from the good possessed at the time. For truth from good conjoins itself, but not truth without good, because that is dead: it is like a body without a soul.


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