THE RIGHT ORDERING OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS; RECOURSE TO
GOD IN DANGERS
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
MY CHILD, you must strive diligently to be inwardly free, to
have mastery over yourself everywhere, in every external act and
occupation, that all things be subject to you and not you to them,
that you be the master and director of your actions, not a slave or a
mere hired servant. You should be rather a free man and a true Hebrew,
arising to the status and freedom of the children of God who stand
above present things to contemplate those which are eternal; who look
upon passing affairs with the left eye and upon those of heaven with
the right; whom temporal things do not so attract that they cling to
them, but who rather put these things to such proper service as is
ordained and instituted by God, the great Workmaster, Who leaves
nothing unordered in His creation.
If, likewise, in every happening you are not content simply
with outward appearances, if you do not regard with carnal eyes things
which you see and hear, but whatever be the affair, enter with Moses
into the tabernacle to ask advice of the Lord, you will sometimes hear
the divine answer and return instructed in many things present and to
come. For Moses always had recourse to the tabernacle for the solution
of doubts and questions, and fled to prayer for support in dangers and
the evil deeds of men. So you also should take refuge in the secret
chamber of your heart, begging earnestly for divine aid.
For this reason, as we read, Joshua and the children of Israel
were deceived by the Gibeonites because they did not first seek
counsel of the Lord, but trusted too much in fair words and hence were
deceived by false piety. |
Of a good government in external things, and of
having recourse to God in dangers
"My Son, for this thou must diligently make thy
endeavour, that in every place and outward action or occupation thou
mayest be free within, and have power over thyself; and that all
things be under thee, not thou under them; that thou be master and
ruler of thy actions, not a slave or hireling, but rather a free and
true Hebrew, entering into the lot and the liberty of the children of
God, who stand above the present and look upon the eternal, who with
the left eye behold things transitory, and with the right things
heavenly; whom temporal things draw not to cleave unto, but who rather
draw temporal things to do them good service, even as they were
ordained of God to do, and appointed by the Master Workman, who hath
left nought in His creation without aim and end.
2. "And if in any chance of life thou stand not
in outward appearances, nor judgest things which are seen and heard by
the fleshly sense, but straightway in every cause enterest with Moses
into the tabernacle to ask counsel of God; thou shalt hear a divine
response and come forth instructed concerning many things that are and
shall be. For always Moses had recourse to the tabernacle for the
solving of all doubts and questionings; and fled to the help of prayer
to be delivered from the dangers and evil deeds of men. Thus also
oughtest thou to fly to the secret chamber of thy heart, and earnestly
implore the divine succour. For this cause we read that Joshua and the
children of Israel were deceived by the Gibeonites, that they asked
not counsel at the mouth of the Lord,(1) but being too ready to listen
to fair speeches, were deceived by pretended piety." |