SERMONS
AND
COLLATIONS
11
avenues
by
which
the
li^^ht
would
enter
are
choked
and
obstmeted
with
guile
and
darkness.
Light
and
darkness
are
incompatible,
like
God
and
creatures.
Enter
God,
exit
creatures.
Man
is
quite
conscious
of
this
light.
Directly
he
turns
to
God
this
light
begins
to
glint
and
sparkle
in
him,
telling
him
what
to
do
and
what
to
leave
undone,
with
many
a
shrewd
hint
to
boot
of
things
he
hitherto
ignored
and
knew
nothing
of.
—
IIow
dost
thou
know
?
—
Suppose
thy
heart
is
vehemently
moved
to
retire
from
the
world.
IJow
could
that
be
if
not
by
this
light
?
It
is
so
cEarming,
so
delightful,
it
makes
other
tbings
so
tiresome
which
are
not
God
or
God’s.
It
attracts
thee
to
God
and
thou
art
sensible
of
many
a
virtuous
impulse
all)cit
uncertain
whence
it
comes.
This
interior
mood
is
in
no
wise
due
to
creatures
nor
is
it
any
of
their
bidding,
for
what
creatures
effect
and
direct
comes
in
from
without.
But
thy
ground
alone
is
stirred
by
this
force
and
the
freer
thou
dost
keep
the
more
truth
and
discernment
are
thine.
No
man
w^as
ever
lost
save
for
tbc
reason
that
once
having
left
his
ground
he
has
let
himself
become
too
permanently
settled
abroad.
St
Augustine
says
:
Many
there
be
that
have
sought
light
and
truth
but
only
abroad
where
they
arc
not.
They
linally
go
out
so
far
that
they
never
get
back
nor
find
their
way
in
again.
Neither
have
these
found
the
truth
for
the
truth
is
within
in
their
ground,
not
without.
So
he
who
means
to
see
this
light
and
find
out
the
whole
truth
must
foster
the
awarciK^ss
of
this
birth
within
himself,
in
his
ground,
so
shall
his
powers
all
be
lighted
up
and
his
outer
man
as
well.
I)ire(dly
God
inwardly
stirs
his
ground
with
the
truth
its
light
darts
into
his
powers,
and
lo,
that
man
knows
more
than
anyone
could
teach
liim.
As
the
prophet
says,
‘
I
know
more
than
I
was
ever
taught.’
It
is
because
this
light
cannot
lighten
and
shine
in
sinners
that
this
birth
cannot
occur
in
them.
This
birth
is
inconsistent
with
darkness
and
sin
therefore
it
befalls
not
in
the
powers
but
in
the
ground
and
essence
of
the
soul.
Then
conu'S
the
question
:
If
God
the
Father
labours
only
in
the
ground
and
essence
of
the
soul,
not
in
her
powers,
what
have
the
powers
got
to
do
w
ith
it
?
How
do
they
help
by
being
idle
and
taking
holiday
?
What
is
the
use,
seeing
this
birth
befalls
not
in
the
powxrs
?
—
It
is
w(‘ll
asked.
But
consider.
Every
creature
works
towards
some
end.
The
end
is
ever
the
first
in
intention
and
the
last
in
execution.
And
God
too
works
for
a
wholly
blessed
end,
to
wit,
himself
:
to
bring
the
soul
and
all
her
powers
into
that
end,
into
himself.
For
this
God’s
w^orks
are
wrought,
for
this
the
Father
brings
his
Son
to
birth
in
the
soul,
that
all
the
powers
of
the
soul
may
end
in
this.
lie
lies
in
wait
for
all
the
soul
contains,
all
arc
bidden
to
his
royal
feast.
Here,
the
soul
is
scattered
abroad
among
her
powers
and
dissipated
in
the
act
of
