in
relation
to
this
act,
this
interior
speaking,
this
birth
:
whether
it
is
more
profitable
to
co-opcrate
in
it
-perhaps
by
creating
in
the
mind
an
imaginary
image
and
disciplining
oneself
thereon
by
reflecting
that
God
is
wise,
omnipotent,
eternal,
or
whatever
else
one
is
able
to
excogitate
about
God
—
so
that
the
birth
may
come
to
pass
in
us
through
our
own
exertion
and
merit
;
or
whether
it
is
more
profitable
and
conducive
to
this
birth
from
the
Father
to
shun
all
thoughts,
words
and
deeds
as
well
as
all
mental
images
and
empty
oneself,
maintaining
a
wholly
God-receptive
attitude,
such
that
one’s
own
self
is
idle
letting
God
work.
Which
conduct
subserves
this
birth
best
?
The
third
point
is
the
profit
and
how
great
it
is,
which
accrues
from
this
birth.
Note
in
the
first
jilaee
that
in
what
I
am
about
to
say
I
intend
to
avail
myself
of
natural
proofs
that
ye
yourselves
can
grasp,
for
though
I
put
more
faith
in
the
scriptures
than
myself,
nevertheless
it
is
easier
and
better
for
you
to
learn
by
means
of
arguments
that
can
be
vc^rified.
First
we
will
take
the
words
:
‘
In
the
midst
of
the
silence
there
was
spoken
in
me
a
secret
word.’
—
13ut,
Sir,
where
is
the
silence
and
where
the
place
in
which
the
word
is
spoken
?
As
I
said
just
now,
it
is
in
the
purest
part
of
the
soul,
in
the
noblest,
in
her
ground,
aye
in
t
he
very
essence
of
the
soul.
That
is
mid-silenee
for
thereinto
no
creature
did
ever
get,
nor
any
image,
nor
has
the
soul
there
either
activity
or
understanding,
therefore
she
is
not
aware
of
any
image
cither
of
herself
or
any
creature.
What-
ever
the
soul
effects
she
effects
with
her
powers.
When
she
under-
stands
she
understands
with
her
intellect.
When
she
remembers
she
does
so
with
her
memory.
When
she
loves
she
does
so
with
her
will.
She
works
then
with
her
powers
and
not
with
her
essence.
Now
every
exterior
act
is
linked
with
some
means.
The
power
of
seeing
is
brought
into
play
only
through
the
eyes
;
elsewhere
she
can
neither
do
nor
liestow
such
a
thing
as
seeing.
And
so
with
all
the
other
senses
:
their
operations
arc
always
effected
through
some
means
or
other,
lint
there
is
no
activity
in
the
essence
of
the
soul
;
the
faculties
she
works
with
cTuanatc
from
the
ground
of
the
essence
but
in
her
actual
ground
there
is
mid-stillness
;
here
alone
is
rest
and
a
habitation
for
this
birth,
this
act,
wherein
God
the
Father
speaks
his
Word,
for
it
is
intrinsically
receptive
of
naught
save
the
divine
ess:*nce,
without
means.
Here
God
enters
the
soul
with
his
all,
not
merely
with
a
part.
God
enters
the
ground
of
the
soul.
None
can
touch
the
ground
of
the
soul
but
God
only.
No
creature
is
admitted
into
her
ground,
it
must
stop
outside
in
her
powers.
There
it
sees
the
image
whereby
it
has
been
