Preface.

is cleared: it is the same case with the restless and worldly-scattered desires of the heart of a person still standing in unbelief, who can obtain nothing from GOD as long as he does not yet quiet his heart in GOD through faith. The truth of this assertion original: "Asserti" will shine even more clearly before everyone’s eyes if we now, conversely, consider somewhat more specifically the properties of a faithful prayer, as well as the nature of our spirit created by GOD, and how far it can be moved by the grace of God to determine itself toward something in faith according to its free power of will. For one thing is certain: that GOD, in the Creation, imparted to our human spirit such a freedom of the will that it cannot be forced by any power to accept anything good or evil, except solely through the power and force original: "Forçe" of love, which alone bends the free will to stretch itself out in strong desire of faith toward those goods which God wishes to give, but which He can by no means give without such a consent of faith. Multiple examples in Holy Scripture prove this sufficiently. Mary was destined by GOD to essentially receive the highest treasure of the world—the divine from the Father, the Son of GOD—in her womb. Nevertheless, this could not happen before the preceding faithful assent of her free power of will. Therefore, the Angel Gabriel had to first, so to speak, go and fetch her consent. And as soon as Mary said: Let it be unto me according to your word; as soon as that happened, the door of faith was opened, so that the Holy Spirit gained access to introduce the divine workings of the wonderful conception of Christ within her. Whereas, by contrast, in the time of Christ, many thousands of people lost the goods brought by Him from heaven, and remained This "remained" translates the catchword "blieben," which anticipates the first word of the following page.