The New Jerusalem

The New Jerusalem.

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your most holy service, I have indeed truly received a great stillness in my heart, and enjoyed a great tranquility compared to what I used to have. Oh! Lord, how reckless and poorly considered is the natural man: Refers to humanity in its fallen state, acting on worldly instinct rather than spiritual guidance.; we all hunger by nature for freedom; yet I know it, Lord, that the fleshly freedom, in which many people take such great delight, is nothing but a ruinous bondage: original: "dienstbaerheyt," meaning servitude or slavery. to sin: but your service, O sweetest Lord, is perfect freedom: Oh! incline my heart to this, that I may take more delight in serving You than if I myself were served by the whole world.

The Lord. The more you desire such things, the sooner it shall be granted to you, my Devout One: original: "Vrome," a term for a pious or righteous person..

Now the second benefit that you obtain from the practice of godliness: original: "Godtsaligheyt," the central theme of living a life devoted to God's will. is this: whereas for the wicked all things are cursed and turn out for the worst, for the Godly (who observe my commandments and counsel) all things are blessed: Deuteronomy 28. and all things work for their best; so that everything that then happens to you (you now being placed in this freedom), whether it goes according to or against your will, gain or loss, joy or