EXTRACT II.
Quietism, as regards desire and thought.
"I am willing to unite with you in an ardent travail of soul, to sink out of ourselves, and every thing appertaining to us, and to come down into that state recommended to the disciples,—to keep out of all contrivance, and improper imaginations and thoughts, for we sin in thought. Therefore the most happy state that we can enjoy, is a state without desire or thought; for then we are the Lord's, we are in his hands, and here we are in a state of safety,—we have no excitement to do any thing but to stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.—Therefore, let us all stand still, and if we have power to pray to him at all, let it be that he may keep us in this state of resignation, till he shall come and enable us to glorify his great name above all, who is God blessed for ever." p. 172, 173.
"The most happy state is a state without desire or thought."—What absurdity! How entirely at variance with the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles.
To what lengths are we not in danger of being carried, when we take not the Scripture for our rule.
Again, What saith the Scripture?
| "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness." Matt. v. 6.
"From the days of John the baptist the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." Matt. xi. 12. "The law and the Prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom |
of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." Luke, xvi. 16. "Seek those things which are above." Col. iii. 1. "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Col. iii. 2. "Covet earnestly, the best gifts." 1 Cor. xii. 31.
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