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thought and actions, is from the Lord, and not from himself. From rationality he has the power of understanding, and from liberty the power of volition, each power apparently his own; but the power of will to freely favor the good, and therefore according to reason to do it, none but a regenerate man can possess. A wicked man has power of will to freely favor evil only, and, according to thought which by confirmation his reason adopts, to do it. For evil may be confirmed equally as well as good, but by fallacies and appearances, which when confirmed become falsities; and when evil is confirmed, it seems to be accordant with reason.

Any one possessed of a little thought from the more interior understanding, may see that the power of volition and of understanding are not from man, but from Him who possesses Power itself, that is, to whom Power belongs in its essence. Only consider the origin of power: Is it not from Him who possesses it in its very potency, that is, in whom it is Absolute, and thus Original? Wherefore power in itself is the Divine.

To all power there must be a [source of] supply to be imparted, and thus a determination from a source interior or superior to itself. The eye cannot see from itself, nor the ear hear from itself, nor the mouth speak, nor the hand act, each from itself; they must obtain a supply of power and consequent determination from the mind. Nor can the mind exercise thought or volition from itself in anything, without the existence of