MAN


"Lord, what is man that Thou art mindful of him;
And the son of man that Thou visitest him?"

_Psalm_, VIII, 4


GOD'S UNRELAXED EFFORT

The object of creation was an angelic heaven from the human race; in
other words, mankind, in whom God might be able to dwell as in His
residence. For this reason man was created a form of Divine order. God
is in him, and as far as he lives according to Divine order, fully so;
but if he does not live according to Divine order, still God is in
him, but in his highest parts, endowing him with the ability to
understand truth and to will what is good. But as far as man lives
contrary to order, so far he shuts up the lower parts of his mind or
spirit, and prevents God from descending and filling them with His
presence. Then God is in him, but he is not in God.

--_True Christian Religion, nn._ 66, 70


AN INSTRUMENT OF LIFE

Man is an instrument of life, and God alone is life. God pours His
life into His instrument and every part of him, as the sun pours its
heat into a tree and every part of it. God also gives man to feel this