THE TWO VEILS
The wisdom of the fathers
THE TWO VEILS
Now the first veil signifies conversion.... In a converted state you have mixed light. Is not that true? In a converted state you have mixed motives, mixed love, mixed faith; love mixed with hate, faith mixed with doubt, patience mixed with impatience, the light of the Holy Ghost mixed with your own ideas, and culture and brains and notions of propriety. And that 's the way you live as long as you stay simply in a converted state. And that is where most Christians are.
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But now mark ! In the second veil you leave all mixedness behind, and get where you are either in absolute darkness or else God Himself must enlighten you. When you go in there you shut out the light of science and philosophy and mere brains and carnal reason, and you say, " I am coming alone to Thee, O God ; and if Thou dost not enlighten me I am in Egyptian darkness." And that is where God wants you to get, where you will depend on Him, and not upon secondary causes.
David felt so once. When a holy Christian ceases to depend on self, and to depend on the laws of nature, and to depend on his kinsfolk, and rests in God alone, he can pray as David did, when he cried, "Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth".
"Brother, God wants to get you where you will be illuminated by the Holy Ghost without any other conflicting light whatever. In this second veil if the Lord does not enlighten you, you are left in Egyptian darkness. That explains some of your experiences at times. You have been sanctified, and yet you were in darkness apparently denser than when you were seeking conversion. Why is this? you ask. I can't see an inch before my face. Exactly, that is because God is getting you away from candles and lamps, in order that you may depend alone upon Him.
Those who live in the second veil, if not enlightened by God Himself, are the most ignorant people on earth. Why ? Because they have bidden farewell to all candles and lanterns and will-o'-the-wisps of any kind whatever. I would rather trust God in the dark than walk in the light of a human lamp. I would rather trust God in the dark than trust the old Adam in the light. No matter if you are in the dark. Do not be scared. God is there in the dark with you, and the first thing you know He will shine forth.
(from "Love Abounding" by G.D. Watson)