ComparenowthismoodwiththatoftheoldChristianauthoroftheTheologiaGermanica：——
“Wheremenareenlightenedwiththetruelight，theyrenouncealldesireandchoice，andcommitandcommendthemselvesandallthingstotheeternalGoodness，sothateveryenlightenedmancouldsay：’IwouldfainbetotheEternalGoodnesswhathisownhandistoaman。’Suchmenareinastateoffreedom，becausetheyhavelostthefearofpainorhell，andthehopeofrewardorheaven，andarelivinginpuresubmissiontotheeternalGoodness，intheperfectfreedomofferventlove。Whenamantrulyperceivethandconsiderethhimself，whoandwhatheis，andfindethhimselfutterlyvileandwickedandunworthy，hefallethintosuchadeepabasementthatitseemethtohimreasonablethatallcreaturesinheavenandearthshouldriseupagainsthim。
Andthereforehewillnotanddarenotdesireanyconsolationandrelease；butheiswillingtobeunconsoledandunreleased；andhedothnotgrieveoverhissufferings，fortheyarerightinhiseyes，andhehathnothingtosayagainstthem。Thisiswhatismeantbytruerepentanceforsin；andhewhointhispresenttimeenterethintothishell，nonemayconsolehim。NowGodhathnotforsakenamaninthishell，butHeislayinghishanduponhim，thatthemanmaynotdesirenorregardanythingbuttheeternalGoodonly。Andthen，whenthemanneithercarethfornordesirethanythingbuttheeternalGoodalone，andseekethnothimselfnorhisownthings，butthehonourofGodonly，heismadeapartakerofallmannerofjoy，bliss，peace，rest，andconsolation，andsothemanishenceforthinthekingdomofheaven。Thishellandthisheavenaretwogoodsafewaysforaman，andhappyishewhotrulyfindeththem。”[15]
[15]Chaps。x。，xi。abridged：Winkworth’stranslation。
HowmuchmoreactiveandpositivetheimpulseoftheChristianwritertoaccepthisplaceintheuniverseis！MarcusAureliusagreesTOthescheme——theGermantheologianagreesWITHit。HeliterallyABOUNDSinagreement，herunsouttoembracethedivinedecrees。