186、人若清楚看见圣治的运作，就会悖逆神，还会否认祂，因为人沉浸在自我之爱的快乐中，这快乐构成他的生命。这意味着当他被保持在其生命的快乐中时，就处于自由之中；因为自由与这快乐构成一体。因此，他若发觉他正在不断被引离他的快乐，就会发怒，好像有人试探摧毁他的生命，并视这个人为仇敌。为阻止这一切发生，主不会在祂的圣治中清楚显现，而是利用它默默引导人，如同引导一股暗流，或顺水载舟。结果，人只知道他不断处于自我之中，因为人的自由与自我感构成一体。由此清楚可知，这自由会将圣治所引入的东西归给人；但是，如果圣治将自己显明，这种事是不会发生的。被归给就是变成生命的一部分。
186. The fact is that a person would go counter to God and also deny Him if he were to clearly see the operations of His Divine providence, and this for the reason that the human being is impelled by the delight of self-love. Moreover, this delight constitutes his very life. Consequently, when a person is kept in the delight of his life, he experiences his freedom, for freedom and that delight go hand in hand. If, then, he were to perceive that he is constantly being diverted from his delight, he would be enraged as against one trying to destroy his life and would regard him as his foe.
To prevent this from happening, the Lord does not clearly appear in His Divine providence, but draws a person along by it as silently as a hidden current or favorable stream does a ship. Consequently a person does not know but that he continually has his independence, for freedom and independence are bound up together. It is apparent from this that freedom incorporates into a person what Divine providence introduces, which would not be the case if Divine providence were to show itself. (To be incorporated is to become part of the life.)
186. The reason we would go counter to God and deny him if we were to see clearly what divine providence itself is doing is that we are caught up in the pleasure of our love, and this pleasure is integral to our very life. This means that when we are kept in the pleasure of our love we are in our own freedom, our freedom and this pleasure being inseparable from each other. If we were to sense, then, that we were constantly being led away from our pleasure, we would be as angry as though someone were trying to destroy our life and would regard that person as our enemy. To prevent this from happening, the Lord does not show himself clearly in his divine providence. Rather, he uses it to lead us subtly, the way a hidden stream or favorable current carries a boat. Consequently, all we know is that we are always on our own, since this freedom is united to our sense of self. We can see from this that our freedom incorporates into us what divine providence offers, which would not happen if providence made itself known. To become incorporated is to become part of our life.
186. If man saw clearly the operations of the Divine Providence he would go contrary to God and also deny Him, because man is in the delight of self-love, and this delight constitutes his very life. Therefore, when he is kept in the delight of his life he is in his freedom, for freedom and that delight make one. If, therefore, he perceived that he is constantly being led away from his delight he would be enraged as against one who desired to destroy his life, and would regard him as an enemy. In order to prevent this the Lord does not manifestly appear in His Divine Providence, but by it He leads man as silently as an imperceptible stream or favouring current bears a vessel along. Consequently, man does not know but that he is constantly in his own proprium, for man's freedom and his proprium make one. Hence it is clear that freedom appropriates to man what the Divine Providence introduces; but this would not take place if the Divine Providence made itself evident. To be appropriated is to become part of the life.
186. Man would run counter to God, and also deny Him, if he clearly saw the workings of His Divine providence, because man is in the enjoyment of self-love, and that enjoyment constitutes his very life; therefore when he is kept in his life's enjoyment he is in freedom; for freedom and that enjoyment make one. If, therefore, he had a perception of being continually led away from his enjoyment he would be enraged as against one who wished to destroy his life, and would regard him as an enemy. To prevent this the Lord does not manifestly appear in His Divine providence, but by it He leads men as silently as a hidden current or favoring tide bears a vessel; and in consequence man does not know but that he is constantly in his own (proprium), for man's freedom and his own make one. From this it is clear that freedom appropriates to man what the Divine providence introduces, but that this would not take place if the Divine providence made itself manifest. To be appropriated is to come to be of the life.
186. Quod homo in contrarium iret cum Deo, et quoque negaret illum, si manifeste videret Divinae Providentiae Ipsius operationes, est quia homo est in jucundo amoris sui; et id jucundum facit ipsam vitam ejus; quare cum homo in jucundo suae vitae tenetur, est in suo libero, liberum enim et id jucundum unum faciunt: si itaque perciperet, quod continue abducatur a jucundo suo, exacerbaretur sicut contra illum qui vellet necare vitam ejus, et pro hoste haberet: quod ne fiat, Dominus in Divina sua Providentia non manifeste apparet, sed per illam ita tacite ducit hominem, sicut flumen latens aut vena secunda navem: ex eo homo non aliter scit, quam quod jugiter in suo proprio sit, liberum enim cum proprio unum facit; inde patet, quod liberum appropriet homini id quod Divina Providentia introducit, quod non fieret si haec se manifestaret: appropriari est fieri vitae.