Did not Paul himself say, "So then we hold that man is justified by
faith without the deeds of the law"?
Yes, but were these drunken and licentious ecclesiastics really
believers? The Prior had blasphemed the Sacrament, and given the
prelate a dispensation from hearing confession and celebrating mass
in consideration of a fee. That was monstrous, heathenish, and a
Satanic abomination. Certainly, but faith itself was a gift bestowed
by grace, and if these men had not obtained grace they were
guiltless. But they were hardened sinners! Paul again gave the
answer to this: "The Lord receives whom He will, and whom He will He
hardeneth." If God had hardened them, as He hardened Pharaoh's
heart, then they were guiltless; and if so, why should we venture to
judge and condemn them. A mill-wheel seemed to go round in his head,
and he blamed Aristotle the heathen, who had seduced him in his
youth, and taught him to split hairs about simple matters. He felt
also that Paul could not help him, since such was his teaching.
Feeling quite crushed, he knelt down again on his praying stool,
and implored God to take him out of this world of lying deceit and
uncertainty. In this world one was surrounded by darkness without
being able to kindle a light; in this life one was driven to battle
without having received weapons.
Pages:
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249