| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from An Open Letter on Translating by Dr. Martin Luther: passage - namely that we are justified by faith in Christ without
any works of the Law. In fact, he rejects all works so completely
as to say that the works of the Law, though it is God's law and
word, do not aid us in justification. Using Abraham as an
example, he argues that Abraham was so justified without works
that even the highest work, which had been commanded by God, over
and above all others, namely circumcision, did not aid him in
justification. Instead, Abraham was justified without
circumcision and without any works, but by faith, as he says in
Chapter 4: "If Abraham is justified by works, he may boast, but
not before God." However, when all works are so completely
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Letters of Two Brides by Honore de Balzac: workmanship of this beautiful ornament, which contains a little scent-
box at one end.
Then it flashed on me that the present was a fresh artifice.
Nevertheless I threw myself at once on his neck, not without
reproaching him gently for having caused me so much pain for the sake
of a trifle. He was greatly pleased with his ingenuity; his eyes and
his whole bearing plainly showed the restrained triumph of the
successful plotter; for there is a radiance of the soul which is
reflected in every feature and turn of the body. While still examining
the beauties of this work of art, I asked him at a moment when we
happened to be looking each other in the face:
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