| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Augsburg Confession by Philip Melanchthon: grace and righteousness. For the glory of Christ's merit
suffers injury when, by such observances, we undertake to
merit justification. But it is manifest that, by such belief,
traditions have almost infinitely multiplied in the Church,
the doctrine concerning faith and the righteousness of faith
being meanwhile suppressed. For gradually more holy-days were
made, fasts appointed, new ceremonies and services in honor of
saints instituted, because the authors of such things thought
that by these works they were meriting grace. Thus in times
past the Penitential Canons increased, whereof we still see
some traces in the satisfactions.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Memorabilia by Xenophon: thinking that he is fit to lead the state, when all the while he is a
worthless creature."[4]
[1] {apotrepon proutrepen}. See K. Joel, op. cit. p. 450 foll.
[2] Cf. "Cyrop." I. vi. 22.
[3] Or, "furniture of the finest," like Arion's in Herod. i. 24.
Schneid. cf. Demosth. 565. 6.
[4] Here follows the sentence [{emoi men oun edokei kai tou
alazoneuesthai apotrepein tous sunontas toiade dialegomenos}],
which, for the sake of convenience, I have attached to the first
sentence of Bk. II. ch. i. [{edokei de moi . . . ponou.}] I
believe that the commentators are right in bracketing both one and
 The Memorabilia |