| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Smalcald Articles by Dr. Martin Luther: struck by [the lightning of] the Law, or had been vainly vexed
by the devil with a sorrowful spirit. Otherwise [with the
exception of these persons] such contrition was certainly mere
hypocrisy, and did not mortify the lust for sins [flames of
sin]; for they had to grieve, while they would rather have
continued to sin, if it had been free to them.
As regards confession, the procedure was this: Every one had
[was enjoined] to enumerate all his sins (which is an
impossible thing). This was a great torment. From such as he
had forgotten [But if any one had forgotten some sins] he
would be absolved on the condition that, if they would occur
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from A Second Home by Honore de Balzac: the Courts or the club on foot," replied the Count.
"And with large sums of money about you, perhaps!" cried the doctor.
"It is a positive invitation to the assassin's knife."
"I am not afraid of that," said Granville, with melancholy
indifference.
"But, at least, do not stand about," said the doctor, leading the
Count towards the boulevard. "A little more and I shall believe that
you are bent of robbing me of your last illness, and dying by some
other hand than mine."
"You caught me playing the spy," said the Count. "Whether on foot or
in a carriage, and at whatever hour of the night I may come by, I have
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Paradise Lost by John Milton: Springs lighter the green stalk, from thence the leaves
More aery, last the bright consummate flower
Spirits odorous breathes: flowers and their fruit,
Man's nourishment, by gradual scale sublimed,
To vital spirits aspire, to animal,
To intellectual; give both life and sense,
Fancy and understanding; whence the soul
Reason receives, and reason is her being,
Discursive, or intuitive; discourse
Is oftest yours, the latter most is ours,
Differing but in degree, of kind the same.
Paradise Lost |
