| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Augsburg Confession by Philip Melanchthon: attain to such perfection in this life that they cannot sin.
The Novatians also are condemned, who would not absolve such as had
fallen after Baptism, though they returned to repentance.
They also are rejected who do not teach that remission of sins comes
through faith but command us to merit grace through satisfactions of
our own.
Article XIII: Of the Use of the Sacraments.
Of the Use of the Sacraments they teach that the Sacraments
were ordained, not only to be marks of profession among men,
but rather to be signs and testimonies of the will of God
toward us, instituted to awaken and confirm faith in those who
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The School For Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan: Charles were unjust--I have never yet opened my mind on this subject
to my Friend Joseph. . . . I am determined. I will do it--He will
give me his opinion sincerely.--
Enter MARIA
So Child--has Mr. Surface returned with you--
MARIA. No Sir--He was engaged.
SIR PETER. Well--Maria--do you not reflect[,] the more you converse
with that amiable young man[,] what return his Partiality for you
deserves?
MARIA. Indeed Sir Peter--your frequent importunity on this subject
distresses me extremely--you compell me to Declare that I know no man
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Silas Marner by George Eliot: by the sense that the interview was ended without having made any
change in his position, or more uneasy that he had entangled himself
still further in prevarication and deceit. What had passed about
his proposing to Nancy had raised a new alarm, lest by some
after-dinner words of his father's to Mr. Lammeter he should be
thrown into the embarrassment of being obliged absolutely to decline
her when she seemed to be within his reach. He fled to his usual
refuge, that of hoping for some unforeseen turn of fortune, some
favourable chance which would save him from unpleasant consequences--
perhaps even justify his insincerity by manifesting its prudence.
And in this point of trusting to some throw of fortune's dice,
Silas Marner |
