| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Concerning Christian Liberty by Martin Luther: and saves, as I shall show more clearly below.
Meanwhile it is to be noted that the whole Scripture of God is
divided into two parts: precepts and promises. The precepts
certainly teach us what is good, but what they teach is not
forthwith done. For they show us what we ought to do, but do not
give us the power to do it. They were ordained, however, for the
purpose of showing man to himself, that through them he may learn
his own impotence for good and may despair of his own strength.
For this reason they are called the Old Testament, and are so.
For example, "Thou shalt not covet," is a precept by which we are
all convicted of sin, since no man can help coveting, whatever
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Marriage Contract by Honore de Balzac: The Jew examined the gold of the settings, held the pearls to the
light, scrutinized the rubies, the diadems, clasps, bracelets, and
chains, and said, in a mumbling tone:--
"A good many Portuguese diamonds from Brazil are among them. They are
not worth more than a hundred thousand to me. But," he added, "a
dealer would sell them to a customer for one hundred and fifty
thousand, at least."
"I shall keep them," said Madame Evangelista.
"You are wrong," replied Elie Magus. "With the income from the sum
they represent you could buy just as fine diamonds in five years, and
have the capital to boot."
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Massimilla Doni by Honore de Balzac: eaten half a fish and some portion of a French pate, he felt an
irresistible longing for bed. Perhaps he was suffering from a double
intoxication. So he pulled off the counterpane, opened the bed,
undressed in a pretty dressing-room, and lay down to meditate on
destiny.
"I forgot poor Carmagnola," said he; "but my cook and butler will have
provided for him."
At this juncture, a waiting-woman came in, lightly humming an air from
the /Barbiere/. She tossed a woman's dress on a chair, a whole outfit
for the night, and said as she did so:
"Here they come!"
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