| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Augsburg Confession by Philip Melanchthon: forbids marriage. This may now be readily understood when the
law against marriage is maintained by such penalties.
But as no law of man can annul the commandment of God, so
neither can it be done by any vow. Accordingly, Cyprian also
advises that women who do not keep the chastity they have
promised should marry. His words are these (Book I, Epistle XI
): But if they be unwilling or unable to persevere, it is
better for them to marry than to fall into the fire by their
lusts; they should certainly give no offense to their brethren
and sisters.
And even the Canons show some leniency toward those who have
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Symposium by Xenophon: Yes (he answered meekly), but now I am calm. It is clear enough, if I
possess these powers I shall find myself surcharged with spiritual
riches.
In this fashion the cycle of the speeches was completed.[111]
[111] See Hug, "Einleitung," xxxi. "Quellen des Platonischen
Symposion."
V
Then Callias: Our eyes are on you, Critobulus. Yours to enter the
lists[1] against the champion Socrates, who claims the prize of
beauty. Do you hesitate?
[1] Soph. "Fr." 234; Thuc. i. 93.
The Symposium |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Smalcald Articles by Dr. Martin Luther: themselves with all diligence how they may most shamefully
pervert and corrupt our word in every letter. These I let the
devil answer, or at last Gods wrath, as they deserve. I often
think of the good Gerson who doubts whether anything good
should be [written and] published. If it is not done, many
souls are neglected who could be delivered: but if it is done,
the devil is there with malignant, villainous tongues without
number which envenom and pervert everything, so that
nevertheless the fruit [the usefulness of the writings] is
prevented. Yet what they gain thereby is manifest. For while
they have lied so shamefully against us and by means of lies
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