Deadly sin is also a weakening of the powers, for by his own power no one can throw off the load of sin nor restrain himself from committing sin. It is also a blindness of thesense, for it prevents a man recognizing how brief is the space of time that can be spent inthe pleasure of voluptuousness, and how long are the pains of hell and the joys of heaven.Deadly sin is also a death of all grace, for whenever such a sin is committed, the soul is bereft of all grace. Similarly, it is the death of all virtue and good works, and anaberration of the spirit.It is also a fellowship with the Devil, for everything hath fellowship with its like; and sinmaketh the soul and Satan resemble each other. It is also an expulsion of Christianity, for it depriveth the sinner of all the profit that comes from Christianity. It is also a dungeonof hell, for if the soul remain in the purity in which God created her, neither angel nor devil may rob her of her freedom. But sin confines it in hell. Sin is also an eternity of hell, for eternity is in the will, and were it not in the will, it would not be in theconsciousness. Now, people say when they commit sin, that they do not intend to do so always; theyintend to turn away from sin. That is just as though a man were to kill himself andsuppose that he could make himself alive again by his own strength. That is, however,impossible; but to turn from sin by one's own power and come to God is still much moreimpossible. Therefore, whosoever is to turn from sin and come to God in His heavenlykingdom, must be drawn by the heavenly Father with the might of His divine power. TheFather also draws the Son who comes to help us with His grace, by stimulating our freewill to turn away from, and hate sin, which has drawn us aside from God, and from theimmutable goodness of the Godhead. Then, if she is willing, He pours the gift of Hisgrace into the soul, which renounces all her misery and sin, and all her works becomeliving. Now, this grace springs from the centre of Godhead and the Father's heart, andflows perpetually, nor ever ceases, if the soul obeys His everlasting love. Therefore Hesaith in the prophets: "I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." Out of the overflow of His universal love He desires todraw all to Himself, and to His Only-begotten Son, and to the Holy Ghost in the joy of the heavenly kingdom. Now, we should know that before our Lord Jesus Christ was born,the Heavenly Father drew men with all His might for five thousand, two hundred years;and yet, as far as we know, brought not one into the heavenly kingdom. So, when the Sonsaw that the Father had thus strongly drawn men and even wearied Himself, and yet notsucceeded, He said to the Father: "I will draw them with the cords of a man." It was asthough He said, "I see well, Father, that Thou with all Thy might, canst not succeed,therefore will I myself draw them with the cords of a man."Therefore the Son came down from heaven, and was incarnate of a Virgin, and took uponHim all our bodily weaknesses, except sin and folly, into which Adam had cast us; andout of all His words and works and limbs and nerves, He made a cord, and drew us soskillfully, and so heartily, that the bloody sweat poured from His sacred Body. And whenHe had drawn men without ceasing for three and thirty years, He saw the beginnings of amovement and the redemption of all things that would follow. Therefore He said, "And I,if I be lifted up on the Cross, will draw all men unto Me." Therefore He was stretchedupon the Cross, and laid aside all His glory, and whatever might hinder His drawing men. Now, there are three natural means of attraction with which Christ on the Cross drew toHimself between the third and the ninth hour, more people than He had drawn before4
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