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what he wants.
Let us conclude then that, since man is now unrighteous since the first sin,
and God is unwilling that he should thereby not be estranged from Him, it is
only by a first effect that he is not estranged.
Therefore, those who depart from God have not this first effect without
which they are not estranged from God, and those who do not depart from God
have this first effect. Therefore, those whom we have seen possessed for
some time of grace by this first effect, cease to pray, for want of this
first effect.
Then God abandons the first in this sense.
515. The elect will be ignorant of their virtues, and the outcast of the
greatness of their sins: "Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, thirsty"? etc.
516. Romans 3:27. Boasting is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay, but by
faith. Then faith is not within our power like the deeds of the law, and it
is given to us in another way.
517. Comfort yourselves. It is not from yourselves that you should expect
grace; but, on the contrary, it is in expecting nothing from yourselves that
you must hope for it.
518. Every condition, and even the martyrs, have to fear, according to
Scripture. The greatest pain of purgatory is the uncertainty of the
judgement. Deus absconditus.86
519. John 8. Multi crediderunt in eum. Dicebat ergo Jesus: "Si manseritis...
VERE mei discipuli eritis, et VERITAS LIBERABIT VOS." Responderunt: "Semen
Abrahae sumus, et nemini servimus unquam."[87]
There is a great difference between disciples and true disciples. We
recognise them by telling them that the truth will make them free; for if
they answer that they are free and that it is in their power to come out of
slavery to the devil, they are indeed disciples, but not true disciples.
520. The law has not destroyed nature, but has instructed it; grace has not
destroyed the law, but has made it act. Faith received at baptism is the
source of the whole life of Christians and of the converted.
521. Grace will always be in the wo
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