Re: Teen scared, awaiting transfer to state prison
Michael Yardley
doctrine.
Persons commonly at first conversion, and afterwards, have had many
texts of Scripture brought to their minds, which are exceeding suitable
to their circumstances, often come with great power, as the word of God
or of Christ indeed; and many have a multitude of sweet invitations,
promises, and doxologies flowing in one after another, bringing great
light and comfort with them, filling the soul brimful, enlarging the
heart, and opening the mouth in religion. And it seems to be necessary
to suppose that there is an immediate influence of the Spirit of God,
oftentimes, in bringing texts of Scripture to the mind. Not that I
suppose it is done in a way of immediate revelation, without any use of
the memory; but yet there seems plainly to be an immediate and
extraordinary influence, in leading their thoughts to such and such
passages of Scripture, and exciting them in the memory. Indeed in some,
God seems to bring texts of Scripture to their minds no otherwise than
by leading them into such frames and meditations as harmonize with those
Scriptures
Michael Yardley
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 world, and nature also; so that the former
is in some sort natural. And thus there will always be Pelagians, and always
Catholics, and always strife; because the first birth makes the one, and the
grace of the second birth the other.
522. The law imposed what it did not give. Grace gives what it imposes.
523. All faith consists in Jesus Christ and in Adam, and all morality in
lust and in grace.
524. There is no doctrine more appropriate to man than this, which teaches
him his double capacity of receiving and of losing grace, because of the
double peril to which he is exposed, of despair or of pride.
525. The philosophers did not prescribe feelings suitable to the two states.
They inspired feelings of pure greatness, and that is not man's state.
They inspired feelings of pure littleness, and that is not man's state.
There must be feelings of humility, not from nature, but from penitence, not
to rest in them, but to go on to greatness. There must be feelings of
greatness, not from merit, but from grace, and after having passed through
humil
Michael Yardley
Jesus Christ wrought no miracle at the Sepulchre.
Only the saints entered it.
It is there, not on the Cross, that Jesus Christ takes a new life.
It is the last mystery of the Passion and the Redemption.
Jesus Christ had nowhere to rest on earth but in the Sepulchre. His enemies
only ceased to persecute Him at the Sepulchre.
553. The Mystery of Jesus.--Jesus suffers in His passions the torments which
men inflict upon Him; but in His agony He suffers the torments which He
inflicts on himself; turbare semetipsum.95 This is a suffering from no
human, but an almighty hand, for He must be almighty to bear it.
Jesus seeks some comfort at least in His three dearest friends, and they are
asleep. He prays them to bear with Him for a little, and they leave Him with
entire indifference, having so little compassion that it could not prevent
their sleeping even for a moment. And thus Jesus was left alone to the wrath
of God.
Jesus is alone on the earth, without any one not only to feel and share His
suffering, but even to know of it; He and Heaven were alone in that
knowledge.
Jesus is in a garden, not of delight as the first Adam, where he lost
himself and the whole human race, but in one of agony, where He saved
himself and the whole human race.
He suffers this affliction and this desertion in the horror of night.
I believe that Jesus never complained but on this single occasion; but then
He complained as if he could no longer bear His extreme suffering. "My soul
is sorrowful, even unto death."
Jesus seeks companionship and comfort from men. This is the sole occasion in
all His life, as it seems to me. But He receives it not, for His disciples
are asleep. Jesus will be in agony even to the end of the world. We must not
sleep during that time.
Jesus, in the midst of this universal desertion, including that of