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67. Whom could I find to reconcile me to Thee? Was I to solicit
the angels? By what prayer? By what sacraments? Many striving to
return unto Thee, and not able of themselves, have,' as I am
told, tried this, and have fallen into a longing for curious visions?
and were held worthy to be deceived. For they, being exalted, sought
Thee by the pride of learning, thrusting themselves forward rather
than beating their breasts, and so by correspondence of heart drew unto
themselves the princes of the air. the conspirators and companions in
pride, by whom, through the power of magic, they were deceived,
seeking a mediator by whom they might be cleansed; but none was there.
For the devil it was, transforming himself into an angel of light?
And he much allured proud flesh, in that he had no fleshly body. For
they were mortal, and sinful; but Thou, O Lord, to whom they
arrogantly sought to be reconciled, art immortal, and sinless. But a
mediator between God and man ought to have something like unto God,
and something like unto man; lest being in both like unto man, he
should be far from God; or if in both like unto God, he should be
far from man, and so should not be a mediator. That deceitful
mediator, then, by whom in Thy secret judgments pride deserved to be
deceived, hath one thing in common with man, that is, sin; another
he would appear to have with God, and, not being clothed with
mortality of flesh, would boast that he was immortal? But since "the
wages of sin is death,". this hath he in common with men, that
together with them he should be condemned to death.
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