As thus: if I should owe to
two creditors ten thousand talents, the one should say unto me,
"Thou owest me five thousand talents, pay that thou owest;" the
other should say, "Thou owest me five thousand talents, and I
frankly and freely forgive thee all."
Now, these expressions are contrary one to another; even so is the
end of the convictions of the law not according to the end of the
convictions of the Spirit of Christ: the one saying, "Pay me that
thou owest;" the other saying, "Thou art frankly and freely forgiven
all."
Then the Interpreter took Christian by the hand, and led him into a
very large parlor that was full of dust, because never swept; the
which, after he had reviewed it a little while, the Interpreter
called for a man to sweep. Now, when he began to sweep, the dust
began so abundantly to fly about, that Christian had almost
therewith been choked. Then said the Interpreter to a damsel that
stood by, "Bring hither water and sprinkle the room;" the which,
when she had done, it was swept and cleansed with pleasure.
Then said Christian, "What means this?"
The Interpreter answered, "This parlor is the heart of a man that
was never sanctified by the sweet grace of the gospel; the dust is
his, original sin and inward corruptions that have defiled the whole
man.
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