But what I want you to see is that he does all
that can be done. He finds it very hard to teach us, but he is never
tired of trying. Anyone who is willing to be taught of God, will by
him be taught, and thoroughly taught."
"I am afraid I am doing wrong in listening to you, Mr. Grant--and
the more that I cannot help wishing what you say might be true! But
are you not in danger--you will pardon me for saying it--of
presumption?--How can all the good people be wrong?"
"Because the greater part of their teachers have set themselves to
explain God rather than to obey and enforce his will. The gospel is
given to convince, not our understandings, but our hearts; that
done, and never till then, our understandings will be free. Our Lord
said he had many things to tell his disciples, but they were not
able to hear them. If the things be true which I have heard from
Sunday to Sunday since I came here, the Lord has brought us no
salvation at all, but only a change of shape to our miseries. They
have not redeemed you, lady Arctura, and never will. Nothing but
Christ himself, your lord and friend and brother, not all the
doctrines about him, even if every one of them were true, can save
you. Poor orphan children, we cannot find our God, and they would
have us take instead a shocking caricature of him!"
"But how should sinners know what is or is not like the true God?"
"If a man desires God, he cannot help knowing enough of him to be
capable of learning more--else how should he desire him? Made in the
image of God, his idea of him cannot be all wrong.
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