Charity (Coulson) n. 5

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5. Everyone sees that he who acknowledges that a sin is a sin [can see the sins in himself] but he who makes them allowable in thought, and, on account of the world, not allowable in the body, cannot see them. He is like a man turning a mirror upside down to see his face, or like one who wants to see his face putting a piece of linen gauze in front of it.*

* Note on the left-hand margin of the original MS.: "Investigation: 1, If only as to actions it does not find out much, and this does not suffice; the reason; 2, but if as to thoughts and intentions then it finds out more; 3, but if he investigates what he reckons as a sin or as not a sin, then he finds out indeed, For whatever a man makes allowable in himself, that he does. To make allowable is of the will; it is effort, and in spirit is a deed; and he will do it in the body when obstacles are removed. Machiavellians also are such.


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