On the Lapsed 21

Unless perhaps these things were done without God's knowledge, or all this came without his permission. Let the divine Scripture teach the unteachable and remind the forgetful, which speaks, saying, “Who gave Jacob to plundering and Israel to those who despoiled him? Was it not God, against whom they sinned, and they would not walk in his ways nor hear his law? And he brought upon them the anger of his wrath.” And elsewhere it testifies and says, “Is the hand of God not strong enough to save, or has he made his ear heavy so as not to hear? But your sins separate between you and God, and because of your sins he has turned his face from you so as not to have mercy.” Let us consider our offenses; turning over our actions and the secrets of our mind, let us weigh the deserts of our conscience. Let it come back to our heart that we have not walked in the Lord's ways, have cast away God's law, have never been willing to keep his precepts and saving warnings.