Against the Pelagians

¹¹ We now turn to the Gospels “and supplement the flickering flame of the Apostolic light with the brightness of the lamp of Christ.”

Matt. v. 22. “Every man who is angry...shall be in danger of the council.” Which of us is not here condemned?

<!--<span class="stiki"></span>-->23, 24. “First be reconciled to your brother.” Who is there that finds this command easy?

37. “Let your speech be Yea, yea, Nay, nay.” Who has ever kept this commandment? The Psalmist says Ps. cxvi. 11. All men are liars.

12.

Matt. vi. 34. “Be not anxious for tomorrow.” Do you fulfil this?

vii. 14. “Narrow is the gate which leads to life.” How can you say that the commandments are easy?

Luke ix. 58. “The Son of Man has not where to lay His head.” This is interpreted by

Is. xxviii. 12. “Receive him that is weary, and this is my rest;” and

<!--<span class="stiki"></span>-->Isaiah 66:1, 2. “On whom shall I rest but on him that is humble?” Christ finds few on whom to rest. How then can His commands be said to be easy?

<!--<span class="stiki"></span>-->Matthew 9:12, 13. “I came not to call the righteous.” “They that are whole need not the physician.” Had the world not been full of sin, Christ would not have come. So

Ps. xii. 1. Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases.

<!--<span class="stiki"></span>-->xiv. 1, 3. They are corrupt...none does good.

Matt. x. 9. “Get you no gold...nor shoes.” Who has fulfilled this? Not even the Apostles, for

Acts xii. 8. The angel bids Peter to bind on his sandals.

13.

Matt. x. 22-34. Describes the persecutions of Christ's followers, and gives the command to take up the cross. Are these easy?

xiv. 31. Even Peter's faith fails, and he begins to sink.

<!--<span class="stiki"></span>-->xv. 19, 20. Out of the heart came evil thoughts, etc.

xvi. 25. Whosoever will lose his life will find it.

xviii. 7. “Woe to the man through whom stumbling comes.” But

James iii. 2. In many things we all stumble or err.

Phil. ii. 21. All seek their own.

Matt. xix. 21. The young lawyer had kept all the law, yet failed.

xxiii. 26-28. The woes on the Pharisees fall in their measure upon all.

14.

Matt. xxvi. 39. “Not as I will, but as You will.” Yet Critobulus says, by his own will he can do right.

Mark xiv. 37. “Could ye not watch with me one hour?” They could not.

vi. 5. He could do no mighty works because of their unbelief.

vii. 24. “He went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon.” If Christ could not do as he wished, how can we?

ix. 5. Peter's request at the Transfiguration shows his ignorance.

xiii. 32. Even the Son knows not all things; how then can we?

xiv. 35. If it be possible. How can you say it is possible every hour to avoid sin?

15.

Mark xvi. 14. Even the Apostles showed unbelief and hardness of heart.

1 John v. 19. The world lies in the evil one.

Luke i. 20. Even Zacharias disbelieved God's message.

Matt. xvii. 15. The disciples could not relieve the lunatic, because of unbelief.

Mark iv. 34. The disciple's dispute about precedence.

Luke ix. 54. James and John show a vindictive spirit.

<!--<span class="stiki"></span>-->xiv. 26, 27. The commands to forsake all and take up the cross are not easy.

xvi. 15. That which is exalted among men is abomination in the sight of God.

xvii. 1. It is impossible but that occasions of stumbling should come.

xvii. 6. The Apostles' faith was not even like a grain of mustard seed.

James iii. 2.

Matt. xvii. 19.

16.

Luke xviii. 1. We are always to pray. This shows our weakness.