Page:Swedenborg, Harbinger of the New Age of the Christian Church.djvu/211

 large heaps of stones, amongst which they were running, and lamenting that they were cast out of their great city; and they lifted up their voices and cried, 'Why has all this befallen us? Are we not by our faith clean, pure, just, and holy? . . . Have we not made reconciliation, propitiation, expiation, and are thus absolved, washed, and cleansed from sins? And is not the curse of the law taken away by Christ? Why then are we cast down here as the damned? We have been told by a presumptuous preacher of sin in our great city, "Believe in Christ and repent." But have we not believed in Christ while we believed in His merit? And have we not done the work of repentance while we confessed ourselves sinners? Why then has all this befallen us?' But immediately a voice from one side said to them, 'Do you know any one sin that is in you? Have you ever examined yourselves? Have you in consequence shunned any evil as a sin against God? For he who does not shun sin, remains in it; and is not sin the Devil? Ye are therefore of the class of whom the Lord said, Then shall ye begin to say, "We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets;" but He shall say, "I tell you I