Page:The Net of Faith.pdf/437

114* This became so commonplace among the Christians that not only are they not conscious of it, but they boldly refuse to listen to or to believe anything that is said against it. And somewhere else the Master Adversary says that there is no doubt that it would become superfluous and useless to obey the imperial and civil laws and statutes if all mankind obeyed the law and rule of love. The farther mankind strays from the gospel of Christ, the more it needs to obey and abide by these imperial and civil laws. It is as if the people were fed by poison, for they accept human statutes as just and reject the law of the gospel of Christ as impractical.

(Wyclif certainly speaks wisely when he says, "there is no doubt" For if there were many who would correctly abide by the law of love, imperial and civil laws would be come superfluous; the law of love would be sufficient The civil law is, therefore, necessary – as a bitter vinegar, so to speak – for those who transgress the law of love. From sin sprang the necessity of royal offices and civil laws; they are here as punishment for disobeying God. He does not say that this , Chap. XVIII.

Possible reference to the story of Mithridates who trained himself to drink poison. (. Pliny,, XXIV, ii).

"supposito lapsu humani generis et cecitate proclivi bonis sensibilibus precipue innitendi, necesse fuit leges vel ordinaciones humanas statuere, ne quilibet lapsus de bonis fortune caperet cuantumcunque voluntas indebite inclinaret.", XVIII, 41-D.