Last Judgment (Cont.) (Chadwick) n. 42

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42. There are two large cities resembling London, to which most of the British come after death; I have been allowed to see them and to walk through them. The middle of that city is where in London, England, is the meeting place of merchants called the Exchange; that is where the governors live. [2] Beyond this centre is the east, behind it the west; the south is on the right side, the north on the left. In the eastern quarter live those who have been particularly distinguished by leading charitable lives; there are magnificent palaces there. In the southern quarter live the wise, amid much splendour. In the northern quarter live those who have above others loved freedom of speech and writing. In the western quarter live those who profess faith. On the right in this quarter is the entrance to this city, and also the way out; those who live wicked lives are sent away by it. The priests in the west, who, as I said, profess faith, do not dare to enter the city by the main streets, but only through the narrower lanes, since the only inhabitants who are tolerated in that city are those who believe in charity. [3] I have heard complaints about the preachers in the west, that they display such skill and eloquence in their elegant sermons, bringing in the dogma of justification by faith which is unknown to their hearers, that they do not know whether good is to be done or not. They preach about intrinsic good, separating it from extrinsic good, which they sometimes call merit-seeking and thus unacceptable to God. But when those who live in the eastern and southern quarters of the city hear such mystical sermons, they leave the churches; and afterwards the preachers are deprived of their priestly office.


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