[Verginius Rufus]

John Lennon's lyrics are those of a simple-minded idiot, but they remind me of a passage in Joinville's Life of St. Louis. Joinville was a contemporary who knew Louis IX personally. At one point they encounter a crazy old woman who has a bundle of sticks and a bucket of water. Her intention is to use the sticks to make a fire to burn up heaven, and the water to put out the fire of hell, so that people will do what is right for its own sake, rather than from hope of reward or fear of punishment.

[A. Pole]

John Lennon's lyrics are those of a simple-minded idiot, but they remind me of a passage in Joinville's Life of St. Louis. Joinville was a contemporary who knew Louis IX personally. At one point they encounter a crazy old woman who has a bundle of sticks and a bucket of water. Her intention is to use the sticks to make a fire to burn up heaven, and the water to put out the fire of hell, so that people will do what is right for its own sake, rather than from hope of reward or fear of punishment.

This is more tricky. Somewhere in the Patristics(I do not recall the place at this moment) is written that there are three kinds of people who are saved:

The first is similar to the slaves - such are saved by the fear of punishment,

the second is like the hirelings - such are saved by the hope of reward,

the third are like the children - they are saved by the love of Father.