CONVERSATION 18

"But how shall they call upon [him] in whom they have not believed? how can we believe [in] [Him] of Whom we have not heard? How can you hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? as it is written..." (Romans 10:14,15).

1. The Apostle again withdraws the Jews from apologizing. Having said, "For I testify unto them, that they have zeal for God, but not according to reasoning," and again, "Not understanding the righteousness of God, they did not submit," he goes on to show that even for their very ignorance they must be punished by God. However, he does not say this directly, but reveals it by expounding his speech in questions, and, for the greater clarity of proofs, he composes the whole passage from objections and answers. See, then, he said above in the words of the prophet that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." But perhaps someone will say: how could they call on Him in Whom they did not believe? Then the objection is followed by the question: why did they not believe? And again an objection, for surely someone might ask: How could they believe without hearing? They have heard, (the apostle) answers. Then again another objection: how could they hear without a preacher? And again the answer: many preached, and many were sent for this very purpose. From what is it evident that they were sent to preach? Here, finally, (the Apostle) quotes the words of the prophet: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach peace, who preach good tidings" (Romans 10:15), "How beautiful are the feet of the evangelizer on the mountains, who proclaims peace, who preaches joy" (Isaiah 52:7). You see, how by the very way of preaching he proves that they were preachers. The Apostles, going around the world, proclaimed nothing else but the unspeakable blessings and the accomplished peace of God with people. Wherefore ye unbelievers do not believe us, says Paul, but Isaiah, who foretold many years in advance that we would be sent, preach, and speak the same things that we had said.

"But not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says: Lord! Who believed what we heard? Faith therefore comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:16,17). But now the Jews again made a new objection, saying: "If these (the apostles) were sent and sent from God, then it was necessary that all should obey them." And note Paul's prudence, as he proves that the very thing that caused confusion should destroy agitation and anxiety. Why, he says, after so many and important testimonies, and after confirming it by works, are you, Jew, offended by the fact that not all have listened to the gospel? But this very fact that not everyone obeys, with other proofs, is enough to convince you of the truth of what is being preached. And the prophet predicted this from ancient times. Notice, then, the ineffable wisdom (of the Apostle), how he proves moreover, how much the Jews expected and hoped to contradict him. What do you say, he asks? Is it that "not all obeyed the gospel"? But Isaiah predicted this long ago, or rather, he predicted not only this, but much more. You blame the fact that not everyone listened, and Isaiah says more than that. What exactly? "Lord! who believed what we heard"? Then, having destroyed this confusion with the words of the prophet, (the apostle) again maintains the former connection.

After quoting the words of the prophet: "Lord! who believed what we heard"? he, taking another testimony in due time, says: "Faith therefore comes by hearing." And this he said not without purpose, since the Jews were constantly seeking miracles and desiring to see the resurrection; And since there were many who sought this, (the Apostle) also says that the prophet also proclaimed that our faith must come from hearing. Wherefore he proves this beforehand, saying, "Faith therefore comes by hearing." And since this was apparently insignificant, see how he strengthens his speech. I did not speak of mere hearing, he continues, not of what human speech should hear and believe, but I speak of lofty hearing: "And hearing of the word of God." The preachers did not speak of their own things, but proclaimed what they had learned from God; This is much higher than miracles. God, when He speaks and performs miracles, must be believed and obeyed alike, because works and miracles are produced by His word; Thus the heavens and all the rest appeared.

2. And so, having proved that the prophets must be believed, who always speak not their own, but God's, and that there is no need to seek anything more than hearing, (the apostle) sets forth the objection to which I have referred, and says: "But I ask, have they not heard" (v. 18)? (The Apostle) asks: What does it matter if the preachers were sent and preached what they were commanded, since the Jews did not hear? Then the solution of the objection is proposed in all its fullness. "On the contrary, their voice went out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." What sayest thou, asks (Paul), have they not heard? But the universe has heard, all the boundaries of the earth have heard, and you, with whom the preachers have spent so much time and from whom they have come, have you not heard? Is this possible? If you have heard the limits of the universe, even more so you. Then again a new objection. "Again I ask, Did not Israel know" (v. 19)? And if the Jews, although they heard, did not understand what was said, did not know that the preachers who were sent were the same preachers, then do they not deserve an excuse for such ignorance? Not at all. After all, Isaiah pointed out the signs of preachers when he said: "How beautiful ... the feet of the evangelist who proclaims peace" (Isaiah 52:7). And before Isaiah they were depicted by the Lawgiver Himself, which is why (the Apostle) added: "But the first Moses says, I will stir up jealousy in you not by a people, I will provoke you to anger with a foolish people." Thus it was necessary to recognize the preachers, not only because the Jews did not believe that the preachers preached the gospel of peace and proclaimed good things, and that the word was sown throughout the world, but also because those who were inferior to the Jews, that is, the Gentiles, were given greater honor. The pagans suddenly began to inquire about what neither they nor their ancestors had ever heard. This was a sign of high honor, which should wound the Jews, encourage them to emulate and bring to mind the prophecy of Moses: "I will stir up jealousy in you not by the people." Not only was the greatness of the honor sufficient to move the Jews to emulation, but also that the people who were honored with it were so lowly that they were not worthy even of the name of a people. "I will not arouse your jealousy by the people," it is said, "I will provoke you to anger by a foolish people." What was more foolish and inferior than the Gentiles? See how God gave the Jews beforehand the signs and clear signs of all these times, to open their blindness. And this did not take place in a narrow corner, but on land and sea, and everywhere in the world; those whom the Jews had formerly despised, they saw as possessors of innumerable blessings. It should have been understood, then, that this was the same people of whom Moses said, "I will stir up in you jealousy not by a people, but by a people who are foolish." But was Moses the only one who said this? In no way, but Isaiah confirmed the same thing after him. Wherefore Paul said, "The first Moses," showing that there is a second who speaks of the same thing more clearly and distinctly. And as he said above, Isaiah cries, so here, Isaiah speaks boldly, v. 20.

What is it about - about everything? And of your fall, and of the introduction of the Gentiles, saying, "They that have not sought me have found me; I have revealed myself to those who have not inquired about Me." Who are these who have not sought and inquired? Obviously, not Jews, but Gentiles who never knew God. As Moses expressed their distinguishing feature with the words: "not a people," and "a people without understanding," so Isaiah here depicts the same property of theirs - ignorance in the extreme degree. This was the most important accusation for the Jews, that those who sought did not find, and those who sought lost. "And of Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and stubborn people" (v. 21). Do you notice that that which perplexed and perplexed many, was known before and was clearly resolved in the prophetic writings? What is it? Thou hast heard Paul say above, What shall we say? The Gentiles who did not seek righteousness received righteousness..... But Israel, which sought the law of righteousness, did not reach the law of righteousness" (Romans 9:30,31). Isaiah says the same here, saying, "They that have not sought me have found me; I have made myself known to them that have not inquired about me" - mean the same as what the apostle said: "The Gentiles, who did not seek righteousness, received righteousness." Then, having shown that what was done was not the work of God's grace alone, but also of the own goodwill of those who came, just as the fall of the Jews was the result of the obstinacy of the disobedient, listen to what (the apostle) added: "And of Israel he says, All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and stubborn people." By the word "day" he means here all the past tense, and "to stretch out one's hands" means to call, to attract and to summon. Then, showing that the Jews themselves were guilty of all this, he says: "To a disobedient and stubborn people."

3. Do you notice how strong the accusation is? Not only did the Jews disobey (God) even when He called them, but they also contradicted them, and moreover, not once, not twice, not three, but all the time when they saw (God) calling them. And the pagans, who had never known God, had the power to draw Him to themselves. However, (the Apostle) does not say that they themselves were able to draw God to themselves, but, casting down the pride of the Gentiles and showing that the grace of God produced everything, he says: "He was revealed," and "they found." So, the Gentiles are free from everything, you ask? In no way, but their business was to take what they found and know what was revealed. After the Jews did not say, "Why did He not appear to us also?" (The Apostle) points out something more, saying that He not only appeared to them, but also did not cease to stretch out His hands and call, showing the solicitude of a loving father and a compassionate mother. See what a clear solution (the apostle) gave to all the misunderstandings that arose above, proving that the Jews perished of their own free will and in all respects do not deserve an excuse. Though they heard and understood what was said, yet they did not want to come. And what is much more important, God not only gave them to hear and understand this, but also added stronger measures to motivate and attract the stubborn and resistant. Which ones? Encouraging them and arousing competition. You yourselves know the power of this passion, you know what power emulation has in overcoming every obstacle and in restoring the fallen. And is it necessary to say this about people, when competition has a great influence on both the dumb and immature children? Often a child, when called by his father, does not obey and continues to be obstinate, but when he sees that another child is being cared for, he runs to the parent's breast without any invitation, and what the request could not do, easily produces competition. This is what God did with the Jews. He not only summoned them, stretched out his hands to them, but also aroused in them the passion of emulation, bestowing blessings on those who were much inferior to them (and this especially excites emulation), and moreover, not with the goods that were given to the Jews, but, what is much more important and makes the passion more painful, with goods much greater and more necessary, such as the Jews could not even imagine in their dreams. But even with all this, they did not listen. What excuse, then, are those who have shown their obstinacy to such a great degree? No. However, (the Apostle) himself does not say this, but leaves it to the conscience of his hearers to conclude it on the basis of what has been said, and in the following words, with his characteristic wisdom, he again proves the same thing. As he did above, introducing objections into the discourse on the law and the people, in which there was a stronger accusation than was necessary, and then in the decision where the accusation was refuted, he yielded as much as circumstances permitted, so as not to grieve with his words, so he does here, saying: "Therefore I ask, Has God rejected his people, which he knew beforehand? In no way" (11:1,2). (The Apostle), as if having taken the basis of what has been said, presents himself as doubting, and, having pronounced these terrible words, by means of their denials, makes acceptable what he has tried to prove everywhere above, and which he reveals here. What is it? That though the number of the saved be small, the promise is immutable. Therefore he did not simply say, "people," but added, "His people, which He knew beforehand." Further, to prove that the Jews are not rejected, he says, "For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin." I, he says, am a teacher, a preacher. And since this seemed to contradict what was said above, namely, "Who believed what we heard"? and, "All day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people," and again, "I will stir up jealousy in you, not by the people," he did not confine himself to negation, and the word, "By no means," but repeats the same thing affirmatively, and says, "God has not rejected his people," v. 2. But, you will say, this is not a confirmation, but a denial. So here is first one confirmation, and then another. First, when (the apostle) declares that he himself is a Jew; if God had determined to reject the Jews, He would not have chosen Paul from among them, to whom He entrusted all the preaching, the affairs of the whole world, all the mysteries, all the Economy of human salvation. This is the first argument, and the second one that follows consists in the words, "His people ... whom He knew beforehand," that is, of whom He clearly knew that they were able to receive the faith, and would receive it, since also of the Jews three thousand, and five thousand, and a great crowd, believed.

4. And lest anyone object, "Are you a people, and does it follow from the fact that you have been called, that a whole nation has been called?" - (the apostle) added: "God did not reject his people, whom he knew beforehand" (v. 2). It is as if he were saying: there are three thousand with me, there are five thousand, there is a great multitude.

But so that the Jews may not say this, see what answer (the Apostle) gives in the following words: Without raising an objection, but warning him, he offers a solution on the basis of Old Testament history. What is this solution? "Or do you not know," he says, "what the Scripture says in [the account of] Elijah? how he complains to God about Israel, saying, "Lord! Thy prophets have been slain, Thy altars have been destroyed; I am left alone, and my soul is being sought. What does God's answer say to him? I have kept for myself seven thousand men who did not kneel before Baal. So also in this present time, by the election of grace, there is a remnant" (vv. 2-5). The meaning of these words is this: God did not reject the people, because if He had rejected them, He would not have received anyone, and if He had accepted some, He would not have rejected them. But if he did not reject, you say, then he accepted everyone? Not at all. And under Elijah no more than seven thousand were saved, and now there are probably many who believe. It is not at all surprising if you do not know them, since the prophet Elijah, such a great man, did not know them; but God arranged His works, although the prophet did not know. Notice, then, the prudence (of the apostle), how, in proving what he intended to prove, he imperceptibly increases the guilt of the Jews. He remembered all this testimony in order to reveal their ingratitude more clearly and to prove that they had been so from ancient times. And if he had not had this intention, but wanted to prove one thing, that the people consist of a few, he would only have said that even in the time of Elijah there remained seven thousand. But now he gives all the testimony from the beginning, since he tried by all means to prove that the actions of the Jews with Christ and the apostles are not strange, but are common among them and have become a habit. And lest they should say, We have killed Christ as a deceiver, and persecute the Apostles as deceivers, (the Apostle) cites a testimony in which it says: "Lord! Thy prophets have been slain, Thy altars have been destroyed." Then, in order not to grieve too much with this word, he gives another reason for giving this testimony. He does not cite it with the main purpose of accusing them, but with a view to proving something else; and, meanwhile, deprives them of any excuse in their former deeds as well. See how the accusation acquires special force depending on the person who accuses. The accuser is not Paul, not Peter, not James, not John, but the one to whom the Jews were most astonished, the head of the prophets, the friend of God, such a zealot for the Jews that he decided to endure hunger, he who is not yet dead. What does he say? "Lord! Thy prophets have been slain, Thy altars have been destroyed; I am left alone, and my soul is being sought." What could be more terrible than such an atrocity? Whereas they should have prayed for the sins they had already committed, they intended to kill him as well. All this deprives them of any excuse. For it was not in the time of famine, but in the time of fertility, when the shame was already destroyed, the demons were put to shame, the power of God was revealed, and the king himself was humbled, they ventured to commit such an atrocity, passing from murder to murder and killing teachers and those who corrected their lives. And what could they say about it? Could it be that they were deceivers too? Did they not know where they came from? Did they upset you? But they also said useful things. And what about the altars? Could it be that they also upset? Did they also insult? These are the examples of stubbornness and arrogance that the Jews have always shown. That is why Paul also says in another place, in his Epistle to the Thessalonians: "For you also suffered the same things from your fellow countrymen, as did those from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and His prophets, and drove us out, and do not please God, and resist all men" (1 Thess. 2:14,15). Likewise, he says here that the Jews destroyed the altars and slew the prophets. But what does the Divine sentence say to him? "I have kept unto myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." You ask, does this apply to the present time? It is fully so, and this proves that God usually always saves the worthy, although the promise is given to a whole people. The same is proved above, when he says, "Though the children of Israel be as numerous as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved," and "If the Lord of hosts had not left us seed, we would have become like Sodom." He proves the same here, wherefore he adds: "So also in our time, by the election of grace, a remnant has been preserved."

5. See how each word (of the Apostle) retains its power, expressing both the grace of God and the prudence of those who are being saved. By the word "by election" (the Apostle) showed the worthiness of those who are being saved, and by the word "grace" he meant the gift of God. "But if by grace, it is not by works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. And if by works, then this is no longer grace; otherwise the work is no longer the deed" (Romans 11:6). Again, according to what has been said, the Apostle attacks the obstinacy of the Jews, and here he rebels against them, and here he deprives them of excuse. You cannot say, he says, that although the prophets exhorted, God called, the very works cried out, and the emulation was sufficient to attract us, yet the commands were heavy, and therefore we could not come, because we were required to show works and difficult merits, which cannot even be said. But how could God demand of you that which was to darken His grace? He said this, wishing to show how much he wanted their salvation. Not only could their salvation be accomplished conveniently, but it would also be the greatest glory for God to manifest His love for mankind. Why, then, were you afraid to approach when you were not required to do anything? Why do you argue and persist when grace is offered to you, and you refer to the law without need or benefit? After all, you will not save yourself by the law, but you will humiliate this gift. If you stubbornly want to be saved by the law, then you destroy the grace of God. Then, lest this be recognized as a new teaching, (the Apostle) says beforehand that even those seven thousand have been saved by grace. With the words, "So also in this present time, according to the election of grace, a remnant has been preserved," he shows that they also were saved by grace. The same is evident from the words, "I have kept for myself," by which God shows that He Himself did most of the work. And if by grace, you say, why are we not all saved? Because you don't want to. Grace, although it is precisely grace, nevertheless saves those who desire, and not those who do not want and turn away from it, who constantly rise up against it and resist it? Do you see how (the Apostle) everywhere reveals the truth that it is impossible that the word of God should not come to pass, and proves that the promise has been fulfilled in the worthy, and that the worthy, though they are few, can constitute the people of God (Romans 9:6)? At the beginning of the epistle, he expressed the same idea with greater force, saying: "It is not that the word of God has not come to pass," and without stopping there, he added: "God is faithful, but every man is a liar" (Romans 3:3,4); And now he again reveals this idea with other arguments, proving the power of grace and that it is always always some who are saved, and others who perish. Thus, let us thank God that we were among those who were being saved and, not being able to be saved by works, were saved by the gift of God. We will testify to our gratitude not only in words, but also in deeds and deeds. Gratitude is perfect when we do what serves to the glory of God, and when we avoid what we have been freed from. For if we, having insulted the king, instead of being punished, are rewarded, and then insult him again, then justice demands that we, as guilty of extreme ingratitude, should suffer an extreme punishment, and much more than before, because the former insult did not so much prove our ingratitude as the one committed after the honor and many services rendered to us. Therefore, let us shun that from which we have been freed, and let us not give thanks with our lips alone, lest it be said of us: "This people... with his mouth and with his tongue he honours me, but his heart is far from me" (Isaiah 29:13). Is it not strange that the heavens declare the glory of God, and you, for whom the heavens also glorify God, do such things that through you the God who created you is blasphemed? Of course, it is not only the one who blasphemes for this, but you yourself are subject to punishment. The heavens glorify God, not by making a sound, but by contemplation they induce others to praise; nevertheless, they are also said to proclaim the glory of God. In the same way, those who lead a life worthy of wonder, although they are silent, nevertheless glorify God, when through them others glorify Him. And it is not so much the sky as pure life that arouses surprise. Therefore, when we converse with the Gentiles, we do not refer to heaven, but to men, who were formerly worse than beasts, and whom God made like angels, and by pointing out this change, we stop their mouths.

6. Man is much better than heaven and can acquire a soul, more excellent than the beauty of heaven. Heaven, being visible for such a long time, did not convince much, but Paul, who preached for a short time, attracted the whole universe, because he had a soul that was no less than heaven and could attract everyone. After all, our soul is not worthy of the earth; and his (the soul) is equal to the heavens. Heaven stands, preserving its limit and law, and the height of Paul's soul surpasses all heaven and converses with Christ Himself; its beauty is so great that God Himself bears witness to it. At the creation of the stars, the angels were amazed, and Christ was amazed at Paul, saying: "He is my chosen vessel" (Acts 9:15). The sky is often covered with clouds, and Paul's soul was not darkened by any temptation, but even in the midst of storms it appeared more brilliantly than a clear noon, and shone as it did before the darkness. The sun, which shone in him, did not pour out such rays as could have been darkened by the confluence of temptations, but during temptations it shone even more. That is why Christ said: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Therefore, let us imitate him, and if we wish, neither the heavens, nor the sun, nor the whole world will mean anything in comparison with us, because all these things are for us, and not we for them. Let us show that we deserve all these things to be made for us. If we prove unworthy of this, then how will we be worthy of the Kingdom? And if those who live to blaspheme God are unworthy to look at the sun, then those who blaspheme are not worthy to enjoy creatures that glorify God, since even a son who insults his father is not worthy to use the services of honest servants. Therefore, God's creatures will be worthy of great glory, and we will be subjected to punishment and torment. And what a misfortune it will be if the creature, called into existence for you, is transformed into the freedom of the glory of the children of God, and we, who were children of God, through whose fault the creation will enjoy that great bliss, will be sent for great negligence to perdition and to hell. Therefore, in order to avoid this, we, having acquired a pure soul, will also preserve it as such, or rather, increase its brilliance; but if we have defiled the soul, let us not despair. "Though your sins be as scarlet, as white as snow; though they be red as crimson, they shall be as white as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). And if God promises, do not doubt, but do what you can attract these promises. Have you committed many evil deeds and crimes? What then? You have not yet descended into hell, where no one confesses, the lists have not yet been destroyed, but you stand in the midst of the field and can even make up for all your defeats with the last struggle. You are not yet where the rich man is, and you have not yet been told: "A great gulf has been established between us and you" (Luke 16:26). The bridegroom has not yet come, and no one will be afraid to give oil; You can still buy it and keep it for stocking. No one will yet say: "Lest there be no shortage both among us and among you" (Matthew 25:9), but there are many who sell, there are naked, hungry, sick, imprisoned. Feed some, clothe others, visit those who are lying down, and you will have more springs of oil. The day of the report had not yet come. Take advantage of the time as you should, reduce your debts, and say to him who owes a hundred measures of oil: "Take your receipt and sit down quickly, write: fifty" (Luke 16:6). Do the same with money, words, and everything else, imitating that steward; Convince yourself and your relatives to do the same. You still have the right to say this, you are not yet in the need to ask someone else about it, but you have the power to give advice to yourself and to others. And when you move there, it will be impossible for you to do either one or the other as you should. And rightly so. You have been given so much time, but you have benefited neither yourself nor others: how can you receive such mercy when you are already in the hands of the Judge? Having considered all this, let us begin to take care of our salvation and will not destroy the timeliness of the present life. Perhaps it is quite possible to please God with your last breath; It is possible to get approval by means of a will, although not as conveniently as in life, but it is still possible. How exactly? If you include Christ among your heirs and give Him a part of the entire inheritance. Did you not feed Him during your lifetime? At least after death, when you are no longer the master of your possessions, give it to Christ: He loves mankind and does not strictly demand of you. Of course, love is greater and the reward is greater, if you nourish Him during your lifetime, but if you have not done this, then at least do the second, leave Him as a joint heir with your possessions, together with your children. And if you do not dare to do this, then remember that His Father has made you His joint heir, and cast out your inhumanity. Indeed, what excuse will you have if you do not make Him who made you a partaker of heaven and was put to death for your sake, together with your children? Of course, He Himself, whatever He did, did not in payment of a debt, but for the manifestation of grace, and even after so many blessings you remained His debtor. Yet, in spite of all this, He crowns you, as if He receives mercy from you, and does not collect a debt, while in reality He receives from you only His own.

7. Therefore, give Him money, which is already useless for you, over which you are not the master, but Christ will give you the Kingdom, which is always useful for you, and with it He will give you the blessings of this world. If He be a joint heir with your children, He will ease their orphanhood, deliver them from offenses, repel evil intentions, and stop the mouths of slanderers; if your children are not able to defend the will, then He Himself will do it and will not allow it to be broken. And if He does, He will fulfill all that is written by Himself with greater generosity, because you have vouchsafed Him to write Him together with the children. Therefore, leave Him as your heir, for you must go to Him and He will judge you in all that is perfect here. But there are also such unfortunate and miserable people who, having no children of their own, do not agree to do this, but prefer to divide their property to fellow diners and flatterers, rather to give one or the other than to Christ, Who has done them so good. What can be more unreasonable than such people? If you compare them to donkeys or stones, you will not fully express their foolishness and insensibility, nor will you find an example by which their folly and imprudence can be sufficiently depicted.

What excuse will you have when, having received such great mercy from Him, you neglect His beneficence and behave completely contrary to what your forefathers behaved in the faith? Even in their lifetime they sold everything and brought it to the feet of the apostles, but even in death you do not give any share to the needy. Though it is better to free others from poverty during one's lifetime, and gives much boldness, yet thou, if thou wilt not, at least at death, do something valiant. True, it is not a great love for Christ, but it means love. For even if you do not have primacy with the lambs, it is important to be behind them, and not to stand with the goats and the goats. And if you do not do even this, then what will you say in your defense, how soon do not the fear of death, or the fact that money becomes useless to you, or that you will bring security to your children, or that you will acquire great condescension for yourself there? Therefore, I advise you to give most of your property to the needy during your lifetime. And if some are so faint-hearted that they cannot decide to do so, let them, at least out of necessity, become philanthropic. In your lifetime you were so addicted to money as if you were immortal, but now that you see for yourself that you are mortal, yet now give up such a thought and dispose of your goods as a mortal, or rather as one appointed to enjoy an immortal life all the time. No matter how difficult, however terrible what I am about to say, nevertheless it is necessary to say this: Number the Lord among your servants. Do you set slaves free? Deliver Christ also from hunger, want, bondage and nakedness. Were you horrified when you heard this? It will be much worse if you do not do this. Here one word makes you tremble, but what will you say there when you move there, hear words much more terrible, and when you see the instruments of unbearable torment? Who will you resort to? Whom wilt thou call upon as thy ally and helper? Is it Abraham? But he will not hear. Or wise virgins? But they will not give you oil. Father or grandfather? But none of them, however holy, has the power to overturn the terrible sentence.