2. And why does He command the offended to rebuke and not to anyone else? Because the offender can more conveniently endure rebuke from him, as from the offended, offended, and harmed. It is not the same to hear rebuke from others who stand up for the offended, and from the offended one himself, especially when he is the only accuser. In fact, if someone who would have the right to demand satisfaction from him for an offense appears before the offender with concern for his salvation, then he is more likely to put him to shame than anyone else. You see, the rebuke here is not done in order to offend, but in order to correct. For the same purpose, the Saviour commands to take two for rebuke, not suddenly, but when the offended person himself will no longer have success; and even then he does not command to suddenly rebuke many, but commands to take only two, or one; and when the one who is rebuked despises these also, then he leaves him to the judgment of the Church. In this way, the Saviour takes great care that the sins of his neighbor should not be divulged. Although He could have left the right to tell the Church to the offended at the very beginning, in order that the sin should not be divulged, He commands that this be done after one or two reproofs. And what does it mean, "By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word was confirmed"? This means that you have done everything on your part, and have not omitted anything that you should have done. "But if he will not listen to them, speak to the church," that is, to its representatives; "And if he will not listen to the church, let him be to you as a heathen and a publican." Such a person is terminally ill. Remember that everywhere He presents the publican as an example of the most grievous sinner. And above He said: "Do not the publicans do the same" (Matt. 5:46)? And in another place: "Publicans and harlots go before you into the Kingdom of God" (Matt. 21:31), i.e. the most contemptible people. (Let those who seek unrighteous growth, and demand interest on interest, listen!). Why did He place a man who disobeyed the Church among the tax collectors? With the intention of comforting the offended and frightening him. But is this only a punishment? No; but listen further: "Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven" (Matt. 18:18). He does not say to the Primate of the Church: bind him; but: if you also bind (the whole matter is left to the offended), then the bonds will also be insoluble. Therefore he will be subjected to extreme misfortune; But it is not the fault of the one who binds, but the one who does not want to submit. See what misfortunes he subjects the stubborn one: both to this punishment and to future torment! And this he threatens not so that this may happen, but so that, frightened by the threat, that is, by being cut off from the Church, and by the danger of being bound in heaven, he may become meek, and, knowing this, if not at the beginning, then at least after many condemnations, he may forsake his anger. Thus the Saviour established the first, second, and third judgments, and did not suddenly reject the sinner, so that if he did not listen to the first judgment, he would submit to the second, and if he despised this one as well, he would fear the third, and if he did not respect the latter, he would be horrified by the future punishment, the decree and judgment of God.

"Verily also I say unto you, that if two of you agree on earth to ask for any thing, whatsoever they ask shall be done unto them by my Father which is in heaven" (v. 19). "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (v. 20). See how else He destroys enmity, destroys petty calculations, and reconciles those who are at war, not only by proclaiming execution, but also by representing the blessings that flow from love. After the above-mentioned threats against enmity, He proclaims great rewards for concord. Those who are of one accord bow down to the Father for what they ask, and Christ dwells in their midst. But what is it? Is there not even two nowhere who live in harmony with one another? There are, of course, in many places, and maybe everywhere. Why don't they get everything? Because there are many other reasons that prevent you from receiving. They do not receive, for example, because they often ask for useless things. And why should we wonder if this happens to others, when Paul experienced the same thing: "My grace is sufficient for you," he was told, "for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9)? They do not receive because they are not worthy to be listened to, without doing on their part what is required of them; and the Saviour seeks those who pray who would be like the apostles, which is why He says: (two) from you, i.e. virtuous and leading an angelic life. Or because prayers are offered against those who have offended, demanding vengeance and punishment for them, which is forbidden, namely, it is said: ?" Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you... and pray for them that despitefully use you" (Matt. 5:44). Or because unrepentant sinners ask for mercy, and it is impossible for them to receive it, even if not only they themselves asked, but even another, who has boldness before God, intercedes for them. And Jeremiah, who was praying for the Jews, heard in reply, "Thou shalt not pray for this people, nor offer up prayers or petitions for them; for I will not hear" (Jeremiah 11:14). But if all these requirements are fulfilled, that is, if you ask for what is useful, and do everything that is required of you, and lead an apostolic life, and are in harmony and love with your neighbors, then you will receive according to your prayer, because the Lord loves mankind.

3. Further, since the Saviour said: "From My Father," in order to show that He Himself is the giver, and not the Father alone, He added: "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:19). So, what then? Does it not happen that two or three are gathered together in His name? It happens, but rarely. Christ does not simply speak of the assembly, and not only demands it, but mainly, as I said above, at the same time of another virtue; And then he also demands this. His words have the following meaning: if anyone sets Me up as the first foundation of love for his neighbor, and if he has other virtues, I will be with him. But we see that many have other motives for love: one loves because he himself is loved; another because he is respected; others because their neighbor was useful to him in some worldly matter; and the fourth for some reason something else. But it is difficult to find someone who would love his neighbor sincerely and as he should - for Christ. Most are connected to each other only by worldly affairs. Paul did not love so: he loved for Christ; therefore, although he was not loved as he himself loved, he did not weaken his love, but allowed it to take root in himself. This is not the current love. If we examine all the causes of love, we shall find that in most cases they differ from the one indicated. And if anyone would allow me to make such an investigation in this crowded assembly, I would show that very many are united with each other by the species of life. This is revealed from the causes that produce enmity. Since they are united with each other by transitory benefits, therefore their love has neither ardor nor constancy; on the contrary, every offense, or loss of money, or envy, or love of vanity, or anything like that, easily destroys their love, which has no spiritual root. If there were such a root, then nothing worldly could destroy the spiritual. Love, which has Christ as its foundation, is firm, constant, invincible; nothing can break it, neither slander, nor danger, nor death, nor anything else of the kind. Whoever loves in this way, even if he has suffered a thousand defeats for his love, will not abandon it. He who loves because he is loved, if trouble happens to him, will interrupt his love; but whoever is united by this love will never leave it. That is why Paul said: "Love never faileth" (1 Cor. 13:8). What will you say to me in your defense? Why have you been offended by him who has been honored by you? Or that the one who was beneficent to you wanted to kill you? But if you love for Christ, then this very thing disposes you to greater love. What in others serves to destroy love, here the same serves to affirm it. Why? First, because such a person is the author of rewards for you; Secondly, because he has need of greater help and care for him. But even if he is hated, offended, killed, he does not cease to love, having a sufficient reason for love - Christ. Looking at Him steadfastly, he remains firm and unchangeable. And in the same way Christ loved enemies, ungrateful, offenders, reproaches, haters, who did not even want to look at Him, who preferred even wood and stones to Him – He loved them with the highest love, which cannot be found. He says: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). See how he cares also for those who crucified Him, and who showed so much fury against Him! Thus He said of them to the Father: "Forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34)! And afterwards he sent more disciples to them. And so, let us also be zealous for this love, and let us look upon it, so that, having become imitators of Christ, we may be worthy of both present and future blessings, by the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

DISCOURSE 61

"Then Peter came unto him, and said, Lord! How many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, "I say not to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven" (Matt. 18:21-22).

1. Peter thought that he was saying something great, why, as if wishing to boast of love for his neighbor, he concluded his question with the words: "Up to seven times"? "Thou hast commanded," he says to Jesus, "to forgive the wrongs of one's neighbor; How many times do I have to do this? If, for example, a neighbor often sins and, after reproof, always repents, then how many times will You command us to forgive him? He who does not repent and does not condemn himself for sin, Thou hast commanded to be left after a threefold rebuke, saying: "Let him be unto thee as a heathen and a publican," and for the repentant Thou hast set no limit, but commanded him to receive it. And so, how many times should we forgive him, when he repents after being rebuked? Is seven times enough? What then does Christ, the loving and good God, answer? "I do not say unto thee, Up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." The number seventy times the week is taken here indefinitely, and signifies a continuous or permanent obligation. As the expression "a thousand times" is used to denote a multitude, so is the present expression. For example, in the words: "A barren woman gives birth seven times" (1 Samuel 2:5), by the word "seven" the Holy Scriptures mean a multitude. Thus, Christ did not determine the number of times we should forgive our neighbor, but showed that this is our constant and eternal duty. He explained the same thing in the following parable. In order that the command contained in the words, "Up to seventy times seven," might not seem great and difficult to anyone, He added this parable, in which He explains the meaning of the preceding words, puts to shame one who would pride himself on the forgiveness of offenses, and at the same time shows that such a command is not difficult, but on the contrary very easy. For this reason He has presented in it His love for mankind, so that you may know from this that even if you forgive your neighbor seventy times seventy times, even if you always forsake all his sins in general, then your love for mankind will be as far from the infinite divine goodness that you need at the future judgment when you demand an account from you, as a drop of water from the boundless sea, even more so. Here are the words of Christ: "Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to reckon with his servants; when he began to count, someone was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and because he had nothing with which to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and to be paid" (Matt. 18:23-25). Then, when this debtor, who had been pardoned by his master, went out and began to strangle his companion, who owed him a hundred denarii, and thus angered his master, the latter gave orders to throw him back into prison until he had given him all. Such is the difference between sins against God and sins against man! As great as between ten thousand talents and a hundred denarii, and even more. The reason for this lies both in the difference in persons and in the continuous repetition of sins. In the sight of man we restrain ourselves and fear to sin; but we are not ashamed of God, although He looks at us every day, but on the contrary, we do everything and speak of everything fearlessly. And not only does the importance of sins depend on this, but also on the blessings and the honor with which we are honored by God. And if you wish to know what is meant by "ten thousand," and even much more, by "talents," that is, sins against God, I will try to show it briefly. But I am afraid that through this either I will give a greater reason for sin to those who are inclined to iniquity and love to sin unceasingly, or I will not plunge into despair the faint-hearted, who, like the apostles, may ask: "Who then can be saved" (Luke 18:26)? However, I will say that I may make the attentive more firm and good-natured. Those who suffer from an incurable illness and do not feel it, will not abandon their impiety and negligence without my words. If my words give them a greater reason for carelessness, the reason will not be in them, but in their insensibility itself. At least, my instruction can restrain the attentive and bring them to contrition of heart, and by showing them the gravity of their sins and revealing the power of repentance, it can dispose them more to it. Therefore, I consider it necessary to speak. In this way, in my discourse, I will set forth sins both in relation to God and in relation to people, and moreover, not particular, but general, since everyone can add private ones in consultation with his own conscience. And for this I will first depict the divine blessings. And so, what are God's blessings? He has given us existence and created for us all things visible: the sky, the sea, the earth, the air, and all that is contained in them: animals, plants, seeds; but it is impossible to enumerate all the works of God because of their infinite multitude! Of all the creatures that inhabit the earth, only in us has He breathed a living soul; He planted paradise, gave a helper, made rulers over all the dumb, crowned with glory and honor. Later, when a person turned out to be ungrateful to his Benefactor, He vouchsafed him an even greater beneficence.

2. In fact, do not only consider that God expelled man from Paradise, but also pay attention to the benefit that has come from this. After His expulsion from Paradise, He bestowed innumerable blessings on people, accomplished various works of salvation, and finally sent His only-begotten Son to those who were favored by Him and hated Him, opened the heavens to us, unlocked the doors of Paradise, and made us, His ungrateful enemies, sons. Therefore it is fitting now to say: "O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God" (Romans 11:33)! He gave us baptism for the remission of sins, freed us from punishment, made us heirs of the kingdom, promised innumerable blessings to those who live virtuously, stretched out His hand to us, and poured out the Spirit into our hearts. And so, after such innumerable blessings of God? What kind of disposition should we have towards Him? Would we repay not only the worthy, but even the smallest part of the debt, even if we died every day for Him Who loved us so much? Not at all. And this very thing would be in our favor. But do we have such dispositions towards Him as we ought to have? We violate His laws every day. Do not be offended if I turn my word against sinners: I will accuse not only you, but also myself.

And can the sea be without waves? What passion does not anger them! What disease will not hold their souls! In relation to equals, they are led by hatred, envy and vanity; in relation to subordinates - greed; in relation to litigants and those who resort to them as a harbor - treachery and perjury. How much theft they make! How many deceptions they have! What slander and unlawful bargaining between them! How many servile caresses there are between them! Now let us oppose each vice with the law of Christ. "Whosoever shall say, 'Fool,' shall be liable to hell fire" (Matt. 5:22). "Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath already committed adultery with her" (v. 28). "Except ye be converted, and be as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3). But the soldiers are haughty before those who are subject to them and those entrusted to their authority, who tremble before them and fear them, because they surpass the beasts in their cruelty. They do nothing for Christ's sake, but everything for the belly, for greed and vanity. And is it possible to enumerate in words all their lawless actions? Who can describe their ridicule, their immoderate laughter, their indecent conversations, their shameful words? And there is nothing to say about greed. Just as monks living in the mountains do not know what greed is, so do warriors, only for opposite reasons. The former do not know this passion because they are too far from this disease: and the latter do not feel what a great evil this passion is, for the reason that they revel in it excessively. This passion has so eradicated good dispositions in them and has so prevailed over them that even among these violent people it is not considered a grave crime. But will it please you, having left the soldiers, to look at others who are more meek? Let's turn, for example, to artists and craftsmen. It seems that these people earn their living above others by just work and their own sweat; but they, too, in all their labors, are subject to many vices, when they are inattentive to themselves. To their righteous labors they often add unrighteous selling and buying; Out of greed, they lie, swear, and break their oath. They care only about the present life, they are chained to the land: they do everything out of selfish motives and, wishing to increase their possessions, they care little about giving help to the needy. Who can depict the backbiting, insults, profits, interest, contracts, and dishonest commercial affairs that are insidiously concluded?

3. However, if it pleases you, let us leave these also, and pass on to others, which seem to be more just. Who is it? These are those who own estates and gather wealth from the fruits of the land. But is it possible to find someone more unjust than they? If you look at how they treat poor, unfortunate farmers, you will see that their ferocity exceeds the hardness of heart of the barbarians. While farmers are exhausted by hunger, exhaust themselves all their lives with labor, they constantly impose new heavy taxes on them, assign them to the most difficult work, and use them instead of donkeys and hinnies, and even instead of stones. Not giving them the slightest rest, both in the time of fertility and in the time of barrenness, they equally oppress them and show them no mercy.

They invent new kinds of interest, which are not permitted by the laws even among the pagans; they draw up the most dishonest debt acts, in which they demand not a hundredth, but a half of the entire estate from the debtor; and even though the latter had a wife, brought up children, even though he was a poor man and gathered in his threshing floor and winepress by his own labors, they do not think about it. Therefore, it is appropriate to quote the words of the prophet here: "The heavens are terrified, and the earth is afraid!" (Jeremiah 2:12) To what a frenzy the human race has reached! In speaking of all this, I do not condemn the arts, agriculture, military rank, estates, but ourselves. And Cornelius was a centurion, and Paul was a skinner, and after preaching he practiced his trade, and David was a king, and Job was the lord of a great estate, and received great incomes; but all this did not serve as an obstacle to virtue for any of them. And so, having considered all this and remembered the darkness of talents, let us at least for this reason strive to forgive our neighbor small and unimportant insults. We must give an account of the fulfillment of the commandments prescribed to us; but we are not able to do everything that we do. That is why God has given us an easy and convenient means of paying off absolutely all our debts - that is, forgetting offenses. And in order to understand this better, let us listen to the whole parable in order. "There was brought unto him," says the Saviour, "a man who owed him ten thousand talents; and since he had nothing with which to pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, and his wife, and children." Why did he order his wife to be sold? Not because of cruelty or inhumanity (in which case his servant would suffer a new loss, since then his wife would also become a slave), but because of a special intention. By such a strict command he wanted to frighten his servant, and thus induce him to obedience, without any intention of selling. If he had meant this, he would not have heeded his request and would not have shown him his mercy. But why did he not do this, and did not forgive him the debt before such a command? In order to make him understand how many debts he forgave him, and thereby to make him more lenient to his comrade who owed him. In fact, if even then, as he learned both the severity of his duty and the greatness of forgiveness, he began to strangle his comrade, then to what cruelty would he not have reached if he had not been brought to reason by this means beforehand? How did this remedy affect him? "Have patience with me," he says, "and I will pay you all" (Matt. 18:26). And his master, "having compassion on that servant, sent him away, and forgave him his debt" (v. 27). Is not his excessive philanthropy revealed here again? The servant asked only for a delay in time, but he gave him more than he asked: he forgave him all the debt and forgave him. The master had wanted to forgive his servant's debt before, but he did not want it to be only his gift, but also the consequence of the slave's obedience, so that something would be done on his part to receive a reward. However, the reason for forgiveness shows that all this depended on the master himself, although the servant fell down to him with his petition. "Having compassion on that servant," it is said, "he sent him away." However, the master did this so that the slave would also have a reason to forgive his debt (otherwise he would have been completely disgraced), and that, having learned from his own misfortune, he would be more lenient to his comrade.

4. And indeed, at this time the servant was kind and sensitive: he did not renounce anything, but promised to pay his debt, fell down to his master with a petition, abhorred his sins, and recognized the greatness of his duty. But his subsequent actions do not correspond to the previous ones at all. Going out immediately, not after a while, but immediately, still vividly feeling the beneficence bestowed upon him, he used both the gift and the freedom given to him for evil. "He found," it is said, "one of his companions, who owed him a hundred denarii, and seized him, and strangled him, saying, Give me what you owe," v. 28. Isn't the love of humanity of the master obvious, isn't the cruelty of the slave also obvious? Notice this, those who do this because of the gains! If one should not act in this way in consideration of sin, it is all the more so because of gains. So, what did the debtor say? "Have patience with me, and I will give you all" (v. 29). But he was not moved by these words, which saved him: for he, too, having said the same thing, was forgiven ten thousand talents; he did not remember the wharf, his salvation from drowning; the same request did not remind him of his master's humanity. But out of covetousness, hardness of heart, and malice, neglecting all this, he strangled his comrade with a cruelty uncharacteristic even of wild beasts. What are you doing, man? Or do you not feel your own deception? Do you not plunge the sword into yourself, arming against yourself the mercy of your master and the remission of his debt? But he did not think about it in the least, he did not remember such an incident that had happened to him, and therefore did not give his debtor any leniency, although the latter asked for a debt that was not so important. He himself asked his master for forgiveness of ten thousand talents, and this one only for a hundred denarii; the latter asked of his equal, and the latter of his master. He himself received complete forgiveness, and his comrade asked only for a delay in time, but he refused him even this, because it is said: "He put him in prison... His companions, seeing what had happened" (v. 30, 31), accused him before his master. Even people were unpleasant about this: what can we say about God? So indignant were those who had no debt against him! What did the lord say? "Wicked slave! I have forgiven you all that debt, because you have begged me; Ought it not behooved thee also to have mercy on thy fellow-man, as I also had mercy on thee" (v. 32, 33)? Notice again the gentleness of the master! He sues his servant and defends himself, as it were, intending to destroy his gift (or rather, it was not he who destroyed it, but the one who received it), and therefore he says: "All that debt I have forgiven you, because you have begged me; Should you not have had mercy on your companion"? Although it seems difficult for you to forgive your neighbor's debt, you must also pay attention to the benefit that you have already received and have to receive; although the command was heavy, it was necessary to think about the reward for its fulfillment. Moreover, the comrade did not insult you, on the contrary, you offended God, Who forgave you for your mere petition. Even if he offended you, and it is intolerable for you to be his friend, it is even more intolerable to fall into hell. If you were to compare the two, you would see that the former is much lighter than the latter. When he owed ten thousand talents, the master did not call him evil, nor reproached him, but had mercy on him. As soon as he treated his companion cruelly, the master said, "Wicked servant!" Listen, ruthless and cruel! You are cruel not to others, but to yourself. When you harbor malice, then know that you harbor it for yourself, and not for another, you burden yourself with sins, and not your neighbor. Whatever you do to the latter, you will do it all as a man, and that only in the present life; but God will not do so: He will subject you to greater and eternal torment in the life to come. "He gave him to the tormentors until he paid him all his debt" (v. 34), that is, forever, because he would never be able to pay his debt. If a good deed has not made you better, then it remains to correct you with punishment. Although the blessings and gifts of God are immutable, the malice has become so strong that it has violated this law as well. And so, what is worse than remembrance, when it can deprive us of such a great gift of God? The master not only betrayed his servant to the tormentors, but also became angry with him. When he ordered it to be sold, the order was given without anger; For this reason he did not fulfill the latter, and this is the clearest proof of his philanthropy. But now the definition is made with great indignation, the definition of revenge and punishment. So, what does this parable mean? "Thus will my Father in heaven deal with you, if every one of you does not forgive his brother his trespasses from his heart" (v. 35). He does not say, "Your Father," but, "My Father," because it is unworthy for God to be called the Father of such a wicked and so misanthropic servant.

5. Thus, the Savior's requirement is twofold: that we feel our sins, and that we forgive others. It is necessary to feel one's sins in order to be more convenient to forgive them to others (since he who reflects on his own sins is more lenient towards his neighbor). We must forgive others not only with words, but from a pure heart. Let us not, therefore, turn the sword against ourselves by our remembrance. With what and to what extent will the one who has offended you do you, as you will inflict on yourself, nourishing anger in yourself and being condemned by God for this? If you are prudent and wise, then evil will turn on the head of the offender, and he will suffer severely. But if you are offended and indignant, then you yourself will suffer, not from him, but from yourself. Therefore, do not say that another has insulted you and slandered you, and done you great evil: the more you speak, the more you will show that he is your benefactor. He gives you an opportunity to be freed from your sins, so that the more he offends you, the more he becomes the cause of the cleansing of your sins. Indeed, if we want to, no one can offend us; even the greatest enemies will benefit us. But what can we say about people? Can anyone be more deceitful than the devil? But it can also provide us with the most convenient opportunity for our glory, as the example of Job shows.

He who does not know how to enmity does not know sorrow, but enjoys joy and other innumerable blessings. Thus, by hating others, we punish ourselves, just as by loving others, we do good to ourselves. Moreover, you will be respected by everyone, even by your enemies themselves, even if they are demons; or rather, if you act in this way, you will no longer have an enemy. But what is most important, you will gain God's mercy. If you have sinned, you will receive forgiveness of your sins; if you are right, you will receive greater boldness towards God. Therefore, let us harbor hatred for no one, so that we ourselves may deserve the love of God, and then, even though we owe ten thousand talents, He will have mercy on us and have mercy on us. But are you offended by your neighbor? Wherefore be indulgent to him; do not harbor hatred; weep and weep, and do not despise him: for it was not you who angered God, but he; but you, having suffered an offense, acted praiseworthily. Remember that Christ, on His way to death on the cross, rejoiced over Himself, but wept for His crucifiers: in the same way we ought to act. The more we are offended, the more we should mourn for those who have wronged us; For us, a great good comes from here, but for them, on the contrary, a great evil. But did your neighbor offend you in front of everyone, and even hit you? It only means that he has dishonored and disgraced himself in front of everyone, and has armed a thousand accusers against him, but to you, on the contrary, he has prepared many crowns and has given you many heralds of your magnanimity. But did he slander you in front of others? What do you care about this, when God Himself will consider your case, and not those who have heard slander? He has only added another reason for his punishment, since he will have to answer not only for his actions, but also for the fact that he condemned you[1]. He has slandered you before men, and he himself has become guilty before God. If this is not enough for you, then remember that the Lord Himself was slandered both by Satan and by people, and moreover before those whom He loved most. His only-begotten Son experienced the same thing, Who therefore said: "If the master of the house was called Beelzebub, how much more so are his household" (Matt. 10:25)? And not only did that evil demon slander Him, but he even managed to pass off his slander as the truth, and slandered Him not in anything unimportant, but in the greatest and most shameful crimes: he called Him a demonic, and a flatterer, and an adversary of God. But you, having shown good deeds to your neighbor, suffer offense from him? Wherefore weep and grieve especially for him who has done thee evil, and rejoice in thyself: thou hast become like God, "He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good" (Matt. 5:45). But if the imitation of God is beyond your strength (although it is not difficult for the zealous, but let it seem to you beyond your strength), then we will show you an example to follow in slaves like you.

Remembering all this, forsake all wrath, so that God may forgive you all your transgressions, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father and to the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.