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WHEN then any one has acquired this love of goodness of which we have
been speaking, and the imitation of God, then he will be endowed with the
Lord's heart of compassion, and will pray also for his persecutors, saying
in like manner: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
But it is a clear sign of a soul that is not yet thoroughly purged from the
dregs of sin, not to sorrow with a feeling of pity at the offences of
others, but to keep to the rigid censure of the judge: for how will he be
able to obtain perfection of heart, who is without that by which, as the
Apostle has pointed out, the full requirements of the law can be fulfilled,
saying: "Bear one another's burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ,"
and who has not that virtue of love, which "is not grieved, is not puffed
up, thinketh no evil," which "endureth all things, beareth all things."
For "a righteous man pitieth the life of his beasts: but the heart of the
ungodly is without pity." And so a monk is quite certain to fall into
the same sins which he condemns in another with merciless and inhuman
severity, for "a stern king will fall into misfortunes," and "one who stops
his ears so as not to hear the weak, shall himself cry, and there shall be
none to hear him."
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