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2 COR. XIII. 1.
This is the third time I am coming to you. At
the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every
word be established.
The wisdom of Paul and his much tender
affection, one may observe in many other
circumstances, but especially in this, his
being so abundant and vehement in his
admonitions, but so tardy and procrastinating in
his punishments. For he did not chastise them
immediately on their sinning, but warned them
once and again; and not even so, upon their
paying no attention, does he exact punishment,
but warns again, saying, "This is the third
time I am coming to you; "and 'before I come
I write again.' Then, that his
procrastinating may not produce indifference,
see how he corrects this result also, by
threatening continually and holding the blow
suspended over them, and saying, "If I come
again I will not spare;" and "lest when I
come again I should mourn for many." These
things, then, he doeth and speaketh, in this
too imitating the Lord of all: because that
God also threateneth indeed continually and
warneth often, but not often chastiseth and
punisheth. And so in truth also doth Paul,
and therefore he said also before, "To spare
you I came net as yet to Corinth." What is,
"to spare you?" Lest finding you to have
sinned and to continue unamended, I should
visit with chastisement and punishment. And
here, "This is the third time I am coming to
you. At the mouth of two witnesses or three
shall every word be established." He joins the
unwritten to the written, as he has done also in
another place, saying, "He that is joined to
an harlot is one body; for the twain," saith
He, "shall become one flesh." (1 Cor.
vi. 16.) Howbeit, this was spoken of
lawful marriage; but he diverted its application
unto this thing conveniently, so as to terrify
them the more. And so he doth here also,
setting his comings and his warnings in the place
of witnesses. And what he says is this: 'I
spoke once and again when I was with you; I
speak also now by letter. And if indeed ye
attend to me, what I desired is accomplished;
but if ye pay no attention, it is necessary
henceforth to stop speaking, and to inflict the
punishment.' Wherefore he says, Ver. 2.
"I have said beforehand, and I do say
beforehand when I was present the second time;
so now being absent I write to them that sinned
heretofore and to all the rest, that if I come
again, I will not spare."
'For if at the mouth of two witnesses or three
every word shall be established, and I have
come twice and spoken, and speak now also by
this Epistle; it follows, I must after this
keep my word. For think not, I pray you,
that my writing is of less account than my
coming; for as I spoke when present, so now I
write also when absent.' Seest thou his
fraternal solicitude? Seest thou forethought
becoming a teacher? He neither kept silence nor
punished, but he both foretells often, and
continues ever threatening, and puts off the
punishment, and if they should continue
unamended, then he threatens to bring it to the
proof.' But what didst thou tell them before
when present, and when absent writest?'
"That if I come again, I will not spare."
Having showed before that he is unable to do
this unless he is compelled, and having called
the thing a mourning, and a humbling; (for he
saith, "lest my God should humble me before
you, and I should mourn for them that have
sinned heretofore, and not repented;--Chap.
xii. 21.) and having made his excuse unto
them, namely, that he had told them before,
once and twice and thrice, and that he does and
contrives all he can so as to hold back the
punishment, and by the fear of his words to make
them better, he then used this unpleasing and
terrifying expression, "If I come again, I
will not spare." He did not say, 'I will
avenge and punish and exact satisfaction :' but
again expresses even punishment itself in
paternal language; showing his tender
affection, and his heart to be grieved along
with them; be, cause that he always to "
spare" them put off. Then that they may not
think now also that there will be again a putting
off, and merely a threat in words, therefore he
both said before, "At the mouth of two
witnesses or three shall every word be
established; "and [now], "If I come
again, I will not spare." Now what he means
is this: 'I will no longer put off, if
(which God forbid) I find you unamended; but
will certainly Visit it, and make good what I
have said.'
Then with much anger and vehement indignation
against those who make a mock of him as weak,
and ridicule his presence, and say," his
presence is weak, and his speech of no
account;" (Chap. x. 10.) aiming his
efforts at these men, he says, Ver. 3.
"Seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ that
speaketh in me."
For he said this, dealing at once a blow at
these, and at the same time lashing those also.
Now what he means is this; 'Since ye are
desirous of proving whether Christ dwelleth in
me, and call me to an account, and on this
score make a mock of me as mean and despicable,
as I 'were destitute of that Power; ye shall
know that we are not destitute, if ye give us
occasion, which God forbid.' What then?
tell me. Dost thou therefore punish, because
they seek a proof? 'No,' he says; for had
he sought this, he would have punished them at
the first on their sinning, and would not have
put off. But that he does not seek this, he
has shown more clearly as he proceeds, saying,
"Now I pray that ye do no evil, not that we
may appear approved, but that ye may be
approved, though we be as reprobates."
(Ver. 7.)
He doth not employ those words then as assigning
a reason, but rather in indignation, rather as
attacking those that despise him. 'For,' he
says, 'I have no desire indeed to give you
such a proof, but if you yourselves should
furnish cause and should choose to challenge me,
ye shall know by very deeds.'
And observe how grievous he makes what he says.
For he said not, 'Since ye seek a proof of
me,' but "of Christ that speakest in me,
showing that it was against Him they sinned."
And he did not say merely, 'dwelling in me,'
but "speaking in me," showing that his words
are spiritual. But if he doth not display His
power nor punish, (for thenceforward the
Apostle transferred what he said from himself to
Christ, thus making his threat' more
fearful,) it is not from weakness; for He can
do it: but from long suffering. Let none then
think His forbearance to be weakness. For why
marvellest thou that He doth not now proceed
against sinners, nor in his forbearance and long
suffering exacts satisfaction, seeing that He
endured even to be crucified, and though
suffering such things punished not? Wherefore
also he added, Ver. 3, 4. "Who to
you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.
For though He was crucified through weakness,
yet He liveth through the Power of God."
These words have much obscurity and give
disturbance to the weaker sort. Wherefore it is
necessary to unfold them more clearly, and to
explain the signification of the expression as to
which the obscurity exists, that no one may be
offended, even of the simpler sort.
What then, at all, is that which is here
said, and what the term "weakness"
designates, and in what signification it is
used, it is necessary to learn. For the term
is indeed one, but it has many meanings. For
bodily sickness is termed 'weakness:' whence
it is even said in the Gospel, "Behold, he
whom Thou lovest is weak, " (John xi. 3,
4.) concerning Lazarus; and He Himself
said, "This weakness is not unto death;" and
Paul, speaking of Epaphras, "For indeed he
was weak nigh unto death, but God had mercy on
him;" (Phil. ii. 57.) and of Timothy,
"Use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and
thine often weaknesses." (1 Tim. v.
23.) For all these denote bodily sickness.
Again, the not being established firmly in the
faith is called 'weakness;' the not being
perfect and complete. And denoting this Paul
said, "Him that is weak in the faith receive
ye but not to doubtful disputations :" (Rom.
xiv. 1, 2.) and again, "One believeth
that he may eat all things; another, who is
weak, eateth herbs," denoting him who is weak
in the faith. Here then are two significations
of the term 'weakness;' there is yet a third
thing which is called 'weakness.' What then
is this? Persecutions, plottings, insults,
trials, assaults. And denoting this Paul
said, "For this thing I besought the Lord
thrice. And He said unto me, My grace is
sufficient for thee: for My power is made
perfect in weakness." (Chap. xii., 8,
9.) What is "in weakness?" In
persecutions, in dangers, in trials, in
plottings, in deaths. And denoting this he
said, Wherefore, I take pleasure in
weakness. Then showing what kind of weakness he
means, he spake not of fever, nor of doubt
about the faith; but what? "in injuries, in
necessities, in distressses, in stripes, in
imprisonments, that the power of Christ may
rest upon me. For when I am weak, then am I
strong." (Chap. xii. 10.) That is to
say 'when I am persecuted, when I am driven
up and down, when I am plotted against, then
am I strong, then the rather I prevail over,
and get the better of them that plot against me.
because that grace resteth upon me, more
largely, It is then in this third sense that
Paul useth "weakness;" and this is what he
means by it; aiming again, as I said also
before, at that point, his seeming to them to
be mean and contemptible. For indeed he had no
desire to boast, nor to seem to be what he
really was, nor yet to display the power which
he possessed of punishing and revenging;whence
also he was accounted to be mean. When then as
so accounting they were going on in great
indifference and insensibility, and repented not
of their sins, he seizes a favorable
opportunity, discourses with much vigor upon
these points also, and shows that it was not
from weakness he did nothing, but from
long-suffering.
Then, as I said, by transferring the argument
from himself to Christ, he enhances their
fear, he increases his threat. And what he
says is this; 'for even supposing I should do
something and chastise and take vengeance on the
guilty ones, is it I that chastise and take
vengeance? it is He that dwelleth in me,
Christ Himself. But if ye do not believe
this, but are desirous of receiving a proof by
deeds of Him that dwelleth in me, ye shall know
presently; "For he is not weak to you-ward,
but is even powerful."' And wherefore added
he "to you-ward," seeing He is mighty
everywhere? for should He be minded to punish
unbelievers, He is able; or demons, or
anything whatsoever. What then is the import of
the addition? The expression is either as
shaming them exceedingly by remembrance of the
proofs they have already received; or else as
declaring this, that meanwhile He shows His
power in you who ought to be corrected. As he
said also in another place, "For what have I
to do to judge them also that are without?"
(1 Cor. v. 12.) 'For those that are
without,' he says, 'He will then call to
account in the day of judgment, but you even
now, so as to rescue you from that
punishment.' But nevertheless even this
instance of his solicitude, although arising
from tender affection, observe how he combines
with fear and much anger, saying, "Who to
you-ward is not weak, but is powerful in
you."
Ver. 4. "For though He was crucified
through weakness, yet He liveth through the
Power of God."
What is, "though He was crucified through
weakness?" 'For though He chose,' he
says, 'to endure a thing which seems to carry a
notion of weakness, still this in no way breaks
in upon His Power. That still remains
invincible, and that thing which seemeth to be
of weakness, hath nothing harmed it, nay this
very thing itself shows His Power most of all,
in that He endured even such a thing, and yet
His Power was not mutilated.' Let not then
the expression "weakness" disturb thee; for
elsewhere also he says, "The foolishness of
God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God
is stronger than men;" (1 Cor. i. 55.)
although in God is nothing either foolish or
weak: but he called the Cross so, as setting
forth the conception of the unbelieving regarding
it. Hear him, at least, interpreting
himself. "For the preaching of the Cross is
to them that perish foolishness, but unto us
which are saved it is the pow er of God."
(Ib. 18.) And again; "But we preach
Christ crucified, unto the Jews a
stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks
foolishness; but unto them which are called,
both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of
God and the wisdom of God." (Ib. 23,
24.) And again; "But the natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit, for
they are foolishness unto him." (1. Cor.
ii. 14.) Observe, how in every place he
expresseth the conception of the unbelieving,
who look upon the Cross as foolishness and
weakness. And so, in truth, here also he
means not "weakness" really such, but what was
suspected to be such with the unbelieving. He
doth not then say this, that because He was
weak He was crucified. Away with the thought!
For that He had it in His power not to have
been crucified He showed throughout; when He
now cast men down prostrate, now turned back the
beams of the sun, and withered a fig-tree, and
blinded their eyes that came against Him, and
wrought ten thousand other things. What then is
this which he says, "through weakness!" That
even although He was crucified after enduring
peril and treachery, (for we have showed that
peril and treachery are called weakness,) yet
still He was nothing harmed thereby. And he
said this to draw the example unto his own case.
For since the Corinthians beheld them
persecuted, driven about, despised, and not
avenging nor visiting it, in order to teach them
that neither do they so suffer from want of
power, nor from being unable to visit it, he
leads on the argument up to The Master,
because 'He too,' saith he, 'was
crucified, was bound, suffered ten thousand
things, and He visited them not, but continued
to endure things which appeared to argue
weakness, and in this way displaying His
Power, in that although He punishes not nor
requites, He is not injured any thing at all.
For instance, the Cross did not cut asunder
His life, nor yet impeded His resurrection,
but He both rose again and liveth.' And when
thou hearest of the Cross and of life, expect
to find the doctrine concerning the
Incarnation? for all that is said here hath
reference to that. And if he says "though the
Power of God," it is not as though He were
Himself void of strength to quicken His flesh;
but it was indifferent with him to mention either
Father or Son. For when he said, "the
Power of God, he said by His own Power.
For that both He Himself raised it up and
sustains it, hear Him saying, "Destroy this
temple, and in three days I will raise it
up." (John ii. 19.) But if that which
is His, this he saith to be the Father's, be
not disturbed; "For," He saith, "all My
Father's things are Mine." (John xvi.
15.) And again, "All Mine are Thine,
and Thine are Mine." (Ib. xvii. 10.)
'As then He that was crucified was nothing
harmed,' he says, 'so neither are we when
persecuted and warred against;' wherefore also
he adds, "For even we also if we are weak in
Him, yet we shall live with Him through the
Power of God."
What is the meaning of "we are weak in Him?"
We are persecuted, are driven here and there,
suffer extremity. But what is "with Him?"
'Because of the preaching,' he says, 'and
our faith in Him. But if for His sake we
undergo what is sad and disagreeable, it is
quite plain that we shall what is pleasant also:
' and so he added, "but we are saved with Him
by the Power of God."
Ver. 5, 6. "Try your own selves, whether
ye be in the faith, prove your own selves.
Know ye not as to your own selves, that Christ
is in you, unless indeed ye be reprobate? But
I hope that ye shall know that we are net
reprobate."
For since by what he has said he hath shown that
even if he does not punish, it is not because he
hath not Christ in himself, but because he
intimates His long-suffering, Who was
crucified and yet avenged not Himself; he
again, in another manner, produces the same
effect, and still more irrefragably,
establishing his argument by the disciples.
'For why speak I of myself,' he says 'the
teacher, who have so much care upon me and am
entrusted with the whole world and have done such
great miracles. For if ye will but examine
yourselves who are in the rank of disciples, ye
will see that Christ is in you also. But if in
you, then much more in your teacher. For if ye
have faith, Christ is in you also.' For they
who then believed wrought miracles. Wherefore
also he added, "Try your own selves, prove
your own selves, whether ye be in the faith.
Know ye not as to your own selves, unless
indeed that Christ is in you, ye be
reprobate?" 'But if in you, much more in
your teacher?' He seems to me here to speak of
the "faith" which relates to miracles. 'For
if ye have faith,' he says, "Christ is in
you, except ye have become reprobates." Seest
thou how again he terrifies them, and shows even
to superfluity that Christ is with Him. For
he seems to me to be here alluding to them, even
as to their lives. For since faith is not
enough [by itself] to draw down the energy of
the Spirit, and he had said that '"if ye are
in the faith" ye have Christ in you,' and it
happened that man y who had faith were destitute
of that energy; in order to solve the
difficulty, he says, "except ye be
reprobate," except [that is] ye are corrupt
in life. "But I hope that ye shall know that
we are not reprobate." What followed naturally
was to have said, "but if ye have become
reprobate, yet we have not." He doth not,
however, say so, for fear of wounding them,
but he hints it in an obscure manner, without
either making the assertion thus, 'ye are
reprobate,' or proceeding by question and
saying, ' But if ye are reprobate,' but
leaving out even this way of putting it by
question, he indicates it obscurely by adding,
"But I hope that ye shall know that we are not
reprobate." Here also again, great is the
threat, great the alarm. ' For since ye
desire,' he says, ' in this way, by your own
punishment to receive the proof, we shall have
no difficulty in giving you that
demonstration.' But he does 'not indeed so
express himself, but with more weight and
threatening. "But I hope that ye shall know
that we are not reprobate." ' For ye ought
indeed,' he saith, 'to have known even
without this what we are, and that we have
Christ speaking and working in us; but since ye
desire to receive the proof of it by deeds also,
ye shall know that we are not reprobate.' Then
when he has held the threat suspended over their
heads, and brought the punishment now up to
their doors, and has set them a trembling, and
made them look for vengeance; see how again he
sweetens down his words and soothes their fear,
and shows his unambitious temper, his tender
solicitude towards his disciples, his
high-principledness of purpose, his loftiness
and freedom from vain-glory. For he exhibits
all these qualities in what he adds, saying,
Ver. 7, 8, 9. "Now I pray to God that
ye do no evil, not that we may appear approved,
but that ye may do that which is honorable,
though we be as reprobate. For we can do
nothing against the truth but for the truth.
For we rejoice when we are weak, and ye are
strong. For this also we pray for even your
perfecting.
What can be equal to this soul? He was
despised, he was spit upon, he was ridiculed,
he was mocked, as mean, as contemptible, as a
braggart, as boastful in his words but in his
deeds unable to make even a little show; and
although seeing so great a necessity for showing
his own power, he not only puts off, not only
shrinks back, but even prays that he may not
fall into such a position. For he says, "I
pray that ye do no evil, not that we may appear
approved, but that ye may do that which is
honorable, though we be as reprobate." What
is it he says? 'I entreat God. I beseech
Him, ' he says, 'that I may find no one
unreformed, may find no one' that has not
repented? yea, rather, not this alone, but
that none may have sinned at all. For, ' he
says, ' that ye have done no [evil], but if
ye have perchance sinned, then that ye may have
changed your conduct, and been beforehand with
me in reforming, and arresting all wrath. For
this is not what I am eager about, that we
should be approved in this way, but clean the
contrary, that we should not appear approved.
For if ye should continue, ' he says,
'sinning and not repenting, it will be
necessary for us to chastise, to punish, to
maim your bodies; (as happened in the case of
Sapphira and of Magus;) and we have given
proof of our power. But we pray not for this,
but the contrary, that we may not be shown to be
approved in this way, that we may not in this
way exhibit the proof of the power which is in
us, by chastising you and punishing you as
sinning and as incurably diseased, but what?
"That ye should do that which is honorable,"
we pray for this, that ye should ever live in
virtue, ever in amendment; "and we should be
as reprobate," not displaying our power of
punishing. ' And he said not, "reprobate"
for he would not "be" reprobate, even though
he did not punish, nay rather for this very
reason he would be "approved;" ' but even if
some suspect us, ' he says, ' on account of
our not displaying our power, to be contemptible
and cast away, we care nothing for this.
Better we should be so deemed of by those, than
display the power which God hath given to us in
those stripes, and in that unreformedness of
heart.'
"For we can do nothing against the truth,but
for the truth." For that he may not seem
[merely] to be gratifying them, (for this is
what one who was void of vain-glory might do,)
but to be doing what the nature of the thing
demanded, he added this, "for we can do
nothing against the truth." 'For if we find
you,' he says, ' in good repute, having
driven away your sins by repentance and having
boldness towards God; we shall not be able
thereafter, were we never so willing, to punish
you, but should we attempt it even, God will
not work with us. For to this end gave He us
our power that the judgment we give should be
true and righteous, not contrary to the
truth.' Seest thou how in every way he can,
he makes what he says void of offensiveness, and
softens the harshness of his menace? Moreover
as he has eagerly endeavored this, so is he
desirous also to show that his mind was quite
joined to them; wherefore also he added, "For
we rejoice when we are weak and ye are strong,
and this also we pray for even your
perfecting." ' For most certainly,' he
says, 'we cannot do any thing against the
truth, that is, punish you if you are well
pleasing [to God]; besides, because we
cannot, we therefore do not wish it, and even
desire the contrary. Nay, we are particularly
glad of this very thing, when we find you giving
us no occasion to show that power of ours for
punishment. For even if the doing of such
things shows men glorious and approved and
strong; still we desire the contrary, that ye
should be approved and unblamable, and that we
should never at any time reap the glory thence
arising.' Wherefore he says, "For we are
glad when we are weak." What is, "are
weak?" 'When we may be thought weak.'
Not when we are weak, but when we are thought
weak; for they were thought so by their
enemies, because they displayed not their power
of punishing. 'But still we are glad, when
your behavior is of such a sort as to give us no
pretence for punishing you. And it is a
pleasure to us to be in this way considered
weak, so that only ye be blameless;' wherefore
he adds, "and ye are strong," that is, 'are
approved, are virtuous. And we do not only
wish for this, but we pray for this, that ye
may be blameless, perfect, and afford us no
handle. '
This is paternal affection, to prefer the
salvation of the disciples before his own good
name. This is the part of a soul free from
vainglory; this best releaseth from the bonds of
the body and makes one to rise aloft from earth
to heaven, the being pure from vain-glory;
just as therefore the contrary leadeth unto many
sins. For it is impossible that one who is not
from vain-glory, should be lofty and great and
noble; but he must needs grovel on the ground,
and do much damage, whilst the slave of a
polluted mistress, more cruel than any
barbarian. For what can be fiercer than she
who, when most courted, is then most savage?
Even wild beasts are not this, but are tamed by
much attention. But vain-glory is quite the
contrary, by being contemned she is made tame,
by being honored she is made savage and is armed
against her honorer. The Jews honored her and
were punished with exceeding severity; the
disciples slighted her and were crowned. And
why speak I of punishment and crowns? for to
this very point of being seen to be glorious, it
contributes more than any thing, to spit upon
vainglory. And thou shalt see even in this
world that they who honor it are damaged, whilst
those who slight it are benefited. For the
disciples who slighted it, (for there is no
obstacle to our using the same example again,)
and preferred the things of God, outshine the
sun, having gained themselves an immortal memory
even after their death; whilst the Jews who
crouched to it are become cityless, heartless,
degraded, fugitives, exiles, mean,
contemptible. Do thou, therefore, if thou
desirest to receive glory, repel glory; but if
thou pursuest glory, thou shalt miss glory.
And, if ye will, let us also try this doctrine
in worldly matters. For whom do we make sport
of in our jests? Is it not of those whose minds
are set upon it? Certainly then, these men are
the most entirely destitute of it, having
countless accusers and being slighted by all.
And whom do we admire, tell me; is it not
those who despise it? Certainly then, these
are they that are glorified. For as he is
rich, not who is in need of many things, but
who is in need of nothing; so he is glorious,
not who loveth glory, but who despiseth it; for
this glory is but a shadow of glory. No one
having seen a loaf painted, though he should be
pressed with hunger ever so much, will attack
the picture. Neither then do thou pursue these
shadows, for this is a shadow of glory, not
glory. And that thou mayest know that this is
the manner of it and that it is a shadow,
consider this that it must be so, when the thing
hath a bad name amongst men, when all consider
it a thing to be avoided, they even who desire
it; and when he who hath it and he covets it are
ashamed to be called after it. ' Whence then
is this desire,' saith one, ' and how is the
passion engendered? ' By littleness of soul,
(for one ought not only to accuse it, but also
to correct it,) by an imperfect mind, by a
childish judgment. Let us then cease to be
children, and let us become men: and let us
every where pursue the reality, not the
shadows, both in wealth, and in pleasure, and
in luxury, and in glory, and in power; and
this disease will cease, and many others also.
For to pursue shadows is a madman's part.
Wherefore also Paul said, "Awake up
righteously and sin not." (1 Cor. xv.
34.) For there is yet another madness,
sorer than that caused by devils, than that from
frenzy. For that admits of forgiveness, but
this is destitute of excuse, seeing the soul
itself is corrupted and its right judgment lost;
and that of frenzy indeed is an affection of the
body, but this madness hath its seat in the
artificer mind. As then of fevers those are
sorer, yea incurable, which seize upon firm
bodies and lurk in the recesses of the nerves and
are hidden away in the veins, so truly is this
madness also, seeing it lurks in the recesses of
the mind itself, perverting and destroying it.
For how is it not clear and evident madness,
yea, a distemper sorer than any madness, to
despise the things which abide forever, and to
cling with great eagerness to those which
perish? For, tell me, if one were to chase
the wind or try to hold it, should we not say
that he was mad? And what? if one should grasp
a shadow and neglect the reality; if one should
hate his own wife and embrace her shadow; or
loathe his son and again love his shadow,
wouldest thou seek any other clearer sign in
proof of madness? Such are they also who
greedily follow the present things. For they
are all shadow, yea, whether thou mention
glory, or power, or good report, or wealth,
or luxury, or any other thing of this life.
And therefore truly it is that the prophet
said, "Surely man walketh in a shadow, yea,
he disquieth himself in vain;" (Ps. xxxix.
6.) and again, "Our days decline like a
shadow." (Ps. cii. 11.) And in another
place, he calls human things smoke and the
flower of grass. But it is not only his good
things which are shadow, but his evils also,
whether it be death thou mention, or poverty,
or disease, or any other thing. What then are
those things which abide, both good and evil?
The eternal kingdom and the everlasting hell.
For "neither shall the worm die, nor shall the
fire be quenched:" (Mark ix. 44.) and
"these shall rise again to everlasting life:
and these to everlasting punishment." (Mat.
xxv. 46.) That then we may escape the one
and enjoy the other, letting go the shadow, let
us cling to the real things with all
earnestness, for so shall we obtain the kingdom
of heaven, which may we all obtain though the
grace and love towards men of our Lord Jesus
Christ, to Whom be glory and might for ever
and ever Amen.
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