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1 COR. XI. 17.
But in giving you this charge, I praise you
not, that ye come together not for the better,
but for the worse.
IT is necessary in considering the present
charge to state also first the occasion of it.
For thus again will our discourse be more
intelligible. What then is this occasion?
As in the case of the three thousand who
believed in the beginning, all had eaten their
meals in common and had all things common; such
also was the practice at the time when the
Apostle wrote this: not such indeed exactly;
but as it were a certain outflowing of that
communion which abode among them descended also
to them that came after. And because of course
some were poor, but others rich, they laid not
down all their goods in the midst, but made the
tables open on stated days, as it should seem;
and when the solemn service was completed, after
the communion of the Mysteries, they all went
to a common entertainment, the rich bringing
their provisions with them, and the poor and
destitute being invited by them, and all
feasting in common. But afterward this custom
also became corrupt. And the reason was, their
being divided and addicting themselves, some to
this party, and others to that, and saying,
"I am of such a one," and "I of such a
one; "which thing also to correct he said in
the beginning of the: Epistle, "For it hath
been signified unto me concerning you, my
brethren, by them which are of the household of
Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
Now this I mean, that each one of you saith,
I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of
Cephas." Not that Paul was the person to
whom they were attaching themselves; for he
would not have borne it: but wishing by
concession to tear up this custom from the root,
he introduced himself, indicating that if any
one had inscribed upon himself even his name when
breaking off from the common body, even so the
thing done was profane and extreme wickedness.
And if in his case it were wickedness, much
more in the case of those who were inferior to
him.
Since therefore this custom was broken through,
a custom most excellent and most useful; (for
it was a foundation of love, and a comfort to
poverty, and a corrective of riches, and an
occasion of the highest philosophy, and an
instruction of humility:) since however he saw
so great advantages in a way to be destroyed, he
naturally addresses them with severity, thus
saying: "But in giving you this charge, I
praise you not." For in the former charge, as
there were many who kept (the ordinances), he
began otherwise, saying thus: "Now I praise
you that ye remember me in all things:" but
here contrariwise, "But in giving you this
charge, I praise you not." And here is the
reason why he placed it not after the rebuke of
them that eat the idol-sacrifices. But because
that was unusually harsh he interposes the
discourse about wearing of long hair, that he
might not have to pass from one set of vehement
reproofs to others again of an invidious kind and
so appear too harsh: and then he returns to the
more vehement tone, and says, "But in giving
you this charge, I praise you not." What is
this? That which I am about to tell you of.
What is, "giving you this charge, I praise
you not?" "I do not approve you," saith
he, "because ye have reduced me to the
necessity of giving advice: I do not praise
you, because ye have required instruction in
regard to this, because ye have need of an
admonition from me." Dost thou perceive how
from his beginning he signifieth that what was
done was very profane? For when he that errs
ought not to require so much as a hint to prevent
his erring, the error would seem to be
unpardonable.
And why dost thou not praise? Because "ye
come together," saith he, "not for the better
but for the worse;" i.e., because ye do not
go forward unto virtue. For it were meet that
your liberality should increase and become
manifold, but ye have taken rather from the
custom which already prevailed, and have so
taken from it as even to need warning from me,
in order that ye may return to the former order.
Further, that he might not seem to say these
things on account of the poor only, he doth not
at once strike in to the discourse concerning the
tables, lest he render his rebuke such as they
might easily come to think slightly of, but he
searches for an expression most confounding and
very fearful. For what saith he?
Ver. 18. "For first of all, when ye come
together in the Church, I hear that divisions
exist among you.
And he saith not, "For fear that you do not
sup together in common;" "for I hear that you
feast in private, and not with the poor:" but
what was most calculated thoroughly to shake
their minds, that he set down, the name of
division, which was the cause of this mischief
also: and so he reminded them again of that
which was said in the beginning of the Epistle,
and was "signified by them of the house of
Chloe." (c. i. 11.) "And I partly
believe it."
Thus, lest they should say, "But what if the
accusers speak falsely?" he neither saith,
"I believe it," lest he should rather make
them reckless; nor again, on the other hand,
"I disbelieve it," lest he Should seem to
reprove without cause, but, "I partly believe
it," saith he, i.e., "I believe it in a
small part;" making them anxious and inviting
them to return to correction.
Ver. 19. "For there must be also factions
among you, that they which are approved may be
made manifest among you."
By "factions," here he means those which
concern not the doctrines, but these present
divisions. But even if he had spoken of the
doctrinal heresies, not even thus did he give
them any handle. For Christ Himself said,
"it must needs be that occasions of stumbling
come," (Matt. xviii. 7.) not destroying
the liberty of the will nor appointing any
necessity and compulsion over man's life, but
foretelling what would certainly ensue from the
evil mind of men; which would take place, not
because of his prediction, but because the
incurably disposed are so minded. For not
because he foretold them did these things
happen: but because they were certainly about to
happen, therefore he foretold them. Since, if
the occasions of stumbling were of necessity and
not of the mind of them that bring them in, it
was superfluous His saying, "Woe to that man
by whom the occasion cometh." But these things
we discussed more at length when we were upon the
passage itself; now we must proceed to what is
before us.
Now that he said these things of these factions
relating to the tables, and that contention and
division, he made manifest also from what
follows. For having said, "I hear that there
are divisions among you," he stopped not here,
but signifying what divisions he means he goes on
to say, "each one taketh before other his own
supper;" and again, "What? have ye not
houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the
Church of God?" However, that of these he
was speaking is evident. And if he call them
divisions, marvel not. For, as I said, he
wishes to touch them by the expression: whereas
had they been divisions of doctrine, he would
not have discoursed with them thus mildly. Hear
him, for instance, when he speaks of any such
thing, how vehement lie is both in assertion and
in reproof: in assertion, as when he says,
"If even an angel preach any other gospel unto
you than that ye have received, let him be
accursed;" (Gal. i. 8.) but in reproof,
as when he says, "Whosoever of you would be
justified by the law, ye are fallen away from
grace." (Gal. v. 4.) And at one time he
calls the corrupters "dogs," saying,
"Beware of dogs:" (Phil. iii. 2.) at
another, "having their consciences seared with
a hot iron." (1 Tim. iv. 2.) And
again, "angels of Satan:" (2 Cor. xi.
14-15.) but here he said no such thing,
but spoke in a gentle and subdued tone.
But what is, "that they which are approved may
be made manifest among you?" That they may
shine the more. And what he intends to say is
this, that those who are unchangeable and firm
are so far from being at all injured hereby, but
even shows them the more, and that it makes them
more glorious. For the word, "that," is not
every where indicative of cause, but frequently
also of the event of things. Thus Christ
Himself uses it, when He saith, "For
judgement I am come into this world; that they
which see not may see, and that they which see
may be made blind." (John ix. 39.) So
likewise Paul in another place, when
discoursing of the law, he writes, "And the
Law came in beside, that the trespass might
abound." (Rom. v. 20.) But neither was
the law given to this end that the trespasses of
the Jews might be increased: (though this did
ensue:) nor did Christ come for this end that
they which see might be made blind, but for the
contrary; but the result was such. Thus then
also here must one understand the expression,
"that they which are approved may be made
manifest." For not at all with this view came
heresies into being, that "they which are
approved may be made manifest," but on these
heresies taking place such was the result. Now
these things he said to console the poor, those
of them who nobly bore that sort of contempt.
Wherefore he said not, "that they may become
approved," but, "that they which are approved
may be made manifest; showing that before this
also they were such, but they were mixed up with
the multitude, and while enjoying such relief as
was afforded them by the rich, they were not
very conspicuous: but now this strife and
contentiousness made them manifest, even as the
storm shows the pilot. And he said not, "that
ye may appear approved," but, "that they
which are approved may be made manifest, those
among you who are such." For neither when he
is accusing doth he lay them open, that he may
not render them more reckless; nor when
praising, that he may not make them more
boastful; but he leaves both this expression and
that in suspense, allowing each man's own
conscience to make the application of what he
saith.
Nor doth he here seem to me to be comforting the
poor only, but those also who were not violating
the custom. For it was likely that there were
among them also those that observed it.
And this is why he said, "I partly believe
it." Justly then doth he call these
"approved," who not only with the rest
observed the custom, but even without them kept
this good law undisturbed. And he doth this,
studying by such praises to render both others
and these persons themselves more forward.
Then at last he adds the very form of offence.
And what is it?
Ver. 20. "When ye assemble yourselves
together," saith he, "it is not possible to
eat the Lord's Supper."
Seest thou how effectually appealing to their
shame, even already by way of narrative he
contrives to give them his counsel? "For the
appearance of your assembly," saith he, "is
different. It is one of love and brotherly
affection. At least one place receives you
all, and ye are together in one flock. But the
Banquet, when you come to that, bears no
resemblance to the Assembly of worshippers."
And he said not, "When ye come together,
this is not to eat in common;' "this is not to
feast with one another;" but otherwise again
and much more fearfully he reprimands them,
saying, "it is not possible to eat the Lord's
Supper," sending them away now from this point
to that evening on which Christ delivered the
awful Mysteries. Therefore also he called the
early meal "a supper." For that supper too
had them all reclining at meat together: yet
surely not so great was the distance between the
rich and the poor as between the Teacher and the
disciples. For that is infinite.
And why say I the Teacher and the disciples?
Think of the interval between the Teacher and
the traitor: nevertheless, the Lord Himself
both sat at meat with them and did not even cast
him out, but both gave him his portion of salt
and made him par-taker of the Mysteries.
Next he explains how "it is not possible to eat
the Lord's Supper."
Ver. 21. "For in your eating, each one
taketh before other his own supper," saith he,
"and one is hungry, and another is drunken."
Perceivest thou how he intimates that they were
disgracing themselves rather? For that which is
the Lord's, they make a private matter: so
that themselves are the first to suffer
indignity, depriving their own table of its
greatest prerogative. How and in what manner?
Because the Lord's Supper, i.e. the
Master's, ought to be common. For the
property of the master belongs not to this
servant without belonging to that, but in common
to all. So that by "the Lord's" Supper he
expresses this, the "community" of the feast.
As if he had said, "If it be thy master's,
as assuredly it is, thou oughtest not to
withdraw it as private, but as belonging to thy
Lord and Master to set it in common before
all. For this is the meaning of, 'the
Lord's.' But now thou dost not suffer it to
be the Lord's, not suffering it to be common
but feasting by thyself." Wherefore also he
goes on to say, "For each one taketh before
other his own supper." And he said not,
"cutteth off," but "taketh before," tacitly
censuring them both for greediness and for
precipitancy. This at least the sequel also
shows. For having said this, he added again,
"and one is hungry, and another is drunken,"
each of which showed a want of moderation, both
the craving and the excess. See also a second
fault again whereby those same persons are
injured: the first, that they dishonor their
supper: the second, that they are greedy and
drunken; and what is yet worse, even when the
poor are hungry. For what was intended to be
set before all in common, that these men fed on
alone, and proceeded both to surfeiting and to
drunkenness. Wherefore neither did he say,
"one is hungry, and another is filled:" but,
"is drunken." Now each Of these, even by
itself, is worthy of censure: for it is a fault
to be drunken even without despising the poor;
and to despise the poor without being drunken,
is an accusation. When both then are joined
together at the same time, consider how
exceeding great is the transgression.
Next, having pointed out their profaneness, he
adds his reprimand in what follows, with much
anger, saying, Ver. 22. "What? have ye
not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise
ye the Church of God, and put them to shame
that have not?"
Seest thou how he transferred the charge from
the indignity offered to the poor to the
Church, that his words might make a deeper
impression of disgust? Here now you see is yet
a fourth accusation, when not the poor only,
but the Church likewise is insulted. For even
as thou makest the Lord's Supper a private
meal, so also the place again, using the
Church as a house. For it was made a Church,
not that we who come together might be divided,
but that they who are divided might be joined:
and this act of assembling shows.
"And put them to shame that have not." He
said not, "and kill with hunger them that have
not," but so as much more to put them to the
blush, "shame them;" to point out that it is
not food which he cares for so much as the wrong
done unto them. Behold again a fifth
accusation, not only to overlook the poor but
even to shame them. Now this he said, partly
as treating with reverence the concerns of the
poor, and intimating that they grieve not so for
the belly as for the shame; and partly also
drawing the hearer to compassion.
Having therefore pointed out so great
impieties, indignity to the Supper, indignity
to the Church, the contempt practised towards
the poor; he relaxes again the tones of his
reproof, saying, all of a sudden, "Shall I
praise you? In this I praise you not."
Wherein erie might especially marvel at him that
when there was need to strike and chide more
vehemently after the proof of so great offences,
he doeth the contrary rather, gives way, and
permits them to recover breath. What then may
the cause be? He had touched more painfully
than usual in aggravating the charge, and being
a most excellent physician, he adapts the
incision to the wounds, neither cutting
superficially those parts which require a deep
stroke; (for thou hast heard him how he cut off
among those very persons him that had committed
fornication;) nor delivering over to the knife
those things which require the milder sort of
remedies. For this cause then here also he
conducts his address more mildly, and in another
point of view likewise, he sought especially to
render them gentle to the poor: and this is why
he discourses with them rather in a subdued
tone.
Next, wishing also from another topic to shame
them yet more, he takes again the points which
were most essential and of them weaves his
discourse.
Vet. 23. "For I received of the Lord,"
saith he, "that which also I delivered unto
you: how that the Lord Jesus in the night in
which He was betrayed, took bread:"
Ver. 24. "And when He had given thanks,
He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is
My Body, which is broken for you: this do in
remembrance of me."
Wherefore doth he here make mention of the
Mysteries? Because that argument was very
necessary to his present purpose. As thus:
"Thy Master," saith he, "counted all
worthy of the same Table, though it be very
awful and far exceeding the dignity of all: but
thou considerest them to be unworthy even of
thine own, small and mean as we see it is; and
while they have no advantage over thee in
spiritual things, thou robbest them in the
temporal things. For neither are these thine
own."
However, he doth not express himself thus, to
prevent his discourse becoming harsh: but he
frames it in a gentler form, saying, that "the
Lord Jesus in the night in which He was
betrayed, took bread."
And wherefore doth he remind us of the time,
and of that evening, and of the betrayal? Not
indifferently nor without some reason, but that
he might exceedingly fill them with compunction,
were it but from consideration of the time. For
even if one be a very stone, yet when he
considers that night, how He was with His
disciples, "very heavy," how He was
betrayed, how He was bound, how He was led
away, how He was judged, how He suffered all
the rest in order, he becometh softer than wax,
and is withdrawn from earth and all the pomp of
this world. Therefore he leads us to the
remembrance of all those things, by His time,
and His table, and His betrayal, putting us
to shame and saying, "Thy Master gave up even
Himself for thee: and thou dost not even share
a little meat with thy brother for thine own
sake."
But how saith he, that "he received it from
the Lord?" since certainly he was not present
then but was one of the persecutors. That thou
mayest know that the first table had no advantage
above that which cometh after it. For even
to-day also it is He who doeth all, and
delivereth it even as then.
And not on this account only doth he remind us
of that night, but that he may also in another
way bring us to compunction. For as we
particularly remember those words which we hear
last from those who are departing; and to their
heirs if they should venture to transgress their
commands, when we would put them to shame we
say, "Consider that this was the last word
that your father uttered to you, anal until the
evening when he was just about to breathe his
last he kept. repeating these injunctions:"
just so Paul, purposing hence also to make his
argument full of awfulness; "Remember,"
saith he, "that this was the last mysterious
rite He gave unto you, and in that night on
which He was about to be slain for us, He
commanded these things, and having delivered to
us that Supper after that He added nothing
further."
Next also he proceeds to recount the very things
that were done, saying, "He took bread,
and, when He had given thanks, He brake it,
and said, Take, eat: this is My Body,
which is broken for you." If therefore thou
comest for a sacrifice of thanksgiving, do thou
on thy part nothing unworthy of that sacrifice:
by no means either dishonor thy brother, or
neglect him in his hunger; be not drunken,
insult not the Church. As thou comest giving
thanks for what thou hast enjoyed: so do thou
thyself accordingly make return, and not cut
thyself off from thy neighbor. Since Christ
for His part gave equally to all, saying,
"Take, eat." He gave His Body equally,
but dost not thou give so much as the common
bread equally? Yea, it was indeed broken for
all alike, and became the Body equally for
all.
Ver. 25. "In like manner also the cup
after supper, saying, This cup is the New
Covenant in My Blood: this do, as oft as ye
drink of it, in remembrance of Me."
What sayest thou? Art thou making a
remembrance of Christ, and despisest thou the
poor and tremblest not? Why, if a son or
brother had died and thou wert making a
remembrance of him, thou wouldst have been
smitten by thy conscience, hadst thou not
fulfilled the custom and invited the poor: and
when thou art making remembrance of thy Master,
dost thou not so much as simply give a portion of
the Table?
But what is it which He saith, "This cup is
the New Covenant?" Because there was also a
cup of the Old Covenant; the libations and the
blood of the brute creatures. For after
sacrificing, they used to receive the blood in a
chalice and bowl and so pour it out. Since then
instead of the blood of beasts He brought in
His own Blood; lest any should be troubled on
hearing this, He reminds them of that ancient
sacrifice.
Next, having spoken concerning that Supper,
he connects the things present with the things of
that time, that even as on that very evening and
reclining on that very couch and receiving from
Christ himself this sacrifice, so also now
might men be affected; and he saith, Ver.
26. "For as often as ye eat this bread, and
drink this cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death
till He come."
For as Christ in regard to the bread and the
cup said, "Do this in remembrance of Me,"
revealing to us the cause of the giving of the
Mystery, and besides what else He said,
declaring this to be a sufficient cause to ground
our religious fear upon:-- (for when thou
considerest what thy Master hath suffered for
thee, thou wilt the better deny
thyself:)--so also Paul saith here: "as
often as ye eat ye do proclaim His death."
And this is that Supper. Then intimating that
it abides unto the end, he saith, "till He
come."
Ver. 27. "Wherefore whosoever shall eat
this bread and drink the cup of the Lord
unworthily, shall be guilty of the Body and the
Blood of the Lord."
Why so? Because he poured it out, and makes
the thing appear a slaughter and no longer a
sacrifice. Much therefore as they who then
pierced Him, pierced Him not that they might
drink but that they might shed His blood: so
likewise doth he that cometh for it unworthily
and reaps no profit thereby. Seest thou how
fearful he makes his discourse, and inveighs
against them very exceedingly, signifying that
if they are thus to drink, they partake
unworthily of the elements? For how can it be
other than unworthily when it is he who neglects
the hungry? who besides overlooking him puts him
to shame? Since if not giving to the poor
casteth one out of the kingdom, even though one
should be a virgin; or rather, not giving
liberally: (for even those virgins too had
oil, only they had it not abundantly:)
consider how great the evil will prove, to have
wrought so many impieties?
"What impieties?" say you. Why sayest
thou, what impieties? Thou hast partaken of
such a Table and when thou oughtest to be more
gentle than any and like the angels, none so
cruel as thou art become. Thou hast tasted the
Blood of the Lord, and not even thereupon dost
thou acknowledge thy brother. Of what
indulgence then art thou worthy? Whereas if
even before this thou hadst not known him, thou
oughtest to have come to the knowledge of him
from the Table; but now thou dishonorest the
Table itself; he having been deemed worthy to
partake of it and thou not judging him worthy of
thy meat. Hast thou not heard how much he
suffered who demanded the hundred pence? how he
made void the gift vouchsafed to him? Doth it
not come into thy mind what thou wert and what
thou hast become? Dost thou not put thyself in
remembrance that if this man be poor in
possessions, thou wast much more beggarly in
good works, being full of ten thousand sins?
Notwithstanding, God delivered thee from all
those and counted thee worthy of such a Table:
but thou art not even thus become more merciful:
therefore of course nothing else remaineth but
that thou shouldest be "delivered to the
tormentors."
These words let us also listen to, all of us,
as many as in this place approach with the poor
to this holy Table, but when we go out, do not
seem even to have seen them, but are both
drunken and pass heedlessly by the hungry; the
very things whereof the Corinthians were
accused. And when is this done? say you. At
all times indeed, but especially at the
festivals, where above all times it ought not so
to be. Is it not so, that at such times,
immediately after Communion, drunkenness
succeeds and contempt of the poor?
And having partaken of the Blood, when it were
a time for thee to fast and watch, thou givest
thyself up to wine and revelling. And yet if
thou hast by chance made thy morning meal on any
thing good, thou keepest thyself lest by any
other unsavory viand thou spoil the taste of the
former: and now that thou hast been feasting on
the Spirit thou bringest in asatanical luxury.
Consider, when the Apostles partook of that
holy Supper, what they did: did they not
betake themselves to prayers and singing of
hymns? to sacred vigils? to that long work of
teaching, so full of all self-denial? For
then He related and delivered to them those
great and wonderful things, when Judas had gone
out to call them who were about to crucify Him.
Hast thou not heard how the three thousand also
who partook of the Communion continued even in
prayer and teaching, not in drunken feasts and
revellings? But thou before thou hast partaken
fastest, that in a certain way thou mayest
appear worthy of the Communion: but when thou
hast partaken, and thou oughtest to increase thy
temperance, thou undoest all. And yet surely
it is not the same to fast before this and after
it. Since although it is our duty to be
temperate at both times, yet most particularly
after we have received the Bridegroom.
Before, that thou mayest become worthy of
receiving: after, that thou mayest not be found
unworthy of what thou hast received.
"What then? ought we to fast after
receiving?" I say not this, neither do I use
any compulsion. This indeed were well:
however, I do not enforce this, but I exhort
you not to feast to excess. For if one never
ought to live luxuriously, and Paul showed this
when he said, "she that giveth herself to
pleasure is dead while she liveth" (1 Tim.
v. 6.); much more will she then be dead.
And if luxury be death to a woman, much more to
a man: and if this done at another time is
fatal, much more after the communion of the
Mysteries. And dost thou having taken the
bread of life, do an action of death and not
shudder? Knowest thou not how great evils are
brought in by luxury? Unseasonable laughter,
disorderly expressions, buffoonery fraught with
perdition, unprofitable trifling, all the other
things, which it is not seemly even to name.
And these things thou doest when thou hast
enjoyed the Table of Christ, on that day on
which thou hast been counted worthy to touch His
flesh with thy tongue. What then is to be done
to prevent these things? Purify thy right
hand, thy tongue, thy lips, which have become
a threshold for Christ to tread upon. Consider
the time in which thou didst draw near and set
forth a material table, raise thy mind to that
Table, to the Supper of the Lord, to the
vigil of the disciples, in that night, that
holy night. Nay, rather should one accurately
examine, this very present state is night. Let
us watch then with the Lord, let us be pricked
in our hearts with the disciples. It is the
season of prayers, not of drunkenness; ever
indeed, but especially during a festival. For
a festival is therefore appointed, not that we
may behave ourselves unseemly, not that we may
accumulate sins, but rather that we may blot out
those which exist.
I know, indeed, that I say these things in
vain, yet will I not cease to say them. For
if ye do not all obey, yet surely ye will not
all disobey; or rather, even though ye should
all be disobedient, my reward will be greater,
though yours will be more condemnation.
However, that it may not be more, to this end
I will not cease to speak. For perchance,
perchance, by my perseverance I shall be able
to reach you.
Wherefore I beseech you that we do not this to
condemnation; let us nourish Christ, let us
give Him drink, let us clothe Him. These
things are worthy of that Table. Hast thou
heard holy hymns? Hast thou seen a spiritual
marriage? Hast thou enjoyed a royal Table?
Hast thou been filled with the Holy Ghost?
Hast thou joined in the choir of the Seraphim?
Hast thou become partaker of the powers above?
Cast not away so great a joy, waste not the
treasure, bring not in drunkenness, the mother
of dejection, the joy of the devil, the parent
of ten thousand evils. For hence is a sleep
like unto death, and heaviness of head, and
disease, and obliviousness, and an image of
dead men's condition. Further, if thou
wouldst not choose to meet with a friend when
intoxicated, when thou hast Christ within,
durst thou, tell me, to thrust in upon Him so
great an excess?
But dost thou love enjoyment? Then, on this
very account cease being drunken. For I,
too, would have thee enjoy thyself, but with
the real enjoyment, that which never fadeth.
What then is the real enjoyment, ever
blooming? Invite Christ to sup (Rev. ii.
20.) with thee; give Him to partake of
thine, or rather of His own. This bringeth
pleasure without limit, and in its prime
everlastingly. But the things of sense are not
such; rather as soon as they appear they vanish
away; and he that hath enjoyed them will be in
no better condition than he who hath not, or
rather in a worse. For the one is settled as it
were in a harbor, but the other exposes himself
to a kind of torrent, a besieging army of
distempers, and hath not even any power to
endure the first swell of the sea.
That these things be therefore not so, let us
follow after moderation. For thus we shall both
be in a good state of body, and we shall possess
our souls in security, and shall be delivered
from evils both present and future: from which
may we all be delivered, and attain unto the
kingdom, through the grace and mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the
Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be
glory, power, and honor, now and ever, and
world without end. Amen.
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