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1 COR. I. 26, 27.
Again; he proved at the same time that the
thing is not new, but ancient, as it was
presignified and foretold from the beginning.
For, "It is written," saith he, "I will
destroy the wisdom of the wise." Withal he
shews that it was neither inexpedient nor
unaccountable for things to take this course:
(for, "seeing that in the wisdom of God the
world," saith he, "knew not God, God was
well pleased through the foolishness of preaching
to save them which believe:") and that the
Cross is a demonstration of ineffable power and
wisdom, and that the foolishness of God is far
mightier than the wisdom of man. And this again
he proves not by means of the teachers, but by
means of the dis and the unwise: it being
extremely hard to convince an ignorant person,
especially when the discourse is concerning great
and necessary things. However, they did work
conviction. And of this he calls the
Corinthians themselves as witnesses. For,
"behold your calling, brethren," saith he:
consider; examine: for that doctrines so wise,
yea, wiser than all, should be received by
ordinary men, testifies the greatest wisdom in
the teacher.
But what means, "according to the flesh?"
According to what is in sight; according to the
life that now is; according to the discipline of
the Gentiles. Then, leg he should seem to be
at variance with himself, (for he had convinced
both the Proconsul, (Acts xiii. 12.) and
other wise men, too, we have seen coming over
to the Gospel;) he said not, No wise man,
but, "Not many wise men." For he did not
designedly (apoceclhrwmenws) call the ignorant
and pass by the wise, but these also he
received, yet the others in much larger number.
And why? Because the wise man according to the
he will not cast away his corrupt doctrine. And
as in the case of a physician who might wish to
teach certain persons the secrets of his art,
those who know a few things, having a bad and
perverse mode of practicing the art which they
make a point of retaining, would not endure to
learn quietly, but they who knew nothing would
most readily embrace what was said: even so it
was here. The unlearned were more open to
conviction, for they were free from the extreme
madness of accounting themselves wise. For
indeed the excess of folly is in these more than
any, these, I say, who commit unto reasoning
things which cannot be ascertained except by
faith. Thus, suppose the smith by means of the
tongs drawing out the red-hot iron; if any one
should insist on doing it with his hand, we
should vote him guilty of extreme folly: so in
like manner the philosophers who insisted on
finding out these things for themselves
disparaged the faith. And it was owing to this
that they found none of the things they sought
for.
"Not many mighty, not many noble;" for these
also are filled with pride. And nothing is so
useless towards an accurate knowledge of God as
arrogance, and being nailed down (proshlwsqai)
to wealth: for these dispose a man to admire
things present, and make no account of the
future; and they stop up the ears through the
multitude of cares: but "the foolish things of
the world God chose:" which thing is the
person one meets in the market more of a
philosopher than themselves. Wherefore also he
said himself, "That He might put to shame the
wise." And not in this instance alone hath he
done this, also in the case of the other
advantages of life. For, to proceed, "the
weak sons only, but needy also, and
contemptible and obscure He called, that He
might humble those who were in high places.
V. 18. "And the base things of the world,
and the things that are despised, and the things
"that are not?" Those persons who are
considered to be nothing because of their great
insignificance. Thus hath He shown forth His
great power, casting down the great by those who
seem to be nothing. The same elsewhere he thus
expresses, (2 Cor. xii. 9.) such as
never applied themselves to any branch of
learning, how all at once to discourse wisely on
the things which are above the heavens For
suppose a physician, an orator, or any one
else: we then most admire him, when he
convinces and instructs those completely
uneducated. Now, if to instil into an
uneducated man the rules of art be a very
wonderful thing, much more things which pertain
to so high philosophy.
But not for the wonders sake only, neither to
shew His own power, hath He done this, but to
check also the arrogant. And therefore he both
said before, "That he might confound the wise
and the strong, that He might bring to nought
the things which are," and here again, V.
29. "That no flesh should glory in the
presence of God." For God doeth all things
to this end, to repress vainglory and pride, to
pull down boasting." "Do you, too," saith
he, "employ yourselves in that work." He
doth all, that we may put nothing to our own
account; that we may ascribe all unto God.
And have ye given yourselves over unto this
person or to that? And what pardon will ye
obtain?"
For God Himself hath shown that it is not
possible we should be saved only by ourselves:
and this He did from the beginning. For
neither then could men be saved by themselves;
but it required their compassing the beauty of
the heaven, and the extent of the earth, and
the mass of creation besides; if so they might
be led by the hand to the great artificer of all
the works. And He did this, repressing
beforehand the self-conceit which was after to
arise. Just as if a master who had given his
scholar charge to follow wheresoever he might
lead, when he sees him forestalling, and
desiring to barn all things of himself, should
permit him to go quite astray; and when he hath
proved him incompetent to acquire the knowledge,
should thereupon at length introduce to him what
himself has to teach: so God also commanded in
the beginning to trace Him by the idea which the
creation gives; but since they would not, He,
after showing by the experiment that they are not
sufficient for themselves, conducts them again
unto Him by another way. He gave for a
tablet, the world; but the philosophers studied
not in those things, neither were willing to
obey Him, nor to approach unto Him by that way
which Himself commanded. He introduces another
way more evident than the former; one that might
bring conviction that man is not of himself alone
sufficient unto himself. For then scruples of
reasoning might be started, and the Gentile
wisdom employed, on their part whom He through
the creation was leading by the hand; but now,
unless a man become a fool, that is, unless he
dismiss all reasoning and all wisdom, and
deliver up himself unto the faith, it is
impossible to be saved. You see that besides
making the way easy, he hath rooted up hereby no
trifling disease, namely, in forbidding to
boast, and have high thoughts: "that no flesh
should glory:" for hence came the sin, that
men insisted on being wiser than the laws of
God; not willing so to obtain knowledge as He
had enacted: and therefore they did not obtain
it at all. So also was it from the beginning.
He said unto Adam, "Do such a thing, and
such another thou must not do." He, as
thinking to find out something more, disobeyed;
and even what he had, he lost. He spake unto
those that came after, "Rest not in the
creature; but by means of it contemplate the
Creator."
They, forsooth, as if making out something
wiser than what had been commanded, set in
motion windings innumerable. Hence they kept
dashing against themselves and one another, and
neither found God, nor concerning the creature
had any distinct knowledge; nor had any meet and
true opinion about it. Wherefore again, with a
very high hand, (ek pollou tou periontos)
lowering their conceit. He admitted the
uneducated first, showing thereby that all men
need the wisdom from above. And not only in the
matter of knowledge, but also in all other
things, both men and all other creatures He
hath constituted so as to be in great need of
Him; that they might have this also as a most
forcible motive of submission and attachment,
lest turning away they should perish. For this
cause He did not suffer them to be sufficient
unto themselves. For if even now many, for all
their indigency, despise Him, were the case
not so, whither would they not have wandered in
haughtiness? So that He stayed them from
boasting as they did, not from any grudge to
them, but to draw them away from the destruction
thence ensuing.
V. 30 "But of Him are ye in Christ
Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God,
and righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption."
The expression "of Him," I suppose he uses
here, not of our introduction into being, but
with reference to the faith: that is, to our
having become children of God, "not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh." (St. John
i. 13.) "Think not then, that having
taken away our glorying, He left us so: for
there is another, a greater glorying, His
gift. For ye are the children of Him in whose
presence it is not meet to glory, having become
so through Christ." And since he has said,
"The foolish things of the world He chose,
and the base," he signifies that they are
nobler than all, having God for their Father.
And of this nobility of ours, not this person
or that, but Christ is the cause, having made
us wise, and righteous, and holy. For so mean
the words, "He was made unto us wisdom."
Who then is wiser than we are who have not the
wisdom of Plato, but Christ Himself God
having so willed.
But what means, "of God?" Whenever he
speaks great things concerning the
Only-Begotten, he adds mention of the
Father, lest any one should think that the Son
is unbegotten. Since therefore he had affirmed
His power to be so great, and had referred the
whole unto the Son, saying that He had
"become wisdom unto us, and righteousness, and
sanctification and redemption;"--through the
Son again referring the whole to the Father,
he saith, "of God."
But why said he not, He hath made us wise,
but "was made unto us wisdom?" To show the
copiousness of the gift. As if he had said,
He gave unto us Himself. And observe how he
goes on in order. For first He made us wise by
delivering from error, and then righteous and
holy, by giving us the Spirit; and He hath so
delivered us from all our evils as to be "of
Him." and this is not meant to express
communication of bring, (ousiwsews) but is
spoken concerning the faith. Elsewhere we find
him saying, "We were made righteousness in
Him;" in these words, "Him who knew no sin
He made to be sin for us that we might be made
the righteousness of God in Him;" (5 Cor.
v. 21.) but now he saith, "He hath been
made righteousness unto us; so that whosoever
will may partake plentifully." For it is not
this man or that who hath made us wise, but
Christ. "He that glorieth," therefore,
"let him glory in Him," not in such or such
an one. From Christ have proceeded all
things. Wherefore, having said, "Who was
made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption," he added,
"that, according as it is written, he that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."
For this cause also he had vehemently inveighed
against the wisdom of the Greeks, to teach men
this lesson, (touto auto Savile; toutw autp
Bened.) and no other: that (as indeed is no
more than just) they should boast themselves in
the Lord. For when of ourselves we seek the
things which are above us, nothing is more
foolish, nothing weaker than we are. In such
case, a tongue well whetted we may have; but
stability of doctrine we cannot have. Rather,
reasonings, being alone, are like the webs of
spider. For unto such a point of madness have
some advanced as to say that there is nothing
real in the whole of being: yea, they maintain
positively that all things are contrary to what
appears Say not therefore that anything is from
thyself, but in all things glory in God.
Impute unto no man anything at any time. For
if unto Paul nothing ought to be imputed much
less unto any others. For, saith he, (ch.
iii. 6.) "I planted, Apollos watered,
but God gave the increase." He that hath
learnt to make his boast in the Lord, will
never be dated, but will be moderate at all
times, and thankful under all circumstances.
But not such is the mind of the Greeks; they
refer all to themselves; wherefore even of men
they make gods. In so great shame hath
desperate arrogance plunged them.
(exetrakhlisen It is time then, in what
remains, to go forth to battle against these.
Recollect where we left our discourse on the
former day. We were saying that it was not
possible according to human cause and effect that
fishermen should get the better of philosophers.
But nevertheless it became possible: from
whence it is dear that by grace it became so.
We were saying that it was not possible for them
even to conceive such great exploits: and we
shewed that they not only conceived, but brought
them to a conclusion with great ease. Let us
handle, to-day, the same head of our
argument: viz. From whence did it enter their
thoughts to expect to overcome the world, unless
they had seen Christ after He was risen?
What? Were they beside themselves, to reckon
upon any such thing inconsiderately and at
random? For it goes even beyond all madness,
to look, without Divine grace, for success in
so great an undertaking. How did they succeed
in it, if they were insane and frenzied? But
if they were in their sober senses, as indeed
the events shewed, how, but on receiving
credible pledges from the heavens and enjoying
the influence which is from above, did they
undertake to go forth to so great wars, and to
make their venture against earth and sea, and to
strip and stand their ground so nobly, for a
change in the customs of the whole world which
had been so long time fixed, they being but
twelve men?
And, what is more, what made them expect to
convince their hearers, by inviting them to
heaven and the mansions above? Even had they
been brought up in honor, and wealth, and
power, and erudition, not even so would it have
been at all likely that they should be roused to
so burthensome an undertaking. However, there
would have been somewhat more of reason in their
expectation. But as the case now stands, some
of them had been occupied about lakes, some
about hides, some about the customs: than which
pursuits nothing is more unprofitable towards
philosophy, and the persuading men to have high
imaginations: and especially when one hath no
example to shew. Nay, they had not only no
examples to make their success likely, but they
had examples against all likelihood of success,
and those within their own doors. (enaula)
For many for attempting innovations had been
utterly extinguished, I say not among the
Greeks, for all that was nothing, but among
the Jews themselves at that very time; who not
with twelve men, but with great numbers had
applied themselves to the work. Thus both
Theudas and Judas, having great bodies of
men, perished together with their disciples.
And the fear arising from their examples was
enough to control these, had they not been
strongly persuaded that victory without divine
power was out of the question.
Yea, even if they did expect to prevail, with
what sort of hopes undertook they such great
dangers, except they had an eye to the world to
come? But let us suppose that they hoped for no
less than victory; what did they expect to gain
from the bringing all men unto Him, "who is
not risen again," as ye say? For if now, men
who believe concerning the kingdom of heaven and
blessings unnumbered with reluctance encounter
dangers, how could they have undergone so many
for nothing, yea rather, for evil? For if the
things which were done did not take place, if
Christ did not ascend into heaven; surely in
their obstinate zeal to invent these things, and
convince alI the world of them, they were
offending God, and must expect ten thousand
thunderbolts from on high.
Or, in another point of view; if they had felt
this great zeal while Christ was living, yet on
His death they would have let it go out. For
He would have seemed to them, had He not
risen, as a sort of deceiver and pretender.
Know ye not that armies while the general and
king is alive, even though they be weak, keep
together; but when those in such office have
departed, however strong they may be, they are
broken up?
Tell me then, what were the enticing arguments
whereupon they acted, when about to take hold of
the Gospel,and to go forth unto all the world?
Was there any kind of impediment wanting to
restrain them? If they had been mad, (for I
will not cease repeating it,) they could not
have succeded at all; for no one follows the
advice of madmen. But if they succeeded as in
truth they did succeed, and the event proves,
then none so wise as they. Now if none were so
wise as they, it is quite plain, they would not
lightly have entered upon the preaching. Had
they not seen Him after He was risen, what was
there sufficient to draw them out unto this war?
What which would not have turned them away from
it? He said unto them, "After three days I
will rise again," and He made promises
concerning the kingdom of heaven. He said,
they should master the whole world, after they
had received the Holy Spirit; and ten thousand
other things besides these, surpassing all
nature. So that if none of these things had
come to pass, although they believed in Him
while alive, after His death they would not
have believed in Him, unless they had seen Him
after He was risen. For they have said,
"'After three days,' He said, ' I will
rise again,' and He hath not arisen. He
promised that He would give the Spirit, and
He hath not sent Him. How then shall His
sayings about the other world find credit with
us, when His sayings about this are tried and
found wanting?"
And why, if He rose not again, did they
preach that He was risen? "Because they loved
Him," you will say. But surely, it was
likely that they would hate Him afterwards, for
deceiving and betraying them; and because,
having lifted them up with innumerable hopes,
and divorced them from house, and parents, and
all things, and set in hostility against them
the entire nation of Jews, He had betrayed
them after all. And if indeed the thing were of
weakness, they might have pardoned it; but now
it would be deemed a result of exceeding malice.
For He ought to have spoken the truth, and not
have promised heaven, being a mortal man, as ye
say. So that the very opposite was the likely
line for them to take; to proclaim the
deception, and declare Him a pretender and
imposter. Thus again would they have been rid
of all their perils; thus have put an end to the
war. Moreover, seeing that the Jews gave
money unto the sails to say that they stole the
body, if the disciples had come forward and
said, "We stole Him, He is not risen
again," what honor would they not have
enjoyed? Thus it was in their power to be
honored, nay, crowned. Why then did they for
insults and dangers barter away these things, if
it was not some Divine power which influenced
them, and proved mightier than all these?
But if we do not yet convince, take this also
into consideration; that had this not been so,
though they were ever so well disposed, they
would not have preached this Gospel in His
name, but would have treated Him with
abhorrence. For ye know that not even the names
of those who deceive us in this sort are we
willing to hear. But for what reason preached
they also His name? Expecting to gain the
mastery through Him? Truly the contrary was
natural for them to expect; that even if they
had been on the point of prevailing they were
ruining themselves by bringing forward the name
of a deceiver. But if they wished to throw into
the shade former events, their fine was to be
silent; at any rate, to contend for them
earnestly was to excite more and more both of
serious hostility and of ridicule. From whence
then did it enter their thoughts to invent such
things? I say, "invent:" for what they had
heard, they had forgotten. But if, when there
was no fear, they forgot many things, and some
did not even understand, (as also the
Evangelist himself saith,) now that so great a
danger came upon them, how could it be otherwise
than that all should fleet away from them? Why
speak I of words? when even their love towards
their Master Himself began gradually to fade
away, through fear of what was coming:
wherewith also He upraided them. For since,
before this, they hung upon him, and were
asking continually, "Whitter goest Thou,"
but afterwards on His drawing out His discourse
to so great length, and declaring the terrors
which at the very time of the Cross, and after
the Cross should befal them, they just
continued speechless and frozen through
fear;--hear how He alleges to them this very
point saying, "None of you asketh Me,
Wither goest Thou? But because I have said
these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your
heart." (St. John xvi. 5--6. ) Now
if the expectation that He would die and rise
again was such a grief to them, had they failed
to see Him after He was risen, how could it be
less than annihilation? Yea, they would have
been fain to sink into the depths of the earth,
what with dejection at being so deceived, and
what with dread of the future. feeling
themselves sorry straightened.
Again: from whence came their high doctrines?
for the higher points, He said, they should
hear afterwards. For, saith He, (St.
John xvi. 12.) "I have many things to
speak unto you, but ye cannot bear them now."
So that the things not spoken were higher. And
one of the disciples was not even willing to
depart with Him into Judea, when he heard of
dangers, but said, "Let us also go that we
may die with Him," (St. John xi. 16.)
taking it hardly because he expected that he
should die. Now if that disciple, while he was
with Him, expected to die and shrunk back on
that account, what must he not have expected
afterwards, when parted from Him and the other
disciples, and when the exposure of their
shameless conduct was so complete?
.Besides, what had they to say when they went
forth? For the passion indeed all the world
knew: for He had been hanged on high, upon the
frame of wood, (ikriou) and in mid-day, and
in a chief city, and at a principal feast and
that from which it was least permitted that any
should be absent. But the resurrection no man
saw of those who were without: which was no
small impediment to them in working conviction.
Again, that He was buried, was the common
talk of all: and that His disciples stole His
body, the soldiers and all the Jews declared:
but that He had risen again, no one of them who
were without knew by sight. Upon what ground
then did they expect to convince the world? For
if, while miracles were taking place, certain
soldiers were persuaded to testify the contrary,
upon what ground did these expect without
miracles to do the work of preachers, and
without having a farthing to convince land and
sea concerning the resurrection? Again, if
through desire of glory they attempted this, so
much the rather would they have ascribed
doctrines each one to himself, and not to Him
that was dead and gone. Will it be said, men
would not have believed them? And which of the
two was the likelier, being preached, to win
their belief? He that was apprehended and
crucified, or those who had escaped the hands of
the Jews?
Next, tell me with what view were they to take
such a course? They did not immediately,
leaving Judaea, go into the Gentile cities,
but went up and down within its limit. But
how, unless they worked miracles, did they
convince? For if such they really wrought,
(and work them they did,) it was the result of
God's power. If on the other hand they
wrought none and prevailed, much more wonderful
was the event. Knew they not the Jews--tell
me--and their evil practice, and their soul
full of grudgings? For they stoned even
Moses, (Numb. xiv. 10. comp. Exod.
xvii. 4.) after the sea which they had
crossed on foot; after the victory, and that
marvellous trophy which they raised without
blood, by means of his hands, over the
Egyptians who had enslaved them; after the
manna; after the rocks, and the fountains of
rivers which break out thence; after ten
thousand miracles in the land of Egypt and the
Red Sea and the wilderness. Jeremiah they
cast into a pit, and many of the prophets they
slew. Here, for example, what saith Elias,
after that fearful famine, and the marvellous
rain, and the torch which he brought down from
heaven, and the strange holocaust; driven, as
he was, to the very extreme edge of their
country: "Lord, thy prophets they have
killed, thine altars they have digged down, and
I am left alone, and they seek my life." (1
Kings xix. 10.) Yet were not those (who
were so persecuted) disturbing any of the
established rules. Tell me then, what ground
had men for attending to these of whom we are
speaking? For, on one hand, they were meaner
persons than any of the prophets; on the other,
they were introducing just such novelties as had
caused the Jews to nail even their Master to
the Cross And in another way, too, it seemed
less unaccountable for Christ to utter such
things than for them; for He, they might
suppose, acted thus to acquire glory for
himself; but these they would have hated even
the more, as waging war with them in behalf of
another.
[10.] But did the laws of the Romans help
them? Nay, by these they were more involved in
difficulties. For their language was, (St.
John xix. 12.) "Whosoever maketh himself
a king is not C sar's friend." So that this
alone was a sufficient impediment to them, that
of Him who was accounted an usurper they were
first disciples, and afterwards desirous to
strengthen His cause. What in the world then
set them upon rushing into such great dangers?
And by what statements about Him would they be
likely to gain credit? that He was crucified?
That He was born of a poor Jewish woman who
had been betrothed to a Jewish carpenter? That
He was of a nation hated by the world? Nay,
all these things were enough not only to fail of
persuading and attracting the hearers, but also
to disgust every one; and especially when
affirmed by the tent-maker and the fisherman.
Would not the disciples then bear all these
things in mind? Timid nature can imagine more
than the reality, and such were their natures
Upon what ground then did they hope to succeed?
Nay, rather, they had no hope, there being
things innumerable to draw them aside, if so be
that Christ had not risen. Is it not quite
plain even unto most thoughtless that unless they
had enjoyed a copious and mighty grace, and had
received pledges of the resurrection, they would
have been unable, I say not, to do and
undertake these things, but even so much as to
have them in their minds? For if when there
were so great hinderances, in the way of their
planning, I say not of their succeeding, they
yet both planned and brought to effect and
accomplishing things greater than all
expectation, every one, I suppose, can see
that not by human power but by divine grace they
wrought things.
Now these arguments we ought to practice, not
by ourselves only, but one with another; and
thus also the discovery of what remains will be
easier to us.
[11.] And do not, because thou art an
artisan, suppose that this sort of exercise is
out of your province; for even Paul was a
tent-maker.
"Yes," saith some one, "but at that time he
was also filled with abundant grace, and out of
that he spake all things" Well; but before
this grace, he was at the feet of Gamaliel;
yea, moreover, and he received the grace,
because of this, that he shewed a mind worthy of
the grace; and after these things he again put
his hand to his craft. Let no, one,
therefore, of those who have trades be ashamed;
but those, who are brought up to nothing and are
idle, who employ many attendants, and are
served by an immense retinue. For to be
supported by continual hard work is a sort of
asceticism.
(filosofias) comp. Hooker, E. P. V.
lxxii. 18.) The souls of such men are
clearer, and their minds better strung. For
the man who has nothing to do is apter to say
many things at random, and do many things at
random; and he is busy all day long about
nothing, a huge lethargy taking him up
entirely. But he that is employed will not
lightly entertain in himself any thing useless,
in deed in words, or in thoughts; for his whole
soul is altogether intent upon his laborious way
of livelihood. Let us not therefore despise
those who support themselves by the labor of
their own hands; but let us rather call them
happy on this account. For tell me, what
thanks are due unto thee, when after having
received thy portion from thy father, thou goest
on not in any calling, but lavishing away the
whole of it at random? Knowest thou not that we
shall no all have enjoyed greater licence here a
more exact one; those who were afflicted with
labor, or poverty, or any thing else of this
kind, one not so severe? And this is plain
from Lazarus and the rich man.
For as thou, for neglecting the right use of
the leisure, art justly accused; so the poor
man, who having full employment hath spent his
remnant of time upon right objects, great will
be the crowns which he shall receive. But dost
thou urge that a soldier's duties should at
least excuse thee; and dost thou charge them
with thy want of leisure? The excuse cannot be
founded in reason.
For Cornelius was a centurion, yet in no way
did the soldier's belt impair his strict rule of
life. But thou, when thou art keeping holiday
with dancers and players, and making entire
waste of thy life upon the stage, never thinkest
of excusing thyself from such engagements by the
necessity of military service or the fear of
rulers: but when it is the Church to which we
call you, then occur these endless impediments.
And what wilt thou say in the day, when thou
seest the flame, and the rivers of fire, and
the chains never to be broken; and shalt hear
the gnashing of teeth? Who shall stand up for
thee in that day, when thou shalt see him that
hath labored with his own hand and hath lived
uprightly, enjoying all glory; but thyself,
who art now in soft raiment and redolent of
perfumes, in incurable woe? What good will thy
wealth and superfluity do thee? And the
artisan--what harm will his poverty do him?
Therefore that we may not suffer then, let us
fear what is said now, and let all our time be
spent in employment on things which are really
indispensable. For so, having propitiated God
in regard of our past sins, and adding good
deeds for the future, we shall be able to attain
unto the kingdom of heaven: through the favor
and loving-kindness, etc., etc.
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