of God and men;"[1] abstaining from all wrath, respect of persons, and unjust judgment; keeping far off from all covetousness, not quickly crediting [an evil report] against any one, not severe in judgment, as knowing that we are all under a debt of sin. If then we entreat the Lord to forgive us, we ought also ourselves to forgive;[2] for we are before the eyes of our Lord and God, and "we must all appear at the judgment-seat of Christ, and must every one give an account of himself."[3] Let us then serve Him in fear, and with all reverence, even as He Himself has commanded us, and as the apostles who preached the gospel unto us, and the prophets who proclaimed beforehand the coming of the Lord [have alike taught us]. Let us be zealous in the pursuit of that which is good, keeping ourselves from causes of offence, from false brethren, and from those who in hypocrisy bear the name of the Lord, and draw away vain men into error.
Chap. vii.—Avoid the Docetæ, and persevere in fasting and prayer.
"For whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is antichrist;"[4] and whosoever does not confess the testimony of the cross,[5] is of the devil; and whosoever perverts the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts, and says that there is neither a resurrection nor a judgment, he is the first-born of Satan. Wherefore, forsaking the vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us return to the word which has been handed down to us from[6] the beginning; "watching unto prayer,"[7] and persevering in fasting; beseeching in our supplications the all-seeing God "not to lead us into temptation,"[8] as the Lord has said: "The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is weak."[9]
