was consumed. However, as far as it is in their power, they both condemn and open the furnaces of fire. Therefore, let us not be such people. And further, I give you advice: to look at what it is proper to consider, and to instruct one's neighbor, as is right, after one has first often considered what is suspected, lest perhaps he holds a false opinion; and if he should seem to think rightly, then to admonish, until he either is persuaded by the counsels or makes himself manifest. To not make a practice of enjoying positions of primacy can provide us with great tranquility, and not to be grieved if some should wish to be such, but to yield to those who approve themselves for things to which the Savior has not called the faithful. But toward one who shouts, one must be silent, and one who thinks he has overcome someone must be ridiculed, lest, led by vain conceit because of those present and listening, he himself also strengthens the opposition equally with rhetorical counter-arguments. For let him who answers well reason that, "He both wronged me, and I was unwilling or did not dare to speak against it," but may I have gladness and rest because of a good conscience. And let the one who does wrong not be arrogant to persuade his brother, and let the one who is admonished not be angry, but let him himself exhort his own. For it is fitting for the two who are hastening to be brought to peace to meet each other, because the father also is seen meeting his repentant son and not waiting, but rather bringing himself to meet his repentance. For kindness according to faith works peace for both, and the one who has done wrong persuades his friend on account of the sin, and the one who has been wronged will himself also repent that he was angry at his own. Therefore, the faithful must be outside of all carnal desire and appetite; for he who is not such robs and commits sacrilege against the temple of God, and, that we may speak more boldly, he himself casts God out from himself, and because of his conscience has become callous and is disposed hostilely toward those who admonish, and he puts forward Adam and prides himself on the deed of Eve, when it is necessary to die with Christ. But it is fitting for us, considering many things among ourselves, to make our conversations blameless, and not to speak because we wish to talk nonsense, but, being silent for the most part, to answer moderately to those whom necessity also urges. And one must flee evil suspicions, and test one's own opinion. And one must be quiet, being long-suffering and not getting angry. But neither should one envy anyone who is loved tenderly, and service should not be practiced, nor should one serve as if by pre-judgment, swallowing the bitter pill, as they say, unwillingly. But everything according to faith must be done by a right rule; for everyone who is not such is like one walking on ropes, on the point of falling, even if he may seem very wonderful to those who, because of their own inaction, gape at the boastfulness of others. One must know, therefore, what is practiced for the sake of glory, and what kind of thing is according to truth

κατηνάλωτο· πλήν, τὸ ὅσον ἐφ' ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ κατακρίνουσι καὶ τοῦ πυρὸς τὰς καμίνους ἀνοίγουσιν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο μὴ ὦμεν ἡμεῖς τοιοῦτοι. Καὶ ἔτι γνώμην ὑμῖν δίδωμι, βλέπειν ἃ προσ ήκει θεωρεῖν, καὶ παιδεύειν τὸν πλησίον ὡς δέον ἐστὶν αὐτόν τινα πρῶτον μελετήσαντα πολλάκις τὸ ὑπονοούμενον, μήτι ἄρα ψευδοδοξεῖ· καὶ εἰ δόξειεν εὖ φρονεῖν, νουθετεῖν τότε, μέχρις ἂν ἢ πεισθῇ ταῖς συμβουλίαις ἢ αὐτὸς αὑτὸν κατά φωρον ποιήσῃ. Παρέχεσθαι δὲ ἡμῖν ἀταραξίαν πολλὴν δύναται τὸ μὴ κατεπιτηδεύειν πρωτείων ἀπολαύειν μηδ', εἰ βούλοιντό τινες εἶναι τοιοῦτοι, λυπεῖσθαι, παραχωρεῖν δὲ τοῖς ἐγκρί νουσιν ἑαυτοὺς ἐφ' ἅπερ ὁ σωτὴρ τοὺς πιστεύοντας οὐ προσ κέκληκεν. Πρὸς δὲ τὸν κεκραγότα σιωπητέον, καὶ τὸν οἰόμε νον περιγεγονέναι τινὸς καταγελαστέον, μὴ ὑπὸ κενοδοξίας ματαίας ἀγόμενον διὰ τοὺς παρόντας καὶ ἀκούοντας ταῖς τῶν λόγων ἀνθυποφοραῖς ἐπ' ἴσης καὶ αὐτὸν τὴν ἐπανάστασιν κρατύνειν. Λογιζέσθω μὲν γὰρ ὁ καλῶς ἀποφαινόμενος, ὅτι Καὶ ἠδίκησε, καὶ ἀντειπεῖν οὐκ ἠθέλησα ἢ οὐκ ἐτόλμησα, παρείη δέ μοι διὰ τὴν ἀγαθὴν συνείδησιν εὐφρασία καὶ ἀνά παυσις· ὅ τε ἀδικῶν μὴ ὑπερηφανείτω πείθειν τὸν ἀδελφόν, καὶ ὁ νουθετούμενος μὴ ὀργιζέσθω, παρακαλείτω δὲ αὐτὸς τὸν οἰκεῖον. Συναντᾶν γὰρ ἑαυτοῖς προσήκει τοὺς δύο πρὸς τὴν εἰρήνην κατάγεσθαι σπεύδοντας, ὅτι καὶ ὁ πατὴρ τῷ μετα νοήσαντι συναντήσας υἱῷ φαίνεται καὶ οὐ περιμείνας, ἀνθυ πενεγκὼν δὲ ἑαυτὸν πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνου μετάνοιαν. Χρηστότης γὰρ ἡ κατὰ πίστιν ἑκατέροις ἐργάζεται τὴν εἰρήνην, καὶ ὁ μὲν ἀδικήσας πείθει διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τὸν φίλον, ὁ δὲ ἀδικηθεὶς μετανοήσει καὶ αὐτὸς ὅτι πρὸς τὸν οἰκεῖον ὠργίσθη. Πάσης οὖν ἐπιθυμίας καὶ ὀρέξεως σαρκικῆς ἐκτὸς εἶναι δεῖ τὸν πι στόν· λῃστεύει γὰρ ὁ μὴ τοιοῦτος καὶ τὸν ναὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἱερο συλεῖ, καί, ἵνα τολμηρότερον εἴπωμεν, ἐκβάλλει τὸν θεὸν αὐ τὸς ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ διὰ τὴν συνείδησιν ἀπηλγηκώς ἐστι καὶ πρὸς τοὺς νουθετοῦντας ἀλλοτρίως διάκειται, καὶ τὸν Ἀδὰμ προβάλλεται καὶ τῇ πράξει τῆς Eὔας σεμνύνεται, δέον συναποθνήσκειν τῷ Χριστῷ. Προσήκει δὲ ἡμᾶς, πολλὰ σκεπτομένους πρὸς ἑαυ τούς, ἀκατηγορήτους ποιεῖσθαι τὰς ὁμιλίας, μηδὲ λαλεῖν διὰ τὸ βούλεσθαι φλυαρεῖν, σιωπῶντας δὲ τὸ πλεῖστον μεμετρη μένως ἀποκρίνεσθαι πρὸς οὓς καὶ ἡ χρεία κατεπείγει. Φευκτέον δὲ καὶ ὑπονοίας πονηράς, καὶ τὴν ὑπόληψιν τὴν ἑαυτῶν δοκι μαστέον. Καὶ ἡσυχαστέον μακροθυμοῦντα καὶ μὴ ὀργιζόμενον. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ φθονητέον φιλοστοργουμένῳ τινί, τήν τε ὑπηρεσίαν οὐκ ἐπιτηδευτέον, οὐδ' ὥσπερ κατὰ πρόλημμα δουλευτέον, τὸ πικρόν, ὥς φασιν, ἀκουσίως καταπίνοντα. Πρακτέον δὲ πᾶν τὸ κατὰ πίστιν ὀρθῷ κανόνι· πᾶς γὰρ ὁ μὴ τοιοῦτος καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν σχοινίων ὥσπερ βαδίζων ὅσον οὐδέπω καταπεσεῖται, κἂν θαυμαστὸς πάνυ εἶναι δόξῃ τοῖς διὰ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀπραξίαν κεχηνόσι πρὸς τὴν ἑτέρων μεγαλαυχίαν. Ἰστέον οὖν, τί μὲν τὸ ἐπιτηδευόμενον δόξης ἕνεκα, ποταπὸν δὲ τὸ κατὰ ἀλήθειαν