2. From which an example is given us to avoid the way of the old man, to stand in the footsteps of a conquering5    Or, “living.” Christ, that we may not again be incautiously turned back into the nets of death, but, foreseeing our danger, may possess the immortality that we have received. But how can we possess immortality, unless we keep those commands of Christ whereby death is driven out and overcome, when He Himself warns us, and says, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments?”6    Matt. xix. 17. And again: “If ye do the things that I command you, henceforth I call you not servants, but friends.”7    John xiv. 15. Finally, these persons He calls strong and stedfast; these He declares to be founded in robust security upon the rock, established with immoveable and unshaken firmness, in opposition to all the tempests and hurricanes of the world. “Whosoever,” says He, “heareth my words, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, that built his house upon a rock: the rain descended, the floods came, the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”8    Matt. vii. 24. We ought therefore to stand fast on His words, to learn and do whatever He both taught and did. But how can a man say that he believes in Christ, who does not do what Christ commanded him to do? Or whence shall he attain to the reward of faith, who will not keep the faith of the commandment?  He must of necessity waver and wander, and, caught away by a spirit of error, like dust which is shaken by the wind, be blown about; and he will make no advance in his walk towards salvation, because he does not keep the truth of the way of salvation.

II. Unde nobis exemplum datum est veteris hominis viam fugere, vestigiis Christi viventis insistere; ne denuo incauti in mortis laqueum revolvamur, sed, ad periculum providi , accepta immortalitate potiamur. Immortalitate autem potiri quomodo possumus, nisi ea quibus mors expugnatur et vincitur, Christi mandata servemus, ipso monente et dicente: Si vis ad vitam venire, serva mandata (Matth. XIX, 17). Et 0496B iterum: Si feceritis quae mando vobis, jam non dico vos servos, sed amicos (Joan. XV, 14, 15). Hos denique fortes dicit et stabiles, hos super petram robusta mole fundatos, hos contra omnes tempestates et turbines saeculi immobili et inconcussa firmitate solidatos. Qui audit, inquit, verba mea et facit ea, similabo eum viro sapienti qui aedificavit domum suam supra petram. Descendit pluvia, venerunt flumina, flaverunt venti et impegerunt in domum illam, et non cecidit; fundata enim fuit super petram (Matth. VII, 24, 25). Verbis igitur ejus insistere, quaecumque et docuit et fecit discere et facere debemus. Caeterum credere se in Christum , quomodo dicit qui non facit quod Christus facere praecepit? Aut unde perveniet 0497A ad praemium fidei, qui fidem non vult servare mandati? Nutet necesse est et vagetur, et, spiritu erroris abreptus, velut pulvis quem ventus excutit ventiletur; nec ambulando proficiet ad salutem, qui salutaris viae non tenet veritatem.