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RULE 41. That one must cut off everything that causes scandal, even if it seems to be something very close and very necessary. 31.761 Chap. 1. MATTHEW. Woe to that man by whom the scandal comes; But if your foot or your hand causes you to stumble, cut them off and cast them from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, than having two feet or two hands to be cast into everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you. That one must spare those who are weaker in the faith, and lead them up through care to perfection; to spare them, that is, without disregarding a commandment of God. Chap. 2. MATTHEW. A bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax he will not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory; and in his name shall the Gentiles trust. TO THE ROMANS. Him that is weak in the faith receive ye. TO THE GALATIANS. If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

RULE 42. That one must not think that the Lord has come to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfill and to add more perfect things. Chap. 1. MATTHEW. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. TO THE ROMANS. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid! yea, we establish the law.

RULE 43. That as the law forbids evil actions, so the Gospel forbids the very hidden passions of the soul. Chap. 1. MATTHEW. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. TO THE ROMANS. For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. That as the law seeks what is partial, so the Gospel seeks what is complete in each of the right actions. Chap. 2. LUKE. Sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and 31.764 come, follow me. TO THE COLOSSIANS. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. That it is impossible for those to be deemed worthy of the kingdom of heaven who do not exhibit a righteousness according to the Gospel greater than that in the law. Chap. 3. MATTHEW. For except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. TO THE PHILIPPIANS. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews;as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God.

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ΟΡΟΣ ΜΑʹ. Ὅτι δεῖ πᾶν τὸ σκανδαλίζον ἐκκόπτειν, κἂν οἰκειό τατόν τι καὶ

ἀναγκαιότατον εἶναι δοκῇ. 31.761 Κεφάλ. Αʹ. ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΣ. Οὐαὶ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ δι' οὗ τὸ σκάνδαλον

ἔρχεται· Εἰ δὲ ὁ ποῦς σου ἢ ἡ χείρ σου σκανδαλίζει σε, ἔκκοψον αὐτὰ, καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ. Καλόν σοι ἐστὶν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν χωλὸν, ἢ κυλλὸν, ἢ δύο πόδας ἢ δύο χεῖρας ἔχοντα βληθῆναι εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον. Καὶ εἰ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου σκανδαλίζει σε, ἔξελε αὐτὸν, καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ. Ὅτι τῶν ἀσθενεστέρων ἐν τῇ πίστει φείδεσθαι δεῖ, καὶ ἀνάγειν αὐτοὺς δι' ἐπιμελείας ἐπὶ τὴν τε λειότητα· φείδεσθαι δὲ, δηλονότι, χωρὶς τοῦ παρ ιδεῖν ἐντολὴν Θεοῦ. Κεφάλ. Βʹ. ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΣ. Κάλαμον συντετριμμένον οὐ κα τεάξει, καὶ λίνον τυφόμενον οὐ σβέσει, ἕως ἂν ἐκβάλῃ εἰς νῖκος τὴν κρίσιν· καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐ τοῦ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜ. Τὸν δὲ ἀσθε νοῦντα τῇ πίστει προσλαμβάνεσθε. ΠΡΟΣ ΓΑΛ. Ἐὰν καὶ προληφθῇ ἄνθρωπος ἔν τινι παραπτώ ματι, ὑμεῖς οἱ πνευματικοὶ καταρτίζετε τὸν τοιοῦ τον ἐν πνεύματι πραότητος, σκοπῶν σεαυτὸν, μὴ καὶ σὺ πειρασθῇς. Ἀλλήλων τὰ βάρη βαστάζετε, καὶ οὕτως ἀναπληρώσατε τὸν νόμον τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

ΟΡΟΣ ΜΒʹ. Ὅτι οὐ δεῖ νομίζειν ἐπὶ καταλύσει τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν

τὸν Κύριον ἐληλυθέναι, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ πληρώσει καὶ προσθήκῃ τῶν τελειοτέρων. Κεφάλ. Αʹ. ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΣ. Μὴ νομίσητε, ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦ σαι τὸν νόμον, ἢ τοὺς

προφήτας· οὐκ ἦλθον κα ταλῦσαι, ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜ. Νόμον οὖν καταργοῦμεν διὰ τῆς πίστεως; Μὴ γένοιτο! ἀλλὰ νόμον ἱστῶμεν. ΟΡΟΣ ΜΓʹ. Ὅτι ὡς νόμος τὰς πράξεις ἀπαγορεύει τὰς φαύλας, οὕτω τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον αὐτὰ τὰ κεκρυμμένα πάθη τῆς ψυχῆς. Κεφάλ. Αʹ. ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΣ. Ἠκούσατε, ὅτι ἐῤῥέθη τοῖς ἀρ χαίοις, Οὐ φονεύσεις· ὃς δ' ἂν φονεύσῃ, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει. Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, πᾶς ὁ ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ εἰκῆ· ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜ. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ Ἰουδαῖός ἐστιν, οὐδὲ ἡ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ ἐν σαρκὶ περιτομή· ἀλλ' ὁ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ Ἰουδαῖος, καὶ περιτομὴ καρδίας ἐν πνεύματι, οὐ γράμματι, οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὅτι ὡς ὁ νόμος τὸ ἐκ μέρους, οὕτω τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τὸ ὁλόκληρον ἐφ' ἑκάστῳ τῶν κατορθουμένων ἐπιζητεῖ. Κεφάλ. Βʹ. ΛΟΥΚΑΣ. Πάντα ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον, καὶ διά δος πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ, καὶ 31.764 δεῦρο, ἀκολούθει μοι. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛ. Ἐν ᾧ καὶ πε ριετμήθητε περιτομῇ ἀχειροποιήτῳ ἐν τῇ ἀπεκδύ σει τοῦ σώματος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τῆς σαρκὸς, ἐν τῇ περιτομῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ὅτι ἀδύνατον καταξιωθῆναι βασιλείας οὐρανῶν τοὺς μὴ πλείονα τῆς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ τὴν κατὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέ λιον δικαιοσύνην ἐπιδεικνυμένους. Κεφάλ. Γʹ. ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΣ. Ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύῃ ἡ δικαιοσύνη ὑμῶν πλεῖον τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. ΠΡΟΣ ΦΙΛΙΠΠ. Εἴ τις δοκεῖ ἄλλος πεποιθέναι ἐν σαρκὶ, ἐγὼ μᾶλλον, περιτομὴ ὀκταήμερος, ἐκ γένους Ἰσραὴλ, φυλῆς Βενιαμὶν, Ἑβραῖος ἐξ Ἑβραίων,κατὰ νόμον Φαρισαῖος, κατὰ ζῆλον διώκων τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, κατὰ δικαιοσύνην τὴν ἐν νόμῳ γε νόμενος ἄμεμπτος. Ἀλλ' ἅτινα ἦν μοι κέρδη, ταῦτα ἥγημαι διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν ζημίαν. Ἀλλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἡγοῦμαι ζημίαν πάντα εἶναι διὰ τὸ ὑπερέχον τῆς γνώσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν, δι' ὃν τὰ πάντα ἐζημιώθην, καὶ ἡγοῦμαι σκύβαλα εἶναι, ἵνα Χριστὸν κερδήσω, καὶ εὑρεθῶ ἐν αὐτῷ μὴ ἔχων ἐμὴν δικαιοσύνην τὴν ἐκ νόμου, ἀλλὰ τὴν διὰ πίστεως Χρι στοῦ, τὴν ἐκ Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην.