Chapter XXII.—These Exhortations are Confirmed by the Christian Faith, Which Proclaims the Misery of Sinful Conduct.

Now the faith which is in Christ confirms all these [admonitions].  For He Himself by the Holy Ghost thus addresses us:  “Come, ye children, hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.109    I. omits rest of quotation as far us “Many,” etc.  What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good days?  Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.  Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.  The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are [open] unto their prayers.  The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.  The righteous cried, and the Lord heard him, and delivered him out of all his troubles.”110    Ps. xxxiv. 11–17.  “Many are the stripes [appointed for] the wicked; but mercy shall compass those about who hope in the Lord.”111    Ps. xxxii. 10.

ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΚΒ’. Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα βεβαιοῖ ἡ ἐν Χριστῷ πίστις· καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου οὕτως προσκαλεῖται ἡμᾶς· «∆εῦτε, τέκνα, ἀκούσατέ μου, φόβον κυρίου διδάξω ὑμᾶς. Τίς ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὁ θέλων ζωήν, ἀγαπῶν ἡμέρας ἰδεῖν ἀγαθάς; Παῦσον τὴν γλῶσσάν σου ἀπὸ κακοῦ καὶ χείλη σου τοῦ μὴ λαλῆσαι δόλον. Ἔκκλινον ἀπὸ κακοῦ καὶ ποίησον ἀγαθόν. Ζήτησον εἰρήνην καὶ δίωξον αὐτήν. Ὀφθαλμοὶ κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίους, καὶ ὦτα αὐτοῦ πρὸς δέησιν αὐτῶν· πρόσωπον δὲ κυρίου ἐπὶ ποιοῦντας κακά, τοῦ ἐξολεθρεῦσαι ἐκ γῆς τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτῶν. Ἐκέκραξεν ὁ δίκαιος, καὶ ὁ κύριος εἰσήκουσεν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων αὐτοῦ ἐρύσατο αὐτόν.» «Πολλαὶ αἱ μάστιγες τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ, τοὺς δὲ ἐλπίζοντας ἐπὶ κύριον ἔλεος κυκλώσει.»