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man. Surpass every snake in bitterness, every wolf in rapacity, exceed even the savageness of that nature; and if you must come to the malice of a demon, do not refuse; be ignorant of your benefactor. Does it not say these things, and it is heard? But God says the opposite: Be a friend to all, be gentle, beloved by all, offend no one rashly and in vain, honor your father, honor your mother, enjoy a good reputation, be not a man, but an angel; say nothing shameless, nothing false, but do not even think it; help those in need, do not cause trouble by plundering, be not insolent nor audacious; and no one listens. Is not Gehenna then just? Is not the fire reasonable? the undying worm? For how long shall we thrust ourselves down cliffs? for how long shall we walk upon thorns? for how long shall we pierce ourselves with nails, and be grateful for it? We subject ourselves to cruel tyrants, we reject the gentle Master, who says nothing burdensome, nor barbarous, nor wearisome, nor unprofitable, but all things useful and advantageous and providing great benefit to us. Let us at last arise, let us gather ourselves together, let us rally, let us love God, as we ought, that we may be deemed worthy of the good things promised to those who love Him, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

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ἄνθρωπος. Παρέλασον πάντα ὄφιν τῇ πικρίᾳ, πάντα λύκον τῇ ἁρπαγῇ, ὑπέρβηθι καὶ τῆς φύσεως ἐκείνης τὴν θηριωδίαν· κἂν εἰς δαίμονος ἐλθεῖν κακίαν δέῃ, μὴ παραιτήσῃ· ἀγνόησον τὸν εὐεργέτην. Οὐχὶ ταῦτα λέγει, καὶ ἀκούεται; Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τὰ ἐναντία· Ἔσο πᾶσι φίλος, ἔσο ἐπιεικὴς, παρὰ πάντων ἀγαπώμενος, μηδενὶ πρόσκρουε εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην, τίμα τὸν πατέρα, τίμα τὴν μητέρα, δόξης ἀπόλαυε χρηστῆς, ἔσο μὴ ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλὰ ἄγγελος· μηδὲν ἀναίσχυντον εἴπῃς, μηδὲν ψευδὲς, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ ἐννοήσῃς· ἐπικούρει τοῖς δεομένοις, μὴ ἀναγκάζου πράγματα ἔχειν ἁρπάζων, μὴ ἔσο ὑβριστὴς μηδὲ θρασύς· καὶ οὐδεὶς ὁ ἀκούων. Ἆρα οὐ δικαίως ἡ γέεννα; οὐκ εἰκότως τὸ πῦρ; ὁ σκώληξ ὁ ἀτελεύτητος; Μέχρι τίνος κατὰ κρημνῶν ὠθοῦμεν ἑαυτούς; μέχρι τίνος ἐπὶ τῶν ἀκανθῶν βαδίζομεν; μέχρι τίνος ἥλοις διαπείρομεν ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ χάριν ἔχομεν; Ὠμοῖς τυράννοις ὑποκείμεθα, τὸν προσηνῆ ∆εσπότην παραιτούμεθα, τὸν οὐδὲν ἐπαχθὲς λέγοντα, οὐδὲ βάρβαρον, οὐδὲ φορτικὸν, οὐδὲ ἀνόνητον, ἀλλὰ πάντα χρήσιμα καὶ ἐπικερδῆ καὶ ὠφέλειαν ἡμῖν μεγάλην παρέχοντα. ∆ιαναστῶμέν ποτε, συστρέψωμεν ἑαυτοὺς, συγκροτήσωμεν, ἀγαπήσωμεν, ὡς δεῖ, τὸν Θεὸν, ἵνα καταξιωθῶμεν τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀγαθῶν τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὑτὸν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.