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pay the same penalties? Paul, making this very charge, said: But do you suppose this, O man, you who judge those who do such things and do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? This is not so, it is not so; for by the vote, he says, which you have cast against another, by this God will judge you then; for surely you are not just, and God unjust. For if you do not overlook another being wronged, how will God overlook it? If you correct the sins of others, how will God not correct you? But if He does not bring punishment upon you immediately, do not be confident because of this, but fear the more. So also Paul commanded, saying: Or do you despise the riches of His kindness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? For He forbears for this reason, he says, not that you should become worse, but that you should repent; but if you are unwilling, His longsuffering becomes for you, remaining unrepentant, a provision for a greater punishment. And making this very thing plain, he said: But according to your hardness and your impenitent heart, you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation, and of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his works. Since, then, He renders to each according to his works, and for this reason He implanted in us a natural law, and later gave a written one, that He might demand an account for sins, and that He might crown those who do right; with much diligence, therefore, and as if we were about to go to a fearful tribunal, let us manage our own affairs, knowing 49.135 that we shall enjoy no pardon if, after a natural and a written law, and so much teaching, and constant exhortation, we should neglect our own salvation.

6. I wish, then, to discourse to you again about oaths, but I am ashamed. For it is not burdensome for me to say the same things to you day and night, but I fear that after having attended to you for these many days, I may condemn your great laziness concerning a matter so easy, needing constant reminding. I am not only ashamed, but I also fear for you; for continuous teaching is salutary and useful to those who pay attention, but harmful and dangerous to the lazy. For the more often one hears, the more he draws punishment upon himself by not doing what is said. Reproaching the Jews for this very thing, God said: I sent My prophets, rising early and sending them, and not even so did you listen. We, then, do this out of much solicitude, but we fear that on that fearful day this exhortation and counsel may stand against you all. For when the good deed is easy, and he who constantly reminds does not cease, what defense shall we have to offer? Or what reason will deliver us from punishment? For tell me, if you happen to be owed money, do you not, whenever meeting the debtor, remind him of the loan? Do this also, and let each one consider his neighbor to owe him money, the fulfillment of this commandment, and meeting him, let him remind him about the payment, knowing that no small danger lies in store for us who do not care for our brethren. For this reason I also do not cease saying the same things; for I fear lest on that day I hear: Wicked and lazy servant, you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers. Behold then, I have deposited it not once, nor twice, but many times; it is for you, then, to show the interest; and the interest of hearing is the demonstration through works; for 49.136 the things deposited are the Lord's. Let us not, then, receive it carelessly, but let us hold the deposit with exactness, so that with much profit we may return it on that day. For if you do not bring others also to the same good deed, you will hear that voice which he who buried the talent heard. But may you not hear this, but may you hear the other voice which Christ spoke to the one who had worked, saying:

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τὰς αὐτὰς διδόναι δίκας; Τοῦτο γοῦν αὐτὸ ἐγκαλῶν ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγε· Λογίζῃ δὲ τοῦτο, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, ὁ κρίνων τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα πράσσοντας καὶ ποιῶν αὐτὰ, ὅτι σὺ ἐκφεύξῃ τὸ κρῖμα τοῦ Θεοῦ; Οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο, οὐκ ἔστιν· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς ψήφου, φησὶν, ἧς ἤνεγκας καθ' ἑτέρου, ἀπὸ ταύτης σοι κρινεῖ ὁ Θεὸς τότε· οὐ γὰρ δήπου σὺ μὲν δίκαιος, ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ἄδικος. Εἰ γὰρ σὺ οὐ περιορᾷς ἕτερον ἀδικούμενον, πῶς ὁ Θεὸς περιόψεται; εἰ σὺ διορθοῖς τὰ ἑτέρων ἁμαρτήματα, πῶς ὁ Θεὸς οὐ διορθώσεταί σε; Εἰ δὲ οὐ παρὰ πόδας ἐπάγει σοι τὴν τιμωρίαν, μὴ θάῤῥει διὰ τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ φοβοῦ μειζόνως. Οὕτω καὶ Παῦλος ἐκέλευσε λέγων· Ἢ τοῦ πλούτου τῆς χρηστότητος αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς ἀνοχῆς καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας καταφρονεῖς, ἀγνοῶν ὅτι τὸ χρηστὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς μετάνοιάν σε ἄγει; ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο ἀνέχεται, φησὶν, οὐχ ἵνα χείρων γένῃ, ἀλλ' ἵνα μετανοήσῃς· εἰ δὲ μὴ βούλει, κολάσεως μείζονος ἐφόδιον ἡ μακροθυμία σοι γίνεται ἀμετανοήτῳ μένοντι. Καὶ τοῦτο γοῦν αὐτὸ δηλῶν ἔλεγε· Κατὰ δὲ τὴν σκληρότητά σου καὶ ἀμετανόητον καρδίαν, θησαυρίζεις σεαυτῷ ὀργὴν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως, καὶ δικαιοκρισίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὃς ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα ἀποδίδωσι, καὶ νόμον διὰ τοῦτο φυσικὸν ἡμῖν ἐνέθηκε, καὶ γραπτὸν ὕστερον ἔδωκεν, ἵνα εὐθύνας ἀπαιτήσῃ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, καὶ ἵνα κατορθοῦντας στεφανώσῃ· μετὰ πολλῆς οὖν τῆς σπουδῆς, καὶ ὥσπερ εἰς δικαστήριον ἀπαντήσεσθαι μέλλοντες φοβερὸν, τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς οἰκονομήσωμεν, εἰδό 49.135 τες ὡς μηδεμιᾶς ἀπολαύσομεν συγγνώμης, εἰ μετὰ φυσικὸν καὶ γραπτὸν νόμον, καὶ διδασκαλίαν τοσαύτην, καὶ συνεχῆ παραίνεσιν, τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀμελήσαιμεν σωτηρίας.

ςʹ. Βούλομαι οὖν πάλιν περὶ τῶν ὅρκων ὑμῖν διαλεχθῆναι, αἰσχύνομαι δέ. Ἐμοὶ μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπαχθὲς καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἐν νυκτὶ τὰ αὐτὰ πρὸς ὑμᾶς λέγειν, δέδοικα δὲ μὴ τὰς πολλὰς ταύτας ἡμέρας ὑμῖν παρακολουθήσας, πολλὴν ὑμῶν καταγνῶ ῥᾳθυμίαν περὶ πράγματος οὕτως εὐκόλου διηνεκοῦς δεομένων ὑπομνήσεως. Οὐκ αἰσχύνομαι δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ δέδοικα περὶ ὑμῶν· ἡ γὰρ συνεχὴς διδασκαλία τοῖς μὲν προσέχουσι σωτήριον καὶ χρήσιμον, τοῖς δὲ ῥᾳθυμοῦσι βλαβερὸν καὶ ἐπικίνδυνον. Καὶ γὰρ ὅσῳπερ ἄν τις πλεονάκις ἀκούσῃ, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον ἐπισπᾶται τὴν κόλασιν μὴ ποιῶν τὰ λεγόμενα. Τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ Ἰουδαίοις ὀνειδίζων ἕλεγεν ὁ Θεός· Ἀπέστειλα τοὺς προφήτας μου ὀρθρίζων, καὶ ἀποστέλλων, καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως εἰσηκούσατε. Ἡμεῖς μὲν οὖν ἀπὸ πολλῆς κηδεμονίας τοῦτο ποιοῦμεν, δεδοίκαμεν δὲ μὴ κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην τὴν φοβερὰν ἀντικαταστῇ πᾶσιν ὑμῖν ἡ παραίνεσις αὕτη καὶ ἡ συμβουλή. Ὅταν γὰρ καὶ τὸ κατόρθωμα εὔκολον ᾖ, καὶ ὁ συνεχῶς ὑπομιμνήσκων μὴ διαλιμπάνῃ, ποίαν ἕξομεν ἀπολογίαν εἰπεῖν; ἢ τίς ἡμᾶς ἐξαιρήσεται τῆς κολάσεως λόγος; Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, ἂν ἀργύριόν σοι χρεωστούμενον τύχῃ, οὐκ ἀεὶ συντυγχάνων τῷ ὀφείλοντι ἀναμιμνήσκεις αὐτὸν τοῦ δανείσματος; Τοῦτο καὶ σὺ ποίησον, καὶ ἕκαστος νομιζέτω τὸν πλησίον ἀργύριον ὀφείλειν αὐτῷ, τὴν ἐκπλήρωσιν τῆς ἐντολῆς ταύτης, καὶ ἀπαντῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐκτίσεως αὐτὸν ἀναμιμνησκέτω, εἰδὼς ὡς οὐ μικρὸς ἡμῖν ἀπόκειται κίνδυνος τῶν ἀδελφῶν οὐκ ἐπιμελουμένοις. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐγὼ τὰ αὐτὰ λέγων οὐ παύομαι· δέδοικα γὰρ μήποτε κατ' ἐκείνην ἀκούσω τὴν ἡμέραν· Πονηρὲ δοῦλε καὶ ὀκνηρὲ, ἔδει σε καταβαλεῖν τὸ ἀργύριόν μου ἐπὶ τοὺς τραπεζίτας. Ἰδοὺ γοῦν κατέβαλον οὐχ ἅπαξ, οὐδὲ δὶς, ἀλλὰ πολλάκις· ὑμῶν ἐστι λοιπὸν τὸν τόκον ἐπιδείξασθαι· τόκος δὲ ἀκροάσεως, ἡ διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐπίδειξις· καὶ γὰρ 49.136 ∆εσποτικὰ τὰ καταβαλλόμενα. Μὴ τοίνυν παρέργως ὑποδεξώμεθα, ἀλλὰ μετὰ ἀκριβείας κατέχωμεν τὴν παρακαταθήκην, ἵνα μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐργασίας αὐτὴν ἀποδῶμεν κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην. Ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ καὶ ἑτέρους εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ ἐναγάγῃς κατόρθωμα, ἀκούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς ἐκείνης ἧς ἤκουσεν ὁ τὸ τάλαντον κατορύξας. Ἀλλὰ μὴ γένοιτο ταύτης, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἄλλης ὑμᾶς ἀκοῦσαι φωνῆς ἣν πρὸς τὸν ἐργασάμενον ἀφῆκε λέγων ὁ Χριστός·