113.  Moreover, to distinguish still more clearly between them, we have, against the fear of office, a possible help in the law of obedience, inasmuch as God in His goodness rewards our faith, and makes a perfect ruler of the man who has confidence in Him, and places all his hopes in Him; but against the danger of disobedience I know of nothing which can help us, and of no ground to encourage our confidence.  For it is to be feared that we shall have to hear these words concerning those who have been entrusted to us:  I will require their souls at your hands;343    Ezek. iii. 18.and, Because ye have rejected me, and not been leaders and rulers of my people, I also will reject you, that I should not be king over you;344    1 Sam. xv. 26; cf. Hos. iv. 6. and, As ye refused to hearken to My voice, and turned a stubborn back, and were disobedient, so shall it be when ye call upon Me, and I will not regard nor give ear to your prayer.345    Zech. vii. 11, 13.  God forbid that these words should come to us from the just Judge, for when we sing of His mercy we must also by all means sing of His judgment.346    Ps. ci. 1.

ΡΙΓʹ. Καὶ, ἔτι διελέσθαι σαφέστερον τῷ μὲν φόβῳ τῆς προστασίας, τάχα ἂν βοηθήσειε καὶ ὁ νόμος τῆς εὐπειθείας, τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν πίστιν ἀμειβομένου διὰ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ χρηστότητος, καὶ εἰς προστάτην τέλειον καταρτίζοντος, τὸν αὐτῷ θαῤῥήσαντα, καὶ πάσας θέμενον ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὰς ἐλπίδας: τῷ δὲ κινδύνῳ τῆς ἀπειθείας, οὐκ οἶδα τίς ἔσται ὁ βοηθῶν, ἢ τίς ὁ θαῤῥεῖν διακελευόμενος λόγος. Φόβος γὰρ μὴ τοῦτό γε ἀκούσωμεν περὶ ὧν ἐπιστεύθημεν, ὅτι τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν ἐκζητήσω: καὶ Καθὼς ἀπώσασθέ με τοῦ εἶναι εἰς ἡγουμένους τοῦ λαοῦ μου καὶ ἄρχοντας, οὕτω κἀγὼ ἀπώσομαι ὑμᾶς τοῦ εἶναι ὑμῖν εἰς βασιλέα: καὶ, Καθὼς οὐκ εἰσηκούσατε τῆς φωνῆς μου, ἀλλ' ἐδώκατε νῶτον σκληρὸν, καὶ ἠπειθήσατε: οὕτως ἔσται, ὅταν ἐπικαλέσησθέ με: ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ ἐπιβλέψω ἐπὶ τὴν προσευχὴν ὑμῶν, οὐδ' εἰσακούσομαι. Ταύτας μὴ γένοιτο ἐλθεῖν ἡμῖν παρὰ τοῦ δικαίου κριτοῦ τὰς φωνὰς, ᾧ κἂν τὸν ἔλεον ᾄδωμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν κρίσιν γε πάντως συνᾴδομεν.