43 (2). Admonition to the Young
LETTERS
became obedient unto death.31 Moreover, the Apostle 32 also says: 'Take heed lest perhaps there be in any of you an evil heart that would turn away from the living God.' But exhort one another, each edifying the other, while it is still called today. For, 'today' means the whole time of our life.
If you thus conduct your )ife, brother, you will not only save yourself, but will also gladden us and glorify God forever and ever. Amen.
43. Admonition to the Young!
You who live a faithful solitary life and practice piety, observe and learn the way of life, according to the Gospelsubjection of the body, lowliness of spirit, purity of thought, and control of anger. When pressed int.o service2 for the Lord's sake, do still more; when defrauded, abstain from lawsuits; when hated, love; when persecuted, endure; when slandered, pray. Be dead to sin; be crucified for God; transfer all your care to the Lord, that you may procure that end where there are hosts of angels, assemblies of first-born, thrones of apostles, seats of prophets, sceptres of patriarchs, ·crowns of martyrs, and praises of righteous men. Be eager to be yourself numbered with these just ones in Jesus Christ, our
Lord. To Him be glory forever. Amen.
III Cf. Phil. 2.8. lI2 Cf. Heb. lI.12-13; I Thess. 5JI. A fusion of the two quotations. almost verbatim according to the Greek text.
I Like the preceding with which it is usu~lly considered. this letter is found in none of the manuscripts of letters. but it appears in the Paris edition of letters of 1618. numbered 2. between Letters 42 and 44. It is found in some manuscripts of the homilies. and was probably taken from them. Cf. Bessieres. op. cit. 344.
2 Cf_ Matt. 5.41.