IX.
And do thou, my dearest Lucianus, since thou art
wise, bear with good-will the unwise;1305
and they too may perchance become
wise. Do no one an injury at any time, and
provoke no one to
anger. If an injury is done to you, look to
Jesus Christ; and
even as ye desire that He may remit your
transgressions, do ye also
forgive them theirs;
1306
and then also shall ye do away with all
ill-will, and
bruise the head
of that ancient
serpent,
1307
who is ever on the watch with all
subtlety to undo your good works and
your prosperous attainments. Let no day pass by without reading
some portion of the
Sacred Scriptures, at such convenient hour as
offers, and giving some space to meditation.
1308
| 1308
[Blessed spirit of primitive piety! Is not this rule too much
relaxed in our own Laodicean age?] |
And never cast off the
habit of
reading in the Holy Scriptures; for nothing
feeds the
soul and enriches
the
mind so well as those
sacred studies do. But look to this as
the
chief gain you are to make by them, that, in all due
patience, ye
may discharge the
duties of your
office religiously and
piously—that is, in the
love of
Christ—and
despise all
transitory objects for the sake of His
eternal promises, which in
truth
surpass all human comprehension and understanding,
1309
| 1309
Phil. iv. 7. [How much there is in this letter
which ought to prick the consciences of wealthy and
“fashionable” Christians of our day!] |
and shall
conduct you into everlasting
felicity.
A happy adieu to you in Christ,
my Lord Lucianus.
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