Homily
XII.
2 Cor. vi. 1, 2
And working together with Him we intreat also that
ye receive not the grace of God in vain. For he saith, At an
acceptable time I hearkened unto thee. And in a day of salvation
did I succor thee.
For since he said, God
beseeches, and we are ambassadors and suppliants unto you, that ye
be “reconciled unto God:” lest they should become supine, he
hereby again alarms and arouses them, saying: “We intreat that
ye receive not the grace of God in vain.” ‘For let us not,’
he says, ‘therefore be at ease, because He beseeches and hath
sent some to be ambassadors; nay, but for this very reason let us
make haste to please God and to collect spiritual merchandise;’
as also he said above, “The love of God constraineth us,”
(ch.
v. 14.) that is presseth,
driveth, urgeth us, ‘that ye may not after so much affectionate
care, by being supine and exhibiting no nobleness, miss of such
great blessings. Do not therefore because He hath sent some to
exhort you, deem that this will always be so. It will be so until
His second coming; until then He beseeches, so long as we are here;
but after that is judgment and punishment.’ Therefore, he says,
“we are constrained.”
For not only from the greatness of the blessings and
His loving kindness, but also from the shortness of the time he
urgeth them continually. Wherefore he saith also elsewhere,
“For now is our salvation nearer.” (Rom. xiii. 11.) And again; “The Lord is
at hand.” (Philip. iv.
5.) But here he does
something yet more. For not from the fact that the remainder of
the time is short and little, but also from its being the only
season available, for salvation, he incited them.
For, “Behold,” he saith, “now is the
acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Let us
therefore not let slip the favorable opportunity but display a zeal
worthy of the grace. For therefore is it that we also press
forward, knowing both the shortness and the suitableness of the
time. Wherefore also he said; “And working together we intreat
also. Working together” with you; ‘for we work together with
you, rather than with God for Whom we are ambassadors. For He is
in need of nothing, but the salvation all passeth over to you.’
But if it is even with God that he speaks of working together, he
repudiates not even this [interpretation]; for he says in another
place, “we are God’s fellow-workers:” (1 Cor. iii. 9.) in this way, saith he, to
save men. Again, “We entreat also.” For he indeed, when
beseeching, doth not barely beseech, but sets forth these His just
claims; namely, that He gave His Son, the Righteous One that did
not so much as know sin, and made Him to be sin for us sinners,
that we might become righteous: which claims having, and being
God, He displayed such goodness. But what we beseech is that ye
would receive the benefit and not reject the gift. Be persuaded
therefore by us, and “receive not the grace in vain.” For
lest they should think that this of itself is “reconciliation,”
believing on Him that calleth; he adds these words, requiting that
earnestness which respects the life. For, for one who hath been
freed from sins and made a friend to wallow in the former things,
is to return again unto enmity, and to “receive the grace in
vain,” in respect of the life. For from “the grace” we reap
no benefit towards salvation, if we live impurely; nay, we are even
harmed, having this greater aggravation even of our sins, in that
after such knowledge and such a gift we have gone back to our
former vices. This however he does not mention as yet: that he
may not make his work harsh, but says only that we reap no
benefit. Then he also reminds of a prophecy, urging and
compelling them to bestir themselves in order to lay hold of their
own salvation.
“For,” saith he, “He saith,
“At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee,
“And in a day of salvation did I succor thee:
“behold, now is the acceptable time: behold, now is the day
of salvation.”
“The acceptable time.” What is this? That
of the Gift, that of the
Grace, when it is appointed not that an account should be required
of our sins nor penalty exacted; but besides being delivered, that
we should also enjoy ten thousand goods, righteousness,
sanctification, and all the rest. For how much toil would it have
behoved us to undergo in order to obtain this “time!” But,
behold, without our toiling at all it hath come, bringing remission
of all that was before. Wherefore also He calls it
“acceptable,” because He both accepted those that had
transgressed in ten thousand things, and not acceded merely, but
advanced them to the highest honor; just as when a monarch arrives,
it is a time not for judgment, but for grace and pardon.
Wherefore also He calleth it acceptable. Whilst then we are yet
in the lists703
, whilst we
are at
work in the
vineyard, whilst the eleventh hour is left [us],
let us draw nigh and show forth
life; for it is also easy. For he
that striveth for the mastery
704
at such a time, when so great a
gift hath been shed forth, when so great
grace, will early obtain
the prizes. For in the case of monarchs here below also, at the
time of their festivals, and when they appear in the
dress of
Consuls, he who bringeth a
small offering receiveth large
gifts;
but on the days in which they sit in
judgment, much strictness,
much sifting is requisite. Let us too therefore
strive for the
mastery in the time of this
gift. It is a day of
grace, of
grace
divine; wherefore with ease even we shall obtain the
crown. For
if when laden with so great evils He both received and
delivered
us: when
delivered from all and contributing our part, shall He
not rather accept us?
[2.] Then, as it is his constant wont, namely, to
place himself before them and bid them hence to take their example,
so he does in this place also. Wherefore also he addeth,
Ver. 3. “Giving no occasion
of stumbling, that our ministration705
be not
blamed,” persuading them
not from considering “the time” only, but also those that had
successfully
labored with them. And behold with what absence of
pride706
. For he
said not, ‘Look at us how we are such and such,’ but, for the
present, it is only to do away
accusation that he relates his own
conduct. And he mentions two
chief points of a blameless
life,
“none” in “any” thing. And he said not ‘
accusation,’
but, what was
far less, “occasion of stumbling;” that is,
giving ground against us to none for censure, for condemnation,
“that our ministration be not
blamed;” that is, that none may
take hold of it. And again, he said not, ‘that it be not
accused,’ but that it may not have the least fault, nor any one
have it in his
power to animadvert upon it in any
particular.
Ver. 4.
“But in every thing commending ourselves as ministers of
God.”
This is far greater. For it is not the same
thing to be free from accusation; and to exhibit such a character
as in everything to appear “ministers of God.” For neither is
it the same thing to be quit of accusation, and to be covered707
with
praises. And he said not appearing, but “commending,” that is
‘proving.’ Then he mentions also whence they became such.
Whence then was it? “In much
patience,” he says, laying the
foundation of those good things. Wherefore he said not barely
“
patience,” but “much,” and he shows also how great it
was. For to bear some one or two things is no great matter. But
he addeth even
snow storms of
trials in the words, “In
afflictions, in necessities.” This is a heightening of
affliction, when the evils are unavoidable, and there
lies upon one
as it were a necessity hardly extricable
708
of misfortune. “In
distresses.” Either he means those of
hunger and of other
necessaries, or else simply those of their
trials.
Ver. 5. “In stripes, in
imprisonments, in tossings to and fro709
| 709 ἀκαταστασίαις, so translated in the margin of
the Author. Version, which, it will be seen, agrees best with the
comment of St. Chrysostom. |
.”
Yet every one of these by itself was
intolerable, the being scourged only, and being bound only, and
being unable through persecution to remain fixed710
any where, (for this is in
‘tossings to and fro,’) but when both all, and all at once,
assail, consider what a
soul they need. Then along with the
things from without, he mentions those imposed by
himself.
Ver. 5, 6. “In labors, in watchings,
in fastings; in pureness.”
But by “pureness” here, he means either
chasteness again, or general purity, or incorruptness, or even his
preaching the Gospel freely.
“In knowledge.” What is “in knowledge?”
In wisdom such as is given from God; that which is truly knowledge;
not as those that seem to be wise and boast of their acquaintance
with the heathen discipline,
but are deficient in this.
“In long-suffering, in kindness.” For this
also is a great note of a noble soul, though exasperated and goaded
on every side, to bear all with long-suffering. Then to show
whence he became such, he added;
“In the Holy Ghost.” ‘For in Him,’
he saith, ‘we do all these good works.’ But observe when it
is that he has mentioned the aid of the Holy Ghost. After he had
set forth what was from himself. Moreover, he seems to me to say
another thing herein. What then is this? Namely, ‘we have
both been filled with abundance of the Spirit and hereby also give
a proof of our Apostleship in that we have been counted worthy of
spiritual gifts.’ For if this be grace also, yet still he
himself was the cause who by his good works and his toils711
attracted
that
grace. And if any should assert that besides what has been
said, he shows that in his use of the
gifts of the Spirit also he
gave none
offence; he would not miss of his meaning. For they who
received the [
gift of]
tongues amongst them and were lifted up,
were
blamed. For it is possible for one even in receiving a
gift
of the Spirit, not to use it aright. ‘But not so we,’ he
saith, ‘but in the Spirit also, that is, in the
gifts also, we
have been blameless.’
“In love unfeigned.” This was the cause of all
those good things; this made him what he was; this caused the
Spirit also to abide with him, by Whose aid also all things were
rightly done of him.
Ver. 7.
“In the word of truth.”
A thing he says in many places, that ‘we
continued neither to handle the word of God deceitfully nor to
adulterate it.’
“In the power of God.” That which he always
does ascribing nothing to himself but the whole to God, and
imputing whatsoever he hath done aright to Him, this he hath done
here also. For since he uttered great things, and affirmed that
he had manifested in all things an irreproachable life and exalted
wisdom, he ascribes this to the Spirit and to God. For neither
were those commonplace things which he had said. For if it be a
difficult thing even for one who lives in quiet to do aright and be
irreproachable, consider him who was harassed by so great
temptations, and yet shone forth through all, what a spirit he was
of! And yet he underwent not these alone, but even far more than
these, as he mentions next. And what is indeed marvelous is, not
that he was irreproachable though sailing in such mighty waves, nor
that he endured all nobly, but all with pleasure even. Which
things, all, he makes clear to us by the next words, saying,
“By the armor of righteousness on the right and
the left.”
[3.] Seest thou his self-possession of soul and
well-strung spirit? For he shows that afflictions are arms not
only which strike not down, but do even fortify and make
stronger. And he calls those things ‘left,’ which seem to be
painful; for such those are which bring with them the reward.
Wherefore then doth he call them thus? Either in conformity with
the conception of the generality, or because God commanded us to
pray that we enter not into temptation.
Ver. 8.
“By glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report.”
What saying thou? That thou enjoyest honor,
and setting down this as a great thing? ‘Yes,’ he saith.
Why, forsooth? For to bear dishonor indeed is a great thing, but
to partake of honor requires not a vigorous712
soul. Nay, it needs a vigorous
and exceeding great
soul, that he who
enjoys it may not be thrown
and
break his
neck713
. Wherefore he glories in this as
well as in that, for he shone equally in both. But how is it a
weapon of
righteousness? Because that the
teachers are held in
honor induceth many unto
godliness. And besides, this is a
proof
of good works, and this glorifieth
God. And this is, further, an
instance of the
wise contrivance of
God, that by things which are
opposite He brings in the
Preaching. For consider. Was
Paul
bound? This too was on behalf of the
Gospel. For, saith he,
“the things which happened unto me have fallen out unto the
progress of the
Gospel; so that most of the
brethren, being
confident through my
bonds, are more
abundantly bold to speak the
word without
fear.” (
Philip. i. 12;
14.) Again, did he
enjoy
honor? This too again rendered them more forward. “By
evil
report and good
report.” For not only did he bear those things
nobly which happen to the body, the ‘
afflictions,’ and whatever
he enumerated, but those also which touch the
soul; for neither are
these wont to disturb slightly. Jeremiah at least having borne
many
temptations, gave in
714
upon these, and when he was
reproached, said, “I will not prophesy, neither will I name the
Name of the
Lord.
715
| 715 So Chrys. not exactly agreeing either with the
English Version or the LXX. |
”
(
Jer. xx. 9.) And
David too many places
complains of
reproach. Isaiah also, after many things, exhorteth
concerning this, saying, “
Fear ye not the
reproach of men,
neither be ye overcome by their reviling.” (
Is. li. 7. LXX.) And again,
Christ
also to His
disciples; “When they shall speak all manner of
evil
against you falsely,
rejoice and be exceeding
glad,” (
Matt. v. 11, 12.) He saith, “for great is
your
reward in
heaven.” Elsewhere too He
says,” And
leap for
joy.” (
Luke vi. 23.) But He would not have made
the
reward so great, had not the contest been a great one. For in
tortures the body also shareth the
anguish with the
soul; for the
pain is both of the body and of the
soul; but here it is of the
soul alone. Many at any rate have fallen by these alone, and have
lost their own
souls. And to Job also the reproaches of his
friends appeared more grievous than the
worms and the sores. For
there is nothing, there is nothing more intolerable to those in
affliction than a word capable of stinging the
soul. Wherefore
along with the perils and the toils he names these also, saying,
“By
glory and
dishonor.” At any rate, many of the
Jews also
on account of
glory derived from the many would not believe. For
they
feared, not lest they should be
punished, but lest they should
be put out of the
synagogue. Wherefore He saith, “How can ye
believe which receive
glory one of another?” (
John v. 44.) And we may see numbers who
have indeed
despised all
dangers, but have been worsted by
glory.
[4.] “As deceivers, and yet true.”
This is, “by evil report and good report.”
Ver. 9.
“As unknown, and yet well known.” This is, “by glory and
dishonor.” For by some they were well known and much sought
after, whilst others designed not to know them at all.
“As dying, and behold, we live.”
As under sentence of death and condemned; which was
itself also matter of dishonor. But this he said, to show both
the unspeakable power of God and their own patience. For so far
as those who plotted against us were concerned, we died; and this
is what all suppose; but by God’s aid we escaped the dangers.
Then to manifest also on what account God permits these things, he
added, “As chastened, and not killed.”
Showing that the gain accruing to them from their
temptations, even before the rewards, was great, and that their
enemies against their will did them service.
Ver. 10. “As sorrowful, yet alway
rejoicing.”
For by those that are without, indeed, we are
suspected of being in despair; but we give no heed to them; yea, we
have our pleasure at the full716
. And he said not “rejoicing”
only, but added also its perpetuity, for he says “alway
rejoicing.” What then can come up to this
life? wherein,
although
dangers so great
assault, the
joy becometh
greater.
“As poor, yet making many rich.”
Some indeed affirm that the spiritual riches are
spoken of here; but I would say that the carnal are so too; for
they were rich in these also, having, after a new kind of manner,
the houses of all opened to them. And this too he signified by
what follows, saying,
“As having nothing, and yet possessing all
things.”
And how can this be? Yea rather, how can the
opposite be? For he that possesseth many things hath nothing; and
he that hath nothing possesseth the goods of all717
| 717 τά πάντων Ben. τά πάντα. |
. And not here only, but also in
the other points, contraries were produced by their contraries.
But if thou marvellest how it is possible for one that hath nothing
to have all things, let us bring forth this man himself into the
midst, who commanded the
world and was
lord not only of their
substance, but of their very
eyes even. “If possible,” he
says, “ye would have plucked out your
eyes, and have given them
to me.” (
Gal.
iv. 15.)
Now these things he says, to instruct us not
to be disturbed at the opinions of the many, though they call us
deceivers, though they know us not, though they count us
condemned718
, and
appointed unto
death, to be in
sorrow, to be in
poverty, to have
nothing, to be (us, who are in cheerfulness) desponding: because
that the sun even is not clear to the
blind, nor the
pleasure of
the sane intelligible
719
to the
mad. For the
faithful only
are right judges of these matters, and are not pleased and pained
at the same things as other people. For if any one who knew
nothing of the games were to see a boxer, having
wounds upon him
and wearing a
crown; he would think him in
pain on account of the
wounds, not understanding the
pleasure the
crown would give him.
And these therefore, because they know what we
suffer but do not
know for what we
suffer them, naturally suspect that there is
nought besides these; for they see indeed the wrestling and the
dangers, but not the prizes and the
crowns and the subject
720
of the
contest. What then were the “all things” which
Paul
possessed, when he said, “As having nothing, and yet possessing
all things?” Things temporal
721
, things
spiritual. For he whom
the cities received as an
angel, for whom they would have plucked
out their own
eyes and have given them to him, (
Gal. iv. 14, 15.) he for whom they laid down
their own necks, how had he not all things that were theirs?
(
Rom. xvi. 4.) But if thou desirest to
see the
spiritual also, thou wilt find him in these things also
especially
rich. For he that was so dear to the King of all as
even to share in unspeakable things with the
Lord of the
angels,
(
ch.
xii. 4.) how was
not he more opulent than all men, and had all things?
Devils had
not else been so subject to him, suffering and
disease had not so
fled away
722
.
[5.] And let
us therefore, when we suffer aught for Christ’s sake, not merely
bear it nobly but also rejoice. If we fast, let us leap for joy
as if enjoying luxury; if we be insulted, let us dance as if
praised; if we spend, let us feel as if gaining; if we bestow on
the poor, let us count ourselves to receive: for he that gives
not thus will not give readily. When then thou hast a mind to
scatter abroad, look not at this only in almsgiving, but also in
every kind of virtue, compute not alone the severity of the toils,
but also the sweetness of the prizes; and before all the subjects
of this wrestling, our Lord Jesus; and thou wilt readily enter upon
the contest, and wilt live the whole time in pleasure. For
nothing is wont so to cause pleasure as a good conscience.
Therefore Paul indeed, though wounded every
day, rejoiced and exulted; but the men of this day, although they
endure not a shadow even723
of what he did,
grieve and make
lamentations from no other cause than that they have not a
mind
full of heavenly philosophy. For, tell me, wherefore the
lamentation? Because thou art
poor, and in want of necessaries?
Surely for this thou oughtest rather to make lamentation, [not]
724
| 724 All the mss. have
the word “not,” but the sense seems to require its
omission. |
because thou
weepest, not because thou art
poor, but because thou art
mean-spirited; not because thou hast not
money, but because thou
prizest
money so highly.
Paul died daily, yet wept not but even
rejoiced; he
fought with continual
hunger, yet
grieved not but even
gloried in it. And dost thou, because thou hast not all the
year’s provisions stored up,
grieve and beat thyself?
‘Yes,’ he replies, ‘for he had to care only for his own
needs, whilst I have besides to care for
servants, and
children,
and
wife.’ Rather, he alone had not to care for his own needs,
but for the whole
world’s. And thou indeed [hast to care] for
one household, but he for those so many
poor at
Jerusalem, for
those in
Macedonia, for those everywhere in
poverty, for those who
give to them no less than for those who receive. For his care for
the
world was of a twofold
nature, both that they might not be
destitute of necessaries, and that they might be
rich in
spiritual
things. And thy famishing
children distress not thee so much as
all the concerns of the
faithful did him. Why do I say, of the
faithful? For neither was he free from care for the
unfaithful,
but was so eaten up with it that he wished even to become accursed
for their sakes; but thou, were a
famine to
rage ten
thousand times
over, wouldest never choose to
die for any whomsoever. And thou
indeed carest for one
woman, but he for the
Churches throughout the
world. For he saith, “My
anxiety for all the
Churches.”
(
ch. xi. 28.) How long then, O man, dost
thou trifle, comparing thyself with
Paul; and wilt not cease from
this thy much meanness of spirit? For it behoveth to
weep, not
when we are in
poverty but when we
sin; for this is worthy of
lamentations, as all the other things are of ridicule even.
‘But,’ he saith, ‘this is not all that
grieves me; but that
also such an one is in
power, whilst I am unhonored and
outcast.’ And what is this? for the
blessed Paul too appeared
to the many to be unhonored and an outcast. ‘But,’ saith he,
‘he was
Paul.’ Plainly then not the
nature of the things, but
thy
feebleness of spirit causeth thy desponding. Lament not
therefore thy
poverty, but thyself who art so
minded, yea rather,
lament not thyself, but reform thee; and
seek not for
money, but
pursue that which maketh men of more
cheerful countenance than
thousands of
money, philosophy and
virtue. For where indeed these
are, there is no harm in
poverty; and where these are not there is
no good in
money. For tell me, what good is it when men are
rich
indeed, but have beggarly
souls? Thou dost not
bewail thyself, so
much as that
rich man himself, because he hath not the
wealth of
all. And if he doth not
weep as thou dost, yet lay open his
conscience, and thou wilt see his wailings and lamentations.
Wilt thou that I show thee thine own riches,
that thou mayest cease to count them happy that are rich in
money? Seest thou this heaven here, the sun, this bright and far
shining star, and that gladdeneth our eyes, is not this too set
out725
common to
all? and do not all
enjoy it equally, both
poor and
rich? And the
wreath of the
stars and the orb of the
moon, are they not left
equally to all? Yea, rather, if I must speak somewhat marvellous,
we
poor enjoy these more than they. For they indeed being for the
most part steeped in
drunkenness, and passing their time in
revellings and
deep sleep, do not even perceive these things, being
always under cover
726
and reared in the shade
727
: but the
poor do more than any
enjoy the luxury of these
elements. And
further, if thou wilt look into the
air which is every where
diffused, thou wilt see the
poor man enjoying it in greater both
freshness and
abundance. For wayfarers and
husbandmen
enjoy these luxuries
more than the
inhabitants of the city; and again, of those same
inhabitants of the city, the handicraftsmen more than those who are
drunken all the day. What too of the
earth, is not this left
common to all? ‘No,’ he saith. How sayest thou so? tell
me. ‘Because the
rich man, even in the city, having gotten
himself several plethra, raises up long fences round them; and in
the
country cuts off for himself many portions.’ What then?
When he
cuts them off, does he alone
enjoy them? By no means,
though he should
contend for it ever so earnestly. For the
produce he is compelled to distribute amongst all, and for thee he
cultivates
grain, and
wine, and
oil, and every where
ministers unto
thee. And those long fences and
buildings, after his untold
expense and his toils and drudgery he is preparing for thy use,
receiving from thee only a
small piece of
silver for so great a
service. And in baths and every where, one may see the same thing
obtaining; the
rich of it all with
perfect ease. And his
enjoyment of the
earth is no more than thine; for sure he filleth
not ten stomachs, and thou only one. ‘But he partaketh of
costlier meats?’ Truly, this is no mighty superiority; howbeit,
even here, we shall find thee to have the
advantage. For this
costliness is therefore thought by thee a matter of
envy because
the
pleasure with it is greater. Yet this is greater in the
poor
man’s case; yet not
pleasure only, but
health also; and in this
alone is the
advantage with the
rich, that he maketh his
constitution feebler and collects more
abundant fountains of
disease. For the
poor man’s diet is all ordered according to
nature, but his through its excess resulteth in
corruption and
disease.
[6.] But if ye will, let us also look at
this same thing in an example. For if it were requisite to light
a furnace, and then one man were to throw in silken garments and
fine linens, many and numberless, and so kindle it; and another
logs of oak and pine, what advantage would this man have over
that? None, but even disadvantage. But what? (for there is
nothing to prevent our turning the same illustration round after
another manner,) if one were to throw in logs, and another were to
light his fire under bodies, by which furnace wouldest thou like to
stand, that with the logs, or that with the bodies? Very plainly
that with the logs. For that burns naturally and is a pleasant
spectacle to the beholders: whilst this with the steam, and
juices, and smoke, and the stench of the bones would drive every
one away. Didst thou shudder at the hearing, and loathe that
furnace? Like it are the bellies of the rich. For in them one
would find more rottenness than in that furnace, and stinking
vapors, and filthy humors, because that, all over in every part,
indigestion abounds in consequence of their surfeiting. For the
natural heat not sufficing for the digestion of the whole but being
smothered under them, they lie smoking above, and the
unpleasantness produced is great. To what then should one compare
those stomachs of theirs? Yet do not be offended at what I say,
but if I do not say true things, refute me. To what then should
one compare them? for even what has been said is not enough to show
their wretched plight. I have found another resemblance yet.
What then is it? As in the sewers where there is accumulation of
refuse, of dung, hay, stubble, stones, clay, frequent stoppages
occur; and then the stream of filth overflows at top: so also it
happeneth with the stomachs of those people. For these being
stopped up below, the greater part of these villainous streams
spurts up above. But not so with the poor, but like those
fountains which well forth pure streams, and water gardens and
pleasure grounds728
, so also are
their stomachs pure from such-like superfluities. But not such
are the stomachs of the
rich, or rather of the luxurious; but they
are filled with humors, phlegm, bile,
corrupted blood, putrid
rheums, and other suchlike matters. Wherefore no one, if he lives
always in luxury, can bear it even for a short time; but his
life
will be spent in continual sicknesses. Wherefore I would gladly
ask them, for what end are meats given? that we may be
destroyed,
or be nourished? that we may be
diseased, or be
strong? that we may
be healthful, or be
sickly? Very plainly, for nourishment,
creating unto the body
disease and sickness? But not so the
poor
man; on the contrary, by his plain diet he purchases to himself
health, and vigor, and
strength.
Weep not then on account of
poverty, the mother of
health, but even exult in it; and if thou
wouldest be
rich,
despise riches. For this, not the having
money
but the not wanting to have it, is truly affluence. If we can
achieve this, we shall both be here more affluent than all that are
rich, and there shall obtain the good things to come, whereunto may
all we attain, through the
grace and
love towards men of our
Lord
Jesus Christ, with Whom to the
Father, with the Holy
Ghost, be
glory, might, honor, now and ever, and world without end.
Amen.
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