John Constantinople

even as the fathers say who have been in that place before thee.

Let the fountain of thy tears be in size according to the measure of the sins which thou hast committed.

If thy sins be few, then a little shedding of tears will suffice.

If thy transgression be great, then thou wilt have need of overwhelming torrents of tears.

If, however, thou thyself art free from sin, then shed thou thy tears on behalf of thy brother to a suitable degree, and weep with him for his sins.

The place through which sin entereth is the eye;

let, then, healing come through the eye.

Let us repent before the door of repentance be shut in our teeth (or, mouth).

For this reason (was said) that which was said, ' Let him that thinketh he standeth look carefully lest he fall.'

Let him that is in a slippery place, and hath fallen, make haste to rise up (again), for he must not abandon himself to despair.

For it is written, ' God upholdeth those who fall'

And it happeneth that a man moveth sometimes a very little, according to that which and my feet would have moved ; and very little more and my steps would have slipped

And again, I say, My feet move; but Thy grace, O God, helpeth me.'

Then again, ' They thrust sore at me to make me fall, but God gave me [His] hand

He who hath fallen hath, in these ensamples, an encouragement not to allow himself to remain | in his fallen state, and he (i.e., the Book) saith, ' Shall not he that is in the habit of falling rise up again?

Watch, however, lest having heard of the goodness of God, thou becomest careless.

Verily it is written, God, the True Judge, is longsuffering and merciful';

and He receiveth (or, accepteth) the repentance of those who shall turn unto Him, as one Who loveth men.

But the Book saith, ' If ye will not turn yourselves He will sharpen His sword.'

Listen, for the Book saith l He will sharpen it

Now hitherto He hath not made use of it to smite, for He thought that when thou didst see Him sharpening His sword,

thou wouldst anticipate the passing of the sentence, and that fear would rouse thee up to repentance.

For the Book saith, He hath stretched His bow, He hath made it ready.'

Because thou hast not yet seen the arrow, presume not on the mercifulness of the Judge.

Listen to (the words of) longsuffering of the Saviour Who said, 'Agree thou with him that goeth to law with thee Now the adversary, that is to say, he that fighteth with thee, is with thee at all times.

And that it is unlikely that thou wilt be able to rid thyself of him Paul teacheth thee saying, The flesh lusteth against our spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; these, moreover, war against each other.'

these, moreover, war against each other.'

Now the spirit warreth against the flesh, and it bringeth into subjection the lust of this world through the hope of the kingdom which is in the heavens.

The flesh itself warreth against the spirit, and it inclineth towards the earth and the pleasures thereof.