Chapter XLVI.—Let us cleave to the...

Chapter XLVI.—Let us cleave to the righteous: your strife is pernicious.

Such examples, therefore, brethren, it is right that we should follow; ²⁰¹ since it is written, “Cleave to the holy, for those that cleave to them shall [themselves] be made holy.” ²⁰² And again, in another place, [the Scripture] saith, “With a harmless man thou shalt prove ²⁰³ thyself harmless, and with an elect man thou shalt be elect, and with a perverse man thou shalt show ²⁰⁴ thyself perverse.” ²⁰⁵ Let us cleave, therefore, to the innocent and righteous, since these are the elect of God. Why are there strifes, and tumults, and divisions, and schisms, and wars ²⁰⁶ among you? Have we not [all] one God and one Christ? Is there not one Spirit of grace poured out upon us? And have we not one calling in Christ? ²⁰⁷ Why do we divide and tear to pieces the members of Christ, and raise up strife against our own body, and have reached such a height of madness as to forget that “we are members one of another?” ²⁰⁸ Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, how ²⁰⁹ He said, “Woe to that man [by whom ²¹⁰ offences come]! It were better for him that he had never been born, than that he should cast a stumbling-block before one of my elect. Yea, it were better for him that a millstone should be p. 18 hung about [his neck], and he should be sunk in the depths of the sea, than that he should cast a stumbling-block before one of my little ones.” ²¹¹ Your schism has subverted [the faith of] many, has discouraged many, has given rise to doubt in many, and has caused grief to us all. And still your sedition continueth.

Footnotes

17:201

Literally, “To such examples it is right that we should cleave.”

17:202

Not found in Scripture.

17:203

Literally, “be.”

17:204

Or, “thou wilt overthrow.”

17:205

Ps. 18:25, 26.

17:206

Or, “war.” Comp. Jas. iv. 1.

17:207

Comp. Eph. iv. 4-6.

17:208

Rom. xii. 5.

17:209

This clause is wanting in the text.

17:210

This clause is wanting in the text.

18:211

Comp. Matt. xviii. 6, Matt. xxvi. 24; Mark ix. 42; Luke xvii. 2.