Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

^14. These then flee, when they see the wolf, when they see the robber. Now this it was that I had began to say, that from this higher place they can say nothing, but, “Do well,” “do not forswear yourselves,” “defraud not,” “cheat not any.” But sometimes men's lives are so bad, that counsel is asked of a Bishop on the taking away of another man's estate, and from him is such counsel sought. It has sometimes happened to ourselves, we speak from experience: for we should not have believed it. Many men require from us evil counsels, counsels of lying, of fraud; thinking that they please us thereby. But by the Name of Christ, if what we are saying is pleasing to the Lord, no such man has tempted us, and found what he wished in us. For with the good pleasure of Him who has called us, we are shepherds, not hirelings. But as says the Apostle, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's day; yea, I judge not even my own self. For I am conscious of nothing by myself, but I am not hereby justified. But He That judges me is the Lord.” My conscience is not therefore good, because you praise it. For how do you praise what you do not see? Let Him praise, who sees; yea let Him correct, if He sees ought there which offends His Eyes. For I too do not say that I am perfectly whole; but I beat my breast, and say to God, “Be merciful, that I sin not.” Yet I do think, for I speak in His Presence, that I seek nothing from you, but your salvation; and constantly do I groan over the sins of my brethren, and I suffer distress, and am tormented in mind, and often do I reprove them; yea, I never cease reproving them. All who remember what I say are witnesses, how often my brethren who sin have been reproved, and earnestly reproved, by me.