beginning, was made man for our sakes, like ourselves, but
without sin, and was content to suffer death upon the Cross. He
overthrew the foeman that from the beginning had looked with
malice on our race; he rescued us from that bitter captivity; he,
of his goodness, restored to us our former freedom, and, of his
tender love towards mankind, raised us up again to that place
from whence by our disobedience we had fallen, granting us even
greater honour than at the first.

"Him therefore, who endured such sufferings for our sakes, and
again bestowed such blessings upon us, him dost thou reject and
scoff at his Cross? And, thyself wholly riveted to carnal
delights and deadly passions, dost thou proclaim the idols of
shame and dishonour gods? Not only hast thou alienated thyself
from the commonwealth of heavenly felicity but thou hast also
severed from the same all others who obey thy commands, to the
peril of their souls. Know therefore that I will not obey thee,
nor join thee in such ingratitude to God-ward; neither will I
deny my benefactor and Saviour, though thou slay me by wild
beasts, or give me to the fire and sword, as thou hast the power.
For I neither fear death, nor desire the present world, having
passed judgement on the frailty and vanity thereof. For what is
there profitable, abiding or stable therein? Nay, in very
existence, great is the misery, great the pain, great and
ceaseless the attendant care. Of its gladness and enjoyment the
yoke-fellows are dejection and pain. Its riches is poverty; its
loftiness die lowest humiliation; and who shall tell the full
tale of its miseries, which Saint John the Divine hath shown me
in few words? For he saith, `The whole world lieth in
wickedness'; and, `Love not the world, neither the things that