at the opinion of the vulgar,772 so long as we may think that we escape notice in our wickedness, we exert ourselves to become better; but when we have become notorious to all, and have lost the consolation derived from the escaping notice, we grow more shameless and remiss rather. And just as sores become more painful by being unbandaged and fre- quently exposed to cold air, so also the soul after having sinned, if in the presence of many it be rebuked for what it has done amiss, grows thereby more shameless. In order therefore that this might not take place, the word administered its medicine to you covertly. And that you may understand773 that the gain which this covert treatment has is great, hear what the Christ says. “If thy brother have committed a fault against thee convince him of it,” and he did not say “between him and the whole town,” nor, “between thee and the whole people,”774 but “only between thee and him.” Let the accusation, he says, be unwitnessed to, in order that the change to amendment may be made easy of digestion. A great good surely, the making the advice unpublished. Sufficient is the conscience, sufficient that incorruptible judge. It is not so much thou who rebukest him who has done wrong as his own conscience (that accuser is the sharper), nor dost thou do it with the more exact knowledge of the faults committed. Add not therefore wound to wound by exposing him who has done wrong; but administer for thyself the counsel unwitnessed. This therefore we are doing now—the very thing that Paul also did, framing the indictment against him who among the Corinthians had sinned without citing of witnesses. And hear how. “On this account,” he says, “brethren, I have applied these figures of speech to myself and Apollos.” And yet not he himself nor Apollos were they who had rent the people in schism and divided the Church; but all the same he concealed the accusation, and just as by some masks, by hiding the countenances of the defendants by his own and Apollos’ names, he afforded them power to amend of that wickedness. And again, “Lest in some way after I have come God humble me, and I may have to mourn many of those who have before sinned, and have not repented over the un- cleanness and lasciviousness which they had committed.”775 See how here also he indefinitely mentions those who had sinned, in order that he might not, by openly bringing the accusa- tion, render the soul of those who had sinned more shameless. Therefore, just as we admin- ister our reproofs with so much sparing of your feelings, so do ye also with all seriousness receive the correction; and attend with carefulness to what is said. 5. We discoursed to you yesterday about the power which is in prayer. I pointed out776 how the devil then lies in wait, deceiver that he is. For since he sees very great gain accruing 772 οἱ πολλόι, as opposed to οἱ χαρι™ντες, those of culture and refinement. Arist. Eth. 773 A common sense of μανθανω. “Μανθ€νεις; οὐ μανθ€νω. Aristophanes; who was a favorite author with Chrysostom. 774 The article here has this universal force. Matt. xviii. 15. 775 1 Cor. iv. 6; 2 Cor. xii. 21. 776 ̓Εδειξα 'Ενδειξις. Lat. index (digitus) the fore-finger. 326 Against Publishing the Errors of the Brethren.