And before him too, the blessed Moses was willing to be blotted out of God’s book for the sake of his enemies who had stoned him. David also when he saw those who had stood up against him slain, saith, “I, the shepherd, have sinned, but these, what have they done?” (See 2 Sam. xxiv. 17.) And when he had Saul in his hands, he would not slay him, but saved him; and this when he himself would be in danger. But if these things were done under the Old [Covenant] what excuse shall we have who live under the New, and do not attain even to the same measure with them? For if, “unless our righteousness exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, we shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven” ( Matt. v. 20 ), how shall we enter in when we have even less than they?