troublesome. If a man practices almsgiving, and hears another speak of almsgiving, he is not wearied,1165 but pleased, for he hears his own good actions recommended and pro- claimed. So that when we are displeased at hearing a discourse upon the forgiveness of in- juries, it is because we have no interest in forbearance, it is not practiced by us; for if we had the reality, we should not be pained at its being named. If therefore you would not have us wearisome or annoying, practice as we preach, exhibit in your actions the subject of our discourses. For we shall never cease discoursing upon these things till your conduct is agreeable to them. And this we do more especially from our concern and affection for you. For the trumpeter must sound his trumpet, though no one should go out to war; he must fulfill his part. We do it, not as wishing to bring heavier condemnation upon you, but to avert it from ourselves. And besides this, love for you constrains us, for it would tear and torture our hearts if that should befall you, which God avert! It is not any costly process that we recommend to you: it does not require the spoiling of goods, nor a long and toilsome journey. It is only to will. It is a word, it is a purpose of the mind. Let us only set a guard on our tongues, a door and a bar upon our lips, that we may utter nothing offensive to God. It is for our own advantage, not for theirs for whom we pray, to act thus. For let us ever con- sider, that he who blesses his enemy, blesses himself, he who curses his enemy, curses himself, 429 and he who prays for his enemy, prays not for him, but for himself. If we thus act, we shall be able to reduce to practice this excellent virtue,1166 and so to obtain the promised blessings, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1165 ἀποκναίει. Dounæus conjectures ἀποκνεῖ. The other is usually transitive. 1166 He evidently hints at a higher degree of Christian feeling, in which a man would simply wish well to his enemies, and therefore pray for them. See on Philip. i. 30, Hom. iv., and on Rom. xii. 20, Hom. xxii. 740 1 Timothy 2:1-4