Chapter VIII.—Be on your guard against the snares of the devil. Not that I know there is anything of this kind among you; but I put you on your guard, inasmuch as I love you greatly, and foresee the snares of the devil. Wherefore, clothing295 yourselves with meekness, be ye renewed296 in faith, that is the flesh of the Lord, and in love, that is the blood of Jesus Christ. Let no one of you cherish any grudge against his neighbour. Give no occasion to the Gentiles, lest by means of a few foolish men the whole multitude [of those that believe] in God be evil spoken of. For, “Woe to him by whose vanity my name is blasphemed among any.”297 Now I write these things unto you, not that I know there are any such persons among you; nay, indeed I hope that God will never permit any such report to reach my ears, He “who spared not His Son for the sake of His holy Church.”298 But foreseeing the snares of the wicked one, I arm you beforehand by my admonitions, as my beloved and faithful chil- dren in Christ, furnishing you with the means of protection299 against the deadly disease of unruly men, by which do ye flee from the disease300 [referred to] by the good-will of Christ our Lord. Do ye therefore, clothing301 yourselves with meekness, become the imitators of His sufferings, and of His love, wherewith302 He loved us when He gave Himself a ransom303 for us, that He might cleanse us by His blood from our old ungodliness, and be- stow life on us when we were almost on the point of perishing through the depravity that was in us. Let no one of you, therefore, cherish any grudge against his neighbour. For says our Lord, “Forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you.”304 Give no occasion to the Gentiles, lest “by means of a few foolish men the word and doctrine [of Christ] be blasphemed.”305 For says the prophet, as in the person of God, “Woe to him by whom my name is blasphemed among the Gentiles.”306 295 Literally, “taking up.” 296 Or, “renew yourselves.” 297 Isa. lii. 5. 298 Rom. viii. 32. 299 Literally, “making you drink beforehand what will preserve you.” 300 Or, “from which disease.” 301 Literally, “taking up.” 302 Comp. Eph. ii. 4. 303 Comp. 1 Tim. ii. 6. 304 Matt. vi. 14. 305 1 Tim. vi. 1; Tit. ii. 5. 306 Isa. lii. 5. Chapter VIII.—Be on your guard against the snares of the devil. 190 Chapter VIII.—Be on your guard against the snares of the devil.