pS Col. 3. 10 Matt. 7.13 f.27b Pom 46 MATTHEW X. 16—23 of trials; that thus they should cast off the old man, aged in sins, but that they should put on the new which is renewed in knowledge in the likeness of its Creator; as also He says somewhere, Enter ye in by the strait gate, etc, Second, that when the serpent goes to drink water from a river, it does not carry its fang with it, but leaves it in its hole. The signification in this is that preachers also should not keep anger and rage against perse- cutors; nor should those who believe in His name, when they are about to drink the water of everlasting life, enter with their fangs, that is to say, fleshly lusts and pollutions. Third, that when a serpent sees a man who is naked, it is afraid and flees from him; but if it sees him clothed and dressed, it ventures and springs upon him. The signification in this is, that one ought to put off the garments of culpable passion, that the Devil may not spring upon us, our enemy that is to say, he who hates us. Fourth, that the serpent delivers all its body to blows and strokes, but covers only its head that it may not be beaten, as the sustainer of life in the body; for our Lord shews by this and teaches that they also must bear all torments and ills until death, and keep spotless the fear of God which is the head of the life of earthly beings, in this that just as a reptile whose head is crushed is not saved, neither is a Christian who corrupts his right faith, which is the chief of all good things. For by zvolves He indicates the lasciviousness of noxious things; for the wolf is shameless and impudent by his nature. But by the sheep and the doves He signifies innocence and humility, for they are the properties of doves, and even when their little ones are taken away, they do not keep a grudge and spite, but remain in the same nest, innocently giving birth to others. And sheep too do not know to repay evil to the wolves who tear and strangle them, Truly He shews them by these things, that even if persecutors cause you to suffer a myriad evils, you should not repay them evil things; but stay with them and teach them, until by your teaching they become accustomed to virtue ; because even if they are wolves in evil things, yet they can be con- verted to lamblikeness, inasmuch as they are not wolfish by nature, but of free will; even Paul was a wolf at first, and at the end was a lamb. Thus also there are thousands and myriads of the Jews and Gentiles who became instead of rebellious persecutors martyrs and fighters for righteousness. Beware of men, that is to say, of unbelievers and haters of the Gospel ; but when they persecute you in this city, flee ye to another. Truly in this, He shews compassion and care for those who are persecuted and for the persecutors; for the persecuted, on the one hand, as perhaps they will not be able to be strong in trials, because of the weakness of nature, and