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Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain, which are ready to die. For I find not thy works full before my God.
St. Victorinus
The fifth class, company, or association of saints, sets forth men who are careless, and who are carrying on in the world other transactions than those which they ought— Christians only in name. And therefore He exhorts them that by any means they should be turned away from negligence, and be saved; and to this effect He says:— The sixth class is the mode of life of the best election. The habit of saints is set forth; of those, to wit, who are lowly in the world, and unskilled in the Scriptures, and who hold the faith immoveably, and are not at all broken down by any chance, or withdrawn from the faith by any fear. ____________________________________________________________
St. Gregory the Great
Thus, because the works had not been found complete before his God, he foretold that those which remained, even such as had been done, were about to die. For, if that which is dead in us be not kindled into life, that which is retained as though still alive is extinguished too. They are to be admonished that it might have been more tolerable for them not to have laid hold of the right way than, having laid hold of it, to turn their backs upon it. For unless they looked back, they would not grow weak with any torpor with regard to their undertaken purpose. Let them hear, then, what is written, It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after they hare known it, to be turned backward (2 Pet. it. 21). [Pastoral Rule 3.39]
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Oecumenius
But, He says, awake from the sleep of sin and strengthen what remains, which is at the point of death: you still have, He says, a few works and practices which are not entirely dead. Therefore, guard them while they are still alive, even though they are already veering towards death. For strengthen means ‘make strong and powerful what is feeble and ready to fall.’ “Not one of your endeavors,” he says, “is full of zeal, but some are dead and others are on the point of death.”
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St. Andrew of Caesarea
"Shake off the sleep of laziness," he says, "and strengthen your members, who are about to completely die through unbelief." For it is not the beginning of good works which crowns the worker, but the completion.
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Apringius of Beja
He rebukes those idle persons who do not trust in God with the whole mind and keep the right faith only hypocritically. They are Christians in name only. And so they are said to be living, but in fact they are dead. For this reason they are rebuked that they might be vigilant and strengthen what remains of that from which they had fallen.
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St. Bede
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Bulus al-Bushi
my God: His saying ‘before my God’ is within the context of His human nature, just as He called us His brethren, and He became like us in every way except sin.
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Nicholas of Lyra
Be watchful To understand the defect in you and in your flock. and strengthen the things that remain That is, those under you by word and example.which are ready to die The people fall into sin easily, unless they are sustained by the word and the example of the prelate.
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Hieronymus Lauretus
Sometimes to watch is to study; and they watch in the morning for wisdom, who with an ever renewed application of mind exercise themselves in attaining to the vision of Christ, Prov. 8 (Bede.) The heart of one reposing is watchful, when he does not employ his hours in encouraging sloth, hut in perceiving wisdom, Cant, 5: 2. (Augustine, Gregory.) He also watches who exercises good works, and is solicitous concerning the truth of faith, lest he should fall into opinions which involve him in darkness, &c., &c." (Origen, Arnobius, Ambrose.) ____________________________________________________________
Cornelius a Lapide
Ambrose says that the works were not full, but empty, because they were not filled with charity; Haymo, that the works although good in themselves were not full, because not performed from a good intention, but, as Joachim says, from an appetite for empty praise and glory.
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Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
I have not found thy works full: not that the works were bad, but that they were not full, they did not form good in its entirety, and this was enough to cause it to die. _____________________________________________________________ |