did his dear, righteous, innocent Lord. Beloved,
if Christ so suffered in return for the great blessing he conferred,
be not too indolent to imitate him in some degree by suffering without
anger and reproaches. Less reason have you to be angry and reproachful
from the fact that you, too, were one whose sins brought Christ to the
cross.

27. But you may say: "What? Did not Christ revile when (Mt 23) he
called the scribes and pharisees hypocrites, murderers, serpents, a
generation of vipers, and even more severely rebuked them?" I reply:
Oh yes, we would gladly follow Christ's example here; we could
cheerfully revile and accuse. It is much easier than being patient. We
would need no Master to help us in this. But note what Peter says:
When Christ was about to suffer death, having fulfilled the obligation
of his ministry--having proclaimed the truth, rebuked falsehood and
been brought to the cross therefor--and being about to conclude his
mission by suffering, he reviled not; as a sheep for the slaughter, he
permitted himself to be executed and opened not his mouth against his
calumniators and murderers. See Isaiah 53, 7.

28. It is necessary, then, to make a distinction here. Reviling--or
pronouncing execrations and threats--is of two kinds. In one case it
is official and pronounced of God; in the other, without authority and
comes from man. It was one of the duties of Christ's office on earth,
and one now incumbent upon those called to bear that office after him,
to assert the truth and censure the evil. Such a course is essential
to the honor of God and the salvation of souls; for if the truth were
to be ignored, who would come to God? Official chastisement is a work
of divine, Christian love. It is a parental duty imposed of God. God
has implanted in the parent nature intense love for the child; at the
same time, if parents are godly and have proper affection for their
children they will not connive at, or let pass unpunished, the
disobedience of the latter. They must chastise, both with reproof and
with keen rods. These are official strokes--love stripes--enjoined of
God, and their infliction is our duty. They are not injurious, but
beneficial. Solomon says (Prov 13, 24): "He that spareth his rod
hateth his son; but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." And
Jesus the son of Sirach says in Ecclesiasticus: "He that loveth his
son causeth him oft to feel the rod, that he may have joy of him in
the end."

29. So