NOTE: — 12 —

[sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they] are ravenous wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” (Matt. 7:15, 16). He commanded them, saying: “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of the Herodians” (Mark 8:15). “Beware ye of the leaven of the Sadducees, which is hypocrisy” (Luke 12:1). See, well-disposed reader, with how startling a voice the son of thunder, the beloved disciple of Jesus, the evangelist Yovhannēs, awakens our minds in every way to beware of deceivers and of their deceitful doctrines, writing thus: “Look to yourselves, that ye lose not those things which ye have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward. . . . If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into [your] house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John Cath. [Epist.] 8, 10, 11). See thou here, beloved, studious, [and] prudent [reader], with how exhortative and persuasive a mind, through excellent meditation upon the words of this holy Evangelist, our blessed holy Doctor Sargis Shnorhali beginneth his discourse, saying: “And what else were their evil deeds, if not the sect of wickedness, which they contrive unto the perdition of their own souls and unto the deception of those who receive their [doctrines]? . . . Now,” he saith, “he who friendly receiveth them into [his] house, or biddeth them greeting, confirming them in their evils, although he be not inwardly [one of them] himself, nevertheless he is a partaker of their evils. For such men are worthy of anathemas, and not of spiritual and divine greeting; and [one ought] to drive [them] away from men like rabid [beasts], and not receive [them] into houses, lest the rust of iniquity [that cometh] from them engender yet greater madness in the souls of the hearers. For this same reason he said: ‘He that biddeth him greeting is partaker of his evil deeds’” (in *Commentary on the Catholic [Epistles]*, pp. 607, 608, according to the new edition). Let us give ear to the well-exhorting counsels of the holy Apostle Pōghos, who saith: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit” (Col. 2:8); and again: “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up...”