Homilies on Romans 25

'Him that is weak in the faith receive, not to doubtful disputations.'

'For one believes that he may eat all things;'

'but he that is weak eats herbs.'

I know that to many this saying is perplexing.

Wherefore it is first necessary to state the subject of this whole passage, and with what purpose in mind, what he wishes to set right, he writes these things.

What then does he wish to set right? There were many of those who had believed from among the Jews who, being held fast by the conscience of the Law, even after coming to the faith still kept the observance concerning meats, not yet daring wholly to stand aloof from the Law.

Then, so as not to be easily detected—for they abstained only from swine's flesh—they abstained from all kinds of meats in order, and ate only herbs, that what they did might rather seem to be a fast, and not an observance of the Law.

Others again there were, more perfect, who observed no such thing; and these became burdensome and grievous to those who did observe, reproaching them, accusing them, casting them into despondency.

—lest Paul, wishing to set right no small matter, should overturn the whole; and, wishing to lead them to indifference concerning meats, should cause them to fall away from the faith; and, being eager to set the whole right before the fitting season, should work loss in the vital matters, unsettling them from their confession of Christ by continual rebuking, so that in both parties they should remain uncorrected.

Observe with how great discernment he deals, and how he cares for each of the two parts with his accustomed wisdom.

For neither does he venture to say to those who rebuke, 'You do ill,' lest he should confirm the others in their observance; nor again, 'You do well,' lest he should make them fiercer accusers; but he makes his rebuke well-measured.

And he seems indeed to rebuke the stronger, but in his address to these he empties the whole upon those others.

For this manner of correction is especially the least burdensome, when one, turning his discourse toward another, strikes a third.

For neither does he suffer the one rebuked to be carried away into anger, and he insinuates the medicine of correction unperceived.

See then how prudently he does it, and how seasonably.

For having said, 'Make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts,' he then passes over into the discourse concerning these matters, that he might not seem to be speaking on behalf of those who rebuke and bid them eat all things.

For the part that has grown weak always needs the greater forethought.

Wherefore also he directs his words at once toward the strong, speaking thus:

'Him that is weak in the faith.'

Did you see one blow at once dealt to that man? For by saying 'Him that is weak,' he showed him to be sick.

Then he adds a second, saying, 'Receive.'

For he shows again that the man needs much care, which is a sign of extreme sickness.

'Not to doubtful reasonings.'

Behold, he has laid on a third blow also.

For hereby he shows that his fault was such that even those who did not offend in the same things as he, yet shared with him in friendship and clung to his healing, were thrown into perplexity by it.

Did you see how he seems indeed to be conversing with these, but is rebuking those others unperceived and without giving offence? Then, setting the two side by side, he places the one with commendations, the other with accusations:

'For one believes that he may eat all things,' proclaiming him from his faith;

'but he that is weak eats herbs,' and this man again he disparages from his weakness.

Then, since he had given a mortal blow, he consoles him again, speaking thus:

'Let not him that eats despise him that eats not.'

He did not say, 'Let him permit,' nor did he say, 'Let him not accuse,' nor did he say, 'Let him not correct,' but, 'Let him not reproach, let him not scorn,' showing that they were doing a thing worthy of much ridicule.

But in this man's case not so, but how? 'Let not him that eats not judge him that eats.'

For just as the more perfect used to despise these men as of little faith, as underhanded and spurious,

and as still Judaizing, so those men in turn judged these as transgressing the law, or as being wholly given over to gluttony;

and it is likely that many of them came from among the Gentiles.

'For God hath received him.'

But concerning that other he did not say this;

and yet to be despised belonged to him that ate, as though he were a glutton, while to be judged belonged to him that ate not, as though he were of little faith.

But he exchanged them about, showing that the eater is not only not worthy to be despised, but is even able himself to despise.

'But do I too condemn him?' he says. By no means;

for on this account he added, 'For God hath received him.'

Why then dost thou reason with him about the law, as with one that transgresseth it? 'For God hath received him;'

that is, God displayed toward him His unutterable grace, and freed him from all charges.

Then again, to the strong one: 'Who art thou that judgest another man's servant?' Whence it is plain that these too judged, and did not merely despise.

'To his own master he standeth or falleth.'

And the indignation seems to be directed against the strong one, yet it lays hold of the other as well.

When he says, 'And he shall be made to stand,' he shows that the man is still tottering, and needeth much heedfulness and so great care that he even calls upon God as a physician for these things;

'For God is able,' he says, 'to make him stand.'

This is what we say of those who are utterly in despair.

That the man may not despair, he calls him, weak though he be, a servant, saying:

'Who art thou that judgest another man's servant?' And here again he covertly lays hold of him.

For it is not because he doth things worthy of not being judged that I bid thee not judge him, but because he is another man's servant, that is, not thine, but God's.

Then, comforting him again, he did not say, 'He falleth,' but what? 'He standeth or falleth.'

And whether it be this or that, both these things concern the Master;

for the loss redounds to Him when the man falls, just as also the gain when he stands.

But these things, unless we again keep in view the aim of Paul, who was minded that they should not be censured before the fitting time, are exceedingly unworthy of the solicitude befitting Christians.

But, as I always say, one must examine the disposition with which a thing is said, and the subject about which it is said, and what he is earnestly aiming to set right when he says it.

And it was not casually that he abashed him by saying this.

For if God, he says, He who endures the loss, does nothing for the present, how wouldst thou not be untimely and beyond measure meddlesome, choking and troubling him? 'One judgeth one day above another, another judgeth every day alike.'

But here he seems to me gently to hint also at fasting.

For it is likely that some of those who fasted continually judged those who did not fast;

or also, in the matter of observances, it is likely that some abstained on set days, and on set days partook;

wherefore also he said, 'Let each be fully persuaded in his own mind.'

For thus he both loosed the fear of those who observed the days, saying the matter was indifferent, and did away with the contentiousness of those who violently assailed them, showing that it was not very needful to be continually troubling one another about these things.

And it was not very needful, not by reason of the nature of the thing itself, but by reason of the season, and because they were newcomers in the faith.

Since when writing to the Colossians he forbids this with much earnestness, saying:

'Beware lest any man make spoil of you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ;'

and again, 'Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink;'

and, 'Let no man beguile you of your reward.'

And in writing to the Galatians too, with much exactness he requires of them the higher wisdom and perfection in such matters.

But here he does not use this vehemence, because the faith among them was newly planted.

Let us not then drag into every case the words, 'Let each be fully persuaded in his own mind.'

For when the discourse is about doctrines, hear what he says:

'If any man preach unto you a gospel other than that which ye received, even though he be an angel, let him be accursed;'

and again, 'But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve, so your minds should be corrupted.'

And in writing to the Philippians he said:

'Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.'

But among the Romans, since it was not as yet the time to set such matters right, 'Let each,' he says, 'be fully persuaded in his own mind.'

For the discourse was indeed about fasting, and so, both pulling down the arrogance of those, and loosing the fear of these, he said these things.

'He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord;'

'and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.'

'And he that eateth, eateth unto the Lord;'

'and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.'

Now what he says is of this kind:

The matter is not among things vital;

for the thing sought is whether both this one and that one do their work for God's sake, whether both end in thanksgiving.

For indeed both that one and this one give thanks to God.

If then both give thanks, the difference is not great.

But consider for me how here too he covertly smites the Judaizer.

For if the thing sought is this, namely the giving of thanks, it is quite plain that it is he who eats that gives thanks, not he who eats not.

For how could he, still holding to the law? Which very thing he said also to the Galatians:

'Whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace.'

But here he hints at it indeed, yet does not thus lay it bare;

but for the present he bears with it, and through what follows he rather opens it up little by little.

'And no man dieth to himself;'

'for whether we live, we live unto the Lord;'

'or whether we die, we die unto the Lord.'

More clearly through these words also did he intimate it.

For how can he that lives by the law live to Christ? And it is not this alone that he establishes through these words, but he also restrains the one who is eager for the correction of those men, and persuades him to be long-suffering, showing that it is impossible for God to despise them, but that He will set them right at the fitting season.

What then is the meaning of 'None of us liveth to himself'? We are not free; we have a Master who both wills us to live and wills us not to die, and to whom both these things pertain more than to ourselves.

For through these words he shows that He cares for us more than we do for ourselves, and above us, and accounts our life as riches, and death as loss.

For we die not to ourselves alone, but also to the Master, if indeed we die.

By 'death' here he means that which comes from faith.

Now this alone would be enough to convince us that He cares for us: that it is unto Him we live, and unto Him we die.

Yet he is not content with this, but adds a further point, saying:

Whether therefore we live, or whether we die, we are the Lord's.

And passing from that death to the natural one—lest he should seem to make his discourse harsh—he brings forward another and very great proof of His providence over us.

And what is this? 'For to this end,' he says, 'Christ both died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.'

So that this too may persuade you that He is ever taking thought for our salvation and amendment.

For if He had not taken such forethought for us, what need was there of the dispensation? He then who spent such earnestness that we should become His own—so as even to take the form of a servant and to die—will He, after we have become His, despise us? It is not so, it is not so;

nor would He have chosen to lay out so great a transaction in vain.

'For to this end,' he says, 'He also died;'

as one might say, 'So-and-so would not endure to slight his slave;'

for he is careful of his own purse.

For we do not so love money as He loves our salvation.

It was not money, therefore, but His own blood that He laid down for us;

and for this reason He would not endure to abandon those for whom He had paid down so great a price.

But observe also His power, how he shows it to be unspeakable.

'For to this end,' he says, 'He died and lived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living;'

and above, 'For whether we live, or whether we die, we are His.'

Do you see a dominion intensified? Do you see an invincible might? Do you see a providence made exact? 'For do not,' he says, 'speak to me of the living merely;'

He takes thought even for those who have departed.

And if for those who have departed, it is plain that He does so for the living also;

for He left nothing undone to secure this dominion, providing for Himself more claims of right over men than any man could, and, apart from all else, unto the taking thought for us. For a man pays down silver, and for this reason clings fast to his own slave;

but He paid down death itself, and He would never count as nothing the salvation of him whom He purchased at so great a price, and whose lordship He acquired with such earnestness and expenditure.

These things he says to shame the one who is Judaizing, and to persuade him to call to mind the greatness of the benefit—both that being dead he came to life, and that he gained nothing from the Law, and that it would be the utmost ingratitude, after forsaking Him who had shown him so much, to run back to the Law.

Having thus sufficiently taken hold of him, he again relaxes, saying:

But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you also set at nought your brother? And he seems to set these things down as though they were equal, yet from what has been said he shows that there is a great difference.

And first by the appellation of 'brother' he undoes the contentiousness, and then by recalling that fearful Day;

for having said, 'Why do you set at nought your brother?' he added, 'For we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.'

And again he seems to be rebuking the more perfect in saying these things, but he is shaking the mind of the Judaizer, putting him to shame not only from the benefit that had been conferred, but also frightening him from

the punishment to come;

'For we shall all,' he says, 'stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.'

'As I live, says the Lord, to Me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God.'

So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Do you see how again he shakes his mind, while seeming to reprove the other? For he hints at something like this, as if he had said, 'What concern is it of yours? For are you going to be punished on his behalf?' Yet he did not put it thus;

but he hinted this, setting it down more gently, and saying, 'For we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.'

So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.

And he brought in the prophet as witnessing to Him the subjection of all, and a subjection intensified—both of the men who were under the Old Covenant, and of all without exception.

For he did not merely say, 'Each one shall worship,' but also 'shall confess,' that is, shall render an account of the things he has done.

Be therefore in a state of anxious striving, seeing the common Master seated upon the judgment-seat, and do not rend and divide the Church, breaking away from grace and running to the Law;

for the Law also is His.

And why do I say the Law? Both those under the Law, and those before the Law.

And it is not the Law that will demand an account of you, but Christ—both of you and of all human nature.

Do you see how he loosed the fear of the Law? Then, lest he should seem to be saying these things as though of set purpose to frighten him, but rather to have come to this point from the sequence lying before him, he again holds to the same subject, saying:

Let us therefore no longer judge one another, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

Now these things belong no more to the one than to the other;

wherefore they can fit both—both the perfect one who is offended at the observance concerning foods, and the imperfect one who stumbles at the vehement rebuke.

But consider with me how great a punishment we shall pay who cause offence lightly.

For if, where what was being done was contrary to the Law, because of the untimely rebuke He forbade it to be done, so that the brother might not be offended and stumble;

when we cause offence without even correcting anything, of what shall we be worthy? For if not to save is a charge (as he who buried the talent shows),

what will not the act of causing offence bring about? 'What then,' he says, 'if he is offended of himself, being weak?' For this very reason you would be bound in justice to endure all things.

For if he were strong, he would not even need such great care;

but now, since he is weaker, for this very reason he stands in need of much earnestness.

Let us therefore afford him this, and bear him up on every side.

For we shall render an account not of our own evils only, but also for those in which we offend others.

And if those accounts, even by themselves, are grievous, when these too are added to them, when shall we be saved? For let us not think that if we find partners in our sins we shall have a defence;

for this very thing becomes to us also an addition of punishment;

since the serpent too was punished more than the woman, just as the woman also than the man; and when Ahab seized the vineyard, Jezebel received the more grievous sentence;

for it was she who had woven the whole affair, and had caused the king to stumble.

And so you too, when you become to others a cause of destruction, will suffer more grievous things than those who have been tripped up through you.

For it is not so much sinning oneself as leading others also into this that destroys;

wherefore he says, 'They not only do these things, but also consent with those who practise them.'

So that when we see any sinning, let us not only not thrust them down, but also draw them up out of the pit of wickedness, lest we ourselves pay the penalty of others' destruction; and let us continually remember the fearful judgment-seat, the river of fire, the bonds that cannot be loosed, the darkness without light, the gnashing of teeth, the venomous worm.

'But God is loving toward man,' someone says.

Are these things then mere words, and is that rich man who overlooked Lazarus not punished? Are not the foolish virgins cast out of the bridal chamber? Do not those who did not feed Him depart into the fire prepared for the devil and his

angels? Is not he who was clothed in filthy garments, bound hand and foot, cast into perdition? Is not he who exacted the hundred pence delivered to the tormentors? Is not that which was said concerning the adulterers true, that 'Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched'? But are these threats only? 'Yes,' he says.

And from where, tell me, do you dare to pronounce so great a matter, and that when you bring in the verdict of your own accord? For I shall be able, both from what Christ has said and from what He has done, to prove the contrary.

For if from the punishments to come you do not believe, at least believe from those that have already happened;

for surely the things that have happened and have passed into deed are not threats and mere words.

Who then flooded the whole world in the days of Noah, and wrought that grievous shipwreck, and the utter destruction of our whole race? Who after this let loose those thunderbolts and fiery blasts upon the land of Sodom? Who sank all Egypt beneath the waters? Who consumed the six hundred thousand in the wilderness? Who burned up the congregation of Abiram? Who commanded the earth to open its mouth and swallow up those with Korah and Dathan? Who brought down the seventy thousand in a single moment of time in the days of David? Shall I tell also of those who were punished individually—Cain, who was delivered to perpetual torment; Harmi, who was stoned along with his whole family; he who suffered this same thing for gathering sticks on the Sabbath; the forty-two children in the days of Elisha, who were devoured by those wild beasts and obtained no pardon even on account of their age?

And if you wish to see these same things even after the coming of grace, consider how much the Jews suffered—how the women devoured their own children, some roasting them, others consuming them in other ways.

how, when they were given over to a famine past all remedy and to wars of every kind and grievous, they cast into the shade all the tragedies of former times by the exceeding measure of their own calamities.

For that it was Christ who brought these things upon them, hear Him foretelling it both in parables, and plainly and expressly.

In parables, as when He says:

'But those who would not have me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them.'

and by the vineyard, and by the marriage feast;

and plainly and expressly, as when He threatens: 'They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all the nations; and there shall be distress upon the earth among the nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the surge, men fainting for fear;'

and, 'There shall be such tribulation as has never been from the beginning, nor ever shall be.'

And you all know what a penalty Ananias and Sapphira paid for the theft of a little money.

But do you not see the daily calamities? Or have not these too come to pass? Do you not even now behold those who are wasting away with famine? those who are seized by elephantiasis and by the mutilation of the body? those who live out their lives in unbroken poverty? those who suffer a thousand incurable ills? How then could there be any reason that some should be punished and others not? For if God is not unjust — and unjust indeed He is not — then assuredly you also, when you sin, will pay the penalty.

But if, because He is loving toward mankind, He does not punish, then neither ought these to have been punished.

But as it is, for these very words of ours God punishes many even here, so that when you do not believe the words of His threatening, you may at least believe the deeds of His retribution.

And since the events of old do not so terrify us, by what befalls in each generation He corrects those of the present time who are slothful.

'And for what reason,' one asks, 'does He not punish all here?' That He may grant to the rest a season for repentance.

'For what reason then does He not requite all yonder?' That many may not disbelieve His providence.

How many robbers have been caught, and how many have gone off without paying the penalty? Where then is God's love toward mankind and His righteous judgment? For it is now my turn to put the question to you.

For if no one at all were punished, you would have this to take refuge in;

but when some pay the penalty and others do not, and these last having sinned the worse, how could there be any reason that for the same offenses the penalties should not be the same? And how would not those who were punished seem to be wronged? For what reason then are not all punished here? Hear Christ Himself concerning these things.

For when certain men perished as a tower fell upon them, He said to those who were perplexed on their behalf:

'Do you think that these were sinners above all men? I tell you, No;'

'but unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish;'

exhorting us not to be over-confident when, though others have paid the penalty, we who have offended much do not pay it.

For unless we change our ways, we shall assuredly pay it.

'And how,' one asks, 'are we punished eternally, having sinned but a brief time here? How is it that here a man, in a brief moment of time having committed a single murder, is condemned to perpetual punishment in the mines? But God does not do these things,' he says.

How then did He hold the paralytic for thirty-eight years in so great a chastisement? For that He was punishing him because of his sins, hear what He says:

'Sin no more, lest a worse thing befall you.'

'But nevertheless he obtained release,' he says.

But that those torments will never have release, hear Him saying:

'Their worm shall not die, and the fire shall not be quenched;'

and, 'These shall go away into everlasting life, and these into everlasting punishment.'

If then the life is everlasting, the punishment also is everlasting.

Do you not see how many things He threatened against the Jews? Did then the things threatened come to pass, or were the words spoken mere talk?

'There shall not be left one stone upon another' — did it then so come to pass? And what of it, when He said, 'There shall be tribulation such as has not been'? Did it not come to pass? Read the history of Josephus, and you will not even be able to draw breath, merely hearing what those men suffered in the events themselves.

I say these things not to grieve you, but to make you secure, and lest by lulling you into false comfort I should needlessly prepare you to endure things more grievous.

For why, tell me, do you think it unjust to be punished when you sin? Did He not foretell you all things? Did He not threaten? Did He not put you in fear? Did He not do a thousand things for your salvation? Did He not bestow the washing of regeneration, and remit all your former sins? Did He not, after this remission and this washing, grant you the help that comes again through repentance when you sin? Did He not make easy for you the way to the forgiveness of sins even after these things?

'If you forgive your neighbor, I also forgive you,' He says.

What difficulty does this involve? 'Judge for the orphan, and do justice for the widow;'

'and come, let us reason together,' He says, 'and though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow.'

What toil does this involve? 'Declare your sins, that you may be justified.'

What difficulty does this involve? 'Redeem your sins by almsgiving.'

What sweat is this? The publican said, 'Be merciful to me a sinner,' and went down justified.

What labor is it to imitate the publican? But you are not willing to be persuaded even after so many things, that there is a punishment and a retribution? Then you would not say that even the devil is punished.

'For depart,' He says, 'into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'

For if there is no hell, then neither is he punished;

but if he is punished, it is plain that we also who accomplish his works shall be punished;

for we also have disobeyed, even if not in the same things.

How is it that you do not even fear, uttering such rash things? For when you say that God is loving toward mankind and does not punish,

then, if He does punish, He will be found, according to you, no longer loving toward mankind.

Do you see into what words the devil leads you? And what then? Shall the monks who have taken to the mountains and displayed a thousand exercises of ascetic discipline go away uncrowned? For if the wicked are not punished, and there is no recompense of anyone, someone else perhaps will say that neither are the good crowned.

For this, they say, befits God — that there should be a kingdom only, and not a hell.

So then the fornicator and the adulterer and the man who has wrought a thousand evils shall enjoy the same things as he who has displayed temperance and holiness;

and Paul shall stand with Nero, or rather the devil himself with Paul.

For if there is no hell, but there is a resurrection of all, then the wicked also shall attain the same good things as the righteous.

And who could say this, even of men utterly out of their senses? Nay rather, who could say this even of demons? For those too confess that there is a hell;

they cried out, saying, 'Have you come here before the time to torment us?' How then do you not fear and shudder, when even the demons confess it, while you yourself deny it? And how do you not perceive the teacher of these wicked doctrines? For he who from the beginning deceived man, and by holding out the promise of greater hopes cast him out of the good things in his very hands — this is he who now also suggests these things for you to say and to think;

and for this reason he persuades some to suspect that there is no hell, in order that he may cast them into hell;

just as, on the contrary, God threatens hell and has prepared hell, in order that, having learned of it, you may so live as not to fall into hell.

And yet if, hell existing, the devil urges you to say these things, how could the demons have confessed it if it did not exist — they to whom it is a matter of earnest desire that we should suspect nothing of the kind, in order that, growing more careless through our sense of security, we may fall with them into that fire? 'How then,' one asks, 'did they confess it at that time?' Because they could not bear the necessity that pressed upon them.

Considering all these things, then, let those who say such things cease deceiving both themselves and others;

since for these very words they shall pay the penalty, making a mockery of those fearful things, and unstringing many of those who truly wish to be in earnest, and not even imitating the barbarous Ninevites.

For they, though wholly inexperienced in all things, when they heard that the city would be overthrown, not only did not disbelieve, but even groaned and put on sackcloth and were dismayed, and did not desist, doing everything, until they had turned away the wrath;

but you, who have taken so great an experience of events, do you by mere words set at naught what has been spoken? Then the contrary shall come to pass.

For just as those men, having feared the words, did not undergo the punishment from the events,

so you also, despising the threatening that comes from words, shall undergo the punishment that comes from events.

And if now the words seem to you to be a fable, yet not so when the events convince you at that time.

Do you not see even here what He has done? How, taking two robbers, He did not count them worthy of the same things, but brought the one into the kingdom and sent the other away into hell? And why do I speak of a robber and a murderer? For neither did He spare the apostle, when he became a traitor, but even as He beheld him rushing to the noose, and being strangled and bursting asunder in the midst (for indeed 'he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out')

yet nevertheless, though He foreknew all these things, He let him suffer all this, assuring you from things present concerning all things yonder as well.

Do not, therefore, cheat yourselves by being persuaded by the devil;

for these notions are his.

For if even judges and masters and teachers and barbarians honor the good but punish the wicked,

how could there be any reason that with God the contrary should take place, and that both the good man and the one who is not such should be counted worthy of the same things? And when will there ever be a riddance of wickedness? For even those who now expect punishment, and are amid so many fears from the judges and from the laws, yet do not desist from wickedness;

When, having departed to that place, they have laid aside even this fear, and not only do not fall into hell but even obtain the kingdom, when then will they who work wickedness ever cease? Is this then, tell me, a mark of loving-kindness: to aggravate wickedness, to set a prize upon vice, to count the temperate and the licentious worthy of the same things, the faithful and the ungodly, Paul and the devil? But how long shall we too keep talking foolishly? Wherefore I exhort you, being delivered from this madness and coming to your own selves, persuade your soul to fear and to tremble, that so it may both be delivered from the hell to come, and, having lived its life here in temperance, may attain the good things to come, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honour, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.