nd behold it is a stiff-
necked people: let me therefore
destroy them, and put out their
name from under heaven. And I
will make unto thee a great and a
wonderful nation, that shall be
much larger than this.

13 But Moses said, Not so,
Lord: Forgive now this people
their sin; or if thou wilt not,
blot me also out of the book of
the living. O admirable charity!
O insuperable perfection! The servant
speaks freely to his Lord: He beseeches
him either to forgive the people,
or to destroy him together with them.

14 Who is there among you
that is generous? Who that is
compassionate? Who that has
any charity? Let him say, if this
sedition, this contention, and these
schisms, be upon my account,
I am ready to depart; to go away
whithersoever you please; and do
whatsoever ye shall command me:
Only let the flock of Christ be in
peace, with the elders that are set
over it.

15 He that shall do this, shall
get to himself a very great honour
in the Lord; and there is no place
but what will be ready to receive
him: For the earth is the Lord's,
and the fulness thereof.

16 These things, they who have
their conversation towards God
not to be repented of, both have
done, and will always be ready to
do.

17 Nay and even the Gentiles
themselves have given us examples
of this kind.

18 For we read, How many
kings and princes, in times of
pestilence, being warned by their
oracles, have given up themselves
unto death; that by their own
blood, they might deliver their
country from destruction.

19 Others have forsaken their
cities, so that they might put an
end to the seditions of them.

20 We know how many among
ourselves, have given up
themselves unto bonds, that
thereby they might free others
from them.

21 Others have sold themselves
into bondage, that they might feed
their brethren with the price of
themselves.

22 And even many women,
being strengthened by the grace
of God, have done many glorious
and manly things on such occasions.

23 The blessed Judith, when
her city was besieged, desired the
elders, that they would suffer her
to go into the camp of their enemies;
and she went out exposing herself
to danger, for the love she bare
to her country and her people
that were besieged: and the
Lord delivered Holofernes into
the hands of a woman.

24 Nor did Esther, being perfect
in faith, expose herself to any
less hazard, for the delivery of the
twelve tribes of Israel, in