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of God. And again, speaking the truth, he added: But by the grace of God I am what I am. Since these things are thus set before us from all sides for our instruction, let us flee the artificial pretense. Why do we put masks on ourselves, not being such as we show ourselves, dragging our tunics down to the ground in the guise of saints, but savage in our character, holy in word and dress, but inhuman in mind and deeds? Adornment does not lead into the kingdom of heaven, but works of righteousness. For man will not see as God will see; man will see the face, but God the heart. For, he says, God tests the hearts and kidneys; ** and because of the one who is coming to gather the thoughts of men; For all things are naked and laid bare to His eyes; It is not possible to be hidden from His heat. A time will come when, having cast off this mask, you will be found naked, and then you will be ashamed to be seen in the presence of God, like Adam when he had fallen. For there, appearance is no longer sought, but deeds. For here we often deceive, and escape reproof, and through a solemn appearance we seem to be righteous, and are often called blessed; but there it is no longer possible to lie; there deeds are sought, no longer the solemn appearance. Rather, we will have a greater punishment and condemnation, having worn the solemn appearance, but not having done the works of that appearance. Hear the Savior speaking about the Jews, but offering instruction to us: For, he says, they make their tassels broad, and pray in the public squares, so that they may appear righteous to men; but these will receive a greater judgment. You desire the solemn appearance, and you have longed for the name of Christianity; do not stop at this, but as you have confessed to God, fulfill the promise by the demonstration of works. Why are you rash in making the promise, not confirming it by works? Therefore, one must both vow with security, and pay the debt of the promise with exactness. For vow, and pay to the Lord your God. Be seen by him in a pure life; that is, in body and spirit and soul; do not take anything away from the promise, lest you suffer the fate of Ananias and Sapphira. For they, having kept back some of the price of the promised property, 48.1075 were condemned to death; and we must fear these things. For it is necessary to know, and not be ignorant, that what we promise to God no longer belongs to us, but pertains to God. Our promise is a treasure of God; and if we draw from these things, we are no longer taking what is ours, but as ones plundering the treasures of God, and indeed we will be judged as sacrilegious. And the promise is not only of money, but also extends to speech and intention. For every, he says, idle word you will give an account on the day of judgment. For the divine and great mystery does not have its substance in money, but in perfect intention and faith according to God; for we have all made a promise, and we are all debtors of a promise. So it is necessary for the virgin to render her virginity, just as she promised; the continent one, continence; the one in marriage, chastity and love for one another. For whoever promises to be a virgin or to be continent through widowhood, but breaks the promise and is brought to marriage, has condemnation, because she has set aside her first faith. Rightly also the presbyter ought to render his priesthood pleasing, and the deacon his ministry blameless, not pilfering the things of the ministry, lest he be condemned like Judas the seller. Therefore, much exactness is needed here, lest anyone lie to God, by not rendering the promise whole, or rather the deposit, which indeed each of us has promised. It is no longer ours; but thus we ought to

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Θεοῦ. Πάλιν δὲ ἀληθεύων ἐπήγαγεν· Χάριτι δὲ Θεοῦ εἰμι ὅ εἰμι. Τούτων δὲ οὕτω πρὸς ἡμετέραν διδασκαλίαν προκειμένων πανταχόθεν, φύγωμεν τὸ ἐπίπλαστον σχῆμα. Τί προσωπεῖα ἑαυτοῖς περιτιθέαμεν, μὴ ὄντες τοιοῦτοι οἵους ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιδεικνύομεν, τοὺς μὲν χιτῶνας μέχρι τῆς γῆς ἕλκοντες ἐν σχήματι ἁγίων, τὸν δὲ τρόπον ἠγριωμένοι, τῷ μὲν λόγῳ καὶ τῇ στολῇ ἅγιοι, τῇ δὲ γνώμῃ καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις ἀπάνθρωποι; Στολισμὸς οὐκ εἰσάγει εἰς βασιλείαν οὐρανῶν, ἀλλ' ἔργα δικαιοσύνης. Οὐχ οὕτως ὄψεται ἄνθρωπος ὡς ὄψεται Θεός· ἄνθρωπος μὲν εἰς πρόσωπον ὄψεται, ὁ δὲ Θεὸς εἰς καρδίαν· Ἐτάζων γὰρ, φησὶν, καρδίας καὶ νεφροὺς ὁ Θεός· ** καὶ διὰ τὸν ἐρχόμενον συναγαγεῖν τοὺς λογισμοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων· Πάντα γὰρ γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένα τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ· Οὐκ ἔνι ἀποκρυβῆναι τῆς θέρμης αὐτοῦ. Ἥξει καιρὸς ὅτε τὸ προσωπεῖον τοῦτο ῥίψας γυμνὸς εὑρεθήσῃ, καὶ τότε ἔσῃ αἰσχυνόμενος ὀφθῆναι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὡς ὁ Ἀδὰμ ἐκπεσών. Ἐκεῖ γὰρ οὐκ ἔτι σχῆμα ζητεῖται, ἀλλὰ ἔργα. Ὧδε μὲν γὰρ πολλάκις πλανῶμεν, καὶ διαφεύγομεν τὸν ἔλεγχον, καὶ διὰ τοῦ σεμνοῦ σχήματος φαινόμεθα ὡς δίκαιοι, καὶ πολλάκις μακαριζόμεθα· ἐκεῖ δὲ οὐκ ἔτι ἔνι ψεύσασθαι· ἐκεῖ τὰ ἔργα ζητεῖται, οὐκ ἔτι τὸ σεμνὸν σχῆμα· μᾶλλον δὲ μείζονα τὴν κόλασιν καὶ τὸ κατάκριμα ἕξομεν, τὸ μὲν σχῆμα τὸ σεμνὸν φορέσαντες, τὰ δὲ ἔργα τοῦ σχήματος μὴ πονήσαντες. Ἄκουε τοῦ Σωτῆρος περὶ Ἰουδαίων μὲν λέγοντος, πρὸς ἡμᾶς δὲ διδασκαλίαν προτείνοντος· Πλατύνουσι γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰ κράσπεδα, καὶ ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις προσεύχονται, ὅπως φανῶσι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δίκαιοι· οὗτοι δὲ λήψονται περισσότερον κρῖμα. Ἐπιθυμεῖς τὸ σεμνὸν σχῆμα, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστιανισμοῦ ἐπεπόθησας· μὴ ἕως τούτου ἀπομείνῃς, ἀλλ' ὡς ὡμολόγησας Θεῷ, ἀπόδος τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τῇ τῶν ἔργων ἐπιδείξει. Τί προπετὴς εἶ εἰς τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, μὴ ἔργοις βεβαιῶν αὐτήν; Χρὴ οὖν καὶ εὔχεσθαι μετὰ ἀσφαλείας, καὶ ἀποδιδόναι τὸ χρέος τῆς ἐπαγγελίας μετὰ ἀκριβείας· Εὔξασθε γὰρ καὶ ἀπόδοτε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ὑμῶν. Ἁγνῇ πολιτείᾳ ὄφθητι αὐτῷ· τουτέστι, σώματι καὶ πνεύματι καὶ ψυχῇ· μή τι ὑφέλῃς τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ἵνα μὴ πάθῃς τὰ Ἀνανίου καὶ Σαπφείφας. Ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ νοσφισάμενοι ἐκ τῆς τοῦ ἐπαγγελθέντος κτήματος τιμῆς, 48.1075 θανάτῳ κατεδικάσθησαν· καὶ ἡμᾶς χρὴ ταῦτα φοβεῖσθαι. ∆εῖ γὰρ εἰδέναι, καὶ μὴ ἀγνοεῖν, ὅτι ἃ ἐπαγγελλόμεθα τῷ Θεῷ, οὐκ ἔτι λοιπὸν ἡμῖν ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ Θεῷ διαφέρει. Θεοῦ κειμήλιόν ἐστιν ἡ ἡμετέρα ἐπαγγελία· καὶ ἐὰν ἀπὸ τούτων σύρωμεν, οὐκ ἔτι τὰ ἡμέτερά ἐσμεν λαμβάνοντες, ἀλλ' ὡς τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἱεροσυλοῦντες κειμήλια, καὶ ὄντως ὡς ἱερόσυλοι κριθησόμεθα. Ἡ δὲ ἐπαγγελία οὐ μόνον χρημάτων ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μέχρι λόγου καὶ προαιρέσεως· Ὑπὲρ παντὸς, φησὶ, λόγου ἀργοῦ ἀποδώσεις λόγον ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως. Τὸ γὰρ θεῖον καὶ μέγα μυστήριον οὐκ ἐπὶ χρήμασιν ἔχει τὴν ὑπόστασιν, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ προαιρέσει τελείᾳ καὶ τῇ κατὰ Θεὸν πίστει· πάντες γὰρ ἐπηγγειλάμεθα, καὶ πάντες ἐπαγγελίας ἐσμὲν χρεῶσται. Ὥστε ἀνάγκη ἀποδιδόναι τὴν μὲν παρθένον τὴν παρθενίαν, ὁποίαν καὶ ἐπηγγείλατο· τὸν δὲ ἐγκρατῆ τὴν ἐγκράτειαν, τὸν δὲ ἐν γάμῳ τὴν σωφροσύνην, καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγάπην. Ἥτις γὰρ παρθενεύειν ἢ ἐγκρατεύεσθαι διὰ χηρείας ἐπαγγέλληται, ψεύσηται δὲ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, καὶ εἰς γάμον μετενεχθῇ, κρῖμα ἔχει, ὅτι τὴν πρώτην πίστιν ἠθέτησεν. Εἰκότως δὲ καὶ ὁ πρεσβύτερος ὀφείλει ἀποδοῦναι τὴν ἱερωσύνην εὐάρεστον, καὶ ὁ διάκονος τὴν διακονίαν ἀμώμητον, μὴ κλοποφορῶν τὰ τῆς διακονίας, ἵνα μὴ κατακριθῇ ὡς ὁ Ἰούδας πωλῶν. Πολλῆς οὖν ἀκριβείας ἐνταῦθα χρεία, μήπου τις ψεύσηται Θεὸν, μὴ ἀποδιδοὺς σώαν τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, μᾶλλον δὲ τὴν παρακαταθήκην, ἥνπερ καὶ ἕκαστος ἡμῶν ἐπηγγειλάμεθα. Οὐκ ἔτι ἡμέτερόν ἐστιν· ἀλλ' οὕτως ὀφείλομεν