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to cease with time, or to be changed by envy; but those things which stand and remain, and never withdraw, nor change, nor disappoint the hopes of those who have believed. But for this reason it seems to me, that none of the goods here are trustworthy for men, nor long-lasting; but if anything else, this too has been well-contrived by the artisan Word and the Wisdom that surpasses all understanding, that we are made sport of in things seen, which at different times change and are changed in different ways, and are carried up and down and turned about, and which depart and flee before they can be grasped; so that, having observed the instability and unevenness in these things, we may set out for the future. For what would we have done, if our prosperity were stable, when, though it is not lasting, we are so bound to it, and the pleasure and deceit concerning this have so enslaved us, that we are not able to conceive of anything better, or higher than present things, and this, though hearing and believing that we were made in the image of God, and that which is above drawing us to itself?

21. Who is wise, and will understand these things? Who will run past the things that run by? who will attach himself to the things that abide? who will think of present things as passing away? who of things hoped for, as standing fast? who will distinguish between things that are and things that appear, and will follow the one, and look down upon the other? who, a sketch and the truth? who, the tent below and the city above? who, a sojourning and a dwelling place? who, darkness from light? who, the slime of the deep and holy ground? who, flesh and spirit? who, God and the ruler of this world? who, the shadow of death and life eternal? who will purchase the future with the present? who, with fleeting wealth, that which is not dissolved? who, with things seen, the things that are not seen? Blessed then is he who, discerning these things, and dividing them with the blade of the Word, which divides the better from the worse, sets ascents in his heart, as the divine David somewhere says, and fleeing this valley of weeping, with all his might, seeks the things that are above, and being crucified to the world with Christ, stands with Christ, and ascends with Christ, an heir of the life that no longer changes nor is deceitful; where no longer is there a biting 35.885 serpent on the path, nor one watching the heel, while its own head is being watched. But to the rest of us the same David well cries aloud, like some very loud-voiced herald from a high and public proclamation, calling us heavy of heart and lovers of falsehood, not to cling so tightly to things seen, nor to suppose that all happiness from here is anything other than a surfeit of corruptible corn and wine. And perhaps the blessed Micah, thinking on this and rising up against the goods that creep on the ground and seem to be goods, says, "Draw near to the everlasting mountains; arise and depart, for this is not your rest;" this is almost in harmony with the very words with which our Lord and Savior commands, saying what? "Arise, let us go hence;" not only moving the disciples of that time from that place alone, as one might suppose, but always drawing all His disciples from the earth and earthly things to heaven and heavenly things.

22. Therefore, let us now follow the Word, let us seek the rest that is there, let us cast away the abundance that is here; what is good of it, let us gain this alone, let us possess our own souls in almsgiving, let us share our possessions with the poor, that we may be rich in the things there. Give a portion also to the soul, not to the flesh alone; give a portion also to God, not to the world alone; take something from the belly, dedicate it to the spirit; snatch something from the fire, put it far from the flame that pastures below; snatch it from the tyrant, entrust it to the Master. Give a portion to the seven, to this life, and yes, to the eight, to that which will receive us after this one; give a little, from Him from whom you have the greater part; give even the whole, to Him who has graciously given all things. You will never overcome the great gift of God, even if you should give away all your possessions, even if with your possessions, yourself

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χρόνῳ παυθῆναι, ἢ φθόνῳ μετα τεθῆναι· τὰ δὲ ἑστῶτα καὶ μένοντα, καὶ οὔποτε ὑπο χωροῦντα, οὐδὲ μεταπίπτοντα, οὐδὲ σφάλλοντα τὰς τῶν πεπιστευκότων ἐλπίδας. Ἀλλ' ἐμοὶ μὲν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δοκεῖ, μηδὲν τῶν ἐνταῦθα ἀγαθῶν εἶναι πιστὸν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, μηδὲ πολυχρόνιον· ἀλλ' εἴπερ τι ἄλλο, καὶ τοῦτο καλῶς τῷ τεχνίτῃ Λόγῳ καὶ τῇ πάντα νοῦν ὑπερεχούσῃ Σοφίᾳ μεμηχανῆσθαι, παίζεσθαι ἡμᾶς ἐν τοῖς ὁρωμένοις, ἄλλοτε ἄλλως μετα βαλλομένοις καὶ μεταβάλλουσι, καὶ ἄνω καὶ κάτω φερομένοις τε καὶ περιτρεπομένοις, καὶ πρὶν ληφθῆ ναι ἀπιοῦσι καὶ φεύγουσιν· ἵνα τὸ ἐν τούτοις ἄστα τον καὶ ἀνώμαλον θεωρήσαντες, πρὸς τὸ μέλλον μεθ ορμησώμεθα. Τί γὰρ ἂν ἐποιήσαμεν, ἑστῶτος τοῦ εὖ πράττειν ἡμῖν, ὁπότε, οὐ μένοντος, τοσοῦτον αὐτῷ προσδεδέμεθα, καὶ οὕτως ἡμᾶς ἡ περὶ τοῦτο ἡδονὴ καὶ ἀπάτη ἔχει δουλώσασα, ὥστε μηδὲν κρεῖτ τον, μηδὲ ὑψηλότερον τῶν παρόντων διανοεῖσθαι δύ νασθαι, καὶ ταῦτα κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ γεγονέναι καὶ ἀκούοντας καὶ πιστεύοντας, τὴν ἄνω τε οὖσαν καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτὴν ἕλκουσαν;

ΚΑʹ. Τίς σοφὸς, καὶ συνήσει ταῦτα; Τίς παρα δραμεῖται τὰ παρατρέχοντα; τίς προσθήσεται τοῖς ἐπιμένουσι; τίς περὶ τῶν παρόντων, ὡς ἀπιόντων διανοηθήσεται; τίς περὶ τῶν ἐλπιζομένων, ὡς ἱστα μένων; τίς διαιρήσει τὰ ὄντα καὶ τὰ φαινόμενα, καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἕψεται, τῶν δὲ ὑπερόψεται; τίς γραφὴν καὶ ἀλήθειαν; τίς τὴν κάτω σκηνὴν, καὶ τὴν ἄνω πό λιν; τίς παροικίαν καὶ κατοικίαν; τίς σκότος ἀπὸ τοῦ φωτός; τίς ἰλὺν βυθοῦ καὶ ἁγίαν γῆν; τίς σάρ κα καὶ πνεῦμα; τίς Θεὸν καὶ κοσμοκράτορα; τίς θανάτου σκιὰν, καὶ ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον; τίς τοῖς παροῦσι τὸ μέλλον ὠνήσεται; τίς τῷ ῥέοντι πλούτῳ τὸν μὴ λυόμενον; τίς τοῖς ὁρωμένοις τὰ μὴ βλεπόμενα; Μακάριος μὲν οὖν, ὅστις ταῦτα διακρίνων, καὶ διαιρῶν τῇ τομῇ τοῦ Λόγου, τῇ διαιρούσῃ τὸ κρεῖτ τον ἀπὸ τοῦ χείρονος, ἀναβάσεις ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ διατίθεται, ὥς πού φησιν ὁ θεῖος ∆αβὶδ, καὶ τὴν κοιλάδα τοῦ κλαυθμῶνος ταύτην φεύγων, ὁπόση δύναμις, τὰ ἄνω ζητεῖ, καὶ σταυρούμενος κόσμῳ μετὰ Χριστοῦ, Χριστῷ συνίσταται, καὶ Χρι στῷ συνανέρχεται, τῆς οὐκέτι μεταπιπτούσης ζωῆς οὐδὲ ἀπατηλῆς κληρονόμος· οὗ μηκέτι δάκνων 35.885 ὄφις ἐπὶ ὁδοῦ, οὐδὲ τηρῶν πτέρναν, καὶ κεφαλὴν τηρούμενος. Τοῖς δὲ λοιποῖς ἡμῖν καλῶς ὁ αὐτὸς ἐμ βοᾷ ∆αβὶδ, ὥσπερ τις μεγαλοφωνότατος κῆρυξ ἀπὸ ὑψηλοῦ καὶ πανδήμου κηρύγματος, βαρυκαρδίους τε ἀποκαλῶν, καὶ ἀγαπῶντας ψεῦδος, μὴ σφόδρα περι έχεσθαι τῶν ὁρωμένων, μηδὲ ἄλλο τι ἢ κόρον σί του καὶ οἴνου τῶν φθειρομένων, πᾶσαν τὴν ἐντεῦθεν εὐδαιμονίαν ὑπολαμβάνειν. Καὶ τάχα που τοῦτο καὶ ὁ μακάριος ἐννοῶν Μιχαίας, καὶ τῶν χαμαὶ ἐρ χομένων καὶ δοκούντων ἀγαθῶν κατεξανιστάμενος, Ἐγγίσατε, φησὶν, ὄρεσιν αἰωνίοις· ἀνάστα καὶ πορεύου, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι σοι αὕτη ἀνάπαυσις· τοῦ το μὲν οὖν ἤδη καὶ τοῖς ῥήμασιν αὐτοῖς μικροῦ σύμφωνον, οἷς ὁ Κύριος καὶ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν διακελεύε ται, τί λέγων; Ἐγείρεσθε, ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦ θεν· οὐ τοὺς τότε μαθητὰς μόνον ἐξ ἐκείνου μόνου τοῦ τόπου μετατιθεὶς, ὡς ἂν οἰηθείη τις, ἀλλ' ἀεὶ καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ μαθητὰς ἀπὸ γῆς καὶ τῶν περὶ γῆν εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἕλκων καὶ τὰ οὐράνια.

ΚΒʹ. Τοιγαροῦν, ἀκολουθήσωμεν ἤδη τῷ Λόγῳ, ζητήσωμεν τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἀνάπαυσιν, ῥίψωμεν τὴν ἐν τεῦθεν περιουσίαν· ὃ καλόν ἐστι ταύτης, τοῦτο μό νον κερδάνωμεν, κτησώμεθα τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχὰς ἐν ἐλεημοσύναις, μεταδῶμεν τῶν ὄντων τοῖς πένησιν, ἵνα τὰ ἐκεῖθεν πλουτήσωμεν. ∆ὸς μερίδα καὶ τῇ ψυ χῇ, μὴ τῇ σαρκὶ μόνον· δὸς μερίδα καὶ τῷ Θεῷ, μὴ τῷ κόσμῳ μόνον· ὕφελέ τι τῆς γαστρὸς, τῷ πνεύματι καθιέρωσον· ἅρπασόν τι τοῦ πυρὸς, ἀπόθου μακρὰν ἀπὸ τῆς κάτω νεμομένης φλογός· ἅρπα σον τοῦ τυράννου, καταπίστευσον τῷ ∆εσπότῃ. ∆ὸς μερίδα τοῖς ἑπτὰ, τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ, καί γε τοῖς ὀκτὼ, τῷ μετὰ τοῦτον ἡμᾶς ἐκδεξομένῳ· δὸς ὀλίγον, παρ' οὗ τὸ πλεῖον ἔχεις· δὸς καὶ τὸ πᾶν, τῷ τὰ πάν τα χαρισαμένῳ. Οὐδέποτε νικήσεις μεγαλοδω ρεὰν Θεοῦ, κἂν πάντα πρόῃ τὰ ὄντα, κἂν τοῖς οὖ σι σεαυτὸν