Homily VII.

Rom. III. 9–18

“What then have we more84    So St. Chrysostom here and in the next homily, but in both places some mss. (and Vulg. ante Field) had inserted the common reading of the text of the N.T. “what then? are we better than they? No, in no wise.”than they?85    The meaning of προεχόμεθα here is much disputed. What is its subject? Most agree (vs. Olshausen, Reiche) that it is ᾽Ιουδαῖοι. Is προεχ. middle or passive? If middle, it may mean (1) Do we hold (a place) before them? Are we superior to them (the Gentiles) as respects the condition of sinfulness? So Vulgate (“prœcellimus”) Luther, Calvin, Bengel, Tholuck, Baur, De Wette, Alford, Weiss; or (2) Do we hold before us (any protection)? Have we any excuse or pretext? So Meyer, Godet, Schaff, on the ground that (1) is against the admitted advantage of the few (vv. 1, 2). If passive, it can mean (a) Are we held superior to them? This is substantially the same as (1) or (b) Are we surpassed by them? This is the sense given in the trans. of the R.V.: “Are we in worse case than they?” It connects v. 9 immediately with the special points of v. 1–8. It seems to me that it is better to suppose that he here breaks away from these special objections and recurs to the larger subject. In this view the προ in compos. points back to such passages as i. 18–32; ii. 15 and 17–29. The argument is: “We have established the sinfulness of all; therefore we Jews have no advantage in relation to sin, repentance and justification.”—G.B.S.For we have proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues have they used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes.”

He had accused the Gentiles, he had accused the Jews; it came next in order to mention the righteousness which is by faith. For if the law of nature availed not, and the written Law was of no advantage, but both weighed down those that used them not aright, and made it plain that they were worthy of greater punishment, then after this the salvation which is by grace was necessary. Speak then of it, O Paul, and display it. But as yet he does not venture, as having an eye to the violence of the Jews, and so turns afresh to his accusation of them; and first he brings in as accuser, David speaking of the same things at length, which Isaiah mentioned all in short compass, so furnishing a strong curb for them, so that they might not bound off, nor any of his hearers, while the matters of faith were laid open to them, might after this start away; being beforehand safely held down by the accusations of the prophets. For there are three excesses which the prophet lays down; he says that all of them together did evil, and that they did not do good indifferently with evil, but that they followed after wickedness alone, and followed it also with all earnestness. And next that they should not say, “What then, if these things were said to others?” he goes on:

Ver. 19. “Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law.”

This then is why, next to Isaiah, who confessedly aimed at them, he brought in David; that he might show that these things also belonged to the same subject. For what need was there, he means, that a prophet who was sent for your correction should accuse other people. For neither was the Law given to any else than you. And for what reason did he not say, we know that what things soever the prophet saith, but what things soever the Law saith? It is because Paul uses to call the whole Old Testament the Law. And in another place he says, “Do ye not hear the Law, that Abraham had two sons?” (Gal. iv. 21, 22.) And here he calls the Psalm the Law86    The term Law was commonly applied to all the Pentateuch by Jewish writers: but to the Psalms not so. They, however, viewed the whole Old Testament as an evolved form of the Law. when he says, “We know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law.” Next he shows that neither are these things he said merely for accusation’s sake, but that he87    So Field with 2 mss: others “that the Word,” one mss. and Vulg. “that the Law.” may again be paving the way for faith. So close is the relationship of the Old Testament with the New, since even the accusations and reproofs were entirely with a view to this, that the door of faith might open brightly upon them that hear it. For since it was the principal bane of the Jews that they were so conceited with themselves (which thing he mentioned as he went on, “how that being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they submitted not themselves to the righteousness of God”) (Rom. x. 3), the Law and the Prophet by being beforehand with them cast down their high thoughts, and laid low their conceit, that being brought to a consideration of their own sins, and having emptied out the whole of their unreasonableness, and seen themselves in danger of the last extremity, they might with much earnestness run unto Him Who offered them the remission of their sins, and accept grace through faith. And this it is then which St. Paul hints even here, when he says,

“Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”

Here then he exhibits them as destitute of the boldness of speech which comes of works, and only using a parade of words and behaving in a barefaced way. And this is why he uses so literal an expression, saying, “that every mouth may be stopped,” so pointing out the barefaced and almost uncontrollable pomposity of their language, and that their tongue was now curbed in the strictest sense. For as an unsupportable torrent, so had it been borne along. But the prophet stopped it. And when Paul saith, “that every mouth may be stopped,” what he means is, not that the reason of their sinning was that their mouth might be stopped, but that the reason of their being reproved was that they might not commit this very sin in ignorance. “And all the world may become guilty before God.” He does not say the Jew, but the whole of mankind.88    ἡ φύσις, here used probably for the particular nature or kind in question, viz. the human. Somewhat in the same manner it is used of individual beings. For the several uses of the term, see Arist. Metaph. 4, where he calls this use metaphorical. For the phrase, “that every mouth may be stopped,” is the language of a person hinting at them, although he has not stated it clearly, so as to prevent the language being too harsh. But the words “that all the world may become guilty before God,” are spoken at once both of Jews and of Greeks. Now this is no slight thing with a view to take down their unreasonableness. Since even here they have no advantage over the Gentiles, but are alike given up as far as salvation is concerned. For he would be in strict propriety called a guilty person, who cannot help himself to any excuse, but needeth the assistance of another: and such was the plight of all of us, in that we had lost the things pertaining to salvation.

Ver. 20. “For by the Law is the knowledge of sin.”

He springs upon the Law again, with forbearance however (for what he says is not an accusation of it, but of the listlessness of the Jews). Yet nevertheless he has been earnest here with a view (as he was going to introduce his discourse about faith) to show its utter feebleness. For if thou boastest in the Law, he means, it puts thee to the greater shame: it solemnly parades forth your sins before you. Only he does not word it in this harsh way, but again in a subdued tone; “For by the Law is the knowledge of sin.” And so the punishment is greater, but89    mss. “yet not owing to the feebleness of the Law, but to the listlessness of the Jews.” that because of the Jew. For the Law accomplished the disclosure of sin to you, but it was your duty then to flee it. Since then you have not fled you have pulled the punishment more sorely on yourself, and the good deed of the Law has been made to you a supply of greater vengeance. Now then having added to their fear, he next brings in the things of grace, as having brought them to a strong desire of the remission of their sins, and says,

Ver. 21. “But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested.”90    With iii. 21begins the great central argument of the epistle: the positive development of the doctrine of justification by faith. He had prepared the way for this negatively by showing that all men were sinners and could not hope for justification on the condition of obedience to the law of God. This he proved in regard to the Gentiles in i. 18–32, and in regard to the Jews in ii. 1–iii. 20. Having now showed that justification cannot be by law he proceeds to prove that it is by faith. This central argument extends to the end of chap. viii. It may be analyzed as follows; (1) General introductory statement iii. 21–31. (2) O.T. proof, iv. (3) Consequences of justification, v. 1–11. (4) Universality of the principles of sin and grace, showed by the parallel between Adam and Christ, v. 12–21. (5) Objections answered and false inferences refuted, vi. vii. (6) Triumphant conclusion: the blessedness of justification, viii. This argument concludes the doctrinal portion of the Epistle so far as the question of justification is concerned. Chaps. ix.–xi. treat of the rejection of the Jews and may be considered a kind of doctrinal appendix to the main argument. The remaining chaps. (xii.–xvi.) are chiefly practical.—G.B.S.

Here he utters a great thing, and such as needed much proof. For if they that lived in the Law not only did not escape punishment, but were even the more weighed down thereby, how without the Law is it possible not only to escape vengeance, but even to be justified? For he has here set down two high points,91    ἄκραhigh or excellent things; thus Longinus. Or perhaps “terms.” See Arist. Anal. Pr. 1. i. where this use of the word is explained. the being justified, and the obtaining these blessings, without the Law. And this is why he does not say righteousness simply, but the righteousness of God, so by the worthiness of the Person displaying the greater degree of the grace, and the possibility of the promise. For to Him all things are possible. And he does not say, “was given,” but “is manifested,” so cutting away the accusation of novelty. For that which is manifested, is so as being old, but concealed. And it is not this only, but the sequel that shows that this is no recent thing. For after saying, “is manifested,” he proceeds:

“Being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.”

Do not be troubled, he means, because it has but now been given, nor be affrighted as though at a thing new and strange. For of old both the Law and the Prophets foretold it. And some passages he has pointed out in the course of this argument, and some he will shortly, having in what came before brought in Habakkuk as saying, “the just shall live by faith” (i. 17), but in what comes after, Abraham and David, as themselves also conversing with us about these things. Now the regard they had for these persons was great, for one was a patriach and a prophet, and the other a king and a prophet: and further the promises about these things had come to both of them. And this is why Matthew in the first beginning of his Gospel mentions both of these first, and then brings forward in order the forefathers. For after saying, “the Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ” (Matt. i. 1), he does not wait after Abraham to name Isaac also and Jacob, but mentions David along with (5 mss. “after”) Abraham. And what is wonderful indeed is, that he has even set David before Abraham speaking on this wise, “the Son of David, the Son of Abraham,” and then begins the catalogue of Isaac and Jacob, and all the rest in order. And this is why the Apostle here keeps presenting them in turns, and speaks of the righteousness of God being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. Then that no one should say, How are we to be saved without contributing anything at all to the object in view? he shows that we also offer no small matter toward this, I mean our faith. Therefore after saying, “the righteousness of God,” he adds straightway, “by faith unto all and upon all that believe.”

Here again the Jew is alarmed by his not having anything better than the rest, and being numbered with the whole world. Now that he may not feel this, he again lowers him with fear by adding, “For there is no difference, for all have sinned.” For tell me not that it is such and such a Greek,92    4 mss. read ὁ δεῖνα ῾Ελλὴν, etc. for ὁ δεῖνα ὁ ῾Ελλὴν, making the sense, do not say (in contempt) “such an one is a Greek! such an one a Scythian!” etc. such and such a Scythian, such and such a Thracian, for all are in the same plight. For even if you have received the Law, one thing alone is there which you have learnt from the Law—to know sin, not to flee from it. Next, that they may say, “even if we have sinned, still it is not in the same way that they did,” he added, “and have come short of the glory of God.” So that even if you have not done the same sins as others, still you are alike bereft of the glory, since you belong to those who have offended, and he that hath offended belongeth not to such as are glorified, but to such as are put to shame. Yet, be not afraid: for the reason of my saying this was not that I might thrust you into despair, but that I might show the love of the Lord (Δεσπότου) toward man: and so he goes on;

Ver. 24, 25. “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith93    So Sav. Mor. Ben., against the mss. and the Ed. of Verona, which omits these words. in His blood, to declare His righteousness.”94    v. 26, 3 P. mss. ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ.

See by how many proofs he makes good what was said. First, from the worthiness of the person, for it is not a man who doeth these things, that He should be too weak for it, but God all-powerful. For it is to God, he says, that the righteousness belongs. Again, from the Law and the Prophets. For you need not be afraid at hearing the “without the Law,” inasmuch as the Law itself approves this. Thirdly, from the sacrifices under the old dispensation. For it was on this ground that he said, “In His blood,” to call to their minds those sheep and calves. For if the sacrifices of things without reason, he means, cleared from sin, much more would this blood. And he does not say barely λυτρώσεως, but ἀπολυτρώσεως, entire redemption, to show95    4 mss. add, “to show that this was so brought about.” that we should come no more into such slavery. And for this same reason he calls it a propitiation, to show that if the type had such force, much more would the reality display the same. But to show again that it was no novel thing or recent, he says, “fore-ordained” (Auth. Version marg.); and by saying God “fore-ordained,” and showing that the good deed is the Father’s, he showeth it to be the Son’s also. For the Father “fore-ordained,” but Christ in His own blood wrought the whole aright.

“To declare His righteousness.” What is declaring of righteousness? Like the declaring of His riches, not only for Him to be rich Himself, but also to make others rich, or of life, not only that He is Himself living, but also that He makes the dead to live; and of His power, not only that He is Himself powerful, but also that He makes the feeble powerful. So also is the declaring of His righteousness not only that He is Himself righteous, but that He doth also make them that are filled with the putrefying sores (κατασαπέντας) of sin suddenly righteous. And it is to explain this, viz. what is “declaring,” that he has added, “That He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Doubt not then: for it is not of works, but of faith: and shun not the righteousness of God, for it is a blessing in two ways; because it is easy, and also open to all men. And be not abashed and shamefaced. For if He Himself openly declareth (ἐνδείκνυται) Himself to do so, and He, so to say, findeth a delight and a pride therein, how comest thou to be dejected and to hide thy face at what thy Master glorieth in? Now then after raising his hearers expectations by saying that what had taken place was a declaring of the righteousness of God, he next by fear urges him on that is tardy and remissful about coming; by speaking as follows:

“On account of the relaxing96    πάρεσιν. Our translation cannot be kept without losing St. Chrysostom’s meaning. He takes this word in a medical sense, for the cessation of vital energy. It was sometimes used thus, or for paralysis. It does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament; the usual word for remission is ἄφεσις. of sins that were before.” Do you see how often he keeps reminding them of their transgressions? Before, he did it by saying, “through the Law is the knowledge of sin;” and after by saying, “that all have sinned,” but here in yet stronger language. For he does not say for the sins, but, “for the relaxing,” that is, the deadness. For there was no longer any hope of recovering health, but as the paralyzed body needed the hand from above, so doth the soul which hath been deadened. And what is indeed worse, a thing which he sets down as a charge, and points out that it is a greater accusation. Now what is this? That the last state was incurred in the forbearance of God. For you cannot plead, he means, that you have not enjoyed much forbearance and goodness. But the words “at this time” are those of one who is pointing out the greatness of the power (Sav. forbearance) and love toward man. For after we had given all over, (he would say,) and it were time to sentence us, and the evils were waxed great and the sins were in their full, then He displayed His own power, that thou mightest learn how great is the abundancy of righteousness with Him. For this, had it taken place at the beginning, would not have had so wonderful and unusual an appearance as now, when every sort of cure was found unavailing.

Ver. 27. “Where is boasting then? it is excluded,” he says. “By what law? of works? Nay, but by the law of faith.”

Paul is at great pains to show that faith is mighty to a degree which was never even fancied of the Law. For after he had said that God justifieth man by faith, he grapples with the Law again. And he does not say, where then are the well doings of the Jews? where their righteous dealing? but, “where is then the boasting?” so taking every opportunity of showing, that they do but use great words, as though they had somewhat more than others, and have no work to show. And after saying, “Where then is the boasting?” he does not say, it is put out of sight and hath come to an end, but “it is excluded,” which word rather expresses unseasonableness; since the reason for it is no more. For as when the judgment is come they that would repent have not any longer the season for it, thus now the sentence being henceforth passed, and all being upon the point of perishing, and He being at hand Who by grace would break these terrors, they had no longer the season for making a plea of amelioration wrought by the Law. For if it were right to strengthen themselves upon these things, it should have been before His coming. But now that He who should save by faith was come, the season for those efforts97    Or “pleading the same.” was taken from them. For since all were convicted, He therefore saveth by grace. And this is why He is come but now, that they may not say, as they would had He come at the first, that it was possible to be saved by the Law and by our own labors and well-doings. To curb therefore this their effrontery, He waited a long time: so that after they were by every argument clearly convicted of inability to help themselves, He then saved them by His grace. And for this reason too when he had said above, “To declare His righteousness,” he added, “at this time.” If any then were to gainsay, they do the same as if a person who after committing great sins was unable to defend himself in court, but was condemned and going to be punished, and then being by the royal pardon forgiven, should have the effrontery after his forgiveness to boast and say that he had done no sin. For before the pardon came, was the time to prove it: but after it came he would no longer have the season for boasting. And this happened in the Jews’ case. For since they had been traitors to themselves, this was why He came, by His very coming doing away their boasting. For he who saith that he is a “teacher of babes, and maketh his boast in the Law,” and styles himself “an instructor of the foolish,” if alike with them he needed a teacher and a Saviour, can no longer have any pretext for boasting. For if even before this, the circumcision was made uncircumcision, much rather was it now, since it is cast out from both periods. But after saying that “it was excluded,” he shows also, how. How then does he say it was excluded? “By what law? of works? Nay, but by the law of faith.” See he calls the faith also a law delighting to keep to the names, and so allay the seeming novelty. But what is the “law of faith?” It is, being saved by grace. Here he shows God’s power, in that He has not only saved, but has even justified, and led them to boasting,98    The term καυχᾶσθαι, here rendered boasting, is used in a good sense also, and sometimes rendered glorying in our Version. See Rom. v. 2, 3, 11; xv. 17; 1 Cor. i. 31; 2 Cor. x. 17; xii. 9; Gal. vi. 4 and 14; Phil. iii. 5; 1 Thess. ii. 19; James i. 9, etc. and this too without needing works, but looking for faith only. And in saying this he attempts to bring the Jew who has believed to act with moderation, and to calm him that hath not believed, in such way as to draw him on to his own view. For he that has been saved, if he be high-minded in that he abides by the Law, will be told that he himself has stopped his own mouth, himself has accused himself, himself has renounced claims to his own salvation, and has excluded boasting. But he that hath not believed again, being humbled by these same means, will be capable of being brought over to the faith. Do you see how great faith’s preëminence is? How it hath removed us from the former things, not even allowing us to boast of them?

Ver. 28. “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law.”

When he had shown that by faith they were superior to the Jews, then he goes on with great confidence to discourse upon it also, and what seemed therein to annoy he again heals up. For these two things were what confused the Jews; one, if it were possible for men, who with works were not saved, to be saved without them, and another, if it were just for the uncircumcised to enjoy the same blessings with those, who had during so long a period been nurtured in the Law; which last confused them more by far than the former. And on this ground having proved the former, he goes on to the other next, which perplexed the Jews so far, that they even complained on account of this position against Peter after they believed. What does he say then? “Therefore we conclude, that by faith a man is justified.” He does not say, a Jew, or one under the Law, but after leading forth his discourse into a large room, and opening the doors of faith to the world, he says “a man,” the name common to our race. And then having taken occasion from this, he meets an objection not set down. For since it was likely that the Jews, upon hearing that faith justifieth every man, would take it ill and feel offended, he goes on,

Ver. 29. “Is He the God of the Jews only?”

As if he said, On what foot does it then seem to you amiss that every man should be saved? Is God partial? So showing from this, that in wishing to flout the Gentiles, they are rather offering an insult to God’s glory, if, that is, they would not allow Him to be the God of all. But if He is of all, then He taketh care of all; and if He care for all, then He saveth all alike by faith. And this is why he says, “Is He the God of the Jews only? is He not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also.” For He is not partial as the fables of the Gentiles (cf. Ov. Tr. I. ii. 5. sqq) are, but common to all, and One. And this is why he goes on,

Ver. 30. “Seeing it is one God.”

That is, the same is the Master of both these and those. But if you tell me of the ancient state of things, then too the dealings of Providence were shared by both, although in diverse ways. For as to thee was given the written law, so to them was the natural; and they came short in nothing, if, that is, only they were willing, but were even able to surpass thee. And so he proceeds, with an allusion to this very thing, “Who shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith,” so reminding them of what he said before about uncircumcision and circumcision, whereby he showed that there was no difference.99    Field omits “there was no difference;” but most mss. have the words; and at any rate they must be supplied. But if then there was no difference, much less is there any now. And this accordingly he now establishes upon still clearer grounds, and so demonstrates, that either of them stand alike in need of faith.

Ver. 31. “Do we then,” he says, “make void the Law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the Law.”

Do you see his varied and unspeakable judgment? For the bare use of the word “establish” shows that it was not then standing, but was worn out (καταλελυμένον). And note also Paul’s exceeding power, and how superabundantly he maintains what he wishes. For here he shows that the faith, so far from doing any disparagement to the “Law,” even assists it, as it on the other hand paved the way for the faith. For as the Law itself before bore witness to it (for he saith, “being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets”), so here this establisheth that, now that it is unnerved. And how did it establish? he would say. What was the object of the Law and what the scope of all its enactments? Why, to make man righteous. But this it had no power to do. “For all,” it says, “have sinned:” but faith when it came accomplished it. For when a man is once a believer, he is straightway justified. The intention then of the Law it did establish, and what all its enactments aim after, this hath it brought to a consummation. Consequently it has not disannulled, but perfected it. Here then three points he has demonstrated; first, that without the Law it is possible to be justified; next, that this the Law could not effect; and, that faith is not opposed to the Law. For since the chief cause of perplexity to the Jews was this, that the faith seemed to be in opposition to it, he shows more than the Jew wishes, that so far from being contrary, it is even in close alliance and coöperation with it, which was what they especially longed to hear proved.

But since after this grace, whereby we were justified, there is need also of a life suited to it, let us show an earnestness worthy the gift. And show it we shall, if we keep with earnestness charity, the mother of good deeds. Now charity is not bare words, or mere ways of speaking (προσρήσεις) to men, but a taking care (προστασία) of them, and a putting forth of itself by works, as, for instance, by relieving poverty, lending one’s aid to the sick, rescuing from dangers, to stand by them that be in difficulties, to weep with them that weep, and to rejoice with them that rejoice. (Rom. xii. 15.) For even this last is a part of charity. And yet this seems a little thing, to be rejoicing with them that rejoice: nevertheless it is exceedingly great, and requireth for it the spirit of true wisdom. And we may find many that perform the more irksome part (πεικρότερον), and yet want vigor for this. For many weep with them that weep, but still do not rejoice with them that rejoice, but are in tears when others rejoice; now this comes of grudging and envy. The good deed then of rejoicing when our brother rejoices is no small one, but even greater than the other: and haply not only greater than weeping with them that weep, but even than standing by them that are in danger. There are many, at all events, that have shared danger with men in danger, but were cut to the heart when they came into honor. So great is the tyranny of a grudging spirit! And yet the one is a thing of toils and labors, and this of choice and temper only. Yet at the same time many that have endured the harder task have not accomplished the one easier than it, but pine and consume away when they see others in honor, when a whole Church is benefited, by doctrine, or in any other fashion. And what can be worse than this? For such an one doth not any more fight with his brother, but with the will of God. Now consider this, and be rid of the disease: and even if you be unwilling to set your neighbor free, at least set yourself free from these countless evils. Why do you carry war into your own thoughts? Why fill your soul with trouble? why work up a storm? why turn things upside down? How will you be able, in this state of mind, to ask forgiveness of sins? For if those that allow not the things done against themselves to pass, neither doth He forgive, what forgiveness shall He grant to those who go about to injure those that have done them no injury? For this is a proof of the utmost wickedness. Men of this kind are fighting with the Devil, against the Church, and haply even worse than he. For him one can be on one’s guard against. But these cloaking themselves under the mask of friendliness, secretly kindle the pile, throwing themselves the first into the furnace, and laboring under a disease not only unfit for pity, but even such as to meet with much ridicule. For why is it, tell me, that thou art pale and trembling and standing in fear? What evil has happened? Is it that thy brother is in honor, and looked up to, and in esteem? Why, thou oughtest to make chaplets, and rejoice, and glorify God, that thine own member is in honor and looked up to! But art thou pained that God is glorified?100    4 mss. add what madness doth not this exceed? Seest thou to what issue the war tends? But, some will say, it is not because God is glorified, but because my brother is. Yet through him the glory ascendeth up to God: and so will the war from thee do also. But it is not this, he will say, that grieves me, for I should wish God to be glorified by me. Well then! rejoice at thy brother’s being in honor, and then glorified is God again through thee also; and101    4 mss. for “and” have “for when thou art so disposed toward thy brother.” all will say, Blessed be God that hath His household so minded, wholly freed from envy, and rejoicing together at one another’s goods! And why do I speak of thy brother? for if he were thy foe and enemy, and God were glorified through him, a friend shouldest thou make of him for this reason. But thou makest thy friend an enemy because God is glorified by his being in honor. And were any one to heal thy body when in evil plight, though he were an enemy, thou wouldest count him thenceforward among the first of thy friends: and dost thou reckon him that gladdens the countenance of Christ’s Body, that is, the Church, and is thy friend, to be yet an enemy? How else then couldest thou show war against Christ? For this cause, even if a man do miracles, have celibacy to show, and fasting, and lying on the bare ground, and doth by this virtue advance even to the angels, yet shall he be most accursed of all, while he has this defect, and shall be a greater breaker of the Law than the adulterer, and the fornicator, and the robber, and the violator of supulchres. And, that no one may condemn this language of hyperbole, I should be glad to put this question to you. If any one were come with fire and mattock, and were destroying and burning this House, and digging down this Altar, would not each one of those here stone him with stones as accursed and a law-breaker? What then, if one were to bring a flame yet more consuming than that fire, I mean envy, that doth not ruin the buildings of stone nor dig down an Altar of gold, but subverteth and scornfully marreth what is far more precious than either walls or Altar, the Teachers’ building, what sufferance would he deserve? For let no one tell me, that he has often endeavored and been unable: for it is from the spirit that the actions are judged. For Saul did kill David, even though he did not hit him. (1 Sam. xix. 10.) Tell me, dost thou not perceive that thou art plotting against the sheep of Christ when thou warrest with His Shepherd? those sheep for whom also Christ shed His Blood, and bade us both to do and to suffer all things? Dost thou not remind thyself that thy Master sought thy glory and not His own, but thou art seeking not that of thy Master but thine own? And yet if thou didst see His then thou wouldst have obtained thine own also. But by seeking thine own before His, thou wilt not ever gain even this.

What then will be the remedy? Let us all join in prayer, and let us lift up our voice with one accord in their behalf as for those possessed, for indeed these are more wretched than they, inasmuch as their madness is of choice. For this affliction needeth prayer and much entreaty. For if he that loveth not his brother, even though he empty out his money, yea, and have the glory of martyrdom, is no whit advantaged; consider what punishment the man deserves who even wars with him that hath not wronged him in anything; he is even worse than the Gentiles: for if to love them that love us does not let us have any advantage over them, in what grade shall he be placed, tell me, that envieth them that love him? For envying is even worse than warring; since he that warreth, when the cause of the war is at an end, puts an end to his hatred also: but the grudger would never become a friend. And the one shows an open kind of battle, the other a covert: and the one often has a reasonable cause to assign for the war, the other, nothing else but madness, and a Satanic spirit. To what then is one to compare a soul of this kind? to what viper? to what asp? to what canker-worm? to what scorpion? since there is nothing so accursed or so pernicious as a soul of this sort. For it is this, it is this, that hath subverted the Churches, this that hath gendered the heresies, this it was that armed a brother’s hand, and made his right hand to be dipped in the blood of the righteous, and plucked away the laws of nature, and set open the gates for death, and brought that curse into action, and suffered not that wretch to call to mind either the birth-pangs, or his parents, or anything else, but made him so furious, and led him to such a pitch of phrenzy, that even when God exhorted him and said, “Unto thee shall be his recourse,102    ἀποστροφὴ, “turning away,” some read ἐπιστροφὴ, as Cyr. Al. Glaph. ad. loc. who speaks of the ἀποστροφὴ or turning away of God’s face from Cain; but to render it thus here is inconsistent with Gen. iii. 16, and with St. Chrysostom’s interpretation in Gen. iv. Hom. xix. which illustrates several expressions here. and thou shalt rule over him” (Gen. iv. 7, LXX.); he did not even then give in. Yet did He both forgive him the fault, and make his brother subject to him: but his complaint is so incurable, that even if thousands of medicines are applied, it keeps sloughing with its own corruption. For wherefore art thou so vexed, thou most miserable of men? Is it because God hath had honor shown Him? Nay, this would show a Satanical spirit. Is it then because thy brother outstrips thee in good name? As for that, it is open to thee in turn to outstrip him. And so, if thou wouldest be a conqueror, kill not, destroy not, but let him abide still, that the material for the struggle may be preserved, and conquer him living. For in this way thy crown had been a glorious one; but by thus destroying thou passest a harder sentence of defeat upon thyself. But a grudging spirit hath no sense of all this. And what ground hast thou to covet glory in such solitude? for those were at that time the only inhabitants of the earth. Still even then this restrained him not, but he cast away all from his mind, and stationed himself in the ranks of the devil; for he it was who then led the war upon Cain’s side. For inasmuch as it was not enough for him that man had become liable to death, by the manner of the death he tried to make the tragedy still greater, and persuaded him to become a fratricide. For he was urgent and in travail to see the sentence carried into effect, as never satisfied with our ills. As if any one who had got an enemy in prison, and saw him under sentence, were to press, before he was out of the city, to see him butchered within it, and would not wait even the fitting time, so did the devil then, though he had heard that man must return to earth, travail with desire to see something worse, even a son dying before his father, and a brother destroying a brother, and a premature and violent slaughter. See you what great service envy hath done him? how it hath filled the insatiate spirit of the devil, and hath prepared for him a table great as he desired to see?

Let us then escape from the disease; for it is not possible, indeed it is not, to escape from the fire prepared for the devil, unless we get free from this sickness. But free we shall get to be if we lay to mind how Christ loved us, and also how He bade us love one another. Now what love did He show for us? His precious Blood did He shed for us when we were enemies, and had done the greatest wrong to Him. This do thou also do in thy brother’s case (for this is the end of His saying “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye so103    οὕτως and ἐγὼ are not in the text in St. John. 1 ms. (Bodl.) here omits οὕτως. love one another as I have loved you”) (John xiii. 34); or rather even so the measure does not come to a stand. For it was in behalf of His enemies that He did this. And are you unwilling to shed your blood for your brother? Why then dost thou even shed his blood, disobeying the commandment even to reversing it? Yet what He did was not as a due: but you, if you do it, are but fulfilling a debt. Since he too, who, after receiving the ten thousand talents, demanded the hundred pence, was punished not merely for the fact that he demanded them, but because even by the kindness done him he had not become any better, and did not even follow where his Lord had begun, or remit the debt. For on the part of the servant the thing done was but a debt after all, if it had been done. For all things that we do, we do towards the payment of a debt. And this is why Himself said, “When ye have done all, say, We are unprofitable servants, we have done that which was our duty to do.” (Luke xvii. 10.) If then we display charity, if we give our goods to them that need, we are fulfilling a debt; and that not only in that it was He who first began the acts of goodness, but because it is His goods that we are distributing if we ever104    5 mss. “if we give all.” do give. Why then deprive thyself of what He willeth thee to have the right of? For the reason why He bade thee give them to another was that thou mightest have them thyself. For so long as thou hast them to thyself even thou thyself hast them not. But when thou hast given to another, then hast thou received them thyself. What charm then will do as much as this? Himself poured forth His Blood for His enemies: but we not even money for our benefactor. He did so with His Blood that was His own: we will not even with money that is not ours. He did it before us, we not even after His example. He did it for our salvation, we will not do it even for our own advantage. For He is not to have any advantage from our love toward man, but the whole gain accrueth unto us. For this is the very reason why we are bidden to give away our goods, that we may not be thrown out of them. For as a person who gives a little child money and bids him hold it fast, or give it the servant to keep, that it may not be for whoever will to snatch it away, so also doth God. For He says, Give to him that needeth, lest some one should snatch it away from thee, as an informer, for instance, or a calumniator, or a thief, or, after all these are avoided, death. For so long as thou holdest it thyself, thou hast no safe hold of it. But if thou givest it Me through the poor, I keep it all for thee exactly, and in fit season will return it with great increase. For it is not to take it away that I receive it, but to make it a larger amount and to keep it more exactly, that I may have it preserved for you against that time, in which there is no one to lend or to pity. What then can be more hard-hearted, than if we, after such promises, cannot make up our minds to lend to him? Yes, it is for this that we go before Him destitute and naked and poor, not having the things committed to our charge, because we do not deposit them with Him who keepeth them more exactly than any. And for this we shall be most severely punished. For when we are charged with it, what shall we be able to say about the loss of them?105    Savile, “about our own self-destruction,” περὶ τῆς ἀπωλείας ἑαυτῶν, but the mss. αὐτῶν, which makes better sense. what pretext to put forward? what defence? For what reason is there why you did not give? Do you disbelieve that you will receive it again? And how can this be reasonable? For He that hath given to one that hath not given, how shall He not much rather give after He has received? Does the sight of them please you? Well then, give much the more for this reason, that you may there be the more delighted, when no one can take them from you. Since now if you keep them, you will even suffer countless evils. For as a dog, so doth the devil leap upon them that are rich, wishing to snatch from them, as from a child that holdeth a sippet or a cake. Let us then give them to our Father, and if the devil see this done, he will certainly withdraw: and when he has withdrawn, then will the Father safely give them all to thee, when he cannot trouble, in that world to come. For now surely they that be rich differ not from little children that are troubled by dogs, while all are barking round them, tearing and pulling; not men only, but ignoble affections; as gluttony, drunkenness, flattery, uncleanness of every kind. And when we have to lend, we are very anxious about those that give much, and look particularly for those that are frank dealers. But here we do the opposite. For God, Who dealeth frankly, and giveth not one in the hundred, but a hundred-fold, we desert, and those who will not return us even the capital, these we seek after. For what return will our belly make us, that consumeth the larger share of our goods? Dung and corruption. Or what will vainglory? Envy and grudging. Or what nearness? Care and anxiety. Or what uncleanness? Hell and the venomous worm! For these are the debtors of them that be rich, who pay this interest upon the capital, evils at present, and dreadful things in expectation. Shall we then lead to these, pray, with such punishment for interest, and shall we not trust the same to Christ (4 mss. om. τᾥ) Who holdeth forth unto us heaven, immortal life, blessings unutterable? And what excuse shall we have? For how comest thou not to give to Him, who will assuredly return, and return in greater abundance? Perhaps it is because it is so long before He repays. Yet surely He repays even here. For He is true which saith, “Seek the kingdom of heaven, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matt. vi. 33.) Seest thou this extreme munificence? Those goods, He says, have been stored up for thee, and are not diminishing: but these here I give by way of increase and surplus. But, besides all this, the very fact of its being so long before thou wilt receive it, does but make thy riches the greater: since the interest is more.

For in the case of those who have money lent them, we see that this is what the lenders do, lending, that is, with greater readiness to those who refund a long time after. For he that straightway repays the whole, cuts off the progression of the interest, but he that keeps possession of it for a longer time, makes also the gain from it greater. Shall we then, while in man’s case we are not offended at the delay, but even use artifices to make it greater, in the case of God be so little-minded, as on this very ground to be backward and to retract? And yet, as I said, He both giveth here, and along with the reason mentioned, as planning also some other greater advantage to us, He there keepeth the whole in store. For the abundance of what is given, and the excellency of that gift, transcends this present worthless life. Since in this perishable and doomed body there is not even the possibility of receiving those unfading crowns; nor in our present state, perturbed and full of trouble, and liable to many changes as it is, of attaining to that unchangeable unperturbed lot.106    λῆξιν, which may mean “rest.” Now you, if any one were to owe you gold, and while you were staying in a foreign country, and had neither servants, nor any means to convey it across to the place of your abode, were to promise to pay you the loan, would beseech him in countless ways to have it paid down not in the foreign land, but at home rather. But do you think right to receive those spiritual and unutterable things in this world? Now what madness this would show! For if you receive them here, you must have them corruptible to a certainty; but if you wait for that time, He will repay you them incorruptible and unalloyed. If you receive here, you have gotten lead; but if there, tried gold. Still He does not even deprive thee of the goods of this life. For along with that promise He has placed another also, to the following effect, That every one that loveth the things of the world to come, shall receive “an hundred-fold in this life present, and shall inherit eternal life.” (Matt. xix. 29.) If then we do not receive the hundred-fold, it is ourselves that are to blame for not lending to Him Who can give so much, for all who have given have received much, even though they gave but little. For what great thing, tell me, did Peter give? was it not a net that was broken (Luke v. 6, 11), and a rod and a hook only? Yet still God opened to him the houses of the world, and spread before him land and sea, and all men invited him to their possessions. Or rather they sold what was their own, and brought it to their107    So the mss.; i.e. the Apostles’. feet, not so much as putting it into their hands, for they dared not, so great was the honor they paid him, as well as their profuseness. But he was Peter, you will say! And what of this? O man! For it was not Peter only to whom He made this promise, neither said He, Thou, O Peter, only art to receive an hundred-fold, but “every one whosoever hath left houses or brethren shall receive an hundredfold.” For it is not distinction of persons that He recognizes, but actions that are rightly done. But a circle of little ones is round about me, one will say, and I am desirous of leaving them with a good fortune.108    See St. Cypr. Of works and alms, c. 15: Treatises, pp. 243, 244, O.T. Why then do we make them paupers? For if you leave them everything, you are still committing your goods to a trust that may deceive you. But if you leave God their joint-heir and guardian, you have left them countless treasures. For as when we avenge ourselves God assisteth us not, but when we leave it to Him, more than we expect comes about; so in the case of goods, if we take thought about them ourselves, He will withdraw from any providence over them, but if we cast all upon Him, He will place both them and our children in all safety. And why art thou amazed that this should be so with God? for even with men one may see this happening. For if you do not when dying invite any of your relatives to the care of your children, it often happens, that one who is abundantly willing feels reluctancy, and is too modest to spring to the task of his own accord. But if you cast the care upon him, as having had a very great honor shown him, he will in requital make very great returns. If then thou wouldest leave thy children much wealth, leave them God’s care. For He Who, without thy having done anything, gave thee a soul, and formed thee a body, and granted thee life, when He seeth thee displaying such munificence and distributing their goods to Himself along with them, must surely open to them every kind of riches. For if Elijah after having been nourished with a little meal, since he saw that that woman honored him above her children, made threshing-floors and oil-presses appear in the little hut of the widow, consider what loving caring the Lord of Elijah will display! Let us then not consider how to leave our children rich, but how to leave them virtuous. For if they have the confidence of riches, they will not mind aught besides, in that they have the means screening the wickedness of their ways in their abundant riches. But if they find themselves devoid of the comfort to be got from that source, they will do all so as by virtue to find themselves abundant consolation for their poverty. Leave them then no riches that you may leave them virtue. For it is unreasonable in the extreme, not to make them, whilst we are alive, lords of all our goods, yet after we are dead to give the easy nature of youth full exemption from fear. And yet while we are alive we shall have power to call them to good account, and to sober and bridle them, if they make an ill use of their goods: but if after we are dead we afford them, at the time of the loss of ourselves, and their own youthfulness, that power which wealth gives, endless are the precipices into which we shall thrust those unfortunate and miserable creatures, so heaping fuel upon flame, and letting oil drop into a fierce furnace. And so, if you would leave them rich and safe withal, leave God a debtor to them, and deliver the bequest to them into His hands. For if they receive the money themselves, they will not know even who to give it to, but will meet with many designing and unfeeling people. But if thou beforehand puttest it out to interest with God, the treasure henceforward remains unassailable, and great is the facility wherewith that repayment will be made. For God is well pleased at repaying us what He oweth, and both looks with a more favorable eye upon those who have lent to Him, than on those who have not; and loveth those the most to whom He oweth the most. And so, if thou wouldest have Him for thy Friend continually, make Him thy Debtor to a large amount. For there is no lender so pleased at having those that owe to him, as Christ (6 mss. God) is rejoiced at having those that lend to Him. And such as He oweth nothing to, He fleeth from; but such as He oweth to, He even runneth unto. Let us then use all means to get Him for our Debtor; for this is the season for loans, and He is now in want. If then thou givest not unto Him now, He will not ask of thee after thy departing hence. For it is here that He thirsteth, here that He is an hungered. He thirsteth, since He thirsteth after thy salvation; and it is for this that He even begs; for this that He even goeth about naked, negotiating immortal life for thee. Do not then neglect Him; since it is not to be nourished that He wishes, but to nourish; it is not to be clothed, but to clothe and to accoutre thee with the golden garment, the royal robe. Do you not see even the more attached sort of physicians, when they are washing the sick, wash themselves also, though they need it not? In the same way He also doth all for the sake of thee who art sick. For this reason also He uses no force in demanding, that He may make thee great returns: that thou mayest learn that it is not because He is in need that He asketh of thee, but that He may set right that thou needest. For this reason too He comes to thee in a lowly guise, and with His right hand held forth. And if thou givest Him a farthing, He turneth not away: and even if thou rejectest Him, He departeth not but cometh again to thee. For He desireth,109    ἐρᾷ; cf. p. 367, note 3. yea desireth exceedingly, our salvation: let us then think scorn of money, that we may not be thought scorn of by Christ. Let us think scorn of money, even with a view to obtain the money itself. For if we keep it here, we shall lose it altogether both here and hereafter. But if we distribute it with abundant expenditure, we shall enjoy in each life abundant wealthiness. He then that would become rich, let him become poor, that he may be rich. Let him spend that he may collect, let him scatter that he may gather. But if this is novel and paradoxical, look to the sower, and consider, that he cannot in any other way gather more together, save by scattering what he hath and, letting go of what is at hand. Let us now sow and till the Heaven, that we may reap with great abundance, and obtain everlasting goods, through the grace and love toward man, etc.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ζʹ. Τί οὖν; προεχόμεθα; Οὐ πάντως: προῃτιασά μεθα γὰρ Ἰουδαίους τε καὶ Ἕλληνας πάντας ὑφ' ἁμαρτίαν εἶναι: καθὼς γέγραπται: Οὐκ ἔστι δίκαιος οὐδὲ εἷς, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ συνιῶν, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐκζητῶν τὸν Θεόν. Πάντες ἐξέκλιναν, ἅμα ἠχρειώθησαν: οὐκ ἔστι ποιῶν χρηστότη τα, οὐκ ἔστιν ἕως ἑνός. Τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν, ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦ σαν, ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν: ὧν τὸ στόμα ἀρᾶς καὶ πικρίας γέμει, ὀξεῖς οἱ πόδες αὐτῶν ἐκχέαι αἷμα: σύντριμμα καὶ ταλαιπω ρία ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ ὁδὸν εἰρήνης οὐκ ἔγνωσαν: οὐκ ἔστι φόβος Θεοῦ ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν. αʹ. Κατηγόρησεν Ἑλλήνων, κατηγόρησεν Ἰουδαίων: ἀκόλουθον ἦν εἰπεῖν τὴν δικαιοσύνην λοιπὸν τὴν διὰ τῆς πίστεως. Εἰ γὰρ μήτε ὁ τῆς φύσεως ὤνησε νόμος, μήτε ὁ γραπτὸς ἐποίησέ τι πλέον, ἀλλ' ἀμφότεροι τοὺς οὐκ εἰς δέον αὐτοῖς χρησαμένους ἐβάρησαν, καὶ μείζονος ἔδειξαν κολάσεως ὄντας ἀξίους, ἀναγκαία λοιπὸν ἡ διὰ τῆς χάριτος σωτηρία. Εἰπὲ τοίνυν αὐτὴν, ὦ Παῦλε, καὶ δεῖξον. Ἀλλ' οὐδέπω θαῤῥεῖ, τὸ ἰταμὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ὑφορώμενος, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὴν κατηγορίαν αὐτῶν πάλιν ἄγει τὸν λόγον, καὶ πρότερον εἰσάγει κατήγορον τὸν Δαυῒδ ταῦτα λέγοντα διὰ πολλῶν, ἅπερ ἐν βραχεῖ πάντα εἶπεν Ἡσαΐας, ἰσχυρὸν κατασκευάζων αὐτοῖς χαλινὸν, ὥστε μὴ ἀποπηδῆσαι μηδὲ τῶν περὶ τῆς πίστεως γυμναζομένων λόγων λοιπὸν ἀποσκιρτῆσαί τινα τῶν ἀκουόντων, ἱκανῶς ταῖς τῶν προφητῶν προκατειλημμένον κατηγορίαις. Καὶ γὰρ τρεῖς τίθησιν ὑπερβολὰς ὁ προφήτης, ὅτι τε πάντες ὁμοῦ τὰ κακὰ ἔπραττον, λέγων, καὶ ὅτι οὐκ ἀνέμιξαν τὰ καλὰ τοῖς κακοῖς, ἀλλὰ τὴν πονηρίαν μόνην μετῄεσαν, καὶ ὅτι μετ' ἐπιτάσεως ταύτην ἁπάσης. Εἶτα ἵνα μὴ λέγωσι, Τί οὖν, εἰ πρὸς ἑτέρους ταῦτα εἴρηται; ἐπήγαγεν: Οἴδαμεν δὲ, ὅτι ὅσα ὁ νόμος λέγει, τοῖς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ. Διά τοι τοῦτο μετὰ τὸν Ἡσαΐαν τὸν ὡμολογημένως πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἀποτεινόμενον, ἐπεισήγαγε τὸν Δαυῒδ, ἵνα δείξῃ καὶ ταῦτα τῆς αὐτῆς ὄντα ἀκολουθίας. Ποία γὰρ ἦν ἀνάγκη, φησὶν, ἑτέρων κατηγορεῖν τὸν εἰς τὴν ὑμετέραν διόρθωσιν ἀποσταλέντα προφήτην; οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ νόμος ἑτέροις ἐδόθη, ἀλλ' ὑμῖν. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν οὐκ εἶπεν, Οἴδαμεν, ὅτι ὅσα ὁ προφήτης λέγει, ἀλλ', Ὅσα ὁ νόμος λαλεῖ; Ὅτι τὴν Παλαιὰν πᾶσαν νόμον καλεῖν εἴωθεν ὁ Παῦλος. Καὶ γὰρ ἀλλαχοῦ φησι: Τὸν νόμον οὐκ ἀκούετε, ὅτι Ἀβραὰμ δύο υἱοὺς ἔσχε; καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοὺς ψαλμοὺς νόμον ἐκάλεσεν, εἰπών: Οἴδαμεν, ὅτι ὅσα ὁ νόμος λέγει, τοῖς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ. Εἶτα δείκνυσιν οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς ταῦτα λεγόμενα κατηγορίας ἕνεκεν, ἀλλ' ἵνα τῇ πίστει προοδοποιήσῃ πάλιν ὁ νόμος. Τοσαύτη τῆς Παλαιᾶς πρὸς τὴν Καινὴν ἡ συμφωνία, ὅτι καὶ αἱ κατηγορίαι καὶ οἱ ἔλεγχοι διὰ τοῦτο πάντως ἐγένοντο, ἵνα λαμπρὰ παρὰ τοῖς ἀκούουσιν ἀνοιγῇ τῆς πίστεως ἡ θύρα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῦτο μάλιστα Ἰουδαίους ἀπώλεσε τὸ μέγα φρονεῖν ἐφ' ἑαυτοῖς: ὅπερ οὖν καὶ προϊὼν ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Ἀγνοοῦντες τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν δικαιοσύνην, καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν δικαιοσύνην ζητοῦντες στῆσαι, τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐχ ὑπετάγησαν: προλαβὼν καὶ ὁ νόμος καὶ ὁ προφήτης, προκατέβαλον αὐτῶν τὰ φρονήματα, καὶ κατέστειλαν αὐτῶν τὸ φύσημα, ἵνα εἰς ἔννοιαν τῶν οἰκείων ἐλθόντες ἁμαρτημάτων, καὶ τὴν ἀπόνοιαν πᾶσαν κατακενώσαντες, καὶ ἰδόντες ἑαυτοὺς περὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων κινδυνεύοντας, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς προθυμίας προσδράμωσι τῷ τὴν ἄφεσιν αὐτοῖς τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων παρέχοντι, καὶ τὴν χάριν διὰ τῆς πίστεως καταδέξωνται. Τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ ἐνταῦθα αἰνιττόμενος ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγεν: Οἴδαμεν, ὅτι ὅσα ὁ νόμος λέγει, τοῖς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ: ἵνα πᾶν στόμα φραγῇ, καὶ ὑπόδικος γένηται πᾶς ὁ κόσμος τῷ Θεῷ. Ἐνταῦθα γὰρ δείκνυσιν αὐτοὺς τῆς μὲν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων παῤῥησίας ἐρήμους ὄντας, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ῥήμασιν ἀλαζονευομένους μόνον καὶ ἀναισχυντοῦντας. Διὸ καὶ κυρίως ἐχρήσατο τῇ λέξει, εἰπὼν, Ἵνα πᾶν στόμα φραγῇ, τὴν ἀναίσχυντον αὐτῶν καὶ δυσκάθεκτον μεγαληγορίαν δηλῶν, καὶ τὴν μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἐπιστομιζομένην αὐτῶν γλῶτταν: καθάπερ γὰρ ῥεῦμα ἀφόρητον, οὕτως αὕτη ἐφέρετο: ἀλλ' ἐνέφραξεν αὐτὴν ὁ προφήτης. Ὅταν δὲ λέγῃ Παῦλος, Ἵνα πᾶν στόμα φραγῇ, οὐ τοῦτό φησιν, ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο ἥμαρτον, ἵνα φραγῇ αὐτῶν τὸ στόμα, ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο ἠλέγχοντο, ἵνα μὴ ἀγνοῶσιν ἁμαρτάνοντες τοῦτο αὐτό. Καὶ ὑπόδικος γένηται πᾶς ὁ κόσμος τῷ Θεῷ. Οὐκ εἶπεν, Ὁ Ἰουδαῖος, ἀλλὰ, Πᾶσα ἡ φύσις. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ, Ἵνα πᾶν στόμα φραγῇ, ἐκείνους ἐστὶν αἰνιττόμενον, εἰ καὶ μὴ φανερῶς αὐτὸ τέθειται, ὥστε μὴ τραχύτερον γενέσθαι τὸν λόγον: τὸ δὲ, Ἵνα ὑπόδικος γένηται πᾶς ὁ κόσμος τῷ Θεῷ, ὁμοῦ καὶ περὶ Ἰουδαίων καὶ Ἑλλήνων εἴρηται. Οὐ μικρὸν δὲ τοῦτο εἰς τὸ καταστεῖλαι τὴν ἐκείνων ἀπόνοιαν, ὅταν καὶ ἐνταῦθα μηδὲν ἔχωσι πλέον τῶν Ἑλλήνων, ἀλλ' ὁμοίως ὦσι προδεδομένοι κατὰ τὸν τῆς σωτηρίας λόγον. Ὁ γὰρ ὑπόδικος κυρίως ἂν ἐκεῖνος λέγοιτο, ὁ μὴ δυνάμενος ἀρκεῖν ἑαυτῷ πρὸς ἀπολογίαν, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἑτέρου δεόμενος βοηθείας: οἷα ἦν καὶ τὰ ἡμέτερα πάντα, ἀπολωλεκότων ἡμῶν τὰ πρὸς σωτηρίαν συντείνοντα. Διὰ γὰρ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας. Πάλιν ἐφήλατο τῷ νόμῳ, μετὰ φειδοῦς μέν: οὐ γὰρ αὐτοῦ κατηγορία τὸ εἰρημένον, ἀλλὰ τῆς τῶν Ἰουδαίων ῥᾳθυμίας: πλὴν ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐσπούδακεν ἐνταῦθα, ἐπειδὴ μέλλει τὸν περὶ τῆς πίστεως εἰσάγειν λόγον, δεῖξαι αὐτὸν σφόδρα ἠσθενηκότα. Εἰ γὰρ αὐχεῖς ἐπὶ τῷ νόμῳ, φησὶν, αὐτός σε μᾶλλον καταισχύνει: οὗτός σου τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἐκπομπεύει. Ἀλλ' οὐκ εἶπεν οὕτω τραχέως, ἀλλ' ὑφειμένως πάλιν: Διὰ γὰρ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡ κόλασις μείζων, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τῶν Ἰουδαίων. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ νόμος ἤνυε τὸ φανεράν σοι ποιῆσαι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, σὸν δὲ ἦν λοιπὸν τὸ φυγεῖν: μὴ φυγὼν τοίνυν, μᾶλλον ἐπεσπάσω τὴν κόλασιν, καὶ τὸ τοῦ νόμου κατόρθωμα γέγονέ σοι μείζονος ἐφόδιον τιμωρίας. βʹ. Ὅτε τοίνυν τὸν φόβον ηὔξησε, τότε λοιπὸν ἐπάγει τὰ τῆς χάριτος, ἐν πολλῇ καταστήσας ἐπιθυμίᾳ τῆς τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἀφέσεως, καί φησι: Νῦν δὲ χωρὶς νόμου δικαιοσύνη Θεοῦ πεφανέρωται. Μέγα ἐνταῦθα ἐφθέγξατο, καὶ πολλῆς δεόμενον τῆς κατασκευῆς. Εἰ γὰρ οἱ ἐν νόμῳ ζῶντες οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἔφυγον κόλασιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλέον ἐβαρύνθησαν, πῶς ἔστι χωρὶς νόμου μὴ μόνον τιμωρίαν φυγεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ δικαιωθῆναι; Δύο γὰρ ἄκρα ἐνταῦθα τέθεικε, καὶ τὸ δικαιοῦσθαι, καὶ τὸ χωρὶς νόμου τούτων τυγχάνειν τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἶπε, Δικαιοσύνη, ἀλλὰ, Δικαιοσύνη Θεοῦ, ἀπὸ τῆς ἀξίας τοῦ προσώπου καὶ μείζονα δείξας τὴν δωρεὰν καὶ δυνατὴν τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν: πάντα γὰρ αὐτῷ δυνατά. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἐδόθη, ἀλλὰ, Πεφανέρωται, τὸ τῆς καινοτομίας ὑποτεμνόμενος ἔγκλημα: τὸ γὰρ πεφανερωμένον, ὡς παλαιὸν καὶ κρυπτόμενον φανεροῦται. Καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς δείκνυσιν οὐ πρόσφατον ὂν τοῦτο: εἰπὼν γὰρ, Πεφανέρωται, ἐπήγαγε, Μαρτυρουμένη ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν. Μὴ γὰρ, ἐπειδὴ νῦν ἐδόθη, θορυβηθῇς, φησὶ, μηδὲ ὡς πρὸς καινὸν καὶ ξένον πρᾶγμα ταραχθῇς: ἄνωθεν γὰρ αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται προέλεγον. Καὶ τὰ μὲν ἔδειξε διὰ τῆς κατασκευῆς ταύτης, τὰ δὲ μέλλει, ἐν μὲν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν παραγαγὼν τὸν Ἀββακοὺμ λέγοντα: Ὁ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται: ἐν δὲ τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα τὸν Ἀβραὰμ, τὸν Δαυῒδ, καὶ αὐτοὺς περὶ τούτων διαλεγομένους ἡμῖν. Καὶ γὰρ πολὺς τῶν προσώπων τούτων ὁ λόγος ἦν παρ' αὐτοῖς: ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἦν πατριάρχης καὶ προφήτης, ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς καὶ προφήτης: καὶ αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι δὲ αἱ περὶ τούτων πρὸς ἀμφοτέρους τούτους ἦσαν γεγενημέναι. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Ματθαῖος ἀρχόμενος τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου, ἀμφοτέρων τούτων μέμνηται πρῶτον, καὶ τότε κατ' ἀκολουθίαν παράγει τοὺς προγόνους. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, Βίβλος γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, οὐκ ἀνέμεινεν εἰπὼν μετὰ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ καὶ τὸν Ἰακὼβ, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ τοῦ Δαυῒδ ἐμνημόνευσε: καὶ τὸ δὴ θαυμαστὸν, ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ τὸν Δαυῒδ τέθεικεν, οὕτω λέγων: Υἱοῦ Δαυῒδ, υἱοῦ Ἀβραάμ: καὶ τότε ἤρξατο καταλέγειν τὸν Ἰσαὰκ καὶ τὸν Ἰακὼβ καὶ τοὺς ἑξῆς ἅπαντας. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Ἀπόστολος ἐνταῦθα αὐτοὺς περιστρέφει συνεχῶς, καί φησι: Δικαιοσύνη δὲ Θεοῦ μαρτυρουμένη ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν. Ἵνα δὲ μή τις εἴπῃ, Καὶ πῶς αὐτοὶ μηδὲν συντελοῦντες εἰς τὸ προκείμενον, σωζόμεθα; δείκνυσι καὶ ἡμᾶς εἰσφέροντας οὐ μικρὸν εἰς τοῦτο, τὴν πίστιν λέγω. Εἰπὼν γοῦν, Δικαιοσύνη Θεοῦ, ἐπήγαγε, Διὰ τῆς πίστεως, εἰς πάντας καὶ ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας. Πάλιν ἐνταῦθα θορυβεῖται ὁ Ἰουδαῖος, οὐδὲν ἐξαίρετον παρὰ τοὺς λοιποὺς ἔχων, μετὰ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἀριθμούμενος ἁπάσης. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ τοῦτο πάθῃ, συστέλλει πάλιν αὐτὸν τῷ φόβῳ, ἐπάγων: Οὐ γάρ ἐστι διαστολή: πάντες γὰρ ἥμαρτον. Μὴ γάρ μοι εἴπῃς, ὅτι Ὁ δεῖνα ὁ Ἕλλην, ὁ δεῖνα ὁ Σκύθης, ὁ δεῖνα ὁ Θρᾴξ: ἐν γὰρ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἅπαντες. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ νόμον ἔλαβες, ἓν μόνον ἔμαθες ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου, τὸ εἰδέναι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, οὐ τὸ φεύγειν αὐτήν. Εἶτα, ἵνα μὴ λέγωσιν, ὅτι Εἰ καὶ ἡμάρτομεν, ἀλλ' οὐχ οὕτως ὡς ἐκεῖνοι, ἐπήγαγε: Καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὥστ' εἰ καὶ μὴ τὰ αὐτὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἥμαρτες, ἀλλὰ τῆς δόξης ὁμοίως ἀποστερῇ: τῶν γὰρ προσκεκρουκότων εἶ: ὁ δὲ προσκεκρουκὼς οὐ τῶν δοξαζομένων, ἀλλὰ τῶν κατῃσχυμμένων. Ἀλλὰ μὴ φοβηθῇς: διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο ταῦτα εἶπον, οὐχ ἵνα σε εἰς ἀπόγνωσιν ἐμβάλω, ἀλλ' ἵνα δείξω τοῦ Δεσπότου τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν. Διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγε: Δικαιούμενοι δωρεὰν τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι, διὰ τῆς ἀπολυτρώσεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ὃν προέθετο ὁ Θεὸς ἱλαστήριον διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι, εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ. Ὅρα διὰ πόσων κατασκευάζει τὸ εἰρημένον. Πρῶτον ἀπὸ τῆς ἀξίας τοῦ προσώπου: οὐ γὰρ ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν ὁ ἐργαζόμενος ταῦτα, ἵνα ἀτονήσῃ, ἀλλ' ὁ Θεὸς ὁ πάντα δυνάμενος: Θεοῦ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ δικαιοσύνη, φησί. Δεύτερον ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν: μὴ γὰρ, ἐπειδὴ Χωρὶς νόμου ἤκουσας, φοβηθῇς: καὶ γὰρ αὐτῷ τῷ νόμῳ τοῦτο δοκεῖ. Τρίτον ἀπὸ τῶν θυσιῶν τῶν ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ: διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο εἶπεν, Ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι, ἀναμιμνήσκων αὐτοὺς τῶν προβάτων ἐκείνων καὶ τῶν μόσχων. Εἰ γὰρ ἀλόγων σφαγαὶ, φησὶν, ἁμαρτίας ἔλυον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸ αἷμα τοῦτο. Καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἶπε, Λυτρώσεως, ἀλλ', Ἀπολυτρώσεως, ὡς μηκέτι ἡμᾶς ἐπανελθεῖν πάλιν ἐπὶ τὴν αὐτὴν δουλείαν. Καὶ ἱλαστήριον δι' αὐτὸ τοῦτο καλεῖ, δεικνὺς, ὅτι εἰ ὁ τύπος τοσαύτην εἶχεν ἰσχὺν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡ ἀλήθεια τὸ αὐτὸ ἐπιδείξεται. Δηλῶν δὲ πάλιν οὐ νεώτερον τοῦτο ὂν, οὐδὲ καινὸν, φησὶ, Προέθετο. Καὶ εἰπὼν, Προέθετο ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ δείξας τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸ κατόρθωμα, τὸ αὐτὸ δείκνυσι καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ὄν: ὁ μὲν γὰρ Πατὴρ προέθετο, ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι τὸ πᾶν κατώρθωσεν. Εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ. Τί ἐστιν, Ἔνδειξις τῆς δικαιοσύνης; Ὥσπερ ἔνδειξις πλούτου, τὸ μὴ μόνον αὐτὸν εἶναι πλούσιον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρους πλουσίους ποιεῖν: καὶ ζωῆς, τὸ μὴ μόνον αὐτὸν εἶναι ζῶντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ νεκροὺς ζωοποιεῖν: καὶ δυνάμεως, τὸ μὴ μόνον αὐτὸν εἶναι δυνατὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς δυναμοῦν: οὕτω καὶ δικαιοσύνης ἔνδειξις, τὸ μὴ μόνον αὐτὸν εἶναι δίκαιον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἑτέρους ἐν ἁμαρτίαις κατασαπέντας ἐξαίφνης δικαίους ποιεῖν. Τοῦτο οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς ἑρμηνεύων ἐπήγαγε, τίς ἐστιν ἔνδειξις: Εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν δίκαιον, καὶ δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ. γʹ. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀμφίβαλλε: οὐ γὰρ ἐξ ἔργων, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ πίστεως: μηδὲ φεῦγε τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην: διπλοῦν γὰρ αὐτῆς τὸ ἀγαθὸν, ὅτι καὶ κοῦφόν ἐστι, καὶ πᾶσι προκείμενον: μηδὲ αἰσχύνου καὶ ἐρυθρία: εἰ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐνδείκνυται τοῦτο ποιῶν, καὶ ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, ἐναβρύνεται καὶ ἐγκαλλωπίζεται, πῶς σὺ καταδύῃ καὶ ἐγκαλύπτῃ, ἐφ' ᾧ ὁ Δεσπότης σου δοξάζεται; Ἐπάρας τοίνυν τὸν ἀκροατὴν διὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ἔνδειξις τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνης ἐστὶ τὰ γινόμενα, πάλιν τῷ φόβῳ ὠθεῖ τὸν ὀκνοῦντα καὶ ἀναδυόμενον προσελθεῖν, οὕτω λέγων: Διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν τῶν προγεγονότων ἁμαρτημάτων. Ὁρᾷς πῶς συνεχῶς ἀναμιμνήσκει τῶν πλημμελημάτων αὐτούς, ἀνωτέρω μὲν λέγων, Διὰ γὰρ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας, μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ, ὅτι Πάντες ἥμαρτον, ἐνταῦθα δὲ σφοδρότερον. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶπε, Διὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, ἀλλὰ, Διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν, τουτέστι τὴν νέκρωσιν. Οὐκέτι γὰρ ὑγείας ἐλπὶς ἦν, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ σῶμα παραλυθὲν τῆς ἄνωθεν ἐδεῖτο χειρός: οὕτω καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ νεκρωθεῖσα. Καὶ τὸ δὴ χαλεπώτερον, ὅπερ ἐν τάξει θεὶς αἰτίας, δείκνυσι μεῖζον ὂν κατηγόρημα. Τί δὲ τοῦτό ἐστι; Τὸ ἐν τῇ ἀνοχῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν πάρεσιν γεγενῆσθαι. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν ἔχοιτε εἰπεῖν, φησὶν, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπελαύσατε πολλῆς ἀνοχῆς καὶ χρηστότητος. Τὸ δὲ, Ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ, τὴν πολλὴν δεικνύντος ἐστὶν ἀνοχὴν καὶ φιλανθρωπίαν. Ὅτε γὰρ ἀπεγνώσθημεν, φησὶ, καὶ καιρὸς ἀποφάσεως ἦν, καὶ ηὐξήθη τὰ κακὰ, καὶ ἐπληρώθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, τότε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ δύναμιν ἐπεδείξατο, ἵνα μάθῃς πόση παρ' αὐτῷ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἡ περιουσία. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐν ἀρχῇ γενόμενον τοῦτο οὕτω θαυμαστὸν ἂν ἐφάνη καὶ παράδοξον, ὡς νῦν, ὅτε πάσης ἰατρείας ἐξηλέγχθη τρόπος. Ποῦ οὖν ἡ καύχησις; Ἐξεκλείσθη, φησί. Διὰ ποίου νόμου; τῶν ἔργων; Οὐχὶ, ἀλλὰ διὰ νόμου πίστεως. Πολὺς ὁ ἀγὼν τῷ Παύλῳ δεῖξαι, ὅτι τοσοῦτον ἡ πίστις ἴσχυσεν, ὅσον οὐδὲ ἐφαντάσθη ποτὲ ὁ νόμος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶπεν, ὅτι δικαιοῖ ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως, ἐπιλαμβάνεται τοῦ νόμου πάλιν. Καὶ οὐ λέγει, Ποῦ οὖν τὰ κατορθώματα τῶν Ἰουδαίων; ποῦ ἡ δικαιοπραγία; ἀλλὰ, Ποῦ ἡ καύχησις; πανταχοῦ δεικνὺς μεγαληγοροῦντας μόνον ὡς πλέον τι τῶν ἄλλων ἔχοντας, καὶ μηδὲν ἐπιδεικνυμένους ἔργον. Καὶ εἰπὼν, Ποῦ οὖν ἡ καύχησις; οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἠφανίσθη καὶ ἀπώλετο, ἀλλ' Ἐξεκλείσθη, ὅπερ ἀκαιρίας μᾶλλόν ἐστιν: οὐκέτι γὰρ ἔχει καιρόν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τῆς κρίσεως ἐπιστάσης, οὐκέτι καιρὸν ἔχουσιν οἱ μετανοῆσαι βουλόμενοι: οὕτω καὶ τῆς ἀποφάσεως ἐξενεχθείσης λοιπὸν, καὶ πάντων μελλόντων ἀπόλλυσθαι, καὶ παραγενομένου τοῦ ταῦτα χάριτι λύοντος τὰ δεινὰ, οὐκέτι καιρὸν εἶχον ἐκεῖνοι προβαλέσθαι τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου διόρθωσιν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐχρῆν ἰσχυρίζεσθαι τούτοις, πρὸ τῆς παρουσίας ἐχρῆν: ἐλθόντος δὲ τοῦ διὰ τῆς πίστεως σώζοντος, ἀνῄρητο λοιπὸν ὁ τῶν ἀγώνων καιρός: ὡς γὰρ ἐληλεγμένων ἁπάντων, οὕτω τῇ χάριτι σώζει. Διὸ καὶ νῦν ἦλθεν, ἵνα μὴ λέγωσιν: Ἐν ἀρχῇ παραγενομένου, ὅτι δυνατὸν ἦν διὰ νόμου σωθῆναι, καὶ πόνοις οἰκείοις καὶ κατορθώμασι. Ταύτην οὖν ἐπιστομίζων αὐτῶν τὴν ἀναισχυντίαν, ἔμεινε χρόνον πολὺν, ὥστε μετὰ τὸ διὰ πάντων ἐλεγχθῆναι σαφῶς οὐκ ἀρκοῦντας ἑαυτοῖς, τότε σῶσαι διὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ χάριτος. Διὸ καὶ ἀνωτέρω λέγων, Εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης, ἐπήγαγεν, Ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ. Εἰ δὲ ἀντιλέγοιέν τινες, ταυτὸν ποιοῦσιν, ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις μεγάλα ἡμαρτηκὼς καὶ μὴ δυνηθεὶς ἀπολογήσασθαι ἐν δικαστηρίῳ, ἀλλὰ κατακριθεὶς καὶ κολάζεσθαι μέλλων, εἶτα ἀπὸ δωρεᾶς βασιλικῆς ἀφεθεὶς, ἀναισχυντοίη μετὰ τὴν ἄφεσιν καυχώμενος, καὶ λέγων μηδὲν ἡμαρτηκέναι. Πρὶν ἢ γὰρ ἐλθεῖν τὴν δωρεὰν, ἀποδεῖξαι ἔδει: ἐλθούσης δὲ, οὐκ ἂν ἔχοι καιρὸν καυχᾶσθαι λοιπόν. Ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων γέγονεν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἴκοθεν ἦσαν προδεδομένοι, διὰ τοῦτο παραγέγονεν, αὐτῷ τῷ παραγενέσθαι τὴν καύχησιν ἀναιρῶν. Ὁ γὰρ λέγων διδάσκαλος εἶναι νηπίων, καὶ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ καυχώμενος, καὶ παιδευτὴν ἀφρόνων ἑαυτὸν ὀνομάζων, ὁμοίως ἐκείνοις δεηθεὶς τοῦ διδάξαντος καὶ σώσαντος, οὐκ ἂν ἔχοι τοῦ καυχᾶσθαι πρόφασιν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πρὸ τούτου ἡ περιτομὴ ἀκροβυστία ἐγένετο, πολλῷ μᾶλλον νῦν καὶ γὰρ ἐξ ἑκατέρων ἐκβέβληται τῶν καιρῶν. Εἰπὼν δὲ, ὅτι Ἐξεκλείσθη, δείκνυσι καὶ πῶς. Πῶς οὖν ἐξεκλείσθη, φησί; Διὰ ποίου νόμου; τῶν ἔργων; Οὐχὶ, ἀλλὰ διὰ νόμου πίστεως. δʹ. Ἰδοὺ καὶ τὴν πίστιν νόμον ἐκάλεσεν, ἐμφιλοχωρῶν τοῖς ὀνόμασιν, ὥστε παραμυθεῖσθαι τὴν δοκοῦσαν εἶναι καινοτομίαν. Τίς δὲ ὁ τῆς πίστεως νόμος; Διὰ χάριτος σώζεσθαι. Ἐνταῦθα τὸ δυνατὸν δείκνυσι τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἔσωσεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐδικαίωσε καὶ εἰς καύχησιν ἤγαγε, καὶ οὐδὲ ἔργων δεηθεὶς, ἀλλὰ πίστιν ζητήσας μόνον. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγει, καὶ τὸν πιστεύσαντα Ἰουδαῖον μετριάζειν παρασκευάζων, καὶ τὸν μὴ πιστεύσαντα καταστέλλων, ὥστε αὐτὸν ἐφελκύσασθαι. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ σωθεὶς, ἂν μέγα φρονῇ τῷ νόμῳ προσέχων, ἀκούσεται ὅτι αὐτὸς αὐτοῦ τὸ στόμα ἐνέφραξεν, αὐτὸς αὐτοῦ κατηγόρησεν, αὐτὸς αὐτοῦ τὴν σωτηρίαν ἀπηγόρευσε, καὶ τὸ καύχημα ἐξέκλεισεν: ὁ δὲ μὴ πιστεύσας πάλιν, διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν τούτων ταπεινωθεὶς, προσαχθῆναι τῇ πίστει δυνήσεται. Εἶδες πόση τῆς πίστεως ἡ περιουσία; πῶς ἀπέστησε τῶν προτέρων, μηδὲ καυχᾶσθαι ἐπ' αὐτοῖς ἀφεῖσα; Λογιζόμεθα οὖν πίστει δικαιοῦσθαι ἄνθρωπον χωρὶς ἔργων νόμου. Ὅτε ἔδειξεν ἀνωτέρους ὄντας ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως τῶν Ἰουδαίων, τότε λοιπὸν μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς παῤῥησίας καὶ περὶ αὐτῆς διαλέγεται, καὶ τὸ δοκοῦν ἐνταῦθα θορυβεῖν, πάλιν ἰᾶται. Καὶ γὰρ δύο ταῦτα τὰ ταράττοντα ἦν Ἰουδαίους, ἓν μὲν, εἰ τοὺς μετ' ἔργων μὴ σωθέντας δυνατὸν χωρὶς ἔργων σωθῆναι: ἕτερον δὲ, εἰ τοὺς ἀκροβύστους δίκαιον τῶν αὐτῶν ἀπολαῦσαι τοῖς ἐν τοσούτῳ χρόνῳ συντραφεῖσι τῷ νόμῳ: ὃ πολλῷ τοῦ προτέρου μᾶλλον αὐτοὺς ἐξετάραττε. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐκεῖνο κατασκευάσας, ἐπὶ τοῦτο λοιπὸν ἔξεισιν: ὅπερ οὕτως ἐθορύβει τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, ὡς καὶ Πέτρῳ μετὰ τὴν πίστιν ταύτης ἕνεκεν ἐγκαλέσαι τῆς ὑποθέσεως, Κορνηλίου καὶ τῶν κατ' αὐτὸν ἕνεκεν πραγμάτων. Τί οὖν φησι; Λογιζόμεθα οὖν πίστει δικαιοῦσθαι ἄνθρωπον χωρὶς ἔργων νόμου. Οὐκ εἶπεν Ἰουδαῖον, ἢ τὸν ὑπὸ τὸν νόμον ὄντα, ἀλλ' ἐξαγαγὼν τὸν λόγον εἰς εὐρυχωρίαν, καὶ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ τὰς θύρας ἀνοίξας τῆς σωτηρίας, φησὶν, Ἄνθρωπον, τὸ κοινὸν τῆς φύσεως ὄνομα θείς. Εἶτα ἀπὸ τούτου λαβὼν ἀφορμὴν, μὴ τεθεῖσαν ἀντίθεσιν λύει. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰκὸς ἦν Ἰουδαίους ἀκούσαντας, ὅτι πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἡ πίστις δικαιοῖ, δυσχεραίνειν καὶ σκανδαλίζεσθαι, ἐπήγαγεν: Ἢ Ἰουδαίων ὁ Θεὸς μόνον; ὡς ἂν εἰ ἔλεγε: Διὰ τί γάρ σοι τοῦτο ἄτοπον εἶναι δοκεῖ, τὸ πάντα ἄνθρωπον σώζεσθαι; μὴ γὰρ μερικός ἐστιν ὁ Θεός; ἐκ τούτου δεικνὺς, ὅτι βουλόμενοι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐπηρεάζειν, τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν δόξαν λυμαίνονται μᾶλλον, εἴ γε μὴ συγχωροῖεν αὐτὸν πάντων εἶναι Θεόν. Εἰ δὲ πάντων ἐστὶ, καὶ προνοεῖται πάντων: εἰ δὲ προνοεῖται πάντων, πάντας ὁμοίως σώζει διὰ τῆς πίστεως. Διὰ τοῦτό φησιν: Ἢ Ἰουδαίων ὁ Θεὸς μόνον; οὐχὶ δὲ καὶ ἐθνῶν; Ναὶ καὶ ἐθνῶν. Οὐ γάρ ἐστι μερικὸς, οἷοι οἱ Ἑλλήνων μῦθοι, ἀλλὰ κοινὸς ἁπάντων καὶ εἷς: διὸ καὶ ἐπάγει: Ἐπείπερ εἷς ὁ Θεός. Τουτέστιν, ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ τούτων κἀκείνων Δεσπότης. Εἰ δὲ τὰ παλαιά μοι λέγεις, καὶ τότε κοινὰ τὰ τῆς προνοίας ἦν, εἰ καὶ διαφόρως: καὶ γάρ σοι νόμος ἐδόθη γραπτὸς, κἀκείνοις νόμος φυσικὸς, καὶ οὐδὲν ἔλαττον εἶχον, εἴ γε ἐβούλοντο, ἀλλὰ καὶ νικᾷν ἠδύναντο: διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγε, τοῦτο αὐτὸ αἰνιττόμενος: Ὃς δικαιώσει περιτομὴν ἐκ πίστεως, καὶ ἀκροβυστίαν διὰ τῆς πίστεως: τῶν ἔμπροσθεν περὶ ἀκροβυστίας καὶ περιτομῆς εἰρημένων αὐτοὺς ἀναμνήσας, δι' ὧν ἔδειξεν οὐδεμίαν οὖσαν διαφοράν. Εἰ δὲ τότε οὐδεμία ἦν διαφορὰ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον νῦν: ὅπερ καὶ σαφέστερον κατασκευάζων νῦν, ἀπέδειξεν ὁμοίως ἑκάτερον τῆς πίστεως δεόμενον. Νόμον οὖν καταργοῦμεν, φησὶ, διὰ τῆς πίστεως; Μὴ γένοιτο: ἀλλὰ νόμον ἱστῶμεν. Εἶδες σύνεσιν ποικίλην καὶ ἄφατον; Αὐτῷ γὰρ τῷ εἰπεῖν, Ἱστῶμεν, ἔδειξεν οὐχ ἑστῶτα, ἀλλὰ καταλελυμένον. Καὶ ὅρα τῆς Παύλου δυνάμεως τὴν ὑπερβολὴν, καὶ μεθ' ὅσης κατασκευάζει περιουσίας ἃ βούλεται. Δείκνυσι γὰρ ἐνταῦθα οὐ μόνον οὐ λυμαινομένην τῷ νόμῳ τὴν πίστιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ βοηθοῦσαν αὐτῷ, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ αὐτὸν τῇ πίστει προοδοποιοῦντα. Καθάπερ γὰρ αὐτὸς προλαβὼν αὐτῇ ἐμαρτύρησε: Μαρτυρουμένη γὰρ ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν, φησίν: οὕτω καὶ αὐτὴ αὐτὸν ἀτονοῦντα ἔστησε. Καὶ πῶς ἔστησε, φησί; τί ἦν τοῦ νόμου τὸ ἔργον, καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν ἅπαντα ἔπραττεν; Ὥστε δίκαιον ποιῆσαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνος μὲν τοῦτο οὐκ ἴσχυσε: Πάντες γὰρ, φησὶν, ἥμαρτον: ἡ πίστις δὲ ἐλθοῦσα αὐτὸ κατώρθωσεν: ὁμοῦ γάρ τις ἐπίστευσε καὶ ἐδικαιώθη. Οὐκοῦν ἔστησε τοῦ νόμου τὸ θέλημα, καὶ δι' ὃ πάντα ἔπραττεν ἐκεῖνος, τοῦτο αὕτη εἰς τέλος ἤγαγεν. Οὐκ ἄρα αὐτὸν κατήργησεν, ἀλλ' ἀπήρτισε. Τρία τοίνυν ἐνταῦθα ἀπέδειξε, καὶ ὅτι χωρὶς νόμου δυνατὸν δικαιωθῆναι, καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο οὐκ ἴσχυσεν ὁ νόμος, καὶ ὅτι ἡ πίστις αὐτῷ οὐ μάχεται. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῦτο μάλιστα τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἐθορύβει, τὸ δοκεῖν ἀπεναντίας αὐτῷ τὴν πίστιν εἶναι, δείκνυσι πλέον οὗ βούλεται ὁ Ἰουδαῖος, οὐ μόνον οὐκ οὖσαν ἐναντίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα σύμμαχόν τε καὶ συνεργὸν οὖσαν: ὃ μάλιστα ἐπόθουν ἀκοῦσαι. εʹ. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ μετὰ τὴν χάριν ταύτην, δι' ἧς ἐδικαιώθημεν, καὶ πολιτείας χρεία, ἀξίαν ἐπιδειξώμεθα τῆς δωρεᾶς τὴν σπουδήν: ἐπιδειξόμεθα δὲ, ἂν τὴν μητέρα τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὴν ἀγάπην μετὰ πολλῆς φυλάττωμεν τῆς σπουδῆς. Ἀγάπη δέ ἐστιν, οὐ ψιλὰ ῥήματα οὐδὲ προσρήσεις ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ προστασία καὶ δι' ἔργων ἐπίδειξις: οἷον, τὸ πενίαν λύειν, τὸ νοσοῦσι συναμύνειν, τὸ κινδύνων ἀπαλλάττειν, τὸ ἐν περιστάσεσιν οὖσι παρίστασθαι, τὸ κλαίειν μετὰ κλαιόντων, τὸ χαίρειν μετὰ χαιρόντων: καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο ἀγάπης: καίτοι δοκεῖ μικρὸν εἶναι τοῦτο, τὸ χαίρειν μετὰ χαιρόντων: σφόδρα μέντοι μέγα ἐστὶ καὶ φιλοσόφου δεόμενον γνώμης: καὶ πολλοὺς ἂν εὕροιμεν τὸ μὲν πικρότερον ἀνύοντας, πρὸς τοῦτο δὲ ἀτονοῦντας: πολλοὶ γὰρ κλαίουσι μὲν μετὰ κλαιόντων, οὐκέτι δὲ καὶ μετὰ χαιρόντων χαίρουσιν, ἀλλὰ δακρύουσιν ἑτέρων χαιρόντων: ὅπερ ἐστὶ βασκανία καὶ φθόνος. Οὐ τοίνυν μικρὸν κατόρθωμα, τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ χαίροντος χαίρειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ θατέρου μεῖζον: τάχα δὲ οὐ τοῦ κλαίειν μόνον μετὰ κλαιόντων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ παραστῆναι ἐν κινδύνοις μεῖζον. Πολλοὶ γοῦν κινδυνεύουσι μὲν συνεκινδύνευσαν, εὐδοκιμούντων δὲ ἐδήχθησαν: τοσαύτη ἡ τῆς βασκανίας τυραννίς. Καίτοι τὸ μὲν πόνων ἐστὶ καὶ ἱδρώτων, τοῦτο δὲ προαιρέσεως καὶ γνώμης μόνον: ἀλλ' ὅμως τὸ χαλεπώτερον ὑπομείναντες πολλοὶ, τὸ εὐκολώτερον τούτου οὐκ ἤνυσαν, ἀλλὰ τήκονται καὶ ἀπόλλυνται, ὅταν ἑτέρους εὐδοκιμοῦντας ἴδωσιν, ὅταν Ἐκκλησίαν ὠφελουμένην ὁλόκληρον, ἢ λόγῳ ἢ καὶ ἑτέρῳ τινὶ τρόπῳ: οὗ τί χεῖρον γένοιτ' ἄν; Οὐδὲ γὰρ τῷ ἀδελφῷ λοιπὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ θελήματι τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ τοιοῦτος μάχεται. Τοῦτο οὖν ἐννοήσας, παῦσαι τῆς νόσου, καὶ εἰ μὴ τὸν πλησίον βούλει, σαυτὸν γοῦν ἀπάλλαξον τῶν μυρίων κακῶν. Τί πόλεμον ἐπεισάγεις σου τοῖς λογισμοῖς; τί θορύβου τὴν ψυχὴν πληροῖς; τί χειμῶνα ἐργάζῃ; τί τὰ ἄνω κάτω ποιεῖς; πῶς δυνήσῃ διακείμενος οὕτως, ἁμαρτιῶν ἄφεσιν αἰτῆσαι; Εἰ γὰρ τοῖς τὰ εἰς αὐτοὺς μὴ συγχωροῦσιν οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ἀφίησι τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, τοῖς τοὺς οὐδὲν ἠδικηκότας ἀδικεῖν ἐπιχειροῦσι ποίαν ἄφεσιν δώσει; Ἐσχάτης γὰρ τοῦτο πονηρίας ἀπόδειξις: οἱ τοιοῦτοι μετὰ τοῦ διαβόλου πολεμοῦσι τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν: τάχα δὲ καὶ πολλῷ χεῖρον: τὸν μὲν γὰρ καὶ φυλάττεσθαι δυνατὸν, οὗτοι δὲ προσωπεῖον φιλίας ὑποδύντες, λάθρᾳ τὴν πυρὰν ἀνάπτουσιν, ἑαυτοὺς προτέρους εἰς τὴν κάμινον ἐμβάλλοντες, καὶ νοσοῦντες νόσον οὐ μόνον ἐλεηθῆναι μὴ δυναμένην, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολὺν τὸν γέλωτα ἔχουσαν. Τί γὰρ ὠχριᾷς, εἰπέ μοι, καὶ τρέμεις καὶ περιδεὴς ἕστηκας; τί γέγονε δεινόν; ὅτι λαμπρὸς ὁ ἀδελφὸς καὶ περιφανὴς καὶ εὐδόκιμος; Οὐκοῦν στεφανοῦσθαί σε δεῖ καὶ χαίρειν καὶ τὸν Θεὸν δοξάζειν, ὅτι τὸ μέλος τὸ σὸν λαμπρὸν καὶ περιφανές: ἀλλὰ ἀλγεῖς, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς δοξάζεται. Ὁρᾷς ποῦ τείνει ὁ πόλεμος; Ἀλλ' οὐχ ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς, φησὶν, ἀλλ' ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφὸς δοξάζεται. Ἀλλὰ διὰ τούτου πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἀναβαίνει ἡ δόξα: οὐκοῦν καὶ ὁ παρὰ σοῦ πόλεμος. Ἀλλ' οὐ τοῦτό με λυπεῖ, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ δι' ἐμοῦ τὸν Θεὸν ἐβουλόμην δοξάζεσθαι. Οὐκοῦν χαῖρε εὐδοκιμοῦντος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, καὶ δοξάζεται καὶ διὰ σοῦ πάλιν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ πάντες ἐροῦσιν: Εὐλογητὸς ὁ Θεὸς ὁ τοιούτους ἔχων οἰκέτας, φθόνου παντὸς ἀπηλλαγμένους, τοῖς ἀλλήλων συνηδομένους καλοῖς. Καὶ τί λέγω τὸν ἀδελφόν; Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πολέμιος ἦν καὶ ἐχθρὸς, ὁ δὲ Θεὸς δι' αὐτοῦ ἐδοξάζετο, φίλον ἔδει ποιήσασθαι διὰ τοῦτο: σὺ δὲ τὸν φίλον ἐχθρὸν ποιεῖς, ἐπειδὴ ὁ Θεὸς δοξάζεται διὰ τῆς εὐδοκιμήσεως ἐκείνου. Κἂν μὲν τὸ σῶμά τις θεραπεύσῃ τὸ σὸν κακῶς ἔχον, κἂν ἐχθρὸς ᾖ, τῶν πρώτων αὐτὸν ἡγήσῃ φίλων εἶναι λοιπόν: τὸν δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ σῶμα καλλωπίζοντα, τουτέστι τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ φίλον ὄντα, ἐχθρὸν ἡγῇ; Καὶ πῶς ἂν ἑτέρως τὸν πρὸς τὸν Χριστὸν ἐπεδείξω πόλεμον; Διὰ τοῦτο κἂν σημεῖά τις ποιῇ, κἂν παρθενίαν, κἂν νηστείαν, κἂν χαμευνίαν ἐπιδείξηται, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἀγγέλους διὰ ταύτης τῆς ἀρετῆς φθάσῃ, πάντων ἔσται ἐναγέστερος, τοῦτο ἔχων τὸ ἐλάττωμα, καὶ μοιχοῦ καὶ πόρνου καὶ λῃστοῦ καὶ τυμβωρύχου παρανομώτερος. Ϛʹ. Καὶ ἵνα μή τις ὑπερβολὴν καταγνῷ τοῦ λόγου, ἐκεῖνο ἂν ἡδέως ἐροίμην ὑμᾶς: Εἰ πῦρ καὶ δίκελλάν τις λαβὼν, τοῦτον καθῄρει καὶ ἐνεπίμπρα τὸν οἶκον καὶ τουτὶ κατέσκαπτε τὸ θυσιαστήριον, οὐκ ἂν λίθοις ἕκαστος αὐτὸν ἔβαλλε τῶν παρόντων ὡς ἐναγῆ καὶ παράνομον; Τί οὖν, ἂν τοῦ πυρὸς τούτου δαπανητικωτέραν τις φέρῃ φλόγα, τὴν βασκανίαν λέγω, οὐχὶ λίθων οἰκοδομὰς καθαιροῦσαν, οὐδὲ χρυσοῦν θυσιαστήριον κατασκάπτουσαν, ἀλλὰ τὸ πολὺ καὶ τῶν τοίχων καὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τιμιώτερον, τῶν διδασκάλων τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ἀνατρέπουσαν καὶ λυμαινομένην, ποίας ἂν εἴη συγγνώμης ἄξιος; Μὴ γάρ μοι λεγέτω τις, ὅτι πολλάκις ἐπιχειρήσας οὐκ ἴσχυσεν: ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς γνώμης τὰ πράγματα κρίνεται: ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ Σαοὺλ ἀπέκτεινε τὸν Δαυῒδ, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἐπέτυχεν. Οὐκ ἐννοεῖς, εἰπέ μοι, ὅτι τοῖς προβάτοις ἐπιβουλεύεις τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τῷ ποιμένι πολεμῶν, καὶ τοῖς προβάτοις, ὑπὲρ ὧν καὶ τὸ αἷμα ἐξέχεεν ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ πάντα καὶ ποιεῖν καὶ πάσχειν ἡμᾶς ἐκέλευσεν; οὐκ ἀναμιμνήσκεις σαυτὸν, ὅτι ὁ μὲν Δεσπότης σου τὴν δόξαν τὴν σὴν ἐζήτησε, καὶ οὐχὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ, σὺ δὲ οὐ τὴν τοῦ Δεσπότου ζητεῖς, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ; Καίτοι εἰ τὴν ἐκείνου ἐζήτεις, τότε ἂν καὶ τῆς σῆς ἐπέτυχες: τὴν δὲ σὴν ζητῶν πρὸ τῆς ἐκείνου, οὐδὲ ταύτης ἀπολαύσῃ ποτέ. Τίς οὖν ἔσται θεραπεία τούτου; Κοινῇ πάντες εὐξώμεθα, καὶ μίαν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀνενέγκωμεν φωνὴν, ὡς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐνεργουμένων. Καὶ γὰρ οὗτοι ἀθλιώτερον διάκεινται ἐκείνων, ὅσῳ καὶ προαιρέσεώς ἐστιν ἡ μανία. Εὐχῆς γὰρ δεῖται τὸ νόσημα τοῦτο καὶ πολλῆς τῆς δεήσεως. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ μὴ φιλῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν, ἐὰν χρήματα κενώσῃ, κἂν ἐν μαρτυρίῳ διαλάμψῃ, οὐδὲν ἀνύει πλέον: ὁ καὶ πολεμῶν τῷ μηδὲν ἠδικηκότι ἐννόησον πόσης ἂν εἴη τιμωρίας ἄξιος. Οὗτος καὶ Ἑλλήνων χείρων. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ φιλεῖν τοὺς φιλοῦντας οὐδὲν πλέον ἡμᾶς ἀφίησιν ἐκείνων ἔχειν, ὁ τοῖς φιλοῦσι βασκαίνων ποῦ στήσεται, εἰπέ μοι; Καὶ γὰρ τοῦ πολεμεῖν χεῖρόν ἐστι τὸ βασκαίνειν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πολεμῶν, τῆς αἰτίας λυθείσης δι' ἣν ὁ πόλεμος, καὶ τὴν ἔχθραν κατέλυσεν: ὁ δὲ βάσκανος οὐδέποτε ἂν γένοιτο φίλος. Καὶ ὁ μὲν τὴν μάχην φανερὰν ἐπιδείκνυται, ὁ δὲ συνεσκιασμένην: καὶ ὁ μὲν αἰτίαν πολλάκις ἔχει εἰπεῖν εὔλογον τοῦ πολέμου, ὁ δὲ οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ μανίαν καὶ γνώμην σατανικήν. Τίνι οὖν ἄν τις τὴν τοιαύτην παραβάλοι ψυχήν; ποίᾳ ἐχίδνῃ; ποίᾳ ἀσπίδι; ποίῳ σκώληκι; τίνι κανθάρῳ; Οὔτε γὰρ ἐναγέστερον, οὔτε πονηρότερόν τι τῆς τοιαύτης ψυχῆς. Τοῦτο γὰρ, τοῦτο τὰς Ἐκκλησίας ἀνέτρεψε, τοῦτο τὰς αἱρέσεις ἔτεκε, τοῦτο ἀδελφικὴν ὥπλισε χεῖρα, καὶ αἵματι δικαίου δεξιὰν βαπτισθῆναι ἐποίησε, καὶ νόμους ἀνέσπασε φύσεως, καὶ τῷ θανάτῳ τὰς θύρας ἀνέῳξε, καὶ τὴν ἀρὰν ἐκείνην εἰς ἔργον ἤγαγε, καὶ οὔτε ὠδίνων οὔτε γονέων οὔτε ἄλλου τινὸς ἀναμνησθῆναι τὸν ἄθλιον εἴασεν ἐκεῖνον, ἀλλ' οὕτως αὐτὸν ἐξεβάκχευσε καὶ εἰς τοσοῦτον ἤγαγεν οἶστρον, ὡς καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ παρακαλοῦντος καὶ λέγοντος, Πρὸς σὲ ἡ ἀποστροφὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ σὺ ἄρξεις αὐτοῦ, μηδὲ οὕτως ἐνδοῦναι. Καίτοι γε καὶ τοῦ ἐγκλήματος αὐτὸν ἀφῆκε, καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑπέταξεν: ἀλλ' ὅμως οὕτως ἀνίατον τὸ νόσημα τοῦτο, ὡς καὶ μυρίων φαρμάκων ἐπικειμένων, τὴν οἰκείαν ἀναβλύζειν σηπεδόνα. Τίνος γὰρ ἕνεκεν ἀλγεῖς, ὦ πάντων ἀθλιώτερε σύ; ὅτι ἐτιμήθη ὁ Θεός; Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο γνώμης σατανικῆς. Ἀλλ' ὅτι παρευδοκίμησεν ὁ ἀδελφός; Ἀλλ' ἔξεστι καὶ σοὶ πάλιν αὐτὸν παραδραμεῖν. Ὥστε εἰ βούλει νικῆσαι, μὴ σφάξῃς μηδὲ ἀνέλῃς, ἀλλ' ἄφες μένειν ἵνα τηρῆται τῶν παλαισμάτων ἡ ὑπόθεσις, καὶ νίκησον ζῶντα: οὕτω γάρ σοι λαμπρὸς ὁ στέφανος ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι: νυνὶ δὲ ἀνελὼν, μείζονα κατὰ σαυτοῦ τῆς ἥττης τὴν ψῆφον ἐκφέρεις. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν τούτων ἡ βασκανία οἶδε. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν καὶ δόξης ἐρᾷς ἐν ἐρημίᾳ τοσαύτῃ; οὗτοι γὰρ μόνοι τότε τὴν γῆν ᾤκουν. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦτο αὐτὸν ἐπέσχεν, ἀλλὰ πάντα ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ῥίψας, ἵστατο μετὰ τοῦ διαβόλου καὶ παρετάττετο: καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἦν ὁ στρατηγῶν τότε μετὰ τοῦ Κάϊν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἤρκεσεν αὐτῷ τὸ γενέσθαι θνητὸν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ τῷ τρόπῳ τοῦ θανάτου μείζονα τὴν τραγῳδίαν ἐπεχείρει ποιῆσαι, καὶ ἀνέπειθεν ἀδελφοκτόνον γενέσθαι: ἠπείγετο γὰρ καὶ ὤδινεν ἰδεῖν τὴν ἀπόφασιν εἰς ἔργον ἐκφερομένην ὁ μηδέποτε ἐκ τῶν ἡμετέρων κορεννύμενος κακῶν. Ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις δεσμώτην ἔχων ἐχθρὸν, ἀπόφασιν δεξάμενον ἰδὼν, πρὶν ἢ τὴν πόλιν ἐξελθεῖν, ἐπείγοιτο καὶ ἔνδον σφαττόμενον ἰδεῖν, καὶ μηδὲ τὸν προσήκοντα ἀναμένοι καιρόν: οὕτω δὴ καὶ ὁ διάβολος τότε. Καίτοι γε ἀκούσας, ὅτι εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὤδινέ τι πλέον ἰδεῖν, υἱὸν πρὸ πατρὸς τελευτῶντα, καὶ ἀδελφὸν ἀδελφὸν ἀναιροῦντα, καὶ ἄωρον καὶ βιαίαν σφαγήν. ζʹ. Εἶδες πρὸς πόσα ὑπηρέτησεν ὁ φθόνος; πῶς τὴν ἀκόρεστον τοῦ διαβόλου γνώμην ἐνέπλησε, καὶ τοσαύτην αὐτῷ παρέθηκε τράπεζαν, ὅσην ἰδεῖν ἐπεθύμησεν ἐκεῖνος; Φεύγωμεν τοίνυν τὸ νόσημα. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστι τὸ πῦρ ἐκεῖνο διαφυγεῖν τὸ ἡτοιμασμένον τῷ διαβόλῳ, μὴ ταύτης ἀπαλλαγέντας τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας: ἀπαλλαγησόμεθα δὲ, ἂν ἐννοήσωμεν πῶς τε ἡμᾶς ἠγάπησε, καὶ ἀλλήλους ἐκέλευσεν ἀγαπᾷν ὁ Χριστός. Πῶς οὖν ἡμᾶς ἠγάπησε; Τὸ αἷμα τὸ τίμιον ἔδωκεν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐχθρῶν ὄντων καὶ τὰ μέγιστα ἠδικηκότων. Τοῦτο καὶ σὺ ποίησον ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ: διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο, φησὶν, Ἐντολὴν καινὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν, ἵνα οὕτως ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους, καθὼς ἐγὼ ἠγάπησα ὑμᾶς. Μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ οὕτω τὸ μέτρον ἵσταται: αὐτὸς γὰρ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τοῦτο ἐποίησεν. Ἀλλ' οὐ βούλει τὸ αἷμα δοῦναι τὸ σαυτοῦ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ; Τί οὖν καὶ τὸ ἐκείνου ἐκχέεις, ἐκ διαμέτρου παρακούων τῆς ἐντολῆς; Καίτοι αὐτὸς μὲν ὅπερ ἐποίησεν, οὐκ ἐξ ὀφειλῆς: σὺ δὲ, ἂν ποιῇς, ὀφειλὴν λοιπὸν πληροῖς: ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐκεῖνος ὁ τὰ μύρια τάλαντα λαβὼν, καὶ τὰ ἑκατὸν δηνάρια ἀπαιτῶν, οὐ διὰ τοῦτο ἐκολάζετο μόνον, ὅτι ἀπῄτει, ἀλλ' ὅτι οὐδὲ τῇ εὐεργεσίᾳ γέγονε βελτίων, οὐδὲ ἄρξαντος τοῦ δεσπότου κατηκολούθησε, καὶ τὸ χρέος ἀπέδωκε: καὶ γὰρ χρέος ἦν λοιπὸν τὸ παρὰ τοῦ δούλου γενόμενον, εἴ γε ἐγένετο. Καὶ γὰρ ἅπαντα ἅπερ ποιοῦμεν, ὀφειλὴν πληροῦντες ποιοῦμεν. Διὸ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔλεγεν: Ὅταν πάντα ποιήσητε, λέγετε, ὅτι Ἀχρεῖοι δοῦλοί ἐσμεν: ἃ γὰρ ὠφείλομεν ποιῆσαι, ἐποιήσαμεν. Κἂν ἀγάπην τοίνυν ἐπιδειξώμεθα, κἂν χρήματα δῶμεν τοῖς δεομένοις, ὀφειλὴν πληροῦμεν: οὐχ ὅτι κατῆρξεν αὐτὸς εὐεργεσιῶν μόνον, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ τὰ αὐτοῦ διανέμομεν, ἄν ποτε δῶμεν. Τί τοίνυν ἀποστερεῖς σεαυτὸν ὧν αὐτός σε βούλεται κύριον εἶναι; Διὰ τοῦτο γάρ σοι ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὰ δοῦναι ἑτέρῳ, ἵνα σὺ αὐτὰ ἔχῃς. Ἕως μὲν γὰρ μόνος κατέχεις, οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ἔχεις: ὅταν δὲ ἑτέρῳ δῷς, τότε καὶ αὐτὸς ἔλαβες. Ἆρά τι τούτου τοῦ φίλτρου γένοιτ' ἂν ἴσον; Αὐτὸς ἐξέχεε τὸ αἷμα ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐχθρῶν, ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐδὲ χρήματα ὑπὲρ τοῦ εὐεργέτου: αὐτὸς τὸ αἷμα τὸ ἑαυτοῦ, ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐδὲ χρήματα τὰ οὐχ ἡμῶν: αὐτὸς πρὸ ἡμῶν, ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐδὲ μετ' αὐτόν: αὐτὸς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡμετέρας σωτηρίας, ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐδὲ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡμετέρας ὠφελείας: οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτῷ τι γίνεται πλέον ἐκ τῆς ἡμετέρας φιλανθρωπίας, ἀλλὰ τὸ πᾶν εἰς ἡμᾶς περιίσταται κέρδος. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ κελευόμεθα αὐτὰ δοῦναι, ἵνα μὴ αὐτῶν ἐκπέσωμεν ἡμεῖς. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἰ παιδίῳ τις ἀργύριον δῴη μικρῷ, κελεύει κατέχειν σφοδρῶς, ἢ καὶ τῷ οἰκέτῃ δοῦναι φυλάττειν, ὥστε μὴ ἐξεῖναι ἁρπάσαι τῷ βουλομένῳ: οὕτω δὴ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ποιεῖ. Δὸς γὰρ τῷ δεομένῳ, φησὶν, ἵνα μὴ ἁρπάσῃ τις αὐτὰ ἀπὸ σοῦ, οἷον ἢ συκοφάντης, ἢ διάβολος, ἢ κλέπτης, ἢ μετὰ πάντας ὁ θάνατος. Ἕως μὲν γὰρ ἂν αὐτὸς αὐτὰ κατέχῃς, οὐκ ἀσφαλῶς κατέχεις: ἐὰν δὲ ἐμοὶ αὐτὰ δῷς διὰ τῶν πενήτων, ἐγώ σοι φυλάττω μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἅπαντα, καὶ ἐν καιρῷ τῷ προσήκοντι μετὰ πολλῆς αὐτὰ ἀποκαταστήσω τῆς περιουσίας. Οὐ γὰρ ἵνα ἀφέλωμαι λαμβάνω, ἀλλ' ἵνα πλείονα ποιήσω, ἵνα ἀκριβέστερον φυλάξω, ἵνα κατ' ἐκεῖνόν σοι αὐτὰ τηρήσω τὸν χρόνον, καθ' ὃν οὐδεὶς ὁ δανείζων οὐδὲ ὁ ἐλεῶν ἐστι. Τί οὖν γένοιτ' ἂν ἡμῶν ὠμότερον μετὰ τοιαύτας ὑποσχέσεις μὴ ἀνεχομένων αὐτῷ δανείζειν; Τοιγάρτοι διὰ τοῦτο ἔρημοι καὶ γυμνοὶ καὶ πένητες πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀπερχόμεθα, τὰ πιστευθέντα οὐκ ἔχοντες, ὅτι μὴ τῷ πάντων αὐτὰ ἀκριβέστερον φυλάττοντι παρακατατιθέμεθα. Διὸ καὶ τὴν ἐσχάτην δώσομεν δίκην. Τί γὰρ καὶ ἐγκαλούμενοι δυνησόμεθα εἰπεῖν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀπωλείας ἑαυτῶν; ποίαν πρόφασιν προβαλέσθαι; τίνα ἀπολογίαν; Τίνος γὰρ ἕνεκεν οὐκ ἔδωκας; ἀπιστεῖς, ὅτι λήψῃ πάλιν; Καὶ πῶς ἂν ἔχοι τοῦτο λόγον; ὁ γὰρ τῷ μὴ δεδωκότι δοὺς, πῶς οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον μετὰ τὸ λαβεῖν δώσει; Ἀλλὰ τέρπει σε αὐτῶν ἡ ὄψις; Οὐκοῦν πολλῷ μᾶλλον διὰ τοῦτο δὸς, ἵνα ἐκεῖσε τέρψῃ μειζόνως, ὅτε οὐδεὶς αὐτὰ ἀφαιρήσεται: ὡς νῦν γε κατέχων καὶ μυρία πείσῃ δεινά. Καθάπερ γὰρ κύων, οὕτως ἐνάλλεται τοῖς πλουτοῦσιν ὁ διάβολος, ὥσπερ ψωμὸν ἢ πλακοῦντα παιδίου κατέχοντος ἀποσπάσαι θέλων. Δῶμεν τοίνυν αὐτὰ τῷ Πατρί. Κἂν ἴδῃ τοῦτο ὁ διάβολος γενόμενον, ἀναχωρήσει πάντως: ἀναχωρήσαντος δὲ ἐκείνου, τότε σοὶ μετὰ ἀσφαλείας αὐτὰ ὁ πατὴρ δώσει πάντα, ὅταν μὴ δύνηται ἐνοχλεῖν ἐκεῖνος κατὰ τὸν αἰῶνα τὸν μέλλοντα. Ὡς νῦν γε τῶν μικρῶν παιδίων τῶν ὑπὸ κυνιδίων ἐνοχλουμένων οὐδὲν διαφέρουσιν οἱ πλουτοῦντες, πάντων ὑλακτούντων περὶ αὐτοὺς, σπαραττόντων, ἑλκόντων οὐκ ἀνθρώπων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ παθῶν ἀνελευθέρων, γαστριμαργίας, μέθης, κολακείας, ἀσελγείας ἁπάσης. Κἂν μὲν δανείζειν δέῃ, τοὺς πολὺ διδόντας περιεργαζόμεθα, καὶ τοὺς εὐγνώμονας περισκοποῦμεν: ἐνταῦθα δὲ τοὐναντίον ποιοῦμεν: τὸν μὲν εὐγνωμονοῦντα Θεὸν καὶ οὐχὶ ἑκατοστὴν, ἀλλὰ ἑκατονταπλασίονα παρέχοντα ἀφίεμεν, τοὺς δὲ οὐκ ἀποδώσοντας ἡμῖν οὐδὲ τὸ κεφάλαιον, τούτους ἐπιζητοῦμεν. ηʹ. Τί γὰρ ἡμῖν ἡ γαστὴρ ἀποδώσει τὰ πλείονα καταναλίσκουσα; Κόπρον καὶ φθοράν. Τί δὲ ἡ κενοδοξία; Φθόνον καὶ βασκανίαν. Τί δὲ ἡ φειδωλία; Φροντίδα καὶ μέριμναν. Τί δὲ ἡ ἀσέλγεια; Γέενναν καὶ σκώληκα ἰοβόλον. Οὗτοι γὰρ τῶν πλουτούντων οἱ χρεῶσται, τούτους τοῦ κεφαλαίου τοὺς τόκους καταβάλλοντες, τὰ ἐνταῦθα κακὰ καὶ τὰ προσδοκώμενα δεινά. Τούτοις οὖν, εἰπέ μοι, δανείσομεν ἐπὶ τοσαύτῃ κολάσει, καὶ οὐ πιστεύσομεν αὐτὰ τῷ Χριστῷ τῷ τὸν οὐρανὸν προτείνοντι, τὴν ζωὴν τὴν ἀθάνατον, τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα ἀγαθά; καὶ ποίαν ἕξομεν ἀπολογίαν; Τίνος γὰρ ἕνεκεν οὐ δίδως τῷ καὶ δώσοντι πάντως, καὶ πλείονα δώσοντι; Τάχα, ὅτι διὰ πολλοῦ δίδωσι χρόνου; Καίτοι γε καὶ ἐνταῦθα δίδωσιν: ἀψευδὴς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ λέγων, Ζητεῖτε τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν. Εἶδες φιλοτιμίας ὑπερβολήν; Ἐκεῖνά σοι, φησὶ, τετήρηνται καὶ οὐ μειοῦνται, ταῦτα δὲ τὰ ἐνταῦθα ἐν τάξει προσθήκης καὶ περιουσίας δίδωμι. Χωρὶς δὲ τούτων καὶ τὸ διὰ μακροῦ λαβεῖν τοῦ χρόνου πλεονάζει σοι τὸν πλοῦτον: ὁ γὰρ τόκος γίνεται πλείων. Καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν δανειζομένων τοῦτο ὁρῶμεν τοὺς δανειστὰς ποιοῦντας προθυμότερον τοῖς μετὰ πολὺν καταβάλλουσι χρόνον δανείζοντας. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ εὐθέως τὸ πᾶν ἀποδοὺς ἐνέκοψε τοῦ τόκου τὸν δρόμον: ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ πλείονα κατασχὼν χρόνον, καὶ τὴν ἐργασίαν πλείω πεποίηκεν Εἶτα ἐπὶ ἀνθρώπων μὲν οὐ δυσχεραίνομεν τὴν ἀναβολὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ σοφιζόμεθα αὐτὴν πλείω γενέσθαι, ἐπὶ Θεοῦ δὲ οὕτω μικροψύχως διακεισόμεθα, ὡς διὰ τοῦτο ὀκνεῖν καὶ ἀναδύεσθαι; καίτοι γε, ὅπερ ἔφην, καὶ ἐνταῦθα δίδωσι, καὶ μετὰ τῆς εἰρημένης αἰτίας καὶ ἕτερόν τι μεῖζον οἰκονομῶν ἐκεῖ ταμιεύεται τὸ πᾶν. Τὸ γὰρ μέγεθος τῶν διδομένων, καὶ τὸ κάλλος τῆς δωρεᾶς ἐκείνης ὑπερβαίνει τῆς παρούσης ζωῆς τὴν εὐτέλειαν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ δυνατὸν ἐν σώματι φθαρτῷ καὶ ἐπικήρῳ τοὺς ἀμαράντους ἐκείνους δέξασθαι στεφάνους, οὐδὲ ἐν τῇ παρούσῃ διαγωγῇ, καὶ θορυβώδει καὶ ταραχῆς γεμούσῃ καὶ πολλὰς ἐχούσῃ τροπὰς, τὴν ἀκίνητον ἐκείνην καὶ ἀτάρακτον λῆξιν καταλαβεῖν. Σὺ δὲ, εἰ μέν τίς σοι χρυσίον ὀφείλων ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ διατρίβοντι γῇ, καὶ οὔτε οἰκέτας ἔχοντι, οὔτε δυναμένῳ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν μετακομίσαι, δώσειν ἐπηγγέλλετο τὸ δάνεισμα, μυρία ἂν παρεκάλεσας, ὥστε μὴ ἐπὶ τῆς ξένης, ἀλλ' οἴκοι μᾶλλον αὐτὰ καταβαλεῖν: τὰ δὲ πνευματικὰ ἐκεῖνα καὶ ἀπόῤῥητα ἐνταῦθα ἀξιοῖς λαβεῖν; καὶ πόσης ταῦτα ἀνοίας; Ἂν μὲν γὰρ ἐνταῦθα λάβῃς, φθαρτὰ λήψῃ πάντως: ἂν δὲ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν ἀναμείνῃς, ἄφθαρτα ἀποδώσει σοι καὶ ἀκήρατα: ἂν ἐνταῦθα λάβῃς, μόλιβδον ἔλαβες: ἂν δὲ ἐκεῖ, χρυσὸν δόκιμον. Πλὴν οὐδὲ τῶν ἐνταῦθά σε ἀπεστέρησε. Μετὰ γὰρ ἐκείνης τῆς ὑποσχέσεως καὶ ἑτέραν τέθεικεν οὕτω λέγων, ὅτι Πᾶς ὁ τῶν ἐκεῖ πραγμάτων ἐρῶν, ἑκατονταπλασίονα λήψεται ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, καὶ ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσει. Εἰ δὲ οὐ λαμβάνομεν ἑκατονταπλασίονα, ἡμεῖς αἴτιοι μὴ δανείζοντες τῷ δυναμένῳ τοσοῦτον δοῦναι: ἐπεὶ οἵ τε δόντες ἅπαντες τοσαῦτα ἔλαβον, καίτοι γε ὀλίγα δόντες. Τί γὰρ μέγα ἔδωκεν ὁ Πέτρος, εἰπέ μοι; οὐχὶ δίκτυον διεῤῥωγὸς καὶ κάλαμον καὶ ἄγκιστρον μόνον; Ἀλλ' ὅμως αὐτῷ τὰς οἰκίας τῆς οἰκουμένης ἀνέῳξεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ γῆν καὶ θάλατταν ἥπλωσε, καὶ πάντες αὐτὸν εἰς τὰ αὑτῶν ἐκάλουν: μᾶλλον δὲ τὰ αὑτῶν πωλοῦντες πρὸς τοὺς ἐκείνου ἔφερον πόδας, οὐδὲ εἰς χεῖρας ἐμβάλλοντες (οὐ γὰρ ἐτόλμων), τοσαύτην μετὰ τῆς δαψιλείας καὶ τὴν τιμὴν αὐτῷ ἀπονέμοντες. Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνος Πέτρος ἦν, φησί. Καὶ τί τοῦτο, ἄνθρωπε; οὐδὲ γὰρ Πέτρῳ ἐπηγγείλατο ταῦτα μόνον, οὐδὲ εἶπε, Σὺ δὲ, ὦ Πέτρε, ἑκατονταπλασίονα λήψῃ μόνος, ἀλλὰ, Πᾶς ὅστις ἀφῆκεν οἰκίαν ἢ ἀδελφοὺς, ἑκατονταπλασίονα λήψεται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ προσώπων οἶδε διαφορὰν, ἀλλὰ πραγμάτων κατορθώματα. Ἀλλὰ παιδίων με χορὸς περιέστηκε, φησὶ, καὶ ἐπιθυμῶ πλουτοῦντας αὐτοὺς καταλιπεῖν. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν πένητας αὐτοὺς ποιοῦμεν; Ἂν μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῖς τὰ πάντα ἀφῇς, πάλιν ἐπισφαλεῖ φυλακῇ τὰ σὰ πάντα ἐπέτρεψας: ἂν δὲ τὸν Θεὸν αὐτοῖς καταλίπῃς συγκληρονόμον καὶ ἐπίτροπον, θησαυροὺς μυρίους κατέλιπες, Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὅταν ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδικῶμεν, ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῖν οὐκ ἀμύνει, ὅταν δὲ αὐτῷ παραχωρῶμεν, πλεῖον ἢ προσδοκῶμεν γίνεται: οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν χρημάτων, ἂν ἡμεῖς αὐτὰ μεριμνῶμεν, ἐκεῖνος ἀποστήσεται τῆς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν προνοίας: ἂν δὲ αὐτῷ τὸ πᾶν ἐπιῤῥίψωμεν, καὶ αὐτὰ καὶ τοὺς παῖδας ἐν πάσῃ καταστήσει τῇ ἀσφαλείᾳ. Καὶ τί θαυμάζεις, εἰ ἐπὶ Θεοῦ τοῦτο γίνεται; καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ ἀνθρώπων τοῦτο συμβαῖνον ἴδοι τις ἄν. Ἂν μὲν γὰρ μηδένα παρακαλέσῃς τῶν προσηκόντων τελευτῶν ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν παίδων πρόνοιαν, αἰσχύνεται καὶ ἐρυθριᾷ πολλάκις καὶ ὁ σφόδρα βουλόμενος αὐτομάτως ἐπιπηδῆσαι τούτῳ: ἂν δὲ ῥίψῃς ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὴν φροντίδα, ἅτε τιμηθεὶς μεγίστῃ τιμῇ, μεγίστην καὶ αὐτὸς ἀποδώσει τὴν ἀμοιβήν. θʹ. Εἰ τοίνυν βούλει καταλιπεῖν πλοῦτον τοῖς παιδίοις σου πολὺν, κατάλιπε τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν πρόνοιαν. Ὁ γὰρ, μηδὲν σοῦ ποιήσαντος, καὶ ψυχὴν δοὺς καὶ σῶμα διαπλάσας καὶ ζωὴν χαρισάμενος, ὅταν ἴδῃ τοσαύτην ἐπιδεικνύμενον φιλοτιμίαν, καὶ τὰ ἐκείνων αὐτῷ διανέμοντα μετ' ἐκείνων, πῶς οὐ πάντα αὐτοῖς ἀνοίξει πλοῦτον; Εἰ γὰρ Ἠλίας ὀλίγῳ τραφεὶς ἀλεύρῳ, ἐπειδὴ εἶδε τὴν γυναῖκα ἐκείνην τῶν παιδίων αὐτὸν προτιμήσασαν, ἅλωνας καὶ ληνοὺς ἐπὶ τοῦ δωματίου τῆς χήρας ἔδειξεν: ἐννόησον ὁ τοῦ Ἠλία Δεσπότης πόσην ἐπιδείξεται φιλοφροσύνην. Μὴ τοίνυν τοῦτο σκοπῶμεν, ὅπως πλουσίους καταλίπωμεν τοὺς παῖδας, ἀλλ' ὅπως ἐναρέτους. Ἂν μὲν γὰρ τῷ πλούτῳ θαῤῥῶσιν, οὐδενὸς ἐπιμελήσονται ἄλλου, ὡς ἔχοντες συσκιάσαι τὴν τῶν τρόπων κακίαν ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν χρημάτων περιουσίας: ἂν δὲ ἴδωσιν ἑαυτοὺς τῆς ἐκεῖθεν παραμυθίας ὄντας ἐρήμους, πάντα ἐργάσονται ὥστε διὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς πολλὴν τῇ πενίᾳ τὴν παραμυθίαν εὑρέσθαι. Μὴ τοίνυν καταλίπῃς πλοῦτον, ἵνα καταλίπῃς ἀρετήν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐσχάτης ἀλογίας ζῶντας μὲν μὴ ποιεῖν κυρίους αὐτοὺς ἁπάντων τῶν ὄντων, τελευτήσαντας δὲ πολλὴν τῇ τῆς νεότητος εὐκολίᾳ παρέχειν τὴν ἄδειαν. Καίτοι γε ζῶντες μὲν δυνησόμεθα καὶ εὐθύνας ἀπαιτεῖν, καὶ κακῶς τοῖς οὖσι κεχρημένους σωφρονίζειν καὶ χαλινοῦν: τελευτήσαντες δὲ ἂν μετὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐρημίας καὶ τῆς νεότητος καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ πλούτου παράσχωμεν ἐξουσίαν, εἰς μυρίους ὠθήσομεν κρημνοὺς τοὺς ἀθλίους καὶ ταλαιπώρους ἐκείνους, πῦρ ἐπεμβάλλοντες πυρὶ, καὶ ἔλαιον ἐπιστάζοντες καμίνῳ χαλεπῇ. Ὥστε, εἰ βούλει μετὰ ἀσφαλείας καταλιπεῖν πλουσίους, κατάλιπε τὸν Θεὸν ὀφειλέτην αὐτοῖς, καὶ αὐτῷ ἐγχείρισον τὸ γραμματεῖον αὐτῶν. Αὐτοὶ μὲν γὰρ τὰ χρήματα ἂν λάβωσιν, οὐδὲ ὅτῳ δώσουσιν ἴσασιν, ἀλλὰ πολλοῖς περιτεύξονται καὶ συκοφάνταις καὶ ἀγνώμοσιν: ἂν δὲ σὺ προλαβὼν αὐτὰ τῷ Θεῷ δανείσῃς, ἄσυλος μένει λοιπὸν ὁ θησαυρὸς, καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς ἔσται τῆς εὐκολίας ἡ ἀπόδοσις. Καὶ γὰρ χάριν ἔχει καὶ ὃ ὀφείλει καταβάλλων ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τοὺς δανειστὰς τοὺς αὑτοῦ καὶ τῶν οὐ δεδανεικότων ἥδιον ὁρᾷ, καὶ οἷς μάλιστα ὀφείλει, τούτους μάλιστα φιλεῖ. Ὥστε εἰ βούλει φίλον αὐτὸν ἔχειν διηνεκῶς, πολλῶν αὐτὸν κατάστησον χρεώστην. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὕτω χαίρει δανειστὴς ὀφειλέτας ἔχων, ὡς ὁ Χριστὸς εὐφραίνεται δανειστὰς ἔχων: καὶ οἷς μὲν μηδὲν ὀφείλει, τούτους καὶ ἀποφεύγει, οἷς δὲ ὀφείλει, τούτοις καὶ ἐπιτρέχει. Πάντα τοίνυν ποιῶμεν, ὥστε αὐτὸν χρεώστην ἔχειν: ὁ γὰρ καιρὸς οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τῶν δανεισμάτων, καὶ νῦν ἐν χρείᾳ καθέστηκεν. Ἂν τοίνυν μὴ δῷς αὐτῷ νῦν, οὐ δεήσεταί σου μετὰ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίαν. Ἐνταῦθα γὰρ διψῇ, ἐνταῦθα πεινᾷ: διψῇ δὲ, ἐπειδὴ τὴν σὴν διψῇ σωτηρίαν: διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ προσαιτεῖ, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ γυμνὸς περιέρχεται, πραγματευόμενός σοι ζωὴν ἀθάνατον. Μὴ τοίνυν αὐτὸν περιίδῃς: οὐ γὰρ τραφῆναι βούλεται, ἀλλὰ θρέψαι, οὐκ ἐνδυθῆναι, ἀλλ' ἐνδῦσαι καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον ἐκεῖνό σοι κατασκευάσαι τὸ χρυσοῦν, τὴν στολὴν τὴν βασιλικήν. Οὐχ ὁρᾷς καὶ τῶν ἰατρῶν τοὺς κηδεμονικωτέρους, ὅταν τοὺς κάμνοντας λούωσιν, ὅτι καὶ αὐτοὶ λούονται, καίτοι μὴ δεόμενοι; Οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς διὰ σὲ τὸν κάμνοντα πάντα ποιεῖ. Διὰ τοῦτό σε οὐδὲ μετὰ βίας ἀπαιτεῖ, ἵνα πολλήν σοι δῷ τὴν ἀμοιβήν: ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι οὐ χρείαν ἔχων ἀπαιτεῖ, ἀλλὰ τὴν σὴν διορθούμενος χρείαν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐν εὐτελεῖ σχήματί σοι προσέρχεται, καὶ τὴν δεξιὰν ἐκτείνων: κἂν ὀβολὸν δῷς, οὐκ ἀποστρέφεται, κἂν ἀτιμάσῃς, οὐκ ἀφίσταται, ἀλλὰ πάλιν σοι πρόσεισιν: ἐρᾷ γὰρ σφόδρα, ἐρᾷ τῆς σωτηρίας τῆς ἡμετέρας. Καταφρονήσωμεν τοίνυν τῶν χρημάτων, ἵνα μὴ καταφρονηθῶμεν ὑπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ: καταφρονήσωμεν τῶν χρημάτων, ἵνα καὶ αὐτῶν ἐπιτύχωμεν τῶν χρημάτων. Ἂν μὲν γὰρ αὐτὰ φυλάσσωμεν ἐνταῦθα, ἀπολοῦμεν αὐτὰ πάντως καὶ ἐνταῦθα καὶ ἐκεῖ: ἂν δὲ διανείμωμεν αὐτὰ μετὰ δαψιλείας πολλῆς, ἐν ἑκατέρᾳ τῇ ζωῇ πολλῆς ἀπολαυσόμεθα τῆς εὐπορίας. Ὁ τοίνυν βουλόμενος γενέσθαι πλούσιος, γενέσθω πένης, ἵνα γένηται πλούσιος: ἀναλισκέτω, ἵνα συλλέξῃ: σκορπιζέτω, ἵνα συναγάγῃ. Εἰ δὲ καινὰ ταῦτα καὶ παράδοξα, τὸν σπείροντα σκόπει, καὶ λογίζου ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνος δυνήσεται ἑτέρως πλείω συναγαγεῖν, ἂν μὴ τὰ ὄντα σκορπίσῃ καὶ τὰ ἕτοιμα πρόηται. Σπείρωμεν τοίνυν καὶ ἡμεῖς, καὶ γεωργήσωμεν τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἵνα μετὰ πολλῆς ἀμήσωμεν τῆς δαψιλείας, καὶ τῶν αἰωνίων ἐπιτύχωμεν ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.