Homily VIII.

Philippians ii. 12–16

“So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ.”

The admonitions which we give ought to be accompanied with commendations; for thus they become even welcome, when we refer those whom we admonish to that measure of zeal which they have themselves exhibited; as Paul, for instance, did here; and observe with what singular discretion; “So then, my beloved,” he says; he did not say simply “be obedient,” not until he had first commended them in these words, “even as ye have always obeyed”; i.e. “it is not other men, but your own selves, whom I bid you take example by.” “Not as in my presence only, but much more in my absence.” And why, “much more in my absence”? “Ye seemed perhaps at that time to be doing everything out of respect to me, and from a principle of shame, but that is no longer so; if then ye make it evident that ye now strive more earnestly, it is also made evident that neither then was it done out of consideration to me, but for God’s sake.” Tell me, what wouldest thou? “not that ye give heed to me, but that ye ‘work out your own salvation with fear and trembling’”; for it is impossible for one, who lives devoid of fear, to set forth any high or commanding example; and he said not merely “with fear,” but “and with trembling,” which is an excessive degree of fear. Such fear had Paul: and therefore he said, I fear “lest having preached to others, I myself should be rejected.” (1 Cor. ix. 27.) For if without the aid of fear temporal things can never be achieved, how much less spiritual matters; for I desire to know, who ever learnt his letters without fear? who has become a proficient in any art, without fear? But if, when the devil does not lie in the way, where indolence is the only obstacle, so much of fear is necessary merely in order that we may master that indolence which is natural to us; where there is so fierce a war, so great hindrances, how can we by any possibility be saved without fear?

And how may this fear be produced? If we but consider that God is everywhere present, heareth all things, seeth all things, not only whatsoever is done and said, but also all that is in the heart, and in the depth of the soul, for He is “quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. iv. 12.), if we so dispose ourselves, we shall not do or say or imagine aught that is evil. Tell me, if thou hadst to stand constantly near the person of a ruler, wouldest not thou stand there with fear? and how standing in God’s presence, dost thou laugh and throw thyself back, and not conceive fear and dread? Let it never be that thou despisest His patient endurance, for it is to bring thee to repentance that He is longsuffering. Whenever thou eatest, consider that God is present, for He is present; whenever thou art preparing to sleep, or giving way to passion, if thou art robbing another, or indulging in luxury, or whatever thou art about, thou wilt never fall into laughter, never be inflamed with rage. If this be thy thought continually, thou wilt continually be in “fear and trembling,” forasmuch as thou art standing beside the King. The architect, though he be experienced, though he be perfectly master of his art, yet stands with “fear and trembling,” lest he fall down from the building. Thou too hast believed, thou hast performed many good deeds, thou hast mounted high: secure thyself, be in fear as thou standest, and keep a wary eye, lest thou fall thence. For manifold are the spiritual sorts of wickedness which aim to cast thee down. (Eph. vi. 12.) “Serve the Lord with fear,” he says, “and rejoice unto Him with trembling.” (Ps. ii. 11.) And how is rejoicing compatible with “trembling”? Yet this, be assured, is the only rejoicing; for when we perform some good work, and such as beseemeth those who do anything “with trembling,” then only do we rejoice. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”: he says not “work,” but “work out,” i.e. with much earnestness, with much diligence; but as he had said, “with fear and trembling,” see how he relieves their anxiety: for what does he say? “It is God that worketh in you.” Fear not because I said, “with fear and trembling.” I said it not with this view, that thou shouldest give up in despair, that thou shouldest suppose virtue to be somewhat difficult to be attained, but that thou mightest be led to follow after it, and not spend thyself in vain pursuits; if this be the case, God will work all things. Do thou be bold; “for it is God that worketh in you.” If then He worketh, it is our part to bring a mind ever resolute, clenched and unrelaxed. “For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to work.” “If He does Himself work in us to will, how dost thou exhort us? for if He works Himself even the will, the words, which you speak to us, have no meaning, ‘that ye have obeyed’; for we have not ‘obeyed’; it is without meaning that thou sayest, ‘with fear and trembling’; for the whole is of God.” It was not for this that I said to you, “for it is He that worketh in you both to will and to work,” but my object was to relieve your anxiety. If thou wilt, in that case He will “work in thee to will.” Be not affrighted, thou art not worsted; both the hearty desire and the accomplishment are a gift from Him: for where we have the will, thenceforward He will increase our will. For instance, I desire to do some good work: He has wrought the good work itself, and by means of it He has wrought also the will. Or he says this in the excess of his piety, as when he declares that our well-doings are gifts of grace.

As then, when he calls these gifts, he does not put us out of the pale of free will, but accords to us free will, so when he says, “to work in us to will,” he does not deprive us of free will, but he shows that by actually doing right we greatly increase our heartiness in willing. For as doing comes of doing, so of not doing comes not doing. Hast thou given an alms? thou art the more incited to give. Hast thou refused to give? thou art become so much the more disinclined. Hast thou practiced temperance for one day? Thou hast an incitement for the next likewise. Hast thou indulged to excess? Thou hast increased the inclination to self-indulgence. “When a wicked man cometh into the depth of vice, then he despises.” (Prov. xviii. 3.) As, then, when a man cometh into the depth of iniquity, he turns a despiser; so when he cometh into the depth of goodness, he quickens his exertions. For as the one runs riot in despair, so the second, under a sense of the multitude of good things, exerts himself the more, fearing lest he should lose the whole. “For His good pleasure,” he says, that is, “for love’s sake,” for the sake of pleasing Him; to the end that what is acceptable to Him may take place; that things may take place according to His will. Here he shows, and makes it a ground of confidence, that He is sure to work in us, for it is His will that we live as He desires we should, and if He desires it, He Himself both worketh in us to this end,126    This clause, πρὸς δὲ τοῦτο αὐτὸς ἐνεργεῖ, is difficult. Old. Lat. seems to have used ἐνάγει, making the sense, “and thus far Himself instructs us.” and will certainly accomplish it; for it is His will that we live aright. Seest thou, how he does not deprive us of free will?

“Do all things without murmurings and disputings.” The devil, when he finds that he has no power to withdraw us from doing right, wishes to spoil our reward by other means. For he has taken occasion to insinuate pride or vainglory, or if none of these things, then murmuring, or, if not this, misgivings. Now then see how Paul sweeps away all these. He said on the subject of humility all that he did say, to overthrow pride; he spoke of vainglory, that is, “not as in my presence only”; he here speaks of “murmuring and disputing.” But why, I want to know, when in the case of the Corinthians he was engaged in uprooting this evil tendency, did he remind them of the Israelites, but here has said nothing of the sort, but simply charged them? Because in that case the mischief was already done, for which reason there was need of a more severe stroke and a sharper rebuke; but here he is giving admonitions to prevent its being done. Severe measures then were not called for in order to secure those that had not yet been guilty; as in leading them to humility he did not subjoin the instance in the Gospel, wherein the proud were punished, but laid the charge as from God’s lips (Luke xvi. 23? xviii. 14?.); and he addresses them as free, as children of pure birth, not as servants; for in the practice of virtue a rightminded and generous person is influenced by those who do well, but one of bad principles by those who do not do well; the one by the consideration of honor, the other of punishment. Wherefore also writing to the Hebrews, he said, bringing forward the example of Esau, “Who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright” (Heb. xii. 16.); and again, “if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him.” (Heb. x. 38.) And among the Corinthians were many who had been guilty of fornication. Therefore he said, “Lest when I come again my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many that have sinned heretofore, and repented not of the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness which they committed. (2 Cor. xii. 21.) That ye may be blameless,” says he, “and harmless”; i.e. irreproachable, unsullied; for murmuring occasions no slight stain. And what means “without disputing”? Is it good, or not good? Do not dispute, he says, though it be trouble, or labor, or any thing else whatever. He did not say, “that ye be not punished,” for punishment is reserved for the thing; and this he made evident in the Epistle to the Corinthians; but here he said nothing of the sort; but he says, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life, that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ.” Observest thou that he is instructing these not to murmur? So that murmuring is left for unprincipled and graceless slaves. For tell me, what manner of son is that, who murmurs at the very time that he is employed in the affairs of his father, and is working for his own benefit? Consider, he says, that you are laboring for yourself, that it is for yourself that you are laying up; it is for those to murmur, when others profit by their labors, others reap the fruit, while they bear the burden; but he that is gathering for himself, why should he murmur? Because his wealth does not increase? But it is not so. Why does he murmur who acts of free-will, and not by constraint? It is better to do nothing than to do it with murmuring, for even the very thing itself is spoilt. And do you not remark that in our own families we are continually saying this; “it were better for these things never to be done, than to have them done with murmuring”? and we had often rather be deprived of the services some one owes us, than submit to the inconvenience of his murmuring. For murmuring is intolerable, most intolerable; it borders upon blasphemy. Otherwise why had those men to pay a penalty so severe? It is a proof of ingratitude; the murmurer is ungrateful to God, but whoso is ungrateful to God does thereby become a blasphemer. Now there were at that time, if ever, uninterrupted troubles, and dangers without cessation: there was no pause, no remission: innumerable were the horrors, which pressed upon them from all quarters; but now we have profound peace, a perfect calm.

Wherefore then murmur? Because thou art poor? Yet think of Job. Or because sickness is thy lot? What then if, with the consciousness of as many excellencies and as high attainments as that holy man, thou hadst been so afflicted? Again reflect on him, how that for a long time he never ceased to breed worms, sitting upon a dunghill and scraping his sores; for the account says that “(after a long time had passed,) then said his wife unto him, How long wilt thou persist, saying, Yet a little while I bide in expectation? Speak some word against the Lord, and die.”127    [The Sept. uses this vague euphemism in place of “curse God.” The Oxford tr. omits the clause.—J.A.B.] (Job ii. 9, LXX.) But your child is dead? What then if thou hadst lost all thy children, and that by an evil fate, as he did? For ye know, ye know well, that it is no slight alleviation to take our place beside the sick man, to close the mouth, to shut the eyes, to stroke the beard, to hear the last accents; but that just man was vouchsafed none of these consolations, they all being overwhelmed at once. And what do I say? Hadst thou, thine own self, been bidden to slay and offer up thine own son, and to see the body consumed, like that blessed Patriarch, what then wouldst thou have felt whilst erecting the altar, laying on the wood, binding the child? But there are some who revile thee? What then would be thy feelings did thy friends, come to administer consolation to thee, speak like Job’s? For, as it is, innumerable are our sins, and we deserve to be reproached; but in that case he who was true, just, godly, who kept himself from every evil deed, heard the contrary of those laid to his charge by his friends. What then, tell me, if thou hadst heard thy wife exclaiming in accents of reproach; “I am a vagabond and a servant, wandering from place to place, and from house to house, waiting until the sun goes down, that I may rest from the woes that encompass me.” (Job ii. 9, LXX.) Why dost thou speak so, O foolish woman? for is thine husband to blame for these things? Nay, but the devil. “Speak a word against God,” she says, “and die”;—and if thereupon the stricken man had cursed and died, how wouldest thou be the better?—No disease you can name is worse than that of his, though you name ten thousand. It was so grievous, that he could no longer be in the house and under cover; such, that all men gave him up. For if he had not been irrecoverably gone, he would never have taken his seat without the city, a more pitiable object than those afflicted with leprosy; for these are both admitted into houses, and they do herd together; but he passing the night in the open air, was naked upon a dunghill, and could not even bear a garment upon his body. How so? Perhaps there would only have been an addition to his pangs. For “I melt the clods of the earth,” he says, “while I scrape off my sore.”128    Eng. Vers. “My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust.” (Job vii. 5, LXX.) His flesh bred sores and worms in him, and that continually. Seest thou how each one of us sickens at the hearing of these things? but if they are intolerable to hear, is the sight of them more tolerable? and if the sight of them is intolerable, how much more intolerable to undergo them? And yet that righteous man did undergo them, not for two or three days, but for a long while, and he did not sin, not even with his lips. What disease can you describe to me like this, so exquisitely painful? for was not this worse than blindness? “I look on my food,” he says, “as a fetid mass.” (Job vi. 7.) And not only this, but that which affords cessation to others, night and sleep, brought no alleviation to him, nay, were worse than any torture. Hear his words: “Why dost thou scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions? If it be morning, I say, When will it be evening?” (Job vii. 14, 4.), and he murmured not. And there was not only this; but reputation in the eyes of the world was added; for they forthwith concluded him to be guilty of endless crimes, judging from all that he suffered. And accordingly this is the consideration, which his friends urged upon him; “Know therefore that God exacteth less of thee than thine iniquities deserve.” (Job xi. 6.) Wherefore he himself said, “But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.” (Job xxx. 1.) And was not this worse than many deaths? Yet though assaulted on all sides by a flood like this, when there raged around him a fearful storm, clouds, rain, lightnings, whirling winds, and waterspouts, he remained himself unmoved, seated as it were in the midst of this surge, thus awful and overwhelming, as in a perfect calm, and no murmur escaped him; and this before the gift of grace, before that aught was declared concerning a resurrection, before aught concerning hell and punishment and vengeance. Yet we, who hear both Prophets and Apostles and Evangelists speaking to us, and have innumerable examples set before us, and have been taught the tidings of a Resurrection, yet harbor discontent, though no man can say that such a fate as this has been his own. For if one has lost money, yet not all that great number of sons and daughters, or if he has, perchance it was that he had sinned; but for him, he lost them suddenly, in the midst of his sacrifices, in the midst of the service which he was rendering to God. And if any man has at one blow lost property to the same amount, which can never be, yet he has not had the further affliction of a sore all over his body, he has not scraped the humors that covered him; or if this likewise has been his fate, yet he has not had men to upbraid and reproach him, which is above all things calculated to wound the feelings, more than the calamities we suffer. For if when we have persons to cheer and console us in our misfortunes, and to hold out to us fair prospects, we yet despond, consider what it was to have men upbraiding him. If the words, “I looked for some to have pity, but there was no man, and for comforters, but I found none” (Ps. lxix. 20.), describe intolerable misery, how great an aggravation to find revilers instead of comforters! “Miserable comforters are ye all” (Job xvi. 2.), he says. If we did but revolve these subjects continually in our minds, if we well weighed them, no ills of this present time could ever have force to disturb our peace, when we turned our eyes to that athlete, that soul of adamant, that spirit impenetrable as brass. For as though he had borne about him a body of brass or stone, he met all events with a noble and constant spirit.

Taking these things to heart, let us do everything “without murmuring and disputing.” Is it some good work that thou hast before thee, and dost thou murmur? wherefore? art thou then forced? for that there are many about you who force you to murmur, I know well, says he. This he intimated by saying, “in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation”; but it is this that deserves admiration, that we admit no such feeling when under galling provocation. For the stars too give light in the night, they shine in the dark, and receive no blemish to their own beauty, yea they even shine the brighter; but when light returns, they no longer shine so. Thus thou too dost appear with the greater lustre, whilst thou holdest straight in the midst of the crooked. This it is which deserves our admiration, the being “blameless”; for that they might not urge this plea,129    Viz. that they were forced. he himself set it down by anticipation. What means “holding fast the word of life”? i.e. “being destined to live, being of those that are gaining salvation.”130    σωζομένων. Observe how immediately he subjoins the rewards, which are in reserve. Lights [i.e. luminaries], he says, retain the principle of light; so do ye the principle131    [The term λόγος, “word,” Chrys. here fancifully takes in the sense of ground, reason, principle, and so quite misinterprets the clause. See Meyer.—J.A.B.] of life. What means “the word of life”? Having the seed of life, i.e. having pledges of life, holding life itself, i.e. “having in yourselves the seed of life,” this is what he calls “the word of life.” Consequently the rest are all dead, for by these words he signified as much; for otherwise those others likewise would have held “the word of life.” “That I may have whereof to glory,” he says; what is this? I too participate in your good deeds, he says. So great is your virtue, as not only to save yourselves, but to render me illustrious. Strange kind of “boasting,” thou blessed Paul! Thou art scourged, driven about, reviled for our sakes: therefore he adds, “in the day of Christ, that I did not run,” he says, “in vain, nor labored in vain,” but I always have a right to glory, he means, that I did not run in vain.

“Yea, and if I am offered.” He said not, “and if I die even,” nor did he when writing to Timothy, for there, too, he has made use of the same expression, “For I am already being offered.” (2 Tim. iv. 6.) He is both consoling them about his own death, and instructing them to bear gladly the death that is for Christ’s sake. I am become, he says, as it were a libation and a sacrifice. O blessed soul! His bringing them to God he calls a sacrifice. It is much better to present a soul than to present oxen. “If, then, over and above this offering,” he says, “I add myself, my death as a libation, I rejoice.” For this he implies, when he says, “Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service, I joy and rejoice with you all; and in the same manner do ye also joy and rejoice with me.” Why dost thou rejoice with them? Seest thou that he shows that it is their duty to rejoice? On the one hand then, I rejoice in being made a libation; on the other, I rejoice with you, in having presented a sacrifice; “and in the same manner do ye also joy and rejoice with me,” that I am offered up; “rejoice with me,” “who rejoice in myself.” So that the death of the just is no subject for tears, but for joy. If they rejoice, we should rejoice with them. For it is misplaced for us to weep, while they rejoice. “But,” it is urged, “we long for our wonted intercourse.” This is a mere pretext and excuse; and that it is so, mark what he enjoins: “Rejoice with me, and joy.” Dost thou miss thy wonted intercourse? If thou wert thyself destined to remain here, there would be reason in what thou sayest; but if after a brief space thou wilt overtake him who has departed, what is that intercourse which thou dost seek? for it is only when he is forever severed from him that a man misses the society of another, but if he will go the same way that thou wilt go, what is the intercourse which thou longest for? Why do we not bewail all that are upon foreign travel? Do we not just a little, and cease after the first or the second day? If thou longest for thy wonted intercourse with him, weep so far only. “It is no evil that I suffer,” says he, “but I even rejoice in going to Christ, and do ye not rejoice.” “Rejoice with me.” Let us too rejoice when we see a righteous man dying, and yet more even when any of the desperately wicked; for the first is going to receive the reward of his labors, but the other has abated somewhat from the score of his sins.132    ἐνέκοψε. See on Stat. Hom. v. (4) Tr. p. 372. Here, however, he rather means sins that might have been committed. He certainly rather strains the principle of trying to view things as they are, seeing that, to us at least, while there is life there is hope. Still a more thorough feeling of God’s mercy, and of our own ignorance, would make us better understand the general use of thanksgiving in our funeral service. But it is said, perhaps he might have altered, had he lived. Yet God would never have taken him away, if there had been really a prospect of an alteration. For why should not He who orders all events for our salvation, allow him the opportunity, who gave promise of pleasing Him? If He leaves those, who never alter, much more those that do. Let then the sharpness of our sorrow be everywhere cut away, let the voice of lamentation cease. Let us thank God under all events: let us do all things without murmuring; let us be cheerful, and let us become pleasing to Him in all things, that we may also attain the good things to come, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, &c.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ηʹ. Ὥστε, ἀγαπητοί μου, καθὼς πάντοτε ὑπηκού σατε, μὴ ὡς ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ μου μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ νῦν πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐν τῇ ἀπουσίᾳ μου μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου τὴν ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίαν κατ εργάζεσθε. Ὁ Θεὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ἐνεργῶν ἐν ὑμῖν καὶ τὸ θέλειν καὶ τὸ ἐνεργεῖν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐδο κίας. Πάντα ποιεῖτε χωρὶς γογγυσμῶν καὶ δια λογισμῶν, ἵνα γένησθε ἄμεμπτοι καὶ ἀκέραιοι, τέκνα Θεοῦ ἀμώμητα ἐν μέσῳ γενεᾶς σκολιᾶς καὶ διεστραμμένης, ἐν οἷς φαίνεσθε, ὡς φω στῆρες ἐν κόσμῳ, λόγον ζωῆς ἐπέχοντες, εἰς καύχημα ἐμοὶ εἰς ἡμέραν Χριστοῦ. αʹ. Τὰς παραινέσεις μετὰ ἐγκωμίων δεῖ ποιεῖσθαι: οὕτω γὰρ καὶ εὐπαράδεκτοι γίνονται, ὅταν πρὸς τὸν οἰκεῖον ζῆλον καλῶμεν τοὺς παραινουμένους: οἷον καὶ Παῦλος ἐνταῦθα ἐποίησε. Καὶ θέα πῶς συνετῶς: Ὥστε, ἀγαπητοί μου, φησίν. Οὐκ εἶπεν ἁπλῶς, ὅτι Ὑπακούετε, ἀλλὰ πρότερον ἐπαινέσας καὶ εἰπὼν, Καθὼς πάντοτε ὑπηκούσατε: τουτέστι, Μιμεῖσθαι παρακαλῶ οὐχ ἑτέρους, ἀλλ' ὑμᾶς ἑαυτούς. Μὴ ὡς ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ μου μόνον, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐν τῇ ἀπουσίᾳ μου. Διὰ τί, Πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐν τῇ ἀπουσίᾳ μου; Τότε μὲν ἴσως ἐδοκεῖτε διὰ τὴν εἰς ἐμὲ τιμὴν καὶ τὴν αἰδὼ πάντα ποιεῖν, νυνὶ δὲ οὐκέτι. Ἐὰν οὖν δειχθῇ ὅτι νῦν ἐπετείνατε, δείκνυται ὅτι καὶ τότε οὐ δι' ἐμὲ, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν Θεόν. Τί βούλει, εἰπέ. Οὐχ ἵνα ἐμοῦ ἀκούσητε, ἀλλ' ἵνα μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου τὴν ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίαν κατεργάζησθε: οὐ γὰρ ἔνι τὸν χωρὶς φόβου ζῶντα γενναῖόν τι καὶ θαυμαστὸν ἐπιδείξασθαι. Καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἶπε, Φόβου, ἀλλὰ προσέθηκε, Καὶ τρόμου, ὅστις ἐπίτασίς ἐστι τοῦ φόβου, προσεκτικωτέρους ποιῆσαι βουλόμενος. Τοῦτον εἶχε τὸν φόβον ὁ Παῦλος: διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἔλεγε, Φοβοῦμαι μή πως ἄλλοις κηρύξας, αὐτὸς ἀδόκιμος γένωμαι. Εἰ γὰρ τὰ βιωτικὰ κατορθῶσαι φόβου χωρὶς οὐκ ἔνι, πόσῳ μᾶλλον τὰ πνευματικά; Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι: τίς γράμματα ἔμαθε φόβου χωρίς; τίς τέχνης ἔμπειρος γέγονε φόβου χωρίς; Εἰ δὲ ἔνθα οὐκ ἐφεδρεύει ὁ διάβολος, ἀλλὰ ῥᾳθυμίᾳ μόνον ἐνοχλεῖ, τοσούτου φόβου ἡμῖν ἐδέησεν, ὥστε ῥᾳθυμίαν ἐπιστρέψαι φυσικὴν μόνον: ἔνθα τοσοῦτος ὁ πόλεμος, τοσαῦτα κωλύματα, πῶς ἔνι φόβου χωρὶς διασωθῆναί ποτε; Πῶς δ' ἂν οὗτος γένοιτο ὁ φόβος; Ἂν ἐννοήσωμεν, ὅτι πανταχοῦ πάρεστιν ὁ Θεὸς, ὅτι πάντα ἀκούει, ὅτι πάντα ὁρᾷ, οὐ τὰ πραττόμενα μόνον καὶ λεγόμενα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἐν καρδίαις ἅπαντα, καὶ τὰ ἐν τῷ βάθει τῆς διανοίας: Κριτικὸς γάρ ἐστιν ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας. Ἂν οὕτω διαθῶμεν ἑαυτοὺς, οὐδὲν πονηρὸν πράξομεν, οὐδὲν ἐροῦμεν, οὐδὲν ἐννοήσομεν. Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, εἰ διαπαντὸς τοῦ ἄρχοντος πλησίον εἱστήκεις, οὐ μετὰ φόβου ἂν εἱστήκεις; Καὶ πῶς Θεῷ σὺ παρεστὼς γελᾷς καὶ ἀναπίπτεις, καὶ οὐ δέδοικας οὐδὲ φρίσσεις; Μὴ δὴ τῆς ἀνοχῆς αὐτοῦ καταφρόνει: πρὸς γὰρ μετάνοιάν σε ἄγων μακροθυμεῖ: μηδὲ ποιῶν τι, ἄνευ τοῦ νομίζειν ἐν πᾶσι παρεῖναι τὸν Θεὸν πράττειν ἀνέχου: πάρεστι γάρ. Κἂν τοίνυν ἐσθίῃς, κἂν μέλλῃς καθεύδειν, κἂν ὀργίζῃ, κἂν ἁρπάζῃς, κἂν τρυφᾷς, κἂν ὁτιοῦν ποιῇς, νόμιζε παρεστάναι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ οὐδέποτε εἰς γέλωτα ἐμπεσῇ, οὐδέποτε εἰς ὀργὴν ἐξαφθήσῃ. Ἂν τοῦτον ἔχῃς διαπαντὸς τὸν λογισμὸν, διαπαντὸς ἐν φόβῳ ἔσῃ καὶ τρόμῳ, ἅτε τοῦ βασιλέως πλησίον ἑστώς. Ὁ οἰκοδόμος, κἂν ἔμπειρος ᾖ, κἂν σφόδρα ᾖ τεχνίτης, μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου ἕστηκε, δεδοικὼς μὴ καταπέσῃ ἐκ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς. Καὶ σὺ ἐπίστευσας, ἔπραξας ἀγαθὰ πολλὰ, ἀνῆλθες εἰς ὕψος: ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ κάτεχε σαυτὸν, καὶ φοβοῦ ἑστὼς, καὶ τὸ ὄμμα ἔχε διεγηγερμένον, μὴ καταπέσῃς ἐκεῖθεν: πολλὰ γὰρ τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας, τὰ βουλόμενά σε καθελεῖν. Δουλεύσατε, φησὶ, τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν φόβῳ, καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε αὐτῷ ἐν τρόμῳ. Καὶ πῶς ἔνι ἀγαλλίασις μετὰ τρόμου; Αὕτη μὲν οὖν ἐστι μόνη ἀγαλλίασις. Ὅταν γάρ τι ἀγαθὸν ἐργασώμεθα, καὶ τοιοῦτον, οἷον εἰκὸς τοὺς ἐν τρόμῳ τι ποιοῦντας, τότε χαίρομεν μόνον. Μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου τὴν ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίαν κατεργάζεσθε. Οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἐργάζεσθε, ἀλλὰ, Κατεργάζεσθε, τουτέστι, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς σπουδῆς, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐπιμελείας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἶπε, Μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου, καὶ ἐναγωνίους ἐποίησεν, ὅρα πῶς παραμυθεῖται τὴν ἀγωνίαν. Τί γάρ φησιν; Ὁ Θεός ἐστιν ὁ ἐνεργῶν ἐν ὑμῖν. Μὴ φοβοῦ, ὅτι εἶπον: Μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου: οὐ διὰ τοῦτο εἶπον, ἵνα ἀπαγορεύσῃς, ἵνα δυσέφικτόν τι εἶναι νομίσῃς τὴν ἀρετὴν, ἀλλ' ἵνα προσέχῃς, ἵνα μὴ διαχέῃς σαυτόν. Ἂν τοῦτο ᾖ, ὁ Θεὸς πάντα ἐργάσεται: σὺ θάρσει: Ὁ Θεὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ἐνεργῶν ἐν ὑμῖν. Εἰ τοίνυν αὐτὸς ἐνεργεῖ, ἡμᾶς δεῖ τὴν προαίρεσιν παρασχεῖν συγκεκροτημένην διαπαντὸς, ἐσφιγμένην, ἀδιάχυτον. Ὁ Θεὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ἐνεργῶν ἐν ὑμῖν καὶ τὸ θέλειν καὶ τὸ ἐνεργεῖν. Εἰ τὸ θέλειν αὐτὸς ἡμῖν ἐνεργεῖ, πῶς ἡμῖν παρακελεύει; Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὸ θέλειν αὐτὸς ποιεῖ, εἰκῆ ἡμῖν λέγεις, ὅτι Ὑπηκούσατε: οὐ γὰρ ὑπακούομεν. Εἰκῆ λέγεις, Ἐν φόβῳ καὶ ἐν τρόμῳ: Θεοῦ γὰρ τὸ ὅλον ἐστίν. Οὐ διὰ τοῦτο εἶπον, Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ἐνεργῶν καὶ τὸ θέλειν καὶ τὸ ἐνεργεῖν, ἀλλ' ἐκλῦσαι τὴν ἀγωνίαν ὑμῶν βουλόμενος. Ἂν θελήσῃς, τότε ἐνεργήσει τὸ θέλειν. Μὴ φοβηθῇς, καὶ οὐδὲν κάμνῃς: καὶ προθυμίαν αὐτὸς ἡμῖν δίδωσι καὶ ἐργασίαν. Ὅταν γὰρ θελήσωμεν, αὔξει τὸ θέλειν ἡμῶν λοιπόν: οἷον, βούλομαι ἀγαθόν τι ἐργάσασθαι: ἐνήργησεν αὐτὸ τὸ ἀγαθὸν, ἐνήργησε δι' αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ θέλειν. Ἢ ἀπὸ πολλῆς εὐλαβείας τοῦτό φησιν, ὥσπερ ὅταν τὰ κατορθώματα τὰ ἡμέτερα χαρίσματα εἶναι λέγῃ. βʹ. Ὥσπερ οὖν λέγων αὐτὰ χαρίσματα, οὐκ ἐξωθεῖ ἡμᾶς τοῦ αὐτεξουσίου, ἀλλ' ἀφίησιν ἐν ἡμῖν τὸ αὐτεξούσιον: οὕτως ὅταν λέγῃ ἐνεργεῖν ἐν ἡμῖν τὸ θέλειν, οὐκ ἀφαιρεῖται ἡμᾶς τὸ αὐτεξούσιον, ἀλλὰ δείκνυσιν, ὅτι ἀπὸ τοῦ κατορθοῦν πολλὴν εἰς τὸ θέλειν λαμβάνομεν προθυμίαν. Καθάπερ γὰρ τὸ ποιεῖν ἐκ τοῦ ποιεῖν γίνεται: οὕτως ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ποιεῖν τὸ μὴ ποιεῖν. Ἔδωκας ἐλεημοσύνην; μᾶλλον προετράπης δοῦναι. Οὐκ ἔδωκας δέ; μᾶλλον ἤργησας. Ἐσωφρόνησας μίαν ἡμέραν; ἔχεις προτροπὴν καὶ εἰς τὴν δευτέραν. Ἐῤῥᾳθύμησας; ἐπέτεινας τὴν ῥᾳθυμίαν: Ἀσεβὴς γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐλθὼν εἰς βάθος κακῶν καταφρονεῖ. Ὥσπερ οὖν ὅταν ἔλθῃ εἰς βάθος κακῶν, καταφρονεῖ: οὕτως ὅταν ἔλθῃ εἰς βάθος ἀγαθῶν, σπουδάζει. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἀπογνοὺς ῥᾳθυμότερος γίνεται: οὕτως οὗτος ἐννοῶν τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἀγαθῶν, σπουδαιότερος γίνεται, δεδοικὼς μὴ τὸ πᾶν ἀπολέσῃ. Ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐδοκίας, φησί: τουτέστι, διὰ τὴν ἀγάπην, διὰ τὴν ἀρέσκειαν αὐτοῦ, ἵνα τὰ δοκοῦντα αὐτῷ γένηται, ἵνα κατὰ τὴν θέλησιν αὐτοῦ. Ἐνταῦθα δείκνυσι, καὶ ποιεῖ θαῤῥεῖν, ὅτι πάντως ἐνεργεῖ. Θέλει γὰρ ἡμᾶς, ὡς αὐτὸς βούλεται, ζῇν. Εἰ δὲ βούλεται, πρὸς δὲ τοῦτο αὐτὸς ἐνεργεῖ, καὶ τοῦτο πάντως ἐνεργήσει: θέλει γὰρ ἡμᾶς ὀρθῶς ζῇν. Ὁρᾷς πῶς οὐκ ἀφαιρεῖται τὸ αὐτεξούσιον; Ταῦτα πάντα ποιεῖτε, φησὶ, χωρὶς γογγυσμῶν καὶ διαλογισμῶν. Ὁ διάβολος ἐπειδὰν μὴ δυνηθῇ ἡμᾶς ἀπαγαγεῖν τοῦ καλῶς ποιεῖν, ἑτέρως τεχνάζεται ἡμῶν κενῶσαι τὸν μισθόν. Ἢ γὰρ κενοδοξίαν, ἢ ἀπόνοιαν ἐπεισήγαγεν, ἢ, εἰ μὴ τοῦτο, γογγυσμὸν, ἢ, εἰ μηδὲν τούτων, διάκρισιν. Ὅρα τοίνυν πῶς αὐτὰ ἐκκαθαίρει ὁ Παῦλος. Εἶπε περὶ τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης ὅσαπερ εἶπεν, ἀναιρῶν ἀπόνοιαν: εἶπε περὶ τῆς κενοδοξίας, κατασπῶν τὸ φύσημα: καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ μὲν, Μὴ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ μου μόνον: λέγει δὲ ἐνταῦθα περὶ τοῦ γογγυσμοῦ καὶ τοῦ διακριτικοῦ. Τί δήποτε δὲ ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν Κορινθίων τοῦτο τὸ πάθος ἀναιρῶν, ἐμνημόνευσε καὶ τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν, ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον εἶπεν, ἀλλ' ἁπλῶς ἐπέταξεν; Ὅτι ἐκεῖ μὲν γενόμενον ἤδη τοῦτο ἦν: διὸ καὶ σφοδροτέρας ἐδέησεν αὐτῷ τῆς πληγῆς, καὶ μείζονος τῆς ἐπιτιμήσεως: ἐνταῦθα δὲ, ὥστε μὴ γενέσθαι, παραινεῖ. Τοὺς οὖν οὐδέπω ἡμαρτηκότας περιττὸν ἦν πληκτικώτερον ἀσφαλίζεσθαι: ἐπεὶ καὶ εἰς ταπεινοφροσύνην ἐνάγων οὐ παρέθηκεν ὑπόδειγμα τὸ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ, ἔνθα οἱ ἀλαζόνες ἐκολάσθησαν, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν παραίνεσιν εἰσήγαγε, καὶ ὡς ἐλευθέροις αὐτοῖς διαλέγεται, ὡς τέκνοις γνησίοις, οὐχ ὡς οἰκέταις. Ἐν γὰρ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ὁ μὲν εὐγνώμων καὶ εὐγενὴς ἀπὸ τῶν κατορθούντων ἐνάγεται, ὁ δὲ ἀγνώμων οὐκ ἀπὸ τούτων, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῶν τιμωρουμένων: ἐκεῖνος ἀπὸ τῆς τιμῆς, οὗτος ἀπὸ τῆς κολάσεως. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ Ἑβραίοις γράφων ἔλεγε, τὸν Ἡσαῦ εἰς μέσον παραγαγὼν, ὃς ἀντὶ βρώσεως μιᾶς ἀπέδοτο τὰ πρωτοτόκια: καὶ πάλιν, Ἐὰν ὑποστείληται, οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ. Καὶ ἐν τοῖς Κορινθίοις δὲ πολλοὶ ἦσαν οἱ πορνεύσαντες: διὰ τοῦτο ἔλεγε, Μὴ πάλιν ἐλθόντα με πρὸς ὑμᾶς ταπεινώσῃ ὁ Θεός μου, καὶ πενθήσω πολλοὺς τῶν προημαρτηκότων καὶ μὴ μετανοησάντων ἐπὶ τῇ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ καὶ πορνείᾳ καὶ ἀσελγείᾳ, ᾗ ἔπραξαν. Ἵνα γένησθε, φησὶν, ἄμεμπτοι καὶ ἀκέραιοι, τουτέστιν, ἄληπτοι, εἰλικρινεῖς: οὐ μικρὰν γὰρ προσάγει κηλῖδα ὁ γογγυσμός. Τί δέ ἐστι, Χωρὶς διαλογισμῶν; ἆρα καλὸν, ἆρα οὐ καλόν; Μὴ διαλογίζεσθε φησὶ, κἂν πόνος ᾖ, κἂν κάματος ᾖ, κἂν ὁτιοῦν. Οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἵνα μὴ κολασθῆτε: κόλασις γὰρ ἀπόκειται τῷ πράγματι: καὶ τοῦτο ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κορινθίους ἐδήλωσεν Ἐπιστολῇ: ἀλλ' ἐνταῦθα οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον εἶπεν, ἀλλ', Ἵνα γένησθε, φησὶν, ἄμεμπτοι καὶ ἀκέραιοι, τέκνα Θεοῦ ἀμώμητα ἐν μέσῳ γενεᾶς σκολιᾶς καὶ διεστραμμένης, ἐν οἷς φαίνεσθε, ὡς φωστῆρες ἐν κόσμῳ, λόγον ζωῆς ἐπέχοντες, εἰς καύχημα ἐμοὶ εἰς ἡμέραν Χριστοῦ. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι παιδεύει τούτους μὴ γογγύζειν; Ὥστε δούλων ἀγνωμόνων καὶ ἀναισθήτων τὸ γογγύζειν. Ποῖος γὰρ, εἰπέ μοι, υἱὸς ἐν τοῖς τοῦ πατρὸς πονῶν, καὶ ἑαυτῷ πονῶν γογγύζει; Ἐννόησον, φησὶν, ὅτι σαυτῷ πονεῖς, ὅτι σαυτῷ συνάγεις. Ἐκείνων ἴδιον τὸ γογγύζειν ἐστὶν, ὅταν ἑτέροις πονῶσιν, ὅταν ἑτέροις κάμνωσιν. Ὁ δὲ ἑαυτῷ συλλέγων, τίνος ἕνεκεν γογγύζει; ὅτι ὁ πλοῦτος αὐτοῦ οὐκ αὔξεται; Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο. Ὁ ἑκοντὶ καὶ μὴ κατ' ἀνάγκην ποιῶν, τίνος ἕνεκεν γογγύζει; Βέλτιον μηδὲν ἐργάσασθαι, ἢ μετὰ γογγυσμοῦ: ἀπόλλυται γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ γινόμενον. Ἢ οὐχ ὁρᾷς, ὅτι καὶ ἐν ταῖς οἰκίαις ταῖς ἡμετέραις ταῦτα λέγομεν ἀεὶ, Βέλτιον ταῦτα μὴ γίνεσθαι, ἢ μετὰ γογγυσμοῦ; καὶ πολλάκις εἱλόμεθα τῆς διακονίας ἀποστερηθῆναι τῆς ἡμετέρας, ἢ γογγύζοντος ἀνασχέσθαι; Δεινὸν γὰρ, δεινὸν ὁ γογγυσμός: ἐγγὺς βλασφημίας ἐστίν: ἐπεὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν τοσαύτην ἐκεῖνοι ἔδωκαν δίκην; Ἀχαριστία τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστιν. Ὁ γογγύζων ἀχαριστεῖ τῷ Θεῷ: ὁ δὲ ἀχαριστῶν τῷ Θεῷ, ἄρα βλάσφημος. Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ τότε πειρασμοὶ συνεχεῖς ἦσαν, καὶ ἐπάλληλοι κίνδυνοι, οὐδεμία ἀνάπαυσις, οὐδεμία ἄνεσις, μυρία πάντοθεν ἐπέῤῥει δεινά: νῦν δὲ εἰρήνη βαθεῖα, νῦν εὐμάρεια. γʹ. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν γογγύζεις; ὅτι πένῃ; Ἀλλ' ἐννόει τὸν Ἰώβ. Ἀλλ' ὅτι νοσεῖς; Τί οὖν, εἰ τοσαῦτα συνειδὼς ἀγαθὰ σαυτῷ καὶ κατορθώματα, ὅσα ὁ ἅγιος ἐκεῖνος, ἐνόσησας; Ἐννόει πάλιν ἐκεῖνον, ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ἐπὶ πολὺν χρόνον σκώληκας βρύων, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς κοπρίας καθήμενος, καὶ τὸν ἰχῶρα ξέων διετέλει: Χρόνου γὰρ, φησὶ, πολλοῦ παρῳχηκότος, εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡ γυνή: Μέχρι τίνος καρτερήσεις λέγων, Ἀναμένω χρόνον ἔτι μικρόν; εἰπόν τι ῥῆμα πρὸς Κύριον, καὶ τελεύτα. Ἀλλὰ παῖς σου ἀπέθανε; Τί οὖν, εἰ πάντας ἀπέβαλες, καὶ θανάτῳ πονηρῷ, ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνος; Ἴστε γὰρ, ἴστε ὅτι πολλὴν ἔχει παραμυθίαν τὸ παρακαθῆσθαι νοσοῦντι, τὸ συμβαλεῖν στόμα, τὸ μύσαι ὀφθαλμοὺς, τὸ ἅψασθαι γενειάδος, τὸ τὰ τελευταῖα ἀκοῦσαι ῥήματα. Ἀλλ' οὐδενὸς τούτων ἠξιώθη ὁ δίκαιος, ἀλλὰ πάντες ὁμοῦ κατεχώσθησαν. Καὶ τί ταῦτα λέγω; εἰ προσετάγης αὐτὸς σφάξαι τὸν υἱόν σου καὶ καταθῦσαι καὶ καυθέντα ἰδεῖν, καθάπερ ὁ μακάριος ἐκεῖνος ὁ πατριάρχης, τί ἂν ἐποίησας; Ἐκεῖνος δὲ τίς ἄρα ἦν τὸ θυσιαστήριον οἰκοδομῶν, τὰ ξύλα ἐπιτιθεὶς, συμποδίζων τὸ παιδίον; Ἀλλ' ὀνειδίζουσί σέ τινες; Τίς ἂν οὖν ἦς, εἰ παρὰ φίλων ἐπὶ παραμυθίαν ἡκόντων ἤκουες ταῦτα; Νῦν μὲν γὰρ ἁμαρτήματα ἔχομεν πολλὰ, καὶ ὀνειδιζόμεθα εἰκότως: τότε δὲ ἐκεῖνος ὁ ἀληθινὸς, ὁ δίκαιος, ὁ θεοσεβὴς, ὁ ἀπεχόμενος ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πράγματος, τἀναντία τούτων ἤκουε παρὰ τῶν φίλων. Τί δὲ, εἰπέ μοι, εἰ τῆς γυναικὸς ὀνειδιζούσης ἤκουες λεγούσης, Ἐγὼ πλανῆτις καὶ λάτρις, τόπον ἐκ τόπου, καὶ οἰκίαν ἐξ οἰκίας περιερχομένη, προσδεχομένη τὸν ἥλιον πότε δύσει, καὶ ἀναπαύσομαι τῶν περιεχουσῶν με ὀδυνῶν; Τίνος ἕνεκεν ταῦτα λέγεις, ὦ ἀνόητε; μὴ γὰρ ὁ ἀνήρ σοι τούτων αἴτιος; Οὐχ οὗτος, ἀλλ' ὁ διάβολος. Εἰπόν τι ῥῆμα πρὸς Κύριον, φησὶ, καὶ τελεύτα. Εἶτα, ἂν ὁ κείμενος εἴπῃ καὶ τελευτήσῃ, σὺ ῥᾴων γέγονας; Οὐκ ἔστι νόσος ἐκείνης χαλεπωτέρα, κἂν μυριάκις εἴπῃς. Τοιαύτη ἦν, ὡς μηδὲ ἐν οἰκίᾳ καὶ ὑπωρόφιον εἶναι δύνασθαι: τοιαύτη ἦν, ὡς πάντας ἀπαγορεύειν. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν, εἰ μὴ ἀνίατα ἐνόσησεν, ἔξω τῆς πόλεως ἐκάθητο, τῶν ἐλέφαντι κατεχομένων χείρων ὤν. Οὗτοι μὲν γὰρ καὶ εἰς οἰκίας εἰσίασι, καὶ συναγελάζονται ἀλλήλοις: ἐκεῖνος δὲ αἴθριος διανυκτερεύων ἐπὶ τῆς κοπρίας γυμνὸς, οὐδὲ ἱμάτιον περιβαλέσθαι ἠδύνατο. Πῶς γάρ; ἴσως ἂν καὶ προσετέθη ἄλγος ταῖς ἀλγηδόσι. Τήκω γὰρ βώλακας γῆς, φησὶν, ἀπὸ ἰχῶρος ξέων. Ἰχῶρας αὐτῷ αἱ σάρκες καὶ σκώληκας ἔτικτον, καὶ τοῦτο διηνεκῶς. Ὁρᾷς πῶς ἕκαστος ἡμῶν ναρκᾷ ταῦτα ἀκούων; Εἰ δὲ ἀκοῦσαι οὐκ ἀνεκτὰ ταῦτα, ἰδεῖν ἀνεκτά; Εἰ δὲ ἰδεῖν οὐκ ἀνεκτὰ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον παθεῖν. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἔπαθεν ὁ δίκαιος, καὶ οὐκ ἐπὶ δύο ἡμέρας ἢ τρεῖς, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ χρόνῳ πολλῷ, καὶ οὐχ ἥμαρτεν, οὐδὲ ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτοῦ. Ποίαν ἔχεις μοι τοιαύτην νόσον εἰπεῖν, ὀδύνας ἔχουσαν πολλάς; πηρώσεως γὰρ οὐ χεῖρον τοῦτο ἦν; Βρόμον γὰρ ὁρῶ, φησὶ, τὰ σῖτά μου. Καὶ οὐδὲ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὃ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀνάπαυσίς ἐστιν ἡ νὺξ καὶ ὁ ὕπνος, τοῦτο ἐκείνῳ παραμυθίαν τινὰ ἔφερεν, ἀλλὰ χαλεπωτέρα ἦν πάσης βασάνου. Καὶ ἄκουε αὐτοῦ λέγοντος: Ἵνα τί με φοβεῖς ἐνυπνίοις, καὶ ἐν ὁράμασί με καταπλήσσεις; Ἐὰν γένηται πρωῒ, λέγω, Πότε ἑσπέρα; Καὶ τοιαῦτα πάσχων οὐκ ἐγόγγυσεν. Οὐ τοῦτο δὲ μόνον ἦν τὸ δεινὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν πονηρὰ δόξα: ὡς γὰρ μυρίων ἔνοχον κακῶν εἶχον λοιπὸν, ἀφ' ὧν ἔπασχε. Τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ οἱ φίλοι αὐτῷ ἔλεγον: Οὐκ ἄξια ὧν ἡμάρτηκας μεμαστίγωσαι. Διὸ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔλεγε: Καὶ νουθετοῦσί με ἐλάχιστοι, οὓς οὐκ ἀξίους ἡγησάμην κυνῶν τῶν ἐμῶν νομάδων. Πόσων τοῦτο θανάτων οὐ χεῖρον; Ἀλλὰ τοσούτῳ κλύδωνι πάντοθεν βαλλόμενος, καὶ πάντοθεν αἰρομένου τοῦ χειμῶνος χαλεποῦ, συννεφείας, ζάλης, σκηπτῶν, ἰλίγγων, στροβίλων, ἔμενεν αὐτὸς ἀκλινὴς, καθάπερ ἐν γαλήνῃ καθήμενος τῷ κλύδωνι τῷ τοσούτῳ, τῷ οὕτω χαλεπῷ, καὶ οὐκ ἐγόγγυσε: καὶ ταῦτα πρὸ τῆς χάριτος, πρὶν ἢ περὶ ἀναστάσεώς τι λεχθῆναι, πρὶν ἢ περὶ γεέννης καὶ κολάσεως καὶ τιμωρίας. Ἡμεῖς δὲ καὶ προφητῶν καὶ ἀποστόλων καὶ εὐαγγελιστῶν ἀκούοντες, καὶ μυρία ὁρῶντες παραδείγματα, καὶ τοὺς περὶ ἀναστάσεως μαθόντες λόγους, ἀσχάλλομεν ἔτι, καίτοι οὐδεὶς ἂν ἔχοι λέγειν ἑαυτῷ τοσαῦτα συμπεπτωκότα. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ χρήματά τις ἀπώλεσεν, ἀλλ' οὐ παῖδας καὶ θυγατέρας τοσαύτας, καὶ εἰ ἀπώλεσεν, ἴσως ἁμαρτών: ἐκεῖνος δὲ ἐξαίφνης ἐν μέσαις ταῖς θυσίαις, ἐν μέσῃ τῇ θεραπείᾳ τῇ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν: καὶ εἰ παῖδας καὶ χρήματα ὁμοῦ τοσαῦτα, ὅπερ ἀδύνατον, ἀλλ' οὐχὶ καὶ ἥλκωτο διαπαντὸς, καὶ ἰχῶρας ἔξεεν: εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ἀλλ' οὐχὶ τοὺς ἐπεμβαίνοντας εἶχε καὶ ὀνειδίζοντας: ὅπερ μάλιστα πάντων δάκνειν ἡμᾶς εἴωθεν, ἢ αἱ συμφοραί. Εἰ γὰρ τοὺς παρακαλοῦντας ἔχοντες ἐν τοῖς κακοῖς καὶ παραμυθουμένους καὶ ἐλπίδας ἡμῖν ὑποτείνοντας χρηστὰς, οὕτως ἀλύομεν, ἐννόησον τί ἦν ὀνειδίζοντας ἔχειν. Εἰ τὸ, Ὑπέμεινα συλλυπούμενον, καὶ οὐχ ὑπῆρξε, καὶ παρακαλοῦντας, καὶ οὐχ εὗρον, δεινὸν καὶ ἀφόρητον, τὸ ἀντὶ τῶν παρακαλούντων ὀνειδίζοντας εὑρεῖν πόσον κακόν; Παρακλήτορες, φησὶ, κακῶν πάντες. δʹ. Εἰ ταῦτα διαπαντὸς ἐστρέφομεν, εἰ ταῦτα ἐλογιζόμεθα, οὐκ ἂν ἡμᾶς ἐλύπησέ τι τῶν παρόντων, εἰς ἐκεῖνον ὁρῶντας τὸν ἀθλητὴν, εἰς τὴν ἀδαμαντίνην ψυχὴν, εἰς τὴν ἀῤῥαγῆ καὶ χάλκεον διάνοιαν: ὥσπερ γὰρ χαλκοῦν ἢ λίθινον περικείμενος σῶμα, αὐτὸς ἅπαντα ἔφερε γενναίως καὶ καρτερικῶς. Ταῦτα ἐννοοῦντες, πάντα ποιῶμεν χωρὶς γογγυσμῶν καὶ διαλογισμῶν. Ποιεῖς τι ἀγαθὸν, καὶ γογγύζεις; διὰ τί; ἀνάγκη γάρ σοι ἐπίκειται; Οἶδα, φησὶν, ὅτι πολλοὶ πλησίον ἀναγκάζουσιν ὑμᾶς γογγύζειν (τοῦτο γὰρ ᾐνίξατο, εἰπὼν τὸ, Ἐν μέσῳ γενεᾶς σκολιᾶς καὶ διεστραμμένης): ἀλλὰ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ θαυμαστὸν, τὸ καὶ παρακνιζόμενον μηδὲν πάσχειν τοιοῦτον. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ ἀστέρες ἐν νυκτὶ λάμπουσιν, ἐν σκότῳ φαίνουσι, καὶ οὐδὲν εἰς τὸ οἰκεῖον παραβλάπτονται κάλλος, ἀλλὰ καὶ λαμπρότεροι φαίνονται: ὅταν δὲ φῶς ᾖ, οὐχ οὕτω φαίνονται. Οὕτω καὶ σὺ, ὅταν μετὰ σκολιῶν ὢν, εὐθὺς μένῃς, μᾶλλον ἀπολάμπεις: τὸ θαυμαστὸν τοῦτό ἐστι, τὸ ἀμέμπτους γενέσθαι. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ τοῦτο λέγωσι, προλαβὼν αὐτὸς τοῦτο τέθεικε. Τί ἐστι, Λόγον ζωῆς ἐπέχοντες; Τουτέστι, μέλλοντες ζήσεσθαι, τῶν σωζομένων ὄντες. Ὅρα πῶς εὐθέως τίθησι τὰ ἔπαθλα: Οἱ φωστῆρες, φησὶ, λόγον φωτὸς ἐπέχουσιν: ὑμεῖς λόγον ζωῆς. Τί ἐστι, Λόγον ζωῆς; Σπέρμα ζωῆς ἔχοντες, τουτέστιν, ἐνέχυρα ζωῆς ἔχοντες, αὐτὴν κατέχοντες τὴν ζωὴν, τουτέστι, σπέρμα ζωῆς ἐν ὑμῖν ἔχοντες: τοῦτο λέγει, Λόγον ζωῆς. Ἄρα οὖν οἱ ἄλλοι πάντες νεκροί: τοῦτο γὰρ εἰπὼν οὕτως ἐδήλωσεν: ἢ γὰρ ἂν καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι λόγον ζωῆς ἐπεῖχον. Εἰς καύχημα ἐμοὶ, φησί. Τί ἐστι τοῦτο; Καὶ ἐγὼ κοινωνῶ, φησὶ, τῶν ὑμετέρων ἀγαθῶν. Τοσαύτη ὑμῶν ἡ ἀρετὴ, ὡς μὴ ὑμᾶς σώζειν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐμὲ λαμπρὸν ποιεῖν. Ποῖον καύχημα, ὦ μακάριε Παῦλε; Μαστίζῃ, ἐλαύνῃ, ὑβρίζῃ δι' ἡμᾶς: διὰ τοῦτό φησιν, Εἰς ἡμέραν Χριστοῦ, ὅτι οὐκ εἰς κενὸν, φησὶν, ἔδραμον, οὐδὲ εἰς κενὸν ἐκοπίασα: ἀλλ' ἀεὶ ἔχω καυχᾶσθαι, φησὶν, ὅτι οὐ μάτην ἔδραμον. Ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ σπένδομαι. Οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ ἀποθνήσκω, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ Τιμοθέῳ γράφων: καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐκεῖ τῷ αὐτῷ κέχρηται λόγῳ, λέγων, Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤδη σπένδομαι: καὶ παραμυθούμενος αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τῇ οἰκείᾳ τελευτῇ, καὶ παιδεύων ἀσμένως φέρειν τὸν ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ θάνατον. Ὥσπερ σπονδὴ καὶ θυσία, φησὶ, γίνομαι. Ὢ μακαρίας ψυχῆς! θυσίαν καλεῖ τὴν προσαγωγὴν αὐτῶν. Ἄρα πολλῷ βέλτιον τοῦ βοῦς προσενεγκεῖν τὸ ψυχὴν προσενεγκεῖν. Ἂν τοίνυν πρὸς τῇ προσφορᾷ ταύτῃ καὶ ἐμαυτὸν ἐπιδῶ, φησὶν, ὥσπερ σπονδὴν, χαίρω, φησὶ, τῷ θανάτῳ τῷ ἐμῷ: τοῦτο γὰρ αἰνίττεται λέγων: Ἐπὶ τῇ θυσίᾳ καὶ λειτουργίᾳ τῆς πίστεως χαίρω, καὶ συγχαίρω πᾶσιν ὑμῖν: τὸ αὐτὸ δὲ καὶ ὑμεῖς χαίρετε καὶ συγχαίρετέ μοι. Τί συγχαίρεις; Ὁρᾷς πῶς δείκνυσιν ὅτι δεῖ χαίρειν αὐτούς; Χαίρω μὲν οὖν, φησὶν, ὅτι σπονδὴ γίνομαι: συγχαίρω δὲ, ὅτι θυσίαν προσενεγκών. Τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ καὶ ὑμεῖς χαίρετε καὶ συγχαίρετε, ὅτι προσηνέχθην. Συγχάρητέ μοι, φησὶ, χαίροντι ἐπὶ τῷ ἐμῷ θανάτῳ. Οὐκ ἄρα δακρύων ἀξία ἡ τελευτὴ τῶν δικαίων, ἀλλὰ χαρᾶς. Εἰ αὐτοὶ χαίρουσιν, συγχαίρειν αὐτοῖς δεῖ: καὶ γὰρ ἄτοπον, ἐκείνων χαιρόντων, κλαίειν ἡμᾶς. Ἀλλὰ τὴν συνήθειαν ἐπιζητοῦμεν, φησί. Σκῆψις ταῦτα, πρόφασις. Ὅρα γοῦν τί παραγγέλλει Φιλιππησίοις, Συγχαίρετέ μοι καὶ χαίρετε: καὶ σὺ συνήθειαν ἐπιζητεῖς; Εἰ μὲν ἔμελλες αὐτὸς ἐνταῦθα μένειν, εἰκότως λέγεις: εἰ δὲ μικρὸν ὕστερον καταλήψῃ τὸν ἀπελθόντα, ποίαν συνήθειαν ζητεῖς; Συνήθειαν γὰρ ἐπιζητεῖ τις, ὅταν διαπαντὸς ᾖ τις διεσπασμένος: εἰ δὲ τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδὸν σοὶ πορεύσεται, ποίαν συνήθειαν ἐπιζητεῖς; Τοὺς ἐν ἀποδημίαις ὄντας διὰ τί μὴ δακρύομεν; οὐχὶ μικρὸν δακρύσαντες, εὐθέως μετὰ τὴν πρώτην ἢ δευτέραν παυόμεθα; Εἰ συνήθειαν ἐπιζητεῖς, τοσοῦτον κλαῦσον μόνον, ὅσον ἐπιδεῖξαι τὴν φύσιν: τὸ δὲ μετὰ τοῦτο χαῖρε, καθάπερ λέγων ὁ Παῦλος, Οὐδὲν πάσχω δεινὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ χαίρω πρὸς τὸν Χριστὸν ἀπερχόμενος: Καὶ ὑμεῖς χαίρετε, συγχάρητέ μοι, φησί. Χαίρωμεν τοιγαροῦν καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅταν ἴδωμεν δίκαιον τελευτῶντα, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ὅταν τινὰ τῶν ἀπεγνωσμένων. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἄπεισι μισθὸν ἀποληψόμενος τῶν πόνων, ὁ δὲ ἐνέκοψέ τι τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων αὐτοῦ. Ἀλλ' ἴσως ἂν, φησὶ, μετεβάλετο ζῶν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν αὐτὸν ἔλαβεν ὁ Θεὸς, εἴ γε μεταβαλέσθαι ἔμελλεν. Ὁ γὰρ πάντα ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας ἡμῶν οἰκονομῶν, τίνος ἕνεκεν αὐτὸν οὐκ εἴασε μέλλοντα εὐαρεστεῖν; εἰ τοὺς μὴ μεταβαλλομένους ἀφίησι, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τοὺς μεταβαλλομένους. Πάντοθεν οὖν ἡμῖν ὁ κοπετὸς ἐκκεκόφθω, πάντοθεν ὁ θρῆνος λυέσθω: ἐπὶ πᾶσιν εὐχαριστῶμεν τῷ Θεῷ, χωρὶς γογγυσμῶν πάντα πράττωμεν: εὐφραινώμεθα, εὐάρεστοι ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτῷ γινώμεθα, ἵνα καὶ τῶν μελλόντων 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.