Homily XIII.

Matt. IV. 1.

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil.”

Then. When? After the descent of the Spirit, after the voice that was borne from above, and said, “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And what was marvellous, it was of the Holy Spirit; for this, he here saith, led Him up. For since with a view to our instruction He both did and underwent all things; He endures also to be led up thither, and to wrestle against the devil: in order that each of those who are baptized, if after his baptism he have to endure greater temptations may not be troubled as if the result were unexpected, but may continue to endure all nobly, as though it were happening in the natural course of things.

Yea, for therefore thou didst take up arms, not to be idle, but to fight. For this cause neither doth God hinder the temptations as they come on, first to teach thee that thou art become much stronger; next, that thou mayest continue modest neither be exalted even by the greatness of thy gifts, the temptations having power to repress thee; moreover, in order that that wicked demon, who is for a while doubtful about thy desertion of him, by the touchstone of temptations may be well assured that thou hast utterly forsaken and fallen from him; fourthly, that thou mayest in this way be made stronger, and better tempered than any steel; fifthly, that thou mayest obtain a clear demonstration of the treasures entrusted to thee.

For the devil would not have assailed thee, unless he had seen thee brought to greater honor. Hence, for example, from the beginning, he attacked Adam, because he saw him in the enjoyment of great dignity. For this reason he arrayed himself against Job, because he saw him crowned and proclaimed by the God of all.

How then saith He, “Pray that ye enter not into temptation.”516   Matt. xxvi. 41. For this cause he doth not show thee Jesus simply going up, but “led up” according to the principle of the Economy;517   κατ τν λγον τ οκονομα.signifying obscurely by this, that we ought not of ourselves to leap upon it, but being dragged thereto, to stand manfully.

And see whither the Spirit led Him up, when He had taken Him; not into a city and forum, but into a wilderness. That is, He being minded to attract the devil, gives him a handle not only by His hunger, but also by the place. For then most especially doth the devil assail, when he sees men left alone, and by themselves. Thus did he also set upon the woman in the beginning, having caught her alone, and found her apart from her husband. Just as when he sees us with others and banded together, he is not equally confident, and makes no attack. Wherefore we have the greatest need on this very account to be flocking together continually, that we may not be open to the devil’s attacks.

2. Having then found Him in the wilderness, and in a pathless wilderness (for that the wilderness was such, Mark hath declared, saying, that He “was with the wild beasts”518   Mark i. 13.), behold with how much craft he draws near, and wickedness; and for what sort of opportunity he watches. For not in his fast, but in his hunger he approaches Him; to instruct thee how great a good fasting is, and how it is a most powerful shield against the devil, and that after the font,519   [λουντρ, “laver;” here by metonymy for the rite of baptism.—R.]men should give themselves up, not to luxury and drunkenness, and a full table, but to fasting. For, for this cause even He fasted, not as needing it Himself, but to instruct us. Thus, since our sins before the font520   [λουντρ, “laver;” here by metonymy for the rite of baptism.—R.]were brought in by serving the belly: much as if any one who had made a sick man whole were to forbid his doing those things, from which the distemper arose; so we see here likewise that He Himself after the font brought in fasting. For indeed both Adam by the incontinence of the belly was cast out of paradise; and the flood in Noah’s time, this produced; and this brought down the thunders on Sodom. For although there was also a charge of whoredom, nevertheless from this grew the root of each of those punishments; which Ezekiel also signified when he said, “But this was the iniquity of Sodom, that she waxed wanton in pride and in fullness of bread, and in abundance of luxury.”521   Ezek. xvi. 49. Thus the Jews also per petrated the greatest wickedness, being driven upon transgression by their drunkenness and delicacy.522   Isa. v. 11, 12.

On this account then even He too fasts forty days, pointing out to us the medicines of our salvation; yet proceeds no further, lest on the other hand, through the exceeding greatness of the miracle the truth of His Economy523   οκονομα, that is, the assumption of humanity. [Justin Martyr and Ignatius so use the term; see reffs. in Sophocles, Greek Lexicon, etc., sub voce.—R.]should be discredited. For as it is, this cannot be, seeing that both Moses and Elias, anticipating Him, could advance to so great a length of time, strengthened by the power of God. And if He had proceeded farther, from this among other things His assumption of our flesh would have seemed incredible to many.

Having then fasted forty days and as many nights,

“He was afterwards an hungered;524   Matt. iv. 2.” affording him a point to lay hold of and approach, that by actual conflict He might show how to prevail and be victorious. Just so do wrestlers also: when teaching their pupils how to prevail and overcome, they voluntarily in the lists engage with others, to afford these in the persons of their antagonists the means of seeing and learning the mode of conquest. Which same thing then also took place. For it being His will to draw him on so far, He both made His hunger known to him, and awaited his approach, and as He waited for him, so He dashed him to earth, once, twice, and three times, with such ease as became Him.

3. But that we may not, by hurrying over these victories, mar your profit, let us begin from the first assault, and examine each with exact care.

Thus, after He was an hungered, it is said, “The tempter came, and said unto Him, If Thou be Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”525   Matt. iv. 3.

For, because he had heard a voice borne from above, and saying, “This is My beloved Son;” and had heard also John bearing so large witness concerning Him, and after that saw Him an hungered; he was thenceforth in perplexity, and neither could believe that He was a mere man, because of the things spoken concerning Him; nor on the other hand receive it that He was Son of God, seeing Him as he did in hunger. Whence being in perplexity he utters ambiguous sounds. And much as when coming to Adam at the beginning, he feigns things that are not, that he may learn the things that are; even so here also, not knowing clearly the unutterable mystery of the Economy, and who He may be that is come, he attempts to weave other nets, whereby he thought to know that which was hidden and obscure. And what saith he? “If Thou be Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” He said not, because thou art an hungered, but, “if Thou be Son of God;” thinking to cheat Him with his compliments. Wherefore also he was silent touching the hunger, that he might not seem to be alleging it, and upbraiding Him. For not knowing the greatness of the Economy which was going on, he supposed this to be a reproach to Him. Wherefore flattering Him craftily, he makes mention of His dignity only.

What then saith Christ? To put down his pride, and to signify that there was nothing shameful in what had happened, nor unbecoming His wisdom; that which the other had passed over in silence to flatter Him, He brings forward and sets it forth, saying, “Man shall not live by bread alone.”526   Matt. iv. 4.

So that He begins with the necessity of the belly. But mark, I pray thee, the craft of that wicked demon, and whence he begins his wrestlings, and how he doth not forget his proper art. For by what means he cast out also the first man, and encompassed him with thousands of other evils, with the same means here likewise he weaves his deceit; I mean, with incontinence of the belly. So too even now one may hear many foolish ones say their bad words by thousands because of the belly. But Christ, to show that the virtuous man is not compelled even by this tyranny to do anything that is unseemly, first hungers, then submits not to what is enjoined Him; teaching us to obey the devil in nothing. Thus, because the first man did hereby both offend God, and transgress the law, as much and more doth He teach thee:—though it be no transgression which he commands, not even so to obey.

And why say I, “transgression”? “Why, even though something expedient be suggested by the devils,527   [Here “demons” is the more correct rendering.—R.]do not thou,” saith He, “even so give heed unto them.” Thus, for instance, He stopped the mouths of those devils528   [Here “demons” is the more correct rendering.—R.]also, proclaiming Him Son of God. And Paul too again529   Acts xvi. 18.rebuked them, crying this self-same thing; and yet what they said was profitable; but he more abundantly dishonoring them, and obstructing their plot against us, drove them away even when doctrines of salvation were preached by them, closing up their mouths, and bidding them be silent.

And therefore neither in this instance did He consent to what was said. But what saith He? “Man shall not live by bread alone.” Now His meaning is like this: “God is able even by a word to nourish the hungry man;” bringing him a testimony out of the ancient Scripture, and teaching us, though we hunger, yea, whatever we suffer, never to fall away from our Lord.

But if a man say, “still He should have displayed Himself;” I would ask him, with what intent, and for what reason? For not at all that he might believe did the other so speak, but that he might, as he thought, over-argue530   [ἐλγξ, “might convince,” “argue over.”—R.] Him into unbelief. Since the first of mankind were in this way beguiled and over-argued by him, not putting earnest faith in God. For the contrary of what God had said he promised them, and puffed them up with vain hopes, and brought them to unbelief, and so cast them out of the blessings they actually possessed. But Christ signifies Himself not to have consented, either to him then or afterwards to the Jews his partisans, in their demand of signs: invariably instructing us, whatever we may have power to do, yet to do nothing vainly and at random; nor even when want urges to obey the devil.

4. What then doth this accursed one? Overcome, and unable to persuade Him to do his bidding, and that when pressed by such violent hunger, he proceeds to another thing, saying,

“If Thou be Son of God, cast Thyself down; for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee, and in their hands they shall bear Thee up.”531   Matt. iv. 6.

What can the reason be, that at each temptation He adds this, “If Thou be Son of God?” Much the same as he did in that former case, he doth also at this time. That is, as he then slandered God, saying, “In the day ye eat, your eyes shall be opened;”532   Gen. iii. 5.thereby intending to signify, that they were beguiled and overreached, and had received no benefit; even so in this case also he insinuates this same thing, saying, “in vain God hath called Thee Son, and hath beguiled Thee by His gift; for, if this be not so, afford us some clear proof that Thou art of that power.” Then, because Christ had reasoned with him from Scripture, he also brings in a testimony of the prophet.

How then doth Christ? He is not indignant, nor provoked, but with that extreme gentleness He reasons with him again from the Scriptures, saying, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God:”533   Matt. iv. 7.teaching us that we must overcome the devil, not by miracles, but by forbearance and long-suffering, and that we should do nothing at all for display and vainglory.

But mark thou his folly, even by the very testimony which he produced. For while the testimonies cited by the Lord were both of them spoken with exceeding fitness: his, on the other hand, were chance and random sayings, neither did he bring forward on his part that which applied to the matter in hand. For that it is written, “He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee,” this surely is not advice to dash and toss one’s self down headlong; and moreover, this was not so much as spoken concerning the Lord. However, this for the time He did not expose, although there was both insult in his manner of speech, and great inconsistency. For of God’s Son no man requires these things: but to cast one’s self down is the part of the devil, and of demons. Whereas God’s part is to raise up even them that are down. And if He ought to have displayed His own power, it would not have been by casting and tossing Himself down at random, but by saving others. But to cast ourselves down precipices, and into pits, pertains properly to his troop. Thus, for example, the juggler among them doth everywhere.

But Christ, even when these things are said, doth not yet reveal Himself, but as man for a while discourses with him. For the sayings, “Man shall not live by bread alone;” and, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God,” suited one not greatly revealing Himself, but representing Himself as one of the many.

But marvel thou not, if he in reasoning with Christ oftentimes turn himself about. For as pugilists, when they have received deadly blows, reel about, drenched in much blood, and blinded; even so he too, darkened by the first and the second blow, speaks at random what comes uppermost: and proceeds to his third assault.

5. “And he leadeth Him up into a high mountain, and showeth Him all the kingdoms, and saith, All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith He, Get thee behind me, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.”534   Matt. iv. 8–10.

For since he was now come to sinning against the Father, saying, that all that is the Father’s was his, and was endeavoring to make himself out to be God, as artificer of the universe; He then rebuked him: but not even then with vehemence, but simply, “Get thee hence, Satan;” which itself had in it something of command rather than of rebuke. For as soon as He had said to him, “Get thee hence,” He caused him to take to flight; since he brought not against Him any other temptations.

And how saith Luke, that “he ended all temptation.”535   [Luke iv. 13. The form of the passage is changed by Chrysostom, but the words are identical. The R.V. renders: “And when the devil had completed every temptation.” Chrysostom puts the emphasis on the word “every,” as his argument shows.—R.] To me it seems that in mentioning the chief of the temptations, he had spoken of all, as though the rest too were included in these. For the things that form the substance of innumerable evils are these: to be a slave to the belly, to do anything for vainglory, to be in subjection to the madness of riches. Which accordingly that accursed one considering, set last the most powerful of all, I mean the desire of more: and though originally, and from the beginning, he was travailing to come to this, yet he kept it for the last, as being of more force than the rest. For in fact this is the manner of his wrestling, to apply those things last, which seem more likely to overthrow. And this sort of thing he did with respect to Job likewise. Wherefore in this instance too, having begun with the motives which seem to be viler and weaker, he goes on to the more prevailing.

How then are we to get the better of him? In the way which Christ that taught us, by fleeing to God for refuge; and neither to be depressed in famine, as believing in God who is able to feed even with a word; nor amidst whatever good things we may receive to tempt Him who gave them, but to be content with the glory which is from above, making no account of that which is of men, and on every occasion to despise what is beyond our need. For nothing doth so make us fall under the power of the devil, as longing for more, and loving covetousness. And this we may see even by what is done now. For now also there are those who say, “All these things will we give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship;” who are indeed men by nature, but have become his instruments. Since at that time too he approached Him, not by himself only, but also by others. Which Luke also was declaring, when he said, that “he departed from Him for a season;”536   Luke iv. 13. [In Luke iv. 13, the reading is ἄχρι καιρο, but Chrysostom has ἕω καιρο, apparently accepting the sense given in the R.V. margin: “until a season,” which has much to recommend it.—R.]showing that hereafter he approached Him by his proper instruments.

“And, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.”537   Matt. iv. 11. For when the assault was going on, He suffered them not to appear, that He might not thereby drive away the prey; but after He had convicted him in all points, and caused him to take to flight, then they appear: that thou also mayest learn, that after thy victories which are copied from His, angels will receive thee also, applauding thee, and waiting as guards on thee in all things. Thus, for example, angels take Lazarus538   Luke xvi. 22.away with them, after the furnace of poverty and of famine and of all distress. For as I have already said, Christ on this occasion exhibits many things, which we ourselves are to enjoy.

6. Forasmuch then as all these things have been done for thee, do thou emulate and imitate His victory. And should any one approach thee of those who are that evil spirit’s servants, and savor the things that be of him, upbraiding thee and saying, “If thou art marvellous and great, remove the mountain;” be not troubled, nor confounded, but answer with meekness, and say some such thing as thou hast heard thy Lord say: “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

Or should he, offering glory and dominion, and an endless amount of wealth, enjoin thee to worship him, do thou stand again manfully. For neither did the devil deal so with the common Lord of us all only, but every day also he brings these his machinations to bear on each of His servants, not in mountains only and in wildernesses, nor by himself: but in cities likewise, in market-places, and in courts of justice, and by means of our own kindred, even men. What then must we do? Disbelieve him altogether, and stop our ears against him, and hate him when he flatters, and when he proffers more, then so much the more shun him. Because in Eve’s case also, when he was most lifting her up with hopes, then he cast her down, and did her the greatest evils. Yea, for he is an implacable enemy, and hath taken up against us such war as excludes all treaty. And we are not so earnest for our own salvation, as he is for our ruin. Let us then shun him, not with words only, but also with works; not in mind only, but also in deed; and let us do none of the things which he approves, for so shall we do all those which God approves. Yea, for he makes also many promises, not that he may give, but that he may take. He promises by rapine, that he may deprive us of the kingdom, and of righteousness; and sets treasures in the earth as a kind of gins or traps, that he may deprive us both of these and of the treasures in Heaven, and he would have us be rich here, that we may not be rich there.

And if he should not be able by wealth to cast us out of our portion there, he comes another way, the way of poverty; as he did with respect to Job. That is, when he saw that wealth did him no harm, he weaves his toils by poverty, expecting on that side to get the better of him. But what could be more foolish than this? Since he that hath been able to bear wealth with moderation, much more will he bear poverty with manliness; and he who desires not riches when present, neither will he seek them when absent; even as that blessed man did not, but by his poverty, on the other hand, he became still more glorious. For of his possessions that wicked demon had power indeed to deprive him, but his love toward God he not only could not take away, but made it even stronger, and when he had stripped him of all, he caused him to abound with more blessings; wherefore also he was in perplexity. For the more plagues he brought upon him, the more mighty he then saw him become. And therefore, as you know, when he had gone through all, and had thoroughly tried his metal,539   διακωδνισα .because he made no way, he ran to his old weapon, the woman, and assumes a mask of concern, and makes a tragical picture of his calamities in most pitiable tone, and feigns that for removal of his evil he is introducing that deadly counsel.540   “Curse God and die,” Job ii. 9. But neither so did he prevail; nay, for his bait was perceived by that wondrous man, who with much wisdom stopped the mouth of the woman speaking at his instigation.

Just so we likewise must act: though it be a brother, a tried friend, a wife, whom you will of those nearest to us, whom he hath entered into, and so utters something not convenient,541   [τι τν ο προηκντων.—R.]we must not receive the counsel for the person of him who so speaks, but for the deadly counsel turn away from the speaker. Since in fact now also he doth many such things, and puts before him a mask of sympathy, and while he seems to be friendly, he is instilling his pernicious words, more grievous than poisons. Thus, as to flatter for evil is his part, so to chastise for our good, is God’s.

7. Let us not then be deceived, neither let us by every mean seek after the life of ease. For “whom the Lord loveth,” it is said, “He chasteneth.”542   Heb. xii. 6. Wherefore when we enjoy prosperity, living in wickedness, then most of all should we grieve. For we ought ever to be afraid while we sin, but especially when we suffer no ill. For when God exacts our penalties by little and little, he makes our payment for these things easy to us; but when he is long-suffering for each of our negligences, He is storing us up, if we continue in such things, unto a great punishment. Since, if for the well-doers affliction be a necessary thing, much more for them that sin.

See for instance how much long-suffering Pharaoh met with, and afterwards underwent for all most extreme punishment: in how many things Nebuchadnezzar offended, yet at the end expiated all; and the rich man, because he had suffered no great ill here, for this very cause chiefly became miserable, for that having lived in luxury in the present life, he departed to pay the penalty of all these things there, where he could not obtain anything at all to soothe his calamity.

Yet for all this some are so cold and senseless, as to be always seeking only the things that are here, and uttering those absurd sayings, “Let me enjoy all things present for a time, and then I will consider about things out of sight: I will gratify my belly, I will be a slave to pleasures, I will make full use of the present life; give me to-day, and take tomorrow.” Oh excess of folly! Why, wherein do they who talk so differ from goats and swine? For if the prophet543   Jerem. v. 8.permits not them to be accounted men, that “neigh after their neighbors wife,” who shall blame us for esteeming these to be goats and swine, and more insensible than asses, by whom those things are held uncertain, which are more evident than what we see? Why, if thou believest nothing else, attend to the devils in their scourging, to them who had our hurt for their object in all their practice, both in word and deed. For thou wilt not, I am sure, contradict this, that they do all to increase our security, and to do away with the fear of hell, and to breed disbelief of the tribunals in that world. Nevertheless, they that are so minded, by cryings and wailings do oftentimes proclaim the torments that are there.544   St. Cyril (about A.D. 350) Catech. x. 19, says, “The demons who even to this day are being driven out by the faithful bear witness to Christ.” St. Augustin (A.D. 426), in many places speaks of the like miracle as no unusual thing in his time, particularly at the tombs of the martyrs. De Civ. Dei. x. 22.; xxii. 8; contra. Lit. Petil. ii. 55. Whence is it then that they so speak, and utter things contrary to their own will? From no other cause, but because they are under the pressure of stronger compulsion. For they would have not been minded of their own accord to confess either that they are tormented by dead men, or that they at all suffer anything dreadful.

Wherefore now have I said this? Because evil demons confess hell, who would fain have hell disbelieved; but thou who enjoyest honor so great, and hast been a partaker in unutterable mysteries, dost not so much as imitate them, but art become more hardened even than they.

8. “But who,” one will say, “hath come from those in hell, and hath declared these things?” Why, who hath arrived here from heaven, and told us that there is a God who created all things? And whence is it clear that we have a soul? For plainly, if thou art to believe the things only that are in sight, both God and angels, and mind and soul, will be matter of doubting to thee, and in this way thou wilt find all the doctrines of the truth gone.

Yet surely, if thou art willing to believe what is evident, the things invisible ought to be believed by thee, rather than those which are seen. Even though what I say be a paradox, nevertheless it is true, and among men of understanding is fully acknowledged. For whereas the eyes are often deceived, not in the things unseen only (for of those they do not so much as take cognizance), but even in those which men think they actually see, distance and atmosphere, and absence of mind, and anger, and care, and ten thousand other things impeding their accuracy; the reasoning power of the soul on the other hand, if it receive the light of the divine Scriptures, will prove a more accurate, an unerring standard of realities.

Let us not then vainly deceive ourselves, neither in addition to the carelessness of our life, which is the offspring of such doctrines as these, heap up to ourselves, for the very doctrines themselves, a more grievous fire. For if there be no judgment, and we are not to give account of our deeds, neither shall we receive rewards for our labors. Observe which way your blasphemies tend, when ye say, that God, who is righteous, and loving, and mild, overlooks so great labors and toils. And how can this be reasonable? Why, if by nothing else, at any rate by the circumstances of thine own house, I bid thee weigh these things, and then thou wilt see the absurdity. For though thou wert thyself savage and inhuman beyond measure, and wilder than the very wild beasts, thou wouldest not choose at thy death to leave unhonored the servant that had been affectionate to thee, but requitest him both with freedom, and with a gift of money; and forasmuch as in thine own person hereafter, having departed, thou wilt be able to do him no good, thou givest charge concerning him to the future inheritors of thy substance, beseeching, exhorting, doing everything, so that he may not remain unrewarded.

So then thou, who art evil, art so kind and loving towards thy servant; and will the Infinite Goodness, that is, God, the Unspeakable Love to man, the kindness so vast: will He overlook and leave uncrowned His own servants, Peter and Paul, and James, and John, those who every day for His sake suffered hunger, were bound, were scourged, were drowned in the sea, were given up to wild beasts, were dying, were suffering so great things as we cannot so much as reckon up? And whereas the Olympic judge proclaims and crowns the victor, and the master rewards the servant, and the king the soldier, and each in general him that hath done him service, with what good things he can; shall God alone, after those so great toils and labors, repay them with no good thing great or small? shall those just and pious men, who have walked in every virtue, lie in the same state with adulterers, and parricides, and manslayers, and violators of tombs? And in what way can this be reasonable? Since, if there be nothing after our departure hence, and our interests reach no further than things present, those are in the same case with these, or rather not so much as in the same. For what though hereafter, as thou sayest, they fare alike? yet here, the whole of their time, the wicked have been at ease, the righteous in chastisement. And this what sort of tyrant, what savage and relentless man did ever so devise, touching his own servants and subjects?

Didst thou mark the exceeding greatness of the absurdity, and in what this argument issues? Therefore if thou wilt not any other way, yet by these reasonings be instructed to rid thyself of this wicked thought, and to flee from vice, and cleave to the toils which end in virtue: and then shalt thou know certainly that our concerns are not bounded by the present life. And if any one ask thee, “Who hath come from thence and brought word what is there?” say unto him, “of men not one; for surely he would have been often disbelieved, as vaunting, and exaggerating the thing; but the Lord of the angels hath brought word with exactness of all those things. What need then have we of any man, seeing He, that will demand account of us, crieth aloud every day, that He hath both made ready a hell, and prepared a kingdom; and affords us clear demonstrations of these things? For if He were not hereafter to judge, neither would he have exacted any penalty here.

9. “Well, but as to this very point how can it be reasonable? that of the wicked some should be punished, others not? I mean, if God be no respecter of persons, as surely He is not, why can it be that of one He exacts a penalty, but another He suffers to go away unpunished? Why, this is again more inexplicable than the former.”

Yet if you are willing to hear what we say with candor, we will solve this difficulty also.

What then is the solution? He neither exacts penalty of all here, lest thou shouldest despair of the resurrection, and lose all expectation of the judgment, as though all were to give account here; nor doth He suffer all to go away unpunished, lest on the other hand thou shouldest account all to be without His providence; but He both punishes and abstains from punishing: by those whom He punishes, signifying that in that world also He will exact a penalty of such as are unpunished here; and by those whom He doth not punish, working upon thee to believe that there is some fearful trial after our departure hence.

But if He were altogether indifferent about our former deeds, He neither would have punished any here, nor have conferred benefits. But now thou seest Him for thy sake stretching out the heaven, kindling the sun, founding the earth, pouring forth the sea, expanding the air, and appointing for the moon her courses, setting unchangeable laws for the seasons of the years, and all other things too performing their own courses exactly at a sign from Him. For both our nature, and that of creatures irrational, of them that creep, that walk, that fly, that swim, in marshes, in springs, in rivers, in mountains, in forests, in houses, in the air, in plains; plants also, and seeds, and trees, both wild and cultivated, both fruitful and unfruitful; and all things in general, moved by that unwearied Hand, make provision for our life, affording to us of themselves their ministry, not for our need only, but also for our feeling of high station.545   φιλοτιμαν .

Seeing therefore order so great and fair (and yet we have not mentioned so much as the least portion thereof), darest thou say, that He who for thy sake hath wrought things so many and great will overlook thee in the most critical points, and suffer thee when dead to lie with the asses and swine: and that having honored thee with so great a gift, that of godliness, whereby He hath even equaled thee with the angels, He will overlook thee after thy countless labors and toils?

And how can this be reasonable? Why, these things, if we be silent “the stones will immediately cry out;”546   Luke xix. 40.so plain are they, and manifest, and more lucid than the sunbeam itself.

Having then considered all these things, and having convinced our own soul, that after our departure hence, we shall both stand at the fearful judgment-seat, and give account of all that we have done, and shall bear our penalty, and submit to our sentence, if we continue in our negligences; and shall receive crowns and unutterable blessings, if we are willing to give a little heed to ourselves; let us both stop the mouths of them who gainsay these things, and ourselves choose the way of virtue; that with due confidence departing to that tribunal, we may attain unto the good things that are promised us, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion, now and ever, world without end. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΓʹ. Τότε ἀνήχθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος, πειρασθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου. αʹ. Τότε: πότε; Μετὰ τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος κάθοδον, μετὰ τὴν φωνὴν ἄνωθεν ἐνεχθεῖσαν καὶ λέγουσαν: Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητὸς, ἐν ᾧ ηὐδόκησα. Καὶ τὸ δὴ θαυμαστὸν, ὅτι ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου: τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτὸν ἀνάγειν ἐνταῦθά φησιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πάντα πρὸς διδασκαλίαν ἡμῶν ἔπραττε καὶ ὑπέμενεν, ἀνέχεται καὶ τῆς ἐκεῖσε ἀναγωγῆς, καὶ τῆς πρὸς τὸν διάβολον πάλης: ἵνα ἕκαστος τῶν βαπτιζομένων, εἰ μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα μείζονας ὑπομείνειε πειρασμοὺς, μὴ ταράττηται, ὡς παρὰ προσδοκίαν τοῦ πράγματος γινομένου, ἀλλὰ μένῃ γενναίως πάντα φέρων, ὡς κατὰ ἀκολουθίαν τούτου συμβαίνοντος. Καὶ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἔλαβες ὅπλα, οὐχ ἵνα ἀργῇς, ἀλλ' ἵνα πολεμῇς. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ ἐπιόντας κωλύει τοὺς πειρασμοὺς ὁ Θεός: πρῶτον μὲν ἵνα μάθῃς ὅτι πολλῷ γέγονας ἰσχυρότερος: ἔπειτα ἵνα μένῃς μετριάζων, μηδὲ τῷ μεγέθει τῶν δωρεῶν ἐπαρθῇς, τῶν πειρασμῶν συστέλλειν σε δυναμένων: πρὸς τούτοις, ἵνα ὁ πονηρὸς δαίμων ἐκεῖνος, ὁ τέως ἀμφιβάλλων περὶ τῆς σῆς ἀποστάσεως, ἀπὸ τῆς βασάνου τῶν πειρασμῶν πληροφορηθῇ, ὅτι τέλεον αὐτὸν ἐγκαταλιπὼν ἀπέστης: τέταρτον, ἵνα ἰσχυρότερος καὶ σιδήρου παντὸς εὐτονώτερος ταύτῃ κατασκευασθῇς: πέμπτον, ἵνα ἀπόδειξιν λάβῃς σαφῆ τῶν πιστευθέντων σοι θησαυρῶν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν ἐπῆλθεν ὁ διάβολος, εἰ μή σε ἐν μείζονι γενόμενον εἶδε τιμῇ. Ἐντεῦθεν γοῦν καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπανέστη τῷ Ἀδὰμ, ἐπειδὴ πολλῆς αὐτὸν εἶδεν ἀπολαύσαντα τῆς ἀξίας. Διὰ τοῦτο παρετάξατο πρὸς τὸν Ἰὼβ, ἐπειδὴ στεφανούμενον αὐτὸν καὶ ἀνακηρυττόμενον ἐθεάσατο παρὰ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ. Καὶ πῶς οὖν φησιν: Εὔχεσθε μὴ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς πειρασμόν; Διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀνιόντα αὐτὸν ἁπλῶς δείκνυσί σοι τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ἀλλὰ ἀναγόμενον κατὰ τὸν τῆς οἰκονομίας λόγον, αἰνιττόμενος διὰ τούτων, ὅτι οὐκ αὐτοὺς ἐπιπηδᾷν χρὴ, ἀλλ' ἑλκομένους ἑστάναι γενναίως. Καὶ ὅρα ποῦ λαβὼν αὐτὸν τὸ Πνεῦμα ἀνήγαγεν: οὐκ εἰς πόλιν καὶ ἀγορὰν, ἀλλ' εἰς ἔρημον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸν διάβολον ἐπισπάσασθαι ἐβούλετο, οὐ διὰ τῆς πείνης μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τοῦ τόπου δίδωσιν αὐτῷ λαβήν. Τότε γὰρ μάλιστα ἐπιτίθεται ὁ διάβολος, ὅταν ἴδῃ μεμονωμένους καὶ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ὄντας. Οὕτω καὶ τῇ γυναικὶ παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπέθετο, μόνην αὐτὴν ἀπολαβὼν, καὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς χωρὶς οὖσαν εὑρών. Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ μεθ' ἑτέρων ὄντας ἴδῃ καὶ συγκεκροτημένους, οὐχ ὁμοίως θαῤῥεῖ, οὐδὲ ἔπεισι. Διὸ χρὴ μάλιστα καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μετ' ἀλλήλων ἀγελάζεσθαι συνεχῶς, ὥστε μὴ εὐχειρώτους εἶναι τῷ διαβόλῳ. Εὑρὼν τοίνυν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, καὶ ἐρήμῳ ἀβάτῳ (ὅτι γὰρ τοιαύτη ἡ ἔρημος ἦν, ὁ Μάρκος ἐδήλωσεν εἰπὼν, ὅτι Μετὰ τῶν θηρίων ἦν): ὅρα μεθ' ὅσης προσέρχεται κακουργίας καὶ πονηρίας, καὶ ποῖον παρατηρεῖ καιρόν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ νηστεύοντι, ἀλλὰ πεινῶντι προσέρχεται: ἵνα σὺ μάθῃς, ἡλίκον ἡ νηστεία καλὸν, καὶ πῶς ὅπλον ἐστὶ κατὰ τοῦ διαβόλου μέγιστον, καὶ ὅτι μετὰ τὸ λουτρὸν οὐ τρυφῇ καὶ μέθῃ καὶ τραπέζῃ πληθούσῃ, ἀλλὰ νηστείᾳ προσέχειν δεῖ. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ αὐτὸς ἐνήστευσεν, οὐκ αὐτὸς ταύτης δεόμενος, ἀλλ' ἡμᾶς παιδεύων. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα τὰ πρὸ τοῦ λουτροῦ τὸ γαστρὶ δουλεύειν εἰσήγαγεν: ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις νοσοῦντα ὑγιῆ ποιήσας, κελεύοι μὴ ποιεῖν ἐκεῖνα, ἐξ ὧν ἡ νόσος γέγονεν: οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα καὶ αὐτὸς μετὰ τὸ λουτρὸν νηστείαν εἰσήγαγε. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἡ ἀκρασία τῆς γαστρὸς ἐξέβαλε τοῦ παραδείσου, καὶ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ Νῶε αὕτη πεποίηκε, καὶ τοὺς Σοδόμων κεραυνοὺς αὕτη κατήγαγεν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πορνείας ἔγκλημα ἦν, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἑκατέρας τῆς κολάσεως ἡ ῥίζα ἐντεῦθεν ἐφύη: ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Ἰεζεκιὴλ αἰνιττόμενος ἔλεγε: Πλὴν τοῦτο τὸ ἀνόμημα Σοδόμων, ὅτι ἐν ὑπερηφανίᾳ καὶ ἐν πλησμονῇ ἄρτων, καὶ ἐν εὐθηνίαις ἐσπατάλων. Οὕτω καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι τὰ μέγιστα εἰργάσαντο κακὰ, ἀπὸ τῆς μέθης καὶ τῆς τρυφῆς ἐπὶ τὴν ἀνομίαν ἐξοκείλαντες. βʹ. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ αὐτὸς νηστεύει τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας, ἡμῖν τὰ φάρμακα τῆς σωτηρίας δεικνὺς, καὶ οὐ προέρχεται περαιτέρω, ὥστε μὴ πάλιν τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τοῦ θαύματος ἀπιστηθῆναι τῆς οἰκονομίας τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἂν τοῦτο ἐγένετο, ἐπειδὴ καὶ Μωϋσῆς καὶ Ἠλίας προλαβόντες εἰς τοσοῦτον ἴσχυσαν ἐξελθεῖν μῆκος, τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ κραταιούμενοι δυνάμει. Εἰ δὲ περαιτέρω προέβη, πολλοῖς ἂν καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἄπιστος ἔδοξεν εἶναι ἡ τῆς σαρκὸς ἀνάληψις. Νηστεύσας τοίνυν τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ νύκτας τοσαύτας, Ὕστερον ἐπείνασε: λαβὴν αὐτῷ παρέχων εἰς τὸ προσελθεῖν, ἵνα συμπλακεὶς δείξῃ πῶς δεῖ περιγίνεσθαι καὶ νικᾷν. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἀθληταὶ ποιοῦσι: τοὺς γὰρ μαθητὰς τοὺς ἑαυτῶν διδάσκοντες περιγίνεσθαι καὶ νικᾷν, ἑκόντες ἐν ταῖς παλαίστραις συμπλέκονται ἑτέροις, ἐν τοῖς τῶν ἀντιπάλων σώμασι παρέχοντες τούτοις θεωρεῖν καὶ παιδεύεσθαι τῆς νίκης τὸν τρόπον. Ὃ δὴ καὶ τότε ἐγένετο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐβούλετο αὐτὸν ἐπισπάσασθαι εἰς τοῦτο, καὶ τὸ πεινῇν αὐτῷ κατάδηλον ἐποίησε, καὶ προσελθόντα ἐδέξατο, καὶ δεξάμενος, ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς καὶ τρὶς αὐτὸν κατέῤῥαξε μετ' εὐκολίας τῆς αὐτῷ προσηκούσης. Ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ παρατρέχοντες τὰς νίκας ταύτας, λυμαινώμεθα ὑμῶν τὴν ὠφέλειαν, ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης ἀρξάμενοι προσβολῆς ἑκάστην μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἐξετάσωμεν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐπείνασε, φησὶ, Προσελθὼν ὁ πειράζων εἶπεν αὐτῷ: Εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἰπὲ ἵνα οἱ λίθοι οὗτοι ἄρτοι γένωνται. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἤκουσε φωνῆς ἄνωθεν φερομένης καὶ λεγούσης: Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός: ἤκουσε δὲ καὶ Ἰωάννου τοσαῦτα περὶ αὐτοῦ μαρτυροῦντος, εἶτα εἶδε πεινῶντα: ἐν ἀμηχανίᾳ λοιπὸν ἦν, καὶ οὔτε ὅτι ἄνθρωπος ἦν ψιλὸς πιστεῦσαι ἡδύνατο, διὰ τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ λεχθέντα: οὐδ' αὖ πάλιν παραδέξασθαι, ὅτι Υἱὸς ἦν τοῦ Θεοῦ, διὰ τὸ βλέπειν αὐτὸν πεινῶντα. Ὅθεν ἐν ἀμηχανίᾳ γενόμενος, ἀμφιβόλους ἀφίησι φωνάς. Καὶ ὥσπερ τῷ Ἀδὰμ προσελθὼν παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν, πλάττει τὰ μὴ ὄντα, ἵνα μάθῃ τὰ ὄντα: οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα, οὐκ εἰδὼς σαφῶς τὸ ἀπόῤῥητον τῆς οἰκονομίας μυστήριον, καὶ τίς ποτέ ἐστιν ὁ παρὼν, ἕτερα ἐπιχειρεῖ πλέκειν δίκτυα, δι' ὧν ᾤετο εἴσεσθαι τὸ κεκρυμμένον καὶ ἀσαφές. Καὶ τί φησιν; Εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἰπὲ ἵνα οἱ λίθοι οὗτοι ἄρτοι γένωνται. Οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἐπειδὴ πεινᾷς, ἀλλ', Εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ: νομίζων ὑποκλέπτειν αὐτὸν τοῖς ἐγκωμίοις. Διὸ καὶ τὴν πεῖναν ἐσίγησεν, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ προφέρειν αὐτῷ τοῦτο καὶ ὀνειδίζειν. Οὐ γὰρ εἰδὼς τῶν οἰκονομουμένων τὸ μέγεθος, αἰσχρὸν αὐτῷ τοῦτο ἐνόμιζεν εἶναι. Διὸ κολακεύων αὐτὸν ὑπούλως, τῆς ἀξίας μέμνηται μόνης. Τί οὖν ὁ Χριστός; Τὸν τῦφον αὐτοῦ καθαιρῶν, καὶ δεικνὺς οὐκ αἰσχύνης ἄξιον ὂν τὸ συμβὰν, οὐδὲ ἀνάξιον τῆς αὐτοῦ σοφίας, ὅπερ κολακεύων αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνος ἀπεσίγησε, τοῦτο εἰς μέσον αὐτὸς προφέρει καὶ τίθησι, λέγων: Οὐκ ἐπ' ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος. Ὅθεν ἄρχεται ἀπὸ τῆς κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα ἀνάγκης. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει τοῦ πονηροῦ δαίμονος ἐκείνου τὴν κακουργίαν, καὶ πόθεν ἄρχεται τῶν παλαισμάτων, καὶ πῶς τῆς οἰκείας οὐκ ἐπιλανθάνεται τέχνης. Ἀφ' ὧν γὰρ καὶ τὸν πρῶτον ἐξέβαλεν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ἑτέροις περιέβαλε κακοῖς, ἀπὸ τούτων καὶ ἐνταῦθα πλέκει τὸν δόλον, τῆς κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα ἀκρασίας λέγω. Πολλῶν γοῦν καὶ νῦν ἔστιν ἀκοῦσαι ἀνοήτων, λεγόντων τὰ μυρία διὰ τὴν κοιλίαν κακά. Ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς δεικνὺς, ὅτι τὸν ἐνάρετον οὐδὲ αὕτη ἡ τυραννὶς καταναγκάζει τι τῶν μὴ προσηκόντων ποιεῖν, καὶ πεινᾷ, καὶ οὐχ ὑπακούει τῷ ἐπιτάγματι, παιδεύων ἡμᾶς ἐν μηδενὶ πείθεσθαι τῷ διαβόλῳ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος ἐντεῦθεν καὶ τῷ Θεῷ προσέκρουσε, καὶ νόμον παρέβη, ἐκ περιουσίας σε διδάσκει, κἂν μὴ παράβασις ᾖ τὸ παρ' αὐτοῦ κελευόμενον, μηδὲ οὕτω πείθεσθαι. Καὶ τί λέγω παράβασιν; Κἂν γάρ τι χρήσιμον λέγωσιν οἱ δαίμονες, φησὶ, μηδὲ οὕτω πρόσεχε αὐτοῖς. Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ τοὺς δαίμονας ἐπεστόμισεν ἐκείνους, κηρύττοντας αὐτὸν Υἱὸν Θεοῦ. Καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δὲ πάλιν αὐτὸ τοῦτο βοῶσιν ἐπετίμησε καίτοι τὸ λεγόμενον χρήσιμον ἦν: ἀλλ' ἐκ περιουσίας ἀτιμάζων αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀποτειχίζων τὴν καθ' ἡμῶν ἐπιβουλὴν, καὶ σωτήρια δόγματα κηρύττοντας ἤλαυνεν, ἐμφράττων αὐτῶν τὰ στόματα, καὶ σιγᾷν κελεύων. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα τοῖς λεγομένοις ἐπένευσεν: ἀλλὰ τί φησιν; Οὐκ ἐπ' ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν: ὅτι Δύναται ὁ Θεὸς καὶ ῥήματι θρέψαι τὸν πεινῶντα, ἀπὸ τῆς Παλαιᾶς φέρων αὐτῷ μαρτυρίαν Γραφῆς, καὶ παιδεύων, κἂν λιμώττωμεν, κἂν ὁτιοῦν πάσχωμεν, μηδέποτε ἀφίστασθαι τοῦ Δεσπότου. γʹ. Εἰ δὲ λέγοι τις, ὅτι καὶ μὴν ἐπιδείξασθαι ἐχρῆν, ἐροίμην ἂν αὐτόν: Τίνος ἕνεκεν καὶ διὰ τί; Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἵνα πιστεύσῃ, ταῦτα ἔλεγεν ἐκεῖνος, ἀλλ' ἵνα, ὡς ᾤετο, εἰς ἀπιστίαν ἐλέγξῃ. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τοὺς πρώτους οὕτως ἠπάτησε καὶ ἤλεγξεν, οὐ σφόδρα πιστεύοντας τῷ Θεῷ. Ἐναντία γὰρ ὧν εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἐκεῖνος ὑποσχόμενος, καὶ κεναῖς αὐτοὺς φυσήσας ἐλπίσι, καὶ εἰς ἀπιστίαν ἐμβαλὼν, οὕτω καὶ ὧν εἶχον ἀγαθῶν ἐξέβαλεν. Ἀλλ' ὁ Χριστὸς δείκνυσιν ἑαυτὸν, μήτε τούτῳ τότε, μήτε ὕστερον τοῖς τὰ αὐτοῦ φρονοῦσιν Ἰουδαίοις σημεῖα αἰτοῦσιν ἐπινεύσας, πανταχοῦ παιδεύων ἡμᾶς, κἂν δυνώμεθά τι ποιεῖν, μηδὲν πράττειν εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην, μηδὲ ἀνάγκης ἐπικειμένης πείθεσθαι τῷ διαβόλῳ. Τί οὖν ὁ μιαρὸς οὗτος; Ἡττηθεὶς καὶ πεῖσαι μὴ δυνηθεὶς τὸ κελευόμενον ποιῆσαι, καὶ ταῦτα πείνης ἐπικειμένης τοσαύτης, ἐφ' ἕτερον πρόεισι, λέγων: Εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, βάλε σεαυτὸν κάτω: γέγραπται γάρ: Ὅτι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ χειρῶν ἀροῦσί σε Τί δήποτε καθ' ἑκάστην πεῖραν τοῦτο προστίθησιν, Εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ; Ὅπερ ἐπὶ τῶν προτέρων ἐποίησε, τοῦτο καὶ νῦν ποιεῖ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τότε διέβαλε τὸν Θεὸν, λέγων, ὅτι Ἧ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε, διανοιχθήσονται ὑμῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί: διὰ τούτων δεῖξαι βουλόμενος, ὅτι ἠπάτηνται καὶ παρελογίσθησαν, καὶ οὐδέν εἰσιν εὐηργετημένοι: οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο αἰνίττεται λέγων, ὅτι Εἰκῆ σε ἐκάλεσεν Υἱὸν, καὶ ἠπάτησε τῇ δωρεᾷ: ἐπεὶ εἰ μὴ τοῦτό ἐστι, παράσχου ἡμῖν ἀπόδειξιν τοῦ τῆς δυνάμεως εἶναι ἐκείνης. Εἶτα, ἐπειδὴ ἀπὸ Γραφῶν αὐτῷ διελέχθη, καὶ αὐτὸς τοῦ προφήτου παράγει μαρτυρίαν. Πῶς οὖν ὁ Χριστός; Οὐκ ἠγανάκτησεν, οὐ παρωξύνθη, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐπιεικείας πάλιν ἀπὸ τῶν Γραφῶν αὐτῷ διαλέγεται λέγων: Οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου: παιδεύων ἡμᾶς, ὅτι τοῦ διαβόλου οὐ διὰ σημείων, ἀλλὰ δι' ἀνεξικακίας καὶ μακροθυμίας περιγίνεσθαι χρὴ, καὶ μηδὲν πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν ποιεῖν καὶ φιλοτιμίαν ἁπλῶς. Σκόπει δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ ἀνόητον καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς μαρτυρίας αὐτῆς, ἧς παρήγαγεν. Αἱ μὲν γὰρ παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου παρενεχθεῖσαι μαρτυρίαι σφόδρα ἁρμοδίως ἀμφότεραι εἴρηνται: οἱ δὲ παρ' ἐκείνου ἁπλῶς καὶ ὡς ἔτυχε, καὶ οὐδὲ τοῖς προκειμένοις τὸ προσῆκον ἀντεπήγετο. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ τὸ γεγράφθαι, Ὅτι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ, παραινεῖ ῥιπτεῖν ἑαυτὸν καὶ κρημνίζειν: ἄλλως δὲ οὐδὲ περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦτο εἰρημένον ἐστίν. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν τέως οὐκ ἤλεγξε, καίτοι γε καὶ ὑβριστικῶς αὐτοῦ χρησαμένου τῷ λόγῳ, καὶ σφόδρα ἐναντίως. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ παρὰ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ταῦτα αἰτεῖ, ἀλλὰ διαβόλου καὶ δαιμόνων τὸ βάλλειν ἑαυτὸν κάτω: τοῦ Θεοῦ δὲ, καὶ τοὺς κειμένους ἀνιστᾷν. Εἰ γὰρ δύναμιν ἐπιδείξασθαι ἔδει, οὐχ ἑαυτὸν ῥιπτοῦντα εἰκῆ καὶ κρημνίζοντα, ἀλλ' ἑτέρους σώζοντα. Τὸ δὲ ἑαυτοὺς ῥιπτεῖν εἰς φάραγγας καὶ κρημνοὺς, τῆς ἐκείνου φάλαγγός ἐστιν. Οὕτω γοῦν ὁ παρ' αὐτοῖς πλάνος ποιεῖ πανταχοῦ. Ἀλλ' ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ τούτων εἰρημένων, οὐδέπω ἑαυτὸν ἐκκαλύπτει, ἀλλ' ὡς ἄνθρωπος τέως αὐτῷ διαλέγεται. Τὸ γὰρ εἰπεῖν, Οὐκ ἐπ' ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τὸ, Οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου, οὐ σφόδρα ἑαυτὸν ἐκκαλύπτοντος ἦν, ἀλλ' ἕνα τῶν πολλῶν δεικνύντος. Μὴ θαυμάσῃς δὲ, εἰ τῷ Χριστῷ διαλεγόμενος περιτρέπεται πολλάκις. Καθάπερ γὰρ οἱ πυκτεύοντες, ὅταν καιρίας δέξωνται πληγὰς, αἵματι περιῤῥεόμενοι πολλῷ καὶ σκοτούμενοι περιφέρονται: οὕτω δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπὸ τῆς προτέρας καὶ δευτέρας πληγῆς σκοτωθεὶς, ἁπλῶς τὰ ἐπιόντα φθέγγεται: καὶ πρόεισιν ἐπὶ τὴν τρίτην προσβολήν. Καὶ ἀναγαγὼν αὐτὸν εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν, δείκνυσιν αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς βασιλείας, καί φησι: Πάντα σοι ταῦτα δώσω, ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι. Τότε λέγει αὐτῷ: Ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, Σατανᾶ: γέγραπται γάρ: Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις, καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ λοιπὸν εἰς τὸν Πατέρα ἡμάρτανε, τὰ ἐκείνου πάντα αὐτοῦ λέγων εἶναι, καὶ θεὸν ἐσπούδαζεν ἑαυτὸν ἀποφῆναι, ὡς δημιουργὸν τοῦ παντὸς, τότε ἐπετίμησε καὶ οὐδὲ τότε μετὰ σφοδρότητος, ἀλλ' ἁπλῶς: Ὕπαγε, Σατανᾶ: ὅπερ καὶ πρόσταγμα μᾶλλον ἦν, ἢ ἐπιτίμησις. Ὁμοῦ τε γὰρ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Ὕπαγε, καὶ δραπετεῦσαι αὐτὸν ἐποίησεν: οὔτε γὰρ ἑτέρους πειρασμοὺς προσήγαγε. δʹ. Καὶ πῶς ὁ Λουκᾶς φησιν, ὅτι πάντα συνετέλεσε πειρασμόν; Ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ τὰ κεφάλαια τῶν πειρασμῶν εἰπὼν, πάντα εἰρηκέναι, ὡς καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐν τούτοις περιειλημμένων. Τὰ γὰρ μυρία συνέχοντα κακὰ, ταῦτά ἐστι: τὸ γαστρὶ δουλεύειν, τὸ πρὸς κενοδοξίαν τι ποιεῖν, τὸ μανίᾳ χρημάτων ὑπεύθυνον εἶναι. Ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ μιαρὸς οὗτος συνιδὼν, τὸ πάντων ἰσχυρότερον ὕστερον τέθεικε, τὴν τοῦ πλείονος ἐπιθυμίαν: ἄνωθεν μὲν καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὠδίνων ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ τοῦτο, ἔσχατον δὲ τοῦτο τηρῶν, ὡς τῶν ἄλλων δυνατώτερον ὄν. Καὶ γὰρ οὗτος αὐτοῦ τῆς πάλης ὁ νόμος, τὰ δοκοῦντα μᾶλλον ὑποσκελίζειν, ταῦτα ἔσχατα προσάγειν. Ὅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰὼβ ἐποίησε. Διὸ δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἀπὸ τῶν δοκούντων εἶναι εὐτελεστέρων καὶ ἀσθενεστέρων ἀρξάμενος, ἐπὶ τὸ ἰσχυρότερον πρόεισι. Πῶς οὖν τούτου περιγενέσθαι δεῖ; Οὕτως ὡς ὁ Χριστὸς ἐπαίδευσεν, ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν καταφεύγοντας, καὶ μήτε ἐν λιμῷ ταπεινοῦσθαι, πιστεύοντας τῷ δυναμένῳ καὶ διὰ λόγου τρέφειν, μήτε ἐν οἷς ἂν λαμβάνωμεν ἀγαθοῖς πειράζειν τὸν δεδωκότα, ἀλλ' ἀρκεῖσθαι τῇ ἄνωθεν δόξῃ, τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης οὐδένα ποιουμένους λόγον, καὶ πανταχοῦ τῆς χρείας τὸ περιττὸν ἀτιμάζειν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως ὑποπίπτειν τῷ διαβόλῳ ποιεῖ, ὡς τὸ τοῦ πλείονος ἐφίεσθαι, καὶ πλεονεξίας ἐρᾷν. Καὶ τοῦτο καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν νῦν γινομένων ἔστιν ἰδεῖν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ νῦν εἰσιν οἱ λέγοντες: Ταῦτά σοι πάντα δώσομεν, ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς: ἄνθρωποι μὲν ὄντες τὴν φύσιν, ὄργανα δὲ ἐκείνου γενόμενοι. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τότε οὐ δι' ἑαυτοῦ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' ἑτέρων αὐτῷ προσῄει. Ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς δηλῶν ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Ἕως καιροῦ ἀπέστη ἀπ' αὐτοῦ: δηλῶν ὅτι μετὰ ταῦτα διὰ τῶν οἰκείων ὀργάνων αὐτῷ προσῄει. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελοι προσῆλθον, καὶ διηκόνουν αὐτῷ. Ἡνίκα γὰρ τὰ τῆς προσβολῆς ἐγίνετο, οὐκ εἴασεν αὐτοὺς φαίνεσθαι, ὥστε μὴ ταύτῃ σοβῆσαι τὴν ἄγραν: ἐπειδὴ δὲ αὐτὸν ἐν ἅπασιν ἤλεγξε, καὶ δραπετεῦσαι παρεσκεύασε, τότε φαίνονται ἐκεῖνοι: ἵνα καὶ σὺ μάθῃς, ὅτι καὶ σὲ μετὰ τὰς κατ' ἐκεῖνον νίκας ἄγγελοι δέξονται, κροτοῦντες καὶ δορυφοροῦντες ἐν ἅπασιν. Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον μετὰ τὴν κάμινον τῆς πτωχείας καὶ τοῦ λιμοῦ καὶ τῆς στενοχωρίας ἁπάσης, ἄγγελοι λαβόντες ἀπῆλθον. Ὅπερ γὰρ ἔφθην εἰπὼν πολλὰ ὁ Χριστὸς ἐπιδείκνυται νῦν, ὧν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀπολαύειν μέλλομεν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ταῦτα πάντα διὰ σὲ γέγονε, ζήλωσον καὶ μίμησαι τὴν νίκην. Κἂν προσέλθῃ σοί τις τῶν τοῦ δαίμονος ἐκείνου θεραπευτῶν, καὶ τὰ ἐκείνου φρονούντων, ὀνειδίζων καὶ λέγων: Εἰ θαυμαστὸς εἶ καὶ μέγας, μετάστησον τὸ ὄρος: μὴ ταραχθῇς, μηδὲ θορυβηθῇς: ἀλλὰ μετὰ ἐπιεικείας ἀπόκριναι, καὶ εἰπὲ ὅπερ τοῦ Δεσπότου σου ἤκουσας λέγοντος: Οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου. Κἂν ἐκεῖνος δόξαν καὶ δυναστείαν προβαλλόμενος, καὶ χρημάτων πλῆθος ἄπειρον, κελεύῃ προσκυνεῖν, στῆθι πάλιν γενναίως. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ κοινοῦ Δεσπότου πάντων ἡμῶν τοῦτο πεποίηκεν ὁ διάβολος μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἐφ' ἑκάστου τῶν ἐκείνου δούλων ταύτας προσάγει τὰς μηχανάς: οὐκ ἐν ὄρεσι μόνον καὶ ἐν ἐρημίαις, οὐδὲ δι' ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν πόλεσι, καὶ ἐν ἀγοραῖς, καὶ ἐν δικαστηρίοις, καὶ διὰ τῶν συγγενῶν ἡμῖν ἀνθρώπων. Τί οὖν δεῖ ποιεῖν; Ἀπιστεῖν αὐτῷ καθόλου, καὶ τὰς ἀκοὰς ἀποφράττειν, καὶ κολακεύοντα μισεῖν, καὶ ὅταν μείζονα ἐπαγγέλληται, τότε μειζόνως ἀποστρέφεσθαι. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τὴν Εὔαν, ὅτε μάλιστα ἐπῆρε ταῖς ἐλπίσι, τότε κατέβαλε, καὶ τὰ μέγιστα εἰργάσατο κακά. Καὶ γὰρ ἐχθρός ἐστιν ἄσπονδος, καὶ πόλεμον ἀκήρυκτον ἀνεδέξατο πρὸς ἡμᾶς. Καὶ οὐχ οὕτως ἡμεῖς σπουδάζομεν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίας, ὡς ἐκεῖνος ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀπωλείας τῆς ἡμετέρας. Ἀποστραφῶμεν τοίνυν αὐτὸν, μὴ ῥήμασι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔργοις: μὴ διανοίᾳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πράξεσι: καὶ μηδὲν ποιῶμεν τῶν ἐκείνῳ δοκούντων: οὕτω γὰρ πάντα ποιήσομεν τὰ τῷ Θεῷ δοκοῦντα. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐπαγγέλλεται πολλὰ, οὐχ ἵνα δῷ, ἀλλ' ἵνα λάβῃ. Ἐπαγγέλλεται ἐξ ἁρπαγῆς, ἵνα ἀφέληται βασιλείαν καὶ δικαιοσύνην: καὶ τίθησιν ὥσπερ τινὰς παγίδας καὶ θήρατρα θησαυροὺς ἐν τῇ γῇ, ἵνα καὶ τούτων καὶ τῶν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἀποστερήσῃ θησαυρῶν: καὶ βούλεται ἐνταῦθα πλουτεῖν, ἵνα μὴ πλουτήσωμεν ἐκεῖ. Κἂν μὴ δυνηθῇ διὰ πλούτου τῆς ἐκεῖ λήξεως ἡμᾶς ἐκβαλεῖν, ἑτέραν ἔρχεται τὴν διὰ τῆς πενίας ὁδόν: ὅπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰὼβ πεποίηκεν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶδεν, ὅτι οὐδὲν αὐτὸν ὁ πλοῦτος ἠδίκησε, διὰ τῆς πενίας πλέκει τὰ δίκτυα, ἐκεῖθεν αὐτοῦ περιέσεσθαι προσδοκῶν: οὗ τί γένοιτ' ἂν ἀνοητότερον; Ὁ γὰρ πλοῦτον δυνηθεὶς ἐνεγκεῖν σωφρόνως, πολλῷ μᾶλλον πενίαν οἴσει γενναίως: καὶ ὁ παρόντων οὐκ ἐπιθυμῶν χρημάτων, οὐδὲ ἀπόντα ζητήσει: ὥσπερ οὖν οὐδὲ ὁ μακάριος τότε ἐκεῖνος, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς πενίας λαμπρότερος ἐγίνετο πάλιν. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ χρήματα ἴσχυσεν ἀφελέσθαι ὁ πονηρὸς δαίμων ἐκεῖνος: τὴν δὲ ἀγάπην τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν οὐ μόνον ἀφελεῖν οὐκ ἠδυνήθη, ἀλλὰ καὶ δυνατωτέραν ἐποίησε, καὶ πάντων αὐτὸν γυμνώσας, πλείοσιν ἐποίησε κομᾷν ἀγαθοῖς: διὸ καὶ ἐν ἀμηχανίᾳ ἦν. Ὅσῳ γὰρ πλείους ἐπήγαγε πληγὰς, τοσούτῳ τότε δυνατώτερον ἑώρα γινόμενον. Διὸ δὴ πάντα ἐπελθὼν καὶ διακωδωνίσας, ἐπειδὴ πλέον οὐδὲν ἤνυσεν, ἐπὶ τὸ παλαιὸν ὅπλον ἔδραμε, τὴν γυναῖκα, καὶ προσωπεῖον ὑποδύεται κηδεμονίας, καὶ τὰς συμφορὰς ἐκτραγῳδεῖ τὰς ἐκείνου σφόδρα ἐλεεινῶς, καὶ προσποιεῖται ὑπὲρ ἀπαλλαγῆς τῶν ἐκείνου κακῶν τὴν ὀλεθρίαν ἐκείνην εἰσάγειν συμβουλήν. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ οὕτως ἐκράτησε: καὶ γὰρ συνεῖδεν αὐτοῦ τὸ δέλεαρ ὁ θαυμαστὸς ἐκεῖνος ἀνὴρ, καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς συνέσεως τὴν ἐξ ἐκείνου φθεγγομένην γυναῖκα ἐπεστόμισεν. εʹ. Ὃ δὴ καὶ ἡμᾶς χρὴ ποιεῖν: κἂν ἀδελφὸν, κἂν φίλον γνήσιον, κἂν γυναῖκα, κἂν ὁντιναοῦν τῶν ἀναγκαιοτάτων ἡμῖν ὑποδὺς, φθέγγηταί τι τῶν οὐ προσηκόντων, μὴ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου τοῦ ταῦτα λέγοντος δέχεσθαι τὴν συμβουλὴν, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς συμβουλῆς τῆς ὀλεθρίας τὸν ταῦτα λέγοντα ἀποστρέφεσθαι. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ νῦν πολλὰ τοιαῦτα ποιεῖ, καὶ συμπαθείας προβάλλεται προσωπεῖον: καὶ δοκεῖ μὲν εἶναι εὔνους, τὰ δὲ ὀλέθρια καὶ δηλητηρίων χαλεπώτερα ἐνίησι ῥήματα. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ βλάβῃ κολακεύειν, ἐκείνου: τὸ δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ συμφέροντι παιδεύειν, Θεοῦ. Μὴ δὴ παραλογιζώμεθα, μηδὲ ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου τὸν ἄνετον ἐπιζητῶμεν βίον. Ὃν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος, παιδεύει, φησίν. Ὥστε ὅταν εὐημερίας ἀπολαύωμεν ἐν πονηρίᾳ ζῶντες, τότε μάλιστα ἀλγῶμεν. Ἀεὶ μὲν γὰρ ἁμαρτάνοντας δεδοικέναι χρή: μάλιστα δὲ, ὅταν μηδὲν πάσχωμεν δεινόν. Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ κατὰ μέρος ἀπαιτῇ τὰς τιμωρίας ὁ Θεὸς, κούφην ἡμῖν ποιεῖ τὴν ὑπὲρ τούτων ἔκτισιν: ὅταν δὲ ἐφ' ἑκάστου τῶν πλημμελουμένων μακροθυμῇ, εἰς μεγάλην ἡμᾶς τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐπιμένοντας ταμιεύεται δίκην. Εἰ γὰρ τοῖς κατορθοῦσιν ἀναγκαῖον ἡ θλῖψις, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν. Ὅρα γοῦν πόσης μακροθυμίας ἀπολαύσας ὁ Φαραὼ, ἐσχάτην ὑπὲρ πάντων ὕστερον ἔδωκε δίκην: πόσα ὁ Ναβουχοδονόσορ πλημμελήσας, πρὸς τῷ τέλει τὸ πᾶν ἐξέτισε: καὶ ὁ πλούσιος, ἐπεὶ μηδὲν ἔπαθεν ἐνταῦθα δεινὸν, δι' αὐτὸ τοῦτο μάλιστα γέγονεν ἄθλιος, ὅτι τρυφήσας ἐν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ, ἀπῆλθεν ἐκεῖ πάντων τούτων δώσων δίκην, ἔνθα οὐδὲ παραμυθίαν ἦν εὑρεῖν τοῦ κακοῦ. Ἀλλ' ὅμως εἰσί τινες οὕτω ψυχροὶ καὶ ἀνόητοι, ὡς τὰ ἐνταῦθα ἐπιζητεῖν ἀεὶ μόνον, καὶ τὰ καταγέλαστα ἐκεῖνα λέγειν ῥήματα: Ἀπολαύσω τῶν παρόντων τέως πάντων, καὶ τότε σκέψομαι περὶ τῶν ἀδήλων: χαρίσομαι τῇ γαστρὶ, δουλεύσω ταῖς ἡδοναῖς, παραχρήσομαι τῷ παρόντι βίῳ: δίδου μοι τὴν σήμερον, καὶ λάμβανε τὴν αὔριον. Ὢ ὑπερβολὴ ἀνοίας! Καὶ τί τράγων καὶ χοίρων οἱ ταῦτα λέγοντες διαφέρουσιν; Εἰ γὰρ τοὺς ἐπὶ τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ πλησίον χρεμετίζοντας οὐκ ἀφίησιν ὁ προφήτης ἀνθρώπους νομίζεσθαι, τίς ἡμῖν ἐγκαλέσει τούτους τράγους καὶ χοίρους καὶ ὄνων ἀνοητοτέρους εἶναι νομίζουσιν, οἳ τὰ τῶν ὁρωμένων φανερώτερα ταῦτα ἄδηλα εἶναι νομίζουσιν: Εἰ γὰρ μηδενὶ τῶν ἄλλων πιστεύεις, παράστηθι δαίμοσι μαστιζομένοις, τοῖς ἐπὶ τῇ βλάβῃ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ ἅπαντα καὶ λέγειν καὶ πράττειν μεμελετηκόσιν. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ πρὸς τοῦτο ἀντερεῖς, ὅτι οὐ πάντα ὥστε αὐξῆσαι τὴν ῥᾳθυμίαν ἡμῶν πράττουσι, καὶ τὸν τῆς γεέννης ἐκλῦσαι φόβον, καὶ ἀπιστηθῆναι τὰ ἐκεῖ δικαστήρια. Ἀλλ' ὅμως οἱ ταῦτα βουλόμενοι, βοῶντες καὶ ὀλολύζοντες πολλάκις τὰς ἐκεῖ βασάνους ἀνακηρύττουσι. Πόθεν οὖν ταῦτα λέγουσι, καὶ ἐναντία ὧν βούλονται φθέγγονται; Οὐδαμόθεν ἄλλοθεν, ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ πλείονα ὑπομένειν ἀνάγκην. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἠβουλήθησαν ἑκόντες ὁμολογεῖν, οὐδ' ὅτι ὑπὸ νεκρῶν ἀνθρώπων βασανίζονται, οὐδ' ὅτι ὅλως πάσχουσί τι δεινόν. Πρὸς τί οὖν μοι ταῦτα εἴρηται; Ὅτι δαίμονες ὁμολογοῦσι γέενναν, οἱ βουλόμενοι ἀπιστεῖσθαι γέενναν: σὺ δὲ, ὁ τοσαύτης ἀπολαύων τιμῆς, καὶ ἀποῤῥήτων κοινωνήσας μυστηρίων, οὐδὲ ἐκείνους μιμῇ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτων ἀγνωμονέστερος γέγονας. Καὶ τίς ἦλθεν ἐκ τῶν ἐν ᾅδου, φησὶ, καὶ ταῦτα ἀπήγγειλεν; Ἀπὸ γὰρ τῶν οὐρανῶν τίς παρεγένετο, καὶ εἶπεν ὅτι Θεός ἐστιν ὁ τὰ πάντα δημιουργήσας; Ὅτι δὲ ψυχὴν ἔχομεν, πόθεν δῆλον; Εἰ γὰρ δὴ τοῖς ὁρωμένοις μέλλεις πιστεύειν, καὶ περὶ Θεοῦ, καὶ περὶ ἀγγέλων, καὶ περὶ νοῦ, καὶ περὶ ψυχῆς ἀμφιβαλεῖς, καὶ οὕτω σοι πάντα οἰχήσεται τὰ τῆς ἀληθείας δόγματα. Καίτοιγε εἰ τοῖς φανεροῖς πιστεύειν βούλει, τοῖς ἀοράτοις μᾶλλον ἢ τοῖς ὁρωμένοις πιστεύειν δεῖ. Εἰ καὶ παράδοξον τὸ εἰρημένον, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἀληθὲς, καὶ παρὰ τοῖς νοῦν ἔχουσι σφόδρα ὡμολογημένον. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὀφθαλμοὶ πολλὰ σφάλλονται, οὐκ ἐν τοῖς ἀοράτοις μόνον (ἐκεῖνα γὰρ οὐδὲ ἴσασιν), ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς οἷς δοκοῦσιν ὁρᾷν, καὶ διαστήματος, καὶ ἀέρος, καὶ διανοίας ἀλλαχοῦ τετραμμένης, καὶ θυμοῦ, καὶ φροντίδος, καὶ μυρίων ἑτέρων ἐμποδιζόντων αὐτῶν τὴν ἀκρίβειαν: ὁ δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς λογισμὸς, ἂν τὸ φῶς δέξηται τῶν θείων Γραφῶν, ἀκριβέστερον καὶ ἀνεξαπάτητον τῶν ὄντων ἔσται κριτήριον. Μὴ δὴ μάτην ἑαυτοὺς ἀπατῶμεν, μηδὲ πρὸς τῇ ῥᾳθυμίᾳ τοῦ βίου, τῇ διὰ τῶν τοιούτων τικτομένῃ δογμάτων, καὶ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν τῶν δογμάτων χαλεπώτερον ἑαυτοῖς ἐπισωρεύωμεν πῦρ. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἔστι κρίσις, μηδὲ εὐθύνας δώσομεν τῶν πεπραγμένων, οὐδὲ τιμὰς τῶν πεπονημένων ληψόμεθα. Ἐννόησον οἷ τείνει τὰ τῆς βλασφημίας ὑμῶν, ὅταν λέγητε τὸν δίκαιον Θεὸν καὶ φιλάνθρωπον καὶ ἥμερον τοσούτους πόνους καὶ ἱδρῶτας ὑπερορᾷν. Καὶ πῶς ἂν ἔχοι ταῦτα λόγον; Εἰ γὰρ μηδαμόθεν ἄλλοθεν, ἀπὸ γοῦν τῶν κατὰ τὴν οἰκίαν τὴν σὴν ταῦτα συλλογίζου, καὶ τότε ὄψει τὸ ἄτοπον. Κἂν γὰρ μυριάκις ᾖς αὐτὸς ὠμὸς καὶ ἀπάνθρωπος, καὶ θηρίων αὐτῶν ἀγριώτερος, οὐκ ἂν ἕλοιο τὸν οἰκέτην τὸν εὔνουν γενόμενον τελευτῶν ἀφεῖναι ἄτιμον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐλευθερίᾳ ἀμείβῃ, καὶ χρημάτων δωρεᾷ: καὶ ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸς λοιπὸν ἀπιὼν οὐδὲν δύνασαι εἰς αὐτὸν ἐργάσασθαι ἀγαθὸν, τοῖς μέλλουσί σου κληρονομεῖν τῆς οὐσίας ἐπισκήπτεις ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, δεόμενος, παρακαλῶν, πάντα ποιῶν, ὥστε μὴ μεῖναι αὐτὸν ἀγέραστον. Εἶτα σὺ μὲν, ὁ πονηρὸς, οὕτω χρηστὸς καὶ φιλάνθρωπος γίνῃ πρὸς τὸν οἰκέτην: ἡ δὲ ἄπειρος ἀγαθότης, ὁ Θεὸς, ἡ ἄφατος φιλανθρωπία, ἡ τοσαύτη χρηστότης, τοὺς οἰκέτας τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ τοὺς περὶ Πέτρον καὶ Παῦλον καὶ Ἰάκωβον καὶ Ἰωάννην, τοὺς καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν δι' αὐτὸν λιμώξαντας, δεσμευθέντας, μαστιχθέντας, καταποντισθέντας, θηρίοις παραδοθέντας, ἀποθνήσκοντας, τοσαῦτα παθόντας ἃ μηδὲ ἀριθμῆσαι ἔνι, ἀστεφανώτους περιόψεται; Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἀγωνοθέτης τὸν Ὀλυμπιονίκην ἀνακηρύττει καὶ στεφανοῖ, καὶ ὁ δεσπότης τὸν οἰκέτην, καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν στρατιώτην, καὶ ἕκαστος ἁπλῶς τὸν θεραπεύσαντα αὐτὸν, οἷς δύναται ἀμείβεται καλοῖς: ὁ δὲ Θεὸς μόνος, μετὰ τοὺς τοσούτους ἱδρῶτας καὶ πόνους, οὐ μικρὸν, οὐ μέγα αὐτοῖς ἀγαθὸν ἀποδίδωσιν, ἀλλ' οἱ δίκαιοι καὶ εὐσεβεῖς ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν ἐπελθόντες, ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς κείσονται τοῖς μοιχοῖς, καὶ πατραλοίαις, καὶ ἀνδροφόνοις, καὶ τυμβωρύχοις; Καὶ ποῦ ταῦτα ἂν ἔχοι λόγον; Εἰ γὰρ μηδὲν μετὰ τὴν ἐντεῦθέν ἐστιν ἀποδημίαν, ἀλλὰ μέχρι τῶν παρόντων τὰ ἡμέτερα, ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐκεῖνοι τούτοις: μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς, κατὰ τὸν σὸν λόγον, ἀλλ' ἐνταῦθα ἐν ἀνέσει μὲν οὗτοι, ἐν κολάσει δὲ ἐκεῖνοι τὸν πάντα γεγόνασι χρόνον. Καὶ ποῖος τοῦτο τύραννος, τίς ὠμὸς ἄνθρωπος καὶ ἀπηνὴς οὕτω περὶ τῶν αὐτοῦ ποτε ἐβουλεύσατο θεραπόντων καὶ ὑπηκόων; Εἶδες τῆς ἀτοπίας τὴν ὑπερβολὴν, καὶ ποῦ τελευτᾷ ὁ λόγος οὗτος; Οὐκοῦν εἰ καὶ μηδαμόθεν ἄλλοθεν βούλει, ἀπὸ τούτων τῶν λογισμῶν παιδευθεὶς, ἀπαλλάγηθι τῆς πονηρᾶς ταύτης ὑπονοίας, καὶ φεῦγε κακίαν, καὶ τῶν ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς ἀντέχου πόνων: καὶ τότε εἴσῃ σαφῶς, ὅτι οὐ μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος βίου τὰ ἡμέτερα ἕστηκε. Κἄν τις ἔρηταί σε, Τίς ἐλθὼν ἐκεῖθεν ἀπήγγειλε τὰ ἐκεῖ; εἰπὲ πρὸς αὐτόν: Ἀνθρώπων μὲν οὐδὲ εἷς: ἦ γὰρ ἂν καὶ ἠπιστήθη πολλάκις, ἅτε κομπάζων καὶ ἐπαίρων τὸ πρᾶγμα: ὁ δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων Δεσπότης πάντα μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἐκεῖνα ἀπήγγειλε. Τί τοίνυν ἡμῖν δεῖ ἀνθρώπου, τοῦ μέλλοντος ἡμᾶς εὐθύνας ἀπαιτεῖν καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν βοῶντος, ὅτι καὶ γέενναν ἡτοίμασε, καὶ βασιλείαν παρεσκεύασε, καὶ τούτων ἡμῖν ἀποδείξεις παρασχομένου σαφεῖς; Εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἔμελλε κρίνειν, οὐδ' ἂν ἐνταῦθα δίκην ἀπῄτησε. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο πῶς ἂν ἔχοι λόγον, τὸ τῶν πονηρῶν τοὺς μὲν κολάζεσθαι, τοὺς δὲ μὴ κολάζεσθαι; Εἰ γὰρ μὴ προσωπολήπτης ἐστὶν ὁ Θεὸς, ὥσπερ οὖν οὐδέ ἐστι, τί δήποτε τὸν μὲν ἀπῄτησε δίκην, τὸν δὲ ἀφῆκεν ἀτιμώρητον ἀπελθεῖν; Τοῦτο γὰρ τοῦ προτέρου πάλιν ἐστὶν ἀπορώτερον. Ἀλλ' εἰ βούλεσθε μετ' εὐγνωμοσύνης ἀκούειν τῶν λεγομένων, καὶ ταύτην διαλύσομεν τὴν ἀπορίαν. Τίς οὖν ἐστιν ἡ λύσις; Οὔτε πάντας ἐνταῦθα ἀπαιτεῖ δίκην, ἵνα μὴ ἀπογνῷς τὴν ἀνάστασιν, καὶ ἀπελπίσῃς τὴν κρίσιν, ὡς πάντων ἐνταῦθα διδόντων λόγον: οὔτε πάντας ἀφίησιν ἀτιμωρητὶ ἀπελθεῖν, ἵνα μὴ πάλιν ἀπρονόητα εἶναι τὰ πάντα νομίσῃς: ἀλλὰ καὶ κολάζει, καὶ οὐ κολάζει: δι' ὧν μὲν κολάζει, δεικνὺς ὅτι καὶ ἐκεῖ τοὺς οὐ κολασθέντας ἐνταῦθα ἀπαιτήσει λόγον: δι' ὧν δὲ οὐ κολάζει, παρασκευάζων σε πιστεύειν, ὅτι ἔστι τι μετὰ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίαν κριτήριον φοβερόν. Εἰ δὲ καθόλου τῶν προτέρων ἠμέλει, οὐδ' ἂν ἐκόλασέ τινας ἐνταῦθα, οὐδ' ἂν εὐηργέτησε. Νῦν δὲ ὁρᾷς αὐτὸν διὰ σὲ καὶ οὐρανὸν τείνοντα, καὶ ἥλιον ἀνάπτοντα, καὶ γῆν θεμελιοῦντα, καὶ θάλατταν χέοντα, καὶ ἀέρα ἁπλοῦντα, καὶ σελήνῃ τάττοντα δρόμους, καὶ ταῖς ὥραις τοῦ ἔτους ἀκινήτους τιθέντα νόμους, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα δὲ ἅπαντα τῷ νεύματι τῷ ἐκείνου τὸν ἑαυτῶν μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἀνύοντα δρόμον. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ φύσις ἡ ἡμετέρα, καὶ ἡ τῶν ἀλόγων, τῶν ἑρπόντων, τῶν βαδιζόντων, τῶν πετομένων, τῶν νηχομένων, τῶν ἐν λίμναις, τῶν ἐν πηγαῖς, τῶν ἐν ποταμοῖς, τῶν ἐν ὄρεσι, τῶν ἐν νάπαις, τῶν ἐν οἰκίαις, τῶν ἐν ἀέρι, τῶν ἐν πεδίοις, καὶ φυτὰ, καὶ σπέρματα, καὶ δένδρα, τά τε ἄγρια, τά τε ἥμερα, τά τε ἔγκαρπα καὶ ἄκαρπα, καὶ πάντα ἁπλῶς ὑπὸ τῆς ἀκαμάτου κινούμενα χειρὸς ἐκείνης, τὴν ἡμετέραν οἰκονομεῖ ζωὴν, οὐ πρὸς χρείαν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς φιλοτιμίαν τὴν διακονίαν ἡμῖν ἐξ αὐτῶν παρεχόμενα. Τοσαύτην τοίνυν ὁρῶν εὐταξίαν, καίτοιγε οὐδὲ τὸ πολλοστὸν εἴπομεν μέρος, τολμᾷς εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ὁ τοσαῦτα καὶ τηλικαῦτα ἐργασάμενος διὰ σὲ, ἐν τοῖς καιρίοις σε παρόψεται, καὶ μετὰ τῶν ὄνων καὶ τῶν χοίρων ἀφήσει τελευτήσαντα κεῖσθαι, καὶ δώρῳ σε τιμήσας τοσούτῳ, τῷ τῆς εὐσεβείας, ᾧ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἐποίησεν ἴσον, περιόψεταί σε μετὰ τοὺς μυρίους πόνους καὶ ἱδρῶτας; Καὶ πῶς ἂν ἔχοι ταῦτα λόγον; Ταῦτα γὰρ, κἂν ἡμεῖς σιγήσωμεν, οἱ λίθοι κεκράξονται: οὕτω σαφῆ καὶ δῆλα, καὶ τῆς ἀκτῖνος αὐτῆς ἐστι φανότερα. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἅπαντα λογισάμενοι, καὶ πείσαντες τὴν ἑαυτῶν ψυχὴν, ὅτι μετὰ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίαν καὶ βήματι παραστησόμεθα φοβερῷ, καὶ λόγον δώσομεν τῶν πεπραγμένων ἁπάντων, καὶ εὐθύνας ὑφέξομεν, καὶ δίκην ὑποστησόμεθα, ἂν μένωμεν πλημμελοῦντες, καὶ στεφάνων ἀπολαυσόμεθα καὶ ἀγαθῶν ἀποῤῥήτων, ἂν μικρὸν ἑαυτοῖς προσέχειν βουληθῶμεν, τούς τε ἀντιλέγοντας ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐπιστομίζωμεν, καὶ αὐτοὶ τὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς ὁδὸν ἑλώμεθα, ἵνα μετὰ παῤῥησίας τῆς προσηκούσης εἰς ἐκεῖνο τὸ δικαστήριον ἀπελθόντες, ἐπιτύχωμεν τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἡμῖν ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.