Homily XIII.

1 Timothy iv. 11–14

“These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”

In some cases it is necessary to command, in others to teach; if therefore you command in those cases where teaching is required, you will become ridiculous. Again, if you teach where you ought to command, you are exposed to the same reproach. For instance, it is not proper to teach a man not to be wicked, but to command; to forbid it with all authority. Not to profess Judaism, should be a command, but teaching is required, when you would lead men to part with their possessions, to profess virginity, or when you would discourse of faith. Therefore Paul mentions both: “Command and teach.” When a man uses amulets, or does anything of that kind, knowing it to be wrong, he requires only a command; but he who does it ignorantly, is to be taught his error. “Let no one despise thy youth.”

Observe that it becomes a priest to command and to speak authoritatively, and not always to teach. But because, from a common prejudice, youth is apt to be despised, therefore he says, “Let no man despise thy youth.” For a teacher ought not to be exposed to contempt. But if he is not to be despised, what room is there for meekness and moderation? Indeed the contempt that he fails into personally he ought to bear; for teaching is commended by longsuffering. But not so, where others are concerned; for this is not meekness, but coldness. If a man revenge insults, and ill language, and injuries offered to himself, you justly blame him. But where the salvation of others is concerned, command, and interpose with authority. This is not a case for moderation, but for authority, lest the public good suffer. He enjoins one or the other as the case may require. Let no one despise thee on account of thy youth. For as long as thy life is a counterpoise, thou wilt not be despised for thy youth, but even the more admired: therefore he proceeds to say,

“But be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in faith, in purity.” In all things showing thyself an example of good works: that is, be thyself a pattern of a Christian life, as a model set before others, as a living law, as a rule and standard of good living, for such ought a teacher to be. “In word,” that he may speak with facility, “in conversation, in charity, in faith, in” true “purity, in temperance.”

“Till I come give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”

Even Timothy is commanded to apply to reading. Let us then be instructed not to neglect the study of the sacred writings. Again, observe, he says, “Till I come.” Mark how he consoles him, for being as it were an orphan, when separated from him, it was natural that he should require such comfort. “Till I come,” he says, give attendance to reading the divine writings, to exhortation of one another, to teaching of all.

“Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy.”

Here he calls teaching prophecy.150    He means that it was a gift of Prophecy, which the Greek διὰ may bear.

“With the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.” He speaks not here of Presbyters, but of Bishops. For Presbyters cannot be supposed to have ordained a Bishop.

Ver. 15. “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them.”

Observe how often he gives him counsel concerning the same things, thus showing that a teacher ought above all things to be attentive to these points.

Ver. 16. “Take heed,” he says, “unto thyself, and unto the doctrine: continue in them.” That is, take heed to thyself, and teach others also.

“For in so doing thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.”

It is well said, “Thou shalt save thyself.” For he that is “nourished up in the words of sound doctrine,” first receives the benefit of it himself. From admonishing others, he is touched with compunction himself. For these things are not said to Timothy only, but to all. And if such advice is addressed to him, who raised the dead, what shall be said to us? Christ also shows the duty of teachers, when He says, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto an householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.” (Matt. xiii. 52.) And the blessed Paul gives the same advice, that “we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” (Rom. xv. 4.) This he practiced above all men, being brought up in the law of his fathers, at the feet of Gamaliel, whence he would afterwards naturally apply to reading: for he who exhorted others would himself first follow the advice he gave. Hence we find him continually appealing to the testimony of the prophets, and searching into their writings. Paul then applies to reading, for it is no slight advantage that is to be reaped from the Scriptures. But we are indolent, and we hear with carelessness and indifference. What punishment do we not deserve!

“That thy profiting may appear,” he says, “to all.”

Thus he would have him appear great and admirable in this respect also, showing that this was still necessary for him, for he wished that his “profiting should appear” not only in his life, but in the word of doctrine.

Chap. v. ver. 1. “Rebuke not an elder.”

Is he now speaking of the order? I think not, but of any elderly man. What then if he should need correction? Do not rebuke him, but address him as you would a father offending.

Ver. 1. “The elder women as mothers, the younger men as brethren; the younger women as sisters, with all purity.”

Rebuke is in its own nature offensive, particularly when it is addressed to an old man, and when it proceeds from a young man too, there is a threefold show of forwardness. By the manner and the mildness of it, therefore, he would soften it. For it is possible to reprove without offense, if one will only make a point of this: it requires great discretion, but it may be done.

“The younger men as brethren.” Why does he recommend this too here? With a view to the high spirit natural to young men, whence it is proper to soften reproof to them also with moderation.

“The younger women as sisters”; he adds, “with all purity.” Tell me not, he means, of merely avoiding sinful intercourse with them. There should not be even a suspicion. For since intimacy with young women is always suspicious, and yet a Bishop cannot always avoid it, he shows by adding these words, that “all purity” is required in such intimacy. But does Paul give this advice to Timothy? Yes, he says, for I am speaking to the world through him. But if Timothy was thus advised, let others consider what sort of conduct is required of them, that they should give no ground for suspicion, no shadow of pretext, to those who wish to calumniate.

Ver. 3. “Honor widows, that are widows indeed.”

Why does he say nothing of virginity, nor command us to honor virgins? Perhaps there were not yet any professing that state, or they might have fallen from it. “For some,” he says, “are already turned aside after Satan.” (1 Tim. v. 15.) For a woman may have lost her husband, and yet not be truly a widow. As in order to be a virgin, it is not enough to be a stranger to marriage, but many other things are necessary, as blamelessness and perseverance; so the loss of a husband does not constitute a widow, but patience, with chastity and separation from all men. Such widows he justly bids us honor, or rather support. For they need support, being left desolate, and having no husband to stand up for them. Their state appears to the multitude despicable and inauspicious. Therefore he wishes them to receive the greater honor from the Priest, and the more so, because they are worthy of it.

Ver. 4. “But if any widow have children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety at home, and to requite their parents.”

Observe the discretion of Paul; how often he urges men from human considerations. For he does not here lay down any great and lofty motive, but one that is easy to be understood: “to requite their parents.” How? For bringing them up and educating them. As if he should say, Thou hast received from them great care. They are departed. Thou canst not requite them. For thou didst not bring them forth, nor nourish them. Requite them151    αὐτοῦ seems unintelligible, read αὐτούς. B. has ἐκείνου, which would be, “in his (her husband’s) grandchildren.” It is not easy to see why St. Chrys. takes this as a direction to the widow herself, except it be from a grateful remembrance of his own mother’s devoting herself to him as she did. Theodoret follows him, but says more of the corresponding duty of the children. in their descendants, repay the debt through the children. “Let them learn first to show piety at home.” Here he more simply exhorts them to acts of kindness; then to excite them the more, he adds,

“For that is good and acceptable before God.” And as he had spoken of those “who are widows indeed,” he declares who is indeed a widow.

Ver. 5. “Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.”

She who being a widow has not made choice of a worldly life, is a widow indeed; she who trusts in God as she ought, and continues instant in prayer night and day, is a widow indeed. Not that she, who has children, is not a widow indeed. For he commends her who brings up children as she ought. But if any one has not children, he means, she is desolate, and her he consoles, saying, that she is most truly a widow, who has lost not only the consolation of a husband, but that arising from children, yet she has God in the place of all. She is not the worse for not having children, but He fills up her need with consolation, in that she is without children. What he says amounts to this. Grieve not, when it is said that a widow ought to bring up children, as if, because thou hast no children thy worth were on that account inferior. Thou art a widow indeed, whereas she who liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

But since many who have children choose152    2 mss. “renounce.” the state of widowhood, not to cut off the occasions of a worldly life, but rather to enhance them, that they may do what they will with the greater license, and indulge the more freely in worldly lusts: therefore he says, “She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” Ought not a widow then to live in pleasure? Surely not. If then when nature and age is weak, a life of pleasure is not allowable, but leads to death, eternal death; what have men to say, who live a life of pleasure? But he says with reason, “She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” But that thou mayest see this, let us now see what is the state of the dead, and what of the living, and in which shall we place such an one? The living perform the works of life, of that future life, which is truly life. And Christ has declared what are the works of that future life, with which we ought always to be occupied. “Come, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat. I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink.” (Matt. xxv. 34, 35.) The living differ from the dead, not only in that they behold the sun, and breathe the air, but in that they are doing some good. For if this be wanting, the living are not better than the dead. That you may learn this, hear how it is possible that even the dead should live. For it is said, “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” (Matt. xxii. 32.) But this again you say is a riddle. Let us therefore solve them both. A man who liveth in pleasure, is dead whilst he liveth. For he liveth only to his belly. In his other senses he lives not. He sees not what he ought to see, he hears not what he ought to hear, he speaks not what he ought to speak. Nor does he perform the actions of the living. But as he who is stretched upon a bed, with his eyes closed, and his eyelids fast, perceives nothing that is passing; so it is with this man, or rather not so, but worse. For the one is equally insensible to things good and evil, but the latter is sensible to things evil only, but as insensible as the former to things good. Thus he is dead. For nothing relating to the life to come moves or affects him. For intemperance, taking him into her own bosom, as into some dark and dismal cavern, full of all uncleanness, causes him to dwell altogether in darkness, like the dead. For when all his time is spent between feasting and drunkenness, is he not dead, and buried in darkness? Even in the morning when he seems to be sober, he is not sober in reality, since he has not yet rid and cleansed himself of yesterday’s excess and is still longing for a repetition, and in that his evening and noon he passes in revels, and all the night, and most of the morning in deep sleep.

Is he then to be numbered with the living? Who can describe that storm that comes of luxury, that assails his soul and body? For as a sky continually clouded admits not the sunbeams to shine through it, so the fumes of luxury and wine enveloping his brain, as if it were some rock, and casting over it a thick mist, suffer not reason to exert itself, but overspread the drunken man with profound darkness. With him who is thus affected, how great must be the storm within, how violent the tumult. As when a flood of water has risen, and has surmounted the entrances of the workshops,153    ἐργαστηρίων, probably cellars. we see all the inmates in confusion, and using tubs and pitchers and sponges, and many other contrivances to bale it out, that it may not both undermine the building, and spoil all that is contained in it: so it is when luxury overwhelms the soul; its reasonings within are disturbed. What is already collected, cannot be discharged, and by the introduction of more, a violent storm is raised. For look not at the cheerful and merry countenance, but examine the interior, and you will see it full of deep dejection. If it were possible to bring the soul into view, and to behold it with our bodily eyes, that of the luxurious would seem depressed, mournful, miserable, and wasted with leanness; for the more the body grows sleek and gross, the more lean and weakly is the soul; and the more one is pampered,154    θάλπεται. the more is the other hampered.155    θάπτεται, buried. As, when the pupil of the eye has the external coats over it too thick, it cannot put forth the power of vision,156    It was commonly thought that a certain effluence from the eye was required to meet the light. and look out, because the light is excluded by the thick covering, and darkness often ensues; so when the body is constantly full fed, the soul must be invested with grossness. But the dead rot, and are corrupted, you say; and an unwholesome moisture distills from them. So in her “that liveth in pleasure,” may be seen rheums, and phlegm, catarrh, hiccough, vomitings, eructations, and the like, which, as too unseemly, I forbear to name. For such is the dominion of luxury, that it makes one endure things, which we do not even think proper to mention.

But you still ask, how is the body dissolved whilst it yet eats and drinks? Surely this is no sign of human life, since creatures without reason too eat and drink. Where the soul lies dead, what do eating and drinking avail? The dead body, that is invested with a flowery garment, is not benefited by it, and when a blooming body invests a dead soul, the soul is not benefited. For when its whole discourse is of cooks, and caterers, and confectioners, and it utters nothing pious,157    μηδὲν εὐσεβὲς, perhaps an euphemism for loose and profane talking. is it not dead? For let us consider what is man? The Heathens say that he is a rational animal, mortal, capable of intelligence and knowledge. But let us not take our definition from them, but whence? From the sacred writings. Where then has the Scripture given a definition of man? Hear its words. “There was a man perfect and upright, one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” (Job i. 2.) This was indeed a man! Again, another says, “Man is great, and the merciful man is precious.” (Prov. xx. 6, Sept.) Those who answer not to this description, though they partake of mind, and are never so capable of knowledge, the Scripture refuses to acknowledge them as men, but calls them dogs, and horses, and serpents, and foxes, and wolves, and if there be any animals more contemptible. If such then is man, he that liveth in pleasure is not a man; for how can he be, who never thinks of anything that he ought? Luxury and sobriety cannot exist together: they are destructive of one another. Even the Heathens say,

“A heavy paunch bears not a subtle mind.”158    The English proverb is, “Fat paunches make lean pates.”

Such as these the Scripture calls men without souls. “My Spirit (it is said) shall not always abide in these men, because they are flesh.” (Gen. vi. 3, Sept.) Yet they had a soul, but because it was dead in them, He calls them flesh. For as in the case of the virtuous, though they have a body, we say, “he is all soul, he is all spirit,” so the reverse is said of those who are otherwise. So Paul also said of those, who did not fulfill the works of the flesh, “Ye are not in the flesh.” (Rom. viii. 9.) Thus those who live in luxury are not in the soul or in the spirit.

Moral. “She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” Hear this, ye women, that pass your time in revels and intemperance, and who neglect the poor, pining and perishing with hunger, whilst you are destroying yourself with continual luxury. Thus you are the causes of two deaths, of those who are dying of want, and of your own, both through ill measure. But if out of your fullness you tempered their want, you would save two lives. Why do you thus gorge your own body with excess, and waste that of the poor with want; why pamper this above measure, and stint that too beyond measure? Consider what comes of food, into what it is changed. Are you not disgusted at its being named? Why then be eager for such accumulations? The increase of luxury is but the multiplication of dung! For nature has her limits, and what is beyond these is not nourishment, but injury, and the increase of ordure. Nourish the body, but do not destroy it. Food is called nourishment, to show that its design is not to injure the body, but to nourish it. For this reason perhaps food passes into excrement, that we may not be lovers of luxury. For if it were not so, if it were not useless and injurious to the body, we should not cease from devouring one another. If the belly received as much as it pleased, digested it, and conveyed it to the body, we should see wars and battles innumerable. Even now when part of our food passes into ordure, part into blood, part into spurious and useless phlegm, we are nevertheless so addicted to luxury, that we spend perhaps whole estates on a meal. What should we not do, if this were not the end of luxury? The more luxuriously we live, the more noisome are the odors with which we are filled. The body is like a swollen bottle, running out every way. The eructations are such as to pain the head of a bystander. From the heat of fermentation within, vapors are sent forth, as from a furnace, if bystanders are pained, what, think you, is the brain within continually suffering, assailed by these fumes? to say nothing of the channels of the heated and obstructed blood, of those reservoirs, the liver and the spleen, and of the canals by which the fæces are discharged. The drains in our streets we take care to keep unobstructed. We cleanse our sewers with poles and drags, that they may not be stopped, or overflow, but the canals of our bodies we do not keep clear, but obstruct and choke them up, and when the filth rises to the very throne of the king, I mean the brain, we do not regard it, treating it not like a worthy king, but like an unclean brute. God hath purposely removed to a distance those unclean members, that we might not receive offense from them. But we suffer it not to be so, and spoil all by our excess. And other evils might be mentioned. To obstruct the sewers is to breed a pestilence; but if a stench from without is pestilential, that which is pent up within the body, and cannot find a vent, what disorders must it not produce both to body and soul? Some have strangely complained, wondering why God has ordained that we should bear a load of ordure with us. But they themselves increase the load. God designed thus to detach us from luxury, and to persuade us not to attach ourselves to worldly things. But thou art not thus to be persuaded to cease from gluttony, but though it is but as far as the throat, and as long as the hour of eating, nay not even so long, that the pleasure abides, thou continuest in thine indulgence. Is it not true that as soon as it has passed the palate and the throat, the pleasure ceases? For the sense of it is in the taste, and after that is gratified, a nausea succeeds, the stomach not digesting the food, or not without much difficulty. Justly then is it said, that “she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” For the luxurious soul is unable to hear or to see anything. It becomes weak, ignoble, unmanly, illiberal, cowardly, full of impudence, servility, ignorance, rage, violence, and all kinds of evil, and destitute of the opposite virtues. Therefore he says,

Ver. 7. “These things give in charge, that they may be blameless.”

He does not leave it to their choice. Command them, he says, not to be luxurious, assuming it to be confessedly an evil, as not holding it lawful or admissible for the luxurious to partake of the Holy Mysteries. “These things command,” he says, “that they may be blameless.” Thus you see it is reckoned among sins. For if it were a matter of choice, though it were left undone, we might still be blameless. Therefore in obedience to Paul, let us command the luxurious widow not to have place in the list of widows.159    Of the “list of widows” relieved by the Church, see St. Chrys. on the Priesthood, book iii. c. 16, Ben. p. 396, A. For if a soldier, who frequents the bath, the theater, the busy scenes of life, is judged to desert his duty, much more the widows. Let us then not seek our rest here, that we may find it hereafter. Let us not live in pleasure here, that we may hereafter enjoy true pleasure, true delight, which brings no evil with it, but infinite good. Of which God grant that we may all be partakers, in Jesus Christ, with whom, &c.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΓʹ. Παράγγελλε ταῦτα καὶ δίδασκε. Μηδείς σου τῆς νεότητος καταφρονείτω, ἀλλὰ τύπος γίνου τῶν πιστῶν ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν ἀναστροφῇ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ, ἐν πίστει, ἐν ἁγνείᾳ. Ἕως ἔρχομαι πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ. Μὴ ἀμέλει τοῦ ἐν σοὶ χαρίσματος, ὃ ἐδόθη σοι διὰ προφητείας, μετὰ ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου. αʹ. Τῶν πραγμάτων τὰ μὲν διδασκαλίας δεῖται, τὰ δὲ ἐπιταγῆς. Ἂν τοίνυν ἐπιτάττῃς ὑπὲρ ὧν διδάσκειν χρὴ, καταγέλαστος ἔσῃ: πάλιν, ἂν διδάσκῃς ὑπὲρ ὧν ἐπιτάττειν χρὴ, τὸ αὐτὸ ὑπομένεις ὁμοίως. Οἷόν τι λέγω: Τὸ μὴ εἶναι πονηρὸν, ὑπὲρ τούτου οὐ διδάσκειν χρὴ, ἀλλ' ἐπιτάττειν, καὶ ἀπαγορεύειν μετὰ πλείονος αὐθεντίας: τὸ μὴ Ἰουδαΐζειν, ἐπιταγῆς δεῖται. Ἂν μέντοι λέγῃς, ὅτι δεῖ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα κενοῦν, ὅτι δεῖ παρθενεύειν, ἂν περὶ πίστεως διαλέγῃ, ἐνταῦθα διδασκαλίας χρεία. Διὰ τοῦτο ἀμφότερα τίθησιν ὁ Παῦλος. Παράγγελλε καὶ δίδασκε, φησίν. Οἷον εἴ τις ἔχει περίαπτα, ἢ εἴ τι ἕτερον τοιοῦτον, ὅταν εἰδότες αὐτὰ πονηρὰ ὄντα πράττωσι, παραγγελίας δεῖ μόνης: ὅταν δὲ μὴ εἰδότες, διδασκαλίας. Μηδείς σου τῆς νεότητος καταφρονείτω, φησίν. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι καὶ ἐπιτάττειν χρὴ τὸν ἱερέα καὶ αὐθεντικώτερον διαλέγεσθαι, μὴ πάντα διδάσκειν; Εὐκαταφρόνητον γάρ πως πρᾶγμα ἡ νεότης ἀπὸ τῆς κοινῆς προλήψεως γέγονε: διὰ τοῦτό φησι, Μηδείς σου τῆς νεότητος καταφρονείτω. Δεῖ γὰρ καὶ ἀκαταφρόνητον εἶναι τὸν διδάσκαλον. Ποῦ οὖν τὸ ἐπιεικὲς, φησί; ποῦ οὖν τὸ πρᾶον, ἂν μὴ καταφρονῆται; Ἐν μὲν τοῖς πρὸς ἑαυτὸν καταφρονείσθω καὶ φερέτω: οὕτω γὰρ ἡ διδασκαλία κατορθοῦται τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ: ἐν δὲ τοῖς πρὸς ἑτέρους, μηκέτι: τοῦτο γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπιείκεια, ἀλλὰ ψυχρότης. Ἂν μὲν ὕβρεις ἐκδικῇ τὰς εἰς ἑαυτὸν, ἂν λοιδορίας, ἂν ἐπιβουλὰς, εἰκότως ἐγκαλεῖς: ἂν δὲ ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν ἄλλων σωτηρίας, ἐπίταττε καὶ μετὰ αὐθεντίας προνόει. Ἐνταῦθα οὐκέτι ἐπιεικείας χρεία, ἀλλ' αὐθεντίας, ἵνα μὴ τῷ κοινῷ λυμαίνηται. Ἢ τοῦτό φησιν, ἢ ἐκεῖνο: Μηδεὶς διὰ τὴν νεότητα καταφρονήσῃ σου: ἕως γὰρ ἀντίῤῥοπον ἐπιδεικνύῃ βίον, οὐκέτι διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν τις καταφρονήσει, ἀλλὰ καὶ θαυμάσει μᾶλλον. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐπάγει λέγων, Ἀλλὰ τύπος γίνου τῶν πιστῶν ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν ἀναστροφῇ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ, ἐν πίστει, ἐν ἁγνείᾳ, περὶ πάντα σεαυτὸν παρεχόμενος τύπον καλῶν ἔργων. Τουτέστι, τὸ ἀρχέτυπον τοῦ βίου αὐτὸς ἔσο, ὥσπερ εἰκὼν προκείμενος, ὥσπερ νόμος ἔμψυχος, ὥσπερ κανὼν καὶ ὅρος τῆς εὐζωΐας. Τὸν γὰρ διδάσκαλον τοιοῦτον εἶναι χρή. Ἐν λόγῳ, ὡς καὶ φθέγγεσθαι μετ' εὐκολίας: Ἐν ἀναστροφῇ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ, ἐν πίστει, ἐν ἁγνείᾳ τῇ ὀρθῇ, ἐν σωφροσύνῃ: Ἕως ἔρχομαι, πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παραινέσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ. Τιμοθέῳ κελεύει προσέχειν τῇ ἀναγνώσει. Ἀκούωμεν ἅπαντες, καὶ παιδευώμεθα μὴ ἀμελεῖν τῆς τῶν θείων Γραφῶν μελέτης. Ἰδοὺ πάλιν, Ἕως ἔρχομαι, φησίν. Ὅρα πῶς αὐτὸν παραμυθεῖται: εἰκὸς γὰρ αὐτὸν ἀπορφανισθέντα ζητεῖν. Ἕως ἔρχομαι, φησὶ, πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει τῇ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν, τῇ παρακλήσει τῇ πρὸς ἀλλήλους, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ τῇ πρὸς πάντας. Μὴ ἀμέλει τοῦ ἐν σοὶ χαρίσματος, ὃ ἐδόθη σοι διὰ προφητείας. Τὴν διδασκαλίαν ἐνταῦθα προφητείαν λέγει. Μετὰ ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου. Οὐ περὶ πρεσβυτέρων φησὶν ἐνταῦθα, ἀλλὰ περὶ ἐπισκόπων: οὐ γὰρ δὴ πρεσβύτεροι τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἐχειροτόνουν. Ταῦτα μελέτα, ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι. Ὅρα πῶς πολλάκις περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν αὐτῷ παρεγγυᾷ, δεῖξαι βουλόμενος, ὅτι μάλιστα πάντων ἐν τούτοις σπουδάζειν τὸν διδάσκαλον χρή. Ἔπεχε σεαυτῷ, φησὶ, καὶ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ, ἐπίμενε αὐτοῖς. Τουτέστι, Πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ, καὶ δίδασκε καὶ τοὺς λοιπούς. Τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν, καὶ σεαυτὸν σώσεις, καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντάς σου. Καλῶς εἶπε, Καὶ σεαυτόν. Ὁ γὰρ τοῖς τῆς διδασκαλίας ἐντρεφόμενος λόγοις, πρότερον αὐτὸς καρποῦται τὴν ὠφέλειαν: ἐν τῷ γὰρ παραινεῖν ἑτέροις, καὶ ἑαυτὸν κατανύσσει. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ πρὸς Τιμόθεον ταῦτα εἴρηται, ἀλλὰ πρὸς πάντας. Εἰ δὲ τῷ νεκροὺς ἀνιστῶντι τοιαῦτα παραινεῖ, τί ἐροῦμεν ἡμεῖς; Καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς δὲ τὸ περὶ τῶν διδασκάλων αἰνίττεται λέγων: Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ οἰκοδεσπότῃ, ὃς ἐκβάλλει ἐκ τοῦ θησαυροῦ αὑτοῦ καινὰ καὶ παλαιά. Καὶ πάλιν ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος τὸ αὐτὸ παραινῶν φησιν: Ἵνα διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ τῆς παρακλήσεως τῶν Γραφῶν τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔχωμεν. Καὶ μάλιστα πάντων αὐτὸς τοῦτο ἔπραττε, παρὰ τοὺς πόδας Γαμαλιήλου παιδευόμενος τὸν πατρῷον νόμον, ὥστε καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα αὐτὸν εἰκὸς προσέχειν τῇ ἀναγνώσει: ὁ γὰρ ἑτέροις ταῦτα παραινῶν, ἑαυτῷ προτέρῳ παρῄνεσεν ἄν. Ὁρᾷς γοῦν αὐτὸν συνεχῶς ταῖς τῶν προφητῶν κεχρημένον μαρτυρίαις, καὶ θεωροῦντα τὰ ἐν αὐταῖς: Εἶτα Παῦλος μὲν προσέχει τῇ ἀναγνώσει (οὐ γάρ ἐστι μικρὰν ἀπὸ τῶν Γραφῶν ὠφέλειαν καρπώσασθαι): ἡμεῖς δὲ ῥᾳθυμοῦμεν καὶ παρέργως ἀκούομεν; καὶ πόσης οὐκ ἂν εἴημεν κολάσεως ἄξιοι; Ἵνα σου γὰρ ἡ προκοπὴ φανερὰ ᾖ, φησὶν, ἐν πᾶσιν. βʹ. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι ἠβούλετο αὐτὸν καὶ ἐν τούτῳ μέγαν γενέσθαι καὶ θαυμαστόν; Διὰ τοῦτο οὕτως εἶπε, δεικνὺς ὅτι ἐδεῖτο αὐτοῦ ἔτι. Τί ἐστιν, Ἵνα σου ἡ προκοπὴ φανερὰ ᾖ ἐν πᾶσι; Μὴ ἐν τῷ βίῳ, φησὶ, μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ διδασκαλικῷ. Πρεσβυτέρῳ μὴ ἐπιπλήξῃς. Ἆρα τὸ ἀξίωμα νῦν φησιν; Οὐκ ἔγωγε οἶμαι, ἀλλὰ περὶ παντὸς γεγηρακότος. Τί οὖν ἂν δέηται διορθώσεως; Οὐκ ἐπιπλήξῃς, φησὶν, ἀλλ' ὡς ἂν εἰ πρὸς πατέρα, φησὶ, προσενεχθείης ἁμαρτόντα, οὕτω καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον διαλέγου. Πρεσβυτέρας ὡς μητέρας, νεωτέρους ὡς ἀδελφοὺς, νεωτέρας ὡς ἀδελφὰς, ἐν πάσῃ ἁγνείᾳ. Αὐτὴ τοῦ πράγματος ἡ φύσις φορτικόν τί ἐστι, τὸ ἐλέγχεσθαι λέγω, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν καὶ εἰς γέροντα γένηται: ἂν δὲ καὶ παρὰ νέου, τριπλοῦν γίνεται τὸ τῆς προπετείας. Παραμυθεῖται οὖν αὐτὸ τῷ τρόπῳ καὶ τῇ προσηνείᾳ. Ἔνεστι γὰρ ἀνεπαχθῶς ἐλέγχειν, εἴ τις θέλει τοῦτο ἀσκεῖν: πολλῆς μὲν γὰρ συνέσεώς ἐστιν, ἔνεστι δέ. Νεωτέρους ὡς ἀδελφοὺς, φησί. Διὰ τί καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοῦτο παρῄνεσε; Τὸ θρασὺ πάλιν διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν αἰνιττόμενος. Δεῖ τοίνυν καὶ ἐνταῦθα παραμυθεῖσθαι τὸ πρᾶγμα τῇ ἐπιεικείᾳ. Νεωτέρας, φησὶν, ὡς ἀδελφάς: καὶ προσέθηκεν, Ἐν πάσῃ ἁγνείᾳ. Μή μοι, φησὶ, τὴν τῆς μίξεως μόνον εἴπῃς ἁμαρτίαν, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ ὑποψίαν, φησὶ, δῷς. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αἱ πρὸς τὰς νεωτέρας γινόμεναι ὁμιλίαι δυσκόλως διαφεύγουσιν ὑποψίαν, δεῖ δὲ γενέσθαι παρὰ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου καὶ τοῦτο, διὰ τοῦτο, Ἐν πάσῃ ἁγνείᾳ, προστίθησι, δηλῶν ὅτι μετὰ πάσης ἁγνείας προσήκει τὰς πρὸς αὐτὰς ὁμιλίας ποιεῖν. Τί λέγεις, εἰπέ μοι; Τιμοθέῳ ταῦτα ἐπιτάττεις; Ναὶ, φησί: δι' αὐτοῦ γὰρ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ διαλέγομαι. Εἰ δὲ Τιμοθέῳ ταῦτα ἐπιτάττει, ἐννοείτω ἕκαστος τῶν ἄλλων ὁποῖος εἶναι ὀφείλει, μήτε ὑποψίαν παρέχων, μήτε σκιὰν προφάσεως τοῖς διαβάλλειν βουλομένοις. Χήρας τίμα, τὰς ὄντως χήρας. Διὰ τί μηδὲν περὶ παρθενίας διαλέγεται, μηδὲ λέγει, Παρθένους τίμα; Ὅτι μοι δοκοῦσι μηδὲ εἶναι τότε, ἢ καὶ ἐκπεπτωκέναι. Ἤδη γὰρ, φησὶ, τινὲς ἐξετράπησαν ὀπίσω τοῦ Σατανᾶ. Χήρας τίμα, τὰς ὄντως χήρας, φησίν. Ἄρα ἔστι μὴ ἔχειν μὲν ἄνδρα, μὴ εἶναι δὲ χήραν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὴν παρθένον οὐ τοῦτο ποιεῖ παρθένον, τὸ μὴ ὡμιληκέναι γάμῳ, ἀλλὰ πολλῶν καὶ ἑτέρων δεῖ, τοῦ ἀμέμπτου, τοῦ εὐπροσέδρου: οὕτω καὶ χήραν οὐχ ἡ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐρημία ποιεῖ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ' ἡ μετὰ σωφροσύνης ὑπομονὴ, ἡ ἐκ πάντων μόνωσις. Τὰς τοιαύτας χήρας τιμᾷν παραινεῖ, εἰκότως: πολλῆς γὰρ δέονται τιμῆς μεμονωμέναι: ἄνδρας οὐκ ἔχουσι τοὺς προστησομένους: τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐπονείδιστον εἶναι δοκεῖ καὶ δυσοιώνιστον παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς. Διὰ τοῦτο πολλῆς αὐτὴν βούλεται παρὰ τοῦ ἱερέως ἀπολαύειν τιμῆς: οὐ διὰ τοῦτο δὲ μόνον, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἀξία ἐστίν. Εἰ δέ τις χήρα τέκνα ἢ ἔκγονα ἔχει, μανθανέτωσαν πρῶτον τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον εὐσεβεῖν, καὶ ἀμοιβὰς ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις. Ὅρα τοῦ Παύλου τὸ συνετὸν, πῶς πολλαχοῦ ἀπὸ ἀνθρωπίνων προτρέπει λογισμῶν. Οὐ γὰρ ἔθηκεν ἐνταῦθα μέγα τι καὶ ὑψηλὸν, ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἐστὶν εὐσυνείδητον: Καὶ ἀμοιβὰς, φησὶν, ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις. Πῶς; Τῆς ἀνατροφῆς, τῆς αὐξήσεως. Οἷον, ἀπέλαυσας πολλῆς τῆς ἐπιμελείας: ἀπῆλθον ἐκεῖνοι: οὐκ ἠδυνήθης αὐτοῖς ἀποδοῦναι τὴν ἀμοιβήν: οὐ γὰρ δὴ καὶ αὐτὴ ἐγέννησας αὐτοὺς, οὐδὲ ἀνέθρεψας: ἐν τοῖς ἐκγόνοις αὐτοῦ ἀμείβου, ἀποδίδου τὸ ὀφείλημα διὰ τῶν παίδων. Μανθανέτωσαν, φησὶν, πρῶτον τὸν οἶκον ἴδιον εὐσεβεῖν. Ἐνταῦθα τὸ εὖ ποιεῖν φησὶν ἁπλούστερον. Εἶτα ἵνα μᾶλλον ἐπάρῃ, ἐπήγαγε: Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ἀποδεκτὸν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἶπε, Τὰς ὄντως χήρας, λέγει τίς ἐστιν ἡ ὄντως χήρα. Ἡ δὲ ὄντως χήρα καὶ μεμονωμένη ἤλπικεν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ προσμένει ταῖς δεήσεσι καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας: ἡ δὲ σπαταλῶσα, ζῶσα τέθνηκεν. Εἴ τις, φησὶ, μὴ κοσμικὸν ἐπανῄρηται βίον, καὶ ἐν χηρείᾳ οὖσα, αὕτη ὄντως χήρα ἐστίν: ἡ ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἐλπίζουσα ὡς χρὴ, ἡ δεήσει προσανέχουσα, καὶ προσκαρτεροῦσα νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας, αὕτη χήρα ἐστίν: οὐχ ὡς καὶ τῆς τέκνα ἐχούσης οὐχὶ χήρας οὔσης: καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐκείνην θαυμάζει τὴν παιδοτροφοῦσαν, ὡς χρή: ἀλλ' εἴ τις τέκνα μὴ ἔχει, τουτέστιν, ἡ μεμονωμένη οὖσα. Εἶτα παραμυθεῖται αὐτὴν, ὡς οὐκ ἔχουσαν τέκνα, εἰπὼν, ὅτι τοῦτό ἐστι χήραν μάλιστα εἶναι, ὅταν μὴ τῆς παρὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς παραμυθίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς παρὰ τῶν τέκνων ἀπεστερημένη οὖσα τύχῃ: ἔχει γὰρ τὸν Θεὸν ἀντὶ πάντων. Οὐ γὰρ μὴ ἔχουσα τέκνα ἐλάττων ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ λεῖπον αὐτῇ διὰ τὴν τῶν παίδων ἀπουσίαν πληροῖ τῇ παραμυθίᾳ. Ὃ οὖν λέγει, τοιοῦτό ἐστι: Μὴ ἄλγει, ἐὰν ἀκούσῃς, ὅτι δεῖ παιδοτροφεῖν, ὡς οὐκ ἔχουσα τέκνα, ὡς ἐκ τούτου ἐλαττουμένου σοι τοῦ ἀξιώματος: ὄντως εἶ: Ἡ χήρα δὲ σπαταλῶσα, ζῶσα τέθνηκεν. γʹ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλαὶ τέκνα ἔχουσαι τὴν χηρείαν αἱροῦνται, οὐχ ἵνα τοῦ βίου τὰς ἀφορμὰς περικόψωσιν, ἀλλ' ἵνα μᾶλλον αὐτὰς ἐξάψωσιν, ἵνα μετὰ πλείονος αὐθεντίας ἅπαντα πράττωσι, καὶ κοσμικαῖς μᾶλλον ἐκδοῖεν ἑαυτὰς ἐπιθυμίαις, διὰ τοῦτό φησιν, Ἡ δὲ σπαταλῶσα, ζῶσα τέθνηκε. Τί λέγεις; καὶ χήρα γυνὴ οὐκ ὀφείλει σπαταλᾷν; Οὒ, φησίν. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ τῆς ἡλικίας, καὶ τῆς φύσεως ἀσθενούσης οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀναγκαία ἡ σπατάλη, ἀλλὰ θανάτου γίνεται πρόξενος, θανάτου τοῦ αἰωνίου, τί ἂν εἴποιεν ἄνδρες σπαταλῶντες; Εἰκότως δέ φησιν, Ἡ δὲ σπαταλῶσα, ζῶσα τέθνηκεν. Ἀλλ' ἵνα μάθῃς, φέρε ἴδωμεν τί τῶν ζώντων ἔργον ἐστὶ, καὶ τί τῶν τεθνηκότων, καὶ ποῦ τάξομεν ταύτην. Οἱ ζῶντες τὰ τῆς ζωῆς ἐνεργοῦσι, τῆς μελλούσης, τῆς ὄντως ζωῆς. Τίνα δέ ἐστι τῆς μελλούσης ζωῆς, περὶ ἣν ἡμᾶς ἠσχολῆσθαι προσήκει τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον, ἄκουε τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος: Δεῦτε, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου: ἐπείνασα γὰρ, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν: ἐδίψησα, καὶ ἐποτίσατέ με. Οἱ ζῶντες οὐχὶ τούτῳ διεστήκασι τῶν νεκρῶν μόνον, τῷ τὸν ἥλιον ὁρᾷν, καὶ πνεῖν τὸν ἀέρα: οὐ τούτῳ φαμὲν, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἀγαθόν τι ποιεῖν: ἐπεὶ εἰ μὴ τοῦτο προσῇ, τῶν τεθνεώτων οὐδὲν κρείττονες ἔσονται. Καὶ ἵνα μάθῃς, ἄκουε πῶς ἔστι καὶ ἀποθανόντα ζῇν. Ὁ Θεὸς, φησὶν, οὐκ ἔστι νεκρῶν, ἀλλὰ ζώντων. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο, φησὶν, αἴνιγμα πάλιν. Οὐκοῦν ἀμφότερα ἐπιλυσώμεθα. Τέθνηκέ τις ζῶν, ὅταν ἐν σπατάλῃ διάγῃ. Πῶς; Τῇ γαστρὶ ζῇ μόνῃ, ταῖς δὲ ἄλλαις αἰσθήσεσιν οὐδαμῶς: οἷόν πως, οὐχ ὁρᾷ ἃ χρὴ ὁρᾷν, οὐκ ἀκούει ἃ χρὴ ἀκούειν, οὐ φθέγγεται, ἃ δεῖ φθέγγεσθαι, οὐδὲ τὰ τῶν ζώντων ἐνεργεῖ: ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνος ὁ τεταμένος ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς μύσας, καὶ τὰ ὄμματα συνειλημμένος, τῶν ὄντων οὐδενὸς ἐπαισθάνεται, οὕτω καὶ οὗτος: μᾶλλον δὲ οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ χεῖρον. Ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὁμοίως, καὶ τῶν κακῶν ἀνεπαισθήτως ἔχει: οὗτος δὲ ἐκείνων αἰσθάνεται μόνων, τῶν κακῶν λέγω, πρὸς δὲ τὰ ἀγαθὰ τῷ κειμένῳ ὁμοίως ἐστὶν ἀκίνητος. Οὕτω μὲν οὖν καὶ τέθνηκεν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ αὐτὸν κινεῖ τῶν τῆς μελλούσης ζωῆς, ἀλλὰ καθάπερ εἰς κατάδυσίν τινα σκοτεινὴν καὶ ζοφώδη, καὶ ἄντρον πολλῆς ἀκαθαρσίας γέμον, λαβοῦσα εἰς τοὺς οἰκείους αὐτὸν κόλπους ἡ μέθη, διαπαντὸς ἐν σκότῳ ποιεῖ διατρίβειν, ὥσπερ τοὺς τεθνεῶτας. Ὅταν γὰρ τὸν πάντα χρόνον τὸν μὲν ἀριστῶν, τὸν δὲ μεθύων διατελῇ, οὐχὶ ἐν σκότῳ ἐστίν; οὐχὶ νεκρός ἐστι; Καὶ πρὸς αὐτὴν δὲ τὴν ἕω, ἣν δοκεῖ νήφειν, οὐκ ἔχει νῆψιν καθαρὰν, τῷ μήπω τὸν ἑσπερινὸν ἤδη κεκενῶσθαι οἶνον καὶ ἀπηντλῆσθαι, καὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος σφόδρα τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ κατέχεσθαι, καὶ τῷ δείλης καὶ μεσημβρίας ἐν κώμοις διάγειν, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν νύκτα ἐν ὕπνῳ βαθεῖ, καὶ τοῦ ὄρθρου τὸ πλέον. Τοῦτον οὖν, εἰπέ μοι, μετὰ τῶν ζώντων ἀριθμήσομεν; Τί ἄν τις εἴποι τὸν πολὺν χειμῶνα τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς τρυφῆς, τὸν εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν, τὸν εἰς τὰ σώματα εἰσρεόμενον; Καθάπερ γὰρ ἡ συνεχὴς συννέφεια καὶ διηνεκὴς οὐκ ἀφίησι τὴν ἀκτῖνα διαλάμψαι ποτέ: οὕτως οἱ τῆς τρυφῆς καὶ τοῦ οἴνου ἀτμοὶ, καθάπερ τινὰ σκόπελον τὸν ἐγκέφαλον ἀπολαβόντες, καὶ πυκνὸν ἐκεῖ στήσαντες νέφος, τὸ λογικὸν οὐκ ἀφιᾶσιν ἐκταθῆναί ποτε, ἐν πολλῇ σκοτομήνῃ κατέχοντες τὸν μεθύοντα. Πόσον οἴει λοιπὸν ἔνδον εἶναι τὸν χειμῶνα τοῦ ταῦτα παθόντος; πόσον τὸν θόρυβον; Καθάπερ γὰρ πλημμύρας γενομένης, καὶ τοῦ ὕδατος τῶν ἐργαστηρίων τὰ πρόθυρα ὑπερπηδήσαντος, τοὺς ἐνοικοῦντας ὁρῶμεν ἀεὶ θορυβουμένους, καὶ καδίσκους καὶ ἀμφορέας καὶ σπόγγους, καὶ ἕτερα πολλὰ ἐπινοοῦντας, ὥστε ἀπαντλῆσαι, ἵνα μὴ καὶ τοὺς θεμελίους διασήψῃ, καὶ τὰ σκεύη ἅπαντα ἄχρηστα ἐργάσηται: οὕτω καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ, ὅταν ὑπέραντλος γένηται τῇ πολλῇ τρυφῇ, θορυβοῦνται μὲν ἔνδον οἱ λογισμοὶ, τὸ δὲ ἤδη συναχθὲν οὐκέτι κενῶσαι ἰσχύοντες, τῷ πάλιν ἕτερον ἐπεισελθεῖν πολὺς ὁ χειμὼν τίκτεται. Μὴ γάρ μοι τὸ πρόσωπον ἴδῃς φαιδρὸν καὶ σεσηρὸς, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἔνδον ἐξέτασον, καὶ πολλῆς ὄψει γέμοντα τῆς κατηφείας: καὶ εἴ γε ἐνῆν τὴν ψυχὴν ἐκβαλόντα τοῖς τοῦ σώματος ὀφθαλμοῖς ὑποβαλεῖν, εἶδες ἂν τὴν τοῦ σπαταλῶντος κατηφῆ, στυγνὴν, ὀδυνηρὰν, κατισχνωμένην. Ὅσῳ γὰρ ἂν τὸ σῶμα λιπαίνηται καὶ παχύνηται, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον ἐκείνη κατισχνοῦται καὶ ἀσθενεστέρα γίνεται: καὶ ὅσῳ ἂν ἐκεῖνο θάλπηται, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον αὕτη θάπτεται. Καὶ καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῆς κόρης τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἂν μὲν τοὺς ἔξωθεν ἐπικειμένους χιτωνίσκους ἔχῃ παχεῖς, οὐκ ἰσχύει τὸ διορατικὸν ἀφεῖναι καὶ ἀτενίσαι, τῆς ἀκτῖνος ἐκκρουομένης ὑπὸ τῆς παχύτητος, καὶ σκότος γίνεται πολλάκις: οὕτω καὶ τὸ σῶμα, ἐπειδὰν λιπαίνηται συνεχῶς, πολλὴν εἰκὸς τὴν παχύτητα περικεῖσθαι. Ἀλλ' οἱ τεθνεῶτες, φησὶ, σήπονται καὶ διαφθείρονται, καὶ πολὺς ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἰχὼρ διαῤῥεῖ. Οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς σπαταλώσης ἔστιν ἰδεῖν, τὸ ῥεῦμα, τὸ φλέγμα, κόρυζα, λὺγξ, ἔμετοι, ἐρυγαί: τὰ γὰρ ἄλλα, ἃ καὶ αἰσχρὸν εἰπεῖν, παρίημι. Τοσαύτη γὰρ τῆς τρυφῆς ἡ τυραννὶς, ὅτι ἃ μηδὲ εἰπεῖν ἀνεχόμεθα, ταῦτα ποιεῖ αὐτὰς ὑπομένειν. δʹ. Ἔτι οὖν ἐρωτᾷς, πῶς διαῤῥεῖ τὸ σῶμα πάντοθεν; Ἀλλ' ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει; Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο ζωῆς ἀνθρωπίνης τεκμήριον, ἐπεὶ καὶ τὰ ἄλογα ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει. Νεκρᾶς τοίνυν τῆς ψυχῆς κειμένης. τί τὸ ὄφελος τῆς βρώσεως καὶ τῆς πόσεως; Ὥσπερ γὰρ τοῦ σώματος κειμένου νεκροῦ, εὐανθὲς ἱμάτιον περιβεβλημένον οὐδὲν ὀνίνησιν, οὕτω καὶ σῶμα περικείμενον εὐανθὲς νεκρᾷ ψυχῇ οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖ. Ὅταν γὰρ ἀεὶ περὶ μαγείρων, περὶ τραπεζοποιῶν, περὶ σιτοποιῶν ὁ λόγος αὐτῇ γίνηται, καὶ μηδὲν εὐσεβὲς φθέγγηται, οὐχὶ τέθνηκε; Τί γάρ ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος, ἴδωμεν. Οἱ ἔξωθέν φασι ζῶον λογικὸν, θνητὸν, νοῦ καὶ ἐπιστήμης δεκτικόν: ἡμεῖς δὲ μὴ ἀπ' ἐκείνων τὸν ὅρον θώμεθα, ἀλλὰ πόθεν; Ἀπὸ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς. Ποῦ τοίνυν ἡ Γραφὴ ὅρον ἐξέθετο ἀνθρώπου; Ἄκουε λεγούσης αὐτῆς: Ἦν ἄνθρωπος δίκαιος, ἀληθινὸς, θεοσεβὴς, ἀπεχόμενος ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πράγματος. Τοῦτο ἄνθρωπος. Καὶ πάλιν ἕτερός φησι: Μέγα ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τίμιον ἀνὴρ ἐλεήμων. Τοὺς δὲ μὴ τοιούτους, κἂν νοῦ μετέχωσι, κἂν μυριάκις ἐπιστήμης ὦσι δεκτικοὶ, οὐκ οἶδεν ἡ Γραφὴ λέγειν ἀνθρώπους, ἀλλὰ κύνας, καὶ ἵππους, καὶ ἔχεις, καὶ ὄφεις, καὶ ἀλώπεκας, καὶ λύκους, καὶ εἴ τι τούτων ἀτιμότερον τῶν θηρίων: εἰ τοίνυν τοῦτο ἄνθρωπος, ὁ σπαταλῶν οὐκ ἄνθρωπος. Πῶς γὰρ, ὁ μηδὲν τούτων φροντίζων; οὐ γὰρ ἔνι σπατάλην ὁμοῦ καὶ νῆψιν συνελθεῖν: ταῦτα ἀλλήλων ἐστὶν ἀναιρετικά. Τοῦτο καὶ οἱ ἔξωθέν φασιν, ὅτι Παχεῖα γαστὴρ λεπτὸν οὐ τίκτει νόον. Οἶδε καὶ ἀψύχους ἀνθρώπους ἡ Γραφὴ καλεῖν: Οὐ μὴ μείνῃ τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις, διὰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺς σάρκας. Καίτοι γε καὶ ψυχὴν εἶχον, ἀλλὰ ἐπειδὴ νεκρὰν αὐτὴν περιέφερον, σάρκας αὐτοὺς εἶπεν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ περὶ τῶν ἐναρέτων, κἂν ἔχωσι σῶμα, ὅμως φαμὲν, Ὅλος ψυχή ἐστιν, ὅλος πνεῦμά, ἐστιν, οὕτω καὶ περὶ τῶν οὐ τοιούτων τὰ ἐναντία. Οὕτω καὶ Παῦλος ἔλεγεν: Ὑμεῖς οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐν σαρκὶ, ἐπειδὴ μὴ τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς ἐπετέλουν. Οὕτως οἱ σπαταλῶντες οὐκ εἰσὶν ἐν ψυχῇ, οὐδὲ ἐν πνεύματι. Ἡ δὲ σπαταλῶσα, ζῶσα τέθνηκε, φησίν. Ἀκούσατε αἱ πάντα τὸν χρόνον ἐν κώμοις διατρίβουσαι καὶ μέθαις, αἱ τοὺς μὲν πένητας περιορῶσαι ὑπὸ λιμοῦ τηκομένους καὶ ἀποθνήσκοντας, διηνεκῶς δὲ ὑμεῖς ὑπὸ τῆς τρυφῆς ἀποθνήκουσαι. Δύο γὰρ θανάτους ἐργάζεσθε, τὸν τῶν θλιβομένων, καὶ τὸν ὑμῶν αὐτῶν, ἀμφοτέρους ἐξ ἀμετρίας. Εἰ δὲ ἐκεράσατε τὴν ὑμετέραν πλησμονὴν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἐνδείᾳ, δύο ζωὰς ἂν εἰργάζεσθε. Τί διασπᾷς τὴν γαστέρα τὴν σὴν τῇ πλησμονῇ; τί κατατήκεις τὴν τοῦ πένητος ἐν ἐνδείᾳ; Ταύτην πλέον τοῦ μέτρου καταπιαίνεις: ἐκείνην ὑπὲρ τὸ μέτρον ξηραίνεις. Ἐννόησον τίνα ἐστὶ τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν σιτίων, ποῦ μεταβάλλεται, καὶ τί γίνεται. Ἆρα οὐ δυσχεραίνεις καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀκοήν; τί τοίνυν, ὥστε πλείονα ἐκεῖνα ἀποθέσθαι, σπουδάζεις; Οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἐστὶ τὸ πλέον τῆς τρυφῆς. ἢ κόπρου πλεονασμός. Ἔχει γὰρ ἡ φύσις μέτρα, καὶ τὸ πλέον ἐκείνων οὐκέτι γίνεται τροφὴ, ἀλλὰ λύμη καὶ κόπρος πλείων. Θρέψον τὸ σῶμα, μὴ ἀποκτείνῃς. Διὰ τοῦτο τροφὴ κέκληται, οὐχ ἵνα ἀπολλύωμεν αὐτὸ, ἀλλ' ἵνα τρέφωμεν: διὰ τοῦτο οἶμαι καὶ τὴν τροφὴν εἰς τοῦτο ἐκκρίνεσθαι, ἵνα μὴ τῆς τρυφῆς ὦμεν ἐρασταί: ὡς εἰ μὴ τοῦτο ἦν, μηδὲ εἰς ἄχρηστον ἦγε, μηδὲ ἐλυμαίνετο τῷ σώματι, οὐκ ἂν ἐπαυσάμεθα ἀλλήλους καταπίνοντες. Εἰ γὰρ ὅσον ἐβουλόμεθα δεχομένη ἡ γαστὴρ τὸ πᾶν εἰργάζετο, καὶ τῷ σώματι παρέπεμπε, μυρίους ἂν εἶδες πολέμους καὶ μάχας. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ νῦν τῶν μὲν εἰς κόπρον ἐκκρινομένων, τῶν δὲ εἰς αἷμα καὶ φλέγμα ἄχρηστον καὶ νόθον, ὅμως ἐγκείμεθα τῇ τρυφῇ, καὶ πολλάκις οὐσίας ὁλοκλήρους ἐν τραπέζῃ μιᾷ καταναλίσκομεν: εἰ μὴ τοιοῦτον ἦν τὸ τέλος τῆς τρυφῆς, τί οὐκ ἂν ἐπράξαμεν; Πλείονος δυσωδίας πληροῦμεν ἑαυτοὺς, ὅταν μᾶλλον τρυφήσωμεν, καθάπερ ἀσκοῦ τινος, τοῦ σώματος πάντοθεν διαῤῥέοντος. Ἐρεύγεταί τις τοιοῦτον, ὡς καὶ τὸν ἐγκέφαλον λυμήνασθαι τῶν ἔξωθεν: ἀτμοὶ πάντοθεν ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος ζοφώδεις προΐενται, καθάπερ ἀπὸ καμίνου τῆς θερμότητος σαπείσης ἔνδον. Εἰ δὲ οἱ ἔξωθεν οὕτω δυσχεραίνουσι, τί οἴει παθεῖν τὸν ἐγκέφαλον ἔνδον, πληττόμενον συνεχῶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀτμῶν; τί δὲ τοὺς ὀχετοὺς τοῦ αἵματος ζέοντος καὶ ἐμφραττομένου; τί δὲ τὰς δεξαμενὰς ἐκείνας, τὸ ἧπαρ, τὸν σπλῆνα; τί δὲ αὐτὰς τὰς ἀμάρας τῆς κόπρου; Καὶ τὸ χαλεπὸν, ὅτι ταύτας μὲν τὰς ἀμάρας τῆς κόπρου προνοούμεθα, ὅπως μὴ ἐμφραγῶσι, καὶ τὴν κόπρον εἰς τὰ ἄνω πέμψωσι, καὶ πάντα ὑπὲρ τούτου πράττομεν, κοντοῖς ὠθοῦντες, μακέλλαις σύροντες: τὰς δὲ ἀμάρας τῆς ἡμετέρας γαστρὸς οὐ διακαθαίρομεν, ἀλλ' ἐμφράττομεν καὶ πιλοῦμεν: καὶ τῆς κόπρου ἀνιούσης ἄνω, ἔνθα ὁ βασιλεὺς αὐτὸς κάθηται, τὸν ἐγκέφαλον λέγω, οὐδεμίαν ποιούμεθα πρόνοιαν. Διά τοι τοῦτο οὐχ ὡς βασιλέα ἔχοντες κόσμιον, οὕτω πάντα πράττομεν, ἀλλ' ὡς κύνα τινὰ ἀκάθαρτον. Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Θεὸς πόῤῥω ἀπῴκισεν ἐκεῖνα τὰ μέλη, ὥστε μηδεμίαν ἐξ αὐτῶν δέχεσθαι λύμην. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐῶμεν ἡμεῖς, ἀλλὰ πάντα διαφθείρομεν τῇ ἀμετρίᾳ. Τί δ' ἄν τις εἴποι τὰ ἄλλα κακά; Ἀπόφραξον τοὺς ὀχετοὺς τῶν ἀμαρῶν, καὶ ὄψει λοιμὸν εὐθέως τικτόμενον. Εἶτα ἡ μὲν ἔξωθεν προσπεσοῦσα δυσωδία λοιμὸν τίκτει, ἡ δὲ ἔνδον οὖσα, καὶ πάντοθεν ἐμπεφραγμένη τῷ στεγανῷ τοῦ σώματος, καὶ μὴ ἔχουσα πόθεν διαφορηθῇ, μυρίας οὐκ ἐργάζεται νόσους καὶ τῷ σώματι καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ; Καὶ τὸ δεινὸν, ὅτι πρὸς μὲν τὸν Θεὸν πολλοὶ δυσχεραίνουσι, Τί ποτε τοῦτό ἐστι; λέγοντες: κόπρον βαστάζειν ἡμᾶς ἐνομοθέτησεν: αὐτοὶ δὲ τὴν κόπρον αὔξουσι. Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Θεὸς ἐνομοθέτησεν, ἵνα κἂν οὕτω τῆς τρυφῆς ἀπαλλάξῃ, ἵνα κἂν οὕτω πείσῃ μὴ προσηλῶσθαι τοῖς βιωτικοῖς. Σὺ δὲ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀνέχῃ παύσασθαι τῆς τρυφῆς, ἀλλὰ μέχρι τοῦ φάρυγγος, μέχρι τοῦ καιροῦ τῆς τραπέζης, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ μέχρι τότε τῆς ἡδονῆς παραμενούσης, ἐπιμένεις τῇ τρυφῇ. Ἢ οὐχ ἅμα μὲν παρέδραμε τὴν γλῶτταν καὶ τὸν αὐχένα, καὶ ἔσβεσται τὰ τῆς ἡδονῆς; Ἡ γὰρ αἴσθησις ἐν τῇ γεύσει, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα οὐκέτι, ἀλλὰ πολλὴ ἡ ἀηδία, ἢ μὴ κατεργαζομένου τοῦ στομάχου, ἢ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς δυσκολίας τοῦτο ποιοῦντος. Εἰκότως ἄρα ἔλεγεν, Ἡ σπαταλῶσα, ζῶσα τέθνηκεν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν οὔτε ἀκοῦσαι, οὔτε εἰπεῖν τὴν σπαταλῶσαν ψυχήν: μαλακὴ γίνεται, ἀγεννὴς, ἄνανδρος, ἀνελευθέρα, δειλὴ, θρασύτητος, κολακείας, ἀμαθίας πλήρης, θυμοῦ, ἀκροχολίας, πάντων τῶν κακῶν μεστὴ, τῶν δὲ ἐναντίων ἀγαθῶν ἔρημος. Διὰ τοῦτό φησι: Καὶ ταῦτα παράγγελλε, ἵνα ἀνεπίληπτοι ὦσιν. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι νομοθεσίας τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστιν; Οὐ τῇ προαιρέσει ἐπιτρέπει αὐτό: παράγγελλε, φησὶ, μὴ τρυφᾷν, ὡς ὡμολογημένου ὄντος κακοῦ, ὡς οὐκ ἐνὸν οὐδὲ ἐγχωροῦν τὸν τρυφῶντα μυστηρίων μετέχειν. Καὶ ταῦτα παράγγελλε, ἵνα ἀνεπίληπτοι ὦσι, φησίν. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι ἐν τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασι κεῖται τὸ πρᾶγμα; Τὸ γὰρ ἐν τῇ προαιρέσει ὂν, κἂν μὴ πραχθῇ, οὐδὲν κωλύει ἀνεπίληπτον εἶναι. Οὐκοῦν τῷ Παύλῳ πειθόμενοι καὶ ἡμεῖς παραγγέλλωμεν τὰς σπαταλώσας τῶν χηρῶν ἐκτὸς εἶναι τοῦ καταλόγου τῶν χηρῶν. Εἰ γὰρ στρατιώτης λουτροῖς καὶ θεάτροις προσανέχων καὶ πραγματείαις, καθάπερ τις λειποτάκτης κρίνεται, πολλῷ μᾶλλον αἱ χῆραι. Μὴ ζητῶμεν ἐνταῦθα τὴν ἄνεσιν, ἵνα ἐκεῖ αὐτὴν εὕρωμεν: μὴ σπαταλῶμεν ἐνταῦθα, ἵνα ἐκεῖ σπαταλήσωμεν τὴν ὄντως σπατάλην, τὴν ὄντως τρυφὴν, τὴν οὐδὲν τίκτουσαν κακὸν, τὴν μυρία ἀγαθὰ ἔχουσαν: ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, ἐν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.