John Chrysostom, On the Letter to the Romans

Homily XIV.

Rom. VIII. 12, 13

“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

After showing how great the reward of a spiritual life is, and that it maketh Christ to dwell in us, and that it quickeneth our mortal bodies, and wingeth them to heaven, and rendereth the way of virtue easier, he next fitly introduces an exhortation to this purpose. “Therefore” we ought “not to live after the flesh.” But this is not what he says, for he words it in a much more striking and powerful way, thus, “we are debtors to the Spirit.” For saying, “we are debtors not to the flesh,” indicates this. And this is a point he is everywhere giving proof of, that what God hath done for us is not matter of debt, but of mere grace. But after this, what we do is no longer matter of free-will offering, but of debt. For when he saith, “Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the servants of men” (1 Cor. vii. 23); and when he writes, “Ye are not your own” (ib. vi. 19); and again in another passage he calls these selfsame things to their mind, in these words, “If (most mss. om. “if”) One died for all, then all died232 So St. Chrysostom reads, as appears from his Commentary on this passage. that they should not henceforth live unto themselves.” (2 Cor. v. 15.) And it is to establish this that he says here also, “We are debtors;” then since he said we are “not” debtors “to the flesh,” lest you should again take him to be speaking against the nature of the flesh, he does not leave speaking, but proceeds, “to live after the flesh.” For there are many things which we do owe it, as giving it food, warmth, and rest, medicine when out of health, clothing, and a thousand other attentions. To prevent your supposing then that it is this ministration he is for abrogating when he says, “We are not debtors to the flesh,” he explains it by saying, “to live after the flesh.” For the care that I am for abrogating is, he means, that which leadeth to sin, as I should be for its having what is healing to it. And this he shows further on. For when he says, “Make not provision for the flesh,” he does not pause at this, but adds, “to fulfil the lusts thereof.” (Rom. xiii. 14.) And this instruction he gives us here also, meaning, Let it have attention shown it indeed, for we do owe it this, yet let us not live according to the flesh, that is, let us not make it the mistress of our life. For it must be the follower, not the leader, and it is not it that must regulate our life, but the laws of the Spirit must it receive. Having then defined this point, and having proved that we are debtors to the Spirit, to show next for what benefits it is that we are debtors, he does not speak of those past (a thing which serves as a most striking proof of his judgment), but those which were to come; although even the former were enough for the purpose. Yet still he does not set them down in the present case, or mention even those unspeakable blessings, but the things to come. For a benefit once for all conferred does not, for the most part, draw men on so much as one which is expected, and is to come. After adding this then, he first uses the pains and ills that come of living after the flesh, to put them in fear, in the following words; “For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die,” so intimating to us that deathless death, punishment, and vengeance in hell. Or rather if one were to look accurately into this, such an one is, even in this present life, dead. And this we have made clear to you in the last discourse. “But if ye through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” You see that it is not the essence of the body whereof we are discoursing, but the deeds of the flesh. For he does not say, “if ye through the Spirit do mortify” the essence “of the body,” but “the deeds of” it, and these not all deeds, but such as are evil. And this is plain in what follows: for if ye do this, “ye shall live,” he says. And how is it in the nature of things for this to be, if it was all deeds that his language applied to? for seeing and hearing and speaking and walking are deeds of the body; and if we mortify these, we shall be so far from living, that we shall have to suffer the punishment of a manslayer. What sort of deeds then does he mean us to mortify? Those which tend toward wickedness, those which go after vice, which there is no other way of mortifying save through the Spirit. For by killing yourself you may put an end to the others.233 Sav. τὰς μὲν γὰρ ἄλλας ἀποκτείναντα, σεαυτὸν ἀνελεῖν ἐστὶν; to give this sense we should punctuate τὰς μὲν γὰρ ἄλλας, ἀποκτ. ἑαυτὸν, ἀνελεῖν ἔστιν. And this you have no right to do. But to these (you can put an end) by the Spirit only. For if This be present, all the billows are laid low, and the passions cower under It, and nothing can exalt itself against us.234 κατεξανίσταται. The word used in the last Homily for the conduct of the covetous towards the poor. See p. 439. So you see how it is on things to come, as I said before, that he grounds his exhortations to us, and shows that we are debtors not owing to what has been already done only. For the advantage of the Spirit is not this only, that He hath set us free from our former sins, but that He rendereth us impregnable against future ones, and counts us worthy of the immortal life. Then, to state another reward also, he proceeds:

Ver. 14. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

Now this is again a much greater honor than the first. And this is why he does not say merely, As many as live235 See Gal. v. 25, where “live” means “have life,” and is distinguished from “walk.” by the Spirit of God, but, “as many as are led by the Spirit of God,” to show that he would have Him use such power over our life as a pilot doth over a ship, or a charioteer over a pair of horses. And it is not the body only, but the soul itself too, that he is for setting under reins of this sort. For he would not have even that independent, but place its authority236 Or the command of it, ἐξουσίαν. also under the power of the Spirit. For lest through a confidence in the Gift of the Font they should turn negligent of their conversation after it, he would say, that even supposing you receive baptism, yet if you are not minded to be “led by the Spirit” afterwards, you lose the dignity bestowed upon you, and the pre-eminence of your adoption. This is why he does not say, As many as have received the Spirit, but, “as many as are led by the Spirit,” that is, as many as live up to this all their life long, “they are the sons of God.” Then since this dignity was given to the Jews also, for it says, “I said ye are Gods, and all of you children of the Most High” (Ps. lxxxii. 6); and again, “I have nourished and brought up children” (Is. i. 2); and so, “Israel is My first-born” (Ex. iv. 22); and Paul too says, “Whose is the adoption” (Rom. ix. 4)—he next asserts the great difference between the latter and the former honor. For though the names are the same, he means, still, the things are not the same. And of these points he gives a clear demonstration, by introducing a comparison drawn both from the persons so advanced (κατορθούντων) and from what was given them, and from what was to come. And first he shows what they of old had given them. What then was this? “A spirit of bondage:” and so he thus proceeds,

Ver. 15. “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear.”

Then not staying to mention that which stands in contradistinction to bondage, that is, the spirit of freedom, he has named what is far greater, that of adoption, through which he at the same time brings in the other, saying, “But ye have received the Spirit of adoption.”

But this is plain. But what the spirit of bondage may be, is not so plain, and there is need of making it clearer. Now what he says is so far from being clear, that it is in fact very perplexing. For the people of the Jews did not receive the Spirit. What then is his meaning here? It is the letter he giveth this name to, for spiritual it was, and so he called the Law spiritual also, and the water from the Rock, and the Manna. “For they did eat,” he says, “of the same spiritual meat, and all drank of the same spiritual drink.” (1 Cor. x. 3, 4.) And to the Rock he gives this name, when he says, “For they drank of that spiritual Rock which followed them.” Now it is because all the rites then wrought were above nature that he calls them spiritual, and not because those who then partook of them received the Spirit. And in what sense were those letters, letters of bondage? Set before yourself the whole dispensation, and then you will have a clear view of this also. For recompenses were with them close at hand, and the reward followed forthwith, being at once proportionate, and like a kind of daily ration given to domestic servants, and terrors in abundance came to their height before their eyes, and their purifications concerned their bodies, and their continency extended but to their actions. But with us it is not so, since the imagination even and the conscience getteth purged out. For He does not say, “Thou shalt do no murder,” only, but even thou shalt not be angry: so too, it is not, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” but thou shalt not look unchastely. So that it is not to be from fear of present punishment, but out of desire towards Himself, that both our being habitually virtuous, and all our single good deeds are to come. Neither doth he promise a land flowing with milk and honey, but maketh us joint-heir with the Only-Begotten, so making us by every means stand aloof from things present, and promising to give such things especially as are worth the acceptance of men made sons of God, nothing, that is, of a sensible kind or corporeal, but spiritual all of them. And so they, even if they had the name of sons, were but as slaves; but we as having been made free, have received the adoption, and are waiting for Heaven. And with them He discoursed through the intervention of others, with us by Himself. And all that they did was through the impulse of fear, but the spiritual act through a coveting and a vehement desire. And this they show by the fact of their237 ὑπερβαίνειν means to go beyond as well as to go against. He refers to such things as St. Paul’s refusing sustenance from the Achæans. 1 Cor. ix. 4, etc. The tenses prove this to be St. Chrysostom’s meaning. overstepping the commandments. They, as hirelings and obstinate persons, so never left murmuring: but these do all for the pleasing of the Father. So too they blasphemed when they had benefits done them: but we are thankful at being jeoparded. And if there be need of punishing both of us upon our sinning, even in this case the difference is great. For it is not on being stoned and branded and maimed by the priests, as they were, that we are brought round. But it is enough for us to be cast out from our Father’s table, and to be out of sight for certain days. And with the Jews the honor of adoption was one of name only, but here the reality followed also, the cleansing of Baptism, the giving of the Spirit, the furnishing of the other blessings. And there are several other points besides, which go to show our high birth and their low condition. After intimating all these then by speaking of the Spirit, and fear, and the adoption, he gives a fresh proof again of having the Spirit of adoption. Now what is this? That “we cry, Abba, Father.” And how great this is, the initiated know (St. Cyr. Jer. Cat. 23, §11, p. 276, O.T.), being with good reason bidden to use this word first in the Prayer of the initiated. What then, it may be said, did not they also call God Father? Dost thou not hear Moses, when he says, “Thou desertedst the God that begot thee?” (Deut. xxxii. 15. LXX.) Dost thou not hear Malachi reproaching them, and saying, that “one God formed you,” and there is “one Father of you all?” (Mal. ii. 10. LXX.) Still, if these words and others besides are used, we do not find them anywhere calling God by the name, or praying in this language. But we all, priests and laymen, rulers and ruled, are ordered to pray herein. And this is the first language we give utterance to, after those marvellous throes, and that strange and unusual mode of labor. If in any other instances they so called Him, that was only of their own mind. But those in the state of grace do it through being moved by the in-working of the Spirit. For as there is a Spirit of Wisdom, after which they that were unwise became wise, and this discloses itself in their teaching: and a Spirit of Power there is, whereby the feeble raised up the dead, and drove out devils; a Spirit also of the gift of healing, and a Spirit of prophecy, and a Spirit of tongues, so also a Spirit of adoption. And as we know the Spirit of prophecy, in that he who hath it foretelleth things to come, not speaking of his own mind, but moved by the Grace; so too is the Spirit of adoption, whereby he that is gifted with it calleth God, Father, as moved by the Spirit. Wishing to express this as a most true descent, he used also the Hebrew238 i.e. the Syriac, which the Hebrew means in the N.T. probably in all cases—it being then the language of the Hebrews. tongue, for he does not say only, “Father,” but “Abba, Father,” which name is a special sign of true-born children to their fathers. After mentioning then the diversity resulting from their conversation, that resulting from the grace which had been given, and that from their freedom, he brings forward another demonstration of the superiority which goes with this adoption. Now of what kind is this?

Ver. 16. “The Spirit Itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”

For it is not from the language merely, he says, that I make my assertion, but from the cause out of which the language has its birth; since it is from the Spirit suggesting it that we so speak. And this in another passage he has put into plainer words, thus: “God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba Father.” (Gal. iv. 6.) And what is that, “Spirit beareth witness with spirit?” The Comforter, he means, with that Gift, which is given unto us. For it is not of the Gift alone that it is the voice, but of the Comforter also who gave the Gift, He Himself having taught us through the Gift so to speak. But when the “Spirit beareth witness” what farther place for doubtfulness? For if it were a man, or angel, or archangel, or any other such power that promised this, then there might be reason in some doubting. But when it is the Highest Essence that bestoweth this Gift, and “beareth witness” by the very words He bade us use in prayer, who would doubt any more of our dignity? For not even when the Emperor elects any one, and proclaims in all men’s hearing the honor done him, does anybody venture to gainsay.

Ver. 17. “And if children, then heirs.”

Observe how he enhances the Gift by little and little. For since it is a possible case to be children, and yet not become heirs (for it is not by any means all children that are heirs), he adds this besides—that we are heirs. But the Jews, besides their not having the same adoption as we, were also cast out from the inheritance. For “He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out the vineyard to other husbandmen” (Matt. xxi. 41): and before this, He said that “many shall come from the East and from the West, and shall sit down with Abraham, but the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out.” (ib. viii. 11, 12.) But even here he does not pause, but sets down something even greater than this. What may this be then? That we are heirs of God; and so he adds, “heirs of God.” And what is more still, that we are not simply heirs, but also “joints heirs with Christ.” Observe how ambitious he is of bringing us near to the Master. For since it is not all children that are heirs, he shows that we are both children and heirs; next, as it is not all heirs that are heirs to any great amount, he shows that we have this point with us too, as we are heirs of God. Again, since it were possible to be God’s heir, but in no sense “joint heir with” the Only-Begotten, he shows that we have this also. And consider his wisdom. For after throwing the distasteful part into a short compass, when he was saying what was to become of such as “live after the flesh,” for instance, that they “shall die,” when he comes to the more soothing part, he leadeth forth his discourse into a large room, and so expands it on the recompense of rewards, and in pointing out that the gifts too are manifold and great. For if even the being a child were a grace unspeakable, just think how great a thing it is to be heir! But if this be great, much more is it to be “joint heir.” Then to show that the Gift is not of grace only, and to give at the same time a credibility to what he says, he proceeds, “If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.” If, he would say, we be sharers with Him in what is painful, much more shall it be so in what is good. For He who bestowed such blessings upon those who had wrought no good, how, when He seeth them laboring and suffering so much, shall he do else than give them greater requital? Having then shown that the thing was a matter of return, to make men give credit to what was said, and prevent any from doubting, he shows further that it has the virtue of a gift. The one he showed, that what was said might gain credit even with those that doubted, and that the receivers of it might not feel ashamed as being evermore receiving salvation for nought; and the other, that you might see that God outdoeth the toils by His recompenses. And the one he has shown in the words, “If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.” But the other in proceeding to add;

Ver. 18. “The sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in (Gr. εἰς) us.”

In what went before, he requires of the spiritual man the correcting of his habits (Mar. and 6 mss. passions), where he says, “Ye are not debtors to live after the flesh,” that such an one, for instance, should be above lust, anger, money, vainglory, grudging. But here having reminded them of the whole gift, both as given and as to come, and raised him up aloft with hopes, and placed him near to Christ, and showed him to be a joint-heir of the Only-Begotten; he now leads him forth with confidence even to dangers. For to get the better of the evil affections in us, is not the same thing with bearing up under those trials, scourges, famine, plunderings, bonds, chains, executions. For these last required much more of a noble and vigorous spirit. And observe how he at once allays and rouses the spirit of the combatants. For after he had shown that the rewards were greater than the labors, he both exhorts to greater efforts, and yet will not let them be elated, as being still outdone by the crowns given in requital. And in another passage he says, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. iv. 17): it being the deeper sort of persons he was then speaking to. Here, however, he does not allow that the afflictions were light; but still he mingles comfort with them by the compensation which good things to come afford, in the words, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared,” and he does not say, with the rest (ἄνεσιν) that is to come, but what is much greater, “with the glory which is to come.” For it does not follow, that where rest is there is glory; but that where glory is there is rest, does follow: then as he had said that it is to come, he shows that it already is. For he does not say, that which is to be, but “which shall be revealed in us,” as if already existing but unrevealed. As also in another place he said in clearer words, “Our life is hid with Christ in God.”239 Col. iii. 3. Ver. 4. confirms his application of it. Be then of a good heart about it. For already hath it been prepared, and awaiteth thy labors. But if it vexes you that it is yet to come, rather let this very thing rejoice you. For it is owing to its being great and unutterable, and transcending our present condition, that it is stored up there. And so he has not put barely “the sufferings of this present time,” but he speaks so as to show that it is not in quality only, but in quantity also, that the other life has the advantage. For these sufferings, whatever they are, are attached to our present life; but the blessings to come reach themselves out over ages without end. And since he had no way of giving a particular description of these, or of putting them before us in language, he gives them a name from what seems to be specially an object of desire with us, “glory.” For the summit of blessings and the sum of them, this seems to be. And to urge the hearer on in another way also, he gives a loftiness to his discourse by the mention of the creation, gaining two points by what he is next saying, the contempt of things present, and the desire of things to come, and a third beside these, or rather the first, is the showing how the human race is cared for on God’s part and in what honor He holds our nature. And besides this, all the doctrines of the philosophers, which they had framed for themselves about this world, as a sort of cobweb or child’s mound,240 Perhaps alluding to Il. xv. 362. he throws down with this one doctrine. But that these things may stand in a clearer light, let us hear the Apostle’s own language.

Ver. 19, 20. “For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth,” he says, “for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope.”

And the meaning is something of this kind. The creation itself is in the midst of its pangs, waiting for and expecting these good things whereof we have just now spoken. For “earnest expectation” (ἀποκαραδοκία, looking out) implies expecting intensely. And so his discourse becomes more emphatic, and he personifies this whole world as the prophets also do, when they introduce the floods clapping their hands, and little hills leaping, and mountains skipping, not that we are to fancy them alive, or ascribe any reasoning power to them, but that we may learn the greatness of the blessings, so great as to reach even to things without sense also.241 Chrysostom’s interpretation of ἡ κτίσις is undoubtedly correct in principle, although he probably gives to it too general an idea in calling it “this whole world”—reaching “even to things without sense also.” It is more likely that the apostle has in mind distinctively the irrational creation. (So Meyer, Godet, Thayer, Dwight). Nature is subject to “vanity”—i.e. the law of decay and death, and is poetically spoken of as awaiting the revelation of the sons of God in the hope of sharing in it. The apostle explains that the κτίσις was placed in this condition not of its own accord but on account of the will of God, who, however, subjected it to the forces of decay and death on the ground of hope. Hope was the attendant condition of this subjection which took place in consequence of the fall. Hence this condition is not final and the creation desires and groans to be delivered and to share in the “manifestation of the sons of God”—the revelation of them in their true character in the presence of the universe at the coming of Christ.—G.B.S. The very same thing they do many times also in the case of afflicting things, since they bring in the vine lamenting, and the wine too, and the mountains, and the boardings242 φατνώματα, Heb. שירות. Amos viii. 3. LXX. Hesych. σανιδώματα. See Schleusner, Lex. Gr. Vet. Test. for conjectures to account for the translation. of the Temple howling, and in this case too it is that we may understand the extremity of the evils. It is then in imitation of these that the Apostle makes a living person of the creature here, and says that it groaneth and travaileth: not that he heard any groan conveyed from the earth and heaven to him, but that he might show the exceeding greatness of the good things to come; and the desire of freedom from the ills which now pervaded them. “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same.” What is the meaning of, “the creation was made subject to vanity?” Why that it became corruptible. For what cause, and on what account? On account of thee, O man. For since thou hast taken a body mortal and liable to suffering, the earth too hath received a curse, and brought forth thorns and thistles. But that the heaven, when it is waxen old along with the earth, is to change afterwards to a better portion (λἥξιν v. p. 384) hear from the Prophet in his words; “Thou, O Lord, from the beginning hast founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment, and as a cloak shalt Thou fold them up, and they shall be changed.” (Ps. cii. 25, 26.) Isaiah too declares the same, when he says, “Look to the heaven above, and upon the earth beneath, for the heavens are as a firmament of smoke,243 Eng. “shall vanish away like smoke.” LXX. render נמלחו ἐστερεώθη, they give the same for נטה Is. xlv. 12. and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall perish in like manner.” (Is. li. 6.). Now you see in what sense the creation is “in bondage to vanity,” and how it is to be freed from the ruined state. For the one says, “Thou shalt fold them up as a garment, and they shall be changed;” and Isaiah says, “and they that dwell therein shall perish in like manner,” not of course meaning an utter perishing. For neither do they that dwell therein, mankind, that is, undergo such an one, but a temporary one, and through it they are changed into an incorruptible (1 Cor. xv. 53) state, and so therefore will the creature be. And all this he showed by the way, by his saying “in like manner” (2 Pet. iii. 13), which Paul also says farther on. At present, however, he speaks about the bondage itself, and shows for what reason it became such, and gives ourselves as the cause of it. What then? Was it harshly treated on another’s account? By no means, for it was on my account that it was made. What wrong then is done it, which was made for my sake, when it suffereth these things for my correction? Or, indeed, one has no need to moot the question of right and wrong at all in the case of things void of soul and feeling. But Paul, since he had made it a living person, makes use of none of these topics I have mentioned, but another kind of language, as desiring to comfort the hearer with the utmost advantage. And of what kind is this? What have you to say? he means. It was evil intreated for thy sake, and became corruptible; yet it has had no wrong done it. For incorruptible will it be for thy sake again. This then is the meaning of “in hope.” But when he says, it was “not willingly” that it was made subject, it is not to show that it is possessed of judgment that he says so, but that you may learn that the whole is brought about by Christ’s care, and this is no achievement of its own. And now say in what hope?

Ver. 21. “That the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption.”

Now what is this creation? Not thyself alone, but that also which is thy inferior, and partaketh not of reason or sense, this too shall be a sharer in thy blessings. For “it shall be freed,” he says, “from the bondage of corruption,” that is, it shall no longer be corruptible, but shall go along with the beauty given to thy body; just as when this became corruptible, that became corruptible also; so now it is made incorruptible, that also shall follow it too. And to show this he proceeds. (εἰς) “Into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” That is, because of244 διὰ τὴν. St. Chrysostom does not mean to say that one preposition is used for another, as his illustration shows. For the liberty of the sons of God is both the thing of which the creation partakes, and the cause of its partaking; so that the one is put in a sense which implies the other too. their liberty. For as a nurse who is bringing up a king’s child, when he has come to his father’s power, does herself enjoy the good things along with him, thus also is the creation, he means. You see how in all respects man takes the lead, and that it is for his sake that all things are made. See how he solaces the struggler, and shows the unspeakable love of God toward man. For why, he would say, dost thou fret at thy temptations? thou art suffering for thyself, the creation for thee. Nor does he solace only, but also shows what he says to be trustworthy. For if the creation which was made entirely for thee is “in hope,” much more oughtest thou to be, through whom the creation is to come to the enjoyment of those good things. Thus men (3 mss. fathers) also when a son is to appear at his coming to a dignity, clothe even the servants with a brighter garment, to the glory of the son; so will God also clothe the creature with incorruption for the glorious liberty of the children.

Ver. 22. “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”

Observe, how he shames the hearer, saying almost, Be not thou worse than the creation, neither find a pleasure in resting in things present. Not only ought we not to cling to them, but even to groan over the delay of our departure hence. For if the creation doth this, much more oughtest thou to do so, honored with reason as thou art. But as this was not yet enough to force their attention, he proceeds.

Ver. 23. “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves.”

That is, having had a taste of the things to come. For even if any should be quite stone hard, he means what has been given already is enough to raise him up, and draw him off from things present, and to wing him after things to come in two ways, both by the greatness of the things that are given, and by the fact that, great and numerous as they are, they are but first-fruits. For if the first-fruits be so great that we are thereby freed even from our sins, and attain to righteousness and sanctification, and that those of that time both drave out devils, and raised the dead by their shadow (Acts v. 15), or garments (ib. xix. 12), consider how great the whole must be. And if the creation, devoid as it is of mind and reason, and though in ignorance of these things, yet groaneth, much more should we. Next, that he may give the heretics no handle, or seem to be disparaging our present world, we groan, he says, not as finding fault with the present system, but through a desire of those greater things. And this he shows in the words, “Waiting for the adoption.” What dost thou say, let me hear? Thou didst insist on it at every turn, and didst cry aloud, that we were already made sons, and now dost thou place this good thing among hopes, writing that we must needs wait for it? Now it is to set this right by the sequel that he says, “to wit, the redemption245 ἀπολύτρωσιν. In the meaning of this word sometimes the manner, and sometimes the completeness of redemption predominates; see Rom. iii. 24, p. 377. of our body.” That is, the perfect glory. Our lot indeed is at present uncertainty to our last breath, since many of us that were sons have become dogs and prisoners. But if we decease with a good hope, then is the gift unmovable, and clearer, and greater, having no longer any change to fear from death and sin. Then therefore will the grace be secure, when our body shall be freed from death and its countless ailments (or passions). For this is full redemption (ἀπολύτρωσις), not a redemption246 λύτρωσις, showing that the completeness is implied in the preposition, which should be observed in the doctrinal use of the term. only, but such, that we shall never again return to our former captivity. For that thou mayest not be perplexed at hearing so much of glory without getting any distinct knowledge of it, he partially exposes to thy view the things to come, setting before thee the change of thy body (Gr. changing thy body), and along with it the change of the whole creation. And this he has put in a clearer light in another passage, where he says, “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious Body.” (Phil. iii. 21.) And in another place again he writes and says, “But when this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Cor. xv. 54.) But to show, that with the corruption of the body the constitution of the things of this life will also come to an end, he wrote again elsewhere, “For the fashion of this world passeth away.” (1 Cor. vii. 31.)

Ver. 24. “For we are saved by hope,” he says.

Now since he had dwelt upon the promise of the things to come, and this seemed to pain the weaker hearer, if the blessings are all matter of hope; after proving before that they are surer than things present and visible, and discoursing at large on the gifts already given, and showing that we have received the first fruits of those good things, lest we should seek our all in this world, and be traitors to the nobility that faith gives us, he says, “For we are (Gr. were) saved by hope.” And this is about what he means. We are not to seek our all in this life, but to have hope also. For this is the only gift that we brought in to God, believing Him in what He promised shall come, and it was by this way alone we were saved. If then we lose this hope, we have lost all that was of our own contributing. For I put you this question, he would say, Wert thou not liable for countless sins? wert thou not in despair? wert thou not under sentence? were not all out of heart about thy salvation? What then saved thee? It was thy hoping247 This blending of faith and hope illustrates the connection of faith and love, the Object of love being now known by faith, and appropriated by hope. The personification which follows is a powerful way of representing that in us which apprehends God as itself His gift. in God alone, and trusting to Him about His promises and gifts, and nothing besides hadst thou to bring in. If it was this then that saved thee, hold it fast now also. For that which afforded thee so great blessings, to a certainty will not deceive thee in regard to things to come. For in that it found thee dead, and ruined, and a prisoner, and an enemy, and yet made thee a friend, and a son, and a freeman, and righteous, and a joint-heir, and yielded such great things as no one ever expected even, how, after such munificence and attachment, will it betray248 So the mss. and Catena: the old reading was οὐ προσήσεται, “will it not satisfy.” thee in what is to follow? Say not to me, hopes again! expectations again! faith again! For it is in this way thou wert saved from the beginning, and this dowry was the only one that thou didst bring in to the Bridegroom. Hold it then fast and keep it: for if thou demandest to have everything in this world, thou hast lost that well-doing of thine, through which thou didst become bright, and this is why he proceeds to say, “But hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?”

Ver. 25.—“But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

That is, if thou art to be looking for everything in this world, what need is there for hope? What is hope then? It is feeling confidence in things to come. What great demand then doth God make upon thee, since He Himself giveth thee blessings quite entire from His own stores? One thing only, hope, He asks of thee, that thou too mayest have somewhat of thine own to contribute toward thy salvation. And this he intimates in what he proceeds with: “For if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” As then God crowneth him that undergoes labors, and hardnesses, and countless toils, so doth He him that hopeth. For the name of patience belongs to hard work and much endurance. Yet even this He hath granted to the man that hopeth, that He might solace the wearied soul. And then to show that for this light task we enjoy abundant aid, he proceeds:

Ver. 26. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities.”249 Magna est vis Græci verbi συναντιλαμβανέσθαι, said Calvin. The word means: “takes hold together with us, as if on the other side or as if instead of us” (Godet). The notion of lifting the other end of a burden, or perhaps, of taking hold of it in our place, seems to lie at the basis of this expressive word. Cf. Luke x. 40.—G.B.S.

For the one point is thy own, that of patience, but the other comes of the Spirit’s furnishings, Who also cherisheth (Gr. anointeth) thee unto this hope, and through it again lighteneth thy labors. Then that thou mightest know that it is not in thy labors only and dangers that this grace standeth by thee, but even in things the most easy seemingly,250 These words show that St. Chrysostom does not mean that we do any good unaided, however much he insists on the freedom of our will. it worketh with thee, and on all occasions bears its part in the alliance, he proceeds to say,

“For we know not what we should pray for as we ought.”

And this he said to show the Spirit’s great concern about us, and also to instruct them not to think for certainty that those things are desirable which to man’s reasonings appear so. For since it was likely that they, when they were scourged, and driven out, and suffering grievances without number, should be seeking a respite, and ask this favor of God, and think it was advantageous to them, by no means (he says) suppose that what seem blessings to you really are so. For we need the Spirit’s aid even to do this. So feeble is man, and such a nothing by himself. For this is why he says, “For we know not what we should pray for as we ought.” In order that the learner might not feel any shame at his ignorance, he does not say, ye know not, but, “we know not.” And that he did not say this merely to seem moderate, he plainly shows from other passages. For he desired in his prayers unceasingly to see Rome. Yet the time when he obtained it was not at once when he desired it. And for “the thorn” that was given him “in the flesh” (2 Cor. xii. 8), that is the dangers, he often besought God, and was entirely unsuccessful.251 See Bishop Bull, Serm. V. who discusses what this was. And so was Moses, who in the Old Testament prays to see Palestine (Deut. iii. 26), and Jeremiah when he made supplication for the Jews (Jer. xv. 1), and Abraham when he interceded for the people of Sodom. “But the Spirit Itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” This statement is not clear, owing to the cessation of many of the wonders which then used to take place. Wherefore I must needs inform you of the state of things at that time, and in this way the rest of the subject will be cleared. What therefore was the state of things then? God did in those days give to all that were baptized certain excellent gifts, and the name that these had was spirits. For “the spirits of the Prophets,” it says, “are subject to the prophets.” (1 Cor. xiv. 32.) And one had the gift of prophecy and foretold things to come; and another of wisdom, and taught the many; and another of healings, and cured the sick; and another of miracles, and raised the dead; another of tongues, and spoke different languages. And with all these there was also a gift of prayer, which also was called a spirit, and he that had this prayed for all the people. For since we are ignorant of much that is profitable for us and ask things that are not profitable, the gift of prayer came into some particular person of that day, and what was profitable for all the whole Church alike, he was the appointed person to ask for in behalf of all, and the instructor of the rest. Spirit then is the name that he gives here to the grace of this character, and the soul that receiveth the grace, and intercedeth to God, and groaneth. For he that was counted worthy of such grace as this, standing with much compunction, and with many mental groanings falling before God, asked the things that were profitable for all. And of this the Deacon of the present day is a symbol when he offers up the prayers for the people. This then is what Paul means when he says,252 St. Ambrose, Epist. 36, gives the same interpretation. “the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered.”

Ver. 27. “But He that searcheth the hearts.”

You see that it is not about the Comforter that he is speaking, but about the spiritual heart. Since if this were not so, he ought to have said, “He that searcheth” the Spirit. But that thou mayest learn that the language is meant of a spiritual man, who has the gift of prayer, he proceeds, “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,” that is, of the spiritual man.

“Because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

Not (he means) that he informs God as if ignorant, but this is done that we may learn to pray for proper things, and to ask of God what is pleasing to Him. For this is what the “according to God” is. And so this was with a view to solace those that came to Him, and to yield them excellent instruction. For He that furnished the gifts, and gave besides blessings without number, was the Comforter. Hence it says, “all these things worketh one and the self-same Spirit.” (1 Cor. xii. 11.) And it is for our instruction that this takes place, and to show the love of the Spirit, it condescendeth even to this. And it is from this that the person praying getteth heard, because the prayer is made “according to the will of God.”

You see from how many points he instructs them in the love that was shown them and the honor that was done them. And what is there that God hath not done for us? The world He hath made corruptible for us, and again for us incorruptible. He suffered His Prophets to be ill-treated for our sake, sent them into captivity for us, let them fall into the furnace, and undergo ills without number. Nay, He made them prophets for us, and the Apostles also He made for us. He gave up for us His Only-Begotten, He punisheth the devil for us, He hath seated us on the Right Hand, He was reproached for us. “For the reproaches of them that reproached thee,” it says, “fell upon me.” (Ps. lxix. 9.) Yet still, when we are drawing back after so great favor, He leaveth us not, but again entreats, and on our account inciteth others to entreat for us, that He may show us favor. And so it was with Moses. For to him He says, “Let Me alone, that I may blot them out” (Ex. xxxii. 10), that He might drive him upon supplicating on their behalf. And now He doth the same thing. Hence He gave the gift of prayer. But this He doth, not as Himself standing in need of entreaty, but that we might253 The peculiar position of the negative resembles that in Eur. Hec. 1131 (al. 1149), ἵν ἄλλος μή τις εἰδείη τάδε. not, from being saved without effort (ἁπλὥς), grow indifferent. For this cause it is on account of David, and of this person and that, He often says, that He is reconciled with them, to establish again this very thing, that the reconciliation may be with all due formality.254 6 mss. with glorying, i.e. with something good done on man’s part. Still He would have looked more loving toward man, if it had not been through this and the other prophet, but of Himself, that He told them that He ceased to be wroth. But the reason of His not holding to that point was, that this ground of reconciliation might not become an occasion for listlessness. Wherefore to Jeremiah also He said, “Pray not for this people, for I will not hear thee” (Jer. xi. 14), not as wishing to stop his praying (for He earnestly longeth for our salvation), but to terrify them: and this the prophet also seeing did not cease praying. And that you may see that it was not through a wish to turn him from it, but to shame255 ἔντρεψαιperhaps “to urge him to compassion;” (there is no pronoun with this verb). them that He said this, hear what it says. “Seest thou not what these are doing?” (Ez. viii. 6, not verbally from LXX.) And when He says to the city “Though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap (Gr. herb), yet thou art stained before Me” (Jer. ii. 22), it is not that He may cast them into despair that He so speaks, but that He may rouse them to repentance. For as in the case of the Ninevites, by giving the sentence without limitation, and holding out no good hope, He scared them the more, and led them to repentance, so He doth here also, both to rouse them, and to render the prophet more venerated, that in this way at least they may hear him. Then, since they kept on in a state of incurable madness, and were not to be sobered even by the rest being carried away, he first exhorts them to remain there. But when they kept not up to this, but deserted to Egypt, this indeed He allowed them, but requires of them not to desert to irreligion as well as to Egypt. (Jer. xliv. 8.) But when they did not comply in this either, He sendeth the prophet along with them, so that they might not after all suffer total wreck. (Ver. 28.) For since they did not follow Him when He called, He next followeth them to discipline them, and hinder their being hurried further into vice, and as a father full of affection does a child who takes all treatment in the same peevish way, conducting him about everywhere with himself, and following him about. This was the reason why He sent not Jeremiah only into Egypt, but also Ezekiel into Babylon, and they did not refuse to go. For when they found their Master love the people exceedingly, they continued themselves to do so likewise. Much as if a right-minded servant were to take compassion upon an intractable son when he saw his father grieving and lamenting about him. And what was there that they did not suffer for them? They were sawn asunder, they were driven out, they were reproached, they were stoned, they underwent numberless grievances. And after all this they would run back to them. Samuel, for instance, ceased not to mourn for Saul, miserably insulted as he was by him, and injured irreparably. (1 Sam. xv. 35.) Still he held none of these things in remembrance. And for the people of the Jews, Jeremiah has composed Lamentations in writing. And when the general of the Persians had given him liberty to dwell securely, and with perfect freedom, wherever he pleased, he preferred above dwelling at home the affliction of the people, and their hard durance in a strange land. (Jer. xi. 5.) So Moses left the palace and the sort of living herein, and hasted to be among their calamities. And Daniel abode for twenty days following without food, pinching himself with the most severe fast, that he might reconcile God to them. (Dan. x. 2.) And the three Children too, when in the furnace, and so fierce a fire, put up a supplication for them. For it was not on their account that they were grieved, as they were saved; but since they considered that then was the time for the greatest boldness of speech, they consequently prayed in their behalf; hence too they said, “In a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be accepted.” (Song. ver. 16.) For them Joshua also rent his garments. (Josh. vii. 6.) For them Ezekiel too wailed and lamented when he saw them cut down. (Ez. ix. 8.) And Jeremy256 So all mss. but one, and that is obviously an emendation: both the passages cited are from Isaiah. said, “Let me alone, I will weep bitterly.” (Is. xxii. 4.) And before this, when he did not venture openly to pray for a remittance of their sad estate, he sought for some limited period, when he says, “How long, O, Lord?” (ib. vi. 11.) For full of affectionateness is the whole race of the saints. Wherefore also St. Paul saith, “Put on therefore, as the elect saints of God, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind.” (Col. iii. 12.) You see the strict propriety of the word, and how he would have us continually merciful. For he does not say, “show mercy” only, but put it on, that like as our garment is always with us, so may mercy be. And he does not say merely mercy, but “bowels of mercy,” that we may imitate the natural affection of relations.

But we do just the contrary, and if any one comes to ask a single penny of us, we insult them, abuse them, call them impostors. Dost thou not shudder, man, and blush to call him an impostor for bread? Why even supposing such an one is practising imposture, he deserves to be pitied for it, because he is so pressed with famine as to put on such a character. This then is a reproach to our cruelty. For since we had not the heart to bestow with readiness, they are compelled to practise a great many arts, so as to put a cheat off upon our inhumanity, and to soften down our harshness. Now if it was gold and silver that he asked of thee, then there would be some reason in thy suspicions. But if it is necessary food that he comes to thee for, why be showing thyself wise so unseasonably, and take so over exact an account of him, accusing him of idleness and sloth? For if we must talk in this way, it is not others but ourselves that we ought to address. When therefore thou art going to God to ask forgiveness for thy sins, then call these words to mind, and thou wilt know thou deservest to have these things said to thee by God, much more than the poor man by thee. And yet God hath never said such words to thee as “Stand off, since thou art an impostor, always coming to church and hearing My laws, but when abroad, setting gold, and pleasure (ἐπιθυμίαν), and friendship, and in fact anything above My commandments. And now thou makest thyself humble, but when thy prayers are over thou art bold, and cruel, and inhuman. Get thee hence, therefore, and never come to Me any more.” Yet this, and more than this, we deserve to have said to us; but still He never did reproach us in any such way, but is long-suffering and fulfils everything on His own part, and gives us more than we ask for. Calling this to mind then, let us relieve the poverty of those that beg of us, and if they do impose upon us, let us not be over exact about it. For such a salvation is it that we ourselves require, one with pardon, with kindness (φιλανθρωπίας), with much mercy along with it. For it is not possible, it certainly is not, if our estate were searched into strictly, that we should ever be saved, but we must needs be punished and brought to ruin altogether. Let us not then be bitter judges of others lest we also get a strict account demanded of us. For we have sins that are too great to plead any excuse. And therefore let us show more mercy towards those who have committed inexcusable sins, that we also may lay up for ourselves the like mercy beforehand. And yet be as large-hearted as we may, we shall never be able to contribute such love toward man as we stand in need of at the hand of a God that loveth man. How then is it other than monstrous, when we are in need of so many things ourselves, to be over exact with our fellow servants, and do all we can against ourselves? For thou dost not in this way so much prove him unworthy of thy liberality, as thyself of God’s love toward man. For he that deals over exactly with his fellow servant, will be the more sure to find the like treatment at God’s hand. Let us not speak against ourselves, but even if they come out of idleness or wilfulness,257 All mss. read κἂν δἰ ἄργιαν κἂν διὰ ῥ& 139·θυμίαν, which order agrees with the stronger sense here given to ῥᾳθυμία: “listlessness” is generally too little expressive of that readiness to yield to temptations which this word implies. But 1 ms. reads “rather all through vice,” κακίαν, which tends to give the other word a lighter sense. let us bestow. For we also do many sins through wilfulness, or rather we do them all through wilfulness, and yet God doth not presently call us to punishment, but gives us a set time for penance, nurturing us day by day, disciplining us, teaching us, supplying us with all other things, that we too may emulate this mercy of His. Let us then quell this cruelty, let us cast out this brutal spirit, as benefiting thereby ourselves rather than others. For to these we give money, and bread, and clothing, but for ourselves we are laying up beforehand very great glory, and such as there is no putting into words. For we receive again our bodies incorruptible, and are258 6 mss. pres., and so all just above. glorified together and reign together with Christ. And how great this is we shall see from hence—or rather there is no means of making us see it clearly now. But to start from our present blessings, and to get from them at least some kind of scanty notice of it, I will endeavor so far as I may be able to put before you what I have been speaking of. Tell me then, if when you were grown old, and were living in poverty, and any one were to promise suddenly to make you young, and to bring you to the very prime of life, and to render you very strong, and preëminently beautiful, and were to give you the kingdom of the whole earth for a thousand years, a kingdom in the state of the deepest peace, what is there that you would not choose to do, and to suffer to gain this promise? (4 mss. and Sav. Mar. object.) See then, Christ promises not this, but much more than this. For the distance between old age and youth is not to be compared with the difference of corruption and incorruption, nor that of a kingdom and poverty to that of the present glory and the future, but the difference is that of dreams and a reality. Or rather I have yet said nothing to the purpose, since there is no language capable of setting before you the greatness of the difference between things to come and things present. And as for time, there is no place for the idea of difference. For what mode is there for a man to compare with our present state a life that hath no limit? And as for the peace it is as far removed from any present peace, as peace is different from war; and for the incorruption, it is as much better as a clear pearl is than a clod of clay. Or rather, say as great a thing as one may, nothing can put it before you. For were I even to compare the beauty of our bodies then to the light of the sunbeam, or the brightest lightning, I shall not yet be saying aught that is worthy of that brilliancy. Now for such things as these what money so much that it were not worth the while to give up? what bodies, or rather what souls259 Or lives, but see above, p. 433, where the spirit seems to be considered apart from the soul. is it not worth one’s while to give up? At present if any one were to lead thee into the palace, and in presence of all were to give thee an opportunity of conversing with the king, and make thee sit at his table, and join in his fare, thou wouldest call thyself the happiest of men. But when you are to go up to Heaven, and stand by the King of the universe Himself, and to vie with angels in brightness, and to enjoy even that unutterable glory, do you hesitate whether you ought to give up money? whereas if you had to put off life itself, you ought to leap and exult, and mount on wings of pleasure. But you, that you may get an office (ἀρχὴν), as a place to pillage from (for call a thing of this sort gain, I cannot), put all you have to hazard, and after borrowing of others, will, if need be, pawn your wife and children too without hesitation.

But when the kingdom of Heaven is set before you, that office (ἀρχἥς) which hath none to supersede you in it, and God bids you take not a part of a corner of the earth, but the whole of Heaven entirely, are you hesitating, and reluctant, and gaping after money, and forgetful that if the parts of that Heaven which we see are so fair and delightful, how greatly so must the upper Heaven be, and the Heaven260 See St. Augustin’s Confessions, p. 250, Oxf. Tr. Clem. Recog. iii. 75; Aristot. Metaph. p. 997; 15, p. 1071, 23, Bekker. of Heaven? But since we have as yet no means of seeing this with our bodily eyes, ascend in thy thought, and standing above this Heaven, look up unto that Heaven beyond this, into that height without a bound, into that Light surcharged with awe, into the crowds of the Angels, into the endless ranks of Archangels, into the rest of the incorporeal Powers. And then lay hold again of the image (cf. Plat. Rep. vii. p. 516) thereof we have, after coming down from above, and make a sketch of the estate of a king with us, as his men in gold armor, and his pairs of white mules proudly decked with gold, and his chariots set with jewels261 λιθοκόλλητα, v. Jungerm. ad Polluc. x. 145, V. l. χρυσοκόλλητα. and his snow-like cushions (στρωμνὴν Poll. x. 41), and the spangles that flutter about the chariot, and the dragons shaped out in the silken hangings, and the shields with their gold bosses, and the straps that reach up from these to the rim of them through so many gems, and the horses with the gilded trappings and the gold bits. But when we see the king we immediately lose sight of all these. For he alone turns our eyes to him, and to the purple robe, and the diadem, and the throne, and the clasp, and the shoes, all that splendor of his appearance. After gathering all these things together then with accuracy, then again remove your thoughts from these things to things above, and to that awful day in which Christ is coming. For then you will not see any pairs of mules, nor golden chariots, nor dragons and shields, but things that are big with a mighty awe, and strike such amazement that the very incorporeal Powers are astonished. For the “powers of the Heavens,” He says, “shall be shaken.” (Matt. xxiv. 29.) Then is the whole Heaven thrown open, and the gates of those concaves unfold themselves, and the Only-begotten Son of God cometh down, not with twenty, not with a hundred men for His body-guard, but with thousands, ten thousands of Angels and Archangels, Cherubim and Seraphim, and other Powers, and with fear and trembling shall everything be filled, whiles the earth is bursting itself up, and the men that ever were born, from Adam’s birth up to that day, are rising from the earth, and all are caught up; (1 Thess. iv. 17) when Himself appears with such great glory as that the sun, and the moon, and all light whatever, is cast into the shade, being outshone by that radiance. What language is to set before us that blessedness, brightness, glory? Alas! my soul. For weeping comes upon me and great groaning, as I reflect what good things we have fallen from, what blessedness we are estranged from. For estranged we are (I am now speaking of my own case still), unless we do some great and astonishing work; speak not then of hell to me now, for more grievous than any hell is the fall from this glory, and worse than punishments unnumbered the estrangement from that lot. But still we are gaping after this present world, and we take not thought of the devil’s cunning, who by little things bereaves us of those great ones, and gives us clay that he may snatch from us gold, or rather that he may snatch Heaven from us, and showeth us a shadow that he may dispossess us of the reality, and puts phantoms before us in dreams (for such is the wealth of this world), that at daybreak262 Night being put for the time of our sojourn here. Cf. Rom. xiii. 12. he may prove us the poorest of men. Laying these things to heart, late though it be, let us fly from this craft, and pass to the side of things to come. For we cannot say that we were ignorant how exposed to accidents the present life is, since things every day din in our ears more loudly than a trumpet, the worthlessness, the ridiculousness, the shamefulness, the dangers, the pitfalls, of the present scene. What defence then shall we have to set up for pursuing things so subject to hazards, and laden with shame, with so much eagerness, and leaving things unfailing, which will make us glorious and bright, and giving our whole selves up to the thraldom of money? For the slavery to these things is worse than any bondage. And this they know who have been counted worthy to obtain their freedom from it. That ye then may also feel this goodly liberty, burst the bonds asunder, spring out of the snare. And let there be no gold lying by in your houses, but that which is more precious than millions of money, alms and love to man, for your treasure. For this gives us boldness toward God, but the other covers us with deep shame, and causes the devil to bear hard (σφοδρὸν πνεἵν) upon us. Why then arm thy enemy, and make him stronger? Arm thy right hand against him, and transfer all the splendor of thy house into thy soul, and stow away all thy fortune in thy mind, and instead of a chest and a house, let heaven keep thy gold. And let us put all our property about our own selves; for we are much better than the walls, and more dignified than the pavement. Why then do we, to the neglect of our own selves, waste all our attention upon those things, which when we are gone we can no longer reach, and often even while we stay here we cannot keep hold of, when we might have such riches as to be found not in this life only, but also in that, in the easiest circumstances? For he who carries about his farms and house and gold upon his soul, wherever he appears, appears with all this wealth. And how is this possible to be effected? one may ask. It is possible, and that with the utmost ease. For if you transfer them to Heaven by the poor man’s hand, you will transfer them entire into your own soul. And if death should afterwards come upon thee, no one will take them from thee, but thou wilt depart to be rich in the next world too. This was the kind of treasure Tabitha had. Hence it was not her house that proclaimed her wealth, nor the walls, nor the stones, nor the pillars, but the bodies of widows furnished with dress, and their tears that were shed, and death that played the runaway, and life that came back again. Let us also make unto ourselves such-like treasures, let us build up for ourselves such-like houses. In this way we shall have God for our Fellow-worker, and we ourselves shall be workers together with Him. For Himself brought the poor from not being into being, and you will prevent them, after they have been brought into life and being, from perishing with hunger and other distress, by tending them and setting them upright, staying up the Temple of God in every quarter. What can be equal to this in respect both of utility and of glory? Or if as yet you have not gained any clear notion of the great adornment He bestowed upon thee when He bade thee relieve poverty, consider this point with thyself. If He had given thee so great power, that thou wert able to set up again even the Heaven if it were falling, wouldest thou not think the thing an honor far too great for thee? See now He hath held thee worthy of a greater honor. For that which in His esteem is more precious than the Heavens,263 Several mss. “which is more precious than the Heavens themselves.” He hath trusted thee to repair. For of all things visible there is nothing in God’s esteem equal to man. For Heaven and earth and sea did He make for him, and finds more pleasure in dwelling with him than in the Heaven. And yet we, though with a knowledge of this, bestow no attention nor forethought upon the temples of God; but leaving them in a neglected state, we provide houses splendid and large for ourselves. This is why we are devoid of all good things, and greater beggars than the poorest poor, because we pride ourselves in these houses which we cannot take away with us when we go hence, and leave those alone which we might move away along with our own selves. For the bodies of the poor after dissolution must needs rise again; and God, Who hath given this charge, will bring them forth, and praise those who have taken care of them, and treat such with regard (θαυμάσεται), because when they were on the point of falling to ruin at one time by starvation, at another by nakedness and cold, these repaired them by all means in their power. But still, even with all these praises set before us, we loiter yet, and decline undertaking this honorable charge. And Christ indeed hath not where to lodge, but goeth about a stranger, and naked, and hungry, and you set up houses out of town, and baths, and terraces, and chambers without number, in thoughtless vanity; and to Christ you give not even a share of a little hut, while for daws and vultures you deck out upper chambers. What can be worse than such insanity as this? What more grievous than such madness? for madness it is in the last stage of it, or rather one has no name to suit it, use whatever one may. Yet still if we be so minded, it is possible to beat off the disorder, tenacious as it is; and not possible only, but even easy; and not easy merely, but even easier is it to get rid of this pest than of the sufferings of the body, since the Physician is so much greater. Let us then draw Him to ourselves, and invite Him to aid us in the attempt, and let us contribute our share, good-will, I mean, and energy. For He will not require anything further, but if He can meet with this only, He will confer all that is His part. Let us then contribute our share, that in this world we may enjoy a genuine health, and may attain to the good things to come, by the grace and love towards man, etc.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΔʹ. Ἄρα οὖν, ἀδελφοὶ, ὀφειλέται ἐσμὲν οὐ τῇ σαρκὶ, τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα ζῇν. Εἰ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ζῆτε, μέλλετε ἀποθνήσκειν: εἰ δὲ Πνεύματι τὰς πρά ξεις τοῦ σώματος θανατοῦτε, ζήσεσθε. αʹ. Δείξας ὅσον τὸ ἔπαθλον τοῦ πνευματικοῦ βίου, καὶ ὅτι Χριστὸν ἔνοικον ποιεῖ, καὶ ὅτι ζωοποιεῖ τὰ θνητὰ σώματα, καὶ πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν πτεροῖ, καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς εὐκολωτέραν ἐργάζεται, ἀναγκαίως λοιπὸν ἐπάγει τὴν παραίνεσιν λέγων: Οὐκοῦν οὐκ ὀφείλομεν ζῇν κατὰ σάρκα. Ἀλλ' οὕτω μὲν οὐκ εἶπε, ἐπιπληκτικώτερον δὲ πολλῷ καὶ δυνατώτερον εἰπών: Ὀφειλέται ἐσμὲν τῷ Πνεύματι: τὸ γὰρ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Οὐκ ἐσμὲν ὀφειλέται τῇ σαρκὶ, τοῦτο ἐδήλωσε. Καὶ πανταχοῦ τοῦτο κατασκευάζει, δεικνὺς ὅτι τὰ μὲν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς ἡμᾶς γεγενημένα οὐκ ὀφειλῆς ἦν, ἀλλὰ γυμνῆς χάριτος: τὰ δὲ παρ' ἡμῶν μετὰ ταῦτα γινόμενα, οὐκέτι φιλοτιμίας, ἀλλ' ὀφειλῆς. Καὶ γὰρ ὅταν λέγῃ: Τιμῆς ἠγοράσθητε, μὴ γίνεσθε δοῦλοι ἀνθρώπων, τοῦτο αἰνίττεται: καὶ ὅταν γράφῃ, Οὐκ ἐστὲ ἑαυτῶν, τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο δηλοῖ. Καὶ ἑτέρωθι δὲ πάλιν τῶν αὐτῶν ἀναμιμνήσκει τούτων, οὕτω λέγων, ὅτι Εἰ εἷς ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν, ἄρα οἱ πάντες ἀπέθανον: καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν, ἵνα οἱ ζῶντες μηκέτι ἑαυτοῖς ζῶσι. Τοῦτο δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα κατασκευάζων φησίν: Ὀφειλέται ἐσμέν. Εἶτα, ἐπειδὴ εἶπεν, Οὐκ ἐσμὲν ὀφειλέται τῇ σαρκὶ, ἵνα μὴ τὰ λεγόμενα πάλιν εἰς τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς λάβοις φύσιν, οὐκ ἐσίγησεν, ἀλλ' ἐπήγαγε: Τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα ζῇν Καὶ γὰρ πολλὰ αὐτῇ ὀφείλομεν, τὸ τρέφειν αὐτὴν, τὸ θάλπειν, τὸ ἀναπαύειν, τὸ θεραπεύειν νοσοῦσαν, τὸ περιβάλλειν, καὶ μυρία ἕτερα λειτουργεῖν. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ νομίσῃς, ὅτι ταύτην ἀναιρεῖ τὴν διακονίαν, εἰπὼν, Οὐκ ἐσμὲν ὀφειλέται τῇ σαρκὶ, ἑρμηνεύει αὐτὸ λέγων: Τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα ζῇν. Ἐκείνην γὰρ ἀναιρῶ τὴν σπουδὴν, φησὶ, τὴν ἐπὶ ἁμαρτίαν ἄγουσαν, ὡς τά γε θεραπεύοντα αὐτὴν βούλομαι γίνεσθαι: ὅπερ καὶ προϊὼν ἐδήλωσεν. Εἰπὼν γὰρ τῆς σαρκὸς μὴ ποιεῖσθαι πρόνοιαν, οὐκ ἐσίγησεν, ἀλλ' ἐπήγαγεν, Εἰς ἐπιθυμίας: ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα παιδεύει λέγων, ὅτι Θεραπευέσθω μέν: ὀφείλομεν γὰρ αὐτῇ τοῦτο: μὴ μέντοι κατὰ σάρκα ζῶμεν: τουτέστι, Μὴ ποιῶμεν αὐτὴν κυρίαν τῆς ζωῆς τῆς ἡμετέρας. Ἕπεσθαι γὰρ αὐτὴν ἀναγκαῖον, οὐχ ἡγεῖσθαι, οὐδὲ αὐτὴν ῥυθμίζειν τὸν βίον τὸν ἡμέτερον, ἀλλὰ τοὺς τοῦ Πνεύματος δέχεσθαι νόμους. Τοῦτο τοίνυν διορισάμενος, καὶ κατασκευάσας, ὅτι ὀφειλέται ἐσμὲν τῷ Πνεύματι, εἶτα δεικνὺς τίνων ὀφειλέται εὐεργεσιῶν, οὐ τὰ παρελθόντα λέγει, ἐφ' ᾧ μάλιστα αὐτὸν ἔστιν ἐκπλαγῆναι τῆς συνέσεως, ἀλλὰ τὰ μέλλοντα. Καίτοι γε ἱκανὰ ἦν κἀκεῖνα: ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐ τίθησιν αὐτὰ νῦν, οὐδὲ λέγει τὰς εὐεργεσίας τὰς ἀφάτους ἐκείνας, ἀλλὰ τὰ μέλλοντα. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὕτως ἅπαξ ἡ δοθεῖσα εὐεργεσία, ὡς ἡ προσδοκωμένη καὶ μέλλουσα, ἐπάγεσθαι τοὺς πολλοὺς εἴωθε. Καὶ τοῦτο προσθέμενος, πρότερον ἀπὸ τῶν λυπηρῶν φοβεῖ καὶ τῶν κακῶν τῶν γινομένων ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα ζῇν, οὕτω λέγων: Εἰ δὲ κατὰ σάρκα ζῆτε, μέλλετε ἀποθνήσκειν: τὸν θάνατον ἡμῖν αἰνιττόμενος ἐκεῖνον τὸν ἀθάνατον, τὴν ἐν τῇ γεέννῃ κόλασιν καὶ τιμωρίαν. Μᾶλλον δὲ, εἴ τις ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάσειε τοῦτο, καὶ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ τέθνηκεν ὁ τοιοῦτος: ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸ ταύτης διαλέξει σαφὲς ὑμῖν πεποιήκαμεν. Εἰ δὲ Πνεύματι τὰς πράξεις τοῦ σώματος θανατοῦτε, ζήσεσθε. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι οὐ περὶ φύσεως διαλέγεται σώματος, ἀλλὰ περὶ πράξεων σαρκικῶν; Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Εἰ δὲ Πνεύματι τὴν φύσιν τοῦ σώματος θανατοῦτε, ζήσεσθε, ἀλλὰ, Τὰς πράξεις: καὶ οὐδὲ ταύτας πάσας, ἀλλὰ τὰς πονηράς: καὶ τοῦτο δῆλον ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς: Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο ποιήσετε, ζήσεσθε, φησί. Καὶ πῶς ἔνι τοῦτο γενέσθαι, εἰ περὶ πασῶν ὁ λόγος ἦν αὐτῷ; καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ ὁρᾷν, καὶ τὸ ἀκούειν, καὶ τὸ φθέγγεσθαι, καὶ τὸ βαδίζειν, τοῦ σώματος πράξεις εἰσὶ, καὶ εἰ μέλλοιμεν αὐτὰς θανατοῦν, τοσοῦτον ἀφέξομεν τοῦ ζῇν, ὅτι καὶ ἀνδροφονίας δώσομεν δίκην. Ποίας οὖν πράξεις φησὶ θανατοῦν; Τὰς ἐπὶ πονηρίαν κινουμένας, τὰς ἐπὶ κακίαν χωρούσας, ἃς οὐδὲ ἄλλως ἔστι θανατῶσαι, ἢ διὰ Πνεύματος. Τὰς μὲν γὰρ ἄλλας ἀποκτείναντα, σεαυτὸν ἀνελεῖν ἐστιν, ὅπερ οὐ θέμις: ταύτας δὲ διὰ Πνεύματος μόνον. Ἂν γὰρ τοῦτο παρῇ, πάντα τὰ κύματα καταστέλλεται, καὶ τὰ πάθη κατέπτηχε, καὶ οὐδὲν ἡμῶν κατεξανίσταται. Εἶδες πῶς ἀπὸ τῶν μελλόντων, ἡμᾶς, ὅπερ ἔμπροσθεν εἶπον, προτρέπει, καὶ δείκνυσιν ὀφειλέτας οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν ἤδη γεγενημένων μόνον; Οὐ γὰρ τοῦτο μόνον ἐστὶ, φησὶ, τὸ κατόρθωμα τοῦ Πνεύματος, ὅτι τῶν παρελθόντων ἀφῆκεν ἡμᾶς ἁμαρτημάτων, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα ἀχειρώτους κατασκευάζει, καὶ ζωῆς ἀξιοῖ τῆς ἀθανάτου. Εἶτα καὶ ἕτερον τιθεὶς μισθὸν, ἐπήγαγεν: Ὅσοι γὰρ Πνεύματι Θεοῦ ἄγονται, οὗτοί εἰσιν υἱοὶ Θεοῦ. βʹ. Οὗτος γὰρ πάλιν πολλῷ τοῦ προτέρου μείζων ὁ στέφανος. Διὸ οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς εἶπεν, Ὅσοι γὰρ Πνεύματι Θεοῦ ζῶσιν, ἀλλ', Ὅσοι Πνεύματι Θεοῦ ἄγονται, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὕτω βούλεται αὐτὸ κύριον εἶναι τῆς ἡμετέρας ζωῆς, ὡς τὸν κυβερνήτην τοῦ πλοίου, καὶ τὸν ἡνίοχον τοῦ ζεύγους τῶν ἵππων. Καὶ οὐχὶ τὸ σῶμα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν ψυχὴν ὑποβάλλει ταῖς τοιαύταις ἡνίαις. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκείνην βούλεται αὐθεντεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκείνης τὴν ἐξουσίαν ὑπὸ τῇ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἔθηκε δυνάμει. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ τῇ δωρεᾷ τοῦ λουτροῦ θαῤῥήσαντες, τῆς μετὰ ταῦτα ἀμελήσωσι πολιτείας, φησὶν, ὅτι κἂν βάπτισμα λάβῃς, μὴ μέλλῃς δὲ Πνεύματι μετὰ ταῦτα ἄγεσθαι, ἀπώλεσας τὴν δεδομένην ἀξίαν, καὶ τῆς υἱοθεσίας τὴν προεδρίαν. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ εἶπεν, Ὅσοι Πνεῦμα ἔλαβον, ἀλλ', Ὅσοι Πνεύματι Θεοῦ ἄγονται: τουτέστιν, Ὅσοι παρὰ πάντα τὸν βίον οὕτω πολιτεύονται, οὗτοί εἰσιν υἱοὶ Θεοῦ. Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο τὸ ἀξίωμα καὶ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ἦν δεδομένον: Ἐγὼ γὰρ εἶπον, φησί: Θεοί ἐστε, καὶ υἱοὶ Ὑψίστου πάντες: καὶ πάλιν, Υἱοὺς ἐγέννησα καὶ ὕψωσα: καὶ, Πρωτότοκός μου Ἰσραήλ: καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δέ φησιν, Ὧν ἡ υἱοθεσία: κατασκευάζει λοιπὸν ὅσον τὸ μέσον ἐκείνης καὶ ταύτης τῆς τιμῆς. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα τὰ αὐτὰ, φησὶν, ἀλλ' οὐ τὰ πράγματα τὰ αὐτά. Καὶ σαφῆ παρέχει τούτων ἀπόδειξιν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν κατορθούντων, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν δεδομένων, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν μελλόντων ἔσεσθαι τὴν σύγκρισιν εἰσαγαγών: καὶ πρότερον δείκνυσι τίνα ἦν τὰ ἐκείνοις δεδομένα. Τίνα οὖν ταῦτα; Πνεῦμα δουλείας: διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγε λέγων: Οὐ γὰρ ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα δουλείας πάλιν εἰς φόβον. Εἶτα ἀφεὶς εἰπεῖν τὸ ἀντιδιαστελλόμενον τῇ δουλείᾳ, τουτέστι, πνεῦμα ἐλευθερίας, τὸ πολλῷ μεῖζον τέθεικε, τὸ τῆς υἱοθεσίας, δι' οὗ κἀκεῖνο συνήγετο, εἰπών: Ἀλλ' ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν δῆλον: τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα τῆς δουλείας τί ποτέ ἐστιν, ἄδηλον. Οὐκοῦν ἀναγκαῖον αὐτὸ ποιῆσαι σαφέστερον: οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀσαφὲς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα ἄπορον τὸ εἰρημένον. Πνεῦμα γὰρ οὐκ ἔλαβεν ὁ τῶν Ἰουδαίων δῆμος: τί οὖν ἐνταῦθά φησι; Τὰ γράμματα οὕτως ἐκάλεσεν, ἐπειδὴ πνευματικὰ ἦν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ τὸν νόμον πνευματικὸν, καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς πέτρας καὶ τὸ μάννα: Πάντες γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸ αὐτὸ βρῶμα πνευματικὸν ἔφαγον, καὶ πάντες τὸ αὐτὸ πόμα πνευματικὸν ἔπιον. Καὶ τὴν πέτραν δὲ οὕτως ὀνομάζει, λέγων: Ἔπινον δὲ ἐκ πνευματικῆς ἀκολουθούσης πέτρας. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὑπὲρ φύσιν ἦν πάντα τὰ τελούμενα, πνευματικὰ αὐτὰ ἐκάλεσεν, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ Πνεῦμα ἔλαβον οἱ μετέχοντες αὐτῶν τότε. Καὶ πῶς τὰ γράμματα ἐκεῖνα δουλείας ἦν γράμματα; Παράγαγε πᾶσαν τὴν πολιτείαν, καὶ τότε εἴσῃ καὶ τοῦτο σαφῶς. Καὶ γὰρ αἱ τιμωρίαι παρὰ πόδας αὐτοῖς, καὶ ὁ μισθὸς εὐθέως εἵπετο, σύμμετρός τε ὢν καὶ ὥσπερ σιτηρέσιόν τι καθημερινὸν διδόμενον οἰκέταις, καὶ πολὺς πανταχόθεν ὁ φόβος πρὸ τῆς ὄψεως ἀκμάζων, καὶ περὶ τὰ σώματα οἱ καθαρμοὶ, καὶ μέχρι τῶν πράξεων ἡ ἐγκράτεια. Παρὰ δὲ ἡμῖν οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ καὶ λογισμὸς καὶ συνειδὸς ἐκκαθαίρεται. Οὐ γὰρ λέγει, Μὴ φονεύσῃς, μόνον, ἀλλὰ, Μηδὲ ὀργισθῇς: οὐδὲ, Μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, ἀλλὰ, Μηδὲ ἴδῃς ἀκολάστως: ἵνα μηκέτι τῷ φόβῳ τῆς κολάσεως τῆς παρούσης, ἀλλὰ τῷ πόθῳ τῷ πρὸς αὐτὸν, τό τε ἐν ἕξει τῆς ἀρετῆς εἶναι καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ κατορθούμενα ᾖ. Οὐδὲ ἐπαγγέλλεται γῆν ῥέουσαν μέλι καὶ γάλα, ἀλλὰ τῷ Μονογενεῖ συγκληρονόμον ποιεῖ, τῶν παρόντων ἡμᾶς διὰ πάντων ἀφιστὰς, καὶ ἐκεῖνα μάλιστα ἐπαγγελλόμενος διδόναι, ἃ τοῖς γενομένοις υἱοῖς Θεοῦ πρέπει λαμβάνειν: αἰσθητὸν μὲν οὐδὲν οὐδὲ σωματικὸν, πνευματικὰ δὲ ἅπαντα. Ὥστε ἐκεῖνοι μὲν εἰ καὶ υἱοὶ ἐκαλοῦντο, ἀλλ' ὡς δοῦλοι: ἡμεῖς δὲ ὡς ἐλεύθεροι γενόμενοι, τὴν υἱοθεσίαν ἐλάβομεν καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναμένομεν: κἀκείνοις μὲν δι' ἑτέρων διελέγετο, ἡμῖν δὲ δι' ἑαυτοῦ: κἀκεῖνοι μὲν φόβῳ τιμωρίας πάντα ἔπραττον ἀγόμενοι, οἱ δὲ πνευματικοὶ ἐπιθυμίᾳ καὶ πόθῳ: καὶ τοῦτο δηλοῦσι τῷ καὶ ὑπερβαίνειν τὰ ἐπιτάγματα. Ἐκεῖνοι ὡς μισθωτοὶ καὶ ἀγνώμονες, οὐδέποτε γοῦν διέλειπον γογγύζοντες: οὗτοι δὲ εἰς ἀρέσκειαν τοῦ Πατρός: καὶ οἱ μὲν εὐεργετούμενοι ἐβλασφήμουν: ἡμεῖς δὲ κινδυνεύοντες εὐχαριστοῦμεν. Κἂν κολασθῆναι δὲ ἁμαρτάνοντας δέῃ, καὶ ἐνταῦθα πολλὴ ἡ διαφορά. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἐκεῖνοι καταλευόμενοι, καὶ καιόμενοι, καὶ ἀκρωτηριαζόμενοι παρὰ τῶν ἱερέων, οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐπιστρεφόμεθα, ἀλλὰ ἀρκεῖ τραπέζης ἐκβληθῆναι πατρικῆς, καὶ ἀπὸ ὄψεως ῥητὰς γενέσθαι ἡμέρας. Καὶ ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ῥήματος ἦν τιμὴ ἡ υἱοθεσία μόνον: ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ πρᾶγμα ἠκολούθησεν, ὁ διὰ βαπτίσματος καθαρμὸς, ἡ τοῦ Πνεύματος δόσις, ἡ τῶν ἄλλων ἀγαθῶν χορηγία. Καὶ τούτων δὲ ἕτερα πλείονα ἔστιν εἰπεῖν τὴν παρ' ἡμῖν ἐνδεικνύμενα εὐγένειαν, καὶ τὴν ἐκείνων εὐτέλειαν: ἅπερ ἅπαντα διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος καὶ τοῦ φόβου καὶ τῆς υἱοθεσίας αἰνιξάμενος, καὶ ἑτέραν ποιεῖται ἀπόδειξιν τοῦ πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας ἔχειν. Ποῖον δὴ τοῦτο; Ἐν ᾧ κράζομεν, Ἀββᾶ ὁ Πατήρ. γʹ. Τοῦτο δὲ ἡλίκον ἐστὶν, ἴσασιν οἱ μύσται, καλῶς ἐπὶ τῆς εὐχῆς τῆς μυστικῆς τοῦτο πρῶτον κελευόμενοι τὸ ῥῆμα λέγειν. Τί οὖν; οὐκ ἐκάλουν καὶ ἐκεῖνοι Πατέρα, φησὶ, τὸν Θεόν; οὐκ ἀκούεις Μωϋσέως λέγοντος: Θεὸν τὸν γεννήσαντά σε ἐγκατέλιπες; οὐκ ἀκούεις τοῦ Μαλαχία ὀνειδίζοντος καὶ λέγοντος, ὅτι Θεὸς εἷς ἔκτισεν ἡμᾶς, καὶ εἷς Πατήρ ἐστι πάντων ἡμῶν; Ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ ταῦτα καὶ πλείονα τούτων εἴρηται, οὐδαμοῦ τοῦτο εὑρίσκομεν αὐτοὺς καλοῦντας τὸ ῥῆμα τὸν Θεὸν, οὐδὲ εὐχομένους οὕτως. Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἅπαντες, καὶ ἱερεῖς καὶ ἰδιῶται καὶ ἄρχοντες καὶ ἀρχόμενοι, οὕτως εὔχεσθαι ἐκελεύσθημεν. Καὶ ταύτην πρώτην ἀφίεμεν φωνὴν, μετὰ τὰς θαυμαστὰς ὠδῖνας ἐκείνας, καὶ τὸν ξένον καὶ παράδοξον τῶν λοχευμάτων νόμον. Ἄλλως δὲ, εἰ καὶ ἐκάλεσάν ποτε ἐκεῖνοι, ἀλλ' ἐξ οἰκείας διανοίας: οἱ δὲ ἐν τῇ χάριτι, ἀπὸ πνευματικῆς ἐνεργείας κινούμενοι. Ὥσπερ γὰρ πνεῦμα σοφίας ἐστὶ, καθ' ὃ σοφοὶ οἱ ἄσοφοι ἐγίνοντο, καὶ δηλοῦται τοῦτο ἀπὸ τῆς διδασκαλίας: καὶ πνεῦμα δυνάμεώς ἐστι, καθ' ὃ οἱ ἀσθενεῖς νεκροὺς ἤγειραν, καὶ δαίμονας ἤλασαν, καὶ πνεῦμα χαρίσματος ἰαμάτων, καὶ πνεῦμα προφητείας, καὶ πνεῦμα γλωσσῶν: οὕτω καὶ πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἴσμεν τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς προφητείας, ἀφ' οὗ ὁ ἔχων αὐτὸ προλέγει τὰ μέλλοντα, οὐκ οἰκείᾳ φθεγγόμενος διανοίᾳ, ἀλλ' ὑπὸ τῆς χάριτος κινούμενος: οὕτω δὴ καὶ πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας, ἀφ' οὗ ὁ λαβὼν Πατέρα καλεῖ τὸν Θεὸν, ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος κινούμενος. Ὁ δὲ βουλόμενος δεῖξαι γνησιότητα, καὶ τῇ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἐχρήσατο γλώσσῃ: οὐ γὰρ εἶπε μόνον, Ὁ Πατὴρ, ἀλλ', Ἀββᾶ ὁ Πατὴρ, ὅπερ τῶν παίδων μάλιστά ἐστι τῶν γνησίων πρὸς πατέρα ῥῆμα. Εἰπὼν τοίνυν τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς πολιτείας διαφορὰν, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς χάριτος τῆς δεδομένης, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλευθερίας, ἐπάγει καὶ ἑτέραν ἀπόδειξιν τῆς ὑπεροχῆς τῆς κατὰ τὴν υἱοθεσίαν ταύτην. Ποίαν δὴ ταύτην; Αὐτὸ τὸ Πνεῦμα συμμαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύματι ἡμῶν, φησὶν, ὅτι ἐσμὲν τέκνα Θεοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς φωνῆς ἰσχυρίζομαι μόνον, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς αἰτίας, ἀφ' ἧς ἡ φωνὴ τίκτεται: τοῦ γὰρ Πνεύματος ὑπαγορεύοντος, ταῦτα λέγομεν. Ὅπερ ἀλλαχοῦ σαφέστερον δηλῶν ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν κράζον: Ἀββᾶ ὁ Πατήρ. Τί δέ ἐστι, τὸ Πνεῦμα τῷ πνεύματι συμμαρτυρεῖ; Ὁ Παράκλητος, φησὶ, τῷ χαρίσματι τῷ δεδομένῳ ἡμῖν. Οὐ γὰρ τοῦ χαρίσματός ἐστιν ἡ φωνὴ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ δόντος τὴν δωρεὰν Παρακλήτου: αὐτὸς γὰρ ἡμᾶς οὗτος ἐδίδαξε διὰ τοῦ χαρίσματος οὕτω φθέγγεσθαι. Ὅταν δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα μαρτυρῇ, ποία λοιπὸν ἀμφιβολία; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἄνθρωπος, ἢ ἄγγελος, ἢ ἀρχάγγελος, ἢ ἄλλη τις τοιαύτη δύναμις τοῦτο ὑπισχνεῖτο, κἂν ἀμφιβάλλειν ἦν εἰκός τινας: τῆς δὲ ἀνωτάτω οὐσίας τῆς καὶ δωρησαμένης τοῦτο, καὶ δι' ὧν ἐκέλευσεν εὔχεσθαι μαρτυρούσης ἡμῖν, τίς ἂν ἀμφισβητήσειε λοιπὸν περὶ τῆς ἀξίας; Οὐδὲ γὰρ βασιλέως χειροτονήσαντός τινα, καὶ ἀνακηρύττοντος τὴν τιμὴν παρὰ πᾶσι, τολμήσειεν ἄν τις τῶν ὑπηκόων ἀντειπεῖν. Εἰ δὲ τέκνα, φησὶ, καὶ κληρονόμοι. Ὁρᾷς πῶς κατὰ μικρὸν αὔξει τὴν δωρεάν; Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἔνι καὶ τέκνα εἶναι, καὶ μὴ κληρονόμους γενέσθαι (οὐδὲ γὰρ πάντες κληρονόμοι οἱ παῖδες), ἐπάγει καὶ τοῦτο, ὅτι καὶ κληρονόμοι. Οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι μετὰ τοῦ μὴ τοιαύτην ἔχειν υἱοθεσίαν καὶ τῆς κληρονομίας ἐξεβλήθησαν. Κακοὺς γὰρ κακῶς ἀπολέσει, καὶ τὸν ἀμπελῶνα ἐκδώσεται γεωργοῖς ἑτέροις. Καὶ πρὸ τούτου δὲ ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Πολλοὶ ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν ἥξουσι, καὶ ἀνακλιθήσονται μετὰ Ἀβραάμ: οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἔξω βληθήσονται. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα ἵσταται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτου μεῖζον τίθησι. Ποῖον δὴ τοῦτο; Ὅτι Θεοῦ κληρονόμοι: διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγε: Κληρονόμοι μὲν Θεοῦ. Καὶ τὸ ἔτι πλέον, ὅτι οὐχ ἁπλῶς κληρονόμοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ συγκληρονόμοι Χριστοῦ. Ὁρᾷς πῶς φιλονεικεῖ ἐγγὺς ἡμᾶς ἀγαγεῖν τοῦ Δεσπότου; Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐ πάντα τὰ τέκνα κληρονόμοι, δείκνυσιν ὅτι ἡμεῖς καὶ τέκνα καὶ κληρονόμοι. Ἐπεὶ δὲ οὐ πάντες κληρονόμοι μεγάλων εἰσὶ κληρονόμοι πραγμάτων, δείκνυσιν ὅτι καὶ τοῦτο ἔχομεν, κληρονόμοι ὄντες Θεοῦ. Πάλιν ἐπειδὴ κληρονόμον μὲν εἶναι συμβαίνει Θεοῦ, οὐ πάντως δὲ τῷ Μονογενεῖ συγκληρονόμον, δείκνυσιν ἡμᾶς καὶ τοῦτο ἔχοντας. Καὶ σκόπει σοφίαν: τὰ γὰρ λυπηρὰ συστείλας, ἡνίκα ἔλεγε, τί πείσονται οἱ κατὰ σάρκα ζῶντες, οἷον, ὅτι μέλλουσιν ἀποθνήσκειν, ἐπειδὴ τῶν χρηστοτέρων ἥψατο, εἰς εὐρυχωρίαν πολλὴν ἐξάγει τὸν λόγον, ἐμπλατύνων αὐτὸν τῇ τῶν μισθῶν ἀνταποδόσει, καὶ ποικίλας καὶ μεγάλας δεικνὺς τὰς δωρεάς. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὸ τέκνον εἶναι, ἄφατος ἦν ἡ χάρις, ἐννόησον ἡλίκον τὸ, καὶ κληρονόμον. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο μέγα, πολλῷ μᾶλλον καὶ τὸ, συγκληρονόμον. Εἶτα δεικνὺς, ὅτι οὐ χάριτος μόνον ἐστὶν ἡ δωρεὰ, καὶ ποιῶν ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀξιόπιστα τὰ εἰρημένα, ἐπήγαγεν: Εἴπερ συμπάσχομεν, ἵνα καὶ συνδοξασθῶμεν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς λυπηροῖς, φησὶν, ἐκοινωνήσαμεν αὐτῷ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐν τοῖς χρηστοῖς τοῦτο ἔσται. Ὁ γὰρ τοὺς οὐδὲν κατωρθωκότας τοσούτοις δωρησάμενος ἀγαθοῖς, ὅταν ἴδῃ καὶ πονήσαντας, καὶ τοσαῦτα παθόντας, πῶς οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ἀμείψεται; δʹ. Δείξας τοίνυν ἀντίδοσιν οὖσαν τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἵνα ἀξιόπιστον ᾖ τὸ λεγόμενον, καὶ μηδεὶς ἀμφιβάλλῃ, δείκνυσι πάλιν καὶ χάριτος δύναμιν ἔχον: τὸ μὲν, ἵνα καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἀμφιβάλλουσι πιστεύηται τὰ λεγόμενα, καὶ οἱ λαμβάνοντες μὴ αἰσχύνωνται ὡς ἀεὶ δωρεᾷ σωζόμενοι: τὸ δὲ, ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι νικᾷ ταῖς ἀντιδόσεσι τοὺς πόνους ὁ Θεός. Καίτοι τὸ μὲν ἐδήλωσεν εἰπὼν, Εἴπερ συμπάσχομεν, ἵνα καὶ συνδοξασθῶμεν: τοῦτο δὲ, ἐπαγαγὼν καὶ προσθεὶς, ὅτι Οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι εἰς ἡμᾶς. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ τοῖς προτέροις τὴν τῶν ἠθῶν διόρθωσιν ἀπαιτεῖ τὸν πνευματικὸν, ἐν οἷς ἔλεγεν: Οὐκ ὀφείλετε κατὰ σάρκα ζῇν: οἷον, ἵνα ἐπιθυμίας, ἵνα ὀργῆς, ἵνα χρημάτων, ἵνα κενοδοξίας, ἵνα βασκανίας περιγίνηται ὁ τοιοῦτος: ἐνταῦθα δὲ, ἐπειδὴ τῆς δωρεᾶς αὐτὸν ἀνέμνησεν ἁπάσης τῆς δοθείσης, τῆς μελλούσης, καὶ ἐπῆρε καὶ ὕψωσε ταῖς ἐλπίσι, καὶ ἐγγὺς ἔστησε τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ συγκληρονόμον ἀπέφηνε τοῦ Μονογενοῦς, θαῤῥῶν αὐτὸν ἐξάγει λοιπὸν καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς κινδύνους. Οὐδὲ γάρ ἐστιν ἴσον τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν παθῶν περιγενέσθαι, καὶ τοὺς πειρασμοὺς ἐκείνους ὑπενεγκεῖν, τὰς μάστιγας, τὸν λιμὸν, τὰς λεηλασίας, τὰ δεσμὰ, τὰς ἁλύσεις, τὰς ἀπαγωγάς: πολὺ γὰρ ταῦτα δεῖται γενναιοτέρας ψυχῆς καὶ νεανικωτέρας. Καὶ ὅρα πῶς ὁμοῦ καταστέλλει καὶ ἐπαίρει τὸ φρόνημα τῶν ἀγωνιζομένων. Ὅταν γὰρ δείξῃ μείζονα τὰ ἔπαθλα τῶν πόνων, καὶ προτρέπει μειζόνως, καὶ οὐκ ἀφίησι μέγα φρονεῖν, ἅτε νικωμένους τῇ τῶν στεφάνων ἀντιδόσει. Καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ μέν φησι: Τὸ γὰρ παραυτίκα ἐλαφρὸν τῆς θλίψεως καθ' ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης κατεργάζεται. Πρὸς γὰρ φιλοσοφωτέρους ἦν ὁ λόγος αὐτῷ: ἐνταῦθα δὲ κοῦφα μὲν αὐτὰ οὐκ ἀφίησιν εἶναι, παραμυθεῖται δὲ αὐτὰ τῇ τῶν μελλόντων ἀντιδόσει, λέγων: Λογίζομαι γὰρ, ὅτι οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπε, Πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν ἄνεσιν, ἀλλ' ὃ πολλῷ μεῖζον ἦν, Πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν. Ὅπου μὲν γὰρ ἄνεσις, οὐ πάντως καὶ δόξα: ὅπου δὲ δόξα, πάντως καὶ ἄνεσις. Εἶτα, ἐπειδὴ μέλλουσαν αὐτὴν εἶπε, δείκνυσιν αὐτὴν ἤδη οὖσαν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπε, Πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν ἔσεσθαι, ἀλλὰ, Πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι, ὡς καὶ νῦν οὖσαν μὲν, κρυπτομένην δέ: ὅπερ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ σαφέστερον ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν κέκρυπται σὺν τῷ Χριστῷ ἐν τῷ Θεῷ. Θάῤῥει τοίνυν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς: παρεσκεύασται γὰρ ἤδη τοὺς σοὺς ἀναμένουσα πόνους. Εἰ δὲ τὸ μέλλειν σε λυπεῖ, αὐτὸ μὲν οὖν εὐφραινέτω σε τοῦτο: τῷ γὰρ μεγάλη τις εἶναι καὶ ἄφραστος, καὶ τὴν παροῦσαν ὑπερβαίνειν κατάστασιν, ἐκεῖ τεταμίευται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἁπλῶς τέθεικε, Τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ, ἀλλ' ἵνα δείξῃ οὐχὶ ποιότητι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ποσότητι νικῶσαν ἐκείνην. Ταῦτα μὲν γὰρ οἷα ἂν εἴη τὰ παθήματα, τῷ παρόντι συγκεκλήρωται βίῳ: τὰ δὲ μέλλοντα ἀγαθὰ πρὸς τοὺς ἀθανάτους παρεκτείνεται αἰῶνας. Ἅπερ ἐπειδὴ κατὰ μέρος ἡμῖν εἰπεῖν οὐκ εἶχεν οὐδὲ παραστῆσαι λόγῳ, ἀπὸ τοῦ μάλιστα δοκοῦντος εἶναι παρ' ἡμῖν ἐπεράστου, τῆς δόξης, αὐτὰ ὠνόμασεν: ἡ γὰρ κορυφὴ τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ τὸ κεφάλαιον, τοῦτο εἶναι δοκεῖ. Ἐπαίρων δὲ καὶ ἑτέρως τὸν ἀκροατὴν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς κτίσεως ἐξογκοῖ τὸν λόγον, δύο κατασκευάζων διὰ τῶν λεχθήσεσθαι μελλόντων, καὶ ὑπεροψίαν τῶν παρόντων, καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν τῶν μελλόντων: καὶ τρίτον μετὰ τούτων, μᾶλλον δὲ πρῶτον, τὸ δεῖξαι πῶς περισπούδαστον τῷ Θεῷ τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος ἐστὶ, καὶ ἐν ὅσῃ τὴν φύσιν τὴν ἡμετέραν ἄγει τιμῇ. Μετὰ δὲ τούτων καὶ τὰ τῶν φιλοσόφων ἅπαντα δόγματα τὰ περὶ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου συντεθέντα αὐτοῖς, ὥσπερ ἀράχνην τινὰ καὶ παίδων ἀθύρματα, ἑνὶ τούτῳ καταβάλλει τῷ δόγματι. Ἀλλ' ἵνα σαφέστερα ταῦτα γένηται, αὐτῆς τῆς ἀποστολικῆς ἐπακούσωμεν ῥήσεως. Ἡ γὰρ ἀποκαραδοκία τῆς κτίσεως, φησὶ, τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀπεκδέχεται. Τῇ γὰρ ματαιότητι ἡ κτίσις ὑπετάγη, οὐχ ἑκοῦσα, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὑποτάξαντα ἐπ' ἐλπίδι. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν: Ἡ κτίσις αὕτη σφόδρα ὠδίνει, ταῦτα ἀναμένουσα καὶ προσδοκῶσα τὰ ἀγαθὰ, ἅπερ εἰρήκαμεν νῦν: ἀποκαραδοκία γὰρ ἡ σφοδρὰ προσδοκία ἐστίν. Ὥστε δὲ ἐμφαντικώτερον γενέσθαι τὸν λόγον, καὶ προσωποποιεῖ τὸν κόσμον ἅπαντα τοῦτον: ἅπερ καὶ οἱ προφῆται ποιοῦσιν, ποταμοὺς κροτοῦντας χερσὶν εἰσάγοντες, καὶ βουνοὺς ἁλλομένους, καὶ τὰ ὄρη σκιρτῶντα: οὐχ ἵνα ταῦτα ἔμψυχα εἶναι νομίσωμεν, οὐδ' ἵνα λογισμόν τινα δῶμεν αὐτοῖς, ἀλλ' ἵνα τὴν ὑπερβολὴν μάθωμεν τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ὡς καὶ τῶν ἀναισθήτων αὐτῶν καθικνουμένην. εʹ. Τοῦτο δὲ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν λυπηρῶν ποιοῦσι πολλάκις, εἰσάγοντες καὶ ἄμπελον θρηνοῦσαν, καὶ οἶνον καὶ ὄρη καὶ τὰ φατνώματα ὀλολύζοντα τοῦ ναοῦ, ἵνα καὶ ἐντεῦθεν πάλιν τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῶν κακῶν ἐννοήσωμεν. Τούτους δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἀπόστολος μιμούμενος, προσωποποιεῖ τὴν κτίσιν ἐνταῦθα, καί φησι στενάζειν αὐτὴν καὶ ὠδίνειν: οὐκ ἐπειδὴ στεναγμοῦ τινος ἤκουσεν ἀπὸ γῆς καὶ οὐρανοῦ φερομένου, ἀλλ' ἵνα τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν ἐνδείξηται τὴν ὑπερβολὴν, καὶ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς ἀπαλλαγῆς τῶν κατεχόντων κακῶν. Τῇ γὰρ ματαιότητι ἡ κτίσις ὑπετάγη, οὐχ ἑκοῦσα, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὑποτάξαντα. Τί ἐστι, Τῇ ματαιότητι ἡ κτίσις ὑπετάγη; Φθαρτὴ γέγονε. Τίνος ἕνεκεν καὶ διὰ τί; Διὰ σὲ τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ σῶμα ἔλαβες θνητὸν καὶ παθητὸν, καὶ ἡ γῆ κατάραν ἐδέξατο καὶ ἀκάνθας ἤνεγκε καὶ τριβόλους. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ οὐρανὸς μετὰ τῆς γῆς παλαιούμενος πρὸς τὴν ἀμείνω λῆξιν ὕστερον μεταστήσεται, ἄκουσον τοῦ Προφήτου λέγοντος: Καταρχὰς σὺ, Κύριε, τὴν γῆν ἐθεμελίωσας, καὶ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σού εἰσιν οἱ οὐρανοί. Αὐτοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, σὺ δὲ διαμένεις, καὶ πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἑλίξεις αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται. Καὶ ὁ Ἡσαΐας δὲ ταῦτα ἐμφαίνων ἔλεγεν: Ἐμβλέψατε εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἄνω, καὶ εἰς τὴν γῆν κάτω, ὅτι ὁ οὐρανὸς ὡς καπνὸς ἐστερεώθη, ἡ δὲ γῆ ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσεται, οἱ δὲ κατοικοῦντες αὐτὴν, ὥσπερ ταῦτα ἀπολοῦνται. Εἶδες πῶς ἐδούλευσε τῇ ματαιότητι ἡ κτίσις, καὶ πῶς ἐλευθεροῦται ἀπὸ τῆς φθορᾶς; Ὁ μὲν γάρ φησιν: Ὡς ἱμάτιον ἑλίξεις αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται: ὁ δὲ Ἡσαΐας, Οἱ δὲ κατοικοῦντες αὐτὴν, ὥσπερ ταῦτα ἀπολοῦνται: οὐ παντελῆ λέγων ἀπώλειαν, φησίν: οὐδὲ γὰρ οἱ κατοικοῦντες αὐτὴν, τουτέστιν, οἱ ἄνθρωποι, τοιαύτην ὑποστήσονται, ἀλλὰ τὴν πρόσκαιρον, καὶ δι' αὐτῆς ἐπὶ τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν μεταστήσονται, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἡ κτίσις. Ἅπερ ἅπαντα διὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν, Ὡς ταῦτα, παρεδήλωσεν: ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ Παῦλος προϊών φησι: τέως μέντοι περὶ τῆς δουλείας αὐτῆς διαλέγεται, καὶ δείκνυσι τίνος ἕνεκεν τοιαύτη γέγονε, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ἡμᾶς τίθησι. Τί οὖν; ἐπηρέασται δι' ἕτερον ταῦτα παθοῦσα; Οὐδαμῶς: καὶ γὰρ δι' ἐμὲ γέγονεν. Ἡ τοίνυν δι' ἐμὲ γενομένη πῶς ἂν ἀδικοῖτο εἰς ἐμὴν διόρθωσιν ταῦτα πάσχουσα; Ἄλλως δὲ, τὸν τοῦ δικαίου καὶ ἀδίκου λόγον οὐδὲ κινεῖν ἐπὶ τῶν ἀψύχων καὶ ἀναισθήτων δεῖ. Ἀλλ' ὁ Παῦλος, ἐπειδὴ αὐτὴν ἐπροσωποποίησεν, οὐδενὶ κέχρηται τούτων ὧν εἶπον, ἀλλ' ἑτέρῳ τινὶ λόγῳ, τὸν ἀκροατὴν ἐκ περιουσίας παραμυθήσασθαι σπεύδων. Ποίῳ δὴ τούτῳ; Τί λέγεις, φησί; κακῶς ἔπαθε διὰ σὲ καὶ φθαρτὴ γέγονεν; Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ἠδίκηται: καὶ γὰρ ἄφθαρτος ἔσται διὰ σὲ πάλιν: τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ, Ἐπ' ἐλπίδι. Ὅταν δὲ λέγῃ, Οὐχ ἑκοῦσα ὑπετάγη, οὐχ ἵνα κυρίαν γνώμης οὖσαν δείξῃ, τοῦτο λέγει, ἀλλ' ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ κηδεμονίας τὸ πᾶν ἐγένετο, οὐκ ἐκείνης κατόρθωμα τοῦτο. Εἰπὲ δὴ, καὶ ποίᾳ ἐλπίδι; Ὅτι καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ κτίσις ἐλευθερωθήσεται. Τί ἐστι, Καὶ αὐτή; Οὐχὶ σὺ μόνος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅ σού ἐστι καταδεέστερον, καὶ ὃ οὐ μετέχει λογισμοῦ οὐδὲ αἰσθήσεως, καὶ τοῦτό σοι κοινωνήσει τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Ἐλευθερωθήσεται γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀπὸ τῆς δουλείας τῆς φθορᾶς: τουτέστιν, οὐκέτι ἔσται φθαρτὴ, ἀλλὰ ἀκολουθήσει τῇ τοῦ σώματος εὐμορφίᾳ τοῦ σοῦ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ γενομένου φθαρτοῦ, γέγονε φθαρτὴ καὶ αὕτη: οὕτως ἀφθάρτου καταστάντος, καὶ αὐτὴ ἀκολουθήσει καὶ ἕψεται πάλιν: ὅπερ οὖν καὶ δεικνὺς ἐπήγαγεν: Εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς δόξης τῶν τέκνων τοῦ Θεοῦ: τουτέστι, διὰ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν. Καθάπερ γὰρ τιθηνὸς παιδίον τρέφουσα βασιλικὸν, ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐκείνου γενομένου τῆς πατρικῆς, καὶ αὐτὴ συναπολαύει τῶν ἀγαθῶν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ κτίσις, φησίν. Ὁρᾷς τὸν ἄνθρωπον πανταχοῦ προηγούμενον, καὶ δι' αὐτὸν ἅπαντα γινόμενα; Εἶδες πῶς παραμυθεῖται τὸν ἀγωνιζόμενον, καὶ δείκνυσι τὴν ἄφατον τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν; Τί γὰρ ἀλγεῖς, φησὶν, ἐπὶ τοῖς πειρασμοῖς; Σὺ διὰ σεαυτὸν πάσχεις, ἡ κτίσις διὰ σέ. Οὐ παραμυθεῖται δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀξιόπιστα, δείκνυσι τὰ λεγόμενα. Εἰ γὰρ ἡ κτίσις ἐλπίζει διὰ σὲ πάντα γινομένη, πολλῷ μᾶλλον σὺ, δι' ὃν ἡ κτίσις ἀπολαύειν μέλλει τῶν ἀγαθῶν πάντων ἐκείνων. Οὕτω καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι, τοῦ υἱοῦ μέλλοντος ἐπ' ἀξιώματος φαίνεσθαι, καὶ τοὺς δούλους λαμπροτέραν ἐνδύουσι στολὴν εἰς τὴν τοῦ παιδὸς δόξαν: ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ Θεὸς τὴν κτίσιν ἀφθαρσίαν περιβάλλει εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς δόξης τῶν τέκνων. Οἴδαμεν γὰρ, ὅτι πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις συστενάζει καὶ συνωδίνει ἄχρι τοῦ νῦν. Ϛʹ. Εἶδες πῶς ἐντρέπει τὸν ἀκροατὴν, μονονουχὶ λέγων: Μὴ γένῃ τῆς κτίσεως χείρων, καὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν ἐμφιλοχωρήσῃς; Οὐ γὰρ μόνον αὐτῶν ἀντέχεσθαι οὐ δεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ στενάζειν ἐπὶ τῇ μελήσει τῆς ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίας. Εἰ γὰρ ἡ κτίσις τοῦτο ποιεῖ, πολλῷ μᾶλλόν σε δίκαιον τοῦτο ἐπιδείκνυσθαι τὸν λόγῳ τετιμημένον. Ἀλλ' οὔπω τοῦτο μέγα εἰς ἐντροπήν: διόπερ ἐπήγαγεν: Οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ τὴν ἀπαρχὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος ἔχοντες, καὶ ἡμεῖς αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς στενάζομεν: τουτέστι, τῶν μελλόντων ἤδη γευσάμενοι. Κἂν γὰρ σφόδρα λίθινός τις ᾖ, ἱκανὰ τὰ δοθέντα ἤδη διαναστῆσαί τε αὐτὸν, καὶ τῶν παρόντων ἀπαγαγεῖν, καὶ πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα πτερῶσαι διπλῇ, καὶ τῷ μεγάλα εἶναι τὰ διδόμενα, καὶ τῷ τὰ τοσαῦτα καὶ τηλικαῦτα ἀπαρχὴν εἶναι. Εἰ γὰρ ἡ ἀπαρχὴ τοσαύτη, ὡς δι' αὐτῆς καὶ ἁμαρτημάτων ἀπαλλαγῆναι, καὶ δικαιοσύνης ἐπιτυχεῖν καὶ ἁγιασμοῦ, τοὺς δὲ τότε καὶ δαίμονας ἐλαύνειν καὶ νεκροὺς ἐγείρειν διὰ σκιᾶς καὶ ἱματίων: ἐννόησον τὸ ὅλον ἡλίκον. Καὶ εἰ ἡ κτίσις, ἡ νοῦ καὶ λόγων ἐστερημένη, οὐδὲν τούτων εἰδυῖα στενάζει: πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς. Εἶτα, ἵνα μὴ δῷ τοῖς αἱρετικοῖς λαβὴν, καὶ δόξῃ τὰ παρόντα διαβάλλειν, Στενάζομεν, φησὶν, οὐ τῶν παρόντων κατηγοροῦντες, ἀλλὰ τῶν μειζόνων ἐφιέμενοι: τοῦτο γὰρ ἐδήλωσεν εἰπών: Υἱοθεσίαν ἀπεκδεχόμενοι. Τί λέγεις, εἰπέ μοι; Ἄνω καὶ κάτω συνεχῶς ἔστρεφες, καὶ ἐβόας λέγων, ὅτι Ἤδη γεγόναμεν υἱοὶ, καὶ νῦν ἐν ἐλπίσι τίθης τουτὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν, γράφων ὅτι ἐκδέχεσθαι αὐτὴν δεῖ; Τοῦτο τοίνυν διορθούμενος τῇ ἐπαγωγῇ, λέγει: Τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν: τουτέστι, τὴν ἀπηρτισμένην δόξαν. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ ἐν ἀδήλῳ τὰ ἡμέτερα ἕστηκεν ἕως ἐσχάτης ἀναπνοῆς: πολλοὶ γὰρ ὄντες υἱοὶ, γεγόνασι κύνες καὶ αἰχμάλωτοι. Ἂν δὲ μετὰ χρηστῆς καταλύσωμεν ἐλπίδος, τότε ἀκίνητος ἡ δωρεὰ, καὶ σαφεστέρα καὶ μείζων, οὐκέτι τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας δεδοικυῖα μεταβολήν. Τότε οὖν βεβαία ἔσται ἡ χάρις, ὅταν καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἡμῶν ἀπαλλαγῇ θανάτου, καὶ τῶν μυρίων παθῶν. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ἀπολύτρωσις, οὐχ ἁπλῶς λύτρωσις, ἀλλ' ὥστε μηκέτι πάλιν ὑποστρέψαι ἐπὶ τὴν προτέραν αἰχμαλωσίαν. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ ἀπορῇς δόξαν ἀκούων συνεχῶς, καὶ μηδὲν σαφῶς ἐπιστάμενος, ἐκ μέρους ὑπανοίγει τὰ μέλλοντα, τὸ σῶμά σοι μεταβάλλων, καὶ τὴν κτίσιν αὐτῷ συμμεταβάλλων ἅπασαν: ὃ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ σαφέστερον ἐδήλωσεν εἰπών: Ὃς μετασχηματίσει τὸ σῶμα τῆς ταπεινώσεως ἡμῶν εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι σύμμορφον τῷ σώματι τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἑτέρωθι πάλιν γράφων ἔλεγεν: Ὅταν δὲ τὸ θνητὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσηται ἀθανασίαν, τότε γενήσεται ὁ λόγος ὁ γεγραμμένος: Κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νῖκος. Δεικνὺς δὲ, ὅτι μετὰ τῆς φθορᾶς τοῦ σώματος καὶ ἡ τῶν βιωτικῶν πραγμάτων κατάστασις οἰχήσεται, ἔγραφε πάλιν ἀλλαχοῦ: Παράγει γὰρ τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου. Τῇ γὰρ ἐλπίδι ἐσώθημεν, φησίν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῇ τῶν μελλόντων ἐνδιέτριψεν ὑποσχέσει, ἐδόκει καὶ τοῦτο λυπεῖν τὸν ἀσθενέστερον ἀκροατὴν, εἴ γε ἐν ἐλπίσι τὰ ἀγαθὰ, πρότερον κατασκευάσας, ὅτι τῶν παρόντων καὶ ὁρωμένων ἐστὶ σαφέστερα, καὶ πολλὰ περὶ τῶν ἤδη δεδομένων δωρεῶν διαλεχθεὶς, καὶ δείξας, ὅτι καὶ ἀπαρχὴν ἐκείνων ἐλάβομεν τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἵνα μὴ πάντα ἐνταῦθα ζητῶμεν καὶ τὴν εὐγένειαν ἡμῶν προδῶμεν τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως, φησί: Τῇ γὰρ ἐλπίδι ἐσώθημεν. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν: Οὐ δεῖ πάντα ἐνταῦθα ζητεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐλπίζειν. Τοῦτο γὰρ μόνον εἰσηνέγκαμεν τῷ Θεῷ τὸ δῶρον, τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτῷ τὰ μέλλοντα ἐπαγγειλαμένῳ, καὶ διὰ ταύτης μόνον ἐσώθημεν τῆς ὁδοῦ. Ἂν τοίνυν αὐτὴν ἀπολέσωμεν, τὸ πᾶν τῆς ἡμετέρας εἰσφορᾶς ἀπωλέσαμεν. Ἐρωτῶ γάρ σε, φησὶν, οὐχὶ μυρίων ὑπεύθυνος ἦς κακῶν; οὐχὶ ἀπεγνωσμένος; οὐχὶ ἀποφάσει ὑποκείμενος; οὐχὶ πάντες ἠτόνουν πρὸς τὴν σωτηρίαν τὴν σήν; τί οὖν σε ἔσωσε; Τὸ εἰς τὸν Θεὸν ἐλπίσαι μόνον, καὶ πιστεῦσαι αὐτῷ περὶ ὧν ἐπηγγείλατο καὶ ἔδωκε, καὶ πλέον οὐδὲν ἔσχες εἰσενεγκεῖν. Εἰ τοίνυν αὕτη σε ἔσωσε, ταύτην κάτεχε καὶ νῦν. Ἡ γὰρ τοσαῦτά σοι παρασχοῦσα ἀγαθὰ, εὔδηλον ὅτι οὐδὲ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων σε ψεύσεται. Ὅπου γὰρ νεκρὸν λαβοῦσα καὶ ἀπολωλότα καὶ αἰχμάλωτον καὶ ἐχθρὸν, φίλον ἐποίησε καὶ υἱὸν καὶ ἐλεύθερον καὶ δίκαιον καὶ συγκληρονόμον, καὶ τοσαῦτα παρέσχεν, ὅσα μηδὲ προσεδόκησέ τίς ποτε: πῶς μετὰ τὴν τοσαύτην φιλοτιμίαν τε καὶ οἰκείωσιν οὐ προσήσεταί σε ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς; Μὴ τοίνυν μοι λέγε: Πάλιν ἐλπίδες, πάλιν προσδοκίαι, πάλιν πίστις. Οὕτω γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐσώθης, καὶ ταύτην τὴν προῖκα εἰσήνεγκας τῷ νυμφίῳ μόνον. Κάτεχε τοίνυν αὐτὴν καὶ διατήρει. Ἂν γὰρ ἐνταῦθα πάντα ἀπαιτῇς ἀπώλεσάς σου τὸ κατόρθωμα, δι' οὗ λαμπρὸς ἐγένου. Διὸ καὶ ἐπάγει λέγων: Ἐλπὶς δὲ βλεπομένη, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐλπίς: ὃ γὰρ βλέπει τις, τί καὶ ἐλπίζει; Εἰ δὲ ὃ οὐ βλέπομεν, ἐλπίζομεν, δι' ὑπομονῆς ἀπεκδεχόμεθα. Τουτέστιν: Εἰ πάντα ἐνταῦθα μέλλεις ζητεῖν, τίς χρεία ἐλπίδος; Τί οὖν ἐστιν ἡ ἐλπίς; Τὸ τοῖς μέλλουσι θαῤῥεῖν. Τί γὰρ μέγα αἰτεῖ παρὰ σοῦ ὁ Θεὸς, αὐτὸς ὁλόκληρα οἴκοθεν διδοὺς τὰ ἀγαθά; Ἓν αἰτεῖ παρὰ σοῦ μόνον, ἐλπίδα, ἵνα ἔχῃς τι καὶ αὐτὸς συνεισενεγκεῖν εἰς τὴν σὴν σωτηρίαν: ὅπερ οὖν καὶ αἰνιττόμενος ἐπήγαγεν: Εἰ δὲ ὃ οὐ βλέπομεν, ἐλπίζομεν, δι' ὑπομονῆς ἀπεκδεχόμεθα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸν πονοῦντα καὶ ταλαιπωροῦντα καὶ μυρία κάμνοντα, οὕτω καὶ τὸν ἐλπίζοντα ὁ Θεὸς στεφανοῖ: τὸ γὰρ τῆς ὑπομονῆς ὄνομα ἱδρώτων ἐστὶν ὄνομα καὶ καρτερίας πολλῆς. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐχαρίσατο καὶ τοῦτο τῷ ἐλπίζοντι, ἵνα παραμυθήσηται τὴν ἀποκαμοῦσαν ψυχήν. ζʹ. Εἶτα δεικνὺς, ὅτι πρὸς τὸ κοῦφον τοῦτο πολλῆς ἀπολαύομεν βοηθείας, ἐπάγει: Ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα συναντιλαμβάνεται ταῖς ἀσθενείαις ἡμῶν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ γίνεται σὸν, τὸ τῆς ὑπομονῆς: τὸ δὲ τῆς τοῦ Πνεύματος χορηγίας, εἴς τε τὴν ἐλπίδα σε ἀλείφοντος καὶ δι' αὐτῆς πάλιν τοὺς πόνους σου κουφίζοντος. Εἶτα, ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τοῖς πόνοις σου μόνον καὶ τοῖς κινδύνοις παρέστηκεν αὕτη ἡ χάρις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς εὐκολωτάτοις δοκοῦσιν εἶναι συμπράττει, καὶ πανταχοῦ τὴν παρ' ἑαυτῆς εἰσφέρει συμμαχίαν, ἐπήγαγε λέγων: Τὸ γὰρ τί προσευξώμεθα καθ' ὃ δεῖ, οὐκ οἴδαμεν. Ταῦτα δὲ ἔλεγε, τήν τε πολλὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος πρόνοιαν ἐμφαίνων τὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς, καὶ παιδεύων αὐτοὺς, μὴ πάντως ἐκεῖνα νομίζειν εἶναι συμφέροντα, ἃ τοῖς λογισμοῖς φαίνεται τοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἦν εἰκὸς αὐτοὺς μαστιζομένους, ἐλαυνομένους, μυρία πάσχοντας δεινὰ, ἄνεσιν ζητεῖν, καὶ νομίζειν αὐτοῖς λυσιτελεῖν καὶ ταύτην αἰτεῖν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν χάριν, λέγει: Μὴ πάντως τὰ δοκοῦντα ὑμῖν εἶναι συμφέροντα, ταῦτα καὶ εἶναι νομίζετε. Καὶ γὰρ εἰς τοῦτο τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δεόμεθα βοηθείας: οὕτως ἐστὶν ἀσθενὴς ὁ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ καθ' ἑαυτὸν οὐδέν. Διὸ καὶ ἔλεγε: Τὸ γὰρ τί προσευξώμεθα καθ' ὃ δεῖ, οὐκ οἴδαμεν. Ἵνα γὰρ μηκέτι ὁ μαθητὴς αἰσχύνηται τὴν ἄγνοιαν, ἔδειξε καὶ τοὺς διδασκάλους ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς ὄντας. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Οὐκ οἴδατε, ἀλλ', Οὐκ οἴδαμεν. Καὶ ὅτι οὐ μετριάζων ταῦτα ἔλεγεν, ἐδήλωσε δι' ἑτέρων. Καὶ γὰρ ἀδιαλείπτως ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν αὐτοῦ τὴν Ῥώμην ἰδεῖν ἐδεῖτο, καὶ οὐχ ὅτε ἐδεῖτο, τότε ἐπέτυχε: καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ σκόλοπος τοῦ δεδομένου αὐτῷ ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ, τουτέστι, ὑπὲρ τῶν κινδύνων πολλάκις παρεκάλεσε, καὶ ὁλοσχερῶς ἀπέτυχε: καὶ ὁ Μωϋσῆς δὲ ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ ὑπὲρ τοῦ τὴν Παλαιστίνην ἰδεῖν δεόμενος, καὶ ὁ Ἱερεμίας ὑπὲρ Ἰουδαίων ἱκετεύων, καὶ ὁ Ἀβραὰμ ὑπὲρ Σοδομιτῶν ἐντυγχάνων. Ἀλλ' αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα ὑπερεντυγχάνει ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν στεναγμοῖς ἀλαλήτοις. Ἀσαφὲς τὸ εἰρημένον διὰ τὸ πολλὰ τῶν τότε γινομένων θαυμάτων πεπαῦσθαι νῦν. Διόπερ ἀναγκαῖον διδάξαι ὑμᾶς τὴν τότε κατάστασιν, καὶ οὕτω σαφέστερος λοιπὸν ἔσται ὁ λόγος. Τίς οὖν ἡ τότε κατάστασις ἦν; Διάφορα πᾶσι τοῖς τότε βαπτιζομένοις ἐδίδου χαρίσματα ὁ Θεὸς, ἃ δὴ καὶ πνεύματα ἐκαλεῖτο: Πνεύματα γὰρ προφητῶν προφήταις ὑποτάσσεται, φησί. Καὶ ὁ μὲν εἶχε προφητείας χάρισμα, καὶ προέλεγε τὰ μέλλοντα: ὁ δὲ σοφίας, καὶ ἐδίδασκε τοὺς πολλούς: ὁ δὲ ἰαμάτων, καὶ ἐθεράπευε τοὺς νοσοῦντας: ὁ δὲ δυνάμεων, καὶ ἤγειρε τοὺς νεκρούς: ὁ δὲ γλωσσῶν, καὶ διαφόροις ἐλάλει φωναῖς. Μετὰ δὲ τούτων ἁπάντων ἦν καὶ εὐχῆς χάρισμα, ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα ηὔχετο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλὰ τῶν συμφερόντων ἡμῖν ἀγνοοῦντες, τὰ μὴ συμφέροντα αἰτοῦμεν, ἤρχετο χάρισμα εὐχῆς εἰς ἕνα τινὰ τῶν τότε, καὶ τὸ κοινῇ συμφέρον τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἁπάσης αὐτός τε ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων ἵστατο αἰτῶν, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐπαίδευε. Πνεῦμα τοίνυν ἐνταῦθα καλεῖ τό τε χάρισμα τὸ τοιοῦτον, καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τὴν δεχομένην τὸ χάρισμα καὶ ἐντυγχάνουσαν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ στενάζουσαν. Ὁ γὰρ τοιαύτης καταξιωθεὶς χάριτος, ἑστὼς μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς κατανύξεως, μετὰ πολλῶν τῶν στεναγμῶν τῶν κατὰ διάνοιαν τῷ Θεῷ προσπίπτων, τὰ συμφέροντα πᾶσιν αἰτεῖ. Οὗ καὶ νῦν σύμβολόν ἐστιν ὁ διάκονος τὰς ὑπὲρ τοῦ δήμου ἀναφέρων εὐχάς. Τοῦτο τοίνυν δηλῶν ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγεν: Αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα ἐντυγχάνει ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν στεναγμοῖς ἀλαλήτοις. Ὁ δὲ ἐρευνῶν τὰς καρδίας. Ὁρᾷς, ὅτι οὐ περὶ τοῦ Παρακλήτου ὁ λόγος, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῆς καρδίας τῆς πνευματικῆς; ἐπεὶ εἰ μὴ τοῦτο ἦν, ἔδει εἰπεῖν: Ὁ δὲ ἐρευνῶν τὸ Πνεῦμα. Ἀλλ' ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι περὶ ἀνθρώπου ὁ λόγος πνευματικοῦ, καὶ χάρισμα ἔχοντος εὐχῆς, ἐπήγαγεν: Ὁ δὲ ἐρευνῶν τὰς καρδίας, οἶδε τί τὸ φρόνημα τοῦ πνεύματος: τουτέστι, τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ πνευματικοῦ: ὅτι κατὰ Θεὸν ἐντυγχάνει ὑπὲρ ἁγίων. Οὐ γὰρ ἀγνοοῦντα, φησὶ, διδάσκει τὸν Θεὸν, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο γίνεται, ἵνα ἡμεῖς μάθωμεν εὔχεσθαι ταῦτα ἃ χρὴ, καὶ αἰτεῖν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ δοκοῦντα αὐτῷ: τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ, Κατὰ Θεόν. Ὥστε καὶ παρακλήσεως ἕνεκεν ἐγίνετο τοῦτο τῶν προσιόντων, καὶ διδασκαλίας ἀρίστης: καὶ γὰρ ὁ παρέχων καὶ τὰ χαρίσματα καὶ τὰ μυρία διδοὺς ἀγαθὰ, ὁ Παράκλητος ἦν. Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα, φησὶν, ἐνεργεῖ ἓν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα. Καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας παιδεύσεως ἕνεκεν τοῦτο γίνεται, καὶ τοῦ δειχθῆναι τοῦ Πνεύματος τὴν ἀγάπην, ὅτι μέχρι τοσούτου συγκαταβαίνει. Ὅθεν καὶ τὸ ἀκούεσθαι ἐγίνετο τῷ εὐχομένῳ, διὰ τὸ κατὰ Θεὸν γίνεσθαι τὴν εὐχήν. Ὁρᾷς δι' ὅσων αὐτοὺς παιδεύει τὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀγάπην καὶ τὴν τιμὴν τὴν γινομένην εἰς αὐτούς; ηʹ. Τί γὰρ οὐκ ἐποίησε δι' ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεός; Φθαρτὸν τὸν κόσμον δι' ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἄφθαρτον ἐποίησε δι' ἡμᾶς: κακωθῆναι τοὺς προφήτας συνεχώρησε δι' ἡμᾶς, εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν ἔπεμψε δι' ἡμᾶς, εἰς κάμινον ἀφῆκεν ἐμπεσεῖν δι' ἡμᾶς, τὰ μυρία ὑπομεῖναι κακά. Καὶ προφήτας δὲ δι' ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐποίησε, καὶ ἀποστόλους δι' ἡμᾶς: τὸν Μονογενῆ δι' ἡμᾶς ἐξέδωκε, τὸν διάβολον δι' ἡμᾶς κολάζει: ἐκάθισεν ἡμᾶς ἐν δεξιᾷ: ὠνειδίσθη δι' ἡμᾶς: Οἱ ὀνειδισμοὶ γὰρ, φησὶ, τῶν ὀνειδιζόντων σε ἐπέπεσον ἐπ' ἐμέ. Ἀλλ' ὅμως μετὰ τοσαῦτα ἀφισταμένους ἡμᾶς οὐκ ἀφίησιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρακαλεῖ πάλιν, καὶ ἑτέρους παρασκευάζει παρακαλεῖν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα ἡμῖν χαρίσηται: ὅπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ Μωϋσέως γέγονε. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκείνῳ φησίν: Ἄφες με, καὶ ἐξαλείψω αὐτούς: ἵνα αὐτὸν ἐμβάλῃ εἰς τὴν ὑπὲρ ἐκείνων ἱκετηρίαν: καὶ νῦν τὸ αὐτὸ ποιεῖ. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ χάρισμα εὐχῆς ἐδίδου. Ἐποίει δὲ τοῦτο, οὐκ αὐτὸς παρακλήσεως δεόμενος, ἀλλ' ἵνα ἡμεῖς μὴ, ἁπλῶς σωζόμενοι, φαυλότεροι καταστῶμεν. Διά τοι τοῦτο πολλάκις διὰ τὸν Δαυῒδ καὶ τὸν δεῖνα καὶ τὸν δεῖνά φησιν αὐτοῖς καταλλάττεσθαι, τοῦτο αὐτὸ κατασκευάζων πάλιν, ἵνα καὶ σχῆμα ἐπιτεθῇ τῇ καταλλαγῇ: καίτοι μειζόνως ἂν αὐτὸς ἐφάνη φιλάνθρωπος, εἰ μὴ διὰ τὸν δεῖνα καὶ τὸν δεῖνα, ἀλλὰ δι' ἑαυτὸν ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ἀφεῖναι τὴν ὀργήν. Ἀλλ' οὐχ οὕτω τοῦτο ἐσπούδακεν, ὡς τὸ τοῖς σωζομένοις μὴ γενέσθαι ῥᾳθυμίας ἀφορμὴν τὴν τῆς καταλλαγῆς ὑπόθεσιν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τῷ Ἱερεμίᾳ ἔλεγε: Μὴ ἀξίου περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσακούσομαί σου: οὐχὶ παῦσαι αὐτὸν θέλων ἀξιοῦντα (πολὺ γὰρ ἐπιθυμεῖ τῆς σωτηρίας τῆς ἡμετέρας), ἀλλ' ἐκείνους φοβῆσαι: ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ προφήτης συνιδὼν, οὐκ ἐπαύσατο ἀξιῶν. Καὶ ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι οὐκ ἀποστῆσαι αὐτὸν θέλων, ἀλλ' ἐντρέψαι, ταῦτα ἔλεγεν, ἄκουσον τί φησιν: Ἢ οὐχ ὁρᾷς τί αὐτοὶ ποιοῦσι; Καὶ πρὸς τὴν πόλιν δὲ ὅταν λέγῃ: Ἐὰν ἀποπλύνῃ νίτρῳ, καὶ πληθύνῃς σεαυτῇ πόαν, κεκηλίδωσαι ἐναντίον μου: οὐχ ἵνα εἰς ἀπόγνωσιν ἐμβάλῃ, λέγει, ἀλλ' ἵνα εἰς μετάνοιαν διαναστήσῃ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν Νινευϊτῶν ἀδιορίστως εἰπὼν τὴν ἀπόφασιν, καὶ μὴ ὑποτείνας χρηστὰς ἐλπίδας, μᾶλλον ἐφόβησε καὶ εἰς μετάνοιαν ἤγαγεν: οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα ποιεῖ, ἐκείνους τε διεγείρων καὶ τὸν προφήτην αἰδεσιμώτερον κατασκευάζων, ἵνα κἂν οὕτως αὐτοῦ ἀκούσωσιν. Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ ἔμενον ἀνίατα νοσοῦντες, καὶ οὐδὲ τῶν ἄλλων ἀπενεχθέντων ἐσωφρονίσθησαν, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον παραινεῖ μένειν αὐτόθι: ὡς δὲ οὐκ ἠνείχοντο, ἀλλ' ηὐτομόλουν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, τοῦτο μὲν συνεχώρησεν, αἰτεῖ δὲ παρ' αὐτῶν τὸ μὴ μετ' Αἰγύπτου καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀσέβειαν αὐτομολῆσαι. Ὡς δὲ οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἐπείσθησαν, συμπέμπει τὸν προφήτην αὐτοῖς, ὥστε μὴ τέλεον ἐξοκεῖλαι λοιπόν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ καλοῦντι, αὐτὸς αὐτοῖς ἕπεται λοιπὸν διορθούμενος, καὶ κωλύων προσωτέρω φέρεσθαι τῆς κακίας καθάπερ πατὴρ φιλόστοργος παιδίῳ δυστυχῶς ἔχοντι πρὸς ἅπαντα, πανταχοῦ συμπεριάγων καὶ συμπεριακολουθῶν. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο οὐκ εἰς Αἴγυπτον μόνον τὸν Ἱερεμίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς Βαβυλῶνα τὸν Ἰεζεκιὴλ ἔπεμπεν. Οἱ δὲ οὐκ ἀντέλεγον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸν ἑαυτῶν Δεσπότην εἶδον σφόδρα αὐτοὺς φιλοῦντα, καὶ αὐτοὶ τοῦτο ποιοῦντες διετέλουν: ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις υἱὸν ἄχρηστον δοῦλος εὐγνώμων ἐλεήσειεν, ὁρῶν τὸν πατέρα ἀλγοῦντα ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ καὶ κοπτόμενον. Τί γὰρ οὐκ ἔπασχον δι' αὐτούς; Ἐπρίζοντο, ἠλαύνοντο, ὠνειδίζοντο, ἐλιθάζοντο, μυρία ἔπασχον δεινά: καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἅπαντα, πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔτρεχον πάλιν. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Σαμουὴλ οὐ διέλειπε πενθῶν τὸν Σαοὺλ, καίτοι γε χαλεπῶς ὑβρισθεὶς παρ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ ἀνήκεστα παθών: ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδενὸς ἐκείνων ἐμέμνητο. Τῷ δὲ Ἰουδαίων δήμῳ καὶ θρήνους γραπτοὺς ὁ Ἱερεμίας συνέθηκε: καὶ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ τῶν Περσῶν διδόντος αὐτῷ μετὰ ἀδείας οἰκεῖν καὶ ἐλευθερίας ἁπάσης ὅπου βούλοιτο, προετίμησε τῆς οἴκοι διατριβῆς τὴν τοῦ λαοῦ κακουχίαν καὶ τὴν ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ ταλαιπωρίαν. Οὕτω καὶ Μωϋσῆς τὰ βασίλεια καὶ τὴν ἐκεῖ διατριβὴν ἀφεὶς, πρὸς τὰς ἐκείνων ἔδραμε συμφοράς. Καὶ Δανιὴλ δὲ ἐν εἰκοσιὲξ ἡμέραις ἄσιτος ἔμεινεν, ἄγχων ἑαυτὸν τῇ βαρυτάτῃ νηστείᾳ, ἵνα τὸν Θεὸν αὐτοῖς καταλλάξῃ: καὶ οἱ παῖδες δὲ οἱ τρεῖς ἐν καμίνῳ ὄντες καὶ τοσούτῳ πυρὶ, τὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἱκετηρίαν ἀνέφερον. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτῶν ἤλγουν τῶν σεσωσμένων: ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τότε μάλιστα ᾤοντο παῤῥησίαν ἔχειν, διὰ τοῦτο ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἐδέοντο. Διὸ καὶ ἔλεγον: Ἐν ψυχῇ συντετριμμένῃ καὶ πνεύματι ταπεινώσεως προσδεχθείημεν. Διὰ τούτους καὶ Ἰησοῦς τὰ ἱμάτια διέῤῥηξε: διὰ τούτους καὶ Ἰεζεκιὴλ ἐθρήνει καὶ ὠλοφύρετο κατακοπτομένους ὁρῶν: καὶ Ἱερεμίας ἔλεγεν: Ἄφετέ με, πικρῶς κλαύσομαι. Καὶ πρὸ τούτου δὲ, ἐπειδὴ ἀξιῶσαι ὑπὲρ συγχωρήσεως τῶν δεινῶν παντελοῦς οὐκ ἐτόλμα, προθεσμίαν ἐζήτει λέγων: Ἕως πότε, Κύριε; φιλόστοργον γὰρ ἅπαν τὸ τῶν ἁγίων γένος. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγεν: Ἐνδύσασθε οὖν, ὡς ἐκλεκτοὶ Θεοῦ ἅγιοι, σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμῶν, χρηστότητα, ταπεινοφροσύνην. θʹ. Ὁρᾷς τὴν ἀκρίβειαν τοῦ ῥήματος, καὶ πῶς διηνεκῶς ἐλεήμονας ἡμᾶς βούλεται εἶναι; Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Ἐλεήσατε, ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ', Ἐνδύσασθε: ἵνα ὥσπερ τὸ ἱμάτιον ἀεὶ μεθ' ἡμῶν ἐστιν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν ἁπλῶς, Ἐλεημοσύνην, ἀλλὰ, Σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμῶν, ἵνα φυσικὴν μιμησώμεθα φιλοστοργίαν. Ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς τἀναντία ποιοῦμεν: κἂν προσέλθῃ τις αἰτῶν ὀβολὸν ἕνα, ὑβρίζομεν, λοιδοροῦμεν, ἐπιθέτην καλοῦμεν. Οὐ φρίττεις, ἄνθρωπε, οὐκ ἐρυθριᾷς, ἐπιθέτην ὑπὲρ ἄρτου καλῶν; Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐπίθεσιν ὁ τοιοῦτος ποιεῖ, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐλεεῖσθαι δίκαιος, ὅτι οὕτως ὑπὸ λιμοῦ πιέζεται ὡς τοιοῦτον ὑποδῦναι προσωπεῖον. Καὶ τοῦτο τῆς ἡμετέρας ὠμότητος ἔγκλημα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εὐκόλως παρέχειν οὐκ ἀνεχόμεθα, μυρίας ἀναγκάζονται ἐπινοεῖν μηχανὰς, ὥστε ἡμῶν σοφίσασθαι τὴν ἀπανθρωπίαν, καὶ τὴν τραχύτητα καταμαλάξαι. Ἄλλως δὲ, εἰ μὲν ἀργύριον ᾔτει καὶ χρυσίον, εἶχεν ἄν σοι τὰ τῆς ὑποψίας λόγον: εἰ δὲ ὑπὲρ ἀναγκαίας σοι τροφῆς προσέρχεται, τί φιλοσοφεῖς ἀκαίρως, καὶ ἀκριβολογεῖ περιττὰ, ἀργίαν ἐγκαλῶν καὶ ὄκνον; Εἰ γὰρ δεῖ ταῦτα λέγειν, οὐχ ἑτέροις, ἀλλ' ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς ἐπιλέγειν δεῖ. Ὅταν γοῦν τῷ Θεῷ προσίῃς ἁμαρτημάτων αἰτῶν συγχώρησιν, τούτων ἀναμνήσθητι τῶν ῥημάτων, καὶ γνώσῃ ὅτι δικαιότερον ταῦτα αὐτὸς ἀκούσῃ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἢ ὁ πένης παρὰ σοῦ. Ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδέποτε πρὸς σὲ ταῦτα εἶπε τὰ ῥήματα ὁ Θεὸς, οἷον, Ἀπόστηθι: καὶ γὰρ ἐπιθέτης εἶ, εἰς μὲν ἐκκλησίαν εἰσιὼν συνεχῶς, καὶ νόμων ἀκούων τῶν ἐμῶν, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀγορᾷ καὶ χρυσίον καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν καὶ φιλίαν καὶ πάντα ἁπλῶς προτιμῶν τῶν ἐμῶν ἐπιταγμάτων: καὶ νῦν μὲν ταπεινὸς γίνῃ, μετὰ δὲ τὴν εὐχὴν καὶ θρασὺς καὶ ὠμὸς καὶ ἀπάνθρωπος: ἄπιθι τοίνυν ἐντεῦθεν, καὶ μηκέτι μοι πρόσιθι. Ταῦτα γὰρ, καὶ τούτων πλείονα ἀκούειν ἦμεν ἄξιοι: ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδέποτε τοιοῦτον οὐδὲν ὠνείδισεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μακροθυμεῖ καὶ τὰ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ πάντα πληροῖ, καὶ πλείονα ὧν αἰτοῦμεν δίδωσι. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἐννοοῦντες, λύσωμεν τὴν πενίαν τοῖς δεομένοις, κἂν ἐπίθεσιν ποιῶσι, μὴ ἀκριβολογώμεθα. Τοιαύτης γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς χρῄζομεν σωτηρίας τῆς μετὰ συγγνώμης, τῆς μετὰ φιλανθρωπίας, τῆς μετὰ ἐλέους πολλοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστι, τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς ἐξεταζομένων ἀκριβῶς, σωθῆναί ποτε, ἀλλ' ἀνάγκη κολασθῆναι καὶ ἀπολέσθαι πάντας. Μὴ τοίνυν γινώμεθα ἑτέρων πικροὶ δικασταὶ, ἵνα μὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀκριβεῖς ἀπαιτηθῶμεν εὐθύνας: καὶ γὰρ ἔχομεν ἁμαρτήματα συγγνώμης πάσης μείζονα. Ὥστε ἐκείνους μᾶλλον ἐλεῶμεν τοὺς τὰ ἀσύγγνωστα ἁμαρτάνοντας, ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ τοιοῦτον ἑαυτοῖς προαποθώμεθα ἔλεον: καίτοι ὅσα ἂν φιλοτιμησώμεθα, οὐδέποτε δυνησόμεθα τοιαύτην εἰσενεγκεῖν φιλανθρωπίαν, οἵας χρῄζομεν ἡμεῖς παρὰ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ. Πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἄτοπον, τοσούτων ὄντας ἐν χρείᾳ αὐτοὺς, ἀκριβολογεῖσθαι περὶ τοὺς ἡμετέρους συνδούλους, καὶ καθ' ἑαυτῶν ἅπαντα πράττειν; Οὐ γὰρ οὕτως ἐκεῖνον ἀνάξιον ἀποφαίνεις τῆς εὐεργεσίας τῆς σῆς, ὡς ἑαυτὸν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας. Ὁ γὰρ περὶ τὸν σύνδουλον ἀκριβολογούμενος πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸν Θεὸν ἕξει τοῦτο ποιοῦντα. Μὴ τοίνυν καθ' ἡμῶν φθεγγώμεθα, ἀλλὰ κἂν διὰ ῥᾳθυμίαν, κἂν δι' ἀργίαν προσίωσιν, ἡμεῖς παρέχωμεν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς πολλὰ διὰ ῥᾳθυμίαν ἁμαρτάνομεν, μᾶλλον δὲ ἅπαντα διὰ ῥᾳθυμίαν, καὶ οὐκ ἀπαιτεῖ δίκην ἡμᾶς εὐθέως ὁ Θεὸς, ἀλλὰ δίδωσι προθεσμίαν μετανοίας ἡμῖν, τρέφων καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, παιδεύων, διδάσκων, τὰ ἄλλα πάντα χορηγῶν, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς ζηλώσωμεν αὐτοῦ τὸν ἔλεον τοῦτον. Καταλύσωμεν τοίνυν τὴν ὠμότητα ταύτην, ἐκβάλωμεν τὴν θηριωδίαν, ἅτε ἑαυτοὺς μᾶλλον ἢ ἑτέρους εὐεργετοῦντες. Τούτοις μὲν γὰρ ἀργύριον διδόαμεν καὶ ἄρτον καὶ ἱμάτιον, ἡμῖν δὲ αὐτοῖς μεγίστην προαποτιθέμεθα δόξαν, καὶ ἣν οὐκ ἔνι παραστῆσαι λόγῳ. Τὰ γὰρ σώματα ἄφθαρτα ἀπολαβόντες, συνδοξασόμεθα καὶ συμβασιλεύσομεν τῷ Χριστῷ: τοῦτο δὲ ἡλίκον ἐστὶν, ἐντεῦθεν εἰσόμεθα, μᾶλλον δὲ σαφῶς μὲν οὐδαμόθεν εἰσόμεθα νῦν: ὥστε δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν παρ' ἡμῖν ἀγαθῶν ἀναχθέντας μικρὰν γοῦν τινα αὐτοῦ λαβεῖν ἔννοιαν, ὡς ἂν οἷός τε ὦ, παραστῆσαι πειράσομαι τὸ εἰρημένον. Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, εἴ τίς σε γεγηρακότα καὶ ἐν πενίᾳ ζῶντα ἐπηγγέλλετο ἐξαίφνης ποιήσειν νέον, καὶ εἰς αὐτὴν ἄξειν τῆς ἡλικίας τὴν ἀκμὴν, καὶ σφόδρα ἰσχυρὸν καὶ ὡραῖον ὑπὲρ ἅπαντας κατασκευάζειν, καὶ βασιλείαν δώσειν τῆς γῆς ἁπάσης ἐπὶ ἔτεσι χιλίοις, βασιλείαν εἰρήνην ἔχουσαν βαθυτάτην, τί οὐκ ἂν ὑπὲρ ταύτης τῆς ὑποσχέσεως εἴλου ποιῆσαι καὶ παθεῖν; Ἰδοὺ τοίνυν ὁ Χριστὸς οὐχὶ ταῦτα, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ μείζονα τούτων ἐπαγγέλλεται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὅσον γήρως καὶ νεότητος τὸ μέσον, τοσοῦτον φθορᾶς καὶ ἀφθαρσίας τὸ διάφορον: οὐδὲ ὅσον βασιλείας καὶ πενίας, τοσοῦτον τῆς δόξης τῆς μελλούσης καὶ τῆς παρούσης, ἀλλ' ὅσον ὀνειράτων καὶ ἀληθείας. ιʹ. Μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲν οὐδέπω εἴρηκα: οὐδὲ γάρ ἐστι λόγος ἱκανὸς παραστῆσαι τὸ μέγεθος τῆς διαφορᾶς τῶν ἐσομένων πρὸς τὰ παρόντα: χρόνου δὲ ἕνεκεν οὐδὲ ὅλως ἔστιν ἐννοῆσαι διαφοράν. Πῶς γὰρ ἄν τις παραβάλοι τοῖς παροῦσι ζωὴν τέλος οὐκ ἔχουσαν; Τῆς δὲ εἰρήνης τοσοῦτον τὸ μέσον πρὸς τὴν παροῦσαν, ὅσον εἰρήνης καὶ πολέμου τὸ διάφορον: καὶ τῆς ἀφθαρσίας, ὅσον βώλου πηλίνης ὁ καθαρὸς μαργαρίτης ἀμείνων: μᾶλλον δὲ ὅσον ἂν εἴπῃ τις, οὐδὲν παραστῆσαι δυνήσεται. Κἂν γὰρ τῷ τῆς ἀκτῖνος παραβάλω φωτὶ τὸ κάλλος τῶν τότε σωμάτων, κἂν ἀστραπῇ τῇ φανοτάτῃ, οὐδὲν οὐδέπω τῆς λαμπρότητος ἄξιον ἐκείνης ἐρῶ. Ὑπὲρ δὴ τούτων πόσα οὐκ ἄξιον προέσθαι καὶ χρήματα καὶ σώματα, μᾶλλον δὲ πόσας οὐκ ἄξιον προέσθαι ψυχάς; Νῦν μὲν εἰ μέν τίς σε εἰς βασίλεια εἰσῆγε, καὶ πάντων παρόντων διαλεχθῆναί σοι παρεσκεύασε τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ ὁμοτράπεζον καὶ ὁμοδίαιτον ἐποίει αὐτῷ, πάντων ἂν ἔφης σαυτὸν εἶναι μακαριώτερον: εἰς δὲ τὸν οὐρανὸν μέλλων ἀναβαίνειν, καὶ παρ' αὐτὸν ἑστάναι τὸν τῶν ὅλων βασιλέα, καὶ ἀντιλάμπειν τοῖς ἀγγέλοις, καὶ τῆς ἀποῤῥήτου δόξης ἀπολαύειν ἐκείνης, ἀμφιβάλλεις εἰ δεῖ προέσθαι χρήματα, δέον, εἰ καὶ τὴν ζωὴν αὐτὴν ἀποδύσασθαι ἔδει, σκιρτᾷν καὶ ἀγάλλεσθαι καὶ πτεροῦσθαι τῇ ἡδονῇ. Σὺ δὲ ἵνα μὲν ἀρχὴν λάβῃς τὴν παρέχουσάν σοι κλοπῶν ἀφορμὰς (οὐ γὰρ ἂν εἴποιμι κέρδος τὸ τοιοῦτον ἐγὼ), καὶ τὰ ὄντα ἐκβάλλεις, καὶ τὰ ἑτέρων δανεισάμενος, εἰ δέοι, καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ τὰ τέκνα ὑποθέσθαι οὐ κατοκνεῖς: τῆς δὲ βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν προκειμένης, τῆς οὐδένα διάδοχον ἐχούσης ἀρχῆς, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ κελεύοντος οὐ μέρος γωνίας γῆς, ἀλλ' ὁλόκληρον λαβεῖν τὸν οὐρανὸν, ὀκνεῖς καὶ ἀναδύῃ, καὶ πρὸς χρήματα κέχηνας, καὶ οὐκ ἐννοεῖς, ὅτι εἰ τὰ πρὸς ἡμᾶς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐκείνου μέρη οὕτω καλὰ καὶ τερπνὰ, ἡλίκα τὰ ἄνω, καὶ ὁ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οὐρανός; Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τέως σώματος ὀφθαλμοῖς ταῦτα ἰδεῖν οὐκ ἔνι, ἀνάβηθι τῷ λογισμῷ, καὶ ὑπὲρ τὸν οὐρανὸν τοῦτον στὰς, ἀνάβλεψον εἰς ἐκεῖνον τὸν ἀνωτέρω τούτου οὐρανὸν, εἰς τὸ ὕψος τὸ ἄπειρον, εἰς τὸ φῶς τὸ φρίκης γέμον, εἰς τοὺς τῶν ἀγγέλων δήμους, εἰς τὰ στίφη τῶν ἀρχαγγέλων τὰ ἄπειρα, εἰς τὰς ἄλλας τὰς ἀσωμάτους δυνάμεις. Καὶ πάλιν ἐπιλαβοῦ τῆς παρ' ἡμῖν εἰκόνος καταβὰς ἄνωθεν, καὶ ὑπόγραψον τὰ περὶ τὸν βασιλέα τὸν παρ' ἡμῖν, οἷον ἄνδρας χρυσοφοροῦντας, καὶ ζεύγη λευκῶν ἡμιόνων χρυσῷ καλλωπιζομένων, καὶ ὀχήματα λιθοκόλλητα, καὶ στρωμνὴν χιονώδη, καὶ πέταλα τοῖς ὀχήμασι περισειόμενα, καὶ δράκοντας ἐν ἱματίοις σχηματιζομένους σηρικοῖς, καὶ ἀσπίδας χρυσοῦς ἐχούσας ὀμφαλοὺς, καὶ τελαμῶνας ἐκ τούτων πρὸς τὰς ἄντυγας ἄνω διὰ πολλῶν ἐκτεινομένας λίθων, καὶ ἵππους χρυσοφοροῦντας, καὶ χαλινοὺς χρυσοῦς. Ἀλλ' ὅταν τὸν βασιλέα ἴδωμεν, οὐδὲν τούτων λοιπὸν ὁρῶμεν: ἐκεῖνος γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἐπιστρέφει μόνος, καὶ τὰ πορφυρᾶ ἱμάτια, καὶ τὸ διάδημα, καὶ ἡ καθέδρα, καὶ ἡ περόνη, καὶ τὰ ὑποδήματα, ἡ πολλὴ τῆς ὄψεως λαμπηδών. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἅπαντα συναγαγὼν ἀκριβῶς, ἀπὸ τούτων πάλιν μετάθες ἐπὶ τὰ ἄνω τὸν λογισμὸν, καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν φοβερὰν ἐκείνην, καθ' ἣν ὁ Χριστὸς παραγίνεται. Οὐ γὰρ ζεύγη ἡμιόνων ὄψει τότε, οὐδὲ ὀχήματα χρυσᾶ, οὐδὲ δράκοντας καὶ ἀσπίδας, ἀλλ' ἃ πολλῆς γέμει φρίκης, καὶ τοσαύτην ἐμποιεῖ τὴν ἔκπληξιν, ὡς καὶ αὐτὰς καταπλαγῆναι τὰς ἀσωμάτους δυνάμεις: Αἱ γὰρ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν, φησὶ, σαλευθήσονται. Τότε γὰρ ἀνοίγεται πᾶς οὐρανὸς, καὶ τῶν ἁψίδων ἐκείνων ἀναπετάννυνται αἱ πύλαι, κάτεισι δὲ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ μονογενὴς Παῖς, οὐκ εἴκοσιν, οὐδὲ ἑκατὸν ἀνθρώπων δορυφορούντων αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ χιλιάδων καὶ μυριάδων ἀγγέλων, ἀρχαγγέλων, τῶν Χερουβὶμ, τῶν Σεραφὶμ, τῶν ἄλλων δυνάμεων, καὶ πάντα ἔσται φόβου καὶ τρόμου μεστὰ, τῆς γῆς ἀναῤῥηγνυμένης, τῶν πώποτε γενομένων ἀνθρώπων, ἐξ οὗ γέγονεν ὁ Ἀδὰμ μέχρι τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης, ἀπὸ γῆς ἀναβαινόντων τε καὶ ἁρπαζομένων ἁπάντων, αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῆς τοσαύτης φαινομένου δόξης, ὡς καὶ τὴν σελήνην καὶ τὸν ἥλιον καὶ ἅπαν κρύπτεσθαι φῶς ὑπὸ τῆς αὐγῆς ἐκείνης καταλαμπόμενον. Τίς παραστήσει λόγος τὴν μακαριότητα ἐκείνην, τὴν λαμπρότητα, τὴν δόξαν; Οἴμοι ψυχή: καὶ γὰρ δακρῦσαί μοι νῦν ἔπεισι καὶ στενάξαι μέγα, ἐννοοῦντι ποίων ἐξεπέσομεν ἀγαθῶν, οἵας ἀλλοτριούμεθα μακαριότητος: καὶ γὰρ ἀλλοτριούμεθα (τό γε ἐμαυτοῦ λέγω τέως), ἐὰν μή τι μέγα καὶ θαυμαστὸν ἐργασώμεθα. Μὴ τοίνυν μοι λεγέτω τις γέενναν ἐνταῦθα: καὶ γὰρ ἁπάσης γεέννης χαλεπώτερον τὸ τοσαύτης ἐκπεσεῖν τῆς δόξης, καὶ μυρίων κολάσεων χεῖρον τὸ τῆς λήξεως ἀλλοτριωθῆναι ἐκείνης. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἔτι πρὸς τὰ παρόντα κεχήναμεν, καὶ οὐκ ἐννοοῦμεν τοῦ διαβόλου τὴν κακουργίαν, ὃς διὰ τῶν μικρῶν τὰ μεγάλα ἡμᾶς ἀφαιρεῖται, καὶ δίδωσι πηλὸν ἵνα ἁρπάσῃ χρυσὸν, μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα ἁρπάσῃ τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ δείκνυσι σκιὰν ἵνα ἐκβάλῃ τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ ἐν ὀνείρασι φαντάζει (τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ παρὼν πλοῦτος), ἵνα ἡμέρας γενομένης πάντων ἀποδείξῃ πενεστέρους. ιαʹ. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἐννοήσαντες, ὀψὲ γοῦν ποτε φύγωμεν τὸν δόλον, καὶ πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα μεταστῶμεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ἠγνοήσαμεν τοῦ παρόντος βίου τὸ ἐπίκηρον, τῶν πραγμάτων καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν βοώντων σάλπιγγος λαμπρότερον τὴν παροῦσαν εὐτέλειαν, τὸν γέλωτα, τὴν αἰσχύνην, τοὺς κινδύνους, τὰ βάραθρα. Ποίαν οὖν ἕξομεν ἀπολογίαν, τὰ μὲν ἐπικίνδυνα καὶ αἰσχύνης γέμοντα μετὰ πολλῆς διώκοντες τῆς σπουδῆς, τὰ δὲ ἀσφαλῆ καὶ ἐνδόξους ἡμᾶς ποιοῦντα καὶ λαμπροὺς φεύγοντες, καὶ ὅλους ἑαυτοὺς τῇ τῶν χρημάτων ἐκδιδόντες τυραννίδι; Καὶ γὰρ τυραννίδος ἁπάσης χαλεπωτέρα ἡ τούτων δουλεία: καὶ ἴσασιν ὅσοι αὐτῆς ἀπαλλαγῆναι κατηξιώθησαν. Ἵν' οὖν καὶ ὑμεῖς μάθητε τὴν καλὴν ταύτην ἐλευθερίαν, διαῤῥήξατε τὰ δεσμὰ, ἀποπηδήσατε τῆς παγίδος: καὶ μὴ κείσθω χρυσίον ὑμῖν ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας, ἀλλ', ὃ μυρίων χρημάτων ἐστὶ τιμιώτερον, ἐλεημοσύνη καὶ φιλανθρωπία ἀντὶ χρυσίου. Αὕτη μὲν γὰρ παῤῥησίαν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῖν δίδωσιν, ἐκεῖνο δὲ πολλὴν ἡμῖν καταχέει τὴν αἰσχύνην, καὶ σφοδρὸν ποιεῖ πνεῖν τὸν διάβολον καθ' ἡμῶν. Τί τοίνυν καθοπλίζεις σου τὸν ἐχθρὸν, καὶ ἰσχυρότερον ποιεῖς; Ὅπλισον τὴν σεαυτοῦ δεξιὰν κατ' ἐκείνου, καὶ τὸ κάλλος τῆς οἰκίας ἅπαν εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν εἰσάγαγε, καὶ τὸν πλοῦτον ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ ἀπόθου ἅπαντα, καὶ τὸ χρυσίον ἀντὶ κιβωτίου καὶ οἰκίας ὁ οὐρανὸς φυλαττέτω, καὶ πάντα ἡμεῖς περιβαλώμεθα τὰ ἡμέτερα: πολὺ γὰρ τῶν τοίχων βελτίους ἡμεῖς, καὶ τοῦ ἐδάφους σεμνότεροι. Τί τοίνυν ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἀφέντες, εἰς ἐκεῖνα τὴν σπουδὴν ἅπασαν κενοῦμεν, ἅπερ ἀπιόντας οὐκ ἔνι λαβεῖν, πολλάκις δὲ οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα μένοντας κατασχεῖν, παρὸν οὕτω πλουτεῖν, ὡς μὴ μόνον ἐνταῦθα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκεῖ φαίνεσθαι εὐπορωτάτους; Ὁ γὰρ καὶ τὰ χωρία καὶ τὰς οἰκίας καὶ τὸ χρυσίον ἐπὶ τῆς ψυχῆς περιφέρων, ὅπουπερ ἂν φανῇ, μετὰ τοῦ πλούτου φαίνεται τούτου. Καὶ πῶς ἔνι τοῦτο γενέσθαι, φησίν; Ἔνι, καὶ μετὰ πλείονος εὐκολίας. Ἂν γὰρ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὰ μεταθῇς διὰ τῆς τῶν πενήτων χειρὸς, ἅπαντα εἰς τὴν σαυτοῦ ψυχὴν μεταθήσεις, ὥστε κἂν θάνατος ἐπέλθῃ λοιπὸν, οὐδείς σε αὐτὰ ἀφαιρήσεται, ἀλλ' ἀπελεύσῃ κἀκεῖ πλουτῶν. Τοιοῦτον εἶχεν ἡ Ταβιθὰ θησαυρόν: διὰ τοῦτο οὐχ ἡ οἰκία αὐτὴν ἀνεκήρυττεν, οὐδὲ οἱ τοῖχοι οὐδὲ οἱ λίθοι οὐδὲ οἱ κίονες, ἀλλὰ σώματα χηρῶν ἐνδεδυμένα, καὶ δάκρυα ἐκχεόμενα, καὶ θάνατος δραπετεύων, καὶ ζωὴ ἐπανιοῦσα. Τοιαύτας καὶ ἡμεῖς ἑαυτοῖς κατασκευάσωμεν ἀποθήκας, τοιαύτας οἰκοδομήσωμεν ἑαυτοῖς οἰκίας. Οὕτω καὶ τὸν Θεὸν συνεργὸν ἕξομεν, καὶ αὐτοὶ αὐτοῦ συνεργοὶ ἐσόμεθα. Αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι παρήγαγε τοὺς πενομένους, σὺ δὲ παραχθέντας καὶ γενομένους οὐκ εἴασας διαφθαρῆναι τῷ λιμῷ καὶ τῇ λοιπῇ ταλαιπωρίᾳ θεραπεύων καὶ διορθούμενος, καὶ πανταχόθεν ἀνέχων τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν ναόν: οὗ τί γένοιτ' ἂν ἴσον εἰς ὠφελείας καὶ εὐδοξίας λόγον; Εἰ δὲ οὐδέπω σαφῶς κατέμαθες, πηλίκῳ σε ἐκόσμησε κόσμῳ, κελεύσας διορθοῦν πενίαν, ἐκεῖνο λογίζου πρὸς ἑαυτόν: εἴ σοι τοσαύτην ἔδωκεν ἐξουσίαν, ὥστε τὸν οὐρανὸν δύνασθαι καταπίπτοντα διορθοῦν, οὐκ ἂν τιμὴν σφόδρα σε ὑπερβαίνουσαν τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐνόμισας; Ἰδοὺ τοίνυν μείζονός σε κατηξίωσε νῦν τιμῆς. Ὃ γὰρ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐστιν αὐτῷ τιμιώτερον, τοῦτό σοι διορθοῦν ἐπέτρεψεν: ἀνθρώπου γὰρ οὐδὲν ἴσον τῶν ὁρωμένων τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ οὐρανὸν καὶ γῆν καὶ θάλατταν δι' ἐκεῖνον ἐποίησε: καὶ αὐτῷ μᾶλλον ἐνοικῶν εὐφραίνεται, ἢ τῷ οὐρανῷ. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἡμεῖς καὶ ταῦτα εἰδότες, οὐδεμίαν τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ναῶν ἐπιμέλειαν ποιούμεθα ἢ πρόνοιαν, ἀλλ' ἀφέντες αὐτοὺς ἠμελῆσθαι, ἑαυτοῖς λαμπρὰς καὶ μεγάλας κατασκευάζομεν οἰκίας. Διὰ τοῦτο ἔρημοι πάντων ἐσμὲν τῶν ἀγαθῶν, καὶ τῶν σφόδρα πενήτων πτωχότεροι, ὅτι ταύτας καλλωπίζομεν τὰς οἰκίας, ἃς οὐ δυνάμεθα λαβόντες ἐντεῦθεν ἀπελθεῖν, ἀφέντες ἐκείνας, ἃς μεθ' ἡμῶν αὐτῶν συμμεταθεῖναι ἔνι. Καὶ γὰρ διαλυθέντα τὰ σώματα τῶν πενήτων ἀναστήσεται πάντως: καὶ παραγαγὼν αὐτοὺς τότε ὁ ταῦτα ἐπιτάξας Θεὸς, ἐπαινέσεται τοὺς ἐπιμελησαμένους αὐτῶν, καὶ θαυμάσεται, ὅτι μέλλοντας αὐτοὺς καταπίπτειν νῦν μὲν ὑπὸ λιμοῦ, νῦν δὲ ὑπὸ γυμνότητος καὶ κρυμοῦ, παντὶ διωρθώσαντο τρόπῳ. Ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ τοσούτων ἡμῖν προκειμένων ἐπαίνων, μέλλομεν ἔτι, καὶ ἀναδυόμεθα πρὸς τὴν καλὴν ταύτην ἐπιμέλειαν. Καὶ ὁ μὲν Χριστὸς ποῦ καταλῦσαι οὐκ ἔχει, ἀλλὰ περιέρχεται ξένος καὶ γυμνὸς καὶ πεινῶν: σὺ δὲ προάστεια καὶ λουτρὰ καὶ περιπάτους καὶ μυρίους κατασκευάζεις θαλάμους εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην, καὶ τῷ μὲν Χριστῷ οὐδὲ μικροῦ μεταδίδως ὀρόφου, κόραξι δὲ καὶ γυψὶν ὑπερῷα καλλωπίζεις. Τί ταύτης χεῖρον γένοιτ' ἂν τῆς παραπληξίας; τί χαλεπώτερον τῆς μανίας; καὶ γὰρ μανίας ταῦτα ἐσχάτης, μᾶλλον δὲ, ὅπερ ἂν εἴποι τις, οὐδὲν ἄξιον ἐρεῖ. Ἀλλ' ὅμως, ἂν ἐθέλωμεν, δυνατὸν καίτοι χαλεπὴν οὖσαν τὴν νόσον ἀποκρούσασθαι, καὶ οὐ δυνατὸν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ῥᾴδιον, καὶ οὐδὲ ῥᾴδιον ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλῷ ῥᾷον ταύτης ἀπαλλαγῆναι τῆς λύμης, ἢ τῶν σωματικῶν παθῶν, ὅσῳ καὶ μείζων ὁ ἰατρός. Ἐπισπασώμεθα τοίνυν αὐτὸν, καὶ παρακαλέσωμεν συνεφάψασθαι, καὶ τὰ παρ' ἡμῶν συνεισενέγκωμεν, προαίρεσιν λέγω καὶ προθυμίαν. Οὐδενὸς γὰρ ἑτέρου δεήσεται, ἀλλ' ἂν τούτων ἐπιλάβηται μόνον, τὰ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ πάντα εἰσοίσει. Εἰσενέγκωμεν τοίνυν τὰ παρ' ἑαυτῶν, ἵνα καὶ ἐνταῦθα καθαρᾶς ἀπολαύσωμεν ὑγείας, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἐπιτύχωμεν ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ δόξα ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.