Homily XIV.

Ephesians iv. 25–27

“Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor; for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil.”

Having spoken of the “old man” generally, he next draws him also in detail;169    [“And the first exhortation here was suggested by the immediately preceding ἀλήθεια. The figurative form of the precept also (ἀποθέμενοι, ‘putting off’) is an echo from what precedes.”—Meyer.—G.A.] for this kind of teaching is more easily learned when we learn by particulars. And what saith he? “Wherefore, putting away falsehood.” What sort of falsehood? Idols does he mean? Surely not; not indeed but that they are falsehood also. However, he is not now speaking of them, because these persons had nothing to do with them; but he is speaking of that which passes between one man and another, meaning that which is deceitful and false. “Speak ye truth, each one,” saith he, “with his neighbor”; then what is more touching to the conscience170    [“‘Members’ one of another, and to ‘lie’ to one another,—how contradictory!”—Meyer.—G.A.] still, “because we are members one of another.” Let no man deceive his neighbor. As the Psalmist says here and there; “With flattering lip and with a double heart do they speak.” (Ps. xii. 2.) For there is nothing, no, nothing so productive of enmity as deceit and guile.

Observe how everywhere he shames them by this similitude of the body. Let not the eye, saith he, lie to the foot, nor the foot to the eye. For example, if there shall be a deep pit, and then by having reeds laid across upon the mouth of it upon the earth, and yet concealed under earth, it shall by its appearance furnish to the eye an expectation of solid ground, will not the eye use the foot, and discover whether it yields171    [εἴκει, Field’s emendation for the reading εἰκῇ of the mss. He cites the phrase τὸ εἶκον καὶ μὴ ἀντιτυποῦν from Plato, Cratylus, 420 D.—G.A.] and is hollow underneath, or whether it is firm and resists?172    ἀντιτυπεῖ. Will the foot tell a lie, and not report the truth as it is? And what again? If the eye were to spy a serpent or a wild beast, will it lie to the foot? Will it not at once inform it, and the foot thus informed by it refrain from going on? And what again, when neither the foot nor the eye shall know how to distinguish, but all shall depend upon the smelling, as, for example, whether a drug be deadly or not; will the smelling lie to the mouth? And why not? Because it will be destroying itself also. But it tells the truth as it appears to itself. And what again? Will the tongue lie to the stomach? Does it not, when a thing is bitter, reject it, and, if it is sweet, pass it on? Observe ministration, and interchange of service; observe a provident care arising from truth, and, as one might say, spontaneously from the heart. So surely should it be with us also; let us not lie, since we are “members one of another.” This is a sure token of friendship; whereas the contrary is of enmity. What then, thou wilt ask, if a man shall use treachery against thee? Hearken to the truth. If he use treachery, he is not a member; whereas he saith, “lie not towards the members.”

“Be ye angry, and sin not.”

Observe his wisdom. He both speaks to prevent our sinning, and, if we do not listen, still does not forsake us; for his fatherly compassion does not desert him. For just as the physician prescribes to the sick what he must do, and if he does not submit to it, still does not treat him with contempt, but proceeding to add what advice he can by persuasion, again goes on with the cure; so also does Paul. For he indeed who does otherwise, aims only at reputation, and is annoyed at being disregarded; whereas he who on all occasions aims at the recovery of the patient, has this single object in view, how he may restore the patient, and raise him up again. This then is what Paul is doing. He has said, “Lie not.” Yet if ever lying should produce anger,173    [This seems to be a correct account of the new connection, but the exact force of the first imperative it is not easy to determine. Winer (Grammar of N.T., Thayer’s translation, pp. 311, 312) takes it permissively: Be angry (I give you leave), but do not sin. He cites in proof Jer. x. 24, which, however, can be otherwise explained, namely, as the imperative of request, used in prayer. Compare the Lord’s prayer. Meyer says it does not seem logical to connect two imperatives by καὶ unless they are taken in the same sense. If the first imperative were permissive, the combination would be exceptive, and ἀλλά, μόνον or πλήν (Jer. x. 24.) would be required. Both imperatives then are jussive, and there is an anger which a man not only may, but ought, to feel. So Ellicott and Riddle.—G.A.] he goes on again to cure this also. For what saith he? “Be ye angry, and sin not.” It were good indeed never to be angry. Yet if ever any one should fall into passion, still let him not fall into so great a degree. “For let not the sun,” saith he, “go down upon your wrath.” Wouldest thou have thy fill of anger? One hour, or two, or three, is enough for thee; let not the sun depart, and leave you both at enmity. It was of God’s goodness that he rose: let him not depart, having shone on unworthy men. For if the Lord of His great goodness sent him, and hath Himself forgiven thee thy sins, and yet thou forgivest not thy neighbor, look, how great an evil is this! And there is yet another besides this. The blessed Paul dreads the night,174    [“There does not appear any allusion to the possible effect of night upon anger, as Chrysostom here, and Theophylact also.”—Ellicott. The parallel Pythagorean custom is cited by Ellicott (Hammond and Wetstein): “If they were ever carried away by anger into railing, before the setting of the sun they gave the right hand to each other, embraced each other, and were reconciled.”—G.A.] lest overtaking in solitude him that was wronged, still burning with anger, it should again kindle up the fire. For as long as there are many things in the daytime to banish it, thou art free to indulge it; but as soon as ever the evening comes on, be reconciled, extinguish the evil whilst it is yet fresh; for should night overtake it, the morrow will not avail to extinguish the further evil which will have been collected in the night. Nay, even though thou shouldest cut off the greater portion, and yet not be able to cut off the whole, it will again supply from what is left for the following night, to make the blaze more violent. And just as, should the sun be unable by the heat of the day to soften and disperse that part of the air which has been during the night condensed into cloud, it affords material for a tempest, night overtaking the remainder, and feeding it again with fresh vapors: so also is it in the case of anger.

“Neither give place to the devil.”

So then to be at war with one another, is “to give place to the devil”; for, whereas we had need to be all in close array, and to make our stand against him, we have relaxed our enmity against him, and are giving the signal for turning against each other; for never has the devil such place as in our enmities.175    [This reference to church life is not implied in the context. He follows up what he said before by saying, Give not to the devil opportunity for being active by an angry state of mind.—G.A.] Numberless are the evils thence produced. And as stones in a building, so long as they are closely fitted together and leave no interstice, will stand firm, while if there is but a single needle’s passage through, or a crevice no broader than a hair, this destroys and ruins all; so is it with the devil. So long indeed as we are closely set and compacted together, he cannot introduce one of his wiles; but when he causes us to relax a little, he rushes in like a torrent. In every case he needs only a beginning, and this is the thing which it is difficult to accomplish; but this done, he makes room on all sides for himself. For henceforth he opens the ear to slanders, and they who speak lies are the more trusted: they have enmity which plays the advocate, not truth which judges justly. And as, where friendship176    [Compare Goethe:   Die Freundschaft ist gerecht. Sie kann allein,   Den ganzen Umfang seines Werths erkennen.—G.A.] is, even those evils which are true appear false, so where there is enmity, even the false appear true. There is a different mind, a different tribunal, which does not hear fairly, but with great bias and partiality. As, in a balance, if lead is cast into the scale, it will drag down the whole; so is it also here, only that the weight of enmity is far heavier than any lead. Wherefore, let us, I beseech you, do all we can to extinguish our enmities before the going down of the sun. For if you fail to master it on the very first day, both on the following, and oftentimes even for a year, you will be protracting it, and the enmity will thenceforward augment itself, and require nothing to aid it. For by causing us to suspect that words spoken in one sense were meant in another, and gestures also, and everything, it infuriates and exasperates us, and makes us more distempered than madmen, not enduring either to utter a name, or to hear it, but saying everything in invective and abuse. How then are we to allay this passion? How shall we extinguish the flame? By reflecting on our own sins, and how much we have to answer for to God; by reflecting that we are wreaking vengeance, not on an enemy, but on ourselves; by reflecting that we are delighting the devil, that we are strengthening our enemy, our real enemy, and that for him we are doing wrong to our own members. Wouldest thou be revengeful and be at enmity? Be at enmity, but be so with the devil, and not with a member of thine own. For this purpose it is that God hath armed us with anger, not that we should thrust the sword against our own bodies, but that we should baptize177    βαπτίζωμεν τὴν μάχαιραν εἰς τὸ τοῦ διαβόλου στῆθος. the whole blade in the devil’s breast. There bury the sword up to the hilt; yea, if thou wilt, hilt and all, and never draw it out again, but add yet another and another. And this actually comes to pass when we are merciful to those of our own spiritual family and peaceably disposed one towards another. Perish money, perish glory and reputation; mine own member is dearer to me than they all. Thus let us say to ourselves; let us not do violence to our own nature to gain wealth, to obtain glory.

Ver. 28. “Let him that stole,”178    [“‘The stealer (ὁκλέπτων) is to steal no more.’ The present participle does not stand for the past, but is used substantively (like ὁσπείρων, Matt. xiii. 3.). As there were in the apostolic church ‘fornicators’ (1 Cor. v. 1.), so there were also ‘stealers,’ and the attempts to tone down the word are arbitrary and superfluous.”—Meyer.—G.A.] saith he, “steal no more.”

Seest thou what are the members of the old man? Falsehood, revenge, theft. Why said he not, “Let him that stole” be punished, be tortured, be racked; but, “let him steal no more”? “But rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need.”

Where are they which are called pure;179    καθαροί. The Cathari, or pure, was the title which the Novatians indirectly assumed, by maintaining that none were in God’s favor but those who had not sinned after baptism, or who were pure as baptism made them, and by separating from the Church for granting absolution to penitents. The schism originated at Rome in the middle of the third century. Accordingly St. Chrysostom in the text says, that whereas all men need pardon continually, they who affected to be clean or pure without securing it were, as being without it, of all men most unclean. [And he strongly asserts, as against the Novatians, that it is possible to put away the guilt of sins committed after baptism, by ceasing from the practice of them and working that which is good. This view, however, differs from the Protestant view, that the putting away the guilt of sin is at first and always through God’s mercy and grace in Jesus Christ.—G.A.] In the sixth of eleven new Homilies edited by the Benedictines, t. xii. p. 355, he says that we may as well talk of the sea being clear of waves as any soul pure from daily sins, though not from transgressing express commandment, yet from vainglory, willfulness, impure thoughts, coveting, lying, resentment, envy, &c., and he mentions as means of washing away sins, coming to Church, grieving for them, confessing them, doing alms, praying, helping the injured, and forgiving injuries. “Let us provide ourselves with these,” he proceeds, “every day, washing, wiping ourselves clean, and withal confessing ourselves unprofitable,” unlike the Pharisee. “Thus ordering ourselves, we shall be able to find mercy and pardon in that fearful day, &c.” This homily was delivered at Constantinople. [On the Novatians, see Schaff, Church History, II., pp. 196, 197.—G.A.] they that are full of all defilement, and yet dare to give themselves a name like this? For it is possible, very possible, to put off the reproach, not only by ceasing from the sin, but by working some good thing also. Perceive ye how we ought to get quit of the sin? “They stole.” This is the sin. “They steal no more.” This is not to do away the sin. But how shall they? If they labor, and charitably communicate to others, thus will they do away the sin. He does not simply desire that we should work, but so “work” as to “labor,” so as that we may “communicate” to others. For the thief indeed works, but it is that which is evil.

Ver. 29. “Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth.”

What is “corrupt speech”? That which is said elsewhere to be also “idle, backbiting, filthy communication, jesting, foolish talking.” See ye how he is cutting up the very roots of anger? Lying, theft, unseasonable conversation. The words, however, “Let him steal no more,” he does not say so much excusing them, as to pacify the injured parties, and to recommend them to be content, if they never suffer the like again. And well too does he give advice concerning conversation;180    [The clause, “And well does he give instruction concerning our words also” (καλῶς δὲ καὶ περὶ λόγων διδάσκει), is omitted in the text of Field, but is well attested (three mss., Sav. text), and almost indispensable to the sense of the passage. Compare note, p. 82, on Field’s text in general.—G.A.] inasmuch as we shall pay the penalty, not for our deeds only, but also for our words.

“But such as is good,” he proceeds, “for edifying, as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.”

That is to say, What edifies thy neighbor, that only speak, not a word more. For to this end God gave thee a mouth and a tongue, that thou mightest give thanks to Him, that thou mightest build up thy neighbor. So that if thou destroy that building, better were it to be silent, and never to speak at all. For indeed the hands of the workmen, if instead of raising the walls, they should learn to pull them down, would justly deserve to be cut off. For so also saith the Psalmist; “The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips.” (Ps. xii. 3.) The mouth,—this is the cause of all evil; or rather not the mouth, but they that make an evil use of it. From thence proceed insults, revilings, blasphemies, incentives to lusts, murders, adulteries, thefts, all have their origin from this. And how, you will say, do murders? Because from insult thou wilt go on to anger, from anger to blows, from blows to murder. And how, again, adultery? “Such a woman,” one will say, “loves thee, she said something nice about thee.” This at once unstrings thy firmness, and thus are thy passions kindled within thee.

Therefore Paul said, “such as is good.” Since then there is so vast a flow of words, he with good reason speaks indefinitely, charging us to use expressions of that kind, and giving us a pattern of communication. What then is this? By saying, “for edifying,” either he means this, that he who hears thee may be grateful to thee: as, for instance, a brother has committed fornication; do not make a display of the offense, nor revel in it; thou wilt be doing no good to him that hears thee; rather, it is likely, thou wilt hurt him, by giving him a stimulus. Whereas, advise him what to do, and thou art conferring on him a great obligation. Discipline him how to keep silence, teach him to revile no man, and thou hast taught him his best lesson, thou wilt have conferred upon him the highest obligation. Discourse with him on contrition, on piety, on almsgiving; all these things will soften his soul, for all these things he will own his obligation. Whereas by exciting his laughter, or by filthy communication, thou wilt rather be inflaming him. Applaud the wickedness, and thou wilt overturn and ruin him.

Or else he means181    [“It means ‘that it may impart a blessing, bestow a benefit, on the hearers.’”—Meyer and Ellicott.—G.A.] thus, “that it may make them, the hearers, full of grace.” For as sweet ointment gives grace to them that partake of it, so also does good speech. Hence it was moreover that one said, “Thy name is as ointment poured forth.” (Cant. i. 3.) It caused them to exhale that sweet perfume. Thou seest that what he continually recommends, he is saying now also, charging every one according to his several ability to edify his neighbors. Thou then that givest such advice to others, how much more to thyself!

Ver. 30. “And grieve not,” he adds, “the Holy Spirit of God.”

A matter this more terrible and startling, as he also says in the Epistle to the Thessalonians; for there too he uses an expression of this sort. “He that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God.” (1 Thess. iv. 8.) So also here. If thou utter a reproachful word, if thou strike thy brother, thou art not striking him, thou art “grieving the Holy Spirit.” And then is added further the benefit bestowed, in order to heighten the rebuke.

“And grieve not the Holy Spirit,” saith He, “in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.”

He it is who marks us as a royal flock; He, who separates us from all former things; He, who suffers us not to lie amongst them that are exposed to the wrath of God,—and dost thou grieve Him? Look how startling are his words there; “For he that rejecteth,” saith he, “rejecteth not man, but God:” and how cutting they are here, “Grieve not the Holy Spirit,” saith he, “in whom ye were sealed.”

Moral. Let this seal then abide upon thy mouth,182    [This is probably a misapplication of Paul’s words here. The sealing here mentioned is quite the same as at chap. i. 13.—G.A.] and never destroy the impression. A spiritual mouth never utters a thing of the kind. Say not, “It is nothing, if I do utter an unseemly word, if I do insult such an one.” For this very reason is it a great evil, because it seems to be nothing. For things which seem to be nothing are thus easily thought lightly of; and those which are thought lightly of go on increasing; and those which go on increasing become incurable.

Thou hast a spiritual mouth. Think what words thou didst utter immediately upon being born,183    [ἐννόησον τίνα εὐθέως ἐφθέγξω ῥ& 208·ματα τέχθείς, κ.τ.λ. This evidently refers to baptism and the services and words used in connection therewith. Bingham says, “The catechumens did not learn the creed and the Lord’s prayer till immediately before baptism.” And Chrysostom says, “An unbaptized person cannot yet call God his Father.” St. Augustine also says in one of his homilies, “Now learn the Lord’s prayer, which ye must repeat eight days hence, when ye are to be baptized.” So they received it (that is, the Lord’s prayer) only on Saturday before Palm Sunday, in order to repeat it on Saturday before Easter, which was the day of their baptism. Antiquities, Bk. x. ch. v. sec. 9.—G.A.]—what words are worthy of thy mouth. Thou callest God, “Father,” and dost thou straightway revile thy brother? Think, whence is it thou callest God, “Father”? Is it from nature? No, thou couldest never say so. Is it from thy goodness? No, nor is it thus. But whence then is it? It is from pure lovingkindness, from tenderness, from His great mercy. Whenever then thou callest God, “Father,” consider not only this, that by reviling thou art committing things unworthy of that, thy high birth, but also that it is of lovingkindness that thou hast that high birth. Disgrace it not then, after receiving it from pure lovingkindness, by showing cruelty towards thy brethren. Dost thou call God “Father,” and yet revile? No, these are not the works of the Son of God. These are very far from Him. The work of the Son of God was to forgive His enemies, to pray for them that crucified Him, to shed His blood for them that hated Him. These are works worthy of the Son of God, to make His enemies,—the ungrateful, the dishonest, the reckless, the treacherous,—to make these brethren and heirs: not to treat them that are become brethren with ignominy like slaves.

184    [This paragraph has reference to the celebration of the Eucharist, concerning which, see Chrysostom’s Hom. xviii. on 2 Cor. (viii. 24).—G.A.]Think what words thy mouth uttered,—of what table these words are worthy. Think what thy mouth touches, what it tastes, of what manner of food it partakes! Dost thou deem thyself to be doing nothing grievous in railing at thy brother? How then dost thou call him brother? And yet if he be not a brother, how sayest thou, “Our Father”? For the word “Our” is indicative of many persons. Think with whom thou standest at the time of the mysteries! With the Cherubim, with the Seraphim! The Seraphim revile not: no, their mouth fulfills this one only duty, to sing the Hymn of praise, to glorify185    ἁγιάζειν. God. And how then shalt thou be able to say with them, “Holy, Holy, Holy,”186    ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος. if thou use thy mouth for reviling? Tell me, I pray. Suppose there were a royal vessel, and that always full of royal dainties, and set apart for that purpose, and then that any one of the servants were to take and use it for holding dung. Would he ever venture again, after it had been filled with dung, to store it away with those other vessels, set apart for those other uses? Surely not. Now railing is like this, reviling is like this. “Our Father!” But what? is this all? Hear also the words, which follow, “which art in Heaven.” The moment thou sayest, “Our Father, which art in Heaven,” the word raises thee up, it gives wings to thy mind, it points out to thee that thou hast a Father in Heaven. Do then nothing, speak nothing of things upon earth. He hath set thee amongst that host above, He hath numbered thee with that heavenly choir. Why dost thou drag thyself down? Thou art standing beside the royal throne, and thou revilest? Art thou not afraid lest the king should deem it an outrage? Why, if a servant, even with us, beats his fellow-servant or assaults him, even though he do it justly, yet we at once rebuke him, and deem the act an outrage; and yet dost thou, who art standing with the Cherubim beside the king’s throne, revile thy brother? Seest thou not these holy vessels? Are they not used continually for only one purpose? Does any one ever venture to use them for any other? Yet art thou holier than these vessels, yea, far holier. Why then defile, why contaminate thyself? Standest thou in Heaven, and dost thou revile? Hast thou thy citizenship with Angels, and dost thou revile? Art thou counted worthy the Lord’s kiss, and dost thou revile? Hath God graced thy mouth with so many and great things, with hymns angelic, with food, not angelic, no, but more than angelic, with His own kiss, with His own embrace, and dost thou revile? Oh, no, I implore thee. Vast are the evils of which this is the source; far be it from a Christian soul. Do I not convince thee as I am speaking, do I not shame thee? Then does it now become my duty to alarm you. For hear what Christ saith: “Whosoever shall say to his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire.” (Matt. v. 22.) Now if that which is lightest of all leads to hell, of what shall not he be worthy, who utters presumptuous words? Let us discipline our mouth to silence. Great is the advantage from this, great the mischief from ill language. We must not spend our riches here. Let us put door and bolt upon them. Let us devour ourselves alive if ever a vexatious word slip out of our mouth. Let us entreat God, let us entreat him whom we have reviled. Let us not think it beneath us to do so. It is ourselves we have wounded, not him. Let us apply the remedy, prayer, and reconciliation with him whom we have reviled. If in our words we are to take such forethought, much more let us impose laws upon ourselves in our deeds. Yea, and if we have friends, whoever they may be, and they should speak evil to any man or revile him, demand of them and exact satisfaction. Let us by all means learn that such conduct is even sin; for if we learn this, we shall soon depart from it.

Now the God of peace keep both your mind and your tongue, and fence you with a sure fence, even His fear, through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory forever. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΔʹ. Διὸ ἀποθέμενοι τὸ ψεῦδος, λαλεῖτε ἀλήθειαν ἕκαστος μετὰ τοῦ πλησίον αὑτοῦ, ὅτι ἐσμὲν ἀλλήλων μέλη. Ὀργίζεσθε, καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε: ὁ ἥλιος μὴ ἐπιδυέτω ἐπὶ τῷ παροργισμῷ ὑμῶν: μὴ δίδοτε τόπον τῷ διαβόλῳ. αʹ. Εἰπὼν τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον καθολικῶς, λοιπὸν αὐτὸν καὶ ὑπογράφει κατὰ μέρος. Αὕτη γὰρ εὐμαθεστέρα ἡ διδασκαλία, ὅταν καὶ κατὰ μέρος μανθάνωμεν. Καὶ τί φησι; Διὸ ἀποθέμενοι τὸ ψεῦδος. Ποῖον ψεῦδος; Τὰ εἴδωλα ἆρά φησιν; Οὐδαμῶς: ψεῦδος μὲν γὰρ καὶ ταῦτα: ἀλλὰ νῦν οὐ περὶ τούτων: οὐδὲν γὰρ αὐτοῖς κοινὸν πρὸς αὐτά: ἀλλὰ τὸ πρὸς ἀλλήλους φησὶ, τουτέστι, τὸ δολερὸν καὶ ὕπουλον. Λαλεῖτε ἀλήθειαν ἕκαστος μετὰ τοῦ πλησίον αὑτοῦ. Εἶτα καὶ τὸ ἐντρεπτικώτερον, Ὅτι ἐσμὲν ἀλλήλων μέλη, μηδεὶς ἀπατάτω τὸν πλησίον: ὅ φησιν ὁ Ψαλμῳδὸς ἄνω καὶ κάτω: Χείλη δόλια ἐν καρδίᾳ, καὶ ἐν καρδίᾳ ἐλάλησε κακά. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν οὕτως ἔχθραν ποιοῦν, ὡς τὸ ἀπατᾷν καὶ παραλογίζεσθαι. Ὅρα πῶς πανταχοῦ αὐτοὺς δυσωπεῖ διὰ τοῦ σώματος. Μὴ ψευδέσθω, φησὶν, ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς τὸν πόδα, μηδὲ ὁ ποῦς τὸν ὀφθαλμόν. Οἷον, ἐὰν βαθὺ ὄρυγμα ᾖ, εἶτα ἄνωθεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καλάμων διακειμένων, καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς γῆς κεκαλυμμένων, ἐν τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ στερεᾶς γῆς παρέχῃ δόξαν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, οὐχὶ τῷ ποδὶ χρήσεται, καὶ εἴσεται πότερον εἰκῆ καὶ διάκενόν ἐστι κάτω, ἢ ἀντερείδει καὶ ἀντιτυπεῖ; μὴ ψεύδεται ὁ ποῦς, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀπαγγέλλει; Τὶ δέ; εἰ ὄφιν ἴδοι ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς, ἢ θηρίον, μὴ ψεύδεται τὸν πόδα; οὐκ εὐθέως ἀπαγγέλλει, κἀκεῖνος παρ' αὐτοῦ μαθὼν, οὐκέτι ἐπέρχεται. Τί δέ; ὅταν μήτε ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς, μήτε ὁ ποῦς εὕρῃ διαγνῶναι, ἀλλὰ τὸ πᾶν τῆς ὀσφρήσεως ᾖ, οἷον πότερον δηλητήριον φάρμακον, ἢ οὒ, μὴ ψεύδεται ἡ ὄσφρησις τὸ στόμα; Οὐδαμῶς. Διὰ τί; Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἑαυτὴν προσαπόλλυσιν: ἀλλ' ὅπερ αὐτῇ παρίσταται, λέγει. Τί δέ; ἡ γλῶσσα μὴ ψεύδεται τὸν στόμαχον; οὐκ ἔνθα μὲν πικρὸν ᾖ, τοῦτο ῥίπτει, ἂν δὲ γλυκὺ, παραπέμπει; Ὅρα διακονίαν καὶ δουλείας ἀντίδοσιν: ὅρα πρόνοιαν ἐξ ἀληθείας γεγενημένην, καὶ ἐκθύμως, ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς μὴ ψευδώμεθα, εἰ ἀλλήλων μέλη ἐσμέν. Τοῦτο φιλίας τεκμήριον, τὸ δὲ ἐναντίον ἔχθρας. Τί οὖν, ἂν ἐπιβουλεύῃ, φησί; Τὸ ἀληθὲς μάθε: ἂν γὰρ ἐπιβουλεύῃ, οὐκ ἔστι μέλος. Εἶπε δὲ, Μὴ ψεύδεσθε πρὸς τὰ μέλη. Ὀργίζεσθε, καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε. Ὅρα σύνεσιν: καὶ λέγει ὅπως μὴ ἁμαρτήσωμεν, καὶ παρακούσαντας πάλιν οὐκ ἐγκαταλιμπάνει: οὐ γὰρ ἀφίησιν αὐτοῦ τὰ σπλάγχνα τὰ πνευματικά. Καθάπερ γὰρ ὁ ἰατρὸς διαγορεύει μὲν τὰ πρακτέα τῷ κάμνοντι, καὶ μὴ ἀνασχομένου δὲ ὅμως οὐ καταφρονεῖ, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐκ τῆς πειθοῦς εἰσάγων συμβουλὴν, θεραπεύει πάλιν, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Παῦλος. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖνο ποιῶν, τὴν δόξαν μόνον ζητεῖ, καὶ ὅτι κατεφρονήθη δάκνεται: ὁ δὲ πανταχοῦ τὴν ὑγείαν τοῦ κάμνοντος ἐπιζητῶν, πρὸς ἓν τοῦτο μόνον ὁρᾷ, ὅπως ἀναστήσῃ τὸν κείμενον. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ποιεῖ. Εἶπε, Μὴ ψεύδεσθε: εἰ δέ ποτε γένοιτο ἀπὸ ψεύδους ὀργὴ, καὶ τοῦτο θεραπεύει πάλιν. Τί γάρ φησιν; Ὀργίζεσθε, καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε. Καλὸν μὲν γὰρ τὸ μὴ ὀργίζεσθαι: εἰ δέ τις ἐμπέσοι ποτὲ εἰς τὸ πάθος, ἀλλὰ μὴ εἰς τοσοῦτον. Ὁ ἥλιος γὰρ, φησὶ, μὴ ἐπιδυέτω ἐπὶ τῷ παροργισμῷ ὑμῶν. Βούλει τῆς ὀργῆς ἐμπλησθῆναι; ἀρκεῖ σοι μία ὥρα καὶ δευτέρα καὶ τρίτη: μὴ καταλιπὼν ἐχθροὺς ὑμᾶς ὁ ἥλιος ἀπέλθοι. Ἀπὸ ἀγαθότητος ἀνέτειλε, μὴ ἀπερχέσθω εἰς ἀναξίους λάμψας. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ Δεσπότης αὐτὸν ἀπὸ πολλῆς ἀγαθότητος ἔπεμψε, καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν ἀφῆκέ σοι τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, σὺ δὲ τῷ πλησίον οὐκ ἀφίης, ὅρα πόσον τὸ κακόν. Καὶ ἄλλο δὲ μετὰ τούτου: δέδοικε τὴν νύκτα ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος, μὴ λαβοῦσα ἐπ' ἐρημίας τὸν ἠδικημένον ἔτι φλεγμαίνοντα, ἀνακαύσῃ τὸ πῦρ. Ἕως μὲν γὰρ ἂν πολλὰ ἐκκρούῃ, τῆς ἡμέρας οὔσης, ἔξεστί σοι ἐμφορεῖσθαι: ὅταν δὲ μέλλοι ἑσπέρα γίνεσθαι, καταλλάττου καὶ πρόσφατον σβέσον τὸ κακόν. Ἂν γὰρ νὺξ ἐπιλάβηται, οὐκ ἀρκέσει ἡ μετὰ ταῦτα ἡμέρα τὸ συναχθὲν καὶ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ σβέσαι κακόν: ἀλλὰ κἂν τὸ πλέον ὑποτέμῃς, τὸ δὲ ὅλον μὴ δυνηθῇς, πάλιν δίδωσιν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὑπολειφθέντος τῇ ἐπιούσῃ νυκτὶ σφοδροτέραν ἐργάσασθαι τὴν πυράν. Καὶ καθάπερ ὁ ἥλιος, ἂν τὸ νεφωθὲν καὶ πυκνωθὲν τοῦ ἀέρος διὰ τῆς νυκτὸς μὴ ἀρκέσῃ τῇ καθημερινῇ μαλάξαι καὶ διασκεδάσαι θέρμῃ, ὑπόθεσιν χειμῶνος παρέχεται, τῆς νυκτὸς ἐπιλαβομένης τοῦ λειψάνου, καὶ πάλιν αὐτὸ τρεφούσης ἑτέροις ἀτμοῖς: οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ὀργῆς. Μήτε δίδοτε τόπον τῷ διαβόλῳ. Ὥστε τὸ ἀλλήλους πολεμεῖν, τόπον ἐστὶ δοῦναι τῷ διαβόλῳ. Δέον γὰρ πάντας συμπεφράχθαι, καὶ κατ' ἐκείνου ἵστασθαι, ἐκλύσαντες ἡμεῖς τὴν πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἔχθραν, ἐπ' ἀλλήλους κελεύομεν τρέπεσθαι. Οὐδέποτε γὰρ οὕτως ἔχει τόπον ὁ διάβολος, ὡς ἐν ταῖς ἔχθραις. βʹ. Τὰ μυρία ἐντεῦθεν κακὰ τίκτεται. Καὶ καθάπερ ἕως μὲν ἂν ὦσιν ἡρμοσμένοι λίθοι, καὶ μηδὲν διάκενον ἔχοντες, ἑστήκασιν ἀῤῥαγεῖς: ἂν δὲ βελόνης μόνης διάτρησιν διαμπὰξ γεγενημένην, ἢ ῥαγάδα τριχὸς ἐπέχουσαν τόπον συμβῇ γενέσθαι, τοῦτο πάντα καταλύει καὶ ἀπόλλυσιν: οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ διαβόλου: ἕως μὲν ἂν ὦμεν πεπυκνωμένοι καὶ συνηρμοσμένοι, οὐδὲν ὅλως ἐπεισάγει τῶν αὑτοῦ: ἐπειδὰν δὲ μικρὸν ἡμᾶς διαχαυνώσῃ, καθάπερ τις χειμάῤῥους ἐπιχέεται. Πανταχοῦ γὰρ ἀρχῆς αὐτῷ χρεία μόνης, καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ δυσκατόρθωτον: τούτου δὲ γενομένου, αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ τὰ πάντα εὐρύνει: λοιπὸν γὰρ διαβολαῖς τὰ ὦτα ἀνέῳγε, καὶ οἱ τὰ ψευδῆ λέγοντες, πιστότεροι: τὴν γὰρ ἔχθραν ἔχουσι δικάζουσαν, οὐ τὴν ἀλήθειαν κρίνουσαν. Καὶ ὥσπερ φιλίας οὔσης, καὶ τὰ ἀληθῆ ψευδῆ φαίνεται τῶν κακῶν: οὕτως ἔχθρας οὔσης, καὶ τὰ ψευδῆ ἀληθῆ: ἕτερος νοῦς, ἕτερον δικαστήριον, οὐκ ἐξ ἴσης ἀκοῦον, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς προσκλίσεως καὶ ἐπιῤῥεπείας. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐν ζυγῷ μόλυβδος προστεθεὶς τὸ πᾶν εἵλκυσεν: οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα, τὸ τῆς ἔχθρας βάρος, μολύβδου χαλεπώτερον ὄν. Διὸ, παρακαλῶ, πάντα πράττωμεν, ὥστε πρὸ τοῦ ἡλίου σβεννύναι τὰς ἔχθρας. Ἂν γὰρ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ πρώτῃ μὴ κρατήσῃς καὶ τῇ ἑξῆς, πολλάκις καὶ εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν αὐτὴν ἐξέτεινας, καὶ αὐτὴ ἑαυτὴν ηὔξησε λοιπὸν ἡ ἔχθρα, καὶ οὐ δεῖταί τινος. Καὶ ῥήματα γὰρ ἑτέρως λεγόμενα ἑτέρως ὑποπτεύειν ποιοῦσα, καὶ σχήματα καὶ πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ἐκθηριοῖ καὶ ἐξαγριοῖ, καὶ τῶν μαινομένων χείρω διατίθησιν, οὔτε τὸ ὄνομα εἰπεῖν, οὔτε ἀκοῦσαι ἀνεχομένη, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῶν λοιδοριῶν ἅπαντα φθεγγομένη. Πῶς οὖν μαλάξομεν τὸν θυμόν; πῶς σβέσομεν τὴν φλόγα; Ἂν τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἁμαρτήματα ἐννοήσωμεν, καὶ ὅσον ἐσμὲν ὑπεύθυνοι τῷ Θεῷ: ἂν ἐννοήσωμεν, ὅτι οὐ τὸν ἐχθρὸν ἀμυνόμεθα, ἀλλ' ἡμᾶς αὐτούς: ἂν ἐννοήσωμεν, ὅτι τὸν διάβολον εὐφραίνομεν, ὅτι τὸν ἐχθρὸν τὸν ἡμέτερον, τὸν ὄντως ἐχθρὸν, δι' ὃν τὸ μέλος τὸ ἡμέτερον ἀδικοῦμεν. Βούλει εἶναι μνησίκακος καὶ ἐχθρός; Ἐχθρὸς ἔσο, ἀλλὰ τοῦ διαβόλου, μὴ τοῦ μέλους τοῦ σοῦ. Διὰ τοῦτο ἡμᾶς ὥπλισε τῷ θυμῷ ὁ Θεὸς, οὐχ ἵνα τὸ ξίφος κατὰ τῶν ἡμετέρων σωμάτων, ἀλλ' ἵνα ὁλόκληρον τὴν μάχαιραν εἰς τὸ τοῦ διαβόλου στῆθος βαπτίζωμεν. Ἐκεῖ τὸ ξίφος ἔγκλεισον μέχρι τῆς λαβῆς, εἰ βούλει, καὶ τὴν λαβὴν αὐτὴν, καὶ μηδέποτε ἐκσπάσῃς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτερον πρόσθες. Τοῦτο δὲ ἔσται, ὅταν ἡμῶν φειδώμεθα, ὅταν εἰρηνικῶς πρὸς ἀλλήλους διακεώμεθα. Ἐῤῥέτω χρήματα, ἐῤῥέτω δόξα καὶ εὐδοκίμησις: πάντων τὸ μέλος τὸ ἐμὸν ἐμοὶ τιμιώτερον. Ταῦτα λέγωμεν πρὸς ἑαυτούς: μὴ τὴν φύσιν ἀδικῶμεν τὴν ἡμετέραν, ἵνα χρήματα κτησώμεθα, ἵνα δόξης ἐπιτύχωμεν. Ὁ κλέπτων, μηκέτι κλεπτέτω, φησίν. Ὁρᾷς τίνα τὰ μέλη τοῦ παλαιοῦ ἀνθρώπου; ψεῦδος, μνησικακία, κλοπή. Διὰ τί μὴ εἶπεν, Ὁ κλέπτων κολαζέσθω, βασανιζέσθω, στρεβλούσθω, ἀλλὰ, Μηκέτι κλεπτέτω: μᾶλλον δὲ κοπιάτω ἐργαζόμενος τὸ ἀγαθὸν ταῖς χερσὶν, ἵνα ἔχῃ μεταδιδόναι τῷ χρείαν ἔχοντι; Ποῦ οἱ Καθαροὶ λεγόμενοι, οἱ παντὸς ῥύπου γέμοντες, καὶ τοῦτο ἑαυτοὺς ὀνομάζειν τολμῶντες; Ἔστι γὰρ, ἔστιν ἀποδύσασθαι τὸ ἔγκλημα, οὐ τῷ στῆναι μόνον τοῦ ἁμαρτήματος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ ἀγαθόν τι ἐργάσασθαι. Ὁρᾶτε πῶς ἀπολύεσθαι τὰ ἁμαρτήματα δεῖ; Ἔκλεψαν, τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ἁμάρτημα πρᾶξαι: οὐκ ἔκλεψαν, τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστι τὸ ἁμάρτημα λῦσαι: ἀλλὰ πῶς; Εἰ ἐκοπίασαν, καὶ ἑτέροις μετέδωκαν: οὕτως ἔλυσαν τὸ ἁμάρτημα. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἡμᾶς ἐργάζεσθαι βούλεται, ἀλλ' ὥστε κοπιᾷν, ὥστε ἑτέροις μεταδιδόναι: καὶ γὰρ ὁ κλέπτων ἐργάζεται, ἀλλὰ κακόν. Πᾶς λόγος σαπρὸς ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν μὴ ἐκπορευέσθω. Τίς ἐστι σαπρός; Ὅν φησιν ἀλλαχοῦ καὶ ἀργὸν, καταλαλιὰ, αἰσχρολογία, εὐτραπελία, μωρολογία. Ὁρᾷς πῶς τὰς ῥίζας ἐκκόπτει τῆς ὀργῆς, τὸ ψεῦδος, τὴν κλοπὴν, τὴν ἄκαιρον διάλεξιν; Τὸ δὲ, Μηκέτι κλεπτέτω, οὐκ ἐκείνοις συγγινώσκων τοσοῦτόν φησιν, ὅσον τοὺς ἠδικημένους πράους καθιστῶν, καὶ τῷ μηκέτι τὰ αὐτὰ παθεῖν ἀρκεῖσθαι παραινῶν. Καλῶς δὲ καὶ περὶ λόγων διδάσκει. Οὐ γὰρ πραγμάτων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ῥημάτων τίνομεν δίκας. Ἀλλ' εἴ τις ἀγαθὸς, φησὶ, πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς χρείας, ἵνα δῷ χάριν τοῖς ἀκούουσι. Τουτέστιν, Ὅπερ οἰκοδομεῖ τὸν πλησίον, τοῦτο φθέγγου μόνον, περιττὸν δὲ μηδέν. γʹ. Διὰ τοῦτο γάρ σοι στόμα καὶ γλῶσσαν ἔδωκεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἵνα εὐχαριστῇς αὐτῷ, ἵνα οἰκοδομῇς τὸν πλησίον: ὡς ἐὰν καθαιρῇς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν, βέλτιον σιγᾷν, καὶ μηδέποτε φθέγγεσθαι. Καὶ γὰρ χεῖρες τεχνίτου, ἀντὶ τοῦ τοὺς τοίχους ἐξυφαίνειν μαθοῦσαι καθαιρεῖν, ἐκκόπτεσθαι δίκαιαι ἂν εἶεν. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Ψαλμῳδὸς τοῦτό φησιν: Ἐξολοθρεύσει Κύριος πάντα τὰ χείλη τὰ δόλια. Τοῦτο πάντων αἴτιον τῶν κακῶν, τὸ στόμα: μᾶλλον δὲ οὐ τὸ στόμα, ἀλλ' οἱ κακῶς αὐτῷ χρώμενοι. Ἐντεῦθεν ὕβρεις, λοιδορίαι, βλασφημίαι, ἐκκαύματα τῶν ἡδονῶν, φόνοι, μοιχεῖαι, κλοπαὶ, πάντα ἀπὸ τούτου τίκτεται. Καὶ πῶς, φησὶ, φόνοι; Ἀπὸ ὕβρεως εἰς ὀργὴν, ἀπὸ ὀργῆς εἰς πληγὰς, ἀπὸ πληγῶν εἰς φόνον ἐξέβης. Πῶς μοιχεῖαι; Ἡ δεῖνά σε φιλεῖ, φησὶν, ἐφθέγξατό τι περὶ σοῦ χρηστὸν, ἐχάλασέ σου τὸν τόνον, εἶτα καὶ σοὶ οὕτως ἀνάπτεται τὰ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας. Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγεν, Εἴ τις ἀγαθός. Ἐπεὶ οὖν πολὺ τὸ χύμα τῶν λόγων, εἰκότως ἀδιορίστως εἶπεν, ἐκεῖνα φθέγγεσθαι κελεύσας, καὶ τύπον δοὺς ὁμιλίας. Ποῖον δὴ τοῦτον; Εἴ τις οἰκοδομεῖ, εἰπών. Ἢ τοῦτό φησιν, ἵνα χάριν σοι εἰδῇ ὁ ἀκούων. Οἷον, ἐπόρνευσεν ὁ ἀδελφός: μὴ ἐκπόμπευε τὴν ὕβριν. Μηδὲ ἐντρύφα: οὐδὲν ὠφέλησας τὸν ἀκούοντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔβλαψας, εἰκότως, ἧλον αὐτῷ δούς. Ἂν μέντοι τὰ πρακτέα παραινῇ, πολλὴν αὐτῷ δίδως τὴν χάριν: ἂν παιδεύσῃς εὔφημον ἔχειν στόμα, ἂν διδάξῃς μηδένα κακηγορεῖν, μάλιστα αὐτὸν ἐπαίδευσας, καὶ χάριν αὐτῷ δέδωκας: ἂν περὶ κατανύξεως, ἂν περὶ εὐλαβείας, ἂν περὶ ἐλεημοσύνης διαλεχθῇς, πάντα ταῦτα μαλάττει αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχήν. Ὑπὲρ τούτων πάντων χάριν ὁμολογήσει. Ἂν μέντοι γέλωτα κινήσῃς, ἂν αἰσχρὸν φθέγξῃ, μᾶλλον ἐξῆψας: ἂν ἐπαινέσῃς τὴν πονηρίαν, κατέβαλες καὶ ἀπώλεσας. Τοῦτο οὖν ἔστιν εἰπεῖν: ἢ ἵνα κεχαριτωμένους αὐτοὺς ἐργάσηται, οὕτως εἶπε. Καθάπερ γὰρ τὸ μύρον χάριν δίδωσι τοῖς μεταλαμβάνουσιν, οὕτω καὶ λόγος ἀγαθός: διὰ τοῦτο καί τις ἔλεγε, Μύρον ἐκκενωθὲν ὄνομά σου: ἀποπνεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐποίει ἀπὸ τῆς εὐωδίας ἐκείνης. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι, ὅπερ ἀεὶ παραινεῖ, τοῦτο καὶ νῦν λέγει, ἑκάστῳ οἰκοδομεῖν τὸν πλησίον ἐπιτρέπων κατὰ δύναμιν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ; Ὁ ἑτέροις οὖν τοιαῦτα παραινῶν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον σαυτῷ. Καὶ μὴ λυπεῖτε, φησὶ, τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. Φρικωδέστερον καὶ φοβερώτερον τοῦτο, ὅπερ καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Θεσσαλονικέας Ἐπιστολῇ φησι: καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖ τοιοῦτόν τι λέγει: Ὁ γὰρ ἀθετῶν, οὐκ ἄνθρωπον ἀθετεῖ, ἀλλὰ τὸν Θεόν. Οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα. Ἂν εἴπῃς ὑβριστικὸν ῥῆμα, ἂν πλήξῃς τὸν ἀδελφὸν, οὐκ ἐκεῖνον ἔπληξας, ἀλλὰ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐλύπησας. Εἶτα καὶ ἡ προσθήκη τῆς εὐεργεσίας, ἵνα μείζων γένηται ἡ κατηγορία. Καὶ μὴ λυπεῖτε τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, φησὶν, ἐν ᾧ ἐσφραγίσθητε εἰς ἡμέραν ἀπολυτρώσεως. Τοῦτο ἡμᾶς ἔδειξεν ἀγέλην βασιλικὴν, τοῦτο ἡμᾶς πάντων τῶν πρώτων ἀπέστησε, τοῦτο οὐκ ἀφῆκε κεῖσθαι μετὰ τῶν ὑπευθύνων τῆς ὀργῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ σὺ αὐτὸ λυπεῖς; Ὅρα πῶς ἐκεῖ μὲν φοβερῶς, Ὁ γὰρ ἀθετῶν, φησὶν, οὐκ ἄνθρωπον ἀθετεῖ, ἀλλὰ τὸν Θεόν: ἐνταῦθα δὲ ἐντρεπτικῶς, Μὴ λυπεῖτε τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, φησὶν, ἐν ᾧ ἐσφραγίσθητε. Ἡ σφραγὶς αὕτη ἐπὶ τοῦ στόματος κείσθω: μὴ ἀνέλῃς τὰ σήμαντρα. Στόμα πνευματικὸν οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον φθέγγεται. Μὴ εἴπῃς, Οὐδέν ἐστιν, ἂν αἰσχρὸν εἴπω, ἂν τὸν δεῖνα ὑβρίσω. Διὰ τοῦτο μέγα ἐστὶ κακὸν, ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν εἶναι δοκεῖ. Τὰ γὰρ μηδὲν εἶναι δοκοῦντα, εὐκόλως καὶ καταφρονεῖται, τὰ δὲ καταφρονούμενα καὶ αὔξεται, τὰ δὲ αὐξόμενα καὶ ἀνίατα γίνεται. Στόμα ἔχεις πνευματικόν; Ἐννόησον τί ἐφθέγξω εὐθέως ῥῆμα τεχθεὶς, ποία ἀξία τοῦ στόματός σου. Πατέρα καλεῖς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν εὐθέως ὑβρίζεις; Ἐννόησον πόθεν Πατέρα καλεῖς τὸν Θεόν. Ἀπὸ φύσεως; ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν ἔχοις. Ἀπὸ ἀρετῆς; ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦτο. Ἀλλὰ πόθεν; Ἀπὸ φιλανθρωπίας μόνης, ἀπὸ εὐσπλαγχνίας, ἀπὸ ἐλέου πολλοῦ. Ὅταν οὖν Πατέρα καλῇς τὸν Θεὸν, μὴ τοῦτο μόνον ἐννόει, ὅτι ἀνάξια τῆς εὐγενείας ἐκείνης πράττεις ὑβρίζων, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ ἀπὸ φιλανθρωπίας ἔχεις τὴν εὐγένειαν. Μὴ τοίνυν αὐτὴν καταισχύνῃς, ἀπὸ μὲν φιλανθρωπίας λαβὼν, ὠμότητι δὲ κεχρημένος πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφούς. Πατέρα καλεῖς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ὑβρίζεις; Ἀλλ' οὐ ταῦτα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τὸ ἔργον τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἀφιέναι, ὑπὲρ τῶν σταυρούντων εὔχεσθαι, ὑπὲρ τῶν μισούντων τὸ αἷμα ἐκχέειν. Ταῦτά ἐστιν ἄξια τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοὺς ἐχθροὺς, τοὺς ἀγνώμονας, τοὺς κλέπτας, τοὺς ἰταμοὺς, τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύοντας, τούτους ἀδελφοὺς ποιεῖσθαι καὶ κληρονόμους, οὐχὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς γινομένους, τούτους ὡς ἀνδράποδα ὑβρίζειν. δʹ. Ἐννόησον τίνα ἐφθέγξατο ῥήματα τὸ στόμα τὸ σὸν, ποίας ἄξια τραπέζης: ἐννόησον τίνων ἅπτεται, τίνων γεύεται, ποίας ἀπολαύει τροφῆς. Οὐδὲν ἡγῇ ποιεῖν δεινὸν τὸν ἀδελφὸν κατηγορῶν; Πῶς οὖν καλεῖς ἀδελφόν; Εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀδελφὸς, πῶς λέγεις, Πάτερ ἡμῶν; τὸ γὰρ, Ἡμῶν, πολλῶν ἐστι προσώπων σημαντικόν. Ἐννόησον μετὰ τίνων ἕστηκας κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῶν μυστηρίων, μετὰ τῶν Χερουβὶμ, μετὰ τῶν Σεραφίμ. Τὰ Σεραφὶμ οὐχ ὑβρίζει, ἀλλὰ μίαν αὐτοῖς χρείαν μόνον τὸ στόμα πληροῖ, τὸ δοξολογεῖν, τὸ δοξάζειν τὸν Θεόν. Πῶς οὖν δυνήσῃ σὺ μετ' ἐκείνων λέγειν, Ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος, εἰς ὕβριν τῷ στόματι κεχρημένος; Εἰπὲ δή μοι, εἰ σκεῦος εἴη βασιλικὸν, καὶ ἀεὶ ἐδεσμάτων ἔμπλεων βασιλικῶν, καὶ εἰς τοῦτο ἀποτεταγμένον, εἶτά τις αὐτῷ τῶν οἰκετῶν χρήσαιτο εἰς κόπρον ἆρα τολμήσει πάλιν μετ' ἐκείνων τῶν σκευῶν τῶν εἰς ἐκεῖνα ἀποτεταγμένων αὐτὸ ἀποτίθεσθαι τῆς κόπρου ἐμπεπλησμένον; Οὐδαμῶς. Τοιοῦτόν τί ἐστιν ἡ κακηγορία, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν ἡ ὕβρις. Πάτερ ἡμῶν. Καὶ τί; τοῦτο μόνον; Ἄκουε καὶ τῶν ἑξῆς: Ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Εὐθέως εἶπες, Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, καὶ ἀνέστησέ σε τὸ ῥῆμα, ἐπτέρωσέ σου τὴν διάνοιαν, ἔδειξεν ὅτι Πατέρα ἔχεις ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Μηδὲν πρᾶττε, μηδὲν λέγε τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς. Εἰς ἐκείνην σε τὴν τάξιν ἔστησε τὴν ἄνω, ἐκείνῳ σε ἐνέκρινε τῷ χορῷ: τί σαυτὸν κάτω καθέλκεις; παρὰ τὸν θρόνον ἕστηκας τὸν Βασιλικὸν, καὶ ὑβρίζεις; Οὐ δέδοικας μὴ ὕβριν τὸ πρᾶγμα ἡγήσηται ὁ βασιλεύς; ἀλλ' ἂν μὲν οἰκέτης ἐφ' ἡμῶν τὸν ὁμόδουλον τύπτῃ, ἢ ὑβρίζῃ, κἂν δικαίως τοῦτο ποιῇ, εὐθέως ἐπιτιμῶμεν, ὕβριν τὸ πρᾶγμα ἡγούμενοι: σὺ δὲ μετὰ τῶν Χερουβὶμ ἑστὼς παρὰ τὸν θρόνον τοῦ Βασιλέως, ὑβρίζεις τὸν ἀδελφόν; Οὐχ ὁρᾷς τὰ ἅγια ταῦτα σκεύη; οὐχὶ πρὸς ἕν ἐστιν αὐτῶν διαπαντὸς ἡ χρεία; μή τις τολμᾷ πρὸς ἄλλο τι χρήσασθαι αὐτοῖς; Σὺ τῶν σκευῶν ἁγιώτερος εἶ τούτων, καὶ πολλῷ ἁγιώτερος: τί τοίνυν ῥυπαίνεις σαυτὸν καὶ μολύνεις; Ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἕστηκας, καὶ ὑβρίζεις; μετὰ ἀγγέλων πολιτεύῃ, καὶ ὑβρίζεις; φιλήματος ἠξίωσαι Δεσποτικοῦ, καὶ ὑβρίζεις; τοσούτοις σου τὸ στόμα ἐκόσμησεν ὁ Θεὸς ὕμνοις ἀγγελικοῖς, τροφῇ οὐκέτι ἀγγελικῇ, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ ἀγγελικὴν, φιλήματι τῷ αὐτοῦ, περιπλοκαῖς ταῖς πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ ὑβρίζεις; Μὴ, παρακαλῶ. Μεγάλων τὸ πρᾶγμα αἴτιον κακῶν, πόῤῥω ψυχῆς Χριστιανῆς. Οὐ πείθομέν σε λέγοντες, οὐδὲ ἐντρέπομεν; Οὐκοῦν ἄξιον φοβῆσαι λοιπόν: ἄκουε γὰρ τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος: Ὁ εἰπὼν τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὑτοῦ, Μωρὲ, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ γεέννῃ τοῦ πυρός. Εἰ δὲ τὸ κουφότερον πάντων γέενναν προξενεῖ, ὁ τὰ τολμηρὰ λέγων, τίνος οὐκ ἔσται ἄξιος; Παιδεύσωμεν ἡμῶν πρὸς εὐφημίαν τὸ στόμα: μέγα ἀπὸ τούτου κέρδος, μεγάλη ἀπὸ τῆς ὕβρεως ἡ βλάβη: οὐκ ἔστιν ἐνταῦθα χρήματα δαπανῆσαι. Ἐπιθῶμεν θύραν καὶ μοχλὸν, κατεσθίωμεν ἑαυτοὺς, ἐὰν ῥῆμά ποτε φορτικὸν ἐκπηδήσῃ τῶν ὀδόντων: παρακαλῶμεν τὸν Θεὸν, παρακαλῶμεν τὸν ὑβρισμένον, μὴ ἀναξιοπαθῶμεν: ἑαυτοὺς ἐπλήξαμεν, οὐκ ἐκεῖνον: ἐπιθῶμεν τὸ φάρμακον τὴν εὐχὴν καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν ὑβρισμένον καταλλαγήν. Ἂν ἐν τοῖς ῥήμασι τοσαύτην ποιώμεθα πρόνοιαν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐν τοῖς πράγμασι νόμους τιθῶμεν ἑαυτοῖς. Κἂν φίλους ἔχωμεν, κἂν οὑστινασοῦν, καὶ εἴποιεν κακῶς τινα, ἢ ὑβρίσαιεν, ἀπαίτησον αὐτοὺς καὶ εἴσπραξαι δίκην. Μανθάνωμεν ὅλως, ὅτι κἂν ἁμάρτημα τὸ τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν: ἂν γὰρ μάθωμεν, ταχέως ἀποστησόμεθα. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης φυλάξοι ὑμῶν καὶ τὸν νοῦν, καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν, καὶ τειχίσοι ἀσφαλεῖ τειχίῳ τῷ αὐτοῦ φόβῳ, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι.