mine, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed, when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels,” and of the one who said: “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” And Jesus once “endured the cross, despising the shame,” and for this reason “sat down at the right hand” of God; and his imitators, despising shame, will sit with him and reign with him in the heavens, with him who came not to bring “peace on earth” but upon the soul of his disciples, and to cast “a sword” “upon the earth.” For since “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart,” this Word especially now awards to our souls the peace which surpasses all understanding, which he left to his own apostles, but he cast a sword between the image of the man of dust and that of the heavenly man; so that in the present, having received our heavenly man, he might later make us entirely heavenly, having become worthy not to be cut in two. And he came not only to cast “a sword” “upon the earth” but also “fire,” concerning which he says: “I wish it were already kindled!” Therefore, let this fire be kindled in you also, destroying every earthly and body-loving thought of yours; and be baptized now with all eagerness with the baptism with which Jesus was constrained “until it is accomplished.” And you who have “a wife and children and brothers and sisters,” remember: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, he cannot be my disciple,” and both of you remember: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate,” in addition to the former, “even his own soul, he cannot be my disciple.” But hate your own soul in such a way that by hating it you preserve it for eternal life; “for he who hates,” he says, “his own soul in this world will keep it for eternal life.” Therefore, hate your soul for the sake of eternal life, being persuaded that it is a good and beneficial hatred that Jesus teaches us to have. And just as it will be necessary for us to hate our soul for it to be kept for eternal life, so you who have these things, hate your “wife and children and brothers and sisters,” so that you may benefit those who are hated, by this very act of hating gaining boldness to do them good, having become a friend of God. 38 At the same time, also be reminded of the one who prayed in spirit concerning the children of martyrs left behind because of their love for God, and said: “Preserve the sons of the slain.” Only know that “it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God” and that, just as it is said to those of the seed of Abraham both: “I know that you are Abraham's seed,” and: “If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works of Abraham,” so also it will be said to your children: I know that you are the seed of Ambrose, and: if you are children of Ambrose, do the works of Ambrose. And perhaps they will do them, you benefiting them more after such a departure than if you had remained with them. For then you will love them with more knowledge and pray for them with more understanding, if you learn that they are your children and not merely your seed. Now have on your lips: “He who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me,” and: “He who finds his soul will lose it, and he who loses his soul for my sake will find it.” 39 Through your eagerness for martyrdom, give place to the Spirit of your Father speaking in those who are handed over for their piety; if you know that you are hated and detested and considered to be impious, then take up this: “because of this the world hates you,” “because you are not of this world;” “for if you were of this world, the world would love its own.” having endured many reproaches for Christ's sake and many dangers since you have believed

ἐμοὺς, τοῦτον ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπαισχυνθήσεται. ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τῶν ἁγίων ἀγγέλων,» καὶ τοῦ· «ὃς γὰρ ἂν ἐπαισχυνθῇ με καὶ τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ τῇ μοιχαλίδι καὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ, καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπαισχυνθήσεται αὐτὸν, ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ πατρὸς μετὰ τῶν ἁγίων ἀγγέλων». καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς δέ ποτε «ὑπέμεινε σταυρὸν αἰσχύνης καταφρονήσας» καὶ διὰ τοῦτο «ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ» τοῦ θεοῦ· καὶ οἱ μιμηταὶ δὲ αὐτοῦ αἰσχύνης καταφρονοῦντες συγκαθεδοῦνται αὐτῷ καὶ συμβασιλεύσουσιν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς τῷ ἐλθόντι οὐκ «εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν» βαλεῖν ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τῶν μαθητῶν ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ «μάχαιραν» βαλεῖν «ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν». ἐπεὶ γὰρ «ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ζῶν καὶ ἐνεργὴς καὶ τομώ τερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον καὶ διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καὶ πνεύματος, ἁρμῶν τε καὶ μυελῶν, καὶ κριτικὸς ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας», οὗτος μάλιστα νῦν εἰρήνην μὲν τὴν ὑπερέχου σαν πάντα νοῦν, ἣν ἀφῆκε τοῖς ἀποστόλοις ἑαυτοῦ, βραβεύει ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν, μάχαιραν δὲ ἔβαλε μεταξὺ τῆς τοῦ χοϊκοῦ εἰκόνος καὶ τῆς τοῦ ἐπουρανίου· ἵν' ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος τὸν ἐπουράνιον ἡμῶν παραλαβὼν ὕστερον ἀξίους γενομένους τοῦ μὴ διχοτομηθῆναι ἡμᾶς ἐξ ὅλων ποιήσῃ ἐπουρανίους. καὶ οὐ μόνην «μάχαιραν» ἦλθε βαλεῖν «ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν» ἀλλὰ καὶ «πῦρ», περὶ οὗ φησι· «θέλω εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη». ἀναφθήτω τοιγαροῦν τοῦτο τὸ πῦρ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν ἐξαφανίζον πάντα γήϊνον καὶ φιλοσώμα τον λογισμὸν ὑμῶν· καὶ τὸ βάπτισμα, περὶ οὗ ὁ Ἰησοῦς συνείχετο «ἕως τελεσθῇ», μετὰ πάσης προθυμίας βαπτίσασθε νῦν. καὶ σὺ μὲν ὁ ἔχων «γυναῖκα καὶ τέκνα καὶ ἀδελφοὺς καὶ ἀδελφὰς» μέμνησο τοῦ· «εἴ τις ἔρχεται πρός με καὶ οὐ μισεῖ τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ τὰ τέκνα καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τὰς ἀδελφὰς, οὐ δύναταί μου μαθητὴς εἶναι», ἀμφότεροι δὲ τοῦ· «εἴ τις ἔρχεται πρός με καὶ οὐ μισεῖ» πρὸς τοῖς προτέροις «ἔτι καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν, οὐ δύ ναταί μου μαθητὴς εἶναι». ἀλλ' οὕτω μισήσατε τὴν ἑαυτῶν ψυχὴν, ὡς διὰ τοῦ μισεῖν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον φυλάσσειν αὐτήν· «ὁ γὰρ μισῶν», φησὶ, «τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον φυ λάσσει αὐτήν.» οὐκοῦν τὴν ψυχὴν διὰ τὴν αἰώνιον ζωὴν μισήσατε πειθόμενοι ὅτι καλὸν καὶ ὠφέλιμον μῖσος διδάσκει μισεῖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς. ὥσπερ δὲ ὑπὲρ τοῦ φυλαχθῆναι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον τὴν ψυχὴν μιση τέον ἡμῖν ἔσται αὐτὴν, οὕτως «γυναῖκα καὶ τέκνα καὶ ἀδελφοὺς καὶ ἀδελφὰς» μίσησον ὁ ἔχων ταῦτα, ἵν' ὠφελήσῃς τοὺς μισουμένους δι' αὐτοῦ τοῦ μεμισηκέναι παῤῥησίαν ἀναλαμβάνων πρὸς τὸ εὐεργετεῖν αὐτοὺς φίλος γενόμενος θεῷ. 38 Ἅμα δὲ καὶ ὑπομιμνήσκου τοῦ εὐξαμένου ἐν πνεύματι περὶ τέκνων μαρτύρων διὰ τὴν πρὸς θεὸν ἀγάπην αὐτῶν καταλελειμ μένων καὶ φήσαντος· «περιποίησαι τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν τεθανατωμένων». μόνον δὲ ἴσθι ὅτι «οὐ τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκὸς ταῦτα τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ» καὶ ὅτι, ὥσπερ λέγεται τοῖς ἐκ σπέρματος Ἀβραὰμ τό τε· «οἶδα ὅτι σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ ἐστε» καὶ τό· «εἰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἦτε, τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἐποιεῖτε», οὕτως καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις σου λεχθήσεται· οἶδα ὅτι σπέρμα Ἀμβροσίου ἐστὲ καὶ τό· εἰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἀμβροσίου ἐστὲ, τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἀμβροσίου ποιεῖτε. καὶ τάχα ποιήσουσι, πλείω ὠφελοῦν τός σου αὐτὰ μετὰ τὴν τοιαύτην ἔξοδον ἢ εἰ παρέμενες αὐτοῖς. τότε γὰρ καὶ ἐπιστημονικώτερον αὐτὰ ἀγαπήσεις καὶ συνετώτερον περὶ αὐτῶν εὔξῃ, ἐὰν μάθῃς ὅτι τέκνα σου ἐστὶ καὶ οὐ σπέρμα μόνον. ἀνὰ στόμα νῦν ἔχε τό· «ὁ φιλῶν υἱὸν ἢ θυγατέρα ὑπὲρ ἐμὲ οὐκ ἔστι μου ἄξιος» καὶ τό· «ὁ εὑρὼν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἀπολέσει αὐτὴν, καὶ ὁ ἀπολέσας τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ εὑρήσει αὐτήν.» 39 Τόπον διὰ τῆς εἰς τὸ μαρτύριον προθυμίας δότε τῷ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν πνεύματι λαλοῦντι τοῖς διὰ θεοσέβειαν παραδοθεῖ σιν· ἐὰν εἰδῆτε ἑαυτοὺς μισουμένους καὶ βδελυκτοὺς καὶ ἀσεβεῖς εἶναι νομιζομένους, τότε ἀναλάβετε τό· «διὰ τοῦτο ὁ κόσμος ὑμᾶς μισεῖ», «ὅτι οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου·» «εἰ γὰρ ἦτε ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τού του, ὁ κόσμος ἂν τὸ ἴδιον ἐφίλει». πολλοὺς ὀνειδισμοὺς διὰ Χριστὸν καὶ πολλοὺς κινδύνους, ἐξ οὗ πεπιστεύκατε, ὑπομείναντες