Homily XV.

1 Timothy v. 11–15

“But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; having condemnation, because they have cast off their first faith. And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan.”

Paul having discoursed much concerning widows, and having settled the age at which they were to be admitted, saying, “Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old,” and having described the qualifications of a widow, “If she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the Saints’ feet,” proceeds now to say, “But the younger widows refuse.” But concerning virgins, though the case of their falling is a much more gross one, he has said nothing of this kind, and rightly. For they had enrolled themselves on higher views, and the work with them proceeded from a greater elevation of mind. Therefore the receiving of strangers, and the washing of the Saints’ feet, he has represented by “attending upon the Lord without distraction”186    εὐπροσεδρον. (1 Cor. vii. 34, 35.), and by saying, “The unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord.” (1 Cor. vii. 34, 35.) And if he has not limited a particular age for them, it is most likely because that point is settled by what he has said in this case. But indeed, as I said, the choice of virginity proceeded from a higher purpose. Besides, in this case there had been falls, and thus they had given occasion for his rule, but nothing of that kind had occurred among the virgins. For that some had already fallen away is plain, in that he says, “When they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will187    θέλουσι. marry”; and again, “For some have already turned aside after Satan.”

“The younger widows refuse, for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry”; that is, when they have become scornful188    ἀκκίσθωσιν. and luxurious. For as in the case of a just man, we might say, “Let her depart, for she has become another’s.”189    He seems to mean that a professed widow, giving up her profession, is like woman betrothed to a man, and then disliking him, and giving her affections to another. He shows therefore that though they chose widowhood, it was not the choice of their judgment. So then a widow, by the state of widowhood, is espoused to Christ. For He has said, “I am the defender of the widows and the father of the orphans.” (Ps. lxviii. 5.) He shows that they do not choose widowhood as they ought, but wax wanton: however he bears with them. Elsewhere indeed he says, “I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” (2 Cor. xi. 2.) After having given their names to Him,190    i.e. by the profession of a devout widowhood. “they will marry,” he says, “having condemnation, because they have cast off their first faith.” By faith he means, fidelity to their covenant. As if he had said, They have been false to Christ, they have dishonored Him, and transgressed His covenant. “And withal they learn to be idle.”

Thus he commands not only men, but women also, to work. For idleness is the teacher of every sin. And not only are they exposed to this condemnation, but to other sins. If therefore it is unbecoming for a married woman “to go from house to house,” much more is it for a virgin. “And not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, guide the house.”

What then happens, when the care for the husband is withdrawn, and the care to please God does not constrain them? They naturally become idlers, tattlers, and busybodies. For he who does not attend to his own concerns will be meddling with those of others, even as he who minds his own business will take no account of and have no care about the affairs of another. And nothing is so unbecoming to a woman, as to busy herself in the concerns of others, and it is no less unbecoming to a man. This is a great sign of impudence and forwardness.

“I will therefore,” he says, (since they themselves wish it,) “that the younger widows marry, bear children, guide the house.”

This course is at least preferable to the other. They ought indeed to be concerned for the things of God, they ought to preserve their faith. But since they do not this, it is better to avoid a worse course. God is not dishonored by their marrying again, and they do not fall into those practices, which have been censured. From such a widowhood, no good could arise, but good may come out of this marriage. Hence the women will be able to correct that indolence and vanity of mind.

But why, since some have fallen away, does he not say that much care is to be taken of them, that they may not fall into the error he has mentioned? Why has he commanded them to marry? Because marriage is not forbidden, and it is a safeguard to them. Wherefore he adds, that they “give none occasion,” or handle, “to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan.” Such widows as these then he would have refused, not meaning that there should be no younger widows, but that there should be no adulteresses, that none should be idle, busy-bodies, speaking things that they ought not, that no occasion should be given to the adversary. Had nothing of this kind taken place, he would not have forbidden them.

Ver. 16. “If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the Church be charged, that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.”

Observe how again he speaks of those as “widows indeed,” who are left destitute, and have no resource from any other quarter. It was better to have it so. For thus two great objects were attained. Those191    Gr. fem. referring to the widows kept by their relations, see Hom. xiii. and xiv., or perhaps to women relieving them. See below, l. 9 of this page. Downes, missing the sense, guesses it should be ἐκεῖνοι. had an opportunity of doing good, whilst these were honorably maintained, and the Church not burdened. And he has well said, “If any believer.” For it is not fit that believing women should be maintained by unbelievers, lest they should seem to stand in need of them. And observe how persuasively he speaks; he has not said, “let them maintain them expensively,” but “let them relieve them.” “That the Church,” he says, “may relieve them that are widows indeed.” She therefore has the reward of this help also, for she that helps the Church, helps not her only, but those widows too whom the Church is thus enabled to maintain more bountifully. “I will therefore that the younger widows”—do what? live in luxury and pleasure? By no means; but—“marry, bear children, guide the house.” That he may not be supposed to encourage them to live luxuriously, he adds, that they give no occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. They ought indeed to have been superior to the things of this world, but since they are not, let them abide in them at least upright.

Ver. 17, 18. “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his reward.”

The “honor” of which he here speaks is attention to them, and the supply of their necessities, as is shown by his adding, “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn” (Deut. xxv. 4.); and, “The laborer is worthy of his reward.” (Luke x. 7.) So when he says, “Honor widows,” he means, “support” them in all that is necessary. Thus he says, “That it may relieve those that are widows indeed”; and again, “Honor widows that are widows indeed,” that is, who are in poverty, for the greater their poverty, the more truly are they widows. He alleges the Law, he alleges the words of Christ, both agreeing herein. For the Law says, “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn.” See how he would have the teacher labor! For there is not, indeed there is not, any other labor such as his. But this is from the Law. But how does he quote from Christ? “The laborer is worthy of his reward.” Let us not then look only to the reward, but to the terms of the commandment. “The laborer,” he says, “is worthy of his reward.” So that if any one lives in sloth and luxury, he is unworthy of it. Unless he is as the ox treading out the corn, and bearing the yoke, in spite of heat and thorns, and ceases not till he has carried the corn into the granary, he is not worthy. Therefore to teachers should be granted a supply of their necessities without grudging, that they may not faint nor be discouraged, nor by attention to inferior things deprive themselves of greater; that they may labor for spiritual things, paying no regard to worldly things. It was thus with the Levites; they had no worldly concerns, because the laity took care to provide for them, and their revenues were appointed by the law, as tythes, offerings of gold,192    Colb. omits this clause; it is perhaps too bold to guess τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν θυσίων, for χρυσίων, making it, “the share of the sacrifices.” first-fruits, vows, and many other things. And the law properly assigned these things to them, as seeking things present. But I shall say no more than that those who preside ought to have food and raiment, that they may not be distracted by care for these things. But what is double support? Double that of the widows, or of the deacons, or simply, liberal support. Let us not then think only of the double maintenance granted them, but of what is added, “Those who rule well.” And what is it to rule well? Let us hear Christ, Who says, “The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep.” (John x. 11.) Thus to rule well is, from our concern for them, never to spare ourselves.

“Especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.” Where then are those who say that there is no occasion for the word and doctrine? Whereas he says to Timothy, “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them”; and, “Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself, and them that hear thee.” (1 Tim. iv. 15, 16.) These are the men whom he wishes to be honored most of all, and he adds the reason, for they sustain great labor. For when one is neither watchful, nor diligent, but merely sits in his stall easy and unconcerned,193    συνεδρεύ& 219·. whilst another wears himself out with anxiety and exertion,194    μελετῶν. He seems to mean in preparing his discourses. especially if he is ignorant of profane literature, ought not the latter to be honored above all others, who more than others gives himself up to such labors? For he is exposed to numberless tongues. One censures him, another praises him, a third mocks him, another finds fault with his memory and his composition, and it requires great strength of mind to endure all this. It is an important point, and contributes much to the edification of the Church, that the rulers of it should be apt to teach. If this be wanting, many things in the Church go to ruin. Therefore in addition to the qualifications of hospitality, moderation, and a blameless life, he enumerates this also, saying, “Apt to teach.” For why else indeed is he called a teacher? Some say that he may teach philosophy by the example of his life, so that all else is superfluous, and there is no need of verbal instruction in order to proficiency. But why then does Paul say, “especially they who labor in the word and doctrine”? For when doctrines are concerned, what life will answer the purpose? And of what word is he speaking? Not of pompous language, nor of discourse set off with external195    Or perhaps, “heathenish.” decorations, but that which possesses the mighty power of the Spirit, and abounds with wisdom and understanding. It needs not set phrases, but thoughts to give it utterance, not skill in composition, but power of mind.

Ver. 19. “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.”

May we then receive an accusation against a younger man, or against any one at all without witnesses? Ought we not in all cases to come to our judgments with the greatest exactness? What then does he mean? Do not so, he means, with any, but especially in the case of an elder. For he speaks of an elder not with respect to office, but to age, since the young more easily fall into sin than their elders. And it is manifest from hence that the Church, and even the whole people of Asia, had been now intrusted to Timothy, which is the reason why he discourses with him concerning elders.

Ver. 20. “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.”

Do not, he says, hastily cut them off, but carefully enquire into all the circumstances, and when thou hast thoroughly informed thyself, then proceed against the offender with rigor, that others may take warning. For as it is wrong to condemn hastily and rashly, so not to punish manifest offenses is to open the way to others, and embolden them to offend.

“Rebuke,” he says, to show that it is not to be done lightly, but with severity. For thus others will be deterred. How is it then that Christ says, “Go and tell him his fault between him and thee alone, if one sin against thee.” (Matt. xviii. 15.) But Christ Himself permits him to be censured in the Church. What then? is it not a greater scandal, that one should be rebuked before all? How so? For it is a much greater scandal, that the offense should be known, and not the punishment. For as when sinners go unpunished, many commit crimes; so when they are punished, many are made better. God Himself acted in this manner. He brought forth Pharaoh, and punished him openly. And Nebuchadnezzar too, and many others, both cities and individuals, we see visited with punishment. Paul therefore would have all stand in awe of their Bishop, and sets him over all.

And because many judgments are formed upon suspicion, there ought, he says, to be witnesses, and men to convict the offender according to the ancient law. “At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every matter be established. Against an elder receive not an accusation.” (Deut. xix. 15.) He does not say, “do not condemn,” but “receive not an accusation,” bring him not to judgment at all. But what if the two witnesses are false? This rarely happens, and it may be discovered upon examination on the trial. For since offenses are committed in secret, we ought to be satisfied with two witnesses, and this is sufficient proof of investigation.

But what if the offenses be notorious, and yet there are no witnesses, only a strong suspicion? It has been said above that he ought “to have a good report of them which are without.” (1 Tim. iii. 7.)

Let us therefore love God with fear. The law indeed is not made for a righteous man; but since the greater part are virtuous from constraint rather than from choice, the principle of fear is of great advantage to them in eradicating their desires. Let us therefore listen to the threatenings of hell fire, that we may be benefited by the wholesome fear of it. For if God, intending to cast sinners into it, had not previously threatened them with it, many would have plunged into it. For, if with this terror agitating our souls, some sin as readily as if there were no such thing in existence, what enormities should we not have committed, if it had not been declared and threatened? So that, as I have ever said, the threatenings of hell show the care of God for us no less than the promises of heaven. For the threat coöperates with the promise, and drives men into the kingdom by means of terror. Let us not think it a matter of cruelty, but of pity and mercy; of God’s concern and love for us. If in the days of Jonah the destruction of Nineveh had not been threatened, that destruction had not been averted. Nineveh would not have stood but for the threat, “Nineveh shall be overthrown.” (Jonah iii. 4.) And if hell had not been threatened, we should all have fallen into hell. If the fire had not been denounced, no one would have escaped the fire. God declares that He will do that which He desires not to do, that He may do that which He desires to do. He willeth not the death of a sinner, and therefore He threatens the sinner with death, that He may not have to inflict death. And not only has He spoken the word, but He has exhibited the thing itself, that we may escape it. And lest it should be supposed to be a mere threat, He has manifested the reality of it by what He has already done on earth. Dost thou not see in the flood a symbol of hell, in that rain of all-destroying water an image of the all-devouring fire?196    The construction is too involved for such a passage; a slight change would refer the whole clause to the Judgment, or to the destruction of the cities of the plain. “For as it was in the days of Noah,” He says, “they were marrying and giving in marriage” (Matt. xxiv. 38.), so is it even now. It was then predicted197    i.e. the deluge. long before it took place, and it is now predicted four hundred years or more beforehand:198    See Hom. xx. on St. Matt. fin., where he says the end of the world might now come at any time. but no one heeds it. It is looked upon as a mere fable, as a matter of derision; no one fears it, no one weeps or beats his breast at the thought of it. The stream of fire is boiling up, the flame is kindled, and we are laughing, taking our pleasure, and sinning without fear. No one even bears in mind That Day. No one considers that present things are passing away, and that they are but temporal, though events are every day crying out and uttering a fearful voice. The untimely deaths, the changes that take place in our lives, our own infirmities and diseases, fail to instruct us. And not only in our own bodies are these changes visible, but in the elements themselves. Every day in our different ages we experience a kind of death, and in every case instability is the characteristic of things we see. Neither winter, nor summer, nor spring, nor autumn, is permanent; all are running, flying, and flowing past. Why should I speak of fading flowers, of dignities, of kings that are to-day, and to-morrow cease to be, of rich men, of magnificent houses, of night and day, of the sun and the moon? for the moon wanes, and the sun is sometimes eclipsed, and often darkened with clouds? Of things visible, in short, is there anything that endures for ever? Nothing! No, nor anything in us but the soul, and that we neglect. Of things subject to change we take abundant care, as if they were permanent: but that which is to endure for ever we neglect, as if it were soon to pass away. Some one is enabled to perform mighty actions, but they shall last till to-morrow, and then he perishes, as we see in the instances of those who have had yet greater power, and are now to be seen no more. Life is a dream, and a scene; and as on the stage when the scene is shifted the various pageants disappear, and as dreams flit away when the sunbeams rise, so here when the end comes, whether the universal or that of each one, all is dissolved and vanishes away. The tree that you have planted remains, and the house that you have built, it too stands on. But the planter and the builder go away, and perish. Yet these things happen without our regarding it, and we live on in luxury and pleasure, and are ever furnishing ourselves with such things, as if we were immortal.

Hear what Solomon says, who knew the present world by actual experience. “I builded me houses, I planted me vineyards, I made me gardens, and orchards and pools of water. I gathered me also silver and gold. I gat myself men-singers, and women-singers, and flocks, and herds.” (Eccles. ii. 4, 5.) There was no one who lived in greater luxury, or higher glory. There was no one so wise or so powerful, no one who saw all things so succeeding to his heart’s desire. What then? He had no enjoyment from all these things. What after all does he say of it himself? “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” (Eccles. xii. 8.) Vanity not simply but superlatively. Let us believe him, and lay hold on that in which there is no vanity, in which there is truth; and what is based upon a solid rock, where there is no old age, nor decline, but all things bloom and flourish, without decay, or waxing old, or approaching dissolution. Let us, I beseech you, love God with genuine affection, not from fear of hell, but from desire of the kingdom. For what is comparable to seeing Christ? Surely nothing! What to the enjoyment of those good things? Surely nothing! Well may there be nothing; for “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” (1 Cor. ii. 9.) Let us be anxious to obtain those things, and let us despise all these. Are we not continually complaining that human life is nothing? Why art thou solicitous for what is nothing? Why dost thou sustain such toils, for what is nothing? Thou seest splendid houses, does the sight of them delude thee? Look up to heaven. Raise thy view from pillars of stone to that beautiful fabric, compared with which the others are as the works of ants and pismires. Learn philosophy from that spectacle, ascend to heavenly things, and look thence upon our splendid buildings, and see that they are nothing, the mere toys of little children. Seest thou not how much finer, how much lighter, how much purer, how much more translucent, is the air the higher thou ascendest? There have they that do alms their mansions and their tabernacles. These that are here are dissolved at the resurrection, or rather before the resurrection destroyed by the stroke of time. Nay often in their most flourishing state and period an earthquake overthrows, or fire entirely ruins them. For not only the bodies of men, but their very buildings are liable to untimely deaths. Nay, sometimes things decayed by time stand firm under the shock of an earthquake, whilst glittering edifices, firmly fixed, and newly constructed, are struck but by lightning and perish. And this, I believe, is the interposition of God, that we may not take pride in our buildings.

Would you again have another ground for cheerfulness? Go to the public buildings, in which you share equally with others. For the most magnificent private houses, after all, are less splendid than the public edifices. There you may remain, as long as you please. They belong to you as much as to others, since they are common to you with others; they are common, and not private. But those, you say, delight you not. They delight you not, partly because you are familiar with them, and partly from your covetousness. So the pleasantness is not in the beauty, but in the appropriating! So the pleasure is in greediness, and in the wish to make every man’s goods your own! How long are we to be nailed to these things? How long are we to be fastened to the earth, and grovel, like worms, in the dirt? God hath given us a body of earth, that we might carry it with us up to heaven, not that we should draw our soul down with it to earth. Earthy it is, but if we please, it may be heavenly. See how highly God has honored us, in committing to us so excellent a frame. I made heaven and earth, He says, and to you I give the power of creation. Make your earth heaven. For it is in thy power. “I am He that maketh and transformeth all things” (Amos v. 8, Sept.), saith God of Himself. And He hath given to men a similar power; as a painter, being an affectionate father, teaches his own art to his son. I formed thy body beautiful, he says, but I give thee the power of forming something better. Make thy soul beautiful. I said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, and every fruitful tree.” (Gen. i. 11.) Do thou also say, Let this earth199    i.e. the body. bring forth its proper fruit, and what thou willest to produce will be produced. “I make the summer and the cloud. I create the lightning and the wind.” (Amos iv. 13; Ps. lxxiv. 17.) I formed the dragon, that is, the devil,200    So St. Aug. on Ps. 103. Vulg. taking “formed” of his degradation. to make sport with him. (Ps. civ. 26.) Nor have I grudged thee the like power. Thou, if thou wilt, canst sport with him, and bind him as thou wouldest a sparrow. I make the sun to rise upon the evil and the good: do thou imitate Me, by imparting of that is thine to the good and the evil. When mocked I bear with it, and do good to those who mock Me: do thou imitate Me, as thou canst. I do good, not to be requited; do thou imitate Me, and do good, not to be repaid. I have lighted luminaries in the heavens. Do thou light others brighter than these, for thou canst, by enlightening those that are in error. For to know Me is a greater benefit than to behold the sun. Thou canst not create a man, but thou canst make him just and acceptable to God. I formed his substance, do thou beautify his will. See how I love thee, and have given thee the power in the greater things.

Beloved, see how we are honored! yet some are so unreasonable and so ungrateful as to say, “Why are we endowed with free will?” But how in all the particulars which we have mentioned could we have imitated God, if there had been no free will? I rule Angels, He says, and so dost thou, through Him who is the First-fruits. (1 Cor. xv. 23.) I sit on a royal throne, and thou art seated with Me in Him who is the First-fruits. As it is said, “He hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. ii. 6.) Through Him who is the First-fruits, Cherubim and Seraphim adore thee, with all the heavenly host, principalities and powers, thrones and dominions. Disparage not thy body, to which such high honors appertain, that the unbodied Powers tremble at it.

But what shall I say? It is not in this way only that I have shown My love to thee, but by what I have suffered. For thee I was spit upon, I was scourged. I emptied myself of glory, I left My Father and came to thee, who dost hate Me, and turn from Me, and art loath to hear My Name. I pursued thee, I ran after thee, that I might overtake thee. I united and joined thee to myself, “eat Me, drink Me,” I said. Above I hold thee, and below I embrace thee. Is it not enough for thee that I have thy First-fruits above? Doth not this satisfy thy affection? I descended below: I not only am mingled with thee, I am entwined in thee. I am masticated,201    τρώγομαι. broken into minute particles, that the interspersion,202    ἀνάκρασις. and commixture, and union may be more complete. Things united remain yet in their own limits, but I am interwoven with thee. I would have no more any division between us. I will that we both be one.

Therefore knowing these things and remembering His abundant care for us, let us do all things which may prove us not unworthy of His great gift, which God grant that we may all obtain, through the grace and lovingkindness of Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom, &c.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΕʹ. Νεωτέρας δὲ χήρας παραιτοῦ: ὅταν γὰρ καταστρη νιάσωσι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, γαμεῖν θέλουσιν, ἔχουσαι κρῖμα, ὅτι τὴν πρώτην πίστιν ἠθέτησαν. Ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἀργαὶ μανθάνουσι περιερχόμεναι τὰς οἰ κίας: οὐ μόνον δὲ ἀργαὶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ φλύαροι καὶ περίεργοι, λαλοῦσαι τὰ μὴ δέοντα. Βούλομαι οὖν νεωτέρας χήρας γαμεῖν, οἰκοδεσποτεῖν, μηδεμίαν ἀφορμὴν διδόναι τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ λοι δορίας χάριν. Ἤδη γάρ τινες ἐξετράπησαν ὀπίσω τοῦ Σατανᾶ. αʹ. Πολὺν ὑπὲρ τῶν χηρῶν ὁ Παῦλος ποιησάμενος λόγον, καὶ χρόνον αὐτῶν διορίσας τῷ λέγειν, Χήρα καταλεγέσθω μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα, καὶ τὴν ποιότητα διδάξας τῆς χήρας τῷ εἰπεῖν, Εἰ ἐτεκνοτρόφησεν, εἰ ἐξενοδόχησεν, εἰ ἁγίων πόδας ἔνιψε. πάλιν ἐνταῦθά φησι: Νεωτέρας δὲ χήρας παραιτοῦ. Περὶ δὲ τῶν παρθένων, καίτοι γε πολὺ φορτικωτέρου τοῦ πράγματος ὄντος, οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον αἰνίττεται: εἰκότως. Διὰ τί; Ὅτι ἐπὶ μείζοσιν ἀπεγράψαντο, καὶ ἀπὸ μείζονος τῆς διανοίας ἐκεῖ τὸ ἔργον προέβη τοῦτο. Τὸ μὲν οὖν, Εἰ ἐξενοδόχησεν, εἰ ἁγίων πόδας ἔνιψε, καὶ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα, διὰ τοῦ εὐπροσέδρου παρέσησε, καὶ τοῦ λέγειν, Ἡ δὲ ἄγαμος μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ Κυρίου. Εἰ δὲ χρόνων ἕνεκεν οὐδὲν ἀκριβολογεῖται, μὴ θαυμάσῃς: μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ ἀπὸ τούτου κἀκεῖνο δῆλον. Ἄλλως δὲ εἶπον, ὅτι ἀπὸ μείζονος διανοίας ἐκεῖναι τὴν παρθενίαν εἵλοντο. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, ἐνταῦθα ἤδη πτώματα γέγονε, καὶ αὗται παρεῖχον τὴν ἀφορμὴν τῆς τοιαύτης νομοθεσίας: ἐκεῖ δὲ τοιοῦτον οὐδὲν ἦν. Ὅτι γὰρ ἐξέπεσόν τινες ἤδη, ἀπὸ τούτου δῆλον, ἀπὸ τοῦ λέγειν, Ὅταν γὰρ καταστρηνιάσωσι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, γαμεῖν θέλουσι: καὶ πάλιν, Ἤδη γὰρ ἐξετράπησάν τινες ὀπίσω τοῦ Σατανᾶ. Νεωτέρας δὲ χήρας παραιτοῦ. Διὰ τί; Ὅταν γὰρ καταστρηνιάσωσι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, γαμεῖν θέλουσι. Τί ἐστιν, Ὅταν καταστρηνιάσωσιν; Ὅταν ἀκκισθῶσιν, ὅταν θρύπτωνται: καθάπερ ὅταν ἐπὶ ἀνδρός τις ἐπιεικοῦς λέγῃ: Ἄφες αὐτὴν, ὅτι ἑτέρου γέγονε. Δείκνυσι τοίνυν ὅτι καὶ τὴν χηρείαν ἁπλῶς εἵλοντο, οὐ κρίνασαι. Ἄρα καὶ ἡ χήρα τῷ Χριστῷ ἁρμόζεται ἐν τῇ χηρείᾳ: ἐγὼ γὰρ, φησὶ, προστάτης τῶν χηρῶν, καὶ πατὴρ τῶν ὀρφανῶν. Δείκνυσιν ὅτι οὐδὲ τὴν χηρείαν ὀρθῶς αἱροῦνται, ἀλλὰ καταστρηνιῶσιν: ἀλλ' ὅμως φέρει. Καὶ μὴν ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν: Ἡρμοσάμην ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἀνδρὶ παρθένον ἁγνὴν παραστῆσαι τῷ Χριστῷ. Ὅταν ὀνομασθῶσιν αὐτῷ, φησὶ, Γαμεῖν θέλουσιν, ἔχουσαι κρῖμα, ὅτι τὴν πρώτην πίστιν ἠθέτησαν. Πίστιν τὴν συνθήκην λέγει, τὴν ἀλήθειαν: ὡσεὶ ἔλεγεν: Ἐψεύσαντο αὐτὸν, παρέβησαν τὰς συνθήκας. Ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἀργαὶ μανθάνουσιν. Οὐκ ἄρα ἀνδράσι μόνον ἐπιτάττει τὸ ἐργάζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ γυναιξί: πᾶσαν γὰρ τὴν κακίαν ἐδίδαξεν ἡ ἀργία. Οὐ τούτῳ, φησὶ, τῷ κρίματι μόνον εἰσὶν ὑπεύθυνοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέροις ἁρματήμασιν. Εἰ ἄρα ἀνάρμοστον γυναικὶ τὸ περιιέναι τὰς οἰκίας, πολλῷ μᾶλλον παρθένῳ. Οὐ μόνον δὲ, φησὶν, ἀργαὶ μανθάνουσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ φλύαροι καὶ περίεργοι, λαλοῦσαι τὰ μὴ δέοντα. Βούλομαι οὖν νεωτέρας χήρας γαμεῖν, τεκνογονεῖν, οἰκοδεσποτεῖν. Τί οὖν συμβαίνει ὅταν καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς μέριμνα ἀποστῇ, καὶ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ μὴ κατέχῃ; Εἰκότως ἀργαὶ, λάλοι, περίεργοι γίνονται. Ὁ γὰρ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ μὴ μεριμνῶν, τὰ ἑτέρου μεριμνήσει πάντως: ὥσπερ ὁ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ φροντίζων, τῶν ἑτέρων οὐδένα ποιήσεται λόγον, οὐδεμίαν ἕξει φροντίδα. Λαλοῦσαι τὰ μὴ δέοντα. Οὐδὲν οὕτως ἀνάρμοστον γυναικὶ, ὡς τὸ τὰ ἑτέρων περιεργάζεσθαι μάλιστα, οὐ μόνον δὲ γυναικὶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνδρί: ἀναισχυντίας γὰρ καὶ ἰταμότητος τεκμήριον τοῦτο μέγιστον. Βούλομαι οὖν. Ἐπειδὴ αὗται βούλονται, βούλομαι κἀγὼ νεωτέρας χήρας γαμεῖν, τεκνογονεῖν, οἰκοδεσποτεῖν, οἰκουρεῖν: πολλῷ γὰρ τοῦ ποιεῖν ἐκεῖνα τοῦτο βέλτιον. Ἔδει μὲν οὖν τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ μεριμνᾷν, ἔδει τὴν πίστιν φυλάττειν: ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐκεῖνα οὐ γίνεται, βέλτιον ταῦτα γενέσθαι, ἢ ἐκεῖνα: οὔτε γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ἀθετεῖται, οὔτε αὗται ταῦτα μανθάνουσι. Ἀπὸ μὲν γὰρ τῆς χηρείας ἐκείνης οὐδὲν χρηστὸν ἔσται: ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ γάμου τούτου πολλὰ ἀγαθά: ἐντεῦθεν τὸ κεχηνὸς καὶ ῥᾴθυμον τῆς διανοίας αὐτῆς ἐπιστρέψαι δυνήσεται. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν, φησὶν, οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἐπειδὴ χῆραι ἐξέπεσον, πολλῆς αὐτὰς ἐπιμελείας δεῖ ἀπολαύειν, ὥστε μὴ παθεῖν ἅπερ εἶπον, ἀλλ' ἐπέταξε γάμον; Ὅτι οὐ κεκώλυται, ὅτι ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ καθίστησι: διὸ καὶ ἐπάγει: Μηδεμίαν διδόναι ἀφορμὴν τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ λοιδορίας χάριν, μηδὲ λαβήν τινα. Ἤδη γάρ τινες ἐξετράπησαν ὀπίσω τοῦ Σατανᾶ. Κωλύει τοίνυν τὰς χήρας τὰς τοιαύτας, οὐ βουλόμενος μὴ εἶναι χήρας νεωτέρας, ἀλλὰ μὴ βουλόμενος μοιχαλίδας εἶναι, μὴ βουλόμενος ἀργὰς εἶναι καὶ περιέργους, λαλούσας τὰ μὴ δέοντα, μὴ βουλόμενος τὸν διάβολον ἀφορμὴν λαμβάνειν: ὡς εἰ μὴ τοιοῦτον ἐγίνετο, οὐκ ἂν ἐκώλυσεν. Εἰ δέ τις πιστὸς ἢ πιστὴ ἔχει χήρας, ἐπαρκείτω αὐταῖς, καὶ μὴ βαρείσθω ἡ Ἐκκλησία, ἵνα ταῖς ὄντως χήραις ἐπαρκῇ. Ὁρᾷς πῶς πάλιν ὄντως χήρας λέγει ἐκείνας τὰς μεμονωμένας, τὰς οὐδαμόθεν ἐχούσας παραμυθίαν; Οὕτω γὰρ βέλτιον ἦν. Δύο γὰρ ἐγίνετο τὰ μέγιστα, καὶ ἐκεῖναι ἀφορμὴν ἐλάμβανον τοῦ εὖ ποιεῖν, καὶ αὗται διετρέφοντο καλῶς, καὶ ἡ Ἐκκλησία οὐκ ἐβαρεῖτο. Καλῶς προσέθηκεν, Εἴ τις πιστός: παρὰ γὰρ τῶν ἀπίστων οὐκ ἔδει τὰς πιστὰς τρέφεσθαι, ἵνα μὴ δόξωσι δεῖσθαι αὐτῶν. Καὶ ὅρα πῶς παραμυθητικῶς: Οὐκ εἶπε, Πολυτέλειάν τινα χορηγείτω, ἀλλ', Ἐπαρκείτω αὐταῖς. Ἵνα ἡ Ἐκκλησία, φησὶ, ταῖς ὄντως χήραις ἐπαρκῇ. Ἄρα καὶ ταύτης τὸν μισθὸν αὕτη ἔχει τῆς βοηθείας: ἡ γὰρ βοηθοῦσα ταύτῃ, οὐ ταύτῃ βοηθεῖ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκείναις, μετ' εὐρυχωρίας ἀφεῖσα αὐτὰς τρέφεσθαι. Βούλομαι νεωτέρας, τί; τρυφᾷν; ἀλλὰ σπαταλᾷν; οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον, ἀλλὰ, Γαμεῖν, τεκνογονεῖν, οἰκοδεσποτεῖν. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ νομίσῃς αὐτὸν εἰς τρυφὴν αὐτὰς προτρέπειν, ἐπήγαγε: Μηδεμίαν διδόναι ἀφορμὴν τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ λοιδορίας χάριν. Ἔδει μὲν γὰρ αὐτὰς εἶναι ἀνωτέρας τῶν βιωτικῶν: ἐπειδὴ δὲ κατώτεραι γεγόνασι, κἂν ἐν αὐτοῖς στηκέτωσαν. Οἱ καλῶς προεστῶτες πρεσβύτεροι, διπλῆς τιμῆς ἀξιούσθωσαν, μάλιστα οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ. Λέγει γὰρ ἡ Γραφή: Βοῦν ἀλοῶντα οὐ φιμώσεις: καὶ, Ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ. βʹ. Τιμὴν ἐνταῦθα τὴν θεραπείαν λέγει, τὴν τῶν ἀναγκαίων χορηγίαν. Τὸ γὰρ ἐπαγαγεῖν, Οὐ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα, καὶ, Ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ, τοῦτο δηλοῖ. Ἄρα καὶ ὅταν λέγῃ, Χήρας τίμα, τοῦτο λέγει περὶ τῆς τῶν ἀναγκαίων τροφῆς, Ἵνα ταῖς ὄντως χήραις ἐπαρκέσῃ, φησί: καὶ πάλιν, Τίμα τὰς ὄντως χήρας: τουτέστι, τὰς ἐν πενίᾳ: ὅσῳ γὰρ ἄν τις ἐν πενίᾳ ᾖ, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλόν ἐστι χήρα. Τίθησι τὸ τοῦ νόμου, τίθησι τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἀμφότερα συμφωνοῦντα. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ νόμος φησὶν, Οὐ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα. Ὁρᾷς πῶς βούλεται κάμνειν τὸν διδάσκαλον; Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστιν, ἄλλος πόνος τοιοῦτος, ὡς ὁ ἐκείνου. Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο μὲν τοῦ νόμου: πῶς δὲ καὶ τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τίθησιν; Ἄξιος γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὑτοῦ. Μὴ τῷ μισθῷ τοίνυν προσέχωμεν μόνῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πῶς προσέταξε: φησὶ γὰρ, Ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τῆς τροφῆς αὑτοῦ ἐστιν. Ὥστε εἴ τις τρυφᾷ καὶ ἀνίεται, οὐκ ἔστιν ἄξιος: εἰ μή τίς ἐστι βοῦς ἀλοῶν, καὶ πρὸς πνῖγος καὶ πρὸς ἀκάνθας τὸ ζεῦγος ἀνέχων ἕλκει, καὶ οὐ πρότερον ἀφίσταται, ἕως ταῖς ἀποθήκαις τοὺς καρποὺς εἰσκομίσει, οὐκ ἔστιν ἄξιος. Ἄρα δεῖ μετὰ ἀφθονίας ἐπιῤῥέειν τοῖς διδασκάλοις τὴν τῶν ἀναγκαίων χορηγίαν, ἵνα μὴ κάμνωσι μήτε ἐκλύωνται, μηδὲ περὶ τὰ μικρὰ σχολάζοντες τῶν μεγάλων ἀποστερῶσιν ἑαυτούς: ἵνα τὰ πνευματικὰ ἐργάζωνται, μηδένα τῶν βιωτικῶν ποιούμενοι λόγον. Τοιοῦτοι ἦσαν οἱ Λευῗται: οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς ἔμελε τῶν βιωτικῶν, ὅτι τοῖς λαϊκοῖς ἔμελε τῆς αὐτῶν προνοίας, καὶ νόμῳ ἐτέτακτο τὰ τῶν προσόδων, οἷον αἱ δεκάται, τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν χρυσίων, αἱ ἀπαρχαὶ, αἱ εὐχαὶ, καὶ πολλὰ ἕτερα. Ἀλλ' ἐκείνοις μὲν εἰκότως ταῦτα ἐνομοθέτει, ἅτε τὰ παρόντα ζητοῦσιν: ἐγὼ δὲ πλέον οὐδὲν λέγω τοῦ δεῖν τοὺς προεστῶτας ἔχειν τροφὰς καὶ σκεπάσματα, ἵνα μὴ περιέλκωνται εἰς ταῦτα. Τί δέ ἐστι, Διπλῆς τιμῆς; Διπλῆς τῆς πρὸς τὰς χήρας, ἢ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς διακόνους, ἢ ἁπλῶς διπλῆς τιμῆς πολλῆς φησι. Μὴ τοῦτο τοίνυν μόνον σκοπῶμεν, ὅτι διπλῆς αὐτοὺς τιμῆς ἠξίωσεν, ἀλλ' ὅτι προσέθηκε, Τοὺς καλῶς προεστῶτας. Τί δέ ἐστι, Καλῶς προεστῶτας; Ἀκούσωμεν τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος: Ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλὸς τὴν ψυχὴν αὑτοῦ τίθησιν ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων. Ἄρα τοῦτό ἐστι καλῶς προεστάναι, μηδενὸς φείδεσθαι τῆς ἐκείνων κηδεμονίας ἕνεκεν. Μάλιστα, φησὶν οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ. Ποῦ νῦν εἰσιν οἱ λέγοντες μὴ δεῖν λόγου, μηδὲ διδασκαλίας; ὅπου γε καὶ Τιμοθέῳ τοσαῦτα παραινεῖ λέγων, Ταῦτα μελέτα, ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι: καὶ πάλιν, Πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει: τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν καὶ σεαυτὸν σώσεις καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντας. Καὶ τούτους μάλιστα πάντων τῶν ἄλλων τιμᾶσθαι βούλεται: καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τίθησιν, ὅτι πολὺν πόνον ὑπομένουσι, φησίν. Εἰκότως. Ὅταν γὰρ ὁ μὲν ἕτερος μήτε ἀγρυπνῇ, μήτε φροντίζῃ, ἀλλὰ ἁπλῶς συνεδρεύῃ ἐν ἀδείᾳ καὶ ἀμεριμνίᾳ, ἐκεῖνος δὲ κόπτηται φροντίζων, μελετῶν, καὶ μάλιστα, ὅταν ἄπειρος ᾖ καὶ λόγων τῶν ἔξωθεν, πῶς οὐ δεῖ μάλιστα τιμῆς ἀπολαύειν καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων αὐτὸν εἰς τοσούτους πόνους ἑαυτὸν ἀφιέντα; Μυρίαις γὰρ γλώσσαις ἐστὶν ὑπεύθυνος: ὁ δεῖνα ἐμέμψατο, ἕτερος ἐπῄνεσεν, ἄλλος ἔσκωψεν, ἄλλος διέβαλε τὴν μνήμην καὶ τὴν σύνθεσιν: καὶ δεῖ αὐτῷ πολλῆς ἰσχύος, ὥστε ταῦτα φέρειν. Μέγα γὰρ τοῦτο, μέγα πρὸς Ἐκκλησίας οἰκοδομὴν, καὶ πολὺ συντελεῖ τὸ διδακτικοὺς εἶναι τοὺς προεστῶτας: κἂν τοῦτο μὴ παρῇ, πολλὰ τῶν ἐν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις οἴχεται. Διὰ τοῦτο μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων, μετὰ τοῦ φιλοξένου καὶ τοῦ ἐπιεικοῦς, μετὰ τοῦ ἀλήπτου, καὶ τοῦτο ἀριθμεῖ λέγων, διδακτικόν. Ἐπεὶ διὰ τί διδάσκαλος λέγεται; Ναὶ, φησὶν, ἵνα τῷ βίῳ διδάσκῃ φιλοσοφίαν. Ὥστε ταῦτα περιττὰ, καὶ οὐ δεῖ τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν λόγων διδασκαλίας εἰς προκοπήν. Καὶ πῶς ὁ Παῦλός φησι, Μάλιστα οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ; ὅταν γὰρ περὶ δογμάτων ᾖ λόγος, ποῖος βίος ἐνταῦθα ἰσχὺν ἔχει; Τίνα λόγον δέ φησιν; Οὐ τὸν κομπώδη, οὐδὲ τὸν τὴν κομψείαν ἔχοντα τὴν ἔξωθεν, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἰσχὺν πολλὴν κεκτημένον τοῦ πνεύματος, τὸν συνέσεως γέμοντα καὶ φρονήσεως. Οὐ κατασκευῆς οὖν αὐτῷ καὶ φράσεως δεῖ, ἀλλὰ νοημάτων, οὐδὲ συνθήκης, ἀλλὰ φρενῶν. Κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο ἢ τριῶν μαρτύρων. Κατὰ γὰρ νεωτέρου δεῖ ἐκτὸς μαρτύρων κατηγορίαν δέχεσθαι; κατὰ δὲ ὅλως τινὸς, καὶ οὐχὶ μετὰ ἀκριβείας πάντοτε δεῖ τὰς κρίσεις ποιεῖσθαι; Τί οὖν ἐστιν ὃ λέγει; Οὐδὲ ἐπὶ ἄλλων, φησὶ, μάλιστα δὲ κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου. Πρεσβύτερον γὰρ ἐνταῦθά φησιν, οὐχὶ τὸ ἀξίωμα, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν, ἐπειδήπερ εὐκολώτερον ἁμαρτάνουσιν οἱ νέοι τῶν πρεσβυτέρων. Δῆλον δέ ἐστιν ἐντεῦθεν, ὅτι Ἐκκλησίαν λοιπὸν ἦν ἐμπεπιστευμένος ὁ Τιμόθεος, ἢ καὶ ἔθνος ὁλόκληρον τὸ τῆς Ἀσίας: διὸ καὶ περὶ πρεσβυτέρων αὐτῷ διαλέγεται. Τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας ἐνώπιον πάντων ἔλεγχε, ἵνα καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ φόβον ἔχωσι. Τουτέστι, Μὴ ταχέως ἔκκοπτε, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἀκριβείας ἅπαντα περιεργάζου: ὅταν μέντοι μάθῃς σαφῶς, σφοδρῶς ἐπέξιθι, ἵνα οἱ ἄλλοι σωφρονισθῶσιν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ ἁπλῶς κατακρίνειν βλαβερὸν, οὕτω τὸ μὴ ἐπεξιέναι τοῖς φανεροῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν, ὁδόν ἐστι δοῦναι τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῦ τὰ αὐτὰ ποιεῖν καὶ τολμᾷν. Ἔλεγχε δὲ, εἶπε, δηλῶν ὅτι οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ μετὰ ἀποτομίας: οὕτω γὰρ καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ φόβον ἕξουσι. Πῶς οὖν φησιν ὁ Χριστὸς, Ὕπαγε, ἔλεγξον αὐτὸν μεταξὺ σοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ μόνου, ἐὰν εἰς σὲ ἁμάρτῃ; Πλὴν κἀκεῖνον συγχωρεῖ ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐλέγχεσθαι. γʹ. Τί οὖν; οὐχὶ σκανδαλίζει μᾶλλον τὸ ἐνώπιον πάντων ἐλέγχεσθαι; Πῶς; Ὅταν γὰρ τὸ ἁμάρτημα ὦσιν εἰδότες, τὴν δὲ κόλασιν οὐκέτι, μᾶλλον σκανδαλίζονται. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἀτιμωρήτων μενόντων τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων, πολλοὶ οἱ πλημμελοῦντες: οὕτω κολαζομένων, πολλοὶ οἱ κατορθοῦντές εἰσιν. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίησε: τὸν Φαραὼ εἰς μέσον ἀγαγὼν ἐκόλασε, καὶ τὸν Ναβουχοδονόσορ, καὶ πολλοὺς ἑτέρους καὶ κατὰ πόλιν, καὶ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ὁρῶμεν δίκην δεδωκότας. Ἄρα βούλεται πάντας φόβον ἔχειν παρὰ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου, καὶ πᾶσιν αὐτὸν ἐφίστησιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλὰ ἀπὸ ὑπονοίας κρίνεται, δεῖ, φησὶν, εἶναι τοὺς μαρτυροῦντας, καὶ διελέγχοντας αὐτὸν κατὰ τὸν παλαιὸν νόμον. Ἐπὶ γὰρ δύο ἢ τριῶν μαρτύρων σταθήσεται πᾶν ῥῆμα. Κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου, φησὶ, κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου. Οὐκ εἶπε, μὴ κατακρίνῃς, ἀλλὰ, μηδὲ δέξῃ κατηγορίαν, μηδὲ ὅλως εἰς κρίσιν καταθῇς. Τί οὖν, ἂν καὶ οἱ δύο ψεύδωνται; Τοῦτο σπανιάκις συμβαίνει: ἔνι δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς κρίσεως ἐξεταζόμενον καὶ τοῦτο γενέσθαι δῆλον. Τὰ γὰρ ἁμαρτήματα ἀγαπητὸν καὶ δύο μάρτυρας ἔχειν, διὰ τὸ λάθρα γίνεσθαι καὶ κεκρυμμένως: ὥστε πολλῆς δοκιμασίας σημεῖον τοῦτο. Τί οὖν, ἂν μὲν ὡμολογημένα ᾖ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, μάρτυρας δὲ μὴ ἔχῃ, ἀλλὰ πονηρὰν ὑπόνοιαν; Εἶπον ἄνω, φησὶ, Δεῖ δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ μαρτυρίαν καλὴν ἔχειν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔξωθεν. Μετὰ φόβου τοίνυν ἀγαπῶμεν τὸν Θεόν: δικαίῳ μὲν γὰρ νόμος οὐ κεῖται: οἱ δὲ πολλοὶ καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀνάγκῃ μετερχόμενοι, καὶ οὐ προθέσει, μεγάλα ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου καρποῦνται, πολλάκις τὰς ἐπιθυμίας ἐκκόπτοντες τὰς ἑαυτῶν. Διὰ τοῦτο περὶ γεέννης ἀκούωμεν, ἵνα πολύ τι καρπωσώμεθα ἀπὸ τῆς ἀπειλῆς καὶ τοῦ φόβου τούτου. Εἰ γὰρ μέλλων ἐμβάλλειν εἰς αὐτὴν τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας, μὴ προεῖπε ταύτης τὴν ἀπειλὴν, πολλοὶ ἐνέπεσον ἂν εἰς αὐτήν. Εἰ γὰρ νῦν τοῦ φόβου κατασείοντος ἡμῶν τὰς ψυχὰς, εἰσί τινες οἱ οὕτω ῥᾳδίως ἁμαρτάνοντες, ὡς οὐδὲ οὔσης αὐτῆς: εἰ μηδὲν τούτων εἴρητο μήτε ἠπείλητο, τί οὐκ ἂν εἰργασάμεθα δεινόν; Ὥστε, ἅπερ ἀεί φημι, τῆς βασιλείας οὐχ ἧττον ἡ γέεννα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν κηδεμονίαν δείκνυσιν. Ἡ γέεννα γὰρ τῇ βασιλείᾳ συμπράττει, τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τῷ φόβῳ ὠθοῦσα πρὸς αὐτήν. Μὴ οὖν ἀπηνείας μηδὲ ὠμότητος εἶναι τὸ πρᾶγμα νομίσωμεν, ἀλλὰ ἐλέου καὶ φιλανθρωπίας πολλῆς καὶ κηδεμονίας καὶ φίλτρου τοῦ περὶ ἡμᾶς. Εἰ μὴ ἠπειλήθη καταστροφὴ ἐπὶ Ἰωνᾶ, οὐκ ἂν ἐκωλύθη ἡ καταστροφή: εἰ μὴ εἶπεν, ὅτι Καταστραφήσεται Νινευῒ, οὐκ ἂν ἔστη Νινευΐ: εἰ μὴ ἠπειλήθη γέεννα, ἅπαντες ἂν εἰς γέενναν ἐνεπέσομεν: εἰ μὴ ἠπειλήθη πῦρ, οὐδεὶς ἂν διέφυγε τὸ πῦρ. Ἐναντία ὧν βούλεται πράττειν λέγει, ἵνα πράττῃ ἃ βούλεται. Οὐ βούλεται τὸν θάνατον τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ, καὶ λέγει τὸν θάνατον τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἐμβάλῃ εἰς θάνατον: οὐκ εἶπε ῥήματι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἔργον δείκνυσιν, ἵνα φεύγωμεν. Ἵνα δὲ μή τις νομίσῃ ἀπειλὴν εἶναι τὸ πρᾶγμα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὄντως εἶναι, ἀπὸ τῶν ἐνταῦθα γεγονότων δῆλον τοῦτο ἐποίησεν. Ἢ οὐ δοκεῖ σοι τῆς γεέννης εἶναι σύμβολον ὁ κατακλυσμὸς, ὁ τῆς παντελοῦς πανωλεθρίας τοῦ ὑετοῦ τοῦ πυρός; Ὥσπερ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Νῶε ἦσαν γαμοῦντες καὶ ἐκγαμίζοντες, οὕτω καὶ νῦν. Προεῖπε πρὸ πλείονος χρόνου τότε, καὶ νῦν προλέγει πρὸ ἐτῶν τετρακοσίων, ἢ καὶ πλειόνων, ἀλλ' οὐδεὶς ὁ προσέχων: πάντες μύθους τὸ πρᾶγμα εἶναι νομίζουσι, πάντες γέλωτα, οὐδένα φόβος ἔχει, οὐδεὶς δακρύει, οὐδεὶς πατάσσει τὸ στῆθος. Ὁ ποταμὸς τοῦ πυρὸς ἀναβράσσεται, ἡ φλὸξ ἐκκαίεται, καὶ ἡμεῖς γελῶμεν καὶ τρυφῶμεν καὶ ἁμαρτάνομεν ἀδεῶς. Οὐδεὶς εἰς νοῦν τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην λαμβάνει ποτὲ, οὐδεὶς ἐννοεῖ, ὅ τι παρέρχεται τὰ παρόντα, ὅτι πρόσκαιρα ταῦτα, καίτοι τῶν πραγμάτων καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν βοώντων, καὶ φωνὴν ἀφιέντων. Οἱ ἄωροι θάνατοι, αἱ τῶν πραγμάτων μεταβολαὶ, καὶ ζώντων ἡμῶν γινόμεναι, οὐ παιδεύουσιν ἡμᾶς, αἱ ἀῤῥωστίαι καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ νοσήματα. Οὐκ ἐν τοῖς ἡμετέροις δὲ σώμασι τὰς μεταβολὰς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς στοιχείοις ἴδοι τις ἄν: καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡλικίαις δὲ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν τὸν θάνατον μελετῶμεν, καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τὸ ἄστατον πανταχοῦ διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων χαρακτηρίζεται. Οὐδέποτε χειμὼν ἔμεινεν, οὐδέποτε θέρος, οὐδὲ ἔαρ, οὐδὲ μετόπωρον, ἀλλὰ πάντα τρέχει καὶ ἀφίπταται καὶ ῥεῖ. Ἀλλὰ τί βούλει εἴπω τὰ ἄνθη, τὰ ἀξιώματα, τοὺς βασιλεῖς τοὺς νῦν ὄντας, καὶ αὔριον οὐκ ὄντας; ἀλλὰ τοὺς πλουτοῦντας; ἀλλὰ τὰ οἰκοδομήματα τὰ λαμπρά; ἀλλὰ νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν; ἀλλὰ τὸν ἥλιον; ἀλλὰ τὴν σελήνην; οὐ φθίνει καὶ αὐτή; καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ ἥλιος οὐκ ἐκλείπει πολλάκις, οὐ σκοτίζεται, οὐ νέφος αὐτὸν κρύπτει; Μή τι τῶν ὁρωμένων παραμένει διαπαντός; Οὐδὲν, ἀλλ' ἡ ψυχὴ μόνη τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ταύτης ἀμελοῦμεν. Τῶν μὲν ἀλλοιουμένων, ὡς μενόντων πολλὴν ποιούμεθα πρόνοιαν: τῆς δὲ μενούσης, ἀεὶ ὡς παρερχομένης οὐδένα ἔχοντες λόγον. Ὁ δεῖνα μεγάλα δύναται; Ἀλλ' ἕως αὔριον, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἀπολεῖται: καὶ δῆλον ἐκ τῶν μείζονα δυνηθέντων, καὶ νῦν οὐδαμοῦ φαινομένων. Σκηνή τίς ἐστιν ὁ βίος, καὶ ὄναρ. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ σκήνους ἀρθέντος αἱ ποικιλίαι διαλύονται, καὶ τὰ ὀνείρατα τῆς ἀκτῖνος φανείσης πάντα ἀφίπταται: οὕτω καὶ νῦν τῆς συντελείας γενομένης, καὶ τῆς κοινῆς καὶ τῆς ἑνὸς ἑκάστου, πάντα λύεται καὶ ἀφανίζεται. Καὶ ξύλον μὲν, ὃ ἐφύτευσας, μένει, καὶ ἡ οἰκία, ἣν οἰκοδομεῖς, καὶ αὐτὴ μένει: ὁ δὲ τεχνίτης καὶ ὁ γεωργὸς ἀπάγονται καὶ διαφθείρονται. Καὶ τούτων γινομένων, οὐδὲ οὕτως ἐντρεπόμεθα, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀθάνατοι ταῦτα πάντα κατασκευάζομεν, τρυφῶντες καὶ σπαταλῶντες. δʹ. Ἄκουσον τί φησιν ὁ Σολομῶν, ὁ ἔργῳ πεῖραν λαβὼν τῶν παρόντων πραγμάτων: Ὠ|κοδόμησά μοι οἰκίας, φησὶν, ἐφύτευσα κήπους καὶ παραδείσους, ἀμπελῶνας καὶ κολυμβήθρας ὑδάτων, ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον ἐγένετό μοι, ἐποίησά μοι ᾄδοντας καὶ ᾀδούσας, ποίμνια καὶ βουκόλια. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ οὕτως ἐγένετο τρυφηλὸς, οὐδεὶς οὕτως ἔνδοξος, οὐδεὶς οὕτω σοφὸς, οὐδεὶς οὕτως ἄρχων, οὐδεὶς οὕτω κατὰ νοῦν πάντα εἶδεν αὐτῷ προκεχωρηκότα. Τί οὖν; Οὐδὲν τούτων ἀπώνατο: ἀλλὰ τί φησι μετὰ ταῦτα πάντα; Ματαιότης γὰρ, φησὶ, ματαιοτήτων, τὰ πάντα ματαιότης: οὐχ ἁπλῶς ματαιότης, ἀλλὰ καθ' ὑπερβολήν. Πεισθῶμεν αὐτῷ, παρακαλῶ, τῷ διὰ πείρας ἥκοντι: πεισθῶμεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐπιλαβώμεθα πραγμάτων, ἔνθα οὐκ ἔτι ματαιότης, ἔνθα ἀλήθεια, ἔνθα πάντα πάγια καὶ βέβαια, ἔνθα πάντα ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας ᾠκοδόμηται, ἔνθα γῆρας οὐκ ἔνι, οὐδὲ πάροδος, ἔνθα πάντα ἀνθεῖ, ἔνθα πάντα ἀκμάζει, ἔνθα παλαιούμενον οὐδὲν, οὐδὲ γηράσκον, οὐδὲ ἐγγὺς ἀφανισμοῦ. Ποθήσωμεν, παρακαλῶ, γνησίως τὸν Θεὸν, μὴ φόβῳ γεέννης, ἀλλ' ἐπιθυμίᾳ βασιλείας. Τί γὰρ, εἰπέ μοι, τοῦ τὸν Χριστὸν ἰδεῖν ἴσον; Οὐδὲν οὐκ ἔστι. Τί δὲ τοῦ ἀπολαῦσαι τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐκείνων ἴσον; Οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδέν: εἰκότως. Οὔτε γὰρ ὀφθαλμὸς εἶδε, οὔτε οὖς ἤκουσεν, οὔτε ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου ἀνέβη, ἃ ἡτοίμασεν ὁ Θεὸς, φησὶ, τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν. Ἐκείνων ἐπιτυχεῖν σπουδάσωμεν, καταφρονήσωμεν τούτων. Οὐχὶ μυριάκις αὐτῶν κατηγοροῦμεν, ὅτι οὐδὲν ὁ βίος ὁ ἀνθρώπινος; Τί σπουδάζεις περὶ τὸ μηδέν; τί πόνους ὑφίστασαι περὶ τὸ μηδέν; Ἀλλ' ὁρᾷς οἰκοδομὰς λαμπρὰς, καὶ τούτων ἀπατᾷ σε ἡ θέα; Ἀλλ' εὐθέως ἴδε εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἀνάβλεψον ἀπὸ τῶν λίθων καὶ κιόνων πρὸς ἐκεῖνο τὸ κάλλος, καὶ ὄψει ταῦτα ὅτι μυρμήκων καὶ κωνώπων ἐστὶν ἔργα. Ἐμφιλοσόφησον τῇ θέᾳ: ἄνιθι πρὸς τὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ: ἐκεῖθεν κατάμαθε τὰς λαμπρὰς οἰκοδομὰς, καὶ ὄψει οὐδὲν οὔσας, ἀλλὰ παίδων ἀθύρματα μικρῶν. Εἶδες πῶς λεπτότερος, πῶς κουφότερος, πῶς καθαρώτερος καὶ διαυγέστερος ὁ ἀὴρ, ὅσῳ ἂν ἀναβαίνῃς εἰς ὕψος; Ἐκεῖ οἱ τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ἐργαζόμενοι τὰς οἰκίας ἔχουσι, τὰς σκηνάς. Ταῦτα ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει καταλύεται, μᾶλλον δὲ πρὸ τῆς ἀναστάσεως χρόνος ἐπελθὼν διέφθειρε καὶ ἠφάνισε καὶ διέλυσε: καὶ πρὸ τοῦ χρόνου δὲ ἐν αὐτῇ πολλάκις τῇ ἀκμῇ καὶ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἢ σεισμὸς κατήνεγκεν, ἢ καὶ ἐμπρησμὸς τὸ πᾶν ἐλυμήνατο. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ ἐν ταῖς ἡλικίαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ταῖς οἰκοδομαῖς εἰσιν ἄωροι θάνατοι: καὶ πολλάκις τὰ μὲν σαθρὰ τῷ χρόνῳ γενόμενα, τῆς γῆς τιναχθείσης, ἔμεινεν ἀκλινῆ: τὰ δὲ ἀπαστράπτοντα, καὶ πεπηγότα, καὶ νεοκατασκεύαστα, ὑπὸ βροντῆς μόνης κατεσείσθη καὶ ἀπώλετο: καὶ τοῦτο τοῦ Θεοῦ οἰκονομοῦντος, οἶμαι, ἵνα μὴ μέγα φρονῶμεν ἐν ταῖς οἰκοδομαῖς. Βούλει καὶ ἑτέρως μὴ ἀθυμεῖν, ἐπὶ τὰ κοινὰ ἐλθὲ οἰκοδομήματα, ὧν ἴσον μετέχεις καὶ σύ. Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν, οὐκ ἔστιν οἰκία, κἂν σφόδρα ᾖ λαμπρὰ, τῶν δημοσίων οἰκοδομημάτων λαμπροτέρα. Ἐνδιάτριψον ὅσον χρόνον θέλεις ἐκεῖ: σά ἐστιν ἐκεῖνα, σά ἐστι μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων: κοινά ἐστι, καὶ οὐκ ἴδια. Ἀλλ' οὐ τέρπει ταῦτα, φησίν. Οὐ τέρπει, πρῶτον μὲν τῇ συνηθείᾳ, δεύτερον δὲ τῇ πλεονεξίᾳ. Ἄρα τὸ τερπνὸν ἡ πλεονεξία ἐστὶν, οὐχὶ τὸ κάλλος: ἄρα ἡ τέρψις ἡ πλεονεξία ἐστὶ, καὶ τὸ τὰ πάντων βούλεσθαι ἰδιοποιεῖσθαι. Μέχρι τίνος τούτοις προσηλώμεθα; μέχρι τίνος τῇ γῇ προσπεπήγαμεν, καὶ καθάπερ οἱ σκώληκες, περὶ τὸν βόρβορον ἐγκαλινδούμεθα; Τὸ σῶμα ἡμῖν ἔδωκεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ γῆς, ἵνα καὶ αὐτὸ εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀναγάγωμεν, οὐχ ἵνα δι' αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν εἰς γῆν κατασπῶμεν: γεῶδές ἐστιν, ἀλλ', ἐὰν θέλω, οὐράνιον γίνεται. Ὅρα πόσῃ τετίμηκεν ἡμᾶς τιμῇ, τοιοῦτον ἔργον ἐπιτρέψας ἡμῖν. Ἐποίησα, φησὶν, ἐγὼ γῆν καὶ οὐρανόν: δίδωμι καὶ σοὶ δημιουργίαν, ποίησον τὴν γῆν οὐρανόν: δύνασαι γάρ. Ὁ ποιῶν πάντα, καὶ μετασκευάζων αὐτὰ, περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἴρηται. Ἀλλὰ ταύτην καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἔδωκε τὴν ἐξουσίαν: καθάπερ τις πατὴρ φιλόστοργος ζωγραφῶν οὐκ αὐτὸς μόνος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ παιδίον βούλεται ἄγειν εἰς τὴν ἴσην μάθησιν. Ἐποίησα, φησὶν, ἐγὼ σῶμα καλόν: δίδωμι σοὶ τοῦ κρείττονος τὴν δημιουργίαν: ποίησον σὺ ψυχὴν καλήν. Εἶπον ἐγὼ, Ἐξαγαγέτω ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου, καὶ πᾶν ξύλον κάρπιμον: εἰπὲ καὶ σὺ, Ἐξαγαγέτω ἡ γῆ αὕτη καρπὸν τὸν ἴδιον, καὶ ἐξελεύσεται ὃ ἐὰν θέλῃς ἐνεργῆσαι. Ποιῶ θέρος καὶ ὁμίχλην, στερεῶ βροντὴν, καὶ κτίζω πνεῦμα, ἔπλασα δράκοντα ἐμπαίζειν αὐτῷ, τουτέστι, τὸν διάβολον. Οὐδὲ σοὶ ταύτης ἐφθόνησα τῆς ἐξουσίας: ἔμπαιξον καὶ σὺ, εἰ θέλεις: δύνασαι γὰρ ὡς στρουθίον δῆσαι αὐτόν. Ἀνατέλλω τὸν ἥλιον ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθούς: μίμησαι καὶ σὺ, μετάδος τῶν σῶν καὶ ἀγαθοῖς καὶ πονηροῖς. Ὑβριζόμενος φέρω καὶ εὐεργετῶ τοὺς ὑβρίζοντας: μίμησαι καὶ σύ: δύνασαι γάρ. Εὖ ποιῶ, οὐκ ἐπὶ ἀντιδόσει: μίμησαι καὶ σὺ, καὶ μὴ εὖ ποιήσῃς ἐπὶ ἀντιδόσει, μηδὲ ἐπὶ ἀμοιβῇ. Ἀνῆψα φωστῆρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν: ἄναψον καὶ σὺ τούτων λαμπροτέρους, δύνασαι γάρ: τοὺς ἐν πλάνῃ φώτισον: μείζων ἡ εὐεργεσία ἐκείνη τοῦ τὸν ἥλιον ὁρᾷν τὸ ἐμὲ ἐπιγινώσκειν. Ἄνθρωπον οὐ δύνασαι ποιῆσαι, ἀλλὰ δίκαιον δύνασαι ποιῆσαι καὶ εὐάρεστον τῷ Θεῷ. Ἐγὼ τὴν οὐσίαν εἰργασάμην: σὺ καλλώπισον τὴν προαίρεσιν. Ὅρα πῶς σε φιλῶ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς μείζοσί σοι ἔδωκα τὴν ἰσχύν. Ὁρᾶτε, ἀγαπητοὶ, πῶς τετιμήμεθα: καί τινες τῶν ἀλογίστων καὶ ἀγνωμόνων λέγουσι, Διὰ τί τῆς προαιρέσεώς ἐσμεν κύριοι; Ταῦτα πάντα ὅσα διήλθομεν, ἐν οἷς δυνάμεθα μιμεῖσθαι τὸν Θεὸν, εἰ μὴ προαίρεσις ἦν, οὐκ ἂν ἦν ἡμῖν δυνατὸν μιμήσασθαι. Ἄρχω, φησὶν, ἀγγέλων ἐγὼ, καὶ σὺ διὰ τῆς ἀπαρχῆς. Ἐπὶ θρόνου κάθημαι βασιλικοῦ: καὶ σὺ συγκάθησαι διὰ τῆς ἀπαρχῆς: Συνήγειρε, φησὶν, καὶ συνεκάθισεν ἡμᾶς ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ Πατρός. Προσκυνεῖ σε τὰ Χερουβὶμ καὶ τὰ Σεραφὶμ, πᾶσα ἡ ἀγγελικὴ δύναμις, ἀρχαὶ, ἐξουσίαι, θρόνοι, κυριότητες διὰ τῆς ἀπαρχῆς. Μὴ κατηγόρει τοῦ σώματος, ὃ τοσαύτης ἀπολαύει τιμῆς, ὃ τρέμουσι καὶ αἱ ἀσώματοι δυνάμεις. Ἀλλὰ τί εἴπω; οὐ τούτοις τὸ φίλτρον ἐπιδείκνυμαι μόνοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἷς ἔπαθον. Διὰ σὲ ἐνεπτύσθην, ἐῤῥαπίσθην, τὴν δόξαν ἐκένωσα, τὸν Πατέρα εἴασα, καὶ πρὸς σὲ ἦλθον τὸν μισοῦντά με καὶ ἀποστρεφόμενον, καὶ οὐδὲ ἀκοῦσαι βουλόμενον τὸ ὄνομά μου: κατεδίωξα καὶ ἐπέδραμον, ἵνα σε κατάσχω: ἥνωσά σε καὶ συνῆψα ἐμαυτῷ: Φάγε με, εἶπον, πίε με. Καὶ ἄνω σε ἔχω, καὶ κάτω συμπλέκομαί σοι. Οὐκ ἀρκεῖ σοι, ὅτι σου τὴν ἀπαρχὴν ἔχω ἄνω; οὐ παραμυθεῖται τοῦτο τὸν πόθον; καὶ κάτω πάλιν κατέβην, οὐχ ἁπλῶς μίγνυμαί σοι, ἀλλὰ συμπλέκομαι, τρώγομαι, λεπτύνομαι κατὰ μικρὸν, ἵνα πολλὴ ἡ ἀνάκρασις γένηται καὶ ἡ μίξις καὶ ἡ ἕνωσις. Τὰ γὰρ ἑνούμενα ἐν οἰκείοις ἕστηκεν ὅροις: ἐγὼ δὲ συνυφαίνομαί σοι. Οὐ βούλομαι λοιπὸν εἶναί τι μέσον: ἓν εἶναι βούλομαι τὰ ἀμφότερα. Ταῦτα οὖν εἰδότες, καὶ τὴν πολλὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς αὐτοῦ κηδεμονίαν, ἅπαντα πράττωμεν, ἅπερ ἂν ἡμᾶς μὴ ἀναξίους δύναται δεικνύναι τῶν μεγάλων αὐτοῦ δωρεῶν: ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.