Homily XIX.

Matt. VI. 1.

“Take heed that ye do not your alms801   [All authorities of an early period, including many fathers prior to Chrysostom, read δικαιοσνην (comp. R.V.). It seems likely that the apparent homiletical advantage of the other reading made it the common one.—R.]before men, to be seen of them.”

He roots out in what remains the most tyrannical passion of all, the rage and madness with respect to vainglory, which springs up in them that do right. For at first He had not at all discoursed about it; it being indeed superfluous, before He had persuaded them to do any of the things which they ought, to teach in which way they should practise and pursue them.

But after He had led them on to self-command, then He proceeds to purge away also the alloy which secretly subsists with it. For this disease is by no means of random birth; but when we have duly performed many of the commandments.

It behooved therefore first to implant virtue, and then to remove the passion which mars its fruit.

And see with what He begins, with fasting, and prayer, and almsgiving: for in these good deeds most especially it is wont to make its haunt. The Pharisee, for instance, was hereby puffed up, who saith, “I fast twice a week, I give tithes of my substance.”802   Luke xviii. 12. And he was vainglorious too in his very prayer, making it for display. For since there was no one else present, he pointed himself out to the publican,803   Or, “by the publican:” τ τελν νεδεκνυτο. [The dative is correctly rendered in the text, but the verb is used in a figurative sense.—R.]saying, “I am not as the rest of men, nor even as this publican.”804   Luke xviii. 11.

And mark how Christ began, as though He were speaking of some wild beast, hard to catch, and crafty to deceive him who was not very watchful. Thus, “take heed,” saith He, “as to your alms.” So Paul also speaks to the Philippians; “Beware of dogs.”805   Phil. iii. 2. [“The dogs,” so R.V.—R.] And with reason, for806   [Κα γρ.]the evil beast comes in upon us secretly, and without noise puffs all away, and unobservedly carries out all that is within.

Forasmuch then as He had made much discourse about almsgiving, and brought forward God, “Who maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good,”807   Matt. v. 45.and by motives from all quarters had urged them on to this, and had persuaded them to exult in the abundance of their giving; He finishes by taking away also all things that encumber this fair olive tree. For which same cause He saith, “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men,” for that which was before mentioned, is “God’s” almsgiving.

2. And when He had said, “not to do it before men,” He added, “to be seen of them.” And though it seems as if the same thing were said a second time, yet if any one give particular attention, it is not the same thing, but one is different from the other; and it hath great security, and unspeakable care and tenderness. For it may be, both that one doing alms before men may not do it to be seen of them, and again that one not doing it before men may do it to be seen of them. Wherefore it is not simply the thing, but the intent, which He both punishes and rewards. And unless such exactness were employed, this would make many more backward about the giving of alms, because it is not on every occasion altogether possible to do it secretly. For this cause, setting thee free from this restraint, He defines both the penalty and the reward not by the result of the action, but by the intention of the doer.

That is, that thou mayest not say, “What? am I then the worse, should another see?”—“it is not this,” saith He, “that I am seeking, but the mind that is in thee, and the tone of what thou doest.” For His will is to bring our soul altogether into frame, and to deliver it from every disease. Now having, as you see, forbidden men’s acting for display, and having taught them the penalty thence ensuing, namely, to do it vainly, and for nought, He again rouses their spirits by putting them in mind of the Father, and of Heaven, that not by the loss alone He might sting them, but also shame them by the recollection of Him who gave them being.

“For ye have no reward,” saith He, “with your Father which is in Heaven.”808   Matt. vi. 1.

Nor even at this did He stop, but proceeds yet further, by other motives also increasing their disgust. For as above He set forth publicans and heathens, by the quality of the person shaming their imitators, so also in this place the hypocrites.

“Therefore when thou doest thine alms,” saith He, “do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do.”809   Matt. vi. 2.

Not that they had trumpets, but He means to display the greatness of their frenzy, by the use of this figure of speech, deriding and making a show810   ἐκπομπεων.of them hereby.

And well hath He called them “hypocrites” for the mask was of mercy, but the spirit of cruelty and inhumanity. For they do it, not because they pity their neighbors, but that they themselves may enjoy credit; and this came of the utmost cruelty; while another was perishing with hunger, to be seeking vainglory, and not putting an end to his suffering.

It is not then the giving alms which is required, but the giving as one ought, the giving for such and such an end.811   [δι τοτο.]

Having then amply derided those men, and having handled them so, that the hearer should be even ashamed of them, He again corrects thoroughly the mind which is so distempered: and having said how we ought not to act, He signifies on the other hand how we ought to act. How then ought we to do our alms?812   [As in the previous clause, “ought we to act.”—R.]

“Let not thy left hand know,” saith He, “what thy right hand doeth.”813   Matt. vi. 3.

Here again His enigmatical meaning is not of the hands, but He hath put the thing hyperbolically. As thus: “If it can be,” saith He, “for thyself not to know it, let this be the object of thine endeavor; that, if it were possible, it may be concealed from the very hands that minister.” It is not, as some say, that we should hide it from wrong-headed814   σκαιο, literally, “on the left hand.”men, for He hath here commanded that it should be concealed from all.

And then the reward too; consider how great it is. For after He had spoken of the punishment from the one, He points out also the honor derived from the other; from either side urging them, and leading them on to high lessons. Yea, for He is persuading them to know that God is everywhere present, and that not by our present life are our interests limited, but a yet more awful tribunal will receive us when we go hence, and the account of all our doings, and honors, and punishments: and that no one will be hid in doing anything either great or small, though he seem to be hid from men. For all this did He darkly signify, when He said,

“Thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”815   Matt. vi. 4. [The phrase ἐν τ φανερ is poorly supported in verses 4, 6, 18. It seems, however, to be accepted by Chrysostom. The R.V. properly renders “recompense thee” to distinguish from the word “reward” (μισθν), which occurs in verse 2and similar passages.—R.]

Setting for him a great and august assemblage of spectators, and what He desires, that very thing bestowing on him in great abundance. “For what,” saith He, “dost thou wish? is it not to have some to be spectators of what is going on? Behold then, thou hast some; not angels, nor archangels, but the God of all.” And if thou desire to have men also as spectators, neither of this desire doth He deprive thee at the fitting season, but rather in greater abundance affords it unto thee. For, if thou shouldest now make a display, thou wilt be able to make it to ten only, or twenty, or (we will say) a hundred persons: but if thou take pains to lie hid now, God Himself will then proclaim thee in the presence of the whole universe. Wherefore above all, if thou wilt have men see thy good deeds, hide them now, that then all may look on them with the more honor, God making them manifest, and extolling them, and proclaiming them before all. Again, whereas now they that behold will rather condemn thee as vainglorious; when they see thee crowned, so far from condemning, they will even admire thee, all of them. When therefore by waiting a little, thou mayest both receive a reward, and reap greater admiration; consider what folly it is to cast thyself out of both these; and while thou art seeking thy reward from God, and while God is beholding, to summon men for the display of what is going on. Why, if display must be made of our love, to our Father above all should we make it; and this most especially, when our Father hath the power both to crown and to punish.

And let me add, even were there no penalty, it were not meet for him who desires glory, to let go this our theatre, and take in exchange that of men. For who is there so wretched, as that when the king was hastening to come and see his achievements, he would let him go, and make up his assembly of spectators of poor men and beggars? For this cause then, He not only commands to make no display, but even to take pains to be concealed: it not being at all the same, not to strive for publicity, and to strive for concealment.

3. “And when ye pray,” saith He, “ye shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.”816   Matt. vi. 5. [R.V., “to stand and pray,” and, “They have received their reward.”—R.]

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret.”817   Matt. vi. 6. [R.V., “Enter into thine inner chamber and having shut thy door, pray,” etc.—R.]

These too again He calls “hypocrites,” and very fitly; for while they are feigning to pray to God, they are looking round after men; wearing the garb not of suppliants, but of ridiculous persons. For he, who is to do a suppliant’s office, letting go all other, looks to him alone, who hath power to grant his request. But if thou leave this one, and go about wandering and casting around thine eyes everywhere, thou wilt depart with empty hands. For this was thine own will. Wherefore He said not, “such shall not receive a reward,” but, “they have it out:” that is, they shall indeed receive one, but from those of whom they themselves desire to have it. For God wills not this: He rather for His part was willing to bestow on men the recompence that comes from Himself; but they seeking that which is from men, can be no longer justly entitled to receive from Him, for whom they have done nothing.

But mark, I pray thee, the lovingkindness of God, in that He promises to bestow on us a reward, even for those good things which we ask of Him.

Having then discredited them, who order not this duty as they ought, both from the place and from their disposition of mind, and having shown that they are very ridiculous: He introduces the best manner of prayer, and again gives the reward, saying, “Enter into thy closet.”

“What then,” it may be said, “ought we not to pray in church?” Indeed we ought by all means, but in such a spirit as this. Because everywhere God seeks the intention of all that is done. Since even if thou shouldest enter into thy closet, and having shut the door, shouldest do it for display, the doors will do thee no good.

It is worth observing in this case also, how exact the definition, which He made when He said, “That they may appear unto men.” So that even if thou shut the doors, this He desires thee duly to perform, rather than the shutting of the doors, even to shut the doors of the mind. For as in everything it is good to be freed from vainglory, so most especially in prayer. For if even without this, we wander and are distracted, when shall we attend unto the things which we are saying, should we enter in having this disease also? And if we who pray and beseech attend not, how do we expect God to attend?

4. But yet some there are, who after such and so earnest charges, behave themselves so unseemly in prayer, that even when their person is concealed, they make themselves manifest to all by their voice, crying out disorderly,818   συρφετωδ.and rendering themselves objects of ridicule both by gesture and voice. Seest thou not that even in a market place, should any one come up doing like this, and begging clamorously, he wilt drive away him whom he is petitioning; but if quietly, and with the proper gesture, then he rather wins over him that can grant the favor?

Let us not then make our prayer by the gesture of our body, nor by the loudness of our voice, but by the earnestness of our mind: neither with noise and clamor and for display, so as even to disturb those that are near us, but with all modesty,819   ἐπιεικεα.and with contrition in the mind, and with inward tears.

But art thou pained in mind, and canst not help crying aloud? yet surely it is the part of one exceedingly pained to pray and entreat even as I have said. Since Moses too was pained, and prayed in this way and was heard; for this cause also God said unto him, “Wherefore criest thou unto me.”820   Exod. xiv. 15. And Hannah too again, her voice not being heard, accomplished all she wished, forasmuch as her heart cried out.821   1 Sam. i. 13. But Abel prayed not only when silent, but even when dying, and his blood sent forth a cry more clear than a trumpet.822   Gen. iv. 10.

Do thou also then groan, even as that holy one, I forbid it not. “Rend,” as the prophet commanded,823   Joel ii. 13.“thine heart, and not thy garments.” Out of deeps call upon God, for it is said, “Out of the depths have I cried to Thee, O Lord.”824   Ps. cxxxi. 1. From beneath, out of the heart, draw forth a voice, make thy prayer a mystery. Seest thou not that even in the houses of kings all tumult is put away, and great on all sides is the silence? Do thou also therefore, entering as into a palace,—not that on the earth, but what is far more awful than it, that which is in heaven,—show forth great seemliness. Yea, for thou art joined to the choirs of angels, and art in communion with archangels, and art singing with the seraphim. And all these tribes show forth much goodly order, singing with great awe that mystical strain, and their sacred hymns to God, the King of all. With these then mingle thyself, when thou art praying, and emulate their mystical order.

For not unto men art thou praying, but to God, who is everywhere present, who hears even before the voice, who knows the secrets of the mind. If thou so pray, great is the reward thou shalt receive.

“For thy Father,” saith He, “who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”825   Matt. vi. 6. [See note on sec. 2, verse 4.—R.]

He said not, “shall freely give thee,” but, “shall reward thee;” yea, for He hath made Himself a debtor to thee, and even from this hath honored thee with great honor. For because He Himself is invisible, He would have thy prayer be so likewise.

5. Then He speaks even the very words of the prayer.

“When ye pray,” saith He, “use no vain repetitions, even as the heathen do.”826   Matt. vi. 7. (R.V., “And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do.”—R.]

You see that when He was discoursing of almsgiving, He removed only that mischief which comes of vainglory, and added nothing more; neither did He say whence one should give alms; as from honest labor, and not from rapine nor covetousness: this being abundantly acknowledged among all. And also before that, He had thoroughly cleared up this point, when He blessed them “that hunger after righteousness.”

But touching prayer, He adds somewhat over and above; “not to use vain repetitions.” And as there He derides the hypocrites, so here the heathen; shaming the hearer everywhere most of all by the vileness of the persons. For since this, in most cases, is especially biting and stinging, I mean our appearing to be likened to outcast persons; by this topic He dissuades them; calling frivolousness, here, by the name of “vain repetition:” as when we ask of God things unsuitable, kingdoms, and glory, and to get the better of enemies, and abundance of wealth, and in general what does not at all concern us.

“For He knoweth,” saith He, “what things ye have need of.”827   Matt. vi. 8.

And herewith He seems to me to command in this place, that neither should we make our prayers long; long, I mean, not in time, but in the number and length of the things mentioned. For perseverance indeed in the same requests is our duty: His word being, “continuing instant in prayer.”828   Rom. xii. 12.

And He Himself too, by that example of the widow, who prevailed with the pitiless and cruel ruler, by the continuance of her intercession;829   Luke xviii. 1.and by that of the friend, who came late at night time, and roused the sleeper from his bed,830   Luke xi. 5.not for his friendship’s, but for his importunity’s sake; what did He, but lay down a law, that all should continually make supplication unto Him? He doth not however bid us compose a prayer of ten thousand clauses, and so come to Him and merely repeat it. For this He obscurely signified when He said, “They think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”

“For He knoweth,” saith He, “what things ye have need of.” And if He know, one may say, what we have need of, wherefore must we pray? Not to instruct Him, but to prevail with Him; to be made intimate with Him, by continuance in supplication; to be humbled; to be reminded of thy sins.

6. “After this manner, therefore, pray ye,” saith He: “Our Father, which art in heaven.”831   Matt. vi. 9. [In Latin editions of the Homilies a division has been made at this point, so as to separate the comments on the Lord’s Prayer into a distinct Homily. But the Greek mss. have no such division. The latter half is numbered Homily XX., and the enumeration of all the subsequent Homilies modified. In Migne’s edition, two sets of numbers are given to the Homilies which follow.—R.]

See how He straightway stirred up the hearer, and reminded him of all God’s bounty in the beginning. For he who calls God Father, by him both remission of sins, and taking away of punishment, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, and adoption, and inheritance, and brotherhood with the Only-Begotten, and the supply of the Spirit, are acknowledged in this single title. For one cannot call God Father, without having attained to all those blessings. Doubly, therefore, doth He awaken their spirit, both by the dignity of Him who is called on, and by the greatness of the benefits which they have enjoyed. But when He saith, “in Heaven,” He speaks not this as shutting up God there, but as withdrawing him who is praying from earth, and fixing him in the high places, and in the dwellings above.

He teaches, moreover, to make our prayer common, in behalf of our brethren also. For He saith not, “my Father, which art in Heaven,” but, “our Father,” offering up his supplications for the body in common, and nowhere looking to his own, but everywhere to his neighbor’s good. And by this He at once takes away hatred, and quells pride, and casts out envy, and brings in the mother of all good things, even charity, and exterminates the inequality of human things, and shows how far the equality reaches between the king and the poor man, if at least in those things which are greatest and most indispensable, we are all of us fellows. For what harm comes of our kindred below, when in that which is on high we are all of us knit together, and no one hath aught more than another; neither the rich more than the poor, nor the master than the servant, neither the ruler than the subject, nor the king than the common soldier, nor the philosopher than the barbarian, nor the skillful than the unlearned? For to all hath He given one nobility, having vouchsafed to be called the Father of all alike.

7. When therefore He hath reminded us of this nobility, and of the gift from above, and of our equality with our brethren, and of charity; and when He hath removed us from earth, and fixed us in Heaven; let us see what He commands us to ask after this. Not but, in the first place, even that saying alone is sufficient to implant instruction in all virtue. For he who hath called God Father, and a common Father, would be justly bound to show forth such a conversation, as not to appear unworthy of this nobility, and to exhibit a diligence proportionate to the gift. Yet is He not satisfied with this, but adds, also another clause, thus saying,

“Hallowed be Thy name.”

Worthy of him who calls God Father, is the prayer to ask nothing before the glory of His Father, but to account all things secondary to the work of praising Him. For “hallowed” is glorified. For His own glory He hath complete, and ever continuing the same, but He commands him who prays to seek that He may be glorified also by our life. Which very thing He had said before likewise, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”832   Matt. v. 16. Yea, and the seraphim too, giving glory, said on this wise, “Holy, holy, holy.”833   Is. vi. 3; Rev. iv. 8. So that “hallowed” means this, viz. “glorified.” That is, “vouchsafe,” saith he, “that we may live so purely, that through us all may glorify Thee.” Which thing again appertains unto perfect self-control, to present to all a life so irreprehensible, that every one of the beholders may offer to the Lord the praise due to Him for this.

“Thy kingdom come.”834   Matt. vi. 10.

And this again is the language of a right-minded child, not to be rivetted to things that are seen, neither to account things present some great matter; but to hasten unto our Father, and to long for the things to come. And this springs out of a good conscience, and a soul set free from things that are on earth. This, for instance, Paul himself was longing after every day: wherefore he also said, that “even we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan, waiting for an adoption, the redemption of our body.”835   Rom. viii. 23. [The citation is slightly abridged, but the latter part agrees exactly with the Greek text followed in the R.V., which renders: “waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”—R.] For he who hath this fondness,836   ἔρωτα.can neither be puffed up by the good things of this life, nor abashed by its sorrows; but as though dwelling in the very heavens, is freed from each sort of irregularity.837   ἀνωμαλα.

“Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven.”

Behold a most excellent train of thought! in that He bade us indeed long for the things to come, and hasten towards that sojourn; and, till that may be, even while we abide here, so long to be earnest in showing forth the same conversation as those above. For ye must long, saith He, for heaven, and the things in heaven; however, even before heaven, He hath bidden us make the earth a heaven and do and say all things, even while we are continuing in it, as having our conversation there; insomuch that these too should be objects of our prayer to the Lord. For there is nothing to hinder our reaching the perfection of the powers above, because we inhabit the earth; but it is possible even while abiding here, to do all, as though already placed on high. What He saith therefore is this: “As there all things are done without hindrance, and the angels are not partly obedient and partly disobedient, but in all things yield and obey (for He saith, ‘Mighty in strength, performing His word’);838   Ps. ciii. 20.so vouchsafe that we men may not do Thy will by halves, but perform all things as Thou willest.”

Seest thou how He hath taught us also to be modest, by making it clear that virtue is not of our endeavors only, but also of the grace from above? And again, He hath enjoined each one of us, who pray, to take upon himself the care of the whole world. For He did not at all say, “Thy will be done” in me, or in us, but everywhere on the earth; so that error may be destroyed, and truth implanted, and all wickedness cast out, and virtue return, and no difference in this respect be henceforth between heaven and earth. “For if this come to pass,” saith He, “there will be no difference between things below and above, separated as they are in nature; the earth exhibiting to us another set of angels.”

8. “Give us this day our daily bread.”839   Matt. vi. 11.

What is “daily bread”? That for one day.840   [This is one of the most important passages in these Homilies, from a lexical point of view. The Greek text is, Τ στι, Τον ρτον τν πιυσιον; Το φμερον. The word ἐπιοσιο is found only in Matt. vi. 11, Luke xi. 3, and in the Christian literature based on these passages. As all Biblical scholars are aware, the etymology and meaning are still open to discussion. See Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, New Testament, sub voce. The Fathers generally gave it a spiritual or mystical sense, and Chrysostom’s position is, therefore, the more important. The modern views may be inferred from the R.V., which in the text of both renders the word “daily,” with the margin “Greek, our bread for the coming day,” but the American Company add as a second marginal rendering, “our needful bread.” These two marginal renderings represent two distinct etymologies, while “daily” is an explanatory or inferential rendering, for which the authority of Chrysostom has furnished strong support.—R.]

For because He had said thus, “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven,” but was discoursing to men encompassed with flesh, and subject to the necessities of nature, and incapable of the same impassibility with the angels:—while He enjoins the commands to be practised by us also, even as they perform them; He condescends likewise, in what follows, to the infirmity of our nature. Thus, “perfection of conduct,” saith He, “I require as great, not however freedom from passions; no, for the tyranny of nature permits it not: for it requires necessary food.” But mark, I pray thee, how even in things that are bodily, that which is spiritual abounds. For it is neither for riches, nor for delicate living, nor for costly raiment, nor for any other such thing, but for bread only, that He hath commanded us to make our prayer. And for “daily bread,” so as not to “take thought for the morrow.”841   Matt. vi. 34. Because of this He added, “daily bread,” that is, bread for one day.

And not even with this expression is He satisfied, but adds another too afterwards, saying, “Give us this day;” so that we may not, beyond this, wear ourselves out with the care of the following day. For that day, the interval842   τ διστημα.before which thou knowest not whether thou shalt see, wherefore dost thou submit to its cares?

This, as He proceeded, he enjoined also more fully, saying, “Take no thought for the morrow.” He would have us be on every hand unencumbered and winged for flight, yielding just so much to nature as the compulsion of necessity requires of us.

9. Then forasmuch as it comes to pass that we sin even after the washing of regeneration, He, showing His love to man to be great even in this case, commands us for the remission of our sins to come unto God who loves man, and thus to say,

“Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.”843   Matt. vi. 12. [R.V., “have forgiven our debtors,” following a different and better supported reading than that accepted by Chrysostom.—R.]

Seest thou surpassing mercy? After taking away so great evils, and after the unspeakable greatness of His gift, if men sin again, He counts them such as may be forgiven. For that this prayer belongs to believers, is taught us both by the laws of the church, and by the beginning of the prayer. For the uninitiated could not call God Father. If then the prayer belongs to believers, and they pray, entreating that sins may be forgiven them, it is clear that not even after the laver is the profit of repentance taken away. Since, had He not meant to signify this, He would not have made a law that we should so pray. Now He who both brings sins to remembrance, and bids us ask forgiveness, and teaches how we may obtain remission and so makes the way easy; it is perfectly clear that He introduced this rule of supplication, as knowing, and signifying, that it is possible even after the font844   [μετ τ λουτρν, rendered above, “after the laver.”—R.]to wash ourselves from our offenses; by reminding us of our sins, persuading us to be modest; by the command to forgive others, setting us free from all revengeful passion; while by promising in return for this to pardon us also, He holds out good hopes, and instructs us to have high views845   φιλοσοφεν.concerning the unspeakable mercy of God toward man.

But what we should most observe is this, that whereas in each of the clauses He had made mention of the whole of virtue, and in this way had included also the forgetfulness of injuries (for so, that “His name be hallowed,” is the exactness of a perfect conversation; and that “His will be done,” declares the same thing again: and to be able to call God “Father,” is the profession of a blameless life; in all which things had been comprehended also the duty of remitting our anger against them that have transgressed): still He was not satisfied with these, but meaning to signify how earnest He is in the matter, He sets it down also in particular, and after the prayer, He makes mention of no other commandment than this, saying thus:

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you.”846   Matt. vi. 14.

So that the beginning is of us, and we ourselves have control over the judgment that is to be passed upon us. For in order that no one, even of the senseless, might have any complaint to make, either great or small, when brought to judgment; on thee, who art to give account, He causes the sentence to depend; and “in what way soever thou hast judged for thyself,847   Many mss. read hast given judgment on him.in the same,” saith He, “do I also judge thee.” And if thou forgive thy fellow servant, thou shalt obtain the same favor from me; though indeed the one be not equal to the other. For thou forgivest in thy need, but God, having need of none: thou, thy fellow slave; God, His slave: thou liable to unnumbered charges; God, being without sin. But yet even thus doth He show forth His lovingkindness towards man.

Since He might indeed, even without this, forgive thee all thine offenses; but He wills thee hereby also to receive a benefit; affording thee on all sides innumerable occasions of gentleness and love to man, casting out what is brutish in thee, and quenching wrath, and in all ways cementing thee to him who is thine own member.

For what canst thou have to say? that thou hast wrongfully endured some ill of thy neighbor? (For these only are trespasses, since if it be done with justice, the act is not a trespass.) But thou too art drawing near to receive forgiveness for such things, and for much greater. And even before the forgiveness, thou hast received no small gift, in being taught to have a human soul, and in being trained to all gentleness. And herewith a great reward shall also be laid up for thee elsewhere, even to be called to account for none of thine offenses.

What sort of punishment then do we not deserve, when after having received the privilege, we betray our salvation? And how shall we claim to be heard in the rest of our matters, if we will not, in those which depend on us, spare our own selves?

10. “And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from the evil one: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”848   Matt. vi. 13. [Two points of great interest are to be noticed here: (1) that the interpretation “of the evil one” is unqualifedly accepted; (2) that the doxology is given without any suggestion of doubt respecting the genuineness of it. Here, as so often, the exegetical accuracy of Chrysostom appears to exceed his critical estimate of the Greek text of the New Testament.—R.]

Here He teaches us plainly our own vileness, and quells our pride, instructing us to deprecate all conflicts, instead of rushing upon them. For so both our victory will be more glorious, and the devil’s overthrow more to be derided. I mean, that as when we are dragged forth, we must stand nobly; so when we are not summoned, we should be quiet, and wait for the time of conflict; that we may show both freedom from vainglory, and nobleness of spirit.

And He here calls the devil “the wicked one,” commanding us to wage against him a war that knows no truce, and implying that he is not such by nature. For wickedness849   πονηρα.is not of those things that are from nature, but of them that are added by our own choice. And he is so called pre-eminently, by reason of the excess of his wickedness, and because he, in no respect injured by us, wages against us implacable war. Wherefore neither said He, “deliver us from the wicked ones,” but, “from the wicked one;” instructing us in no case to entertain displeasure against our neighbors, for what wrongs soever we may suffer at their hands, but to transfer our enmity from these to him, as being himself the cause of all our wrongs.

Having then made us anxious as before conflict, by putting us in mind of the enemy, and having cut away from us all our remissness; He again encourages and raises our spirits, by bringing to our remembrance the King under whom we are arrayed, and signifying Him to be more powerful than all. “For Thine,” saith He, “is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.”

Doth it not then follow, that if His be the kingdom, we should fear no one, since there can be none to withstand, and divide the empire with him. For when He saith, “Thine is the kingdom,” He sets before us even him, who is warring against us, brought into subjection, though he seem to oppose, God for a while permitting it. For in truth he too is among God’s servants, though of the degraded class, and those guilty of offense; and he would not dare set upon any of his fellow servants, had he not first received license from above. And why say I, “his fellow servants?” Not even against swine did he venture any outrage, until He Himself allowed him;850   Luke viii. 32.nor against flocks, nor herds, until he had received permission from above.851   Job i. 12.

“And the power,” saith He. Therefore, manifold as thy weakness may be, thou mayest of right be confident, having such a one to reign over thee, who is able fully to accomplish all, and that with ease, even by thee.

“And the glory, for ever. Amen.” Thus He not only frees thee from the dangers that are approaching thee, but can make thee also glorious and illustrious. For as His power is great, so also is His glory unspeakable, and they are all boundless, and no end of them. Seest thou how He hath by every means anointed His Champion, and hath framed Him to be full of confidence?

11. Then, as I said before, meaning to signify, that of all things He most loathes and hates bearing malice, and most of all accepts the virtue which is opposite to that vice; He hath after the prayer also again put us in mind of this same point of goodness; both by the punishment set, and by the reward appointed, urging the hearer to obey this command.

“For if ye forgive men,” saith He, “your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not, neither will He forgive you.”852   Matt. vi. 14, 15. [The latter verse is abridged, but there are variations in the mss. of the New Testament; comp. Tischendorf, in loco.—R.]

With this view He hath again mentioned heaven also, and their Father; to abash the hearer by this topic likewise; that he of all people, being of such a Father, should be made a wild beast of; and summoned as he is to heaven, should cherish an earthly and ordinary853   βιωτικν [here in the sense of “secular.”—R.]sort of mind. Since not by grace only, you see, ought we to become His children, but also by our works. And nothing makes us so like God, as being ready to forgive the wicked and wrong-doers; even as indeed He had taught before, when He spake of His “making the sun to shine on the evil and on the good.”854   Matt. v. 45.

For this same cause again in every one of the clauses He commands us to make our prayers common, saying, “Our Father,” and “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven,” and “Give us the bread, and forgive us our debts,” and “lead us not into temptation,” and “deliver us;” everywhere commanding us to use this plural word, that we may not retain so much as a vestige of anger against our neighbor.

How great punishment then must they deserve, who after all this, so far from themselves forgiving, do even entreat God for vengeance on their enemies, and diametrically as it were transgress this law; and this while He is doing and contriving all, to hinder our being at variance one with another? For since love is the root of all that is good, He removing from all sides whatever mars it, brings us together, and cements us to each other. For there is not, there is not one, be he father, or mother, or friend, or what you will, who so loved us as the God who created us. And this, above all things, both His daily benefits and His precepts make manifest. But if thou tell me of the pains, and of the sorrows, and of the evils of life; consider in how many things thou offendest Him every day, and thou wilt no longer marvel, though more than these evils should come upon thee, but if thou shouldest enjoy any good, then thou wilt marvel, and be amazed. But as it is, we look upon the calamities that come upon us, but the offenses, whereby we offend daily, we consider not: therefore we are perplexed. Since if we did but reckon up with strictness our sins of one day only, in that case we should know well how great evils we must be liable to.

And to let pass the other misdoings of which we have been guilty, each one for himself, and to speak of what have been committed this day; although of course I know not in what each of us may have sinned, yet such is the abundance of our misdoings, that not even he who knew all exactly would be able to choose from among these only. Which of us, for instance, hath not been careless in his prayers? Which hath not been insolent, or vainglorious? Who hath not spoken evil of his brother, hath not admitted a wicked desire, hath not looked with unchaste eyes, hath not remembered things with hostile feeling, even till he made his heart swell?

And if while we are in church, and in a short time we have become guilty of so great evils; what shall be when we are gone out from hence? If in the harbor the waves are so high, when we are gone forth into the channel of wickednesses, the forum I mean, and to public business, and our cares at home, shall we indeed be able so much as to know ourselves again?

But yet from our so great and so many sins, God hath given us a short and easy way of deliverance, and one that is free from all toil. For what sort of toil is it to forgive him that hath grieved us? Nay, it is a toil not to forgive, but to keep up our enmity: even as to be delivered from the anger, both works in us a great refreshment, and is very easy to him that is willing. For there is no sea to be crossed, nor long journey to be travelled, nor summits of mountains to be passed over, nor money to be spent, no need to torment thy body; but it suffices to be willing only, and all our sins are done away.

But if so far from forgiving him thyself, thou makest intercession to God against him, what hope of salvation wilt thou then have, if at the very time when thou oughtest rather to appease God, even then thou provokest Him; putting on the garb of a suppliant, but uttering the cries of a wild beast, and darting out against thyself those shafts of the wicked one? Wherefore Paul also, making mention of prayer, required nothing so much as the observance of this commandment; for He saith, “lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting.”855   1 Tim. ii. 8. [R.V., “disputing,” with margin, “doubting.”—R.] And if when thou hast need of mercy, not even then wilt thou let go thine anger, but art rather exceedingly mindful of it, and that, although thou knowest thou art thrusting the sword into thyself; when will it be possible for thee to become merciful, and to spew out the evil venom of this wickedness?

But if thou hast not yet seen this outrageousness in its full extent, suppose it happening among men, and then thou wilt perceive the excess of the insolence. As thus: should one approach thee who are a man, seeking to obtain mercy, and then, in the midst of his lying on the ground, should see an enemy, and leaving off to supplicate thee, begin to beat him; wouldest thou not make thyself more angry with him? This do thou consider as taking place with regard to God also. For so thou likewise, making supplication unto God, leavest thy supplication in the midst, and smitest thine enemy with thy words, and insultest the laws of God. Him who made a law to dismiss all anger, thou art summoning against those that have vexed thee, and requiring Him to do things contrary to His own commandments. Is it not enough for thee in the way of revenge, that thou thyself transgressest the law of God, but entreatest thou Him likewise to do so? What? hath He forgotten what He commanded? What? is He a man who spake these things? It is God, who knows all things, and whose will is, that His own laws be kept with the utmost exactness, and who, so far from doing these things which thou art requiring of Him, doth even regard thee who sayest these things, merely because thou sayest them, with aversion and hatred, and exacts of thee the most extreme penalty. How then seekest thou to obtain of Him things, from which He very seriously bids thee refrain?

Yet some there are, who have come to such a point of brutishness, as not only to make intercession against their enemies, but even to curse their children, and to taste, if only it might be, of their very flesh; or rather they are even tasting thereof. For tell me not this, that thou hast not fixed thy teeth in the body of him that vexed thee; since thou hast done, at least as far as concerned thee, what is much more grievous; in claiming that wrath from above should fall upon him, and that he should be delivered over to undying punishment, and be overthrown with his whole house.

Why, what sort of bites are as ferocious as this? what kind of weapons as bitter? Not so did Christ instruct thee; not so did He command thee to stain thy mouth with blood. Nay, mouths made bloody with human flesh are not so shocking as tongues like these.

How then wilt thou salute thy brother? how wilt thou touch the sacrifice? how taste the Lord’s blood, when thou hast so much venom upon thy mind? Since when thou sayest, “Rend him in pieces, and overthrow his house, and destroy all,” when thou art imprecating on him ten thousand deaths, thou art in nothing different from a murderer, or rather from a wild beast that devours men.

Let us cease then from this disease and madness, and that kindliness which He com manded let us show forth towards them that have vexed us: that we may become like “our Father which is in heaven.” And we shall cease therefrom, if we call to mind our own sins; if we strictly search out all our misdeeds at home, abroad, and in the market, and in church.

12. For if for nothing else, surely for our disrespectfulness here we are worthy to undergo the utmost punishment. For when prophets are chanting, and apostles singing hymns, and God is discoursing, we wander without, and bring in upon us a turmoil of worldly business. And we do not afford to the laws of God so great stillness, even as the spectators in the theatres to the emperor’s letters, keeping silence for them. For there, when these letters are being read, deputies at once, and governors, and senate, and people, stand all upright, with quietness hearkening to the words. And if amid that most profound silence any one should suddenly leap up and cry out, he suffers the utmost punishment, as having been insolent to the emperor. But here, when the letters from heaven are being read, great is the confusion on all sides. And yet both He who sent the letters is much greater than this our king,856   [το βασιλω, the Greek title of the emperor. The term is so rendered above.—R.]and the assembly more venerable: for not men only, but angels too are in it; and these triumphs, of which the letters bear us the good tidings, are much more awful than those on earth. Wherefore not men only, but angels also and archangels; both the nations of heaven, and all we on the earth, are commanded to give praise. For, “Bless the Lord,” it is said, “all His works.”857   Ps. ciii. 22. Yea, for His are no small achievements, rather they surpass all speech, and thought, and understanding of man.

And these things the prophets proclaim every day, each of them in a different way publishing this glorious triumph. For one saith, “Thou hast gone up on high, Thou hast led captivity captive, and hast received gifts amongst men.”858   Ps. lxviii. 18. And, “The Lord strong and mighty in battle.”859   Ps. xxiv. 8. And another saith, “He shall divide the spoils of the strong.”860   Isa. liii. 12. For indeed to this purpose He came, that He might “preach deliverance to captives, and recovery of sight to the blind.”861   Isa. lxi. l; Luke iv. 19.

And raising aloud the cry of victory over death, he said, “Where, O Death, is thy victory? Where, O Grave, is thy sting?”862   Hosea xiii. 14. [The LXX. has been modified in this citation to accord, in the first clause, with 1 Cor. xv. 55.—R.] And another again, declaring glad tidings of the most profound peace, said, “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.”863   Isa. ii. 4 ; Micah iv. 3. And while one calls on Jerusalem, saying, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion, for lo! thy King cometh to thee meek, riding upon an ass, and a young colt;”864   Zech. ix. 9.another proclaims His second coming also, saying on this wise, “The Lord, whom ye seek, will come, and who will abide the day of His coming?865   Mal. iii. 1, 2. Leap ye as calves set free from bonds.”866   Mal. iv. 2. The present reading of the LXX. is σκιρτσετε, “ye shall leap.” [So the Hebrew; comp. R.V.—R.] And another again, amazed at such things, said, “This is our God; there shall none other be accounted of in comparison of Him.”867   Baruc. iii. 35.

Yet, nevertheless, while both these and many more sayings than these are being uttered, while we ought to tremble, and not so much as account ourselves to be on the earth; still, as though in the midst of a forum, we make an uproar and disturbance, and spend the whole time of our solemn assembly868   τ συνξεω: “of the Holy Communion.” [But see note 1 in Homily V., p. 31, and comp. Homily LXXXVIII. at the close.—R.]in discoursing of things which are nothing to us.

When therefore both in little things, and in great, both in hearing, and in doing, both abroad, and at home, in the church, we are so negligent; and together with all this, pray also against our enemies: whence are we to have any hope of salvation, adding to so great sins yet another grievous enhancement, and equivalent to them all, even this unlawful prayer?

Have we then hereafter any right to marvel, if aught befall us of the things which are unexpected and painful? whereas we ought to marvel when no such thing befalls us. For the former is in the natural order of things, but the latter were beyond all reason and expectation. For surely it is beyond reason, that they who are become enemies of God, and are provoking Him to anger, should enjoy sunshine and showers, and all the rest; who being men surpass the barbarity of wild beasts, setting themselves one against another, and by the biting of their neighbors staining their own tongues with blood: after the spiritual table, and His so great benefits, and His innumerable injunctions.

Therefore, considering these things, let us cast up that venom; let us put an end to our enmities, and let us make the prayers that become such as we are. Instead of the brutality of devils, let us take upon us the mildness of angels; and in whatsoever things we may have been injured, let us, consider ing our own case, and the reward appointed us for this commandment, soften our anger; let us assuage the billows, that we may both pass through the present life calmly, and when we have departed thither, may find our Lord such as we have been towards our fellow-servants. And if this be a heavy and fearful thing, let us make it light and desirable; and let us open the glorious gates of confidence towards Him; and what we had not strength to effect by abstaining from sin, that let us accomplish by becoming gentle to them who have sinned against us (for this surely is not grievous, nor burdensome); and let us by doing kindnesses to our enemies, lay up beforehand much mercy for ourselves.

For so both during this present life all will love us, and above all others, God will both befriend and crown us, and will count us worthy of all the good things to come; unto which may we all attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might for ever and ever. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΘʹ. Προσέχετε τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ὑμῶν μὴ ποιεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι αὐτοῖς. αʹ. Τὸ τυραννικώτερον πάντων λοιπὸν ἐξορίζει πάθος, τὴν λύσσαν καὶ τὴν μανίαν τὴν περὶ τὴν κενὴν δόξαν ἐγγινομένην τοῖς κατορθοῦσιν. Ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν περὶ αὐτοῦ διελέχθη: καὶ γὰρ ἦν περιττὸν, πρὶν ἢ πεῖσαι ποιεῖν τι τῶν δεόντων, περὶ τοῦ πῶς δεῖ ποιεῖν αὐτὰ καὶ μετιέναι διδάσκειν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐνῆγεν εἰς φιλοσοφίαν, τότε λοιπὸν καὶ τὴν παρυφισταμένην αὐτῇ καθαίρει λύμην. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἁπλῶς τίκτεται τοῦτο τὸ νόσημα, ἀλλ' ὅταν πολλὰ κατορθώσωμεν τῶν ἐπιταττομένων. Ἔδει τοίνυν πρότερον φυτεῦσαι τὴν ἀρετὴν, καὶ τότε τὸ ἐπηρεάζον αὐτῆς τὸν καρπὸν ἀνελεῖν πάθος. Καὶ ὅρα πόθεν ἄρχεται: ἀπὸ νηστείας, καὶ εὐχῆς, καὶ ἐλεημοσύνης. Τούτοις γὰρ μάλιστα ἐμφιλοχωρεῖν εἴωθε τοῖς κατορθώμασιν. Ὁ γοῦν Φαρισαῖος ἐντεῦθεν ἐφυσᾶτο λέγων: Νηστεύω δὶς τῆς ἑβδομάδος, ἀποδεκατῶ μου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα: καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ ἐκενοδόξει τῇ εὐχῇ, πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν αὐτὴν ποιούμενος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐδεὶς ἄλλος παρῆν, τῷ τελώνῃ ἐνεδείκνυτο λέγων: Οὐκ εἰμὶ ὡς οἱ λοιποὶ ἄνθρωποι, οὐδὲ ὡς οὗτος ὁ τελώνης Καὶ σκόπει πῶς ἤρξατο, ὡς περὶ θηρίου τινὸς δυσφωράτου διαλεγόμενος, καὶ δεινοῦ κλέψαι τὸν μὴ σφόδρα ἐγρηγορότα. Προσέχετε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ὑμῶν. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Παῦλος λέγει Φιλιππησίοις: Βλέπετε τοὺς κύνας. Καὶ γὰρ λάθρα ἐπεισέρχεται τὸ θηρίον, καὶ πάντα ἐκφυσᾷ ἀψοφητὶ, καὶ ἀνεπαισθήτως ἐκφέρει τὰ ἔνδον ἅπαντα. Ἐπεὶ οὖν πολὺν περὶ τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης ἐποιήσατο λόγον, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν εἰς μέσον ἤγαγε, Τὸν ἀνατέλλοντα τὸν ἥλιον ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς, καὶ πανταχόθεν προέτρεψεν εἰς τοῦτο, καὶ κομᾷν ἔπεισε τῇ δαψιλείᾳ τῆς χορηγίας, ἀναιρεῖ λοιπὸν καὶ τὰ ἐνοχλοῦντα τῇ καλῇ ταύτῃ ἐλαίᾳ πάντα. Διό φησι: Προσέχετε τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ὑμῶν μὴ ποιεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Ἐκείνη γὰρ ἡ ἔμπροσθεν εἰρημένη, τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν ἐλεημοσύνη. Καὶ εἰπὼν, Μὴ ποιεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐπήγαγε, Πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι αὐτοῖς. Καὶ δοκεῖ μὲν δεύτερον εἰρῆσθαι τὸ αὐτό: ἂν δέ τις ἀκριβῶς προσέχῃ, οὐκ ἔστι τὸ αὐτὸ, ἀλλ' ἕτερον τοῦτο, καὶ ἕτερον ἐκεῖνο, καὶ πολλὴν ἔχει τὴν ἀσφάλειαν, καὶ ἄφατον τὴν κηδεμονίαν καὶ τὴν φειδώ. Ἔστι γὰρ καὶ ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ποιοῦντα, μὴ πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι ποιεῖν: καὶ μὴ ποιοῦντα ἔμπροσθεν πάλιν, πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι ποιεῖν. Διόπερ οὐχ ἁπλῶς τὸ γινόμενον, ἀλλὰ τὴν γνώμην καὶ κολάζει καὶ στεφανοῖ. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ αὐτὴ ἡ ἀκρίβεια προσκειμένη ἦν. πολλοὺς ἂν τοῦτο ὀκνηροτέρους ἐποίησε περὶ τὴν τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης δόσιν, διὰ τὸ μὴ πανταχοῦ πάντως δυνατὸν εἶναι λανθανόντως ποιεῖν. Διὰ τοῦτο ἀπολύων σε τῆς ἀνάγκης ταύτης, οὐ τῷ τέλει τοῦ πράγματος, ἀλλὰ τῇ προαιρέσει τοῦ ποιοῦντος, καὶ τὴν ζημίαν καὶ τὸν μισθὸν ὁρίζει. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ λέγῃς: Τί γὰρ ἐγὼ πάθω, ἂν ἕτερος ἴδῃ; Οὐ τοῦτο ζητῶ, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ τὴν διάνοιαν τὴν σὴν, καὶ τὸν τρόπον τοῦ γινομένου. Τὴν γὰρ ψυχὴν διαπλάσαι βούλεται, καὶ παντὸς ἀπαλλάξαι νοσήματος. Ἀπαγορεύσας τοίνυν τὸ πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν ποιεῖν, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τούτου ζημίαν διδάξας, τὸ μάτην καὶ εἰκῆ τοῦτο ποιεῖν, πάλιν αὐτῶν ἐγείρει τὰ φρονήματα, τοῦ Πατρὸς ἀναμνήσας καὶ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἵνα μὴ τῇ ζημίᾳ μόνῃ καθάψηται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ μνήμη τοῦ γεγεννηκότος ἐντρέψῃ. Οὐκ ἔχετε γὰρ μισθὸν, φησὶ, παρὰ τῷ Πατρὶ ὑμῶν τῷ ἐν οὐρανοῖς. Καὶ οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα ἔστη, ἀλλὰ καὶ περαιτέρω πρόεισι, καὶ δι' ἑτέρων πολλὴν τὴν ἀποτροπὴν ἐργαζόμενος. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἀνωτέρω τελώνας καὶ ἐθνικοὺς τέθεικε, τῇ ποιότητι τοῦ προσώπου καταισχύνων τοὺς μιμουμένους: οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοὺς ὑποκριτάς. Ὅταν οὖν ποιῇς, φησὶν, ἐλεημοσύνην, μὴ σαλπίσῃς ἔμπροσθέν σου, ὥσπερ οἱ ὑποκριταί. Οὐχ ὅτι σάλπιγγας εἶχον ἐκεῖνοι, ἀλλὰ τὴν πολλὴν αὐτῶν ἐπιδεῖξαι βούλεται μανίαν τῇ λέξει τῆς μεταφορᾶς ταύτης, κωμῳδῶν ταύτῃ καὶ ἐκπομπεύων αὐτούς. Καὶ καλῶς ὑποκριτὰς εἶπε. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ προσωπεῖον, ἐλεημοσύνης ἦν: ἡ δὲ διάνοια, ὠμότητος καὶ ἀπανθρωπίας. Οὐ γὰρ διὰ τοὺς πλησίον ἐλεεῖν ποιοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ δόξης ἀπολαύειν αὐτούς: ὅπερ ἐσχάτης ἦν ὠμότητος, ἑτέρου λιμῷ διαφθειρομένου φιλοτιμίαν ζητεῖν, καὶ μὴ λύειν τὴν συμφοράν. Οὐκ ἄρα τὸ δοῦναι ἐλεημοσύνην, ἀλλὰ τὸ ὡς χρὴ δοῦναί ἐστι τὸ ζητούμενον, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δοῦναι. βʹ. Κωμῳδήσας τοίνυν ἐκείνους ἱκανῶς, καὶ καθαψάμενος αὐτῶν, ὡς καὶ αἰσχυνθῆναι τὸν ἀκροατὴν, διορθοῦται πάλιν τὴν τὰ τοιαῦτα νοσοῦσαν γνώμην: καὶ εἰπὼν πῶς δεῖ μὴ ποιεῖν, δείκνυσι πάλιν πῶς δεῖ ποιεῖν. Πῶς οὖν δεῖ ποιεῖν; Μὴ γνώτω, φησὶν, ἡ ἀριστερά σου τί ποιεῖ ἡ δεξιά σου. Πάλιν ἐνταῦθα οὐ χεῖρας αἰνίττεται, ἀλλ' ὑπερβολικῶς αὐτὸ τέθεικεν. Εἰ γὰρ οἷόν τέ ἐστι, φησὶ, σεαυτὸν ἀγνοῆσαι, περισπούδαστον ἔστω σοι τοῦτο, κἂν αὐτὰς δυνατὸν ᾖ τὰς διακονουμένας χεῖρας λαθεῖν. Οὐχ ὥς τινές φασιν, ὅτι τοὺς σκαιοὺς δεῖ κρύπτειν ἀνθρώπους: πάντας γὰρ ἐνταῦθα λανθάνειν ἐκέλευσεν. Εἶτα καὶ ὁ μισθὸς ἐννόησον ὅσος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶπε τὴν ἐκεῖθεν κόλασιν, δείκνυσι καὶ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν τιμὴν, ἑκατέρωθεν αὐτοὺς ὠθῶν, καὶ εἰς ὑψηλὰ ἄγων διδάγματα. Καὶ γὰρ πείθει εἰδέναι, ὅτι πανταχοῦ πάρεστιν ὁ Θεός: καὶ ὅτι οὐ μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος βίου ἕστηκε τὰ ἡμέτερα, ἀλλὰ καὶ φοβερώτερον ἡμᾶς ἐντεῦθεν ἐκδέξεται δικαστήριον, καὶ αἱ τῶν πεπραγμένων εὐθῦναι ἁπάντων, καὶ τιμαὶ καὶ κολάσεις: καὶ ὅτι οὐδὲν, οὐ μικρὸν, οὐ μέγα τις ποιῶν λήσεται, κἂν δόξῃ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους λανθάνειν. Ταῦτα γὰρ ἅπαντα ᾐνίξατο εἰπών: Ὁ Πατήρ σου, ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, ἀποδώσει σοι ἐν τῷ φανερῷ: μέγα καὶ σεμνὸν αὐτῷ καθίζων θέατρον, καὶ ὅπερ ἐπιθυμεῖ, τοῦτο μετὰ πολλῆς αὐτῷ διδοὺς τῆς περιουσίας. Τί γὰρ βούλει; φησίν: οὐχὶ θεατὰς ἔχειν τῶν γινομένων τινάς; Ἰδοὺ τοίνυν ἔχεις, οὐχὶ ἀγγέλους, οὐδὲ ἀρχαγγέλους, ἀλλὰ τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεόν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀνθρώπους ἐπιθυμεῖς ἔχειν θεωροὺς, οὐδὲ ταύτης σε ἀποστερεῖ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας καιρῷ τῷ προσήκοντι, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ πλείονός σοι αὐτὸ παρέχει τῆς ὑπερβολῆς. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ ἂν ἐπιδείξῃ, δέκα καὶ εἴκοσιν, ἣ καὶ ἑκατὸν ἀνθρώποις ἐπιδείξασθαι δυνήσῃ μόνοις: ἂν δὲ σπουδάζῃς νῦν λαθεῖν, τότε σε αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἀνακηρύξει, τῆς οἰκουμένης παρούσης ἁπάσης. Ὥστε μάλιστα εἰ βούλει ἀνθρώπους ἰδεῖν σου τὰ κατορθώματα, κρύψον αὐτὰ νῦν, ἵνα μετὰ πλείονος τιμῆς τότε αὐτὰ πάντες θεάσωνται, τοῦ Θεοῦ φανερὰ ποιοῦντος καὶ ἐπαίροντος καὶ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνακηρύττοντος. Νῦν μὲν γάρ σου καὶ καταγνώσονται οἱ ὁρῶντες, ὡς κενοδόξου: στεφανούμενον δὲ ἰδόντες, οὐ μόνον οὐ καταγνώσονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ θαυμάσονται ἅπαντες. Ὅταν οὖν καὶ μισθὸν ᾖ λαβεῖν, καὶ θαῦμα καρπώσασθαι μεῖζον, ὀλίγον ἀναμείναντα χρόνον, ἐννόησον ἡλίκης ἀνοίας ἐστὶν ἀμφοτέρων ἐκπεσεῖν τούτων, καὶ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν μισθὸν αἰτοῦντα, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁρῶντος, τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καλεῖν πρὸς τὴν ἐπίδειξιν τῶν γινομένων. Εἰ γὰρ ἐπιδείκνυσθαι δεῖ, τῷ Πατρὶ πρὸ πάντων ἐπιδείκνυσθαι χρή: καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν καὶ τοῦ στεφανῶσαι καὶ τοῦ ζημιῶσαι κύριος ὁ Πατὴρ ᾖ. Καίτοι εἰ καὶ ζημία μὴ ἦν, οὐκ ἔδει τὸ θέατρον τοῦτο ἀφιέντα, ἀνταλλάξασθαι τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τὸν δόξης ἐπιθυμοῦντα. Τίς γὰρ οὕτως ἄθλιος, ὡς τοῦ βασιλέως σπεύδοντος ἐπὶ τὴν θεωρίαν τῶν αὐτοῦ κατορθωμάτων ἐλθεῖν, ἐκεῖνον μὲν ἀφιέναι, ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν πτωχῶν καὶ προσαιτῶν καθίζειν αὐτοῦ τὸ θέατρον; Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο οὐχὶ μόνον οὐκ ἐπιδείκνυσθαι κελεύει, ἀλλὰ καὶ σπουδάζειν λανθάνειν. Οὐδὲ γάρ ἐστιν ἴσον, μὴ σπουδάσαι φανῆναι, καὶ σπουδάσαι λαθεῖν. Καὶ ὅταν προσεύχησθε, φησὶν, οὐκ ἔσεσθε ὥσπερ οἱ ὑποκριταί: ὅτι φιλοῦσιν ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς καὶ ἐν ταῖς γωνίαις τῶν πλατειῶν ἑστῶτες προσεύχεσθαι. Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπέχουσι τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν. Σὺ δὲ ὅταν προσεύχῃ, εἴσελθε εἰς τὸ ταμιεῖόν σου, καὶ κλείσας τὴν θύραν σου, πρόσευξαι τῷ Πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ. Πάλιν καὶ τούτους ὑποκριτὰς καλεῖ, καὶ μάλα εἰκότως: ὅτι Θεῷ προσποιούμενοι προσεύχεσθαι, ἀνθρώπους περισκοποῦσιν, οὐχ ἱκετῶν περικείμενοι σχῆμα, ἀλλ' ἀνθρώπων καταγελάστων. Ὁ γὰρ μέλλων ἱκετεύειν, ἅπαντας ἀφεὶς, πρὸς ἐκεῖνον μόνον ὁρᾷ τὸν κύριον ὄντα δοῦναι τὴν αἴτησιν. Ἂν δὲ τοῦτον ἀφεὶς, περιέρχῃ πλανώμενος καὶ πανταχοῦ περιφέρων τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, κεναῖς ἀπελεύσῃ χερσί. Τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐβουλήθης. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι οὐ λήψονται μισθὸν οἱ τοιοῦτοι, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἀπέχουσι, τουτέστιν, ὅτι λήψονται μὲν, παρ' ὧν δὲ ἐπιθυμοῦσιν αὐτοί. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς βούλεται, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς μὲν τὴν παρ' ἑαυτοῦ παρέχειν ἤθελεν ἀμοιβήν: ἐκεῖνοι δὲ τὴν παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ζητοῦντες, οὐκέτ' ἂν εἶεν δίκαιοι λαβεῖν παρ' ἐκείνου, δι' ὃν οὐδὲν πεποιήκασι. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν, ὅτι καὶ ὑπὲρ ὧν αἰτεῖται παρ' ἡμῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἐπαγγέλλεται μισθὸν παρέξειν. Διαβαλὼν τοίνυν τοὺς οὐ προσηκόντως τῷ πράγματι χρωμένους, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς διαθέσεως, καὶ δείξας σφόδρα καταγελάστους ὄντας, εἰσάγει τὸν ἄριστον τῆς προσευχῆς τρόπον, καὶ πάλιν τὸν μισθὸν δίδωσιν, εἰπών: Εἴσελθε εἰς τὸ ταμιεῖόν σου. γʹ. Τί οὖν; ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ, φησὶν, οὐ δεῖ προσεύχεσθαι; Καὶ σφόδρα μὲν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ γνώμης τοιαύτης. Πανταχοῦ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς τὸν σκοπὸν ζητεῖ τῶν γινομένων. Ἐπεὶ κἂν εἰς τὸ ταμιεῖον εἰσέλθῃς, καὶ ἀποκλείσας, πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν αὐτὸ ἐργάσῃ, οὐδέν σοι τῶν θυρῶν ὄφελος. Ὅρα γοῦν καὶ ἐνταῦθα πῶς ἀκριβῆ τὸν διορισμὸν τέθεικεν, εἰπὼν, Ὅπως φανῶσι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Ὥστε κἂν τὰς θύρας ἀποκλείσῃς, τοῦτο πρὸ τῆς τῶν θυρῶν ἀποκλείσεως κατορθῶσαί σε βούλεται, καὶ τὰς τῆς διανοίας ἀποκλείειν θύρας. Κενοδοξίας γὰρ πανταχοῦ μὲν ἀπηλλάχθαι καλὸν, μάλιστα δὲ ἐν εὐχῇ. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τούτου χωρὶς πλανώμεθα καὶ περιφερόμεθα, ἂν καὶ ταύτην εἰσερχώμεθα τὴν νόσον ἔχοντες, πότε ἀκουσόμεθα τῶν παρ' ἡμῶν λεγομένων; εἰ δὲ ἡμεῖς οἱ δεόμενοι καὶ παρακαλοῦντες οὐκ ἀκούομεν, πῶς τὸν Θεὸν ἀξιοῦμεν ἀκούειν; Ἀλλ' ὅμως εἰσί τινες, οἱ μετὰ τοιαῦτα καὶ τοσαῦτα παραγγέλματα οὕτως ἀσχημονοῦντες ἐν εὐχῇ, ὡς καὶ τοῦ σώματος κρυπτομένου, διὰ τῆς φωνῆς πᾶσιν ἑαυτοὺς καταδήλους ποιεῖν, συρφετωδῶς βοῶντες, καὶ τῷ σχήματι καὶ τῇ φωνῇ καταγελάστους ποιοῦντες ἑαυτούς. Οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅτι καὶ ἐν ἀγορᾷ, ἂν μὲν τοιαῦτα προσέλθῃ τις ποιῶν καὶ μετὰ βοῆς ἱκετεύων, σοβήσει τὸν ἱκετευόμενον: ἂν δὲ ἡσυχῆ καὶ μετὰ τοῦ προσήκοντος σχήματος, τότε ἐπισπᾶται μᾶλλον τὸν δυνάμενον δοῦναι τὴν χάριν; Μὴ τοίνυν τῷ σχήματι τοῦ σώματος, μηδὲ τῇ κραυγῇ τῆς φωνῆς, ἀλλὰ τῇ προθυμίᾳ τῆς γνώμης τὰς εὐχὰς ποιώμεθα: μηδὲ μετὰ ψόφου καὶ ἠχῆς, καὶ πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν, ὡς καὶ τοὺς πλησίον ἐκκρούειν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ ἐπιεικείας πάσης, καὶ τῆς κατὰ διάνοιαν συντριβῆς, καὶ δακρύων τῶν ἔνδοθεν. Ἀλλ' ἀλγεῖς τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ οὐκ ἂν δύναιο μὴ βοᾷν; Καὶ μὴν τοῦ σφόδρα ἀλγοῦντός ἐστι τὸ οὕτως εὔχεσθαι καὶ παρακαλεῖν, ὥσπερ εἶπον. Ἐπεὶ καὶ Μωϋσῆς ἤλγει, καὶ οὕτως ηὔχετο, καὶ ἠκούετο: διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἔλεγε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Θεός: Τί βοᾷς πρός με; Καὶ ἡ Ἄννα δὲ πάλιν, τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῆς οὐκ ἀκουομένης, πάντα ἤνυσεν ὅσα ἠθέλησεν, ἐπειδὴ ἡ καρδία αὐτῆς ἐβόα. Ὁ δὲ Ἄβελ οὐχὶ σιγῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τελευτῶν ηὔχετο, καὶ τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ σάλπιγγος λαμπροτέραν ἠφίει φωνήν. Στέναξον τοίνυν καὶ σὺ οὕτως ὡς ὁ ἅγιος ἐκεῖνος: οὐ κωλύω. Διάῤῥηξον, ὡς ὁ Προφήτης ἐκέλευσε, τὴν καρδίαν σου, καὶ μὴ τὰ ἱμάτια. Ἐκ βαθέων κάλεσον τὸν Θεόν: Ἐκ βαθέων γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκέκραξά σοι, Κύριε. Κάτωθεν ἀπὸ τῆς καρδίας ἕλκυσον φωνήν: μυστήριον ποίησόν σου τὴν εὐχήν. Οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅτι καὶ ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις θόρυβος ἐκποδὼν ἅπας, καὶ πολλὴ πανταχόθεν ἡ σιγή; Καὶ σὺ τοίνυν ὡς εἰς βασίλεια εἰσιὼν, οὐ τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ, ἀλλὰ τὰ πολλῷ φρικωδέστερα τούτων, τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, πολλὴν ἐπιδείκνυσο τὴν εὐσχημοσύνην. Καὶ γὰρ ἀγγέλων εἶ συγχορευτὴς, καὶ ἀρχαγγέλων κοινωνὸς, καὶ μετὰ τῶν Σεραφὶμ ᾄδεις. Πάντες δὲ οὗτοι οἱ δῆμοι πολλὴν ἐπιδείκνυνται τὴν εὐταξίαν, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς φρίκης τὸ μυστικὸν ἐκεῖνο μέλος καὶ τοὺς ἱεροὺς ὕμνους ᾄδοντες τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ. Τούτοις τοίνυν ἐγκατάμιξον σαυτὸν εὐχόμενος, καὶ τὸν μυστικὸν αὐτῶν ζήλωσον κόσμον. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀνθρώποις εὔχῃ, ἀλλὰ Θεῷ τῷ πανταχοῦ παρόντι, τῷ καὶ πρὸ τῆς φωνῆς ἀκούοντι, τῷ τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα τῆς διανοίας ἐπισταμένῳ. Ἂν οὕτως εὔχῃ, πολὺν ἀπολήψῃ τὸν μισθόν. Ὁ Πατὴρ γάρ σου, φησὶν, ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, ἀποδώσει σοι ἐν τῷ φανερῷ. Οὐκ εἶπε, Χαριεῖταί σοι, ἀλλ', Ἀποδώσει σοι. Καὶ γὰρ χρεώστην ἑαυτόν σοι, κατέστησε, καὶ μεγάλῃ σε καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἐτίμησε τιμῇ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αὐτός ἐστιν ἀόρατος, καὶ τὴν εὐχήν σου τοιαύτην εἶναι βούλεται. Εἶτα λέγει καὶ τὰ ῥήματα αὐτὰ τῆς εὐχῆς. Προσευχόμενοι γὰρ, φησὶ, μὴ βαττολογήσητε ὥσπερ οἱ ἐθνικοὶ ποιοῦσιν. Ὅτε μὲν γὰρ περὶ τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης διελέγετο, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς κενοδοξίας λύμην ἀπέστησε μόνον, καὶ οὐδὲν πλέον προσέθηκεν, οὐδὲ εἶπε πόθεν ἐλεημοσύνην δεῖ ποιεῖν: οἶον ἀπὸ δικαίων πόνων, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἐξ ἁρπαγῆς, μηδὲ πλεονεξίας: καὶ γὰρ σφόδρα ἦν ὡμολογημένον παρὰ πᾶσι. Καὶ ἀνωτέρω δὲ τοῦτο προδιεκάθαρεν, ὅτε τοὺς πεινῶντας τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐμακάρισεν. Ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς εὐχῆς καὶ ἕτερόν τι προστίθησι πλέον, τὸ μὴ βαττολογεῖν. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκεῖ τοὺς ὑποκριτὰς, οὕτως ἐνταῦθα τοὺς ἐθνικοὺς κωμῳδεῖ, πανταχοῦ τῇ τῶν προσώπων εὐτελείᾳ μάλιστα ἐντρέπων τὸν ἀκροώμενον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὡς τὰ πολλὰ τοῦτο μάλιστα δάκνει καὶ καθάπτεται, τὸ δοκεῖν ἀπεῤῥιμμένοις ἀνθρώποις ἐξομοιοῦσθαι, ἐντεῦθεν αὐτοὺς ἀποτρέπει, βαττολογίαν ἐνταῦθα τὴν φλυαρίαν λέγων: οἷον ὅταν τὰ μὴ προσήκοντα αἰτῶμεν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, δυναστείας καὶ δόξας, καὶ τὸ ἐχθρῶν περιγενέσθαι, καὶ χρημάτων περιουσίας, καὶ ἁπλῶς τὰ μηδὲν ἡμῖν διαφέροντα. Οἶδε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὧν χρείαν ἔχετε. δʹ. Μετὰ τούτων δοκεῖ μοι κελεύειν ἐνταῦθα μηδὲ μακρὰς ποιεῖσθαι τὰς εὐχάς: μακρὰς δὲ οὐχὶ τῷ χρόνῳ, ἀλλὰ τῷ πλήθει καὶ μήκει τῶν λεγομένων. Παραμένειν μὲν γὰρ χρὴ τὰ αὐτὰ αἰτοῦντας: Τῇ γὰρ εὐχῇ, φησὶ, προσκαρτεροῦντες. Καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ διὰ τοῦ παραδείγματος ἐκείνου τοῦ κατὰ τὴν χήραν, ἣ τὸν ἀνελεῆ καὶ ὠμὸν ἐπέκαμψεν ἄρχοντα τῇ συνεχείᾳ τῆς ἐντεύξεως, καὶ τοῦ κατὰ τὸν φίλον, τὸν ἀωρὶ τῶν νυκτῶν παραγενόμενον, καὶ τὸν καθεύδοντα ἀπὸ τῆς κλίνης ἀναστήσαντα, οὐ διὰ τὴν φιλίαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν προσεδρείαν, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ τὸ συνεχῶς ἐντυγχάνειν αὐτῷ ἅπαντας ἐνομοθέτησεν, οὐ μὴν μυρίων στίχων εὐχὴν συντιθέντας αὐτῷ προσιέναι καὶ ἀπαγγέλλειν ἁπλῶς κελεύει. Τοῦτο γὰρ ᾐνίξατο εἰπών: Δοκοῦσιν ὅτι ἐν τῇ πολυλογίᾳ αὐτῶν εἰσακουσθήσονται. Οἶδε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὧν χρείαν ἔχετε. Καὶ εἰ οἶδε, φησὶν, ὧν χρείαν ἔχομεν, τίνος ἕνεκεν εὔχεσθαι δεῖ; Οὐχ ἵνα διδάξῃς, ἀλλ' ἵνα ἐπικάμψῃς: ἵνα οἰκειωθῇς τῇ συνεχείᾳ τῆς ἐντεύξεως, ἵνα ταπεινωθῇς, ἵνα ἀναμνησθῇς τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τῶν σῶν. Οὕτως οὖν προσεύχεσθε ὑμεῖς, φησί: Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, Ὅρα πῶς εὐθέως ἀνέστησε τὸν ἀκροατὴν, καὶ πάσης ἀνέμνησε τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἐν προοιμίοις. Ὁ γὰρ Πατέρα εἰπὼν τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ἁμαρτημάτων ἄφεσιν, καὶ κολάσεως ἀναίρεσιν, καὶ δικαιοσύνην, καὶ ἁγιασμὸν, καὶ ἀπολύτρωσιν, καὶ υἱοθεσίαν, καὶ κληρονομίαν, καὶ ἀδελφότητα τὴν πρὸς τὸν Μονογενῆ, καὶ Πνεύματος χορηγίαν, διὰ τῆς μιᾶς ταύτης ὡμολόγησε προσηγορίας. Οὐδὲ γὰρ δυνατὸν καλέσαι πατέρα τὸν Θεὸν, μὴ πάντων ἐκείνων ἐπιτυχόντα τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Διπλῇ τοίνυν αὐτῶν διεγείρει τὸ φρόνημα, καὶ τῷ ἀξιώματι τοῦ καλουμένου, καὶ τῷ μεγέθει τῶν εὐεργετημάτων ὧν ἀπέλαυσαν. Τὸ δὲ, Ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ὅταν εἴπῃ, οὐκ ἐκεῖ τὸν Θεὸν συγκλείων τοῦτό φησιν, ἀλλὰ τῆς γῆς ἀπάγων τὸν εὐχόμενον, καὶ τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς προσηλῶν χωρίοις, καὶ ταῖς ἄνω διατριβαῖς. Παιδεύει δὲ καὶ κοινὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ποιεῖσθαι τὴν εὐχήν. Οὐ γὰρ λέγει Ὁ Πατήρ μου ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ἀλλ', Ὁ Πατὴρ ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ τοῦ κοινοῦ σώματος τὰς δεήσεις ἀναφέρων, καὶ οὐδαμοῦ σκοπῶν τὸ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλὰ πανταχοῦ τὸ τοῦ πλησίον. Ἀπὸ δὲ τούτου καὶ ἔχθραν ἀναιρεῖ, καὶ ἀπόνοιαν καταστέλλει, καὶ βασκανίαν ἐκβάλλει, καὶ τὴν μητέρα τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἁπάντων ἀγάπην εἰσάγει, καὶ τὴν ἀνωμαλίαν τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἐξορίζει πραγμάτων, καὶ πολλὴν δείκνυσι τῷ βασιλεῖ πρὸς τὸν πτωχὸν τὴν ὁμοτιμίαν, εἴγε ἐν τοῖς μεγίστοις καὶ ἀναγκαιοτάτοις κοινωνοῦμεν ἅπαντες. Τί γὰρ βλάβος ἐκ τῆς κάτω συγγενείας, ὅταν κατὰ τὴν ἄνω ἅπαντες ὦμεν συνημμένοι, καὶ μηδεὶς ἑτέρου πλέον ἔχῃ μηδὲν, μήτε ὁ πλούσιος τοῦ πένητος, μήτε ὁ δεσπότης τοῦ δούλου, μήτε ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ ἀρχομένου, μήτε ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ στρατιώτου, μήτε ὁ φιλόσοφος τοῦ βαρβάρου, μήτε ὁ σοφὸς τοῦ ἰδιώτου; Πᾶσι γὰρ μίαν ἐχαρίσατο εὐγένειαν, πάντων ὁμοίως κληθῆναι καταξιώσας πατήρ. Ἀναμνήσας τοίνυν τῆς εὐγενείας ταύτης, καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν δωρεᾶς, καὶ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ὁμοτιμίας, καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης, καὶ τῆς γῆς ἀποστήσας, καὶ τοῖς οὐρανοῖς προσηλώσας, ἴδωμεν τί κελεύει λοιπὸν αἰτεῖν. Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ λέξις ἱκανὴ πάσης ἀρετῆς διδασκαλίαν ἐνθεῖναι. Ὁ γὰρ Πατέρα καλέσας τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ Πατέρα κοινὸν, δίκαιος ἂν εἴη τοιαύτην ἐπιδείκνυσθαι πολιτείαν, ὡς μὴ τῆς εὐγενείας ταύτης ἀνάξιος φανῆναι, καὶ ἴσην τῇ δωρεᾷ παρέχεσθαι τὴν σπουδήν. Πλὴν ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀρκεῖται τούτῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέραν προστίθησιν, οὕτω λέγων: Ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου. Ἀξία τοῦ τὸν Θεὸν Πατέρα καλοῦντος ἡ εὐχὴ, τὸ μηδὲν αἰτεῖν πρὸ τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς δόξης, ἀλλὰ πάντα δεύτερα ἡγεῖσθαι τῆς εἰς ἐκεῖνον εὐφημίας. Τὸ γὰρ, Ἁγιασθήτω, τοῦτό ἐστι, Δοξασθήτω. Τὴν μὲν γὰρ οἰκείαν ἔχει δόξαν πεπληρωμένην, καὶ ὡσαύτως ἀεὶ μένουσαν: ἀξιοῦν δὲ κελεύει τὸν εὐχόμενον, καὶ διὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας αὐτὸν δοξάζεσθαι ζωῆς. Ὅπερ καὶ ἔμπροσθεν ἔλεγε: Λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅπως ἴδωσι τὰ καλὰ ὑμῶν ἔργα, καὶ δοξάσωσι τὸν Πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Καὶ γὰρ τὰ Σεραφὶμ δοξάζοντα οὕτως ἔλεγον: Ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος. Ὥστε τὸ, Ἁγιασθήτω, τοῦτό ἐστι, Δοξασθήτω. Καταξίωσον γὰρ, φησὶν, οὕτως ἡμᾶς βιοῦν καθαρῶς, ὡς δι' ἡμῶν ἅπαντάς σε δοξάζειν. Ὅπερ πάλιν ἀπηρτισμένης ἐστὶ φιλοσοφίας, τὸ οὕτω βίον ἄληπτον παρέχεσθαι πᾶσιν, ὡς ἕκαστον τῶν ὁρώντων τῷ Δεσπότῃ τὴν ὑπὲρ τούτων ἀναφέρειν εὐφημίαν. Ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου. Καὶ τοῦτο πάλιν παιδὸς εὐγνώμονος τὸ ῥῆμα, τὸ μὴ προσηλῶσθαι τοῖς ὁρωμένοις, μηδὲ μέγα τι τὰ παρόντα ἡγεῖσθαι, ἀλλ' ἐπείγεσθαι πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἐφίεσθαι: ὅπερ ἀπὸ συνειδότος ἀγαθοῦ γίνεται, καὶ ψυχῆς ἀπηλλαγμένης τῶν ἐν τῇ γῇ πραγμάτων. εʹ. Τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ ὁ Παῦλος καθ' ἑκάστην ἐπεθύμει τὴν ἡμέραν: διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Καὶ αὐτοὶ τὴν ἀπαρχὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος ἔχοντες στενάζομεν, υἱοθεσίαν ἀπεκδεχόμενοι, τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν. Ὁ γὰρ τοῦτον ἔχων τὸν ἔρωτα, οὔτε ὑπὸ τῶν χρηστῶν τοῦ βίου τούτου φυσηθῆναι δύναται, οὔτε ὑπὸ τῶν λυπηρῶν ταπεινωθῆναι: ἀλλ' ὡς ἐν αὐτοῖς διατρίβων τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ἑκατέρας ἀπήλλακται τῆς ἀνωμαλίας. Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Εἶδες ἀκολουθίαν ἀρίστην; Ἐπιθυμεῖν μὲν γὰρ ἐκέλευσε τῶν μελλόντων, καὶ πρὸς ἐκείνην ἐπείγεσθαι τὴν ἀποδημίαν: ἕως δ' ἂν τοῦτο μὴ γίνηται, καὶ ἐνταῦθα διατρίβοντας τέως σπουδάζειν τὴν αὐτὴν τοῖς ἄνω πολιτείαν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι. Ἐπιθυμεῖν μὲν γὰρ δεῖ τῶν οὐρανῶν, φησὶ, καὶ τῶν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς: πλὴν καὶ πρὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὴν γῆν οὐρανὸν ἐκέλευσε ποιῆσαι, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ διατρίβοντας ὡς ἐκεῖ πολιτευομένους, οὕτω πάντα ποιεῖν καὶ λέγειν, ὡς καὶ ὑπὲρ τούτων παρακαλεῖν τὸν Δεσπότην. Οὐδὲν γὰρ τὸ κωλύον φθάσαι τὴν τῶν ἄνω δυνάμεων ἀκρίβειαν διὰ τὸ τὴν γῆν οἰκεῖν: ἀλλ' ἔνι καὶ ἐνταῦθα διατρίβοντα, ὡς ἄνω γενόμενον ἤδη πάντα ποιεῖν. Ὃ λέγει τοίνυν, τοῦτό ἐστιν: Ὥσπερ ἐκεῖ πάντα ἀκωλύτως γίνεται, καὶ οὐ τὰ μὲν ὑπακούουσιν οἱ ἄγγελοι, τὰ δὲ παρακούουσιν, ἀλλὰ πάντα εἴκουσι καὶ πείθονται: Δυνατοὶ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἰσχύϊ, ποιοῦντες τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ: οὕτω καὶ ἡμᾶς καταξίωσον τοὺς ἀνθρώπους μὴ ἐξ ἡμισείας τὸ θέλημά σου ποιεῖν, ἀλλὰ πάντα καθάπερ θέλεις πληροῦν. Εἶδες πῶς καὶ μετριάζειν ἐδίδαξε, δηλώσας ὅτι οὐ τῆς ἡμετέρας σπουδῆς ἡ ἀρετὴ μόνον. ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν χάριτος; Καὶ πάλιν τὴν ὑπὲρ τῆς οἰκουμένης πρόνοιαν ἕκαστον ἡμῶν τῶν προσευχομένων ἀναδέχεσθαι ἐπέταξεν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶπε, Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου ἐν ἐμοὶ, ἢ ἐν ἡμῖν: ἀλλὰ, Πανταχοῦ τῆς γῆς, ὥστε λυθῆναι τὴν πλάνην, καὶ φυτευθῆναι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ ἐκβληθῆναι κακίαν ἅπασαν, καὶ ἐπανελθεῖν ἀρετὴν, καὶ μηδὲν ταύτῃ διαφέρειν λοιπὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν τῆς γῆς. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο γένοιτο, φησὶν, οὐδὲν διοίσει τὰ κάτω τῶν ἄνω, εἰ καὶ τῇ φύσει διέστηκεν, ἀγγέλους ἑτέρους τῆς γῆς ἡμῖν ἐπιδεικνυμένης. Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον. Τί ἐστι, Τὸν ἄρτον τὸν ἐπιούσιον; Τὸν ἐφήμερον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶπεν οὕτω: Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς: ἀνθρώποις δὲ διελέγετο σάρκα περικειμένοις, καὶ ἀνάγκῃ φύσεως ὑποκειμένοις, καὶ οὐ δυναμένοις τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχειν ἀπάθειαν τοῖς ἀγγέλοις: τὰ μὲν ἐπιτάγματα ὁμοίως κελεύει γίνεσθαι καὶ παρ' ἡμῶν, καθάπερ αὐτὰ κἀκεῖνοι πληροῦσι: συγκαταβαίνει δὲ καὶ τῇ τῆς φύσεως ἀσθενείᾳ λοιπόν. Ἀκρίβειαν μὲν γὰρ, φησὶ, πολιτείας ἀπαιτῶ τοσαύτην, οὐ μὴν ἀπάθειαν: οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐπιτρέπει τῆς φύσεως ἡ τυραννίς: δεῖται γὰρ τροφῆς τῆς ἀναγκαίας. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει πῶς καὶ ἐν τοῖς σωματικοῖς πολὺ τὸ πνευματικόν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὑπὲρ χρημάτων, οὐδὲ ὑπὲρ τρυφῆς, οὐδὲ ὑπὲρ πολυτελείας ἱματίων, οὐδὲ ὑπὲρ ἄλλου οὐδενὸς τῶν τοιούτων, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ ἄρτου μόνον ἐκέλευσε τὴν εὐχὴν ποιεῖσθαι, καὶ ὑπὲρ ἄρτου τοῦ ἐφημέρου, ὥστε μὴ ὑπὲρ τῆς αὔριον μεριμνᾷν. Διὰ τοῦτο προσέθηκε, Τὸν ἄρτον τὸν ἐπιούσιον, τουτέστι, τὸν ἐφήμερον. Καὶ οὐδὲ τούτῳ ἠρκέσθη τῷ ῥήματι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτερον μετὰ τοῦτο προσέθηκεν, εἰπὼν, Δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον: ὥστε μὴ περαιτέρω συντρίβειν ἑαυτοὺς τῇ φροντίδι τῆς ἐπιούσης ἡμέρας. Ἧς γὰρ οὐκ οἶδας εἰ τὸ διάστημα ὄψει, τίνος ἕνεκεν ὑπομένεις τὴν μέριμναν; Τοῦτο καὶ προϊὼν διὰ πλειόνων ἐπέταξε, λέγων: Μὴ μεριμνήσητε εἰς τὴν αὔριον. Καὶ βούλεται πάντοθεν ἡμᾶς εὐζώνους εἶναι καὶ ἐπτερωμένους, τοσοῦτον εἴκοντας τῇ φύσει, ὅσον ἡ τῆς χρείας ἀνάγκη παρ' ἡμῶν ἀπαιτεῖ. Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ συμβαίνει καὶ μετὰ τὸ λουτρὸν τῆς παλιγγενεσίας ἁμαρτάνειν, πολλὴν καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπιδεικνύμενος, κελεύει περὶ τῆς τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀφέσεως προσιέναι τῷ φιλανθρώπῳ Θεῷ, καὶ λέγειν οὕτως: Ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν, ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν. Εἶδες φιλανθρωπίας ὑπερβολήν; Μετὰ τοσούτων κακῶν ἀναίρεσιν, καὶ δωρεᾶς μέγεθος ἄφατον, πάλιν ἁμαρτάνοντας ἀξιοῖ συγγνώμης. Ὅτι γὰρ πιστοῖς αὕτη ἡ προσευχὴ προσήκει, καὶ οἱ νόμοι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας διδάσκουσι, καὶ τὸ προοίμιον τῆς εὐχῆς. Ὁ γὰρ ἀμύητος οὐκ ἂν δύναιτο Πατέρα καλεῖν τὸν Θεόν. Εἰ τοίνυν πιστοῖς προσήκει ἡ εὐχὴ, εὔχονται δὲ οὗτοι ἁμαρτήματα ἑαυτοῖς ἀφεθῆναι δεόμενοι, δῆλον ὅτι οὐδὲ μετὰ τὸ λουτρὸν ἀνῄρηται τῆς μετανοίας τὸ κέρδος, Εἰ γὰρ μὴ τοῦτο ἐβούλετο δεῖξαι, οὐδ' ἂν τοῦτο ἐνομοθέτησεν εὔχεσθαι. Ὁ δὲ καὶ ἁμαρτημάτων ἀναμιμνήσκων, καὶ κελεύων αἰτεῖν ἄφεσιν, καὶ διδάσκων ὅπως ἂν ἐπιτύχωμεν τῆς ἀφέσεως, καὶ εὔκολον ταύτῃ ποιῶν τὴν ὁδὸν, εὔδηλον ὅτι εἰδὼς καὶ δεικνὺς ὅτι καὶ μετὰ τὸ λουτρὸν ἔστιν ἀπονίψασθαι τὰ πεπλημμελημένα, τοῦτον τῆς ἱκετηρίας τὸν νόμον εἰσήνεγκε: τῷ μὲν ὑπομνῆσαι τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, μετριάζειν πείθων: τῷ δὲ ἑτέροις ἀφεῖναι κελεῦσαι, μνησικακίας ἁπάσης ἀπαλλάττων ἡμᾶς: τῷ δὲ ἀντὶ τούτων καὶ ἡμῖν ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι συγχωρεῖν, χρηστὰς ὑποτείνων ἐλπίδας, καὶ περὶ τῆς ἀφάτου τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας φιλοσοφεῖν ἡμᾶς παιδεύων. Ϛʹ. Ὃ δὲ μάλιστα χρὴ παρατηρῆσαι, τοῦτό ἐστιν: ὅτι καθ' ἕκαστον τῶν εἰρημένων ὁλοκλήρου μνημονεύσας τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ ταύτῃ καὶ τὸ μὴ μνησικακεῖν περιλαβών (καὶ γὰρ τὸ ἁγιασθῆναι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἀπηρτισμένης ἐστὶ πολιτείας ἀκρίβεια: καὶ τὸ γενηθῆναι τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο πάλιν δηλοῖ: καὶ τὸ Πατέρα δύνασθαι καλεῖν τὸν Θεὸν, ἀμώμου πολιτείας ἐπίδειξίς ἐστιν: ἐν οἷς ἅπασι συνείληπτο καὶ τὸ δεῖν ἀφεῖναι τοῖς πεπλημμεληκόσι τὴν ὀργήν): ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐκ ἠρκέσθη τούτοις, ἀλλὰ δεῖξαι βουλόμενος ὅσην ὑπὲρ τοῦ πράγματος ποιεῖται τὴν σπουδὴν, καὶ ἰδικῶς αὐτὸ τίθησι, καὶ μετὰ τὴν εὐχὴν οὐδεμιᾶς ἄλλης ἐντολῆς μέμνηται ἢ ταύτης, οὕτω λέγων: Ἐὰν γὰρ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, ἀφήσει ὑμῖν καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος. Ὥστε παρ' ἡμῶν ἡ ἀρχὴ, καὶ κύριοι τῆς κρίσεως τῆς περὶ ἡμῶν ἡμεῖς. Ἵνα γὰρ μηδὲ τῶν ἀναισθήτων μηδεὶς ἐγκαλεῖν ἔχῃ δικαζόμενος μὴ μικρὸν, μὴ μέγα, σὲ τὸν ὑπεύθυνον κύριον ποιεῖ τῆς ψήφου: καὶ, ὡς ἂν αὐτὸς ἐδίκασας σαυτῷ, φησὶν, οὕτω σοι δικάζω κἀγώ. Κἂν ἀφῇς τῷ συνδούλῳ, καὶ παρ' ἐμοῦ τῆς αὐτῆς τεύξῃ χάριτος: καίτοιγε οὐκ ἴσον τοῦτο ἐκείνῳ. Σὺ μὲν γὰρ δεόμενος ἀφίης, ὁ δὲ Θεὸς μηδενὸς χρείαν ἔχων: σὺ τῷ ὁμοδούλῳ, ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τῷ δούλῳ: σὺ ὑπεύθυνος ὢν μυρίοις κακοῖς, ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ἀναμάρτητος ὤν. Ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ οὕτω τὴν αὐτοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν ἐπιδείκνυται. Ἠδύνατο μὲν γὰρ καὶ χωρὶς τούτου πάντα σοι ἀφιέναι τὰ πεπλημμελημένα, ἀλλὰ βούλεταί σε καὶ ἐντεῦθεν εὐεργετεῖσθαι, μυρίας σοι πανταχόθεν παρέχων ἡμερότητος καὶ φιλανθρωπίας ἀφορμὰς, καὶ τὸ ἐν σοὶ θηριῶδες ἐκβάλλων, καὶ τὸν θυμὸν σβεννὺς, καὶ πανταχόθεν σε συγκολλῶν τῷ μέλει τῷ σῷ. Τί γὰρ ἂν ἔχοις εἰπεῖν; ὅτι ἀδίκως ἔπαθές τι κακὸν παρὰ τοῦ πλησίον; Ταῦτα γάρ ἐστι τὰ ἁμαρτήματα: ὡς εἰ δικαίως, οὐδὲ ἁμάρτημα τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστιν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ σὺ τοιούτων προσέρχῃ ληψόμενος ἄφεσιν, καὶ πολλῷ μειζόνων. Καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἀφέσεως δὲ οὐ μικρᾶς ἀπέλαυσας δωρεᾶς, διδασκόμενος ἀνθρωπίνην ἔχειν ψυχὴν, καὶ πᾶσαν παιδευόμενος ἡμερότητα. Καὶ μετὰ τούτων καὶ μισθός σοι μέγας κείσεται ἐκεῖ, τὸ μηδενὸς ἀπαιτηθῆναι λόγον τῶν πεπλημμελημένων. Ποίας οὖν οὐκ ἂν εἴημεν κολάσεως ἄξιοι, ὅταν τὴν ἐξουσίαν λαβόντες, προδῶμεν ἡμῶν τὴν σωτηρίαν; πῶς δὲ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις πράγμασιν ἀξιώσομεν ἀκούεσθαι, αὐτοὶ μὴ θέλοντες, ἐν οἷς ἐσμεν κύριοι, φείδεσθαι ἑαυτῶν; Καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμὸν, ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ. Ὅτι σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία, καὶ ἡ δύναμις, καὶ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Ἐνταῦθα ἡμᾶς τὴν ἡμετέραν παιδεύει σαφῶς εὐτέλειαν, καὶ καταστέλλει τὸ φύσημα, διδάσκων παραιτεῖσθαι τοὺς ἀγῶνας, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἐπιπηδᾷν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἡμῖν ἡ νίκη λαμπροτέρα ἔσται, καὶ ἡ ἧττα τῷ διαβόλῳ καταγελαστοτέρα. Ἑλκυσθέντας μὲν γὰρ δεῖ γενναίως ἑστάναι: μὴ καλουμένους δὲ, ἡσυχάζειν, καὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἀναμένειν τῶν ἀγώνων, ἵνα καὶ τὸ ἀκενόδοξον καὶ τὸ γενναῖον ἐπιδειξώμεθα. Πονηρὸν δὲ ἐνταῦθα τὸν διάβολον καλεῖ, κελεύων ἡμᾶς ἄσπονδον πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔχειν πόλεμον, καὶ δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐ φύσει τοιοῦτός ἐστιν. Οὐ γὰρ τῶν ἐκ φύσεως, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐκ προαιρέσεως ἐπιγινομένων ἐστὶν ἡ πονηρία. Κατ' ἐξοχὴν δὲ οὕτως ἐκεῖνος καλεῖται, διὰ τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς κακίας, καὶ ἐπειδὴ μηδὲν παρ' ἡμῶν ἀδικηθεὶς ἄσπονδον πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἔχει τὸν πόλεμον. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ εἶπε, Ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τῶν πονηρῶν, ἀλλ', Ἀπὸ τοῦ Πονηροῦ: παιδεύων ἡμᾶς μηδαμοῦ πρὸς τοὺς πλησίον ἀηδῶς ἔχειν, ἐν οἷς ἂν πάθωμεν παρ' αὐτῶν κακῶς, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τούτων πρὸς ἐκεῖνον μεταθεῖναι τὴν ἔχθραν, ὡς πάντων αὐτὸν αἴτιον τῶν κακῶν ὄντα. Ἐναγωνίους τοίνυν ποιήσας τῇ μνήμῃ τοῦ Ἐχθροῦ, καὶ τὴν ῥᾳθυμίαν ἡμῶν ἅπασαν ἐκκόψας, πάλιν θαῤῥύνει καὶ ἀνίστησι τὰ φρονήματα, τοῦ Βασιλέως ἀναμνήσας, ὑφ' ᾧ ταττόμεθα, καὶ δείξας πάντων αὐτὸν ὄντα δυνατώτερον. Σοῦ γάρ ἐστι, φησὶν, ἡ βασιλεία, καὶ ἡ δύναμις, καὶ ἡ δόξα. Οὐκοῦν εἰ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία, οὐδένα δεδοικέναι χρὴ, ἅτε οὐδενὸς ὄντος τοῦ ἀνθισταμένου, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν τὴν ἀρχὴν διανεμομένου. Ὅταν γὰρ εἴπῃ, Σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία, δείκνυσι καὶ ἐκεῖνον τὸν πολεμοῦντα ἡμῖν ὑποτεταγμένον, κἂν ἐναντιοῦσθαι δοκῇ, τοῦ Θεοῦ συγχωροῦντος τέως. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς τῶν δούλων ἐστὶν, εἰ καὶ τῶν ἠτιμωμένων καὶ προσκεκρουκότων: καὶ οὐκ ἂν τολμήσειεν οὐδενὶ τῶν ὁμοδούλων ἐπιθέσθαι, μὴ πρότερον ἄνωθεν τὴν ἐξουσίαν λαβών. Καὶ τί λέγω τῶν ὁμοδούλων; Οὐδὲ χοίρων κατατολμῆσαι ὑπέμεινεν, ἕως ὅτε αὐτὸς ἐπέτρεψεν: οὔτε ποιμνίων, οὔτε βουκολίων, ἕως ὅτε τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἄνωθεν ἔλαβε. Καὶ ἡ δύναμις, φησί. Οὐκοῦν κἂν μυριάκις ἀσθενὴς ᾖς, δίκαιος ἂν εἴης θαῤῥεῖν τοιοῦτον ἔχων τὸν βασιλεύοντα, πάντα εὐκόλως καὶ διὰ σοῦ κατορθοῦν δυνάμενον. Καὶ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. ζʹ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀπαλλάττει σε τῶν ἐπιόντων δεινῶν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔνδοξον δύναται ποιεῖν καὶ λαμπρόν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ δύναμις αὐτοῦ πολλὴ, οὕτω καὶ ἡ δόξα ἄφατος, καὶ τὰ πάντα ἀπέραντα καὶ τέλος αὐτῶν οὐδέν. Εἶδες πῶς πανταχόθεν ἤλειψε τὸν ἀθλητὴν, καὶ θαῤῥεῖν παρεσκεύασεν; Εἶτα, ὅπερ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, δεῖξαι βουλόμενος, ὅτι πάντων μάλιστα μνησικακίαν ἀποστρέφεται καὶ μισεῖ, καὶ μάλιστα πάντων τὴν ἐναντίαν τῇ κακίᾳ ταύτῃ ἀποδέχεται ἀρετὴν, καὶ μετὰ τὴν εὐχὴν πάλιν αὐτοῦ τοῦ κατορθώματος ὑπέμνησε, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς κειμένης κολάσεως, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ὡρισμένης τιμῆς τὸν ἀκροατὴν ἐνάγων εἰς τὴν τῆς ἐντολῆς ταύτης ὑπακοήν. Ἐὰν γὰρ ἀφῆτε, φησὶ, τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος ἀφήσει ὑμῖν: ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀφῆτε, οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ὑμῖν ἀφήσει. Διὰ τοῦτο τῶν οὐρανῶν πάλιν καὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐμνημόνευσεν, ὥστε καὶ τούτῳ τὸν ἀκροατὴν ἐντρέψαι, εἴγε τοιούτου πατρὸς ὢν, ἐκθηριοῦσθαι μέλλοι, καὶ πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν κληθεὶς, γήϊνόν τι καὶ βιωτικὸν ἔχοι φρόνημα. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ χάριτι δεῖ γενέσθαι παῖδας μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις. Οὐδὲν δὲ οὕτως ὁμοιοῖ τῷ Θεῷ, ὡς τὸ τοῖς πονηροῖς καὶ τοῖς ἀδικοῦσιν εἶναι συγγνωμονικόν: ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔφθη διδάξας, ἡνίκα ἔλεγε τὸ τὸν ἥλιον ἀνατέλλειν ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθούς. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ καθ' ἕκαστον τῶν ῥημάτων κοινὰς κελεύει ποιεῖν τὰς εὐχὰς, Πάτερ ἡμῶν, λέγων: καὶ, Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς: καὶ, Δὸς ἡμῖν τὸν ἄρτον: καὶ, Ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν: καὶ, Μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν: καὶ, Ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς: πανταχοῦ τῷ πληθυντικῷ ῥήματι τούτῳ κελεύων κεχρῆσθαι, ἵνα μηδὲ ἴχνος ὀργῆς πρὸς τὸν πλησίον ἔχωμεν. Πόσης οὖν ἂν εἶεν κολάσεως ἄξιοι οἱ μετὰ ταῦτα πάντα μὴ μόνον αὐτοὶ μὴ ἀφιέντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμυναν τῶν ἐχθρῶν παρακαλοῦντες, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκ διαμέτρου τινὸς τὸν νόμον τοῦτον παραβαίνοντες, καὶ ταῦτα αὐτοῦ πάντα ποιοῦντος καὶ πραγματευομένου, ὥστε μὴ διαστασιάζειν ἡμᾶς πρὸς ἀλλήλους; Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ῥίζα πάντων τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐστιν ἡ ἀγάπη, τὰ λυμαινόμενα αὐτὴν ἀναιρῶν, πάντοθεν ἡμᾶς πρὸς ἀλλήλους συνάγει συγκολλῶν. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεὶς, κἂν πατὴρ, κἂν μήτηρ, κἂν φίλος, κἂν ὁστισοῦν, ὃς οὕτως ἡμᾶς ἠγάπησεν, ὡς ὁ ποιήσας ἡμᾶς Θεός. Καὶ τοῦτο μάλιστα καὶ ἐξ ὧν εὐεργετεῖ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, καὶ ἐξ ὧν ἐπιτάττει δῆλον. Εἰ δὲ τὰς λύπας μοι λέγεις, καὶ τὰς ὀδύνας, καὶ τὰ τοῦ βίου κακὰ, ἐννόησον ὅσα αὐτῷ προσκρούεις καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, καὶ οὐκέτι θαυμάσῃ, κἂν πλείονα τούτων ἐπέλθῃ κακά: ἀλλ' ἂν ἀγαθοῦ τινος ἀπολαύσῃς, τότε καὶ θαυμάσῃ καὶ ἐκπλαγήσῃ. Νῦν δὲ εἰς μὲν τὰς συμφορὰς ὁρῶμεν τὰς ἐπιούσας, τὰ δὲ προσκρούσματα, ἃ καθ' ἑκάστην προσκρούομεν τὴν ἡμέραν, οὐκ ἐννοοῦμεν: διὰ τοῦτο ἀλύομεν. Ὡς εἴγε μιᾶς ἡμέρας μόνον μετὰ ἀκριβείας τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ἡμῶν ἐλογισάμεθα, τότε ἂν ἔγνωμεν καλῶς, πόσων ἂν εἴημεν ὑπεύθυνοι κακῶν. Καὶ ἵνα τὰ ἄλλα ἀφεὶς τὰ ἰδίᾳ πεπλημμελημένα ἑκάστῳ, τὰ σήμερον εἴπω γινόμενα: καίτοιγε οὐκ οἶδα τί ποτε ἕκαστος ἡμῶν ἥμαρτεν: ἀλλ' ὅμως τοσαύτη ἡ περιουσία τῶν πλημμελημάτων, ὡς μηδὲ τὸν ἀκριβῶς ἅπαντα εἰδότα δύνασθαι καὶ ἐκ τούτων ἑλεῖν. Τίς οὖν ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐῤῥᾳθύμησεν εὐχόμενος; τίς οὐκ ἀπενοήθη; τίς οὐκ ἐκενοδόξησε; τίς οὐ κακῶς εἶπε τὸν ἀδελφὸν, οὐδὲ ἐδέξατο πονηρὰν ἐπιθυμίαν; οὐκ εἶδεν ἀκολάστοις ὀφθαλμοῖς; οὐκ ἐμνήσθη μετὰ πάθους ἐχθροῦ, καὶ οἰδαίνειν τὴν καρδίαν ἐποίησεν; Εἰ δὲ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ὄντες, καὶ ἐν καιρῷ βραχεῖ, τοσούτοις ὑπεύθυνοι γεγόναμεν κακοῖς, τίνες ἐσόμεθα ἐξελθόντες ἐντεῦθεν; εἰ ἐν τῷ λιμένι τοσαῦτα τὰ κύματα, ὅταν ἐξέλθωμεν εἰς τὸν εὔριπον τῶν κακῶν, τὴν ἀγορὰν λέγω, καὶ τὰ πολιτικὰ πράγματα, καὶ τὰς ἐν οἰκίᾳ φροντίδας, ἆρα ἑαυτοὺς γοῦν ἐπιγνῶναι δυνησόμεθα; Ἀλλ' ὅμως τῆς τῶν τοσούτων καὶ τηλικούτων ἁμαρτημάτων ἀπαλλαγῆς ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν σύντομον καὶ ῥᾳδίαν ὁδὸν καὶ παντὸς ἀπηλλαγμένην πόνου ὁ Θεός. Ποῖος γὰρ πόνος ἀφεῖναι τῷ λελυπηκότι; Πόνος μὲν οὖν τὸ μὴ ἀφεῖναι, ἀλλὰ κατέχειν τὴν ἔχθραν: ὡς τό γε ἀπαλλαγῆναι τοῦ θυμοῦ, καὶ ἄνεσιν πολλὴν ἐμποιεῖ, καὶ σφόδρα εὔκολον τῷ βουλομένῳ. ηʹ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ πέλαγος διαβῆναι δεῖ, οὐδὲ ὁδὸν ἀποδημῆσαι μακρὰν, οὐδὲ ὁρῶν ὑπερβῆναι κορυφὰς, οὐδὲ χρήματα δαπανῆσαι, οὐδὲ κατατεῖναι τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλ' ἀρκεῖ θελῆσαι μόνον, καὶ πάντα λέλυται τὰ ἁμαρτήματα. Ἂν δὲ μὴ μόνον αὐτὸς μὴ ἀφῇς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ Θεῷ κατ' αὐτοῦ ἐντυγχάνῃς, τίνα λοιπὸν ἕξεις σωτηρίας ἐλπίδα, ὅταν ἡνίκα ἐξιλεοῦσαι αὐτὸν καὶ δέῃ, καὶ τότε αὐτὸν παροξύνῃς, ἱκέτου μὲν σχῆμα περικείμενος, θηρίου δὲ φωνὰς ἀφιεὶς, καὶ καθ' ἑαυτοῦ τὰ βέλη τοῦ Πονηροῦ ἐξακοντίζων ἐκεῖνα; Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος εὐχῆς μεμνημένος, οὐδὲν οὕτως ἐξεζήτησεν ὡς τῆς ἐντολῆς ταύτης τὴν φυλακήν: Ἐπαίροντας γὰρ ὁσίους χεῖρας, φησὶ, χωρὶς ὀργῆς καὶ διαλογισμοῦ. Εἰ γὰρ ὅτε ἐλέους χρείαν ἔχεις, οὐδὲ τότε ἀφίης τὴν ὀργὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα αὐτῆς μέμνησαι, καὶ ταῦτα εἰδὼς ὅτι κατὰ σεαυτοῦ τὸ ξίφος ὠθεῖς, πότε δυνήσῃ γενέσθαι φιλάνθρωπος, καὶ τὸν πονηρὸν ἀποβλῦσαι τῆς πονηρίας ταύτης ἰόν; Εἰ δὲ οὐδέπω τῆς ἀτοπίας ταύτης εἶδες τὸ μέγεθος, ἐπ' ἀνθρώπων αὐτὸ λογίζου γινόμενον, καὶ τότε ὄψει τῆς ὕβρεως τὴν ὑπερβολήν. Εἰ γὰρ ἀνθρώπῳ σοι ὄντι προσῆλθέ τις ἀξιῶν ἐλεηθῆναι, εἶτα μεταξὺ κείμενος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἶδεν ἐχθρὸν, καὶ ἀφείς σε ἱκετεῦσαι ἐκεῖνον ἔτυπτεν, ἆρα οὐκ ἂν μείζονα ἐποιήσω τὴν ὀργήν; Τοῦτο λογίζου καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ συμβαίνειν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ σὺ τὸν Θεὸν ἱκετεύων, μεταξὺ τὴν ἱκετηρίαν ἀφεὶς, τὸν ἐχθρὸν τοῖς ῥήμασι τύπτεις, καὶ τοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμους ὑβρίζεις, τὸν νομοθετήσαντα πᾶσαν ὀργὴν ἀφιέναι κατὰ τῶν λελυπηκότων καλῶν, καὶ ἀξιῶν ἐναντία τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ προστάγμασι ποιεῖν. Οὐκ ἀρκεῖ εἰς τιμωρίας σοι λόγον, ὅτι σὺ παραβαίνεις τὸν νόμον τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸν τοῦτο παρακαλεῖς ποιεῖν; Μὴ γὰρ ἐπελάθετο ὧν ἐπέταξε, μὴ γὰρ ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν ὁ ταῦτα εἰπών; Θεός ἐστιν, ὁ τὰ πάντα εἰδὼς, καὶ μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἁπάσης τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ φυλάττεσθαι βουλόμενος νόμους, καὶ τοσοῦτον ἀπέχων τοῦ ποιῆσαι ταῦτα ἅπερ ἀξιοῖς, ὅτι καὶ σὲ τὸν ταῦτα λέγοντα καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ λέγειν μόνον ἀποστρέφεται καὶ μισεῖ, καὶ δίκην ἀπαιτεῖ τὴν ἐσχάτην. Πῶς οὖν ἀξιοῖς παρ' αὐτοῦ τυχεῖν, ὧν αὐτὸς μετὰ πολλῆς ἀπέχεσθαί σε κελεύει σπουδῆς; Ἀλλὰ γὰρ εἰσί τινες, οἳ καὶ εἰς τοσοῦτον ἀλογίας ἥκασιν, ὡς μὴ μόνον τῶν ἐχθρῶν κατεύχεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τέκνοις ἐπαρᾶσθαι τοῖς ἐκείνων, καὶ αὐτῶν, εἴγε ἐνῆν, ἀπογεύσασθαι τῶν σαρκῶν: μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἀπογευόμενοι. Μὴ γάρ μοι τοῦτο εἴπῃς, ὅτι τοὺς ὀδόντας οὐκ ἐνέπηξας τῷ σώματι τοῦ λελυπηκότος: πολὺ γὰρ χαλεπώτερον ἐποίησας, τό γε εἰς σὲ ἧκον, ἀξιῶν ἄνωθεν ὀργὴν ἐπενεχθῆναι κατ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀθανάτῳ παραδοθῆναι κολάσει, καὶ μετὰ τῆς οἰκίας ἀνατραπῆναι ἁπάσης. Ποίων γὰρ ταῦτα οὐ χαλεπώτερα δηγμάτων; ποίων βελῶν οὐ πικρότερα; Οὐ ταῦτά σε ἐπαίδευσεν ὁ Χριστός: οὐχ οὕτω τὸ στόμα αἱμάττειν ἐκέλευσε. Καὶ γὰρ ᾑμαγμένων στομάτων ἀπὸ σαρκῶν ἀνθρωπίνων χαλεπώτεραι αἱ τοιαῦται γλῶτται. Πῶς οὖν ἀσπάσῃ τὸν ἀδελφόν; πῶς ἅψῃ τῆς θυσίας; πῶς ἀπογεύσῃ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ Δεσποτικοῦ, τοσοῦτον ἔχων ἐπὶ τῆς διανοίας ἰόν; Ὅταν γὰρ εἴπῃς, κατάῤῥαξον αὐτὸν, καὶ τὴν οἰκίαν ἀνάτρεψον, καὶ πάντα ἀπόλεσον, καὶ μυρίους αὐτῷ ὀλέθρους κατεύχῃ, οὐδὲν ἀνθρωποκτόνου διενήνοχας, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀνθρωποφάγου θηρίου. Παυσώμεθα τοίνυν τῆς νόσου ταύτης καὶ τῆς μανίας, καὶ τὴν φιλοφροσύνην, ἣν ἐκέλευσεν, ἐπιδειξώμεθα περὶ τοὺς λελυπηκότας, ἵνα γενώμεθα ὅμοιοι τοῦ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Παυσόμεθα δὲ, ἂν τῶν οἰκείων ἀναμνησθῶμεν ἁμαρτημάτων: ἂν μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἅπαντα ἐξετάσωμεν τὰ πεπλημμελημένα, τὰ ἔνδον, τὰ ἔξω, τὰ ἐν ἀγορᾷ, τὰ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ. Εἰ γὰρ μηδενὸς ἑτέρου, τῆς γοῦν ἐνταῦθα ὀλιγωρίας τὴν ἐσχάτην ἄξιοί ἐσμεν δίκην ὑποσχεῖν. Καὶ γὰρ προφητῶν ψαλλόντων, καὶ ἀποστόλων ὑμνούντων, καὶ Θεοῦ διαλεγομένου, ἔξω πλανώμεθα, καὶ βιωτικῶν πραγμάτων ἐπεισάγομεν θόρυβον: καὶ οὐδὲ τοσαύτην ἀπονέμομεν τοῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμοις τὴν ἡσυχίαν, ὅσην τοῖς τοῦ βασιλέως γράμμασιν ἐν τοῖς θεάτροις οἱ θεαταὶ παρέχουσι τὴν σιγήν. Ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ τῶν γραμμάτων τούτων ἀναγινωσκομένων, καὶ ὕπατοι καὶ ὕπαρχοι καὶ βουλὴ καὶ δῆμος ὀρθοὶ πάντες ἑστήκασι, μεθ' ἡσυχίας ἀκούοντες τῶν λεγομένων: κἂν μεταξὺ τῆς ἡσυχίας τῆς βαθυτάτης ἐκείνης ἀθρόον ἄν τις πηδήσας καταβοήσῃ, ἅτε εἰς τὸν βασιλέα ὑβρικὼς, τὴν ἐσχάτην δίδωσι δίκην: ἐνταῦθα δὲ τῶν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ γραμμάτων ἀναγινωσκομένων, πολὺς πανταχόθεν ὁ θόρυβος γίνεται. Καίτοι καὶ ὁ πέμψας τὰ γράμματα πολὺ τοῦ βασιλέως τούτου μείζων ἐστὶ, καὶ τὸ θέατρον σεμνότερον: οὐ γὰρ ἀνθρώπων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀγγέλων ἐστί: καὶ τὰ ἐπινίκια ταῦτα, ἃ τὰ γράμματα εὐαγγελίζεται, πολλῷ τῶν ἐν τῇ γῇ φρικωδέστερα. Διόπερ οὐκ ἄνθρωποι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄγγελοι καὶ ἀρχάγγελοι, καὶ οἱ τῶν οὐρανῶν δῆμοι, καὶ οἱ ἐν τῇ γῇ πάντες εὐφημεῖν κελευόμεθα. Εὐλογεῖτε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν Κύριον, πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. Καὶ γὰρ οὐ μικρὰ τὰ κατορθούμενα, ἀλλὰ πάντα ὑπερβαίνει λόγον καὶ νοῦν καὶ διάνοιαν ἀνθρωπίνην. Καὶ ταῦτα καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἀνακηρύττουσιν οἱ προφῆται, διαφόρως ἕκαστος τὸ λαμπρὸν τοῦτο τρόπαιον ἀναγορεύων. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ, Ἀνέβης εἰς ὕψος, φησὶ, ᾐχμαλώτευσας αἰχμαλωσίαν, καὶ ἔλαβες δόματα ἐν ἀνθρώποις: καὶ, Κύριος κραταιὸς καὶ δυνατὸς ἐν πολέμῳ. Ὁ δέ φησι, Τῶν ἰσχυρῶν μεριεῖται τὰ σκῦλα. Καὶ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἦλθεν, ὥστε κηρῦξαι αἰχμαλώτοις ἄφεσιν, καὶ τυφλοῖς ἀνάβλεψιν. Καὶ κατὰ τοῦ θανάτου τὴν ἐπινίκιον ἀλαλάζων φωνὴν ἔλεγε: Ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ νῖκος; ποῦ σου, ᾅδη, τὸ κέντρον; Ἕτερος δὲ αὖ πάλιν τὴν βαθυτάτην εἰρήνην εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἔλεγε: Συντρίψουσι τὰς μαχαίρας αὐτῶν εἰς ἄροτρα, καὶ τὰς ζιβύνας αὐτῶν εἰς δρέπανα. Καὶ ὁ μὲν τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ καλεῖ λέγων: Χαῖρε σφόδρα, θύγατερ Σιὼν, ὅτι ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεταί σοι πρᾶος, ἐπιβεβηκὼς ἐπὶ ὑποζύγιον καὶ πῶλον νέον. Ὁ δὲ καὶ τὴν δευτέραν αὐτοῦ ἀνακηρύττει παρουσίαν, οὕτω λέγων: Ἥξει Κύριος, ὃν ὑμεῖς ζητεῖτε, καὶ τίς ὑπομενεῖ ἡμέραν εἰσόδου αὐτοῦ; Σκιρτήσατε ὡς μοσχάρια ἐκ δεσμῶν ἀνειμένα. Καὶ ἕτερος πάλιν τοιαῦτα ἐκπληττόμενος ἔλεγεν: Οὗτος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν: οὐ λογισθήσεται ἕτερος πρὸς αὐτόν. Ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ τούτων καὶ πολλῷ πλειόνων λεγομένων, δέον φρίττειν: καὶ μηδὲ ἐπὶ γῆς νομίζειν εἶναι, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐν ἀγορᾷ μέσῃ θορυβοῦμεν, ταράττομεν, τὰ μηδὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὄντα διαλεγόμενοι ἅπαντα ἀναλίσκομεν τῆς συνάξεως τὸν καιρόν. Ὅταν οὖν καὶ ἐν μικροῖς καὶ ἐν μεγάλοις, καὶ ἐν ἀκροάσει καὶ ἐν πράξει, καὶ ἔξω καὶ ἔνδον ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ οὕτως ὦμεν ῥᾴθυμοι, καὶ μετὰ τούτων ἁπάντων καὶ κατ' ἐχθρῶν εὐχώμεθα, πόθεν ἕξομεν σωτηρίας ἐλπίδα, τοῖς τοσούτοις ἁμαρτήμασι προσθήκην ἑτέραν χαλεπὴν καὶ τούτων ἀντίῤῥοπον, τὴν παράνομον ταύτην προστιθέντες εὐχήν; Ἔτι οὖν θαυμάζειν δίκαιον, ἂν συμβῇ τι τῶν ἀδοκήτων ἡμῖν καὶ λυπηρῶν, δέον ὅταν μὴ συμβῇ θαυμάζειν; Ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ἀκολουθίας: τοῦτο δὲ ὑπὲρ λόγον πάντα καὶ προσδοκίαν. Καὶ γὰρ ὑπὲρ λόγον, ἐχθροὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ γενομένους καὶ παροργίζοντας αὐτὸν, ἀπολαύειν ἡλίου καὶ ὑετῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων, ἀνθρώπους θηρίων ὠμότητα νικῶντας, καὶ κατ' ἀλλήλων ἱσταμένους, καὶ τοῖς τῶν πλησίον δήγμασι τὴν γλῶτταν αἱμάττοντας, μετὰ τὴν τράπεζαν τὴν πνευματικὴν, καὶ τὰς τοσαύτας εὐεργεσίας, καὶ τὰ μυρία παραγγέλματα. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἐννοοῦντες, ἐμέσωμεν τὸν ἰὸν, καταλύσωμεν τὰς ἔχθρας, καὶ τὰς ἡμῖν πρεπούσας εὐχὰς ποιώμεθα: ἀντὶ δαιμόνων θηριωδίας, ἀγγέλων λάβωμεν ἡμερότητα: καὶ ὅσα ἂν ὦμεν ἠδικημένοι, τὰ ἡμέτερα αὐτῶν ἐννοήσαντες, καὶ τὸν ὑπὲρ ταύτης τῆς ἐντολῆς κείμενον ἡμῖν μισθὸν, μαλάξωμεν τὴν ὀργὴν, καταστείλωμεν τὰ κύματα, ἵνα καὶ τὸν παρόντα βίον ἀταράχως διέλθωμεν, καὶ ἀπελθόντες ἐκεῖ τοιούτου τύχωμεν τοῦ Δεσπότου, οἷοι περὶ τοὺς συνδούλους γεγόναμεν. Εἰ δὲ βαρὺ τοῦτο καὶ φοβερὸν, ποιήσωμεν αὐτὸ κοῦφον καὶ ποθεινὸν, καὶ τὰς τῆς παῤῥησίας τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν λαμπρὰς ἀνοίξωμεν θύρας: καὶ ὅπερ οὐκ ἰσχύσαμεν ἀνύσαι διὰ τοῦ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀπέχεσθαι, τοῦτο ἀνύσωμεν διὰ τοῦ γεγενῆσθαι τοῖς ἡμαρτηκόσιν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἥμεροι (οὐδὲ γὰρ βαρὺ τοῦτο, οὐδὲ ἐπαχθές): καὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς εὐεργετοῦντες τοὺς ἡμετέρους, πολὺν ἑαυτοῖς προαποθώμεθα ἔλεον. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ κατὰ τὸν παρόντα βίον ἅπαντες ἡμᾶς ἀγαπήσουσι, καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων ὁ Θεὸς καὶ φιλήσει, καὶ στεφανώσει, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἡμᾶς ἀγαθῶν ἀξιώσει πάντων: ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.