Homily XXIII.

Matt. VII. 1.

“Judge not, that ye be not judged.”

What then? Ought we not to blame them that sin? Because Paul also saith this selfsame thing: or rather, there too it is Christ, speaking by Paul, and saying,958   Rom. xiv. 10.“Why dost thou judge thy brother? And thou, why dost thou set at nought thy brother?” and, “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant?”959   Rom. xiv. 4. And again, “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come.”960   1 Cor. iv. 5.

How then doth He say elsewhere, “Reprove, rebuke, exhort,”961   2 Tim. iv. 2.and, “Them that sin rebuke before all?”962   1 Tim. v. 20. [R.V., “reprove.” The Greek verb is the same in Matt. xviii. 15 also.—R.] And Christ too to Peter, “Go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone,” and if he neglect to hear, add to thyself another also; and if not even so doth he yield, declare it to the church likewise?”963   Matt. xviii. 15, 16, 17. And how hath He set over us so many to reprove; and not only to reprove, but also to punish? For him that hearkens to none of these, He hath commanded to be “as a heathen man and a publican.”964   Matt. xviii. 17. And how gave He them the keys also? since if they are not to judge, they will be without authority in any matter, and in vain have they received the power to bind and to loose.

And besides, if this were to obtain, all would be lost alike, whether in churches, or in states,965   [πλεσι.]or in houses. For except the master judge the servant, and the mistress the maid, and the father the son, and friends one another, there will be an increase of all wickedness. And why say I, friends? unless we judge our enemies, we shall never be able to put an end to our enmity, but all things will be turned upside down.

What then can the saying be? Let us carefully attend, lest the medicines of salvation, and the laws of peace, be accounted by any man laws of overthrow and confusion. First of all, then, even by what follows, He hath pointed out to them that have understanding the excellency of this law, saying, “Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?”966   Matt. vii. 3.

But if to many of the less attentive, it seem yet rather obscure, I will endeavor to explain it from the beginning. In this place, then, as it seems at least to me, He doth not simply command us not to judge any of men’s sins, neither doth He simply forbid the doing of such a thing, but to them that are full of innumerable ills, and are trampling upon other men for trifles. And I think that certain Jews too are here hinted at, for that while they were bitter accusing their neighbors for small faults, and such as came to nothing, they were themselves insensibly committing deadly967   τ μεγαλ. The article implies the distinction.sins. Herewith towards the end also He was upbraiding them, when He said, “Ye bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, but ye will not move them with your finger,”968   Matt. xxiii. 4.and, “ye pay tithe of mint and anise, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.”969   Matt. xxiii. 23.

Well then, I think that these are comprehended in His invective; that He is checking them beforehand as to those things, wherein they were hereafter to accuse His disciples. For although His disciples had been guilty of no such sin, yet in them were supposed to be offenses; as, for instance, not keeping the sabbath, eating with unwashen hands, sitting at meat with publicans; of which He saith also in another place, “Ye which strain at the gnat, and swallow the camel.”970   Matt. xxiii. 24. [R.V., more correctly, “strain out;” the word “at” is probably a typographical blunder of the A.V.—R.] But yet it is also a general law that He is laying down on these matters.

And the Corinthians971   1 Cor. iv. 5.too Paul did not absolutely command not to judge, but not to judge their own superiors, and upon grounds that are not acknowledged; not absolutely to refrain from correcting them that sin. Neither indeed was He then rebuking all without distinction, but disciples doing so to their teachers were the object of His reproof; and they who, being guilty of innumerable sins, bring an evil report upon the guiltless.

This then is the sort of thing which Christ also in this place intimated; not intimated merely, but guarded972   ἐπστησε.it too with a great ter ror, and the punishment from which no prayers can deliver.

2. “For with what judgment ye judge,” saith He, “ye shall be judged.”973   Matt. vii. 2.

That is, “it is not the other,” saith Christ, “that thou condemnest, but thyself, and thou art making the judgment-seat dreadful to thyself, and the account strict.” As then in the forgiveness of our sins the beginnings are from us, so also in this judgment, it is by ourselves that the measures of our condemnation are laid down. You see, we ought not to upbraid nor trample upon them, but to admonish; not to revile, but to advise; not to assail with pride, but to correct with tenderness. For not him, but thyself, dost thou give over to extreme vengeance, by not sparing him, when it may be needful to give sentence on his offenses.

Seest thou, how these two commandments are both easy, and fraught with great blessings to the obedient, even as of evils on the other hand, to the regardless? For both he that forgives his neighbor, hath freed himself first of the two from the grounds of complaint, and that without any labor; and he that with tenderness and indulgence inquires into other men’s offenses, great is the allowance974   ἔρανον.of pardon, which he hath by his judgment laid up beforehand for himself.

“What then!” say you: “if one commit fornication, may I not say that fornication is a bad thing, nor at all correct him that is playing the wanton?” Nay, correct him, but not as a foe, nor as an adversary exacting a penalty, but as a physician providing medicines. For neither did Christ say, “stay not him that is sinning,” but “judge not;” that is, be not bitter in pronouncing sentence.

And besides, it is not of great things (as I have already observed), nor of things prohibited, that this is said, but of those which are not even counted offenses. Wherefore He said also.

“Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye?”975   Matt. vii. 3.

Yea, for many now do this; if they see but a monk wearing an unnecessary garment, they produce against him the law of our Lord,976   Matt. x. 10.while they themselves are extorting without end, and defrauding men every day. If they see him but partaking rather largely of food, they become bitter accusers, while they themselves are daily drinking to excess and surfeiting: not knowing, that besides their own sins, they do hereby gather up for themselves a greater flame, and deprive themselves of every plea. For on this point, that thine own doings must be strictly inquired into, thou thyself hast first made the law, by thus sentencing those of thy neighbor. Account it not then to be a grievous thing, if thou art also thyself to undergo the same kind of trial.

“Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye.”977   Matt. vii. 5.

Here His will is to signify the great wrath, which He hath against them that do such things. For so, wheresoever He would indicate that the sin is great, and the punishment and wrath in store for it grievous, He begins with a reproach.978   ὕβρεω. As then unto him that was exacting the hundred pence, He said in His deep displeasure, “Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt;”979   Matt. xviii. 32.even so here also, “Thou hypocrite.” For not of protecting care comes such a judgment, but of ill will to man; and while a man puts forward a mask of benevolence, he is doing a work of the utmost wickedness, causing reproaches without ground, and accusations, to cleave unto his neighbors, and usurping a teacher’s rank, when he is not worthy to be so much as a disciple. On account of this He called him “hypocrite.” For thou, who in other men’s doings art so bitter, as to see even the little things; how hast thou become so remiss in thine own, as that even the great things are hurried over by thee?

“First cast out the beam out of thine own eye.”

Seest thou, that He forbids not judging, but commands to cast out first the beam from thine eye, and then to set right the doings of the rest of the world? For indeed each one knows his own things better than those of others; and sees the greater rather than the less; and loves himself more than his neighbor. Wherefore, if thou doest it out of guardian care, I bid thee care for thyself first, in whose case the sin is both more certain and greater. But if thou neglect thyself, it is quite evident that neither dost thou judge thy brother in care for him, but in hatred, and wishing to expose him. For what if he ought to be judged? it should be by one who commits no such sin, not by thee.

Thus, because He had introduced great and high doctrines of self denial, lest any man should say, it is easy so to practise it in words; He willing to signify His entire confidence, and that He was not chargeable with any of the things that had been mentioned, but had duly fulfilled all, spake this parable. And that, because He too was afterwards to judge, saying, “Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.”980   Matt. xxiii. 1. Yet was not he chargeable with what hath been mentioned; for neither did He pull out a mote, nor had He a beam on His eyes, but being clean from all these, He so corrected the faults of all. “For it is not at all meet,” saith He, “to judge others, when one is chargeable with the same things.” And why marvel at His establishing this law, when even the very thief knew it upon the cross, saying to the other thief, “Dost not thou fear God, seeing we are in the same condemnation;”981   Luke xxiii. 40, 41. [R.V., “Dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation.” In several places Chrysostom gives the plural form, as here, but there is little authority for it in the New Testament text.—R.]expressing the same sentiments with Christ?

But thou, so far from casting out thine own beam, dost not even see it, but another’s mote thou not only seest, but also judgest, and essayest to cast it out; as if any one seized with a grievous dropsy, or indeed with any other incurable disease, were to neglect this, and find fault with another who was neglecting a slight swelling. And if it be an evil not to see one’s own sins, it is a twofold and threefold evil to be even sitting in judgment on others, while men themselves, as if past feeling, are bearing about beams in their own eyes: since no beam is so heavy as sin.

His injunction therefore in these words is as follows, that he who is chargeable with countless evil deeds, should not be a bitter censor of other men’s offenses, and especially when these are trifling. He is not overthrowing reproof nor correction, but forbidding men to neglect their own faults, and exult over those of other men.

For indeed this was a cause of men’s going unto great vice, bringing in a twofold wickedness. For he, whose practice it had been to slight his own faults, great as they were, and to search bitterly into those of others, being slight and of no account, was spoiling himself two ways: first, by thinking lightly of his own faults; next, by incurring enmities and feuds with all men, and training himself every day to extreme fierceness, and want of feeling for others.

3. Having then put away all these things, by this His excellent legislation, He added yet another charge, saying,

“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine.”982   Matt. vii. 6. [R.V., “the swine,” the article is in the Greek text of the Homily.]

“Yet surely further on,” it will be said, “He commanded, “What ye have heard in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.”983   Matt. x. 27. But this is in no wise contrary to the former. For neither in that place did He simply command to tell all men, but to whom it should be spoken, to them He bade speak with freedom.984   1 Cor. ii. 14. In the verse before that to which reference is here made, our Saviour says, “Fear them not therefore.” And again in the verse after, “Fear not them which kill the body:” whence the natural conclusion is, that His chief purpose here was to caution His disciples against the fear of man. And by “dogs” here He figuratively described them that are living in incurable ungodliness, and affording no hope of change for the better; and by “swine,” them that abide continually in an unchaste life, all of whom He hath pronounced unworthy of hearing such things. Paul also, it may be observed, declared this when He said, “But a natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit, for they are foolishness unto him.”985   1 Cor. ii. 14. In the verse before that to which reference is here made, our Saviour says, “Fear them not therefore.” And again in the verse after, “Fear not them which kill the body:” whence the natural conclusion is, that His chief purpose here was to caution His disciples against the fear of man. And in many other places too He saith that corruption of life is the cause of men’s not receiving the more perfect doctrines. Wherefore He commands not to open the doors to them; for indeed they become more insolent after learning. For as to the well-disposed and intelligent, things appear venerable when revealed, so to the insensible, when they are unknown rather. “Since then from their nature, they are not able to learn them, “let the thing be hidden,” saith He, “that986   The words in italics are omitted in the manuscripts. [The construction of the Greek is very difficult, if the mss. text is accepted. One ms., however, has an imperative in the last clause: “let them reverence them,” thus relieving the difficulty.—R.]at least for ignorance they may reverence them. For neither doth the swine know at all what a pearl is. Therefore since he knows not, neither let him see it, lest he trample under foot what he knows not.”

For nothing results, beyond greater mischief to them that are so disposed when they hear; for both the holy things are profaned987   ἐμπαροινεται .by them, not knowing what they are; and they are the more lifted up and armed against us. For this is meant by, “lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”988   [R.V., properly omits “again.”—R.]

Nay, “surely,” saith one, “they ought to be so strong as to remain equally impregnable after men’s learning them, and not to yield to other people occasions against us.” But it is not the things that yield it, but that these men are swine; even as when the pearl is trampled under foot, it is not so trampled, because it is really contemptible, but because it fell among swine.

And full well did He say, “turn again and rend you:” for they feign gentleness,989   ἐπιεκειαν.so as to be taught: then after they have learnt, quite changing from one sort to another, they jeer, mock and deride us, as deceived persons. Therefore Paul also said to Timothy,990   2 Tim. iv. 15.“Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words;” and again in another place, “From such turn away,”991   2 Tim. iii. 5. [The citation is modified.—R.]and, “A man that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject.”992   Titus iii. 10. [R.V., “A man that is heretical (or factious) after a first and second admonition, refuse (or avoid).”—R.]

It is not, you see, that those truths furnish them with armor, but they become fools in this way of their own accord, being filled with more willfulness. On this account it is no small gain for them to abide in ignorance, for so they are not such entire scorners. But if they learn, the mischief is twofold. For neither will they themselves be at all profited thereby, but rather the more damaged, and to thee they will cause endless difficulties.

Let them hearken, who shamelessly associate with all, and make the awful things contemptible. For the mysteries we too therefore celebrate with closed doors, and keep out the uninitiated, not for any weakness of which we have convicted our rites, but because the many are as yet imperfectly prepared for them. For this very reason He Himself also discoursed much unto the Jews in parables, “because they seeing saw not.” For this, Paul likewise commanded “to know how we ought to answer every man.”993   Col. iv. 6.

4. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”994   Matt. vii. 6.

For inasmuch as He had enjoined things great and marvellous, and had commanded men to be superior to all their passions, and had led them up to Heaven itself, and had enjoined them to strive after the resemblance, not of angels and archangels, but (as far as was possible) of the very Lord of all; and had bidden His disciples not only themselves duly to perform all this, but also to correct others, and to distinguish between the evil and them that are not such, the dogs and them that are not dogs (although there be much that is hidden in men):—that they might not say, “these things are grievous and intolerable,” (for indeed in the sequel Peter did utter some such things, saying, “Who can be saved?”995   Matt. xix. 25, and 10.and again, “If the case of the man be so, it is not good to marry): in order therefore that they might not now likewise say so; as in the first place even by what had gone before He had proved it all to be easy, setting down many reasons one upon another, of power to persuade men: so after all He adds also the pinnacle of all facility, devising as no ordinary relief to our toils, the assistance derived from persevering prayers. Thus, we are not ourselves, saith He, to strive alone, but also to invoke the help from above: and it will surely come and be present with us, and will aid us in our struggles, and make all easy. Therefore He both commanded us to ask, and pledged Himself to the giving.

However, not simply to ask did He command us, but with much assiduity and earnestness. For this is the meaning of “seek.” For so he that seeks, putting all things out of his mind, is taken up with that alone which is sought, and forms no idea of any of the persons present. And this which I am saying they know, as many as have lost either gold, or servants, and are seeking diligently after them.

By “seeking,” then, He declared this; by “knocking,” that we approach with earnestness and a glowing mind.

Despond not therefore, O man, nor show less of zeal about virtue, than they do of desire for wealth. For things of that kind thou hast often sought and not found, but nevertheless, though thou know this, that thou art not sure to find them, thou puttest in motion every mode of search; but here, although having a promise that thou wilt surely receive, thou dost not show even the smallest part of that earnestness. And if thou dost not receive straightway, do not even thus despair. For to this end He said, “knock,” to signify that even if He should not straightway open the door, we are to continue there.

5. And if thou doubt my affirmation, at any rate believe His example.

“For what man is there of you,” saith He, “whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?”996   Matt. vii. 9. [The citation is not exact. Here, as below, Chrysostom gives the form: “For which is there of you,” omitting “man.” The Oxford translator follows the A.V. here but not below. “Of whom” (in R.V.) is better English (see below); the Greek is the same in both passages.—R.]

Because, as among men, if thou keep on doing so, thou art even accounted troublesome, and disgusting: so with God, when thou doest not so, then thou dost more entirely provoke Him. And if thou continue asking, though thou receive not at once, thou surely wilt receive. For to this end was the door shut, that He may induce thee to knock: to this end He doth not straightway assent, that thou mayest ask. Continue then to do these things, and thou wilt surely receive. For that thou mightest not say, “What then if I should ask and not receive?” He hath blocked up997   ἐπετεχισε.thy approach with that similitude, again framing arguments, and by those human things urging us to be confident on these matters; implying by them that we must not only ask, but ask what we ought.998   [οκ ατεν χρ μνου, λλ κα χρ ιτεν, “not only is it fitting to ask,” but to ask what “is fitting.”—R.]

“For which of you is there, a father, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he give him a stone?” So that if thou receive not, thy asking a stone is the cause of thy not receiving. For though thou be a son, this suffices not for thy receiving: rather this very thing even hinders thy receiving, that being a son, thou askest what is not profitable.

Do thou also therefore ask nothing worldly, but all things spiritual, and thou wilt surely receive. For so Solomon,999   1 Kings iii. 10–14; 2 Chron. i. 11, 12.because he asked what he ought, behold how quickly he received. Two things now, you see, should be in him that prays, asking earnestly, and asking what he ought: “since ye too,” saith He, “though ye be fathers, wait for your sons to ask: and if they should ask of you anything inexpedient, ye refuse the gifts; just as, if it be expedient, ye consent and bestow it.” Do thou too, considering these things, not withdraw until thou receive; until thou have found, retire not; relax not thy diligence, until the door be opened. For if thou approach with this mind, and say, “Except I receive, I depart not;” thou wilt surely receive, provided thou ask such things, as are both suitable for Him of whom thou askest to give, and expedient for thee the petitioner. But what are these? To seek the things spiritual, all of them; to forgive them that have trespassed, and so to draw nigh asking forgiveness; “to lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting.”1000   1 Tim. ii. 8, perhaps “disputing” rather than “doubting.” [R.V. text “disputing,” in the margin “doubting.” Comp. Homily XIX. 11, p. 138.—R.] If we thus ask, we shall receive. As it is, surely our asking is a mockery, and the act of drunken rather than of sober men.

“What then,” saith one, “if I ask even spiritual things, and do not receive?” Thou didst not surely knock with earnestness; or thou madest thyself unworthy to receive; or didst quickly leave off.

“And wherefore,” it may be inquired, “did He not say, what things we ought to ask”? Nay verily, He hath mentioned them all in what precedes, and hath signified for what things we ought to draw nigh. Say not then, “I drew nigh, and did not receive.” For in no case is it owing to God that we receive not, God who loves us so much as to surpass even fathers, to surpass them as far as goodness doth this evil nature.

“For if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more your heavenly Father.”1001   Matt. vii. 11. [“Heavenly” is substituted for “which is in Heaven.”—R.]

Now this He said, not to bring an evil name on man’s nature, nor to condemn our race as bad; but in contrast to His own goodness He calls paternal tenderness evil,1002   πονηραν.so great is the excess of His love to man.

Seest thou an argument unspeakable, of power to arouse to good hopes even him that hath become utterly desperate?

Now here indeed He signifies His goodness by means of our fathers, but in what precedes by the chief among His gifts, by the “soul,”1003   Or “life:” see Matt. vi. 25.by the body. And nowhere doth He set down the chief of all good things, nor bring forward His own coming:—for He who thus made speed to give up His Son to the slaughter, “how shall He not freely give us all things?”—because it had not yet come to pass. But Paul indeed sets it forth, thus saying, “He that spared not His own Son, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things.”1004   Rom. viii. 32. But His discourse with them is still from the things of men.

6. After this, to indicate that we ought neither to feel confidence in prayer, while neglecting our own doings; nor, when taking pains, trust only to our own endeavors; but both to seek after the help from above, and contribute withal our own part; He sets forth the one in connection with the other. For so after much exhortation, He taught also how to pray, and when He had taught how to pray, He proceeded again to His exhortation concerning what we are to do; then from that again to the necessity of praying continually, saying, “Ask,” and “seek,” and “knock.” And thence again, to the necessity of being also diligent ourselves.

“For all things,” saith He, “whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them.”1005   Matt. vii. 12. [οτω is omitted; so the Vulgate.—R.]

Summing up all in brief, and signifying, that virtue is compendious, and easy, and readily known of all men.

And He did not merely say, “All things whatsoever ye would,” but, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would.” For this word, “therefore,” He did not add without purpose, but with a concealed meaning: “if ye desire,” saith He, “to be heard, together with what I have said, do these things also.” What then are these? “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you.” Seest thou how He hath hereby also signified that together with prayer we need exact conversation?1006   [πολιτεα.] And He did not say, “whatsoever things thou wouldest to be done unto thee of God, those do unto thy neighbor;” lest thou should say, “But how is it possible? He is God and I am man:” but, “whatsoever thou wouldest to be done unto thee of thy fellow servant, these things do thou also thyself show forth towards thy neighbor.” What is less burdensome than this? what fairer?

Then the praise also, before the rewards, is exceeding great.

“For this is the law and the prophets.” Whence it is evident, that virtue is according to our nature; that we all, of ourselves, know our duties; and that it is not possible for us ever to find refuge in ignorance.

7. “Enter ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: and strait is the gate and narrow1007   Confined, τεθλιμμνη .is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”1008   Matt. vi. 13, 14. [R.V., “by the narrow gate;” “enter in thereby;” “For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way,” &c. Chrysostom introduces verse 14 with κα; and in some mss. of the Homilies τ is added. Comp. R.V. margin: “How narrow,” etc.—R.]

And yet after this He said, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”1009   Matt. xi. 30. And in what He hath lately said also, He intimated the same: how then doth He here say it is strait and confined? In the first place, if thou attend, even here He points to it as very light, and easy, and accessible. “And how,” it may be said, “is the narrow and confined way easy?” Because it is a way and a gate; even as also the other, though it be wide, though spacious, is also a way and a gate. And of these there is nothing permanent, but all things are passing away, both the pains and the good things of life.

And not only herein is the part of virtue easy, but also by the end again it becomes yet easier. For not the passing away of our labors and toils, but also their issuing in a good end (for they end in life) is enough to console those in conflict. So that both the temporary nature of our labors, and the perpetuity of our crowns, and the fact that the labors come first, and the crowns after, must prove a very great relief in our toils. Wherefore Paul also called their affliction “light”; not from the nature of the events, but because of the mind of the combatants, and the hope of the future. “For our light affliction,” saith he, “worketh an eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.”1010   2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. For if to sailors the waves and the seas, to soldiers their slaughters and wounds, to husbandmen the winters and the frosts, to boxers the sharp blows, be light and tolerable things, all of them, for the hope of those rewards which are temporary and perishing; much more when heaven is set forth, and the unspeakable blessings, and the eternal rewards, will no one feel any of the present hardships. Or if any account it, even thus, to be toilsome, the suspicion comes of nothing but their own remissness.

See, at any rate, how He on another side also makes it easy, commanding not to hold intercourse with the dogs, nor to give one’s self over to the swine, and to “beware of the false prophets;” thus on all accounts causing men to feel as if in real conflict. And the very fact too of calling it narrow contributed very greatly towards making it easy; for it wrought on them to be vigilant. As Paul then, when he saith, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood,”1011   Eph. vi. 12. [R.V., “our wrestling is not,” etc.—R.]doth so not to cast down, but to rouse up the spirits of the soldiers: even so He also, to shake the travellers out of their sleep, called the way rough. And not in this way only did He work upon men, to be vigilant, but also by adding, that it contains likewise many to supplant them; and, what is yet more grievous, they do not even attack openly, but hiding themselves; for such is the race of the false prophets. “But look not to this,” saith He, “that it is rough and narrow, but where it ends; nor that the opposite is wide and spacious, but where it issues.”

And all these things He saith, thoroughly to awaken our alacrity; even as elsewhere also He said, “Violent men take it by force.”1012   Matt. xi. 12. [R.V., “men of violence,” etc.—R.] For whoever is in conflict, when he actually sees the judge of the lists marvelling at the painfulness of his efforts, is the more inspirited.

Let it not then bewilder us, when many things spring up hence, that turn to our vexation. For the way is strait, and the gate narrow, but not the city.1013   ‘They pass in stooping low,   For strait and narrow was the way, which he did shew.   _________   Each goodly thing is hardest to begin:   But entered in, a spacious court they see,   Both plaine, and pleasant to be walked in.   Spenser’s Faery Queen, b. i. c. x. 5, 6. Therefore must one neither look for rest here, nor there expect any more aught that is painful.

Now in saying, “Few there be that find it,” here again He both declared the careless ness of the generality, and instructed His hearers not to regard the felicities of the many, but the labors of the few. For the more part, saith He, so far from walking this way, do not so much as make it their choice: a thing of most extreme criminality. But we should not regard the many, nor be troubled thereat, but emulate the few; and, by all means equipping1014   συγκροτοντα .ourselves, should so walk therein.

For besides that it is strait, there are also many to overthrow us in the way that leads thither. Wherefore He also added,

8. “Beware of false prophets, for they will come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”1015   Matt. vii. 15. [“For they will come” is substituted by Chrysostom for “which come,” but without any mss. authority known to us.—R.] Behold together with the dogs and swine another kind of ambush and conspiracy, far more grievous than that. For those are acknowledged and open, but these shaded over. For which cause also, while from those He commanded to hold off, these He charged men to watch with exact care, as though it were not possible to see them at the first approach. Wherefore He also said, “beware”; making us more exact to discern them.

Then, lest when they had heard that it was narrow and strait, and that they must walk on a way opposite to the many, and must keep themselves from swine and dogs, and together with these from another more wicked kind, even this of wolves; lest, I say, they should sink down at this multitude of vexations, having both to go a way contrary to most men, and therewith again to have such anxiety about these things: He reminded them of what took place in the days of their fathers, by using the term, “false prophets,” for then also no less did such things happen. Be not now, I pray you, troubled (so He speaks), for nothing new nor strange is to befall you. Since for all truth the devil is always secretly substituting its appropriate deceit.

And by the figure of “false prophets,” here, I think He shadows out not the heretics, but them that are of a corrupt life, yet wear a mask of virtue; whom the generality are wont to call by the name of impostors.1016   ἐπιθετν. Wherefore He also said further,

“By their fruits ye shall know them.”1017   Matt. vii. 16.

For amongst heretics one may often find actual goodness,1018   βιν. Comp. Hom. XLVI. p. 486, Ben. [In the passage referred to, the word is rendered “practice.” For the ethical sense of βι in classical usage, see Trench, Synonymes New Testament, sub voce.—R.]but amongst those whom I was mentioning, by no means.

“What then,” it may be said, “if in these things too they counterfeit?” “Nay, they will be easily detected; for such is the nature of this way, in which I commanded men to walk, painful and irksome; but the hypocrite would not choose to take pains, but to make a show only; wherefore also he is easily convicted.” Thus, inasmuch as He had said, “there be few that find it,” He clears them out again from among those, who find it not, yet feign so to do, by commanding us not to look to them that wear the masks only, but to them who in reality pursue it.

“But wherefore,” one may say, “did He not make them manifest, but set us on the search for them?” That we might watch, and be ever prepared for conflict, guarding against our disguised as well as against our open enemies: which kind indeed Paul also was intimating, when he said, that “by their good words they deceive the hearts of the simple.”1019   Rom. xvi. 18. [R.V., “by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.” But Chrysostom omits κα ελογα, agreeing with the reading of the four principal Græco-Latin mss. of the Pauline Epistles.—R.] Let us not be troubled therefore, when we see many such even now. Nay, for this too Christ foretold from the beginning.

And see His gentleness: how He said not, “Punish them,” but, “Be not hurt by them,” “Do not fall amongst them unguarded.” Then that thou mightest not say, “it is impossible to distinguish that sort of men,” again He states an argument from a human example, thus saying,

“Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.”1020   Matt. vii. 16–18.

Now what He saith is like this: they have nothing gentle nor sweet; it is the sheep only so far as the skin; wherefore also it is easy to discern them. And lest thou shouldest have any the least doubt, He compares it to certain natural necessities, in matters which admit of no result but one. In which sense Paul also said, “The carnal mind is death; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”1021   Rom. viii. 6, 7. [R.V., “For the mind of the flesh,” etc. The translator has not rendered γρ, which occurs in the Greek of the Homily, as in Rom. viii. 6.—R.]

And if He states the same thing twice, it is not tautology. But, lest any one should say, “Though the evil tree bear evil fruit, it bears also good, and makes the distinction difficult, the crop being twofold:” “This is not so,” saith He, “for it bears evil fruit only, and never can bear good: as indeed in the contrary case also.”

“What then? Is there no such thing as a good man becoming wicked? And the contrary again takes place, and life abounds with many such examples.”

But Christ saith not this, that for the wicked there is no way to change, or that the good cannot fall away, but that so long as he is living in wickedness, he will not be able to bear good fruit. For he may indeed change to virtue, being evil; but while continuing in wickedness, he will not bear good fruit.

What then? did not David, being good, bear evil fruit? Not continuing good, but being changed; since, undoubtedly, had he remained always what he was, he would not have brought forth such fruit. For not surely while abiding in the habit of virtue, did he commit what he committed.

Now by these words He was also stopping the mouths of those who speak evil at random, and putting a bridle on the lips of all calumniators. I mean, whereas many suspect the good by reason of the bad, He by this saying hath deprived them of all excuse. “For thou canst not say, ‘I am deceived and beguiled;’ since I have given thee exactly this way of distinguishing them by their works, having added the injunction to go to their actions, and not to confound all at random.”

9. Then forasmuch as He had not commanded to punish, but only to beware of them, He, at once both to comfort those whom they vex, and to alarm and change them, set up as a bulwark against1022   ἐπετεχισεν ατο.them the punishment they should receive at His hands, saying,

“Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”1023   Matt. vii. 19.

Then, to make the saying less grievous, He added,

“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”1024   Matt. vii. 20. [There is here a slight variation from the New Testament text.—R.]

That He might not seem to introduce the threatening as His leading topic, but to be stirring up their mind in the way of admonition and counsel.

Here He seems to me to be hinting at the Jews also, who were exhibiting such fruits. Wherefore also He reminded them of the sayings of John, in the very same terms delineating their punishment. For he too said the very same, making mention to them of an “axe,” and of a “tree cut down,” and of “unquenchable fire.”

And though it appear indeed to be some single judgment, the being burnt up, yet if one examine carefully, these are two punishments. For he that is burnt is also cast of course out of God’s kingdom; and this latter punishment is more grievous than the other. Now I know indeed that many tremble only at hell, but I affirm the loss of that glory to be a far greater punishment than hell. And if it be not possible to exhibit it such in words, this is nothing marvellous. For neither do we know the blessedness of those good things, that we should on the other hand clearly perceive the wretchedness ensuing on being deprived of them; since Paul, as knowing these things clearly, is aware, that to fall from Christ’s glory is more grievous than all. And this we shall know at that time, when we shall fall into the actual trial of it.

But may this never be our case, O thou only-begotten Son of God, neither may we ever have any experience of this irremediable punishment. For how great an evil it is to fall from those good things, cannot indeed be accurately told: nevertheless, as I may be able, I will labor and strive by an example to make it clear to you, though it be but in some small degree.

Let us then imagine a wondrous child, having besides His virtue the dominion of the whole world, and in all respects so virtuous, as to be capable of bringing all men to the yearning of a father’s affection. What theft do you think the father of this child would not gladly suffer, not to be cast out of His society? And what evil, small or great, would he not welcome, on condition of seeing and enjoying Him? Now let us reason just so with respect to that glory also. For no child, be he never so virtuous, is so desirable and lovely to a father, as the having our portion in those good things, and “to depart and be with Christ.”1025   Phil. i. 23.

No doubt hell, and that punishment, is a thing not to be borne. Yet though one suppose ten thousand hells, he will utter nothing like what it will be to fail of that blessed glory, to be hated of Christ, to hear “I know you not,”1026   Matt. xxv. 12.to be accused for not feeding Him when we saw Him an hungered.1027   Matt. xxv. 42. Yea, better surely to endure a thousand thunderbolts, than to see that face of mildness turning away from us, and that eye of peace not enduring to look upon us. For if He, while I was an enemy, and hating Him, and turning from Him, did in such wise follow after me, as not to spare even Himself, but to give Himself up unto death: when after all this I do not vouchsafe to Him so much as a loaf in His hunger, with what kind of eyes shall I ever again behold Him?

But mark even here His gentleness; in that He doth not at all speak of His benefits, nor say, “Thou hast despised Him that hath done thee so much good:” neither doth He say, “Me, who brought thee from that which is not into being, who breathed into thee a soul, and set thee over all things on earth, who for thy sake made earth, and heaven, and sea, and air, and all things that are, who had been dishonored by thee, yea accounted of less honor than the devil, and did not even so withdraw Himself, but had innumerable thoughts for thee after it all; who chose to become a slave, who was beaten with rods and spit upon, who was slain, who died the most shameful death, who also on high makes intercession for thee, who freely gives thee His Spirit, who vouchsafes to thee a kingdom, who makes thee such promises, whose will it is to be unto thee Head, and Bridegroom, and Garment, and House, and Root, and Meat, and Drink, and Shepherd, and King, and who hath taken thee to be brother, and heir, and joint-heir with Himself; who hath brought thee out of darkness into the dominion of light.” These things, I say, and more than these He might speak of, but He mentions none of these; but what? only the sin itself.

Even here He shows His love, and indicates the yearning which He hath toward thee: not saying, “Depart into the fire prepared for you,” but “prepared for the devil.” And before He tells them what wrongs they had done, and neither so doth He endure to mention all, but a few. And before these He calls the other sort, those who have done well, to signify from this too that He is blaming them justly.

What amount of punishment, then, is so grievous as these words? For if any one seeing but a man who was his benefactor an hungered, would not neglect him; or if he should neglect him, being upbraided with it, would choose rather to sink into the earth than to hear of it in the presence of two or three friends; what will be our feelings, on hearing these words in the presence of the whole world; such as He would not say even then, were He not earnestly accounting for His own doings? For that not to upbraid did He bring these things forward, but in self-defense, and for the sake of showing, that not without ground nor at random was He saying, “depart from me;” this is evident from His unspeakable benefits. For if He had been minded to upbraid, He would have brought forwards all these, but now He mentions only what treatment He had received.

10. Let us therefore, beloved, fear the hearing these words. Life is not a plaything: or rather our present life is a plaything, but the things to come are not such; or perchance our life is not a plaything only, but even worse than this. For it ends not in laughter, but rather brings exceeding damage on them who are not minded to order their own ways strictly. For what, I pray thee, is the difference between children who are playing at building houses, and us when we are building our fine houses? what again between them making out their dinners, and us in our delicate fare? None, but just that we do it at the risk of being punished. And if we do not yet quite perceive the poverty of what is going on, no wonder, for we are not yet become men; but when we are become so, we shall know that all these things are childish.

For so those other things too, as we grow to manhood, we laugh to scorn; but when we are children we account them to be worth anxiety; and while we are gathering together potsherds and mire we think no less of ourselves than they who are erecting their great circuits of walls. Nevertheless they straightway perish and fall down, and not even when standing can they be of any use to us, as indeed neither can those fine houses. For the citizen of Heaven they cannot receive, neither can he bear to abide in them, who hath his country above; but as we throw down these with our feet, so he too those by his high spirit. And as we laugh at the children, weeping at that overthrow, even so these also, when we are bewailing it all, do not laugh only, but weep also: because both their bowels are compassionate, and great is the mischief thence arising.

Let us therefore become men. How long are we to crawl on the earth, priding ourselves on stones and stocks? How long are we to play? And would we played only! But now we even betray our own salvation; and as children when they neglect their learning, and practise themselves in these things at their leisure, suffer very severe blows; even so we too, spending all our diligence herein, and having then our spiritual lessons required of us in our works, and not being able to produce them, shall have to pay the utmost penalty. And there is none to deliver us; though he be father, brother, what you will. But while these things shall all pass away, the torment ensuing upon them remains immortal and unceasing; which sort of thing indeed takes place with respect to the children as well, their father destroying their childish toys altogether for their idleness, and causing them to weep incessantly.

11. And to convince thee that these things are such, let us bring before us wealth, that which more than anything seems to be worthy of our pains, and let us set against it a virtue of the soul (which soever thou wilt), and then shalt thou see most clearly the vileness thereof. Let us, I say, suppose there are two men (and I do not now speak of injuriousness,1028   [πλεονεξα.]but as yet of honest wealth); and of these two, let the one get together money, and sail on the sea, and till the land, and find many other ways of merchandise (although I know not quite, whether, so doing, he can make honest gains); nevertheless let it be so, and let it be granted that his gains are gotten with honesty; that he buys fields, and slaves, and all such things, and suppose no injustice connected therewith. But let the other one, possessing as much, sell fields, sell houses, and vessels of gold and silver, and give to the poor; let him supply the necessitous, heal the sick, free such as are in straits, some let him deliver from bonds, others let him release that are in mines, these let him bring back from the noose, those, who are captives, let him rescue from their punishment. Of whose side then would you be? And we have not as yet spoken of the future, but as yet of what is here. Of whose part then would ye be? his that is gathering gold, or his that is doing away with calamities? with him that is purchasing fields, or him who is making himself a harbor of refuge for the human race? him that is clothed with much gold, or him that is crowned with innumerable blessings? Is not the one like some angel come down from Heaven for the amendment of the rest of mankind; but the other not so much as like a man, but like some little child that is gathering all together vainly and at random?

But if to get money honestly be thus absurd, and of extreme madness; when not even the honesty is there, how can such a man choose but be more wretched than any? I say, if the absurdity be so great; when hell is added thereto, and the loss of the kingdom, how great wailings are due to him, both living and dead?

12. Or wilt thou that we take in hand some other part also of virtue? Let us then introduce again another man, who is in power, commanding all, invested with great dignity, having a gorgeous herald, and girdle, and lictors, and a large company of attendants. Doth not this seem great, and meet to be called happy? Well then, against this man again let us set another, him that is patient of injuries, and meek, and lowly, and long suffering; and let this last be despitefully used, be beaten, and let him bear it quietly, and bless them that are doing such things.

Now which is the one to be admired, I pray thee? He that is puffed up, and inflamed, or he that is self-subdued? Is not the one again like the powers above, that are so free from passion, but the other like a blown bladder, or a man who hath the dropsy, and great inflammation? The one like a spiritual physician, the other, a ridiculous child that is puffing out his cheeks?

For why dost thou pride thyself, O man? Because thou art borne on high in a chariot? Because a yoke of mules is drawing thee? And what is this? Why, this one may see befalling mere logs of wood and stones. Is it that thou art clothed with beautiful garments? But look at him that is clad with virtue for garments, and thou wilt see thyself to be like withering hay, but him like a tree that bears marvellous fruit, and affords much delight to the beholders. For thou art bearing about food for worms and moths, who, if they should set upon thee, will quickly strip thee bare of this adorning (for truly garments and gold and silver, are the one, the spinning of worms; the other earth and dust, and again become earth and nothing more): but he that is clothed with virtue hath such raiment, as not only worms cannot hurt, but not even death itself. And very naturally; for these virtues of the soul have not their origin from the earth, but are a fruit of the Spirit; wherefore neither are they subject to the mouths of worms. Nay, for these garments are woven in Heaven, where is neither moth, nor worm, nor any other such thing.

Which then is better, tell me? To be rich, or to be poor? To be in power, or in dishonor? In luxury, or in hunger? It is quite clear; to be in honor, and enjoyment, and wealth. Therefore, if thou wouldest have the things and not the names, leave the earth and what is here, and find thee a place to anchor in Heaven: for what is here is a shadow, but all things there are immovable, stedfast, and beyond any assault.

Let us therefore choose them with all diligent care, that we may be delivered from the turmoil of the things here, and having sailed into that calm harbor, may be found with our lading abundant, and with that unspeakable wealth of almsgiving; unto which God grant we may all attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the might, world without end. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΓʹ. Μὴ κρίνετε, ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε. αʹ. Τί οὖν; οὐ χρὴ τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν ἐγκαλεῖν; Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Παῦλος τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτό φησι: μᾶλλον δὲ κἀκεῖ ὁ Χριστὸς διὰ Παύλου, λέγων: Σὺ τί κρίνεις τὸν ἀδελφόν σου; καὶ σὺ, τί ἐξουθενεῖς τὸν ἀδελφόν σου; Καὶ, Σὺ τίς εἶ, ὁ κρίνων ἀλλότριον οἰκέτην; Καὶ πάλιν: Ὥστε μὴ πρὸ καιροῦ τι κρίνετε, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ Κύριος. Πῶς οὖν ἑτέρωθί φησιν: Ἔλεγξον, ἐπιτίμησον, παρακάλεσον; Καὶ, Τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας ἐνώπιον πάντων ἔλεγχε; καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς δὲ τῷ Πέτρῳ: Ὕπαγε, ἔλεγξον αὐτὸν μεταξύ σου καὶ αὐτοῦ μόνου: κἂν παρακούσῃ, καὶ ἕτερον σαυτῷ πρόσθες: ἂν δὲ μηδὲ οὕτως ἐνδῷ, καὶ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ κατάγγειλον: καὶ τοσούτους ἐπέστησε τοὺς ἐπιτιμῶντας, καὶ οὐ μόνον τοὺς ἐπιτιμῶντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ κολάζοντας; Τὸν γὰρ οὐδενὸς τούτων ἀκούσαντα, ἐκέλευσεν ὡς ἐθνικὸν εἶναι καὶ τελώνην. Πῶς δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰς κλεῖς ἔδωκεν; Εἰ γὰρ μὴ μέλλουσι κρίνειν, ἁπάντων ἔσονται ἄκυροι, καὶ μάτην τοῦ δεσμεύειν καὶ τοῦ λύειν ἐξουσίαν εἰλήφασι. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ, εἰ τοῦτο κρατήσειεν, ἅπαντα οἰχήσεται, καὶ τὰ ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις, καὶ τὰ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι, καὶ τὰ ἐν ταῖς οἰκίαις. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ δεσπότης τὸν οἰκέτην, καὶ ἡ δέσποινα τὴν θεραπαινίδα, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ τὸν υἱὸν, καὶ ὁ φίλος τὸν φίλον ἐὰν μὴ κρίνωσιν, ἐπιδώσει τὰ τῆς κακίας. Καὶ τί λέγω, ὁ φίλος τὸν φίλον; Τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἐὰν μὴ κρίνωμεν, οὐδέποτε καταλῦσαι δυνησόμεθα τὴν ἔχθραν, ἀλλ' ἄνω καὶ κάτω πάντα γενήσεται. Τί ποτ' οὖν ἐστι τὸ εἰρημένον; Προσέχωμεν μετὰ ἀκριβείας, ἵνα μὴ τὰ φάρμακα τῆς σωτηρίας καὶ τοὺς τῆς εἰρήνης νόμους νομίζῃ τις ἀνατροπῆς εἶναι καὶ συγχύσεως νόμους. Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ καὶ διὰ τῶν ἑξῆς ἐνεδείξατο τοῖς νοῦν ἔχουσι τοῦ νόμου τούτου τὴν ἀρετὴν, εἰπών: Τί βλέπεις τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου, τὴν δὲ δοκὸν τὴν ἐν τῷ σῷ ὀφθαλμῷ οὐ κατανοεῖς; Εἰ δὲ πολλοῖς τῶν ῥᾳθυμοτέρων ἀσαφέστερον ἔτι εἶναι δοκεῖ, ἄνωθεν αὐτὸ διαλῦσαι πειράσομαι. Ἐνταῦθα γὰρ, ὡς ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ, οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἅπαντα τὰ ἁμαρτήματα κελεύει μὴ κρίνειν, οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς ἀπαγορεύει τὸ τοιοῦτον ποιεῖν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μυρίων γέμουσι κακῶν, καὶ ἄλλοις ὑπὲρ τῶν τυχόντων ἐπεμβαίνουσι. Δοκεῖ δέ μοι καὶ Ἰουδαίους ἐνταῦθα αἰνίττεσθαι, ὅτι πικροὶ τῶν πλησίον ὄντες κατήγοροι, μικρῶν ἕνεκεν καὶ οὐδαμινῶν, αὐτοὶ τὰ μεγάλα ἀνεπαισθήτως ἡμάρτανον: ὃ καὶ πρὸς τῷ τέλει ὀνειδίζων αὐτοὺς ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Δεσμεύετε φορτία βαρέα καὶ δυσβάστακτα, ὑμεῖς δὲ τῷ δακτύλῳ οὐ θέλετε κινῆσαι αὐτά: καὶ, Ἀποδεκατοῦτε τὸ ἡδύοσμον καὶ τὸ ἄνηθον, καὶ κατελίπετε τὰ βαρύτερα τοῦ νόμου, τὴν κρίσιν, καὶ τὸν ἔλεον, καὶ τὴν πίστιν. Δοκεῖ μὲν οὖν καὶ πρὸς τούτους ἀποτείνεσθαι, προαναστέλλων αὐτοὺς ἐν οἷς ἔμελλον τῶν μαθητῶν κατηγορεῖν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μηδὲν ἥμαρτον ἐκεῖνοι τοιοῦτον, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐκείνοις πλημμελήματα ἐνομίζετο εἶναι: οἷον, τὸ Σάββατον μὴ τηρεῖν, τὸ χερσὶν ἀνίπτοις ἐσθίειν, τὸ μετὰ τελωνῶν κατακεῖσθαι: ὃ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν: Οἱ τὸν κώνωπα διϋλίζοντες, καὶ τὴν κάμηλον καταπίνοντες. Πλὴν καὶ κοινὸν τὸν περὶ τούτων τίθησι νόμον. Καὶ Κορινθίοις δὲ ὁ Παῦλος οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἐκέλευσε μὴ κρίνειν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοὺς μὴ κρίνειν, καὶ δι' ὑπόθεσιν μὴ ὡμολογημένην: οὐχ ἁπλῶς τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας μὴ διορθοῦν. Καὶ οὐδὲ ἀδιορίστως ἅπασι τότε ἐπετίμα, ἀλλὰ μαθηταῖς περὶ διδασκάλων τοῦτο ποιοῦσιν ἐπέπληττε, καὶ τοῖς μυρίων κακῶν ὑπευθύνοις οὖσι, τοὺς ἀνευθύνους διαβάλλουσιν. Ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἐνταῦθα ᾐνίξατο: καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς ᾐνίξατο, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολὺν ἐπέστησε τὸν φόβον. καὶ τὴν κόλασιν ἀπαραίτητον. Ἐν ᾧ γὰρ κρίματι κρίνετε, φησὶ, κριθήσεσθε. Οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖνον καταδικάζεις, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ σαυτὸν, καὶ φοβερόν σοι ποιεῖς τὸ δικαστήριον, καὶ ἀκριβεῖς τὰς εὐθύνας. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἐν τῇ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀφέσει παρ' ἡμῶν αἱ ἀρχαὶ, οὕτω καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ κρίσει παρ' ἡμῶν τὰ μέτρα τῆς καταδίκης τίθεται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὀνειδίζειν δεῖ, οὐδὲ ἐπεμβαίνειν, ἀλλὰ νουθετεῖν: οὐ κακηγορεῖν, ἀλλὰ συμβουλεύειν: οὐδὲ μετὰ ἀπονοίας ἐπιτίθεσθαι, ἀλλὰ μετὰ φιλοστοργίας διορθοῦν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖνον, ἀλλὰ σαυτὸν ἐσχάτῃ παραδίδως τιμωρίᾳ, μὴ φειδόμενος αὐτοῦ, ἡνίκα ἂν δεήσῃ ψηφίζεσθαι περὶ τῶν πεπλημμελημένων αὐτῷ. βʹ. Ὁρᾷς πῶς αὗται αἱ δύο ἐντολαὶ καὶ κοῦφαι καὶ μεγάλων αἴτιαι ἀγαθῶν τοῖς πειθομένοις, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ κακῶν τοῖς μὴ προσέχουσιν; Ὅ τε γὰρ ἀφιεὶς τῷ πλησίον, ἑαυτὸν πρὸ ἐκείνου τῶν ἐγκλημάτων ἀπήλλαξεν, οὐδὲν καμών: ὅ τε μετὰ φειδοῦς καὶ συγγνώμης τὰ πεπλημμελημένα ἑτέροις ἐξετάσας, πολὺν ἑαυτῷ τῆς συγγνώμης τὸν ἔρανον ἀπὸ τῆς ψήφου προαπέθετο. Τί οὖν; ἂν πορνεύῃ, φησὶ, μὴ εἴπω ὅτι κακὸν ἡ πορνεία, μηδὲ διορθώσωμαι τὸν ἀσελγαίνοντα; Διόρθωσον μὲν, ἀλλὰ μὴ ὡς πολέμιος, μηδὲ ὡς ἐχθρὸς ἀπαιτῶν δίκην, ἀλλ' ὡς ἰατρὸς φάρμακα κατασκευάζων. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶπε, μὴ παύσῃς ἁμαρτάνοντα, ἀλλὰ, μὴ κρίνῃς: τουτέστι, μὴ πικρὸς γίνου δικαστής. Ἄλλως δὲ οὐδὲ περὶ τῶν μεγάλων καὶ ἀπηγορευμένων, ὅπερ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῶν οὐδὲ δοκούντων εἶναι πλημμελημάτων τοῦτο εἴρηται. Διὸ καὶ ἔλεγε: Τί βλέπεις τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου; Καὶ γὰρ πολλοὶ νῦν τοῦτο ποιοῦσι: κἂν ἴδωσι μοναχὸν περιττὸν ἱμάτιον ἔχοντα, τὸν νόμον αὐτῷ προβάλλονται τὸν δεσποτικὸν, αὐτοὶ μυρία ἁρπάζοντες καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην πλεονεκτοῦντες τὴν ἡμέραν: κἂν ἴδωσι δαψιλεστέρας τροφῆς ἀπολαύοντα, πικροὶ γίνονται κατήγοροι καθ' ἡμέραν αὐτοὶ μεθύοντες καὶ κραιπαλῶντες, οὐκ εἰδότες ὅτι μετὰ τῶν οἰκείων ἁμαρτημάτων μεῖζον ἑαυτοῖς ἐντεῦθεν συνάγουσι τὸ πῦρ, καὶ πάσης ἑαυτοὺς ἀποστεροῦσιν ἀπολογίας. Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ δεῖ μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἐξετάζειν τὰ σὰ, σὺ πρῶτος νόμον ἔθηκας, οὕτω τοῖς τοῦ πλησίον δικάσας. Μὴ τοίνυν βαρὺ νόμιζε εἶναι, εἰ καὶ αὐτὸς μέλλεις τοιαύτας ὑπέχειν εὐθύνας. Ὑποκριτὰ, ἔκβαλε πρῶτον τὴν δοκὸν ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου. Ἐνταῦθα τὴν ὀργὴν ἐνδείξασθαι βούλεται τὴν πολλὴν, ἢν ἔχει πρὸς τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα ποιοῦντας. Καὶ γὰρ ὅπουπερ ἂν βουληθῇ δεῖξαι τὸ ἁμάρτημα μέγα ὂν, καὶ πολλὴν τὴν ἐπ' αὐτῷ κόλασιν καὶ ὀργὴν, ἀπὸ ὕβρεως ἄρχεται. Ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον τὸν τὰ ἑκατὸν δηνάρια ἀπαιτοῦντα ἀγανακτῶν ἔλεγε: Πονηρὲ δοῦλε, πᾶσαν τὴν ὀφειλὴν ἐκείνην ἀφῆκά σοι: οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα, Ὑποκριτά. Οὐ γὰρ κηδεμονίας ἡ τοιαύτη ψῆφος, ἀλλὰ μισανθρωπίας ἐστί: καὶ προσωπεῖον μὲν φιλανθρωπίας προβάλλεται, ἔργον δὲ ἐσχάτης πονηρίας πληροῖ, ὀνείδη περιττὰ καὶ ἐγκλήματα προστριβόμενος τοῖς πλησίον, καὶ διδασκάλου τάξιν ἁρπάζων, οὐδὲ μαθητὴς ἄξιος ὢν εἶναι: διὰ τοῦτο ὑποκριτὴν αὐτὸν ἐκάλεσεν. Ὁ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἑτέρων οὕτως ὢν πικρὸς, ὡς καὶ τὰ μικρὰ ἰδεῖν, πῶς ἐν τοῖς σοῖς οὕτω γέγονας ῥᾴθυμος, ὡς καὶ τὰ μεγάλα παραδραμεῖν; Ἔκβαλε πρῶτον τὴν δοκὸν ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου. Ὁρᾷς, ὅτι οὐ κωλύει τὸ κρίνειν, ἀλλὰ κελεύει ἐκβάλλειν πρῶτον τὴν δοκὸν ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ, καὶ τότε τὰ τῶν ἄλλων διορθοῦν; Καὶ γὰρ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ τις μᾶλλον οἶδεν, ἢ τὰ ἑτέρων: καὶ τὰ μείζονα μᾶλλον ὁρᾷ, ἢ τὰ ἐλάττω: καὶ ἑαυτὸν μᾶλλον φιλεῖ, ἢ τὸν πλησίον. Ὥστε εἰ κηδόμενος ποιεῖς, σαυτοῦ κήδου πρότερον, ἔνθα καὶ σαφέστερον καὶ μεῖζον τὸ ἁμάρτημα. Εἰ δὲ σαυτοῦ καταφρονεῖς, εὔδηλον ὅτι καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν οὐ κηδόμενος κρίνεις, ἀλλὰ μισῶν καὶ ἐκπομπεῦσαι βουλόμενος. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ δέοι τοῦτον κρίνεσθαι, παρὰ τοῦ μηδὲν τοιοῦτον ἁμαρτάνοντος, οὐ παρὰ σοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μεγάλα καὶ ὑψηλὰ φιλοσοφίας ἐνέθηκε δόγματα, ἵνα μή τις λέγῃ, ὅτι τὰ τοιαῦτα φιλοσοφεῖν λόγοις εὔκολον, δεῖξαι βουλόμενος τὴν παῤῥησίαν, καὶ τὸ μηδενὶ τῶν εἰρημένων ὑπεύθυνον εἶναι, ἀλλὰ πάντα κατορθωκέναι, ταύτην εἶπε τὴν παραβολήν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔμελλε κρίνειν μετὰ ταῦτα, Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταὶ, λέγων: ἀλλ' οὐκ ἦν ὑπεύθυνος τοῖς εἰρημένοις: οὔτε γὰρ κάρφος ἐξέβαλεν, οὔτε δοκὸν εἶχεν ἐπὶ τῶν ὀμμάτων, ἀλλὰ πάντων τούτων ὢν καθαρὸς, οὕτω τὰ πάντων διώρθου πλημμελήματα. Οὐδὲ γὰρ δεῖ, φησὶ, κρίνειν ἑτέρους, ὅταν τις τῶν αὐτῶν ὑπεύθυνος ᾖ. Καὶ τί θαυμάζεις, εἰ τὸν νόμον τοῦτον αὐτὸς ἔθηκεν, ὅπου γε καὶ ὁ λῃστὴς αὐτὸν ἐγίνωσκεν ἐπὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ, τῷ ἑτέρῳ λῃστῇ λέγων: Οὐδὲ φοβῇ σὺ τὸν Θεὸν, ὅτι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ κρίματί ἐσμεν; τὰ αὐτὰ τῷ Χριστῷ νοήματα λέγων. Σὺ δὲ τὴν μὲν σαυτοῦ δοκὸν οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐκβάλλεις, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὁρᾷς: τὸ δὲ ἑτέρου κάρφος οὐ μόνον ὁρᾷς, ἀλλὰ καὶ κρίνεις, καὶ ἐκβάλλειν ἐπιχειρεῖς: ὥσπερ εἴ τις ὑδέρῳ συνεχόμενος χαλεπῷ, ἢ καὶ ἑτέρῳ τινὶ νοσήματι ἀνιάτῳ, τούτου μὲν ἀμελοίη, ἐγκαλοίη δὲ ἑτέρῳ φυσήματος ἀμελοῦντι μικροῦ. Εἰ δὲ κακὸν τὸ μὴ ὁρᾷν τὰ ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτήματα, διπλοῦν καὶ τριπλοῦν κακὸν τὸ καὶ ἑτέροις δικάζειν, αὐτοὺς ἀναλγήτως ἐπὶ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν περιφέροντας τὰς δοκούς. Καὶ γὰρ δοκοῦ βαρύτερον ἁμαρτία. γʹ. Ὃ τοίνυν ἐκέλευσε διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων, τοῦτό ἐστι, τὸν ὑπεύθυνον ὄντα μυρίοις κακοῖς μὴ πικρὸν εἶναι δικαστὴν τῶν ἑτέροις πλημμελουμένων, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν μικρὰ ταῦτα ᾖ: οὐ τὸ ἐλέγχειν, οὐδὲ τὸ διορθοῦν ἀνατρέπων, ἀλλὰ τὸ τῶν οἰκείων ἀμελεῖν κωλύων, καὶ τὸ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ἐνάλλεσθαι. Καὶ γὰρ εἰς μεγάλην ἐπιδιδόναι κακίαν ἐποίει τοῦτο, διπλῆν πονηρίαν εἰσάγον. Ὁ γὰρ μελετήσας ἀμελεῖν μὲν τῶν ἑαυτοῦ μεγάλων ὄντων, ἐξετάζειν δὲ τὰ ἑτέρων πικρῶς μικρὰ ὄντα καὶ εὐτελῆ, διπλῇ διεφθείρετο: τῷ τε τῶν οἰκείων καταφρονεῖν, τῷ τε ἔχθρας καὶ ἀπεχθείας πρὸς ἅπαντας ἀναδέχεσθαι, καὶ εἰς ἐσχάτην ὠμότητα καὶ τὸ ἀσυμπαθὲς καθ' ἑκάστην ἀλείφεσθαι τὴν ἡμέραν. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἅπαντα ἀνελὼν διὰ τῆς καλῆς ταύτης νομοθεσίας, ἐπήγαγε πάλιν ἕτερον παράγγελμα, λέγων: Μὴ δῶτε τὰ ἅγια τοῖς κυσὶ, μηδὲ ῥίψητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων. Καίτοιγε προϊὼν, φησὶν, ἐκέλευσεν: Ὃ ἠκούσατε εἰς τὸ οὖς, κηρύξατε ἐπὶ τῶν δωμάτων. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἐναντίον ἐστὶ τῷ προτέρῳ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκεῖ πᾶσιν ἁπλῶς ἐπέταξεν εἰπεῖν, ἀλλ' οἷς δεῖ εἰπεῖν, μετὰ παῤῥησίας εἰπεῖν. Κύνας δὲ ἐνταῦθα τοὺς ἐν ἀσεβείᾳ ζῶντας ἀνιάτῳ, καὶ μεταβολῆς τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον οὐκ ἔχοντας ἐλπίδα ᾐνίξατο, καὶ χοίρους τοὺς ἐν ἀκολάστῳ βίῳ διατρίβοντας διαπαντὸς, οὕσπερ ἅπαντας ἀναξίους ἔφησεν εἶναι τῆς τοιαύτης ἀκροάσεως. Τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δηλῶν ἔλεγε: Ψυχικὸς δὲ ἄνθρωπος οὐ δέχεται τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος: μωρία γὰρ αὐτῷ ἐστι. Καὶ πολλαχοῦ δὲ ἑτέρωθι βίου διαφθορὰν αἰτίαν φησὶν εἶναι τοῦ μὴ δέχεσθαι τὰ τελειότερα δόγματα. Διὸ κελεύει μὴ ἀναπετάσαι τὰς θύρας αὐτοῖς: καὶ γὰρ θρασύτεροι γίνονται μετὰ τὸ μαθεῖν. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ εὐγνώμοσι καὶ νοῦν ἔχουσιν ἐκκαλυπτόμενα σεμνὰ φαίνεται: τοῖς δὲ ἀναισθήτοις, ὅταν ἀγνοῆται μᾶλλον. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἀπὸ τῆς φύσεως οὐ δύνανται αὐτὰ καταμαθεῖν, [καλυπτέσθωσαν, φησὶν, ἵνα] κἂν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγνοίας αἰδεσθῶσιν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ χοῖρος οἶδε, τί ποτέ ἐστι μαργαρίτης. Οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὴ οὐκ οἶδε, μηδὲ ὁράτω, ἵνα μὴ καταπατήσῃ ἃ οὐκ οἶδεν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ γίνεται πλέον, ἢ βλάβη μείζων τοῖς οὕτω διακειμένοις καὶ ἀκούουσι. Καὶ γὰρ τὰ ἅγια ἐμπαροινεῖται παρ' ἐκείνων, οὐκ εἰδότων τίνα ἐστὶ ταῦτα: καὶ ἐκεῖνοι μᾶλλον ἐπαίρονται καὶ ὁπλίζονται καθ' ἡμῶν. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι: Μὴ καταπατήσωσι, καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς. Καὶ μὴν οὕτως ἰσχυρὰ ἔδει εἶναι, φησὶν, ὡς καὶ μετὰ τὸ μαθεῖν ἀνάλωτα μένειν, καὶ μὴ παρέχειν ἑτέροις λαβὰς καθ' ἡμῶν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐκεῖνα παρέχει, ἀλλὰ τὸ χοίρους εἶναι τούτους: ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ μαργαρίτης καταπατούμενος, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ εὐκαταφρόνητός ἐστι, καταπατεῖται, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ εἰς χοίρους ἐνέπεσε. Καὶ καλῶς εἶπε: Στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν. Ὑποκρίνονται γὰρ ἐπιείκειαν, ὥστε μαθεῖν: εἶτα ἐπειδὰν μάθωσιν, ἕτεροι ἀνθ' ἑτέρων γενόμενοι κωμῳδοῦσι, χλευάζουσι, γελῶσιν ὡς ἀπατηθέντας ἡμᾶς. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγε τῷ Τιμοθέῳ: Ὃν καὶ σὺ φυλάσσου: λίαν γὰρ ἀνθέστηκε τοῖς ἡμετέροις λόγοις: καὶ πάλιν ἀλλαχοῦ, Τοὺς τοιούτους ἀποτρέπου: καὶ, Αἱρετικὸν ἄνθρωπον μετὰ μίαν καὶ δευτέραν νουθεσίαν παραιτοῦ. Οὐ τοίνυν παρ' ἐκείνων ὁπλίζονται, ἀλλ' αὐτοὶ ἀνόητοι ταύτῃ γίνονται, πλείονος ἀπονοίας πληρούμενοι. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐ μικρὸν κέρδος τὸ ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ μένειν αὐτούς: οὐδὲ γὰρ οὕτω καταφρονοῦσιν. Ἂν δὲ μάθωσι, διπλῆ ἡ ζημία. Αὐτοί τε γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐντεῦθεν καρπώσονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ βλαβήσονται μειζόνως, καὶ σοὶ μυρία παρέξουσι πράγματα. Ἀκουέτωσαν οἱ πᾶσιν ἀναιδῶς συμπλεκόμενοι, καὶ τὰ σεμνὰ εὐκαταφρόνητα ποιοῦντες. Καὶ γὰρ τὰ μυστήρια διὰ τοῦτο τὰς θύρας κλείοντες ἐπιτελοῦμεν, καὶ τοὺς ἀμυήτους εἴργομεν, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ ἀσθένειαν κατέγνωμεν τῶν τελουμένων, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἀτελέστερον οἱ πολλοὶ πρὸς αὐτὰ ἔτι διάκεινται. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν παραβολαῖς πολλὰ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις διελέγετο, ἐπειδὴ βλέποντες οὐκ ἔβλεπον. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἐκέλευσεν εἰδέναι, πῶς δεῖ ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι. Αἰτεῖτε, καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν: ζητεῖτε, καὶ εὑρήσετε: κρούετε, καὶ ἀνοιγήσεται ὑμῖν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μεγάλα ἐπέταξε καὶ θαυμαστὰ, καὶ πάντων ἐκέλευσε τῶν παθῶν εἶναι ἀνωτέρους, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἤγαγε τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ σπουδάζειν ἐπέταξεν, οὐκ ἀγγέλοις, οὐδὲ ἀρχαγγέλοις, ἀλλ' αὐτῷ τῷ τῶν ὅλων Δεσπότῃ κατὰ τὸ ἐγχωροῦν ὁμοίους γίνεσθαι, τοὺς δὲ μαθητὰς οὐκ αὐτοὺς μόνους ταῦτα κατορθοῦν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρους διορθοῦν ἐκέλευσε, καὶ διακρίνειν τοὺς πονηροὺς καὶ τοὺς οὐ τοιούτους, τοὺς κύνας καὶ τοὺς οὐ κύνας, (πολὺ δὲ τὸ ἐπικεκρυμμένον ἐν ἀνθρώποις), ἵνα μὴ λέγωσιν, ὅτι χαλεπὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἀφόρητα: καὶ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα ὁ Πέτρος ἐφθέγξατό τι τοιοῦτον εἰπών: Τίς δύναται σωθῆναι; καὶ πάλιν: Εἰ οὕτως ἐστὶν ἡ αἰτία τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, οὐ συμφέρει γαμῆσαι. δʹ. Ἵνα οὖν μὴ ταῦτα λέγωσι καὶ νῦν, μάλιστα μὲν καὶ διὰ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν ἀπέδειξεν εὔκολα ὄντα, λογισμοὺς τιθεὶς πολλοὺς καὶ συνεχεῖς, τοὺς δυναμένους πεῖσαι: λοιπὸν δὲ καὶ τὴν κορωνίδα ἐπάγει τῆς εὐκολίας, οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν ἐπινοῶν παραμυθίαν τοῖς πόνοις, τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν εὐχῶν τῶν καρτερικῶν συμμαχίαν. Οὐ γὰρ αὐτοὺς σπουδάζειν δεῖ μόνους, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἄνωθεν καλεῖν βοήθειαν: καὶ πάντως ἥξει καὶ παρέσται, καὶ συνεφάψεται τῶν ἀγώνων ἡμῖν, καὶ πάντα ποιήσει ῥᾴδια. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ αἰτεῖν ἐκέλευσε, καὶ τὴν δόσιν ἐνηγγυήσατο. Πλὴν οὐχ ἁπλῶς αἰτεῖν ἐκέλευσεν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ προσεδρείας πολλῆς καὶ εὐτονίας. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ, Ζητεῖτε. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ ζητῶν, πάντα ἐκβαλὼν τῆς διανοίας, πρὸς ἐκεῖνο γίνεται μόνον τὸ ζητούμενον, καὶ οὐδένα τῶν παρόντων ἐννοεῖ. Καὶ ἴσασι τοῦτο ὃ λέγω, ὅσοι ἢ χρυσίον ἢ οἰκέτας ἀπολέσαντες ἐπιζητοῦσιν. Ἀπὸ μὲν οὖν τοῦ ζητεῖν, τοῦτο: ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ κρούειν, τὸ μετὰ σφοδρότητος προσιέναι καὶ θερμῆς διανοίας ἐδήλωσε. Μὴ τοίνυν καταπέσῃς, ἄνθρωπε, μηδὲ ἐλάττονα ἐπιδείξῃ περὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν σπουδὴν τῆς περὶ τὰ χρήματα ἐπιθυμίας. Ἐκεῖνα μὲν γὰρ πολλάκις ζητήσας οὐχ εὗρες: ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ ταῦτα εἰδὼς, ὅτι οὐ πάντως εὑρήσεις, πάντα κινεῖς ἐρεύνης τρόπον: ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχων ὅτι λήψῃ πάντως, οὐδὲ τὸ πολλοστὸν τῆς σπουδῆς ἐκείνης ἐπιδείκνυσαι μέρος. Εἰ δὲ μὴ εὐθέως λαμβάνεις, μηδὲ οὕτως ἀπογνῷς. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο εἶπε, κρούετε, ἵνα δείξῃ ὅτι κἂν εὐθέως μὴ ἀνοίξῃ τὴν θύραν, παραμένειν δεῖ. Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς μου τῇ ἀποφάσει, κἂν τῷ ὑποδείγματι πίστευσον. Τίς γάρ ἐστιν ἐξ ὑμῶν, φησὶν, ὃν ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ αἰτήσει ἄρτον, μὴ λίθον ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ; Ἐπ' ἀνθρώπων μὲν γὰρ, ἂν συνεχῶς τοῦτο ποιῇς, καὶ ὀχληρὸς καὶ βαρὺς εἶναι δοκεῖς: ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅταν μὴ τοῦτο ποιῇς, τότε παροξύνεις μειζόνως. Ἂν δὲ ἐπιμένῃς αἰτῶν, κἂν μὴ εὐθέως λάβῃς, λήψῃ πάντως. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο κέκλεισται ἡ θύρα, ἵνα σε εἰς τὸ κρούειν ἐναγάγῃ: διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ εὐθέως ἐπινεύει, ἵνα αἰτήσῃς. Μένε τοίνυν ταῦτα ποιῶν, καὶ λήψῃ πάντως. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ λέγῃς: τί οὖν, ἂν αἰτήσω καὶ μὴ λάβω; ἐπετείχισέ σοι τὴν παραβολὴν, λογισμοὺς πάλιν τιθεὶς, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων εἰς τὸ περὶ τούτων θαῤῥεῖν ἐνάγων: δεικνὺς διὰ τούτων, ὅτι οὐκ αἰτεῖν χρὴ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἃ χρὴ αἰτεῖν. Τίς γάρ ἐστιν ἐξ ὑμῶν πατὴρ, ὃν ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ αἰτήσει ἄρτον, μὴ λίθον ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ; Ὥστε ἂν μὴ λάβῃς, ἐπειδὴ λίθον αἰτεῖς, οὐ λαμβάνεις. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ υἱὸς εἶ, οὐκ ἀρκεῖ τοῦτο εἰς τὸ λαβεῖν: ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸ μὲν οὖν τοῦτο κωλύει τὸ λαβεῖν, τὸ υἱὸν ὄντα, ἃ μὴ συμφέρει, αἰτεῖν. Καὶ σὺ τοίνυν μηδὲν αἰτήσῃς κοσμικὸν, ἀλλὰ πνευματικὰ πάντα, καὶ λήψῃ πάντως. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Σολομῶν, ἐπειδήπερ ᾔτησεν ἅπερ αἰτῆσαι ἐχρῆν, ὅρα πῶς ταχέως ἔλαβε. Δύο τοίνυν εἶναι χρὴ τῷ εὐχομένῳ, καὶ τὸ αἰτεῖν σφοδρῶς, καὶ τὸ ἃ χρὴ αἰτεῖν: ἐπεὶ καὶ ὑμεῖς, φησὶ, κἂν πατέρες ἦτε, μένετε αἰτῆσαι τοὺς υἱούς: κἂν ἀσύμφορόν τι παρ' ὑμῶν αἰτήσωσι, κωλύετε τὴν δόσιν: ὥσπερ οὖν ἐὰν συμφέρον, ἐπινεύετε καὶ παρέχετε. Καὶ σὺ ταῦτα ἐννοῶν, μὴ ἀποστῇς, ἕως ἂν λάβῃς: ἕως ἂν εὕρῃς, μὴ ἀναχωρήσῃς: μὴ καταλύσῃς τὴν σπουδὴν, ἕως ἂν ἀνοιχθῇ ἡ θύρα. Ἐὰν γὰρ μετὰ ταύτης προσέλθῃς τῆς διανοίας, καὶ εἴπῃς, Ἐὰν μὴ λάβω, οὐκ ἀπέρχομαι, λήψῃ πάντως, ἐὰν τοιαῦτα αἰτῇς, οἷα καὶ τῷ αἰτουμένῳ δοῦναι πρέπει, καί σοι τῷ αἰτοῦντι συμφέρει. Τίνα δέ ἐστι ταῦτα; Τὸ τὰ πνευματικὰ ζητεῖν ἅπαντα: τὸ ἀφέντα τοῖς πεπλημμεληκόσιν, οὕτω προσιέναι τὴν ἄφεσιν αἰτοῦντα: τὸ χωρὶς ὀργῆς καὶ διαλογισμῶν χεῖρας ἐπαίρειν ὁσίους. Ἂν οὕτως αἰτῶμεν, ληψόμεθα. Ὡς νῦν γε γέλως ἐστὶν ἡ αἴτησις ἡμῶν, καὶ μεθυόντων ἀνθρώπων, ἢ νηφόντων. Τί οὖν, φησὶν, ὅταν καὶ πνευματικὰ αἰτήσω, καὶ μὴ λάβω; Οὐ μετὰ σπουδῆς ἔκρουσας πάντως, ἢ σαυτὸν ἀνάξιον παρεσκεύασας τοῦ λαβεῖν, ἢ ταχέως ἀπέστης. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν, φησὶ, μὴ εἶπεν ἃ χρὴ αἰτεῖν; Καὶ μὴν εἶπεν ἅπαντα ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν, καὶ ἔδειξεν ὑπὲρ τίνων χρὴ προσιέναι. Μὴ τοίνυν λέγε, ὅτι Προσῆλθον, καὶ οὐκ ἔλαβον. Οὐδαμοῦ γὰρ παρὰ τὸν Θεὸν τὸ μὴ λαβεῖν, τὸν οὕτω φιλοῦντα, ὡς καὶ πατέρας νικῆσαι, καὶ τοσοῦτον νικῆσαι, ὅσον τὴν πονηρίαν ταύτην ἡ ἀγαθότης. Εἰ γὰρ ὑμεῖς, πονηροὶ ὄντες, οἴδατε δόματα ἀγαθὰ διδόναι τοῖς τέκνοις ὑμῶν, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος. Ταῦτα δὲ ἔλεγεν, οὐ διαβάλλων τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν, οὐδὲ κακίζων τὸ γένος: ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν τῆς ἀγαθότητος τῆς αὐτοῦ, τὴν φιλοστοργίαν τὴν πατρικὴν πονηρίαν καλῶν: τοσαύτη αὐτοῦ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας ἡ ὑπερβολή. εʹ. Εἶδες λογισμὸν ἀπόῤῥητον, ἱκανὸν καὶ τὸν σφόδρα ἀπεγνωκότα πρὸς χρηστὰς διαναστῆσαι ἐλπίδας; Ἐνταῦθα μὲν οὖν ἀπὸ τῶν πατέρων τὴν ἀγαθότητα δείκνυσιν: ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἀπὸ τῶν μειζόνων ὧν ἔδωκεν, ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς, ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος: καὶ οὐδαμοῦ τὸ κεφάλαιον τῶν ἀγαθῶν τίθησιν, οὐδὲ εἰς μέσον παράγει τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρουσίαν: ὁ γὰρ οὕτω τὸν Υἱὸν πρὸς σφαγὴν ἐκδοῦναι σπεύσας, πῶς οὐ πάντα ἡμῖν χαριεῖται; Οὐδέπω γὰρ ἦν ἐκβεβηκός. Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν Παῦλος τοῦτο τίθησιν, οὕτω λέγων: Ὅς γε τοῦ ἰδίου Υἱοῦ οὐκ ἐφείσατο, πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα ἡμῖν χαρίσεται; Αὐτὸς δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων αὐτοῖς ἔτι διαλέγεται. Εἶτα δεικνὺς ὅτι οὔτε εὐχῇ δεῖ θαῤῥεῖν, ἀμελοῦντας τῶν καθ' ἑαυτοὺς, οὔτε σπουδάζοντας τῇ οἰκείᾳ μόνον πιστεύειν σπουδῇ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἄνωθεν ἐπιζητεῖν βοήθειαν, καὶ τὰ παρ' ἑαυτῶν συνεισφέρειν, συνεχῶς τοῦτο κἀκεῖνο τίθησι. Καὶ γὰρ παραινέσας πολλὰ, καὶ εὔχεσθαι ἐδίδαξε, καὶ διδάξας εὔχεσθαι, πάλιν ἐπὶ τὴν παραίνεσιν τῶν πρακτέων ἦλθεν: εἶτα ἀπ' ἐκείνου πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖν εὔχεσθαι συνεχῶς, εἰπών: Αἰτεῖτε, καὶ ζητεῖτε, καὶ κρούετε: καὶ ἐντεῦθεν πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖν καὶ αὐτοὺς σπουδαίους εἶναι: Πάντα γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅσα ἐὰν θέλητε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς: ἐν βραχεῖ πάντα ἀνακεφαλαιούμενος, καὶ δεικνὺς ὅτι σύντομος ἡ ἀρετὴ, καὶ ῥᾳδία, καὶ πᾶσι γνώριμος. Καὶ οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς εἶπε, Πάντα ὅσα ἂν θέλητε: ἀλλὰ, Πάντα οὖν ὅσα ἂν θέλητε. Τὸ γὰρ οὖν τοῦτο, οὐχ ἁπλῶς προσέθηκεν, ἀλλ' αἰνιττόμενος: Εἰ βούλεσθε, φησὶν, ἀκούεσθαι, μετ' ἐκείνων ὧν εἶπον καὶ ταῦτα ποιεῖτε. Ποῖα δὴ ταῦτα; Ὅσα ἂν βούλησθε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι. Εἶδες πῶς ἔδειξε καὶ ἐντεῦθεν, ὅτι μετὰ τῆς εὐχῆς καὶ πολιτείας ἡμῖν ἀκριβοῦς δεῖ; Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ὅσα θέλεις γενέσθαι σοι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ταῦτα ποίει εἰς τὸν πλησίον: ἵνα μὴ λέγῃς, Καὶ πῶς δυνατόν; ἐκεῖνος Θεὸς, ἐγὼ δὲ ἄνθρωπος: ἀλλ', Ὅσα ἂν θέλῃς γενέσθαι σοι παρὰ τοῦ ὁμοδούλου, ταῦτα καὶ αὐτὸς περὶ τὸν πλησίον ἐπιδείκνυσο. Τί τούτου κουφότερον; τί δικαιότερον; Εἶτα καὶ τὸ ἐγκώμιον πρὸ τῶν ἐπάθλων μέγιστον. Οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ νόμος, καὶ οἱ προφῆται. Ὅθεν δῆλον, ὅτι κατὰ φύσιν ἡμῖν ἡ ἀρετὴ, καὶ οἴκοθεν τὰ δέοντα ἅπαντες ἴσμεν, καὶ οὐχ οἷόν τε εἰς ἄγνοιαν οὐδέποτε καταφυγεῖν. Εἰσέλθετε διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης, ὅτι πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν, καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι δι' αὐτῆς. Καὶ στενὴ ἡ πύλη καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωὴν, καὶ ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτήν. Καὶ μὴν μετὰ ταῦτα ἔλεγεν: Ὁ ζυγός μου χρηστὸς, καὶ τὸ φορτίον μου ἐλαφρόν ἐστι: καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔναγχος δὲ εἰρημένοις τὸ αὐτὸ ᾐνίξατο: πῶς οὖν ἐνταῦθα στενὴν αὐτὴν εἶναί φησι, καὶ τεθλιμμένην; Μάλιστα μὲν ἐὰν προσέχῃς, καὶ ἐνταῦθα δείκνυσι πολὺ κούφην οὖσαν, καὶ ῥᾳδίαν, καὶ εὔκολον. Καὶ πῶς, φησὶν, ἡ στενὴ καὶ τεθλιμμένη, ῥᾳδία; Ὅτι ὁδός ἐστι καὶ πύλη: ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἡ ἑτέρα, κἂν πλατεῖα, κἂν εὐρύχωρος, καὶ αὐτὴ ὁδὸς καὶ πύλη. Τούτων δὲ οὐδὲν μόνιμον, ἀλλὰ πάντα παροδεύεται, καὶ τὰ λυπηρὰ καὶ τὰ χρηστὰ τοῦ βίου. Καὶ οὐ ταύτῃ μόνον ῥᾴδια τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ τέλει πάλιν εὐκολώτερα γίνεται. Οὐ γὰρ τὸ παροδεύεσθαι τοὺς πόνους καὶ τοὺς ἱδρῶτας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ εἰς χρηστὸν τέλος ἀπαντᾷν (εἰς ζωὴν γὰρ τελευτᾷ) ἱκανὸν παραμυθήσασθαι τοὺς ἀγωνιζομένους. Ὥστε καὶ τὸ πρόσκαιρον τῶν πόνων, καὶ τὸ διηνεκὲς τῶν στεφάνων, καὶ τὸ ταῦτα μὲν εἶναι πρῶτα, ἐκεῖνα δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα, μεγίστη τῶν πόνων γένοιτ' ἂν παραμυθία. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἐλαφρὰν τὴν θλῖψιν ἐκάλεσεν, οὐ διὰ τὴν φύσιν τῶν γινομένων, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν προαίρεσιν τῶν ἀγωνιζομένων, καὶ τὴν τῶν μελλόντων ἐλπίδα. Τὸ γὰρ ἐλαφρὸν τῆς θλίψεως, φησὶν, αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης κατεργάζεται, μὴ σκοπούντων ἡμῶν τὰ βλεπόμενα, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὴ βλεπόμενα. Εἰ γὰρ τὰ κύματα καὶ τὰ πελάγη τοῖς ναύταις, καὶ αἱ σφαγαὶ καὶ τὰ τραύματα τοῖς στρατιώταις, καὶ οἱ χειμῶνες καὶ οἱ κρυμοὶ τοῖς γεωργοῖς, καὶ τοῖς πυκτεύουσιν αἱ δριμεῖαι πληγαὶ, κοῦφα καὶ φορητὰ πάντα διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα τῶν ἐπάθλων τῶν ἐπικήρων καὶ ἀπολλυμένων: πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὅταν ὁ οὐρανὸς προκείμενος ᾖ, καὶ τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα ἀγαθὰ, καὶ τὰ ἀθάνατα ἔπαθλα, οὐδενός τις αἰσθήσεται τῶν παρόντων δεινῶν. Ϛʹ. Εἰ δέ τινες αὐτὴν καὶ οὕτως ἐπίπονον εἶναι νομίζουσι, τῆς αὐτῶν ῥᾳθυμίας ἡ ὑπόνοια μόνον. Ὅρα γοῦν πῶς καὶ ἑτέρωθεν αὐτὴν εὔκολον ποιεῖ, κελεύων μὴ συμπλέκεσθαι τοῖς κυσὶ, μηδὲ ἐκδιδόναι ἑαυτοὺς τοῖς χοίροις, καὶ φυλάττεσθαι ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν, καὶ πανταχόθεν αὐτοὺς ἐναγωνίους ἐργαζόμενος. Καὶ αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ στενὴν καλέσαι μέγιστον εἰς τὸ ποιῆσαι αὐτὴν εὔκολον συνεβάλετο: νήφειν γὰρ αὐτοὺς παρεσκεύαζεν. Ὥσπερ οὖν ὁ Παῦλος, ὅταν λέγῃ, Οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα, οὐχ ἵνα καταβάλῃ, ἀλλ' ἵνα διεγείρῃ τὰ φρονήματα τῶν στρατιωτῶν, τοῦτο ποιεῖ: οὕτω δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀφυπνίζων τοὺς ὁδοιπόρους, τραχεῖαν ἐκάλεσε τὴν ὁδόν. Καὶ οὐ ταύτῃ μόνον νήφειν παρεσκεύασεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ προσθεῖναι, ὅτι καὶ πολλοὺς ἔχει τοὺς ὑποσκελίζοντας καὶ τὸ δὴ χαλεπώτερον, ὅτι οὐδὲ φανερῶς προσβάλλουσιν, ἀλλὰ κρύπτοντες ἑαυτούς: τοιοῦτον γὰρ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν τὸ γένος. Ἀλλὰ μὴ τοῦτο ἴδῃς, φησὶν, ὅτι τραχεῖα καὶ στενὴ, ἀλλὰ ποῦ τελευτᾷ: μηδ' ὅτι πλατεῖα καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ἐναντία, ἀλλὰ ποῦ καταστρέφει. Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα λέγει, διεγείρων ἡμῶν τὴν προθυμίαν: ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν. Ὁ γὰρ ἀγωνιζόμενος, ἐπειδὰν ἴδῃ σαφῶς τὸν ἀγωνοθέτην θαυμάζοντα τὸ ἐπίπονον τῶν ἀγωνισμάτων, προθυμότερος γίνεται. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀλύωμεν, ὅταν πολλὰ ἡμῖν ἐντεῦθεν συμβαίνῃ λυπηρά. Τεθλιμμένη γὰρ ἡ ὁδὸς, καὶ στενὴ ἡ πύλη, ἀλλ' οὐχ ἡ πόλις. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα ἄνεσιν χρὴ προσδοκᾷν, οὐδὲ ἐκεῖ λυπηρόν τι λοιπὸν ἐκδέχεσθαι. Εἰπὼν δὲ, ὅτι Ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτὴν, πάλιν ἐνταῦθα καὶ τὴν τῶν πολλῶν ῥᾳθυμίαν ἐδήλωσε, καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντας ἐπαίδευσε μὴ ταῖς τῶν πολλῶν εὐημερίαις προσέχειν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τῶν ὀλίγων πόνοις. Οἱ γὰρ πλείους, φησὶν, οὐ μόνον αὐτὴν οὐ βαδίζουσιν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ αἱροῦνται: ὅπερ ἐσχάτης κατηγορίας ἐστίν. Ἀλλ' οὐ τοῖς πολλοῖς δεῖ προσέχειν, οὐδὲ ἐντεῦθεν θορυβεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ ζηλοῦν τοὺς ὀλίγους, καὶ πανταχόθεν ἑαυτοὺς συγκροτοῦντας οὕτως αὐτὴν βαδίζειν. Καὶ γὰρ πρὸς τῷ στενὴν εἶναι, πολλοὶ καὶ οἱ ὑποσκελίζοντες τὴν ἐκεῖσε φέρουσάν εἰσιν ὁδόν. Διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγε: Προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν: ἐλεύσονται γὰρ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύμασι προβάτων, ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσι λύκοι ἅρπαγες. Ἰδοὺ μετὰ τῶν κυνῶν καὶ χοίρων ἕτερον εἶδος ἐνέδρας καὶ ἐπιβουλῆς, πολὺ χαλεπώτερον ἐκείνου. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὡμολογημένοι καὶ φανεροὶ, οὗτοι δὲ συνεσκιασμένοι. Διὸ καὶ ἐκείνων μὲν ἀπέχεσθαι ἐκέλευσε, τούτους δὲ καὶ διασκέπτεσθαι μετὰ ἀκριβείας, ὡς οὐκ ἐνὸν ἐκ πρώτης αὐτοὺς ἰδεῖν προσβολῆς. Διὸ καὶ ἔλεγε, Προσέχετε, πρὸς τὴν διάγνωσιν αὐτῶν ἀκριβεστέρους ποιῶν. Εἶτα, ἵνα μὴ στενὴν ἀκούσαντες καὶ τεθλιμμένην, καὶ ὅτι ἐναντίαν τοῖς πολλοῖς δεῖ βαδίζειν, καὶ χοίρους φυλάττεσθαι καὶ κύνας, καὶ μετὰ τούτων ἕτερον πονηρότερον γένος τοῦτο τὸ τῶν λύκων: ἵνα μὴ τῷ πλήθει τῶν λυπηρῶν καταπέσωσι, μέλλοντες καὶ ἐναντίαν τοῖς πολλοῖς ἰέναι, καὶ μετὰ τούτων πάλιν καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ τούτων ἔχειν φροντίδα, ἀνέμνησε τῶν ἐπὶ τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν γενομένων, ψευδοπροφήτας καλέσας: καὶ γὰρ καὶ τότε τοιαῦτα συνέβαινε. Μὴ τοίνυν θορυβεῖσθε, φησίν: οὐδὲν γὰρ καινὸν οὐδὲ ξένον συμβήσεται. Τῇ γὰρ ἀληθείᾳ παρυφίστησιν ἀεὶ τὴν ἀπάτην ὁ διάβολος. Ψευδοπροφήτας δὲ ἐνταῦθα οὐ τοὺς αἱρετικοὺς αἰνίττεσθαί μοι δοκεῖ, ἀλλὰ τοὺς βίου μὲν ὄντας διεφθαρμένου, προσωπεῖον δὲ ἀρετῆς περικειμένους, οὓς τῇ τῶν ἐπιθέτων προσηγορίᾳ καλεῖν εἰώθασιν οἱ πολλοί. Διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγε λέγων: Ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς. Παρὰ γὰρ αἱρετικοῖς ἔστι πολλάκις καὶ βίον εὑρεῖν: παρὰ δὲ τούτοις, οἷς εἶπον, οὐδαμῶς. Τί οὖν, φησὶν, ἂν καὶ ἐν τούτοις ὑποκρίνωνται; Ἀλλὰ ἁλώσονται ῥᾳδίως. Τοιαύτη γὰρ ἡ τῆς ὁδοῦ ταύτης φύσις, ἣν ἐκέλευσα βαδίζειν, ἐπίπονος καὶ μοχθηρά: ὁ δὲ ὑποκριτὴς πονεῖν οὐκ ἂν ἕλοιτο, ἀλλ' ἐπιδείκνυσθαι μόνον: διὸ καὶ ἐλέγχεται ῥᾳδίως. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶπεν, ὅτι Ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτὴν, ἐκκαθαίρει πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν οὐχ εὑρισκόντων μὲν, ὑποκρινομένων δὲ, κελεύων μὴ τοὺς τὰ προσωπεῖα περικειμένους μόνον ὁρᾷν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς μετὰ ἀληθείας μετιόντας αὐτήν. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν οὐ καταδήλους αὐτοὺς ἐποίησε, φησὶν, ἀλλ' ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν ἔρευναν ἐνέβαλεν; Ἵνα γρηγορῶμεν, καὶ ἐναγώνιοι διαπαντὸς ὦμεν, μὴ τοὺς φανεροὺς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς κρυπτομένους ἐχθροὺς φυλαττόμενοι: οὕσπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ Παῦλος αἰνιττόμενος ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Τῇ χρηστολογίᾳ ἐξαπατῶσι τὰς καρδίας τῶν ἀκάκων. Μὴ τοίνυν θορυβώμεθα, ἐπειδὰν πολλοὺς ἴδωμεν τοιούτους καὶ νῦν ὄντας Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο προεῖπεν ἄνωθεν ὁ Χριστός. ζʹ. Καὶ ὅρα τὴν ἡμερότητα. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶπε, Κολάσατε αὐτοὺς, ἀλλὰ, Μὴ βλαβῆτε παρ' αὐτῶν, μὴ ἀφύλακτοι αὐτοῖς περιπέσητε. Εἶτα, ἵνα μὴ λέγῃς, ὅτι ἀδύνατον ἐπιγνῶναι τοὺς τοιούτους, πάλιν λογισμὸν ἀπὸ παραδείγματος ἀνθρωπίνου τίθησιν, οὕτω λέγων: Μήτι συλλέγουσιν ἀπὸ ἀκανθῶν στραφυλὰς, ἢ ἀπὸ τριβόλων σῦκα; Οὕτω πᾶν δένδρον ἀγαθὸν καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖ: τὸ δὲ σαπρὸν δένδρον καρποὺς πονηροὺς ποιεῖ. Οὐ δύναται δένδρον ἀγαθὸν καρποὺς πονηροὺς ποιεῖν, οὐδὲ δένδρον σαπρὸν καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖν. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν: Οὐδὲν ἔχουσιν ἥμερον, οὐδὲ γλυκύ: μέχρι τῆς δορᾶς τὸ πρόβατον: διὸ καὶ εὔκολος ἡ διάγνωσις. Καὶ ἵνα μηδὲ τὸ τυχὸν ἐνδοιάζῃς, φυσικαῖς ἀνάγκαις παραβάλλει τὰ οὐκ ἐγχωροῦντα ἄλλως γενέσθαι. Ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγε: Τὸ γὰρ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκὸς, θάνατος: τῷ γὰρ νόμῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐχ ὑποτάσσεται: οὐδὲ γὰρ δύναται. Εἰ δὲ δεύτερον τὸ αὐτὸ τίθησιν, οὐκ ἔστι ταυτολογία. Ἵνα γὰρ μή τις εἴπῃ, ὅτι τὸ πονηρὸν δένδρον φέρει μὲν καρποὺς πονηροὺς, φέρει δὲ καὶ ἀγαθοὺς, καὶ δύσκολον ποιεῖ τὴν διάγνωσιν, διπλῆς τῆς φορᾶς οὔσης: οὐκ ἔστι, φησὶ, τοῦτο: πονηροὺς γὰρ φέρει μόνον, καὶ ἀγαθοὺς οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἐνέγκοι: ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ τὸ ἐναντίον. Τί οὖν; οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς, γινόμενος πονηρός; Καὶ τοὐναντίον πάλιν ἐστὶ, καὶ πολλῶν ὁ βίος τοιούτων γέμει παραδειγμάτων. Ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς οὐ τοῦτο λέγει, ὅτι τὸν πονηρὸν ἀμήχανον μεταβαλέσθαι, ἢ τὸν ἀγαθὸν οὐκ ἔνι μεταπεσεῖν: ἀλλ', ἕως ἂν ᾖ πονηρίᾳ συζῶν, οὐ δυνήσεται καρπὸν ἀγαθὸν ἐνεγκεῖν. Μεταβαλεῖν: μὲν γὰρ εἰς ἀρετὴν δύναται πονηρὸς ὤν: μένων δὲ ἐν πονηρίᾳ, καρπὸν οὐκ οἴσει καλόν. Τί οὖν; ὁ Δαυῒδ οὐκ ἀγαθὸς ὢν πονηρὸν καρπὸν ἤνεγκεν; Οὐχὶ μένων ἀγαθὸς, ἀλλὰ μεταβληθείς: ὡς εἴγε ἔμενεν ὅπερ ἦν διηνεκῶς, οὐκ ἂν καρπὸν τοιοῦτον ἤνεγκεν. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ μένων ἐν τῇ ἕξει τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐτόλμησεν ἅπερ ἐτόλμησε. Ταῦτα δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἁπλῶς διαβάλλοντας ἐπιστομίζων ἔλεγε, καὶ τῶν κακηγόρων χαλινῶν τὰ στόματα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλοὶ τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν πονηρῶν ὑποπτεύουσι, πάσης ἀποστερῶν αὐτοὺς ἀπολογίας τοῦτο εἴρηκεν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν ἔχοις εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Ἠπάτημαι καὶ παρελογίσθην: καὶ γὰρ ἀκριβῆ σοι παρέσχον τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων διάγνωσιν, καὶ προστάξας βαδίζειν ἐπὶ τὰς πράξεις, καὶ μὴ πάντα ἁπλῶς συνταράττειν. Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ κολάζειν μὲν αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἐκέλευσε, φυλάττεσθαι δὲ μόνον, ὁμοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἐπηρεαζομένους παρ' αὐτῶν παραμυθούμενος, κἀκείνους φοβῶν καὶ μεταβάλλων, ἐπετείχισεν αὐτοῖς τὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ κόλασιν, εἰπὼν ὅτι Πᾶν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν, ἐκκόπτεται, καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται. Εἶτα ἀνεπαχθέστερον ποιῶν τὸν λόγον, ἐπήγαγεν: Ἄρα οὖν ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς: ἵνα μὴ προηγουμένην τὴν ἀπειλὴν δόξῃ εἰσάγειν, ἀλλ' ἐν τάξει παραινέσεως καὶ συμβουλῆς κατασείειν αὐτῶν τὴν διάνοιαν. Ἐνταῦθά μοι καὶ Ἰουδαίους αἰνίττεσθαι δοκεῖ, τοιούτους καρποὺς ἐπιδεικνυμένους. Διὸ καὶ τῶν Ἰωάννου ῥημάτων ὑπέμνησε, διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν ὀνομάτων τὴν τιμωρίαν αὐτοῖς ὑπογράψας. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐκεῖνος ταῦτα ἔλεγεν, ἀξίνης καὶ δένδρου κοπτομένου καὶ πυρὸς ἀσβέστου πρὸς αὐτοὺς μεμνημένος. Καὶ δοκεῖ μὲν μία τις εἶναι τιμωρία, τὸ κατακαίεσθαι: εἰ δέ τις ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάσειε, δύο αὗται κολάσεις εἰσίν. Ὁ γὰρ καιόμενος καὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἐκπίπτει πάντως: αὕτη δὲ ἐκείνης χαλεπωτέρα ἡ τιμωρία. Καὶ οἶδα μὲν ὅτι πολλοὶ τὴν γέενναν μόνον πεφρίκασιν: ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν ἔκπτωσιν τῆς δόξης ἐκείνης πολὺ τῆς γεέννης κόλασιν πικροτέραν εἶναί φημι. Εἰ δὲ μὴ δυνατὸν παραστῆσαι τῷ λόγῳ, θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἴσμεν ἐκείνων τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὴν μακαριότητα, ἵνα καὶ τὴν ἀθλιότητα τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς στερήσεως αὐτῶν σαφῶς ἴδωμεν: ἐπεὶ Παῦλος ὁ ταῦτα σαφῶς εἰδὼς, οἶδεν ὅτι τὸ ἐκπεσεῖν τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ δόξης πάντων ἐστὶ χαλεπώτερον. Καὶ τοῦτο εἰσόμεθα τότε, ὅταν εἰς αὐτὴν τὴν πεῖραν ἐμπέσωμεν. ηʹ. Ἀλλὰ μήποτε τοῦτο πάθοιμεν, ὦ μονογενὲς τοῦ Θεοῦ παῖ, μηδὲ λάβοιμέν ποτέ τινα πεῖραν τῆς ἀνηκέστου ταύτης κολάσεως. Ὅσον γάρ ἐστι κακὸν ἐκπεσεῖν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐκείνων, σαφῶς μὲν εἰπεῖν οὐκ ἔνι: πλὴν, ὡς ἂν οἷός τε ὦ, βιάσομαι καὶ φιλονεικήσω δι' ὑποδείγματος ὑμῖν αὐτὸ κἂν κατὰ μικρὸν ποιῆσαι φανερόν. Ὑποθώμεθα γὰρ παιδίον εἶναι θαυμαστὸν, καὶ μετὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν τῆς οἰκουμένης ἔχειν, καὶ οὕτως εἶναι ἐνάρετον πανταχοῦ, ὡς δύνασθαι ἅπαντας ἐν φιλοστοργίᾳ πατρικῆς καταστῆσαι διαθέσεως. Τί τοίνυν οὐκ ἂν οἴεσθε τὸν πατέρα τὸν τούτου παθεῖν ἂν ἡδέως, ὥστε μὴ ἐκπεσεῖν αὐτοῦ τῆς ὁμιλίας; τί δὲ ἢ μικρὸν ἢ μέγα κακὸν οὐκ ἂν δέξασθαι, ὥστε ὁρᾷν καὶ ἀπολαύειν αὐτοῦ; Τοῦτο τοίνυν καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς δόξης ἐκείνης λογιζώμεθα. Οὐ γὰρ οὕτω πατρὶ παιδίον, κἂν μυριάκις ἐνάρετον ᾖ, ποθεινόν ἐστι καὶ ἐπέραστον, ὡς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἡ λῆξις ἐκείνων, καὶ τὸ ἀναλῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι. Ἀφόρητον καὶ ἡ γέεννα, καὶ ἡ κόλασις ἐκείνη. Πλὴν κἂν μυρίας τις θῇ γεέννας, οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἐρεῖ, οἷον τὸ τῆς μακαρίας δόξης ἐκπεσεῖν ἐκείνης, τὸ μισηθῆναι παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὸ ἀκοῦσαι ὅτι Οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς, τὸ ἐγκληθῆναι ὅτι πεινῶντα αὐτὸν ἰδόντες οὐκ ἐθρέψαμεν. Καὶ γὰρ μυρίους βέλτιον ὑπομεῖναι κεραυνοὺς, ἢ τὸ πρόσωπον ἐκεῖνο τὸ ἥμερον ἰδεῖν ἀποστρεφόμενον ἡμᾶς, καὶ τὸν γαληνὸν ὀφθαλμὸν οὐκ ἀνεχόμενον εἰς ἡμᾶς βλέπειν. Εἰ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐχθρὸν ὄντα με καὶ μισοῦντα αὐτὸν καὶ ἀποστρεφόμενον οὕτως ἐδίωξεν, ὡς μηδὲ ἑαυτοῦ φείσασθαι, ἀλλ' ἐκδοῦναι ἑαυτὸν εἰς θάνατον: ὅταν μετὰ πάντα ἐκεῖνα μηδὲ ἄρτου αὐτὸν ἀξιώσω λιμώττοντα, ποίοις λοιπὸν αὐτὸν ὀφθαλμοῖς ὄψομαι; Σκόπει δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὴν ἡμερότητα. Οὐδὲ γὰρ λέγει τὰς εὐεργεσίας, οὐδ' ὅτι τὸν τοσαῦτα ὠφελήσαντα περιεῖδες. Οὐδὲ γὰρ λέγει: Ἐμὲ τὸν ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναί σε παραγαγόντα, τὸν ψυχὴν ἐμπνεύσαντα, καὶ ἐπιστήσαντά σε πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν τῇ γῇ, τὸν διὰ σὲ γῆν καὶ οὐρανὸν καὶ θάλατταν καὶ ἀέρα καὶ πάντα τὰ ὄντα ποιήσαντα, τὸν ἀτιμασθέντα παρὰ σοῦ, καὶ τοῦ διαβόλου ἀτιμότερον εἶναι δόξαντα, καὶ μηδὲ οὕτως ἀποστάντα, ἀλλὰ μυρία μετὰ ταῦτα ἐπινοήσαντα, τὸν ἑλόμενον γενέσθαι δοῦλον, τὸν ῥαπισθέντα καὶ ἐμπτυσθέντα, τὸν σφαγέντα, τὸν ἀποθανόντα θάνατον τὸν αἴσχιστον, τὸν καὶ ἄνω ὑπὲρ σοῦ ἐντυγχάνοντα, τὸν πνεῦμά σοι χαριζόμενον, τὸν βασιλείας σε καταξιοῦντα, τὸν τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐπαγγελλόμενον, τὸν κεφαλήν σου βουληθέντα εἶναι, καὶ νυμφίον, καὶ ἱμάτιον, καὶ οἶκον, καὶ ῥίζαν, καὶ τροφὴν, καὶ πόμα, καὶ ποιμένα, καὶ βασιλέα, καὶ ἀδελφὸν, καὶ κληρονόμον καὶ συγκληρονόμον σε ἑλόμενον, τὸν ἀπὸ σκότους εἰς ἐξουσίαν φωτὸς ἀγαγόντα. Ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ πλείονα τούτων ἔχων εἰπεῖν, οὐδὲν τούτων λέγει: ἀλλὰ τί; Μόνον αὐτὸ τὸ ἁμάρτημα. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα δείκνυσι τὴν ἀγάπην, καὶ τὸν πόθον ὃν ἔχει περὶ σὲ ἐνδείκνυται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶπε, Πορεύεσθε εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἡτοιμασμένον ὑμῖν, ἀλλὰ, Τὸ ἡτοιμασμένον τῷ διαβόλῳ. Καὶ πρότερον λέγει ἃ ἠδίκησαν, καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως ὑπομένει πάντα εἰπεῖν, ἀλλ' ὀλίγα. Καὶ πρὸ τούτων ἐκείνους καλεῖ τοὺς κατωρθωκότας, ἵνα δείξῃ καὶ ἐντεῦθεν δίκαια ἐγκαλῶν. Πόσης οὖν κολάσεως τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα οὐ χαλεπώτερα; Εἰ γὰρ ἄνθρωπόν τις εὐεργέτην λιμώττοντα ἰδὼν, οὐκ ἂν περιΐδοι: εἰ δὲ καὶ περιΐδοι, ὀνειδιζόμενος ἕλοιτο μᾶλλον καταδῦναι εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἢ ἐπὶ δύο ἢ τριῶν φίλων ταῦτα ἀκοῦσαι: τί πεισόμεθα ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἁπάσης ταῦτα ἀκούοντες, ἅπερ οὐδ' ἂν τότε εἶπεν, εἰ μὴ ὑπὲρ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἀπολογήσασθαι ἔσπευδεν; Ὅτι γὰρ οὐκ ὀνειδίζων αὐτὰ προέφερεν, ἀλλ' ἀπολογούμενος, καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ δεῖξαι ὅτι οὐ μάτην οὐδὲ εἰκῆ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔλεγε, Πορεύεσθε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, δῆλον ἐκ τῶν ἀφάτων εὐεργεσιῶν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐβούλετο ὀνειδίσαι, πάντα ἂν ἐκεῖνα εἰς μέσον ἤγαγε: νυνὶ δὲ ἅπερ ἔπαθε λέγει μόνον. θʹ. Φοβηθῶμεν τοίνυν, ἀγαπητοὶ, τὸ ταῦτα ἀκοῦσαι τὰ ῥήματα. Οὐκ ἔστι παίγνιον ὁ βίος: μᾶλλον δὲ ὁ μὲν παρὼν βίος παίγνιον, τὰ δὲ μέλλοντα οὐ παίγνια. Τάχα δὲ οὐδὲ παίγνιον μόνον ὁ βίος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτου χεῖρον. Οὐ γὰρ εἰς γέλωτα τελευτᾷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλὴν φέρει τὴν βλάβην τοῖς μὴ μετὰ ἀκριβείας τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς οἰκονομεῖν βουλομένοις. Τί γὰρ παίδων, εἰπέ μοι, διεστήκαμεν τῶν παιζόντων καὶ οἰκίας οἰκοδομούντων ἡμεῖς οἱ τὰς λαμπρὰς οἰκίας οἰκοδομοῦντες; τί δὲ ἀριστοποιουμένων αὐτῶν ἡμεῖς οἱ τρυφῶντες; Οὐδὲν, πλὴν ὅσον μετὰ κολάσεως ταῦτα πράττομεν. Εἰ δὲ οὐδέπω συνορῶμεν τὴν εὐτέλειαν τῶν γινομένων, θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν: οὔπω γὰρ ἄνδρες γεγόναμεν: ὅταν δὲ γενώμεθα, εἰσόμεθα ὅτι ταῦτα πάντα παιδικά. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐκείνων γινόμενοι ἄνδρες καταγελῶμεν: παῖδες δὲ ὄντες περισπούδαστα νομίζομεν εἶναι, καὶ ὄστρακα καὶ πηλὸν συνάγοντες, τῶν τοὺς μεγάλους ἀνιστώντων περιβόλους οὐκ ἔλαττον φρονοῦμεν. Ἀλλ' ὅμως εὐθέως ἀπόλλυται καὶ καταπίπτει, καὶ οὔτε ἑστῶτά που χρήσιμα γένοιτ' ἂν ἡμῖν, ὥσπερ οὖν οὐδὲ αὗται αἱ λαμπραὶ οἰκίαι. Τὸν γὰρ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πολίτην οὐκ ἂν δύναιντο δέξασθαι, οὐδ' ἂν ἀνάσχοιτο μεῖναι ἐν αὐταῖς ὁ τὴν ἄνω πατρίδα ἔχων: ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς τοῖς ποσὶ ταῦτα καθαιροῦμεν, οὕτω κἀκεῖνος τῷ φρονήματι καταστρέφει. Καὶ καθάπερ ἡμεῖς τῶν παίδων ἐπὶ τῇ καταστροφῇ κλαιόντων καταγελῶμεν: οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι, ταῦτα ὀδυρομένων ἡμῶν, οὐ γελῶσι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ κλαίουσιν: ἐπειδὴ καὶ συμπαθῆ αὐτῶν τὰ σπλάγχνα, καὶ πολλὴ ἐντεῦθεν ἡ βλάβη. Γενώμεθα τοίνυν ἄνδρες. Μέχρι τίνος χαμαὶ συρόμεθα, ἐπὶ λίθοις καὶ ξύλοις μέγα φρονοῦντες; μέχρι τίνος παίζομεν; Καὶ εἴθε μόνον ἐπαίζομεν: νυνὶ δὲ καὶ τὴν ἑαυτῶν προδίδομεν σωτηρίαν: καὶ καθάπερ τὰ παιδία, ὅταν τὴν ἐν τούτοις σχολὴν ἀγάγῃ τῶν γραμμάτων ἀμελήσαντα, ἐσχάτας ὑπομένουσι πληγάς: οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν τούτοις ἅπασαν τὴν σπουδὴν καταναλίσκοντες, καὶ τὰ πνευματικὰ ἀπαιτούμενοι μαθήματα τότε διὰ τῶν ἔργων, καὶ οὐκ ἔχοντες παρασχεῖν, τὴν ἐσχάτην δώσομεν τιμωρίαν. Καὶ οὐδεὶς ὁ ἐξαιρούμενος: κἂν πατὴρ ᾖ, κἂν ἀδελφὸς, κἂν ὁστισοῦν. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν οἰχήσεται πάντα, ἡ δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν γινομένη βάσανος ἀθάνατος μένει καὶ διηνεκής: ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν παίδων γίνεται, τὰ μὲν παιδικὰ ἀθύρματα τοῦ πατρὸς διὰ τὴν ῥᾳθυμίαν αὐτῶν τέλεον ἀφανίζοντος, αὐτοὺς δὲ εἰς τὸ κλαίειν διηνεκῶς καθιστῶντος. Καὶ ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι ταῦτα τοιαῦτά ἐστιν, ὃ μάλιστα πάντων εἶναι δοκεῖ περισπούδαστον, τὸν πλοῦτον εἰς μέσον ἀγάγωμεν, καὶ ἀντιθῶμεν αὐτῷ ψυχῆς ἀρετὴν ἣν ἂν θέλῃς, καὶ τότε αὐτοῦ μάλιστα ὄψει τὴν εὐτέλειαν. Θῶμεν τοίνυν ἀνθρώπους εἶναι δύο: καὶ οὔπω λέγω περὶ πλεονεξίας, ἀλλὰ περὶ δικαίου πλούτου τέως: καὶ τῶν δύο τούτων, ὁ μὲν συναγέτω χρήματα, καὶ πλείτω θάλατταν, καὶ γεωργείτω γῆν, καὶ πολλοὺς ἑτέρους ἐμπορίας εὑρισκέτω τρόπους: καίτοιγε οὐκ οἶδα εἰ ταῦτα ποιῶν δύναται δικαίως κερδαίνειν: πλὴν ἀλλ' ἔστω καὶ ὑποκείσθω δίκαια κέρδη κερδαίνειν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἀγροὺς ὠνεῖσθαι καὶ ἀνδράποδα καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα, καὶ μηδεμία προσέστω τούτοις ἀδικία: ὁ δὲ ἕτερός τις τοσαῦτα κεκτημένος, πωλείτω ἀγροὺς, πωλείτω οἰκίας, καὶ σκεύη χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ, καὶ παρεχέτω τοῖς δεομένοις, ἐπαρκείτω τοῖς πενομένοις, θεραπευέτω νοσοῦντας, τοὺς ἐν ἀνάγκῃ λυέτω, τοὺς ἀπὸ δεσμῶν ἐκβαλλέτω, τοὺς ἐν μετάλλοις ἐλευθερούτω, τοὺς ἀπὸ βρόχων καταγέτω, τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους λυέτω τῆς τιμωρίας. Τίνος οὖν βούλεσθε μερίδος εἶναι; Καὶ οὐδέπω τὰ μέλλοντα, ἀλλὰ τέως τὰ ἐνταῦθα εἰρήκαμεν. Τίνος οὖν εἶναι βούλεσθε; τοῦ συνάγοντος χρυσίον, ἢ τοῦ λύοντος συμφοράς; τοῦ τοὺς ἀγροὺς ὠνουμένου, ἢ τοῦ λιμένα κατασκευάζοντος ἑαυτὸν τῇ τῶν ἀνθρώπων φύσει; τοῦ τὸ πολὺ περιβεβλημένου χρυσίον, ἢ τοῦ μυρίαις εὐφημίαις ἐστεφανωμένου; Οὐχ ὁ μὲν ἀγγέλῳ τινὶ προσέοικεν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καταβάντι πρὸς τὴν τῶν λοιπῶν ἀνθρώπων διόρθωσιν, ὁ δὲ οὐδὲ ἀνθρώπῳ, ἀλλὰ παιδίῳ τινὶ μάτην καὶ ἁπλῶς πάντα συνάγοντι; Εἰ δὲ τὸ δικαίως χρηματίζεσθαι οὕτω καταγέλαστον, καὶ ἀνοίας ἐσχάτης: ὅταν μηδὲ τὸ δικαίως προσῇ, πῶς οὐ πάντων ἀθλιώτερος ὁ τοιοῦτος; Εἰ γὰρ ὁ γέλως τοσοῦτος, ὅταν καὶ γέεννα προσῇ καὶ βασιλείας ἔκπτωσις, πόσων ἂν εἴη θρήνων ἄξιος, καὶ ζῶν καὶ τετελευτηκώς; ιʹ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτερον βούλει τῆς ἀρετῆς μεταχειρισώμεθα μέρος; Οὐκοῦν ἀγάγωμεν πάλιν ἕτερον ἄνθρωπον ἐν δυναστείᾳ ὄντα, πᾶσιν ἐπιτάττοντα, ἀξίωμα περιβεβλημένον μέγα, κήρυκα ἔχοντα λαμπρὸν καὶ ζώνην καὶ ῥαβδούχους, καὶ πολὺν τὸν τῆς θεραπείας χορόν. Οὐχὶ δοκεῖ τοῦτο μέγα εἶναι καὶ μακαριστόν; Φέρε οὖν, καὶ τούτῳ πάλιν ἀντιθῶμεν ἕτερον, τὸν ἀνεξίκακον καὶ πρᾷον καὶ ταπεινὸν καὶ μακρόθυμον: καὶ οὗτος ὑβριζέσθω, τυπτέσθω, καὶ φερέτω εὐκόλως, καὶ τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα ποιοῦντας εὐλογείτω. Τίς οὖν ὁ θαυμαστὸς, εἰπέ μοι; ὁ πεφυσιωμένος καὶ φλεγμαίνων, ἢ ὁ κατεσταλμένος; Οὐχὶ ὁ μὲν ἔοικε πάλιν ταῖς ἄνω δυνάμεσι ταῖς πολλὴν ἐχούσαις τὴν ἀπάθειαν, ὁ δὲ φύσῃ σπωμένῃ, ἢ ὕδερον ἀνθρώπῳ ἔχοντι, καὶ πολλὴν τὴν φλεγμονήν; καὶ ὁ μὲν ἰατρῷ πνευματικῷ, ὁ δὲ τὰς γνάθους φυσῶντι παιδίῳ καταγελάστῳ; Τί γὰρ μέγα φρονεῖς, ἄνθρωπε; ὅτι ὑψηλὸς ἐπὶ ὀχήματος φέρῃ; ὅτι σε ζεῦγος ἡμιόνων ἕλκει; Καὶ τί τοῦτο; Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἐπὶ ξύλων καὶ ἐπὶ λίθων γινόμενον ἴδοι τις ἄν. Ἀλλ' ὅτι καλὰ περιβέβλησαι ἱμάτια; Ἀλλ' ὅρα τὸν ἀρετὴν ἀντὶ ἱματίων ἐνδεδυμένον, καὶ ὄψει σαυτὸν μὲν χόρτῳ ἐοικότα σηπομένῳ, ἐκεῖνον δὲ δένδρῳ θαυμαστὸν φέροντι καρπὸν, καὶ πολλὴν τοῖς ὁρῶσι παρέχοντι τὴν εὐφροσύνην. Σὺ μὲν γὰρ τροφὴν σκωλήκων περιφέρεις καὶ σητῶν, οἳ, ἂν ἐπιθῶνταί σοι, ταχέως σε γυμνὸν ποιήσουσι τοῦ κόσμου τούτου: (καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἱμάτια καὶ χρυσὸς καὶ ἄργυρος, τὰ μὲν σκωλήκων νήματα, τὰ δὲ γῆ καὶ κόνις, καὶ πάλιν γῆ, καὶ πλέον οὐδέν:) ὁ δὲ ἀρετὴν περιβεβλημένος τοιαύτην ἔχει στολὴν, ἣν οὐ μόνον σῆτες, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ὁ θάνατος λυμήνασθαι δύναται: καὶ μάλα εἰκότως. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ γῆς ἔχουσι τὴν ἀρχὴν αὗται τῆς ψυχῆς αἱ ἀρεταὶ, ἀλλὰ πνεύματός εἰσι καρπός: διὸ οὐδὲ σκωλήκων ὑπόκεινται στόμασι. Καὶ γὰρ ἐν οὐρανῷ τὰ ἱμάτια ταῦτα ὑφαίνεται, ὅπου οὐ σὴς, οὐ σκώληξ, οὐκ ἄλλο τῶν τοιούτων οὐδέν. Τί τοίνυν βέλτιον, εἰπέ μοι; πλουτεῖν, ἢ πένεσθαι; ἐν δυναστείᾳ εἶναι, ἢ ἐν ἀτιμίᾳ; ἐν τρυφῇ, ἢ ἐν λιμῷ; Εὔδηλον, ὅτι ἐν τιμῇ, καὶ τρυφῇ, καὶ πλούτῳ. Οὐκοῦν εἰ τὰ πράγματα βούλει, καὶ μὴ τὰ ὀνόματα, τὴν γῆν ἀφεὶς καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ, μεθορμίζου πρὸς τὸν οὐρανόν: τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἐνταῦθα σκιὰ, τὰ δὲ ἐκεῖ πράγματα ἀκίνητα, καὶ πεπηγότα καὶ πᾶσιν ἀχείρωτα. Ἑλώμεθα τοίνυν αὐτὰ μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἁπάσης, ἵνα καὶ τοῦ θορύβου τῶν ἐνταῦθα ἀπαλλαγῶμεν, καὶ πρὸς τὸν γαληνὸν ἐκεῖνον καταπλεύσαντες λιμένα, μετὰ πολλῶν τῶν φορτίων φανῶμεν, καὶ ἀφάτου τοῦ τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης πλούτου: οὗ γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.