Homily XXIV.

Acts X. 44, 46

“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.”

Observe God’s providential management. He does not suffer the speech to be finished, nor the baptism to take place upon a command of Peter, but, when He has made it evident how admirable their state of mind is, and a beginning is made of the work of teaching, and they have believed that assuredly baptism is the remission of sins, then forthwith comes the Spirit upon them. Now this is done by God’s so disposing it as to provide for Peter a mighty ground of justification.574    This is the only instance in the Acts in which the Holy Spirit is said to be given anterior to baptism (cf. xix. 5, 6) which was generally accompanied by the laying on of hands by the apostles. A special reason is observable here which greatly diminishes the force of Baur’s objections to the historicity of the narrative drawn from this exceptional order of events, viz: the marked receptivity of Cornelius and his company. Perhaps it was intended by divine providence to signalize this bringing in of the first fruits of the Gentiles by showing how little the gifts of grace are conditioned upon outward rites. Some critics suppose that this gift of the Spirit before baptism was granted to impress Peter with the idea of the admissibility of the Gentiles, but this seems unnecessary, as he had been taught this lesson already by the vision and had distinctly avowed his conviction (v. 35). Chrysostom’s exposition is in the line of the latter interpretation; he forcibly calls this gift of the Spirit an ἀπολογίαμεγάλη for Peter. The principle which Bengel lays down in his comments—liberum gratia habet ordinem—together with the special significance of the occasion is a sufficient explanation of the apparently exceptional manner of the bestowment of the Spirit here.—G.B.S. And it is not simply that the Spirit came upon them, but, “they spake with tongues:” which was the thing that astonished those who had come together. They altogether disliked the matter, wherefore it is that the whole is of God; and as for Peter, it may almost be said, that he is present only to be taught575    καὶ ὁ Πέτρος σχεδὸν ἁπλῶς πάρεστι παιδευόμενος. Erasm. fere simpliciter adest ut discat. Not meaning that St. Peter needed to be taught (see above p. 146, note 1), but that—such is the οἰκονομία for his exculpation—it is made to appear as if he needed the lesson and was now taught it, and had his misapprehensions rectified in common with them. Ben., entirely mistaking the meaning, has quasi fortuito adest docens. (with them) the lesson, that they must take the Gentiles in hand, and that they themselves are the persons by whom this must be done. For whereas after all these great events, still both in Cæsarea and in Jerusalem a questioning is made about it, how would it have been if these (tokens) had not gone step by step with the progress of the affair? Therefore it is that this is carried to a sort of excess.576    Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μεθ᾽ ὑπερβολῆς γίνεται. Erasm. Idcirco hæc cum excellentia quadam fiebant. Ben. Ideo hæc modo singulari fiunt. But the meaning is, “There is a lavish array of Divine interpositions. The mission of the Angel to Cornelius, Peter’s vision, the command given by the Spirit, above all, the gift of the Holy Ghost and the speaking with tongues before the baptism. This last was in itself an unanswerable declaration of the will of God, and sufficed for the Apostle’s justification. The others are ἐκ περιουσίας, arguments ex abundanti.” Peter seizes his advantage, and see the plea he makes of it. “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?” (v. 47.) Mark the issue to which he brings it; how he has been travailing to bring this forth. So (entirely) was he of this mind! “Can any one, he asks, “forbid water?” It is the language, we may almost say, of one triumphantly pressing his advantage (ἐπεμβαίνοντος) against such as would forbid, such as should say that this ought not to be. The whole thing, he says, is complete, the most essential part of the business, the baptism with which we were baptized. “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.” (v. 48.) After he has cleared himself, then, and not before, he commands them to be baptized: teaching them by the facts themselves. Such was the dislike the Jews had to it! Therefore it is that he first clears himself, although the very facts cry aloud, and then gives the command. “Then prayed they him”—well might they do so—“to tarry certain days:” and with a good courage thenceforth he does tarry.

“And the Apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.” (ch. xi. 1–3.) After such great things, “they of the circumcision contended:” not the Apostles; God forbid! It means, they took no small offence.577    Some critics (as Meyer, Olshausen) have affirmed the opposite of what Chrys. states, in regard to the ὁι ἐκ περιτομῆς. He excludes the apostles from this category; they would include them. The ὁι ἐκ περιτομῆς, however, seem to have been a special class of Christians in the mind of the writer. In expressing the fact that the Church learned of the reception of the Gentiles, the “apostles and brethren” are named, but when the narrative advances to the thought of the contention against Peter on account of it, a new term is chosen; the writer could not allow the same subject to stand for the verb διεκρίνοντο, but chooses another term—ὁι ἐκ περιτομῆς. The two subjects, then, can hardly be identical. The phrase more probably denotes judaizing Christians, i.e. those who gave special prominence to the Law and the necessity of circumcision (So Lechler, Gloag, Alford).—G.B.S. And see what they allege. They do not say, Why didst thou preach? but, Why didst thou eat with them? But Peter, not stopping to notice this frigid objection—for frigid indeed it is—takes his stand (ἵσταται) on that great argument, If they had the Spirit Itself given them, how could one refuse to give them the baptism? But how came it that in the case of the Samaritans this did not happen, but, on the contrary, neither before their baptism nor after it was there any controversy, and there they did not take it amiss, nay, as soon as they heard of it, sent the Apostles for this very purpose? (ch. viii. 14.) True, but neither in the present case is this the thing they complain of; for they knew that it was of Divine Grace: what they say is, Why didst thou eat with them? Besides, the difference578    ῎Αλλως δὲ οὐ τοσοῦτον τὸ διάφορον Σαμαρειτῶν καὶ ἐθνῶν. Edd. (from E. alone,) for οὐ τοσοῦτον have πολὺ καὶ ἄπειρον, “great and infinite the difference between Samaritans and Gentiles.” is not so great for Samaritans as it is for Gentiles. Moreover, it is so managed (as part of the Divine plan) that he is accused in this way: on purpose that they may learn: for Peter, without some cause given, would not have related the vision. But observe his freedom from all elation and vainglory. For it says, “But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, I was in the city of Joppa, praying:” he does not say why, nor on what occasion: “and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me (v. 4, 5): upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.” (v. 6, 7.) As much as to say, This of itself was enough to have persuaded me—my having seen the linen sheet: but moreover a Voice was added. “But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.” (v. 8.) Do you mark? “I did my part,” says he: “I said, that I have never eaten aught common or unclean:” with reference to this that they said, “Thou wentest in, and didst eat with them.” But this he does not say to Cornelius: for there was no need to mention it to him. “But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven.” (v. 9, 10.) The essential points were those579    A. B. C. (after v. 11. which we have removed), ᾽Εκεῖνα ἀναγκαῖα ἦν (read τὰ ἀν.) ἀλλὰ διὰ τούτων αὐτὰ κατασκευάζει. By ἐκεῖνα he means, what we have heard above, what happened at Cæsarea. The modern text (Edd.): “What points were essential, he relates, but of the rest he is silent: or rather by these he confirms them also, καὶ αὐτὰ κατασκευάζει.” (that ensued at Cæsarea); but by these he prepares the way for them. Observe how he justifies himself (by reasons), and forbears to use his authority as teacher. For the more mildly he expresses himself, the more tractable he makes them. “At no time,” says he, “has aught common or unclean entered into my mouth.—And, behold—this too was part of his defence—three men stood at the house in which I was, sent to me from Cæsarea. And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting.” (v. 11, 12.) Do you mark that it is to the Spirit the enacting of laws belongs! “And these also accompanied me”—nothing can be more lowly, when he alleges the brethren for witnesses!—“these six men, and we entered into the man’s house: and he showed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.” (v. 13, 14.) And he does not mention the words spoken by the Angel to Cornelius, “Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God, that he may not disgust them; but what says he? “He shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved:” with good reason this is added.580    τοῦτο εἰκότως πρόσκειται. i.e. though this was not mentioned before (see above, p, 145. note 6) with good reason it is added here: viz. for Peter’s justification. Edd. from E. “that he may not disgust them: but what had nothing great in it. ‘He shall speak,’ etc. Do you mark how for this reason I mentioned before, he hastens on?” But the saying, “He shall speak,” etc. was great, even greater than that which he omits: but this was not necessary, the other (Chrys. means) made a strong point for Peter’s defence, and therefore is added. Also he says nothing of the man’s fitness (ἐπιεικές). “The Spirit,” he might say, “having sent (me), God having commanded, on the one part having summoned (me) through the Angel, on the other urging (me) on, and solving my doubt about the things, what was I to do?” He says none of these things, however: but makes his strong point of what happened last, which even in itself was an incontrovertible argument. “And as I began to speak,” etc. (v. 15.) Then why did not this happen alone? Of superabundance (ἐκ περιουσίας) this is wrought by God, that it might be shown that the beginning too was not from the Apostle. But had he set out of his own motion, without any of these things having taken place, they would have been very much hurt: so581    ἄνωθεν αὐτῶν τὴν διανοίαν οἰκειοῖ, viz. by letting them see how all along it was not his doing. Then before λέγων πρὸς αὐτοὺς, something is wanting: e.g. “Which done, he urges most effectively, ‘Who have received,’” etc. that from the beginning he disposes their minds in his favor**: saying to them, “Who have received the Holy Ghost even as we.” And not content with this, he reminds them also of the words of the Lord: “Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.” (v. 16.) He means, that no new thing has happened, but just what the Lord foretold. “But582    E. D. F. Edd. “But there was no need to baptize, it may be said, for the baptism was complete, ‘when the Spirit fell upon them.’ Therefore he does not say, I first ordered them to be baptized but what? ‘Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized?’ By this showing that he did nothing himself. What therefore we have obtained, those received.” there was no need to baptize?” (Comp. p. 158.) But the baptism was completed already. And he does not say, I ordered them to be baptized: but what says he? “Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as He did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?” (v. 17.) He shows that he had himself done nothing: for the very thing which we have obtained, he says, that same did those men receive. That he may more effectually stop their mouths, therefore he says, “The like gift.” Do you perceive how he does not allow them to have less: when they believed, says he, the same gift did God give unto them, as He did to us who believed on the Lord, and Himself cleanses them. And he does not say, To you, but to us. Why do you feel aggrieved, when we583    ὅταν ἡμεῖς αὐτοὺς κοινωνοὺς λέγωμεν; “when we put them on a level with us the Apostles and first disciples, in regard that they received the Spirit in the same manner as we received, and as the rest of you did not?” call them partakers (with us?) “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” (v. 18.) Do you mark that it all came of Peter’s discourse, by his admirably skilful way of relating the facts? They glorified God that He had given repentance to themselves (καὶ αὐτοῖς) also: they were humbled by these words. Hence was the door of faith opened thenceforth to the Gentiles. But, if you please, let us look over again what has been said.

“While Peter yet spake,” etc. (Recapitulation.) He does not say that Peter was astonished, but, “They of the circumcision:” since he knew what was in preparation. And yet they ought to have marvelled at this, how they themselves had believed. When they heard that they had believed, they were not astonished, but when God gave them the Spirit. Then584    τότε ὁ Π. ὕστερον ἐξίσταται· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο φησίν. “But when God gave them the Spirit, then Peter afterwards is astonished,” etc. This is evidently corrupt. Τότε ὁ Π. seems to be part of the text v. 46. τότε ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Π. For ὕστερον ἐξίσταται we may perhaps restore, καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο ὁ Π. ὕστερον ἵσταται. “On this Peter afterwards insists (as above, p. 156), and with a view to this he says (before), ‘God hath shown me,’” etc. The innovator substitutes: “When Peter expounded to them his trance, saying, ‘God hath shown me,’” etc. So Edd. “answered Peter and said,” etc. (v. 47.) And therefore it is that he says, “God hath shown that I should not call common or unclean any human being.” (v. 28.) He knew this from the first, and plans his discourse beforehand (with a view to it). Gentiles? What Gentiles henceforth? They were no longer Gentiles, the Truth being come. It is nothing wonderful, he says, if before the act of baptism they received the Spirit: in our own case this same happened. Peter shows that not as the rest either were they baptized, but in a much better way. This is the reason why the thing takes place in this manner, that they may have nothing to say, but even in this way may account them equal with themselves. “And they besought him,” it says, “to tarry certain days.” (v. 48.) “And the Apostles and brethren, etc. And they of the circumcision contended with him.” (ch. xi. 1, 2.) Do you remark how they were not kindly disposed towards him? Saying “Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.” (v. 3.) Do you note what zeal they had for the Law? Not Peter’s authority abashed them, not the signs which had taken place, not the success achieved, what a thing it was, the Gentiles having “received the word:” but they contended about those petty things. For if none of those (signs) had taken place, was not the success (itself) enough?585    Εἰ γὰρ μηδὲν τούτων ἦν, οὐκ ἦρκει τὸ κατόρθωμα; Of the Edd. only Savile puts this, as it ought to be, interrogatively: Ben. renders, non sat fuisset præstium. But not so does Peter frame his defence: for he was wise, or rather it was not his wisdom, but the Spirit that spake the words. And by the matter of his defence, he shows that in no one point was he the author, but in every point God, and upon Him he casts the whole. “The trance,” he says—“it was He that caused me to fall into it, for “I was in Joppa,” etc.: the vessel—it was He that showed it; I objected: again, He spake, and even then I did not hear: the Spirit commanded me to go, and even then though I went, I did not run: I told that God had sent me, and after these things, even then I did not baptize, but again God did the whole. God baptized them, not I.” And he does not say, Was it not right then to add the water? but, implying that nothing was lacking, “What was I, that I should withstand God?” What a defence is here! For he does not say, Then knowing these things, hold your peace; but what? He stands their attack, and to their impeachment he pleads—“What was I, to be able to hinder God?” It was not possible for me to hinder—a forcible plea indeed, and such as might well put them to shame. Whence being at last afraid, “they held their peace and glorified God.”

In like manner ought we also to glorify God for the good things which befall our neighbors, only586    μόνον μὴ καθάπερ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν νεοφωτίστων ἐπηρεάζονται, ὅταν ἄλλους ὁρῶσι φωτισθέντας, καὶ εὐθὺς ἀπιόντας. Δοξάζειν δεῖ τὸν Θεὸν, κᾂν πάντες σωθῶσιν· καὶ σὺ ἐ& 129·ν θέλῃς κ. τ. λ. Above Hom. i. p. 20, it is said, “the sick man” having received baptism in the prospect of death, “if he recovers, is as vexed” because of his baptism “as if some great harm had happened to him.” And so it might have been said here, “not (to feel) as some of the newly-baptized (are apt to do, who) are annoyed (or aggrieved, ἐτηρεάζονται), when they see others” etc.: i.e. who, seeing such cases, think themselves ill used that they were not allowed to defer their baptism to the last moment, but were forced upon the alternative either of leading a strict life, or of forfeiting the grace of baptism. But the assertion οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν νεοφ. is too sweeping, and the word ἐπηρεάζονται is scarcely suitable to this sense: it should rather have been δεινοπαθοῦσιν or ἀναξιοπαθοῦσιν. The meaning, not fully expressed, is: “only not, like as the rest of the newly-baptized are insulted, taunted or jeered (by some), when they see others,” etc.: i.e. it is right to glorify God, only not to imagine that God is glorified by those who, exulting in the safety of their friends who received baptism at the point of death, taunt the rest of the newly baptized, saying, “See, these men are safe: they are baptized to some purpose; while you have received the gift, only to be in danger of losing it.”—He adds, “It is right to glorify God, though all be saved”—though that were the case with all except yourself, that they passed at once from baptism to that world, with the gift unimpaired, and no more in danger to be lost. “And as for you, if you will, you have received a greater gift,” than they: etc.—For ἐπηρεάζονται, A. has ἐπηρεάζουσιν: and this is adopted by the innovator, who alters the passage thus (E. Edd.): “to glorify God, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐπηρεάζειν (adopted by F. D.) καθάπερ οἰ πολλοὶ τῶν νεοφωτ. ἐτηρεάζουσιν, when they see, etc. It is right to glorify God, καὶ ὅτι μένειν οὐ συγχωρεῖ· & 169·Ωστε καὶ σὺ ἐ& 129·ν θέλῃς κ. τ. λ.(Erasm. et non insultare: Ben. non autem insultare illis.) not in the way that the rest of the newly-baptized are insulted, when they see others receiving baptism, and immediately departing this life. It, is right to glorify God, even though all be saved: and as for thee, if thou be willing, thou hast received a greater gift (than they): I do not mean in respect of the baptism, for the gift there is the same for him as for thee, but in regard that thou hast received a set time for winning distinction. The other put on the robe, and was not suffered to exhibit himself therewith in the procession, whereas to thee, God hath given full opportunity to use thine arms for the right purpose, thereby to make proof of them. The other goes his way, having only the reward of his faith: thou standest in the course, both able to obtain an abundant recompense for thy works, and to show thyself as much more glorious than he, as the sun is than the smallest star, as the general, nay rather as the Emperor himself, than the lowest soldier. Then blame thyself, or rather not blame, but correct: for it is not enough to blame thyself; it is in thy power to contend afresh. Hast thou been thrown? hast thou taken grievous hurt? Stand up, recover thyself: thou art still in the course, the meeting (θέατρον) is not yet broken up. Do you not see how many that have been thrown in the wrestling have afterwards resumed the combat? Only do not willingly come by thy fall. Dost thou count him a happy man for departing this life? Much rather count thyself happy. Was he released of his sins? But thou, if thou wilt, shalt not only wash away thy sins, but shalt also have achievements (of good works), which in his case is not possible. It is in our power to recover ourselves. Great are the medicinal virtues (φάρμακα) of repentance: let none despair of himself. That man truly deserves to be despaired of, who despairs of himself; that man has no more salvation, nor any hopes. It is not the having fallen into a depth of evils, it is the lying there when fallen, that is dreadful, it is not the having come into such a condition, it is the making light of it that is impious. The very thing that ought to make thee earnest, say, is it this that makes thee reckless? Having received so many wounds, hast thou fallen back? Of the soul, there can be no incurable wound; for the body, there are many such, but none for the soul: and yet for those we cease not in our endeavors to cure them, while for these we are supine. Seest thou not the thief (on the cross), in how short a time he achieved (his salvation)? Seest thou not the Martyrs, in how short a time they accomplished the whole work? “But martyrdom is not to be had nowadays.” True, but there are contests to be had, as I have often told you, if we had the mind. “For they that wish,” says the Apostle, “to live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.” (2 Tim. iii. 12.) They that live godly are always undergoing persecution, if not from men, at any rate from evil spirits, which is a more grievous persecution. Yes, and it is in consequence, first and foremost, of ease and comfort, that those who are not vigilant undergo this. Or thinkest thou it is a trifling persecution to be living at ease? This is more grievous than all, this is worse than persecution. For, like a running flux, ease makes the soul languid (χαυνοἵ): and as summer and winter, so persecution and ease. But to show you that this is the worse persecution, listen: it induces sleep in the soul, an excessive yawning and drowsiness, it stirs up the passions on every side, it arms pride, it arms pleasure, it arms anger, envy, vainglory, jealousy. But in time of persecution none of these is able to make a disturbance; but fear, entering in, and plying the lash vigorously, as one does to a barking dog, will not let any of these passions so much as attempt to give tongue. Who shall be able in time of persecution to indulge in vainglory? Who to live in pleasure? Not one: but there is much trembling and fear, making a great calm, composing the harbor into stillness, filling the soul with awe. I have heard from our fathers (for in our own time God grant it may not happen, since we are bidden not to ask for temptation), that in the persecution of old time one might see men that were indeed Christian. None of them cared for money, none for wife, none for children, nor home, nor country: the one great concern with all was to save their lives (or, souls). There were they hiding, some in tombs and sepulchres, some in deserts: yes tender and dainty women too, fighting all the while with constant hunger.

Then think whether any longing for sumptuous and dainty living at all came into the mind of a woman, while in hiding beside a coffin (παρὰ λάρνακι), and waiting for her maid-servant to bring her meal, and trembling lest she should be taken, and lying in her terror as in a furnace: was she even aware that there ever was such a thing as dainty living, that such things as dress and ornaments exist at all (ὅτι κόσμος ὅλως ἐστίν)? Seest thou that now is the persecution, with our passions, like wild beasts, setting upon us on every side? Now is the trying persecution, both in this regard, and especially if it is not even thought to be persecution at all. For this (persecution) has also this evil in it, that being war, it is thought to be peace, so that we do not even arm ourselves against it, so that we do not even rise: no one fears, no one trembles. But if ye do not believe me, ask the heathen, the persecutors, at what time was the conduct of the Christians more strict, at what time were they all more proved? Few indeed had they then become in number, but rich in virtue. For say, what profit is it, that there should be hay in plenty, when there might be precious stones? The amount consists not in the sum of numbers, but in the proved worth. Elias was one: yet the whole world was not worth so much as he. And yet the world consists of myriads: but they are no myriads, when they do not even come up to that one. “Better587    κρείσσων εἷς ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα Κυρίου, ἢ μύριοι παράνομοι. St. Chrys. repeatedly cites this, and almost in the same words, as a text of Scripture, and the Edd. refer it to Ecclus. xvi. 3, but there it is, κρείσσων γὰρ εἷς ἢ χίλιοι (with no various reading), and here the following words, οἱ (B. εἰ) γὰρ μύριοι πρὸς τὸν (τὸ, B. F. ἕνα οὐδέπω ἔφθασαν, seem to be meant as part of the citation. For these E. Edd. substitute, Τοῦτο καί τις σοφὸς αἰνιττόμενος οὕτω τως φησί. Savile adopts both, but reads οὐ γὰρ μύριοι. is one that doeth the will of God, than ten thousand who are transgressors:” for the ten thousands have not yet reached to the one. “Desire not a multitude of unprofitable children.” (Ecclus. xvi. 1.) Such bring more blasphemy against God, than if they were not Christians. What need have I of a multitude? It is (only) more food for the fire. This one might see even in the body, that better is moderate food with health, than a (fatted) calf with damage. This is more food than the other: this is food, but that is disease. This too one may see in war: that better are ten expert and brave men, than ten thousand of no experience. These latter, besides that they do no work, hinder also those that do work. The same too one may see to be the case in a ship, viz. that better are two experienced mariners, than ever so great a number of unskilful ones: for these will sink the ship. These things I say, not as looking with an evil eye upon your numbers, but wishing that all of you should be approved men, and not trust in your numbers. Many more in number are they who go down into hell: but greater than it is the Kingdom, however few it contain. As the sand of the sea was the multitude of the people (Israel) yet one man saved them. Moses was but one, and yet he availed more than they all: Joshua was one and he was enabled to do more than the six hundred thousand. Let us not make this our study merely, that (the people) may be many, but rather, that they may be excellent; when this shall have been effected, then will that other follow also. No one wishes at the outset to make a spacious house, but he first makes it strong and sure, then spacious: no one lays the foundations so that he may be laughed at. Let us first aim at this, and then at the other. Where this is, that also will be easy: but where this is not, the other, though it be, is to no profit. For if there be those who are able to shine in the Church, there will soon be also numbers: but where these are not, the numbers will never be good for anything. How many, suppose you, may there be in our city who are likely to be saved (τοὺς σωζομένους)? It is disagreeable, what I am going to say, but I will say it nevertheless. Among all these myriads, there are not to be found one hundred likely to be saved: nay, even as to these, I question it. For think, what wickedness there is in the young, what supineness in the aged! None588    Οὐδεὶς τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ἔχει τοῦ παιδὸς τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ· οὐδεὶς ἔχει ζῆλον πρὸς πρεσβύτην ἰδὼν μιμήσασθαι. i.e. “The young are neglected by their own parents and masters, and elsewhere they see no good example of the old to move them to virtue.” makes it his duty to look after his own boy, none is moved by anything to be seen in his elder, to be emulous of imitating such an one. The patterns are defaced, and therefore it is that neither do the young become admirable in conduct. Tell not me, “We are a goodly multitude:” this is the speech of men who talk without thought or feeling (ψυχρὥν.) In the concerns of men indeed, this might be said with some show of reason: but where God is concerned, (to say this with regard to Him) as having need of us,589    ᾽Επὶ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ δεομένου ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἔτι. So A. B. C. The modern text, τοῦ οὐδ. can never be allowed. Nay, let me tell you, even in the former case, this is a senseless speech (ψυχρόν). Listen. A person that has a great number of domestics, if they be a corrupt set what a wretched time will he have of it! For him who has none, the hardship, it seems, amounts to this, that he is not waited on: but where a person has bad servants, the evil is, that he is ruining himself withal, and the damage is greater (the more there are of them.) For it is far worse than having to be one’s own servant, to have to fight with others, and take up a (continual) warfare. These things I say, that none may admire the Church because of its numbers, but that we may study to make the multitude proof-worthy; that each may be earnest for his own share of the duty—not for his friends only, nor his kindred as I am always saying, nor for his neighbors, but that he may attract the strangers also. For example, Prayer is going on; there they lie (on bended knees), all the young, stupidly unconcerned (ψυχροὶ), (yes,) and old too:590    πάντες νέοι ψυχροὶ καὶ γέροντες. The last word must be corrupt, for he is speaking only of the young: perhaps it should be γέμοντες with some genitive, e.g. “full of folly,” or “evil thoughts.” Then, καθάρματα μᾶλλον ἢ νέοι, more fit to be swept away from the floor as filthy litter than to be regarded as young men. But κάθαρμα, in the sense derived from the heathen ritual, has no equivalent in our language: it means, what remains of the sacrifice used for lustration or atonement, which as having taken into itself the uncleanness or the guilt which was to be removed, was regarded with the utmost abhorrence. filthy nuisances rather than young men; giggling, laughing outright, talking—for I have heard even this going on—and jeering one another as they lie along on their knees: and there stand you, young man or elder: rebuke them, if you see them (behaving thus): if any will not refrain, chide him more severely: call the deacon, threaten, do what is in your power to do: and if he dare do anything to you, assuredly you shall have all to help you. For who is so irrational, as, when he sees you chiding for such conduct, and them chidden not to take your part? Depart, having received your reward from the Prayer.—In a master’s house, we count those his best-disposed servants, who cannot bear to see any part of his furniture in disorder. Answer me; if at home you should see the silver plate lie tossed out of doors, though it is not your business, you will pick it up and bring it into the house: if you see a garment flung out of its place, though you have not the care of it, though you be at enmity with him whose business it is, yet, out of good-will to the master, will you not put it right? So in the present case. These are part of the furniture: if you see them lying about in disorder, put them to rights: apply to me, I do not refuse the trouble: inform me, make the offender known to me: it is not possible for me to see all: excuse me (in this). See, what wickedness overspreads the whole world! Said I without reason that we are (no better than) so much hay (disorderly as) a troubled sea? I am not talking of those (young people), that they behave thus; (what I complain of, is) that such a sleepy indifference possesses those who come in here, that they do not even correct this misbehavior.

Again I see others stand talking while Prayer is going on; while the more consistent591    οἱ δὲ ἐπιεικέστεροι αὐτῶν. Erasm., Et quidam ex illis, adhuc meliores scilicet. Ben. alios modestiores scilicet. But the irony is not of this kind, and the word here has its proper sense: “men whose conduct is more of a piece, the more consistent of them.” Some stand and talk during the prayers, yet kneel and are silent for the Benediction: but these make no such inconsistent pretence: they do not commit this absurdity at least.—Comp. Hom. i. in. Oziam, §4, t. vi. p. 101. “A grievous disease prevails in the Church: when we have purposed to hold converse with God, and are in the act of sending up the doxology to Him, we interrupt our business, and each takes his neighbor aside to talk with him about his domestic concerns, about the goings on in the agora, the public, the theatre, the army: how this was well managed, that neglected: what is the strong point, and what the weak point in this or that business: in short, about all sorts of public and private matters they talk here with one another. Is this pardonable? When a man speaks with the earthly sovereign, he speaks only on the subjects the sovereign chooses to speak and put questions about, and if against the will of the sovereign he should presume to start any other subject, he would bring upon himself the severest punishment. And you, who are speaking with the King of kings, to Whom the angels minister with dread reverence, do you leave your converse with Him to talk about mire, and dust, and spiders—for that is what earthly things are? But you say, the public affairs are in such a bad way, and there is much to talk of and much to be anxious about. And whose fault is that? They say, The blunders of our rulers are the cause. No, not the blunders of our rulers, but our sins: the punishment of our faults. It is these have ruined all, have brought upon us all our sufferings, wars, and defeats. Therefore if we had an Abraham, a Moses, a David, a Solomon, for our ruler, yea, the most righteous of men, it would signify nothing as far as the cause of all our evils is concerned…And if we have one of the most iniquitous of men, a blundering ill-managing person for our ruler, it is our own folly and wickedness that has brought this upon us, it is the punishment of our sins. Therefore let each when he comes here think of his own sins, and not complain of others.” Hom. ix. in 1 Tim. he complains of the women talking in Church. of them (do this) not only during the Prayer, but even when the Priest is giving the Benediction. O, horror! When shall there be salvation? when shall it be possible for us to propitiate God?—Soldiers592    The illustration is taken from some kind of shield dance, which formed one of the amusements of the camp, skilfully executed by a large body of soldiers. The innovator, (E. D. F. Edd.) not understanding the allusion, substitutes: “If you go to a diversion, you will see all keeping time in the dance, and nothing done negligently. As therefore in a well-harmonized and curiously wrought lyre, one well sounding symphony results from the orderly arrangement severally of the component parts, so here there ought to result from all one symphonious harmony. For we are become one Church, we count as members, ‘fitly joined together’ of one Head, we all make one Body: if any carnal point be done negligently, the whole, etc. Thus the good order,” etc. go to their diversion, and you shall see them, all keeping time in the dance, and nothing done negligently, but, just as in embroidery and painting, from the well-ordered arrangement in each individual part of the composition, there results at once an exceeding harmony and good keeping, so it is here: we have one shield, one head, all of us (in common): and if but some casual point be deranged by negligence, the whole is deranged and is spoilt, and the good order of the many is defeated by the disorder of the one part. And, fearful indeed to think of, here you come, not to a diversion, not to act in a dance, and yet you stand disorderly. Know you not that you are standing in company with angels? with them you chant, with them sing hymns, and do you stand laughing? Is it not wonderful that a thunderbolt is not launched not only at those (who behave thus), but at us? For such behavior might well be visited with the thunderbolt. The Emperor is present, is reviewing the army: and do you, even with His eyes upon you, stand laughing, and endure to see another laughing? How long are we to go on chiding, how long complaining? Ought not such to be treated as very pests and nuisances; as abandoned, worthless reprobates, fraught with innumerable mischiefs, to be driven away from the Church? When will these forebear laughing, who laugh in the hour of the dread Mystery (ἑν ὣρᾳ φρίκης)? when refrain from their trifling, who talk at the instant of the Benediction? Have they no sense of shame before those who are present? have they no fear of God? Are our own idle thoughts not enough for us, is it not enough that in our prayers we rove hither and thither, but laughter also must needs intrude, and bursts of merriment? Is it a theatrical amusement, what is done here? Aye, but, methinks, it is the theatres that do this: to the theatres we owe it that the most of you so refuse to be curbed by us, and to be reformed. What we build up here, is thrown down there: and not only so, but the hearers themselves cannot help being filled with other filthinesses besides: so that the case is just the same as if one should want to clean out a place with a fountain above it discharging mire; for however much you may clean out, more runs in. So it is here. For when we clean people out, as they come here from the theatres with their filthiness, thither they go again, and take in a larger stock of filthiness, as if they lived for the purpose of only giving us trouble, and then come back to us, laden with ordure, in their manners, in their movements, in their words, in their laughter, in their idleness. Then once more we begin shovelling it out afresh, as if we had to do this only on purpose that, having sent them away clean, we may again see them clogging themselves with filth. Therefore I solemnly protest to you, the sound members, that this will be to you judgment and condemnation, and I give you over to God from this time forth, if any having seen a person behaving disorderly, if any having seen any person talking, especially in that part (of the Service), shall not inform against him, not bring him round (to a better behavior). To do this is better than prayer. Leave thy prayer and rebuke him, that thou mayst both do him good, and thyself get profit, and so we may be enabled all to be saved and to attain unto the Kingdom of Heaven, through the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father and the Holy Ghost together be glory, dominion, honor, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΔʹ. Ἔτι λαλοῦντος τοῦ Πέτρου τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα, ἔπε σε τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀκούοντας τὸν λόγον. Καὶ ἐξέστησαν οἱ ἐκ περι τομῆς πιστοὶ, ὅσοι συνῆλθον τῷ Πέτρῳ, ὅτι καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη ἡ δωρεὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐκκέ χυται: ἤκουον γὰρ αὐτῶν λαλούντων γλώσσαις, καὶ μεγαλυνόντων τὸν Θεόν. αʹ. Θέα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν οἰκονομίαν. Οὐκ ἀφῆκεν ἀπαρτισθῆναι τὸν λόγον, οὐδὲ ἐκ προστάγματος Πέτρου γενέσθαι τὸ βάπτισμα: ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν ἔδειξαν θαυμαστὴν οὖσαν, καὶ τῆς διδασκαλίας ἀρχὴ γέγονε, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν, ὅτι πάντως τὸ βάπτισμα ἄφεσίς ἐστιν ἁμαρτημάτων, τότε ἐπῆλθε τὸ Πνεῦμα. Τοῦτο δὲ γίνεται, προοικονομοῦντος ἀπολογίαν μεγάλην τῷ Πέτρῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα λαμβάνουσιν, ἀλλὰ γλώσσαις ἐλάλουν, ὅπερ καὶ ἐξέπληττε τοὺς συνελθόντας. Τί δήποτε δὲ οὕτως οἰκονομεῖται τὸ πρᾶγμα; Διὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους: καὶ γὰρ πάνυ ἀπεχθῶς εἶχον πρὸς αὐτό. Διὸ πανταχοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ πᾶν γίνεται. Καὶ ὁ Πέτρος σχεδὸν ἁπλῶς πάρεστι παιδευόμενος, ὅτι δεῖ λοιπὸν αὐτοὺς ἅψασθαι τῶν ἐθνῶν: καὶ ὅτι δι' αὐτῶν δεῖ γενέσθαι τοῦτο. Καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς. Ὅπου γὰρ μετὰ τοσαῦτα καὶ ἐν Καισαρείᾳ καὶ ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἀμφισβήτησις γίνεται, τί οὐκ ἂν ἐγεγόνει, εἰ μὴ ταῦτα παρηκολούθησε; Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς ταῦτα γίνεται. Ὅρα δὲ πῶς καὶ ὁ Πέτρος λαβὼν ἀφορμὴν ἀπολογεῖται. Ὅτι δὲ μετὰ τὴν ἀφορμὴν ἀποκρίνεται, ἄκουε τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ διηγουμένου καὶ λέγοντος: Τότε ἀπεκρίθη Πέτρος: Μήτι τὸ ὕδωρ κωλῦσαι δύναταί τις τοῦ μὴ βαπτισθῆναι τούτους, οἵτινες τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἔλαβον ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς; Εἶδες ποῦ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἀνήνεγκε, καὶ πῶς ὤδινεν ἐξενεγκεῖν τοῦτο; Οὕτω πάλαι τῆς γνώμης ταύτης ἦν. Μήτι τὸ ὕδωρ, φησὶ, κωλῦσαι δύναταί τις; Σχεδὸν γὰρ ὥσπερ ἐπεμβαίνοντός ἐστι τοῖς κωλύουσι καὶ λέγουσιν, ὅτι οὐ χρὴ τοῦτο γενέσθαι. Τὸ πᾶν γέγονε, φησὶ, τὸ ἀναγκαιότερον γέγονε, τὸ βάπτισμα ὃ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐβαπτίσθημεν. Προσέταξέ τε αὐτοὺς βαπτισθῆναι ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Μετὰ τὸ ἀπολογήσασθαι, τότε αὐτοῖς προσέταξε βαπτισθῆναι, παιδεύων αὐτοὺς διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων: τοσοῦτον ἀπεχθῶς εἶχον οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι. Διὰ τοῦτο πρότερον ἀπολογεῖται, καίτοι τῶν πραγμάτων βοώντων, καὶ τότε προσέταξε. Τότε ἐρώτησαν αὐτὸν ἐπιμεῖναι ἡμέρας τινάς. Ἐντεῦθεν εἰκότως καὶ θαῤῥεῖ λοιπὸν καὶ ἐπιμένει. Ἤκουσαν δὲ οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ οἱ ὄντες κατὰ τὴν Ἰουδαίαν, ὅτι καὶ τὰ ἔθνη ἐδέξαντο τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ ὅτε ἀνέβη Πέτρος εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, διεκρίνοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς, λέγοντες, ὅτι Πρὸς ἄνδρας ἀκροβυστίαν ἔχοντας εἰσῆλθες, καὶ συνέφαγες αὐτοῖς. Μετὰ τ[οσ]αῦτα Διεκρίνοντο οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς, οὐχ οἱ ἀπόστολοι. Τί ἐστι, Διεκρίνοντο; Ἐσκανδαλίζοντο, φησὶν, οὐ μικρῶς. Καὶ θέα, τί προβάλλονται. Οὐ λέγουσι, Διὰ τί κατήγγειλας; ἀλλὰ, Διὰ τί συνέφαγες; Ὁ δὲ Πέτρος οὐ πρὸς τοῦτο ἵσταται τὸ ψυχρὸν (ψυχρὸν γὰρ ὄντως ἦν), ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἐκεῖνο τὸ μέγα, λέγων, ὅτι Εἰ Πνεύματος μετέλαβον καὶ αὐτοὶ, πῶς τούτου μεταδοῦναι οὐκ ἦν; Πῶς οὖν ἐπὶ τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν τοῦτο οὐ γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον; καὶ γὰρ οὐ μόνον πρὸ τοῦ βαπτίσματος οὐκ ἐγένετο, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα. καὶ οὐκ ἠγανάκτησαν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἀκούσαντες ἔπεμψεν ἐπὶ τοῦτο αὐτό. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα τοῦτο ἐγκαλοῦσιν: ᾔδεισαν γὰρ ὅτι θείας χάριτος ἦν: ἀλλὰ, Διὰ τί, φασὶ, συνέφαγες; Ἄλλως δὲ πολὺ καὶ ἄπειρον τὸ διάφορον Σαμαρειτῶν καὶ ἐθνῶν. Ἢ καὶ οἰκονομικῶς γίνεται τὸ ἐγκληθῆναι αὐτὸν, ἵν' οὗτοι μάθωσιν: οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἁπλῶς Πέτρος εἶπεν. Ὅρα δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ ἄτυφον καὶ ἀκενόδοξον. Ἀρξάμενος γὰρ, φησὶ, Πέτρος ἐξετίθετο αὐτοῖς καθεξῆς, λέγων: Ἐγὼ ἤμην ἐν πόλει Ἰόππῃ προσευχόμενος. Καὶ οὐ λέγει διὰ τί, οὐδὲ ἐπὶ ποίᾳ προφάσει. Καὶ εἶδον ἐν ἐκστάσει ὅραμα, καταβαῖνόν τι σκεῦος ὡς ὀθόνην μεγάλην τέσσαρσιν ἀρχαῖς καθιεμένην ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἦλθεν ἄχρις ἐμοῦ. Εἰς ἣν ἀτενίσας κατενόουν, καὶ εἶδον τὰ τετράποδα τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὰ θηρία, καὶ τὰ ἑρπετὰ, καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἤκουσα δὲ φωνῆς λεγούσης μοι: Ἀναστὰς, Πέτρε, θῦσον καὶ φάγε. Τί διὰ τούτων εἰπεῖν βούλεται; Ἱκανὸν ἦν, φησὶ, καὶ τοῦτο πεῖσαι, τὸ θεάσασθαι τὴν ὀθόνην: πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ φωνὴ προσετέθη. Εἶπον δέ: Μηδαμῶς, Κύριε, ὅτι κοινὸν ἢ ἀκάθαρτον οὐδέποτε εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ στόμα μου. Ὁρᾷς; Τὸ ἐμὸν ἐποίησα, φησίν: εἶπον, ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἔφαγον. Τοῦτο πρὸς ὃ ἔλεγον ἐκεῖνοι, ὅτι Εἰσῆλθες καὶ συνέφαγες αὐτοῖς. Τοῦτο δὲ πρὸς Κορνήλιον οὐ λέγει: οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἀνάγκη. Ἀπεκρίθη δέ μοι ἐκ δευτέρου φωνὴ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ: Ἃ ὁ Θεὸς ἐκαθάρισε, σὺ μὴ κοίνου. Τοῦτο δὲ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ τρὶς, καὶ πάλιν ἀνεσπάσθη ἅπαντα εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐξ αὐτῆς τρεῖς ἄνδρες ἐπέστησαν ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκίαν, ἐν ᾖ ἤμην, ἀπεσταλμένοι ἀπὸ Καισαρείας πρός με. Ἅπερ ἀναγκαῖα ἦν διηγεῖται, τὰ ἄλλα δὲ σιωπᾷ: μᾶλλον δὲ διὰ τούτων καὶ αὐτὰ κατασκευάζει. Καὶ ὅρα, πῶς ἀπολογεῖται, καὶ οὐκ ἀξιοῖ τῷ τοῦ διδασκάλου ἀξιώματι κεχρῆσθαι: ᾔδει γὰρ ὅτι, ὅσῳ ἐπιεικέστερον φθέγγεται, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον αὐτοὺς χειροῦται. Οὐδέποτε εἰσῆλθε, φησὶν, εἰς τὸ στόμα μου κοινὸν ἢ ἀκάθαρτον. Οὕτως οἰκονομίας πᾶσα ἦν ἡ ἀπολογία. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐξ αὐτῆς τρεῖς ἄνδρες ἐπέστησαν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ, ἐν ᾗ ἤμην. Εἶπε δέ μοι τὸ Πνεῦμα συνελθεῖν αὐτοῖς μηδὲν διακρινόμενον. βʹ. Ὁρᾷς, ὅτι Πνεύματος ἡ νομοθεσία; Ἦλθον δὲ σὺν ἐμοὶ καὶ οἱ ἓξ ἀδελφοὶ οὗτοι. Τί γένοιτ' ἂν ταπεινότερον Πέτρου, ὃς ἀπὸ ταύτης καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὴν μαρτυρίαν προβάλλεται; Συνῆλθον δέ μοι ἓξ ἀδελφοὶ, καὶ εἰσήλθομεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ ἀνδρός. Ἀπήγγειλε δὲ ἡμῖν, πῶς εἶδε τὸν ἄγγελον ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ σταθέντα καὶ εἰπόντα αὐτῷ: Ἀπόστειλον εἰς Ἰόππην ἄνδρας, καὶ μετάπεμψαι Σίμωνα τὸν ἐπικαλούμενον Πέτρον, ὃς λαλήσει ῥήματα πρὸς σὲ, ἐν οἷς σωθήσῃ σὺ καὶ πᾶς ὁ οἶκός σου. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπε τὰ παρὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου ῥηθέντα τῷ Κορνηλίῳ: Αἱ εὐχαί σου καὶ αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι σου ἀνέβησαν εἰς μνημόσυνον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα μὴ προσστῇ αὐτοῖς: ἀλλ' ἅπερ οὐδὲν εἶχον μέγα: Λαλήσει ῥήματα πρὸς σὲ, ἐν οἷς σωθήσῃ σὺ καὶ πᾶς ὁ οἶκός σου. Ὁρᾷς, πῶς δι' ὅπερ ἔφθην ἐπείγεται; Καὶ οὐδὲν λέγει περὶ τῆς ἐπιεικείας τοῦ ἀνδρός. Τοῦ Πνεύματος τοίνυν πέμψαντος, τοῦ Θεοῦ κελεύσαντος, διὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου ἐκεῖθεν καλέσαντος, ἐντεῦθεν ὠθοῦντος, λύοντος τὴν διαφορὰν τῶν πραγμάτων, τί ποιῆσαι ἔδει; Ἀλλ' οὐ λέγει τούτων οὐδὲν, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τοῦ ὑστέρου ἰσχυρίζεται: ὃ καὶ κατ' αὐτὸ ἀναμφισβήτητον ἦν μαρτύριον. Καὶ διὰ τί, φησὶ, μὴ τοῦτο γέγονε μόνον; Ἐκ περιουσίας παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα δειχθῇ καὶ ἡ ἀρχὴ οὐ παρὰ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου. Εἰ δὲ αὐτόματος ἀπῆλθεν, οὐδενὸς τούτων γενομένου, πάνυ ἂν ἐπλήγησαν: ὥστε ἄνωθεν αὐτῶν τὴν διάνοιαν οἰκειοῖ, λέγων πρὸς αὐτούς: Οἵτινες τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἔλαβον ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς. Καὶ πάλιν: Ἐν δὲ τῷ ἄρξασθαί με λαλεῖν, ἐπέπεσε τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπ' αὐτοὺς, ὥσπερ καὶ ἐφ' ἡμᾶς ἐν ἀρχῇ. Καὶ οὐκ ἀρκεῖται τούτῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ῥήματος ἀναμιμνήσκει τοῦ Κυρίου: Ἐμνήσθην δὲ τοῦ ῥήματος Κυρίου ὡς ἔλεγεν: Ἰωάννης μὲν ἐβάπτισεν ὕδατι, ὑμεῖς δὲ βαπτισθήσεσθε ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ. Ὥστε οὐδὲν καινότερον γέγονεν, ἀλλ' ὅπερ προεῖπεν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔδει βαπτίσαι, φησί: ἀπήρτιστο γὰρ τὸ βάπτισμα, τοῦ Πνεύματος αὐτοῖς ἐπιπεπτωκότος. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐ λέγει: Ἐκέλευσα πρότερον αὐτοὺς βαπτισθῆναι: ἀλλὰ τί; Μήτι τὸ ὕδωρ κωλῦσαι δύναταί τις, τοῦ μὴ βαπτισθῆναι τούτους; ἐκ τούτου δεικνὺς ἑαυτὸν οὐδὲν ποιήσαντα. Ὅπερ τοίνυν ἐσχήκαμεν ἡμεῖς, ἔλαβον ἐκεῖνοι. Εἰ οὖν τὴν ἴσην δωρεὰν, φησὶν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς, ὡς καὶ ἡμῖν πιστεύσασιν ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν, ἐγὼ τίς ἤμην δυνατὸς κωλῦσαι τὸν Θεόν; Ἵνα ἐκ περιουσίας αὐτῶν ἐμφράξῃ τὰ στόματα, διὰ τοῦτο προσέθηκε: Τὴν ἴσην δωρεάν. Ὁρᾷς, πῶς οὐκ ἀφίησιν αὐτοὺς ἔλαττον ἔχειν πιστεύσαντας ἅπαξ; Τὴν ἴσην δωρεὰν ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς, ὡς καὶ ἡμῖν πιστεύσασιν ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον: ὥστε αὐτὸς καθαίρει αὐτούς. Καὶ οὐ λέγει, Ὑμῖν: ἀλλ', Ἡμῖν, λεαίνων καὶ ταύτῃ τὸν λόγον. Τί τοίνυν ἀναξιοπαθεῖτε, ὅταν ἡμεῖς αὐτοὺς κοινωνοὺς λέγωμεν; Ἀκούσαντες δὲ ταῦτα, ἡσύχασαν, καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν Θεὸν, λέγοντες: Ἄρα γε καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν μετάνοιαν ἔδωκεν εἰς ζωήν. Ὁρᾷς πῶς ἀπὸ τῆς δημηγορίας τοῦ Πέτρου τὸ πᾶν γέγονε καλῶς ἀπαγγείλαντος τὰ γεγενημένα; Διὸ καὶ ἐδόξαζον τὸν Θεὸν, ὅτι τὴν μετάνοιαν καὶ αὐτοῖς ἔδωκεν: οὕτως ἐταπεινώθησαν ἀπὸ τούτων τῶν λόγων. Ἐντεῦθεν ἀνεῴχθη ἡ θύρα πρὸς τὰ ἔθνη λοιπόν. Ἴδωμεν δὲ, εἰ δοκεῖ, ἄνωθεν τὰ εἰρημένα. Οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι Διεκρίθη Πέτρος, ἀλλ', Οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς: ἐπεὶ αὐτὸς ᾔδει τὸ κατασκευαζόμενον. Καὶ μὴν ἐκεῖνο ἐχρῆν θαυμάσαι, πῶς καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐπίστευσαν. ὅτε μὲν οὖν ἤκουσαν, ὅτι ἐπίστευσαν, οὐδὲν ἔπαθον: ἀλλ' ὅτε ὁ Θεὸς ἐχαρίσατο τὸ Πνεῦμα, ὅτε ὁ Πέτρος ἐξετίθει τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἔκστασιν, λέγων: Ὁ Θεὸς ἔδειξέ μοι μηδένα κοινὸν ἢ ἀκάθαρτον λέγειν ἄνθρωπον. Οὕτως ἄνωθεν ᾔδει τοῦτο. Διὸ καὶ προκατασκευάζει τὸν λόγον τὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐθνῶν, δεικνὺς, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἔθνη λοιπὸν ἦν τῆς πίστεως παραγενομένης. Οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν τοίνυν, εἰ πρὸ τοῦ βαπτίσματος τὸ Πνεῦμα ἔλαβον: καὶ ἐφ' ἡμῶν τοῦτο γέγονεν. Ἐνταῦθα δείκνυσιν ὁ Πέτρος, ὅτι οὐδὲ ὡς οἱ λοιποὶ ἐβαπτίσθησαν, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ βέλτιον. Διὰ τοῦτο δὲ οὕτως ἐκ περιουσίας οἰκονομεῖται, ἵνα μηδὲν ἔχωσι λέγειν, ἀλλὰ κἂν οὕτως ἴσους αὐτοῖς νομίσωσι. Καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν, φησὶν, ἐπιμεῖναι. Ὁρᾷς, πῶς οὐκ οἰκείως πρὸς αὐτὸν διέκειντο; εἶδες τὸν ζῆλον, οἷον εἶχον ὑπὲρ τοῦ νόμου; Οὐ τὸ ἀξίωμα Πέτρου ᾐδέσθησαν, οὐ τὰ γενόμενα σημεῖα, οὐ τὸ κατόρθωμα, ὅσον ἦν τὸ δέξασθαι τὸν λόγον: ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῶν μικρῶν ἐκείνων διεκρίνοντο. Εἰ γὰρ μηδὲν τούτων ἦν, οὐκ ἤρκει τὸ κατόρθωμα. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀπολογεῖται οὕτω Πέτρος: συνετὸς γὰρ ἦν: μᾶλλον δὲ οὐ τῆς συνέσεως αὐτοῦ ἦν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τὰ ῥήματα. Καὶ δείκνυσι διὰ τῆς ἀπολογίας ἑαυτὸν μὲν οὐδαμοῦ αἴτιον, πανταχοῦ δὲ τὸν Θεόν. Καὶ μονονουχὶ πρὸς αὐτοὺς τοῦτο λέγει: Ἐν ἐκστάσει με γενέσθαι αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν: ἐγὼ γὰρ ἁπλῶς προσευχόμενος ἤμην: τὸ σκεῦος αὐτὸς ἔδειξεν: ἐγὼ ἀντεῖπον: πάλιν αὐτὸς εἶπεν, καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἤκουσα: Τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐκέλευσεν ἀπελθεῖν: καὶ ὅμως ἀπελθὼν οὐκ ἐπέδραμον: εἶπον, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἔπεμψε, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα οὐδὲ οὕτως ἐβάπτισα, ἀλλὰ πάλιν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ πᾶν εἰργάσατο. Ἄρα Θεὸς αὐτοὺς ἐβάπτισεν, οὐκ ἐγώ. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπε: Τούτων γεγονότων ἁπάντων, οὐκ ἔδει τὸ ὕδωρ προσθεῖναι λοιπόν; ἀλλ' ὡς οὐδενὸς λείποντος, Ἐγὼ τίς ἤμην, φησὶ, κωλῦσαι τὸν Θεόν; Βαβαὶ, οἵα ἡ ἀπολογία! οὐ γὰρ εἶπε: Ταῦτα οὖν εἰδότες ἡσυχάζετε: ἀλλὰ τί; Δέχεται αὐτῶν τὴν ὁρμὴν, καὶ ἐγκαλοῦσιν ἀπολογεῖται: Τίς ἤμην δυνατὸς κωλῦσαι τὸν Θεόν; λέγων: σφόδρα ἐντρεπτικῶς καὶ βαρέως χρησάμενος τῇ ἀπολογίᾳ: Οὐκ ἠδυνάμην κωλῦσαι. Ὅθεν λοιπὸν φοβηθέντες, ἡσύχασαν, καὶ ἐδόξαζον τὸν Θεόν. γʹ. Οὕτω καὶ ἡμᾶς χρὴ ἐν τοῖς τῶν πλησίον ἀγαθοῖς δοξάζειν τὸν Θεὸν, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐπηρεάζειν, καθάπερ οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν νεοφωτίστων ἐπηρεάζουσιν, ὅταν ἄλλους ἴδωσι φωτισθέντας καὶ εὐθὺς ἀπιόντας. Δοξάζειν δεῖ τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ὅτι μένειν οὐ συγχωρεῖ. Ὥστε καὶ σὺ ἐὰν θέλῃς, μείζονα ἔλαβες δωρεάν: οὐ κατὰ τὸ φώτισμα λέγω (ἡ γὰρ αὐτή ἐστι κἀκείνου καὶ σοῦ), ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ λαβεῖν προθεσμίαν εὐδοκιμήσεως. Ἐκεῖνος ἐνεδύσατο τὴν στολὴν καὶ οὐκ ἀφέθη ἐμπομπεῦσαι ἐν αὐτῇ: σοὶ πολλὴν ἔδωκεν ἐξουσίαν ὁ Θεὸς χρήσασθαι τοῖς ὅπλοις εἰς δέον, καὶ λαβεῖν αὐτῶν ἐντεῦθεν τὴν πεῖραν. Ἐκεῖνος ἄπεισι τῆς πίστεως μόνον ἔχων τὸν μισθόν: σὺ ἕστηκας ἐν τῷ σταδίῳ τῶν ἔργων δυνάμενος λαβεῖν πολλὰς τὰς ἀμοιβὰς, καὶ τοσοῦτον ἐκείνου φανῆναι λαμπρότερος, ὅσον ὁ ἥλιος τοῦ μικροτάτου ἀστέρος, ὅσον ὁ στρατηγὸς τοῦ ἐσχάτου στρατιώτου, μᾶλλον δὲ ὅσον ὁ βασιλεύς. Σαυτὸν τοίνυν αἰτιῶ: μᾶλλον δὲ μὴ αἰτιῶ, ἀλλὰ διόρθου ἀεί: οὐ γὰρ ἀρκεῖ τὸ αἰτιάσασθαι: ἔξεστιν ἀναμαχέσασθαι. Κατεβλήθης; δεινὰ ἔπαθες; Ἀνάστηθι, ἀνάκτησαι σαυτόν: ἔτι ἐν τῷ σταδίῳ ἕστηκας, ἔτι τὸ θέατρον συνέστηκεν. Οὐχ ὁρᾷς πόσοι καταπαλαισθέντες, ὕστερον ἀνεμαχέσαντο; Μόνον μὴ ἑκὼν καταπέσῃς. Μακαρίζεις τὸν ἀπελθόντα; Πολλῷ μᾶλλον μακάρισον σαυτόν. Ἀφέθη ἁμαρτημάτων ἐκεῖνος; Ἀλλ', ἐὰν θέλῃς σὺ, οὐ μόνον τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ἀπονίψῃ, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατορθώματα ἕξεις, ὅπερ ἐπ' ἐκείνου οὐ δυνατόν. Ἔνεστιν ἡμᾶς ἀνακαλέσασθαι ἑαυτούς. Μεγάλα τῆς μετανοίας τὰ φάρμακα: μηδεὶς ἀπογινωσκέτω ἑαυτοῦ. Ἐκεῖνος ὄντως ἀπογνώσεως ἄξιος, ὁ ἀπογινώσκων ἑαυτοῦ: ἐκεῖνος οὐκ ἔτι σωτηρίας ἔχει ἐλπίδας. Οὐ τὸ εἰς βάθος κακῶν ἐλθεῖν δεινὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ κεῖσθαι μετὰ τὸ ἐλθεῖν: οὐ τὸ εἰς βάθος κακῶν ἐλθεῖν ἀσεβὲς, ἀλλὰ τὸ καταφρονῆσαι μετὰ τὸ ἐλθεῖν. Δι' ὃ ὀφείλεις μεριμνᾷν, εἰπέ μοι, μᾶλλον καταφρονεῖς; Τραύματα τοσαῦτα ἔχων, ἀνέπεσες; Οὐδέν ἐστι ψυχῆς ἀνίατον τραῦμα: ἀλλ' ἐπὶ μὲν σώματος πολλὰ τοιαῦτα, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς οὐδέν: καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐκείνων μὲν οὐ διαλιμπάνομεν κάμνοντες, ὑπὲρ δὲ τούτων ῥᾳθυμοῦμεν. Οὐχ ὁρᾷς τὸν λῃστὴν, πῶς ἐν βραχεῖ χρόνῳ κατώρθωσεν; οὐχ ὁρᾷς τοὺς μάρτυρας, πῶς ἐν βραχεῖ τὸ πᾶν ἤνυσαν; Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔστιν ἄρτι μαρτυρίου καιρός; Ἀλλ' ἀγώνων ἐστὶ καιρὸς, ὃ πολλάκις εἶπον, εἰ βουλοίμεθα. Οἱ γὰρ θέλοντες, φησὶν, εὐσεβῶς ζῇν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, διωχθήσονται. Οἱ εὐσεβῶς ζῶντες ἀεὶ διώκονται, κἂν μὴ παρὰ ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ παρὰ δαιμόνων, ὃς δὴ καὶ χαλεπώτερός ἐστι διωγμός. Καὶ πρῶτον ὑπ' αὐτῆς μάλιστα τῆς ἀνέσεως τοῦτον ὑπομένουσιν οἱ μὴ νήφοντες. Ἢ μικρὸν οἴει διωγμὸν τὸ ἐν ἀνέσει εἶναι; Τοῦτο πάντων ἐστὶ βαρύτερον, τοῦτο καὶ διωγμοῦ χεῖρον. Καθάπερ γὰρ ῥεῦμα ἐπιῤῥέον ἡ ἄνεσις χαυνοῖ τὴν ψυχήν: καὶ ὅπερ ἐστὶ θέρος καὶ χειμὼν, τοῦτο διωγμὸς καὶ ἄνεσις. Ἵνα δὲ μάθῃς ἐκ περιουσίας, ὅτι χείρων οὗτος ὁ διωγμὸς, σκόπει ἐντεῦθεν. Ὕπνον καταχεῖ τῇ ψυχῇ, χάσμην πολλὴν καὶ ῥᾳθυμίαν ἐμποιεῖ, τὰ πάθη διεγείρει πάντοθεν, ὁπλίζει τῦφον, ὁπλίζει ἡδονὴν, ὁπλίζει θυμὸν, βασκανίαν, κενοδοξίαν, ζῆλον. Ἀλλ' ἐν διωγμῷ τούτων οὐδὲν ἐνοχλεῖν δύναται: ἀλλ' ὁ φόβος ἐπεισελθὼν καθάπερ τινὶ μάστιγι σφόδρα κύνα ὑλακτοῦντα πλήξας, ταῦτα πάντα τὰ πάθη οὐδὲ γρῦξαι ἐᾷ. Τίς ἐν διωγμῷ κενοδοξῆσαι δύναται; τίς ἐν ἡδονῇ γενέσθαι; Οὐδείς: ἀλλὰ τρόμος πολὺς καὶ φόβος, πολλὴν τὴν γαλήνην ἐργαζόμενος, εὔδιον τὸν λιμένα παρασκευάζων, τὴν ψυχὴν εὐλαβῆ ποιῶν. Ἤκουσά ποτε πατέρων τῶν ἡμετέρων λεγόντων (ἐφ' ἡμῶν γὰρ μὴ γένοιτο: κελευόμεθα γὰρ μὴ αἰτεῖν πειρασμὸν), ὅτι κατὰ τὸν διωγμὸν τὸν παλαιὸν ἦν ἰδεῖν ὄντως Χριστιανοὺς ἄνδρας. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ χρημάτων ἐφρόντιζεν, οὐδεὶς γυναικὸς, οὐδεὶς παίδων, οὐδεὶς οἰκίας, οὐδεὶς πατρίδος: μία πᾶσιν ἦν σπουδὴ, τὴν ψυχὴν περισῶσαι ἑαυτῶν. Οἱ μὲν ἐν μνήμασι καὶ τάφοις, οἱ δὲ ἐν ἐρημίαις ἐκρύπτοντο. Οὐ μόνον δὲ ἄνδρες, ἀλλὰ καὶ γυναῖκες ἁπαλαὶ καὶ τρυφεραὶ τότε ἐκρύπτοντο, διηνεκεῖ μαχόμεναι λιμῷ. Ἐννόησον οὖν, εἴ τις πολυτελείας, εἴ τις τρυφῆς ἐπεισῆλθεν ἄν ποτε πόθος γυναικὶ παρὰ λάρνακι κρυπτομένῃ καὶ περιμενούσῃ τὴν θεραπαινίδα, ὅπως ἔλθῃ κομίζουσα δεῖπνον, καὶ φοβουμένῃ, μή πως ἁλῷ, καὶ καθάπερ ἐν καμίνῳ τῷ τάφῳ κειμένῃ: ἆρα γὰρ ἐνθυμήσεται, ὅτι γέγονέ ποτε τρυφὴ, ὅτι κόσμος ὅλως ἐστίν; Ὁρᾷς ὅτι νῦν ἐστι μᾶλλον ὁ διωγμὸς, καθάπερ θηρίων τῶν παθῶν ἐπιτιθεμένων ἡμῖν πάντοθεν; Νῦν ἐστιν ὁ χαλεπὸς διωγμὸς, ταύτῃ τε, καὶ ὅτι οὐδὲ νομίζεται εἶναι διωγμός. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο ἔχει τὸ χαλεπὸν οὗτος ὁ πόλεμος, ὃς εἰρήνη νομίζεται, ἵνα μὴ ὁπλιζώμεθα κατ' αὐτοῦ, μηδὲ διαναστῶμεν: οὐδεὶς δέδοικεν, οὐδεὶς τρέμει. Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖτε, τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἐρωτήσατε, τοὺς διώκοντας, πότε τὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀκριβέστερα, πότε δοκιμώτεροι πάντες; Εἰς ὀλίγον μὲν περιειστήκει τότε τὸ πλῆθος: εἰς πολὺν δὲ ἀρετῆς πλοῦτον ἦν. Τί γὰρ ὄφελος, εἰπέ μοι, πολὺν εἶναι χόρτον, παρὸν λίθους εἶναι τιμίους; Οὐκ ἐν τῷ πλήθει τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ, ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ δοκιμότητι τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸ πλῆθός ἐστιν. Ὁ Ἠλίας εἷς ἦν: ἀλλ' ὁ κόσμος οὐκ ἦν αὐτοῦ ἀντάξιος. Καὶ μὴν ὁ κόσμος μυριάδες εἰσίν: ἀλλ' οὐκ εἰσὶ μυριάδες, ὅταν μηδὲ πρὸς τὸν ἕνα ἐξισῶνται. Κρείσσων εἷς ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα Κυρίου, ἢ μύριοι παράνομοι. Τοῦτο καί τις σοφὸς αἰνιττόμενος οὕτω πώς φησι: Μὴ ἐπιθύμει πλῆθος τέκνων ἀχρήστων. Οὗτοι καὶ βλασφημίαν προστρίβονται τῷ Θεῷ μᾶλλον, ἢ εἰ μὴ ἦσαν Χριστιανοί. Τί μοι δεῖ πλήθους; Τροφὴ πλείων τῷ πυρί. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐκ τοῦ σώματος γνοίης ἂν, ὅτι βελτίων σύμμετρος τροφὴ μετὰ ὑγιείας, ἢ τρυφὴ μετὰ κακώσεως. Αὕτη πλείων ἐκείνης ἡ τροφή: τοῦτο τροφὴ, ἐκεῖνο νόσος. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐν πολέμῳ ἴδοι τις ἂν, βέλτιον εἶναι δέκα ἐμπείρους καὶ γενναίους ἄνδρας, ἢ μυρίους ἀπείρους. Οὗτοι πρὸς τῷ μηδὲν ἐργάσασθαι καὶ τοὺς ἐργαζομένους ἐγκόπτουσι. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ πλοίου εὕροι τις ἂν, βέλτιον εἶναι δύο ναύτας ἐμπείρους, ἢ μυρίον πλῆθος ἀπείρων: οὗτοι γὰρ τὸ πλοῖον καὶ καταδύσουσι. δʹ. Ταῦτα λέγω, οὐχὶ πρὸς τὸ πλῆθος ὑμῶν ἀπεχθῶς ἔχων, ἀλλὰ βουλόμενος πάντας εἶναι δοκίμους, καὶ μὴ τῷ πλήθει θαῤῥεῖν. Πολλῷ πλείους εἰσὶν οἱ εἰς τὴν γέενναν εἰσιόντες: ἀλλὰ μείζων αὐτῆς ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία, κἂν ὀλίγους ἔχῃ. Ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης ἦν τὸ πλῆθος τοῦ λαοῦ, ἀλλ' εἷς ἔσωσεν αὐτούς. Εἷς ἦν ὁ Μωϋσῆς, καὶ πάντων μείζονα ἴσχυσεν: εἷς ἦν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ τῶν ἑξακοσίων χιλιάδων πλέον ἠδυνήθη. Μὴ τοῦτο σπουδάζωμεν, ὅπως πολλοὶ γένοιντο μόνον, ἀλλὰ πρὸ τούτου, ὅπως δόκιμοι: ὅταν τοῦτο κατασκευασθῇ, τότε κἀκεῖνο. Οὐδεὶς οἰκίαν εὐρύχωρον πρῶτον βούλεται ποιῆσαι, ἀλλὰ πρῶτον ἰσχυρὰν καὶ δόκιμον, καὶ τότε εὐρύχωρον: οὐδεὶς βάλλει θεμέλια, ἵνα καταγελασθῇ. Πρῶτον τοῦτο ζητῶμεν, καὶ τότε ἐκεῖνο. Τούτου ὄντος, εὔκολον κἀκεῖνο ἔσται: ἐκείνου δὲ οὐκ ὄντος, τοῦτο κἂν ᾖ, οὐδὲν ὄφελος. Ὄντων μὲν γὰρ τῶν δυναμένων ἐν Ἐκκλησίᾳ λάμψαι, ταχέως ἔσται καὶ πλῆθος: τούτων δὲ οὐκ ὄντων, τὸ πλῆθος οὐδέποτε ἔσται δόκιμον. Πόσους οἴεσθε ἐν τῇ πόλει τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ εἶναι τοὺς σωζομένους; Ἐπαχθὲς μέν ἐστιν, ὃ μέλλω λέγειν: ἐρῶ δὲ ὅμως. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τοσαύταις μυριάσιν ἑκατὸν εὑρεῖν τοὺς σωζομένους: ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὲρ τούτων ἀμφισβητῶ. Πόση γὰρ, εἰπέ μοι, κακία ἐν τοῖς νέοις; πόση ῥᾳθυμία ἐν τοῖς γεγηρακόσιν; Οὐδεὶς ὡς χρὴ ἐπιμέλειαν ἔχει τοῦ παιδὸς τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ: οὐδεὶς ἔχει ζῆλον πρὸς πρεσβύτην ἰδὼν μιμήσασθαι. Τὰ ἀρχέτυπα ἠφάνισται: διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ οἱ νέοι γίνονται θαυμαστοί. Μή μοι ἐκεῖνο λέγε, ὅτι Πολυοχλοῦμεν. Τοῦτο ψυχρῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστί: καὶ ἐπὶ μὲν ἀνθρώπων εἰκότως ἂν τοῦτο λέγοιτο, ἐπὶ δὲ Θεοῦ τοῦ οὐ δεομένου ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἔτι. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἐκεῖ ψυχρόν ἐστι τὸ ῥῆμα, ἄκουσον. Ὁ πολλοὺς ἔχων οἰκέτας, ἂν διεφθαρμένους αὐτοὺς ἔχῃ, ὅσα πείσεται δεινά! Καὶ ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ μηδένα ἔχοντος τοῦτο δοκεῖ εἶναι τὸ δεινὸν, ὅτι οὐχ ὑπηρετεῖται: ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ τοὺς πονηροὺς ἔχοντος, καὶ ἑαυτὸν προσαπόλλυσι μετ' ἐκείνων, καὶ μείζων ἡ ζημία. Τοῦ γὰρ ἑαυτῷ διακονεῖν πολλῷ χαλεπώτερον τὸ καὶ ἑτέροις πυκτεύειν καὶ πόλεμον ἀναδέχεσθαι. Ταῦτα λέγω, ἵνα μή τις τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν θαυμάζῃ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος, ἀλλ' ἵνα σπουδάζωμεν αὐτὸ δόκιμον ἐργάσασθαι: ἵνα ἕκαστος τοῦ οἰκείου προνοῇ μέλους, οὐχὶ τῶν φίλων, οὐδὲ τῶν συγγενῶν, ὅπερ ἀεὶ λέγω, οὐδὲ τῶν γειτόνων: ἀλλὰ καὶ ὥστε τοὺς ξένους ἐφέλκεσθαι. Οἷον, εὐχὴ γίνεται, κεῖνται πάντες νέοι ψυχροὶ καὶ γέροντες: καθάρματα μᾶλλον ἢ νέοι, γελῶντες, ἀνακαγχάζοντες, διαλεγόμενοι (καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο ἤκουσα γινόμενον), καὶ ἀλλήλους σκώπτοντες ἐπὶ γόνατα κείμενοι: σὺ παρέστηκας ὁ νέος ἢ ὁ πρεσβύτης, ἐπίπληξον, ἂν ἴδῃς, ἐγκάλεσον σφοδρότερον, οὐκ ἀνεχόμενον, τὸν διάκονον κάλεσον, ἀπείλησον, τὰ παρὰ σαυτοῦ ποίησον: καὶ ἐὰν τολμήσῃ τι εἰς σὲ ἐργάσασθαι, πάντως πολλοὺς ἕξεις τοὺς συναιρομένους. Τίς γὰρ οὕτως ἀλόγιστος, ὡς ἰδών σε ἐγκαλοῦντα ὑπὲρ τοιούτων κἀκείνους ἐγκαλουμένους, μὴ τῆς σῆς γενέσθαι μερίδος; Ἄπελθε λαβὼν τὸν μισθὸν ἀπὸ τῆς εὐχῆς. Ἐν οἰκίᾳ δεσποτικῇ τούτους εὐνουστέρους τῶν δούλων κρίνομεν, ὅσοιπερ ἂν μηδὲν παρορῶσιν ἀτάκτως κείμενον σκεῦος. Εἰπὲ δή μοι, ἂν ἴδῃς ἐν οἰκίᾳ τὸ ἀργύρεον σκεῦος ἔξω ἐῤῥιμμένον, κἂν μὴ ᾖς ἐπιτεταγμένος, ἆρ' οὐ λήψῃ τοῦτο καὶ εἰσοίσεις ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ; ἂν ἱμάτιον ἁπλῶς ἐῤῥιμμένον, κἂν μὴ ἔχῃς τὴν φροντίδα, κἂν ἐχθρὸς ᾖς τοῦ προστεταχότος, διὰ τὴν εἰς τὸν δεσπότην εὔνοιαν, οὐ θήσεις τοῦτο καλῶς; Οὕτω καὶ νῦν. Σκεύη ταῦτά ἐστιν: ἂν ἴδῃς ἀτάκτως κείμενα, μεταῤῥύθμισον: ἐμοὶ πρόσελθε, οὐ παραιτοῦμαι: ἐμοὶ εἰπὲ, δῆλον κατάστησον: οὐ δύναμαι πάντα ὁρᾷν, σύγγνωτε. Ὁρᾶτε, ὅση κακία τὴν οἰκουμένην κατέχει. Μήτι ἁπλῶς ἔλεγον, ὅτι πλῆθός ἐσμεν χόρτου, πέλαγος ἄτακτον; Οὐ λέγω, ὅτι ἐκεῖνοι τοιαῦτα ποιοῦσιν, ἀλλ' ὅτι τοσοῦτος ὕπνος καταχεῖται τῶν εἰσιόντων, ὥστε μηδὲ ταῦτα διορθοῦν. Πάλιν ἑτέρους ὁρῶ διαλεγομένους ἑστῶτας, τῆς εὐχῆς γινομένης: οἱ δὲ ἐπιεικέστεροι αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ τῆς εὐχῆς γινομένης μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐλογοῦντος τοῦ ἱερέως. Ὢ τῆς τόλμης! πότε ἔσται σωτηρία; πῶς δυνησόμεθα τὸν Θεὸν ἐξιλεώσασθαι; Εἰς παιδιὰν ἂν ἀπέλθῃς, ὄψει πάντας εὐρύθμους χορεύοντας, καὶ οὐδὲν παρημελημένον. Ὡς οὖν ἐν λύρᾳ παναρμονίῳ καὶ ποικίλως ἐσκευασμένῃ μία τις εὔηχος συμφωνία ἀποτελεῖται ἐκ τῆς καθ' ἕκαστον εὐταξίας τῶν συγκειμένων: οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα μίαν ἐξ ἁπάντων σύμφωνον ἁρμονίαν προσῆκεν ἀποτελεῖσθαι. Μία γὰρ γεγόναμεν Ἐκκλησία, μιᾶς κεφαλῆς συναρμολογούμενα μέλη τελοῦμεν, ἓν οἱ πάντες κατέστημεν σῶμα: ἂν ἀμεληθῇ τὸ τυχὸν, τὸ πᾶν ἠμέληται καὶ διέφθαρται. Οὕτω τῇ τῶν πολλῶν εὐταξίᾳ ἡ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀταξία λυμαίνεται. Καὶ τὸ δὴ φοβερὸν, ὅτι ἐνταῦθα οὐχὶ παιδιὰν οὐδὲ χορείαν ἔρχῃ χορεύσων, καὶ ἕστηκας ἄτακτος. Οὐκ οἶδας ὅτι μετὰ ἀγγέλων ἕστηκας; μετ' ἐκείνων ᾄδεις, μετ' ἐκείνων ὑμνεῖς, καὶ ἕστηκας γελῶν; Ὅτι γὰρ σκηπτὸς οὐκ ἀφίεται, οὐκ ἐπ' ἐκείνους μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐφ' ἡμᾶς, οὐ θαυμαστόν; ἄξια γὰρ σκηπτοῦ ταῦτα. Πάρεστιν ὁ βασιλεὺς, θεωρεῖ τὸ στρατόπεδον: σὺ δὲ ὑπὸ ταῖς ἐκείνων ὄψεσιν ἕστηκας γελῶν, ἢ τὸν γελῶντα περιορῶν; ἀλλὰ μέχρι τίνος ἐγκαλοῦμεν; μέχρι τίνος μεμφόμεθα; Οὐ γὰρ ὡς λυμεῶνας, οὐ γὰρ ὡς φθορέας, οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἐξώλεις καὶ διεφθαρμένους τοὺς τοιούτους, καὶ μυρίων γέμοντας κακῶν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐπελαύνεσθαι ἔδει; Πότε οὗτοι φείσονται γέλωτος, οἱ ἐν ὥρᾳ φρίκης γελῶντες; πότε ἀφέξονται φλυαρίας, οἱ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς εὐλογίας διαλεγόμενοι; οὐ τοὺς παρόντας αἰδοῦνται; οὐ γὰρ τὸν Θεὸν δεδοίκασιν; οὐ γὰρ ἀρκεῖ ἡμῖν ἡ κατὰ διάνοιαν ῥᾳθυμία, οὐδὲ ὅτι εὐχόμενοι ἀλλαχοῦ ῥεμβόμεθα: ἀλλὰ καὶ γέλωτα ἐπεισάγομεν καὶ πολὺν τὸν καγχασμόν. Μὴ γὰρ θέατρόν ἐστι τὰ ἐνταῦθα; Ἀλλ', οἶμαι, τὰ θέατρα τοῦτο ποιεῖ: δυσηνίους τοὺς πολλοὺς ἡμῖν καθίστησιν καὶ ἀῤῥύθμους. Ἅπερ οἰκοδομοῦμεν ἐνταῦθα, ἐκεῖ καταστρέφεται: καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρας ἀκαθαρσίας ἀνάγκη αὐτοὺς ἀναπεπλῆσθαι. Καὶ ταυτὸν γίνεται, οἷον ἂν εἴ τις χωρίον ἐθέλοι καθᾶραι, πηγῆς ἄνωθεν ὑπερκειμένης βόρβορον ἀφιείσης: ὅσον γὰρ ἂν καθάρῃς, πάλιν ἕτερον ἐπιῤῥεῖ. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθα γίνεται. Ὅταν γὰρ καθάρωμεν ἀπὸ τῶν θεάτρων εἰσιόντας, ἀκαθαρσίαν ἐπιφέροντας, ἀπελθόντες πάλιν ἐκεῖ, μείζονα δέχονται τὴν ἀκαθαρσίαν, ὡς ἐπίτηδες διὰ τοῦτο ζῶντες, ἵνα κόπους ἡμῖν παρέχωσι, καὶ ἔρχονται πάλιν πολλὴν κόπρον βαστάζοντες, ἐν τοῖς ἤθεσιν, ἐν τοῖς κινήμασιν, ἐν τοῖς ῥήμασιν, ἐν τῷ γέλωτι, ἐν τῇ ῥᾳθυμίᾳ. Εἶτα πάλιν ἡμεῖς σκάπτομεν ἄνωθεν, ὡς ἐπίτηδες διὰ τοῦτο σκάπτοντες, ἵνα καθαροὺς αὐτοὺς πέμψαντες πάλιν ἴδωμεν συναγαγόντας τὸν βόρβορον. Διὰ τοῦτο παραδίδωμι ὑμᾶς τῷ Θεῷ. Ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη καὶ διαμαρτύρομαι ὑμῖν τοῖς ὑγιαίνουσιν, ὅτι κρῖμα ὑμῖν ἔσται καὶ κατάκριμα, εἴ τις ἰδὼν ἀτακτοῦντα, εἴ τις διαλεγόμενον μάλιστα ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ, μὴ καταμηνύσει, μηδὲ ἐπιστρέψει: βέλτιον εὐχῆς τοῦτο. Ἄφες σου τὴν εὐχὴν, κἀκείνῳ ἐπιτίμησον: οὕτω κἀκεῖνον ὠφελήσεις, καὶ σὺ κερδανεῖς. Οὕτω καὶ δυνησόμεθα ἅπαντες σωθῆναι, καὶ τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας ἐπιτυχεῖν: ἧς γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἀπολαῦσαι χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.