Homily XXVIII.

Hebrews xi. 37, 38

“They wandered about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented (of whom this673   οὗτος. Mr. F. observes that St. Chrys. more usually cites the text without οὗτοςworld was not worthy); wandering in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and caves of the earth.”

[1.] At all times indeed, but especially then when I reflect upon the achievements of the saints, it comes over me to feel despondency concerning my own condition,674   ἀ παγορεύειν τὰ καθ̓ ἑ because we have not even in dreams experienced the things among which those men spent their whole lives, not paying the penalty of sins, but always doing rightly and yet always afflicted.

For consider, I beseech you, Elijah, to whom our discourse has come round to-day, for he speaks of him in this passage, and in him his examples end: which [example] was appropriate to their case. And having spoken of what befell the Apostles, that “they were slain with the sword, were stoned,” he goes back again to Elijah, who suffered the same things with them. (See 2 Kings i. 8.) For since it was probable that they would not as yet hold the Apostles in so great estimation, he brings his exhortation and consolation from him who had been taken up [into Heaven] and who was held in special admiration.

For “they wandered about” (he says) “in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented,675   “ill-treated,” κακουχούμενοι of whom this world was not worthy.”

They had not even raiment, he says, through the excess of affliction, no city, no house, no lodging-place; the same which Christ said, “but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.” ( Matt. viii. 20.) Why do I say “no lodging-place”? No standing-place: for not even when they had gained the wilderness, were they at rest. For he said not, They sat down in the wilderness, but even when they were there, they fled, and were driven thence, not out of the inhabited world only, but even out of that which was uninhabitable. And he reminds them of the places where they were set, and of things which there befell [them].

Then next, he says, they bring accusations against you for Christ’s sake. What accusation had they against Elijah, when they drove him out, and persecuted him, and compelled him to struggle with famine? Which these [Hebrews] were then suffering. At least, the brethren, it is said, decided to send [relief] to those of the disciples who were afflicted. “Every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren that dwelt in Judea” ( Acts xi. 29 ), which was [the case] of these also.

“Tormented” [or “ill-treated”], he says; that is, suffering distress, in journeyings, in dangers.

But “They wandered about,” what is this? “Wandering,” he says, “in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth,” like exiles and outcasts, as persons taken in the basest [of crimes], as those not worthy to see the sun, they found no refuge from the wilderness, but must always be flying, must be seeking hiding-places, must bury themselves alive in the earth, always be in terror.

[2.] What then is the reward of so great a change?676   ἀ μοιβῆς, i.e. the accepting sufferings instead of an easy life. What is the recompense?

They have not yet received it, but are still waiting; and after thus dying in so great tribulation, they have not yet received it. They gained their victory so many ages ago, and have not yet received [their reward]. And you who are yet in the conflict, are you vexed?

Do you also consider what a thing it is, and how great, that Abraham should be sitting, and the Apostle Paul, waiting till thou hast been perfected, that then they may be able to receive their reward. For the Saviour has told them before that unless we also are present, He will not give it them. As an affectionate father might say to sons who were well approved, and had accomplished their work, that he would not give them to eat, unless their brethren came. And art thou vexed, that thou hast not yet received the reward? What then shall Abel do, who was victor before all, and is sitting uncrowned? And what Noah? And what, they who lived in those [early] times: seeing that they wait for thee and those after thee?

Dost thou see that we have the advantage of them? For “God” (he says) “has provided some better thing for us.” In order that they might not seem to have the advantage of us from being crowned before us, He appointed one time of crowning for all; and he that gained the victory so many years before, receives his crown with thee. Seest thou His tender carefulness?

And he did not say, “that they without us might not be crowned,” but “that they without us might not be made perfect”; so that at that time they appear perfect also. They were before us as regards the conflicts, but are not before us as regards the crowns. He wronged not them, but He honored us. For they also wait for the brethren. For if we are “all one body,” the pleasure becomes greater to this body, when it is crowned altogether, and not part by part. For the righteous are also worthy of admiration in this, that they rejoice in the welfare of their brethren, as in their own. So that for themselves also, this is according to their wish, to be crowned along with their own members. To be glorified all together, is a great delight.

[3.] ( C. xii. 1 ) “Wherefore” (he says) “we also being compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses.” In many places the Scripture derives its consolation in evils from corresponding things. As when the prophet says, “From burning heat, and from storm, and rain.” ( Isa. iv. 6.) This at least he says here also, that the memory of those holy men, reestablishes and recovers the soul which had been weighed down by woes, as a cloud does him who is burnt by the too hot rays [of the sun.]

And he did not say, “lifted on high above us,” but, “compassing us about,” which was more than the other; so that we are in greater security.

What sort of “cloud”? “A load of witnesses.”677   μαρτύρων ὄγκον. St. Chrys. connects ὄ γκον with μαρτύρων and takes πάντα as a neuter plural; the words of the Apostle, τοσοῦτον ἔχοντες περικείμενον ἡμῖν νέφος, μαρτύρων ὄγκον, ἀποθέμενοι πάντα, he would understand thus, “Seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud, a load of witnesses, let us lay aside all things,” &c. [But previously he has connected with γέφος, so that the present. connection with ὄ γκον was probably an afterthought on the spur of the moment.—F.G.] With good reason he calls not those in the New [Testament] only, but those in the Old also, “witnesses” [or “martyrs”]. For they also were witnesses to the greatness of God, as for instance, the Three Children, those with Elijah, all the prophets.

“Laying aside all things.” “All”: what? That is, slumber, indifference, mean reasonings, all human things.

“And the sin which doth [so] easily beset us”; εὐπερίστατον, that is either, “which easily circumvents us,” or “what can easily be circumvented,”678   περίστασιν παθεῖν but rather this latter. For it is easy, if we will, to overcome sin.

“Let us run with patience” (he says) “the race that is set before us.” He did not say, Let us contend as boxers, nor, Let us wrestle, nor, Let us do battle: but, what was lightest of all, the [contest] of the foot-race, this has he brought forward. Nor yet did he say, Let us add to the length of the course; but, Let us continue patiently in this, let us not faint. “Let us run” (he says) “the race that is set before us.”

[4.] In the next place as the sum and substance of his exhortation, which he puts both first and last, even Christ. ( Ver. 2 ) “Looking” (he says) “unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith”; The very thing which Christ Himself also continually said to His disciples, “If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of His household?” ( Matt. x. 25.) And again, “The disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord.” ( Matt. x. 24.)

“Looking” (he says), that is, that we may learn to run. For as in all arts and games, we impress the art upon our mind by looking to our masters, receiving certain rules through our sight, so here also, if we wish to run, and to learn to run well, let us look to Christ, even to Jesus “the author and finisher of our faith.” What is this? He has put the Faith within us. For He said to His disciples, “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you” ( John xv. 16 ); and Paul too says, “But then shall I know, even as also I have been known.”679   ἐ πεγνώσθην ( 1 Cor. xiii. 12.) He put the Beginning into us, He will also put on the End.

“Who,” he says, “for the joy that was set before Him, endured the Cross, despising the shame.” That is, it was in His power not to suffer at all, if He so willed. For “He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth” ( 1 Pet. ii. 22 ); as He also says in the Gospels, “The Prince of the world cometh and hath nothing in Me.” ( John xiv. 30.) It lay then in His power, if so He willed, not to come to the Cross. For, “I have power,” He says, “to lay down My life; and I have power to take it again.” ( John x. 18.) If then He who was under no necessity of being crucified, was crucified for our sake, how much more is it right that we should endure all things nobly!

“Who for the joy that was set before Him” (he says) “endured the cross, despising the shame.” But what is, “Despising the shame”? He chose, he means, that ignominious death. For suppose that He died. Why [should He] also [die] ignominiously? For no other reason, but to teach us to make no account of glory from men. Therefore though under no obligation He chose it, teaching us to be bold against it, and to set it at nought. Why did he say not “pain,” but “shame”? Because it was not with pain680   λύπης that He bore these things.

What then is the end? “He is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Seest thou the prize which Paul also says in an epistle, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus Christ every knee should bow.” ( Philip. ii. 9, 10.) He speaks in respect to the flesh.681   the human nature. Well then, even if there were no prize, the example would suffice to persuade us to accept all [such] things. But now prizes also are set before us, and these no common ones, but great and unspeakable.

[5.] Wherefore let us also, whenever we suffer anything of this kind, before the Apostles consider Christ. Why? His whole life was full of insults. For He continually heard Himself called mad, and a deceiver, and a sorcerer; and at one time the Jews said, “Nay,” (it says) “but He deceiveth the people.” ( John vii. 12.) And again, “That deceiver said while He was yet alive, after three days I will rise again.” ( Matt. xxvii. 63.) As to sorcery too they calumniated Him, saying, “He casteth out the devils by Beelzebub.” ( Matt. xii. 24.) And that “He is mad and hath a devil.” ( John x. 20.) “Said we not well” (it says) “that He hath a devil and is mad?” ( John viii. 48.)

And these things He heard from them, when doing them good, performing miracles, showing forth the works of God. For indeed, if He had been so spoken of, when He did nothing, it would not have been so wonderful: But [it is wonderful] that when He was teaching what pertained to Truth He was called “a deceiver,” and when He cast out devils, was said to “have a devil,” and when He was overthrowing all that was opposed [to God], was called a sorcerer. For these things they were continually alleging against Him.

And if thou wouldst know both the scoffs682   σκώμματα and the ironical jeerings,683   εἰρωνείας which they made against Him (what particularly wounds our souls), hear first those from His kindred. “Is not this” (it says) “the carpenter’s son, whose father and mother we know? Are not his brethren all with us?” ( Matt. xiii. 55; Mark vi. 3; John vi. 42.) Also scoffing at Him from His country, they said He was “of Nazareth.” And again, “search,” it says, “and see, for out of Galilee hath no prophet arisen.” ( John vii. 52.) And He endured being so greatly calumniated. And again they said, “Doth not the Scripture say, that Christ cometh from the town of Bethlehem?” ( John vii. 42.)

Wouldst thou see also the ironical jeerings they made? Coming, it says, to the very cross they worshiped Him; and they struck Him and buffeted Him, and said, “Tell us who it is that smote Thee” ( Matt. xxvi. 68 ); and they brought vinegar to Him, and said, “If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the Cross.” ( Matt. xxvii. 40.) And again, the servant of the High Priest struck Him with the palm of his hand; and He says, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smiteth thou Me?” ( John xviii. 23.) And in derision they put a robe about Him; and they spat in His face; and they were continually applying their tests, tempting Him.

Wouldest thou see also the accusations, some secret, some open, some from disciples? “Will ye also go away?” ( John vi. 67 ) He says. And that saying, “Thou hast a devil” ( John viii. 48, vii. 20 ), was uttered by those who already believed. Was He not continually a fugitive, sometimes in Galilee, and sometimes in Judea? Was not His trial great, even from the swaddling clothes? When He was yet a young child, did not His mother take Him and go down into Egypt? For all these reasons he says, “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

To Him then let us look, also to the [sufferings684   τὰ] of His disciples, reading the [writings685   τὰ] of Paul, and hearing him say, “In much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in persecutions,686   [The insertion of ἐ νδιωγμοῖς here appears to be entirely without authority, and was probably a slip of memory.—F.G.] in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments.” ( 2 Cor. vi. 4, 5.) And again, “Even to this present hour, we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place, and labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we entreat.” ( 1 Cor. iv. 11–13.) Has any one [of us] suffered the smallest part of these things? For, he says, [we are] “As deceivers, as dishonored, as having nothing.” ( 2 Cor. vi. 8, 10.) And again, “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one; thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, a night and a day have I been in the deep; in journeyings often, in tribulations, in distress, in hunger.” ( 2 Cor. xi. 24–26.) And that these things seem good to God, hear him saying, “For this I besought the Lord thrice, and He said to me, My Grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” ( 2 Cor. xii. 8–10.) “Wherefore,” he says, “I take pleasure in infirmities, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Moreover, hear Christ Himself saying, “In the world ye shall have tribulation.” ( John xvi. 33.)

[6.] Ver. 3. “For consider,” saith he, “Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” For if the sufferings of those near us arouse us, what earnestness will not those of our Master give us! What will they not work in us!

And passing by all [else], he expressed the whole by the [word] “Contradiction”; and by adding “such.” For the blows upon the cheek, the laughter, the insults, the reproaches, the mockeries, all these he indicated by “contradiction.” And not these only, but also the things which befell Him during His whole life, of teaching.

For a great, a truly great consolation are both the sufferings of Christ, and those of the Apostles. For He so well knew that this is the better way of virtue, as even to go that way Himself, not having need thereof: He knew so well that tribulation is expedient for us, and that it becomes rather a foundation for repose. For hear Him saying, “If a man take not his cross, and follow after Me, he is not worthy of Me.” ( Matt. x. 38.) If thou art a disciple, He means, imitate the Master; for this is [to be] a disciple. But if while He went by [the path of] affliction, thou [goest] by that of ease, thou no longer treadest the same path, which He trod, but another. How then dost thou follow, when thou followest not? How shalt thou be a disciple, not going after the Master? This Paul also says, “We are weak, but ye are strong; we are despised, but ye are honored.” ( 1 Cor. iv. 10.) How is it reasonable, he means, that we should be striving after opposite things, and yet that you should be disciples and we teachers?

[7.] Affliction then is a great thing, beloved, for it accomplishes two great things; It wipes out sins, and it makes men strong.

What then, you say, if it overthrow and destroy? Affliction does not do this, but our own slothfulness. How (you say)? If we are sober and watchful, if we beseech God that He would not “suffer us to be tempted above that we are able” ( 1 Cor. x. 13 ), if we always hold fast to Him, we shall stand nobly, and set ourselves against our enemy. So long as we have Him for our helper, though temptations blow more violently than all the winds, they will be to us as chaff and a leaf borne lightly along. Hear Paul saying, “In all these things” (are his words) “we are more than conquerors.” ( Rom. viii. 37.) And again, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” ( Rom. viii. 18.) And again, “For the light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” ( 2 Cor. iv. 17.)

Consider what great dangers, shipwrecks, afflictions one upon another, and other such things, he calls “light”; and emulate this inflexible one, who wore this body simply and heedlessly.687   ἁ πλῶς καὶ εἰκῆ Thou art in poverty? But not in such as Paul, who was tried by hunger, and thirst, and nakedness. For he suffered this not for one day, but endured it continually. Whence does this appear? Hear himself saying, “Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked.” ( 1 Cor. iv. 11.) Oh! How great glory did he already have in preaching, when he was undergoing so great [afflictions]! Having now [reached] the twentieth year [thereof], at the time when he wrote this. For he says, “I knew a man fourteen years ago, whether in the body, or out of the body, I know not.” ( 2 Cor. xii. 2.) And again, “After three years” (he says) “I went up to Jerusalem.” ( Gal. i. 18.) And again hear him saying, “It were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.” ( 1 Cor. ix. 15.) And not only this, but again also in writing he said, “We are become as the filth of the world.” ( 1 Cor. iv. 13.) What is more difficult to endure than hunger? What than freezing cold? What than plottings made by brethren whom he afterwards calls “false brethren”? ( 2 Cor. xi. 26.) Was he not called the pest of the world? An Impostor? A subverter? Was he not cut with scourging?

[8.] These things let us take into our mind, beloved, let us consider them, let us hold them in remembrance, and then we shall never faint, though we be wronged, though we be plundered, though we suffer innumerable evils. Let it be granted us to be approved in Heaven, and all things [are] endurable. Let it be granted us to fare well there, and things here are of no account. These things are a shadow, and a dream; whatever they may be, they are nothing either in nature or in duration, while those are hoped for and expected.

For what wouldst thou that we should compare with those fearful things? What with the unquenchable fire? With the never-dying worm? Which of the things here canst thou name in comparison with the “gnashing of teeth,” with the “chains,” and the “outer darkness,” with the “wrath,” the “tribulation,” the “anguish”? But as to duration? Why, what are ten thousand years to ages boundless and without end? Not so much as a little drop to the boundless ocean.

But what about the good things? There, the superiority is still greater. “Eye hath not seen,” (it is said,) “ear hath not heard, neither have, entered into the heart of man” ( 1 Cor. ii. 9 ), and these things again shall be during boundless ages. For the sake of these then were it not well to be cut [by scourging] times out of number, to be slain, to be burned, to undergo ten thousand deaths, to endure everything whatsoever that is dreadful both in word and deed? For even if it were possible for one to live when burning in the fire, ought one not to endure all for the sake of attaining to those good things promised?

[9.] But why do I trifle in saying these things to men who do not even choose to disregard riches, but hold fast to them as though they were immortal? And if they give a little out of much, think they have done all? This is not Almsgiving. For Almsgiving is that of the Widow who emptied out “all her living.” ( Mark xii. 44.) But if thou dost not go on to contribute so much as the widow, yet at least contribute the whole of thy superfluity: keep what is sufficient, not what is superfluous.

But there is no one who contributes even his superabundance. For so long as thou hast many servants,688   i.e. slaves. and garments of silk, these things are all superfluities. Nothing is indispensable or necessary, without which we are able to live; these things are superfluous, and are simply superadded.689   ἁ πλῶς ἕξω πρόσκειται Let us then see, if you please, what we cannot live without. If we have only two servants, we can live. For whereas some live without servants, what excuse have we, if we are not content with two? We can also have a house built of brick of three rooms;690   οἱκημάτων and this were sufficient for us. For are there not some with children and wife who have but one room?691   οἶκον Let there be also, if you will, two serving boys.

[10.] And how is it not a shame (you say) that a gentlewoman692   τὴν ἐλευθέραν should walk out with [only] two servants? It is no shame, that a gentlewoman should walk abroad with two servants, but it is a shame that she should go forth with many. Perhaps you laugh when you hear this. Believe me it is a shame. Do you think it a great matter to go out with many servants, like dealers in sheep, or dealers in slaves? This is pride and vainglory, the other is philosophy and respectability. For a gentlewoman ought not to be known from the multitude of her attendants. For what virtue is it to have many slaves? This belongs not to the soul, and whatever is not of the soul does not show gentility. When she is content with a few things, then is she a gentlewoman indeed; but when she needs many, she is a servant and inferior to slaves. Tell me, do not the angels go to and fro about the world alone, and need not any one to follow them? Are they then on this account inferior to us? They who need no [attendants] to us who need them? If then not needing an attendant at all, is angelic, who comes nearer to the angelic life, she who needs many [attendants], or she who [needs] few? Is not this a shame? For a shame it is to do anything out of place.

Tell me who attracts the attention of those who are in the public places,693   the open spaces of the streets where idlers gathered. she who brings many in her train, or she who [brings but] few? And is not she who is alone, less conspicuous even than she who is attended by few? Seest thou that this [first-named conduct] is a shame? Who attracts the attention of those in the public places, she who wears beautiful garments, or she who is dressed simply and artlessly? Again who attracts those in the public places, she who is borne on mules, and with trappings ornamented with gold, or she who walks out simply, and as it may be, with propriety? Or we do not even look at this latter, if we even see her; but the multitudes not only force their way to see the other, but also ask, Who is she, and Where from? And I do not say how great envy is hereby produced. What then (tell me), is it disgraceful to be looked at or not to be looked at? When is the shame greater, when all stare at her, or when no one [does]? When they inform themselves about her, or when they do not even care? Seest thou that we do everything, not for modesty’s sake but for vainglory?

However, since it is impossible to draw you away from that, I am content for the present that you should learn that this [conduct] is no disgrace. Sin alone is a disgrace, which no one thinks to be a disgrace. Sin alone is a disgrace, which no one thinks to be a disgrace, but everything rather than this.

[11.] Let your dress be such as is needful, not superfluous. However, that we may not shut you up too narrowly, this I assure you, that we have no need of ornaments of gold, or of lace.694   λεπτῶν ὀθονίων And it is not I who say this. For that the words are not mine, hear the blessed Paul saying, and solemnly charging women “to adorn themselves, not with plaitings [of the hair], or gold, or pearls, or costly apparel.” ( 1 Tim. ii. 9.) But with what kind, O Paul, wouldest thou tell us? For perhaps they will say, that only golden things are costly; and that silks are not costly. Tell us with what kind thou wouldest? “But having food and raiment,695   σκεπάσματα let us therewith” (he says) “be content.”696   ἀ ρκεσθηόμεθα ( 1 Tim. vi. 8.) Let our garment be such as merely to cover us. For God hath given them to us for this reason, that we may cover our nakedness; and this any sort of garment can do, though but of trifling cost. Perhaps ye laugh, who wear dresses of silk; for in truth one may well laugh, considering what Paul enjoined and what we practice!

But my discourse is not addressed to women only, but also to men. For the rest of the things which we have are all superfluous; only the poor possess no superfluities; and perhaps they too from necessity: since, if it had been in their power, even they would not have abstained [from them]. Nevertheless, “whether in pretense or in truth” ( Philip. i. 18 ), so far they have no superfluities.

[12.] Let us then wear such clothes as are sufficient for our need. For what does much gold mean? To those on the stage these things are fitting, this apparel belongs to them, to harlots, to those who do everything to be looked at. Let her beautify herself, who is on the stage or the dancing platform. For she wishes to attract all to her. But a woman who professes godliness, let her not beautify herself thus, but in a different way. Thou hast a means of beautifying thyself far better than that. Thou also hast a theater:697   “body of spectators.” for that theater make thyself beautiful: clothe thyself with those ornaments. What is thy theater? Heaven, the company of Angels. I speak not of Virgins only, but also of those in the world. All as many as believe in Christ have that theater. Let us speak such things that we may please those spectators. Put on such garments that thou mayest gratify them.

For tell me, if a harlot putting aside her golden ornaments, and her robes, and her laughter, and her witty and unchaste talk, clothe herself with a cheap garment, and having dressed herself simply come [on the stage], and utter religious words, and discourse of chastity, and say nothing indelicate, will not all rise up? Will not this theater be dispersed? Will they not cast her out, as one who does not know how to suit herself to the crowd, and speaks things foreign to that Satanic theater? So thou also, if thou enter into the Theater of Heaven clad with her garments, the spectators will cast thee out. For there, there is no need of these garments of gold, but of different ones. Of what kind? Of such as the prophet names, “clothed in fringed work of gold, and in varied colors” ( Ps. xlv. 13 ), not so as to make the body white and glistering, but so as to beautify the soul. For the soul it is, which is contending and wrestling in that Theater. “All the glory of the King’s daughter is from within” ( Ps. xlv. 13 ), it says. With these do thou clothe thyself; for [so] thou both deliverest thyself from other evils innumerable, and thy husband from anxiety and thyself from care.

For so thou wilt be respected by thy husband, when thou needest not many things. For every man is wont to be shy towards those who make requests of him; but when he sees that they have no need of him, then he lets down his pride, and converses with them as equals. When thy husband sees that thou hast no need of him in anything, that thou thinkest lightly of the presents which come from him, then, even though he be very arrogant,698   φρονηματιῶν he will respect thee more, than if thou wert clad in golden ornaments; and thou wilt no longer be his slave. For those of whom we stand in need, we are compelled to stoop to. But if we restrain ourselves we shall no longer be regarded as criminals,699   ὑ πόδικοι but he knows that we pay him obedience from the fear of God, not for what is given by him. For now, when that he confers great favors on us, whatever honor he receives, he thinks he has not received all [that is due to him]: but then, though he obtain but a little, he will account it a favor he does not reproach, nor will he be himself compelled to overreach on thy account.

[13.] For what is more unreasonable, than to provide golden ornaments, to be worn in baths, and in market places? However, in baths and in market places it is perhaps no wonder, but that a woman should come into Church so decked out is very ridiculous. For, for what possible reason does she come in here wearing golden ornaments, she who ought to come in that she may hear [the precept] “that they adorn not themselves with gold, nor pearls, nor costly array”? ( 1 Tim. ii. 9.) With what object then, O woman, dost thou come? Is it indeed to fight with Paul, and show that even if he repeat these things ten thousand times thou regardest them not? Or is it as wishing to put us your teachers to shame as discoursing on these subjects in vain? For tell me; if any heathen and unbeliever, after he has heard the passage read where the blessed Paul says these things, having a believing wife, sees that she makes much account of beautifying herself, and puts on ornaments of gold, that she may come into Church and hear Paul charging [the women] that they adorn themselves, neither with “gold” ( 1 Tim. ii. 9 ), nor with “pearls,” nor with “costly array,” will he not indeed say to himself, when he sees her in her little room,700   κοιτωνίσκῳ putting on these things, and arranging them beautifully, “Why is my wife staying within in her little room? Why is she so slow? Why is she putting on her golden ornaments? Where has she to go to? Into the Church? For what purpose? To hear? ‘not with costly array’;” will he not smile, will he not burst out into laughter? will he not think our religion701   τὰ ἡμέτερο a mockery and a deceit? Wherefore, I beseech [you], let us leave golden ornaments to processions, to theaters, to signs on the shops.702   ταῖς προθήκαις ταῖς ἐπὶ τῶν ἐργαστηρίων But let not the image of God be decked out with these things: let the gentlewoman be adorned with gentility, and gentility is the absence of pride, and of boastful display.

Nay even if thou wish to obtain glory from men, thou wilt obtain it thus. For we shall not wonder so much that the wife of a rich man wears gold and silk (for this is the common practice of them all), as when she is dressed in a plain and simple garment made merely of wool. This all will admire, this they will applaud. For in that adorning indeed of ornaments of gold and of costly apparel, she has many to share with her. And if she surpass one, she is surpassed by another. Yea, even if she surpass all, she must yield the palm to the Empress herself. But in the other case, she outdoes all, even the Emperor’s wife herself. For she alone in wealth, has chosen the [dress] of the poor. So that even if we desire glory, here too the glory is greater.

[14.] I say this not only to widows, and to the rich; for here the necessity of widowhood seems to cause this: but to those also who have a husband.

But, you say, I do not please my husband [if I dress plainly]. It is not thy husband thou wishest to please, but the multitude of poor women; or rather not to please them, but to make them pine [with envy], and to give them pain, and make their poverty greater. How many blasphemies are uttered because of thee! ‘Let there be no poverty’ (say they). ‘God hates the poor.’ ‘God loves not those in poverty.’ For that it is not thy husband whom thou wishest to please, and for this reason thou deckest thyself out, thou makest plain to all by what thou thyself doest. For as soon as thou hast passed over the threshold of thy chamber,703   θαλάμου thou immediately puttest off all, both the robes, and the golden ornaments, and the pearls; and at home of all places thou dost not wear them.

But if thou really wishest to please thy husband, there are ways of pleasing him, by gentleness, by meekness, by propriety. For believe me, O woman, even if thy husband be infinitely debased,704   κατωφερὴς these are the things which will more effectually win him, gentleness, propriety, freedom from pride and expensiveness and extravagance. For even if thou devise ten thousand such things, thou wilt not restrain the profligate. And this they know who have had such husbands. For however thou mayest beautify thyself, he being a profligate will go off to a courtesan; while [the husband] that is chaste and regular thou wilt gain not by these means, but by the opposite: yea by these thou even causest him pain, clothing thyself with the reputation of a lover of the world. For what if thy husband out of respect, and that as a sober-minded man, does not speak, yet inwardly he will condemn thee, and will not conceal705   or, “conceal,” περιστελεῖται ill-will706   φθόνους and jealousy. Wilt thou not drive away all pleasure for the future, by exciting ill-will against thyself?

[15.] Possibly you are annoyed at hearing what is said, and are indignant, saying, ‘He irritates husbands still more against their wives.’ I say this, not to irritate your husbands, but I wish that these things should be done by you willingly, for your own sakes, not for theirs; not to free them from envy but to free you from the parade of this life.

Dost thou wish to appear beautiful? I also wish it, but with beauty which God seeks, which “the King desires.”707   See Hom. xiv. [8.] pp. 436, 437. ( Ps. xlv. 11.) Whom wouldst thou have as a Lover? God or men? Shouldest thou be beautiful with that beauty, God will “desire thy beauty”; but if with the other apart from this, He will abominate thee, and thy lovers will be profligates. For no man who loves a married woman is good. Consider this even in regard to the adorning that is external. For the other adorning, I mean that of the soul, attracts God; but this again, profligates. Seest thou that I care for you, that I am anxious for you, that ye may be beautiful, really beautiful, splendid, really splendid, that instead of profligate men, ye may have for your Lover God the Lord of all? And she who has Him for her Lover, to whom will she be like? She has her place among the choirs of Angels. For if one who is beloved of a king is accounted happy above all, what will her dignity be who is beloved of God with much love? Though thou put the whole world [in the balance against it], there is nothing equivalent to that beauty.

This beauty then let us cultivate; with these embellishments let us adorn ourselves, that we may pass into the Heavens, into the spiritual chambers, into the nuptial chamber that is undefiled. For this beauty is liable to be destroyed by anything; and when it lasts well, and neither disease nor anxiety impair it (which is impossible), it does not last twenty years. But the other is ever blooming, ever in its prime. There, there is no change to fear; no old age coming brings a wrinkle, no undermining disease withers it; no desponding anxiety disfigures it; but it is far above all these things. But this [earthly beauty] takes flight before it appears, and if it appears it has not many admirers. For those of well-ordered minds do not admire it; and those who do admire it, admire with wantonness.

[16.] Let us not therefore cultivate this [beauty], but the other: let us have that, so that with bright torches we may pass into the bridal chamber. For not to virgins only has this been promised, but to virgin souls. For had it belonged merely to virgins, those five would not have been shut out. This then belongs to all who are virgins in soul, who are freed from worldly imaginations: for these imaginations corrupt our souls. If therefore we remain unpolluted, we shall depart thither, and shall be accepted. “For I have espoused you,” he says, “to one husband, to present you a chaste virgin unto Christ.” ( 2 Cor. xi. 2.) These things he said, not with reference to Virgins, but to the whole body of the entire Church. For the uncorrupt soul is a virgin, though she have a husband: she is a virgin as to that which is Virginity indeed, that which is worthy of admiration. For this of the body is but the accompaniment and shadow of the other: while that is the True Virginity. This let us cultivate, and so shall we be able with cheerful countenance to behold the Bridegroom, to enter in with bright torches, if the oil do not fail us, if by melting down our golden ornaments we procure such oil as makes our lamps bright. And this oil is lovingkindness.

If we impart what we have to others, if we make oil therefrom, then it will protect us, and we shall not say at that time, “Give us oil, for our lamps are going out” ( Matt. xxv. 8 ), nor shall we beg of others, nor shall we be shut out when we are gone to them that sell, nor shall we hear that fearful and terrible voice, while we are knocking at the doors, “I know you not.” ( Matt. xxv. 12.) But He will acknowledge us, and we shall go in with the Bridegroom, and having entered into the spiritual Bride-chamber we shall enjoy good things innumerable.

For if here the bride-chamber is so bright, the rooms so splendid, that none is weary of observing them, much more there. Heaven is the chamber,708   θάλαμος and the bride-chamber709   νυμφὼν better than Heaven; then we shall enter. But if the Bride-chamber is so beautiful, what will the Bridegroom be?

And why do I say, ‘Let us put away our golden ornaments, and give to the needy’? For if ye ought even to sell yourselves, if ye ought to become slaves instead of free women, that so ye might be able to be with that Bridegroom, to enjoy that Beauty, [nay] merely to look on that Countenance, ought you not with ready mind to welcome all things? We look at and admire a king upon the earth, but when [we see] a king and a bridegroom both, much more ought we to welcome him with readiness. Truly these things are a shadow, while those are a reality. And a King and a Bridegroom in Heaven! To be counted worthy also to go before Him with torches, and to be near Him, and to be ever with Him, what ought we not to do? What should we not perform? What should we not endure? I entreat you, let us conceive some desire for those blessings, let us long for that Bridegroom, let us be virgins as to the true Virginity. For the Lord seeks after the virginity of the soul. With this let us enter into Heaven, “not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing” ( Eph. v. 27 ); that we may attain also to the good things promised, of which may we all be partakers through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Ghost, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΗʹ. Περιῆλθον ἐν μηλωταῖς, ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασιν, ὑστερούμενοι, θλιβόμενοι, κακουχούμενοι: ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος οὗτος: ἐν ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι, καὶ ὄρεσι, καὶ σπηλαίοις, καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς. αʹ. Ἀεὶ μὲν, μάλιστα δὲ ὅταν τῶν ἁγίων ἐννοήσω τὰ κατορθώματα, τότε μοι ἐπέρχεται ἀπαγορεύειν τὰ κατ' ἐμαυτὸν, ὅτι οὐδὲ ὄναρ πεῖραν ἐλάβομεν οἷς ἐκεῖνοι τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον ἐνδιέτριψαν ἄνδρες, οὐχ ἁμαρτημάτων τίνοντες δίκην, ἀλλ' ἀεὶ κατορθοῦντες, καὶ ἀεὶ θλιβόμενοι. Ἐννόησον γάρ μοι τὸν Ἠλίαν, εἰς ὃν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος περιήκει τήμερον: περὶ αὐτοῦ γάρ φησιν ἐνταῦθα τὸ, Περιῆλθον ἐν μηλωταῖς, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν αὐτῷ τελευτᾷ τὰ ὑποδείγματα οὐδὲ αὐτὸ καταλιπών: ὅπερ οἰκεῖον αὐτοῖς ἦν. Καὶ εἰπὼν τὰ κατὰ τοὺς ἀποστόλους, ὅτι ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας ἀπέθανον, ὅτι ἐλιθάσθησαν, ἄνεισι πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸν Ἠλίαν, τὸν τὰ αὐτὰ παθόντα τούτοις. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰκὸς ἦν αὐτοὺς οὐδέπω περὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων δόξαν ἔχειν τοσαύτην, ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀναληφθέντος, καὶ μάλιστα θαυμασθέντος, φέρει τὴν παράκλησιν καὶ τὴν παραμυθίαν. Περιῆλθον γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν μηλωταῖς, ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασιν, ὑστερούμενοι, θλιβόμενοι, κακουχούμενοι: ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος οὗτος. Οὐδὲ ἱμάτιον εἶχον, φησὶ, περιβαλέσθαι τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν θλίψεων, οὐ πόλιν, οὐκ οἰκίαν, οὐ καταγώγιον: τοῦτο, ὅπερ ὁ Χριστὸς ἔλεγεν: Ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἔχει ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίνῃ. Τί λέγω, οὐ καταγώγιον; οὐ στάσιν: οὐδὲ γὰρ τὴν ἔρημον καταλαβόντες, ἡσυχίαν ἦγον: οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Ἐν ἐρήμῳ ἐκάθηντο, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκεῖ ὄντες ἔφευγον καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ἠλαύνοντο, οὐκ ἐκ τῆς οἰκουμένης μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἀοικήτου. Καὶ ἀναμιμνήσκει τόπων αὐτοὺς ἔνθα ἐκάθηντο, καὶ πραγμάτων ἐκεῖ γενομένων: Ὑστερούμενοι, θλιβόμενοι. Εἶτα, φησὶν, ὑμῖν ἐνεκάλουν διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν, καὶ ταῦτα ἐποίουν τῷ Ἠλίᾳ: τί ἔχοντες ἐγκαλεῖν, ἤλαυνον αὐτὸν καὶ ἐδίωκον, καὶ λιμῷ παλαίειν ἠνάγκαζον; Ὃ καὶ οὗτοι τότε ἔπασχον: διὰ τοῦτο ἔλεγεν ἀλλαχοῦ: Ἔκριναν γοῦν πέμψαι οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τοῖς θλιβομένοις τῶν μαθητῶν: Καθὼς γὰρ ηὐπορεῖτό τις, ὥρισαν ἕκαστος αὐτῶν εἰς διακονίαν πέμψαι τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ἀδελφοῖς. [Ὃ καὶ τούτων ἦν.] Κακουχούμενοι, φησί: τουτέστι, κακῶς πάσχοντες, ἐν ταῖς ὁδοιπορίαις, ἐν τοῖς κινδύνοις: ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ τούτων ἦν. Τὸ δὲ, [Περιῆλθον, τί ἐστιν;] Ἐν ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι, καὶ ὄρεσι καὶ σπηλαίοις, καὶ, ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς. Οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἢ τοῦτο μονονουχὶ ἐμφαίνει, ὅτι περιῆλθον καθάπερ φυγάδες καὶ μετανάσται, καθάπερ ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσχίστοις ἑαλωκότες, καθάπερ οἱ οὐδὲ τὸν ἥλιον ὁρᾷν ἄξιοι, καὶ οὐδὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐρημίας εὕρισκον καταφυγὴν, ἀλλ' ἔδει φεύγειν ἀεὶ, ἔδει καταδύσεις ζητεῖν, ἔδει ζῶντας εἰς τὴν γῆν κατορύττειν ἑαυτοὺς, ἀεὶ ἐν φόβῳ εἶναι. Καὶ οὗτοι πάντες μαρτυρηθέντες διὰ τῆς πίστεως οὐκ ἐκομίσαντο τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ ἡμῶν κρεῖττόν τι προβλεψαμένου, ἵνα μὴ χωρὶς ἡμῶν τελειωθῶσι. Τίς οὖν ὁ μισθὸς τῆς τοσαύτης, φησὶν, ἐλπίδος; τίς ἡ ἀνταπόδοσις; Μεγάλη, καὶ οὕτω μεγάλη, ὡς μηδὲ λόγῳ δύνασθαι δηλωθῆναι: Ἃ γὰρ, φησὶν, ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδε, καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσεν, οὐδὲ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου ἀνέβη, ταῦτά ἐστιν ἃ ἡτοίμασεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν. Ἀλλ' οὔπω ἀπέλαβον, ἀλλ' ἔτι μένουσι καὶ οὕτω τελευτήσαντες ἐν τοσαύτῃ θλίψει. Καὶ ἐκεῖνοι μὲν χρόνους ἔχουσι τοσούτους νικήσαντες, καὶ οὐδέπω ἀπέλαβον: ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐν τῷ ἀγῶνι ἔτι ὄντες, ἀσχάλλετε; Ἐννοήσατε καὶ ὑμεῖς τί ἐστι, καὶ ὅσον ἐστὶ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ καθῆσθαι: καὶ τὸν ἀπόστολον Παῦλον περιμένοντας πότε σὺ τελειωθῇς, ἵνα δυνηθῶσι τότε λαβεῖν τὸν μισθόν. Ἐὰν μὴ γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς παραγενώμεθα, προεῖπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Σωτὴρ μὴ δώσειν: καθάπερ εἰ πατὴρ φιλόστοργος παισὶν εὐδοκίμοις, καὶ τὸ, ἔργον ἠνυκόσι λέγοι, μὴ διδόναι φαγεῖν, ἐὰν μὴ ἔλθωσιν αὐτῶν οἱ ἀδελφοί. Σὺ δὲ ἀσχάλλεις, ὅτι οὐδέπω τὸν μισθὸν ἔλαβες; Τί οὖν ποιήσει Ἄβελ ὁ πρὸ πάντων νικήσας, καὶ ἀστεφάνωτος καθήμενος; τί δὲ Νῶε; τί δὲ οἱ κατ' ἐκείνους τοὺς χρόνους γεγονότες, ὅτι σὲ καὶ τοὺς μετὰ σὲ ἀναμένουσιν; Ὁρᾷς ὅτι ἡμεῖς πλεονεκτοῦμεν αὐτῶν; Καὶ καλῶς διὰ τοῦτο εἶπε, Τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ ἡμῶν κρεῖττόν τι προβλεψαμένου. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ δοκῶσι πλεονεκτεῖν ἡμῶν τῷ πρῶτοι στεφανοῦσθαι, ἕνα ὥρισε πᾶσι τῶν στεφάνων τὸν καιρὸν, καὶ ὁ πρὸ τοσούτων ἐτῶν νενικηκὼς, μετὰ σοῦ λαμβάνει τὸν στέφανον. Ὁρᾷς κηδεμονίαν; Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἵνα μὴ χωρὶς ἡμῶν στεφανωθῶσιν, ἀλλ', Ἵνα μὴ χωρὶς ἡμῶν τελειωθῶσιν: ὥστε καὶ τέλειοι τότε φαίνονται. Προέλαβον κατὰ τοὺς ἀγῶνας, ἀλλ' οὐ προλαμβάνουσι κατὰ τοὺς στεφάνους. Οὐκ ἐκείνους ἠδίκησεν, ἀλλ' ἡμᾶς ἐτίμησε: καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτοὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἀναμένουσιν. Εἰ γὰρ σῶμα ἓν οἱ πάντες ἐσμὲν, μείζων γίνεται τῷ σώματι τούτῳ ἡ ἡδονὴ, ὅταν κοινῇ στεφανῶται, καὶ μὴ κατὰ μέρος. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ δίκαιοι καὶ ἐν τούτῳ εἰσὶ θαυμαστοὶ, ὅτι χαίρουσιν ὡς ἐπὶ οἰκείοις ἀγαθοῖς τοῖς τῶν ἀδελφῶν. Ὥστε κἀκείνοις τοῦτο κατὰ γνώμην ἐστὶ, τὸ μετὰ τῶν μελῶν τῶν ἰδίων στεφανωθῆναι: τὸ γὰρ ὁμοῦ δοξασθῆναι, μεγάλη ἡδονή. Τοιγαροῦν καὶ ἡμεῖς τοσοῦτον ἔχοντες περικείμενον ἡμῖν νέφος μαρτύρων. βʹ. Πολλαχοῦ ἡ Γραφὴ τὴν παραμυθίαν λαμβάνει τὴν ἐν τοῖς κακοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν συμβαινόντων πραγμάτων, ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ ὁ προφήτης: Ἀπὸ καύματος καὶ σκληρότητος, καὶ ὑετοῦ ῥύσεταί σε: καὶ ὁ Δαυΐδ: Ἡμέρας ὁ ἥλιος οὐ συγκαύσει σε, οὐδὲ ἡ σελήνη τὴν νύκτα. Τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ ἐνταῦθα λέγει, ὅτι ἡ μνήμη τῶν ἁγίων ἐκείνων, ὥσπερ νέφος τὸν φλεγόμενον ὑπὸ ἀκτῖνος θερμοτέρας σκιάζει, οὕτω τὴν ὑπὸ τῶν κακῶν καταπεπονημένην ἀνίστησι καὶ ἀνακτᾶται ψυχήν. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ὑπεραιωρούμενον ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ, Περικείμενον ἡμῖν, ὃ ἐκείνου πλέον ἦν ὥστε δηλῶσαι διὰ τούτου, ὅτι περικείμενον κύκλῳ, ἐν μείζονι ἀδείᾳ εἰκότως εἶναι ποιήσει. Μάρτυρας δὲ οὐχὶ τοὺς ἐν τῇ Καινῇ λέγει μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ: καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐμαρτύρησαν τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ μεγαλειότητι: οἷον, ὡς οἱ τρεῖς παῖδες, οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἠλίαν, οἱ προφῆται πάντες. Ὄγκον ἀποθέμενοι πάντα. _Πάντα, τίνα; Τουτέστι, τὸν ὕπνον, τὴν ὀλιγωρίαν, τοὺς λογισμοὺς τοὺς εὐτελεῖς, πάντα τὰ ἀνθρώπινα. Καὶ τὴν εὐπερίστατον ἁμαρτίαν. Εὐπερίστατον ἤτοι τὴν εὐκόλως περιισταμένην ἡμᾶς, ἢ τὴν εὐκόλως περίστασιν δυναμένην παθεῖν, λέγει: μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦτο: ῥᾴδιον γὰρ, ἐὰν θέλωμεν, περιγενέσθαι τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Δι' ὑπομονῆς, φησὶ, τρέχωμεν τὸν προκείμενον ἡμῖν ἀγῶνα. Οὐκ εἶπε, Πυκτεύωμεν, οὐδὲ, Παλαίωμεν, οὐδὲ, Πολεμῶμεν, ἀλλ' ὃ πάντων κουφότερον ἦν τὸ τοῦ δρόμου, τοῦτο εἰς μέσον τέθεικεν. Οὐδὲ εἶπε, Προσθῶμεν τῷ δρόμῳ, ἀλλ', Ἐν αὐτῷ τούτῳ ὑπομείνωμεν, μὴ ἐκλυθῶμεν. Τρέχωμεν, φησὶ, τὸν προκείμενον ἡμῖν ἀγῶνα. Εἶτα τὸ κεφάλαιον τῆς παρακλήσεως, ὃ καὶ πρῶτον καὶ ὕστερον τίθησι, τὸν Χριστόν: Ἀφορῶντες, φησὶν, εἰς τὸν τῆς πίστεως ἀρχηγὸν καὶ τελειωτὴν Ἰησοῦν. Ὅπερ οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Χριστὸς τοῖς μαθηταῖς συνεχῶς ἔλεγεν: Εἰ τὸν οἰκοδεσπότην Βεελζεβοὺλ ἀπεκάλεσαν, πόσῳ μᾶλλον τοὺς οἰκιακοὺς αὐτοῦ; καὶ πάλιν: Οὐκ ἔστι μαθητὴς ὑπὲρ τὸν διδάσκαλον, οὐδὲ δοῦλος ὑπὲρ τὸν κύριον αὑτοῦ. _Ἀφορῶντες, φησί: τουτέστιν, ἵνα μάθωμεν τρέχειν, βλέπωμεν εἰς Χριστόν. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν τεχνῶν πασῶν καὶ τῶν ἀγωνισμάτων πρὸς τοὺς διδασκάλους ὁρῶντες, οὕτως ἐντυποῦμεν τῇ διανοίᾳ τὴν τέχνην, διὰ τῆς ὀπτικῆς κανόνας τινὰς λαμβάνοντες: οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα, εἰ βουλοίμεθα τρέχειν, καὶ μαθεῖν καλῶς τρέχειν, πρὸς τὸν Χριστὸν ὁρῶμεν, τὸν ἀρχηγὸν τῆς πίστεως καὶ τελειωτὴν Ἰησοῦν. Τί ἐστι τοῦτο; Τουτέστιν, αὐτὸς ἐν ἡμῖν τὴν πίστιν ἐνέθηκεν, αὐτὸς τὴν ἀρχὴν δέδωκεν. Ὃ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς ὁ Χριστὸς εἶπεν: Οὐχ ὑμεῖς με ἐξελέξασθε, ἀλλ' ἐγὼ ἐξελεξάμην ὑμᾶς. Καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δέ φησι: Τότε δὲ ἐπιγνώσομαι, καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην. Εἰ δὲ αὐτὸς τὴν ἀρχὴν ἡμῖν ἐνέθηκεν, αὐτὸς καὶ τὸ τέλος ἐπιθήσει. Ὃς ἀντὶ τῆς προκειμένης αὐτῷ, φησὶ, χαρᾶς, ὑπέμεινε σταυρὸν, αἰσχύνης καταφρονήσας. Τουτέστιν, ἐξῆν αὐτῷ μηδὲν παθεῖν, εἴπερ ἐβούλετο. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν, οὐδὲ δόλος εὑρέθη ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ: καθὼς καὶ αὐτός φησιν ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις: Ἔρχεται ὁ τοῦ κόσμου ἄρχων, καὶ οὐκ ἔχει ἐν ἐμοὶ οὐδέν. Προὔκειτο τοίνυν αὐτῷ, εἴπερ ἐβούλετο, μὴ ἐλθεῖν εἰς τὸν σταυρόν: Ἐξουσίαν γὰρ ἔχω, φησὶ, θεῖναι τὴν ψυχήν μου, καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἔχω πάλιν λαβεῖν αὐτήν. Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ μηδεμίαν ἔχων ἀνάγκην τοῦ σταυρωθῆναι, ἐσταυρώθη ἡμῶν ἕνεκεν: πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἡμᾶς δίκαιον πάντα γενναίως ὑπομένειν; Ὃς ἀντὶ τῆς προκειμένης αὐτῷ χαρᾶς, φησὶν, ὑπέμεινε σταυρὸν, αἰσχύνης καταφρονήσας. Τί δέ ἐστιν, Αἰσχύνης καταφρονήσας; Τὸν ἐπονείδιστον, φησὶν, εἵλετο θάνατον. Ἔστω γὰρ, ἀπέθνησκε: τί καὶ ἐπονειδίστως; Δι' οὐδὲν ἕτερον, ἀλλ' ἡμᾶς διδάσκων μηδὲν ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν παρ' ἀνθρώπων δόξαν. Διὰ τοῦτο, οὐχ ὑποκείμενος ἁμαρτίᾳ εἵλετο αὐτὴν, παιδεύων ἡμᾶς κατατολμᾷν αὐτῆς, καὶ μηδὲν αὐτὴν τίθεσθαι. Διὰ τί μὴ εἶπε Λύπην, ἀλλὰ Αἰσχύνην; Ὅτι οὐ μετὰ λύπης ταῦτα ἔφερε. Τί οὖν τὸ τέλος; ἄκουε, ἐπάγει γάρ: Ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ θρόνου τοῦ Θεοῦ κεκάθικεν. Ὁρᾷς τὸ ἔπαθλον; Ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος γράφων φησί: Διὸ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ὑπερύψωσε, καὶ ἐχαρίσατο αὐτῷ ὄνομα τὸ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὄνομα, ἵνα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψῃ. Τὸ κατὰ σάρκα φησί. Μάλιστα μὲν οὖν, εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ἦν ἔπαθλον, ἱκανὸν τὸ ὑπόδειγμα πεῖσαι πάντα ἑλέσθαι: νυνὶ δὲ καὶ ἔπαθλα ἡμῖν πρόκειται, οὐ τὰ τυχόντα, ἀλλὰ μεγάλα καὶ ἀπόῤῥητα. Ὥστε καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐπειδάν τι πάθωμεν τοιοῦτον, πρὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐννοῶμεν τὸν Χριστόν. Διὰ τί; Ὅτι ὅλος ὁ βίος αὐτοῦ ὕβρεων ἔγεμε: καὶ γὰρ μαινόμενος ἤκουεν ἀεὶ, καὶ πλάνος, καὶ γόης: καὶ ποτὲ μὲν ἔλεγον οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι: Οὗτος οὐκ ἔστιν ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ: ποτὲ δέ: Οὐχὶ, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ πλανᾷ τὸν ὄχλον: καὶ πάλιν: Ἐκεῖνος ὁ πλάνος εἶπεν ἔτι ζῶν: Μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἐγείρομαι. Καὶ εἰς γοητείαν δὲ αὐτὸν διέβαλλον λέγοντες: Ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια: καὶ ὅτι μαίνεται, καὶ δαιμόνιον ἔχει: Οὐ καλῶς ἐλέγομεν, φησὶν, ὅτι δαιμόνιον ἔχει, καὶ μαίνεται; Καὶ ταῦτα ἤκουε παρ' αὐτῶν, εὐεργετῶν, θαυματουργῶν, Θεοῦ ἔργα ἐπιδεικνύμενος. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ μηδὲν ποιῶν ταῦτα ἤκουεν, οὐκ ἦν οὕτω θαυμαστόν: εἰ δὲ διδάσκων τὰ πρὸς ἀλήθειαν, πλάνος ἤκουε, καὶ δαίμονας ἐκβάλλων, δαίμονα ἔχειν ἐλέγετο, καὶ πάντα ἀνατρέπων τὰ ἐναντία, γόης ἐλέγετο: ποίαν ὑπερβολὴν θαύματος οὐκ ἔχει; Ταῦτα γὰρ αὐτοῦ συνεχῶς κατηγόρουν. γʹ. Εἰ δὲ βούλει καὶ τὰ σκώμματα καὶ τὰς εἰρωνείας μαθεῖν, ἃς κατ' αὐτοῦ ἐποιοῦντο, ὃ μάλιστα δάκνει τὰς ἡμετέρας ψυχὰς, ἄκουε πρῶτον τὰς ἀπὸ τοῦ γένους: Οὐχ οὗτος, φησὶν, ἐστὶν ὁ τοῦ τέκτονος υἱὸς, οὗ ἡμεῖς ἴσμεν τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα; οὐχ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ πάντες παρ' ἡμῖν εἰσι; καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς πατρίδος αὐτὸν σκώπτοντες, ἔλεγον ἐκ Ναζαρὲτ αὐτὸν εἶναι. Καὶ πάλιν: Ἐρώτησον, φησὶ, καὶ ἴδε, ὅτι ἐκ τῆς Γαλιλαίας προφήτης οὐκ ἐγήγερται: καὶ ἔφερε τοσαῦτα συκοφαντούμενος. Καὶ πάλιν ἔλεγον: Οὐχὶ ἡ Γραφή φησιν, ὅτι ἀπὸ Βηθλεὲμ τῆς κώμης ἔρχεται ὁ Χριστός; Βούλει καὶ τὰς εἰρωνείας ἰδεῖν ἃς ἐποιοῦντο παρ' αὐτὸν τὸν σταυρόν; Προσεκύνουν αὐτῷ ἐμπαίζοντες, καὶ ἔπαιον αὐτὸν καὶ ἐκολάφιζον, καὶ ἔλεγον: Εἰπὲ ἡμῖν τίς ἐστιν ὁ παίσας σε; καὶ ὄξος προσῆγον, καὶ ἔλεγον: Εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, κατάβηθι ἀπὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ. Ἔτι δὲ καὶ ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ ἀρχιερέως ῥάπισμα ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ, καί φησιν: Εἰ μὲν κακῶς ἐλάλησα, μαρτύρησον περὶ τοῦ κακοῦ: εἰ δὲ καλῶς, τί με δέρεις; Καὶ χλευάζοντες δὲ, χλαμύδα περιέθηκαν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐνέπτυον εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς πείρας ἀεὶ προσῆγον, πειράζοντες αὐτόν. Βούλει καὶ τὰς κατηγορίας ἰδεῖν, τὰς λάθρα, τὰς φανερῶς, τὰς παρὰ τῶν μαθητῶν; τὸ γὰρ, Μὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς θέλετε ὑπάγειν; καὶ τὸ, Δαιμόνιον ἔχεις, παρὰ τῶν πιστευσάντων ἤδη ἐλέγετο Εἰπὲ δέ μοι, οὐκ ἀεὶ ἔφευγε καὶ αὐτὸς, ποτὲ μὲν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, ποτὲ δὲ εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν; οὐχὶ ἐκ σπαργάνων αὐτῷ πολὺς ὁ πειρασμός; οὐχὶ παιδίον ὄντα αὐτὸν ἡ μήτηρ λαβοῦσα κατῆλθεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον; Διὰ ταῦτα τοίνυν πάντα φησίν: Ἀφορῶντες εἰς τὸν τῆς πίστεως ἀρχηγὸν καὶ τελειωτὴν Ἰησοῦν, ὃς ἀντὶ τῆς προκειμένης αὐτῷ χαρᾶς ὑπέμεινε σταυρὸν, αἰσχύνης καταφρονήσας, ἐν δεξιᾷ τε τοῦ θρόνου τοῦ Θεοῦ κεκάθικεν. Εἰς τοῦτον τοίνυν ἀφορῶμεν καὶ εἰς τὰ τῶν μαθητῶν τῶν τούτου, ἀναγινώσκοντες τὰ Παύλου, καὶ ἀκούοντες αὐτοῦ λέγοντος: Ἐν ὑπομονῇ πολλῇ, ἐν θλίψεσιν, ἐν ἀνάγκαις, ἐν διωγμοῖς, ἐν στενοχωρίαις, ἐν πληγαῖς, ἐν φυλακαῖς, ἐν ἀκαταστασίαις, ἐν νηστείαις ἐν κόποις, ἐν ἁγνότητι, ἐν γνώσει: καὶ πάλιν: Μέχρι τῆς ἄρτι ὥρας καὶ πεινῶμεν καὶ διψῶμεν, καὶ γυμνητεύομεν, καὶ κολαφιζόμεθα, καὶ ἀστατοῦμεν, καὶ κοπιῶμεν, ἐργαζόμενοι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσί: λοιδορούμενοι, εὐλογοῦμεν: διωκόμενοι, ἀνεχόμεθα: βλασφημούμενοι, παρακαλοῦμεν. Ἆρα ἐξ ἡμῶν ἔχει τις εἰπεῖν, ὅτι τὸ πολλοστὸν τούτων μέρος ἔπαθεν; Ὡς πλάνοι γὰρ, φησὶν, ὡς ἄτιμοι, ὡς μηδὲν ἔχοντες: καὶ πάλιν: Πεντάκις τεσσαράκοντα παρὰ μίαν ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων ἔλαβον: τρὶς ἐῤῥαβδίσθην, ἅπαξ ἐλιθάσθην, νυχθήμερον ἐν τῷ βυθῷ πεποίηκα, ὁδοιπορίαις, πολλάκις, ἐν θλίψεσιν, ἐν στενοχωρίᾳ, ἐν λιμῷ. Καὶ ὅτι ταῦτα τῷ Θεῷ ἐδόκει, ἄκουε αὐτοῦ λέγοντος: Ὑπὲρ τούτου τρὶς τὸν Κύριον παρεκάλεσα, καὶ εἴρηκέ μοι, Ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου: ἡ γὰρ δύναμίς μου ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται. Διὸ καὶ, φησὶν, εὐδοκῶ ἐν ἀσθενείαις, ἐν θλίψεσιν, ἐν ἀνάγκαις, ἐν στενοχωρίαις, ἐν πληγαῖς, ἐν φυλακαῖς, ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Καὶ αὐτοῦ δὲ ἄκουσον τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος: Ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ θλῖψιν ἕξετε. Ἀναλογίσασθε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν τοιαύτην ὑπομεμενηκότα ὑπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν εἰς αὐτὸν ἀντιλογίαν, ἵνα μὴ κάμητε, ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν ἐκλυόμενοι. Εἰκότως ταῦτα ἐπήγαγεν: εἰ γὰρ τὰ τῶν πλησίον πάθη διανίστησιν ἡμᾶς, τὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου πόσην ἡμῖν οὐ παρέξει προθυμίαν; τί ἡμᾶς οὐκ ἐργάσεται; Καὶ σκόπει πῶς παρεὶς πάντα εἰπεῖν, διὰ τῆς ἀντιλογίας τὸ πᾶν ἐδήλωσε, καὶ τῷ τοιαύτην προσθεῖναι: τὰς γὰρ ἐπὶ κόῤῥης πληγὰς, τὸν γέλωτα, τὰς ὕβρεις, τοὺς ὀνειδισμοὺς, τὰς χλευασίας, ταῦτα πάντα διὰ τῆς ἀντιλογίας ἐνέφηνε: καὶ οὐκ ἐκεῖνα μόνα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ παρὰ τὸν βίον ἅπαντα τὸν τῆς διδασκαλίας. Ταῦτα τοίνυν, ἀγαπητοὶ, ἀεὶ ἀναλογιζώμεθα, καὶ νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ' ἡμέραν ἐν ταῖς διανοίαις ἡμῶν στρέφωμεν, εἰδότες ὅτι μεγάλα ἐκ τούτου καρπωσόμεθα ἀγαθὰ, καὶ πολλὴν τὴν ὠφέλειαν ἕξομεν. Μέγα γὰρ, ὄντως μέγα παραμύθιον, καὶ τὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πάθη καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων. Οὕτω γὰρ ᾔδει ταύτην βελτίω τῆς ἀρετῆς οὖσαν τὴν ὁδὸν, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ μὴ δεόμενος αὐτῆς ταύτην ἐλθεῖν: οὕτως οἶδε τὴν θλῖψιν συμφέρουσαν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἀνέσεως ὑπόθεσιν μᾶλλον γινομένην: ἄκουε γὰρ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος: Ἐὰν μή τις ἄρῃ τὸν σταυρὸν αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἀκολουθήσῃ ὀπίσω μου, οὐκ ἔστι μου ἄξιος. Μόνον γὰρ οὐχὶ τοῦτο διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης λέγει διδασκαλίας: Εἰ μαθητὴς εἶ, τὸν διδάσκαλον μιμοῦ: τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι μαθητοῦ. Εἰ δὲ αὐτὸς μὲν διὰ θλίψεως ἦλθε, σὺ δὲ δι' ἀνέσεως, οὐκέτι τὴν αὐτὴν βαδίζεις ὁδὸν, ἣν ἐκεῖνος ἐβάδισεν, ἀλλ' ἑτέραν. Πῶς οὖν ἀκολουθεῖς, μὴ ἀκολουθῶν; πῶς εἶ μαθητὴς, μὴ τῷ διδασκάλῳ ἑπόμενος; Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν: Ἡμεῖς ἀσθενεῖς, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἰσχυροί: ἡμεῖς ἄτιμοι, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἔντιμοι. Ἢ πῶς ἔχει λόγον, φησὶ, τἀναντία ἡμᾶς ζηλοῦν, καὶ ὑμᾶς μὲν εἶναι μαθητὰς, ἡμᾶς δὲ διδασκάλους; Μέγα ἄρα θλῖψις, ἀγαπητοί: δύο γὰρ τὰ μέγιστα κατορθοῖ, καὶ ἁμαρτίας ἐξαλείφει, καὶ στεῤῥοὺς ποιεῖ. δʹ. Τί οὖν, φησὶν, ἂν περιτρέψῃ καὶ ἀπολέσῃ; Οὐχ ἡ θλῖψις τοῦτο ποιεῖ, ἀλλ' ἡ ἡμετέρα νωθεία. Πῶς, φησίν; Ἐὰν γὰρ νήφωμεν, ἐὰν τὸν Θεὸν παρακαλῶμεν, ὥστε μὴ ἐᾶσαι ἡμᾶς πειρασθῆναι ὑπὲρ ὃ δυνάμεθα, ἐὰν ἀεὶ αὐτοῦ ἐχώμεθα, στησόμεθα γενναίως, καὶ παραταξόμεθα. Ἕως ἂν αὐτὸν ἔχωμεν βοηθὸν, κἂν πάντων τῶν ἀνέμων σφοδρότερον πνεύσωσιν οἱ πειρασμοὶ, κάρφος ἡμῖν ἔσονται καὶ φύλλον ἁπλῶς φερόμενον. Ἄκουε Παύλου λέγοντος: Ἐν τούτοις, φησὶ, πᾶσιν ὑπερνικῶμεν: καὶ πάλιν: Λογίζομαι γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλύπτεσθαι εἰς ἡμᾶς: καὶ πάλιν: Τὸ γὰρ παραυτίκα ἐλαφρὸν τῆς θλίψεως, καθ' ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης ἡμῖν κατεργάζεται. Σκόπει ἡλίκους κινδύνους, ναυάγια, τὰς ἐπαλλήλους θλίψεις, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα, ἐλαφρὰ καλεῖ: καὶ ζήλωσον τὸν ἀδάμαντα τοῦτον, τὸν ἁπλῶς καὶ εἰκῆ τὸ σῶμα τοῦτο περικείμενον. Ἐν πενίᾳ εἶ; ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐν τοσαύτῃ, ὅσῃ ὁ Παῦλος, ὁ καὶ ἐν λιμῷ ἐξεταζόμενος καὶ δίψει καὶ γυμνότητι: οὐ γὰρ μίαν ἡμέραν τοῦτο ἔπαθεν, ἀλλὰ διηνεκῶς τοῦτο ὑπέμεινε. Πόθεν τοῦτο δῆλον; Ἄκουε αὐτοῦ λέγοντος: Ἄχρι τῆς ἄρτι ὥρας καὶ πεινῶμεν, καὶ διψῶμεν, καὶ γυμνητεύομεν. Βαβαὶ, πόσην ἔχων ἤδη δόξαν ἐν τῷ κηρύγματι, τοσαῦτα ὑπέμενεν, εἰκοστὸν λοιπὸν ἔτος ἔχων, ὅτε ταῦτα ἔγραφεν. Οἶδα γὰρ, φησὶν, ἄνθρωπον πρὸ ἐτῶν δεκατεσσάρων, εἴτε ἐν σώματι, εἴτε ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος, οὐκ οἶδα: καὶ πάλιν: Μετὰ τρία ἔτη, φησὶν, ἀνῆλθον εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα. Καὶ πάλιν ἄκουε αὐτοῦ λέγοντος: Καλόν μοι ἀποθανεῖν, ἢ τὸ καύχημά μου ἵνα τις κενώσῃ. Οὐ μόνον δὲ τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάλιν γράφων ἔλεγεν: Ὡς περικαθάρματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐγενήθημεν. Τί λιμοῦ χαλεπώτερον; τί κρυμοῦ; τί τῶν ἐπιβουλῶν τῶν παρὰ ἀδελφῶν; οὓς ψευδαδέλφους λοιπὸν καλεῖ. Οὐχὶ λυμεὼν ἐκαλεῖτο τῆς οἰκουμένης; οὐχὶ ἀπατεών; οὐχὶ ἀνατροπεύς; οὐχὶ κατεκόπτετο μαστιζόμενος; Ταῦτα ἐν νῷ λάβωμεν, ἀγαπητοὶ, ταῦτα ἀναλογιζώμεθα, ταῦτα μνημονεύωμεν, καὶ οὐδέποτε ἐκλυθησόμεθα, κἂν ἀδικώμεθα, κἂν ἁρπαζώμεθα, κἂν μυρία πάσχωμεν κακά. Γένοιτο τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἡμᾶς εὐδοκιμεῖν, καὶ πάντα φορητά: γένοιτο εὖ πράττειν ἐκεῖ, καὶ τῶν ἐνταῦθα λόγος οὐδείς. Σκιὰ ταῦτά ἐστι καὶ ὄναρ: οἷα ἂν εἴη, ἐλπιζομένων ἐκείνων καὶ προσδοκωμένων, οὐδέν ἐστι τῶν δεινῶν οὔτε τῇ φύσει, οὔτε τῷ χρόνῳ. Τί γὰρ βούλει πρὸς τὰ δεινὰ ἐκεῖνα παραβάλωμεν; τί πρὸς τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἄσβεστον, πρὸς τὸν σκώληκα τὸν ἀτελεύτητον; τί δυνήσῃ ἴσον εἰπεῖν τῶν ἐνταῦθα πρὸς τὸν βρυγμὸν τῶν ὀδόντων, πρὸς τὰ δεσμὰ, πρὸς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον, πρὸς τὴν ὀργὴν πρὸς τὴν θλῖψιν, πρὸς τὴν στενοχωρίαν; Ἀλλὰ τῷ χρόνῳ; Καὶ τί μύρια ἔτη πρὸς ἀπείρους αἰῶνας καὶ ἀτελευτήτους; οὐχ ὅσον μικρὰ σταγὼν πρὸς ἄβυσσον ἄπειρον; Ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰ ἀγαθά; Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖ μείζων ἡ ὑπερβολή: Ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδε, φησὶν, οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσεν, ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη. Καὶ ταῦτα ἔσται πάλιν ἐν ἀπείροις αἰῶσιν. Ὑπὲρ τούτων οὖν κατακοπῆναι μυριάκις οὐ καλὸν, ἀναιρεθῆναι, κατακαῆναι, μυρίους ὑποστῆναι θανάτους, πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ὑπομεῖναι δεινὸν καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ; Εἰ γὰρ ἐν πυρὶ ζῇν κατακαιόμενον ἦν, οὐκ ἔδει πάντα ὑπομένειν ὑπὲρ τοῦ τυχεῖν τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἐκείνων ἀγαθῶν; Ἀλλὰ τί λέγω ταῦτα ληρῶν πρὸς ἀνθρώπους οὐδὲ χρημάτων καταφρονῆσαι αἱρουμένους, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀθανάτων αὐτῶν ἐχομένους, κἂν μικρὰ ἐκ πολλῶν δῶσι, τὸ πᾶν νομίζοντας ἠνυκέναι; Οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο ἐλεημοσύνη: ἐλεημοσύνη γάρ ἐστιν ἡ τῆς χήρας ἐκείνης, ἥτις τὸν βίον αὐτῆς πάντα ἐκένωσεν. Εἰ δὲ οὐ χωρεῖς τοσοῦτον ὅσον ἡ χήρα καταβαλεῖν, ἀλλὰ κἂν τὸ περίσσευμα ὅλον κατάβαλε: ἔχε τὰ ἀρκοῦντα, μὴ τὰ περιττά. Ἀλλ' οὐδείς ἐστιν οὐδὲ τὸ περίσσευμα καταβάλλων: ἕως γὰρ ἂν ἔχῃς οἰκέτας πολλοὺς καὶ ἱμάτια σηρικὰ, πάντα ταῦτα περιττεύματά ἐστιν. Οὐδὲν ἀναγκαῖον οὐδὲ τῆς χρείας, ὧν ἄνευ δυνάμεθα ζῇν: ταῦτα περιττὰ καὶ ἁπλῶς ἔξω πρόσκειται. Τίνος οὖν ἄνευ οὐ δυνάμεθα ζῇν ἴδωμεν, εἰ δοκεῖ. Κἂν δύο μόνους ἔχωμεν οἰκέτας, δυνάμεθα ζῇν: ὅπου γάρ εἰσί τινες χωρὶς οἰκετῶν ζῶντες, ποίαν ἡμεῖς ἔχομεν ἀπολογίαν, τοῖς δύο οὐκ ἀρκούμενοι; Δυνάμεθα καὶ ἐκ πλίνθων ἔχειν οἰκίαν τριῶν οἰκημάτων: καὶ τοῦτο ἀρκεῖ ἡμῖν. Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, οὐκ εἰσί τινες μετὰ παίδων καὶ γυναικὸς ἕνα οἶκον ἔχοντες; Ἔστωσαν δὲ, εἰ βούλει, καὶ παῖδες δύο. Καὶ πῶς οὐκ αἰσχύνη, φησὶν, ἐστὶ τὸ μετὰ δύο οἰκετῶν τὴν ἐλευθέραν βαδίζειν; Ἄπαγε, οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο αἰσχύνη, μετὰ δύο οἰκετῶν τὴν ἐλευθέραν βαδίζειν, ἀλλ' αἰσχύνη ἐστὶ τὸ μετὰ πολλῶν προϊέναι. Τάχα γελᾶτε τούτων ἀκούοντες. Πιστεύσατε, τοῦτό ἐστιν αἰσχύνη, τὸ μετὰ πολλῶν προϊέναι. Ὥσπερ οἱ προβατοπῶλαι, ἢ ὥσπερ οἱ τῶν ἀνδραπόδων κάπηλοι, οὕτω μέγα τι ἡγεῖσθε τὸ μετὰ πλειόνων οἰκετῶν προϊέναι. Τῦφος τοῦτο καὶ κενοδοξία: ἐκεῖνο φιλοσοφία καὶ σεμνότης. Τὴν γὰρ ἐλευθέραν οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ἀκολούθων φαίνεσθαι δεῖ: ποία γὰρ ἀρετὴ ἀνδράποδα ἔχειν πολλά; Τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστι ψυχῆς: ὅπερ δὲ οὐκ ἔστι ψυχῆς, οὐ δείκνυσιν ἐλευθέραν. Ὅταν ὀλίγοις ἀρκῆται, τότε ἐστὶν ἐλευθέρα ὄντως: ὅταν δὲ πολλῶν δέηται, δούλη ἐστὶ καὶ ἀνδραπόδων χείρων. Εἰπέ μοι, οἱ ἄγγελοι οὐχὶ μόνοι περιπολοῦσι τὴν οἰκουμένην, καὶ οὐ δέονται οὐδενὸς τοῦ ἑψομένου; ἆρ' οὖν διὰ τοῦτο χείρους ἡμῶν εἰσι τῶν δεομένων οἱ μὴ δεόμενοι; Εἰ τοίνυν τὸ μηδὲ ὅλως δεῖσθαι ἀκολούθου, ἀγγελικὸν, τίς τοῦ ἀγγελικοῦ βίου ἐγγὺς, ἡ πολλῶν δεομένη, ἢ ἡ ὀλίγων; Οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο αἰσχύνη; αἰσχύνη γάρ ἐστι τὸ ἄτοπόν τι πρᾶξαι. Εἰπέ μοι, τίς ἐπιστρέφει τοὺς ἐπ' ἀγορᾶς, ἡ πολλοὺς ἐπαγομένη, ἢ ἡ ὀλίγους; ταύτης δὲ τῆς ὀλίγους ἐπαγομένης, οὐχὶ ἡ μόνη μᾶλλον ἀπρόοπτος φαινομένη; Ὁρᾷς ὅτι ἐκεῖνό ἐστιν αἰσχύνη; Τίς ἐπιστρέφει τοὺς ἐπ' ἀγορᾶς, ἡ τὰ καλὰ φοροῦσα ἱμάτια, ἢ ἡ ἁπλῶς περικειμένη καὶ ἀνεπιτηδεύτως; τίς πάλιν ἐπιστρέφει τοὺς ἐπ' ἀγορᾶς, ἡ ἐπὶ ἡμιόνων φερομένη, καὶ χρυσοπάστων παραπετασμάτων, ἢ ἡ ἁπλῶς καὶ ὡς ἔτυχε μετὰ κοσμιότητος βαδίζουσα; ἢ ταύτην μὲν οὐδὲ ὁρῶμεν κἂν ἴδωμεν, ἐκείνην δὲ οὐ μόνον ἰδεῖν βιάζονται οἱ πολλοὶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐρωτῶσι, τίς εἴη, καὶ πόθεν; Καὶ παρίημι λέγειν ὅσος ὁ φθόνος ἐντεῦθεν τίκτεται. Τί οὖν, εἰπέ μοι, αἰσχρὸν, ὁρᾶσθαι ἢ μὴ ὁρᾶσθαι; πότε μείζων ἡ αἰσχύνη, ὅταν πάντες εἰς αὐτὴν βλέπωσιν, ἢ ὅταν μηδείς; ὅταν μανθάνωσι περὶ αὐτῆς, ἢ ὅταν μηδὲ φροντίζωσιν; Ὁρᾷς ὅτι οὐ δι' αἰσχύνην, ἀλλὰ διὰ κενοδοξίαν πάντα πράττομεν; Πλὴν ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τούτου ἀδύνατον ὑμᾶς ἀπαγαγεῖν, ἀρκεῖ μοι τέως τὸ μαθεῖν ὑμᾶς, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο αἰσχύνη. Ἁμαρτία μόνη αἰσχύνη ἐστὶν, ἣν οὐδεὶς εἶναι νομίζει αἰσχύνην, ἀλλὰ πάντα μᾶλλον ἢ ταύτην. Ἱμάτια ἔστω τὰ τῆς χρείας, μὴ περιττά: πλὴν ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ εἰς πολλὴν στενοχωρίαν ὑμᾶς κατακλείσωμεν, ἐκεῖνο παρεγγυῶ, ὅτι χρυσοπάστων ἡμῖν οὐ δεῖ, οὐδὲ λεπτῶν ὀθονίων. Καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐγὼ λέγω: ὅτι γὰρ οὐκ ἐμά ἐστι τὰ ῥήματα, ἄκουε τοῦ μακαρίου Παύλου λέγοντος, καὶ παρεγγυῶντος ταῖς γυναιξὶ Κοσμεῖν ἑαυτὰς, μὴ ἐν πλέγμασιν, ἢ χρυσῷ, ἢ μαργαρίταις, ἢ ἱματισμῷ πολυτελεῖ. Ἀλλὰ ποταπῷ βούλει, ὦ Παῦλε, εἰπέ: ἴσως γὰρ ἐροῦσιν, ὅτι τὰ χρυσᾶ μόνα ἐστὶ πολυτελῆ, τὰ δὲ σηρικὰ οὐ πολυτελῆ: εἰπὲ ποταπῷ βούλει. Ἔχοντες δὲ διατροφὰς καὶ σκεπάσματα, τούτοις, φησὶν, ἀρκεσθησόμεθα. Τοιοῦτον ἔστω τὸ ἱμάτιον, φησὶν, ὥστε σκέπειν μόνον. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν αὐτὰ ὁ Θεὸς, ἵνα σκέπωμεν τὴν γυμνότητα: τοῦτο δὲ οἱονδήποτε ἱμάτιον ποιῆσαι δύναται εὐτελοῦς ὃν τιμῆς. Τάχα γελᾶτε, αἱ τὰ σηρικὰ φοροῦσαι ἱμάτια: γελᾶσαι γὰρ ὄντως χρή. Τί μὲν Παῦλος ἐπέταξε; τί δὲ ἡμεῖς πράττομεν; Οὐ πρὸς τὰς γυναῖκας δέ μοι ὁ λόγος μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἄνδρας. Πάντα γὰρ τὰ λοιπὰ, ἅπερ ἔχομεν, περιττά: μόνοι οἱ πένητες οὐ περιττὰ κέκτηνται: τάχα δὲ κἀκεῖνοι δι' ἀνάγκην, ὡς, εἴ γε ἐξῆν, οὐκ ἂν οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνοι ἀπέσχοντο. Πλὴν ἀλλ', εἴτε προφάσει, εἴτε ἀληθείᾳ, τέως ἐκεῖνοι τὰ περιττὰ οὐκ ἔχουσι. Τοιαῦτα τοίνυν φορῶμεν ἱμάτια, τὰ τὴν χρείαν πληροῦντα. Τί γὰρ βούλεται ὁ πολὺς χρυσός; τοῖς ἐπὶ σκηνῆς ταῦτα ἁρμόττει, ταῦτα ἐκείνων τὰ φορήματα, πορνῶν ἐστι γυναικῶν, πάντα πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι ποιουσῶν. Καλλωπιζέσθω ἐκείνη ἡ ἐπὶ τῆς σκηνῆς, ἡ ἐπὶ τῆς ὀρχήστρας: πάντας γὰρ βούλεται πρὸς ἑαυτὴν ἐπισπάσασθαι: ἡ δὲ ἐπαγγελλομένη θεοσέβειαν, μὴ οὕτω καλλωπιζέσθω, ἀλλὰ ἑτέρως ἔχει καλλωπισμὸν πολὺ ἐκείνης μείζονα. Ἔχεις καὶ σὺ θέατρον: πρὸς ἐκεῖνο καλλωπίζου τὸ θέατρον, ἐκεῖνον περιτίθεσο τὸν κόσμον. Ποῖόν σού ἐστι τὸ θέατρον; Ὁ οὐρανὸς, ὁ τῶν ἀγγέλων δῆμος: οὐχὶ τῶν παρθένων λέγω μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν κοσμικῶν: πᾶσαι, ὅσαι τῷ Χριστῷ πιστεύουσιν, ἐκεῖνο ἔχουσι τὸ θέατρον. Τοιαῦτα φθεγγώμεθα, ἵνα ἐκείνοις τέρπωμεν τοὺς θεατάς: τοιαῦτα περιτίθεσο, ἵνα ἐκείνους εὐφράνῃς. Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, ἐὰν ἡ πόρνη γυνὴ ἀφεῖσα τὰ χρυσία καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια καὶ τὸν γέλωτα καὶ τὰ ῥήματα τὰ ἀστεῖα καὶ τὰ αἰσχρὰ, εὐτελὲς ἱμάτιον περιβάληται, καὶ ἀνεπιτηδεύτως συνθεῖσα ἑαυτὴν εἰσέλθῃ, καὶ θεοσεβῆ φθέγγηται ῥήματα, καὶ περὶ σωφροσύνης διαλέγηται, καὶ μηδὲν αἰσχρὸν λέγῃ, οὐχὶ ἀναστήσονται πάντες; οὐχὶ διαλυθήσεται τοῦτο τὸ θέατρον; οὐχὶ ἐκβαλοῦσιν αὐτὴν, ὡς οὐκ εἰδυῖαν ἁρμόσασθαι τῷ δήμῳ, καὶ ἀλλότρια λέγουσαν τοῦ θεάτρου ἐκείνου τοῦ σατανικοῦ; Οὕτω καὶ σὺ, ἐὰν τὰ ἐκείνης περιθεμένη εἰς τὸ τῶν οὐρανῶν θέατρον εἰσέλθῃς, ἐκβαλοῦσί σε οἱ θεαταί. Ἐκεῖ γὰρ οὐ τῶν χρυσῶν ἱματίων χρεία τούτων, ἀλλ' ἑτέρων. Ποίων; Οἵων ὁ προφήτης φησίν: Ἐν κροσσωτοῖς χρυσοῖς περιβεβλημένη, πεποικιλμένη: οὐχ ὥστε τὸ σῶμα λευκὸν ποιῆσαι καὶ ἀποστίλβον, ἀλλ' ὥστε τὴν ψυχὴν καλλωπίσαι: αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ἀγωνιζομένη ἐκεῖ καὶ ἀθλοῦσα. Πᾶσα ἡ δόξα τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως ἔσωθεν, φησί. Ταῦτα περίθου: μυρίων γὰρ καὶ ἄλλων ἀπαλλάττεις σαυτὴν κακῶν, καὶ τὸν ἄνδρα μερίμνης, καὶ σαυτὴν φροντίδος. Οὕτω γὰρ αἰδέσιμος ἔσῃ τῷ ἀνδρὶ, ὅταν μὴ πολλῶν δέῃ. Ϛʹ. Πᾶς γὰρ ἄνθρωπος εἴωθεν ἀκκίζεσθαι κατὰ τῶν δεομένων αὐτοῦ: ὅταν δὲ ἴδῃ μὴ χρείαν ἔχοντας, κατασπᾷ τὸ φρόνημα, ὥστε ὁμοτίμως διαλέγεται. Ὅταν ἴδῃ ὁ ἀνὴρ ὅτι οὐ χρείαν αὐτοῦ ἔχεις ἐν οὐδενὶ, ὅτι καταφρονεῖς τῶν παρ' αὐτοῦ δωρεῶν, κἂν σφόδρα ᾖ φρονηματιῶν, τότε σε αἰδεσθήσεται μᾶλλον, ἢ τὰ χρυσία περικειμένην: καὶ οὐκέτι ἔσῃ αὐτοῦ δούλη. Ὧν γὰρ χρείαν ἔχομεν, ὑποκύπτειν τούτοις ἀναγκαζόμεθα: ἐὰν δὲ ἀποστήσωμεν ἑαυτοὺς, οὐκέτι ἐσόμεθα ὑπόδικοι, ἀλλ' οἶδεν ὅτι διὰ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβον ὑπακοήν τινα ἀπονέμομεν αὐτῷ, οὐ διὰ τὰ παρ' αὐτοῦ. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ ὡς μεγάλα ἡμῖν χαριζόμενος, ὅσης ἂν ἀπολαύσῃ τῆς τιμῆς, οὐχ ἡγεῖται τῆς πάσης ἀπολελαυκέναι: τότε δὲ κἂν μικρᾶς τύχῃ, χάριν ἡγήσεται: οὐκ ὀνειδιεῖ, οὐκ ἀναγκασθήσεται οὐδὲ αὐτὸς πλεονεκτεῖν διὰ σέ. Τί γὰρ ἀλογώτερον τοῦ χρυσία εἰς τοῦτο κατασκευάζειν, ἵνα περικέωνται ἐν βαλανείοις καὶ ἐν ἀγοραῖς; Ἀλλ' ἐν βαλανείοις καὶ ἐν ἀγοραῖς οὐδὲν ἴσως θαυμαστόν: τὸ δὲ καὶ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ οὕτω σχηματιζομένην προϊέναι, πολὺς ὁ γέλως. Τί γὰρ δή ποτε εἰσέρχεται χρυσία φοροῦσα ἐνταῦθα, ἡ ὀφείλουσα εἰσελθεῖν, ἵνα ἀκούσῃ κοσμεῖν ἑαυτὰς, μὴ χρυσίῳ μηδὲ μαργαρίταις, μηδὲ ἱματισμῷ πολυτελεῖ; Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν εἰσέρχῃ, ὦ γύναι; ἆρα ὡς μαχομένη τῷ Παύλῳ, καὶ δεικνύουσα ὅτι κἂν μυριάκις ταῦτα λέγῃ, οὐκ ἐπιστρέφῃ; ἀλλ' ὡς τοὺς διδασκάλους ἡμᾶς ἐλέγξαι βουλομένη μάτην ταῦτα διαλεγομένους; Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, ἐάν τις Ἕλλην καὶ ἄπιστος ἀκούσας ἀναγινωσκομένου τοῦ χωρίου τούτου, ἔνθα ταῦτα λέγει ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος, παρεγγυῶν ταῖς γυναιξὶ, μήτε χρυσῷ, μήτε μαργαρίταις, μήτε ἱματισμῷ πολυτελεῖ κοσμεῖν ἑαυτὰς, καὶ ἔχων γυναῖκα πιστὴν, ἴδῃ ὅτι πολὺν ποιεῖται λόγον τοῦ καλλωπισμοῦ καὶ χρυσία περιτίθεται, ἵνα προέλθῃ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἆρα οὐκ ἐρεῖ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν, ὁρῶν αὐτὴν ἐν τῷ κοιτωνίσκῳ ταῦτα περιτιθεμένην καὶ διατιθεῖσαν καλῶς, Τί μένει ἔνδον ἡ γυνὴ εἰς τὸν κοιτωνίσκον; τί βραδύνει; τί περιτίθεται τὰ χρυσία; ποῦ ἀπελθεῖν ἔχει; εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν; διὰ τί; ἵνα ἀκούσῃ, Μὴ ἱματισμῷ πολυτελεῖ; Οὐ γελάσεται; οὐκ ἀνακαγχάσει; οὐ χλεύην καὶ ἀπάτην εἶναι νομιεῖ τὰ ἡμέτερα; Διὸ παρακαλῶ, τὰ χρυσία ταῖς πομπαῖς ἀφῶμεν, ταῖς σκηναῖς, ταῖς προθήκαις ταῖς ἐπὶ τῶν ἐργαστηρίων: ἡ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰκὼν μὴ τούτοις καλλωπιζέσθω: ἡ ἐλευθέρα τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ κοσμείσθω: ἐλευθερία δὲ τὸ ἄτυφον, τὸ ἀκόμπαστον. Εἰ δὲ καὶ δόξης βούλει τῆς παρὰ ἀνθρώπων ἐπιτυχεῖν, οὕτως ἐπιτεύξῃ Τὴν γὰρ ἀνδρὸς πλουτοῦντος οὖσαν γυναῖκα οὐχ οὕτω θαυμασόμεθα χρυσία φοροῦσαν καὶ σηρικὰ (τοῦτο γὰρ κοινὸν ἁπασῶν), ὡς ὅταν λιτὸν ἱμάτιον καὶ ἁπλοῦν, καὶ ἐξ ἐρίου εἰργασμένον μόνον περικειμένη τυγχάνῃ: τοῦτο θαυμάσονται πάντες, τοῦτο κροτήσουσιν. Ἐν ἐκείνῳ μὲν γὰρ τῷ κόσμῳ τῷ τῶν χρυσίων καὶ τῶν πολυτελῶν ἱματίων, πολλὰς ἔχει τὰς κοινωνούσας αὐτῇ: κἂν ταύτην ὑπερακοντίσῃ, ὑπὸ τῆς ἑτέρας ἡττᾶται: κἂν πάσας ὑπερβάληται, ὑπὸ τῆς βασιλίδος αὐτῆς νικᾶται: ἐνταῦθα δὲ πάσας νικᾷ, καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως γυναῖκα: μόνη γὰρ ἐν πλούτῳ πολλῷ τὰ τῶν πενήτων εἵλετο. Ὥστε καὶ εἰ δόξης ἐρῶμεν, ἐνταῦθα μείζων ἡ δόξα. Οὐ πρὸς τὰς χήρας λέγω μόνον, καὶ τὰς πλουσίας: ἐνταῦθα γὰρ δοκεῖ ἡ τῆς χηρείας ἀνάγκη τοῦτο ποιεῖν: ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τὰς ὑπάνδρους οὔσας. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀρέσκω, φησὶ, τῷ ἀνδρί. Οὐ τῷ ἀνδρὶ βούλει ἀρέσκειν, ἀλλὰ τῷ πλήθει τῶν γυναικῶν τῶν πενιχρῶν: μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ ἀρέσκειν, ἀλλὰ κατατήκειν αὐτὰς καὶ ὀδυνᾷν, καὶ τὴν πενίαν μείζονα ποιεῖν. Πόσα διὰ σὲ βλάσφημα φθέγγονται; Μὴ ἔστω, φησὶ, πενία: ὁ Θεὸς μισεῖ τοὺς πενομένους, ὁ Θεὸς οὐ φιλεῖ τοὺς ἐν πενίᾳ. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐ τῷ ἀνδρὶ βούλει ἀρέσκειν, καὶ ταύτης ἕνεκεν τῆς αἰτίας καλλωπίζῃ, ἐξ ὧν αὐτὴ ποιεῖς τοῦτο δῆλον ἅπασι καθιστᾷς. Ὅταν γὰρ ὑπερβῇς τὸν οὐδὸν τοῦ θαλάμου, εὐθέως ἅπαντα ἀποτίθῃ, καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια, καὶ τὰ χρυσία, καὶ τοὺς μαργαρίτας: καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας μάλιστα οὐ φορεῖς. Εἰ δὲ ὅλως βούλει ἀρέσκειν τῷ ἀνδρὶ, ἔστι δι' ὧν ἀρέσκεις, δι' ἐπιεικείας, διὰ πραότητος, διὰ κοσμιότητος. Πίστευε γάρ μοι, γύναι, κἂν μυριάκις ᾖ κατωφερὴς ὁ ἀνὴρ καὶ ἀκρατὴς, ταῦτα μᾶλλον αὐτὸν ἐφελκύσεται, ἐπιείκεια, κοσμιότης, τὸ ἄτυφον, τὸ ἀδάπανον, τὸ εὐτελές. Τὸν μὲν γὰρ ἀκόλαστον, κἂν μυρία τοιαῦτα ἐπινοῇς, οὐ καθέξεις: καὶ ἴσασιν ὅσαι τοιούτους ἐσχήκασιν ἄνδρας: ὡς γὰρ ἐὰν καλλωπίσῃς σαυτὴν, ἐκεῖνος ἀκόλαστος ὢν πρὸς ἑτέραν ἄπεισι: τὸν δὲ σώφρονα καὶ κόσμιον οὐ τούτοις αἱρήσεις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐναντίοις: ἐν τούτοις δὲ καὶ λυπεῖς, σαυτῇ δόξαν περιτιθεῖσα φιλοκόσμου. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ αἰδούμενος ὁ ἀνὴρ, καὶ τοῦτο ὡς σώφρων οὐ λέγει, ἀλλ' ἔνδοθεν καταγνώσεταί σου: τοὺς δὲ φθόνους καὶ τὰς βασκανίας οὐ περιστελεῖται. Οὐ πᾶσαν ἡδονὴν ἐκβαλεῖς λοιπὸν, φθόνον ἐγείρουσα κατὰ σαυτῆς; ζʹ. Τάχα δυσχερῶς ἀκούετε τῶν λεγομένων, καὶ ἀγανακτεῖτε λέγουσαι, ὅτι τοὺς ἄνδρας παροξύνει μᾶλλον κατὰ τῶν γυναικῶν. Οὐ τοὺς ἄνδρας παροξύνων ταῦτα λέγω, ἀλλὰ παρ' ὑμῶν βουλόμενος ἑκοντὶ ταῦτα γίνεσθαι, δι' ὑμᾶς, οὐ δι' ἐκείνους: οὐχ ἵνα ἐκείνους ἀπαλλάξω φθόνου, ἀλλ' ἵνα ὑμᾶς ἀπαλλάξω φαντασίας βιωτικῆς. Βούλει φανῆναι καλή; κἀγὼ τοῦτο βούλομαι, ἀλλὰ κάλλος ὃ ὁ Θεὸς ζητεῖ, κάλλος ὃ ἐπιθυμεῖ ὁ βασιλεύς. Τίνα βούλει σχεῖν ἐραστὴν, τὸν Θεὸν ἢ ἀνθρώπους; Ἐὰν ἐκεῖνο ᾖς τὸ κάλλος καλὴ, ὁ Θεὸς ἐπιθυμήσει τοῦ κάλλους σου: ἂν δὲ τοῦτο χωρὶς ἐκείνου, ἐκεῖνος μέν σε βδελύξεται, ἔσονται δέ σου ἐρασταὶ ἄνδρες μιαροί: οὐδεὶς γὰρ ὑπάνδρου γυναικὸς ἐρῶν ἀγαθός. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ κόσμου τοῦ ἔξωθεν λογίζου. Ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ ὁ κόσμος, ὁ τῆς ψυχῆς λέγω, τὸν Θεὸν ἐπισπᾶται: οὗτος δὲ πάλιν τοὺς μιαροὺς ἄνδρας. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι ὑμῶν κήδομαι, ὅτι ὑμῶν φροντίζω, ἵνα καλαὶ ἦτε, ὄντως καλαὶ, ὄντως ἐπίδοξοι, ἵνα ἀντὶ ἀνδρῶν μιαρῶν τὸν ἁπάντων Δεσπότην Θεὸν ἔχητε ἐραστήν; Ἡ δὲ ἐκεῖνον ἔχουσα ἐραστὴν, τίνι ἔσται ὁμοία; μετὰ ἀγγέλων χορεύει. Εἰ γὰρ παρὰ βασιλέως φιλουμένη τις ὑπὲρ πάντας μακαρίζεται: ἡ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλουμένη φιλίαν πολλὴν, τίνος ἔσται ἀξία; κἂν τὴν οἰκουμένην ἀντιστήσῃς, οὐδὲν τοῦ κάλλους ἐκείνου ἄξιον. Τοῦτο τοίνυν ἀσκήσωμεν τὸ κάλλος, τούτῳ κοσμώμεθα τῷ κόσμῳ, ἵνα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς χωρήσωμεν, εἰς τὰς παστάδας τὰς πνευματικὰς, εἰς τὸν νυμφῶνα τὸν ἀκήρατον. Τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ τὸ κάλλος ὑπὸ πάντων ἁλίσκεται, καὶ ὅταν παραμείνῃ καλῶς, καὶ μήτε νόσος ἐνοχλήσῃ μήτε φροντὶς, ὅπερ ἀδύνατον, οὐ παραμένει εἴκοσιν ἔτη: ἐκεῖνο δὲ ἀεὶ ἀνθεῖ, ἀεὶ ἀκμάζει: οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκεῖ δεῖσαι μεταβολὴν, οὐ γῆρας ἐπελθὸν ῥυτίδα ἤγαγεν, οὐ νόσος κατασκήψασα ἐμάρανεν, οὐκ ἀθυμίας φροντὶς ἐλυμήνατο, ἀλλὰ πάντων τούτων ἐστὶν ἀνώτερον. Τοῦτο δὲ πρὶν ἢ φανῆναι, ἀπέστη, καὶ φανὲν οὐκ ἔχει πολλοὺς τοὺς θαυμαστάς. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ κόσμιοι οὐ θαυμάζουσιν, οἱ δὲ θαυμάζοντες, μετὰ ἀσελγείας θαυμάζουσι. Μὴ τοίνυν τοῦτο ἀσκῶμεν, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο: ἐκείνου ἐχώμεθα, ἵνα μετὰ λαμπάδων φαιδρῶν ἀπέλθωμεν εἰς τὸν νυμφῶνα. Οὐ γὰρ ταῖς παρθένοις τοῦτο ἐπήγγελται μόνον, ἀλλὰ ταῖς ψυχαῖς ταῖς παρθένοις: ἐπεὶ, εἰ παρθένων ἦν ἁπλῶς τοῦτο, οὐκ ἂν αἱ πέντε ἀπεκλείσθησαν. Πασῶν τοίνυν ἐστὶ τοῦτο ὅσαι τὴν ψυχήν εἰσι παρθένοι, ὅσαι τῶν νοημάτων τῶν βιωτικῶν εἰσιν ἀπηλλαγμέναι: φθείρουσι γὰρ τὰς ψυχὰς τὰ νοήματα ταῦτα. Ἐὰν τοίνυν ἀκέραιοι μένωμεν, ἀπελευσόμεθα ἐκεῖ καὶ δεχθησόμεθα. Ἡρμοσάμην γὰρ ὑμᾶς, φησὶν, ἑνὶ ἀνδρὶ, παρθένον ἁγνὴν παραστῆσαι τῷ Χριστῷ. Ταῦτα οὐ πρὸς τὰς παρθένους εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἁπάσης. Ἡ γὰρ ἄφθορος ψυχὴν παρθένος ἐστὶ, κἂν ἄνδρα ἔχῃ: παρθένος ἐστὶ τὴν ὄντως παρθενίαν, τὴν θαυμαστήν: αὕτη γὰρ ἡ τοῦ σώματος ἐκείνης ἐστὶν ἐπακολούθημα καὶ σκιὰ, ἡ δὲ ἀληθὴς παρθενία ἐκείνη ἐστί. Ταύτην ἀσκῶμεν, καὶ οὕτω δυνησόμεθα μετὰ φαιδροῦ προσώπου τὸν νυμφίον ἰδεῖν, μετὰ φαιδρῶν εἰσελθεῖν τῶν λαμπάδων, ἐὰν τὸ ἔλαιον ἡμᾶς μὴ ἐπιλίπῃ, ἐὰν τὰ χρυσία χωνεύσασαι ἔλαιον ἐργασώμεθα τοιοῦτον, ὃ ποιεῖ φαιδρὰς τὰς λαμπάδας: τὸ δὲ ἔλαιον ἐκεῖνό ἐστιν ἡ φιλανθρωπία. Ἐὰν ἑτέροις μεταδῶμεν τὰ ὄντα, ἐὰν ἔλαιον αὐτὰ ἐργασώμεθα, τότε ἡμῶν προστήσεται, καὶ οὐκ ἐροῦμεν ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ, Δότε ἡμῖν ἔλαιον ὅτι σβέννυνται ἡμῶν αἱ λαμπάδες, οὐδὲ ἑτέρων δεηθησόμεθα, οὐδὲ ἀπελθοῦσαι πρὸς τοὺς πωλοῦντας, ἀποκλεισθησόμεθα, οὐδὲ ἀκουσόμεθα τῆς φωνῆς ἐκείνης τῆς φοβερᾶς καὶ φρικτῆς, κρούουσαι τὰς θύρας: Οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς: ἀλλ' ἐπιγνώσεται ἡμᾶς, καὶ συνεισελευσόμεθα τῷ νυμφίῳ, καὶ εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὸν νυμφῶνα τὸν πνευματικὸν, μυρίων ἀπολαύσομεν τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα οὕτω φαιδρὸς ὁ νυμφὼν, οὕτω λαμπραὶ αἱ παστάδες, ὡς μηδένα κορέννυσθαι προσέχοντα: πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἐκεῖ; Θάλαμός ἐστιν ὁ οὐρανὸς, καὶ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὁ νυμφὼν βελτίων: ἐκεῖ εἰσελευσόμεθα. Εἰ δὲ ὁ νυμφὼν οὕτω καλὸς, τίς ἄρα ἔσται ὁ νυμφίος; Καὶ τί λέγω τὰ χρυσία ἀποθέμεναι μεταδῶμεν τοῖς δεομένοις; εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἑαυτὰς πωλεῖν ἐχρῆν, εἰ γὰρ ἀντ' ἐλευθέρων γενέσθαι δούλας, ὥστε δυνηθῆναι μετ' ἐκείνου εἶναι τοῦ νυμφίου, τοῦ κάλλους ἀπολαύειν ἐκείνου, μόνον ὁρᾷν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον ἐκείνου: οὐκ ἐχρῆν μετὰ προθυμίας ἅπαντα καταδέξασθαι; Καὶ βασιλέα μὲν τὸν ἐπὶ γῆς ἵνα μόνον ἴδωμεν, πολλάκις ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ τὰ ἐν χερσὶ ῥίπτομεν, καὶ ἀναγκαῖα ὄντα: ὑπὲρ δὲ τοῦ βασιλέα καὶ νυμφίον ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἀμφότερα ὄντα, ὥστε μὴ μόνον καταξιωθῆναι ἰδεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ προηγεῖσθαι αὐτοῦ μετὰ λαμπάδων, καὶ ἐγγὺς αὐτοῦ εἶναι, καὶ διαπαντὸς εἶναι μετ' αὐτοῦ, τί οὐκ ἔδει ποιεῖν; τί δὲ οὐ πράττειν; τί δὲ οὐχ ὑπομένειν; Διὸ, παρακαλῶ, λάβωμέν τινα πόθον ἐκείνων τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ποθήσωμεν ἐκεῖνον τὸν νυμφίον, ὦμεν παρθένοι τὴν ἀληθῆ παρθενίαν: τὴν γὰρ τῆς ψυχῆς παρθενίαν ἐπιζητεῖ ὁ Δεσπότης. Μετὰ ταύτης εἰσέλθωμεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, μὴ ἔχοντες σπῖλον, ἢ ῥυτίδα, ἤ τι τῶν τοιούτων, ἵνα καὶ τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἡμῖν ἀγαθῶν ἐπιτύχωμεν: ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς μετασχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ.