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to smear them on, thus melted down. But if you disbelieve and think I am speaking in jest, I will tell you what I have heard, or rather, what is even now the case. The king of the Persians has a golden beard, since those skilled in these things twine leaves of gold into his hairs, just as with a thread; and it is set up like a wonder. Glory to you, O Christ, with how many good things you have filled us, how you have prepared us to be sound! From how much monstrosity, from how much irrationality have you freed us? Behold, I forewarn; I no longer advise, but I command and order; let him who is willing listen, and let him who is not willing disobey; that if you persist in doing these things, I will not endure or receive you, nor will I allow you to cross these thresholds. For what need have I of a multitude of sick people? What then, if training you I do not forbid the things that are not superfluous? And yet Paul forbade it, both gold and pearls. We are laughed at by the Greeks, our affairs seem to be a myth. And I advise the men of these things: Do you come to a school, to be taught spiritual philosophy? Put away that pride. This I advise both men and women; and if anyone does otherwise, henceforth I will not tolerate it. There were twelve disciples, and hear what Christ says to them: ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ For if we flatter completely, when will we recover? when will we be of use? ‘But there are,’ he says, ‘other heresies, and they go over to them.’ This is a cold saying: Better is one doing the will of the Lord than ten thousand transgressors. Since what do you want, tell me? To have ten thousand runaway and thieving servants, or one who is loyal? Behold, I advise and charge you to shatter both the adornment concerning the face and such vessels, and to give to the poor, and not to be so mad. Let him who is willing leap away, let him who is willing accuse; I tolerate no one. When I am about to be judged before the judgment seat of Christ, you will be standing far off, and the favor from you will be for nothing, as I render my accounts. These sayings have corrupted everything: ‘So that he may go away,’ he says, ‘and be transferred to another heresy; he is weak, condescend to him.’ Until when? For how long? Once, and twice, and thrice, not always. 62.351 Behold, I charge you again, and I testify according to the blessed Paul, that if I come again, I will not spare; but when you have set things right, then you will know how great the gain, how great the benefit. Yes, I beseech and entreat you, and I would not refuse to clasp your knees, and to offer supplication for this. What is this stupidity? What is this luxury? What is this insolence? This is not luxury, but insolence. What is this folly? What is this madness? So many poor people surround the church, and the Church, having so many children who are so rich, is not able to assist a single poor person; but one is hungry, and another is drunk; one 62.352 even defecates in a silver vessel, while another does not even have a share of bread. What madness? What great savagery is this? May it be that we do not come to the trial of proceeding against the disobedient, nor to the indignation of permitting these things, but willingly and patiently to curtail all these things; so that we may live to the glory of God, and be delivered from the punishment there, and attain to the good things promised to those who love him, by grace and loving-kindness.

HOMILY 8. Mortify your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry, on account of which things

the wrath of God comes upon the sons 62.352 even defecates in a silver vessel, while another does not even have a share of bread. What madness? What great savagery is this? May it be that we do not come to the trial of proceeding against the disobedient, nor to

the indignation of permitting these things, but willingly and patiently these things

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κατατηκούσας οὕτω περιχρίειν. Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖτε καὶ νομίζετε γελῶντά με λέγειν, ἐγὼ διηγήσομαι ὅπερ ἤκουσα, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἔστι νῦν. Ὁ τῶν Περσῶν βασιλεὺς χρυσοῦν ἔχει τὸ γένειον, τῶν περὶ ταῦτα δεινῶν, καθάπερ τῇ κρόκῃ, οὕτω καὶ ταῖς ἐκείνου θριξὶν ἐνελισσόντων τὰ πέταλα τοῦ χρυσοῦ· καὶ ἀνάκειται καθάπερ τέρας. ∆όξα σοι, Χριστὲ, πόσων ἐνέπλησας ἀγαθῶν ἡμᾶς, πῶς ἡμᾶς ὑγιαίνειν παρεσκεύασας; πόσης τερατωδίας, πόσης ἀλογίας ἡμᾶς ἀπήλλαξας; Ἰδοὺ προλέγω· οὐκέτι παραινῶ, ἀλλ' ἐπιτάττω καὶ παραγγέλλω· ὁ βουλόμενος ἀκουέτω, ὁ δὲ μὴ βουλόμενος ἀπειθείτω· ὅτι ἂν ἐπιμένητε ταῦτα ποιοῦσαι, οὐκ ἀνέξομαι οὐδὲ δέξομαι ὑμᾶς οὐδὲ ἀφήσω τῶν οὐδῶν ὑπερβῆναι τούτων. Τί γάρ μοι δεῖ πλήθους νοσούντων; τί δὲ, εἰ παιδοτριβῶν ὑμᾶς οὐ κωλύω τὰ μὴ περιττά; Καίτοι γε ὁ Παῦλος ἐκώλυσε, καὶ χρυσὸν καὶ μαργαρίτας. Γελώμεθα παρὰ τῶν Ἑλλήνων, μῦθος εἶναι δοκεῖ τὰ ἡμέτερα. Καὶ τοῖς ἀνδράσι παραινῶ ταῦτα· εἰς διδασκαλεῖον παραγίνῃ, παιδευόμενος φιλοσοφίαν πνευματικήν; περίελε τὸν τῦφον ἐκεῖνον. Τοῦτο καὶ ἀνδράσι παραινῶ καὶ γυναιξί· κἂν ἑτέρως τις ποιῇ, λοιπὸν οὐκ ἀνέχομαι. ∆ώδεκα ἦσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ, καὶ ἄκουσον τί φησιν ὁ Χριστὸς πρὸς αὐτούς· Μὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς θέλετε ὑπάγειν; Ἂν γὰρ διόλου κολακεύωμεν, πότε ἀνακτησόμεθα; πότε ὠφελήσομεν; Ἀλλ' εἰσὶ, φησὶν, αἱρέσεις ἕτεραι, καὶ μετατίθενται. Ψυχρὸς οὗτος ὁ λόγος· Κρεῖσσον εἷς ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα Κυρίου, ἢ μυρίοι παράνομοι. Ἐπεὶ καὶ σὺ τί βούλει, εἰπέ μοι; μυρίους δραπέτας ἔχειν καὶ κλέπτας οἰκέτας, ἢ ἕνα εὔνουν; Ἰδοὺ παραινῶ καὶ παρεγγυῶ καὶ τὸν καλλωπισμὸν τὸν περὶ τὴν ὄψιν, καὶ τὰ σκεύη τὰ τοιαῦτα συντρίβειν, καὶ πένησι διδόναι, καὶ μὴ οὕτω μεμηνέναι. Ὁ βουλόμενος ἀποπηδάτω, ὁ βουλόμενος ἐγκαλείτω· οὐκ ἀνέχομαι οὐδενός. Ὅταν μέλλω κρίνεσθαι ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, μακρὰν ὑμεῖς ἑστήκατε, καὶ ἡ παρ' ὑμῶν χάρις εἰς οὐδὲν, ἐμοῦ τὰς εὐθύνας παρέχοντος. Ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα τὰ πάντα διέφθειρεν· ἵνα ἀπέλθῃ, φησὶν, καὶ μετατεθῇ πρὸς ἑτέραν αἵρεσιν· ἀσθενής ἐστι, συγκατάβηθι. Μέχρι τίνος; μέχρι πότε; ἅπαξ, καὶ δὶς, καὶ τρὶς, μὴ διαπαντός. 62.351 Ἰδοὺ παρεγγυῶ πάλιν, καὶ διαμαρτύρομαι κατὰ τὸν μακάριον Παῦλον, ὅτι ἂν ἔλθω εἰς τὸ πάλιν, οὐ φείσομαι· ὅταν δὲ κατορθώσητε, τότε εἴσεσθε ὅσον τὸ κέρδος, ὅση ἡ ὠφέλεια. Ναὶ, παρακαλῶ καὶ ἀντιβολῶ, καὶ τῶν γονάτων οὐκ ἂν παραιτησαίμην ἅψασθαι, καὶ ἱκετηρίαν θεῖναι ὑπὲρ τούτου. Τίς ἡ βλακεία; τίς ἡ τρυφή; τίς ἡ ὕβρις; οὐ τρυφὴ τοῦτο, ἀλλ' ὕβρις. Τίς ἡ ἄνοια; τίς ἡ μανία; Πένητες τοσοῦτοι τὴν ἐκκλησίαν περιεστήκασι, καὶ τέκνα ἔχουσα τοσαῦτα ἡ Ἐκκλησία, οὕτω πλουτοῦντα, οὐδενὶ πένητι ἐπαμῦναι δύναται· ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν πεινᾷ, ὁ δὲ μεθύει· ὁ μὲν 62.352 καὶ ἐν ἀργύρῳ ἀποπατεῖ, ὁ δὲ οὐδὲ ἄρτου μετέχει. Τίς ἡ μανία; τίς ἡ θηριωδία ἡ τοσαύτη; Γένοιτο μὴ ἐλθεῖν ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν πεῖραν τοῦ ἐπεξελθεῖν τοῖς ἀπειθοῦσι, μηδὲ εἰς ἀγανάκτησιν τοῦ ταῦτα ἐπιτρέψαι, ἀλλ' ἑκόντας καὶ ἀνεχομένους ταῦτα πάντα περιστεῖλαι· ἵνα εἰς δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ζήσωμεν, καὶ τῆς ἐκεῖ κολάσεως ἀπαλλαγῶμεν, καὶ τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀγαθῶν τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτὸν ἐπιτύχωμεν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ηʹ. Νεκρώσατε τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, πορ νείαν, ἀκαθαρσίαν, πάθος, ἐπιθυμίαν κακὴν, καὶ τὴν πλεονεξίαν, ἥτις ἐστὶν εἰδωλολατρεία, δι' ἃ

ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς 62.352 καὶ ἐν ἀργύρῳ ἀποπατεῖ, ὁ δὲ οὐδὲ ἄρτου μετέχει. Τίς ἡ μανία; τίς ἡ θηριωδία ἡ τοσαύτη; Γένοιτο μὴ ἐλθεῖν ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν πεῖραν τοῦ ἐπεξελθεῖν τοῖς ἀπειθοῦσι, μηδὲ εἰς

ἀγανάκτησιν τοῦ ταῦτα ἐπιτρέψαι, ἀλλ' ἑκόντας καὶ ἀνεχομένους ταῦτα