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and the change is swift, having nothing certain or unmovable, but all things are easily overturned and have a great tendency toward the opposite. What then could be more ridiculous than these things, than those who are gaping at and riveted to present things, but who consider these things preferable to those that are perpetual and always remain? 8.14 For this reason also the prophet, making a vehement accusation against those who are agitated by these things, says: “They considered them as standing still and not as fleeing.” See how with a single word he wished to represent their nothingness; he did not say as passing by, he did not say as changing, he did not say as running past, but what? as fleeing, wishing to show their speed and their great and sudden change, and to teach us never to be devoted to things seen, but to trust and be confident in those things alone which God promises. 8.15 For even if ten thousand hindrances should arise in the midst, it is not possible for the things promised by God ever to fail. For just as he himself is unchanging and unalterable and ever-abiding and perpetual, so also his promises are unfailing and immovable, unless perhaps they are hindered from coming to fulfillment by our deeds. But in human affairs the opposite happens. For just as the nature of humans is corruptible and mortal, so also the gifts from humans are corruptible and fading. And reasonably so; for since we are all corruptible humans, the nature of human gifts also imitates our nature. But concerning the promises of God, it is never possible to suspect any such thing, but those things that have been promised alone have what is certain and unmovable and fixed and firm. 8.16 Therefore, I beseech you, let us seek those things that always remain and do not admit of change. For it was for this reason that I purposely brought this discourse forward, that I might make a common exhortation to all, both to those initiated long ago and to those recently deemed worthy of the gift of baptism. Since, therefore, in the past days by continually coming to the tombs of the holy martyrs we have reaped a great blessing from there and enjoyed abundant teaching, but the continuity of the assemblies is now about to be interrupted, I necessarily remind your love to keep a living memory of so great a teaching and to consider spiritual things preferable to all worldly things. 8.17 And with great zeal, coming here to offer the prayers and confessions at dawn to the God of all, and to give thanks for what has already been provided, and to ask to be deemed worthy of great assistance for our future protection; and so, after departing from here, for each to take up their proper affairs with all reverence. And let one hasten to the work of his hands, another hurry to the military roster, another to political affairs; let each one, however, approach his affairs with fear and trembling, and so pass the time of day as one who is obliged around the time of evening to come here again and give an account of the whole day to the Master and ask pardon for his failings. For it is not possible, even if we were to secure ourselves ten thousand times, not to make ourselves liable for many and various errors; for either we have spoken something unseasonably, or have received a vain report, or have stirred up an improper thought in our mind, or have looked rashly, or have spent time uselessly and randomly and to no purpose. 8.18 And for this reason it is fitting for us every evening to ask pardon for all these things from the Master and to take refuge in the loving-kindness of God and to entreat Him. And having passed the time of the night with soberness, thus again to come to the confession at dawn, so that in this way each one of us, managing his own life, may be able both to run through the sea of the present life without danger and to be deemed worthy of the loving-kindness of the Master.

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καὶ ταχεῖα ἡ μετάπτωσις καὶ οὐδὲν βέβαιον οὐδὲ ἀκίνητον ἔχουσα, ἀλλὰ πάντα εὐπερίτρεπτα καὶ πολλὴν ἔχοντα τὴν πρὸς τὸ ἐναντίον ῥοπήν. Τί οὖν ἂν εἴη τούτων καταγελαστότερον τῶν πρὸς τὰ παρόντα κεχηνότων μὲν καὶ προσηλωμένων, τῶν δὲ διηνεκῶς ὄντων καὶ ἀεὶ μενόντων ταῦτα προτιμότερα ἡγουμένων; 8.14 ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ προφήτης σφοδρὰν τὴν κατηγορίαν ποιούμενος τῶν περὶ ταῦτα ἐπτοημένων φησίν· «Ὡς ἑστῶτα ἐλογίσαντο καὶ οὐχ ὡς φεύγοντα.» Ὅρα πῶς ἑνὶ ῥήματι παραστῆσαι αὐτῶν ἐβουλήθη τὴν οὐδένειαν, οὐκ εἶπεν ὡς παρεχόμενα, οὐκ εἶπεν ὡς μεταβαλλόμενα, οὐκ εἶπεν ὡς παρατρέχοντα, ἀλλὰ τί; ὡς φεύγοντα, τὸ τάχος αὐτῶν ἐνδείξασθαι βουλόμενος καὶ τὴν πολλὴν καὶ ἀθρόαν μεταβολὴν καὶ παιδεῦσαι ἡμᾶς μηδέποτε προστετηκέναι τοῖς ὁρωμένοις ἀλλ' ἐκείνοις μόνοις πεποιθέναι καὶ θαρρεῖν οἷς ἂν ὁ Θεὸς ἐπαγγέλληται. 8.15 Κἂν γὰρ μυρία κωλύματα ἐν τῷ μέσῳ γένηται, οὐχ οἷόν τέ ποτε διαπεσεῖν τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπαγγελθέντα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἄτρεπτος τυγχάνει καὶ ἀναλλοίωτος καὶ ἀεὶ μένων καὶ διηνεκῶς, οὕτω καὶ αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι αὐτοῦ ἀδιάπτωτοι καὶ ἀκίνητοι τυγχάνουσι, πλὴν εἰ μήπου παρὰ ἔργον κωλυθῶσιν ἐλθεῖν. Ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων τὸ ἐναντίον συμβαίνει. Καθάπερ γὰρ φθαρτὴ καὶ ἐπικηρός ἐστιν ἡ τῶν ἀνθρώπων φύσις, οὕτω καὶ αἱ παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰσὶ δωρεαὶ φθαρταὶ καὶ μαραινόμεναι. Καὶ εἰκότως· ἐπεὶ γὰρ φθαρτοὶ καὶ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἄνθρωποι καὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων δωρεῶν ἡ φύσις τὴν ἡμετέραν φύσιν μιμεῖται. Ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπαγγελιῶν οὐδὲν ἔστι τοιοῦτον ὑποπτεῦσαί ποτε, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐπαγγελθέντα ἐκεῖνα μόνα τὸ βέβαιον ἔχει καὶ ἀκίνητον καὶ πάγιον καὶ στερεόν. 8.16 ∆ιό, παρακαλῶ, ἐκεῖνα ζητῶμεν τὰ ἀεὶ μένοντα καὶ μεταβολὴν οὐκ ἐπιδεχόμενα. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο ἐπίτηδες καὶ τὸν λόγον τοῦτον εἰς μέσον παρήγαγον ἵνα κοινὴν πρὸς ἅπαντας ποιήσωμαι τὴν παραίνεσιν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς πάλαι μεμυημένους καὶ πρὸς τοὺς πρόσφατον τῆς τοῦ βαπτίσματος δωρεᾶς ἀξιωθέντας. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἐν ταῖς παρελθούσαις ἡμέραις παρὰ τοὺς τάφους τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων συνεχῶς παραγινόμενοι πολλὴν ἐκεῖθεν τὴν εὐλογίαν ἐκαρπωσάμεθα καὶ δαψιλοῦς ἀπελαύσαμεν τῆς διδασκαλίας, μέλλει δὲ λοιπὸν ἡ τῶν συνάξεων συνέχεια διακόπτεσθαι, ἀναγκαίως ὑπομιμνῄσκω τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγάπην ὥστε ἔναυλον ἔχειν τῆς τοσαύτης διδασκαλίας τὴν μνήμην καὶ τῶν βιωτικῶν ἁπάντων προτιμότερα ποιεῖσθαι τὰ πνευματικά. 8.17 Καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς σπουδῆς καὶ τὰς ὑπὸ τὸν ὄρθρον εὐχὰς καὶ ἐξομολογήσεις ἐνταῦθα παραγινομένους ἀποδιδόναι τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ καὶ εὐχαριστεῖν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἤδη παρασχεθέντων καὶ παρακαλεῖν πολλῆς ἀξιωθῆναι τῆς συμμαχίας πρὸς τὴν εἰς τὸ ἑξῆς φυλακήν· καὶ οὕτω μετὰ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἔξοδον μετὰ πάσης εὐλαβείας τῶν προσηκόντων ἕκαστον ἅπτεσθαι πραγμάτων. Καὶ ὁ μὲν πρὸς τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν χειρῶν ἐργασίαν ἐπειγέσθω, ὁ δὲ εἰς τὸν τῆς στρατείας κατάλογον σπευδέτω, ἕτερος περὶ τὰ πολιτικὰ πράγματα· ἕκαστος μέντοι μετὰ φόβου καὶ ἀγωνίας τοῖς πράγμασι προσίτω καὶ τὸν τῆς ἡμέρας καιρὸν οὕτω διανυέτω ὡς ὀφείλων περὶ τὸν τῆς ἑσπέρας καιρὸν πάλιν ἐνταῦθα παραγενέσθαι καὶ τῆς ἡμέρας ἁπάσης τὸν λόγον ἀποδοῦναι τῷ δεσπότῃ καὶ συγγνώμην αἰτῆσαι περὶ τῶν ἐπταισμένων. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οἷόν τε κἂν μυριάκις ἀσφαλισώμεθα μὴ πολλοῖς καὶ διαφόροις σφάλμασιν ὑπευθύνους ἡμᾶς καταστῆσαι· ἢ γὰρ ἀκαίρως τι ἐφθεγξάμεθα, ἢ ματαίαν ἀκοὴν παρεδεξάμεθα, ἢ λογισμὸν ἀπρεπῆ κατὰ τὴν διάνοιαν ἐκινήσαμεν, ἢ προπετῶς εἴδομεν, ἢ μάτην καὶ εἰκῇ τὸν καιρὸν ἀναλώσαμεν καὶ εἰς οὐδὲν δέον. 8.18 Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο προσήκει ἡμᾶς καθ' ἑκάστην ἑσπέραν ὑπὲρ τούτων ἁπάντων τὴν συγγνώμην αἰτεῖν παρὰ τοῦ δεσπότου καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν καταφεύγειν καὶ παρακαλεῖν. Καὶ τῆς νυκτὸς τὸν καιρὸν μετὰ νήψεως ἡμᾶς διαγαγόντας, οὕτω πάλιν ἐπὶ τὴν ὑπὸ τὸν ὄρθρον ἐξομολόγησιν ἀπαντᾶν ἵν' οὕτως ἕκαστος ἡμῶν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ βίον οἰκονομῶν, καὶ τοῦ παρόντος βίου τὸ πέλαγος ἀκινδύνως διαδραμεῖν δυνηθῇ καὶ τῆς παρὰ τοῦ δεσπότου φιλανθρωπίας ἀξιωθῆναι.