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they may build around their souls with structure, nonetheless the contrivance often penetrates even through such things. For it is possible to see avarice falling in even through temperance, and this heavy and invincible attack of evil coming to be within faith and the precision of the mysteries and self-control and humility and all such things, from whence some who are self-controlled and temperate and fervent in faith and composed in manner and moderate in their morals are unable to resist this disease alone. If therefore the throng of the enemies has been understood by us, it would be time to make war. And no one would dare the battle-line of the enemies without having fenced himself with the full armor of the apostle. And certainly no one is ignorant of the manner of that divine arming, through which he makes invulnerable to the enemy’s darts the one standing against the phalanx of the enemies. For having divided the virtues into kinds, the apostle has made each kind of virtue a proper weapon for each of the vital parts in us. For having entwined and interwoven righteousness with faith, through these he constructs the breastplate for the hoplite, arming the soldier well and 5.434 securely with a breastplate through both. For it is not possible for one separated from the other to become a secure weapon on its own for the one wielding it. For neither is faith without the works of righteousness sufficient to save, nor again on the other hand is the righteousness of life secure for salvation by itself, separated from faith. For this reason, having woven together faith and righteousness for this weapon just like some materials, he secures the part of the hoplite around the heart; for in the breastplate the heart is understood. And he secures the head of the champion with hope, signifying that it is fitting for the good soldier’s hope for high things to incline upwards like a kind of crest. And the shield, the covering weapon, is unbroken faith, which the point of the javelins is not able to penetrate. And let us understand as javelins, certainly, the various attacks of the passions shot forth by the enemies. And the defensive weapon, which arms the right hand of the one fighting bravely against the enemies, is the Holy Spirit, terrible indeed to the adversary, but saving to the one who wields it. And all the teaching of the gospel provides security for the feet, so that no part of the body is found naked and suitable for a blow. 5.435 If then we have learned both against whom we must fight and how to engage in the battle, it is fitting to learn the other part as well, with whom the discourse testifies we are to be in league and at peace. What then is the good army, to whom I will make myself akin through peace? And who is the king of such an army? Surely it is clear, from what we have heard from the divinely inspired scripture, that the battle-array of the angels is of the heavenly host. For there was, it says, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God. And Daniel sees ten thousands of ten thousands standing by and he beholds thousands of thousands among those who minister. And the prophets testify to such a thing, naming the Lord of all Lord of hosts and Lord of powers. and to Joshua son of Nun the mighty in war says, I am the commander of the force. if indeed we have understood who the good alliance is and who is the leader of these allies, let us make a treaty with him, let us run to his dominion, let us become friends of him who possesses so great a power. And the one who brings together this friendship, the great apostle, teaches what the manner of intimacy with him is, in what he says: 5.436 Therefore, having been justified by faith, let us have peace with God, and again: We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his appeal through us; we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For as long as we were children by nature of wrath in doing things that were not fitting, we were arrayed with those who have resisted the right hand of the most High; but having put away impiety and worldly desires in living in a holy and just and godly way, through this peace we shall be joined to the true peace. for thus says the apostle concerning him, that He himself

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συνθέσεως ταῖς ψυχαῖς περιοικοδομήσωσιν, οὐδὲν ἧττον καὶ διὰ τῶν τοιούτων πολλάκις εἰσδύεται τὸ μηχάνημα. ἔστι γὰρ ἰδεῖν καὶ διὰ σωφροσύνης τὴν φιλοχρηματίαν εἰσπίπτουσαν καὶ πίστεως καὶ μυστηρίων ἀκριβείας ἐγκρα τείας τε καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνης καὶ τῶν τοιούτων πάντων ἐντὸς γινομένην τὴν βαρεῖαν ταύτην καὶ ἄμαχον τοῦ κακοῦ προσβολήν, ὅθεν τινὲς ἐγκρατεῖς τε καὶ σώφρονες καὶ περὶ τὴν πίστιν διάπυροι καὶ κατεσταλμένοι τὸν τρόπον καὶ διὰ τῶν ἠθῶν μετριάζοντες πρὸς ταύτην μόνην ἀντισχεῖν τὴν νόσον ἀδυνατοῦσιν. Εἰ οὖν νενόηται ἡμῖν τῶν πολεμίων τὸ στῖφος, καιρὸς ἂν εἴη τοῦ πολεμεῖν. οὐκ ἂν δέ τις θαρσήσειε τὴν τῶν ἐναντίων παράταξιν μὴ τῇ πανοπλίᾳ τοῦ ἀποστόλου φραξάμενος. πάντως δὲ οὐδεὶς ἀγνοεῖ τὸν τρόπον τῆς θείας ἐκείνης ὁπλίσεως, δι' ἧς ἄτρωτον ποιεῖ τοῖς ἐναντίοις βέλεσι τὸν πρὸς τὴν φάλαγγα τῶν πολεμίων ἱστάμενον. διελὼν γὰρ εἰς εἴδη τὰς ἀρετὰς ὁ ἀπόστολος ἴδιον ὅπλον ἑκάστου τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν καιρίων ἕκαστον ἀρετῆς εἶδος πεποίηται. τῇ πίστει γὰρ τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐμπλέξας καὶ συνυφήνας διὰ τούτων κατασκευάζει τῷ ὁπλίτῃ τὸν θώρακα, καλῶς καὶ 5.434 ἀσφαλῶς δι' ἀμφοτέρων θωρακίζων τὸν στρατιώτην. οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ἕτερον τοῦ ἑτέρου διεζευγμένον ἀσφαλὲς ὅπλον ἐφ' ἑαυτοῦ τῷ μεταχειριζομένῳ γενέσθαι. οὔτε γὰρ ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἱκανὴ περισώσασθαι, οὐδ' αὖ πάλιν ἡ τοῦ βίου δικαιοσύνη ἀσφαλὴς εἰς σωτηρίαν ἐστὶ καθ' ἑαυτὴν διεζευγμένη τῆς πίστεως. διὰ τοῦτο καθάπερ ὕλας τινὰς τῷ ὅπλῳ τούτῳ τὴν πίστιν τε καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην συμπλέξας τὸ περικάρδιον μέρος τοῦ ὁπλίτου κατασφαλίζε· ἐν γὰρ τῷ θώρακι ἡ καρδία νοεῖται. τὴν δὲ κεφαλὴν τοῦ ἀριστέως τῇ ἐλπίδι κατασφαλίζεται, σημαίνων, ὅτι προσήκει τοῦ καλοῦ στρατιώτου τὴν ἐλπίδα τῶν ὑψηλῶν οἷόν τινα λοφιὰν εἰς τὸ ἄνω νεύειν. ὁ δὲ θυρεός, τὸ σκεπαστήριον ὅπλον, ἡ ἀρραγὴς πίστις ἐστίν, ἧς ἡ τῶν ἀκίδων ἀκμὴ διαδυῆναι οὐ δύναται. ἀκίδας δὲ πάντως τὰς παρὰ τῶν πολεμίων ἐκτοξευομένας τὰς ποικίλας προσβολὰς τῶν παθημά των νοήσωμεν. τὸ δὲ ἀμυντήριον ὅπλον, ὃ τὴν δεξιὰν ὁπλίζει τοῦ κατὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἀριστεύοντος, τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμά ἐστι, φοβερὸν μὲν τῷ ὑπεναντίῳ, τῷ δὲ μεταχειριζομένῳ σωτήριον. πᾶσα δὲ ἡ εὐαγγελικὴ διδασκαλία τοῖς ποσὶ ποιεῖ τὴν ἀσφάλειαν, ὡς μηδὲν τοῦ σώματος εὑρεθῆναι γυμνὸν καὶ πρὸς πληγὴν ἐπιτήδειον. 5.435 Εἰ οὖν μεμαθήκαμεν, οἷς τε πολεμεῖν χρὴ καὶ ὅπως τῆς μάχης ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι, μαθεῖν προσήκει καὶ τὸ ἕτερον μέρος, οἷς ἔνσπονδον εἶναι καὶ εἰρηνικὸν ὁ λόγος διαμαρτύρε. τίς οὖν ὁ ἀγαθὸς στρατός, ᾧ διὰ τῆς εἰρήνης ἐμαυτὸν οἰκειώσω; τίς δὲ ὁ τοῦ τοιούτου στρατοῦ βασιλεύς; ἦ δῆλόν ἐστιν, ἀφ' ὧν παρὰ τῆς θεοπνεύστου γραφῆς ἀκηκόαμεν, ὅτι στρατιᾶς οὐρανίου ἡ παράταξις τῶν ἀγγέλων ἐστίν. Ἐγένετο γάρ, φησί, πλῆθος οὐρανίου στρατιᾶς αἰνούντων τὸν θεόν. καὶ ὁ ∆ανιὴλ μυρίας μυριάδας παρεστώτων ὁρᾷ καὶ χι λιάδων χιλιάδας ἐν τοῖς λειτουργοῦσι βλέπει. καὶ οἱ προφῆται τὸ τοιοῦτον μαρτύρονται, κύριον στρατιῶν καὶ κύριον δυνάμεων τὸν τοῦ παντὸς ὀνομάζοντες κύριον. καὶ πρὸς τὸν τοῦ Ναυῆ Ἰησοῦν ὁ δυνατὸς ἐν πολέμῳ Ἐγώ, φησίν, ὁ ἀρχιστράτηγός εἰμι τῆς δυνάμεως. εἰ δὴ νενοήκαμεν, τίς ἐστιν ἡ ἀγαθὴ συμμαχία καὶ τίς ὁ τῶν συμμάχων τούτων ἡγούμενος, σπονδὰς πρὸς αὐτὸν ποιησώμεθα, προσδράμωμεν αὐτοῦ τῇ δυναστείᾳ, φίλοι γενώμεθα τοῦ τοσαύτην δύναμιν κεκτημένου. τίς δὲ ὁ τρόπος τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν οἰκειώσεως διδάσκει ὁ τῆς φιλίας ταύτης συναγωγεὺς, ὁ μέγας ἀπόστολος, ἐν οἷς φησι· 5.436 ∆ικαιωθέντες οὖν ἐκ πίστεως εἰρήνην ἔχωμεν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ πάλιν· Ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ πρεσβεύομεν ὡς τοῦ θεοῦ παρακαλοῦντος δι' ἡμῶν· δεόμεθα ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ, καταλλά γητε τῷ θεῷ. ἕως γὰρ ἦμεν Τέκνα φύσει ὀργῆς ἐν τῷ ποιεῖν τὰ μὴ καθήκοντα, τοῖς ἀνθεστηκόσι τῇ δεξιᾷ τοῦ ὑψίστου συνετετάγμεθα· ἀποθέμενοι δὲ τὴν ἀσέβειαν καὶ τὰς κοσμικὰς ἐπιθυμίας ἐν τῷ ὁσίως καὶ δικαίως καὶ εὐσεβῶς ζῆν διὰ τῆς εἰρήνης ταύτης τῇ ἀληθινῇ εἰρήνῃ συναφθησόμεθα. οὕτως γὰρ περὶ αὐτοῦ φησι ὁ ἀπόστολος, ὅτι Αὐτός