John Chrysostom, On Matthew

not even so is anything gained; but if having chanted two or three psalms, and having said the customary prayers simply and as it chanced, you depart, you think this is sufficient for your salvation. Have you not heard the prophet saying, or rather, God through the prophet, that This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me? In order, then, that this may not happen in our case also, erase the letters, or rather the engravings, which the devil has impressed upon your soul, and bring me a heart freed from the disturbances of this life, so that I may inscribe what I wish with freedom. As for now, it is possible to recognize nothing else but his letters: robberies, covetousness, envy, malice. For this reason, when I take your tablets, I am not even able to read them. For I do not find the letters which we, writing on the Lord's Day, leave with you; but others in place of others, indistinct and distorted. Then, when we, having erased them, write the things of the Spirit, you, having departed and given your hearts to diabolical activities, allow him again to write his own things in their place. What then will be the end of these things, even if I do not say it, each one's conscience knows. For I will not cease doing my own part, and writing the 57.201 correct letters. But if you mar our diligence, for us the reward is unshaken, but for you the danger is not small. But I wish to say nothing burdensome. 8. But I ask and beseech you again, at least imitate the diligence of little children in these matters. For they first learn the shape of the letters; then they practice distinguishing them when they are distorted; and then they proceed on the path of reading from them. So then let us also do this; dividing virtue, let us first learn not to swear, nor to commit perjury, nor to speak evil; then, coming to another line, not to be envious, nor to lust after bodies, not to be gluttonous, not to be drunk, not cruel, not slothful; so that from these again, passing to spiritual things, we may practice self-control and contempt for the belly, moderation, righteousness, to be superior to glory, and gentle, and contrite in mind, and let us join these things to one another, and inscribe them on our soul. And let us practice all these things in the home, with friends, with wife, with children. And for now let us begin with the first and easier ones; for instance, from not swearing; and let us continually practice this element in the home. For there are many at home who hinder this practice; for a servant provokes, and a grieving wife casts one into anger, and an ignorant and unruly child leads to threats and oaths. If, therefore, in the home, being constantly irritated by these things, you succeed in not being carried away into oaths, you will easily be able to remain unconquered in the marketplace as well. Moreover, you will also succeed in not being insolent, being insolent neither to your wife, nor to your servant, nor to any other of those in the household. For often a wife, by praising a certain person, and calling herself unfortunate, incites one to speak evil of him. But do not be compelled to accuse the one who is praised, but bear all things nobly; even if you see servants praising other masters, do not be disturbed, but stand nobly. Let the home be a contest and a wrestling-school for virtue, so that having trained well there, you may engage with those in the marketplace with great skill. Do this also with regard to vainglory. For if you practice not being vainglorious with your wife and servants, you will not easily be caught by this 57.202 passion with any one else. For everywhere this disease is difficult and tyrannical, but especially when a wife is present. If, therefore, we destroy its strength there, we shall easily overcome it in other matters as well. And let us do this same thing with the other passions, training against them in the home, and anointing ourselves each day. And so that our training may become easier for us, let us also impose a penalty upon ourselves, whenever we transgress any of the things set before us. And let the penalty again be not a loss, but

οὐδὲ οὕτω γίνεταί τι πλέον· ἀλλὰ ἂν δύο ψαλμοὺς ἢ τρεῖς ὑπηχήσαντες, καὶ τὰς συνήθεις εὐχὰς ἁπλῶς καὶ ὡς ἔτυχε ποιούμενοι διαλυθῆτε, νομίζετε ἀρκεῖν τοῦτο εἰς σωτηρίαν ὑμῖν. Οὐκ ἠκούσατε τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου, ὅτι Ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῖς χείλεσί με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόῤῥω ἀπέχει ἀπ' ἐμοῦ; Ἵν' οὖν τοῦτο μὴ γένηται καὶ ἐφ' ἡμῶν, ἐξάλειψον τὰ γράμματα, μᾶλλον δὲ τὰ χαράγματα, ἅπερ ὁ διάβολος ἐνετύπωσέ σου τῇ ψυχῇ, καὶ φέρε μοι καρδίαν βιωτικῶν ἀπηλλαγμένην θορύβων, ἵνα μετὰ ἀδείας ἃ βούλομαι ἐγγράψω. Ὡς νῦν γε οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστι γινώσκειν, ἢ τὰ ἐκείνου γράμματα, ἁρπαγὰς, πλεονεξίας, φθόνον, βασκανίαν. ∆ιὰ δὴ τοῦτο, ὅταν τὰς δέλτους λάβω τὰς ὑμετέρας, οὐδὲ ἀναγνῶναι δύναμαι. Οὐ γὰρ εὑρίσκω τὰ γράμματα, ἅπερ ἡμεῖς κατὰ Κυριακὴν ἐγγράφοντες ὑμῖν ἀφίεμεν· ἀλλ' ἕτερα ἀνθ' ἑτέρων, ἄσημα καὶ διεστραμμένα. Εἶτα, ὅταν ἐξαλείψαντες αὐτὰ γράψωμεν τὰ ἀπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἀπελθόντες ὑμεῖς, καὶ ταῖς διαβολικαῖς ἐνεργείαις δόντες τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, παρέχετε ἐκείνῳ πάλιν τὰ ἑαυτοῦ ἀντεγγράφειν ὑμῖν. Τί οὖν ἔσται τούτων τὸ πέρας, κἂν ἐγὼ μὴ λέξω, τὸ ἑκάστου συνειδὸς οἶδεν. Ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ οὐ παύσομαι τὸ ἐμαυτοῦ ποιῶν, καὶ τὰ 57.201 ὀρθὰ γράμματα ἐγγράφων. Εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς λυμαίνεσθε ἡμῶν τὴν σπουδὴν, ἡμῖν μὲν ὁ μισθὸς ἀκίνητος, ὑμῖν δὲ οὐ μικρὸς ὁ κίνδυνος. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν βούλομαι φορτικὸν εἰπεῖν. ηʹ. Ἀλλὰ δέομαι πάλιν καὶ παρακαλῶ, κἂν τῶν παίδων τῶν μικρῶν μιμήσασθε τὴν περὶ ταῦτα σπουδήν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι πρῶτον μὲν τὸν τύπον μανθάνουσι τῶν στοιχείων· ἔπειτα διεστραμμένα αὐτὰ διαγινώσκειν μελετῶσι· καὶ τότε καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀναγνώσεως ὁδῷ βαδίζουσι τῇ ἐξ ἐκείνων. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς ποιῶμεν· διελόμενοι τὴν ἀρετὴν, μανθάνωμεν πρότερον τὸ μὴ ὀμνύναι, μηδὲ ἐπιορκεῖν, μηδὲ κακηγορεῖν· εἶτα, ἐπ' ἄλλον στίχον ἐλθόντες, τὸ μὴ βασκαίνειν, μηδὲ σωμάτων ἐρᾷν, μὴ γαστρίζεσθαι, μὴ μεθύσκεσθαι, μὴ ὠμοὶ, μὴ νωθεῖς· ἵνα ἀπὸ τούτων πάλιν εἰς τὰ πνευματικὰ μεταβάντες, μελετῶμεν ἐγκράτειαν καὶ γαστρὸς ὑπεροψίαν, σωφροσύνην, δικαιοσύνην, τὸ δόξης εἶναι κρείττους, καὶ ἐπιεικεῖς, καὶ τῇ διανοίᾳ συντετριμμένους, καὶ συνάπτωμεν ταῦτα ἀλλήλοις, καὶ ἐγγράφωμεν ἡμῶν τῇ ψυχῇ. Καὶ ταῦτα ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας, ἐπὶ τῶν φίλων, ἐπὶ τῆς γυναικὸς, ἐπὶ τῶν παίδων γυμνάζωμεν ἅπαντα. Καὶ τέως ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων ἀρχώμεθα τῶν εὐκολωτέρων· οἷον, ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ ὀμνύναι· καὶ τοῦτο συνεχῶς μελετῶμεν τὸ στοιχεῖον ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας. Καὶ γὰρ πολλοὶ οἱ ἐμποδίζοντες οἴκοι τῇ μελέτῃ ταύτῃ· καὶ γὰρ οἰκέτης παροξύνει, καὶ γυνὴ λυποῦσα εἰς ὀργὴν ἐμβάλλει, καὶ παιδίον ἀμαθαῖνον καὶ ἀτακτοῦν εἰς ἀπειλὴν καὶ ὅρκον ἐξάγει. Ἂν τοίνυν ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας συνεχῶς ὑπὸ τούτων παρακνιζόμενος κατορθώσῃς τὸ μὴ παρασύρεσθαι εἰς ὅρκους, εὐκόλως καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς δυνήσῃ μεῖναι ἀνάλωτος. Ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τὸ μὴ ὑβρίζειν κατορθώσεις, μήτε τὴν γυναῖκα ὑβρίζων, μήτε τὸν οἰκέτην, μήτε τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας ἕτερόν τινα. Καὶ γὰρ γυνὴ πολλάκις ἐπαινοῦσα τὸν δεῖνα, καὶ ταλανίζουσα ἑαυτὴν, ἐξάπτει εἰς τὸ κακῶς ἐκεῖνον εἰπεῖν. Ἀλλὰ σὺ μὴ ἀναγκασθῇς κατηγορῆσαι τὸν ἐπαινούμενον, ἀλλὰ φέρε πάντα γενναίως· κἂν τοὺς οἰκέτας ἑτέρους ἐπαινοῦντας δεσπότας ἴδῃς, μὴ ταραχθῇς, ἀλλὰ στῆθι γενναίως, Ἀγὼν ἔστω καὶ παλαίστρα ἀρετῆς ἡ οἰκία, ἵνα ἐκεῖ καλῶς γυμνασάμενος, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐπιστήμης τοῖς ἐν ἀγορᾷ προσβάλλῃς. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς κενοδοξίας ποίει. Ἂν γὰρ μελετήσῃς μὴ κενοδοξεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ τῶν οἰκετῶν, ἐπ' οὐδενὸς λοιπὸν ἑτέρου ῥᾳδίως ἁλώσῃ τούτῳ 57.202 τῷ πάθει. Πανταχοῦ μὲν γὰρ τὸ νόσημα τοῦτο χαλεπὸν καὶ τυραννικὸν, μάλιστα δὲ ὅταν γυνὴ παρῇ. Ἂν τοίνυν ἐκεῖ καταλύσωμεν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἰσχὺν, ῥᾳδίως αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις περιεσόμεθα. Καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων δὲ παθῶν τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ποιῶμεν, ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας γυμναζόμενοι κατ' αὐτῶν, καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην ἀλειφόμενοι τὴν ἡμέραν. Καὶ ἵνα εὐκολωτέρα ἡμῖν ἡ γυμνασία γένηται, καὶ ἐπιτίμιον καθ' ἑαυτῶν ἐκφέρωμεν, ὅταν τι τῶν προκειμένων παραβῶμεν. Ἔστω δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐπιτίμιον πάλιν μὴ ζημίαν, ἀλλὰ