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whether he be great, or whether he be small; for if he be great, you will be in danger straightway in your deeds; but if he be small, he will retaliate with equal things, or rather with much more grievous ones; for he will speak more evil of you. Nothing difficult, nothing burdensome is enjoined on us, if we are willing; but if we are not willing, even the easiest things will appear burdensome to us. What is easier than to eat? but from much listlessness many are discontented even with this; and I hear many saying, that even to eat is a labor. None of these things has any labor, if you are willing; for in being willing all things lie, after the grace from above. Let us therefore will good things, that we may also obtain the eternal good things, by grace and loving-kindness.

HOMILY XIV.

Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such a great high priest, who sat down

on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. 1. Paul mixes the lowly with the exalted, always imitating his own Master, so that the lowly may become a way to the exalted, and through these we may be led by the hand to those, and having arrived among the great things, may learn that these were of condescension. This, at any rate, he does here also. For having said that He offered up Himself, and shown Him to be a High Priest, he adds: Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such a High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. And yet this is not of a 63.110 priest, but of Him for whom that one must act as priest. A minister of the holy things. Not simply a minister, but, A minister of the holy things. And of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. Do you see the condescension? Did he not a little before make a distinction, saying, Are they not all ministering spirits? and for this reason they do not hear, Sit on my right hand. And this he says, as of one who sits not being a minister at all; so that He hears this on account of the flesh. And here he calls Heaven the Tabernacle. Therefore also showing the difference in respect to the Jewish, he adds, saying, Which the Lord pitched, and not man. See how he raised the souls of those who had believed from among the Jews, by saying this. For since it was likely they would imagine that we do not have such a tabernacle, Behold, he says, the priest, and a great one, and much greater than that one, and He has offered a more wonderful sacrifice. But are these perhaps mere words, a boast and a beguiling? But for this reason he before confirmed it by the oath, and now also from the tabernacle. Now this 63.111 difference was indeed clear; but he contrives another also: Which the Lord pitched, he says, and not man. Where then are they who say the heaven is in motion? where are they who declare it to be spherical? for both of these have been overthrown here. But the sum, he says, of the things spoken. The sum is always said to be the greatest thing. Again he brings down his discourse; having said the exalted thing, he then fearlessly utters the lowly things. Then, that you may learn that the term Minister is spoken of His humanity, see how he again indicates it: For every high priest, he says, is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. Lest, since you hear that He sits, you should think that His having been called High Priest is an idle tale; for the sitting is of the dignity of God, but this of His great loving-kindness and His care for us. For this reason he expands on it, and dwells on this more; for he fears lest that should overthrow this. For this reason he again brings down the discourse to this, since some were seeking, for what reason He died, being a priest. But a priest is not without a sacrifice; therefore this one must also have a sacrifice. Otherwise, having said that He is above, he says and shows that He is a priest from every side, from Melchizedek, from the oath, from offering a sacrifice. From this then he also weaves another necessary argument. For if He were on earth, he says, He would not be

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τε μέγας ᾖ, ἄν τε μικρός· ἂν μὲν γὰρ μέγας ᾖ, ἐν ἔργοις κινδυνεύσεις εὐθέως· ἂν δὲ μικρὸς, τοῖς ἴσοις σε ἀμυνεῖται, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πολλῷ χαλεπωτέροις· μειζόνως γάρ σε ἐρεῖ κακῶς. Οὐδὲν δύσκολον, οὐδὲν φορτικὸν ἐπιτετάγμεθα, ἂν βουλώμεθα· ἂν δὲ μὴ βουλώμεθα, καὶ τὰ ῥᾷστα φορτικὰ ἡμῖν φανεῖται. Τί τοῦ φαγεῖν ῥᾷον; ἀλλ' ὑπὸ πολλῆς βλακείας πολλοὶ καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο δυσχεραίνουσι· πολλῶν δὲ ἀκούω λεγόντων, ὅτι καὶ τὸ φαγεῖν κάματος. Οὐδὲν τούτων ἔχει κάματον, ἂν θέλῃς· ἐν γὰρ τῷ θέλειν πάντα κεῖται, μετὰ τὴν ἄνωθεν χάριν. Θελήσωμεν οὖν τὰ ἀγαθὰ, ἵνα καὶ τῶν αἰωνίων τύχωμεν ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ι∆ʹ.

Κεφάλαιον δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις, τοσοῦτον ἔχο μεν ἀρχιερέα, ὃς ἐκάθισεν

ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ θρό νου τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, τῶν ἁγίων λειτουργὸς καὶ τῆς σκηνῆς τῆς ἀληθι νῆς, ἣν ἔπηξεν ὁ Κύριος, καὶ οὐκ ἄνθρωπος. αʹ. Ἀναμίγνυσι τὰ ταπεινὰ τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς ὁ Παῦλος, ὁ ἀεὶ τὸν διδάσκαλον μιμούμενος τὸν αὑτοῦ, ὥστε τὰ ταπεινὰ τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς ὁδὸν γενέσθαι, καὶ διὰ τούτων ἐπ' ἐκεῖνα χειραγωγηθῆναι, καὶ γενομένους ἐν τοῖς μεγάλοις, μανθάνειν ὅτι ταῦτα συγκαταβάσεως ἦν. Τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ ἐνταῦθα ποιεῖ· εἰπὼν γὰρ ὅτι ἀνήνεγκεν ἑαυτὸν, καὶ ἀρχιερέα δείξας, ἐπάγει· Κεφάλαιον δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις, τοιοῦτον ἔχομεν ἀρχιερέα, ὃς ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ θρόνου τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Καίτοι τοῦτο οὐχὶ 63.110 ἱερέως, ἀλλὰ τούτου ᾧ ἱερᾶσθαι ἐκεῖνον χρή. Τῶν ἁγίων λειτουργός. Οὐδὲ λειτουργὸς ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ, Τῶν ἁγίων λειτουργός. Καὶ τῆς σκηνῆς τῆς ἀληθινῆς, ἣν ἔπηξεν ὁ Κύριος, καὶ οὐκ ἄνθρωπος. Ὁρᾷς τὴν συγκατάβασιν; Οὐχὶ πρὸ μικροῦ διίστη, λέγων· Οὐχὶ πάντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα; καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ ἀκούουσι· Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου. Τοῦτο δέ φησιν, ὡς τοῦ καθημένου πάντως οὐκ ὄντος λειτουργοῦ· ὥστε τοῦτο ἀκούει διὰ τὴν σάρκα. Σκηνὴν δὲ ἐνταῦθα τὸν οὐρανὸν λέγει. ∆ιὸ καὶ τὸ διάφορον δεικνὺς πρὸς τὴν Ἰουδαϊκὴν, ἐπάγει λέγων, Ἣν ἔπηξεν ὁ Κύριος, καὶ οὐκ ἄνθρωπος. Ὅρα πῶς ἦρε τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἐξ Ἰουδαίων πεπιστευκότων, τοῦτο εἰπών. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰκὸς ἦν αὐτοὺς φαντάζεσθαι, ὅτι σκηνὴν οὐκ ἔχομεν τοιαύτην, Ἰδοὺ, φησὶν, ὁ ἱερεὺς, καὶ μέγας, καὶ πολὺ μείζων ἐκείνου, καὶ θυσίαν θαυμασιωτέραν προσήνεγκεν. Ἀλλ' ἆρα μὴ λόγος ταῦτα, μὴ κόμπος καὶ ψυχαγωγία; Ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο ἐπιστώσατο πρότερον ἀπὸ τοῦ ὅρκου, λοιπὸν δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς. Ἦν μὲν οὖν καὶ αὕτη δήλη ἡ 63.111 διαφορά· οὗτος δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν ἐπινοεῖ· Ἣν ἔπηξεν ὁ Κύριος, φησὶ, καὶ οὐκ ἄνθρωπος. Ποῦ τοίνυν εἰσὶν οἱ λέγοντες κινεῖσθαι τὸν οὐρανόν; ποῦ εἰσιν οἱ σφαιροειδῆ αὐτὸν εἶναι ἀποφαινόμενοι; ἀμφότερα γὰρ ταῦτα ἀνῄρηται ἐνταῦθα. Κεφάλαιον δὲ, φησὶν, ἐπὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις. Κεφάλαιον ἀεὶ τὸ μέγιστον λέγεται. Πάλιν κατάγει τὸν λόγον· εἰπὼν τὸ ὑψηλὸν, ἀδεῶς φθέγγεται λοιπὸν τὰ ταπεινά. Εἶτα, ἵνα μάθῃς ὅτι τὸ, Λειτουργὸς, περὶ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος εἴρηται, ὅρα πῶς πάλιν ἐπισημαίνεται· Πᾶς γὰρ ἀρχιερεὺς, φησὶν, εἰς τὸ προσφέρειν δῶρά τε καὶ θυσίας καθίσταται· ὅθεν ἀναγκαῖον ἔχειν τι καὶ τοῦτον ὃ προσενέγκῃ. Μὴ, ἐπειδὴ ἀκούεις ὅτι κάθηται, ὕθλον εἶναι νομίσῃς τὸ ἀρχιερέα αὐτὸν εἰρῆσθαι· ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ τῆς ἀξίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸ καθῆσθαι, τοῦτο δὲ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας τῆς πολλῆς καὶ τῆς εἰς ἡμᾶς κηδεμονίας. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸ λιπαίνει, καὶ τούτῳ πλέον ἐνδιατρίβει· δέδοικε γὰρ μὴ ἐκεῖνο ἀνατρέψῃ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πάλιν ἐπὶ τοῦτο κατάγει τὸν λόγον, ἐπειδὴ ἐζήτουν τινὲς, τίνος ἕνεκεν ἀπέθανεν, ἱερεὺς ὤν. Ἱερεὺς δὲ χωρὶς θυσίας οὐκ ἔστι· δεῖ τοίνυν καὶ τοῦτον ἔχειν θυσίαν. Ἄλλως δὲ, εἰπὼν ὅτι ἄνω ἐστὶ, λέγει καὶ δείκνυσιν, ὅτι ἱερεύς ἐστι πάντοθεν, ἀπὸ τοῦ Μελχισεδὲχ, ἀπὸ τοῦ ὅρκου, ἀπὸ τοῦ προσενεγκεῖν θυσίαν. Ἐκ τούτου λοιπὸν καὶ ἀναγκαῖον ἄλλον πλέκει συλλογισμόν. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἦν ἐπὶ γῆς, φησὶν, οὐδ' ἂν ἦν