Chapter VII.—The Blessedness of the Martyr.

Then he who has lied and shown himself unfaithful, and revolted to the devil’s army, in what evil do we think him to be? He belies, therefore, the Lord, or rather he is cheated of his own hope who believes not God; and he believes not who does not what He has commanded.

And what? Does not he, who denies the Lord, deny himself? For does he not rob his Master of His authority, who deprives himself of his relation to Him? He, then, who denies the Saviour, denies life; for “the light was life.”922    John i. 4. He does not term those men of little faith, but faithless and hypocrites,923    Matt. vi. 30. who have the name inscribed on them, but deny that they are really believers. But the faithful is called both servant and friend. So that if one loves himself, he loves the Lord, and confesses to salvation that he may save his soul. Though you die for your neighbour out of love, and regard the Saviour as our neighbour (for God who saves is said to be nigh in respect to what is saved); you do so, choosing death on account of life, and suffering for your own sake rather than his. And is it not for this that he is called brother? he who, suffering out of love to God, suffered for his own salvation; while he, on the other hand, who dies for his own salvation, endures for love to the Lord. For he being life, in what he suffered wished to suffer that we might live by his suffering.

“Why call ye me Lord, Lord,” He says, “and do not the things which I say?”924    Luke vi. 46. For “the people that loveth with their lips, but have their heart far away from the Lord,”925    Isa. xxix. 15. is another people, and trust in another, and have willingly sold themselves to another; but those who perform the commandments of the Lord, in every action “testify,” by doing what He wishes, and consistently naming the Lord’s name; and “testifying” by deed to Him in whom they trust, that they are those “who have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts.” “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”926    Gal. v. 24, 25. “He that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”927    Gal. vi. 8.

But to those miserable men, witness to the Lord by blood seems a most violent death, not knowing that such a gate of death is the beginning of the true life; and they will understand neither the honours after death, which belong to those who have lived holily, nor the punishments of those who have lived unrighteously and impurely.928    [This is important testimony as to the primitive understanding of the awards of a future life.] I do not say only from our Scriptures (for almost all the commandments indicate them); but they will not even hear their own discourses. For the Pythagorean Theano writes, “Life were indeed a feast to the wicked, who, having done evil, then die; were not the soul immortal, death would be a godsend.” And Plato in the Phædo, “For if death were release from everything,” and so forth. We are not then to think according to the Telephus of Æschylus, “that a single path leads to Hades.” The ways are many, and the sins that lead thither. Such deeply erring ones as the unfaithful are, Aristophanes properly makes the subjects of comedy. “Come,” he says, “ye men of obscure life, ye that are like the race of leaves, feeble, wax figures, shadowy tribes, evanescent, fleeting, ephemeral.” And Epicharmus, “This nature of men is inflated skins.” And the Saviour has said to us, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”929    Matt. xxvi. 41. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God,” explains the apostle: “for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed, can be. And they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” And in further explanation continues, that no one may, like Marcion930    [See book iii., cap iii., supra.] regard the creature as evil. “But if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” And again: “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us. If we suffer with Him, that we also may be glorified together as joint-heirs of Christ. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to the purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren. And whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified.”931    Rom. viii. 7, 8, 10, 13, 17, 18, 28, 29, 30.

You see that martyrdom for love’s sake is taught. And should you wish to be a martyr for the recompense of advantages, you shall hear again. “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”932    Rom. vii. 24, 25. “But if we also suffer for righteousness’ sake,” says Peter, “blessed are we. Be not afraid of their fear, neither be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to him that asks a reason of the hope that is in you, but with meekness and fear, having a good conscience; so that in reference to that for which you are spoken against, they may be ashamed who calumniate your good conversation in Christ. For it is better to suffer for well-doing, if the will of God, than for evil-doing.” But if one should captiously say, And how is it possible for feeble flesh to resist the energies and spirits of the Powers?933    In allusion to Eph. vi. 12. well, let him know this, that, confiding in the Almighty and the Lord, we war against the principalities of darkness, and against death. “Whilst thou art yet speaking,” He says, “Lo, here am I.” See the invincible Helper who shields us. “Think it not strange, therefore, concerning the burning sent for your trial, as though some strange thing happened to you; But, as you are partaken in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice; that at the revelation of His glory ye may rejoice exultant. If ye be reproached in the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth on you.”934    1 Pet. iv. 12, 13, 14. As it is written, “Because for Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us.”935    Rom. viii. 36, 37.

says a woman acting manfully in the tragedy. And Antigone, contemning the proclamation of Creon, says boldly:—

But it is God that makes proclamation to us, and He must be believed. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Wherefore the Scripture saith, “Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be put to shame.”936    Rom. x. 10, 11. Accordingly Simonides justly writes, “It is said that virtue dwells among all but inaccessible rocks, but that she speedily traverses a pure place. Nor is she visible to the eyes of all mortals. He who is not penetrated by heart-vexing sweat will not scale the summit of manliness.” And Pindar says:—

Æschylus, too, having grasped this thought, says:—

“For great Fates attain great destinies,” according to Heraclitus:—

“For God hath not given us the spirit of bondage again to fear; but of power, and love, and of a sound mind. Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me his prisoner,” he writes to Timothy.937    2 Tim. i. 7, 8; Rom. viii. 15. Such shall he be “who cleaves to that which is good,” according to the apostle,938    Rom. xii. 9. “who hates evil, having love unfeigned; for he that loveth another fulfilleth the law.”939    Rom. xiii. 8. If, then, this God, to whom we bear witness, be as He is, the God of hope, we acknowledge our hope, speeding on to hope, “saturated with goodness, filled with all knowledge.”940    Instead of μέγιστοι, read from Rom. xv. 13, 14, μεστοί.

The Indian sages say to Alexander of Macedon: “You transport men’s bodies from place to place. But you shall not force our souls to do what we do not wish. Fire is to men the greatest torture, this we despise.” Hence Heraclitus preferred one thing, glory, to all else; and professes “that he allows the crowd to stuff themselves to satiety like cattle.”

To the multitude, then, this vain labour is desirable. But to us the apostle says, “Now we know this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”941    Rom. vi. 6. Does not the apostle then plainly add the following, to show the contempt for faith in the case of the multitude? “For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as appointed to death: we are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. Up to this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are beaten, and are feeble, and labour, working with our hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat; we are become as it were the offscourings of the world.”942    1 Cor. iv. 9, 11, 12, 13. Such also are the words of Plato in the Republic:943    [ii. 5. Compare Cicero’s Rep., iii. 17.] “The just man, though stretched on the rack, though his eyes are dug out, will be happy.” The Gnostic will never then have the chief end placed in life, but in being always happy and blessed, and a kingly friend of God. Although visited with ignominy and exile, and confiscation, and above all, death, he will never be wrenched from his freedom, and signal love to God. “The charity which bears all things, endures all things,”944    1 Cor. xiii. 7. is assured that Divine Providence orders all things well. “I exhort you,” therefore it is said, “Be followers of me.” The first step to salvation945    For σώματος read ωτηρίας. is the instruction accompanied with fear, in consequence of which we abstain from what is wrong; and the second is hope, by reason of which we desire the best things; but love, as is fitting, perfects, by training now according to knowledge. For the Greeks, I know not how, attributing events to unreasoning necessity, own that they yield to them unwillingly. Accordingly Euripides says:—

Then he adds:—

And for those who are aiming at perfection there is proposed the rational gnosis, the foundation of which is “the sacred Triad.” “Faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love.”946    1 Cor. xiii. 13. [Not without allusion to the grand Triad, however. p. 101, this volume.] Truly, “all things are lawful, but all things are not expedient,” says the apostle: “all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”947    1 Cor. x. 23. And, “Let no one seek his own advantage, but also that of his neighbour,”948    1 Cor. x. 24. so as to be able at once to do and to teach, building and building up. For that “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof,” is admitted; but the conscience of the weak is supported. “Conscience, I say, not his own, but that of the other; for why is my liberty judged of by another conscience? For if I by grace am partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”949    1 Cor. x. 26, 28, 29, 30, 31. “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the demolition of fortifications, demolishing thoughts, and every high thing which exalteth itself against the knowledge of Christ.”950    2 Cor. x. 3, 4, 5. Equipped with these weapons, the Gnostic says: O Lord, give opportunity, and receive demonstration; let this dread event pass; I contemn dangers for the love I bear to Thee.

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness, meekness, long-suffering. And above all these, love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God reign in your hearts, to which also ye are called in one body; and be thankful,”951    Col. iii. 12, 14, 15. ye who, while still in the body, like the just men of old, enjoy impassibility and tranquillity of soul.

Εἶτα ὁ μὲν ψευσάμενος καὶ ἑαυτὸν ἄπιστον δείξας καὶ μεταστὰς εἰς τὴν τοῦ διαβόλου στρατείαν ἐν τίνι, οἰόμεθα, ἔστι κακῷ; ψεύδεται τοίνυν τὸν κύριον, μᾶλλον δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ διέψευσται ἐλπίδα ὃς οὐ πιστεύει τῷ θεῷ. οὐ πιστεύει δὲ ὁ μὴ ποιῶν ἃ ἐνετείλατο. τί δέ; οὐχ ἑαυτὸν ἀρνεῖται ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν κύριον; οὐ γὰρ ἀφαιρεῖται τῆς κυρίας τὸν δεσπότην ὅ γε καὶ στερίσκων αὑτὸν τῆς πρὸς ἐκεῖνον οἰκειότητος. ὁ τοίνυν ἀρνούμενος τὸν σωτῆρα ἀρνεῖται τὴν ζωήν, ὅτι ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς. ὀλιγοπίστους τούτους οὐ λέγει, ἀλλὰ ἀπίστους καὶ ὑποκριτάς, τὸ μὲν ὄνομα ἐπιγεγραμμένους, τὸ δ' εἶναι πιστοὺς ἀρνουμένους· πιστὸς δὲ εἴρηται καὶ δοῦλος καὶ φίλος. ὥστε εἴ τις ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπᾷ, ἀγαπᾷ τὸν κύριον καὶ ὁμολογεῖ τὴν σωτηρίαν, ἵνα σώσῃ τὴν ψυχήν. καίτοι κἂν ὑπεραποθάνῃς τοῦ πλησίον δι' ἀγάπην, πλησίον δὲ ἡμῶν τὸν σωτῆρα ὑπολάβῃς (θεὸς γὰρ ἐγγίζων ὁ σῴζων πρὸς τὸ σῳζόμενον ἐλέχθη), [θανῇ] θάνατον ἑλόμενος διὰ ζωὴν καὶ σεαυτοῦ μᾶλλον ἢ ἐκείνου ἕνεκεν παθών· καὶ μή τι διὰ τοῦτο ἀδελφὸς εἴρηται· [ὅτι] ὁ δι' ἀγάπην τὴν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν παθὼν διὰ τὴν ἰδίαν ἔπαθε σωτηρίαν ὅ τε αὖ διὰ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀποθνῄσκων σωτηρίαν διὰ τὴν ἀγάπην ὑπομένει τοῦ κυρίου. καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς ζωὴ ὢν δι' οὗ ἔπαθεν παθεῖν ἠθέλησεν, ἵνα τῷ πάθει ζήσωμεν αὐτοῦ· τί με λέγετε· κύριε κύριε, φησί, καὶ οὐ ποιεῖτε ἃ λέγω; ὁ μὲν γὰρ τοῖς χείλεσιν ἀγαπῶν λαός, τὴν δὲ καρδίαν μακρὰν ἔχων ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου ἄλλος ἐστίν, ἄλλῳ πεπεισμένος, καὶ τούτῳ ἑκὼν ἑαυτὸν πέπρακεν· ὅσοι δὲ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἐπιτελοῦσιν, καθ' ἑκάστην πρᾶξιν μαρτυροῦσι, ποιοῦντες μὲν ὃ θέλει, ἀκολούθως δὲ ὀνομάζοντες τὸν κύριον καὶ δι' ἔργου μαρτυροῦντες ᾧ πείθονται εἶναι, οἱ τὴν σάρκα σὺν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις καὶ τοῖς παθήμασι σταυρώσαντες. εἰ ζῶμεν πνεύματι, πνεύματι καὶ στοιχῶμεν, λέγει. ὁ σπείρων εἰς τὴν σάρκα ἑαυτοῦ ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς θερίσει φθοράν, ὁ δὲ σπείρων εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος θερίσει ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Τοῖς δὲ ἀθλίοις τῶν ἀνθρώπων θάνατος εἶναι ὁ βιαιότατος ἡ δι' αἵματος μαρτυρία τοῦ κυρίου δοκεῖ, οὐκ εἰδόσι τῆς ὄντως οὔσης ζωῆς ἀρχὴν εἶναι τὴν τοιαύτην τοῦ θανάτου πύλην. καὶ οὔτε τὰς τιμὰς τὰς μετὰ θάνατον τῶν ὁσίως βεβιωκότων οὔτε τὰς κολάσεις τῶν ἀδίκως καὶ ἀσελγῶς πεπολιτευμένων συνεῖναι βούλονται, οὐκ ἐκ τῶν ἡμετέρων μόνον λέγω γραφῶν (σχεδὸν γὰρ πᾶσαι αἱ ἐντολαὶ ταῦτα μηνύουσιν), ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τῶν οἰκείων ἐθέλουσιν ὑπακοῦσαι λόγων. Θεανὼ γὰρ ἡ Πυθαγορικὴ γράφει· ἦν γὰρ [ἂν] τῷ ὄντι τοῖς κακοῖς εὐωχία ὁ βίος πονηρευσαμένοις· ἔπειτα τελευτῶσιν, εἰ μὴ ἦν ἀθάνατος ἡ ψυχή, ἕρμαιον ὁ θάνατος καὶ Πλάτων ἐν Φαίδωνι εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἦν ὁ θάνατος τοῦ παντὸς ἀπαλλαγή, [ἕρμαιον ἂν ἦν] καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. οὐκ ἔστιν οὖν κατὰ τὸν Αἰσχύλου Τήλεφον νοεῖν ἁπλῆν οἶμον εἰς Ἅιδου φέρειν, ὁδοὶ δὲ πολλαὶ αἱ ἀπάγουσαι, ἁμαρτίαι πολυπλανεῖς. τούτους, ὡς ἔοικε, τοὺς ἀπίστους διακωμῳδῶν Ἀριστοφάνης ἄγετε (φησίν), ἄνδρες ἀμαυρόβιοι, φύλλων γενεᾷ προσόμοιοι, ὀλιγοδρανέες, πλάσματα κηροῦ, σκιοειδέα φῦλα, ἀμενηνοί, ἀπτῆνες, ἐφημέριοι. καὶ ὁ Ἐπίχαρμος αὕτα φύσις ἀνθρώπων, ἀσκοὶ πεφυσημένοι. ἡμῖν δὲ ὁ σωτὴρ εἴρηκεν· τὸ πνεῦμα πρόθυμον, ἡ δὲ σὰρξ ἀσθενής· διότι τὸ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκὸς ἔχθρα εἰς θεὸν ὁ ἀπόστολος ἐξηγεῖται, τῷ γὰρ νόμῳ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐχ ὑποτάσσεται, οὐδὲ γὰρ δύναται· οἱ δὲ ἐν σαρκὶ ὄντες θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ δύνανται. καὶ ἐπεκδιηγούμενος ἐπιφέρει, ἵνα μὴ ὡς Μαρκίων ἀχαρίστως ἐκδέξηταί τις τὴν δημιουργίαν κακήν· εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, τὸ μὲν σῶμα νεκρὸν δι' ἁμαρτίαν, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ζωὴ διὰ δικαιοσύνην. πάλιν τε αὖ· εἰ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ζῆτε, μέλλετε ἀποθνῄσκειν· λογίζομαι γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι εἰς ἡμᾶς, εἴπερ συμπάσχομεν, ἵνα καὶ συνδοξασθῶμεν, ὡς συγκληρονόμοι Χριστοῦ. οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι τοῖς ἀγαπῶσι τὸν θεὸν πάντα συνεργεῖ εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν, τοῖς κατὰ πρόθεσιν κλητοῖς οὖσι. ὅτι οὓς προέγνω, καὶ προώρισεν συμμόρφους τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν πρωτότοκον ἐν πολλοῖς ἀδελφοῖς· οὓς δὲ προώρισεν, τούτους καὶ ἐκάλεσεν· οὓς δὲ ἐκάλεσεν, τούτους καὶ ἐδικαίωσεν· οὓς δὲ ἐδικαίωσε, τούτους καὶ ἐδόξασεν. ὁρᾷς δι' ἀγάπην διδασκομένην μαρτυρίαν. κἂν δι' ἀμοιβὴν ἀγαθῶν ἐθελήσῃς μαρτυρῆσαι, ἀκούσῃ πάλιν· τῇ γὰρ ἐλπίδι ἐσώθημεν· ἐλπὶς δὲ βλεπομένη οὐκ ἔστιν ἐλπίς· ὃ γὰρ βλέπει τις, τί καὶ ἐλπίζει; εἰ δὲ ὃ οὐ βλέπομεν ἐλπίζομεν, δι' ὑπομονῆς ἀπεκδεχόμεθα. ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ πάσχομεν διὰ δικαιοσύνην, μακάριοι, φησὶν ὁ Πέτρος. τὸν δὲ φόβον αὐτῶν μὴ φοβηθῆτε μηδὲ ταραχθῆτε, κύριον δὲ τὸν Χριστὸν ἁγιάσατε ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, ἕτοιμοι δὲ ἀεὶ πρὸς ἀπολογίαν παντὶ τῷ αἰτοῦντι ὑμᾶς λόγον περὶ τῆς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐλπίδος, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πραΰτητος καὶ φόβου, συνείδησιν ἔχοντες ἀγαθήν, ἵνα ἐν ᾧ καταλαλεῖσθε, καταισχυνθῶσιν οἱ ἐπηρεάζοντες τὴν καλὴν ἀναστροφὴν ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ. κρεῖττον γὰρ ἀγαθοποιοῦντας, εἰ θέλοι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ, πάσχειν ἢ κακοποιοῦντας. Κἄν τις ἐρεσχελῶν λέγῃ· καὶ πῶς οἷόν τέ ἐστι τὴν σάρκα τὴν ἀσθενῆ πρὸς τὰς δυνάμεις καὶ τὰ πνεύματα τῶν ἐξουσιῶν ἀνθίστασθαι; ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο γνωριζέτω ὅτι τῷ παντοκράτορι καὶ τῷ κυρίῳ θαρροῦντες ἀντιπολιτευόμεθα ταῖς ἀρχαῖς τοῦ σκότους καὶ τῷ θανάτῳ. ἔτι σοῦ λαλοῦντος, φησίν, ἐρεῖ· ἰδοὺ πάρειμι. ὅρα τὸν ἀήττητον βοηθόν, τὸν ὑπερασπίζοντα ἡμῶν. μὴ ξενίζεσθε τοίνυν, ὁ Πέτρος λέγει, τῇ ἐν ὑμῖν πυρώσει πρὸς πειρασμὸν ὑμῖν γινομένῃ, ὡς ξένου ὑμῖν συμβαίνοντος, ἀλλὰ καθὸ κοινωνεῖτε τοῖς τοῦ Χριστοῦ παθήμασι, χαίρετε, ἵνα καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀποκαλύψει τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ χαρῆτε ἀγαλλιώμενοι. εἰ ὀνειδίζεσθε ἐν ὀνόματι Χριστοῦ, μακάριοι, ὅτι τὸ τῆς δόξης καὶ τὸ τοῦ θεοῦ πνεῦμα ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἀναπαύεται· καθάπερ γέγραπται ὅτι ἕνεκεν σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν, ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς. ἀλλ' ἐν τούτοις πᾶσιν ὑπερνικῶμεν διὰ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς. ἃ δ' ἐκπυθέσθαι τῆς ἐμῆς χρῄζεις φρενός, οὔτ' ἂν καταίθων οὔτε κρατὸς ἐξ ἄκρου δεινοὺς καθιεὶς πρίονας εἰς ἄκρους πόδας πύθοι' ἄν, οὐδ' εἰ δεσμὰ πάντα προσβάλοις, ἀφόβως ἀνδρεϊζομένη παρὰ τῇ τραγῳδίᾳ λέγει γυνή. ἥ τε Ἀντιγόνη τοῦ Κρεοντείου καταφρονοῦσα κηρύγματος θαρσοῦσά φησιν· οὐ γάρ τί μοι Ζεὺς ἦν ὁ κηρύσσων τάδε· θεὸς δὲ ἡμῖν κηρύσσει καὶ πειστέον αὐτῷ· καρδίᾳ γὰρ πιστεύεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην, στόματι δὲ ὁμολογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν. λέγει γοῦν ἡ γραφή· "πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ' αὐτῷ οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται." εἰκότως οὖν Σιμωνίδης γράφει· ἔστι τις λόγος τὰν Ἀρετὰν ναίειν δυσαμβάτοις ἐπὶ πέτραις, νυμφᾶν δέ μιν θοᾶν χορὸν ἁγνὸν ἀμφέπειν· οὐδὲ πάντων βλεφάροις θνατῶν ἔσοπτος, ᾧ μὴ δακέθυμος ἱδρὼς ἔνδοθεν μόλῃ ἵκῃ τ' ἐς ἄκρον ἀνδρείας. καὶ ὁ Πίνδαρος· νέων δὲ μέριμναι σὺν πόνοις εἱλισσόμεναι δόξαν εὑρίσκουσι, λάμπει δὲ χρόνῳ ἔργα μετ' αἰθέρα λαμπευθέντα. ταύτης τῆς ἐννοίας καὶ Αἰσχύλος ἐπιλαβόμενός φησι· τῷ πονοῦντι δ' ἐκ θεῶν ὀφείλεται τέκνωμα τοῦ πόνου κλέος. μόροι γὰρ μέζονες μέζονας μοίρας λαγχάνουσι καθ' Ἡράκλειτον. τίς δ' ἔστι δοῦλος τοῦ θανεῖν ἄφροντις ὤν; οὐ γὰρ ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ θεὸς πνεῦμα δουλείας πάλιν εἰς φόβον, ἀλλὰ δυνάμεως καὶ ἀγάπης καὶ σωφρονισμοῦ. μὴ οὖν ἐπαισχυνθῇς τὸ μαρτύριον τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν μηδὲ ἐμὲ τὸν δέσμιον αὐτοῦ, τῷ Τιμοθέῳ γράφει. εἴη δ' ἂν ὁ τοιοῦτος ὁ κολλώμενος τῷ ἀγαθῷ κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον, ἀποστυγῶν τὸ πονηρόν, ἀγάπην ἔχων ἀνυπόκριτον· ὁ γὰρ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἕτερον νόμον πεπλήρωκεν· εἰ δὲ ὁ θεὸς τῆς ἐλπίδος οὗτός ἐστιν ᾧ μαρτυροῦμεν, ὥσπερ οὖν ἐστι, τὴν ἐλπίδα ἡμῶν ὁμολογοῦμεν εἰς τὴν ἐλπίδα σπεύδοντες· οἱ δὲ μεστοὶ τῆς ἀγαθωσύνης πεπληρωμένοι, φησί, πάσης τῆς γνώσεως. Ἰνδῶν οἱ φιλόσοφοι Ἀλεξάνδρῳ λέγουσι τῷ Μακεδόνι· σώματα μὲν μετάξεις ἐκ τόπου εἰς τόπον, ψυχὰς δ' ἡμετέρας οὐκ ἀναγκάσεις ποιεῖν ἃ μὴ βουλόμεθα. πῦρ ἀνθρώποις μέγιστον κολαστήριον· τούτου ἡμεῖς καταφρονοῦμεν. κἀντεῦθεν Ἡράκλειτος ἓν ἀντὶ πάντων κλέος ᾑρεῖτο, τοῖς δὲ πολλοῖς παραχωρεῖν ὁμολογεῖ κεκορῆσθαι ὅκωσπερ κτήνεσι. τοῦ σώματος γὰρ οὕνεκα οἱ πολλοὶ πόνοι, τοῦδ' οὕνεκα οἶκον στεγανὸν ἐξευρήκαμεν λευκόν τε ὀρύττειν ἄργυρον σπείρειν τε γῆν, τά τε ἄλλα ὅσα ἡμεῖς ὀνόμασι[ν] γινώσκομεν. τοῖς μὲν οὖν πολλοῖς ἡ ματαιοπονία αὕτη αἱρετή, ἡμῖν δὲ ὁ ἀπό στολός φησι· τοῦτο δὲ γινώσκομεν, ὅτι ὁ παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπος ἡμῶν συνεσταύρωται, ἵνα καταργηθῇ τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἁμαρτίας, τοῦ μηκέτι δουλεύειν ἡμᾶς τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ. ἆρ' οὐκ ἐμφανῶς κἀκεῖνα ἐπιφέρει ὁ ἀπόστολος δεικνὺς τὸν καταισχυμμὸν τῆς πίστεως παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς; δοκῶ γάρ, ὁ θεὸς ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἐσχάτους ἀπέδειξεν ὡς ἐπιθανατίους, ὅτι θέατρον ἐγενήθημεν τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ ἀγγέλοις καὶ ἀνθρώποις· ἄχρι τῆς ἄρτι ὥρας καὶ πεινῶμεν καὶ διψῶμεν καὶ γυμνητεύομεν καὶ κολαφιζόμεθα καὶ ἀστατοῦμεν καὶ κοπιῶμεν ἐργαζόμενοι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσί· λοιδορούμενοι εὐλογοῦμεν, διωκόμενοι ἀνεχόμεθα, δυσφημούμενοι παρακαλοῦμεν· ὡς περικαθάρματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐγενήθημεν. τοιαῦτα καὶ τὰ τοῦ Πλάτωνος ἐν Πολιτείᾳ, κἂν στρεβλῶται ὁ δίκαιος κἂν ἐξορύττηται τὼ ὀφθαλμώ, ὅτι εὐδαίμων ἔσται. οὔκουν ἐπὶ τῇ τύχῃ τὸ τέλος ἕξει ποτὲ ὁ γνωστικὸς κείμενον, ἀλλ' ἐπ' αὐτῷ τὸ εὐδαιμονεῖν ἂν εἴη καὶ τὸ μακαρίῳ εἶναι βασιλικῷ τε φίλῳ τοῦ θεοῦ· κἂν ἀτιμίᾳ τις περιβάλλῃ τοῦτον φυγῇ τε καὶ δημεύσει καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσι θανάτῳ, οὐκ ἀποσπασθήσεταί ποτε τῆς ἐλευθερίας καὶ κυριωτάτης πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀγάπης, ἣ πάντα στέγει καὶ πάντα ὑπομένει· καλῶς πάντα τὴν θείαν διοικεῖν πρόνοιαν πέπεισται ἡ ἀγάπη. παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς, μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε, φησίν. ὁ μὲν οὖν πρῶτος βαθμὸς τῆς σωτηρίας ἡ μετὰ φόβου διδασκαλία, δι' ἣν ἀπεχόμεθα τῆς ἀδικίας, δεύτερος δὲ ἡ ἐλπίς, δι' ἣν ἐφιέμεθα τῶν βελτίστων, τελειοῖ δὲ ἡ ἀγάπη, ὡς προσῆκόν ἐστι, γνωστικῶς ἤδη παιδεύουσα. Ἕλληνες γὰρ οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως ἀνάγκῃ δεδωκότες ἀλόγῳ τὰ συμβαίνοντα ἄκοντες πείθεσθαι ὁμολογοῦσιν. ὁ γοῦν Εὐριπίδης λέγει· ἅ γ' οὖν παραινῶ, ταῦτά μου δέξαι, γύναι. ἔφυ μὲν οὐδεὶς ὅστις οὐ πονεῖ βροτῶν, θάπτει τε τέκνα καὶ ἕτερα σπείρει νέα, αὐτός τε θνῄσκει. καὶ τάδ' ἄχθονται βροτοί. εἶτα ἐπιφέρει· ταῦτα δεῖ στέγειν ἅπερ δεῖ κατὰ φύσιν διεκπερᾶν· οὐ δεινὸν οὐδὲν τῶν ἀναγκαίων βροτοῖς. Πρόκειται δὲ τοῖς εἰς τελείωσιν σπεύδουσιν ἡ γνῶσις ἡ λογική, ἧς θεμέλιος ἡ ἁγία τριάς, πίστις, ἐλπίς, ἀγάπη· μείζων δὲ τούτων ἡ ἀγάπη. ἀμέλει πάντα ἔξεστιν, ἀλλ' οὐ πάντα συμφέρει· πάντα ἔξεστιν, ἀλλ' οὐ πάντα οἰκοδομεῖ, φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος. καὶ μηδεὶς τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ζητείτω μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τοῦ ἑτέρου, ὡς ποιεῖν ὁμοῦ καὶ διδάσκειν δύνασθαι οἰκοδομοῦντα καὶ ἐποικοδομοῦντα. ὅτι μὲν γὰρ τοῦ κυρίου ἡ γῆ καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς, ὡμολόγηται, ἀλλ' ἡ συνείδησις τοῦ ἀσθενοῦντος ὑποφέρεται. συνείδησιν δὲ λέγω οὐχὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ ἑτέρου. ἵνα τί γὰρ ἡ ἐλευθερία μου κρίνεται ὑπὸ ἄλλης συνειδήσεως; εἰ ἐγὼ χάριτι μετέχω, τί βλασφημοῦμαι ὑπὲρ οὗ ἐγὼ εὐχαριστῶ; εἴτε οὖν ἐσθίετε εἴτε πίνετε εἴτε τι ποιεῖτε, πάντα εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ ποιεῖτε. ἐν σαρκὶ γὰρ περιπατοῦντες οὐ κατὰ σάρκα στρατευόμεθα· τὰ γὰρ ὅπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν οὐ σαρκικά, ἀλλὰ δυνατὰ τῷ θεῷ πρὸς καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων, λογισμοὺς καθαιροῦντες καὶ πᾶν ὕψωμα ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ κυρίου. τούτοις ὁ γνωστικὸς τοῖς ὅπλοις κορυσσόμενος, ὦ κύριε, φησί, δὸς περίστασιν καὶ λάβε ἐπίδειξιν, ἴτω τὸ δεινὸν τοῦτο, κινδύνων ὑπερφρονῶ διὰ τὴν πρὸς σὲ ἀγάπην· ὁθούνεκ' ἀρετὴ τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις μόνη οὐκ ἐκ θυραίων τἀπίχειρα λαμβάνει, αὐτὴ δ' ἑαυτὴν ἆθλα τῶν πόνων ἔχει. ἐνδύσασθε οὖν, ὡς ἐκλεκτοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ ἅγιοι καὶ ἠγαπημένοι, σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμῶν, χρηστότητα, ταπεινοφροσύνην, πραότητα, μακροθυμίαν, ἐπὶ πᾶσι δὲ τούτοις τὴν ἀγάπην, ὅ ἐστι σύνδεσμος τῆς τελειότητος. καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ Χριστοῦ βραβευέτω ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, εἰς ἣν καὶ ἐκλήθητε ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι· καὶ εὐχάριστοι γίνεσθε, οἱ ἐν σώματι ἔτι ὄντες, καθάπερ οἱ παλαιοὶ δίκαιοι ἀπάθειαν ψυχῆς καὶ ἀταραξίαν καρπούμενοι·