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of the unwilling. For when we are at peace with him, and we are at peace through virtue, much more will he be with us. For he who so loved us as to receive even those who were unwilling, if he sees us running to him, will he not show much more friendship? Nothing is so hostile to our nature as wickedness. But how wickedness is our enemy, and virtue our friend, is clear from many things; and, if you wish, let us examine this first from one of the opposites, from fornication; Fornication makes men objects of reproach, poor, ridiculous, easily despised by all, disposing them to these things, which it is the part of enemies to dispose them to; and often it has also encompassed them with diseases and dangers; and many have perished for the sake of fornicators, and received wounds. If fornication causes these things, adultery does so much more. Does almsgiving, then, do so? By no means; but as a loving mother establishes her child in great modesty, in good order, in good repute, makes it spend its time in the pursuit of necessary things, it does not forsake us, nor lead us away from necessary things, but even makes the soul more prudent. For nothing is more foolish than fornicators. But what? Do you wish to see covetousness? This also disposes us to what an enemy would dispose us to. How? This too makes us hated by all; it prepares everyone to pray against us, both those who have been wronged and those who have not been wronged, the latter sympathizing with the former, and fearing for themselves; all see them as common enemies, as wild beasts, as demons; everywhere there are countless accusations, plots, envies, which are the works of enemies. But justice, on the contrary, makes all men friends, all men familiar, disposes all benevolently toward us; prayers are made for us by all. Hence our affairs are in great security, there is no danger, no suspicion, but even sleep comes without fear 62.286 with security, no care, no lamentation. 3. Do you see that this is better? But what, tell me? Is it better to envy, or to rejoice with others? Let us examine all these things, and we will find that virtue, just like a truly loving mother, establishes us in security; but wickedness in dangers, being a precarious and dangerous thing. For hear the prophet saying, The Lord is the strength of them that fear him, and his covenant is to show it to them. He who is conscious of no evil in himself fears no one; again, he who lives in wickedness trusts no one, but trembles even at his servants, and looks at them with suspicion. But why do I say his servants? He does not bear the tribunal of his conscience; not only those without, but also the thoughts within torment him, not allowing him to be at rest. What then, he says? Must one live paying attention to praises? He did not say, Look to praise, but, Do the things that are praiseworthy, yet not for the sake of praise. Whatever things are true; for these things are falsehood; Whatever things are honorable. The honorable pertains to external power, but the pure, to the soul. Give not, he says, an occasion of stumbling, nor a handle. Since he said, Whatever things are of good report, lest you should think that he simply means the things among men, he added, If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things, do these things. He wishes us always to be in these things, to be anxious about these things, to think on these things. For if we are to be at peace with ourselves, God will also be with us. But if we stir up war, the God of peace will not be with us. For nothing is so hostile to the soul as wickedness; and again, nothing establishes it in security as do peace and virtue; so that the beginning must be from us, and then we will draw God to us. God is not a God of war and battle. Therefore put an end to both the war and the battle, both that against him and that against your neighbor; be peaceable toward all; consider whom God saves; Blessed are the peacemakers, he says, for they shall be called sons of God. Such men always imitate the Son of God, and

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ἀβουλήτων. Ὅταν γὰρ ἡμεῖς εἰρηνεύωμεν πρὸς αὐτὸν, εἰρηνεύομεν δὲ διὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς, πολλῷ μᾶλλον αὐτὸς μεθ' ἡμῶν ἔσται. Ὁ γὰρ οὕτως ἡμᾶς ἀγαπήσας, ὡς καὶ μὴ βουλομένους προσίεσθαι, ἂν ἴδῃ προστρέχοντας, οὐ πολλῷ πλέον αὐτὸς ἐπιδείξεται τὴν φιλίαν; Οὐδὲν οὕτως ἐχθρὸν τῆς ἡμετέρας φύσεως, ὡς κακία. Πῶς δὲ ἐχθρὸν ἡμῶν ἡ κακία, καὶ φίλον ἡ ἀρετὴ, πολλαχόθεν δῆλον· καὶ, εἰ βούλεσθε, σκοπήσωμεν τοῦτο πρῶτον ἀπὸ τῶν ἐναντίων ἑνὸς, τῆς πορνείας· Ἡ πορνεία ἐπονειδίστους καθίστησι, πένητας, καταγελάστους, εὐκαταφρονήτους πρὸς πάντας, ταῦτα διατιθεῖσα, ἅπερ ἐχθρῶν ἐστι διατιθέναι· πολλάκις δὲ καὶ νόσοις καὶ κινδύνοις περιέβαλεν αὕτη· πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν πορνῶν ἀπώλοντο, καὶ τραύματα ἔλαβον. Εἰ δὲ τὸ πορνεύειν ταῦτα προξενεῖ, τὸ μοιχεύειν πολλῷ μᾶλλον. Ἆρα οὖν καὶ ἐλεημοσύνη οὕτως; Οὐδαμῶς· ἀλλ' ὡς μήτηρ φιλόστοργος ἐν κοσμιότητι πολλῇ τὸ παιδίον καθίστησιν, ἐν εὐταξίᾳ, ἐν χρηστῇ δόξῃ, περὶ τὴν τῶν ἀναγκαίων ποιεῖ σχολάζειν διατριβὴν, οὐκ ἀφίησιν ἡμᾶς, οὐδὲ ἀπάγει τῶν ἀναγκαίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν συνετωτέραν ἐργάζεται. Οὐδὲν γὰρ πορνῶν ἀσυνετώτερον. Ἀλλὰ τί; βούλει τὴν πλεονεξίαν ἰδεῖν; Καὶ αὕτη, ἅπερ ἂν ἐχθρὸς ἡμᾶς διέθηκε, διατίθησι. Πῶς; Μισεῖσθαι καὶ αὕτη ποιεῖ παρὰ πάντων· πάντας ἡμῶν κατεύχεσθαι παρασκευάζει, καὶ τοὺς ἠδικημένους, καὶ τοὺς οὐκ ἠδικημένους, ἐκείνοις μὲν συναλγοῦντας, ὑπὲρ δὲ ἑαυτῶν δεδοικότας· ὡς ἐχθροὺς κοινοὺς πάντες ὁρῶσιν, ὡς θηρία, ὡς δαίμονας· μυρίαι πανταχοῦ κατηγορίαι, ἐπιβουλαὶ, φθόνοι, ἅπερ ἐστὶν ἐχθρῶν. Ἡ δὲ δικαιοσύνη τοὐναντίον, πάντας φίλους, πάντας συνήθεις, πάντας εὐνοϊκῶς διατίθησι πρὸς ἡμᾶς· παρὰ πάντων ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εὐχαὶ γίνονται. Ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ πολλῇ ἐντεῦθεν τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς, οὐδεὶς κίνδυνος, οὐδεμία ὑποψία, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ ὕπνος ἀδεῶς ἔπεισι 62.286 μετὰ ἀσφαλείας, οὐδεμία φροντὶς, οὐδεὶς κοπετός. γʹ. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι μᾶλλον αὕτη βελτίων; Τί δὲ, εἰπέ μοι; τὸ φθονεῖν, ἢ τὸ συνήδεσθαι βέλτιον; Ταῦτα πάντα ἐξετάσωμεν, καὶ εὑρήσομεν, ὅτι ἡ μὲν ἀρετὴ, καθάπερ μήτηρ ὄντως φιλόστοργος, ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ καθίστησιν· ἡ δὲ κακία ἐν κινδύνοις, πρᾶγμα ἐπισφαλὲς ὑπάρχον καὶ ἐπικίνδυνον. Ἄκουε γὰρ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, Κραταίωμα Κύριος τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτὸν, καὶ ἡ διαθήκη αὐτοῦ τοῦ δηλῶσαι αὐτοῖς. Οὐδένα δέδοικεν ὁ μηδὲν ἑαυτῷ συνειδὼς πονηρόν· οὐδενὶ πάλιν θαῤῥεῖ ὁ ἐν κακίᾳ ζῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς οἰκέτας τρέμει, καὶ μετὰ ὑποψίας ὁρᾷ. Τί δὲ λέγω τοὺς οἰκέτας; τοῦ συνειδότος οὐ φέρει τὸ δικαστήριον· οὐχ οἱ ἔξω μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ ἔνδον αὐτὸν κόπτουσι λογισμοὶ, οὐκ ἀφιέντες αὐτὸν ἠρεμεῖν. Τί οὖν, φησί; πρὸς ἐπαίνους προσέχοντα δεῖ ζῇν; Οὐκ εἶπε, Πρὸς ἔπαινον ὅρα, ἀλλὰ, Καὶ τὰ ἐπαινετὰ ποίει, μὴ πρὸς ἔπαινον μέντοι. Ὅσα ἀληθῆ· ψεῦδος γὰρ ταῦτα· Ὅσα σεμνά. Τὸ σεμνὸν τῆς ἔξω ἐστὶ δυνάμεως, τὸ δὲ ἁγνὸν, τῆς ψυχῆς. Μὴ δίδοτε, φησὶ, πρόσκομμα, μηδὲ λαβήν. Ἐπειδὴ εἶπεν, Ὅσα εὔφημα, ἵνα μὴ νομίσῃς, ὅτι τὰ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις ἁπλῶς φησιν, ἐπήγαγεν, Εἴ τις ἀρετὴ, καὶ εἴ τις ἔπαινος, ταῦτα λογίζεσθε, ταῦτα πράττετε. ∆ιαπαντὸς βούλεται ἡμᾶς ἐν τούτοις εἶναι, ταῦτα μεριμνᾷν, ταῦτα ἐννοεῖν. Εἰ γὰρ μέλλοιμεν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς εἰρηνεύειν, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἔσται μεθ' ἡμῶν. Ἂν δὲ πόλεμον ἐγείρωμεν, ὁ τῆς εἰρήνης Θεὸς οὐκ ἔσται μεθ' ἡμῶν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω πολέμιον τῇ ψυχῇ, ὡς κακία· καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτὴν ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ καθίστησι πάλιν, ὡς ἡ εἰρήνη καὶ ἡ ἀρετή· ὥστε τὰ παρ' ἡμῶν ἄρχεσθαι δεῖ, καὶ τότε τὸν Θεὸν ἐπισπασόμεθα. Οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Θεὸς, πολέμου καὶ μάχης θεός. Οὐκοῦν κατάλυσον καὶ τὸν πόλεμον καὶ τὴν μάχην, καὶ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν πλησίον· εἰρηνικὸς ἔσο πρὸς πάντας· ἐννόησον τίνας ὁ Θεὸς σώζει· Μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιοὶ, φησὶν, ὅτι αὐτοὶ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ κληθήσονται. ∆ιαπαντὸς τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ μιμοῦνται οἱ τοιοῦτοι, καὶ