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man is from the earth, made of dust, the second is from heaven, spiritual," and what follows; after which he says: "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." But such men will be destroyed by their own corruption. For each one is bound by the chains of his own sins. For just as the flesh is corrupted by the fever which it kindled from itself, so those who have stored up for themselves wrath on the day of wrath, having corrupted their souls, will be punished, delivered over to their own corruption, being exacted a penalty by certain powers which hold the place of executioners, who will make a kind of plunder, snatching away their souls, when also those who did things worthy of mourning will mourn. He showed that the aforementioned land was mourning and corrupt, by saying *the high ones of the earth*; for God pursues these especially (for He opposes the proud); who, also being lawless, filled the earth with bloodshed and murder. For the earth, says Symmachus, was murdered by its inhabitants. And he brought forward the cause of the corruption: that they transgressed the law. For they all transgressed the natural law given to all, the one written in their minds, as Paul says: "For when the Gentiles who do not have the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves. They show the work of the law written in their hearts." And this is also shown through the voice of John, spoken concerning the only-begotten Son of God, that he was the true light, which enlightens every man coming into the world. This also happened at the time of his sojourn, according to 2200 the text: "In those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws into their mind, and I will write them on their hearts." Therefore, they transgressed the natural law, having turned to the love of the flesh, and the earth became cursed because they had transgressed. For just as in the beginning, when sin had not yet been established, God blessed man; so at the consummation of the age a curse will devour the earth. And instead of, *Therefore they will be poor*, Symmachus says, *Therefore, they will be worn out*. But those condemned at the divine tribunal will be in want of the good things from above and naked of the hope prepared for the saints. And when they are sent down to Hades, few will be left behind having the wealth which they stored up from virtues. "For many are called, but few are chosen," as the Savior says. And instead of, *the wine will mourn*, Aquila rendered, *the late vintage has mourned*; signifying through the example of the late harvest, the temporary nature of the beauty of bodies and of the luxury of men who have given themselves over to debauchery and drunkenness, being ashamed at the reproofs for these things, according to the text: "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to reproach and everlasting shame." Understand also the wine from the vine of Sodom, and the cluster of gall, about which he says: "Their wine is the fury of dragons, and the incurable fury of asps," which strikes the soul and perverts the mind. When they become sober from this drunkenness, then they will mourn. And then every city will close its house, so that no one may enter. For there will no longer be states such as there are now, in which the impious do what pleases them. Therefore the Savior says: "Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep." The parable of the rich man who saw Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham also reveals these things, who heard, "You received your good things in your lifetime." Thus, then, for those being judged, remembrances of the things lived here occur. Therefore they will mourn for themselves. Hence the Savior blesses those in the present life who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who weep and mourn, and who have become poor for His sake, and have been persecuted. To which the prophet now adds: All these things will be in the land, in the midst of the nations; clearly teaching that the things spoken were said concerning the judgment. And that He pursues all, down to the last one, he showed through the olive tree. And instead of, And if the vintage should cease, these will cry out with a voice,

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ἄνθρωπος ἐκ γῆς χοϊκὸς, ὁ δεύτερος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ πνευματικὸς," καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· μεθ' ἅ φησι· "Σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα βασιλείαν Θεοῦ κληρονομῆσαι οὐ δύνανται." Οἱ δὲ τοιοῦτοι τῇ ἑαυτῶν φθορᾷ φθαρήσονται. Σειραῖς γὰρ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτημάτων ἕκαστος σφίγγεται. Ὡς γὰρ ἡ σὰρξ ὑφ' οὗπερ ἐξ αὐτῆς ἀνῆψε πυρετοῦ διαφθείρεται, οὕτως οἱ θησαυρίσαντες ἑαυτοῖς ὀργὴν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς διεφθορότες τὰς ψυχὰς, τῇ ἑαυτῶν παραδοθέντες φθορᾷ κολασθήσονται, δίκην εἰσπραττομένων καὶ δυνάμεών τινων, αἳ δημίων λόγον ἐπέχουσιν, οἳ προνομήν τινα ποιήσονται διαρπάζοντες αὐτῶν τὰς ψυχὰς, ὅτε καὶ πενθήσουσιν οἱ πένθους ἄξια πράξαντες. Τὴν εἰρημένην δὲ πενθοῦσαν καὶ φθαρεῖσαν ἐδήλωσε γῆν, εἰπὼν οἱ ὑψηλοὶ τῆς γῆς· τούτους γὰρ Θεὸς μέτεισι μάλιστα (ὑπερηφάνοις γὰρ ἀντιτάσσεται)· οἳ καὶ ἀνομοῦντες, τὴν γῆν ἐπλήρωσαν αἱμάτων καὶ φόνου. Ἡ γῆ γὰρ, φησὶν ὁ Σύμμαχος, ἐφονοκτονήθη ὑπὸ τῶν κατοικούντων αὐτήν. Καὶ τῆς φθορᾶς τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπήνεγκεν, ὅτι παρέβησαν τὸν νόμον. Τὸν φυσικὸν γὰρ τὸν δοθέντα πᾶσι νόμον παρέβησαν ἅπαντες, τὸν ἐγγραφέντα ταῖς αὐτῶν διανοίαις, καθά φησιν ὁ Παῦλος· "Ὅτ' ἂν γὰρ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ νόμον ἔχοντα φύσει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποιῶσιν, οὗτοι νόμον μὴ ἔχοντες, ἑαυτοῖς εἰσιν νόμος. Οἵτινες ἐνδείκνυνται τὸ ἔργον τοῦ νόμου γραπτὸν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν." Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ διὰ τῆς Ἰωάννου δηλοῦται φωνῆς εἰρημένον περὶ τοῦ μονογενοῦς Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι ἦν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἐπιδημίας γέγονε χρόνον, κατὰ 2200 τό· "Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις, φησὶ Κύριος, διδοὺς νόμους μου εἰς τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίας αὐτῶν ἐπιγράψω αὐτούς." Τὸν φυσικὸν οὗν παρέβησαν νόμον εἰς φιλοσαρκίας τραπόμενοι, καὶ γέγονεν ἡ γῆ τούτων παραβεβηκότων ἐπάρατος. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν ἀρχῇ μήπω συστάσης τῆς ἁμαρτίας εὐλόγησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον· οὕτως ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος ἀρὰ τὴν γῆν ἔδεται. Ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ, ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πτωχοὶ ἔσονται, ∆ιὰ τοῦτο, φησὶν ὁ Σύμμαχος, ἐκτρυχωθήσονται. Πλὴν οἱ ἐπὶ τοῦ θείου κατεγνωσμένοι βήματος, ἐν ἐνδείᾳ γενήσονται τῶν ἄνωθεν ἀγαθῶν καὶ γυμνοὶ τῆς ἐλπίδος τῆς τοῖς ἁγίοις ηὐτρεπισμένης. Εἰς ᾅδου δὲ παραπεμφθέντων ὀλίγοι καταλειφθήσονται πλοῦτον ἔχοντες ὃν ἐξ ἀρετῶν ἐθησαύρισαν. "Πολλοὶ γὰρ κλητοὶ, ὀλίγοι δὲ ἐκλεκτοὶ," καθά φησιν ὁ Σωτήρ. Ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ, πενθήσει ὁ οἶνος, Ἀκύλας ἐξέδωκεν, ἐπένθησεν ὁ παρωρισμός· σημαίνων διὰ τοῦ παραδείγματος τῆς ὀπώρας, τὸ πρόσκαιρον τοῦ τῶν σωμάτων ὡραϊσμοῦ, καὶ τῆς ἀνθρώπων τρυφῆς τῶν ἑαυτοὺς ἀσωτίαις καὶ μέθαις ἐκδεδωκότων, αἰσχυνομένων ἑπὶ τοῖς τούτων ἐλέγχοις, κατὰ τό· "Πολλοῖς τῶν ἐκ γῆς χώματι ἀναστήσονται· οἱ μὲν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον, οἱ δὲ εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν καὶ αἰσχύνην αἰώνιον." Νόει δὲ καὶ οἶνον τὸν ἐξ ἀμπέλου Σοδόμων, καὶ σταφυλὴν χολῆς περὶ οὗ φησι· "Θυμὸς δρακόντων ὁ οἶνος αὐτῶν, καὶ θυμὸς ἀσπίδων ἀνίατος," ὃς καιροῖ ψυχὴν, καὶ παρατρέπει διάνοιαν. Οὖ τῆς μέθης ἀνανήψαντες, τότε πενθήσουσιν. Τότε δὲ καὶ πᾶσα πόλις κλείσει οἰκίαν τοῦ μὴ εἰσελθεῖν. Οὐκέτι γὰρ ἔσονται πολιτεῖαι ὁποῖαι νῦν, ἐν αἷς οἱ ἀσεβεῖς τὰ καταθύμια πράττουσιν. ∆ιό φησιν ὁ Σωτήρ· "Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς πλουσίοις, ὅτι ἀπέχετε τὴν παράκλησιν ὑμῶν. Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν οἱ ἐμπεπλησμένοι νῦν, ὅτι πεινάσετε. Οὐαὶ οἱ γελῶντες νῦν, ὅτι πενθήσετε καὶ κλαύσετε." Ταῦτα δηλοῖ καὶ ἡ παραβολὴ τοῦ πλουσίου τοῦ ἐν κόλποις Ἀβραὰμ ἑωρακότος τὸν Λάζαρον, ὃς ἤκουεν, "Ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου." Οὕτως ἄρα τοῖς κρινομένοις ὑπομνήσεις τῶν ἐνταῦθα βεβιωμένων ἐγγίνονται. ∆ιὸ πενθήσουσιν ἑαυτούς. Ὅθεν ὁ Σωτὴρ μακαρίζει τοὺς ἐν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ πεινῶντας καὶ διψῶντας τὴν δικαιοσύνην, τοὺς κλαίοντάς τε καὶ πενθοῦντας, καὶ πτωχεύσαντας δι' αὐτὸν, καὶ δεδιωγμένους. Οἷς ἐπιφέρει νῦν ὁ προφήτης· Ταῦτα πάντα ἔσται ἐν τῇ γῇ, ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἐθνῶν· σαφῶς διδάσκων περὶ τῆς κρίσεως εἰρῆσθαι τὰ λελεγμένα. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ μέχρις ἑνὸς πάντας μετέρχεται, διὰ τῆς ἐλαίας ἐδήλωσεν. Ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ, Καὶ ἐὰν παύσηται ὁ τρυγητὸς, οὗτοι φωνῇ βοήσονται,