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nor if he had promised infinite life, would I have accepted it. What need to mention earthly kings and consuls? This one and that one? For even if you tell me of angels, even all the powers above, even all things that are, even all things that will be, all are small to me, both things on earth, and things in the heavens, and things under the earth, and things above the heavens, compared to that love. Then, as if these things were not sufficient to represent the desire he had, he again sets forth as many other things, saying: Nor any other creature. What he says is something like this: Even if there were another creation as great as the visible one, as great as the intelligible one, nothing could have separated me from that love. But he said these things, not as if the angels were attempting this, or the other powers, far from it, but wishing to show with all hyperbole the affection which he had toward Christ. For he did not love Christ for the things of Christ, but for His own sake he loved His things, and he looked to Him alone, and feared one thing, that he might not fall away from that love. For this was more fearful to him even than Gehenna, just as remaining in it was more desirable than a kingdom. Of what then should we be worthy henceforth, when he does not even marvel at the things in the heavens compared to his desire for Christ, but we prefer the things in the mire and the clay to Christ? and he, for his desire for Him, is content to fall into Gehenna, and to be cast out of the kingdom, if both these things were set before him; but we do not even despise the present life? Are we then worthy even of his sandals, we who are so far removed from his greatness of mind? For he considers not even a kingdom to be anything for Christ’s sake, but we despise Him, and make much account of His things. And would that it were at least for His things; but now it is not even this, but even with a kingdom set before us, we forsake it. and pursue shadows and dreams every single day. And yet God, being loving to man and exceedingly gentle, did the same thing as a father who loves his child would do, if his child were discontent with constant conversation with him, he would contrive it in another way. For since we do not have a fitting desire for Him, He puts forward many other things to us so as to hold us to Himself. And not even so do we remain, but we leap away to childish playthings. But not so Paul, but as some noble and free and father-loving child seeks only the com 60.547 pany of his father, and of other things makes not so much account; or rather, much more than a child. For he does not honor both the father and his things together, but when he looks to the father, he considers those things nothing, but would choose both to be punished and scourged to be with him, than to live in luxury separated from him. 2. Let us shudder, then, as many of us as do not even despise money for God’s sake; or rather, as many as do not even despise money for our own sakes. For Paul was the only one who genuinely suffered all things for Christ’s sake, not for a kingdom nor for his own honor, but for his good will toward Him. But neither Christ, nor the things of Christ, draws us away from the affairs of this life, but like serpents or vipers or swine, or even all these things together, thus we are dragged in the mire. For in what are we better than those beasts, we who have so many and such great examples, and still look downward, and do not endure to look up even a little toward heaven? But God even gave up His Son; but you do not even share your bread with Him who for your sake was given up, who for your sake was slain. The Father for your sake did not spare Him, and this being His true Son; but you overlook Him even when He is wasting away with hunger, and this when you are about to spend from His own things, and to spend for yourself. What could be worse than this transgression? He was given up for you, He was slain for you, He goes about hungry for you, you give from His own things that you yourself may be benefited, and not even so do you give. Than what stones would they not be more senseless, who, when so many things draw them, remain in this diabolical cruelty? For He was not content with death and the cross alone, but also deigned to become poor and a stranger and a wanderer and naked, and into a prison

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οὔτε εἰ ζωὴν ἐπηγγείλατο τὴν ἄπειρον, κατεδεξάμην ἄν. Τί δεῖ λέγειν βασιλεῖς τοὺς κάτω καὶ ὑπάτους; τὸν δεῖνα καὶ τὸν δεῖνα; Κἂν γὰρ ἀγγέλους μοι εἴπῃς, κἂν πάσας τὰς ἄνω δυνάμεις, κἂν πάντα τὰ ὄντα, κἂν πάντα τὰ μέλλοντα, πάντα ἐμοὶ μικρὰ, καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ, καὶ τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, καὶ τὰ ὑπὸ γῆν, καὶ τὰ ὑπὲρ οὐρανοὺς, πρὸς τὸ φίλτρον ἐκεῖνο. Εἶτα ὡς οὐκ ἀρκούντων τούτων παραστῆσαι τὸν πόθον, ὃν εἶχεν, ἕτερα πάλιν τοσαῦτα ὑποστησάμενός φησιν· Οὔτε τις κτίσις ἑτέρα. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· Εἰ καὶ ἄλλη τοσαύτη κτίσις ἦν, ὅση ἡ ὁρωμένη, ὅση ἡ νοητὴ, οὐδὲν ἄν με τῆς ἀγάπης ἐκείνης ἀπέστησε. Ταῦτα δὲ ἔλεγεν, οὐχ ὡς τῶν ἀγγέλων τοῦτο ἐπιχειρούντων, ἢ τῶν ἄλλων δυνάμεων, μὴ γένοιτο, ἀλλὰ μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς ἁπάσης τὸ φίλτρον, ὃ πρὸς τὸν Χριστὸν εἶχε, ἐπιδεῖξαι βουλόμενος. Οὐ γὰρ τὸν Χριστὸν ἐφίλει διὰ τὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτὸν τὰ ἐκείνου, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἑώρα μόνον, καὶ ἓν ἐδεδοίκει, τὸ μὴ τῆς ἀγάπης ἐκείνης ἐκπεσεῖν. Τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτῷ καὶ γεέννης φοβερώτερον ἦν, ὥσπερ καὶ τὸ μένειν ἐν αὐτῇ βασιλείας ποθεινότερον. Τίνος οὖν ἂν εἴημεν ἄξιοι λοιπὸν ἡμεῖς, ὅταν ἐκεῖνος μὲν μηδὲ τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς θαυμάζῃ πρὸς τὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ πόθον, ἡμεῖς δὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ βορβόρῳ καὶ τῷ πηλῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ προτιμῶμεν; κἀκεῖνος μὲν διὰ τὸν πόθον αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς γέενναν ἐμπεσεῖν καταδέχεται, καὶ βασιλείας ἐκπεσεῖν, εἴ γε ἀμφότερα ταῦτα προὔκειτο· ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐδὲ τοῦ παρόντος καταφρονοῦμεν βίου; Ἆρα ἄξιοι τῶν γοῦν ὑποδημάτων ἐσμὲν λοιπὸν τῶν ἐκείνου, τοσοῦτον ἀφεστηκότες αὐτοῦ τῆς μεγαλονοίας; Ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲ βασιλείαν ἡγεῖταί τι διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν εἶναι, ἡμεῖς δὲ αὐτοῦ μὲν καταφρονοῦμεν, τῶν δὲ αὐτοῦ πολὺν ποιούμεθα λόγον. Καὶ εἴθε κἂν τῶν αὐτοῦ· νῦν δὲ οὐδὲ τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ βασιλείας ἡμῖν προκειμένης, ἐκείνην ἀφέντες. τὰς σκιὰς καὶ τὰ ὀνείρατα καθ' ἑκάστην διώκομεν τὴν ἡμέραν. Καίτοι γε ὁ Θεὸς φιλάνθρωπος ὢν καὶ σφόδρα ἥμερος, ταυτὸν ἐποίησεν, οἷον ἂν εἰ πατὴρ φιλόπαις, τοῦ παιδὸς δυσχεραίνοντος τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν διηνεκῆ ὁμιλίαν, ἑτέρως ταύτην σοφίσαιτο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αὐτοῦ πόθον οὐκ ἔχομεν τὸν προσήκοντα, πολλὰ ἕτερα ἡμῖν προβάλλεται ὥστε ἡμᾶς κατασχεῖν πρὸς ἑαυτόν. Καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτω παραμένομεν, ἀλλ' ἀποπηδῶμεν πρὸς τὰ παιδικὰ ἀθύρματα. Ἀλλ' οὐχ ὁ Παῦλος οὕτως, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ τις εὐγενὴς παῖς καὶ ἐλεύθερος καὶ φιλοπάτωρ τὴν συν 60.547 ουσίαν τοῦ πατρὸς ἐπιζητεῖ μόνον, τῶν δὲ ἄλλων οὐ τοσοῦτον ποιεῖται λόγον· μᾶλλον δὲ, πολλῷ πλέον ἢ παῖς. Οὐ γὰρ ὁμοῦ καὶ τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὰ αὐτοῦ τιμᾷ, ἀλλ' ὅταν ἴδῃ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, οὐδὲν ἐκεῖνα ἡγεῖται, ἀλλ' ἕλοιτο ἂν καὶ κολαζόμενος καὶ μαστιζόμενος εἶναι μετ' αὐτοῦ, ἢ χωριζόμενος αὐτοῦ τρυφᾷν. ʹ. Φρίξωμεν τοίνυν ὅσοι μηδὲ χρημάτων διὰ τὸν Θεὸν καταφρονοῦμεν· μᾶλλον δὲ, ὅσοι μηδὲ χρημάτων δι' ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς καταφρονοῦμεν. Παῦλος γὰρ μόνος ἦν ὁ διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν γνησίως ἅπαντα πάσχων, οὐ διὰ βασιλείαν οὐδὲ διὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ τιμὴν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν πρὸς ἐκεῖνον εὔνοιαν. Ἡμᾶς δὲ οὔτε ὁ Χριστὸς, οὔτε τὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τῶν βιωτικῶν ἀφέλκει πραγμάτων, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ὄφεις ἢ ἔχεις ἢ χοῖροι, ἢ καὶ ταῦτα πάντα ὁμοῦ, οὕτως ἐν τῇ ἰλύϊ συρόμεθα. Τί γὰρ τῶν θηρίων ἐκείνων ἡμεῖς ἀμείνους, οἱ τοσαῦτα καὶ τηλικαῦτα ἔχοντες παραδείγματα, καὶ ἔτι κάτω βλέποντες, καὶ μηδὲ μικρὸν ἀναβλέψαι πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεχόμενοι; Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν Θεὸς καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν ἐξέδωκε· σὺ δὲ οὐδὲ ἄρτου μεταδίδως αὐτῷ τῷ διὰ σὲ ἐκδοθέντι, τῷ διὰ σὲ σφαγέντι. Ὁ Πατὴρ διὰ σὲ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐφείσατο, καὶ ταῦτα γνησίου ὄντος Παιδός· σὺ δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ λιμῷ τηκόμενον περιορᾷς, καὶ ταῦτα ἀπὸ τῶν αὐτοῦ μέλλων ἀναλίσκειν, καὶ διὰ σαυτὸν ἀναλίσκειν. Τί ταύτης τῆς παρανομίας χεῖρον γένοιτ' ἄν; Ἐξεδόθη διὰ σὲ, ἐσφάγη διὰ σὲ, περιέρχεται πεινῶν διὰ σὲ, ἐκ τῶν αὐτοῦ δίδως ἵνα αὐτὸς ὠφεληθῇς, καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτω δίδως. Ποίων οὐκ ἂν εἶεν ἀναισθητότεροι λίθων, οἱ τοσούτων αὐτοὺς ἑλκόντων πραγμάτων, ἐπὶ τῆς διαβολικῆς ταύτης μένοντες ὠμότητος; Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἠρκέσθη τῷ θανάτῳ καὶ τῷ σταυρῷ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πένης γενέσθαι κατεδέξατο καὶ ξένος καὶ ἀλήτης καὶ γυμνὸς, καὶ εἰς δεσμωτήριον