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fathers neglect their illegitimate children in their houses, even if they learn nothing, even if they do not become famous; but for the sake of their legitimate sons, they fear lest they should become lazy. This is also the case in the present instance.

If, therefore, not being disciplined belongs to illegitimate children, we ought to rejoice in discipline, if this is to be a sign of our legitimacy. God deals with you as with sons; for this reason he says this. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh to discipline us, and we gave them reverence; shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

Again, the exhortation is from their own sufferings, from what they themselves suffered. For just as he says there, Call to remembrance the former days; so also here, God, he says, deals with you as with sons, and you could not say that we are not able to bear it, and as with beloved sons.

But if they reverence their earthly fathers, how will you not reverence your heavenly Father? And yet the difference is not only in this, and in the persons, but also in the 63.205 cause itself and in the matter; for He and they do not discipline for the same reasons. Wherefore he adds: For they for a few days disciplined us after their own pleasure; that is, often gratifying their own pleasure, and not always looking to what is profitable.

But here it is not possible to say this; for He does this not for any reason of his own, but for you and for your benefit alone. They, so that you might become useful to them, and often also at random; but here there is nothing of the kind. Do you see that this also brings comfort?

For we are most drawn to those, when we see that they do not command or exhort for any reason of their own, but their whole earnestness is for our sake. For this is sincere love, and truly love, when we, being of no use to the one who loves us, are loved by him. For we are loved, not that He may receive, but that He may give; He disciplines, He does everything, He is zealous in everything, so that we may become receptive of his own good things.

For they, he says, for a few days disciplined us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. What is, Of his holiness? That is, of purity, so that we may become worthy of Him according to our ability. He is zealous that you might receive, and does everything that He might give to you; but you are not zealous that you might receive. I have said unto the Lord, he says, Thou art my Lord, for thou hast no need of my goods. Furthermore, he says, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? Unto the Father of spirits; he means either of spiritual gifts, or of prayers, or of the incorporeal powers.

If we die in this way, then we shall live. And well did he say, For they for a few days disciplined us after their own pleasure; for what seems good is not always profitable; but He for what is profitable.

3. Therefore discipline is a benefit, therefore discipline is a partaking of holiness. And very much so; for when it casts out laziness, when it casts out evil desire, when it casts out love of the things of this life, when it strengthens the soul, when it makes one condemn all things here (for such is affliction), does it not become holy? Does it not draw down the grace of the Spirit?

Let us then always consider the righteous, and see from where they all shone forth, and above all, Abel, Noah. For was it not from affliction? For it is not possible for one who is alone in such a multitude of evils not to be afflicted. For Noah, it says, being alone perfect in his generation, pleased God.

For consider, if we now, having ten thousand whose virtue we may emulate, and fathers, and teachers, are so afflicted, what was it likely that he suffered, alone among so many? But shall I speak of the things concerning that strange and extraordinary rain? But shall I speak of Abraham, and what things he happened to suffer, such as, the successive sojournings, the seizure of his wife, the dangers, the wars, the temptations? But Jacob, how many terrible things he suffered, being driven from every side, and laboring in vain, and toiling for others? for it is not necessary to recount all his temptations, but to bring forward the testimony 63.206

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οἰκίαις τῶν νόθων καταφρονοῦσιν οἱ πατέρες, κἂν μηδὲν μανθάνωσι, κἂν μὴ ἔνδοξοι γίνωνται· τῶν δὲ γνησίων ἕνεκεν υἱῶν δεδοίκασι μήποτε ῥᾳθυμήσωσι· τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος. Εἰ τοίνυν τὸ μὴ παιδεύεσθαι νόθων ἐστὶ, δεῖ χαίρειν ἐπὶ τῇ παιδείᾳ, εἴ γε γνησιότητος τοῦτο ἔστω. Ὡς υἱοῖς ὑμῖν προσφέρεται ὁ Θεός· διὰ τοῦτο αὐτό φησιν. Εἶτα τοὺς μὲν τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν πατέρας εἴχομεν παιδευτὰς, καὶ ἐνετρεπόμεθα· οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑποταγησόμεθα τῷ Πατρὶ τῶν πνευμάτων, καὶ ζήσομεν; Πάλιν ἀπὸ τῶν οἰκείων παθημάτων, ἀφ' ὧν αὐτοὶ ἔπασχον, ἡ προτροπή. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖ λέγει, Ἀναμιμνήσκεσθε τὰς πρότερον ἡμέρας· οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα, Ὁ Θεὸς, φησὶν, ὡς υἱοῖς ὑμῖν προσφέρεται, καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἔχοιτε εἰπεῖν, ὅτι οὐ δυνάμεθα φέρειν, καὶ ὡς υἱοῖς ποθεινοῖς. Εἰ δὲ τοὺς πατέρας αἰδοῦνται τοὺς σαρκικοὺς ἐκεῖνοι, πῶς ὑμεῖς τὸν Πατέρα τὸν ἐπουράνιον οὐκ αἰδεσθήσεσθε; Καίτοι οὐκ ἀπὸ τούτου μόνον ἡ διαφορὰ καὶ ἀπὸ προσώπων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπ' αὐτῆς τῆς 63.205 αἰτίας καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πράγματος· οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς οὗτος κἀκεῖνοι παιδεύουσι. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐπάγει· Οἱ μὲν γὰρ πρὸς ὀλίγας ἡμέρας κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν αὐτοῖς ἐπαίδευον· τουτέστιν, ἡδονὴν πληροῦντες πολλάκις, καὶ οὐ πανταχοῦ τὸ συμφέρον ὁρῶντες. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο εἰπεῖν· οὐ γὰρ διά τι τῶν αὑτοῦ τοῦτο ποιεῖ, ἀλλὰ δι' ὑμᾶς καὶ τὴν ὠφέλειαν μόνην τὴν ὑμετέραν· ἐκεῖνοι, ἵνα καὶ αὐτοῖς χρήσιμοι γένησθε, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ εἰκῆ· ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐδὲν τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι καὶ τοῦτο φέρει παράκλησιν; Μάλιστα γὰρ ἐκείνοις οἰκειούμεθα, ὅταν ἴδωμεν ὅτι οὐ διά τι τῶν αὐτῶν ἢ ἐπιτάττουσιν, ἢ παραινοῦσιν, ἀλλ' ὁλόκληρος ἡ σπουδὴ διὰ τὸ ἡμέτερον γίνεται. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν εἰλικρινὴς ἀγάπη, καὶ ὄντως ἀγάπη, ὅταν μηδὲν ὄντες τῷ φιλοῦντι χρήσιμοι, φιλώμεθα παρ' αὐτοῦ. Φιλούμεθα γὰρ, οὐχ ἵνα λάβῃ, ἀλλ' ἵνα δῷ· παιδεύει, πάντα ποιεῖ, πάντα σπουδάζει, ὥστε γενέσθαι ἡμᾶς δεκτικοὺς τῶν ἀγαθῶν τῶν αὑτοῦ. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ, φησὶ, πρὸς ὀλίγας ἡμέρας κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν αὐτοῖς ἐπαίδευον· ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ συμφέρον, εἰς τὸ μεταλαβεῖν τῆς ἁγιότητος αὐτοῦ. Τί ἐστι, Τῆς ἁγιότητος αὐτοῦ; Τουτέστι, τῆς καθαρότητος, ὥστε ἀξίους αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι κατὰ δύναμιν. Ἐκεῖνος σπουδάζει ἵνα λάβητε, καὶ πάντα ποιεῖ ἵνα δῷ ὑμῖν· ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐ σπουδάζετε ἵνα λάβητε. Εἶπον, φησὶ, τῷ Κυρίῳ, Κύριός μου εἶ σὺ, ὅτι τῶν ἀγαθῶν μου οὐ χρείαν ἔχεις. Εἶτα, φησὶ, τοὺς μὲν τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν πατέρας εἴχομεν παιδεύοντας, καὶ ἐνετρεπόμεθα· οὐ πολλῷ δὲ μᾶλλον ὑποταγησόμεθα τῷ Πατρὶ τῶν πνευμάτων, καὶ ζήσομεν; Τῷ Πατρὶ τῶν πνευμάτων· ἤτοι τῶν χαρισμάτων λέγει, ἤτοι τῶν εὐχῶν, ἤτοι τῶν ἀσωμάτων δυνάμεων. Ἐὰν οὕτως ἀποθνήσκωμεν, τότε ζησόμεθα. Καὶ καλῶς εἶπεν, Οἱ μὲν γὰρ πρὸς ὀλίγας ἡμέρας ἐπαίδευον κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν αὐτοῖς· οὐ γὰρ πανταχοῦ τὸ δοκοῦν συμφέρον· οὗτος δὲ πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον. γʹ. Ἄρα ἡ παιδεία συμφέρον, ἄρα ἡ παιδεία μετάληψις ἁγιότητός ἐστι. Καὶ σφόδρα γε· ὅταν γὰρ ῥᾳθυμίαν ἐκβάλλῃ, ὅταν ἐπιθυμίαν πονηρὰν, ὅταν ἔρωτα τῶν βιωτικῶν πραγμάτων, ὅταν συστρέφῃ τὴν ψυχὴν, ὅταν ποιῇ καταγνῶναι τῶν ἐνταῦθα πάντων (τοιοῦτο γὰρ ἡ θλῖψις), οὐχὶ ἁγία γίνεται; οὐχὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐπισπᾶται τὴν χάριν; Ἐννοήσωμεν τοιγαροῦν ἀεὶ τοὺς δικαίους, καὶ ἴδωμεν πόθεν πάντες ἔλαμψαν, καὶ πρὸ πάντων, ὁ Ἄβελ, ὁ Νῶε· ἆρα γὰρ οὐχὶ ἀπὸ θλίψεως; οὐ γὰρ ἔστι τὸν μόνον ὄντα ἐν τῷ τοσούτῳ πλήθει τῶν κακῶν μὴ θλίβεσθαι. Νῶε γὰρ, φησὶ, μόνος τέλειος ὢν ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ αὐτοῦ, τῷ Θεῷ εὐηρέστησεν. Ἐννόησον γάρ μοι, εἰ νῦν μυρίους ἔχοντες ὧν ζηλώσομεν τὴν ἀρετὴν, καὶ πατέρας, καὶ διδασκάλους, οὕτω θλιβόμεθα, τί παθεῖν ἐκεῖνον εἰκὸς ἦν μόνον μεταξὺ τοσούτων; ἀλλὰ τὰ κατὰ τὸν ὑετὸν εἴπω τὸν ξένον ἐκεῖνον καὶ παράδοξον; ἀλλὰ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ εἴπω, καὶ ἃ τοῦτον συνέβη παθεῖν, οἷον, τὰς ἀποδημίας τὰς ἐπαλλήλους, τὴν τῆς γυναικὸς ἁρπαγὴν, τοὺς κινδύνους, τοὺς πολέμους, τοὺς πειρασμούς; Ἀλλὰ τὸν Ἰακὼβ, ὅσα πέπονθε δεινὰ, ἐλαυνόμενος πάντοθεν, καὶ πονῶν εἰκῆ, καὶ ἑτέροις μοχθῶν; πάντας μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τοὺς πειρασμοὺς καταλέγειν οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον, τὴν δὲ μαρτυρίαν παρ 63.206 ενεγκεῖν