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they break forth. For they pretend to be reasonable, in order to learn; then when they have learned, becoming different people instead of what they were, they mock, they scoff, they laugh at us as having been deceived. For this reason Paul also said to Timothy: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words; and again elsewhere, From such turn away; and, A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject. They are not, then, armed by them, but they themselves become foolish in this, being filled with greater madness. For this reason it is no small gain for them to remain in ignorance; for not even so do they show contempt. But if they learn, the loss is double. For they themselves will not only gain nothing from this, but will also be harmed more greatly, and will cause you countless troubles. Let them hear this who shamelessly engage with everyone, and make holy things easy to despise. For this is why we celebrate the mysteries by closing the doors, and we exclude the uninitiated, not because we have condemned the rites as weak, but because the many are still imperfectly disposed toward them. For this reason He Himself also spoke many things to the Jews in parables, because seeing they did not see. For this reason Paul also commanded to know how one ought to answer every man. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For since He enjoined great and wondrous things, and to be superior to all passions, and led them to heaven itself, and commanded them to strive to be like, not angels, nor archangels, but the Lord of all Himself, as far as is possible, and He commanded the disciples not only to achieve these things themselves, but also to correct others, and to distinguish the wicked and those who are not such, the dogs and those who are not dogs (and much is hidden in men), lest they should say that these things are difficult and unbearable; for even in what followed, Peter uttered something of this kind, saying: Who can be saved? and again: If the case of the man be so, it is not good to marry. 4. So that they might not say these things now, He first showed that they were easy through what came before, putting forth many and continuous arguments that were able to persuade; and finally, He adds the crown of ease, devising no ordinary comfort for their labors, the alliance from persevering prayers. For not only must they themselves strive, He says, but they must also call for help from above; and it will surely come and be present, and will join with us in our struggles, and will make all things easy. For this reason He commanded to ask, and guaranteed the gift. Yet He did not simply command to ask, but with much perseverance and earnestness. For this is the meaning of, Seek. For he who seeks, having cast out all else from his mind, is directed only to that which is sought, and thinks of none of the things at hand. And those know what I say, who having lost either gold or servants, seek for them. From "seek," then, this; and from "knock," He showed that we must approach with vehemence and a fervent mind. Do not then fall away, O man, nor show less earnestness for virtue than the desire for money. For those things you have often sought and not found; but nevertheless, though you know this, that you will not surely find them, you set every mode of search in motion; but here, though you have a promise that you will certainly receive, you do not show even the smallest part of that earnestness. And if you do not receive immediately, do not despair even so. For this is why He said, Knock, to show that even if He does not open the door immediately, we must persevere. But if you distrust my declaration, at least trust the example. For what man is there of you, He says, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? For among men, if you do this continually, you seem to be troublesome and burdensome; but with God, when you do not do this, then you provoke Him more greatly. But if you persist in asking, even if you do not receive immediately, you will certainly receive. For this is why the door is closed, to induce you to knock; for this reason He does not immediately grant, that you may ask. Persist, then, in doing these things, and you will certainly receive. For lest you should say: what then, if

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ῥήξωσιν. Ὑποκρίνονται γὰρ ἐπιείκειαν, ὥστε μαθεῖν· εἶτα ἐπειδὰν μάθωσιν, ἕτεροι ἀνθ' ἑτέρων γενόμενοι κωμῳδοῦσι, χλευάζουσι, γελῶσιν ὡς ἀπατηθέντας ἡμᾶς. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγε τῷ Τιμοθέῳ· Ὃν καὶ σὺ φυλάσσου· λίαν γὰρ ἀνθέστηκε τοῖς ἡμετέροις λόγοις· καὶ πάλιν ἀλλαχοῦ, Τοὺς τοιούτους ἀποτρέπου· καὶ, Αἱρετικὸν ἄνθρωπον μετὰ μίαν καὶ δευτέραν νουθεσίαν παραιτοῦ. Οὐ τοίνυν παρ' ἐκείνων ὁπλίζονται, ἀλλ' αὐτοὶ ἀνόητοι ταύτῃ γίνονται, πλείονος ἀπονοίας πληρούμενοι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὐ μικρὸν κέρδος τὸ ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ μένειν αὐτούς· οὐδὲ γὰρ οὕτω καταφρονοῦσιν. Ἂν δὲ μάθωσι, διπλῆ ἡ ζημία. Αὐτοί τε γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐντεῦθεν καρπώσονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ βλαβήσονται μειζόνως, καὶ σοὶ μυρία παρέξουσι πράγματα. Ἀκουέτωσαν οἱ πᾶσιν ἀναιδῶς συμπλεκόμενοι, καὶ τὰ σεμνὰ εὐκαταφρόνητα ποιοῦντες. Καὶ γὰρ τὰ μυστήρια διὰ τοῦτο τὰς θύρας κλείοντες ἐπιτελοῦμεν, καὶ τοὺς ἀμυήτους εἴργομεν, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ ἀσθένειαν κατέγνωμεν τῶν τελουμένων, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἀτελέστερον οἱ πολλοὶ πρὸς αὐτὰ ἔτι διάκεινται. ∆ιὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν παραβολαῖς πολλὰ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις διελέγετο, ἐπειδὴ βλέποντες οὐκ ἔβλεπον. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἐκέλευσεν εἰδέναι, πῶς δεῖ ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι. Αἰτεῖτε, καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν· ζητεῖτε, καὶ εὑρήσετε· κρούετε, καὶ ἀνοιγήσεται ὑμῖν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μεγάλα ἐπέταξε καὶ θαυμαστὰ, καὶ πάντων 57.312 ἐκέλευσε τῶν παθῶν εἶναι ἀνωτέρους, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἤγαγε τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ σπουδάζειν ἐπέταξεν, οὐκ ἀγγέλοις, οὐδὲ ἀρχαγγέλοις, ἀλλ' αὐτῷ τῷ τῶν ὅλων ∆εσπότῃ κατὰ τὸ ἐγχωροῦν ὁμοίους γίνεσθαι, τοὺς δὲ μαθητὰς οὐκ αὐτοὺς μόνους ταῦτα κατορθοῦν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρους διορθοῦν ἐκέλευσε, καὶ διακρίνειν τοὺς πονηροὺς καὶ τοὺς οὐ τοιούτους, τοὺς κύνας καὶ τοὺς οὐ κύνας, (πολὺ δὲ τὸ ἐπικεκρυμμένον ἐν ἀνθρώποις), ἵνα μὴ λέγωσιν, ὅτι χαλεπὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἀφόρητα· καὶ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα ὁ Πέτρος ἐφθέγξατό τι τοιοῦτον εἰπών· Τίς δύναται σωθῆναι; καὶ πάλιν· Εἰ οὕτως ἐστὶν ἡ αἰτία τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, οὐ συμφέρει γαμῆσαι. δʹ. Ἵνα οὖν μὴ ταῦτα λέγωσι καὶ νῦν, μάλιστα μὲν καὶ διὰ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν ἀπέδειξεν εὔκολα ὄντα, λογισμοὺς τιθεὶς πολλοὺς καὶ συνεχεῖς, τοὺς δυναμένους πεῖσαι· λοιπὸν δὲ καὶ τὴν κορωνίδα ἐπάγει τῆς εὐκολίας, οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν ἐπινοῶν παραμυθίαν τοῖς πόνοις, τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν εὐχῶν τῶν καρτερικῶν συμμαχίαν. Οὐ γὰρ αὐτοὺς σπουδάζειν δεῖ μόνους, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἄνωθεν καλεῖν βοήθειαν· καὶ πάντως ἥξει καὶ παρέσται, καὶ συνεφάψεται τῶν ἀγώνων ἡμῖν, καὶ πάντα ποιήσει ῥᾴδια. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ αἰτεῖν ἐκέλευσε, καὶ τὴν δόσιν ἐνηγγυήσατο. Πλὴν οὐχ ἁπλῶς αἰτεῖν ἐκέλευσεν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ προσεδρείας πολλῆς καὶ εὐτονίας. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ, Ζητεῖτε. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ ζητῶν, πάντα ἐκβαλὼν τῆς διανοίας, πρὸς ἐκεῖνο γίνεται μόνον τὸ ζητούμενον, καὶ οὐδένα τῶν παρόντων ἐννοεῖ. Καὶ ἴσασι τοῦτο ὃ λέγω, ὅσοι ἢ χρυσίον ἢ οἰκέτας ἀπολέσαντες ἐπιζητοῦσιν. Ἀπὸ μὲν οὖν τοῦ ζητεῖν, τοῦτο· ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ κρούειν, τὸ μετὰ σφοδρότητος προσιέναι καὶ θερμῆς διανοίας ἐδήλωσε. Μὴ τοίνυν καταπέσῃς, ἄνθρωπε, μηδὲ ἐλάττονα ἐπιδείξῃ περὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν σπουδὴν τῆς περὶ τὰ χρήματα ἐπιθυμίας. Ἐκεῖνα μὲν γὰρ πολλάκις ζητήσας οὐχ εὗρες· ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ ταῦτα εἰδὼς, ὅτι οὐ πάντως εὑρήσεις, πάντα κινεῖς ἐρεύνης τρόπον· ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχων ὅτι λήψῃ πάντως, οὐδὲ τὸ πολλοστὸν τῆς σπουδῆς ἐκείνης ἐπιδείκνυσαι μέρος. Εἰ δὲ μὴ εὐθέως λαμβάνεις, μηδὲ οὕτως ἀπογνῷς. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο εἶπε, κρούετε, ἵνα δείξῃ ὅτι κἂν εὐθέως μὴ ἀνοίξῃ τὴν θύραν, παραμένειν δεῖ. Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς μου τῇ ἀποφάσει, κἂν τῷ ὑποδείγματι πίστευσον. Τίς γάρ ἐστιν ἐξ ὑμῶν, φησὶν, ὃν ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ αἰτήσει ἄρτον, μὴ λίθον ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ; Ἐπ' ἀνθρώπων μὲν γὰρ, ἂν συνεχῶς τοῦτο ποιῇς, καὶ ὀχληρὸς καὶ βαρὺς εἶναι δοκεῖς· ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅταν μὴ τοῦτο ποιῇς, τότε παροξύνεις μειζόνως. Ἂν δὲ ἐπιμένῃς αἰτῶν, κἂν μὴ εὐθέως λάβῃς, λήψῃ πάντως. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο κέκλεισται ἡ θύρα, ἵνα σε εἰς τὸ κρούειν ἐναγάγῃ· διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ εὐθέως ἐπινεύει, ἵνα αἰτήσῃς. Μένε τοίνυν ταῦτα ποιῶν, καὶ λήψῃ πάντως. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ λέγῃς· τί οὖν, ἂν