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a tree bears evil fruit, and it also bears good fruit, and makes the diagnosis difficult, since the bearing is twofold; this is not so, he says; for it bears only evil fruit, and would never bear good fruit; just as also the opposite. What then? is there not a good man who becomes evil? And again there is the opposite, and the life of many is full of such examples. But Christ does not say this, that it is impossible for the evil man to change, or that it is not possible for the good man to fall away; but, as long as he is living in wickedness, he will not be able to bear good fruit. For being evil he is able to change to virtue; but remaining in wickedness, he will not bear good fruit. What then? Did not David, being good, bear evil fruit? Not while remaining good, but having been changed; for if he had remained what he was continually, he would not have borne such fruit. For indeed, while remaining in the state of virtue he did not dare what he dared. And he said these things also to silence those who slander indiscriminately, and to bridle the 57.317 mouths of accusers. For since many suspect the good on account of the evil, he has said this, depriving them of all defense. For you could not say, "I have been deceived and led astray;" for I have provided you an accurate diagnosis from their works, and commanded you to proceed to their deeds, and not simply to confuse everything. Then, since he did not command to punish them, but only to be on guard, at the same time comforting those who were wronged by them, and frightening and changing them, he added against them the punishment from himself, saying that Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. Then, making the statement less offensive, he added: Therefore by their fruits you will know them; so that he might not seem to introduce the threat beforehand, but to shake their mind in the manner of exhortation and counsel. Here he seems to me also to allude to the Jews, who show such fruits. For this reason he also reminded them of the words of John, describing their punishment for them through the same terms. For he too said these things, speaking to them of an axe and a tree being cut down and unquenchable fire. And it seems to be one punishment, to be burned up; but if one were to examine it accurately, these are two punishments. For he who is burned certainly also falls from the kingdom; and this punishment is more grievous than that. And I know that many shudder only at Gehenna; but I say that the fall from that glory is a punishment much more bitter than Gehenna. And if it is not possible to represent it in speech, it is no wonder. For we do not know the blessedness of those good things, that we might also clearly see the misery from their deprivation; since Paul, who knew these things clearly, knows that to fall from the glory of Christ is more grievous than all things. And this we will know then, when we fall into that very experience. 8. But may we never suffer this, O only-begotten Son of God, nor ever have any experience of this incurable punishment. For how great an evil it is to fall from those good things, it is not possible to say clearly; nevertheless, as much as I am able, I will strive and contend to make it clear to you through an example, even if only in a small way. For let us suppose there is a wonderful child, and with virtue he also has the kingdom of the world, and is so virtuous everywhere as to be able to establish all in the affection of a fatherly disposition. What then do you not think his father would gladly suffer, so as not to fall from his company? what evil, either small or great, would he not accept, so as to see and enjoy him? Let us then reason this way also concerning that glory. For a child is not so longed for and lovely to a father, even if he be ten thousand times virtuous, as is the attainment of those good things, and to depart and be with Christ. Unbearable is both Gehenna, and that punishment. Nevertheless, even if one were to posit ten thousand Gehennas, he will say nothing like falling from that blessed glory, being hated by Christ, hearing 57.318 that I do not know you, being accused

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δένδρον φέρει μὲν καρποὺς πονηροὺς, φέρει δὲ καὶ ἀγαθοὺς, καὶ δύσκολον ποιεῖ τὴν διάγνωσιν, διπλῆς τῆς φορᾶς οὔσης· οὐκ ἔστι, φησὶ, τοῦτο· πονηροὺς γὰρ φέρει μόνον, καὶ ἀγαθοὺς οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἐνέγκοι· ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ τὸ ἐναντίον. Τί οὖν; οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς, γινόμενος πονηρός; Καὶ τοὐναντίον πάλιν ἐστὶ, καὶ πολλῶν ὁ βίος τοιούτων γέμει παραδειγμάτων. Ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς οὐ τοῦτο λέγει, ὅτι τὸν πονηρὸν ἀμήχανον μεταβαλέσθαι, ἢ τὸν ἀγαθὸν οὐκ ἔνι μεταπεσεῖν· ἀλλ', ἕως ἂν ᾖ πονηρίᾳ συζῶν, οὐ δυνήσεται καρπὸν ἀγαθὸν ἐνεγκεῖν. Μεταβαλεῖν· μὲν γὰρ εἰς ἀρετὴν δύναται πονηρὸς ὤν· μένων δὲ ἐν πονηρίᾳ, καρπὸν οὐκ οἴσει καλόν. Τί οὖν; ὁ ∆αυῒδ οὐκ ἀγαθὸς ὢν πονηρὸν καρπὸν ἤνεγκεν; Οὐχὶ μένων ἀγαθὸς, ἀλλὰ μεταβληθείς· ὡς εἴγε ἔμενεν ὅπερ ἦν διηνεκῶς, οὐκ ἂν καρπὸν τοιοῦτον ἤνεγκεν. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ μένων ἐν τῇ ἕξει τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐτόλμησεν ἅπερ ἐτόλμησε. Ταῦτα δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἁπλῶς διαβάλλοντας ἐπιστομίζων ἔλεγε, καὶ τῶν κακηγόρων χαλινῶν τὰ 57.317 στόματα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλοὶ τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν πονηρῶν ὑποπτεύουσι, πάσης ἀποστερῶν αὐτοὺς ἀπολογίας τοῦτο εἴρηκεν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν ἔχοις εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Ἠπάτημαι καὶ παρελογίσθην· καὶ γὰρ ἀκριβῆ σοι παρέσχον τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων διάγνωσιν, καὶ προστάξας βαδίζειν ἐπὶ τὰς πράξεις, καὶ μὴ πάντα ἁπλῶς συνταράττειν. Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ κολάζειν μὲν αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἐκέλευσε, φυλάττεσθαι δὲ μόνον, ὁμοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἐπηρεαζομένους παρ' αὐτῶν παραμυθούμενος, κἀκείνους φοβῶν καὶ μεταβάλλων, ἐπετείχισεν αὐτοῖς τὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ κόλασιν, εἰπὼν ὅτι Πᾶν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν, ἐκκόπτεται, καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται. Εἶτα ἀνεπαχθέστερον ποιῶν τὸν λόγον, ἐπήγαγεν· Ἄρα οὖν ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς· ἵνα μὴ προηγουμένην τὴν ἀπειλὴν δόξῃ εἰσάγειν, ἀλλ' ἐν τάξει παραινέσεως καὶ συμβουλῆς κατασείειν αὐτῶν τὴν διάνοιαν. Ἐνταῦθά μοι καὶ Ἰουδαίους αἰνίττεσθαι δοκεῖ, τοιούτους καρποὺς ἐπιδεικνυμένους. ∆ιὸ καὶ τῶν Ἰωάννου ῥημάτων ὑπέμνησε, διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν ὀνομάτων τὴν τιμωρίαν αὐτοῖς ὑπογράψας. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐκεῖνος ταῦτα ἔλεγεν, ἀξίνης καὶ δένδρου κοπτομένου καὶ πυρὸς ἀσβέστου πρὸς αὐτοὺς μεμνημένος. Καὶ δοκεῖ μὲν μία τις εἶναι τιμωρία, τὸ κατακαίεσθαι· εἰ δέ τις ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάσειε, δύο αὗται κολάσεις εἰσίν. Ὁ γὰρ καιόμενος καὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἐκπίπτει πάντως· αὕτη δὲ ἐκείνης χαλεπωτέρα ἡ τιμωρία. Καὶ οἶδα μὲν ὅτι πολλοὶ τὴν γέενναν μόνον πεφρίκασιν· ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν ἔκπτωσιν τῆς δόξης ἐκείνης πολὺ τῆς γεέννης κόλασιν πικροτέραν εἶναί φημι. Εἰ δὲ μὴ δυνατὸν παραστῆσαι τῷ λόγῳ, θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἴσμεν ἐκείνων τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὴν μακαριότητα, ἵνα καὶ τὴν ἀθλιότητα τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς στερήσεως αὐτῶν σαφῶς ἴδωμεν· ἐπεὶ Παῦλος ὁ ταῦτα σαφῶς εἰδὼς, οἶδεν ὅτι τὸ ἐκπεσεῖν τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ δόξης πάντων ἐστὶ χαλεπώτερον. Καὶ τοῦτο εἰσόμεθα τότε, ὅταν εἰς αὐτὴν τὴν πεῖραν ἐμπέσωμεν. ηʹ. Ἀλλὰ μήποτε τοῦτο πάθοιμεν, ὦ μονογενὲς τοῦ Θεοῦ παῖ, μηδὲ λάβοιμέν ποτέ τινα πεῖραν τῆς ἀνηκέστου ταύτης κολάσεως. Ὅσον γάρ ἐστι κακὸν ἐκπεσεῖν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐκείνων, σαφῶς μὲν εἰπεῖν οὐκ ἔνι· πλὴν, ὡς ἂν οἷός τε ὦ, βιάσομαι καὶ φιλονεικήσω δι' ὑποδείγματος ὑμῖν αὐτὸ κἂν κατὰ μικρὸν ποιῆσαι φανερόν. Ὑποθώμεθα γὰρ παιδίον εἶναι θαυμαστὸν, καὶ μετὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν τῆς οἰκουμένης ἔχειν, καὶ οὕτως εἶναι ἐνάρετον πανταχοῦ, ὡς δύνασθαι ἅπαντας ἐν φιλοστοργίᾳ πατρικῆς καταστῆσαι διαθέσεως. Τί τοίνυν οὐκ ἂν οἴεσθε τὸν πατέρα τὸν τούτου παθεῖν ἂν ἡδέως, ὥστε μὴ ἐκπεσεῖν αὐτοῦ τῆς ὁμιλίας; τί δὲ ἢ μικρὸν ἢ μέγα κακὸν οὐκ ἂν δέξασθαι, ὥστε ὁρᾷν καὶ ἀπολαύειν αὐτοῦ; Τοῦτο τοίνυν καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς δόξης ἐκείνης λογιζώμεθα. Οὐ γὰρ οὕτω πατρὶ παιδίον, κἂν μυριάκις ἐνάρετον ᾖ, ποθεινόν ἐστι καὶ ἐπέραστον, ὡς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἡ λῆξις ἐκείνων, καὶ τὸ ἀναλῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι. Ἀφόρητον καὶ ἡ γέεννα, καὶ ἡ κόλασις ἐκείνη. Πλὴν κἂν μυρίας τις θῇ γεέννας, οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἐρεῖ, οἷον τὸ τῆς μακαρίας δόξης ἐκπεσεῖν ἐκείνης, τὸ μισηθῆναι παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὸ ἀκοῦ 57.318 σαι ὅτι Οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς, τὸ ἐγκληθῆναι