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fervent. 60.285 But it seems to me, that the man’s boldness was also great. But even if he spoke accurately the things concerning Jesus, nevertheless he still needed more accurate teaching. Thus, although not knowing all things, from his eagerness he drew to himself the Holy Spirit, just as those with Cornelius did. Perhaps many desire, if it were even now, the baptism of John. But many would have neglected a virtuous life, or each one would have been thought for this reason, and not for the kingdom of heaven, to desire virtue. Otherwise, many would have become false prophets, and then the approved would not have appeared very clearly, nor would those who simply received the faith have been blessed. Just as then Those who have not seen and have believed are blessed, so are those who believe without signs. Tell me now, was Christ not reproaching the Jews when he said: Unless you see signs, you will not believe? Therefore we have suffered no harm, if we would be willing to pay attention to ourselves. We have the sum of all good things through baptism; we received remission of sins, sanctification, participation in the Spirit, adoption as sons, eternal life. What more do you want? signs? But they are being done away with. You have faith, hope, love, the things that remain; seek these, these are greater than signs. Nothing is equal to love; Love is the greatest of all, he says. But now love is in danger; for only its name is left, but the work is nowhere, but we are divided from one another. 3. What then might one do so as to join us together? For to bring an accusation is easy, but this is half the matter. Therefore, one must show how friendship might be produced; for this is the important thing, how we might gather together the members that have been torn apart. For this is not simply the question, whether we have one Church, or one dogma; but this is the terrible thing, that while we have communion with each other in other things, in the necessary things we have no communion, and while being at peace with all others, we are at odds with one another. For do not consider whether we do not fight every day, but that we do not have a genuine and unwavering love. There is need of bandages and oil. Let us consider that love is the mark of Christ’s disciples, that without this the other things have no strength; that it is a thing without toil, if we are willing. Yes, he says, we know these things, but how, that it might be accomplished? What, that it may come to be? how, that we may love one another? First let us take out the things destructive of love, and then we shall establish it. Let no one be mindful of wrongs, let no one be envious, let no one rejoice in evil; these are the things that hinder; but the things that produce it are different. It is not enough to take away the hindrances, but one must also show the things that establish it. Sirach, therefore, speaks of the things that destroy, and no longer the things that join, mentioning reproach and the revealing of a mystery and a treacherous blow. But in their case, these things are reasonable, as they are carnal; but may it not be so in our case; we do not guide you by these things, but by the others. Nothing is good for us without friendship. Let there be ten thousand good things, but what is the benefit? Let there be wealth, let there be luxury without friends, but what is the gain? No possession is more beautiful than this even in the affairs of life, just as nothing is more difficult than having enemies. Love covers a multitude of sins; but enmity suspects even things that are not. It is not enough not to be an enemy, but one must also love. Consider that Christ commanded it, and this is sufficient. And affliction makes friendships, and gathers together. What then, he says, now, when there is no affliction? tell me, how, that we might 60.286 become friends? Do you not have other friends, tell me? how are you their friends? how do you remain so? For the time being, let no one have anyone as an enemy; this is not a small thing; let no one be envious; it is not possible for one who is not envious to accuse. We all inhabit one world, we are fed by the same fruits. But these things are small; we enjoy the same mysteries, the same spiritual food. These, surely, are justifications for loving. How then shall we be warmly disposed, he says? What creates love of bodies? The brightness of the body. Therefore, let us also make our souls beautiful, and we shall be lovely to one another; for it is not only necessary to love, but also to be loved. First let us achieve this, so as to be loved, and that other will be easy. How then will it be that

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ζέων. 60.285 Ἐμοὶ δὲ δοκεῖ, ὅτι καὶ πολλὴ ἦν ἡ παῤῥησία τοῦ ἀνδρός. Ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ ἀκριβῶς ἐλάλει τὰ περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ὅμως ἐδεῖτο ἔτι ἀκριβεστέρας διδασκαλίας. Οὕτω καίτοι οὐκ εἰδὼς πάντα, ἀπὸ τῆς προθυμίας ἐπεσπάσατο τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καθάπερ οἱ περὶ Κορνήλιον. Τάχα πολλοὶ ποθοῦσιν, εἰ καὶ νῦν ἦν, τὸ τοῦ Ἰωάννου βάπτισμα. Ἀλλὰ πολλοὶ ἂν ἠμέλησαν βίου ἐναρέτου, ἢ καὶ ἐνομίσθη ἂν ἕκαστος διὰ τοῦτο, καὶ οὐ διὰ βασιλείαν οὐρανῶν, ἐφίεσθαι τῆς ἀρετῆς. Ἄλλως δὲ πολλοὶ ἂν ἐγένοντο ψευδοπροφῆται, καὶ οὐκ ἂν λοιπὸν οἱ δόκιμοι σφόδρα ἐφάνησαν, οὐδ' ἂν ἐμακαρίσθησαν οἱ τὴν πίστιν ἁπλῶς παραδεξάμενοι. Ὥσπερ οὖν Οἱ μὴ ἰδόντες καὶ πιστεύσαντες μακάριοι, οὕτως οἱ χωρὶς σημείων πιστεύοντες. Εἰπὲ δή μοι, οὐκ ὀνειδίζων Ἰουδαίοις ἔλεγεν ὁ Χριστός· Ἐὰν μὴ σημεῖα ἴδητε, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε; Οὐκοῦν οὐδὲν παρεβλάβημεν, εἰ θέλοιμεν προσέχειν ἑαυτοῖς. Τὸ κεφάλαιον ἔχομεν τῶν ἀγαθῶν διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος· ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτημάτων ἐλάβομεν, ἁγιασμὸν, Πνεύματος μετάληψιν, υἱοθεσίαν, ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Τί βούλεσθε πλέον; σημεῖα; Ἀλλὰ καταργεῖται. Πίστιν ἔχεις, ἐλπίδα, ἀγάπην, τὰ μένοντα· ταῦτα ζήτει, ταῦτα σημείων μείζω. Οὐδὲν ἀγάπης ἴσον· Μείζων πάντων ἡ ἀγάπη, φησί. Νῦν δὲ ἡ ἀγάπη κινδυνεύει· ὄνομα γὰρ αὐτῆς ὑπολέλειπται μόνον, τὸ δὲ ἔργον οὐδαμοῦ, ἀλλὰ διῃρήμεθα ἀπ' ἀλλήλων. γʹ. Τί οὖν ἄν τις ἐργάσαιτο ὥστε συνάψαι; τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐγκαλέσαι εὔκολον, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἥμισύ ἐστιν. Οὐκοῦν δεικνύναι δεῖ πῶς ἂν ἐργασθείη φιλία· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ σπουδαζόμενον, πῶς τὰ μέλη τὰ διεσπασμένα συναγάγωμεν. Οὐ γὰρ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ζητούμενον ἁπλῶς, εἰ μίαν Ἐκκλησίαν ἔχομεν, ἢ ἓν δόγμα· ἀλλὰ τὸ δεινὸν τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅτι ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις κοινωνοῦντες ἀλλήλοις, ἐν τοῖς ἀναγκαίοις οὐ κοινωνοῦμεν, καὶ μετὰ πάντων εἰρηνεύοντες, ἐν ἀλλήλοις στασιάζομεν. Μὴ γὰρ, εἰ μὴ μάχας καθ' ἑκάστην ποιοῦμεν, σκόπει, ἀλλ' ὅτι οὐδὲ ἀγάπην γνησίαν ἔχομεν καὶ ἀκλινῆ. Ἐπιδέσμων χρεία καὶ ἐλαίου. Ἐννοήσωμεν, ὅτι γνώρισμά ἐστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τῶν μαθητῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅτι ταύτης χωρὶς οὐδὲν ἰσχύει τὰ ἄλλα· ὅτι ἄπονόν ἐστι πρᾶγμα, ἐὰν θέλωμεν. Ναὶ, φησὶν, οἴδαμεν ταῦτα, ἀλλὰ πῶς, ἵνα κατορθωθῇ; Τί, ἵνα γένηται; πῶς, ἵνα φιλῶμεν ἀλλήλους; Πρότερον τὰ ἀναιρετικὰ τῆς ἀγάπης ἐξέλωμεν, καὶ τότε στήσομεν ταύτην. Μηδεὶς ἔστω μνησίκακος, μηδεὶς ἔστω βάσκανος, μηδεὶς χαιρέκακος· ταῦτά ἐστι τὰ κωλυτικά· τὰ δὲ ποιητικὰ ἕτερα. Οὐκ ἀρκεῖ τὰ κωλύοντα ἀνελεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἱστῶντα χρὴ ὑποδεικνύναι. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Σιρὰχ λέγει τὰ ἀναιρετικὰ, καὶ οὐκ ἔτι τὰ συνάπτοντα, ὀνειδισμὸν φάσκων καὶ μυστηρίου ἀποκάλυψιν καὶ πληγὴν δολίαν. Ἀλλ' ἐπ' ἐκείνων μὲν εἰκότως ταῦτα, ἅτε σαρκικῶν ὄντων· ἐφ' ἡμῶν δὲ μὴ γένοιτο· οὐκ ἀπὸ τούτων ὑμᾶς ἐνάγομεν, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῶν ἄλλων. Οὐδὲν ἡμῖν ἐστι χρηστὸν φιλίας χωρίς. Ἔστω μυρία ἀγαθὰ, ἀλλὰ τί τὸ ὄφελος; ἔστω πλοῦτος, ἔστω τρυφὴ φίλων χωρὶς, ἀλλὰ τί τὸ κέρδος; Οὐδὲν κτῆμα τούτου κάλλιον καὶ ἐν τοῖς βιωτικοῖς πράγμασιν, ὥσπερ οὖν τῶν ἐχθραινόντων οὐδὲν χαλεπώτερον. Ἀγάπη καλύπτει πλῆθος ἁμαρτημάτων· ἡ δὲ ἔχθρα καὶ τὰ οὐκ ὄντα ὑποπτεύει. Οὐκ ἀρκεῖ μὴ εἶναι ἐχθρὸν, ἀλλὰ δεῖ καὶ φιλεῖν. Ἐννόησον, ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς ἐκέλευσε, καὶ ἀρκεῖ τοῦτο. Καὶ θλῖψις ποιεῖ φιλίας, καὶ συνάγει. Τί οὖν, φησὶ, νῦν, ὅτε θλῖψις οὐκ ἔστιν; εἰπὲ, πῶς, ἵνα 60.286 γενώμεθα φίλοι; Οὐκ ἔχετε φίλους ἄλλους, εἰπέ μοι; πῶς αὐτῶν ἐστε φίλοι; πῶς διαμένετε; Τέως μηδεὶς μηδένα ἐχθρὸν ἐχέτω· οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο μικρόν· μηδεὶς φθονείτω· οὐκ ἔνι τὸν μὴ φθονοῦντα κατηγορεῖν. Μίαν οἰκοῦμεν οἰκουμένην ἅπαντες, τοῖς αὐτοῖς τρεφόμεθα καρποῖς. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μικρά· τοῖς αὐτοῖς μυστηρίοις, τῆς αὐτῆς πνευματικῆς τροφῆς ἀπολαύομεν. Ταῦτα δήπου ἐστὶ δικαιώματα τοῦ φιλεῖν. Πῶς οὖν θερμῶς διακεισόμεθα, φησί; Τί ποιεῖ σωμάτων ἔρωτα; Λαμπρότης σώματος. Οὐκοῦν καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς καλὰς ἐργασώμεθα, καὶ ἐσόμεθα ἀλλήλοις ἐπέραστοι· οὐ γὰρ δὴ φιλεῖν δεῖ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ φιλεῖσθαι. Πρῶτον τοῦτο κατορθώσωμεν, ὥστε φιλεῖσθαι, καὶ ἐκεῖνο εὔκολον ἔσται. Πῶς οὖν ἔσται ἵνα