Homily VII.

2 Timothy iii. 1–7

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away. For of this sort are they, which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts and pleasures, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

He had said in the former Epistle, that “the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith” (1 Tim. iv. 1, 2.); and elsewhere in this Epistle he foretells that something of this kind will afterwards happen; and here again he does the same thing: “This know, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” And this he pronounces not only from the future, but from the past; “As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses.” And again from reasoning; “In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver.” But why does he do this? In order that Timothy may not be troubled, nor any one of us, when there are evil men. If there were such in the time of Moses, and will be hereafter, it is no wonder that there are such in our times.

“In the last days perilous times shall come,” he says, that is, exceeding bad times. How shall times be perilous?88    B. adds, “that is,” &c. He says it not blaming the days, nor the times, but the men of those times. For thus it is customary with us to speak of good times or evil times, from the events that happen in them, caused by men. Immediately he sets down the root and fountain, whence these and all other evils spring, that is, overweeningness. He that is seized with this passion is careless even of his own interests. For when a man overlooks the concerns of his neighbor, and is careless of them, how should he regard his own? For as he that looks to his neighbor’s affairs will in them order his own to advantage, so he that looks down upon his neighbor’s concerns will neglect his own. For if we are members one of another, the welfare of our neighbor is not his concern only, but that of the whole body, and the injury of our neighbor is not confined to him, but distracts with pains all else as well.89    ἅπαντα λοιπόν, qu.? ἅπαν τὸ λοιπόν, “all the rest of the body.” If we are a building, whatever part is weakened, it affects the whole, whilst that which is solid gives strength and support to the rest. So also in the Church, if thou hast slighted thy neighbor, thou has injured thyself. How? In that one of thy own members hath suffered no small hurt. And if he, who does not impart of his possessions, goes into Hell, much more will he be condemned, who sees a neighbor suffering severer evils, and does not stretch out his hand, since in this case the loss is more grievous.

“For men shall be lovers of their own selves.” He that loves himself may be said not to love himself, but he that loves his brother, loves himself in the truest sense. From self-love springs covetousness. For the wretched niggardly temper of self-love contracts that love which should be widely extended, and diffused on every side. “Covetous.” From covetousness springs boastfulness, from boastfulness pride, from pride blasphemy, from blasphemy defiance and disobedience. For he who exalts himself against men, will easily do it against God. Thus sins are produced. Often they ascend from below. He that is pious towards men, is still more pious towards God. He who is meek to his fellow-servants, is more meek to his Master. He that despises his fellow-servants, will end with despising God Himself. Moral. Let us not then despise one another, for that is an evil training which teaches us to despise God. And indeed to despise one another is in effect to despise God, Who commanded us to show all regard to one another. And this may be otherwise manifested by an example. Cain despised his brother, and so, immediately after, he despised God. How despised Him? Mark his insolent answer to God; “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen. iv. 9.) Again, Esau despised his brother, and he too despised God. Wherefore God said, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” (Rom. ix. 13; Mal. i. 2, 3.) Hence Paul says, “Lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau.” (Heb. xii. 16.) The brethren of Joseph despised him, and they also despised God. The Israelites despised Moses, and they also despised God. So too the sons of Eli despised the people, and they too despised God. Would you see it also from the contrary? Abraham, who was tender of his brother’s son, was obedient to God, as is manifest in his conduct with respect to his son Isaac, and in all his other virtues. Again, Abel was meek to his brother, and he also was pious towards God. Let us not therefore despise one another, lest we learn also to despise God. Let us honor one another, that we may learn also to honor God. He that is insolent with respect to men, will also be insolent with respect to God. But when covetousness and selfishness and insolence meet together, what is wanting to complete destruction? Everything is corrupted, and a foul flood of sins bursts in. “Unthankful,” he says. For how can the covetous man be thankful? To whom will he feel gratitude? To no one. He considers all men his enemies, and desires the goods of all. Though you spend your whole substance upon him, he will feel no gratitude. He is angry that you have not more, that you might bestow it upon him. And if you made him master of the whole world, he would still be unthankful, and think that he had received nothing. This desire is insatiable. It is the craving of disease; and such is the nature of the cravings of disease.

He who has a fever can never be satisfied, but with constant desire of drinking, is never filled, but suffers a continual thirst; so he who is mad after wealth never knows the fulfillment of his desire; whatever is bestowed upon him, he is still unsatisfied, and will therefore never be thankful. For he will feel no gratitude to him, who does not give him as much as he wishes, and this no one can ever do. And as there is no limit to his wishes, he will feel no gratitude. Thus no one is so unthankful as the covetous, so insensible as the lover of money. He is the enemy of all the world. He is indignant that there are men. He would have all one vast desert, that he might have the property of all. And many wild imaginations does he form. “O that there were an earthquake,” he says, “in the city, that all the rest being swallowed up, I might be left alone, to have, if possible, the possessions of all! O that a pestilence would come and destroy everything but gold! O that there might be a submersion, or an eruption of the sea!” Such are his imaginations. He prays for nothing good, but for earthquakes, and thunderbolts, for wars, and plagues, and the like. Well, tell me now, thou wretched man, more servile than any slave, if all things were gold, wouldest thou not be destroyed by thy gold,90    Al. “be parted from thy gold.” and perish with hunger? If the world were swallowed up by an earthquake, thou also wouldest perish by thy fatal desire. For if there were no other men than thyself, the necessaries of life would fail thee. For suppose that the other inhabitants of the earth were destroyed at once, and that their gold and silver came of its own accord to thee. (For such men fancy to themselves absurdities, and impossibilities.) But if their gold and silver, their vests of silk and cloth of gold, came into thy hands, what would it profit thee? Death would only the more certainly overtake thee, when there were none to prepare bread or till the earth for thee; wild beasts would prowl around, and the devil agitate thy soul with fear. Many devils indeed now possess it, but then they would lead thee to desperation, and plunge thee at once into destruction. But you say, “I would wish there should be tilling of the land and men to prepare food.” Then they would consume somewhat. “But I would not have them consume anything.” So insatiable is this desire! For what can be more ridiculous than this? Seest thou the impossibility of the thing? He wishes to have many to minister to him, yet he grudges them their share of food, because it diminishes his substance! What then? Wouldest thou then have men of stone? This is all a mockery; and waves, and tempest, and huge billows, and violent agitation, and storm, overwhelm the soul. It is ever hungry, ever thirsty. Shall we not pity and mourn for him? Of bodily diseases this is thought a most painful one, and it is called by physicians bulimy,91    βουλιμία, from βοῦς and λίμος. when a man being filled, is yet always hungry. And is not the same disorder in the soul more lamentable? For avarice is the morbid hunger of the soul, which is always filling, never satisfied, but still craving. If it were necessary to drink hellebore, or submit to anything a thousand times worse, would it not be worth our while to undertake it readily, that we might be delivered from this passion? There is no abundance of riches that can fill the belly of greediness. And shall we not be ashamed, that men can be thus transported with the love of money, whilst we show not any proportion of such earnestness in love to God, and honor Him not as bullion is honored? For money men will undergo watchings, and journeyings and continual perils, and hatred, and hostility, and, in short, everything. But we do not venture to utter a mere word for God, nor incur an enmity, but if we are required to assist any of those who are persecuted, we abandon the injured person, withdrawing ourselves from the hatred of the powerful, and the danger it involves. And though God has given us power that we might succor him, yet we suffer him to perish, from our unwillingness to incur men’s hatred and displeasure. And this many profess to justify, saying, “Be loved for nothing, but be not hated for nothing.” But is this to be hated for nothing? Or what is better than such hatred? For to be hated on account of God is better than to be loved on His account: for when we are loved for God’s sake, we are debtors for the honor, but when we are hated for His sake, He is our debtor to reward us. The lovers of wealth know no limit to their love, be it never so great; but we, if we have done ever so little, think that we have fulfilled everything. We love not God as much, no, not by many times over so much, as they love gold. Their inordinate rage for gold is a heavy accusation against them. It is our condemnation that we are not so beside ourselves for God; that we do not bestow upon the Lord of all as much love as they bestow upon mere earth, for gold from the mine is no better.

Let us then behold their madness, and be ashamed of ourselves. For what though we are not inflamed with the love of gold, while we are not earnest in our prayers to God? For in their case men despise wife, children, substance, and their own safety, and that when they are not certain that they shall increase their substance. For often, in the very midst of their hopes, they lose at once their life and their labor. But we, though we know that, if we love Him as we ought to love Him, we shall obtain our desire, yet love Him not, but are altogether cold in our love both to our neighbor and to God; cold in our love to God, because cold in our love to our neighbor. For it is not, indeed it is not possible that a man, who is a stranger to the feeling of love, should have any generosity or manly spirit, since the foundation of all that is good is no other than love. “On this,” it is said, “hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matt. xxii. 40.) For as fire set to a forest is wont to clear away everything, so the fire of love, wherever it is received, consumes and makes way through everything that is hurtful to the divine harvest, and renders the soil pure and fit for the reception of the seed. Where there is love, all evils are removed. There is no love of money, the root of evil, there is no self-love92    Gr. “love of money,” an evident mistake, as Downes has noted.: there is no boasting; for why should one boast over his friend? Nothing makes a man so humble as love. We perform the offices of servants to our friends, and are not ashamed; we are even thankful for the opportunity of serving them. We spare not our property, and often not our persons; for dangers too are encountered at times for him that is loved. No envy, no calumny is there, where there is genuine love. We not only do not slander our friends, but we stop the mouth of slanderers. All is gentleness and mildness. Not a trace of strife and contention appears. Everything breathes peace. For “Love,” it is said, “is this fulfilling of the law.” (Rom. xiii. 10.) There is nothing offensive with it. How so? Because where love exists, all the sins of covetousness, rapine, envy, slander, arrogance, perjury, and falsehood are done away. For men perjure themselves, in order to rob, but no one would rob him whom he loved, but would rather give him his own possessions. For we are more obliged than if we received from him. Ye know this, all you that have friends, friends, I mean, in reality, not in name only, but whoever loves as men ought to love, whoever is really linked to another. And let those who are ignorant of it learn from those who know.

I will now cite you from the Scriptures a wonderful instance of friendship. Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved David, and his soul was so knit to him, that David in mourning over him says, “Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. Thou wast wounded unto death.” (2 Sam. i. 25, 26.) What then? did he envy David? Not at all, though he had great reason. How? Because, by the events he perceived that the kingdom would pass from himself to him, yet he felt nothing of the kind. He did not say, “This is he that is depriving me of my paternal kingdom,” but he favored his obtaining the sovereignty; and he spared not his father for the sake of his friend. Yet let not any one think him a parricide, for he did not injure his father, but restrained his unjust attempts. He rather spared than injured him. He did not permit him to proceed to an unjust murder. He was many times willing even to die for his friend, and far from accusing him, he restrained even his father’s accusation. Instead of envying, he joined in obtaining the kingdom for him. Why do I speak of wealth? He even sacrificed his own life for him. For the sake of his friend, he did not even stand in awe of his father, since his father entertained unjust designs, but his conscience was free from all such. Thus justice was conjoined with friendship.

Such then was Jonathan. Let us now consider David. He had no opportunity of returning the recompense, for his benefactor was taken away before the reign of David, and slain before he whom he had served came to his kingdom. What then? As far as it was allowed him and left in his power, let us see how that righteous man manifested his friendship. “Very pleasant,” he says, “hast thou been to me, Jonathan; thou wast wounded unto death.” (2 Sam. i. 25, Gr.) Is this all? This indeed was no slight tribute, but he also frequently rescued from danger his son and his grandson, in remembrance of the kindness of the father, and he continued to support and protect his children, as he would have done those of his own son. Such friendship I would wish all to entertain both towards the living and the dead.

Let women listen to this (for it is on their account especially that I refer to the departed) who enter into a second marriage, and defile the bed of their deceased husband, though they have loved him.93    Sav. mar. “having ceased to love him.” Not that I forbid a second marriage, or pronounce it a proof of wantonness, for Paul does not allow me, stopping my mouth by saying to women, “If she marry she hath not sinned.” (1 Cor. vii. 28, 40.) Yet let us attend to what follows, “But she is happier if she so abide.” This state is much better than the other. Wherefore? for many reasons. For if it is better not to marry at all than to marry, much more in this case. “But some, you say, could not endure widowhood, and have fallen into many misfortunes.” Yes; because they know not what widowhood is. For it is not widowhood to be exempt from a second marriage, as neither is it virginity to be altogether unmarried. For as “that which is comely,” and “that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction,” is the mark of the one state, so it is the mark of the other to be desolate, to “continue in supplications and prayers,” to renounce luxury and pleasure. For “she that liveth in pleasure is dead whilst she liveth.” (1 Tim. v. 6.) If remaining a widow, thou wouldest have the same pomp, the same show, the same attire, as thou hadst while thy husband was living, it were better for thee to marry. For it is not the union that is objectionable, but the multitude of cares that attend it. But that which is not wrong, thou dost not: but that which is not indifferent, which is liable to blame, in that thou involvest thyself. On this account “some have turned aside after Satan,” because they have not been able to live properly as widows.

Wouldest thou know what a widow is, and what a widow’s dignity, hear Paul’s account of it. “If she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the Saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.” (1 Tim. v. 10.) But when after the death of thy husband, thou art arrayed in the same pomp of wealth, no wonder if thou canst not support widowhood. Transfer this wealth, therefore, to heaven, and thou wilt find the burden of widowhood tolerable. But, thou sayest, what if I have children to succeed to their father’s inheritance? Instruct them also to despise riches. Transfer thy own possessions, reserving for them just a sufficiency. Teach them too to be superior to riches. But what if besides my silver and gold, I am surrounded by a crowd of slaves, oppressed by a multitude of affairs, how shall I be equal to the care of all these things, when deprived of the support of my husband? This is but an excuse, a pretense, as appears from many causes. For if thou dost not deserve wealth, nor seek to increase thy present possessions, thy burden will be light. To get riches is much more laborious than to take care of them. If therefore thou cuttest off this one thing, accumulating, and suppliest the needy out of thy substance, God will hold over thee His protecting hand. And if thou sayest this from a real desire to preserve the inheritance of thy fatherless children, and art not, under this pretense, possessed with covetousness; He who searches the heart knows how to secure their riches, even He who commanded thee to bring up children.

For it is not possible, indeed it is not, that a house established by almsgiving should suffer any calamity. If it should be unfortunate for a time, in the end it will prosper. This will be more than spear and shield to all the household. Hear what the devil says concerning Job. “Hast not thou made an hedge about him and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?” (Job i. 10.) Wherefore? Hear Job himself saying, “I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the orphans.” (Job xxix. 15.) As he who does not turn aside from the calamities of others, will not suffer even in his own misfortunes, because he has learnt to sympathize; so he who will not bear the griefs of sympathy, will learn all sorrow in his own person.94    “The tender for another’s pain,   Th’ unfeeling for his own.”—Gray. And, as in the case of a bodily disease, if, when the foot is mortified, the hand does not sympathize by cleansing the wound, washing away the discharge, and applying a plaster, it will suffer the like disease of its own; so she who will not minister to another when she is not herself afflicted, will have to bear sufferings of her own. For the evil spreading from the other part will reach to this also, and the question will not be of ministering to the other, but of its own cure and relief. So it is here also. He that will not relieve others, will be a sufferer himself. “Thou hast hedged him in,” saith Satan, “within and without,” and I dare not attack him! But he suffered afflictions, you say. True. But those afflictions were the occasion of great good. His substance was doubled, his reward increased, his righteousness enlarged, his crown was splendid, his prize glorious. Both his spiritual and temporal blessings were augmented. He lost his children, but he received, not these restored, but others in their room, and those too he had safe for the Resurrection. Had they been restored, the number would have been diminished, but now having given others in their stead, He will present them also at the Resurrection. All these things happened to him, because of his openhandedness in almsgiving. Let us then do likewise, that we may obtain the same rewards by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ζʹ. Τοῦτο δὲ γίνωσκε, ὅτι ἐν ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις ἐν στήσονται καιροὶ χαλεποί: ἔσονται γὰρ οἱ ἄν θρωποι φίλαυτοι, φιλάργυροι, ἀλαζόνες, ὑπερ ήφανοι, βλάσφημοι, γονεῦσιν ἀπειθεῖς, ἀχά ριστοι, ἀνόσιοι, ἄσπονδοι, ἄστοργοι, διάβολοι, ἀκρατεῖς, ἀνήμεροι, ἀφιλάγαθοι, προδόται, προπετεῖς, τετυφωμένοι, φιλήδονοι μᾶλλον ἢ φιλόθεοι, ἔχοντες μόρφωσιν εὐσεβείας, τὴν δὲ δύναμιν αὐτῆς ἠρνημένοι. Καὶ τούτους ἀποτρέπου. Ἐκ τούτων γάρ εἰσιν οἱ ἐνδύνοντες εἰς τὰς οἰκίας, καὶ αἰχμαλωτίζοντες γυναικάρια σεσωρευμένα ἁμαρτίαις, ἀγόμενα ἐπιθυμίαις καὶ ἡδοναῖς ποικίλαις, πάντοτε μανθάνοντα, καὶ μηδέποτε εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας δυνάμενα ἐλθεῖν. αʹ. Ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ ἐπιστολῇ ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Τὸ πνεῦμα ῥητῶς λέγει, ὅτι ἐν ὑστέροις καιροῖς ἀποστήσονταί τινες τῆς πίστεως: καὶ πάλιν ἐν ἑτέρῳ τόπῳ προφητεύει ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἐπιστολῇ τοιοῦτόν τι ὕστερον ἐσόμενον. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα δὲ πάλιν τὸ αὐτὸ ποιεῖ, λέγων: Τοῦτο δὲ γίνωσκε, ὅτι ἐν ὑστέροις καιροῖς ἐνστήσονται καιροὶ χαλεποί. Καὶ οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν ὑστέρων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν φθασάντων τοῦτο δείκνυσιν: Ὃν τρόπον, φησὶν, Ἰαννῆς καὶ Ἰαμβρῆς ἀνέστησαν Μωϋσῇ. Καὶ ἀπὸ λογισμῶν πάλιν: Ἐν μεγάλῃ δὲ οἰκίᾳ οὐκ ἔστι μόνον σκεύη χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ. Τί δὴ τοῦτο ποιεῖ; ἵνα μὴ θορυβῆται Τιμόθεος, μηδὲ ἡμῶν τις, ὅταν ὦσιν ἄνδρες πονηροί. Εἴ γε ἐπὶ Μωϋσέως γεγόνασι, φησὶ, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἔσονται, οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν εἶναι καὶ ἐφ' ἡμῶν. Ἐν ὑστέροις καιροῖς ἐνστήσονται καιροὶ χαλεποί. Οὐχὶ τὰς ἡμέρας διαβάλλων λέγει οὐδὲ τοὺς καιροὺς, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς τότε ὄντας. Καὶ γὰρ ἡμῖν οὕτω λέγειν ἔθος ἐστὶ καιροὺς πονηροὺς, καὶ οὐ πονηροὺς, ἀπὸ τῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς συμβαινόντων πραγμάτων ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Καὶ εὐθέως τὸ πάντων αἴτιον τίθησι τῶν κακῶν, καὶ τὴν ῥίζαν καὶ τὴν πηγὴν, καὶ ὅθεν τὰ ἄλλα πάντα τίκτεται, τὴν ὑπεροψίαν. Ὁ τούτῳ ἁλοὺς τῷ πάθει οὐδὲ τὰ οἰκεῖα σκοπεῖ. Ὅταν γὰρ μὴ τὰ τοῦ πλησίον τις σκοπῇ, ὅταν τῶν ἐκείνου ἀμελῇ, πῶς τὰ ἑαυτοῦ σκοπήσει; Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ τὰ τοῦ πλησίον ὁρῶν, τὰ αὑτοῦ καλῶς θήσεται ἐν τοῖς ἐκείνου: οὕτως ὁ καταφρονῶν τὰ ἐκείνου, καὶ τὰ αὑτοῦ ὑπερόψεται. Εἰ γὰρ μέλη ἀλλήλων ἐσμὲν, ἡ τοῦ πλησίον σωτηρία οὐκ ἐκείνου μόνον ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ σώματος: καὶ ἡ τοῦ πλησίον βλάβη, οὐ μέχρις ἐκείνου μόνον ἵσταται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἅπαντα λοιπὸν κατατείνει ταῖς ὀδύναις. Εἰ οἰκοδομή ἐσμεν, ὅπερ ἂν πάθῃ μέρος, καὶ τῷ λοιπῷ λυμαίνεται: ἂν δὲ ᾖ στεῤῥὸν, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν διαβαστάζειν δύναται. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ, ὑπερεῖδες τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ; σαυτὸν ἠδίκησας. Πῶς; Τὸ μέλος τὸ σὸν βλάβην ὑπέστη οὐ μικράν. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ χρημάτων μὴ μεταδιδοὺς εἰς τὴν γέενναν ἄπεισιν, ὁ ἐν τοῖς ἀναγκαιοτέροις ὁρῶν κινδυνεύοντα, καὶ χεῖρα μὴ ὀρέγων, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐκείνου τοῦτο πείσεται, ὅσῳ καὶ ἐν μείζονι ἡ ζημία γέγονεν: Ἔσονται γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ ἄνθρωποι φίλαυτοι. Ὁ φίλαυτος οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ μάλιστα ἑαυτὸν μὴ φιλῶν: ὁ δὲ φιλάδελφος, οὗτος μᾶλλόν ἐστιν ὁ ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπῶν. Ἀπὸ τούτου ἡ φιλαργυρία. Τὴν γὰρ ἀγάπην πλατεῖαν οὖσαν καὶ πανταχοῦ ἐκκεχυμένην συστέλλει καὶ εἰς βραχὺ συνάγει τὸ τῆς φιλαυτίας ὀλέθριον καὶ μικρολόγον. Φιλάργυροι. Ἀπὸ τούτου ἀλαζονεία τίκτεται, ἀπὸ τῆς ἀλαζονείας ἡ ὑπερηφανία, ἀπὸ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας βλασφημία, ἀπὸ τῆς βλασφημίας ἀπόνοια καὶ ἀπείθεια. Ὁ γὰρ κατὰ ἀνθρώπων ἐπαιρόμενος, εὐκόλως καὶ κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὕτω καὶ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα τίκτεται: πολλάκις κάτωθεν ἄνεισιν. Ὁ πρὸς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εὐλαβὴς, πολλῷ μᾶλλον πρὸς τὸν Θεόν: ὁ πρὸς ὁμοδούλους ἐπιεικὴς, πολλῷ μᾶλλον πρὸς τὸν Δεσπότην: ὁ δὲ τῶν ὁμοδούλων καταφρονῶν, ὁδῷ προβαίνων καὶ αὐτοῦ καταφρονήσει τοῦ Θεοῦ. Μὴ τοίνυν καταφρονῶμεν ἀλλήλων: διδασκαλία γὰρ αὕτη κακὴ, διδάσκουσα ἡμᾶς τοῦ Θεοῦ καταφρονεῖν. Καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ μὲν γὰρ τούτῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ καταφρονῶμεν, ὅταν ἀλλήλων καταφρονῶμεν, τοῦ κελεύσαντος πολλὴν εἰς ἀλλήλους ἐπιδείκνυσθαι τὴν σπουδήν. Πλὴν καὶ ἑτέρως, εἰ βούλεσθε, ἐκ παραδείγματος τοῦτο ποιήσω φανερόν. Κατεφρόνησε τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ὁ Κάϊν, κατεφρόνησεν εὐθέως καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Πῶς κατεφρόνησεν; Ὅρα πῶς ὑβριστικῶς ἀποκρίνεται πρὸς τὸν Θεόν: Μὴ φύλαξ εἰμὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μου; Κατεφρόνησε πάλιν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ὁ Ἡσαῦ, καὶ κατεφρόνησε τοῦ Θεοῦ. Διὰ τοῦτο ἔλεγεν ὁ Θεὸς, ὅτι Τὸν Ἰακὼβ ἠγάπησα, τὸν δὲ Ἡσαῦ ἐμίσησα. Διὸ καὶ Παῦλός φησι: Μή τις πόρνος ἢ βέβηλος, ὡς Ἡσαῦ. Κατεφρόνησαν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ, κατεφρόνησαν καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οἱ Ἰσραηλῖται κατεφρόνησαν Μωϋσέως: διὰ τοῦτο κατεφρόνησαν καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὕτω καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἠλεὶ κατεφρόνουν τοῦ λαοῦ, κατεφρόνουν καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Βούλει δὲ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου ἰδεῖν; Ὁ Ἀβραὰμ ἐφείσατο τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, ὑπήκουσε καὶ τῷ Θεῷ: καὶ δῆλόν ἐστιν ἐκ τῆς ὑπακοῆς τῆς ἐπὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ τῆς ἄλλης ἁπάσης ἀρετῆς. Πάλιν ὁ Ἄβελ ἐπιεικὴς ὢν πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν, εὐλαβὴς ἦν καὶ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Μὴ τοίνυν καταφρονῶμεν ἀλλήλων, ἵνα μὴ μάθωμεν καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ καταφρονεῖν: τιμῶμεν ἀλλήλους, ἵνα μάθωμεν καὶ τὸν Θεὸν τιμᾷν. Ὁ θρασὺς κατὰ ἀνθρώπων, καὶ κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ γίνεται θρασύς. Ὅταν δὲ καὶ φιλαργυρία, καὶ φιλαυτία, καὶ ἀπόνοια κατὰ ταυτὸν συνέλθῃ, τί λοιπὸν λείπεται πρὸς τελείαν ἀπώλειαν; τὸ πᾶν διέφθαρται, καὶ πολὺς τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἐπιῤῥεῖ βόρβορος. Ἀχάριστοι, φησί. Πῶς γὰρ ὁ φιλάργυρος εὐχάριστος ἔσται; τίνι εἴσεται χάριν; Οὐδενί: πάντας ἐχθροὺς ἡγεῖται, τὰ πάντων θέλων λαβεῖν. Κἂν γὰρ τὴν πᾶσαν οὐσίαν κενώσῃς, οὐδεμίαν οἶδέ σοι χάριν: ἀγανακτεῖ, ὅτι μὴ πολλὰ εἶχες, καὶ πολλῶν αὐτὸν πεποίηκας κύριον. Κἂν τῆς οἰκουμένης αὐτὸν δεσπότην ποιήσῃς, οὐκ οἶδέ σοι χάριν: οὐδὲν γὰρ ἡγεῖται εἰληφέναι. Ἀκόρεστος ἡ ἐπιθυμία τούτου. Νόσου γάρ ἐστιν ἐπιθυμία. Τοιαῦται δὲ αἱ τῶν νόσων ἐπιθυμίαι. βʹ. Καὶ ὁ πυρέττων οὐδέποτε ἐμφορηθῆναι δύναται, ἀλλ' ἀεὶ ἐν ἐπιθυμίᾳ μεθύων οὐδέποτε πληροῦται, ἀεὶ διψᾷ. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ περὶ χρήματα μαινόμενος, οὐδέποτε οἶδε τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἐμπλῆσαι: μηδέποτε δὲ ἐμπιπλάμενος, ὅσα ἂν κενώσῃς, οὐκ εἴσεταί σοι χάριν. Ἐκείνῳ γὰρ εἴσεται μόνῳ τῷ δεδωκότι ὅσα βούλεται: τοῦτο δὲ οὐδεὶς δυνήσεται ποιῆσαι: οὐ γὰρ ἔχει μέτρον ἃ βούλεται: οὐκοῦν οὐδενὶ εἴσεται χάριν. Οὐδὲν οὕτως ἀχάριστον, ὡς φιλάργυρος: οὐδὲν οὕτως ἀναίσθητον, ὡς φιλοχρήματος: τῆς οἰκουμένης ἁπάσης ἐστὶν ἐχθρός: ἀγανακτεῖ ὅτι εἰσὶν ἄνθρωποι: βούλεται γὰρ πάντα ἐρημίας εἶναι μεστὰ, ὥστε τὰ πάντων ἔχειν αὐτός. Καὶ πολλὰ τοιαῦτα φαντάζεται: Εἰ ἐγένετο σεισμὸς ἐν τῇ πόλει, φησὶν, εἶτα πάντων καταχωσθέντων, ἐγὼ μόνος περιελείφθην, ὥστε τὰ πάντων λαβεῖν εἰ δυνατόν: εἰ ἐπῆλθε λοιμὸς, καὶ πάντας ἀπώλεσε τοῦ χρυσίου χωρίς: εἰ καταποντισμὸς ἐγένετο, εἰ θαλάττης ἐπίκλυσις: καὶ μυρία τοιαῦτα ἐπινοεῖ: χρηστὸν μὲν οὐδὲν, σεισμὸς δὲ καὶ σκηπτοὺς καὶ πολέμους καὶ λοιμοὺς, καὶ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα γενέσθαι εὔχεται. Εἰπὲ δή μοι, ἄθλιε καὶ ταλαίπωρε καὶ παντὸς ἀνδραπόδου δουλικώτερε, εἰ πάντα ἦν χρυσὸς, οὐκ ἂν ἀπηλλάγης ὑπὸ τοῦ χρυσοῦ, λιμῷ διαφθαρείς; εἰ σεισμὸς ἐγένετο, τῆς οἰκουμένης καταποθείσης, ἀπωλώλεις ἂν καὶ σὺ ὑπὸ τῆς ὀλεθρίας ταύτης ἐπιθυμίας: οὐ γὰρ ὄντος ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, οὐκ ἄν σοι τὰ τῆς ζωῆς συγκεκρότητο. Θῶμεν γὰρ πάντας ἄρδην ἠφανίσθαι τοὺς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἀνθρώπους, εἶτα τὸ χρυσίον αὐτῶν καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον αὐτομάτως πως εἰς σὲ περιεληλυθέναι (καὶ γὰρ μωρὰ καὶ ἀδύνατα φαντάζονται), καὶ τὸν πλοῦτον ἐκείνων, τὸν χρυσὸν, τὸν ἄργυρον, τὰ ἱμάτια τὰ σηρικὰ, τὰ διάχρυσα πάντα αὐτομάτως εἰς τὰς σὰς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν: τί τὸ κέρδος; οὕτως ἂν μάλιστα θάνατός σε κατέλαβεν, ἀρτοκόπων οὐκ ὄντων, γεωργῶν οὐκ ὄντων, θηρίων ἐπινεμομένων, δαιμόνων ἐκδειματούντων σοι τὴν ψυχήν. Καὶ νῦν μὲν αὐτὴν κατέχουσι δαίμονες καὶ πολλοί: τότε δὲ ἄν σε καὶ εἰς ἔκπληξιν ἤγαγον, κἂν εὐθέως ἀπώλεσαν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐβουλόμην, φησὶν, ἀλλ' εἶναι καὶ γεωργοὺς καὶ ἀρτοκόπους. Ἀλλ' ἔμελλον κἀκεῖνοι δαπανᾷν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐβουλόμην αὐτοὺς δαπανᾷν. Οὕτως ἀκόρεστος ἡ ἐπιθυμία αὕτη. Τί γὰρ ἂν εἴη τούτων καταγελαστότερον; Εἶδες ἀμηχανίαν πραγμάτων; βούλεται ἔχειν πολλοὺς τοὺς διακονουμένους αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀλγεῖ ὅτι τροφῆς οὗτοι μετέχουσιν, ἅτε ἐλαττοῦντες αὐτοῦ τὴν οὐσίαν. Τί οὖν, εἰπέ μοι; βούλει λιθίνους εἶναι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους; Χλευασία ταῦτα πάντα, κύματα, καὶ ζάλη, καὶ χειμὼν, καὶ τρικυμία, καὶ πολὺς ὁ θόρυβος τῇ ψυχῇ: ἀεὶ πεινᾷ, ἀεὶ διψᾷ. Εἰπὲ δή μοι, τοῦτον οὐκ ἐλεήσομεν οὐδὲ δακρύσομεν; Ἀλλ' ἐν μὲν τοῖς σώμασι τὸ τοιοῦτον κόλασίς ἐστιν ἡ χαλεπωτάτη, βουλιμία λεγομένη παρὰ τῶν ἰατρῶν, ὅταν τις πολλῶν ἐμφορούμενος, τοῦ λιμώττειν μὴ ἀπαλλάττηται: ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς οὐ δακρύσομεν τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο πάθος; Βουλιμία γὰρ ψυχῆς ἡ φιλαργυρία, ἣ πολλῶν μὲν ἐμπίπλαται, οὐδέποτε δὲ ἵσταται, ἀλλ' ὑπὸ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἀεὶ κατατείνεται. Εἰ γὰρ ἑλλέβορον ἔδει πιεῖν, ἢ μυριάκις ὑποστῆναί τι τούτου βαρύτερον, ὥστε ἀπαλλαγῆναι τοῦ πάθους τούτου, οὐκ ἔδει προθύμως καταδέξασθαι; Οὐκ ἔστι χρημάτων πλῆθος, ὃ τὴν ἀκόρεστον νηδὺν ἐμπλῆσαι δύναται. Οὐκ αἰδεσθησόμεθα τοίνυν ἡμεῖς, εἰ περὶ μὲν χρημάτων οὕτω τινὲς μεμήνασι, περὶ δὲ τὸν Θεὸν ἡμεῖς οὐδὲ τὸ πολλοστὸν μέρος τῆς ἀγάπης ἐπιδεικνύμεθα, ἀλλὰ ἀργυρίου γίνεται ἀτιμότερος ἡμῖν ὁ Θεός; Καὶ γὰρ ὑπὲρ μὲν ἀργυρίου καὶ ἀγρυπνίας καὶ ἀποδημίας καὶ κινδύνους ἐπαλλήλους καὶ μῖσος καὶ ἐπιβουλὰς καὶ πάντα ὑπομένουσιν ἄνθρωποι: ἡμεῖς δὲ ὑπὲρ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐδὲ ψιλὸν ῥῆμα προέσθαι ἀνεχόμεθα, οὐδὲ ἀπέχθειαν ἀναδέξασθαι, ἀλλὰ ἂν δέῃ τινὶ τῶν καταπονουμένων ἀμῦναι, τὰς τῶν δυναστευόντων ἔχθρας ὑποστελλόμενοι καὶ τοὺς κινδύνους, προδιδόαμεν τὸν ἠδικημένον: καὶ δύναμιν λαβόντες παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὥστε βοηθεῖν, ἀπόλλυμεν αὐτὴν διὰ τὸ μὴ βούλεσθαι μισεῖσθαι μηδὲ ἀπεχθάνεσθαι: καὶ εὐθέως τοῦτο προβάλλονται οἱ πολλοὶ, Εἰκῆ φιλοῦ, λέγοντες, εἰκῆ μὴ μισοῦ. Τοῦτο δὲ εἰκῆ μισεῖσθαί ἐστι; τί δὲ τοῦ μίσους τούτου κρεῖττον; Τῆς γὰρ φιλίας τῆς διὰ τὸν Θεὸν τὸ μῖσος τὸ δι' αὐτὸν πολλῷ βέλτιον. Ὅταν γὰρ φιλώμεθα διὰ τὸν Θεὸν, ἡμεῖς ὀφειλέται ἐσμὲν τῆς τιμῆς: ὅταν δὲ μισώμεθα, αὐτὸς ἡμῖν ὀφειλέτης ἐστὶ τοῦ μισθοῦ. Ὅσον ἂν ἀγαπήσωσι τὸν χρυσὸν οἱ φιλοχρήματοι, οὐκ ἴσασι μέτρον ἀγάπης: ἡμεῖς δὲ κἂν μικρόν τι ἐργασώμεθα, τὸ πᾶν ἠνυκέναι νομίζομεν. Ὡς ἐκεῖνοι τὸν χρυσὸν φιλοῦσιν, ἡμεῖς τὸν Θεὸν οὐ φιλοῦμεν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τὸ πολλοστὸν μέρος. Πολλὴ ἐκείνων κατηγορία, ὅτι τοσαύτην περὶ τὸν χρυσὸν τὴν μανίαν ἔχουσι: πολλὴ ἡμῶν κατάγνωσις ὅτι οὐ μαινόμεθα οὕτω περὶ τὸν Θεὸν, ἀλλ' ὅσον τῇ γῇ (γῆ γὰρ ὁ χρυσὸς ὁ μεταλλικὸς), ὅσην τῇ γῇ τιμὴν ἀπονέμουσιν ἐκεῖνοι, τοσαύτην οὐκ ἀπονέμομεν ἡμεῖς τῷ πάντων Δεσπότῃ. γʹ. Ἴδωμεν αὐτῶν τὴν μανίαν, καὶ αἰδεσθῶμεν. Τί γὰρ, εἰ καὶ ἡμεῖς μὴ περικαιόμεθα τοῦ χρυσοῦ, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ δεόμεθα σπουδαίως; Ἐνταῦθα μὲν γὰρ ἄνθρωποι γυναικὸς καταφρονοῦσι καὶ παίδων καὶ οὐσίας καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτῶν, καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ εἰδότες, ὅτι τὴν οὐσίαν αὔξουσι τὴν ἑαυτῶν: πολλάκις γὰρ ἐν μέσαις ταῖς ἐλπίσι καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀφέντες ἀπῆλθον εἰκῆ πονήσαντες: ἡμεῖς δὲ εἰδότες ὅτι ἐπιτευξόμεθα τοῦ ποθουμένου, ἂν αὐτὸν ἀγαπήσωμεν ὡς ἀγαπᾷν χρὴ, οὐδὲ οὕτω φιλοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ πάντα κατεψύξαμεν, τὴν πρὸς τὸν πλησίον ἀγάπην, τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν: ἀπὸ τούτου τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν πλησίον. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἄνδρα οὐκ εἰδότα φιλεῖν, ἔχειν τι γενναῖον καὶ φρόνημα ἀνδρεῖον. Ἡ γὰρ ὑποβάθρα πάντων τῶν ἀγαθῶν οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστιν ἀλλ' ἢ φιλία: Ἐν τούτῳ, φησὶν, ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται κρέμανται. Καθάπερ γὰρ εἰς ὕλην πῦρ εἰσελθὸν πάντα διακαθαίρειν εἴωθεν: οὕτω καὶ ἡ τῆς ἀγάπης θερμότης ὅπουπερ ἂν ἐμπέσοι, πάντα ἀναιρεῖ καὶ διακόπτει τὰ τῷ θείῳ λυμαινόμενα σπόρῳ, καὶ τὴν γῆν καθαρὰν πρὸς ὑποδοχὴν τῶν σπερμάτων ἐργάζεται. Ἔνθα ἐστὶν ἀγάπη, πάντα ἀνῄρηται τὰ κακά: οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ φιλαργυρία ἡ ῥίζα τῶν κακῶν, οὐκ ἔστι φιλαργυρία, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀλαζονεία: τί γὰρ ἄν τις κατὰ τοῦ φίλου ἀλαζονεύσαιτο; Οὐδὲν μὲν οὖν οὕτω ποιεῖ ταπεινὸν ὡς ἀγάπη. Καὶ γὰρ τὰ τῶν οἰκετῶν τοῖς φίλοις διακονούμεθα, καὶ οὐκ αἰσχυνόμεθα, ἀλλὰ καὶ χάριν ἴσμεν τῆς δουλείας ταύτης αὐτοῖς: χρημάτων οὐ φειδόμεθα, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ σωμάτων πολλάκις: ἤδη γάρ τις καὶ ὑπερεκινδύνευσε τοῦ φιλουμένου. Φθόνος οὐκ ἔστιν, οὐδὲ κακηγορία, ἔνθα ἂν ᾖ γνησία φιλία: οὐ γὰρ μόνον οὐ διαβάλλομεν τοὺς φίλους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς διαβάλλοντας ἐπιστομίζομεν. Πάντα γαληνὰ, πάντα ἥμερα, μάχης καὶ φιλονεικίας οὐδὲ ἴχνος φαίνεται: πάντα εἰρήνης μεστά: Πλήρωμα γὰρ νόμου, φησὶν, ἡ ἀγάπη: οὐδὲν ἀηδὲς παρ' αὐτῇ. Πῶς; Αὐτὰ γὰρ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, πλεονεξία, ἁρπαγὴ, φθόνος, κακηγορία, ἀπόνοια, ἐπιορκία, ψεῦδος, ταῦτα πάντα καταλύεται, τῆς ἀγάπης οὔσης: ἐπιορκοῦσι γὰρ οἱ ἐπιορκοῦντες ἁρπάσαι βουλόμενοι: τὸν δὲ ἀγαπώμενον οὐδεὶς ἂν ἁρπάσειεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ προσδοίη τὰ ἑαυτοῦ τῷ φιλουμένῳ: χάριν γὰρ ἔχομεν μᾶλλον, ἢ εἰ λάβοιμεν παρ' αὐτοῦ. Ἴστε ταῦτα ὅσοι φίλους ἐσχήκατε: φίλους οὐ μέχρι ὀνόματος λέγω, οὐδὲ ἐκ ψιλῆς προσηγορίας, ἀλλ' εἴ τις ἠγάπησεν ὡς ἀγαπᾷν ἔδει, εἴ τις προσεδέθη τινί. Εἰ δέ τινες οὐκ ἴσασι, παρὰ τῶν εἰδότων μαθέτωσαν. Νῦν διηγήσομαι ὑμῖν ἀπὸ τῶν Γραφῶν φιλίαν θαυμαστήν. Ὁ τοῦ Σαοὺλ υἱὸς Ἰωνάθαν ἐφίλησε τὸν Δαυῒδ, Καὶ συνεδέθη αὐτῷ, φησὶν, ἡ ψυχή: οὕτως, ὡς καὶ θρηνῶν αὐτὸν λέγειν, Ἐπέπεσεν ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἡ ἀγάπησίς σου, ὡς ἡ ἀγάπησις τῶν γυναικῶν. Εἰς θάνατον ἐτραυματίσθης ἐμοί. Τί οὖν; ἐκεῖνος ἄρα ἐφθόνησεν αὐτῷ; Οὐδαμῶς, καίτοι γε εἶχεν ἀνάγκην τοῦ φθονεῖν. Πῶς; Ἀπὸ γὰρ τῶν πραγμάτων ἑώρα τὴν βασιλείαν ἐρχομένην εἰς αὐτὸν, καὶ ὅμως οὐδὲν ἔπαθε τοιοῦτον: οὐκ εἶπεν: Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἐμὲ ἀποστερήσων τῆς βασιλείας τῆς πατρικῆς, ἀλλὰ συγκατεσκεύαζεν αὐτῷ τὴν ἀρχὴν, καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς οὐκ ἐφείδετο διὰ τὸν φίλον. Ἀλλὰ μή τις αὐτὸν πατραλοίαν νομιζέτω: οὐ γὰρ ἠδίκει τὸν πατέρα, ἀλλὰ τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς καὶ τὰς ἀδικίας κατεῖχε. Μᾶλλον ἐφείδετο, ἢ ἠδίκει: οὐκ ἀφῆκεν αὐτὸν εἰς φόνον ἄδικον ἐκβῆναι. Ἠθέλησε καὶ ἀποθανεῖν πολλάκις δι' αὐτόν. Οὐ κατηγόρησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν πατέρα ἐπεστόμισεν: οὐκ ἐφθόνησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ συγκατεσκεύασεν: οὐ χρημάτων αὐτῷ μετέδωκε μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ σωτηρίας. Τί λέγω χρημάτων; καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ προήκατο. Οὐκ ᾐδέσθη τὸν γεγεννηκότα διὰ τὸν φίλον, ἐπειδὴ ὁ μὲν ἀδίκοις ἐπεχείρει πράγμασιν, ὁ δὲ οὐδὲν ἑαυτῷ συνῄδει τοιοῦτον. Ἐκεῖ μὲν οὖν μετὰ τοῦ δικαίου ἦν ἡ φιλία: οὗτος οὖν ὁ Ἰωνάθαν. Ἴδωμεν δὲ λοιπὸν καὶ τὸν Δαυΐδ. Οὐκ ἐγένετο αὐτῷ καιρὸς ἀποδοῦναι τὰς ἀμοιβάς: προανηρπάσθη γὰρ ἐκεῖνος τῆς ἀρχῆς τοῦ Δαυῒδ, καὶ πρὶν ἢ τὸν εὖ παθόντα ἐλθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν ὁ εὖ ποιῶν ἀπώλετο. Τί οὖν; ἐν οἷς ἦν δυνατὸν καὶ ἐξῆν, ἴδωμεν πῶς ἐπεδείκνυτο τὴν φιλίαν ὁ δίκαιος. Καλὸς ἐμοὶ, φησὶν, Ἰωνάθαν: εἰς θάνατον ἐτραυματίσθης ἐμοί. Ἆρα τοῦτο μόνον; οὐ μικρὸν γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο: πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ἐκείνου, καὶ τὸν ἔγγονον πολλάκις κινδύνων ἐξήρπασεν, ἀπομνημονεύων τοῦ πατρὸς τὴν χάριν: καὶ διετέλει καθάπερ υἱοῦ τινος ἔγγονα διατηρῶν καὶ διαφυλάττων. Τοιαύτην ἐγὼ βούλομαι φιλίαν πάντας ἔχειν, καὶ πρὸς ζῶντας καὶ πρὸς ἀπελθόντας. δʹ. Αἱ γυναῖκες ἀκουέτωσαν (μάλιστα γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο εἶπον πρὸς ἀπελθόντας), αἱ δευτέροις ὁμιλοῦσαι γάμοις, καὶ τὴν εὐνὴν διαφθείρουσαι τοῦ τετελευτηκότος, αἱ στέρξασαι τὸν πρότερον. Οὐκ ἀπαγορεύων τὸν δεύτερον γάμον, οὐδὲ ἀκόλαστον εἶναι λέγων, ταῦτά φημι: οὐ γὰρ ἀφίησί με ὁ Παῦλος, χαλινὸν ἐπιτιθείς μου τῷ στόματι, καὶ λέγων ταῖς γυναιξὶν, Ἐὰν δὲ καὶ γήμῃ, οὐχ ἥμαρτεν. Ἀλλ' ἴδωμεν καὶ τὸ ἑξῆς: Μακαριωτέρα δέ ἐστιν, ἐὰν οὕτω μείνῃ: πολλῷ τοῦτο βέλτιον ἐκείνου. Διὰ τί; Διὰ πολλά. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦ γαμῆσαι τὸ μηδ' ὅλως γαμῆσαι βέλτιον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τοῦτο ἐκείνου βέλτιον. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἤνεγκάν τινες, φησὶ, τὴν χηρείαν, ἀλλὰ συμφοραῖς περιέπεσον: οὐ γὰρ ἔγνωσαν τί ἐστι χηρεία. Οὐ τοῦτό ἐστι χηρεία, τὸ μὴ δευτέροις ὁμιλῆσαι γάμοις, ὥσπερ οὖν οὐδὲ παρθενία τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ἀπειρόγαμον εἶναι: ἀλλὰ τί; Ὥσπερ ἐκεῖ τὸ εὔσχημον καὶ εὐπρόσεδρον, οὕτως ἐνταῦθα τὸ μεμονῶσθαι, τὸ προσκαρτερεῖν ταῖς δεήσεσι, τὸ τρυφῆς ἀπηλλάχθαι καὶ σπατάλης: Ἡ γὰρ σπαταλῶσα, φησὶ, ζῶσα τέθνηκεν. Εἰ μέλλοις χήρα μένουσα τὸν αὐτὸν κόμπον ἔχειν, καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν φαντασίαν, καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν περιβολὴν, ἣν ζῶντος εἶχες τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, βέλτιον γαμῆσαι: οὐ γὰρ ἡ μίξις κακὸν, ἀλλ' ἡ πολυπραγμοσύνη. Σὺ δὲ τὸ μὲν οὐκ ὂν κακὸν οὐ πράττεις, τὸ δὲ οὐκ ἀδιάφορον, ἀλλ' ὑπὸ ἔγκλημα ὂν, τοῦτο ὑπομένεις. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐξετράπησαν ὀπίσω τοῦ Σατανᾶ, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν χηρεῦσαι καλῶς. Βούλει μαθεῖν τί ἐστι χήρα, καὶ τί τὸ τῆς χήρας ἀξίωμα; ἄκουε Παύλου λέγοντος: Εἰ ἐτεκνοτρόφησεν, εἰ ἐξενοδόχησεν, εἰ ἁγίων πόδας ἔνιψεν, εἰ θλιβομένοις ἐπήρκεσεν, εἰ παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ ἐπηκολούθησεν. Ὅταν γὰρ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τελευτήσαντος ᾖς πλούτου περιβεβλημένη πολὺν ὄγκον, εἰκότως οὐ φέρεις τὴν χηρείαν. Μετάθες τοίνυν τὸν πλοῦτον τοῦτον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ ἔσται σοι φορητὸν τῆς χηρείας τὸ φορτίον. Τί οὖν, ἂν παῖδας ἔχω τοῦ πατρῴου κλήρου διαδόχους, φησί; Παίδευε κἀκείνους χρημάτων καταφρονεῖν: τὰ σαυτῆς μετάθες, ἐκείνοις ἀπονείμασα τοσοῦτον ὅσον ἀρκεῖ: παίδευε κἀκείνους εἶναι χρημάτων κρείττους. Τί οὖν, ἂν περιῤῥέῃ, φησὶν, ἀνδραπόδων πλῆθος; ἐὰν πραγμάτων ἐσμὸς, χρυσίον, ἀργύριον; πῶς ἱκανὴ πρὸς ταύτην ἔσομαι τὴν φυλακὴν, δεομένη ἀνδρὸς προστασίας; Σκῆψις ταῦτα καὶ πρόφασις: καὶ τοῦτο δῆλον πολλαχόθεν. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐφίεσαι χρημάτων, μηδὲ πλείω τὰ ὄντα ποιῆσαι θέλεις, κοῦφόν σοι τὸ φορτίον: φορτικώτερον τοῦ φυλάξαι πολλῷ πλέον ἐστὶ τὸ περιβαλέσθαι. Ἂν τοίνυν τὸ ἓν ἐκκόψῃς, τὸ περιβαλέσθαι, φησὶ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐνόντων τοῖς δεομένοις χορηγῇς, ὁ Θεὸς ὑπερασπιεῖ τὴν χεῖρα τὴν αὐτοῦ: κἂν ὄντως τῆς τῶν ὀρφανῶν κληρονομίας προεστῶσα ταῦτα λέγῃς, οὐχὶ δὲ προφάσει ταύτης κέκτησαι φιλαργυρίᾳ, οἶδεν ὁ τὰς καρδίας ἐμβατεύων ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ τὸν ἐκείνων καταστῆσαι πλοῦτον, αὐτὸς ὁ ἐπιτάξας τεκνοτροφεῖν. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστιν οἰκίαν ὑπὸ ἐλεημοσύνης ἐῤῥιζωμένην παθεῖν τι δεινόν: ἀλλὰ κἂν πάθῃ πρὸς καιρὸν, εἰς ἀγαθὸν τελευτήσει. Τοῦτο μᾶλλον ἀσπίδος καὶ δόρατος ἔσται πάσῃ τῇ οἰκίᾳ. Ἄκουε τί φησιν ὁ διάβολος περὶ τοῦ Ἰώβ: Οὐ σὺ περιέφραξας αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔσω καὶ τὰ ἔξω; Διὰ τί; ἄκουε αὐτοῦ Ἰὼβ λέγοντος: Ὀφθαλμὸς ἤμην τυφλῶν, φησὶ, ποῦς χωλῶν, πατὴρ ὀρφανῶν. Ὥσπερ ὁ μὴ ἀποσχίζων ἑαυτὸν τῶν ἀλλοτρίων συμφορῶν, οὐδέποτε οὐδὲ ἐν τοῖς οἰκείοις πείσεταί τι κακοῖς, ὅταν ἐν τῷ συναλγεῖν μανθάνῃ: οὕτως ὁ μὴ βουλόμενος τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς συμπαθείας φέρειν λύπην, ἐν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ ταῦτα εἴσεται πάντα. Καὶ καθάπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ σώματος ἡ χεὶρ, τοῦ ποδὸς σηπομένου, ἂν μὴ συμπαθῇ καὶ τραῦμα καθάρῃ καὶ φάρμακον ἐπιθῇ καὶ ἀποπλύνῃ ἰχῶρα, ἐν τοῖς ἑαυτῆς τοῦτο πείσεται κακοῖς, καὶ ἡ μὴ βουληθεῖσα διακονῆσαι ἑτέρῳ ἐκτὸς οὖσα τοῦ πάθους, αὐτὴ ἔνοχος ἔσται τῷ πάθει: ἐκεῖθεν γὰρ ἕρπον τὸ κακὸν ἥξει καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτην, καὶ οὐκέτι περὶ διακονίας ὁ λόγος αὐτῆς ἔσται, ἀλλὰ περὶ ἰατρείας καὶ ἀπαλλαγῆς: οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα, ὁ μὴ βουλόμενος ἑτέροις συμπάσχειν, αὐτὸς ἀλγήσει. Περιέφραξας αὐτοῦ, φησὶ, τὰ ἔσω καὶ τὰ ἔξω, καὶ οὐ τολμῶ ἐπελθεῖν. Ἀλλ' ἔπαθε, φησὶ, δεινά. Ἀλλὰ τὰ δεινὰ ἐκεῖνα πολλῶν ἐγένετο ἀγαθῶν αἰτία: διπλασίων ἡ οὐσία, μείζων ὁ μισθὸς, πλείων ἡ δικαιοσύνη, λαμπροὶ οἱ στέφανοι, φαιδρὰ τὰ βραβεῖα, καὶ τὰ πνευματικὰ καὶ τὰ βιωτικὰ ηὐξήθη. Ἀπώλεσε παῖδας; ἀλλ' ἔλαβεν, οὐ τοὺς αὐτοὺς, ἀλλ' ἑτέρους ἀντ' ἐκείνων, καὶ ἐκείνους δὲ ἔσωζεν ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει. Εἰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς ἀνέλαβεν, ἠλάττωτο ἂν αὐτῷ τὰ τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ: νῦν δὲ ἑτέρους δοὺς ἀντ' ἐκείνων, καὶ ἐκείνους ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει παραστήσει. Ταῦτα πάντα αὐτῷ ἀπὸ τοῦ πρόχειρον αὐτὸν εἶναι περὶ τὰς ἐλεημοσύνας ὑπῆρξεν: ὅπερ καὶ ἡμεῖς ποιήσωμεν, ἵνα τῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιτύχωμεν ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἀμήν.