Homily XXIII.

1 Cor. ix. 24

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?

Having pointed out the manifold usefulness of condescension and that this is the highest perfectness, and that he himself having risen higher than all towards perfection, or rather having gone beyond it by declining to receive, descended lower than all again; and having made known to us the times for each of these, both for the perfectness and for the condescension; he touches them more sharply in what follows, covertly intimating that this which was done by them and which was counted a mark of perfectness, is a kind of superfluous and useless labor. And he saith it not thus out clearly, lest they should become insolent; but the methods of proof employed by him makes this evident.

And having said that they sin against Christ and destroy the brethren, and are nothing profited by this perfect knowledge, except charity be added; he again proceeds to a common example, and saith,

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?” Now this he saith, not as though here also one only out of many would be saved; far from it; but to set forth the exceeding diligence which it is our duty to use. For as there, though many descend into the course not many are crowned, but this befalls one only; and it is not enough to descend into the contest, nor to anoint one’s self and wrestle:  so likewise here it is not sufficient to believe, and to contend in any way; but unless we have so run as unto the end to show ourselves unblameable, and to come near the prize, it will profit us nothing. For even though thou consider thyself to be perfect according to knowledge, thou hast not yet attained the whole; which hinting at, he said, “so run, that ye may obtain.” They had not then yet, as it seems, attained. And having said thus, he teaches them also the manner.

Ver. 25. “And every man that striveth in the games is temperate in all things.”

What is, “all things?” He doth not abstain from one and err in another, but he masters entirely gluttony and lasciviousness and drunkenness and all his passions. “For this,” saith he, “takes place even in the heathen games. For neither is excess of wine permitted to those who contend at the time of the contest, nor wantonness, lest they should weaken their vigor, nor yet so much as to be busied about any thing else, but separating themselves altogether from all things they apply themselves to their exercise only.” Now if there these things be so where the crown falls to one, much more here, where the incitement in emulation is more abundant. For here neither is one to be crowned alone, and the rewards also far surpass the labors. Wherefore also he puts it so as to shame them, saying, “Now they do it receive to a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.”

[2.] Ver. 26. “I therefore so run, as not uncertainly.”

Thus having shamed them from those that are without, he next brings forward himself also, which kind of thing is a most excellent method of teaching: and accordingly we find him every where doing so.

But what is, “not uncertainly?” “Looking to some mark,” saith he, “not at random and in vain, as ye do. For what profit have ye of entering into idol-temples, and exhibiting for-sooth that perfectness? None. But not such am I, but all things whatsoever I do, I do for the salvation of my neighbor. Whether I show forth perfectness, it is for their sake; or condescension, for their sake again: whether I surpass Peter in declining to receive [compensation], it is that they may not be offended; or descend lower than all, being circumcised and shaving my head, it is that they may not be subverted. This is, “not uncertainly.” But thou, why dost thou eat in idol-temples, tell me? Nay, thou canst not assign any reasonable cause. For “meat commendeth thee not to God; neither if thou eat art thou the better, nor if thou eat not art thou the worse.” (1 Cor. viii. 8.) Plainly then thou runnest at random: for this is, “uncertainly.”

“So fight I, as not beating the air.” This he saith, again intimating that he acted not at random nor in vain. “For I have one at whom I may strike, i.e., the devil. But thou dost not strike him, but simply throwest away thy strength.”

Now so far then, altogether bearing with them, he thus speaks. For since he had dealt somewhat vehemently with them in the preceding part, he now on the contrary keeps back his rebuke, reserving for the end of the discourse the deep wound of all. Since here he says that they act at random and in vain; but afterwards signifies that it is at the risk of no less than utter ruin to their own soul, and that even apart from all injury to their brethren, neither are they themselves guiltless in daring so to act.

Ver. 27. “But I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.”

Here he implies that they are subject to the lust of the belly and give up the reins to it, and under a pretence of perfection fulfil their own greediness; a thought which before also he was travailing to express, when he said, “meats for the belly, and the belly for meats.” (1 Cor. vi. 13.) For since both fornication is caused by luxury, and it also brought forth idolatry, he naturally oftentimes inveighs against this disease; and pointing out how great things he suffered for the Gospel, he sets this also down among them. “As I went,” saith he, “beyond the commands, and this when it was no light matter for me:” (“for we endure all things,” it is said,) “so also here I submit to much labor in order to live soberly. Stubborn as appetite is and the tyranny of the belly, nevertheless I bridle it and give not myself up to the passion, but endure all labor not to be drawn aside by it.”

“For do not, I pray you, suppose that by taking things easily I arrive at this desirable result. For it is a race and a manifold struggle,110    παγκράτιον. and a tyrannical nature continually rising up against me and seeking to free itself. But I bear not with it but keep it down, and bring it into subjection with many struggles.” Now this he saith that none may despairingly withdraw from the conflicts in behalf of virtue because the undertaking is laborious. Wherefore he saith, “I buffet and bring into bondage.” He said not, “I kill:” nor, “I punish” for the flesh is not to be hated, but, “I buffet and bring into bondage;” which is the part of a master not of an enemy, of a teacher not of a foe, of a gymnastic master not of an adversary.

“Lest by any means, having preached to others, I myself should be a rejected.”

Now if Paul feared this who had taught so many, and feared it after his preaching and becoming an angel and undertaking the leadership of the whole world; what can we say?

For, “think not,” saith he, “because ye have believed, that this is sufficient for your salvation: since if to me neither preaching nor teaching nor bringing over innumerable persons, is enough for salvation unless I exhibit my own conduct also unblameable, much less to you.”

[3.] Then he comes to other illustrations again. And as above he alleged the examples of the Apostles and those of common custom and those of the priests, and his own, so also here having set forth those of the Olympic games and those of his own course, he again proceeds to the histories of the Old Testament. And because what he has to say will be somewhat unpleasing he makes his exhortation general, and discourses not only concerning the subject before him, but also generally concerning all the evils among the Corinthians. And in the case of the heathen games, “Know ye not?” saith he: but here,

Chap. x. ver. 1. “For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant.”

Now this he said, implying that they were not very well instructed in these things. And what is this which thou wouldest not have us ignorant of?

Ver. 1–5. “That our fathers,” saith he, “were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of a spiritual Rock that followed them: and the Rock was Christ. Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased.”

And wherefore saith he these things? To point out that as they were nothing profited by the enjoyment of so great a gift, so neither these by obtaining Baptism and partaking of spiritual Mysteries, except they go on and show forth a life worthy of this grace. Wherefore also he introduces the types both of Baptism and of the Mysteries.

But what is, “They were baptized into Moses?” Like as we, on our belief in Christ and His resurrection, are baptized, as being destined in our own persons to partake in the same mysteries; for, “we are baptized,” saith he, “for the dead,” i.e., for our own bodies; even so they putting confidence in Moses, i.e., having seen him cross first, ventured also themselves into the waters. But because he wishes to bring the Type near the Truth; he speaks it not thus, but uses the terms of the Truth even concerning the Type.

Further: this was a symbol of the Font, and that which follows, of the Holy Table. For as thou eatest the Lord’s Body, so they the manna: and as thou drinkest the Blood, so they water from a rock. For though they were things of sense which were produced, yet were they spiritually exhibited, not according to the order of nature, but according to the gracious intention of the gift, and together with the body nourished also the soul, leading it unto faith. On this account, you see, touching the food he made no remark, for it was entirely different, not in mode only but in nature also; (for it was manna;) but respecting the drink, since the manner only of the supply was extraordinary and required proof, therefore having said that “they drank the same spiritual drink,” he added, “for they drank of a spiritual Rock that followed them,” and he subjoined, “and the Rock was Christ.” For it was not the nature of the rock which sent forth the water, (such is his meaning,) else would it as well have gushed out before this time: but another sort of Rock, a spiritual One, performed the whole, even Christ who was every where with them and wrought all the wonders. For on this account he said, “that followed them.”

Perceivest thou the wisdom of Paul, how in both cases he points cut Him as the Giver, and thereby brings the Type nigh to the Truth? “For He who set those things before them,” saith he, “the same also hath prepared this our Table: and the same Person both brought them through the sea and thee through Baptism; and before them set manna, but before thee His Body and Blood.”

[4.] As touching His gift then, such is the case: now let us observe also what follows, and consider, whether when they showed themselves unworthy of the gift, He spared them. Nay, this thou canst not say. Wherefore also he added, “Howbeit with most of them God was not well-pleased;” although He had honored them with so great honor. Yea, it profited them nothing, but most of them perished. The truth is, they all perished, but that he might not seem to prophesy total destruction to these also, therefore he said, “most of them.” And yet they were innumerable, but their number profited them nothing: and these were all so many tokens of love; but not even did this profit them, inasmuch as they did not themselves show forth the fruits of love.

Thus, since most men disbelieve the things said of hell, as not being present nor in sight; he alleges the things heretofore done as a proof that God doth punish all who sin, even though He have bestowed innumerable benefits upon them: “for if ye disbelieve the things to come,” so he speaks, “yet surely the things that are past ye will not disbelieve.” Consider, for example, how great benefits He bestowed on them: from Egypt and the slavery there He set them free, the sea He made their path, from heaven he brought down manna, from beneath He sent forth strange and marvellous fountains of waters; He was with them every where, doing wonders and fencing them in on every side: nevertheless since they showed forth nothing worthy of this gift, He spared them not, but destroyed them all.

Ver. 5. “For they were overthrown,” saith he, “in the wilderness.” Declaring by this word both the sweeping destruction, and the punishments and the vengeance inflicted by God, and that they did not so much as attain to the rewards proposed to them.  Neither were they in the land of promise when He did these things unto them, but without and afar somewhere, and wide of that country; He thus visiting them with a double vengeance, both by not permitting them to see the land, and this too though promised unto them, and also by actual severe punishment.

And what are these things to us? say you. To thee surely they belong. Wherefore also he adds,

Ver. 6. “Now these things were figures of us111    τύποι ἡμῶν, rec. vers. our examples..”

For as the gifts are figures, even so are the punishments figures: and as Baptism and the Table were sketched out prophetically, so also by what ensued, the certainty of punishment coming on those who are unworthy of this gift was proclaimed beforehand for our sake that we by these examples might learn soberness. Wherefore also he adds,

“To the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.” For as in the benefits the types went before and the substance followed, such shall be the order also in the punishments. Seest thou how he signifies not only the fact that these shall be punished, but also the degree, more severely than those ancients? For if the one be type, and the other substance, it must needs be that the punishments should as far exceed as the gifts.

And see whom he handles first: those who eat in the idol-temples. For having said, “that we should not lust after evil things,” which was general, he subjoins that which is particular, implying that each of their sins arose from evil lusting. And first he said this,

Ver. 7. “Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, ‘the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.’”

Do you hear how he even calls them “idolaters?” here indeed making the declaration, but afterwards bringing the proof. And he assigned the cause too wherefore they ran to those tables; and this was gluttony. Wherefore having said, “to the intent that we should not lust after evil things,” and having added, nor “be idolaters,” he names the cause of such transgression; and this was gluttony. “For the people sat down,” saith he, “to eat and to drink,” and he adds the end thereof, “they rose up to play.” “For even as they,” saith he, “from sensuality passed into idolatry; so there is a fear lest ye also may fall from the one into the other.” Do you see how he signifies that these, perfect men forsooth, were more imperfect than the others whom they censured? Not in this respect only, their not bearing with their brethren throughout, but also in that the one sin from ignorance, but the others from gluttony. And from the ruin of the former he reckons the punishment to these, but allows not these to lay upon another the cause of their own sin but pronounces them responsible both for their injury, and for their own.

“Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed.” Wherefore doth he here make mention of fornication again, having so largely discoursed concerning it before? It is ever Paul’s custom when he brings a charge of many sins, both to set them forth in order and separately to proceed with his proposed topics, and again in his discourses concerning other things to make mention also of the former: which thing God also used to do in the Old Testament, in reference to each several transgression, reminding the Jews of the calf and bringing that sin before them. This then Paul also does here, at the same time both reminding them of that sin, and teaching that the parent of this evil also was luxury and gluttony. Wherefore also he adds, “Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.”

And wherefore names he not likewise the punishment for their idolatry? Either because it was clear and more notorious, or because the plague was not so great at that time, as in the matter of Balaam, when they joined themselves to Baalpeor, the Midianitish women appearing in the camp and alluring them to wantonness according to the counsel of Balaam. For that this evil counsel was Balaam’s Moses sheweth after this, in the following statement at the end of the Book of Numbers. (Numb. xxxi. 8, 11, 15, 16. in our translation.) “Balaam also the son of Beor they slew in the war of Midian with the sword and they brought the spoils.... And Moses was wroth, and said, Wherefore have ye saved all the women alive? For these were to the children of Israel for a stumbling-block, according to the word of Balaam, to cause them to depart from and despise the word of the Lord for Peor’s sake.”

Ver. 9. “Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and perished by serpents.”

By this he again hints at another charge which he likewise states at the end, blaming them because they contended about signs. And indeed they were destroyed on account of trials, saying, “when will the good things come? when the rewards?” Wherefore also he adds, on this account correcting and alarming them,

Ver. 10. “Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer.”

For what is required is not only to suffer for Christ, but also nobly to bear the things that come on us, and with all gladness: since this is the nature of every crown. Yea, and unless this be so, punishment rather will attend men who take calamity with a bad grace. Wherefore, both the Apostles when they were beaten rejoiced, and Paul gloried in his sufferings.

[5.] Ver. 11. “Now all these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.”

Again he terrifies them speaking of the “ends,” and prepares them to expect things greater than had already taken place. “For that we shall suffer punishment is manifest,” saith he, “from what hath been said, even to those who disbelieve the statements concerning hell-fire; but that the punishment also will be most severe, is evident, from the more numerous blessings which we have enjoyed, and from the things of which those were but figures. Since, if in the gifts one go beyond the other, it is most evident that so it will be in the punishment likewise.” For this cause he both called them types, and said that they were “written for us” and made mention of an “end” that he might remind them of the consummation of all things. For not such will be the penalties then as to admit of a termination and be done away, but the punishment will be eternal; for even as the punishments in this world are ended with the present life, so those in the next continually remain. But when he said, “the ends of the ages,” he means nothing else than that the fearful judgment is henceforth nigh at hand.

Ver. 12. “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

Again, he casts down their pride who thought highly of their knowledge. For if they who had so great privileges suffered such things; and some for murmuring alone were visited with such punishment, and others for tempting, and neither their multitude moved God to repent112    ἐδυσώπησε., nor their having attained to such things; much more shall it be so in our case, except we be sober. And well said he, “he that thinketh he standeth:” for this is not even standing as one ought to stand, to rely on yourself: for quickly will such an one fall: since they too, had they not been high-minded and self-confident, but of a subdued frame of mind, would not have suffered these things. Whence it is evident, that chiefly pride, and carelessness from which comes gluttony also, are the sources of these evils. Wherefore even though thou stand, yet take heed lest thou fall. For our standing here is not secure standing, no not until we be delivered out of the waves of this present life and have sailed into the tranquil haven. Be not therefore high-minded at thy standing, but guard against thy falling; for if Paul feared who was firmer than all, much more ought we to fear.

[6.] Now the Apostle’s word, as we have seen, was, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall;” but we cannot say even this; all of us, so to speak, having fallen, and lying prostrate on the ground. For to whom am I to say this? To him that committeth extortion every day? Nay, he lies prostrate with a mighty fall. To the fornicator? He too is cast down to the ground. To the drunkard? He also is fallen, and knoweth not even that he is fallen. So that it is not the season for this word, but for that saying of the prophet which he spake even to the Jews, (Jer. viii. 4.)—“He that falleth, doth he not rise again?” For all are fallen, and to rise again they have no mind. So that our exhortation is not concerning the not falling, but concerning the ability of them that are fallen to arise. Let us rise again then, late though it be, beloved, let us rise again, and let us stand nobly. How long do we lie prostrate? How long are we drunken, besotted with the excessive desire of the things of this life? It is a meet opportunity now to say, (Jer. vi. 10.) “To whom shall I speak and testify?” So deaf are all men become even to the very instruction of virtue, and thence filled with abundance of evils. And were it possible to discern their souls naked; as in armies when the battle is ended one may behold some dead, and some wounded, so also in the Church we might see. Wherefore I beseech and implore you, let us stretch out a hand to each other and thoroughly raise ourselves up. For I myself am of them that are smitten, and require one to apply some remedies.

Do not however despair on this account. For what if the wounds be severe? yet are they not incurable; such is our physician: only let us feel our wounds. Although we be arrived at the very extreme of wickedness, many are the ways of safety which He strikes out for us. Thus, if thou forbear to be angry with thy neighbor, thine own sins shall be forgiven. “For if ye forgive men,” saith He, “your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matt. vi. 14.) And if thou give alms, He will remit thee thy sins; for, “break off thy sins,” saith He, “by alms.” (Dan. iv. 24.) And if thou pray earnestly, thou shalt enjoy forgiveness: and this the widow signifieth who prevailed upon that cruel judge by the importunity of her prayer. And if thou accuse thine own sins, thou hast relief: for “declare thou thine iniquities first, that thou mayest be justified:” (Is. xlvii. 26.) and if thou art sorrowful on account of these things, this too will be to thee a powerful remedy: “for I saw,” saith He, “that he was grieved and went sorrowful, and I healed his ways.” (Is. lvii. 17.) And if, when thou sufferest any evil, thou bear it nobly, thou hast put away the whole. For this also did Abraham say to the rich man, that “Lazarus received his evil things, and here he is comforted.” And if thou hast pity on the widow, thy sins are washed away. For, “Judge,” saith He, “the orphan, and plead for the widow, and come and let us reason together, saith the Lord. And if your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow; and if they be as crimson, I will make them white as wool.” (Is. i. 17.) For not even a single scar of the wounds doth He suffer to appear. Yea, and though we be come to that depth of misery into which he fell, who devoured his father’s substance and fed upon husks, and should repent, we are undoubtedly saved. And though we owe ten thousand talents, if we fall down before God and bear no malice, all things are forgiven us. Although we have wandered away to that place whither the sheep strayed from his keeper, even thence He recovers us again:  only let us be willing, beloved. For God is merciful. Wherefore both in the case of him that owed ten thousand talents, He was content with His falling down before Him; and in the case of him who had devoured his father’s goods, with his return only; and in the case of the sheep, with its willingness to be borne.

[7.] Considering therefore the greatness of His mercy, let us here make Him propitious unto us, and “let us come before His face by a full confession,” (Ps. xcv. 2. LXX.) that we may not depart hence without excuse, and have to endure the extreme punishment. For if in the present life we exhibit even an ordinary diligence, we shall gain the greatest rewards: but if we depart having become nothing better here, even though we repent ever so earnestly there it will do us no good. For it was our duty to strive while yet remaining within the lists, not after the assembly was broken up idly to lament and weep: as that rich man did, bewailing and deploring himself, but to no purpose and in vain, since he overlooked the time in which he ought to have done these things. And not he alone, but many others there are like him now among the rich; not willing to despise wealth, but despising their own souls for wealth’s sake: at whom I cannot but wonder, when I see men continually interceding with God for mercy, whilst they are doing themselves incurable harm, and unsparing of their very soul as if it were an enemy. Let us not then trifle, beloved, let us not trifle nor delude ourselves, beseeching God to have mercy upon us, whilst we ourselves prefer both money and luxury, and, in fact, all things to this mercy. For neither, if any one brought before thee a case and said in accusation of such an one, that being to suffer ten thousand deaths and having it in his power to rid himself of the sentence by a little money, he chose rather to die than to give up any of his property, would you say that he was worthy of any mercy or compassion. Now in this same way do thou also reason touching thyself. For we too act in this way, and making light of our own salvation, we are sparing of our money. How then dost thou beseech God to spare thee, when thou thyself art so unsparing of thyself, and honorest money above thy soul?

Wherefore also I am greatly astonished to see, how great witchery lies hid in wealth, or rather not in wealth, but in the souls of those that are beguiled. For there are, there are those that utterly derided this sorcery113    μαγγανείας.. For which among the things therein is really capable of bewitching us? Is it not inanimate matter? is it not transitory? is not the possession thereof unworthy of trust? is it not full of fears and? dangers? nay, of murders and conspiracy? of enmity and hatred? of carelessness and much vice? is it not dust and ashes? what madness have we here? what disease?

“But,” say you, “we ought not merely to bring such accusations against those that are so diseased, but also to destroy the passion.” And in what other way shall we destroy it, except by pointing out its baseness and how full it is of innumerable evils?

But of this it is not easy to persuade a lover concerning the objects of his love. Well then, we must set before him another sort of beauty. But incorporeal beauty he sees not, being yet in his disease. Well then, let us show him some beauty of a corporeal kind, and say to him, Consider the meadows and the flowers therein, which are more sparkling than any gold, and more elegant and transparent than all kinds of precious stones. Consider the limpid streams from their fountains, the rivers which like oil flow noiselessly out of the earth. Ascend to heaven and behold the lustre of the sun, the beauty of the moon, the stars that cluster like flowers114    τῶν ἀστρῶν ὰ ἄνθη.. “Why, what is this,” say you, “since we do not, I suppose, make use of them as of wealth?” Nay, we use them more than wealth, inasmuch as the use thereof is more needful, the enjoyment more secure. For thou hast no fear, lest, like money, any one should take them and go off: but you may be ever confident of having them, and that without anxiety or care. But if thou grieve because thou enjoyest them in common with others, and dost not possess them alone like money; it is not money, but mere covetousness, which thou seemest to me to be in love with: nor would even the money be an object of thy desire, if it had been placed within reach of all in common.

[8.] Therefore, since we have found the beloved object, I mean Covetousness, come let me show thee how she hates and abhors thee, how many swords she sharpens against thee, how many pits she digs, how many nooses she ties, how many precipices she prepares; that thus at any rate thou mayest do away with the charm. Whence then are we to obtain this knowledge? From the highways, from the wars, from the sea, from the courts of justice. For she hath both filled the sea with blood, and the swords of the judges she often reddens contrary to law, and arms those who on the highway lie in wait day and night, and persuades men to forget nature, and makes parricides and matricides, and introduces all sorts of evils into man’s life.  Which is the reason why Paul entitles her “a root of these things.” (1 Tim. vi. 10.) She suffers not her lovers to be in any better condition than those who work in the mines. For as they, perpetually shut up in darkness and in chains, labor unprofitably; so also these buried in the caves of avarice, no one using any force with them, voluntarily draw on their punishment, binding on themselves fetters that cannot be broken. And those condemned to the mines at least when even comes on, are released from their toils; but these both by day and night are digging in these wretched mines. And to those there is a definite limit of that hard labor, but these know no limit, but the more they dig so much the greater hardship do they desire. And what if those do it unwillingly, but these of their own will? in that thou tellest me of the grievous part of the disease, that it is even impossible for them to be rid of it, since they do not so much as hate their wretchedness. But as a swine in mud, so also do these delight to wallow in the noisome mire of avarice, suffering worse things than those condemned ones. As to the fact that they are in a worse condition, hear the circumstances of the one, and then thou wilt know the state of the other.

Now it is said that that soil which is impregnated with gold has certain clefts and recesses in those gloomy caverns. The malefactor then condemned to labor in that place, taking for that purpose a lamp and a mattock, so, we are told, enters within, and carries with him a cruse to drop oil from thence into the lamp, because there is darkness even by day, without a ray of light, as I said before. Then when the time of day calls him to his wretched meal, himself, they say, is ignorant of the time, but his jailor from above striking violently on the cave, by that clattering sound declares to those who are at work below the end of the day.

Do ye not shudder when ye hear all this? Let us see now, whether there be not things more grievous than these in the case of the covetous. For these too, in the first place, have a severer jailor, viz. avarice, and so much severer, as that besides their body he chains also their soul. And this darkness also is more awful than that. For it is not subject to sense, but they producing it within, whithersoever they go, carry it about with themselves. For the eye of their soul is put out: which is the reason why more than all Christ calls them wretched, saying, “But if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness.” (S. Matt.vi. 23.) And they for their part have at least a lamp shining, but these are deprived even of this beam of light; and therefore every day they fall into countless pitfalls. And the condemned when night overtakes them have a respite, sailing into that calm port which is common to all the unfortunate, I mean the night: but against the covetous even this harbor is blocked up by their own avarice: such grievous thoughts have they even at night, since then, without disturbance from any one, at full leisure they cut themselves to pieces.

Such are their circumstances in this world; but those in the next, what discourse shall exhibit? the intolerable furnaces, the rivers burning with fire, the gnashing of teeth, the chains never to be loosed, the envenomed worm, the rayless gloom, the never-ending miseries. Let us fear them, beloved, let us fear the fountain of so great punishments, the insatiate madness, the destroyer of our salvation. For it is impossible at the same time to love both money and your soul. Let us be convinced that wealth is dust and ashes, that it leaves us when we depart hence, or rather that even before our departure it oftentimes darts away from us, and injures us both in regard of the future and in respect of the present life. For before hell fire, and before that punishment, even here it surrounds us with innumerable wars, and stirs up strifes and contests. For nothing is so apt to cause war as avarice: nothing so apt to produce beggary, whether it show itself in wealth or in poverty. For in the souls of poor men also this grievous disease ariseth, and aggravates their poverty the more. And if there be found a poor covetous man, such an one suffers not punishment in money, but in hunger. For he allows not himself to enjoy his moderate means with comfort, but both racks his belly with hunger and punishes his whole body with nakedness and cold, and every where appears more squalid and filthy than any prisoners; and is always wailing and lamenting as though he were more wretched than all, though there be ten thousand poorer than he. This man, whether he go into the market-place, goes away with many a stripe; or into the bath, or into the theatre, he will still be receiving more wounds, not only from the spectators, but also from those upon the stage, where he beholds not a few of the unchaste women glittering in gold. This man again, whether he sail upon the sea, regarding the merchants and their richly-freighted ships and their enormous profits, will not even count himself to live: or whether he travel by land, reckoning up the fields, the suburban farms, the inns, the baths, the revenues arising out of them, will count his own life thenceforth not worth living; or whether thou shut him up at home, he will but rub and fret the wounds received in the market, and so do greater despite to his own soul: and he knows only one consolation for the evils which oppress him; death and deliverance from this life.

And these things not the poor man only, but the rich also, will suffer, who falls into this disease, and so much more than the poor, inasmuch as the tyranny presses more vehemently on him, and the intoxication is greater. Wherefore also he will account himself poorer than all; or rather, he is poorer. For riches and poverty are determined not by the measure of the substance, but by the disposition of the mind: and he rather is the poorest of all, who is always hangering after more and is never able to stay this wicked lust.

On all these accounts then let us flee covetousness, the maker of beggars, the destroyer of souls, the friend of hell, the enemy of the kingdom of heaven, the mother of all evils together; and let us despise wealth that we may enjoy wealth, and with wealth may enjoy also the good things laid up for us; unto which may we all attain, &c.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΓʹ. Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι οἱ ἐν σταδίῳ τρέχοντες, πάντες μὲν τρέχουσιν, εἷς δὲ λαμβάνει τὸ βραβεῖον; αʹ. Δείξας ὅτι πολὺ χρήσιμον τὸ συγκαταβαίνειν, καὶ ὡς τοῦτο ἡ ἄκρα τελειότης, καὶ ὅτι αὐτὸς πάντων πλέον πρὸς τὸ τέλειον ἀναβὰς, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ὑπερβὰς αὐτὸ τῷ μὴ λαμβάνειν, πάντων πλέον κατέβη πάλιν, καὶ ἑκατέρων τούτων τοὺς καιροὺς γνωρίμους ποιήσας ἡμῖν καὶ τῆς τελειότητος καὶ τῆς συγκαταβάσεως, πληκτικώτερον αὐτῶν καθικνεῖται λοιπὸν, αἰνιττόμενος ὅτι τοῦτο τὸ παρ' αὐτῶν γινόμενον καὶ δοκοῦν εἶναι τελειότητος, ματαιοπονία τίς ἐστι περιττή. Καὶ οὐ λέγει μὲν αὐτὸ οὕτω σαφῶς, ἵνα μὴ ἀπαναισχυντήσωσι: δι' ὧν δὲ κατασκευάζει, τοῦτο δηλοῖ: καὶ εἰπὼν ὅτι εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν ἁμαρτάνουσι, καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἀπολλύουσι, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς ὄφελος γίνεται ἀπὸ τῆς γνώσεως τῆς τελείας, ἐὰν μὴ ἀγάπη προσῇ, πάλιν ἐπὶ κοινὸν ἔρχεται παράδειγμα, καὶ φησίν: Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι οἱ ἐν σταδίῳ τρέχοντες, πάντες μὲν τρέχουσιν, εἷς δὲ λαμβάνει τὸ βραβεῖον; Τοῦτο δὲ λέγει, οὐχ ὡς καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἑνὸς ἐκ πάντων μέλλοντος σώζεσθαι, ἄπαγε, ἀλλ' ὡς πολλὴν ὀφειλόντων ἡμῶν εἰσενεγκεῖν τὴν σπουδήν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖ κατιόντων πολλῶν εἰς τὸ στάδιον, οὐ στεφανοῦνται πολλοὶ, ἀλλ' εἰς ἕνα τοῦτο περιίσταται, καὶ οὐκ ἀρκεῖ τὸ καθεῖναι εἰς τὸν ἀγῶνα, οὔτε τὸ ἀλείψασθαι καὶ παλαῖσαι: οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα οὐκ ἀρκεῖ τὸ πιστεῦσαι καὶ ὡς ἔτυχεν ἀγωνίσασθαι: ἀλλὰ ἂν μὴ οὕτω δράμωμεν, ὡς μέχρι τοῦ τέλους ἀλήπτους ἑαυτοὺς παρασχεῖν, καὶ ἐγγὺς γενέσθαι τοῦ βραβείου, οὐδὲ ἡμῖν ἔσται πλέον. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τέλειον νομίζεις εἶναι σαυτὸν, φησὶ, κατὰ τὴν γνῶσιν, ἀλλ' οὐδέπω τοῦ παντὸς ἐπιλήψῃ, ὅπερ αἰνιττόμενος ἔλεγεν: Οὕτω τρέχετε, ἵνα καταλάβητε. Οὐκ ἄρα που κατειληφότες ἦσαν. Καὶ εἰπὼν οὕτω, καὶ τὸν τρόπον διδάσκει: Πᾶς δὲ ὁ ἀγωνιζόμενος πάντα ἐγκρατεύεται. Τί ἐστι, Πάντα; Οὐχὶ τοῦδε μὲν ἀπέχεται, ἐν ἑτέρῳ δὲ διαμαρτάνει, ἀλλὰ καὶ γαστριμαργίας, καὶ λαγνείας καὶ μέθης, καὶ πάντων ἁπλῶς κρατεῖ τῶν παθῶν. Τοῦτο γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν ἀγώνων γίνεται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ μεθύειν ἔξεστι τοῖς ἀγωνιζομένοις κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς ἀγωνίας οὐδὲ, πορνεύειν, ἵνα μὴ τὴν δύναμιν ἐκλύσωσιν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ περὶ ἄλλο τι οὐδὲν ἠσχολῆσθαι: ἀλλὰ πάντων ἑαυτοὺς ἅπαξ ἀποστήσαντες, τοῖς γυμνασίοις μόνον προσέχουσιν. Εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖ ταῦτα, ὅπου καὶ εἰς ἕνα ὁ στέφανος, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐνταῦθα, ὅπου καὶ πλείων ἡ φιλοτιμία. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἷς ὁ στεφανούμενος μόνος, καὶ τὰ ἔπαθλα δὲ πολὺ τοὺς πόνους νικᾷ. Διὸ καὶ ἐντρεπτικῶς αὐτὸ τίθησι λέγων: Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οὖν, ἵνα φθαρτὸν στέφανον λάβωσιν: ἡμεῖς δὲ ἄφθαρτον. Ἐγὼ τοίνυν οὕτω τρέχω, ὡς οὐκ ἀδήλως. Ἐντρέψας γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ἔξωθεν, καὶ ἑαυτὸν εἰς μέσον ἄγει λοιπὸν, ὅπερ ἄριστος τρόπος διδασκαλίας ἐστί. Διὸ καὶ πανταχοῦ φαίνεται τοῦτο ποιῶν. Τί δέ ἐστιν, Οὐκ ἀδήλως; Πρὸς σκοπόν τινα βλέπων, φησὶν, οὐκ εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην, καθάπερ ὑμεῖς. Τί γὰρ ὑμῖν γίνεται πλέον ἀπὸ τοῦ εἰς εἰδωλεῖα εἰσιέναι, καὶ τὴν τελειότητα δῆθεν ἐκείνην ἐπιδείκνυσθαι; Οὐδέν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐγὼ τοιοῦτος, ἀλλὰ πάντα, ἅπερ ποιῶ, ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν πλησίον σωτηρίας ποιῶ: κἂν τελειότητα ἐπιδείξωμαι, δι' αὐτούς: κἂν συγκατάβασιν, δι' αὐτούς: κἂν ὑπερβῶ Πέτρον ἐν τῷ μὴ λαμβάνειν, ἵνα μὴ σκανδαλισθῶσι: κἂν καταβῶ πλέον πάντων, περιτεμνόμενος καὶ ξυρώμενος, ἵνα μὴ ὑποσκελισθῶσι. Τοῦτό ἐστιν, Οὐκ ἀδήλως. Σὺ δὲ διὰ τί ἐσθίεις ἐν εἰδωλείοις, εἰπέ μοι; Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν ἔχοις εἰπεῖν αἰτίαν εὔλογον οὐδεμίαν. Βρῶμα γάρ σε οὐ παρίστησι τῷ Θεῷ: καὶ οὔτε ἐὰν φάγῃς, περισσεύεις, οὔτε ἐὰν μὴ φάγῃς, ὑστερῇ. Οὐκοῦν ἁπλῶς καὶ ὡς ἔτυχε τρέχεις: τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν, Ἀδήλως. Οὕτω πυκτεύω, ὡς οὐκ ἀέρα δέρων. Πάλιν τὸ οὐκ εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην αἰνιττόμενος, τοῦτό φησιν: Ἔχω γὰρ ὃν πλήξω, τουτέστι, τὸν διάβολον: σὺ δὲ αὐτὸν οὐ πλήττεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἁπλῶς ἐκχέεις σαυτοῦ τὴν ἰσχύν. Τέως μὲν οὖν αὐτοὺς διαβαστάζων, οὕτω φησίν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ σφοδροτέρως αὐτοῖς ἐχρήσατο ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν, πάλιν κατέχει τὴν ἐπιτίμησιν, τῷ τέλει τοῦ λόγου τηρῶν τὴν βαθεῖαν τομήν. Ἐνταῦθα μὲν γάρ φησιν, ὅτι εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην ποιοῦσιν: ὕστερον δὲ δείκνυσιν, ὅτι, καὶ ἐπ' ὀλέθρῳ πολλῷ τῆς ἑαυτῶν κεφαλῆς, καὶ ὅτι καὶ χωρὶς τῆς βλάβης τῶν ἀδελφῶν, οὐδὲ αὐτοὶ ἀνεύθυνοι ταῦτα τολμῶντες. Ἀλλ' ὑπωπιάζω μου τὸ σῶμα καὶ δουλαγωγῶ, μή πως ἄλλοις κηρύξας, αὐτὸς ἀδόκιμος γένωμαι. Ἐνταῦθα δείκνυσι καὶ ὑπὸ ἐπιθυμίας γαστρὸς κατεχομένους καὶ ἀνιέντας αὐτῇ τὰς ἡνίας, καὶ προσχήματι τελειότητος τὴν γαστριμαργίαν τὴν ἑαυτῶν πληροῦντας: ὃ καὶ ἄνωθεν ὤδινεν εἰπεῖν, ὅτε ἔλεγε: Τὰ βρώματα τῇ κοιλίᾳ, καὶ ἡ κοιλία τοῖς βρώμασιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ καὶ πορνείαν τρυφὴ ποιεῖ, καὶ εἰδωλολατρείαν τοῦτο ἔτεκε, εἰκότως πολλαχοῦ καθικνεῖται τοῦ νοσήματος: καὶ δεικνὺς ὅσα ἔπαθε διὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, καὶ τοῦτο μετ' ἐκείνων τίθησιν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ, φησὶν, ὑπερέβην τὰ προστάγματα, καὶ ταῦτα οὐ κούφου μοι τοῦ πράγματος ὄντος: καὶ γὰρ, Πάντα στέγομεν, φησίν: οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα πολὺν ὑπομένω πόνον, ὥστε σωφρόνως ζῇν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ δυσένδοτος ἡ ἐπιθυμία καὶ ἡ τῆς γαστρὸς τυραννὶς, ἀλλ' ὅμως αὐτὴν χαλινῶ, καὶ οὐκ ἐνδίδωμι ἐμαυτὸν τῷ πάθει, ἀλλὰ πάντα ὑπομένω πόνον, ὥστε μὴ παρασυρῆναι. βʹ. Μὴ γὰρ δὴ νομίσητε ἀπραγμόνως με ταῦτα κατορθοῦν. Καὶ γὰρ δρόμος ἐστὶ καὶ παγκράτιον καὶ φύσεως τυραννὶς, κατεξανισταμένη συνεχῶς καὶ ἐλευθεριάζειν βουλομένη: ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀνέχομαι, ἀλλὰ καταστέλλω καὶ ὑποτάττω μετὰ πολλῶν τῶν ἱδρώτων αὐτήν. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγει, ἵνα μηδεὶς ἀπογινώσκῃ τῶν ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς ἀγώνων, ἐπειδὴ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐπίπονον: διό φησιν, Ὑπωπιάζω καὶ δουλαγωγῶ. Οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἀναιρῶ, οὐδὲ, Κολάζω: οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐχθρὰ ἡ σάρξ: ἀλλ', Ὑπωπιάζω καὶ δουλαγωγῶ, ὃ δεσπότου ἐστὶν, οὐ πολεμίου: διδασκάλου, οὐκ ἐχθροῦ: παιδοτρίβου, οὐκ ἐναντίου. Μή πως ἄλλοις κηρύξας, αὐτὸς ἀδόκιμος γένωμαι. Εἰ δὲ Παῦλος τοῦτο δέδοικεν ὁ τοσούτους διδάξας, καὶ δέδοικε μετὰ τὸ κηρῦξαι καὶ γενέσθαι ἄγγελος, καὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης τὴν προστασίαν δέξασθαι, τί ἂν εἴποιμεν ἡμεῖς; Μὴ γὰρ δὴ νομίσητε, φησὶν, ἐπειδὴ ἐπιστεύσατε, ὅτι ἀρκεῖ τοῦτο εἰς σωτηρίαν ὑμῖν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐμοὶ τὸ κηρῦξαι, τὸ διδάξαι, τὸ μυρίους προσαγαγεῖν, οὐκ ἀρκεῖ εἰς σωτηρίαν, εἰ μὴ καὶ τὰ κατ' ἐμαυτὸν παρασχοίμην ἄληπτα, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑμῖν. Εἶτα ἐφ' ἕτερα ὑποδείγματα ἔρχεται πάλιν: καὶ ὥσπερ ἀνωτέρω τὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ τὰ τῆς κοινῆς συνηθείας, καὶ τὰ τῶν ἱερέων καὶ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ τέθεικεν: οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὰ τῶν Ὀλυμπιακῶν ἀγώνων. Καὶ τὰ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ θεὶς, πάλιν ἐπὶ τὰς τῆς Παλαιᾶς πρόεισιν ἱστορίας. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ μέλλει φορτικώτερον ποιεῖν τὸν λόγον, κοινὴν ποιεῖται τὴν παραίνεσιν, καὶ οὐ περὶ τῶν προκειμένων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ πάντων ἁπλῶς τῶν παρὰ Κορινθίοις νοσημάτων διαλέγεται. Καὶ ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν ἔξωθεν ἀγώνων: Οὐκ οἴδατε, φησίν: ἐνταῦθα δὲ, Οὐ θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοί. Τοῦτο δὲ ἔλεγε, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐ σφόδρα ἦσαν ταῦτα πεπαιδευμένοι. Καὶ τί τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅπερ οὐ θέλεις ἡμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν; Ὅτι οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν πάντες, φησὶν, ὑπὸ τὴν νεφέλην ἦσαν, καὶ διὰ τῆς θαλάσσης διῆλθον, καὶ εἰς τὸν Μωϋσῆν ἐβαπτίσαντο ἐν τῇ νεφέλῃ καὶ ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ: καὶ πάντες τὸ αὐτὸ βρῶμα πνευματικὸν ἔφαγον, καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ πόμα πνευματικὸν ἔπιον (ἔπινον γὰρ ἐκ πνευματικῆς ἀκολουθούσης πέτρας: ἡ δὲ πέτρα ἦν ὁ Χριστός): ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐν τοῖς πλείοσιν αὐτῶν ηὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεός. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν, φησὶ, ταῦτα λέγει; Ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι ὥσπερ ἐκείνους οὐκ ὤνησε τὸ τοσαύτης ἀπολαῦσαι δωρεᾶς, οὕτως οὐδὲ τούτους τὸ βαπτίσματος τυχεῖν καὶ μυστηρίων πνευματικῶν ἀπολαῦσαι, εἰ μὴ μέλλοιεν ἄξιον τῆς χάριτος ἐπιδείκνυσθαι βίον. Διὸ καὶ τοὺς τοῦ βαπτίσματος, καὶ τοὺς τῶν μυστηρίων παράγει τύπους. Τί δέ ἐστιν, Εἰς τὸν Μωϋσῆν ἐβαπτίσαντο; Καθάπερ ἡμεῖς τῷ Χριστῷ πιστεύσαντες καὶ τῇ ἀναστάσει αὐτοῦ, βαπτιζόμεθα, ὡς καὶ αὐτοὶ τῶν αὐτῶν μυστηρίων κοινωνήσοντες: Βαπτιζόμεθα γὰρ, φησὶν, ὑπὲρ τῶν νεκρῶν, τουτέστι, τῶν σωμάτων τῶν ἡμετέρων: οὕτω κἀκεῖνοι θαῤῥήσαντες τῷ Μωϋσεῖ, τουτέστιν, ἰδόντες αὐτὸν διαβάντα πρῶτον, κατετόλμησαν καὶ αὐτοὶ τῶν ὑδάτων. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ βούλεται τὸν τύπον ἐγγὺς τῆς ἀληθείας ἀγαγεῖν, οὐ λέγει οὕτως, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τῆς ἀληθείας ὀνόμασι κέχρηται καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ τύπου. Καὶ τοῦτο μὲν τοῦ λουτροῦ σύμβολον: τὰ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα, τῆς ἱερᾶς τραπέζης. Καθάπερ γὰρ σὺ τὸ σῶμα ἐσθίεις τὸ δεσποτικὸν, οὕτως ἐκεῖνοι τὸ μάννα: καὶ ὥσπερ σὺ τὸ αἷμα πίνεις, οὕτω καὶ ἐκεῖνοι ὕδωρ ἐκ πέτρας. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ αἰσθητὰ ἦν τὰ γινόμενα, ἀλλὰ πνευματικῶς παρείχετο, οὐ κατὰ φύσεως ἀκολουθίαν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ δωρεᾶς χάριν, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ σώματος καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἔτρεφεν εἰς πίστιν ἐνάγοντα. Διά τοι τοῦτο περὶ μὲν τῆς τροφῆς οὐδὲν εἶπεν: ἐξηλλαγμένη γὰρ ἦν, οὐ τῷ τρόπῳ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ φύσει: μάννα γὰρ ἦν: ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ ποτοῦ, ἐπειδὴ ὁ τρόπος τῆς χορηγίας μόνος ἦν ὁ παράδοξος, καὶ κατασκευῆς ἐδεήθη: διόπερ εἰπὼν, ὅτι Τὸ αὐτὸ πόμα πνευματικὸν ἔπιον, ἐπήγαγεν: Ἔπινον γὰρ ἐκ πνευματικῆς ἀκολουθούσης πέτρας: καὶ προσέθηκεν, Ἡ δὲ πέτρα ἦν ὁ Χριστός. Οὐ γὰρ ἡ τῆς πέτρας φύσις τὸ ὕδωρ ἠφίει, φησίν: ἦ γὰρ ἂν καὶ πρὸ τούτου ἀνέβλυζεν: ἀλλ' ἑτέρα τις πέτρα πνευματικὴ τὸ πᾶν εἰργάζετο, τουτέστιν, ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ παρὼν αὐτοῖς πανταχοῦ, καὶ πάντα θαυματουργῶν. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο εἶπεν, Ἀκολουθούσης. Εἶδες Παύλου σοφίαν, πῶς ἑκατέρων αὐτὸν ὄντα χορηγὸν δείκνυσι, καὶ ταύτῃ τὸν τύπον ἐγγὺς τῆς ἀληθείας ἄγων; Ὁ γὰρ ἐκεῖνα παρασχὼν ἐκείνοις, φησὶν, οὗτος καὶ ταύτην κατεσκεύασε τὴν τράπεζαν: καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς κἀκείνους διὰ τῆς θαλάττης, καὶ σὲ διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἤγαγε: κἀκείνοις μάννα καὶ ὕδωρ, καὶ σοὶ σῶμα καὶ αἷμα παρέσχε. Καὶ τὰ μὲν τῆς δωρεᾶς αὐτοῦ τοιαῦτα: ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, καὶ σκοπήσωμεν, εἰ τῆς δωρεᾶς ἀναξίων φανέντων τούτων ἐφείσατο. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν ἔχοις τοῦτο εἰπεῖν: διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγεν, Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐν τοῖς πλείοσιν αὐτῶν ηὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς, καίτοι γε τιμήσας αὐτοὺς τοσαύτῃ τιμῇ. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν αὐτοὺς τοῦτο ὤνησεν, ἀλλ' οἱ πλείους ἀπώλοντο. Καὶ μὴν πάντες ἀπώλοντο: ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ καὶ τούτοις πανωλεθρίαν προφητεύειν, διὰ τοῦτο εἶπεν, Οἱ πλείους. Καίτοι γε ἄπειροι ἦσαν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲν τὸ πλῆθος ὠφέλησε: καὶ πάντα ἐκεῖνα ἀγάπης τεκμήρια ἦν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦτο αὐτοὺς ὤνησεν, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ αὐτοὶ τὰ τῆς ἀγάπης ἐπεδείκνυντο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῖς περὶ γεέννης λόγοις οἱ πολλοὶ διαπιστοῦσιν, ἅτε μὴ παροῦσι μηδὲ φαινομένοις, ἀπὸ τῶν ἤδη γεγενημένων δείκνυσιν, ὅτι κολάζει τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας ὁ Θεὸς, κἂν μυριάκις εὐεργετηκὼς ᾖ: Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τοῖς μέλλουσιν ἀπιστεῖτε, φησὶν, ἀλλ' οὐ δήπου καὶ τοῖς γεγενημένοις ἀπιστήσετε. γʹ. Σκοπεῖτε γοῦν ἡλίκα εὐηργέτησε τούτους: Αἰγύπτου καὶ τῆς ἐκεῖ δουλείας ἀπήλλαξε, τὴν θάλασσαν ὑπεστόρεσεν, ἐξ οὐρανοῦ μάννα κατήνεγκε, κάτωθεν ὑδάτων πηγὰς ξένας καὶ παραδόξους ἀνῆκε, παρῆν αὐτοῖς πανταχοῦ θαυματουργῶν, καὶ πάντοθεν αὐτοὺς τειχίζων: ἀλλ' ὅμως, ἐπειδὴ τῆς δωρεᾶς ταύτης οὐδὲν ἄξιον ἐπεδείξαντο, οὐκ ἐφείσατο αὐτῶν, ἀλλ' ἀπώλεσεν ἅπαντας. Κατεστρώθησαν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ: τήν τε ἀθρόαν αὐτῶν ἀπώλειαν καὶ τὰς κολάσεις καὶ τὰς τιμωρίας τὰς θεηλάτους ἐμφαίνων διὰ τῆς λέξεως ταύτης, καὶ ὅτι οὐδὲ τῶν προκειμένων ἐπάθλων ἐπέτυχον. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐν τῇ γῇ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ταῦτα αὐτοῖς εἰργάσατο, ἀλλ' ἔξω καὶ πόῤῥω που καὶ μακρὰν τῆς χώρας ἐκείνης, διπλῇ τιμωρίᾳ κολάσας, καὶ τῷ μὴ συγχωρῆσαι τὴν γῆν ἰδεῖν, καὶ ταῦτα ἐπηγγελμένην αὐτοῖς, καὶ τῷ κολάσαι χαλεπῶς. Καὶ τί πρὸς ἡμᾶς ταῦτα; φησί: Πρὸς σὲ μὲν οὖν: διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγε: Ταῦτα δὲ τύποι ἡμῶν ἐγενήθησαν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ αἱ δωρεαὶ τύποι, οὕτω καὶ αἱ κολάσεις τύποι: καὶ ὥσπερ τὸ βάπτισμα καὶ ἡ τράπεζα προδιεγράφετο, οὕτω καὶ διὰ τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα, ὅτι καὶ κολασθήσονται οἱ ταύτης ἀνάξιοι τῆς δωρεᾶς, προανεφωνεῖτο δι' ἡμᾶς, ὥστε σωφρονεστέρους γενέσθαι τοῖς παραδείγμασιν ἐκείνοις. Διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγεν: Εἰς τὸ μὴ εἶναι ἡμᾶς ἐπιθυμητὰς κακῶν, καθὼς κἀκεῖνοι ἐπεθύμησαν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς εὐεργεσίαις οἱ τύποι προέλαβον, καὶ ἠκολούθησεν ἡ ἀλήθεια, οὕτω καὶ ἐν ταῖς τιμωρίαις ἕψεται. Ὁρᾷς πῶς δείκνυσιν, οὐχ ὅτι κολασθήσονται μόνον, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ μειζόνως ἢ ἐκεῖνοι; Εἰ γὰρ τὸ μὲν τύπος, τὸ δὲ ἀλήθεια, ἀνάγκη καὶ ἐν ταῖς τιμωρίαις πολλὴν εἶναι τὴν ὑπεροχὴν, ὥσπερ καὶ ἐν ταῖς δωρεαῖς. Καὶ σκόπει τίνων καθάπτεται πρῶτον: τῶν ἐν τοῖς εἰδωλείοις ἐσθιόντων. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, Μὴ εἶναι ἐπιθυμητὰς κακῶν, ὅπερ ἦν καθολικὸν, ἐπάγει καὶ τὸ κατ' εἶδος, δεικνὺς ὅτι ἕκαστον τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἐκ πονηρᾶς γέγονεν ἐπιθυμίας: καὶ πρῶτον τοῦτο ἔφη: Μηδὲ εἰδωλολάτραι γίνεσθε, καθώς τινες αὐτῶν, ὥσπερ γέγραπται: Ἐκάθισεν ὁ λαὸς φαγεῖν καὶ πιεῖν, καὶ ἀνέστησαν παίζειν. Ἤκουσας πῶς λοιπὸν καὶ εἰδωλολάτρας καλεῖ; ἀλλ' ἐνταῦθα μὲν ἀποφαινόμενος, ὕστερον δὲ καὶ κατασκευάζων. Καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν δὲ τέθεικε, δι' ἣν εἰς τὰς τραπέζας ἐκείνας ἔτρεχον: αὕτη δὲ ἦν γαστριμαργία. Διόπερ εἰπὼν, Εἰς τὸ μὴ εἶναι ἡμᾶς ἐπιθυμητὰς κακῶν, καὶ ἐπαγαγὼν, Μηδὲ εἰδωλολάτρας γίνεσθαι, τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς τοιαύτης παρανομίας τίθησιν: αὕτη δὲ ἦν ἡ γαστριμαργία. Ἐκάθισε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ λαὸς φαγεῖν καὶ πιεῖν. Καὶ τὸ ἐξ αὐτῆς τέλος προστίθησιν, ὅτι Ἀνέστησαν παίζειν Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι, φησὶν, ἀπὸ τρυφῆς εἰς εἰδωλολατρείαν ἐξέβησαν: οὕτω δέος, μὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐντεῦθεν ἐκεῖ πέσητε. Εἶδες πῶς ἔδειξε τοὺς δῆθεν τελείους τούτους ἐκείνων ἀτελεστέρους; οὓς ἔπληττεν οὐ τούτῳ μόνον τῷ μὴ διαβαστάζειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ τοὺς μὲν ἀπὸ ἀγνοίας, τοὺς δὲ ἀπὸ γαστριμαργίας ἁμαρτάνειν: καὶ τῆς μὲν ἐκείνων ἀπωλείας τὴν κόλασιν τούτοις λογίζεται, τούτους δὲ οὐκ ἀφίησιν, εἰς ἕτερον ἀνενεγκεῖν τῆς οἰκείας ἁμαρτίας τὴν πρόφασιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἐκείνων βλάβης καὶ τῆς ἑαυτῶν αὐτοὺς ὑπευθύνους ἀποφαίνεται. Μηδὲ πορνεύωμεν, καθώς τινες αὐτῶν ἐπόρνευσαν. Τίνος ἕνεκεν τῆς πορνείας ἐνταῦθα μέμνηται πάλιν, τοσαῦτα περὶ αὐτῆς ἔμπροσθεν διαλεχθείς; Ἔθος ἀεὶ τῷ Παύλῳ, ὅταν ὑπὲρ πολλῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἐγκαλῇ, καὶ τάξει αὐτὰ διατιθέναι καὶ καθ' ἕκαστον ἐπιέναι τοῖς προκειμένοις, καὶ πάλιν ἐν τοῖς περὶ ἑτέρων λόγοις καὶ τῶν προτέρων μεμνῆσθαι: ὃ δὴ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίει ἐπὶ τῆς Παλαιᾶς, καθ' ἕκαστον τῶν πεπλημμελημένων ἀναμιμνήσκων τοῦ μόσχου τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, καὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκείνην εἰς μέσον ἄγων. Τοῦτο τοίνυν καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἐνταῦθα ποιεῖ, ὁμοῦ τε ἐκείνης αὐτοὺς ἀναμιμνήσκων τῆς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ διδάσκων, ὅτι καὶ τοῦτο ἐντεῦθεν ἐτέχθη τὸ κακὸν, ἀπὸ τρυφῆς καὶ γαστριμαργίας. Διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγε: Μηδὲ πορνεύωμεν, καθώς τινες αὐτῶν ἐπόρνευσαν, καὶ ἔπεσον ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ εἰκοσιτρεῖς χιλιάδες. Καὶ διὰ τί μὴ τίθησι καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας κόλασιν; Ἢ ἐπειδὴ δῆλον ἦν καὶ σαφέστερον: ἢ ἐπειδὴ πληγὴ τοσαύτη οὐ γέγονε τότε, ὅση ἐπὶ τοῦ Βαλαὰμ, ἡνίκα ἐτελέσθησαν τῷ Βεελφεγὼρ, τῶν Μαδιανιτίδων γυναικῶν ἐπὶ τῆς παρατάξεως φανεισῶν καὶ ἐφελκυσαμένων αὐτοὺς εἰς ἀσέλγειαν κατὰ τὴν συμβουλὴν Βαλαάμ. Ὅτι γὰρ τοῦ Βαλαὰμ ἦν ἡ πονηρὰ αὕτη συμβουλὴ, δηλοῖ Μωϋσῆς μετὰ ταῦτα λέγων οὕτω πρὸς τῷ τέλει τοῦ βιβλίου τῶν Ἀριθμῶν: Καὶ τὸν Βαλαὰμ υἱὸν Βεὼρ ἀπέκτειναν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ Μαδιὰμ μετὰ τῶν τραυματιῶν, καὶ ἤγαγον τὰ σκῦλα. Καὶ ὠργίσθη Μωϋσῆς, καὶ εἶπεν: Ἵνα τί ἐζωγρήσατε πᾶν θῆλυ; Αὗται γὰρ ἦσαν τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ εἰς σκάνδαλον, κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα Βαλαὰμ, τοῦ ἀποστῆσαι καὶ ὑπεριδεῖν τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου ἕνεκεν Φεγώρ. Μηδὲ ἐκπειράζωμεν τὸν Χριστὸν, καθὼς καί τινες αὐτῶν ἐπείρασαν, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ὄφεων ἀπώλοντο. δʹ. Διὰ τούτου πάλιν ἕτερον αἰνίττεται ἔγκλημα, ὃ καὶ πρὸς τῷ τέλει τίθησιν, ἐγκαλῶν αὐτοῖς, ὅτι περὶ σημείων ἐμάχοντο, καὶ τῶν πειρασμῶν δὲ ἕνεκεν ἐγόγγυζον λέγοντες, Πότε ἥξει τὰ ἀγαθὰ, πότε τὰ ἔπαθλα; Διὸ καὶ ἐπάγει τούτων ἕνεκεν διορθούμενος αὐτοὺς καὶ φοβῶν: Μηδὲ γογγύζετε, καθὼς καί τινες αὐτῶν ἐγόγγυσαν, καὶ ἀπώλοντο ὑπὸ τοῦ ὀλοθρευτοῦ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ζητούμενον μόνον, τὸ πάσχειν ὑπὲρ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ γενναίως τὰ ἐπιόντα φέρειν, καὶ μεθ' ἡδονῆς ἁπάσης. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ὁ στέφανος ἅπας: ὡς, ἂν μὴ τοῦτο ᾖ, καὶ κόλασις ἕψεται τοῖς δυσανασχετοῦσι. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι μαστιζόμενοι ἔχαιρον, καὶ Παῦλος ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ἐκαυχᾶτο. Πάντα δὲ ταῦτα τυπικῶς συνέβαινον ἐκείνοις: ἐγράφη δὲ πρὸς νουθεσίαν ἡμῶν, εἰς οὓς τὰ τέλη τῶν αἰώνων κατήντησε. Πάλιν φοβεῖ τῷ τὰ τέλη λέγειν, καὶ μείζονα τῶν γεγενημένων προσδοκᾷν παρασκευάζει. Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ δώσομεν δίκην, ἀπὸ τῶν εἰρημένων, φησὶ, δῆλον καὶ τοῖς ἀπιστοῦσι τοῖς περὶ γεέννης λόγοις: ὅτι δὲ καὶ χαλεπωτέραν, ἀφ' ὧν πλειόνων ἀπελαύσαμεν εὐεργεσιῶν, καὶ ἀφ' ὧν ἐκεῖνα τύποι. Εἰ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς δωρεαῖς ὑπεροχὴ, εὔδηλον ὅτι καὶ ἐν τῇ τιμωρίᾳ. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τύπους ἐκάλεσε, καὶ δι' ἡμᾶς γεγράφθαι ἔφη, καὶ τέλους ἐμνημόνευσεν, ἵνα ἀναμνήσῃ τῆς συντελείας. Οὐ γὰρ τοιαῦται τότε αἱ τιμωρίαι, ὡς καὶ πέρας λαμβάνειν καὶ καταλύεσθαι, ἀλλ' αἰώνιος ἡ κόλασις. Ὥσπερ γὰρ αἱ ἐνταῦθα κολάσεις τῷ παρόντι συγκαταλύονται βίῳ, οὕτως αἱ ἐκεῖ διηνεκῶς μένουσιν. Ὅταν δὲ εἴπῃ, Τὰ τέλη τῶν αἰώνων, οὐδὲν ἄλλο λέγει, ἢ ὅτι ἐφέστηκε λοιπὸν τὸ δικαστήριον τὸ φοβερόν. Ὥστε ὁ δοκῶν ἑστάναι, βλεπέτω μὴ πέσῃ. Πάλιν αὐτῶν τὸν τῦφον καθεῖλε τῶν ἐπὶ τῇ γνώσει μέγα φρονούντων. Εἰ γὰρ οἱ τοσούτων ἀπολαύσαντες τοιαῦτα ἔπαθον, καὶ οἱ μὲν ὑπὲρ γογγυσμοῦ μόνον τοιαύτην ἔδοσαν δίκην, οἱ δὲ ὑπὲρ τοῦ πειράσαι, καὶ οὔτε τὸ πλῆθος ἐδυσώπησε τὸν Θεὸν, οὔτε τὸ τοιούτων ἐπιτυχεῖν: πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐφ' ἡμῶν, ἂν μὴ νήφωμεν, τοῦτο ἔσται. Καὶ καλῶς εἶπεν: Ὁ δοκῶν ἑστάναι. Τοῦτο γὰρ οὐδὲ ἑστάναι ἐστὶν, ὡς ἑστάναι χρὴ, τὸ θαῤῥεῖν ἑαυτῷ: ταχέως γὰρ ὁ τοιοῦτος πεσεῖται: ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐκεῖνοι, εἰ μὴ μέγα ἐφρόνησαν καὶ ἐθάῤῥησαν, ἀλλ' ἦσαν κατεσταλμένοι, οὐκ ἂν ταῦτα ἔπαθον. Ὅθεν δῆλον, ὅτι ἀλαζονεία μάλιστα καὶ ῥᾳθυμία ἑξῆς καὶ ἡ γαστριμαργία τούτων εἰσὶν αἱ πηγαὶ τῶν κακῶν. Ὥστε εἰ καὶ ἕστηκας, φυλάττου τὸ μὴ πεσεῖν. Τὸ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα στῆναι οὐκ ἔστιν ἑστάναι βεβαίως, ἕως ἂν ἀπαλλαγῶμεν τῶν κυμάτων τοῦ παρόντος βίου, καὶ πρὸς τὸν εὐδιεινὸν καταπλεύσωμεν λιμένα. Μὴ τοίνυν ἐπὶ τῇ στάσει φρόνει μέγα, ἀλλὰ φυλάττου τὴν πτῶσιν. Εἰ γὰρ Παῦλος δέδοικεν, ὁ πάντων στεῤῥότερος, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμᾶς δεδοικέναι χρή. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Ἀπόστολος ἔλεγεν, Ὥστε ὁ δοκῶν ἑστάναι, βλεπέτω μὴ πέσῃ: ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐδὲ τοῦτο δυνάμεθα εἰπεῖν, πάντων, ὡς εἰπεῖν, πεπτωκότων καὶ κατεστρωμένων καὶ χαμαὶ κειμένων. Τίνι γὰρ εἴπω τοῦτο; τῷ ἁρπάζοντι καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν; ἀλλὰ κεῖται μέγα πτῶμα πεσών. Ἀλλὰ τῷ πόρνῳ; ἀλλὰ ἔῤῥιπται χαμαί. Ἀλλὰ τῷ μεθύοντι; ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς κεῖται: καὶ οὐδὲ, ὅτι κεῖται, οἶδεν. Ὥστε οὐ τούτου καιρὸς τοῦ ῥήματος, ἀλλ' ἐκείνου τοῦ προφητικοῦ, ὃ καὶ πρὸς Ἰουδαίους ἔλεγε: Μὴ ὁ πίπτων οὐκ ἀνίσταται; Καὶ γὰρ ἅπαντες κεῖνται, καὶ ἀναστῆναι οὐ βούλονται. Ὥστε ἡ προτροπὴν ἡμῖν οὐχ ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ πεσεῖν, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τοῦ τοὺς κειμένους δυνηθῆναι ἀναστῆναι. Ἀναστῶμεν τοίνυν ὀψὲ γοῦν ποτε, ἀγαπητοὶ, ἀναστῶμεν, καὶ στῶμεν γενναίως. Μέχρι τίνος κείμεθα; μέχρι τίνος μεθύομεν, τῇ πολλῇ τῶν βιωτικῶν ἐπιθυμίᾳ κεκαρωμένοι; Εὔκαιρον καὶ νῦν εἰπεῖν: Πρὸς τίνα λαλήσω καὶ διαμαρτύρομαι; οὕτω πάντες καὶ πρὸς αὐτὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς τὴν διδασκαλίαν εἰσὶ κεκωφωμένοι, καὶ πολλῶν ἐντεῦθεν ἐμπεπλησμένοι κακῶν! Καὶ εἰ τὰς ψυχὰς γυμνὰς ἦν ἰδεῖν, καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν στρατοπέδων τῆς συμβολῆς παρελθούσης, τοὺς μὲν νεκροὺς ἔστι θεάσασθαι, τοὺς δὲ τετραυματισμένους, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας εἴδομεν ἄν. Διὸ δέομαι καὶ παρακαλῶ, χεῖρα ἀλλήλοις ὀρέξωμεν καὶ διαναστῶμεν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ τῶν πεπληγότων εἰμὶ, καὶ δεομένων τοῦ φάρμακα ἐπιθήσοντος. Ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀπογνῶτε διὰ τοῦτο: εἰ γὰρ καὶ χαλεπαὶ αἱ πληγαὶ, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀνίατοι. Τοιοῦτος ἡμῶν ὁ ἰατρός: μόνον αἰσθώμεθα τῶν τραυμάτων, κἂν εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ ἔσχατον ἔλθωμεν τῆς κακίας, πολλὰς ὁδοὺς τέμνει σωτηρίας ἡμῖν. Κἂν γὰρ τῷ πλησίον ἀφῇς ὀργὴν, ἀφεθήσεταί σοι πλημμελήματα: Ἐὰν γὰρ ἀφῆτε, φησὶ, τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἀφήσει καὶ ὑμῖν ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος. Κἂν ἐλεημοσύνην δῷς, συγχωρήσει σοι τὰ ἁμαρτήματα: Τὰς γὰρ ἀνομίας σου, φησὶν, ἐν ἐλεημοσύναις λύτρωσαι. Κἂν εὔξῃ σπουδαίως, ἀπολαύσεις ἀφέσεως. Καὶ τοῦτο δείκνυσιν ἡ χήρα ἡ τὸν ὠμὸν ἐκεῖνον δικαστὴν ἐπικάμψασα τῇ συνεχείᾳ τῆς ἐντεύξεως. Κἂν κατηγορήσῃς τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, ἔχεις παραμυθίαν: Λέγε γὰρ σὺ τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου πρῶτος, ἵνα δικαιωθῇς. Κἂν σκυθρωπάσῃς ὑπὲρ τούτων, καὶ τοῦτό σοι φάρμακον ἔσται μέγιστον: Εἶδον γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅτι ἐλυπήθη καὶ ἐπορεύθη στυγνὸς, καὶ ἰασάμην τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ. Κἂν κακόν τι παθὼν, γενναίως ἐνέγκῃς, τὸ πᾶν ἀπεδύσω. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ πρὸς τὸν πλούσιον ὁ Ἀβραὰμ ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Ἀπέλαβε Λάζαρος τὰ κακὰ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐνταῦθα παρακαλεῖται. Κἂν χήραν ἐλεήσῃς, πλύνεταί σου τὰ ἁμαρτήματα: Κρίνατε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὀρφανῷ, καὶ δικαιώσατε χήραν, καὶ δεῦτε καὶ διαλεχθῶμεν, λέγει Κύριος: καὶ ἐὰν ὦσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν ὡς φοινικοῦν, ὡς χιόνα λευκανῶ: ἐὰν δὲ ὦσιν ὡς κόκκινον, ὡσεὶ ἔριον λευκανῶ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐλὴν τῶν τραυμάτων ἀφίησι φανῆναί τινα. εʹ. Ἀλλὰ κἂν εἰς ἐκεῖνο ἔλθωμεν τὸ βάθος τῶν κακῶν, εἰς ὃ κατέπεσεν ὁ τὰ πατρῷα κατεδηδοκὼς καὶ κεράτια ἐσθίων, καὶ μετανοήσωμεν, σωζόμεθα πάντως: κἂν μύρια τάλαντα ὀφείλωμεν, καὶ προσπέσωμεν καὶ μὴ μνησικακήσωμεν, πάντα ἡμῖν ἀφίεται: κἂν ἐκεῖσε ἀποπλανηθῶμεν, οὗ τὸ πρόβατον ἀπεβουκολήθη, κἀκεῖθεν ἡμᾶς ἀνακτᾶται: μόνον βουληθῶμεν, ἀγαπητοί: φιλάνθρωπος γὰρ ὁ Θεός. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ τὰ μύρια τάλαντα ὀφείλοντος τῇ προσπτώσει ἠρκεῖτο, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ τὰ πατρῷα κατεδηδοκότος τῇ ἐπανόδῳ μόνῃ, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ προβάτου τῷ βουληθῆναι βασταχθῆναι. Ἐννοήσαντες τοίνυν τὸ μέγεθος αὐτοῦ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας, ἐνταῦθα αὐτὸν ποιήσωμεν ἵλεων ἡμῖν, καὶ προφθάσωμεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐξομολογήσει, ἵνα μὴ ἀπελθόντες ἐντεῦθεν ἀναπολόγητοι, τὴν ἐσχάτην ὑπομείνωμεν τιμωρίαν. Ἂν μὲν γὰρ κατὰ τὸν παρόντα βίον ἐπιδειξώμεθα σπουδὴν κἂν τὴν τυχοῦσαν, τὰ μέγιστα κερδανοῦμεν: ἂν δὲ μηδὲν ἐνταῦθα γενόμενοι βελτίους ἀπέλθωμεν, κἂν σφοδρότερον ἐκεῖ μετανοήσωμεν, οὐδὲν ἡμῖν ἔσται πλέον. Καὶ γὰρ ἔδει τῶν σκαμμάτων εἴσω μένοντα ἀγωνίσασθαι, οὐ μετὰ τὸ λυθῆναι τὸ θέατρον ἀποδύρεσθαι καὶ δακρύειν ἀνόνητα: ὅπερ ὁ πλούσιος ἐκεῖνος ἐποίει, θρηνῶν μὲν καὶ ὀλοφυρόμενος, εἰκῆ δὲ λοιπὸν καὶ μάτην, ἐπειδὴ τὸν καιρὸν, καθ' ὃν ταῦτα ἐχρῆν ποιεῖν, ὑπερεῖδεν. Οὐκ ἐκεῖνος δὲ μόνος, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλοὶ ἕτεροι κατ' ἐκεῖνον νῦν εἰσι πλούσιοι, χρημάτων μὲν οὐ βουλόμενοι καταφρονεῖν, ψυχῆς δὲ ἀντὶ χρημάτων καταφρονοῦντες: οὓς ἔμοιγε θαυμάζειν ἔπεισιν, ὅταν ἴδω τῷ μὲν Θεῷ περὶ ἐλέου συνεχῶς ἐντυγχάνοντας, αὐτοὺς δὲ τὰ ἀνήκεστα ἑαυτοὺς διατιθέντας, καὶ ὥσπερ πολεμίας, οὕτω τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἀφειδοῦντας ψυχῆς. Μὴ δὴ παίζωμεν, ἀγαπητοὶ, μὴ παίζωμεν, μηδὲ παραλογιζώμεθα ἑαυτοὺς, τὸν μὲν Θεὸν ἀξιοῦντες ἡμᾶς ἐλεῆσαι, αὐτοὶ δὲ τοῦ ἐλέου τούτου καὶ χρήματα καὶ τρυφὴν καὶ πάντα ἁπλῶς προτιθέντες. Οὐδὲ γὰρ, εἴ τίς σοι δίκην προσῆγε, καὶ κατηγορῶν τοῦ δεῖνος ἔλεγεν, ὅτι μυρίους μέλλων ὑπομένειν θανάτους, καὶ κύριος ὢν λῦσαι τὰς ψήφους χρήμασιν ὀλίγοις, εἵλετο μᾶλλον ἀποθανεῖν, ἤ τι τῶν αὑτοῦ προέσθαι, ἐλέου τινὸς ἢ συγγνώμης ἔφης αὐτὸν ἄξιον εἶναι. Τοῦτο τοίνυν καὶ ἐπὶ σαυτοῦ λογίζου: καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς τοῦτο ποιοῦμεν, καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν καταφρονοῦντες, τῶν χρημάτων φειδόμεθα: Πῶς οὖν τὸν Θεὸν ἀξιοῖς σου φείσασθαι, αὐτὸς σαυτοῦ οὕτως ἀφειδῶν, καὶ χρήματα προτιμῶν ψυχῆς; Διὸ καὶ σφόδρα ἐκπέπληγμαι, πόση τοῖς χρήμασιν ἐγκέκρυπται γοητεία, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐ τοῖς χρήμασιν, ἀλλὰ ταῖς τῶν ἀπατωμένων ψυχαῖς. Εἰσὶ γὰρ, εἰσὶν οἱ καὶ σφόδρα τῆς μαγγανείας ταύτης καταγελῶντες. Τί γὰρ καὶ ἱκανὸν ἡμᾶς τῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς γοητεῦσαι; οὐχὶ ἄψυχός ἐστιν ἡ ὕλη, οὐχὶ ἐπίκηρος; οὐχὶ ἄπιστος αὐτῶν ἡ κτῆσις; οὐ φόβων γέμει καὶ κινδύνων; οὐ φόνων καὶ ἐπιβουλῆς; οὐκ ἔχθρας καὶ μίσους; οὐ ῥᾳθυμίας καὶ κακίας πολλῆς; οὐ γῆ ἐστιν καὶ σποδός; τίς ἡ μανία, τίς ἡ νόσος! ἀλλὰ γὰρ οὐ κατηγορεῖν δεῖ μόνον τῶν νοσούντων τὰ τοιαῦτα, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ καταλύειν τὸν ἔρωτα. Καὶ πῶς ἑτέρως καταλύσομεν, ἀλλ' ἢ δεικνύντες φαῦλον ὄντα καὶ μυρίων κακῶν ἀνάμεστον; Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο οὐκ εὔκολον τὸν ἐρῶντα πεῖσαι περὶ τῶν παιδικῶν. Οὐκοῦν ἕτερον αὐτῷ κάλλος ἀντιστῆσαι δεῖ. Ἀλλὰ ἀσώματον οὐχ ὁρᾷ κάλλος, ἔτι νοσῶν: οὐκοῦν σωματικὸν ἐπιδείξωμεν, καὶ εἴπωμεν πρὸς αὐτόν: Ἐννόησον τοὺς λειμῶνας καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἄνθη, τὰ χρυσίου παντὸς φαιδρότερα καὶ τῶν παντοδαπῶν χαριέστερα καὶ διαυγέστερα λίθων: ἐννόησον τὰ διειδῆ τῶν πηγῶν ῥεῖθρα, τοὺς ποταμοὺς τοὺς ἐλαίου δίκην ἀψοφητὶ ῥέοντας ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς: ἀνάβηθι πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ ἴδε τοῦ ἡλίου τὸ κάλλος, τῆς σελήνης τὴν εὐπρέπειαν, τῶν ἄστρων τὰ ἄνθη. Καὶ τί τοῦτο; φησίν: οὐ γὰρ δὴ κεχρήμεθα αὐτοῖς ὡς τοῖς χρήμασι. Καὶ μὴν πλέον, ἢ τοῖς χρήμασιν, ὅσῳ καὶ ἀναγκαιοτέρα αὐτῶν ἡ χρεία, καὶ ἀσφαλεστέρα ἡ ἀπόλαυσις. Οὐδὲ γὰρ δέδοικας, μή τις, ὥσπερ τὰ χρήματα, αὐτὰ λαβὼν ἀπέλθῃ: ἀλλ' ἔξεστί σοι θαῤῥεῖν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν διηνεκῶς, καὶ ταῦτα μὴ μεριμνῶντι μηδὲ φροντίζοντι. Εἰ δ', ὅτι μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἀπολαύεις αὐτῶν, ἀλγεῖς, καὶ μὴ μόνος αὐτὰ κατέχεις ὥσπερ τὰ χρήματα, οὐ χρημάτων, ἀλλὰ πλεονεξίας μοι δοκεῖς ἐρᾷν μόνης. Καὶ οὐδὲ τὰ χρήματα ἐφίλησας ἂν, εἰ κοινὰ προύκειτο πᾶσιν. Οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὴ τὴν ἐρωμένην εὑρήκαμεν, τὴν πλεονεξίαν λέγω, φέρε σοι δείξω, πῶς σε μισεῖ αὕτη καὶ ἀποστρέφεται, πόσα θήγει κατὰ σοῦ ξίφη, πόσα ὀρύττει βάραθρα, πόσους ἀνάπτει βρόχους, πόσους παρασκευάζει κρημνούς: ἵνα κἂν οὕτω σβέσῃς τὸ φίλτρον. Πόθεν οὖν ἔστι ταῦτα εἰδέναι; Ἀπὸ τῶν ὁδῶν, ἀπὸ τῶν πολέμων, ἀπὸ τῆς θαλάττης, ἀπὸ τῶν δικαστηρίων. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ πέλαγος αἱμάτων ἐνέπλησε, καὶ τὰ τῶν δικαστῶν φοινίσσει ξίφη παρανόμως πολλάκις, καὶ τοὺς ταῖς ὁδοῖς ἐφεδρεύοντας νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ' ἡμέραν ὁπλίζει αὕτη, καὶ φύσιν ἀγνοῆσαι ἔπεισε, καὶ πατραλοίας ἐποίησε καὶ μητραλοίας, καὶ πάντα ἐπεισήγαγε τῷ βίῳ τὰ κακά. Διὸ καὶ ῥίζαν αὐτῶν ὁ Παῦλος ταύτην καλεῖ. Αὕτη τοὺς αὐτῆς ἐραστὰς τῶν τὰ μέταλλα ἐργαζομένων οὐδὲν ἄμεινον ἀφίησι διακεῖσθαι. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι διηνεκῶς ἐν σκότῳ κατακεκλεισμένοι καὶ δεδεμένοι πονοῦσιν ἀνόνητα: οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι ἐν τοῖς σπηλαίοις τῆς φιλαργυρίας κατορωρυγμένοι, οὐδενὸς αὐτοῖς ἀνάγκην ἐπιτιθέντος, αὐτόματοι τὴν κόλασιν ἐπισπῶνται, ἑαυτοῖς δεσμοὺς περιθέντες ἀλύτους. Καὶ οἱ μὲν κατάδικοι, κἂν ἑσπέρας καταλαβούσης ἀνίενται τῶν μόχθων: οὗτοι δὲ καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἐν νυκτὶ διορύττουσι τὰ πονηρὰ ταῦτα μέταλλα: καὶ τοῖς μὲν μέτρον ἐστὶν ὡρισμένον τῆς μοχθηρᾶς ἐργασίας ἐκείνης, οὗτοι δὲ μέτρον οὐδὲν ἴσασιν, ἀλλ' ὅσον ἂν ὀρύξωσι, τοσούτῳ μείζονος ἐφίενται ταλαιπωρίας. Εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖνοι μὲν ἄκοντες, οὗτοι δὲ ἑκόντες, τὸ χαλεπόν μοι λέγεις τοῦ νοσήματος, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἀπαλλαγῆναι δύνανται, εἴ γε μηδὲ μισοῦσι τὴν κακοπάθειαν. Ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ὗς ἐν βορβόρῳ, οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι ταῖς τῆς φιλαργυρίας δυσωδίαις ἐγκαλινδούμενοι ἥδονται, χαλεπώτερα πάσχοντες τῶν καταδίκων ἐκείνων. Ὅτι γὰρ ἐν χείροσίν εἰσιν, ἄκουσον τὰ ἐκείνων, καὶ τότε εἴσῃ τὰ τούτων. Λέγεται τοίνυν ἡ χρυσῖτις ἐκείνη γῆ χηραμοὺς καὶ καταδύσεις ἔχειν ἐν τοῖς ζοφεροῖς σπηλαίοις ἐκείνοις: τὸν οὖν κακοῦργον τὸν τοῖς ἐκεῖ καταδικασθέντα μόχθοις, διὰ τοῦτο λύχνον λαμβάνοντα καὶ δίκελλαν, οὕτως εἰσιέναι ἔνδον, καὶ ληκύθιον ἐπιφέρεσθαι, ὥστε ἐπιστάζειν ἐντεῦθεν τῷ λύχνῳ τὸ ἔλαιον, διὰ τὸ σκότος εἶναι καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἀφεγγὲς, ὥσπερ ἔφθην εἰπών. Εἶτα ἐπειδὰν ὁ καιρὸς ἐπὶ τὴν ταλαίπωρον αὐτὸν καλῇ τροφὴν, αὐτὸν μὲν ἀγνοεῖν τὸν καιρὸν, τὸν δὲ δεσμοφύλακα τὸν ἐκείνου ἄνωθεν κατάξαντα σφοδρῶς τὸ σπήλαιον, διὰ τοῦ πατάγου καὶ τῆς φωνῆς ἐκείνης δηλοῦν τοῖς κάτω ἐργαζομένοις τῆς ἡμέρας τὸ τέλος. Ἆρ' οὐκ ἐφρίξατε ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες; Ἴδωμεν τοίνυν, εἰ μὴ χαλεπώτερα τούτων πάσχουσιν οἱ φιλάργυροι. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ οὗτοι βαρύτερον ἔχουσι δεσμοφύλακα τὴν φιλαργυρίαν, καὶ τοσούτῳ βαρύτερον, ὅσῳ μετὰ τοῦ σώματος καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῖς συνδεῖ. Καὶ τὸ σκότος δὲ τοῦτο, ἐκείνου φρικωδέστερον: οὐ γάρ ἐστιν αἰσθητὸν, ἀλλ' ἔνδοθεν αὐτὸ τίκτοντες, ὅπουπερ ἂν ἀπίωσι, πανταχοῦ μεθ' ἑαυτῶν περιφέρουσιν. Ἔσβεσται γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὁ τῆς ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμός. Διὸ καὶ μάλιστα πάντων αὐτοὺς ὁ Χριστὸς ταλανίζει λέγων: Εἰ δὲ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν σοὶ, σκότος, τὸ σκότος πόσον! Κἀκεῖνοι μὲν κἂν λύχνον ἔχουσι φαίνοντα, οὗτοι δὲ καὶ ταύτης ἀπεστέρηνται τῆς αὐγῆς: διὸ καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν εἰς μυρία ἐμπίπτουσι βάραθρα. Καὶ οἱ μὲν κατάδικοι, νυκτὸς καταλαμβανούσης, ἀναπνέουσιν, εἰς τὴν κοινὴν τῶν δυσημερούντων καταπλεύσαντες γαλήνην, τὴν νύκτα λέγω: τοῖς δὲ φιλαργύροις καὶ τοῦτον ἡ πλεονεξία προσέχωσε τὸν λιμένα: τοσαῦτα καὶ ἐν νυκτὶ φροντίζουσι χαλεπῶς, ἅτε μηδενὸς ἐνοχλοῦντος μετὰ σχολῆς ἁπάσης κατακόπτοντες ἑαυτούς. Καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐνταῦθα τοιαῦτα: τὰ δὲ ἐκεῖ, ποῖος παραστήσει λόγος; τὰς καμίνους τὰς ἀφορήτους, τοὺς πυριφλεγέθοντας ποταμοὺς, τοὺς βρυχομένους ὀδόντας, τὰ δεσμὰ τὰ ἄλυτα, τὸν σκώληκα τὸν ἰοβόλον, τὸ σκότος τὸ ἀφεγγὲς, τὰ μηδέποτε πέρας λαμβάνοντα κακά, Φοβηθῶμεν τοίνυν, ἀγαπητοὶ, φοβηθῶμεν τὴν πηγὴν τῶν τοσούτων τιμωριῶν, τὴν ἀκόρεστον μανίαν, τὴν λύμην τῆς ἡμετέρας σωτηρίας. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀργύριον φιλεῖν καὶ ψυχήν. Μάθωμεν ὅτι γῆ καὶ σποδὸς τὰ χρήματα, ὅτι ἀπολιμπάνει ἡμᾶς ἀποδημοῦντας ἐντεῦθεν, μᾶλλον δὲ ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἀποδημίας πολλάκις ἡμῶν ἀποπηδᾷ, καὶ πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα παραβλάπτει, καὶ πρὸς τὴν παροῦσαν ζωήν. Καὶ γὰρ πρὸ τῆς γεέννης καὶ πρὸ τῆς κολάσεως ἐκείνης μυρίοις κἀνταῦθα ἡμᾶς περιβάλλει πολέμοις, καὶ στάσεις ἐγείρει καὶ μάχας. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω πολεμοποιὸν, ὡς φιλαργυρία: οὐδὲν οὕτω πτωχοποιὸν, κἂν ἐν πλούτῳ, κἂν ἐν πενίᾳ φανῇ. Φύεται γὰρ καὶ ἐν πενήτων ψυχαῖς τὸ χαλεπὸν τοῦτο νόσημα, καὶ πλέον αὐτῶν ἐπιτρίβει τὴν πενίαν. Κἂν εὑρεθῇ πένης φιλάργυρος, οὐκ ἐν χρήμασιν ὁ τοιοῦτος, ἀλλ' ἐν λιμῷ δίδωσι δίκην. Οὐ γὰρ ἀνέχεται τῶν μετρίων αὐτῶν ἀπολαῦσαι μετὰ ἀδείας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν γαστέρα λιμῷ κατατείνει, καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἅπαν γυμνότητι καὶ κρυμῷ τιμωρεῖται, καὶ τῶν δεσμωτῶν μᾶλλον αὐχμῶν καὶ ῥυπῶν πανταχοῦ φαίνεται: καὶ ἀεὶ θρηνεῖ καὶ ὀδύρεται, ὥσπερ πάντων ὢν ἀθλιώτερος, κἂν μυρίους πενεστέρους ἔχῃ. Οὗτος, κἂν εἰς ἀγορὰν ἐμβάλλῃ, πολλοὺς λαβὼν ἄπεισι μώλωπας: κἂν εἰς βαλανεῖον, κἂν εἰς θέατρον, πλείονα λήψεται τραύματα, οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν θεωρούντων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς σκηνῆς, ὅταν ἴδῃ πολλὰς τῶν πορνευομένων γυναικῶν χρυσίῳ καταλαμπομένας. Οὗτος κἂν τὴν θάλατταν πλέῃ, τοὺς ἐμπόρους πάλιν καὶ τὰς μυριαγώγους ναῦς ἐννοῶν καὶ τὰ ἄπειρα κέρδη, οὐδὲ ζῇν ἑαυτὸν ἡγήσεται: κἂν διὰ γῆς ὁδεύῃ, τοὺς ἀγροὺς, τὰ προάστεια, τὰ καταλύματα, τὰ βαλανεῖα, τὰς ἐκ τούτων προσόδους ἀναλογιζόμενος, ἀβίωτον ἑαυτῷ τὸν βίον ἡγήσεται εἶναι λοιπόν: κἂν οἴκοι δὲ κατακλείσῃς αὐτὸν, τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγορᾶς τραύματα ἀναξαίνων, καθ' ἑαυτὸν μειζόνως λυμανεῖται τὴν ψυχήν: καὶ μίαν οἶδε παραμυθίαν μόνην τῶν κατεχόντων αὐτὸν κακῶν, τὸν θάνατον καὶ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀπαλλαγήν. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐχ ὁ πένης μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ πλούσιος ὁ τούτῳ περιπεσὼν τῷ νοσήματι πείσεται, καὶ τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον τοῦ πένητος, ὅσῳ καὶ σφοδροτέρα ἐπίκειται τούτῳ ἡ τυραννὶς, καὶ πλείων ἡ μέθη. Διὸ καὶ πάντων πενέστερον ἑαυτὸν οὗτος ἡγήσεται, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἔστι πενέστερος. Οὐ γὰρ τῷ μέτρῳ τῆς οὐσίας, ἀλλὰ τῇ διαθέσει τῆς γνώμης ὁ πλοῦτος καὶ ἡ πενία κρίνονται: καὶ ἐκεῖνος μᾶλλόν ἐστιν ὁ πάντων πτωχότατος, ὁ ἀεὶ τοῦ πλείονος ἐπιθυμῶν, καὶ μηδέποτε στῆσαι δυνάμενος τὴν πονηρὰν ταύτην ἐπιθυμίαν. Διὰ δὴ ταῦτα πάντα φεύγωμεν τὴν φιλαργυρίαν, τὴν πτωχοποιὸν, τὴν ψυχοφθόρον, τὴν γεέννης φίλην, τὴν ἐχθρὰν τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν, τὴν μητέρα πάντων ὁμοῦ τῶν κακῶν: καὶ καταφρονῶμεν χρημάτων, ἵνα ἀπολαύσωμεν χρημάτων, καὶ μετὰ τῶν χρημάτων ἀπολαυσόμεθα καὶ τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἡμῖν ἀγαθῶν: ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς,