John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles

“Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought He them out of it.”

Behold Barnabas giving place to Paul—how should it be otherwise?—to him whom he brought from Tarsus; just as we find John on all occasions giving way to Peter: and yet Barnabas was more looked up to than Paul: true, but they had an eye only to the common advantage. “Then Paul stood up,” it says;—this659 i.e. for one of the congregation to expound or preach: or perhaps rather, to preach standing, not sitting, as Christian bishops did for their sermons. We have transposed the comment to its proper place.—Mod. text adds, “Wherefore he too in accordance with this discourses to them.” was a custom of the Jews—“and beckoned with his hand.” And see how he prepares the way beforehand for his discourse: having first praised them, and showed his great regard for them in the words, “ye that fear God,” he so begins his discourse. And he says not, Ye proselytes, since it was a term of disadvantage.660 ὅπερ ἦν συμφορᾶς ὄνομα, in regard that a proselyte might be deemed inferior to a Jew of genuine descent, “a Hebrew of the Hebrews.” “The God of this people chose our fathers: and the people”—See, he calls God Himself their God peculiarly, Who is the common God of men; and shows how great from the first were His benefits, just as Stephen does. This they do to teach them, that now also God has acted after the same custom, in sending His own Son; (Luke xx. 13): as (Christ) Himself (does) in the parable of the vineyard—“And the people,” he says, “He exalted when it sojourned in the land of Egypt”—and yet the contrary was the case:661 καὶ μὴν τοὐναντίον γέγονεν. Here also we have transposed the comment to the clause to which it belongs. In the Edd. it comes after “And with a high arm,” etc. whence Ben. mistaking its reference says, “i.e., if I mistake not, God brought them out of Egypt, that he might bring them into the Land of Promise: but, for their wickedness, the contrary befell: for the greatest part of them perished in the wilderness.” It plainly refers to ὕψωσεν—i.e. how is it said, that He exalted them in Egypt, where, on the contrary, they were brought low? This is true—but He did exalt them by increasing them into a great multitude, and by the miracles which He wrought on their behalf. true, but they increased in numbers; moreover, the miracles were wrought on their account: “and with an high arm brought He them out of it.” Of these things (the wonders) which were done in Egypt, the prophets are continually making mention. And observe, how he passes over the times of their calamities, and nowhere brings forward their faults, but only God’s kindness, leaving those for themselves to think over. “And about the time of forty years suffered He their manners in the wilderness.” (v. 18.) Then the settlement. “And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He divided their land to them by lot.” (v. 19.) And the time was long; four hundred and fifty years. “And after that He gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.”662 Upon the reading of the T. R. (A.V.) the period of the Judges is here stated to have been 450 years. This agrees with the chronology of the book of Judges and of Josephus, but conflicts with 1 Kings vi. 1 where we are told that “in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, he began to build the house of the Lord.” This would give but 331 years for the period of the Judges. It is the view of many critics that Paul has here followed a different chronology from that of 1 Kings which was also in use among the Jews and was followed by Josephus (so Meyer.) But if the reading of Tischendorf, Lechler, and Westcott and Hort (R.V.) is adopted—and it is sustained by A. B. C. א—the difficulty, so far as Acts xiii. 21 is concerned, disappears. This reading places μετὰ ταῦτα after ὡς ἔτεσιν sq. and inserts a period after πεντήκοντα. Then the translation would be, “He gave them their land for an inheritance for about four hundred and fifty years. And after these things He gave them judges,” etc. On this reading the 450 years is the period of their inheritance, approximately stated, up to the time of the judges. The point from which Paul reckoned is not stated and is uncertain. This is the preferable reading and explanation.—G.B.S. (v. 20.) Here he shows that God varied His dispensations towards them (at divers times). “And afterward they desired a king:” and (still) not a word of their ingratitude, but throughout he speaks of the kindness of God. “And God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.” (v. 21.) “And when he had removed him, He raised up unto them David to be their king: to whom also He gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart, which shall fulfil all My will. Of this man’s seed hath God according to His promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus.” (v. 22, 23.) This was no small thing that Christ should be from David. Then John bears witness to this: “When John had first preached before His coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not He. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of His feet I am not worthy to loose.” (v. 24, 25.) And John too not merely bears witness (to the fact), but (does it in such sort that) when men were bringing the glory to him, he declines it: for it is one thing (not to affect) an honor which nobody thinks of offering; and another, to reject it when all men are ready to give it, and not only to reject it, but to do so with such humility. “Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew Him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning Him. And though they found no cause of death in Him, yet desired they Pilate that He should be slain.” (v. 26–28.) On all occasions we find them making a great point of showing this, that the blessing is peculiarly theirs, that they may not flee (from Christ), as thinking they had nothing to do with Him, because they had crucified Him. “Because they knew Him not,” he says: so that the sin was one of ignorance. See how he gently makes an apology even on behalf of those (crucifiers). And not only this: but he adds also, that thus it must needs be. And663 Καὶ πόθεν ὅτι ἀνέστη φησι καὶ μάρτυρες εἰσιν. Εἶτα πάλιν ἀπὸ τῶν γραφῶν, followed by v. 29–37. We read, καὶ πόθεν; ὅτι τὰς φωνὰς τῶν προφ., κρίναντες τοῦτον ἐπλήρωσαν. Εἶτα πάλιν ἀπὸ τ. γρ. v. 29–31, ending, καὶ μάρτυρες αὐτοῦ εἰσιν πρὸς τὸν λαὸν ὅτι ἀνέστη. The mod. text “And that no man may say, And whence is this manifest that He rose again? He says that (word), And are His witnesses. Then again He presses them from the Scriptures, v. 29–37.” how so? “By condemning Him, they fulfilled the voices of the prophets.” Then again from the Scriptures. “And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took Him down from the tree, and laid Him in a sepulchre. But God raised Him from the dead. And He was seen many days of them which came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses unto the people—”(v. 29–31) that He rose again. “And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee. And as concerning that He raised Him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, He said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another Psalm, Thou shalt not suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: but He, Whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” (v. 32–39.) Observe664 This comment, which in the mss. and Edd. is inserted after v. 37, refers to the following verses 38, 39, i.e. to what is there said of the insufficiency of the Law for justification: we have therefore transposed it. how Paul here is more vehement in his discourse: we nowhere find Peter saying this. Then too he adds the terrifying words: “Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.” (v. 40, 41.)

(a) Observe665 In the old text the parts lie in the order here shown by the letters a, b, etc. The confusion may be explained by the scribe’s copying in the wrong order from the four pages of his tablets: viz. in the first place, in the order 1, 3, 2, 4: then 2, 4, 1, 3: and lastly, 2, 1. In the modern text, a different arrangement is attempted by which all is thrown into worse confusion. Thus it was not perceived that Chrys. having in a cursory way read through v. 24–41, begins his exposition in detail with the remark of the Apostle’s passing and repassing from the Old to the New Test. and vice versa, viz. alleging first the Promise, then John, then the Prophets, then the Apostles, then David and Isaiah, v. 24–34; then comments upon the matters contained in these and the following verses, and then as usual goes over the whole again in a second exposition. Now the innovator makes the recapitulation begin immediately after (a), commencing it at v. 26, and collecting the comments in this order: v. 26–32: v. 24–36: v. 17–41. how he twines (the thread of) his discourse (alternately) from things present, from the prophets. Thus, “from666 The transposition of the part (c), makes this read in the mss. and Edd. as if it were parallel with ἀπὸ τῶν παρόντων (i.e. New Testament facts), ἀπὸ τῶν Προφητῶν (Old Testament testimonies). (this man’s) seed according to the promise”—(v. 23): (c) the name of David was dear to them; well then, is it not (a thing to be desired) that a son of his, he says, should be their king?—(b) then he adduces John: then again the prophets, where he says, “By condemning they fulfilled,” and again, “All that was written:” then the Apostles as witnesses of the Resurrection: then David bearing witness. For neither the Old Testament proofs seemed so cogent when taken by themselves as they are in this way, nor yet the latter testimonies apart from the former: wherefore he makes them mutually confirm each other. “Men and brethren,” etc. (v. 26.) For since they were possessed by fear, as having slain Him, and conscience made them aliens (the Apostles), discourse not with them as unto Christicides, neither as putting into their hands a good which was not theirs, but one peculiarly their own. (d) “For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers:” as much as to say, not ye, but they:667 It is probable that Chrys. has pointed out the true connection of thought as established by γὰρ (27). “The word of this salvation is sent unto you (of the dispersion) on the ground that the Jews at Jerusalem have rejected it.” (So Meyer, Gloag.) The more common explanation is: The word is sent unto you because the Jews have fulfilled the prophecies which spoke of the rejection of the Messiah and have thus proved that He is the Messiah. (De Wette, Hackett, Lechler.)—G.B.S. and again, apologizing even for those, “Because they knew Him not, and the voices of the Prophets which are read every sabbath day, in condemning Him, they fulfilled them.” A great charge it is against them that they continually hearing heeded not. But no marvel: for what was said above concerning Egypt and the wilderness, was enough to show their ingratitude. And observe how this Apostle also, as one moved by the Spirit Himself,668 i.e. Though not one of the original witnesses, v. 31, yet, being one who has been moved or raised up, κεκινημένον, by the Spirit of Christ Himself, he preaches as they did, insisting much on the Passion, etc. continually preaches the Passion, the Burial. (g) “Having taken Him down from the tree.” Observe, what a great point they make of this. He speaks of the manner of His death. Moreover they bring Pilate (conspicuously) forward, that (the fact of) the Passion may be proved by the mention of the tribunal (by which he was condemned), but at the same time, for the greater impeachment of those (His crucifiers), seeing they delivered Him up to an alien. And he does not say, They made a complaint (against Him), (ἐνέτυχον, al. ἐντυγχάνει) but, “They desired, though having found no cause of death” (in Him), “that He should be slain. (e) Who appeared,” he says, “for many days to them that came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem.” (Rom. xi. 2.) Instead of669 ᾽Αντὶ τοῦ, Οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ συναναβάντες κ. τ. λ. Perhaps the sense may be supplied thus: ᾽Αντὶ τοῦ, Οὗ πάντες ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν μάρτυρες, ii. 32, οὗ ἡμεῖς μάρτ. ἐσμεν, iii. 15. Instead of saying as Peter does, “Whereof we are witnesses.”** he says, “Who are His witnesses unto the people,” to wit, “The men which came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem.” Then he produces David and Esaias bearing witness. “The faithful (mercies),” the abiding (mercies), those which never perish. (h) Paul loved them exceedingly. And observe, he does not enlarge on the ingratitude of the fathers, but puts before them what they must fear. For Stephen indeed with good reason does this, seeing he was about to be put to death, not teaching them; and showing them, that the Law is even now on the point of being abolished: (ch. vii.) but not so Paul; he does but threaten and put them in fear. (f) And he does not dwell long on these,670 Καὶ οὐκ ἐγχρονίζει τούτοις, as in the recapitulation on v. 40, 41. καὶ ὅρα, τραχὺ ὂν πῶς ὑποτέμνεται. Hence it is clear that τούτοις refers not to “the sure mercies of David,” as in mss. and Edd. (end of e), but to the threats and terrors (end of h). Below, for ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιτείνει τὴν κόλασιν the sense of ἐπιτείνει (not as Ben. minatur, but intentat, “makes much of, aggravates, dwells upon the greatness of)”, and the whole scope of the passage, require us to read οὐδὲ. Then, καὶ μετέρχεται with the negative extending to the whole clause, “and (like Stephen) assail that which is dear to them, (viz. their preëminence as Jews,) by showing the Law on the point of being cast out:” then, ἀλλὰ (so we restore for καὶ) τῷ συμφ. ἐνδιατρ., but dwells, etc. as taking it for granted that the word is of course believed; nor enlarge upon the greatness of their punishment, and assail that which they affectionately love, by showing the Law about to be cast out: but dwells upon that which is for their good (telling them), that great shall be the blessings for them being obedient, and great the evils being disobedient.

But let us look over again what has been said. “Ye men of Israel,” etc. (v. 16–21.) The Promise then, he says, the fathers received; ye, the reality. (j) And observe, he nowhere mentions right deeds of theirs, but (only) benefits on God’s part: “He chose: Exalted: Suffered their manners:” these are no matters of praise to them: “They asked, He gave.” But David he does praise (and him) only, because from him the Christ was to come. “I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart, which shall fulfil all My will.” (v. 22.) (i) Observe also; it is with praise (that he says of him), “David after that he had served the will of God:” just as Peter—seeing it was then the beginning of the Gospel—making mention of him, said, “Let it be permitted me to speak freely of the patriarch David.” (ch. ii. 29.) Also, he does not say, Died, but, “was added to his fathers. (k) Of this man’s seed,” etc. “When John,” he says, “had first preached before His entry”—by entry he means the Incarnation—“the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.” (v. 23–25.) Thus also John, writing his Gospel, continually has recourse to him: for his name was much thought of in all parts of the world. And observe, he does not say it “Of this man’s seed,” etc. from himself, but brings John’s testimony.

“Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham”—he also calls them after their father—“unto you was the word of this salvation sent.” (v. 26.) Here the expression, “Unto you,” does not mean, Unto (you) Jews, but it gives them a right to sever themselves from those who dared that murder. And what he adds, shows this plainly. “For,” he says, “they that dwell at Jerusalem, because they know Him not.” (v. 27.) And how, you will say, could they be ignorant, with John to tell them? What marvel, seeing they were so, with the prophets continually crying aloud to them? Then follows another charge: “And having found no cause of death in Him:” in which ignorance had nothing to do. For let us put the case, that they did not hold Him to be the Christ: why did they also kill Him? And “they desired of Pilate, he says, that He should be slain.” (v. 28.) “And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him.” (v. 29.) Observe what a point he makes of showing that the (whole) thing was a (Divine) Dispensation. See,671 Edd. “But let us hear τί καὶ λέγοντες οἱ ᾽Απόστ. ἔπεισαν, ὅτι ἐσταυρώθη, by saying what, by what announcement, the Apostles persuaded (men) that He was crucified.” For τί τούτου ἀπιθ. B. has τὸ τ. ἀ. “(yea), what is more incredible still.” Both clauses must be read interrogatively. The scope of the whole passage (which is obscure in the original) is, the supreme importance of the article of the Resurrection. Leave that out, and see what the preaching of the Apostles would have been; how it would have been received. by saying what did they persuade men? (By telling them) that He was crucified? Why, what could be less persuasive than this? That He was buried—by them to whom it was promised that He should be salvation? that He who was buried forgives sins, yea, more than the Law (has power to do)? And (observe), he does not say, From which ye would not but, “from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses.” (v. 39.) “Every one,” he says: be who he may. For those (ordinances) are of no use, unless there be some benefit (accruing therefrom.) This is why he brings in forgiveness later: and shows it to be greater, when, the thing being (otherwise) impossible, yet this is effected. “Who are His witnesses,” he says, “unto the people”—the people that slew Him. Who would never have been so, were they not strengthened by a Divine Power: for they would never have borne such witness to blood-thirsty men, to the very persons that killed Him. But, “He hath raised up Jesus again: This day,” he says, “I have begotten thee.”672 The reading: “In the Second Psalm” is the best attested and is followed by the T. R., R.V. and Wescott and Hort. Πρώτῳ is found in D. and is supported by the Fathers. It is the more difficult reading and for this reason is preferred by Tischendorf, Lachmann, Meyer, Alford and Gloag. If it is correct, we must suppose that what we now call the first psalm was considered introductory and that our second psalm was counted as the first. In some Heb. mss. this order actually occurs. The reading δευτέρῳ, however, is better supported. The expression: “this day have I begotten thee” refers evidently to the resurrection of Christ. (Cf. Heb. i. 5; Rom. i. 4.) The resurrection is conceived as the solemn inauguration of Christ into his office as theocratic king represented under the figure of begetting.—G.B.S. (v. 33.) Aye, upon this the rest follows of course. Why did he not allege some text by which they would be persuaded that forgiveness of sins is by Him? Because the great point with them was to show, in the first place, that He was risen: this being acknowledged, the other was unquestionable. “Through this man,” nay more, by Him, “is remission of sins.” (v. 38.) And besides, he wished to bring them to a longing desire of this great thing. Well then, His death was not dereliction, but fulfilling of Prophecy.—For the rest, he puts them in mind of historical facts, wherein they through ignorance suffered evils without number. And this he hints in the conclusion, saying, “Look, ye despisers, and behold.” And observe how, this being harsh, he cuts it short. Let not that, he says, come upon you, which was spoken for the others, that “I work a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though one declare it unto you.” (v. 41.) Marvel not that it seems incredible: this very thing was foretold from the first—(that it would not be believed). “Behold, ye despisers,” as regards those who disbelieve in the Resurrection.

This too might with reason be said to us:673 We have transposed this clause from before, “Behold,” etc. preceding. “Behold ye despisers.” For the Church indeed is in very evil case, although ye think her affairs to be in peace. For the mischief of it is, that while we labor under so many evils, we do not even know that we have any. “What sayest thou? We are in possession of our Churches, our Church property, and all the rest, the services are held, the congregation comes to Church every day.”674 Mod. text needlessly adds, Καὶ καταφρονοῦμεν; “And do we make light of these things?” True, but one is not to judge of the state of a Church from these things. From what then? Whether there be piety, whether we return home with profit each day, whether reaping some fruit, be it much or little, whether we do it not merely of routine and for the formal acquittance of a duty (ἀφοσιούμενοι). Who has become a better man by attending (daily) service for a whole month? That is the point: otherwise the very thing which seems to bespeak a flourishing condition (of the Church,) does in fact bespeak an ill condition, when all this is done, and nothing comes of it. Would to God (that were all), that nothing comes of it: but indeed, as things are, it turns out even for the worse. What fruit do ye get from your services? Surely if you were getting any profit by them, ye ought to have been long leading the life of true wisdom (τἥς φιλοσοφίας), with so many Prophets twice in every week discoursing to you, so many Apostles, and Evangelists, all setting forth the doctrines of salvation, and placing before you with much exactness that which can form the character aright. The soldier by going to his drill, becomes more perfect in his tactics: the wrestler by frequenting the gymnastic ground becomes more skilful in wrestling: the physician by attending on his teacher becomes more accurate, and knows more, and learns more: and thou—what hast thou gained? I speak not to those who have been members of the Church only a year, but to those who from their earliest age have been attending the services. Think you that to be religious is to be constant in Church-going (παραβάλλειν τᾕ συνάξει)? This is nothing, unless we reap some fruit for ourselves: if (from the gathering together in Church) we do not gather (συνάγωμεν) something for ourselves, it were better to remain at home. For our forefathers built the Churches for us, not just to bring us together from our private houses and show us one to another: since this could have been done also in a market-place, and in baths, and in a public procession:—but to bring together learners and teachers, and make the one better by means of the other. With us it has all become mere customary routine, and formal discharge of a duty: a thing we are used to; that is all. Easter comes, and then great the stir, great the hubbub, and crowding of—I had rather not call them human beings, for their behavior is not commonly human. Easter goes, the tumult abates, but then the quiet which succeeds is again fruitless of good. “Vigils, and holy hymn-singing.”—And what is got by these? Nay, it is all the worse. Many do so merely out of vanity. Think how sick at heart it must make me, to see it all like (so much water) poured into a cask with holes in it! But ye will assuredly say to me, We know the Scriptures. And what of that? If ye exemplify the Scriptures by your works, that is the gain, that the profit. The Church is a dyer’s vat: if time after time perpetually ye go hence without receiving any dye, what is the use of coming here continually? Why, the mischief is all the greater. Who (of you) has added ought to the customary practices he received from his fathers? For example: such an one has a custom of observing the memorial of his mother, or his wife, or his child: this he does whether he be told or whether he be not told by us, drawn to it by force of habit and conscience. Does this displease thee, you ask? God forbid: on the contrary, I am glad of it with all my heart: only, I would wish that he had gained some fruit also from our discoursing, and that the effect which habit has, were also the effect as regards us675 Τοῦτο καὶ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν γενέσθαι, ἑτέραν ἐπεισαχθῆναι συνήθειαν. Morel. Ben. ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν, “By our means,” idque unum probandum, Ed. Par. but ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν is not as he renders it, in nobis; the meaning is, “where habit works, this is the effect (in the case of habit): wish it were so in the case of us (where we work).” (your teachers)—the superinducing of another habit. Else why do I weary myself in vain, and talk uselessly, if ye are to remain in the same state, if the Church services work no good in you? Nay, you will say, we pray. And what of that? “Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. vii. 21.) Many a time have I determined to hold my peace, seeing no benefit accruing to you from my words; or perhaps there does accrue some, but I, through insatiableness and strong desire, am affected in the same way as those that are mad after riches. For just as they, however much they may get, think they have nothing; so I, because I ardently desire your salvation, until I see you to have made good progress, think nothing done, because of my exceeding eager desire that you should arrive at the very summit. I would that this were the case, and that my eagerness were in fault, not your sloth: but I fear I conjecture but too rightly. For ye must needs be persuaded, that if any benefit had arisen in all this length of time, we ought ere now to have done speaking. In such case, there were no need to you of words, since both in those already spoken there had been enough said for you,676 Mod. text “Having been so sufficiently spoken, that ye are able to correct others, εἴγε ἀπόντων ὠφέλειά τις ὑμῖν προσεγίνετο, since in their absence some benefit accrued to you.” and you would be yourselves able to correct others. But the fact, that there is still a necessity of our discoursing to you, only shows, that matters with you are not in a state of high perfection. Then what would we have to be brought about? for one must not merely find fault. I beseech and entreat you not to think it enough to have invaded677 ὅπως εἰς ᾽Εκκλησίαν ἐμβάλητε, ἀλλ᾽ ὅπως τι καὶ λαβόντες ἀναχωρῆτε. (Above we had the phrase παραβάλλειν τῇ συνάξει.) Here the metaphor is taken from an invading army. So below, p. 188, μη ἐμβάλῃς εἰς αγοράν. the Church, but that ye also withdraw hence, having taken somewhat, some medicine, for the curing of your own maladies: and, if not from us, at any rate from the Scriptures, ye have the remedies suitable for each. For instance, is any passionate? Let him attend to the Scripture-readings, and he will of a surety find such either in history or exhortation. In exhortation, when it is said, “The sway of his fury is his destruction” (Ecclus. i. 22); and, “A passionate man is not seemly” (Prov. xi. 25); and such like: and again, “A man full of words shall not prosper” (Ps. cxl. 11); and Christ again, “He that is angry with his brother without a cause” (Matt. v. 22); and again the Prophet, “Be ye angry, and sin not” (Ps. iv. 4); and, “Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce.” (Gen. xlix. 7.) And in histories, as when thou hearest of Pharaoh filled with much wrath, and the Assyrian. Again, is any one taken captive by love of money? let him hear, that “There is not a more wicked thing than a covetous man: for this man setteth even his own soul for sale” (Ecclus. ix. 9); and how Christ saith, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt. vi. 24); and the Apostle, that “the love of money is a root of all evils” (1 Tim. vi. 10); and the Prophet, “If riches flow in, set not your heart upon them” (Ps. lxii. 10); and many other like sayings. And from the histories thou hearest of Gehazi, Judas, the chief scribes, and that “gifts blind the eyes of the wise.” (Exod. xxiii. 8 and Deut. xvi. 19.) Is another proud? Let him hear that “God resisteth the proud” (James iv. 6); and, “Pride is the beginning of sin” (Ecclus. x. 14) and, “Every one that hath a high heart, is impure before the Lord.” (Prov. xvi. 5.) And in the histories, the devil, and all the rest. In a word, since it is impossible to recount all, let each choose out from the Divine Scriptures the remedies for his own hurts.

So wash out, if not the whole at once, a part at any rate, part today, and part tomorrow, and then the whole. And with regard to repentance too, and confession, and almsgiving, and justice also, and temperance, and all other things, thou wilt find many examples. “For all these things,” says the Apostle, “were written for our admonition.” (1 Cor. x. 11.) If then Scripture in all its discoursing is for our admonition, let us attend to it as we ought. Why do we deceive ourselves in vain? I fear it may be said of us also, that “our days have fallen short in vanity, and our years with haste.” (Ps. lxxvii. 33.) Who from hearing us has given up the theatres? Who has given up his covetousness? Who has become more ready for almsgiving? I would wish to know this, not for the sake of vainglory, but that I may be inspirited to more zeal, seeing the fruit of my labors to be clearly evident. But as things now are, how shall I put my hand to the work, when I see that for all the rain of doctrine pouring down upon you shower after shower, still our crops remain at the same measure, and the plants have waxed none the higher? Anon the time of threshing is at hand (and) He with the fan. I fear me, lest it be all stubble: I fear, lest we be all cast into the furnace. The summer is past, the winter is come: we sit, both young and old, taken captive by our own evil passions. Tell not me, I do not commit fornication: for what art thou the better, if though thou be no fornicator thou art covetous? It matters not to the sparrow caught in the snare that he is not held tight in every part, but only by the foot: he is a lost bird for all that; in the snare he is, and it profits him not that he has his wings free, so long as his foot is held tight. Just so, thou art caught, not by fornication, but by love of money: but caught thou art nevertheless; and the point is, not how thou art caught, but that thou art caught. Let not the young man say, I am no money-lover: well, but perchance thou art a fornicator: and then again what art thou the better? For the fact is, it is not possible for all the passions to set upon us at one and the same time of life: they are divided and marked off, and that, through the mercy of God, that they may not by assailing us all at once become insuperable, and so our wrestling with them be made more difficult. What wretched inertness it shows, not to be able to conquer our passions even when taken one by one, but to be defeated at each several period of our life, and to take credit to ourselves for those which (let us alone) not in consequence of our own hearty endeavors, but merely because, by reason of the time of life, they are dormant? Look at the chariot-drivers, do you not see how exceedingly careful and strict they are with themselves in their training-practice, their labors, their diet, and all the rest, that they may not be thrown down from their chariots, and dragged along (by the reins)?—See what a thing art is. Often even a strong man cannot master a single horse: but a mere boy who has learnt the art shall often take the pair in hand, and with ease lead them and drive them where he will. Nay, in India it is said that a huge monster of an elephant shall yield to a stripling of fifteen, who manages him with the utmost ease. To what purpose have I said all this? To show that, if by dint of study and practice we can throttle into submission (ἄγχομεν) even elephants and wild horses, much more the passions within us. Whence is it that throughout life we continually fail (in every encounter)? We have never practised this art: never in a time of leisure when there is no contest, talked over with ourselves what shall be useful for us. We are never to be seen in our place on the chariot, until the time for the contest is actually come. Hence the ridiculous figure we make there. Have I not often said, Let us practise ourselves upon those of our own family before the time of trial? With our servants (παἵδας) at home we are often exasperated, let us there quell our anger, that in our intercourse with our friends we may come to have it easily under control. And so, in the case of all the other passions, if we practised ourselves beforehand, we should not make a ridiculous figure in the contests themselves. But now we have our implements and our exercises and our trainings for other things, for arts and feats of the palæstra, but for virtue nothing of the sort. The husbandman would not venture to meddle with a vine, unless he had first been practised in the culture of it: nor the pilot to sit by the helm, unless he had first practised himself well at it: but we, in all respects unpractised, wish for the first prizes! It were good to be silent, good to have no communication with any man in act or word, until we were able to charm (κατεπᾴδειν) the wild beast that is within us. The wild beast, I say: for indeed is it not worse than the attack of any wild beast, when wrath and lust make war upon us? Beware of invading the market-place (Μὴ ἐμβάλῃς εἰς ἀγοράν) with these beasts, until thou have got the muzzle well upon their mouths, until thou have tamed and made them tractable. Those who lead about their tame lions in the market-place, do you not see what a gain they make of it, what admiration they get, because in the irrational beast they have succeeded in producing such tameness—but, should the lion suddenly take a savage fit, how he scares all the people out of the market-place, and then both the man that leads him about is himself in danger, and if there be loss of life to others, it is his doing? Well then do thou also first tame thy lion, and so lead him about, not for the purpose of receiving money, but that thou mayest acquire a gain, to which there is none equal. For there is nothing equal to gentleness, which both to those that possess it, and to those who are its objects, is exceeding useful. This then let us follow after, that having kept in the way of virtue, and with all diligence finished our course therein, we may be enabled to attain unto the good things eternal, through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father and the Holy Ghost together be glory, might, honor, now and ever, world without end. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΘʹ. Ἀναστὰς δὲ Παῦλος, καὶ κατασείσας τῇ χειρὶ, εἶπεν: Ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται, καὶ οἱ ἐν ὑμῖν φοβού μενοι τὸν Θεὸν, ἀκούσατε. Ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ λαοῦ τού του ἐξελέξατο τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν, καὶ τὸν λαὸν ὕψωσεν ἐν τῇ παροικίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ μετὰ βραχίονος ὑψηλοῦ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ἐξ αὐτῆς. αʹ. Ὅρα τὸν Βαρνάβαν παραχωροῦντα τῷ Παύλῳ, ὥσπερ καὶ Πέτρῳ Ἰωάννης πανταχοῦ. Αὐτὸς ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ Δαμασκοῦ: καίτοι αὐτοῦ αἰδεσιμώτερος ἦν: ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ κοινῇ συμφέρον ἑώρων. Καὶ ἀναστὰς, φησὶ, καὶ κατασείσας τῇ χειρί. Ἔθος τοῦτο Ἰουδαίοις ἦν: διὸ καὶ αὐτὸς κατὰ τοῦτο αὐτοῖς διαλέγεται. Ὅρα πῶς προοδοποιεῖ τῷ λόγῳ: πρότερον ἐγκωμιάσας αὐτοὺς, καὶ δείξας πολλὴν περὶ αὐτοὺς τὴν κηδεμονίαν διὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν, Οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν Θεὸν, οὕτως ἄρχεται τοῦ λόγου. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, οἱ προσήλυτοι, ὅπερ ἦν συμφορᾶς ὄνομα. Ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ἐξελέξατο τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν λαόν. Ὅρα πῶς καὶ αὐτὸς τὸν κοινὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων Θεὸν αὐτῶν ἰδίως καλεῖ, καὶ δείκνυσιν ἄνωθεν τὰς εὐεργεσίας αὐτοῦ μεγάλας οὔσας, καθάπερ καὶ Στέφανος. Ταῦτα δὲ ποιοῦσιν, ἵνα παιδεύσωσιν αὐτοὺς, ὅτι καὶ νῦν κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ ἔθος τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπέστειλε. Καθάπερ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς εἶπεν ἐν τῷ ἀμπελῶνι, οὕτω καὶ αὐτός φησιν. Ὕψωσεν ἐν τῇ παροικίᾳ ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ μετὰ βραχίονος ὑψηλοῦ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ἐξ αὐτῆς. Καὶ μὴν τοὐναντίον γέγονεν: ἀλλ' εἰς πλῆθος ἐπέδοσαν: ἀλλὰ τὰ θαύματα δι' αὐτοὺς γέγονε. Τούτων καὶ οἱ προφῆται μνημονεύουσιν ἀεὶ τῶν κατ' Αἴγυπτον. Καὶ ὅρα πῶς τοὺς καιροὺς τῶν συμφορῶν παρατρέχει, καὶ οὐδαμοῦ τὰ ἐγκλήματα παράγει εἰς μέσον, ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν, ἐκεῖνα αὐτοῖς ἀφεὶς λογίζεσθαι. Καὶ ὡς τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη χρόνον ἐτροποφόρησεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ. Εἶτα τὴν κατοικίαν λέγει: Καὶ καθελὼν ἔθνη ἑπτὰ ἐν γῇ Χαναὰν, κατεκληρονόμησεν αὐτοῖς τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν. Καὶ ὁ χρόνος πολύς: τετρακόσια γὰρ πεντήκοντα ἔτη: Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ὡς ἔτεσι τετρακοσίοις καὶ πεντήκοντα ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς κριτὰς ἕως Σαμουὴλ τοῦ προφήτου. Ἐνταῦθα ὅτι διαφόρως ᾠκονόμει τὰ κατ' αὐτοὺς ἐδήλωσε. Κἀκεῖθεν ᾐτήσαντο βασιλέα. Καὶ οὐ λέγει τὴν ἀγνωμοσύνην αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ πανταχοῦ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν. Καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὸν Σαοὺλ υἱὸν Κὶς, ἄνδρα ἐκ φυλῆς Βενιαμὶν, ἔτη τεσσαράκοντα: καὶ μεταστήσας αὐτὸν ἤγειρεν αὐτοῖς τὸν Δαυῒδ εἰς βασιλέα: ᾧ καὶ εἶπε μαρτυρήσας: Εὗρον Δαυῒδ τὸν τοῦ Ἰεσσαὶ, ἄνδρα κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν μου, ὃς ποιήσει πάντα τὰ θελήματά μου. Οὐ μικρὸν τοῦτο τὸ ἀπὸ Δαυῒδ εἶναι τὸν Χριστόν. Εἶτα καὶ Ἰωάννην εἰσάγει μαρτυροῦντα, λέγων: Τούτου ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ σπέρματος κατ' ἐπαγγελίαν ἤγειρε τῷ Ἰσραὴλ Σωτῆρα [Ἰησοῦν], προκηρύξαντος Ἰωάννου πρὸ προσώπου τῆς εἰσόδου αὐτοῦ βάπτισμα μετανοίας παντὶ τῷ λαῷ Ἰσραήλ. Ὡς δὲ ἐπλήρου ὁ Ἰωάννης τὸν δρόμον, ἔλεγε: Τίνα με ὑπονοεῖτε εἶναι; οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐγώ: ἀλλ' ἰδοὺ ἔρχεται μετ' ἐμὲ, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς τὸ ὑπόδημα τῶν ποδῶν λῦσαι. Καὶ Ἰωάννης δὲ μαρτυρεῖ οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ τὴν δόξαν ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ ἀποκρουόμενος, καίτοι πάντων ἐπ' αὐτὸν ταύτην ἀγόντων. Οὐκ ἔστι δὲ ἴσον μηδενὸς διδόντος καὶ πολλῶν παρεχόντων ταύτην τὴν τιμὴν διωθεῖσθαι, καὶ μηδὲ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τοσαύτης ὑποστολῆς. Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοὶ, υἱοὶ γένους Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ οἱ ἐν ὑμῖν φοβούμενοι τὸν Θεὸν, ὑμῖν ὁ λόγος τῆς σωτηρίας ταύτης ἐξαπεστάλη. Οἱ γὰρ κατοικοῦντες Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες αὐτῶν τοῦτον ἀγνοήσαντες, καὶ τὰς φωνὰς τῶν προφητῶν τὰς κατὰ πᾶν σάββατον ἀναγινωσκομένας, κρίναντες ἐπλήρωσαν: καὶ μηδεμίαν αἰτίαν θανάτου εὑρόντες ᾐτήσαντο Πιλᾶτον ἀναιρεθῆναι αὐτόν. Πανταχοῦ τοῦτο σπουδάζουσι δεῖξαι οἰκεῖον αὐτῶν ὂν τὸ ἀγαθὸν, ἵνα μὴ ὡς ἀλλοτρίῳ προσέχοντες φεύγωσιν, ἐπειδὴ ἐσταύρωσαν αὐτόν. Τοῦτον, φησὶν, ἀγνοήσαντες: ὥστε ἀγνοίας ἦν τὸ ἁμάρτημα. Ὅρα πῶς καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐκείνων ἀπολογεῖται ἠρέμα. Καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον: ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ οὕτως ἔδει γενέσθαι προστίθησι. Καὶ ἵνα μή τις εἴπῃ. Πόθεν δῆλον, ὅτι ἀνέστη; φησὶ τὸ, Καὶ μάρτυρες αὐτοῦ εἰσιν. Εἶτα πάλιν ἀπὸ τῶν Γραφῶν ἰσχυρίζεται: Ὡς δὲ ἐτέλεσαν πάντα τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ γεγραμμένα, καθελόντες ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, ἔθηκαν εἰς μνημεῖον. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν, ὃς ὤφθη ἐπὶ ἡμέρος πλείους τοῖς συναναβᾶσιν αὐτῷ ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ, οἵτινές εἰσι μάρτυρες αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸν λαόν. Καὶ ἡμεῖς ὑμᾶς εὐαγγελιζόμεθα τὴν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἐπαγγελίαν γεγενημένην, ὅτι ταύτην ὁ Θεὸς ἐκπεπλήρωκε τοῖς τέκνοις αὐτῶν ἡμῖν, ἀναστήσας Ἰησοῦν, καθὼς καὶ ἐν τῷ Ψαλμῷ τῷ δευτέρῳ γέγραπται: Υἱός μου εἶ σὺ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε. Ὅτι δὲ ἀνέστησεν αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν μηκέτι μέλλοντα αὐτὸν εἰς διαφθορὰν ὑποστρέφειν, οὕτως εἴρηκεν, ὅτι Δώσω ὑμῖν τὰ ὅσια Δαυῒδ τὰ πιστά. Διὸ καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ λέγει: Οὐ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν. Δαυῒδ μὲν γὰρ ἰδίᾳ γενεᾷ ὑπηρετήσας τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ βουλῇ ἐκοιμήθῃ, καὶ προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶδε διαφθοράν: ὃν δὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἤγειρεν, οὐκ εἶδε διαφθοράν. Ὅρα τοῦτον σφοδρότερον διαλεγόμενον. Τοῦτο οὐδαμοῦ Πέτρος εἶπεν. Γνωστὸν οὖν ἔστω ὑμῖν, ἄνδρες ἀδελφοὶ, ὅτι διὰ τούτου ἡμῖν ἄφεσις ἁμαρτιῶν ἐπαγγέλλεται, καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων, ὧν οὐκ ἠδυνήθητε ἐν νόμῳ Μωϋσέως δικαιωθῆναι, ἐν τούτῳ πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων δικαιοῦται. Εἶτα καὶ τὸ φοβερόν: Βλέπετε οὖν, μὴ ἐπέλθῃ ἐφ' ὑμᾶς τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν τοῖς προφήταις: Ἴδετε οἱ καταφρονηταὶ, καὶ ἐμβλέψατε, καὶ θαυμάσατε, καὶ ἀφανίσθητε, ὅτι ἔργον ἐγὼ ἐργάζομαι ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ὑμῶν, ὃ οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε, ἐάν τις ἐκδιηγῆται ὑμῖν. βʹ. Ὅρα πῶς πλέκει τὸν λόγον ἀπὸ τῶν παρόντων, ἀπὸ τῶν προφητῶν, ἀπὸ τοῦ σπέρματος τοῦ κατ' ἐπαγγελίαν. Ἀλλ' ἄνωθεν ἴδωμεν τὰ εἰρημένα. Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοὶ, υἱοὶ γένους Ἀβραάμ. Καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοὺς καλεῖ. Ὑμῖν ὁ λόγος τῆς σωτηρίας ταύτης ἐξαπεστάλη. Ἐνταῦθα τὸ, Ὑμῖν, οὐκ Ἰουδαίοις ἀφωρισμένως λέγει, ἀλλὰ δίδωσιν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν ἀποσχισθῆναι τῶν τὸν φόνον τετολμηκότων: καὶ τοῦτο ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐπαγομένου δῆλον. Οἱ γὰρ κατοικοῦντες, φησὶν, Ἱερουσαλὴμ, τοῦτον ἀγνοήσαντες, καὶ τὰς φωνὰς τῶν προφητῶν τὰς κατὰ πάντα σάββατον ἀναγινωσκομένας, κρίναντες ἐπλήρωσαν. Μεγάλη ἡ κατηγορία, εἰ συνεχῶς ἀκούοντες οὐ προσεῖχον. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν θαυμαστόν: τὰ γὰρ εἰρημένα ἐκεῖνα τὰ κατ' Αἴγυπτον καὶ τὴν ἔρημον ἱκανὰ δεῖξαι αὐτῶν τὴν ἀγνωμοσύνην. Καὶ πῶς ἠγνόησαν, φησὶν, Ἰωάννου λέγοντος; Τί θαυμαστὸν, ὅπου γε καὶ τῶν προφητῶν συνεχῶς βοώντων; Εἶτα καὶ ἄλλη κατηγορία, Καὶ μηδεμίαν αἰτίαν θανάτου εὑρόντες: ὅπερ οὐκ ἦν ἀγνοίας. Θῶμεν γὰρ, ὅτι οὐχ ὡς Χριστὸν αὐτὸν εἶχον: τίνος ἕνεκεν καὶ ἀνῄρουν; Καὶ ᾐτήσαντο, φησὶ, Πιλᾶτον ἀναιρεθῆναι αὐτόν. Ὡς δὲ ἐτέλεσαν πάντα τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ γεγραμμένα, καθελόντες αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, ἔθηκαν εἰς μνημεῖον. Ὅρα πῶς αὐτοῖς περισπούδαστον ἦν τοῦτο. Τὸν τρόπον εἶπε τὸν τοῦ θανάτου, καὶ Πιλᾶτον εἰς μέσον φέρει, ἅμα μὲν ἵνα δῆλον τὸ πάθος γένηται ἀπὸ τοῦ κριτηρίου, ἅμα δὲ ἵνα ἐκεῖνοι μειζόνως κατηγορῶνται, ἀνδρὶ παραδόντες ἀλλοφύλῳ. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἐνέτυχον: ἀλλ' Ἠ|τήσαντο, μηδεμίαν αἰτίαν θανάτου εὑρόντες ἀναιρεθῆναι αὐτὸν, ὥστε δηλῶσαι ὅτι χάριν ἔλαβον ἐκείνου μὴ θέλοντος: ὅπερ σαφέστερον ὁ Πέτρος λέγει, Κρίναντος ἐκείνου ἀπολύειν. Πάνυ ἐφίλει αὐτοὺς ὁ Παῦλος. Καὶ ὅρα, οὐκ ἐνδιατρίβει τῇ ἀγνωμοσύνῃ τῶν πατέρων, ἀλλ' αὐτοῖς ἐφίστησι τὸν φόβον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Στέφανος εἰκότως τοῦτο ποιεῖ, ἅτε ἀναιρεῖσθαι μέλλων, καὶ οὐχὶ διδάσκων, καὶ δεικνὺς ὅτι ὁ νόμος ἤδη καταλύεται: οὗτος δὲ οὐκ ἔτι, ἀλλ' ἀπειλεῖ καὶ φοβεῖ μόνον. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ἤγειρεν αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν. Ὃς ὤφθη, φησὶν, ἐπὶ ἡμέρας πλείους τοῖς συναναβᾶσιν αὐτῷ ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἐπὶ Ἱερουσαλήμ. Ὅρα γὰρ τοῦτον ἅτε ἀπ' αὐτοῦ κεκινημένον τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἄνω καὶ κάτω τὸ πάθος καὶ τὸν τάφον κηρύττοντα. Καὶ ἡμεῖς ὑμᾶς εὐαγγελιζόμεθα, φησὶ, τὴν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἐπαγγελίαν γεγενημένην: τουτέστι, τὴν μὲν ἐπαγγελίαν οἱ πατέρες ἐδέξαντο, τὸ δὲ ἔργον ὑμεῖς. Εἶτα μάρτυρα τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐπαγαγὼν ὅτε ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Ἀπὸ τοῦ σπέρματος τούτου κατ' ἐπαγγελίαν ἤγαγε τῷ Ἰσραὴλ Σωτῆρα, προκηρύξαντος Ἰωάννου πρὸ προσώπου τῆς εἰσόδου αὐτοῦ βάπτισμα μετανοίας τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, ἑξῆς ἐπάγει πάλιν αὐτὸν λέγων: Τίνα με ὑπονοεῖτε; οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐγώ. Εἶτα παράγει καὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους μάρτυρας τῆς ἀναστάσεως, λέγων: Οἵτινές εἰσι μάρτυρες αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸν λαόν: εἶτα τὸν Δαυῒδ τοῦτο αὐτὸ μαρτυροῦντα, τῷ λέγειν, Οὐ δώσεις τὸν Ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν. Οὔτε γὰρ τὰ παλαιὰ ἰσχυρὰ καθ' ἑαυτὰ ἐδόκει εἶναι οὕτως, οὔτε ταῦτα ἄνευ ἐκείνων: ὥστε δι' ἑκατέρων πιστοῦται τὸν λόγον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῷ δέει κατείχοντο ὡς ἀνῃρηκότες αὐτὸν, καὶ τὸ συνειδὸς αὐτοὺς ἠλλοτρίου, οὐχ ὡς πρὸς χριστοκτόνους διαλέγονται, οὐδὲ ὡς ἀλλότριον ἀγαθὸν αὐτοῖς ἐγχειρίζοντες, ἀλλὰ τὸ οἰκεῖον. Πάνυ ποθεινὸν ἦν αὐτοῖς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Δαυΐδ: διὸ καὶ τίθησιν αὐτὸ, ἵνα κἂν οὕτως αὐτὸν δέξωνται, ὡσεὶ ἔλεγεν ὑπὸ τοῦ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ βασιλεύεσθαι: οὐκοῦν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ μὴ ἀφηνιάζετε. Τί ἐστι, Δώσω ὑμῖν τὰ ὅσια Δαυῒδ τὰ πιστά; Τὰ βέβαια, φησὶ, τὰ οὐδέποτε ἀπολλύμενα. Καὶ οὐκ ἐγχρονίζει τούτοις, ἅτε τοῦ λόγου λοιπὸν πιστευθέντος: ἀλλ' ἐπιτείνει τὴν κόλασιν, καὶ μετέρχεται τὸ αὐτοῖς ποθεινὸν, δεικνὺς τὸν νόμον ἐκβαλλόμενον, καὶ τῷ συμφέροντι ἐνδιατρίβει, ὅτι τε μεγάλα ἀγαθὰ ὑπακούουσι, καὶ ὅτι μεγάλα κακὰ παρακούουσιν ἔσται. Εἶτα περὶ τοῦ Δαυῒδ πάλιν λέγει, καὶ τοῦτο μετ' ἐγκωμίου. Δαυῒδ μὲν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἰδίᾳ γενεᾷ ὑπηρετήσας τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ βουλῇ, προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ: καθὼς καὶ Πέτρος αὐτοῦ μνημονεύων ἔλεγεν: Ἐξὸν εἰπεῖν μετὰ παῤῥησίας περὶ τοῦ πατριάρχου Δαυΐδ. Καὶ οὐ λέγει, ὅτι ἐτελεύτησεν, ἀλλὰ, Προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ, ὅπερ ἦν εὐφημότερον. Καὶ ὅρα πῶς οὐδαμοῦ κατορθώματα αὐτῶν τίθησιν, ἀλλ' ἅπερ ἔχει κατηγορίαν. Τὸ γὰρ, Ἠ|τήσαντο καὶ ἔλαβον, μεγίστη κατηγορία αὐτῶν. Εἶτα τὰς εὐεργεσίας τοῦ Θεοῦ καταλέγει, Ἐξελέξατο εἰπὼν, Ὕψωσεν, Ἐτροποφόρησε. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐκ ἐκείνων ἐγκώμια, ἀλλὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τὸν δὲ Δαυῒδ ἐγκωμιάζει μόνον, ἐπειδὴ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ὁ Χριστός. Εἴσοδον δὲ ὁ Ἰωάννης καλεῖ λέγων, Πρὸ προσώπου τῆς εἰσόδου αὐτοῦ, τὴν σάρκωσιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὴν μετὰ σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ φανέρωσιν. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Ἰωάννης τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον γράφων, ἐπὶ τοῦτον καταφεύγει συνεχῶς: ὄνομα γὰρ ἦν αὐτῷ πολὺ κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἅπασαν. Καὶ ὅρα: οὐ λέγει αὐτὸ ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐκείνου φέρει μαρτυρίαν. γʹ. Εἶδες πῶς σπουδαίως ἔδειξεν οἰκονομίας τὸ πρᾶγμα ὅν; Ἀλλ' ἀκούσωμεν τί καὶ λέγοντες οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἔπεισαν, ὅτι ἐσταυρώθη. Τί τούτου ἀπιθανώτερον, ὅτι ἐτάφη παρ' αὐτῶν, οἷς ἐπηγγέλλετο σωτηρίαν ἔσεσθαι, ὅτι ὁ ταφεὶς ἀφίησιν ἁμαρτήματα, καὶ τοῦ νόμου μᾶλλον; Διὸ καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ὧν οὐκ ἠβουλήθητε: ἀλλ' Ὧν οὐκ ἠδυνήθητε ἐν τῷ νόμῳ Μωϋσέως δικαιωθῆναι, ἐν τούτῳ πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων δικαιοῦται, τὸ ἀσθενὲς τοῦ νόμου δεικνύς. Καλῶς δὲ προσέθηκε καὶ τὸ, Πᾶς, ἵνα δείξῃ ὅτι ὅστις ἂν ᾖ ὁ πιστεύων. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ὄφελος ἐκείνων, ἐὰν μή τις εὐεργεσία ᾖ. Διὰ τοῦτο ὕστερον τίθησι τὴν ἄφεσιν, ἐντεῦθεν τὸ μεῖζον συνάγων, καὶ δεικνὺς ὅτι, ὃ ἀδυνάτως εἶχεν ὁ νόμος ποιεῖν, τοῦτο ἐργασάμενος διὰ τοῦ θανάτου ὁ παθὼν φαίνεται. Ὥστε καλῶς ἔλεγε: Οἵτινές εἰσι μάρτυρες αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸν λαὸν, τὸν ἀνελόντα φησὶν, οὐκ ἂν ὄντες, εἰ μὴ θείᾳ δυνάμει ἐβεβαιοῦντο: οὐκ ἂν γὰρ πρὸς ἀνθρώπους φονῶντας τοιαῦτα ἐμαρτύρησαν, οὐκ ἂν πρὸς αὐτοὺς τοὺς ἀνελόντας. Τὸ δὲ, Ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε, εἶπεν, ὡς τούτῳ λοιπὸν εἰδὼς ὅτι καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἕπεται. Καὶ διὰ τί μὴ ἐπήγαγε μαρτυρίαν, δι' ἧς ἔμελλον πείθεσθαι, ὅτι ἄφεσις ἁμαρτιῶν δι' αὐτοῦ γίνεται; Ὅτι τὸ σπουδαζόμενον τοῦτο ἦν, δεῖξαι τέως, ὅτι ἀνέστη: τούτου δὲ ὡμολογημένου, ἐκεῖνο ἀναμφισβήτητον ἦν διὰ τούτου, τὸ καὶ ὅτι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ἄφεσις ἁμαρτιῶν γίνεται. Ἄλλως δὲ ἐβούλετο εἰς πόθον αὐτοὺς ἀγαγεῖν τοῦ μεγάλου τούτου. Οὐκ ἄρα ἐγκατάλειψις ἦν ὁ θάνατος αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ προφητείας πλήρωσις. Ἀναμιμνήσκει ἱστοριῶν, ἃς ἀγνοήσαντες μυρία ἔπαθον δεινά. Καὶ τοῦτο αἰνίττεται διὰ τοῦ τέλους λέγων: Ἴδετε οἱ καταφρονηταὶ, καὶ ἐπιβλέψατε. Καὶ ὅρα πῶς αὐτὸ τραχὺ ὃν ὑποτέμνεται. Μὴ ἐπέλθοι, φησὶν, ἐφ' ὑμᾶς τὸ πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους εἰρημένον, ὅτι ἔργον ἐγὼ ἐργάζομαι, ὃ οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε, ἐάν τις ἐκδιηγῆται ὑμῖν. Μὴ θαυμάζετε, ὅτι ἄπιστον δοκεῖ εἶναι: καὶ αὐτὸ προείρηται ἄνωθεν. Τοῦτο καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἰκότως ἂν λεχθείη, Βλέπετε οἱ καταφρονηταὶ, περὶ τῶν τῇ ἀναστάσει διαπιστούντων. Καὶ γὰρ σφόδρα κακῶς τὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας διάκειται, καίτοι γε νομίζετε ἐν εἰρήνῃ εἶναι τὰ πράγματα. Τὸ γὰρ δεινὸν τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅτι ἐν πολλοῖς ὄντες κακοῖς, οὐδ' ὅτι ἐσμὲν ἐν κακοῖς ἴσμεν. Τί λέγεις; τὰς Ἐκκλησίας κατέχομεν, τὰ κτήματα, τὰ ἄλλα πάντα, αἱ συνάξεις γίνονται, καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν πρόσεισιν ὁ λαός: καὶ καταφρονοῦμεν; Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀπὸ τούτου Ἐκκλησίαν ἄν τις δοκιμάσειεν. Ἀλλὰ πόθεν, φησίν; Εἰ εὐλάβειά ἐστιν, εἰ κερδαίνοντες ἀναχωροῦμεν οἴκαδε καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, εἰ καρπούμενοι μέγα τι ἢ μικρὸν, εἰ μὴ νόμον ἁπλῶς πληροῦντες καὶ ἀφοσιούμενοι. Τίς βελτίων γέγονεν ὁλοκλήρῳ μηνὶ συλλεγόμενος: Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ζητούμενον ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο, ὃ δοκεῖ εὐπραγίας εἶναι, τοῦτο δυσπραγία ἐστὶν, ὅταν τούτων γινομένων μηδὲν πλέον γίνηται. Εἴθε μὲν οὖν μηδὲν πλέον: νῦν δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον. Τί καρποῦσθε ἀπὸ τῶν συνάξεων; Καίτοι εἴ γέ τι ὄφελος ὑμῖν ἐγίνετο, πάλαι πάντας ἔδει τὸν τῆς φιλοσοφίας βίον ζῇν, τοσούτων μὲν προφητῶν δεύτερον τῆς ἑβδομάδος ὑμῖν διαλεγομένων, τοσούτων δὲ ἀποστόλων, εὐαγγελιστῶν, πάντων τὰ σωτήρια δόγματα προτιθέντων, καὶ τὰ δυνάμενα ἦθος ῥυθμίσαι μετὰ πολλῆς ἀκριβείας παριστώντων ὑμῖν. Ὁ στρατιώτης ἐπὶ τὸ γυμνάσιον ἰὼν, ἀκριβέστερος γίνεται περὶ τὰ τακτικά: ὁ ἀθλητὴς εἰς παλαίστραν βαδίζων, ἐμπειρότερος γίνεται περὶ τὴν πάλην: ὁ ἰατρὸς πρὸς τὸν διδάσκαλον ἐρχόμενος, ἀκριβέστερος γίνεται, καὶ πλείονα οἶδε, καὶ πλείονα μανθάνει: σὺ τί κεκέρδηκας; οὐ λέγω πρὸς τοὺς ἐνιαυτὸν ἔχοντας, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοὺς ἐκ πρώτης ἡλικίας συναγομένους. Ἢ τοῦτο νομίζετε εὐλάβειαν εἶναι, τὸ συνεχῶς παραβάλλειν τῇ συνάξει; Τοῦτο οὐδέν ἐστιν, ἂν μή τι καρπωσώμεθα: ἂν μή τι συνάγωμεν, βέλτιον οἴκοι μένειν. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ πρόγονοι τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἡμῖν ᾠκοδόμησαν, οὐχ ἵνα ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων οἴκων συναγαγόντες ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις δεικνύωσι: τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἐν ἀγορᾷ καὶ ἐν βαλανείοις καὶ ἐν πομπῇ γένοιτο ἄν: ἀλλ' ἵνα μαθητὰς ὁμοῦ καὶ διδασκάλους συναγαγόντες, βελτίους τούτους δι' ἐκείνων ἐργάσωνται. Νόμος ἁπλῶς καὶ ἀφοσίωσις γέγονε τὰ ἡμέτερα: συνήθεια τὸ πρᾶγμα λοιπόν ἐστιν. Ἦλθε τὸ Πάσχα, πολὺς ὁ θόρυβος, πολλὴ ἡ ταραχή: οὐ γὰρ ἂν εἴποιμι πολλοὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι: τοῦτο γὰρ οὐκ ἀνθρώπων. Ἀπῆλθεν ἡ ἑορτὴ, ὁ μὲν θόρυβος ὑποτέμνεται, ἡσυχία δὲ πάλιν ἄκαρπος. Παννυχίδες πόσαι καὶ ὑμνῳδίαι ἱεραί; Καὶ τί τὸ πλέον; Χεῖρον μὲν οὖν: πολλοὶ καὶ διὰ κενοδοξίαν τοῦτο ἐργάζονται. Πῶς οἴεσθε κόπτομαι τὰ σπλάγχνα, καθάπερ εἰς πίθον τετρημένον πάντα προχωροῦντα ὁρῶν; Ἀλλὰ πάντως ἐρεῖτέ μοι, ὅτε τὰς Γραφὰς ἴσμεν. Καὶ τί τοῦτο; Ἂν διὰ τῶν ἔργων αὐτὰς ἐπιδεικνύητε, τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ κέρδος, αὕτη ἡ ὠφέλεια. Βαφεῖον ἡ ἐκκλησία ἐστίν: ἂν διαπαντὸς ἀπίητε μηδεμίαν δεχόμενοι βαφὴν, τί τὸ ὄφελος τοῦ συνεχῶς ἐνταῦθα ἰέναι; Μείζων μὲν γὰρ ἡ βλάβη. Τίς τοῖς νόμοις προσέθηκεν, οἷς ἀπὸ τῶν πατέρων ἐδέξατο; Οἷόν τι λέγω: ἔθος ὁ δεῖνα ἔχει ποιεῖν τὴν ἀνάμνησιν τῆς μητρὸς, ἢ τῆς γυναικὸς, ἢ τοῦ παιδίου: τοῦτο ποιεῖ κἄν τε ἀκούῃ, κἄν τε μὴ ἀκούῃ παρ' ἡμῶν, ὑπὸ τῆς συνηθείας καὶ τοῦ συνειδότος ἑλκόμενος. Διὰ τοῦτο οὖν ἀγανακτεῖς, φησί; Μὴ γένοιτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάνυ χαίρω: ἐβουλόμην δὲ αὐτόν τι καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμετέρας καρπώσασθαι διαλέξεως, καὶ ὅπερ ἡ συνήθεια ἐποίησε, τοῦτο καὶ ἀφ' ἡμῶν γενέσθαι, καὶ ἑτέραν ἐπεισαχθῆναι συνήθειαν: ἐπεὶ τί κόπτομαι εἰκῆ καὶ ληρῶ, εἰ μέλλοιτε ἐπὶ τῶν αὐτῶν μένειν, εἰ μηδὲν αἱ συνάξεις εἰς ὑμᾶς ἐργάζονται ἀγαθόν; δʹ. Ναὶ, φησὶν, εὐχόμεθα. Καὶ τί τοῦτο, ἂν ᾖ χωρὶς ἔργων; Ἄκουε τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος: Οὐ πᾶς ὁ λέγων μοι, Κύριε, Κύριε, εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἀλλ' ὁ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Πολλάκις ἔγνων ἐγὼ σιγῆσαι, μηδεμίαν ἀπὸ τῶν ἡμετέρων λόγων προσθήκην ὑμῖν ἐγγινομένην ὁρῶν: ἢ τάχα γίνεται μὲν, ἐγὼ δὲ ὑπὸ ἀπληστίας καὶ πολλῆς ἐπιθυμίας ταὐτὸν πάσχω τοῖς περὶ τὰ χρήματα μαινομένοις. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι, ὅσα ἂν περιβάλωνται, οὐδὲν ἡγοῦνται ἔχειν: οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς, ἐπειδὴ σφόδρα τῆς ὑμετέρας ἐφίεμαι σωτηρίας, ἕως ἂν ἴδω προκεκοφότας ὑμᾶς, οὐδὲν ἡγοῦμαι εἰργάσθαι, διὰ τὸ σφόδρα ἐπιθυμεῖν πρὸς αὐτὴν τὴν κορυφὴν ὑμᾶς ἐλθεῖν. Βουλοίμην ἂν τοῦτο εἶναι, καὶ τοῦ ἐμοῦ πάθους εἶναι τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ μὴ τῆς ὑμετέρας ῥᾳθυμίας: δέδοικα δὲ μήποτε καλῶς στοχάζωμαι. Πεπεῖσθαι γὰρ ὀφείλετε, ὅτι εἴ τις ἐγένετο ὠφέλεια ἐν τοσούτῳ χρόνῳ, παύσασθαι λοιπὸν ἡμᾶς λέγοντας ἔδει. Οὕτως οὐκ ἔδει ῥημάτων ὑμῖν, τῶν ἤδη λεχθέντων οὕτως ἱκανῶς εἰρημένων, ὡς καὶ ἄλλους δύνασθαι ῥυθμίζειν, εἴ γε ἀπόντων ὠφέλειά τις ὑμῖν προσεγίνετο. Τὸ δὲ ἀνάγκην ἡμᾶς ἔχειν συνεχοῦς διαλέξεως, οὐδενὸς ἄλλου τεκμήριόν ἐστιν, ἢ τοῦ τὰ ὑμέτερα μὴ σφόδρα διακεῖσθαι ἀκριβῶς. Τί οὖν ἂν γένοιτο; οὐ γὰρ ἐγκαλεῖν δεῖ μόνον. Παρακαλῶ καὶ δέομαι μὴ τοῦτο μόνον ὁρᾷν, ὅπως εἰς ἐκκλησίαν ἐμβάλλητε, ἀλλ' ὅπως τι καὶ λαβόντες οἴκαδε ἀναχωρῆτε τῶν οἰκείων φάρμακον παθῶν, κἂν μὴ παρ' ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τῶν Γραφῶν ἔχητε τὰ κατάλληλα φάρμακα. Οἷον, ἔστι τις θυμικός; Προσεχέτω ταῖς τῶν Γραφῶν ἀναγνώσεσι, καὶ πάντως εὑρήσει ἢ ἐν ἱστορίᾳ ἢ παραινέσει: ἐν παραινέσει μὲν, ὅταν λέγηται, Ἡ ῥοπὴ τοῦ θυμοῦ αὐτοῦ πτῶσις αὐτῷ: καὶ, Ἀνὴρ θυμώδης οὐκ εὐσχήμων, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα: καὶ πάλιν, Ἀνὴρ γλωσσώδης οὐ κατευθυνθήσεται: καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς πάλιν, Ὁ ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ εἰκῆ: καὶ πάλιν ὁ προφήτης, Ὀργίζεσθε, καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε: καὶ, Ἐπικατάρατος ὁ θυμὸς αὐτῶν, ὅτι αὐθάδης. Ἐν δὲ ἱστορίαις, οἷον ὅταν ἀκούῃς τὸν Φαραὼ πολλῆς ἐμπεπλησμένον ὀργῆς, καὶ τὸν Ἀσσύριον, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀπολλυμένους. Πάλιν ἔστι τις ἡττώμενος χρημάτων; ἀκουέτω, ὅτι Φιλαργύρου οὐδὲν ἀνομώτερον: οὗτος γὰρ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἔκπρακτον ποιεῖ: καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος, Οὐ δύνασθε Θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ: καὶ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου, Ὅτι ῥίζα πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστιν ἡ φιλαργυρία: καὶ τοῦ προφήτου, Πλοῦτος ἐὰν ῥέῃ, μὴ προστίθεσθε καρδίαν, καὶ πολλὰ ἕτερα τοιαῦτα. Καὶ ἀπὸ ἱστοριῶν τὸν Γιεζῆ, τὸν Ἰούδαν, τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῶν Γραμματέων, καὶ ὅτι Δῶρα ἐκτυφλοῖ ὀφθαλμοὺς σοφῶν. Ἄλλος ἐστὶν ὑπερήφανος; Ἀκουέτω, ὅτι Ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται ὁ Θεός: καὶ, Ἀρχὴ ὑπερηφανίας ἁμαρτία: καὶ, Πᾶς ὑψηλοκάρδιος ἀκάθαρτος παρὰ Κυρίῳ. Καὶ ἐν ἱστορίαις τὸν διάβολον, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας. Καὶ ὅλως (οὐ γὰρ ἔνι πάντα καταλέγειν) ἕκαστος τῶν οἰκείων τραυμάτων τὰ φάρμακα ἀπὸ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν ἐκλεγέτω: κἂν μὴ τὸ ὅλον, μέρος γοῦν τήμερον, καὶ μέρος αὔριον, εἶτα τὸ ὅλον ἀπονίψασθε. Καὶ περὶ μετανοίας δὲ, καὶ περὶ ἐξομολογήσεως, καὶ περὶ ἐλεημοσύνης, καὶ περὶ ἐπιεικείας, καὶ περὶ σωφροσύνης, καὶ περὶ πάντων εὑρήσει πολλὰ παραδείγματα. Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα ἐγράφη πρὸς νουθεσίαν ἡμῶν, φησίν. Εἰ τοίνυν πρὸς νουθεσίαν ἡμῶν περὶ πάντων διαλέγεται, προσέχωμεν ὡς δεῖ προσέχειν. Τί μάτην ἑαυτοὺς ἀπατῶμεν; Φοβοῦμαι, μὴ καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν εἴπῃ τις, ὅτι Ἐξέλιπον ἐν ματαιότητι αἱ ἡμέραι ἡμῶν, καὶ τὰ ἔτη ἡμῶν μετὰ σπουδῆς. Τίς ἀκούων ἡμῶν ἀπέστη θεάτρων; τίς ἀπέστη πλεονεξίας; τίς προθυμότερος γέγονε περὶ ἐλεημοσύνην; Ἐβουλόμην μαθεῖν, οὐχὶ κενοδοξίας ἕνεκεν, ἀλλ' ὥστε γενέσθαι προθυμότερος, λαμπρὸν ὄντα τὸν καρπὸν τῶν πόνων ὁρῶν. Νῦν δὲ πῶς ἅψομαι τῆς ἐργασίας, τοσούτους μὲν ὑετοὺς ὁρῶν καταφερομένους τῆς διδασκαλίας, τὰ δὲ λήϊα ἡμῖν ἐπὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μέτρου μένοντα, καὶ οὐδὲν ὑψηλότερον τὰ γεννήματα γενόμενα; Λοιπὸν ὁ τῆς ἅλω καιρὸς ἐφέστηκεν, ὁ τὸ πτύον ἔχων. Δέδοικα, μὴ τὸ πᾶν χόρτος ᾖ: δέδοικα, μὴ πρὸς τὴν κάμινον ἀπενεχθῶμεν ἅπαντες. Παρῆλθε θέρος, ἦλθε χειμών: καθήμεθα καὶ νέοι καὶ γέροντες τοῖς οἰκείοις ἁλισκόμενοι πάθεσι. Μή μοι εἴπῃς, ὅτι Οὐ πορνεύω. Τί γὰρ ὄφελος, ἂν μὴ πορνεύῃς μὲν, φιλοχρήματος δὲ ᾖς; Ὁ στρουθὸς κἂν μὴ ἐκ παντὸς μέρους, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τοῦ ποδὸς κατέχηται μόνον, καὶ οὕτως ἀπόλωλε, καὶ ἐν τῇ παγίδι ἕστηκε, καὶ τῶν πτερῶν ὄφελος οὐδὲν, τοῦ ποδὸς κατεχομένου. Οὕτω καὶ σὺ, οὐχ ἑάλως διὰ πορνείας, ἀλλ' ἑάλως διὰ φιλαργυρίας: ἑάλως μέντοι: τὸ δὲ ζητούμενον, οὐ πῶς ἑάλως, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἑάλως. Μὴ λεγέτω ὁ νέος, ὅτι Οὐκ εἰμὶ φιλοχρήματος: ἀλλ' ἴσως πορνεύεις. Καὶ τί τὸ ὄφελος πάλιν; οὐδὲ γὰρ δυνατὸν πάντα τὰ πάθη κατὰ μίαν ἡμῖν ἡλικίαν ἐπιστῆναι, ἀλλὰ διώρισται, καὶ τοῦτο διὰ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν, ὥστε μὴ ἀθρόως ἐπιτεθέντα ἀχείρωτα γενέσθαι, καὶ χαλεπωτέραν ἡμῖν τὴν πρὸς αὐτὰ πάλην καταστῆναι. Πόσης οὐκ ἂν εἴη νωθείας, μηδὲ διῃρημένων δύνασθαι κρατεῖν τῶν παθῶν, ἀλλὰ καθ' ἕκαστον ἡττᾶσθαι καιρὸν, καὶ μέγα φρονεῖν ἐπὶ τούτοις τοῖς οὐκ ἐκ τῆς ἡμετέρας σπουδῆς, ἀλλ' ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς ἡλικίας κοιμιζομένοις; Οὐχ ὁρᾶτε τοὺς ἡνιόχους, πόσῃ ἀκριβείᾳ καὶ γυμνασίᾳ καὶ πόνοις κέχρηνται, καὶ σιτίοις, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασιν, ὥστε μὴ καταβληθέντας ἀπὸ τῶν ἁρμάτων σύρεσθαι; Ὅρα ὅσον ἐστὶ τέχνη. Ἀνὴρ μὲν γὰρ ἀνδρεῖος οὐκ ἂν ἑνὸς ἵππου πολλάκις περιγένοιτο: μειρακίσκος δὲ τῇ τέχνῃ πολλάκις τοὺς δύο ἀναδεξάμενος, ἄγει εὐκόλως καὶ φέρει. Καὶ ἐν Ἰνδοῖς δὲ τὸ μέγα θηρίον καὶ φοβερὸν τῶν ἐλεφάντων λέγεται καὶ δεκαπενταέτει παιδὶ γεγονότι μετὰ πολλῆς εἴκειν τῆς προθυμίας. Τί δὴ ταῦτά μοι εἴρηται; Ὅτι εἰ ἐλέφαντας καὶ ἵππους ἀγρίους ἄγχομεν σπουδάζοντες, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὰ πάθη τὰ ἐν ἡμῖν. Πόθεν ἐκλυόμεθα διαπαντὸς τοῦ βίου; Οὐδέποτε τὴν τέχνην ἐμελετήσαμεν ταύτην: οὐδέποτε ἐν καιρῷ σχολῆς οὐκ ὄντος τοῦ ἀγῶνος διελέχθημεν πρὸς ἑαυτούς τι τῶν χρησίμων. Τότε ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τοῦ ἅρματος ἑστῶτας ἴδοι τις ἂν, ὅτε ὁ ἀγὼν παραγένηται. Διά τοι τοῦτο καταγέλαστοί ἐσμεν. Οὐκ εἶπον πολλάκις, γυμναζώμεθα πρὸς τοὺς οἰκείους πρὸ τοῦ πειρασμοῦ; Πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας πολλάκις παροξυνόμεθα: κατέχωμεν ἐκεῖ τὸν θυμὸν, ἵνα εὐκόλως αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τῶν φίλων κεχρημένοι φαινώμεθα. Καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων εἰ ἐγυμναζόμεθα, οὐκ ἂν ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσιν ἦμεν καταγέλαστοι. Νῦν δὲ ὅπλα μὲν τῶν ἄλλων καὶ γυμνάσια καὶ μελέται εἰσὶ, καὶ τεχνῶν καὶ παλαισμάτων: ἀρετῆς δὲ οὐδαμοῦ. Οὐκ ἂν τολμήσειεν ὁ γεωργὸς ἀμπέλου ἅψασθαι, μὴ πρότερον καλῶς γυμνασθεὶς τὰ γεωργικά: οὐδὲ ὁ κυβερνήτης ἐπὶ τῶν οἰάκων καθίσαι, μὴ πρότερον ἐγγυμνασάμενος καλῶς: ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀμελέτητοι πάντῃ τυγχάνοντες, τὰ πρωτεῖα ἔχειν βουλόμεθα. Ἐχρῆν σιγᾷν, ἐχρῆν μηδενὶ κοινωνεῖν πραγμάτων μηδὲ ῥημάτων, ἕως ἂν ἠδυνήθημεν τὸ θηρίον ἡμερῶσαι τὸ ἐν ἡμῖν. Ἢ οὐχὶ θηρίου παντὸς χαλεπώτερον ἐπιστρατεύεται ἡμῖν καὶ θυμὸς καὶ ἐπιθυμία; Μὴ ἐμβάλῃς εἰς ἀγορὰν μετὰ τούτων τῶν θηρίων, ἕως ἂν αὐτοῖς περιθῇς καλῶς τὸν χαλινὸν, ἕως ἂν αὐτὰ τιθασσεύσῃς, καὶ χειροήθη κατασκευάσῃς. Οὐχ ὁρᾷς τούτους τοὺς περιάγοντας τοὺς ἡμέρους λέοντας ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς, πῶς καὶ κερδαίνουσι καὶ θαυμάζονται, ὅτι ἐν τῷ ἀλόγῳ θηρίῳ τοιαύτην ἡμερότητα κατώρθωσαν; ἂν δὲ ἐξαίφνης ἀγριωθῇ ἐκεῖνος, πάντας σοβεῖ τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς, καὶ ἐκινδύνευσε λοιπὸν ὁ περιάγων αὐτὸν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τῆς τῶν ἄλλων ἀπωλείας γέγονεν αἴτιος. Καὶ σὺ τοίνυν τὸν λέοντα πρότερον ἡμέρωσον, καὶ τότε περίαγε, οὐχ ὥστε ἀργύριον λαβεῖν, ἀλλ' ὥστε κερδάναι κέρδος, οὗ μηδέν ἐστιν ἴσον. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἴσον ἐπιεικείας, ἣ καὶ τοῖς κεκτημένοις, καὶ τοῖς χρωμένοις σφόδρα ἐστὶ χρησίμη. Ταύτην οὖν διώκωμεν, ἵνα δυνηθῶμεν τῆς ἀρετῆς τὴν ὁδὸν μετὰ ἀκριβείας διανύσαντες, τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.