54.  What of the laboriousness of his teaching?  The manifold character of his ministry?  His loving kindness?  And on the other hand his strictness?  And the combination and blending of the two; in such wise that his gentleness should not enervate, nor his severity exasperate?  He gives laws for slaves and masters,130    Eph. vi. 5, 9. rulers and ruled,131    Rom. xiii. 1–3. husbands and wives,132    Eph. v. 25, 22. parents and children,133    Eph. vi. 1–4. marriage and celibacy,134    1 Cor. vii. 3, 8, 25, 31. self-discipline and indulgence,135    Rom. xiv. 3, 6. wisdom and ignorance,136    1 Cor. i. 27; iii. 18. circumcision and uncircumcision,137    Rom. ii. 25, 29. Christ and the world, the flesh and the spirit.138    Gal. v. 16.  On behalf of some he gives thanks, others he upbraids.  Some he names his joy and crown,139    Phil. iv. 1. others he charges with folly.140    Gal. iii. 1.  Some who hold a straight course he accompanies, sharing in their zeal; others he checks, who are going wrong.  At one time he excommunicates,141    1 Cor. v. 5. at another he confirms his love;142    2 Cor. ii. 8. at one time he grieves, at another rejoices; at one time he feeds with milk, at another he handles mysteries;143    1 Cor. ii. 7; iii. 2. at one time he condescends, at another he raises to his own level; at one time he threatens a rod,144    Ib. iv. 21. at another he offers the spirit of meekness; at one time he is haughty toward the lofty, at another lowly toward the lowly.  Now he is least of the apostles,145    Ib. xv. 9. now he offers a proof of Christ speaking in him;146    2 Cor. xiii. 3. now he longs for departure and is being poured forth as a libation,147    Phil. i. 23; ii. 17. now he thinks it more necessary for their sakes to abide in the flesh.  For he seeks not his own interests, but those of his children,148    1 Cor. x. 33. whom he has begotten in Christ by the gospel.149    Ib. iv. 15.  This is the aim of all his spiritual authority, in everything to neglect his own in comparison with the advantage of others.

ΝΔʹ. Τὸ δὲ τῆς διδασκαλίας φιλόπονον; τὸ δὲ ποικίλον τῆς θεραπείας; ἡ φιλανθρωπία δέ; τὸ δὲ αὐστηρὸν πάλιν; ἡ δὲ ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων μίξις καὶ κρᾶσις; ὡς μήτε τῇ χρηστότητι μαλακίζειν, μήτε τραχύνειν τῇ χαλεπότητι. Νομοθετεῖ δούλοις καὶ δεσπόταις, ἄρχουσι καὶ ἀρχομένοις, ἀνδράσι καὶ γυναιξὶ, γονεῦσι καὶ τέκνοις, γάμῳ καὶ ἀγαμίᾳ, ἐγκρατείᾳ καὶ τρυφῇ, σοφίᾳ καὶ ἀμαθείᾳ, περιτομῇ καὶ ἀκροβυστίᾳ, Χριστῷ καὶ κόσμῳ, σαρκὶ καὶ πνεύματι. Ὑπὲρ μὲν τῶν εὐχαριστεῖ, τῶν δὲ καθάπτεται. Τοὺς μὲν χαρὰν καὶ στέφανον ὀνομάζει, τοῖς δὲ ἄνοιαν ἐγκαλεῖ: τοῖς μὲν συνοδεύει καὶ συμπροθυμεῖται ὀρθοτομοῦσι, τοὺς δὲ ἀνακόπτει κακῶς ὁδεύοντας. Νῦν ἀφορίζει, νῦν ἀγάπην κυροῖ: νῦν θρηνεῖ: νῦν εὐφραίνεται: νῦν γάλα ποτίζει, νῦν μυστηρίων ἅπτεται: νῦν συγκατέρχεται, νῦν ἑαυτῷ συνυψοῖ: νῦν ῥάβδον ἀπειλεῖ, νῦν προτείνεται πνεῦμα πραότητος: νῦν ἐπαίρεται τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς, νῦν ταπεινοῦται τοῖς ταπεινοῖς: ἄρτι τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐστὶν ἐλάχιστος, ἄρτι δοκιμὴν ὑπισχνεῖται τοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ λαλοῦντος Χριστοῦ: ἄρτι τὴν ἐκδημίαν ποθεῖ καὶ σπένδεται: ἄρτι παραμεῖναι τῇ σαρκὶ δι' αὐτοὺς ἀναγκαιότερον δοκιμάζει: οὐ γὰρ ζητεῖ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ, ζητεῖ δὲ τὸ τῶν τέκνων, οὓς ἐν Χριστῷ διὰ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἐγέννησεν. Οὗτος ὅρος πάσης πνευματικῆς προστασίας, πανταχοῦ τὸ καθ' ἑαυτὸν παρορᾷν πρὸς τὸ τῶν ἄλλων συμφέρον.