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"Oh! that my head were water, and mine eyes a fountain of tears!"
it is seasonable for me to utter these words now, yea much more than
for the prophet in his time. For although I am not about to mourn
over many cities, or whole nations, yet shall I mourn over a soul
which is of equal value with many such nations, yea even more
precious. For if one man who does the will of God is better than ten
thousand transgressors, then thou wast formerly better than ten
thousand Jews. Wherefore no one would now blame me if I were to
compose more lamentations than those which are contained in the
prophet, and to utter complaints yet more vehement. For it is not the
overthrow of a city which I mourn, nor the captivity of wicked then,
but the desolation of a sacred soul, the destruction and effacement of
a Christ-bearing temple. For would not any one who knew in the days
of its glory that well-ordered mind of thine which the devil has now
set on fire, groan, imitating the lamentation of the prophet; when he
hears that barbarian hands have defiled the holy of holies, and have
set fire to all things and burned them up, the cherubim, the ark, the
mercy seat, the tables of stone, the golden pot? For this calamity
is bitterer, yea bitterer than that, in proportion as the pledges
deposited in thy soul were far more precious than those. This temple
is holier than that; for it glistened not with gold and silver, but
with the grace of the Spirit, and in place of the ark and the
cherubim, it had Christ, and His Father, and the Paraclete seated
within. But now all is changed, and the temple is desolate, and bare
of its former beauty and comeliness, unadorned with its divine and
unspeakable adornments, destitute of all security and protection; it
has neither door nor bolt, and is laid open to all manner of
soul-destroying and shameful thoughts; and if the thought of arrogance
or fornication, or avarice, or any more accursed than these, wish to
enter in there is no one to hinder them; whereas formerly, even as the
Heaven is inaccessible to all these, so also was the purity of thy
soul. Now perhaps I shall seem to say what is incredible to some who
now witness thy desolation and overthrow; for on this account I wail
and mourn, and shall not cease doing so, until I see thee again
established in thy former lustre. For although this seems to be
impossible to men, yet to God all things are possible. For it is He
"who raiseth the poor from the earth, and lifteth up the beggar from
the dunghill, to set him with the princes, even with the princes of
his people." It is He "who makes the barren woman to dwell at
home, a mother rejoicing over her children." Do not then despair of
the most perfect change. For if the devil had such great power as to
cast thee down from that pinnacle and height of virtue into the
extremity of evil doing, much more will God be able to draw thee up
again to thy former confidence; and not only indeed to make you what
you were before, but even much happier. Only be not downcast, nor
fling away good hopes, nor fall into the condition of the ungodly.
For it is not the multitude of sins which is wont to plunge men into
despair, but impiety of soul. Therefore Solomon did not make the
unqualified statement "every one who has entered into the den of the
wicked, despiseth;" but only "he who is ungodly." For it is such
persons only who are affected in this way when they have entered the den
of the wicked. And this it is which does not suffer them to look up,
and re-ascend to the position from which they fell. For this accursed
thought pressing down like some yoke upon the neck of the soul, and so
forcing it to stoop, hinders it from looking up to the Master. Now
it is the part of a brave and excellent man to break this yoke in
pieces, to shake off the tormentor fastened upon him; and to utter the
words of the prophet, "As the eyes of a maiden look unto the hands of
her mistress, even so our eyes look unto the Lord our God until He
have mercy upon us. Have pity upon us, O Lord, have pity upon us,
for we have been utterly filled with contempt." Truly divine are
these precepts, and decrees of the highest form of spiritual wisdom.
We have been filled, it is said, with contempt, and have undergone
countless distresses; nevertheless we shall not desist from looking up
to God, neither shall we cease praying to him until He has received
our petition. For this is the mark of a noble soul, not to be cast
down, nor be dismayed at the multitude of the calamities which oppress
it, nor to withdraw, after praying many times without success, but to
persevere, until He have mercy upon us, even as the blessed David
saith.
2. For the reason why the devil plunges us into thoughts of despair
is that he may cut off the hope which is towards God, the safe
anchor, the foundation of our life, the guide of the way which leads
to heaven, the salvation of perishing souls. "For by hope" it is
said, "we are saved." For this assuredly it is which, like some
strong cord suspended from the heavens, supports our souls, gradually
drawing towards that world on high those who cling firmly to it, and
lifting them above the tempest of the evils of this life. If any one
then becomes enervated, and lets go this sacred anchor, straightway he
falls down, and is suffocated, having entered into the abyss of
wickedness. And the Evil One knowing this, when he perceives that
we are ourselves oppressed by the consciousness of evil deeds, steps in
himself and lays upon us the additional burden, heavier than lead, of
anxiety arising from despair; and if we accept it, it follows of
necessity that we are forthwith dragged down by the weight, and having
been parted from that cord, descend into the depth of misery where thou
thyself art now, having forsaken the commandments of the meek and lowly
Master and executing all the injunctions of the cruel tyrant, and
implacable enemy of our salvation; having broken in pieces the easy
yoke, and cast away the light burden, and having put on the iron
collar instead of these things, yea, having hung the ponderous
millstone from thy neck. Where then canst thou find a footing
henceforth when thou art submerging thy unhappy soul, imposing on
thyself this necessity of continually sinking downwards? Now the woman
who had found the one coin called her neighbors to share her joy;
saying, "Rejoice with me;" but I shall now invoke all friends,
both mine and thine, for the contrary purpose, saying not "Rejoice
with me" but "Mourn with me," and take up the same strain of
mourning, and utter the same cry of distress with me. For the worst
possible loss has befallen me, not that some given number of talents of
gold, or some large quantity of precious stones have dropped out of my
hand, but that he who was more precious than all these things, who was
sailing over this same sea, this great and broad sea with me, has, I
know not how, slipped overboard, and fallen into the very pit of
destruction.
3. Now if any should attempt to divert me from mourning, I shall
reply to them in the words of the prophet, saying "Let me alone, I
will weep bitterly; labour not to comfort me." For the mourning with
which I mourn now is not of a kind to subject me to condemnation for
excess in lamentation, but the cause is one for which even Paul, or
Peter, had they been here, would not have been ashamed to weep and
mourn, and reject all kinds of consolation. For those who bewail that
death which is common to all one might reasonably accuse of much
feebleness of spirit; but when in place of a corpse a dead soul lies
before us, pierced with innumerable wounds, and yet even in its death
manifesting its former natural comeliness, and health, and beauty now
extinguished, who can be so harsh and unsympathetic as to utter words
of encouragement in place of wailing and lamentation? For as in the
other world the absence of mourning is a mark of divine wisdom, so in
this world the act of mourning is a mark of the same. He who had
already mounted to the sky, who was laughing to scorn the vanity of
this life, who regarded bodily beauty no more than if it had been in
forms of stone, who despised gold as it had been mud, and every kind
of luxury as mire, even he, having been suddenly overwhelmed with the
feverish longing of a preposterous passion, has ruined his health, and
manly strength, and the bloom of his youth, and become a slave of
pleasure. Shall we not weep then, I pray you, for such a man and
bewail him, until we have got him back again? And where do these
things concern the human soul? It is not possible indeed to discover
in this world the means of release from the death of the body, and yet
even this does not stay the mourners from lamenting; but only in this
world is it possible to bring to naught the death of the soul. "For
in Hades" we read, "who will confess thee?" Is it not then the
height of stupidity that they who mourn the death of the body should do
this so earnestly, although they know that they will not raise the dead
man to life by their lamentation; but that we should not manifest
anything of the kind, and this when we know that often there is hope of
conducting the lost soul back to its former life? For many both now
and in the days of our forefathers, having been perverted from the
right position, and fallen headlong out of the straight path, have
been so completely restored as to eclipse their former deeds by the
latter, and to receive the prize, and be wreathed with the garland of
victory, and be proclaimed among the conquerors, and be numbered in
the company of the saints. For as long as any one stands in the
furnace of pleasures, even if he has countless examples of this kind
before him, the thing seems to him to be impossible; but if he once
gets a short start upon the way out from thence, by continually
advancing he leaves the fiercer part of the fire behind him and will see
the parts which are in front of him, and before his footsteps full of
dew and much refreshment; only let us not despair or grow weary of the
return; for he who is so affected, even if he has acquired boundless
power and zeal, has acquired it to no purpose. For when he has once
shut the door of repentance against himself, and has blocked the
entrance into the race-course, how will he be able while he abides
outside to accomplish any good thing, either small or great? On this
account the Evil One uses all kinds of devices in order to plant in us
this thought (of despair); for (if he succeeds) he will no longer
have to sweat and toil in contending with us; how should he, when we
are prostrate and fallen, and unwilling to resist him? For he who has
been able to slip out of this chain, will recover his own strength and
will not cease struggling against the devil to his last gasp, and even
if he had countless other falls, he will get up again, and will smite
his enemy; but he who is in, bondage to the cogitations of despair,
and has unstrung his own strength, how will he be able to prevail, and
to resist, having on the contrary taken to flight?
4. And speak not to me of those who have committed small sins, but
suppose the case of one who is filled full of all wickedness, and let
him practice everything which excludes him from the kingdom, and let us
suppose that this man is not one of those who were unbelievers from the
beginning, but formerly belonged to the believers, and such as were
well pleasing to God, but afterwards has become a fornicator,
adulterer, effeminate, a thief, a drunkard, a sodomite, a reviler,
and everything else of this kind; I will not approve even of this man
despairing of himself, although he may have gone on to extreme old age
in the practice of this great and unspeakable wickedness. For if the
wrath of God were a passion, one might well despair as being unable to
quench the flame which he had kindled by so many evil doings; but since
the Divine nature is passionless, even if He punishes, even if He
takes vengeance, he does this not with wrath, but with tender care,
and much loving-kindness; wherefore it behoves us to be of much good
courage, and to trust in the power of repentance. For even those who
have sinned against Him He is not wont to visit with punishment for
His own sake; for no harm can traverse that divine nature; but He
acts with a view to our advantage, and to prevent our perverseness
becoming worse by our making a practice of despising and neglecting
Him. For even as one who places himself outside the light inflicts no
loss on the light, but the greatest upon himself being shut up in
darkness; even so he who has become accustomed to despise that almighty
power, does no injury to the power, but inflicts the greatest possible
injury upon himself. And for this reason God threatens us with
punishments, and often inflicts them, not as avenging Himself, but
by way of attracting us to Himself. For a physician also is not
distressed or vexed at the insults of those who are out of their minds,
but yet does and contrives everything for the purpose of stopping those
who do such unseemly acts, not looking to his own interests but to
their profit; and if they manifest some small degree of self-control
and sobriety he rejoices and is glad, and applies his remedies much
more earnestly, not as revenging himself upon them for their former
conduct, but as wishing to increase their advantage, and to bring them
back to a purely sound state of health. Even so God when we fall into
the very extremity of madness, says and does everything, not by way of
avenging Himself on account of our former deeds; but because He
wishes to release us from our disorder; and by means of right reason it
is quite possible to be convinced of this.
5. Now if any one should dispute with us concerning these things we
will confirm them out of the divine oracles. For who, I ask, became
more depraved than the king of the Babylonians, who after having
received such great experience of God's power as to make obeisance to
His prophet, and command offerings and incense to be sacrificed to
Him was again carried away to his former pride, and cast bound into
the furnace those who did not honour himself before God. Nevertheless
this man who was so cruel and impious, and rather a beast than a human
being, God invited to repentance, and granted him several
opportunities of conversion, first of all the miracle which took place
in the furnace, and after that the vision which the king saw but which
Daniel interpreted, a vision sufficient to bend even a heart of
stone; and in addition to these things after the exhortation derived
from events the prophet also himself advised him, saying "Therefore,
O king, let my counsel please thee, and redeem thy sins by alms, and
thy iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; it may be that long
suffering will be shown to thy offence." What sayest thou O wise and
blessed man? After so great a fall is there again a way of return?
and after so great a disease is health possible? and after so great a
madness is there again a hope of soundness of mind? The king has
deprived himself beforehand of all hope, first of all by having ignored
Him who created him; and conducted him to this honour, although he
had many evidences of His power and forethought to recount which
occurred both in his own case and in the case of his forefathers; but
after this again when he had received distinct tokens of God's wisdom
and foreknowledge, and had seen magic, and astronomy and the theatre
of the whole satanic system of jugglery overthrown, he exhibited deeds
yet worse than the former. For things which the wise magi, the
Gazarenes, could not explain, but confessed that they were beyond
human nature, these a captive youth having caused to be solved for
him, so moved him by that miracle that he not only himself believed,
but also became to the whole world a clear herald and teacher of this
doctrine. Wherefore if even before having received such a token it was
unpardonable in him to ignore God, much more so was it after that
miracle, and his confession, and the teaching which was extended to
others. For if he had not honestly believed that He was the only true
God he would not have shown such honour to His servant, or have laid
down such laws for others. But yet after making this kind of
confession, he again lapsed into idolatry, and he who once fell on his
face and made obeisance to the servant of God, broke out into such a
pitch of madness, as to cast into the furnace the servants of God who
did not make obeisance to himself. What then? did God visit the
apostate, as he deserved to be visited? No! He supplied him with
greater tokens of His own power, drawing him back again after so great
a display of arrogance to his former condition; and, what is yet more
wonderful, that owing to the abundance of the miracles he might not
again disbelieve what was done, the subject upon which He wrought the
sign was none other than the furnace which the king himself kindled for
the children whom he bound and cast therein. Even to extinguish the
flame would have been a wonderful and strange thing; but the benign
Deity in order to inspire him with greater fear, and increase his
dismay, and undo all his hardness of heart, did what was greater and
stranger than this. For, permitting the furnace to be kindled to as
high a pitch as he desired, He then exhibited his own peculiar power,
not by putting down the devices of his enemies, but by frustrating them
when they were set on foot. And, to prevent any one who saw them
survive the flame from supposing that it was a vision, He suffered
those who cast them in to be burned, thus proving that the thing seen
was really fire; for otherwise it would not have devoured naphtha and
tow, and fagots and such a large number of bodies; but nothing is
stronger than His command; but the nature of all existing things obeys
Him who brought them into being out of nothing; which was just what
He manifested at that time; for the flame having received perishable
bodies, held aloof from them as if they had been imperishable, and
restored in safety, with the addition of much lustre, the deposit
entrusted to it. For like kings from some royal court, even so did
those children come forth from the furnace, no one having the patience
to look any longer at the king, but all transferring their eyes from
him to the strange spectacle, and neither the diadem nor the purple
robe, nor any other feature of royal pomp, attracted the multitudes of
unbelievers so much as the sight of those faithful ones, who tarried
long in the fire, and then came out of it as men might have done who
had undergone this in a dream. For the most fragile of all our
features, I mean the hair, prevailed more mightily than adamant
against the all-devouring flame. And the fact that when they were
cast into the midst of the fire they suffered no harm was not the only
wonder, but the further fact that they were speaking the whole time.
Now all who have witnessed persons burning are aware, that if they
keep their lips fast closed, they can hold out for a short time at
least against the conflagration; but if any one chances to open his
mouth, the soul instantly takes its flight from the body.
Nevertheless after such great miracles had taken place, and all who
were present and beheld were amazed, and those who were absent had been
informed of the fact by means of letters, the king who instructed
others remained himself without amendment, and went back again to his
former wickedness. And yet even then God did not punish him, but was
still long-suffering, counselling him both by means of visions and by
His prophet.
But when he was not made anywise better by any of these things, then
at last God inflicted punishment upon him, not by way of avenging
himself on account of his former deeds, but as cutting off the occasion
of future evils, and checking the advance of wickedness, and He did
not inflict even this permanently, but after having chastised him for a
few years, He restored him again to his former honour, without having
suffered any loss from his punishment, but on the contrary having
gained the greatest possible good; a firm hold upon faith in God, and
repentance on account of his former misdeeds.
6. For such is the loving-kindness of God; He never turns his
face away from a sincere repentance, but if any one has pushed on to
the very extremity of wickedness, and chooses to return thence towards
the path of virtue, God accepts and welcomes, and does everything so
as to restore him to his former position. And He does what is yet
more merciful; for even should any one not manifest complete
repentance, he does not pass by one which is small and insignificant,
but assigns a great reward even to this; which is evident from what
Esaias the prophet says concerning the people of the Jews, speaking
on this wise: "On account of his sin I put him to pain for a little
while, and smote him, and turned my face away from him, and he was
pained, and walked sorrowfully, and then I healed him, and comforted
him." And we might cite as another witness that most ungodly king,
who was given over to sin by the influence of his wife: yet when he
only sorrowed, and put on sackcloth, and condemned his offences, he
so won for himself the mercy of God, as to be released from all the
evils which were impending over him. For God said to Elias "Seest
thou how Ahab is pricked in the heart before my face? I will not
bring the evil upon him in his own days, because he hath wept before
me."
And after this again, Manasses, having exceeded all in fury and
tyranny, and having subverted the legal form of worship, and shut up
the temple, and caused the deceit of idolatry to flourish, and having
become more ungodly than all who were before him, when he afterwards
repented, was ranked amongst the friends of God. Now if, looking to
the magnitude of his own iniquities, he had despaired of restoration
and repentance, he would have missed all which he afterwards obtained:
but as it was, looking to the boundlessness of God's tender mercy
instead of the enormity of his transgressions, and having broken in
sunder the bonds of the devil, he rose up and contended with him, and
finished the good course. And not only by what was done to these men,
but also by the words of the prophet does God destroy the counsels of
despair, speaking. on this wise: "To-day, if ye will hear His
voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation." Now that
expression "to-day," may be uttered at every time of life, even on
the verge of old age, if you desire it: for repentance is judged not
by quantity of time, but by disposition of the soul. For the
Ninevites did not need many days to blot out their sin, but the short
space of one day availed to efface all their iniquity: and the robber
also did not take a long time to effect his entrance into Paradise,
but in such a brief moment as one might occupy in uttering a single
word, did he wash off all the sins which he had committed in his whole
life, and received the prize bestowed by the divine approval even
before the Apostles. And we also see the martyrs obtain glorious
crowns for themselves in the course, not of many years, but of a few
days, and often in a single day only.
7. Wherefore we have need of zeal in every direction, and much
preparation of mind: and if we so order our conscience as to hate our
former wickedness, and choose the contrary path with as much energy as
God desires and commands,we shall not have anything less on account of
the short space of time: many at least who were last have far
outstripped those who were first. For to have fallen is not a grievous
thing, but to remain prostrate after talling, and not to get up
again; and, playing the coward and the sluggard, to conceal
feebleness of moral purpose under the reasoning of despair. To whom
also the prophet spoke in perplexity saying "Doth he who falleth not
rise up, or he who turneth away not turn back?" But if you inquire
of me for instances of persons who have fallen away after having
believed, all these things have been said with reference to such
persons, for he who has fallen belonged formerly to those who were
standing, not to those who were prostrate; for how should one in that
condition fall? But other things also shall be said, partly by means
of parables, partly by plainer deeds and words. Now that sheep which
had got separated from the ninety and nine, and then was brought back
again, represents to us nothing else than the fall and return of the
faithful; for it was a sheep not of some alien flock, but belonging to
the same number as the rest, and was for merly pastured by the same
shepherd, and it strayed on no common straying, but wandered away to
the mountains and in valleys, that is to say some long journey, far
distant from the right path.
Did he then suffer it to stray? By no means, but brought it back
neither driving it, nor beating it, but taking it upon his shoulders.
For as the best physicians bring back those who are far gone in
sickness with careful treatment to a state of health, not only treating
them according to the laws of the medical art, but sometimes also
giving them gratification: even so God conducts to virtue those who
are much depraved, not with great severity, but gently and gradually,
and supporting them on every side, so that the separation may not
become greater, nor the error more prolonged. And the same truth is
implied in the parable of the prodigal son as well as in this. For he
also was no stranger, but a son, and a brother of the child who had
been well pleasing to the father, and he plunged into no ordinary
vice, but went to the very extremity, so to say, of evil, he the
rich and free and well-bred son being reduced to a more miserable
condition than that of household slaves, strangers, and hirelings.
Nevertheless he returned again to his original condition, and had his
former honour restored to him. But if he had despaired of his life,
and, dejected by what had befallen him, had remained in the foreign
land, he would not have obtained what he did obtain, but would have
been consumed with hunger, and so have undergone the most pitiable
death: but since he repented, and did not despair, he was restored,
even after such great corruption, to the same splendour as before, and
was arrayed in the most beautiful robe, and enjoyed greater honours
than his brother who had not fallen. For "these many years," saith
he "do I serve thee, neither transgressed I thy commandment at any
time, and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry
with my friends; but when this thy son is come who hath devoured thy
living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf." So
great is the power of repentance.
8. Having then such great examples, let us not continue in evil,
nor despair of reconciliation, but let us say also ourselves "I will
go to my Father," and let us draw nigh to God. For He Himself
never turns away from us, but it is we who put ourselves far off: for
"I am a God" we read "at hand and not a God afar off." And
again, when He was rebuking them by the mouth of this prophet He said
"Do not your sins separate between you and me?" Inasmuch then as
this is the cause which puts us far from God, let us remove this
obnoxious barrier, which prevents any near approach being made.
But now hear how this has actually occurred in real instances.
Amongst the Corinthians some man of mark committed a sin such as was
not named even among the Gentiles. This man was a believer and
belonged to the household of Christ; and some say that he was actually
a member of the priesthood. What then? Did Paul cut him off from
the communion of those who were in the way of salvation. By no means:
for he himself it is who rebukes the Corinthians countless times,
backwards and forwards, because they did not bring the man to a state
of repentance: but, desiring to prove to us that there is no sin which
cannot be healed, he said again concerning the man who had transgressed
more grievously than the Gentiles: "Deliver such an one to Satan
for destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of
the Lord Jesus Christ." Now this was prior to repentance: but
after he had repented "Sufficient," said he, "for such an one is
this punishment which was inflicted by the many "and he charged them by
a letter to console the man again, and to welcome his repentance, so
that he should not be got the better Of by Satan. Moreover when the
whole Galatian people fell after having believed, and wrought
miracles, and endured many trials for the sake of their faith in
Christ he sets them up again. For that they had done miracles he
testified when he said: "He therefore that supplieth to you the
Spirit and worketh miracles among you:" and that they endured many
contests for the sake of the faith, he also testified when he says:
"Have ye suffered so many things in vain if it be indeed in vain."
Nevertheless after making so great an advance they committed sin
sufficient to estrange them from Christ concerning which he declares
saying: "Behold, I Paul tell you, that if ye be circumcised,
Christ will profit you nothing:" and again "ye who would be
justified by the law are fallen away from grace:" and yet even after
so great a lapse he welcomes them saying "my little children of whom I
am in travail again until Christ be formed in you " showing that after
extreme perversion it is possible for Christ to be formed again in us:
for He doth not desire the death of a sinner, but rather that he
should be convened and live.
9. Let us then turn to Him, my beloved friend, and execute the
will of God. For He created us and brought us into being, that He
might make us partakers of eternal blessings, that He might offer us
the kingdom of Heaven, not that He might cast us into Hell and
deliver us to the fire; for this was made not for us, but for the
devil: but for us the kingdom has been destined and made ready of old
time. And by way of indicating both these truths He saith to those on
the right hand, "Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world:" but to those on
the left "Depart from me, ye cursed, into fire everlasting
prepared" (he no longer says "for you" but)"for the devil and his
angels." Thus hell has not been made for us but for him and his
angels: but the kingdom has been prepared for us before the foundation
of the world. Let us not then make ourselves unworthy of entrance into
the bride-chamber: for as long as we are in this world, even if we
commit countless sins it is possible to wash them all away by
manifesting repentance for our offences: but when once we have departed
to the other world even if we display the most earnest repentance it
will be of no avail, not even if we gnash our teeth, beat our
breasts, and utter innumerable calls for succour, no one with the tip
of his finger will apply a drop to our burning bodies, but we shall
only hear those words which the rich man heard in the parable "Between
us and you a great gulf has been fixed." Let us then, I beseech
you, recover our senses here and let us recognize our Master as He
ought to be recognized. For only when we are in Hades should we
abandon the hope derived from repentance: for there only is this remedy
weak and unprofitable: but while we are here even if it is applied in
old age itself it exhibits much strength. Wherefore also the devil
sets everything in motion in order to root in us the reasoning which
comes of despair: for he knows that if we repent even a little we shall
not do this without some reward. But just as he who gives a cup of
cold water has his recompense reserved for him, so also the man who has
repented of the evils which he has done, even if he cannot exhibit the
repentance which his offences deserve, will have a commensurate
reward. For not a single item of good, however small it may be, will
be overlooked by the righteous judge. For if He makes such an exact
scrutiny of our sins, as to require punishment for both our words and
thoughts, much more will our good deeds, whether they be great or
small, be reckoned to our credit at that day. Wherefore, even if
thyself in a slight degree at least from thy present disorder and
excess, even this will not be impossible: only set thyself to the task
at once, and open the entrance into the place of contest; but as long
as thou tarriest outside this naturally seems difficult and
impracticable to thee. For before making the trial even if things are
easy and manageable they are wont to present an appearance of much
difficulty to us: but when we are actually engaged in the trial, and
making the venture the greater part of our distress is removed, and
confidence taking the place of tremor and despair lessens the fear and
increases the facility of operation, and makes our good hopes
stronger. For this reason also the wicked one dragged Judas out of
this world lest he should make a fair beginning, and so return by means
of repentance to the point from which he fell. For although it may
seem a strange thing to say, I will not admit even that sin to be too
great for the succour which is brought to us from repentance.
Wherefore I pray and beseech you to banish all this Satanic mode of
thinking from your soul, and to return to this state of salvation.
For if indeed I were commanding you to ascend to your former altitude
all at once, you would naturally complain of there being much
difficulty in doing this: but if all which I now ask you to do is to
get up and return thence in and shrink, and make a retrograde
movement? Have you not seen those who have died in the midst of luxury
and drunkenness, and sport and all the other folly of this life? Were
are they now who used to strut through the market place with much pomp,
and a crowd of attendants? who were clothed in silk and redolent with
perfumes, and kept a table for their musicians, the attentions of
flatterers, the loud laughter, the relaxation of spirit, the
enervation of mind, the voluptuous, abandoned, extravagant manner of
life--it has all come to an end. Where now have all these things
taken their flight? What has become of the body which enjoyed so much
attention, and cleanliness. Go thy way to the coffin, behold the
dust, the ashes, the worms, behold the loathsomeness of the place,
and groan bitterly. And would that the penalty were limited to the
ashes! but now transfer thy thought from the coffin and these worms to
that undying worm, to the fire unquenchable, to the gnashing of
teeth, to the outer darkness, to affliction and straitness, to the
parable of Lazarus and the rich man, who although the owner of so much
wealth, and clothed in purple could not become the owner of even a drop
of water; and this when he was placed in a condition of such great
necessity. The things of this world are in their nature no-wise
better than dreams For just as those who work in the mines or suffer
some other kind of punishment more severe than this, when they have
fallen asleep owing to their many weary toils and the extreme bitterness
of their life, and in their dreams see themselves living in luxury and
prosperity, are in no wise grateful to their dreams after they have
awaked, even so that rich man having become rich in this present life,
as it were in a dream, after his departure hence was punished with that
bitter punishment. Consider these things, and having contrasted that
fire with the conflagration of desires which now possesses thee,
release thyself from the furnace. For he who has thoroughly quenched
this furnace here, will have no experience of that in the other world:
but if a man does not get the better of this furnace here, the other
will lay hold of him more vehemently when he has departed hence. How
long a time dost thou wish the enjoyment of the present life to be
extended? For I do not suppose indeed that more than fifty years
remain to thee so as to reach extreme old age, nor indeed is even this
at all assured to us: for how should they who cannot be confident about
living even to the evening rely upon so many years as these? And not
only is this uncertain, but there is for often when life has been
extended for a long period, the conditions of luxury have not been
extended with it, but have come, and at the same time hastily
departed. However, if pared with the endless ages, and those bitter
deed both good and evil things have an end, and that very speedily:
but there, both are coextensive with immortal ages, and in their
quality differ unspeakably from the things which now are.
10. For when you hear of fire, do not suppose the fire in that
world to be like this: for fire in this world burns up and makes away
with anything which it takes hold of; but that fire is continually
burning those who have once been seized by it, and never ceases:
therefore also is it called unquenchable. For those also who have
sinned must put on immortality, not for honour, but to have a constant
supply of material for that punishment to work upon; and how terrible
this is, speech could never depict, but from the experience of little
things it is possible to form some slight notion of these great ones.
For if you should ever be in a bath which has been heated more than it
ought to be, think then, I pray you, on the fire of hell: or again
if you are ever inflamed by some severe fever transfer your thoughts to
that flame, and then you will be able clearly to discern the
difference. For if a bath and a fever so afflict and distress us,
what will our condition be when we have fallen into that river of fire
which winds in front of the terrible judgment-seat. Then we shall
gnash our teeth under the suffering of our labours and intolerable
pains: but there will be no one to succour us: yea we shall groan
mightily, as the flame is applied more severely to us, but we shall
see no one save those who are being punished with us, and great
desolation. And how should any one describe the terrors arising to our
souls from the darkness? for just as that fire has no consuming power
so neither has it any power of giving light: for otherwise there would
not be darkness. The dismay produced in us then by this, and the
trembling and the great astonishment can be sufficiently realized in
that day only. For in that world many and various kinds of torment and
torrents of punishment are poured in upon the soul from every side.
And if any one should ask, "and how can the soul bear up against such
a multitude of punishments and continue being chastised through
interminable ages, let him consider what happens in this world, how
many have often borne up against a long and severe disease. And if
they have died, this has happened not because the soul was consumed but
because the body was exhausted, so that had the latter not broken
down, the soul would not have ceased being tormented. When then we
have received an incorruptible and inconsumable body there is nothing to
prevent the punishment being in definitely extended. For here indeed
it is impossible that the two things should coexist. I mean severity
of punishment and permanence and cannot bear the concurrence of both:
but when the imperishable state has supervended, these terrible things
will keep their hold upon us for infinite time with much force. Let us
not then so dispose ourselves now as if the excessive power of the
tortures were destructive together with the soul, in a state of eternal
punishment, and there will not be any end to look to beyond this. How
much luxury then, and how much time will you weigh in the balance
against this punishment and vengeance? Do you propose a period of a
hundred years or twice as long? and what is this compared with the
endless ages? For what the dream of a single day is in the midst of a
whole lifetime, that the enjoyment of things here is as contrasted with
the state of things to come. Is there then any one who, for the sake
of seeing a good dream, would elect to be perpetually punished? Who
is so senseless as to have recourse to this kind of retribution? For
I am not yet accusing luxury nor revealing now the bitterness which
lurks in it: for the present is not the proper time for these remarks,
but when ye have been able to escape it. For now, entangled as you
are by this passion, you will suspect me of talking nonsense, if I
were to call pleasure bitter: but when by the grace of God you have
been released from the malady then you will know its topics for another
season, what I will say now is just this: Be it so, that luxury is
luxury, and pleasure, pleasure, and that they have nothing in them
painful or disgraceful, what shall we say to the punishment which is in
store for us? and what shall we do then if we have taken our pleasure
now, as it were in a shadow and a figure, but undergo everlasting
torment there in reality, when we might in a short space of time escape
these tortures already mentioned, and enjoy the good things which ar
stored up for us? For this also is the work of the loving-kindness of
God, that our struggles are not protracted to a great length, but
that after struggling for a brief, and tiny twinkling of an eye (for
such is present life compared with the other) we receive crowns of
victory for endless ages. And it will be no small affliction to the
souls of those who are being punished at that time, to reflect, that
when they had it in their power in the few days of this life to make all
good, they neglected their opportunity and surrendered themselves to
everlasting evil. And lest we should suffer this let us rouse
ourselves while it is the acepted time, while it is the day of
salvation, while the power of repentance is great. For not only the
evils already mentioned, but others also far worse than these await us
if we are indolent. These indeed, and some bitterer than these have
their place in hell: but the loss of the good things involves so much
pain, so much affliction and straitness, that even if not other kind
of punishment were appointed for those who sin here, it would of itself
be sufficient to vex us more bitterly than the torments in hell, and to
confound our souls.
11. For consider I pray the condition of the other life, so far as
it is possible to consider it; for no words will suffice for an
adequate description: but from the things which ar told us, as if by
means of certain riddles, let us try and get some indistinct vision of
it. "Pain and sorrow and sighing," we read "have fled away."
What then could be more blessed than this life? It is not possible
there to fear poverty and disease: it is not possible to see any one
injuring, or being injured, provoking, or being provoked, or angry,
or envious, or burning with any outrageous lust, or anxious concerning
the supply of the necessaries of life, or bemoaning himself over the
loss of some dignity and power: for all the tempest of passion in us is
quelled and brought to nought, and all will be in a condition of
peace, and gladness and joy, all things serene and tranquil, all will
be daylight and brightness, and light, not this present light, but
one excelling this in splendour as much as this excels the brightness of
a lamp. For things are not concealed in that world by night, or by a
gathering of clouds: bodies there are not set on fire and burned: for
there is neither night nor evening there, nor cold nor heat, nor any
other variation of seasons: but the condition is of a different kind,
such as they only will know who have been deemed worthy of it; there is
no old age there, nor any of the evils of old age, but all things
relating to decay are utterly removed, and incorruptible glory reigns
in every part. But greater than all these things in the perpetual
enjoyment of intercourse with Christ in the company of angels, and
archangels, and the higher powers. Behold now the sky, and pass
through it in thought to the region beyond the sky, and consider the
transfiguration to take place in the whole creation; for it will not
continue to be such as it is now, but will be far more brilliant and
beautiful, and just as gold glistens more brightly than lead, so will
the future constitution of the universe be better than the present:
even as the blessed Paul saith "Because the creation also itself
shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption." For now indeed,
seeing that it partakes of corruption, it is subject to many things
such as bodies of this kind naturally experience: but then, having
divested itself of all these things, we shall see it display its beauty
in an incorruptible form: for inasmuch as it is to receive
incorruptible bodies, it will in future be itself also transfigured
into the nobler condition. Nowhere in that world will there be
sedition and strife: for great is the concord of the band of saints,
all being ever in harmony with one another. It is not possible there
to fear the devil, and the plots of demons, or the threatenings of
hell, or death, either that death which now is, or the other death
which is far worse than this, but every terror of this kind will have
been done away. And just as some royal child, who has been brought up
in mean guise, and subject to fear and threats, lest he should
deteriorate by indulgence and become unworthy of his paternal
inheritance, as soon as he has attained the royal dignity, immediately
exchanges all his former raiment for the purple robe, and the diadem
and the crowd of body-guards, and assumes his state with much
confidence, having cast out of his soul thoughts of humility and
subjection, and having taken others in their place; even so will it
happen then to all the saints And to prove that these words are no
empty vaunt let us journey in thought to the mountain where Christ was
transfigured: let us behold him shining as He shone there; and yet
even then He did not display to us all the splendour of the world to
come. For that the vision was accommodated to human eyes, and not an
exact manifestation of the reality is plain from the very words of the
Evangelist. For what saith he? "He did shine as the Sun." But
the glory of incorruptible bodies does not emit the same kind of light
as this body which is corruptible, nor is it of a kind to be tolerable
to mortal eyes, but needs incorruptible and immortal eyes to
contemplate it. But at that time on the mountain He disclosed to them
as much as it was possible for them to see without injuring the sight of
the beholders; and even so they could not endure it but fell upon their
faces. Tell me, if any one led thee into some bright place, where
all were sitting arrayed in vestures of gold, and in the midst of the
multitude pointed out one other to thee who alone had garments wrought
with precious stones, and a crown upon his head, and then promised to
place thee in the ranks of this people, wouldst thou not do everything
to obtain this promise? Open then even now in imagination thine eyes,
and look on that assembly, composed not of men such as we are, but of
those who are of more value than gold and previous stones, and the
beams of the sun, and all visible radiance, and not consisting of men
only but of beings of much more dignity than men,--angels,
archangels, thrones, dominions, principalities, powers. For as
concerning the king it is not even possible to say what he is like: so
completely do his beauty, his grace, his splendour, his glory, his
grandeur and magnificence elude speech and thought. Shall we then, I
ask, deprive ourselves of such great blessings, in order to avoid
suffering for a brief period? For if we had to endure countless deaths
every day, or even hell itself, for the sake of seeing Christ coming
in His glory, and' being enrolled in the company of the saints,
ought we not to undergo all those things? Hear what the blessed Peter
says; "it is good for us to be here." But if he, when he beheld
some dim image of the things to come, immediately cast away all other
things out of his soul on account of the pleasure produced in it by that
vision; what would any one say when the actual reality of the things is
presented, when the palace is thrown open and it is permitted to gaze
upon the King Himself, no longer darkly, or by means of a mirror,
but face to face; no longer by means of faith, but by sight?
12. The majority it is true of those who are not very sensibly
minded propose to be content with escaping hell; but I say that a far
more severe punishment than hell is exclusion from the glory of the
other world, and I think that one who has failed to reach it ought not
to sorrow so much over the miseries of hell, as over his rejection from
heaven, for this alone is more dreadful than all other things in
respect of punishment. But frequently now when we see a king,
attended by a large bodyguard, enter the palace, we count those happy
who are near him, and have a share in his speech and mind, and partake
of all the rest of his glory; and even if we have countless blessings,
we have no perception of any of them, and deem ourselves miserable when
we look at the glory of those who are round about him, although we know
that such splendour is slippery and insecure, both on account of wars,
and plots, and envy, and because apart from these things it is not in
itself worthy of any consideration. But where the king of all is
concerned, he who holds not a portion of the earth but the whole
circuit of it, or rather who comprehends it all in the hollow of his
hand, and measures the Heavens with a span, who upholdeth all things
by the word of His power, by whom all the nations are counted as
nought, and as a drop of spittle;---in the case of such a king I
say shall we no reckon it the most extreme punishment to miss being
enrolled in that company which is round about him, but be content if we
merely escape hell? and what could be more pitiable than this condition
of soul? For this king does not come to judge the earth, drawn by a
pair of white mules, nor tiding in a golden chariot, nor arrayed in a
purple robe and diadem. How then does He come? Hear the prophets
crying aloud and saying as much as it is possible to tell to men: for
one saith "God shall come openly, even our God and shall not keep
silence: a fire shall be kindled before Him, and a mighty tempest
shall be round about Him: He shall call the Heaven from above and
the earth that He may judge His people." But Esias depicts the
actual punishment impending over us speaking thus: "Behold the day of
the Lord cometh, inexorable, with wrath and anger; to lay the whole
world desolate, and to destroy sinners out of it. For the stars of
Heaven, and Orion, and the whole system of the heaven shall not give
their light, and the sun shall be darkened in its going down, and the
moon shall not give her light; and I will ordain evils against the
whole world, and visit their sins upon the ungodly, and I will
destroy the insolence of the lawless, and humble the insolence of the
proud, and they who are left shall be more precious than unsmelted
gold, and a man shall be more precious than the sapphire stone. For
the heaven shall be disturbed and the earth shall be shaken from its
foundations by reason of the fury of the wrath of the Lord of
Sabaoth, in the day when His wrath shall come upon us." And again
"windows" he saith "shall be opened from the Heaven, and the
foundations of the earth shall be shaken the earth shall be mightily
confounded, the earth shall be bent low, it shall be perplexed with
great perplexity, the earth shall stagger grievously like the drunkard
and the reveller; the earth shall shake as a hut, it shall fall and
not be able to rise up again: for iniquity has waxed mighty therein.
And God shall set His hand upon the host of the Heaven in the height
in that day, and upon the kingdoms of the earth, and He shall gather
together the congregation thereof into a prison, and shall shut them up
in a stronghold." And Malachi speaking concordantly with these
said" Behold the Lord almighty cometh, and who shall abide the day
of His coming or who shall stand when He appeareth? for He cometh
like a refiner's fire, and like fullers soap: and He shall sit
refining and purifying as it were silver, and as it were gold." And
again, "Behold," he saith, "the day of the Lord cometh, burning
like an oven, and it shall consume them, and all the aliens, and all
who work iniquity shall be stubble, and the day which is coming shall
set fire to them saith the Lord almighty; and there shall be left
neither root nor branch." And the man greatly beloved saith "I
beheld until thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days was
seated, and his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head
was pure as wool: His throne was a flame of fire, and the wheels
thereof burning fire: a stream of fire wound its way in front of Him.
Thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before Him. The judgment was set and the books were
opened."
Then after a little space "I beheld," he says, "in a vision of
the night and behold" with the clouds of Heaven, one came like the
Son of Man, and reached unto the Ancient of Days, and was brought
near before Him, and to Him was given rule, and honor, and the
kingdom, and all the people, tribes and tongues serve Him. His
dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and
His kingdom shall not be destroyed. As for me Daniel, my spirit
shuddered within me, and the visions of my head troubled me." Then
all the gates of the heavenly vaults are opened, or rather the heaven
itself is taken away out of the midst "for the heaven," we read
"shall be rolled up like a scroll," wrapped up in the middle like the
skin and covering of some tent so as to be transformed into some better
shape. Then all things are full of amazement and horror and
trembling: then even the angels themselves are holden by much fear,
and not angels only but also archangels and thrones, and dominions,
and principalities and authorities. "For the powers" we read "of
the heavens shall be shaken," because their fellow-servants are
required to give an account of their life in this world. For if when a
single city is bring judged before rulers in this world, all men
shudder, even those who are outside the danger, when the whole world
is arraigned before such a judge as this who needs no witnesses, or
proofs, but independently of all these things brings forward deeds and
words and thoughts, and exhibits them all as in some picture both to
those who have committed the sins and to those who are ignorant of
them, how is it not natural that every power should be confounded and
shake? For if there were no river of fire winding by, nor any
terrible angels standing by the side of the throne, but men were merely
summoned some to be praised and admired, others to be dismissed with
ignominy that they might not see the glory of God, ("For let the
ungodly" we read "be taken away that he may not see the glory of the
Lord" and if this were the only punishment would not the loss of such
blessings sting the souls of those who were deprived of them more
bitterly than all hell itself? For how great an evil this is cannot
possibly be represented now in words; but then we shall know it clearly
in the actual reality. But now I pray add the punishment also to the
scene, and imagine men not only covered with shame, and veiling their
heads, and bending them low, but also being dragged along the road to
the fire, and haled away to the instruments of torture and delivered
over to the cruel powers, and suffering these things just at the time
when all they who have practised what is good, and wrought deeds worthy
of eternal life, are being crowned, and proclaimed conquerors, and
presented before the royal throne.
13. Now these are things which will happen in that day: but the
things which will follow, after these, what language can describe to
us--the pleasure, the profit, the joy of being in the company of
Christ? For when the soul has returned to the proper condition of
nobility, and is able henceforth with much boldness to behold its
Master it is impossible to say what great pleasure it derives
therefrom, what great gain, rejoicing not only in the good things
actually in hand, but in the persuasion that these things will never
come to an end. All that gladness then cannot be described in words,
nor grasped by the understanding: but in a dim kind of way, as one
indicates great things by means of small ones, I will endeavour to
make it manifest. For let us scrutinize those who enjoy the good
things of the world in this present life, I mean wealth and power,
and glory, how, exulting with delight, they reckon themselves as no
longer being upon the earth, and this although the things which they
are enjoying are acknowledged not to be really good, and do not abide
with them, but take to flight more quickly than a dream: and even if
they should even last for a little time, their favour is displayed
within the limits of this present life, and cannot accompany us
further. Now if these things uplift those who possess them to such a
pitch of joy, what do you suppose is the condition of those souls which
are invited to enjoy the countess blessings in Heaven which are always
securely fixed and stable? And not only this, but also in their
quantity and quality they excel present things to such an extent as
never entered even the heart of man. For at the present time like an
infant in the womb, even so do we dwell in this world confined in a
narrow space, and unable to behold the splendour and the freedom of the
world to come: but when the time of travail arrives and the present
life is delivered at the day of judgment of all men whom it has
contained, those who have been miscarried go from darkness into
darkness, and from affliction into more grievous affliction: but those
which are perfectly formed and have preserved the marks of the royal
image will be presented to the king, and will take upon themselves that
service which angels and archangels minister to the God of all. I
pray thee then, O friend, do not finally efface these marks, but
speedily restore them, and stamp them more perfectly on thy soul. For
corporeal beauty indeed God has confined within the limits of nature,
but grace of soul is released from the constraint and bondage arising
from that cause inasmuch as it is far superior to any bodily symmetry:
and it depends entirely upon ourselves and the grace of God. For our
Master, being merciful has in this special way honoured our race,
that He has entrusted to the necessity of nature the inferior things
which contribute nothing much to our advantage, and in their issue are
matters of indifference, but of the things which are really noble He
has caused us to be ourselves the artificers.
For if He had placed corporeal beauty also under our control we should
have been subjected to excessive anxiety, and should have wasted all
our time upon things which are of no profit, and should have grievously
neglected our soul.
For if, even as it is, when we have not this power in ourselves, we
make violent efforts, and give ourselves up to shadow painting, and
because we cannot in reality produce bodily beauty, cunningly devise
imitations by means of paints, and dyes, and dressing of hair, and
arrangement of garments, and pencilling of eyebrows, and many other
contrivances: what leisure should we have set apart for the soul and
serious matters, if we had it in our power to transfigure the body into
a really symmetrical shape? For probably, if this were our business,
we should not have any other, but should spend all our time upon it:
decking the bondmaid with countess decorations, but letting her who is
the mistress of this bond-maid lie perpetually in a state of deformity
and neglect. For this reason God, having delivered us from this vain
occupation, implanted in us the power of working upon the nobler
element, and he who cannot turn an ugly body into a comely on, can
raise the soul, even when it has been reduced to the extremity of
ugliness, to the very acme of grace, and make it so amiable and
desirable that not only are good men brought to long after it but even
He who is the sovereign and God of all, even as the Psalmist also
when discoursing concerning this beauty, said "And the king shall
have desire of thy beauty." Seest thou not also that in the houses of
prostitutes the women who are ugly and shameless would hardly be
accepted by prize-fighters, and runaway slaves, and gladiators: but
should any comely, well-born and modest woman, owing to some
mischance, have been reduced to this necessity, no man, even amongst
those who are very illustrious and great, would be ashamed of marriage
with her? Now if there is so much pity amongst men, and so much
disdain of glory as to release from that bondage the women who have
often been disgraced in the brothel, and to place them in the position
of wives, much more is this the case with God, and those souls
which, owing to the usurpation of the devil, have then from their
original noble condition into the harlotry of this present life. And
you will find the prophets filled with examples of this kind, when they
address Jerusalem; for she fell into fornication, and a novel form of
it, even as Ezekiel says: "To all harlots wages are given, but
thou hast given wages to thy lovers, and there hath been perversion in
thee beyond all other women," and again another saith "Thou didst
sit waiting for them like a deserted bird." This one then who hath
committed fornication in this fashion God calls back again. For the
captivity which took place was not so much by way of vengeance as for
the purpose of conversion and amendment since if God had wished to
punish them out-fight He would not again have brought them back to
their home. He would not have established their city and their temple
in greater splendour than before: "For the final glory of this
house" He said "shall exceed the former." Now if God did not
exclude from repentance her who who had many times committed
fornication, much more will He embrace My soul, which has now fallen
for the first time. For certainly there is no lover of corporeal
beauty, even if he be very frantic, who is so inflamed will the love
of his mistress as God longs after the salvation of our souls; and
this we may perceive both from the divine Scriptures. See at least,
both in the introduction of Jeremiah, and many other places of the
prophets, when He is despised and contemned, how He again hastens
forward and pursues the friendship of those who turn away from him;
which also He Himself made dear in the Gospels saying, "O
Jerusalem! Jerusalem! thou that killest the prophets and stonest
them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy
children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings,
and ye would not?" And Paul writing to the Corinthians said "that
God was in Christ reconciling the word unto Himself, not reckoning
their trespasses unto them, and having committed unto us the word of
reconciliation. We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as
though God were entreating by us; we beseech you on behalf of Christ
be ye reconciled to God." Consider that this has now been said to
us. For it is not merely want of faith, but also an unclean life
which is sufficient to work this abominate enmity. "For the carnal
mind" we read "is enmity against God." Let us then break down the
barrier, and hew it in pieces, and destroy it, that we may enjoy the
blessed reconciliation, that we may become again the fondly beloved of
God.
14. I know that thou art now admiring the grace of Hermione, and
thou judgest that there is nothing in the world to be compared to her
comeliness; but if you choose, O friend, you shall yourself exceed
her in comeliness and gracefulness, as much as golden statues surpass
those which are made of clay.
For if beauty, when occurs in the body, so fascinates and excites the
minds of most men, when the soul is refulgent with it what can match
beauty and grace of this kind? For the groundwork of this corporeal
beauty is nothing else but phlegm, and blood, and humor, and bile,
and the fluid of masticated food. For by these things both eyes and
cheeks, and all the other features, are supplied with moisture; and
if they do not receive that moisture, daily skin becoming unduly
withered, and the eyes sunken, the whole grace of the countenance
forthwith vanishes; so that if you consider what is stored up inside
those beautiful eyes, and that straight nose, and the mouth and the
cheeks, you will affirm the well-shaped body to be nothing else than a
whited sepulchre; the parts within are full of so much uncleanness.
Morever when you see a rag with any of these things on it, such as
phlegm, or spittle you cannot bear to touch it with even the tips of
your fingers, nay you cannot even endure looking at it; and yet are
you in a flutter of excitement about the storehouses and depositories of
these things? But thy beauty was not of this kind, but excelled it as
heaven is superior to earth; or rather it was much better and more
brilliant than this For no one has anywhere seen a soul by itself,
stripped of the body; but yet even so I will endeavour to present to
you the beauty of this soul from another source. I mean from the case
of the greater powers Hear at least how the beauty of these struck the
man greatly beloved; for wishing to set forth their beauty and being
unable to find a body of the same character, he had recourse to
metallic substances, and he was not satisfied even with these, but
took the brilliancy of lightning for his illustration. Now if those
powers, even when they did not disclose their essential nature pure and
bare, but only in a very dim and shadowy way, nevertheless shone so
brightly, what must naturally be their appearance, when set free froth
every veil? Now we ought to form some such image of the beauty of the
soul. "For they shall be," we read "equal unto the angels." Now
in the case of bodies the fighter and finer kinds, and those which have
retreated to the path which tend towards the incorporeal, are very much
better and more wonderful than the others The sky at least is more
beautiful than the earth, and fire than water, and the stars than
precious stones; and we admire the rainbow far more than violets and
roses, and all other flowers which are upon the earth. And in short
if it were possible with the bodily eyes to behold the beauty of the
soul you would laugh to scorn these corporeal illustrations, so feebly
have they presented to us the gracefulness of the soul. Let us not
then neglect such a possession, nor such great happiness, and
especially when the approach to that kind of beauty becomes easy to us
by our hopes of the things to come. "For our light affliction?" we
read, "which is but for the moment, worketh for us more and more
exceedingly an eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things
which are seen but at the things which are not seen; for the things
which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are
eternal." Now if the blessed Paul called such afflictions as thou
wottest of light and easy, because he did not look at the things which
are seen, much more tolerable is it merely to cease from wantonness.
For we are not calling thee to those dangers which he underwent, nor
to those deaths which he incurred daily, the constant beatings and
scourgings, the bonds, the enmity of the whole world, the hatred of
his own people, the frequent vigils, the long journies, the
shipwrecks, the attacks of robbers, the plots of his own kinsfolk,
the distresses on account of his friends, the hunger, the cold, the
nakedness, the burning, the despondency on account both of those who
belonged to him, and those who did not belong to him. None of these
things do we now demand of thee; all that we ask for is that you would
release yourself from your accursed bondage, and return to your former
freedom, having considered both the punishment arising from your
wantonness, and the honor belonging to your former manner of life.
For that unbelievers should be but languidly affected by the thought of
the resurrection and never be in fear of this kind, is nothing
wonderful; but that we who are more firmly persuaded concerning the
things of the other world than those of the present, should spend our
life in this miserable and deplorable way and be nowise affected by the
memory of those things, but sink into a state of extreme
insensibility--this is irrational in the highest degree. For when we
who believe do the deeds of unbelievers, or rather are in a more
miserable plight than they (for there are some among them who have been
eminent for the virtue of their life), what consolation, what excuse
will be left for us? And many merchants indeed who have incurred
shipwreck have not given way, but have pursued the same journey, and
this when the loss which has befallen them was not owing to their own
carelessness, but to the force of the winds; and shall we who have
reason to be confident concerning the end, and know certainly that if
we do not wish it, neither shipwreck nor accident of any kind will
bring us damage, not lay hold of the work again, and carry on our
business as we did aforetime, but lie in idleness and keep our hands to
ourselves? And would that we kept them merely to ourselves and did not
use them against ourselves which is a token of stark madness. For if
any pugilist, leaving his antagonist were to turn his hands against his
own head, and deal blows to his own face, should we not, I ask,
rank him among madmen? For the devil has upset us and cast us down;
therefore we ought to get up, and not to be dragged down again and
precipitate ourselves, and add blows dealt by ourselves to the blows
dealt by him. For the blessed David also had a fall like that which
has now happened to you; and not this only but another also which
followed it. I mean that of murder. What then? did he remain
prostrate? Did he not immediately rise up again with energy and place
himself in portion to fight the enemy? In fact he wrestled with him so
bravely, that even after his death he was the protector of his
offspring. For when Solomon had perpetrated great inquity, and had
deserved countless deaths, God said that He would leave him the
kingdom intact, thus speaking "I will surely rend the kingdom out of
thine hand and will give it to thy servant. Nevertheless I will not
do this in thy days."
Wherefore? "For David thy father's sake, I will take it out of
the hand of thy son." And again when Hezekiah was about to run the
greatest possible risk, although he was a righteous man, God said
that He would succour him for the sake of this saint. "For I will
cast my shield" He saith, "over this city to save it for my own
sake, and for my servant: David's sake." So great is the force of
repentance. But if he had determined with himself, as you do now,
that henceforth it was impossible to propitiate God, and if he had
said within himself: "God has honoured me with great honour, and has
given me a place among among the prophets, and has entrusted me with
the government of my countrymen, and rescued me out of countless
perils, how then, when have offended against Him after such great
benefits, and have perpetrated the worst crimes, shall I be able to
recover his favour?" If he had thought thus, not only would he not
have done the things which he afterwards his former evils.
15. For not only the bodily wounds work death, if they are
neglected, but also those of the soul; and yet we have arrived at such
a pitch of folly as to take the greatest care of the former, and to
overlook the latter; and although in the case of the body it naturally
often happens that many wounds are incurable, yet we do not abandon
hope, but even when we hear the physicians constantly declaring, that
it is not possible to get rid of this suffering by medicines, we still
persist in exhorting them to devise at least some slight alleviation;
but in the case of souls, where there is no incurable malady; for it
is not subject to the necessity of nature; here, as if the infirmities
were strange we are negligent and despairing; and where the nature of
the disorder might naturally plunge us into despair, we take as much
pains as if there were great hope of restoration to health; but where
there is no occasion to renounce hope, we desist from efforts, and
become as heedless as if matters were desperate; so much more account
do we take of the body than of the soul. And this is the reason why we
are not able to save even the body. For he who neglects the leading
element, and manifests all his zeal about inferior matters destroys and
loses both; whereas he who observes the right order, and preserves and
cherishes the more commanding element, even if he neglects the
secondary element yet preserves it by means of saving the primary one.
Which also Christ signified to us when He said, "Fear not them
which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather
fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell."
Well, do I convince you, that one ought never to despair of the
disorders of the soul as incurable? or must I again set other
arguments in motion? For even if thou shouldst despair of thyself ten
thousand times, I will never despair of thee, and I will never
myself be guilty of that for which I reproach others; and yet it is
not the same thing for a man to renounce hope of himself, as for
another to renounce hope of him. For he who has this suspicion
concerning another may readily obtain pardon; but he who has it of
himself will not. Why so pray? Because the one has no controlling
power over the zeal and repentance of the other, but over his own zeal
and repentance a man has sole authority. Nevertheless even so I will
not despair of you; though you should any number of times be heard the
prophet vehemently declaring, and plainly threatening; "yet three
days and Nineveh shall be overthrown," even then did not lose heart,
but, although they had no confidence that they should be able to move
the utterance was not accompanied by any qualification, but was a
simple declaration), even then they manifested repentance saying:
"Who knoweth whether God will repent and be entreated, and turn from
the fierceness of His wrath, and that we perish not? And God say
their works that they turned from their evil ways, and God repented of
the evil which He said He would do unto them and He did it not."
Now if barbarian, and unreasoning men could perceive so much, much
more ought we to do this who have been trained in the divine doctrines
and have seen such a crowd of ways; but far as is the Heaven from the
earth, so far are my thoughts from your mind, and my counsels from
your counsels." Now if we admit to our favour household slaves when
they have often offended against us, on their promising to become
better, and place them again in their former portion, and sometimes
even grant them greater freedom of speech than before; much more does
God act thus. For if God had made us in order to punish us, you day
until the present time, what is there which can ever cause you to
doubt? Have we provoked Him severely, so as no other man ever
future. For to sin may be a merely human failing, but to continue in
the same sin ceases to be human, and becomes altogether devilish. For
observe how God by the mouth of His prophet Names this more than the
other. "For," we read, "I said unto her after she had done all
these deeds of fornication, return unto me, and yet she returned
not." And again: from another quarter, when wishing to show the
great longing which He has for our salvation, having heard how the
people promised, after many transgressions, to tread the right way He
said: "Who will grant unto them to have such an heart as to fear me,
and to keep my commandments all their days, that it may be well with
them and with their children forever?" And Moses when reasoning with
them said, "And now, O Israel, what doth the Lord thy God
require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, and to walk in all
His ways, and to love Him?" He then who is so anxious to be loved
by us, and does everything for this end, and did not spare even His
only begotten Son on account of His love towards us, and who counts
it a desirable thing if at any time we become reconciled to Himself,
how shall He not welcome and love us when we repent? Hear at least
what He says by the mouth of the prophet: "Declare thou first thy
iniquities that thou mayest be justified." Now this He demands from
us in order to intensify our love towards Him. For when one who
loves, after enduring many insults at the hands of those who are
beloved, even then does not extinguish his fondness for them, the only
reason why he takes pains to make those insults public, is that by
displaying the strength of his affection he may induce them to feel a
larger and warmer love. Now if the confession of sins brings so much
consolation, much more does the endeavour to wash them away by means of
our deeds For if this was not the case, but those who had vehemence in
evil things, will also in turn exhibit the same in good things, being
conscious and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no
kiss, but she since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my
feet. Mine head with oil thou didst not anoint; but she hath anointed
my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee: her sins which are
many are forgiven; for she loved much; but to whom little is
forgiven, the same loveth little. And He said unto her, thy sins
are forgiven."
16. For this reason also the devil, knowing that they who have
committed great evils, when they have begun to repent, do this with
much zeal, inasmuch as they are conscious of their offences, fears and
trembles lest they should make a beginning of the work; for after they
have made it they are no longer capable of being checked, and,
kindling like fire under the influence of repentance, they render their
souls purer than pure gold, being impelled by their conscience, and
the memory of their former sins, as by some strong gale, towards the
haven of virtue. And this is the point in which they have an advantage
over those who have never fallen, that they exercise more vehement
energy; if only, as I said, they can lay hold of the beginning.
For the task which is hard and difficult of accomplishment is to be
able to set foot on the entrance, and to reach the vestibule of
repentance, and to repulse and overthrow the enemy there when he is
fiercely raging and assaulting us. But after this, he will not
display so much fury when he has once been worsted, and has fallen
where he was strong. and we shall receive greater energy, and shall
run this good race with much ease. Let us then in future set about our
return, let we have been appointed to find our home as citizens. For
to despair of ourselves not only has this evil that it shuts the gates
of that city against us, and that it drives us into greater indolence
and contempt, but also that it plunges us into Satanic recklessness
For the only cause why the devil became such as he is was that he first
of all despaired, and afterwards from despair sank into recklessness
For the soul, when once it has abandoned its own salvation, will no
longer perceive that it is plunging downwards, choosing to do and say
everything which is adverse to its own salvation. And just as madmen,
when once they have fallen out of a sound condition, are neither afraid
nor ashamed of anything, but fearlessly dare all manner of things,
even if they have to fall into fire, or deep water, or down a
precipice; so they who have been seized by the frenzy of despair are
hence forward unmanageable, rushing into vice in every direction, and
if death does not come to put a stop to this madness, and Vehemence,
they do themselves infinite mischief. Therefore I entreat you,
before you are deeply steeped in this drunkenness, recover your senses
and rouse yourself up, and shake off this Satanic fit, doing it
gently and gradually if it be not possible to effect it all at once.
For to me indeed the easier course seems to be to wrench yourself once
for all out of all the cords which hold you down, and transfer yourself
to the school of repentance. But if this seems to you a difficult
thing, that you should be willing to enter on the path which leads to
better things, simply enter upon it, and lay hold on which once was
yours, let us see you once again standing on the pinnacle of virtue,
and in the same condition of perseverance as before. Spare those who
are made to stumble on thy account, those who ate falling, who are
becoming more indolent, who are despairing of the way of virtue. For
dejection now holds possession of the band of brethren, while pleasure
and cheerfulness prevail in the councils of the unbelieving, and of
those young men who are disposed to indolence. But if thou return
again to thy former strictness of life the result will be reversed, and
all our shame will be transferred to them, while we shall enjoy much
confidence, seeing thee again crowned and proclaimed victor with more
splendour than before. For such victories bring greater renown and
pleasure.
For you will not only receive the reward of your own achievements, but
also of the exhortation and consolation of others, being exhibited as a
striking model, if ever any one should fall into the same condition,
to encourage him to get up and recover himself. Do not neglect such an
opportunity of gain, nor drag our souls down into Hades with sorrow,
but let us breathe freely again, and shake off the cloud of despondency
which oppresses us on thy account. For now, passing by the
consideration of our own troubles, we mourn over thy calamities, but
if thou art willing to come to thy senses, and see clearly, and to
join the angelic host, you will release us from this sorrow, and will
take away the greater part of sins. For that it is possible for those
who have come back again after repentance to shine with much lustre,
and oftentimes more than those who have never fallen at all, I have
demonstrated from the divine writings. Thus at least both the
publicans and the harlots inherit the kingdom of Heaven, thus many of
the last are placed before the first.
17. But I will tell thee also of events which have happened in our
own time, and of which thou mayest thyself have been witness You know
probably that young Phoenician, the son of Urbanus, who was untimely
left an orphan, but possessed of much money, and many slaves and
lands. This man, having in the first place bidden complete farewell
to his studies in the schools, and having laid aside the gay clothing
which he formerly wore, and all his worldly grandeur, suddenly
arraying himself in a shabby cloak, and retreating to the solitude of
the mountains, exhibited a high degree of Christian philosophy not
merely in proportion to the sacred mysteries, he made still greater
advances in virtue. And all were rejoicing, and a mere youth, should
have suddenly trodden all the pomps of this life under foot, and have
ascended to the true height. Now which he was in this condition, and
an object of admiration, certain corrupt men, who according to the law
of kindred had the oversight of him dragged him back again into the
former sea of worldliness. And so, having flung aside all his
habits, he again descended from the mountains into the midst of the
forum, and used to go all round the city, riding on horseback, and
accompanied by a large retinue; and he was no longer willing to live
even soberly; for being inflamed by much luxury, he was constrained to
fall into foolish love intrigues, and there was no one of those
conversant with him, who did not despair of his salvation; he was
encompassed by such a swarm of flatterers, besides the snares of
orphanhood, youth, and great wealth. And persons who readily find
fault with everything, accused those who originally conducted him to
this way of life, saying that he had both missed his spiritual aims,
and would no longer be of any use in the management of his own affairs,
having prematurely abandoned the labours of study, and having been
consequently unable to derive any benefit therefrom. Now while these
things were of chase, and had thoroughly learned by experience that
those who are armed with hope in God ought not to despair at all of
such characters, kept a continual watch upon him, and if ever they saw
him appear in the market place they approached and saluted him. And at
first he spoke to them from horseback, askance, as they followed by
his side; so great was the shamelessness which had at first got
possession of him. But they, being merciful and loving men, were not
ashamed at all of this treatment, but continually looked to one thing
only, how they might rescue the lamb from the wolves; which in fact
they actually accomplished by means of their perseverance. For
afterwards, as if he had been converted by some sudden stroke, and
were put to shame by their great assiduity if ever he saw them in the
distance approaching, he would instantly dismount, and bending low
would listen silently in that attitude to all which fell from their
lips, and in time he displayed even greater reverence and respect
towards them. And then, by the grace of God having gradually rescued
him out of all those entanglements, they handed him over again to his
former state of seclusion and devout contemplation. And now he became
so illustrious, that his former life seemed to be nothing in comparison
with that which he lived after his fall. For being well aware by
experience of the snare, and having expended all his wealth upon the
needy, and released himself from all care of that kind, he cut off
every pretext for an attack from those who wished to make designs upon
him; and now treading the path which leads to heaven, he has already
arrived at the very goal of virtue.
This man indeed fell and rose again while he was still young; but
another man, after enduring great toils during his sojourn in the
deserts, with only a single companion, and leading an angelic life,
and being now on the way to old age, afforded I know not how a little
loophole to the evil one, through some Satanic condition of mind, and
carelessness; and although he had never seen a woman since he
transferred himself to the monastic life, he fell into a passionate
desire for intercourse with women. And first of all he besought his
companion to supply him with meat and wine, and threatened, if he did
not receive it, that he would go down into the market get some handle
and pretext for returning into the city. The other being perplexed at
these things, and fearing, that if he hindered this he might drive him
into some great evil, suffered him to have his fill of this craving.
But when his companion perceived that this was a stale device, he
openly threw off shame, and unmasked his pretence, and said that he
must positively himself go down to the city, and as the other had not
power to prevent him, he desisted at last from his efforts, and
following him at a distance, watched to see what the meaning of this
return could possibly be. And having seen him enter a brothel, and
knowing that he had intercourse with a harlot there, he waited until he
had satiated that foul desire, and then, when he came out, he
received him with uplifted hands, and having embraced and fervently
kissed him, without uttering any rebuke on account of what had happened
he only besought him, seeing that he had satiated his desire, to
return again to his dwelling in the wilderness. And the other, of
compunction for the deed which he had in another hut, and, having
dosed the doors of the dwelling, to supply him with bread and And when
he had said this, and persuaded him, he shut himself up, and was
there continually, with fastings and prayers and tears, wiping off
from his soul the defilement of his sin. And not long after when a
drought had settled on the neighbouring region, and all in that country
were lamenting over it, a certain man was commanded by a vision to
depart, and exhort this recluse to pray, and put an end to the
drought. And when he had departed, taking companions with him, they
found the man, who formerly dwelt with him, there alone; and on
enquiring concerning the other they were informed that he was dead.
But they, believing that they were deceived, betook themselves again
to prayer, and again by means of the same vision heard the same things
which they had heard before. And then, standing round the man who
reply had deceived them, they besought him to show the other to them;
for they declared that he was not dead but living. When he heard
this, and perceived that their compact was exposed, he brought them to
that holy man; and they having broken through the wall (for he had
even blocked up the entrance) and having all of them entered,
prostrating themselves at his feet, and informing him of what had
happened, besought him to succour them against the famine. But he at
first resisted, saying that he was far from such confidence as that;
for he ever had his sin before his eyes, as if it had only just taken
place; but when they related all which had happened to them they then
induced him to pray; and having prayed he put an end to the drought.
And what happened to that young man who was at first a disciple of
John the son of Zebedee, but afterwards for a long time became a
robber chief, and then again,having been captured by the holy hands of
the blessed Apostle returned from the robber dens and lairs to his
former virtue, thou art not ignorant, but knowest it all as accurately
as I do: and I have often heard thee admiring the great condescension
of the saint, and how he first of all kissed the blood-stained hand of
the young man, embracing him, and so brought him back to his former
condition.
18. Moreover also the blessed Paul not only welcomes Onesimus the
unprofitable runaway thief, because he was converted, but also asks
his master to treat him who had repented, on equal terms of honour with
his teacher, thus saying: "I beseech thee for my son Onesimus,
whom I have begotten in my bonds, who was aforetime unprofitable to
thee, but now is profitable to thee and to me, whom I have sent back
to thee; thou therefore receive him, that is my very heart, whom I
would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto
me in the bonds of the Gospel; but without thy mind I would do
nothing that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free
will. For perhaps he was therefore pared from thee for a season that
thou shouldest have him back for ever; no longer as a servant, but
above a servant, a brother beloved, specially unto me; but how much
rather to thee both in the flesh and in the Lord? If then thou
holdest me as a partner, receive him as myself." And the same
apostle, in writing to the Corinthians, said, "Lest when I come
I should mourn over many of those who have sinned beforehand and have
not repented;" and again, "as I have said beforehand, so do I
again declare beforehand, that if I come again I will not spare."
Seest thou who they are whom he mourns, and whom he does not spare?
Not those who have sinned, but those who have not repented, and not
simply those who have not repented, but those who have been called once
and again to this work, and would not be persuaded. For the
expression "I have said beforehand and do now say beforehand, as if
I were present the second time, and being absent I write," implies
exactly that which we are afraid may take place now in our case. For
although Paul is not present who then threatened the Corinthians, yet
Christ is present, who was then speaking through his mouth; and if we
continue obdurate, He will not spare us, but will smite us with a
mighty blow, both in this world and the next. "Let us then
anticipate His countenance by our confessor" let us pour out our
hearts before Him. For "thou hast sinned," we read, "do not add
thereto any more, and the first instance." Let us not then tarry for
the accuser, but let us seize his place beforehand, and so let us make
our judge more merciful by means of our candour. Now I know indeed
that you confess your sins, and call yourself miserable above measure;
but this is not the only thing I wish, but I long For as long as you
make this confession unfollow it. For no one will be able to do
anything with zeal and the proper method, unless he has first of all
persuaded himself that he does it to advantage. For even the sower,
was not to gain any good from his labor? So then he also who sows
words, and tears, and confession, unless he does this with a good
hope, will not be able to desist from sinning, being still held down
by the evil of despair; but just as that husbandman who despairs of any
crop of fruit will not in future hinder any of those things which damage
the seeds, so also he who sows his confession with tears, but does not
expect any advantage for this, will not be able to overthrow those
things which spoil repentance. And what does spoil repentance is being
again entangled in the same evils. "For there is one" we read,
"who builds, and one who pulls down, what have they gained more than
toil? He who is dipped in water because of contact with a dead body,
and then touches it again, what has he gained by his washing?" Even
so if a man fasts because of his sins, and goes his way again, and
doeth the same things, who will hearken to his prayer? And again we
read "if a man goes back from righteousness to sin the Lord will
prepare him for the sword," and, "as a dog when he has returned to
his vomit, and become odious, so is a fool who by his wickedness has
returned to his sin."
19. Do not then merely set forth thy sins being thy own accuser,
but as one who ought to be justified by the method of repentance; for
thus thou wilt be able to put thy soul, which makes its confession, to
shame, so that it falls no more into the same sins. For to accuse
ourselves vehemently and call ourselves sinners is common, so to say,
to unbelievers also. Many at least of those who belong to the stage,
both men and women, who habitually practise the greatest
shamelessness, call themselves miserable, but not with the proper
aim. Wherefore I would not even call this confession; for the
publication of their sins is not accompanied with compunction of soul,
nor with bitter tears, nor with conversion of life, but in fact some
of them make it in quest of a reputation for the hearers for candor of
speech. For offences do not seem so grievous when some other person
announces them as when the perpetrator himself reports them. And they
who under the influence of strong despair have lapsed into a state of
insensibility, and treat the opinion of their fellowmen with contempt
proclaim their own evil deeds with much effrontery, as if they were the
doings of others. But I do not wish thee to be any of these, nor to
be brought out of despair to confession, but with a good expectation,
after cutting away the whole root of despair, to manifest zeal in the
contrary direction. And what is the root and mother of this despair?
It is indolence; or rather one would not call it the root only, but
also the nurse and mother. For as in the case of wool decay breeds
moths, and is in turn increased by them; so here also indolence breeds
despair, and is itself nourished in turn by despair; and thus
supplying each other with this accursed exchange, they acquire no small
additional power. If any one then cuts one of these off, and hews it
in pieces, he will easily be able to get the better of the remaining
one. For on the one hand he who is not indolent will never fall into
despair, and on the other he who is supported by good hopes, and does
not despair of himself, will not be able to fall into indolence. Pray
then, wrench this pair asunder, and break the yoke in pieces, by
which I mean a variable and yet depressing habit of thought; for that
which holds these two things together is not uniform, but manifold in
shame and character. And what is this? It happens that one who has
repented has done many great and good deeds, but meanwhile he has
committed some sin equivalent to those good deeds, and this especially
is sufficient to plunge him into despair, as if the buildings which had
been set up were all pulled down, and all the labor which he had
bestowed upon them had been vain and come to naught. But this must be
taken into account, and such reasoning must be repelled, because, if
we do not store up in good time a measure of good deeds equivalent to
the sins which are committed after them, nothing can hinder us from
sinking grievously and completely. But as it is, (right action like
some stout breastplate does not suffer the sharp and bitter dart to
accomplish its work, but even if it is itself cut through, it averts
much danger from the body. For he who departs to the other world with
many deeds both good and bad, will have some alleviation in respect of
the punishment and the torment there; but if a man is destitute of
these good works, and takes only the evil with him, it is impossible
to say what great sufferings he will undergo, when he is conducted to
everlasting punishment. For a balance will be struck there between the
evil deeds and those which are not such; and should the latter weigh
down the scale they will to no small extent have saved the doer of
them, and the injury arising from the doing of evil deeds is not so
strong as to drag the man down from the foremost place; but if the evil
deeds exceed, they carry him off into hell fire, because the number of
his good actions is not so great as to be able to make a stand against
this violent impulse. And these things are not merely sug gested by
our own reasoning, but declared also by the divine oracles; for He
Himself saith, "He shall reward every man according to his works."
And not only in hell, but also in the kingdom one will find many
differences; for He saith "in my Fathers house are many mansions;"
and, "there is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the
moon." And what wonder, if in dealing with such great matters he has
spoken with such precision, seeing that He declares there is a
difference in that world even between one star and another? Knowing
then all these things let us never desist from doing good deeds, nor
grow weary, nor, if we should be unable to reach the rank of the sun
or of the moon, let us despise that of the stars. For if only we
display thus much virtue at least, we shall be able to have a place in
Heaven. And though we may not have become gold, or precious stone
yet if we only occupy the rank of silver we shall abide in the
foundation; only let us not fall back again into that material which
the fire readily devours, nor, when we are unable to accomplish great
things, desist also from small ones, for this is the part of extreme
folly, which I trust we may not experience. For just as material
wealth increases if the lovers of it do not despise even the smallest
gains, so is it also with the spiritual. For it is a strange thing
that the judge should not overlook the reward of even a cup of cold
water, but that we, if our achievements are not altogether great,
should neglect the performance of little things. For he who does not
despise the lesser things, will exercise much zeal concerning the
greatest; but he who overlooks the former will also abstain from the
latter; and to prevent this taking place Christ has defined great
rewards even for these small things. For what is easier than to visit
the sick? Yet even this He requites with a great recompense. Lay
hold then on eternal life, delight in the Lord, and supplicate Him;
take up again the wealth to slip past thee. For if thou shouldst
continue provoking God by thy deeds, thou wilt destroy thyself; but
if before much damage has been done, and all thy husbandry has been
overwhelmed with a flood, thou wilt dam up the channels of wickedness,
thou wilt be able to recover again what has been spoiled and to add to
it not a lithe further produce: Having considered all these things,
shake off the dust, get up from the ground, and thou wilt be
formidable to the adversary; for he himself indeed has overthrown
thee, as if thou wouldst never rise again; but if he sees thee again
lifting up thy hands against him, he will receive such an unexpected
blow that he will be less forward in trying to upset thee again, and
thou thyself wilt be more secure against receiving any wound of that
kind in future. For if the calamities of others are sufficient to
instruct us, much more those which we have ourselves undergone. And
this is what I expect speedily to see in the case of thy own dear
self, and that by the grace of God thou art again become more radiant
than before, and displaying such great virtue, as even to be a
protector of others in the world above. Only do not despair do not
fall back; for I will not cease repeating this in every form of
speech, and wherever I see you, as well as by the lips of others;
and if you listen to this you will no longer need other remedies.
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