[221] Jer. ix. i.
[222] See 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17; and vi. 19. Ignatius the martyr had the name Theophoros, "the God-bearer," which was probably given at the time of his conversion, or of baptism, to remind him continually of his Christian privileges and duties. See note, p. 73.
[223] Ps. cxiii. 7-9.
[224] Prov. xviii. 3. LXX.
[225] Ps. cxxiii. 2, 3.
[226] Rom. viii. 24.
[227] mulos onikos, lit. the mill-stone turned by an ass, as being heavier than the common hand-mill. So in Matt. xviii. 6.
[228] Is. xxii. 4.
[229] Ps. vi. 5.
[230] Dan. iv. 27.
[231] Dan. ii.
[232] Dan. iv.
[233] Isa. lvii. 17, 18. LXX., which has after "sorrowfully" the words "in his ways." I beheld his ways and healed him, etc.
[234] 1 Kings xxi. 29. The words "because he hath wept before me," are not in the LXX.
[235] 2 Chron. xxxiii. 10-19.
[236] Ps. xcv. 9.
[237] Jer. viii. 4.
[238] Luke xv. 4, 5.
[239] Luke xv. 29, 30.
[240] Jer. xxiii. 23, where the passage is interrogatory, "Am I a God at hand and not?" etc., being a warning addressed to those who hoped to elude the vigilance of God, so that it is not quite appropriate here.
[241] Isa. lix. 2. Chrysostom by mistake attributes the quotation to Jeremiah.
[242] 1 Cor. v. 5.
[243] 2 Cor. ii. 6.
[244] Gal. iii. 5.
[245] Gal. iii. 4.
[246] Gal. v. 2, 4.
[247] Gal. iv. 19.
[248] Matt. xxv. 34.
[249] Luke xvi. 26.
[250] 2 Cor. vi. 2.
[251] Isa. xxxv. 10.
[252] Rom. viii. 21.
[253] Matt. xvii. 2.
[254] Matt. xvii. 4.
[255] 1 Cor. xiii. 12.
[256] Heb. i. 3. The other expressions in this passage are most of them taken from Isaiah xl.
[257] Ps. iv. 4.
[258] There is a variation from the LXX. here.
[259] The LXX. has thumothesetai, "shall be made wroth."
[260] Isa. xiii. 9, 13.
[261] Isa. xxiv. 19-22, a very loose quotation from the LXX.
[262] Mal. iii. 2, 3.
[263] Mal. iv. 1.
[264] Dan. vii. 9. 10. Slightly varied from the LXX.: for the designation of Daniel as "greatly beloved," see Dan. x. 11.
[265] Dan. vii. 13-15, a closer rendering of the Hebrew than the LXX.
[266] Isa. xxxiv. 4.
[267] Matt. xxiv. 29.
[268] I have not succeeded in finding the source of this quotation. Comp. Ps. i. 5.
[269] Isa. lxiv. 4, quoted in 1 Cor. ii. 9.
[270] Ps. xlv. 12.
[271] Ezek. xvi. 33, an inexact quotation from LXX.
[272] Jer. iii. 2.
[273] Hagg. ii. 10.
[274] Matt. xxiii. 37.
[275] 2 Cor. v. 19, 20.
[276] Rom. viii. 7.
[277] Dan. x. 6.
[278] Luke xx. 36.
[279] 2 Cor. iv. 17.
[280] 1 Cor. xv. 31; also 2 Cor. xi. 23-28.
[281] 1 Kings xi. 11.
[282] 2 Kings xix. 34.
[283] Matt. x. 28.
[284] Jonah iii. 4, LXX.
[285] Jonah iii. 9, 10.
[286] Isa. lv. 8, 9, varied a little from the LXX.
[287] Jer. iii. 7.
[288] Deut. v. 29.
[289] Deut. x. 12.
[290] Isa. xliii. 26.
[291] Luke vii. 44-48.
[292] i.e., the life of monastic seclusion.
[293] The story is told by Clement of Alexandria in his treatise entitled "Who is the rich man that is saved?" and has been inserted by Eusebius in his History, iii. 23.
[294] Philem. 10-18.
[295] 2 Cor. xii. 21; xiii. 2.
[296] 2 Cor. xii. 21; xiii. 2.
[297] Ps. xcv. 42, LXX.
[298] Ecclus. xxi. 1.
[299] Prov. xviii. 17; but a different meaning is given to the passage in our English Version [Revised].
[300] Ecclus. xxxiv. 23, 25.
[301] Ecclus. xxvi. 28.
[302] Prov. xxvi. 11.
[303] These words seem to be understood, although they are not expressed in the original.
[304] Rom. ii. 6.
[305] John xiv. 2.
[306] 1 Cor. xv. 41.
Letter II.
1. If it were possible to express tears and groans by means of writing I would have filled the letter, which I now send to you, with them. Now I weep not because you are anxious concerning your patrimony, but because you have blotted out your name from the list of the brethren, because you have trampled upon the covenant which you had made with Christ. This is the reason why I shudder, this is the cause of my distress. On this account do I fear and tremble, knowing that the rejection of this covenant will bring great condemnation upon those who have enlisted for this noble warfare, and owing to indolence have deserted their proper rank. And that the punishment for such is heavier than for others is manifest for this reason. For no one would indite a private individual for shunning military service; but when once a man has become a soldier, if he be caught deserting the ranks, he runs a risk of suffering the most extreme penalty. There is nothing strange, beloved Theodore, in a wrestler falling, but in his remaining in a fallen condition; neither is it a grievous thing for the warrior to be wounded, but to despair after the blow has been struck, and to neglect the wound. No merchant, having once suffered shipwreck, and lost his freight, desists from sailing, but again crosses the sea and the billows, and the broad ocean, and recovers his former wealth. We see athletes also who after many falls have gained the wreath of victory; and often, before now, a soldier who has once ran away has turned out a champion, and prevailed over the enemy. Many also of those who have denied Christ owing to the pressure of torture, have fought again, and departed at last with the crown of martyrdom upon their brows. But if each of these had despaired after the first blow, he would not have reaped the subsequent benefits. Even so now, beloved Theodore, because the enemy has shaken thee a little from thy position, do not thou give thyself an additional thrust into the pit, but stand up bravely, and return speedily to the place from which thou hast departed, and deem not this blow, lasting but for a little while, any reproach. For if you saw a soldier returning wounded from war you would not reproach him; for it is a reproach to cast away one's arms, and to hold aloof from the enemy; but as long as a man stands fighting, even if he be wounded and retreat for a short time, no one is so unfeeling or inexperienced in matters of war, as to find any fault with him. Exemption from wounds is the lot of non-combatants; but those who advance with much spirit against the enemy may sometimes be wounded and fail; which is exactly what has now occurred in your case; for suddenly, while you attempted to destroy the serpent you were bitten. But take courage, you need a little vigilance, and then not a trace of this wound will be left; or rather by the grace of God thou wilt crush the head of the Evil One himself; nor let it trouble thee that thou art soon impeded, even at the outset. For the eye, the keen eye of the Evil One perceived the excellence of thy soul, and guessed from many tokens that a brave adversary would wax strong against him; for he expected that one who had promptly attacked him with such great vehemence would easily overcome him, if he persevered. Therefore he was diligent, and watchful, and mightily stirred up against thee, or rather against his own head, if thou wilt bravely stand thy ground. For who did not marvel at thy quick, sincere, and fervent change to good? For delicacy of food was disregarded, and costliness of raiment was despised, all manner of parade was put down, and all the zeal for the wisdom of this world was suddenly transferred to the divine oracles; whole days were spent in reading, and whole nights in prayer; no mention was made of thy family dignity, nor any thought taken of thy wealth; but to clasp the knees and hasten to the feet of the brethren thou didst recognize as something nobler than high birth. These things irritated the Evil One, these things stirred him up to more vehement strife; but yet he did not give a deadly blow. For if after a long time, and continual fastings, and sleeping on the bare ground and the rest of the discipline he overthrew you, even then there was no need to despair; nevertheless one would have said that the damage was great if defeat had taken place after many toils, and labour, and victories; but inasmuch as he upset you as soon as you had stripped for the contest with him, all that he accomplished was to render you more eager to do battle with him. For that fell pirate attacked thee just as thou wast sailing out of the harbor, not when thou hadst returned from thy trading voyage, bringing a full cargo. And as when one has attempted to stay a fierce lion, and has only grazed his skin, he has done him no injury but only stirred him up the more against himself, and rendered him more confident and difficult to capture afterwards: even so the common enemy of all has attempted to strike a deep blow, but has missed it, and consequently made his antagonist more vigilant and wary for the future.
2. For human nature is a slippery thing, quick to be cheated, but quick also to recover from deceit and as it speedily falls, so also does it readily rise. For even that blessed man, I mean David the chosen king and prophet, after he had accomplished many good deeds, betrayed himself to be a man, for once he fell in love with a strange woman, nor did he stop there but he committed adultery on account of his passion, and he committed murder on account of his adultery; but he did not try to inflict a third blow upon himself because he had already received two such heavy ones, but immediately hastened to the physician, and applied the remedies, fasting, tears, lamentation, constant prayer, frequent confession of the sin; and so by these means he propitiated God, insomuch that he was restored to his former position, insomuch that after adultery and murder the memory of the father was able to shield the idolatry of the son. For the son of this David, Solomon by name, was caught by the same snare as his father, and out of complaisance to women fell away from the God of his fathers. [307] Thou seest how great an evil it is not to master pleasure, not to upset the ruling principle in nature, and for a man to be the slave of women. This same Solomon then, who was formerly righteous and wise but who ran a risk of being deprived of all the kingdom on account of his sin, God permitted to keep the sixth part of the government on account of the renown of his father. [308]
Now if thy zeal had been concerned with worldly eloquence, and then thou hadst given it up in despair, I should have reminded thee of the law courts and the judgment seat and the victories achieved there and the former boldness of thy speech, and should have exhorted thee to return to your labours in that behalf: but inasmuch as our race is for heavenly things, and we take no account of the things which are on earth, I put thee in remembrance of another court of justice, and of that fearful and tremendous seat of judgment; "for we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ." [309] "And He will then sit as judge who is now disregarded by thee. What shall we say then, let me ask at that time? or what defence shall we make, if we continue to disregard Him? What shall we say then? Shall we plead the anxieties of business? Nay He has anticipated this by saying, "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" [310] Or that we have been deceived by others? But it did not help Adam in his defence to screen himself behind his wife, and say "the woman whom thou gavest me, she deceived me;" [311] even as the serpent was no excuse for the woman. Terrible, O beloved Theodore, is that tribunal, one which needs no accusers and waits for no witnesses; for "all things are naked and laid open to Him" [312] who judges us, and we must submit to give an account not of deeds only but also of thoughts; for that judge is quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. [313] But perhaps you will allege weakness of nature as the excuse, and inability to bear the yoke. And what kind of defence is this, that you have not strength to bear the easy yoke, that you are unable to carry the light burden? Is recovery from fatigue a grievous and oppressive thing? For it is to this that Christ calls us, saying, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest; take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart; for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." [314] For what can be lighter I ask, than to be released from anxieties, and business, and fears, and labors, and to stand outside the rough billows of life, and dwell in a tranquil haven?