and even as we approach a terrestrial king, let us approach the heavenly God. I say these things often, nor do I cease. Entering into the churches, as is becoming to God, let us enter not revolving the memory of injuries in our minds, lest, when we say, "Forgive us as we also forgive" (Matt. 6:12), we be condemned. For it is a fearful thing that we say, and he who says this cries almost to God: "I have forgiven, Master, forgive; I have granted, grant." Since, therefore, we know these things, and that fire, and that fearful tribunal, let us finally turn ourselves from the error of our life. For the day will come when the theater of life shall be dissolved, and no one will struggle any longer. This is the time of repentance, that of judgment; this of struggles, that of crowns. Be excited, I beseech you, and hear the things said diligently. We have lived for the flesh, let us live from now on for the Spirit; we have lived with negligence, let us live in repentance. Why are you puffed up, O man, earth and ash? Why are you proud, why do you think magnificently? Why do you hope from the glory of the world and riches? Let us go out to the tombs, I pray; let us see the mysteries that are there; let us see nature dispersed, bones consumed, consider bodies stinking; even if you are wise, even if you are prudent, tell me, who is the king there, who the private citizen; who the noble, who the slave; who the wise, who the ignorant. Where is the form of youth there, where the comely countenance, where the beautiful eyes, where the splendid face? Are not all things dust? Are not all things ash? Are not all things darkness? Are not all things consumed and putrid? Thinking these things, and having the last day in mind, while we have time, let us work what is good, that we may be delivered from the future and interminable hell, and be held worthy of the kingdom of heaven, by the grace and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
HOMILY XLVIII.
A Florilegium in the form of a discourse, collected from Chrysostom by Theodore: what a Christian doing shall receive the inheritance of eternal life.
To love God with all one’s soul and strength, and to keep His commandments, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, according to the voice of the Lord saying: "If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love" (John 15:10); and again: "In this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." He who humbles his soul before God and is never puffed up against his neighbor: for "A contrite and humbled heart God will not despise" (Ps. 50:19): who is crushed concerning the neighbor’s sin, and laments his own sins, and rejoices in the neighbor’s joy, and is not twisted with envy in his prosperity: who receives and instructs adversaries with gentleness, and always desires and seeks to exercise the justice of God; for this man will keep the purity of his soul: who is moved with mercy toward those who have need of compassion, and has given himself up to the peace which is according to God, and strives so that by this work he may be called a son of God; and besides, is affected with insult, is accused and suffers persecution, and dies for the justice of God and the confession made in Christ, because this is eternal life: who overturns every heretical blasphemy, and rightly confesses the confession of the Holy Trinity: who meditates truth in his heart, and does not craftily turn his tongue into falsehood, nor bring evil upon his neighbor, as it is written: who does not accuse, nor revile, nor do any other forbidden thing, but accurately keeps all the commandments of Christ, and performs them: being defrauded, he does not return the favor, giving a tunic to him who has not, being reviled he blesses, being pressed into service he adds to the burden: carrying in his mouth no shameful or blasphemous word, nor uttering an oath, but acknowledging one term, truth, and meditating upon it night and day; and according to the Lord’s commandment saying nothing more than "yes, yes" and "no, no" in his defenses: moving his tongue to the singing of hymns, his knees and his hands with his mind to prayer, pouring out tears for sins in the sight of God: always solicitous concerning his death, and concerning the future judgment, concerning the giving of an account of works, always revolving his sins in his mind, offering praises to God for them: however, diligently doing good works; but not exalting or boasting of them, nor thinking highly of them, like that Pharisee, but leaving the knowledge of them to God who knows them, who will render to each according to his works: fleeing drunkenness, perjury, gluttony, untimely words, envy, contention, malice, avarice which is a second idolatry, fury, anger, fornication, adultery, and all such bodily filth: not practicing pharmacy, or divination, or any incantation, but purifying himself night and day, that he may partake without blame of the precious body and blood of Christ; patronizing orphans, and likewise widows and strangers: not turning himself away from him who asks, or from him who wants to take at interest, but tearing up every unjust bond: if indeed he has any just one, not exalting nor showing it, since he is wholly God’s, and has it from God... and glorifying those who glorify God, and honoring his servants: having mercy on the enemies of the faith because of their blindness, and with every effort attempting to convert them, but turning away from those who remain obstinate, and hating with a perfect hatred those who hate God, living in all goodness, in all piety, in all chastity, as if he had God wholly in himself, and were wholly God’s, always moved and agitated by His memory and by His commandments, and when he lies down on a bed, when he has risen, when he eats, drinks, and spends the day, as it is written: "I kept the Lord in my sight always, for He is at my right hand, that I might not be moved"; and, "Let all the earth fear, and let all the inhabitants of the world be moved by Him" (Ps. 15:8)... and of injuries unto death, and to him who forgives his neighbor his sins, his own sins are forgiven by God. For if we do not remember the sins which others have committed against us, neither will God remember ours, which we have committed against Him. But to judge justly in the fear of God; [alt-version omitted]