A sleep, we are awakened sober, and we look upon the beauty of the countenance and its beauty, and not as an offense. Melody also does not pierce our ears. For modesty knows how to dissolve the wax in the ears, nor does listening do harm. For our members become the works of modesty. The eye sees a good face, and looks upon it with honesty. It is not moved to concupiscence, but sees beauty in the face, and considers what kind of beauty it is in the soul; and, bringing to itself the good things that are from outside, it plucks good things from the good, and is not offended by evil things. Just as healthy bodies receive utility from everything—from movement, from exercise, from running, from anointing, from sleep, from food, and from drink—so, conversely, those who are ailing are harmed by everything. For they even excuse the smell of wine and the stench of ointment, and the movement of a journey, and food, and cold, and heat. For all things harm those who are ill. But all things profit those who are held to be healthy. Thus also, everything moves the lustful person to harm: appearance, beauty, the composition of melody, variety of clothing, a certain reputation, and good works are transformed into evil for him. But he who is sober is the opposite; because even the contrary things are for him [opportunities], for by plucking good things from the good, he is rich in good things. Therefore, modesty is precious, because while it is present, it prepares a place for justice, and also gives space to virtue; moreover, it preserves the intellect, to interpret its name. Therefore it embraces and surrounds virtue, and becomes as it were a mother of piety to brothers. The fortitude of virtue is indeed good, but we do not always have need of it; perhaps I shall even dare to say: I wish we did not, but it is necessary. For if anyone has received it, it is useful only in wars. But if virtue is also necessary in peace, perhaps it is to work together with modesty: for when concupiscences fight, and their waves arise, there is need for modesty to resist manfully. If, therefore, coming here it helps, then virtue will be precious even in peace. Not indeed by defending itself, but by aiding modesty. But if virtue is also placed in war, it disregards the mediation of kind. For we arm women for battle; but modesty is precious also in men, and is even more useful to women. But why is it not said, what is true, that the fruit of virtue itself is also necessary in wars because of modesty? For we undertake wars for this reason, that the adversaries, by prevailing, may not corrupt women outside the law of modesty. For if we fight for this, and endure the terrors of battle, then virtue is exercised for the sake of modesty even in war. For just as the art of shipbuilding ministers to the helmsman, so also does virtue prepare tranquility for modesty. Therefore, virtue is divided for the most part among our kind: but it is not found useful for all men. For modesty precedes it even in time. Those A who are still adolescents, and have not yet learned the works of war, nor are called to battles, sometimes have placed wreaths upon themselves for modesty: but modesty is found still useful also for many who are bestowed with quiet because of infirmity. For even if lusts are laid aside in old age, the promptings of the concupiscences still exist, and fornication continues to ail and kill, which cannot contain lust, and bring disgrace upon parents, which do not willingly accept the admonitions of modesty. For if modesty were present, no one would steal, nor would anyone kill, but the son would love the admonitions of the father. This is a divine possession, but it is found with difficulty. But as for those who already have it, what will be the state of affairs after the resurrection? For the Lord and bringer of that kingdom himself says: Whoever shall be worthy of the resurrection of the dead, they shall be neither married nor take wives, but shall be as the angels of God, because they can no longer die. O immortality joined to modesty! Those who win in wars are not made as the angels, but those who neither marry nor are given in marriage. This is the judgment of him who made nature. For elsewhere, the Lord has spoken concerning the adornment of modesty itself: Not all, he says, are worthy, but those to whom it has been given. For what man has not had by nature, this becomes a gift from above: but to me indeed, let this modesty show its own beauty, and gradually draw me, and remain not yielding, nor filled and captured: but as a certain adorned bird, sometimes desiring to play, it gradually recedes, and while it is seen, it moves desire; but while it is gradually moved, it entices one to follow it; but it is not captured because it is its nature to flee: it extends its course, and when one thinks he has most apprehended it, it moves its wing and flies: thus also modesty, displaying its own variety in honesty, while gradually moving and stirring itself, has drawn me so far that I might pursue it: but when I already thought I could reach out my hand and catch it, moving its wings it joins itself to the heaven above, to the angels, of course, where its nature is to remain. And it indeed remained uncomprehended, but left me astonished and desiring the apprehension, which pursuing, I did not apprehend. Let us indeed gather up the discourse; and because modesty, while surpassing much, and transcending the whole of human nature; but the discourse, finding what God has given to men, and this to mortals, through which he procured immortality for them, let it turn itself again to the giving of thanks, and let there be glory and honor, imperial power, majesty, in the holy and sanctifying one, through whom he sent this holy gift to men, to wit, through his own only-begotten Son, with the Holy Spirit both now and always, and for all ages of ages. Amen.
EUSEBIUS PAMPHILI ON THE FACT THAT GOD THE FATHER IS INCORPOREAL, BOOK FOUR
A Let us raise our thought to our God Himself, not allowing the mind to flee or avoid Him. For we spare the one who is afraid; yet we press him not to seek God as He is, but as much as it is possible for the mind itself to estimate. For the mind discovers many ways to hide, to delay, and to take detours, as if fearing the good itself. But just as when a horse is sometimes terrified and unwilling to take the straight path, we use force with the bridle, and by pricking it with our heels, we correct it and endeavor to restrain it from things we do not allow it, so too we must now raise our thought to God, seeking those things which even Scripture permits to be sought concerning God: that God is not in a house, nor in a statue; not on a mountain or on land; not in the air, nor in the whole of heaven itself; nor is He confined, nor held, nor fixed, but He fills all things incorporeally, yet is ineffably separated from all. We mock at length those who think that God, or gods, are like a flock enclosed in a fold; indeed, we strongly rebuke those who wish divine powers to be held enclosed in statues, by the contrivance, clearly, of wicked men. For we mock them when garments are placed upon the statues, some of women, some of men, and of quadrupeds and serpents. We gain this much profit from them: because from these things which others say and do in various ways, and which are fashioned and disputed, they confess that they are ignorant of Him who is sought. For God is not a body, nor is He anything of the body, such as color, for instance; nor is He in a body, as the soul is thought to be; nor is He around a body, as the senses are thought to be; but He is free both from the nature of the body and from its state. For the nature of the body is held in composition. And all things which are composed receive composition from things that were already made before; as for example, what I say: stones were created, and the composition of the stones made a house. But God Himself is the author and the beginning, and He is not found to be composed B from things that have been made. For God is simple and uniform, inasmuch as He is living itself. For bodies that receive life are themselves also deprived of life. But He who did not receive a beginning (for God did not receive a beginning: for who could have given it?) is not God in a body, but life itself. For the thought reaches as far as it finds useful to itself: because stones and rocks have this very thing, that they exist; but trees and plants assumed for what they are, that they might rise up, and germinate, and grow, and be nourished; and irrational animals assumed even this along with what has been said, that sense-perception might be in them. But we, along with all these, have received thought and sense, and up to us, what was more honorable was always made more honorable by addition. But for us, dignity is no longer recognized toward higher things by additions, but perhaps by subtractions: and by subtraction I do not mean an ablation from those things which already are and are possessed, but the very nature which did not need these things: for instance, it is necessary for us to grow by the nature of angels, for they are neither increased nor diminished. What then? Is the nature of angels inferior because trees and plants are nourished and grow and receive additions; but the nature of angels neither germinates, nor receives growth, nor is nourished or added to? For to whom there is an ablation of increase and of the other things we have mentioned, there is no loss to those who possess what they are without these things, but an eminence of dignity; for many things are not in angels, nor are the things present that are possessed in us. And it is not because what they do not have is lacking to them, but because we are in need of these things, so there is present to us for our comfort that which we lack from them. There is no marriage among the angels. For woman was given to man for help: but each of the angels is sufficient for himself by his own nature. Garments are not made for angels, so that they might weave what they live with. There is no house for them; for heaven is sufficient. Nature does not need beds without sleep. There is no table among them; indeed, perhaps they are not even nourished; but gold and silver and bronze and iron, and all things we marvel at as created and invented, have use among us, but there, they are neither named nor found. What then? Do we surpass the nature of angels by so many goods that we think we have? We are wealthy in gold; angels do not have gold; they are not found to be poor on that account, because gold is not among them; but rather, they are rich, who need neither our gold nor our silver. What need of iron in the heavens? Is it for tillage, or for navigation, or for war, or for medicine? What need is there of exchange for them, where there are no transactions? But neither is there need of servants for them: for it suffices D