understand the agent: for where the soul proves to be inclined, thither, so to speak, it is led, and becomes what it desires. Just as things that are heated by fire become, so to speak, fire; and those that are joined to fragrant things become fragrant; and those to opposites, opposites: so also the soul, where it has proved inclined, is drawn to this by its own nature. For it is stained by its affections, and becomes similar to its own impulses, and not preserving the dignity of its nature, it becomes evil in evil things. But if it has looked toward those things which are above itself, being effected upward, it is established in those things which it has also desired: for the conversation of many is not that of men, but of cattle. For they think of nothing else but that they may eat, or drink, or seize, or cheat; for in these they live, if indeed this life ought even to be called life: for not sufficient with these evils which are from without, B they even hasten to contaminate their own flesh; for thus they rejoice in evils, as enemies to themselves; and when they ought to mourn, because they do not live well, they rejoice in evils and are saddened by good things: possessing a double blindness, both in that they do not understand the malice of evils, and in that they do not assume the enjoyment of good things; for they run against themselves, and work opposites to themselves. For very many sometimes go forth glad, because they have filled their belly, and have gone out of their mind: and they call that day blessed in which they did not live. For this is the life C of men, that they should use reason, because they are also considered rational. But when the sense has been overwhelmed, the day has passed without cause, and it ought not to be counted as in life, in which the sense has not looked toward the things above. But I would that they looked neither at life, nor at evil. For it is one thing to be idle from evil and good, and to be as one sleeping or dead; and another thing indeed to die, but to live evil. And neither does the nature of man persuade them, nor Scripture: and they err; neither things present, nor things future persuade them. For some things provide reproof, but others lead upward on account of hope. For we see even the dying; we see also the buried and the unburied, and those who weep, and grieve, and lament: we are truly as those not seeing them. For we think life to be that which is not life: for even while eating we are harmed, and we desire again. Those who defile the body with lusts and harm the soul do not withdraw from injury; but they even approach, as fowlers of evils, keeping much watch through the night D for evil: for they are either disturbed by ambitions, or are enticed by concupiscences, or are excited by evil thoughts. But if it is necessary for thoughts to be called, and those things meditated per night hasten to proceed, that they may admit what they have thought of through the night as though they were ignorant: because he who does evil has more evil than he who suffers evil from another. For just as fire indeed burns other things, but in itself primarily possesses the heat of the conflagration, so also malice primarily harms those who possess it. Finally, [1192 A] the devil is not only evil when he harms, but because he has proposed to harm, he possesses malice even before he acts. And his own malice suffices for the malignant. And indeed one who is ailing, even if he is not punished, yet possesses an evil languor: so also he who is languid in soul, even if he has not been sent into Gehenna, nevertheless procures evil for himself. But who even exhorts? For so great is the evil, the temptations of which prepare Gehenna. And although these things are so, yet we seem to live as our own enemies. For one rejoices, because he has hidden by lying; another rejoices, because it profits him to deceive. And avarice is thought to be gain, when it is detriment; and lust is thought to be pleasure, when it is mourning to those who know well. And all things are turned around for us, because thought has been circumscribed by us. And certainly the sense thinks and contends, so that it may not be cast out from its possession. For even if each one of us is overwhelmed by the passions of vices, yet the sense appears to vindicate its own dignity for other things: as for instance, I do not see my own evils, but being angry at others' evils I consent to the inner man, as if to the law of God. B And because the soul is by nature more joined to good things, because it hates the evil and praises the good, it has a double testimony to both the evil and the good. Double, therefore, because it hates, even if it does not love its own good; and from this it shows that its nature is not delighted by evil. If therefore the soul, as has been shown, is more inclined toward the good, why does it not remain in its own? Because of a certain placidity of itself: for to please itself is shadows for the soul; but those things which are thought placid among men contain a contrary virtue; for hatred is a lack of placidity. For if we genuinely loved, we would not share with ourselves the contrary things which we now share. Not drunkenness, indeed, but fasting: not theaters, but the church: not stones, but God: not quarrels, but peace: not homicide, but the protection of salvation: not fornication, but chastity. For if we loved ourselves, we would truly share good things with ourselves. Because we hate, we share and procure evils for ourselves. But just as mothers, so also the mind is held. For whatever mothers spare their children, not sending them to studies; indeed while they seem to share for the sake of utility, they harm: so also we, through the blindness of the mind, thinking we are sharing something with ourselves, deceive ourselves and do harm. C And certainly there occur to us and arrive sometimes even the traces of good things, and we taste sometimes also the delight from chastity. But if we should wish to persevere in the taste, and to compare, how much more vehement is the sweetness from chastity, than that which comes from lust. For the sweetness from chastity is without repentance, it is immaculate, immutable, clean, pure, holy, both in name and in work and in acts. But from lust, however sweet, it is base, hidden, without confidence, contaminated, turbid both in body and in soul, with fear, with turmoil, with blood, with trembling is it sweet. How therefore is it sweet? But if anyone should sweetly...
A desire, he truly holds the way according to the voice of the Apostle. For it is sweet if one is freed from confusion, from turmoil, from suspicion. For such an eye is not deceived, but rejoicing in wisdom, and its vision is both pure and clean. But where conscience is present, the eye looks around lest someone might see: the heart thirsts for that which 93 it suspects, and in many things it is a protection; 94 and this is not a taste of sweetness. For what is sweet in anger? And yet we contend, and we give ourselves over to wrath. What is sweet in envy? 95 For the bones, the mind, and the marrow of the envious wither away. But if passions appeared when they occur, they would not be passions. For just as a pained eye does not see, and in as much as it is in pain, to that extent it is also hindered from vision: so too the soul that incurs passions does not behold its own ignominy; for even a drunk man does not feel when he is mocked. Wake up, therefore, and repent; be ashamed because you learn from others. For whoever have struck their heart after passion, being penitent, they are set free. But if they have not struck it, they are not yet freed from drunkenness. But we are lured away by sight toward the beauty of a woman, and she plucked fruit from the tree, and B set it in her mouth: but it is written that as the woman reached out her hand to the tree, and opening her mouth, she put in the fruit. Would that there had been force! For force does not procure death, but grants that one might be forgiven. But as it is written [40: Isa. XL, 26. 41: Isa. v, 4] let us see, that we may be taught how much the devil is capable of. He feigned friendship, he showed beauty, he persuaded, he promised, because he was not able to use force. And now many persuade themselves that they are dragged away by certain things. For those who are on the outside, and perhaps some even from among those who are inside, think they are drawn away by the stars, caring for evil with evil; and when they ought to confess their own wickedness, they heap some greater evil upon the preceding evil. For by polluting the creature with their own evils, and when they have been overcome by concupiscences, and have let go the hay of their own thought, they think that they are frequently conquered by infirmity, and not by their own negligent purpose. If anyone, however, wishes to recognize nature, let them not recognize it by those things which it prescribes; for a royal coin ought not to be accused by an adulterer. Let them look at that strength of nature and thought, when concupiscence urges, when lust asks, and night offers an opportunity: how the mind obstructs in return: because even in the passions of the martyrs, hands are indeed scraped, but eyes threaten, and teeth while gnashing affright, and tyrants, and swords, and fire, and a thousand species of death are set forth, and the mind is not bent. But another was conquered; yet military ranks ought not to be judged by the conquered. For he who has been conquered has abandoned the line of order; but from those who overcome, military ranks ought to be C recognized. Because neither is the eye judged by the blind, nor the ear by the deaf, nor nature by the sick, nor should the fault of nature be ascribed to unfruitful trees: because neither are dead men men, nor among the living are the irreligious and impious to be considered, nor is assumed delight considered as belonging to the lustful. For this is the harm. And would that discourse might effect something, so that it might bear fruit again. For because sometimes sermons are thought to bring contrary results regarding expectation, 97 just as God, blaming Israel, says: I waited for it to bring forth grapes, but it brought forth thorns; a certain exhortation is effected for teaching, in that words do not bear fruit. Since even there God says: All things whatsoever I ought to have done, I have done to my vineyard. For because it brought forth fruit contrary to expectation, He says, I shall withdraw the rain from it: for why the rains for a vineyard in which fruits do not spring up? And other things, He says, all things whatsoever I have done for its fruit-bearing, some things indeed I will take away, but some I will destroy; so that thorns nurtured and watered by rain may not flourish: let us learn religiosity either from deeds or from the Scriptures. From deeds, indeed, let us see mortal things D as mortal
such things, transitory as things that pass away: you do not see things honorable or dishonorable, or from A business and letters. God on account of His mercy writes that men ought not to be disobedient. Do you think those who are modest are exhausted? It is no wonder if the lustful, not sated, now cease. For if there is labor for those who run well, why is there no satiety for those who run badly? Does he who does good grow tired; yet he who does evil never has his fill? A horse in a race becomes covered in sweat; and you think the bad man as he runs does not grow tired in the sweat? For the running does not so much exhaust the horse, as it does those who use it for malice. Cease from your malice, and again, hating evil, be joined to the good. Malice does not profit the evil man; for it is evil, even if we perceive it or do not perceive it. But to those who perceive it, it is more simple, while to those who do not perceive it, it is B double. Look on high with your eyes, and see who established all these things. O what a good exhortation [is this] vision! Where are the eyes? O what a good exhortation [is this] feeling! Where is the feeling? Where is the thought? Why did you rebuke those things? Why did you acknowledge them? Where is the year-old thirst, so that you might persevere in the present year, wallowing in the filth? Where are those things you ate before this day, that you hasten even today? What fruit did you receive from lust, that you should run again to the same injury? But if you wish to obey our exhortations, show by the very deed the fruits of the discourse. But now [it is time] for you also to exhort: but time does not permit. May God deliver you from all malice, and fill you with His good things, that you may bring forth fruit in the hundredth, and the sixtieth, and the thirtieth number, through His Christ, through whom to God the Father is glory, honor, power, majesty, with the Holy Spirit, B both now and always, and through all ages of ages. Amen.
EUSEBIUS PAMPHILUS ON GOOD WORKS Excerpt from the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, BOOK NINE.
The apostles, seeing with their own eyes the resurrection of the Lord and His return to the heavens, put away the doubt which they had before the passion, and cast all incredulity from themselves. For by the very sight, satisfying themselves that the Lord had risen and was taken up to heaven, one after another they became known as such. For Peter, in place of oaths and denials, was made a herald to the world. For the vision made him the firmest rock, so that upon him the Church might be built, and he himself might exist as a martyr of Christ. Thomas also, who even after the resurrection and before he received the experience was in doubt, because he put his fingers into the holes of the nails, and satisfied himself, confessed Him to be the C Lord and God. For it was incredible that God had arrived in the flesh, and that a man should be seen as celestial: it was not to be believed, because His birth was from a virgin according to the flesh. For the only one who had the satisfaction of conscience was the one who had brought Him forth, the virgin. Moreover, nature did not yet bear witness, nor did the mother have anything such in herself, nor from those things which were below, but all things were incredible. For the grace was ineffable, and the indulgence incredible. For the things that were seen were different: for He who was seen truly showed Himself as a man. For He differed nothing from another man as far as sight went: because He contained power D equal to Him who was seen. And for thirty whole years He did not perform a sign, so that He might first persuade us that He assumed flesh, and might grant the flesh to advance in age, and that nothing might be suspected of Him, as some heretics suspected; and in this dispensation He provided for this incredulity. For nothing more was thought to exist than He who was seen. For He even came to the baptism of John: but the baptism was not simple: for it was a baptism of repentance, which even more showed the man than Him who was hidden in the man. Therefore these things were impediments to faith—those things which were seen, which were done, food, sleep, the advancement of age, the walking on the earth. But if the Mother wished to say, "Because I brought Him forth while remaining a virgin"; the testimony of one woman against nature would have been worth less, and especially among the Jews. These great impediments therefore being established against faith, it was arduous to receive the preaching: and especially because He who was seen was not He who was also spoken of: He presented the preaching that one ought not to accept those things that were seen: but to believe that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was living, and the Word was God; these things toward those things which were observed seemed to have no consistency. How, therefore, is that which is incredible made credible? The Lord Himself says: [I am the Lord, and there is none else.]