Homilies on Philippians 7

For let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus;

who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man,

He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also highly exalted Him, and gave unto Him the name which is above every name; that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We have spoken of the matters concerning the heretics;

it is now seasonable, then, to state our own view as well.

They say that the phrase, 'He thought it not robbery,' means to seize by robbery;

we have shown that this is altogether stale and absurd, since on this interpretation no one is exhorted thereby to humility, nor does one thus marvel at God—no, nor even at a man.

What then is it, beloved? Give heed to what is now being said.

Since many men think that when they are humble-minded they are deprived of their proper dignity, and are lessened and abased, He, removing this fear and showing that one ought not so to be disposed, says concerning God, that God, the Only-begotten Son of the Father, who is in the form of God, who has nothing less than the Father, who is equal to Him, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.

But what this means, learn.

Whatever a man has seized and taken beyond what is fitting, this he dares not lay aside, fearing lest it perish, lest he fall from it, but holds it fast continually;

he, however, who possesses some dignity by nature, does not fear even to descend from that dignity, knowing that he will suffer no such thing.

For instance, that I may speak by way of example: Absalom seized the tyranny, and thereafter dared not lay it aside.

And we will proceed to yet another example.

But if the examples are not able to set forth the whole matter, be not vexed;

for such is the nature of examples:

they leave the greater part to be reckoned by the understanding.

Someone rose up against a king, and seized the kingdom;

this man dares not lay aside and conceal the matter;

for if he once conceal it, straightway he is undone.

Or let us come to yet another example.

For instance, someone has seized something; this he holds fast continually;

for if he lay it aside, straightway he has lost it.

And in general, those who possess anything by robbery fear to lay it aside and conceal it, and to be not continually in that state in which they are.

But not so those who possess by no robbery;

for instance, man has the dignity of being rational.

For there is not among us any natural rule;

for nothing of the good things is natural to us, since to God's nature all things are jointly allotted.

What then do we say? That the Son of God feared not to descend from that dignity;

for He thought not the Godhead a thing seized by robbery, He feared not lest anyone should take from Him His nature or His dignity.

Wherefore He also laid it aside, being confident that He would take it up again;

and He concealed it, deeming that He was in no way lessened thereby.

For this reason he said not, 'He seized not by robbery,' but, 'He thought it not robbery';

because He held the sovereignty not as one who had seized it, but as a natural thing, not given, but abiding and secure.

Wherefore He does not refuse even to take upon Him the guise of the guardsmen.

The usurper fears in war to lay aside the purple robe, but the king does it with great security.

Why? Because he holds the sovereignty not by robbery.

Therefore it was not as one who had seized it that He refrained from laying it aside, but as one who possessed it by nature, and could never be removed from it, that He concealed it.

This being equal with God He held not as a thing of robbery, but as natural to Him;

Where are those who say that He underwent necessity, that He was made subject? 'He emptied Himself,' he says, 'He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death.'

How did He empty Himself? By taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man.

Here, with reference to the words, 'Each esteeming others better than themselves,' he said this, 'He emptied Himself';

since, if He had been made subject, the thing would not have been of humility, unless He had chosen it of Himself, from His own will.

For if He knew not that this must come to pass, He will be imperfect;

if, not knowing, He awaited the season of the command, He will be one who knew not the season;

or if He knew both that it must come to pass, and when it must come to pass, for what cause did He submit to be made subject? That He might show the pre-eminence of the Father.

But this is not to show the pre-eminence of the Father, but His own lowliness;

for is not the name of Father sufficient to show the prerogatives of the Father? For apart from this, all things are the same to the Son.

And otherwise, neither is this honor sufficient to pass over from the Father to the Son.

And apart from this, all that is the Father's is common to the Son.

Here the followers of Marcion, laying hold of the text, say, 'Behold, He became not a man, but was made in the likeness of a man.'

But how is it possible to be made in the likeness of men? By putting on a shadow? Then this is a phantom, and not the likeness of a man;

for the likeness of a man is another man.

And what will you say to John, who says, 'The Word became flesh'? But this same blessed one himself says elsewhere, 'In the likeness of sinful flesh.'

'And being found in fashion as a man.'

Behold, he says, 'And in fashion,' and, 'As a man.'

But this—the being as a man, and the being a man in fashion—is not truly a man;

for to be a man in fashion is not to be a man by nature.

See with how great candor I set down the arguments of our adversaries? For the brilliant victory, and that gained with abundance to spare, is this: when we do not conceal what seem to be their strong points;

for to conceal is deceit rather than victory.

What then do they say (for let us take up their arguments again)? That the phrase 'in fashion' does not mean by nature, and the phrase 'to be as a man,' and 'to be in the likeness of a man,' does not mean to be a man.

Then also the taking of the form of a servant is not the taking of the form of a servant.

And why do you not first loose that? For just as you think these things stand against us, so we also say that that stands against you.

For he did not say, 'As the form of a servant,' nor 'In the likeness of the form of a servant,' nor 'In the fashion of the form of a servant,' but 'He took the form of a servant.'

What then is this? For there does seem to be a difficulty here.

There is no difficulty at all—God forbid!

But what is their frigid and ridiculous argument? 'He took the form of a servant,' they say, 'because, having girded himself with the towel, he washed the disciples' feet.'

Is this the form of a servant? But this is not the form of a servant; it is the work of a servant.

For it is one thing to do the work of a servant, and quite another to take the form of a servant.

For why did he not say, 'He did the work of a servant,' which would have been clearer? Nowhere in Scripture is 'form' used in place of 'work.'

For the one belongs to nature, the other to activity.

And in common usage too we nowhere take 'form' to mean 'work.'

Besides, according to them he did not even do the work, nor did he actually gird himself.

For if the thing were an appearance, it was not a reality.

If he had no hands, how did he wash? If he had no loins, how did he gird himself with the towel? And what kind of garments did he take? 'For he took his own garments,' it says.

As therefore not even the work is here found to have taken place, but there is only deception, so neither did he wash the disciples' feet.

For if the incorporeal nature did not appear, it was not in a body.

Who then washed the disciples? And what again shall we say against Paul of Samosata? 'And what did he say?' one asks. He says the very same thing.

But this is no self-emptying—that one who is of human nature and a mere man should wash his fellow servants.

For what we have said against the Arians, this also applies here.

For they differ in nothing from one another, save perhaps by a little in time.

For both these and those declare the Son of God to be a creature.

What then shall we say against them? If a man washed men, he did not empty himself, he did not humble himself.

If, being a man, he did not count it robbery to be equal with God, he is not to be praised.

For God, being God, to become man is a great humbling, unspeakable, past all telling.

But for a man, being a man, to do the things of men—what humbling is that? And where is 'the form of God' ever called 'the work of God'? For if he was a mere man, and is called 'the form of God' on account of his works, why do we not say the same concerning Peter also? For Peter wrought greater works than he.

Why do you not say concerning Paul also that he had the form of God? And why did not Paul bring forward the example from himself, seeing that he performed countless servile acts and refused none? For he says:

'For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.'

Tell me, how did he empty himself, and what is the emptying? And what is the humbling? Was it because he wrought miracles? But this Paul also did, and Peter, so that this is nothing peculiar to the Son.

What then is the meaning of his words, 'Being made in the likeness of men'? He had many things belonging to us, and many things he had not.

For instance, he was not born of sexual union; for instance, he committed no sin.

These things belonged to him which belonged to no other man.

He was not only that which was seen, but also God.

For he appeared as a man, yet he was not like the many, even though in the flesh he was like them.

This then is what he means: that he was not a mere man.

For this reason he says, 'In the likeness of men.'

We are soul and body.

But he is God, and soul, and body.

For this reason he says, 'In the likeness.'

For lest, hearing that 'He emptied himself,' you should suppose some change and transformation and a kind of annihilation, he says: Remaining what he was, he took what he was not; and having become flesh, he remained God, being the Word.

So that in this respect he was like man; and for this reason he says, 'And in fashion.'

Not saying this, that his nature underwent a change, nor that any confusion took place, but that he came to be in fashion as a man.

For having said, 'He took the form of a servant,' he then took courage to say this also, since that former statement stops the mouths of all.

Since also when he says, 'In the likeness of sinful flesh,' he does not mean that he had no flesh, but that that flesh did not sin, but was like sinful flesh.

Like in what respect? In nature, not in wickedness.

For this reason it is like the soul of a sinner.

As therefore in that case 'like' is used because it is not equal in all respects, so also here 'likeness' is used because he is not equal in all respects.

As for instance, his not being born of union, his being without sin, his not being a mere man.

And well did he say, 'As a man.'

For he was not one of the many, but as one of the many.

For God the Word did not undergo a change into man, nor was his essence transformed, but he appeared as a man—not deluding us with a phantom, but instructing us in humility.

So when he says, 'As a man,' this is what he means.

Since elsewhere too he calls him a man, when he says:

'There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.'

We have also stated our arguments against these people.

And against those too who deny that he assumed a soul, it is necessary to say:

If 'the form of God' means perfect God, then 'the form of a servant' means a perfect servant.

Again the argument is directed against the Arians.

'Who, being in the form of God,' he says, 'thought it not robbery to be equal with God.'

Here, concerning the Godhead, there is nowhere 'He became,' nowhere 'He took.'

But rather, 'He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.'

Here, concerning the manhood, are the words 'He took' and 'He became.'

This he became, this he took; that other he already was.

Let us then neither confound nor divide.

There is one God, one Christ, the Son of God.

And when I say 'one,' I mean union, not confusion, this nature not having passed over into that, but being united with it.

'He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto

death, even the death of the cross.'

'Behold,' he says, 'he became obedient,' though not equal to him whom he obeyed.

This in no way diminishes him, O senseless and foolish men!

Since we too often obey our friends, and this makes us in no way inferior.

As a Son he obeyed the Father willingly, not falling into a servile rank, but by this very thing above all preserving the wonder of his genuine sonship, through his great honour toward the Father.

He honoured the Father, not that you should dishonour him, but that you should the more marvel at him, and that from this too you might learn that he is a genuine Son, because above all others he has honoured the Father.

No one has honored God so greatly as He.

As great as was His height, so great a humiliation did He undergo to counterbalance it.

Just as He is greater than all, and no one is equal to Him, so also in His honoring of the Father He surpassed all, and that neither under compulsion nor unwillingly.

And this too belongs to His virtue.

It is a great thing, and utterly beyond words, that He should become a servant.

But that He should also undergo death is again far greater.

Yet there is something else even greater than this, and more marvelous still.

And what is this? That not every death is alike.

For this death seemed to be the most shameful of all; this death was full of disgrace; this was the accursed death.

For it is said, 'Cursed is everyone that hangeth upon a tree.'

For this reason the Jews were so eager to do away with Him in this manner, so as to make Him also a reproach, that even if no one should hold back from Him because He was slain, they might yet do so because He was slain in this way. For this reason too two thieves were crucified on either side of Him, that He might share in their infamy, and that the saying might be fulfilled: 'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'

But by so much the more does the truth shine forth, by so much the more radiant does it become.

For when there are so many devices contrived by His enemies against His glory, and yet it shines through, the wonder is thereby shown to be all the greater.

For it was not merely by killing Him, but by killing Him in this manner, that they thought to render Him abominable, and to prove Him the most abominable of all.

And so utterly vile were both these thieves.

For it was only afterward that one of them was changed, since even while they hung upon the cross they reviled Him.

And neither the consciousness of their own sins, nor being under punishment, nor that they themselves were suffering the very same things, restrained their madness.

This is just what the one said to the other, silencing him with the words:

'Dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?' So great was the wickedness they had.

But nothing of His own glory was harmed thereby.

And 'God highly exalted Him, and gave unto Him the name which is above every name.'

Whenever the blessed Paul takes hold of the flesh, he thereafter utters all the lowly things with all boldness.

For so long as he was not saying that He took the form of a servant, but was discoursing concerning the Godhead, observe how loftily he speaks —

loftily, I mean, so far as it lies within his power;

for according to Christ's own worthiness he cannot speak at all.

'Who,' he says, 'being in the form of God, counted it not a thing to be grasped to be equal with God.'

But once he has said that He became man, he thereafter fearlessly utters the lowly things, being confident that it in no way harms the Godhead for lowly things to be spoken, since it is His flesh that receives them.

'Wherefore also God highly exalted Him, and gave unto Him the name which is above every name;'

'that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.'

Let us say to the heretics: If these things are spoken concerning Him who was not made flesh, if concerning God the Word, how did He exalt Him? As having given Him something more? Then He was imperfect in this respect, and became perfect for our sakes.

For if He had not benefited us, He would not have obtained the honor.

'And He gave unto Him,' he says, 'a name.'

Behold, according to you He did not even have a name!

But how, if He received it as a debt owed, is He found to have received it by grace and as a gift, even 'the name which is above every name'? And let us see also what sort of name it is.

'At the name of Christ,' he says, 'every knee should bow.'

By 'name' they themselves mean the glory.

This glory, then, is above all glory;

and glory, in the fullest sense, is this: to worship Him.

Far removed are you from the majesty of God, you who suppose that you know God as He knows Himself.

And from this very thing it is plain how far you are removed from the true conception of God;

Is this glory, tell me? Then before men came to be, before the angels, before the archangels, He was not in glory?

For if this is the glory that is above all glory (for that is what 'above every name' means),

then even if He was in glory, yet He was in a lesser glory than this.

So then, it was for this that He made the things that exist, and for this purpose — that He might come to be in glory — no longer out of goodness, but as needing the glory that comes from us.

Do you see the folly? Do you see the impiety? Now if they were saying these things concerning Him who was made flesh, it would have reason;

for God the Word suffers these things to be said concerning the flesh;

for it does not touch the nature, but the whole matter rests upon the dispensation;

but as it is, since these things are said concerning the Godhead, no pardon is left to those who do such mischief.

So that when we say, 'God made man immortal,' even though I speak concerning the whole, I know what I mean.

But what does 'of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth' mean? That is, the whole world, both angels and men and demons;

or that it means both the righteous and the sinners.

'And every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.'

That is, that all should say this.

Do you see how everywhere, when the Son is glorified, the Father is glorified? So also, when the Son is dishonored, the Father is dishonored.

For if this is so among us, where there is much distance between fathers and sons, how much more with God, where there is no distance at all, does both the honor and the dishonor pass over unto Him.

For if the whole world be made subject to the Son, he says, this is the Father's glory.

So then, when we say that He is perfect, lacking nothing, that He is not less than the Father, this is the Father's glory.

This too is a great proof of His power and of His goodness and of His wisdom, that He begot such a Son, in no way inferior, neither in goodness nor in wisdom.

When I say that He is wise, as the Father is, and in no way less, this is a proof of the Father's great wisdom;

when I say that He is powerful, as the Father is, this is a proof of His power;

when I say that He is good, as the Father is, this is the greatest evidence of His goodness, that He begot such a Son, in nothing falling short of Him nor lacking;

when I say that He is not less in essence, but equal, and not of a different essence — in this too again I marvel at God, and at His power and His goodness and His wisdom, that He has shown us another such One from Himself, save only that He is the Father.

So that whatever great things I say concerning the Son, these pass over unto the Father.

For if this small and trifling thing (for it is a small thing in comparison with the glory of God, that the whole world should worship Him) redounds to the glory of God, how much more all the rest?

Let us therefore believe unto His glory, and let us live unto His glory;

since there is no profit in the one without the other.

So that when we glorify Him rightly, but do not live rightly, then most of all do we insult Him, in that, though we inscribe Him as Master and Teacher, we despise Him, and do not dread His fearful tribunal.

For that the heathen should live impurely is nothing to wonder at, nor worthy of so great condemnation;

but that Christians, who partake of so great mysteries, who enjoy so great glory, should live thus impurely — this is the worst and most intolerable thing of all.

He rendered the uttermost obedience, and for this reason He received the honor on high.

He became a servant, and for this reason He is Lord of all, both of angels and of all the rest.

Therefore let us too not suppose

that we descend from our dignity when we humble ourselves.

For it is then rather that one is fittingly exalted;

then most of all is one admired.

That the exalted man is lowly, and the lowly man is exalted, the very pronouncement of Christ suffices to declare, when it says so;

but nevertheless let us also examine the matter itself.

What is it to be humbled? Is it not to be censured, to be accused and slandered? And what is it to be exalted? Is it not to be honoured, to be praised, to be glorified? Very well.

Let us then see how this comes about.

Satan was an angel; he exalted himself.

What then? Was he not humbled more than all? Does he not have the earth for his abode? Is he not accused and slandered by all? Paul, being a man, humbled himself.

What then? Is he not admired? Is he not praised? Is he not extolled? Is he not a friend of Christ? Did he not accomplish greater things than those which Christ did? Did he not often command the devil as though a slave? Did he not lead him about like an executioner? Did he not make sport of him? Did he not have his crushed head beneath his own feet? Did he not, with much boldness, invoke this same thing for others as well? But why do I say these things? Absalom lifted himself up; David humbled himself.

Which of them, then, became exalted? Which became renowned? For what is more lowly than these words which this blessed prophet uttered concerning Shimei, saying:

'Let him alone, and let him curse me;'

for the Lord has bidden him to do so.' And, if you please, let us examine the matter in the events themselves.

The tax-collector humbled himself, although the thing was not even genuine humility, but he was speaking in a manner of honest self-knowledge the things he said.

The Pharisee exalted himself.

But, if you please, let us set aside the persons and examine the matters themselves.

Let there be two men, both wealthy, both enjoying much honour, priding themselves on their wisdom and power and on the other worldly advantages;

then let one of them seek the honours that come from all, and grow angry when he does not receive them, and demand more than is due, and exalt himself;

but let the other despise the thing, and be vexed with no one over it, and wave away the honour that is offered.

Which, then, is the greater? He who does not receive but seeks, or he who despises honour even when it is given? It is plain that it is the latter;

For glory cannot be attained in any other way than by fleeing glory.

For as long as we pursue it, it flees from us;

but when we flee from it, it pursues us.

If you wish to be glorious, do not desire glory;

if you wish to be exalted, do not make yourself exalted.

And besides, all men honour the one who does not aim at honour, but on the one who seeks after it they spit;

for the human race is somehow naturally contentious and given to opposition.

Let us then despise glory;

for thus we shall be able to become lowly, or rather exalted.

Do not exalt yourself, so that you may be exalted by another.

He who is exalted by himself is not exalted by others;

he who is humbled by himself is not humbled by others.

It is better to be foolish than presumptuous;

for in the former case folly is only a form of derangement, but in the latter it is worse;

for it is folly joined with madness.

The senseless man is an evil to himself, but the presumptuous man is a bane to others as well.

It is from want of understanding that this passion is born.

It is not possible to be high-minded without being a fool;

and he who is full of folly is presumptuous.

Hear a certain wise man saying:

'I saw a man who seemed to be wise in his own eyes;

but a fool has more hope than he.'

Do you see that I was not speaking at random when I said that this evil is worse than folly? 'For a fool,' he says, 'has more hope than he.'

For this reason Paul too said, 'Do not be wise in your own eyes.'

In the case of bodies, tell me, which do we call healthy? Those that have great swelling and are inwardly full of much wind and water, or those that are reduced and have a lowly, subdued appearance? Plainly the latter.

So also in the case of the soul: the one that is inflamed has a disease worse than dropsy;

How many good things, then, does humility bring forth for us!

What do you wish for? Forbearance, freedom from anger, love of mankind, watchfulness, attentiveness? All these good things come from humility, and their opposites from presumption.

For such a man must needs be insolent, and violent, and irascible, and bitter, and joyless, and a wild beast rather than a man.

Are you strong, and do you think highly of yourself? Then, for this very reason you ought all the more to be humble;

why do you think highly of yourself over a thing that is worthless? For indeed a lion is bolder than you, and a boar stronger, and beside them you are not even a gnat;

and robbers too, and grave-diggers, and gladiators, and your own household servants, and perhaps the most base-minded of them, are stronger than you.

Is this, then, worthy of praise? And do you not bury yourself in shame for thinking highly of yourself over this? But are you beautiful and comely? That is the boast of crows;

you are not more beautiful than the peacock, either as regards its plumage or its feathers;

the victory lies with the bird's;

it far surpasses you in its plumage, in its bloom of colour.

The swan too is exceedingly beautiful, and many other birds, beside which, if you were compared, you would see yourself to be nothing.

And oftentimes even worthless children, and maidens who have never known marriage, and harlot women, and effeminate men have had this same boast.

Is this, then, worthy of arrogance?

But are you rich? From where? What have you acquired? Gold, silver, precious stones? This is the boast of robbers too, and of murderers, and of those who labour in the mines.

The toil of condemned criminals—this is your boast!

But do you adorn and beautify yourself? One may see horses too being decked out;

and among the Persians one might see even camels being adorned;

and among men, all those who are on the stage.

Are you not ashamed, then, to think highly of yourself in things wherein the brute beasts share with you, and slaves, and murderers, and effeminate men, and robbers, and grave-diggers? But do you build splendid houses? And what of it? Many jackdaws dwell in more splendid ones, and have more stately lodgings.

Or do you not see those men who are mad after riches, who in the fields and in desolate places have built houses that are but lodgings for jackdaws? But do you pride yourself on account of your voice? Never will you be able to sing more sweetly than the swan and the nightingale.

But do you pride yourself on the variety of your craft? And what is wiser than the bee in this respect? What weaver of patterns, what painter, what geometer will be able to imitate her works? But do you pride yourself on the fineness of your garment? Here too the spiders surpass you.

But do you pride yourself on the swiftness of your feet? Again the first place belongs to the brute animals, to the hare and the gazelle, and to all the beasts that are not left behind in swiftness of foot.

But do you travel abroad? Yet not more than the birds do; for they make their journeys more easily.

for they make their journeys more easily.

They need no provisions for the road, nor beasts of burden, but the wing suffices them for everything.

This serves as ship, this as beast of burden, this as chariot, this as wind, and as whatever else one might name.

But do you see keenly? Yet not as the gazelle, nor as the eagle.

But do you hear keenly? Yet the ass hears more keenly.

But have you a sense of smell? Yet the dog will not let you surpass him in it.

But are you good at gathering supplies? Yet you fall short of the ant.

But do you wear gold? Yet not as the Indian ants do.

And as for health? The irrational creatures are far better off than we, both in vigor of body and in abundance of resources;

those creatures do not fear poverty.

'For behold,' He says, 'the birds of the heaven, that they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns.'

'Then,' someone will say, 'God created the irrational creatures better than us.'

Do you see how great is your thoughtlessness? Do you see the want of examination? Do you see how much the careful examination of things bestows upon us? He who thought himself greater than all men has been found lower even than the irrational creatures.

But let us spare him, and let us not imitate him; nor, because he thought more highly of himself than our nature warrants, let us cast him down into the rank of the irrational creatures.

Let us not abandon him, but rather raise him up from there—not for his own sake (for he indeed deserves to suffer such things), but that God's love toward mankind and the honor shown to us may be displayed.

For there are indeed matters in which the irrational creatures have no share with us at all.

What then are these? Piety, and the life lived according to virtue.

Here you cannot speak of fornicators, nor of the effeminate, nor of murderers;

What then is this? We know God, we acknowledge His providence, we reflect philosophically upon immortality;

here let the irrational creatures give way.

There will be no dispute: in these things we exercise self-control;

here the irrational creatures have nothing in common with us.

For though we fall short of them all, we hold mastery over them.

For in this the sovereignty is the greater, that, falling short of them, we yet reign over them;

that you may learn that you are not the cause of this, but God who made you and bestowed reason upon you.

We set nets and traps for them, and we cast them out, and we subdue them.

With us there is self-control, forbearance, gentleness, contempt of riches.

But since you, being one of the reckless, have none of these things, you naturally either think yourself greater than men, or even lower than the irrational creatures.

For such is the nature of madness and audacity:

either it is exalted beyond what is fitting, or again it is likewise abased, nowhere preserving due proportion.

In this respect we are equal to the angels;

a kingdom has been promised to us, the choir-dance with Christ.

Man is scourged, and does not give way;

man despises death, does not tremble, does not fear, does not crave for more.

So that all who are not such are worse than the irrational creatures.

For when you have the advantage in bodily things, but do not possess the advantages of the soul, how are you not worse than the irrational creatures? Bring, then, into the midst some one of those who are more irrational in their wickedness, who live in luxury and greed;

his horse is more warlike, the boar stronger, the hare swifter, the peacock more beautiful, the swan sweeter of voice, the elephant larger, the eagle keener of sight, all the birds richer.

Whence then are you worthy to rule over the irrational creatures? From reason? But it is not there.

For when you have not used it for its proper end, again you are worse than they;

for when, having reason, you are more irrational than they, it were better had you not from the first become a rational being.

For it is not the same thing to betray a rule once received, and not to receive it out of due season.

The man who reigns, yet is worse than his own bodyguards—it were better for him had he never put on the purple robe.

Knowing then that without virtue we are worse even than the irrational creatures, let us practice it, that we may become men—nay rather angels—and may enjoy the good things that have been promised, by the grace and love toward mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, might, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.