364 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY IX. berless wounds, and has no feeling of any, but lies insensible to everything. One would not err in comparing such men to those who are mad, or drunk, or delirious. All these things belong to vice, and it is worse than all these. He that is mad is much allowed for by those who see him, for his disease is not from choice, but from nature alone ; but how shall he be pardoned, who lives in vice ? Whence then is vice? whence are the majority bad? Tell me, whence have diseases their evil nature ? whence is frenzy? whence is lethargy? Is it not from carelessness? If physical disorders have their origin in choice, much more those which are voluntary. Whence is drunkenness? Is it not from intemperance of soul? Is not frenzy from excess of fever? And is not fever from the elements too abundant in us? And is not this superabundance of elements from our carelessness ? For when either from deficiency or excess we carry any of the things within us beyond the bounds of moderation, we kindle that fire. Again, if when the fire is kindled, we continue to neglect it, we make a conflagration for ourselves, which we are not able to extin guish. So is it also with vice. When we do not restrain it at its beginning, nor cut it off, we cannot afterwards reach to the end of it, but it becomes too great for our power. Wherefore, I beseech you, let us do everything that we may never become drowsy. Do you not see that when sentinels have only given way a little to sleep, they derive no advantage from their long watch, for by that little they have ruined the whole, having given perfect security to him who is prepared to steal. For as we do not see thieves in the same way that they see us, so also the devil most of all is ever instant, and lying .in wait, and grinding his teeth. Let us not then slumber. Let us not say, on this side there is nothing, on that side nothing; we are often plundered from a quarter whence we did not expect it. So it is with vice ; we perish from a quarter whence we did not expect it. Let us look carefully round upon all things, let us not be drunken, and we shall not sleep. Let us not be luxurious, and we shall not slumber. Let us not be mad for external things, and we shall continue in sobriety. Let us discipline ourselves on every side. And as men who walk upon a tight rope cannot be off their guard ever so little, for that little causes great mischief: for the man losing his balance is at once precipi tated down and perishes ; so neither is it possi ble for us to be off our guard. We walk upon a narrow road intercepted by precipices on either side, not admitting of two feet at the same time. Seest thou not how much careful ness is necessary? Seest thou not how those who travel on such roads guard not only their feet, but their eyes also? For if he should choose to gaze on one side, though his foot stand firm, his eye becoming dizzy from the depth, plunges the whole body down. But he must take heed to himself and to his steps ; wherefore he says, " neither to the right hand, nor to the left." (Prov. iv. 27.) Great is the depth of vice, high the precipices, much dark ness below. Let us take heed to the narrow way, let us walk with fear and trembling. No one, who is traveling such a road, is dissolved in laughter nor heavy with drunkenness, but travels such a road with sobriety and fasting. No one traveling such a road carries with him any superfluities ; for he would be contented even lightly equipped to be able to escape. No one entangles his own feet, but leaves them disengaged, and free to move. But we, chaining ourselves down with num berless cares, and carrying with us the number less burdens of this life, staring about, and loosely rambling, how do we expect to travel in that narrow road ? He has not merely said that "narrow is the way" (Matt. vii. 14), but with wonder, " how l narrow is the way," that is, ex ceedingly narrow. And this we also do in things that are quite objects of wonder. And "strait ened," he says, " is the way which leadeth unto life." And he has well said it. For when we are bound to give an account of our thoughts, and words, and actions, and all things, truly it is narrow. Butwe ourselves make it more narrow, spreading out and widening ourselves, and shuf fling out our feet. For the narrow way is diffi cult to every one, but especially to him who is incumbered with fat, as he who makes himself lean will not perceive its narrowness. So that he who has practiced himself in being pinched, will not be discouraged at its pressure. Let not any one therefore expect that he shall see heaven with ease. For it cannot be. Let no one hope to travel the narrow road with luxury, for it is impossible. Let no one travel ing in the broad way hope for life. When therefore thou seest such and such an one luxuriating in baths, in a sumptuous table, or in other matters having troops of attendants ; think not thyself unhappy, as not partaking of these things, but lament for him, that he is traveling the way to destruction. For what is the advan tage of this way, when it ends in tribulation? And what is the injury of that straitness, when it leads to rest? Tell me, if any one invited to a palace should walk through narrow ways painful 1 [All the MSS. examined for Field give not em, " because," but rt, " what," " to what extent," " how." This more difficult reading of Matt. vii. 14 is quite probably correct. See Margin of Rev. Ver. Observe also that Chrys. seems to omit " the gate," connecting " narrow and straitened" with the way, as do several other Fathers (see Tisch.). Many now speak of the "strait and narrow way," and often imagine that it means " straight." Chrys. has a different text of this passage in his Homilies on Matthew, though some MSS. there also give ri. See Amer. ed. of Tr. p. 162. J. A. B.]