Paradise before the Apostles. Now if the confidence which they who confess their own sins effect for themselves is so great, they who are conscious to themselves of many good qualities, yet humble their own souls, how great crowns will they not win.395 For when sinfulness be put together with humbleness of mind it runs with such ease as to pass and out-strip right- eousness combined with pride. If therefore thou have put it to with righteousness, whither will it not reach? through how many heavens will it not pass? By the throne of God itself surely it will stay its course;396 in the midst of the angels, with much confidence. On the other hand if pride, having been yoked with righteousness, by the excess and weight of its own wickedness had strength enough to drag down its confidence; if it be put together with sinfulness, into how deep a hell will it not be able to precipitate him who has it? These things I say, not in order that we should be careless of righteousness, but that we should avoid pride; not that we should sin, but that we should be sober-minded. For humbleness of mind is the foundation of the love of wisdom which pertains to us. Even if thou shouldest have built a superstructure of things innumerable; even if almsgiving, even if prayers, even if fastings, even if all virtue; unless this have first been laid as a foundation, all will be built upon it397 to no purpose and in vain; and it will fall down easily, like that building which had been placed on the sand.398 For there is no one, no one of our good deeds, which does not need this; there is no one which separate from this will be able to stand. But even if thou shouldest mention temperance, even if virginity, even if despising of money, even if anything whatever, all are unclean and accursed and loathsome, humbleness of mind being absent. Everywhere therefore let us take her with us,399 in words, in deeds, in thoughts, and with this let us build these (graces). 3. But the things belonging to humbleness of mind have been sufficiently spoken of; not for the value of the virtue;400 for no one will be able to celebrate it in accordance with its value; but for the intelligence of your love. For well do I know that even from the few things that have been said you will embrace it with much zeal. But since it is also necessary to make clear and manifest the apostolic saying which has been to-day read; seeming as it does to many to afford a pretext for indolence; so that some may not, providing for themselves hence a certain frigid defence, neglect their own salvation—to this let us direct our discourse. What then is this saying? “Whether in pretence,” it says, “or in sincerity,401 Christ is 395 ἐπιτεύξονται, Lit. light upon: as on the treasure of the parable, “hid in a field.” 396 Its race being ended; the goal won. 397 That is on whatever foundation, other than that which may have been laid. 398 Οἰκοδομὴν τεθεῖσαν. “'@Οὶ περι Δωδώνην δυσχ™ιμερον:  οἰκι žθεντο.” Iliad. B. 750. 399 Παραλαμβ€νωμεν. Take her to dwell with us. Comp. Chrysostom’s expression, συζῆν ‡ρετῇ. 400 Κατόρθωμα. The highest form of duty; Perfectum officium quod Græci, κατόρθωμα. Cic. De Off. i. 3. 401 ‡λήθεια here is that of Aristotle’s Ethics: sincerity. 203 Concerning Lowliness of Mind.