"Do not be surprised that you see the world condemning Christian times."
For this world is like a craftsman's furnace. In the goldsmith's furnace, there is both straw and gold and fire; so in this world, there is both the unbeliever and the believer and temptation. The unbeliever is straw, the believer is gold, the fire is temptation. These three are in a narrow place; yet the place is so narrow that all three keep their properties: the fire to burn, the straw to be consumed, the gold to be purified. Do not marvel, therefore, that you see the world full of scandals, inequities, corruptions, oppressions, blaspheming men, criticizing Christian times, because these things rush violently. Do not be frightened by these blasphemies and this criticism: the straw burns; indeed, they say these things with articulate and seemingly fiery words. Do not marvel at the shining straw when it burns: shortly after, it will be ash. It blazes, crackles, emits smoke. O gold, be silent and be purified. The straw burns in its blasphemies, you be purified from your impurities.
Those things which men have built with great pomp now fall.
"For indeed many evils exist and many increase, since the time when the Christian era began." This indeed is not readily conceded to the unlearned. Let them read the evils of earlier centuries in their own writings; let them read of the greater wars of their ancestors; let them read of the devastations of regions; let them read of the captivities of nations, with alternating success now from here, now from there, eagerly seizing the kingdom. There were also famines and plagues among the ancients: let them read if they have the time; but if they do not have time to read, why do they have so much time to talk? Nevertheless, we confess that certain things happen more frequently, through the failure of matters and the worse condition of the state, those things which were once built with great pomp now fall into ruins and decay. The pagan marvels at the fall of things made by human hand, and he himself wishes to fall, being made by the hand of God. Consider, my brothers - I will speak more freely from this place, where the Lord gives you confidence to preach His truth: for no one's persona is to be received, not of any man, but of this very age, especially since now the psalm rebukes thus: How long will you judge unjustly and show respect to the wicked? , distinguishing between gods and gods; therefore we, who are terrified, terrify and speak as commanded - think, recollect who in times of luxury constructed theaters and amphitheaters. Were the times better because of more licentious entertainments, because of the looser reins of indecency, because it was easier for anyone to do what wickedness they liked? Indeed, those dens of iniquity are... Consider what is done there, and see when the times were better: when those things were being built, or when they are falling?
Many philosophers condemned wicked behaviors.
We ask them that, if they are angry with us, they read their own authors. Let them see whether their own philosophers have approved these disgraceful actions for them, or have laughed at them, or have forbidden them, or have accused them. Let them choose the best among their own, and first recognize their own vices in them before they come to the grace of our Christ. How many things have been said by their own authors against the luxurious, how many things against the prodigal, how many things against those who squander their resources to deserve statues, and who, so that they may be made of stone, want to be covered in rags! Let them read these things among their own: there is no need for them to desire to learn their writings from us, because we, if they love them, teach them indecently and perhaps more decently forget them. Nevertheless, as much as we can remember, they have criticized many such things which these people diligently practice. And because they lack the means, wealth, liberty, and prosperity for these trifles, they accuse Christ, ungrateful to the teacher who comes in as if to children playing badly, and with the severity of his strength, as it were, takes away their clay balls. cellas He shook the glass objects, with which they even tormented themselves while playing, out of the hands of the weeping children, but, if they were willing, they could be healed. Let these things go as they go, let them go as it has been foretold: thus the promise of God is fulfilled.
The good and the wicked, now mingled together, will be separated in the end.
Flee from evil, grasp the good: the time of the winepress is coming. Just as olives were shaken by various winds on freer branches, in the beginning times luxuriating in the freedom of trifles: in the hanging olive, oil and lees are mixed. These two must be separated by a proper distinction, and pressing is needed. A psalm is inscribed for the winepresses, and its text speaks nothing of the vat, nothing of the press, nothing of the baskets; whatever it speaks pertains to the human race. You hear the name winepress: pay attention to what kind of winepress. The human race must be led from a certain freer mixture to certain tribulations, to certain pressings; one must lean towards the threshing, must place weights. Among the threshings and pressings, you see more abundant luxuries, you see more grasping greed, you see more unbridled lusts: lees run through the streets. You reproach these and say: "Behold, even in Christian times, greater plundering occurs, and graver insolences are exerted upon men." The lees are black, foul, useless, running through the public. Oh, if you could have eyes, from where you might see even the oil flowing into twins! You notice the multitude of adulterers: why do you not notice the multitude of sacred virgins? You notice people fornicating: why do you not notice those who abstain in mutual consent with their wives? You notice people with great greed, receiving others' property without any shame: why do you not notice those who, with great mercy, give their own without any insanity? Many evil rich people displease you: let so many good poor people please you, because both those rich people were made by dire iniquity and these poor people by pious will. Why do you focus your eye only on the lees, to accuse the pressings and refuse to be in the press? Be the oil that is separated inwardly from the lees, not what is emitted outwardly from them. Say with certain oil: I found tribulation and pain, and I called upon the name of the Lord; say with certain oil: It is good for me that You have humbled me, that I may learn Your statutes. Why is it that you see some blaspheming in the pressings, others giving thanks in the pressings, some dark, some bright? Why this, except that what is sung for the winepresses is being fulfilled? Therefore, do not blame Him who comes to press, because He comes to discern; rather recognize the time of discernment, and you will not have a tongue of deception.