Philoxenus of Mabbug

In his own words on Galatians

• Galatians 2:20

  We will set these matters in order, one after the other, and we will show where it is meet that the disciple should begin, and how he should advance and ascend all the grades of the Christian life and conduct, until he arriveth at the topmost step of love, from whence he shall ascend to the grade of perfection. Then will the spiritual land of the joy of Christ receive him, and when he hath stood upon it he will be free from passions, and will be delivered from lusts, and he will have subdued all his enemies under his feet, and that man will speak with boldness the word of the Apostle, saying, "Yet I live; and yet no longer I, but Christ liveth in me": to Whom be glory for ever. Amen.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 1 -- Prologue

• Galatians 4:26

  The temples of our houses of prayer are of the world because the buildings thereof are derived from the world and constructed therein; but they are spiritual things above the world, because they are types of that Church of the firstborn, whose names are inscribed in heaven, which is Jerusalem the free, the mother of us all. And all the altars and all the other vessels of the service of the Mysteries, and everything with which we perform the Mysteries which have been delivered to us, according to natural origin are of the world; but by reason of the greatness of those things which are administered in them they are exalted and most high, and are esteemed by us as being above nature, for they are the likeness of the living and spiritual powers which are in heaven, in which the service of the hidden Mysteries of God and of His will are perfected.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 3 -- On Faith

• Galatians 5:13

  For the blessed Apostle also warns thee against lusting with thoughts of freedom, whilst thou art still a slave, saying, "Ye have been called unto freedom, my brethren;" but let not your freedom be for the eating of flesh, and if thou art still a slave, let not only the laws which are external direct thee, but also the laws of thy discretion. For the external laws are kept for many reasons, for appearance, for fear, for praise, for the love of honour, for imagination, for the growth of other passions, that a man may humble his enemies, and that he may shew unto others who are slack the comparison of his wickedness, and similarly there are many other reasons for the keeping of the external law; but let the law of thy discretion be unto thee, so that if thou lustest after anything thou must restrain thyself from making use thereof.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence

• Galatians 5:17

  In this manner then are also the soul and body towards each other, and as their natures are contrary to each other, even so also are their wills, and concerning this hath Paul also said, "The body lusteth after that which will harm the spirit, and the spirit lusteth after that which will harm the body, and both are contrary, each to each." And so long as they stand in this measure of equality, they will be at constant and unceasing war, and at one time the body will conquer the soul, and at another the soul will overcome the body; and whosoever fighteth thus must stand in his place, for although he step forward even so little towards that which belongeth to the soul, the body hangeth on to him and turneth him back, and, moreover, it will even thrust him from his position, and drag him down into the abyss of sin.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence

• Galatians 5:17

  For each of these, whether it be the body, or the soul, draweth the other unto its own will, because they are contrary to each other in their natures, and also in their wills, according to the word of the Apostle, who said, "The body lusteth for that which injureth the spirit, and the spirit lusteth for that which injureth the body; and the two are contrary each to each." Now if, according to the word of the wise Apostle, all the lusts of the body are contrary to the soul, the lust of the belly must be more contrary than they all, because it is the door of all lusts, and among them all there is none so heavy as it is. For as a weight which is light and volatile by nature, if suspended, inclineth downwards, even so is this lust of the belly, for it is composed of moisture and weight, and although the body naturally possesseth weight—for its nature is so to do—yet by a superabundance of food, other weight is added thereunto, and when weight is added unto weight, and body is doubled upon body, that is to say, the body of food upon the body of nature, the weight upon the soul increaseth, and the mistress becometh a handmaid in subjection; for the soul cannot henceforth rule over the body like a free thing, but it beareth the weight thereof like a slave.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 10 -- On Gluttony

• Galatians 5:25

  Now besides this there accompanieth the soul the grace of the spirit which giveth it help and power, if it be that it fulfilleth its good desire, for as when a strong man taketh hold of the hand of a child he carrieth off his weakness by the association of his own strength, even so also doth the Holy Spirit take hold of the thoughts of the soul, which is suspended like the hand of the child, that it may be exalted unto spiritual things, and that by its union with the Spirit it may acquire lightness beyond its nature. Whosoever delivereth his soul to the spirit to be nursed thereby, the whole action of his life becometh superior to harm, and for this reason Paul teacheth us to live in the spirit, and to perfect the spirit; for whosoever liveth in the spirit and perfecteth it, his whole life becometh spiritual, and he is led by the motions of the spirit, and his thoughts and deeds take place according to the will of the spirit. It is not because we lack a helper that we are overcome by lust, but because we do not seek help from the Helper, for as lust itself when it wisheth to overcome us invoketh other things to its aid, and then fighteth and conquereth us, even so must we also, if we determine to fight and to overcome it, invoke the aid of Divine power, and the support of the grace which is in us, and we shall easily overcome the lust which fighteth against us. For so long as our soul is purified from the thoughts of lust it standeth in the might of its nature, and so long as it is exalted to stand in the power of its nature, it is worthy to receive Divine power to be its support, and when it hath such company as this, it cannot be easily overcome by the lusts which fight with it.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 12 -- First Discourse on Fornication

• Galatians 5:25

  "We live by the Spirit, and by the Spirit let us come to an end. Let us not be vainglorious, provoking one another, and envying one another." And that a man should live by the Spirit and come to an end by the Spirit cometh to a man by simplicity and innocency of mind.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity

• Galatians 5:26

  "We live by the Spirit, and by the Spirit let us come to an end. Let us not be vainglorious, provoking one another, and envying one another." And that a man should live by the Spirit and come to an end by the Spirit cometh to a man by simplicity and innocency of mind.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity

• Galatians 6:6

  The country wherein we are gathered together is one of spiritual excellences and help: in it then we will speak with simple words, which bear profit alike to him that speaketh and to them that listen, for it is written, "Let him that heareth the word communicate it to him that listeneth to him in all good things."

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 5 -- Second Discourse on Simplicity

• Galatians 6:14

  For when thou hast gone forth from the world, inasmuch as it is its custom to pursue after those who forsake it and depart from it, turn thee to fight against it, and be thou crucified to it, remembering that which Paul spake, "I am crucified to the world, and the world is crucified to me." Lighten therefore from off thee the weight of the world, that the war which thou art preparing against it may be easy to thee, and instead of the Jordan, go down into the waters of knowledge, and after thy submersion cleave unto the rule of the Spirit.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 9 -- Second Discourse on Poverty

• Galatians 6:14

  And the participation in the sufferings of Christ consisteth not in a man giving alms, and in shewing his lovingkindness unto those who are needy, but in his dying wholly and entirely to the world, and to the body, and to the lusts, and to the passions, and in a man crucifying his old man with all the lusts thereof, even as Paul also spake concerning himself, "I am crucified unto the world." And the whole feeling of the world was annulled in him, after the manner in which it is annulled in those who are dead in nature, for as the dead body feeleth not any one thing which is brought nigh unto it, even so in that man, who hath been crucified with Christ, and who hath put to death in himself all the old man, is there no perception of anything which is in the world; and for this reason also Paul calleth "dead" those who stand in this rule of perfection. For the righteous man who dwelleth in the world, and who hath a wife, and children, and riches, and possessions, cannot be called dead, because all his life is like unto that of a living man; for the dead man is not married, and he begetteth not, while the righteous are united unto their wives, and beget children, and do other things which follow in their train.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 9 -- Second Discourse on Poverty