Letter 18

18. To Macarius and John

Neither do the toils of farming come strange to farmers, nor is the storm at sea unexpected to sailors, nor sweat surprising to those who labour for wages; nor, indeed, are the afflictions of the present world unforeseen by those who have chosen to live in godliness. But to each of those mentioned a toil of its own, familiar to those who pursue it, is yoked—not to be chosen for its own sake, but for the enjoyment of the goods that are expected. For hopes, which hold together and sustain the whole life of men, console the difficulty in each of these.

Of those, then, who labour for the fruits above the earth or those upon the earth, some have been wholly deceived in their hopes, having the enjoyment of what they expected only as far as imagination; while to those for whom it has befallen that the end turned out according to their wish, a second hope was again needed, the former having run past and quickly withered. But for those alone who have toiled for godliness, no falsehood has destroyed their hopes, no end has ruined their contests, since the kingdom of heaven, sure and lasting, succeeds them.

Let no false slander, then, disturb you, nor let the threat of those in power frighten you; let not the laughter and insult of acquaintances grieve you, nor the censure of those who pretend to care, who put forward, as the strongest bait for deceit, a pretence of advice—so long as the word of truth contends along with us. Let right reason fight against all these, calling to become its ally and helper the teacher of godliness, our Lord Jesus Christ, for whom even to suffer is sweet and to die is gain.