Letter 969

To Auxentius. Since you are a skillful handiwork of God, the most loving of mankind, who wills all men to be saved [cf. 1 Timothy 2:4], do not speak despairingly, nor lose hope, but hope to obtain salvation, by no means ceasing from the doing of good; and never let yourself be seen preferring any of the things that are seen to the salvation that pertains to the soul. For it is no small thing, even for the least, to climb a single step of the ladder of the virtues, and for a while to come to be above the earth.

Φιλοτέχνημα ὑπάρχων Θεοῦ τοῦ φιλανθρωποτάτου, τοῦ βουλομένου πάντας ἀνθρώπους σωθῆναι, μὴ δυσφήμει, μηδὲ ἀπέλπιζε, ἀλλ᾿ ἔλπιζε τυχεῖν τῆς σωτηρίας, μηδαμῶς παυόμενος τῆς ἀγαθοεργίας· μηδὲ φανῇς ποτε προκρίνων τι τῶν ὁρωμένων τῆς κατὰ ψυχὴν σωτηρίας· οὐ μικρὸν γὰρ τοῖς ἐλαχίστοις· καὶ τὸ μίαν βαθμίδα τῆς τῶν ἀρετῶν κλίμακος ἀναβῆναι, καὶ τέως ἄνω γενέσθαι τῆς γῆς.