Mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth.

“This is the reason why no one obeys their precepts; inasmuch as they either train men to vices, if they defend pleasure; or if they uphold virtue, they neither threaten sin with any punishment, except that of disgrace only, nor do they promise any reward to virtue, except that of honour and praise only, since they say that virtue is to be sought for its own sake, and not on account of any other object. The wise man therefore is happy under tortures; but when he suffers torture on account of his faith, on account of justice, or on account of God, that endurance of pain will render him most happy. For it is God alone who can honour virtue, the reward of which is immortality alone. And they who do not seek this, nor possess religion, with which eternal life is connected, assuredly do not know the power of virtue, the reward of which they are ignorant; nor look towards heaven, as they themselves imagine that they do, when they inquire into subjects which do not admit of investigation, since there is no other cause for looking towards heaven, unless it be either to undertake religion, or to believe that one's soul is immortal. For if any one understands that God is to be worshipped, or has the hope of immortality set before him, his mind is in heaven; and although he may not behold it with his eyes, yet he does behold it with the eye of his soul.”

“Thus our love of pleasure took its beginning from our being made like to the irrational creation, and was increased by the transgressions of men, becoming the parent of so many varieties of sins arising from pleasure as we cannot find among the irrational animals. Thus the rising of anger in us is indeed akin to the impulse of the brutes; but it grows by the alliance of thought: for thence come malignity, envy, deceit, conspiracy, hypocrisy; all these are the result of the evil husbandry of the mind; for if the passion were divested of the aid it receives from thought, the anger that is left behind is short-lived and not sustained, like a bubble, perishing straightway as soon as it comes into being. Thus the greediness of swine introduces covetousness, and the high spirit of the horse becomes the origin of pride; and all the particular forms that proceed from the want of reason in brute nature become vice by the evil use of the mind. So, likewise, on the contrary, if reason instead assumes sway over such emotions, each of them is transmuted to a form of virtue; for anger produces courage, terror caution, fear obedience, hatred aversion from vice, the power of love the desire for what is truly beautiful; high spirit in our character raises our thought above the passions, and keeps it from bondage to what is base; yea, the great Apostle, even, praises such a form of mental elevation when he bids us constantly to "think those things that are above;" and so we find that every such motion, when elevated by loftiness of mind, is conformed to the beauty of the Divine image.”

“"Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life shall be manifested, then shall ye also with Him be manifested in glory." This is not your life, he saith, it is some other one. He is now urgent to remove them, and insists upon showing that they are seated above, and are dead; from both considerations establishing the position, that they are not to seek the things which are here. For whether ye be dead, ye ought not to seek them; or whether ye be above, ye ought not to seek them. Doth Christ appear? Neither doth your life. It is in God, above. What then? When shall we live? When Christ shall be manifested, who is your life; then seek ye glory, then life, then enjoyment. This is to prepare the way for drawing them off from pleasure and ease. Such is his wont: when establishing one position, he darts off to another; as, for instance, when discoursing of those who at supper were beforehand with one another, he all at once falls upon the observance of the Mysteries. For he hath a great rebuke when it is administered unsuspected. "It is hid," he saith, from you. "Then shall ye also with Him be manifested." So that, now, ye do not appear. See how he hath removed them into the very heaven. For, as I said, he is always bent upon showing that they have the very same things which Christ hath; and through all his Epistles, the tenor is this, to show that in all things they are partakers with Him. Therefore he uses the terms, Head, and Body, and does everything to convey this to them. If therefore we shall then be manifested, let us not grieve, when we enjoy not honor: if this life be not life, but it be hidden, we ought to live this life as though dead. "Then shall ye also," he saith, "with Him be manifested in glory." "In glory," he said, not merely "manifested." For the pearl too is hidden so long as it is within the oyster. If then we be treated with insult, let us not grieve; or whatever it be we suffer; for this life is not our life, we are strangers and sojourners. "For ye died," he saith. Who is so witless, as for a corpse, dead and buried, either to buy servants, or build houses, or prepare costly raiment? None. Neither then do ye; but as we seek one thing only, namely, that we be not in a naked state, so here too let us seek one thing and no more. Our first man is buried: buried not in earth, but in water; not death-destroyed, but buried by death's destroyer, not by the law of nature, but by the governing command that is stronger than nature. For what has been done by nature, may perchance be undone; but what has been done by His command, never. Nothing is more blessed than this burial, whereat all are rejoicing, both Angels, and men, and the Lord of Angels. At this burial, no need is there of vestments, nor of coffin, nor of anything else of that kind. Wouldest thou see the symbol of this? I will show thee a pool wherein the one was buried, the other raised; in the Red Sea the Egyptians were sunk beneath it, but the Israelites went up from out of it; in the same act he buries the one, generates the other. Marvel not that generation and destruction take place in Baptism; for, tell me, dissolving and cementing, are they not opposite? It is evident to all. Such is the effect of fire; for fire dissolves and destroys wax, but it cements together metallic earth, and works it into gold. So in truth here also, the force of the fire, having obliterated the statue of wax, has displayed a golden one in its stead; for in truth before the Bath we were of clay, but after it of gold. Whence is this evident? Hear him saying, "The first man is of the earth, earthy, the second man is the Lord from heaven." I spoke of a difference as great as that between clay and gold; but greater still do I find the difference between heavenly and earthy; not so widely do clay and gold differ, as do things earthy and heavenly. Waxen we were, and clay-formed. For the flame of lust did much more melt us, than fire doth wax, and any chance temptation did far rather shatter us than a stone doth things of clay.”

“Above, the Apostle warned the faithful against those who lead astray; here he instructs them against perversity of morals. And first he sets forth the general teaching; second, the specific teaching, at the words wives, subject. Concerning the first he does two things: first he instructs them about having a right intention of the end; second, about the rightness of human action, at the word mortify. Again the first is divided into two parts: first he sets down the manner of the instruction; second he assigns the reason, at the words for dead. Concerning the first, first he sets down the benefit received; second from this he draws the lesson of the instruction, at the words the things that are above. The benefit is that we have risen with Christ, he rising; but this in two ways: in one way through the hope of bodily resurrection. 1 Cor. 15:12: But if Christ is preached that he rose from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? Likewise, with him rising, we are restored to the life of righteousness. Rom. 4:25: He was handed over on account of our sins, and rose again on account of our justification. As if to say: if with Christ rising, you too have risen. 2 Cor. 4:14: He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus. Then when he says the things that are above, etc., he draws the lesson owed to the end. And first by comparison to the end, namely that one should principally intend the end; second, that one should judge other things according to the end. He says therefore: if you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above. Matt. 6:33: Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, etc. For this is the end. Ps. 26:4: One thing have I asked of the Lord, etc. And therefore seek this, where Christ sits at the right hand. Mark, last chapter: The Lord Jesus indeed, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God. Ps. 109:1: Sit at my right hand. And the right hand is to be understood not as some bodily part, but by way of likeness. For the right hand is the stronger part of man. Christ therefore sits at the right hand because, insofar as he is man, he is in the greater goods of the Father, but insofar as he is God, he is in equality with him. And so let the order be in you: that just as Christ died, and rose, and thus was taken up to the right hand of God, so also you should die to sin, that afterward you may live the life of righteousness, and thus be taken up to glory. Or: we have risen through Christ; but he himself sits there, therefore our desire ought to be toward him. Matt. 24:28: Wherever the body shall be, there also will the eagles be gathered together, etc. Matt. 6:21: Where your treasure is, there also is your heart. Likewise we ought to judge other things according to him. And therefore he says mind the things that are above, etc. He asserts one thing, and denies the other. Now he minds the things that are above who orders his life according to the reasons of things above, and judges all things according to it. James 3:15: This is wisdom descending from above. But he minds the things that are upon the earth who orders and judges all things according to earthly goods, judging them to be the highest goods. Phil. 3:19: and glory in the shame of those who mind earthly things. Then when he says for dead, etc., he sets down the reason for the admonition. And first he recalls a certain death; second he hints at the hiddenness of a certain life, at the words and life; third he teaches the manifestation of this life, at the words but when Christ. For before he forbade one thing, and asserted the other, and now he returns to these two. First thus: do not mind the things that are earthly, because you are dead to an earthly way of life. For one who is dead to this life does not mind the things that belong to this world; so also you, if you are dead with Christ, are dead to the elements of this world. Rom. 6:11: Reckon yourselves indeed to be dead to sin, but living to God. Is. 26:14: Let the dying not live, let the giants not rise again, etc. But when he said reckon, etc., he adds: living. And therefore there is another, hidden life; hence here too he says and your life, etc. And we acquire this life for ourselves through Christ. 1 Pet. 3:18: Christ died for our sins, the just for the unjust, etc. But because this life is through Christ, and Christ is hidden from us, because he is in the glory of God the Father, likewise the life which is given to us through him is hidden, namely where Christ is, in the glory of God the Father. Prov. 3:16: Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory. Ps. 30:20: How great is the multitude of your sweetness, which you have hidden for those who fear you, etc. Apoc. 2:17: To him who overcomes I will give the hidden manna, etc. Therefore when he says but when Christ, etc., he shows how it is manifested, namely just as Christ also is, because it is said in Ps. 49:3: God shall come manifestly. And therefore he says but when Christ shall appear, your life, because he himself is the author of your life, and because your life consists in love and knowledge of him. Gal. 2:20: I live, now not I, but Christ lives in me. Then you also shall appear. 1 John 3:2: When he shall appear, we shall be like him, namely in glory. Hab. 3:3: He shall come from the south, and the Holy One from mount Pharan, etc. Then when he says mortify therefore, he orders human action. First through the restraint of sins; second through the instruction of good morals, at the words put on. Concerning the first he does two things: first he sets forth the admonition; second he explains its reason, at the words stripping yourselves. Again the first into two: first he forbids the carnal vices, second he assigns the reason, at the words on account of which. Concerning the first he does two things: first he sets down the general prohibition; second he explains it specifically, at the words which are. He says therefore: You ought not to mind the things that are upon the earth, but mortify whatever is earthly, and especially the members which are, etc. This can be explained by way of likeness, because our way of life contains many acts, just as the body contains many members; and in a good way of life, prudence is like a directing eye, while fortitude is like a carrying foot. But in a bad way of life, cunning is like the eye, and obstinacy like the foot. These members, therefore, are to be mortified. Or otherwise: concerning the carnal members of the body he said: you are dead, etc., namely to an earthly way of life. How? And answering, he says mortify, etc. To the extent, therefore, that we die to fault, to that extent we are brought to life through grace. For the life of grace restores us as to the mind, not wholly as to the body, on account of the tinder. Rom. 7:25: I myself with the mind serve the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of sin. And a little before: I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, etc. You therefore who are dead as to the mind, mortify the concupiscence in the members, which are upon the earth, insofar as they are upon the earth, and earthly bodies. 1 Cor. 6: I chastise my body and bring it into subjection, etc., that is, by not permitting it to be drawn to carnal things. And therefore he sets down the sins specifically. And first the purely carnal ones; second the intermediate ones, at the words and greed. Among carnal things, concupiscence especially inclines toward lust, where there is a shameful act. And this either according to the nature of the animal — I will not say of reason, because every sin is contrary to reason — and therefore he says fornication. Tob. 4:13: Keep yourself from all fornication, etc. Or against nature, and thus he says uncleanness. Likewise the delight is unclean, hence he says lust. Likewise depraved desire, hence he says evil desire. Second he sets down the intermediate sins; and first greed, whose object is bodily, namely money, and which is completed in a spiritual delight, namely dominion over such things. And therefore it shares something in common with the carnal sins. And he adds which is the service of idols. Eph. 5:5: or covetous, which is the service of idols. But is greed, by its very kind, a species of idolatry, and does the greedy man sin as an idolater? I answer. It must be said: not according to species, but according to likeness, because the greedy man places his life in money. One is an idolater when he shows to some image the honor owed to God. But the greedy man shows to money the honor owed to God, because his whole life is occupied with this. But because the greedy man does not intend to relate himself to money as to God, as the idolater does, therefore it is a lesser sin. Then when he says on account of which the wrath of God comes, he shows the reason why these sins are to be avoided, and it is twofold. One which moves all, and another which moves these in particular. The first is the vengeance of God, because on account of carnal things the wrath comes, that is the vengeance of God, upon the sons of unbelief, that is, the sinners who distrust God, because lust is the daughter of despair, since many out of despair of spiritual things give themselves totally to carnal things. Or unbelief, because as far as it is in itself, it is not to be trusted that they will be corrected, and therefore the wrath of God comes, as in Gen. 6:17 and 7, in the flood, and 18:26 and 19:24, concerning the Sodomites. The other reason is that they themselves were once such. Hence he says in which you also once walked, namely from bad to worse. And he sets down this reason on account of two things: namely, on account of what Peter says in 1 Pet. 4:3: the time past is sufficient to have fulfilled the will of the Gentiles, who walked in lusts, etc.; and because you have found by experience that in these there is no benefit, but confusion. Rom. 6:21: What fruit therefore did you have then in those things of which you are now ashamed?”

“Set your affections on things above,.... For unless the affections are set on them, they will never be sought after in a proper manner. The word signifies to mind them, and think on them, to favour and approve of them, to be affectionately desirous of them, and concerned for them; for where the treasure is, the heart should be; and as the saints' best things are above, their minds and affections should be there likewise; their contemplation should be on those things, and their conversation should be in heaven; nor should they regard anything but what is there, or comes from thence, for they belong not to this world, but to another and better country: their citizenship is in heaven, and there, in a short time, they must have their everlasting residence; and therefore should seek after, and highly prize and value heavenly things, and set their affections on them, and not on things on the earth; not mind earth and earthly things, temporal enjoyments, riches, and honours; and though food and raiment, and the necessaries of life, are to be sought after, and cared and provided for, yet not with anxiety and perplexity of mind, in an over thoughtful and distressing manner; nor should the heart be set on those outward things, or happiness placed in the possession of them. Moreover, worldly lusts, the members which are on the earth, earthly pleasures that are sinful, may be here meant. Worldly lusts are to be denied, the deeds of the body are to be mortified, carnal desires are not to be gratified and indulged, provision is not to be made for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts; and particularly the vain philosophy of Jews and Gentiles, the traditions of the elders, the ceremonies of the law, which lay in earthly things, in worldly observances, the difference of meats and drinks, keeping of days, months, and years, new moons, feasts, and sabbath days; the rudiments of the world, the commandments and doctrines which were of the earth, and lay in not touching, tasting, and handling certain things that are on earth, and which perish with the using, as opposed to the doctrines of the Gospel, and ordinances of Christ, which are from above, and come from heaven, and have a spiritual and heavenly use: and which is the sense chiefly intended, though it is best to understand the words in their largest compass.”

“Set your affection on things above - Τα ανω φρονειτε· Love heavenly things; study them; let your hearts be entirely engrossed by them. Now, that ye are converted to God, act in reference to heavenly things as ye did formerly in reference to those of earth; and vice versa. This is a very good general rule: "Be as much in earnest for heavenly and eternal things, as ye formerly were for those that are earthly and perishing."”