Gregory the Dialogist

"And its palm trees on the front, and there were eight steps by which one ascended to it." This step, as Truth teaches, was shown to a certain man, who when the precepts of the law were spoken to him, responded: All these things have I kept from my youth. For he was standing as it were already on seven steps, when he said he had kept all things from his youth. …

Homilies on Ezekiel, Book 2, Homily 8 ↗