Fragmenta in Jeremiam FRAGMENTA EX CATENISIN IEREMIAM.

70.1452

Truly the hills were for falsehood, and the host of the mountains, etc. He mentions mountains and hills, since on them, during those ancient times, having built sanctuaries and sacred precincts and having erected altars, they used to offer most pleasing sacrifices to the demons. But shame has consumed the labors of our fathers from their youth. They call shame the truly inglorious and most infamous idolatry, and the error associated with it, which also consumed the labors of their fathers; for sacrificing to demons they have spent their sheep and their calves, and they endured a loss of understanding together with their possessions. Woe is me! for my soul fails over the slain.

Run ye to and fro in the streets of Jerusalem. Do you see in these things one travailing indeed over the slain, and readily willing to have mercy on Jerusalem, but being somehow restrained by himself, and all but pulling back the god-befitting serenity because of the excess of sin; yet seeking then nevertheless to pity the sins, and for the sake of one man being willing to abolish the things that come from wrath? For he was commanded that those running about show one faithful man in her. And I said; Perhaps they are poor, because they had not the ability, etc. The preeminent and more sacred class among the Jews is rightly counted wretched, but it drew down a more violent wrath upon itself. And Christ himself will make this clear, saying, Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you traverse the sea and the dry land, to make one proselyte, etc. To whom shall I speak and testify? For they reproached the word of Christ, saying to the hearers about him; He has a demon and is mad; why do you listen to him? Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah? 70.1453 Then indeed they have been punished by a holy decree. For having assigned worship to creation, and having served the works of their own hands, they themselves have drawn down upon their own heads the things from divine. wrath. For not without cause is a net spread for birds, according to that which is written. The wise were ashamed. In these words he seems to indicate the wise to be the orators of the Greeks, both poets and writers; who have a tongue that is naturally clever and elaborate, and trained by the elegances of their words to be charming, but in their heart not partaking of true wisdom. For as the all-wise Paul writes, They became futile in their thinking, and their foolish heart was darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and so on. Therefore wise indeed, as far as it concerns voice and tongue, but unwise in the heart. But the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, according to that which is written. A beautiful olive tree, casting a goodly shade in appearance. For to depart from God and to be entirely without a share of his grace and help makes the soul of man useless in every way. For it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. To you the nations. For even if they have become insolent and disobedient, and having their mind full of foolishness, yet nevertheless they are saved and glorified by Christ.

And the firstfruits of these have become the prize-winning martyrs, the brightness of whose good repute shines forth all under heaven. And he will be as the tree. For he is not proud on account of wealth, nor indeed, having become beyond empty opinions, is he arrogant (sic); for these things are of rashness, and nothing else. For it is also a safe pledge for salvation, to trust in God who is all-powerful; but to place one's hope in any others, is vain and useless. Behold, as the clay. He remodels

Fragmenta in Jeremiam FRAGMENTA EX CATENISIN IEREMIAM.

70.1452

Ὄντως εἰς ψεῦδος ἦσαν οἱ βουνοὶ καὶ δύναμις τῶν ὀρέων, κ.τ.λ. ∆ιαμέμνηται ὀρῶν καὶ βουνῶν, ἐπείπερ ἐν αὐτοῖς κατὰ τοὺς ἀρχαίους ἐκείνους καιροὺς ἱερά τε καὶ τεμένη δειμάμενοι καὶ βωμοὺς ἀναστήσαντες, τοῖς δαιμονίοις χαριεστάτας προσεκόμιζον θυσίας. Ἡ δὲ αἰσχύνη κατανάλωσε τοὺς μόχθους τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἀπὸ νεότητος αὐτῶν. Αἰσχύνην λέγουσι τὴν ἀληθῶς ἀκλεᾶ καὶ ἀδοξοτάτην εἰδωλολατρείαν, καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τούτῳ πλάνησιν, ἣ καὶ τοὺς μόχθους τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν κατανάλωσε· δεδαπανήκασι γὰρ ἱερουργοῦντες τοῖς δαίμοσι τὰ πρόβατα αὐτῶν, καὶ τοὺς μόσχους αὐτῶν, καὶ φρονήσεως ζημίαν ὁμοῦ τοῖς οὖσιν ὑπέμειναν. Οἴ μοι! ὅτι ἐκλείπει ἡ ψυχή μου ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀνηρημένοις.

Περιδράμετε ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς Ἱερουσαλήμ. Ὁρᾷς ἐν τούτοις ὠδίνοντα μὲν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀνῃρημένοις, καὶ προχείρως μὲν ἐλεεῖν ἐθέλοντα τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, εἰργόμενον δέ πως ὑφ' ἑαυτοῦ, μονονουχὶ δὲ καὶ ἀνασειράζοντα τὴν θεοπρεπῆ γαληνότητα διὰ τὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὑπέρογκον· ζητοῦντα δ' οὖν ὅμως τὸ κατοικτείρειν τὰς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ ἐφ' ἑνὶ θέλοντα καταλύειν τὰ ἐξ ὀργῆς; Ἕνα γὰρ ἄνδρα τοὺς περιθέοντας ἐπιδεικνύναι πιστὸν ἐν αὐτῇ διετάττετο. Καὶ ἐγὼ εἶπα· Ἴσως πτωχοί εἰσι, διότι οὐκ ἐδυνήθησαν, κ.τ.λ. Τὸ προὖχον καὶ ἱερώτερον ἐν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ταλανίζεται μὲν εἰκότως, ῥαγδαιοτέραν δὲ τὴν ὀργὴν ἐπήντλησεν αὐτῷ. Καὶ τοῦτο σαφηνιεῖ λέγων αὐτὸς ὁ Χριστὸς, Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, Γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταὶ, ὅτι περιάγετε τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ τὴν ξηρὰν, ποιῆσαι ἕνα προσήλυτον, κ.τ.λ. Πρὸς τίνα λαλήσω καὶ διαμαρτύρομαι; Κατωνείδιζον γὰρ τὸ ῥῆμα Χριστοῦ, τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις περὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες· ∆αιμόνιον ἔχει καὶ μαίνεται· τί αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε; Οὐχὶ ὁρᾷς τί αὐτοὶ ποιοῦσι ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν Ἰούδα; 70.1453 Ὁσίᾳ δὴ οὖν τετιμώρηνται ψήφῳ. Ἀναθέντες γὰρ κτίσει τὸ σέβας, καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις τῶν ἰδίων χειρῶν λατρεύσαντες, αὐτοὶ ταῖς ἰδίαις ἐπήντλησαν κεφαλαῖς τὰ ἐκ θείας. ὀργῆς. Οὐ γὰρ ἀδίκως ἐκτείνεται δίκτυα πτερωτοῖς, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον. Ἠσχύνθησαν σοφοί. Σοφοὺς ἔοικεν ἐν τούτοις ὑποδηλοῦν τοὺς τῶν Ἑλλήνων λογάδας, ποιητάς τε καὶ συγγραφέας· οἳ γλῶτταν μὲν ἔχουσιν εὐφυᾶ καὶ περιειργασμένην, καὶ ταῖς τῶν λόγων κομψείαις ἐξησκημένην εἰς τὸ ἐπίχαρι, φρονήσεως δὲ τῆς ἀληθοῦς ἀμέτοχοι τὴν καρδίαν. Ὡς γὰρ ὁ πάνσοφος γράφει Παῦλος, Ἐματαιώθησαν ἐν τοῖς διαλογισμοῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐσκοτίσθη ἡ ἀσύνετος αὐτῶν καρδία. Φάσκοντες εἶναι σοφοὶ, ἐμωράνθησαν, καὶ ἑξῆς. Οὐκοῦν σοφοὶ μὲν, τό γε ἧκον εἰς φωνὴν καὶ γλῶτταν, ἄσοφοι δὲ εἰς τὴν καρδίαν. Ἡ δὲ σοφία τοῦ κόσμου τούτου μωρία παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ ἐστι, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον. Ἐλαίαν ὡραίαν εὔσκιον τῷ εἴδει. Ἀχρειοῖ γὰρ ὁλοτρόπως τὴν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ψυχὴν τὸ ἀποφοιτῆσαι Θεοῦ καὶ ἀμοιρῆσαι παντελῶς τῆς παρ' αὐτοῦ χάριτος καὶ ἐπικουρίας. Φοβερὸν γὰρ τὸ ἐμπεσεῖν εἰς χεῖρας Θεοῦ ζῶντος. Πρὸς σὲ ἔθνη. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ γεγόνασιν ὑβρισταὶ καὶ ἀπειθεῖς, καὶ ἀσυνεσίας ἔμπλεω τὴν διάνοιαν ἔχοντες, ἀλλ' οὖν σώζονται καὶ δοξάζονται παρὰ Χριστοῦ.

Ἀπαρχὴ δὲ τούτων γεγόνασιν οἱ ἀθλοφόροι μάρτυρες, ὧν τῆς εὐκλείας ἡ φαιδρότης ὅλην ἀστράπτει τὴν ὑπ' οὐρανόν. Καὶ ἔσται ὡς τὸ ξύλον. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ πλούτῳ μέγα φρονεῖ, οὔτε μὴν διακένων δοξαρίων ἐκτὸς γεγονὼς τὴν ὀσφὺν ὑψηλήν (σιξ)· εἰκαιότητος γὰρ ταῦτα, καὶ ἕτερον οὐδέν. Καὶ γάρ ἐστιν ἀσφαλὲς ἐνέχυρον εἰς σωτηρίαν, τὸ ἐπὶ Θεῷ πεποιθέναι τῷ πάντα ἰσχύοντι· τὸ δὲ ἐφ' ἑτέροις τισι ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ἐλπίδα, μάταιον καὶ ἀνωφελές. Ἰδοὺ ὡς ὁ πηλός. Μεταπλάττει