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again being compared to another image, he despised this one also. For comparing the reproaches and the insults and the taunts and the jests from enemies and the plots to an old garment and to moth-eaten wool, he said: "Do not fear the reproach of men, nor be dismayed at their revilings, for they will grow old like a garment, and like wool they will be eaten by a moth." Let nothing of what is happening, therefore, trouble you. But ceasing from calling upon this person and that, and from running after shadows—for such is human alliance—call continually upon the God whom you serve; with a mere nod, all things are resolved in a single moment of time. But if you have called and it has not been resolved, it is God’s custom not to put an end to terrible things from the beginning—for I will take up my former argument—but when it has reached its peak, when it has increased, when almost nothing is left of the wickedness of the enemies, then He suddenly changes things to a state of calm and brings them to certain unexpected situations. For He is able not only to do as many good things as we expect and hope, but also many more, and infinitely greater.

Wherefore Paul also said: "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think." For was He not able from the beginning to prevent the three youths from falling into that trial? But He did not wish to, gathering for them much gain. For this reason He allowed them to be delivered into barbarian hands, and the furnace to be kindled to an unspeakable height, and the royal anger to burn more fiercely than the furnace, and their hands and feet to be bound with great force and to be cast into the fire. And when all who beheld them despaired of their salvation, then suddenly and beyond all hope appeared the whole wonder-working of God the master-craftsman and shone forth with great excess. For the fire was bound, but the bound were loosed, and the furnace became a house of prayer, and a spring and dew, and more venerable than royal courts. And the nature of hair conquered that all-devouring substance, which overcomes both iron and stone and masters every material. And a most harmonious choir of those saints stood there, calling both creations to this wondrous melody, singing, sending up praises of thanksgiving for which they were bound—at least on the part of the enemies—for which they were exiled from their fatherland, for which they became captives, for which they were deprived of their freedom, for which they became stateless, homeless, and migrants, for which they lived in a foreign and barbarian land; for this is characteristic of a grateful soul. And since the wickedness of the enemies was perfected—for what more could they attempt after death?—and the deeds of the athletes were fulfilled, and the crown was woven, and the prizes were collected for them, and nothing was left for their renown, then indeed the terrible things are resolved, and he who had lit the furnace and had delivered them to so great a punishment, this man becomes a wondrous praiser of those holy athletes and a herald of the wonder-working of God. And everywhere in the world he sends out letters full of high praise, recounting what had happened, and becoming a trustworthy herald of the wonders of the wonder-working God. For since he was an enemy and an adversary, what was written was henceforth above suspicion even among the enemies. Have you seen the resourcefulness of God? Have you seen His wisdom? Have you seen the wondrous? Have you seen the loving-kindness and care? Therefore, do not be disturbed or troubled, but remain continually giving thanks to God for all things, glorifying, entreating, praying, supplicating, even if ten thousand disturbances, even if ten thousand troubles come upon you, even if tempests, even if all things lie before your eyes, let none of these things trouble you. For our master is not forestalled by the difficulty of the circumstances, even to the very end

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πάλιν ἑτέρᾳ παραβαλλομένην εἰκόνι καὶ καταφρόνει καὶ ταύτης. Τὰς γὰρ λοιδορίας καὶ τὰς ὕβρεις καὶ τὰ ὀνείδη καὶ τὰ σκώμματα τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν καὶ τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς ἱματίῳ παλαιωθέντι καὶ ἐρίῳ διαβρωθέντι παρεικάζων ἔλεγεν· ὀνειδισμὸν ἀνθρώπων μὴ φοβεῖσθε καὶ τῷ φαυλισμῷ αὐτῶν μὴ ἡττᾶσθε, ὅτι ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται καὶ ὡς ἔριον ὑπὸ σητὸς οὕτω βρωθήσονται. Μηδέν σε τοίνυν ταραττέτω τῶν γινομένων. Ἀλλ' ἀφεὶς τὸν δεῖνα καὶ τὸν δεῖνα παρακαλεῖν καὶ τὰς σκιὰς περιτρέχειν- τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη συμμαχία-τὸν Θεόν, ᾧ λατρεύεις, ἐνδελεχῶς παρακάλει· νεύσει μόνον καὶ πάντα ἐν μιᾷ καιροῦ λύεται ῥοπῇ. Εἰ δὲ παρεκάλεσας καὶ οὐκ ἐλύθη, τοιοῦτον τῷ Θεῷ ἔθος μὴ ἐκ προοιμίων-τὸν γὰρ ἔμπροσθεν ἀναλήψομαι λόγον-καταλύειν τὰ δεινά. Ἀλλ', ὅταν κορυφωθῇ, ὅταν αὐξηθῇ, ὅταν σχεδὸν μηδὲν ὑπολελειμμένον ᾖ τῆς τῶν πολεμούντων κακίας, τότε ἀθρόον μεταβάλλειν ἐπὶ τὸ γαληνὸν καὶ πρὸς ἀπροσδοκήτους τινὰς καταστάσεις αὐτὰ πραγμάτων ἄγειν. Οὐ γὰρ τοσαῦτα δύναται μόνον ποιῆσαι χρηστά, ὅσα προσδοκῶμεν καὶ ἐλπίζομεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλῷ πλείονα καὶ ἀπείρως μείζονα.

∆ιὸ καὶ Παῦλος ἔλεγε· τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπὲρ ἐκ περισσοῦ, ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν. Μὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἐκ προοιμίων κωλῦσαι τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς τρεῖς εἰς τὸν πειρασμὸν ἐκεῖνον μὴ ἐμπεσεῖν; Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἠβουλήθη πολλὴν αὐτοῖς συνάγων τὴν ἐμπορίαν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἀφῆκε καὶ χερσὶν αὐτοὺς βαρβαρικαῖς παραδοθῆναι καὶ τὴν κάμινον ἀνα φθῆναι πρὸς ὕψος ἄφατον καὶ τὴν βασιλικὴν ὀργὴν τῆς καμίνου χαλεπώτερον ἐκκαῆναι καὶ χεῖρας δεθῆναι καὶ πόδας μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς σφοδρότητος καὶ εἰς τὸ πῦρ ἐμβληθῆναι. Καί, ὅτε πάντες οἱ θεωροῦντες αὐτοὺς ἀπέγνωσαν αὐτῶν τὴν σωτηρίαν, τότε ἀθρόον καὶ παρ' ἐλπίδα ἅπασα ἀνεφαίνετο ἡ θαυματοποιία τοῦ ἀριστοτέχνου Θεοῦ καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς ἐξέλαμπε τῆς ὑπερβολῆς. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ πῦρ ἐδεσμεῖτο, οἱ δὲ δεσμῶται ἐλύοντο καὶ ναὸς εὐκτήριος ἡ κάμινος ἐγίνετο καὶ πηγὴ καὶ δρόσος καὶ αὐλῶν βασιλικῶν σεμνοτέρα. Καὶ τὴν παμφάγον οὐσίαν ἐκείνην καὶ σιδήρου καὶ λίθου περιγινομένην καὶ πάσης κρατοῦσαν ὕλης τριχῶν ἐνίκα φύσις. Καὶ χορὸς ἵστατο παναρμόνιος αὐτόθι τῶν ἁγίων ἐκείνων ἑκατέραν τὴν κτίσιν εἰς τὴν θαυμασίαν ταύτην καλούντων μελῳδίαν, ᾄδοντες, εὐχαριστηρίους ἀναπέμποντες αἴνους, ὑπὲρ ὧν ἐδέθησαν, τό γε τῶν ἐχθρῶν μέρος, ὑπὲρ ὧν πατρίδος ἐξέπεσον, ὑπὲρ ὧν αἰχμάλωτοι γεγόνασιν, ὑπὲρ ὧν τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἀφῃρέθησαν, ὑπὲρ ὧν ἀπόλιδες, ἄοικοι καὶ μετανάσται ἐγένοντο, ὑπὲρ ὧν ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ καὶ βαρβάρων διέτριβον γῇ· τοῦτο γὰρ ψυχῆς εὐγνώμονος. Καί, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὰ τῆς κακίας τῶν πολεμούντων ἀπήρτιστο-τί γὰρ μετὰ θάνατον λοιπὸν ἐπιχειρῆσαι ἠδύναντο; -καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀθλητῶν πεπλήρωτο καὶ ὁ στέφανος ἐπλάκη καὶ τὰ βραβεῖα αὐτοῖς συνελέγη καὶ οὐδὲν λοιπὸν ἔλιπεν εἰς εὐδοκίμησιν, τότε δὴ τὰ δεινὰ λύεται καὶ ὁ τὴν κάμινον ἅψας καὶ τοσαύτῃ παραδοὺς τιμωρίᾳ οὗτος θαυμαστὸς ἐπαινέτης τῶν ἁγίων ἐκείνων ἀθλητῶν γίνεται καὶ κήρυξ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ παραδοξοποιίας. Καὶ πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐκπέμπει γράμματα πολλῆς γέμοντα εὐφημίας διηγούμενος τὰ γεγενημένα καὶ ἀξιόπιστος γινόμενος κήρυξ τῶν τοῦ παραδοξοποιοῦ Θεοῦ θαυμάτων. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐχθρὸς ἦν καὶ πολέμιος, ἀνύποπτα λοιπὸν καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς τὰ γραφόμενα ἦν. Εἶδες τὸ εὐμήχανον τοῦ Θεοῦ; Εἶδες τὸ σοφόν; Εἶδες τὸ παράδοξον; Εἶδες τὸ φιλάνθρωπον καὶ κηδεμονικόν; Μὴ τοίνυν θορυβοῦ μηδὲ ταράττου, ἀλλὰ μένε διηνεκῶς ὑπὲρ πάντων τῷ Θεῷ εὐχαριστῶν, δοξολογῶν, παρακαλῶν, δεόμενος, ἱκετεύων, κἂν μυρίοι θόρυβοι, κἂν μυρίαι ταραχαὶ ἐπίωσι, κἂν καταιγίδες, κἂν πάντα ἐπ' ὄψιν κέηται, μηδέν σε τούτων ταραττέτω. Οὐ γὰρ προλαμβάνεται ἡμῶν ὁ δεσπότης ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων δυσκολίας, κἂν εἰς ἔσχατον