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from afar He prepared glory for the righteous, but He allowed temptations to test the young man, shutting out the voices of the fault-finders; for if Joseph had not given proof, the fault-finders would have said that what was done was a matter of blind chance; Joseph rules the Egyptians, a mere boy is master of barbarians; having shown what virtue? for what virtue has he attained this? So that these things might not be said about the righteous man, God, anticipating, 9.217 allows the temptations against him, so that testimony for the righteous man might come from them and sew up the mouths of the fault-finders.

Let us therefore turn away from the darts that come from a harlot's form, let us close our gaze to licentiousness, let the disorders of pleasures be laughed at by us, let self-control be the garrison commander of the flesh, let purity lie upon our members, let us be exercised in thoughts that love the good, let us shine with the rays of our works, let us be resplendent with a polished life, let us keep the body a pure temple for the dwelling of the Spirit, let us inscribe upon it an inscription crying out the fearsome command to the licentious: If any man defiles the temple of God, him shall God destroy. I wished not to be separated from you even for a short time; for what is sweeter to a father than the company of beloved sons? But since the word calls to the struggles of piety, it is necessary to run to the wrestling grounds of the church, having taken prayers as fellow-workers. But I exhort your love in this: preserve the ecclesiastical good order, and if any introduce disturbances, conquer the disturbances with long-suffering; for there will be a correction of the commotions before long. Do not be disturbed by rumors, do not be moved by trifles, but send prayers along with us as traveling companions, so that, being empowered by your prayers, we may say at all times, being helped by divine strength: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, to whom be glory for ever and ever, amen.

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πόρρωθεν τοῖς δικαίοις τὴν δόξαν ηὐτρέπιζε, συνεχώρησε δὲ τοῖς πειρασμοῖς δοκιμάσαι τὸν νέον τὰς τῶν φιλοψόγων ἀποκλείων φωνάς· δοκιμὴν γὰρ μὴ δεδωκότος τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ οἱ φιλόψογοι ἂν ἔλεγον συντυχίας εἶναι τυφλῆς τὰ πραττόμενα· Αἰγυπτίων Ἰωσὴφ βασιλεύει, βαρβάρων δεσπόζει παιδάριον· ποίαν ἀρετὴν ἐνδειξάμενον; ὑπὲρ ποίας τούτου τετυχηκὸς ἀρετῆς; ἵνα οὖν ταῦτα περὶ τοῦ δικαίου μὴ λέγηται, προλαμ 9.217 βάνων ὁ θεὸς τοὺς ἐπ' αὐτὸν πειρασμοὺς συγχωρεῖ, ὥστε τὴν ἀπ' ἐκείνων τῷ δικαίῳ μαρτυρίαν γενέσθαι καὶ ῥάψαι τῶν φιλοψόγων τὰ στόματα.

Ἀποστρεφώμεθα τοίνυν τὰς ἐκ μορφῆς πορνικῆς ἐπερχομένας βολάς, κλείωμεν ἀσελγήμασι τὸ βλέμμα, γελάσθωσαν παρ' ἡμῖν ἡδονῶν ἀταξίαι, φρουραρχείτω τὴν σάρκα σωφροσύνη, καθαρότης ἐγκείτω τοῖς μέλεσι, τριβώμεθα λογισμοῖς φιλοκάλοις, λάμπωμεν ἔργων αὐγαῖς, ἐσμηγμένῳ περιστίλβωμεν βίῳ, καθαρὸν τὸ σῶμα ναὸν τῆς τοῦ πνεύματος οἰκήσεως φυλάττωμεν, ἐπιγράψωμεν αὐτὸ ἐπιγράμματι τὴν φοβερὰν τοῖς ἀκολάστοις παραγγελίαν βοῶντι· Εἴ τις τὸν ναὸν τοῦ θεοῦ φθείρει, φθερεῖ τοῦτον ὁ θεός. Ἐβουλόμην ὑμῶν μηδὲ πρὸς μικρὸν διαζεύγνυσθαι· τί γὰρ γλυκύτερον πατρὶ συνουσίας ἀγαπωμένων υἱῶν; ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ καλεῖ πρὸς ἀγῶνας τῆς εὐσεβείας ὁ λόγος, δεῖ δραμεῖν πρὸς τὰ σκάμματα τῆς ἐκκλησίας εὐχῶν συνεργοὺς εἰληφότα. ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο παρακαλῶ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγάπην· φυλάττετε τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν εὐταξίαν, κἄν τινες ταραχὰς παρεμβάλλωσι, νικᾶτε μακροθυμίᾳ τὰς ταραχάς· ἔσται γὰρ οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν τῶν θορύβων διόρθωσις. μὴ ταράττεσθε φήμαις, μὴ φλυαρίαις παρακινεῖσθε, ἀλλ' εὐχὰς ἡμῖν συνοδοιπόρους συμπέμψατε, ἵνα ταῖς εὐχαῖς ὑμῶν δυναμούμενοι εἴπωμεν ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ παρὰ τῆς θείας βοηθούμενοι ἰσχύος· Πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με Χριστῷ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν.