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that man, and they attempted to kill him, but a barbarian brought him to the greatest honor. Thus the Jews who had been well-treated drove out Moses, but Jethro, a barbarian, received him, and deemed him worthy of much friendliness. Thus Saul drove out David after the head of Goliath, after the countless dangers which he often resolved when they were brought upon both him and the city; but Achish the king of the barbarians received him and brought him to great honor. 51.342 Thus also now the Jews drove out Elijah, but the widow received him. Therefore, when you see Christ driven out by them, but received by the Gentiles, having learned the types from above, do not be amazed at the truth of the matter. For you heard even today Christ speaking, and hinting at this very thing. For speaking to the vexed Jews he said, that “Many widows were in the days of Elijah, and to none of them was Elijah sent, except to the widow in Zarephath of Sidon.” But perhaps someone might be at a loss about this: why ever did God allow one who was so zealous for the glory of God to be afflicted and distressed, now sending him to the brook, now to the widow, now to another place, preparing him like some refugee to change places from place? For that he was afflicted and distressed, listen also to Paul saying, “They went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented.” For what reason, then, did He allow him to be afflicted? For if he was demanding this penalty from the Jews for sins against himself, one might have reasonably said that he was experiencing the distress of the affliction so that he might become gentler, and let go of his harshness.

But if it was not out of bearing a grudge against them for what was done to him, but because he was consumed with grief for their impiety and insolence toward the Master that he brought this disaster upon them, for what reason does he also share in the terrible things, and not enjoy much relief and security? Because if, while the others were being tormented and perishing by famine, he himself enjoyed relief and a rich table, perhaps someone might have thought what had happened was a matter of cruelty. For it would not seem at all admirable, while enjoying abundance, to revel in the evils of others. For this reason God allowed him to share in the disaster, and to experience the terrible things that happened, and to partake of the famine, so that you might learn that it was not hunger, but divine zeal that was in him. For being so distressed, and destitute, and afflicted, and tormented, he would not have chosen not to lift the threat, unless it was out of great zeal that he uttered that blessed voice. Therefore it was more pleasant for him to be in distress and see them being brought to their senses, than to see them freed from the impending necessity and returning to their former impiety.

6. For such everywhere are the souls of the saints; for the sake of the correction of others

they betray their own safety. Therefore, so that no one might say that because of cruelty he prolonged the famine, He allowed him to share in the famine, that you might learn the prophet's philosophy. And apart from this, since the nature of miracles is somehow accustomed both to exalt the miracle-workers and to persuade those who see the miracles to conceive things about them greater than human nature; He also corrected both of these things, by exchanging the weakness of nature. And that these things are so, it is easy to learn from the voice of Paul. For that miracles exalt, listen to what he says: “And because of the abundance of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to buffet me.” And that it also persuades those who see the miracles and those who hear to conceive greater things about the miracle-workers, this too is clear from that. For having spoken about 51.343 his own revelations, he says: “For even if I should wish to boast,

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ἐκεῖνος, καὶ ἀνελεῖν ἐπεχείρησαν, ἄνθρωπος δὲ βάρβαρος εἰς μεγίστην ἤγαγε τιμήν. Οὕτω τὸν Μωσέα ἀπήλασαν οἱ εὐεργετηθέντες Ἰουδαῖοι, ὑπεδέξατο δὲ ἄνθρωπος βάρβαρος Ἰωθὼρ, καὶ πολλῆς αὐτὸν φιλοφροσύνης ἠξίωσεν. Οὕτω τὸν ∆αυῒδ ἀπήλασε μὲν ὁ Σαοὺλ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ Γολιὰθ κεφαλὴν, μετὰ τοὺς μυρίους κινδύνους, οὓς καὶ αὐτῷ καὶ τῇ πόλει πολλάκις ἐπαγομένους ἔλυσεν· ὑπεδέξατο δὲ Ἀγχοὺς ὁ βαρβάρων βασιλεὺς, καὶ εἰς πολλὴν ἤγαγε τιμήν. 51.342 Οὕτω καὶ νῦν τὸν Ἠλίαν ἀπήλασαν μὲν Ἰουδαῖοι, ὑπεδέξατο δὲ ἡ χήρα. Ὅταν οὖν ἴδῃς τὸν Χριστὸν ἀπελαυνόμενον μὲν παρὰ αὐτῶν, ὑποδεχόμενον δὲ παρὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν, ἄνωθεν τοὺς τύπους καταμαθὼν, μὴ θαυμάσῃς ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ πράγματος ἀληθείας. Ἤκουσας γοῦν καὶ σήμερον τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος, καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο αἰνιττομένου. Πρὸς γὰρ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους δυσχεραίνοντας διαλεγόμενος ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Πολλαὶ χῆραι ἦσαν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Ἠλίου, καὶ πρὸς οὐδεμίαν ἀπεστάλη Ἠλίας, εἰ μὴ πρὸς τὴν χήραν τὴν ἐν Σαρεφθοῖς τῆς Σιδῶνος. Ἀλλ' ἴσως ἐκεῖνο ἄν τις διαπορήσειε, τί δήποτε τὸν οὕτω ζηλώσαντα ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δόξης θλίβεσθαι καὶ στενοχωρεῖσθαι ἀφῆκεν ὁ Θεὸς, νῦν μὲν εἰς τὸν χειμάῤῥουν πέμπων, νῦν δὲ πρὸς τὴν χήραν, νῦν δὲ εἰς ἄλλο χωρίον, καθάπερ τινὰ μετανάστην τόπους ἐκ τόπων ἀμείβειν παρασκευάζων. Ὅτι γὰρ ἐθλίβετο καὶ ἐστενοχωρεῖτο, ἄκουσον καὶ τοῦ Παύλου λέγοντος, Περιῆλθον ἐν μηλωταῖς, ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασιν, ὑστερούμενοι, θλιβόμενοι, κακουχούμενοι. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν θλίβεσθαι αὐτὸν συνεχώρησεν; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ τῶν εἰς αὐτὸν ἁμαρτημάτων ταύτην ἀπῄτει τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τὴν δίκην, εἰκότως ἄν τις ἔφησε τῇ στενοχωρίᾳ τῆς θλίψεως αὐτὸν λαμβάνειν πεῖραν, ὥστε γενέσθαι πραότερον, καὶ καθυφεῖναι τῆς ὠμότητος.

Εἰ δὲ οὐχ ὑπὲρ τῶν εἰς αὐτὸν γινομένων αὐτοῖς μνησικακῶν, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰς τὸν ∆εσπότην ἀσεβείας καὶ ὕβρεως τηκόμενος, ταύτην ἐπήγαγεν αὐτοῖς τὴν συμφορὰν, τίνος ἕνεκεν καὶ αὐτὸς κοινωνεῖ τῶν δεινῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἀπολαύει πολλῆς τῆς ἀνέσεως καὶ ἀδείας; Ὅτι εἰ τῶν ἄλλων κακουχουμένων καὶ τῷ λιμῷ διαφθειρομένων, αὐτὸς ἀνέσεως καὶ τραπέζης ἀπέλαυε πλουσίας, ἴσως ἄν τις ἐνόμισεν ὠμότητος εἶναι τὸ γεγενημένον. Θαυμαστὸν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐδόκει, εὐθηνίας ἀπολαύοντα, τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ἐντρυφᾷν κακοῖς. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ἀφῆκε κοινωνῆσαι τῆς συμφορᾶς, καὶ πεῖραν λαβεῖν τῶν συμβάντων δεινῶν, καὶ μετασχεῖν τοῦ λιμοῦ, ἵνα μάθῃς ὅτι οὐ λιμὸς, ἀλλὰ θεῖος ἦν ζῆλος παρ' αὐτῷ. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν εἵλετο στενοχωρούμενος οὕτω, καὶ ὑστερούμενος, καὶ θλιβόμενος, καὶ κακουχούμενος, μὴ λῦσαι τὴν ἀπειλὴν, εἰ μὴ ἀπὸ πολλοῦ τοῦ ζήλου τὴν μακαρίαν ἐκείνην ἀφῆκε φωνήν. ∆ιόπερ καὶ ἥδιον ἦν αὐτῷ στενοχωρεῖσθαι, καὶ σωφρονιζομένους αὐτοὺς ὁρᾷν, ἢ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἀπαλλαγέντας τῆς ἐπικειμένης, πρὸς τὴν προτέραν ἀσέβειαν ἐπανελθόντας ἰδεῖν.

ςʹ. Τοιαῦται γὰρ πανταχοῦ τῶν ἁγίων αἱ ψυχαί· ὑπὲρ τῆς ἑτέρων διορθώσεως

τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀσφάλειαν προδιδόασιν. Ἵνα οὖν μή τις λέγῃ, ὅτι διὰ τὴν ὠμότητα ἐπέτεινε τὸν λιμὸν, ἀφῆκεν αὐτὸν κοινωνῆσαι τοῦ λιμοῦ, ἵνα μάθῃς τοῦ προφήτου τὴν φιλοσοφίαν. Καὶ χωρὶς τούτου δὲ, ἐπειδὴ εἴωθέ πως ἡ τῶν θαυμάτων φύσις τούς τε θαυματουργοῦντας ἐπαίρειν, τούς τε ὁρῶντας θαύματα μείζονα τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως περὶ αὐτῶν πείθει ἐπινοεῖν· καὶ ταῦτα ἀμφότερα διωρθώσατο, τὴν τῆς φύσεως ἐναλλάξας ἀσθένειαν. Καὶ ὅτι ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχει, ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Παύλου φωνῆς ῥᾴδιον μαθεῖν. Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ ἐπαίρει τὰ θαύματα, ἄκουσον τί φησι· Καὶ τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι, ἐδόθη μοι σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκὶ, ἄγγελος Σατᾶν, ἵνα με κολαφίζῃ. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ τοὺς ὁρῶντας τὰ θαύματα καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντας μείζονα πείθει περὶ τῶν θαυματουργούντων ἐπινοεῖν, καὶ τοῦτο ἐκεῖθεν δῆλον. Εἰπὼν γὰρ περὶ 51.343 τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων τῶν αὐτοῦ, φησίν· Ἐὰν γὰρ καὶ θελήσω καυχήσασθαι,