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they having become fugitives, all having leapt away. But that wicked rumor which they fabricated concerning the resurrection, saying that his disciples came and stole him? How many did it scandalize? How many did it trip up for a time? For the story prevailed then, even though it was fabricated and purchased for money. But nevertheless it prevailed with some, after the seals, after the manifestation of so great a truth. For the multitude did not know the word concerning the resurrection, since not even his disciples knew, it says, then, that he must rise from the dead. But nevertheless the long-suffering God endured, secretly ordering all things by his own wisdom. Then after those days again the disciples, hiding, concealing themselves, being put to flight, fearing, trembling, constantly changing from place to place, were thus hidden. And after fifty days when they began to appear and to work signs, not even so did they enjoy security, but after that countless scandals occurred among the weaker ones, with them being scourged, the church being troubled, them being driven out, the enemies prevailing in many places and causing disturbances. For when they had acquired much boldness from the signs, then again the death of Stephen brought about a harsh persecution and scattered everyone and put the church in a turmoil and again the affairs of the disciples were in fear and again in flight and again in agony. And so through everything the affairs of the church grew, when it flourished through the signs, when it appeared bright from the beginning. And one was let down through a basket and so escaped the hands of the ruler, and an angel led others out and so delivered them from chains, and tradesmen and artisans receiving those driven out by those in power cared for them in every way. Women sellers of purple and tentmakers and tanners dwelling at the very extremities of the cities, by the shore and the sea, and often they did not even dare to appear in the middle of the cities. And even if they themselves dared, yet their hosts did not dare. And thus were matters woven, through trials, not through reliefs. And those formerly scandalized were afterwards set right and those who had gone astray were brought back and what had been torn down was built up more greatly. For this reason also when Paul asked for the preaching to proceed through relief alone, the all-wise and resourceful One did not consent, but even though he asked many times He did not grant it, but said: My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness. If you wish then, even now, to reckon the good things with the painful, you will see many things have happened, if not signs and wonders, yet matters like signs, unspeakable proofs of God's great providence and help. But, so that you do not hear everything from us with ease, I leave this part to you, so that you may with precision compare everything with the painful things and, occupying yourself with a good occupation, thus lead yourself away from despondency; for from this too you will receive much consolation.

Letter of John Chrysostom to Cyriacus, who was a bishop and

also in exile

Come now, let me again drain the wound of your despondency and scatter the thoughts that gather this cloud. For what is it that grieves you and makes you distressed? Is it because the winter is harsh and the shipwreck that has seized the church is bitter? This I also know, and no one will deny it. But, if you wish, I will paint for you a picture of what is happening. I see a sea raging, stirred up from the very abyss below, the sailors instead of rudders and oars having wrapped their hands around their knees, towards

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φυγάδων γενομένων, πάντων ἀποπηδησάντων. Ἡ δὲ πονηρὰ ἐκείνη ὑπόληψις ἣν κατεσκεύασαν τῆς ἀναστάσεως εἰπόντες ὅτι ἦλθον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔκλεψαν αὐτόν; Πόσους ἐσκανδάλισε; Πόσους ὑπεσκέλισε τέως; Καὶ γὰρ ἐκράτησεν ὁ λόγος τότε καίτοι γε πεπλασμένος ὢν καὶ χρημάτων γενόμενος ὠνητός. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐκράτησε παρά τισι, μετὰ τὰ σήμαντρα, μετὰ τὴν περιφάνειαν τῆς ἀληθείας τὴν τοσαύτην. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸν περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ᾔδεσαν λόγον τὸ πλῆθος, ὅπου γε οὐδὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ᾔδεσαν, φησίν, τότε, ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῆναι. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ὁ μακρόθυμος Θεὸς ἠνείχετο τῇ οἰκείᾳ σοφίᾳ ἀπορρήτως πάντα οἰκονομῶν. Εἶτα μετὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐκείνας πάλιν κρυπτόμενοι, λανθάνοντες, φυγαδευόμενοι οἱ μαθηταί, δεδοικότες, τρέμοντες, τόπον ἐκ τόπου συνεχῶς ἀμείβοντες, οὕτως ἐλάνθανον. Καὶ μετὰ πεντήκοντα ἡμέρας ἀρξάμενοι φαίνεσθαι καὶ σημείων ἅπτεσθαι, οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀδείας ἀπέλαυσαν, ἀλλὰ μετ' ἐκεῖνα μυρία σκάνδαλα μαστιζομένων αὐτῶν ἐγίνετο ἐν τοῖς ἀσθενεστέροις, τῆς ἐκκλησίας ταραττομένης, αὐτῶν ἐλαυνομένων, τῶν ἐχθρῶν κρατούντων πολλαχοῦ καὶ θορυβούντων. Ὅτε γὰρ πολλὴν ἐκ τῶν σημείων ἐκτήσαντο παρρησίαν, τότε πάλιν ἡ Στεφάνου τελευτὴ διωγμὸν χαλεπὸν εἰργάσατο καὶ πάντας διέσπειρε καὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἐν θορύβῳ κατέστησε καὶ πάλιν ἐν φόβῳ τὰ τῶν μαθητῶν καὶ πάλιν ἐν φυγῇ καὶ πάλιν ἐν ἀγωνίᾳ. Καὶ οὕτω διὰ παντὸς τὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ηὔξετο, ὅτε ἤνθει διὰ τῶν σημείων, ὅτε φαιδρὰ ἐκ προοιμίων ἐφαίνετο. Καὶ ὁ μὲν διὰ σπυρίδος ἐχαλᾶτο καὶ οὕτως ἐξέφυγε τοῦ ἄρχοντος τὰς χεῖρας, τοὺς δὲ ἄγγελος ἐξέβαλε καὶ οὕτω τῶν ἁλύσεων ἀπήλλαττε, τοὺς δὲ ἀγοραῖοι καὶ χειροτέχναι ὑποδεχόμενοι παρὰ τῶν ἐν δυναστείαις ἐλαυνομένους παντὶ ἐθεράπευον τρόπῳ. Πορφυροπώλιδες γυναῖκες καὶ σκηνορράφοι καὶ σκυτοδέψαι πρὸς αὐτὰς οἰκοῦντες τὰς ἐσχατιὰς τῶν πόλεων, παρ' αἰγιαλὸν καὶ θάλασσαν, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ οὐδὲ ἐν μέσαις ἐτόλμων φαίνεσθαι ταῖς πόλεσιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐτόλμων, ἀλλ' οἱ ξενοδόχοι οὐκ ἐτόλμων. Καὶ οὕτως ὑφαίνετο τὰ πράγματα, διὰ πειρασμῶν, οὐ δι' ἀνέσεων. Καὶ οἱ πρῴην σκανδαλισθέντες μετὰ ταῦτα διωρθοῦντο καὶ οἱ πλανηθέντες ἐπανήγοντο καὶ τὰ κατεσκαμμένα ᾠκοδόμητο μειζόνως. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ Παύλου αἰτήσαντος δι' ἀνέσεως μόνης βαδίζειν τὸ κήρυγμα ὁ πάνσοφος καὶ εὐμήχανος οὐκ ἠνέσχετο, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλάκις παρακαλοῦντος οὐκ ἐπένευσεν, ἀλλ' εἶπεν· ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου. Ἡ γὰρ δύναμίς μου ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται. Εἰ βούλει τοίνυν καὶ νῦν λογίσασθαι μετὰ τῶν λυπηρῶν τὰ χρηστά, πολλὰ ὄψει γεγενημένα, εἰ καὶ μὴ σημεῖα καὶ θαύματα, ἀλλ' ἐοικότα σημείοις πράγματα, δείγματα τῆς πολλῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ προνοίας καὶ ἀντιλήψεως ἄφατα. Ἀλλ', ἵνα μὴ πάντα μετ' εὐκολίας παρ' ἡμῶν ἀκούῃς, τοῦτό σοι καταλιμπάνω τὸ μέρος, ὥστε μετὰ ἀκριβείας πάντα παραθεῖναι τοῖς λυπηροῖς καὶ καλὴν ἀσχολούμενος ἀσχολίαν οὕτω σὲ παραγαγεῖν σαυτὸν τῆς ἀθυμίας· πολλὴν γὰρ καὶ ἐντεῦθεν δέξῃ τὴν παράκλησιν.

Ἰωάννου τοῦ Χρυσοστόμου ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Κυριακὸν ἐπίσκοπον ὄντα καὶ

αὐτὸν ἐν ἐξορίᾳ

Φέρε δὴ πάλιν ἀπαντλήσω σου τῆς ἀθυμίας τὸ ἕλκος καὶ διασκεδάσω τοὺς λογισμούς, τοὺς τὸ νέφος τοῦτο συνάγοντας. Τί γάρ ἐστιν ὃ λυπεῖ καὶ ἀδημονεῖς; ∆ιότι χαλεπὸς ὁ χειμὼν καὶ πικρὸν τὸ ναυάγιον τὸ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν καταλαβόν; Τοῦτο οἶδα κἀγὼ καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀντερεῖ. Ἀλλ', εἰ βούλει, εἰκόνα σοι ἀναπλάττω τῶν γινομένων. Θάλατταν ὁρῶ μαινομένην ἀπ' αὐτῆς τῆς ἀβύσσου κάτωθεν ἀναμοχλευομένην, τοὺς ναύτας ἀντὶ τῶν οἰάκων καὶ τῶν κωπῶν τὰς χεῖρας τοῖς γόνασι περιπλέξαντας, πρὸς