5

the art is useless, the instrument becomes vain; but here there is nothing of the sort, but entirely the opposite.

For the mouth was a lyre, the tongue was a plectrum, the soul was the artist, and the confession was the art; but nevertheless, when the plectrum was taken away, the tongue, I say, neither the artist, nor the art, nor the instrument became useless, but all demonstrated their own power. Who did these things? Who showed these wonderful and paradoxical things? God who alone does wonders, about whom David says, O Lord our Lord, how wonderful is your name in all the earth; for your magnificence is lifted high above the heavens; out of the mouth of babes and sucklings you have perfected praise. Then, indeed, from the mouth of babes and sucklings, but now from a tongueless 50.612 mouth; then nature was immature? but now a desolate mouth; then the root in the children was tender, but the fruit was perfect; but here the root itself was taken away, and the generation of the fruit was not hindered; for the fruit of the tongue is voice. The latter things are more wonderful than the former. For in order that these things might not be disbelieved, for this reason those things came before, so that we might not be disturbed by these things, our mind having been accustomed to those things beforehand. For this reason, these things occurred, so that those unseen and ancient things might be believed from the things that are manifest and have recently happened. Thus once also the rod of Aaron budded, just as the mouth of the martyr has now budded. But for what reason did the rod of Aaron bud then? Because the priest was being dishonored. But for what reason has the mouth of the martyr now budded? Because the great high priest was being blasphemed, Jesus the Christ. See how great is the affinity and the superiority of the miracle. For just as that rod was not united to a root, nor drawing moisture from the earth, but being destitute of supply from thence, and having lost its fruit-bearing power, suddenly showed forth fruit; so indeed also here the voice, deprived of its root, and not having the power from the instrument, suddenly budded forth in a dry and barren mouth. In this is the affinity, but in another, the superiority; for great is the difference between each fruit. For the one was perceptible to the senses, but the other spiritual, and opening the very heavens to the one who produced this voice then.

For all these things, then, let us rejoice with the martyr, let us glorify the God who works these wonders, let us imitate the endurance of our fellow-servant, let us give thanks for the grace to the Master, let us take from what has been said sufficient comfort in temptations, and being amazed at the power and providence of the God who made us, let us contribute all that is in our power, and what is from Him will surely follow. Even if men, even if demons, even if the devil himself should fight against us, there will be no advantage to those who war against us; if only we show our own zeal, and contribute everything that ought to be contributed by us. For thus we shall draw to ourselves the support of God here, and in the life to come we shall enjoy much glory and salvation; of which may it be granted to us all to attain, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, honor, and power, for ever and ever. Amen.

5

ἄχρηστος ἡ τέχνη, μάταιον τὸ ὄργανον γίγνεται· ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον ἅπαν.

Καὶ γὰρ ἦν κιθάρα τὸ στόμα, ἦν πλῆκτρον ἡ γλῶττα, τεχνίτης δὲ ἡ ψυχὴ, καὶ τέχνη ἡ ὁμολογία· ἀλλ' ὅμως ἀφαιρεθέντος τοῦ πλήκτρου, τῆς γλώσσης λέγω, οὔτε ὁ τεχνίτης, οὔτε ἡ τέχνη, οὔτε τὸ ὄργανον ἄχρηστον γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ πάντα τὴν οἰκείαν δύναμιν ἐπεδείκνυτο. Τίς ταῦτα ἐποίησε; τίς ταῦτα ἐπέδειξε τὰ θαυμαστὰ καὶ παράδοξα; Ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ποιῶν θαυμάσια μόνος, περὶ οὗ φησιν ὁ ∆αυῒδ, Κύριε ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν, ὡς θαυμαστὸν τὸ ὄνομά σου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ· ὅτι ἐπήρθη ἡ μεγαλοπρέπειά σου ὑπεράνω τῶν οὐρανῶν· ἐκ στόματος νηπίων καὶ θηλαζόντων κατηρτίσω αἶνον. Τότε μὲν οὖν ἐκ στόματος νηπίων καὶ θηλαζόντων, νῦν δὲ ἐκ στόματος ἀγλώτ 50.612 των· τότε φύσις ἄωρος; νῦν δὲ στόμα ἔρημον· ἁπαλὴ τότε ἡ ῥίζα ἐπὶ τῶν παίδων ἦν, ἀλλ' ὁ καρπὸς ἀπηρτισμένος· ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ ῥίζα ἀνῄρητο, καὶ ἡ τοῦ καρποῦ γένεσις οὐκ ἐκωλύετο· καρπὸς γὰρ γλώττης φωνή. Θαυμαστότερα τὰ ὕστερα τῶν προτέρων. Καὶ γὰρ ἵνα ταῦτα μὴ ἀπιστῆται, διὰ τοῦτο ἐκεῖνα προέδραμεν, ἵνα ἐν τούτοις μὴ θορυβώμεθα, τῆς διανοίας ἡμῶν ἐν ἐκείνοις προεθισθείσης ∆ιὰ τοῦτο, ταῦτα ἀπήντησεν, ἵνα ἐκεῖνα τὰ ἀφανῆ καὶ τὰ παλαιὰ ἀπὸ τῶν φανερῶν καὶ νεωστὶ γενομένων πιστεύηται. Οὕτω ποτὲ καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος Ἀαρὼν ἐβλάστησεν, ὥσπερ ἐβλάστησε τὸ στόμα τοῦ μάρτυρος νῦν. Ἀλλὰ τίνος ἕνεκεν ἐβλάστησεν ἡ ῥάβδος Ἀαρὼν τότε; Ἐπειδὴ ὁ ἱερεὺς ἠτιμάζετο. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν ἐβλάστησε νῦν τὸ στόμα τοῦ μάρτυρος; Ἐπειδὴ ὁ μέγας ἀρχιερεὺς ἐβλασφημεῖτο Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστός. Ὅρα πόση τοῦ θαύματος καὶ συγγένεια καὶ ὑπεροχή. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐκείνη ἡ ῥάβδος οὐχ ἡνωμένη ῥίζῃ, οὐδὲ ἕλκουσα τὰς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς νοτίδας, ἀλλ' ἔρημος τῆς χορηγίας οὖσα τῆς ἐκεῖθεν, καὶ τὴν καρπογόνον ἀπολέσασα δύναμιν, ἐξαίφνης καρπὸν ἔδειξεν· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἡ φωνὴ τῆς ῥίζης ἀποστερηθεῖσα, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ὀργάνου δύναμιν οὐκ ἔχουσα, ἐν ξηρῷ καὶ ἀγόνῳ στόματι ἐξαίφνης ἐβλάστησεν. Ἐν τούτῳ μὲν ἡ συγγένεια, ἐν ἑτέρῳ δὲ ἡ ὑπεροχή· πολὺ γὰρ ἑκατέρου τοῦ καρποῦ τὸ μέσον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ αἰσθητὸς ἦν, ὁ δὲ πνευματικὸς, καὶ τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἀνοίγων αὐτοὺς τῷ τὴν φωνὴν ταύτην ἀποτεκόντι τότε.

Ὑπὲρ δὴ τούτων ἁπάντων συγχαίρωμεν τῷ μάρτυρι, δοξάζωμεν τὸν ταῦτα θαυματουργοῦντα Θεὸν, μιμησώμεθα τὴν ὑπομονὴν τοῦ συνδούλου, εὐχαριστήσωμεν ὑπὲρ τῆς χάριτος τῷ ∆εσπότῃ, λάβωμεν ἐκ τῶν εἰρημένων ἱκανὴν ἐν τοῖς πειρασμοῖς παράκλησιν, καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ πεποιηκότος ἡμᾶς Θεοῦ καὶ τὴν κηδεμονίαν καταπλαγέντες, τὰ παρ' ἑαυτῶν πάντα εἰσφέρωμεν, καὶ τὰ παρ' αὐτοῦ πάντως ἕψεται. Κἂν ἄνθρωποι, κἂν δαίμονες, κἂν αὐτὸς ὁ διάβολος ἡμῖν πυκτεύῃ, πλέον οὐδὲν ἔσται τοῖς πολεμοῦσιν ἡμῖν· μόνον ἂν τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπιδειξώμεθα προθυμίαν, καὶ ὅσα παρ' ἡμῶν εἰσενεχθῆναι χρὴ πάντα εἰσενέγκωμεν. Οὕτω γὰρ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ῥοπὴν ἐπισπασόμεθα ἐνταῦθα, καὶ κατὰ τὴν μέλλουσαν ζωὴν πολλῆς ἀπολαύσομεν δόξης καὶ σωτηρίας· ἧς γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, δόξα, τιμὴ καὶ κράτος, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.