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he pushed many into a pit, and led them away into the country of the goats; not only of those below, but now also of the shepherds, who, being teachers of Israel, were ignorant of these things.

16. Will they exclude us from altars? But I know also another altar, of which the things now seen are types; upon which no tool has come up, nor hand, nor has iron been heard, or any of the craftsmen's and 35.1249 varied tools, but the whole work is of the mind, and the ascent is through contemplation. To this I will stand near, to this I will offer acceptable things, sacrifice, and offering, and whole burnt offerings, better than those now offered, inasmuch as truth is better than shadow; concerning which it seems to me that the great David also philosophizes, saying: And I will go in to the altar of God, to God who gives joy to my spiritual youth. From this altar, indeed, no one who wishes will lead me away. Will they drive me from the city? but not also from the one situated above. Let those who hate us be able to do this, and they will have truly warred against us; but as long as they are not able to do this, they strike with drops of rain, or hit with breezes, or play with dreams; thus I see their war. Will they take away my possessions? What possessions? If mine, let them even cut off my wings, on which I have not embarked; but if those of the Church, this is what the whole war is about; because of which the thief is jealous of the money-box, and betrays God for thirty pieces of silver, the most terrible thing. For of such a price, not the one betrayed, but the betrayer is worthy.

17. Will they shut us out of houses? Cut off luxuries? Alienate friends? For indeed, as you see, we have been a burden to many, although they invited us (for we will not be ungrateful); and if we have been a burden, it was by sparing them rather than by accepting. The reason is that a certain pious and God-loving house gave us rest, like that of the Shunammite woman for Elisha, kin in the body, kin in the spirit, generous in all things; among whom also this people was gathered, still stealing the persecuted piety, not without fear, nor without danger. May the Lord measure back to him on the day of recompense! But if we pursue luxury, may those who hate us live in luxury against us; for I will not call down any greater curse upon myself. As for friends, some, I know well, will not flee us even when we are suffering badly (for being wronged together has made us also suffer together); but by others we have already been trained, even while being scorned, to bear the scorn. For of our friends and neighbors, some even openly approached and stood in opposition; while others, most charitably, stood far off, and in this night all were made to stumble. Peter almost denied me; and perhaps he does not even weep bitterly, to heal the sin. 35.1252

18. I alone am daring, and full of boldness, as it seems; alone hopeful in fearful things, alone enduring, and honored in public, and despised in private, and known to East and West by being warred against. What folly! If a camp arrays itself against me, my heart will not be afraid; if a war rises up against me, in this I will hope. I am so far from considering any of the present things fearful, that leaving my own concerns, I mourn for those who caused the grief. Once members of Christ, members precious to me, even if now corrupted, members of this flock, which you almost betrayed, even before it was gathered. How have you been torn apart and torn others apart, like young bulls released from their bonds? how have you raised up altar against altar? how have you suddenly become a desolation? how have you yourselves been made dead by the cutting, and made us grieve? how have you misused the simplicity of shepherds for the dissolution of the flock? For I will not blame them for their inexperience, but I will accuse you of wickedness. To your corruption, O Israel, who will help? What healing medicine shall I find? what bandage? how shall I join together the things that are separated? with what tears, with what words,

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πολλοὺς εἰς βόθρον ὦσε, καὶ εἰς τὴν τῶν ἐρίφων χώραν ἀπήγαγεν· οὐ τῶν κάτω μόνον, ἀλλ' ἤδη καὶ τῶν ποιμένων, οἳ διδάσκαλοι τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ὄντες, ταῦτα ἠγνόησαν.

Ιςʹ. Θυσιαστηρίων εἴρξουσιν; Ἀλλ' οἶδα καὶ ἄλλο θυσιαστήριον, οὗ τύποι τὰ νῦν ὁρώμενα· ἐφ' ὃ λαξευτήριον οὐκ ἀναβέβηκεν, οὐδὲ χεὶρ, οὐδὲ ἠκούσθη σίδηρος, ἤ τι τῶν τεχνιτῶν καὶ 35.1249 ποικίλων, ἀλλ' ὅλον τοῦ νοῦ τὸ ἔργον, καὶ διὰ θεωρίας ἡ ἀνάβασις. Τούτῳ παραστήσομαι, τούτῳ θύσω δεκτὰ, θυσίαν, καὶ προσφορὰν, καὶ ὁλοκαυτώματα, κρείττονα τῶν νῦν προσαγομένων, ὅσῳ κρεῖττον σκιᾶς ἀλήθεια· περὶ οὗ μοι δοκεῖ καὶ ∆αβὶδ ὁ μέγας φιλοσοφεῖν, λέγων· Καὶ εἰσελεύσομαι πρὸς τὸ θυσιαστήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦ εὐφραίνοντος τὴν πνευματικήν μου νεότητα. Τούτου μὲν οὐκ ἀπάξει με τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου πᾶς ὁ βουλόμενος. Πόλεως ἀπελάσουσιν; ἀλλ' οὐχὶ καὶ τῆς ἄνω κειμένης. Τοῦτο δυνηθήτωσαν οἱ μισοῦντες ἡμᾶς, καὶ ὄντως πεπολεμήκασιν· ἕως δ' ἂν μὴ τοῦτο δύνωνται, ῥανίσι βάλλουσιν, ἢ αὔραις παίουσιν, ἢ παίζουσιν ἐνύπνια· οὕτως αὐτῶν ἐγὼ βλέπω τὸν πόλεμον. Χρημάτων περιαιρήσουσιν; Τίνων; Εἰ μὲν τῶν ἐμῶν, καὶ τῶν πτερύγων περικοπτέτωσαν, ὧν οὐκ ἐπιβέβλημαι· εἰ δὲ τῶν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, τοῦτό ἐστιν ὑπὲρ οὗ πᾶς ὁ πόλεμος· δι' ἃ ζηλοτυπεῖ τὸ γλωσσόκομον ὁ κλέπτης, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν προδίδωσι τριάκοντα ἀργυρίων, τὸ δεινότατον. Τοσούτου γὰρ, οὐχ ὁ προδιδόμενος, ἀλλ' ὁ προδιδοὺς ἄξιος.

ΙΖʹ. Οἰκίας ἀποκλείσουσι; Τρυφὰς περικόψουσι; Φίλους ἀλλοτριώσουσι; Πάνυ γὰρ, ὡς ὁρᾷς, πλείστων κατεναρκήσαμεν, καίτοιγε προκαλουμένων (οὐ γὰρ ἀχαριστήσομεν)· εἰ δὲ καὶ κατεναρκήσαμεν, τῷ φείδεσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ τῷ προσίεσθαι. Τὸ δὲ αἴτιον, οἶκός τις ἀνέπαυσεν ἡμᾶς εὐσεβὴς καὶ φιλόθεος, καὶ οἷος τὸν Ἐλισσαῖον ὁ τῆς Σουναμίτιδος, συγγενῶν τὸ σῶμα, συγγενῶν τὸ πνεῦμα, πάντα φιλότιμος· παρ' οἷς καὶ ὁ λαὸς οὗτος ἐπάγη, κλέπτων ἔτι τὴν διωκομένην εὐσέβειαν, οὐκ ἀδεῶς, οὐδὲ ἀκινδύνως. Ἀντιμετρήσαι αὐτῷ Κύριος ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἀνταποδόσεως! Τρυφὴν δὲ εἰ διώκομεν, τρυφήσαιεν καθ' ἡμῶν οἱ μισοῦντες ἡμᾶς· οὐ γὰρ ἄλλο τι μεῖζον ἐμαυτῷ καταράσομαι. Φίλων δὲ, οἱ μὲν οὐδὲ πάσχοντες κακῶς, εὖ οἶδα, φεύξονται ἡμᾶς (τὸ γὰρ συναδικεῖσθαι, καὶ συναλγεῖν πεποίηκε)· τῶν δὲ ἤδη γεγυμνάσμεθα καὶ ὑπερορώμενοι φέρειν τὴν ὑπεροψίαν. Τῶν γὰρ φίλων καὶ τῶν πλησίον, οἱ μὲν καὶ φανερῶς ἐξ ἐναντίας ἤγγισαν καὶ ἔστησαν· οἱ δὲ, τὸ φιλανθρωπότατον, ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἔστησαν, καὶ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ πάντες ἐσκανδαλίσθησαν. Μικροῦ καὶ Πέτρος ἠρνήσατό με· καὶ τυχὸν οὐδὲ κλαίει πικρῶς, ἵνα θεραπεύσῃ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. 35.1252

ΙΗʹ. Μόνος τολμηρὸς ἐγὼ, καὶ θράσους γέμων, ὡς ἔοικε· μόνος εὔελπις ἐν τοῖς φοβεροῖς, μόνος καρτερικὸς, καὶ δημοσίᾳ προτιθέμενος, καὶ ἰδίᾳ καταφρονούμενος, καὶ Ἀνατολῇ καὶ ∆ύσει τῷ πολεμεῖσθαι γνωριζόμενος. Τῆς ἀπονοίας! Ἐὰν παρατάξηται ἐπ' ἐμὲ παρεμβολὴ, οὐ φοβηθήσεται ἡ καρδία μου· ἐὰν ἐπαναστῇ ἐπ' ἐμὲ πόλεμος, ἐν ταύτῃ ἐγὼ ἐλπίζω. Τοσοῦτον ἀπέχω τοῦ φοβερὸν ἡγεῖσθαί τι τῶν παρόντων, ὥστε τὸ κατ' ἐμαυτὸν ἀφεὶς, θρηνῶ τοὺς λυπήσαντας. Μέλη Χριστοῦ ποτε, μέλη τίμια ἐμοὶ, εἰ καὶ νῦν διεφθαρμένα, μέλη τῆς ποίμνης ταύτης, ἣν προδεδώκατε μικροῦ, καὶ πρὶν συναχθῆναι. Πῶς διεσπάσθητε καὶ διεσπάσατε, ὡς βοΐδια ἐκ δεσμῶν ἀνειμένα; πῶς θυσιαστηρίῳ θυσιαστήριον ἀντηγείρατε; πῶς ἐγένεσθε εἰς ἐρήμωσιν ἐξάπινα; πῶς καὶ αὐτοὶ νενέκρωσθε τῇ τομῇ, καὶ ἡμᾶς ἀλγεῖν πεποιήκατε; πῶς ἁπλότητι ποιμένων εἰς ποίμνης διάλυσιν κατεχρήσασθε; Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκείνους μέμψομαι τῆς ἀπειρίας, ἀλλ' ὑμᾶς αἰτιάσομαι τῆς κακίας. Τῇ διαφθορᾷ σου, Ἰσραὴλ, τίς βοηθήσει; Τί φάρμακον εὕρωμαι συνουλωτικόν; ποῖον ἐπίδεσμον; πῶς συνάψω τὰ διεστῶτα; τίσι δάκρυσι, τίσι λόγοις,