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escaping the judgment laid up for them, but they will not pay it more grievously. For it is not so grievous to sin, as after sinning to be shameless, and to slander God for one's own evils. This is worse than any sin; which the devil has also striven for, that we might not only become slothful toward virtue and ready for evil, attributing the cause of all things to God, but also that we might make both our soul and our tongue blasphemous, under the pretext of an apology, accusing you, O God, and casting off the slander from ourselves who do the deeds, and transferring the accusation to Him who is not the cause. And yet, even among men, if one is seen daring such a thing, this alone is sufficient for his accusation and destruction. For when one who has done no evil slanders another, the daring of those who have done it is subject to punishment. See then how many evils the devil has constructed from fate: contempt of virtue; for it weakens the soul, even if it is very zealous for the toils on its behalf, when it persuades it that nothing of what has happened is in our power, a work 50.760 prone to wickedness. For when someone learns that by committing adultery or murder, and breaking through walls, he is not worthy of blame, he will not cease, as if on a downward slope, being carried along with zeal to make slanderers of providence, and to become a slanderer against God; than which what worse evil could there be, tell me? Let us flee, therefore, beloved, this idolatry; truly there is death in the pot, and everyone who draws from it even a little of the corrupt doctrines must certainly die, unless he turn back and enjoy pure health. Therefore, that we may not hereafter lament in vain, when the time for repentance is cut off for us after our departure from here, while we are still masters, let as many of us as have been caught by the disease repent and recover ourselves; and as many as are healthy, let us both keep our health pure, and stretch out a hand to those who have been pre-occupied. For if for those whose bodies are sick we show such zeal and care, when a sickness of the soul is set before us, what is there of all things that we should not do? And what shall we not endure, so as to recover our brother, who contributes to the connection of a member with us, who also exists in the fullness of the ecclesiastical body? Let us therefore do everything for his sake, let us do everything for his sake, driving away the dogs, the wolves, and not think that our own salvation is sufficient for us. For just as it is said, If you saw a thief, you ran with him, and you placed your portion with adulterers; so also here we shall hear; when we see one of our brothers stealing with words and whispers, we will hear the same things. The Church is the Lord's house, the faithful are precious vessels. When, therefore, you see someone from outside wishing to steal one of the vessels, even if you yourself are safe, as you are about to be in danger if you should overlook it and not go and tell those who have authority to correct it, you have become liable for that man's soul, you who see the thief breaking in, and do not hinder him either by yourself or through another. I do not say these things as though the danger simply hangs over you, but so that you may be secure, so as to make you perhaps care for your own salvation and that of others. For thus we shall be able to obtain the promised good things, by the grace of Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

CONCERNING PROVIDENCE AND FATE

Discourse 4.

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διαφευξόμενοι τὴν ἀποκειμένην αὐτοῖς δίκην, ἀλλ' οὐ χαλεπώτερον αὐτὴν δώσοντες. Οὐ γὰρ οὕτω τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν χαλεπὸν, ὡς τὸ μετὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἀναισχυντεῖν, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν διαβάλλειν ὑπὲρ τῶν οἰκείων κακῶν. Τοῦτο πάσης ἁμαρτίας χεῖρον· ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ διάβολος ἐσπούδασεν, ὡς μὴ μόνον ῥᾳθύμους ἡμᾶς γενέσθαι πρὸς ἀρετὴν καὶ προχείρους εἰς κακίαν, ἁπάντων τὴν αἰτίαν ἀνατιθέναι τῷ Θεῷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ τοῦ βλάσφημον ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν ἐργάσασθαι, ἀπολογίας προσχήματι, σοῦ Θεοῦ κατηγοροῦντας, καὶ τῶν μὲν ἐργαζομένων ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἀποσκευαζομένους τὴν διαβολὴν, εἰς δὲ τὸν οὐκ ὄντα αἴτιον μετατιθέντας τὴν κατηγορίαν. Καίτοι κἂν ἐπ' ἀνθρώπων τις τοιοῦτόν τι φανῇ τολμήσας, ἀρκεῖ τοῦτο μόνον εἰς κατηγορίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπώλειαν. Ὅταν γὰρ ἕτερον συκοφαντῇ ὁ μηδὲν ἐργασάμενος δεινὸν, τῶν δεδρακότων τὸ τόλμημα τιμωρίᾳ ἐνέχεται. Ὅρα οὖν πόσα κακὰ συνέστησεν ὁ διάβολος ἀπὸ τῆς εἱμαρμένης· ὑπεροψίαν ἀρετῆς· ἐκλύει γὰρ ψυχὴν κἂν σφόδρα πρόθυμος ᾖ πρὸς τοὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἱδρῶτας, ὅταν πείσῃ, ὅτι τῶν γενομένων οὐδέν ἐστιν ἐφ' ἡμῖν εὐέμπτωτον πρὸς πονηρίαν 50.760 ἔργον. Ὅταν γὰρ μάθῃ τις ὅτι μοιχεύων ἢ φονεύων, καὶ τοίχους διορύττων, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐγκλήματος ἄξιος, οὐ παύσεται, καθάπερ ἐπὶ κατάντους χωρίου, μετὰ προθυμίας φερόμενος τῆς προνοίας ποιεῖν συκοφάντας, καὶ συκοφάντης γενέσθαι κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ· οὗ τί γένοιτο ἂν χεῖρον, εἰπέ μοι, κακόν; Φεύγωμεν τοίνυν, ἀγαπητοὶ, τὴν εἰδωλολατρείαν ταύτην· ὄντως θάνατός ἐστιν ἐν τῷ λέβητι, καὶ πάντα τὸν ἀρυσάμενον ἐντεῦθεν κἂν μικρόν τι τῶν διεφθαρμένων δογμάτων ἀνάγκη πάντως ἀποθανεῖν, εἰ μὴ παλινδρομήσειε, καὶ τῆς ὑγιείας ἀπολαύσειε τῆς καθαρᾶς. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ μετὰ ταῦτα ἀνόνητα θρηνῶμεν, ὅταν τῆς μετανοίας ἡμῖν ἡ προθεσμία μετὰ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίαν ἐκκοπῇ, ἕως ἐσμὲν κύριοι, ὅσοι μὲν ἑάλωμεν τῷ νοσήματι, μετανοήσωμεν καὶ ἀνακτησώμεθα ἑαυτούς· ὅσοι δὲ ὑγιαίνομεν, τήν τε ὑγίειαν καθαρὰν διατηρῶμεν, καὶ τοῖς προκατειλημμένοις χεῖρα ὀρέγωμεν. Εἰ γὰρ τοῖς τὰ σώματα νοσοῦσι τοσαύτην ἐπιδεικνύμεθα σπουδὴν καὶ κηδεμονίαν, ὅταν ψυχῆς ἀῤῥωστία προκέηται, τί τῶν πάντων οὐ πρακτέον ἡμῖν; τί δὲ οὐχ ὑπομενοῦμεν, ὥστε τὸν ἀδελφὸν, εἰς συνάφειαν μέλους ἡμῖν συντελοῦντα, ἀνακτήσασθαι, τὸν καὶ ἐν τῷ πληρώματι τοῦ σώματος τοῦ ἐκκλησιαστικοῦ τελοῦντα; Πάντα οὖν ὑπὲρ τούτου πραγματευσώμεθα, πάντα ὑπὲρ τούτου πράττωμεν, τοὺς κύνας, τοὺς λύκους ἀπελαύνοντες, μηδὲ ἀρκεῖν ἡγώμεθα ἡμῖν τὴν ἡμετέραν αὐτῶν σωτηρίαν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἴρηται ὅτι, Εἰ ἐθεώρεις κλέπτην, συνέτρεχες, καὶ μετὰ μοιχῶν τὴν μερίδα σου ἐτίθης· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἀκουσόμεθα· ὅταν ἴδωμέν τινα τῶν ἀδελφῶν τῶν ἡμετέρων κλέπτοντα λόγοις καὶ ψιθυρισμοῖς, τὰ αὐτὰ ἀκουσόμεθα. Οἶκός ἐστι δεσποτικὸς ἡ Ἐκκλησία, σκεύη τίμιά εἰσιν οἱ πιστοί. Ὅταν οὖν ἴδῃς τινὰ τῶν ἔξωθεν βουλόμενον ὑφελέσθαι τι τῶν σκευῶν, κἂν αὐτὸς ἀνάλωτος ᾖς, ὡς μέλλων κινδυνεύειν, εἰ παρίδοις, καὶ μὴ προσελθὼν εἴποις τοῖς διορθῶσαι κυρίοις, ἔνοχος γέγονας τῆς ἐκείνου ψυχῆς, ὁ τὸν κλέπτην ὁρῶν διορύττοντα, καὶ μὴ κωλύων ἢ διὰ σαυτοῦ ἢ δι' ἑτέρου. Οὐχ ὥς σοι τὸν κίνδυνον ἁπλῶς ἐπικρέμασθαι ταῦτα λέγω, ἀλλ' ὥστε ἀσφαλίσασθαι, ὥστε ποιῆσαι ἴσως ὑπὲρ τῆς ἑαυτῶν καὶ τῆς τῶν ἄλλων σωτηρίας μεριμνᾷν. Οὕτω γὰρ δυνησόμεθα καὶ τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων τυχεῖν ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

ΠΕΡΙ ΠΡΟΝΟΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΙΜΑΡΜΕΝΗΣ

Λόγος δʹ.