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and presiding over children and slaves, one over more, another over fewer, nevertheless among so few souls he is forced to sin much, not as he wishes, either not knowing, or wishing to correct something; much more we who preside over so great a people. And may the Lord multiply you still, and bless you, the small with the great. For even if the care becomes great from the multitude, nevertheless we do not cease praying for this care to be increased for us, and for this multitude to be given in addition, and to become many times larger and infinite. For fathers too, although often wearied by having many children, nevertheless wish to lose none. All things are equal for us and for you, even the chief of good things. I do not partake of the holy table with greater abundance, and you with less, but we both touch it in like manner. But if I am first, this is nothing great, since among children also the elder first extends his hand to the feast, but nevertheless nothing more comes from this, but all things are equal for us; the saving life which holds our souls together is given to both with the same honor. I am not of one sheep, and you of another, but we all partake of the same; we both have the same baptism, we have been deemed worthy of one Spirit, we both hasten to the same kingdom, we are likewise brothers of Christ; all things are common to us. Where then is my advantage? In cares, in labors, in anxieties, in grieving for you. But nothing is sweeter than this pain; since a mother too, grieving for her child, delights in the pain, is anxious for those she has borne, and rejoices in her anxieties; and yet anxiety in itself is bitter; but when it is for children, it has much pleasure. I have begotten many of you, but after this the birth-pangs. For in the case of fleshly mothers, first are the birth-pangs, and then the birth; but here the birth-pangs are until the last breath, lest after the birth something should become an abortion. And I long for you. For even if another has often begotten, yet I am torn by cares; for we do not beget of ourselves, but the whole is of the grace of God. But if we both give birth through the spirit, one will not sin by calling those born of me his, and those of him mine. Consider all these things, and stretch out a hand, that you may become our boast, and we yours in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ; which may it be granted to us all to see with boldness, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

HOMILY V. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you, and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that what we command you, you both do and will do. Now the Lord direct your hearts into the love

of God, and into the patience of Christ.

1. Neither ought one to entrust everything to the prayers of the saints and be idle, and run to wickedness, and take hold of none of the things that lead to virtue; 62.492 nor again, while working good things, to despise that alliance. For great things it can do, great is the prayer for us, but when we also work. For this reason also Paul, while praying for them, again places what is trustworthy from the promise, and says; But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you, and guard you from the evil one. For if He chose you for salvation, He will not lie, nor will He let you perish at all. But lest

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καὶ παίδων προεστηκὼς καὶ ἀνδραπόδων, ὁ μὲν πλειόνων, ὁ δὲ ἐλαττόνων, ὅμως ἐν οὕτω εὐαριθμήτοις ψυχαῖς πολλὰ ἁμαρτάνειν, οὐχ ὡς βούλεται, ἀναγκάζεται, ἢ μὴ εἰδὼς, ἢ διορθῶσαί τι βουλόμενος· πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς δήμου τοσούτου προεστῶτες. Καὶ ἔτι πληθύναι ὑμᾶς ὁ Κύριος, καὶ εὐλογήσαι ὑμᾶς, τοὺς μικροὺς μετὰ τῶν μεγάλων. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μεγάλη ἡ φροντὶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πλήθους γίνεται, ὅμως οὐ παυόμεθα εὐχόμενοι αὐξηθῆναι τὴν φροντίδα ταύτην ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐπιδοθῆναι τουτὶ τὸ πλῆθος, καὶ πολλαπλάσιον γενέσθαι καὶ ἄπειρον. Καὶ γὰρ πατέρες, καίτοι ὑπὸ τῆς πολυπαιδίας πολλάκις κοπτόμενοι, ὅμως οὐδένα βούλονται ἀποβαλεῖν. Πάντα ἡμῖν καὶ ὑμῖν ἴσα, καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ κεφάλαια τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Οὐ μετὰ πλείονος μὲν ἐγὼ δαψιλείας, ὑμεῖς δὲ μετὰ ἐλάττονος μετέχομεν τῆς ἱερᾶς τραπέζης, ἀλλ' ὁμοίως ἑκάτεροι ταύτης ἐφαπτόμεθα. Εἰ δὲ ἐγὼ πρότερος, οὐδὲν τοῦτο μέγα, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐν τοῖς παισὶν ὁ πρεσβύτερος πρότερος τὴν χεῖρα ἐκτείνει εἰς τὴν ἑστίασιν, ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδὲν πλέον παρὰ τοῦτο γίνεται, ἀλλὰ πάντα ἴσα ἡμῖν· ἡ σωτήριος καὶ ἡ συνέχουσα τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν ζωὴ μετὰ τῆς αὐτῆς τιμῆς ἑκατέροις δίδοται. Οὐχ ἑτέρου μὲν ἐγὼ προβάτου, ἑτέρου δὲ ὑμεῖς, ἀλλὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μετέχομεν πάντες· τὸ βάπτισμα τὸ αὐτὸ ἔχομεν ἑκάτεροι, πνεύματος ἠξιώθημεν ἑνὸς, ἐπὶ τὴν αὐτὴν βασιλείαν σπεύδομεν ἑκάτεροι, ἀδελφοὶ ὁμοίως ἐσμὲν τοῦ Χριστοῦ· πάντα ἡμῖν κοινά. Ποῦ οὖν τὸ πλέον ἐμοῦ; Ἐν ταῖς φροντίσιν, ἐν τοῖς πόνοις, ἐν ταῖς μερίμναις, ἐν τῷ ἀλγεῖν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ταύτης τῆς ἀλγηδόνος ἥδιον· ἐπεὶ καὶ μήτηρ ἀλγοῦσα ὑπὲρ τοῦ παιδὸς, ἥδεται τῇ ἀλγηδόνι, φροντίζει ὑπὲρ τῶν τεχθέντων, καὶ εὐφραίνεται ἐπὶ ταῖς φροντίσι· καίτοι γε ἡ φροντὶς καθ' ἑαυτὴν πικρόν· ἀλλ' ὅταν γε ὑπὲρ παίδων γένηται, πολλὴν ἔχει τὴν ἡδονήν. Πολλοὺς ὑμῶν ἐγέννησα, ἀλλὰ μετὰ ταῦτα αἱ ὠδῖνες. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν σωματικῶν μητέρων πρότερον αἱ ὠδῖνες, καὶ τότε ὁ τόκος· ἐνταῦθα δὲ μέχρις ἐσχάτης ἀναπνοῆς αἱ ὠδῖνες, μή πού τι καὶ μετὰ τὸν τόκον ἀμβλωθρίδιον γένηται. Καὶ ἐπιποθῶ δὲ ἐγώ. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἕτερος ἐγέννησε πολλάκις, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐγὼ ταῖς φροντίσι διακόπτομαι· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐξ ἑαυτῶν γεννῶμεν, ἀλλὰ τῆς χάριτός ἐστι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ πᾶν. Εἰ δὲ ἀμφότεροι διὰ πνεύματος τίκτομεν, οὐχ ἁμαρτήσεταί τις καὶ τοὺς παρ' ἐμοῦ τεχθέντας ἐκείνου προσειπὼν, καὶ τοὺς παρ' ἐκείνου ἐμούς. Ταῦτα δὴ πάντα ἐννοήσατε, καὶ χεῖρα ὀρέξατε, ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς καύχημα ἡμῶν γένησθε, καὶ ἡμεῖς ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· ἣν γένοιτο μετὰ παῤῥησίας ἡμᾶς ἅπαντας ἰδεῖν, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Εʹ. Πιστὸς δέ ἐστιν ὁ Κύριος, ὃς στηρίξει ὑμᾶς, καὶ φυλάξει ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ. Πεποίθαμεν δὲ ἐν Κυρίῳ ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ὅτι ἃ παραγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν, καὶ ποιεῖτε καὶ ποιήσετε. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος κατευ θύνει ὑμῶν τὰς καρδίας εἰς τὴν ἀγάπην

τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ εἰς τὴν ὑπομονὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

αʹ. Οὔτε τὸ πᾶν ταῖς εὐχαῖς τῶν ἁγίων ἐπιτρέψαντας αὐτοὺς ἀργεῖν χρὴ, καὶ τῇ κακίᾳ προστρέχειν, καὶ μηδενὸς τῶν εἰς ἀρετὴν φερόντων ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι· 62.492 οὔτε πάλιν ἐργαζομένους τὰ ἀγαθὰ, καταφρονεῖν τῆς συμμαχίας ἐκείνης. Μεγάλα μὲν γὰρ δύναται, μεγάλα ἡ εὐχὴ ἡ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἀλλ' ὅταν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐργαζώμεθα. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος εὐχόμενος ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, πάλιν τὸ ἀξιόπιστον τίθησιν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, καί φησι· Πιστὸς δέ ἐστιν ὁ Κύριος, ὃς στηρίξει ὑμᾶς, καὶ φυλάξει ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ. Εἰ γὰρ εἵλετο ὑμᾶς εἰς σωτηρίαν, οὐ ψεύσεται, οὐδὲ ἀφήσει πάντως ἀπολέσθαι. Ἵνα δὲ μὴ