20. History of his disobeying it.

Now I ask again, whence have my accusers obtained this letter also? I would learn of them who it was that put it into their hands? Do you cause them to answer. By this you may perceive that they have forged this, as they spread abroad also the former letter, which they published against me, with reference to the ill-named Magnentius. And being convicted in this instance also, on what pretence next will they bring me to make my defence? Their only concern is, to throw everything into disorder and confusion; and for this end I perceive they exercise their zeal. Perhaps they think that by frequent repetition of their charges, they will at last exasperate you against me. But you ought to turn away from such persons, and to hate them; for such as themselves are, such also they imagine those to be who listen to them; and they think that their calumnies will prevail even before you. The accusation of Doeg64    1 Sam. xxii. 9. prevailed of old against the priests of God: but it was the unrighteous Saul, who hearkened unto him. And Jezebel was able to injure the most religious Naboth65    1 Kings xxi. 10. by her false accusations; but then it was the wicked and apostate Ahab who hearkened unto her. But the most holy David, whose example it becomes you to follow, as all pray that you may, favours not such men, but was wont to turn away from them and avoid them, as raging dogs. He says, ‘Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I destroy66    Ps. ci. 5..’ For he kept the commandment which says, ‘Thou shalt not receive a false report67    Ex. xxiii. 1..’ And false are the reports of these men in your sight. You, like Solomon, have required of the Lord (and you ought to believe yourself to have obtained your desire), that it would seem good unto Him to remove far from you vain and lying words68    Prov. xxx. 8..

20 Πόθεν δὲ ἆρα καὶ ταύτην τὴν ἐπιστολὴν εὗρον οἱ κατειρηκότες; ἐβουλόμην παρ' αὐτῶν ἀκοῦσαι, τίς αὐτοῖς καὶ ταύτην ἐπιδέδωκε. Ποίησον αὐτοὺς ἀποκρίνασθαι. ∆υνήσῃ γὰρ ἐκ τούτου μαθεῖν ὅτι καὶ ταύτην ἔπλασαν, ὥσπερ κἀκείνην ἐθρύλησαν περὶ τοῦ δυσωνύμου Μαγνεντίου. Καταγνωσθέντες δὲ καὶ περὶ ταύτης, εἰς ποίαν ἆρα μετὰ ταῦτα πάλιν ἕλκουσιν ἡμᾶς ἀπολογίαν; Τοῦτο γὰρ μεμελετήκασι, καὶ ταύτην ἔχουσιν, ὡς ὁρῶ, σπουδὴν πάντα κινεῖν καὶ θορυβεῖν. Τάχα λέγοντες πολλὰ παροξύνουσί ποτε καθ' ἡμῶν· ἀλλὰ τοὺς τοιούτους καὶ ἀποστρέφεσθαι καὶ μισεῖν δίκαιόν ἐστιν, ὅτι οἷοί εἰσι τοιούτους καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντας αὐτῶν ὑπολαμβάνουσι, καὶ νομίζουσι δύνασθαι τὰς διαβολὰς ἰσχύειν καὶ παρὰ σοί. Ἴσχυσε γάρ ποτε ἡ τοῦ ∆ωὴκ κατὰ τῶν ἱερέων τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἀλλ' ὁ ἀκούσας Σαοὺλ ἦν ὁ ἄδικος. Καὶ Ἰεζάβελ δὲ διαβαλοῦσα ἠδυνήθη βλάψαι τὸν θεοσεβέστατον Ναβουθαί· ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἀχαὰβ ὁ πονηρὸς καὶ ἀποστάτης ὁ ἀκούων. Ὁ δὲ ἁγιώτατος ∆αυίδ, οὗ μιμητὴν εἶναί σε προσήκει καὶ πάντες εὔχονται, τοὺς τοιούτους οὔτε προσίεται ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς λυσσῶντας κύνας ἀπεστρέφετο λέγων· «Τὸν καταλαλοῦντα λάθρα τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ, τοῦτον ἐξεδίωκον». Ἐφύλαττε γὰρ τὴν λέγουσαν ἐντολήν· «Οὐ παραδέξῃ ἀκοὴν μάταιαν». Μάταια δὲ καὶ τὰ τούτων ἐστὶ παρὰ σοί· ᾔτησας γὰρ ὡς ὁ Σολομὼν καὶ σὺ παρὰ Κυρίου, καὶ εἰληφέναι πίστευε, τὸ μάταιον λόγον καὶ ψευδῆ μακρὰν ἀπὸ σοῦ γενέσθαι προσήκειν.