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her. 64.880 Do you see from us the beginnings of wickedness and enmity? Is not my inheritance to me a hyena's cave? Some have interpreted it thus. Since, they say, the hyena is an unclean animal, he wished to say this, that You have filled my house with uncleanness. But the Hebrew has it thus: My inheritance has become to me like a bird of many-colored feathers, that is to say, Displaying a varied impiety, she enters the temple. The bestial nature speaks of uncleanness, and to me the inheritor. Let it be so for men, but how also for me? Does one inherit such things? and it speaks of the evils from without, that all around they had many lairs, not simply a cave of men, but of unclean beasts, and of more savage beasts, traveling in darkness. Go, gather all the beasts. Why do you not destroy them yourself, but give them to others, that is, you call the beasts? so that you may learn that He also calls the other nations, when He wishes, because all are set under Him; besides, perhaps, and otherwise so that the punishment might become more severe, and that He might work many wonders; and that they might become witnesses of what happened to them. Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard. See how He imitates a man, both wishing to punish, and grieving over the punishment, and seeking to find from somewhere at least a small defense for those about to be punished. Many shepherds. Why, foreseeing these things, did you not destroy them? why did you appoint such shepherds? But I told them not to pay attention to them, but to my law. For why did you not appoint wonderful teachers, so that the flock would not be destroyed? So that they might learn, even when men are wicked, not to pay attention to them. For what credit is it to them? For was there not a law? For were there not prophets? for did I abandon them desolate? I did not wish them to be good by compulsion. And after a little: “They have defiled my portion.” Everywhere He blames the shepherds, and the rulers, He does not absolve the rest. For how? For are they irrational sheep? For was He not able to exalt them, perhaps, for were they not able to better themselves? For was not Jeremiah there then? On account of me the whole land was made desolate with desolation. What is, on account of me? On account of me the prophet. For if I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin. Upon every outlet of the wilderness. That is, on account of their impiety toward me. Since hearing of the calamities they did not change. 64.881 Here he speaks of the captivity, and the war. See whom such a great threat would not have made better. Sow wheat, and you have reaped thorns. For since I also planted a vine, and it produced bitterness, and I sowed good seed, and it produced the opposite. Rightly so you too, so that you may learn how great a loss it is to a farmer, how great a despondency, when you bear one thing instead of another. This is worse than famine. Their lots will not profit them. Some say this was said also with reference to the lots of the Church; this I also believe. For what do they profit us, tell me, who walk unworthily? Will there not also be a greater judgment? But what is a lot at all, and from where may we learn the name. For perhaps we reap some benefit also from the name; and otherwise it is a great shame to be ignorant of that by which we are called; for we were not chosen by some lot. For a lot is an irrational thing. From where, then, is 'lot' so named, and not only among us? For perhaps someone thought the name was of recent origin; but also in the beginning to obtain the lot of this ministry, and of the apostolate it seems to me, and from that it was said, from the first one being chosen by lot. Or just as in the Olympic games, someone is chosen by lot, one to take this opponent, another that one; so also here; but by this reasoning the canonical, or ecclesiastical lot should also be so called. For to each one, he says, as God has distributed; as the Lord has allotted to each one, so let him walk. For it was also allotted thus. And after a little: From where then

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αὐτήν. 64.880 Ὁρᾷς παρ' ἡμῶν τὰς ἀρχὰς τῆς κακίας καὶ τῆς ἀπεχθείας; Μὴ οὐ σπήλαιον ὑαίνης ἡ κληρονομία μου ἐμοί; Τινὲς μὲν οὕτως ἡρμήνευσαν. Ἐπειδὴ, φασὶ, τὸ τῆς ὑαίνης ζῶον ἀκάθαρτον, τοῦτο εἰπεῖν ἠβουλήθη, ὅτι Ἀκαθαρσίας τὸν οἶκον μου ἐπληρώσατε. Ὁ δὲ Ἑβραῖος οὕτως ἔχει· Ὡς ὄρνεον ποικίλον τοῖς πτεροῖς ἐγένετο ἡ κληρονομία μου ἐμοὶ, τουτέστι, Ποικίλην τὴν ἀσέβειαν ἐπιδειξαμένη εἰσέρχεται εἰς τὸν ναόν. Τὴν ἀκαθαρσίαν λέγει τὸ θηριῶδες, καὶ ἐμοὶ τῷ κληρονομοῦντι. Ἔστω ἀνθρώποις, πῶς καὶ ἐμοί; Μὴ τοιαῦτά τις κληρονομεῖ; καὶ τὰ ἔξωθεν λέγει κακὰ, ὅτι κύκλῳ καταδύσεις εἶχον πολλὰς, οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς ἀνθρώπων σπήλαιον, ἀλλὰ θηρίων ἀκαθάρτων, καὶ χαλεπωτέρων θηρίων, ἐν σκότει διαπορευομένων. Βαδίσατε, συναγάγετε πάντα τὰ θηρία. Τίνος ἕνεκεν οὐκ αὐτὸς πορθεῖς, ἀλλ' ἑτέροις δίδως, τουτέστι τὰ θηρία καλεῖς; ἵνα μάθῃς ὅτι καὶ τὰ ἔθνη τὰ ἄλλα, ὅταν βούληται, καλεῖ, ὅτι πάντες ὑπ' αὐτόν εἰσι τεταγμένοι· ἄλλως τε ἴσ. ἄλλως δὲ ὥστε καὶ τὴν τιμωρίαν γενέσθαι χαλεπωτέραν, καὶ θαύματα ἐργάσασθαι πολλά· κἀκείνους μάρτυρας γενέσθαι τῶν συμβαινόντων αὐτοῖς. Ποιμένες πολλοὶ διέφθειραν τὸν ἀμπελῶνα μου. Ὅρα πῶς μιμεῖται ἄνθρωπον, καὶ βουλόμενον κολάσαι, καὶ ἀλγοῦντα ἐπὶ τῇ κολάσει, καὶ ζητοῦντα μικρὰν γοῦν ἀπολογίαν ποθὲν εὑρεῖν τοῖς μέλλουσι τιμωρεῖσθαι. Ποιμένες πολλοί. Τίνος ἕνεκεν προειδὼς ταῦτα οὐκ ἀνεῖλες αὐτούς; τίνος ἕνεκεν ποιμένας τοιούτους ἐπέστησας; Ἀλλ' εἶπον μὴ προσέχειν αὐτοῖς, ἀλλὰ τῷ νόμῳ μου. Τίνος γὰρ ἕνεκεν οὐ θαυμαστοὺς διδασκάλους ἐπέστησας, καὶ τὸ ποίμνιον οὐκ ἐφθάρη; Ἵνα μάθωσι, καὶ πονηρῶν ὄντων ἀνθρώπων, μὴ προσέχειν αὐτοῖς. Ποία γὰρ αὐτοῖς χάρις; Μὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἦν νόμος; Μὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἦσαν προφῆται; μὴ γὰρ ἐγκατέλιπον ἐρήμους; Οὐκ ἠβουλήθην ἀνάγκῃ καλοὺς εἶναι. Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· «Ἐμόλυναν τὴν μερίδα μου.» Πανταχοῦ τοὺς ποιμένας αἰτιᾶται, καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας, οὐχὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς ἀπαλλάττει. Πῶς γάρ; Μὴ γὰρ ἄλογα πρόβατά εἰσι; Μὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἠδύνατο ὑψῶσαι αὐτούς ἴσ. μὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἠδύναντο βελτιῶσαι ἑαυτούς; Μὴ γὰρ οὐχὶ Ἱερεμίας τότε ἦν; ∆ι' ἐμὲ ἀφανισμῷ ἠφανίσθη πᾶσα ἡ γῆ. Τί ἐστι, δι' ἐμέ; ∆ι' ἐμὲ τὸν προφήτην. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἦλθον καὶ ἐλάλησα αὐτοῖς, ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ εἶχον. Ἐπὶ πᾶσαν διεκβολὴν τῆς ἐρήμου. Τουτέστι, διὰ τὴν εἰς ἐμὲ ἀσέβειαν. Ἐπειδὴ ἀκούοντες τὰς συμφορὰς οὐ μετεβάλοντο. 64.881 Τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν ἐνταῦθα, καὶ τὸν πόλεμον λέγει. Ὅρα τίνας οὐκ ἂν ἐποίησε βελτίους ἡ τοσαύτη ἀπειλή. Σπείρατε πυροὺς, καὶ ἀκάνθας ἐθερίσατε. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ κἀγὼ ἐφύτευσα ἄμπελον, καὶ ἐποίησε πικρίαν, καὶ σπέρμα καλὸν ἔσπειρα, καὶ ἐποίησε τοὐναντίον. Εἰκότως καὶ ὑμεῖς, ἵνα μάθητε πόση ζημία γεωργῷ, πόση ἀθυμία, ὅταν ἕτερ' ἀνθ' ἑτέρων φέρητε. Χεῖρον τοῦτο τοῦ λιμοῦ. Οἱ κλῆροι αὐτῶν οὐκ ὠφελήσουσιν αὐτούς. Τινὲς μὲν καὶ εἰς τούτους φασὶ τοὺς κλήρους τῆς Ἐκκλησίας εἰρῆσθαι· τοῦτο καὶ πείθομαι. Τί γὰρ ἡμᾶς ὠφελοῦσιν, εἰπέ μοι, τοὺς ἀναξίως βαδίζοντας; οὐχὶ δὲ καὶ κρῖμα πλέον ἔσται; Τί δὲ ὅλως κλῆρός ἐστι, καὶ πόθεν τὸ ὄνομα μάθωμεν. Ἴσως γάρ τινα καρπούμεθα, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὀνόματος ὠφέλειαν· ἄλλως δὲ καὶ πολλῆς αἰσχύνης ἀγνοεῖν τοῦτο ὃ καλούμεθα· οὐ γὰρ δὴ κλήρῳ τινὶ ἐκληρώθημεν. Κλῆρος γὰρ πρᾶγμά ἐστιν ἄλογον. Πόθεν οὖν κλῆρος ὠνόμασται, καὶ οὐ παρ' ἡμῖν μόνον; Ἴσως γάρ τις ἐνόμισε τῶν νεωτέρων εἶναι τὸ ὄνομα· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ἀρχῇ λαχεῖν τὸν κλῆρον τῆς διακονίας ταύτης, καὶ ἀποστολῆς ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ, καὶ ἀπ' ἐκείνου εἰρῆσθαι τοῦ κληρωθῆναι τὸν πρῶτον. Ἢ καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν Ὀλυμπιακῶν ἀγώνων, κληροῦταί τις, ὁ μὲν τοῦτον λαβεῖν τὸν ἀνταγωνιστὴν, ὁ δὲ ἐκεῖνον· οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα· ἀλλὰ τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ καὶ τὸν κανονικὸν, ἢ ἐκκλησιαστικὸν κλῆρον δεῖ καλεῖσθαι. Ἑκάστῳ γὰρ, φησὶν, ὡς ἐμέρισεν ὁ Θεός· ἕκαστον ὡς κεκλήρωκεν ὁ Κύριος, οὕτω περιπατείτω. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ οὕτως ἐκληρώθη. Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· Πόθεν οὖν