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deliver my soul from the enemy. For the fear of death is an enemy, instilling cowardice in us, persuading us to be terrified of the preeminence of persons. For how will one who fears these things be able, in the time of martyrdom, to resist sin unto death, and to render to the Lord his due, to him who died for us and was raised? And he who is easily frightened by demons has the enemy's fear within himself. And in general, such fear seems to be an affliction born of unbelief. For no one who believes that a strong helper is present with him is afraid of any of those who attempt to trouble him. But the salutary fear, and the fear that produces sanctification, the fear that comes by practice and not by passion into the soul, do you wish me to describe what it is? 29.372 When you are about to rush into some sin, consider for me that dreadful and unbearable tribunal of Christ, at which the judge presides on a high and exalted throne, and all creation stands by, trembling at his glorious appearance; and we are about to be brought forward one by one for an examination of the things we have done in life. Then, for the one who has done many evil things during his life, certain dreadful and downcast angels stand by, with a look of fire, breathing fire, because of the bitterness of their purpose, their faces like night, because of their sullen and misanthropic nature. Then a deep abyss, and impassable darkness, and a lightless fire; having in the darkness the power to burn, but deprived of light. Then a kind of venomous and flesh-eating worm, eating insatiably, and never being satisfied, inflicting unbearable pains by its devouring. Then the most grievous punishment of all, that reproach and eternal shame. Fear these things; and being instructed by this fear, as if by some bridle, restrain the soul from the desire for evil things. The father promised to teach us this fear of the Lord; not simply to teach, but to teach those who choose to hear him; not those who have fallen far away, but those who run to him out of a desire to be saved; not those who are strangers to the Covenants, but those who are made familiar with the word through the baptism of adoption. For this reason, he says, come; that is, through good works draw near to me, children, who have been deemed worthy to become sons of light through regeneration. Listen, you who have the ears of your heart opened; I will teach you the fear of the Lord; this one, which the discourse described to you a little earlier. What man is he that desires life, and loves to see good days? If anyone desires, he says, life, not this common life which even the irrational animals live, but the true life that is not cut off by death. For now, he says, you are dead, And our life is hidden with Christ in God; but when Christ, our life, shall appear, then you also shall appear with him in glory. Therefore, Christ is the true life, and our conduct in him is true life. Likewise, the good days which the Prophet sets forth in his promise are different. What man is he that desires life, and loves to see good days? For the days of this age are evil, since this age, being the measure of the world, concerning which it has been said, that the whole world lies in wickedness, is assimilated to the nature of the world which it measures. And these days are parts of this time. For this reason the Apostle says: Redeeming the time, because the 29.373 days are evil. And Jacob too, says, The days of the years of my life have been few and evil. Therefore, we are not now in life, but in death. Wherefore the Apostle also prayed, saying: Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? But there is another life, to which the word calls us; and now our days are evil, but there are other good days, which night does not interrupt; for God will be their everlasting light, illuminating them with the light of his own glory. Therefore, when you hear of good days, do not think that the life here is set before you in promises. For these are corruptible, which the perceptible sun

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ἐχθροῦ ἐξελοῦ τὴν ψυχήν μου. Ἐχθρὸς γὰρ φόβος ὁ θανάτου ἡμῖν δει λίαν ἐμποιῶν, ὁ προσώπων ὑπεροχὰς καταπτήσσειν ἡμᾶς ἀναπείθων. Πῶς γὰρ ὁ ταῦτα φοβούμενος δυνή σεται ἐν καιρῷ μαρτυρίου μέχρι θανάτου πρὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἀντικαταστῆναι, καὶ ἀποδοῦναι τῷ Κυ ρίῳ τὴν ὀφειλὴν, τῷ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀποθανόντι καὶ ἐγερθέντι; Καὶ ὁ ὑπὸ δαιμόνων εὐπτόητος τὸν ἐχθρὸν ἔχει φόβον ἐν ἑαυτῷ. Καὶ ὅλως, ὁ τοιοῦτος φόβος ἀπι στίας ἔοικεν ἔγγονον εἶναι πάθος. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ πι στεύων ἰσχυρὸν αὐτῷ παρεῖναι τὸν βοηθὸν φοβεῖται ἀπό τινος τῶν ἐπιχειρούντων αὐτὸν ἐκταράσσειν. Φό βος δὲ ὁ σωτήριος, καὶ φόβος ἁγιασμοῦ ποιητικὸς, φόβος ὁ κατ' ἐπιτήδευσιν, καὶ οὐχὶ κατὰ πάθος ἐγγι νόμενος τῇ ψυχῇ, ποῖός ἐστι βούλει διηγήσωμαι; 29.372 Ὅταν μέλλῃς ἐπί τινα ὁρμᾷν ἁμαρτίαν, ἐννόησόν μοι ἐκεῖνο τὸ φρικτὸν καὶ ἀνύποιστον τοῦ Χριστοῦ δικα στήριον, ἐν ᾧ προκαθέζεται μὲν ἐπὶ θρόνου τινὸς ὑψηλοῦ καὶ ἐπηρμένου ὁ κριτὴς, παρέστηκε δὲ πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις ὑποτρέμουσα τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἔν δοξον· παράγεσθαι δὲ μέλλομεν καθ' ἕνα εἰς ἐξέτα σιν τῶν βεβιωμένων ἡμῖν. Εἶτα τῷ πολλὰ πονηρὰ πεποιηκότι κατὰ τὸν βίον φοβεροί τινες καὶ κατηφεῖς παρίστανται ἄγγελοι, πῦρ βλέποντες, πῦρ ἀναπνέον τες, διὰ τὴν πικρίαν τῆς προαιρέσεως, νυκτὶ ἐοικό τες τὰ πρόσωπα, διὰ τὸ κατηφὲς καὶ μισάνθρωπον. Εἶτα βάραθρον βαθὺ, καὶ σκότος ἀδιεξόδευτον, καὶ πῦρ ἀλαμπές· ἐν τῷ σκότει τὴν μὲν καυστικὴν δύνα μιν ἔχον, τὸ δὲ φέγγος ἀφῃρημένον. Εἶτα σκωλήκων γένος ἰοβόλον καὶ σαρκοφάγον, ἀπλήστως ἐσθίον, καὶ μηδέποτε κορεννύμενον, ἀφορήτους ὀδύνας ἐμποιοῦν τῇ καταβρώσει. Εἶτα τὴν πασῶν χαλεπωτάτην κόλα σιν, τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν ἐκεῖνον καὶ τὴν αἰσχύνην τὴν αἰώ νιον. Ταῦτα φοβοῦ· καὶ τούτῳ τῷ φόβῳ παιδευόμε νος, οἱονεὶ χαλινῷ τινι ἀνάκοπτε τὴν ψυχὴν ἀπὸ τῆς πρὸς τὰ φαῦλα ἐπιθυμίας. Τοῦτον τὸν φόβον τοῦ Κυ ρίου διδάσκειν ἡμᾶς ὁ πατὴρ ἐπηγγείλατο· οὐχ ἁπλῶς διδάσκειν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀκούειν αὐτοῦ προαιρουμένους· οὐ τοὺς μακρὰν ἀποπεσόντας, ἀλλὰ τοὺς δι' ἐπι θυμίαν τοῦ σωθῆναι προστρέχοντας· οὐ τοὺς ξένους τῶν ∆ιαθηκῶν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ βαπτίσματος τῆς υἱοθεσίας οἰκειουμένους τῷ λόγῳ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο, φησὶ, δεῦτε· τουτέστι, διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων ἐγγίσατέ μοι, τέκνα, υἱοὶ φωτὸς γενέσθαι διὰ τῆς παλιγγενεσίας καταξιωθέντες. Ἀκούσατε, οἱ ἔχοντες τὰ ὦτα τῆς καρδίας ἀνεῳγμένα· Φόβον Κυρίου διδάξω ὑμᾶς· τοῦτον, ὃν μικρῷ πρόσθεν ὁ λόγος ὑμῖν ὑπ έγραψεν. Τίς ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὁ θέλων ζωὴν, ἀγα πῶν ἡμέρας ἰδεῖν ἀγαθάς; Εἴ τις θέλει, φησὶ, ζωὴν, οὐ τὴν κοινὴν ταύτην ἣν καὶ τὰ ἄλογα ζῇ, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὄντως ζωὴν τὴν θανάτῳ μὴ διακοπτομένην. Νῦν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀποθνήσκετε, Καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν κέκρυπται σὺν τῷ Χριστῷ ἐν τῷ Θεῷ· ὅταν δὲ ὁ Χριστὸς φανερωθῇ, ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν, τότε καὶ ὑμεῖς σὺν αὐτῷ φανερωθήσεσθε ἐν δόξῃ. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡ ὄντως ζωὴ ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ ἡ ἡμετέρα ἐν αὐτῷ διαγωγὴ ζωή ἐστιν ἀληθινή. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ αἱ ἡμέ ραι ἄλλαι εἰσὶν ἀγαθαὶ, ἃς ἐν ἐπαγγελίᾳ προτίθησιν ὁ Προφήτης. Τίς ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὁ θέλων ζωὴν, ἀγαπῶν ἡμέρας ἰδεῖν ἀγαθάς; Αἱ γὰρ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου ἡμέραι πονηραὶ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὁ αἰὼν οὗτος, τοῦ κόσμου μέτρον ὑπάρχων, περὶ οὗ εἴρηται, ὅτι Ὁ κόσμος ὅλος ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ κεῖται, συναφομοιοῦ ται τῇ φύσει τοῦ κόσμου ὃν ἐκμετρεῖ. Μέρη δὲ τοῦ χρόνου τούτου αἱ ἡμέραι αὗται. ∆ιὰ τοῦτό φησιν ὁ Ἀπόστολος· Ἐξαγοραζόμενοι τὸν καιρὸν, ὅτι αἱ 29.373 ἡμέραι πονηραί εἰσι. Καὶ ὁ Ἰακὼβ δὲ, Αἱ ἡμέ ραι, φησὶ, τῶν ἐτῶν μου μικραὶ καὶ πονηραί. Οὐκ οῦν νῦν μὲν οὐκ ἐσμὲν ἐν ζωῇ, ἀλλ' ἐν θανάτῳ. ∆ιὸ καὶ ηὔχετο ὁ Ἀπόστολος, λέγων· Τίς με ῥύσεται ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου τούτου; Ἄλλη δέ τίς ἐστι ζωὴ, πρὸς ἣν καλεῖ ἡμᾶς ὁ λόγος· καὶ νῦν μὲν αἱ ἡμέραι ἡμῶν πονηραὶ, ἄλλαι δέ τινές εἰσιν ἀγαθαὶ, ἃς νὺξ οὐ διακόπτει· ἔσται γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς αὐ τῶν φῶς αἰώνιον, καταλάμπων αὐτὰς τῷ φωτὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ δόξης. Μὴ τοίνυν, ὅταν ἀκούσῃς ἡμερῶν ἀγα θῶν, τὴν ἐνταῦθά σοι νομίσῃς ζωὴν ἐν ἐπαγγελίαις προκεῖσθαι. Φθαρταὶ γάρ εἰσιν αὗται, ἃς ὁ αἰσθητὸς ἥλιος