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of judgment," and sometimes "a day of wrath" and "a day of retribution." "Until this evil comes," "until the evil has come," repent. It has a "place for repentance"; "the Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but is longsuffering toward them, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." Since, therefore, an extension has been given you for "repentance," repent before "the evil comes."

12,1de2abc and years will arrive in which you will say: I have no will in them; until the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain.

̣12,1de If "the evil" that makes evil comes, "years" begin "in which you have no will in them." But no one wishes to be punished. If the "years" of the promises begin, the diligent have "the will in them"; and they wish to enjoy the promises, having done the things that bring them. For example, the pleasure-lovers, and this very thing, who accept only sensible things, do not have a "will" in a time of famine, but they do have one in a time of prosperity. The "will" of the just man, therefore, is in those times when the retributions occur. "Will" is written in Isaiah; "they will wish," he says, "if they were burned with fire," the wicked. Does not the one wishing, when wrath is upon him, that he "become burned with fire"? In that time he has his "will."

12,2ab Until the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened. It is possible also for the time and the "years in which" the sinner "has no will" to be taken literally; it will happen then, when "heaven and earth pass away." And when "heaven and earth are passing away," "the sun," he says, "will be darkened and the moon will not give its light." "Until the sun is darkened"; but it is also possible to take it this way: as long as we are in this life and have our free will unhindered, we can be illuminated by the "sun of righteousness" and by the "true light" and "the moon and the stars." We take "moon" more allegorically as the ecclesiastical mind; and with respect to the "sun of righteousness," "moon" can be said to be the teaching 341 that can enlighten here. And fittingly take "stars" too as the ministers of the divine gift, the "angels," in whom God "speaks" his "word." They "are darkened," therefore, that is, from you; for the "sun" is not extinguished at all. And just as at night the "sun" seems to us to "be darkened," not suffering this itself, but being far from us, far from our sight, so also "the sun of righteousness" "is darkened" for those no longer worthy of being enlightened by it. 12,2c and the clouds return after the rain. "Clouds" have often been said to be those who minister the spiritual "rain," whether men or angels. But these "return after the rain," no longer ministering the "rain"; for it is not advantageous then for the "rain" to come down. You have such an apostolic saying; it advises that men be diligent and care for virtue and the divine mind and abstain from contrary things; and he takes such an example, saying this: that as long as there is divine teaching, "one must pay attention" and take up virtue and depart from evil; and he says: "But the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and brings forth a useful plant for those for whom it is also cultivated, receives a blessing from God; but if it brings forth thorns and thistles it is worthless and near to a curse in the end"; and after other things he says: "But we are persuaded of better things concerning you, beloved, things that accompany salvation," instead of: having properly used the "rain" and been watered, you have brought forth the necessary things, which he has called "the plant of salvation." They no longer minister the "rain" to you; for this does not happen to your advantage; you have within you the seeds of "thorns and thistles." It is advantageous, therefore, for "earth" that is in such a state not to be watered, lest a growth of existing evils should occur and the

κρίσεως" ὁτὲ δὲ "ἡμέραν ὀρ γῆς" καὶ "ἡμέραν ἀνταποδόσεως". "ἕως οὗ ἐλθεῖν τὴν κακίαν" ταύτην, "ἕως οὐκ ἦλ θεν ἡ κακία", μετανόησον. "τόπον" ἔχει "μετανοί ας"· "οὐ βραδύνει κύριος τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ὥς τινες βραδύτητα ἡγοῦνται, ἀλλὰ μακροθυμεῖ ἐπ' αὐτοῖς μὴ βουλόμενός τινα ἀπολέσαι, ἀλλὰ πάντας εἰς με τάνοιαν χωρῆσαι". ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ὑπέρθεσίς σοι δέδοται "μετανοίας", μετανόησον πρὶν "ἐλθεῖν" τὴν "κακίαν".

12,1de2abc καὶ φθάσουσιν ἔτη ἐν οἷς ἐρεῖς· οὐκ ἔστιν μοι ἐν αὐτοῖς θέ λημα· ἕως οὗ μὴ σκοτισθῇ ὁ ἥλιος καὶ τὸ φῶς καὶ ἡ σελήνη καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν τὰ νέφη ὀπίσω τοῦ ὑετοῦ.

̣12,1de ἐὰν "ἔλθῃ ἡ κακία" ἡ κακωτική, "ἔτη" ἐνίστανται "ἐν οἷς οὐκ" ἔχεις "ἐν αὐτοῖς θέλημα". οὐδεὶς δὲ θέλει κολασθῆναι. ἐὰν ἐνστῇ τὰ "ἔτη" τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν, ἔχουσιν οἱ σπουδαῖοι "ἐν αὐτοῖς τὸ θέ λημα"· θέλουσιν δὲ ἀπολαῦσαι τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν ἐργα σάμενοι τὰ φέροντα αὐτά. οἷον οἱ φιλήδονοι καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὰ αἰσθητὰ μόνα ἀποδεχόμενοι μὴ ἔχουσιν "θέ λημα" εἰς καιρὸν λιμοῦ, ἔχουσιν δὲ εἰς εὐετηρίας καιρόν. τοῦ δικαίου οὖν ἐστιν "θέλημα" ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς ἐκείνοις, ὅτε αἱ ἀνταποδόσεις γίνονται. "θέλημα" ἐν Ἰσαΐᾳ γέγραπται· "θελήσουσιν", φη σίν, "εἰ ἐγενήθησαν πυρίκαυστοι" οἱ κακοί. μὴ ὁ θέ λων ὀργῆς ἐπικειμένης "πυρίκαυστος γένηται"; ἔχει ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκε̣ι´̣νῳ τὸ "θέλημα" ἑαυτοῦ.

12,2ab ἕως οὗ μὴ σκοτισθῇ ὁ ἥλιος καὶ τὸ φῶς καὶ ἡ σελήνη καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες. δύναται καὶ ἐπὶ ῥητοῦ ληφθῆναι τὸν καιρὸν καὶ τὰ "ἔτη ἐν οἷς οὐκ" ἔχει "θέλημα" ὁ ἁμαρτωλός· τότε γενήσεται, ὅταν "ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ παρ έλθῃ". "παρερχομένου" δὲ "τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς" "ὁ ἥλιος", φησίν, "σκοτισθήσεται καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς". "ἕως οὗ σκοτισθῇ ὁ ἥλιος"· δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ οὕ τως λαβεῖν· ὅσον ἐσμὲν ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ καὶ τὸ αὐτε ξούσιον ἀκώλυτον ἔχομεν, δυνάμεθα καταλάμπεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ "ἡλίου τῆς δικαιοσύνης" καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ "φω τὸς τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ" καὶ "τῆς σελήνης καὶ τῶν ἀστέρων". "σελήνην" δὲ ἀλληγορικώτερον λαμβάνομεν τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν γνώμην· πρὸς δὲ τὸν "ἥλιον τῆς δι καιοσύνης" "σελήνη" δύναται λεχθῆναι ἡ διδασκαλία 341 ἡ δυναμένη ἐνταῦθα φωτίσαι. καὶ καταλλήλως καὶ τοὺς "ἀστέρας" λάμβανε τοὺς διακόνους τῆς θείας δωρεᾶς, τοὺς "ἀγγέλους", ἐν οἷς ὁ θεὸς "λαλεῖ" τὸν "λόγον" ἑαυτοῦ. "σκοτίζονται" οὖν, τουτέστιν ἀπὸ σοῦ· οὐδὲ γὰρ καθάπαξ σβέννυται ὁ "ἥλιος". καὶ ὥςπερ ἐν ταῖς νυ ξὶν δοκεῖ "σκοτίζεσθαι" ἡμῖν ὁ "ἥλιος" αὐτὸς οὐ τοῦ το πάσχων, ἀλλὰ πόρρω ἡμῶν γινόμενος μακρὰν τῆς ὄψεως, οὕτως καὶ "ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἥλιος" "σκοτίζε ται" ἐκείνοις τοῖς μηκέτι ἀξίοις τοῦ φωτίζεσθαι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ. 12,2c καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν τὰ νέφη ὀπίσω τοῦ ὑετοῦ. "νέφη" πολλάκις ἐλέχθησαν τὰ διακονοῦντα τὸν πνευματικὸν "ὑετόν", ἤτοι ἄνθρωποι ἢ ἄγγελοι. "ἐπι στρέφει" δὲ ταῦτα "ὀπίσω τοῦ ὑετοῦ", οὐκέτι διακονεῖ τὸν "ὑετόν"· οὐδὲ γὰρ συμφέρει τότε τὸν "ὑετὸν" κατ ελθεῖν. ἔχεις ἀποστολικὸν ῥητὸν τοιοῦτον· συμβουλεύει σπουδαίους εἶναι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ ἀρετῆς καὶ θείας γνώμης ἐπιμέλεσθαι καὶ ἀπέχεσθαι τῶν ἀντι κειμένων· καὶ λαμβάνει παράδειγμα τοιοῦτο εἰπὼν τοῦτο ὅτι ἐς ὅσον ἡ θεία διδασκαλία ἐστίν, "προσέχειν δεῖ" καὶ ἀναλαβεῖν τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ ἀποστῆναι τῆς κακίας· κα̣ι`̣ λέγει· "γῆ δὲ ἡ πιοῦσα τὸν ἐπ' αὐτῆς πολλάκις ἐρ χόμενον ὑετὸν καὶ τίκτουσα βοτάνην εὔθετον ἐκείνοις δι' οὓς καὶ γεωργεῖται μεταλαμβάνει εὐλογίας παρὰ θεοῦ· ἐκφέρουσα δὲ ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους ἀδόκιμος καὶ κατάρας ἐγγὺς εἰς τὸ τέλος"· καὶ μεθ' ἕτερα λέγει· πεπείσμεθα δὲ περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀγαπητοί, τὰ κρείσσονα̣ τ̣ὰ ἐχόμενα σωτηρίας", ἀντὶ τοῦ· δεόντως τῷ "ὑε τῷ" χρησάμενοι καὶ ποτισθέντες τὰ δέοντα ἠνέγκατε, ἃ εἴρηκεν "σωτηρίας βοτάνην". οὐκέτι διακονοῦσίν σοι τὸν "ὑετόν"· οὐδὲ γὰρ συμφερόντως σοι γίνεται τοῦτο· ἔχεις ἐνκείμενα σπέρματα τῶν "ἀκανθῶν καὶ τριβόλων". συμφέρει οὖν αὐτὴν οὕτως ἔχουσαν "γῆν" μὴ ποτίζεσθαι, ἵνα μὴ βλάστη γέ νηται ἐνκειμένων κακῶν καὶ τὰ