71

of the second to bring them to desperation. But that you may learn that this often leads to desperation, Hezekiah was lifted up from this; but nevertheless He did not overlook him even so, but since the prosperity of the victory lifted up his mind, He brought upon him the correction from sickness; A helper in opportunities, in tribulations. What is, 'In opportunities'? 'At the right time,' he says, 'seasonably.' He speaks of a double opportunity, because He both helps, and because it is at the right time. For here he calls tribulation an opportunity. Why so? Because it is the mother of philosophy, and it delivers man from death, and it especially draws down the favor of God. Then laziness is done away with, and dissipation; then we become more earnest in our supplications. And just as winter is a suitable season for the cultivation of the earth, so is tribulation for the care of the soul. For we always need His help, even when we are in prosperity; but then especially, when we are in tribulations. A helper. Here he also hinted at something else; that we too must be active 55.129. For he who helps, helps the one who is working. Therefore, we must not be idle, but also offer supplication, and alms, and all things on our part. Since allies also help those who are at war, not those who are idle and inactive. If, therefore, you wish to enjoy the alliance of God, never betray what is on your part. Thus also was Job helped, while standing and wrestling. Thus also the apostles, being active. And let those who know your name hope in you. Another, 'And they will trust.' The Prophet does this continually, turning his discourse from prayer to exhortation, being a common teacher of the world, and setting forth the treasure of philosophy for all to see. He said well, 'Let those who know your name hope'. For those who know you, he says, and your help, and your alliance, have a sufficient anchor in the hope in you, a sufficient alliance, and an unbreakable tower, promising not only release from terrible things, but not even allowing one to be disturbed by terrible things when they are present. For he who is freed from human things, and suspends himself from the hope from above, not only brings about the swiftest deliverance from terrible things, but is not even disturbed or troubled in the midst of the terrible things themselves, being helped by the hope of that anchor. Thus, at any rate, the three young men were not only delivered from the furnace, but were not even disturbed while spending time in the furnace. For they knew the alliance from God. For this reason another also says, 'And they will trust,' instead of, 'they will be confident.' For much greater than the power of disturbances is the security from hope in God. For the one is human, but the other is divine and invincible. Since he said that He became a helper, that He became a refuge, he also shows how He becomes one. How then does He become one? When we continually abide, hoping in him. But if He does not immediately resolve the terrible things, this too is for the sake of your testing. For just as, though being able not to allow it to come, He allows it, that He might make you stronger; so also, though being able to resolve it from the beginning, He delays and puts it off again, increasing your vigor, and exercising your hope, and making your disposition toward him more earnest, and He neither allows us to be afflicted always, lest we grow weary, nor to be at ease always, lest we become idle. For you have not forsaken those who seek you, O Lord. Another, 'For you did not forsake.' Thus also another says, 'Look to the ancient generations and see: who hoped in the Lord and was put to shame? Or who called upon him, and he forsook him?' And how is God sought, he says, who is everywhere? By earnestness and eagerness, and by freedom from all worldly things. For often, though having many things before our eyes and in our hands, we do not know it, but we go about seeking what we possess, when our mind is turned to something else.

71

τοῦ δευτέρου εἰς ἀπόνοιαν αὐτοὺς ἐλθεῖν. Ἵνα δὲ μάθῃς ὅτι πολλάκις τοῦτο εἰς ἀπόνοιαν αἴρει, ὁ Ἐζεκίας ἐντεῦθεν ἐπήρθη· ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδὲ οὕτως αὐτὸν παρεῖδεν, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἡ τῆς νίκης εὐημερία ἐπῆρεν αὐτοῦ τὴν διάνοιαν, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας αὐτῷ διόρθωσιν ἐπήγαγε· Βοηθὸς ἐν εὐκαιρίαις, ἐν θλίψεσι. Τί ἐστιν, Ἐν εὐκαιρίαις; Εἰς καιρὸν, φησὶν, ἐπικαίρως. ∆ιπλῆν λέγει τὴν εὐκαιρίαν, ὅτι καὶ βοηθεῖ, καὶ ὅτι εἰς καιρόν. Εὐκαιρίαν γὰρ ἐνταῦθα τὴν θλίψιν λέγει. Τί δήποτε; Ὅτι φιλοσοφίας μήτηρ ἐστὶ, καὶ τοῦ θανάτου ἐξελεῖται τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ μάλιστα ἐπισπᾶται τὴν ῥοπήν. Τότε ῥᾳθυμία ἀνῄρηται, καὶ διάχυσις· τότε σπουδαιότεροι περὶ τὰς ἱκετηρίας γινόμεθα. Καὶ καθάπερ ὁ χειμὼν ἐπιτήδειος καιρὸς πρὸς γεωργίαν ἐστὶ τῆς γῆς· οὕτως ἡ θλίψις πρὸς ἐπιμέλειαν τῆς ψυχῆς. Ἀεὶ μὲν γὰρ δεόμεθα αὐτοῦ τῆς βοηθείας, καὶ ἐν εὐημερίαις ὄντες· τότε δὲ μάλιστα, ὅταν ἐν θλίψεσιν ὦμεν. Βοηθός. Ἐνταῦθα καὶ ἕτερόν τι ᾐνίξατο· ὅτι δεῖ καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐνεργοὺς 55.129 εἶναι. Ὁ γὰρ βοηθῶν τῷ ἐργαζομένῳ βοηθεῖ. Οὐ τοί νυν ἡμᾶς ἀναπεπτωκέναι δεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἱκετηρίαν εἰσφέρειν, καὶ ἐλεημοσύνας, καὶ τὰ παρ' ἑαυτῶν ἅπαντα. Ἐπεὶ καὶ σύμμαχοι τοῖς πολεμοῦσι βοηθοῦσιν, οὐχὶ τοῖς ἀναπεπτωκόσι καὶ ἀργοῦσιν. Εἰ τοίνυν βούλει τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ συμμαχίας ἀπολαύειν, μηδέποτε τὰ παρὰ σεαυτοῦ προδῷς. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Ἰὼβ ἐβοηθεῖτο, ἑστὼς καὶ παγκρατιάζων. Οὕτω καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι, ἐνεργοὶ ὄντες. Καὶ ἐλπισάτωσαν ἐπὶ σὲ οἱ γινώσκοντες τὸ ὄνομά σου. Ἄλλος, Καὶ πεποιθήσουσιν. Συνεχῶς τοῦτο ποιεῖ ὁ Προφήτης, ἀπὸ εὐχῆς εἰς παραίνεσιν τρέπων τὸν λόγον, κοινὸς διδάσκαλος ὢν τῆς οἰκουμένης, καὶ τὸν θησαυρὸν εἰς τὸ μέσον προτιθεὶς τῆς φιλοσοφίας. Καλῶς εἶπεν, Ἐλπισάτωσαν οἱ γινώσκοντες τὸ ὄνομά σου. Οἱ γὰρ εἰδότες σε, φησὶ, καὶ τὴν ἀντίληψίν σου, καὶ τὴν συμμαχίαν, ἱκανὴν ἄγκυραν ἔχουσι τὴν ἐλπίδα τὴν ἐπὶ σὲ, ἱκανὴν συμμαχίαν, καὶ πύργον ἀῤῥαγῆ, οὐ τὴν λύσιν μόνον ἐπαγγελλόμενον τῶν δεινῶν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ παροῦσι τοῖς δεινοῖς θορυβεῖσθαι συγχωροῦντα. Ὁ γὰρ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἀπηλλαγμένος, καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν ἐλπίδος ἑαυτὸν ἀπαρτῶν, οὐ μόνον ταχίστην ἐπάγεται τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν τῶν δεινῶν, ἀλλ' οὐδ' ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς δεινοῖς θορυβεῖται καὶ ταράττεται, τῇ ἐλπίδι τῆς ἀγκύρας ἐκείνης βοηθούμενος. Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ οἱ τρεῖς παῖδες οὐ μόνον ἀπηλλάττοντο τῆς καμίνου, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐν τῇ καμίνῳ διατρίβοντες ἐθορυβοῦντο. Ἤδεισαν γὰρ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ συμμαχίαν. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο καὶ ἕτερός φησι· Καὶ πεποιθήσουσι, ἀντὶ τοῦ, θαῤῥήσουσι. Πολλῷ γὰρ μείζων τῆς ἀρχῆς τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν θορύβων ἡ ἀσφάλεια ἡ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλπίδος τῆς εἰς τὸν Θεόν. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἀνθρώπινα, ἡ δὲ θεία καὶ ἄμαχος. Ἐπειδὴ εἶπεν, ὅτι ἐγένετο βοηθὸς, ὅτι ἐγένετο καταφυγὴ, δείκνυσι καὶ πῶς γίνεται. Πῶς οὖν γίνεται; Ὅταν μένωμεν διηνεκῶς εἰς αὐτὸν ἐλπίζοντες. Εἰ δὲ μὴ εὐθέως λύει τὰ δεινὰ, καὶ τοῦτο ὑπὲρ τῆς σῆς γίνεται δοκιμῆς. Ὥσπερ γὰρ δυνάμενος μὴ ἀφεῖναι ἐπελθεῖν, ἀφίησιν, ἵνα στεῤῥότερον ἐργάζηται· οὕτω καὶ δυνάμενος ἐκ προοιμίων λῦσαι, μέλλει καὶ ἀναβάλλεται πάλιν, ἐπιτείνων σου τὴν εὐτονίαν, καὶ τὴν ἐλπίδα γυμνάζων, καὶ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν διάθεσιν σπουδαιοτέραν ποιῶν, καὶ οὔτε ἀεὶ θλίβεσθαι συγχωρεῖ, ἵνα μὴ ἀποκάμωμεν, οὔτε ἀεὶ ἀνίεσθαι, ἵνα μὴ ἀναπέσωμεν. Ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκατέλιπες τοὺς ἐκζητοῦντάς σε, Κύριε. Ἄλλος, Οὐ γὰρ ἐγκατέλιπες. Οὕτω καὶ ἕτερός φησιν, Ἐμβλέψατε εἰς ἀρχαίας γενεὰς καὶ ἴδετε, τίς ἤλπισεν ἐπὶ Κύριον, καὶ κατῃσχύνθη; ἢ τίς ἐπεκαλέσατο αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐγκατέλιπεν αὐτόν; Καὶ πῶς ζητεῖται ὁ Θεὸς, φησὶν, ὁ πανταχοῦ ὤν; Σπουδῇ καὶ προθυμίᾳ, καὶ ἀπαλλαγῇ τῶν βιωτικῶν ἁπάντων. Πολλὰ γὰρ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ ἐν χερσὶν ἔχοντες οὐκ ἴσμεν, ἀλλὰ περιερχόμεθα ζητοῦντες πολλάκις ἃ κατέχομεν, ὅταν πρὸς ἕτερον ἡ διάνοια τετραμμένη ᾖ.