135

we have completely solved; but according to human reasoning, the proper solution for such things is faith, to know that God does all things justly and lovingly and for our benefit; because it is not possible to comprehend their reason. This is the one solution, and there is no other better than this. For what, tell me, is the work of the solution? Completely to no longer seek what has been solved. And if you persuade yourself of this, that all things are ordered by the providence of God, some things He permits for a reason He knows, and other things He effects, you are freed from seeking, and have received the benefit of the solution. But let us return to the subject at 60.184 hand. Since, then, you see so many in punishments, and God permits all these things, use the health of your body for the health of your soul. But you will say: What need have I of labors and hardships, when it is possible to be absolved of all things without labor? Most of all, this is not even clear. For it happens not only that one is not absolved without labor, but even that one departs having all things. But even if this were clear, this reasoning is not tolerable. He has drawn us into contests; golden arms are laid up. It is necessary to take them and use them, but you wish to be saved without glory, and to do nothing good. Tell me, if a war were joined, and the king were present, and you saw some falling into the midst of the enemy's phalanxes, and cutting them down, and making countless wounded, others fighting in single combat, others leaping, others dancing on their horses and being praised by the king, being admired, applauded, crowned; and others again deeming it desirable if they should suffer no evil, and keeping the last rank and sitting down; then after the conclusion of the war, the former being called, welcomed with great gifts, proclaimed; while of the latter not even the name became known, but their recompense of good things was only up to their salvation; of which group would you have wished to be? For if you were made of stone, if you were more sluggish than senseless and inanimate things, would you not have desired ten thousand times to be of their number? Yes, I pray and beseech. For if it were necessary to fall while fighting, ought one not eagerly choose this? Do you not see those who fall in these wars, how splendid they are, how glorious? And yet they die a death after which it is not possible to be honored by the king. But in that war there is nothing of the sort, but you will surely stand forth bearing your bruises; may it be that we all may show them even without persecutions, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

60.183 HOMILY XXIV. While Peter was yet speaking these words, fell

the Holy Spirit upon all them that heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit; for they heard them

speak with tongues, and magnify God. a. Behold the economy of God. He did not let the discourse be completed, nor

the baptism take place by Peter’s command; but since they showed their mind to be wonderful, and a beginning of teaching had been made, and they believed that baptism is altogether a remission of sins, then the Spirit came upon them. And this happens, with God pre-arranging a great defense for Peter. And they do not simply receive the Spirit, but they spoke with tongues, which also astonished those who had come with him. Why then is the matter so arranged? Because of the Jews; for indeed they were very hostile towards it. Wherefore everywhere the whole thing is of God. And Peter is present almost simply as one being taught, that it is necessary henceforth 60.184.40 to take hold of the Gentiles; and that through them this must happen. And do not be surprised. Where

135

πάντως ἐλύσαμεν· ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἀνθρώπινον λογισμὸν οἰκεία τῶν τοιούτων λύσις ἡ πίστις ἐστὶ, τὸ εἰδέναι, ὅτι πάντα δικαίως καὶ φιλανθρώπως ὁ Θεὸς καὶ συμφερόντως ποιεῖ· ὅτι καταλαβεῖν αὐτῶν τὸν λόγον οὐκ ἔνι. Μία λύσις αὕτη, καὶ ταύτης ἀμείνων ἑτέρα οὐκ ἔστι. Τί γὰρ, εἰπέ μοι, τῆς λύσεως ἔργον; Πάντως μηκέτι ζητεῖν τὸ λυθέν. Κἂν τοῦτο πείσῃς σαυτὸν, ὅτι προνοίᾳ Θεοῦ τὰ πάντα διοικεῖται, τὰ μὲν συγχωροῦντος δι' ὃν οἶδε λόγον, τὰ δὲ ἐνεργοῦντος, ἀπηλλάγης τοῦ ζητεῖν, καὶ τῆς λύσεως τὸ κέρδος ἔλαβες. Ἀλλ' ἐπανίωμεν εἰς τὸ προ 60.184 κείμενον. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ὁρᾷς τοσούτους ἐν κολάσεσι, ταῦτα δὲ ὁ Θεὸς συγχωρεῖ πάντα, χρῆσαι τῇ ὑγιείᾳ τοῦ σώματος εἰς τὴν ὑγιείαν τῆς ψυχῆς. Ἀλλ' ἐρεῖς· Τί μοι χρεία πόνων καὶ ταλαιπωρίας, ἐξὸν ἀπονητὶ πάντα ἀπολύσασθαι; Μάλιστα μὲν οὐδὲ δῆλον τοῦτό ἐστι. Συμβαίνει γὰρ οὐ μόνον ἀπονητὶ μὴ ἀπολύσασθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπελθεῖν πάντα ἔχοντα. Πλὴν εἰ καὶ τοῦτο δῆλον, οὐδὲ οὗτος ἀνεκτὸς ὁ λόγος. Εἰς ἀγῶνας εἵλκυσεν· ὅπλα κεῖται χρυσᾶ. ∆έον λαβεῖν αὐτὰ καὶ μεταχειρίσασθαι, σὺ δὲ βούλει ἀδόξως σωθῆναι, καὶ μηδὲν ἀγαθὸν ἐργάσασθαι. Εἰπέ μοι, εἰ πόλεμος συνειστήκει, καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς παρῆν, καὶ τοὺς μὲν εἶδες εἰς μέσας τὰς φάλαγγας τῶν πολεμίων ἐμπεσόντας, καὶ κατακόπτοντας, καὶ τραυματίας ἐργαζομένους μυρίους, ἑτέρους μονομαχοῦντας, ἄλλους πηδῶντας, ἄλλους ἐφ' ἵππων ὀρχουμένους καὶ ἐπαινουμένους ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως, θαυμαζομένους, κροτουμένους, στεφανουμένους· ἑτέρους δὲ πάλιν ἀγαπητὸν ἡγουμένους, εἰ μηδὲν πάθοιεν κακὸν, καὶ τὴν ἐσχάτην τάξιν φυλάττοντας καὶ καθημένους· εἶτα μετὰ τὴν τοῦ πολέμου λύσιν, τοὺς μὲν καλουμένους, δεξιουμένους ταῖς μεγάλαις δωρεαῖς, ἀνακηρυττομένους· ἐκείνων δὲ οὐδὲ τοὔνομα δῆλον γενόμενον, ἀλλὰ μέχρι τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτοῖς τὴν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀντίδοσιν οὖσαν· τίνων ἂν ἠθέλησας γενέσθαι; Εἰ γὰρ λίθινος ἦς, εἰ γὰρ ἀναισθήτων καὶ ἀψύχων νωθέστερος, οὐκ ἂν ἐπεθύμησας ἐκείνων γενέσθαι μυριάκις; Ναὶ, δέομαι καὶ ἀντιβολῶ. Εἰ γὰρ πεσεῖν πολεμοῦντα ἔδει, οὐκ ἐχρῆν προθύμως τοῦτο ἑλέσθαι; Οὐχ ὁρᾷς τοὺς ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις τούτοις πίπτοντας, πῶς εἰσι λαμπροὶ, πῶς ἔνδοξοι; καίτοι θάνατον ἀποθνήσκουσι, μεθ' ὃν οὐκ ἔστι τιμηθῆναι παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως. Ἐπὶ δὲ ἐκείνου τοῦ πολέμου οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον, ἀλλὰ πάντως παραστήσῃ τοὺς μώλωπας ἔχων· οὓς γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιδεῖξαι καὶ χωρὶς διωγμῶν, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

60.183 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Κ∆ʹ. Ἔτι λαλοῦντος τοῦ Πέτρου τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα, ἔπε σε

τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀκούοντας τὸν λόγον. Καὶ ἐξέστησαν οἱ ἐκ περι τομῆς πιστοὶ, ὅσοι συνῆλθον τῷ Πέτρῳ, ὅτι καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη ἡ δωρεὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐκκέ χυται· ἤκουον γὰρ αὐτῶν

λαλούντων γλώσσαις, καὶ μεγαλυνόντων τὸν Θεόν. αʹ. Θέα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν οἰκονομίαν. Οὐκ ἀφῆκεν ἀπαρτισθῆναι τὸν λόγον, οὐδὲ

ἐκ προστάγματος Πέτρου γενέσθαι τὸ βάπτισμα· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν ἔδειξαν θαυμαστὴν οὖσαν, καὶ τῆς διδασκαλίας ἀρχὴ γέγονε, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν, ὅτι πάντως τὸ βάπτισμα ἄφεσίς ἐστιν ἁμαρτημάτων, τότε ἐπῆλθε τὸ Πνεῦμα. Τοῦτο δὲ γίνεται, προοικονομοῦντος ἀπολογίαν μεγάλην τῷ Πέτρῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα λαμβάνουσιν, ἀλλὰ γλώσσαις ἐλάλουν, ὅπερ καὶ ἐξέπληττε τοὺς συνελθόντας. Τί δήποτε δὲ οὕτως οἰκονομεῖται τὸ πρᾶγμα; ∆ιὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους· καὶ γὰρ πάνυ ἀπεχθῶς εἶχον πρὸς αὐτό. ∆ιὸ πανταχοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ πᾶν γίνεται. Καὶ ὁ Πέτρος σχεδὸν ἁπλῶς πάρεστι παιδευόμενος, ὅτι δεῖ λοιπὸν 60.184.40 αὐτοὺς ἅψασθαι τῶν ἐθνῶν· καὶ ὅτι δι' αὐτῶν δεῖ γενέσθαι τοῦτο. Καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς. Ὅπου