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we are perfect; we will confess indeed concerning the things that have happened, but we will call upon your name in order to receive other things. But if those who confess and call upon are perfect, they confess for what they have received in full, calling upon for their protection, so that what was given by the heavenly Father to those who asked him might remain with them until the end. 779a Ps 74,4b And Didymus also explained in like manner to these things. 780a Ps 74,4.5a To dwell on the earth is generally taken as a reproach, just as to sojourn is for praise; for he says, Woe to all those who dwell on the earth, and, From the face of the north evil will be kindled upon those who dwell on the earth. Therefore, since dwelling on the earth is a wicked thing, it happens that one grows fat from thinking on earthly things and doing the enumerated works of the flesh and being subject to its mind, which is enmity toward God, because of dwelling on the earth. This fatness, which arises from evil, by which the heart of the accused people grew fat, the fiery teaching of the Savior melts, concerning which he said, I came to cast fire upon the earth. And since evil must be consumed not only by that which melts but also by the choice of those who are held in it, it is commanded to put to death the deeds of the body by the spirit and to walk by the spirit, that you may not fulfill the desire of the flesh. And he calls pillars of this melted earth those who have vigor and a true mind, or the preachers of the truth, whom the Savior establishes, setting them in this present order in the house of God. 781a Ps 74,4.5a Having strengthened the pillars of the church, I exhorted the rest not to transgress the law. And it might be said to the order that rebelled and rose up against Christ, on whose account their land melted, and all who dwell in it. But also to the nations throughout the whole world he testified through the apostles not to transgress the law nor to speak unrighteousness against God by adhering to the polytheistic error. Furthermore, to dwell on the earth is generally taken for a reproach, just as to sojourn is for praise. For he says, Woe to all those who dwell on the earth, and, From the face of the north evil will be kindled upon those who dwell on the earth. For he who thinks on earthly things and does the works of the flesh, whose mind is enmity toward God because of dwelling on the earth, grows fat, according to, He grew fat, he grew thick, he became sleek; such as those who enclosed their fat in the earth, and concerning whom it is said, Their iniquity will come forth as from fat. And the fiery teaching of the Savior melts such fatness from evil, who said, I came to cast fire upon the earth. but since evil must also be consumed by choice and not only by that which melts, we are commanded to put to death the deeds of the body and to walk by the spirit, that we may not fulfill the desire of the flesh. And he strengthens the pillars of the melted earth, those who have a vigorous life and a true mind, or rather the preachers of the truth, concerning whom it is said, The pillars of heaven were spread out, being winged with heavenly wings, so that it is said of them, As is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly ones. And it is also written concerning the whole glorious church, which Christ presented to himself, The pillar and foundation of the truth. Therefore, the Savior strengthens all these pillars, establishing them in this present order in the house of God, saying, I will found my holy house. 782a Ps 74,7b And he says desolate of virtue and piety. And a sign of their wickedness is that they avert evil through sacrifices as if they were harming them, unless they should receive a libation and smoke and the savor of roasted meat; but the pious, knowing God, are free from thinking of fate and sorcery. 783a Ps 74,7.8 Likewise Didymus also says. The faithful, being pious, know that the works of providence are not brought about from the rising and setting of stars, nor from evil supervisors, but from God; He establishes kings and removes them, he raises the poor from the earth and lifts up the needy from the dunghill. But consider if it is also possible concerning the one from

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ἐσμεν τέλειοι· ἐξομολογησόμεθα μὲν περὶ τῶν ὑπαρξάντων, ἐπικαλεσόμεθα δὲ τὴν προσηγορίαν σου ὑπὲρ τοῦ αλλα λαβεῖν. ̓Εὰν δὲ ωσι τέλειοι οἱ ἐξομολογούμενοι καὶ ἐπικαλούμενοι, ἐξομολογοῦνται ὑπὲρ ων πλήρη εἰλήφασιν ἐπικαλούμενοι ὑπὲρ φυλακῆς αὐτῶν, οπως παραμένῃ αὐτοῖς μέχρι τέλους τὰ δοθέντα παρὰ τοῦ οὐρανίου πατρὸς τοῖς αἰτήσασιν αὐτόν. 779a Ps 74,4b Καὶ ∆ίδυμος δὲ ὁμοίως τούτοις ἐξηγήσατο. 780a Ps 74,4.5a Τὸ κατοικεῖν τὴν γῆν ὡς ἐπίπαν ἀντὶ ψόγου λαμβάνεται ωσπερ τὸ παροικεῖν ἐπὶ ἐπαίνου· Οὐαὶ γάρ φησιν ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν γῆν, καὶ ̓Απὸ προσώπου βορρᾶ ἐκκαυθήσεται τὰ κακὰ ἐπὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν γῆν. φαύλου τοιγαροῦν οντος τοῦ κατοικεῖν τὴν γῆν, παχύνεσθαι συμβαίνει ἐκ τοῦ φρονεῖν τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς καὶ ποιεῖν τὰ κατηριθμημένα τῆς σαρκὸς εργα καὶ τὸ ὑποκεῖσθαι τῷ φρονήματι αὐτῆς τυγχάνοντι εχθρᾳ εἰς θεὸν διὰ τὸ κατοικεῖν τὴν γῆν. ταύτην τὴν ἐκ κακίας προσγενομένην παχύτητα καθ' ην ἐπαχύνθη ἡ καρδία τοῦ ἐγκαλουμένου λαοῦ ἐκτήκει ἡ διάπυρος τοῦ σωτῆρος διδασκαλία, περὶ ης ειπεν οτι Πῦρ ηλθον βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν. καὶ ἐπεὶ μὴ μόνον ἐκ τοῦ τήκοντος ἀναλωθῆναι δεῖ τὴν κακίαν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ προαιρέσεως τῶν ἐνεχομένων, προστάττεται πνεύματι πράξεις τοῦ σώματος θανατοῦν καὶ πνεύματι περιπατεῖν, ινα Σαρκὸς ἐπιθυμίαν μὴ τελέσητε. Στύλους δὲ αὐτῆς τῆς τακείσης γῆς τοὺς ευτονον καὶ φρόνημα ἀληθὲς εχοντας λέγει η τοὺς κήρυκας τῆς ἀληθείας, ους στερεοῖ ὁ ἐν τάξει τῇδε ουσῃ ἱδρύων αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ οικῳ τοῦ θεοῦ σωτήρ. 781a Ps 74,4.5a Στερεώσας τῆς ἐκκλησίας τοὺς στύλους τοῖς λοιποῖς παρῄνεσα μὴ παρανομεῖν. λέγοιτο δ' αν πρὸς τὸ καταστασιάσαν τάγμα καὶ κατεπαρθὲν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' ους ἐτάκη αὐτῶν ἡ γῆ καὶ πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες αὐτήν. πλὴν καὶ τοῖς καθ' ολης οἰκουμένης εθνεσι διὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐμαρτύρατο μὴ παρανομεῖν μηδὲ λαλεῖν ἀδικίαν κατὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τῇ πολυθέῳ προσέχοντας πλάνῃ. Ανωθεν δὲ τὸ κατοικεῖν τὴν γῆν ὡς ἐπίπαν ἐπὶ ψόγου λαμβάνεται ὡς ἐν ἐπαίνῳ τὸ παροικεῖν. Οὐαὶ γάρ φησιν ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν γῆν, καὶ ̓Απὸ προσώπου βορρᾶ ἐκκαυθήσεται τὰ κακὰ ἐπὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν γῆν. παχύνεται γὰρ ὁ φρονῶν τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ποιῶν τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς εργα ης τὸ φρόνημα εχθρα εἰς θεὸν διὰ τὸ κατοικεῖν τὴν γῆν, κατὰ τὸ ̓Επαχύνθη ἐπλατύνθη ἐλιπάνθη· ὁποῖοι ησαν οἱ τὸ στέαρ αὐτῶν συγκλείσαντες ἐν τῇ γῇ καὶ περὶ ων ειρηται ̓Εξελεύσεται ὡς ἐκ στέατος ἡ ἀδικία αὐτῶν. Τὴν δὲ τοιαύτην ἐκ κακίας παχύτητα ἐκτήκει ἡ διάπυρος τοῦ σωτῆρος διδασκαλία εἰπόντος Πῦρ ηλθον βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐκ προαιρέσεως ἀναλωθῆναι δεῖ τὴν κακίαν καὶ οὐκ ἐκ μόνου τοῦ τήκοντος, προσταττόμεθα τὰς πράξεις τοῦ σώματος θανατοῦν καὶ πνεύματι περιπατεῖν, ινα σαρκὸς ἐπιθυμίαν μὴ τελέσωμεν. Στερεοῖ δὲ τῆς γῆς τῆς τακείσης τοὺς στύλους τοὺς ευτονον βίον καὶ ἀληθὲς εχοντας φρόνημα, μᾶλλον δὲ τῆς ἀληθείας τοὺς κήρυκας περὶ ων ειρηται Στῦλοι οὐρανοῦ ἐπετάσθησαν, πτερωθέντες πτεροῖς οὐρανίοις ὡς λέγεσθαι περὶ αὐτῶν Οιος ὁ ἐπουράνιος, τοιοῦτοι καὶ οἱ ἐπουράνιοι. γέγραπται δὲ καὶ περὶ πάσης τῆς ἐνδόξου ἐκκλησίας ης παρέστησε Χριστὸς ἑαυτῷ Στῦλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας. πάντας ουν τοὺς στύλους τούτους στερεοῖ ὁ ἐν τάξει τῇδε ουσῃ ἱδρύων αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ οικῳ τοῦ θεοῦ σωτὴρ λέγων Τὸν οικον τὸν αγιόν μου θεμελιώσω. 782a Ps 74,7b Ερημον δέ φησιν ἀρετῆς καὶ εὐσεβείας. σημεῖον δὲ τῆς πονηρίας αὐτῶν τὸ διὰ θυσιῶν αὐτοὺς ἀποτροπιάζεσθαι ὡς διαβλάπτοντας, εἰ μὴ λοιβὴν καὶ καπνὸν καὶ κνῖσαν λάβοιεν· ἀλλ' οἱ εὐσεβεῖς θεὸν εἰδότες τοῦ φρονεῖν εἱμαρμένην καὶ γοητείαν ἐλεύθεροι. 783a Ps 74,7.8 ̔Ομοίως καὶ ∆ίδυμός φησιν. Οἱ πιστοὶ εὐσεβεῖς οντες ισασιν ὡς οὐκ ἐξ ἀνατολῆς καὶ δύσεως αστρων οὐδὲ πονηρῶν ἐπιμελητῶν ἀλλ' ἐκ θεοῦ αγεται τὰ τῆς προνοίας εργα· Αὐτὸς καθιστᾷ βασιλεῖς καὶ μεθιστᾷ, ἐγείρει ἀπὸ γῆς πτωχὸν καὶ ἀπὸ κοπρίας ἀνίστησι πένητα. ̓Επίστησον δὲ εἰ οιόν τε καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἀπὸ