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Was he not evil, seeing such desolation with his eyes? Let us not then wonder how they did not believe when these things happened, since indeed faith itself often is perverted for them into the opposite, into wickedness; for example, when they say the Son of God has a demon. Or do you not see these things happening even now, and that there are many serpent-like men, faithless and ungrateful, who, just like vipers, when they have received benefits and been warmed by some, then they injure their benefactors? These things have been said by us, so that no one may wonder how, when such signs occurred, not all were converted. 3. For behold, in our own times, the events concerning the blessed Babylas have happened, the events concerning Jerusalem, the events concerning the demolition of the temples, and not all were converted. Why must I speak of old things? Last year I told you what happened, and no one paid attention, but again they gradually slipped away and fell down. The heaven stands perpetually crying out that it has a master, and that this universe (I mean the world) is of some craftsman, and some say that it is not. The things that happened concerning that Theodore last year, whom did they not astonish? And yet nothing more came of it, but after becoming pious for a time, they returned again from where they had become pious. This also happened then in the case of the Hebrews; wherefore the prophet also said: When he slew them, then they sought him, and they returned and rose early to God. And why must I speak of general things? How many have fallen into illnesses? How many, upon recovering, promised to effect a great change, and have become the same again? This especially shows us the will, and the freedom of our nature, the sudden change. For if evils were by nature, this would not have happened; for from things that are by nature and necessity we cannot depart. And yet we do depart, he says. For do we not see some who by nature are able to see, but are blinded by fear? Since it is also of nature to be contracted when another nature approaches; so that it is according to nature for us when afraid not to see, and according to nature also for the one fear to withdraw when a greater fear comes on. What then, if sobriety, he says, is according to nature, but fear, having taken hold, 60.292 casts it out? What then, if I show some who are not sobered even then, but even in these fears are reckless, this is not natural. Shall I speak of old things? Or new? How many indeed remained in those very fears laughing, mocking, and suffered nothing of the sort? Tell me, did not Pharaoh straightway change, and run back to his former wickedness? But here, in the case of those who had the demons, though they themselves were not ignorant, those who spoke added simply. We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches; for by what they say in their defense, it is shown that they know. But they say "Jesus" simply, when they ought to have said the Savior of the world, the one who rose again; but they were not willing to confess his glory. Therefore the demon also refutes them, leaping upon them and saying: Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with. As if he said: You do not believe, but having made use of the name you say these things. Therefore the temple is deserted, the vessel easily overcome; so that you are not heralds, but are for me, he says. Great was the wrath of the demon. The apostles were able to do these things to them, but they did not do so for the time being. For those who had mastery over the ones doing these things to them, were far greater than they. See how their forbearance is shown, that while those being driven out do such things, the demons being healed do the opposite. Jesus, he says, I know. Therefore be ashamed, you who are ignorant. And Paul I am acquainted with. This too is well; for he knew he was a herald of God. Then he leaps upon them, and tears their garments; by what he did to them, saying this almost in so many words: Do not think that I do these things despising them. Great is the fear of the demon. And why without these words did he not tear their garments? for so he would have both fulfilled his wrath and established the deceit. He feared, as I said, the unapproachable power, and would not have

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οὐχὶ ἐν ὄψεσι βλέπων ἐρημίαν τοσαύτην κακὸς ἦν; Μὴ δὴ θαυμάζωμεν πῶς οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν τούτων γενομένων, ὅπου γε αὐτὴ ἡ πίστις πολλάκις εἰς τοὐναντίον αὐτοῖς περιτρέπεται, εἰς κακίαν· οἷον ὡς ὅταν δαιμονῶντα λέγωσι τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἢ οὐχ ὁρᾶτε καὶ νῦν ταῦτα γινόμενα, καὶ ὀφιώδεις ἀνθρώπους ὄντας πολλοὺς, ἀπίστους τε καὶ ἀγνώμονας, οἳ καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἔχεις, ὅταν ἀπολαύσωσιν εὐεργεσίας, καὶ θαλφθῶσιν ὑπό τινων, τότε λυποῦσι τοὺς εὐεργέτας; Ταῦτα ἡμῖν εἴρηται, ἵνα μή τις θαυμάζῃ πῶς τοιούτων σημείων γενομένων οὐ πάντες ἐπέστρεψαν. γʹ. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν καιρῶν τῶν ἡμετέρων τὰ κατὰ τὸν μακάριον Βαβύλαν γέγονε, τὰ κατὰ τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα, τὰ κατὰ τὴν καθαίρεσιν τῶν ἱερῶν, καὶ οὐ πάντες ἐπέστρεψαν. Τί δεῖ τὰ παλαιὰ λέγειν; Πέρυσιν εἶπον ὑμῖν οἷον γέγονε, καὶ οὐδεὶς προσέσχεν, ἀλλὰ πάλιν κατὰ μικρὸν ὑπεῤῥύησαν καὶ κατέπεσον. Ἕστηκε διηνεκῶς ὁ οὐρανὸς βοῶν, ὅτι δεσπότην ἔχει, καὶ τεχνίτου τινός ἐστι τόδε τὸ πᾶν (τὸν κόσμον λέγω), καὶ λέγουσί τινες, ὅτι οὐχί. Τὰ κατὰ Θεόδωρον ἐκεῖνον γεγενημένα πέρυσι, τίνα οὐκ ἐξέπληξε; Καὶ ὅμως οὐδὲν πλέον γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς καιρὸν γενόμενοι εὐλαβεῖς, πάλιν ἐπανῆλθον ὅθεν γεγόνασιν εὐλαβεῖς. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν Ἑβραίων τότε συνέβη· διὸ καὶ ἔλεγεν ὁ προφήτης· Ὅταν ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτοὺς, τότε ἐξεζήτουν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐπέστρεφον καὶ ὤρθριζον πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Καὶ τί δεῖ λέγειν τὰ καθολικά; πόσοι νόσοις περιέπεσον; πόσοι ἐπηγγείλαντο ἀναστάντες πολλὴν τὴν μεταβολὴν ἐργάσασθαι, καὶ πάλιν οἱ αὐτοὶ γεγόνασι; Τοῦτο μάλιστα δείκνυσιν ἡμῖν τὴν προαίρεσιν, καὶ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς ἡμετέρας φύσεως, ἡ ἀθρόα μεταβολή. Εἰ γὰρ φυσικὰ ἦν τὰ κακὰ, οὐδ' ἂν αὕτη γέγονε· τῶν γὰρ κατὰ φύσιν καὶ ἀνάγκην οὐ δυνάμεθα μεθίστασθαι. Καὶ μὴν μεθιστάμεθα, φησί. Οὐ βλέπομεν γάρ τινας φύσει μὲν ἔχοντας βλέπειν, ὑπὸ τοῦ φόβου δὲ τυφλουμένους; Ἐπειδὴ καὶ τοῦτο φύσεώς ἐστι συστέλλεσθαι, ὅταν φύσις ἑτέρα προσέλθῃ· ὥστε κατὰ φύσιν ἡμῖν ἐστι τὸ πεφοβημένοις μὴ βλέπειν, κατὰ φύσιν δὲ καὶ τὸ, μείζονος παραγενομένου φόβου, τὸν ἕτερον ὑπεξίστασθαι. Τί οὖν, ἂν καὶ ἡ σωφροσύνη, φησὶ, κατὰ μὲν φύσιν ᾖ, ὁ δὲ φόβος κρατήσας ταύτην 60.292 ἐκβάλῃ; Τί οὖν, ἂν δείξω τινὰς μηδὲ τότε σωφρονιζομένους, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τούτοις τοῖς φόβοις ὄντας ἰταμούς, οὐ φυσικὸν τοῦτό ἐστιν. Εἴπω τὰ παλαιά; ἀλλὰ τὰ νέα; Πόσοι δὴ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐκείνοις τοῖς φόβοις ἐναπέμειναν γελῶντες, χλευάζοντες, καὶ οὐδὲν ἔπαθον τοιοῦτον; Εἰπέ μοι, ὁ Φαραὼ οὐκ εὐθέως μεθίστατο, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν προτέραν κακίαν ἀνέτρεχε; Ἐνταῦθα δὲ, ἐπὶ τῶν τὰ δαιμόνια ἐχόντων, καίτοι οὐκ ἀγνοούντων αὐτῶν, προσετίθεσαν ἁπλῶς οἱ λέγοντες. Τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὁρκίζομεν ὑμᾶς, ὃν Παῦλος κηρύσσει· δι' ὧν γὰρ ἀπολογοῦνται, δείκνυται, ὅτι ἴσασι. Τὸν Ἰησοῦν δὲ λέγουσιν ἐκεῖνοι ἁπλῶς, δέον εἰπεῖν τὸν τῆς οἰκουμένης Σωτῆρα, τὸν ἀναστάντα· ἀλλ' οὐκ ἤθελον ὁμολογῆσαι τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐλέγχει αὐτοὺς ὁ δαίμων ἐπιπηδήσας αὐτοῖς, καὶ εἰπών· Τὸν Ἰησοῦν γινώσκω, καὶ τὸν Παῦλον ἐπίσταμαι. Ὡσεὶ ἔλεγεν· Ὑμεῖς οὐ πιστεύετε,ἀλλ' ἀποκεχρημένοι τῷ ὀνόματι ταῦτά φατε. Οὐκοῦν ἔρημος ὁ ναὸς, εὐκαταγώνιστον τὸ σκεῦος· ὥστε οὐκ ἐστὲ κήρυκες, ἀλλ' ἐμοὶ, φησὶν, ἐστέ. Πολὺς ὁ θυμὸς τοῦ δαίμονος. Ἠδύναντο ταῦτα αὐτοὺς ἐργάσασθαι οἱ ἀπόστολοι, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐποίουν τέως. Οἱ γὰρ τῶν ἐργαζομένων αὐτοὺς ταῦτα κρατοῦντες, πολλῷ μᾶλλον αὐτῶν. Ὅρα πῶς δείκνυται αὐτῶν ἡ ἐπιείκεια, ὅτι οἱ μὲν ἐλαυνόμενοι τοιαῦτα ποιοῦσιν, οἱ δὲ θεραπευόμενοι δαίμονες τἀναντία. Τὸν Ἰησοῦν, φησὶ, γινώσκω. Οὐκοῦν αἰσχύνθητε οἱ ἀγνοοῦντες ὑμεῖς. Καὶ τὸν Παῦλον ἐπίσταμαι. Καλῶς καὶ τοῦτο· ᾔδει γὰρ Θεοῦ ὄντα κήρυκα. Εἶτα ἐφάλλεται ἐπ' αὐτοὺς, καὶ διαῤῥήγνυσι τὰ ἱμάτια· δι' ὧν ἐποίει αὐτοῖς, τοῦτο μονονουχὶ λέγων· Μὴ νομίσητε, ὅτι καταφρονῶν ἐκείνων ταῦτα ποιῶ. Πολὺς ὁ φόβος τοῦ δαίμονος. Καὶ διὰ τί χωρὶς τῶν ῥημάτων τούτων οὐ διέῤῥηξεν αὐτῶν τὰ ἱμάτια; οὕτω γὰρ ἂν καὶ τὸν θυμὸν ἐπλήρωσε, καὶ τὴν πλάνην ἔστησεν. Ἐφοβεῖτο, ὅπερ ἔφην, τὴν ἀπρόσιτον δύναμιν, καὶ οὐκ ἂν