225

but having taken them as equals of demons, they made them rivals of angels, having freed human nature from this wicked tyranny, and those wicked and all-confounding demons from the midst of marketplaces and houses, or rather, having driven them away even from the wilderness itself. And the choirs of monks, whom they planted everywhere, bear witness, having cleansed not only the inhabited world, but also the uninhabited. And what is more wonderful, is that they did not do these things from an equal battle-array, but accomplished all things while suffering evil. For they had them in their midst, twelve common men, binding them, scourging them, leading them about, and they were not able to silence them; but just as it is impossible to bind a sunbeam, so too was it their tongue. The reason was, it was not they who were speaking, but the power of the Spirit. Thus, at any rate, Paul also overcame those with Agrippa, and Nero who surpassed all men in wickedness. For the Lord stood by me, he says, and strengthened me, and delivered me from the mouth of the lion. But do you also marvel at them, how having heard, Do not be anxious, they both believed and accepted it, and none of the terrible things dismayed them. But if you should say that He gave them sufficient comfort by saying, For it will be the Spirit of your Father who speaks; for this very reason I am especially astonished at them, that they did not doubt, nor did they seek release from the terrible things; and this, not being about to suffer these things for two or three years, but for their whole life. For to say, But he who endures to the end, he will be saved, is the meaning of one hinting at this. For He wishes that not only His own contributions be brought in, but that their achievements also come from themselves. Consider, then, from the beginning how some things are His, and others become the disciples'. For the working of signs is His; but the not possessing anything is theirs. Again, the opening of all houses is of grace from above; but the demanding nothing more than what is needful is of their own discipline; For the laborer is worthy of his reward. The bestowing of peace is of God's gift; the seeking out of the worthy, and not entering into just anyone's house, is of their own self-control. Again, the punishing of those who do not receive them is His; but the withdrawing from them with gentleness, not reviling or insulting them, is of the apostles' meekness. The giving of the Spirit, and causing them not to be anxious, was of Him who sent them; but the becoming as sheep and doves, and bearing all things nobly, was of their own vigor and understanding. To be hated, and not to fall, and to endure, was theirs; to save those who endured, was of Him who sent them. Wherefore He also said, But he who endures to the end, he will be saved. 57.394 V. For since the many are accustomed to be zealous in the beginnings, but afterwards to grow weary, for this reason He says, I seek the end. For what is the benefit of seeds that blossom at the beginning, but a little later wither away? For this reason He requires from them lasting endurance. For lest anyone say that He did it all, and it is no wonder that they became such, suffering nothing burdensome, for this reason He says to them, There is also need of your endurance. For even if I snatch you from the first dangers, I am keeping you for others more severe, and after those, others again will succeed them; and you will not cease being plotted against, as long as you breathe. For He hinted at this by saying, But he who endures to the end, he will be saved. For this very reason, although He said, Do not be anxious what you shall speak, elsewhere He says, Be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you. For when the contest is among friends, He bids us also to be anxious; but when there is a fearsome tribunal, and raging mobs, and fear from every side, He provides the momentum from Himself, so that one may take courage and speak, and not be terrified, nor betray what is just. For it was a very great thing, for a man occupied with lakes and hides and tax-collecting, with tyrants sitting in judgment, and satraps and guards standing by, and swords drawn, and all standing with them, to enter alone, in chains,

225

ἀλλὰ δαιμόνων λαβόντες ἴσους, ἀγγέλων ἐποίησαν ἐφαμίλλους, τὴν μὲν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν τῆς πονηρᾶς ταύτης ἐλευθερώσαντες τυραννίδος, τοὺς δὲ ἀλιτηρίους ἐκείνους καὶ πάντα συνταράττοντας δαίμονας ἐκ μέσων ἀγορῶν καὶ οἰκιῶν, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ αὐτῆς ἀπελάσαντες τῆς ἐρημίας. Καὶ μαρτυροῦσιν οἱ τῶν μοναχῶν χοροὶ, οὓς κατεφύτευσαν πανταχοῦ, οὐ τὴν οἰκουμένην μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἀοίκητον ἐκκαθάραντες. Καὶ τὸ δὴ θαυμαστότερον, ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ παρατάξεως ἴσης ταῦτα ἐποίουν, ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ πάσχειν κακῶς πάντα ἤνυον. Καὶ γὰρ εἶχον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ μέσῳ, δώδεκα ἀνθρώπους ἰδιώτας, δεσμεύοντες, μαστίζοντες, περιάγοντες, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυον ἐπιστομίσαι· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ τὴν ἀκτῖνα δῆσαι ἀδύνατον, οὕτω καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν ἐκείνων. Τὸ δὲ αἴτιον, οὐκ αὐτοὶ ἦσαν οἱ λαλοῦντες, ἀλλ' ἡ τοῦ Πνεύματος δύναμις. Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἐνίκησε τοὺς περὶ Ἀγρίππαν, καὶ τὸν κακίᾳ νικήσαντα πάντας ἀνθρώπους Νέρωνα. Ὁ γὰρ Κύριός μοι παρέστη, φησὶ, καὶ ἐνεδυνάμωσέ με, καὶ ἐῤῥύσατό με ἐκ στόματος λέοντος. Σὺ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὺς θαύμαζε, πῶς ἀκούσαντες, Μὴ μεριμνήσητε, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν καὶ κατεδέξαντο, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτοὺς τῶν φοβερῶν ἐξέπληξεν. Εἰ δὲ λέγοις, ὅτι ἱκανὴν αὐτοῖς δέδωκε παράκλησιν τῷ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑμῶν ἔσται τὸ λαλοῦν· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μάλιστα ἐκπλήττομαι αὐτοὺς, ὅτι οὐκ ἀμφέβαλον, οὐδὲ ἐζήτησαν ἀπαλλαγὴν τῶν δεινῶν· καὶ ταῦτα, οὐ δύο, οὐ τρία ἔτη μέλλοντες ταῦτα πάσχειν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ πάντα τὸν βίον. Τὸ γὰρ εἰπεῖν, Ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος, οὗτος σωθήσεται, τοῦτό ἐστιν αἰνιττομένου. Βούλεται γὰρ μὴ τὰ παρ' αὐτοῦ μόνον εἰσφέρεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρ' αὐτῶν γίνεσθαι τὰ κατορθώματα. Σκόπει γοῦν ἄνωθεν πῶς τὰ μὲν αὐτοῦ, τὰ δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν γίνεται. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ σημεῖα ποιεῖν, αὐτοῦ· τὸ δὲ μὴ κτήσασθαι μηδὲν, ἐκείνων. Πάλιν, τὸ τὰς οἰκίας ἀνοῖξαι πάσας, τῆς ἄνωθεν χάριτος· τὸ δὲ μηδὲν πλέον τῆς χρείας ἀπαιτῆσαι, τῆς αὐτῶν φιλοσοφίας· Ἄξιος γὰρ ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ. Τὸ τὴν εἰρήνην χαρίσασθαι, τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δωρεᾶς· τὸ τοὺς ἀξίους ἐπιζητεῖν, καὶ μὴ πρὸς πάντας ἁπλῶς εἰσιέναι, τῆς αὐτῶν ἐγκρατείας. Πάλιν, τὸ κολάζειν τοὺς μὴ δεχομένους αὐτοὺς, αὐτοῦ· τὸ δὲ μετ' ἐπιεικείας ἀναχωρεῖν ἐκ τούτων, μὴ λοιδορουμένους, μηδὲ ὑβρίζοντας, τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων πραότητος. Τὸ δοῦναι Πνεῦμα, καὶ μὴ ποιῆσαι μεριμνᾷν, τοῦ πέμποντος ἦν· τὸ δὲ ὡς πρόβατα γίνεσθαι καὶ περιστερὰς, καὶ φέρειν πάντα γενναίως, τῆς τούτων εὐτονίας καὶ συνέσεως. Τὸ μισεῖσθαι, καὶ τὸ μὴ καταπίπτειν, καὶ τὸ ὑπομένειν, αὐτῶν· τὸ ὑπομείναντας σῶσαι, τοῦ πέμποντος. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἔλεγεν· Ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος, οὗτος σωθήσεται. 57.394 εʹ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰώθασιν οἱ πολλοὶ, ἐν μὲν τοῖς προοιμίοις εἶναι σφοδροὶ, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐκλύεσθαι, διὰ τοῦτό φησιν, ὅτι Τὸ τέλος ἐπιζητῶ. Τί γὰρ ὄφελος σπερμάτων, παρὰ μὲν τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀνθούντων, μικρὸν δὲ ὕστερον μαραινομένων; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο διαρκῆ τὴν ὑπομονὴν παρ' αὐτῶν ἀπαιτεῖ. Ἵνα γὰρ μή τις λέγῃ, ὅτι τὸ πᾶν αὐτὸς ἐποίησε, καὶ θαυμαστὸν οὐδὲν, τοιούτους ἐκείνους γενέσθαι οὐδὲν πάσχοντας φορτικὸν, διὰ τοῦτό φησιν αὐτοῖς, ὅτι Καὶ τῆς ὑπομονῆς ὑμῶν χρεία. Κἂν γὰρ τῶν πρώτων ἐξαρπάσω κινδύνων, ἑτέροις χαλεπωτέροις τηρῶ, καὶ μετ' ἐκείνους πάλιν ἕτεροι διαδέξονται· καὶ οὐ στήσεσθε ἐπιβουλευόμενοι, ἕως ἂν ἐμπνέητε. Τοῦτο γὰρ ᾐνίξατο εἰπών· Ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος, οὗτος σωθήσεται. ∆ιὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ εἰπὼν, Μὴ μεριμνήσητε, τί λαλήσητε, ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν· Ἕτοιμοι γίνεσθε πρὸς ἀπολογίαν παντὶ τῷ αἰτοῦντι ὑμᾶς λόγον περὶ τῆς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐλπίδος. Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ μεταξὺ φίλων ὁ ἀγὼν ᾖ, κελεύει καὶ ἡμᾶς μεριμνᾷν· ὅταν δὲ δικαστήριον φοβερὸν, καὶ δῆμοι μαινόμενοι, καὶ φόβος πάντοθεν, τὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ παρέχει ῥοπὴν, ὥστε θαῤῥῆσαι καὶ φθέγξασθαι, καὶ μὴ καταπλαγῆναι, μηδὲ προδοῦναι τὰ δίκαια. Καὶ γὰρ πολὺ μέγα ἦν, ἄνθρωπον περὶ λίμνας ἠσχολημένον καὶ δέρματα καὶ τελωνείαν, τυράννων καθημένων, καὶ σατραπῶν παρεστηκότων καὶ δορυφόρων, καὶ τῶν ξιφῶν γεγυμνωμένων, καὶ πάντων μετ' ἐκείνων ἑστώτων, εἰσελθόντα μόνον, δεδεμένον,