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of such great glory; I chose to defend those who were wronged, and God looked on, and not only did He not restore me to my former honor, but I also spend forty years in a foreign land. Well enough; for I have not received my wages. But he said none of these things, nor did he think them. So also you; even if you suffer some evil while doing good, even for a long time, do not be scandalized nor troubled; God will certainly give you your reward. The longer the repayment is delayed, the more the interest increases. Therefore, let us have a sympathetic soul, let us have a mind that knows how to suffer with others; let there be nothing cruel among us, nothing inhuman. Even if you are able to contribute nothing, weep, groan, grieve over what is happening; even these things will not be in vain for you. If one ought to sympathize with those justly punished by God, how much more with those who suffer unjustly from men. Enan, he says, did not go out to mourn the house next to her; they shall receive pain for what they have built for ridicule. Ezekiel finds fault with this, that they did not sympathize. What are you saying, O prophet? God is punishing, and I should sympathize with those being punished? Yes; for this is what the punisher Himself wants; for He Himself does not take pleasure in punishing, but rather even grieves. Since, therefore, the punisher Himself does not rejoice, do not you rejoice either. But if they are punished justly, he says, one should not grieve. And yet for this very reason one should grieve, that they were found worthy of punishment. Tell me, when you see your son being cauterized or cut, do you not grieve? It is clear that you do, and you do not say to yourself: What is this? The cutting aims at health, the cauterizing is for deliverance; but nevertheless when you hear him wailing, unable to bear the pains, you grieve, and the hope of health is not sufficient to take away the distress of nature. So also in these cases, even if they are being punished for their health, let us nevertheless show a brotherly disposition toward them, [and] a fatherly affection. Cuttings and cauterizations are the punishments of God; but for this reason we ought to weep, because they fell sick, because they needed such a remedy. If someone suffers these things for crowns, then do not grieve, as for example Paul, as Peter; but when one pays the penalty as punishment, then weep, then groan. Such were the prophets. This is why one of them said: Ah, Lord, are you wiping out the remnant of Israel? We see murderers, defiled men, often being punished, and we are pained and we grieve. Let us not be philosophers beyond measure; let us become merciful, that we may be shown mercy; nothing is equal to this good thing; nothing so shows us our human character as to be merciful, as to be humane. For this reason also 60.307 the laws entrust the entire matter to the executioners, compelling the judge to mete out punishment only up to the sentence, but for the actual deed they have brought forward those men. Thus, even if it happens justly, it is not for a philosophic soul to punish, but this requires someone else; since God also does not punish by Himself, but through angels. Are the angels executioners, then? By no means; I do not say this, but they are punishing powers. When Sodom was being destroyed, all things were done through them; when the things concerning Egypt happened, through them. For a sending, it says, through evil angels. When, however, it is necessary to save, He does this Himself; thus He sent the Son for the salvation of the race. And again: Then, He says, I will say to the angels: Gather those who practice lawlessness, and cast them into the furnace. But concerning the just it is not so, but, He who receives you, receives Me; and again: Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the outer darkness. See there the servants ministering; but when it is necessary to do good, He Himself does good, He Himself calls: Come, 60.308 you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you. When it is necessary to converse with Abraham, He Himself comes; when it is necessary to go to Sodom, He sends the servants, just as a judge rouses up those who are about to punish. And again: Well done, good and faithful servant, you were faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. And this one He Himself blesses; but that wicked one, not He Himself, but servants bind him. Knowing these things,

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τοσαύτης καὶ δόξης· εἱλόμην ἀμῦναι τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις, καὶ περιεῖδεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐπανήγαγέ με ἐπὶ τὴν προτέραν τιμὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ διάγω. Καλῶς γε· οὐ γὰρ τοὺς μισθοὺς ἀπέλαβον. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν τούτων εἶπεν οὐδὲ ἐνενόησεν. Οὕτω καὶ σύ· κἂν κακόν τι πάθῃς ἀγαθοποιῶν, κἂν ἐπὶ πολὺν χρόνον, μὴ σκανδαλίζου μηδὲ θορυβοῦ· πάντως ἀποδώσει σοι τὴν ἀμοιβὴν ὁ Θεός. Ὅσῳ ἂν χρονίζῃ ἡ ἀντίδοσις, τοσούτῳ οἱ τόκοι ἐπιτείνονται. Οὐκοῦν ἔχωμεν ψυχὴν συμπαθητικὴν, ἔχωμεν διάνοιαν εἰδυῖαν συναλγεῖν· μηδὲν ἔστω παρ' ἡμῖν ὠμὸν, μηδὲν ἀπάνθρωπον. Κἂν μηδὲν δυνηθῇς εἰσενεγκεῖν, δάκρυσον, στέναξον, ἄλγησον ἐπὶ τοῖς γινομένοις· οὐδὲ ταῦτά σοι ἔσται εἰκῆ. Εἰ τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ κολαζομένοις δικαίως συναλγεῖν χρὴ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τοῖς ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων ἀδίκως πάσχουσιν. Οὐκ ἐξῆλθον, φησὶν, Αἰνὰν κόψασθαι οἶκον ἐχόμενον αὐτῆς· λήψονται ὀδύνην ἀνθ' ὧν ᾠκοδόμησαν εἰς καταγέλωτα. Τοῦτο ἐγκαλεῖ ὁ Ἰεζεκιὴλ, ὅτι οὐ συνήλγησαν. Τί λέγεις, ὦ προφῆτα; ὁ Θεὸς κολάζει, κἀγὼ συναλγήσω τοῖς κολαζομένοις; Ναί· τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτὸς ὁ κολάζων βούλεται· οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἥδεται κολάζων, ἀλλὰ μάλιστα καὶ ἀλγεῖ. Ἐπεὶ οὖν οὐδὲ αὐτὸς εὐφραίνεται ὁ κολάζων, μὴ τοίνυν μηδὲ σὺ εὐφραίνου. Ἀλλ' εἰ δικαίως, φησὶ, κολάζονται, οὐ δεῖ ἀλγεῖν. Καὶ μὴν διὰ τοῦτο δεῖ ἀλγεῖν, ὅτι ἄξιοι κολάσεως ἐφάνησαν. Εἰπὲ δή μοι, ὅταν ἴδῃς τὸν υἱὸν τὸν σὸν καιόμενον ἢ τεμνόμενον, μὴ οὐκ ἀλγεῖς; Εὔδηλον ὅτι, καὶ οὐ λέγεις πρὸς σεαυτόν· Τί τοῦτο; Πρὸς ὑγίειαν ἡ τομὴ βλέπει, ὑπὲρ ἀπαλλαγῆς ἐστιν ἡ καῦσις· ἀλλ' ὅμως ὅταν ἀκούσῃς ὀλολύζοντος, οὐ φέροντος τὰς ὀδύνας, ἀλγεῖς, καὶ οὐχ ἱκανὴ ἡ τῆς ὑγιείας ἐλπὶς ἀφελεῖν τὴν σύγχυσιν τῆς φύσεως. Οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τούτων, κἂν εἰς ὑγείαν κολάζωνται, ὅμως ἀδελφικὴν ἐπιδεικνύωμεν ἡμεῖς προαίρεσιν ἐπ' αὐτοὺς, [καὶ] πατρικὴν διάθεσιν. Τομαὶ καὶ καύσεις εἰσὶν αἱ τιμωρίαι τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο ὀφείλομεν κλαίειν, ὅτι ἐνόσησαν, ὅτι τοιαύτης ἐδεήθησαν ἰατρείας. Ἐάν τις ἐπὶ στεφάνοις ταῦτα πάσχῃ, τότε μὴ ἄλγει, οἷον ὡς Παῦλος, ὡς Πέτρος· ὅταν δὲ ἐπὶ τιμωρίᾳ τίνῃ δίκην, τότε δάκρυσον, τότε στέναξον. Τοιοῦτοι ἦσαν οἱ προφῆται. ∆ιὸ καί τις αὐτῶν ἔλεγεν· Οἴμοι, Κύριε, ἐξαλείφεις σὺ τὸ κατάλοιπον τοῦ Ἰσραήλ; Ἀνδροφόνους ὁρῶμεν, μιαροὺς ἄνδρας, κολαζομένους πολλάκις, καὶ δακνόμεθα καὶ ἀλγοῦμεν. Μὴ ὑπὲρ τὸ μέτρον φιλόσοφοι ὦμεν· ἐλεήμονες γενώμεθα, ἵνα ἐλεηθῶμεν· οὐδὲν ἴσον τούτου τοῦ καλοῦ· οὐδὲν οὕτω τὸν ἀνθρώπινον ἡμῖν ὑποδείκνυσι χαρακτῆρα ὡς τὸ ἐλεεῖν, ὡς τὸ φιλάνθρωπον εἶναι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ 60.307 οἱ νόμοι τοῖς δημίοις τὸ πᾶν ἐπιτρέπουσι, τὸν δικαστὴν μέχρι τῆς ἀποφάσεως ἀναγκάσαντες τιμωρεῖσθαι, εἰς δὲ τὸ ἔργον ἐκείνους ἐξήγαγον. Οὕτω, κἂν δικαίως γένηται, οὐχὶ ψυχῆς φιλοσόφου τὸ κολάζειν, ἀλλά τινος ἑτέρου δεῖται τοῦτο· ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς οὐ δι' ἑαυτοῦ κολάζει, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων. ∆ήμιοι οὖν εἰσιν οἱ ἄγγελοι; Μὴ γένοιτο· οὐ τοῦτό φημι, ἀλλὰ τιμωρητικαὶ δυνάμεις εἰσίν. Ὅτε τὰ Σόδομα κατεστρέφετο, δι' ἐκείνων ἅπαντα ἐγίνετο· ὅτε τὰ κατ' Αἴγυπτον, δι' ἐκείνων. Ἀποστολὴν γὰρ, φησὶ, δι' ἀγγέλων πονηρῶν. Ὅτε μέντοι σῶσαι χρὴ, δι' ἑαυτοῦ τοῦτο ποιεῖ· οὕτω τὸν Υἱὸν ἔπεμψεν ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τοῦ γένους. Καὶ πάλιν· Τότε, φησὶν, ἐρῶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις· Συλλέξατε τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὴν ἀνομίαν, καὶ βάλετε εἰς τὴν κάμινον. Περὶ δὲ τῶν δικαίων οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλ', Ὁ δεχόμενος ὑμᾶς, ἐμὲ δέχεται· καὶ πάλιν· ∆ήσατε αὐτοῦ χεῖρας καὶ πόδας, καὶ βάλετε εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον. Ὅρα ἐκεῖ τοὺς δούλους διακονουμένους· ὅταν δὲ εὐεργετεῖν δέῃ, αὐτὸν εὐεργετοῦντα, αὐτὸν καλοῦντα· ∆εῦτε, 60.308 οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ Πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν. Ὅταν διαλέγεσθαι δέῃ τῷ Ἀβραὰμ, αὐτὸς παραγίνεται· ὅταν εἰς Σόδομα ἀπελθεῖν, τοὺς δούλους πέμπει, καθάπερ τις δικαστὴς ἀνιστὰς τοὺς μέλλοντας κολάζειν. Καὶ πάλιν· Εὖ, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστὲ, ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστὸς, ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω. Καὶ τοῦτον μὲν αὐτὸς εὐλογεῖ· ἐκεῖνον δὲ τὸν πονηρὸν οὐκ αὐτὸς, ἀλλὰ δοῦλοι δεσμεύουσι. Ταῦτα εἰδότες,