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and of men. Sixth, that God does not wish to display all things everywhere, as the things which happen in part are sufficient. b'. We must learn, therefore, not to be contentious in all things 55.330 regarding God's administration, for we are contentious about impossible things, and things which greatly surpass all created nature; but those who are going to know it in part must be freed from the aforementioned passions, and they will see it more clearly than the sun, even if not all of it, and having learned from the part, they will also give thanks for the whole. Out of affliction I called upon the Lord, and He heard me and set me in a broad place. Do you see his goodness and love for mankind? He did not say, "Because I was worthy"; he did not say, "Because I showed forth right actions," but, "Because I called upon him," only, and the prayer was sufficient to resolve the calamity, which he also says concerning the Egyptians: I have surely seen the affliction of my people, and I have come down to deliver them. He did not say, "I saw the virtue of my people," nor their change for the better; but, The affliction, and I have heard their cry. Do you see a compassionate father helping only because of calamities? And yet not everyone who is in affliction is worthy to be saved, not even among men. For we see many of our servants being scourged and in pain, and we do not let up, considering the magnitude of their offenses; but God let up from the affliction alone; and not only did he let up from the affliction, but he also granted much security. For He heard me, he says, and set me in a broad place. And the affliction was permitted for this reason, so as to make those who are afflicted more exact and more philosophical. The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do to me. Do you see the loftiness of his thought? Do you see a mindset so ascending above human weakness as to despise all of nature? Let us not only sing these things as psalms, but also show them through our works. He did not say, "I will suffer nothing," but, "I will not fear what man shall do to me." That is, "Even if I suffer, I am not afraid"; which is what Paul also says: If God is for us, who can be against us? And yet there were thousands against them; but nothing harmed them. For how would it not be of the utmost faintheartedness, to have the Master on our side and to fear our fellow servants? But he was not such a one, but was superior and loftier in every way than such fears. Let us do this also, and let us not deprive ourselves of the Master's alliance by fearing human things. For this belongs to those who show insolence toward the help of God. This is why it is said that Hezekiah also suffered what he suffered, because when the sun went backward, and again ascended the steps which it had descended, and a sign occurred sufficient to astonish all who came wishing to learn these things, he wished to astonish them not from 55.331 the things that had happened from God, but from human things, fearing their assault; which is why he showed them his treasures, having his hopes in his treasures. For which reason God, being provoked, says, "They will take all these things"; that is, "those in whom you hoped, in whom you trust." For this Israel is also accused, because they trusted in money and in horses. Therefore the prophet also advised them to propitiate God by the opposite, and to say: "We will not mount on horses." God honors you, and you dishonor yourself? God honors you, promising his own alliance, and you flee to human hopes, and entrust your hope of salvation to lifeless matter, to money? For indeed he seeks not only to save, but also to do this honorably. He loves you exceedingly, and for this reason he draws you away from all things, nails you to himself, and cutting away everything, he leads you to himself, all but saying this through the things he does: "Have your hopes in me, and pay attention to me continuously." The Lord is my helper, and I will look upon my enemies. Do you see that he does not defend himself, nor

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καὶ ἀνθρώπων. Ἕκτον, τὸ μὴ βούλεσθαι τὸν Θεὸν ἅπαντα ἁπανταχοῦ ἐπιδείκνυσθαι, ὡς ἀρκούντων καὶ τῶν ἐκ μέρους γινομένων. βʹ. ∆εῖ τοίνυν ἐν ἅπασι μὲν μὴ φιλονεικεῖν μανθάνειν 55.330 τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν διοίκησιν ἀμηχάνοις γὰρ φιλονεικοῦμεν πράγμασι, καὶ σφόδρα ὑπερβαίνουσι πᾶσαν φύσιν κτιστήν· τοὺς δὲ μέλλοντας ἐκ μέρους αὐτὴν εἰδέναι, τῶν παθῶν ἀπηλλάχθαι χρὴ τῶν προειρημένων, καὶ ἡλίου φανοτέραν αὐτὴν ὄψονται, εἰ καὶ μὴ πᾶσαν, καὶ μαθόντες ἀπὸ τοῦ μέρους, καὶ ὑπὲρ ἁπάσης εὐχαριστήσουσιν. Ἐκ θλίψεως ἐπεκαλεσάμην τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ἐπήκουσέ μου εἰς πλατυσμόν. Εἶδες ἀγαθότητα καὶ φιλανθρωπίαν; Οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἄξιος ἤμην· οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι Κατορθώματα ἐπεδειξάμην, ἀλλ', ὅτι Ἐπεκαλεσάμην, μόνον, καὶ ἤρκεσεν ἡ εὐχὴ λῦσαι τὴν συμφορὰν, ὅπερ καὶ ἐπ' Αἰγυπτίων φησίν· Ἰδὼν εἶδον τὴν κάκωσιν τοῦ λαοῦ μου, καὶ κατέβην τοῦ ἐξελέσθαι αὐτούς. Οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι Εἶδον τὴν ἀρετὴν τοῦ λαοῦ μου, οὔτε τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον μεταβολήν· ἀλλὰ, Τὴν θλίψιν, καὶ τῆς κραυγῆς αὐτῶν ἤκουσα. Ὁρᾷς πατέρα εὔσπλαγχνον ἀπὸ τῶν συμφορῶν βοηθοῦντα μόνον; Καὶ μὴν οὐχ ἅπας ὁ ἐν θλίψει καὶ σώζεσθαι ἄξιος, οὐδὲ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις. Πολλοὺς γοῦν τῶν οἰκετῶν μαστιζομένους ὁρῶντες καὶ ὀδυνωμένους, οὐκ ἀνίεμεν, τὸ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων μέγεθος ἐννοοῦντες· ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ἀπὸ τῆς θλίψεως μόνης ἀνῆκεν· οὐ τῆς θλίψεως δὲ μόνον ἀνῆκεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀδείας πολλῆς μετέδωκεν. Ἐπήκουσε γάρ μου, φησὶν, εἰς πλατυσμόν. Καὶ ἡ θλίψις δὲ διὰ τοῦτο συνεχωρήθη, ὥστε ἀκριβεστέρους ποιῆσαι τοὺς θλιβομένους καὶ φιλοσοφωτέρους. Ὁ Κύριος ἐμοὶ βοηθὸς, καὶ οὐ φοβηθήσομαι τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος. Εἶδες ὕψωμα διανοίας; εἶδες φρόνημα οὕτως ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ἀναβαῖνον ἀσθένειαν, ὡς ἁπάσης ὑπεριδεῖν τῆς φύσεως; Ταῦτα μὴ μόνον ὑποψάλλωμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐπιδειξώμεθα. Οὐκ εἶπεν, Οὐδὲν πείσομαι, ἀλλ', Οὐ φοβηθήσομαι τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος. Τουτέστι, Κἂν πάθω, οὐ δέδοικα· ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν· Εἰ ὁ Θεὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, τίς καθ' ἡμῶν; Καὶ μὴν μυρίοι ἦσαν οἱ κατ' αὐτῶν· ἀλλ' οὐδὲν αὐτοὺς ἠδίκει. Πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἐσχάτης ἂν ᾖ μικροψυχίας, τὸν ∆εσπότην ἔχοντας εὐμενῆ δεδοικέναι τοὺς συνδούλους; Ἀλλ' οὐχ οὗτος τοιοῦτος, ἀλλ' ἀνώτερος καὶ ὑψηλότερος πάντη τῶν τοιούτων φόβων. Τοῦτο δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς ποιῶμεν, μηδὲ ἀποστερῶμεν τῆς τοῦ ∆εσπότου συμμαχίας ἑαυτοὺς τῷ δεδοικέναι τὰ ἀνθρώπινα. Τοῦτο γὰρ ὑβριζόντων ἐστὶν εἰς τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ βοήθειαν. ∆ιὸ λέγεται καὶ ὁ Ἐζεκίας παθεῖν ἅπερ ἔπαθεν, ἐπειδὴ τοῦ ἡλίου ἀναποδίσαντος, καὶ πάλιν ἀναβάντος οὓς κατέβη ἀναβαθμοὺς, καὶ σημείου γενομένου ἱκανοῦ πάντας ἐκπλῆξαι ἐλθόντας τοὺς ταῦτα μαθεῖν βουλομένους, οὐκ ἀπὸ 55.331 τῶν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ συμβάντων, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων καταπλῆξαι ἐβούλετο, δεδοικὼς αὐτῶν τὴν ἔφοδον· διὸ καὶ τοὺς θησαυροὺς αὐτοῖς ἐδείκνυεν, ἐν τοῖς θησαυροῖς τὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχων. ∆ιὸ δὴ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς παροξυνθείς φησι, Λήψονται ταῦτα πάντα· τουτέστι, Παρ' οἷς ἤλπισας, οἷς θαῤῥεῖς. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Ἰσραὴλ ἐγκαλεῖται, ὅτι δὴ χρήμασι ἐθάῤῥουν καὶ ἵπποις. ∆ιὸ καὶ παρῄνει αὐτοῖς ὁ προφήτης, τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἐξιλεοῦσθαι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ λέγειν· Ἐφ' ἵπποις οὐκ ἀναβησόμεθα. Ὁ Θεός σε τιμᾷ, καὶ σὺ σαυτὸν ἀτιμάζεις; ὁ Θεός σε τιμᾷ, τὴν παρ' αὑτοῦ συμμαχίαν ὑπισχνούμενος, καὶ σὺ πρὸς ἀνθρωπίνας καταφεύγεις ἐλπίδας, καὶ ἀψύχῳ ὕλῃ τοῖς χρήμασι τὴν ἐλπίδα σου τῆς σωτηρίας πιστεύεις; Οὐ γὰρ δὴ σῶσαι ζητεῖ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐντίμως τοῦτο ποιῆσαι. Σφόδρα σε φιλεῖ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτό σε πάντων ἀπάγων, ἑαυτῷ προσηλοῖ, καὶ πάντα περικόπτων, πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἄγει, μονονουχὶ τοῦτο λέγων δι' ὧν ποιεῖ· Ἐν ἐμοὶ τὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχε, καὶ ἐμοὶ πρόσεχε διηνεκῶς. Κύριος ἐμοὶ βοηθὸς, κἀγὼ ἐπόψομαι τοὺς ἐχθρούς μου. Ὁρᾷς οὐκ αὐτὸν ἀμυνόμενον, οὐδὲ