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But this happens from not listening to Paul, when we hasten to go somewhere, where he does not command. For he sails with us even now, but not in chains, as he was then; he exhorts even now, and says to those on this sea: Take heed to yourselves; for after my departure grievous wolves will enter in among you; and again, In the latter times perilous times shall come, and men shall be lovers of their own selves, lovers of money, boasters. This is more grievous than all the winds. 5. Let us remain, therefore, where he commands, in the faith, in the safe harbor; let us listen to him rather than to the pilot within us, that is, our reasoning. Let us not do what this one suggests, nor what the shipmaster, but what Paul does; he has passed through countless such storms. Let us not learn by experience, but before the experience let us avoid both injury and loss. Hear what he says: They that desire to be rich, fall into temptation. Let us obey him, therefore, since they too, by not obeying, see what they suffered. And again elsewhere he says what causes shipwrecks: Who, he says, have made shipwreck concerning the faith. But you, continue in the things which you have learned and have been assured of. Let us obey Paul; and even if we are in the midst of a storm, we shall certainly be delivered from the dangers, even if we remain without food for fourteen days, even if the hope of salvation is lost, even if we are in darkness and gloom, by obeying him, we shall be delivered from the dangers. Let us consider the whole world to be a ship, and in it malefactors and those who have countless terrible things, some rulers, some guards, some righteous men, such as Paul, some prisoners, bound by their sins; if therefore we obey Paul, we do not perish in our chains, but are even loosed; for God will grant us also to him. Or do you not think that sins and passions are a grievous bond? for not only are the hands bound, but the whole man. For tell me, when someone who has much money does not spend nor lay it out, but holds it back, is he not bound by avarice with an unbreakable bond more grievously than any prisoner? What then, when someone submits himself to fate, is he not again bound with other bonds? What then, when by observances? what then, when by omens? Are not these more grievous than any bond? what then, when by irrational desire and passion? Who will break these bonds for you? There is need of God that they may be loosed. And one of these is enough to cause danger; but when there are both bonds and a storm, consider how great the dangers are. For what is not 60.373 sufficient to destroy? Is not the famine, the storm, the wickedness of the passengers, the unseasonableness of the time? But against all these things stood the brightness of Paul. So also now; let us keep the saints with us, and there will be no storm; or rather, even if there is a storm, there will be fair weather and a great calm, and a deliverance from dangers; since that widow had the holy one as a friend, both the death of her child was loosed, and she received her child alive again. Where the feet of saints tread, there will be nothing grievous; and if it happens, it is for a trial and for the greater glory of God. Accustom the floor of the house to be trodden by such feet, and no demon will tread there; and very reasonably so. For just as where there is a sweet fragrance, a foul smell will have no place; so also where there is the holy ointment, a demon is choked, it gladdens those who are present, cheers the soul, relaxes it. Where there are thorns, there are wild beasts; where there is hospitality, there are no thorns; for almsgiving, when it enters, destroys the thorns more sharply than any sickle, more fiercely than any fire. Do not be afraid; it respects the footprints of the saints, as foxes do lions. For the righteous, it says, is bold as a lion. Let us bring these lions into 60.374 the house, and all the wild beasts are put to flight, not by their roaring loudly, but by their simply uttering a sound. For the roar of a lion does not so put wild beasts to flight, as the prayer of a righteous man puts demons to flight; if he only utters a sound, they cower. And where now, you say, are such men? Everywhere, if we believe, if we seek, if we search diligently. Where have you sought, tell me? When have you had this task? When have you made this your business? But if you do not seek, do not be surprised that not

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δὲ τοῦτο γίνεται, παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἀκούειν Παύλου, ὅταν ἐπειγώμεθά που ἀπελθεῖν, ἔνθα μὴ κελεύει. Συμπλεῖ γὰρ καὶ νῦν ἡμῖν, ἀλλ' οὐ δεδεμένος, καθάπερ τότε· παραινεῖ καὶ νῦν, καὶ λέγει τοῖς ἐν τῇ θαλάττῃ ταύτῃ· Προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς· εἰσελεύσονται γὰρ μετὰ τὴν ἄφιξίν μου λύκοι βαρεῖς εἰς ὑμᾶς· καὶ πάλιν, Ἐν ὑστέροις καιροῖς ἐνστήσονται καιροὶ χαλεποὶ, καὶ ἔσονται οἱ ἄνθρωποι φίλαυτοι, φιλάργυροι, ἀλαζόνες. Τοῦτο πάντων χαλεπώτερον τῶν πνευμάτων. εʹ. Μένωμεν οὖν ἔνθα κελεύει ἐπὶ τῆς πίστεως, ἐπὶ τοῦ λιμένος τοῦ ἀσφαλοῦς· αὐτοῦ μᾶλλον ἀκούωμεν, ἢ τοῦ κυβερνήτου τοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν, τουτέστι τοῦ λογισμοῦ. Μὴ ἅπερ ἂν ὑποβάλλῃ οὗτος, ποιῶμεν, μὴ ἅπερ ὁ ναύκληρος, ἀλλὰ ἅπερ ἂν ὁ Παῦλος· μυρίους τοιούτους διῆλθε χειμῶνας. Μὴ τῇ πείρᾳ μανθάνωμεν, ἀλλὰ πρὸ τῆς πείρας κερδάνωμεν καὶ ὕβριν καὶ ζημίαν. Ἄκουσον τί φησιν· Οἱ βουλόμενοι πλουτεῖν, ἐμπίπτουσιν εἰς πειρασμόν. Πειθώμεθα τοίνυν αὐτῷ, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐκεῖνοι μὴ πεισθέντες, ὁρᾶτε τί ἔπαθον. Καὶ πάλιν ἑτέρωθι λέγει, τί ποιεῖ ναυάγια· Οἵτινες, φησὶν, ἐναυάγησαν περὶ τὴν πίστιν. Σὺ δὲ μένε ἐν οἷς ἔμαθες καὶ ἐπιστώθης. Πειθώμεθα Παύλῳ· κἂν ἐν μέσῳ ὦμεν χειμῶνι, πάντως ἀπαλλαγησόμεθα τῶν κινδύνων, κἂν τεσσαρεσκαίδεκα ἡμέραις ἄσιτοι διαμένωμεν, κἂν ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς σωτηρίας ἐκπέσῃ, κἂν ἐν σκότῳ ὦμεν καὶ γνόφῳ, πεισθέντες αὐτῷ, ἀπαλλαγησόμεθα τῶν κινδύνων. Πλοῖον εἶναι νομίζωμεν τὴν οἰκουμένην πᾶσαν, κἀν τούτῳ τοὺς κακούργους καὶ μυρία ἔχοντας δεινὰ, τοὺς μὲν ἄρχοντας, τοὺς δὲ φύλακας, τοὺς δὲ δικαίους, οἷος Παῦλος, τοὺς δὲ δεσμίους, ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις δεδεμένους· ἂν μὲν οὖν Παύλῳ πειθώμεθα, οὐ δεδεμένοι ἀπολλύμεθα, ἀλλὰ καὶ λυόμεθα· χαριεῖται καὶ ἡμᾶς αὐτῷ ὁ Θεός. Ἢ οὐκ οἴει δεσμὸν εἶναι χαλεπὸν τὰ ἁμαρτήματα καὶ τὰ πάθη; οὐ γὰρ δὴ χεῖρες μόνον εἰσὶ δεδεμέναι, ἀλλ' ὁ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος. Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, ὅταν τις χρήματα πολλὰ κεκτημένος μὴ ἀναλίσκῃ μηδὲ δαπανᾷ, ἀλλὰ κατέχῃ, οὐχὶ παντὸς δεσμίου χαλεπώτερον τῇ φειδωλίᾳ δεσμεῖται δεσμῷ ἀῤῥαγεῖ; Τί δαὶ, ὅταν τις εἱμαρμένῃ ἑαυτὸν ὑποβάλλῃ, οὐχὶ πάλιν ἄλλοις οὗτος δεσμοῖς δέδεται; Τί δαὶ, ὅταν παρατηρήσεσι; τί δαὶ, ὅταν συμβόλοις; οὐχὶ παντὸς δεσμοῦ ταῦτα χαλεπώτερα; τί δαὶ, ὅταν ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἀλόγῳ καὶ ἔρωτι; Τίς διαῤῥήξει τούτους ὑμῖν τοὺς δεσμούς; Τοῦ Θεοῦ χρεία ὥστε λυθῆναι. Καὶ ἓν μὲν τούτων ἀρκεῖ κίνδυνον ἐμποιῆσαι· ὅταν δὲ καὶ δεσμὰ καὶ χειμὼν, ἐννόησον ὅσον τὸ τῶν κινδύνων. Τί γὰρ οὐχ 60.373 ἱκανὸν διαφθεῖραι; οὐχ ὁ λιμὸς, ὁ χειμὼν, ἡ κακία τῶν ἐμπλεόντων, τὸ τοῦ καιροῦ ἀνεπιτήδειον; Ἀλλὰ πρὸς ταῦτα πάντα ἔστη ἡ λαμπρότης Παύλου. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ νῦν· κατέχωμεν παρ' ἑαυτοῖς τοὺς ἁγίους, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται χειμών· μᾶλλον δὲ, κἂν ᾖ χειμὼν, ἔσται εὐδία καὶ γαλήνη πολλὴ, καὶ ἀπαλλαγὴ τῶν κινδύνων· ἐπειδὴ τὸν ἅγιον εἶχε φίλον ἡ χήρα ἐκείνη, καὶ ὁ θάνατος ἐλύθη τοῦ παιδίου, καὶ τὸν παῖδα πάλιν ζῶντα ἀπελάμβανεν. Ἔνθα πόδες ἁγίων ἐπιβαίνουσιν, οὐδὲν ἔσται λυπηρόν· κἂν γένηται, πρὸς δοκιμὴν καὶ πρὸς μείζονα δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἔθισον τὸ ἔδαφος τῆς οἰκίας ὑπὸ τοιούτων πατεῖσθαι ποδῶν, καὶ οὐ πατήσει δαίμων ἐκεῖ· καὶ μάλα εἰκότως. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἔνθα ἂν εὐωδία ᾖ, οὐχ ἕξει χώραν δυσωδία· οὕτω καὶ ἔνθα μύρον ἐστὶ τὸ ἅγιον, ἀποπνίγεται δαίμων, εὐφραίνει τοὺς συνόντας, διαχέει ψυχὴν, ἀνίησιν. Ἔνθα ἄκανθαι, ἐκεῖ θηρία· ἔνθα φιλοξενία, οὐκ εἰσὶν ἄκανθαι· ἡ γὰρ ἐλεημοσύνη εἰσελθοῦσα παντὸς δρεπάνου τομώτερον ἀναιρεῖ τὰς ἀκάνθας, παντὸς πυρὸς σφοδρότερον. Μὴ φοβηθῇς· αἰδεῖται τὰ ἴχνη τῶν ἁγίων, καθάπερ λέοντας ἀλώπεκες. ∆ίκαιος γὰρ, φησὶν, ὡς λέων πέποιθεν. Εἰσαγάγωμεν τούτους τοὺς λέοντας εἰς 60.374 τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ πάντα φυγαδεύεται τὰ θηρία, οὐ βοώντων αὐτῶν μεγάλα, ἀλλ' ἁπλῶς φθεγγομένων. Οὐ γὰρ βρυχηθμὸς λέοντος οὕτω φυγαδεύει τὰ θηρία, ὡς εὐχὴ δικαίου φυγαδεύει δαίμονας· ἂν φθέγξηται μόνον, κατεπτήχασι. Καὶ ποῦ νῦν τοιοῦτοι, φησὶ, εἰσί; Πανταχοῦ, ἂν πιστεύωμεν ἡμεῖς, ἂν ζητῶμεν, ἂν περιεργαζώμεθα. Ποῦ ἐζήτησας, εἰπέ μοι; πότε τοῦτο ἔργον ἔσχες; πότε πρᾶγμα τοῦτο ἔθου; Εἰ δὲ οὐ ζητεῖς, μὴ θαυμάσῃς, ὅτι οὐχ