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fleeing from Horeb, with Jesus the God fleeing into Egypt, so that his courage might be known in his struggles, and he might reap fitting rewards. So that in a certain way he might imitate Job, and God will say to him. Or do you think that I have dealt with you otherwise, than so that you might be shown to be righteous, so that you might also preach the Gospel to others. 16. But if any others also became accomplices in this unlawful exile, we honor them with silence out of respect for the Fathers, lest we should incur the penalty of Ham, 96.780 by mocking the Fathers. For the narrative concerning this is of many kinds, with some bishops pouring on the wickedness, but others completely refusing this, and condemning the empress, who threatened the restoration of the pagan temples, which had recently been torn down, if they did not become collaborators in the persecution of the divine man. And let what is well-spoken prevail; for it is not good to compare Fathers, lest we should be established as judges over them by ourselves. 17. Whether, then, it was this way or that way, the president is taken from the Church, and the head of the body, and the flock is widowed of the good shepherd who always, in imitation of Christ, laid down his life for the sheep. And the Church longed for its preacher, the shepherd, the sheep, and the pipe; the defenders of Christ for their commander, and the trumpet that throws into confusion the spiritual enemies, the widows for their defender; the orphans for their father; the sick for their caregiver, strangers for their host; the royal purple of the cities for the unadulterated gold that adorned it by itself, and that blended the kingdom with the priesthood, and with the grace of the father adorned the scepter and the diadem; the God-loving ears for the man of golden words and golden mouth. And if it is not too bold to say, Christ whom he bore within him departed with him. Oh, how could I narrate without tears this incurable calamity? For not even a heart of stone would be able to not weep at this, since even a rock, when struck by the Mosaic rod, poured forth streams, and a hard heart, struck by the greatness of the tragedy, pours forth torrents of tears like a river. 18. But suddenly the palace is shattered, and Pharaoh again calls upon the seer of God for defense against the plague; which indeed also happens. For at the same time John returns by royal command, and the shattering ceased. Thus God knows how to honor those who are His; For I live, says the Lord, but I will glorify those who glorify me. Therefore, the flock of Christ is again in good spirits. For he who becomes all things to all men is restored to all, and all of Christ’s subjects rejoice, and are enriched, and grow in the good soil of the heart, receiving the words of John as seed of the spirit. But the devil is shattered, and again, as is his custom, he rises up against the preacher, and the weak one demands the courageous champion of the Church, attempting to destroy him, and to plunder the unplundered wealth; and he receives power over his body, as once over Job, he who previously could not bear his rebuke. And again the righteous man is taken away, the bridegroom is banished from the bridal chambers, and the Church is stripped of its bridal adornment, and shaves its head, not having him. For fire from the throne, like a thunderbolt sent from God, consumed the Church 96.781 and the senate at the same time. And again there were wailings and tears, as the multitude desired to go into exile with him rather than to stay at home, and death was more preferable to them than the loss of John. But inescapable evils prevailed, God permitting them by judgments which He knows. 19. For thus again changing, being moved from city, from country to country, what he longed for he pursued and attained; considering life to be good, and death a gain, having fought the good fight, having kept the faith, and having finished the race, and

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Χωρὴβ ἀποτρέχων, σὺν Ἰησοῦ τῷ Θεῷ φεύγων εἰς Αἴγυπτον, ὡς ἂν ἐν τοῖς ἄθλοις ἡ ἀνδρεία γνωσθείη, καὶ κατάλληλα τὰ ἔπαθλα δρέψοιτο. Ὡς ἂν τρόπον τινὰ τὸν Ἰὼβ ἐκμιμήσηται, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐρεῖ Θεός. Ἢ οἴει με ἄλλως κεχρηματικέναι σοι, ἢ ἵνα δίκαιος ἀναφανῇς, ὡς ἂν καὶ ἄλλοις κηρύξῃ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον. ιςʹ. Εἰ δὲ καί τινες ἕτεροι τῆς παρανόμου ταύτης ὑπερορίας συλλήπτορες γεγόνασι, σιγῇ τιμῶμεν αἰδοῖ τῶν Πατέρων, ὡς ἂν μὴ τοῦ Χὰμ ἀπενεγκώμεθα 96.780 πρόστιμον, τοῖς Πατράσιν ἐπιτωθάζοντες. Πολύτροπος γὰρ ἡ περὶ τούτου διήγησις, τῶν μὲν ἐπισκόπων ἐπιχεόντων τὸ ἄτοπον, τῶν δὲ τουτὶ πάντῃ ἀπαναινομένων, καὶ τῆς βασιλίδος καταψηφιζομένων, ἀπειλούσης τὴν τῶν ἑλληνικῶν τημένων ἀνακαίνισιν, ἤδη καθαιρεθέντων ἄρτι, εἴ γε μὴ σύμψηφοι πρὸς τὴν θείου ἀνδρὸς γένοιντο δίωξιν. Καὶ νικάτω τὸ εὔφημον· οὐκ ἀγαθὸν γὰρ Πατέρας συγκρίνειν, ὡς ἂν μὴ τούτων ὑφ' ἑαυτῶν κριταὶ κατασταίημεν. ιζʹ. Εἴτε οὖν οὕτως, εἴτε ἐκείνως, ἀφαιρεῖται τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὁ πρόεδρος, ἡ κεφαλή τε τοῦ σώματος, καὶ χηρεύει τὸ ποίμνιον τοῦ καλοῦ ποιμένος τοῦ χριστομιμήτως ἀεὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τιθέντος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων. Καὶ ἐπόθει ἡ Ἐκκλησία τὸν κήρυκα, τὸν νομέα, τὰ πρόβατα, καὶ τὴν σύριγγα· οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὑπερασπισταὶ τὸν ταξίαρχον, καὶ τὴν σάλπιγγα κατ' ἐχθρῶν νοητῶν ταράττουσαν, τὸν προασπιστὴν αἱ χῆραι· οἱ ὀρφανοὶ τὸν πατέρα· οἱ νοσοῦντες τὸν κομιστὴν, οἱ ξένοι ξεναγωγόν· ἡ τῶν πόλεων ἁλουργὶς τὸν χρυσὸν τὸν ἀκίβδηλον κοσμοῦντα δι' ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ ἐπικιρνῶντα τὴν βασιλείαν τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ, καὶ τῇ τοῦ πατρὸς ὥρᾳ χαριτοῦντα τὸ σκῆπτρον, καὶ τὸ διάδημα· αἱ φιλόθεοι ἀκοαὶ τὸν χρυσολόγον καὶ χρυσόστομον. Καὶ εἰ μὴ τολμηρὸν φάναι, συνεξῄει Χριστὸς ὃν ἔφερεν ἔνοιστον. Ὢ πῶς ἀδακρυτὶ τὴν ἀνήκεστον ἐκτραγῳδήσαιμι συμφοράν; οὐδὲ λιθίνη γὰρ καρδία μὴ δακρύειν ἐπὶ ταύτῃ δυνήσεται, ἐπεὶ καὶ λίθος ῥάβδῳ Μωσαϊκῇ ῥαπιζομένη ἐξέχεε νάματα, καὶ καρδία στεῤῥὰ τῷ μεγέθει πληγεῖσα τῆς τραγῳδίας, ποταμηδὸν ἐκχεῖ δακρύων κρουνούς. ιηʹ. Ἀλλ' ἄφνω τὰ βασίλεια θραύεται, καὶ Φαραὼ πάλιν τὸν θεόπτην ἐπιβοᾷ τὰ πρὸς τὴν τῆς μάστιγος ἄμυναν· ὃ δὴ καὶ γίνεται. Ἅμα γὰρ Ἰωάννης βασιλικῷ παλινοστεῖ προστάγματι, καὶ ἐκόπασεν ἡ θραῦσις. Οὕτως οἶδε Θεὸς τιμᾷν τοὺς ὄντας αὐτοῦ· Ζῶ γὰρ ἐγὼ, λέγει Κύριος, ἀλλ' ἢ τοὺς δοξάζοντάς με δοξάσω. Πάλιν τοίνυν ἐν εὐθυμίᾳ τὸ Χριστοῦ ποίμνιον. Πᾶσι γὰρ ἀποδίδοται ὁ τὰ πάντα πᾶσι γινόμενος, καὶ χαίρει μὲν ἅπαν Χριστοῦ τὸ ὑπήκοον, καὶ πιαίνεται, καὶ αὔξει ἐν ἀγαθῇ γῇ τῆς καρδίας, ὡς σπόρον τοῦ πνεύματος τοὺς Ἰωάννου λόγους δεχόμενος. Ὁ δὲ διάβολος θραυματίζεται, καὶ πάλιν τοῦ κήρυκος συνήθως κατεξανίσταται, καὶ ἐξαιτεῖται ὁ ἀδρανὴς τὸν ἀνδρεῖον τῆς Ἐκκλησίας πρόβολον, καταλύειν πειρώμενος, καὶ τὸν πλοῦτον λαφυραγωγεῖν τὴν ἀσύλητον· καὶ λαμβάνει μὲν τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ σώματος, ὥς ποτε τοῦ Ἰὼβ ὁ τούτου μὴ φέρων πρότερον τὸ ἐμβρίμημα. Καὶ πάλιν ὁ δίκαιος αἴρεται, ὁ νυμφίος τῶν θαλάμων ἐξοστρακίζεται, καὶ τὸν νυμφικὸν ἡ Ἐκκλησία περιαιρεῖται κόσμον, καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν περικείρεται, τοῦτον οὐκ ἔχουσα. Πῦρ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ θρόνου, οἷα σκηπτὸς θεήλατος τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν 96.781 ἅμα καὶ τὴν σύγκλητον κατανέμεται. Καὶ πάλιν οἰμωγαί τε καὶ δάκρυα, συνεκδημεῖν πλήθους ἢ ἐνδημεῖν ἐφιεμένου, καὶ ἦν αὐτοῖς ὁ θάνατος αἱρετώτερος τῆς Ἰωάννου στερήσεως. Ἀλλὰ φευκτῶν κακῶν Θεοῦ παραχωροῦντος ἐπικρατούντων, οἷς ἐπίσταται, κρίμασιν. ιθʹ. Οὕτω γὰρ πάλιν ἀμείβων, ἐξ ἄστεος ἐκ χώρας εἰς χώραν μεθιστάμενος, ὃν ἐπόθει διώξας κατέλαβε· τὸ ζῇν χρηστὸν λογισάμενος, καὶ κέρδος τὸν θάνατον, τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν καλὸν ἀγωνισάμενος, τὴν πίστιν τηρήσας, καὶ τὸν δρόμον τελέσας, καὶ