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Translated by Ch. Browne and J. Swallow.
Gregory Theologian Bilingual Anthology, Resources Online and in Print
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16 Pages
Page 12
16. It is a fearful thing, my brethren, to fall into the hands of a living God, [3143] and fearful is the face of the Lord against them that do evil, [3144] and abolishing wickedness with utter destruction. Fearful is the ear of God, listening even to the voice of Abel speaking through his silent blood. Fearful His feet, which overtake evildoing. Fearful also His filling of the universe, so that it is impossible anywhere to escape the action of God, [3145] not even by flying up to heaven, or entering Hades, or by escaping to the far East, or concealing ourselves in the depths and ends of the sea. [3146] Nahum the Elkoshite was afraid before me, when he proclaimed the burden of Nineveh, God is jealous, and the Lord takes vengeance in wrath upon His adversaries, [3147] and uses such abundance of severity that no room is left for further vengeance upon the wicked. For whenever I hear Isaiah threaten the people of Sodom and rulers of Gomorrah, [3148] and say Why will ye be smitten any more, adding sin to sin? [3149] I am almost filled with horror, and melted to tears. It is impossible, he says, to find any blow to add to those which are past, because of your newly added sins; so completely have you run through the whole, and exhausted every form of chastisement, ever calling upon yourselves some new one by your wickedness. There is not a wound, nor bruise, nor putrefying sore; [3150] the plague affects the whole body and is incurable: for it is impossible to apply a plaster, or ointment or bandages. I pass over the rest of the threatenings, that I may not press upon you more heavily than your present plague.
[3143] Heb. x. 31.
[3144] Ps. xxxiv. 16.
[3145] Jer. xxiii. 24.
[3146] Ps. cxxxix. 7, 8.
[3147] Nahum i. 1, 2.
[3148] Isai. i. 10.
[3149] Isai. i. 5 (LXX.).
[3150] Ib. i. 6.
Reference address : https://elpenor.org/gregory-nazianzen/plague-hail.asp?pg=12
